Kuku Restaurant Review: My Favorite Bibimbap and Korean Fried Chicken in Forest Hills

Quick Summary

Restaurant: Kuku Korean Cuisine
Cuisine: Korean
Address: 107-12 70th Rd, Forest Hills, NY 11375
Price Range: $$ (Moderate)
Total Spent: $59.25
What We Ordered: Kuku Bibimbap, Grilled Tofu, Soy Garlic Korean Fried Chicken Wings, Pickled Radish
My Favorite Dishes: Sizzling Tofu Bibimbap and Soy Garlic Korean Fried Chicken
Would I Return? Yes

Watch My Experience

One of My Favorite Korean Restaurants in Queens

Whenever I'm craving bibimbap or Korean fried chicken, Kuku is one of the first restaurants that comes to mind. I've eaten here more than once, and it has become one of my favorite Korean restaurants in Queens. The food is always delicious, the portions are generous, and I almost always leave with leftovers to enjoy the next day.

Exterior storefront of Kuku Korean Cuisine in Forest Hills at night, showing a modern dark facade and large glowing sign on 70th Road. — The modern storefront of Kuku on 70th Road in Forest Hills.

Located in Forest Hills, Kuku serves classic Korean dishes in a modern restaurant that's always full of customers. It can get busy during dinner, but after eating here, it's easy to understand why.

A Modern Korean Restaurant

One thing I noticed is that Kuku has a different atmosphere compared to Chung Ki Wa, another Korean restaurant that I reviewed in Queens. While Chung Ki Wa has a more traditional Korean feel, Kuku has a modern dining room that blends well with the restaurants and cafés around Austin Street in Forest Hills.

Interior view of Kuku's modern dining room with contemporary lighting, sleek white brick accents, and tables filled with dining customers. — Kuku offers a stylish, modern vibe that fits perfectly near Austin Street.

I actually like both styles. If you're looking for a traditional Korean atmosphere, I'd recommend Chung Ki Wa. If you prefer a more modern restaurant, Kuku is a great choice.

Friendly Service

The restaurant was crowded during my visit, so we had to wait a little before getting a table. Even though it was busy, the servers stayed friendly and welcoming. Once we were seated, everything moved smoothly. Our food arrived in a reasonable amount of time, and the staff checked on us throughout the meal. I thought the service was very good.

Easy to Get There

Kuku is located at 107-12 70th Rd, Forest Hills, NY 11375. If you're taking the subway, take the E, F, M, or R train to Forest Hills–71 Avenue Station. From there, it's only a short walk to the restaurant. If you're driving, there is street parking available around Austin Street, although availability heavily depends on the time of day.

Kuku also has other locations in Long Island City and Roslyn Heights, but this review is based specifically on my visit to the Forest Hills location.

Complimentary Side Dishes

Before our food arrived, the server brought several complimentary Korean side dishes (banchan). We had kimchi, broccoli, fish cake, cheese, carrots, and pickled radish.

An arrangement of traditional complimentary Korean side dishes, including kimchi, seasoned broccoli, fish cakes, and cheese — The fresh variety of complimentary side dishes served at the start of the meal.

I always enjoy this part of eating at Korean restaurants because you get to try different flavors while waiting for your main dishes. The pickled radish was especially good with the fried chicken because it helped balance out the rich, savory flavor.

A close-up view of a small white bowl filled with cubed Korean pickled radish in a clear brine. — Crisp, sweet, and tangy pickled radish cubes to cut through the richness.

Sizzling Tofu Bibimbap

The first main dish we ordered was the Kuku Bibimbap. If you've never tried bibimbap before, it's one of Korea's most popular rice dishes. It comes with rice, vegetables, a fried egg, and your choice of protein. Before eating, everything is mixed together with gochujang, a Korean chili paste that adds a spicy and slightly sweet flavor.

Also, be prepared because it is steaming hot, and you might find yourself sweating a bit! I honestly don't mind as long I enjoyed my food. That is exactly why this dish is perfect to eat during the winter or cold weather

A sizzling hot stone bowl filled with Korean tofu bibimbap, showing white rice topped with neatly arranged colorful vegetables, golden tofu cubes, and a fried egg. — The Kuku Bibimbap arrives hot, colorful, and ready to mix.

I chose the sizzling tofu, which was served separately and I thought it was a great choice. Take note that when you ordered Bibimbap, you were given a choice of protein for additional price which I choose tofu as my sides. If you don't like tofu, they also offers sauteed spicy chicken, pork or squid, or beef bulgogi.

The only thing is that the tofu doesn't have much flavor but after mixing everything together, every bite had a little bit of everything. The tofu was soft, the vegetables were fresh, and the gochujang tied all the flavors together perfectly. This was my favorite dish of the meal.

Golden-brown, perfectly crisped rectangular blocks of fried tofu served sizzling over a small bed of sliced white onions in a cast iron dish. — Perfect texture: Golden-brown fried tofu served hot over sliced onions.

Soy Garlic Korean Fried Chicken

We also ordered the Korean Fried Chicken Wings. There were several flavors available, but I chose the soy garlic because it was the flavor most people recommended.

The chicken was incredibly crispy on the outside while staying juicy inside. The soy garlic sauce had a nice balance of sweet and savory flavors without being too strong. I can see why it's one of their most popular dishes. If it's your first visit, I think this is a safe, crowd-pleasing choice.

A hand holding a crispy soy garlic Korean fried chicken wing with a bite taken out, showing the juicy meat inside. — Unbelievably crispy skin with perfectly tender, juicy chicken inside.

Plenty of Leftovers

One thing I always notice at Kuku is the generous portion size. Even after eating until I was full, I still had plenty of leftovers to take home. I don't mind paying a little more when I know I'll easily get another full meal out of it. Our total came to $59.25, and I thought it was well worth it considering the quality and amount of food we received.

My Honest Thoughts

I've been to Kuku more than once, and it continues to be one of my favorite Korean restaurants in Queens. The Sizzling Tofu Bibimbap and Soy Garlic Korean Fried Chicken are the two dishes I always recommend. The only real downside is that it gets crowded, especially during prime dinner hours, so don't be surprised if you have to wait for a table. Other than that, I really enjoyed everything about this visit.

Would I Come Back?

Definitely. Next time, I'd like to try the tofu stew and the seafood pancake. After eating here a few times, I know I'll keep coming back whenever I'm craving comfort Korean food in Forest Hills.

Final Verdict

If you're looking for an excellent Korean restaurant in Forest Hills, I think Kuku is absolutely worth visiting. The food is consistently good, the portions are generous, and the service has always been friendly during my visits. Whether you're craving bibimbap or Korean fried chicken, I don't think you can go wrong with either of those dishes. If it's your first time eating here, those are the two items I'd recommend starting with.

Restaurant Information

Feature	Details
Restaurant	Kuku Korean Cuisine
Address	107-12 70th Rd, Forest Hills, NY 11375
Cuisine	Korean
Price Range	$$ (Moderate)
Total Spent	$59.25
Nearest Subway	Forest Hills–71 Avenue Station (E, F, M, R trains)
Parking	Street parking available around Austin Street
Other Locations	Long Island City and Roslyn Heights
My Favorite Dishes	Sizzling Tofu Bibimbap & Soy Garlic Korean Fried Chicken
Would I Return?	Yes! Want to try the tofu stew and seafood pancake next time