Chicago is not known for its Korean food. Honestly, having grown up there Korean food is not all that special there either with the notable exception of one restaurant: Cho Sun Ok Restaurant. On the corner of 4200 N Lincoln Ave, the sign for this restaurant has its name printed in Korean (조선옥). The only English words on the sign are: Korean Restaurant, Carry Out. But its the only Korean restaurant in the vicinity and you can’t miss its bright yellow sign. On Friday and Saturday nights there are usually lines out the door.
Once seated at Cho Sun Ok, I usually order Chadol-baegi (차돌백이): thinly sliced beef that you grill at your table. Honestly, one order per person should be enough as it comes with an abundance of side dishes, and to top it off, they fry rice on the grill after you are done with the meat. With a bottle of soju, this is my ideal meal.
One should also try their Naeng-myun (냉면): cold buckwheat noodles in a broth. This goes down particularly well on a hot midsummer’s night.
Parking in the area is kind of a pain although Cho Sun Ok has a very small parking lot that fits maybe 4-5 cars double/tripled parked. But, don’t worry, they have a monitor inside and will coordinate car rearrangements. And one word of caution: be prepared to come out stinking of grilled meat but with a full, satisfied stomach.
Lastly, if you are looking for dessert after your meal, head across the street to Red Eyes Coffee for some smoothies, ice cream, or coffee.
