Great Beijing
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat 11:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m.
Sun 11:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
66 reviews
Neighborhood: Near North Side
"Decor: Minimal Chic Staff: Attentive. Warm, but not sickly sweet. Professional. Drinks: Divine! Did I say, deliciously divine?!…" read more »
31 Reviews for Great Beijing
I've been here several times growing up for family gatherings. We've gone here for special occasions like birthdays, graduations, etc. The food here is fantastic. As other reviewers mentioned, it's a Chinese restaurant with some Korean-influenced dishes. There are a few other restaurants like this in Chicago (Chang's, Great Sea, Peking Mandarin, for example) where you'll find unique Chinese-Korean dishes like jampong. I love their appetizers, Mongolian Beef, and fried rice, as well. Check this place out the next time you're in Lincolnwood.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Located just outside of Chicago in the suburb of Lincolnwood is "Great Beijing" and I have been going to this establishment since I was a kid.
Their Chinese food is decent and better then most places in the city, but this place also has Korean-Chinese food which makes it a winner in my book. To educate you on what I mean, back in the day Chinese people inhabited Korea and created dishes that favored the Korean palate.
If you ever find yourself in Korea and go to a Chinese restaurant you would notice a fairly different menu. Here are a few things you can order at "Great Beijing" to get a taste of Korean-Chinese food:
1. Jjambbong: A spicy noodle soup in a seafood broth
2. Jajangmyeon: Steamed noodles served in a lightly-flavored black bean paste (this one is my favorite)
3. Tangsuyuk: Koreanized sweet and sour beef or pork
4. Kangponggi: Spicy and sweet chicken wings or shrimp (very tasty)
Try it out!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
I have been eating here about once a month since I was a kid! Everyone in my family loves it. The owners are so sweet, and they really know how to run a great, no-nonsense restaurant. Best prices and best food I have been able to find in Chicago.
Hint: If you're not Asian, ask for the "other menu", for a walk on the wild side!
I come here only for the jjambbong (the noodles in the seafood broth). There are two kinds - the regular one that comes with fewer noodles and fewer seafood. Don't forget to order the 'haemool jjambbong' - it's a few dollars more, but well worth it (even though the price isn't bad to begin with). They give you a good handful of noodles and an unbelievable amount of seafood. They do NOT skimp out! The broth is unbelievably refreshing, and not that spicy. Great for those who have colds, hangovers, or who have a craving for a nice spicy seafood broth with noodles!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Most of the Chinese food in Chicago tastes like a gauze bandage marinated in dish soap. It's wretched. You get better quality at that Panda place in the mall.
Great Beijing puts those suckers to shame. It's fast, fairly priced, and has a wide selection. The Mongolian beef and chicken are my favorites to date (I've only eaten there five or six times). My friends who've been going here for years say that the high quality is consistent across the menu. Portions are also uniformly large, so take note if you're on a diet.
This place is very much deserving of its solid reputation. Just make sure to order take-out if you live nearby. The restaurant itself has a corporate boardroom look to it.
For a Chinese restaurant, this place was actually CLEAN. No offense to anybody, I am part Chinese myself so I'm allowed to say that. It was recommended by my awesome neighbor, so my entire family went for a Father's Day treat. I thought it was pretty decent. The place was nice and comfortable, and the food was good. The people at the table next to me ordered the pu pu platter, and WOW, it looked amazing. I think my family ordered a few of those typical Chinese plates, including the Mongolian beef that my neighbor highly recommended. Didn't taste anything great about it, but like I've mentioned somewhere on Yelp before, I am not a fan of Mongolian beef in general. Everything else was delicious though... great family place.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Went on the advice of a longtime patron of the place. We were in the area and decided to go for lunch on a saturday.
When we came up to it it was easy to park, and there were quite a few cars. Inside the place struck me as roomy, neat and clean. Large dining room with interesting architecture.
Seating prompt and service was fast and polite. I guess it was the lunch menu we got because the meal choices included a choice of soups, appetizers and a main course with steam or fried rice. Prices ranged from $5.50-$6.75 for items on the list. We were quickly brought some delicious vegetable egg drop soup, then timely and yummy egg rolls, followed just at the right time by our entrees. Service was just right, not at all rushed, nor were we waiting too long between courses. Quantity and quality right on with the service.
I am sure you could have ordered anything you wanted because the couple 2 tables over had a mound of different meats and veggies they were rolling up in "tortillas"- looked yummy. I want to go back for dinner!
Price/value/quality/quantity/ service will keep me coming back.
This is the best Chinese Restaurant so far that I have eaten at. My brother and I went and the portions are huge! He got Mongolian Chicken, Steak, and Shrimp and I got Sweet and Sour Chicken and we shared basically. We left with 2 boxes because we were so stuffed! Our waitress was really nice and got our food so quickly and made sure we always had drinks, chopsticks, etc. Everyone gets green tea in the beginning while you order for free and it was good.The food was so damn good, everything was flavorful and tasted delicious.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
I went here b/c I had a taste for Jja Jja Myun and Jjam Pong. So, I was sooo hungry for it that it hit the spot. It was really good. The jja Jja Myun has pork in it (for the non pork eaters they can't separate it out) but they did make the Jjam Pong without the pork for me.
The service was good. We had a really nice Chinese lady that was friendly, funny and when we packed up the noodles, she went ahead and packed the noodles and the sauce in separate containers. That was very nice of her.
The crab rangoon was good. Although, it's kind of hard to mess it up. Also, we tried the chicken fried rice which was really bland.
Overall, if you have a taste for Jjam Pong or Jja Jja myun it's a good place to go....but, if you live in the city, you may be able to find a place that is just as good but is closer.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
The food was really fresh with good flavor.The times I got food from here it was take-out, so I can't speak on the dine-in experience.
The beef is excellent (I'm picky about my beef) not tough or too chewy.
The orange chicken was amazing.The order was basically chicken without too much breading, not much sauce, but a strong orange flavor.
They mostly only have one size order - large. So at first that was annoying. Then when I saw the containers I was bothered (looked kinda small for "large" orders) at first- till I opened them an saw that the containers were filled with the "real stuff", not half food and half sauce.
Some places they give you a carton that's mostly some gross sauce with a few pieces of food thrown in, but here you get what you paid for.
Speaking of, the chop suey (which I usually avoid because I don't like the sauce), it was really good. Lots of fresh veggies, meat and like no sauce. The little sauce it had was very delicate, but flavorful.
Same with the egg foo young- no gross sauce! You only get 2 patties, but they're really big.
So what's not to like? If they can make me like chop suey, they must be good. Plus, they're open a half hour later than most other Chinese places.
Why not 5 stars? Maybe I shouldn't, but I took off a star because of no half orders, and no combo (dinner for 2 etc.) deals.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
The place has it's pros and cons. The food is good, but the service seemed to favor more "oriental" looking clients. I noticed that if you look Korean, Chinese or Japanese, they tend to serve you faster and give you bonuses like free appetizers while you look through the menu. Also, I saw that your food came out faster if you fell in this category. It took over half an hour for them to serve our food while I noticed that the two tables beside us got theirs quickly. Just a warning if you decide to go and get food from there: Expect the service to be a lot less around you if you don't look oriental.
OK.... I don't do Chinese food. However, whenever I get a hankering, Great Beijing is the best Chinese I've had in all of Chicago. I grew up in Lincolnwood, so my family has been a regular here for many many years. They are Korean-owned and also have some great Korean dishes on their menu!
My favorite items are: Cha-Jiang Myun (noodles in blackbean sauce with vegetables and pork), Mongolian Beef, Chicken and Broccoli, Tang Soo Yuck (sweet and sour pork) and their classic Won Ton Soup.
I usually get take out, and the portions are HUGE. I've eaten in the restaurant twice, and the portions are still HUGE.
Great Beijing is a little way out of the city, but worth it if you're looking for great Chinese food.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
Typically, I prefer Thai, Vietnamese and Japanese to Chinese food. But this restaurant has changed my taste buds.
The best Mongolian Beef I have ever had.
I could go on and on about all the other dishes they have, how wonderful they taste. But I must emphasize the Mongolian Beef.
The service is very good, but the atmosphere and decor or definitely lacking. Come with friends, dressed in your most comfy clothes and be prepared to eat well.
My friends and I enjoy ordering the Dinner for 4 (you can order dinner for 2 and up): It includes Sizzling Rice Soup, a Pu Pu Platter and your choice of main dishes (did I mention that I would recommend the Mongolian Beef?) for a set price.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
It's pretty much accepted among my dinner companions that we are in a rut. We go to the same places over and over again. However, since I started using this site, I've been compiling a master list of Places We Must Try, and tonight we went to Great Beijing.
I'd been here years ago, so I was pleased to see that it had been redecorated, and no longer firmly lodged in the 80s. The staff was friendly and very helpful, and I mentioned that we were there on the strength of the great reviews I'd read on Yelp.com. Our waitress seemed fascinated not only by the idea that there was such a site, but by my new Samsung Blackjack phone that I was using to call up the reviews for my dinner companions.
There are always benchmark dishes that we hold dear and order to test new places. For me, it's hot and sour soup. For Karen, it's pot stickers. For Gene, it's whether he actually gets a wedge of lime for his iced tea. The soup was very good. It was a nice balance of hot and sour, and not quite as spicy as we're used to, though I thought I detected just a bit of cinnamon in it. However, I would have preferred a seafood-free option. I love seafood, but I don't care for it in my H&SS. Karen's pot stickers were very good, but not great. The pot sticker sauce was excellent.
Gene had Shrimp in Black Bean Sauce, and he said it was very good. The shrimp were decent size and properly cooked (neither dry and chewy or flaccid) and the portion was enormous for the price. In fact, all the portions were huge, and would probably have fed all three of us handily had we been able to agree on any single dish. I stole a bit of Karen's other benchmark dish, Sweet and Sour Pork, and found it to be quite good, and somewhat less sweet than we were used to.
My Mongolian Three Ingredients, a mashup of Mongolian Beef, Chicken and Shrimp was excellent, easily the best dish of the night, IMO. The meat and fish were tender, and the sauce had the tiniest hint of sweetness which played nicely against the savory mix of meat and scallions. It was served on a bed of very crispy rice noodles, and with the stickiest steamed rice I think I've ever seen.
We all considered the meal a success and agreed to add it to our list of restaurants we'd willingly go back to. Considering how picky we all are, that's really nothing short of miraculous.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
Yum! This is some goooood Chinese food!
I have passed this place, um, every day for two years on the way to work and I began to notice a delicious, oily stir fry scent while passing its 1950's inspired "Chinese food here" sign.
Anyways, one day I stopped by and decided to take the plunge. On take-out. Though it is of note that the dining room is HUGE, and was empty, but granted, it was only 5 oclock and only teachers like me and Grandma Shirley are hungry at that time. There is also a huge parking lot, but its a little rough for wussies like me that balk at making left turns into traffc. So I picked out 2 tofu dishes and a broccoli with garlic sauce and settled into a nice copy of people someone had left behind. 15 minutes later I was paid and out.
When I opened up my bag at home I was dismayed that my two tofu dishes looked EXACTLY the same, with pretty much the same mix of veggies except that one had baby corn and the other broccoli. One star knocked off. However, the food itself was terrific. Much more flavorful than much of the Chinese food I have had. Also, large portions and the good kind of fortune cookies. You know, the ones that actually taste of vanilla or something, rather than manilla envelopes.
I will definitely return and hope to do a better job of choosing my dishes. Great, indeed, Beijing!
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (1)
The BEST crab rangoon, ever!!!!!
The BEST, white rice. Even as leftovers, it stays fresh for days.
Often the service is a little slow. Otherwise it is perfect!
People thought this was:
Cool (2)
I think this may be my favorite chinese restaurant in the city of Chicago. The service is so friendly and attentive. From the moment you walk in you are greeted with "Welcome home!" before you can even sit down the bus staff is there putting down a pot of tea and filling the water glasses. This is another place where the staff is always watching to make sure you lack for nothing but do it in a way that isn't obtrusive.
I love the hot sour soup and I always get the Mongolian Beef extra spicy. I love spicy foods and when I usually ask for extra spicy in restaurants it tastes no different...I guess because they believe they make it spicy enough. At Great Beijing tho they pack in the spice and also bring me out a container of chili paste in case I want it hotter. Mai Tai's are delicious as well!
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Cool (1)
Bottom line: Large portions, decent value for the money, not anything special in terms of atmosphere.
General Notes
This place appears to be a machine. The couple of times we have been there it has been packed and a good percentage of the customers are Asian. Someone earlier mentioned that there are Korean ties, and I can vouch for that. My wife is Korean and she always gets something that her family ate growing up.
What was good
My kung pao beef was nice, what you get used to expecting, I suppose. Sauce wasn't too heavily done, nor was it sublimely elegant. What it was, though was hot. Be warned. I'm not a fire-eater, but I tend to like a decent amount of spice. However, this stuff had a creeping heat that is tough to shake, even with a pint of Guinness helping me out.
My wife liked her dish, which I'll never be able to spell, not even phonetically [she picked up take out, so I didn't even see the menu]. But it was noodles in a black bean sauce. Not the most visually enticing thing in my opinion, but she was good with it.
What wasn't so great
The potstickers. Tasted like they had just been soaking in the oil and the shell had that chewy texture similar to how corners of bread get when you microwave them just a little too long.
Take out tip
The portions are Bunyan-esque. If you aren't absolutely starving, consider splitting an entree and complement it with a couple of starters for variety. Or just be ready for Thanksgiving-like leftovers.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
I like this place...ALOT! The chinese food they serve here is real!!! Its fresh and delicious. They have edible white rice TOO! I find myself making a left on lincoln all the time on my way home....you could smell it from your car. SO the pupu platter is AWSOME...comes with like a real fire a mini grill, almost burnt off my gwen stefaniyish mohawk...but HEY, it was so worth it....Price is very very reasonable and the staff is super friendly. I love this place and wont eat chinese anywhere else...(bows)
Caroline A inspired me to check out this restaurant last night...
While visiting the in-laws in Chicagoland, I try to get away as often as possible, for a little taste of Chicago (2 local-isms in one sentence; is that mixing metaphors?). So, we were in Evanston for a house party, and decided to try a local Chinese place, assuming, correctly, that they would be open on Christmas eve.
True Yelpers don't let me down, I now know.
In NYC, it's fairly common to find Chinese-made Thai, and Chinese-made Sushi, but I'm not all that familiar with Korean-made Chinese (although blame that on my white-boy ignorance rather than my culinary depth of knowledge). So, I figured I'd let my growing interest in Korean culture guide my tastebuds, and give it a shot.
I would have to say that, although there wasn't a ton of finesse in the food, nor any particular elegance in the room, this was a really well put together dining experience.
I'd say that, contrary to many contemporary dining experiences, at least in NYC, this is a place where you can pretty safely skip past the appetizers, which tend to be pretty pedestrian Amer-Chinese offerings; we ordered fried potstickers, which seems like something that may have been previously frozen, with a not so special lump of meat inside.
But the main courses saved the day.
Mongolian chicken, Ma Po tofu, and platter of steamed vegetables (baby bock choy, broccoli, asparagus) were all excellent, and way too much food for 3. Each in its own way a great blend of flavors, with the ginger-y and slightly sweet chicken balancing the heat of the tofu, and the veggies in their simple cornstarch-y sauce. Really nice, and a welcome surprise in Chicago. Usually, we have Mexican when we're here; I like the change of pace.
Next up, AVEC!
Thanks Caroline A, and happy holidays!
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
My favorite Chinese restaurant on the north side. The dishes are consistantly great, and the fares are more than reasonable for the portion size that is given. In fact, they are even more reasonable when you split the big portions among people.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
I had previously reviewed this place for Yahoo and gave it high marks. However, the food has declined to the point where we have decided not to patronize it any longer. Last time there, my partner ordered hot and sour soup and got what seemed to be a mixture of several leftover soups. In any case, it really is not a Chinese restaurant; the owners are Korean and serve Chinese-American food to white folks and Korean food to Koreans, who apparantly get a different menu.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
One of the better Chinese restaurants in the northern suburbs. My friend swears by their crab rangoon (which technically isn't Chinese food) - Service is also very friendly and quick, too.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Solid, dependable Chinese fare. I did notice that some people get different condiments than me but that's ok. I go to a Chinese restaurant in the US to get Americanized Chinese Food. I have tried straying from the usual Chinese food suspects (i.e. Kung Pow, Chow Mein, etc.) and instead some of the 'specialties' and was quite pleased with their freshness and flavor.
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
I come to this place whenever I have a craving for Chinese food and happens to be in the area. This is my comfort zone for Chinese food because I never get disappointed yet. I usually order the spicy Ma Po Tofu while my husband orders either the Empress chicken or the Shrimp with lobster sauce. Other items we tried and considered very good are the Moo Goo Gai Pan chicken, Mongolian Beef (sort of on the spicy side), Beef chow mein, Crab ran goon, and Cha-Jiang Myun aka black bean noodle (this dish reminds my husband of a scene in Fear Factors). The egg flower soup (egg drop) soup is plain but plentiful for two people. The only item I do not recommend is any noodle soup bowl. I've tried them all and it's pretty plain, even with tons of soy sauce added for flavoring. Come here for the rice and noodle dishes but if you want noodle soup, then go to a real Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. The waiter and waitress are very nice and prompt with drinks. If you order an appetizer soup, it's extra nice that the waiter/waitress takes the time to pour the soup from the bowl to the cup and serve it to you.
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
I agree with Dee. This is truly one of the better (sit down) Chinese restaurants on the North side.
Gan Pong shrimp is better prepared and tastier than the chicken.
(If you are local, you know that Great Seas has THE best, Gan Pong Chicken in Chicago)
Great for couples or groups, nice decor, great service and management. Taste is wonderful, prices have risen recently. Check out the lunch specials, only available weekdays.
Try the Pu Pu platter, its a sight and something interesting to start your meal.
Crab Rangoons are the best! Bet you can't finish an entire order! Too yummy.
The Best Chinese Food Ever! My Favorite is the sizziling Shrimp!! Yummy!!
Been comming to this place for 8 years. it is simply has the best Mangolian Beef and Hot & Sour soup you'll ever have. Once a week for lunch is a must and only about 6 bucks includes a meal, and soup. Can't beat the value. If it was 3 times the price i would still come here. No one I ever took here ever not like it. A MUST !!!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
i usually end up here 1 a week the best sesame chicken and crab rangoon!
john f. needs to get his facts straight. i hate writing reviews, but i couldn't let this one go by. the owners ARE chinese. they were raised in korea. this restaurant does not serve "korean" food. are you even korean? because i am, and i think i would know what korean food was. there is a special category of restaurants that prepare certain dishes that are CHINESE but infused by some korean influence. there are several of these restaurants out there. you should only be so lucky to find them. great seas and VIP are some more. this is good food. they serve american chinese during the day, because there are a lot of white business people who lunch there. does everyone who is not asian want some advice on how to choose any type of asian cuisine? ask yourself... are there asian people eating here? if there are... then you probably have yourself some authentic goooooood asian food. enjoy!
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (2)
Cool (3)
People Who Viewed This Also Viewed...
Related Lists
-
Top Restaurants
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the… -
Thanks Yelp!
Loves I wouldn't have known if not for you. XOXO,… -
My secret wonderful…
This is a list of some of the places that I love… -
My Neighborhood
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,… -
Good Eats
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the… -
Top Restaurants
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Hot and New
- I Monelli Trattoria Pizzeria
27 reviews
Neighborhood: Lincoln Square
- Roy's Furniture Co
54 reviews
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
- Piccolo Sogno
28 reviews
Neighborhood: Near West Side
- Taqueria Puebla
13 reviews
Neighborhood: Humboldt Park
- Alinea
151 reviews
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
