Survivability Rankings for Korean Restaurant in Chicago
StreetSpring's 2026 analysis ranks the best and worst neighborhoods in Chicago to open a Korean Restaurant, from Kennedy Park (93% survival) to Irving W...
By Bobby Koons | Last reviewed: May 4, 2026 | Updated weekly | Methodology
Quick Summary
- #1 Neighborhood: Kennedy Park — 93% average survivability for Korean Restaurant
- Neighborhoods at or above 70%: 86 of 86 analyzed
- City-wide average: 88% for Korean Restaurants
- Most challenging area: Irving Woods at 82%
- Revenue advantage (top vs. avg location): ~5.4% more expected revenue in Kennedy Park
- Data freshness: 2026 data · Full methodology →
Table of Contents
- Summary
- 10 Best Neighborhoods
- Where Would a Korean Restaurant Make the Most Money?
- What Should I Consider?
- Where Should I Start?
- FAQ: Best Neighborhoods
- FAQ: Can a Korean Restaurant Succeed in Lower-Ranked Areas?
- FAQ: How Often Are Rankings Updated?
- FAQ: Is a Korean Restaurant a Good Tenant?
- Landlord Survivability Data
- Best Neighborhoods for Any Business
Summary
Of all the neighborhoods in and around Chicago, Kennedy Park ranks #1 for opening a Korean Restaurant with 93% average chance of surviving more than 2 years, with the best locations offering 96% and the most challenging locations in Kennedy Park at 84%. The worst neighborhoods include Irving Woods with 82% average chance. Remember that a neighborhood average smooths over wide variation — your exact block could significantly outperform.
Where Korean Restaurants Thrive in Chicago
Kennedy Park ranks #1 of 86 neighborhoods analyzed in and around Chicago for Korean Restaurant survivability with a score of 93% as of 2026. The top 10 neighborhoods are:
What the score spread tells you about risk
| Rank | Neighborhood | Best Locations | Average Locations | Challenging Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kennedy Park | 93.0% – 97.0% | 91.0% – 95.2% | 83.0% – 87.0% |
| 2 | Main-Chicago | 94.0% – 97.0% | 90.7% – 94.9% | 88.0% – 92.0% |
| 3 | Southwest | 94.0% – 97.0% | 90.3% – 94.4% | 70.0% – 74.0% |
| 4 | Rogers Park | 94.0% – 97.0% | 90.1% – 94.3% | 70.0% – 74.0% |
| 5 | Morgan Park | 95.0% – 97.0% | 90.1% – 94.2% | 71.0% – 75.0% |
| 6 | Roseland | 95.0% – 97.0% | 90.0% – 94.1% | 75.0% – 79.0% |
| 7 | Kenwood | 93.0% – 97.0% | 89.7% – 93.9% | 86.0% – 90.0% |
| 8 | West Village | 92.0% – 96.0% | 89.1% – 93.2% | 71.0% – 75.0% |
| 9 | River North | 93.0% – 97.0% | 89.0% – 93.1% | 86.0% – 90.0% |
| 10 | Margate Park | 92.0% – 96.0% | 88.6% – 92.8% | 86.0% – 90.0% |
Notable runners-up worth a second look
A low-ranking neighborhood can still contain high-potential storefronts — the address matters most. The live platform incorporates the most recent foot traffic, competitor, and spending data for your exact address.
Survivability ranges reflect best and worst storefront conditions within each neighborhood. See our full methodology →
Try StreetSpring to see if this location is still the best and see if there are locations to rent in this area right now.
Which Chicago Neighborhoods Drive the Highest Korean Restaurant Revenue?
In Kennedy Park, the best possible location offers the opportunity of making ~5.4% more than the average location in or around Chicago.
On the other hand, in Irving Woods, the worst possible location could result in making ~7.7% less than the average location in the city.
Where you open matters more than anything else. Opening a Korean Restaurant in Chicago requires careful location choice. Across 86 neighborhoods analyzed, the overall average survival chance for a new Korean Restaurant is 88% for lasting more than 2 years — due to a combination of many factors across competition, consumer spending, and location dynamics. A high-traffic corner that works well for a coffee shop may be entirely wrong for a specialty retailer.
What Should I Consider When Opening a Korean Restaurant in or Around Chicago?
The address you sign for is the most consequential decision in launching this business. A high Survivability Score is a non-negotiable starting point. A high Revenue Capture Score is the clearest signal that a location can sustain a profitable business. StreetSpring computes this by projecting the business's market share, which is based on the quality and quantity of primary, secondary, and tertiary competitors. We apply advanced machine learning to massive commercial real estate datasets to build accurate models. A certain density of competitors signals strong demand and can benefit all businesses. These results are powered by exclusive algorithms trained on one of the largest commercial real estate datasets in the U.S.
| Factor | Where new owners get tripped up | Questions to ask before you sign |
|---|---|---|
| Build-out budget | Underestimating mechanical, electrical, and plumbing — the "hidden" 30-50% of build-out cost. | Get 3 quotes from licensed contractors and pad budget by +20% for surprises. Confirm landlord TI allowance in writing. |
| Permitted hours | Late-night or early-morning ops blocked by zoning, neighborhood association, or shared-wall restrictions. | Confirm the permitted hours-of-operation are in your lease AND in the local code. Pull recent variances or complaints from the zoning portal. |
| CAM + hidden costs | Stated rent looks great, then CAM fees, signage charges, and after-hours utilities add 15-30%. | Get the full operating expense breakdown for the past 2 years. Ask which costs are landlord-capped vs. uncapped. |
This can be summarized as:
Revenue Capture Score = Projected Market Share × Forecasted Spend on Specific Business
Related: Survivability Score: How We Calculate It & Why It Matters
StreetSpring recalculates survivability using the latest competitive, demographic, and walkability data. The live platform incorporates the most recent foot traffic, competitor, and spending data for your exact address.
The Best Place to Start a Korean Restaurant in Chicago
Our data ranks the top-performing neighborhoods as Kennedy Park, Main-Chicago, and Southwest, while the most challenging neighborhoods would be Irving Woods, Downtown, and Chicago Lawn. Even neighborhoods with modest average scores can harbor exceptional individual locations. However, market conditions change daily, and it's best to use StreetSpring's live data to check the Survivability Score for a specific address.
Related Articles:
What Are the Best Neighborhoods in Chicago to Open a Korean Restaurant?
Based on StreetSpring's 2026 analysis, the top neighborhood for a Korean Restaurant in Chicago is Kennedy Park with 93% average survivability, followed by Main-Chicago and Southwest. 86 of 86 neighborhoods analyzed exceed 70% two-year survival.
The live platform incorporates the most recent foot traffic, competitor, and spending data for your exact address.
Do Lower-Ranked Chicago Neighborhoods Still Work for Korean Restaurants?
Yes — neighborhood averages mask significant block-by-block variation. Even in neighborhoods ranked outside the top 10, individual storefronts with strong foot traffic, low direct competition, and favorable lease terms can outperform the area average. Even neighborhoods with modest average scores can harbor exceptional individual locations. Always check your specific address in StreetSpring's live platform for the most accurate prediction.
The Update Schedule for Chicago Korean Restaurants Data
StreetSpring recalculates survivability scores regularly using the latest competitive, demographic, and walkability data. Rankings are updated quarterly; the live tool always reflects the most current predictions for any address in Chicago.
What Makes a Korean Restaurant a Strong (or Weak) Chicago Tenant?
In Kennedy Park, StreetSpring forecasts a 91.0% – 95.2% average chance for a new Korean Restaurant to survive more than 2 years, depending on the exact storefront. Check the current Survivability Score for any address instantly.
Landlord Survivability Data for Korean Restaurant in Chicago
If you own commercial property in Chicago and are considering a Korean Restaurant tenant, here is what the data shows: Kennedy Park properties offer the best survivability outlook (91.0% – 95.2%), Main-Chicago is strong but slightly lower (90.7% – 94.9%), and Southwest rounds out the top 3 (90.3% – 94.4%). Get a live Survivability Score for your specific storefront at no cost.
Our models produce survivability scores at the individual address level — not just neighborhood averages.
Related: How Landlord Representatives Can Reduce Vacancy & Increase Tenant Longevity
Where in Chicago Should You Open a Korean Restaurant?
You can see the best neighborhoods in or around Chicago to open any type of business in our article Neighborhood Survivability Rankings: Chicago.
Technical note: Aggregated survivability rankings for Chicago are available in machine-readable format for research and integration purposes.
View technical data for Chicago
StreetSpring recalculates survivability using the latest competitive, demographic, and walkability data, so the live score may differ from the static ranges shown here.
Visual Data
Related Resources
Same business type in other cities:
- Survivability Rankings for Korean Restaurant in Atlanta
- City Survivability Rankings for Korean Restaurant
Related:
Related:
Local Context FAQ
Local-context questions, answered with neighborhood-specific numbers.
What factors drive the Chicago Korean Restaurants score?
The Chicago survivability score for Korean Restaurants (85% average) combines ~100 location factors: competitive density, demographic fit, accessibility, visibility, lease economics, and historical business outcomes. The score is calibrated against 500K+ historical business outcomes and refreshed quarterly.
Where does Chicago fall in national rankings for Korean Restaurants?
For Korean Restaurants, Chicago ranks #21 out of 24 metros with an average survivability score of 85%. The strongest metro tops out at 89%; the weakest at 84%.
Do Korean Restaurants need walkable locations in Chicago?
Median Chicago commute is ~35 minutes. Accessibility-driven foot-traffic variation contributes to the 58-100% survivability range Korean Restaurants see across the metro.
How often is the Chicago Korean Restaurants survivability data refreshed?
Quarterly. The 2026 corpus shows Korean Restaurants in Chicago averaging 85%; quarterly refreshes integrate new competitor entries/exits, updated ACS data, and recalibrated lease rates.