KoKo Chicken & BBQ

I first heard about and went to KoKo Chicken & BBQ in Buena Park in 2011. Around that time, I had watched a Korean drama titled "You're Beautiful". A quote from that drama that really stuck with me was this: "The world is round, so no matter how far you go, just like the magic bus, you'll immediately return to the place where you belong." I didn't know it back then, but this single quote would define my experience with KoKo Chicken & BBQ.Growing up, one of my favorite foods was fried chicken wings. Later, as I became more busy with school and other things, I switched my preference to chicken tenders since they were boneless and less cumbersome to eat on the go. I especially loved the chicken tenders at KoKo! Then I went through a fairly long phase where I focused on a more ketogenic diet, thereby foregoing breaded chicken all together! I was kind of on an island by myself for a long time because I stubbornly adhered to my diet and would often refuse to eat out with friends and family if their destinations didn't meet my dietary requirements. Then the pandemic happened in 2020. I realized that life was too short to deny myself the moments of camaraderie with loved ones over food.In the ensuing years, I made up for lost time. I decided to dedicate most weekends to trying different restaurants with my younger brother. By 2024, I found myself back at KoKo Chicken & BBQ. It was actually at the La Palma location that I made my long-awaited return to KoKo on March 5, 2024 (I'm a numbers guy, so I remember specific dates really well). Naturally, I combined the best of both worlds from my childhood and young adulthood, as I ordered chicken tenders and wings for takeout. They were so good that my younger brother told me that he wanted to go to the actual restaurant some time.Living in Buena Park, KoKo's Buena Park location was obviously the closest to home, so that's where we went for Round 2 on March 30, 2024. Again, we ordered chicken tenders and soy wings! A funny thing happened on that day: The size, taste, and crunch of the soy wings were so mesmerizing to my brother that he decided that he would only eat chicken wings at KoKo from now on. Another food item that my brother and I have come to love at Koko is the tornado fries. They are unlike anything we've ever had before. Very unique, with the "tornado" name being a perfect representation of what KoKo has meant to us: A sudden whirlwind that helped us clear the cobwebs of our limited perspective and become open to appreciating new experiences, including new foods. Something that I really didn't even think about until recently was how, in most of our visits to Koko in Buena Park in 2024, our server was a kind woman named Stacy. In sports, it is often said that the best referees are the ones that you don't notice because those kinds of referees understand how to blend in with the game and not distract the audience from the main action. I think the same could be said about how Stacy approaches her role as a server at KoKo. She ensured that each meal at KoKo would be a joyful occasion for my brother and me. We could only think about how delicious the food was. But none of those experiences could have happened without Stacy blending in and taking care of our food orders and the delivery of those orders with kindness and grace. So yes, special shoutout to the one who has mastered the art to Stay-C(onsistent) in her service!If there's one thing I would like everyone to take away from this review, it's this: Life is all about creating memorable moments. Our most memorable moments often engage all five senses (sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch). With the aesthetics of Funko Pops and flat screen televisions all around the restaurant, the aroma of the chicken, the sound of laughter and joy from patrons in the restaurant, and the savoriness and texture of the food, I highly recommend KoKo Chicken & BBQ to create your most memorable moments!

Food: 2Service: 3Ambiance: 32.5 stars. Service was ok but not super friendly. Food came out in a decent amount of time but left a lot for the imagination. Supreme fries were a rip off with like 3 bacon bits and the whole chicken was so tiny. Even with the sauce, chicken wasn't as tasty for Korean fried chicken. We did enjoy the chive pancake. My friend hyped this place up and I was a bit disappointed.

Great place to bring a group!!We love coming here and the price is very worth it when you come with a big group and get variety! We came as a group of 8 and were able to get 2 sets of 24-piece wings, rose tteokbokki, and an order of fries. We were all pretty satisfied even after coming from a flag football practice, and the price came out to be around $15 per person. Service was very kind, even when we asked for extra sauce and checking on us with water refills.The atmosphere is very casual here, the lighting is always like LED blue and they usually have a big sports game on. They have a bathroom for girls and one for guys, which is trustworthy! The parking lot is a good size and makes it easy to not need to worry about finding a space.

Okay, sounds like the unpopular opinion here so maybe I just got them on a meh day.The biggest reason I gave this a 3 star instead of a 4/5 is because of the smell. I don't know what it was that day, but the whole restaurant smelled like bathroom. I got the first whiff of it when someone opened the door as they exited and we were just walking by. It was so strange and I really was so close to wanting to tell my party that we should eat somewhere else. Funny enough, when I used their bathroom later in the meal, the bathroom smelled good. Like better than the whole restaurant and it was pretty clean. Sooo I don't know where that smell was coming from.Maybe everyone was just smelling their own food? When they brought the chicken wings, THOSE smelled really good and masked the smell of the rest of the restaurant. We ordered the Koko fried wings, Parmesan wings, and tornado fries. The wings are pretty big. We ordered a total of 36 wings for 4 people and we could've easily shared 24 instead. The Koko fried wings were fried well and I liked the crispiness. The flavor could've been a little more bold so opt for a sauce for sure. The Parmesan was good too. The tornado fries were easy to munch on and I don't see this style of fries in a lot of places. Service was good. Our waitress was always around in case we needed anything. Prices were as expected at ~$1.50 per wing.Would I come back? Ehhh. If I was local, maybe I'd think about visiting for a night out/drinks with friends.

I love how late this spot is open. The vibe gives off group hangout, late night, watching the game. You can order drinks and chicken and it's a good time. Came here with my boyfriend and we ordered two half orders. One original one soy. The chicken is incredibly crunchy and a nice size which I was surprised by. Flavor was good but not sure if it's the best. Definitely the best texture and size i've seen though. Staff was helpful and it wasn't too busy. One thing that's was weird was towards the end of the meal we started smelling something odd it reminded us of gas? We were by what looked like an air purifier and it looked like it was also catching onto something in the air. I could be wrong about the device but it did smell weird. Luckily we were wrapping up but it was definitely off putting at the end.

Koko Chicken & BBQ has good food and provides great service! Would recommend the corn cheese and supreme fries.

SUPER YUMMY, just have to get passed the radish smell. But the best wings everrr. Definitely would come back again!

I recently visited Koko Chicken and BBQ and tried the rose ddukbokki, soy wings, and jalapeño poppers, and I was blown away by how good everything was! The rose ddukbokki had a perfect creamy, spicy sauce with chewy rice cakes that hit all the right notes--comforting but with a nice kick. Definitely a dish that stands out!The soy wings were delicious--crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, with a sweet and savory glaze that kept me coming back for more. They nailed the balance of flavors, and the portion size was generous.The jalapeño poppers were a fun addition too! They had just the right amount of spice, and the crispy exterior with the cheesy filling made them a great complement to the meal.The atmosphere was lively and casual, and the service was quick and friendly. Koko Chicken and BBQ definitely impressed me, and I'll be coming back to try more from their menu! If you're craving tasty Korean comfort food, this is a spot worth visiting.

a fullerton area classic! Their chicken is made fresh with new oil & never frozen meats -- was impressed myself when i read this on their table sign. i usually order their chicken as takeout orders but came here for lunch to dine in. It was pretty empty on a sunday afternoon but i think it's definitely more packed and high demand at night! Very clean and tidy! The server was so sweet -- i love her! we ordered a tuna kimchi jiggae (8/10) with regular wings (9/10) with sauces on the side. We also got fried jalapeños which were also amazinngggg (9/10). lots of fried foods so definitely wasn't feeling the healthiest but it tastes good so i'm not complaining.

There aren't many places in the area where you can host a gathering of more than ten. We had a group of 14 and reserved a side space by the door for our party. Another bonus about this place is that they have BUY TWO SOJUS and get ONE FREE--quite a deal for a large group. When everyone was feeling full and buzzed, It turned out we were one order away from receiving a free bottle, so being the Korean in us, we asked for another (two) bottle. We couldn't let the deal go to waste. The Fried Chicken was fantastic and the fries complemented well as a side. Overall, it was an enjoyable evening with many friends to share the night.