Tongdak is an old-school fried chicken joint in Toronto that values quality above all else.

Owner Jin Park has been in the culinary industry for over 10 years, serving as a chef and manager at a number of different restaurants.

While working as an operations manager for Chung Chun Rice Dog, Jin became inspired to start his own restaurant and started brainstorming a unique concept that would appeal to Toronto's Korean community.

These plans ultimately led to the creation of Tongdak, which first opened its doors in April of 2026. 

The name "Tongdak" means "whole chicken" in Korean and usually refers to a roast chicken that has been deep-fried and lightly seasoned. Its skin is thin and crispy, while its meat is tender and juicy.Jin explains that this style of cooking was incredibly popular in the '80s and '90s, with many millennials fondly recalling their parents bringing a whole chicken home after work.

He also mentions that the tongdak style isn't very well represented in Toronto, at least in comparison to more "modern" methods of chicken preparation.

"Modern fried chicken uses a different type of batter," Jin explains. "It's heavier and not as flaky. There's also a bigger emphasis on sauce, rather than the flavour of the chicken."

Though sauce is still an important part of Tongdak's menu, Jin firmly believes that it should be used to enhance the chicken's flavour, not cover it up.

He also believes that food should be shared with everyone and is committed to keeping his prices reasonable.

"A lot of our customers are students," says Jin, "so I wanted everything on the menu to be affordable."

Cheese balls ($5.99) are bite-sized appetizers filled with melty mozzarella cheese. Powdered "snow cheese" can be added for $1.99.Tteokbokki ($6.99) is a popular Korean street food, consisting of stir-fried rice cakes in a spicy chili sauce. Fried onions provide a crunchy contrast to the chewy rice cakes, while also enhancing the flavour of the sauce. 

Mozzarella cheese can be added for $2.99.

Chicken salad ($7.99) is made with lettuce, tomatoes, shredded carrots, red onions and, of course, breaded chicken. A ramekin of honey mustard dressing is served on the side.The spicy sandwich ($9.99) is a simple yet effective variation on a classic chicken sandwich, topped with garlic mayo, pickled chilis and coleslaw. The sandwich is finished with a sweet and spicy sauce, similar to yangnyeom seasoning. If you're not a fan of spicy food, consider trying the garlic sandwich ($9.99) instead. This chicken sandwich also makes use of pickles and garlic mayo, but pairs them with lettuce and honey garlic sauce, resulting in a milder overall flavour. As its name might suggest, the Tongdak box ($29.99) is Tongdak's signature item. Served in a massive black and yellow box, the meal consists of an enormous roasted chicken, topped with fried garlic and fried rice cakes. 

The meal also comes with pickled radishes, as well as two sauces of your choice.Tongdak is located at 50 Gerrard Street East.