Very nice vibe at the patio area, food also not bad, cos only the patio area open during the pandemic, so it might be a line at the weekend. Maybe because it's too busy, so the serve asked us to leave when we are preparing to leave...... kind of ruined everything. read more

PERILLA korean fare - Feast for 2 - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The outdoor patio is super cute and cozy. The food was mediocre and lacking flavor and interest. The korean fried chicken had no flavor at all, we ordered two types of flavors and had no idea what was what. If you like spicy food, be advised to bring your own chili oils, sriracha, whatever you prefer. The "fire sauce" is mild. The ordering method is a bit tedious, a walk up window with one person working. You'll spend time waiting to order and pay on a busy night (we came on a Friday). 3 stars because service and ambiance was good, but food was mediocre. What we liked: Spicy pork fried dumplings Kimchi pancake What we were underwhelmed with: Marinated short rib steak JJ noodles Korean Fried Chicken (Bonchon is better) read more

We had the best time and superb meal tonight! Our hosts, wait staff, and everyone was the best! The food was delicious. read more

PERILLA korean fare - We're back! COVID-19 is upon us, but tonight we ate a fabulous dinner at Perilla! So damn good AND our waiters and host were phenomenal! - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

If you are looking for authentic Korean Barbecue experience, this will not be the place. Usually in a Korean restaurant, the Banchan (complimentary small plates) and lettuce wraps are free. They put absolutely minimum effort in the food quality. I don't mind spending extra money for extra deliciousness but the "A5 Wagyu" which is 50 dollars for about 3 oz is an absolute disappointment. To elaborate, the meat is grey. The barbecue grill is electronic, not charcoal. The scallion pancake is hard to chew with it's burnt and hardened exterior. Overall the atmosphere and service was impeccable but I don't see the reason for me to suffer this non-authentic, unqualified food again. read more

This is the best Korean restaurant in Chicago. The service was really good. We went there at 9pm and they still served us. They did not pressure us into ordering at all. The server suggested what should we order and we followed his advice. We made the right decision. Everything was soooo good. There are lots of street parking close by so you don't have to worry about finding a parking. I can't wait to go back there. Highly recommended if you like Korean food! read more

HERE FOR IT! Yesss. So delicious. Started with the sweet and spicy wings and let me just say that my expectations were not too high because we had a 30 minute drive home after we picked up our order. How in the world were they the crispiest wings I've ever had?! Whatever they are doing to those wings.....keep doing it! And bibimbop is always a favorite for me because I love bulgogi and an egg makes everything better. Can't go wrong. I really enjoyed the veggie that were included with the bibimbop also. read more

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Ordered this for takeout during quarantine and we weren't disappointed!! Curbside pickup was so easy and the food was nice and hot. Loved the kimchi fried rice and the bulgogi. Will definitely go back to dine in person when we are able! They also provided plenty of hot sauce per our request which I really appreciated. read more

PERILLA korean fare - Feast for 4 - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Easily the best Korean BBQ place in the city... I've previously lived in LA for 8 yrs and this place is comparable... I've lived in Chicago for 7 yrs now and it's been disappointment after disappointment with regards to Korean establishments here. Perilla is definitely a breath of fresh air. If you're looking for one of those all-you-can eat BBQ places to try and stretch out that dollar, I would recommend going elsewhere. This place has premium cuts with quality you can taste. You have a head chef who used to run the kitchen at Swift and Son's.. so you know there is meticulous attention to detail and taste. Some may feel that the price point is on the higher end... but those are the same patrons who goto Outback to get their fill on steak. The place has a laidback, hipster vibe... not your usual Korean restaurant. Great place to eat... better place to eat and drink. The food is a fusion of different cultures.. while staying true and authentic to the traditionalists. What they've achieved here is unprecedented because most places go a little too far and astray with their attempts at fusion. Absolute must dishes include the steamed egg, prime ribeye and the PORK BELLY! They also have a fully stocked bar in the back. Nothing but positivity at this establishment... simply put, the food is bomb! read more

Korean cuisine was one that wasn't represented in this part of then, and then Perilla came along. From the outside, you wouldn't think the restaurant screamed "K BBQ!" The slight give away is the blue and red lanterns that is strung across their outdoor patio. But you have to KNOW to know this is a traditional korean decoration. Once inside, the space is modern and cool. Each table in the front room have a personal built in grill. If your goal was to enjoy their happy hour special, pass this room into the back bar for their drink specials. If you're staying for dining, continue to admire and follow the hostess to your seat. The menu is easy to read and you'll find some familiar items like Bulgogi and LA kalbi. We decided to go with something new, and got the marinated USDA prime. Highly recommend! A twist to your traditional kalbi. It's seasoned like a kalbi but the meat cut is a steak! Next level of service is the server. The server will cut and cook up your bbq at the table. They ask how you like the meat cut and will plate it for you so it doesn't over cook. One bite and you know there was great care taken into this cut of meat. It melts with the first bite. We also had the kimchi soup and the spicy rice cakes. Kimchi soup was more salty tart than spicy tart. It had additional things in it like pork, rice cake and glass noodles. Definitely made like a one meal soup where you could eat it without the side of rice. The spicy rice cakes had a great spice level and traditional to what I remember from my trips to Korea. Lots of rice cake and slices of fish cake. I also like a lot of sauce with this dish and this had tons! I'd come back to try some of the items I've missed: fire chicken and soon tofu. The owner said that they're looking to add more to this space, so now I'm super curious! read more

Unfortunately my review declines every time I go. It is far from consistent - either the food or the service. This time they missed my pickup order (how? it was 11:45 AM), and told me they'd have the food ready in 5-6 minutes (i really should have recognized the red flag right there). I stood in the heat for 25 minutes until they finally had it ready. At least be honest. I've been here at least 10 times and it becomes less impressive each visit. read more

Such a great spot for dinner with friends or a more laid back and interactive date night. I went with my friends and was truly amazed of the food, service and ambience. They have super high quality Korean dishes and everything is so flavorful and fresh. I also love the attention to detail in even the smallest things like garnishes. The staff is super attentive and friendly and the atmosphere makes it one of my main recs to visit when in Chicago. Highly recommend. read more

Great new Korean BBQ place near River West! Came here as a group of 4 and ordered the large feast and feast we did! They started us with your standard small dishes (maybe a few less than Cho Sun Ok or Gogi but still kimchi, jalapeño, salad, and the like). We then tried the blistered shishito peppers, steamed chicken dumplings, seafood pancake, Korean fried chicken, and bulgogi. Highlights were definitely the fried chicken and the seafood pancake. The Korean fried chicken was covered in delicious sauce but still crispy to eat with a little kick at the end. The seafood pancake was full of seafood and nice and crispy. A little smaller if you're comparing to Gogi, but I could order a whole second one and eat that for a meal in itself. For our meat, we tried the pork belly and marinated Galbi. The waitress offered to help cook for us which was helpful, though we needed to take some initiative because she disappeared after putting the first round of meat down. Just a quick note that you do need to specify if you want to sit at a table with a grill or not. Overall, even though it's a little more expensive than some of the other Korean BBQ places, the location is great for us and the a la carte options you can have are versatile so we'll definitely be back for another meal! read more

PERILLA korean fare - Pork belly on the bbq - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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So good. I definitely recommend this restaurant.If you really like Korean FOOD, this restaurant is best choice for u!!

No offense but Just Go to a real Korean bbq. Service was great, not work the money. Sorry

Having lived in Vancouver, Dallas and New York City, I've been spoiled by good K-town food. Perilla is a much-needed addition to the Chicago food scene, and delivers authentic dishes that remind me of Korean home cooking - with an elegant flare. I appreciate that the price is reasonable and they don't try to be overly "fusion" or "modern" - the food is still very much grounded in its Asian roots. Come hungry if you plan to do the "feast menu" for two or four. We got the two-person "feast" and had: - The brussels sprouts: a little heavy on the parmesan but delicious with a crunch! - The pork dumplings: big, fried, and very filling - Korean fried chicken with spicy & sweet sauce: the skin is saucier than your typical crispy-skinned korean fried chicken, the inside is juicy & tender as expected. I'm saving three huge leftover drumsticks for tomorrow! - The marinated prime short rib is top notch! The waiter made it medium per our preference. The portion was satisfying without making me feel gluttonous. One of the owners Thomas walked around the greeted the diners, and seemed to really care about everyone's experience - what a nice personal touch! read more

A must try in Chicago. The atmosphere, food and service is top notch. While you wait for your table, you can hang out by the bar lounger, which has a great vibe and knowledgeable bartenders. The cocktails are smooth and unique. The feast is a great way to try the menu without wondering how much food to order. You will be stuffed but its worth every penny. For four people the cost is $130. The small plates are equally as good as the main meat courses. The Brussels is a MUST! Soy marinated mushrooms are so tasty. Save some to put on top of your grilled meat! Fire chicken was a fav with our group. It's spicy, so beware. Try some soju with your meal. It's a fun communal drink with a game the staff will teach you how to play. Fresh is delicious but the green tea is the perfect post dinner treat. read more

PERILLA korean fare - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Disappointing, what kind of Korean BBQ place doesn't ask if you want banchan? So we never got the banchan because our server never asked if you wanted it. The food was ok but the experience was not good. read more

Review Update for 12/14/19: First, I appreciate that one of the managers replied promptly to my first review (unexpectedly within 24hrs) with an apology, his contact info, and an offer to have us dine with them again to if we were willing to give them a second chance after our first unpleasant visit. Also thank you for the patience, as we didn't end up making a reservation until roughly a month later after our vacation plans. Second, as a general overview, I was extremely pleased by the effort of the managers to make our dining experience that much better when we returned. Each manager was kind enough to approach us, introduce themselves, and reiterate their sincere apologies. They each made recommendations for what was most popular on the menu and what might suit our tastes, delivered our dishes personally along with our waitress, and shared some brief narratives or facts about the food that we were about to eat, which made our experience that much more memorable. We came in yesterday on a Saturday night to a lively, beautifully lit ambiance--everything from the music to the noise level to the smells and temperature of the space was perfect. My boyfriend and I went with the feast, which includes bon-chan and a selection of one item from each category: vegetables, dumplings, small plates, and meats on the grill. We ordered their fingerling potatoes, vegetable dumplings, Korean fried chicken, and their marinated short rib. We also ordered a bottle of Hite, a light Korean beer, to enjoy throughout our meal. While the portion sizes and tastes between each dish was just absolutely perfect, we especially loved the bon-chan (of course), the distinct savory flavors of the crunchy but soft fingerling potatoes, and the Korean fried chicken with ranch dressing (made in house) and cubes of daikon radish between each piece. Admittedly, the marinated short rib was a bit too chewy at times for my tastes, but perhaps we didn't cook it on the grill long enough. By the end of our meal, not only were we full but given a small surprise: a shot glass of soju with matcha, which was sweet but not too sweet. Thank you so much, Perilla, for making it up to us with such a fantastic dining experience! After tasting all of this amazing food and being met with such kind, friendly, attentive service, this is a new restaurant that ranks high on of our list of Korean spots that we frequent. We will definitely be back and recommend to friends and familu! Original review 11/20/19: Literally just came out of this restaurant because the staff refused to serve us. My boyfriend and I came here at 9:15pm. There was barely any people seated. Just two couples, one of which was about to leave. We stood there waiting by the door expecting a host to seat us. We saw a blonde haired employee in the back, who looked as though she was about to.Instead, she walked away from the view of the kitchen quickly, then came back in view of the kitchen again and started talking to what looked like one of the cooks. After about a minute of staring at us, it didn't look as though they were notifying the server to attend to us. The server was right next to the two employees. read more

This place made me miss home a little less. One of the hardest things about moving to Chicago from Southern California has been the serious lack of good authentic Asian cuisine across the board... especially Korean food. Eating here last night was fun. Their small plates and banchan were delicious, and the grilled items were great. The staff here is very friendly and attentive, but they also do a great job of knowing when to leave you alone and not interrupt your conversation which I feel like is a lost art. We will DEFINITELY be back to this spot sometime soon. read more

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My girlfriend and I decided to try this place after passing by many times as West Loopians and we were pleasantly surprised all around. We came in during happy hour (4-6pm, 7 days a week) and got some Korean fusion type appetizers, all of which were amazing. Highly recommend the Korean fried sweet and spicy chicken and scallion seafood pancake. Our waitress was incredibly attentive and friendly and made our experience that much better. The food, ambience, and staff were all top notch and we can't wait to return here soon with a group of friends to enjoy the happy hours specials. read more

PERILLA korean fare - Seafood Pancake - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

As a Korean who has experienced varied Korean fine dining, I can say that you would be wasting hard earned dollars here. The food here isn't particularly a unique experience when compared to average non-AYCE Korean restaurant. In fact I would argue that it is sub par even compared to an average Korean restaurant. So for you to pay the dollars demanded of this place, to say that you would be wasting money would be an understatement. Service is also sub par. If your waiter is not coming back to see if you're doing okay only after you've finished your meal is below that of an average restaurant. The manager did compensate $15 from the check but that merely removed the fee you are paying for the side dishes you'd normally get for free at almost any other Korean restaurants. If you know Korean food, you'd agree with just about everything I've mentioned so far. If you are new to Korean food, you'd do much better at a legitimate Korean restaurant. read more

The best Korean food and hospitality I've experienced in a long time. I would come back to Chicago just for this restaurant! read more

PERILLA korean fare - Grilled spicy octopus - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Warning. I'm from Los Angeles where the Korean food is top notch so be weary of my pretentious insight. Food: 3 Service: 5 Perilla was a great experience overall. The selection is good, the service is great, and the decor is very nice. I have high expectations for my Korean food because my mama is like a Maanchi++. In addition I'm from LA. So the prices were a little jarring, but whatever we need our Korean food. Asked for some modifications on their fixed menu, but the waiter said no. Then later the owner or head chef swings by and says he'll instead hook it up for free so we were like woohoo! That's very awesome of the staff. Thanks y'all :) When the waiter brought out our banchan, or little appetizers, she made sure to explain every dish to me, which was comical because of the annunciation and the fact that she was explaining my culture's food to me. But job well done which will be helpful to guests unfamiliar with Korean food. The waiters were very attentive and my water was always filled and I'm a whale when it comes to staying hydrated. It was a bit salty for Korean food and steep on price, but it is a good experience and I think it will taste good if you're trying Korean food for the first time. All in all. Pretty good because of the service. :) read more

Perilla was such a great experience. Probably the best service I've had in a while. The servers were super attentive and helped us out with some great recommendations. We got the fire chicken (which btw is pretty spicy) and the glass noodles and they were both so so good. The fire chicken comes with a side of rice as well. The vibes here are really chic and modern with a korean twist. Definitely would come back! read more

PERILLA korean fare - Glass noodles - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Perfect Service & Good Price.So proud of Young Owner & Workers.Very Delicious plus very nice &kind cocktail bar read more

PERILLA korean fare - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We had 7 people and we ordered the large feast and about 5 additional dishes. The service was amazing from the reservations to the serving. Our waitress even cooked our food for one side of the table when none of us knew how to. The food came out quickly and we always had all the tableware we needed. The food was great quality and came out like a real feast. They had a spread of many different items and all were good. The only thing I didn't like as much as I expected to were the brussel sprouts cuz they had a very strong sesame flavor or something along those lines. I wish the portions were a bit bigger for the LA galbi because it was sooo good, but we were splitting it among several people. The steamed egg feels like a lot for $8 but it was really yummy and a big portion (not just one egg). Drink selection was pretty good. We loved the makgeoli coming in the pot with bowls to drink it. Not 5 stars because it's really loud and hard to hear people from one side of the table to the next and because prices were a bit high (though it's to be expected because of the quality and location). read more

While the food was okay, the customer service was horrible, especially from the manager or the owner. The drinks are certainly designed to induce diabetes. After getting a Robitussin-infused drink (non-alcoholic), we asked our waiter for a replacement. The waiter then took the drink away and recommended another drink. All went well until we got our bill, and the manager not only refused to take an $8 drink off the bill but then accused us of "pushing the drink" to the waiter. He also showed how we did this and said we had forced the waiter. We had kindly asked the waiter for another drink, and he voluntarily took the drink from the table. For a $200 bill, the manager refused to remove the $8 drink, which probably cost them $2 to make. It shows how far the management is willing to go to make $5 extra dollars. We ended up paying, but we see the $5 as a donation towards their future foreclosure or bankruptcy. Update: We didn't order a drink "accidentally"; we ordered one thinking it would be a decent drink. Here is your tip: your drink litchi tonic (ingredients: sac sac grape, rare tea cellar litchi noir tea syrup, tonic) is missing a key ingredient -- two kgs of sugar with a gallon of Robitussin. I encourage others to try their litchi tonic and let the owner know. If your policy is not to provide a refund or offer a replacement, be transparent when your customers express concern about your food or drink. Besides, we would have gladly paid if you told us that it was your policy. Instead, you chose to accuse us of "pushing the drink" towards the waiter! You even went further to demonstrate how we did this as if we did something wrong. Thanks for not addressing this issue in your post, but instead, you decided to take shelter in an unrelated topic of independently-owned businesses. We support such businesses hence we were at your restaurant in the first place. However, we do not support owners who are rude, confrontational, and carry out deceptive practices in the name of "providing a service to the public." Your approach is wrong and I hope this does not happen to other people. To anyone reading this post, please be sure to purchase an insurance policy by simply asking your waiter, "do you recommend this drink or food?" If the answer is yes, you are well within your rights for a refund if they serve gyros instead of bulgogi! read more

Cocktails are great. Food is average. Quantity is stingy. Prices are exorbitant. Then they charge 5pct for kitchen staff. I really wanted to like this place but this customer felt ripped off. read more

Spectacular food. We got the Seafood pancake, kimchi fried rice with cheese and spam, spicy pork steamed dumplings, and the sweet potatoes. The seafood pancake was delicious and a nice crispy chewy texture, and was especially delicious with the dipping sauce. The fried rice was so savory and delicious, would especially recommend with the additions of cheese and spam. The spicy pork steamed dumplings were very spicy, such a nice texture, again the dipping sauce was wonderful with the dumplings. And the sweet potato was a sweet savory flavor bomb with great crunchies on top. We had nice weather and were able to eat outside and the patio is excellent. A+ read more

PERILLA korean fare - Korean Seafood Pancake, Kimchi Fried Rice with Cheese and Spam, Spicy Pork Dumplings, sweet potato - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Yummy! This is a delicious restaurant and very memorable! I love the drinks, food and the bbq accompaniments the most.

We had an awesome meal consisting up upscale Korean fare with some modern twists. The flavors were delicious and everything was super fresh. We did the marinated Korean BBQ (prime rib), and the meat was so tender and flavorful. Soju Cocktails were bold and amazing, with fresh ingredients. Service was attentive without being over-bearing and the manager was an absolute delight to talk to. I lived in Korea and these are the delicious flavors I remember in a modern environment. No complaints here! We will try to get back as soon as possible. read more

PERILLA korean fare - Korean seafood pancake - Korean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Delicious!! bulgogi was tender and nicely seasoned. Pork dumplings and kimchi fries hit the spot. Highly recommended! read more

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Reading all the stellar reviews, I was really looking forward to a good Korean restaurant closer to home to avoid trek out to Chinatown. The menu looked great, service was great, but the food... just seemed to always be missing a step. Fire chicken with cheese (2/5): Let's be honest, there's no where in town that will do fire chicken and cheese quite like Dancen. But the fire chicken here just missed the mark entirely. I imagine it was cooked in a wok with entirely too much liquid, causing the chicken to be an awkward mushy, overcooked consistency while still undercooking the sauce so there was no caramelization. Bibimbap (2.5 or 3/5): Heads up, the normal bibimbap is served cold. I mean absolutely cold - cold meat and rice. We asked if this was normal and we were told that this was how it was served. Not terrible, but honestly I think it was the first time I've ever gotten a bibimbap with cold rice and meat. The staff and manager were exceptionally helpful (offering to change it to the hot stone bibimbap), but from a menu standpoint, not a fan. Seafood pancakes (4/5): Probably the best thing we had that night. It was pretty good! A fair amount of seafood and surprisingly crispy considering how light colored the pancake was. Certain parts had thicker batter than I've seen at other establishments, but overall, really enjoyable dish. LA Galbi (2.5/5): Honestly, I think a fair amount of LA Galbi dishes taste similar across all restaurants, and this is no different. But for the standard $30 that it usually costs, the meat is a little better marbled and there is usually a little more meat. Banchon: Decent, although we did get one dish that had 3 or 4 broccoli pieces that were maaaaybe an inch long and a gigantic cross-section slice of the main broccoli stem that was 3 inches. Tasted fine, but it was super weird. Again, I really want to like this place. I cannot stress how nice the service was (like borderline creepy at some points because they would just stand and stare at our cups without saying anything and walk away). But for the time being, I'll still be trekking to Daebak. read more

Simply amazing food and service!! My family and I truly enjoyed our first visit to Perilla Korean American Fare and it will not be our last. Plus a great opportunity to support the Borgan Project fundraiser. Hands down an overall great experience!! read more

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The service was amazing, the atmosphere was trendy, the cocktails were tasty but overall felt that the food-for-price value wasn't there. A good date night spot and truly don't mind paying for quality food and am happy we tried it, especially when craving Korean, but probably won't be a regular spot. Try the wings if you go...... read more

Really good food and nice atmosphere and I'm glad I tried Perilla, but if I'm honest I don't know if I would come back! Between two people, we ordered two meat dishes, the broccoli dish and the scallion pancakes. We managed to finish everything but the scallion pancakes that we packed to take home. It was a little overpriced in my opinion - I think there are other kbbq places that are just as good in quality but more worth the price. In conclusion, I would recommend coming once but not sure I'd come again. read more

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I recently moved next door, so now it's basically Perilla Korean for lunch and dinner. Sometimes I go in for Korean BBQ and then sometimes just for shochu and soup. I thought kimchi soup was my fav dish, until the server recommended the soybean soup. Wow. Hooked. The BBQ part, on point. And you're not breaking the bank too. Love this place. read more

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The food, ambiance, staff, location, etc. is fantastic. I've only been able to get out here once as it's quite far from me, but i'm dying to go back. Asian-owned and so delicious. read more

Amazing service- truly the best I've had in Chicago. Really fun birthday dinner- loved the scallion pancakes, broccoli, honey potatoes, garlic rice and short ribs (we got the beef sampler- tons of meat but good!) read more

Delicious food and amazing service! My boyfriend and I got the takeout feast for two. We were blown away by the portions of food (esp the meat)! The delivery was also super fast and everything came warm. All the food was delicious. The dumpling were crispy, the tofu stew was flavorful and the meat was super tender and perfectly seasoned. We will definitely order from here again! read more