Kevin Qin said the attack has left him with headaches and nausea, injuries to his wrist, elbow and knee, and a feeling of disbelief.
"I was just trying to get in the store, minding my own business, and next thing I know just all hell break loose," he said.
The 41-year-old said he was kicked and punched to the point of briefly blacking out at the grocery store at Wabash and Roosevelt, by a large group of people.
"It was a vicious attack, something I never thought I would experience in my life," said Qin.
Chicago police said the attack happened Tuesday night around 11:30 p.m. Qin said as he entered the store he had to maneuver around a female shopper who was exiting with a cart, and he said for some reason that woman sucker punched him.
"It was just one person to start with, but out of nowhere there were seven or eight people just kind of gang up on me. Some from the front, some from the back," he said.
Qin said during the beating he fell and hit his head.
The attack was interrupted by a bystander, which allowed Qin to run and call police. He was taken to Stroger Hospital.
Qin, who said he served with the U.S. Marines in Iraq, said he's fortunate he wasn't hurt worse.
"I did what I had to do to protect myself, but not everyone has the same kind of training," he said.
"He survived the Iraq War but almost got killed here at his home right here in Chicago," said community activist Dr. Kim Tee.
Police have not offered a motive for the incident. But Qin, who's Chinese American, said at one point the offenders made a racial comment, and he thinks race may have played a role in the attack.