KoKo's Crispy Fried Chicken — Restaurant in Corpus Christi

A Most Enthusiastic Appraisal of KoKo’s Crispy Fried Chicken

Pray allow me, dear reader, to recount an encounter most exquisite, nay, most sublime, with the culinary marvels of a humble yet estimable establishment tucked away in the sunny dominion of Corpus Christi, Texas—a bastion of flavour most divine known to the common tongue as KoKo’s Crispy Fried Chicken.

Upon the first presentation of that golden-hued poultry, I found myself quite arrested, as though some angelic choir had struck its opening note in anticipation of my forthcoming repast. The chicken, crisped to a degree of perfection rarely observed outside celestial banquets, bore a crust most audaciously crunchy, shattering beneath the teeth like the delicate pane of a frosted window on a winter’s morn. And yet! Beneath this noble armour of batter, one discovers flesh tender, juicy, and redolent of savour so heavenly that Homer himself might have abandoned the Odyssey to compose odes in its praise.

The seasoning, a veritable symphony of spice, does not overwhelm, but rather converses with the palate most politely—bold enough to declare its presence, yet refined enough to linger as a distinguished guest at the banquet of one’s senses. Indeed, each morsel seemed a testament to KoKo’s artistry, a declaration that here in this coastal city, one may sup like a lord without need of powdered wig nor title.

And let it not be said that the accompaniments fall short of the main attraction. The sides—be they potatoes whipped into silken clouds, or cornbread golden as a midsummer’s dawn—prove themselves not mere attendants, but noble companions to the monarch that is the chicken.

In conclusion, I aver with utmost sincerity that KoKo’s Crispy Fried Chicken is no trifling curiosity, but a revelation most profound. To dine there is to be transported from Corpus Christi’s streets to some Elysian banquet hall, where hunger is vanquished and delight...

I really liked it. I have never had Korean fried chicken, but familiar of its popularity in Kdramas. I am a super fan of the fried mushrooms here. There's nothing wrong with the fries, they are good as far as fries go...but there are too many of them. Really ended up taking home the majority of the fries. The aesthetic of the place is like a farm house game/anime room. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm picky with fried chicken so I even surprised myself with ordering it. It's not overtly greasy, doesn't have juice squirting out (one thing I hate about fried chicken) but is cooked perfectly. I was temporarily confused by the seasonings (I got dry rub because I didn't want to deal with sticky sauce) which came in little containers separate of the chicken. I opted to dip peices of the chicken in the rub rather than pour over the chicken. It worked for me. The sweet spicy dry rub had a familiar addictive flavor that I placed as Chinese peppercorn once I noticed the mild tongue numbing. The prices are very fair with quality eats. They have frequent flyer punch cards which I will definitely have to use, I will be back.

*Second stay I tried some of the dipping sauces. If you aren't a fan of or haven't tried tteokbokki I wouldn't try the gochujang barbeque. The lemon mustard is honey mustard, curry is..really, curry gravy. I'm sure it would be good with rice. My favorite continues to be the spice dry rub.

** Went back recently February 2025 and the menu had really changed. Tried some of the new stuff and my kid really liked the rice cakes and chicken. Super friendly service and they even have a little arcade room to...

UPDATE as of 11/16/2024

So, this place has been our favorite place for wings because they can get the crispy wings right. Unfortunately, the wings are not on the menu after the reopen/renovation and the prices have been jacked up. Also, the menu looks overwhelming now with all the Korean corn dog options and bubble tea. We might have to try the bubble tea, but, unfortunately, with the removal of the wings, we won't be frequent flyers anymore.

UPDATE: The day I was catching up on my reviews is the day we went back to KoKo's, and they have $1 wing Tuesday, $1 boneless wing Thursday. I can't remember Wednesday's special, though. We had the 24 wings with 3 different sauces (sweet and spicy, dry chili rub, gochijang), all great and no complaints. The wings are wonderful!

I grew up on the classic, homemade, southern fried chicken. I wouldn't consider myself an expert but I've endeavored to try other cultures fried chicken. I would recommend this spot for pretty good Korean fried chicken.

The one thing you have to understand about Korean fried chicken is that the chicken is meant to be fried without any taste in the batter; the sauce they provide is the flavor. Some are better than others, but I tend to gravitate to the sweet and spicy flavor.

Overall, it's not a bad spot for chicken. I like the wings with the sweet and spicy flavor. Definitely recommended if you're looking for a different spin on...