The food was tasty, the service was fast, and the price was fair. If you're looking for a little Korean soul food, this is a great place to stop by! read more

Kimchi Pop - House Special Kimbap - beef - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Got the doeji bulgogi and beef bibimbap for takeout on a weekday evening. The doeji bulgogi was tough and bland yet spicy at the same time - wouldn't order again. But the bibimbap was legit! Would definitely return for that. Logistically, my order was ready in a timely manner, pick-up was a breeze, and I was able to park on Ashland in the loading zone right outside the restaurant. I didn't eat there, but there were a few small tables/booths inside. It was pretty busy though, so I wouldn't count on getting a table there unless you're willing to wait a bit. read more

We ended up here last minute after trying to have a girls night across the street at in Good Spirits who unexpectedly were closed early. & I'm so happy we did! I usually don't like Korean food, but this place was delicious! I had the tofu stew that came in a cast iron pot. My 2 friends also both loved their potstickers & dishes. They are BYOB, & have pickles on the side you can add. The staff was very nice & helpful answering my many questions. I loved the self serve water station too. Can't wait to go back sometime. read more

Fresh, affordable and filling. I did take out and opted for the ribeye bulgogi and the steamed chicken dumplings. Dumplings were cooked well and had a good structure so they didn't fall apart while eating them. The star was the ribeye bulgogi. The sweet and savory soy sauce was addicting and the meat was tender and lean. 38$ for both after delivery and tip...reasonable and plenty for 2! read more

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My bf and I ordered the doeji bulgogi, soondubu, and the stone bibimbap bowl. Doeji bulgogi - a little oily but the overall taste was good, spicy but not too spicy Soondubu - I wasn't a fan of their soondubu, the flavor was okay. I've definitely had better soondubu at other korean restaurants (even SoGong-Dong has better soondubu) Stone bibimbap - the best part about the stone bibimbap is the crispy rice that forms at the bottom of the bowl before you mix in the veggies. Veggies and meat tasted good! I love bok choy, but not in my bibimbap. I think the addition of the bok choy gave the bibimbap a slightly different flavor. If I order the stone bibimbap next time, I'll probably ask for no bok choy. Overall, I think this place is okay. I might have to come back and try a few other dishes. read more

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Small and unassuming....but hands down my favorite Korean restaurant in Chicago. There's so much care put into all aspects of the food here. Chef Son makes his own soy sauce (paired with the seafood pancake) and it's so good and not quite like any soy sauce I've ever had. The attention to detail right there; I've never been to any restaurant that makes their own soy sauce. I like to dine in because of the free bon chon, which is all home made. The kim chi is so crunchy and good. Love love the fish cakes. My favorite dishes: -seafood pancake -soondubu -cheese dakgalbi -doeji bulgogi The chef is SO sweet. He often comes out and says hello to people dining in. read more

Great place! The food was great too: -Cheese Dakgalbi was extremely flavorful and not overly spicy-- this allowed my partner to enjoy. -The Ddeokbokki was great-- amazing chewy texture, sautéed onions and veg were great accompaniments here as well. Sauce was spicy and delicious! -The Soondubu had a nice savory/sour flavor, although I could've used a bit more gochujang or soy sauce. I ended up using a bit of the leftover sauce from the tteokboki to add some dimension. They also had authentic Korean soft drinks-- this really enhanced the experience. We didn't even notice the banchan-- will have to come back! read more

Very good Korean food and great portions! I love coming here with my roommates and taking the leftovers homes for the next day!

I was so excited to find out that a new Korean spot opened up near the loop so my fi and I tried it out on a Friday evening. The interior is simple and cozy with 4 large communal tables. Like others have mentioned, your order is prepared fresh for you so expect a bit of a wait.. a long wait. Luckily, we didn't have any time constraints that night so we didn't mind. We ordered one musubi, bibimbop with beef and dumpling soup with beef. They make their musubi with an egg omelette and seasoned rice and it was delicious (as is anything with spam in it!!). Our entrees were served with sides of gochujang and kimchi. The bibimbop had plenty of fresh veggies, but I can always use more, and the beef was placed at the bottom of the stone bowl. The dumpling soup was good, too, but I think the bibimbop was more filling. The menu is small, but it does the trick. I will definitely come back when I'm craving some more bibimbop. Just make sure you aren't in a hurry! read more

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I like to say I love Korean food, but this place did not meet the mark. The champon noodles came out very soggy and the deobokki was bland.

Well I love Korean food and finding a place in my favorite city that was very affordable sounded like a great option. I came across this restaurant in a list of top restaurants to visit in Chicago. I am glad I went out of my way to go to this place. Not a very extensive menu compared to some other Korean restaurant but they have the core Basics and the food is delicious. First off I give this place five stars because the waitress that tended to me was very nice and very helpful. They also have a self-serve Korean side-dish station but they're only a few side dish options. I felt that the pricing of the menu was very affordable because I feel like some Korean restaurants to charge a lot in the United States. I ended up getting the tteokboki and the Musubi. It was my first time having the musubi but I actually like spam so that was a very nice treat. The talk poke was also very tasty and it's nice that they had the small size as I was not very hungry. Luckily they made it more on the mild side for me as I can't do too much spice. I sadly couldn't finish all of it because I was full but it was still very good. Definitely a small gym in Wicker Park that you must pop by. read more

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Our new go-to Korean takeout place! I wasn't feeling well so my husband ordered me my favorite comfort foods: - Army stew - Bulgogi over rice - Japchae It literally fed us for over 8 or so meals! Army stew is my FAVORITE and they do it right! If you're looking to keep the army stew as leftovers, make sure to eat the ramen noodles (or put them in a separate container so that they don't soak up all that awesome broth)! I stir fried the japchae when I was warming it up to eat for lunch the other day and added a fried egg (chef's kiss). I haven't had my mom's home cooking for over a year and this tasted like home. read more

It sometimes feels like the Korean food scene in Chicago is lacking, but Kimchi Pop really hits the spot for those bibimbap cravings. I've only gotten takeout here but all the dishes are solid, classic, quick and tasty Korean staples. Just down the street from me, Kimchi Pop has a simple but dependable menu that I love for a chill night in. Nothing too exciting here, but the food is packed with flavor (without being too too spicy) and always topped with kimchi. I still want to dine in at some point but overall a solid choice for Korean food! read more

On Saturday night, most of the seats were taken. Seating is limited so you may need to share the picnic tables. Fast casual set up - order with the staff and take your number to where ever you want to sit. Friendly staff and the menu is reasonable priced. I like that there is a self-serve ban chan to snack on while waiting for the order to arrive. we tried bibimbap in hot stone bowl with beef. Hubby was disappointed in the quantity of the protein but otherwise it was good. The soon dubu with seafood was decent too. I would have wanted more shrimp since the mussels in the stew didn't open. The half order of the kimbap was good...a tad much on the rice but it fixed my craving for sushi like bites. I would have included some tofu fish cakes in the roll. Staff is courteous and they check up on you now and then. I would return to try other items. read more

Kimchi Pop - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Good food however, I found a hair in my seafood pancake. When I brought it up to the person at the register. The chef/cook came out and told me it was not hair it was from the scallop. Clearly, it was hair! Mistakes happen but it was how it was all managed. Threw the rest away (75%) and I probably won't go back and it's unfortunate because it's in the neighborhood and it was pretty good. read more

Ordered this on Uber Eats, the kimchi jiggae was great! Tasty! Everything else was and and basic.

Place I always dreamed of having nearby - my favorite Korean dishes done right. Thank you for making my dream come true. Highly recommend the cheese dalkkalbi. It isn't is spicy as it would be in Korea but that's perfectly understandable - it is too spicy for most Americans. Nevertheless, the sauce was amazingly good with the chicken, cheese, onions, carrots, ddeok, kimchi, and the rice that comes with it. My mouth is watering thinking of it. The kimchi pajeon and soondubu were also excellent. Thank you for making my soul do a happy dance. read more

A cozy, casual place for some comforting Korean food, especially great for Chicago winters! We love that it's BYOB. The counter service is quick and easy, and the banchan selection is pretty good. Our favorite dish was the army stew, which seems to no longer be on the menu. We also like the soondubu and ddeokbokki but nothing quite hits the spot like the army stew did. read more

Kimchi Pop - Soondubu and Korean Curry - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Such delicious Korean food! We saw this place walking around our new neighborhood and with a name like kimchi pop how can you not try it? I got the rice cakes with fish and my husband got the bibimbop. We loved it! the kimchi was good -- spicy and the veggie dumplings were good too! Seafood pancake was ok. We will be back! read more

I was literally blown away by this place. Don't eat a lot of Korean food, but decided to check this out while staying in the area and the kimchi stew was so good we got it two nights in a row!! Sooooo delicious I'm still thinking about it weeks later, and had made me want to learn to make my own kimchi stew. Also had the bibimbap and kimbap which were also delish. Highlyyyyy recommend this place! read more

Kimchi Pop - Bi Bim Bop Mixed Rice Bowl - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This our new go to spot for Korean. Love that you can make certain dishes fully vegan. We used to live down the street but now moved to Albany Park and they still delivered. :) read more

So I don't know about the rest of the yelp gang but 2020 has been so hard. I eat take out or cook at home which makes it hard to remember to leave a review on delivery. Most of the time I eat it before I even remember! Haha I stopped into kimchi pop and I couldn't even tell you the name of this bowl but it was warm, fresh, the flavors were on point. Taking off one star due to extremely slow service but the food is definitely worth it! read more

Kimchi Pop - Don't know what this is called but would for sure eat it again and again! - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I ordered the kimchi scallion pancakes, veggie Korean dumplings, and Ddeokbokki. Everything was great. The takeout service was pleasant as well. My favorite were the dumplings! read more

I was nervous about this place when I walked in because I didn't see any Korean people behind the counter or in the kitchen. I wanted pure unadultered Korean food and I wasn't looking for any type of fusion cuisine. This place did not disappoint. We ordered the seafood pancake, kimchi stew and bibimbop with beef. They serve three free appetizers when you sit down, they are all very tasty. You don't get as many side dishes compared to other Korean restaurants, but it's pretty generous of them considering that you don't pay that much for the items on the menu and it's considered more of a carry out place. Every dish was fresh, I could tell because the stew was bubbling and the the bibimbop was sizzling when it came out the kitchen. The bibimbop was delicious, very flavorful and not bland like a lot of places make it. The rice was cripsy at the bottom (as it should be) and the portions were good for the price. The stew was good as well, it has a heat to it but is not overwhelming spicy. I do wish it was a little more rich in flavor but you can't really expect that much when it's made to order. It also comes with a bowl of rice. The seafood pancake is also pretty big and cripsy when it's served. It tastes just like it should! Although I wish there was a bit more seafood in it. You order at the counter and they bring the food out to you when it's done. The people are nice but don't expect full waiter/waitress service. The place is small and there are picnic tables so there isn't going to be much privacy if it's busy. They also played the same 4 Genesis songs on loop which I thought was hilarious and charming! Overall, I really enjoyed the food. It was very fresh and was just like any other Korean restaurant. Definitely give this place a try. The food is delicious and the portions are great for the price you pay. read more

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Let's star with that I love Korean food and flavors, so when I saw this restaurant pop-up on the boarder of West town and Wicker Park, I was super excited. It's mord of a order at the counter and bring your own food to your seat kind of place. The chef came out to ask about the food. The bibimbap seemed to be the featured food on the menu, so we ordered two. The meat was really hard to chew through and the flavors were a bit americanized. This was a little disappointing. The rice and vegetables were good quality and added to the meal being overall good. read more

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Quarantine Takeout Thoughts: Was craving soup so I tried out the Kimchi stew. It automatically comes with a side of white rice, but I recommend ordering an extra side of rice to help fill you up. The soup is just the right amount of spicy without being too overwhelming. I wish there was more of an equal amount of brisket and tofu, but mine came with mostly tofu as the meat substance. Overall a decent takeout dinner. read more

Pretty good take out! The bulgogi was delicious. I liked the scallion pancake with added kimchi. The bip bip bop was just ok. I make the mistake of ordering it with chicken- i should have gone with the beef. Also, I prefer by bim bim bop served in a stone bowl which Is impossible during this shelter in place/ take out only time in life. Fair prices and fair portions. Recommend. read more

Great food and the employees were super friendly. I was looking for a quick bite to eat and ate here. I came out really full and had leftovers because of the portions. read more

Wow. My friend Gabigail and I were just hopping off train and heading to our friend's annual lingerie party in the middle of a fricken snowstorm. We were getting settled in for our quick one night trip to Chicago and then we decided we were hungry. So Gabigail (her name is really Abbi) and I pack on our snowstorm clothes, step outside and just start walking down Ashland to see what we can find. That's when we roll up to a place that looks kind of shady with a BYOB on the window and we were like "this is fricken perfect for us." We walk in and were just floored by the bright orange walls, super cool vibe with these too cool for school 25-35 somethings just eating food and having a real cool chat whilst drinking wine. The amazing thing about this place is that there is no ridiculous menu. It is small, very straight to the point and simple Korean food. So, we walk up to order and I got the Korean curry and she got the fried rice. We were sitting around, playing on our phones, having a few laughs and then she finally brings out my curry in two separate dishes (one for white rice and one for the soup mixture). It's piping hot so I wasn't yet to go to town on it, but for a second, I was just sitting there trying to figure out how to eat it. Eventually I ended up dumping all of it into one bowl and it was pretty remarkable. My mind was blown. It was flavorful, packed with some serious Asian flavor and all-around delectable. The only thing I could have done without were the potatoes in it. Otherwise, I should have gotten the recipe to bring back to Indiana with me. While she was waiting for her fried rice, the woman who was working the cash register brought out what seemed to be essentially on-the-house appetizers. One was some delicious bean sprouts that were somehow cooked and flavorful, another plate was some kind of cucumber dish and the last was an onion dish that really cleared the sinuses. All three were very delicious. Her fried rice was simply the best fried rice I think I've ever tasted. We were just blown away by their mixture of spices and all they had to offer in this seemingly simple dish. This place is definitely on the cool list by my book. It's got a nice wow factor, it's quaint, it's honestly a little romantic and you can bring pals here to hang. What's even more amazing is that you're allowed to bring in your own booze, so go on ahead and bring that bottle of wine. read more

Kimchi Pop - Gabigail waiting for some fried rice. - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Amazing food, excellent service. We even ordered extra food to take with us. The chef came and checked in to make sure everything was satisfying and the guy that was taking orders was very nice and helpful. I'm definitely going to come back. read more

Live right next to Kimchi Pop so decided to give it a try! Because of stay at home order I got Cafe Ramen as takeout. This isn't like your normal soup ramen, but more of a dry ramen with veggies and meat. The noodles were really nice and chewy and seasoned very interestingly. They were a bit spicy but also a little sweet, and I got the beef as my meat which was very tasty. There were also some sautéd veggies in the mix, but I wish there were a bit more. I also got spam musubi where the salty spam was complimented very well with the white rice and egg. A seaweed wrap kept it all together and added a nice additional flavor. Would definitely go to Kimchi Pop again to try some other delicious Korean dishes!! read more

I've only ordered delivery on UberEats from this spot and it is always spot on. I always get the kimchi fried rice, which is cooked with Spam and they top it with a fried egg. The kimchi fried rice is pretty solid if you ask me. I've also tried the kimchi jjigae, which was alright. If you're looking for a solid and quick kimchi fried rice delivery, order from Kimchi Pop. read more

Amazing! Super friendly staff. Hot and tasty Korean food cooked with love and care you can feel. Great find in this up and coming neighborhood. read more

Kimchi Pop - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

What a delightful surprise this was! I had never heard of this place until a couple weeks ago when I met up with some friends who strongly recommended it. It's a small, quirky restaurant (K pop music videos were playing on a large TV which is pretty awesome) with absolutely delicious food. Not only were the flavors top notch, but there were several vegetarian and vegan items on the menu, which is unheard of for Korean restaurants in Chicago. That made me very happy that I can now enjoy Korean food again here. I had a variety of dishes including the kimchi pancakes, fried dumplings, dumpling soup, and kimchi soondubu. Everything was super delicious, but that soondubu was probably my favorite. I love when it comes it bubbling and you crack the egg in it which starts cooking. We got to meet the chef since we were the last table, and he was very friendly and gracious. He kept thanking us for coming in. Highly recommend this place! read more

MY PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED!!!!!!!!! Finally an authentic Korean restaurant in this neighborhood!!! I've been desperate for authentic Korean food and this place definitely delivers!! As a Korean person, the lack of Korean restaurants in this area of Chicago was extremely depressing. If I wanted authentic kfood, I would have to venture all the way up north or down south. Now I can just walk to Kimchi Pop!!!! When I found out they opened up here, I literally almost cried tears of joy. I went there tonight with my partner and we instantly loved the homey feel. The menu is small, but hits all the classic Korean comfort foods, such as bi bim bop, dubboki, mandu, and kimchi jiggae. They also have more new age, fun menu items such as spam musubi and kimchi breakfast burritos. The interior is also quite small, maybe just 5 long tables, but it didn't feel cramped at all. I loved the rustic tables and benches. It's also BYOB! The guy at the front where you order is extremely nice too For dinner we had steamed veggie dumplings, kimchi jiggae, and bibimbop. The portions aren't huge, but we prefer that because after we were comfortably full--rather than painfully full lol! We ate every single bite and just loved it. It reminded me of home as well, very comforting The owner/chef is a DARLING Korean lady and she came out to say hello to us (we were the last customers of the night) and she was SO gracious and kept thanking us for coming and that the restaurant is new, and that she will keep working on adding more menu items soon, as soon as they get more into the groove. I really appreciated her. She reminded me of my mom. This is real Korean home cooking, kinda makes you feel like everything is going to be okay. Please support your small businesses in your neighborhood and definitely stop by or order take out. Small business owners and workers are some of the hardest working people I know. I really hope they become successful here because they are such a great new addition. We will be going back very soon. read more

Kimchi Pop - Kimchi jiggae. Great flavor. - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Solid solid solid!! I'm so happy that there is a new Korean place nearby that offers simple, but solid food. My boyfriend and I are hardcore ddeokbokki addicts, and have been burned one too many times by terrible ddeokbokki (looking at you Gosu - never again) and extremely expensive ddeokbokki. Kimchi Pop has a great balance of authentic taste and reasonable pricing! Now onto the meaty stuff: - Ddeokbokki: Perfectly spicy and sweet! The dish was loaded with a good amount of two different shaped ddeoks, and included fish cake and an egg. We will always be wishing for more ddeok! - Bibimbap: Well presented and the veggies looked extremely fresh! The portion was generous. Overall no complaints here. My boyfriend suggests maybe considering an option to double the meat portion for a $3-5 dollars to cater to carnivores. - Kimchi jjigae: Piping hot - the perfect thing for the cooling weather outside. The broth was flavorful and it was chock full of kimchi! I saw some reviews that griped about the slow food service and I will say this - the ladies that work here are extremely sweet. The kitchen is run by a sweet Korean lady who makes everything from scratch. The food is truly home style and while it may take a little longer, I think it's worth it. We arrived with an influx of people and the longest someone had to wait was 20 minutes, which isn't extremely unreasonable. So grab a six pack of beer and settle in for a good meal! We will be back! read more

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First time ordering and I was amazed how good it was. Pork, rice noodles and scallion pancake are must orders. Dumplings and ribeye bop can be skipped. Will get again soon. read more

Nice food, I liked mostly jam pong and seafood soondubu, very nice personnel, and fun place to meet with family and friends

Authentic Korean food at a great price point! Ambiance is inviting - great music and they also have a Korean drama playing on the TV. Veggie dumplings come with a flavorful dipping sauce, not just plain old soy sauce. Tofu on the mixed rice bowl was super crispy and tasty. Lastly, I tried the chilled noodles with beef. Perfect dish for the summer. I'll be back to get these for sure. read more

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Kimchi Pop is a cute little Korean shop in West Town. The menu is simple and straightforward with a handful of quintessential Korean eats. I stopped in last Friday night and scanned the menu briefly before choosing the Bi Bim Bop with beef. The dish was served in a stone bowl and came with a side of what I think was gochujang, but don't quote me because I'm not Korean so what do I know. The dish was packed with veggies and small portion of beef, which I thought was unseasoned. The "spicy sauce" enhanced the flavors but without it, it would have been very bland. My friend got the chilled noodles which he slurped down pretty quickly, so I'm assuming it was good. I was disappointed that we didn't get any free kimchi or other banchan. Flavors aside, the service and ambiance were great. The Bi Bim Bop wasn't the best choice, but I'd love to give this place another try. read more

Kimchi Pop - Bibimbap and cold noodles - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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