Seoul Q to move, Seoul Taco to expand

With lines at both restaurants growing quicker than expected, Seoul Taco and Seoul Q owner David Choi said he will expand Seoul Taco into Seoul Q’s space on The Loop, prompting a temporary closure and relocation of the Korean barbecue restaurant on Jan. 16. The sister restaurants currently share a space at 6665 Delmar Blvd. Renovations are expected to last until mid-February, and Seoul Taco will remain open during the remodel.

“I was (at Seoul Taco) for lunch for myself,” Choi said. “I saw a line and saw people sitting on Seoul Taco and Seoul Q’s side. That’s when I knew I could do something about that.”

Seoul Taco will expand into Seoul Q’s space, allowing Choi to expand the kitchen and the dining room. He hopes to add seating for another 75 to 80 diners, bringing the restaurant’s capacity to 150 patrons.

Choi is still looking for Seoul Q’s new location. “I really am looking for a bigger dining room,” he said. “One that can accommodate more diners so people don’t have to wait for an hour-and-a-half or two hours just to sit down … I need to find a space that is to my standard. If we find the right space in the right area, we’ll jump on it.”

Choi relocated Seoul Taco and opened Seoul Q in December 2014. He also owns the Seoul Taco food truck and locations in Columbia and is set to open a third in Champaign, Illinois this year.

-photo by Jonathan Gayman