Although the eat-in process is a cluster-F, the chicken is pretty dang good. So, if you come here with a group, they'll ask you to put your order in before they tell you when they can seat you. We had nearly a two hour wait so we went to the Hookah bar next door and passed the time. If you throw a fit b/c of their process - then you're acting a fool and should take my advice.
They have tv's everywhere so this would be a good spot to watch sports.
One more thing - the walkway heading to the restroom is slippery as all mess. I think they oil it down with canola oil. Watch your step lest you fall and slide and get all messy.
There really is nothing like eating intensely glazed fried chicken until you simply cannot eat intensely glazed fried chicken anymore.
Anyone know what's up with the Annandale spot? It used to be called Bon Chon as well but now it's like Chick MC or something like that? I heard the owner is the same and so is the food (slightly thicker glaze than this fairfax joint).
My theory is that the other place had pretty bad service and was clearly not doing the volume that the market would bear so Bon Chon corporate took the name away.
Growing up in the South, I take fried food seriously.
I know there's a difference between Korean and Southern fried chicken, but Bon Chon seriously puts the latter to shame.
I'm contemplating whether this is the best fried chicken I've ever had, ever. It's a toss up, but considering I'm even having this dilemma definitely puts Bon Chon at the top of the Korean Fried chicken category!
TIP!
Call ahead before you go! The food does really take 30-35 minutes to make! But if you order a couple of apps and don't mind sitting around, then it's not really that bad.
So, I have heard from people that Bon Chon's wings are the DC area's finest! Â To be clear, Bon Chon does not just specialize in fried wings but specifically Korean style fried wings. Â Being from Buffalo, aka the land of wings, I had to check this out. Â I came, I saw and I conquered. Â
This location of Bon Chon is found in a small strip mall in Northern Virginia, surrounded by quite a few other businesses. Â It is also across the street from Home Depot.
Walking inside, you immediately notice that the restaurant space is super small. Â It has enough room to seat maybe 35-40 people at most. Â Due to the small space and limited seating, a lot of customers either called ahead for takeout or came in person to order and just waiting in their cars till their food was ready. Â I, on the other hand, placed my order and miraculously had a couple of seats just open up. Â Yayyy, I can actually sit down to eat!
The service was pretty good. Â While there seems to only be a few people on staff, they did a great job flying all over the place to accommodate all of the patrons. Â Additionally, I was told that my order would be ready in a half hour. Â After 15 minutes, my order was ready.
Speaking of my order, it consisted of Seasoned Fries, Half and Half Chicken Wings along with a side salad.
The fries were mildly seasoned and topped with sprinkles of melted cheese. Â It was served with ketchup and a spicy garlic aioli dipping sauce that was pretty good. Â The fries were a decent appetizer but not for the price. Â While it came in a large portion size, the cost was $7.00. Â Ripoff!
A side salad comes with chicken orders and is presented in a small serving size. Â It's essentially sliced cabbage topped with a type of thousand island dressing. Â Sadly, this was the best part of the meal for me. Â The dressing had a balanced flavor and paired well with the cabbage, which was fresh. Â I think the salad has unlimited refills, which is great.
On to the "star" of the show, the wings. Â With regards to presentation, these wings are definitely picturesque. Â Their crispness and how they gleam on the plate definitely gets the mouth watering. Â Sadly, it all goes downhill from there. Â I ordered half and half wings which translates to half the wings being tossed in soy garlic sauce and half in hot sauce. Â They are nice sized, especially by DC standards. Â The crispness is definitely different than any other wings I've had, leading to great texture. Â
The soy garlic wings tasted pretty bland.  I was expecting to get some kind of flavor from them but I got nothing.  It was like someone pressed the mute button on the sauce.  On the other hand, the hot wings were not hot.....they were H-O-T.  I mean so hot that Bon Chon needs to be charged with arson!  Sadly, there are no milkshakes sold here,  which would have come in handy since water was not the ideal answer to extinguishing the fire in my mouth.  I actually like spicy food but this hot sauce was totally one note instead of having layers of flavor that  really good sauces should have.   Â
Seriously? Â I miss Buffalo even more after this experience! Â I wish I could say that these wings were memorable in the least but then again I also wish I could say that Oprah was my sugar momma! Â No doubt that this place is OVERRATED, especially considering the price. Â $12.95 for 10 mediocre wings? Â No thanks, I think I'll save my money for a plane ticket to go back home and get the real deal!
*These are the best wings I've ever had. Anywhere.*
WOW. I have a go-to spot for Burgers, Subs, Mexican, Pasta and the like, but strangely enough I've never had a go-to for wings. Buffalo Wild Wings is grand, but you're paying for the atmosphere as much as the quality. Wingstop? Yeah right. Turns out I was looking in all the wrong places! The koreans are apparently the gods and goddesses of fried chicken, because this is the best stuff around.
Star 1: How was the service and atmosphere?
Unique, and in the best of ways. Take a stocked bar, throw in a television, and add just enough Asian flair to bring it all together. From there, the service is friendly and the clientele local. Excellent. Star Granted.
Star 2: How were the portions relative to the cost?
How much chicken can you eat? A lot? How about this much?
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=FufGI2OT4QYXMlBUIpm65g&userid=OKX-V5j_qfuOebeHeWGrHg">http://www.yelp.com/user…</a>
I didn't think so, and even my party of three couldn't it in conjunction with twenty wings and fries:
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=3y9PYd3HnSaf0ywwuLsB-g&userid=OKX-V5j_qfuOebeHeWGrHg">http://www.yelp.com/user…</a>
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=oR6ONg6uHdhaP10PwcvWwg&userid=OKX-V5j_qfuOebeHeWGrHg">http://www.yelp.com/user…</a>
You can see the prices right there, but needless to say this is beyond reasonable. You're essentially paying $1.00 per wing or white meat super nugget, and it's well worth it. Star Granted.
Stars 3 and 4: How was the food?
By the stars. I've never had wings like these. Never. Jam packed with meat and breaded to perfection, both the soy garlic and the hot wings are simply amazing. People rave left and right about wet vs. dry and baked vs. fried, but this is perfection. Try it. Just try it. Dual Stars Granted.
Star 5: Would you eat here every day if you could?
They're the best wings I've ever had, and I would gladly eat them daily. Star Granted.
I didn't know about this location until a few weeks ago when my sister told me. Â It's like 15 minutes from my house. Â So I had a craving for their wings and decided to order for a pick up. Â I thought it will be same long wait like in Annandale location. Â After placing my order(48 combo - 1/2 spicy) and I was told to pick up in 35 minutes. Â
So when I walked in after waiting 35 minutes, I was surprised how it's not as busy as I thought it would be for Saturday night. Â Only a few tables had customers. Â The place is smaller than the Annandale location but the staffs here are Top Notch. Â The girl that took my order over the phone was nice and friendly. Â The guy that greeted me and gave my order is the same.
I guess I will order more from them now that I know how close they are to me.
Suculent, finger-lickin good fried chicken! And some really good French fries too. I tried both sauces (hot sauce and soy garlic). Both were amazing. If you're not a fan of very spicy food, I would stick with the soy garlic.
We made reservations, and also pre-ordered our food. We were seated and served within 15 minutes of arrival, which was nice!
Drumsticks suck, breast medallions suck, sides are absurdly expensive, soy garlic wings are bland as hell.
However, the hot wings are fucking amazing, and completely worth the fact that your asshole will be on fire for the entire day. Â I do NOT recommend eating a lot of these before a night of drinking. Â Usually I get a half and half order and alternate the hot wings and the bland wings.
Delicious Korean fried chicken! The outside crispiness of the chicken tastes like rock candy kinda and the chicken is very meaty. I like both their soy garlic and hot and spicy varieties. The place is always busy among the young Korean crowd. All chicken orders come with pickled daikon. Just wish they'd deliver.
Review Source:Do you maintain a healthy diet and exercise 4 times a week like I do, just to eat at Bon Chon once a week? Â
The Annandale location is closed for renovations.
The Fairfax location is just about across the street from Home Depot and around the corner from Artie's. Â The place can handle 20 or so people at a time and it is extremely loud. Â It's def a sports bar environment at all times.
So let's get down to business. Â If you plan to eat there, you MUST call ahead and make a reservation. Â If you don't, prepare to wait up to an hour for your food. Â They inform you of this before you order. Â It's double fried, made to order chicken for goodness sakes. Â
So the "HOT" sauce is f'n hot. Â It's not ghost chili hot but after 3 wings, you're sweating and your sinuses have been cleared. Â The "soy garlic" sauce has some heat too. Â Beer is cheap and try the "kimchi colesaw". Â
They put a small metal canister on your table. Â That's there for you to discard your chicken bones.
The best Korean fried chicken I've ever had! It gives my pallet everything it needs...spicy and savory. I seriously cannot eat just one. The skin is sooooo crispy and flavorful that it balances the lack of flavor in the succulent meat. I do not like competing flavors. The "coleslaw" they serve with it is shredded cabbage with thousand island dressing. Not a delicacy but tastes great when your mouth is tingling with spicy goodness! The only other thing I've had on the menu is the Kimchi and Spam fried rice. I liked it but you have to be into those flavors...sour and salty. Overall, I'd try other menu items but the chicken is what will have me going back. Period!
Review Source:Awesome service! I live 5 minutes away from Annandale Bonchon but always find myself in Fairfax Bonchon..
The workers here actually pick up their phones for advance ordering and are actually happy to take your order.
It might have smaller seating but it makes up for it with 6 large LCDs.
The owner Mr. Lee is very friendly and is always looking to please.
If only this place was 5 minutes away from me..
Definitely the best wings i ever had. It may take a long time time to order it, but definitely worth it. Double crispy wings (garlic soy or spicy). They are huge and very tasty. I like it spicy but if you wanna share with someone who is into spicy food, you can also order half/half. Price is a bit high compared to other wings but i'm telling you, it is worth it. T.H.E Â B.E.S.T!!!!
Review Source:Pro:
-Crispy, tasty chicken unlike what you've tasted before!
-takeout is easy and fast! (unless you order chicken with the bone)
-the space is clean and staff is welcoming
-best service and taste is located at this Bon Chon over all the others in NOVA!
Con:
- this location doesn't allow you to substitute their 'salad' for rice. Their salad isn't a salad at all - it's made of cabbage or something and I'd rather they just not include it at all.
-small space and reservations are limited
The basics: Â Deep fried chicken slathered in your choice of sauce - Â spicy or soy and you do not to be Asian to enjoy it
What you need to know: Â To enjoy the deep fried heart stopping goodness, one must call ahead or one will have quite a wait on your hands ( deep frying something twice clearly takes a long time ) Small but serviceable dine in area and staff was polite and courteous ( on phone and in person )
Having been a vegetarian, Â I discovered that my body was not responding to my lack of animal protein. Â Now, I am embracing meat again and so are my blood iron levels.
My family and I have only tried the soy garlic on our chicken which my husband and I enjoyed. Â Our daughter did not think much of it but then again her taste buds have not matured;)
THE LONG VERSION:
Heard the great reviews and decided to check it out. We called in 30 mins before we were going to arrive as I had seen other reviewers had done. The first time I tried to call it went to an answering machine which was very strange. I called back a few minutes later to find out that they had run out of wings (it was the Cowboys vs. Redskins game) which was understandable for 9:15pm on a Sunday. Whatever, we got the drums and headed out.
The restaurant is located in a strip mall on a quiet road and is even smaller than it looks on the outside. The room itself was probably 25' x 25'. Nice decor, TV's everywhere blasting the big game, and subdued lighting. The employees at the counter politely asked what my name was for the order and after I gave it to them they went to whispering. From the English I understood it sounded like someone walked off with our order when they shouldn't have. We had a seat inside and they quickly gave us some menus. Mind you there was no apology about why we didn't have our order but it was so close to closing time that I was just happy we were going to get some.
Cabbage with 1000 Island dressing salad came out next - I only had a few bites and the pickled radish. The drumsticks are frickin HUGE. At least twice as big as any other drumstick I've ever had. My buddy and I ordered 10 Soy Garlic and it was plenty for the two of us. The skin so crispy and flavorful. You bite in and it's like the skin has ballooned away from the meat. It makes for a very interesting experience in your mouth.
I will be back again someday to try the wings and the other sauce. Well worth another trip.
THE SHORT VERSION:
Crispy, flavorful, plentiful double fried chicken with just the right amount of sauce.
Make sure you call ahead so that your wings are ready for when you arrive.
Attentive and polite staff.
Great fried chicken! Â I suggest calling ahead and placing your order so it's ready when you get there. Â Definitely the way to go. Â This location is way better than others because it had breast meat chicken (white meat!), dumplings, and many more items on the menu that the Annandale menu doesn't carry. Â Not the best place for a vegetarian, though.
Review Source:This chicken is absolutely delicious. It may be the best fried chicken I've ever had. The spicy and the garlic soy drumsticks are crispy and juicy at the same time and the radishes served with them offer a nice crunchy, cool contrast to the chicken. A little out of the way for me but definitely worth it.
Review Source:Bon chon deliciousness cannot be beat by any self-respecting chicken place I've ever been to. The soy garlic sticky goodness on the wings and the huge drumsticks are crispy and stay crispy even hours later when I inevitably raid the fridge at 3 am. Nothin like double fried goodness for emotionally fried new parents!
Review Source:My friends were always raving about how crispy the skin on these wings are and they finally took me here. Â WOW. Â It was amazing. Â If I could just have a bucket of skin I'd be happy (one of the many fat things I say!). Â We got the spicy wings and maybe it was a bit too spicy but it was really tasty. Â Their fries were really good and their sweet potato fries came out with maple syrup which was awesome. Â The slaw could have used a little bit more dressing though. Â I loved it though and I'm definitely going to come back.
Review Source:Oh Bon Chon, how I love and always crave thee...
I've been to all 3 locations and the Fairfax one is by far, the best food-wise and service-wise.
We called ahead 30 minutes to put in what we'd order and the food came out a couple minutes after we got there (it takes a while to double deep-fry the chicken so call ahead or else you'll have to wait a while.)
We ordered the large combo in half soy and half spicy for 2 people- I personally like the soy better, but the spicy is great if you like a kick with your food. The chicken is extra crispy, the drumsticks are huge, and the sauce is great- no extra dipping sauce needed! A large comes with 10 wings and 5 drumsticks but we still couldn't finish it all! Â
The Seasoned Fries (+ cheese) are crispy and delicious as well- $3.50 for an appetizer size and it comes with a lot! They remind me of Popeyes' fries =)
Overall, service was very prompt and friendly (much much better than the Annandale location) and the atmosphere is nice and clean with plenty of TVs and a bar. There isn't many tables inside, so get there early for dinner!
This has quickly become the standard as far as fried chicken is concerned. Everyone I know (even a vegetarian) enjoys it!
I recommend the half/half combo as it provides the best balance for taste. Side items like rice are a bit pricey, but who needs it when you can fill yourself up with more crispy fried chicken?
Be sure to check out other menu items, they make a surprisingly good Bulgogi dish and Caesar salad.
I think that the wait staff here is vastly better from the one in Annandale. I was with a large party and they messed up part of our order so instead of being rude about it, like they would have at the Annandale location, they made up for it by apologizing for it and giving us several plates of food. They were also very attentive and kept refilling our glasses before they were empty.
I also think that the chicken here has more flavor compared to the one in Annandale [perhaps because I'm in a much better mood while eating it!]. The pieces of chicken are monstrous and I love the crunch of the skin. I enjoy both the soy garlic and spicy flavors and I prefer the wings over the drumsticks, so I always make a request for wings only. As with the other Bon Chon, call ahead with your order so that they have the food ready for you when you get there. Otherwise, you will have to wait at least half and hour for your order to come out. The venue is much smaller here and if it's busy, it's just better to order take out.
So avoid the Annandale location, if possible, and eat here instead!
Tip: Call in advance with your order so that the food is ready when you get there!
Food: 3.5
Value: 3
Service: 5
Overall: 4
I love this place!! The atmosphere is chill but yet nice and semi-romantic. Not a lot of seats but manageable. Most order and takeout so seating is usually always available.
You'll never worry about fighting over what tv station to watch, all walls are covered with tvs with different shows or games going on.
The only downfall is not ordering ahead of time. I should have read reviews before going, I got there and ordered but didnt get my food until 45 minutes later. I ordered the large combo half and half flavors. But while we waited for the chicken, we ordered fried seasoned calamari and a basket of seasoned fries. Basically, everything is fried there. BUT THE SPICY MAYO DIPPING SAUCE IS TO DIEEEE FORR!!! IT IS FANTASTIC!!!!
30 minutes later... our chicken finally came out! OMG!! It smelled divine!! I mean, the glaze on the chicken and the mixed aroma of spicy and garlic just makes you want to dive right in! I am all for spicy, I believe that food does not taste the same if it is not spicy, but GIRL LET ME TELL YOU.. their spicy chicken is SPICY.. I couldnt even continue eating the spicy but the soy garlic chicken is amazing.
But let me stop rambling about how good it is.. go try it for your self but 20 minutes before arriving, you should call ahead to order so your food is ready when you arrive :)
If you're looking for something healthy, go somewhere else. Â Basically everything on the menu is fried and if you're here, that's what you're looking for.
Now that we're left with the people looking for something fried, I suggest looking at the menu and ordering ahead. Â You can choose between the soy garlic and the hot sauce to use for your wings, drumsticks or strips. Â
We usually get the soy garlic strips because we like white meat and want to taste the sauce and not fight the heat. Â
Their sizes range from way-too-small to too-large for one person, so I'd suggest going with a couple people and ordering enough for one less person. Â
The restaurant itself is small and has several TVs strategically placed about. Â This isn't a place to take a first date, but if you're looking to take part in some fried chicken indulging that you'll feel guilty about later...come here.
Crispy. Crispy. Crispy! I don't know how they do it but it's so crispy! Order 35 - 40 minutes in advance. I understand that they have to fry the chicken twice. Also, the fries are very good but a little overpriced. Calamari is delicious as well. The service here are always quick and friendly. Quickly doesn't pertain to the chicken. Best fried chicken I have ever tasted!
Review Source:The best of the bonchon chickens (or at least way better than Annandale). Â Make sure to call ahead and order the chicken, but always friendly on the phone and not too long of a wait. Â I also highly recommend dining in as the amazing, unique, delicious crispy skin loses a bit of its luster.
The best thing about this location is all the other items on the menu are delicious also, as they utilize those friers. Â The seasoned fries and calamari are both amazing, huge portions. Â Tonkatsu is also great, but the chicken is still the best option around and unlike anything else in the world. Â A large is good for two big eaters or 3-4 small eaters.
Only downsize is the next day being horribly bloated and spending a bit too much time on the toilet...
Unreal. Never had fried chicken this good.
Wings and breast meat were both outstanding. Had them with soy garlic sauce.
Also ordered a side of seasoned fries which were excellent. Be cautious - the large order is what it says.
Order food about 30-45 minutes before you want to pick it up.
Oh yes. Amazinnnnnng. My hubby to be moved to fairfax city in December and how did we miss this place until now. We were definitely virgins to the Korean hot...and we're forewarned when we ordered the hot wings. However, they were not nearly as hot as the hot garlic potstickers we got. They had kick. Both the wings and the potstickers were delicious. Flavor flavor flavor. This place lives up to the hype, no doubt. I loved the service too. He was very helpful and informative. he set expectations about time to cook the bomb diggity bomb chicken, provided waters without request, refilled the delic salad, and was overall very prompt. Oh and the cherry on top....the great happy hour prices....3 Sam Adams  seasonals for less than $6.
We will frequent this place from here on out!
Not once have I made the 1+ hour round trip that it takes me to get this chicken and thought it wasn't worth it. In fact I'm immensely thankful to the Food Gods that I have a Bon Chon even within 35 minutes of where I live. Food Jackpot.
Simply put, these wings are the best I've ever had. Yes, Korean-style wings have general differences from American-style wings, but Bon Chon's objectively put 90% of all other wings I've tried to absolute shame. Even Duffy's must bow to the godliness that is Bon Chon wings.
Point is, if you're in DC, you need to get yourself over to a Bon Chon ASAP. Zero chance of regretting it. Oh, and don't waste your time with deviating from the wings, which are the highlight of Bon Chon. White meat is way too thin and dry.
For two (+ leftovers): 20 wings half-n-half, small seasoned fries, and the little side of coleslaw that comes with it = $24.
BIG fan. Â Love Bon Chon - like some kind of opiate; once you have tried it, you will become immediately addicted. Â If you have never tried Bon Chon Chicken, stop what you are doing, drop everything and go now.
NOTE: THIS LOCATION DOES NOT HAVE THE KIMCHI SLAW. Â You have to go to the Centreville location for that (which is my normal locale). Â I recommend it if you can go there instead. Â It's a very unique blend of kimchi and ordinary cole slaw.
For the chicken flavor, there are two varieties: Soy Garlic and Spicy. Â I prefer the Soy Garlic myself. Â Remember to order at least 30 minutes ahead as the method they use for making it takes at least that long to prepare. Â It's definately not your Popeyes or KFC variety of fried chicken.
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