Unlimited Korean BBQ dinner for $35! I've been to many k-bbq, and do them at home too, so know they are not all made the same, and a cheap price isn't always a great deal. At KOW, I was properly impressed. First off, service. All the orders go through a kiosk machine on the table. This might deter some technologically-challenged folks. But with the great service I received, I think if you just ask the servers, they will be happy to help you or even let you just take your order. While the order itself is self-service and the robots are supposed to bring you all the ordered food, our server (and the manager joined forces later, as there were 14 in our party) was busy coming and setting us up with different sauces and side items. Aprons I don't think they advertise aprons here, but in Korea, all bbq restaurants will give you an apron upon request, since you are cooking on the table and oils will get all over your clothes. I haven't seen many places in the States that follow this tradition yet. But this restaurant seems to legit authentic, that I asked and they gave us aprons! (Exactly those single serve ones we get in Korea.) Food Unlike other k-bbq places, their menu is quite limited. They don't have soups and cooked side dishes. Which is fine, as they focus on the quality of meats instead! Their limited side items include all the basics you need to make k-bbq wraps. If you really like grazing on side dishes (rice cakes, cheesy corn, fried chicken, etc), you won't find them here. The keto kow in me was happy with what they had though. Oh, and I almost forgot. They have a ramyun station in the back, where you can cook your own individual portions of instant noodles. There's a variety of brands in the shelves, so you just pick you favorite, and use the pan and stove to make your bowl. There are also condiments for the ramen (eggs, green onions, etc.) for your toppings. So leave a little room in your belly for it! Or skip it like the keto carnivore I am. We got to our heart's content all the lettuce wrap, garlic, pepper, pickles, radish wraps and kimchi we needed to make a legit lettuce wrap. Brisket - Go easy! For a table of 4, we ordered 3 briskets on our first round, thinking we would order more later, but when we got the meat, it was a heaping huge pile! 2 orders of brisket would fill up that grill easy. I would not order more than 2 so we can have other cuts as well. They are not stingy here. Flat iron steak - personally not my favorite (I'd rather eat more brisket), but hubby loved it. It has more bite. Pork Jowl - one of my personal favorite cuts. Tonight, they didn't seem very fresh and had a slight gamey smell. Hopefully it's just a one-time thing. Garlic butter shrimp - very buttery, but delicious. Just don't get it too mixed with other meats unless you love butter. Serrano baby octopus - this has potential, but I wasn't impressed. Skip. Garlic pork belly - get it again! But just one order Large intestine - make sure to cook it long enough and it's delicious. Each order of an intestine is about the size of an Italian sausage. I'd even get 3 for a table of 4. Personal preference. Serrano bulgogi - surprisingly good! I'm not a fan of getting marinated meats at the buffets in the US because they tend to be too sweet, but these were authentic tasting rather than americanized sweet. Vibes The vibe inside is a bit like a bar or club, with super loud Korean music and HUGE screens wrapping around the wall playing Korean music videos. My throat hurt from having to talk loud with my friends on the table, but it was a fun atmosphere. I live out of state, but have a feeling we'll be coming back. read more

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Went here with friends and as soon as we arrived we were the only people in there. Ramen bar was cool, much different from other kbbq spots. My main issue was the food and the quality. Every time I go for kbbq I base it off of the banchan before the meats. The banchan was disappointing as the quality was inconsistent especially with the kimchi. The rice was harder than a rock, and if you think about making a ssam wrap please try to stay away. I'm not sure if they even washed the lettuce prior but it was just nasty. The fish cakes were lacking in flavor and whatever sesame oil they provided does not taste like true sesame oil. I have to wonder if they have tried their own marinade/ preseasoned meats as all of them lacked salt. I'm rather disappointed in this spot as this had been on my go-to list for a while. Update: Do not go here if you want food poisoning!!! Do not eat the lettuce! read more

Went to KOW in Des Plaines and had a really fun night. It's Korean BBQ where you cook everything yourself at the table, which made it feel more interactive than a typical dinner. The beef bulgogi was probably our favorite, and the cheese corn was really good too. They also have a DIY ramen station with a bunch of different ramen packs and toppings you can add, I didn't get to try it this time, but it looked fun. They have these little robot carts that bring food to your table, which was kind of fun and unexpected. The place itself was clean, and I liked the K-pop videos playing on the walls, it added to the vibe. Only minor thing, the metal chopsticks were a little hard to use for some of us, but they'll give you forks if you ask. Our server was great and checked in on us throughout. Overall, really solid spot if you're looking for something a little different and more hands-on. read more

Kow - For reference, this is what 3 orders of beef bulgogi looks like on the grill - Korean Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

What an experience this place is !! The food is amazing ,not what you expect on a limited menu ,but still hits the bar. Speaking of bar , they ran out of the special from the bar menu when we got there so womp womp. The service is great they try to give you a full dining experience, helping you grill or even cut up the food once it's cooked. The electric griddle is something I haven't seen at any other place. It was unique in a sense but got the job done. The ambiance was one of the biggest factors for me . Modern music , lights , and overall a great spot to hang and enjoy the meal. Overall it gets a 4/5 for me simply because their beef patty wasn't so pleasant and we weren't offered mochi as described in their instagram advertising. Best eating yall !!!! read more

Kow - Korean Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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I think it's weird that people give 1 star just because the music was loud. To be clear, the music was a bit loud but not impossible to hear everyone in your party. I've been to clubs, bars, and lounges where you can't even hear the person in front of you. This place, you can absolutely have a conversation with someone. Aside from that, we came for dinner on a Saturday night and it was about $35 each for ayce. The meat selection and sides aren't as extensive as other kbbq places. I'm hoping they will expand on that in the future. The meats that are worth ordering (from what we ordered) are t-major, flat iron steak, bulgogi, pork bulgogi, pork jowl, and garlic butter shrimp. The garlic butter and kow butter sauces are great for enhancing the meat flavors. The katsu and brisket are also good sauces to pair the meats with. I also used the garlic and jalapeños to give meats with no flavor, some flavor. The service was great. He didn't hover over us but checked back on us periodically. There is a ramen bar but it's the same as making ramen at home. People act like this is gourmet ramen or something. You can add toppings and eggs that are provided up there to customize your packaged ramen. The ramen is included in your ayce. Overall, it's about a 4 out of 5 for me. read more

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So disappointed. The electric grill was extremely weak. It took more than 30 minutes to cook just two orders of beef brisket, which normally takes less than 5 minutes at most AYCE BBQ restaurants. It's no surprise there were barely any guests during Saturday lunch hour. They really need to address the grill issue, otherwise it will be difficult for the business to survive. The side dishes and ramen bar were decent, and the atmosphere and service were both okay, which honestly made the experience even more disappointing because this place has potential. Unfortunately, during our entire 2-hour stay, we could barely eat any meat because everything took so long to cook. They also charged a 3.25% credit card processing fee without informing customers in advance, which made the experience even worse. read more

Kow - Beef brisket stayed red for so long. - Korean Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

I have been to KOW twice now, once as a celebration for my daughter being student of the month at a very populous school and once just for kicks and giggles because I wanted delicious protein and I have no idea where to start on making bulgolgi. The first time, the music was very loud and the service over the top. The second time, the music volume was much more palatable, but the service was much slower. It looked like a large ratio of customers to staff. I do like that they let us eat until we were satisfied unlike other restaurants in the area where go by time. The first time, we were enamored by the ramen bar. The second time, we were skipped it and focused on meat, rice, and vegetables. The value of the meat (steak, anyone?) for the price is good. I also like ordering on a kiosk because I was able to order multiple steaks and helpings of bulgogi. The little robot staff warm my heart and I wave at every single one as they roll past, haha. The butters and sauces KOW provides are noice additions, but not necessary which is exactly how it should be. One exemplary experience, one okay experience, but I'm willing to try it again! read more

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We ordered: Meats: Beef belly & brisket, pork belly & jowl, haddock loin, flat iron & T major steaks, garlic shrimp, ETC Ramen bar: Chapaguri - mix Chapagetti and Neoguri ramyun. Our favorites were the beef belly and pork jowl. Steaks are always a mixed bag. We ordered a lot of garlic shrimp and haddock loin; very solid quality for ayce. I love the ramen bar concept; very enjoyable with kbbq. Service was excellent. Unfortunately forgot his name but he really took care of us. From bringing our favorite dishes w/o our ordering via the tablet to changing the grill. read more

Kow - Korean Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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Fight a slow tiny usable space grill that turns down randomly and eat brisket then garlic beef. The garlic butter is like Papa John's. The grill is electric and is not very strong, it also kept resetting to 50% randomly. The grill is small and has maybe 70% of it can be used for cooking, the rest is barely heated and used for keeping things warm. Due to this limit, 1-2 ppl max should be in your table. If it's more than that, you will spend a LOT of time filling up because you aren't eating and being frustrated with the lack of food. We had 3 ppl and I was hangry to the max waiting for things to cook. I guess that's why there is a ramen bar, to fill up your space with cheap carbs. We went for lunch, it has a limited menu compared to dinner. It's another of those blast music type places. It can be a bit hard to hear. It was almost 20 bucks, before tax and tip, for lunch on 10/15/25. They also charge a 3% credit card fee. Ask them to change it if you wanna pay cash. The brisket was pretty good, I suggest start with that. There seemed to be 2 types, one was fattier than the other and the fatty one is much better. We were also given some meat that had turned grey/brown already, that was very off putting. After you are half way full, switch to garlic pork belly, it will take a while to cook it as it's thicker and again the grill is weak. So make sure you have some brisket stocked up or it's time to make some ramen. The garlic pork belly is nice and fatty and if you leave it on long enough, it creates a nice carmelization/browning of the meat. The chicken is also pretty decent, but it's super thick and not recommended as it will take forever to cook. Same with the burger, oh man it took like at least 15 minutes plus just to get to mid rare, if you want it well done it is probably 20+ minutes. Service was nice, fast, waitress was sympathetic about the situation with the grill etc but did not allow us to use another grill at the 99% empty restaurant. Also they randomly come by with cotton and wipe the grill down, they do not swap the grill out. I dunno that I liked it, i was kinda worried it would leave random threads on it, but it seemed ok. Take heed of the warnings above, I complained about a bunch of the things above and received no compensation or discount. read more

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So fun. Great customer service. Really fresh food that is seasoned well. More people should know about this place!

Great new addition to the Des plains line up of fantastic restaurants. The theme is all you can eat Korean bbq with kpop playing on large screens all over the walls! Great place to celebrate with friends & drink some cold soju and delectable array of bbq meats!! The side dishes of Kim chi & pickled radish help to cut the fattiness of the beef. The ramen bar was a really interesting addition the the bbq. I definitely would luv that during the cold snowy days in Chicago!!! We had a really personable server, Victoria that made our first time at the establishment very enjoyable. Gave us really great recommendations for what to order! Definitely come check KOW out!! read more

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Went to dinner here recently and had a nice time. Pricing/vibes are similar to other Korean BBQ restaurants, along with the music videos playing throughout the restaurant. The restaurant itself is clean and they have an inclusive price of the bbq and offer a DIY ramen bar that has a variety of ramen packs to select from, which is a cool touch. While the food was good, I do feel the menu of meats isn't as extensive as other K-Bbq restaurants I've been to, but I also understand in business you probably only want to buy what the greater clientele will most likely eat. Service was great - we were seated right away and our server, Christina (sorry if spelling incorrectly!) was very interactive. She did a great job of tending to her tables and her interactions with each, including us, was consistent with personality. I'd stop in again since this is very close to my mom's house if craving some k-bbq. read more

Kow - Bulgogi - Korean Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

If you're looking for a fun, interactive meal, Kow KBBQ definitely delivers. The table-side grill is the star of the show--fresh cuts of meat cooking right in front of you, with that sizzling aroma that makes you hungry instantly. The meats were well-marinated, tender, and cooked beautifully on the grill, especially when wrapped in crisp lettuce with a bit of rice and sauce. The spread of sides really rounds out the experience: rice, veggies, and small plates that balance out the richness of the meat. I also loved how social the whole setup felt--perfect for groups, sharing, and taking your time while you eat. The vibe is dimly lit and modern, giving it a cool, lively atmosphere without feeling too chaotic. Service was attentive and helpful, especially for keeping the grill going and making sure everything cooked just right. Overall, Kow KBBQ is a solid spot for a group dinner or celebration when you want good food and a hands-on dining experience. Come hungry and ready to grill read more

Kow - Korean Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

Calling all meat lovers and grill warriors. I have found THE Korean BBQ gem hiding in plain sight, like a ninja with a meat cleaver. KOW Korean BBQ is tucked inside a modest little strip mall in Des Plaines, which means it's got "humble exterior, spicy interior" energy. I walked in for lunch expecting a decent meal and I walked out in a food coma. $17.99 for lunch and $33.99 for dinner. Note: Dinner prices are active all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday. First off, the place is nicely decorated. Not in a "we're trying too hard" way, but more like "we care, but we still want you to relax and eat 12 pounds of pork belly" vibe. And can we talk about the peace and quiet? No LOUD POP playlist slapping you in the face while you try to concentrate on flipping your bulgogi. Just the soft sizzling of meat and the occasional gasp of joy when someone tastes the garlic shrimp. Now onto THE MEAT! No Galbi? No problem. The flat iron steak swooped in like a hero in a Korean drama. Juicy, tender, and with just enough sizzle to make your tastebuds dance. There's a large selection to choose from including garlic pork belly, spicy chicken, bulgogi and intestines for those who are adventurous. Ordering is a breeze with a tablet and your food is delivered to your table robotically :) But wait, there's more! For your carb cravings, there's a ramen bar. Yes. A RAMEN. BAR. Like a DIY noodle adventure complete with a selection that'll make any college ramen game cry in shame. Let's not forget the bahn chan. They were small plates but consistently replenished. Lastly, service? 10/10. The staff was attentive, quick, and friendly without hovering. Shout out to Mark who handled our table of 9 with ease. Special note: one of the owners came out to say hi like we were family. It felt like your Korean brother just opened a BBQ spot and actually wanted you there. I like that. Final verdict: Yep, I'll be back and you should give them a go. Welp onto the next! read more

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Heard about this place on TikTok and I had to try. Located close to downtown des plaines. Plenty of parking. Once you walk in, you're greeted and the vibe with kpop playing on the screen. $33.99 AYCE and ramen is included in the price. Our waitress was very attentive and helped cooked our meal. Many sauces to choose from. I like that everything can be ordered on the iPad. I will be definitely be coming back. read more

Kow - Korean Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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Loved this place! Great music with projector screens playing music videos all on the wall,and great food. The workers are very nice and friendly. If I remember correctly our chef was Mike, he was great! Was hooking it up in the "kitchen" hahaha. This was my first time at a hibachi type of Korean BBQ place. The meat quality was good and it was just a whole vibe. They also have a Ramen station with about 6 different types of ramen! Would definitely eat here again, oh and they had buy one get one drink free so you know that was a win also.... YOGURT SOJU DEEE-LICCCCCC- IOUSSSS lol read more

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I've tried a lot of KBBQ places, but this one stands out for the quality of the meat and the overall experience. AYCE lunch was $17.99, which is unbeatable in this economy. The lunch menu is simple, but has everything I need (brisket + porkbelly). The brisket came out fresh (not frozen) and reminded me of Cho Sun Ok. Honestly, I'd skip the pork belly here and stick to the beef because it's just better. Dinner was $33.99 the first couple of times I went, but the most recent time, it was raised to $34.79, which still isn't bad. The dinner offered way more variety, but the beef belly was my favorite. It was super tender, juicy, and full of flavor. Other favorites for me were the large intestine and garlic shrimp. Brisket at dinner wasn't as good as my first lunch visit, but still solid overall. Ordering through the tablet is easy, and the servers are always nearby if you need anything. Cui (not Psy) helped us the first two times, and he was great. Very friendly and attentive. Some people might find the service at KOW a little too attentive, especially if you like cooking your own meat without interruption. The self-serve ramen bar is also so smart. It's fun to make your own bowl, and it pairs well with the meat. Overall, the food, service, and atmosphere are all excellent. Prices are fair for what you get, and I really hope they stay that way. Definitely a spot I'll keep coming back to and recommending to others. read more

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Avoid this place. While the ramen bar was okay, the actual BBQ experience was frustrating. The grills have almost no heat--it took 15 minutes and the brisket still wasn't cooked. It felt like a deliberate tactic to keep us from eating. They were also out of favorite meat, offering only marinated options, and then charged an extra credit card fee on the final bill. Poor quality, poor service, and hidden fees. read more

All you can eat for a fixed price. Very good food loved the salad dressing and the beef bulgogo was yummy and there is a relaxing atmosphere. Order and pay from the table read more

Kow - Near bar area - Korean Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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Large, Very clean with big TV screens and music. Foods were excellent, meats were very tender with tasty sauces. Side dishes were fresh and tasty as well. Mark was very diligent server. I recommend this place if you'd like all you can eat. read more

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Food: 8/10 I loved the pork belly, the bulgogi and the steak were pretty good, the sizes of the serving were good for 2 people they didn't give us a lot which I appreciate because we wanted to try more things. The ramen bar was nice it gives it a different vibe from other Korean bbq place I've been. Service: 10/10 The server was great she recommended us the pork belly and what sauces to try with each meat, she was attentive and friendly. The food comes out by robot but she also stopped by to make sure we didn't need any and although they have an iPad to order the items she came around to see how everything was good. Ambiance: 10/10 Music was loud but not too loud where we couldn't have a conversation. We came at 5:30 so it wasn't busy but we were told the ambiance gets better after 8 and they play throwback songs not just K-pop. We paid $33 per person plus $2 for soda which is normal compared to other places near by. Would recommend to try it out and ask for Christina because she was great! :) read more

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This place was an interesting experience. The meat was delicious especially the bulgogi, so good and the ramen surprised me in a good way. Took a second to figure out the boiling situation, and I wish there were more sides. Server was fun and attentive, even if a bit overly eager at times. That said, the ambiance was nice and overall it was a pleasant visit. read more

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Food was good! Better than the place across the street (Galaxy). Not the biggest fan of not being able to cook yourself, but our server/cook helped. Good quality food, wish we got more sides, maybe next time. Jaycob was great!! read more

I was amazed with the contemporary decor and layout of the place. Kpop music surround it and music video on the wall. The service was excellent, our server, Ethan, was personable and patiently giving us an overview on how this recently opened KBBQ works. Now the FOOD! We ordered: Sides: rice, lettuce, radish, kimchi. and surprisingly ramen (included with the AYCE). Meat: beef bulgogi, marinated chicken (2) and garlic chicken (2). The portions are quite small so we ended ordering twice. My husband ate the beef bulgogi with gusto. The chicken were tender but the fatty parts were not hand trimmed unlike most of the bbq places. It doesn't look appealing. But overall, for $18/head during lunch, I highly recommend Kow! read more

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Food was great for a lunch menu, staff is personable, friendly, knowledgeable and gave great recommendations. It's great to have another option to have KBBQ in the area and the ambiance is a good mix of chill and upbeat. It's a good use of space remembering that the space used to be a Panera bread. Love that the ramen station is included in the price and the grill equipment is pretty modern, along with the flatware. read more

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AYCE Korean bbq. Try all the sauces and see which one you like. I really liked it and the meats were all fresh and loved the garlic shrimp. It's only been open for couple of weeks and the servers are really nice and helpful. They have a full drink menu including cocktails. Go!! You won't regret it!! read more

Jayson was amazing ??? Love this place !! Great food , service , value !! Coming back soon! read more

The food was so delicious. Great seasoning and amazing service. Can't wait to be back. For the price you pay the ramen is also included which is amazing because other places the ramen is extra. So glad to see that you get more here for your buck read more

Walked in at 9:30, online time said they close at midnight. Unfortunately they said they were short staffed and unable to seat us. Disappointing. read more

My family and I stopped by this brand new Korean BBQ spot in downtown Des Plaines after a workout--and don't let the "All-You-Can-Eat" label fool you. This place blew us away. The meat was incredibly fresh, tender, and packed with flavor--I can still taste it! We ordered the Flat Iron Steak, Serrano Bulgogi, and Pork Belly, and each one just melted in our mouths. The textures were perfect, the seasoning was spot-on, and every bite left us wanting more. Pair it with the Katsu sauce combo--my personal favorite--and you've got something truly special. Our server, Ethen, was absolutely amazing. Friendly, professional, and incredibly attentive--he brought everything we needed before we even had to ask. He made us feel so welcome and added so much to the experience. Huge thanks to him! As a family, we had such a great time together--laughing, grilling, and enjoying every bite. It was one of those meals that just brings everyone closer and creates a lasting memory. We left full, happy, and already talking about when we'll be back. The restaurant itself is modern, spotless, and stylish. Everything from the dishes and plates to the presentation felt high-end and clean. The vibe is unbeatable--cool bikes displayed on the second-floor mezzanine, city murals, a big screen, great music, and a full bar. The atmosphere put us all in a great mood from the moment we walked in. We'll definitely be back. Honestly, one of the best dining experiences I've had. If you're in the area--go. You won't regret it. read more

Kow - Great city atmosphere - Korean Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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Great new Korean BBQ in Des Plaines! This all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ spot just opened, and it's already one of the best I've tried. The meat was delicious, the service was super friendly, and the atmosphere was clean and welcoming -- rare to find all three this good in the suburbs. It's the kind of place you'd expect to find in the city, but it's right here in Des Plaines. I'll definitely be coming back with friends! read more

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Staff very courteous, but they're way too hands on for a Korean bbq place. We don't need them to cook for us unless requested. Place has extremely loud music which kills any chance of conversation. Also the grill is weak and takes forever to cook your meat. Also this place has no sauce bar or bonchon. read more

I really wanted to like this place especially because it's a local business and the staff was great. We were there for lunch but the lunch menu is very limited. They sat a family next to us at the same table when there were empty seating available. I'm not fan community seating especially when my children are minors. I will remind you we were seated first but the lady with her RBF kept staring at my kids and giving us the side-eye while sitting at the same table. She was like a long lost aunt that should have stayed lost and no we will not call her karen. We pay all that money and didn't enjoy our meal. My overall experience was nothing good and I am definitely not interested in returning. I only add a star because of the staff and I thought the kim chi was good. read more

Great food and great atmosphere. They were very accommodating for our large group on Valentine's Day

Very loud music, adequate food, not willing to allow a sample of the beer on tap. Not worth the money. There are much better options nearby.

Terrible experience. The place looks nice, but that's the only good thing about it. The meat choices were awful -- barely any options -- and the grill was so weak that the meat wouldn't even cook. We literally sat there waiting forever for it to cook, and when it finally did, it tasted terrible. This is supposed to be all you can eat, but what's the point if you can't even eat? Total waste of time and money. but workers were kind and nice. I wouldn't recommend this place to others. read more

Kow - Korean Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

Ethan was my server and he was so sweet and very attentive. I took my family here for the first time and they really enjoyed. He explained how it worked and also helped us cook. The music and environment was really fun. Food was great too, highly recommend getting the beef belly. The ramen bar is a cool addition as well. I liked cooking the meat and adding it to my ramen. Also their bathrooms are SUPER CLEAN! 10/10 recommend. Take care of your severs when you come cause they take great care of you! Will definitely be coming back read more

The food was very good and the service was excellent! Very contemporary ambiance. Our waitress was extremely patient as she explained the menu and the presentation. read more

Exquisite food, great service from our server. One of the best Korean bbq restaurants we've ever been to.

Quality meats with quality service!! The in-house made banchan were so good and really, the selection of meats were awesome. Our server, Cy, was beyond phenomenal and also had wonderful recommendations throughout our time there, and overall, he made our experience even more enjoyable. 10/10, will absolutely be going back again as long as the owners keep up the great quality food! read more

Kow - brisket, pickled radish, kimchi - Korean Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois