Smoky Hen — Restaurant in Melbourne

Ordered: Garlic cheese wood fire chicken Korean Fried Chicken [Boneless] - Snowing Cheese Korean Fried Chicken [Boneless] - Volcano Teriyaki grilled cheese chicken

I feel this review is unfair as we cant put into words how amazing this place is. Words and reviews won’t do this place justice. This place is the meaning of a hidden gem. We could not fault this place.

The wood fire chicken concept is so unique, it was juicy, tender, just falls off the bone. The cheese was was melted to perfection and the creaminess of the cheese was elite.

The fried chickens were juicy, soft insides and remained super crispy even with the sauce! All flavours tasted like the flavour it was intended to be.

Highly recommend the volcano fried chicken, amazing amount of spicy and the perfect level of kickness (had to make up a word that’s how amazing it was)

Lastly, staff is just a joy to be around. Built a friendship with them in seconds, they genuinely wanted to help us out, answered all our questions with as much description as possible and just a pure joy to converse with.

Yes this review is extensive, but we feel we only described 10% of our amazement of this place. Reviews can be bias on Google, but we can honestly say this review is far from bias, we genuinely enjoyed this place and will be coming...

Came here off the hype from socials, but overall it was solid rather than unreal.

We ordered a set — chicken came out first as the chips took longer, but staff let us know so no big deal. The chicken itself was mostly juicy, though the breast was a bit dry (sauces helped salvage it). I’d heard a lot about the skin being next level with a woodfired flavour, but honestly it just reminded me of a less juicy version of crispy charcoal chicken skin.

The gravy that gets hyped up by influencers didn’t do it for me — way too sweet, didn’t use much of it. On the flip side, the chicken salt chips were excellent — super crispy, fresh, worth the wait. Sauces were solid: galbi wasn’t overly sweet and worked with the chicken, garlic sauce was different but tasty.

Bit of a letdown that they don’t do mixed flavours on the half chicken set. When I asked, staff just bluntly said no, which came off a bit rude.

Also tried the lunchtime fried chicken bowl with volcano sauce — chicken was cooked well (more batter-heavy, but decent), sauce had proper spice, but the mayo load on top was way too much. Big portion though, so good value.

End of the meal the staff who closed off were much more accommodating, which was appreciated.

Wouldn’t travel back for it, but overall still a decent feed if...

Woodfire rotisserie chicken or Korean fried chicken? Extra juicy brined, smoked with oakwood we said yes! 🍗 . 🍗 Woodfire chicken (half): 🧄 garlic cheese 🌶 peri peri - fav 🍗 Korean fried chicken (boneless): 🌶 sweet chilli + soy garlic 🍔 Southern fried burger 🍟 Chips 🥗 Coleslaw 🧅 Pickled Radish + Kimchi 🥗 Broc & cauli salad . Juicy chicken with flavour more than skin deep, we had the garlic cheese and chef's special peri peri. Both were good, but that peri peri is the one we're getting again. For those who like it hot, there's the volcano, or 6 other flavours. . For KFC there's 7 flavours too, the fingerlicking sweet chilli is addictive as is the soy garlic, a unique flavour. Sides, there's traditional chips and slaw, or pickled delights and kim chi and rice too. Spoilt for choice, a crowd pleaser for one and all, with a variety of flavours, and sizes too. . Smoky Hen is a winner and local gem in our books, located near MtW station with ample parking and open late. Nice dine-in spot, catering to both the traditional charcoal chicken takeaway, and restaurant scene, though we found the music too loud (or perhaps we're old lol). . Tip - They do $10 rice bowls lunch specials. There's also some really good meal deals. . 🍗 @smokyhen.au 📍Mt Waverley next to Dominos 🎁...