Best Korean Restaurants in Avondale & North Center (60618)
3 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: January 2026
Our Top Pick
Parachute HiFi
A Korean-American listening bar where high-fidelity vinyl, cocktails, and creative bar food share equal billing.
Notable Picks
8.5
From James Beard Award–winning chefs Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark, this Avondale listening bar pairs Korean-American bar food with cocktails and a vinyl-powered sound system. Dishes like tteokbokki pad Thai, kimchi fried rice, and Korean-fried chicken land in a dim, wood-paneled room built for lingering over drinks and music.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tteokbokki pad Thai with shrimp, Parachute cheeseburger with cheddar beer cheese, Kimchi fried rice bowl
What makes it special: A Korean-American listening bar where high-fidelity vinyl, cocktails, and creative bar food share equal billing.
8.4
Chicago’s longest-running Korean restaurant focuses on tabletop-grilled beef, bubbling stews, and icy naengmyeon in a compact North Center dining room. Locals come for charcoal-scented chadolbaegi, post-grill kimchi fried rice, and hearty soups that have kept this spot relevant for decades.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chadolbaegi (thin-sliced beef brisket), Mul naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodle soup), Kimchi fried rice cooked in the stone pot
What makes it special: Old-school Korean BBQ institution where brisket, naengmyeon, and kimchi fried rice anchor the experience.
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Hidden Gems Heaven
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Tucked inside Joong Boo Market’s Avondale grocery, this counter serves kimbap, bubbling soondubu, and steaming bowls of galbitang to shoppers and regulars. It functions as a fast, utilitarian canteen where the focus is on deeply familiar Korean comfort dishes at budget-friendly prices.
Must-Try Dishes:
Kimbap rolls, Seafood or beef soondubu jjigae, Galbitang (short rib soup)
What makes it special: A no-frills counter inside a landmark Korean market serving classic stews, noodles, and kimbap.