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I have a short shameful confession - I never believed anyone who claimed how good the naengmyun was here.
I am here to apologize to everyone, especially this establishment, for not giving proper credit where it's obviously due.
For me to turn around and give you the two cent "OMFG BEST NAENGMYUN (in Chicago) EVER LOLZ" review would be to cheapen the experience and it doesn't truly convey my new-found love for Da Rae Jung so let me leave you w/ a more profound summary:
If you ever get in the way of me and this naengmyun, I will stab you. Twice.
This place is dead early on a saturday evening, but once 7 o'clock hits, it fills right up!
Everything I've had has been delicious. Good bulgoki, good pan chan (although my favorite potato salad hasn't been around for awhile)...
I would like to discuss a few dishes in great detail, though.
1. Kimchi jjigae:
One of the best restaurant-made kcjs. The soup itself is delicious, good amounts of kimchi. I prefer to have thicker, jucy pork in my jjigae though, and they use the thin slices. I also like it braised first to add flavor. I usually get this in homemade kcj, I haven't yet had it that good at a restaurant.
2. Budae Jjigae. Y U M. They say they use the same stew as they do for kimchi jjigae. I'm not sure if it's from the sausages or dduk or what, but it tastes different.... good different. There is something extra in the flavor of that broth that makes me want to gulp it down like gatorade. The only thing stopping me is my knowledge of esophageal lining and the inferior parts of the G.I. tract.
3. Raw crab- Kae jang. It was REALLY good. I actually haven't had it anywhere else, but my friend who has had it quite often said it is the best she's ever had next to one she had in korea. I didn't eat that much of it due to also ordering budae jjigae that night and filling myself up before we even got the crab. The Kae Jang isn't on the menu, at least I didn't see it. You'll have to ask them for it. YUM.
I haven't tried the naengmyun yet, which I probably should since everyone says it's the best. Next time perhaps.
I'm a big fan of Da Rae Jung. Mr. Owner was extremely thoughtful, as others have noted. He seems to vicariously imbibe your joy when you're happy eating his (and his wife's) food, which is what the essence of cooking for others should really be all about.
Along with the service, I love the food here as well. Never had naengmyun until recently; now I can't get enough of it. This place offers a pretty good selection of other home cookin' Korean classics. I've enjoyed the bi bim bop, and Mr. Owner even offered to do the bi bim-ing for me (the mixing, that is, though I demonstrated my mixing skills to him and he seemed satisfied). It was served sizzlin' hot in a cast iron dish (dol sot bi bim bop). One must love the rice crust on the bottom... crunchy and flavored with all them delish flavors.
If you're looking for a raucous bbq place, this isn't it--go over to San Soo Gab San. But if you're looking for a bone-stickin, well prepared and flavorful meal in a low-key location, Da Rae Jung is your place. PS, they still have bbq, I saw a couple grilling some meat.
Plus, Koreans approve of this place because all the plentiful banchan. I liked the acorn gelly.
If you're a vegetarian, I am sorry to say, you won't find nuthin here. Want a naengmyun? That's beef broth, darlin'. But if you're a vegetarian, why are you even trying Korean cuisine anyway? You should, though, so take a night off and have some beef.
Also, THIS PLACE IS CLOSED ON TUESDAYS. I've tried to go here several Tuesdays, and everytime i was like, wtf? Anna, you know they're closed!
I had kimchee soup and garlic pepper chicken.
It was a lot of food, but I didn't save the leftovers. This kind of food was weird enough the first time. I really liked the chicken. It was just like sesame chicken, but without the sesame and a little spicier. It definitely was not a healthy choice, but i scarfed the whole half a quart container of it down. I should have only have gotten the Kimchee soup, but it had a disclaimer it had spam in it, prob not a good choice either. It had pieces of spam, and hot dogs, and beef, and prob chicken, lots of leafy green stuff too. The soup was divine. IT even came with a nice sized container of white rice, which I didn't even open because i had enough food to gorge on. I slipped up so what. I want to come back and try some of the recommendations.
There was a long stretch of time when I came here all the time for some good Korean home cooking! I usually order their short-ribs soup which is made a bean-paste base. This restaurant is known for their specialty of naeng-myun, which is cold buck-wheat noodles. . . which is more of a summer item. I usually order it either in the spicy-version or the regular-version with a milder soup base. I love the fact that their naeng-myun comes with slices of asian pear.
On Cindy K.'s recommendation, I tried the bibim naengmyun. The owner was indeed very kind, and didn't want to let me order it -- he said it was for "only Koreans". He warned me that it was very spicy, but I insisted. As I ate it (it was delicious), I kept asking him for more spicy sauce. This must have made quite an impression on him, as he kept coming to pat me on the shoulder as I polished it off.
My girlfriend had a soup with beef, turnips, green onions and egg. The meat was a succulent combination of brisket and soup bones.
The total came out to $25 (including tax and generous tip) for two, which included so many banchan (definition appreciated, Cindy K.) that we had them boxed to go.
Holy crap DELICIOUS!
I stumbled upon this place en route to Korean karaoke at Lincoln Karaoke and was blown away! When I first walked in I could tell that it was going to be amazing because the cutest older Korean couple greeted us and seemed really excited that we were there. When I was looking over the menu I was nervous because it is more expensive then I would usually pay (way poor artist girl), but couldn't resist splitting some bulgoki that was cooked at our table! It was AMAZING, like the best thing I have ever put in my mouth delicious!
The couple that took care of us there (there were 7 of us that night) were INCREDIBLE they were so nice and helpful and attentive. I couldn't get enough of them or their food I can't wait to go back!
So, my pal CB and I went out to see some ole rockers, one good pal of mine I'd not seen in 20 years. Here to say he's still hot and still a fabulous musician. The review is not about my pal.
We stopped in here first for a bit of sustenance. Cute little sleeper of an ethnic joint! I wasn't hungry, so she ordered one entree. Good thing, 'cos once the food came out, the table was filled with the Little Dishes of Seoul.
The entree was enough for two for a snack, but the little dishes put us over the edge! Bill: $12, which makes my poor (literally) heart sing.
The best naengmyun in the city, hands down. Love the chewy consistency of the noodles. the bibim version is a little heavy on the spicy sauce, even for my taste. What I do is spoon some of it out-- you can always add it back in. They give you about 6 different banchan (side dishes), usually mostly veggie banchan. I love me some veggie banchan!
The owner is so kind and I've never had a negative experience there. I probably go there once a month or every other month. I wish I could give it 4.5 stars instead of 4.
Ate here today for the first time, and I as extraordinarily disappointed. Very limited menu narrowed our options. My wife, who is vegetarian, did not have much to choose from. The Naengmyun was touted as amazing, but I found it very disappointing. I've tasted better just about everywhere. They don't give you any mustard, which is what's supposed to give it its zing. It was just cold buckwheat noodles in spicy sauce, and my wife said her stomach felt unsettled for hours afterward. The bi-bim-bop, which my daughter had, was also disappointing. The meat looked like it'd been drying in the sun for about a week. The service wasn't so great either, and the utensils are all plastic. As a lover of Korean food, I wouldn't go back here if you paid me. Blech.
Reviews by other yelpers are spot on. Da Rae Jung is truly characterized by cute old Korean grandpa who is very nice and personally serves you, cutting up the meat, stirring your naengmyun, placing your little dishes and soup one or two at a time and cheap prices.
While I thought the naengmyun was a bit much for two (too many noodles), I think it'd be a perfect serving for 4. I really liked their bulgogi.. had a hint of spice to it. And I enjoyed gnawing the meat off the bones of the pork bone soup, although it was more of a broth with spicy liquid. Also, the kimchi was very good, unlike Ban Po Jung. What would worry me is if there were more than 2-3 tables here...the small kitchen can only handle so much patronage.
The only thing holding me back from giving 5 stars is that the menu is kind of limited and I didn't ask but I didn't see drinks of ANY kind (no soda, no beer) in their fridge; I'm assuming they don't have a liquor license. It's in a funny strip mall-style plaza where the name of the restaurant is simply "Korean Restaurant" and there is another occupant (though it appeared shutdown for good), called "Oriental Food".
As an aside, the area really isn't good - the Dominicks across the street seemed like it was frozen in time from 1970, didn't have a wine aisle, and had either a bum or a bum security guard sleeping near the entrance.
Have to concur that this is the best naengmyun jip in the city, for both mul and bibim. (warning the bibim is really spicy, that even I sometimes find it too much to handle - if you're newer to Korean food, stick with the mul). I've been going for years with my family, sometimes more than once a week since a few of us are addicted.
The grandpa is really sweet, always exchanges kind words, and even showed us a book that he's published in Korean.
What distinguishes the naengmyun here from others' is the chewy consistency of the buckwheat noodles and the flavorful broth. The naengmyun here is far better than the bland untextured variation they serve at Solga.
The super spicy blue crabs is also superb here, and I often order it for pickup.
I would say this place is more of a 4.5. The mool nangmyun is awesome and so refreshing! Plus, they actually have spicy marinated crab which I have not had in forever. A lot of their pan chan, including the spicy crab are so popular here that you can even buy some. I also heard their goat stew is quite good so I can't wait to try that sometime (although not sure when since I will always get my delicious nangmyun...perhaps I will try to convince one of my friends to get it and then steal a bite?). I have also tried their bibim nangmyun and spicy pork but those were just okay.
What I love about this place even more than their nangmyun is the owner. He is a super nice grandpa that seems like he truly wants you to make sure you're happy and enjoying the food! :)
Best Nang myun in Chicago. Tough location, moderate, but clean interior, polite gandpa.
Clean and decent food.
best mool naeng myun in the city. small divey looking space in a strip mall with amazing cold noodles and good ban chan too. goat soup is also very flavorful and hearty.
Come here for mool naeng myun. They do it well here, and choose to focus the rest of their menu almost entirely on soups, stews and casseroles.
They also make their own kimchee which is available for purchase.
These guys cover you in the two seasons of Chicago - hot summer (eat cold naeng myun), and cold winter (eat hot tofu soup). Chicago and Korea are more similar than you'd realize!
Best Naeng Myun in Chicago.
I don't even like mool (broth based) naeng myun that much but a few times every summer I will come here and have a bowl. I believe the owner makes the noodles in house. A perfect summertime dish.
I'm so sad that I discovered this place only last year - and I've been living here for almost four years now! It's a bit of a greasy spot, but the food is pure home cooking. The taste is comfortable and delicious. Everyone says the mool naeng myun is delicious and I have to agree. The noodles are just right, chewy and refreshing.
And I love their stews in the winter. Rich and steaming hot, it's a great way to thaw through the snow. And the prices are very reasonable for the amount of food. Authentic Korean food - how can I resist?
decor: ghetto. it's a hole in the wall. you definitely don't come here for the atmosphere
food: amazing! they have the best naengmyun in the city. (i may be committing a mortal sin but i think the naengmyun here is better than my mom's). i had both the mool naengmyun and the bibim naengmyun and both are excellent.
Great home cooked Korean taste. The NENGMYUN or cold noodles are obviously the specialty here. A traditional Korean dish of beef broth with cold noodles, Asian pear, beef, hard boiled egg, etc. For a spicy variant try the BIMBIM NENGMYUN. The same cold noodles and extras in BIBIMBAP sauce. Both are tasty... as are the other dishes (mostly soup or stew based meals). The old guy who does the ordering and serving is awesome. Who could resist a spot visited by the Korean pop group H.O.T and UMJUNGHWA???
Excellent bimbim nangmyun. The best in Chicago. Always fresh, always spicy and always refreshing. Plus, the grandfather who seats and serves you is the nicest man. And the side dishes are fresh and tasty too.
Getting hungry right now. Better run over there!
This is a great mom-and-pop place to eat authentic Korean food. They make the best bi bim bop (order the version in the hot stone pot) that I've ever had. The service is incredible - the owner often serves you personally and he is the nicest, kindest man. San Soo Gap San is also nearby, but the food is better here. The decor is not fancy, but that is part of the charm of the place. The owner's wife has won awards for her cooking (I think her blue crab dish?) in Korea. Lastly, the prices are cheap.
Neighborhood: North Park
Category: Korean
Neighborhood: Lincoln Square
Category: Korean
Chicago, IL
Category: Korean
Chicago, IL
Category: Korean
Chicago, IL
Category: Korean
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