Openings: Gen Korean BBQ House

Gen Korean BBQ House opened earlier this month on the SW corner of Third Avenue and 14th Street. (First mentioned here.) The California-based brand has has a few dozen locations out west. This is the first East Coast outpost.

With daily hours of 11 a.m. to 4 a.m., Gen Korean BBQ House is among the city restaurants serving food late following the worst days of the pandemic when many spaces closed early (once they were allowed to reopen). 

As Eater noted here last week: "On a recent Saturday night after 2 a.m., there were around 40 people hovering over tabletop grills in its dining room, which has more than 40 communal tables."

The restaurant took over the former 5 Napkin Burger space as well as the storefront next door that served as the 5 Napkin Express, then Taman Falafel. Those businesses closed at the start of last year. 

Gen Korean BBQ House drops the plywood for a full reveal on 14th Street and 3rd Avenue

Workers have removed the double-decker plywood from the SW corner of 14th Street and Third Avenue (thanks Allie C. for the photo!)... revealing the new tenant: Gen Korean BBQ House.

As we've been reporting... the brand — known for its all-you-can-eat specials — has 18 locations in California, Hawaii, Arizona, Nevada and Texas ... with a handful more in the works. 

Community Board 3 OK'd a beer-wine license for the address back in July. (The previous tenant, 5 Napkin Burger, had a full liquor license.) Alcohol is only part of table service — there won't be any bar seating, per CB3 minutes.

The restaurant is taking the former 5 Napkin Burger space as well as the storefront next door that served as the 5 Napkin Express, then Taman Falafel. Those businesses closed at the start of the year. 

Double-decker plywood report

A quick trip to the SW corner of 14th Street and Third Avenue... where Pinch points out there's now double-decker plywood surrounding the single-level storefront... it looks as if workers are trying to replicate the Green Monster at Fenway Park...

As previously reported, workers are renovating the space for an outpost of the Gen Korean BBQ House chain.

Plywood arrives ahead of Gen Korean BBQ House on 14th Street and 3rd Avenue

Workers have surrounded the storefront on the SW corner of 14th Street and Third Avenue in plywood as renovations begin for the arrival of Gen Korean BBQ House.

The brand — known for its all-you-can-eat specials — has 18 locations in California, Hawaii, Arizona, Nevada and Texas ... with a handful more in the works. 

Community Board 3 OK'd a beer-wine license for the address back in July. (The previous tenant, 5 Napkin Burger, had a full liquor license.) Alcohol is only part of table service — there won't be any bar seating, per CB3 minutes.

The restaurant is taking the former 5 Napkin Burger space as well as the storefront next door that served as the 5 Napkin Express, then Taman Falafel. Those businesses closed at the start of the year. 

Gen Korean BBQ House next for 14th Street and 3rd Avenue

Gen Korean BBQ House is opening an outpost on the SW corner of 14th Street and Third Avenue... the former home of 5 Napkin Burger. They are taking the entire space — including the storefront that served as the 5 Napkin Express, then Taman Falafel.  

Reps for the California-based company will appear before CB3's SLA committee next Monday for a liquor license for this location...

The chain has 18 locations in California, Hawaii, Arizona, Nevada and Texas ... with a handful more in the works. 

Gen Korean BBQ is apparently known for its all-you-can-eat specials. There's a menu with the questionnaire on the CB3 website here. 

This CB3 virtual committee meeting is Monday, June 13 at 6:30 p.m. Find the Zoom link here.

The 5 Napkin Burger branch closed here in January after nearly 10 years. And a comeback for Disco Donut will have to wait!