Sooooo sad this place is CLOSING! :( I loveeee their chicken tender with golden sparkle with red mild sauce!!!!!! Nooooo!!! read more

Padadak Korean Chicken - So delicious!!! - Korean Near Me - San Marcos, California

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Great chicken with a variety of choices! We ordered the family meal, this feast included two six piece chicken wings and six boneless chicken tenders. The flavors were gold sparkling, soy garlic, and sweet pepper. Our favorite flavor is the gold sparkling. The family meal came with coleslaw, fries, fried rice and extra sauces. The meal was more than enough for a family of four as we have left overs we had the following day We will definitely be back for more! read more

Korean chicken! FOOD: They have a few options when it comes to chicken recipes: (Crunchy Fried, Soy Garlic, Sweet and spicy, and Golden Sparkling). We tried their sweet and spicy wings, which you can get in three different spice levels (mild, hot, insanity). We also tried their Soy Garlic, which comes in two spice levels (mild or hot). My wife got her sweet and spicy wings "mild", but she wished she went with spicy or insanity, as "mild" was more like all sweet/no spice. I got my soy garlic wings as "spicy" and thought they were very weak and more sweet and sugary tasting with a hint of garlic. We tried two of their side items: cheese balls and coleslaw. The cheese balls were sweet like a donut with cream cheese inside. The coleslaw was like coleslaw you've probably grown up eating. We got one item from their special list: Japche. It's glass noddles with some vegetables and sesame seeds. It was ok. SERVICE: Great! Fairly quick for the amount of food we ordered. They were pretty busy. We were a group of six and we were lucky enough to be the first in line line for a fairly constant flow of people. By the time we left, the dining room was full and there was a small line. The flow of food and people never slowed down though; food kept flowing, the hostess kept a cool smile as she took orders and called out names for pick ups. AMBIANCE: Small dining room. They have photos of their four chicken recipes to help aide you in ordering, this came in handy as I was looking for more of a glazed type of wing and my wife wanted more of a wet style wing. There are only 14 seats, but it's not cramped. There is one two person table, one six person table, and then bar style seating going from around the window facing the parking lot and the far wall. There is one bathroom. They have a self serve fountain drink station with the common soda flavors. OVERALL: This place was good. The food wasn't as flavorful as we expected so I knocked a star. We all have grown up eating Korean Chicken, so we may have had high expectations. I do want to come back and try a few more options. I think the service was awesome; between the lady running the register and her team in the back turning out orders, they did an outstanding job. The place is also very clean! We all used the bathroom to wash our hands and the tables/seats were all clean too. read more

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Underwhelmed. Ordered teokbokki and chicken wings, golden flavor. Was sweet powder. Wasn't expecting that. Price point was high for the food. Probably won't be back as there isn't much selection and I ordered what I was most curious about. read more

Padadak Korean Chicken - Korean Near Me - San Marcos, California

OMG!! So delicious it all hit the SPOT!! The wings were flavorful, juicy and tasty, the Tteokbokki was better than we thought it would be and the bulgogi dumplings were our favorite!! Service was excellent, the cashier was very polite and patient and took the time to explain the items we had a question about. The restaurant was kept up very well and clean and was a nice place to enjoy our dinner. read more

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Hubby and I have ordered from here multiple times now, and I finally have time to write a review. The chicken is cooked well, juicy on the inside, and fully crispy on the outside. Spices aren't overpowering. We've ordered and tasted all the flavors. My favorite by far is the golden sparkling chicken. We've also tried most of the sides (still need to try steamed eggs and cream cheese balls). The pickled radish is good for cutting through the grease and salt (not that their chicken is greasy or salty, not at all). The veggie fried rice was good with a nice ratio of veg to rice. Will we come back. Yes. read more

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If you're looking for a good chicken fix THIS IS IT. We also got the hot dog to try and it was so delicious and fresh. Chickens are not overly breaded, and had the perfect amount of coating. Service was 10/10 and place was so clean!! This will be my go to KC in north county for sure. read more

Padadak Korean Chicken - Sweet pepper - Korean Near Me - San Marcos, California

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I recently visited Padadak Korean Chicken to enjoy my favorite soygalic chicken, and I discovered a new menu item: Hotdog (Korean-style corndog). They offer three types: All Beef, Beef & Mozzarella Cheese, and Mozzarella Cheese. I decided to try the half cheese and half hotdog one to experience both flavors. I had never tasted anything like this before. The exterior was perfectly crispy, and the cheese was incredibly delicious, stretching like pizza and enhancing the texture. My friend had the same menu item with Gold Sparkling added and said it was supper delicious. I think I'll try it that way next time. read more

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Good service and good food! The instructions on how to order on a board which consisted of bone in or bone out and whether or not you would like to make it a combo. I always get soy garlic from Korean chicken places and theirs did not disappoint. The soy garlic was a bit on the sweeter side and their pickled radish was a lot more on the vinegary side (making it a bit sour). This place is a great pick me up for lunch or a quick dinner! read more

Padadak Korean Chicken - Pickled radish - Korean Near Me - San Marcos, California

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I had been waiting quite a while for Padadak to open. A Korean Chicken place near my house, in the same place where I can already grab some good sushi and pizza? I was all in pretty quick. When it finally opened it's doors, I gathered up my wing loving son and set out for dinner. The menu here is pretty sparse, with only two styles of chicken (wing or strip) and only three sauces to choose from. I had the Soy Garlic Strips, which were nicely fried and well coated in my selection. The flavors were fine, a good crunch in the breading, and a light garlic flavor mixed with a sweetened soy that wasn't too obnoxious. All in all, good, but not much more. My son had the Sweet and Spicy Wings, which he deemed as pretty good, but not as good as mine. What more could a father ask from his kid? We also shared the Cajun Fries which were simply well cooked fries that had been doused in way too much Cajun Seasoning. This made them dry, overly salty, and, while almost tasty, still a bit of a mess to try and eat. The regular fries were much better. Also on the table for my step-son were an order of their Gold Sparkling Strips, which were essentially doused in cheese flavored powder. It was interesting to say the least, with the flavor being alright, but the texture being lightly gritty that sort of melted in your mouth, but only just barely. In the end, well fried chicken, fresh and crunchy, but with sauces that were lacking in flavor and style. Plus, they really should have more variety; what's available isn't that remarkable and it just serves as a reminder of what could be had at other, better spots. And when the side dishes more often bring a light choking fit instead of something worth dipping in any left over gravy on the plate, it just all adds up to having a difficult time choosing Padadak over anywhere else nearby. read more

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In this economy, value is more important than ever. Thanks to a recent experience dining out with my partner in crime, which she yelped*, value has been at the forefront of my thoughts. My introduction to Padadak was a couple years ago through coworkers at their La Jolla location (which is, apparently, now reported closed). A clean & polished Korean Fried Chicken fast food joint, I remember loving the food & loving the prices. That was right before all this crazy inflation. Fast forward to now, with the Fed raising interest rates every time I see the news, I still love the food at Padadak. I've tried the entire menu & have enjoyed all of it to varying degrees. The Korean Fried Chicken is the star, of course. & that Sweet & Spicy Insanity sauce is my jam. If I had that in a squeeze bottle, I would put it on everything. But the prices have gone up fairly significantly in the last couple years. To my memory, though, portion sizes haven't shrunken very noticeably. So, to my estimation, Padadak has found a way to provide decent value despite this crazy economy. Not the best, far from the worst*, decent. This San Marcos location is bright & clean. Parking is usually readily available right in front. The dining area is on the small side, but I always take my orders to-go. Service has been excellent every single time. Padadak has been, & still is, a go-to for me for grabbing some takeout. Especially of the sweet & spicy fried chicken variety. Just not quite as often as before because we're all feeling the crunch & value is important. * https://www.yelp.com/biz/crab-fever-express-escondido?hrid=knk_qCOd3NXZabwcnbHxYw&utm_campaign=www_review_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct) read more

Went to their soft opening...and as expected!! Yummy!!! We've been waiting for this place to open for forever and it's finally here! We tried the soy garlic chicken strips and it was crispy and delicious. They also have sweet and spicy, which we want to try next. On top of chicken, they offer other korean food. Noodles, spicy rice cakes, etc. If you have thebtime, come stop by and try the Korean Fried Chicken!!! read more

Padadak Korean Chicken - Korean Near Me - San Marcos, California

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We detoured en route to Nothing Bundt Cakes to check out this spot. It's not everyday you come across a Korean fried chicken spot so-why not? It was pretty disappointing. The chicken was very tender but outside of that they lacked flavor. The sweet and spicy sauce was pretty basic-nothing to make you want to have another bite unfortunately. We only had a couple of pieces and packed up our lunch to take home. I've got some delicious sauces to dip them in at home. Bottom line, for the cost ($14 for noodles on top of 6 chicken strips for $12) I don't recommend this place if you know what Korean fried chicken really tastes like or if you're not trying to spend too much on a quick lunch. read more

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When they first opened I tried it because I was excited for a Korean place to open nearby. It's good chicken, however it is NOT Korean fried chicken. Maybe it's Korean inspired flavors? But it does not compare to regular Korean chicken read more

I don't care if it's a franchise I absolutely love this place!! The chicken is what they're known for and the chicken is what they're good at. Get the soy garlic to start. I can't really taste the difference between the mild or spicy but man it's good. The sweet and spicy is hot and I haven't tried the intense level but heard it's crazy. The fries are surprisingly good. The only thing they need to work on is the ddukbokggi. I know it's my high standards for this but it's a little watery for my taste buds. I suggest ordering to go because there's isn't a lot of sitting area. The service is great and they keep it clean! read more

Decided to give Padadak a try and have to say I'm thoroughly impressed. Compared to other KFC "fast food" spots, I think this ranks at the top for me. Generous pieces of chicken, perfect amount of breading, and great flavors. We typically get the strips and I feel they're a great value for the money. So far, we've tried the soy garlic, sweet & spicy, and gold sparkling. What I really love is how spicy their spicy and insanity levels are!! Sooo delicious! We tried the gold sparkling most recently and the seasoning is so savory. If you're not in a spicy or sauced chicken mood, I highly recommend giving it a try. I've tried the tteokbokki which was good, but not sure if I'd order again for the cost. The chicken is the way to go! The service here is super fast and the inside of the store has always been really clean. read more

Padadak Korean Chicken - Korean Near Me - San Marcos, California

One of my favorite Korean chains Fried Chicken!! Always get the tteokbokki, Chicken Strip with cheese powder or Soy Garlic (IS SURPRISINGLY REALLY GOOD!! They served this on the side tho) and some extra SWEET PEPPER sauce on side (they charge extra for $1 coming in huge to go cup sauces comparing to any other restaurant charge $1 but with tiny cup) Cashier always being attentive and polite. They always greets us. One of the managers/owners I assume always there checking and help the workers. GOOD KOREAN CHAINS RESTAURANT that need more recognition read more

I'll give it a 3+... Pros: - Good, friendly service. They were pretty empty on a weekend night so I feel a little bad for my mid review. - Chicken was bomb - juicy, crunchy, flavorful. The soy garlic was on point and the gold sparkling was cheesy and perfectly coated. Cons: - The japchae was the main reason for this rating. I love japchae so much and this was awful. Why no sesame oil in it?! It was glass noodles with soy and bell peppers. So weird. No onion, spinach, sesame seeds or sesame oil. Super bland and NOT japchae. - The kimchi fried rice was okay but something about it seemed old. Maybe they made a big batch and reheated? It was too dry to have been made fresh. I'd go back for the chicken but not the sides. read more

Food was average, nothing spectacular about it. Menu was quite limited and pretty basic. Small venue, more ideal for to-go orders. I'm giving them a 1 star because it took them over 30 minutes to get my chicken order and Japchae bowl, all I got a a smile but no apologies. They need to get their act straight or else, go to a different line of work. Food industry is a rapid & fast pace setting. I will keep an open mind and say, I would like to visit them again around summer & see if they've heeded my plight/comments read more

Best chicken ever! Thank you for the amazing service and for all the memories. We came here after my son's friend's sister's aunt's brother's birthday!! read more

Padadak Korean Chicken - Korean Near Me - San Marcos, California

OK, so these locations can vary a bit. Significantly smaller than Kearny Mesa with no craft beer bar or patio. So while it's not the same sort of "destination," it is the same great, non-greasy chicken. Better than Raising Canes; almost as good as Cross Street, where they pour on the sauce rather than the more common toss and coat. My fried rice was a bit salty and the cream cheese balls were heavy and dessert-like. Seemed like mochi in the middle layer. Stopped at just one. They did have a couple bottled beers. The Korean one was priced right at $4, but dipping sauces at $1 were not. read more

The service was great and friendly. The ambiance is quite and clean. The food order was to go, it didn't take that long. The food tasted okay. It wasn't bad at all. I would have liked the egg to not have any juice. The chicken garlic - I would have liked more garlic taste or powder on it or at least on the side. The portions are okay. The fries were okay. read more

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Would I try this place again? The answer is no. They changed their menu and the combo now only comes with fries, 4 pieces of chicken and a drink. The chicken is not as crispy as before. The fries are old and not fresh. I wish they would go back to their previous combo that had the coleslaw and rice. Would not recommend. read more

Padadak Korean Chicken - Korean Near Me - San Marcos, California

Was desperately craving Korean chicken and this was the closest to me and it was solid!! It's like Asian wingstop LOL almossst as good. It really hit the spot though. I had the spicy sweet, spicy garlic and golden and they were all as expected. The golden was surprising good!! Sweet but kind of like the Asian sweet puffy corn snacks so it was really unique. I think the spicy garlic is better than spicy sweet, it's more savory, the spicy sweet is kind of like honey and gochujang tasting. Neither were spicy at all though in my opinion. Maybe like hot Cheetos level spice. But the ONION RINGS!!! Were such a pleasant surprise!!!! Perfectly crisp that lasted the whole night! Didn't get soggy. Perfect texture taste and I love that it was battered not breaded. I'm literally writing this review because of the onion rings. The ranch sucked it's like salad ranch but it wasn't really necessary. Nice worker, quick wait, I'm happy! Will be back! Hopefully they'll have the cheese balls and Korean corn dogs by then... I was so sad they didn't have cheese balls anymore read more

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Came in on a Sunday around 1pm. We were greeted right away and menu was broken down and explained. We ordered: 6 pc wings Sweet Pepper (spicy) 10/10 *spice was tolerable and chicken was crispy delicious!! And Padadak combo soy garlic (mild) Tenders 10/10 Veggie rice 8/10 Fries 10/10 Coleslaw 5/5 When we first came in there was no music playing, but later on the owner started playing some calm, relaxing tunes. Owner did mention that the Padadak combo will be adjusted in 3 weeks. And the hot dogs will be available in 2 weeks. He was very kind, calm and modest. I did ask about the soju and he said it wasn't requested enough so they took it off the menu. However, he also said if it is requested in the future, he might consider bringing it back. Hoping you guys give this place a try. The chicken was delicious!! read more

Did not expect much, but left highly satisfied. Now, for context, this is more of a fast-casual chicken shop vs. a proper restaurant, but better than a fast food counter. They offered up wings and tenders with various sauces and sides to make your own combination. But they did have a specific combo box for $14 that was a good deal and hit all my checkmarks: - 4 chicken tenders, tossed in your glaze of choice (I went with sweet and spicy spice, as opposed to sweet and spicy mild) - side of veggie fried rice - side of fries - small side of cole slaw - a tub of ranch "Spicy" sweet & spicy had a nice kick to it, fries and slaw were fresh, fried rice may have be slightly bland but complemented the other items well. Also ordered the Cheese Balls, which is kind of like a fried ball of mochi with cream cheese inside. Highly recommended. Service was friendly. 4.5 stars rounded up, would totally come back. read more

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Really well decorated place! I went and tried for the first time and the lady at the front counter was so helpful and patient. She helped me decide what to get & I ended up with the Padadak special (4pc wings, i did soy garlic) and a half beef half mozzarella corn dog with the hot onion sauce. It's was absolutely amazing! When i say the wings fell off the bone I mean it. The crunch was great and the flavor was perfect! I will definitely be back!! read more

Honestly I would give this a 3.5 but since I probably will eat there again I'll round up. I got the sweet and spicy strips, gold sparkling fries, cajun cheese balls, geeen salad and ranch. By the way they call it buttermilk ranch I was expecting a housemade sauce so the fact that it was a Heinz packet was not worth a dollar in my opinion. So skip that. The green salad was interesting. I wasn't expecting the veggie in it imagining salad at other Korean food places. It had bell peppers and olives? Not complaining but it seems random. The seasoning on the fries was pretty good but they were soggy. If you're bringing it home it's not a big deal to toss it in the air fryer but still. Cheese balls were also good but the cream cheese was very sweet. I would try it gold sparkling next time. The chicken was good but the spicy version was too hot for my taste. I would try mild next time. read more

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Finally! Korean fried chicken without the drive to Orange County!! This place is a lot of fun. We got combo meals and everything tasted great. The chicken was tender, coating crisp and a nice flavor. I wish that they sold the sauce by the bottle. read more

Love this place! The chicken is so tender and juicy. My favorite sauce is the spicy flavor, perfect blend of sweet and spicy. Today I ordered the tenders, Cajun fries and Korean ramen. The fries were so flavorful and had a nice spice to them! I probably wouldn't get the ramen again though because it was pretty much ramen from a package that you can get for $1. The service was great and everyone was nice :) would definitely go again! read more

Great chicken great crispy Korean chicken. I would definitely recommend. Leggitt Chicken..the Bomb

This used to be my absolute favorite chicken place but they changed the way they serve the strips...they won't toss them in the sauce but only give you a small amount to dip...LAME!!!! read more

I met my friends here. Although the restaurant is not spacious for a large group, it is cozy and cute. The size also made it easy to reach the server. The food was fresh. I personally enjoyed the chicken breast since it was soft and tasty. I had the ttoekboki and ramen, which were also great. And the cheeseballs were good too. I will be revisiting. read more

We really wanted to get some food here but didn't. After we ordered, the cashier informed us that the cole slaw side dish that came with a meal set wasn't available, so I asked what was available instead. She said in a straight face "Sauce." I didn't want extra sauce so I asked if I could get something else such as a different side, and she became impatient and said "no, it's the cost." I had to ask her to repeat herself because it was so confusing that they didn't have a menu item and wouldn't be able to offer anything else to replace it. AND told me that the cost was the only reason. Tbh to the restaurant the cost of giving their customers a replacement side shouldn't be extremely high if their cole slaw runs out. It's really the attitude that makes me realize I should run away from this place. So I had to leave and went to El Pollo loco across the street :) Luckily the people at El Pollo loco were extremely nice. read more

Wings were decent but the ddubokki was over cooked and soggy I wish they put more onion and carrots in the ddubokki.. there were small cubes of carrots in it read more

Soy garlic wings and coleslaw are good. Disappointing that the Combo is gone and now the Special is just chicken and fries. At that point, you may as well go to Cane's. Also there are no cheese balls as you will see in pics. Please embrace the things that make you special and separate yourself from "mainstream". That's what will keep people coming back. read more

Don't spray cleaner next to People eating. Korean food much better at other restaurants Fish was awefull. Chicken ok. Not worth your money or tastebuds read more

While there is plenty of parking right outside, the establishment itself is pretty small, with limited seating. My favorite from all the things we ordered were the Chicken Wings. We tried the mild soy garlic. It was crispy, juicy, and very flavorful. Delicious! The Gold Sparkling Popcorn Chicken was a bit of a letdown. They used white meat for the popcorn chicken, and even though the portion and cut were generous, it was lacking crispy skin fat. The gold sparkling is a cheese powder that they coat the chicken with. It tasted good, but I think the sparkling powder would go better with the fries, not the chicken. Also, I have to mention that the veggie fried rice is literally white rice with some corn, carrots, and peas. The color and taste of it do not justify it as "fried rice." This was the dud in our order. Other than that, the service was great. The staff were friendly and helpful. The place is also kept clean, and they provide hand sanizers at each table. It's definitely a casual place. read more

Padadak Korean Chicken - Popcorn chicken, sparkling - Korean Near Me - San Marcos, California

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First time trying. Guy in front said they just changed their recipe. It smelled amazing first and then I couldn't stop eating it. Such light breading, juicy and crispy. Will definitely be back. read more

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Even though the chicken is decent, we won't be coming back. It's RIDICULOUSLY expensive for fried chicken strips. The older guy behind the counter was very annoyed that we brought our kids. It was obvious they were not welcome even though they were quiet and well behaved. They were adamant they didn't have food for kids... even though they serve only chicken strips, which is 90% of what they eat when we go out. They tried to charge us extra for a small thing of sauce even though they gave us the wrong one to begin with... and they were ladling it out of a huge container! Get your fried chicken fix elsewhere.... Not worth the price or the poor service. read more