Stopped in for lunch. The chicken tenders were tender and juicy with a flaky crust. The fries were…read moretasty as well. The service was good and patient with my wife 20 questions. The restaurant was clean but a little run down.

Everything about my first time at hi five chicken, makes me want to rush back for a 2nd visit…read more The counter staff service was top notch, and considering the less than stellar location they are in, I was pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome I received. I ordered the home style chicken burger and jalapeño poppers, both which were made fresh to order. While I wanted the manager offered me a piece of their spicy chicken to try, it was perfectly seasoned and delicious. The restaurant was spotless and cleaned to a shine. My only hiccup, the music is way too loud for such a small space. I can't wait to come back

A Disappointing First Bite in Victoria…read more A new Korean fried chicken restaurant, Smile Chicken, has just opened in the capital city of British Columbia. Since there are currently no branches in Greater Vancouver, I made a special trip across the water and took the ferry to Victoria this past Tuesday morning. The restaurant is conveniently located downtown, with bus stops just steps away. However, the interior is quite small--no more than six tables--which gives the place a cramped feel. They do offer a daily lunch special from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. for $13, which includes three pieces of chicken, fries, and a soda. There's a decent variety of chicken flavours, but I opted for the regular fried version to get a baseline comparison with other Korean chicken spots. It's worth noting that Smile Chicken currently doesn't have an app or loyalty program, so don't expect to earn rewards for your visit. The cashier was friendly and asked if I wanted dine-in or takeout. I chose to eat in and was served at the table with a small portion of ketchup on the side. The food arrived piping hot, freshly deep-fried, which was promising at first glance. Unfortunately, that's where the good news ends. The chicken pieces were shockingly small. The drumstick was tiny, and the other two pieces--presumably thigh and breast--were each no more than 2.5 inches in size. Flavour-wise, the chicken was underwhelming. It lacked seasoning, tasted dry, and didn't have the juicy texture one expects from Korean fried chicken. The batter wasn't salty or particularly flavourful, and the breast piece especially was dry and bland. Given the portion size and the lackluster flavour, $13 felt steep--especially during a grand opening period when you'd expect more generous servings or at least a better first impression. To put it in perspective, a chicken chain in downtown Vancouver that I visit regularly offers a Tuesday special of two pieces and fries for $5.49, and their chicken is consistently juicier and more flavourful. On occasion, they even toss in an extra piece if the portions are small. While Smile Chicken's interior was clean and service was polite, the overall experience was disappointing. They do offer other flavours like Soy and Garlic, which might be better, but based on the regular fried chicken alone, it's hard to justify a return trip--especially considering the $40 round-trip ferry fare. Final verdict: 2 out of 5 stars, and honestly, that feels generous. I'll give it a few months to settle in before considering a revisit. Here's hoping they step things up.

Service was amazing! we asked for sauces one the side and the accommodated. We also were given…read morerefills without having to ask. The food was AMAZING. If we lived locally I would visit often!

A wonderful Korean restaurant near UVic with a relaxing atmosphere, friendly staff, and great food…read more Our favorites are the Yang Nyeom boneless fried chicken and Japche noodles. Really appreciate how kind they are to my kid too (he's four and goes wild for the small cup of pickled radish they include on the side). Definitely worth your time!

=== 1. VERDICT/VALUE For those used to the Popeyes…read morelocations in the US, the menu is slightly different and the chicken pieces a little smaller - other than that, it's nearly identical and great if you like the taste of Popeyes chicken! === 2. FOOD We got the usual order of eight pieces of all dark-meat chicken for $26, half spicy and half not. The flavour profile is identical to that of the US-based Popeyes locations. The price is a little higher than that of the US, and the sides and desserts are a little different, but it's the same otherwise. === 3. SERVICE It's always busy every time we come here; however, the staff seem to be on top of things. Waiting for your takeout order is a little strange though, as there's not much of a waiting area without intruding on dine-in customers. === 4. ENVIRONMENT It matches the current corporate requirements for decor; there are a few tables around the sides of the restaurant and you're likely best to keep your group to medium or small in size. It's been a little hot/stuffy every time we've come here, which differ from other Popeyes locations in Canada and the US, so that may need attention. Wheelchairs and baby strollers fit easily. Parking can be tricky as the ground level of the Tuscany Village complex is typically busy - so good luck or look for parking underground.

I just bought a 4 piece combo at 4:45 pm from the Popeyes on Cook St…read more The Chicken was lukewarm at best, it was old and very dry, I am sure it was yesterdays leftovers. The fries were the same. I will never go back there!

Whew, chile--when I asked a local for food recommendations in Victoria, they told me about Murder…read moreBurger, so I bookmarked it right away. The next day, before heading to Butchart Gardens, I stopped in. The spot is just behind the Parliament building in a bright yellow house with indoor and outdoor seating. The menu was short and to the point. I ordered the double smash burger with onions and all the trimmings, plus a canned soda. Took it to go and ate it on the shuttle ride. That burger... the best smash burger I've ever had. Flavorful, seasoned well, not too heavy--just perfect. The fries were good and well-seasoned too, but way too much food for me. Next time I'd skip the fries and stick to the burger. I've been bragging about this burger ever since. Highly recommend!

Fantastic burger and Fries. Had a double cheeseburger and fries - this was one of the best burgers…read moreand fries that I've ever had! Burger had a soft bun - sort of like a Hawaiian roll - beef tasted great! Fries were crinkle cut and double fried in beef tallow - just like old times! Chatted with the owner and staff - very friendly, quick and attentive service. Loved the "Redrum" theme. We'll be back on our next trip to Victoria! (Located a block south of the Parliament building - so it's easy to walk to in the area).

Honey mustard chicken is absolutely delicious. Every person I ate with loved their food. We were in…read morea time crunch - despite a small staff, our waitress was fast, attentive, and friendly. The place was well-decorated and clean. Highly recommended!

Absolutely delicious. All the flavors sounded good so I let the waitress pick. It was perfect it…read morewent well with everything you could have mixed it with. Flavors are great. Chicken is moist. I mixed mine with coleslaw. I was watching fifa with a bottle of soju and the food and energy were so amazing I brought nothing back on the cruise ship and spent the remaining time I had in the restaurant

=== 1. VERDICT/VALUE It's not better or worse - just…read moredifferent than Popeye's down the road - the flavour profile is different. Popeye's offers two flavours (spicy and not), the option of breast meat, and meat that is marinated/saltier. Pelicana offers nine flavours, bone-in or not, only dark meat, and thinner batter - chicken lovers win with all of the choices between the two restaurants! === 2. FOOD You're coming here for the chicken: - Boneless is better value, as each piece is smaller, but fills up the box better (so you get more meat per box). - Bone-in offers mainly drumsticks, with some thighs (cut in half maybe?)... the bone-in box we got only had three drumsticks and a mixture of broken/cut thighs and boneless pieces. Korean soy sauce, and the sweet signature sauces are nice; you can order the chicken with the sauce on the side (for dipping) which makes it much more palatable for those sensitive to salt. In fact, we prefer to order it this way anyway, because the fried chicken by itself without the sauce is pretty good too :) The boxes of chicken start at "medium" - which is supposed to be 8 pieces but consistently more than that, bring it to be a much better value than Popeyes. The drumsticks here beat Popeyes, but Popeyes has larger thigh pieces. === 3. SERVICE They claim that unlike Popeyes, they only make the chicken when you order it, so I recommend calling ahead of time, or be available to wait about 10-15 minutes. The staff have been professional every time, and seem to speak English and Korean. === 4. ENVIRONMENT It's small and a little drab, so we've only done takeout. Actually, I can't recall any time in which I saw a dine-in customer; they would be limited regardless, as there are really only a few tables, catering only to groups of 2 or 4. Wheelchairs and baby strollers can fit with ease. The only challenge may be parking - it ebbs and flows in the shopping complex lot, but it's often busy at lunch time and when the college and university and schools let out!

Exquisite texture, very generous portions, and no-frills but friendly service, exactly as it should…read morebe. Location is great amidst the strip malls full of great food. Prices way more reasonable than expected for 2023.

Their Chicken Meal choices DO NOT include one breast. They give you the crappiest pieces only. If…read moreyou want a breast, you have to pay extra, but they avoid telling prospective customers this information. This is done on purpose and is a clear sign of what you should expect. Dishonest service! Other places like Mary Browns or Lee's will happily "give" you two breasts at no extra charge. And they don't use 6 pounds breading on absolutely everything lol. I stopped ordering there over a year ago because they always get the orders wrong. Decided that I'd give it a try recently. Chicken exteriors were burnt to a crisp and inside, the meat was still pink. Called them back (as is always the case) and asked them to come and collect this terrible food and give me my money back. This place has been around for a very long-time, they've made tons of money from the surrounding communities, but for the past 5 years, have been extremely lazy and uncaring about their customers. Don't listen to any of the positive reviews. Avoid this place like the plague. If you want friend chicken, there are several places that are much more reliable, friendly, less expensive and you get more for your dollar. Overall rating -1

on the 8 mar 2024 I ordered 1 family dinner, the chicken meat was good but the coating was so…read moregreasy it was sickening , both the chicken and wedges were the same, it looks like it was sitting around for a while then put in old grease to heat up, we needed a lot of paper towel just to pick the coating off of a piece each . My daughter took the rest to work on the chance that someone might like it. Tom.