Korean Barbecue Restaurants near Des Plaines, IL

“Lately, I’ve been moving away from the ayce kbbq and trying the ones that are a la carte. This one uses oak wood charcoal vs gas-powered/electric grill that most of the Illinois Korean restaurants use. The verdict is that the meat comes out really tasty. When you come in, you might have to reserve a table especially on the weekend. We didn’t reserve, but we were lucky to get a table for 3 on a Saturday night at 7 pm. The restaurant is small so seating can be limited. Parking is sufficient since it’s a shared lot.

The service was very attentive and friendly. This is a family owned and run establishment. We ordered the combination platter (bulgogi, kalbi fingers, and pork belly), mo dum jun (combination platter for appetizers, ggo ri gom tang (oxtail soup). This was more than enough food for 3 people. Banchan is refillable. I would say this is one of the best kbbq restaurants in the Chicagoland area and I wouldn’t mind coming back.

-combination platter 5 - this is good for 2-3 people as long as you have other dishes. Meat cooked fast.
-mo dum jun 5 - fried squash, shrimp, oysters, and stuffed peppers. The stuffed peppers were my personal favorite. Make sure you dip them in the sauce provided.
-oxtail soup 5 - light broth not too robust. Oxtail meat was tender, not chewy. It’s big and shareable.“

“Chungkiwa is one of the most authentic Korean BBQ restaurants I’ve tried. The meat quality was excellent — fresh, flavorful, and perfectly prepared. You can really taste the authenticity in every bite. The side dishes were also incredibly fresh and delicious, which made the whole dining experience even better.

Highly recommend this place if you’re looking for real Korean barbecue!“

“This is our second time dining at Hwang Soh Grill, and everything is just as amazing as we remembered. The food is absolutely phenomenal—fresh, flavorful, and consistently delicious. The service is outstanding as well. The staff is attentive, friendly, and always makes us feel welcome. It’s rare to find a place that maintains such high quality every visit. We’ll definitely be coming back every time we are in Chicago!“

“Good and highly recommend“

“This is one of the more authentic Korean restaurants I've visited on the North Side. Right away, you can tell they take their food seriously. The staff spoke Korean and were very knowledgeable about the menu, which added to the overall experience and made the place feel genuinely authentic.

We came here mainly for the grilled dishes, and we were glad we did. The food was delicious, and everything tasted fresh and well-prepared. The prices are a little on the higher side, but the quality of the food and service helped justify it. I also appreciated how quickly the staff refilled the side dishes without us having to ask. Overall, it was a great dining experience, and I'd definitely come back to try more of the menu.“