New Koryo Korean BBQ reunites the team behind one of Dallas’ Korean food landmarks

One of the most popular historic Korean restaurants in Dallas was closed during the pandemic. Now, in a slightly different shape, but with the same dining room, it’s back.

Koryo Korean BBQ, which opened on October 1, 2021, is a revival of Koryo Kalbi who was in the heart of Dallas Koreatown for decades. It’s also kind of a spiritual successor to the restaurant, which in its long history has become one of the city’s best-known spots for bulgogi, grilled meats, and traditional soups.

“We’re blessed to take over this restaurant and make sure it’s the same quality,” said John Kim, whose family took ownership during the pandemic and underwent a full year renovation.

This isn’t the first time Koryo has changed hands or even names. (It was known as Chosun Kalbi in the 1990s.) When its doors closed in 2020, many customers assumed the pandemic had beaten the business. The truth was even sadder: the previous owner had died, and after that blow, the kitchen staff dispersed to other restaurants in the area.

Kim says his family’s first job was to restore the old team, find all the old chefs like culinary Avengers, and bring them back together.

“Reforming the same team as before, the same Imos, the aunts, the same cooks, the recipes, figuring it all out took some time,” he says.

Koryo Kalbi always had an excellent and long menu – very good and very long. The old restaurant seemed able to adapt to any occasion, with lunchtime dishes (Dosirak, the Korean version of bento boxes), hearty traditional soups and stews, noodles and the most famous offering: grilled barbecue.

The double-door dry-aging cabinet at Koryo, in which beef waits up to 120 days before it is ready to serve.

The new iteration shortens this menu, but just a little. Gone are some not-so-Korean teriyaki dishes that didn’t match, but you can still find all of the traditional classics.

“I think when I was growing up I thought, why does the Korean restaurant serve it all?” Kim says. “I hated that. But now I think it’s important to have these traditional soups, these dishes like Yook Hweh and Japchae and Pajeon. We’re not trying to make fusion food or truffle pasta or super high end food. We rely on high-quality, traditional, authentic Korean food. “

Although the restaurant’s mission is the same, a lot changes. A dining room that had not been touched for decades was modernized through extensive renovations. Now there is a double-door high-tech dry aging cabinet for high-quality beef cuts that mature for up to 120 days.

Private dining rooms have mood lights on dimmer switches and another button that controls the volume of the restaurant’s music. There is also a private hall with around 45 seats.

A private dining room inside Koryo seats over 40 guests at tables with built-in charcoal grills.

Although Koryo is now technically open, the owners consider it a soft opening where not all of the features are available yet. The beef is still aging, happy hour is still being planned and a new, varied wine list is in the works.

“Korean barbecue is still beef and pork, regardless of the seasoning, and wines go well with it,” said Jay Chung, the general manager. “Not many Korean barbecues I’ve seen will have oysters, white wines, and red wines. You usually only see soju and beer, so they’re a little twist we make to make sure we stand out from the crowd. “

Koryo Korean BBQ is in an interesting position: it seeks improvement while its history already makes it stand out from the crowd. The loyal regulars who long for the room also include non-Koreans. Many Dallas chefs who prepare dishes from other cultures have long known this restaurant as a top choice for BYOB hangouts on their evenings off.

Here is perhaps the most important thing that hasn’t changed: every grill station at every table is still controlled with charcoal. Kim believes this is one of only three locations in Dallas where the right to use charcoal instead of gas is enshrined in property permits.

The guests are already returning to the new Koryo to gather around a table and tend the coals.

“The Korean barbecue is very festive,” says Kim. “It’s community oriented. You grill for each other, someone grilles for you, you do ssams together. I think that community aspect makes it very attractive. We all missed it. If you go out to eat in a restaurant it has to be something special, it has to be something you can do not just DoorDash like we did last year. They want this event. You want to do something special. “

Located at 2560 Royal Lane, Suite 105, Koryo Korean BBQ opened on October 1st. eatkoryo.com.

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