A popular Korean BBQ restaurant in Fairfax City is making plans to expand to Greenbriar Town Center this year.
Construction on Meokja Meokja’s second location at 13041 Lee Jackson Memorial Highway just outside Chantilly should be completed sometime between March and May, staff told FFXnow during a recent busy dinner shift.
A decision has not been made on an exact opening day.
Meokja’s current location by Fairfax Circle at 9619 Fairfax Blvd will remain open.
The 6,200-square-foot Greenbriar building was occupied by Dogfish Head Alehouse for 15 years until it closed in 2023. It should be able to hold about 100 to 150 people, said John Chung, who manages Meokja’s Fairfax Blvd location.
Voted the best Korean restaurant in Fairfax in an FFXnow Readers’ Choice poll, Meokja is known for its barbecued meats — such as the thin-sliced brisket, spicy pork belly, and beef short ribs grilled directly at the tables. It also serves kimchi, soups, fried rice and other traditional Korean dishes that customers can expect to find at Greenbriar Town Center.
One significant difference from the Fairfax City location is that the Greenbriar location will have a fully-functioning bar with a bartender, Chung said.
While some of the decisions on the new location’s ambience and decor are still being made, a county building permit notes that it will provide outdoor dining on a brick foundation — the same as when Dogfish occupied the location. There will also be a new retractable awning installed with steel posts.
Changes are also coming to the suite next door in the same building. A Dumont Creamery & Cafe will be opening soon, according to a sign posted on the door.
The chain, which has locations in California, Ohio, Texas, and several other southern states, offers internationally-inspired flavors such as mint basil sorbet, biscoff, and Ferrero, in addition to boba teas and coffees. The Greenbriar location will be its first location in Virginia.
