Bon Chon chicken in NYC?

[lambretta76]

Did all of the Bon Chon chicken locations in NYC close? Or just the Northern Blvd. and 5th Ave. Manhattan ones?

Is the Bell Blvd. one still around and kicking, or did it change to "Mad For Chicken", too?

If it's gone, does anyone serve Bon Chon-style fried chicken in NYC anymore?

[UnitedNationsOfFood]

A new Bon Chon Chicken is opening at 2nd & 51st in Manhattan this spring... the signs have been there for months, and I have no idea if they're actually on track.

http://www.bonchonmidtown.com/

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Bon Chon Chicken
45-37 Bell Blvd, Queens, NY 11361

[Greg]

Any updates on the Korean Fried Chicken situation in the outer boroughs? Are any of the places mentioned closed or no longer serving food worth eating? I'm also curious if anyone has any input on Korean chicken versus Pollo Campero, for example. Thanks.

[Glendale is hungry]

Hi Greg,

I went to Kyedong on Northern Blvd. in Flushing about a month ago and it was still as delicious as ever. I haven't ever been to Kyochon or U.F.C. and I haven't been back to the Bon Chon on Bell Blvd since I first went back in 2009. I guess you could say I'm pretty devoted to the little-known Kyedong.

Here's a link to an earlier post I did about Korean fried chicken:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/661223

Hope this helps you out!

Ciao,

Glendale is hungry...

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KyoChon
156-50 Northern Blvd, Queens, NY 11354

Unidentified Flying Chickens
71-22 Roosevelt Ave, Queens, NY 11372

[Greg]

Thanks for the link and the info. Given how close Kyedong, Kyodong and Mad for Chicken are to one another, some intrepid 'hound should do a taste test and report back.

Your report on Kyedong definitely makes that spot the most tempting of the three.

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Mad for Chicken
157-18 Northern Blvd, Queens, NY 11354

Kyedong Chicken
150-54 Northern Blvd, Queens, NY 11354

[ZenFoodist]

I live down the block from all three and Mad For Chicken ( formerly Bon CHon) is the best by far. Really varied menu with tons of sides and cool cocktails. Kyo Chon re-opened a few weeks ago after a big renovation and now serves a chlorella chicken sandwich ( have the owners not heard of focus groups?!). Kyedong is solid.

Mad for Chicken, however, is in a class by itself. It's more of a restaurant. The fries are outstanding ( duested with back pepper,oregano, and parmsean), the potatoes on a stick are great for kids, the salads are fresh and the dressings excellent, the kimchee bokkumbap is really well exectuted and the fried chicken itself is super crisp and flavorful. When we bring picky kids from my son's soccer team, it's good to know we can get mozzarella sticks. Something for everyone and everything is well prepared.

We go all the time. Check it out.

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Mad for Chicken
157-18 Northern Blvd, Queens, NY 11354

[Greg]

I ate a KyoChon on Friday and ordered the sampler. Nothing was bad, but nothing was particularly good either. I'll have to check out Kyedong and Mad For Chicken.

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KyoChon
61-02 Springfield Blvd, Queens, NY 11364

[chickenexpert]

Bon Chon Chicken has 5 locations in NYC at the moment. I was recently at the 207 W 38th st location and the food was amazing. To die for actually. That spot on Chambers st. isnt BonChon chicken and their menu is weird. Anyways Bon Chon is everywhere, just gotta look

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Bon Chon Chicken
45-37 Bell Blvd, Queens, NY 11361

[cshell]

I went in search of Bon Chon today cause I was craving some fried goodness... not a Bon Chon in site anywhere on Northern Blved. Saw Mad about Chicken. They seemed like they were trying too hard. I then I tried Kyo Chon. It's kind of like the Jetsons meets KFC. Very tasty but a bit too...precise for lack of a better word. I absolutely LOVED the coleslaw and pickled radishes!
It will definitely be popular in NYC.

[squid kun]

Let the feathers fly ... http://midtownlunch.com/2009/05/13/bo...

[squid kun]

Haven't tried it yet, but I gather the food at Mad About Chicken is pretty much the same as Bon Chon's.

Bon Chon's web site no longer lists 5th Ave. or Northern Blvd. It does includes the Bayside and Staten Island locations, plus Boka on St. Marks (which I'm told licensed Bon Chon's recipes) and the Chambers St. shop that I thought was called Bon Bon.

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Mono+Mono
314 5th Ave, New York, NY 10001

Mad for Chicken
157-18 Northern Blvd, Queens, NY 11354

Bon Chon Chicken
45-37 Bell Blvd, Queens, NY 11361

Bon Chicken
98 Chambers St, New York, NY 10007

Boka
9 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10003

Mad for Chicken
1267 Forest Ave, Staten Island, NY 10302

[E Eto]

I could be wrong, but I thought UFC in Jackson Heights was also part of the Bon Chon chain.

[BonnieB.]

ok, here's another new one for me, we don't have this in brooklyn. I've never seen a Bon Chon Chicken. Is it all fried? Is it very different from KFC or Popeyes, which honestly I try not to eat very often.

[bigjeff]

oh boy. you just gotta hit it up. yum!

[noisejoke]

I thought UFC was it's own dealy. We probably go monthly. Obviously, we think it's pretty great.

Friday nights from Kensington to Roosevelt Ave by car in less than twenty minutes.

[lambretta76]

The reason I asked is that people I know that were big fans of Bon Chon on 5th went to Mad for Chicken and reported that it was vastly inferior to the Bon Chon product. It's the only one I've ever been to, and it may be the best fried chicken I've ever had. BonnieB, I agree with BigJeff, if anyone is serving the original Bon Chon chicken, you need to get there, get one order of sweet, one order of spicy, and enjoy life.

[squid kun]

Friends have told me Boka's chicken is very good, just like Bon Chon's.

Guess the next major Korean chicken news will be Kyochon's arrival in Manhattan, as mentioned by jeff ... http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/526593#4358855

Latest ETA is sometime in summer ... http://midtownlunch.com/2009/04/23/ky...

[janethepain]

Boka's chicken is Bon Chon; I actually prefer it to the few times I've had Bon Chon in their K-town location.

[bigjeff]

i had fried chicken from the BBQ Chicken place that was on 23rd and 7th, but it was very bad; they opened a branch on St. Mark's Place (next to or close to the pinkberry there) and I had their wings; damn good!

but ya, I'm just waiting for Kyo-Chon; I like their chicken and sorta tired of giving Bon Chon my money.

[lambretta76]

I've never been to the Kyo-Chon out in Flushing - how does it compare to Bon Chon? (Style-wise - is it battered and fried or more like Baden Baden, which is rotisserie and deep-fried I think.)

[bigjeff]

ya, same style, the heavy crust w/ the sauce on top; I kinda like the Baden-Baden but definitely prefer the battered style. in general, usually avoid the drumsticks since the quality of the meat itself is not so nice so it ends up almost "steaming" inside sometimes, not so nice. just stick w/ the wings. UFC drumsticks are really good tho.

[squid kun]

BTW just passed the former Bon Bon on Chambers - it's now Bon Chon (I've fixed the place record).

[ZenFoodist]

Was just there, at the Northern Blvd location, for lunch. Same owners. Same chicken. Waitress explained the name change has something to do with franchising issues that the Seoul management didn't agree to. No clue. But the chix was the same.