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Somewhere along the line, last Friday night, I mentioned to my husband that I thought I might want to move into the Dragonlady Lounge. It was probably a combination of the Golden Monkeys we were drinking at Square Bar and Grill beforehand, or maybe it was just how charming and adorable the owner, Sue was, or the fact that she brought us some fries, "just because" we were sitting there or that the jukebox was good, the prices were good and I was digging the Halloween decorations....
Either way, I'm definitely coming back for the Vegan buffet and I might bring a sleeping bag!
This is my initial review for Dragonlady as a bar--I will update when I visit the infamous buffet.
We were on our way to the Rocking Horse to meet up with friends for my friend's birthday, and we decided to stop into Dragonlady Lounge for a quick drink.
Basically, the quick drink turned into two drinks and a shot (shots, the "Dragon Slayer," were on the Dragonlady for my friend's birthday), and a vow to become regulars. The owner was super sweet--I believe Andrew C. gives a fitting description. Also... we had delicious warm sake (followed by PBR) at a reasonable price.
The decor is David Lynch meets Chicago... a witchy looking jar of ginger root (I'm guessing) sits near a plaque dedicated to Mike Ditka. The music is anything you like... she has on of those newfangled jukeboxes that connect to the internet for endless music possibilities. There is a a South Park pinball machine, for those interested.
So, as a bar it gets 5 stars... especially in this area. There isn't much going on in Avondale (unless you have hours to spend standing at Kuma's--I'm not hating, just saying..), but she has been around for 22 years... and I'm glad we found her.
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Let's suppose that your mom is the coolest mom in the world. The mom all your friends want to hang out with, and all your friends' moms want to be. But she's not the mom who tries to be one of the gang. Nor is she the mom who lets you do whatever you want. And she's certainly not the mom who shares your cute twenty-something vices.
Because while she may be the coolest mom in the world, she darn well knows what's best for you, and she don't take no guff.
Let's further suppose that your mom can really burn. She slings amazing home-cooked vegan Korean food that makes you never want to stop eating, and bomb-ass veggie burgers bigger than a car tire and tastier than any you're likely to find in Chicago. Oh, you want a beer to go with that? Yeah, she can hook you up there, too.
So your mom? She opened a bar in Avondale. It's called Dragonlady Lounge, and she's expecting you to come by this week for dinner. Maybe Thursday? For the vegan Korean buffet? She misses you. Don't disappoint her.
People thought this was:
So, when a friend of mine told me that there was an all-you-can-eat vegan Korean buffet in a dive bar, I probably did some sort of panicky-excited "WHAT?!" sound.
This is the exact thing in the world that pleases me in way nothing else does. It's what I was seeking without knowing I was seeking it. Like, it is completely comfortable and charming. Plus, I like that it's a little bit off the beaten path or whatever because, as a friend said, if this place were in Wicker Park, the food would be gone in about 10 minutes.
Throughout the evening, Sue will keep frying and steaming or frying fresh batches of dumplings, which she may or may not bring to your table if you linger long enough & she's trying to get rid of them.
A sign declares "don't waste food!" and I will be there pretty much every week enforcing it. By eating the rest of the food on everyone's plate.
What I'm saying is that this is literally my favorite thing that I've found in Chicago so far, I skip lunch every Thursday and am not particularly hungry at any point on Friday.
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I love Korean food. So a Korean buffet is awesome for me. Especially at a good price.
But when it's vegan? Oh man! not having to worry about fish or bone marrow or anything? Just that puts me at ease. That is worth 5 stars. And it's it just half-assed with tofu added to everything. There are about 6 kinds of kimchee. I think the majority of the buffet is kimchee. They even had one or two I hadn't seen before, but Even if you stick to the baechu (cabbage kind) you won't go wrong. The dumplings are awesome. Everything is awesome.
Then it's run by one woman who is not a dragon in any fearful sense, but in the amazing strength sense. She holds it all down here, makes sure everyone is eating and eating well, makes sure everyone is happy and having fun, and has fun herself. Just the Lady of Dragon-Strength alone is worth 5 stars.
Oh, and it got my picky wife to like Korean food. That's worth another 5*s or so. This all fits on the yelp scale right? I can say 15 stars?
Oh, and add some more stars for this place actually having some Korean people eating here, and not just hipsters. I know that's kinda racist, but i think it shows the place is somewhat legit. Not that I can believe that Dragon-Spirit Lady would deceive.
Regardless, you know where I'll be on Thursday nights.
After lots of hype from my husband's vegan co-workers we cruised past the suckers waiting in line at Kuma's this Saturday night, crossing our fingers and hoping from the best at magical, mysterious Dragonlady Lounge. Sue took one look at our tattoos, crinkled her nose and asked, "You come from Kuma's?" No ma'am, we assured her, and took a seat.
After overhearing her phone conversation about an unruly late-night vegan customer, Sue explained her cuisine, a mix of vegan and non-vegan dishes with no actual menu to speak of. The home-grown, handmade veggie burgers are legendary, so we ordered up a pair and watched as a handful of other thrill seekers walked into the dark bar and took a seat.
One of them ordered something I couldn't hear, so which Sue said, "We don't have that, this isn't Kuma's." Oh my gosh, I love this lady.
We started with a plate of complimentary veggie pancakes, which where delicious and almost as soon as we were done, out came two big, beautiful veggie burgers. "I gave him extra," Sue winked at me, motioning toward my twice-the-size-of-me husband.
Crunch! The perfectly crispy, spicy and chunky burger hit the spot. We already knew it'd taste good, because Sue let us try the uncooked mix just to show us how freshly made it was. A medley of tempeh, jalapenos, tofu, oats, crunchy veggies and kimchi - it was, by far, the best veggie burger either of us has ever eaten. The hand-cut French fries weren't half bad themselves. (Did I mention she grows a lot of the veggies on the roof top? Yeah, Rick Bayless isn't the only gardening chef in Chicago.)
All this, along with hilarious banter from Sue and a warm welcome to come back for "vegan Thursday" for $14. Sue - you have got yourself a date. Make that two dates.
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I came.
I saw.
I *conquered.
I liked. Much.
*dragonslayer shots. Seems to be a mysterious blend of Dr. Pepper, cherry schnapps and vodka? I have no idea, but it went down easy enough. Perahps serving them over dry ice would give the desired "super freaky fantasy" effect that would push this place WAY over the top. I suggest ordering one or seven to go with your vegan Korean buffet (Thursday nights).
When I arrived one Thursday night, I was a bit amused to see an entire bar full of people hovering over their food, MGD cans in front of them, and NO music playing. Eerie? Yes. The reason: $9.99 all-you-can eat Korean buffet was in full swing, MGD cans are $2 on Thursdays, and I'm pretty sure everyone was so engrossed in this coupling of simple pleasures that they forgot to que the jukebox.
Order was restored shortly after. :)
Other possible scenarios for Dragonlady Lounge:
-Waiting room for Kuma's. Throw back a few cheap (cold) ones at the bar in preparation, and skip sitting outside on the sidewalk looking all vagrant-like, salivating for....burgers.
-When you get to Hot Doug's and realize they keep the WEIRDEST, shortest hours ever...console yourself by sulking down California to Dragonlady Lounge, where hopefully the line never curls around the block with people itching for....hot dogs.
-Random "date" spot. Can he/she hang with vegan Korean food, a basket of beanie babies behind the bar, a sports cooler with a handwritten "Free Water" sign, trekking to Avondale AND getting their own food out of a bar kitchen? Might warrant another date then. Perhaps? I'm going with...yes.
-Veggie/Vegan friendly Korean fare....home made!
-Character: Dragonlady. Endless entertainment, super sweet, proud of her place, and happy you are there. This is a good combo, I assure you.
-Pinball!
-Jukeboxxxxxxx!
I dig.
People thought this was:
So many of the reviews sound just like my experience, so I'll just add another 5 star rating and repeat what everyone else is saying:
This place is amazing, hilarious, quirky, a well-kept secret, and everything I didn't expect to find on a rainy Thursday night in Chicago.
I had heard about a vegan Korean buffet on Thursdays and thought I'd misread when I entered the bar. A dark dive bar, people in their 20s and 30s scattered along the bar and at a few tables, decent songs from a noisy juke-box, a pinball machine, beer from cans. No food or menus anywhere.
A few minutes later, however, Sue came out of the kitchen, said 'dinner is ready!' or 'you can all come in now', something along those lines that out a grin on everyone's face, and we all lined up in the kitchen.
WOW. Bowls and bowls of endless kim chi, greens, tofu dishes, rice, fried wontons, so much food to pile on our plates. It was amazing.
The rest of the night was cheap beer, refilling our plates at Sue's encouragement, fun conversation with her, amazement about never having heard about this place, and free shots at the bar before we left.
Come try this out at least once. And bring all your friends. They'll love it, and Sue will love them.
Dragonlady Lounge has a secret Vegan dinner buffet on Thursdays. I say secret because I didn't know about it until I stumbled upon it on Yelp. Anyway, I've been trying to go to this buffet for months now and finally tried it last week.
The first thing I'd like to mention is that this place is not limited to the Thursday buffets. I saw a sign on the window that said "Vegan Burger and Fries $5" posted on the wall. Also, they don't have a menu, so from what I hear, the owner will make you different things when you go. I haven't tried this Vegan burger yet, but will update my review as soon as I do so.
When we walked in Dragonlady Lounge it was packed (with hipsters...good place to go if you're into the hipster scene). The buffet starts at 7:30PM and it wasn't ready until 7:45PM - we weren't upset especially given the circumstances, the owner was the only person running the show. When the food was ready, she came out and said "ready" and everyone hurriedly formed a line outside of the kitchen. All of the food was set on a counter in the kitchen, no buffet set-up or designated area - I suppose this is fine because it goes with the whole dive bar deal. The one thing I didn't like, however, was the fact that people went back up with their dirty plates. To top it off, the people going back up were still eating off of their dirty plates while waiting in line and going through the buffet again...eww germs.
The lady that runs the place is very nice and I have no idea how she runs the place by herself, but it works. Although I won't be back there for the buffet ever again, I'm not totally writing the place off and would like to go back for the Vegan burger.
People thought this was:
So in an attempt to explore my new hood, new cuisine and hang out with some vegetarian friends, I suggested Dragonlady.
When we walked in the protocol was not really clear but this is kinda how it went (to help other firsttimers.) This is on a Thursday night.
You take a seat and sometime after 7 (be patient) Sue calls out "Dinner is ready!" A line will form, just follow the herd. And yes, the line is going right into the kitchen where Sue will dish out some rice on your plate and let you have at it. Everything was tasty and red=hot, people. I didn't feel so bad that my favorite buffet items were fried since everything was vegan.
At the end just find Sue again, tell her what you had, she adds it up in her head and you pay in cash. Very yum, very cheap and Sue is very friendly. I'll be back with more veggie friends I am sure.
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If you like Kitsch then you will like Dragon Lady. Cletus does and Cletus did.
As described in other entries, the entrance is basically just a Budweiser sign. Inside I'd describe the motif as "kitschen sink"; Beanie baby collection behind the bar, icicle lights, and a dog calendar (in a Korean restaurant?) all add to the carefree décor.
Care does go into the food though... As an omnivore, I was skeptical about going on vegan night... ("and I don't eat meat cuz I'm a veterinarian"). Food was great though... also kind of fun to go into the kitchen to serve yo'self honey!
Bartender was both inked and attentive. Dragon Lady and her personality is really the linchpin in this whole operation though. Sort of reminded me of the lady that Happy Gilmore hooks up with... only cooler. She was hospitable (wouldn't let me wash my dishes), charming (said my date was pretty without being prompted... she is) and funny (was telling dirty jokes to a crowd of dudes at the end of the bar... I could tell by her "J.O." gestures).
All in all, a good experience. And definitely goes on the list of "places you can say you know about when you want to impress people"... can someone help me name this list title better?!?
People thought this was:
Is Dragonlady Lounge Chicago's best kept secret or what!? I told a vegan friend that I read about it on Yelp and she'd never heard about it, so we got a group together and went on Thursday for the vegan Korean buffet. Sue is pretty much the coolest women ever. She was so incredibly sweet and accommodating. When she saw that our group was fairly large, she pulled out a Korean table for us to sit indian style at.
Everything was tasty and I loved knowing that I could eat everything without having to ask what seafood or pork or whatnot might be lurking within. The deep fried dumpling things are out of this world and I ate more of them than I will admit to. The kimchi is fresh and spicy to me, but apparently not THAT spicy to other people. Be forewarned, Sue just returned from Austin, TX and she says she was thinking of moving down there, so get it while you can and try your darndest to make it worth her while to stay in Chicago. Freakin' A+.
P.S. The jukebox is one of those newfangled digital ones, but it had The Smiths, Radiohead, Pulp, The Who, David Bowie, Elvis Costello, etc.
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Sue, I love you
I love your food.
Love,
Crystal
ok now for my review:
So I went in not knowing what to really expect ...
I love korean food
I am a vegetarian
these two things ususally do not go hand in hand
But at dragon lady they do.
We asked for a menu there is'nt one
she asked what I wanted ...
I asked for a special korean soup and if she had it ..
she said...
well I can make it for you..
umm awesome ...
she even brought us out a fresh made treat ... super good...
oh yeah i will be back!
People thought this was:
You could almost miss it, were it not for the hand-drawn "Dragonlady Lounge" sign hanging in the window. (Of COURSE it's hand-drawn, it's only fitting.) But you wouldn't want to miss it... especially not on a Thursday.
Sue, the owner/chef/bartender/server/den mother, is welcoming upon our arrival, noting "you've never been here before now..." with a raised eyebrow. And somehow I momentarily felt guilty for never having been! It was as if my own mother was telling me I don't come home to visit enough. Nuts. Grounded.
Fortunately, I was able to assuage my guilt and make up for lost time by over-indulging in delicious Korean vegan BBQ. The all-you-can eat buffet is offered from 6pm-9pm on Thursday's for $10. However, I think the times are probably a wee bit flexible, as we arrived at 7pm and she advised us to have a seat because she wasn't done cooking yet. No problem.
We enjoyed Miller High Life cans for $2 as Sue bustled around, finishing up dinner in the back. She then invited everyone to line up and come on back to the kitchen where we overloaded our plates with fresh green beans, tofu sandwiches, pickled veggies, etc.
I loved the low-key and homey nature of the place which is predominantly due to Sue's personality and style. I felt like we could get whatever we needed, we just needed to ask. Next time I'll ask for a pitcher of water on the table - some things were a little spicy! And just as we thought we'd finished, Sue came around the table with a steaming wok full of saucy tofu she'd just cooked up, dropping a spoonful on everyone's plate. Again, it's like my Mom showing her love with food - you just can't say no.
People thought this was:
Love Love Love. My review is based on the vegan Korean buffet night. I just didn't think it was possible for such a wonderful thing to exist. I've had this place on my list for a long time and I'm kicking myself for not trying it sooner. I happen to like divey bars, and found the atmosphere fun and pleasant. I also loved the owner and her energy. I'll definitely be back.
People thought this was:
We came to Dragon Lady's Lounge entirely by accident, but after it turned into a great night out with friends, I'm compelled to come to Yelp to throw some major props out for the bar and it's awesome owner Sue.
Here's how things went down... The boyf and I planned on biking the Lake Shore Path, then heading down Belmont to meet up with friends at Kuma's Corner for some burgers and death metal. However, because of the fireworks at Navy Pier, they wouldn't let us on the train (from Oak Park to downtown) with our bikes. So, we biked north on Oak Park Ave, then west on Belmont till we got to Avondale.
Anyhow, we arrived about 2 hours before all our friends, so we decided to stop and have a beer. Kuma's was already packed, so we walked around till we found Dragon Lady's. It was dead inside, but they had good beer specials, so we decided to give it a shot.
As soon as we got in, Sue came out to serve us. She was super-friendly from the get-go, cleaning off a table for us, telling us about her different specials, and even offering us free "Dragon Lady" shots (made with cranberry, amaretto and vodka - YUM!) Her fresh cooked Korean food sounded really delicious, but our plan was to hit Kuma's for dinner, so we left after about an hour (after a lengthy conversation with Sue about the merits of first-time home ownership...)
Once we got to Kuma's, the line was even longer, and when the boyf went in to ask about the wait time, he got a dirty look at an "At least 3 hours" reply from the hostess... So, once our friends arrived, we all agreed to find an alternate place to eat. Since 2 of our friends were vegetarians, we thought -- Zing! Dragon Lady's!
Long story short, we ended up spending about 3 hours there, and still had the entire place to ourselves. So, in the time it would have taken us to be served a burger at Kuma's, we all got to enjoy a couple more rounds of drinks, some awesome hot-pot Korean food, (BBQ beef, kimchee potstickers, and pickled veggies), and more of Sue's great company.
After dinner, she even brought us fresh watermelon for dessert, and another round of house shots -- free of charge! She gave us all hugs when we left, and wished the boyf and I good luck with buying a house.
For 6 people, the bill for dinner came out to under $50, and none of the beers we ordered cost more than $4 each.
The boyf and I had been looking for a good little dive to call our own in the city, and I think we might have found it at Dragon Lady's. Although, judging by the number of other great reviews on here, apparently everyone feels the same way...
(One of our friends even discouraged me from Yelping it, so I wouldn't "let the secret out" about what an awesome place it is!)
People thought this was:
I'm only yelping this because Sue asked me to!
Personally, I would love for this place to stay a secret for the vegans, it's an amazing find, very special, affordable, lots of character, and delicious!
The all-you-can-eat Vegan Buffet ($10) on Thursday involves a glorious pan-asian selection of fake-chicken dumplings, sesame sauteed vegetables, spices, rice, perfectly marinated tofu, and crispy home-made veggie burger balls.
The charm of the place begins as soon as you enter and get embraced by the owner as if she was your own family! She invites you right into the kitchen and begins heaping large amounts of food onto your plates, enthusiastically explaining how everything was made with fresh ingredients and no animal products.
The place is a dark, divey, retro, long-bar with the beautiful plate-stamped ceiling, a couple of tvs playing a baseball game, and a satellite radio playing some cool shit (she must know her clientele are young, indie vegans, and well, she's right!)
We pigged out on two plates of buffet, enjoyed HIghlife for $1.50 and sue gave us two cinnamon spicy Dragonslayer shots on the house. We are definitely coming back. It seems there are always specials going on (for instance, Friday is 1.50 veggie burger and fries), and plenty of new vegan recipes Sue is eager to share with us.
People thought this was:
We were planning to head to Yummy Yummy for some veggie asian food when we came across the Yelp reviews about Dragonlady Lounge's Thursday night special. Being as it is Thursday and we're all about the deals, we changed our plans and headed over. Best idea ever, as it turned out to be a cheap, friendly and tasty evening.
Tucked away by Belmont, and just a few blocks from Kuma's (tasty food, but looonnnng waits) lies Dragonlady Lounge. The hand-drawn sign in the window is of the blink-and-you'll miss it variety, but once you're in, you'll be really glad you found it. Particularly so if it happens to be on a Thursday evening.
Sue, the bartender/cook is super friendly and runs the place by herself (at least, she did tonight) servin' up tasty Korean food which I'm told varies slightly each week.
The Yelp listing says the buffet runs 6-9, but when we walked in at 7:15, there were four people sitting at the bar and Sue was just finishing up cooking. Honestly, I was happy to see we weren't too late and glad to have a drink while we waited (Thursday drink specials are $2.50 Miller High Life cans). We chatted it up with Sue and the people sitting at the bar before Sue gave the okay to go up to the buffet and get what you wanted.
Tonight didn't include the fried dumplings, which are rumored to be especially tasty. However, we did learn that not only does Sue cook all of the food to be seasonal and veggie-friendly, she also steams almost all of it, so you're getting less greasy and more goodness.
We capped off the meal with the famous Dragon Slayer shot. For $2.50, you get this bad-ass shot Sue pours from a dark brown chilled liquor bottle from the cooler. It sort of tastes like cherries and dr. pepper.
By the time we left, we did a shot with the four people at the bar, knew Sue on a first-named basis and felt full, buzzed and happy for a mere $33.
We'll definitely be back!
People thought this was:
You've never had a veggie burger until you've had one at Dragonlady Lounge. This burger is no puck...this burger is never and has never been frozen...this burger will blow your effing mind!
$5.75, including fries, including tax.
We came around 1pm on a Saturday. We told her we were there for her burgers....she told us she was out of burgers. Alas, she was just about to whip up another batch that would be ready in about a half hour--talk about fresh! She even came out with the "raw" mix and let us have a sneak peak--I knew right then I was going to walk out a very full and happy girl.
A friend in our group was kind of turned off by the (lack of) decor and odd ordering system (no menus, no waitstaff, just Sue) but I saw her smile after the first bite of the veggie burger and knew she, too, was destined to become a repeat customer.
I'm very much looking forward to coming for the vegan buffet on Thursdays--and a tip for the buffet, just between me, you and Sue: "come before 7pm."
Dragonlady Lounge is a heady mix of dive-bar, Korean food, long-time old folks, newbie hipsters and indie rock. It's a strange place, but one that merits at least one visit, if just for the vegan buffet on Thursdays.
I came on a Saturday around 9 p.m. and was the only person in the joint at least initially. It's a long, narrow bar with sparse walls and lots of red and black vinyl. It's about as divey as it gets. As the night wore on, a group of 20-somethings showed up and then two old guys (probably hold-overs from the sports-bar previous incarnation of the place) came and played video blackjack while sipping PBRs.
The place is run entirely by one friendly Korean woman who shuffles around and is part bartender, part cook, and part social counselor.
I had a dish of fried tofu covered in scallions which was pretty tasty and came with three different sides of pickled Korean vegetables. There's no menu, just pictures of different dishes on the wall. I wish I'd come for the buffet on Thursdays which is supposed to be popular. The menu also offers vegetarian (vegan?) pancakes, dumplings and a couple other dishes that looked to be vegan.
I'm not sure how much the dish cost, though I think it was in the $7-9 range; I also had two Coronas and the total bill was $14.25. The beer selection is limited to mainstream bottles, though the place seems to also do its own mixed drinks.
Street parking is readily available in the area, which is a plus.
Come to Dragonlady to start out your night or to end your night. This isn't a place to be the main course, but it's worth a visit and does pretty decent vegan Korean food. There are not many joints that like that around.
People thought this was:
Wow! Did I actually come here for veggie dinner night with other Yelpers? I didn't realize this place was a dive bar but it didn't matter as the bartender was really nice and the food was good too.
This place is hard to recognize as you come down Elston looking for it. I was lucky to make out Dragonlady Lounge on the window. This place was pretty dead on a Wednesday night except for the veggie night crew. They have a couple TVs by the bar, a jukebox and a pool table to keep things interesting.
We were allowed to go into the kitchen area to assemble our food and that we did. The food was good considering I tried some new things this night. I think I would have appreciated it more if it wasn't veggie night but I gave it a go and was fine with it.
They had hot sake and apple cider available in which I went for the cider. It was excellent especially spiked with some rum. Although I found hot drinks don't go very well with spicy food but it really tasty! I'll give them another go perhaps when there is cooked remains of a particular animal on the menu!
People thought this was:
Special thanks to Michael G for introducing this place and myself last night. $7.50 all you can eat Korean food! Thats a steal in my book, eventhough I have never had Korean, to my knowledge.
Great hospitality from Celia C and the other woman/cook. They gave us a nice sized bowl of sticky rice and let us go to town in their kitchen, selecting veggies galore! I did not do the sake, due to my lingering hangover from the previous night's activities, so I just had 2 glasses of sprite. The crowd was a little light and we actually made up most of the crowd. I think that is because you would probably miss it driving by, but I think it will pick up once this $7.50 deal is really put out there. Metromix, do you here me????
They had a pretty cool jukebox and a pool table in the back. I never would have guessed this was a dive bar. Definately will be back and they get 5 stars from the AW
People thought this was:
Ordinarily Korean food to me is much akin to Scottish food. Mike Myers summed that "cuisine" up nicely when he said, "'my theory is that all of Scottish cuisine is based on a dare," and Korean for me fell in the same category. Korean food has always seemed to me to be some mad chef putting a bunch of vegetables and meats in heavy sauce over rice and then throwing an egg on top. That omnipresent egg which sadly, in the past, I've found the most edible part of Korean food.
So it was with a bit of reluctance that I went to scout out Dragonlady for the March installment of the Vegetarian Supper Club when an "event" was posted. Let me say that if Dragonlady was tasty enough for me to get seconds, I can only imagine it would be foodgasmic to someone who likes Korean food.
Sue, a true Chicago character in the way that only the best bar owners can be, makes all the food from scratch using only the highest quality ingredients. And on Thursdays for the all-you-can eat bi bim bop (dangerous if you are, like me, really bad at choosing flavors that will combine well) she opens the kitchen for $7.50 and lets you pile these up as high as you want over brilliantly good sticky rice. She'll even give you advice as she spoons out the rice and (incredible) miso soup so you don't make any horrible mixing errors.
Which, just an aside, can not be made on the incredible juke box here.
The crowd in this bar seems to be a tight knit group but it really is only a matter of time before people start wandering over from Kuma's and Urban Belly and make this bar Avondale's (Chicago's next big neighborhood) next big thing. Get in on the ground floor why you can so Sue knows you and you don't have to fight the crowds in this pretty small bar/restaurant.
For the record, there is a printed menu now, on the wall next to the kitchen (because what dive bar with food has printed menus?). Unfortunately, it doesn't make Korean *look* any more appetizing. But Dragonlady has to be tasted to believed or even appreciated.
People thought this was:
If you like Korean food or are just someone with restricted diet like vegetarian or vegan and want to try something different then this is your spot.
I went there for their "All you can eat Thursdays" for $7.50 and it worth every single penny plus $50 I never had to pay (because I ate so much).
I had a rice dish and some dumpling then washed it down with $3 bottle of warm Sake. I don't eat Korean food this often so I can't remember the exact names but servers are very helpful and give great suggestions.
Bookmark this place, it's going to become very big very soon.
People thought this was:
I'm bringing Avondale back!
I read about the Dragonlady Lounge through Yelp a month or so ago. I've been 2x in the last two weeks. This is a fun low key dive near the house. I never thought to go into this place as it used to be called Stadium West and appeared to be an old man sports bar. This was never the case. Sue changed the name and this place may just take off yet.
Sue runs the show. What I love about this place and Sue is that she treats you like family when you come in. Her home is your home. When you order her fantastic Korean spread, she pulls you into the Kitchen and let's you go at it. Kind of a help yourself deal. This mirrors how I am when I'm hosting the crew at the house for BBQs and such. Mi casa su casa. I like that.
Rox is great too. She developed a tasty shot called the dragon slayer. Request it if you ever get the chance.
I'm telling you, Avondale is coming back...
By the way, 25 plays on the juke for $5. That's 20 cents a song, kids. Lot's of good oldies to play as well. You'll hear lots of Tommy James when I'm in the bar!
People thought this was:
Walking up you'll know the place by the Budweiser sign, look inside the slightly tinted window for the cardboard sign which reads Dragonlady Lounge.
Not a typical Korean bar. Its a dive bar. Dive bar. It's a dive bar.
A comment I didn't look at carefully nor consider before rolling in four Koreans strong; and a white girl. Dead, completely vacant on a Saturday night around 11 pm. I like some dives, but, this didn't do much for us. Kinda expected something different. Still we were there, had a couple rounds of beers, five dollars worth of jukebox and a couple games of coin slot pool. Dollar per play for pool, the table is mini. For tight space shots, they have a mini cue to match the table. Jukebox can be heard nicely in the rear, corroded bass blown out sound in the front. Never got around to ordering any food. Bar madam (nice lady) offered freshly popped popcorn and fresh pretzels. I can still smell the butter.
Best for those that live for dive bars and Vegan fare.
People thought this was:
Excellent vegan and non-vegan Korean food in a typical dive bar environment. Food was great and very cheap. The only complaint I have is the fact that there doesn't seem to be a printed menu or prices listed anywhere. They have pictures of the Korean dishes on the wall but rumor has it they have traditional bar fare as well (burgers, fries, etc.)
After we received all the food, the bartender (I'm guessing the infamous Sue) kept bringing us other stuff! The kimchee pancakes were excellent.
Not a lot of seats but it was empty so we had no problem putting a few tables together. Haven't been to one of the shows but the sign for next week's show merely said 5 bands TBA. Who is playing?
People thought this was:
What an experience! I went on a Thursday night for the Korean BBQ. it was fabulous and fun. one of those best kept secrets of the city. the sweet "dragonlady" runs the bar and cooks the food. she makes you feel like you are in her home and yet, you're in a bar. Trust me, if you can appreciate a new experience, you will love it. Can't wait to go again!
ps this is a real treat for vegetarians that love some spicey food!
People thought this was:
Wish I had a dollar for every time someone wrote "dive bar" in the reviews of this place. Reading all these reviews made us intrigued but nervous to walk into this place.
Walking in under the Budweiser sign, we arrived in a completely empty bar. The owner (Sue) was at the bar paying her bills so she didn't say much at first. We came for the food and weren't sure how to order, but we quickly realized we just needed to pick from the picture-menu on the wall by the kitchen. We were only in town until Wednesday so we had to come on a Tuesday and miss the famed buffet. But we picked three dishes from the menu and were happy with our choices.
Sue brought each dish out as she finished cooking them. She was the only one working, but that was ok because only one other guy came in the entire time we were there. The emptiness felt a bit awkward at first but once Sue started talking to us we settled in and had a good time.
We started with kimchee dumplings. They came with a soy sauce dipping sauce and they were delicious. The second dish was fried tofu drizzled with a soy sauce green onion sauce... yummm. The third dish was a nice sized bi bim bop. Veggies were fresh and sauce was nicely spiced. Sue also brought us out a side of delicious spicy kimchee.
She told us that she cooks everything fresh daily and uses very little oil (only a bit of sesame oil). Just about everything is vegan but there are 2 or 3 meat options (chicken dumplings, pork dumplings and maybe one other). She welcomed us back to try the buffet and we hope to do so someday.... although by the sounds of it there is usually a line out the door. She deserves a packed house because she's just so nice.
P.S. Don't let 'dive bar' define this place or dissuade you- it's good food and good people.
People thought this was:
This place is a hidden gem for sure. Good korean food, cheap drinks, even cheaper jukebox.
Owner/Operator is a nice lady named Sue who makes you feel like you're part of the family.
The only drawback would be going in a large group, since she's literally the only person there most times. If you plan to order food, it could take awhile.
The bibimbap and veggie pancakes are very good, the dumplings are pretty plain and standard though. The kimchi there is the best I've had in the city, hands down. Very fresh and savory.
Go support the Dragonlady!
People thought this was:
Holy. God. Welcome to my new favorite bar in Chicago. I just wish I had the moola to go out and visit all the time! I am addicted to Sue's be bim bop. Seriously. I think about going down nearly every day for a bowl of it.
So, long story, shorter: Me and a friend went on a whim, because he had heard about a great korean place that's mostly vegan, and he happens to be vegan. We get there, and get served some of that delicious be bim bop, some AMAZING veggie dumplings and fried tofu. Even though we were newcomers, Sue and the regulars talked to us like we were old friends, with great stories and beer suggestions and everything!
Even when it was a little on the empty side (it was the day after thanksgiving), we managed to feel warm and more than welcome. When everyone was transfixed by the television, Sue even made us popcorn, and wouldn't let us leave until we tried her lemon drops which she said people come from Pilsen to have, and I totally believe it.
Whenever I've been back, Sue's always made the place feel like home, even going so far as to make my favorite dish even when the kitchen is closed! She also makes it extra big for when I obviously intend to share it, so a friend could get addicted too, and I can have a new Dragonlady buddy.
I can only imagine how amazing the dance parties would be in this place, and hope to throw a couple myself. Also note that Rox and Justin, who tend then bar with Sue, are the probably some of sweetest people I've met. It just seems that this place attracts an awesome, unpretentious, fun crowd and I hope that never changes!
This place is beyond a gem. It's brilliant.
People thought this was:
Formerly known as Stadium West, I wish I knew about this place sooner! Korean/Vegan/Dive Bar, how cool is that? Sue is the sassy and sweet Asian mom you wish you had. She'll cook up amazing vegan Korean food: dumplings (steamed or fried), chop chae, delicious green beans, awesome kim chi, scrumptious bi bim bop. If you're lucky she'll even send you home with some food and give you a shot of her famous lemon drops. I love going on Thursday nights for hot sake and the best Korean vegan buffet in town. They also have shows once in a while, a great jukebox, and everyone's favorite liquor: Malört
One of my favorite bars in Chicago, period.
People thought this was:
Sue is amazing. Go on a quiet night (most of them are) with a friend or two. Bring thirty dollars. Leave drunk, full, and happy. Sue runs that bar and kitchen pretty much singlehandedly. She cooks up some tasty Korean food (super veg friendly) with full fixins. My first night there she had lost (and then found) her dog, and was so happy that she just kept making food to give to us. Veggie pancakes of every variety. And shots. Many shots. You are immediately her friend upon walking in as she instructos you to get your own kimchi from the fridge if you need more. Get your own water. She's busy. And she is. So do it! You always feel like a million bucks when you leave there. Like the Asian version of Maria before the Whirlaway got crowded. Ha. But she;s awesome. The food is awesome. The drinks are whatever. But for a place to hole away, it is tops. LOVE!!
People thought this was:
I don't even remember HOW I heard of this place (it wasn't Yelp) but somehow I did and of course I came to Yelp to read about before I ventured there (which is all of a 5 min bike ride away.) I believe I had read some article online about the place and how it had this amazing Korean food for cheap prices and it was also a bar. Healthy yummy food + booze = where do I sign up?
The first time I stopped by was about 11pm on a Friday and we were The. Only. People. Inside.
No music was playing, the TVs were on, and I'm assuming the dragon lady herself was sharing the touch screen game machine with an older gentleman.
We sidled up to the bar and looked at the beers on the wall (read: there is nothing on tap, don't bother asking.) Dragonlady suddenly says "special for tonight is...$3 jack and cokes."
WHAT SAY YOU? $3 JACK DANIELS AND COKE ON A FRIDAY AT 11PM?!
Why yes I'll have two.
We drank our cheap, strong drinks while we listened to dragonlady explain to her man friend how Kuma's is too crowded and why does everyone go there and the burgers are too big and we silently snickered to ourselves.
Unfortunately, the kitchen was already closed and it was too late for tons of food anyway so we left promising to be back for this much hyped up food.
So Thursday rolls around and we show up for this $7.50 korean vegan buffet. When we stroll in at 8pm (the buffet is from 6-9), the bar was of folks chowing down and we grab a table where the dragonlady herself recognizes us from our previous visit (and she is wearing a hello kitty apron - YES!) She asks "you guys hungry?" which really meant "I HOPE YOU ARE READY TO EAT WAY TOO MUCH!"
At first, I was confused. How does this work? Do they bring us food? Where is the buffet?
But don't be afraid to ask dragonlady or her waitress friend with pink hair. They are there to help you.
You basically go IN THE KITCHEN and dragonlady gives you a bowl full of delicious hot sticky rice and then there are about 10 containers full of different types of vegetables for you to pile high in your huge bowl. Miso soup is also available but as dragonlady says "IT'S HOT LET ME GET IT FOR YOU."
Now people, this is a buffet but I didn't even finish my first round. And there's no meat! SO MUCH FOOD. SO GOOD.
I didn't try the sake, maybe next time, but PBR is $2.50. It goes down fine with Korean.
I think the best part of the whole thing is the atmosphere. Talk about RELAXED. It's like going home and your mom makes your favorite meal and you get to sit and watch TV and eat and drink and you feel like you are snug as a bug in a rug. So comfortable.
Dragonlady insisted that we come tomorrow.
And next week.
And FOREVER.
Oh and to bring people.
It's super close to my house (and I'm actually moving closer) so I have a feeling I will become a regular. If my belly will have it!
P.S. I know her name is not dragonlady but it's more fun that way.
People thought this was:
I'm not going to lie, I was a little apprehensive about this place at first. I don't want to say I was dragged here, but my floor hockey team and I came here after a game as an alternative to the ridiculously (and now perpetually, it seems) crowded Kuma's Corner, and when you have heavy metal hamburgers on the brain, it's not always easy to accept vegan-friendly Korean food as a plan B. My concerns were not assuaged by the fact that the place was completely empty, except for 3 people who I am pretty sure worked there watching Law and Order on the TV above the bar. I felt kind of like we were walking into somebody's living room and demanding to be fed. But let me tell you, if every home invasion ended this deliciously, the world would be a much better place.
The bartender (who I guess is named Sue) was great about getting us drinks promptly, and I love consuming cheap liquor in mostly empty rooms, so judging it strictly on its merits as a bar, the Dragon Lady Lounge ranks right up there with the best in the city for me. Ordering food was a little bit trickier because the only menu in the entire bar was a poster-board taped to one wall with pictures of the different dishes, and our group has some eccentric dietary needs. But the people who worked there were extremely helpful in suggesting dishes, and once we were able to get our order in, everything was fantastic, and plentiful, and super cheap. I recommend especially the steamed pork dumplings, which were tender and flavorful, and the bi bim bop, which was spicy and straight up awesome. I'm told that they also offer standard bar fare like ribs and hamburgers, but I didn't see that indicated anywhere in the bar itself. Regardless, I sort of get the feeling that if you asked, Sue (if I may be so presumptuous as to use her first name) would make you pretty much anything you wanted. Still, call me a traditionalist, but I think it'd be nice to have an idea of what's available to order.
So, anyway, this place has a totally unique atmosphere, wonderful staff, and awesome food. I encourage everyone to go as often as possible and bring friends, even though that may jeopardize my ability to monopolize the juke box and sob openly (as is my habit after floor hockey games) without unsettling strangers.
People thought this was:
fka stadium west aka sue's
Amazing things about the best dive bar no one seems to know about
1. Sue, my sassy surrogate tough-love mother. Everything you've heard is true.
2. Homemade korean food. Veggie/vegan friendly, healthy. She also does burgers (also homemade, and huge) , ribs, and such.
3. Dance parties.
4. Jukebox. All the standards plus excellent indie rock mixes. Plus, 9 plays for $2, 14 for $3, etc.
5. Tiny pool.
6. Malort. It's delicious, honestly, try it.
7. Sometimes we do shows. It's cramped, there's no good place to put the band, the sound's not great ... and it's awesome.
8. And, most importantly, the people. A mix of grizzled locals, career drinkers, hipsters, non-hipsters, pleasantly stunned first-timers, and anyone else you can imagine, all loved and berated the same by Sue. We all know each other, and once you've come once, you will too. This place is like no other in the city.
People thought this was:
even if you've never been here before, you will be welcomed as though you are an old friend. and, once the korean food gets passed around you'll be hooked. it's mostly vegan and entirely delicious. there is also regular bar fare available (at least there was when it was 'stadium west'. currently this place still has a sign that reads 'stadium west', so you're in the right place!).
non-assuming and slightly off the beaten track, you won't encounter crowds here unless you bring your own. bring them, they'll love it! so will sue and rox. and bring some singles for the juke box!......... (that totally rhymed...)
(p.s. there's sometimes music. if you're in a band, call about show possibilities.)
People thought this was:
I've finally been introduced to bebimbop, thanks the the Yelp Veggie Dinner crew (with Cecelia's able assistance)! Sticky rice with a perfectly balanced hot sauce (glad of that, as I'm a wuss in terms of food heat levels), and Sue warned me which was cabbage so I could steer clear of it and pile other stuff I like better on top. 'All you can eat' is wasted on me since I fill up quickly, and with the super-large bowls, it didn't take long. The $3.25 gin & tonics complemented the meal well, though I probably should have had sake. Can hardly wait to go back to sample the variety of dumplings pictured on their wall ( no menus).
People thought this was:
I was there on a Thursday night for the Korean vegan buffet. I absolutely loved it. The food was seasoned right and with minimal use of oil, except for the potstickers, they were fried. If you like traditional Korean homestyle cooking, this is the right place for you. The bartender/server and the cook(I think the owner) were also very kind and provided very good service. I most certainly would eat there again.
On a side note, this is a dive bar. I personally don't mind dive bars because you get better service. I don't know why people make a big deal out of it.
People thought this was:
Had the veggie buffet at Sue's, and will most likely be going back for the Thurs. + Fri. deal again. All you can eat for $10, and drink specials every night not exceeding $2.50. We had five or six wonderful home-cooked options that you serve up yourself, family style. In fact, Sue is more mother than bartender, so if you're in the mood for private conversation this is probably not your best bet. The 5 or so people eating while we were there all set at the bar while she watched us eat and shoveled more deliciousness in our direction. If you're adventurous enough to help yourself to seconds in the back-room kitchen of a seedy dive bar, you won't be disappointed here.
Neighborhood: Avondale
Category: Brazilian
Neighborhood: Avondale
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: Albany Park
Category: Korean
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
Category: Breakfast & Brunch
Neighborhood: Avondale
Category: Pubs
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