Johnny’s brings Chinese-Peruvian comfort food, known as chifa, to Williamsburg, where they’re serving up rotisserie chicken—or pollo a la brasa—Peruvian fried rice and frozen drinks in their laidback yet elevated space. The spot is a family affair: the titular Johnny, their late patriarch, started serving chicken in New York in the ‘70s, and the new generation carries the torch with the same precision and care.
The vibe: Casual enough for sweatpants but cool enough for a date, the space reflects the family's culinary traditions while bringing some of the neighborhood’s good-hang energy.
The food: The rotisserie chicken is what you came for. Golden and tender, you can watch it turn in the window while you wait for your platter of a half bird, served with aji verde, a spicy, creamy Peruvian sauce made green with jalapeño and cilantro, plus veggie fried rice. Add a few chifa staples, including arroz chaufa (fried rice) and lomo saltado, a beef stir-fry with veggies and soy-vinegar sauce.
The drinks: The full bar turns out frozen lychee pisco sours and chicha morada made with rum, lime and spiced purple corn juice, a Peruvian specialty. If it’s too chilly outside for a frozen drink, house cocktails include a cilantro-laced grapefruit spritz and the Oo-La-La with oolong tea.
Time Out tip: Ask upront for extra aji verde: you’ll end up pouring it over everything (including your purse, probably, in an understandable attempt to take some home).