Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve Hong.
Hi Steve, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I came into the restaurant world as both an immigrant and a customer who missed a very specific feeling from home – the warmth, noise, and energy of sharing grilled meat and side dishes around a table. When I first came to the Atlanta area, I saw Korean food growing in popularity, but I also felt there was still room to create spaces that really captured the full experience of Korean BBQ and late night Japanese dining in a thoughtful, consistent way.
E M Bop was the first big step. We started with the idea of making Korean BBQ approachable but still high quality, a place where families, students, and young professionals could all feel comfortable. From the beginning, we focused on three things: quality of meat, consistency of service, and a fun, energetic atmosphere. We grew E M Bop into multiple locations, including Duluth and Kennesaw, and each new store taught us something – how to manage operations better, how to train staff more effectively, and how to build long term relationships with our guests and local community.
As E M Bop grew, I became more interested in telling a broader story of Asian dining in Atlanta. That is where Ozuri Izakaya came in. I wanted to create a late night Japanese izakaya where you could have real sashimi, grilled skewers, and drinks at a level that felt both authentic and elevated, even at two or three in the morning. When we met Chef Yasuhiro, who has more than 30 years of experience including many years at Hatsuhana in New York, it felt like the right moment to build something special together.
With Ozuri, our goal was not just to open another restaurant, but to create a space that service industry workers, chefs, and serious food lovers could rely on after their own shifts ended. Staying open until 4 AM is not easy, but it has become part of our identity. People come in still wearing their kitchen shoes, or after a long day at work, and they can sit down to carefully prepared sashimi, sake, and izakaya dishes that respect the ingredients and the craft.
Today, our journey is really about balancing growth with integrity. E M Bop continues to introduce more people to Korean BBQ, especially through our All You Can Eat experience in places like Kennesaw, while Ozuri pushes us creatively in terms of technique and hospitality. We are still learning every day – from our staff, from our guests, and from the communities around each location.
Looking back, we did not arrive here through one big moment, but through many small decisions: saying yes to opportunities, fixing mistakes quickly, and trying to create places where people genuinely want to spend their time. That is how we started, and it is still how we move forward today.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has definitely not been smooth. Growing E M Bop and Ozuri required constant adaptation, patience, and a willingness to learn from mistakes. Each stage came with its own challenges, and many of them shaped the way we operate today.
For E M Bop, one of the biggest challenges was consistency. When we expanded to multiple locations, we realized very quickly that Korean BBQ is not just about serving good meat. It requires precise training, timing, and teamwork. No two days are the same in a Korean BBQ restaurant. We had to develop systems for meat preparation, table turnover, ventilation management, and staff communication to make the experience feel the same across different stores. During our early expansion, we struggled with staffing shortages, inconsistent service, and the reality that not every location grows at the same pace. Some days felt like we were taking three steps forward and two steps back.
Another ongoing challenge has been educating customers. Korean BBQ and All You Can Eat concepts involve a learning curve for guests who may not be familiar with the culture or flow of the meal. We worked hard to balance authenticity with accessibility, all while controlling food cost and maintaining quality.
With Ozuri, the challenges were different. We were building something that Atlanta did not really have: a Japanese izakaya open until 4 AM that serves high quality sashimi and grilled dishes. Operating late into the night is extremely difficult. Staffing, safety, food freshness, and consistency all become more complex after midnight. Many suppliers do not deliver on the schedule we need, and we sometimes had to adjust our entire workflow to maintain the quality Chef Yasuhiro demands.
Another challenge was finding the right team. Authentic Japanese cooking requires precision and technique, and not many cooks in our region have that training. When Chef Yasuhiro joined us with more than 30 years of experience, we had to rebuild our kitchen culture around craftsmanship, discipline, and respect for ingredients. That required retraining, restructuring, and resetting expectations from the ground up.
There were also emotional and financial challenges: unexpected delays, equipment failures at the worst possible times, and days when customer traffic did not match our efforts. But each obstacle forced us to become more organized, more resilient, and more intentional. Looking back, the challenges were not setbacks—they were necessary steps that pushed us to become better operators and better listeners to our community.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Our company, H&H Restaurant Group, operates two major brands in the greater Atlanta area: E M Bop Korean BBQ and Ozuri Izakaya. While each brand has its own identity, both were built on the same foundation—authenticity, consistency, and a strong respect for cultural dining traditions.
E M Bop Korean BBQ
E M Bop specializes in modern Korean BBQ with an emphasis on high quality meats, fast service, and a lively, family friendly atmosphere. We operate multiple locations, including Duluth and Kennesaw, and we are especially known for our All You Can Eat experience, which has introduced many people in the region to Korean BBQ in an approachable and exciting way.
Our focus on value and consistency sets us apart. Korean BBQ requires precise preparation, training, and teamwork. We have developed strong operational systems to maintain the same taste, flow, and hospitality across our locations. What makes us proud is not only the popularity of the AYCE experience, but also how E M Bop has become a place where families, students, and young professionals all feel at home.
Ozuri Izakaya
Ozuri is our late night Japanese izakaya, open until 4 AM and led by Executive Chef Yasuhiro, who has more than 30 years of culinary experience, including many years at the renowned Hatsuhana in New York. Ozuri offers premium sashimi, grilled skewers, a wide sake selection, and a style of cooking rooted in traditional Japanese techniques.
What sets Ozuri apart is its dedication to craft and its late night identity. Atlanta has many Japanese restaurants, but very few that maintain this level of quality past midnight. Ozuri has become a gathering place for chefs, hospitality workers, and serious food lovers seeking authentic Japanese dishes long after other restaurants have closed. The commitment to craftsmanship, especially under Chef Yasuhiro’s leadership, is something we take deep pride in.
What we want readers to know
H&H Restaurant Group is focused on building culturally rooted dining experiences that feel genuine, consistent, and welcoming. E M Bop introduces guests to Korean BBQ in a fun and dynamic way, while Ozuri showcases the depth and precision of Japanese izakaya cuisine at a level that is still rare in the region.
Above all, our mission is to create restaurants that bring people together—whether it is a family sharing Korean BBQ on a weekend or chefs coming in at 3 AM for sashimi and sake after their shifts. We want our guests to feel the energy, warmth, and craft behind everything we serve.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
We have been fortunate to receive support from many people throughout our journey, and H&H Restaurant Group would not be where it is today without their contributions.
First and foremost, our team members at E M Bop and Ozuri deserve enormous credit. They are the ones who show up every day, serve guests with energy, handle busy service hours, and maintain the warm atmosphere our customers enjoy. Their dedication forms the backbone of our company.
At Ozuri, our Executive Chef Yasuhiro has been a transformative presence. With more than 30 years of experience in traditional Japanese cuisine, including his time at the well respected Hatsuhana restaurant in New York, he brought a level of discipline, precision, and craftsmanship that elevated the entire concept. His approach to sashimi, grilling, and ingredient preparation helped shape Ozuri into a true late night izakaya that Atlanta had not seen before.
There are also key individuals behind the scenes who deserve recognition.
Our investor, Charles Heo, believed in our vision from the beginning and provided the financial foundation that allowed us to grow responsibly and sustainably.
Our accounting specialist, Jinhee Lee, played a critical role in helping us manage the complex financial structure of running multiple restaurants, ensuring accuracy, transparency, and stability.
And Yoon Ko, our marketing lead, has shaped the public image of both brands—communicating our story, identity, and cultural values to the community with clarity and consistency.
We are also deeply grateful to our guests and local communities. Their support, honest feedback, and loyalty have guided our growth more than anything else. Whether it is families dining at E M Bop or hospitality workers visiting Ozuri at 3 AM after their shifts, their presence reminds us why we built these restaurants in the first place.
At the end of the day, our success is not the work of one person—it is the effort of many people who believed in us, challenged us, and supported us along the way.
Pricing:
- Ozuri Izakaya Omakase: Starting at 35 dollars per person
- Ozuri Izakaya sashimi and specialty dishes: Most items range from 12 to 28 dollars
- E M Bop Korean BBQ All You Can Eat: Starting at 24.99 dollars per person
- E M Bop Premium All You Can Eat: 39.99 dollars per person, including tenderloin and ribeye selections
- Both brands offer various menu options designed to accommodate families, students, and groups at different price points
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.embop.com/ , https://ozuriizakaya.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/e.m.bop/ , https://www.instagram.com/izakaya_ozuri/
- Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQ8GucLAB5p/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== , https://www.instagram.com/reel/DRQkS7mANrz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-t_ZBJAc-pk&t=479s
Image Credits
H&H Restaurant Group
