One of the longest-running restaurants in downtown Fort Worth’s Sundance Square is moving, but in good news for the downtown community, it's not going far: Hoya Korean Kitchen is relocating from its current address at 355 W. Third St. into bigger digs a mere block away.
The restaurant will move to 335 W. Third St., in the space once occupied by Piranha Killer Sushi. Owner Sangwon “Bobby” Ham says he’s planning to open later this month.
“I’ve been thinking about that space for a long time now,” he says. “We’ve been wanting to expand for a while. It’ll be a good home for us.”
Most of Hoya’s menu will make the jump to the new location, Ham says. The restaurant is known for its bibimbap, a traditional Korean rice dish served in a hot stone bowl with veggies and proteins; it’s a common dish but Hoya features bibimbap options not usually seen in Fort Worth, such as teriyaki eel.
Other popular items include mandu (Korean dumplings); Korean fried chicken; ramen; and, similar to bento boxes, “combo boxes” that include your choice of protein, rice, salad, mandu, and a side of cucumber kimchi.
There will be new items, too, although Ham says he’s still working on menu updates. One traditional Korean dish that Ham is excited about serving is banchan, a collection of small side dishes, such as kimchi, potatoes, and vegetables, served with cooked rice.
“The side dishes become the main dish, basically,” he says. “They’re meant to be shared, so it’s a very communal experience.”
He’s also planning to add more Korean-style barbecue options to his menu. Currently, Hoya serves barbecue plates that include your choice of protein, such as bulgogi, short ribs, spicy pork, salmon, and chicken katsu, along with a salad and rice.
The restaurant will also offer a full bar with beer, sake, Korean-inspired cocktails, and soju, a clear, slightly sweet Korean liquor.
Piranha closed in 2021, one of several downtown restaurants to shutter during the pandemic. Luckily, the space will not require an extensive renovation, Ham says.
"Despite no one being in there since the restaurant closed, the building doesn’t need a lot of work, it just needs a lot of cleanup,” he says. “Since it was an Asian restaurant before, the decor is perfect for us.”
Hoya originally opened in early 2015 as a fast-casual concept with buzzy names attached, including original owner Odes Kim, who owned Little Katana, a sushi restaurant in Dallas. The design of the space — a former Quizno’s Subs — was by Hatsumi Kuzuu (Tei An, Brownstone) whose appointments included a cool indoor-outdoor seating area with a retractable roof.
Ham took over the business eight years ago and slowly transitioned it from fast-casual into table service. Over the years, Hoya has developed a following of in-the-know foodies and downtown workers.
“We have very devoted customers,” Ham says. “We have a lot of the same customers who’ve been coming here since the restaurant opened 10 years ago - and hopefully they’ll be with us in this new location for years to come.”
