Price: the price can be a bit intimidating, because it's definitely not AYCE, but for the amount you get and when you think about prices at places like Gyu Kaku ($61/person for their lowest AYCE option) versus a flat $130 for Daebak's Wicker Park Combo (thinly sliced brisket, marinated tomahawk kalbi, thinly sliced pork belly, and marinated pork collar + a stew/soup of choice; feeds 3-4 people): it's hard not to at least want to -try- Daebak first before dismissing it. And! They even cook for you?? (Which is a nice break for me, who often ends up being the one cooking at kbbq). I also often find myself eating past the point of discomfort at AYCE because I tell myself I have to make it worth the price, but being able to eat to a satisfying degree and still being able to take home leftovers was a godsend for the following day. I guess it was just a smidge awkward having someone cook right in front of you? But the cook/server didn't linger and only ever came back to cook more when it was clear we were ready. (We had the benefit of a weekday when it was pretty empty, so I'm not sure what the experience will be on their busier nights. I can imagine depending on staffing, there are probably a lot of moments when some tables might get neglected?) Maybe the one meh thing was the corn cheese ~ we typically enjoy the corn cheese at other restaurants, but this one didn't hit the same. Some sides typical to an AYCE is a la carte here, but we were fine with just trying one of them. If we go again, we'll probably try the tteokbokki. read more

I went to Daebok Korean BBQ on Milwaukee Ave for my sister's birthday yesterday, and if I could give it negative or zero stars, I would. Strike 1: We had an 8:00PM reservation for six, checked in at 7:50, and weren't seated until 8:20--despite plenty of open tables. Then we waited another 15 minutes before anyone even acknowledged us. Strike 2: We understood service might be slower with a large party nearby, but nonexistent is more accurate. Our server was taking shots with that table while we waited 20+ minutes for water. At the end of the meal, the same server had the nerve to ask us for a positive review in exchange for free meat. Suddenly, the good reviews for this place make a lot more sense. Strike 3: Management was somehow even worse. I asked to speak with a manager and had two different people come over claiming to be one. One was the second server taking shots with the large party--and was visibly intoxicated and slurring his words while handling a table with scissors and open flames. When I called it out, his response was, "I only did one shot." That's not an excuse; it's a liability. The "real" manager was at least pleasant, but ultimately could only remove the automatic gratuity. Do yourself a favor and skip this place. Between the ridiculous wait times, nonexistent service, employees drinking on the job, and complete lack of accountability from management, this was one of the worst restaurant experiences I've had. And for a birthday dinner, it was especially unacceptable. read more

Our second meal at Daebak and it was disappointing. We still can't find a Korean BBQ in Chicago that serves top quality meat and a decent variety of side dishes. We did the beef combo - the short ribs were good, the brisket ok and the ribeye was as tough as an old boot. The banchan is one dimensional, everything just tasted of kimchi. Service is decent and the constant K-Pop videos are monotonous and yet somehow mesmorizing. I doubt we'll return - our search for great Korean BBQ in Chicago will continue, elsewhere. read more

Fantastic service!!! Came on a work trip and cannot wait to come back! The cooks did an amazing job read more

Super cute Korean BBQ spot. Well AC'd and ventilated. The table bendy-vents gave me happy memories of restaurants in Korea. Yummy variety of banchan, I'm a sucker for pickled radish! Never had BBQ where they had an outer ring. They put cheese & corn, scrambled egg, and lastly onion. Eat the egg and cheesy corn once it's done or it gets weird and stuck/burnt. - The dumplings were hot, crispy, and flavorful - The servers grill your food. Our waitress was so nice and accommodating - the meat was good, my favorite was the spicy pork - you get to keep the plastic bottle for your soda Street parking available only read more

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The management at Daebak does not care about its customers AT ALL. We've wrote a Google review about a bad experience and instead of making amends or address the complaint, we just get a rude response. This is the original review: This is the first time I've ever been seated, placed an order, and was then asked to leave a restaurant because we weren't ordering a specific item on the menu. My partner and I went here for dinner around 6:30 PM tonight (on a Friday), and despite a line at the door, we were seated immediately. We were craving more traditional Korean dishes (not KBBQ), so we ordered a few entrees and drinks. When the server realized we weren't ordering BBQ, he politely asked if we'd mind relocating to a table without a fixed grill. Totally fine, but as he started setting the table, someone (I assume the manager) came over and told him we had to leave if we weren't going to order BBQ, as it's a busy night. This isn't a policy that was communicated to us when we were seated or ordering. The server was incredibly apologetic and we ultimately ended up placing the order for carryout. But the fact that management asked seated customers to get up from a table and leave shows they value profits over patronage. We won't be returning and will happily take our business to the more reasonably priced alternative just across the street. This is the management's response to our review: Hey, thank you for your visit but across the street they don't sell traditional Korean dishes. It's all Korean barbecue. And because you mention that place it proves that you have no idea what Korean barbeque or Korean food is all about. Thank you anyhow. Unbelievable. read more

Daebak - Management's rude response. - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The best!!!! Awesome and will definitely a must have in Chicago! Look for Ezekiel. Great place to eat!

I am visiting Chicago from CA, and to me, this place was just pretty okay. My mom and I got the gold package, pork combo three but had to get an additional pork belly because the combo portions were sooo small. We were honestly shocked because we thought it was supposed to feed up to 2 people, but barely could fill up 1 person. In addition, the soybean paste stew was pretty bland... I am not sure if i'm just biased because I am korean and had so many, but it tasted like water. I was also shocked that they charge for a refill on salad and banchan as this is the first time I had ever been charged. This place was definitely also pretty pricy, we paid about 150 for 2 people (including tip & tax) The reason why I am still giving the place 4 stars because the service was really good (our server was super sweet and accommodating) and the meat quality was pretty solid. The marinade on the pork was delicious and the meat was tender. The restaurant also had a nice concept. read more

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Ezekiel was the bestttt!!!!! Such great service for our 12 person dinner. The meat was incredible

I love this kbbq spot. Maybe I'm lazy but I freaking love that the servers cook the meat for you- no guessing, no worrying about overcooking the meat, just pure vibes. The banchan are delicious and honestly it's a pretty good deal! The interior is cute and clean and they're playing k-pop on the TVs of course. Something that I really love is that they remember my little friend I bring here when I'm babysitting him. They always give him extra fish cakes and eggs because he loves them so much! NEIGHBORHOOD GEMM!!! read more

Daebak - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Overrated place. As a Korean, I don't recommend this restaurant. The meat was fresh, but the service was terrible. We placed two separate orders. The first one included marinated items. We expected the server to replace the grill before bringing out the second order, but they boldly placed the next order (unmarinated meat) on the same grill, and the burnt marinade pieces stuck to the meat. The server just scraped it off with tongs but it did remove all of them. Totally unacceptable. Finally, the atmosphere is not family-friendly at all. The music was way too loud. They also have a 90-minute dining limit, which is probably meaningless since I couldn't stand to stay there for more than an hour because of the noise. + Our second order was supposed to include side dish but they did not bring a new set. read more

Came here with a group of 5 for a friend's birthday dinner. One of said friends had lived in South Korea, so she got us to order the Daebak for the table and ran us through how to eat Korean BBQ. We all left entirely full and extremely satisfied. The drink options were really good too. I was very impressed with how much we got for what we paid at the end of the evening. Wish our staff was a bit more helpful in picking menu items. Too, it was a bit loud for us old farts in our 30s, but otherwise no complaints! read more

Daebak - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've been to the Chinatown location and like this location is significantly more. The service is better, it's not crammed inside, and it's not smoky! I love a KBBQ that cooks for you. Honestly, so perfect for a girls night out that we don't have to cook ourselves. Ted was our server and he gave really great and attentive service! read more

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This is another case where I think that I've been spoiled by better options for KBBQ back in Seattle. Considering that it's not AYCE, it raised my expectations for the quality of the meat I'm being served. The meat was above average, but it just wasn't enough to justify the asking price. The service wasn't great. We had asked prior to our meal if we would be charged extra for refilling our side dishes. We were told that they were free to refill. We were then charged for said refills at the end of the meal. The restaurant itself has a pretty cool aesthetic. It honestly reminds me of some of the places I'd been to in Korea, particularly due to the setup of the grills w/ the hanging vents, the lighting, and the general simplicity of the space. read more

This was a fun KBBQ experience! It's a la carte, NOT all you can eat, but the quality is so much better than AYCE! The staff was super helpful explaining how the menu and ordering worked because it was definitely a little confusing. There are packages and tiers you can choose from, otherwise you can order completely a la carte but it's way more expensive. That said, there were two types of meat I really wanted and wasn't able to get so I had to sacrifice one. One fun thing is that the staff cooks for you, in front of you! So you can focus on eating and don't have to worry about burning anything or cooking it right. Super convenient! read more

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Honestly, I came here because it was one of the few Korean BBQ places that can seat over 15 people. I came here for a friend's birthday dinner. It was okay. Even splitting with 5 people, there was a good amount of leftovers. However, some of the other tables were still hungry after. I would only recommend this place if you have a large party, but there are other quality places in Chicago you can go for KBBQ. read more

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Daebak is my go to for Korean bbq! Luckily it's not packed so easy to walk in or make a reservation. The restaurant is clean and has K-POP blasting. The food is great and they cook it for you. I think the pricing is right and it's a good deal. Also family friendly! read more

We came here with a group of 16 for a birthday Friday lunch and it was a great experience! We had tons of food, the place was clean and had great music and music videos playing. Customer service was great! The food was delicious! The japchae was a big hit - we had to order 4 for the kiddos and so were the dumplings. The kids loved the beef bbq package and gobbled up the cheesy corn. The music videos kept the kids occupied and the adults got to enjoy their meal too! Parking was easy to find on the street (metered). We will definitely go back again! read more

I went here with my cousin last week for dinner. We had the Daebak Beef Combo, which was delicious. The server was really friendly and the ambiance was classy & laid back. It was a nice place for me & my cousin to catch up read more

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Good food. Terrible service. Had to wait over 15 minutes just for a waiter and had to ask for one. Waiter seemed annoyed and unfriendly all night. read more

Heck of a meal! Service was excellent, they were very accommodating and we ate almost instantly! read more

Daebak - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I am Korean and this is not it. The food quality and quantity was lacking! You have been warned. The servers didn't smile one time. The ambience was nice! But other than that it was terrible. I would say probably the worst bbq I've ever had. Won't even call it Korean out of respect for my ancestors! lol read more

Daebak - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is my cousins favorite K-BBQ spot so naturally when we're in town we meet her here for a catch up dinner. All the food is delicious and so fresh as you can see it since it comes out raw for you to cook. Even the prepared food we ordered was just as good. It's no wonder this is my cousin's favorite spot. The staff even brought out a dessert for my husband as they heard it had recently passed so that was so kind since we didn't ask for it. Great vibes and food - couldn't ask or more! read more

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Love that they cook the meat for you! Super reasonably priced and so tasty. I also like that they do everything all in and the sides were great. We also left and didn't smell like grilled meat which was a huge plus! read more

Daebak - Wicker park combo - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Service was great. Ambiance is really cute and pretty authentic to what you'd find in Korea. But what's NOT authentic is that they charge you for extra banchan and don't even let you know. Thats a no no in my book. Overall the place did the job but you can't call yourself a Korean restaurant if you charge extra for simple banchan refills. read more

Daebak is the best kbbq in wicker park. Authentic Korean food, having tried everything from apps to meats. Service is attentive, despite the lack of bell. read more

Daebak - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Good Korean bbq! One thing I wish would change is that the sides were unlimited, feels odd that this place doesn't do it!

Brought friends here after good experience and really got scammed by the portions. Ordered two large combos for 6 people. They brought one small thing of Kim chi and charged for each additional one. They even charged extra for rice even though it was just someone asking to receive their original rice. It's really sad they choose to do this. Likely won't return. read more

Daebak - Outrageous pricing decisions - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It's decent. The food tastes good but they cook it for you which is unnecessary and a little awkward. I wish they had an all you can eat option. Nice space and not too smokey. We asked one of the servers if the sides were unlimited and they said yes, but we ended up getting charged. They still made us pay...Not egregious but we won't be coming back. read more

The elephant in the room is that Daebak is directly across the street from another Korean bbq place, but I think there's some strengths Daebak has. First, Daebak is a traditional Korean bbq place, which means the employee cooks the meat for you. If the cooking part has always stressed you out or you're tired of being your table's chef, Daebak's professional, skilled employees will cook them perfectly. Second, there's a solid variety of both pork and beef options here. Third, the interior is beautiful! I love the style of this place. The fans are held very close to the grill while cooking so barely any smoke comes off. Daebak is well worth a visit and is an excellent option for Korean bbq in Wicker Park. We ordered the Wicker Park combo for two people and it was a perfect amount of food. I was pretty full by the end of it and I didn't even manage to eat all the cheese corn! read more

Daebak - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Love me some Daebak, I was sad when the one in LP closed, but this is SO much better because it's right in my neck of the woods. (I also think the setup is better with more seating, bigger screens for the Kpop videos, etc.) It's also like hyper-clean inside. Anyway, despite it being a super busy Saturday night, our group of six did a last second walk-in and Daebak was able to work with us to squeeze us in to a table and get us in and out within an hour. We did the Gold package with a couple bottles of Soju (there are SO many options here) and one more order of Short Rib and it was plenty for our whole party. Absolutely fairly priced and probably my top KBBQ place in Chicago. read more

Daebak - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Pretty good experience here nothing extraordinary, but it was tasty. Place was clean and service was quick.

We ordered a large premium combo for 3 adults and 1 child and it felt like a good amount but if you want more, I feel you may get more bang for your buck at an ayce place. There were a lot of side dishes (banchan) but you have to pay for any refills. I felt the sides were not very flavorful or good. The pickled dishes didn't taste like anything. The sliced jalapeños and garlic was definitely only enough for one person. It just seems they're skimping on all those while charging you extra for refills. We also got the budae jjigae and it really didn't have that much flavor either. Some of the marinated meats were really good and flavorful but everything else fell flat. read more

First time here. Service is excellent and food is delicious!! Had a great time with friends. Highly recommended!! read more

Daebak - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food was excellent: tender and well seasoned/marinated meat and DELICIOUS, fresh banchan and everything was prepared very quickly. The service was fast, friendly, knowledgable, and helpful! The restaurant is modern, and everything was clean and properly appointed. The restrooms were also clean and properly stocked. I would absolutely visit here again, they still totes get 5 stars and they deserve it, but I know to order more food! The food is so good it's super easy to overindulge so the option that serves two is really more like for one. Next time we'll order for 4 for these lil fatties! read more

if you've had good kbbq before, do not go here. you will be so disappointed. this kbbq looks like baekjeong kbbq but it definitely does NOT taste like baekjeong. the meat was so meh and the quantity for a 4 people serving was not for 4 people. i've eaten at a lot of combo type kbbq places and this was bottom tier. the worker was cooking our meat as fast as humanely possible it felt like we had to race to eat the meat while it was at its prime. the cuts of meat did not look like the photos either. the boneless short rib photo looked like the usual marinated finger meat with a nice thickness but what we got was a bulgogi sized slices. usually these are grilled over a grill with big grates so the fire chars the meat and caramelizes the sugars from the marinade giving it that perfect *kiss* of flavor from the fire. this did not happen and the meat was DRY and had no char not even a sear! the banchan were also mid. the jalapeños were sliced into CHUNKS and the garlic was chopped into too small of pieces. these are supposed to be a perfect thinness to eat them raw with a ssam lettuce wrap. she threw them on the grill without asking which was okay i suppose since they were prepped poorly to eat as ssam but it was disappointing. the soup that we paid extra for that is included in the gold tier package was awful. it was supposed to be brisket soybean paste stew but it lacked seasoning and majority of the ingredients. it was literally water, zucchini, one slice of brisket broken into tiny pieces, onion, and bean paste. tasted like water and i wish i took a photo because it was comical how much zucchini they put in this thing!! it looked like zucchini stew because you couldn't see the onions or brisket unless you stirred the bottom and really searched. no tofu, no clams, no meat, no flavor i feel tricked! the menu photo looks nothing like what they gave us. for $160 after tip, i expected us to have a good cooking experience & be full. the full flavor of the marinade did not come through since it was cooked poorly. they cooked so fast as if they were trying to get us out as soon as possible. this place was a 2/10 in my book. my friend who doesn't eat kbbq often at all gave it a 6/10 because it tasted fine. but for the price, the way it didn't match the photos in the menu, the flavor was lacking, and altogether it was so misleading bc it appears to be a high end place but it just wasn't good. there weren't any korean people eating here and i should've heeded that sign. sad because we're visiting chicago for the weekend and there isn't great kbbq back in minneapolis so we made it a point to come here. very disappointed. read more

Daebak - beef combo 2, gold tier package - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Love daebak and sooo happy they finally opened one in wicker park. Great service, clean location, great quality meat! Service was great and super friendly Restaurant was very clean and not smokey They cook the meat for you which is very helpful too! Meat quality was really good we got the beef silver package and one extra side of meat at the end and all 4 of us were full. We'll definitely be back! read more

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My husband loves eating K-BBQ here because it's so close to our house. The only thing we don't enjoy is the K-pop videos playing nonstop. It's a bit much. I wish they'd consider that not everyone likes K-pop--even though I'm Korean. read more

Love this spot for it's chill vibe and for the both KBBQ and their other dishes! I've been here several times for KBBQ with friends, and it is consistently a great experience and delicious meats. We typically are a group of 4 people and each time we order a small KBBQ set that is estimated to be for 1-2 people. We really like the small Gold Package of the Wicker Park Combo. We love this option because it has a ton of banchan options, a soup, and it's just enough food to satisfy all 4 of us, and leaves us room to order a side dish if we want, without being overly stuffed. This is such a great alternative to an all you can eat (AYCE) spot because you get really high quality meat, lots of variety of banchan, and you leave feeling like you had a really balanced meal!! I can't say that for most AYCE spots. Given what we typically order, it's also a reasonable price. I also like that the servers cook the meat for you so you can have a really relaxed night and not worry about whether the meat is cooked or not. While I do enjoy the cooking experience at other spots, sometimes I just want someone to do it for me! And going here eliminates any potential social dynamic where someone in the friend group is usually the one who cooks and doesn't get to relax and enjoy. For other dishes, we have ordered the seafood pancake and the spicy tofu seafood soup. I love them both! The seafood pancake was wonderfully crispy with a flavorful sauce. We ordered a side of lettuce so we could wrap the pancake in lettuce, which was definitely worth it. The spicy tofu seafood soup packed some heat and I really liked it! It came with rice which was great to balance it out. Service overall has always been friendly! The space is also very clean and I like the casual ambience. There are a few screens with Korean music videos which add to a fun vibe , and the music is never too loud. Overall, love this spot and will keep coming back! read more

Daebak - Seafood pancake and an extra side of lettuce. Sides were included! - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Was in town for a concert with my mom, and had to try the new location. The meat combo was great and they cook the meat for you, which is nice because we never know how long to leave the meat on the grill. The kimchi stew came out a little later than expected, but they were busy because j-hope was in town for 2 nights and it was still hot and tasty. They were playing a BTS playlist which really set the vibe. If we're in town again, we are definitely coming back to try again. read more

Daebak - Wicker Park Combo Gold Package - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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