Korean steakhouse, Shake Shack in the works at Tysons’ Pike 7 Plaza

A new Korean barbecue restaurant from the man behind Tysons Galleria’s Donburi is creeping closer to making its debut on the other side of Route 7.

Owner James Jang had envisioned opening Ingle Korean Steakhouse at Pike 7 Plaza in April 2021, but supply-chain disruptions and other complications related to the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in a more protracted journey to existence.

“It’s a really complicated build-out,” Jang told FFXnow. He now hopes the restaurant will be ready to open in mid-August.

Jang has been part of the D.C. culinary scene since the original Donburi opened in Adams Morgan in 2013. The Japanese restaurant served as a launching pad for a gourmet eclair pop-up and expanded in 2017 to a second location in Dupont Circle.

Donburi arrived at Tysons Galleria in December 2018 when the mall introduced its Urbanspace food hall. It’s now one of just two original tenants remaining after the food hall closed due to COVID-19 and relaunched in March.

When asked about his other work, Jang declined to comment on Donburi, which closed its Adams Morgan location earlier this year, saying that he would prefer to focus on Ingle Korean Steakhouse.

“It’s a Korean steakhouse, so we will be grilling meat on tables,” Jang said. “We will be butchering big carcasses of beef in-house and then serve it…We try to source most of our beef from local Virginia farms, and then, yeah, you guys can expect much more elevated Korean food than some other restaurants.”

Located next to Sakura Japanese Cuisine at 8369A Leesburg Pike, Ingle is 3,605 square feet in size and will be able to serve about 100 guests at one time, according to Jang. It will include a full bar with “Korean-inspired” cocktails, wine and beer.

Shake Shack confirms Pike 7 Plaza plans

Pike 7 Plaza has already seen a number of changes this year, adding Ulta Beauty in April and the Afghan chain Grill Kabob in June. A Lidl is on its way, replacing the Staples that closed at the end of April.

A spokesperson for Federal Realty, which owns and manages the shopping center, told FFXnow that construction on a standalone, drive-thru restaurant is expected to begin this fall — and it will be Shake Shack, as previously reported.

The burger-and-milkshake chain will open its second Tysons location in 2023, according to a Shake Shack spokesperson. It will feature a “Shack Track” drive-up window, which will be different from a drive-thru since customers won’t order directly at the window.

“Our Shack Track experience is Shake Shack’s digital pre-ordering and fulfillment experience via preorder via app or web and pick up by way of drive-up window, walk-up window, curbside pick-up or in-Shack pick-up shelves,” the spokesperson said.

Approved by the Fairfax County Planning Commission in March, the building will be in the southeast corner of the shopping center’s parking lot and have a drive-thru aisle that can fit 11 to 12 vehicles.

The county processed a permit application for the new building on May 17.