Mukja Korean Barbeque is now operating at 9104 South Tacoma Way in Lakewood, Washington, replacing longtime New Gangnam BBQ with a new name, renovated dining room and revised menu. The restaurant is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and a formal grand-opening celebration is scheduled to begin Oct. 1 with giveaways including all-you-can-eat dinner coupons, gift cards, goodie bags and televisions.
The Lakewood restaurant is Mukja’s second location. The concept began in Puyallup in 2025 and was acquired earlier this year by the Bartz family, led by Myong Bartz and her son Tim. The family has operated restaurants around the South Sound for more than two decades, including sushi businesses in Tacoma and Bellevue, and previously ran Chosun Korean BBQ in Federal Way.
New Gangnam BBQ Becomes Mukja in Lakewood
New Gangnam closed for several weeks while the Bartz family refreshed the Lakewood space. The existing tabletop grills and ventilation hoods stayed in place, but the restaurant received new flooring, paint and other updates. Two private rooms remain available for groups.
For Buffet Authority readers, the important distinction is that this is not an old-school Korean restaurant suddenly discovering AYCE. New Gangnam was already an all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue destination. Mukja is an AYCE-to-AYCE succession, with the new owners trying to move the experience upward rather than replace the format.
Wagyu Joins Mukja’s All-You-Can-Eat Korean Barbecue
Tim Bartz told local media that Mukja’s all-you-can-eat packages include some Wagyu cuts and that the restaurant makes its banchan in-house. Most tables retain their own grill, while the broader menu also includes combination platters, traditional Korean dishes and lunch specials. Reported combination pricing starts around $80 for a pork set and $90 for the entry beef combination, but current Lakewood AYCE tier pricing was not published in the reporting reviewed by Buffet Authority.
The Oct. 1 promotion should provide the ceremonial opening moment, but the restaurant itself is already serving. In a neighborhood with a deep bench of Korean dining, Mukja is not introducing tabletop grilling to South Tacoma Way. It is betting that a cleaner room, a more polished menu and a little Wagyu can give a familiar address another run.
