Xi’an Famous Foods Closes Biang After 15 Months

Say goodbye to Biang!, the full-service outpost in the popular Xi’an Famous Foods spicy, hand-pulled noodle empire. EV Grieve reports that the East Village location of the restaurant at 157 Second Ave. suddenly shut its doors on Monday, after 15 months in the neighborhood. A note on the door from CEO Jason Wang says that it has “permanently closed.” Eater has reached out to Wang for further information.

Most of the dishes served at Biang can also be found at nearly a dozen Xi’an Famous Foods fast casual locations, though the restaurant offered items like skewers and specials that were unique to the location. Wang’s note says that those special items will be offered at the Flushing flagship, at 41-10 Main St.

But Biang also offered a way for fans of Xi’an Famous Foods fare to dine in a more tailored setting. Outposts of the fast-casual chain tend to have narrow tabletops, stools, or limited seating overall — all things primed for a get-in-and-get-out experience. The closest location to Biang at 81 St. Marks Pl. also gets incredibly busy, meaning hovering for seats is part of the experience. Biang, on the other hand, seemed busy during prime times, but it was always still fairly easy to get a table for a spicy noodle dinner with a beer.

The location opened back in 2015 and went no tipping last March. It’s the second location for Biang, which initially opened (and closed) in Flushing. While in Queens, the Times awarded Biang one star. Stay tuned for more.

Update: Wang says in an email to Eater that the company closed the location because it was too close to the St. Marks outpost. “We are considering other locations for a future return of the brand,” he says.

• Jason Wang’s Biang! closes after 15 months on 2nd Avenue [EV Grieve]