San Soo Gab San

"This late-night Korean restaurant is a perfect place to pad the stomach after some drinking. Regardless of the hour, San Soo Gab San satisfies with excellent banchan, kimchi-jjigae, seafood pancakes, and grilled meats. They recently remodeled for better ventilation after city ordered them to close. They are a rare Korean barbecue that uses charcoal. A second location is in suburban Morton Grove." - Ashok Selvam

"San Soo Gab San is the banchan king of Chicago. The moment you sit down at this KBBQ staple in Lincoln Square, an army of complimentary side dishes appear making free table bread feel like a minimal effort. From kimchi to broccoli muchin, to myeolchi bokkeum, there are over 25 things to snack on. The seasoned cuts are particularly fantastic, like bulgogi and sweet and savory wang kalbi which has extra charcoal flavor from the grills. The bright space lined with exhaust pipes has plenty of room, perfect for tired coworkers to liven up again with some meat and banchan after a long week. " - john ringor, adrian kane

"Banchan is a crucial part of the Korean BBQ experience, and no one does banchan better than San Soo Gab San. The moment you sit down at this Lincoln Square institution, your table is immediately overtaken by side dishes that make you feel like free table bread isn’t trying hard enough. From kimchi, to broccoli muchin, to myeolchi bokkeum, there are over 25 things to snack on between grilled meat. And the seasoned meats are the cuts you should order—definitely get the thinly sliced bulgogi and their sweet and savory wang kalbi which get an added smoky flavor from the charcoal grill. The space is casual and spacious, so it’s perfect for unwinding after a busy week with some friends to not only help you finish the meat, but also tackle the ocean of banchan." - adrian kane, john ringor

"Open until 12am Friday and Saturday No one does banchan better than San Soo Gab San, a casual Lincoln Square Korean BBQ spot that's been around since 1992. The moment you sit down, your table is immediately overtaken by side dishes. From kimchi, to broccoli muchin, to myeolchi bokkeum, there are over 25 things to snack on between bites of grilled meat. And the seasoned meats here are fantastic—get the thinly sliced bulgogi and their sweet and savory wang kalbi, which get a boost of charcoal flavor from their grills. The dark, smoky interior is large, so it’s perfect for a late-night meal with friends." - adrian kane, john ringor, veda kilaru

"San Soo Gab San is a Chicago institution, and has the best banchan spread in the city. The moment you sit down at this casual Korean BBQ spot your table is swarmed with side dishes that make free table bread feel insignificant. From kimchi, to broccoli muchin, to myeolchi bokkeum, there are over 25 things to snack on between bites of grilled meat. And the seasoned meats are fantastic—get the thinly sliced bulgogi and their sweet and savory wang kalbi, which get extra flavor from their charcoal grills. The dark, smoky interior is large, so it’s perfect for celebrating with some friends who can help you finish the meat, but also tackle all of the banchan." - josh barnett, sam faye, adrian kane, john ringor