I arrived here early on a Saturday night and got a table right away. We ordered the army stew, fire cheese chicken, chicken gizzards, dookboki, and rice balls. All the food was so good and such big portions. The army stew was perfect for a cold night. The service was good and attentive. To drink we had the yogurt soju and peach soju. The yogurt is a perfect pairing with all the spicy food. read more

REVIEW ONLY BASED ON FIRE CHX WITH CHEESE. Ordered takeout for the sole purpose of trying this super spicy dish and it did not disappoint! I was bit hesitant bc the cheese is not typical for a lot of Korean dishes. However, since the dish does not come with rice, it helps to tame the fire in your mouth. The portion is quite large (could easily stretch over 3 meals)--I think I counted 4 large drumsticks. Very thoroughly flavored with char from the grill on which it's grilled. Comes with a small side of pickled radish but again, I do wish it came with rice especially for a $20 entree. Would definitely try this again probably with a friend to try some other dishes. read more

We had a nice dinner here yesterday. The service is good, and the food is even better. We got the fire chicken (beware: it isn't called fire chicken for nothing), the seafood pancake, and kimchee noodle soup. The seafood pancake was by far the crowd favorite - it was savory and different and completely satisfying. It was fun watching what other people ordered too. They have a robust menu filled with unique eats, and the pork skin would be something I'd like to try next time. I could probably go without the fire chicken because it was just unbelievably hot. Also, just a heads up if you are prone to smoke sensitivity, this might not be the place for you. It is extremely smokey; I actually got a headache upon entering but thankfully it went away. The atmosphere is very food focused, but the smoke could be better controlled from the Korean bbq. read more

Dancen - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Very unassuming little place. It's certainly feels like a hole in the wall. We were the only customers there at 6:45pm on a Thursday but it gradually got busier. We tried the sautéed spicy squid (spicy and saucy) and the fire chicken (crispy spicy thigh meat that creeps up slowly but gets better as the dish cools). We asked for a side of rice to go with the saucy squid but the rice seemed dry. We tried a beef kabob which was a good portion. There was only 1 guy I remember taking orders and cooking the fire chicken. I wish he would have asked if we wanted cheese. I was expecting our dish to come in a skillet which it didn't. I would be open to returning one day to try the stews and the rice wine. The total bill was $39 bucks before tip for 2 people and we didn't get any drinks. They do allow splitting the payment among credit cards. It's better to go with more people so you can try more dishes. read more

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Third time here and it never disappointed me. I can't love more about their spicy pork skin and pork cartilage with rice ball. Crunch and tasteful. They fruity soju was also good. Definitely come here with your friends! read more

Dancen - Spicy pork skin - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Umm... not impressed. The dukbokkee I can make better in my own kitchen. When I go out for dukbokkee I want amazing and it just was not. The seafood pancake was okay. The fire chicken also just okay. The service could be better... I'm just so disappointed. I really wanted to love this place and I kinda hate it. read more

Food selection limited, overpriced for below average quality korean food. Small boring atmosphere.

Amazing food! I have been twice already in a week. The first time we ordered Tteokbokki and Spicy Pork Skin. Both were amazing, the tteokbokki comes with sweet potato noodles wich I absolutely love. It's not super spicy. The Spicy Pork Skin, was our absolute favorite, is super crispy and the sauce is sweet and tangy. The perfect combination. This is a great place to have a quick bite with friends and a couple of drinks! I highly recommend this place! read more

I come here every time I crave Korean food (bar food). We usually come here late at night, but they open around 6:30pm or 7pm. I love love love the pork cartilage and the grilled chicken!! Plus the welcoming cheese omelet is always sooooo yummy! Plus the drinks are cheap! Plus I love the smell of Korean food! Anyways, if you want try authentic Korean bar food, come here. read more

Got one of the large seafood soups and it was quite delicious! Last time I came with my friends, we shared a fruit soju which was super yummy as well. Would recommend it as a nice place to chill during off-hours for dinner time (feels a bit more like a small bites or shareables location). read more

About a month or two ago a coworker of mine suggested I check this place out. We were talking about SoCal Korean food and any possible counterparts in Chicago. Since then I've been once every weekend (if not more frequently). The atmosphere is very divey and the space is rather small so it can get full really quickly. But the food is just amazing. I've discovered that I find it to fall in the comfort food category. It makes me feel at home even though I am not Korean. The fire chicken is great and by far my favorite dish. It goes great with the seafood pancake and that duo is something I refuse to skip on the menu. I suggest going with more people as there are other great dishes worth trying. I also suggest adding cheese to your fire chicken only if you know you cannot handle spice. The cheese takes a lot of the flavor away. I say this with a lot of pain in my heart as cheese is a favorite food group of mine. But it's true. read more

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Wow I was so excited to have korean bar food- I haven't had this type of food in so long. Our group of 6 got a table easily at 6pm on a Saturday night, but the small space was filled shortly after. We ordered a bunch of dishes right away, but it was difficult to grab the waiter's attention afterwards- true Korean style. We started with a pitcher of OB beer- very light and refreshing with all the heavy food. We ordered the fire chicken, which was delicious, but I loved the fire chicken with cheese even more, which we also ordered. We also got the seasoned rice balls with cartilege and pork skins. Both were delicious and nicely seasoned. Finally, we ordered the cod stew to finish off the meal. Everything was tasty and perfectly filling. So glad I tried this spot out in Lincoln Square! read more

A really fun and authentic experience! It's a small place so prepare to wait but it's worth it! People there were so nice. Great staff. We tried the fire chicken with cheese and WOW it is spicy. It's a good smoky spice that lingers. Try the cabbage to lessen the spicy (friendly person there told us). He owns that grill! We also tried dukbokki and I liked it! A bit spicy but so good! read more

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Update your hours on your website please. So i can come back and not be turned away and have a real meal and leave a real review. Thanks.

We searched and searched for Korean food and bbq and picked Dancen based on reviews. It wasn't what we were expecting. Pork kabobs - were grilled too long and too charred Clam soup - $14 and only had 3 clams. Clams from Korean store cost about $.69 cents a piece so... Fire chicken - marinated chicken thighs topped with cheese. Nothing special. Seafood pancake - it was ok. It was the size of a plate but sauce provided was very small. Styrofoam bowls and silverware were provided but cheap ones and was very difficult to eat with soup. No plates considering we ordered meat. Don't except the side dishes that you would typically get from other Korean restaurants. Only side dish was sweet pickled daikon radish and cabbage with thousand island dressing...yes thousand island. Total was even $60 but they don't give you a breakdown of the bill like how much was tax, etc. read more

I came here with a bunch of friends after some drinking. My friend lives in the neighborhood and I've always heard about their bar/drunk food, so why not? I was not impressed with the service, stares from other customers or the food. The fire chicken was indeed spicy. I didn't like the drinks but my friends did. It's pretty dim/weird lighting. read more

Small hole-in-the-wall place. Like there's not really a waiting area. BUT that's how you know it's good. We ordered three dishes: 1) Seafood Pancake - Good size and tasted great! The pancake wasn't too flat. It was actually kinda fluffy and chewy from the seafood. Just how I like it! 2) FIRE chicken with cheese - 10/10. You definitely have to get this WITH the cheese!! Very flavorful and the cheese melted so well with it (also it's fun to play). And even though it's called "fire" it wasn't spicy at all. 3) Fried Pork Skin - I've never had pork skin but I heard this was a specialty. CAUTION: If you have sensitive teeth/don't like hard foods (like bone, or cartilage) this is not the dish for you. I don't have sensitive teeth, but chewing through it was difficult and my teeth hurt a bit. We tried making it softer by tossing some of the cheese on top and it didn't help. However, I do have friends who enjoy this type of dish and loved it here so it's really up to your preference. Other things I noted: -The place is really dark so be prepared to take out your flashlight to read the menu. -When I went, it seemed a bit short staffed. There was a cook, a bus boy (who seemed to also serve as dish washer) and a waiter/griller/bus boy. So be prepared for a little longer wait to get to a table. read more

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After seeing an episode on Chicago's Best Youtube channel on Dancen, I was excited to try this place out, and was especially looking forward to trying out their Fire Chicken. We came in on a Friday night around 8:00 pm, and the place was pretty crowded. It's definitely a "hole-in-the-wall" type restaurant that's really easy to miss; when you walk in, the interior is pretty small, and there is very limited seating. It might not be the best place for large groups, especially on a Friday night. However, I came in with one other person, and we were seated at the bar after waiting for about 20 minutes. We ended up ordering Two Chicken Kabobs and Two Shrimp Kabobs, along with the Cheesy Fire Chicken dish. Being seated at the bar, we were in really close proximity to the mini grill located right behind the bar where our server was grilling and preparing our food. The kabobs came out first and pretty fast, and they were fresh, sizzling right off the grill. The chicken kabob was really good, perfectly cooked and juicy, along with a decent amount of "Korean" flavor to it. However, I wasn't a huge of the Shrimp Kabob. It was a little too charred, and the "burnt" taste I got while eating it was a bit much. We also asked for hot sauce on the side, which I'd recommend. I'd order the Chicken Kabob again but probably wouldn't order the Shrimp Kabob. The Cheesy Fire Chicken came out a bit after the Kabobs, and came out with an Asian Cole Slaw type mini plate. The Cheesy Fire Chicken was a little bit disappointing. It was very cheesy which I expected and enjoyed, and there was definitely a decent amount of spice to it despite the copious amounts of cheese, which I also really enjoyed. There was also a lot of flavor to the Chicken, kind of like a classic Buldak type taste. I'm not a huge fan of this flavor, so I didn't like the Cheesy Fire Chicken as much. It comes with a ton of chicken and cheese and is more than enough for 2-3 people. If you're a fan of Buldak chicken and Korean food in general (which I am not) you'll probably like this item a lot more than I did. Overall, this place was solid, service was friendly and quick despite it being a relatively small space facing large crowds. I was kind of sad I didn't like the cheesy fire chicken as much, but I definitely would recommend trying it if you're a fan of Korean food! read more

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I've been wanting to go here for a while because let's be honest, there aren't a lot of Fire Chicken options in ChiTown. The food did not disappoint. We had the Fire Chicken (with cheese) obviously, the Sweet BBQ Spare Ribs, and the Chicken Gizzards. First things first, the Fire Chicken was great! Not as spicy as I expected (which was good in my case because I do not eat too spicy). Both dishes that followed were also tasty, although the gizzards were cooked differently from what I have had before (not a bad thing). I was expecting way more though given the reviews etc., which is why I am only giving the food here a 4/5. The reason for the 3/5 though is really for the service, which was horrible. I called in to make a reservation and I was told that I would be okay without one. I was wrong to believe them. It took them a while to seat us. It also took them an even longer time to get the food out. They basically only have two people working and that place can get super crowded. I usually don't care that much about service, but I felt somewhat unwelcome and rushed throughout my dinner. read more

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I was overcharged for 4 dishes and 1 pitcher of soju drink, total of 80USD according to the menu, but I was charged 140USD with tip. This place runs very dishonest business, look out. read more

The place is small and homey. Very comfortable environment to have food and drinks at. Would definitely recommend coming here. This place is open late so coming for late night food is perfect. I had the fire chicken, pancake and the rice wine and it was delicious. The chicken was a bit spicy but tasted great with the cheese. The staff is very nice and friendly but because the place is small service is a bit slower than usual places but overall not bad at all. read more

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I have been here a few times after my last review and I decided to change my review to 5 stars! I previously gave this place 4 stars because of the service and how busy it can get! However, the last few times I have been here the server has been attentive and quick and we have not had to wait for a table (seated immediately!). Again, the food here is amazing and cheap! I can't wait to go back! read more

Dancen - Crispy Pork Skin - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The fire chicken was . Skip the cheese so you don't miss out on any of the flavor in the chicken. The spicy squid was great too! The indoor vibe is small and dark with cheap seating so that was the only thing lacking from our experience. read more

GIRE CHICKEN AND CHEESE is an absolute must!! Before I get ahead of myself here, let's start with the basics. Went for a late night bite ( got there around 11pm, they close at two) with some friends. Atmosphere is perfect. Small dining area with dim lighting and circular tables. Blah blah Moon was our server and he was so great! Didn't mind all my questions and was happy to educate us about the food and Soju! Soju is a type of Korean alcohol. Made of mineral water!! It blew my mind because the first shot had the familiar taste of the bottom of your vodka drink with all the ice melted. We had the Chum Chu Soju but I want to try the Plum Wine next! Now! That Fire Chicken and Cheese is life changing! We didn't realize it wasn't big enough for 3 but, it's perfect for two. The chicken was perfectly seasoned and moist! So tender and juicy, with the cheese melted to gooey perfection!! This place and this dish are a must! You'll get hooked!! read more

Dancen - Fire Chicken and Cheese, ginger salad and Quail. Forgot to ask what he pickled cubes are - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We ordered budae jjigae, fried chicken with cheese, pork cartilage with rice bowl and spicy sauteed squid. All highly recommended! read more

Dancen - Budae jjigae, Fried chicken with cheese, Pork cartilage with rice bowl, Spicy sauteed squid. - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is great for late night eating. I would say it's the top places to get good comfort Korean food. It is small with limited seating (up to 25-30 people). They cook most of their food over the grill and sometimes with huge flames and fire that looks kind of hazardous depending on what dish you order. It is also dark and dim so make sure you have your flash on if you want to take pictures inside. My friends and I ordered the crispy pork skin, sweet and spicy chicken, pork ribs, and the fire chicken with cheese. If you are more of a texture eating kind person, you will like the crispy pork skin. Everything is edible so you don't have to spit out the bone part. You will need to chew a lot and your jaw will get a good workout. It is a little spicy too. The sweet and spicy chicken is really good and it comes with cheese and ddukbokki (stir-fried rice cakes). It's very tasty and oily. It's a good go-to dish if you want to please everyone's taste buds. It only comes with 5-6 small ddukbokki so I only had one because I was with a large group. I wish they put more In it because they fry it just right so you have that crispy texture on the outside and the chewiness In the inside. So good. The pork ribs were okay and it had more of the grill taste and flavor to it. Lastly, the fire chicken is supposed to be the spiciest dish on the menu. If you dare to try it, go for it. You will pay for it when you go use the bathroom the next day. If you order it with cheese, then it will help subdue the spiciness of the chicken. It comes with chicken drumsticks but when we ordered ours, it was more charred and kind of burnt on the outside. They use a HUGE flame of fire to cook the fire chicken hence the name of it. read more

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This is my "the-go-to" restaurant for spicy K-food. I've been a fan of this restaurant for a long time, 10+ years, and their food has been consistently awesome. Their Buldak (spicy grilled chicken) is soooo yumm! In picking up the to-go order today (Buldak and Teobokki (spicy rice cake)), I learned that they make sauce fresh in every few days. I am grateful that Dancen is here, alleviating my homesick with my soul food. read more

I don't know what it is about Korean bars but they sure like to keep things understated and vague. Take Dancen, for example. I've passed this place a zillion times and never paid any mind. When my friends wanted to come here I insisted no Korean bars were around this location and thought they all went insane. I was wrong. Dancen is very real and very Korean. They've been doing a better job of catering to non-Koreans lately as evidenced by me seeing the very first non-Korean in the place a few weeks ago and they hiring a server that speaks very good English (but then again maybe the original servers spoke excellent English, too - I wouldn't know to compare as I only spoke to them in Korean - sorry!). The interior is pretty dark and sparse. This is a place for serious drinking and eating. This being said, this place tends to attract an older crowd. There's no scenery to admire here. You have one big screen projection TV in the front and a smaller TV in the back showing the game of the day but outside of that, it's tables, chairs and a bar. You ready to get down, or what? Just like any other Korean bar, they have the liquor ready. You want it, they'll make it happen. If you're looking for beer specials, you're probably better off hitting up Hourglass but other than that, the alcohol is status quo here. The specialty of the house is their "bul-ddak" which translates into "fire chicken". As you can already piece together, it's a pretty damn spicy chicken. It's very good and hot. They have a spicy pork but I personally think the chicken is the piece de resistance (French + Korean Bar review = serious pwnage). Our usual set up is the "bul-ddak", "bu-dae jigae" (army stew), "ddukbokki" (their ddukbokki [spicy rice cake] has thicker dduk [rice cake] than most places and comes w/ myun [crystal noodles] as you'd find in "naeng-myun") and countless bottles of Bek Se Ju until they kick us out. See you there! read more

Dancen - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

By popular demand, we ordered the Fire Chicken. Think of your tender BBQ skewered-like chicken, or that which comes cubed from the bourbon chicken sold from Chinese food lines at the mall. Terrible comparison, I know. But you won't find dry chicken here. It's cubed, and a leg, sesame-sprinkled, and nicely carries the sauce. By fire, think yourself of that slow heat kind of kick. Great as an appetizer, or entrée alone (mus task separately for a bowl of rice), this one sure is a crowd-pleaser. You could easily share, or go in on it solo. It's a massive plate for one person anyway, but comes with a salad on the side, which is more of a sliced cabbage (think cole-slaw), dressed with spicy mayo for dressing. Huge fan, and won't find easily elsewhere. The other pick was the pork and kimchi stew... I LOVED. being Filipino, I relate this as the Korean version of sinigang. Nicely tangy, Korean spicy.... but omg. PORK BELLY! you had me at pork belly. why didn't anyone say pork belly sooner?! I could gobble this up. I mean really I can't finish the entire bowl in one sitting, but my mouth waters, every time I reminisce on this amazing bowl. Dancen is great. a night time spot. nothing pretentious. think Korean bar food. very chill atmosphere, and good to go with friends. It's not huge or plentiful, but has TV's going, and K-pop overhead. red lighting, and super chill. I love any good hole-in-the-wall where the food speaks for itself. It is priced a bit higher, but it's relative to the huge shareable portions. It's a simple menu, I'm sure most of their dishes are on point. Don't expect much for ambience, or service, as most Asian spots that are legit tend to be. Anyway, I'd definitely be back. read more

I was recently introduced to Dancen on a weekday evening. Although at first glance Dancen looks like a Korean hole in the wall (definitely no dancin' goin' on here tonight), my friend says this place really fills up in the late evenings, and this was indicated when the server asked if we would accept a move to a smaller table should the crowds start filing in. On this day there was just one table occupied when we came in, and when we left a few more tables were filled up so we were able to keep our "large" table during our entire stay. We were handed small menu cards listing their selections, although a mural on the wall seems to post their top picks in Korean and cartoon form (a pig head = pork, cartoon squid = squid, right?). We ordered fire chicken and pork cutlet, a pitcher of frothy Korean beer, plus a bowl of white rice each. We were also given a dish of pickled daikon cubes and a small omelet, which seems like a very curious side item. The fire chicken seems to be the go-to dish here, and I was pleased to say that while the chicken is quite spicy it did not make me cry. The nuggets of spiced-up chicken also came with a bunch of bones as if to emphasize the authenticity of the dish, and I almost wanted to gnaw at them, but my friend pulled the chicken bones away from me. The pork cutlet was cut up into a heap of pieces for dipping into the tangy sauce. Both dishes came with some slaw topped with a thousand island-like dressing. There is apparently free parking behind the restaurant for diners. I'd love to do Dancen again sometime soon, even if it is just to enjoy the starfish light show on the walls and perhaps actually gnaw at those darn chicken bones. read more

Heard Dancen is a must-visit for hungry 3rd-shifters late at night looking to unwind Order: A pitcher of Hite to go with the spicy crispy pork skin, which will arrive quickly. It's got a unique texture and surprisingly addicting sauce, worth a try, but it's not lifechanging like I heard it to be A pitcher of yogurt soju later, to go with the fire chicken which takes a bit longer to cook. Rest of the menu are all decent drinking snacks. Kind of expensive but... what do you expect? Might try a soup next time. Would be pretty cheap in big groups, just snack and have a few pitchers after work. The space is much smaller than I expected though, and 100% a chill dive with like zero ambiance. Just casual drinks and good drinking food read more

Took a couple of friends from out of town here like 3 weeks ago and it was the spiciest meal any of us had in a good long while. Wow. Don't be a bunch of dunces like us and forget to order cheese on the fire chicken. The unmitigated fire chicken experience is basically a chili pepper cleanse, and you should probably bring a gym bag with a dry set of clothes. Got the spicy squid too. Perfect squid. Wish everyone knew how to cook it like this. As far as the pancakes go, the seafood pancake is great but the kimchi pancake is the real winner. And while it's tempting to hammer in some Hites, the real good stuff is the Mak Gul Li. It's a big bowl of delicious unfiltered rice wine that has *plenty* to go around for 3 people and a nice amount for 4. Great way to put the fire out, and the real steal on the drink menu. read more

It's small. I could see it getting packed real quick but apparently no one ventures out to Lincoln Square so you're good. The cold weather was making us all crave something hot and spicy. We initially planned on going to Da Rae Jung but they were unexpectedly closed. Luckily, Dancen was within walking distance and OPEN. What we eat, though? - (Budae Jjigae): Dude, they don't fuck around with the spam. Full, thick slices like a boss. This hit the spot. - (Doobu kimchi): Waaaay too spicy but if that's what you like then get this ish. - (rice balls): WHOA, I've actually never had it like this in a restaurant. They bring it out in a wooden container with food handler gloves for you to roll up. LEGIT. - (fire chicken): We decided to get this after seeing their framed review near the bathroom. It takes a long time to make but luckily another group got tired of waiting and cancelled their order...so we got theirs (puahahah). It's hellza spicy but really good with the rice balls. - (Makgeolli): Served the right way... in a wooden bowl with a ladle. Thanks for being open and for dealing with 6 rowdy ladies. CHEERS. read more

Go for the fire chicken & frozen soju. The place is nothing to look at. Service feels like you're at your cousins house & you ask him for a beer. Without a word, he gets it and hands it to you. Efficient. No fuss. Your kick ass aunt is in the kitchen & she's all business. She gets the job done 365 days and won't talk about it. read more

You didn't know you could ever crave cod roe soup. Until you've tried cod roe soup. My cousin, who is a chef and a consultant for a food and travel show took us to this place. We enjoyed everything we ordered. Since then we've taken our friends and have been back several times. It's not much to look at but it's clean and there aren't that many late night places that tastes so good. The fire chicken is what they are known for but I also love the crispy pork and the rice with seaweed. And yes I find myself constantly craving cod roe soup. read more

While creating a collection of my favorite Korean restaurants throughout Chicago, I realized I've never written a review for Dancen! How is this possible?! As Dancen is my absolute favorite Korean restaurant I've ever had the pleasure of dining at. Dark, intimate, and totally giving you back alley South Korean dive bar vibes, this place is LEGIT! Ambiance aside, you're here for the food. And the secret of Dancen is out bc I've waited up to an hour for a table before, but it's worth it. You MUST get the fire chicken with cheese! Hunks of tender chicken, smothered in their spicy fire sauce, and layered with cheese. The cheese is the perfect complement to the spice, and both tames and enhances the flavor. I swear I could eat this everyday. Their seafood pancake is also out of this world. It's huge and filled with all sorts of fish parts. Crispy edges, with a soft baked center. The fried pork skin is also delicious. It's chewy, but dipped in their homesauce, it's a great appetizer. We also usually get their Budai stew, which comes out in a huge pot kept warm over a burner they place on your table. It's sooo good, and the perfect amount of spice without taking away the flavor of the ingredients. Especially on a cold Chicago winter night. Other notable things I've tried and loved include the barbecue spareribs and fire squid. Both delicious. Seriously, there isn't anything here I've had I wouldn't order again. And be sure to get a pitcher of beer to split amongst friends, it compliments and cools your palate. I read that Dancen is currently open for dine-in and following covid restrictions, which is amazing! And they offer take out, so no reason not the check this place out if your in the area and craving true authentic Korean fare. Can't wait to get back here ASAP! read more

My friend wanted some late night food and had been anxious to try Dancen, so two of us tagged along. I had zero expectations except that I tend to like Korean food. Dang. Such a pleasant surprise. The server was much friendlier than I would have been at midnight. He did a great job giving honest suggestions, based on our tastes and his, and we ended up very happy with our meals. We had both the seafood pancake and the kimchi pancake. I don't even know which one I liked better. The kimchi had amazing flavor, but the seafood was so balanced and light. I even had a slice of each as leftovers today, and they were both still so good. We also had the pork skin, the BBQ chicken, and the fire chicken with cheese. All were fantastic. Great char and flavor. The BBQ chicken was for our friend who isn't big on spicy food. I would love to get some of that with rice and have a nice, comforting meal anytime. The fire chicken was spicy and, what was surprising, so so flavorful. The heat didn't kill the goodness. I don't usually like cheese with chicken, but it did a great job taming the heat and adding another level of fat with the spice. The pork skin was my favorite though. A little crunch, some sweet sauce, and just great little bites. So stoked my friend took us along on this journey! read more

It's extremely small and limited space. I could see it getting packed real quick but apparently even on a late Sunday evening. When you come into the restaurant they were playing these Korean rappers video's and of course I didn't know what they were actually saying, so I just moved to the beat lol. The staff to start off with was some kind of nothing(not one person was helpful). We had to keep asking the guy on the grill for water while we were waiting for him to finish our food. Which I could understand he has to concentrate on cooking the meet but in reality we asked another girl for water and she brushed it off like whatever. The food, we started off with the (rice balls): I've actually had them before but the cook suggested them. They bring it out in a wooden container with food handler gloves for you to roll up for my first experience this was weird for me I felt like I was inspecting my food. I ordered the Doobu kimchi I think that is what its called. basically its chicken that is spicy but sweet. In my opinion the chicken is way spicier than sweet. The chicken was cooked really well, however I don't know what this white sauce/fat substance was on the bottom of the plate it looked like lard or something. My mom had the fire chicken when I say that chicken was so damn hot it caused my sinuses to flare up get extremely irritated that went on for three days. It was so hot it distracted me from how the chicken actually tasted. I don't think I will be back to this restaurant ever again. read more

Flavors were good, very interesting vibe, modestly priced. I went here to try their famous fire chicken - and boy, was it spicy! We got this along with some other meat skewers, which I enjoyed much more than the chicken. I still give the restaurant four stars because the flavors were great, I just couldn't handle the spice. This would be a fun place to go with a friend or two, or even on a date, as it's a tiny, dark, place. Different mood than most restaurants. read more

Dancen has been on my list for over a year now. I'm really glad I was able to have a chance to visit it a few days ago. We got to Dancen around 6:45 and there was plenty of seating and street parking on a Friday night. However, as 7:00 hits and creeping closer to 7:30, this place is jam packed, waiting can be long as this is a bar where people come to have a few drinks and socialize (by the look of it, I don't think they take reservations - but can't confirm on that). They have very limited seating area, six at the bar, two small tables that fit two people, and four tables of four. I wouldn't recommend coming here with a group size larger than four ( maybe five is ok, if you squeeze an extra chair). It looks like there is one server, one on the grill, and another or maybe two in the kitchen. So service can be slow or lack of, which didn't bother us too much since it didn't get busy until we left. Do note: they do not take Discover. As for the food, we ordered the Fire Chicken with cheese, Chicken Kabob, and Spicy Pork Skin. I would recommend the Fire Chicken WITH cheese, since it helps calm the heat, but then again, there's pickled radish and salad to counter the heat. This dish can be eaten as a snack, appetizer, or entree; and it does not come with rice - you would need to ask. Besides the heat punching my stomach after each bite, I really enjoyed it. The meat was super tender, and the smokiness/char from the grill was just on point - the down side, it's a little too spicy for me. The Chicken Kabob looks and tastes like they're the same meat, so the chicken wasn't dry but in fact very juicy and delicious - though lacks flavoring, in my opinion. The Spicy Pork Skin wasn't as spicy as the Fire Chicken, in fact the heat level was on point. I really enjoyed munching on the pork skin, it was super crispy and crunchy, but at the same time some of the pieces was a little chewy and tough. Overall, this place is pretty solid, in term of food they offered. Almost 90% of the items on the menu are bar items, I don't think it can really disappoint you in terms of deliciousness. Even if you don't want it as bar food but entree, that even works too - in which we did! The only downside about this place is definitely the lack of space and seating areas - in my opinion, just be there before 7 and you're good. read more

Dancen - Fire Chicken with Cheese and Spicy Pork Skin. - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois