Korean fried chicken eatery Bonchon lands space for first Tysons restaurant

Given Bonchon’s overall ubiquity, it might surprise some residents to learn that the Korean fried chicken purveyor has yet to make an entry into the Tysons area.

That will change next year, when Bonchon opens its first Tysons location at 8603 Westwood Center Drive near Route 7 and the Spring Hill Metro station.

The restaurant chain announced today (Wednesday) that it recently executed a lease for Suite 100 in the Westwood office and retail complex, which counts Paisano’s Pizza and the Indian restaurant Bombay Tandoor among its current tenants.

Bonchon anticipates opening its new 2,600 square-foot restaurant in May 2022.

“Bonchon has been wildly popular across the state of Virginia but in particular in the DMV area,” Bonchon CEO Flynn Dekker said in a press release. “With each new Virginia location, we are reminded just how much the taste of our ‘hometown’ has been welcomed into the hearts and homes of so many.”

With a name that translates to “my hometown” in Korean, Bonchon was founded in South Korea in 2002 and expanded into the U.S. in 2006. It now boasts more than 370 restaurants worldwide and over 100 American sites, more than 20 of them in Virginia.

Right now, however, the eatery closest to the Tysons area is off of Old Lee Highway just outside the City of Fairfax. Korean fried chicken fans have also been able to get their fill from rival chain Chi Mc, which opened a location in the Town of Vienna in June 2020.

Other Bonchon locations in Fairfax County include Reston, Herndon, Centreville, Annandale, and Springfield. There are also sites in Arlington and the City of Alexandria.

The company says it plans to open two dozen new locations in 2022.

The Tysons Bonchon will take over the space most recently occupied by I-Thai’s Side Street and Sushi Bar, which has been reported closed on Yelp.

The Thai restaurant’s website remains up, but the phone number is no longer in service, and Tysons Reporter didn’t immediately receive a response from the listed email address.