Great spot for some yummy Korean food. The chicken bites in the sweet and spicy sauce were great and not too spicy. The bap bowl was the least favorite for our party of 7...I was the only that didn't mind it but the ssamjang sauce was not a flavor anybody cared for and the amount of meat is very small Potato salad is sweet and vinegary if you like that kind of thing Kimchi's were good Miso Mac was very yummy Prices are reasonable Customer service was great Plenty of seating The atmosphere is adorable! read more

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We have eaten here a few times and we like it. The chicken is a little hit or miss i feel like sometimes its so super saucy and pooling in the container and other times its half naked? We tried every side today because my in laws were visiting who havent had much Korean food and were not sure what they would like. And a little of each sauce. The black garlic was my fav but its very thick so not a great texture for everyone; not overwhelmingly garlic. The lava egg was delicious, very spicy especially with the little red pepper slices. I eat a lot of spicy food and it still gave me hiccups, but not so spicy I was sweating or tearing up. A healthy pang of spice but not a complex flavor and it disappears pretty quick from the mouth. The double dunk everyone liked very good texture good mix of sweet and spicy. The sweet butter one we got the kids was good not spicy at all but extra sticky. I liked it but preferred the double dunk. The asian bbq I really disliked but everyone else liked it; it was very strong saltiness and sweet. MiL ordered the pork ribs which were fine, a little tough but good flavor. The kids wanted fries so we added some on but they tasted a little stale and the spice mix on them wasnt popular they were barely eaten. The cucumber kimchi is just the cabbage with cucumber added! We got both and I was like oop. It was a little dry and not very strong to me. The sweet potato was disgusting nobody liked it. VERY strong salty muso flavor overpowering, very soft mushy sweet potato. We threw it out. The egg salad the kids loved and it was a good flavor, pretty crowded pleasing. LOVED the daikon perfect flavor texture etc. A nice snap just a bit sour. The mac was popular with the kids, I did not like the extra thick cheesy sauce personally. LOVED the spinach side dish what a surprise! Very refreshing and well cooked, a bit of sourness but not too much. read more

Basic Bird - A little of every side ; kimchi, fries, miso mac, potato salad, sweet potato, spinach, daikon . - Korean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Great Korean Fried chicken! You'll spend a decent bit, but you will end up with lots of food and sides! Great flavor on the wings and the sides were well prepared as well. Service took just a few minutes to have our food delivered on a decently busy Friday night, but I think that was more so due to having to make our food to be fresh! read more

Love this place such good food and just great space good vibe. Everything is made fresh. The Potatoe salad was so good read more

Basic Bird - Korean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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There is absolutely nothing basic about this bird! When I woke up this morning, I never imagined I would find myself eating Korean in Des Moines Iowa of all places. No disrespect, but Des Moines doesn't exactly scream Korean culture. I'm not exactly a novice when it comes to Korean cuisine. I once took an entire trip to just Korean town LA. I'm in Gwinnett county Korean spots at least half a dozen times a year. Boston is also a hotbed for Korean food, which Is basically like my second home. The way I saw it, choosing to walk into Basic Bird was a high risk, high reward kinda decision. Right off the bat, there's so much to love. The dining area is playful, vibrant yellow. The menu is concise. I am a true believer in restaurants choosing a few things and doing it well. I went with the chicken wing meal which happens to come with 3 sides in addition to white rice: miso Mac cheese, fries, Korean potato salad. I also ordered the bulgogi bun for the hell of it. I don't even know where to begin....every single thing I ate was absolutely SENSATIONAL! From the creamy miso Mac to the crispy seasoned fries, and the somehow sweet potato salad?! The ribeye bulgogi in the steamed bun topped with kimchi is perfection. As good as everything is, nothing could have prepared me for the chicken itself. The crispness of the batter is simply stunning! Getting the gochujang sauce on the side and allowing the chicken to shine on its own was def the go to move. With complete conviction I can say I have never thoroughly enjoyed a Korean meal the way I did this. Flawless from top to bottom. Basic Bird....take a bow. read more

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I've tried three Korean Fried Chicken restaurants in the Des Moines metro area and this one does not cut it. First, we had to clean our table. It had food left over on it and was greasy but they were so busy they couldn't get to cleaning it. We ordered the 5 piece bone-in and boneless chicken plates with the double dunk sauce. The bone-in chicken wings were so small it made me laugh. Needless to say, the chicken did not fill me up at all. Instead, the sides that the meal came with (white rice, potato salad, pickled radish, macaroni and cheese) were surprisingly large and filled my stomach. For $14, I didn't think I would be paying for an entree of sides and a side of chicken. The mini fried chicken was also soggy! I noticed those around us had just their fried chicken with no sauce so they probably figured out it arrives soggy. And it was lukewarm in temperature and not hot out of the fryer. Service was friendly though when they were taking our order. The restaurant is pretty much self serve where you get your own water, and utensils and return your plates to the designated area. The two stars are for the sides and service--not the chicken. If you want good fried chicken that is a reasonable to large size and where the fried batter still remains crispy after having sauce poured over it, I recommend Chikin Lickin. read more

What a nice little place in Beaverdale. My wife and I walked in after lunch to a clean and bright room. They ask that you place your order at the counter before you take a seat. The very helpful person at the counter asked if we'd ever been there before and the offered to walk us through the menu. They made some helpful suggestions and we placed our order. We ordered the 9 piece chicken and some chicken dumplings. The portions were large and we ended up taking half of it home. The chicken was crispy and the sides were delicious. We are already planning to return. read more

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My wife and I recently had a conversation about "our top 3 favorite restaurants," and Basic Bird was in each of ours. This food is incredible. The sides are a great balance of fresh, zippy, and light, contrasting against the rich and flavorful wings. The atmosphere is unique, and the staff is always friendly. (Ps splitting 9 wings for 2 people is the perfect lunch) read more

Basic Bird - 9 traditional wings (double dunk and ginger buffalo), both kimchi options, and fries. - Korean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

This place has the best wings in Des Moines. Not only great crunch, but also juicy. We went on a Wednesday which is Wing Day. Only $1. per wing! This place is a hidden gem. read more

I stopped here while in town and i'm glad i did! I wasn't expecting to find a Korean fried chicken place in Des Moines. My boyfriend and i shared the 9 piece boneless wings and we tried their spicy gochujang and sweet honey butter sauces. I LOVED the spicy gochujang but don't think i would get the honey butter one again. For our sides we got the miso mac and cheese, Korean potato salad, rice, and French fries. The Korean potato salad really surprised me, it was delicious and my favorite of the 3 sides. I enjoyed their fries, they didn't taste greasy and had a good seasoning. The miso mac was good but i couldn't really taste the miso. My boyfriend and i agreed that the side of rice could've used some salt. Overall, this was a really good spot and the prices are great. I said to my boyfriend "if we lived in town i'd be here multiple times a month." read more

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Wife and I split the kimchi fried rice and the 5pc boneless wings (w/ three sides). Great combination of flavors and texture. Personally I prefer the bone-in wings but the boneless wings were good too. A nice mixture of white/dark meat - juicy and full of flavor. The kimchi bacon fried rice might be the one of the best dishes I've had in a while. Bursting with flavor which is not the norm with fried rice (which tends to be one note). The servers were helpful -- atmosphere is great. Owners did a great job decorating inside and out. read more

Basic Bird - Kimchi bacon fried rice - Korean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Let's set the record straight from the start: There is NOTHING basic about Basic Bird. It is an outstanding fast-casual option. With its parking lot and a very cool mural on a street-facing wall, Basic Bird gets your attention before you walk in the door. Then, their terrific staff lives up to its word, delivering the crispiest, crunchiest fried chicken possible. It's a fantastic dining experience. Oh my, such a great visit. Their unique yellow interior, with incredible artwork, has plenty of tables and room for groups, dates, and singles. It is clean and has a great vibe. The menu is above the order stand, and then you get a number for the food to be delivered quickly by a staffer. There are numerous gluten-free options. We loved the Honey Butter French Fries, a spectacular concoction of bacon, garlic butter, sweet corn, shredded cabbage, and crispy french fries. Our table of four couldn't get enough! I picked a BAP Bowl and was so pleased with the results. It was a superb Korean rice bowl combo of chicken, fresh veggies, pickles, spicy gochujang, and roasted seaweed topped with a fried egg. Truly amazing! We shared some yummy sides, and they were all great, especially the Korean potato salad. I met some of the staff throughout the visit, and they added to a great experience because they were genuinely nice people--special thanks to Nick for being a good person. It's my favorite place in the Metro thus far. read more

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This is the spot. Really really crispy and flavorful wings. The sauces and dry rubs for the wings are amazing. We had the double dunk and a lemon dry rub for our wings. Both were absolutely incredible. I love that the wings with sauce aren't soggy but still crisp. The rice is incredible. Fries are well seasoned. Mac and cheese is amazing. The Kimchi is a really good flavor and not to overwhelming. 10/10 definitely will be back read more

The boneless wings were dark meat and not good meat. The creamy black garlic sauce and cabbage kimchi had very little flavor. The $1 up charge I guess was worth it for the fries however, they were great. Would not go back. read more

Basic bird is an awesome Korean fried chicken spot in the Beaverdale neighborhood. The dining room is a bright, vibrant yellow and everything from the interior wallpaper to the exterior mural is thoughtfully decorated. They have their own parking lot so you don't need to worry about finding a spot amongst all the other Beaverdale shops. The service was quick and efficient- I think it took less than 10 minutes for my order to arrive. Each side dish I ordered was flavorful and well thought out. The chicken was fresh, tender, and had a crisp, light batter. My only suggestion would be more variety in the sauces. read more

Basic Bird - Cucumber kimchi, miso Mac & cheese, French fries, rice - Korean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Best Korean chicken in Des Moines area. Super crunchy wings. The Double Dunk sauce is a must. Honey butter fries are unique but really really good. The sides that come with the wings will fill you up. All really good. It's not cheap food, but you won't walk out hungry. My son and I can cross this one off our list of places to try. We'll be back. Easy call on this one...5 stars. read more

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Happy I found Basic Bird on the interwebs. We tried the the boneless wings with the "double dunk" sauce sweet and spicy. Just the right amount of sweet and tangy spices. The seasoned fries and the cheesy corn plus the cucumber kimchi. Everything was spot on. I am visiting Des Moines this weekend if I lived here, I would be here often! Highly recommended. read more

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Basic bird did a pop up in Omaha and we had it on our calendar for weeks! It was completely worth the wait - everything on the table was absolutely delicious. I'm especially picky about Mac and cheese but the miso helped cut the "cheesiness" that is sometimes overpowering and brought a new depth of flavor. The sweet and spicy wings were not that spicy but that's how I like em! When asked about the gochujang wings my sister said "yum tasty" as her full review. Will be visiting again if I get over to Des Moines. read more

Basic Bird - HONEY BUTTER FRENCH FRIES, cucumber kimchi, miso Mac and cheese, corn cheese - Korean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Been a fan of the chicken here since they were a pop up back in harbinger! Food is delicious. In my opinion, their bone in wings are better. I think the crunchiness is just better held with the bone in versions. They have $1 per bone in wing every Wednesday, so that's a pretty good deal considering these wings are fairly big compared to other chains. They also serve cauliflower wings which I have yet to try! A must have recommendation is their honey buttered French fries. Absolutely out of this world! Cannot emphasize enough about it. Service is friendly. Ambience is bright. The parking lot is very small so you might have to walk a bit to get here. Walk right in and order at the counter type of thing. Such a cute spot in beaverdale. read more

Basic Bird - Honey buttered French fries and bone in wings - Korean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Yummy! What a fun place! You order from the counter, pay & they bring you your good. It's bright & cheery inside. The staff is friendly & helpful. We both had boneless wings with the double dunk sauce. It's a sweet, flavorful sauce. Sides are cold & you get 3. I had crunchy pickled daikons and loved them. The shoshito peppers were tasty-- one had some heat. Hubby liked the potato salad & cucumbers but not the Brussels sprouts. You can sub the salads for fries. We also had the loaded fries: coleslaw & cheese & corn! Delicious! Real silverware, too!! Of course we had too much food, but we like leftovers! Cheap? No. Tasty! Yes! We'll be back!! read more

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From the outside of the building, you can tell this is going to be fun. This place is thriving, viking, and busy! Beaverdale parking is a trick. Plan street parking or small parking lots to the north. Thursday evening at 5:45 a girlfriend and I went to try. We walked right up to the counter, although it was obviously busy. Only a couple tables open. We figured out the menu pretty quick. This was an order at the counter and then sit type of joint. I did still ask Grace, behind the counter, what she enjoyed. She really liked the chicken sandwich, but it says since it was our first time to try the wings. I got the boneless wings with sweet honey butter sauce. *Pretty popular in the reviews* . Then you get 3 sides. *****They are all cold. The sides are cold. ****** They do tell you, but you should know. We also shared an order of the fries. I recommend them to share 100%! They were flavored well and tasted really good. Topped with yummies. The fries came out as an appetizer only slightly before the meals. The bones chicken was really good. Big pieces of very crunchy pieces. By the time we had our food, the order line was to the door. Not for the lack speed, just the popularity. The kitchen was banging and pushing out, take out orders and table orders. We tried to eat quickly to give up our table due to the limited space. This was really good. I highly recommend and a great addition to the Beaverdale neighborhood. read more

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This place is awesome. I'm from LA and frequent Korean spots I know-town pretty often and this place definitely has dishes inspired by traditional Korean food. The ambiance is clean, staff is friendly, food comes out in a timely fashion. The bone in and boneless wings are a hit, got the honey butter and gochujan flavors. Sides are also pretty authentic, my favorite was actually the potato salad. Kimchi fried rice is also awesome. The only thing I have is that the food is overly salted. The flavors and spices are strong (as it should) but you really need something more bland to break that salty taste. My reco is an option for white rice, so the chicken and ban chan can be paired with it without feeling too salty. I've been here twice already and will definitely come back. So excited that Des Moines is getting more cultural food! Someone do authentic Chinese or dim sum next ;) read more

Basic Bird - Korean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Ambiance: Cute and bright. Good for brunch and a semi quick meal. Service: Friendly and accommodating. Taste: The chicken wings are crispy, flavorful, juicy, and jumbo. We got the double dunk. And the honey butter flavors. The cauliflower "wings" were okay. I'm not a fan of the dry rub, it didn't have much flavor compared to the sauced wings. It's the same seasoning they use for the fries. It's more like a futikake seasoning. But they were crispy and well cooked. The sides were sour and not the nice sweet spicy fermented sour. It's more American pickle like. Especially their radishes. The kimchi and the cucumber kimchi were soft, limp, and not spicy. The peppers were actually good. It had a subtle heat to it. Not too spicy. Overall:It's good. But skip the sides. read more

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4.5* (out of 5) Food: 5* Atmosphere: 4* Value: 5* Service: 4* 02/10/2024 I read about the Basic Bird opening in the Des Moines Register and immediately added it to my Want to Go list. We first stopped by on a Saturday night around dinner time and decided we didn't want to wait in line because it was very busy. We got our chance a few weeks later by making plans to stop by before the rush...getting there before 4pm. I liked the fun paintings on the building as we walked up (see pictures) and the interior was quite bright, lively and inviting (see pictures). If you didn't know, the pictures will make it obvious that this is a fast-food restaurant...albeit one with high quality food and a selection of tap beer as well as other canned alcoholic beverages. Because of the fast-food format where you order at the counter and very basic (yet highly lacquered) interior, tables and chairs, I did deduct a point each for Atmosphere and Service. As for the food, both myself and my wife really enjoyed our choices. My wife opted for the Sandwich Meal with Brussel Sprouts, Korean Potato Salad & Shishitos peppers (see picture). I opted for the 5 Piece Boneless Meal with Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage Kimchi & Korean Potato Salad (see picture). As we always do, we shared bites of each others plates and both of us really liked most all of the offerings. We both preferred the Double Dunk sauce (on her sandwich) over the Spicy Gochujang sauce (on my wings), as we didn't think the Spicy Gochujang had much spice or flavor. The same could be said for the Shishitos, as they didn't have a lot of flavor. If you love juicy, crispy chicken and don't mind a fast-food format, you will want to try Basic Bird. If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow. Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com read more

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Oh bummer! My son is home for spring break so we decided to finally try Basic Bird and they are closed to do repairs from a recent incident (car crashed into their front window) . I have heard nothing but positive things from anyone who has gone - and they all seem to also have this on their regular rotation. Can't wait to try. Prices at first glance seemed a little high (whose aren't these days) but when you look closer at the amount of food you get, this seems like a legit deal. 3 sides plus rice! The beer prices are reasonable too. I'm for sure showing up hungry read more

Went in with my son this week to try this raving new spot out. We walked in and it was popping busy but we ordered our food and was surprised how fast they were. The service was fantastic. The people were so nice and helpful. I ordered my son some fries because what kid doesn't love fries. I got the 5 piece boneless chicken and I mentioned I had a gluten allergy and they recommended I get the dry rub or the sweet honey butter but I couldn't decide so I got the dry rub with a side of the honey butter. For sides I got the shishito peppers, cucumber kimchi and potato salad. The brought out the fries first which was perfect my son went right in and started eating. He loved them because this talkative boy of mine stayed quiet the entire time he ate almost. I tried them myself and enjoyed them also. The boneless chicken dry rub with the sweet honey butter side was HEAVENLY! I thought to myself before coming in oh I probably won't eat them all and can save some to share with my husband when he comes home. I was wrong I cleaned my tray up. I ate the whole thing. They were crunchy and juicy at the same time (*chefs kiss quality). The rub was the perfect Korean flavor with the spices and sesame seeds. I mean this place stole my heart. The sides all were perfect combination with my food. I was surprised the peppers had a sweet taste to them rather than spicy and I love them. Highly recommend to everyone! Especially my gluten free peeps you will love this place as much as I do now. read more

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Love the mix of flavors! We got the sweet + spicy wing sauce. It was tasty and the wings were nice and crispy. We also ordered the fried rice. It came out wrapped up like a little egg burrito. Only downside was the oven being down the day we went, so we weren't able to try the fries-- looking forward to getting them next time! read more

We ordered the 9-piece boneless (double dip) with rice, fries, scallion pancake, and two drinks. $77 after delivery. Decent food, but not as flavorful as reviews had led me to expect. The gochujang and honey butter get tiresome after a few bites, but the chicken itself was juicy and tender. Really wish they would add some spice/heat to it. Rice was standard and the fries were kind of soggy. I expected the scallion pancake to be a traditional thin chinese or japanese style pancake with scallions in it; instead this was just hundreds of small pieces of scallions strung together with a thin flim of batter. Not very appetizing and hardly with the $8 price tag. Had high hopes, given all the media attention, but it won't be for me again unless they find a way to make their flavor more interesting. read more

I love every part of this place. It has such fun ambiance with it's bright colors and artwork. We tried all the sides and they were all amazing. I think the brussel sprouts were my favorite and I could eat them daily. They were flavorful and cooked to perfection. The regular wings were good, but the cauliflower wing are the thing of dreams. They were perfectly fried and seasoned. I love out of town, but will come back just to eat these wings. The service was great and quick. Staff was knowledgeable about the menu. I really enjoyed being able to have a Korean adult beverage as it really completed the meal. I would recommend this place for a fun date night or a place to catch up with friends. read more

Basic Bird - Cauliflower wings, regular wings, and all the sides with a soji - Korean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

I went here for the first time after hearing a co-worker describe her experience. She talked about the pickled taste of the sides and that the taste lingered and she did not like it. The more she described how much she didn't like it the more I wanted to try it! I like pickled and fermented foods like kimchi and I love wings. This restaurant is clean and the staff is super friendly. I've been back several times for the bone in wings with rice, and choice of three sides. I've tried all the kimchi, pickled, and marinated sides now. All have a strong taste that is unfamiliar to me, but a nice change. The Korean potato salad tempers all those strong tastes perfectly. I'm wondering if my co-worker skipped this part of the meal. read more

Great wings with excellent flavors. We will definitely be back. Don't skip the fries.

Best restaurant in Des Moines! Perfect balance of comfort food and freshness. Double dunk wings are the way to go!

Two words: SO GOOD. I love the ultra crispy crunch of Korean fried chicken and Basic Bird absolutely nails it. The double dunk sauce (combo of sweet honey butter and spicy gochujang) is definitely the way to go. Shared a 9 piece with my boyfriend. With the three sides, it was more than enough for us to feel satisfied. Also shared the honey butter fries and they are sinfully delicious. You can't go wrong here. read more

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The entire experience was great! Excellent food and customer service and very clean! Definitely recommend the stop.

I love this place! I've only been twice but I'm obsessed! The double dunk flavored chicken is my favorite. It's addictive! The sides are also good and frequently change. read more

Basic Bird - Double dunk flavor boneless chicken wings, Brussels sprouts, cabbage kimchi and cucumber kimchi. - Korean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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I have been waiting for this moment for literally years... in 2020 I found myself in Des Moines for an interview with Iowa Public television and was looking for a lunch spot after. I heard about this Korean fried chicken place out of Harbinger, and got it to go. I still remember sitting in the sculpture garden devouring this delicious chicken and sides. I'm so stoked that they now have their own brick and mortar. My recommendation, definitely do the double dunked sauce option and you absolutely have to get a side of cheesy corn. read more

Basic Bird - Love the local artist mural on the building. - Korean Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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The food is ok super small sides 5 wings for 13.00 The flavor pf the hot and sweet I had was ok. My daughter said the wings taste like donuts Quality of wings not very good. Nice people Small space way too small I probably won't be going back. But if you like crispy wings they foresure have that. read more

We heard that a new Korean chicken place opened in Des Moines and knew we had to see if it was really authentic Korean chicken. To our pleasant surprise, it WAS! It's very challenging to find restaurants in Des Moines that serve amazing Asian food. Thank you Basic Bird for coming to Des Moines! Tried the boneless chicken, double dunked (IYKYK ), cabbage kimchee, cucumber kimchee, Korean potato salad, bim bap, and their honey butter fries. So so good!! Everything was fresh, veggies and fries crispy, and the flavors complimented the dishes so well! The restaurant is in a smaller place so fills up fast. Cute deco and simple, nothing over the top. High top and table seating available. You will have to wait in line to order, but trust me when I say, it's worth the wait!! Once you order, they'll give you a number and you seat yourself. They also have a nice variety of beverages to choose from! We'll be back again! read more

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Delicious wings. Mediocre banchan. Previously yummy fries. Fries have greatly decreased in size since my last visit on April 28th. Same price as before, but insane size difference. I wouldn't mind the size decrease if there was transparency in the new sizing - I.e. large fry for $8 and small fry for $5. But not saying anything feels weirdly sneaky. Chicken is genuinely delicious. Wonderful crunch and good mouth feel. I do think the gochujang could be much spicier but it's tasty at least. $1 bone-in Wing Wednesday is a fantastic deal. Banchan (cold sides) are fine. Nothing special frankly. They almost taste close to something at an actual Korean place, but the more you try them the closer the flavor feels to fusion - which it is. This is a fusion restaurant and their flavors reflect that, but if you're looking for something authentic this won't be it. read more

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I have wanted to try basic bird since they opened. I had been putting it off since everyone said the lines were out the door. Man, am I sorry I waited. We went on a Saturday at lunchtime. There was a big line. However, the line moved fast, and a table le opened up right after we ordered. We started with the fries....OMG. they were amazing. I definitely could have stopped after that. I ordered the boneless, and my companion ordered the bone in. Each came with three sides. Wasn't the biggest fan of the Brussel sprouts....but I think that is because I like my Brussel sprouts warm, and these were cold. My favorite side was the cucumber kimichi. The table next to us ordered the fried rice. I definitely want to try that next time. read more

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