bb.q chicken will replace Tijuana flats in the mult-tenant retail building | loopnet

A Korean fried chicken franchise promises to transport Pinellas foodies to the streets of Seoul, bringing the global sensation of its sweet, spicy, and sticky wings to Pinellas Park.

bb.q Chicken, short for “Best of the Best Quality,” will open a new outpost at 7860 US Highway 19 North, taking over the space previously occupied by Tijuana Flats, which shuttered amid the Tex-Mex chain’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.

The bb.q Chicken restaurant will be in the multi-tenant building located in a shopping center anchored by Ashley’s Home Furniture. This will be the brand’s first restaurant in Pinellas County and its second in the Tampa Bay area, joining a Tampa location at 3805 Northdale Boulevard that opened in 2023.

bb.q chicken serves korean fired wings tossed in globally-inspired sauces and authentic Korean street food | bb.q chicken

Founded in 1995 in Seoul, South Korea, by Yoon Hong-guen, who had one mission: serve great-tasting, high-quality Korean fried chicken to the world.

Traditional Korean fried chicken is made using a double-frying technique, creating a lighter, crispier, and less greasy product compared to American-style fried chicken, which is fried once with a flour-based batter.

“Our Korean fried chicken is crispier, juicier, and more tender than anything you’ve tasted before, and our sauces provide an eclectic mix of flavor,” according to the corporate website. “Every dish is the result of both longstanding Korean tradition and modern research and development from our very own Chicken University. It’s a tremendous amount of work, but it’s all worth it when you take that first bite.”

ddeok-bokki, a korean street food dish | bb.q chicken

Today, the franchise, which expanded to the U.S. in 2014, has over 3,500 locations across 57 countries. The recipes and ingredients at bb.q Chicken are true to Korean tradition, and the flavors are an inspired mix of new and old.

“Korean fried chicken has gained popularity in America, and while many international food brands try to ’Americanize’ their food selections when they franchise in the United States, that is not the case for bb.q Chicken. bb.q Chicken’s authentic marinades arrive directly from South Korea and transport their customers’ taste buds back to Seoul with every bite,” the company’s page reads.

Bb.q Chicken’s sauces fuse international flavors, marrying sweet and spicy ingredients. The flavors vary by location and are available for whole chickens, wings (boneless and traditional), breasts, and thighs.

At the upcoming Pinellas Park location, diners can expect fan-favorite flavors like Honey Garlic, fried chicken coated in a sweet, garlicky glaze, alongside more adventurous options like Gang-Jeong (a soy-based sauce with cinnamon and chili), Gangnam Style (black pepper heat), Caribbean Spice, and the mysteriously named Secret Sauce (a blend of sweet and spicy notes).

The full menu available at other existing locations features Korean comfort classics such as kimchi fried rice, ddeok-bokki (a Korean street food made with spicy rice cakes and fish cakes tossed in a chili reduction topped with an egg), fried dumplings, and Cheesling Fries, fries dusted with sweet cheese powder.

An exact opening date for the new location has not yet been announced; however, it is expected to open by the end of October.

The bb.q Pinellas Park location will operate Sunday through Monday from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight.

Be sure to follow bb.q Chicken Pinellas Park on Facebook and the company’s Instagram for the grand opening details and offerings.