Dancen
Korean restaurant · Ravenswood
5114 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60625
Highlights
Charred fire chicken with cheese, pork skewers, & soju pitchers
Charred fire chicken with cheese, pork skewers, & soju pitchers
"A small, nondescript Korean bar located in Lincoln Square, Dancen serves one of the city’s best late-night bites: fire chicken. The dish stars chunks of marinated chicken that’s been grilled over an open flame. It’s quite spicy but diners can temper some of the heat by ordering it topped with a layer melted cheese. Pair it with a pitcher of beer while watching K-pop on the TVs." - Jeffy Mai
"Open until 12am Sunday-Thursday, 1am Friday-Saturday If during high school you ever found yourself hanging out in a smoky basement with black light posters, then Dancen in Lincoln Square will feel a little nostalgic. But instead of coming from your friend who was just kicked off the swim team, the light-obscuring haze here is generated by the excellent Korean food being grilled at the bar. And the black light posters on the walls advertise cocktails and the fire chicken—both of which are way better than whatever you were eating and drinking back then." - adrian kane, john ringor, veda kilaru
"If you ever spent time hanging out in a smoky basement with black-light posters during high school, then Dancen in Lincoln Square will make you nostalgic. But here, the obscuring haze is generated by the excellent Korean food being grilled at the bar, rather than your friend who was just kicked off the swim team—and the black-light posters advertise cocktails and the fire chicken. You’ll want to work your way through the long menu, starting with the aforementioned fire chicken. Chunks of marinated chicken are grilled until the marinade becomes charred and caramelized. It’s delicious and spicy, and it comes with a Thousand Island-dressed cabbage slaw to help balance out the heat. It’s perfect for a solo meal at the counter, where you can watch the grill with the intensity of your ex-swim team friend staring at a lava lamp." - adrian kane, john ringor
"Dancen serves very good Korean bar food. This place is small and casual—much more of a bar than a restaurant. But you should work your way through their entire menu over multiple visits, and the first thing you should try is their fire chicken. Chunks of marinated chicken are grilled (on an open grill behind the bar) until the marinade becomes charred and caramelized. It’s delicious and incredibly spicy, and it comes with a Thousand Island-dressed cabbage slaw to help balance out the heat. It’s perfect for a solo meal at the counter, where you can watch the grill." - adrian kane, john ringor, nick allen, sam faye, josh barnett
"A favorite for after-hours Korean bar food, Dancen is best known for its fire chicken. The spicy dish is a must-try for first-timers and should be ordered with a layer of melted cheese on top. The space is small, which makes the tall flames from the open grill seem ever-looming, but the succulent skewers of meats and solid drinks make it worth the wait." - Ashok Selvam
