Cho Jung

I don’t understand why the Unilocal reviews here are this good. I trusted Unilocal,but hugely failed. Banchans (the side dishes) were not fresh, hope they didn’t reuse uneaten banchan. Overall the dishes were not tasty at all, very expensive and the service was really rude. When I told them that my dish tasted like it had gone wrong a little bit (I might not be right but it was definitely not fresh), they were angry at me. I somewhat got a stomachache after the meal.

So I stopped into this Korean restaurant on my way home from an event because the stomach was grumbling and my lunch prior in the day was unfulfilling (except for my Pepsi). As it was cold and raining, I figured I would go for some Korean comfort food… tteokmanduguk, or rice cake and dumpling soup. The different banchan came out right with dinner, and after my first spoonful of the soup, I realized one thing — THIS IS JUST LIKE MOM’S COOKING! The broth was perfectly seasoned and the mandu and tteok were cooked perfectly, not overly cooked as I have had before. And the different kimchi that came out was amazing! Not too sour, and full of taste! I was very pleasantly surprised as this was do close to home Korean cooking that I’ve had in a very long time. I was very pleased and will definitely make a trip out there again! And to think, I didn’t even need a Pepsi to make it a perfect meal! The warm barley tea sufficed and was perfect for the cold evening. I highly recommend Cho Jung to all who want authentic Korean food!

It’s 45 °F degrees outside, a cold and rainy night, perfect for Dolsot Bibimbap (sizzling hot pot of rice topped with seasoned vegetables) and Bori Cha (barley tea).
Cho Jung is a typical neighborhood family-​owned Korean restaurant – small, quaint, clean, minimally decorated, and they use real ceramic banchan bowls (not melamine). No KBBQ though. We had just come from a Soribeat event and wanted something quick to fill our bellies before the long drive home.
I ordered the dolsot bibimbap which tasted great. It had the standard spinach, carrot, sprouts, zucchini, bulgogi, topped with an almost-​fried egg. Anyone familar with bibimbap knows that the meal arrives at the table with the egg slightly undercooked, because it finishes cooking when you mix it all up in that inferno-​hot earthenware bowl. Perfect crust of rice on the bottom. So yummy in my tummy!
Cho Jung served up 8 banchan, all of which were to our liking. The geotjeori (fresh-​made kimchi) was the best. My homemade geotjeori is really good, but Cho Jung’s geotjeori is even better! The also served regular fermented kimchi, kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), bean sprouts, steamed broccoli, soy-​sauced potatoes, stir-​fried eomuk (fish cake) and stir-​fried zucchini.
The hostess and servers were all very nice and attentive. The food was brought to our table within 15 minutes of ordering, which is really quick for homemade Korean food. I would absolutely dine at Cho Jung again.
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I want to address a rude review posted a few months ago by a clearly intolerent person… the Korean hostess and Korean waitresses speak English very clearly. There was absolutely no communication problems. Matter of fact, they even understood my Korean when I mis-​said JeotGeori (the correct word is GeotJeori). The menu is in both Korean and English.

Worst food I have ever tasted. Absolutely do not stop at this place. Every Time I go there I always have difficulty communicating with the people there. Polite, but food and service is a no-​no. This is kind of odd, but when I stepped up to the cashier, it actually smelled really really bad and I almost yacked my brains out. Very disappointed in this place.

the pork neck bone stew was amazing… tender and flavorful… the ban chan were sooo fresh and tasty. I usually dislike the tofu skin and the candied potatoes ones… but theirs were not that sweet and were really tasty…
They also gave us a few different varieties than the typical offerings seen at other korean restaurants… my favorite is the apple kimchi!!!
they have a lot of dishes i haven’t seen on other korean restaurants menus… i really wanted to try the oyster rice, some of the casseroles, and appetizers… too bad i only have 1 stomach :(

Hubby had a serve call in Glenview, so the Unilocal-​obsessed Rosa J. checked her bookmarks and chose Cho Jung for lunch this afternoon.
The dining room wasn’t large, but the seating arrangements were organized in a way that gave each table a hint of privacy. Cho Jung offers weekday lunch special. With that being said, two (2) entrees with a large assortment of banchan cost us a little more than $ 21.
Another complementary feature was the KBS World program on their large TV, which kept me company the entire time while I was slurping my kimchi jigae. If you like your jigae spicy, their spicy level was pretty optimal for «spicy» girl like myself.
On the other hand, hubby commented that soon tofu jigae was less spicy in comparison to the kimchi jigae. Perhaps the copious amount of tofu alleviated the stimulation of capsaicin.
Well, I was busy with my comforting Korean lunch, so I had no time to think about all the chemical reactions and formulae in relation to consuming spicy food. Cho Jung is located on corner inside a strip mall by Harlem Ave. The lady in the house provided a warm and friendly service and continued to ask if we needed more hot tea, rice, or banchan refills.
Now I’m going back to my Korean dramas on YouTube.

I should have tried this place sooner. I think this place has a new owner. I was totally surprised. Food was really good, just like homemade Korean food. I will be going back again and often.

Their ban chan are the best I have ever had. 4 times of kim chee — 2 of which I have not tasted before. Some were spicy! Others medium and one seemed to have apple in it

Sadly the worst food I’ve ever had in my whole life period. Ordered a cod soup and it was so over cooked it crumbles as a chewy powder in the soup. I literally thought I was mistakenly served monkey brains. The «meat» has purple veins all over it. Also the dish said nothing about clams and there was a huge one in mine. ALL the side dishes were horrible! Worst yet they all tastes so similar. One side dish in particular seemed so old. I feel raped by the experience. Doesn’t matter if the people were polite. Shouldn’t have to pay when you see the only thing eaten is white rice and a little broth.
The menus don’t describe anything accurately either. I told them I had a gluten allergy and explained no wheat noodles, no flour and no barley several times. The first dish I ordered said nothing about noodles and after my order was taken I asked «are you sure there’s no noodles in this?» And then he said yes there was. So apparently there’s not only a dangerously inaccurate menu BEWARE but your server may struggle with what’s actually in a dish. He shouldn’t have to if the order was correct.
You can’t trust the tea if you’re gluten free either. They make it with barley!
Never again…

Pretty good! Kalbi is absurdly overpriced. The jap chae was pretty good, but for two people we spent nearly 50 bucks for lunch (including tip_​and those were the only two things we ordered.

This is one of the best korean BBQ places I’ve been to! First — the service was fantastic! They asked if I wanted more ban chan (which was delicious) and also provided some refreshing hottea to start off. Second — the portion sizes are large! I had the seafood pancake and the soondubu (spicy seafood and tofu soup). I went by myself and I had enough for 3 meals after I stuffed myself silly at dinner (which was great for meal planning the next day!). The pancake was fluffy and not too greasy which is definitely a plus, and the soondubu was wonderfully flavorful and spicy. I highly suggest checking out Cho Jung if you have a Korean craving in the north burbs!

Very small mom n pop place tucked in a corner of a strip mall. Always empty when we go, which could be a plus. This is a place you go when u want homecoming! I actually think there’s a grandma in the kitchen making everything. We’ve tried grilled mackerel, Kalbi, bulgogi, Kalbi ttang (short rib soup) and a ton of Banchan (side dishes).

This place never disappoints. Authentic, quality Korean food and a homey atmosphere. Very generous portions for the price.

Very authentic Korean food. Try seafood pancake and bibimbup! Seafood tofu soup is also very good if you like spicy!

This is one of my 2 favorite Korean restaurants in the Chicago area– truly a hidden gem tucked away in the corner of a strip mall on a semi-​residential section of Harlem Ave.
While the menu has all the main staples of a standard Korean restaurant, there are a number of dishes you wont find elsewhere– spicy squid with rice in a *hot* stone bowl that continuously crisps the edges as you eat, a grilled yellow croaker that is marvelously pregnant and full of yummy eggs, oyster rice, and others I can’t remember.
The portions are very generous. As an example, I was wondering why the seafood pancake was 13.95 (or maybe it was $ 12.95) when it is usually about ½ the price elsewhere, but when it arrived I saw why– the thing was huge. As in, I would not have needed to order an entrée had I known how big it was. Maybe there was a bit less seafood, but who cares– it had all the crispy goodness you could want.
Another thing I particularly like are the side dishes. All are fresh and well made, and along with the usual assortment of kimchis and mung beans, there are usually a couple interesting surprises as well. On my first trip there was something made out of hotdogs but with Korean flare (apparently the ingredient was introduced during the war.) Another time it was sweet braised burdock root. By far the best was the fresh persimmon Kimchi (not fermented).
Also, the people are super nice. Another review said that,“The ambiance and atmosphere was very homey, with a family-​run kindness,” and I could not agree more– you feel this same inexplicable quality in the food too– it’s just not the sterile and mechanical food you would typically expect from a restaurant.
If you are in the area and have a little time, don’t be a noob and walk into the Subway next door, go here instead!

My girlfriend brought me here to try a dish they call Bul-​Nak. It’s a big serving of bulgogi mixed with Nakji (squid). The first time she explains this, i’m confused. So is the pan divided so they don’t mix? No they’re mixed. No… how does spicy seafood mix with sweet beef? It’s just so unkosher. Were they drunk and dropped it in one day and decided to go with it?
So we we try it and wow… it’s weirdly good. Like mess with my tastebuds good. After you’re done eating most of the Bul-​nak they come out to make you Fried rice in the pan with the leftover sauce and wow. That’s really unexpectedly good too.

I came here because a Korean friend highly recommended Cho Jung. He forgot to tell me that this restaurant serves homestyle Korean food, which is not usually found in the average Korean restaurant in Chicagoland. Put another way, I did find bulgogi and kalbi on the menu, but that’s about where my familiarity with the dishes ended. The bf and I ended up trying the tofu with noodles appetizer, kalbi soup, and another spicy soup. All of these dishes and the banchan were great! FYI the appetizer was as large as an entrée.
Next time I come here I’d like to try something from the «hot pot» or «casserole» sections, which judging by the prices are meant to be shared with at least 2 people. Additionally, the restaurant had several large tables, so I gather from the menu and setup that this place is used to hosting groups of people sharing their food family style.
Service was friendly and helpful. There’s plenty of parking in the strip mall in which this restaurant is located.

I liked this place! Their service was genuinely friendly. I came here for the first time on a Sunday afternoon for a late lunch with a friend and we came across it via Unilocal.It was fairly quiet and we were the only two customers in the restaurant, but it’s not a kind of emptiness where two people would feel out of place. The ambiance and atmosphere was very homey, with a family-​run kindness.
It seemed like Cho Jung was preparing for a larger party later that evening, because there were several square tables were connected together to form a long rectangle, with mini hot pot stoves on each table. My guess is that during evenings the restaurant becomes more lively, bustling during the dinner rush.
Our waiter/​server immediately gave us hot tea when we were seated. Then slightly into the meal, he attentively give us iced water before we had to ask. I liked this place because he was always one step ahead, like he could anticipate when we would potentially ask for something, and offer it to us in a smooth meal continuum. Again, great service.
For an appetizer we got the Dubu Kimchi (sliced tofu with pan-​fried kimchi and sliced pork). The tofu was garnished with sesame seeds and it was flavorful– my favorite out of the things we ordered. My friend ordered the a beef soup with clear broth, noodles and green onion (kalbi tang?) and I got the kimchi jiage. It wasn’t as spicy & fragrant or thick like a stew as I’ve had before, but it came out boiling hot, with lots of kimchi.
The food was homemade, the banchan was fresh and everything hit the spot during such a cold winter day. Between two people, we ordered three dishes and it was more than enough, with plenty of leftovers to take home.
The only time I usually eat korean food is in food courts (i.e. H-​mart) but this is a nice sit-​down place to leisurely enjoy some Korean food (sans the background noise of a supermarket). I’m glad I came across this place. Overall, great service and I would come back to order the Dubu Kimchi appetizier again, and try their SoonDubu Jigae (soft tofu kimchi stew).

We came back for another nice, cozy dinner. This time it was with:
Spicy pork kimchee tofu
Bulgogi
Jap chae
This was along with the various and typical side dishes. I also tried for first time their Cass beer that I think I liked a bit better than the OB.
The tofu dish was a little disappointing in that the tofu was coldish/​room temperature along with the hot pork and kimchee. It if it was all hot, might have been better. Overall, still can’t go wrong coming here for a Korean dinner.

Service is great and friendly. The sides (ban chan) were kind of bland as it goes for Korean food. I love spicy and the Kim Chee and spicy dishes were a tad tame .
I have been here many times and it’s good solid food.
The soon dubu jigae is my favorite.