YKO Chicken BBQ

This is probably the best African food, let alone chicken, I’ve ever had. I’ve eaten here several times, and was only disappointed once when they gave me a. chicken spicier than I had asked for. That being said, it was just a little fluke, and it’s always been good otherwise. Highly, highly recommend and be warned: when they say it’s spicy, they mean it.

Best chicken in town, period!
Okay, here’s why… their chicken is charcoal grilled which you can hardly find any where else these days, meat is not dry with a bit of juice and work out the magic with the spice. Someone else has mentioned their side is not good, and I’m half agree with that. On a good day, the plantain and fried rice can be sooo good that I can’t stop eating. However, sometimes they’re not as good, I wish they’re more consistent on this.

Je veux juste faire une précision pour dire que l’aitre succursale se trouverait à Hull selon la carte d’affaires que j’ai et non à Gatineau… bonne bouffe!

Me and my fiancé ordered take from here this evening. We ordered the mild and spicy BBQ chicken. I had the mild chicken and it was great. The rice was good as well and I like how they put cabbage and carrots with the rice. I look forward eating here in the future.

Chicken is good but side are not. Be careful their spicy is very spicy and delivery does not include forks and plate.

Repeatedly my boyfriend would tell me the same story, about this amazing chicken spot on Charlotte and Rideau St. He was so passionate about the chicken that despite me hearing the story for the millionth time, I felt his grieving process was warranted. Ever since, I have been searching high and low for a similar BBQ’d chicken spot in Ottawa, worthy of mending his broken heart.
Keeping true to this mandate, I brought home BBQ one night, anxious for him to try it and be amazed! Only, while we sat there enjoying a great meal the same whimper and reflection of this once amazing BBQ establishment emerged. To which I pulled out my iPad and did some investigating (apparently this had never dawned on him)…
What I found, was that not only did the place still exist, it was blocks away from my house, and they now have two locations; one in Montréal. Ha, winning!
Entering Yko’s you will notice a very empty restaurant, a few tables for dine-​in guests, some paintings on the walls and a small take-​out counter. There was no heat in the restaurant during my visit and considering it was –8C, everyone seemed rather uncomfortable waiting in line. I ordered the Chicken Combo (½ chicken). This plate comes with ½ BBQ chicken, rice, and fried plantain.
The chicken was good, contained a good amount of spice/​heat and had authentic charcoal BBQ flavour. The rice was my favorite part of the plate, it was nicely spiced and was anything from boring.
Although we enjoyed our meals, the chicken was not as flavourful or as juicy as I would have expected (considering the stories my boyfriend goes on about).
With that said, I will try there chicken again, the meal was good (a little expensive, but good) and I really want to know if the heat comes back on. As for my darling boyfriend, the search for the best BBQ chicken in Ottawa continues, since the flavour of the chicken on this visit wasn’t as good as remembered. Although i’m slowly coming to realize this might be a challenge I won’t win…

Good food. In the same category, try the Gladstone Golden Grill on 523 Gladstone downtown Ottawa. They have more or less same menu.
Check menu on
Excellent service, primetaste chicken and more…

Just went for dinner there this evening after my other dinner plans fell through– the paint job on the exterior and the cheesy sign are nothing fancy, so I wasn’t expecting much, but it was open late and local. I must say I was impressed!
The food was great, my girlfriend and split the whole chicken combo, with couscous and plantains. The plantains were our favourite– delicious and unique. The couscous had a few lumps, and was plain, but came with a tomato/​onion mix that tasted really fresh. The chicken was juicy, had good flavour, and had CRISPY SKIN which I LOVE. There was enough that I am planning on having leftovers tomorrow.
Service was fine, the gentleman suggested the meal and it came quickly as we made small talk.
The price was fair– 30 $ for the meal with 2 drinks– can’t complain considering the quality/​quantity of the food.
I hope to go back soon!

I went to the new YKO BBQ Chicken at 523 Glastone this week with a big appetite, I had experienced there chicken at there original location at Charlotte and Rideau.
My friend and I both ordered the ¼ chicken combo that come with rice and plantain.
While waiting we could see intio the kitchen there were containers of food on the floor and are server was standing next it wearing open shoes with barefeet.
The food is not made there and is reheated.
Our plates came it looked good, but we each got a chicken leg not a quarter chicken, there was not breast meat. We mentioned this to our server, she came out with a whole chicken on a plate and tried to tell us that the leg is indeed a quarter chicken. The chicken was tasty but there was not enough and the rest was not reheated enough.
The entire afternoon I was worried about food poisening.
I would not order from them again, maybe I will try there McArthur location.

Good: The dancing patrons.
Better: The dancing chef.
Best: Definitely the chicken — perfectly spiced, smoky and juicy. It stayed hot for the car ride home and was ample enough to feed my hungry boyfriend and myself for dinner. Plus we had leftovers for sandwiches the next day. We paired it with homemade coleslaw, avocado, couscous and plantains. The couscous from YKO was average and lacked the advertised cassava, but the fried plantains were delicious.
Bonus: They have Canada Dry cranberry gingerale — it’s like Christmas all year round!
Keep in mind that this is foremost a takeout establishment and the seating is bare bones. We ordered on a busy Saturday night and waited about 45 minutes, so I would recommend calling in your order beforehand. The staff isn’t organized, so having cash can speed along the process (although they do take credit cards).
Only a few minor complaints. The food came out at different times so the plantains were a bit cold (though still very tasty) and they had run out of salad. The side dishes are a tad overpriced, but the chicken is a decent deal. None of this would prevent me from going there again.
Dollars: a whole chicken, side couscous, fried plantains and two gingerales cost about $ 32.

Ok!
My mind is changed. I must have went on a bad day the first time. EXCELLENT chicken, on par with Pili Pili, however the sides are better. The service was fast and friendly and it didn’t take long for the chicken to be done… 10 minutes max. They must have come up with a way to be more time efficient I guess?
I got the ¼ chicken dinner with rice and plantain. They gave me a little package of a hot spice I could put on the food. So I did! And it was delicious on everything. The plantains were bang on, the rice was deliciously seasoned and it had some cabbage and carrots on it… Absolutely delicious when you added the spice to it.
The chicken was nothing like what I had last time… It was seasoned extremely well, slightly spicy and it had an indistinguishable blend of spices on it. It also had a fantastic smoky charcoaley (just invented a word) flavor.
Can’t wait to come back. I dare say it’s a bit pricier than I remember it being last time. $ 12.50 on the nose for a combo.

Does anyone remember the amazing grilled chicken place named Yre’s? IT’S BACK!!! It’s actually been back for some time but I forgot to review it.
The old Yre’s was one of the most run down places places I’ve been to in Ottawa. The new place doesn’t have that «charm» anymore and the place is actually renovated with new floors, tiles, etc. There are 4 tables that look new and the place looks really clean, especially comparing it to what Yre’s was.
OK now to the important thing, the food. I ordered a whole chicken with a side of rice and plantains. Yes they have rice again unlike the last few weeks that Yre’s was open were they stopped serving rice or just ran out. I was not a fan of the rice. It was cooked with some carrots and I think cabbage. It was a little sour but seemed more like couscous than rice. I still like the plantains and they taste the same as they did before.
The chicken is West African BBQ chicken. You can order a quarter, a half or a whole chicken and they have combos. I ordered half a chicken and the chicken is as good as I remember. It’s got a great smoky flavour as well as nice spices. It was nicely cooked on the outside and pretty moist on the inside. I was worried that the move in venue might have changed the quality of the food but it’s still my favourite chicken in Ottawa and I can’t wait to go back.
Remember to bring cash and some of the staff might not speak English so be specific when ordering. You might have to point to the menu! The prices have also gone up slightly since the Yre’s days but you can still get a combo for $ 8.