Hainan Chicken House opens with an immediate focus: Hainanese chicken rice and the aromatic rice that defines it. Located in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, the restaurant positions fragrant jasmine, pandan and lemongrass at the center of every plate. Walk in and you can smell warm shallots folded into steaming rice, and the kitchen places a small cup of golden, perfumed chicken broth by each order. That broth holds much of the dish’s memory; diners are invited to sip between bites, seasoning with three distinct house sauces to shape each mouthful. Hainan Chicken House in New York City feels at once casual and deliberate, where taste trumps ceremony and technique shows in every texture and glaze.

The culinary vision comes from Malaysian New Yorkers who opened the restaurant in February 2023 to recreate hawker-style classics with precise technique. The kitchen team focuses on authenticity: carefully poached chicken that yields a tension between firm and soft, roasted options with glossy skins, and rice cooked to perfume rather than heavy oil. The restaurant is family-run and earned notable acclaim when The New York Times listed it among the city’s 12 best new restaurants in 2023. That attention accelerated demand without changing the core promise—every recipe references Malaysian street and home cooking, executed with attention to ingredient quality and balance. Although the executive chef is not publicly named, the kitchen’s consistent command of wok heat, poaching timing, and saucing signals practical training rooted in Southeast Asian technique.

The culinary journey at Hainan Chicken House highlights a handful of signature plates. The Hainanese chicken rice appears roasted or poached with rice scented by jasmine, pandan, lemongrass and fried shallots, accompanied by sesame soy, ginger-scallion and chile dipping sauces; this trio lets you tailor salt, heat and freshness. A small cup of aromatic golden chicken broth arrives with the set, built from concentrated stock reduced slowly to clarify flavor. The char siu pork belly is marked by soy-stained skin, a layer of rendered fat and tender meat finished with a gentle char that adds smoke and caramelized sugar notes. Char Kway Teow is wok-fired with egg noodles, shrimp, clams and squid, showing the kitchen’s control of high heat and timing. Other plates include curry laksa, chicken satay with spicy peanut sauce, and weekend specials such as Singapore Chili Crab written on a whiteboard. Salted duck egg yolk crispy prawns and the chicken liver mousse show a willingness to explore texture and rich flavors across appetizers and mains.

Inside the dining room a modern farmhouse aesthetic keeps the mood relaxed and practical. Poultry-themed decorative plates and wall tiles reference the menu’s bird focus without being kitsch; butcher paper wraps signature orders for a hawker-style presentation that feels authentic and lively. Seating fits casual service: friendly counter ordering alongside table service during peak hours, efficient staff who explain the sauces and broth ritual, and a bright, welcoming room for lunch and dinner. Acoustic and lighting details emphasize clarity over ambiance—this is a place to focus on food rather than a long, hushed meal. The kitchen communicates with open, visible techniques, and rotating specials are written on a chalk or whiteboard behind the counter to signal seasonal attention.

For practical planning, Hainan Chicken House keeps casual dress code and most daytime visitors arrive between 12:00 and 2:00 PM; evenings fill faster on Friday and Saturday when hours extend to 10:00 PM. Current operating hours are Sunday to Thursday 11:30 AM to 9:00 PM, and Friday and Saturday 11:30 AM to 10:00 PM as of October 2025. Reservations are limited; the restaurant accepts online orders and walk-ins, and weekend specials often lead to short lines. If you travel from Manhattan or other boroughs, consider arriving early on weekends or ordering ahead to avoid waits.

Hainan Chicken House offers a direct invitation: come for the rice first, then explore the breadth of Malaysian flavors from Char Kway Teow to char siu pork belly. Discover why The New York Times named it among New York City’s best new restaurants and taste carefully prepared dishes that honor Malaysian techniques. Make plans to visit Hainan Chicken House in Sunset Park to sip the golden broth, layer sauce and rice, and return for rotating weekend specialties.