Bantam King

"Located in a former Burger King location, this ramen joint from the Daikaya team is explicitly focused on chicken ramen (not to mention Japanese fried chicken). Don’t miss out on the (vegetarian) tantanmen, which packs an appealing heat." - Missy Frederick, Eater Staff

"Chicken ramen is the specialty of this destination ramen shop in D.C. (the owners also are behind nearby Daikaya ramen shop and izakaya) — note that if the spicy tantanmen is on the menu, it’s worth a try. Fried chicken is an additional offering here." - Missy Frederick, Tierney Plumb

"Chicken gyoza with chile oil are a great way to start the meal at this chicken-centric ramen restaurant." - Vinciane Ngomsi, Aparna Krishnamoorthy

"Part of Daikaya Group’s ramen empire, this cheery Chinatown staple uniquely relies on paitan stock — its version of chicken noodle soup — to deliver a comforting bowl packed with pulled chicken, greens, onion, chili threads, sweet corn, and naruto. The broth-based brand mastered takeout and delivery during the pandemic with seamless heat-and-eat assembly." - Tierney Plumb

"Bantam King is a great weeknight spot for groups looking for a casual night out. Inside, the Penn Quarter shop is a colorful, wonderful mess with lanterns in different sizes and colors and a long table that stretches the entire length of the restaurant. Seats are packed close to one another, so be prepared to sit snugly next to people you don’t know. Most importantly, the food here is bussin’. It's all halal and there are also vegetarian options. The menu has chicken and vegetable-based ramen alongside Japanese-style fried chicken. The steamed chicken dumplings are soaked in a sesame seed and chili oil broth that will have you sponging every last drop and the Nashville fried chicken plate, served with rice and a spicy salsa verde sauce on the side, feels like one of those elevated international KFCs (IYKYK)." - omnia saed