Korean barbecue restaurant opening in Idaho Falls next week

IDAHO FALLS – The 1,600-square-foot space on the south end of Kingwood Plaza in Idaho Falls has been a popular stop for cookie and soda junkies for more than three years. But next week, a new tenant will occupy it.

Cup Bop Korean Barbecue is opening Nov. 12 inside the old Soda Tsunami building at 3460 South 25th East.

“It’s a unique offering. It’s a great flavor profile,” Michael Bevans, one of the owners, tells EastIdahoNews.com. “It’s going to be a great place for anyone looking for something that’s out of the normal offering of sandwiches and that kind of stuff.”

A sign went up several weeks ago, and construction crews are putting the finishing touches on the building. Bevans says a grand opening is in the works for the first week of December.

Bevans describes Cup Bop as a “Korean barbecue spin on a fast-food concept.” The menu includes a variety of cup combo meals with a rice/cabbage mixture and sweet potato noodles. It also includes a choice of meat, ranging from barbecue chicken, Korean-style beef, spicy pork, or a tangy, deep-fried or regular deep-fried chicken, and it’s topped off with a sweet or spicy sauce.

A combo bop that allows two different meat selections is one of the most popular dishes, Bevans says.

RELATED | Popular soda shop for sale after 3 years of business

Bevans acquired the space in early September after the previous owners, Jonathan and Amanda Rosenberg, sold their business. The high amount of traffic in the area and the proximity of other popular restaurants made it an ideal location.

“We were also looking for something with a drive-thru. We like the area with the businesses around, the traffic,” he says. “The school’s not too far away.”

Business growth throughout eastern Idaho is what prompted him to open a location in Idaho Falls.

Cup Bop got its start as a food truck in 2013 by Junghun Song and two of his friends after attending a food convention in Salt Lake City.

“At the convention, Junghun saw many different cuisines but was very sad to find out that Korean cuisine was not represented,” the website states. “The founders came up with four main dishes. … People immediately started noticing.”

The first storefront opened two years later and has since grown to include locations throughout the west, including two recent locations inside Broulim’s in Ammon and Rexburg.

RELATED | Popular burger joint opens second location in Rexburg

Bevans says he’s planning to open another location on the west side of Idaho Falls soon, as well as a store in Rexburg. Those dates have not been determined.

For now, he’s just looking forward to opening in Idaho Falls and serving customers.

“Come on by and try it. It’s fast, fresh ingredients. It’s delicious,” says Bevans. “We hope to see you there.”

Cup Bop Korean Barbecue will be open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Visit the website to learn more.