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Categories: Chicken Wings, Korean [Edit]
Neighborhood: Murray Hill28th St-Broadway (R, W)
34th St-6th Ave (B, D, F, V, N, Q, R, W)
33rd St-Park Ave (6)
Mon-Wed. 11:30 a.m. - 4:00 a.m.
Thu-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 6:00 a.m.
Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 4:00 a.m.
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Best fried chicken ever.
fatty, greasy, and a litte bit of both salty and sweet.
Beats the fried chicken on St. Marks.
Love the souvenir resemblance of a store shopping bag they give you when you order to go.
"There's this place called Bon Chon. Have you heard of it? It's like, this hidden Korean friend chicken place near K-town, and it's like, a club and restaurant in one! It's a total diamond in the rough!"
Years ago, my Bon Chon babbling would follow a similar script. I'd shill for the place to any willing ear. I joined a Facebook page dedicated to all things Bon Chon. I was a regular.
Ever since the owners defected from the Bon Chon franchise, it hasn't been the same. The soy marinade of the chicken is missing a key flavor ingredient that alludes me. (To be fair, the original crispiness of the breading is still there) The heat of the spicy wings has been tamed from feverish to merely a blush.
MFC management, free from the patronage of the Bon Chon franchise, has also made questionable aesthetic moves. The original Bon Chon was enough of a dinner and a show - club like atmosphere, trippy K-pop dance music, hot waitresses, etc.
MFC has taken the concept from "cool" to all out gaudy. Our heavily watered down and overpriced lychee soju was served with a side of - and I wish I was joking - fresh flowers and paper umbrellas. Additionally, our table top beer dispenser came in a glowing and bubbling vessel. The presentation of our booze was tactless, gauche, and undoubtedly cost a few extra dollars. If the booze didn't make me vomit, then the Vegas sideshow would eventually do the trick.
Through boneheaded moves by management, my beloved diamond in the rough is lost. It's moissanite, cubic zirconia, an imposter, a fake.
Due to my crippling sense of self entitlement and general disdain for anyone who's not me, I didn't read any of the other reviews about Mad for Chicken before writing mine so, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, THIS PLACE IS NUTS!
Seriously, you Koreans (my roommate included) have really outdone yourselves. I'd like to think the people who designed this place had Tim Belcher in mind because he would literally shit blood out of his eyes and into his baseball cleats if he ever went here. One part office building, one part discotech, one part bar from A Clockwork Orange, Mad for Chicken outdoes itself in ways that David Carradine wishes he could've, and it'll save you the trip to Bangkok.
I don't know what they put in the fried chicken here but it felt like I was biting into an hour long sneeze covered in Obama ecstasy pills. The charming plates of corn mayonnaise were like, to borrow a Korean idiom, a "dragon coming out of a small stream". Who would've thought corn and mayo --food that when eaten separately, gets you bombarded with all sorts of racial epithets by your bigot friends, can find harmony in this crazy mixed up world we call Midtown?
But, if I could go back to the fried chicken, how have Korean people just really figured this out? It's as if they took the best parts of regular fried chicken, subtracted diarrhea, pickled it in Korean angst and sexual frustration, and seasoned it with Chan Ho Park's 2009 World Series.
Ok so, I can't even believe I've gone this long without talking about the booze here. Not only will you possibly freak out at the sight of this weird beer dispensing contraption that looks like that thing everyone was looking for in Dude, Where's My Car, but the novelty will eventually consume you and you'll find yourself nodding along to the Lee Hyori blasting on the speakers, and feeling the exact opposite of the way OldBoy felt after he learned he boned his own daughter.
From the nondescript office building exterior, to the fact that you HAVE to take a creepy, kind of rapey staircase up to the place, Mad for Chicken is the perfect start to the night of bacchanalia you have planned for the satisfier of your asian fetish. Asian guys beware: prepare yourselves for the agony of seeing our women conversing with Ryan Gosling-looking dudes quoting lines from "I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell" and handing out GHB tablets. Hence the 4 stars.
I heard through the grapevine that Mad for Chicken is the same place as Bon Chon. They changed the name to attract more American customers.
Anyway, the chicken tastes great the first time but after that the taste gets very tiring. It's too sweet and salty. Their legs are extremely dry so if you want moist tender pieces of chicken, order the wings.
Formerly known as Bon Chon Chicken, the owners of this establishment serves up the same food but without the Bon Chon name. I know why the owners changed the name but I am not at liberty to disclose that. Let's just say that Bon Chon needs to revisit its franchise model.
The chicken was fine. Very expensive for what you get but it's still worth it for this part of town (K-Town). The ambience is inviting; there's always a crowd at the bar area. For a place that doesn't even have a sign, it's always filled with customers. I guess people like places that are labeled as a "secret."
Going back to the food. The spicy chicken is not that spicy. A large combo order will give you less than 20 pieces of wings and drumsticks. It'll set you back $23. WOW! The mini-keg that lights up only comes with Killians Red. Trust me. You don't want it. Killian's Red sucks. It's about as good as Budweiser spiked with red food coloring.
Some yelpers also praised the Rosemary French Fries. I was not impressed. It's potato wedges served with some sprinkled dried rosemary and ketchup and some mayonnaise blend sauce. Big deal!
Don't expect too much from this place. The chicken is just okay, the service was lackluster, and the scene was tolerable.
One of my all time favorite chicken wing hunger pang cures:
Symptoms:
Thirsty and hungry, looking for a place that is open after YOUR bar has closed...
Prescription:
Walk into a nondescript office building on 5th Ave. Go up to the dimly lit 2nd floor Korean modern industrial chic lounge bar.
Order garlicky, tangy, slightly spicy soy chicken wings and drumsticks with juicy, tender chicken meat and twice fried crispy creme brulee-like skin that melts in your mouth.
Drink Lemon Soju.
Enjoy.
I met up with the girlfriend at Macy's after my night class got out early. As usual she was starving and I ended up with sympathy hunger. Is that even possible?
So anyway I read an interesting review last night for BonChon from Olivia R. exclaiming "Yes, it's still open! Don't let the "closed" title or "shady entrance" fool you..." Having heard of the place and never been there I figured this was the perfect opportunity. I google mapped it on my phone and was off dragging the girlfriend across broadway and through ktown. I read it was in some funky looking building and boy was it funky looking. To my surprise there was a sign by the elevator that said "Mad for Chicken 2nd floor." I guessed I missed that part of her review. Oops? We decided to be lazy and jumped on the elevator only to have it add to the confusion when it went to the basement and some shady looking guy told us the elevator doesn't work. No wonder that old man didn't want to get on with us! Could have said something Mr. Man!
But anyway, when we finally trecked up the stairs the environment seemed to change completely. I had to spin around and do a double take just to be sure I didn't step through some kind of magic portal.
We got a nice cozy table for 2 by the window and ordered a medium soy mad for combo. She wanted wings and I wanted drumsticks so it's good they had this option. Also ordered an Italian sausage rice. I should have listened to previous yelpers saying that the wings were awesome, everything else just doesn't compare. The wings were to die for. It was crispy and garlicky and oh so yummy. I found myself sucking my fingers just to not let any of the chicken go to waste. The sausage rice was quite let down after having the amazing chicken. It just didn't compare. It came with 3 grilled sausages cut in half lengthwise, a healthy portion of white rice, a salad with what looked and tasted like a really really thick French dressing, and dipping sides of ketchup and spicy mustard. The salad was really difficult to eat because the dressing was so thick it felt like it was sticking to my mouth and throat. The rice was a bit on the hard side. And the sausage was a bit bland, probably not enough spices mixed into the meat.
Why, you ask, did I give them a 4 star rating even though I clearly did not enjoy that dish? Well to be fair I was forewarned and it seems to be common knowledge to most yelpers that this place is known soley for chicken and maybe cocktails. I mean the place is called Mad for Chicken for goodness sakes. Duh? My own fault for lack of research and common sense. Also I have to give them an extra star for some of the best service ever. My glass was never empty for more than a minute. Although I do wish that they'd fill it a little more since the cup itself was rather small and they only filled it halfway each time. But hey at least that water kept coming.
As my psa for the evening I advise any yelpers planning on going here to eat nothing but chicken wings.
YOU'VE BEEN WARNED
Definitely not your typical fried chicken restaurant. The place has a lounge type of vibe as soon as you walk in. It's a pretty place with a nice looking bar.
The chicken is off da hook. It's very crispy and tastes awesome. I just couldn't have enough.
Do not come to this location.
Service was terrible: our waitress rarely checked on us and we had to wait 40 minutes for our chicken to come out -- and it came out cold!!!
In addition, I had prompted her to give me the check because I was in a hurry and she wasn't even attentive enough stay to see that I was paying right away -- on top of that, I got the WRONG change back!
It was just an awful experience concerning the service. Will never come back to this location for good fried chicken.
This place served me the BEST wings I've ever had in my entire life! And not only that, it served my friends and I the BEST soju we've ever tasted!
We went there at almost 3am, and the guard downstairs told us that they were no longer serving wings. Wow, did THAT set me off! I had been waiting for these wings since I heard words about them, and now, happily drunk and ready to chow down, this person is telling me they're not serving any wings?! I ran upstairs, asked the host nicely, "can I still get some wings"?? Voila~ At last, a little feminine charm still works in dire situations.
We sat at the bar, the bartenders were INCREDIBLY cute. We got a thing of yogurt soju, which turns out to be an orgasmic concoction of frozen yogurt and soju!!! I've not tasted a better tasting alcoholic drink in my life.
We waited for what felt like an eternity for the wings to show up. We ordered a large order soy and a large order of spicy - told you we were drunk.
At first these look like regular flavorful fried wings. But NO! As soon as you sink your teeth into these babies...... it's like a shower of stars and gold all around you! It's SO DAMN GOOD that I don't know how to describe it adequately. The skin is crispy, thin, flavorful, and just the right crunchiness that perfects the tender juicy meat on the inside.....
Each order comes with carrot and celery sticks, but who the heck would eat those when there is a mountain of world's best wings to be eaten?! Well, we ate everything. And we drank everything. And we ordered another thing of yogurt soju.....
Ahhh, what a memorable night, finished up by the most memorable bar food. A++++!!!!
I don't have previous Bon Chon experiences to compare this to but I've had the whole Korean bar-style fried chicken before. This was pretty good! I know for a fact that they get the most intensely hormone-injected chickens here and everywhere else... how else can you explain drumsticks that are practically the size of my hand?
I like that it comes with pickled radishes, celery, and carrots on the side. Gives it some variety to eat with. The chicken itself was fried to a very light and lovely crisp. We got the non-spicy platter and it had a sweet hint to it. Unfortunately if you get the medium size, you can only choose either non-spicy or spicy but for the large you can have a mix of both.
We went on 10/30 and most of the servers were dressed up in their Halloween attire already. Peter Pan served us; he was nice.
Bon Chon was awesome, sad to see it become MFC.... But there's still hope for that corner KyoChon place to open... hopefully soon.... if ever.. seems like it's been a looong time.... In the meantime, BonChon fans don't need to cry... the juicy, crispy, spicy, sweet little wing goodness can be found on St.Marks! if you go early its all you can drink beer and wings.... for more reviews visit my blog
Stepping into Mad for Chicken makes me feel like a cranky old woman-- the music is too loud for my taste, you're surrounded by a bunch of people who just annoy you, and all I think about is how "back in my day kids used to drink at bars, not at fried chicken joints."
But once you bite into that chicken, all is forgiven. It's juicy, it's crispy, (but it ain't greasy) and it makes me thank the Lord for the chicken who sacrificed its life to bring me so much delicious joy.
I wouldn't say it's worth an hour wait (max maybe 30 min.) but this chicken is pretty darn good. Skip everything else on the menu-- the bird is the main and only worthy act in this show. For a point of reference, a medium combo was enough to satiate both me and my boyfriend. Service is inconsistent and it can feel like awhile before you get the attention of your waiter (this goes for the bartender too, ahem.)
As others have suggested, take-out or delivery may be your best bet since you really should only be coming here for the food and not the scene (unless your idea of a pickup line involves fried chicken.....which actually would work on me.) Maybe all the guys here heard the Korean saying that if a man eats a lot of chicken wings he'll turn into a playboy. If that's the case, keep all the wings you want if that means more drumsticks for me, yeyeaa.
Honestly, I think this place is a bit overrated. Maybe it's because I'm biased because the person who took us here was 1) a total creeper and 2) talking it up by saying it was amazing and authentic. Amazing? It's not bad. Authentic? False.
Located in K-Town, this isn't a bad place for wings. But I feel like it's a bit gimmicky. If you browse through the photos, you'll see that many of the things are enhanced by dry ice. Our "guide" tried to convince us that the beer container just smoked because it was "special." False. It's just dry ice sitting around a container that has all kinds of other special effects.
The sushi wasn't bad either, but the rolls were a bit big. My honest opinion about this place--not to be offensive or anything--is that this place is overly Americanized. I usually have nothing wrong with that, but since our "guide" was rubbing in our faces as to just how authentically Korean this was..and how it was the most authentic Korean restaurant in K-Town.
My other dissatisfaction was service. I was pretty appalled by the amount of people that were working there...and the little they paid attention. It took about 20 minutes for us to wave a waiter down to grab our check--not really my favorite way of doing things.
My last complaint has to do with the interior design. It was nice how it had a darker more modern look, but I'm not really a fan of eating from a coffee table from a chair that is at the same height of said coffee table. I'm not sure if the rest of the decor is like that due to memory loss..but it's just not something I'm comfortable with. Modern is nice, yes, but what happened to comfort and convenience?
This place used to be called Bon Chon. Not sure why they changed their name. Whatever it's called, it has some good chicken, but it also could use some help in terms of service. It's ultra-slow here, and while the chicken is really good, it's not really worth the super long waits that can happen here.
If you get lucky enough, though, I'd recommend their soy garlic sauce chicken. Delicious!
BTW, it's freaking loud in here.
Hip, Young, Happening place... The wait was a bit long to get seated and for the chicken but it was worth it. Our friend had suggested to go here, he said the fried chicken is amazing, that's an understatement.. OMGosh, heaven....i am craving it still..The owner was nice enough to give us free beer for making us wait. The wait's worth it though! Just make sure you go in a bit earlier to avoid it. It's a bit on the cramped side but hey, when you're in NY and you're with friends, it's not something of concern...You're just having a great time... :)
If it was a mandatory visit during the Bon Chon times because their fried chicken, I don't see that point in this new era as Mad for Chicken but is still a mandatory visit for many other reasons, being the ambiance the top of them. From the perfectly seasoned, amazingly spicy, if it was the case, tenderest inside and a crunchy outside that looked to be part of the poor bird from the birth, the wings at Mad has evolve to a super-crispy outside totally separated of the meat, which is also different in flavor, worse for my taste, becoming like two separated pieces; and so, you ended up eating either the meat or the coat. And I'm not a meat eater, and I don't eat fried stuff; but even for my kind the differences are noticeable.
The rest of the food is also questionable, the Dduk Bok Gi (Rice cakes with vegetables cooked with hot pepper paste) is not very good, and some noodles that I have try are not good as well.. Its always swimming in sauce.
About the drinks, the cocktails are still as good. I really like the Lychee Martini; I'm in the girly side sometimes and so I love how they prepare this particular one, super-sweet and with a huge lychee to eat in the bottom.
But only sometimes. I use to order Soju, and its good except for the Yogurt Soju, which nothing to do with the one at Maru. Mad gives you this one too sweet for my palate. I love the presentation, tho. A glass flask with a hole in a side filled with ice to keep the temperature; coming over an ice-bed inside of a tray and with a flower and a souvenir paper umbrella in the top. :)
Something new that I never saw before is this transparent color-fluorescent light beer tanks... which hypnotize you as an aquarium and makes you wish either to join the people of the adjacent table or to order one if you still have some space; which never happen to me yet.
But once this is said, I'll still come back , It's definitely for a group of friends . Bon chon or Mad, the place has something that makes me return again and again; the semi-private tables, the darkness, the dungeon? style decor, the crowd.. is also nicely packed .. (ok, annoying sometimes if you don't get a table) .. and the service is good; the poor guys are so busy..that I can't believe they are not Mad all the time.
Chicken wings are super crispy, super juicy, super fine. The chicken just explodes into your mouth after the satisfying crunch of biting through the surrounding crackling deep fried goodness. Not greasy, not gross - crisp, light, and fantastic.
Gotta start looking around to see what else we can double deep fry into similar utter deliciousness...
Mad for Chicken is the old Bonchon Chicken with a new, not necessarily catchier name.
Now the new craze of the moment, their Korean-styled fried chicken is crispy, crunchy, and yet saucy because apparently they're fried twice.
it's true, their chicken is insanely good. the spicy flavor killed some of my taste buds, but the 'soy sauce' flavored one is nicely tangy and sweet.
the most surprising thing about MFC is that this place is like an upscale bar/lounge even though everyone's gnawing on wings. after hearing friends talk about coming here at 2-3am after a night out, i completely imagined a hole in the wall spot with bright awning and florescent lighting. On the contrary, this is probably the after-party after the party.
I don't think I've ever really looked at a menu here. Come on, just get the chicken. Whether you're a fan of KFC/Popeye's looking to spend a little to step up the class, someone with a taste for Korean food, or just someone who truly is "mad for chicken," you can do your part to stop this apparent overpopulation of gallus domesticus.
You will not be disappointed. It only comes in two flavors, both of which go down well in large quantities and/or with beer. I don't think the hot & spicy is particularly strong, but apparently some people prefer to stick with the mild soy garlic flavor. No worries if you are stuck with the one flavor -- you'll still be chowing down the wings and drumsticks like popcorn.
Incidentally, we were trying to figure out the spices in the popcorn they serve when you show up. There's a definite tang to it -- maybe curry -- but it's mostly the basic butter & salt. Don't fill up.
Go with someone who's been there before to make sure you can find the place. It's kind of surprising, because it can seem really trendy on the inside, in both the good and bad ways. And it can be loud, and definitely busy. If you're going with a group, a little planning should pay off; just make sure everyone gets there reasonably on time or they won't seat you. Walking in with just two or three people, you shouldn't have a particularly long wait, but while you do, be wary of overpriced drinks & beers at the bar...
I think the addiction for this food comes from a certain, uncontrollable urge for something ... something you can't particularly put your finger on. Its similar to wanted pretzels for salt or sour patch kids for sugar. Bon chon in general (and this restaurant specific) is another type of desire which will come to mind at the most random time: In the middle of the day at work, after a long night of partying or even breakfast. And then there you are saying "MAN! I really want bonchon right now!"
I don't really deviate much from the main dish here. I find it very cute that the beer is measured in ccs.
Also, the new name is stupid. I wish they just dealt with whatever copyright infringement they had and changed the name back.
Otherwise, a great restaurant that gives you that satisfaction you've been craving all day.
PS: We'll see if Kyo-chon will be any better...
Yes, yes, yes, yes, and YES :) Sure, this used to be the top secret Koreatown fried chicken joint / bar known as BonChon. Now, it's that top secret Koreatown fried chicken joint / bar known as Mad For Chicken.
New name, same crazy place. Impress your friends when you drag them into a ratty old office building, up the stairs, and into this sometimes-too-loud but definitely unique place.
And then order lots of fried chicken! As long as you can tolerate spice, I recommend a nice large combo, half and half. So half drumsticks, half wings - half in garlic soy and half in the spicy sauce. My personal preference is a half and half of all drumsticks, but to each their own ;-)
Note that MFC is only open at night, but take heart - KyoChon is opening in January just up the block (same chicken) and the original BonChon can be ordered day and night at Boka on St Marks (between 2nd and 3rd).
Have I mentioned I love this chicken?
This is a vegetarian's review of this place.
A few years ago, while my brother and I were walking around K Town, he took me to this weird bar on the second floor of some building. It seemed like a place that was sort of exclusive or at least lesser known. Turns out, as I came out one night with some friends, it was a chicken joint called Mad For Chicken.
This place is so darkly lit you need to use the candles to see the menu, and the seating is really low at about half the tables and you have to hunch over. If you are a vegetarian, like me, you'll find that there's not much on there except some appetizers. The rosemary fries are real tasty, but they were really thickly cut and not cooked all the way through. It seems like what they do right, they do pretty well, but there's lots of room for improvement.
There's no standard veggie-friendly Korean fare available here as I had hoped, no gobdol bibimbap or the like, but I suppose that's not the point of the place. My friends liked their chicken though. It would be nice if they had veggie wings, but this is Manhattan and not Brooklyn.
Finger-lickin' good! I can't even remember the last time I had fried chicken but this stuff is just so damn tasty!
The place is surprisingly chic-looking -- a stylishly hip and very dimly lit lounge packed to the gills (wings?) with stylishly hip 20- and 30-somethings (well, they at least look stylishly hip in the dim light). It's a good thing it's on the second floor so you can burn a calorie or two coming and going.
We got a soy garlic and spicy mix. The soy garlic was the best and I think one big platter ($20-some) fed the four of us. The spicy was very good as well; a couple friends found it a bit too spicy but I thought it was just right. Regardless of the flavor, the chicken is savory and crunchy and just really, really delish. The soju is not worth it -- it's yummy and comes in a funky decanter contraption, but it's really just overpriced and watered-down juice. Some other patrons had their own even funkier beverage-dispensing contraptions, some sort of self-lit pitcher-pump for beer. I have no earthly idea what exactly it was or how it worked but it sure looked bad-ass.
I don't like the cheeseball name, but the chicken rocks and the place is cool. I plan to be back. This would be a great place to fuel up before heading out to karaoke in K-town!
Things I learned while at Mad for Chicken:
Korean's know a thing or two about chicken wings.
Chicken wings can be expensive. =/
Lychee soju is good... at first. Then after drink #3 it's just too sweet.
Korean's got Seoul. hehe.
Bonchon / Mad for Chicken is probably my favorite restaurant in the city, at least in the top 5. The soy garlic wings are completely off the hook delicious and the rosemary fries are pretty tasty as well, especially in the mustard sauce. I'm absolutely in love with this place. The wings are just so damn crispy, flavorful, and all around delicious. And the lychee soju is great as well, I'm pretty sure we went through 4 bottles, plus the presentation is beautiful. Wonderful meal!
Is the name "Mad For Chicken" a little silly? Yes it is. Is it weird that the guard downstairs now checks for ID? Yes it is. Is the chicken still amazing? Uhhh YES IT IS!!!!!
So I took my friends here, because my friend wanted Korean cuisine and she wanted me to surprise her. This was our first stop. Walking up the stairs and into this cool lounge always shocks people the first time they come here, and my friend was no exception. My other friend had been here countless times and he already had an inkling that this was where I was taking them.
When you arrive and wait for a table, you actually get a number now. Yes, it's more organized than in the past. We sat at the bar and I ordered us a yogurt soju, because my friends had never had it. Sure it was a little watered down but it still tasted great. Within 10 minutes, we had ourselves a table.
Of course we got the soy garlic chicken wings, because who doesn't get the soy garlic chicken wings when they come here? But for an appetizer, my friend ordered something that I never knew they had here: Jerk Fish. I know I've got the name wrong but essentially it was fish made like beef jerky. It was really hard to chew but it tasted really good.
Need I even say that the work staff is still really cool looking, like in a Se7en music video?
The interior is just the same. The girls are just as cute, and the chicken?..,
My soy garlic chicken was good. I haven't had it in such a long time. It's just as tasty, just as crunchy, and just as pricey as it's previous namesake. Is it as good as I last remembered?, no!
The smaller pieces clearly displayed signs of over-cooking. The fried chicken pieces were hardened (from the over-fry) in some areas.
Bon Chon?, I miss you!
I used to come to what used to be called Bon Chon on Tuesday evening [if and when my friends and I couldn't get a table at TFC across the street during its insane Tuesday's happy hour deals]. Apparently, the name of this bar has been changed from Bon Chon to Mad for Chicken not too long ago.
I have to admit that I do enjoy the Korean styled fried chicken wings here. Every single time my buddies and I came here, we would order half/half of both Soy Garlic flavored and their Spicy flavored combinations [wings and drumsticks combined]. I would recommend chowing down on these delectable fried chickens [wings & drumsticks] with an ice-cold pint of beer. The combination always work wonder for me.
I also enjoy the abundance of sexy Korean honeybabies that can be seen in this venue, including their own Korean waitresses and hostesses working here. Although the girls working here haven't been as flirty or as friendly to me as those cuties working across the street at TFC, but they look to be somewhat younger than those girls working at TFC also [for those of you who might be into those 'barely legal' materials like I tend to be...hehehe]. Well, the eyecandies sure add to the ambience of this bar, at least for me.
Drinks at most Korean bars/lounges around Koreatown can be pricey, and since I am a cheapo, I would only order the cheapest pint of beer I could find on their menu. I think it's the Killian Reds, if I can recall correctly. Anyway, music being played here are usually the generic Top40's ringtones [aka today's HipHop] or the Trancey craps [which, to those who really know, cannot be considered House music by any mean] .
So, Mad for Chicken gets a 3 stars rating from me for their tasty fried chickens [drumsticks and wings] and their sexy little waitresses and hostesses that work there. Although let's be honest about one thing here, their 'hot & spicy' flavored chickens ain't spicy enough for people who really like their foods with a lot of heat. Still, I would recommend their fried chickens if you have at least 1 other person to share them with [since they aint all that cheap]. And that's my $.02 for the day.
No, the chicken is not amazing. In fact, it wasn't all that at all.
BUT the 4 stars are meant to compensate for their putting up with our loud party -- loud, drunk, large party.
So I made reservations here for a Saturday night. The guy on the phone couldn't spell my name, but I forgive him because he must be a fob. He forewarned me that we must leave by 9pm and that there would be a $25 minimum per person. I was outraged but obliged accordingly.
Half of my people and I came here on said Saturday night while the other half were on their way. We planned to celebrate my birthday early by indulging in fried chicken and alcohol. The lady acted like they had never received a call about a reservation and told us to wait a little bit and see "what [we] can do."
They put together some random chairs around a small crowded table. We sat down. We ordered. And ordered. More people came. We ordered more and more. The waitor had a huge smile on his face and was probably the friendliest waitor I've ever seen in my life.
The shots and drinks were watered down. I had the soju (white yogurt and strawberry), liquid cocaine (which has 151), redheaded slut, and a jaeger bomb (which the waitor had already bombed without telling us; what is the point of ordering a bomb without the chance to bomb it yourself?)!
All in all, I give this place 4 stars because we had a great time. Totally biased.
Don't know why they changed their name to be so corny but it is still good! There is usually a wait for their fried bird but it is surely worth it. Typical Korean fried chicken with light batter, non-sticky or greasy and full on flavors. They have a strong menu of soju and side dishes as well. A friend and I just ordered a small combo with 1 sushi roll and we were full.
SO crispy! I simply can't fathom how they get the fried chicken to stay so crunchy even when bathed in soy garlic or spicy sauce. Some friends from out-of-town and I went there to partake of this infamous chicken. We were expecting a walk-up stand, but we ended up in this secret, industrial club setting eating amazingly fried chicken (and I'm not usually a fan of fried chicken) and crunching on pickled radish. The freshly pickled radish (I know, it's a contradiction of terms) was also really tasty. The waitress was super attentive and was nearly precognizant of our next move.
The only drawbacks were that if I hadn't looked up, we might have never found the place, and it does get pricey.
3.5 stars
I was actually pretty disappointed. I was told repeatedly that this place had the BEST fried chicken EVER and I am a SUPER FRIED CHICKEN FAN. I mean, I would die for fried chicken. Shoot, I would even marry it if it meant I could eat it everyday.
Anyways.
After freezing for 2+ hours on the double decker bus, we went off in search for the "Mad For Chicken" aka Bon Chon for their famous fried chicken. Located on the second floor in a nondescript building, I was actually shocked we were able to find it as easily as we did. Maybe when you're hungry, your senses are more keen? Maybe...
The menu looked absolutely amazing.
We ordered:
Mad For Wings
Rosemary French Fries
Seafood-Jun (Scallion pancake pan fired w/ seafood)
Godzilla Roll
Cheese Dduk Bok Gi (dduk bok gi with melted cheese)
We tried to order more but we were told the kitchen had already closed so they only had a limited amount of items from the menu.
:(
The verdict:
The wings were good BUT in no way were they out of this world. Sorry, I've had better *ahem* San Tung *ahem*
The fries needed to be FRIED. How 'bout that?
The seafood pancake was ehh. I think Teo (SF) makes it way crispier.
The Godzilla roll was B.O.M.B. I usually don't care to eat cooked rolls but it was really, really delicious.
The Cheese Dduk Bok Gi? I have mixed feelings about this dish. I liked it because it was extremely saucy, slightly spicy with a really good flavor...and it had CHEESE! What I didn't like? The big rice rolls + fish cakes + cheesy combo with the spicy sauce together. It just didn't feel right. It looked like a cross between a Mexican lasagna with Korean influences.
Maybe if I had Soju, everything would have tasted 82743 times better but since it was an alchy-free night, I tasted everything for what it was. Sorry MFC, San Tung is still the reigning champ in my book!
A-freakin-MAZING!
I love the club feel, the danky stairs that lead up to the entrance, the rave-y beer container, and of course the chicken!
I showed up wanting to eat at Bon Chon and was a little confused by the Mad For Chicken sign. I felt a little dumb asking the hostess "Um, is this Bon Chon?" but I was really in the right place.
Show up with a group of friends, get the soy garlic chicken (both the wings and drumsticks are good, but I prefer wings), and drink a couple of liters of beer for a great night out.
Looked for this place online and didn't know that they changed the name from Bonchon. I had come here a few times before but never sat down, mostly at night and been turned off by the wait here, so I decided to go on a Monday night.
The place itself tries to be one of those high-ish class places with neo-modern architecture and dark lighting. I remember someone saying that the darker a place is, the more expensive it is. And that's pretty true, at least in this case. My girlfriend and I sat opposite each other on 2 chairs and had a small console table (read : knee height) between us. This made things quite hard to talk as we had to lean uncomfortably over to say anything to each other without yelling. It's not loud per se, but definitely not a quiet place. The 2 things that we ordered *just* fit on the table. Had we gotten more, we'd have to hold our plates the entire time.
We ordered the mixed chicken dinner, which was 16 wings/drumsticks/drumettes, for $23. We also got the big 2-liter container of beer( $26). It comes in 2,4, and 6 liter versions. They have it in this novel light up storage container with a spout that keeps your beer cold throughout. The menu said the chicken might take up to 1/2 hr to cook "fresh", but it came out in 2 minutes, even quicker than the beer. They do have a decent variety of beers in bottle and tap, but the only one they'll do in the container is Killian's. Not terrible, but it would be nice to have more variety.
So how was the chicken? In one word, delicious. They have 2 flavors, one was spicy, and one was soy sauce ginger. The soy sauce one had great flavor, and the spicy was pretty spicy, but wasn't too spicy. After the last ones, I did have to drink my beer pretty quickly though, so at least for me, it's perfect because it brings you right to the edge of what you can take. The thing that makes the chicken stand out was the super-crispiness of the skin and tenderness of the meat. It's like nothing I've ever had before. It's crispy and flavorful without being greasy, and overall is one of the best styles of fried chicken I've had. This is way better than KFC or Popeyes. I would say it's kind of like the japanese fried chicken that you get in bento boxes flavorwise, but the crispiness of the skin (without being breaded) is what makes it unique.
The dish also came with carrot and celery sticks, some runny white dressing (ranch maybe?) and cubes of pickled radish to clean your palette with. On the menu there was also a large array of sushi, but at those prices, (~$15/roll) I'd rather go to a proper Japanese restaurant. I was excited to try the soju (Yakult yay!) but oddly they were out. Guess they don't make any during the non-weekend.
So happy hour for ~$64 tax and tip included. Overall, it was an ok experience. The chicken was amazing, the beer was novel, and the place was a bit pricey. I'd go there again for the chicken and maybe happy hour with friends for a special occasion, but not something I'd frequent too often. I would go to a hole-in-the-wall place that has chicken like that for 1/2 the price. I mean it's basically just hot wings right? It almost makes me cringe that on the same Monday, I could have 10 cent wings (about 15x cheaper) at some other bar/lounge place in the city.
PROS : Chicken. Don't leave without having it. Large containers of always-cold beer.
CONS : Seating is awkward. Expensive for chicken wings and beer.
VERDICT : Good place to bring a date, but there's gotta be other places that make this style of chicken without the overhead of the "expensive" atmosphere.
I don't know what's up with the new name. Cheesy if you ask me.
Anyway, the chicken is still great. I like the soy wings but the spicy is just way too much even for me. I am the type of person that adds sriracha to almost everything to spice it up. The spicy made my tongue and lips numb!
I also like the rosemary steak fries but it's not for everyone. The cheese duk boki gets 3 stars, b/c ARANG's just beats it hands down. There's a lot of cheese which is a plus, but the duk boki is waaay too sweet.
The lychee soju is delicious, however, something about the mix of the food with the alcohol ends up making me sick. I've had soju at other places and never had this problem.
I used to love this place when it was Bon Chon. Love actually doesn't even BEGIN to describe it. I would get Bon Chon cravings at around 10 am on a random Tuesday and then spend much of my day dreaming about how to make it happen. Even after I moved to California for a year.
I'm back in NY now, but Bon Chon is gone, and Mad for Chicken just isn't as good. Either the sauce or the method or both are different, and it's just not as good as Bon Chon was. It's still better than most versions of chicken wings, but it's not fetish-worthy like Bon Chon and not really worth dealing with the trek and the weird club atmosphere. I've found that Kasadela in the East Village has great wings too- spicy, crispy and flavorful, but I'll say it again: I MISS BON CHON :(
Love Love Love this place, formally known as Bon Chon...cute change "mad for chicken" =]
Well yes the chicken is amazing, but dont just stop there, try the sushi, it really is pretty good, alot of stuff on that menu is really good
reasonable prices, cute staff!! haha
but oh boy that wait is a killer =[
i went here about a week ago. one thing i feel like i know well in this world is fried chicken.. i know southern fried, mexican style, kfc, chinese style with bones, and of course Korean style..
food is great. chicken is good. i tastes like the way it should.. overall food i give 5 stars. gochoojang flavor and ginger flavor. crispy and sweet on the outsides. soft and piping hot on the inside. i personally like the drumsticks, but there are definitely the wing guys out there. cest le vie.
HOWEVER... the place is not good to eat at.
1) lines are so long. you just stand there in the dark at this supersmall bar waiting for someone to leave. problem is.. this is a drinking place as well, so people dont leave.
2) it's so dark in the bar and i cannot see anything
3) it's so loud in there and i cannot hear anthing.
once you sitdown though.. you are in good shape. I will say, prices are high for fried chicken, but worth it. margins here must be crazy - they must print money...
best way to go at it in my mind is order takeout and eat at home while watching football.
BonChon Chicken is now called Mad For Chicken.
If we're talking about mad as in the context of being crazy, then I am mad about a lot of things, for example: rhubarb season; or shopping, sample sales and scoring $700 Alexander Wang blazers for $85; or even stalking Bobby Lee in a homemade iron-on transfer tank top with his little yellow buddah belly emblazoned across my chest (I have since grown up--marginally--leaving this post after kissing my 20's good-bye)...
But I'll tell you what I'm not madly mad about: I'm not mad about the chicken served at Mad For Chicken. It's supposed to be the same owner with an unaltered recipe, but something smells markedly different. Instead, I found the combination of vapid service [*Knocks on underage waitress' forehead* Hello? Anybody home?] and heavily sauced, sickly sweet chicken discouraging any sort of future craving for Korean style fried chicken, at least when eating my way through NYC anyway. There are other options for early diners, like, Mexican Corn, Rosemary French Fries, Mozzarella Sticks, your standard Korean anju, and of course, what's a K-bar without Dduk Bok Gi, but that all translates to little value when the kitchen is closed during primo drunken stuff-the-face-regret-it-tomorrow-AM grazing hours. [Keys in karaoke song #11102483, Lionel Richie "All Night Long"]
Nonetheless, I imagine this late-night establishment will continue to thrive because Koreans get all grabby with their fried chicken and beer, especially when rushing from the spouts of oversized lava lamps. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
(Someone stop the bubbles.)
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