WASHINGTON — Bibibop Asian Grill will open the first of seven Washington-area locations in Bethesda May 22.
The Ohio-based Korean fast casual restaurant is gaining an instant Washington foothold, and a presence in Chicago and Los Angeles, though a deal earlier this year under which Bibibop assumed the leases for the now-shuttered ShopHouse Southeast Asian Grill chain.
Bibibop operates under a similar model to ShopHouse, its version with Korean-inspired choices and a build-your-own way of ordering.
Bibibop will reopen other previous ShopHouse locations in Silver Spring and Columbia, Maryland, as well as three in the District in the coming months.
Bibibop opened its first location in Columbus, Ohio, in 2013 and has a dozen locations in Ohio now.
The name Bibibop is a twist on a popular Korean dish called bibimbap or “mixed rice.” Diners start with rice, followed by a choice of grilled meats or tofu, fresh vegetables and sauces, and can have it served as a bowl, a salad or a wrap.
Chipotle Mexican Grill decided to close down its ShopHouse concept six years after opening the first location in Dupont Circle, saying it did not perform as well as it had hoped.
