Reggae Chicken—a casual joint on the outskirts of Hongdae which specialises in Western-style fried chicken—looks very unassuming on the exterior and you might be slightly turned off by the narrow front as it looks slightly dodgy. We almost turned away but as night fell, the LED lights inside the restaurant lit up and familiar tunes from Bob Marley started playing. There and then, we were hooked.
With very limited seating, you will feel like you’re stepping into a cosy and humble fried chicken joint somewhere in Jamaica. This is exactly what sets it apart from the numerous Korean fried chicken joints in Seoul.
The menu here is extremely limited but this is when you know that they are really good. Specialising and excelling in fried chicken is not an easy task but Reggae Chicken has won the hearts of many.
You can only choose from 3 main chicken dishes—Reggae Chicken Original (17,000 Won), Reggae Curry Chicken (15,000 Won) and Kingston Wings (12,000 Won).
We went straight for their specialty—Reggae Chicken Original. The platter is good to share amongst 3 to 4 people. Besides fried chicken, the set comes with thick fried potato wedges and huge battered onion rings. Have this platter with a pint of beer and you are all set.
We were surprised by how insanely delicious the chicken was! The juiciness of the chicken coupled with the crispy skin was just magical. It is all in that first bite. No kidding, this was one of the best fried chicken we have ever had! Simple, wholesome but oh-so-delicious! The batter on the chicken seems to be lightly-seasoned buttermilk, but it gives the chicken so much flavour.
The whole experience of being in Reggae Chicken is worth visiting, from the Bob Marley tunes to the mellow vibe of the restaurant.
Reggae Chicken
147-19 Donggyo-dong
Mapo-gu, Seoul
Tel: +82 02-333-3438
Daily: 5pm – 2am
Nearest Station: Sangsu