Executive Chef Brian O’Connor has officially opened Bok a Bok Chicken’s second location in the heart of Capitol Hill. The quick service Korean-style fried chicken joint’s White Center location has seen great success, paving the way for their new venture. 

Bok a Bok Chicken is an award-winning, quick service Korean-style fried chicken joint that takes fried chicken to the next level with their naturally tastier, free range chicken with a super thin, extra crispy battered shell that hugs in all the flavor and juicy goodness.

“I’m amped to be opening Bok a Bok on Capitol Hill” said O’Connor. “We’ve spent a great deal of time honing our fried chicken skills down south and are looking forward to our new neighbors trying it out.”

Inspired by O’Connor’s travels throughout Asia, his unique spin on fried chicken sets it apart from others in the Pacific Northwest. Guests can pair fried chicken breast; drumsticks, thighs and wings with a selection of housemade dipping sauces ranging from sweet to spicy.

The menu also features rice bowls, fried chicken sandwiches, and comfort-inspired sides including kimchi, ginger coleslaw, mac n’ cheese and house-made biscuits.

The Korean BBQ Chicken Sandwich was a standout. We enjoyed the juiciness of the chicken paired with the crispy coating and soft bun. However, after five minutes of it sitting in its container, the juiciness turned to sogginess (maybe we need to just eat faster next time?).

We enjoyed the wings the most with a nice balance of crispy and juicy. I’ll have to make another visit to try Bok a Bok’s chicken strips because they were out when we visited. 

The sides left something to be desired. The fries were more soggy than crispy. The kimchi was good, but I wish I could have ordered a fry + kimchi combo. And the side I was most excited for—the biscuits—didn’t hit the mark either. They were very dense, with a cinnamon sugar topping, and the clove honey was just a miss. 

All of the housemade sauces paired well with the chicken, but our favorites were the Korean BBQ and Bok a Bok Ranch.

The space seats 17 and is located next to Neumos at 925 E Pike Street, with an entrance on 10th Avenue. The restaurant is open daily from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm for dining in or take out, with late night hours on Friday and Saturday. Bok a Bok’s menu will also serve Nuemos, The Runaway, and Barboza.

“We are really excited to have Bok a Bok partnering with us to create a great menu for The Runaway, Neumos and Barboza. Brian’s fried chicken, wings, kimchi mac n’ cheese, tots, and sandwiches are a perfect complement to the drinks new bar manager Ryan Lobe is making, and the culture and entertainment we provide. We look forward to being able to offer the full menu at all our events and bars.” said Neumos Co-Owner Jason Lajeunesse.

While our first visit to Bok a Bok’s new location left something to be desired (we visited during their first week open), we will be back.