Choice Korean Food, Chicken & Cafe — Restaurant in Poquoson

Really loved this place when it opened but it seems like they are starting to go down a bit. I've been here three times so far.

I've had the bulgoggi and bibimbap multiple times, as well as a variety of the street foods. Had Bibimbop (non dolsat) last night and it was basically cold. Wife had the same problem.

When they first opened I thought it was cool and the price was pricey but at least the food was exceptional and the place is unique. The place is still unique but can get cheaper better food elsewhere imo...

Also the service is a huge point of contention for me. You walk in, seat yourself, order from a QR code, and someone drops off your food. I have no problems with any of that but when you pay, are you expected to tip 20%? For what??? A server gave us a half full carafe of water and didn't fill our cups. I have no problem with that in itself, but what am I tipping 20% on??

This restaurant needs to figure out if it's quick casual or full casual. I don't mind self serve but don't make 20% the default tip option if I'm doing basically everything myself and I'm just paying $15 for a server to drop off two plates of food. I also don't mind tipping at all, but not when everything is self serve.

Also you can't make any notes in the app so I always need to literally order then get up my seat to go find someone to ask for a modification because I can't eat onions.

The drink options are super cool, the food (when warm/hot) is tasty, and the vibe is really awesome. Definitely recommend the Dolsat Bibimbap and Soju flights.

Also, they're putting hand soap in the bathrooms instead of filling their Cintas container. Suggests to me they are having issues with maintaining their Cintas contract.

There are some definite service and cost issues. The restaurant was dead on a Friday night which might suggest other people agree with me.

I hope they figure this out because I really love having a unique restaurant. Because of issues it's a one and done restaurant for me and not a go to spot where I'm a regular. Really could be super cool but I think the service issues and prices keep...

Food is always a subjective experience, so I'll share mine and you can judge. We had the Spicy Beef Bulgogi, pickled radish, oi-muchim (spicy cucumber), fried beef mandu, and a six piece chicken wings with spicy garlic sauce. Had the honey lemon ginger tea which was fine. All of the hot food was served hot and pretty fast.

The mandu was disappointing, the outside was great, deep fried to a nice crispy texture, served nice and hot (had to let them cool before eating). Sadly, the inside was mushy. It wasn't cold or anything, just not the texture I like in fried dumplings. Nothing crunchy or really discernable as an ingredient. The cucumber was crispy, not very spicy, but it was also starting to go soft. We got there for an early dinner so I'm not sure why.

Now for the good, the spicy beef bulgogi was very good, it could have used some more onions but the beef was well marinated tasty. Rice was good, nicely sticky. The only disappointing part was three leaves of lettuce is not enough, and if you are splitting the dish (it is large enough to do so) you've got 3 leaves. Additional leaves come in pairs. But 3 leaves just aren't enough for 10 ounces of beef. The small side of kimchi with it was nice, I'm not the biggest fan of white kimchi, but had some and it was fine.

The Korean Fried Chicken was great, very crispy and crunchy. Reminded me of eating wings in Deagu. The Spicy Garlic sauce was fine. I think all Korean sauces are sweet, but it had just a hint of spiciness. I always get sauce on the side for Korean wings spo thy are crunchy and never get soggy, and they give you plenty of sauce of the wings.

They had a help wanted sign on the door, and it was good to see they are trying to pay servers a higher wage plus tips. So while the prices are a touch high they are understandable. There are some things on the menu I'd never buy at those prices.

Across the board the spiciness could...

Update 21Jun2024: We had Choice honey garlic and soy garlic KFC. The outside was crunchy and was coated with right amount of sauce. This time there was an option of ONE 2oz pickled radish free with an order. It was good to see that Choice is not charging $0.50 for adding a side of pickled radish, which should be given free with an order of chicken.

I ordered 15 wings. One 2oz pickled radish was not enough amount for 15 wings. For one order of 5 wings, there should be an option of adding one 2oz pickled radish. So, for 15 wings, there should be an option of adding Three 2oz pickled radish. Probably two pickled radish is enough for me. Yet still some people might want to eat more pickled radish with KFC.

Update 14Jun2024: Tried a KFC from K-Wings on Warwick Blvd. bottom line is Choice KFC is better. still if Choice charges for a pickled radish side, I would not recommend Choice. Wait until a real Korean chicken place opens up in future, if ever in Hampton Roads area.

Update: we had 15 pcs of Spicy Garlic and Honey Garlic this time. Just a week ago, a side of pickled radish came free with fried chicken. Today, I was surprised to find this place is charging $0.50 for a side of pickled radish. How very un-Korean like service at a so-called Korean restaurant! Very, very disappointed. Well, I am going to try a different K-fried chicken place next to EMart on Warwick Blvd or CM Chicken in Coliseum shopping center, Hampton.

Had Sweet Onion flavored fried chicken. Please don't over drench fried chicken with too much sauce. Over drenching makes fried chicken soggy. Same for other flavored fried chicken. You need to find a balanced amount of sauce to cover fried chicken without making the chicken soggy. defeats the purpose of frying chicken to...