
Sydney’s 789 Korean BBQ is raising the curtain in Victoria with the launch of its latest restaurant in Melbourne’s CBD. This is the second venue from TS Group to open in the new Bourke Street dining precinct this year, following hot pot concept YX.
789 Korean BBQ is a premium, contemporary KBBQ destination that fuses modern, urban and Western design with the rich flavours and traditions synonymous with Seoul.
Vibe: A moody, urban dining room that draws on the best of its Sydney siblings’ aesthetic. Picture the distinct smell of charred Wagyu wafting through the air as the soju glasses clink, setting the stage for a chill night out.
Menu Highlights: Wagyu cooked at the table, soy-marinated inside skirt, beef rib, house-made banchan, stews, Korean fried chicken, Tteok-bokki, cheese corn and savoury pancakes.
Price: $40 – 60pp for a full meal + drink.
Dietary Considerations: Gluten free and dairy free options available. Vegetarians and vegans can give this one a skip.
Melbourne debut
Located on the second floor, the 160-seat restaurant was designed with T.A. Square and blends a moody, urban fit-out with contemporary touches. An offspring of TS Group’s earliest K-BBQ venue in Sydney, this new addition to their stable of restaurants will maintain the brand’s reputation as one of the first businesses to bring Wagyu beef to Korean BBQ in Australia.
Amanda Wang, Marketing Director at TS Group, said of the launch: “Opening 789 Korean BBQ is another exciting step for the group as we expand our roster of venues in Melbourne. Alongside YX Hot Pot, which opened earlier this year, our vision is to create dining destinations that are as memorable for their design and ambience as they are for their food.”
Wagyu takes centre stage
The show begins at the table, with Wagyu searing over built-in grills as the main act. Guests can choose from fresh and marinated cuts such as soy-marinated inside skirt and beef rib, paired with house-made banchan, seasonal accompaniments and updated takes on Korean classics.
A la carte options stretch the premium offering further with traditional stews, Korean fried chicken with draught beer, Tteok-bokki, cheese corn and savoury pancakes. Drinks include a mix of Korean and Australian wines, beers and non-alcoholic options, selected to pair with the Wagyu-heavy offering.
“The menu is designed to spotlight exceptional ingredients from our region. We’re sourcing line-caught seafood straight from the Mooloolaba wharves, working with local farmers for premium cuts, and offering a dry-aged beef display that adds a sense of theatre to the dining experience,” said Wang.
789 Korean BBQ builds on more than a decade of Korean dining experience from TS Group, which was among the first to bring Wagyu beef to the K-BBQ format in Australia.
The group says the new venue reimagines traditional barbecue for Melbourne’s cosmopolitan palate, while cementing its place in the city’s growing Bourke Street dining strip.
Source: ID Collective
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