Louisville’s Chik’n & Mi to close after nine years, ending a long-running neighborhood fried chicken fixture

Closure confirmed for late February

Chik’n & Mi, a Louisville restaurant known for Asian-influenced fried chicken and comfort dishes, is set to close after roughly nine years in operation. The business opened in 2017 and has operated at 1765 Mellwood Ave. in recent years, after relocating from an earlier Clifton-area space.

The timing places the restaurant’s run at about nine years from its 2017 opening to its planned final service in late February 2026.

What the restaurant has been known for

Since its launch, Chik’n & Mi built a following for fried chicken served with Southeast Asian flavors, along with soups and other comfort-food staples. The restaurant has also been recognized locally for offering gluten-free fried chicken options, a comparatively uncommon niche among fried-chicken-focused restaurants.

Financial and operational strain preceded the decision

The closing follows a period of documented operating challenges. In August 2024, the owners publicly described a major kitchen exhaust-system failure that forced abrupt service interruptions and raised the prospect of an extended closure while repairs were pursued. At the time, the owners said the equipment issues compounded broader pressures that had accumulated since the pandemic period.

In the restaurant industry, prolonged equipment outages can be especially disruptive for independent operators, because repair timelines can be uncertain and revenue loss arrives immediately while fixed costs continue.

Relocation history and the restaurant’s place in Louisville dining

Chik’n & Mi’s current Mellwood Avenue location traces back to a 2020 transition period when the owners shifted the restaurant into a larger space after a separate concept at the same property ended operations during the early COVID-19 era. That move helped the restaurant maintain a presence in the same general corridor, but it also placed the business in a site with the kind of commercial kitchen infrastructure that can require costly specialized maintenance.

• Opened: 2017
• Most recent address: 1765 Mellwood Ave., Louisville
• Noted in prior owner updates: significant ventilation/hood system problems in 2024

What comes next

The restaurant has not released a detailed public accounting of the factors behind the closure beyond prior statements describing operational obstacles. The immediate impact will be the loss of a long-running independent restaurant in a market where small operators continue to navigate high repair costs, labor expenses, and unpredictable demand swings.

Independent restaurants often operate on thin margins, and unexpected infrastructure failures can accelerate decisions that might otherwise unfold over a longer timeline.

Customers with upcoming reservations are advised to confirm plans directly with the restaurant while service continues through its final days.