Bonchon Arlington
2201 N Pershing Dr,Ste E, Arlington, VA, 22201
Bonchon Arlington Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Arlington for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Arlington for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Arlington for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
2201 N Pershing Dr,Ste E
Arlington, VA, 22201 - Phone (703) 528-1011
- Website https://www.bonchon.com/va/arlington
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Garage, Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
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Jenny Mai D.
Their double fried chicken was amazing! Keeping the menu simple for a nice get together or quick food Togo. The fried chicken was so crispy and juicy. Makes me want to eat it everyday. Absolutely perfect with some beer in hand. The service was also very tentative. Definitely packed during lunch hour. Also has a bar and for those who wants just fried chicken and beer.
(4)Jenny P.
Warning: mentally prepare your stomach for abnormally large chicken legs! Having been to the Centreville Bonchon as well, I was so taken aback by the size of the chicken legs. I would be terrified to meet a chicken that size. A brave diner in our group attempted the chicken leg after one wing, then couldn't eat anymore. Anyway, I would recommend the large leg & wing half spicy and half garlic for a group of 4, assuming that you will order a side of fried rice and pork buns as well. (Because... well, why wouldn't you?) We recently moved to a new place, and we have been slowly unpacking for the past month. After Bonchon, we spent our new-acquired energy unpacking everything and decorating for about 2 hours... then did yoga. Ha!
(5)Matthew B.
It was decent but not 4 or 5 star good. I would give it 3.5 and give them my business again but 3.5 isn't an option. I admit I'm a bit jaded or maybe enlightened. You see, in Portland, ME we have a place called Pai Men and their pork buns make the ones I ate here taste like the McDonald's version. The chicken was pretty delicious (that's their thing) and I'd like to give it four stars for that but service was sub par. The server, although nice was a bit short (in communication skills, not height.) Likewise, he didn't offer me kimchi coleslaw and less then 5 minutes later offered the group next to me the option. I take partial blame because it was listed on the menu but still that is a reflection of the service. I had eaten at other locations in NYC and I felt this one was a bit corporate feeling. But admittedly I prefer smaller operations.
(3)Jessalyn L.
First let me say, they make all this stuff to order and it can take a while. But it's so worth it. These wings are so delicious and so hot, I can't get them out of my head. The soy garlic ones taste good, but I don't order those. My husband likes the kimchi coleslaw, I like the fries, and you need to get a ton of rice to ease the spice. Some people are mentioning delivery and I didn't know they deliver. But as I said, there will be a wait to get your food. And I don't mind waiting.
(4)dan f.
This is my favorite fried chicken I've ever had and my wife and I get take out from here about once a month. Here's my order- Main Soy Garlic Strips - I love spicy food but their spicy chicken is ridiculous hot for my tongue. The soy garlic glaze is amazing. I love the drum sticks but my wife doesn't like dealing with the bones, but the boneless strips are still crispy and juicy. We usually get a medium size between the two of us but then secretly wish we got the large. Side Kimchi Coleslaw - A lot more flavor than the regular coleslaw We skip the pickled radish. I like pickled things but dislike these. We like the french fries much better than the onion rings. The pork buns have a delicious flavor but they get a bit soggy when you're getting take-out.
(5)Jay B.
It's been 2 years since my last review and sadly an update is in order. While the Navy a Yard location has a new, exciting, expanded menu, Arlington is still just chicken. That would be fine if the chicken was done well. My standby is the boneless wings. Plump, juicy, tender and full of flavor. At least that was the memory. The order I received was pathetic. Over cooked, bland and worse yet the were small...seriously each piece was about the size of 2 chicken McNuggets. I guess I should have been happy that they were small since they weren't good at all. For the first time I took leftovers hone from Bonchon. The dog seemed to enjoy them. Service is almost always great but the food is equally important. If I'm in DC I'd consider Navy Yard, but I'm avoiding this former 5 star neighborhood hotspot.
(2)Jenny L.
*** 3 1/2 stars *** To be frank, I've had better KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) in NYC (read: Turntable/Mad For Chicken). I think Bonchon is a bit overhyped, but I'm really glad that KFC has gone so mainstream and is accessible in different parts of NOVA. Gotta share the love! Comparisons aside, Bonchon's soy garlic wings are the bomb, and wings + pickled radish + white rice = perfect combo.
(3)Bernadette S.
Love bonchon. This location is right off rt. 50 in arlington. There's ample seating and parking is not an issue as there are free parking garages right next to it. The inside is spacious. Sidenote* im clumsy and walked into the window when entering LOL! The door inside is to your right! With this location, it does not take as long as the other location in annandale. The service here is always great (shoutout to Mona and patrick!!). They also have a good range of beer selection as well as other drinks. If ever we are in the area and have a craving for from wings, we most likely end up here.
(4)David K.
I've had Bonchon twice in New York, and to be honest I didn't think it was that good. There are better Korean chicken places to get in New York, such as the happy hour chicken deal at Pocha (not to be mistaken with Pocha 32). But I was pleasantly surprised by the chicken that we got this time. We ordered the medium order of wings and legs (6 wings + 2 legs) with the garlic soy sauce. The skin was extra crispy, which I like, while the meat was pretty tender. The order comes with one side, so we picked the brown rice, which greatly complemented the tasty garlic soy flavor of the chicken. I would suggest also getting a side of the radishes as they provide a nice refreshing texture and taste to the chicken and rice. If you ask politely they may even just give it to you instead of counting it as the one side that you have to choose (I think this should be a given because Koreans are famous for their complementary side dishes and especially things like kimchi and radishes). We also got an order of two pork buns. They can't compete with the amazing buns that Ippudo or Totto Ramen make in NY but they're ok. The sauce is hoisen sauce-based and there's a good amount of green onions and other veggies. The pork belly isn't as tender as you would like in pork buns, a little chewy, but not too bad. The total came out to be $24-25 and so with tip came out to be $29-30.
(4)Lucas B.
If you're looking for some great chicken in the Arlington area, look no further. Bonchon is where it's at! I've been here a few times in about a month and I am still having the craving to go back. I've always gotten the half soy-garlic and half spicy strips with brown rice and pickled radish and I see absolutely no reason to change that. It's a good amount of food too! The chicken I'm pretty sure is double fried and sauced up after that. It's perfectly crunchy and just tastes amazing. I've gotten the pork buns and seasoned fries on an occasion and they are both great also. They don't have the most extensive menu but they do their chicken so well. Also the service isnt "5 star" worthy all the time but I'm willing to overlook it. If great chicken is what you're looking for and you're sick of bdubs or the like then this place is for you!
(5)Phoenix Simone W.
I've lived down the street for almost two years, and have seriously been missing out. My first experience was so delicious, I can't wait to come back. During brunch hour, bloody mary's and mimosas are only $4, how can you say no? The bloody mary made it to my top 10, but be sure to ask for it spicy! We ordered both types of wings, the kimchi coleslaw, and the seasoned fries. Man, everything was so good. The wings are double fried so they have that extra crunch. The hot wings weren't as hot as I was expecting, but still tasty. Definitely do the kimchi slaw over the regular for that added flavor. The fries might have also made my top 10. The seasoning was perfect, and that Chipotle mayo dip... yum. I wish they had more than 2 wing flavors, but I'll definitely be back.
(4)Kia D.
Cool area to visit a Bonchon.... Decent food, but sometimes I feel extra guilty eating the huge chicken wings. "What chicken did this come from???" i do love the zucchini fries! I took away two stars or one and a half on a good day, because of two things: 1) Sauce--I'm a sauce person. Getting the sauce for these wings is impossible. They literally won't bring you extra sauce or will barely let you taste to see if it's too hot for your palette. No bueno. I've even asked for the wings to be re-dipped before. 2) Rushed, rude service-- One visit (emphasis on ONE), I was seated in the bar dining area vs. the regular dining room. Like lots of places, the area is staffed by the bartender. My party of 3 as well as approximately two additional pairs of patrons were in this area. The bartender was very rushed and hurried. Being the only one that had dined here previously, it took us a few shakes to get our order finalized. The bartender was not in the mood for that I guess. There weren't other patrons filling up the dining area, so I don't know what the rush was. Not a good look. If I go back to Bonchon, this is the last location I will consider.
(3)Sou M.
They have my most favorite wings ever! I always go for traditional wings half n half, with both soy garlic and spicy sauce. The spicy sauce is REALLY spicy! Their signature thing is their kimchi coleslaw and pickled reddish ! You can never have anything better than that with your wings. And they refill for you if you request. Oh and last but not least, their parmesan herb fries... Absolutely insane! The staff is friendly and nice. The only reason i think it's not making to a 5 star is the wait time. I often finish up a couple bowls of coleslaw before my food arrives. But that time, I'm pretty full. If they improve their wait time, this place will def win a 5 star rating from me :)
(4)Jessie H.
Best Bonchon!!! Bonchon's a chain store, there's one in Annadale, VA and Philadelphia,PA. This one is the best one imo. I recommend ordering ahead of time because it takes them time to cook/fry the chicken. The spicy is decently spicy so don't get it if you're not okay with spicy because you will feel the fire. The soy wings are good for people who don't like spicy. Tender and Juicy! Sides- get the waffle fries and kimchi coleslaw (a bit on the spicier side) TLDR: Fried twice Korean chicken wings (best you'll get on the east coast - doesn't beat Crisp in Chicago tho).
(5)Allen H.
Great fried chicken! Pick up the medium half wings and legs which is really enough for 2 people. The medium is only around 13 bucks which comes with 6 wings and 2 legs, a side of rice, and daikon. I find the soy garlic better than the spicy flavor. Highly recommend for pick up. Good selection of beer if dining in as well.
(4)Alison E.
Looked forward to this place with great anticipation thanks to our minister, who talked this place up to be sinfully delicious. Unfortunately, we all did not agree. Brought the husband and the in-laws here for some incredible wings. We had the Caesar salad, fried rice, bulgogi, zucchini fries, and a large 20-piece wing order with kimchee coleslaw. I grew up on Korean food, so the expectations were through the roof. The Caesar was a decent portion, enough for the four of us to share. The zucchini fries were super delicious and flippin hot--burned our tongue and we kept eating good! The fried rice was too oily and bland, definitely not on my top ten 10 list or even top 100. The bulgogi, was sad. If you've ever had real Korean bulgogi in a Korean household or in Korea, this will taste like a low sodium, watered down version of the real thing. The wings, the star of the evening, were totally not worth the price (we had the soy, not the spicy one). We were told that the side was enough for two. Seriously? We pay for 20 wings and the size of the side is for one person? Even KFC is smart enough to increase the size of the sides with each increase in chicken/wing count. The best thing that we had was the zucchini fries! That's it, nothing else. More negatives: The water filter needs to be replaced because it tasted like straight up faucet, unfiltered water. The ginger beer is a watered down version with a strong bite. The service was right next to horrible. Our waitress came out to serve our water then again to deliver the bill--others members of the wait staff served our food. $80, and I've never felt so guilty for paying that much for such a sad experience.
(3)Takashi H.
Crispy, fried Korean chicken is all the craze in DC, and I was pleasantly surprised by my experience trying it for the very first time. How could fried chicken possibly be any different than fried chicken? Take my word for it; it is. My friend called an order in ahead, so a plate of the spicy chicken wings and shoyu garlic were waiting when we arrived five or so minutes afterward. The chicken was cooked to perfection - the satisfying crunch with each bite and flavor to send you back for more. The French fries and fried rice were also unique and delightful. Everything had a special umami to it which was quite addicting. Rumor has it the other locations have a different taste and feel, so this is the one you want to visit. As a precaution, I will say to be forewarned. This experience will hook you.
(4)Xinwei Z.
Now Colonel Sanders can argue with me all he wants, but I strongly believe that KFC should really stand for Korean fried chicken. It's pieces of double-fried wings and drumsticks with a remarkably thin yet crisp skin that holds up its insane crunch factor under a messy, saucy, sweet + spicy gochujjang-based glaze. With DMV locations in Fairfax, Annandale, the Navy Yard, Arlington, and Rockville (not to mention other states and internationally), Bonchon makes KFC incredibly accessible for the DC food lover. I have personally been to (multiple locations) an embarrassingly large number of times. If you're super hungry, plan ahead and order before you arrive because trying these monsters takes 20-30 minutes. And you're not getting those little drumlets either - Bonchon is known for their massive pieces of chicken and each "drum" is actually a whole drumstick. One drum and two wings (plus all of the complementary pickled daikon since no one else wanted them - more for me!) and I was full. This is coming from someone who can inhale 20 wings without batting an eyelash. You can order the wings spicy, soy garlic, or a mix of the two. Between the five of us, we got a medium combo just spicy and then opted for a small set of drums in soy garlic. If you can't handle heat extremely well, I'd say steer clear of the spicy! It may look innocent enough but that stuff packs a major punch. I've noticed that Bonchon's sauce is more of a thin, watery coating (though the chicken is still fabulously crispy) while the Korean fried chicken I'm used to eating at home has a thicker, glossier glaze. I'd prefer the glaze, but nonetheless, Bonchon's rendition is pretty darn tasty. Of course, Bonchon offers other Korean fare like ddukbukki, bibimbap, and bulgogi as well as some Korean-Japanese fusion renditions of katsu and takyoyaki (depending on location!) and while they aren't bad per say, you'd get a much better deal and flavor somewhere else, so save the money and stomach space and go heavy on the chicken!
(4)Nicholas A.
After eating Bonchon for the 1st time over by the Navy Yard, I was so happy to see one was near me. And still the service was excellent. Food to go was ok. If ordering to go, the steam caused the chicken to lose its crunch. But now I know, eat there and enjoy because These wings are da BOMB! Chon!!!!
(5)Amber G.
Pretty good fried chicken. Super crispy with an asian sauce. I've only had soy garlic and it was a bit sweet for my liking. But the pickled radish really evens out the flavors. I think Bon Chon is over-hyped though. People rave about it to no end and I was expecting something breathtaking. It's not bad by any means but it's nothing to obsess over either. Tip: Don't get the bulgogi. It wasn't very flavorful and I was disappointed big time. Kimchi fried rice is pretty good though.
(3)Amanda L.
Hellooo crispy spicy chicken! The Korean fried chicken here cannot be beat! I recommend ordering the wings. The legs are drumstick size, and the chicken fingers are more along the lines of cut up pieces of chicken breast that aren't nearly as crispy as the wings. The soy seasoning is good, but the spicy is way better. Don't forget to say you want a side of pickled radish - the perfect way to lower the heat from that spicy chicken!
(4)Mary Kate M.
Yelpers are going to get their hwandudaedos after me for this review.... Truth is Bonchon was OK to me. My husband enjoyed it probably more than I did, but then again he LOVES fried food. For me though I couldn't find anything particularly special about it. Fried chicken is a wonderful thing no matter what origin it comes from. Korean or not Korean -- it wasn't amazing. We ordered 2 drinks: Him - Sapporo $6 Me - Raspberry Lemonade $10 MY drink tasted like raspberry puree. I enjoyed it, but there didn't seem to have ANY liquor in it what so ever. We split the Mandoo app which was fried consisting of both beef and pork. For dipping they offer a type of soy sauce. They were good, but definitely would have preferred them steamed. Hubby chose them to be this way. I rolled with it. For main entree we ordered the medium (6) soy garlic legs and thigh mix fried chicken. I liked the flavor. These are bigger portions than your regular hot wing chicken because of the type of bird they use are not your typical chicken. I can't remember what he said they used. The crunch of the chicken was a little underwhelming. We decided on brown rice, forewent the slaw, and didn't care for the pickled relish which is offered complimentary. James, our bartender was cool. He took care of us, so definitely no complaints on service. Overall thought -- I don't see the craze appeal of this place. Maybe I am not educated enough on what and how Korean fried chicken is supposed to be, but from someone who enjoys fried chicken on occasion -- it wasn't something different or amazing to me that would draw me back immediately.
(3)Philip L.
I've always been a fan of Bon chon from the first bite. I like the take out better than the seat- down experience though. The options are rather scarce for in- house dinning. The savor of the double-fried chicken more than makes up for it though. Unique flavor must-try in Arlington.
(4)Laura C.
This review is mostly for their pick up service. I will update this review when I come and dine in. Pleeeeeeeeeease Bonchon dont let me down..or so at least service wise. Bonchon fried chicken is the best thing ever. Don't only take my word for it, take 4 of my coworkers' too. I introduce Bonchon to my coworkers two months ago and since then we kind of made fridays into Bonchon Fridays. Yup Bonchon at work is the best! :D The wait time for pickup is never that long, usually 15-20 min. I always recommend going for the half and half wings (Half of the order spicy and the other half soy garlic). Warning the spicy level can sometimes range from mildish to really spicy...or so i hope its not my spicy tolerance going down. If you love fries as much as i do, i also recommend the seasoned fries and their fried dumplings. One thing that's unfortunate about Bonchon is that each location has a different menu. You can order the sea food pancake in the Annandale location but you can't order it in the Arlington location. I have also tried their takoyaki in the Rockville branch but its a no no in Arlington. Lucky for me this whole limited menu thing is not a problem. I am okay with what I can get at each location. Two of my coworkers have dinned at this location and they recommended the lychee mojito. If you like lychee you should try too. I know i will!
(5)Jennifer V.
The drums and wings are HUGE! I've had Korean double fried chicken before, but never at a Bonchon chain. I did not expect the wings and drums to come out the size they were. I thought the seasoning and crop sines of the chicken was great. The hot was indeed hot, I'm glad it comes with a side of rice to fight the burn. I thought the chicken could have a bit more flavor on the inside, in my opinion it was a bit bland like any American fried chicken. The rice cakes were very good. It's unfortunate we couldn't finish. Perhaps we were a bit too ambitious. They were a bit heavy on the cheese, but I didn't mind too much. I enjoyed the fact that it wasn't just the rice cake, but there were noodles as well. Overall a good experience, but Bonchon simply is not my favorite place to get my Korean fried chicken.
(3)Olivia A.
I really enjoyed the dumplings as a starter the sauce was delicious. Hot or mild for the chicken. We tried both. I wish they had an in between. Everyone at my table agreed the hot was too hot and the mild didn't have enough kick. The chicken was cooked perfectly! And was even great as leftovers. Large, modern, clean location. Good service ( we had our water refilled a million times because of the heat on the hot chicken).
(4)Alison M.
I absolutely love Bon Chon's chicken. I would eat it every day if I had infinite money and no concern about continuing to fit through doorways. I love both the spicy and the soy garlic and always go half and half, alternating one after the other. In a perfect world, half and half would be literally half of each sauce on each chicken piece, but this is the real world, so we make do. I would definitely give them 5 stars, except I find all the options for sides to be pretty terrible. Both of the cole slaws and the radish pickles are disgustingly sweet. They taste like dessert, not an accompaniment to delicious, crispy chicken. They taste kind of like artificial sweetener, actually, which is especially unappealing. And the rice is too boring to be worth the time or calories. There's not enough sauce to really soak into it. But in a way I'm glad that the sides aren't better, because then I might be tempted to go there more often...
(4)Eric T.
We decided to drop in to this awesome place! The wings are out of control good! I recommend ordering half/half spice on the wings. The service is really good, both with the greeting as you enter and the wait staff. Definitely returning!
(4)Ann P.
I would give this boncon four stars if I never ate at the boncon in Annandale. This Boncon in comparison to the one in Annandale is not as good. However, this boncon in comparison to the one in Elliott city is a whole level up. The chicken is crispy but I prefer more sauce on my chicken. The wings are a good deal you can get 20 wings for 24$ and you can add a side for only 2$. It's cheap eats! The kimchi coleslaw is spicy and creamy. However, I was so disappointed in the rice. The rice was clearly old and not soft/fluffy. I always love the pickled radish. The service is good!
(3)Morgan B.
Hands down, my favorite fried chicken ever.... That is all.
(5)Catherine S.
Oh my gosh...BONCHON!!... my mouth is starting to water and I'm getting really happy just thinking about it. Obviously, Bonchon's super crispy Korean fried chicken is AMAZING. Forget the drumsticks, strips and legs, WINGS are the clear winner here! SPICY is legit spicy... I love it! I've noticed that the spice level varies on a daily basis. But, it's definitely always on the hotter side. Soy garlic is tasty too, so if you can handle the heat I would order half & half. Chicken is cooked to order so be prepared to wait. The steamed mandoo (dumplings) are a nice starter while you wait. But, if you totally don't care about the calories, you can order the fried goodness --seasoned fries and zucchini fries (somewhat healthy? lol) Last thing, very important: The bartender at this location is very nice to look at it :) Handsome and muscle-y and looks half-asian? (hope we still works there!) I just told my boyfriend not to take offense if he reads by Bonchon yelp review... His comment "add in there that the other girl bartender is pretty cute too" ;)
(5)Tonee S.
So this was my first time at BonChon following the hype of a good friend of mine. Maybe my mistake was going in with as much anticipation as I did. All in all here are my pros and cons of my experience: Pros: -service: my service was quick and delightful. Chicken was rumored to take 30 minutes, but mine only took about 10. -ambiance: great set up for a "chicken place", I was pleasantly surprised -seasoned fries were great with the spicy mayo, and the pickled radishes did help cleanse the palette Cons: -slightly overpriced: 6 wings for 9 bucks -pork buns: I have definitely had better else where. Pretty bland, maybe they didn't put enough hoisin sauce Neutral: The chicken. It was definitely cooked well, with a crispy exterior and juicy tender interior. Unfortunately for me, with just two sauces, it didn't quite live up to the hype for me. I had had better elsewhere :/ All in all the experience was positive, just don't know if I'm addicted yet.
(3)Carmen C.
Went to Bonchon to see what the hype was all about it. The service was nice and our waiter was very friendly and interactive. The menus, at first, were surprising. The drink menu was larger and more diverse than the food menu, but then again, the place is known for its wings. The wings were very delicious and very different from your regular, Americanized wings, so wether you like it or not all depends. The rice, unfortunately was disappointing as it seemed to be mashed up and it didn't seem to be well done. In my experience, anything that has ever been hyped has never been able to match the hype, but it is a solid restaurant.
(4)Mary H.
Had lunch here last week and enjoyed our dining experience. The place wasn't crowded but it seemed like they had a very busy carry out line. The service was attentive and helpful. It was our first time here so we tried the Bulgogi burrito, which was a good size and flavorful. We also tried an order of the half and half wings. They were delicious. We couldn't make up our minds if we liked the mild more or the spicy. And the skin was perfectly crispy and not greasy. There was plenty of street parking when we came. We loved it so much we did a carry out order a week later. They give you a pick up time when it would be ready and they were spot on.
(4)Faith D.
I was staying at a hotel in the area. After a super long day of conference shenanigans, I just wanted to order takeout, get it delivered, and veg out to Netflix. Serious delivery fail. The wait time was over an hour, which I agreed to, but when my order was delivered there were no napkins or utensils! I had to wait an additional 20 minutes for it. In the meantime, I wised up and ran downstairs and asked the hotel employees for some. What?!! An hour wait is crazy, but then to not be able to eat the food?! I was the crazy one to think that waiting that long for delivery was okay. In any case, the ONLY redeeming factor was the general manager. I called to let them know I no longer needed utensils and to save the delivery guy a trip. The general manager (Greg, maybe?) was professional and apologized for the error and empathized with me about how frustrating not being able to eat after a long day. He credited my meal and that was absolutely the right thing to do. Way to go, general manager! Wish every employee had great customer service and care like he does.
(2)Ordale A.
Considering that the state bird of DC is the fried chicken wing (w/ mumbo sauce), I'm kind of an expert on the subject.When my friends suggested that we get some wings and fries from "that Korean place," I had something a little different in mind. Bulletproof glass? No Bulletproof spindle/carousel thing to exchange food/money? No! Fridge full of Rock Creek Sodas or Mystics? No!! The food didn't even come in a styrofoam container. It was like eating in a third world or something. Anyway, we got an order of 20 wings, half spicy and mild, fried zucchini sticks, fries, and cole slaw. The wings were good, although I liked the spicy better. The coleslaw was just average to me, but my friend assured me that something was wrong with me. The zucchini fries were very good, as was the spicy mayo that I dipped them in. The regular fries were decent, but nothing memorable. I give the place 3 stars because, while it was good food, I don't feel like it was something I'd run back out to Arlington to get. The service was fast and prompt. Not a bad spot to eat at all. Perhaps I'm just jaded by the power of the mumbo sauce flowing through my veins.
(3)St. G.
I usually visit the navy yard location. First time to this location, and it doesn't offer the full menu navy yard does. Kinda sucks because I had my taste set on the avocado crab ball. But it is what it is.
(3)Vee N.
Just ok. I would have to go back for a better review.
(3)Huong N.
I got soy garlic chicken wings and legs, and bulgogi meal. I think it is overhyped, because beside the super super crispy skin on wings and legs (5 stars for that) it was lacking in flavor, I was expecting more. Did not taste any garlic and mild soy. I do like the crispy skin, we didn't finish it and ate it in the chicken the next day, but the skin still stayed somewhat crispy...kudos on that. They told me 15 minutes, took about 30...why didn't you just tell me 30? They charge $0.25 for their dipping sauce. Bulgogi, I would not recommend. I've had much better. Service was great, everyone was friendly. I ordered a lot cause it looked good and we were really hungry.
(3)E C.
S'alright....food was good but I was not blown away. Place is pretty overhyped and maybe I came in with expectations too high. I wasn't wowed and don't see myself becoming addicted to this place. More like 3.5 experience overall but I can't bring myself to round up to a solid 4. Solid 3.5 star overall experience. Zucchini fries were really good but the Large (Dinner) size comes with 1 spicy mayo and 1 ketchup. I don't know whose idea it was to put ketchup as an automatic side for Zucchini fries but it wasn't a good/smart one. Then when I wanted the ketchup swapped out for another spicy mayo instead the charge an extra .25 which seems silly. Like 2 sides of spicy mayo should be included with the Large (Dinner) size of Zucchini fries. Zucchini fries were fried great, hot, tasty/flavorful and parmesan on it is a nice touch. Spicy mayo that goes with it is perfect. Pork Buns while very good are a bit overpriced (chicken is too) .... they are good when the steamed buns are hot. Steam buns cool FAST so when they set them down eat both of them RIGHT AWAY. I ate one when it was placed down and then came back to it a few mins later after eating some Zucchini fries and a piece of chicken and the cold bun was off-putting. The main attraction of this place is the Korean Fried Chicken: I got a medium (8 pieces) order which turned out to be too much along with the Zucchini fries and porn buns...should've gotten a small. The flavor of the Soy Garlic and the Spicy are EXACTLY THE SAME expect for that there's a mild "spicy" after-kick/effect. I was disappointed in I expected something different.....a different flavor AND that these are the mildest "Spicy" sauced wings i've ever had. The kimchi coleslaw tasted like regular coleslaw with a lot of Thousand Island or French dressing or something in it. Didn't taste a hint of Kimchi nothing in it. Meh. I will repeat but it won't be anytime soon. I want to compare with other Korean Fried Chicken places in the area.....looking to KoChix next. Oh service was pretty fast and friendly.
(3)Jeffrey T.
Doesn't get any better than their fried chicken! I really like their bulgogi taco also!
(5)DON C.
I have seen it all and my belly has too!......Chicken Waaangs....with a "wholelotta" Swag and Flavah!! To usher in the New Year a couple of Yelpers and I decided to crash this place, for lunch, on the cusp of the New Year! Now, I am going to keep this review hopefully simple and to the point. As loud as I can say it...."BONCHON....is BOMB.COM !" I have had quite a few chicken wings (chicken forearms, elbows and biceps with no hands...technically speaking) in my day. I'm talking "fried, dyed, laid to the side" in every sauce and way possible; but none like Bonchon. This stuff is good....correction hellavah good! The wings are cooked to perfection. Never once have I ever tasted unflavored or burned wings the many times I have eaten here. It's seasoned and has the best --most flavorful, crunchy skin. So, what makes their wings so special and hold helm to such high regard!? I know the secret....its in the sauce and it so addictive. Their frying technique, coupled with the sauce is insatiable. On top of that, the fried-crackle crust is like 'crack' and leaves you salivating for more. I have had this stuff as leftovers the next day....and the crispy-crunch factor remains even after being refrigerated!! You have two choices of flavors: Soy Garlic and a Spicy flavor that resembles a Sriracha profile. The ground red chiles and garlic flavor....add a burn and ting....that even your lips are on fire! Everyone's tongue and sinuses were on alert at our table. LOL. Personally, for me, the Soy Garlic flavor sets the wings off the best and is my favorite. My only suggestion to you....Eat this stuff in moderation! You have been warned; I'm telling you to proceed with caution otherwise this place will soon become your "Pusher" baby! There are several other worthy items on their menu such as the pork buns and the spicy chicken fried rice. But the wings, its complimentary sides and a cool brew is all you need to walk out of there full and on cloud 9! Needless to say, what was meant to be a meet up for lunch....turned into three hours of great fellowship and being 'cracked out' on some great wings. We had a great time. I, myself, returned to work and was useless for the rest of the day. That chicken crack was so good....that I almost started to go back after work for another hit...oops I meant for take out! As you can probably tell by now, I'm hooked. Overall Rating: 5+ Stars...to the moon and back! Bonchon offers up great food, the best wings in the DMV, and the ideal place to hang-out in groups or catch up with a friend 1 on 1 over some good quick eats and convo. This place definitely gets my....Certified: "Hittin' n' Stickin'!" stamp of approval! Tip #1: Call ahead for take-out or 'to-go' ordering! The food and wings are made to order and can take some time to prepare. Tip #2: Go during Happy Hour. This particular location has a great happy hour vibe and crowd. A couple of flat screens to keep up your ESPN fix too. A few drink specials but none on the wings! Of course I am not happy about that....but can survive because the wings are worth the price and just that good.
(5)Rich G.
Bonchon took care of me well. I am satisfied with how my complaint was handled. Now i can say that I cannot blame the company or this location for a couple of individuals actions. Great job. I can now go back to loving this place.
(5)Eric B.
3.5 The wings were fantastic. I wish I would've ordered more. Very crispy and full of flavor. I ordered carry out and the staff was extremely attentive and polite. My food was done quickly and I was able to get in and out in less than 15 minutes. My only complaint is regarding the pork buns. They weren't bad but there was very little pork belly for 9.00. I will probably try this place again.
(3)Kathy F.
I"m a long time Bon Chon fan. I was one of the first to be at the new Arlington location. Love the spicy.. serve it at my Realtor luncheons and the line is around the block ( for the darn chicken.. not the house0 . Love the owners of the Pershing location. Both good guys. The catering side needs help. I have to wait to pick up for a luncheon.. and seriously.. they should offer delivery to those ordering large amounts. Hope they add a few new dishes to compliment the menu. Keep our beloved chicken.. but something healthy, green and complimentary would be a real bonus for those who want to eat there more than 1x a month.
(4)Ningxi X.
Bonchon really is like crack, and it converts you into an addict rather easily. Since being initially introduced to the craft last spring, I often find myself craving those fried chicken wings and legs even whilst at a faraway place. Recently my fantasy has been having those fried pieces of happiness with a good, bold, and classic bottle of cava. The chilled bubbly will go perfectly with the hot meat - a harmonious marriage, isn't it? We usually order a mix of wings and legs with hot sauce or half and half. The chicken skin is double fried and super crispy, and the legs are huge. Each order, regardless of size, comes with a side (kimchi slaw, coleslaw, brown or white rice) and they provide complimentary radish. They also have regular fries, seasoned fries, and zucchini fries in case you aren't all fried out with the chicken yet. If fried chicken isn't your thing and you somehow find yourself here, there are a handful of entrees to choose from as well such as bulgogi. Starters also include mandoo and tacos, if you want to dial down your fried food consumption in one seating. No reservations, but you can wait at the bar. These also tend to be fairly affordable meals, definitely no more than $15 per person, tax and tip included, if you don't order a drink. I was not aware that Bonchon was a large international chain, and apparently locations in some other countries are very similar. I guess that's good news, since when I'm abroad I may get some of my cravings satisfied if there's a location around.
(5)Richard C.
I've had Bonchon before, but in Annandale. About the same with chicken flavor except the spicy has a little more heat here, which I like. I also love the kimchi coleslaw...done really well. Not too overpowering with the kimchi taste, which is very easy to do. Def. will come back!
(4)Jason C.
Many times I've gone against the yelp crowd and wrote opposing reviews and most of those times I did not suffer repercussions. This time I know it will be different because I'm absolutely certain that I'm going to offend many yelpers who are die hard fans of Bonchon. My rating here is a "courtesy" 3-star that factors in service, cleanliness and decor. Excluding that generous bump, I feel that Bonchon is a 1* for food compared to comparable types of chicken that I experienced in Korea. I'll be clear. My ratings for Bonchon are based on an acquired Korean palate after living in the country for close to 20 years. By no means am I implying that my ratings are superior to non-Koreans. They are not. It's just that my standards are completely different. To sum it up, the thing that irks me so much about Bonchon is that they have created a substandard derivative of the Korean seasoned fried chicken that taints one of the staple Korean junk foods that the entire nation enjoys. For those familiar with Korean food beyond the standard fare, you may have heard of the highly touted Korean seasoned fried chicken, also known as "Yang Nyum Tong Dak". This is a dish that was invented in Korea approximately 40 years ago (and precedes Bon-chon, which opened it's first store in Busan, South Korea in the early 2000s). The sauce is an adaptation from a traditional Korean recipe called Dak-kang-jung. The recipe is quite complex with ingredients that include Ketchup, Go-chu-jang (the red korean spicy sauce that goes in bibimbap), corn starch, alcohol, Worcestershire sauce, strawberry jam, alcohol, sugar, chopped garlic, sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, and mul yut (key ingredient that gives the glaze: Korean malted barley syrup), etc. The problem with bonchon is that they have skipped more than 1/2 those ingredients and tried to combine the rest to the standard American chicken wing recipe. In my opinion, it turns out to become a messy outcome. These are the specific issues that I have with Bonchon's chicken: 1. GLAZING- the glaze is not hard enough. Typically, I would expect an extremely crispy glaze, something that is in-between a candy apple glaze and bonchon's glazing. You should be crunching on the wing/thigh as you bite into it. My speculation is that Bonchon skipped out on the using the Korean malted barley syrup (mul yut) and substituted it with sugar because of convenience and cost. FYI Mul yut is way more expensive than sugar but will give you that added glaze that you cannot get from using sugar. 2. SPICE- the spice does not come from the key ingredient (go chu jang) and is spiced using standard American wing recipes. Small hints of spice are evident throughout the chicken and is not uniform (this would not be the case if Korean go-chu-jang were used). 3. BALANCE- the balance of sweetness and spiciness is completely off. 4. FLAVORING- the robust flavors that are present in the Korean chicken are not at Bonchon. They skimp on too many ingredients including garlic, sesame seeds (none), etc. My opinion is that the flavoring has been reduced about 80-90% of what it should be at. 5. THICKNESS of the meat. The thighs are too big (1/2 the size of my fist. As you get closer to the center, you lose the flavoring/marinade and just taste the meat. I hope you understand that while I've been highly critical, the purpose of the review is to dissuade others like myself who may come to Bonchon thinking that they'll serve the real "Korean seasoned chicken". For those who are into heavy flavoring and spices, I encourage you to swallow the red pill and experience the Korean seasoned chicken. It will far surpass what you get at Bonchon. Is it out there in the DMV? I'm not sure, but I'm on a mission to find it and if I do, I will make sure to write a glorifying review of the restaurant on yelp.
(3)Taylor B.
In a land of fine chicken places, this stands out. When you need to change it up from the rotisserie scene, BonChon is the spot. The spicy level changes, as your server will probably tell you. I've had the same friend brought to tears during one visit and say it was hardly spicy another visit. Keeps you guessing! Has something to do with the batch of sauce they use. I personally enjoy the soy garlic sauce on my strips. Zucchini fries are excellent, seasoned fries also tasty. Cole slaw is nothing to write home about, the rice is rice. Can't speak to their entrees since I show up at this place for fried chicken, let's be real. Atmosphere has that open, modern feel although it feels like everything was just hastily cleaned. Mind you it was a thorough cleaning, just hasty. Nice for a fried chicken place.
(4)Lilia W.
Have been here about 3 times and am always looking forward to their seasoned fries because they come out piping hot and with a spicy mayo (and also ketchup). The fried chicken is obviously very good but very different from 'normal' fried chicken. You can choose from strips (they more square shaped than narrow strips), wings, and legs, and a spicy or a mild sauce (or half of them mild and half of them spicy). The spicy ones are too spicy for me. I had wings and they were perfect - hot and juicy. The strips were a bit on the dry side but that's always the case with breast meat. I didn't try the legs but they looked huge and good. The only minor criticism I have is that their menu is a bit small AND every time I go they seem to confuse one of our complimentary side orders (you get a choice of coleslaw, kimchi coleslaw, white rice, or brown rice). With such a limited menu it should be easy enough to get the sides right. But they're super friendly and the chicken is good, so that's what really matters.
(5)Caitlyn l.
Yes yes yes yes. You can never go wrong with this place and also this location. Its one of the nicest and better one to chill at and have some fun. Its so trendy inside and the service is amazing. Yum I love bonchon!!!
(5)Nelson H.
I've been here at least 3 times. I think I'm obsessed with this place. The chicken is always on point. Crispy and flavorful. I always have to get half soy and garlic / half spicy. The zucchini fries and the seasoned fries are addicting. With a nice Singha to wash it down, makes me a very happy dude. However, you'll regret eating all of that chicken and probably won't eat for a week after. But well worth the extra time in the gym to work it off.
(5)Colter H.
Once you get past the somewhat high price for fried chicken, Bonchon can't be beat. Date of Visit: Many I've eaten here via delivery/takeout/dine-in 4/5 times over the past year, and have yet to be disappointed. I've always gotten the half & half (soy garlic & hot) strips, even though the drumsticks/wings are usually the go-to for most. The strips have all of the flavor, and a lot more white meat (in my opinion). The zucchini fries are outstanding, the pork buns are "meh", and the kimchi coleslaw is a great twist on an old favorite. This location also does a pretty solid Happy Hour and offers a pretty nice beer list, considering that isn't their specialty/target.
(4)Frank H.
After a busy morning working on a film project with friends, we decide to treat ourselves with a staple of our college diet, BonChon Korean Fried Chicken Wings. Let me just be real here, I'm sure my friends and I alone could keep this business alive with the number of times we've all eaten here. When I moved to Crystal City, one of the best things about living here for me was the fact that BonChon actually delivered right to my apartment door. However, because yesterday was a special occasion, we actually drove to the Arlington restaurant to dine-in. Being one of their newer locations, this BonChon gives off a more modern/sports-bar-esque vibe (in the best way possible). The service is great, and the food comes out decently fast. No complaints from my party! We ordered the seasoned fries and the zucchini fries to curb our hangry appetites. Both are topped off with parmesan cheese and are served with ketchup and a sriracha mayo. The fries are a great treat, but the battered zucchini fries stole the show with how crisp and hot they were. Tasted almost like a mozzarella stick, but probably a tad healthier considering there was no cheese filling. We then of course ordered the wings, 45 to split between the 4 of us. A tad excessive since we weren't able to finish all of them, but we just boxed them up as they make for great midnight snack anyway. Super crispy and flavorful, everything you could possibly ask for in fried chicken.
(5)Katthy W.
Super tasty, big wings and beautiful restaurant I live very close to Koreatown in Los Angeles but when I visited Washington D.C., I tried to eat Korean wings again. I look on Yelp and I saw this restaurant so I don't hesitate to come here. First time when I walk to this restaurant, I saw three good-looking waiters and good decorating. They gave menu to me and I saw the price is cheaper than I pay in another place. When I got the food, it is amazing because it is very big wings and yummy.
(5)Dominic L.
Love this place! Great spot for watching a game, hanging out with friends, and eating delicious food. Wings are absolutely amazing; better than the legs in my opinion. Lots more flavor. The sides are a little less to be desired in a Korean food point of view, but the wings are so good it doesn't matter to me. Just give me some wings and white rice and I'm good for a huge meal. The restaurant is nice: good bar area, a separate area for take-out orders, and a nice little area for dining. The service has always been great (although I've had the same waitress most times) and there are plenty of TVs for watching anything that's going on. This place does get busy at times and it should! Some of the best wings in the DMV.
(5)Jenn N.
My favorite bonchon. Much better than other ones in NOVA. The only issue I have here is parking is hard to find. Other than that, the food quality here is always consistent and the service is great no matter how busy they are. I would recommend the pork belly buns or seasoned fries for appetizers and the spicy wings.
(4)Pauline M.
IMO one of the best fried chicken wings, hands down! Bonchon is one of my favorite restaurants. This location in particular is fabulous. Upon my arrival, I informed the host I had a party total of 6. They were unable to sit us right away due to our full party not being present, which was fine. I requested if we could put our wing order ahead even though we weren't seated yet and the one of the managers, Jeff, was glad to assist us with no hesitation. When we were seated, all we had to do was pick our sides for the wings and order our appetizers. I highly recommend the zucchini fries, super delicious! Everything from the food, service, and atmosphere was wonderful. We will definitely return. Thanks Jeff!
(5)Saud A.
Great place, amazing crunchy chicken, made fresh to every order. The only downside is that it is lost between a restaurant and a fast food place. However the chicken makes up for everything.
(4)Heather M.
This place reminds me back when I lived in Korea. I swear Korean chicken is the best. Super crunchy. Super flavorful. And they even give you the picked radish on the side like they do in Korea. We got a mix of the soy sauce and spicy flavor and both were good. Our server was really awesome, funny, and checked on us frequently.
(5)Len P.
I've eaten here at couple times and the food is great, but the service needs to a little step-up to compare to it's food quality. QUALITY FOOD, POOR SERVICE! I have waited a while to write this, but today's over-the-phone service proved the fact they need to be under new management. First incident: My family and I ate there and it happened to be on a day it was raining bad. The ceilings were leaking and it when I say "POUR", it poured on our table. We quickly moved to another table, but there was no compensation for what had happened. The chicken was saved, but I have worked in the food and beverage industry for 4 years, and if you want returning customers, a small gesture isn't too much to ask for. (i.e. Compliment fries or 10% off for the inconvenience) Next.. I still want to return and order from this establishment, but to order ahead before they open, they can't do. (TIP: Do not ORDER a platter for a party here before they open) They will not accomodate you. It wasn't the fact they couldn't do it, but the tone they had. The person who answered, Patrick, was more pleasant to talk to on the phone than the Manager (Jeff). Maybe the roles need to switch when it comes to customer service. As said and I will say it again... "QUALITY FOOD, POOR SERVICE!"
(2)Erini N.
Superb extra large chicken wings, fried crispy to perfection! Only remark would be wanting more flavor in the sky garlic sauce. Otherwise delicious
(4)Pegah Y.
There's a Bonchon in Arlington! THERE'S A BONCHON IN ARLINGTON!!! I love, love, love Bonchon and hadn't had it in almost a year when we visited on a snowy Friday night in late January. I used to eat Bonchon all the time in NYC. I had heard there was one in the DC area and I finally visited this location! We ordered the large (20 wings) of soy garlic and LOVED it. The service was really quick for a Friday night (granted we visited around 8pm) and the place was pretty nice. It's definitely more of a trendy place than the Bonchon locations in NYC. We ordered some drinks too and our wine and beer went really well with the crispy, savory chicken. Bonchon has the best fried chicken EVER. The one in Arlington certainly did not disappoint.
(5)Flo S.
I've probably been here about 4 times in the past 6 months or so and that is plenty. Trust me. I just happen to scroll over their website and saw how many calories each chicken wing contains and of course I don't feel guilty, how could I? This chicken was put on this Earth to bring happiness to many people. Only the people that have tried it know what I'm talking about:) First visit I tried the pork buns...mmmm, these were so good and we were off to a great start! Then our group ordered two large orders of wings (one spicy/one non-spicy). We also had some kimchi coleslaw and had a side order of daikon which were equally good. I've been here subsequent times and probably just ordered the chicken. You will be whipped, you will be a prisoner you will be a finger licking, bone sucking vampire that will crave this fried chicken. What more can I say or do to get you to try the chicken? If you're Bryan W. and finally make your way there to taste this bit of heaven, buy me a small box as a 'thank you' for letting you know about this Korean 'crack' chicken. I only say there's crack in it because even when your stomach is full and your mind tells you are full, some kind of force pulls at you and you are right back at it chomping on more chicken. THIS is the reason I come here every couple of months and not every week!! Warning: Do not buy a large box and bring it home with you when its a polar vortex swirling around you and you are bound to your home for the rest of the day. I mean, its just an excuse to devour the entire box and justify that it was "lunner," Lunch and Dinner and you were hungry fighting the storm. LOL!
(5)Adele C.
I was left very underwhelmed by the Chicken at Bonchon. After hearing nothing but praise for Bonchon, and loving Korean Fried Chicken, I was very much looking forward to eating from here. I ordered take-out, including the large wings/leg combo with spicy hot garlic sauce, kimchi coleslaw, Dduckboki, Mandoo and the bulgogi wrap. The spicy wing/legs tasted identical to any other fried chicken, there was no taste to them other than 'fried'. They weren't spicy in the slightest. I don't think I would have been able to tell them apart from KFC in a blind-taste test. The mandoo were just OK. The bulgogi wrap and kimchi coleslaw were fine, just a little bland for my taste. The Dduckboki was my favourite, it was pretty tasty. If I had to eat here again, I would likely only order the Dduckboki. Delivery can take awhile (2 hours for me), so that is something to keep in mind if you are going to order take-out. But they do cook everything fresh to order, which is a bonus!
(3)Chris C.
I'm happy that they finally opened a Bonchon closer to DC. This place is a short 10 minute drive from my apartment so it's super convenient. What's even better is that I'm within their radius for a delivery so I no longer need to wait there for a hour. Just call ahead and their delivery driver will bring up the goods. The food at this Bonchon location is definitely up to par, if not better than the other Bonchon's I've tried on the east coast. The drumsticks are the best and super humongous. I'm not even kidding. It's like the size of your entire hand. I usually get get half spicy, half non-spicy, and both are great options. I prefer the spicy drums, but I'll usually regret that after a few bites in. If you're into the dining in route, expect for your food to take 45 minutes before it comes out. AND you cannot call ahead to be seated. Ie. Call in your order at 2pm, show up at 3pm, and boom your delicious food is ready. Unfortunately, this location does not do it this way. Again, if you're lucky enough to live close enough, go the delivery route. It's so much easier and takes the hassle out of the waiting game.
(5)Kirk S.
Bonchon is like a blind boxer: it's a hit or miss sort of joint. But when it hits, it hits hard. Bonchon is a Korean fried chicken/wing place that specializes in two types of chicken: a sweeter honey flavor and a spicy-as-hell flavor. Both are excellent, meaning this place gets a lot of customers on a regular basis. I've had good and bad experiences with Bonchon. Sometimes, the chicken is just kinda lame - it can be overly spicy and a bit too moist, resulting in a sort of painful-but-uninpressive experience. Other times, the chicken is ultra crispy and the sauce is just right. It's kinda a toss-up. Either way, this definitely beats the pants off regular wing places.
(4)Napualokelani K.
I wasn't a huge fan of the flavoring of the chicken, however, I did like the twice frying situation they do... best thing to me were the fries and the spicy mayo dipping sauce.
(3)Lacey G.
This place is spectacular! I was skeptical at first because it was Korean fried chicken, but boy-o-boy was it good. Do yourself a favor and listen to your waiter/waitress and don't get the spicy wings unless you can truly handle a serious level of spicy. I enjoy eating spicy foods but these wings were ridiculously spicy. The fries and regular wings themselves are delicious. Definitely a must try for a different taste!
(4)N G.
Food was great but little pricey for fried chicken. Kim chee Cole slaw was intestine but more Kim chee assortment needed.
(3)Meg G.
Mur-deeeerrrrrr! Murder was the case that they gave me.... because I killed that chicken. Enough with the corniness, though. This location is optimal and the service is friendly. Both of the flavors of the wings/legs are excellent! You can't go wrong with either one, though, if I'd had to choose... spice is always nice! The pickled radish makes me want to start eating radish, again. The kimchi cole slaw is just cole slaw. No kim.. barely chi, but who cares? You come to Bonchon for the yardbird; and, the flavor, crispiness, moistness, portions, everything is just right. They have nice dipping sauces, but they are definitely not needed. Nothing is needed, but a plate.... seriously. Love it, and am always looking for an excuse to return!
(4)Marie E.
The fried chicken made me sick, too much oil. Those taco things were good tho.
(3)Neal C.
The food here is pretty good, but I've had problems with the service each time I've been. The first time, my friends and I sat at the bar and had a hard time even getting our order taken by the people rushing by. Last time, my friends' good came out way before mine, and after about 10 minutes I asked the waitress about it. She sarcastically said "no, I forgot about you" and proceeded to joke about my "special strips" I ordered all night. I don't think it's at all unreasonable to wonder where your food is when you ordered the same thing as everyone else and don't get it for a long time, but she made no attempt to make the situation any better.
(2)Rachel S.
Finally made it to Bonchon last week to try it out. While I can't say I was disappointed, it wasn't what I was expecting. The menu is very simple and there are only a few choices, which for me is always kind of nice because I am awful at choosing which dish to get at restaurants. My boyfriend and I shared an order of the pork buns, which is reason enough to come back to Bonchon. They were amazing. For my meal I ordered 10 wings (half & half- half hot and half soy garlic) which were crispy and yummy. Ten wings ended up being too much for me-- they are big! Both sauces were good but the hot sauce is insidious! My boyfriend got the strips with soy garlic-- They were okay but you could barely taste the sauce. If/when I visit Bonchon again, I will probably get the same order of half and half wings (except 6 wings instead of 10) and pork buns.
(4)Peter M.
I have been to this location over 7 times and have always had a great experience. The chicken is Delicious and I crave it if I haven't had had it for a while. Sometimes the spicy is a bit hot for me so I like the half and half. I usually get a large as it actually reheats well(toaster oven). What sets this location apart for me are the other menu items I haven't seen at the others. ( the ambiance actually stands out too but I'm more in it for the food). The potstickers are really meaty and the fried rice is actually quite exceptional. Topoki is also really tasty and quite large! The owners Tom and Paul are almost always around and are very meticulous, proactive and responsive. Sometimes the service is not excellent but on those rare occasions management is quick to address it. Overall this place is one of my favorites in VA!
(5)Rocky B.
Can't ever go wrong with bonchon. Always over ordering and eating this bomb ass chicken. The spicy chicken is good for me here. The one is in fairfax is spicier but every time I come back to va, I always always need to get my bonchon fix
(4)Sherri D.
Who doesn't love Bonchon after an intense barre workout next door?! My friend and I decided to treat ourselves after barre class last night and it was SO WORTH IT. It was a Thursday night around 8 and they were busy, but we were seated immediately and our server was quick and attentive and quick to get our orders in and out. I knew the chicken was good, but I was glad to see that they also had other great items on their menu. This is one of the better locations and the service and food was excellent. The place looks new and beautiful and perfectly lit - not too dim, not too bright. It was pretty cozy and it would be an awesome place for some finger-licking, Korean fried-chicken with your main squeeze. I'm definitely glad that they've expanded as it is a unique and great addition to the Arlington area. On to the food, we got the zucchini fries, seasoned fries, mandoo? dumplings, and 6 piece wings with the soy garlic sauce and kimchi. First off, the zucchini fries are to die for! I'm currently looking up some recipe to replicate them. Sprinkled with the perfect amount of parmesan and breaded with yummy, crunchy goodness... it was really good! My only gripe was that the prices were different between lunch and dinner. I believe it was $7 for lunch and about $10 for dinner. Not sure why that is even necessary, but oh well. They were good, so that's all that matters. The spicy mayo sauce accompanying them was also a perfect combo. The seasoned fries were crisp and seasoned as well! The dumplings were alright. You get a lot with it, however, they were on the smaller side with not much filling. The wings were perfect if you're not that hungry, but still want to pick at some chicken. As our server said, sometimes the legs can be a lot and after 1 or 2, you're stuffed. So, the 6 pieces of wings were actually even more than enough for me last night since we got so full off of the fries and dumplings. ... but the chicken - oh yes, it's good! Our order came out pretty quickly and the soy garlic was just sweet enough with crunchy, crisp perfection. Great place to check out if you're in the area!
(5)David H.
Several friends had talked about how amazing this place and I was curious if it would live up to the hype, well it did and then some. The wings are quite tasty and we had a large group of 12 so we ordered some soy garlic and some hot ones. The soy garlic are a little more flavorful than the hot but if you like spicy the hot ones are a must try. The wings here are crunchier than most and if you get the legs some of these large enough you'll almost wonder if they're from a turkey. The wings take about 30 mins to cook but whoa there, speedy, they are double fried and worth the wait. The wings are the star here but the sides are surprisingly excellent as well. The onion rings are well seasoned and not greasy. The zucchini fries are also worth a try, and I think our group polished off 2-3 baskets of each. The pork buns are unique and something I'd recommend. They are roasted pork on a spongy type bread with cucumber, onion, and radish. You get two per order but can slice them up of there is a larger crowd. They have a decent beer selection including some Korean bottles beers but I enjoyed the Bon Chon Ale and Port City Optimal Wit on draft. Also, service was excellent and they were very accommodating of a large party who all arrived separately. Yes it's a little pricey depending what you order but it's worth the cost and I'll be back here.
(4)Ken M.
First visit here. Service fast and friendly. Food was plentiful, and very good and quick out of the kitchen. The spicy hot chicken strips were too hot for me, the mild was just fine, but I agree with previous comments, would be nice if there was something in between hot and mild. Deep fried pork dumplings were great, the seasoned fries were awesome. Nice list of unique cocktails as well. Will be back again! Only negative is the round table up front that we sat at was loose and wobbled a lot.
(4)Xerxes N.
Not that my review really matters but damn, this place is the mecca. What else can I say that already hasn't been said in the reviews. The restaurant is casual, yet classy. It's modern, sleek and and on a nice The staff is quite friendly and helpful. Now let's talk about the real deal...the food!!! We threw down on 20 soy garlic wings, zucchini fries and Kimchee coleslaw. Seriously, the combination of the these items (along with white rice)... holy finger lickin' good ish!!! Make sure you have spare change in your car so if you have to park on the street you can pay the meter. Parking is free on Sundays (when I went). I place a second order of 20 wings to drive 3 1/2 hours south. If you have to reheat any leftovers just throw them in the over for 7-8 minutes at 350 degrees and it's like eating them at the restaurant.
(5)Ellen M.
Am not sure why people like this place. Yeah, the chicken was good and crispy but nothing else we had was any good. The slaw claimed to be made of kimchi but tasted just like the bland awful stuff from a giant can I got in my high school cafeteria, except with a dusting of chili powder. Yuck! Considering it is so close to the great Korean restaurants in Annandale, one would think people would know what kimchi is supposed to taste like. The pickled radish was also bland beyond belief. The entre my friend got was bland, too. I wish I could call it bulgogi but it just tasted sweet but so flavorless I cannot tell you what it was. I wish I could say what the fries were like but we never did get the fries we ordered. Though, we were charged for them. But, the reason for the 2 star was the filthiness of the place. It looked well designed but everything seemed to have a fine coat of grease! The dark wood floors had so much grease I was slipping on it in my rubber soled boots. There is too much good stuff in Arlington to waste ones time here.
(2)Nicole J.
While the seasoned fries were delicious, the strips were a let down. I ordered 10 hot and 10 soy garlic strips for dinner. The strips were covered sparsely in sauce so it felt like eating a soggy chicken nugget with patches of flavor here and there. I couldn't bring myself to eat more than 2 of the 20. Heads up - the hot flavor is VERY hot. As previous reviewers have mentioned, it's the habanero kind of hot. I've had Bonchon in Ellicott City, MD - and the experience was 180 degrees different (better). I'd be willing to go back and give it another go because of my former experience.
(2)Giancarlo B.
Picked up a bunch of wings for my nephews who were in town. I personally found them tasteless and greasy, the only flavor was in the sauces. I'll take southern, pan fried chicken. I can't get into this style of cooking and batter.
(3)Darlene P.
I LOVE THESE WINGS! Went with my sister on a Friday night and had slight hiccup with the service. After nursing our beers for 40 minutes and noticing other diners arriving later and getting food, we asked a server to check on our order. He returned and said ticket had fallen behind printer. He immediately apologized and offered ways to make it right. It was handled really well and to our satisfaction. Our food came out soon after and all was well. Those wings are so delicious and addictive. If I lived in the area, I'd be here at least once a week. NOTE: The hot wings are HOT, so much hotter than you would think if you've never eaten them. They have a potent burn. If you think of them on a buffalo wing scale of spiciness like at most restaurants, I would equate them to one of those super hot flavors with a crazy name like DEVIL SWEAT or NUCLEAR made with habanero pepper. They are not for the faint of heart or hot wing noob. We ate them just fine, but for most peoples' palates, I would say tread with caution or just go with the soy garlic flavor, which is also excellent.
(4)Mai N.
Every time I've had chicken from this location, the spicy is completely inedible. The spiciness level is ridiculously higher than any of the other locations where just one bite into a spicy piece will force me to futilely attempt to put out the fire in my mouth with water and radishes. (BTW, I am no wuss when it comes to spicy food. All of my other friends with me also agreed that it was way too spicy & prefer the spiciness level of the other Bon Chons more :T) One of the times I was here, I was walking to the restroom and actually slipped and fell on my back because the floor was so slippery from all the grease on the floor. I fell right next to the host stand where a few employees were standing and instead of helping me up, they just stared at me. A nice diner nearby got out of his seat to help me up. Then after I got out of the restroom, I saw them mopping up the floor where I had just fallen. Gee, you guys couldn't have done that sooner to prevent my fall -_-;?
(2)Moe M.
This place is amazing once you have the chicken you will crave nothing more than going back for more. The seatings is a little limited but its worth the wait.
(5)Roger M.
Yes, I'm addicted. It took me just two visits to get there. First, let me say something about the service. Our first visit was a month ago, but our lovely waitress not only remembered us, she remembered our drink choices. Thank you for that ... things like that happen so rarely these days. On to the food. This twice-fried chicken is to die for. Yes, it takes a while (they're frying it twice, after all), but when it gets to your table, you're in for a treat. The wings and legs are HUGE (I wouldn't want to run in to this chicken in a dark alley), the crunchy skin is delicious, and everything is moist, juicy, and exquisite. Sides are great, too -- I had the kimchi coleslaw on my most recent visit, and it was kick-*ss dynamite. I'll close by commending the beer menu to all of you beer-lovers out there. On tap, you'll find Guinness, Eggenberg Pils, Port City, and other fine brews. Prices are more than reasonable, atmosphere is fun and young, and have I mentioned the twice-fried chicken? Go, now, and live your dreams!
(5)Saara Z.
BonChon does Korean style fried chicken just right! I've had both the Soy Garlic and the Hot versions but the Hot is definitely my favorite. If you're into spicy foods (i.e. Sriracha is just mild for you or you pick the hottest salsa at Chipotle) - this hot will not be too hot for you - you'll enjoy it like I did! The chicken legs are huge, the skin is super crispy, and the meat is cooked just right. In addition to the chicken, I recommend getting the cole slaw as your side and the spicy fried rice as another entree. The fried rice portion is huge so best to share with one or two other people. As I mentioned in my tip, the spicy version of the fried rice isn't on the menu but it is really flavorful and well made so ask your waiter for it!
(4)S L.
Summary: Restaurant with excellent service offering Korean fried chicken - thinking extra crispy fried chicken with "soy sauce sweet" and "hot" flavors. I ordered the eight pieces mixed drumstick and wings plate. The food: I've previously been to other Bon Chon chicken locations. The chicken itself is quite tasty. Each chicken piece runs around $1.50-$3 each (depending on piece type), so this is NOT a place to eat at everyday. I order with kim chee cole slaw, which is my concession to vegetables in this mostly all-meat order. I found the drumsticks humongous. Speed: This location produced chicken in reasonable short order (20 minutes), although I arrived on a weekday for dinner when it was not crowded at all. Bon Chon chicken usually entails a waiting period, usually longer than 20 minutes. Service: Unusually, I encountered a waitress who was very responsive, friendly, and quick. Soda refills, take out processing, and ordering? Perhaps the restaurant traffic was slow? In either case, I was surprised. This one rated a more-than-20% tip.
(5)Marc M.
Recently did a takeout order of wings and they messed it up! Sadly we didn't figure it out until we were already at home munching and found a couple of drumsticks and overall fewer prices than there should have been. Fuming, we vowed revenge. A week or so later we ordered more wings and voiced our grievance regarding being shorted the previous time thinking it would just be an opportunity to vent to an indifferent employee. Not the case. Jason took our call, sounded sympathetic, and with the manager involved, told us to just come by and pick up an order of complementary wings and an apology. Wow, this is a full 180 from the time we ate in shortly after opening. Perhaps the owner has taken the reins on this once sinking ship and righted it. In any case, I am very impressed and no longer have to be apologetic about wanting to get fried chicken from this location. Great work guys, keep it up!
(4)Desi B.
The soy garlic wings from this location are amazing!!! They aren't cheap with the sauce and the food is always hot and fresh! If you're in the mood for some BonChon, definitely stop by this location. You won't be disappointed!
(5)Ken C.
OMG. The chicken legs are huge. I love the Kimchi Coleslaw : ) As walk-in during week and only take 10 mins to wait for the hot wings. They are taste. I heard they got good Happy hours price, too. I like the host and she is cute, too. The guys told me free parking is on the back, but I can't find it.
(3)Nick M.
Korean fried chicken. You must try it at least once (you'll end up going back for more). Pros: This location offers boneless wings, as well as kimchi coleslaw. Very clean. Good bar. Separate area for easy carry-out Cons: They don't do extra glaze/sauce like the other Bonchon locations. Their boneless chicken pieces have gotten smaller and smaller over the past year, at least compared to other locations.
(4)Reginald S.
This was my first time trying Bon Chon and they didn't disappoint! I got the mix and it was terrific! The chicken was crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside! It is truly addictive! Go Bon Chon nation!!!
(5)Gretchen P.
C'mon. It's Bonchon. As if I'd honestly be able to rate it anything less than 5 stars based on the chicken alone. C'mon. But! Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's dive into the details, shall we? So the newest Bonchon location to hit Northern VA (that I know of, at least) has come in big. The space is downright swank compared to some of its humbler (but equally delicious) brethren, and this location has a seriously impressive beer menu that I honestly wasn't expecting. Tons of local beers, some great Asian beers, even Guiness! Go figure. I know from reading other reviews that there were some service issues in the beginning, but I did not experience those at all. My server, Eugene, was nice, prompt, and didn't give me crap about taking up a table for a zillion years doing work since I got to the restaurant about an hour too early. The owners of this location also own the Centreville Bonchon, for what it's worth, and I think that after their opening jitters the place has finally hit its stride. Okay, so the food. It's Bonchon chicken, so you pretty much know what you're getting on that front: straight-up crack in the form of chicken wings. The chicken is just as crispy, flavorful, and delicious as it is at all other locations I've been to, though the Hot might be even spicier than I remember. Whooosh. And because it's such a popular joint (on a Wednesday, even though this part of Arlington isn't developed yet so Bonchon is literally one of the ONLY things in the area), the chicken didn't take the usual 30 - 45 minutes to come out. It came out much quicker -- maybe 15 - 20 minutes? I was really impressed. Now the chicken can get in mah belly even faster! So, yes, the chicken is amazing, as always. But where this location really stands out, in my opinion is in its other offerings. They have these pork buns made with crispy pork belly, a light slaw, and pickled cucumbers in a steamed bun that will BLOW YOUR MIND. They are SO good. Honestly, I would come here for the pork buns alone. I thought they were incredible. They also serve up mandu (fried dumplings), seasoned fries, the traditional tteokbokki/dukbokki/however you wanna spell it (though I saw they serve it with cheese on top, kind of strangely), and their standard sides of kimchi coleslaw, regular coleslaw, and white and brown rice. Oh, and the pickled daikon, obvs. Extra please. Extra, extra. I'm pretty much just rambling at this point, so I'll sum up. Bonchon Arlington is a super nice upgrade to the Bonchon name, the service was on point, the chicken is as good as ever, and BY GOD THOSE PORK BUNS. Welcome to the Arlingtonian neighborhood, Bonchon -- thanks for popping up everywhere and making me a fattyfattyfatfatfat. I've never been happier. :)
(5)Eric N.
You know, I can't really say anything much different than the general consensus on Yelp. It's all about the wings! I love the legs too. The garlic sauce is best, but I enjoyed the soy wings too. I like the complimentary pickled radishes and I usually get the kim chi coleslaw. However I just wish the coleslaw was spicier. I've also come to find that the wings aren't as spicy as they used to be. Still, delicious wings and open late Friday and Sat night!
(4)Dani P.
To be honest, I've ordered delivery more often than actually sitting in the restaurant, but the fact that they deliver alone makes me so happy. I used to have to go all the way to Fairfax for BonChon, meaning I'd only go once in a blue moon. Now that it's located 10 minutes from me, I'm much more inclined to eat from there. The physical location is a little small, so if you don't make a reservation during dinner time, you'll have to wait about 20 minutes. However, it's a really nice jazzed up atmosphere. It is hands down the best fried chicken I've ever tasted. I don't know what kind of chickens they use, because their drumsticks are gigantic in comparison to say Popeyes. It's great for groups when all you need to do is get a gigantic order of chicken for the table. Besides the chicken, their zucchini fries are great. Their pork buns are good too, though I wasn't expecting the display (I was expecting a bun stuffed with meat, it's more of a deconstructed pork bun that's fancy looking). As a warning, when they say something is spicy on the menu, they really really mean it.
(5)Jee D.
Food: Super crispy exterior with a juicy interior (the legs anyway). The "hot" was in fact hot. Even if you truly enjoy spicy food, I always recommend going half hot and half soy garlic because it's nice to go between both flavors. We also enjoyed the kimchi coleslaw, very crunchy onion rings, and the deliciously stuffed mandu. The chicken also didn't take as long as expected but maybe the locations are different since I've only ordered carry out from the Annandale location. Non-food: Our server was really friendly and patient as our large group took some time ordering our dinner. We did feel pressure to leave after we started eating since multiple people stopped by to collect dishes when most of us were still working on the food. We were still ordering booze, too, but maybe we were hanging out too long for their liking. I did appreciate that they had a sling to hold le bebe in the car seat, but oddly didn't have a changing table in the restroom. Thank goodness the car was nearby...otherwise the little one would have had her first public nudity experience, and that shouldn't happen until she's, like....well....never.
(4)Patrick G.
Chicken was amazing! We ordered the half and half and really enjoyed both. I do think I enjoyed the sweetness to the soy garlic more though. We got kimchi coleslaw as our side and also ordered the seasoned fries. My only suggestion is to ask your server how much chicken you'll need for your party. We didn't and ordered a large for 2 people which was enough to serve 4-5 people.
(5)Ria H.
Nice atmosphere and friendly staff. Definitely not authentic Korean food. The outside of the wings taste fantastic...crispy and sweet. We ordered half soy garlic and half hot. I prefer the soy garlic. When you start working towards the middle of the wing, there's no flavor. They should marinate the wings with some kind of seasoning so the inside won't taste so bland. We had the spicy fried rice and I was hoping it would have kimchi in it but it was seasoned with sriracha sauce. It wasn't bad but it could of been better. I think they should play Kpop music instead of American music so you will feel like you're in a Korean environment. I'm glad I tried it but I don't think I will be going back. The wings at Da Rae Won in Beltsville, MD is waaaaay better!
(3)Austin G.
My friend's dream was to get a large group of friends at Bonchon for her birthday. I was skeptical at first until I walked in. It is quite large and there is a long table by the bar that sat our very large group of people (40 people I think). We ordered the pork buns (amazing), but what got me were the chicken strips with soy garlic sauce. It comes with rice and Asian slaw and was PERFECT. Between a platter of 6 chicken strips and the pork buns, my wife and I were content for dinner. We each got a beer from their extensive beer list and I ordered a Bold Rock Cider (Love when places have cider). This place is a bit outside of DC, but not as bad as going to Annadale so definitely worth the trip! I'd go again for sure and rumor has it they deliver on Fridays! My office will be ordering this for team lunches!
(4)Katherine H.
A Poem for Bonchon: Twice Fried Wings and Legs Pick Spicy or Soy Garlic Either Way You Win.
(4)Liz M.
At first I was hesitant about trying culturally-based food, but this place is delicious! And the portions are good sizes so you're definetly getting your money's worth.
(5)Jackson P.
Food is great, manager Jeff seems to have his head up his a**. Ambience is delightful and Mona our server was tremendous. Don't get the spicy, wayyyy too hot.
(3)Vy B.
Second time at this Bonchon location. The chicken here is still consistently good--we called ahead for a large order of the soy garlic with pickled radish and brown rice as sides. I love their pickled radish! I can't seem to replicate it at home. And the chicken came out hot, fresh, and delicious as usual. Even as leftovers the next day, Bonchon chicken's great (it's why we always order more than we can possibly finish). Service was okay--not exactly friendly, but still attentive. I don't think I've gotten spectacular or remarkable service at any Bonchon, really, but I'll give the waitress credit for being more attentive than other times I've gone. I've only ever been here on weeknights, so it's never been too noisy. Now after reading other Yelpers' reviews, I want to try the pork buns!
(4)Aida J.
The chicken wings, both spicy and soy, are what makes this place. They are crunchy, juicy and perfect! The zucchini fires were amazing too! Service is always good and fast.
(5)Gwen B.
Finally got to experience my first Bonchon this past weekend and it did NOT disappoint. We did have to wait about 30 minutes for our to-go order but it was well worth it. We got a large order of the legs (half spicy, half soy) and 20 wings (also half spicy, half soy). We also got a side of the seasoned fries and the chicken came with two sides of white rice (as well as this slightly bitter/cooling fruit or veggie). It was all still hot and crispy when we got home so we enjoyed them immensely. My only complaint is that the spicy wings were a SMIDGE too spicy. My friend said he had had the spicy wings before and they were nowhere near as spicy as these. We had been warned but still chose to get them anyways. My husband prefers Hard Times wings but I think Bonchon's has taken over as my favorite in the Arlington area!
(5)David R.
So Bon chon is really really good, especially to first timers. I've dined in once at this location to introduce my fiancé to the goodness that is Bon chon chicken. Why two stars you ask? I've ordered takeout from here with my co worker a few times. I usually order a medium size, half soy garlic flavor, half hot. The last time I ordered take out I decided I didn't need a medium so I opted for the small. When I called to place my order, I let them know I wanted a small boneless half soy Garlic flavor half hot. No problem she said. She re-read my order back to me and then asked for my contact number as they always do. When I went to pick up my order the person at the bar who handled payment said "small hot." I told him it was supposed to be half and half. He said right unfortunately we don't do that on the small size. So this was no mistake, they decided even though they have my phone number, they weren't going to call me to inform me of this rule. They could have asked me if I preferred soy garlic or hot. Why did they assume I'd want the hot flavor? It wouldn't have been that big of a deal to me but the fact they ask you for your phone number means they could have done things the right way and let me know. This really pissed me off. The person didn't apologize or try to fix anything. Horrible customer satisfaction
(2)Gina J.
Writing an update as management has emailed to clarify the delivery situation. I always appreciate it when a company directly responds to issues. Steven took my order and was friendly and took my information accurately. The food here is great and the staff is always friendly.
(5)Sharon X C.
Damn these pork buns be tastyyyy. Price is a bit steep since you only get 2, but I would say it's a must try at least once kinda thing. The pork has just the right amount of fat, and the skin is seared to a perfect crisp. The bun is nice and fluffy, and loaded up with meat, jalapenos, and cucumbers (a deliciously magical combo!). As for the main, HOW can you go wrong with fried chicken and rice??? The answer: you can't. The chicken was definitely a yay for me. I'm usually a legs and wings kinda gal, but I actually found the strips here to be much tastier. Both sauces are good, be careful though because the spicy sauce ACTUALLY has a kick to it! Oh, and the pickled daikon that comes with the chicken is great!
(4)Greg J.
I'm addicted for sure. I had been to the rockville bonchon before and enjoyed the experience a ton. I find the chicken at Arlington to be even better, so it earns epic status. I'd eat here daily if I could quite honestly. The mandoo and fried zucchini are solid starters but for me the pork buns were a bit of a let down. There is a nice line up of craft beer on tap (also an improvement from Rockville) and I have had consistent good service.
(5)Greg B.
This is my favorite BonChon in the DMV area... The restaurant is really clean, and the chicken comes out perfectly cooked very quickly compared to other BonChon locations in the area.
(5)Vance U.
One of my new favorite places in Arlington. $10 for 6 pieces of strips and a side of rice or cole slaw. Spicy strips are to die for. They deliver too!
(5)Chow N.
This joint is located in an area that I used to drive by all the time, but was a dump. It's directly across from Ft. Myers next to the motel. Don't pay to park off the street. There's a free covered parking lot for retail parking. Ordered the 20 piece wings (split half/half), mandoo, and fried rice. The wings came out faster than I expected and were great. Washed it down with Chum-Churum (soju). I didn't care much for the mandoo. Deep fried instead of pan fried. The fried rice was OK. Overall, a good meal and service was very attentive. Uploaded a pic taken from my new 5S.
(4)Angela d.
Great little take away or quick eat in - small menu but they don't seem to have the super hot wings anymore?
(4)Melissa J.
Great wings and Parmesan fries!!! Will return song!! The apple Saki was delicious BEWARE THE hot wings and CRAZY hott.. I'll stick with the soy wings
(5)Easy A.
I ordered the spicy -- which the very nice waiter tried to talk me out of, because I hadn't eaten at Bonchon before and he was worried it would be waaaay too much. He relented after I promised him I absolutely would NOT complain about the heat. The chicken was .... fine? Yes, it was spicy-hot, but not outrageously so. It's also sticky and a bit sweet, and not as crispy as I'd expected. The kimchi coleslaw was also fine, with the sauce reminding me of decently spiced thousand island as opposed to straight mayo. Don't get me wrong, I was happy to eat what I ordered, and the prices are reasonable. But I wouldn't stop there again, even though I drive by regularly, and I certainly wouldn't go out of my way for it, given all the dining options in this area.
(3)Helen B.
Sooooo GOOD!!! The spicy wings are VERY hot...the soy garlic wings are perfect! The zucchini fries are to die for and the the radish is super delicious! This is a great place with good prices too!
(5)Eric J.
Spicy, spicy double dipped dark meat chicken!
(3)Steve S.
The flavor of the seasoning was good, but the chicken itself didn't taste like much. I thought it was kinda pricey for what you get. I'll probably be back occasionally because Clarendon and surrounds are not exactly fried chicken heaven.
(3)Tracy O.
I think if I could choose my last meal on earth, it would include Bon Chon soy garlic strips. I've been to the Rockville and Woodbridge locations too, and the chicken is the moistest in Arlington. The service is always great at this location also, and they have a large beer selection. Highly recommend.
(5)Susan G.
Great place Delicious Worth the price Our food came out pretty quickly! Had lunch here last week and enjoyed experience! I recommend!
(4)Helene L.
Service is attentive and hosts are always friendly. My cousin and I like to dine al fresco and share a large order of flats. I get to eat more wings if I let him giggle about my eyecandy waiter crush so who gets the last laugh? I don't know. I like the area where this restaurant is situated, as parking is super easy to find and there is that pleasant option of sitting outside...love the chicken and the fact that they have a full bar complement our meal and make even my worst jokes sound funny.
(4)Peter W.
Came here for the first time with a couple of friends for lunch and it was amazing! The chicken was a perfect consistency--not too dry but not soggy. We had a combination of chicken wings and legs. Be wary that certain pieces of chicken are much larger than others! Overall we were stuffed and paid about 15 bucks per person for 3 ppl and 22 pieces. Not a bad deal at all! We also got the coleslaw, kimchi coleslaw and the seasoned fries. The seasoned fries were slightly salty but definitely worth it with the spicy mayo sauce. The coleslaw were fine nothing too special. Service was great--friendly and quick. Great food and great service 5/5
(5)Kimble M.
Oh, Bonchon, why can't I quit you. I order ahead and pick you up for social gatherings. I meet up with friends and always over indulge on your delicious offerings. I chug your sweet cocktails to cut the heat and still end up sweating, hogging the daikon, cursing you the next morning. You're not healthy, but I just can't get enough. You are the platonic fried chicken, even good the next day, cold or hot. I may never lose that final 10 pounds, but somehow I think you're worth it.
(4)Daniel T.
I have always loved Bon Chon. Been going to the Annandale location for the past couple years until this joint opened 5 minutes away from my house! Korean style double fried chicken - what more can I say? Super crunchy and delicious. The wait is much better than the other locations and the place itself is a lot more modern and cool looking.
(4)He H.
I have conflicted review about this place. I love their seasoned fries but their place is too greasy and noisy the service is not that good. An waiter spill the trash over me but he did not say sorry just ignore me and the other serving is slow too plus I am vegetarian just there for my friend party. So I have conflicted review!
(3)D A.
After hearing my friends rave about the chicken, I finally tried it tonight. The chicken is perfectly seasoned, crunchy, and the regular (not spicy) soy garlic is delicious! The kimchi coleslaw is so yummy---great with the chicken. Can't wait for the Navy Yard location to open up!
(5)Ando M.
Bonchon does fantastic Korean-style fried chicken wings (and legs apparently). They're pretty much the perfect wing in my opinion. The skin is fried up to a candy-like chicharron consistency while the meat is still moist and tender. The wings themselves are enormous and filling. I really can't recommend these wings enough. Now the rest of the menu... is kind of a waste. Nothing is bad but nothing is good. The buns are mediocre, the french fries and onion rings pedestrian. Do yourself a favor and take whatever money you'd spend on sides and spend that on more wings.
(4)Diana S.
Bonchon heard my prayers...finally a location in Arlington! Now we have the pleasure of enjoying my favorite things in one place: garlic and chicken wings. So they have so much more to offer than my favorite soy garlic wings but these taste as perfect as they sound. They have a balanced flavor and are so crispy that the first bite of each piece will fill you with glee. We usually get the large order of wings (which is good for 2-3 people) because it's half soy garlic and half hot and spicy...because well some like it hot. I know this goes without saying but the hot is really hot...do not mess with this if you're not prepared for the spiiiiciness. I prefer wings over drumsticks because it's white meat. For the sides, I was definitely more impressed with the coleslaw over the kimchi coleslaw. The seasoned fries are perfection. I tried the pork buns and I'll have to say they were prettty amazing. The pork belly is tender but has a nice sear. The bun itself is fluffy and holds up all of the yummy stuff very well. It's definitely the go-to if your friends feel like throwing down on some chicken and you're not in the mood (which is, like, never for me personally haha). They make take out orders really easy! Call ahead with your order, get a time estimate, and go to the take out window which is to the left of the bar. Then exit through the doors right behind you = makes for a quick getaway so that my wings stay crispy! (I don't know if you can enter thru these doors...I tried once before and failed haha)
(5)Kate F.
Don't get me wrong the food here is hands down the best, I will still come back for the food but I don't understand how you can't seat a two top and you have to wait for a long time when you have 32 seats, 5 tables available. You tell me.
(1)William A.
I just went for the pork buns and the onion rings. The onion rings were wonderful with the nice crisp batter and when you bit in to the onion ring the onion did not pull out of the batter. Ok now the pork buns. These things are awesome. I could eat six of them easily. I know this place is known for their chcicken but you really have to try these.
(4)E J.
I was pretty impressed with the food here. wasn't expecting anything too amazing from fried chicken, but was I wrong. I don't know what kind of crack mixed magic is in the marinade, but I loved it. Fresh chicken and friendly staff. Great for groups too, would definitely come again!
(5)Will K.
If you're looking for a consistently delicious meal, this is your spot. While you can take out, I really recommend eating in as the chicken won't be as juicy and hot, which makes this place so good. This place is my go-to restaurant in the DC/NOVA area. Here's what I get every single time: Seasoned fries (depending on the size of your group, don't order too many or you'll fill up on fries). I'd say 1 seasoned fries for 3-4 people is good. Half and Half Wings. Skip the legs; the skin to meat ratio is a little off. With wings you will get a bite of the flavorful skin in mostly every bite. I personally like to alternate between eating a soy garlic and a spicy. This helps regulate the heat from the spicy and you'll be less prone to getting tired of one flavor. Usually, one person can finish anywhere from 6-10 of these wings. Their sides: coleslaw, kimchi coleslaw, white rice, and brown rice, are good too but I usually just focus on the chicken. Another tip is to eat the spicy wings with the white raddish cubes they give you. The flavors blend well and it'll be a refreshing reprieve from the fire in your mouth. Lastly, expect the chicken to come out pretty much as spicy as it goes in. Sometimes I get away with not experiencing this but just prepare yourself...
(5)Jelli F.
Don't go expecting American-style fried chicken and you won't be disappointed. Think ultra crispy wings. They're fantastic.
(4)Ananya M.
My friends had been raving to me for a while about how good Bonchon is, so I decided to finally try it. Though it didn't necessarily live up to the hype, it was definitely a solid experience. First of all, it's really tough to go wrong with fried chicken and beer. That said, both of their flavors (Soy Garlic & Hot) are excellent, though I wish the spicy flavor packed a bit more heat - there wasn't too much differentiation in my opinion. The chicken doesn't feel too heavy either - you can eat a lot without feeling bloated or full. This is a great place for groups since you can order chicken for the table to share & pitchers of beer.
(4)Khoi T.
I always enjoy Korean-style fried chicken, so I was excited to find a place in the DC area. It's in a hip and new part of Arlington! Even though it took quite a while for them to have my order ready, it was worth the wait... Maybe it'll be good if you go with some friends and have some beverages before (and during the meal), just like the chicken and beer culture of South Korea. Overall, it was a good experience and I really enjoyed the visit.
(4)Dia D.
We had a variety of boneless chicken strips, wings, and legs with the soy garlic sauce and it was very tasty. We ordered the chicken strips for the toddler in our group and they were dry and not as crunchy compared to the other chicken pieces. We really liked the kimchi coleslaw and the pork buns. The decor had an upscale feeling, but the restaurant was very child friendly (e.g., high chairs and just noisy enough that a child didn't seem too loud). Our chicken arrived very quickly (the pork bun appetizer came out after the chicken) and our server was very friendly. There also seemed to be parking behind the building (something we discovered on our way out).
(4)Astha G.
I went to Bonchon with a friend for lunch to see what the hype was all about. I was super excited about their double friend chicken wIngs so I placed an order of half & half (soy garlic and hot flavors) along with pork buns and kimchi cole slaw. When the order came to the table I was shocked to see how big the wings were. They were jumbo size hormone induced chicken wings. I forced myself to eat two pieces and gave up. The flavor was pretty good and the chicken was super crunchy but I just could not get over the size of the wings and drumstick. The pork bun was just okay (stuffed with fatty pork). I dont think I will be returning to bonchon again! My friend also felt gross after the meal (No bueno!). On a positive note, the service was great.
(2)Johnny A.
Very cool indeed to know that DC has Korean fried chicken! We stopped by on a Saturday evening and the hostess was welcoming and so was the manager even though the place was packed. We got a table on the patio, which is the way to go on a beautiful DC evening. The fried pork mandoos were perfect! The wings, drumsticks and strips as well as the fries were excellent, with that perfect crunch! The Bonchon Ale was pretty good too!!! Service was prompt and very friendly. The only thing that I would point out is that we really over ordered for two people and I wish the server, as great as he was, had told us that the drumsticks and strips were ginormous! Other that that, will difinetyely be back!
(4)Ratanapol P.
As you know I'm an Asian ppl dining in Asian restaurant and got server add gratuities charged and I didn't look at the detail and left more tips on the chek,I would say this is not the first time they do this coz I dine in second time with different server and got rip off on tip too(I caught it this time for gratuities charge on tip) seem Likely your employees are discriminated Asian ppl for doing this!!!!!!!!!! I swear to not to re-visit your place again
(1)CB R.
Be still my fried chicken-lover-heart. Seriously, my heart has been beating faster since indulging on 20 pieces of Bonchon wings for lunch. Not for the calorie-conscious (or sugar-conscious, or fat-conscious, or size-of-meat-conscious) for sure. Chicken has a very crispy coating and tender, moist, massive, meat. We had the soy-garlic and spicy sauce...both are sweet, sticky and flavorful (wetnaps would have been nice to have). One Yelp reviewer described it as candy-sweet as a negative point, but I like the sweetness and it differentiates it from buffalo sauces and the other types of wing sauces I've had. I can see craving their chicken more often than is healthy, and I'm glad that this place is quite a drive from our house. Picked radish and the kimchi slaw were a nice palate cleanser especially after having a spicy wing. We also had the steamed pork buns, which is always a must have if offered on the menu. I think it's hard to mess up steamed buns, and theirs were tasty, but I think they were a bit pricey for $9+ for 2 pieces. I probably won't get them again, but will try the other appetizers like the mandoo, which looked delicious and plentiful. The service was pleasant. Friendly, and quick with the water refills.
(4)Annie K.
Hi Bon Chon, welcome to Arlington! Now I have 4 locations in the DMV to choose from whenever I'm craving for the double fried chicken, yay! The boyfriend and I searched for the closest Bon Chon to our gym to order to-go for NFL Sundays at home. I was on hold on the phone for 10 minutes before getting disconnected, called back 3-4 times to get a busy signal, and finally got through and was able to order. With your order of chicken, you also get one complimentary side (brown rice, white rice, white radishes, kimchi coleslaw) with additional sides for $2. In addition to chicken, we ordered the fried rice and seasoned fries. The fried rice was Korean style with egg tossed into it and was a perfect portion for the 2 of us to share and the seasoned fries were given in a huge portion! I totally forgot about the pork buns so I NEED to try those next time. I was given a 1 hour pickup time, and by the time I came to pickup, it was packed up and ready to go. Unfortunately, they didn't pack any utensils or napkins so we had to get everything together before demolishing everything. I'm definitely looking forward to coming back again soon!
(4)Laura S.
Yay! Another alternative to late night pizza! Bonchon is open till 2 am on Fri/Sat so call that late night order in and fill up on super crispy chicken drumsticks before you go to bed. Garlic style is the best...and yes it's double fried, crispy and oh so juicy.
(4)Jordan G.
The service here was impeccable! My water was continually filled and my table was constantly cleaned! The good was hot and filled with the flavor. We have the legs and wings which contained tons of flavor and lots of meat. The French fries with sauce were delicious, lightly bread with Parmesan cheese. Highly recommend this Bon chon! You can even just tell from the outside it's a great place by the amount of customers always outside eatting!
(5)Ran C.
"It's all in the double fry." I guess I will always be a sucker for delicious fried chicken. This location is very new and very clean. Our server was very friendly and I had a great lunch experience here overall. The chicken is as good as ever. Pro Tip: Look at my pictures and drool.
(4)Shanna E.
Just discovered Bonchon based on a friend's recommendation that these are the best wings in the area--and she was right. First of all, they are HUGE. Secondly, they're juicy while at the same time having perfectly crispy, non-soggy skins. We got the hot & and the garlic--and both were amazing. The "hot" is not lying, our mouths were on fire in an awesome way. And we got the bulgogi and the potstickers also, which were both very very good. And all the staff, from the host to the bartender to the takeout window, were super nice--although we should have called ahead, they were realllly backed up for football Sunday. We will definitely be making this our go-to take-out spot for the rest of football season.
(5)Melissa N.
Good chicken. Glad they have added a happy hour menu like the Annandale location. Hot chicken. Last time the waitress didn't put in our order. We waited longer than usual but we had beer and fries to entertain us. Chicken is consistently hot, spicy and very satisfying.
(4)M P.
My review is going to be primarily on the customer service as there are plenty of reviews that talk about how good the food is. That being said, the one knock (and this is a minor one) that I have on the food is the consistency of their hot wings; the intensity of the hot sauce can very significantly. If you aren't someone who can handle a lot of heat, I would make sure to ask the server how hot the hot wings are that day. Ok, onto my customer service experience... Of the 10-15 times that I have been to Bonchon (either for sit down or carry out), I have never had any issues until my last visit, but Bon Chon more than made up for it. I called in at 5PM for a takeout order of Wings to be picked up at 630. When I got there at 635, they had my order but when they read to me what was in the order, it was the wrong items. After some behind the counter discussion, they came back to me and it turned out they did not have my order as they gave mine to another person with the same name as me. The manager came out and apologized profusely and told me he would get me a new order, but they were so backed up the fastest he could get wings to me was 25 min. I explained to him that I had people coming to my house and I could not wait that long, so he offered to give me strips instead and those would be out considerably less and to make up for the time and not first choice of food, he offered to comp the entire order plus give me a large order of wings for free the next time I came. He did this proactively w/o me asking or demanding anything. I decided to take him up on his offer and then, again unprompted, he offered me a free beer while I waited for the food to come out. All people/establishments make mistakes at times, but not every place makes up for their mistakes. Bonchon gave my order to someone else, but more than fairly compensated me for my inconvenience. My original order was ~$30 and the large wings they comped me are $22; add the beer to that ~$6 and you are looking at them comping me close to $60 for about 15 minutes of my time. The customer service I experienced solidified my love of this establishment.
(5)Kimberly S.
Rob and I were so overjoyed to finally have a Bon Chon in our neck of the woods! Now we can get old, married and fat together on their delicious fried chicken. We dropped by on a Monday night to place a to go order. We were so hungry that we decided for a large order of wings/legs in both soy garlic and hot sauces as well as two containers of rice and a kim chi coleslaw. The wait was about thirty minutes so we took advantage of the time by taking a walk through the cute nearby residential area. When our wait was over, we drove home with our stomach rumbling more and more with the smells wafting through the bags. We chose that day to watch Breaking Bad and let me tell you it was the BEST DAY EVER! The chicken was super crispy and flavorful and after three wings and some rice I was completely knocked out by flavor town. Rob preferred the hot wings but I liked the soy garlic the best. Word of warning, a large order is WAY too much for two people but it made a great breakfast the day after. I just left it at room temperature and it was still perfectly crisp the next day after. The hot wings even toned down a bit too so it was awesome the next day! Bon Chon, welcome to my daily diet and I am excited to bring you to every upcoming potluck I am invited to!
(4)M D.
This location really really dilutes the excellent Bonchon brand. Before you hate me, understand that I am writing this review from one point of view: comparing the Arlington location to the Fairfax location. I've been going to the Fairfax location for the last year and a half that I've lived in that area. I truly love the brand and everything they've been making, with relatively few quips other than some pricing, and a desire for brown rice at that location. So, last weekend when I was in Arlington and was craving Bonchon, I decided to check out the Arlington location. Venue: Upon entering, you see a significant amount of walking space, bar area, and a bit less seating, but reasonable. There's also a large outdoor area. You begin to get the vibe that this may be more of a destination for drinking, than for the cuisine. Everything is clean, comfy enough. As with the Fairfax location, you'll find there is always some kind of dance music playing, 1-3 levels too high, it seems this is part of the nature of the brand. Menu: In comparison to the Fairfax location, you see that there are much fewer food options, and way more drink options. This is sign number two for me, that this is probably a hot happy hour spot. The food menu is significantly smaller, amounting to a single side of one page. The drink menu I believe is 4 pages long, this should show you where their emphasis is. Menu Items I and my girlfriend ate: Appetizer: Pork Buns - for $9.50, you are allotted two meager looking miniature sandwiches of (rice bread I think), and two thin pork slices (tasteless), and some seaweed and garnish. It looks much fancier than it tastes, and was really small. I was surprised, as the portions at Fairfax are usually a bit bigger. Chicken: 10 piece, half and half, strips - The pricing I believe was similar or equal to the Fairfax location, however the quality of the meat was a bit lower. Initially I was excited, because I could tell that the cuts of meat were thicker than what I get at Fairfax. However, you can taste that the meat was not marinated, it was a bit dry inside, whereas the focus of flavor is the battering, and likely flash frying. Supposedly the chicken is made to order, but the edges of the chicken showed clear signs of dryness, usually the kind you see from under heat lamps. If that wasn't the case, then the meat was just clearly overcooked, or was put in some kind of oven (or heat lamp) temporarily, and the dry heat should be looked into for temperature... Bulgogi: This was one of the more astonishing aspects of the meal, but not in a good way. My girlfriend ordered this plate. We've had this identical dish at Fairfax many many times. First off, the portions are literally about half the size of the portion provided by the Fairfax location, though the pricing is similar/equal. Second, the meat was literally tasteless. She didn't even eat more than two bites, I nibbled on it briefly, and we shared my chicken. It comes with a very Americanized romaine-lettuce based salad. Between the chicken and bulgogi, we got the sense that this was a very Americanized version of this Korean treat. Brown Rice: Horrible. Extremely dry, not appetizing. It made me feel bad about going with the healthier option. Summary: This place looks like it's probably more geared towards drinking. Due to the decent atmosphere, and faithful attempt to present something edible, I'll rate it with a bit less hatred. I understand that the entire audience isn't just trying to have a nice dinner with their loved one. With that said, I've been spoiled by eating at other Bonchon locations, and found this to be the worst one yet. I'm actually surprised that it's still carrying the Bonchon name. It feels very very Americanized, and in contradiction with the brand's identity and overall quality. Recommendations: 1. Do NOT put the chicken under heat lamps, or apply dry heat to it. Fry it slower, or time it to be one of the last items that comes out. 2. Work on your brown rice, it's super dry. In the meantime, provide some sauces to give people some semblance of moisture to the meal. 3. Portions, they're currently predatorily small. Price things more accurately to the portions they're receiving, or at least add in the portion description into the menu so people know what they're paying for. By the time it comes out, it's too late and I've already committed to paying for this garbage. 4. Authenticity - the Bonchon brand has a proud Korean image. I quite dig the aura and drinking-oriented Arlington identity you've applied to the location, but the food is an awful representation of what's to be expected. I'll take my business back to Arlington and Annandale next time. For the Reader: If you want to go here for finger food with friends and good day-drinking, this is the place to go. If you want to go to dinner, find a different restaurant, or go to a different Bonchon location.
(2)Vanessa O.
Oh Bon Chon. I wish I never knew ye. I live in Ballston and have been on a Korean food kick for the last couple of months, so obviously had to try it. I am not a huge wings fan so I got the strips with the soy sauce. They were amazing. Since then we've been back a couple of times (including delivery) and they have been sort of hit or miss, but with more hits than misses. I love the spicy one, though I never order them for myself, I just steal them from my friends. I can't believe they deliver, it's really changed my life. It's turned into our go to place when we don't know what to have for dinner. One suggestion: the kimchi coleslaw could have more kimchi and less coleslaw! 3 stars because it's really solid, 4 stars when they're on their game in terms of freshness.
(3)Izzy O.
Nom nom nom. This place is really good. My boyfriend first told me about it a year ago and I thought to myself, "oh, it can't be thaaaaaat good. It's just chicken." But it really is that good! It hits the spot. And the fries are really awesome, too. And the atmosphere is nice and relaxed. I'm craving it right now, actually. I tried to re-create Bon Chon chicken at home but it was not as good. I'll leave it to the pros.
(5)Jeffey D.
Ate at Bonchon yesterday. It was as advertised. Good fried chicken (had half and half) decent sides. Spicy chicken is not too spicy and sweet is not too sweet. The pork buns were bland, but we were not there for that. More sauce on the chicken would be good. Otherwise decent food and good service
(4)Emily L.
Was a little nervous about coming here - wanted to really like it and have it be just as good as ChiMc since it's so close to us now! Definitely lived up to the hype and then some! Pros: - Chicken was super delish, same as ChiMC! Big servings. - Nice beer selection, including their own bonchon draft which our server gave us a sample of - pretty good! - Atmosphere is much nicer than ChiMC - We were told on a Sat night we'd have to wait 45 min for a table for 6, but we were seated in 15! - Chicken came out pretty quickly - no 45 minute wait like ChiMc Cons: - Spicy is REALLY spicy. I ate one and could go no further - The sides for an order of a whole chicken are kind of stingy - small little bowls that are definitely not enough to share with everyone eating the whole chicken - Extra charge for rice. Boo. We did try the pork buns as well. They were good. 3 to an order. Kind of overhyped in my opinion. Can't compare to ippudo. We'll be back, though! Oh - one weird fact about the restaurant is that the women's bathroom has several stalls, but the men's just has one - so for once, there's always a line to the guys' bathroom!
(4)Joseph L.
Dayum when they say their chicken is spicy they really mean it! Delicious all the way through, but my nose was like a waterfall as I was eating their spicy wings. Excellent service. I could see it being a good place to catch some sports too.
(4)Yujin M.
I've spoken ill of this Bonchon in comparison to the Centreville location to a number of people, and it looks like I'm on my own. Everyone has responded with "I don't know...I thought it was fine," so maybe I'm just picky and petty. The chicken is good--I mean, it is Bonchon after all--but I felt like it was just a tad bit over-fried, drying out the glazed coating. I'm sure I wouldn't have noticed if this had been my first Bonchon, but considering my very positive experience at the Centreville location, I just felt that whoever did the frying just didn't have that magic touch. Service is a little...weird. They're not mean or unfriendly or anything, but the manager just seemed to take himself a little bit too seriously, seating parties based on a seating chart when they don't even take reservations. Perhaps I'm just not very informed about how seating works, but considering we were waved in the general direction of a large communal booth where the party right next to us were seated only after a close scrutiny of the ever-trusty chart, it just seemed a little inconsistent and unnecessary. It's closer to us than any of the other locations, and it has a more spacious, modern interior, but I just didn't feel as comfortable here. I'd probably come back since there's not enough of a tangible difference to write it off, but I may hold my chicken cravings for when we're running errands a little farther out.
(3)Johnny D.
Most amazing chicken I have ever tasted in my life. So moist, crispy, juicy etc. the best flavor was the half & half but if you prefer spicy foods their hot sauce is also really good. Pork buns were decent, overrated but worth a taste.
(5)Michelle L.
Bonchon is my favorite treat when I'm back in the va area! SoCal is the Mecca for Asian food but I still haven't had Korean fried chicken there as tasty as bonchon! I was excited to hear they opened a new location close to where my sister lives. In the past I've done pick up at other locations and a few times been disappointed that it didn't taste as good at home. Called ahead about an hour for pick up at 5:45. Due to traffic got there at 6 and prob didn't start eating until about 7. And it was....Deeeeeelicious. Just as I remembered...if not, better!!! FYI, spicy is pretty spicy (for me!) I'll stick to soy garlic. The interior looked spacious and new. There isn't that much food I miss in the dc area but bonchon you keep me coming back!!!
(5)Lia M.
I like Bonchon. I like it a lot. I'm not addicted, but I am a fan, and enjoyed my meal here more so than I had in the past. I love this new Bonchon because it's way closer than Little River Turnpike, plus much more modern - that one was fairly divey, so I wasn't sad to see it go. Also, the staff here is actually friendly and the menu is bit bigger. Good beer selections - we both went with the Port City Wit. We came late on a Sunday, so they were out of legs, but we shared wings (half order of spicy, half order of soy garlic) and they only took about 10 minutes! I was shocked. We also ordered the pork buns (2 for $9.50), which were delicious. Our server was great. The boy had never had Bonchon (he's now a fan), and it was his suggestion, and I'm quite glad that I agreed.
(4)Juliet K.
i'm glad that they opened a bonchon closer to my house, but i dont think the flavor is the same as the original one in Annandale (now renamed to Chi Mc). this place precooks some of the chicken so the 2nd batch that we got was really dry and not moist and fresh. The first one wasnt too bad, but definitely not a fresh and juicy as Chi Mc. they serve the chicken with the radishes and one side that you can pick from - white rice, brown rice, coleslaw and kimchi slaw. the coleslaw was mayo based and i'm not a huge fan of mayo. the kimchi slaw just tasted like the coleslaw with siracha added to it, not actual kimchi. grrr to misnomers. they added additional items on their menu. the pork buns and the bulgogi ssam (which really isnt a ssam. its just a bolgogi burrito - another misnomer) were good. also new here is chicken strips. i guess because there are so many people who dont like bones, they made the strips. no idea how they taste but just thought it was hilarious that they offered that option here. but honestly, eating here just made me want to go back to the annandale location to get better chicken. soju was so overpriced, it shocked me. maybe its because i am korean and i know what the cost is at a liquor store, just made me GASSSP! the service was pretty good here. except for the fact that they sat us in an area where the lights kept flickering. i felt like i was going to have a seizure the whole time i was eating. i've been some bonchons that are worse and the location is so convenient i would come back if i were meeting people that couldnt make it to Chi Mc. otherwise, i'm making the hike to Annandale for the real deal.
(2)Frank Z.
Surprisingly elegant: We were expecting a more fast-casual order-at-the-counter place, like our beloved District Taco. Bonchon has full table service, a host podium, a full bar, and the food arrives on ceramic. The service was just very nice, very courteous and attentive, personable without being intrusive. Somebody is training the waitstaff well. Seems the morale of the place was good. The noise level inside was way too high (Friday night, full house) and we were lucky to get a table outside. The multiple tv screens in the bar area suggested a bit of a sports-bar setup. It's probably a fun place to watch a game and eat abnormally good wings. The beer selection is excellent. And yes, the food was very good. The chicken is clearly cooked to order, it comes out hot and crispy, juicy with a crunchy sweet/savory shell that we compared to caramel corn. The pieces are big. The spicy chicken was right on the edge of too-spicy, giving that intoxicating pleasure/pain cocktail. I was glad I got a half & half order. All spicy would have been too much. We split one order of pork buns (excellent) and I was unable to finish my medium order of wings & drumsticks. I'm a fairly big eater. It's not as crispy when eaten as leftovers but it's still tasty. I just had mine for breakfast. Four stars because the noise level was truly unpleasant, unfortunately. If you are curious about Korean fried chicken, I'd recommend you go. I would like to try their bulgogi but I'll probably just gorge myself on chicken next time.
(4)Mo M.
Omg I was addicted at first bite! So delicious I have no words that can describe it. Love the crunchiness throughout the chicken. The soy garlic sauce is amazing. Be sure to order ahead, it takes a while to get chicken that perfect. Please give it a try, you won't be disappointed.
(5)Teresa C.
very clean, and nice decoration, great taste of fried chicken. reasonable price, only bad thing is waiting time for dish.
(4)Roya B.
Amazing wings, good selection of beers, so-so appetizers. LOVE the Soy Garlic wings. Not a big spicy fan in general, and I feel like the wings can be too spicy with not enough flavor. No drumsticks or legs needed. Stick with the wings. The wings go really well with the kimchi coleslaw... not so much the rice. Don't get appetizers. They won't compare to the wings. We've had the fried zucchini (too much breading, not really exciting) and I wanna say the dumplings with pork belly (akin to Bao). Definitely not as fresh as other places in DC, and the pork belly was too thick and a little hard.
(4)Shabriya H.
OMG!!!! This place has some great chicken wings! And they were very crispy just the way I like my wingettes. The wings were big which was a plus, that we couldn't finish all of them, so we took the rest to go. They were nicely coated with whatever chicken sauce we ordered, I can't remember. The chicken wasn't too saucy or anything like that. I also had some seasoned garlic onion rings for the appetizer which was good as well. It came with this sauce and I can't remember what the name was, please forgive me but it was good. We did outside seating and our waiter was pretty cool, even though she forgot to bring sugar to our table she apologized. The food came out pretty quick which our waiter said it would. So if you are looking for a spot with good wings, you have to go to Bonchon, and I believe they have different locations in the area.I have been thinking about those wings ever since and I can't wait to go back. :)
(5)Joanna M.
Scenario: Sunday night 8:00pm, come home from a day full of craziness too tired to think or cook for that matter. Bon Chon now DELIVERS! uh yea, you read that right folks! They deliver and this could get DANGEROUS but I'm a gal who prefers to live on the wild side so off I go to order some bon chon chicken and sides. I anticipated at least 45 minute wait but to my surprise, the delivery man was way faster than that, nice, and the final product of having perfectly double fried, delicious bon chon chicken brought to me. PRICELESS! Bon Chon, I am a happy gal!
(5)Nancy L.
We just grabbed carry out from here and wow, the drumsticks are gigantic! My friend and I split the large mix $22 and it was so much food! I had one drumstick and 3 wings and was completely full. My male friend had a couple more wings than me, but he was also full. We still have half a box of chicken left! The skin was crispy and the soy garlic flavor was delicious. We also got the pork buns (2 for $9.50) and I would say they are underwhelming. The pork belly isn't really marinated in any sauce, so there wasn't much flavor. It seems like they just added a little plum sauce on top of the bun. For a lunch time on a Monday, be prepared to wait 20 minutes for the food to be ready.
(4)Gigi N.
Great food and atmosphere! I ordered the wings and legs in the soy garlic flavor. It was scrumptious! My boyfriend ordered the wings and legs in the spicy flavor. He loved it but it was too spicy for me. I recommend ordering the wings instead of the legs. You get more sauce for the meat and the sauce is what makes it amazing. Also, you must try the fries, korean cole slaw, and pickled radish. They were perfect compliments to the chicken.
(4)Donald P.
$3 drafts and half-off appetizer Happy Hour specials until 7pm. Free parking inside the building (so I'm told) and street meter parking (free after biz hrs too). Just do yourself a favor and get the kimchi coleslaw. MMMmmmmm! Growler refills available too. They have a "Bonchon Ale" as well, but don't get too excited. It's beer from another brewery that's relabeled. I didn't catch where it was from though. Chicken was delicious and I loved the ambiance.
(4)Hank J.
I have tried many wings from many, many area codes. Sure, there are only two flavors, but Bon Chon wings easily qualify for the most delicious that I have ever tried, ever - in all my short 27 years of wing tasting. However, I will admit I was slightly intoxicated when I first tried the soy garlic wings. Had two large orders of wings, fried zucchini, radish, and slaw. After gorging myself into a food coma, I fell into a deep slumber only to awaken craving the wings again. I swore to revisit, order more wings, test for illegal addicting substances, and verify the deliciousness that I had tasted in my inebriation. I got off work two days later and called in an order of large wings and a side of brown rice. The food was ready at the promise time. As I climbed into my car, the aroma struck me in the nose and overwhelmed my limbic system and basic bodily functions. I could not resist any longer. I would not make to my drug lab to test for addictive properties. I pulled up to a stop light. This was my moment. I tore the bag open with one hand and grabbed the first piece of sticky goodness my fingers fell upon. My first bite was exactly like I had imagined. Biting into this extra crispy drumstick, my mouth temporarily escaped to heaven. The crispiness can never be beaten. If I had the secret recipe, I would take it back to match with the best sauces I have discovered and take over the world with my own wing joint. By the time I returned to the comforts of my abode, I had devoured six wings and still had plenty to fill me up. Heed my warning, though. If you want the full deliciousness, I highly recommend stopping in and eating at the restaurant. Although the wings were still phenomenal as take out, I would not risk letting your first experience get soggy in the takeout bag.
(5)Dandan L.
it is a hip looking place with dance music playing on a windy almost apring day. first thing i saw was a worker coming out of the customer bathroom...yep turns out to be our waitress. watched other staff come and go from the bathroom all through the meal. guess there is not a staff bath. ok, the chicken is fairly tasty but not out of this world delicious. the seasoned fries are pretty good but 1.50 more for basically a shake of some spices...come on. and 2.50 for a coke is ridiculous. on the whole 43.00 with tip for two. i expect a little more for that price.
(3)Stacia G.
I just want to saw this is an AWESOME place with excellent food. The half and half wings are crispy and flavorful and huge! Half and half is a mix of the soy garlic and the hot. The hot are hot and can make your nose run off your face but they do have radish to bring you a cool down. Their coleslaw comes spicy or not and its even delic. Try the zucchini fries with the sauce. It gave me life along with the air bun pork. That was the most light and delicious 3 bites I've had all winter. The drinks are good and the servers make them very well. MUST GO BACK!
(5)Jed M.
The wings were great! The bulgolgi was tough and chewy. I tried my friend's spicy fried rice and liked it much better. Sat right down when we walked in and the service was just fine.
(3)Tameika T.
Love the spicy fried rice.
(4)David H.
Recent trips to bonchon have not been as good. They've sped up the cook time - whether that means they are constantly cooking wings or they don't fry as long, I'm not sure. But the past two times I've been the wings haven't tasted as fresh or crispy. The last time I actually did not want to finish them - they were so greasy and I didn't feel well after. Will probably eat in next time, and hopefully get good wings
(4)Jamie Q.
yummy! I always get the 6 piece strips. Amazingly tender white meat everytime. I don't get why people don't just get those, but people love wings for some reason! Their kimchi coleslaw is amazing, and the fries are scrumptious (unbelievably pricey) but sooooo yummy!
(5)Chae K.
This is the place to go for super crispy fried chicken doused with either a spicy or soy saucy flavor. I personally like the spicy flavor, and the Arlington location has a milder version of the spicy chicken than the Annandale location, which suits my palate just fine. The decor is cool and modern and the servers are all pleasant and helpful. Overall, a great place for a bite to eat that won't put a huge dent in your wallet.
(4)Simon B.
The big, and perhaps only, draw of Bonchon is the wings. They are huge, fried perfecly, and worth every penny. Note that the spicy/hot isn't that hot, but it's got a little kick to them that might make some people uncomfortable. And, yes, definitely 150 cal a wing. You're not eating wings to be healthy anyway, so I'm assuming you don't care about that? Of the other food we tried: - The pork buns are not worth the money (they are decent, in taste but $11, seriously) and the - Bulgogi wraps are decent, good amount of meat, too much weird white sauce. Also, it's definitely full meal on its own - we ordered with wings and it was too much. - We were given coleslaw instead of the kimchi we ordered, so I can't comment on the kimchi. As far as atmosphere goes, It's really a fast food-ish looking joint that tries be more upscale so that it can command slightly higher prices. The space between tables is large, in the dining area, but the music was kinda loud on our visit making it difficult to chat. We thought it'd be the perfect place for a high school date, good for a random night eat out, but nothing more.
(3)Brandon G.
Meh... Thats really all I should say. First off let me just say this review is strictly based on food only. My coworker RAVED about this place. My favorite chicken place is Buffalo Wild Wings. I usually grab 15 wing traditional mango habanero.My coworker said Bon Chon's has a hot option. It just wont be as hot. So i'm like ok thats fine. He gets the food. Like he mentioned, Bon Chon's wings are huge, but I bit into it and BAM.... I could already taste the triple, quadruple fried skin. I'm like OF COURSE the chicken is bigger when you fry the chicken 90 times! I mean don't get me wrong it wasn't gross. It was good..... it wasn't that hot for me in my opinion. But definitely wasn't what I expected. Bon Chon's is one of those places I'd eat if the food is around and can't find nothing else. But its not my 1st, or 2nd choice thats for sure!
(2)Joshua L.
If you're looking for great service, a friendly atmosphere, and good fried chicken, all for a reasonable price in Arlington, you don't need to look any further than Bonchon Chicken. However, allow me to let you in on a little secret: eating here is not going to be life changing... at least it wasn't for me. Look, I thought that they fried their chicken just right. The hot wings had a nice kick without being over-powering. The garlic wings are tasty. Their appetizer fries are great. However... and this is a big however.... I'm not a convert. I don't worship at the alter of Bonchon Chicken. So go there expecting a good meal with amazing wait service, but don't expect a life changing event. If you live in Arlington, Bonchon Chicken is definitely worth returning to. Since I don't live in Arlington, I'm fairly certain I wont be going out of my way to go to Bonchon Chicken. But if I find myself in Arlington, hungry, and looking for good fried chicken, Bonchon Chicken tops my list.
(4)Hannah H.
I was a little hesitant in trying Bon Chon out, as I tried out their location in NYC a few years back and was not a fan of it - I personally thought it was waaaay overrated. I don't know if I have grown accustomed to the 'soy garlic' sauce on wings or what, but I took another chance on this place. I ordered a small-portion of wings, Soy Garlic, with a side of kimchi coleslaw and the cubed radishes (you can choose coleslaw, kimchi coleslaw, white rice, or brown rice as your side; the radishes are optional at no additional charge). Calling in and ordering a carry-out was quite easy - I did ask my wings to be well-done, but they weren't; however, the sauce on the skin was still nice. I just wished that there was less meat and more of the crispy skin (I'd rather have smaller wings as I think the flavors would permeate more throughout). I did enjoy the kimchi coleslaw - they were just a kicked-up version of the regular coleslaw and there was a slight hint of kimchi flavor throughout. The radishes were actually the best ones I've had from a Korean chicken joint - they were perfectly fermented and had great flavor, and complemented quite well with the wings. I most definitely would come back and continue getting their wings, but specify the 'extra well-done' part - that's a must for me! :D I'm glad I was able to try out Bon Chon again! +call ahead for pick-up +great radishes
(3)Carolyn D.
This place is perfect. Hands down the best fried chicken ever. The restaurant is clean and modern, service is great and prices are more than reasonable. If I had a metabolism that could handle it I would Bon Chon every week. If you have a problem with Bon Chon Chicken you have a problem with yourself. Get the soy garlic drumsticks, kimchi coleslaw, fries and steamed dumplings. All are fresh, hot and served beautifully.
(5)Yvette R.
This establishment is definitely fine dining for the chicken wing. The service was not good but what do you expect. My server, bless her heart, will remain nameless. I ordered the soy ginger wings with cole slaw and fried zucchini. I told her that I didn't want anything spicy. She brought me back half and half (mild/ spicy). When I told her, she asked if it was ok to use my silverware to remove the spicy wings off my plate? Not! But I said yes to see what she'll do next. I have no idea what she did with those wings! I wouldn't be surprised if they were given to another customer. The food was just ok. Overall I had a better experience at the Annandale location as a carryout. I will not be coming to this location again.
(2)Rob J.
The best chicken I have ever had in my entire life. I honestly can't understand why this chicken Is so good but whatever they do they do it right. The fries are great too! I will be back.
(5)Cathy H.
I've always been a Bonchon fan. The Annandale location was my preferred, but it's now under new management and called Chi-MC. I have yet to try the chicken there. When I heard Bonchon was opening in Arlington, I had flashbacks of calling one hour ahead just to secure ten spicy drumsticks before they run out and I started to become scared. I was scared there would be an equally long wait for dine-in at the new Arlington location. I figured I would let things happen naturally, so my party and I just sat down and placed our orders hoping for the best. Turns out, the chicken is fried ahead of time, so it only takes 10-15 minutes. It was the same chicken I remember loving. We had ordered half soy garlic and half spicy for both drumsticks and boneless pieces. If you cannot handle spice, then order the soy garlic, but I personally won't order those again because they are not nearly as flavorful as the spicy kind. Also, avoid the boneless pieces -- they are basically white meat chunks that are not crispy. Drumsticks are the way to go for crunch and maximum meat. We also ordered regular fries (seasoned fries also available) and dukboki (Korean spicy rice cakes). The fries were the kind with batter, so they were amazingly crispy. The star of the night, however, was the dukboki. I had had it once prior in NYC K-Town, but didn't think much of it since the sauce was too sweet for my liking. At Bonchon, it was still sweet, but not coyingly, and that sweetness was offset by the spice and -- wait for it -- melted cheese. Yes, melted cheese. It was drunk Korean food at its finest. Not authentic at all, but piping hot, ooey gooey, and crazy delicious. As for beverages, they have a wide range of draft and bottled beers in addition to your usual sodas. They serve Sapporo and Port City Wit on draft, so I ordered those. I LOVED the Port City Wit and would highly recommend that to anyone who likes lighter beers. There was no wait on that Saturday night. Street parking was ample. Great service. I would like to check out Chi-MC before returning, but I will definitely be back!
(5)Jenny T.
What can I say, BonChon is BonChon! Good atmosphere, pretty decent service--might be understaffed? Kind of a wait--but we opted to sit and eat at the bar. Lots of drink options. Chicken is great as usual, we get the half and half medium...super crunchy, very well seasoned/marinated. Do know that the chicken is made to order so it takes a little while...order some fries while you wait--its pricy but they are big portions. Love getting the brown rice and radish on the side, too. Other foods: Zucchini fries: Do NOT leave here WITHOUT getting these. AMAZING. I could eat these all day long.. Perfect crunch and fried-ness, and it's like a mozarella stick without the crazy amount of cheese but the softness and strange smooth texture after crunching through a nicely-seasoned breading. mmmmm. They're regular fries are just as good, too, with a little dusting of parmesean on the top. Dduk-bok-ki: do NOT get this... super spicy.... was basically doughy noodles (gnocchi-like) in super spicy tomato sauce, a little bit of vermicelli noodles and thinly sliced veggies, and strips of fish-cake.... all flavor was lost from my mouth after attempting to eat this. No bueno. And there was like a weird glob of mozzarella cheese on the top. yeaa...don't know about that.
(4)Nargis M.
Love the bogoogie I hope I spelled it right! And jasmine the hostess I think ? Is great! She always has a smile on her face and is very friendly !
(4)Paul C.
I give it 2 1/2 stars. First, i'll start by saying fried chicken is my death-row meal, but "southern-style" is my preference. I eat more chicken than red meat and i like it prepared all kind of ways. (To be fair, i went twice before writing this. I wasn't sure on my first visit,but on my second i realized why i didn't care for this style). "Korean style" fried is not one of them. I know i'm in the minority saying this,looking at the other reviews,but the bottom line is this is too sweet for me. I also don't care for the hard "Candy apple like" shell. Not for me. I do like the pickled daikon though.
(2)David H.
Chickens are perfectly cooked and seasoned, and especially good when eaten at the restaurant because they are crunchy and hot when served. I personally prefer the spicy over the regular soy.
(4)Mark M.
Food and Service were both wonderful! First off I would like to say Heather was GREAT! What service! It was our first time and definitely not our last. We ordered way too much food. The legs are actual chicken legs. They were so good. Crispest chicken I have ever had. Loves the hot. Pork Buns are a must. I would go there just for them. I really enjoyed pickled radish side. Fries were crisp and hot. Great place!
(5)Caroline C.
It really is addicting. If you don't like these wings you're probably an idiot. The side sauce is amazing. Just don't get plain wings, get the spicy ones. They aren't too insanely spicy and I'm a wimp about spicy so you can eat them if you are too! Also the bulgogi is really good, I've had it a few other places (in manhattan) and this may be some of the better I've had. It's a small place but they have bar tables for happy hour! $3 IPA! We usually get take out but it's a nice spot to go out to. I would give 5 stars for venue, customer service, and food but, minus a star for prices...delicious yeah, but wings are still wings people. If you know someone who loves wings, they gotta try these!!
(4)Nicholas C.
OMG. I'm from Texas and we have a lot of Asian places, but nothing like this. This place seriously serves the best fried chicken I've had in my life. Period. It's been about a month since I've discovered this treasure which is just a 10 minute walk since I live in Clarendon and I've been back 3 times already. I even took my older brother here for lunch one day when he was visiting from New York and he loved it too! That first bite and you're seriously addicted. Their soy garlic was great and I love their radish they serve as a palate cleanser. I always get their kimchi coleslaw. Their hot flavor is good, but I'm deducting them a star because it's a little too intense. My brother and I both agree that some wings were fine, but others were volcanos erupting in my mouth. They should serve ranch or bleu cheese to cool it down or something. Their seasoned fries. DELICIOUS! I don't even know why they both with the ketchup. Just place two spicy mayo dipping sauces so I don't feel bad when I ask the server to bring me more. For dinner, it is harder to get seats sometimes when they're packed. A 25 minute wait is pretty extreme, but I guess they're worth it. It's also great for lunch cause the side items are cheaper, but of course, smaller portions. I have friends in Virginia who are ADDICTED. They were going to take me to eat there, but I already discovered the place and went two times before they even had the chance. It's so hard to resist when it's just a 10 minute walk. The servers are also really efficient and nice. Great service!
(4)G T.
I first discovered this place while at school in NYC. When I found out there was one at home in Va. I was over the moon. They never disappoint with their awesome chicken. I can eat this stuff 7 days a week!
(5)DavinSteph M.
We stumbled In here via Yelp. It was so good we ended up ordering delivery a few nights later. Eat here! It's delicious! Order the hot wings and don't even think twice about the other options!
(4)Jeremy C.
Trendy location in the recently gentrified-ish Lyon Park. Chicken is just as good as the other locations but this definitely seems like more of a place you can hang out at and have a drink as well.
(5)Marianne L.
I like Bonchon. Sadly, this location would have faired better if I'd come here once, written my review, and never returned again. Having been here 3 times in just over a week and 2 of those time receiving sub-par chicken, I feel that 2 stars is more than fair for what's been dished up to me. All 3 visits were for take out of soy-garlic wings, the first and third with no call ahead. In all instances I tried the chicken as soon as I got to my car as to be able to assess it as soon as possible. Like I said I should have just quite while I was ahead after the 1st visit. Visit 1 - early evening on a weekend. Staff exceptionally friendly. Result: Chicken ready in 10 minutes despite just walking in and placing an order. Perfect juicy, crispy crack-candy skin, tasty chicken. Visit 2 - Weeknight evening. Dude who answered the phone had quite the attitude when I asked if he knew how long the wait for chicken was, responding that it could be 30-45 minutes and he couldn't tell me until I placed an order. Order placed and that estimate dropped to 10 minutes. Result: It took me 9 minutes and 16 seconds to get to Bonchon. My chicken was already sitting on the takeout order shelf. That should have been my first clue that what I was going to be getting was at best tepid chicken. It was also barely sauced. While I have little evidence to the contrary, I doubt my chicken was cooked to order - at least not MY order. Visit 3 - After the negative experience with the 2nd attempt at chicken from here, I decided no more phone ordering. At least with just showing up, I figured I had the best chance of getting hot chicken. So once again I showed up, placed my order with the very friendly people at the takeout counter. And waited. Result: Chicken ready in about 20 minutes. I did get hot chicken, but while the skin was crispy, once again it was barely sauced and the chicken itself was painfully dry. Sadly, I think I've given this place a fair shot and just don't think its measuring up.
(2)Revital Y.
My husband and I came in here while trying to be "adventurous" and take our date night out of the city (DC) and into the burbs. The service was great. The hostess(es) were welcoming and friendly, our waiter was great. Made some recommendations, gave me extra pickled radishes, kept our waters full- I can't complain. As for the food, it was good. We got a mix of both sauces. It was good, not great. I haven't wanted to go back since the last time so that's why I'm giving it 3 stars That's all from me, folks!
(3)L T.
Came here with a friend to watch the world cup finals. Beer was on point, chicken was tasty, and the bill wasn't too bad. Would recommend and come again.
(4)Rosalie S.
The food was terrible. This was my first and last time there. I had the mandoo which was way over fried. Chicken wings way over fried. Crisp is one thing, but this was awful, too salty. Why would anyone think this could becomes an addiction?
(1)Steph S.
Great wings and fries, but pork buns were a disappointment. Little pricy for casual food like wings but fun splurge every once in a while.
(4)Toulaphone C.
First time to the Arlington location and I definitely got lucky with the street parking. VIP parking baby! I'm a bonchon veteran and wanted to try this new location out. The restaurant itself looked very trendy and the service was quite up to par. Food came out quick and didn't have to wait to be seated. Servers came back with soda refills like a boss and offered to-go boxes for us at the perfect moment! We got the half and half soy garlic and spicy chicken (large), along with the fries as an appetizer. Highly recommend! Chicken was double deep fried, just how I like it.
(5)Brian A.
This place is awesome! The staff is very friendly, they are fast and the food is amazing! Of course you have to get there wings which is a signature dish. I ordered the 20 piece wings for two people, half and half (hot and garlic) and it is plenty of food. I have never been able to finish all the wings in one sitting. I usually get the kimchi coleslaw (great/ little spicy) and pickled radish for the heat. All that comes to 22 dollars so it's a perfect date spot. There is parking behind the restaurant so no need to park on street. I have not gotten any of the other dishes but I have heard that the pork buns are excellent. They also have a nice little bar as well, good for watching Sunday football.
(5)Michael S.
Best fried chicken period! It is so unbelievably good! I like this location better than other locations! rockville location's people have bad attitude!
(5)Richard Y.
I recommend getting the fried chicken and zucchini fries. The fried chicken and zucchini fries are fried perfectly. It has that savory flavor and nice crunch. The hot version for the fried chicken is delicious. The soy garlic can use more flavor. I'll definitely be going back.
(4)Rick M.
Amazing huge flavorful and crispy chicken wings. They not your standard wings! Damn Good Wings!
(5)Jodi M.
OMG! I may be addicted! I was introduced to this perfectly fried chicken for the first time last week. Wow! Both the soy garlic and the hot sauces are great. The kimchi coleslaw is a perfect compliment to the spicy chicken! Thank goodness I'm not really close to this place or else i'd be in serious trouble.
(5)Ni C.
YAY! Bonchon is here! Went here for lunch (which is much calmer!) I was shocked when we ordered our food and it came out within 10 minutes! The zucchini fries and spicy mayo are also great - served piping hot. Anyone who went to the Annandale nightmare version would have to wait up to an hour - this place has great service and its quick. They have their act together - and in the future, they will have delivery. Have your cardiologist on speed dial folks... The waiter mentioned on Friday and Saturday nights the wait for chicken can be 30-40 min. Worth the wait? YES and YES. I always go for the Garlic Soy - and it did not disappoint! Recommend.
(5)Airicko S.
Its good, but if you really want good Korean Wings go to BBQ Chicken and Beer in Centreville. They have more options that Spicy Garlic or Soy Garlic.
(3)Kelly H.
My friend was visiting from out of town, and was a big fan of Bonchon in NYC so we thought we'd try out the one in Arlington. My Korean coworkers had noted that the chicken was pretty good. I was not disappointed. We ordered the mixed drumsticks and soy chicken strips. The small was just the perfect amount of rice and fried chicken to feel stuffed and satisfied. We ordered bulgogi too--which was disappointing because the sauce was watery. I used my leftover strips to add to my salad for lunch the next day--which was absolutely delicious thanks to the fried chicken. I'm not a big fan of that spicy that burns (like Siracha sauce)- so I didn't really care for the spicy drumsticks.
(4)Carolyn B.
****0 stars**** I wanted to try the place so I get there almost before closing. When I enter, I'm told to go to the takeout window. As soon as I get there, the person behind the desk told me they had just closed the kitchen. 11 mins before the kitchen closes to provide take out is unbelievable. I've worked in the restaurant industry for years and that would never be acceptable. I walked out confused that no one told me at the front desk. I didn't think I would ever eat them. About a week later, a friend of mine got take out from them. When ordering, they seemed to know nothing about the food. Mandoo is mandu (dumplings) and we were told they didn't have dumplings. The girl taking the order seemed to know nothing about the food. When we got our wings, dukboki, and dumplings, we were not impressed. I like that a Korean restaurant is in the area but it has yet to prove it's worth.
(1)TheTruthTeller CheeseEater D.
After blocking the owner from messaging this is in part the "compliment" he sent me to bypass the Yelp blocking system. "...I didn't ask to be part of your miserable life. Did I once state that cigarette smoking was ok here? None of your messages are plain and easy to understand because they are written by someone that doesn't have a bit of common sense. And I think the fact that we were able to identify who you were without ever having met you shows just how crazy of a person you are. Seriously ask yourself, how many times have you had encounters like this even in just the last month. When you're having problems with everyone in this world, have you ever thought to yourself the problem isn't everyone else? I'm guesing " Yes, he created a seperate profile to circumvent the Yelp block to "compliment" me. For this and the chicken that was devoid of garlic flavor I average my 3 reviews to 0. Again, try the restaurant across the street delicious! Update:8/24 response to Tom's "owner " comment below. All, Tom's message pasted above was edited to remove his discussion about his young daughters. Since he felt the need to post my residence I think its only fair you know he has no problem with customers smoking in front of his properties therefore 910 desale street sw vienna va 22180 is a good location to smoke. Tom: Bless your heart, You've contacted me a 3rd time after I asked you to leave me alone. If this doesn't display your customer service ethic I'm not sure what else will. For your efforts I am reporting you to Bon Chon Franchising corporate offices. You clearly will benefit from closer supervision and mentorship. AND if anybody is really interested they can review my My Truck Buddy's reviews OR just go to Bookstore Movers and their excellent service.
(1)Kimmy L.
This place was packed Sunday night but my party of 8 were able to be seated within 10 minutes...mainly because they only seem to have 1 table to fit this many people and most other patrons had 2-3 people in their party. We tried calling to make reservations but nobody answered the phone. I think they were a bit short staffed. I have always gotten the wings, but our group wanted to be adventurous so we ordered wings, chicken tenders, and legs. Sojutini were a hit at our table but I opted for a beer that night. Unfortunately we didn't get the bar drinks until after we were halfway done eating our chicken even though we ordered as soon as we sat down. I know they just opened so I'm sure they will be better about staffing on a busy night. Mandu - really crispy and the sauce was amazing Pork bun - I didn't try any but it looked wonderful! French Fries - I loved these - they are extra crispy here Wings - definitely live up to bonchon quality, however I think they are just a tad bit smaller than the wings offered at their Fairfax location. The up side to this is that we only had to wait about 20 minutes for the wings..whereas other locations take about 45 minutes Legs - These were huge! I didn't have any but am told the skin was even more crunchy and thicker than the skin on the wings, but the chicken wasn't as juicy as the wings Chicken Tenders - Although we teased my friend who ordered these 'because he was too lazy to pick the meat off of wings', these were surprisingly good. A lot crispier than I though they would be - they must double fry these too. The spicy here is not AS spicy as Fairfax so I was able to eat half of a spicy wing before my mouth was on fire.I'm still going to stick to the soy-garlic. My favorite part about this location is that you get to pick your own side with each chicken order. At Fairfax you HAVE to get their kim chi slaw which I did not like. We ordered sides of rice and kim chi slaw here and both were amazing. They make their kim chi slaw differently here and it is so flavorful! I am deducting half a star for their parking and another half due to the size of their wings. It's hidden in an area of Arlington I have never been before and parking is a pain as there is no garage or parking lot. We found street parking but there isn't much of that either. Aside from the slightly smaller wings, and the parking situation, I would definitely come back.
(4)Ben M.
I arrived at my hotel in Arlington at around 730 on and decided on delivery for dinner. I ordered a mix of wings and drums with the spicy sauce... They were out of this world delicious! Often, wings lose a lot of crunch and texture when delivered but these arrived in prefect condition. Delivery was very fast. If you enjoy wings, then it is your obligation to try bonchon... You will not be disappointed.
(5)V. B.
Mixed bag. Chicken is fab, as are the Mandu. Order the half & half sauce. I wish they served extra sauce for dipping. The sides were disappointing - both cole slaws were blah. My biggest issue though is the noise level-- it is Ridiculously Loud. impossible to carry on a conversation.
(4)Debi N.
If you haven't had Bon Chon chicken before, then you definitely should. It's chicken on crack. What makes bon chon chicken so good is the crispy skin. It's twice fried in a liquid batter which leaves the skin nice and super crispy. The meat itself is a little bland but it's all about the skin. Pro tip: The chicken comes in two flavors: Soy garlic-mild and Spicy which is super spicy. The chicken comes in two 'types': Drumettes and wings which are your typical buffalo style wings. And also legs which are big sized drumsticks like what would come with normal fried chicken. The Arlington location also has chicken strips (no bone). It's all about the skin, so you can stop complaining that the meat is too plain. Dipping your bon chon chicken in ranch or blue cheese is an insult. Bon Chon Chicken Arlington location: The décor is clean, bright and modern. The wait time for the chicken is much less than other locations. The chicken is cooked to order but I think this location has a good system of pumping out chicken since it's always busy so that's a bonus. Hopefully they can keep this up. Full bar with a nice selection of beers on tap. Also there is a separate carry out window. Wait staff is friendly. Although Bon Chon is a franchise and they use the same recipe/cooking technique, there's is something slightly different than the chicken from other Korean owned Bon Chon establishments. I can't quite put my finger on it, but the chicken didn't leave me completely satisfied as I usually am. Or maybe I'm just growing out of the bon chon phase. Nonetheless props to the owners on opening a Bon Chon in Arlington.
(4)Thai T.
Came back for the second weekend in a row b/c the chicken is just THAT good, y'all. Went a lot earlier this time, I think it was about 6pm, plus it had just rained so we had no wait to get seated. We ordered the white sangria and to our surprise, the manager (referred to as Russian mob gangsta in another review lol) came over about midway through our meal, with a small carafe and refilled my friend and my glass of sangria, mentioning that it was his own recipe (I think he said he was from El Salvador) and wanted feedback on how he did with it! So manager-it is pretty much delicious and I love that they added a asian fruits to it (lychee, along with blueberries, strawberries and I think pear). My guy friends didn't want wings or thighs so we opted for a large order of chicken strips to share, half soy garlic half spicy. The waitress did warn us it was very spicy, an 8 on scale of 1-10, I already knew how spicy it was but my friend wanted to try lol. We paid for it big time hahaha. Kim chi cole slaw is a must try-very nice twist on your normal cole slaw(and theirs is pretty good, too). Ordered the seasoned fries again, which did not disappoint. Overall, we were all very happy with our meal-next time these guys will stick to soy garlic, no more spicy lol. On a side note-they do carry ranch dressing in the house so you can request a small serving of it to neutralize the spicy chicken a little. lol. plus for that! Also, shout out to our waitress-she was AMAZING. Without us even asking, she saw us running low on our spicy mayo dipping sauce for the fries and came out with another small bowl of it for us! Very attentive on our water as we were dying from the spicy chicken lol. And overall just very nice and courteous. Hope to see her again next time!!
(4)Jim W.
Management has a strong customer service ethic and orientation to the community. Earlier this year they apologized for a service glitch - and made good! Thanks!
(5)Anjali K.
Extremely good food. Hubby and I had a hankering for trying something new in Arlington, and low and behold, there is something new! I'm not sure when Bonchon opened, but I have heard a lot of hype about it, so I was very excited to try it. Having read several other reviews about the long wait, we decided to be proactive and order takeout and ahead of time. Hubby called and placed an order for soy garlic wings, hot wings, an order of fries and pork buns (I was most excited about the pork buns). They told him 15 minutes. WHAT?! That's not slow service, that's speedy! So we threw on presentable clothes and went to pick up our food. Hubby and I were pretty hungry luckily so we chowed down as soon as we got home. Top to bottom favorites were: hot wings (but very spicy), soy garlic wings, pork buns, french fries. That being said, the scale of best to worst probably varies by .002. The hot wings were very spicy and a little too much for me to handle repeatedly, but the flavor and cripsiness exceeded that of the soy garlic. The pork in the buns was tender, but Hubby and I both thought it was lacking a little bit of flavor. They also give good heapings of pickled horseradish (crunch and flavor) and coleslaw. We got regular and kimchi. I preferred the kimchi because it had a kick, but the regular was pretty tasty too. We were very happy with our bonchon meal and will definitely be back!
(4)Jam C.
I was so excited when they opened one close to my apartment because they are just the best fried chicken ever!!!!! They fry (double fry too!) your chicken as orders come in so the wait can be long (15-20 minutes) but it's so worth it. Just give me some soy garlic chicken with white rice and I am the happiest woman alive. :D Just writing this is making my mouth water again. Good thing it's just right around the corner ;)
(5)Daniel B.
Bonchon in Arlington?! Yes, please!!! I know that they weren't formally open when we placed our order but the place was booming. I am so glad we called ahead (really, with these crowds you need to call ahead) and were able pick up our order right when it was supposed to be ready. We ordered both the mild and hot wings as well as tenders. The tenders were less than stellar but the wings were exactly up to expectations. Okay, and I gotta say that the kimchi coleslaw is an awesome addition. I love kimchi and I love coleslaw, so this is like the Reese Peanut combo that has me drooling about it as I write this.
(5)Xtine C.
It's so clean and new!!!! Definitely catered to the Arlington community with decor. We got the boneless and regular wings (spicy and garlic soy) and my co workers loved it! The boneless is a bit dry so I prefer eating the bone in wings. The spicy flavor is really spicy!! I think majority of us liked the soy garlic better. I've been to all of the Bon Chon's in the area and their flavors and food are pretty consistent. Their drinks are amazing as well!
(4)Marc Alen D.
The food is always great at any BonChon. The Chicken wings are always superb. I'm writing a review for the Arlington, VA locale because this is the one I go to the most. Anyway, from what I have heard, this is the newest BonChon in the DC area, and I believe it. The interior design, I feel, is a lot more thought out than that of the other locations I've been to. The only reason I'm giving BonChon, in general, four stars is because of their slippery floors! This is at EVERY BonChon that I have been to. I almost broke my bum trying to walk to the restroom. Once your in the lavatory, it's like I'm at an ice rink. Summary: Great, food, great place, great service, but get a new cleaning product for the floors.
(4)Dustin M.
Great food and accommodating atmosphere. Some people wear polos, but a group of friends and I went in our sweaty clothes after a rec league morning game for lunch and we felt comfortable at the bar. Only down side is the limited menu. Have been a total of three times: twice for nice family meals and once for lunch with the guys.
(5)Jihad B.
I'm torn. The service is great, the wings are absolutely awesome, and the pork buns were both unique and flavorful beyond comprehension. For some reason, I just don't like this place. Perhaps I was expecting a more Asian atmosphere, and was greeted by a decor and staff more redolent of a classy deli. Or perhaps it's the menu, over-simplified to the point where there are only two flavors of sauce. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it cannot be denied the food is of exceptional quality.
(4)Michael C.
Ate here today with friends for lunch and it was good. This is the second time we've eaten at bonchon at this location. We ordered both the soy garlic and spicy and they were both good. It tastes the same as the bonchon at the other locations. We also ordered the kimchi cole slaw which was good. The thing I like about this location is the service. The servers were attentive and always made sure our drinks were filled made sure we had everything we needed. The call ahead option was great so we didn't have to wait too long before we got our chicken.
(4)Steve M.
Worst bartender ever on November 13th, 2014. He should not be in a customer facing environment. Very condescending. Food was ok but bartender made the experience horrible.
(1)Haley G.
Best. Fried. Chicken. Ever...or whatever they call it. I give the chicken 5 stars. I could eat the chicken strips like once a week!! ;) I love that the chicken still tastes delicious and moist the next day. The fries are so-so. Unless you LOVE fries are are craving them, I don't think they're worth it. The best side is the kimchi coleslaw!! Also, every time I come here, I order the radishes (they're complimentary). Honestly, they are NOT good. They taste like they've been sitting too long and over-fermented (if that makes sense). Perhaps if you're not familiar with Asian food and pickling, you probably won't notice, but they are not my cup of tea.
(5)Payal P.
It was my first time visiting BonChon, while it was my fiancé's second time. We went in with some expectations especially because we were super hungry! As other Yelpers wrote...they do tell you that it will take approximately 35 mins for the wings to be ready, I was a little bummed at first, but surprisingly, they brought it out within 15 minutes. The amount of wings/strips you get per size order is good, however, other locations have much bigger wings than the ones we got. We got the half & half sauce, and the hot was quite spicy (more so because the wings were super hot in temperature and it just made the taste even spicier), but it's bearable for those who like a little kick to their sauces. The soy garlic was good because it helped cool down the spiciness from the hot wings. The service of the waiters was really good! They frequently came and asked how everything tasted and were on top of it to fill up our glasses of water every few mins. (we needed lots of water after eating the spicy wings, haha) It's a medium-sized place, and we went around 10pm so it wasn't that packed as it might have been earlier in the day. There's a bar area where you can eat and drink, sadly it was full so we weren't able to sit there (there's always next time!) Overall, my experience was good and I would definitely recommend this place to everyone.
(4)Katrina L.
Pros: Chicken was crispy. I recommend the soy garlic wings, as they have the perfect combination of sweet and savory. Cons: I am hesitant to give a higher rating due to my dissatisfaction with their customer interaction. The woman on the phone taking my order had a very ambivalent attitude. Worse was the delivery man, who was very cold and unsmiling. Turned me off from wanting to give them my business again.
(3)Alyssa O.
I liked the food and the service was okay. I would come back probably just for take out or to sit outside if it's a nice day. It's a good place to go for a quick bite to eat basically.
(3)Johanna A.
Thank God they deliver at this location! But beware that all meals are made to order, so they can take a while to deliver your order, especially on busy weekend nights!
(4)Stefanie B.
Delicious. We get half Soy Garlic and half Hot every time. The Soy Garlic helps moderate the heat. Huge pieces, very crispy, super flavorful and tender. Won't disappoint. But don't come here too often if you care about your health ;)
(5)Andrew S.
Youve gotta go here like time now if you live on base. The chicken here is seriously thee best you can get anywhere around this area. Youve gotta try both original and the spicy cus im a spicy fanatic
(5)Mat T.
wondering what all the noise is about? go here and find out. the chicken is perfect every time. make sure you get the kimchi slaw and the radishes. the spicy seems to be a little on the hot side if you are sensitive to that. but the half and half with the soy garlic is the way to go.
(5)Sallie L.
What is better than crispy Korean Fried Chicken? Nothing. I am ethnically Korean so I know how these are supposed to taste -- spicy crispy and sauce-allover-your-face good. While the sauce is not the garlicky saucy goodness that I am used to from my childhood yang-nyum chicken, I think the crispy texture minus the floury batter makes it better that the traditional yang-nyum chx. What I do ding 1 star for is the overall atmosphere -- I've had BonChon in Fairfax, Annandale (before it became McChic) and McChic and it just isn't the same. It might have been the server that was very short with us but in either case it wasn't really a 5-star experience. Will be back of course but I may go back to the Fairfax location.
(4)Eliza L.
Finally made it to Bonchon after weeks of debating. Firstly the service was amazing. Everyone from the host to my server was so nice and helpful. My server David nicely guided me through the menu and explained my wing options. The Spice wings weren't all that to me as they were more chili based hot and not buffalo "hooters" style hot. I was expecting flavor with the hotter style wings. The soy ginger wings were amazing! the glazing was right on point. The Kimchi coleslaw was a nice way to cool off with such spicy wings. If you are looking for a wing joint just head to hooters. But if you are looking for a nice fusion of Korean and american this is the place to go. BTW drinks are strong :)
(4)James D.
Okay, based on the chicken alone, it should deserve a 5/5. The chicken is really amazing. Just a warning, the tenders aren't the tops, they are good, but drumsticks are the way to go. I would typically say the opposite at most places that serve these, but the drumsticks are on another level. I don't even want to call it fried chicken, because whatever mental image you have of friend chicken is about to be shattered. My server was a little green, but was extremely nice and offered plenty of advice to a new customer. So why am I only giving this place 4 stars? Well, it could use some improvements. The decor reminds me too much of eating at a chipotle, not a terrible thing, but not a great atmosphere. The pork buns, I thought these were an app but came out after we had finished eating our chicken, and were not good. I did hear some customers next to me like it, but I just thought it didn't have very much flavor and was kind of like just eating pork fat. Lastly, while I enjoyed the beer I purchased(I think it was the bonchon beer?), the selection was just okay, not really up to large standard that Arlington restaurants are now leaning towards. One tip I would give this place is to make a 3rd sauce if they haven't. The spicy one tasted great, but IMO it's hard for an average person to eat an entire meal of those, and I think the other sauce just wasn't hitting the spot. Something in between would be perfect.
(4)Clara L.
I've heard about Bon Chon for years, but never ventured out to the Annandale location (which I believe is no longer around). When the Arlington location opened up, I had to give it a try. I've been to the Arlington Bon Chon a couple times now and I'm officially a fan. The bar is a pretty decent bar with a few good brews on tap and a stocked bar. More importantly, the Korean Fried Chicken is delicious, just as anticipated. I preferred the hot sauce version more than the soy garlic flavor, though I really wouldn't turn away either if it was placed in front of me. As for other dishes, the pork buns were quite delectable and the Dduk-bok-ki was pretty good, but the cheese that is on top is so not necessary. And kind of strange. Cheese isn't exactly common in korean food. Anyways I don't know where else to find dduk-bok-ki in Arlington so I would just have to remember to order it without the cheese next time!
(4)Elana G.
BonChon is like crack, and I'm the pusher, because I've gotten a bunch of friends addicted. All I have to do is say the word, and it's "Yes Please!". Who wants to be next? I'll bring the takeout to you. But be warned, once you've tasted it, you can never go back. You'll be hooked. I just want to understand how they are able to get the skin so crispy and crunchy. It just puffs away from the meat and is so incredibly delicious. If only fried chicken weren't so bad for you, I'd eat it all the time. I've never had a sit-down meal at this location, I've only gotten takeout. The only down side is the wait. Once I had to wait an hour before I could pick up the chicken. But it's worth it. It's sooo worth it.
(5)Amani M.
I was here on a Saturday and the place was pretty empty ( which I can attribute to the bad weather). so the service was pretty fast. I decided to go to take out route and ordered this or garlic chicken wings with white rice which it only took about 5 to 10 minutes to be ready and oh my goodness! They were amazing! Super crispy outside, tender and juicy inside and extremely flavorful. I've never had wings that tasted so good and the prices for 6 piece wings was very reasonable. My only wish is that the portion sizes were a little larger. The rice came in a very small container about 4 spoonfuls. I'm definitely going to have to go back again sit down at the restaurant and try out their entire selection. An update post is definitely going to be coming soon. Very soon in fact :-)
(4)Kate O.
I have heard many people raving about Bonchon and I am glad that I finally get to try the deliciousness. This is my first time eating Korean style fried chicken and the texture is very different than what I'm used to (i.e. Popeyes). The skin is very lightly and crispy. I definitely overstuffed myself, but it certainly did not feel like it. I don't have anything else to add to what others are saying how delicious this place it so consider this review as a way for them to keep up their 4-star rating. The server was very polite and friendly. I showed up during lunch time with my co-workers and there was no wait. We didn't have any problem with finding parking.
(4)Ken E.
Korean fried chicken is this season's craft beer meets chile infused gelato and Bonchon is considered ground zero for this delicacy. Verdict? meh. Fried chicken is like pizza or bacon - who doesn't like it and, more importantly, what cook really messes it up? Bonchon's chicken tastes like fried chicken from KFC or Popeyes. What differentiates their offering is the soy garlic seasoning. That's it. Good eats, but nothing worthy of a foodie clarion call.
(3)Candice M.
It's just not right, people... It's not right to go in looking presentable only to leave with a face covered in delicious sauce. It's not right because you don't waste this sauce...EVER. So expand your belts, decide not to eat anything else all day, do whatever you have to - you will leave here full of amazing Korean fried chicken. It is a glorious feeling. Savor it. They have spicy and non-spicy. My Korean side automatically favors spicy food, but the non-spicy wings are amazing, too. They also have a boneless option. Out of curiosity, I tried these. They're tender and still very crispy - not dry at all. Bone in or bone out - no noticeable difference in overall quality, so it's more of a preference thing. When my boyfriend decides to eat some of this delicious pollo for dinner at work, I humbly request that one wing be saved for moi. I've been informed that it is no easy task riding home on the metro with delicious food in your lap that you cannot eat. That is true love... I recommend all human beings eat here...and try not to take any on the metro. ;)
(5)Dan G.
Service and food has been top notch every time! The spicy boneless chicken is on point, and we love the mandu appetizer. We have never been served food that's been sitting around for even a minute. I know this because everything is surface of the sun hot when it's put on our table. That's a good thing!
(5)Dan V.
Delicious. First time at this restaurant and it did now disappoint. Split order of zucchini fries between 3 as an app-very hot (temperature wise), but zucchini and breaking were perfectly crunchy. We ordered 6 wings/2 legs, 1/2 hot and 1/2 soy garlic. I recommend this combination to get a break from this spice (it hurts so good!). The crispness of the chicken was amazing. Quantity of chicken is perfect for 2. Looking forward to coming back to try out other menu items.
(5)Liza K.
Nice decor, i think the chicken at the Ffx one is better though. -1 star because last time I came here I got a glass of soda with a dirty lipstick mark on it. (Parking is also kind of difficult as well.) But pretty good place to get your fried chicken fix at. ** the chicken here is more meatier and thicker while the chicken at the fairfax location is much thinner and crispier ; depends on what you like.
(4)Michael N.
I decided to go here for lunch today with my brother and a friend. This location just opened on Monday, so I was a little iffy if everything was going to turn out ok. First off, this Bon Chon is very modern. When you walk in through the glass doors, its huge! I saw that they even had a to-go window for pick up orders inside the restaurant, thats very nice because usually at other bon chon's you just go straight to the cashier to pay and pick up. We were seated immediately and ordered our drinks, the menu is pretty much the same as the others. We ordered the seasoned fries, pork buns and of course the chicken. We actually ordered the apps first and waited for my friend to order the chicken. The Fries came out with ketchup and spicy mayo, very good app to start with. The pork buns were also good, the pork had a nice crispy skin and the buns were nice and soft. I highly recommend both! My friend came and we ordered our chicken. Now, if you have been to bon chon before at any other location, the chicken usually takes 30-45 minutes to make, so we were expecting a long wait, HOWEVER, 5 minutes after we ordered, the chicken came out! Awesome!!! I guess they just made a huge batch for the lunch rush and were able to serve us immediately. The chicken came out piping hot and was huge and delicious like the other restaurants. Also I saw a lot of guests order chicken strips, I haven't seen that on the menu at any other bon chon, but they looked just as good as the wings! Definitely gotta try that next time! The manager also came around and asked us if everything was ok and if we needed anything else which was very nice. I would definitely come back again if I'm in the area, the Centerville location is closer to me though, so If I'm ever craving bon chon, thats my go to location. All in all I enjoyed my experience Service: 5 Food:5 Overall Experience: 5/5
(5)Eileen C.
So I made the trek over with a cousin who is obsessed with wings to Bonchon and the food was just ehh. We ordered the large half and half (half spicy half soy) with a side of rice and a few Korean beers. I LOVE that they sell Korean beers. The drumsticks were large! The spicy taste WAY better than the soy and I love that they have radish free of charge (just like in Korea!). I really didn't like the soy wings and didn't find them that good. Our tab was about $50 for 4 beers and a large wings platter. Quite pricey for the quality of service and food we received. I most likely won't be going back when there are places like Rag Time that have WAY better tasting wings and for $.50 a piece on Sundays!
(3)Adrienna M.
I liked bonchon I thought it was very good. I would have given it 5 stars but the didn't serve the sauce that came with your order. I really liked the chicken, it was crispy but not to crispy. Their potstickers were very good and crunchy. It's yummy. It was my first time and I was impressed. I would go there again.
(4)John E.
The chicken is definitely tasty, but not as amazing as some of these cats claim. The ambience is clean cut and chill. Service was really good at the bar from Julia and gang. The trick is not to go during off-peak hours, because if the kitchen isnt in full swing it will take much longer for the whole double fried process.
(4)J S.
Save your money for Peruvian chicken place. Hey guys decide what you want to be then fix the menu. Work on presentation and food quality. This place is a bit confused, as it presents itself as a nice little bistro restaurant, but then you look at the disappointing menu that's probably more fitting a lunch counter. You can order "CHICKEN" (only legs and wings). Hey guys what happened to the rest of the chicken? The legs are gigantic like something from some poor old laying hen who recently retired and hung up her spurs. The chicken was tasty with a crisp fried coating and a hot spicy sunchang Gochujang sauce but didn't fit the price and didn't seem like a good value. We ordered a large which came with 4 buzzard drum sticks and maybe 10 wings(maybe) and a small bowl of rice for $23. Ouch! The sides were few and awful at $2 each but selection was poor and quality was old and wilted. These guys need to work on that menu and the place was way overstaffed for a Sunday afternoon. Did I mention that they only have about four total things on the menu. As a bar they probably do OK as they did have a menu of premium beers and drinks that you better bring that gold card for because they are NOT cheap. Final thought, all the potential and short on delivery. Dump the buzzard legs!
(2)Kaite K.
My hubs and I stumbled across Bonchon last night not realizing it was their soft opening. I also had not ever been to a Bonchon before so I had no idea what to expect. First, no booze yet, so if you're dying for yummy draft beer, you're out of luck for now. Second, for an opening, service was GREAT. For everyday, it was still good. Even though the menu clearly states the chicken can take up to 35 minutes, our server was great about updating us when it took slightly longer than that, providing refills etc. It was a bit like a nascar race with servers buzzing around each other frantically. Also, the space is LOUD, so it's not a place to have a private conversation. Food: The seasoned fries and spicy mayo were fantastic. They went well together and both components were great. So, if like me, you don't know what to expect from the chicken, it was also great. We had legs and wings. The skin is super crisp, and there are a choice of soy garlic or hot. We had half and half and they were both good. The hot was definitely hot, but it took until the second wing for my lips to start tingling. The soy garlic is also very good but I found it a little salty. They were also doing a brisk business at the pickup window (which if you're trying to avoid the cluster of the main entrance way, can be accessed through its own door). Very good experience - looking forward to going again!
(4)Grace N.
I love bonchon chicken but their service sucks. Tried to order pick up and they kept me on hold for 10 min... After going through, the phone connection was so terrible that half of the call couldnt even be heard. The menu online is definitely not the same and when I asked where I can find the menu, the guy just said go look on google. hell nooo.. screw your service and i will order from somewhere else
(2)Caitlin S.
Let me start by saying...I love BonChon. I fell head over heels in love with their wings the first time I tried them. Unfortunately, this BonChon location didn't live up to the standard set by other locations. We placed a decent sized order (40 wings, 1 order onion rings) over the phone, and were given a 15 minute time estimate. While some might be thrilled that the wait is so much shorter than the wait at other locations, I almost took it as an omen. That was way too quick for BonChon. We arrived about 20 minutes later, half thinking they'd say "just kidding, we meant an hour and 15min," but sure enough, our order was ready. It smelled divine. That's where the positives end. We got home and immediately put the wings on a platter for our party. Something about them seemed...off. They were softer and more dry on the outside than we're used to. BF and I decided to try one before our friends came over. It was terrible. Soggy crust, super greasy, and barely any sauce on them. By the end of the party, most of the wings remained on the platter, and I saw several people with half eaten wings on their plates. I have a sneaking suspicion that they tried to cook all 40 wings at once instead of breaking them into batches. When you overcrowd a pan or fryer, the food steams more than fries/sears, so it ends up soggy. That or their oil wasn't set at high enough temperature. No idea why there wasn't enough sauce on them, though. Guess we'll have to make the trek to Centreville.
(2)Camey S.
For mainstream Korean I was a little skeptical, but then I actually had it ... Turns out this chain is a scrumptious alternative and I know I'll be frequenting Bon Chon! The soy garlic chicken strips with brown rice was my choice, and it was very good! Tangy sauce that hit the spot! Check it out (=
(4)Jennifer D.
oh MY God, unbelievable Korean fried chicken, nice and spicy and the soy garlic flavor added a sweetness to temper the heat. the pork buns were delicious and the seasoned fries with spicy mayo were addictive. Went at lunch and the place was PACKED. It takes up to 35 min to cook the chicken, so be prepared (i.e., don't think you are going to be in and out) perfect treats for football season
(4)Tenai M.
The Wings Are da bomb!!! The Caesar salad is huge big enough for two! The Red Sangria is so good! The service is great! This is nice spot to hang and chill.
(5)Mirela T.
Yummy in my tummy. I am more than grateful that Bonchon has come to Arlington. The style of chicken that they prepare is mouth watering. So the convenient location here in Arlington certainly helps. Thus far i've only picked up from Bonchon and every time the service is very efficient. It doesn't take all that long for the order to be prepared, usually 15 to 20 minutes. We've only had the soy garlic wings and soy garlic drumsticks thus far at this location. Lets just say it does not disappoint. The drumsticks are always super sized and taste delicious. The sides we've had are the pickled radish...one of my favorite things that they serve next to the chicken wings. Also the kimchi coleslaw is delicious, but has a slight kick to it. If you like spicy food, i'd go with the kimchi coleslaw. All in all a great take out experience. Will need to return for a sit down to judge their ambiance and service.
(4)Dan I.
So happy to have Bonchon in the neighborhood. This place is great, now clearly the best wings place in Arlington, possibly the DC area. It's Korean-style, so don't expect buffalo sauce. They've got two types: Hot - which are very spicy but not in the way where they're just pure heat, which I hate. They have a huge amount of flavor beyond just the fire. Soy Garlic - a very tasty alternative to the hot. I do half and half to cut down on the burning between each hot wing. They also have really good apps. I love the pork buns. They also have a respectable beer menu for this type of establishment. Oh a quick suggestion: stick to the wings. The legs are good too, but you get more surface area to meat with the wings. And let's be honest, that's what you want if you're there for delicious twice-fried chicken. This place can have a wait at peak times, as they don't take reservations. So I'd suggest getting there early or being patient. Oh and it has parking. Like honest-to-God parking. So you don't have to dodge horrible Arlington drivers while you're trying to parallel park in a space barely big enough for your car - or park 7 blocks away in the only space you can find. I really have no complaints about this place.
(5)Kate P.
Delicious. Fun and casual vibe. Spicy chicken is definitely spicy but so flavorful. Rice on the side balances it out nicely. We tried zucchini fries too, which were alright.
(4)Candy T.
I really hope somebody opens a location in Denver! My cousin took me here when I went to visit her several weeks ago. We got the large combo of wings and drumsticks in the soy garlic sauce, and I can honestly say I've never eaten anything like this before. It was effing amazing. Luckily, this was the last place she took me and I got The Itis and slept like a baby for the plane ride home, not to mention that this allowed me to try several other restaurants in the area. Unluckily, this was the last place she took me so I was only able to eat it once. Will definitely go back next time I am out there!
(5)Woody S.
I've been here twice, and I have to say that this place is a little overrated. The first time I went my wife and I shared too separate orders of drum sticks, 3 hot drum sticks, and 3 soy garlic drum sticks. I was surprised how large the drumsticks were, that was a plus but the hot is VERY hot, and the soy garlic is a bit two tangy. The second time I went was when I got the biggest disappointment, I decided to order the 3 drumsticks and 2 wings combo, you end up paying MORE for the two wings and then the drumsticks are smaller than what you get when you order them separately. And I was still disappointed in the taste. The french fries were good, and I will say the service was pretty good. Try it out if you like spicy, and I would say only get the drumsticks. People seem to like it, I just don't dig it.
(3)J D.
Bon Chon is a South Korean chicken franchise that offers seriously delicious fried chicken. This Arlington outpost opened a few months ago and cranks out fried chicken wings and drumsticks that top about any fried chicken I've had in the DC metropolitan area (and there are many good versions). Korean fried chicken, at least this version, is extra crispy, with a thin coating than doesn't overwhelm you with breading the way most fried chicken will do. The flavors are spicy hot and soy garlic and though both are good, I have a decided preference for the soy garlic version. The chicken, available in different size orders and in different combinations - all wings, all drumsticks or a mix- comes with a choice of sides as well as pickled radish. We opted for the kimchee coleslaw and the brown rice. The chicken was delicious. The double fried coating was crispy but not heavy and the soy garlic flavor was just right. The restaurant, for some reason, doesn't offer the sauces that accompany some of its appetizers (the fried dumplings, for example) with the fried chicken and actually refused to provide it when asked - an annoyance. Soy sauce is available. The fried dumplings we had were ok, not the best I've had (or even close to the best). You do need to eat them hot. Service was good though we did come earlier in the evening rather than during a busier period. The wait time we had was about as predicted: 30 minutes though it can be faster during peak times when the kitchen implements its hurry up mode. Street parking is plentiful. Need the signs - this is Arlington and the meter watchers are diligent.
(4)Li S.
Hands down the best wings!! We usually get the mix, along with the chicken fried rice, kimchi, pickled radish, and seasoned fries! We've ordered in and ate at the restaurant. The restaurant is pretty impressive. Also loved their green tea whiskey drink!
(5)Christian W.
As a native New Yorker, I like to think I know good chicken wings. I've been hearing a lot about Bonchon and how amazing their chicken is, and the waitress was sure to let us know that they are "known for their chicken." While it doesn't compare to good, Buffalo-style wings, the chicken was very good. It was high quality, fried well, and the two sauce choices were both very good. I appreciate a good hot sauce, and it had some kick. We also got the seasoned fries and they were great as well. Overall, for the price, it was great. In addition to great food, there also was free parking, no wait to sitt, and quick and prompt service. They must have topped our glasses of water off about 5-8 times despite only being there around 30 minutes - can't complain about that. For a Thursday night around 7pm, I was surprised when our food was out in under 5 minutes, especially since everyone had been talking about how long it would take to eat. I'd gladly go back, but do remember that Korean style fried chicken wings are a different, and still great, beast than classic Buffalo wings. With that in mind, enjoy!
(5)Hwal L.
It was pure chance that we found this place, as we ended up staying in Arlington while visiting DC. OMG their fried chicken, especially drumsticks, was perfectly hot -temperature- and crispy, and the complimentary side -we picked kimchi slaw, which was different, but non kimchi slaw is better for us, apparently- and radish were so delicious and refreshing, a perfect complement for fried chicken! The server informed us their chicken sometimes takes up to 25 minutes to cook, so we also ordered fried dumplings, which were, again, hot and crispy! We left with full bellies happy.
(5)Alexis W.
Def not your typical fried chicken wings for those who are expecting just any ole fried chicken - the Best Korean fried chicken wings. Hubby and I got the 20 pc, half spicy and half garlic soy. Spicy was wayyyy to spicy for me (I like a kick but dang, I like to also be able to taste my food and not have my sinuses act like a water spigot) so the garlic soy was IT for me. Very delicious! If there were one closer to us, we would go more often. So we have only been twice. The shrimp shumai and potstickers were pretty good as well.
(5)P J.
The food from here never seems to disappoint. The customer service and delivery however, does. Cashiers don't write down correct addresses and phone numbers, resulting in lost and massively delayed orders. Having to repeat your information 8 times, literally, and still not have them get it right is frustrating enough to make a person no longer want to be a customer.
(2)Tiffany S.
Absolutely delicious!!! My husband has me hooked to this. I tried his once and I was in love. He had the hot flavor and couldn't remember so when we went again we had the other, which I think is soy garlic and it's good as well. I had a side of rice which I could have done without, but my husband had the kimchee coleslaw which he liked pretty well. We had an appetizer of fries that were yummy, especially the sauce. Definitely will be back!
(5)Lena P.
I am officially a fan of korean double-fried chicken! It was super crowded on a weekend night when my roommate and I went so we had a bit of a wait but once we were seated the food came out extremely quickly. I ordered the zucchini fries and the mixed drumstick/wing combo (half soy garlic flavored, half spicy), which came with white radish and a side (I chose kimchi coleslaw). The spicy chicken is pretty darn spicy on its own (I can normally handle heat quite well, but even I needed to choke down water and the radish rather quickly to sooth my burning mouth), but the flavor was on point. The soy garlic flavor seemed bland in comparison. The kimchi coleslaw was a good choice and matched well with the chicken. The zucchini fries were also tasty, although this was a strange combination for me. I'd probably choose something that would complement the chicken better next time around. At a subsequent visit to Bonchon fairfax, I tried the boneless- which was tasty but not as good as the wings. The flavor keeps pretty well for leftovers but I'd recommend eating in because the piping hot fried-ness is at its most outstanding that way.
(4)Marcus H.
The wing is all I had (except cole slaw, and radishes). They had a very little fire to them, and this was their spicy wings. They were tangy, sweet, and crispy, but not really hot. I am not sure how they get the skin so crispy without rendering the fat under the skin (similar to KFC), but I prefer my wing fat rendered a little more. The place is nice, staff pleasant and fast, location fine. What pushed this to a four star for me was the cole slaw. They call it Kim chi, but it is really spicy cole slaw, and it is very good. The slightly pickled radishes are also quite nice.
(4)Riza D.
Bonchon is always my first stop whenever I visit northern VA. I literally have the GPS set to go to their location first and not to the hotel. I just looove their soy garlic korean fried chicken!! And I enjoy the casual atmosphere where I can enjoy a great beer and order some korean fried chicken and a side of kim chi after a 3.5 hrs drive from VA Beach. This time around, i decided to try their zuchinni fries and wow! YUMM! The aoli it comes with was a great pair and the crispiness of it was perfection. I will definitely order that again once i come visit. Until next time Bonchon =)
(5)Andrea W.
I consider myself to be a chicken wing connoisseur, or just a wing lover for my non-siditty folks.. Ok let's go over my mental wing check list shall we... 1. Size- too large (like I want a wing not a chicken leg) 2. Juiciness- excellent 3. Doneness- cooked all the way through which is surprising because it was extra moist and juicy 4. Crispyness- good but I could have have had a little more crunch. But awesome for a sauced wing 5. Taste- too hot, like it was soaked in tobassco sauce. Hey this isn't Man v. Food. I was not expecting that! Soo hot u couldn't even taste it, just hurry up and chew so you can drink some water All in all it was good, reasonably priced and great parking. If you're in Dc or Va you might as well stop by and judge them for yourself :)
(3)liz s.
After years of trekking out to Annandale for Bon Chon, it was a gift from heaven to have an Arlington location. There's a free parking garage in the building. The driveway is between the two buildings, off of Pershing. Not the most obvious garage. But I've always found parking on a side street nearby. The space is bright and trendy. The bar has a nice selection of drafts. Two flavors - hot and soy garlic. Hot is truly hot. I definitely prefer soy garlic. The wings are the usual wingette size. The legs are the full-sized drumstick. The pork bun is deelish, as everyone confirms, but certainly a splurge at two for $10. Try them, but don't fall in love. I call ahead to place my takeout order - they let you know how long the wait will be. Sometimes it's 30 mins, others it's more than an hour. I head over almost immediately then hang out at the bar until it's ready. There's a second entrance to the left of the main door. Puts you right in front of the takeout counter. The counter folks will find you at the bar when your order is ready.
(4)Sean L.
The best Bon Chon location in the NoVA region. If you are dining in, it's a very inviting spot and they have a great bar staff. (Ask for Ryan on weekends!) If you are calling to carry-out, several things distinguish this Bon Chon from the others. 1) They always answer the phone. 2) They give you a precise time your order will be ready. 3) Your order is always hot and ready when you arrive at the appointed time. If you've been to a Bon Chon, you know the highly addictive quality of the chicken. If you are a newbie, I recommend a large drumsticks & wings combo half and half (1/2 soy, 1/2 spicy) in order to get the full effect.
(5)Conrad C.
Seriously addicting chicken. Bonchon offers three ways to eat the bird: wings, legs, or strips. It also offers a wings and legs combo, which we opted for. Then there are two sauces: soy garlic and spicy. You can get your chicken all in one sauce or do half and half. I always like variety, so I did half and half. The soy garlic chicken is outrageously good. The skin is crunchy and almost candy-like and is bursting with flavor. Our server said it can take 35 minutes for the chicken but I think it was more like 20 for us. Anyway it was seriously delicious. The spicy was very spicy, as our server warned me. It wasn't so spicy that I couldn't enjoy it, but it did at times overpower the flavor of the chicken. Still, Bonchon knows how to perfectly fry chicken and they've got a unique concept. You also get a side with your chicken. Wifey got coleslaw, I got "kimchi" coleslaw, though it didn't taste that much different. I'm not sure why they don't just offer kimchi. Still, both types of coleslaw were actually good with fresh and crunchy veggies and not too much mayo. There's also a side of pickled radish, which was good. We also had the pork buns which were OK but overpriced and a bit of a letdown. For $9.50 you get two buns. The pork had a strip of nice, crispy skin and was cooked well, although it was not particularly flavorful. The pickled veggies were bright and crunchy and the steamed bun was fine. But you can get much better pork buns elsewhere.
(4)Andrew K.
Great chicken wings and drums crispy sweet Korean style. I brought some friends on my first visit to a Bonchon and we all loved it. The drink selection was great and every bite of food was delicious and fresh. Anyone who hasn't tried Bonchon needs to stop by. And their take-out seems to be just as popular as dine-in for someone in a rush!
(5)Nina P.
i'm convinced that the bad reviews had to do with issues during the first few weeks of them opening..must have been some horrendous shit for my yelper people to post such hater level reviews but whatever, do what you need to do. quick tip that i doubt anyone would care about: kimchi colelsaw is just. words cannot describe. if you like kimchi and if you are a fan of cole slaw like the southern born and bred yelper that i am, then get an extra order of the slaw b/c one is included with your chicken order anyways... i had half and half wings and drumsticks. im ashhamed to say i cannot handle the spicy. that doesnt mean i dont recommend them. my advice: man the f up.
(5)Montaign G.
GREAT new location!! Finally, the decor matches the taste and vibe of this amazing fab eatery! Gene, as our server, was THE man always attentive and exceeding expectations. He had server ESP or something? The Bon Chon wings, as always, were consistently fresh & VERY tasty, perfectly crispy and seasoned. SO glad they brought the location from the previous geographical boondocks.
(5)Christian K.
First time at the Arlington location. Great meal. Excellent service. Food was very fresh and arrived in 15 minutes, when it normally takes 20-30. Had the half and half legs (hot/soy garlic). Delcious! Planning on returning again.
(4)Van T.
My husband got me Bonchon takeout and I finally got to try this Korean fried chicken craze. I can't speak to the ambiance or service of this place, but the chicken (skin) is pretty damn good, only because it's so deliciously crunchy. It's like the chicken equivalent of crispy pig skin. The drumstick meat collected way too much grease and got in the way of the crunch factor, so stick to the wings. The acidity of the daikon cut some of the greasiness. Apparently, they won't seat you until your entire party has arrived, so plan accordingly.
(3)Allyn B.
Best wings ever...Yes! The service is ridiculously slow which is probably the only reason this place didn't get the 5th star from me.
(4)Shannon F.
This place is amazing with the likes of Amalia, John, Mona, and Caitlin. The unamazing part is the manager, Jeff. Time and again he has butted heads with one of his most valued customers, me. Back in Feb, I reserved a long pub table out of the way of customers to host a Stella and Dot party with 10 other female naval officers. My tab was $250 on a week night. The other mgr saw no problem when he made reservations. Jeff pulled me aside during the event to condescendingly tell me my event was not acceptable. Despite the fact it was pre approved. I told him this was a management issue. The female naval officers and I were being respectable and paying money while the rest of the restaurant was bare. He continued to be rude despite the money i was paying. Today, I had two of my aging basset hounds sleeping under a bench when he came out to tell me to move them under the scorching sun three feet away while I finished my drink. Said it was Arlington rules. I said I didn't think Arlington condoned animal cruelty. He didn't care. Wanted them three feet away in the sun. Other patrons were horrified. So was I. I paid a good tip to Mona and left. Jeff is not only unpatriotic but also an animal abuser. The owners should take note.
(3)Samira C.
The hot is H-O-T!! Their wings are addictive as are their french fries. If you are in the area definitely check them out!
(4)Kat T.
The food is amazing, come on, its Bonchon! But as of now, if you are expecting things here to work the way they do at other Bonchon locations, you are going to be really disappointed. -they do not take table reservations with eat in orders like the late Annandale location, and the current Centreville and Fairfax locations do -if you have a group of people, and a table with only a couple extra chairs than the size of your group is open, you will NOT be seated. If you have everyone in a group except one person who will be joining you an hour later, you will NOT be seated. They'd rather you wait god knows how long for a smaller table to open up because i guess they want to make sure an exact party of 6 will be paying them. But when you end up waiting for a half hour on top of waiting for your food to cook(the chicken takes 30-40 mins to properly cook), you will be waiting a long ass time for food if your party does not match the exact number of chairs at a table. We had 4 people, another person was going to be joining us in an hour, and 2 tables were unused, one with about 6 chairs, and the other with 8. They would not give us the smaller of the two tables despite the fact that there were no reservations for it (remember, they don't take them) and that we will probably have to wait a half hour for a smaller one to open. When the host told me the seating rules, I snapped that it was ridiculous. I'm sorry I was snappy :( I just hadn't eaten yet all day, and I was not expecting to encounter such a shoddy policy! You didn't create such a stupid policy and you did not deserve my tone. But really now, what kind of policy is that? Is this permanent or just during your "soft" opening week? I really dont get it. I could understand if two people wanted to sit at a large table but that wasnt the case here. I ended up calling Fairfax Bonchon while leaving this location, and not only did they give me and my friends a table but they had our food ready as soon as we arrived. You honestly should stick to the Fairfax location.
(1)Stephanie M.
I'm already a Bonchon fan, but this was my first visit to the Arlington location. The food is the same great quality at their other locations-oh so yummy! The 4 of us went after the Marine Corps Marathon and the place wasn't that busy. No wait time, SCORE! We ordered the zucchini fries and pork buns to start with. I expected to wait from them, but it wasn't until just before our lunch came out that our waiter realized we still hadn't gotten our appetizers so he went to find the zucchini fries...still no pork buns. Those came out to us after our lunch came. Though pricey, the pork buns are worth it. The zucchini fries were awesome too and come with two dippers. I've always loved the kimchi coleslaw and put a little bit on each bite of my soy garlic chicken strips (i'm lazy, don't want to deal with bones, sorry). This time around I ordered an extra side of kimchi coleslaw just to make sure I had enough for each bite :) Be careful, Bonchon becomes an addiction.
(4)ellen c.
Good food, BUT they are the WORST at delivery. They get the order wrong practically every time. They don't bring what is checked off on your list (ie- you request radishes, they don't bring any and SAY you did not request them when it is listed) We order Bon Chon for lunch at work and they have yet to get an order correct. Hopefully they can bring things up to par, but for now, stick with in house dining or pick up- just make sure you check your order before leaving!
(2)Steve R R.
If your a buffalo wing enthusiast and you are looking for traditional buffalo wings, this is NOT your place. Bon Chon has a more Asian flare. The wings, are good, i'd even say pretty good. they are pretty large and have a nice crunch(but not too much, which is VERY important. Wings should no be like cornflakes) and good flavor to heat ratio but they are asian flared wings. Overall, good wings, I'd go back. But if your in the mood for traditional buffalo wings, this is not your place.
(3)Clark G.
The South Koreans, of all people, have perfected fried chicken. Get the strips. And the pork buns to start. Your life will be changed.
(5)Chich S.
The chicken here is delicious!! The pork bun and the dumplings are delicious too. The wait for the chicken wasn't too bad compared to the wait for a table, but we went the second week they were open. Will definitely be back!
(4)Veronica C.
Delicious. I had fried zucchinis, soy garlic chicken, pickled radish, and kimchi coleslaw.
(5)Sarah L.
I've seen this place across the street from Astor for a while now and, despite some less than stellar Yelp reviews, gave it a go a few nights ago in search of wings. Perhaps my experience was different because it was a fairly quiet Monday night around 6 o'clock, but I enjoyed it and would return. We started with an order of the zucchini fries. Really good (can you ever go wrong with fried anything?) - they were the size of fried mozzarella sticks, had a super crisp coating and were served hot. Dusted with parmesan, they were served with ketchup and a spicy mayo. They were $9.50, which seemed a bit high for an appetizer, but they give you a HUGE basket of them. I would definitely order them again in a group of four or more, but as a party of two I probably consumed way more fried food than a person should have in one sitting! For the chicken, we ordered a medium strips (10 total) of half spicy, half garlic-soy (for me) and a medium wings/legs of half spicy, half garlic-soy (for him). I've never eaten at a Bonchon before (nor had any Korean-style fried chicken), so I wasn't prepared for the tasty crisp-yet-delicate fried texture it has. All the pieces are also huge, probably the biggest chicken wings I've seen. I would have been more than stuffed with a small order. As to flavors, I loved the ginger-soy. The spicy was good as well, but it is NO JOKE. I consider myself pretty competent when it comes to spicy foods, but man, this was eyes-watering, sinus-clearing stuff. Husband agreed that it was probably burning through our stomach linings. I'll stick with garlic-soy next time just because I can't handle the heat! Our service was absolutely fine. The server was friendly and prompt with refills (we needed a lot - see eyes-watering spicy flavor notes above) and the appetizer arrived quickly. Food may have taken a hair longer than at other restaurants, and the husband did get his chicken about five minutes before mine, but I expect this when the food is being made to order. Excellent fried chicken in a sleek Arlington ambiance - I'll go back the next time the craving strikes.
(4)Lindsay R.
I've been here twice this summer: once with a group for the family and friends night and once with my husband for date night. I'll preface this by saying that I usually don't really like chicken wings and I was forced here by my wing-lovin' husband. Chicken wings are a religion to him, so when he described these wings with such passion, I just though he was just being dramatic. But, turns out, he was right (shhh, don't tell). Food: After trying these wings, I don't think I can ever eat at BWW again. There's no comparison. They're crispy on the outside with just the right amount of sauce, and you can actually taste the chicken. I got the honey garlic on both my visits as I knew the spicy ones were going to be way too intense (a friend ordered them and couldn't finish) and tried wings and drumsticks. I preferred the wings because there was a better skin/meat ratio (sounds gross, but you know what I mean). For the sides, I have tried the kim chi coleslaw and regular coleslaw. Both were good, but the kim chi was a little too spicy for me, as I have a low tolerance for it. Also, be sure to ask for a side of the pickled beets- they're free and so delicious! I've also sampled the onion rings and seasoned fries, which were good, but nothing special. Service: My husband and I walked in around 7pm on a Friday and were sat right away. I think it gets busier as the evening goes on, as much of the menu is bar food, albeit great bar food. Service was excellent; water never ran out and table was always cleared. Chicken came out within 15-20 minutes. Ambiance: The décor and menu definitely lends itself to being more of an evening/ late night establishment. It tends to be very loud, even when not busy, so I would not recommend this place if you're looking for a romantic date, or even to be able to talk to the person across the table. Great for groups. The reason for a star deduction is that I wish there more creative choices for the sides. The 2 coleslaws pair well, but the brown or white rice option is underwhelming. Literally no sauce or flavoring. I understand they need something cheap and are trying to make money off the apps, but I feel like they could do better.
(4)John S.
This place is incredible. Spicy wings and kimchi coleslaw are amazing. Delivery is great but it's 10x better at the restaurant!
(5)pat t.
I only did carry out because like all Bon Chon locations you have to wait 40 minutes for your order, but it is sust as good as the Fairfax location. Their chicken is crack-alicious good! They are working out their kinks but after all, it IS their first day open. It's very dangerous to know there is a Bon Chon so close. The prices are apparently equivalent to the Centerville location, $8 for a small, $12..50 for a medium and $22 for a large with one free side per order.
(4)Smiles 3.
Awesome place, great bartender
(5)Saangiit S.
Good but not as good as the other (Fairfax and Anandale) locations.
(3)Sam D.
Everything is the perfect balance of sweet, savory and spicy. I enjoyed the wings immensly the bulgogi was excellent but not spicy enough, the fried rice was excellent and the zuccini fries were awesome with that creamy-spicy sauce. A little expensive but very good. The service was top notch too.
(4)Joe F.
Finally got there after the dreaded "closed from 2 till 5:00" hours. Ok first of all the chicken is alright. NOT addictive. Ok, with that out of the way, arrived and the russian gangster wannabe tried to seat us at a long high boy table along with a bunch of college kids. For your Info, I was wearing upscale polo, nice jeans, and eurotrash sneakers and the wife was wearing a nice summer dress. Ummm, do I look like I want to be seated in the beer-swilling section. I asked for a table, guess what, there was only one table for two taken, but gangster dude wanted to check his seating chart juuuuuust in case reality didnt mesh with his uber-chart. So we were seated in a two top, and I think he said "enjoy your meal." Server arrived but said "you guys been here before." I thought I was out of the you guys territory when I exited my mid-30's. Guess not. But the server was very well-meaning. Wife asked about the salad (sinful non-meat eater that she is). Server said "it has everything," really, everything? So what is in it? "You know, cabbage, tomatoes" Funny thing was there was no actual cabbage in the salad, and two pearl tomatoes. hmm.. Funny also because the website lists some amazing Korean inspired salads, well not at this location, here its just the lamest salad you could imagine. Then we asked about tofu in the salad, server said sure FINE! Then came back a second later, sorry no tofu. I ordered wings and drumsticks, sure FINE! Server came back and said that the drumsticks would take 35 minutes, but the wings could be out more quickly. Ok so I changed it to just wings. Server then comes out and says that he forgot to delay the salad and the fries (wife's meatless dinner since they lacked the website mentioned awesome asian salads mysteriously lacking from the Arlington location) and would it be ok if they came out before the chicken. Not wanting to confuse the nice server, I said sure whatever, just bring out the salad and the fries at the same time. After all that, everything came out all at the same time, EXCEPT the salad, which ironically came out later, brought by yet another gangster-wannabe in jeans he shouldn't be trying to fit into. Server apologized profusely, which was also fine about 5,382 times, but then I wondered when he would stop apologizing so I could start eating my food. I love it when a server keeps checking on you, but I was "checked" on about every two minutes, like I was in an old age home and they wanted to make sure I was alive still. It made a basic conversation nearly impossible, and made the whole experience feel rushed. Its not the server's fault, its a busy place, but when we got there, there was nobody else there, one of the first couples of the night, but constantly being bugged about clearing our table, wanting more drinks, or if we are done is not really appreciated. The server was very well-meaning, I think honestly that he was just afraid of getting whacked by the gangster-wannabees. In the future, I might consider doing the chicken via take-out, but as a dining experience, I find it much more relaxing to go to five-guys or east-west grill in Clarendon.
(1)Kara S.
wings are great!! delicious but way to overpriced to go back. the other options are just alright. delivery was quick and very friendly service. overall won't order again.
(3)Michael R.
Enjoyed a great lunch with two work colleagues--both first-time visitors. They loved everything.. Wow. Multiple whiny reviews (not unusual for this part of Arlington) are lowering the Yelp rating. The menu is standard Bonchon--if this is a surprise to anyone, well... Wasn't able to check out any of the outstanding beer or wine selection, but the draft beer selection is notable. Pork buns: Perfect--David Chang would approve. Just as good as Momofuku's version. The chicken was perfectly cooked, and the spicy was indeed nice and spicy. Truly crack chicken. Kimchi coleslaw was great as usual. Service was notably great from everyone involved. I'm sure this place is a madhouse in the evening, but the lunch service was on point.
(5)Drew S.
My first time Bonchon experience, and I will definitely be trying it out again, probably more so for pick up rather than eating in. But they have a terrific space inside. We got a mix of wings and legs, both soy garlic and hot. and both were good, with a slight edge to the soy garlic. Also got a few of the pork buns and really liked their consistency, the fried rice that's not not heavy in soy sauce which I liked. The mandoo was alright, but would probably just skip over it next time, but both their slaws they offer with the wings does make a nice compliment to cut some of the heat. We parked right next door in the parking garage, so not sure why people are saying there's a problem with parking. Just very glad this spot opened close to home.
(4)Mary L.
This Bonchon just opened and it's quickly becoming one of my favorites. For some reason the wrong phone number is listed on the Yelp page. Pro tip, here's the right number: (703) 528-1011. I came here a few days ago and it was great. The atmosphere was fantastic - lots of energy and lots of people having a good time. The place was clean and I liked their layout. Now onto the food... we didn't have to wait that long for food. All Bonchons will tell you that it takes awhile for the wings to come out, but we had a group of 10 and all of us got our food at the same time within 20 minutes of ordering. The wings were fried to perfection. Best wings ever, hands down. The soy garlic? AMAZING. Aside from the main attraction which was the wings obviously, a few of us ordered a bunch of appetizers. We got the regular fries and seasoned fries - both of which were crispy and delicious. You can't go wrong with either. Dip those in their spicy mayo and your life will change. They were so good. I also tried the pork buns. That was an experience it itself. The pork was crispy and tender at the same time and the bun was not soggy at all. Everything worked really well together. We also got the fried wontons (yeah... we're fat kids, don't judge) and like everything else... they were delicious. I like this location a lot. The staff was friendly and the food was great, and they also have a happy hour where I think there are some drink and appetizer specials. Considering all the appetizers we tried that night were delicious, I would definitely be back for happy hour. Highly recommended.
(5)The T.
We had the chicken and some rice dish. Don't even bother with the rice or anything else. It's all about the chicken! Gotta be about the most unhealthiest thing in the world, but it tasted pretty good.
(4)D. H.
Grabbed lunch to-go here today and had a great experience. I was tearing that food up in my car! :) Wait was no more than 5-10 minutes. It was my first time here and I was very pleased with the wings! So good! The chicken is super crispy and I got both flavors, "half and half" I believe its called. I also like that the chicken isnt greasy and oily, that always makes me sick. It was delicious. The Soy Garlic was my fave, and the spicy flavor was also good...its actually spicy! Not that fake "spicy" if you know what I mean. Check it out whenever you get a chance.
(4)Carrie W.
Delicious chicken. Zucchini fries were good too. My only gripe is that we are just outside their delivery zone and we're about 10 minutes away. Worth the drive though. The atmosphere inside is really nice as well. I admit being very surprised when I went to pick up our order and seeing the set up- I'd definitely sit down sometime.
(4)Chris C.
One of the best Bon Chon's in the area! Great look, easy and free parking, very fast and prompt service. All my friends and co-workers are eating at least once a week. Make sure you try some mixed soju drinks. This is a easy choice for you to bring friends and family to have a good time and great food.
(5)Brandon B.
Get the legs over the strips. The fried rice is a MUST. Pork buns ate good but way too expensive.
(3)Melissa C.
Yum yum yum. So excited they are now in Arlington. Get half spicy and half garlic wings; great combo. Super crispy outside and super juicy inside.
(4)Maria-Elena T.
We went for a quick lunch on a Saturday and got the last free seats at a long table. We ordered both Flavors of chicken, both a mix of wings and a drum, the Nandi, and the onion rings. The fried chicken is amazing! I would suggest getting just the wings unless you want to do your Fred Flintstone imitation- the leg is huge. Spicy means spicy! So, don't order it unless you want hot tingling lips. I loved the mondo. But it seemed like a lot of fried food to me so I asked if, in the future, we could get them other than fried. The waiter checked and said yes but at dinner time. The onion rings were good but a lot of breading. We gave some to the girls sitting next to us to try while they waited for their food. In turn, they let us taste their zucchini app. I would get that next time without the cheese on top. They have a bar but we ordered sparkling water and ice tea. The service was excellent. I am putting it in the rotation!
(5)Candyce M.
Went with family to try the Korean fried chicken. Omg it was some of the best chicken I had! The soy garlic flavor was on point. My hubby and neice had the hot flavor as well. The chicken coating was so crispy and flavorful and they cook all their food to order. I was upset that they were out of mandu because I was looking forward to it. They also have a bar and have drinks with Soju as well. We will be back! Our server, Gregory S. was very attentive and friendly.
(4)Bren P.
I've been waiting for Bonchon arlington to open for a long time! I'm so excited its finally here! The design of the place is really modern and great for small or large groups. I went there for a work lunch with a team of 16 and they were able to accommodate our large party at the long table by the bar. We didn't have any issues like other posts with parking since the garages were free. And the location is really easy to find. We ordered the usual, Soy Garlic and Spicy mixed of course since we liked the variety of wings and legs of all sizes. =) We also ordered a bunch of regular fries and seasoned fries (my favorite) and the mandoo. Everything we ordered was delicious, you didn't hear a complaint from our group of 16! Can't wait to go back for happy hour, hear the sangria is delicious!
(5)Caroline M.
There is a limited menu, but what they offer is very good. It's basically like asian fried chicken (or chicken wings, depending on what you order). I'm not a big fan of fried chicken, but the flavors they used were delicious. The best part though, was the pork bun appetizer. I would go back just for that. I wish they had it as a meal.
(4)Tiffany J.
This is just about one of my favorite places to get chicken. The soy garlic boneless are the best! The fries are delicious as well. Hot and spicy chicken is also good. The prices ate excellent and the portions always have me satisfied. The Brown rice it's also good! I have been here multiple times for eat in and take out. I have also had delivery from here. Each time there I receive excellent customer service. They prepare the food which quickly and its a clean restaurant. I well continue going get for the chicken and archive. Yes it is definitely better than kfc or Popeyes. I LOVE BONCHON!! Affordable ferocious and quick lunch or dinner which ever you prefer. It even taste good reheated which is a surprise. I think I want some for lunch tomorrow. You should try some as well!
(5)Jim P.
Review: I haven't seen that many live chickens in my lifetime but none that I have seen have drumsticks as large as what BonChon serves (read: nice meat to crispy skin ratio). What goes under reported are the side dishes. Note: The fries are unreal - super crispy and tasty! The kimchee slaw is solid. The only consistently underwhelming are the white radish cubes (served for free). Gotta go with the soy garlic as the spicy option doesn't let you enjoy all the crispy goodness - it's too spicy. Cost: For drumsticks only: $22 for a large order (10 pieces), $12.50 for a medium (5 pieces) and $8 for a small (3 pieces) Service: The wait staff is solid here. Your drink (regardless of it is water, soda or beer) will never reach the bottom of the glass before the wait staff takes care of it (refill, another round, etc). The food can take a while - for dine in, the shortest I've waited is 15-20 mins and the longest is 30 mins. Note: This particular location serves consistently cooked and crispy chicken (I've been here multiple times). There is another BonChon location that hasn't been consistent in my opinion (Fairfax). Their pick up/to go station is off to the side and gets backed up during dinner hours (2 TV's to watch in that area). If you go during happy hour appetizers and beers are half price. Skip the street parking - there is a free garage just behind the store. The bathrooms don't have paper towels, only hand dryers.
(5)D W.
Loved the chicken strips and the rice was amazing. Just wish it wasn't such a dry looking building. Passed by it 4 times
(4)Andy P.
Quality chicken, good size, very crispy, meat easily pulls off the bone, good mix of heat and sweet. Overall, the best wing in Arlington.
(5)Dan C.
So as a big Bon Chon fan, I'd previously visited every one in the area. So I had certain expectations for this place. For a solid 30 minutes I kept calling and nobody picked up or it went to voicemail. Made me wonder if the number and Bon Chon Arlington's existence were all a big hoax. Finally, got through they said it would take about 40 minutes. The previous ordering issues seemed all resolved. Over the phone they repeated my order for me to confirm and when I went to pick it up, they opened to check and go over it. Looks like Bon Chon, smells like Bon Chon, tastes like Bon Chon, BUT I don't think the chicken size is up to Bon Chon standard. When I order a 20 piece, I usually get a box that is bursting at the seams with the staples barely holding the box together. This one seemed a little weak. At first I opened it up to count 18, 19, 20.. all there.. Yup, it's just smaller pieces of chicken. I'm not talking BW3's rinky dink size, but not the mutant size drumettes and wings I was used to. It's close, I'm glad there's one near me, but I'll still take some of the other locations.
(3)Joanne B.
I don't know what is up with all the mixed reviews. Yes, I realize you can't call in your order ahead of time like you can at the other locations, but get over it. We ordered and waited about 20 minutes for our food come out which isn't bad. If you want to be able to call in your order then feel free to drive out to Centreville or what not. But if you want Korean fried chicken a stone's throw away from the district then come here. The decor is clean and loungey and has a huge bar. The food is great as usual, I couldn't tell the difference between the chicken here and other locations as I am not a huge Bon Chon connoisseur. It all tastes good to me ;) The spicy was super spicy (as usual) the fries were crispy and the server was attentive. I heard they don't take reservations but when we came on a Sunday evening during dinner we didn't have a problem getting a table. Also, remember that your party all have to be present in order for you to be sat. Taking one star off because of the acoustics. It is super loud in there! Overall a good experience and a good addition to the Arlington food scene. Maybe they people who have issues with this location should go elsewhere so they leave more room for me...muhahaha!
(4)Patrick C.
Awesome wings -- wish they had a wings and strips combo. Hot is definitely hot, soy garlic is very tasty. The last time I went, they were not yet offering delivery services, but they do have a special register dedicated to takeout.
(4)Meek Y.
Nothing to write home about. The flavor of their chicken isn't nearly as good as the one that is in Fairfax, nor the one that was in Annandale that changed names. The service is still as slow as the one in Annandale, and they will NOT answer DC phone numbers. Call with my 703 number and they answer immediately. What's with that?
(2)S M L.
I love Korean fried chicken and Bonchon's chicken is good. But that's about it. I wasn't too crazy about everything else. The prices were higher than my other chicken place, Ultimate Chicken Bistro, and I felt totally robbed spending $9.50 on exactly 2 pork buns and the buns weren't even that great! the pork was dry and there wasn't enough sauce so each bite just tasted dry and a bit bland. The interior is beautiful but my server was inattentive. While I'm chowing down on my wings and plain white rice (the choices of sides is totally underwhelming. seriously, white rice was the best thing offered.), she didn't refill my water once or check in to see how the food was. So the chicken wings are good. Soy garlic is delicious! Is it better than UCB? I don't know -- they're both really good. I think the skin at UCB is crunchier but in terms of the flavor, I think they're pretty similar. It's not like I was doing a blind taste test. I love fried chicken and Bonchon knows how to fry up some chicken. I would go back for takeout if I didn't feel like driving out to Falls Church for UCB. But I doubt I would go back to dine in.
(3)Reuben S.
Soy Garlic chicken is awesome! Prices are good for the quantity of food they give. Great for hanging out with the bros or even date night.
(5)Jesse T.
the spicy sauce is too spicy.
(3)Kathy B.
This review is for the To Go/Carryout area. Here are some tips, make the person on the other line say the order back to you. When you get to the to go waiting area and the person just hands you the food, take a minute, and open that bag because 9/10 that order they gave you is not right. I ordered 1/2 Medium Drumsticks hot and mild, and rice, korean slaw and daikon radishes and they had given me all mild drumsticks. Another time I ordered medium boneless with the same sides and they omitted the rice. Just take the time to open the bag and see if they got your order right before heading home.
(4)May S.
I love BonChon!!!! And this location is awesome. Very clean nice atmosphere. It does get kind of loud in the restaurant. The chicken wings were out with in 15 min. The spicy is spicy!!!! Which I LOVE and the seasoned fries were sooo good. I will admit the cole slaw sides were a bit on the stingy side. Everyone working in the restaurant were very nice. Will be back again and again!!!!
(5)Misa W.
My boyfriend and I had the pleasure of having dinner at the new Bonchon in Arlington last Monday. We were visiting from Austin and a friend mentioned that there chicken was amazing, so we put it on our to do list. The specialty drinks were delicious and I would have never thought to muddle lychee into a mojito! The zucchini fries had a wonderful flavor and the chicken was lip smacking good! I would also like to add the service was attentive and friendly. We will most certainly be back on our next trip!!!
(5)Ross M.
Pershing Arlington Bon Chon. It's about time. I might not be able to afford or convince my parents to pay for an overpriced $2,000/month apartment upstairs, but I'll certainly wait 30min for some delicious Korean fried chicken. I've ordered from the Fairfax location, and this Arlington location is just as good, if not better. I do take out only. My only advice is to not over eat this chicken. It's got a lot of oil and you will have massive diarrhea and digestive problems. Make sure to eat some rice and radishes with it. No 5 stars because a lot of the meat tends to shrink and all you're left with is the breading.
(4)I S.
Seriously? This isn't the real bonchon, it tasted like bonchon in disguise. 45min wait for fried chicken that had been cooked previously? I'd rather go to Annandale but not here.
(1)Justin W.
Korean fried chicken is absolutely delicious. The twice fried over chicken has a great crispy skin that is full of flavor. The location of this restaurant is interesting as it is off the beaten path. I still don't know why the location was set there as the seating arrangement isn't ideal for viewing games with the TVs only at the bar. I was also slightly dissappointed that they do not serve pitchers like the other locations.
(4)Brad M.
Hands down best chicken wings I've ever had, it's a crime this place has remained hidden for so long...try it or you are officially missing TF out. Both flavors are bomb.
(5)Janae D.
i had this yesterday in NoVa and it was so good that i am considering going to the one in richmond for dinner again today. the chicken is crunchy, flavorful and delicious. the hot is perfectly hot and the soy ginger have a great flavor. the wings ar nicely sized in comparison to other places. i also had the onion rings which were seasoned well and crunchy. not the best o rings i have ever had but they were certainly delicious and come with a tasty spicy mayo. youre missing out if you havent tried this place!
(5)Ashley R.
Wow. The wings are amazing. The strips are good too and less difficult to eat than the wings but the wings do get crispier. The white rice, slaw, and pickled daikon sides are good too. The pork belly bun was good as well. The fried rice was okay, but not amazing. I liked it even better than kyo-chon!!!
(5)Sean R.
Horrible management. Was told 35 minutes for walk in when the restaurant was empty. Was also told if we sat down at table it would be 20 minutes. Great service.
(1)EXMIL G.
Excellent place, simple menu, perfect wings!!been there twice and Im addicted!def going back!
(4)Julia E.
Friendly service and delicious wings!!! Go for during a happy hour to get some cheap beer! Will def go back to get my spicy wing fix
(5)Abby R.
Absolutely love their chicken. My husband and I crave their spicy chicken and radish ALL the time! It's so nice having one near our place finally!!!! Try their mojitos!
(5)John G.
Solid food including not only of course the chicken but the sides are high quality as well. It's also a nice little change of pace from the glut of new American places. The menu is fairly small but what they do they do right
(4)Marco C.
I'm sadly addicted. We used to go to the Centreville Bonchon maybe once every few months. Now we come here once or twice a month. We tried their pork buns the first time and they were good but I'm hooked on the chicken. Now we just come for the medium/mixed/half & half. That's a medium sized order mixed with 6 wings and 2 drumsticks and half soy garlic (not spicy) and half hot. I can only take 2 bites of hot before my mouth is on fire. To give you an idea of my spicy tolerance I use sriracha on my food without too much difficulty. Soju + fried chicken + kimchee = a good time! Oh and the service is very friendly. They are responsive and attentive but not hovery.
(4)Ali S.
If you like any form of fried chicken; you will probably like Bon Chon. Their double fried chicken is delicious and the menus is very simple. I would give them five starts but their service is average; but the hot and tasty food makes up for it.
(4)Jamie D.
The coating on the wings was crisp and tasty but didn't blow me away. The meat was bland. Bartender James was attentive and checked how my meal was. I'll give this Bonchon another try if I'm in the neighborhood.
(3)Lowell P.
We went here on the first night they had their soft-opening, Friday, July 12 for "Friends & Family" night. We were warned that the service may be slow as this was the first time the servers, wait staff, etc. had a full house. Thankfully, the service wasn't bad at all and the food was delicious! We started off with the Pork Buns, these were the highlight of the trip, excellently seasoned and very light. We also ordered the Zucchini Fries - it's almost a meal by itself, but well worth it. For the chicken, we ordered the tenders and did two orders, one with Soy-Garlic sauce and the other with the Hot sauce, both were great and it's hard to choose which one is better, they're both so different but so good. I'd recommend getting both and choosing from there. We had the Kimchi Coleslaw as a side to go with the chicken, it was alright, more coleslaw than Kimchi, which was a disappointment from our end (we really wanted more Kimchi flavor) but others might prefer the slaw with just a hint of Kimchi. BonChon hadn't received it's ABC license yet for their soft opening so I can't comment on the drinks (some of the cocktails looked delicious, though), but really, all you really want to go with the chicken is beer and that's hard to mess up. Glad to have BonChon in the neighborhood, saves a 20 minute trip out to Annandale/Centerville and allows me to get my Korean fix more often...which is a good thing.
(4)Lisa J.
Sooooooooo delish!!! You've heard how great the chicken is from everyone else, but let me tell you, the zucchini fries are incredible!!!! Sooooo good AND it's a vegetable that I felt better eating so much fried food at one setting.
(5)Gloria S.
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past five years, you already know what time it is when it comes to Korean fried chicken... Specifically, BonChon Chicken - the Korean fried chicken franchise that originated in the Motherland in the city of Busan, Korea. Since it first opened its doors in 2002, it has spawned over 50 locations all over the world - including the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, and the U.S. - drawing people into its stores with double-fried, sauceless wings in two magnificent flavors, Soy Garlic and Hot. Without a doubt, BonChon is THE source for the wildly successful Korean fried chicken commodity. The much-anticipated opening of BonChon Arlington most certainly lives up to its expectations, and in fact exceeds them. The sleek, contemporary interior design (rumored to be the same designers as Zaytinya and other D.C. restaurants) has trims of red and pretty lights that run the ceiling. These decorative details, along with the wood paneling, give the ambiance a fun, trendy feel. The bar is well stocked with all different types of draught and bottled beers. Bottles of soju and sake are also available, as are their house mojitos, martinis and margaritas. And, of course, the star of the show, yummy and decadent fried chicken. But much to our surprise, the real treasure here isn't a location closer to the city or the sexy new venue. It is actually the... (read more at cettebellelavie.com/post… for the entire review plus pictures)
(5)Jessica P.
Love this place. They deliver to me. That is all I could ever ask for. However, their sides are too small and the price is a little steep, but it's ok.
(5)c c.
I was so excited about this new location -- it was going to become our "go to" place when we needed a quick Korean fusion fix. I really wanted to like this place....but our second visit was so off-putting, I have had no desire to return. Our server was an older woman, and she meant well (I think), but niceness doesn't excuse messing up our order on several items. She couldn't get our side orders correct, and she forgot to bring out some of the daikon condiments. We were willing to put up with all of these screw ups and didn't complain. However, what was completely inexcusable was what she did with our money. We put in part cash as well as a credit card. She pocketed the cash (which was not a small amount to suggest that it was a tip), and then charged the entire bill on our credit card. When we asked her where the cash portion was -- she pulled it out of her pocket and gave it back to us. Huh?????? It wasn't just the server that made this such an unpleasant experience. The host at the entrance had no social skills and was completely detached and aloof. I really think the service and staffing here needs some serious scrutinizing and retraining by the management. Completely unacceptable.
(3)Tim M.
I'm not sure what hormones and steroids they are feeding these Korean chickens, but it's working! Huge deep fried delicious wings and they deliver. If you've already given up on your New Year's resolution to lose weight, go here.
(4)Dominique C.
Korean fried chicken in either sauce is my new love right now!!!! The chicken has a light and crispy taste even though it's fried and then it's coated with the sauce of your choice....hot and extra tasty is how the large pieces of chicken come out to you... My friend and I devoured each piece!!! I tried with the kimchi coleslaw and regular coleslaw both were a hit!!!
(5)J T.
Yummy Korean fried chicken and pork buns. Spicy strips came out in 10 minutes, so choose those instead of chicken parts. The pork buns were awesome - see photos other yelpers have posted. They came out in 15 minutes. I ordered these as my main dish - they were enough even though called an appetizer on the menu. We enjoyed our meal.
(4)Tamika A.
I ate at Bonchon tonight for the first time and it was DELICIOUS!!!!! The chicken wings/legs were outstanding. The hot and spicy were really HOT AND SPICY. The steamed potstickers were also great!!! They give you a lot of food. Service was good, nothing special but not bad either. I would highly recommend for someone who wants really great tasting food.
(4)Courtney D.
I've visited Bon Chon 3 times and each time my boyfriend and I have ordered the half spicy, half soy garlic wings. Each time we visit, our waiter informs us that the spicy sauce is "very spicy." We had no problem until our third visit. The spicy flavored wings were completely unbearable! My mouth was on fire, it felt like biting into a habanero pepper. After the first bite both me and my boyfriend immediately knew it was too hot for US. Knowing that we weren't going to be able to eat it I notified our waiter. I told him that it was too hot for US. The manager came over and after telling him the wings were overwhelmingly spicy and asking if we could trade them for the soy garlic wings he said "Sorry there's nothing I can do. When it's warmer outside the chiles are hotter therefore making the sauce spicier. I'll tell the chef and all I can do is bring you ranch, that's our policy." I was shocked to say the least. This policy isn't written anywhere on the menu or told to you by your waitress. Having a waiter tell a customer that the spicy flavored wings are spicy doesn't give the customer an appropriate gauge of just how spicy it is and if they can handle it. You have to test it and see for yourself. It's standard restaurant policy to be able to send food back that you don't like or can't eat. This restaurant forces customers to pay for food they can't eat and although I thoroughly enjoyed the wings on my first two visits I won't be returning. To me customer service is golden and Bon Chon just doesn't have it.
(2)Ian N.
I've heard of this place having great wings from multiple sources. I ordered take-out from it and it was as good as i heard. First, I got the 10 wings which includes both wings and legs. Half soy and half hot. Both flavors were great tasting and the sauce wasn't slathered on the wings like you'll find at most places. Second, the crispiness of the wings is unlike any other wing you've had as this is due to double 'frying' them. Third, the size the of the wings/legs were perfect. Not too big and not super small (as you'll see many other places). Overall - I had an easy time placing my order and picking up in 15 mins.
(4)Gill M.
Excellent food, excellent service, great overall experience. Come in to experience delicious Korean food, like the sweetly marinated bulgogi, or take out some (seriously) spicy wings. Either way, you won't be disappointed. The ambiance is done well for what some consider a "wing joint" and the bar service is phenomenal. Drinks are mixed superbly and they never leave your glass empty.
(5)Jenée P.
My husband and I checked out Bonchon last month. My husband broke his ankle and was using a knee scooter to get around. The host saw us walking up and didn't bother to even help him with the door. Once we got to the host stand and I said hello, he just stared at me. I thought maybe I was suppose to sit myself and so I asked is this self seating. He finally responds no and then asks how many. I immediately was irritated and was close to walking out. I have a thing about good service.... The food, drinks, and the server made up for the inconsiderate host. The chickens are huge! These aren't your average wings! The spicy is actually really spicy! The french fries are fried perfectly. The drinks are great. We took home so much chicken. They make great left overs. I will say as we left the same host finally opened the door for my husband. I let him know we appreciated that. The parking wasn't great. But hey it's Arlington.
(4)Soup C.
who doesn't love fried chicken?! tasty chicken and everything else was delicious - love their bulgogi wrap!! I really like the design of this location; it def look and feels better than the other locations. parking is a plus; no need to fight for street parking or shopping center traffic. wonderful wait staff; who smiles and happy to help even after my little one spilled juice on the floor. the bathroom is a bit creepy looking... over all, i would go back again!
(4)Justin L.
Great food, great service, and even better management. Chicken wings were cooked perfectly and the dumplings appetizer was delicious. Don't try to be counting calories if you are going there though!!!!
(5)Sam L.
I live close to the Centreville location but had the pleasure of checking this new place out when VA Delegate Mark Keam had a meet and greet there. I found parking right away in the garage which was convenient. Chicken was fantastic as always. Try the Bonchon Ale!
(5)BB W.
I recently fell in love with Bonchon. I do love this chain. Unfortunately, they do not take reservations, so it can be quite a wait at peak times. Service is ok.
(4)Vik S.
Great chicken! Good menu! An upscale fried chicken restaurant which also serves other tasty dishes, alcohol and interesting mixes created by their GM. Pork bun recommended by our waiter was delicious so were the Zucchini fries! A great place to go on a date, with friends and family or just by yourself. Brand new restaurant with a nice touch inside.
(5)Crj M.
Chicken wings are solid...the bulgogi is stellar because not much fat and incredible taste...great space...this spot is clean and hip...met the owner who is a great guy
(5)Stacie H.
The mandoo was hot and crispy. The seasoned fries were well seasoned. The chicken strips with spicy sauce were crunchy and wonderfully spicy - a nice kick at the end. I'm giving only 3 stars because the ambiance is horrible: dark lighting and stark decor. And I don't know if we dined on the day they mopped the floors with dirty water, but the place smelled a little funny. Friendly wait staff.
(3)S L.
Barely made it there after 3 attempts in 2 days. The arbitrary closing hours were off-putting, and the food (at least the takeout) wasn't that great. Attempt no. 1: Checked the opening hours on Bonchon Arlington's Facebook page, since it seemed to have more reliable information (I don't really trust the info on Yelp for now, since even the phone number is wrong on here). Saw that it was open from 11:30am-2am on Saturdays, so decided to pop in for some mid-afternoon snack. When I arrived and paid for parking, I excitedly walked up to Bonchon, only to see a piece of paper on the door saying that it was closed everyday between 2pm-5pm. Really disappointed, as I was excited to try out this new location, but figured that they're probably still ironing things out. Attempt no. 2: I carefully checked the Facebook page again for the opening hours when I got home, including reading through each Facebook post to make sure that I didn't miss anything. Saw a post buried far down its timeline mentioning the 2pm-5pm closing period, but the post stated clearly that it will be open from 5pm until 2am on Saturdays. So I decided to go just past midnight to get some late night wings, and I saw quite a few people inside the restaurant when I arrived, which I thought was a good sign. However, upon arrival, I stood around for a few minutes until someone popped out of what I think was the restroom, and walked up to me saying "the kitchen is closed". Apparently the kitchen closes at midnight even though the place was supposed to open until 2am. I was devastated at this point, as it was not made clear anywhere that the kitchen closes early. It was incredibly disappointing. Attempt no. 3: After my previous 2 attempts to go to Bonchon Arlington during non-lunch or dinner hours, I decided to give it one last try during more normal dining hours. I started calling them soon after they opened at 5pm, and on my 17th attempt (no exaggeration -- I was counting) they finally picked up the phone. I was informed that if I dined in, the chicken could take up to 1 hour (which is outrageous, especially for a restaurant that pretty much makes one thing -- fried chicken). So I placed a takeout order and was told that the order will be ready in 10-15 mins. I found this confusing -- why would takeout chicken be so much faster to make than dine in chicken? Finally I got my takeout order, but realized that the seasoned fries were $7 (since there was no menu online so I didn't know the prices) -- they were tasty, but were already soggy by the time I picked them up, and most definitely not worth $7. The chicken was fine, but it had already lost some of its crisp when I picked it up, too. Overall, it was an underwhelming experience. I truly hope that Bonchon Arlington will get its act together as it irons out the kinks from its initial opening -- I really wanted to love this place, but my experience there did not leave me wanting to run back for more.
(2)Mike C.
Once I found out they deliver to my apartment, I decided I would have to do P90X in order to counteract it.
(5)Elle E.
Okay, so I'm not big on fried foods, so maybe I'm not the target audience. But all I can say is 'Meh.' Never had bonchon before, but had heard the buzz and decided to try it. My husband and I split two orders of wings&legs -- one spicy and one soy/garlic. Tasty enough, but can't say I see what the big deal is.
(2)Hucky S.
Finally got to stop by bc arlington. Awesome food, atmosphere and great selection of craft beers!
(5)Jamie D.
ordered 3 legs, kimchee slaw, and seasoned fries. fries were excellent, slaw very good, and the chicken was good...if I were more of a chicken-skin fan I would call it excellent, the skin is thick and crunchy, chicken candy....but I come for the meat, and in that respect you don't get much for the price. the spicy sauce was very good, flavorful before the heat took over, and boy there's a good amount of heat, be forewarned. the waiter said it was habanero-based but the main Bonchon Web site doesn't mention habanero in its description, simply says "red chili peppers," but anyway it's good and hot, I liked it. service was fine, wasn't very crowded when I was there. again, if it's the skin you love the most when you go for fried chicken, this is a decadent treat. and I would come back for those seasoned fries with the special mayo sauce and enjoy one of many quality beers they serve, but I think I'll mainly stick to the local latino places for my chicken meal, where meat-wise there's much more bang for the buck.
(3)Mo A.
Best chicken i have eaten. I love the staff and the ambience. Their Customer service is always superb. Me and my wife went there twice the first time we went there for lunch. We ended up bringing a friend along to try the best chicken ever. Everything on their Menu is good and tasty. You will not regret it but love it. PS. Please ask for Q when you there. He's awesome. Great customer service.
(4)Hilaria S.
Very friendly staff!! Awesome wings and fries!!
(5)Jay D.
It's nice to have Bonchon in Arlington. Much easier to get together with friends and family who live in the city. Atmosphere and ambiance are nice to take a date. We've been going to Centreville for years and the chicken does not disappoint here. Staff is nice and the bartenders make some great drinks. Welcome to Arlington...
(5)Sean P.
Way better than I was expecting. The wings, both hot and soy garlic, are amazing. There was also a decent beer selection and a friendly wait staff. Mona made recommendations and they were all great.
(4)Frank S.
Went on a Wednesday night. Crowded, loud and busy, just as I had heard it would be. Was sat immediately and served immediately. Mike, the waiter, was great and very attentive. Kept filling my ice teas, asking us if all was well, and answered our many questions about the menu and new business. Not a lover of friend foods so did the Bulgogi wrap which was fantastic. It's a nice addition to Lyon Park and will hopefully bring other like businesses to the mostly empty development. Parking a tad bit confusing, but is in the back - enter through center part of the complex, not from around the outer edge. A nice alternative to the congestion of 'downtown' Clarendon.
(4)Prodpran C.
I think they have a problem with the delivery service . On sunday about 4.45 I called to order delivery the women who answers the phone said the delivery guy will come about 5 pm , I told her I want to order now because it was 15 mins before 5 pm . She said I should call at 5 she can't take my order now ... oK 5.15 I tried to call again and same women picked up the phone . She said she don't know when the delivery guy gonna come ... OK OK .. .Next day I called again . They said same thing ''Don't know when they can service delivery '' OkOkOk .. Disappoint
(1)Arjun V.
First and foremost, major kudos to those of you who go to Bonchon for lunch during the workday. 4-5 strips or drumsticks put me out like a baby on a Friday night, so I have no idea how you can go back to work after nomming on these beauties. I am not a fan of fried chicken, often because it is either too bland or tastes too fried to settle well in my stomach. Bonchon's Korean wings are the only wings I've ever had that manage to be extremely crispy on the outside, remain flavorful and moist on the inside and taste like real food. If you can handle the spice, go for the hot wings, because they will rock your appetite. Expect delivery to take around 45 mins-1 hour on a busy night. We were worried that it would take longer but luckily it came in within the suggested hour time block. Also, the menu for this location does not have all of the menu items listed on Bonchon's website, so if you are looking for one of their other sides or entrees, they may not have them. We ordered the fried dumplings and fried rice on the side, which were both decent. That said, the real show here is the wings, so if you're prioritizing your wallet, just order those and don't worry about the rest.
(4)jenn w.
So what's all this hype about Bonchon chicken? Will eating it really change my life as my friends have said? Will I become an addict and come here for every other meal? These were my thoughts as I walked into the restaurant. It was a cold night, so I wanted something warm to drink, a hot tea perhaps. Too bad the only hot drink they serve is coffee. With fried chicken? No thanks, I'll stick with water. We started with the pork belly buns which were delicious! Fluffy buns paired with crisp and juicy pork belly with just the right amount of sauce and veggies... Heavenly! I wish I could be so effusive about the chicken itself. Don't get me wrong, it is fried to perfection and piping hot when it comes to the table. And the pieces are big and meaty, so no one should leave hungry. But I can't say I am a fan of the sauces - both the spicy and soy garlic were unnecessarily sweet and thick which overpowered the nice frying. That being said, I can understand why people become addicted to this stuff because it is not like any other fried chicken I've had. Maybe Bonchon is not for me, but that shouldn't stop you from giving it a try since chances are, judging by the other reviews here, you'll like it!
(4)Heather M.
It wasn't the life-altering fried chicken experience I was hoping for, but it was good. Got the half spicy half soy garlic strips for ease of dining, but wished I took my friends' and yelp's recommendation to get the wings and legs, as the strips were a little dry. I'm a baby about spice, but I was able to eat the spicy strips just fine with only a little bit of numb lip feeling afterwards. The real winner for me was the pork bun appetizer which was flavorful and full of great textures. The best part about this place is undoubtedly the ample free parking in the attached garage. Expect to wait. Came here Sunday at 6pm and had a 15 min wait, so you can only imagine what a Friday or Sat night might look like.
(3)Otis C.
This is a review for a take-out lunch, it was my first time going to BonChon Chicken and my first time going to the Arlington location. Like I said, I've never been to BonChon and I've only heard about it through a fellow classmate at Mason. So after reading the reviews one night and craving for some chicken wings the next day, I decided to take a break from programming for 3 hours straight and eat a late lunch. When I arrived, I parked my car in the street, only a few feet away from the entrance, so I thought that was nice (though I read that there's another parking garage close-by had the street parking been filled). Inside, I noticed that there wasn't much of a crowd both in the sit-up bar and the dine-in area, which I already expected considering that it was a work week. I walked up near the bar and asked for a take-out menu and the gentleman politely handed me one and went back to work. Another gentleman next to him at the bar took my order of a small order (6 pieces) of Soy Garlic wings to go with white rice as a side. I asked if I could have half-half (half hot, half soy garlic), but he calmly responded that this option is not available for take-outs so I nodded in agreement and finalized my order. He told me that he'll ask (the chef I assume) how long it will take and went to the kitchen. I sat up at the bar watching the news and waited for about 8-10 minutes. Judging from other reviews, my order was swift in comparison. Now on to the food itself. As soon as I got home (in Falls Church), I immediately sat down to eat. My wings came in a quaint red box, while my white rice came in a styrofoam cup and an additional diced white radish. I dived in for the soy garlic chicken wings, and BOY were they big and crunchy and awesome! I've had soy-marinated chicken before, but this tops it hands down. My expectations of super crispy skin was met, as well as juicy meat despite the crispiness. For some reason, it tasted better when eaten alongside white Jasmine (long-grain) rice. :) I tried the white radishes, too, and they almost tasted like picked cabbages which I liked. Overall, it was an awesome meal. This location had fast service, neat and trendy atmosphere, and polite employees. Please do consider that I went during lunch hour on a weekday. Had I gone there for dinner or in the weekends, my service experience could've been quite different. The food, on the other hand, is as amazing as I expected judging from the reviews and pictures. I eat with my eyes, first and foremost, so that distinct red box and huge tasty wings looked as good as they tasted. My lasting appeal is I would definitely be coming back with my friends and family. Consider me hooked on BonChon Chicken, and it's really nice that they opened one so close to home - about a 5 minute drive, 3 minutes if you're really hungry if you know what I mean. :)
(4)Marcus M.
I called ahead and was a little worried because they said the wings would be ready in as little as ten minutes. Everyone familiar with Korean style chicken knows that it takes at least thirty minutes, even if they aren't busy. I got there, and there was a little confusion as to where to pick the wings up. When I found the window it was quick and easy. The wings were cooked to perfection, crispy on the outside, yet juicy on the inside with all the soy garlic deliciousness that I have come to expect from this chain.
(5)Jon D.
Ok location, but really nice building and build out. As for the food we had some really really good, and some not so good. The pork buns are delicious, but at $9.50 for two awfully steep. I'd recommend them to try, but would probably opt for something else next time. My wife and I split a medium wing and leg combo (half soy and half hot) with brown rice, and asked for the pickled radish. If we went back we would probably opt for just the legs (they are huge) and we preferred them to the wings, but both were very good. Really crunchy outside, and served piping hot. For the sauce we'd definitely go with just the soy. The hot was good, and I do love spicy food, but the spice was hot for hot's sake while adding little flavor. And they were too hot for the wife in general. The soy however was delicious. The side of brown rice is where things got iffy. It was just plain boring. Literally brown rice scooped into a bowl and placed on the side. Nothing on the table to season them, and not enough sauce on the wings to help much. Just a waste in general, not bad, but just not good. I'll chalk it up to a rookie mistake and get the coleslaw next time. I will however recommend the pickled radish. It's complementary, but must be requested. It was delicious and helped to extinguish the fire from the hot wings. When we go back we'll probably get some fries, or onion rings to try instead of the pork buns, even though they are a bit over priced at $7 for a basket of fries. They looked good, so I'd give em a shot, but $7 fries are tough to swallow.
(3)Kelly W.
I went late one night (surprised they were still open around 10pm) with my BF and we got the wings - half spicy and half soy garlic (medium for me, large for him) with white rice and kimchi coleslaw. If I was really hungry, I would've gotten a large too, but the medium was a good size for a heavy snack. It was great but we really like spicy and their spicy is SPICY! The white rice was a good idea to cool our tongues, and we were glad we didnt get all spicy. Our waiter (forget his name) was great - attentive, quick with drinks, and excited that it was our first time at Bonchon. When we ordered, he also warned us that the spicy wings were HOT, which I appreciated. The only reason that I only gave this place 4 stars is bc $45 for 2 orders of wings, 2 small sides, and 2 beers is a lot.
(4)s s.
Delicious, well priced, fantastic service, and nice atmosphere. Delicious chicken, onion rings, beer, and kimchi relish. I am deducting a star for a few things: -the hot chicken was MUCH hotter than I remembered -the bathroom did not have a diaper changing table Highly recommend. I know I will definitely be coming back!
(4)Richard A.
hot korean 'haute' at rhis trendy modern and chic bistro/bar. the chicken strips here are simply addictive. a medium order for two is enuf to leave stuffed!! great place and service. outside dining or in. u must try the kimchi inspired coleslaw and the fried zuccinis dinner size appetizer leaves enough for a bag home.
(5)Daniel K.
For anyone who loves Fried Chicken, this is the Korean version of it! They usually offer two main sauces: Soy Garlic or Spicy. Whenever ordering you can choose between one or the other or they even offer an option to mix and match flavors. To get the best bang for your buck, order WINGS ONLY. My personal favorite is the Spicy; however, some of my friends have claimed that it was too spicy for them and that they prefer soy garlic. The sauces aren't adventurous at all but taste Korean enough to let people from all cultures enjoy them. They do offer a variety of sides and appetizers including their Parmesan Fries! Yumm.. drolling just thinking about it now. They do upcharge of rice. Highly recommend.
(5)Erin O.
We went the second weekend they were open, Saturday night at 730pm and they sat us in 5 mins and received our food under 15min. Service was good but server was a little wet behind the ears with the menu. We have been to the BonChon in NY and I was disappointed that there weren't the Soju flavored pitchers but I guess you do have to drive there. You can get Soju cocktails but they aren't cheap. We also went again a month later with a large group on a Friday night. Still we were able to sit quickly and the food was out quickly. I didn't eat it but the Bulgogi different look like what I'm used to but we enjoyed the Pork Bun variant.
(4)Luna Y.
Ok i read some of the reviews and wanna try this place. I ordered some food and ask for delivery. But after two hours i still didnt get my food. Then i called again and a man picked up said there was no order under my name...and then the lady took my phone first got on the phone and said because both my credit card number and phone number were wrong, so they didnt took my order. How can those numbers be wrong?! When i called first the lady repeated and everything was right! Im very upset!
(1)Karen V.
I had the lychee flavored sojutini and soy garlic wings, they did not disappoint. Dash, the bartender, is awesome and makes a mean soju-tini. If you like crispy, juicy, tasty wings and fancy cocktails, you are at the right place. The atmosphere is chic but casual, the staff is very friendly. Definitely coming back.
(5)Chris C.
The wings are serious! A must even though it takes about an hour to get them. Best to call your order in.
(4)Tricia B.
It was my visit a couple of weeks ago. Take out order was in full effect. The food was well enjoyed at home. Spicy. Nice customer service in Arlington too. That's hard to find in Arlington. That is all for now. :)
(4)Bruce G.
First time takes: ordered signature chicken wings in both spicy and garlic versions. Liked the heat in the spicy kind. Accompanied with sides of kimchee slaw (unremarkable); but especially liked the pickled radishes (sweet and cool and crispy). Ordered the pork potstickers. Bland and greasy. So mixed reviews. Bonchon should offer potstickers in a steamed version. Likewise, the chicken in broiled or bar-b-cued varieties. Too many fried items; not enough alternatives. Pluses: good choices of draft/bottled beers and bar drinks. Ambience: clean, industrial interior design makes for an especially noisy atmosphere.
(3)S V.
Had to try the chicken after seeing rave reviews everywhere. Great stuff. I got the tenders and fried zuccini, which was tons of food for a lunch. Soy/garlic sauce was great, chk and zucc fried crispy -- all around solid food i'll be back for dinner and drinks soon ! Free parking in lot behind too
(4)Kristen R.
Had carry out today. The owners did a good job with this one. You can tell they care and are trying to do the best they can. I respect that. The chicken is great like Bon Chon chicken should be.
(5)Leigh S.
This was our first time to Bonchon, and we really enjoyed ourselves. I had the strips and my husband and friends had the legs and wings. We did the "half and half" sauce, and we couldn't decide which sauce was better! The kimchee coleslaw was very spicy and unique. The only aspect of the whole experience that bothered us a bit was how noisy it was and hard to hear the others at the table... But I guess that just speaks to how busy it was due to the deliciousness!
(5)Eva M.
I've eaten at Bonchon a few times in Annandale and the service was okay. Then I was on my way to DC and I realized there was a Bonchon in Arlington so I decided to order carry out. Apparently they have a separate menu from the one in Annandale. I kept trying to order stuff that they didn't even have on the menu. I was so ready to give up but then the young lady on the phone was very patient with me and walked me through the whole menu. I ordered the 10 strips soy garlic with kimchi coleslaw because she said it was a good blend to have sweet and spicy and believe me it was. She also had me try the mandoo and they were amazing!!! They have great customer service here and good food here too. I 100% recommend ordering food from this location. One thing that bothered me was the floor was kind of slippery and when I went to pick up there was a guy in the back who was just standing there instead of helping me pay for my food. Once the young lady got off the phone she helped me and the guy just continued to stand in the back and look at me. Overall this place gets two thumbs up
(4)Allison E.
After (2) On-Site @ Arlington & (1) @ Woodbridge I've concluded yes there has been improvement in the kitchen, but have we reached full potential?...I think we can do better than this... MIA: So, What is missing?...upon first crunch and savor bite at the Woodbridge bon chon location test run I said to myself Centreville!...well almost Minor point in flavor missing in the pallet but the flavors tap danced on a whole different combinations of taste buds and lingered seemingly after that arlington has yet to perform. DANCE FOR ME. I CAN'T ORDER WHILE I WAIT FOR A TABLE???: Maybe things are changing but, like other locations, in the past allowing you to call ahead or even order while you wait for a table this spot flat out said no we don't do that here. So seat waiting time + menu decision time + food creation time = 30-90 minutes to food. I'd be so hungry I'd probably start GNAWING ON FURNITURE...ok maybe not but if you're worried about the bill just ask for my card to start the tab. SHOULD I ELIMINATE A STAR??? I guess no quick lunches here anytime soon. SO: Yes the arlington sight is tasty and can definitely decimate the wing competition in the surrounding area but it hasn't quite hit that mesmerizing addicting state of existence yet. BTW, fries on point. And lets just say it would be nice if you can add more variety but let's focus on the chicken first.
(3)Francis R.
Buffalo Wild Wings with a dash of Korean. The legs were rather oily from the fryer. My kid, which normally loves eating all of the chicken legs, picked the skin off because it was way overcooked. The zucchini fries were not freshly made and the zucchini was way too mushy on the inside (probably pre made and frozen). The kimchi coleslaw was an insult to Korean food. Mayonnaise? Really? Will not be coming here again.
(1)J L.
Awesome chicken. I'm a fan of the soy-garlic and the spicy ... but beware the spicy! It's pretty intense. The daikon pickle side is awesome. I would pass on the kimchi coleslaw (they add in cayenne - which does not belong in kimchi!).
(4)Tom M.
Great Chicken, rice is boring, other sides are ok, take out service sucks. Typical area restaurant that has great food but lacks the ability to find workers who have a hard time functioning in society without their parents around to guide them. I never ate in the restaurant because honestly, how hard is it to screw up take out or even take the order over the phone. I have to do a meditation session every time after I order food from them.
(3)Elmo ..
Soft opening today! No wait at 530p. Large sized drumsticks with a subtle, tasting soy and garlic glaze; however, once the skin is gone, the chicken is bland. Probably needs to be marinated a bit more. Surprisingly, the chicken fried rice with egg and onions is very tasty.
(3)Pamela T.
I visited days after the grand opening and it was just okay. I was with a group of 6 and when the good came out the waiters didnt know who ordered what or what was spicy vs garlic. A little disorganized. The chairs were uncomfortable- they went cheap on the decor. I will visit again for camaraderie purposes but I wasn't that impressed...
(3)Roberto L.
The chicken is always delicious!!!! You have to order by phone at least 30 minutes before arriving.
(5)