Get ready to devour some of the best Korean fried chicken in London with our guide to the city's best crunchy bites.
Korean fried chicken stands out because of its hard-coated layer that's light and crispier than American chicken wings. However, for us, the flavourful batter and moreish sauces slathered on top make them special!
In Korea, people often pair it with beer or eat it alone as a meal or street snack. The popular combination of chicken and beer in Korea is called Chimeak.
Influenced by Korean dramas and K-pop, Londoners have also begun to adopt this Asian food pairing. However, eateries in London have long been serving K-fried chicken and beer.
So, which has the best Korean fried chicken in London between newcomers and longstanding establishments?
We've eaten our way around the big city to put together this ultimate guide. So, let's get you drooling over our list of the best Korean fried chicken in London!
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Wing Wing
For crunchy Korean chicken wings in Chinatown, head to Wing Wing. As a speciality shop for Korean fried chicken and beer, they serve three types of chicken wings. These are soy garlic, hot and liquorice. In addition, their menu is also halal! We love how their wings are sweet and tangy yet still maintain a thin but flavourful, crispy outer layer!
The sleek interior will immediately transport you to Seoul with its casual dining vibe and latest K-pop songs playing in the background. So, it's a laidback atmosphere perfect for a quick bite or meeting up with a few mates.
They also have an excellent karaoke room and K-pop bingo night to let your inner K-pop idol out!
Wing Wing
47-49 Charing Cross Rd, London WC2H 0AN
Website
SCJ Bibimbap & Chimaek
Based in New Malden, SCJ Bibimbap & Chimaek is as close as you'll get to authentic Korean fried chicken in London.
The casual dining eatery has been an institution in little Korea town for years. Moreover, this local eatery is frequented by expats living in the city.
Best known for its large portions, come hungry when visiting SCJ Bibimbap & Chimaek.
We recommend trying their Spicy Yangnyeom Chicken. If you can take the heat, this is the one for you. Yangnyeom is a sweet chilli sauce, but their spicy version gives this a perfect kick! Slathered in a sticky chilli sauce, the sugariness tempers the heat. It's also highly recommended by YouTuber Korean Englishman.
SCJ Bibimbap & Chimaek
160 High Street, New Malden, KT3 4ES
Website
On the Bab
If you're looking for solid Korean chicken wings, then you can't go wrong with On the Bab. The establishment has been around since 2016 and is owned by Korean chef and restauranteur Linda Lee, whose food critics often dubbed as the "London's queen of Korean cuisine".
The quality of the fried chicken has been reliable and always delicious since the first time we went. We recommend getting the soy-ginger fried chicken with an extra sweet garlic sauce.
Hands down, you'll find some of the best Korean fried chicken wings in London at On the Bab.
On the Bab
Various locations
Website
Spicy Grill
Although Spicy Grill is based in Golders Green, you do not want to miss out on their Chimeak special. They offer plain, soy, spicy fried chicken, or banban (a half and half mix between two options).
Their Korean fried chicken has a slightly thicker batter that gives a satisfying crunch with every bite. Our favourite is the soy-style fried chicken that's addictively sweet and savoury.
Choose between 12 or 24 pieces alongside your choice of Korean beer or soft drink. It's a fantastic place for a quiet sit-down meal away from central London.
If that doesn't fill you up, they also do K-BBQ and filling portions of bibimbap!
In addition, they are also located near two Korean supermarkets for Asian grocery items. So it's our go-to place to stock up on cheap kimchi, instant noodles, and sauces.
Spicy Grill
122 Golders Green Rd, London NW11 8HB
Instagram
CheeMC
Another excellent choice for Korean fried chicken in London is CheeMc. They're a no-frill local chicken shop located on Walworth Road, with close stations being Waterloo or Kennington.
Unfortunately, there's not much to write about their interior or service, but you must try their chicken wings if you're a serious fried chicken lover.
They have a wild selection of creative fried chicken flavours you won't find anywhere else in London. These include honey butter, mustard dressing with fresh spring onion and honey chilli. Our favourites? Sweet soy and Gochoo KFC.
CheeMC
310 Walworth Road London SE17 2NA
Instagram
Gogi
One of our favourite spots for Korean fried chicken in London is Gogi. Situated in Maida Vale, this is a Korean restaurant specialising in KBBQ in London. However, their boneless chicken is a stand-out dish for us.
We tried their Korean boneless fried chicken slathered in honey garlic, and mayo. Each bitesize piece had a crunchy exterior but was juicy inside. In addition, paired with the sweet tang from mayonnaise, we fell in love with each piece. You can also try this dish in plain, with sweet-spicy or spring onion.
Relax in an intimate but modern decor, and treat yourself to a feast of delicious boneless bites.
Gogi
451 Edgware Road Little Venice London W2 1TH
Website
Jinjuu
Jinjuu is a high-end Korean restaurant and bar in Soho, close to Chinatown. Opened by celebrity chef Judy Joo in 2015, Jinjuu has been the go-to for Asian fusion dishes. However, they are best known for their crispy golden fried boneless chicken thighs.
From past interviews, Judy Joo has explained that they first use a pressure cooker and then double fry their chicken. This cooking method gives their dish the signature aromatic chicken and crunch! They also use surprising ingredients such as vodka in their batter.
Their Korean fried chicken comes in four different flavours. We love the classic spicy gochujang that's sweet and sticky. However, the black garlic aioli was our second favourite.
Enjoy small plates in an intimate setting whilst sipping on some of their signature cocktails. We recommend ordering the Spiced Kimchi Mary.
Jinjuu
15 Kingly Street, London, W1B 5PS
Website
Pelicana
Our list of the best Korean fried chicken in London would not be complete without mentioning Pelicana. They're a relatively new entrant to London's Korean fried chicken arena, but they're certainly no beginner at making crunchy wings.
Widely known as one of the largest chains for fried chicken in South Korea, their Angel and Hammersmith branch are a must-visit. Pelicana serves four unique flavours of chicken and provides options for different meats.
Go for boneless bites, chicken wings or a whole chicken. They also cater for vegan patrons by offering cauliflower wings in the same delicious sauces. All their Korean fried chicken is also halal.
Pelicana
Various locations
Website
Shackfuyu
Finally, an honourable mention has to go to Shackfuyu for the best Korean fried chicken wings in London. Although Shackfuyu is a Japanese restaurant, their fried chicken wings are some of the crunchiest we've had. Along with the spicy, sour sauce, their chicken wings are extremely moreish.
However, the portions are not as filling as the restaurant's concept is based on street food nibbles. So you'll definitely want to order another dish for yourself!
Shackfuyu
14A Old Compton St, London W1D 4TJ
Website
Best Korean Fried Chicken in London
Here’s a quick roundup of the best Korean fried chicken in London that you should visit.
Out of this list, we love to go to WingWing for a casual meal with our friends. Its central location makes it easy to meet up with friends. They also have karaoke where we can sing our hearts out to some K-pop!
For great value Korean fried chicken in London, SCJ Bibimbamp & Chimaek and Spicy Grill are our top choices. However, if you want to sample more than a few street foods in one meal, we’d head to Gogi.
Next, check out where to find the best Korean cold noodles in London or Korean corn dogs in the city!
Want more Asian restaurant recommendations in the UK? Then, check out and follow our Instagram @honestfoodtalks to get the latest London buzz.
Do you think there’s a restaurant that deserves a spot on this list? If so, reach out to us at contact@honestfoodtalks.com. We would love to check it out!
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