Korean Chain Bibibop Is Blanketing D.C. With Four New Shops in the Next Two Weeks

Rapidly expanding Midwestern chain Bibibop Asian Grill is racing to open seven new locations throughout Maryland and D.C. — including four set to pop within the next 14 days — before the end of summer.

To celebrate the opening this coming Monday at Pike & Rose in North Bethesda (11584 Old Georgetown Road), Bibibop is offering customers one free meal from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The fast-casual Korean restaurant, founded in Ohio in 2013, earlier this year snatched up all the ShopHouse Asian Kitchen outlets which Chipotle shut down in March. The acquisition more than doubled Bibibop’s current number of outlets; it’s also ramping up its footprint in Los Angeles, Chicago and Cleveland.

“With the demographic here, it seems the sensible place to expand,” Andrew Shin, director of marketing, said of the move into the D.C. area. Each outlet focuses on custom meals featuring rice, noodles, assorted proteins, and signature sauces.

Three locations are slated to open by the end of the month: the debut shop at Pike & Rose; Bethesda Row at 4820 Bethesda Avenue, Bethesda, opening on Wednesday, May 24; and in Georgetown at 2805 M Street NW, opening on Wednesday, May 31. The company keeps things rolling a day later, introducing itself to Dupont Circle by opening a shop at 1516 Connecticut Avenue NW, on Thursday, June 1.

Three additional locations — Chinatown, Silver Spring, and Columbia Mall in Maryland — are slated to come online this summer.