In recent years, Korean fried chicken, known for its flavorful sauces and crispy textures, has become the talk of the town. When you ask around for a good place, one of the most popular and recommended restaurants is Mad for Chicken.
Mad for Chicken, first established in 2005, has become an ever-expanding restaurant chain throughout America. Founded with the intention of sharing Korean-style fried chicken, the restaurant became known for its special double-frying techniques and signature in-house sauces.
After a lot of recommendations from friends, my family and I decided to stop by the location on Northern Blvd to see what all the hype was about. Harrisites can arrive by taking the Q44 to Kissena Blvd, then the Q12 to 159 St, and finally walking for about three minutes.
Upon entering, there was an immediate warmth that greeted me, a stark contrast to the freezing breeze outside. The furniture was all wooden, with a bar at the end filled with dark wood tables and stools. After sitting down, our waiter took our orders and dropped off a complementary bowl of popcorn.
Curious, I took a bite, only to be met with an indescribable flavor. According to the waiter, the popcorn was curry-flavored, however it tasted more bitter and tangy. If this were an item I’d paid for, I’d give it a 4/10.
The menus were extensive, providing a helpful list of ingredients for every dish while also fully being in English, along with the majority of the decor in the restaurant.
Signature Wings & Drumstick Combo: $39.95
Critic Rating: 9/10
After a rough start, I didn’t know what to expect for the rest of my visit. Since I had my entire family with me, we ordered one of the wings-and-drumsticks combo, which came with eight drumsticks and fifteen wings.
Our waiter highly praised the hickory BBQ sauce, which is what we ended up choosing among the various other options, like traditional soy garlic, buffalo, and sweet and spicy. Our waiter also warned us that, due to the extensive preparation process, the wait time would be quite long.
After about fifteen minutes, our combo came out first. Visually, the presentation as a whole wasn’t crazily impressive; however, I could see the clear glistening of the sauce and smell the strong aroma of hickory and spices.
Taking a bite, I immediately craved more. The hickory BBQ sauce was a little overpowering, with a slight spice and savory barbeque flavor; however, the meat inside matched its intensity with its tenderness and juiciness. The breading was also crispy, yet never too hard to bite through and chew.
Something I have to point out is how sauced fried chicken is often tedious to clean off without a lengthy trip to the bathroom. With the sauce at Mad for Chicken, however, I found that almost all of it would come off just by using a napkin. Before I knew it, my family and I had gone through half of the pile of wings and drumsticks by the time our other dishes started to arrive.
BBQ Burger + Fry and Drink Combo: $17
Critic Rating: 7/10
The next dish, the BBQ Burger Combo, arrived with fries and a Coke– a drink of my choosing– all on one tray. I had the other options of an iced water, iced tea, Diet Coke, Sprite, or Fanta.
The Coke came in a glass bottle, reminiscent of the old packaging from the mid-1900s. I was also given a small cup of ketchup for my fries. The addition of fries and a drink added about $5 to the original price.
To be completely honest, I went for the fries first since I had been wanting a side for the wings I had already been eating. They were like any fries you can get at a typical restaurant, with a slight crisp and saltiness that left me constantly grabbing more.
The burger itself had a large piece of chicken slathered in the same hickory BBQ sauce as the wings and drumsticks, topped by coleslaw and pickles. Taking a bite, I was satisfied but unfortunately not really blown away. I had hoped the hickory BBQ sauce would create an intense and strong flavor addition, but it really just tasted like a typical burger you could get at any fast food restaurant, just with some barbeque sauce added.
The coleslaw and pickles added a really nice crunch and additional texture to the tender chicken, and the burger buns felt high-quality— crispy on the outside while soft on the inside. The sheer size of the piece of chicken did make it feel worth the price; however, it also made it a little difficult and annoying to eat due to its odd shape and size that bulged out and made the burger really awkward to hold.
Fried Dumplings: $9
Critic Rating: 9/10
The fried dumplings, known traditionally as “mandu”, are a common staple in Korean cuisine as a side dish and arrived alongside the BBQ burger. I was a little disappointed to see that we only received eight pieces for the price, considering you can get around ten or even more fried dumplings for $5 at other restaurants.
However, I was already impressed by their clear crispiness when I took a bite. The exterior was super crispy, with the crunch audible in every bite, yet the inside was juicy and warm, filled with soft bits of noodles, beef, pork, and vegetables. The rich filling was the star of the show, with every piece tasting warm, moist, and homey. I was only left wishing for more once the entire tray was left empty.
By the end of my visit, I was left extremely satisfied, carrying a bag of leftover drumsticks and wings that I couldn’t wait to finish at home. Mad for Chicken left me feeling addicted to their strong flavors and satisfying blends of textures, and satisfied with their homey interior and kind employees.
In total, the bill was about $75, which, for four people and the quality and quantity of food served, was totally reasonable and worth it. If you have a large party like family or a group of friends with you, I strongly recommend Mad for Chicken as one of the places that’ll give you the most bang for your buck.
