Located in the food court of Queens Center Mall, Boc Boc Chicken Delicious is a family-run food stall mostly known for its famous Korean fried chicken and other traditional dishes. The food stall’s founder, Ruth Li, originally established Boc Boc Chicken Delicious as a means of providing for her daughter’s education. Despite struggles with the pandemic, rise in xenophobia, months of closure, and difficult rent negotiations, the Li family was able to maintain a sustained business through donations and the support of their community. However, after serving customers for over a decade, the Li family is preparing to say goodbye to the joint on September 26th, as their lease reaches its end.

I have been going to Boc Boc Chicken Delicious for as long as I can remember. The fast food restaurant was my first introduction to Korean cuisine, and I will always be grateful for the memories I have shared with family and friends as we ate at the tables situated in front of the stall. In honor of the Boc Boc Chicken Delicious closure and the many moments I have enjoyed at the establishment, I will be breaking down my thoughts on a variety of chicken dishes available.

Currently priced at $16, the five-piece chicken breast strips combo has been my go-to meal since I first started going to Boc Boc Chicken Delicious. Every chicken dish has the option to be served with soy garlic sauce or spicy soy garlic sauce, but the chicken breast strips are special in that there is also an option to have them grilled or fried. Personally, I prefer to eat the fried chicken breast strips along with a mixture of both soy garlic and spicy soy garlic sauce. The taste of the salty soy coupled with the mild hits of garlic in the regular soy garlic sauce is quite enjoyable, however, the extra kick of the spicy soy garlic sauce leaves a nice tingling sensation. The spicy soy garlic sauce is also a great way to introduce oneself to the vast realm of spicy Korean foods as well, which gives it an edge over the regular soy garlic sauce.

Another popular delicacy offered at the food stall is the fried chicken wings meal, available in not only barbecue sauce, but also the classic soy garlic and spicy soy garlic sauce. Compared to the chicken breast strips, the wings typically have less flavor, although they have been brushed with the same sauce. Even with its lack of “sauciness,” the full and plump wings do come out crispier than the strips, and have a substantial amount of meat on them.

Just recently, I tried the Boc Boc chicken sandwich, and to be fair, I was slightly disappointed. Priced at $7.79 for just the sandwich itself, the meal is reminiscent of a large burger, with chicken instead of a typical burger patty. The sandwich contains an abundance of lettuce, a large slice of tomato, and two slices of American cheese. Considering the price, one might be impressed by the large amount of toppings, however, I would argue that “less is more.” In other typical fast food chicken sandwiches, you may find trace amounts of chopped lettuce with some pickles, and maybe a sauce of sorts, which normally allows for the flavor of the chicken to be spotlighted. I was very surprised to find that this was not the case with the Boc Boc chicken sandwich. Although it was not a terrible sandwich, I would have to say that I was expecting more from one of my favorite fried chicken establishments.

All in all, it feels bittersweet to see Boc Boc Chicken Delicious go. The restaurant has been a staple in my life for Korean cuisine and an affordable way to fill up after a long day. Although there seems to be a clear winner as to which chicken dish towers over the rest, each item on the menu is definitely worth a try. I would urge anyone who is a fan of Korean flavors and cuisine to give Boc Boc Chicken a try soon, as it is a hidden gem in the Queens Center Mall food court  rapidly approaching its end.