Reviews of Boka (Restaurant)

Whit Davi

We had a fabulous meal. Everything from start to finish was outstanding from the service at the door to Jack (our lead server) and his cheery advice and description of each dish. We were 15 minutes late for a reservation and they were gracious and accommodating. The last person in our party of 6 showed up 30 minutes later and they caught him up in our tasting menu. We mixed and matched a few appetizers into our tasting menu with no issues. The octopus was fabulous, the seasonal dishes were unique and with inspired, fresh flavors. And the aged duck was simply amazing. Possibly the best duck I have ever eaten. It was full of flavor with a dense and tender texture with a perfectly crisped skin. By the end of the night we were asking them to stop bringing desserts. You will fill up on the tasting menu, don’t worry. If you can sit in the solarium (“outside”) I would recommend it because it was airier and roomier

Pat Diaz

A late review from June. We did the prix-fixe wine pairing. I'm a celiac so they modified it to accommodate me. I was not disappointed. The service was impeccable and the staff could answer any question. One of our dishes was a steak and you could seriously cut with it a plastic knife it was that tender. We usually poo poo the desert because many places don't make much of an effort but Boka was an exception. The best deserts! Mine were gluten free and vegan. The saying aptly applies "This is really good for vegan!". We will be going back when we next visit Chicago.

Nirav Patel

My wife and I visited here for our wedding anniversary last summer. Frankly, after so many years of hearing about the restaurant, this was one place that did not live up to the hype, particularly given its price point. The food overall was good, but aside from the smaller sizing of portions (even by tasting menu standards) that were not offset by additional courses, it took WAY too long in between the courses. At two separate points, it was 25-30 minutes from the clearing of one plate to the delivery of the next. The staff was extremely friendly but they also seemed a bit frantic running all over the place. And that was also reflected in how it took almost an hour after I finished a drink to get another one. My wife had dined here once years earlier and said that the experience was much different. Her view was that the feel of the place has generally changed as it has gone from fancy night out to a bit more "casual tourist" given how we just seemed lost in the shuffle and there were even multiple individuals in shorts/t-shirts there. We're fine with that for our regular evenings out but not for what Boka charges for their dining experience. Wouldn't make my way back here again anytime soon given there are so many other incredible restaurants in Chicago for this cost and even less.

Radim Svoboda

Loved the ambiance, enjoyed the professionalism and overall was very pleased with the atmosphere. Our meals were all right, not exceptional. Possibly too salty. But their desserts made the whole dinner memorable. Matcha Dark Chocolate in particular. Heavenly good!

Selena Duyker

Excellent parking, location,decor, nice staff and great food.

Kelsey Butler

For my first Michelin restaurant in NA, Boka did not disappoint. To start I had the Ricotta dumplings which were so smooth and flavourful - I wasn’t sure what to expect from this dish and definitely recommend. My Main was the Roasted Chicken which I can only describe as chicken three-ways with a nice sear/crust on the outside and moist as chicken should be. For dessert I had the Hazelnut & Coffee dessert and 100% it was the bet choice. I’m definitely a chocolate person and even though my friend had the chocolate dessert which was tart, this one is definitely better. Such a great combination of flavours and textures - not to mention beautiful presentation and good portion. Overall I actually think my app and dessert were slightly better than the main. Definitely recommend getting App + Main as the Main on its own would not be enough, even with the bread to start (choice of sage bun and sourdough). Experience isn’t the same as in Europe but the food is top quality and the price is on point.

G. Phillips

Good place for wings on a late night. Staff is good

K Li

Absolutely disgusting experience yesterday. Flies won’t leave our food alone. Maybe it’s spoiled meat or something because I don’t feel great today. Picture putting your chopsticks down and within 10 sec there will be 2-3 of those small flies crawling on it. It absolutely ruined my date with my girlfriend. Portions were tiny but the prices was over $80. Wait staff dismissed our complaints most of the evening until they started seeing more and more flies. Even after that, getting an apology was like pulling teeth. Also, when did they become cash only? I’ve been dining here for years but won’t be coming back ever.

M C

Food and service was great. We did the tasting menu and loved each dish. Just wish the fancy small plate restaurants were better at cooking red meat. Always seems to be a gray area for super creative chefs. Even though the food and experience was nice, it was highly over priced for the actual value of ingredients. Wine was also very expensive per glass for the actual quality.

Adam G

Wow. Can't speak more highly of the service, very attentive staff all around. Drinks were great and the food was delicious. At the same time, considering the price we paid, I expected a bit more intimate atmosphere; it was loud and we were constantly talking over the people on both sides of us. Espresso was burnt.

Anna Nesina

My experience was outstanding there. The lady that was serving us was super polite and professional. Wine and food was incredible, so was the atmosphere in this place. I highly recommend it for a romantic date or a warm quiet get-together with friends.

Ivan B

The best, as always.

Juveriya Mir

I am a teacher who definitely cannot afford fine dining restaurants outside of Restaurant Week. However, I patiently wait for restaurant week so I can try the amazing restaurants that Chicago has to offer. Boka is definitely one of those amazing restaurants! The staff, the ambiance and the food presentation is so luxurious and enticing. We had the four-course menu, the food was rich, satisfying and memorable. It's sad that I have to wait one more year to come back here or win the lottery! It's all good though, I love being a teacher.

Yao Yuexin

Kimchi fried rice is good

Yelena Levy

So delicious! The atmosphere is so beautiful and the food is absolutely delicious. Me and my boyfriend ordered Bibimbob, steak and dumplings and it was incredible! Affordable prices also. Will be coming back!

Andrew Wallace

All I my bad impressions about this place had changed When I came here. I sat down near the counter looking at every corner of the Restaurant. When I started to take my orders the server gave me a hint of what dishes to order. She had recommended very tasty dishes and a complementary wine. Cool spot and great service must come here next time.

KrystalMejia90

I have eaten at Boka several times and it’s my favorite go to place when I am craving some good ole soy garlic wings and kimchi rice with a side of dumplings! The prices are fair and the service is quick. Makes living in New York fun to be able to have access to great wings like this!

Nate Heckmann

Don’t get me wrong - everything I’ve ever tasted at Boka has been delicious. But the deserts here steal the show — absolutely out of this world. I’d come back for the deserts alone.

Tom stephansen

Amazing experience, great food and awesome service! Will definitely be back.

Christine Anschuetz

Perfect. Every bite. The music and the service were excellent. You better get dessert. Don't skip it.

Jeff Clark

We went for a wedding. It was executed brilliantly. All of the staff are true professionals!

Steve Oved

This place is terrible I ordered and after over an hour I called for an update. Not only did they tell me that they would not be delivering my food but the restaurant cursed at me when I was upset. They also tried not to cancel my order. This place is an absolute joke.

Alfonso Villanueva

Came here excited for my birthday, but I ended up quite disappointed. The food was good and nicely prepared but was definitely not Worth the price. They have very small portions of entrees, I thought they were appetizers. My wife and I left still hungry. Well Service was great, and the best part is the setting, very beautiful!

Antoinette Isable

Came here for a quick bite to eat and a drink. Chicken was delicious and the Lychitini was perfect

Joe Trupia

One of the best places I've eaten. The service is excellent, constantly asking how everything is and refilling waters. Food is great, especially their Drumsticks and Management is great. I live out in Long Island and I am excited for every chance I can stop in to eat. Don't get me wrong this place isn't perfect, I've had off days here when the food wasn't perfect or service wasn't spot on, but who can be perfect every time?

Liz Kucko

Spectacular tasting menu and wine pairing. Portions were generous. Food was creative and full of wonderful tastes and textures. None of the courses disappointed!

Mathew Knight

Came for restaurant week dinner. The cocktails were so so. Some of the dishes were just out of this world, the beet salad, shrimp, pork neck which was so tender and flavorful The foie gras was ok as was the chicken but nothing special. Desserts were very good. Service was attentive. The chairs need to be higher.

Ifreet Taheea

Probably had one of my best meals here at NY. The spicy fried chickens are to die for and are very filling themselves if you're getting the combo. We got the 6 wings 3 drums combo for 2 and a shrimp fried rice and had ample food leftover despite of eating to our hearts' content. What's mention worthy is their service. From arrival till departure, they were very obervant to our needs and were very cheerful.

Julz Elmore

Group dinner in the back room. Amazing service from the hostess, bartender, servers and staff. Great variety of options. Stylish and enjoyable atmosphere. Halibut was cooked perfectly had great flavor. The prices were above average. I would visit here again.

Allan Mauldin

I would likes this awesome place!

Ryan Bales

The chicken was so good. We got 5 spicy drumsticks and 5 non spicy. The skin was really crispy, they didn't dry the chicken out, and the meat had great flavor. The spicy wasn't very spicy to me, but others might get bothered by it. I felt the heat on my lips after I was done eating. We also got the cheese rice cake and watermelon soju. It's a bit pricey, but it's good to have every now and then. When I come back to NYC, I'll come here again.

Wenqi Gui

Boka lives up to its reputation. The vibe, environment, service and food are all amazing! We didn’t order any appetizer, but the kitchen gave us a complimentary dish. For entree, we got the Poached Halibut and Slow Cooked Beef Short Ribs. Portions look small but the food itself is actually pretty filling. The slow cooked beef is absolutely amazing. It’s still tender and pink on the inside, but it doesn’t taste raw at all. I have never had anything like this. For dessert, we got the Hazelnut & Coffee, which is highly recommended by our server. It was good, but too sweet for me personally. They also gave you small treats after the dinner.

Luz A Naranjo

So delicious! Best service ever! Really cool place!

Rajat Mahajan

I went to Boka during the Chicago restaurant week. The four course menu was totally worth the price! Every item had it's nuance, and the flavors were nothing short of spectacular, and the service was on point - not too intrusive, but we also weren't stranded. The best roasted beets I've ever had were here - never thought I'd say that about beets! The cauliflower soup was my favorite, bot discounting how good everything else was. It was make to perfection! This definitely isn't a place where you'll go eat every week, but for the times when you want to celebrate, it's a great experience! The cocktails are really good - I personally had the "Crown of Aragon" and totally loved it! The ambiance makes it a great place for a date night. I'm not a fancy food kind of guy, but this was quite the experience, and worth the money!

Rob Lariviere

Fun spot to order huge amount of Korean fried chicken at. They have great sauces, and of course beer pitchers to match. The skin on the chicken is exactly what you're looking for in Korean Fried Chicken, just perfectly extra crispy. Highly recommend.

Karina V

Soy garlic chicken -TERRIBLE! Hot chicken no flavor just hot hot hot..... Bathroom had little fruit flies....... I've been to a lot of Korean chicken place that were by far better then this.... I don't get the hip over this place!

Shawn Lai

Boka was a wonderful experience from beginning to end. The host and hostess open the door and greet you with a friendly smile. Upon being seated we were quickly offered water and drinks. They take the extra step to ask whether we had a preference for sparkling, bottled, or tap water. The menu was masterfully crafted tempting us to try all that it offered. We chose the 8-course tasting, which was amazing. We left stuffed and impressed with the executive chefs ability to make modern dishes with an Asian twist. The tasting menu included multiple extra items and amuse-bouche which were delightful. Overall this Michelin star restaurant is something all should experience and will be a place where we shall return to. The service was top notch and very attentive. Our waitress Bri was attentive to our every need, very knowledgeable, and very friendly. The environment is cozy yet classy. The music did not overpower the natural sounds of a restaurant and allowed us to converse and laugh without disturbing or being disturbed. Candles and overhead lights provided a balanced and warm environment, which only enhanced our appetite and overall mood. We made reservations via OpenTable and they called to confirm them the day before. I highly recommend this restaurant. Boka and Chef Lee Wolen have certainly created a unique and wonderful dining experience!

Thomas Tyralski

What can I say that others haven't? The hospitality and attention to detail is amazing. The food is tasty and very high level. This is a great anniversary or special celebration restaurant. Pricey but worth it.

Jennifer Flores

Love this place! Super delicious fried chicken. I went with a group of 4 and ordered the large combo little did i know it wasn't enough. Definetly ordered up for a second round.

Robin Balbo

We are real foodies, and we love to take our friends to this restaurant 3-4 times a year. I love the way they change the menu, and enhance the evenings with terrific specials. We are always treated extremely well. And order all the way down the entire menu. One of Chicago's Jewels. And sexy atmosphere, with romantic business overtones.

Abhijit Chowdhary

Fantastic fried chicken.

Hao Wuliao

It was a great experience being there. The light is dim but perfect for date. We had 6-course dinner. Duck breast is one of the most impressive dish. Goat cheese ice cream as a desert is bold but turned out to be very appealing to us. In general this restaurant serves a French-Japanese fusion cuisine. And the envelope for menu is considerate. At the end of the meal, a fancy hot chocolate was a surprise. I will definitely go there again.

Julian Davis

Excellent food. Great environment. Smaller plates, expensive, but worth it.

Angel X

Food is spectacular, been going since high school and this place never misses a beat! Honestly the best Korean fried chicken in NYC!

ANNA ROD

I am giving this place 2 stars and you’ll be shocked y so I’ve been coming here for over 2 years while the food is great love the wings the staff is not so nice they never got to know my family and i as we always come and every time we ask for something for the table it’s as if someone has to jump off a roof to get it and we are new customers

Shane Parawan

Awesome spot for after work drinks

Don Smith

One of the most amazing dining experiences my wife and I have enjoyed. Top quality service, outstanding food, and the creativity was beyond compare. We did the 8 course tasting and suggest doing it at least once.

ona liu

Delicious fried chicken!!

Dylan Riggs

My fav spot for quality American food. Nothing to complain about. I will be back with my coworkers. Prices are fair. I see why this place has so many good reviews.

David Packer

YUMMMMMMMYYYY! I went here with some out of towners who recommended it and man was I not disappointed. FYI, had 2 small nephews in tow and the staff was great with them. The food was delicious. Well priced. Fast service. Friendly staff. Great menu. Amazing atmosphere. Just FYI, little to none cell service if you are the type that cannot go without it for work, etc... Another FYI, their credit card machine seems to go ‘down’ a lot and they switch to cash only so make sure you have cash. Not sure what is up with that!

James Davis

Every time I'm in Chicago dinner at Boka is a must! I love the ambiance, the service and the food is always on point! Never a disappointment! The Chef's tasting menu was fantastic btw, keep up the hard work Chef, it's paying off! Also, follow this group on Facebook and Instagram, they are always posting fun and interesting pics.

JR Cottingham

This was a 'wow' dinner. Every course tasted as good as it looked, and everyone in our party of 5 agreed, this was the best meal of our visit. Will definitely come back on our next trip to Chicago. We also really enjoyed the atmosphere of modern sophistication with a twist of Chicago-casual and 60's/70's R&B and Blues soundtrack (not too loud, but clear enough to easily enjoy along with the conversation at the table...a fine balance often missing in today's restaurant scene). . As expected, the service was on-point and attentive without being intrusive. Boka gets the small things right... It all came together to create a perfect evening for our family. Oh, GET THE DUMPLING APPETIZER!

Warren Campbell

Definitely one of the best restaurants I've ever been to. The duck was absolutely out of this world. The restaurant is beautiful and staff are very attentive. I highly recommend Boka!

Richard Peter

The service was amazing, the food looked really great... but once you take a bite out of it, you realize it’s bland and lacks flavor. Would expect MUCH more from a fine dining place, especially when you consider the price. Location and professional wait staff do not make up for food that tastes just average.

DIMITRI LASKAS

Had lunch there yesterday, and throughly enjoyed every bite. I went with the Steak & Eggs with kimchi fried rice. The steak was cooked perfectly and the sunny side eggs made the meal that much better. The kimchi fried rice came out nice and hot and very tasty, the whole combination was delicious and a really nice sized portion. I cant wait to come back and try the wings........

Revathi Jangiti

Would definitely go back. Loved every bit of this experience

Julio Fox

Came for restaurant week dinner. The cocktails were so so. Some of the dishes were just out of this world, the beet salad, shrimp, pork neck which was so tender and flavorful The foie gras was ok as was the chicken but nothing special. Desserts were very good. Service was attentive. The chairs need to be higher.

Ben Zimmerman

This place is amazing! Spicy wings are just right, not too spicy but with plenty of flavor. We loved the watermellon soju too it was delicious and paired well with the spicy drumsticks.$29 is worth it get one for two people. But yeah we did one 10 piece drumstick for half and half spicy and not spicy and we much preferred the spicy wings, which we then ordered another 10 of. Then we ordered two bottles of soju and four beers and life was good.

Nicholas Graff

Wonderful service and menu. Food was delicious (beef tartare, seared foie gras, poached cod, beef short ribs, hazelnut dessert, and pear dessert). Gr at atmosphere for a group or Intimate dining. Customizing the front menu was a lovely touch for our anniversary.

Melissa Louren

The place was great and the service is excellent! I was able to meet the manager and he is really really nice, they are all nice actually. The food is super delicious especially the beef one which I forgot the exact name of the dish. Also, their appetizer is one of the best tasting ever. They also have lots of drinks that you will for sure enjoy, lots of choices to choose from.

Jane Bodmer

I came here for restaurant week. The food was amazing and the service was great. Everyone was super helpful and informed about the menu, literally everyone I talked with was ready to help

A.Y E.R

A nice and friendly place... The important is the food is delicious

Rosie Sallinger

Ok! The food is amazing, but small! For the price I thought I’d get a little more... damn at least give more purée or something. The food tasted soooooooo good don’t get me wrong but I’m Cuban and I love food and expect more when I pay more. I can’t give a 5star because of the size, otherwise I would!

therese beckr

Best Korean food outside of Korean Canyon with excellent customer service!

Zhi Lin

Chicken was good but rest of meal was pretty bad. For the premium price, there were also no side dishes that came with the meal. Definitely not going to come again and not recommended.

John Tao

Fantastic chicken wings! Fresh tasty and quick!! We placed an order for 40 wings and it came out in less then 5 mins. Great soy garlic flavor and spicy garlic flavor. Not to compare to any particular KFC but it taste just like Mad for chicken (which are very good). We also ordered the bulgogi fries which were just fries covered in cheese wiz and some bulgogi tossed in. I didn’t feel the korean goodness while eating them so they weren’t too special. The O-deng soup was surprisingly good for a simple soup. I dunno about anyone else but if I were a first timer, just get chicken wings and Soju. You can’t ever go wrong with that combo.

Kristine Bulaklak

Good fried chicken wings and drink selection.

Alina Mindra

Best dining experience I ever had. I was planning to book a restaurant for my birthday, and the one restaurant that I was planning to book did not have any available reservations. That's when I came across Boka while trying to find a different place to go. And honestly, I'm so happy I discovered this place. The interior, service, food - everything was on a highest level possible. We tried many things on the menu, and all of the dishes were extremely delicious, they plating deserves another separate 5 start review! I highly recommend this place to everyone, it's literally one of the best places to eat in Chicago, and not only.

Shirley Nurse

Awesome wings! Their pork buns are amazing!

Erin Woods

Came for restaurant week dinner. The cocktails were so so. Some of the dishes were just out of this world, the beet salad, shrimp, pork neck which was so tender and flavorful The foie gras was ok as was the chicken but nothing special. Desserts were very good. Service was attentive. The chairs need to be higher.

Afshan

What a pleasant experience! Absolutely loved Boka! The service was impeccable, the atmosphere is so homey, the food was beyond delicious and the chefs are so accommodating with their tasting menu. For instance, I don't eat beef or pork and they substituted those items with more chicken + fish + veggies. And even with the changes, the food is just in a class of it's own. Please look at the attached picture for more details. Honestly, there is not one thing on the menu that I didn't love. My most favorite was the oyster in the strawberry sauce - it's so divine that I am still craving it. Boka lives up to it's reputation and frankly beyond it. It's worth a visit and many after!

JPayton806

I have never had octopus cooked that well. Top five restaurants I've ever been to. Excellent service as well.

Meka Brooks

One of thr better spots for KFC and watermelon soju

Malory Thelen

As my first "fancy" dining experience, Boka was an unforgettable experience. We had so much fun sitting next to the greenery wall and sampling all of the bite-size treats that came between courses. The foie gras and the short ribs are so delicious, and I'd highly recommend Boka!

Jesus Fernandez de Bobadilla

Amazing! Delicious food and very kind service. You MUST order at least the Ricotta Dumplings and the Duck. They were really really good.

Neha kishan

Loved the food

TY C

Best korean chicken wings! Must order watermelon soju! Coz you got whole watermelon haha

Seth Wolff

Awesome East Village Korean BBQ chicken spot. Bi Bim bop, Tteokbokki (spicy rice cake), etc. Very busy on weekends. One of the best K BBQ chicken in NYC. Best to go with group. Great energy. Bathrooms super scary tho.

Christina Chen

Probably one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. Everything was delicious! So much amazing food. You have to get the tasting menu. Was even lucky enough to get a few extra tastings and gift to go. The hot chocolate the next day was fabulous

Wayne Hsu

Great dining experience, great food and service with reasonable price. Overall, I had a great experience in Boka, the restaurant even provide a nice little surprise since we’re celebrating for mother days. A great restaurant to visit in Chicago, recommended.

Alamin Dhali

4 stars because apparently they can split the bill on two separate cards so I had to pay for the other person that I went with. Chickens from this spot is always on point. My favorite one is the spicy one (can be a bit too spicy if you don't like your foods spicy). Love the setup, creates a calm vibe. Everything was very clean. Customer service is okay could be better. Definitely would go back and also would highly recommend to try it out.

Hailey Baker

Fine place for american food. Visited near twelve, it was not full. Certainly worth a return trip. The bill was fair I would say.

Dalt Brewsher

Upon arrival I received the warmest birthday wishes and a personalized menu. We decided to do our first tasting here and it was the best choice we made. Besides the food being absolutely delicious, the service was impeccable. Unfortunately we were unable to finish the tasting as I fell ill from something I ate earlier in the day. It was quiet upsetting and even embarrassing. The waiter was completely understanding and made us feel at home. He still brought out a birthday take-away dessert with a candle. The manager came out to speak to us; she offered her assistance if we needed any and welcomed us to the next visit. Finally, they generously compensated a portion of our bill while we were prepared to pay the complete amount. We will come back for our next trip without a doubt!

Eran Dromy

Fancy vibe with helpful service. Food is okay, small portions and pricey. The place have very nice atmosphere and extremely helpful service. In fact it was a bit "too helpful" sometimes. Although the food wasn't really to our taste I think it was generally good. The portions unfortunately were small and the price was high. The only dish I really loved was the Hazelnut & Coffee desert. The main dishes (Olive Oil Poached Cod and Roasted Beef Short Rib) were a bit of a let down. I also ordered a Painkiller version cocktail which seems like a full glass, but was over after 3 sips (that reveal it to be 70% ice).

Joshua Bernal

Great spot for Korean Fried Chicken. Their menu includes Soups, Bao, and other items if you aren't craving the chicken, but you should definitely give it a try. They have less options for flavors than most places I've been, but the staple Garlic and Spicy flavors are at the top of their game. As a Texan, I will assert that the Spicy does pack a kick. Happy eating!

Jessica Ahn

Food was phenomenal - the ricotta dumplings cannot be described in any way other than little pillows of ricotta perfection! All their foods were delicious. We dined a la carte and it was divine. Service was a tad slower than anticipated - nothing horrendous, but just make sure to plan enough time when dining. Don’t line up a show too close to dinner time. Also, bread and butter on point. You must try their garlic knot bread.

Z. Cai

OK food but poor service. Didn't really find anything special with the Korean fried chicken. They only take cash here. Long wait times during evening hours and no place to wait properly. There's a terrible draft at a lot of the tables.

Linda Irons

THE WINGS!!!! TO DIE FOR! SOY GARLIC! YUMMY

Christopher valkovsky

Fantastic food, friendly employees, always good mood. They charge affordable prices and the food quality is awesome. Kudos.

David Wills

Late night love....

Brandon Wigboldy

Went for a celebratory dinner with a friend. Boka is absolutely up there as one of the top dining spots in Chicago. Service was fantastic. Nice atmosphere if a little on the dark side. We had the tasting menu and each course was fun and delicious. Lots of unique ideas. The staff also did a great job timing each course. Never felt rushed or had to wait for food. The starters were all creative and tasted great. Nice size portions as well. Left full but not stuffed. Highly recommended!!

Emily Hase

We dined at Boka to celebrate our wedding anniversary, and had an outstanding experience. We had the tasting menu with drink pairings, and each course was innovative, interesting, and delicious. Our waiter tailored our experience beautifully, and sent us home with a printed menu with each course and drink pairing. I definitely recommend Boka for anyone looking for an upscale dining experience in Chicago.

Dhruv Shankar

Please do yourself a favor and have the soy garlic fried chicken. You will not regret it.

Suzie Lee

They talk behind their customers in Korean!!! And I pointed out that it’s unprofessional and their response was “ok..?”

Shaan Somani

Low ceilings and a dark lit space make for an intimate setting. The shaved foie gras was the stand out dish of the night, though everything we tried was delectable. Would recommend for a special night out with a loved one.

Ashley Smithson

We recently visited this place for a simple dinner and some cocktails with my co-workers. Everything about this restaurant is so excellent, the food, the drinks, the services are all excellent. I love the dessert they served us but I forgot what was that and I will for sure ask when I get to visit this place. I just want to thank everyone in this place for making that night a memorable one.

Benjamin Loh

There was a cockroach on our table during lunch. I trapped it under a plate, we called our server over - his response was “so....what do you want me to do... you guys can leave if you want I guess..?” Were we supposed to kill it ourselves? So unprofessional. Only in New York I guess?

maria meinerding

Best wings in NYC. Also, you can't beat the cuteness of soju served in tiny watermelons

DJ Transaction

This is one of the best Korean places in the area for bar food. The key word is bar food. Just order the chicken wings. They are the best item and it's the beat friend chicken wings you will ever eat. This place closes late also so that's a huge plus if your going around the Webster hall or VNYL area and looking for late night eats. I went there around 1am to 2:30am for a meal a couple of times

Marsha Kenol

IT WAS SO HOMEY! the atmosphere is cool and the waiters care so much fit what you're doing. It was great.

Toyin Ajibade

Great service, good wings, they brought back the fire chicken. So happy!!! Be warned the fire chicken is for those that can really handle incredibly spicy food.

MICHAEL Anthony

Awesome wings, good food!

Shahzeb Rizvi

Great people, great food, great atmosphere

Christina Aro

I go to Boka for most special occasions (birthdays, anniversary, celebratory dinners)--the service is always top-notch (attentive and knowledgeable without being overbearing), and the food is fantastic. Cocktails are always unique (who knew malort could taste good?), and definitely save room for dessert!

Wei Xin Yuan

Came here for friend's birthday. Ordered 2 combo fried chicken, each with 10 wings and 5 drumsticks. One soy garlic and one spicy. 3 out of the 5 of us thought the spicy combo was spicy. I have an above average tolerance for spicy food, so it was really mild to me. In fact, to me the spicy tasted as sweet as the soy garlic, with a tinge of hotness added to it. Tried the korean seafood pancake. Very small. Very little seafood. The skin was excellent on the chicken. Crunchy and well flavored. A friend claimed it is baked and not fried. Well, in either case, I highly recommend it. The combo is good because, wings have higher skin to meat ratio, so you get to savor the crunchy skin more. In fact, if you don't want to eat that much protein, I'd recommend just getting pure wings and enjoy the skin.

Galen Huddleston

Came for restaurant week dinner. The cocktails were so so. Some of the dishes were just out of this world, the beet salad, shrimp, pork neck which was so tender and flavorful The foie gras was ok as was the chicken but nothing special. Desserts were very good. Service was attentive. The chairs need to be higher.

Andrew Kornblatt

This place is amazing. The attention to detail from the cocktails to the flavors to the decorations were all perfect. I cannot recommend this place enough.

Seung Mun

Didn't realize how much sugar is in their fried chicken. I'm diabetic, so I am a bit sensitive, but if and only if there is extraordinary amount of sugar in food. Wonder if they hired a new chef?

Angelo Tinsley

It was a great experience. The service was great and the food was wonderful.

Bill Castle

Absolutely amazing service and tremendous food

Zhong Huang

The soy garlic wings were delicious: super crispy and just enough flavoring where it is not overwhelmingly salty.

Cynthia Valtierrez

A group of friends and I tried their exquisite tasting menu and it was truly an experience. So many different flavors and combinations I wouldn’t have even imagined. They treated us like royalty and the staff was extremely friendly. We even got little individually packed to-go freshly baked bread. Which tasted heavenly with my morning tea. Thanks Boka.

Sally Ouyang

The Korean fried chicken was okay... It wasn’t super amazing or anything. The kimchi fried rice is really good though. The service was fine. Wasn’t great but wasn’t terrible.

Ashley Adams

Our friend made reservations at Boka while we were in Chicago on vacation, and it was one of the greatest surprises of the trip. We came in after The Aviary, and honestly had no idea we were in a Michelin stared restaurant until the service and food made us go WOW over and over again.... So we investigated and discovered their vast array of accolades. Bravo guys. Unpretentious. Beautiful. Immaculate service. A must. Wish I had taken more pictures but I was in such a euphoric state of pure Bliss that I was lost.

pratap reddy Machavaram Siva

Michelin restaurant so doesn't disappoint in the taste or hospitality

Jeffrey Deguzman

Went on a Sunday afternoon and there was only one wait staff working the front. This guy was taki ng telephone orders, packing up to go orders while still serving the front. I wouldn't recommend going on a Sunday before 3. The food was excellent and service was good for what was available, that server was a trooper.

Brian Gilbert

Great food and mixed drinks. Boka has excellent service.

Phil Lenowsky

First time eating here last night and it didn't disappoint. It was our anniversary and they started the meal with glasses of sparkling wine. Our server Ellen was friendly and knowledgeable and moved the meal at a nice leisurely pace. The Amuse Bouche was a Gruyere mousse with some other wonderful ingredients. It foretold the story of the remainder of the evening. Our appetizers of octopus and ricotta dumplings were delicious. And then the main event, which was the whole duck. It was the best duck we've ever eaten and we've eaten in some of the finest restaurants in the world (not to brag but to add perspective). We finished the meal at Ellen's suggestion with the Raspberry Pavlova. I'm usually a chocolate only kind of guy, but given it was our anniversary I didn't object with my wife's desire for something different. Glad I went along as it too, like everything else about the dining experience, was above our expectations. We will certainly return and return and return, etc.

Leon Lin

Decent Korean food at an average price, reasonable portion sizes. service was average, not great but not as terrible as some other reviews seem to make it to be. Had the fried chicken in both flavors, the beef bulgogi in the hot stone bowl, and the fire chicken. Fried chicken is supposedly from bonchon and is great. Bulgogi was decent, and kept hot for a long time. Fire chicken was spicy and also tasty.

Elias Atalah

Some of the best wings I have ever had not saying the sauce but the actual wing and it’s crisp. The flavor for me was also amazing try the half and half the spicy isn’t too spicy it’s a good burn. Also their rice balls are super tasty and a good size for the price.

Zia Al-Khalil Ott

First off: the chicken is EFFING AMAZING. Perfect union of crispy, juicy, and flavorful, it's so very good! If you have a sensitive palate or can't do spicy stuff, then I'd recommend staying away from the spicy and getting the garlic chicken instead, because the spicy can be very spicy for a lot of people. Try one of the rice balls and definitely, definitely ask for a soju-filled watermelon. My only complaint is that the service can be a bit abrupt and hit and miss, but the food is good.

Lacey Kreft

Incredible atmosphere and food. Unique and delicious. I think every bite was the best I had had up until that point. I really enjoyed the duck and the matcha ice cream.

Jake Peabody

Cheap and reliable. Recommend the fried chicken or the steak and eggs. My go-to for those Sunday mornings when it hurts to get out of bed.

Gonzalo Navarrete

Great sevice and atmosphere. The fire chicken was delicious. Great place to hang out with your buddies.

Rafael Bravo

Although they serve amazing korean food, I usually come here when I want great Korean fried chicken. They give you pickled radish alongside it that could be a meal on it's own. The waiters are super nice and make sure that you are well taken care of. Come in for some post beer dinner.

Taylor Dugas

Service alone is 5 stars. If you’re looking for something savory— I highly recommend the duck.

Ashtyn Davis

Came during dinner rush and was seated immediately. Ordered the chicken wings, they were so good! Only complaint was that the main room smelled a bit weird. Almost like mold, maybe the bar dishwasher needed to be cleaned. Anyways it's was awesome, would come here again. They were cash only when I visited, but there was an atm next door!

Gregory Frame

Came in pretty famished and went out very full and satisfied. Atmosphere was amazing and romantic yet it has this upbeat vibe. I enjoyed the service very much. The server was great on making suggestions. I'm glad I ordered what he suggested.They have an extensive list of cocktails. Whole experience was great!

Caren Brown

This is definitely one of the best restaurants in Chicago that I have been to when it comes to food. Their service is also exceptional. Will definitely come back here again.

Matt O'Rourke

Literally the worst fried chicken I’ve ever had.

Daniël

We had an amazing night at Boka. The food was simply spectacular: the slow-roasted carrots, the glazed roasted chicken with a jus of Banyuls, the raspberry pavlova... all amazing. We did enjoy the service very much as well, our waiter was absolutely great, the only slight comment I could make was that at times it was a bit slow. The cocktails are super inventive and exquisite (try the 75 Reasons And Counting!). All in all a great experience!

Tony Brown

I new I had to eat here!! When I heard Sophie Bush ate here!!! Chi Town in the house!!!

Hannah Lee

Best Korean fried chicken in the city! Must get the combo half and half. The spicy wings are pretty spicy but worth it! It’s usually cash only but I think on less busy nights they take credit card. Usually a surprise. Gets crowded on the weekends so it’s normal for there to be a wait. Other great options are the bibimbap and anything from the appetizers!

ria metha

amazing birthday dinner here - great service, extra treats brought to the table

Eder Tonel

Friendly staff, chicken wings are beyond this earth. So chill vibe. Absolute joy here.

Morgan Goodrick

Way over priced for what you get. Our waitress told us they had very creative cocktails but they weren't very good. I've had much more creative and better tasting drinks at small bars. Tiny portions, and not the best flavors. I ordered the ricotta dumplings because the waitress recommended it. It tasted basically like gnocchi with parmesan cheese. My friend ordered the octopus and it was very tough and rubbery. They are very hands-on with their service. They fold your napkins when you get up to use the restroom, pick up your glass and wipe the moisture from underneath it, and adjust your silverware if you move it before your food comes. So be prepared for that. Personally I'm not a fan.

Daniel Huang

Delicious Korean comfort food and fried chicken with a Friendly staff. They have good soju options and beer on the tap. I like spicy, so the spice level on the food was perfect for me, but you can order non spicy dishes. Only issue was that some of the dishes were a little too sweet for my taste.

Paul Doskey

Delicious menu. Smaller portions. Excellent service & friendly staff. Atmosphere was perfect for romantic dinner or small group. Not loud. Intimate setting. Textures & flavors were spot on!

michael chiu

Crispy fried chicken taste really good. Spicy flavor is preferred. Just one drum stick is a little bit dry. Veggie pancake is also tasty but the portion is ... for me. Lol

TheAvidObserver

Very good but not great The restaurant has a nice, unique interior and a beautiful tree and ivy lined patio where we enjoyed our meal. The service was competent and good, but not exemplary and the food disappointingly likewise. Plating was attractive, and the preparation well executed, but the flavours just weren't there and in our experience and opinion not worthy of the praise they've enjoyed if exceptional is what you seek.

Alexandria Lee

The fried chicken is okay but the service here is terrible.

Jonelle Theethem

I bought the fried chicken. the service was very good and the aesthetic of the place was nice. the fried chicken were crispy and cooked a certain way that was appealing. it tasted fresh. it was not as spicy as i expected though considering I did ask for the spicy chicken. the cost was a bit high. i spent almost 20 bucks for the drum sticks but it was filling enough after I finished it. the area is pretty nice too with it being in st marks, manhattan. overall, the place is good and i enjoy it but i probably would not go all the time. next time i may want to try something different though. expect to spend over 12 here if you want to go here though

acenslash karizmo

great food but TERRIBLE staff!

Juan Pablo Michelsen

Excelente! I really enjoyed the balance of the atmosphere and the dinner. The food was amazing and the service very good.

Kelly H

Favorite Korean fried chicken restaurant to go to!

Christian Terrazas

The fried chicken was amazing, we ordered the medium fried chicken combo and as soon as I took a bite, I ordered another medium fried chicken combo. We also had the Beef Bi Bim Bop, which was also very good. Will definitely be going back.

Megan Moore

Celebrated an anniversary with dinner at Boka. Since we marked the occasion in our reservation, they added little personalized touches to make for a super romantic evening! Great wine selection and incredibly professional wait staff. Adored the atomosphere and of course the food! We shared two starters and each got an entree, which was a perfect amount of food. We'll definitely go back!

Ashlee Walters

american food and the atmosphere at this place is excellent. really nothing but enjoyable experiences here, i'll be back.

Ramon Saragosa

They ripped off a young couple. Waiter said its 135.00 for two. When they got their bill he charged double. Sad. You have to he a low life of a person. Never going back.

Breanne Smith

Good but a print out of the tasting menu would have been helpful. Descriptions are given fast. I couldnt understand them

ThatsJoeyNYC

It's just ok. No big deal. My friend loved the chicken. It did have a good crunch sound and taste fine but nothing to rave about. Honestly I won't be going back.

Madams Kitchen

Staff extremely unprofessional and rude. No chicken in the world will allow me to be in the presence of that!

Banha Sok

Tried the tasting menu, everything was good but the dessert. Not a big fan of the goat cheese yogurt and the salty caramel ice-cream.

Aliké Simons

Third year anniversary brought us to Boka. Our reservation was for an intended 2 people. Just us. Husband & wife. New mom & dad to a little four month old boy. But, as fate would have it, our babysitter wasn't able to get to us in time so we had to lug the little guy along with us. We showed up unexpectedly with our party of three, and they accommodated us anyway, pretty immediately. The atmosphere is a casual upscale country club meets fine dining. There's no white tablecloths, but you feel like there could be. The servers are dressed in suit jackets. Patrons' attire varies. I can't quite put my finger on the decor, but it had a slight nod to Dungeons & Dragons or GOT. Brick walls, a painting of some fictional looking member of a royal family. And candelabras fastened to the walls in the form of your upper extremities (arms & hands), holding candles, dripping wax. But all slightly subtle. Not overwhelming or excessive. Service was good & professional - they described each dish as it was presented to you. The menu was short and sweet. Very "curated." And they also offered a prix fixe selection for $135 for about 7 items. We ended up ordering a la carte from the main menu once we started to sub out the lamb & sweet bread from the prix fixe offering. I ended up with the Halibut & my husband, with the chicken. Both were very appetizing although we both liked his better. The flavor profile on the chicken was fantastic! Let me back up, before the main course was served, they brought some kind of purée, or cold soup to start. They also brought bread rationed out - two slices per person, one described as a type of sourdough and the other was a warm herbed dinner roll - before dinner. More was offered with dinner if you wanted. We also ordered the ricotta dumplings as an appetizer and they were delicious. Portion sizes appeared small in accordance with the traditional over-sized American serving sizes, but were actually just perfect. You really don't need to feel like you're busting out of your pants at every meal. Lastly, my husband ordered a glass of red and loved it. And we both ordered dessert. Again, very satisfying. Not too much. Not too little. The great thing about eating at places like this is you often try flavor combinations or ingredients prepared in an unexpected way, combined in an unexpected way, or an introduction of something new altogether. And before I go, you should know this is the type of place that asks you what kind of water you prefer; tap, still, or sparkling... I'm not complaining, but on a hot, humid night like we have been having, I would've loved for my water to have been cold or served with ice

Nancy King

From the moment I walked in, to the moment I walked out a delightful experience. Friendly, approachable staff, who did not look down on a solo diner. Regarding the food, one of the best meals I have had in my quite long life. I recommend the tasting menu, well worth it and you get a good feel of what the chef is about. Too bad I don’t live in Chicago. Thank you for a lovely evening and for accepting solo reservations.

Liliana Martin

This is the kind of place where you can sit and lose complete track of time. The service is outstanding. The food is scrumptious. We had the short rib and the celery root. We also had the hazelnut dessert. The combination of flavors and textures was impressive. The octopus in the appetizer menu was also delicious. The ambiance is dark and romantic. There is music but not very loud. All and all, a great place. We will definitely come back.

Rachel Tseng

Crunchy wings. Ok service.

Dominic Sciancalepore

Excellent food but I definitely will go back there.

Serene Farless

I've been here several times and never disappointed The Chicken Wings are my favorite I tried the Dumplings for the first time this visit and they were delicious. The prices are very reasonable and great to go for a date night or with a bunch of friends You'll find alot of the College crowd there

Lily X

This restaurant serves my fav fried chicken! It’s crispy from the outside while tender for the inside.

Stephen Smith

The food is amazing and very reasonably priced. Service is great, even when they are busy. I've never had a bad day here. Do yourself a favor and start off with the wings!

Andrew Yoo

Great ambiance, service, and food. Would come back again.

Yosani Brewer

Best friend chicken wings out there. Service is always slow, but because they're so busy. At all times! Other food is great as well. Call ahead to make reservation so you aren't waiting when you get there.

Zoe Becker

Delicious food, great service.

Kristin Aladin

Visited Boka for dinner last week, the food was good but the service was horrible. Very unaccommodating to my vegetarian friend, rude, service felt very rushed even though the restaurant wasn't full. I would not go back

Andrea Nguyen

Food is ok. Staff was friendly. Since it was busy sometimes the cleanliness isnt their top priorities.

Natasha Kung

Amazing Korean fried chicken. Only thing that’s annoying is that they only take cash, so remember that especially if you’re going with a big group and your bill comes out to be pretty large. The seafood pancake is also good!

Reginald Noel

Great service plus they open till late! Love it definitely go for the Korean fried chicken

Brian Rothschild

Stellar experience. Food, cocktails, wine, ambiance, and service were all outstanding. Didn't have time to try the tasting menu, but the a la carte dishes were still spectacular.

Chenguang Xu

Chicken was great, but you need to be prepared since it's cash only

Linda Hong

Nice food with impolite service

Samuel Waggoner

I had the tasting menù and the wine pairing ( you can chose between the classic and the premiere, i personally suggest the premiere), all the food and the wines were amazing. Michelin star deserved. Worth 100% the money. At the end of the night they even print me a menù with everything i had that night, as a memory. (unfortunatly 2 courses on the menù are different from what i ate, but not a big deal at all).I will surely come back!!

M Jason

Fancy place. Delicious food & cocktail.. 100% will go again

Ramon Perez

The food is more into the bland; it is OK but nothing special. The ambient is good and the service is good. The food is not my cup of tea so if you like bland food you might love it,

Trent Goodridge

Yo the fried chicken and the watermelon drink is all you need.

Vince Amoroso

Fantastic food, atmosphere and service. A truely great place to go!

Lou Blackmon

Fried chicken is an absolute knockout. Cash only, though.

Michael Chen

First time dining here and it left a great impression. Although it was packed, due to restaurant week, service was great, food was good and I'll definitely be back for their regular menu.

Daniel Lee

A solid dining experience in general but if you have someone you'd like to take out for her or his birthday this is an especially great place for that. Just let them know about the birthday in advance when you make your reservations and there will be some fun surprises.

Chad D

Amazing meal, well worth the cost. Parking was challenging without a valet, but that was the only thing I wasn't thrilled with. Can't wait to return

Robert Schmitt

The best fried chicken wings ever. Period. Get extra radish. Better than bonchon.

Veronica Graham

An excellent restaurant in an amazing setting. The rooms (there are 2) are both beautiful and unique. The service was excellent-really extraordinary. And the food was great. A relatively small menu but something for everyone. We started with a broccoli/tahini amuse bouchée that was fabulous and way better than it sounds. Artichoke starter was great. Duck was amazing and filling. And ask about the chicken preparation wow. The pear dessert was also fabulous If you want a gourmet meal in a lovely setting this is the place. The front room is quieter with more comfortable chairs. The back room has the bar and is livelier

Adam Baumgartner

Wonderful experience. The personalized tasting menu made for a very unique experience, full of flavors my partner and I loved. The winning factor for me is that I don’t drink alcohol, but their menu includes some mature and thoughtful non-alcoholic drinks. They also made a drink based on my flavor preferences that was simply delightful. Augustus was a wonderful waiter.

Tom Sullivan

Amazing restaurant food and service

blasianFMA

This is one of my favorite places to get Korean fried Chicken. If you look at my reviews and find another spot that has Korean fried chicken and read that review then you will see that I referred to this place as my all-time favorite. I especially like this place because it has the private rooms where you can have large groups of people, but the rooms are not too private because they are surrounded by glass so if you're looking to be seen with your friends and off to the side from everyone else then this is the place to go. All of that to say the chicken is fantastic. I always get soy garlic legs and wings combo with a side of white rice and a Sprite. The one and only thing that I don't like about this place is that the cups that they serve water in are made of metal and I can taste the metal and it's gross, but I think you can request a regular glass if it's necessary. But this has no bearing on the chicken at all.

May Marasigan

Excellent food, service and ambiance. Definitely going back.

Thomas Padanilam

One of the best meals we've ever had. My wife and I went there and we were seated as soon as we got there. The staff is extremely friendly and inviting. Our server Brandon was outstanding.He was very attentive throughout the evening and very helpful in the selection process. We start off our meals with a cocktail which was outstanding. My wife and I had the tasting menu paired with the standard wine selection. The dishes were creative and outstanding flavor. The wines paired perfectly with the food. Definitely a place we would go back to for special occasions

Channing Jackson

When so many reviewers are saying "bad service" 100 % believe it. They give 0 F's about your experience. Ask a question and they look at you like an Alien. The food is ok. The atmosphere is very blah. A waiter said he's been there 2 weeks and doesn't know who the manager is. How Sway?? I will never spend my money here again. BonChon Chicken is 10x better I'll stick with their much better food and service.

Eddy Suarez

Honestly. Horrible overseasened food. Will give you diahriah if you have a weak stomach. Also staff is unapproachable and have zero sense of hospitality.

Sabrina Runbeck

This is one of our favorite Korean food spot in NYC. My fiance and I aren't here for their fried chicken but everything else on their menu. They make really good jabchae, meat bud, and watermelon soju etc

Jake C

Eating at Boka was nothing short of an experience. As soon as I entered the restaurant I knew I was going to have a fantastic meal. The hostess and wait staff were incredibly friendly and considerate of.. everything. Dietary needs, the occasion, everything. I don't think I've ever been waited on as well as I was at my dinner at Boka and it was so pleasant. Not to mention the food. The food! It was amazing! We had the tasting menu (8 course meal) and it was fantastic. I didn't know that food could taste so good. While there were only two dishes of the 8 courses I didn't particularly like (everyone has different palates), the other courses were phenomenal and the entire meal was well worth it. I only wish I actually lived in Chicago and not just visiting so that I could come again.

Irene L

My friend works night shifts so our group has been meeting up really late in the day, lately. I'm usually not able to go out with them at that time, but this time I did and lucky for us, Boka is one of those places that stays open past midnight, plus they're not crowded at that hour, so there's no wait for a table and it's a chill place. I had the bulgogi bibimbap in the hot stone bowl, but they have the option to have it serves cold, as well. I'd strongly recommend getting it hot though, because any Korean food connoisseur (not that I would consider myself one) knows that the best part of bibimbap is the crunchy layer of rice at the bottom, and that's exactly what I got at Boku. Plus, it comes with a poached egg, which is my favorite way of having eggs, although this one wasn't as runny as I would've liked but hey, a poached egg is a poached egg.

Patrick Baginski

Hands down the most flavorful experience in tasting menus I've had over the last few months. And I'm comparing here with Commonwealth, Atera, Benu or Elske. While definitely a diverse set of very different cooking philosophies, the menu at Boka totally blew my mind. Im not a professional rater, just a food lover willing to support the chefs that work way too hard for those inspector recognitions. However, the reason why Boka beat Atera (I believe both chefs spent some time at El Bulli) was simply: Flavor. While Atera deals with truffle, wagyu and caviar, Boka just deals in flavors. And for that I applaud the chef because this has been the best flavors I've had since I went to al l'oro in Rome in 2015. Excited to explore the Chicago based competition! At the end of the day all of these restaurants and chefs are truly master's of their art deserving of every good word that is being said!

Larry Harlan

Fine dining in a casual atmosphere. Great tasting menu experience.

David Nivala

Outstanding! The food was delicious and service was excellent. Every course was presented beautifully. One of the best meals I have ever had.

Gabriel Valle

Worth every hard earned penny. Did the tasting menu and in definitely coming back

Ronak Shah

Great wings, average service.

Edward Feng

The fried chicken was amazing!! Strongly recommend the combo of 3 drumsticks and 6 wings for only $13. I think I just found myself the best fried chicken in New York!

Constance Mayo

I highly recommend this place due to its comforting food! If you have the opportunity to visit this restaurant, be sure to do so. The beef was succulent and delicious along with the friendly and courteous staff. A must-try.

Will Chen

Excellent Korean fried chicken, but the other dishes are also really good. Also really nice decor, but the bathroom is kinda shady.

ashley fergusson

Chicken was meh Asked for beef stew got mainly tofu Service was great though

Loreto Jamlig

My go to spot for mother effin Korean fried chicken. I will argue the best Korean fried chicken I’ve tasted. Second best part, you get a good amount and it’s not super pricey. You can share a medium order between two people. I usually go half and half with the flavors. Also, the battered cauliflower is BOMB.

Ijeoma Onyekwere

Great food, nice ambience, quick service, good prices.

Matt Peppes

Came here to celebrate my girlfriend’s birthday and has a great culinary experience! The atmosphere was wonderful, romantic but still had an energetic vibe! Our server was very nice and guided us through the menu making great suggestions. Their cocktail list was great and offered a bunch of crafted flavors. The food was amazing and was accompanied by an awesome presentation. The whole evening was a great experience and we can’t wait to come back!!

Scott Armstrong

Love this place. Food is great and service is good. Love the patio on not so hot days.

Akhtar Mohammad

Great food for a decent price

Adam Plascencia

Highlight of my culinary experiences in Chicago. Tasting menu was on point.

Dan Blessing

Insanely good food. One of the top dinning experiences in my life.

Alessandro Farinati

Went to celebrate or 10 years wedding anniversary and everything, start to finish, was fantastic. Wonderful cocktails, wonderful food, wonderful desserts and incredible service. A big thank you to all the people at Boka that made our anniversary memorable.

Yerinelsi Belen

Great place, great food, staff it's friendly. Great for parties with friends and family.

Ryan Edwards

With the 8 course summer '18 tasting menu, everything was exceptional. The service was beyond top notch and they treated us well for our anniversary. I enjoyed every course including the extra bread and amuse-bouche, truffles at the end, but with the exception of one (beef tongue with a beet reduction, cherry, turnip sauce). I think I would have preferred to try the short rib in place of that.I Overall experience was beyond compare and I'm quite happy with our visit. Lovely staff! Would recommend to anyone.

Janice Bishop

Truly a magical experience. Definitely lived up to the hype. Not only were the staff knowledgeable about the food and wine, they were even able to detect my sarcasm and banter with me a bit.

Nelson Sanchez

Amazing place to come and share a great time with good friends, a good date, excellent chicken.

Mary Ellen Cantone

Outstanding service, cordial staff, fabulous food. Michelin Star well deserved. I can't wait to return.

Jes Morrison

This is one of my favorite Boka Group restaurants! All the dishes have an amazing unique taste! The shima aji is my fave! They also have this dish served inside an eggshell, I can eat about like 20 of those! I'd definitely go back any day! Crushing it Chef Lee and all the cooks, who bring the place alive!

Mehrdad Vaziri

I have never been unfair in writing a review on Google. So I won't start now. First, it's a Michelin Star restaurant, so I already had very very high expectations. We sat down for the 8 course menu. Let me say that our servers were absolutely amazing and did everything they could to make us happy. However, when they bring the food, the names and descriptions are delivered very fast and most of the times it was hard to understand them (music could be lower). Let's get to the food part. From the 8 different things we tried, I would say maybe 3-4 were very very delicious, the rest were JUST OK. Portions are small and that wasn't a surprise. Though I genuinely left hungry, not sure that's good, specially when you are spending that much money. Generally, it was a fun experience, though my wife got sick from the fish, hopefully they didn't serve us bad fish. Would I go back here again? A hard "Maybe", but definitely won't try the 8 course menu again. There are too many options in Chicago to get caught up on one restaurant after all.

Nicole Santos

Fried chicken is so good. Also love the pickled radish

Nick Agel

Best fried chicken in all of nyc

Karma W Lama

One of the Best fried chicken in New York City. Their kimche Chigae soup is great and fried rice is awesome. I'm giving 3 stars only because of their service.

Marc Starvaggi

I came here with my partner a couple weeks ago. The wings are delicious. She liked the tuna rice ball, but felt there wasn't enough tuna inside. The pork belly baos were rather small, one had almost no meat in it. Overall, I think there are Korean restaurants in the area with better value for the money, but I only came here once so I didn't try that extensive of a selection of their menu.

Diego Cavalcanti

Delicious fried chicken, good and quick service once you're seated. They lose one star for me because the place is cash only for a couple of months now and they usually have a 30-40 mins waiting time on the weekends that could be more organized. Other than that, food is really good.

karlnicoolai

Best korean fried chicken place I've been to so far. The spicy one is SPICY, twas great. Affordable too.

Fitzgerald Richard

Awesome East Village Korean BBQ chicken spot. Bi Bim bop, Tteokbokki (spicy rice cake), etc. Very busy on weekends. One of the best K BBQ chicken in NYC. Best to go with group. Great energy. Bathrooms super scary tho

Ging C

Very chill restaurant with delicious food and good service! I loved the fried chicken drumsticks with soy garlic sauce + spicy salmon rice ball.

Golam Bhuiyan

Their wings are awesome.

Kimberly Yuenmak

Love this place. Opens late. Waiters are nice! Korean fried chicken + Korean dishes like LA Galbi, Galbi Jim, soon du bo and more! I love coming here to grab a bite and catch up with friends. A must try.

Amir Shevat

Thank you Boka for a wonderful dinner! We took the Tasting menu and it was a great experience. My wife is gluten-free and dairy free and the chef was able to create an amazing set of dishes that were perfect for her. We both had a great time and the cocktails that the bar brought were terrific.

Marlen Pando

Took my fiancé there for his birthday and mentioned that was the reason why we were dinning there in the reservation. They greeted us with a "happy birthday menu" and pampered us all throughout the night. We ordered the ricotta dumplings, the bass and the ribs, everything was incredibly delicious! Totally recommend it

Marsha Ann

Omg the fried chicken was soooo good! The interior of the place was really nice, the vibe is really chill, the prices aren't bad, the service was great, and the waitors, i can't lie, alot of them were cute lol. I def wanna come back with some friends!

Kelly Stuessy

Impeccable service and the food was divine. Loved all the extra touches (bread service, extra cookies at the end etc) and got great recos on food / drinks. Will be back!

alvinkuo777

Good American food. Cheaper alternative to its famous next-door neighbor. The ricotta dumplings are great!

Arianda Rosel

Pork Buns are to dieeee for ! Everything you want from a steamed bun. Wings ? Amazing ! Get the Soy Garlic they’re always extra crispy. Staff is super nice ! Will be back many more times !

Sarah Frankland-Searby

The service, food, and setting are outstanding! All the staff I interacted with understood and met dietary restrictions flawlessy. I was content to order tea for dessert since no dessert on the menu could be altered to meet my restriction. Before I could our fantastic server Augustus told me he would speak with the pastry chef about making something special, with my trust. He returned with an incredible mango and citrus dish with tiny crunchy popped grains and violets. I would not change a thing about our experience!

Christopher Jarzabek

We went for the fried chicken and weren't disappointed! We ordered the combo, and although we preferred the spicy marinade more, the soy sauce flavored chicken balanced the heat. We also tried and enjoyed the bao and the spicy rice cake, which was better than I usually find - lots of hot sauce and unusually topped with cheese. Service wasn't great and they forgot one of our dishes, but we loved the food and had a great time anyway. Will go back.

Xavier Carmona

Service was beyond phenomenal and the food was an almost out of this world experience. I couldn't recommend Boka enough.

Luca Dezzani

Excellent restaurant in Chicago. Truly recommend the tasting menu which will give you a sense of the amazing culinary experience this restaurant can offer. Also the wine pairing is recommended. Good value for money if you consider this is a one Michelin star restaurant

Uday Mathur

Went here after reading all the awesome reviews for our anniversary but were extremely disappointed. Drinks were very ordinary and entree's had too much salt. The best thing was their sample home made butter and bread rolls. We felt bad returning the food so just ate what we got. Maybe our's was an exception but not worth the money.

다다

Its good but so expensive

annisa davila

Such an incredible experience from start to finish. Probably the best foie gras in Chicago

Milnuhd Wright

I came here for restaurant week. The food was amazing and the service was great. Everyone was super helpful and informed about the menu, literally everyone I talked with was ready to help

Taggart Birge

I took my family here and we had a fantastic meal. The medley of flavors were paired together seamlessly. Everything is fresh and interesting. Particularly enjoyed the duck and octopus.

Garett Martocello

Good Korean food.

Joey Han

Fried chicken here is the only thing worth. Everything else is decent, but if you want Korean fried chicken, but don't want to go all the way to 32th street. This is the next best thing. Prices are reasonable, and you can also get a lot of soju cocktails for ok prices. Staff can be rude at times, but most of them are pretty nice and hard working. The chicken isn't authentic, but it tastes pretty good.

Tricia Taylor

Came for restaurant week dinner. The cocktails were so so. Some of the dishes were just out of this world, the beet salad, shrimp, pork neck which was so tender and flavorful The foie gras was ok as was the chicken but nothing special. Desserts were very good. Service was attentive. The chairs need to be higher.

Anthony Ortega

It's a cool place to be with a group of friends . Food is alright. One point I would like to adress is that music can be Very LOUD!. I wish they could control the volume per booth . But overall is a good place.

Victor Rodriguez

Best fried chicken ever. It's like "I can't believe I've never had this before" type of chicken.

Edgar

The chicken quality has been dropping the past several months. They stole the recipe from bonchon and apparently can’t manage to keep quality standards up. As soon as bonchon comes back to the neighborhood, drop this place!

Preety Aryal

Wings and watermelon soju. Lethal combination

RobertM Jones

What can I say that others haven't? The hospitality and attention to detail is amazing. The food is tasty and very high level. This is a great anniversary or special celebration restaurant. Pricey but worth it.

master keiji

This is the kind of place where you can sit and lose complete track of time. The service is outstanding. The food is scrumptious. We had the short rib and the celery root. We also had the hazelnut dessert. The combination of flavors and textures was impressive. The octopus in the appetizer menu was also delicious. The ambiance is dark and romantic. There is music but not very loud. All and all, a great place. We will definitely come back.

Jonathan Carter

Sometimes the lack of an extensive menu makes your choices far harder to make - luckily the tasting menu was an option which gave us a good mix of all types of foods some on the menu some not. I was blown away by bite number one which in the beginning I thought I could use a few more bites, to the very end I was completely amazed. I’ve never use the term mouth feel but everything had an excellent mouth feel the texture of the soul everything balanced out and was out of this world . I tried many items I would have never selected on my own- The combination of weird items that somehow balanced together everything was just divine. Was so worth the splurging on calories and expense. Top notch low key place- def top meal I’ve ever eaten

Tracy

Amazing service and great food.

Michael Meyer

Great food and great service! My girlfriend and I have our birthdays only a couple of days apart so we spent the weekend in the city and had dinner here. Would go again!

Kenneth Beynon

Boka was a truly wonderful time. The ambiance is whimsical with moss covered walls in one of the dining rooms. We did the 8-course tasting menu, and all the food was delicious. My favorite was the amberjack with tomato jelly and toasted barley. The service was very attentive without being overly fussy. Every dish was explained with just enough detail. The server even asked if we were adventurous. I said yes, so I received beef tongue in place of spare ribs for one of the dishes. It was just a great experience from start to finish.

Anakin Myyokai

Delicious food! Fun place and great service. Loved the vegetarian pancake and sweet chicken wings!!! Yum!!!

Kevin Kanellakis

This place is known for their chicken, but give their bulgogi (marinated beef) a try too. You won't be disappointed!

Kazem Edmond

I've been here many times, but the only thing I ever order is the fried chicken drumsticks. They're hands down the best fried chicken I've ever had. No joke. They're unbelievable.

Patrick Jordan

Came here for a birthday dinner, and honestly had the best service ever here, and I work in the service industry! They were also so accommodating for all allergies/diets, etc. All the food was amazing, definitely coming back here!

Justin Ramos

The soy garlic wings are a must and the flavored soju is always tempting.

George Toh

Very delicious Korean fried chicken! After we were done we got some more fried chicken!

Sean McGinn

Boka is a must, not anything else to say other than stupendous! The Ricotta dumplings are to die for, the service with Augustas would do all over again, he added another chapter to an already wonderful place! Ask him for his special "spirited" coffee with your deserts!! Enjoy and go back often.

Olivia Jones

Outstanding spot! Great service and delicious food!

JackMeat

Pretty decent flavor overall. I had tofu soup and large combo fried chicken. It would be perfect if the wings were more churchy

H Z

Very good KFC (Korean Fried Chicken). Overall, food is fantastic. I rate restaurants comprehensively from interior to the exterior. The only con is that the bathroom is something you will find in a rural trashy dive bar. Food: 5/5 Atmosphere: 4/5 Bathroom: 0/5 Yes. 0 is possible. Average: 3/5. I have pictures, don't make me upload them.

Allison Paul

So good I visited three times in my three weeks in NYC!!

Michael Kies

My wife and I have gone to Boka for dinner for two separate special occasions. Both times were excellent, the food is delicious and presented beautifully, the wine selection is vast, and the service is attentive without being over bearing. Great spot for a special occasion, and definitely worth the higher than normal prices.

Bonnie Martinez

Loved loved loved!! The best fried chicken I've had yet!! Highly recommend!!

Zayra T

Love the chicken combo. So good.

Chris G

I would say I had gotten bad service, if I had gotten service at all. Saw my waiter once, when he took our order. He never came to check on us, to offer extra napkins (we ordered wings, which were pretty good, but you need extra napkins for finger food), or even to refill water. He did, however, walk past our table 3 or 4 times. After leaving empty plates on the edge of the table for a few minutes, a different waiter cleared the table and asked if we needed the check. Pretty good food, though; the wings were great.

Guichang Lin

Craving for Korean BBQ wings? Say no more, this is the spot.

Joshua Thal-Pruzan

Great wings. I'll be back.

Joe Wang

Fried chicken on point

Allen Deng

Boka is a great place for korean fried chicken, and various small korean dishes. I'd recommend ordering a large order of wings (20) half&half and a sundubu.

Ipsit Patra

Great experience! Went there during Chicago restaurant week. They had fixed menu. Well rounded overall.

Annie Mack

I can see why Boka is a Michelin Star restaurant. The servers are very friendly and attentive and there is so much care put into the dishes. My favorite part of the meal was dessert. We had delicious coffee and grape ice cream with basil coconut whipped cream. It was just fabulous. Our other favorite was the beef tartare. Very fresh and complex flavor. The main courses (short rib and chicken) were good but not show stoppers. We left very full even though the portions weren't huge. We want to come back to try the 8 course tasting menu next time. Overall, a fabulous experience for a special occasion dinner.

Subhash Das

Not very happy with the food and taste. Went there to celebrate marriage anniversary but had bad experience of hair in food.They even took money for the food with hair.Fish was good but duck did not taste well.Liked beet salad

Shaley Sogan

I above average price wise but its worth it every penny . nice food

wendy chan

Great for groups, a date night, or after an hour of yoga across the street. Get the Watermelon Soju. Delicious, but it's meant to share! The chicken is delicious too, but be prepared for super spicy if you order the spicy wings.. that's my warning.

Alexandria Pascal

First time food is delicious and the vibe is dope .

Eric Cedeno

Wings were delicious but didn't blow my mind. Service was sadly, expectedly cold and lackluster. The spicy wings are truly that SPICY so if that's your thing wonderful, if not don't torture yourself, my buddy learned the hard way.

Jace C

Great place! Great atmosphere!

Regina Alvarez

The chicken wings were awesome in both flavors! As was the meat dish and dumpling appetizers that we ordered. The atmosphere was casual and fun. Very relaxed bench seating that easily fit our large party of 12! I would definitely go back!

Olga Munoz

Delicious Korean fried chicken - it's crispy and perfectly seasoned. Plus the Kimchi is perfectly made - it's the perfect amount of spicy. However, I do not recommend any of their cocktail drinks. They're all overly sweet.

Alejandro Builes

Awesome

KelliAnn Lotrich

Incredible food, impeccable service. One of the most incredible experiences

Dushyant Bharat Karani

Great food

Lawrence Reed

My sister loves chicken wings. I brought her here a bit ago and the conessuire now has a new favorite.

Hung Yuk Park

Food was excellent and service was phenomenal. Best duck cooking I’ve had!

Andre Burrell

Got soy garlic wings and they were just alright. The wings aren't that juicy, and the flavor doesn't really make it past the skin of the chicken, but they're decent I guess. I suppose if you never had good wings before you'd love these, but I've had far better. The biggest issue was getting an undersized chicken piece. There doesn't seem to be any size criteria for what should and shouldn't make it into someone's meal, which was unacceptable because I had a few pinky-sized pieces of chicken. On the upside, the service was great; very quick, efficient, and attentive.

Michael Aumiller

Boka is all about the experience. The menu is nothing special and over priced considerably but the atmosphere is terrific. A speakeasy theme that feels very intimate and is perfect for drinks and conversation. The service is exceptional and helps ease the unfair prices because it makes you feel special. The drinks were delicious and cleverly constructed. If the menu had better prices this would be five stars.

John Miller

After a long time I am having the satisfaction of eating a delicious meal. Mind blowing interiors!!

Ben H

Went here for a birthday celebration. Excellent service! Top wine! Love the little details in every dish! Very upscale though they can do better job on the lighting. They also catered to strict gluten free diet. Very appreciative of that. For two about $350.

Kat Keller

We came here for our anniversary and were pretty disappointed. Everyone was really nice, except for our server. He was very inattentive and cold. This was made all the more obvious since the people at the table next to us had a really nice server. We didn’t need him to be a comedian or anything, just a little less snobbish to us, especially considering the caliber of the restaurant. The food was also a bit underwhelming. But, I do think this very well could have been a fluke, and it was good enough to consider going back to try again.

Matt Filipski

Been to Korea, grew up with Korean families, and Boka's bimibap tastes exactly like what you would get from Korea. Little expensive once you get an app and drink, but then again, this is NYC. Good atmosphere.

Robert Mui

This has been my go to place for Koren fried chicken for years. The food is consistent. The service is on point. The only thing is that this place gets packed so it is sometimes hard to get seated during prime time.

John Smith

I came here and felt famous like Amos lol!! Nice view, nice food and talking to real pros that work here lol!!!

Christine Choi

Really crunchy and flavorful Korean fried chicken. The japchae noodles are also very rich in flavor.

Konrad Grabowski

Good food, friendly staff, the wall artwork is borderline creepy but that’s a nominal issue. Would recommend.

ebrima john

Incredible atmosphere and food. Unique and delicious. I think every bite was the best I had had up until that point. I really enjoyed the duck and the matcha ice cream.

Detelin Nedkov

Outstanding food and hospitality

Nick Molinski

Been going here for a couple years, sometimes on a bi-weekly basis and I have to say wing quality has seriously gone down. While Boka has reduced the time it takes for your order to arrive at your table, they have severely cut back on flavor quality. For example, the soy garlic chicken is not as flavor packed as it used to be. The chicken itself is still good and crispy, but after eating a couple, leaves you wanting more.

M Reaves

We had a fabulous meal. Everything from start to finish was outstanding from the service at the door to Jack (our lead server) and his cheery advice and description of each dish. We were 15 minutes late for a reservation and they were gracious and accommodating. The last person in our party of 6 showed up 30 minutes later and they caught him up in our tasting menu. We mixed and matched a few appetizers into our tasting menu with no issues. The octopus was fabulous, the seasonal dishes were unique and with inspired, fresh flavors. And the aged duck was simply amazing. Possibly the best duck I have ever eaten. It was full of flavor with a dense and tender texture with a perfectly crisped skin. By the end of the night we were asking them to stop bringing desserts. You will fill up on the tasting menu, don’t worry. If you can sit in the solarium (“outside”) I would recommend it because it was airier and roomier

Hangyu Wang

Actually, a pretty good restaurant. But, my husband and I did not enjoy it since the menu problem. When we got there, they offered the lunch menu for us, but when we were ready to pay, they asked us to pay according to dinner menu. It's soooooo weird!!! The price was different! Are u kidding me?! And I asked why, then the waiter just replied something like that's all my fault since I did not have the right menu! I really didn't want to argue more than just paid the bill and gave 15% tips as manner.

Garry Lei

Good ambience and delicious Korean Fried Chicken. One dish I would also recommend is the "Spicy Rice Cake" Overall, great restaurant!

Chenkai Mao

This is the review for restaurant week 2019 at BOKA. we just came by yesterday and had the four course menu. The opening bread served at the beginning was fantastic. According to my wife, it is her second favorite bread other than the one she had at Per Se. The other courses were one Michelin star dishes. Every item here is new American but I felt there is a lack of innovative ideas. This establishment still has room to perfect but the overall experience was great. I would recommend this restaurant.

Francisco Escobedo

Fantastic dining experience. From the service to the unique take on ingredients and dishes. I'd recommend this place to anybody. I ordered the olive oil poached cod and a few other things... All were 3/3

Daiki Morita

Good place and stuffs

Jomil

The best Korean wings I’ve had!!!

TANYA Lawrence

Had an amazing meal. The wait staff were fantastic. The food was divine. Was worth every penny!

Dan Gray

Tasty food, nice spot.

Daniel Sa

This was my second visit to Boka and it was not as enjoyable as the first. First time was for Valentine's day and they had a tasting menu. The food was overall good, not great. The bread/roll was really good! I asked if they offered any "reserve wine" by the glass as many restaurants are doing it by utilizing Coravin and my server said they only wine by the glass available was listed in the menu, which I'm totally okay with, but then while I was walking out, I saw another server pouring a "reserve wine" using Coravin at another table, and that was disappointing and the main reason for my 3 star review... otherwise 4 stars would be appropriate. I had also requested a main dinning room table and the host initially set me at a table in the bar area.

Sean Hummel

The chicken wings here are the best I've ever had. I've had wings for 38 years. Get spicy and garlic combo with drums and flats and split with a friend. Wash it down with an Asahi and realize you just reached the Pinnacle of wing perfection.

Janli Gwo

LOVE this place. I mainly come here to eat Bonchon chicken in a nicer setting than most Bonchon places, with the extra benefit of ordering yummy korean sides. Great place for a birthday party or just a casual catchup with friends. Attire is totally whatever you want, since it’s dark and no one really minds. The waiters are also very attentive and professional.

Orlando Ramos

Great food. Better vibes

Ebony Williams

Amazing! However very pricey it was worth it! Everything was great. I can not go back to a regular restaurant.

Billy Simmons

There soy garlic wings are the bomb!! And their fried rice is sooo good... been going here for years... one of my fav spots