Korean Restaurant in Knoxville

June 15, 2026

A Korean restaurant offers something a grocery aisle or a delivery app cannot reproduce: banchan refilled at the table, a stone bowl of dolsot bibimbap arriving still sizzling, and the option of grilling marinated beef or pork over a tabletop flame. Knoxville is Tennessee’s third-largest city, with a population of roughly 195,000 as of 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau), and the presence of the University of Tennessee has helped sustain a Korean dining scene that ranges from a tabletop-grill steakhouse to a casual Korean street-food kitchen. Several of these establishments cluster along Kingston Pike and the western corridor, putting traditional cooking and self-grilled barbecue within reach of both students and families.

Korean menus in Knoxville cover a recognizable core. Bulgogi (thinly sliced marinated beef) and galbi (short ribs, often listed as LA galbi for the cross-cut style) anchor the barbecue side, bibimbap arrives either in a standard bowl or the hot stone dolsot version, and soups and stews such as soft tofu soondubu and kimchi jjigae round out the menu. Kimchi and a rotating set of small side dishes, the banchan, accompany most meals, and Korean fried chicken, japchae glass noodles, and tteokbokki spicy rice cakes are common on the lighter and street-food end. Tabletop grilling, where diners cook their own meat over a built-in flame, is offered at the city’s Korean steakhouse format, while other rooms serve barbecue dishes prepared in the kitchen, so it is worth confirming the format before a visit.

Restaurants in Tennessee operate under a food-service framework rather than any contractor or trade licensing. An establishment must hold a food-service permit issued through the Tennessee Department of Health or the local Knox County health department and pass periodic inspections, and the inspection score is a matter of public record. Prepared food sold for immediate consumption is taxed at the full combined sales-tax rate rather than the reduced rate that applies to grocery items; in Knox County that combined rate is 9.25%. A restaurant that serves beer, wine, soju, or spirits needs the appropriate permit, with liquor-by-the-drink service licensed through the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), which verifies a current health permit or recent inspection as part of its review. A standard business license is filed through the county clerk once annual gross receipts exceed the state threshold.

For diners, the practical checks are straightforward. Tennessee’s consumer protection framework, administered by the Division of Consumer Affairs under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104), handles complaints about deceptive business practices, and food-safety concerns route to the Knox County health department that issued the permit. Menu authenticity, spice level, and whether a kitchen prepares dishes in the traditional style or an Americanized version vary from one room to the next, so reading recent reviews and confirming hours, which Korean kitchens often split between lunch and dinner services, helps set expectations. The three restaurants below were verified through their own listings and independent local coverage.

Top Korean Restaurant Providers in Knoxville

1. Q Korean Steakhouse

Address: 8851 Town and Country Circle, Knoxville, TN 37923
Phone: (865) 474-1486
Website: https://koreansteakhouse.net
Services: tabletop Korean BBQ, all-you-can-eat grilling, premium beef and pork cuts, wagyu, seafood, kimchi jjigae, soondubu, mandu, tteokbokki, bibimbap
Description: Q Korean Steakhouse is a tabletop Korean barbecue restaurant in West Knoxville where diners grill their own meat at the table, blending Korean barbecue tradition with a steakhouse selection of cuts. The menu features premium beef including ribeye, short ribs, wagyu, and New York strip, along with pork belly, shoulder, and jowl, seafood such as shrimp and squid, and Korean hot-pot soups including kimchi jjigae and soondubu jjigae. Appetizers run to mandu dumplings, spring rolls, and tteokbokki, and bibimbap topped with beef bulgogi rounds out the menu. The restaurant is built around all-you-can-eat dinner packages, making it a destination for groups who want the interactive grill experience, and it serves dinner through the week with extended weekend hours that add lunch service.

2. Gogi Korean Kitchen

Address: 7818 Montvue Center Way, Knoxville, TN 37919
Phone: (865) 281-5797
Website: https://www.gogi865.com
Services: beef bulgogi, LA galbi, bibimbap, kimchi fried rice, shrimp japchae, kimchi jjigae, seafood tofu soup, fried chicken dumplings, dine-in, takeout
Description: Gogi Korean Kitchen is a casual, traditional Korean restaurant in West Knoxville that continues the lineage of Kaya, a Knoxville Korean restaurant whose owners retired after 23 years serving the city. Gogi carries that home-style tradition forward with a menu built on thinly sliced marinated ribeye beef bulgogi, charbroiled LA galbi short ribs, bibimbap, kimchi fried rice, shrimp japchae glass noodles, kimchi jjigae, and a seafood tofu soup, along with appetizers like fried chicken dumplings and wings. The kitchen describes its cooking around the spicy, sour, sweet, and salty balance characteristic of Korean food and serves it in a casual dining room. It serves dine-in and takeout and is open through the week with dinner service.

3. K Pocha

Address: 7315 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919
Phone: (865) 584-0047
Website: https://kpochaknox.com
Services: Korean fried chicken, kimbap, rose tteokbokki, Korean ramen, bulgogi, corn cheese fries, chicken wings, takeout, catering
Description: K Pocha is a casual Korean street-food kitchen on Kingston Pike in West Knoxville that focuses on the snack-and-share dishes found in a Korean pocha, or street pub, with a modern presentation. Its menu centers on Korean fried chicken in curry and honey-garlic styles, kimbap (Korean seaweed rice rolls) in tuna-mayo and spicy-squid versions, rose tteokbokki in a creamy-spicy sauce, Korean ramen, bulgogi, and shareable sides like corn cheese fries and chicken wings. The restaurant positions itself as a casual, contemporary take on the classic street-food experience rather than a full-service traditional dining room, and it offers online ordering, catering, and private-party accommodations. It is closed on Mondays.

Frequently Asked Questions About Korean Restaurant in Knoxville

Q: What licenses does a Korean restaurant in Knoxville need to operate?

Every restaurant in Knoxville must hold a food-service permit issued through the Knox County Health Department, the local arm of the Tennessee Department of Health, and pass periodic inspections that are recorded as public scores. A standard business license is filed through the Knox County Clerk once annual gross receipts exceed the state threshold. A restaurant that serves alcohol needs the appropriate permit, with liquor-by-the-drink service licensed by the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC).

Q: How much is sales tax on a Korean restaurant meal in Knoxville?

Prepared food and drinks served at a restaurant are taxed at the full combined sales-tax rate rather than the reduced rate that applies to grocery items. In Knox County the combined rate is 9.25%, which appears on the bill for both the food and any alcoholic beverages.

Q: Can I cook my own Korean BBQ at the table in Knoxville?

Yes. Q Korean Steakhouse in West Knoxville is built around tabletop grilling, where diners cook premium cuts of beef, pork, and seafood at the table, typically through all-you-can-eat dinner packages. Other Knoxville Korean restaurants serve barbecue dishes such as bulgogi and galbi prepared in the kitchen, so it is worth confirming the format when making a reservation.

Q: What dishes should a first-time visitor try at a Korean restaurant?

Bibimbap, a bowl of rice, vegetables, and a protein mixed with chili paste, is a common starting point, and the dolsot version arrives in a hot stone bowl that crisps the rice. Bulgogi and LA galbi short ribs represent the barbecue side, while soft tofu soondubu and kimchi jjigae are popular stews. Korean fried chicken and tteokbokki spicy rice cakes are good lighter or street-food choices, and most meals come with banchan, the small shared side dishes that include kimchi.

Q: Are there Korean restaurants near the University of Tennessee?

Several of Knoxville’s Korean restaurants cluster along the western corridor near Kingston Pike, a short drive from the University of Tennessee campus, including K Pocha and the West Knoxville rooms listed above. The student population around the university has helped support both casual street-food spots and full tabletop-barbecue formats in the city.

Q: How do I report a problem with a Korean restaurant in Knoxville?

Food-safety concerns, such as cleanliness or suspected foodborne illness, route to the Knox County Health Department, which issues and enforces food-service permits and publishes inspection scores. Complaints about billing, deceptive practices, or other business disputes can be filed with the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs, which enforces the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104). Keeping the receipt and any documentation strengthens a complaint.