Bon Gu and his wife opened their cozy Korean restaurant, K-Bop, on Feb. 28, 2020. Situated in the tree-lined center along with Torchy’s Tacos and Smoothie King, the close-to-campus location is an ideal spot for college students wanting to swing in for light, high-quality Korean-style cuisine that is many miles healthier than the standard fast-food fare. In addition to the college crowd, K-Bop’s menu of large-portion bowls and kimbop rolls appeal to a broader dinner crowd as well.
Two weeks after opening, the quarantine hit. With limited indoor seating and no drive-through, Mr. and Ms. Gu worried about how they would survive the lockdown. A San Marcos-based engineering firm, Freese and Nichols stepped in to build the open-air patio on the broad sidewalk out front, giving K-Bop another resource for serving their customers.
Six months later, K-Bop is still thriving. The bright and comfy dining room has re-opened, the patio is still shady and cool, and the little Korean restaurant is a great spot for a quick lunch, a dinner date, or a study group complete with dumplings and frozen bubble tea.
