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San Soo Gab San
Category: Restaurants Korean Korean [Edit]
5247 N Western Ave(between Farragut Ave & Berwyn Ave)
Chicago, IL 60625
Neighborhood: Lincoln Square
(773) 334-1589
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 10 am - 3 am
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
646 reviews for San Soo Gab San
Review Highlights
"Please don't leave without getting the seafood pancake."
(in 46 reviews)
"The Kalbi here is really tender and delicious."
(in 117 reviews)
"The marinated beef and chicken are amazing."
(in 21 reviews)
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646 reviews in English
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Review from Jeanie S.
Palatine, IL
1/25/2012
I came here with a group of 18 after club/bar hopping and our main reason to go there was to get their alcohol. Lol. But of course we ordered and spent over $400 but the food was well worth it. The service was iffy but the food made up for their loss. I couldn't get enough of their little side dishes. I devoured it all. But I did hate how we had to cook the kalbi ourselves, due to the fact that we've been partying all night from 9pm-4am.
I think the service was on it's downside because of the time. But I am glad that we had Koreans with us to do the talking because I'm sure it made our service a lot better than it would of been if they weren't there. Lol. But I will be back and I'm sure the food will be as great as it was the first time. -
Review from Jeff F.
Des Plaines, IL
1/19/2012
This place is pretty good. It ain't much to look at on the inside. When you finally order your food, though, you'll have a hard time concentrating on anything else.
A good friend of mine invited me to San Soo Gab San, referring to it as the Korean equivalent of a "greasy spoon restaurant." How can you possibly go wrong when you're suddenly presented with a deep, coal-filled fiery grill and a plateful of raw meat? It's a good time.
The waitresses will also assault your tabletop with a ridiculous number of tiny shallow bowls containing numerous Korean side-dishes (at least, I think they're side-dishes). There's so many that you'll get to try a wide assortment of items, but they're small enough that you can move onto something else if you're not a fan of one of them.
It's fun to hit with a group of people; plenty of involvement for just about anyone that feels safe slinging meat and cooking it on a grill. -
Review from Holly O.
Chicago, IL
1/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
My friends took me here on a Friday night - and we had such a great dinner. 5 of us at, like 7 or 8pm, and didn't have to wait for a table - which was awesome. All the food was yummy - the little sides are so fun to try. For meat, we got the Wang Kal Bi marinated short beef ribs), the Dai Ji Kal bi (marinated pork rib), and the Bul Ko Ki (korean style seasoned beef). All de-lish!
And the best? The seafood pancake - Hae Moul Pajun - so good! And that's all Yelp, because honestly, I would never have ordered it on my own, but so many people had Yelp-ed about it, that I had to... And we LOVED it. Soooooo good. Great great dinner. (i'm seeing lots of rude service comments from other people on here... we experienced that with our server at first, but she quickly gave someone else our table, so it was fine - and in hindsight, we think it was just that she didn't speak enough english to wait on us. Our second lady was great!)
Oh, warning: since there are mini-grills at EACH table, there's a lot of cooking smoke/oil throughout the place - you and your clothes will smell like food when you leave. We proactively left our coats in the car, and I was glad for it. -
Review from Celestina P.
Villa Park, IL
1/7/2012
WARNING!!!!! EXTREMELY RUDE!
If you enjoy rudeness and purposely being hung up on when you call them to inquire about services and specials, this place is for you.
Ok. I speak the Korean language well enough that I can fool some people into thinking I'm fluent (depending on the subject matter). I called this place and chose to speak English because I had a simple question.
In the middle of my inquiry, the lady stopped me and told me, "You come here and look. I'm busy". Then immediately hung up the phone before I could say anything else. WHAT!!! GRRR. IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND ENGLISH, PLEASE ASK FOR SOME ASSISTANCE!
I was about to stop and switch languages when I realized she might not understand my question. But Nooooo. She'd rather be rude and hang up then make the effort to understand or get help.
No joke. I was so angry that I almost called back to ***** the lady out in Korean.
They should be receiving a letter from the BBB relatively shortly. Whatever, like that is going to do anything.
Don't go here if you can't speak Korean. You will most likely not get the best treatment. I can speak and will choose not eat here. -
Review from PJ H.
1/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
San Soo Gab San is a great Korean BBQ resto. It's open until 5:00am so great for the post drinking munchies...!!!
The kalbi is really good as is the kimchee pancake. The bulgogi is nothing special. The place is always crowded. The staff are friendly but sometimes you need to call them multiple time to get their attention.
I think they need to modernise the ventilation system for extracting the smoke from the BBS pit's. The system they have is decades old and sometimes the place gets way too smokey. The prices are a little high compared to other Korean BBQ places but then again the quantity of the food makes up for the higher prices... -
Review from Quinn B.
Fox River Grove, IL
1/8/2012
Wow! Korean BBQ comes fast and furious. Sit down, order and before you know it, there are small "tasting" samples that cover the entire table. My Korean sister in law said the service in these restaurants is not typically good, and that was true, but the food made up for it.
Hot sake, Bi Bim Bop and some terrific BBQ. Think of a fondue restaurant on steroids. No hot oil, just some hot coals and great food. -
Review from Natasha K.
Chicago, IL
12/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
How is it possible that I've found the best tasting Korean BBQ here in Chicago that rivals any L.A. Korean BBQ joint in K-town?! This place is amazing. The meat is well seasoned & packed w/ flavor. They even make the chicken taste incredible (which is not usually something I recommend ordering at a K joint.). Beef is where it's at. Kalbi, baby! Skip the beef bone though, the cartilage is way too tough.
You will leave stuffed. Get one of the combo specials w/ a big group of people to share. There's a salad course, a spicy soup course, Jap Chae (glass noodles), the plethora of pickled goodies in tiny bowls.... then apps get the seafood pancake and the dumplings for sure. All of this before you even get to the succulent pieces of meat & hot sticky rice. YUM.
My only reservations about the place is that they need better ventilation. Expect to leave smelling like Korean BBQ until you shower. Not a bad smell. Just a smoky bbq smell lingering in your clothes. (Leave your coat in the car.) Also, some people in our group were put off by the tradition of taking your shoes off before sitting at the larger tables. I thought the idea was cute but again, BE PREPARED TO TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES! Get a pedicure/wear the socks w/o holes/keep the stinky shoes at home! Once you get over that, it's a sweet find. Great for groups and an interactive dining experience. I would definitely go again! -
Review from Pascal M.
Naperville, IL
1/4/2012
Went here late, drunk, and hungry. Hit the spot.
They have a delcious Goat soup. Served in a nice deep (clay?) bowl and boiling hot with plenty of spice.
Good size menu, so theres likely something for everyone. I love Korean cuisine, it's a treat to have a server bring you 8-12 little plates (banchan) before your meal. Everything has it's own unique texture, color, and flavor.
Service is not the greatest, but that's to be expected. Just ask for pitcher of water and you'll deal.
Go late night and you're likely to run into some interesting charechters too. -
Review from Sung C.
Colorado Springs, CO
1/7/2012
I've called to make reservations for the group of 15 people to eat there. I've asked her about simple questions and she seemed she didn't understand. I asked her again and she got angry and told me " you come and look!" and she hung up on me!! Way to go! They just lost $400+ in business! Rude and unprofessional!
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Review from Pari P.
Excellent Korean food, open late, and caters to non-Koreans? I thought it wasn't possible so I ventured to San Soo Gab San with my wife since we both had a craving for Korean food.
Ah, a menu written in Korean AND English! The place got busy really quick. Those who arrived late had to sit in a different area where you remove your shoes and sit on the floor. I was really surprised at how busy and how diverse the customers were. We ordered the marinated beef short ribs (kalbi) and spicy pork belly (cheyook bokim). At first, the kalbi came out and looked like a small portion for $20 but it wasn't between two people. Then the cheyook bokim came out along with all of the side dishes (pan chan). The beef was sweet and salty and the pork was spicy - perfect combination. Although the pork belly wasn't as tender as I am used to in Chinese cuisine, it was still good. The number of pan chan filled our table ranging from kimchee, pickled vegetables, potato salad, and soup. Each had their own individual flavors and complimented the dishes.
With all of the food that we got, the meal came out to only $30 plus tax. Amongst two people, that's a steal. With authentic Korean food done well at reasonable prices, it's no reason why San Soo Gab San is doing so well. I'll have to come here again but for a late night fourth meal to try a different experience. I really appreciate how welcoming they are to diverse populations, Chicago needs more Korean restaurants like this. -
Review from Tim Y.
Manhattan, NY
12/24/2011
I can never remember this name no matter how many times I hear it. Luckily, that's not the case for the food. EPIC repertoire of banchan, delicious food, great service, open on all major holidays, and big portions. On top of that, the BBQ is done not on a gas grill, but on a super-legit down-to-its-roots charcoal-filled stone basin overlain by a chicken wire grill.
I don't have much detail about this, just because I think it's an overall perfect deal and tasty Korean food. And that's all you need. -
Review from Melanie V.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 11/16/2011 1 photo
Yeaaaaaaah. Wuddddup rudeness.
My friend and I were not even halfway through our meal...and the waitress basically threw the check at us and forced us to pay. Literally, we had half our meal left on our plates, but we had to leave....ASAP. W.T.F.
Naturally, my friend and I started to sh*t talk pretty loudly about how they only did it to us because we are a non-Korean Asian kind. (Seriously, though, they didn't seem to bother any other tables!) The waitress probably heard us grumbling because she came over and told us that since it was dinner time, they have to turn the tables over fast. (Ummm, ok...what about the OTHER tables?)
I mean, I get it - the service here has always sucked in the multiple years that I've been coming here. But...really? This was ridic. Just because this place is suddenly "hot", they somehow feel they can treat people like that? I'm sorry, but there are a ton of other Korean joints in this 'hood that I'll never have to come here again.Listed in: Asian Goodness, I call it West Rogers Park. …
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/28/2009
I heart this place!
Waaaaaaaaay back in the day...(I'm thinkin' 7 years), my friend and her bro's… Read more »
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Review from Mike R.
Chicago, IL
12/9/2011
One day something strange happened. I had a management directed day off and didn't know what to do with it. Well a few of my coworkers, who I'll refer to as my friends from now on, and I went to play some basketball. Tired, in need of more water, and HUNGRY, we decided to take a little trek to San Soo Gab San.
Now, I've had Korean BBQ before, but this was my first visit to SSGB. Luckily for me, one of my friends is Korean and knows how to do a little talking. We ended up getting Kalbe, squid, and octopus. All of the little dishes with it were great and we had so much food. As far as the meat goes, yeah again, very nicely done. The marinades on all of them were great.
Service was semi slow, but overall a great place. I have been back a few times since and everything was the same as the first visit. The last few visits, I took some other friends who had never had Korean BBQ, or even heard of it, before. Well, they are pretty huge fans now to say the least. -
Review from Khadijah L.
Chicago, IL
12/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Oh Korean BBQ and Karaoke... What can I say? (Awesome)
San Soo Gab San is awesome. One of the most popular Korean BBQ restaurant and rightfully so. It's authentic Korean, Korean people come and eat here, and even the ladies who work here are like the rude asian aunties (I say that in an endearing way because I'm Asian and perhaps one day I will also become a rude asian aunty) that I encounter in Asia. But seriously I do love them, and their blunt manners. It's weird, I know.
Perfect place for gathering with friends around fire like our ancestors did, to eat flame grilled meat. MEAT!!!
Your hair will stink for days, your breath will smell like kimchee. Wear and old tshirt. Don't go to a fancy establishment afterwards without showering 2x.
Vegetarians will also not be disappointed by the amass of side dishes that come with the meats. But it is probably best that they skip this one. -
Review from Daniel Y.
Chicago, IL
1/6/2012
I have been coming here for well, I won't tell you the years but the Kalbi price on the menu was 10.95 per order when I started coming here. To me this is the best and most authentic Korean food in Chicago, barnone! I know because I used to live there. I've been to solga, cho sun ok, hae woon dae due to others recommendations and its no comparison. Those other places are watered down Korean. The flavor is not the authentic flavor I've had. Love the fact that they burn the wooden charcoal in lieu of gas grill as there is distinct flavor difference. However, the novelty of grilling has worn off, I no longer cook here. I tell my dining companions ahead of time, listen this ain't my first tango so you cook EVERYTHING if you wanna use the grill, otherwise, I am perferctly happy letting the chef in the kitchen cook my MEAT! Anyways, I've had almost everything off the menu here but these days I get the same thing over and over. kalbi, kimchee zigae, yook gae jang, hae mul pajun, bibim naeng myun. All Excellent. Never had a bad meal here and I won't go into service because believe it or not, they've been very good to me but you can read the reviews yourself. In order to understand their service, you must/have to understand the Korean culture. If you understand the culture, you will understand the service and its not a bad thing. No matter how many caucasians you see here, remember that this is a Korean restaurant. I still love this place. One thing is that since they will not let you bring red wine, I really really really really wish they'd at least have some red wine on the menu available for sale.
I also see that they're opening a new location in Glenview near Golf and Washington....I have my fingers crossed that they'll either allow its patrons to bring red wine or sell red wine. -
Review from PJ J.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 11/3/2011
FLAVORFUL, AND PLEASANTLY RUDE.
It takes a lot of guts to attempt to run a place that puts burning hardwood charcoal within reach of the general public. It takes even more guts to also make sonju, and big ass bottles of beer available while you're playing with fire.
I personally enjoy the rudeness very much and prefer it over insincerity.
Their BBQ meat is the most flavorful, tasty shit around.
The panchan (banchan?) -Most generous!!! It seems like 25+ little dishes spilling over the edge of the table...crazy yummy -all of them...tasty as all get out.
I am never ashamed to waddle home smelling like beer, garlic, smoke and kimchi.
"You been here too long, time to go!" Hell yeah! I love this place.
Food and EVERYTHING ROCKS. +1 star for authentic rudeness.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/21/2010
****RUDE!!! and YUMMY!!!**********
Just the way it was meant to be!
Get in there, maybe make it the… Read more »
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Review from Ryan B.
Palatine, IL
1/8/2012
If you've been around the Korean culinary block a few times you know not to expect any kind of high-end service while dining. This restaurant is no exception, however the food more than makes up for it. The Kal Bi and Bulgogi are seasoned to perfection and once grilled over charcoal, cancel Christmas. Amazing taste!! The best chop chae any where around and tons and tons of bahn chan make this a well-rounded winner every time. Word of caution: you will get very, very smokey, so wear jeans and casual clothes.
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Review from Mike S.
Chicago, IL
9/3/2011
Food: 4 Stars
Service: 1 Star (since I can't do negatives)
Been here many times and never had a problem. Why one star then?
Because the service was almost comical in how bad it was.
After waiting 15 minutes we were served the small dishes and finally had to ask the bus boy for water since we never got any. Then we didn't get the beer we ordered until halfway through the meal. They didn't turn on the fan until we complained. Our waitress showed up maybe four times. To take our order, to bring beer and then food and then for the check. The list goes on.
And when she brought the check she hovered until we told her we needed a minute. I ended up slipping the bus boy a five and gave the waitress $9 on a $105 total because he gave us better service than she did and works a lot harder (you try carrying that thing of burning coals all night).
But wait, it gets better. She had the nerve to come to our table right after I signed to try to shoo us out quickly and if that wasn't bad enough she looked at the signed receipt and pointed to the tip because she thought it was too little. "Only $9 dolla?" she said.
You have to be f-ing kidding me.
I told her the service sucked and that's why it was so low. She's lucky I didn't grab it from her hand, cross it off, and give her nothing. I understand its a Saturday night and you are busy and trying to turn over a table, but that level of service and the balls of the waitress to say that at the end is absolutely inexcusable.
San soo gab san will be lucky if I ever come back and if I do it sure as hell won't be on a weekend. In fact, I advise nobody to go there on the weekend unless you like being treated like shit. -
Review from Victoria O.
Riverside, IL
Updated - 12/15/2011
Ok, I have to say, I'm irritated by the other reviews. So many focus on the supposed "bad service." I have been here several times in (as Sinatra said) 'the wee small hours of the morning'...and these ladies do their job, regardless of who they are dealing with. (Think of the 'wee small hours' and the people that may inhabit that time period.) The ladies seat you, they serve you wonderful food, and they make sure you have what you need. They are straightforward. They are working their asses off, people, and dealing with all sorts of folk in all sorts of...states. So back off. Seriously.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/13/2011
I see a lot of reviews here about rude servers, which I find funny. This place is packed all the… Read more »
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Review from Chris L.
Naperville, IL
12/25/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Once again, the service was below par here. Although the bus boy filled our waters and cleared the empty dishes, the waitress couldn't be bothered to change the grill or check up on us. Actually, their usual apathy was nice when the meal was over because we weren't rushed out when the check was due. As in like it took like 15 minutes to wait for the check and pay. Otherwise the appetizers were their usual random goodness and I have nobody to blame for overlooked beef but myself. Be sure to "remind" them about soup if your meal is supposed to come with it, as they tend to forget it when focusing on ignoring your table. You know how the hot girl always goes back to the douchebag? That's us consistently returning here to be blighted in exchange for the opportunity to cook our own food when dining out.
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Review from Joanne C.
Chicago, IL
9/11/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Oh SSGS. I want to love you, I really do. Your bountiful banchan is what keeps me coming back despite your poor service. I have no problems with the busboys and the guys who change out the grill....they're great. No problem there.
But the ladies. Oh the ladies. Why are you so impatient with us? Is it because we're not Korean? Are we not cooking the meats properly? Do you want us to eat all the little dishes, even the ones we don't particularly like? PLEASE I implore you! Let us know what we have to do so that when you see us it will be like a happy friendly reunion filled with good food and good times.
Ok so maybe it can't play out like that but I would like to go there just once and not feel like I was forcing them to feed me and the sooner I left the better. Please? -
Review from Diana W.
Chicago, IL
10/25/2011
Smoky? Yes
Expensive as compared to other korean joints? Yes
Impersonal wait staff? Yes
but....
Fun experience? Yes
Open late? Yes
Good food? Yes
Lots of Panch'an? Yes
I found that if you're not into the whole bbq thing, some tasty and less $$$ options would be the Jap Chae or their Soon Tofu. I've always left full and happy. When we didn't get bbq my bank account was full and happy too. Can't beat that. -
Review from J R.
West Des Moines, IA
12/25/2011
This place is rockstar. I've been coming here for YEARS and it's always delicious. Excellent Kalbi but it's better if you cook it at your table yourself. Their spicy squid is great and the amount of side dishes that come complimentary is amazing (upwards of 30 little dishes). Their cold, spicy noodles (bi bin lang mein) is tasty but not the best I've had. It fills the void though...! Their kim chee soup is great and overall this place is a favorite. We go every time we visit Chicago!
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Review from a. a.
Wilmette, IL
9/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love this place and it's open LAAATE! San Soo Gab San is best with a group of friends. If you find small talk boring at the dinner table, then fear no more. You'll be more interested in the other aspects Korean BBQ has to offer: drinking, cooking your own meat, and experimenting (if you are unfamiliar) with the large array of side dishes.
The restaurant is normally pretty busy, especially late at night, so the waiters may not seem as "friendly" as you'd hoped for, but I have never had exceptionally bad service here except for getting an untimely refill on my water.
And yeah, there really is no decor whatsoever, but don't let that stop you from enjoying a fun and delish meal.
My favorite dishes are the BBQ marinated beef and kimchi/bacon stew. And don't be afraid to cook your own meat. Even if you overcook it, it will still be good and I sometimes enjoy a charred flavor. I also use the lettuce to create wraps with the meat and just add in whatever side dish I feel like. There will be enough food to go around, so don't worry about wasting anything.
One more thing...make sure you get a piece of bone to suck on after the meal. Bones preserve the best flavor! -
Review from Larisa O.
Chicago, IL
8/18/2011
I'm sure this would have been a 4 star review if we had actually had food brought to the table. But we had a very surreal experience with the service that borders on traumatic.
I was so excited to go here. We were seated at the same time with another young couple at a large table and the waitress promptly took their order and spread before them a sumptuous array of kim chee. My date made the apparenly tragic misstep of asking for a few more minutes and the waitress seemed to banish us from her consciousness. She'd come to the table to check in with or neighbors, but refused to make eye contact with us or acknowlege us at all.
We flagged down another waitress who wrote our order on her hand and disappeared. We were there for about 30 minutes with no kim chee, no offer of drinks or water, and no eye contact / recognition from any of the many waitstaff.
Considering that my date is diabetic and his blood sugar was dropping, this was an extra bad feeling. Beyond that, everyone in the restaurant seemed to be feasting around us, and the smoke from their grilling was perfuming our very existence. I started wondering if I was wearing colors that in Korean culture are considered a bad omen. I was wondering if there were apparitions of ghosts above our heads, creating a black cloud of doom that warned the waitresses, Stay Away.
After 30 minutes of this, we walked out unfed and heavily scented with Korean B-B-Q smoke, and proceeded to argue in the parking lot about whose fault it was that we didn't get service.
I thought it was his because he was a little gruff when he asked for a few more minutes.
He thought it was mine because I was 'sitting the wrong way' at our low table.
We left and went to L. Woods Pine Lodge to heal our culture shock with what turned out to be a 1/2 price bottle of Malbec, a very tasty meal and amazing service.
I still want to go back to San Goob Gab Sann and am wondering if I should do so in a wig and sunglasses like a NY Times food critic. -
Review from Jane Y.
10/2/2011
Wood fire BBQ. A million banchan. Like, literally, dozens, fanning the table, no space to put your actual eating plates, utensils or drinkware. The BBQ is VERY tasty; not the best I've had but really you're coming for the experience. If you're coming for the best Korean food you'll ever have, don't come here.
It's smoky. Like sitting in a chimney. If that's not your idea of fun, don't come here.
The waitresses are typical of a lot of korean restaurants. They're bossy. They want to do what they want their way, not your way. That doesn't mean they're mean. But like an overcritical mom, they will tell you what you're doing wrong. If you need to get their attention, do not be shy about standing up physically and waving your arms back and forth until they come over. They will not "be offended," (unless you are snotty and rude when they come over). It's all part of the package. If you're afraid to insist on service, don't come here.
Went with a group of five, it was fun, delicious, and we left with a table full of empty giant OB bottles. Good times, in short. -
Review from Reid B.
Chicago, IL
12/23/2011
This place is tight, crowded, and there's generally a decent wait for a table, but once you get in and start pouring you BYOB this place is like heaven. The food is excellent (kalbi and cheyook bokim were superb) and the side dishes appeared to be endless - my party of 7 departed feeling full and elated on an inexpensive $120 check.
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Review from Connie M.
Chicago, IL
8/19/2011
So I biked up with some friends last weekend and we arrived at 3 am. They have a neon light over the front door that posts its closing time at 5 am. The door was unlocked. People were leisurely eating inside. And the lady who appeared to be the head waitress told us, "We're closed."
What? There's rude and then there's lazy beyond belief.
I think the only reason we got to eat was because we had an Asian person in our group--who, mind you is Chinese. Upon seeing her, the boss lady relented, but only addressed accepted orders from her for the rest of the evening--the other 5 of us didn't exist.
The groups that came in after us weren't so lucky. All turned away.
But then again, I wouldn't consider my experience after the initial "good." They wouldn't turn on the grill for us--dragon lady would only accept an order for something cooked in the kitchen. Actually, only one thing--this very mediocre pan friend bulgogi. We kept trying to order other things, but she would just respond, "bulbogi."
It was almost hilarious, were I not really hungry and paying to be treated like *&^%
If this is typical, I can see why this style of restaurant is dying. -
Review from Nick L.
San Francisco, CA
10/4/2011
The food is actually probably 4-5 stars but this place is unfortunately 3 stars overall.
The side dishes are plentiful and a great start while you wait for the onslaught. The onslaught of smelling like a meat smoke stack that is!
We came in a group and ordered off the set menu (one in the group was Korean so we let them do the talking) and all was going well.
The food came out and it was juicy, succulent and super tasty. We were all nicely full when everything was said and done.
Then the bill came. And the oddity began. We ordered for 6 people off the multi- person set menu, so we assumed we would be charged 6 x the single person price.
However the place and hostess charged us for 7 and said that you have to have 7 people even though it doesn't state that anywhere in the menu. We go on and on and round and round on this and even in Korean we got nowhere.
We took cash out of the ATM and paid the exact amount with $1 extra, i.e. basically the tip was removed to cover the extra person charge. I thought that was a bit shady of the restaurant and they wouldn't budge even though there were clearly 6 people at the table. I don't know what they were smoking that night (probably all that meat stench) but I wasn't paying enough attention as I don't speak the lingo!
Oh well - guess this place is off the list. But darn - the food was pretty good!! Buyer beware. -
Review from Mishelle O.
Brooklyn, NY
8/27/2011
This is a great place for groups- large and small. The food is great, the dining is very communal, and the restaurant is large and now takes reservations. It can be a little difficult your first visit if you are unfamiliar with Korean food, as the place is usually pretty busy, the staff moves about quickly, and you will see plumes of smoke rising into giant overhead hood vents right at diners' tables. But don't fear, you will get the hang of it and become hooked! If you are a meat-eater, you have the opportunity to grill cuts of meat and seafood right at your table or have it cooked in the kitchen. You get a lot of little appetizer dishes to start which is fun to try and share. If you are a vegetarian, I recommend the Dol Sot Bebimbop- just ask for no beef. If you are vegan get it without egg as well- it will still be very delicious!
The space is large and although not anywhere near "fine" dining, it's comfortable. The service is fast, and while some of the staff don't have great English-speaking skills, there are a couple of ladies there who can help if you have questions and will even poke fun at you, in a playful way. Heads up that your clothes will smell like a cookout when you leave, and also if you are in a large group, you will most likely be sitting in a semi-private raised floor area. You will have to remove your shoes and sit on the floor of the area- so keep that in mind for people who may be uncomfortable with that. There is a parking lot, but it's very tight and you risk having people bump and scratch you car more than usual, but there is free street parking in the area. Lastly, there is a very small waiting area, and they will not seat your party until everyone is there.
These may sound like a lot of obstacles to deal with for food- but I'm telling you that it's worth it. If you haven't had Korean food- give this place a shot! -
Review from Fawn J.
Chicago, IL
9/24/2011
MMM.... Love you! Love you! Love you!
You would get all 5 stars if you weren't so expensive...
I've been here a few times and each time I've loved it. It's been the best Korean BBQ place in the area I've been to. I crave it.
I love the wine selection so much I now make regular trips to the Korean grocery store just for the liquor. haha.
The service is by American standards not that great, but let's get real folks, it's an authetic Korean restaurant, not an American one. My waitresses have always been super helpful in telling me what to order, nearly demanding it at times. But you do have to ask for things multiple times before it comes and it is occasionally hard to order or understand what your server is saying. But in the end, I get food and it tastes great!
I love the seating also, it's very traditional.
If you are not adventurous and don't do well with standards that are normal for other cultures, you should probably stick to the Cheesecake Factory. -
Review from Nick P.
Chicago, IL
11/6/2011
Having a Korean-American wife and Korean mother-in-law I would say that I have a decent idea of what good Korean food tastes like. This place used to be the above average in my book but has definitely downgraded its food from good to horrible. On top of that, the service is egregiously rude. I am amazed that they call themselves servers at all since they are not deserving of this title. I don't know about you but when someone puts a dish on the corner of the table without announcing the name of the dish or the trying to find out who ordered it, I find myself holding back really hard from giving them a $0 tip. To explain this shift in quality, some say that ownership has changed, others say that the growing presence of non-Koreans dining here has diluted the service/food quality. Whatever the reason, I would rather eat cardboard than come back here again.
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Review from T T.
Chicago, IL
12/8/2011
The food is OK. Service can be rude if you are not Korean. Huge variety of side dishes yummy!!!!
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Review from Alex K.
Chicago, IL
8/27/2011
Hungry at 3am? Feeling like grilling your own food? This is your place. Went here with a group of three and really wasn't told anything about it before I sat down. Service wasn't good but not terrible compared to some of the things I read on here, Ordered up some meats and then something amazing happened. They roll out this cart with something like 20 plates and bowls of all kinds of kimchi. There was almost no room on the table after they gave us everything.
They set up a grill for you in the middle of the table and you get to cook your own meats they provide. Get ready to come home smelling like a campfire though. Everything was good and I like grilling so it was a pretty cool experience.
TL;DR
-Grill your own meats!
-Awesome appetizer presentation
-meh service -
Review from Lin S.
South Bend, IN
11/7/2011
The food here is delicious! My favorite spot in chicago to get korean BBQ, as the service is not the same. The waitresses were really rude, I came in with a huge group of friends about 15 of us, thinking they would be happy as to money would be rolling in..they were really rude to us. When they brought the side plates to us they just kind of tossed then on the table. After receiving all the food, they never came back to refill the waters or even ask if we were doing okay. The food is great but service is bad.
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Review from Precious B.
Chicago, IL
9/24/2011
I've been going to this place for a long time and prepare yourselves for a SMOKE FEST lol it gets packed and smokey!
The service is ok I commend the nice hispanic male waitor who attended to us very well but some of the Korean waitresses can be a bit snobby and don't really pay attention to the customer's needs nor understand....the food is incredible with side orders galore like potato salad, tofu, kimchee and seaweed, bbq is amazing.....enough said -
Review from Julia B.
10/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
Step through the doors of this restaurant in a tiny strip mall and you are immediately transported to a Korean BBQ adventure. My friends brought me to San Soo knowing that I love to try new ethnic foods and I'm so glad they did! Also I am really glad with someone who knew what they were doing because I would have felt totally lost here my first time.
We were promptly seated at one of the low tables, which seemed really cool at first, but in retrospect was not a good idea for myself because my knee does not allow me to sit cross-legged for long periods of time. My friends knew which meat was the best so we ordered a variety and got the soft shell crab as an appetizer-yum!. Although, you don't really need an appetizer because your meat is served almost immediately. Then they brought out our own personal grill, our meat variety, and 20+ little bowls with all kinds of mysterious contents. Oh and fresh lettuce leaves and rice too (the bowls, rice, and lettuce leaves are included in the price of meat). The mystery content bowls are the real adventure because you really have no idea what you are eating, unless you are a Korean food expert. Then we were pretty much on our own to grill the meat and make lettuce wraps, while also adding mystery ingredients from all the bowls.
The grilling is harder than it looks, but luckily the meat is cut pretty thin so it does not cook long, however it does get stuck to the grill often. We must have been struggling because at one point one of the waitresses came up and showed us how to better grill the meat. I definitely appreciated this because it showed us how it's really done, but was not rude or pushy.
Have to take off half a star for the smoky smell that goes home with you on your clothes instead of a doggy bag. Also had to take half a star off for the price, you do get a lot of food, but I still thought it was kind of pricey for meat that you cook yourself. The food really was excellent though, and I left feeling stuffed, satisfied, and later that night I dreamed of meat. -
Review from Adrienne T.
Chicago, IL
12/6/2011
authentic flavor comes with authentic service
I'm fresh off the boat from S. Korea and I was craving some authentic K food. Luckily I was in the right neighborhood when my craving hit.
I decided to take a chance on this place for lunch.
I ordered the , YukGaeJang, also known as shredded beef soup with vermicelli noodles. The taste was identical to what I would find in S. Korea so I was pleased.
What I found most appealing (and that's why im rating it 5 stars) were the side dishes. I was given 9 different side dishes including three types of kimchi. It was heaven. The taste was the same and they were all freshly made. The server saw that I was finished with a few and offered more to me (that's another reason I love dining Korean style (the banchan/side dishes are free!)).
The prices were quite right for the quality and amount you got. Even the BBQ prices were not too high.
I will definitely return.
I read that some other people had bad experiences with the servers and customer service. The lady that served me was quite nice, especially when she found out I could speak Korean. She wasn't able to speak any English so the language/culture barrier could be one reason for misunderstanding.
As far as the service goes...people in Korea use a buzzer when they want something. When I want something in Korea..I usually have to wave the server over or give them a shout of "Yogiyo!" to tell them I need something. Korean servers don't come to you unless called. Keep that in mind. don't forget for authentic flavor you will get authentic service ;)
BTW, I've visited a few other places in Chicago. So far this place takes FIRST PLACE. -
Review from Jane U.
Chicago, IL
11/14/2011
I went there couple of times before. I will never go there again. The food is ok... Side dishes are awesome. But servers are horrible and rude. If you are Asian they act like they want some respect from you just because they are older than you!!! I have to ask water, chopstick or whatever I need for at least 3 times. Ok then it's time to go... Once before I was there with my girlfriends and staff was rude so we didn't leave tip for them but for bus boy. He was same victim like us. They treat him so bad. And in the parking lot there's a lady who served us. She was screaming and yelling that we didn't leave the tip for her. Of course I wouldn't, but we did for bus boy and we won't tell you that!!! Well bad place, don't go there!!!
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Review from Martin B.
Chicago, IL
8/20/2011
I've tried this restaurant twice in recent time. On both occassions I've had a bad experience. The waitresses were rude and would not let me finish telling them what I wanted to order. They just run off, to eventually come back and throw our million side dishes on the table. The bulgogi was good, but the giant tweezer that she used to throw the meat around the fire with, were not the cleanest.
This is a typical restaurant that could have had ten chain restaurants around the city based on their food, but the waitresses are so ridiculously rude, that I know that will never happen. I will never set foot in there again.
