Food was ok. We had the beef bulgogi quesadilla, shrimp fried rice and fries. Mojito was ok. Place is very dark, kinda small. Giving a bar type of feel. The bench I sat on needed repair and was covered by a lot of electrical tape to cover a hole. Cleanliness was ok. I feel like from the entrance alone, I got what I expected. Service was very fast and efficient. Not overly friendly but not rude either. We ran out of water and never got a refill. The water pitcher was a large plastic water bottle that looked kinda sketch. Would I go back? Maybe, but it definitely wouldn't be my first choice. read more

Pelicana chicken - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I came there for lunch. I ordered the chicken wings were flavorful and crispy, but the wait time was longer than expected. A bit salty and dry too. The dipping sauce were okay. The staff were polite, though the restaurant felt a little crowded and noisy. Good for casual meal. read more

First thing: If you wanna eat here, go in person. For some reason the takeout is not nearly as good as the food when you dine in. If I didn't sit in, I would have never known. Mochi balls were delicious and perfectly fried. It was a nice combination of sweet and savory and we even managed to get a nice cheese pull. The ambience of the place was rather dark and I wish it were brighter. There were TVs with Kpop playing around the restaurant. I got the "Ugly Chicken Sandwich" given that apparently it was the signature dish of the restaurant chain. The sandwich arrived and overall it was not too bad. The chicken was crispy and the sauce was really nice and balanced but not overpowering, giving the chicken more chance to shine. Only complaint I have is as that the bread seemed kind of cheap and was cold, so I had cold bun and warm chicken. As for the fried chicken, it was decently crispy but not as crispy as other chains I have been to. One good thing was that it was sauces very nicely and not drenched with sauce. Still, I found myself wanting more of the crunch in the chicken. Overall, it's a solid place to go to, perhaps for a late night out. read more

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The garlic soy chicken is amazing! So crispy and juicy! The staff were so friendly and helpful, can't wait to take my friends here!

Th Chicken wing original is fresh and tasty. Garlic soy is just right with the savory and sweet taste. They also have many varieties of food such as fried rice, ramen, Korean rice cake, sandwiches. Will come back and try more next time. read more

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Order this on the 4th of July because I was craving Korean Fried Chicken. I ordered it on an app called Caviar and found great deals online and discounts if you are a first time user. I got 2 combos with my cousin which contained 8 pieces of honey garlic and sweet and spicy level 2 with truffle fries. Food: Honey Garlic - glad I got this flavor. Delicious and sweet enough with a crunch. Get the Crispy fried chicken, you won't regret it. Sweet and spicy lvl 2 - delicious also but is definitely is spicy. If you like a kick this is definitely the choice. Truffle fries - definitely can taste the truffles and it was good also. Overall, would come again! read more

Pelicana chicken - Truffle fries, honey garlic, and sweet and spicy level 2 - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This is a completely biased review and I'll admit that upfront just cause Pelicana chicken has been my favorite KFC since I first tried it in Seoul. It was literally my lunch for like 1.5 weeks after discovering it, how I didn't gain like 50lbs is another question entirely. I honestly can't even remember how good the chicken was while I was in Korea but I definitely still enjoyed the chicken here. Something about the way they fry the chicken keeps it so crispy and juicy, its just ridiculous. We got a whole crispy spicy boneless chicken along with 2 sauces (sweet and spicy and honey garlic). Personally, I love the sweet and spicy as that's the flavor I associate with my time in Seoul so that was the winner for me. My friend enjoyed dipping the chicken into both sauces and having a mix of flavor. You can also get the sauce mixed in with the chicken, which is what I would normally do as then it gets into all the nooks and crannies. Accompaniments were normal, pickled radish, cabbage slaw, some sort of corn salad, all were good but just normal sides to KFC. Upon paying we were given a Yakult-like drink which was just such a nice treat. The whole experience was great and this'll definitely be a repeat restaurant anytime I'm in Philly. read more

Pelicana chicken - Whole Chicken combo - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Food feels very overpriced for what you get. Ordered the original spicy boneless chicken and fries. Keep in mind they charge extra for sauce. The server asked what sauce I wanted so I picked thinking it was part of the meal but he never mentioned it would be an additional cost. Unfortunately the sauce ended up being too salty. It was also pretty empty and so the server didn't really go to check on us. We ended up having to get up and go ask for the check. I was excited to try a new spot but don't think I'll be going back. read more

I am half bitter this place wasn't around when I lived in west philly and half glad because I would be approximately 50 pounds heavier if I had such easy access to their food. They have a fun menu of Korean fried chicken and other fried sides. We ended up sharing the "Whatever combo 1" amongst three people which was just the right size. It comes with a whole chicken and one sauce either on the side or on the meat. It tasted more like American fried chicken to me. The skin didn't have the double crunchy layer I'm used to and the spices on the chicken were pretty ordinary. However the rest of the combo was amazing. The mozzarella sticks were ridiculously stretchy. The fries were endless, perfectly crispy, dusted with and came with the best chipotle mayo dip. It also came with good veggies. There was a corn salad and a cabbage salad to round out your meal. Although the chicken was average, I would come for the completeness of the combo meal since you get so many sides with it. read more

Pelicana chicken - Whatever combo 1 - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Honestly rude and not welcoming. Food took a while to get out and they just want your money and not your time.

Pelicana will always hold a special place in my heart as the best food after a night out that you can possibly have. Nothing on the UPenn campus can compare to the satisfaction of biting into this delicious Korean fried chicken. Original Fried Chicken with Level 2 Sweet and Spicy sauce has never been topped in the Korean Fried Chicken cuisine. The staff is also super friendly, and when you ask for drinks that hit hard, they will serve you the deadliest long Island iced tea. Exactly what you want. Will definitely be coming back here everytime I can, everytime I am back on campus. read more

Pelicana chicken - Original Fried Chicken (1/2) Lvl 2 Sweet and Spicy Sauce - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Quite unremarkable but gets the job done! I was a little disappointed that they didn't have a soy garlic flavor (just soy) but happy to find that the chicken came with a mac salad (usually it's just radish that you get at chicken restaurants). I imagine I probably would have come here a lot as a college kid though! read more

Pelicana chicken - a plate of chicken wings with a side of macaroni and cheese - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

When Pelicana first opened, boy was I psyched. And for good reason -- a late-night Korean munchies spot? Sign me up. Pelicana has proven itself to be a reliable campus joint, and we've been able to successfully takeout from them over quarantine. When you dine in, they start you off with Yakults (Korean yogurt drinks), which is a cute touch. The interior of the restaurant is real vibey with the dim purple lighting and karaoke music. As for the food, the Korean fried chicken is pretty yummy, although you have to pay extra for sauces. The biggest standout, however, is by far the beef bulgogi nachos ($19.99). These nachos are spread across a gigantic platter (when you dine in); not sure if you get the same amount these days, but it's hard to tell with the takeout containers. In any case, it's a very decent serving size, and so incredibly delicious, what with the marinated beef and jalapeños and everything. What an unbelievably perfect fusion. It has become a go-to. read more

Pelicana chicken - Beef Bulgogi Nachos - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Party of 5 went there for sunday dinner around 6:30pm. When we entered there were few tables but in less than an hour, place was packed. We ordered whole boneless chicken; half fried and half spicy sauced. And 24pieces of soy wings. We liked boneless chicken way better than wings. There was lack of Taste of wing sauce. We ended up leaving almost 1/3 of it. Spicy rice cake was good and garden salad was ok read more

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The bulgogi nachos was surprisingly delicious! Usually don't finish nachos, but this time my friends and I managed to clean the plate! The original fried chicken is a must try from Pelicana. Pretty decent and crispy. The food here is satisfying, yet the smoky dining environment due to poor ventilation had all our eyes watery. read more

Pelicana chicken - Beef Bulgogi Nachos - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I can't speak to the chicken, because I haven't tried it. But I did take a gamble on the bulgogi cheesesteak today. While there were elements that could definitely be improved upon, I didn't leave so much as a scrap behind so clearly I enjoyed it. The best thing was the side of fries I got--super hot and crispy and sprinkled with a little parmesan or something like it. As for the sandwich itself, the meat was tasty and the pickles and tomatoes added much needed freshness to a heavy sandwich. If I were going to personally re-engineer this sandwich, I'd suggest a few changes: 1) a sturdier roll--the potato bread bun basically liquifies when it comes into contact with juicy meat, and I ended up eating my cheesesteak with a fork and knife, which is both demoralizing and probably some kind of crime in this region. 2) real melted cheese--the cheese sauce, though inoffensive in flavor, only worsens the structural integrity of the sandwich. 3) portions--it's surprisingly small! Granted, after eating the sandwich and half order of fries, I was stuffed, but still-- at $10 for the sandwich, and $4 for the small fries (plus tax and tip), I was underwhelmed by the value. In conclusion, bulgogi absolutely belongs in a cheesesteak, but the bread has got to be strong enough to support a bold editorial decision. I'm giving it 4 stars because the food was ready in about 7 minutes, which is faster than most other restaurants near Penn, and it was pretty tasty in spite of my critiques. Also, there's a good selection of soju for takeout, which is hard to find around here, so I might return for that alone. read more

pelicana is one of my favorite korean fried chicken chains! they have awesome happy hr deals, and their classic, boneless fried chicken is perfectly crispy and goes wonderfully with the spicy sauce on the side. if you're thinking of comparing it to bonchon, it's simply just a different style of korean fried chicken! you must get the fries! i always ask for the cheese snow sprinkled on top, it's so worth it. read more

Pelicana chicken - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Pelicana is one of my favorite places for Korean fried chicken (KFC) You have no idea how excited I was about Pelicana opening in Ucity!!! As a student I no longer need to go downtown for KFC! And it does not disappoint!! The wait for the food is kind of long but I still think it's worth it. I always get half original fried and half spicy (lvl 2 or 3). My friends think I'm crazy but I love spicy food so you should get lvl 3 spicy if you are in the mood for some spice. And of course there is beer to go with KFC! Also since this is a KFC place I don't think it's worth it to get anything else than KFC and beer. I've also gotten KFC to go before but I think it's best if you dine in to enjoy it when it is most crispy. Also, you can make a reservation if you need to accommodate a large party. Overall really happy to have Pelicana in Ucity! read more

Pelicana chicken - Top: half spicy (lvl 2) and half regular Bottom: half spicy (lvl 2) and half honey garlic - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The food was great. My friend and I ordered 2 dishes, which we enjoyed a lot. Everything was going well so far until we had payed and were getting ready to leave. We ended up tipping a dollar because we had felt a little rushed, so we couldn't think of putting more. So afterward we were getting ready to leave and our waiter starts talking about how the tip was not included, and just overall talking about the tip and how it should be more. We were thinking that maybe he was right, and we're gonna give more tip, until he started yelling. He started yelling at us, high school students, for not tipping more, saying that we tipped as if he was homeless. He went on to yell more, which I just found completely inappropriate. And the fact that this place is just assuming we're college students, or that we somehow have lots of money to spend is annoying. If it wasn't because of that unpleasant experience at the end, I would've loved to come back. But not anymore. read more

Living or going to school in University City, Philadelphia you can get very tired of the food options around here, so of course we were excited when a new spot opened up...and not only that but they sell Korean chicken!! Yup you heard that right, Korean chicken as in similar OR comparable to Bon Chon and Cafe Soho! (If you're from Philly you know) Hahaha...not really (after trying it) Oof. The chicken had so much extra breading and barely any taste. The fries were just ok. Our fav part was the creamed corn. Our excitement slowly turned into disappointment. We love Bon Chon chicken in Chinatown and we were hoping this would be similar so that we wouldn't have to travel down there but alas.. guess nothing could compare to that. Great place if you're looking for a new vibe and don't mind mediocre food. Wanna try the other things on the menu but the prices are kinda crazy...and if you're a college student you def don't wanna be spending that much money. read more

Pelicana chicken - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I had an excitement-caused meltdown when I saw that a Pelicana opened in Philadelphia. Having spent the first 8 years of my life in Korea, I permanently associate Korean Fried Chicken, and Pelicana in particular, with nostalgia and my Korean childhood. Pelicana quickly shot up to my top food priority for my Philly visit. The menu is huge, but I knew to zero in on the chicken. Unfortunately, the chicken section was confusing even for a Korean person who's familiar with Korean Fried Chicken and its varieties. My intention was to order a half original fried chicken and half spicy chicken. In most Korean Fried Chicken places, if you order spicy fried chicken, it comes covered in a spicy sweet sauce that for me, brings back memories and makes the meal truly incredible. However, the menu is set up in a way that there are basically 4 varieties of "regular" fried chicken (aka dry w/ no sauce)--half are extra crispy, and each variation has a "spicy" version which is a dry spice. I didn't realize that you had to order sauce separately in order to achieve the classic KFC order of 1/2 regular and 1/2 spicy. Our meal was still fantastic (1/2 Original Chicken & 1/2 Spicy Crispy Chicken), but I was disappointed that I didn't order correctly due to the confusing nature of the menu. We returned a couple days later and ordered the half spicy fried chicken with the Level 2 sauce (which was also a confusing process). We finally got it right that time! It was delicious and everything I had anticipated. I have an incredibly high spice tolerance, but even I have to say that Level 2 was testing me. We also had an order of the gyoza which was surprisingly good, and enjoyed the $5 HH cocktails! I'm a lifelong fan of Pelicana, but wish the process of ordering traditional spicy Korean fried chicken wasn't so convoluted! read more

The person that shared this spot with me raved about the wings. I actually enjoyed the Fried Rice and Salad combo the best. Great portion and tasteful. I'll try to visit again. read more

Pelicana chicken - Crispy Fried Wings - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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We got Pelicana delivered and it was so good! Their chicken is super crispy (the batter is so well made) and the inside is well cooked and tender We also got a side of the truffle fries which was really good!!! You can definitely taste the truffle in there Their spicy rice cake was also really good and pretty darn spicy (we got spice level 2) Would definitely recommend if you're looking for good korean chicken read more

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If I wanted fried chicken there's so many other places in the city that I would enjoy even more than Pelicana. The meal was decent and the sauce was fitting, but I would've preferred Bonchon over this. This meal could be improved by having sauce on the chicken or some kind of seasoning that would really give this fried chicken some pizzazz. read more

Pelicana chicken - two trays of fried chicken and a glass of water - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Another delicious addition to the Korean fried chicken scene in Philly! My friends and I tried the combo meal #3 with the crispy chicken option. The skin is super crispy with a little extra batter than the original. We got to try the honey garlic, level 2 and barbecue sauces and the first two were my favorite (beware! The garlic sauce is extra garlic-y!). The portions were generous, the service attentive and the location more spacious than expected! We got to try the dumplings as well and they were delicious! Will definitely be returning :) read more

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Pelicana's food always satisfies my midnight cravings. I love their spicy rice cake with cheese. The cheese makes it less spicy; perfect for people who can't handle too much spiciness. Their chicken is better than Bonchon's in my opinion. read more

Pelicana chicken - Korean Spicy Rice Cake with cheese - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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There's finally a Korean fried chicken place in West Philly, and it is a must-go! Pelicana nails Korean Fried chicken - it is fried to crispy perfection, not too greasy, and the chicken is moist, tender, and juicy. I went for just the bone-in whole spicy classic fried chicken to split between myself and a colleague and we were able to eat most of it save for a few pieces. It's approximately 18 pieces if I'm remembering what our server told us, and we devoured it. We had about 4 pieces left, so it was more than plenty. The price is pretty decent ($22 for a whole chicken) and they give you unlimited sides of radish and cheese corn upon request. The servers were super attentive in general and really knowledgeable and able to answer menu questions easily. We had a show to catch afterwards, and we were in and out within an hour so it was perfect for a "quicker" bite. Additionally, many (if not all) the speakers speak Korean, adding a bit more of a home-y feel for me personally. The spicy version of the chicken wasn't really spicy at all, so I would want to come back and get it covered in one of their spicy glazes that they offer for an additional few bucks. I think for now, this is what has Bonchon still at the top because they spicy glazed fried chicken really brings the fire (and their soy garlic glaze is also incredible) so for Pelicana to be king, I'd have to give their sauces a fair try and see how they measure up. I would recommend Pelicana for sure though, especially in those moments where you just want fried chicken, fried in a Korean style but still with that classic fried chicken taste. read more

Pelicana chicken - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Just when we had iven up on Bonchon ever opening, another Korean fried chicken place pops up to steal its thunder! I came as a group of 6 people, and we opted to get 2 "whatever" combos, one original wings and one boneless (nice option if you prefer eating with forks), each half sauced and unsauced. The food took a little while to come, but there was an audible gasp when they came out. These plates are HUGE and come with a ton of fried sides and even some assuring vegetables along with the chicken. It was the perfect amount for the six of us, and the platters are definitely the best and most economical option for groups who want to try a bit of everything. While I think Bonchon and Cafe Soho's chicken is better (more crisp and better flavor), Pelicana's combos make it a great place for groups. read more

Pelicana chicken - TWO COMBOS! - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

One of better restaurants in west philly/UC area! Sweet and spicy (level 1) fried chicken with bone - the breading on the outside was nice and crispy. The meat was warm and tender. Honey garlic fried chicken with bone - a little too saucy but was still good. Although I probably won't order this sauce flavor again. French fries - came out first and was warm and nicely salted. Would I come back again? This was my 2nd time and will certainly be back again. (Rating is based solely on food) I agree with other reviews, the menu is too confusing. read more

Pelicana chicken - Sweet and spicy (level 1) - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Just opened up on Penn's campus! The manager was so nice and gave us free dumplings and sauces to try out! The wings were quite large and got the chicken sandwich which was nice and juicy; will probably be coming back soon :) read more

Pelicana chicken - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I was excited to try Pelicana Chicken when I found out they do delivery through DoorDash. We ordered Crispy Fried Chicken with Honey Garlic Sauce, Truffle Fries, and the Peli Cheesesteak Sandwich. The truffle fries were crispy and delicious. Our excitement slowly turned into disappointment. The Crispy Fried Chicken was dry and drowned in thick Honey Garlic Sauce. The Peli Cheesesteak Sandwich was also lackluster. I'll try visiting the restaurant instead of getting it delivered next time. read more

Pelicana chicken - Crispy Fried Chicken with Honey Garlic Sauce and Truffle Fries - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Came here after class and decided to try out something besides Bonchan. We ordered the spicy whole chicken and spicy wings. Both was crispy and tasty but got boring and tasteless after a while. Would probably recommend getting some type of sauce to dip in but its a extra couple bucks depending on the sauce. Service was medicore. read more

Pelicana chicken - Wings - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Me and my friend stumbled upon this place for the first time when we first got there the server Leslie sat us then took like 20 minutes to come and ask us what we wanted my friend ordered first I needed more time then I ordered like a few minutes later took my order my friend ordered fried chicken with soy sauce ,truffle fries and I got spicy fried chicken when her order came out she received soy garlic wings she didn't eat any of them when the server came back to bring me my chicken which by the way weren't spicy she asked to get what she ordered by which the man who was Korean started waving his hands around and getting loud. Screaming at us shouting that we weren't trying to pay asking us if we would pay then stated "YOU people always want to sample" I'm guessing he meant to say black but didn't want to completely rude was suggesting we weren't going to play stereotyping us when all we wanted was for her to get the chicken she ordered Never returning I don't spend my money at establishments that don't like certain people BLACK people don't come here they don't like you just want your dollar read more

Was always curious what it looked like downstairs. While the prices are on par with or a little higher than other Korean fried chicken places, they really don't put any effort into making the area welcoming. I looked through the alcohol section and they were trying to sell a 350ml Soju for like $11. Tried to just get a can of soda, the card minimum was $5. So I just picked up my side of white rice, which I tried and it wasn't particularly good, slightly undercooked maybe or old. I've been hesitant to try out the food as it just looked okay and the portions seemed small, and by the looks of it, I might have been right. read more

I've been craving fried chicken recently and seeing how a new place opened up near me, I wanted to try it out. The restaurant is located in the basement, but the interior has a nice vibe to it. I decided to go for the whatever combo #1. The combo had whole chicken, mozzarella sticks, fries, onion rings, two small sides of salad, radish, and various dipping sauces. It did take take about 30 minutes to come out but when it did, the plate was massive. I got crispy chicken, half with yellow cheese and other other half with level 2 sweet and spicy. The yellow cheese was cheese powder dusted all over the chicken with a taste similar to ruffles. It can get a bit dry but overall, it was ok. After eating it for a while, I started getting a little tired of it. The sweet and spicy on the other hand was really good. I definitely preferred it more than the yellow cheese and despite being level 2, it really wasn't spicy for me. I'm guessing the spice level varies day to day since another reviewer commented on how spicy the level 2 was. Overall, I had a great experience and would come back to try some of their other dishes on the menu(along with more chicken!) P.S., the whatever combo was probably big enough to feed at least 3 people read more

Pelicana chicken - Whatever combo #1 - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Delicious crispy and spicy wings, just like they should be. Not sure if they would hold up to a couple of other spots in the city, but they are definitely tasty. What really stole the show was the bulgogi quesadilla, which may not be traditional but definitely hit the spot, especially as a late night snack! read more

Pelicana chicken - Spicy Soy Fried Chicken Wings - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Food portions were very small in relation to the actual price. I just got truffle fries and boneless chicken. Fries were good but the chicken was terrible and the garlic sauce didn't help at all. The servers/workers must not like POC, they were very impolite and unwelcoming when I entered there business read more

Pretty standard Korean fried chicken place! They are open late and have a bar plus lots of seating downstairs. I didn't try any of the actual fried chicken, so I can't speak for that, but the sides were pretty good. The kimchi fried rice was really good, and the service was really quick and friendly! Overall a decent spot for Kate night hangouts with friends. read more

Pelicana chicken - Definitely enough food to feed a group! - Korean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The chicken is always crispy. Great sauces, I just wish they cleaned it because there is a lot of fat on the thighs.

It will run you $20 for boneless chicken wings and fries. An extreme rip off when the chicken is not even white meat. My dining partner and I both filled up on fries and only took a few bites of our respective fatty, veiny, dark meat chicken dishes. Also worth noting, the fries came out ~10 minutes before the chicken. The prices just miss the mark.. we had a good laugh about the $15 guac and chips side. Also $2-$3 up-charge to put sauce in your wings. This is clearly a NY chain. read more