About Us

 

Dancen is a small, somewhat claustrophobic spot that’s probably the best known of Chicago’s Korean bars simply because its food is among the best. It’s bare-bones inside, and often swelteringly hot thanks to its most pleasing aesthetic feature, a blazing open grill behind the bar that flares ceilingward often enough that I always try to score a seat near the door in case hell breaks loose. Those gouts of flame are produced by Dancen’s claim to fame: buldak or “fire chicken,” a relatively recent dish from Korea, but one of its most painfully spicy. Here chicken marinated in chile, gochuchang, soy, and rice syrup is brought directly to the grill and flensed from its bones. It stays on the fire a long time, where it picks up a pleasing smoky char. It’s served with the bones, which are fun to gnaw on after you’ve eaten the tender nuggets—if your jaw isn’t locked in a rictus of pain. A side of raw cabbage dressed with Thousand Island accompanies it, but a better way of mitigating the heat is to order it topped with a thick blanket of melted white and yellow cheese. There are plenty of other good things on the lengthy menu: fried pork skin to dip in salted sesame oil and bee pollen, soups and stews, sauteed cephalopods, and a decent selection of soju and the fermented rice brew makgeolli.

Menu

FROM THE KITCHEN

Seasoned Rice Balls 주먹밥 $10
SPICY Rice Cake 떡복이 $18
Pork Cartilage 오돌뼈 $18
Fried Pork Skin 돼지껍데기 $18
SPICY Pork Skin 양념껍데기 $18
(Pork Skin only can order 1 for 1 table)
Chicken Gizzard 닭똥집 $18
Sweet & Spicy Chicken (with Cheese)
치즈닭볶이 $20
SPICY Sauteed Squid 오징어 볶음 $18
Boiled Octopus 쭈꾸미초회 $18
SPICY Bai Top Shell 골뱅이무침 $18
Seasoned Dried Filefish w/snack 쥐포 $18
Seafood Pancake 해물파전 $18
Kimchi Pancake 김치전 $18
Fried Chicken 통닭 $20
Pork Cutlet 돈까스 $20
Sauteed Kimchi w/Tofu (with Pork) 두부김치 $20
Pork Cartilage + Rice Balls 오돌주먹밥 $25
Sauteed Intestine w/Vege 곱창볶음 $25

SOUP & STEW

Spicy Kimchi Noodle 얼큰해장우동 $16
Spicy Cod Roe Soup 고니탕 $18
Fish Egg Soup 알탕 $18
Pork & Kimchi Soup 돼지김치찌개 $18
Tuna & Kimchi Soup 참치김치찌개 $18
Hot Pepper Paste Soup 고추장찌개 $18
Fish Cake Soup 어묵탕 $18
Spicy Fish Cake Soup 얼큰어묵탕 $18
Large Clam Soup 대합탕 $18
Mussel Soup 홍합탕 $18
Bu-Dae Stew (Army Stew) 부대찌개 $30
Beef Small Intestine Stew 곱창전골 $30
Seafood Stew 해물탕 $30
Kimchi Stew 김치전골 $30

FROM THE GRILL

Sweet Marinated Pork Rib 간장갈비 $19
SPICY Marinated Pork Rib 양념갈비 $19
BBQ Chicken 바베큐치킨 $19
FIRE Chicken 불닭 $19
FIRE Chicken w/Cheese 치즈불닭 $22
Combination Kabob 모듬꼬치 $32
Beef Kabob 한우꼬치 $5
Pork Kabob 돼지꼬치 $5
Chicken Kabob 닭꼬치 $5
Grilled Mushrooms (2 Piece) 버섯구이 $3
Grilled Garlic 마늘구이 $4
Ginkgo Nut Kabob 은행꼬치 $4
Shrimp Kabob 새우꼬치 $4
Grilled Quail 메추리 $7
Spicy Marinated Chicken 춘천닭갈비 $30
(Add Cheese $5)
Webfoot Octopus + Pork 쭈삼볶음 $30
FIRE Squid 불오징어 $30

DRINKS

SOJU

Chum Chu Rum $15
Charm soju $14
Saero (NEW) $15
Bok Bun Ja (Wild Black Raspberry) $15
Plum Wine $14
Fruit Soju Cocktail $20
Choose One Flavor
(Lemon, Pineapple, Strawberry, Yogurt)
RICE WINE

Mak Gul Li (Korean Rice Wine) $15
Mak Gul Li Cocktail $20
Choose One Flavor
(Yogurt, Strawberry, Pineapple, Mix)
BEER

Cass (Korean Beer) $4
Miller Lite $4 Heineken $5 Corona $4
Bluemoon $5 Goose Island 312 $5
White Claw $5
(Mango, Blackberry, Strawberry, Pineapple)
Korean Beer Large $8
Korean Beer Pitcher $15
Korean Beer Tower $30
BEVERAGES

Coke/Diet C./Sprite $2
Extra (add on)
Rice $2 Spam $4 Tofu $4 Kimchi $4
Ramen Noodle $4 Rice Cake $4

PhotoGallery

Testimonials

Fire chicken with cheese. Try it, it’s amazing! Just be careful if you’re going to work the next day 🤣
Chicken is fired up right in the middle of the restaurant, so the smells are awesome

Joe V

This spot simply knows how to treat their customers. Regularly with a welcoming approach. The food is conveniently priced, constantly fresh and neat.

Rylan D

True to it’s name, Fire Chicken is out of the world and must try at Dancen. I suggest sitting at the bar and watching it being made on grill and having a drink. We also tried pork ribs which were good too but Fire Chicken with cheese is out of the world experience.

Anirudh Pillai

The food is constantly well prepared and yummy, staff members hands out awesome service. I really like how clean it is and mood. Would recommend to others.

Travis Pasco

That fire chicken with cheese is no fn lie!! Soo juicy and tender but has you suffering the day after! It haunts my dreams on how much I wanna go back more for punishment! And the drinks were phenomenal!

Dalia Chavez

Contact Us

(773) 878-2400

5114 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60625

Sun – Thur  5pm-12am

Last Call For Kitchen  10:45 pm

Fri & Sat  5pm-1am

Last Call For Kitchen  11:45 pm

Tuesday Closed

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