Bonchon, 635 East Boughton Road, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. (630.426.1229). Entrees $11.75-$39.95; Sides $2.15 – $7.35. Drinks $1.95.

These days, one does not have to go to Korea to taste Korean comfort food. Drive to Bolingbrook, Illinois to get a bite of the best dishes Bonchon has to offer.

Walking in through the glass doors on a crisp October afternoon, there was a little skeleton waiting for us in a little alley that separates the dining tables and the exit doors. The little skeleton sitting on a chair held up a poster for a Halloween event. Aside from the skeleton, there was no other decoration but the lights in the hallway, which were a little bit dim and provided a suitably creepy atmosphere. 

In about five minutes, our table was prepared. As I passed the waiter, who was serving another family, I noticed behind him a funny-looking robot with a screen for a face blinking as he roamed around tables. Aside from its silly blinking, the robot was set with shelves used to store food that the customer ordered, which gave my cousins all a laugh.

Bonchon was founded in Busan South Korea by Jinduk Seo in 2002 when “he dreamed of sharing his favorite flavors with the world.”As time passed, Bonchon expanded to New York City in 2006 and continuously expanding in the United States. By now, the restaurant has the art of food preparation and service down to a T.

It took almost 15 minutes for our order to come, but it was worth waiting. When the waiter  started handing the food, but as there were 19 people in one long table, two more waiters served us as well. One of them organized plates and utensils, while the other kindly poured water in each of our glasses. They were very attentive to what we needed, especially since there were eight kids at our table who kept asking for more utensils and water. The smiles did not leave the waitstaff’s faces as they continued serving us. Overall, I could see that they were a hardworking bunch, and service was exceptional. Even the robot, who brought food over as well, seemed efficient, though perhaps a little slow. He was unable to put the food on the table, but his helpers, the actual waitstaff, did a great job assisting him.

For starters, we ordered “popcorn shrimp” which is mini shrimp covered in bread crumbs and deep fried. As it was bite-sized, I could easily shove it into my mouth without hassle. The taste is flavorsome. I can taste the shrimp really well and It’s really at first bite. The spicy mayo dipping sauce compliments the taste of the shrimp. It was worth trying for. Although it doesn’t look like popcorn, the idea of “popcorn shrimp” isn’t that bad since it’s bite-size and the bowl was filled almost to the top just like how a bowl of popcorn would be.

After a while, main dishes were served and most of our orders centered around chicken wings flavored with “spicy Korean BBQ” and “soy garlic”. The plating was simple; large white plate with 20 chicken wings and behind it was coleslaw salad. At first bite of the soy-garlic flavored wings, the impression was a little bit salty. The wing was fully covered with sauce, so it gave off a strong tangy flavor.

The spicy Korean BBQ-flavored wings were more interesting. They had a unique flavor, something I had never tried before: not too salty, but not too sweet. They perfectly complemented each other, and tasted really good with chicken.

Aside from having a lot of chicken wings we also ordered “house fried rice”, which was essentially fried rice with fancy plating and three cucumbers on the side. The dish has bell peppers, eggs, and scallions, and was delicious. My cousins enjoyed the dish the most since they love rice, and it was really interesting to taste different fried rice aside from our moms’ recipes.

Overall, I highly recommend Bonchon for people who want to try a new taste of our favorite fried chicken. Plus, Bonchon gives good accommodations and their staff is very friendly to customers. You will not just taste a new type of sauce for fried chicken, but you will also get a taste of Korean comfort food alongside getting a new favorite food.