The Coyote Cantina has been a staple of the San Manuel Student Union North building at CSUSB since it opened in Fall 2022. Students saw it as a bright place to hang out and enjoy quality tacos to escape the stresses of campus life. On Sept. 9, CSUSB announced in the weekly Yotie Eats newsletter that the cantina will close to make way for a new restaurant, BB.Q Chicken, a Korean fried chicken chain that brings new flavors.

At the soft opening on Sept. 21, the atmosphere was lively, with many students eager to try the new flavor at the SMSU North building. Because it was next to the bowling alley, plenty of students wanted to try it after a round or two.

“It is definitely a new experience for me,” said one student. “The chicken had the right level of spice.”

Korean fried chicken uses a lighter breading than typical fried chicken and is traditionally coated in a sweet, sticky Korean chili sauce. BB.Q Chicken doesn’t just do traditional Korean fried chicken; they also have familiar sides like coleslaw and fried rice.

At the opening, the options were limited to two combos, both with four single-flavored tenders and either one or two side dishes. The combos cost $12 with one side dish and $14 with two sides. The featured dish is spicy galbi-flavored chicken with a side of kimchi fried rice. The spicy galbi flavor is currently the spiciest option on the menu.

When biting into the chicken, the first thing you notice is the crunch of the breading, followed by the sauce's sweetness and the chicken's tenderness. The spice leaves a satisfying burn that makes customers come back for more.

The kimchi fried rice offers a surprising balance of flavors. The rice's spiciness, combined with the tanginess of the pickled vegetables, also complements the pieces of chicken in the fried rice.

The kimchi fried rice offers a surprising balance of flavors. The rice's spiciness, combined with the tanginess of the pickled vegetables, also complements the pieces of chicken in the fried rice.

Many will miss the Coyote Cantina, but its successor has made an impressive debut. For students, both new and returning, bb.q chicken will bring a new eating experience to the Yotie Eats program.