TaKorean is a wonderful addition to Union Market. If I had to describe in laymens I'd say "it's like a chipotle but tacos with an Asian twist" there's always a line and the food is awesome. I got the 3 tacos...had the two chicken and pork. I wanted to try all the slaws so I topped the chicken with kale slaw and the other romaine slaw.. The third taco,pork, was topped with the coleslaw. Perfect pairing. And just like chipotle, you can skip to soft tortillas and make it a bowl. They too have great vegetarian options. And COOKIES lol Their cookies sell out fast, I managed to snag one of the last two of the day and my visit was at lunchtime. Though I had a treat experience, this restaurant could not earn 5 star rating due to location. I enjoyed visiting but don't think I'd venture to Union Market too often tho. read more

TaKorean - Three tacos, all three slaw options - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The Takorean half and half bowl is a great combination o; slaw, brown rice, cauliflower, chicken and avocado crema. The roasted Brussels sprouts slaw bowl is also a hit when you want a meatless meal. read more

Stopped by TaKorean for a late lunch on a busy Saturday afternoon at Union Market. Huge plus of TaKorean - they're fast. It's Chipotle-style assembly line so your food is ready by the time you're checking out. I got through the line in no time, which was nice for such a busy day at Union Market. The food was good, though I was not blown away. I got two pork tacos and one steak (bulgogi) taco. Topped them with kimchi, gochu sauce, crema, and crunchy shallots. The shallots were a nice touch and the flavor of the tacos was good. I would have like a bit more kick to the spicy sauce. All in all a fine place to pick up a taco, especially if you want a little more adventurous korean fusion. read more

Americanized bibimbap! Never expected to see one around here. Love the variety of food in this Union Market!

Fast built-to-order Korean taco place in Union Market. We all ordered from different places but this one was the best in my opinion. There are probably 50 combinations possible but I really liked the Bulgogi Tacos. Definitely recommended if you want something tasty and fast. read more

My boyfriend and I ordered 2 taco pork, 1 bulgogi and 1 tofu, all of them are sooo good. They also have a variety of options for sauce with no extra cost so it's definitely a plus. The taco is pretty small so order 3 would be enough for one person. We'll go here again when we have a chance to go to DC. read more

Nothing so special about this place. Only maybe kimchi is something different than other taco places but as far as I have tried the steak one it wasn't so tasty at all. Just ok. The staff was nice and attentive. I would rather prefer Fish Taco. A lot tastier than this one. read more

TaKorean - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

I came here because some people in my life have raved about this place. So I went, ate, and realized that the people who raved about this place were neither Mexican nor Korean. So I read the reviews on Yelp and did a search for "Mexican" and "Korean" to find the reviews written by those folks. Several had very similar 'meh' experiences to mine. I just wanted to know what I was missing. I understand that this is fusion, but they swam a little too far from authentic flavors for me. Seasoning was bland, not quite Korean and not quite Mexican...the meats tasted blandly like the flavors they should've tasted like. The slaws were ok with the kimchi one being lackluster. I had pork, chicken, and beef. The pork was my favorite because I like slow cooked pork. At least this inspired my Mexican-American friend and I to make our own, so we got some ingredients and made killer Korean tacos the next day. We were determined to celebrate the World Cup with some good fusion! Maybe it was a bad day. I'll give it another try on a taco Tuesday. The flavors were just not popping. I'm curious to try the Korean tacos in LA now for comparison. read more

Very basic taco. So much so that I went to McDonalds after to get satisfied. Yes. McDonalds.

TaKorean is a Union Market institution. Every person I've brought to the market has tried and enjoyed their food. I think it's great; I've just had it too many times to be totally enthusiastic. The pork is the best, but sometimes it's too greasy. The chicken is good, but not amazing. The beef is my second favorite. I always pair the pork (if it's not getting to the end of the supply) with the kale slaw, which is my favorite slaw. My friends are also fans of the kimchi slaw. If you're stopping by, I would grab a capital kombucha to pair with your tacos! read more

TaKorean - Tofu kale and all toppings - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

Went to TaKorean while at Union Market yesterday for lunch. They serve Korean style tacos and bowls. You have choice of taco or bowl and meats. I tried the 50/50 salad (kale) rice combo. You also get your choice of 'slaw' (they have 3 types). I ordered beef (bulgogi) for protein and also went with 'everything' on it option (all 4 toppings). Service: They moved the line very quickly (this is one of the most popular spots in Union Market. Impressive speed. Food: Great flavor. I like the concept of 50/50 bowls (rice/kale) - some of the local salad places are doing this type of option now. The bulgogi (beef) has great flavor, the 'slaw' was solid. Other: They also offer a locally made iced tea from 'Running Byrd Tea' (which I had - really solid) and craft beers on tap. Why 4 star not 5: The portion for the bowls/tacos. The portion size is fine for many people however I was still a little bit hungry after the meal. Some fast causal restaurants have to start considering that the same lunch for a person that is 5'5 140 pounds may not work for someone 6'4 240 pounds (not either of my sizes/weights - just creating a contrast). And no - the answer is not order two for the bigger person (that is too much food then). The criticism of traditional American fast food is that the portions are huge, so many start ups sometimes over compensate. Creating different size bowls could add to complexity to the ordering process (already a ton of options at TaKorean) but the portions as they are now are not big enough for many people (especially guys over 200 pounds). read more

See all

Been craving to come here ever since discovering union market a few weeks back. I subsequently stalked every picture on the yelp page to figure out what I wanted to get. So to say I've hyped this place ALL the WAY up would be an understatement. It's very similar to chipotle (asian version of it). You pick your rice base (taco vs bowl vs slaw bowl), your protein, your slaw and your toppings. Though my yelp stalking conclusion was that the bowl was more popular than the tacos and had a greater amount of food, I still got 3 tacos (really craving tacos) with brown rice plus the steak (so disappointing AND $1.50 extra, not worth it) with kimchi slaw, chicken (DELICIOUS!!!) with romaine slaw and the pork (it had JUST been made and wow was it amazingly fresh and juicy and full of flavors!) with kale slaw. I also tried out all 3 slaws, my favorite being the kale and my least favorite the kimchi. I had all the (free) toppings except the cilantro. Overall very tasty but unfortunately not what I hyped it up to be. My partner got the bowl with brown rice, pork, kimchi slaw and all the toppings except cilantro. He thought it was absolutely ravishing, I thought his was just okay, but then again he hadn't hyped it up like I had. So that being said, it didn't wow me like I was expecting it (that's why the four stars), but I'll definitely be returning to give it a try. Next time I'll get the chicken or pork bowl with kale and all the toppings, including cilantro. read more

See all

This is a Korean type of Chipotle grill. There are multiple toppings and meats to pick from, and the flavor is delicious. I got the bowl instead of the taco, and I would say that it wasn't as big of a portion as I expected. Definitely try this place out, but don't expect to be full from it. read more

I tried three different tacos and was unable to finish them. The taste combination just didn't work. $20 wasted and headed to another restaurant for lunch. read more

I got a rice bowl with pork and cabbage slaw for lunch, and while it was good, I can't say it was great. I think the main issue was that I got lime crema with the meal, and they skimped on it so much that the bowl was pretty dry. I was taking bites of just white rice or pork which felt like a pretty lackluster eating experience. Otherwise, the quality of the food seemed pretty good -- just seems like there's a bit of room for improvement. read more

It's shocking how often I come to Union Market and jet straight to TaKorean every time. Especially on Taco Tuesday's. This group is a CAVA in the making with their fast-casual approach, but with a Korean/Mexican flare. Also to note is their staff. They are always friendly and open to giving solid recommendations. I highly recommend the pork and chicken tacos with the kale slaw! read more

Nice flavored tacos. Kimchi on the tacos wasn't over powering. The toppings were a good addition I believe it was cilantro and crispy onions. Hard to eat tacos at union market when there are hardly ever seats but that's just the atmosphere read more

TaKorean - Pork belly tacos with kimchi and cilantro and crunchies - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We got 3 tacos (they allow you to customize each taco) one with beef, one with pork, and one with tofu. We liked the pork one the most. Then you get a choice of slaw (kimchi/spicy kale/romaine) but they were all mediocre. For the sauce, I liked the salsa roja the most, the gochupow(?) was too sweet. Cool concept! But I probably won't come back for the tacos. read more

TaKorean - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Stopped by in Union Market on a warm winter Fay and had "The Bowl" with kale and chicken plus a spicy sauce. Great customer service and the meal was amazing. Adding it to my list of places to come back to in Northeast D.C. read more

Recently, I went to Takorean with a couple of friends at Union Market in Washington, D.C. Takorean is located in a food court style building, when you walk in you have multiple food options to choice from. Takorean reminds me of a healthy Chipotle, however the portion sizes are much smaller. I ordered the bowl with brown rice, spiced kale, chicken, and lime crema. The food was delicious but nothing I've never had before. If you're in the area and want something quick and healthy I do recommended going to Takorean. My friends and I were able to dine outside at one of the tables social distance style. Tables were spread far apart so we felt safe. It was a very nice outing, looking forward to going back! xo read more

tasteless, worst bulgogi i've ever had. i usually make it myself - i can't believe i paid money for that. really would like a refund. read more

I had spicy kale with chicken and quakomole. The flavors were overwhelming with soy sauce and too salty. Last thing you want on a summer day. The peach ice tea was quite nice. read more

This was my first time to Union Market--and to TaKorean. I ordered one tofu taco with kimchi (spicy cabbage vegetable) slaw, sesame seeds, and cilantro toppings. They had a "three tacos for the price of two" special, and when I ordered just one, the guy behind the counter asked "are you sure?" Haha...now I can see why. I tasted the succulent sweet and savory tofu which was perfectly firm but soft inside; the gingery cabbage slaw had a pleasantly surprising definitive bite (props for the creative carrot/red cabbage ingredients). For aesthetics, I wish the cilantro was more uniformly cut--there was a 3/4 cm and 2.5 cm piece, and the kimchi's ginger overwhelmed the other pickled vegetables' flavors at times. Perhaps Korean red pepper sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and grated Fuji apples would do the trick? But I digress. Plus, I've had 20+ years' worth of tasting kimchi having grown up in an Asian household, so I do tend to be very particular. Anyways, the roasted sesame seeds were reminiscent of my childhood; I do believe one taco was perfect as my tongue was tingling from the sheer spiciness. Verdict: 4 stars. read more

TaKorean - Tofu taco with kimchi slaw, and cilantro and roasted sesame seed topping - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I really like their fusion concept but having it a second time only confirmed that their food was just ok. Don't get me wrong, their food is flavorful and will fill you up, but their kimchi topping is just ok, not as strong as I would like. I could just barely taste the zestfulness of Korean cuisine in their meats, and I wish they had better tortillas. Overall, decent place. I think it's overhyped, the Korean taste in the ingredients felt a little washed out. I always dig the fried onions though. read more

TaKorean - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Stopped by when I was visiting D.C. Because of all the positive reviews, I definitely had high expectations which were not met. I ordered the bowl with white rice, half kimchi & half romaine slaw, chicken, lime crema, hot sauce and cilantro. My opinion is that the flavors were not complimentary. The chicken was juicy but for some reason, the flavor tasted weird with the kimchi and lime crema. Maybe it's just one of those dishes you either like or don't. My friend also ordered a bowl but made hers vegetarian and she loved it, especially with the lime crema. read more

TaKorean - bowl with white rice, half kimchi & half romaine slaw, chicken, lime cream, hot sauce and cilantro - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I have tried many things here. At first, I was not a fan. Now that I know what to order I regularly crave Takorean and it is in my regular lunch rotation. Try this- Half and Half bowl with white rice and kale slaw, topped with their pork (the BEST meat they offer, bar none) and all of the toppings they offer (cilantro, sriracha, crema, and sesame seeds). You will not regret it. Their Union Market location also has happy hour specials on beer- I think they are $4 beers which is certainly a deal in the Market. read more

Takorean is my go-to favorite at Union Market, where the lunch options are truly fantastic and make picking a favorite very difficult indeed. Takorean's spicy Bo Ssam pork shoulder + spicy kale slaw + Korean-style salsa roja is unbeatable. The line moves fast, so don't be deterred. read more

Simply put, there are no better tacos on the planet. Hands down, no bullshit, THE best. The spiced kale is amazing. What the hell are they doing to the meats to make them so good!! I would do murder, to people I know and love, to ensure that I have a steady supply of Takorean. Eat it. read more

More locations please! I love fusion and I love tacos and I love TaKorean. I'm a sucker for the Bulgogi - meaty and juicy - my hubs liked the spicy chicken so much that he is flipping from our cherished bulgogi. This is a statement coming from a steak lover. I topped mine with the kale slaw and siracha. For some reason I remember different/better toppings at the Union Market location last I was there, but its been over a year so it's possible that I am delusional. I was also very pleased that we asked for single taco shells and they were happy to whip us up some fresh shells since it would have been hard to separate 2. Good customer service, there! read more

Having only ever had TaKorean from a food truck I was excited to spot it among the vendors at Union Market, especially since I was starving and I had enjoyed their food before. True to form the food was very tasty. I had a chicken bowl with brown rice, romaine slaw, salsa roja, crema, sesame seeds, cilantro, and crunchy shallots. The slaw tasted very fresh, however the crunchy shallots looked like they were just French's Crunchy Onions and were not made in house which gives me pause regarding their other ingredients. The Union Market location did not have the pickled daikon which I had enjoyed previously so I was a little disappointed. All of the tastes meshed well together, however the portion sizes are small, especially for the price. I also would have liked some other types of topping to add to the bowl. Overall a tasty snack if you're wandering the market, but don't expect to fill up and expect your wallet to be a little lighter after the order. read more

Flavor-packed, healthy, and a little bit different! New favorite spot to order lunch from.

We've eaten here a couple of times now. Both times I got a set of tacos (3 tacos). I like to mix it up... one beef, one chicken, etc.... one with kale, one with kimchi, etc. This way there's lots of different tastes. Each bite is pretty nice. I would love to eat at the actual truck during lunch - that would be pretty exciting. I'd also be curious to try some sides. read more

I am a Korean food junkie. The first two times I tried this place I wasn't in love. The tacos weren't my favorite. Union Market is around the corner from me so we went here to grab a quick bite. And as usually I wanted Korean food any way I could get. This time I tried the bowl. I got a half and half bowl. White rice and Kale slaw. The kale slaw is not overpowering but has a nice subtle garlic soy type of sauce. The chicken is tender and has good flavor. I just wish there was a little more of a Korean kick to these tacos...a little to common. Pretty good fusion type of spot. read more

We stopped by takorea because we thought that merging Mexican and Korean food was a fun and clever idea. On Tuesday, they have taco Tuesday - $2 for a taco (other days: a single Taco did $3.50 or 3 tacos for $9!) the line today was much shorter than the line their food truck has - so I definitely need to try this. We ended up ordering three different types of tacos: pork and spice kale salad, bulgogi with kimchi salad and chicken and romaine salad. The corn tortillas were AMAZING and they didn't have the crumble like texture most corn tortillas have. They were moderately fluffy like a flour tortilla and each taco was wrapped with two tortillas. It's hard to describe the flavor of each taco but Korean food has so much solid flavor. I would definitely say this place satisfies my cravings but it is not one of the places where I'd come back to. It's definitely more of a one time thing. But I would definitely recommend giving it a shot! read more

Came here with my boyfriend while visiting Union Market on a Saturday afternoon--the line was super long, which convinced us to hop on (weird how that works!). It's basically Korean rice bowls ordered and assembled in a Chipotle-style line. An ingenious idea, but not really well executed. My boyfriend and I both got the 1/2 rice 1/2 slaw bowl with bulgogi ($1 extra), kimchi, and full toppings. I had brown rice and he had white, but both were undercooked and still hard. I wouldn't recommend the 1/2 and 1/2 mix either--the heat of the rice and the coldness of the slaw don't mix well. The bulgogi was good, but also just seemed a little off. A great concept, but a little underwhelming. Hope they can pick up their game because I love the idea and see the potential! read more

Tacos+BBQ+Korean sounds like an unlikely combo, but TaKorean amazingly fuses this combo into parcels of pure foodgasm! Bulgogi BBQ meat is very tender and juicy, paired with crunchy Kimchi style slaw that adds just the right amount of sour and spice, and creamy sauces complement each taco with a final delicious touch. Service was super friendly and fast. Awesome experience at the food stall. read more

SUCH GOOD TACOS!! I am obsessed--and such a good price for the size and quality of the ingredients! The staff is so nice and recommended which proteins should go with each topping and they did not disappoint!! All three were amazing and had complex distinct flavors. read more

I love Korean food so this was definitely something up my alley! I normally get half white rice and half kimchi slaw with either chicken or bulgogi. The flavors go really well together and I'm always full by the time I finish half the bowl so I can save the other half for later or for the next day. It's a pretty good value for the money and I would definitely come here again! read more

TaKorean - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Every time I come to Union Market, I want to try something new but I always end up eating at TaKorean. I love this place! I always get a bowl with brown rice and beef. I don't really like kale but their spicy kale is to die for. The sauces are delicious and there is a lot of food for the price! The staff is always helpful and friendly and I can't get enough of this food. read more

TaKorean - Asian Fusion Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Fresh tasty tacos and at a reasonable price. The guys have it dialed in. Will be hard pressed to eat elsewhere when next at Union Market.