Favorite Asian neighborhood in Chicago? (Cicero, Skokie: apartment, rent, neighborhoods)

[Master Jay]

Hello, I was down this past weekend and giving my children my own history lesson of neighborhoods I've seen change, or remain. I thought I'd like to hear residents' OR fellow visitors' experiences of favorite Asian neighborhoods in Chicago. As a kid I remember Chinatown. Nowadays Chinatown area seems to be moving south and west into Bridgeport more and more each year, it seems... I remember Devon Avenue with Indian and Pakistani storefronts, and that area seems to have held strong...The areas I didn't become acquainted with until I was older were the Argyle area with the Vietnamese restaurants. Also, in the 1990s I remember Lawrence Avenue having a greater Korean presence. Overtime, a lot of it spread north and west, and then into the suburbs as well... Any other Asian neighborhoods I'm missing on mentioning?/ Any old or new memories, city-data.commers? Thank you.

[NARFALICIOUS]

I don't know if I have a favorite.
Like I had said in a previous thread, I lived off Devon for about a year and visit often because one of my friends live there still. West ridge area. Very much the same as it was when I lived there in 2011/2012ish. I really liked that it is a walkable area, rent was affordable, parking was terrible though, at least on my part of the neighborhood Rosemont/Artesian. The apartment I lived in had mice and there were a few more rats in this neighborhood than when I grew up in Albany Park or when I lived in Uptown on 2 separate occasions.

Oddly enough, I LOVE Indian food now but didn't really start eating it until I moved away from Chicago. I have been to a place or 2 on Devon since and it was pretty good. But my favorite restaurant in that area is actually a hole-in-the wall pizza place called Palermos a block or so East of Western Ave on Devon.


Argyle is great. The parking is terrible. The food is pretty good. I love that it is right next to the train so it's easy to get to if you don't live nearby and don't drive. Last time I was there I had rolled ice cream which was nice.


I grew up on in Albany Park, mostly near Wilson/Kedzie and then Foster/Kedzie. I know there are some Korean businesses but never really considered it a Korean neighborhood the way Chinatown or Argyle or Devon are more of a defined neighborhood

I wish there was a Filipino neighborhood. But all the businesses are scattered around.

[Master Jay]

NARFALICIOUS, good day. I've never dined on Devon, but even people from Milwaukee will say some great food can be found there.... Back in 1998, I started going to Seo Hae Kwan Korean restaurant on Lawrence and, Central Park, I believe. They closed several years ago, so now San Soo Gab San in Lincoln Square is my go to place!. Even Chinatown has a Korean restaurant and a K-Pop storefront...I sometimes go to church at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Skokie. There are a lot of Filipino attendees; and I have seen a couple of Filipino establishments on the nortwest side.. I truly love your city's diversity and culture!

[jfre81]

Wentworth Avenue, Chinatown, South Side

Untitled by James Fremont, on Flickr





Argyle Street, Uptown, North Side

Untitled by James Fremont, on Flickr











I'm hungry. Getting some ideas here.

I haven't been to either spot in a bit.

[Master Jay]

jfre81, beautiful pictures with a clear warm sky! I can't wait for warm weather AND great Chinese food. I want NO ONE to get razzled, but Moon Palace on Cermak is my favorite!

[Kmanshouse]

Not a neighborhood, but Isla Filipina on Lawrence, just west of Western, is really good.

While Lincoln Square is not an Asian neighborhood, there are many tasty Asian restaurants:

Isla Filipina
2-3 Korean joints on Lincoln north of Lawrence
Siam Country (Damen L stop)
Aroy Thai (Damen/Leland)
Shanghai Inn on Damen is the best Chinese food I've ever had
Green Leaf Thai on Western/Leland
Roseded

I feel like it's a Thai food haven.

[Master Jay]

Kmanshouse, good morning! As much as I go to Lincoln Square, I cannot recall Isla Filipina. Then again, I usually come from the north, down Lincoln Avenue. So YES, I have seen those Korean restaurants on Lincoln Avenue. As I said, I remember them spreading out north and west from Lawrence Avenue (between Pulaski and California), starting sometime in the late 1990s. I used to go to Solga on Lincoln Avenue. Nowadays it's just an empty lot... I hear many people love the Cho Sun Ok restaurant on Lawrence Avenue (in the North Center neighborhood). I really need to check that one out! Anyone out there can speak on Cho Sun Ok???

[Kmanshouse]

Originally Posted by Master Jay

Kmanshouse, good morning! As much as I go to Lincoln Square, I cannot recall Isla Filipina. Then again, I usually come from the north, down Lincoln Avenue. So YES, I have seen those Korean restaurants on Lincoln Avenue. As I said, I remember them spreading out north and west from Lawrence Avenue (between Pulaski and California), starting sometime in the late 1990s. I used to go to Solga on Lincoln Avenue. Nowadays it's just an empty lot... I hear many people love the Cho Sun Ok restaurant on Lawrence Avenue (in the North Center neighborhood). I really need to check that one out! Anyone out there can speak on Cho Sun Ok???

Went there once. I thought it was good, but not great. The service is hilariously cold and flippant, and the food is a B, not an A. Worth checking out though.

Isla Filipina is in a strip mall on the south side of Lawrence, just west of the Burger King. Same building as a Little Caesars. Very unassuming on the inside - and you are best to call ahead, and/or get there earlier in the day, as they run out of dishes as they go each day.

The food though, is REALLY good. My wife is Filipino by heritage and when her dad comes over we order from there and he says it's delicious. The beef caldereta is to die for. As is the langonisa. And the garlic rice.

I'm getting hungry.

[Master Jay]

Kmanshouse, I know some Korean language so maybe I can try to charm the waitresses. I'll give you my report after I've tried their kalbi!... I can picture the Burger King on Lawrence, so I'll look for Isla Filipina. A long time friend of mine married a woman from the Phillipines, and she has never been to Chicago. So thank you for the restaurant tip!... I HAVE to ask you: your opinion on Jolly Bees... When it forst opened in Lincolnwood a couple of years ago, there were long lines every weekend I came down with my children. When I finslly came back down and there were no lines, I could NOT see what the attractuon was! But, now I see there's a second location off of Cicero and Elston!... Now, I'm hungry, TOO! And on top of it, I'm now missing my second city, Chicago!!!

[raleightransplant]

Originally Posted by Kmanshouse

Not a neighborhood, but Isla Filipina on Lawrence, just west of Western, is really good.

While Lincoln Square is not an Asian neighborhood, there are many tasty Asian restaurants:

Isla Filipina
2-3 Korean joints on Lincoln north of Lawrence
Siam Country (Damen L stop)
Aroy Thai (Damen/Leland)
Shanghai Inn on Damen is the best Chinese food I've ever had
Green Leaf Thai on Western/Leland
Roseded

I feel like it's a Thai food haven.

Yes. Lincoln Square has some of the best Thai food in the city hands down. My fiancé is Thai, and she takes her family (who still live in Thailand) to Aroy in particular whenever they visit. We go up that way a lot for Thai. There is a little Thai grocer next to Rosded that has some good stuff as well.