Ban Po Jung Korean Restaurant
Jay Shen · 310 Google reviewsBan Po Jung Korean Restaurant — dependable korean in Albany Park. Straight from the source, no adjustments. Friendly without hovering, and family-run. Dragana Spasevska: "The fried fish was perfectly cooked and seasoned" [$]
What 470 diners keep saying
What 470 diners keep saying
verbatim, from Google
“The pancake was so crispy and the food tastes like home 🤤 Banchan are really fresh and delicious as well. The owners are super nice. Would definitely recommend!”
“Amazing homey experience with authentic Korean food that leaves you feeling light and satiated! We ordered the bulgogi, mul naengmyeon, and the yukgaejang and it was the perfect amount of food. Come here if you’re looking to get away from the crowds and overhyped/overpriced places.”
“Friendly service, reasonably priced, clean, and tasty food and side dishes”
“After a day of hiking within the Indiana Dunes National Park, my friends and I came here under the recommendation of one of us within the crew who was from Korea, referencing this establishment as her favorite Korean restaurant in Chicago, and it did not disappoint. We ordered some dishes that I normally wouldn't order in Korean restaurants, and it was the right move. I am certain that the fact we were hungry played a role in elevating the taste for us, but everything to me tasted good. The free pancakes were too oily for me, and the free banchan was good in the most standard manner. The short ribs (galbi) didn't have enough salt on it, but had enough pepper which helped preserve some of the taste. Since it was Korean beef short ribs, I was already happy just having some available. These are just the dishes that I felt less passionate about relatively. Apart from the dishes mentioned above, everything else was a hit. The charbroiled mackarel had really good flavor along with just the right level of crispiness, and adding a hint of lemon juice gave it a new level of flavor that elevated the dish even more. The pan broiled octopus dish had really tasty base sauce, which had a good amount of gochugaru and probably gochujang. I even mixed some of the base sauce with extra rice. The beef soup with ox blood contained solid blood chunks that had very good texture, and the soup itself was seasoned very well. Finally, the babyclam soup noodle wasn't too salty, and had the right type of ingredients to make this dish a very comforting experience after a long day of hikes in the winter season. I noticed that some of the reviews mentioned that it was difficult to locate a spot. That wasn't my experience. The store was nearly empty when my friends and I arrived on a Wednesday evening at roughly 6pm, and the owner was able to point us to the round table since we had 5 people in total. He was pretty clear about a party of 4 using a rectangular table and a party of above 5 using a round table, in classic Asian grandpa fashion, and I loved it.”
“Very authentic Korean food and friendly service by an uncle. Very fairly priced. They serve a pancake for free and we didn’t come in knowing that so ofc we ordered a seafood pancake. And guess what it’s even better. You can tell it’s freshly fried. I got the spicy crab (raw) and it’s so spicy!! The beef soup is also amazing. Easy to find parking and they have their own parking lot right in front of the shop. We saw Korean aunties and uncles walking in when waiting for our dishes and that’s how you know you’re at the right place lol. A must have for a cold Chicago day”
“Ok y'all, the only reason I'm just leaving a review now is coz I'm always coming in hungry, but always leaving full and satisfied (I end up knocking out after). I'm making it a point to leave a review now before I forget. My boyfriend and I probably come here every other date night since we first came here. The food is so good, the lady who cooks the food is so sweet...and the food is soooo good!”
“many sides you are getting for free which I like more then main dishes. neighborhood. I will definitely go again”
“The crab in soy sauce is delicious! Fresh and tasty, you must try this authentic Korean delicacy! I lied😗”
“one of my favorite go to places when i’m craving something warm and delicious. the korean army stew here is authentic, made with love and definitely worth the price. favorite part about this place is the potato scallion pancake they serve before the food. it always hits the spot and very crispy! what’s in the picture is #49. i recommend!”
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