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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

$$$ Avondale
From James Beard Award–winning chefs Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark, this Avondale listening bar pairs Korean-American bar food with cocktails and a vinyl-powered sound system. Dishes like tteokbokki pad Thai, kimchi fried rice, and Korean-fried chicken land in a dim, wood-paneled room built for lingering over drinks and music.
Must-Try Dishes: Tteokbokki pad Thai with shrimp, Parachute cheeseburger with cheddar beer cheese, Kimchi fried rice bowl
What makes it special: A Korean-American listening bar where high-fidelity vinyl, cocktails, and creative bar food share equal billing.
$$ North Center
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.
$ Avondale
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.