Best Korean Restaurants in Loop
3 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Perilla Korean American Steakhouse
A Korean BBQ-style steakhouse set experience with banchan, ssam, and Korean stews.
Notable Picks
A Korean-American steakhouse format inside L7 Chicago that leans into grill-forward sets, banchan, and ssam building for a structured, table-driven meal. The best move is to treat it like Korean BBQ pacing: commit to one meat set, add one stew, and finish with a single rice lane instead of stacking categories.
Must-Try Dishes:
Soondubu 순두부찌개 (short rib, silken tofu, soft egg), LA galbi, Kimchi 김치찌개 (heritage pork belly, tofu)
What Makes it Special: A Korean BBQ-style steakhouse set experience with banchan, ssam, and Korean stews.
8.2
Vibes:
Quick Bites Champions
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Trendy Table Hotspots
A downtown Korean corn dog counter that’s most useful for a fast, salty-sweet snack between meetings or as a pre-theater bite. Go for one stuffed dog plus one sauce/dust lane so the crunch stays crisp and the sweetness doesn’t overwhelm.
Must-Try Dishes:
Mozzarella Korean corn dog, Sweet Chili Doritos dog, Potato crust corn dog
What Makes it Special: Korean corn dogs done downtown-fast with craveable crunch and bold coatings.
Worthy Picks
#3
AraOn
7.9
A Loop dining room that blends Korean and Japanese lanes with a lounge-y bar energy that plays well for after-work dinners. The kitchen lands best when you commit to a composed signature plate plus one sushi or small-plates lane instead of scattering across the menu.
Must-Try Dishes:
AraOn Chef Special, AraOn Tower, Chili Garlic Shrimp
What Makes it Special: Korean-Japanese fusion in a Loop lounge setting built for drinks-plus-dinner pacing.