Eric B.
Yelp
Fast-casual Korean fried chicken chains are competing vigorously with traditional fried chicken joints. The Missus and I were eager to try this hugely successful chain which has expanded globally. Sadly, our experience at the Glenview location was both disappointing and maddening.
I attempted to order carryout online but their web page wouldn't load, so I ended up ordering in person at the restaurant, which was not busy at the time of my visit. My Missus wanted soy-garlic wings but requested the sauce on the side. The server who took my order insisted the sauce could not be served on the side; it HAD to be baked on. Other Korean chicken restaurants we've visited have been more accommodating. I prevailed and he responded in a condescending tone of voice, "We will make an exception, but just this one time."
While waiting for the order, I observed that the floor alongside the counter and in the corners was encrusted with grime. Then, I noticed that a salad I had ordered was missing from the check. This needed to be added to my order and paid for on a separate ticket.
Although my entrée, a wing-drum combo (with soy-garlic sauce baked on) was fairly good, it was a tad dry and could have used more sauce. Unfortunately the sesame ginger salad (plain version) was neither cool nor crisp (most likely because it was nestled amid containers of hot food in the carryout bag). And, the dressing (likewise not offered 'on the side') was too acerbic for my taste. At $9.55 for a portion not big enough to be an entrée salad, it was overpriced.
My Missus unboxed her entrée (and btw their carryout cartons are flimsy and leaky) to find a drum-wing combo with NO sauce on the chicken OR on the side. She dislikes dark meat chicken and was really disappointed. The chicken fried rice was okay but on the bland side; it needed to be goosed up with a few dashes of soy or hot sauce. But condiments were neither included nor offered with our carryout.
Most places cheerfully accommodate requests to provide sauces or salad dressing on the side. In the post-pandemic hospitality industry, there is simply no room for inflexibility or stinginess, much less the indifference I encountered. I promptly reached out to Bonchon at bonchon.com/contact-us. That was ten days ago and their failure to respond is inexcusable. I will update this review if and when I do receive a reply.
UPDATE: Scroll down to view Bonchon's reply. In these situations, a savvy restaurateur would typically apologize to the customer and offer a gift card or a refund. Given that I had already made the effort to "reach out" and share details, Bonchon's unapologetic "We'll pass your message along ..." response is total bullshit. I will not return to this restaurant, nor will I recommend it to anyone.