From the forest-covered mountains of Bukhansan National Park to the panoramic views atop the N Seoul Tower, there are plenty of reasons that Seoul is such a fantastic destination. South Korea’s capital city is awash with sprawling skyscrapers, spectacular historic monuments, vibrant neighborhoods, and wonderful cultural parks. This major metropolis may be filled with renowned attractions like Changdeok Palace, but the fried chicken you find here may just make you forget about everything else on your travel itinerary. The popularity of this dish has skyrocketed in recent years, and no night out on the town would be complete without a stop to pick up some of this delicious late night food. In fact, the combination of chicken and beer has become so widespread, that the ¬word “Chimaek” (a blend of the words chicken and beer) was created and many shops now specialize in this food and drink trend. This list rounds up the 10 best spots for fried chicken in Seoul, South Korea. Read more about them below.
Why Trust Trip101?
✅ Over 50,000 articles reviewed and published by our experienced team
✅ Over 50 years of combined experience researching, writing and reviewing travel articles
✅ Over 40,000 hours spent on research and fact-checking from credible sources (last year’s data)
✅ Optimizing content from data-driven insights collected directly from users on our platform
✅ Focus on authentic and up-to-date information by collaborating with local guides, global travelers and other industry experts
✅ Long-standing partnerships with credible brands like Airbnb, Booking.com, Agoda, Expedia, GetYourGuide, Viator, RVShare and more
✅ Full disclosure on any partnerships or sponsored content
Trip101’s team of writers, editors, and content managers oversees the publication of all travel content, including destination guides, accommodation recommendations, and travel tips. They have extensive experience in the travel industry and no content, written or visual, gets published without a review. Many of our team’s work has also been featured in Travel+Leisure, National Today, The Indian Express, The Telegraph (India), Robb Report, The Adventure Handbook, Tripoto, Korea Tourism Organization, and Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Some of them are also members of professional organizations like the Society of American Travel Writers and the International Travel Writers and Photographers Alliance.
Each member of the team follows Trip101's methodology and strict editorial guidelines to ensure accuracy, authenticity, and relevance.
1. Sai Chicken
Sai Chicken is a small, casual restaurant that has become wildly popular through word-of-mouth reviews. The portions are large and the chicken is perfectly breaded with fragrant kicks of garlic, but the unlimited sweet and spicy bean sprout salad that the chicken is served with is also stellar. Diners also rave about the double-battered fries that are seasoned to perfection and claim that these are some of the best fries in the city.
Sai Chicken
Address: 257 Jongno 1(il).2(i).3(sam).4(sa), Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 3pm - 11pm; Sat - Sun: 12am - 11pm
2. Kyochon Chicken
This fantastic restaurant is open 24 hours a day, so you can get perfectly fried chicken whenever the craving hits. Kyochon Chicken is a Chimaek chain restaurant that hand-cuts their chicken wings and offers five “series” or types of chicken: honey, signature soy garlic, red, fried, and with rice. You can also order potato wedges and a side salad with your chicken. The restaurant has a sit-down dining area, as well as take-out and delivery services.
Kyochon Chicken
Address: 2nd Floor, 464-6 Changsin-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Website: Kyochon Chicken
Opening hours: Open 24 hours
3. Chicken 678
等好久終於吃到了!! 選擇超多種的韓式炸雞+生啤
Posted by 陳小白 on Sunday, 17 July 2016
Owned by Korean host and comedian Kang Ho-Dong, Chicken 678 is a small restaurant with a big takeout menu. This place is famous for its light and crispy batter that isn’t overly greasy or oil, and for chicken that is tender and juicy. There are many sauce options, and local favorites include the Bulgogi Garlic Sauce Chicken, Sweet Honey Sauce Chicken, and Savory Butter Chicken. Every order comes in a takeout box with about 14 chicken pieces inside.
Chicken 678
Address: 199-40 Euljiro 2(i)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Website: Chicken 678
Opening hours: 11am - 3am (daily)
4. Two Two Chicken
This Chimaek restaurant has a delectable menu and a huge number of branches. Two Two Chicken has been operating for over 30 years, and it is renowned for its crispy batter and secret sauce recipe. From the casual fried chicken to the cashew garlic chicken, there are plenty of tasty options to satisfy any flavor cravings.
Two Two Chicken
Address: 5 Toegye-ro 20-gil, Namsandong 2(i)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Website: Two Two Chicken
Opening hours: 10am - 11pm (daily)
5. Chicken in the Kitchen
Chicken in the Kitchen creates gorgeously light, crispy chicken dishes and platters with the freshest of ingredients. This uber-popular restaurant prepares all of their sauces, sides, and meats in house, and the generous portions feature large, juicy cuts of chicken. Every dish is amazing, but patrons rave about the spicy Red Hot Chili Pepper chicken that comes under a mound of onion rings, French fries, and rice cakes.
Chicken in the Kitchen
Address: 4-42 Wausan-ro 29-gil, Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Opening hours: Sun - Thu: 4pm - 11pm; Fri - Sat: 4pm - 3am
6. Oksang Dalbit
Hit em with the flames ? ?? ?
Posted by Cee Jay on Sunday, 9 September 2018
Get your camera ready, because when your order of chicken comes to the table you will definitely want to capture the moment. When you order the fried and garlic pepper chicken at Oksang Dalbit, your meal is still flaming when it comes to the table! After you blow out the flames, tuck into a juice meal bursting with flavor, and wash it down with beer from a massive stein. While the portions here are a little smaller than other fried chicken places, the food has a fantastic flavor and the atmosphere is laidback and casual.
Oksang Dalbit
Address: 2 Wausan-ro 13-gil, Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Website: Oksang Dalbit
Opening hours: 5pm - 4:30am (daily)
7. Reggae Chicken
Posted by Yi Zhou on Tuesday, 6 June 2017
As the name suggests, Reggae Chicken is a casual restaurant that takes inspiration from reggae and the flavors of the Caribbean. Bob Marley tunes fill the tiny space, and the fried chicken here is spiced with curry. While there are only three chicken dishes available, Reggae Chicken specializes in crafting the perfect balance between crunchy skin and mouthwatering meat. Opt for the Reggae Chicken Original, and feast on fabulously crispy chicken and a mountain of potato wedges and onion rings.
Reggae Chicken
Address: 16 Yanghwa-ro 23-gil, Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Website: Reggae Chicken
Opening hours: 5pm - 2am (daily)
8. Linus' BBQ and Chicken
Smoked chicken platter #LINUSBBQ #LINUSBBQCHICKEN #SMOKEDCHICKEN #welikeitpinkinside #HBC #해방촌
Posted by Linus' BBQ aaaand Chicken on Friday, 2 March 2018
Linus’ BBQ and Chicken is flavorful, delicious, and fresh. Try out this American-style barbecue restaurant and feast on generous portions of traditional Southern favorites and flavorful sandwiches. From baby back ribs to pulled pork sandwiches, there is much to love at this vibrant eatery. The chicken option here is smoky and succulent, and can be combined with other meats to make a hearty platter that will make your mouth water. Linus’ BBQ and Chicken has two locations in Seoul, and offers a delivery service as well.
Linus' BBQ and Chicken
Address: 37-5 Yongsandong 2(i)-ga, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Website: Linus’ BBQ and Chicken
Opening hours: 11am - 10:30pm (daily)
9. Gyeyeolsa
Ranked consistently high as one of the best Chimaek eateries in the city, Gyeyeolsa is a place that is not to be missed while you are in Seoul. People travel far and wide to eat at this fantastic restaurant located on the outskirts of the city center because the chicken is fried to perfection. The crunchy crust is golden, the meat is tender and juicy, and the potato wedges that accompany them are thick, salty, and crispy. In addition to the chicken, another popular snack here are the moon snails and noodles doused in a spicy sauce.
Gyeyeolsa
Address: 258-3 Buam-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Opening hours: Tue - Sun: 12pm - 11:30pm (closed on Mon)
10. Hanchu
In a city renowned for fried chicken, Hanchu is one of the local favorites. This wonderful restaurant has been serving mouthwatering chicken dishes and traditional Korean dishes for more than 20 years. From the simple, classic fried chicken to the spicy “gochu chicken” that is deep-fried with chili peppers twice, the dishes at Hanchu burst with flavor and are flawlessly prepared. In addition to the perfect chicken, you can also gorge yourself on sweet and spicy rice cakes, as well as kimchi fried rice with egg on top. Hanchu is open until one in the morning, making it a delicious, late-night stop.
Hanchu
Address: 68 Nonhyeon-ro 175-gil, Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 4pm - 1am (closed on Sun)
Crazy for Korean fried chicken
These fried chicken spots in Seoul provide delicious meals packed with amazing flavor. Whether you need a quick, delivery meal or plan on having a sit-down dinner, these Chimaek restaurants provide wonderful options. Enjoy a cultural staple of the Korean food scene, and try one of these fried chicken restaurants when you visit Seoul.
History
Get Trip101 in your inbox
Unsubscribe in one click. See our Privacy Policy for more information on how we use your data