Something fabulous is happening in the East Bay. From Oakland to El Cerrito, new restaurants offering the crispy, sweet, savory, and sometimes spicy delicacy known as Korean fried chicken are bursting forth like poppies after rain.
In the span of just a few months, newcomers like bb.q Chicken, Chimmelier, Noori and more have swiftly joined the ranks of the East Bay’s long-established favorites. So, as any good journalist would, I conducted an in-depth survey of the current Korean fried chicken landscape to deliver my (very unscientific) ranking of 10 popular restaurants, old and new alike.
I started by speaking with Sammy Chang, who served as a Snail Bar cook for over three years and now manages the adjoining cafe, Upstairs. Chang is of Korean heritage and grew up in Orange County, a cornucopia of Korean food. With her experience cooking Korean recipes at home and in professional kitchens, I asked what she looks for in the perfect K-fried chicken piece.
“The batter is supposed to be crispy, light and not too heavy,” she said, explaining that, unlike its American counterpart, Korean fried chicken doesn’t use buttermilk, achieving lightness by using potato starch and crispiness by double-frying the chicken. “And then there are always a ton of flavors that you can choose from,” she said.
Korean fried chicken’s roots trace back to mid-century wartime when U.S. soldiers stationed in South Korea introduced the concept of frying chicken to their fellow Korean soldiers. As the practice evolved, Korea put its own twists on the recipe, including smothering the chicken in a melange of sweet and savory sauces.
Some of the most popular flavors, Chang said, are soy garlic and yangnyeom — a sweet, tangy and often lightly spicy sauce typically made with gochujang (Korean red chili paste), ketchup and soy sauce. But Chang added that flavor is not solely derived from the sauce; the seasonings and spice in the batter matter, too.
The following are some of the East Bay’s most popular options for satisfying a Korean fried chicken craving. But journalism is about digging into the details, so we’ve ranked these options by their juiciness, crispiness and overall flavor, in addition to noting the spiciness of the order. (Most restaurants have varying degrees of spice, but for consistency’s sake, we went with mainly mild to medium flavors.)
Of course, this list will be somewhat limited by subjective tastes. To keep things simple, we stuck to trying soy garlic or yangnyeom sauce, for the most part. There are other flavors to try, but time, budget and appetite constraints sadly prevented us from trying it all.
Without further ado, here’s the scoop on 10 Korean fried chicken spots in the East Bay.
bb.q Chicken
Spice Level: Mild-Medium
Juiciness: 5/5
Crispiness: 4.5/5
Overall: 5/5
Probably best known for its appearance in the hit K-drama Crash Landing on You, bb.q Chicken is something of a celebrity among Korean fried chicken shops. So, when the chain arrived in Oakland last fall, it felt like kind of a big deal.
Though some of the sauces, like the Gang-Jeong, trend a little sweet, bb.q Chicken delivers on its promise to serve “flavor from the heart of Seoul.” If spice is what you seek, try the Gangnam wings, which are coated in a black pepper sauce and dusted with slivers of jalapeño pepper. The meat falls right off the bone, and the blend of sweet and savory in the Gangnam sauce makes for a full-bodied flavor. The batter is light and crispy, the meat is tender. Prepare to wait around 25 minutes for your order, even if the store doesn’t appear busy.
To speak of the flavor: my dining partner and I chowed in silence, suspended in what can only be described as a food-induced state of dissociation, until the moment they appeared to come back to Earth, hands covered in sauce. Eying the carnage before us, they asked in earnest, “Wow, how did this happen?”
bb.q Chicken: 5295 College Ave., Oakland; open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; bbqchicken.com
Bonchon
Spice Level: Mild
Juiciness: 4/5
Crispiness: 3/5
Overall: 3/5
Bonchon is a solid option in many ways: it’s fast, affordable and hits the spot if you’re in a hurry. The lunch special six-piece combo of wings and drumsticks runs around $15, including tax, and the portions are generous. But while the wings and drumsticks are juicy enough, the crunch isn’t quite as satisfying as others, even though some bites I took were devoid of sauce entirely. The soy garlic sauce itself is bare bones — notes of soy and garlic are definitely there, but without even a dusting of sesame seeds on top, there’s not much complexity to the flavor. Still, Bonchon gets the job done when you’re in need of a fast chicken fix.
Bonchon: 1275 Washington Ave., San Leandro; open daily 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., bonchon.com
Chimmelier
Spice Level: Mild
Juiciness: 4/5
Crispiness: 3/5
Overall: 4/5
Chicken shop Chimmelier arrived in Berkeley in January, cozying up in Oh G Burger’s second location on Solano Ave. (They’ve since expanded to Oakland, too.) The chicken offerings are straightforward: diners can opt for a spicy chicken sandwich, a burger, popcorn chicken or wings.
The wings arrive relatively quickly, and the yangnyeom sauce is thick and fragrant, a hearty blend of sweetness and mild spice. While the flavor hits the mark, some folks might find the texture somewhat boggy; the sauce does coat your mouth in a way that could be unpleasant to some. Given the amount of sauce on the wings, they’re not super crispy, but they’re ultimately satisfying, especially if you’re looking for a punch of flavor and texture.
Chimmelier: 1823 Solano Ave, Berkeley; open daily 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., chimmelierusa.com
Gangnam Tofu
Spice Level: Medium
Juiciness: 5/5
Crispiness: 5/5
Overall: 5/5
El Cerrito’s Gangnam Tofu has long been a boon for folks seeking authentic Korean flavors. Though it offers much more than just chicken, ordering the half-bird drizzled in soy garlic sauce is well worth the 20-minute wait. The chicken arrives piping hot and yields a mixture of generously sized bone-in and boneless pieces. True to Korean style, the batter is light, crispy and coated in just the right amount of sauce — each piece is covered in flavor, but the sauce doesn’t drown out the necessary crispiness for that satisfying crunch-to-flavor ratio. The meat is tender, and the entire flavor profile is balanced nicely by the heat of ginger and jalapeño peppers.
Gangnam Tofu: 11740 San Pablo Ave. Suite C, El Cerrito; open daily 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., gangnamtofuusa.com
Mugunghwa
Spice Level: Mild – Medium
Juiciness: 4/5
Crispiness: 3/5
Overall: 3.5/5
Named for hibiscus, the South Korean national flower, Mugunghwa opened in El Cerrito last fall and offers a variety of dependable lunch and dinner options. As far as fried chicken goes, the offerings are on the sweet and mild side — even the yangnyeom sauce errs sweeter than spicier. The wings are plump and juicy, enveloped in a generous casing of fluffy batter, but crispiness is lacking; the saucy liquid overpowers any bit of crunch you’d search for in a good bite. But even for just an order of fried chicken, Mugunghwa will deck out your table in delicious banchan, the small side dishes that accompany Korean cuisine, which makes the experience worthwhile.
Mugunghwa: 10140 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito; open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays
Noori Chicken
Spice Level: Mild
Juiciness: 5/5
Crispiness: 4/5
Overall: 4/5
Noori Chicken, which opened on Oakland’s Grand Ave. last fall, is possibly one of Oakland’s best spots to try chimaek, or Korean fried chicken and beer. Open late and reminiscent of the Korean watering holes that shuttle beer and soju to your table with a push of a button, and each bite of the soy garlic wings is infused with the fragrant punch of garlic. The wings are massive and the meat inside is hot and juicy. Though the wings are absolutely drenched in sauce, with a sticky, honey-like consistency, they offer a pleasantly surprising crunch.
Noori Chicken: 366 Grand Ave., Oakland; open 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; noorichicken.com
Ohgane
Spice Level: Mild
Juiciness: 4/5
Crispiness: 3/5
Overall: 3/5
When you’re craving bulgogi with a side of corn cheese, you go to Ohgane, the undisputed heavyweight champion of the East Bay’s Korean BBQ scene. And if you’re craving Korean fried chicken, you can also go to Ohgane, though their mastery of marinated meats is possibly more newsworthy than their chicken game. The wings are generously portioned, tender and juicy, but the yangnyeom feels a little under seasoned, and any whiff of crisp is drowned out by the liquid sauce.
Ohgane: 3915 Broadway, Oakland; open daily 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; ohgane.com
Pyeong Chang Tofu House
Spice Level: Mild-Medium
Juiciness: 5/5
Crispiness: 4/5
Overall: 5/5
A stalwart of Oakland’s Korean community for over 25 years, Pyeong Chang Tofu House is an obvious choice for craveable Korean comfort food. The fried chicken is no exception. Pieces are large and juicy, and the yangnyeom sauce delivers a well-balanced blend of sweet and savory flavor with just the right kick of spice.
Pyeong Chang Tofu House: 4701 Telegraph Ave., Oakland; open Sunday through Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; 1269 University Ave., Berkeley; open Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m to 10 p.m.; pctofu.com
Tin & Pig
Spice Level: Mild
Juiciness: 4/5
Crispiness: 3/5
Overall: 3.5/5
Tin & Pig, a haven for Korean street food specialties and soju, supplies unrivaled night-out-in-Seoul vibes with its tightly-packed booths and loud, scribbled-over walls. The fried chicken orders are large, ideal for sharing, and come with both bone-in and boneless pieces. The soy garlic flavor, while tasty, is mild and inoffensive, and doesn’t add much complexity to the dish. Ultimately, there are other standout menu items at Tin & Pig, but the fried chicken can come in clutch for large groups, especially if soju is on the table.
Tin & Pig: 3702 Telegraph Ave., Oakland; open Sundays 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday 5 p.m. to 12 a.m., Fridays and Saturdays 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Vons at K Banchan
Spice Level: Medium-Extra Hot
Juiciness: 5/5
Crispiness: 5/5
Overall: 5/5
Spice lovers, take heed. The powerful heat delivered by the extra hot yangnyeom sauce (which I only dared try by dipping my pinky finger into the sample generously provided) is eye-wateringly fantastic. Still, for the sake of my digestive system, I went with medium spice on my soy garlic and yangnyeom order, and both bore their weight in comparison to the spicy option. The wings are large and satiating, and the sauce ratio is just right — every bite is crunchy yet steeped in flavor. Though both flavors exhibited hints of sweetness, they leaned towards the savory side, appeasing my non-sweet tooth sensibilities.
K Banchan x Vons Chicken: 4013 Telegraph Ave. (La Mancha Plaza), Oakland; open daily 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; vonschickenfnb.com
Final thoughts
Korean fried chicken is having a well-deserved celebrity moment in the East Bay, but the spots that impressed us the most were bb.q Chicken, Gangnam Tofu House and Vons.
Each of these restaurants exhibited exceptional attention to detail when considering the chicken’s sauce-to-crunch ratio. They boasted powerful flavors, and none of these restaurants bogged down crunch with sauce. The size of the pieces also ultimately contributed to this ranking; these restaurants delivered the largest, juiciest pieces and satisfied the longest. And, like all good things, the best Korean fried chicken takes time. If you’re waiting 20 to 25 minutes for your order, consider it a green flag and ask for extra pickled radishes to snack on if you’re starving.
