Thursday, June 27, 2024

[ALERT] Korean + Mexican Fusion Restaurant Takorea to Close in Dunwoody

Dunwoody will soon lose a locally owned restaurant after a decade in business.  Takorea, a Korean-Mexican fusion restaurant located in the Kroger-anchored Georgetown Shopping Center (4474 Chamblee Dunwoody Road) will close after dinner service this coming Sunday, June 30. 

Owner Tomas Lee, a veteran of Buckhead Life Restaurant Group's Buckhead Diner (RIP), started Hankook Taqueria in 2009 with a location on Collier Road in northwest Atlanta.  Lee added a second location in Midtown in September 2011, followed by the Dunwoody unit in July 2014.  The Dunwoody restaurant had been vacated the prior August by Guthrie's, a popular fried chicken chain, which had itself closed after about ten years in business.  Before the building was built from the ground up for Guthrie's, a Dairy Queen restaurant had operated from the site for many years.  

Hankook remains open on Collier Road but the Midtown unit - 818 Juniper Street - closed in December 2019.  

In addition to Hankook and Takorea, Lee partnered with other investors to create and franchise a separate but similar concept, Takko Seoul Good.  Two locations opened in Tallahassee and one in Peachtree City, but only one of the Tallahassee locations remains in business today.  The Peachtree City restaurant debuted at The Avenue Peachtree City in late August 2022 but was shuttered in December 2023.  

The restaurant did not reveal its reason for the Dunwoody closure but its timing, after about ten years, suggests ownership may have simply opted not to renew their lease.  Despite disruptive construction work in and around Georgetown shopping center, ToNeTo Atlanta readers who spoke to Takorea management indicate that the Dunwoody closure was a result of both rising food costs and general inflationary pressures in their day-to-day business.  

A source close to the center owned by Atlanta-based Coro Realty Advisors tells ToNeTo Atlanta that no replacement has been confirmed yet for the 1,400 square foot freestanding building, but that talks are underway with several interested parties.  

In other area news, a replacement Burger King, yes, you read that right, a NEW, ground-up Burger King restaurant, is nearing completion with a planned debut in mid-July.  The restaurant, at 4537 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, is located across the street from Georgetown shopping center and represents a significant investment in the area by Atlanta-based franchisee GPS Hospitality. 

Are you surprised to see Takorea close?  What kind of restaurant would you most like to see open in place of Takorea in Dunwoody?  What is your current favorite Dunwoody area restaurant?

Please share your thoughts below. 

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

I wish it was still a DQ--not for the food, but to have good ice cream nearby. Or maybe a Dari-Delight would be good (there used to be one of these in the florist across from Chamblee HS).

Steve Barton @skbarton13 said...

We have enjoyed this Takorea and are most surprised that it lasted 10 years, as the patronage has not seemed that high. Good food, friendly service, fare-the-well.

Anonymous said...

Except DQ doesn't sell ice cream.

Anonymous said...

I would like to see a Good Indian Restaurant like RAJA Indian Restaurant was in Buckhead.

Anonymous said...

I’ll miss it. I loved their food!

Anonymous said...

What do they sell?

Anonymous said...

Go to Royal Spice in the Village.

Anonymous said...

DQ's softserve and blizzards are close enough to the real-deal that I enjoy them, even if it's not 'ice cream'. But there was an ice cream place nearby, Maggy Moo's, and it only lasted a few months. Realistically, I'm not sure what would work best here. Sabaraba already moved into Chamblee, but I think this Takorea location is better (but rent for the latter might be higher).

Anonymous said...

Farmburger has a Morelli’s counter inside and that ice cream is heavenly

Anonymous said...

Chris Lang won’t like this — at all!

Anonymous said...

Places like Takorea fusion will do better near college campuses like Emory and UGA than near random strip malls in Dunwoody.

Anonymous said...

Shame, good food, decent prices, nice outoor patio and good beer selection.
Would be a good Indian spot but for great Indian close by go to Himalayas in Chamblee.

Anonymous said...

Quality declined over time. Staffing issues, too.

Anonymous said...

Their fries were amazing!

Anonymous said...

For better "Indian" than Himalaya, go to Ruchi. It is Bangladeshi, but very similar to indian, and IMO, much better.

Anonymous said...

With extra cinnamon!

Anonymous said...

You know what would be awesome there? NFA Burger.

Sienna Mynx said...

Who eats Burger King??? Weird to invest in that. I would like to see more Vegan restaurants. No more burger and pizza spots.

Anonymous said...

Millions of people do. Weird to ask that question.

Anonymous said...

A chicken place would be good at that location

Anonymous said...

He said NFA Burger not burger king. NFA has one of the best burgers in the Atlanta metro and definitely the best in Dunwoody. They are actually located inside the Chevron at Mt Vernon and Chamblee-Dunwoody. It would be cool if they had a standalone spot, but I can't imagine they would want to take on the expense of running a full service restaurant. There is actually a burger king already across the street next to the Truist.

Anonymous said...

A Vegan chicken place

Anonymous said...

I ate there once and it was way too spicy for me 😭 I lived across the street and that was my first and last time going

Frank from Dunwoody said...

I really liked their fries. Unique flavor with Siracha ketchup. Tacos were very good too.

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