CM Chicken & Boba(CM Chicken/CM치킨 버논힐) — Restaurant in Vernon Hills

CM Chicken & Boba, located either at the Hawthorn Mall or this Vernon Hills location, is my absolute favorite spot for chicken wings. I've sampled wings from various places along both coasts and the southwest, but Korean chicken joints - with few exceptions - always win me over due to their irresistibly crispy texture and diverse range of sauce options. While I enjoy classic flavors like buffalo, BBQ, and garlic parm, it's the Korean wing places that take it to the next level with their spicy garlic and honey, gochujang, curry, citrus and green onion, and other umami combinations. Although bb.q and SoJu BBQ used to be my go-to choices, CM Chicken & Boba quickly took the top spot when it opened near me.

One thing I particularly love about CM Chicken is their use of alliums like onion, garlic, and scallion. They offer several dishes that showcase these flavors, such as their signature snow onion sauce, which features a generous amount of thinly sliced white onions on top of crispy chicken. It's an absolute delight for onion enthusiasts, although you might want to have some mints handy afterwards. In addition to their onion-centric sauces, CM Chicken also excels at soy-based and chili sauces. You can find these delicious options not only on bone-in fried chicken but also on broasted chicken, boneless chicken, sandwiches, rice bowls, Korean pancakes, and seafood. Their snow sauce is so good that I even use it as a dip for their appetizers, which range from seasoned straight-cut fries and onion rings to egg rolls and fried shrimp. The banchan (Korean side dishes) they serve, including daikon radish and cabbage, kimchi, and cabbage slaw, perfectly complement the main courses.

When it comes to the quality of their chicken, CM Chicken never disappoints. The meat is always tender and juicy, with perfectly crispy coatings that are never overly greasy. Their broasted or simmered chicken, as well as their shrimp, are equally succulent and flavorful. Whether you're a ravenous diner or just want a quick bite alongside your drinks, CM Chicken offers meals to suit all appetites. I highly recommend trying their Chi-bop rice bowls, which are incredibly satisfying. And if you're in the mood for something warm, their noodle soups are a great choice – just be prepared for some serious heat if you opt for the fire ramen. As for their drinks menu, I've only scratched the surface, but I can vouch for their excellent boba drinks, particularly the Milkis and Yakult fruit teas. CM Chicken also offers a wide variety of soft drinks, iced teas, beers, soju and beer combinations, rice teas (with the cinnamon flavor being a personal favorite), canned fruit drinks, and yogurt drinks.

Beyond the delicious food and drinks, CM Chicken Vernon Hills boasts a lively atmosphere with TV screens, up-tempo K-pop music, and colorful LED lights. The servers are friendly and efficient, assisted by robots that help with carrying orders. The prices are reasonable for the area, and the restaurant itself is clean, well-lit, and features spotless bathrooms. Their outdoor patio, adorned with a captivating LED-lit fountain, is a great place to relax when the weather permits. In terms of accessibility, CM Chicken is conveniently situated on the northeast corner of Milwaukee and Olde Half Day, and offers ample parking, including handicap spots right in front of the restaurant.

I wholeheartedly recommend CM Chicken & Boba to anyone who appreciates Korean-style fried chicken, delightful boba drinks, and modern Korean pub favorites. The food is outstanding, the atmosphere is vibrant, the staff is welcoming, and the prices are reasonable. While the food is just as delicious at the Hawthorn Mall location, the Vernon Hills spot wins for its fun ambiance and later operating hours. When the weather allows, I can't wait to enjoy a meal on their patio during one of their live...

accidentally placed an order at the glenview location when i meant to pick up at vernon hills so i ended up paying twice and the lady over the phone at this VERNON HILLS location laughed at me in a very belittling tone. She proceeded to call me stupid in korean and continued to ridicule me. Especially because I placed this order in Korean, so no mistranslation occurred…The service made me feel so guilty for something so little. Bad service, and semi acceptable yet overpriced food..

New edit June 2nd:

The business is now alleging that I have misrepresented my experience at their establishment, asserting that I am purposefully attempting to damage their reputation despite their status as a small enterprise. It is perplexing why I would fabricate a negative encounter at their restaurant without cause. I visited with the intention of enjoying my time, only to find myself met with disrespect and belittlement from one of their employees during a mere phone interaction. instead of replying respectfully, this “small business “ instead turned the tables and dismissing and falsifying my degrading restaurant experience. they claim that my review is fake because I’m not stating word for word how one of the employees insulted me, and belittled me over the phone, using the fact that they aren’t fluent in english as an excuse, when we spoke in KOREAN! I have edited this review with more details since I cannot reply to this incompetent owners “response”. Wow. How can a business not use basic elementary english grammar and have the ability to cook chicken adequately. What does CM chicken stand for? Common Maths? They’re money hungry and chicken is mid. As a korean, I don’t give the stamp of...

Aesthetic of the place is good no doubt but what’s more important is the food and the customer service. CM Chicken in Glenview has always been my favorite place to eat but I recently moved for my job and this branch is closer to my new home so I decided to try it. I had high hopes for this place because of their branch in Glenview so I was surprised that it was so far from what the other branch has to offer.

Chicken here was dry and hard, very little servings and just one side dish compared to the other branch. It seemed like the servings were half less than the other branch. I always leave with a full stomach whenever I eat in Glenview. I ordered the same menu here but I did not feel like I ate something for the same price.

Nobody checks if your order is complete. Waiter asked if I want my drink served with my food. I said yes. Food was served but no drink. I needed to wait 5-10 more mins.

I asked for hot sauce but they said they don’t have any but they have garlic (something) sauce but I have to pay for it for $1-2. I said that’s okay. Halfway to finishing our meal the sauce has not come yet. I rang the call button once. 5-10 mins has past but nobody came until we are finished with our meal (I did not attempt to ring the call button twice, I thought it was rude). I even had to wait for a server to pass by our table to get noticed and asked for our check. I was not charged for the sauce in case you are wondering.

I don’t know when this branch started but they still have a lot to learn from the other branch.

I would rather drive for 45 mins to get a good eating experience at the other branch than drive closer and get the same...