"Seeing the block-long line of people outside Cho Sun Ok in North Center can trigger memories of DMV purgatory. But waiting in line for this decades-old BYOB spot is way more rewarding than ending up with a mid-blink license photo. The meat is cooked in hot stone bowls on top of gas burners, some of which are portable while others are built into the tables. Regardless of your cooking setup, you’re in for a delicious meal. Sides like chewy japchae or haemul pajeon are tasty, but focus on the meat, particularly the thinly sliced brisket and the bulgogi marinated in sweet soy sauce. At the end of the meal, the staff mixes any leftover kimchi, bean sprouts, and rice for crispy kimchi bokkeumbap as a complimentary “dessert.”" - john ringor, adrian kane
