KoKo Chicken & BBQ

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

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!

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.

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.