BHC Chicken, the South Korean fried chicken chain known for its sweet cheese-coated Bburinkle wings, has filed paperwork with Fairfax County to open a new restaurant in Chantilly, taking over the former Sirok space at 13960 Metrotech Drive. The filing seeks approval to change the site's name, concept, and decor, signaling the brand's second Northern Virginia location in under a year.
According to The Burn, the Chantilly site was formerly home to Sirok, another Korean cuisine restaurant. Atly reviews mention kimbap and a spicy chicken sandwich. The property sits inside the Sully Place and Sully Square retail corridor near Route 50 and Centreville Road, with Lotte Market among its anchors.
BHC's menu centers on fried chicken, including the Bburinkle, with its sweet cheese seasoning, alongside Matcho-King, which comes in a soy sauce-like coating, and Gold-King, coated in soy, honey, and garlic. The chain also serves a Classic fried chicken with a lightly seasoned crispy crust, plus other chicken styles, Korean dishes, and sides like french fries, the restaurant's filing with Fairfax County indicates.
From Ballston to Chantilly in Under a Year
The outlet notes that BHC entered a Northern Virginia market already featuring established rivals bb.q Chicken in nearby Virginia Square and Bonchon on N. Pershing Drive.
The chain's U.S. footprint remains small for now — just 10 locations nationwide, according to BHC's own website. BHC entered the U.S. market in February 2023 with a flagship restaurant in Los Angeles and has since expanded across California, including outposts in San Diego, San Francisco, and H Mart food courts, per WhatNow San Diego. Outside the U.S., the chain also operates in South Korea, Canada, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
A Brand Built on Scale and Private Equity
BHC is a South Korean chain that has grown to more than 2,300 locations, according to ARLnow. Its signature Bburinkle fried chicken is among its menu offerings.
The Investor says MBK Partners backed Dining Brands Group around BHC, and that Outback Steakhouse Korea was added to the group’s platform. That kind of private equity backing has helped fuel the global scaling of Korean dining franchises more broadly.
Crowded Field for Korean Fried Chicken
The Chantilly filing comes amid competition among Korean fried chicken chains, including rivals such as Bonchon and bb.q Chicken.
BHC’s footprint extends beyond the United States. Whether BHC’s Bburinkle can carve out space in Northern Virginia, where Bonchon and bb.q Chicken have Arlington locations, remains to be seen, but the Chantilly filing suggests the chain isn’t slowing its push into Northern Virginia anytime soon.
