A new Korean eatery is preparing to open where a burger franchise failed in Midtown. Mukja Korean Fried Chicken has quietly renovated the former BurgerIM restaurant space at The Shops at Metropolis in Midtown, and from the looks of the space, may be prepared to open as soon as they are allowed to do so. Mukja, which translates to "let's eat" in Korean, will feature Korean Fried Chicken but will also offer several other specialty items like Mac & Cheese with kimchi and bacon as well as Korean-inspired waffle fries, among other options.
BurgerIM closed this past August having lasted less than a year in the "just off Peachtree Street" location behind Taco Mac, providing little in the way of visibility. Anywhere else the 2,700 square foot space might be highly appealing and productive, but its hidden location handicaps it from the get-go. That said, the fact that Mukja will be offering a specialty item, Korean Fried Chicken, that is not found many places in intown Atlanta, should help it appeal to and attract would-be diners who live in the area and might be more willing to navigate the deck parking in order to enjoy the food. (Takorea, a Korean-Mexican eatery located on nearby Juniper Street, closed at the end of 2019.)
Co-owners Peter Chung and Sean Chang first conceptualized the idea for the restaurant about five years ago when they were both in college. Following a terrible accident that put Sean permanently in a wheelchair, his dreams of working in the restaurant industry were derailed indefinitely. The stars aligned, however, and with determination, perseverance, a bit of luck, and his friend and business partner Sean, the dream of Mukja is alive and well.
Co-owner Sean tells ToNeTo Atlanta that he would like to open in the fall, but that date is tentative and is dependent on the COVID situation. "We still require licensing and permits in order to open, but those cannot be obtained until City Hall re-opens, which is indefinite at this point in time." There is a menu available. It is not complete or finalized. The restaurant's Facebook and Instagram handles are @MukjaATL and their website is www.mukjaatl.com. "These platforms are empty at the moment, but we plan to have content starting in late June/July," Sean said.
Peter tells us that he plans to offer food that is not only authentic, but also approachable for the public at large and is not intimidating to non-Korean diners or those without a Korean dining companion. The restaurant will also offer a variety of local and Korean beers.
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| Tentative menu for Mukja |
Although similarly named restaurants and food trucks exist in America, Mukja Atlanta is an independent, albeit well-branded, restaurant. The business partners hope that after opening and hopefully receiving a positive reception from the community, that they will grow the brand to multiple locations.
Bonchon, another Korean Fried Chicken restaurant, has but a single location in Georgia in Fayette Pavilion, about 50 minutes south of Atlanta. The Korean-based franchise, with U.S. headquarters in New York, opened in Fayetteville in 2016 and has reportedly performed quite well with a cumulative four star rating on Yelp.com.
Are you excited at the prospect of having a Korean Fried Chicken eatery in Midtown? What kind of restaurant would you most like to see open in Midtown? If Mukja is expanded, where would you like to see it open next?
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