BB.Q Chicken
Currently the largest Korean fried chicken chain in Orange County – and the United States
At some point, the BB.Q Chicken name may become so familiar that it stops perplexing new customers, but 30 years after this Korean fried chicken chain was founded in Seoul, reasonable people still wonder why it does not in fact serve barbecue chicken. The name, it repeatedly explains, means “best of the best quality chicken,” which here means heavily battered, deep fried, then (generally) tossed in a sauce.
If this sounds familiar, that’s probably because two other Korean brands brought the same basic concept to America years before BB.Q. Each rapidly overexpanded, then all but vanished here: Bonchon Chicken has two remaining OC locations, Kyochon one. With a dozen OC stores, BB.Q is the currently the county’s largest Korean fried chicken chain, and thanks to rapid U.S. expansion, one of the largest Korean restaurant chains in the country, topping Santa Ana-based Flame Broiler.
Compared with other Korean fried chicken chains, BB.Q’s biggest differentiator is a collection of 14 different flavor options, contrasting with Bonchon’s two and Kyochon’s five. The classics – soy garlic and spicy – become more complicated here, with four Asian spicy sauced variants, a Caribbean spice, and soy-cinnamon; honey garlic, sauceless ‘golden original,’ cheese powder, black pepper, and smoky/spicy “galbi” versions are also available.
When BB.Q is good, it’s close to Bonchon and Kyochon at their peaks – super tender meat, wonderfully crispy outside, and intensely flavored sauce – but you’ll need to both appreciate breading and tolerate plenty of oil to prefer this version over earlier and more delicate competitors. There used to be healthier options on the BB.Q menu; some locations previously offered legitimately good salads with boneless chicken chunks, but they gave way years ago to trendier ddeok-bokki rice and fish cake bowls. Almost everything here is fried; unsurprisingly, pretty good onion rings and fries are also available as appetizers.
Consistency became problematic in the early 2020s as new locations opened fairly close to one another, sometimes with different menus, and guests began to complain about issues with the chicken and service – complaints that have continued through 2024. We gave up after a few bad experiences and started dining elsewhere, including at locally newer and smaller rival Pelicana Chicken. At this point, none of these chains is consistently as fantastic from location to location as Bonchon was in its prime, so go in with low expectations and you may be pleasantly surprised.
Stats
Price: $$
Service: Counter
Open Since: 1995 (Seoul), 2008 (OC)
Addresses
2750 Alton Pkwy. #111
Irvine, CA 92606
9672 Garden Grove Blvd.
Garden Grove, CA 92844
1781 Newport Blvd. Suite C
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Additional locations in Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Cypress, Fountain Valley + Tustin
Instagram: @bbqchickenus