As Tex-Mex chains close nationwide, Korean barbecue booms across America

As legacy Tex-Mex restaurants shutter their doors and Korean barbecue spots emerge across major American cities, an industry expert said the shift reflects changing consumer tastes rather than the decline of the cuisine.

"Tex Mex is a long-established American comfort food category — bold flavors, shareable, and often affordable or fast-casual," David Henkes, senior principal and head of strategic partnerships for Chicago-based food service consultant firm Technomic, told Fox News Digital.

"Korean barbecue is more interactive, premium-feeling and social," he went on. "It's exploding in popularity due to K-pop influence, social media shareability and demand for bold Asian flavors."

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While Korean barbecue restaurants are rapidly expanding, Henkes said the trend does not necessarily mean consumers are abandoning Tex-Mex.

"Tex-Mex has deeper penetration and mainstream roots, while Korean barbecue is probably newer and a bit trendier right now," he said.

On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina filed for bankruptcy protection last year, and Houston-based Pappas Restaurants bought the chain. 

A menu overhaul and rebranding effort were not enough to revive On the Border, as Pappas recently announced that it has closed all company-owned locations, although a handful of franchises will remain open.

Meanwhile, in Portage, Michigan, south of Kalamazoo, local reports say a closed-down Moe's Southwest Grill has been replaced by K-upBop Laboratory, a Korean barbecue bowl restaurant.

Similar developments have been reported elsewhere, with new Korean barbecue concepts opening in cities ranging from Houston and San Antonio to Orlando, Tampa and Miami.

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Consumer analytics company Circana reported in 2024 that "South Korean restaurant locations in the U.S. [grew] 10% over the past year amid a surge in demand for Korean cuisine."

"The global Korean barbecue restaurant market was valued at $6.8 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $13.2 billion by 2034," according to market research firm DataIntelo.

"Korean barbecue restaurants offer a uniquely interactive and communal dining format in which diners grill marinated meats directly at their tables, creating an immersive experience that distinguishes the cuisine from conventional restaurant offerings," the firm reported.

"The format's inherent social appeal has resonated strongly with Gen Z and millennial consumers who actively seek out experience-led dining, driving footfall to Korean barbecue establishments at a rate that consistently outpaces average restaurant sector growth."

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The influence of South Korean culture on the rest of the world – known as the "Korean Wave," or "K-Wave," according to cultural experts – extends from food to films, beauty products and fashion trends.

Chains like KPOT and Hot Pot are driving the Korean barbecue trend, Henkes said.

"Still, I don't think it's a direct replacement [for Tex-Mex]," he added. "[It's] more like Korean food — and broader Asian and global concepts — are gaining ground as consumers seek novelty and experiences beyond the familiar 'big three' — Italian, Mexican, Chinese."

Henkes said the struggles of chains such as On the Border and Moe's appear to be tied more closely to company-specific, broader industry challenges than a widespread rejection of Tex-Mex food.

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"Casual dining more broadly is in a funk, and fast-casual as a segment remains the fastest-growing restaurant segment, so consumer shifts in spending continue," he said.

"We do classify chains like KPOT as full-service, but we're seeing broader strength in Asian and Mexican — which, admittedly, is a bit different from Tex-Mex, but still in the same broad genre — so it seems that both of these cuisine types remain pretty popular."

The National Restaurant Association's 2026 What's Hot Culinary Forecast reported that diners seek "comfort and nostalgia — with a twist." This means they crave food with a "global personality" and spicy, flavorful notes.

The trend may help explain why Korean barbecue and Tex-Mex can thrive simultaneously, as consumers increasingly seek familiar flavors alongside globally-inspired dining experiences.

That staying power may be one reason experts do not see Korean barbecue replacing Tex-Mex. Pew Research Center reported in 2024 that about 11% of American restaurants served Mexican food.