I hadn't tried this place in years but I was willing to check it out again with family. Sure, the portions are large and can be split but the food is really mediocre. We ordered the popcorn chicken (half original, half spicy, $27) and the dolsot bibimbop ($25). My BIL had said that the popcorn chicken was really good at least a year ago, but things must've changed! The popcorn chicken was dry and stodgy, low quality with flavorless breading. Then I found a big piece of bone in the chicken and when I brought it up politely to the waitress, she just said that the chicken came like that, and essentially said that it wasn't really cut in-house and was packaged when they got it. Huh? No wonder it's not good--they don't even care about the quality and just buy some bland prepackaged fried chicken. No offer to replace the dish or even a small discount or anything, despite the fact that I've never known any place to have "popcorn chicken" that included bones. Anyway, the folks I was with also said it was not as good as it used to be and the portion sizes were smaller. Bibimbop was fine--a lot of rice and had to ask for more gochujang sauce to have more flavor. Not much bulgogi in it. As another reviewer mentioned, there's a 20% auto gratuity, which I don't think is deserved. I wanted to enjoy it but it's overpriced for low-quality food and there's definitely WAY better Korean food out there. read more

Yeowoosai - Popcorn chicken- flavorless and dry - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This was my last dinner while visiting Chicago and I loved it!! If you're looking for good korean food in a bar atmosphere this is the place to go. We ordered a steak salad, pork belly, and tteokbokki! My favorite was definitely the tteokbokki which had the perfect texture and flavor -- highly recommend! All of the staff here are super friendly and welcoming! They are personable with customers and checked on us frequently. I would definitely come back! read more

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I've been eager to try this pocha after hearing so many great things about it. The popcorn chicken was highly recommended, and it did not disappoint--it was very crispy. The portion was huge, definitely meant for sharing with at least four people. My friend and I also ordered the spicy kimchi pork with tofu, which was delicious. The flavors were bold, and the tofu complemented the dish perfectly. We paired our meal with the yogurt soju slushie pitcher. While it was tasty, it felt a bit watered down due to the amount of ice. I didn't really feel tipsy from the soju, but the overall vibe of this place is great for drinking and hanging out. If you're coming with a large group, be prepared for a wait. Luckily, as a party of two, we snagged bar seating right away. I'm definitely looking forward to returning with a bigger group to try more dishes! read more

Yeowoosai - popcorn chicken and kimchi pork with tofu - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food and portion size is great. My friend and I shared some soju & mussel soup & pajeon and it was perfect. But you come for the ambience and the team staffed here. Great for large parties, would highly recommend! read more

Yeowoosai - Mussel soup, Pajeon - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I finally got to go here after having this place saved in my list for so long. The soju cocktail was so good. We got the passion fruit one. It was blended so it was kind of like a slush. The wings here are so good that we had put in a second order right away. We also ordered the Budae Jjigae, Lapoki, and Chapaguri. They were all delicious. Reasonable prices and cool ambiance. The K-pop music videos were so fun. read more

They seat you fairly quickly during the weekdays, as it is rarely ever busy during the week. The ambience is very chill, semi-loud with K-pop music and groups chatting, but adds to the vibe of the place. Water is served when you're seated. I usually order half original-half spicy of their popcorn chicken, their mandu tigem is a very nice shareable dish for about 2/3 people, and budae jjigae was a great spicy soup for 3 people! Their white rice, kimchi and radish are served as a side dish so you HAVE to pay for that separately if you want it. Include a cute soju cocktail (served in a pitcher) for a light, sweet buzz :) Overall great place, been coming here for a few years now. They changed their management (miss ya Chollo) but the food still tastes great. read more

Korean bar that gives you vibes of authentic Korean street food fused with classic American bar food staples. The atmorphere here is great and it's always a good time with friends. ATMOSPHERE/ARCHITECTURE: 7/10 Design-wise the interior is what you would expect out of a bar. There is a decent amount of seating, probably able to seat 30-40. SERVICE: 8/10 Service was great. The servers/waiters were friendly and knew the menu well, being able to answer all of our questions as required. FOOD: 8/10 Kimchi Fried Rice - 7/10 - The kimchi fried rice to me was average overall. The flavors were all there but it was definitely on the wet/moist side, which generally fried rice should not be. Either it took up too much moisture from the kimchi or they were using fresh rather than chilled rice. Korean Fried Chicken - 9/10 - This was delicious. The appearance, aroma and flavor were all spot on. Our group destroyed this dish quickly. Bacon Cheese Fries - 8/10 - Solid dish. Not a dish that makes you want to come back here in particular, but there was nothing overtly wrong with it. Frozen Lychee Soju - 9/10 - This was great! Apparently these different soju freezes are a specialty here and I thought this one was excellent. VALUE: 8/10 PROBABILITY OF RETURN: 9/10 I would definitely come back here. A handful of other menu items were listed that I would be interested to try out. TO EAT OR NOT TO EAT: Eat! OVERALL: 8/10 read more

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The beer tower with the mixed in Soju was a hit. The portions and flavors were excellent. Tried the bibapbim plate and the Korean pasta dish along with a stew soup the 4 of us could not finish it portions were great. Waiter was zoned out most of the time. My only complaint is that they are sneaky and add the tip to the check even though we only had 4 people. So a few of us that were drunk from the epic beer tower double tipped. I thinks it's bs that the tip is automatic. It should be based on service not the cheapness of the owner not willing to pay the employees a livable wage . I hope they fix this or at least inform the customers of the automatic tip. I'd go back again I just hope they fix/ change the way the bill is paid read more

Boksa: This cocktail was neither bitter nor sweet, but a fair amount of ice made the drink look deceptively full. Gochujang Rose Pasta: We were unsure of the long crispy parts, and they had a sweetness to them. The pasta itself was so delicious. I could eat this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This dish screams Korean-Italian fusion in the best way. Dak Nalgae: I forgot to choose "sauce on" or "sauce on side" as instructed on the menu, my bad. However, rather than ask me which option when ordering, the server didn't bring up my mishap and just...chose for me. "Sauce on" was the decision made that day. Was it the decision I would have chosen for myself? No. Was it a decision I wished someone asked me on? Well...obviously. Overall, pretty good in taste and texture! I do wish the pieces were either larger or greater in number for $20. read more

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Yeowoosai is an excellent spot for a group of friends to hang out and get some food and drinks. Even though the small strip mall it's in is quite unassuming, you get greeted with busy Korean sports bar vibes once you enter (at least on a Friday night like I did). It's perhaps even more dimly lit than the ones in Korea. The food was pretty good overall! The budae jjigae is nice and spicy, perfect for a cold day. Given how large the pot is, I do wish they put more ramen in. My favorite dish I've had here is the kimchi bokkeumbap. It's basically a giant pot of kimchi fried rice and I highly highly recommend getting it Ultimate style. The cheese and kimchi combo is divine. The portion size is quite large and is definitely meant to be shared with many people. I've also tried their popcorn chicken which was just okay. Personally there was too much batter for me and the flavor wasn't outstanding. Service is pretty quick and the staff are friendly. My gripe is that if your party is too large (not sure how large), they don't provide actual plates and silverware and make you eat with paper plates, bowls, and disposable utensils. I don't agree with this policy at all and hope they consider revising it. Overall I think the food prices are fair especially given the portion sizes, while drink prices are on the higher end. That's not too surprising given its vibe though. Come with a group of friends and you won't be disappointed! Food: 3.75/5 Service: 2.5/5 Price: 3.5/5 (3 for drinks, 4 for food) Ambiance: 4/5 Overall: 3.5/5 read more

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Been going to Yeowoosai for years since moving to Chicago. Recently visited and immediately noticed the changes in recipes with the popcorn chicken. Breading seemed way thicker than before. The meat is darker too changing the consistency and flavor. Bit of a bummer considering this used to be a staple. Another barrier was the 20% auto tip on the bill. When I went, there were only two of us dining in. Unsure when this was enforced, but a heads up or a sign would've been appreciated. Consider reverting to the former recipes and notify your guests ahead of time of the gratuity policy. read more

Yeowoosai - Kimchi fried rice - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We came on a Thursday night and they were able to accommodate our group of 20. The service was great for our group and the food came as they were ready. Thought the food was really good and it was good value for how much we ordered. We had so many leftovers. read more

Don't get too comfortable eating pizza and hotdogs... there's new flavors to explore. Stumbled upon this place looking for a late night spot open after Lollapalooza. Did I want salty Italian beef again or some exciting South Korean flavors? SK bar food sounded like the move. Got the famous Kimchi fried rice topped with bacon, egg, spam, and gooey cheese. The cheese pull alone had our jaw dropping. The Kimchi did overtake the flavor a bit, but I didn't mind because I like Kimchi. We also got the Brisket sesame salad. This was our favorite flavor of the night to be honest. We wanted to drink the sauce dripping on the plate. Only critique would to have the Brisket be a bit more tender, but overall satisfied since we didn't have to eat another Chicago dog at 1am (no shade Chicago but us Asian tourists struggling out here for Asian food haha). What really takes this place up to a 5 star is the service. The Koreatown in Virginia is really hit or miss whether they cater to you or not, but the folks at Yeowoosai were really well-spoken and fast with their customer service. Definitely coming back here when we visit Chicago!! read more

Things have gone downhill. Really expensive for cold chicken. Not sure what is going on. Not going back. Portions were okay but when my old favorite kimchee fried rice came out is just wet soggy blob. Use to love this place. Got one bottle of soju one big bottle of bear and three dishes were 150 bucks! Also they had auto tip. read more

Great place to drink and eat Korean food with friends. Quite far, east from Loloya University. The scallion pancakes were the highlight and of course beer. I've never seen that big of beer bottles, but I'm here for it. Say it louder in the back... Chicago needs more Korean bars with good drinking snacks! read more

Yeowoosai - Soju, insane size beer, scallion pancakes, rose dukbokki, japchae, octopus - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

So I've been getting delivery from yeowoosai since late 2022 (OG : omurice & mango soju!) but it wasn't until late last month that I finally had the chance to have my omurice in person :') and I've been there 6 times in the barely 2 months since! From the food to the atmosphere to the servers to the drinks, head to toe it's always a perfect fit :)) whether you come when it's busy or slower or you're a party of 1 or 2 or 6, yeowoosai is a guaranteed great time (n_n) And I'm extreeemely awkward, so it's super easy for me to feel uncomfortable, but I always feel at home at ~*°yeowoosai°*~ 10 out of 10 would recommend (ñ_ñ) #LookForwardToIt read more

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Great place for late night food and drinks. This place is located in a small plaza with a parking lot but has limited parking. Definitely a Korean bar vibe with plenty of K-Pop on the many TVs. Our server was very helpful and attentive on getting our order and drinks in. He was even willing to mix some of the requests we had for the soju. Since we had a large group we ordered a few different dishes our server recommend. - Pajeon - Koran pancakes - Mandu - dumplings - kimchi fried rice - Lapoki - spicy rice cakes with ramen - chicken wings - calamari Everything was pretty good. The only dish I didn't like too much was the fried calamari. Definitely a fun place to enjoy Korean food and drinks. read more

My family and I came to eat at this restaurant because of the reviews and big portions. We always go to Gogi a couple restaurants down, but we wanted to try something new! We ordered the bibimbap, the bulgogi, seafood pancake, and salad with sliced brisket. I loved the portion size of the bibimbap. It fed all 4 of us perfectly and loved that it was on the hot plate too. The bulgogi wass good. It had good flavor and was tender. But I definitely liked the salad with brisket more. The meat didn't really have much flavor to it, but I really liked the dressing on the salad. It was sweet and sour and complimented the brisket perfectly! The seafood pancake was also good. It was kind of pricey to begin with and especially with the added seafood too. But it was really big. We asked for it to be made more crispy and it came out perfectly. Overall, the food was good and the manager was super friendly! The place is a bit dark, so idk if I'd come back just to eat, but if I wanted a late night snack and drinks, to hang with a few friends, and listen to K-pop, I'd come here! read more

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Cozy place for hangout with a group of good friends. We were amazed by the amount of the servings. Even though we enjoy the food so much and eat more than usual. The leftover is far more than the servings in some other restaurant. Highly recommend. read more

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Food was top notch! We had fried seaweed (so glad we tried it) soo good! Kimchi fried rice and chicken wings are always tasty. And enjoyed the peach flavored soju in a pitcher. Price is not bad because of the portion. I would have given 5 stars if we didn't have to wait too long to have our order taken,. Anyhow overall it was good! read more

Yeowoosai - Fried Seaweed Dumplings - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Absolutely amazing Korean food. We have only gotten it on delivery and have never been to their actual locations, but it has quickly become one of our favorites for delivery in general. read more

Great place to experience korean pop vibes while eating. And the service is fast The food is ok, but I never tried their best seller yet maybe soon read more

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This place used to have the best popcorn chicken in the game. Then the last time we went in we were met with the worse change to the menu. They changed their recipe for their chicken (and I'm pretty sure they're using more dark meat since it feels chewy-er) We used to go here weekly; now we haven't been back in months. We miss the old recipe read more

Yeowoosai - Popcorn chicken - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

OG Korean spot. A must visit if you're ever in Chicago - looking for good food and great prices drinks! read more

Yeowoosai - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A college student staple. Nothing beats coming here at night with a group of friends, especially with karaoke right next door. The portions at Yeowoosai are HUGE. For reference, I came with a group of 6. We shared 3 dishes- bibimbap, popcorn chicken, and fried calamari (not pictured), and it was more than enough. We also ordered 2 Soju Pitcher Cocktails (one strawberry, one peach). Peach was the group favorite- will definitely get that again! Come here for the delicious food, massive portions, tasty drinks, and vibes :) read more

Yeowoosai - Bibimbap, Popcorn Chicken, Soju Cocktails - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Yeowoosai was absolutely LIT! Visting from ATL, we came here late night to grab some food and drinks for the first night. We ordered the ultimate kimchi fried rice, bossam, dak galbi & boodae jjigae. I was blown away by the kimchi fried rice -- so much spam and the kimchi was so flavorful too. The cheese topping at the end was just . The bossam was also very very soft and tender and so flavorful. I was actually blown away. Boodaejjigae tasted more like kimchi jjigae but I wasn't complaining - it was still the perfect soup accompaniment to a drink. Most importantly, I was SHOCKED at their pitcher sized bottles for their beers. ATL does not have that (I know - we look so untrendy) but I just loved how you can order a pitcher in a bottle. It was a perfect place to wind down and I would definitely visit again if I was in the windy city again. read more

Yeowoosai - Pitcher Terra - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great food, of course, but a bit overpriced for the small portions. We got nearly one of everything on the regular menu, and while everything was wonderfully flavorful, nothing particularly stood out as drop-dead lip-smackingly-delicious. Good to try out once, but I'll try somewhere new over returning for seconds. Great coffee, though! read more

I ordered combo A and pork bulgogi. Instead of using a Yelp App to order through GrubHub, I called the restaurant to order for a pick up order. The employee taking the order was super friendly. Food was surprisingly warm when it made it home. The kimchi fried rice hit the spot especially with the eggs. You can't go wrong with their pork bulgogi. And what is Yeowoosai without popcorn chicken? I threw it in the air fryer for a few minutes to make it crispy for my taste. I miss going there in person but a takeout was just as satisfying minus a great company. read more

Yeowoosai - December 2020 - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have been coming to Yeowoosai for years. One of my favorite Korean bars! Sad that Cholo is no longer here. I miss my oppa. CHOLO! Miss you man!!! Yeowoosai ain't the same with you gone!! If it's your first time here, you MUST order the Popcorn Chicken which is Yeowoosai's staple. I've been coming here for 15 years and the taste has been the same. With chefs coming and going, it can be hard to maintain the quality of flavors but Yeowoosai gets it right year after year, decade after decade. The Kimchi Spam fried rice is delicious and great to share. I'm also in love with the chadol salad. It's so light and delicious! I try to make this at home and I can not replicate this for the life of me. The Budaejjigae also hits the spot and the Chompong is surprisingly delicious. The Odeng Tang is amazing for cold days and I ask them to make it spicy with a kick and it turns this cold hearted bitch into a mush! So good! Go for some drinks, good food, with great company and keep this old school Korean Staple alive. read more

Yeowoosai - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place was a lot of fun! bar vibes with Kpop playing on the TVs and good Korean food. HUGE portions. We ordered the kimchi fried rice and the soup and it was TOO MUCH for 3 people. We also got a pitcher of the yogurt soju which was frozen and yummy. We had plenty of leftovers to take home. I wanted to order the seafood pancake too but it would have been ridiculously too much. The bill was SUPER reasonable -- only about $30pp. It's super far from the city and not that accessible by public transit so it would have to be a special occasion to go back. read more

Yeowoosai - Kimchi Bokkeumbap with light cheese - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here on a whim and happy we did. The vibes at this place were nice. Reminded me kind of a typical LA Koreatown sports bar, which was a nice change of environment. This place has various TVs playing either Korean pop videos or sports games with Korean pop music playing throughout. They have a decent amount of different specials for specific days or even summer drink specials. We ordered a Bossam plate and while it was $30, it was pretty bomb. I still felt a little hungry after, so I'd suggest maybe an appetizer as well if you're thinking about splitting it with someone else. With Bossam and two bottles of SOJU, it came out to about $50. I'll for sure be back to try their other food! read more

I haven't gone in many many years but have fond college memories there. I still crave their popcorn fried chicken! We used to get their kimchi fried rice and fruit soju drinks too. I now live close by so I might drop by one of these nights haha read more

My rating for this place used to be a 5, but the change in restaurant has changed my rating. I'm a regular at the restaurant, and they changed the recipe for the popcorn chicken, it seems like they changed supply distributors for the chicken and the recipe isn't as crispy as it used to be. The main reason I go there, and I'm sure most customers go there for is the chicken. It makes the restaurant unique. Now the chicken they serve is comparable to other Korean restaurants instead of being unique in their own way. It's sad because I felt like I go out of my way to eat here, but now it's more of "I guess I'll go here" if I need drinks with friends. I hope the restaurant is just experimenting instead of it being permanent. Staff is super nice and accommodating as always! read more

It was my first time here, went with a group on a weekend, food was hot and amazing. Service was ok, super busy. read more

Yeowoosai - Chicken - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Three things you need to order: 1. The ultimate kimchi bokkeumbap (serves 4 people) 2. Popcorn chicken - comes with chipotle mayo sauce (serves 4 people) 3. Yogurt soju - slushee kind served in a pitcher (serves 8 people) I always order the same thing every time I come here and I never get sick of it and I'm never disappointed. It always hits the spot. You will be surrounded by tv screens that play nonstop kpop music videos. A great place to hangout with a group of friends. Same owner for the past 15 years or so. It's still the same and still so good. read more

One of the few true Korean bars in the area, Yeowoosai has always been a fun time for my group. If you want a change from the typical bars & clubs of downtown Chicago, come venture out here for a night of eating and drinking. Get some kimchi fried rice, budae jjigae (army stew with a variety of meats), a coupe bottles of soju and beer, and you're golden. read more

This used to be the go-to place for Korean bar food from back in the day. How far back? None of your daggon business. I will say that not much has changed from my younger days. I think the beer selection has gotten a little better but marginally so- cheap Korean lager goes best with their food anyway. My last visit here was around Christmastime- that's another reason why it was such a frequent stop, open late night to include the kitchen, and if you're in the mood for late night munchies like Korean style fried chicken-which they had way before it got popular, cheese corn, and spicy rice cakes and budaejigae it's still your spot for that. Run-on sentences aside, it's not just an OG style Korean bar it IS the OG Korean bar for Chicago. read more

Best Korean street/bar food. This is my go to place for Korean food. I love the atmosphere, drinking, and all the food that I've had here has been fantastic. The servers are very nice. I definitely recommend the pork bulgogi and kimchi jjigae.. almost always get them when I go. read more

Yeowoosai - Dwaeji Bulgogi, Kimchi Jjigae, Kimchi Bokkeumbap - Sports Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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If you're craving Korean bar food, this should be the go to spot. It is a bit far up north from where I live but that day I was really really craving Korean bar food. Originally I wanted to Dancen but my friend said let's go to Yeowoosai instead. They have a shared parking lot with other businesses in the plaza and for a Friday night esp it can get pretty hard to find a parking spot. But there is also free street parking outside of the lot as well. Arrived at 8:30 PM on a Friday night, it might have been a bit early for the night scene. We ordered something to share since the portions do come out pretty big. We went with the ultimate tteokbokki which was more than enough for 2 people. We actually got tired of it real quick after a few bites so just took the rest home. Is it just me or the prices were hiked up? I don't recall the dishes costing this much in the past but then again I haven't been here in a long time. I did wanted to order daktigem but my friend didn't want it since it came out burned last time. In addition we did get the yogurt soju which came icy on the top so we had frequent brain freezes. But the drink itself was still pretty good. Then we also ordered a peach soju bottle on top. At the end the bill came out to $65 for 2 people. read more

Come here for the kimchi bokkeumbap! I was in Chicago for a work conference & so glad a local took me here. THE FOOD The kimchi fried rice with spam & cheese is a must-get here. It was super tasty and a huge portion so perfect for sharing at our table of 3. I loved the melted cheese, crispy bits of spam, & chunks of kimchi. My table also got the seafood pajeon which we were less thrilled about. It was super thick & less crispy and flavorful. It was also a large portion. I probably wouldn't get this again. I got their soju cocktail which comes in a pitcher. Make sure you have at least a few people drinking at your table before getting that. I think next time I'd skip the cocktail and just get the soju straight from the bottle. THE AMBIANCE This place has a dive bar kind of feel - dark, Korean liquor posters on the walls, & random videos playing of white people at the beach. Seems mostly like a bar folks come to with their going-out buddies. Server was super nice but disappeared when we were trying to go so had to flag someone else. I actually don't mind if there's bad service if the food is good. I couldn't give this place full ratings since I didn't like one of my dishes and because they're a Korean restaurant and don't serve banchan (crying inside) but that kimchi fried rice was a wow-dish so come here for that! read more

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