Illinois Korean Pub Just Named a Top 25 Restaurant in America

It's rare for such a niche type of restaurant to get an honor like this. A tiny Korean pub in Illinois has just been selected as one of the top 25 restaurants in America by one of the most recognizable review sites.

Yelp just recently released their top 100 restaurants in America for 2025 list and there's only 1 Illinois place in the top 25 and it's not what you might expect. No, it's not a Chicago pizza place of 5-star fancy restaurant. If you dine there, you'll see dishes like this.

I understand this is also a tasty option.

What is this Illinois Korean place named one of America's top 25 restaurants?

It's the New Village Gastro Pub in Northbrook, Illinois. If you look at some of their Yelp reviews, you'll see some that begin with "Wow, wow, wow!". That's a good sign. I am a fan of Korean cuisine, but have never visited this place. Perhaps this new honor will change a lot of minds.

I consider this one of the biggest food upsets of the year so far. A small Korean pub in Illinois takes top honors from the typical Chicago pizza joints and 5-star ritzy places. Who knew? I guess the answer would be Yelp reviewers.