Thursday, December 12, 2013

Get Your "Bunz" to Yum Bunz Before "Changes" Are Made Tonight

Yum Bunz announced via Facebook last night that they will be closing at 9:30 PM today (Thursday) and will "see you back here in 2014!"

After over a year of delays, Yum Bunz finally opened in early July. The restaurant, a partnership between Mike Blum of Chow Baby and Guy Wong of Miso Izakaya, got off to rough start early with complaints not about food, but their soda!   After a deal with Atlanta-based Coca-Cola fell apart at the last minute, Blum and company partnered with rival Pepsi.  

Given the large number of complaints, a Coca-Cola cooler was added in addition to the Pepsi fountain. While there was overall satisfaction with the buns, a report published in the AJC that revealed that the buns were made "in a factory" off premise did not sit well with many in the local food community.  Many thought that Guy Wong's involvement in the project somehow meant that things would be made on premise and super fresh, something he is known for at Miso.  Miso, of course, is a full service restaurant, with higher prices.  To expect the same level of  freshness or service at a quick serve concept selling buns for under two bucks  is simply unreasonable.    

Guy Wong tells me Yum Bunz is closing "to make changes," so hurry in today to get yourself some "Hot Steamy Bunz" before 9:30! 

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Another case of a failed restaurant owner not having the balls to admit he failed. Is this unique to Atlanta?

Anonymous said...

I like Miso Izakaya, but Yum Bunz sucks. I can buy frozen buns at the grocery store and steam them myself.

AJ said...

@Anonymous @12:16PM - Of course it's not unique to Atlanta. And it's not unique to restaurants. Not wanting to admit failure is a universal thing.

Anonymous said...

If we could get a Wow Bao like in Chicago that would be awesome

Atlantan99 said...

@Anon RE: Wow Bao,

You do realize that Yum Bunz was basically and updated version of Wow Bao with more variety and slightly more economical pricing. In each case the buns are made off premise.

Thanks for your comment and for your readership.

Anonymous said...

Except that people actually like Wow Bao.

Anonymous said...

Totally biased reporting.

re: the food

"got off to rough start early with complaints not about food, but their soda!"

Check out Yelp reviews if you think it wasn't about the food.

re: the factory made buns

"to expect the same level of freshness or service at a quick serve concept selling buns for under two bucks is simply unreasonable."

I remember where Mike Blum stated in What Now Atlanta in May of 2012 “It took a long time for Yum Bunz to come alive mainly due to the special equipment we had to source out to make the Bao.”

re: the changes

You close down to make "changes"? when you "serve approximately 10,000 buns each week" according to there own press release.

This place needs to be put on your Deathwatch.

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