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Categories: Korean, Gas & Service Stations
Neighborhood: Lincoln SquareMon-Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 a.m.
"The portions are HUGE! The size of the fish on the nagiri was ridiculous. Usually the nagiri can be one big bite but their portions are…" read more »
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This restaurant is like being w/ an extremely hot girl/guy with a nice body, but has a crappy personality.
The service is horrible (more on this later), but the food is so good that you always end up coming back.
Their galbi is still one of my favorites of all time (yes, I am Korean)....and some people who don't know much about grilling don't realize that it's not just the quality of the meat, but the quality of the "heat". What does that mean? Well, most korean bbq's allow you to grill your own meat, but is usually on a gas grill or a psuedo-charcoal grill. This place uses real charcoal, which really adds some great smoky flavors. So yes, the ventilation can be a little bad and your clothes will smell like smoke, but that is b/c this is REAL bbq. Their jjigaes are good and their buddae jjigae is the best i've had in chicago.
the service, however, is horrible and you just need to learn to accept that. They will not smile, refill your water, check up on you, or even acknowledge anything you say with a nod or an "okay". Is this acceptable? definitely not. But will i keep going there b/c the food is good? totally. but how do you boost your ability to get good service? a few tips/tricks:
* Order kalbi. if everyone just orders soups/jjigaes, you will be treated like scum. Make at least a couple orders of kalbi in addition to your soups. I think a 1/2 order of kalbi per person is a good minimum.
* If you plan on ordering beer/soju, do it in the begininng. For some reason, ordering alcohol triggers something in their brain to treat you like a human being. So if you already plan on ordering drinks, do it in the beginning so that you get good service throughout the meal.
*Keep the bar low. As with any hot girl/guy with a hot body and crappy personality, quit expecting the personality to magically change. it won't. and neither will their service. Just accept that it is bad and you will just find it amusing.
The quality of the food is literally clouded by the awful ventilation system that cooks you as much as the food. The service is speedy, perfunctory, and makes you feel guilty for not bolting out the door as soon as you finish your last bite. Talk about a volume-based restaurant.
However - abundant banchan for reasonable prices go a long way (they have good "sohn mat" here, meaning good "hand-taste" - great flavor). It's the real deal, for real Korean-food veterans.
Dear Korean BBQ,
Where in the hell have YOU BEEN my whole life?
The Future Mrs. took me to SSGS for The Birthday. I had never had you before and I was intrigued by the idea of trying something new. I just thought I was getting a nice meal and an evening out. But I got so much more.
Like 16 small bowls of so much more. It doesn't matter that I could only identify maybe four of those bowls, nor does it matter that none of the servers took the time to ID these bowls. This just made the whole enterprise a bit more sporting. Everything you gave me was strange and tasty, including the ginormous seafood cake, you glorious bastard.
You also allowed me to cook my own meat at the table. You have no idea how many times I have requested this privilege at other restaurants (P.S. Charlie Trotter was kind of a dick about it too). Grilling my own beef spare ribs and pork ribs? Showing off my manly grilling prowess in front of the Future Mrs.? For reals?!
Oh, Korean BBQ. You complete me. I shall return.
Love,
Fernando
We went after having read the bad reviews about the bad service so I supposed my expectations were of that. But because we went with that knowledge we had a great time. It was more "no service" rather than "bad service". I think the language barrier makes it hard for good service. We didn't even get a How is everything? Can I get you anything else? ... It's one of those places where if you don't ask you won't get because it's just not a service oriented restaurant. But the food definitely makes up for it. I feel full just thinking about it. We ordered the Korean beef and Marinated pork for our main meats. The soup, rice and all the sides was more than enough for two people.
Ever since dining at San Soo Gab San a couple months ago, I will periodically find myself chanting its name in my head as I walk down the road in stride with my steps, it has a very metronomic quality to it. I still don't know why I do that, but that is a side point.
The food at SSGS is an experience to say the least. We only ventured to try the grill-it-yourself meat items (ribeye, chicken, octopus) which were all very good, but I wish they would give some guidance on how long to cook certain items.
The Ribeye was hands down the best item on the menu for the following reasons:
1. The meat is tender
2. It is flavorful, even if you overcook it
3. They give you a pair of giant kitchen shears to cut it with.
The side dishes are what make the dining experience so memorable. My limited experiences at other Korean BBQ places leads me to believe that the number of side dishes they give you at SSGS is extraordinary (must have been at least 30). They weren't all delicious, but it was great to try all those different items, and could potentially be meal on their own.
I liked the service simply because of its ballsiness and attitude.
Ballsiness: when the bus boys bring your grill to the table, they put you at risk of 3rd degree burns at least 3 times between walking to the table and setting the grill in its holder, which is sweet.
Attitude: at least a few of the waitresses are super sassy and will gladly make fun of you. Kind of like a korean ed debevic's.
Its worth the trip if only to experience it once.
Ok people, let's talk.
Considering that half of my family is Korean, I have seen my fair share of KBBQ. This is one of the best. Partially because the food is bomb, you get TONS of panchan, and it's open 'til 5am. There is a reason for the wait (as there usually is one especially come weekend).
Let me let you in on a little secret: Koreans don't care about service. They do however, take their food SERIOUSLY. I've found that the lack of good service is part of the charm at San Soo. I'll be honest about something else...if you want decent service, you go with one of your Korean friends. That's just how it is.
So people, don't come here if you're expecting fine dining. It's all about the food. Nothing more, nothing less.
Cheers!
I am uber surprised by yelpers noting bad service at this place. The service was outstanding, servers were darting around all over the place - clearing out plates, changing the grill, bringing more beer....
I had been wanting to try this meatfest for awhile now, and though I thought it was a super fun experience with a larger group, I wouldn't say that I thought it was all that yummy. For one, I was not a fan of the dipping sauce, which probably had a lot to do with it. I wish there would have been more choices in that respect. The meats we ordered were just fine, my favorite being the pork ribs. Definitely the best choice. Our server steered us away from the teriyaki beef for whatever reason.
The kajillion small plates coming to the table were lovely visually, the mung beans and kimchee (?) being my favorites. The best thing at the whole meal was the soup. The spicy miso soup with tofu and jalapeno. That stuff was amazing!
All in all, I am glad I went. I wasn't floored by the food, but the $24/each (incl tip) was just about right!
Having grown up in Dallas (and LA), I have had the chance to eat some damn good homecooked/restaurant Korean BBQ. So I definitely did not come here with any high expectations. I took my mother here (another tough Korean food critic) when she came to visit for the weekend. Not being from the midwest, I was definitely not impressed. However, this place is probably the best Korean BBQ you're going to find in Chicago.
San Soo Gab San gives a lot of "ban-chan" aka side dishes. They give you like 20-25 different side dishes, which is a little overboard in my opinion, but hey I didn't mind :)
Now on to the Korean BBQ section of this review. Now considering this place is known for its Korean BBQ, I was very disappointed in the whole set up of the grill. They got one thing right, the use of coals. Basically there is this hole in the table where the coals go and then they place a small flat grill RIGHT ABOVE the coals. So your korean bbq is basically sitting on top of the coals and separated by a small thin grill. After a while, the BBQ ends up tasting like coal/smoke and it ruins the flavor.
We ordered two orders of the Wang Galbi (the best one in my opinion). It was pretty decent. Not the best korean bbq but we definitely enjoyed it. The third order was this other Gal Bi which I don't remember, but it was extremely salty due to the heavy marinating.... it was difficult to eat. Even worse, they brought us the meat still partially frozen. I was shocked that they would bring us half frozen meat and then try to play it off like it's supposed to be that way. You can't pull that one off with Korean people who have ate korean food their entire lives.
Anyways, despite my criticisms - this place is probably the best korean food you are going to see in Chicago. It's packed, so definitely a lot of people obviously enjoy it. Just make sure you bring a Korean person with you because despite the stereotype that all Korean servers are absolutely terrible at service and are racist, it is true in the majority of the cases. So just bring a Korean speaking friend just in case.
To non Korean folks - this place is probably the best
To Korean folks - average
A good friend has been telling about this place for a while and we FINALLY went today for lunch...and I am GLAD I did.
Located north of Foster on Western, San Soo Gab San is a traditional Korean BBQ place, but they serve a wide variety of Korean delicacies besides grilled food.
When we got to the restaurant, there was a small parking lot in the front. A VERY small parking lot. Now I have not been to this place on Fridays and Saturdays, but based on the food, I would be amazed if this place is not packed!
When we entered, the second thing I noticed about this place is the VERY orangey color on the walls. Again, thankfully, I am not there for the decor, which I found kinda dull and very halloweenish! On the other hand, there were other people who were enjoying their grilled meat on the over the table grills...and the delicious aroma MADE ME HUNGRY!
The third thing I noticed was the menu...it was the size of one volume of almanac...very big. Again, I was amazed by the variety of dishes and I cannot wait to go there again to try some more stuff.
So, for starters, I ordered tempura fried oysters (as you may know, I can have a full diet on oysters if I had my way!). When the oysters came out, they were freshly fried, very light on the breading and made me want more...but I was saving room for the piece de resistance!
Both my friend and I ordered the Dol Sot Bi Bim Bob...which looks like a stew dish because it is served on a traditional stone bowl that is extremely hot. This dish, consists of the following: a layer of rice at the bottom of the searing bowl, topped with vegetables (greens and mushrooms....mmmmm) and beef, with a sunny side up fried egg on top. I personally did not think there was a right way to eat it....but my friend taught me her technique of meshing it all up and adding the special sauce they gave us...WOW...talk about a hearty delicious meal.
This dish also came with their version of miso soup, with chunks of tofu and cucumbers in it...and very soothing!
And no Korean meal is complete with a sampling of pickled veggies...the kimchee was especially outstanding.
So, if you live in the north side and fancy Korean food, try San Soo Gab San...You won't be sorry!
This is one of the best places to eat authentic Korean Food! My friend taught me what page of the menu to look into and I ordered my bibimbop for less than $10! It came in the traditional stone pot, steaming with all tons of rice and vegetables which were cooked perfectly!
But wait, that's not the best part. For every order of food, they give you a load of side dishes. Actually its more of TONS of side dishes. They fill up your table with all sorts of korean kimchi ranging from the traditional napa cabbage, radish to spinach and seaweed! Very flavorful and can't be anymore authentic!
Aside from the cheap eats in the menu, they also serve the traditional grilled short ribs, seafood pancake amongst other good eats. But I am very much happy to stick with my BIG bowl of bibimbop :)
O yeah, don't expect much from the service. It can be quite erratic, sometimes they are in a good mood and there will be bad days for them. So if they are a bit abrasive on the service, just brush it off and enjoy your meal!
Of course there are better Korean restaurants. Of course there are "more authentic" Korean restaurants (whatever that means). Of course they did it differently at that restaurant you always used to go to during your semester abroad in Korea. Of course there are other Korean restaurants that cater to the Food Network-cultivated prejudices of middlebrow Chicago foodies.
Ok, listen, that's not why you come here. This is why you come here.
You come here because you want to spend 3 or 4 hours of a cold evening drinking and talking happily with your friends and eating bulgogi and banchan while wrapped in a warm cocoon of smoke from the coals, the transcendent smell of grilling meat, and the kind of quiet that comes from being in a loud room full of happy people all doing exactly the same thing.
You come here because it's 3 am on a cold night, you've just left the bar, and you're dying for the kind of buzzed, happy, post-beer food-daze that only cooking meat at your table with fire and stuffing your face with kimchi and namul can bring.
Cranky servers and dangerously hot grills inches from your vulnerable flesh, yes - and heaps and heaps of magical comfort food.
So put on your coat and gloves and come here. It's getting to be about that time.
WORST SERVICE EVER !!!!!!!!!!
I've been here several times, just because it open late and my friend like the food here. Food was pretty good, but I still give them only one star because of SUCK service. Server never revisit the table until the end of the meal. They seem to rush us to order and pay. After getting bill, I and my friends wanted to pay cash. While we were still working on our bill, the waitress stand right at our table, waiting us to pay the bill. I told her to give us a minute, I think she didn't really understand that since she stood still. We gave them exact change and intend to put tip on the table because we weren't done yet with calculating. She counted money right away, and ask us "no tip??" What a rude service is that !!!!! I don't think we even need to leave tip because we didn't get any kind of things that called "service"
I crack up when I read reviews where people "won't ever go there again because of the terrible service". Seriously? You're going to an Asian restaurant... what do you expect? It's par for the course! FYI, my grandmother is an immigrant from China and a restaurant owner so I KNOW what kind of service you should expect...
Anyways, yeah, the service is laughable. You have to often ask to have your water glass refilled. We have a pretty funny story about how one night we were there with 4 people but only ordered for 3 so they wouldn't give us a extra soup although we said from the get-go that we would pay extra for it. You gotta look past that though...
They have the best dol sot bi bim bap I have ever had. You have to let it sit for a while before you scrape the bottom so the rice gets all crispy... I love that. They also have a really good soup (see above) that comes with your order. It's a miso based tofu, peanut and jalapeno soup... just fantastic.
Get over the bad service... suck it up... and dig in.
What a fun time! My wife and I eat out all the time and actually have a log of the restaurants we go to and the food we ate. We ordered the Rib Eye and the Korean Bacon entrees and a few OB Korean Beers. Service was fast and cooking at the table is always fun. But, what really impressed us was the Tsunami of side dishes that came out before we even got the entrees. From kimchi to seaweed and bean sprouts and fried leaks and garlic and jellyfish... well you get the idea (I counted 22 side dished!). My wife tried them all, I think I missed one or two due to my mental overload of trying to decide what to eat! Before the entrees came we were presented with a delicious sizzling soup of miso broth vegetables and tofu (awesome, and stayed hot in the pot they served it in throughout our meal). The service was good, not great, but I never expect much in the line of service in an Asian restaurant (not to be a jerk, its a fact). The rib eye was tender and we cooked it to a perfect rare+ / medium rare... it could have used a little more seasoning, but that was our own fault because there were plenty of options to enhance the meat (we just got excited and started cooking, something I, as a chef, was a bit ashamed of... oh well, next time). The bacon (and they give you like a whole pound of it) was good. My wife is more used to smoked American bacon and wasn't that impressed, but we both agreed that it was tasty. I will be honest... of the 22 side dishes there were a few, not many that were really not very appetizing (and we are both major food adventurists). Nothing was bad... just a few things we only tried once. There were 3 different Kimchi sides that were all fun and delicious and not overly salty (like most are). The only downside to the restaurant may be that you smell like a fire pit when you leave and that there is no music playing when you eat (at least when we went).
Bottom Line: This restaurant is a ton of fun and I strongly recommend it to anyone looking to do something different. The ingredients were all authentic and fresh and the fun of cooking at the table makes the whole thing worth it. Its like fondu for people who aren't in 1973 and is a bit (not much) more healthy. Please support this restaurant so it always is there for us to enjoy. And if you are looking for a cool place to take a date that isn't a "restaurant", this is perfect... it forces conversation and is an icebreaker in itself. Enjoy!
This is probably one of my favorite Korean bbq restaurants in Chicago and what's not to love about a Korean bbq restaurant that's open until 5 am?! I've been here for dinner and late nights and loved every single visit! The food is great, service is quick and attentive and prices are reasonable! Don't expect any comparison to restaurants in LA or NY, but this is a great option for Chicago!
The tables are big and there's enough space for large groups! It's a charcoal grill, so it will stink up your clothes and hair, but it's oh so worth it! Right after you're seating, they bring out endless banchan (side dishes). They must give you double of what the other Korean places in Chicago offer! So already, you know it'll be well worth your money and time. We usually have to ask for refills, but they give you so much food here that you forget to ask! And per our usual preferences, we always order a couple servings of bulgogi and galbi. There's nothing to complain about as it's full of flavor and reasonably priced!
I will say that I do love the haemul pajeon (seafood pancake) here sooooo much better than Cho Sun Ok's, which is still pretty good! Definitely order this before your meal as it's a great appetizer and simply a must try at SSGS! And if you/'re extra hungry, go for some kimchi chigae or sundobu for a perfect pairing!
I could go on and on about SSGS, but you really should just check it out for yourself!
I brought a huge group here. The wait staff is direct and to the point, they don't mess around, one of my friends compared them to "the soup nazi" on Seinfeld, which is pretty accurate. You have to take your shoes off to sit down, and I wore a dress, not suggested because you are sitting in a hole!
They don't give you that "American customer service smile" Its straight up what do you want and we will give it to you.
Cooking your own food at a restaurant was a unique experience, not as relaxing. My boyfriend loves Korean bbq and it was fun to try the 20 million side dishes, I did not try the tiny fish because I am not a sardine fan. Kimchi was awesome and the meat turned out well.
The birthday party was a success and it makes conversation fun because it is a very active dinner. I wouldn't go out of my way to go back. I would rather try other Korean bbq places.
This was my first ever Korean BBQ experience! I don't know how I've never been to one of these places before, but my dad has been telling me for months now that we had to go, so finally, late last Tuesday evening, we did.
I'd been driving past this place for years but never really noticed its existence, so I have to say I was a little surprised at how nice it looked on the inside. I can't imagine wanting to sit on the floor for a heavy meal like this, but I love the look of that seating area, and the fact that the 'chairs' still have backs.
We ordered the seafood pancake, short ribs, and marinated beef strips, but before any of that came, they brought us no less than 24 little dishes of vegetables, one thing that looked a little like lasagna, some noodle-looking things, and many other items I couldn't identify. I didn't try all of them, or even close to, but only because I don't like spicy food and about half the dishes had that red-speckled look to them.
The seafood pancake was good until I saw the little squid tentacles and had to stop eating it (squid freaks me out, no idea why), but both the meats more than made up for it. It was very exciting cooking our own food, though the short ribs were a pain since they stuck really severely to the grill, and the bits that wouldn't come off just built up and burned on. Luckily, about halfway through, they came and replaced the grill.
While the food was delicious, be warned, this is stressful dining at its finest. If you don't want to bother yourself with making sure you're not burning the meat every five seconds, this might not be for you. It was fun, but if the reason I'm going out is to have great food AND conversation, I'd go somewhere the food came to me completely prepared. There isn't much talk when one person is busy putting the meat on the grill, and the other is busy taking it off again seconds later.
Also, I have to say, I didn't have problems with the service. The staff was very nice and helpful and didn't try to hurry us along at all. The only thing remotely wrong was the fact that it took a few minutes for them to bring us the check once we were done, but since we were still picking at our food, it makes sense that they thought we were still actively eating.
good korean food in chicago area.
nice portion of the side dishes, and the cooked foods are good also.
It don't compare to the top Korean places in LA or NY, but SSGS is my go-to place for Korean grub in Chi-Town. My favorite is the huge pajun (seafood scallion pancake), which is miles ahead of the Cho Sun Ok counterpart. Seriously, it is a must-order before each meal. The Korean BBQ is decent, and if you want just a quick or cheaper dinner, the stews and other dishes are very reasonably priced and awesome. Our usual rotation includes the kalbitang (stew with kalbi), yukgaejang (spicy beef stew), and soondubujjigae (spicy tofu stew). Bibimbap is good too if it's a hot day. And best of all, SSGS don't skimp on the banchan.
Sometimes the service really sucks. Bringing along a token Korean person who speaks Korean well might help... and also the parking lot is small.
Awesome food. This is one of those places you go to where the dining experience/process is as memorable as the food. Our table had two bbq pits built directly into them. Shoeless and seated Indian-style, we enjoyed twenty-two little appetizer dishes, Korean BBQ, bibimbap, some sort of fish stew, and soju.
If you've never had Korean BBQ before, I suggest you give this place a try. It stays open until 5am and is group-friendly. But if you plan on getting fresh with your date, I wouldn't recommend this as a date place, since you go home reeking of smoke/bbq meats. I'm sure whiffs of smoke/bbq isn't an aphrodisiac for most.
Good eats even for late night. Lots of sides. Prepare to leave smelling like the food you just cooked/ate.
Ok, so it's not like San Soo Gab San is some treasure that I'm sharing with everyone. My family has been loving their meaty grilled delectables for years, but I suspect we aren't the only ones.
I do, however, have to take a minute to rave about their service. My mom hadn't been there since the 90's and after our last outing at Solga (my least favorite place, next to the proctologist's office), I think she was a bit weary of the whole Korean BBQ experience.
Fear not, we've won her back! I feel as though Korean BBQ restaurants are known for their efficient, no-nonsense service, which was the case this time. But they were so friendly and incredibly helpful, I almost had to do a double take when one of our servers cracked a few jokes with us! The food is far more delicious than at Solga and the haemul pajeon (seafood pancake)? It almost stole the show from the galbi and squid we threw on the grill! The succulent sauce could be eaten with a spoon! And I have to say the leftovers are hands down one of the best breakfasts I've had in months.
Work out your tong hand and get ready to flip some delicious meat on the charcoal grill! And you may want to also work out your chopstick fingers, because there are enough small dishes of tasty flavor-splosions to keep you busy for hours!
it was my first time being at a korean bbq and i think it set the bar quite high. luckily i had a friend that had great suggestions and cooked the meat right up, but i think it would have been good even if i took a stab in the dark.
be patient with the service, as it is quite busy.
All right. This place gives me mixed feelings. On one hand, their food (mostly) tastes pretty good. Out of the galbi places I've gone to in Chicago, I think theirs is probably the best. They give lots of banchan (side dishes) and there is plenty of seating. They also have a small parking lot and are open late.
But the bad is just sooo bad. Foodwise, sometimes they use so much dashida (Korean MSG) that I can taste it, yuck. Once I got yukaejang that was horrible, the meat was stringy and chewy and tough. It felt like chewing on rubber.
The service is horrible, even for Korean standards. They are rude and even offensive at times. Once my friend came here (he is Indian) and they tacked on a "service charge" in anticipation that he wouldn't tip enough because he's Indian. wtf? I'm happy that he didn't let them get away with that crap.
I've found that the best way to get decent service there is to be just as chilly in return. The times they treat me the best is when I tell them I want something in a firm tone of voice, telling, not asking. For some reason, they respond to that better. It seems like the nicer you are to them, the more they step all over you.
This is the best Korean BBQ joint I've been to in Chicago! The marinated beef and chicken are amazing. Like others have said, the short ribs are not worth it. The bachan are numerous and flavorful, as are the soups.
My only complaint is that the ventilation system is awful and the place is always full of smoke. You'll walk out smelling like Korean BBQ, every time.
Went here for my birthday dinner with my guy. I was in the mood for some good meat. It was okay. It wasn't very flavorful and the meat wasn't the greatest quality, but its a great experience for dinner. They bring all these little sides out (like 20!) to try and its a big experiment if you've never had them before (which I hadn't). It was a fun, new experience but the food didn't wow me.
The food was good, with large portions. Good for a group, Korean BBQ is always fun. So Far, the best Korean BBQ that I have had in Chicago.
Don't plan on going out after unless you want to smell like Korean BBQ, but it's definitely worth it.
I went here around 10 p.m. on a Saturday night for a late dinner. We ordered the unmarinated Kalbi, kimchi stew and the seafood pancake. The food took a long time to get to our table. There were so many varieties of banchan, it took up half the table. Since we only got one order of grilled meat, they cooked it in the back, rather than letting us grill it ourselves.
The Kalbi was most disappointing, since it seemed to lack a beefy flavor. It was chewier than I had expected, too. After all the hype over this place, I was really disappointed in the quality of the meat. The kimchi stew was similarly disappointing, tasting like kimchi boiled in broth. (I liked the kimchi soup in the H-Mart food court in Niles better.)
However, the seafood pancake here was probably the best I have tried. It was thin, crispy, and full of calamari and green onions. The dipping sauce was way too salty, but it wasn't really necessary anyway. I loved the texture, which was a little chewy, with crispy edges, unlike at other places where it comes out soft or soggy. If you come here, you should definitely get the seafood pancake.
Cool concept
Good for groups
Spicy enough to make my nose run
Fresh ingredients
Fun experience for newbies to korean bbq
Lackluster service
DO NOT GO THERE!!! WORST SERVICE EVER@@@@ my friends and i went there around 2 o'clock am, so i asked the waitress if we could still eat from their restaurant, they said come in and when other last customers left, they packed their bags and gave us a check while we're eating.. i thought they wanted us to pay first, so i gave them my credit card, after they're done with my bill, 3 waitress stood by our table , and told us to leave. HOW RUDE!! if they gotta go, then they shouldn't let us in at the first time. they put a lot of MSG powder into the food which is extremely bad for the health, but makes food taste good. other friend of mine found the little piece of a dish wash sponge from the soup he ordered. if you eat kalbi, the waitress might be nice to you because it's expensive and if you ordered bibimbap or any cheaper food, they'll be very unpolite. Because i am Korean, it is very embarassing to see and hear how they treat their customers... i would never want to go back to this palce!!!
First off, I'm not a huge fan of red meat. In fact, I occasionally ponder about turning vegetarian. Therefore, when my friends suggested this place a few months ago for a GNO, I was a little hesitant. In hindsight, I'm so glad I found the courage to go.
The tender beef (#18 on the menu) is one of the reasons I can never become a vegetarian. The beef is just oh-so-tender, and the marinade is awesome! My boyfriend and I have returned a couple of times since and have tried some more meats, including the bacon, but we always are sure to simultaneously order the tender beef since it's 10x more flavorful. Also, the Fusion roll is always fresh and tasty.
The service? I suppose it's a hit or miss. One pro is that they are attentive enough to always keep the drinks full. Cons? Sometimes they are aggressive in grabbing the grill tongs from you as you're cooking (just grab them back). One time they reached over us on the table to grab the lettuce and put the meat and toppings on for us to show us how they suggested we eat, but we just told them to stop. LOL. If you're stern, they back off. My personality doesn't have an issue with this, but I can see where this may be a drawback for some.
Overall, the tender beef is wonderful and deserves 4 stars alone.
Been here on several occasions. Good place to grab some eats.
Be prepared to smell on your way out. Don't wear your best cause you will stink.
The BBQ is good. Spicy tofu stew is good. Alot of banchan.
Hate the little parking lot esp. its full. Such a pain to leave.
Oh, just found out that they are no longer 24 hrs.
I heart this place!
Waaaaaaaaay back in the day...(I'm thinkin' 7 years), my friend and her bro's introduced me to wonderful world of Korean BBQ -kalbi, panchan and soju. I learned to love the anchovies and potato salad and kimchee with rice. The spicy soup was amazing and...of course, who doesn't love the bbq'ing at the table? Spareribs, please!
And, of course - I learned never to bring your coat into the restaurant or else it would smell like the bbq for days. We always used to come to SSGS, but when it got too crowded for our liking, we all just kinda stopped coming by.
After a night of celebrating birthdays, my same friend and her bro's decided they wanted some korean bbq. At 3am, no less! When someone made the suggestion to go to SSGS, I swear all our faces lit up!
And, so, our party of 10 made our trek north on Western. (Yes, in 5 separate cars!)
I forgot how crowded this place is at all hours of the night! But, fighting the crowds was SO worth it. Panchan galore. THREE WHOLE SETS of it! Sizzling hot, delicious soup. Tofu with noodles. Delicious kalbi, wrapped in leafy, green lettuce with bean sprouts. Kimchee and radishes on top of the sticky, white rice. So effin' good. The 10 of us were packed at a table, happily stuffing our faces with all the bbq'ed goodness and laughing about old memories. Perfect ending to a birthday celebration!
I ended up at Sansu after I was invited to join some Coffee Studio Scrabble players that I'd just met that evening. I was very pleased with the food and the ambience. Sort of surly waitstaff, a little loud (but because people are enjoying themselves), lots of orange... it was like being back in Korea. The prices were reasonable, also.
But again, the food was tasty. I don't recall how many veg or fish dishes they had (since it is primarily a meat joint), but I'd recommend it for anyone.
Yum!
Great service, a slew of sides, tons and tons of meat to cook over charcoal, OB and soju...perfect! Just be careful - the barbecue cooks the cuts of meat provided VERY fast, so try to pay some attention to what you're cooking and not so much how much OB you're pouring. I know, it's difficult...
This place probably offers one of the best Korean BBQ experiences in Chicago. If you are having a craving for good, authentic Kroean food this is the place. Came here recently with a friend. We'd been wanting to go out for Korean food for some time, and tonight was our opportunity. fortunately, it was a Monday night because I hear this place gets crowded. the wait would have been worth it though because the food here is great.
My friend had the bulgogi (marinated beef) and I had the squid, both of which we grilled at the table. We shared a seafood pancake appetizer, which we really wanted to have, but did not need because there was SO MUCH food.
one of my main criteria for a good Korean restaurant is the quality and variety of side dishes that come with the meal. The side dishes are also the most interesting and fun to eat. So our two meals came with perhaps twenty side dishes, ranging from fermented soy beans to two kinds of seaweed, to kimchee, radish chunks, broccoli, lotus root, mountain potato, lettuce and cucumber salad, soy bean cake, bamboo shoot, potato salad, and more. Too many to remember. But I do remember that they were all really interesting and delicious. We also got a plate of lettuce to wrap our grilled thing in, a soy bean paste (I'm guessing) to go with it, a bowl of soup, and a bowl of rice.
I'm telling you, it was a lot of food and all for under $60 for two. What a great deal, and totally satisfying too!
I dream about the spicy squid from San Soo Gab San on a weekly basis. A trip to San Soo Gab San is always exciting for me because I get to spend the whole time grilling delicious marinated meats. Mmmmmmmm. You also get about 10-15 little plates of side dishes (banchan) with your meal with things such as kimchi, pickled daikon, glass noodle salad, broccoli. The bulgogi is also excellent. They also bring out rice, lettuce, bean paste, and a soup (miso with tofu and jalapenos I think?). For those who want an appetizer, I would recommend the pajun, a Korean seafood pancake with dipping sauce. The portion is enormous but they bring you to-go boxes and the pajun heats up nicely.
You should definitely come here knowing what to expect. The wait can be long at times, and the staff is often hard to track down. If you're sticking with water for your meal, you might get a little thirsty. Bring friends who know what they're doing, wear stretchy pants and socks with no holes in them (you sit cross-legged and shoeless at some of the tables), and be prepared to leave smelling like grill smoke.
Korean BBQ can be a little daunting if you're new to it, especially if the place is more authentic, because that sometimes means English speakers may have trouble communicating with the staff. Which is no reason to be put off, you can get your message through by pointing at things on the menu and using your fingers to indicate numbers. The money still spends, right?
The staff at San Soo Gab San seem to communicate better; the place seems more welcoming to non-Koreans than some of the other joints around. It also seems to attract a more rowdy crowd of hipsters. I'm not making a value call on this, just an observation that may be of use to others. It is what it is.
All I care about is the food, and the food here is pretty terrific. I found the meat to be more tender and flavorful than other places I've tried. The ban chan were plentiful and good, but I like the assortment at Cho Sun Ok better; Cho Sun Ok has a few favorites that I crave at random moments, and they didn't get served up here.
The seafood pancake, though, was worth the whole trip.
Service was excellent, especially as crowded as it was. The hostess was blunt with us when we were hanging out too long finishing our wheat tea; she loudly asked us when we were planning on leaving. Didn't mind that, as it was crowded and there was a line out front. We were being pretty lazy about getting our show on the road, so fair is fair. If that kind of thing upsets you, get over yourself. The world doesn't revolve around you. You shouldn't feel entitled to hog a booth in a popular restaurant for three hours just because you feel like it. I hate you. If that kind of thing doesn't upset you, let's be BFF 4-ever LOL ;P
San Soo Gab San is one of the most popular Korean BBQ restaurant in the city (the other being Cho Sun Ok). I have been to both places several times and I can definitely say that I have a better experience at San Soo. It is more spacious and that means there is less wait although it really depends when you go. I usually go on weeknights, lunch or early evening to avoid the crowds.
Of course, one of the most interesting part of the meal is the side dishes. I didn't count but there could easily be 15-20 different side dishes and they are complimentary. It's good that they have large tables too. I actually saw a couple eating at a small table and they had to stack up the dishes like a pyramid. Funny. If it's your first time, you would probably think how on earth can you finish all these food - they are just appetizers!
If you're here, you have got to try the barbecues. They have got the basics from beef short ribs (kalbi) to squid to baby octopus. But of course, the most delish of all is the kalbi. You cook your meat on a grill on top of a charcoal burner (yes, charcoal!), unlike Cho Sun Ok, where they use gas stoves and stone plates. To me, you can't beat grilling with charcoal because my legs go weak when I smell it.
They have plenty of other stews, soups and entrees if you don't want BBQ. The other appetizer that i would highly recommend to go with your meal is the pajun (seafood pancake). Seafood?? Yes, my friend. Just don't think of the fluffy ones you have for breakfast with butter and syrup. They are thicker than crepes with a hint of chewiness (thanks to the guar gum) and filled with seafood, lots of green onions, eggs and some yummy goodness.
So, give them a try. One thing though, just remember to NOT wear your best clothing. Forget about dressing up to impress because you're gonna smell like BBQ short ribs when you leave.
p/s: The folks there voluntarily changed the grill when it got a little too charred but at Cho Sun Ok, the server was extremely rude and mad when I asked them to change the stone plate because my mom was allergic to beef. That pretty much ruined my Mother's day dinner.
I was really not excited about eating here - all I had heard about Korean bbq was that you end up smelling terrible and the food is strange...
San Soo Gab San however, had such tasty food that it easily made up for it!
We came with a group of 15 people, and the service was extremely accommodating - they had our table ready, and were always attentive to our needs (beer, water, napkins, etc...) Because we had a large group, we let the waitress just bring us the group special, which included all sorts of small plates (mostly veggies and seafood), a seafood omelet, some sort of wonton, and glorious, glorious meats.
Let me take a moment to talk about the meats themselves:
1) Marinated Beef - this was absolutely amazing. Small strips of tender beef, that cook very quickly on the hot grill
2) Spicy Pork - This was our group's favorite item. Unfortunately, they only gave us two plates worth, so there wasn't exactly enough to go around
3) Marinated Chicken - Very tasty, but again, only two plates for the entire group.
4) Short Ribs - Forgettable - even the ethnic Korean group next to us left them off the grill. These were not meant to be grilled.
Okay, back to the small plates - they hand out a ton of small plates, the only problem is that you have no idea what anything is. Now, personally, I'm all for exploring, but I think a sheet of paper helping to explain everything wouldn't be the worst idea in the world.
Overall, I gave this place 3 stars, mainly due to the fact that our large group all left hungry, due to the small portions of meats. We paid $40 each (including a few beers), so our bill wasn't exactly small either. In addition, I would have liked a bit more info on what we were being served, so at least I know what it was that I really liked/disliked.
I would certainly come here again, as the meats were all delicious, and our group had a lot of fun...
Neighborhood: Albany Park
Category: Korean
Chicago, IL
Category: Korean
Neighborhood: North Center
Category: Korean
Chicago, IL
Category: Korean
Neighborhood: Lincoln Square
Category: Korean
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