Dae Gee Korean BBQ owner says plans still in the works for two Amarillo locations

A Korean barbeque chain is still coming to Amarillo with two incoming locations, with one expected to be open early in the next year. In addition to the restaurants, a new boba tea shop is in the works as well.

As previously reported by the Globe-News, Dae Gee Korean BBQ, a full-service Korean barbeque concept progressively blending Korean food tradition with American culture, has signed a franchise agreement for the development of two restaurants.

The restaurants will be owned and operated by local entrepreneur Phuc Nguyen, who already runs two nail salons in the area. The first of the two restaurants is to be located in the Western Crossing shopping center at 2207 S. Western St.

Each restaurant will occupy approximately 1,500-2,000 square feet of real estate and employ as many as 10 people.

“My decision to bring this great concept to Amarillo comes at a time when Korean food continues to gain more popularity among U.S. consumers. With a complexity of different flavors and cuisine largely comprised of proteins, vegetables, grains and assorted spices, Korean food is a great choice for the health-conscious and clean-eating consumer. And the trend shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon,” Nguyen said.

Founded in 2012, Dae Gee saw a rise in popularity begin in 2015, when the chain was featured on restaurateur Guy Fieri’s long-running food reality television series, "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives."

Today, Dae Gee, meaning "pig" in Korean, exposes customers to an interactive experience that allows them to cook their own meat on grill tops at their tables when they dine. Customers have the option to choose from a variety of traditional Korean meats like Galbee (beef short ribs), Sam Gyeob Sal (sliced pork belly) and Dak Bulgogi (chicken), which are marinated in Dae Gee's secret marinade. Each choice meat, as well as fish and vegetarian options, can be enjoyed in a bowl, hot stone pot, or tucked inside lettuce and eaten as a wrap. Entrees can be piled high with your choice of side or mixings, including rice, fresh slaw, spicy sauce and a variety of nine side dishes, such as kimchee, broccoli, radish and fish cakes.

"We’re thrilled to welcome Phuc to the Dae Gee family and look forward to opening our first Texas restaurant," said Dae Gee founder Joseph Kim. "We’re excited to expand into this new market and are dedicated to Dae Gee’s success and future growth in the Lone Star State."

The local expansion announcement comes just a few months after Dae Gee announced the launch of its franchise opportunity and plans to expand across the Western United States. With five corporate-owned restaurants serving throngs of customers throughout Colorado’s Front Range, Dae Gee plans to open as many as five to 10 new restaurants nationwide over the next 12 months and at least that many each year thereafter.

According to Nguyen, they are currently working with area fire marshals to ensure they have all the proper permits in order before proceeding with construction. According to the local owner, the expected time span had been pushed back from the previous Globe-News announcement due to additional time seeking a location and preparing for the construction of the location.

Nguyen also stated that they are working to establish the first location and have that location open for approximately a year before they begin establishing a second Dae Gee location in Amarillo.

New boba tea shop setting up shop

In addition to the establishment of the Korean BBQ locations, Nguyen is also currently working to establish a Taiwanese boba tea beverage chain called ShareTea. the new tea shop will be located at 2612 Wolflin Ave., near Palace Coffee on Georgia and next to Silverland. The owner said the new beverage establishment is estimated to be open in approximately six months.

"Because it will be more like a tea shop, not as much time will (have to) be spent on construction and ensuring everything is up to code, and the best part is that ShareTea and Dae Gee will just be an exit away from each other off of the highway," Nguyen said.

For more information on the Korean BBQ chain, visit Dae Gee online at https://www.daegee.com/ .

To learn more about the incoming ShareTea location, visit them online at https://www.wolflinsquare.com/share-tea-amarillo/ .

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Dae Gee Korean BBQ plans to open first Amarillo location in 2024