Dak & Bop departs
Museum District fried chicken favorite will shutter on Memorial Day
A Museum District staple will soon fry its last order of chicken wings. Dak & Bop will close on Memorial Day, owner Jason Cho tells CultureMap. Until then, it will continue to serve diners for delivery and to-go.
Simply put, Cho opted not to renew his lease in the Parc Binz building for another six year term. Citing the implications of the coronavirus, Cho says the approximately 2,500-square-foot space is exactly the wrong size for social distancing — too big to operate as to-go only and too small to accommodate enough tables 6 feet apart to be viable.
“It’s a decision I don’t want to make, but I have to consider the future scope of the restaurant industry and what’s going to be required,” Cho says. “Whether that’s a bigger space so I can space out the tables or a smaller space like Wingstop.”
Open since 2015, the original Dak & Bop offers Korean fried chicken alongside Mexican-inspired dishes like empanadas plus craft beer and cocktails. Casual and intimate, the restaurant quickly became a staple in an area that still doesn’t have many dining options outside of Dak & Bop's immediate neighbors, Barnaby's and Fadi's.
Cho has a number of ideas for keeping Dak & Bop in or near the neighborhood, including finding a new location at a cheaper rate or relaunching the concept as a food truck. For now, Dak & Bop’s second location in Lazybrook/Timbergrove will feature a special “O.G. menu” with some of the original location’s most popular fare.
“I’m trying to be as creative as possible,” Cho says. “We do have a loyal fanbase. I’d hate to take it away [completely] or blend it with the other concept.”
In the meantime, Cho will concentrate on Dak & Bop’s larger second location, which is open for to-go. He’s also working to open an outpost of South Korean coffee shop Tom N Toms in the Galleria area and Karne, an upscale Korean steakhouse, in The Heights. Still, he feels a sense of loyalty to the Museum District for providing him with his first opportunity to own a restaurant.
“I’m very appreciative of the area and having the opportunity to start my first restaurant in that area,” Cho says.
Lindsey Brown, center, and 
Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu won Best Chef: Texas.Photo by Casey Giltner