Dancen is amazing. I appreciate the staffs and managers kindness to me even though I have autism and their food is amazing and really good. Owner Sun is very nice. The restaurant is in good condition. Amazing Korean fried chicken. Must come back. 10/10.
Ania Malec
One of the oldest, maybe the oldest Korean restaurants in the city. It’s not for the faint of heart, but if you love Korean food, this place hits different.
The kimchi stew (kimchi jjigae) is the best I’ve ever had in the U.S. no joke. It brought me right back to a little shop in Seoul where I first tasted something this bold, this comforting, this real.
Now, if you're looking for sleek interiors or fancy plating, this isn’t the place. The vibe is murky, the decor outdated, the plates are plastic. But if you can look past all that, and lead with your taste buds instead of your eyes you’ll be rewarded.
Because the food? It’s soulful. The service? Genuine. The experience? Unforgettable.
It’s not just a meal. It’s a reminder that the best things in life don’t always come pretty but they sure come with heart.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Marissa S
Really disappointed with what I ordered. I got the fire chicken with cheese and it just tasted so bland. I saw people raving about it, so I thought it would be good but it's literally just chicken with melted cheese. Service wasn't good either. I don't think I would come back to try anything else.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 2
Christina Huynh
Overall, the food was a tad undersalted for my taste. The fire chicken was tender, flavorful, and had a delicious smoky char though some pieces were burnt to the point of being inedible. I probably shouldn’t have ordered it with cheese, which made the dish overly rich after a few bites. The spicy sauteed squid was garlicky, saucy, and tasty. I just wish there was more squid. However, things went downhill with the extremely gamey chicken gizzards. I love gizzard but it was so bad I had to spit it out and left the rest untouched.
Cat J.
Feel like Korea!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Fire Chicken w Cheese, Spicy Sauteed Squid, Fried Pork Skin, Spicy Chicken with Cheese, Pitcher, Yogurt Soju U
Jeanna Angeles
THE BEST PLACE IN TOWN! If you are craving for Korean cuisines, this one won’t fail you. Their soups are so light on the stomach yet so filling. I ALWAYS get their pork and kimchi soup. I love their pork cartilage with rice as well as their pork skin. This place is pretty much perfect especially for like intimate get togethers like catching up and stuff. OVERALL, you’re missing out if you haven’t eaten here yet.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fire Chicken w Cheese, Seasoned Rice Balls, Fried Pork Skin, Beef Small Intestine Stew, Yogurt Soju U
Nancy M
Food is always amazing here and service is great. Favorite dishes are the kimchi pancake and sweet marinaded pork rib. The fire chicken with cheese is also delicious and the rice balls help combat the heat. Portions are more than enough for two people, with leftovers.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fire Chicken w Cheese, Kimchi Pancake, Sweet Marinated Pork Rib, Seasoned Rice Balls
Michael
It's really good. Really good. They cater to those in the know, which seems odd for a place with such great food. But the whole menu is fantastic. If they moved to the heart of Lincoln Square, you'd never get in. It's that great.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 5
Service: 2
Fabian Oyervide
One of best restaurants to eat Korean food
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Gianne VL
I enjoyed it here 👌🏼good food and vibes
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bu-Dae Stew, Spicy Chicken with Cheese
Love this place. Perfect for when it’s cold out and you want hot delicious food. No reservations so I always recommend getting here when it opens if you have a larger group. I think 5 people would be the limit for the tables inside! 4 was absolutely perfect though with having enough room on the table and getting enough of shared dishes.
The soju slushies that come in a pitcher are so fun, we like to do the strawberry flavor. Great to share!!
We ordered the pork skins (which are a must….. SO flavorful and juicy), the seasoned rice balls we’re nice to offset all the saltiness and spiciness (you put on plastic gloves to mix up the rice and seasoning), the army stew (sooooo cozy, full of Kim chi, tofu, spam, hot dogs, and ramen WOW), and my favorite was the fire chicken with cheese. The flavor on the chicken is so incredible and who doesn’t love cheese?????
All in all great cozy meal, at the end you can go up to the counter to grab your bill when it’s busy. And enjoy fun k-pop videos playing on the walls!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fire Chicken w Cheese, Fried Pork Skin
Summer C
The best bar in all of Chicago, Suburbs Shell, seasoned shell, tteokbokki, buldak There is nothing that is not delicious. A place where my 10 years of memories live on.
Parking: You have to park on the street across the street.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
arianne marriott
I never leave reviews- this place is amazing
Food: 5
Service: 5
Phuong Anh Pham
So glad we found this little gem! Very unassuming from the outside yet much flair inside. The food as delicious, especially their fire chicken with cheese and the rice balls.
Service is friendly and quick. Great place to hang with friends or even for a relax date night!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fire Chicken with Cheese
Joanne P
We got the skewers and budaejjigae! Everything was so good, it felt so nostalgic to be able to eat this and it came out pretty quickly! Will be back for more!!
Dancen is amazing. I appreciate the staffs and managers kindness to me even though I have autism and their food is amazing and really good. Owner Sun is very nice. The restaurant is in good condition. Amazing Korean fried chicken. Must come back. 10/10.
One of the oldest, maybe the oldest Korean restaurants in the city.
It’s not for the faint of heart, but if you love Korean food, this place hits different.
The kimchi stew (kimchi jjigae) is the best I’ve ever had in the U.S. no joke. It brought me right back to a little shop in Seoul where I first tasted something this bold, this comforting, this real.
Now, if you're looking for sleek interiors or fancy plating, this isn’t the place. The vibe is murky, the decor outdated, the plates are plastic. But if you can look past all that, and lead with your taste buds instead of your eyes you’ll be rewarded.
Because the food? It’s soulful.
The service? Genuine.
The experience? Unforgettable.
It’s not just a meal. It’s a reminder that the best things in life don’t always come pretty but they sure come with heart.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Really disappointed with what I ordered. I got the fire chicken with cheese and it just tasted so bland. I saw people raving about it, so I thought it would be good but it's literally just chicken with melted cheese. Service wasn't good either. I don't think I would come back to try anything else.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 2
Overall, the food was a tad undersalted for my taste. The fire chicken was tender, flavorful, and had a delicious smoky char though some pieces were burnt to the point of being inedible. I probably shouldn’t have ordered it with cheese, which made the dish overly rich after a few bites. The spicy sauteed squid was garlicky, saucy, and tasty. I just wish there was more squid. However, things went downhill with the extremely gamey chicken gizzards. I love gizzard but it was so bad I had to spit it out and left the rest untouched.
Feel like Korea!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Fire Chicken w Cheese, Spicy Sauteed Squid, Fried Pork Skin, Spicy Chicken with Cheese, Pitcher, Yogurt Soju U
THE BEST PLACE IN TOWN! If you are craving for Korean cuisines, this one won’t fail you. Their soups are so light on the stomach yet so filling. I ALWAYS get their pork and kimchi soup. I love their pork cartilage with rice as well as their pork skin. This place is pretty much perfect especially for like intimate get togethers like catching up and stuff. OVERALL, you’re missing out if you haven’t eaten here yet.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fire Chicken w Cheese, Seasoned Rice Balls, Fried Pork Skin, Beef Small Intestine Stew, Yogurt Soju U
Food is always amazing here and service is great. Favorite dishes are the kimchi pancake and sweet marinaded pork rib. The fire chicken with cheese is also delicious and the rice balls help combat the heat. Portions are more than enough for two people, with leftovers.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fire Chicken w Cheese, Kimchi Pancake, Sweet Marinated Pork Rib, Seasoned Rice Balls
It's really good. Really good. They cater to those in the know, which seems odd for a place with such great food. But the whole menu is fantastic. If they moved to the heart of Lincoln Square, you'd never get in. It's that great.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 5
Service: 2
One of best restaurants to eat Korean food
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I enjoyed it here 👌🏼good food and vibes
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bu-Dae Stew, Spicy Chicken with Cheese
Restaurantji Recommends
Love this place. Perfect for when it’s cold out and you want hot delicious food. No reservations so I always recommend getting here when it opens if you have a larger group. I think 5 people would be the limit for the tables inside! 4 was absolutely perfect though with having enough room on the table and getting enough of shared dishes.
The soju slushies that come in a pitcher are so fun, we like to do the strawberry flavor. Great to share!!
We ordered the pork skins (which are a must….. SO flavorful and juicy), the seasoned rice balls we’re nice to offset all the saltiness and spiciness (you put on plastic gloves to mix up the rice and seasoning), the army stew (sooooo cozy, full of Kim chi, tofu, spam, hot dogs, and ramen WOW), and my favorite was the fire chicken with cheese. The flavor on the chicken is so incredible and who doesn’t love cheese?????
All in all great cozy meal, at the end you can go up to the counter to grab your bill when it’s busy. And enjoy fun k-pop videos playing on the walls!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fire Chicken w Cheese, Fried Pork Skin
The best bar in all of Chicago, Suburbs
Shell, seasoned shell, tteokbokki, buldak
There is nothing that is not delicious. A place where my 10 years of memories live on.
Parking: You have to park on the street across the street.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I never leave reviews- this place is amazing
Food: 5
Service: 5
So glad we found this little gem! Very unassuming from the outside yet much flair inside. The food as delicious, especially their fire chicken with cheese and the rice balls.
Service is friendly and quick. Great place to hang with friends or even for a relax date night!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fire Chicken with Cheese
We got the skewers and budaejjigae! Everything was so good, it felt so nostalgic to be able to eat this and it came out pretty quickly! Will be back for more!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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