I have been eating TTOWA for over a decade(?) since I came across Terry's stand at a festival in…read moreDTAH. The food is consistently delicious, the service wonderful, and it always makes me feel special when Terry greets me at the restaurant! There are tables accessible at the time I eat dinner, haha, but they fill up later! The restaurant is dark and quiet and the bathroom is clean. We're a bibimbap family--chicken and pork, respectfully. Sometimes in a hot stone bowl, sometimes not. The buns, japchae, and assorted bonchon are all delicious, too. I prefer the aioli sauce over the traditional sauce on my bibimbap. I still remember how during COVID Terry had the ability to donate meals to thank the frontline workers. Also, one time, something was missing from my delivery order and Terry himself drove it to my house to apologize! Those are the offerings and moments that make a giant difference. Overall, I am always happy with the food, service, and love supporting a small, local business!

The only words you need to know: Dak buns, hot stone bowl, pork belly, craft beer. Or simply order…read morewhatever you want... it won't matter because it's all spectacular. This is not Korean BBQ where you get a plate of raw meat and cook it at the table; if you want that kind of "interactive dining experience," head up to Vernon Hills, Ttowa has the experts in the kitchen to do the work for you (not to mention, better than most of us ever could). Did I mention the dak buns? Just to be sure: Dak Buns!!!

A movie and dinner night with roomies…read more The Devil Wears Prada 2--elegant, sharp, and absolutely worth the wait. Not a single moment missed. #thedevilwearsprada2 An evening that flowed effortlessly into dinner at Hong Dae Korean Bar and Grill in Mt. Prospect--where the ambiance, the food, and the company all understood the assignment. We were greeted by a very nice and polite lady and have us seated in a timely manner. Server was very good but a little meek. Food is very good and the price is moderate. A perfect way to end the day. #hongdaefood

Hongdae is located in back area of Randhurst Village, near Mr Kimchee and the AMC Theatre. As of…read more2026, they have a Happy Hour from 4-6PM with 50% appetizers and drinks. We got there just in time and ordered a few appetizers, like the tuna tar-tare, edamame, and truffle tuna. The appetizers were on point. For our entrees, we got the beef bulgogi bento box, and the chicken karaage bento box. The bento box offered several things including salad, California rolls, potato croquette, and the main dish. Unfortunately, we were not fans of the bento box. The bulgogi was extremely dry, and pretty much sauce less, and the chicken karaage was dry as well. The sauce was very rich. Service was good, and the staff was very friendly. Maybe we ordered the wrong things, because the appetizers were great.

I came here for the first time one Sunday afternoon in January. It was fairly busy as it was lunch…read moretime, but I was seated right away. I ordered the LA Kalbi. Like another reviewer mentioned, this was cooked and prepared (Mongolian style) in the kitchen. It came out on a sizzling skillet. It tasted delicious. The meat was really tender and juicy, but there were a couple of pieces with bone-in which I didn't really care for. I thought the side-dishes were really good. I completely finished the kimchi and pickled cucumbers. So good. I almost forgot about the miso soup. It was pretty standard (which is good) and hit the spot on a wintery day. Unexpectedly, for dessert, the server brought out a Haagan Daas ice-cream bar lol. I wasn't sure if this was normal or if it was just because I'm handsome? (found out later they do this for everyone... lol). I didn't really have room b/c I was full from the main dish and sides but ate it anyways (why not?). Overall I had a delicious meal. I can't remember the pricing off the top of my head, but I would say that it's reasonably priced. Oh, they also serve alcohol here too so if your looking for a spot for a group of people, that is an option. I personally had a large Cass to wash down my meal. Daebak!

All the meat and accompaniments were amazing and fresh! Grill was the perfect temperature for us to…read morecook our food to our liking, marinated beef was amazing! An amazing spot for a get together for great food! Only complaint is that it was a little warm inside with no air and the grills going but otherwise an amazing time!

Great spot for Korean bar food! Seating is limited, so I recommend making a reservation during busy…read moretimes. I loved all the superhero posters and pictures plastered on the walls-it was such a fun touch. It created a cute contrast with the more old-school Korean-style seating. The service was great, the food was delicious, and I'll definitely be coming back with friends!

Food is mediocre but overpriced. Vibes are not me... aka posh... but kinda divey ans ugh. Service…read moreis decent because tje response time to the call button is about 2-3 minutes.

My favorite restaurant! Great food. I always get number 4 spicy and it's delicious every time!read more

None of the food we ordered tasted good first of all. The service was "fine"... ambiance sure...?…read more Biggest thing is the Sundubu-jjigae tasted like a watered down soup packet put into a pot to try and save money on making it proper. Super watered down, super thin, no flavor, and pretty gross. Same with the Bulgogi. Thin and chewy gross pieces of meat. We threw out everything we ordered and went to taco bell. Which sadly was better than this. Go to Kai Moms over near village tavern. Way better food quality and never have had a bad dish there. Way more authentic tasting.

Honestly solid food. If you're needing to get something…read morequick whether its lunch or dinner. The place to be. I'm one to watch my macros and just enjoy the foods I love. If you're that guy come here. If you just want a solid burger or anything Korean BBQ related, youve come to the right spot. I'm hyping this place up not just because I like the food but the options this place gives and the flavor that goes into there meals.

One of our favorite Saturday activities is to go to Joong Boo and walk around and have lunch in the…read morefood court. K Grill is always our first stop. The K Street tacos are one of our favorites. Service is fine and the people watching is fantastic.

First I have to say the grandpa at this restaurant is super cute and funny!…read more The food was delicious. We started off with some non-marinated meat. We had Sang Gai Bi and the Heuk Sam Gyup Sal which was the pork belly. We loved them both. I personally like the beef over the pork but I would get both again. We also ordered a Yook Ke Jang, which was a spicy seasoned soup with shredded beef. It was not too salty or anything. It was just right! Lastly we ordered a marinated pork (forgot the name of it) and it was good, but I think we all preferred the non marinated meat better. Not sure if it's because we were already getting full at that time. Definitely recommend coming to this place. Charcoal bbq tastes so much better, although it can be a little harder to cook imo. ALL the small dishes were amazing...there isn't a small dish I didn't like. This is my new favorite kbbq spot!! This place is also super clean. The women's restroom was clean when I went as well and had everything you need...including spray for your clothes after bbq is done, which is a plus!

They don't make'em like this much more. With charcoals, I mean…read more There's got to be extra steps to get permission for indoor charcoal cooking, so I get it. But meat just tastes better bbq'd on charcoal, y'na mean? It honestly had been a decade and a half since I went to a proper charcoal KBBQ, so this was super exciting for me. The place had an old facade that was reminiscent of the "old days" for me. Not to say it was run down or anything, but everything from the floorplan to the old tables with charcoal pit installed tables reminded me of the KBBQ era of the 90's and beyond. Loved it! My family went inside way past lunch hour, so the place had cleared out and owners seemed to have been having lunch. The two gentlemen eho greeted us gave out father and son energy, but I couldn't be sure. There was a life sized photo of the oldtimer in a marathon getup hanging on one side of the shop entrance, which he explained was taken a decade ago. I could tell he would have been around my father's age, but seemed super healthy. A pleasant man for sure! It may not necesaarily be a good thing for owners, but I love it when there aren't too many patrons around, because it means that I'll get all the attention I need from them, when I need. It was certainly the case here. They were super attentive when we needed something. To be fair, we knew exactly what we wanted, so it wasn't like we needed to call them every 5 minutes, but it certainly was easy to get their attention when I needed another bottle of beer. :-D My family of three order two servings of marinated galbi, contemplating on whether or not to order my wife's favorite pork belly. In the end, we were too full and were glad we stopped with only two servings. We'll just have to come back to try other meat later. This is ALWAYS a dilemma for my family. All three of us each have our favorites, but none of us can eat a whole serving. We usually end up going with my daughter's favorite every time, unless my wife and I are out by ourselves, which these days is not as often as I'd like. We'll just have to wait a couple more years for her to graduate.. Galbi (short ribs) was GREAT! Not much else to say about it, other than the fact that any meat will taste better when grilled on charcoal. With so many other KBBQs around town with more "hip" and "modern" atmosphere, I don't know how well New Seoul is doing these days, but I certainly hope they do enough business to continue to be around. More and more Korean restaurants are moving away from their traditional way of doing things in order to cater to American audiences. They may not be huge changes, but these subtle changes make people like me and my wife a bit sad because it eats away a little bit of our nostalgia each time we experience some. I hate to sound like an old man about it, but I guess it falls to people like myself to continue to support more of the traditional places like these over the young ones. Anyway, based on just the marinated galbi my family had, I must give them 5 stars!

Wow. I found myself…read morein Arlington Heights, and my buddy suggested this place due to an upcoming trip to Japan in 2027. It's a Japanese market that features an amazing food court (and this is where I spent all my time.) I don't recall the name of the stall I purchased from. But I can tell you it was quick, not expensive and very filling. I had a bowl with beef and noodles; for dessert I hit the matcha dessert stall for some matcha and vanilla ice cream. The whole place meal me feel like I was dining outside the state of Illinois. The service from everyone in the market was very friendly and they even had a sake/soju tasting by the front door (and the vendors allowed you try was much as you wanted.) I highly recommend this spot

If you love Japanese culture, food, and want to visit a neat place and kind of feel like you are…read morevisiting Japan, you need to visit Mitsuwa! Not only is there a food court of different Japanese restaurants to try, there is also a grocery store, bakery, bookstore, and stores that sell ice cream, traditional desserts, as well as crepes and boba tea! My family and I visit here often every year and we like to try the different foods and desserts and then check out the bookstore and grocery store afterwards. My favorite foods so far have been the beef udon soup with a soft boiled egg, shrimp and vegetable tempura, miso soup, and Japanese curry with rice, beef, and vegetables (carrots and potatoes). My son always gets the chicken and beef on a stick and my daughter usually gets a garlic pork dish with white rice but I forget what this dish is called. My husband also enjoys the beef udon soup like I do. I swear that whenever my food is finished, I am legit sad! The crepes are good, there is a variety of boba teas to try, and the ice creams are delicious! Lychee has been my favorite so far but I have yet to try the matcha, red bean, among others! You can get a small sample of different ice cream flavors too, which is nice! I sampled the red bean flavor so that will be my go-to next time! At the grocery store, I love buying Happy Turn snacks which are like a sweet and salty crunchy cracker (maybe it is made of rice?) that are individually wrapped and mochi from the fridge area. Finally, I usually like to buy mochi from the store right next to the bookstore. The mochi from this location is the best! I usually buy multiple flavors to take home and eat at a later time! You must try these! My kids love checking out the bookstore and they usually pick something out for me to buy for them - whether it is a book, keychain, etc. There are magazines, anime figurines, soft plushy toys, pens, and stationary, etc. It is interesting to browse through the things they have there! You cannot bring food or drinks inside but they do have a shelf at the entrance where you can place your drink there if you like. The first time visiting here, the majority of the customers were Asians and as the years have passed, there is now more of an influx of non-Asians who simply love the food and appreciate the culture, which I think is neat! The first time I visited here was with my college roommate who was from Japan and she recommended this place back in 2009 perhaps? I have been visiting ever since with my family. We travel more than an hour from Wisconsin to come here but it is 100% worth the drive! Also, the cashiers and workers there are quick, efficient, and friendly. I have even been able to practice a few of the Japanese phrases I have learned with a couple of the cashiers too (I asked if they spoke Japanese first)! Overall, Mitsuwa is my happy place! Great food, interesting finds, different culture, and everyone there looks excited to be there. This is as close to visiting Japan as I can get until I keep learning more Japanese and save up enough money to go visit Japan someday! This is my dream! In the meantime, we will keep visiting Mitsuwa!

Got the seafood and beef tofu soup again like last time but it wasn't quite as flavorful as I…read moreremember it being a few years back. The purple rice is an extra/higher cost now and the white rice doesn't go quite as perfectly with the meal as the purple rice did. Very nice people working inside the restaurant though!

Holy crap. The divine flavor of the beef short rib soup will haunt my dreams until i return; paired…read morewith a mildly thick broth that coats your tongue to bomb you with rich umami, and some punchy bonchon to cut through the savoriness, the whole presentation is remarkable... and don't even get me started with how tender the meat is! If I could rate higher I would!

Maybe I had too high of an expectation going in, but it was a slightly disappointing experience for…read moreme, unfortunately. Even as I'm writing this review, I'm struggling between two and three stars.. It's got the hole-in-the-wall traditional Korean look and feel to it that I usually love. The old, faded wallpapers, the run down tables and chairs, the stacked up supply boxes that are folded in all over the place, etc. I usually love these aesthetics. But at the end of the day, the food has to be good to make people like us imagine that the owners cared only about honing their crafts and serving good food to customers and they just didn't have anything else like updating the interior to be more modern in mind. Well, I don't think that was the case. Based on my research, this place must have been one of the better places a little while ago, for it belonged to many people's list for offering a few very specific items that stood out of the menu, mandoo (dumplings) being one of them. Mandoogook (dumpling soup) was introduced as a must-have because of their house-made mandoo. My family and I ordered a few different things from the menu including steamed mandoo appetizer. I honestly can't remember what I ordered for my main and all I can remember is that mandoo was disappointing. It not only wasn't as good as the hype, but some pieces contained bit of an "old ingredient" taste. This visit was only a few weeks ago, but I don't remember what else we ordered. In my book, not making an impression is just as bad as making a bad impression, if not worse. All I can say is that everything else was just average. Not good, not bad.. I did hear in passing, the owner speaking to someone perceived to be a regular patron that she's retiring in a week or two, and that the place has been sold to someone else. This explained the lack of enthusiasm and the drive to serve your customers good food. She must have put the good years behind her and ready to move on, and I happened to catch her at the tail end.. Either way, my experience was what my experience was. I didn't have a great meal and I must give it 3 stars for it. Maybe, just maybe I'll revisit once it's changed ownership. We'll see..

I was super sad I didn't like this place because it seems like a perfect place for comfort Korean…read morefood. It's a very nice homey vibe and comforting atmosphere. However the food we ordered was just okay. The japchae was good but nothing special and many other Korean places do it better. I really did not like the mul naemyeong. It was so bland with no flavor. It's usually one of my favorite dishes to get so I was very disappointed. I was also not a huge fan of the selection of Banchan. However the service was good and before our dishes came out we were served some nice and warm hot soup since it was storming outside.