Bap and Chicken Opens First Arizona Location in Chandler

Bap and Chicken, a Saint Paul, Minnesota-based eatery, has chosen the former Habit Burger Grill location at 940 N 54th Street in west Chandler to open its second restaurant.

This will be the first Arizona location for Bap and Chicken, “Bap” meaning rice in Korean. The restaurant opened for dinner only on Nov. 1, and plans to host its grand opening and ribbon cutting on Nov. 16. The restaurant’s menu includes dishes such as “bibimbap,” which is a combination of various ingredients with rice. Build-your-own-bap bowls, Korean fried chicken in a tempura style batter, and “Kidz Baps” are also included on the menu. According to Bap and Chicken’s website, the Chandler location will also offer “k-DOGG Night” on Thursdays from 4 p.m. to close where diners can enjoy the restaurant’s Korean cheese and beef corn dogs.

Bap and Chicken founder and owner John Gleason was adopted from Korea as an infant and raised in Minnesota. In 2020, Gleason also ran a food truck in Saint Paul. The owner said he decided to open a Bap and Chicken location in Arizona, as it was time to keep pushing forward with brick and mortar stores.

“When I was looking outside of Minnesota, I was looking at what cities would be good for Bap and Chicken to move into. Obviously the greater Phoenix market is growing, it’s huge and it's very diverse. And then Chandler you know, it just happenstance, I looked at probably 20 locations and this location in Chandler was the best fit,” Gleason said.

The Bap and Chicken Chandler location also offers a karaoke room and a “Bapmobile” food truck for catering corporate events as well as private celebrations.

“It's the whole package really. It's not just about the food anymore. It's not just about the service. It's not just about the music or the atmosphere. It's everything that's put together and so I

really feel that it’s Bap and Chicken as a whole. Anyone can come and enjoy themselves,” Gleason said.

Bap and Chicken diner, Janee Garcia, said her family had noticed the new restaurant in the area and decided to check it out.

“I ordered the six drummies and the bibimbap. I thought it was great, the chicken is perfectly cooked, it's got super crispy skin. The portion sizes are huge. I wasn't expecting drumsticks that big, so I felt like it was a good value,” said Garcia. “There's a lot of seating outside which I like and it's really clean and I loved that they do karaoke and stuff. They have their adoption wall and I think that's a really cool way to recognize adopted people in the community.”

Gleason said that he created the “Bap and Chicken” concept based off of his culture and his background.

“Bap and Chicken is a symbol of who I am. Bap means rice in Korean and we serve the bibimbap, which is the traditional Korean rice bowl, and then chicken for Korean fried chicken. And I'm adopted, so it's kind of a little bit of my heritage of being Korean but also American, Gleason said.
The owner said he hopes to recreate the same friendly atmosphere and environment here in Chandler as he has at the location in Saint Paul.

“The market right now is pretty tough still. Things have really changed in the last few years for not just restaurants but employment all across the board. And so, you know, one of the main reasons I wanted to start a restaurant was to provide a great place for people. Those first people that I want to provide a great place for are the employees or the team members and then,

in turn, they will provide a great experience for the gap, because I can't do it alone,” said Gleason.

Gleason plans to eventually open more locations and said that Bap and Chicken will continue to adjust as it grows.

Gleason said, “We're happy to be open and happy to serve the community. And that's what I want, is to not just to be a restaurant in Chandler, but also to be a strong civic minded community member.”