50 Best Korean Restaurants near Evanston

“Papa Bop offers warm, prompt service, and their food is delicious and cooked to perfection. The seafood ramen is now one of my favorite ramen dishes ever!“

“Always delicious, consistent, fast and fresh. Prices are still reasonable to match the portion sizes. Not huge but not small. Even though the place is smallish and seating can be somewhat limited, guests move in and out regularly and there is rarely much of a wait for a table if any. This is my go to for Korean.“

“Got the green onion chicken tenders. They were delicious. Also got the smashed pear drink. It was also great“

“Chicken was on point! Had the Chili buffalo chicken sandwich and Nashville hot wings. Definitely recommend“

“The perfect spot for hungry students craving good Korean cuisine! This place gets super busy at dinner time, and the wait can be a bit long, but it is definitely worth it. There were lots of different options, ranging from more traditional to street-style Korean food, and everything we got was delicious. The menu was a bit pricey, but the portions were huge, which made up for it. We all enjoyed the stone pot bibimbap, the spicy pork, and fried pork cutlet. If you’re looking for authentic Korean food in Evanston, do not hesitate to check out Koco Table!“

“Very tasty sundubu, delicious sides, and good service.“

“Had a great time!! The staff were really kind and the service was great. The food is delicious, pictured is the Garlic Chicken Wings and fries.

As for the karaoke, the mics are definitely better than more expensive places I’ve been to as it can pick up your voice better. Selection is limitless since it’s connected through YouTube!

Will be coming back!“

“Good food and great service. I will definitely be returning.“

“Ordered the spring rolls, beef bulgogi and a chicken noodle dish (I do not recall the name) - all were delicious - even the 3rd time around.

Short wait time, ambient lighting, and kind staff.

Thank you for a delicious meal. 🌻“

“Korean food so good it almost made a grown woman cry. Our many thanks to the staff for their kindness, attention to detail, and delicious food!

We ordered the sundubu jjigae, bulgogi kimbap, seafood pajeon, and fried chicken. The jjigae was especially great - pure comfort in a bowl!“

“We had a fabulous dinner last night at Chicago Kalbi with Cummins Peru, Komat'su, and the VPs from Antimina copper mine.

Such a great place, where you cook the wagyu & kobe beef at your table. The food was delicious ?

Isao Tozuka, the chef and his wife Chiyo-san, are fabulous hosts, very friendly, and really happy to help and show you how things are do e.

I would definitely recommend coming here. It's a unique place. Make sure you book though ad it can be busy.“

“been here a few times, each is better experience that the last, attempt to try most of their items on menu. So far, my favorite is their Mango smoothies with cloud cheese, as drink. Their cloud cheese is really good and a balance of salty taste with the sweetness of the mango, the tapioca in the drinks is plentiful but not overpowering the water content. I had it in other Chinatown restaurants, some had too many tapiocas that my teeth were tired chewing them. Cuckoo is not. Their Don (Japanese rice bowls) and their bibimbap (Korean rice bowls) are excellent. Have not decide which is better because each have their own uniqueness and tastes; I had 2 types of their bibimbap before and only 1 type of their Don. So far, I am leaning towards the Don but there is excellent amount of veggie in their Bibimbap, which is ideal for weigh concise person. Wish they have a loyal customer rewards style of drinks incentives, much like some restaurants, for example, buy 9 and get 1 free drink, or some % off after 5 drink purchases, and give customers an advertisable nice pocket size reward card to keep track of their purchases. That may also work with food item purchases as well. Crossing my fingers that this may happen soon. With summer in Chicago, cool refreshing drinks is ideal and as loyal customers, return for more drink purchases with rewards will be even better.“

“Rice N Bread 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 Jacop is very nice. The restaurant is in good condition. Amazing Galbi burger. Must come back. 10/10. I liked the pictures on the walls.“

“Parachute is one of my top ten favorite restaurants I’ve ever been lucky enough to enjoy! I think a lot about Chef Kim’s gem lettuce and fish sauce salad, I still Remember it four years later! I can’t wait to go back and to check out Wherewithall!!“

“This is my first time at this restaurant, and I was told it's good. So far, the Chicken Tender Lunch Special I ordered is great.“

“I've been to many Korean BBQ's within the states and I have to say this was the best customer service we received. This place is pricey for the small portions you get. I'd definitely come back for the service tho.“

“Wonderful food & service! Highly recommend!“

“Specialty Korean restaurant that offers several classic Korean dishes for a competitive price.

The restaurant has plenty of seating parties between 2-4 people.

The chicken bento box was a good value for the portions but it could've used a little more spice in the chicken bulgogi.

The service was consistent and the food came out promptly.

There is limited street parking. This restaurant is best accessed by public transit or by foot.“

“Authentic made by family Korean food. Consistently good food and service.“

“The food tasted amazing. Our server was friendly and helped us understand the menu options as well as make some recommendations for us as first-timers. We had the tebokki, unagi bowl, and jjigae. They were all delicious! The Makku maekgeoli was also a winning beverage. The atmosphere was great for date night, lower lighting and intimate. We're already planning to go back and try the other menu options.“

“I really enjoyed both the Bulgogi Soy Pork and the Jeyuk Spicy Pork! The portions were generous, the prices were very reasonable, and the owner was incredibly friendly. What I loved the most was how quickly the food was prepared—I received my order in about five minutes. Even after bringing it home and eating it 30 minutes later, it was still warm and delicious. I truly appreciate the excellent quality at such an affordable price and would highly recommend it!“

“If you’re checking the reviews to see which spot is best to eat at I recommend you give this place a shot.

I’ve tried almost every spot outside of the chicken spot in the front and I have to say that what a dumpling is by far my favorite. Reminds me of my grandmas and mother’s food. Homemade dumplings and the broth tasted great. It’s a complete different texture compared to the frozen ones.

The Noona that worked there was great as well and I observed that all the customers that ordered from there were satisfied as well. When you see empty plates and bowls you know that’s a good sign.

Support this business! :) I got the traditional one. No 7 I believe.“

“Amazing little place. I normally would have thought they were closed just on the outward appearance. But a friend of mind said we should go there.
The Spicy chicken buldak w/cheese was my favorite. However the Spicy BBQ pork ribs were also extremely good. I could also have eaten probably 3 plates of the Tteokbokki if given the opportunity. Also give the chicken kabob a shot if you just want a little bit more without ordering another entree.

We arrived at 5, right when they open. And almost immediately after we ordered this place became PACKED!. So plan ahead, this is a popular place.

The atmosphere was interesting. They play K-pol on a TV and on a projector, and the lighting is kept very low. But it adds something to the experience that felt very cozy.

When we went, they were only accepting cash and zelle, so keep that in mind.

Cannot wait to go again because next time I'm going for the Budae-jjigae.“

“I loved this place! Excellent food and service. Very friendly atmosphere. Store front is well lit and nicely organized. Our table was clean. The plates were very nice.
Only room for improvement may just be deep cleaning aspects. Otherwise, I will be coming back for the authentic food!“

“The sweetest little grandma runs this soup shop and it feels so homely!! We loved the soups we ordered, and will definitely be going back again! If you’re looking for nostalgic Korean soup, this is the humblest, most affordable place, 10/10!“

“KFIRE spicy BBQ sauce is delicious. I use it on everything from chicken to steak. I highly recommend it.“

“Was the best! Great staff; fast and friendly service. Food was amazing!“

“Definitely one of the best burgers I’ve had!“

“This place is inside Hmart on the side by the checkout registers. The bacon cheese & egg toast was really good. It'd be easier to eat if the bacon was inside the sandwich instead of being right on top but not a big deal. They have corn dogs and tanghulu that alot of other people ordered but I didn't try those.“

“This is a Korean Soup counter at the food court of the Park N Shop in Niles, IL. They have some of the best Korean Soups in the Chicago area. The Galbi Tang (Beef soup) is especially good. Also very goog beef and pork Bulgogi. All meals served with rice, excellent kimchi and soup (if ordering Bulgogi). We have been dining here or getting takeout here for 10 years and never had a bad meal.“

“I really enjoyed the food they served. It's was very delicious and my coworkers and I really liked the dishes. The service was amazing and they were very friendly and kind. I highly recommend this restaurant and I will be coming back here again.“

“Yeolmu Guksi is really delicious, pork cutlet, ugly tteokbokki (a lot of tempura), ramen, and gimbap are all delicious.Yeolmu Guksi/Kimchi noodles and pork cutlet are delicious. The best.You take pride in your radish kimchi, and you make all the side dishes yourself, so it's delicious❤️❤️“

“I finally tried CM after years of walking by it and it was fantastic. I walked in and ordered the Curry Chicken to go. Took about 10 minutes and I sat down at the bar for a beer while I waited. Service was great and will definitely be going back.“

“So delicious! The service was absolutely stellar!

We had more fun with the service ladies than each other. So much laughter!

The food was amazing! We had a 4 person combo. Highly recommend. We will be back many many more times!! 💕“

“A real gem for gopchang BBQ with incredible hospitality. The cozy space and the friendly aunties greeting us with warm barley tea set the tone right away. We ordered beef intestines, NY steak, and pork belly, and soon our table was filled with an impressive spread of yummy banchan. The meats were all high quality, and the aunties grilled everything perfectly - the steak was flavorful, the pork belly crispy, and the beef intestines rich with a fatty textured that mellowed nicely after frying. The whole experience felt genuinely like family, and the quality and value are easily among the best in Chicago.“

“A true hidden gem for comforting, home-style Korean food, tucked inside Joong Boo Market and reminiscent of a classic Korean food stall. It’s no-frills, just hearty dishes with great quality at an excellent value. We especially loved the codfish soup and tteokbokki. It’s always a treat to grab some groceries and enjoy a quick bite at the snack corner.“

“Just swung by Seoul Taco on Belmont (Lakeview) and it was 🔥. Spent about $25 grabbing a Gogi Bowl and 3 Seoul Tacos, plus lime agua fresca. Flavor was bumpin’, that gochujang drizzle really hits. Portions are legit and they don’t skimp on protein. Super chill vibes, quick counter‑service, and perfect spot to grab a bite with friends. Will defs be back!“

“Great experience, very friendly environment.“

“After a day of hiking within the Indiana Dunes National Park, my friends and I came here under the recommendation of one of us within the crew who was from Korea, referencing this establishment as her favorite Korean restaurant in Chicago, and it did not disappoint. We ordered some dishes that I normally wouldn't order in Korean restaurants, and it was the right move.

I am certain that the fact we were hungry played a role in elevating the taste for us, but everything to me tasted good. The free pancakes were too oily for me, and the free banchan was good in the most standard manner. The short ribs (galbi) didn't have enough salt on it, but had enough pepper which helped preserve some of the taste. Since it was Korean beef short ribs, I was already happy just having some available. These are just the dishes that I felt less passionate about relatively.

Apart from the dishes mentioned above, everything else was a hit. The charbroiled mackarel had really good flavor along with just the right level of crispiness, and adding a hint of lemon juice gave it a new level of flavor that elevated the dish even more. The pan broiled octopus dish had really tasty base sauce, which had a good amount of gochugaru and probably gochujang. I even mixed some of the base sauce with extra rice. The beef soup with ox blood contained solid blood chunks that had very good texture, and the soup itself was seasoned very well. Finally, the babyclam soup noodle wasn't too salty, and had the right type of ingredients to make this dish a very comforting experience after a long day of hikes in the winter season.

I noticed that some of the reviews mentioned that it was difficult to locate a spot. That wasn't my experience. The store was nearly empty when my friends and I arrived on a Wednesday evening at roughly 6pm, and the owner was able to point us to the round table since we had 5 people in total. He was pretty clear about a party of 4 using a rectangular table and a party of above 5 using a round table, in classic Asian grandpa fashion, and I loved it.“

“amazing food and great service“

“Was my first time here and I like it! 10.26.2018“

“I recently had the pleasure of dining at JeonJu restaurant and it was an outstanding experience! The highlight of my meal was the Goat Meat Soup, which was incredibly flavorful and perfectly cooked. Providing excellent service throughout my visit. Additionally, the owner is incredibly humble and nice, making the overall atmosphere welcoming and pleasant. I highly recommend this restaurant.“

“The Jopok Army Rice Cake was excellent. Tons of fat, fresh ddeokbokki and lots of thick cuts of spam and hot dog. The flavor was authentic, sweet and spicy- a lot of the ddeokbokki I’ve had state side is pretty bland.

The owner did not seem to be in a good mood. Don’t expect a lot of explanation of menu items. But if you know what you’re ordering, it’s pretty good!“

“We went to the commerce to eat at a different restaurant and did not have a good experience. Tony D. stepped up and was so willing to help and made us some amazing food! The cauliflower is amazing and the bowl with white rice was perfect. I will definitely be going back when I’m in the area!“

“Unbelievably tasty! As a picky eater and someone who doesn’t clean chicken wings, I left nothing but bone! On top of that the service and packaging is beyond thoughtful :)“

“Good Buffalo chicken strips and onion rings!“

“Wife has gluten allergy, was super excited to find a place that was fully gluten free. 4 of us all ordered various versions of the steak bowls, all 4 of us LOVED the food. Also had an order of the fries which were cooked to perfection. We ordered online for pick up, easy process and was ready 5 minutes earlier than expected. Great service at pickup, super friendly!“

“February 2026 ( the update)

After long 8 years of not visiting we decided to come over and try it again. It was amazing. This restaurant is an Urban Decay Restaurant style type of the venue. In Seoul or Tokyo you will pay a premium $ to experience a fake urban decay, but here it is real - run by real people!
The food was amazing!
The service was brutal by Korwan ladies and amazing equally to the food!
But the atmosphere was one of the best I have experienced from Paris to Doha to Seul to Tokyo and all the way back. I know a spot in Cape Town with the similar vibe (not telling). Open your mind and experience. Be emotionally stable.

8 years ago feom 2026
This is our second time at Cho Sun Ok. BYOB. Super crowded! Bulgoki was excellent. However, pan chan spread was mediocre at best, even kim chi was not good -with no flavor and not correct fermintation. I would go back just for bulgoki.“