I had been wanting to try YKO BBQ Chicken for so long, but their original location in Vanier on McArthur Ave is not convenient for me. So imagine my delight when I saw that they opened this second location on Dalhousie St near my current work location.
I've been there twice now, both times I got a half chicken combo ($18.99) for my husband and I to share. It comes with 2 sides and the first time I got plantains and rice, and the second time I got vegetables and rice. I got takeout both times and love that it came in a cardboard box and not styrofoam. They put a sticker on to keep the box from popping open because the food was really stuffed in there (more so the first visit than the second visit, which were only weeks apart, but I feel like portion sizes have already shrunk, although they are still good for now).
The half chicken was a good size, no puny anemic chickens here, lol. They cook their chicken on a charcoal grill so the smell is amazing. The meat was fall off the bone tender and very flavourful. I got medium the first time for the spice level but it wasn't spicy at all, so I got spicy the second time and it was perfect. Spicy had some heat but didn't burn my mouth.
The rice was nicely cooked (not too hard, but not mushy) and really flavourful. I love that it comes with cabbage and carrots. The first time, it was great, but the second time it was too oily for my liking.
The plantains were a bit starchy and too firm for my liking, which is why I got vegetables as my second side on my second visit. The vegetables are just more of the cabbage and carrots, which were great the first time, but super oily/greasy the second time. Also, I feel like I got more bang for my buck with the plantains, as the portion of plantains on my first visit was more than the portion of vegetables I got on my second visit. Although portion sizes could have just decreased in general with time.
Not sure why the rice and vegetables were so oily on my second visit, but I'm hoping my next visit will be more like my first visit.
Service was friendly and efficient.
It's mostly a takeout joint but there is 1 long table that seats 10 if you want to eat in.
The place recently opened around October-November 2022. It's super new looking.
Street parking or paid parkade parking only. read more