Chicago, no doubt, has several notable Korean BBQ joints, from old-time favorites that have been around for decades to modern, upscale places where everything is taken up a notch.
Whether you choose to enjoy Korean BBQ with your raucous group of friends, or as a fun date with your partner, this is the only list of the best Korean BBQ Chicago restaurants you need to choose from:
1. Woo Chon Korean BBQ Restaurant
A family-owned and -operated Korean restaurant, Woo Chon has been around since 2004, serving authentic Korean BBQ as well as full courses of traditional Korean cuisine.
With a personal charcoal grill at every table, high-quality meat, fresh ingredients, and friendly service, this place is all about giving diners an amazing Korean BBQ experience.
No Korean BBQ is complete without Galbi. These are marinated beef short ribs that you can cook on the charcoal grill at your table.
The meat gets a slight sweetness from the marinade and a beautiful smoky flavor from the grill and tastes incredible even with just a bowl of rice.
If you’re not a rice person, a superb alternative to go with your Galbi would be the Bibim NaengMyun. The cold noodle is salty, sour, and spicy, and complements the meat very well.
Don’t miss the Bulgogi; it’s fresh and phenomenally delicious.
For appetizers, try Hae Mool Pa Jeon. This is a Korean seafood pancake, which is crispy, deliciously savory, and comes loaded with seafood and vegetables.
What to order: Galbi, Bibim NaengMyun, Bulgogi, Hae Mool Pa Jeon
Address: 5744 N California Avenue, Chicago, IL 60659
2. Do Eat Korean BBQ
Do Eat is a modern Korean eatery where you can have your meat cooked and served, or go the old-school route and cook it yourself on your table stove.
What sets this place apart is that you get to try a variety of meat options for a pretty affordable price, and of course, everything is fresh and delicious.
At Do Eat, you basically get two options for Korean BBQ – Kalbi platter and Lamb Chop platter. Both are available as 2 or 4 people courses and include other elements like shrimp, pork belly, chicken tenders, vegetables, and more.
You can order the individual elements separately as well.
Our favorite from the course is the marinated Pork Belly. It has just the right level of spiciness, and when cooked to crispy perfection, it tastes absolutely divine!
Now, if you’re a beef person, you have amazing options like Bulgogi and Kalbi. Both come marinated with an in-house specialty sauce and taste wonderful in their own right.
Leave some room for their BOMB Kimchi Fried Rice. Available in chicken and beef versions, this fried rice is just what dreams are made of!
What to order: Pork Belly, Bulgogi, Kalbi, Kimchi Fried Rice
Address: 3141 South Halsted Street, Chicago, IL 60608
3. Perilla Korean American Fare
Perilla is an upscale Korean BBQ restaurant, offering a menu that features the chef’s new and exciting takes on traditional Korean classics, which can be enjoyed in a communal dining setting.
With high ceilings and brick walls, the interior looks industrial chic with a rustic finish.
For grilling at your table, you can get both marinated and non-marinated cuts of meat. Among the variety of options, the standouts are the LA Galbi and Duroc Pork Belly.
While the former is juicy, flavorful, and delicious, the pork belly easily scores high with its natural marbling, which turns the meat extremely tender and juicy.
Two other dishes from Perilla’s menu that need to be on your table are the Fire Chicken and Kimchi Pancake.
The chicken is perfectly tender, and has enough spice to it to justify its name; the addition of chihuahua cheese on top balances the spice level beautifully.
To say that Perilla serves one of the best Korean Fried Chicken Wings in the city would be an understatement. Though you can choose between three different sauces, we totally love the traditional sweet and spicy version, which pairs superbly with the house ranch on the side.
What to order: LA Galbi, Duroc Pork Belly, Fire Chicken, Kimchi Pancake, Korean Fried Chicken Wings
Address: 401 North Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, IL 60654
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4. Gogi
Gogi is a solid KBBQ place offering a wide array of quality meats to be cooked on tabletop grills, and a menu that also features other Korean specialties. The vibe here is relaxed and casual, and the service is prompt and friendly.
Among the many meat options for grilling at the table, Gogi’s Galbi steals the show. These marinated beef short ribs are like fireworks in the mouth and taste orgasmic right from the first bite.
You can also have pork ribs (Dwaeji Galbi) or chicken (Dak Galbi) in the same flavor profile.
And then there’s Bulgogi or marinated beef sirloin, where the meat is tender, and carries a salty, savory, and sweet flavor.
If you haven’t tried Samgyeopsal in KBBQ before, you should at Gogi. This is a thick slice of fatty pork belly that gets utterly delicious when grilled. The meat is so juicy and tender that it melts in your mouth, and the charcoal flavor from the grill is the cherry on top.
Gogi also serves one of the better-tasting seafood pancakes (Haemul Pajeon) in the city.
What to order: Galbi, Dwaeji Galbi, Dak Galbi, Bulgogi, Samgyeopsal, Haemul Pajeon
Address: 6240 N California Avenue, Chicago, IL 60659
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5. SGD DUBU SoGong-Dong Tofu & Korean BBQ
Named after a historical place in central Seoul, SGD or SoGong-Dong is all about imparting the Korean tradition to the world through their dishes. The chef’s ability to maintain authentic Korean taste is the main reason why patrons come back to taste more from this place.
This family-friendly restaurant is classy and casual, and delivers incredible food paired with great service.
One of the SGD’s bestsellers is Soondubu Jjigae. This is a Korean stew made with silken tofu. The stew base is spicy and wonderfully savory, and it is one of the most comforting Korean dishes you can have, and the tofu is simply the softest and creamiest.
From their Korean BBQ menu, you cannot miss the Beef Bulgogi. The thin beef slices come beautifully cooked along with onions to achieve a smoky flavor, and the classic Korean marinade gives it a slightly sweet and savory taste.
If you like your bulgogi spicy, there’s Pork Bulgogi and Chicken Bulgogi, which are prepared with a spicy marinade.
What to order: Soondubu Jjigae, Beef Bulgogi, Pork Bulgogi, Chicken Bulgogi, Kimchi Pancake
Address: H Mart Food Court, 711 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60661
6. Iron Age Korean Steakhouse
Iron Age Korean Steakhouse is an AYCE Korean BBQ restaurant that offers a complete DIY KBBQ dining experience.
The contemporary setting of the place feels welcoming, and the dining room is always bustling with fun music in the background.
The all-you-can-eat menu here comes with a variety of delectable items, among which some of the must-try ones are:
Iron Age Soy Beef Steak – this namesake beef cut comes marinated in their signature soy-based galbi sauce and tenderized, which when cooked, becomes extremely juicy and tender, you wouldn’t want to stop!
Spicy Chicken – tenderized chicken thigh marinated with house spicy sauce; the chicken has a deep flavor from the marination, and the spice level is enjoyable.
What to order: Iron Age Soy Beef Steak, Spicy Chicken, Hawaiian Bulgogi
Address: 1265 N Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, IL 60622
That does it for the best Korean BBQ spots in Chicago! If you’re looking for more food in the area, you might want to check out these best ramen joints in the city!