TO SOC CHON

Tucked away in a Chicago suburburb is an amazing little Korean restaurant called To Soc Chon. A few good reviews lead us to this inconspicuous eatery. I’ve travelled many times to South Korean as my wife’s family is from there. Korean food is a main staple at our house. I might have some bias. The menu selection isn’t large, yet its focused. IMO it’s targeted to less mainstream. The side dishes were extremely fresh with bright flavors. I tried both Su la tang (bone broth soup) & Gam ja tang (a spicy pork & potatoe soup). The ensemble of ingredients in both resonated well with my taste buds. Specifically it felt like it came together in perfect harmony, whereas with others places feels as if individual ingredients compete for attention. It’s almost as if it were marinated for a long time, however that’s not really case because one does not marinate soup. A lot of thought went into crafting how the things come together. While we’ve got nice array of Korean restaurants here in the Detroit area, I feel I will certainly check this place out again when in Chicago. This is the closest I’ve found to higher end Korean cuisine in the area. Don’t let the humble appearance fool you; I feel, here they focus their energy on perfecting the craft.

Learned about this restaurant from reddit. Was really craving for some good Korean food. To Soc Chon is like a hole in the wall kind of Korean establishment. Small, simple, no big fuss & glitter on the decor and yet when you enter it's very homely, clean and comforting. We were a party of two and ordered the casserole #17 spicy chicken stew with potatoes & vegetables (served with rice, kimchi etc) and omg! it was so good. The meat was literally falling apart from the bones, the spice level was just perfect and enjoyable. The potatoes had absorbed all the umami from the stew and were delicious! The portion was big. Even though it says casserole for two, three adults can easily enjoy the dish if you go in with a big appetite. The chicken pieces were medium to large sized. On a winter night this is the perfect spot to cozy up with some comforting and warming food. Would definitely visit again.

I just realized that I have not written a review for my favorite Korean hotpot restaurant, so here it is. If you want to try something authentic and different, you have to try this place out. I found this place a few years ago by chance because I have been looking for good Korean close to work. I only come here during the cold months because this places is known for its hotpots, too hot for the summer months. Hotpots or casserole are the main theme here, there is no BBQ, no chicken wings, no sushi, just awesome mouth watering hotpots and these folks know how to make them, aside from fresh ingredients, the broth base is very important. I personally don't like over spiced food but the broth here has just the right amount of spice in it but not overwhelming that you can't taste anything else. The flavor combination is just unbelievable, especially the spicy chicken or spicy pork neck bone hotpots. If you want to take a break from the spice you can always order the bulgogi hotpot which is more on the sweet side. There are other hotpot variations with tofu and such. Do try the traditional blood sausage, you can't just get them everywhere. Together with prompt and friendly services, you can't resist coming here at least once a week. The food just warms you from the inside. This is one of the few places that I will always end up over eating 🤣.

I don’t come across good Korean spots very often and frankly speaking, the Korean food scene here has been pretty underwhelming. But To Soc Chon was such a pleasant surprise. I came for lunch on a weekend and the place was bustling with Korean diners, which immediately felt like a good sign. I ordered the dakgori tang, and the portion was big! There were huge pieces of bone-in chicken (we’re talking whole drumsticks and thighs) and big chunks of potato swimming in a vibrant red broth. The chicken was fall-off-the-bone tender and the potatoes were perfectly cooked. The broth was rich, slightly smoky, spicy, and deeply savory. It was one of those meals that wraps you up like a warm hug: cozy, hearty, and deeply satisfying. The banchan was just okay. Both of the cabbage and radish kimchi were lacking flavors, crunch, and acidity. Still, the stew more than made up for it. I’m so glad I found this place just in time for soup season.

Fantastic restaurant! Always a pleasant experience coming here, and it seems to get better each time. The staff seem well trained, providing attentive and thoughtful service that made my lunch even more enjoyable. Takeout was no issue at all, too! Fun fact: It may seem counterintuitive, but Koreans eat hot soup meals during summer to beat the heat.

We order the pork bone soup, beef bone soup and the home made Korean sausage. Pork bone soup is one of my favorite Korean dishes, and it was pretty good here. Very yummy warm and comfortable. And it was our first time to try the Korean sausage which is quite special that there’s noodles in it. I only wish they could offer a smaller portion. Unlike other Korean places, they didn’t offer a lot of choices of side dishes. And the ones we had tasted like over fermented. Still want to come back for the pork bone soup and try other dishes.

Very nice spot for traditional korean soup dishes. We had the Soondaeguk, Gamjatang, and Haejangguk - all were great. The servers were kind, price was good, and we did not have to wait. Definitely will return in the future.

The best authentic Korean food you'll find in Chicago! The service was great and the food was delicious! They have the best soondae I’ve ever had and they were super accommodating with us having a 10 month old. We can’t wait to go back!

With the cold season floating in, decided I needed to start checking out the soup options near me. To Soc Chon popped up as a highly rated spot, so figured I'd try it out. The restaurant is cozy and clean. We got seated pretty quickly and were given menus. Our server was great and explained all the dishes on it as well. I got the Dakdori Tang and everyone else got the Gamja Tang. I was definitely a fan of the Dakdori Tang which had a slightly sweeter broth than the Gamja Tang. It was perfect for the cold weather. The side dishes were good and they were great about refilling them for us as well. I also got a small order of the soondae which I definitely enjoyed! The service was very attentive, the food waa good and I would definitely want to go back to try more dishes.

We shared: 1. Modeum Soon Dae 모듬순대 - Homemade Korean sausage and boiled pork w/ bossam radish kimchi 2. Dakdori Jeon Gol 닭도리 전골 - Spicy chicken stew with potatoes and vegetables The boiled pork is one of the best I've had in Chicagoland - tender, fatty, and flavorful. Blood sausage was mild and apparently needs the side of salt that came with the platter. I didn't know to use the salt but one of my friends really liked it. The chicken stew was excellent and I highly recommend adding the ramyun. The pickled, red Banchan were bland. No issues with service. Good amount of seating inside for small to large groups.

Super small cozy spot to eat authentic Korean food. They specialize in soondae and pork soups. We got the meat platter with pork and soondae as well as their soups. The soups are customizable to your taste which is why they give you the salt and shrimp seasoning. If you're looking for something warm then this is a great spot. The menu isn't big so you can tell they only serve what they're known for. Don't walk in and expect a bbq setup with a million appetizers or banchan, this isn't that kind of spot. Service is standard and staff will help if needed.

Drove pass this small Korean restaurant and decided to pay a visit. They have an one-page menu which mainly includes soup dishes. We ordered the #1 item (pork bone soup with sausages and pork). The banchan came up first (kimchi, daikon and pickled radish). The daikon and kimchi had a funny taste so I only had a bite). The soup came up pretty quickly. the broth was very hot, rich but not greasy. The soup had pork meat and intestines in it, but it didn't pair well with the sausages which were made with noodles if I tasted correctly? Overall, not my thing...sorry...

My husband and I came here as a recommendation from our cousins. It feels like a hole in the wall place! Super small with just the right amount of seating. Service was quick and very quick to get you anything you need and constantly checking on you. Moving on to the food, we got #10 which was soup with pork and potatoes and the bossam. We had left overs from the bossam. The blood sausage was delicious, but the pork I felt like was super dry. The soup was just enough for two of us and was delicious, personally thought it could've been spicier but I just love my spice. We got the #9 chicken stew soup to go and I'd definitely get that over the pork one! Can't wait to come back here as the weather gets colder! Also leaving an updated business hours because the hours on Yelp doesn't match.

The food is incredible and the atmosphere is heart warming. Service was perfect. 10/10

This place is the BEST soondae soup (blood sausage soup) in the Chicagoland area. Their spicy potato soup (gamjatang) is also just as excellent. Their kimchi side dishes are homemade and better than you'll find anywhere else. It's definitely an authentic place that only Korean people go to. The place has its niche and they do it consistently well. I highly recommend this place for those two dishes. You won't be disappointed!

One of my favorite Korean go to place. This place is perfect for the days you want Korean soup to warm your heart. I really love the Dakdori tang from here. There is parking in the back. Turn into the alley between the store and nail salon.

The food is delicious! We loved both soups. Very flavorful. The pork ribs were so tender. The service was great!

This is the best No Frills place for when you're especially craving Korean Blood Sausage (Soondae). It's so delicious and filling that I only usually eat one row of the soondae. They have some nice pickled cucumbers, kimchi & radish kimchi for side dishes to start. The ambiance of the restaurant is very wooden/traditional Korean and isn't too busy (nice & quiet) when I eat there with my boyfriend. And the service is alright but we have to always get our waiters attention if we need anything. But it's a Korean restaurant and that's typically expected.

Authentic Korean soups - Gam cha tang is my wife's favorite. They specialize in soups so don't expect to find other types of dishes on the menu. I will be coming back especially during the cold winter.

Side dishes are good. I liked Guk bop the most of out what I had, I wished the spicy chicken one-dal do ri tang was better, broth was but not much in it-but gam ja tang was decent, sun dae was fine, meat was very very tender good. I would definitely return.

Chicago Trip Day 4: Wanted to try authentic Korean soul food and came across this place. I was excited to try Korean Sausage and pork soup, which is something that you will not find in small cities. The side dishes were tasty and went really well with the soup. For $13.99, I think the portion size was just about right. The servers were attentive and place was clean. Overall, have no complaint and enjoyed the experience. Recommend checking this place out if you crave traditional Korean soul food - soondaeguk (Korean Sausage and Pork soup)

A small little place . Glad I have Yelp for reference and navigation. Drive slow it comes up fast and has a parking lot in the back. Which is where you enter. Had a chicken broth potatoes and tender chicken cut up with potatoes lots of hot red broth nice and spicy . And a Soup with sausage pork and beef that wasn't so good. I wish I knew what to order I think it's pretty good because it was just loaded at lunchtime and my boyfriend was the only non-Asian in there so for me that's an indication that the food is good it was good ban Chan had spicy daikon kimchi and really good sour cucumbers and it came with white rice and hot tea. I would not mind coming back if I knew what to order.

I thought I would not like this place because one of my exes was a To Soc Chon practitioner. I was wrong. The food service atmosphere and ambiance were all perfect. I recommend the dinner menu everything on it is great. I ordered one of of everything from it which I do every time I am at a location for the first time especially if I am with someone else which I never have been but I still do it regardless it would just be extra that I would make sure to do that if I was. So I highly recommend.

Soondae doesn't taste fresh and wasn't the best soup at all. soondae doesn't have good flavor.

Amazing soondae and great service. Second to only perilla in Chicago. But overall the soups are premiere

We did not know that this place only serves pork based dishes. I don't eat pork but my friend loves pork so we stayed. We had the neck bone soup Gam Ja Tang with ... ofc Pork . He really enjoyed the neck bone soup. He said he would return bc the flavor was good but eating the neck meat was very difficult and too much work. So next time no neck bone soup. The side dishes were really limited with just 3 (cabbage kimchi, radish kimchi, and pickled radish in soy sauce and vinegar and sugar) and yet the sign says "we do not wrap up leftover side dishes" even tho there aren't many side dishes . Maybe ppl abuse that but the kimchi wasn't very tasty. But we also stayed bc our waiter David was very nice and gracious saying sorry that the dishes were all pork based and was really accommodating and understanding. Overall it's a nice place and it's clean. It's a very mom and pop place and I always enjoy appreciating small businesses so we want to support them. Plus there is a free parking lot so easy to come here.

Best gukbap and soondae! We were thrilled to find this gem. Place was clean and service was great.

Good food, fresh kimchi, lots of pork in the pork bone soup, good pleasant customer service. All in all a very good experience

Very good soondae guk. The soup gets served in a stone bowl so it stays warm for a long time and you can also get soondae on the side if you want to add more/eat more!

I am addicted to their soups. Blood sausage and pork soup. Can't get enough. They have other soups and stews that I will try soon.

A no frills Korean spot serving some comfort style Korean food. I used to frequent Ktown a lot in Los Angeles so I missed these small unassuming spots. As much as I love KBBQ, there's more to Korean food than that. They specialize in their soups, as well as their soondae (blood sausage). I'm not a huge fan of soondae, but my bf loves it. He had a side of that along with the dweji gukbap (pork soup). I ordered the gamja tang (spicy pork stew). While both soups were good, the gamja tang was clearly the best. So flavorful, and the meat off the bones was tender and delicious. It came out steaming hot; between the spice and the actual temperature of the soup, it's a perfect way to clear out your sinuses. The banchan was good, but limited to kimchi and pickled cucumbers. Prices and portions were on point. Will def come back next time and try other dishes.

Came here with one of my besties. It was my birthday and she and her family wanted to treat me and mine. It was a great little experience. (I heart her... ) The food was good. My husband got the Spicy SoonDae Soup and both my son and I got the Bulgogi Soup. They were both pretty good. The SoonDae (appetizer) was amazing. The service was SUPER sweet and the place was clean. They are slightly pricey for what they offer but hey... I didn't pay. Lol.

To Soc Chon is classic Korean food. No, it's not Korean BBQ. No, it's not BiBimBap. And no, it's not Korean fried chicken or tacos. They are all about the hot & sizzling soups served in stone pots. For my main dish I had the Bulgoki soup with noodles and it was so good! And such a huge portion. I honestly can't finish it all in one sitting & am super annoying, taking it home. We also shared for the table Modeum Soon Dae...boiled pork and blood sausage. So delicious but so much meat. It's a seriously huge platter of tons of meat. Such a great deal, comes out sizzling hot for you to devour. Excellent plate to share among your whole table before the soups. The parking lot is pretty small, as is the restaurant itself! My friend and I got the last parking spot on a Monday night and were met with a full house. Customers seemed to flow in & out perfectly though as there was never a wait. Full disclosure, a couple of friends over the restaurant a couple of months ago so I'm sure my review has some level of bias in it. But legit, it's great food and service with on point pricing!

This is one of the most authentic and honestly Korean restaurants we have gone to here. I absolutely loved it and highly recommend coming here to anyone who enjoys mom & pop Korean food!

Unique Korean dishes, focused menu, in a casual atmosphere * banchan: picked cucumbers, kimchi, radish were all tasty, thoroughly picked w/ nice crunch * gamja jeon gol: spicy potato stew with tender pork neck bone. Very tasty broth, mild spice. * dakdori jeon gol: same as above with tender chicken legs * modeum soon dae: Korean blood sausage and boiled pork: so tender! Served with salted shrimp dipping sauce

Huge portion, mediocre service. Not as authentic as you would expect Korean place to be. But food is pretty good quality.

I found this restaurant accidentally because I'm a fan of pork neck bone soup, and the restaurant I usually went to had been gone for a while. I looked up in Yelp and their name came up. My husband and I shared one big stew pot of that. It was overwhelmingly huge, but it was so delicious that we almost finished it. I love this type of restaurants because of its simplicity and straightforward traditional dishes, and no frills decors. It reminds me of the restaurants in Thailand where I grew up. You could go to any hole in the wall and get the best food, and you never had to worry about the cost. I wish there were more places like this here.

I really can't recommend this place because consistently they are out of the beef soup and today out of 2 soups They place is small and they don't pay attention to customers. You have to call if you need more tea or water. It's just okay. Bathrooms and building very old.

I came here on a Saturday night and it was only moderately busy. They had the one of the best blood sausage stew I've had in years. The broth was so hearty and the blood sausage was soft and chewy. It was perfect for the cold weather. Tables by the door were very cold, but they had us sit in the inner area of the restaurant which was comfortable. The kimchi side dishes complimented the stew really well.

In my opinion, it is the most authentic place in the Chicagoland for Korean pork soup and soondae (Korean Style pork sausage). Not so sweet or salty, but super tasty. Highly recommended!

I come here everytime i visit the suburbs of chicago and if i had drinks the night before... Best hangover remedy hahaha! I love gamja tang aka spicy potato soup with pork. I had to try it here especially since there was a group of ahjussis and they all ordered it so i was like "this must be bomb" super glad i did! The kimchi is cooked all the way thru and its perfect with a spoonful of rice and a piece of the meat. All in one bite!! Let the potato soak in the flavor of the broth as much as possible and then break it and mix it with your rice! Mmmm so good. I like to get the soondae modeum which gives u a lot with steamed pork meat! It comes out steaming and with more sauce choices! The whole table loved it!

While not a place I originally planned to go eat at, this restaurant ended up being a very pleasant surprise. They have a wonderful selection of traditional Korean soups, which was not something I found too often after moving to the Midwest. With a strong craving for blood sausage, this place did not disappoint on quantity and quality. The kimchi side dish was spectacular and very rich in flavor. On a cold day, nothing soothes the soul more than a warm bowl of gamja tang. Would highly recommend this place!

The service was standard for Korean restaurants, side dishes and everything. It is to note that I felt the side dishes were less in variety compared to other restaurants, but high in quality. Parking is easy as they have their own parking spaces. Overall, the food was GOOD. The dishes I ate were: [5/5] Dishes --- | Side Dishes This will come with anything you order. I just wanted to highlight that every single one of the side dishes were delicious. In my eyes, the Kimchi was the star. It is probably one of the best Kimchi I have been served in Chicago. It is very fresh and has a hint of sweetness to it that gives that oomph to those looking forward to Kimchi. [3/5] Dishes --- | Pork Soup w/ Soondae on the Side | $13 Now, for those looking for a soup that is heavy in flavors coming out of the kitchen, this is not going to cut it for you. It comes out bland, where you need to add the pastes to the base to adjust the saltiness. Even after adding all of the paste, I found it to be lacking, so not necessarily the type of soup for me. As an FYI, I am a big fan of the Vietnamese dish, Bun Bo Hue, which may explain why I am not the biggest fan of a soup base that is bland. However, the meat in the soup was GOOD. The pork is not tough, and is delicious to bite into. It pairs well with the side dishes. Additionally, the Soondae (Blood Sausage) is quite good. I was nervous due to its name but it had no taste of iron or anything. The sausage has some noodles in it and has a hint of saltiness that mixes with the taste. Not sure how to describe it, but definitely worth trying to see if it is something your taste buds like. Overall the place is good. I would definitely come back to try other dishes. I took a bit of my friend's noodle soup and know the other dishes are good!

Every time I was around in the area I was thinking of their hot pork bone soup. It's my soul food for sure. I don't think any other restaurant in Chicago land can make the classic soup like they do. Then why only 3 stars? I was surprised by things from recent visit(in 2022) 1. They increased the price by 15-20 per cent. It's the worst inflation in decades so I expected the price hike. But 20%? Wow. 2. This is the main reason why I am writing this. They did not bother to check the COVID vaccination status. The question about the effectiveness of the policy is a different subject. But every restaurant owner in Cook county should follow the rule.

They seem to be out of most menus. We tried to order 4 dishes and they were out of 3 of the 4. They only had daeji gookbap and that's it. This was 45 minutes after opening on Sunday. Please update the menu because no one wants to hear "we don't have it" one after another.

This restaurant is well-known in the Korean community for their soondae guk and dweiji gukbap. I've tried both of the soup and they're both scrumptious. Their broth is so rich and delicious, always hits the spot! Their soondae is definitely the best I've had in Chicago. The texture of the soondae isn't chewy like the frozen ones you buy at Korean groceries. Everything I've tried was fresh and had that authentic taste of Korean food. To flavor to texture, it was fantastic. Upon arrival, I did my yelper duty by checking in and they gave us fresh soondae for the table! So fresh and delicious! The soup comes with a few side dishes like ggakddugi (pickled radish), kimchi, pickled cucumber and kolabi. They are all so delicious and such great pairing with the hot soup. Service was absolutely impeccable. He came to refill our delicious side dishes a few times, we never really had to grab their attention. I also loved the interior, which gave that very homey, Korean village vibe if ya know what I mean? Lol. I always get their soup but this time, I also tried the soondae bokkeum which is stir fried soondae with veggies, glass noodles(?) and spicy sauce. Omg it's SO GOOD. After you fry all the goodies, you can ask them to fry your rice at the end to get bokkeumbap (fried rice) which is the BEST PART and A MUST!! I'm salivating thinking about it right now. But yes, always a good time and can't wait to go back

***3.5 stars**** I came here with some friends for lunch and many of the tables were occupied. Their menu is small and most of the dishes have soondae. I had never tried soondae before so I was scared to try it at first. However, we did claim the free soondae appetizer from checking into Yelp. I thought I would hate it but it really wasn't that bad...in fact..I'd be willing to try it again. I ordered dwenji gukbap (pork soup) which looked small but was actually quite filling. My friend tried to order several different dishes but was told that they did not have it available. I found this strange as they don't have an extensive menu or anything....

One of my favorite Korean restaurants. Their specialty is more with the soup dishes. I didn't really enjoy the sundae tbh - it felt too dry. But I tried a variety of their soup dishes, all of which never failed me.

This is a Hidden Gem in Morton Grove. If your looking for authentic , fresh and amazing korean soups, brotha or a casual day drinking spot this is where to go. We got the Soondae and the freshness and taste was spectacular. Its literally like being in Korea and eating the foods at the mart while enjoying a crisp glass of soju. The customer service is fantastic. The Owners Danny and Hiroko treat you like VIP and making sure always that we were taken care of and see to it that we have everything we need for a great visit. All in all if you want a great relaxing atmosphere and want to enjoy amazing food this is where to go. The only downside: I wish it was closer to the house so I can come more often. ! !!!

Best restaurant in my list Legend of kookbop This is way better than any places in Korea Top tier no.1 restaurant to me

Love the place! Finally a place where I feel satisfied after having the soups. We had #2, Gamja Tang(forgot #), and kimchi Jigae. If we go back, we will order #2, Gamja Tang, and try something else for our family of 4.

The only purpose of leaving this comment is to let them know how a customer can feel being insulted by a small mistake (whether intended or not). Hopefully, they can address such issue. I went into the restaurant for my lunch. A lady sat me down on a table. Then, a young male employee came to my table and literally yelled at me saying that there was another customer ahead of me like I was cutting someone off. I clearly said that lady sat me on the table but guy did not care. I asked whether I should wait or leave. The guy said it would take at least 10 minutes or longer in a tone that made me feel like I was not welcomed. I ended up leaving. I understand that there could be confusion between their teamwork, which one employee mistakenly sits someone that the other co-worker may not be aware of. A correct approach in such situation would have been, apologize & explain to the customer, and politely ask customer to wait instead of yelling at a customer like he did something wrong.

Cozy place with traditional Korean dishes~ You could find the fantastic taste if you like Korean food. Anytime come here will feel so satisfied. Oh, they are so popular that always out of some popular dishes, check before you come...^.*

Update: We gave this place another try and came back (with my Korean-speaking in-laws). The service and food were good this time around. Upgrading to 4 stars. ---------------------- Don't come here if you have little ones! We came here a while back with our tiny foodies, and received the rudest treatment ever. It was very obvious from the moment we came in that the server detested kids. Never mind the fact that our kids are actually excellent little customers. They immediately lined the floor with newspapers. This wasn't a big deal to us initially. But when we tried to order food, all the non-spicy options that kids could eat were "not available". I then asked if they could just boil noodles (for an extra charge of course). They said "No, the cook is too busy". Seriously, the cook is too busy to boil noodles? We walked out immediately and never looked back.

Very friendly staff. My Korean mom loves this place. They gave us an extra free soda pop for my birthday. The soon dae (blood sausage) is very good. I think they make it there. I liked it both as soup (great savory broth) and by itself. We also tried the dak doree tang (spicy chicken stew) and Hae jang Guk, which is normally mostly vegetables in beef broth. The Hae jang Guk here had a huge bone with a lot of meat on it; I was very impressed. I wish the Hae jang Guk and dak doree tang had as savory of a broth as the soon dae guk (soup)... Perhaps if they cooked it longer. Everything was pretty wheelchair accessible, although they don't have a designated accessible parking space. They do have a private parking lot, but it seems too small for the lunch crowds. The women's bathroom would have been wheelchair accessible if it wasn't for a chair in it.

Bland everything. Service was ok, but he messed up my order and didn't even apologize. Wouldn't recommend

They will close anytime they want! It saying close at 9:30, but when we got there at 7:30, we been told they closed at 6:30!!!! I will never go back again. They just don't value their customers.