Bonchon Village Way

So happy that the Carmel Valley area now has a really good outlet for getting Korean fried chicken. If you haven’t tried it, I definitely recommend it.

If you never had to Korean fried chicken you’re definitely missing out. At Bonchon they hand batter each piece in flour and potato starch then double fry to crispy goodness. 🍗 Fried Chicken: super crunchy and juicy, love their soy garlic sauce 🍲 Bibibap: chicken, white rice, quinoa, veggies all served in a stone pot 🍝 Tteokbokki: rice cakes simmered in a spicy broth with fish cakes 🍝 Japchae: glass noodles, veggies in a soy garlic sesame sauce 🌮 Bulgogi tacos: loaded with tender marinated ribeye The newest location in Carmel Valley is very spacious and has plenty of parking too. Definitely a great spot to get your fried chicken fix in!!!

Modern ambiance, attentive service. I ordered spicy chicken Bibimbap, and it's good but not impressed.

This location just opened. Fries came out before the chicken, but at least everything was hot that way. Fries were very good. Chicken breading was crispy and the sauce tasted great. Some pieces of chicken were more tender than others, if they were all tender it would have been perfect. But still a very good meal!

Food is really good! The pork buns and fried chicken, especially. Definitely try once. Service was OK. If fries are going to take half an hour to come out of the kitchen, warn your patrons.

Accidentally bit into a very spicy chicken leg once, but otherwise I’ve always had a great experience with the food here

Bonchon shimken I love it so spicy and crispy and delicious, service was great and very fast.

Terrible service and attention, this particular order very burned ... !!!

We were excited to see that this location was near the cheesecake place we also wanted to try. The mixed selection was great for both the drumsticks and wings lovers in my family. Since it was our first time ordering, we did half soy garlic and half Korean barbecue sauce. My kids preferred the soy garlic and I thought the Korean BBQ had a nice tangy flavor. My mom and son had the popcorn shrimp which they said was good but definitely needed a dipping sauce, the spicy mayo was a good choice. Service was pretty quick as we were there mid-afternoon and the restaurant wasn't too busy. This marketplace seemed pretty new with not a lot of foot traffic yet. We did takeout and there several tables being served and medium conversational noise level. Will definitely be back.

Crap service. I took my family with two young daughters in there and we waited at a table inside 20 minutes unattended to. We got our own menu to look at and never received even waters. I brought it up to the manager and he said it's the new way of doing things to deprioritize dine in for order out. Amazing thing to say to a family you neglected dining in. We left without even discussing the menu with a live human. We'd been there many times, but not coming back. I did what was advised below, and received no response. It's marketing posturing. Dishonest tactic.

This spot is like a self serve and bar like atmosphere that I would say is pretty on par for their franchise. I would skip out on the bao buns as they were smaller but they did have great flavor. Chicken was great as usual and came with plenty of sauce covering each piece. I tried their new flavor that was both spicy and tangy and sweet. Overall, if you were looking for a fried chicken spot in the area, I would say this is worth visiting. Service was good and pretty quick.

We ordered takeout twice now, and the food is so tasty that it could never fall under the "fast food" category. The first time, a few side orders were left out, so I called the manager to see what could be done. He promised to note my name down so that next time we came, he would compensate us. True to his word, our next order was even better than the first. We ordered their signature soy garlic drumsticks, chicken katsu meal, and the pork belly Bao. Beyond YUM! He gave us an extra side of slaw and the Bao dish was free to make up for last time. So 5 stars to the manager and his friendly team for their excellent service and kindness. This will be a regular meal spot for my family!

Chicken was nicely crisped and the bibimbap was also tasty. Ordered to go so it was very fast

4 star overall, driven largely by their friendly and attentive service and the nice environment for a work lunch meeting. This place is in Pacific Highlands Ranch and oddly enough was not that busy during the lunch hour. We ordered right at the stand at the door and took our number to a table of our choice. Sadly, this location did not serve chicken strips even though they used the same menu as the convoy location which includes strips. I ordered Japchae instead. The food came out quickly and they packed it in Togo containers, even for dine in, as if anticipating that you may save a bit to bring home. The Japchae was a bit on the sweet side but the ratio of ingredients to rice noodle was good. The rice noodle was a bit soft and overcooked. Sure enough, I saved half to bring back. Our server was fantastic, he was friendly, efficient, and came by just the perfect amount of times to make sure our water cups were filled.

Yes yes yes, I know this is a chicken restaurant. But they also have other options and so they deserve reviews too! I actually really like their japchae and appreciate that they can make it totally vegetarian. But this time I tried their bibimbap, and it was ok but definitely not more than that. It's good that they have tofu as an option, but there was no egg and not much sauce. So it was pretty dry. It's nice that they have quinoa mixed with rice. But it was not even as good as the decent mall food court bibimbap I got in UTC a few months ago. So this wasn't terrible, but I can't really recommend or gush about it. I will order japchae the next time I have a craving for Korean food & don't want to deal with parking on Convoy!

Been looking for a good Korean Fried chicken place since my favorite one in Poway shut down. This place was pretty good. Wish the wings were a little bigger though. Lunch combo - Half wings half Drumsticks - with Korean BBQ and Yum Yum sweet n spicy sauce 4/5 Wish the wings were a little bigger. Seasoned fries - As good as you can get. Spicy chicken bibimbap - 5/5 Flavorful spicy chicken, and sizzling hot. Shrimp shumai - 3/5 Was pretty okay. The kid liked it.

The young man who was our waiter was very nice and checked on us often. We came for lunch on a Thursday and we were the only ones in the restaurant. It looks like they do a lot of take outs though. I got the lunch combo which came with two drum sticks, and four wings. I chose half and half: soy garlic and spicy. The spicy had a kick and was definitely spicy. So good! The soy garlic was a little sweet but still tasty. The pickle radish side was just a small condiment cup of cubes. The starved fries was a better choice.

Great options and service. A must try place if you like good Korean bowls/cups! Options for all ages!

*Note: review for delivery only* Bonchon is one of my top places to get Korean fried chicken. We ordered: K-meal to go for 4-6: this included 12 wings, 6 drumsticks and 2 sides. We got half coated in soy garlic sauce and half coated in yangnyeom sauce (spicy) and for our two sides we got fries and fried rice. The food arrived packaged well and the chicken was still crispy.

There were pretty limited choices for wing flavors. We ordered the soy garlic and Korean bbq wings with pickled radishes for the side. Nothing too out of the ordinary for the wings, but the radishes were good.

Despite Yelp and Google saying 9pm close time- we drove by to park before 8 and they were already rolling down the blinds and when we stepped in at 8:01, 59 minutes before Google and Yelp said they close they said "takeout only". Then update your hours y'all. What a disappointment. It was 8 and not a soul was eating. So that means they probably start this nonsense at 7:30. Or do they let anyone eat there? Convoy location is where it's at, so very clearly.

First time here for lunch . I ordered the BBQ chicken strips with seasoned fries lunch menu. Not too impressed with the taste of the bbq sauce or the crunchiness of the fried chicken. However the size of strips was generous. The seasoned fries were quite tasty and had a nice crunchy texture ..the way I like my fries cooked. The accompanying soy garlic sauce tasted more like ketchup. You order when you enter and pay after you are seated and served your food . It was confusing what ambiance they are trying to create . Music was too loud for the lunch time. And, the genre did not seem to go with the place. There is a sports bar area or "pseudo"sports bar in the middle having 3 TVs on the wall : the end ones on a sports channel and middle one on a food channel. There were no bar stools. Two tables for a party of 4 each are situated next to the counter of the bar. My thought would be to replace those tables with bar stools and keep the seating areas as is. Maybe they do this in the evening to make it more hip for the later crowd... I have been to other Korean BBQ Chicken restaurants in the San Diego area that have been more to my liking. However , I would encourage you to try this place and maybe you may get a different opinion .

Good tasting Korean fried chicken, crispy batter outside with tender and juicy inside. Perfectly seasoned. We've ordered half original and half soy garlic. Both were delicious. Not too salty nor overpowering with sauce. Also tried Tteok-bokki, rice cake cooked in the spicy Gochujang sauce. It was a bit simple and missing kimari but still spicy and tasty enough. Sapporo Beer and Modern times Hazy IPA paired well with our lunch! Wait staff were both friendly and quick. Will return for the chicken again soon.

Haven't had KFC (Korean fried chicken) for a long time and was happy see a Bonchn nearby! We ordered the family meal which included 12 wings, 6 drumsticks, an order of fried rice, fries, and pickled radish. We were very impressed with the cashier's warning, "spicy is really spicy" when we ordered all spicy chicken. His warning helped customers to avoid unpleasant surprises. The spicy level actually was just right for us. The chicken was crunchy even the next day!!! We added some kimchi in the fried rice. It was a delicious meal! We will be back for more.

Went here on a weekday and it was empty (how I like it) and there's parking everywhere nearby: 3 parking garages and an outdoor lot. We got the lunch special and nothing disappointed! I suggest getting the wings (soy garlic is best, spicy is a close second if you like it hot), the seasoned fries (try their ranch!), and the pickled radish (light and healthy). We will be back soon!

Tried this place on a whim after getting ice cream (lol). I ordered the soy garlic bone-in wings with a side of rice and kimchi. Bonchon only has 2 flavors, Soy Garlic and Spicy, I was kindly told that the spicy is definitely on the hotter side and so I should be aware. Since I wasn't in the mood for crazy spice, I was glad I picked the soy garlic, the flavors were impeccable, crunchy skin, awesome glaze, and the temperature was nice and hot. The kimchi was really wonderful, I have been on a kimchi kick and I have yet to be disappointed! I had ordered all this to-go and it was all of those things even after the drive home! Next, visit me and the fiancé dined in, they do have table service which is nice. They give you ice water immediately, and a few minutes to decide on your order. The picture we took was during dine-in, we did chicken fried rice, boneless soy garlic wings, and of course, I did steamed rice and kimchi. Chicken fried rice: I was not a huge fan, I just thought it was simple and basic, there was not anything that elevated it to the next level... I think we should have gotten the bulgogi fried rice because it would have at least been different meat. Boneless soy garlic wings: They were definitely piping hot and delicious, but I personally think the bone-in was better, not sure why but I feel like bone-in always hits differently. Kimchi: always fantastic and good!

Well, I tried to give BonChon another shot because their flavor is truly great. In 4 months the wings have shrunk YET AGAIN and to a crazy small size, which I honestly did not even know existed... Not sure if this is a nationwide thing or just this store cutting corners. But I will stick to CrossStreet chicken from now on. At least they have proper wing size.. I truly have never seen chicken wings the size of a pinkie, maybe they are using baby chicks instead of full grown chicken. Pics attached to show the disappointment.

Dine-in. If you take out, I cannot guarantee the crispiness. We ordered: 1. Family meal: includes 12 pieces of wings and drumettes, we chose half spicy, and half regular. Unlike other restaurants, they seriously bring spicy- if you have any doubt, go reg and order the spicy sauce on the side! The boys could not handle these. They devoured the regular soy based wings. This special comes with two sides, but season fries and kimchi are not included, so we had two of the sweet pickled white moo/radish. 2. seasoned fries, and a side of kimchi. 3. 3 bowls of white rice. Overall, service was spot on, very attentive, and the wings came out piping hot and so so so crispy! I loved the juicy tender meat with the perfect light crispy sizzling hot coating. It just doesn't get any better. Next time I will order the whole family tray without spice, and just have spicy sauce on the side for me. The boys were not all that hungry this time, so we ended up with 3 wings left over, which were still delicious, if not crispy later that night. This location had plenty of parking, but it's not our usual neighborhood. We will definitely be back to the location closer to us.

This location reminds me of Bonchon from NYC. Their chicken is by far comparable to the East Coast location. I love the Udon soup noodles on the menu. My kids love noodles and they love the Udon here. Such a great item for kids and for soup lovers. Very family oriented place and great service all around. A must visit if you love fried chicken.

Always been a fan of BonChon, but this branch is the worst. First, they punched in a wrong order for me. I order a small combo but charged me for a medium combo. As someone who worked in food and service industry, I understand that people mistakes. But the thing that ridiculed me the most is the fact that flies are flying around our food while we're eating. It definitely lost my appetite since they're everywhere. Told the staff, and just told me I am sorry but didn't really do anything.

I didn't know there was a Bonchon in this area so it was a great surprise, I have been in the one located in Convoy street area. It is located in a nice plaza and I really like the place, the lighting, decoration and ambience is much better than the one in Convoy and service was good The specialty here are Korean style chicken wings so this is what we basically ate which are really good, I like mines with garlic soy sauce. There are other dishes but the wings is what you should order.

We've tried the take out on two separate occasions and they are consistently great. We tried the half an half wings- spicy (which had a great kick to the sauce without compromising on flavor rather than flat out burning out your tastebuds) and the soy garlic (which was more savory and kid friendly). The popcorn shrimp was a big hit with the kiddos with a delicious spicy mayo. My favorite though was the Bulgogi Beef Tacos- amazing flavor but I wish it came with a little more Bulgogi beef. The best part about the take out was that the food was still perfectly crispy/crunchy and not a soggy mess. Definitely going to return for dine in!

Met up with my dad here for a quick bite during my lunch break on a weekday. I had been wanting to try it for a while and see how their Korean Fried Chicken stacks up against other places I've tried. Not too busy, the place is small and has a nice, clean, contemporary, no-frills, casual vibe. Didn't realize it was a sit-down until I got there. There weren't too many folks dining in but we noticed the staff hustling to fill a bunch of pick-up orders. There was a bit of a wait for our food but the waitstaff staff was well aware, apologetic, and still showed a sense of urgency. Got the six-piece wings and drums lunch special (half soy garlic and half spicy) with pickled radish, and ordered the bulgogi tacos to try too. The chicken was hot and crispy and the best part was that it wasn't greasy at all. The size of the drumsticks was also really decent. The quality of chicken was great. My dad liked the soy garlic and I liked the spicy because it had just enough of a kick and a bit of sweetness. The bulgogi tacos were not worth ordering. The meat quality was not the best and the tacos were soggy and cold. There was nothing special about the meat seasoning or flavor. Just alright. I suppose I can't really judge a chicken place for that though. Lots of parking in the shopping center but you have to park on the Wells Fargo side. The other side closer to Bonchon is reserved parking for the other businesses only.

It has gotten better. When they first opened it was terrible. But this last time was good. I've had better Bonchon in LA, but this is still good. Worth a try if you like Korean FC.

Tonight was my second time taking out chicken from this place. I remembered from the first time over a year ago that the food was tasty, but also remembered there was something I didn't like. It was late and convenient to stop there again, and when I looked at the menu I immediately remembered what I didn't like: the pricing is almost insulting. The "small" size order of wings is about $20 for 10 wings. Oh and for that price you get one side--a choice of steamed white rice, pickled radish or slaw, served in a minuscule plastic cup. F'ing outrageous. Now I know why there was no one in the restaurant at 7:00 on a Sunday night. Never again. (And good luck staying in business.)

Very good chicken wings & drum stick! But do not order bibimbap dish! The veggies are sour & so is fried tofu. Both I believe was expired & tasted really bad.

I've heard about this franchise for a while now and I thought it was about time I tried this Korean Fried Chicken restaurant. First of all, the service was quick despite the fact that there were only two people on the floor manning both dine in and takeout and they had lots of people dining in and takeout orders. We came there for lunch on a Friday so we ordered off the lunch specials menu. We got the Half & Half flavor chicken drums (half spicy and half soy garlic), Bulgogi Korean Tacos, Steamed Shrimp Shu Mai, Kimchi, and Rice. The chicken came with a side and we chose pickled radish which was a perfect choice because it offset the chicken perfectly. Personally, the rice and pickled radish are necessary for me to offset the slight saltiness of the chicken so I always eat them together as a set. The chicken was very crunchy and juicy inside. The spicy drums weren't crazy spicy, so if you can't handle a lot of spice you should be fine. The Korean Tacos were also pretty good. I wouldn't order the Shrimp Shu Mai again; I didn't like the taste and texture that much. Everything else was good. Overall, a very solid Korean Fried Chicken spot with a lot of diversity in the menu so there's bound to be something that everyone likes. Would come back for the lunch special.

This place was really good. We both had the lunch special strips Korean bbq flavor. My son has the seasoned fries and I had the rice. The chicken was crispy, glazed right and not greasy. Another review said they were big but not really. They were more of like an appetizer sized strips not like what you get at wings n things or any fast food strip really? I didn't think I could finish 8 but I did. I did ask for soy garlic sauce on the side but they said they can't do that. They did have soy and sauce and really good tasting ranch and I like that the portions of sauce were actually decent sized. I was worried about the fries as they look to be a type of fry I don't care for which has the like curly fry outer crust but these were really good and I'd totally get them next time. Too bad Korean bbq flavor seemed to be seasonal cuz I'd want that everytime. I recommend and hopefully one comes closer to us in north county as I don't really feel Carmel valley is north county

Solid choice for a casual bite! We split the spicy fried chicken, French fries, bao buns, and soup. Everything was tasty and the service was great. If you don't like spicy, their normal friend chicken was great as well! The spicy definitely has a kick :) The French fries had the perfect crisp and decent sized portion. Definitely recommend if you need a little side snack with the rest of your food! No wait during dinner hour, and parking was fairly easy, and there's some street parking around if it's full. TLDR; worth a try as an easy stop for a quick casual bite after work.

The service great. Food was delicious. Ambiance casual with music. We went in a Saturday afternoon. Only a few people there. Service was on it. Always checking and filling our drinks plus they were all super nice. Will keep ordering from here no matter the location!!! Mae u gamsahabnida

Came here for their lunch special, this meal was so good. I've never tried Korean fried chicken before, and the flavor and spice of the tenders were very balanced. The strips were so crunchy and so delicious, and that pickled radish was such a hit at my our table. Can't wait to come back here!

The best Korean fried chicken in the area! We got the family meal with half soy garlic flavor, half Korean bbq flavor. We also got a bimbimbap, which lacked flavor at first until we asked for a second sauce for it. The waiters were super attentive and friendly. Our waters were constantly topped up. The restaurant was very clean.

Happened to come across this chicken joint next to the dessert place we were going to so in my foodie daughter and I went. We go the half spicy and half regular. I must say the crunch of these chicken were on point. I just wish that we were able to enjoy the flavor more tho. The spicy was a little too spicy for both my daughter and I (and we are spicy food lovers). It was tough to savor and taste the actual flavors because of how spicy they were. The regular chicken were good. I wish they jad more sauce flavors which I've gone accustomed to the other Korean chicken joint I frequent. The fries were typical nothing special. If you love spicy then this is your joint.

The chicken tastes really good. I got the soy garlic and I enjoyed it. Very busy and took a while to get my order. I kind of feel like all the paper/ plastic utensils make the restaurant really low quality especially when you eat in. But the chicken is good

Love these wings! And the PHR is such a cool place to hang out and enjoy your wings, and any of the other yummy spots to eat.. lots of activity in place fun for the kids.. splash pad with lights. In the summer they have live music every week. Always friendly staff at Bonchon.

Yum! The fried chicken here is so crispy and crunchy. The spicy chicken is HOT so be careful! We also tried the bulgogi fries, which were very heavily sauced, but the fries were surprisingly nice a crispy, not soggy. Get some soju to go along with your meal also.

The chicken was juicy, but the service was extremely dry. I'm a regular at the shopping center, and the service here has been disappointing the last few times I've visited. However, I'll keep this review food-related. Bonchon Chicken is my favorite fried chicken restaurant. I had my first Bonchon in Elk Grove, California, and have since eaten at every other location. The crispy skin and juicy chicken are both delicious. My favorite dish is the signature spicy wings paired with white rice. A small half and half serves enough chicken for two people. Utensils must be requested because they are not provided. Chicken here is great!

Glad to have more Asian food options in North County! Now I don't need to drive all the way down to Convoy to get some KFC. We ordered online and it was a very seamless experience, we got our food pretty quickly once we arrived. Quality was good and similar experiences to other Bonchon we have been to. We got the classic half and half, garlic soy and spicy wings. I would order this again!

Bonchon is TERRIBLE, im never eating there again. Me and my friend waited a whole HOUR for a simple order of bulgogi fries and chicken katsu. After an hour had passed we asked the server how long it would take for our meals to come out and he said it would take 5 minutes. 20 minutes later the food arrived. After getting my food i was extremely disappointed AGAIN since the food portions were smaller than before and more expensive. Not to mention the food isn't even that good either. I really waited 1 hour and 20 minutes for some mediocre ass food. This place SUCKS!

The mains were a hit, the sides were average. The service was fantastic and the restaurant was clean and well lit. It's not in a convenient location, but if you're in the area and hungry, it's worth a visit. Korean Tacos, bulgogi - sooo satisfying! We rate this a 3/3 Boneless Chicken, half soy garlic flavor and half spicy. The prices are meaty, slightly smaller than a standard strip, which means you get more sauce. Served with coleslaw. Overall, 3/3 flavor depends on your mood... The heat on the spicy is more than average, but not unbearable. It is like the kind of spicy that makes you want to eat more because it's so good, but if you stop you probably shouldn't start again. The soy garlic are mild, but savory and delicious. It's a flavorful experience that you will want to try if you want tasty chicken. Onion rings - they're thick and perfectly coated. Decent serving size to share; between 3 people, we each had 4 rings. 3/3 Seasoned fries - they're ok. Coated for extra crispiness, topped with parm. 2/3

Come here for the chicken. SO dang good. The other stuff is alright. But the chicken ?!? DELICIOUS crispy flavorful saucy amazing !! I will admit spicy is delicious but I am not able to handle spicy things so my fav is soy garlic!

The best KFC (Korean fried chicken) I've had so far! I've had Bonchon a couple times now and what I appreciate the most is that the food always comes out hot and crispy! I enjoy the spicy flavor on the wings. The fried rice is very simple but not in a bad way. The only thing this time around was that the rice was very oily, but flavor was good. The staff was also nice and very attentive.

Always enjoy eating here. Service is good and the food is solid! Take the boy here when he's home from school. split a 20 piece wings, half and half. and added the rice cake dish. also like the fact that they have a few tv screens with football on!

Been meaning to review this. On their menu it says some magazine named their chicken the best fried chicken in the US... And it's true!!! I'm a HUGE fan of Nashville hot chicken, but their hot chicken absolutely blows it away. It's hard to describe it well, but here's my take on it: it's perfectly crispy/crunchy on the outside, literally just the right amount of crunch that's just so satisfying without being too bready so that it's just pure crunch. The meat is so tender and juicy, jam-packed with flavor and again, just so satisfying! It really is the best, no better way to say it. Pro tip: get the family meal. It's the best value on the menu and gives you a great sample of all the best things on the menu.

My family and I went here today and we had a great experience! We tried the bulgogi sliders, medium boneless wing order (half bbq and half soy garlic), udon noodle soup and my MIL had the potstickers. We were taken care of two servers who were friendly, attentive, and helped us make selections since it was our first time there. Everything was delicious, fresh and as described. My toddler ate the bulgogi sliders and the udon noodles and my MIL ate all of her pot stickers (she usually won't eat that much but she said they were crunchy and delicious. There was no wait when we arrived and the food came out fairly quickly. The chicken was crispy/crunchy yet juicy and tender. The only thing that was lacking, in our opinion, was a better drink selection. Will definitely be back! We had a hungry toddler so we were not able to take any pictures.

Stopped in to try the KFC. Got pot stickers and wings. Both with two sauces, garlic soy and spicy. The pot stickers were a hit for us. We like 'em crispy as an appetizer and these were the bomb. The spicy sauce was too spicy for my wife so we split them down the middle based upon the sauce. We would definitely come back for these over and over. The chicken wings were also good. We will be back and try other options, but with pot stickers for sure. Once again both sauces as my wife loved the garlic soup and the spicy reminded me of my time in Korea eating many a spicy chicken wing.

Favorite location and super glad to see them making their way to north county! Great parking, lots of seating, clean facility with a clean restroom. Best part (besides the chicken) is they have other korean items to pair with (lookin at you, japchae!) There is a boba tea place next door - bring your receipt and you can get 10% off your purchase there.