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Korean chicken is probably one of the best types of fried chicken in the world. Koreana Chicken happens to be one of the few places in Nairobi that serves up Korean fried chicken. So, is it any good? No, it isn’t. Let me explain.

High Expectations and Reality Check

I know it’s Christmas, and I should be spending time with family, but I don’t have a life, so let’s talk about Koreana. I had high expectations of this place and was convincing myself that it was underrated. Why would everyone flock to KFC, Chicken Inn, and Galitos nearby? People love what’s popular, right?

Needless to say, I now understand that this place isn’t undermarketed—it’s just not as good as the competition, or even good on its own. It’s just subpar.

The Chicken Doesn’t Live Up

So, my urge to always try new things backfired here. I wouldn’t recommend Koreana Chicken to anyone. Yes, and I mean this with the greatest respect. I promise I’m not trying to be dramatic, but this is the worst chicken I’ve ever had.

If we’re comparing it to Sonford, I’d say Koreana Chicken has the second worst chicken I’ve ever tried. However, Sonford is way more affordable and definitely not in the same league. The real competition for Koreana Chicken are the other fast food chicken chains I mentioned earlier. Chicken Cottage, a new addition, is miles better.

The Silver Lining: Competition

On the bright side, Koreana Chicken does ramp up the competition. And as consumers, we win in the end. It forces other chicken restaurants to improve their food and prices, making everything more competitive.

The Regular Fried Chicken: Dry and Disappointing

So, what makes the chicken at Koreana so bad? First off, I tried two types: the regular fried chicken and the sticky hot and sweet chicken. They’re essentially the same thing, just with different sauces—the latter supposedly spicy.

Let’s start with the regular fried chicken. For KSh 550, you get two pieces of chicken, fries, and a 500ml soda. (The menu lists the soda as 350ml, but I don’t know why they decided to be generous this time.)

Talking about the chicken, if I had to describe it in one word, it would be: dry. Yes, imagine something dry, and now imagine this chicken being even drier. They take the crunch factor to the next level, but not in a good way—it’s the kind that crumbles in your mouth when you take a bite. For the fried chicken, I’d give it a 2/5. Not only was it hard, but it was also kind of stale.

Also, the portions are tiny. For a thigh, it looks like a portion was snipped off. So, you’re not getting good value in terms of chicken size. You can definitely find bigger and better pieces elsewhere.

The Hot and Sweet Chicken: Slightly Better but Still Average

Now, for the hot and spicy chicken. The sauces helped make it a little moist, but it still wasn’t anything special. While it’s better than the regular fried chicken, it’s still so average in taste and definitely not worth it, in my opinion.

I say this because I’ve tried making Korean chicken at home by following an online recipe, and it turned out way better than this. And while I haven’t been to Korea, I know what Korean chicken should taste like…and this place is just not it.

The Chips: The Only Positive

The chips, on the other hand, are a massive portion. This is the only good thing I can say about the place. However, the taste is just average—almost on par with what’s served at Chicken Inn. Still, these aren’t great fries. They don’t blow your socks off, but they’re not terrible either.

Final Thoughts?

If you’re in Garden City and craving chicken, you’re literally better off with every other place than this. You’ve got KFC next door, Galitos on the other end, and Chicken Inn upstairs. So, in case you’ve been curious about Koreana Chicken, it will probably disappoint you.