Interior of the Kangnam BBQ Sports Bar & Grill, a restaurant that opened along Route 1 in October.
Though Kangnam BBQ Sports Bar & Grill has been open since October, the Route 1 restaurant still is not attracting many university students and is getting used to College Park’s bar and restaurant scene, said Sun Kwon, the restaurant’s manager.
Kangnam BBQ, located near Berwyn Road, replaced Chinese and Japanese restaurant Seven Seas and aligns with plans to revitalize the city, said Michael Stiefvater, city economic development coordinator.
“It’s a nice alternative for families and professionals to have a nice dinner on a weekend evening,” Stiefvater said. “It’s definitely the kind of place we want to see opening up here because we want more sit-down places.”
Kangnam BBQ was initially intended to stay open 24 hours a day, Stiefvater said. But it is currently open on weekdays from 11 a.m. to midnight and weekends from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. The busiest hours for the eatery usually come after 5 p.m., Kwon said.
Most of Kangnam BBQ’s customers are residents of nearby neighborhoods, Kwon said. Although many university students have not heard about or visited the eatery, the bar seems to be doing well, he said.
“On a busy Saturday, we serve around 300 tables,” Kwon said. “We also have a happy hour, which is popular. Many people are drinking beer here.”
Lilia Abecassis, a freshman art history and government and politics major who has seen the new restaurant while driving along Route 1, said it is too far from the campus to reach a large student crowd.
“But if the food is good and I had a couple bucks to spare, I would definitely go there,” Abecassis said.
The unique bar scene at Kangnam BBQ, however, can’t be compared with that of R.J. Bentley’s or Cornerstone Grill and Loft, Stiefvater said.
“[Kangnam’s] focus is more on the food than those places are,” Stiefvater said. “It’s a completely different scene. They do have a sports bar, but I don’t think they are catering to college students.”
The restaurant has tried using specials to boost its popularity with the university crowd. In November, the restaurant offered 10 percent off all food. The special is not running this month, but Kwon said the restaurant likely will do another promotion in January.
Kangnam BBQ adds some variety to the assortment of fast food eateries located in downtown College Park, Stiefvater said.
“It’s a more sit-down place and a little bit more expensive than some of the fast places downtown,” Stiefvater said. “I’ve heard good things and it’s a fun experience. They come out with the meat and cook it in front of you.”
Freshman physics major Will Tanzola said he does not feel strongly about the restaurant, but that its presence will not detract from his experience in the city.
“There’s already enough places on Route 1 geared towards students,” Tanzola said. “I don’t feel like they’re taking up space of [potential] fast food places.”
