Korean barbecue (gogi-gui) in Nashville has expanded from a single legacy room on the south side of the metro into a small cluster of tabletop-grill operators spread across the western, southern, and Williamson County corridors. The format-defining variables for Korean BBQ are tabletop grill type (charcoal, gas, or induction), service model (all-you-can-eat or a la carte), banchan side-dish program, and ventilation engineering (downdraft at the table or overhead exhaust hood). The three rooms below each run a tabletop grill program with banchan service and a published meat menu. None of the operators below paid for placement; the paid slot is disclosed separately in the FAQ.
Quick Comparison #
| Restaurant | Neighborhood | Service Model |
|---|---|---|
| Hai Woon Dai | Antioch Pike | A la carte tabletop grill |
| Korea BBQ and Sushi | Brentwood (Nolensville Pike) | Tabletop grill plus sushi |
| Nashville Korean BBQ and Hot Pot | Charlotte Pike (west) | All-you-can-eat tabletop plus hot pot |
1. Hai Woon Dai #
Hai Woon Dai is a Korean restaurant on Antioch Pike that has held its position as one of the longest-running Korean operators inside the Nashville metropolitan area. The dining room runs a tabletop-grill service with banchan, plus a full Korean menu of stews, soups, and rice plates available for guests not ordering grill service.
Tabletop grill format #
The grill is set into the table and runs gas-fired, with the server lighting the burner at order. Cuts available for tabletop service include galbi (marinated short rib), bulgogi (thin-sliced marinated beef), samgyeopsal (pork belly), and a working menu of additional cuts including chadolbaegi (thin-sliced brisket).
Banchan and side-dish service #
Banchan is delivered as a standard multi-dish set with each tabletop order, with a rotation that includes kimchi, pickled radish, seasoned spinach, and a working selection of additional preparations. Refills on banchan are part of standard service rather than charged a la carte.
Non-grill menu #
The non-grill menu carries Korean stews including soondubu jjigae, kimchi jjigae, and a working bibimbap section. Soju and Korean beer are available on the bar list.
Contact:
Hai Woon Dai
2051 Antioch Pike, Nashville, TN 37013
(615) 333-9186
http://www.haiwoondai.com/
2. Korea BBQ and Sushi #
Korea BBQ and Sushi operates on Nolensville Pike in Brentwood, just south of the Davidson County line, running a hybrid tabletop-grill and sushi program inside a single dining room. The grill side is built around marinated beef cuts and pork belly with a banchan rotation, and the sushi side runs as a separate menu section with its own pricing tier.
Grill format and cuts #
The tabletop grills are gas-fired with a removable grill plate, which lets the server swap the plate between proteins to reduce flavor crossover. Cuts include galbi, bulgogi, samgyeopsal, and a working selection of premium cuts including marinated chadolbaegi.
Sushi alongside grill service #
The sushi menu allows mixed-protein tables to order both formats from the same address. Pricing on the sushi side runs separate from the BBQ pricing structure.
Service model and reservations #
Tables are seated on a first-come basis during weekday lunch and dinner service with reservations available for parties of six or more. The bar runs soju, Korean beer, and a working sake list to support both menu sides.
Contact:
Korea BBQ and Sushi
6688 Nolensville Pike, Suite 102, Brentwood, TN 37027
(615) 819-0721
https://www.koreabbqnsushi.com/
3. Nashville Korean BBQ and Hot Pot #
Nashville Korean BBQ and Hot Pot operates a Charlotte Pike location west of downtown that combines a tabletop Korean BBQ grill program with a separate hot pot heating element at each table. The room runs an all-you-can-eat (AYCE) format with a walk-around protein and ingredient selection station, which lets guests pull meats, seafood, and hot pot ingredients on their own pace rather than ordering each round from a server.
AYCE format and protein selection #
The AYCE cover includes marinated and plain beef cuts, pork belly, short ribs, sliced meats prepared for hot pot service, plus a seafood selection that runs scallops and shrimp. A sushi section is folded into the same AYCE pricing and runs from the walk-around station alongside the BBQ and hot pot proteins. Guests assemble their own plates from the station and bring them back to the table for grilling or hot pot cooking.
Tabletop grill plus hot pot at the same table #
Each table runs both a grill surface for Korean BBQ service and a separate broth pot for hot pot service, which lets a single table operate both cooking formats inside the same meal window. This is a less common pairing than a grill-only Korean BBQ room and runs closer to the multi-format AYCE category that has expanded across the southern United States in recent years.
Side-dish service and private rooms #
Side dishes and banchan-style preparations are part of the walk-around station, with refills available by returning to the station rather than waiting on table-side service. The dining room includes private rooms for larger parties, which is useful for group dinners where conversation across a full table matters more than open-room seating.
Contact:
Nashville Korean BBQ and Hot Pot
5855 B Charlotte Pike, Nashville, TN 37209
(615) 902-3999
https://nashvillekbbqandhotpot.com
Selection Methodology #
Inclusion required four conditions. First, an in-table or per-table grill format with the cooking surface at the guest table rather than back-of-house only. Second, a banchan side-dish program included with grill service rather than charged a la carte. Third, transparent pricing structure with AYCE or a la carte status posted at the menu or website. Fourth, a Davidson or Williamson County address inside the Nashville metropolitan footprint with a working phone number that matches Google Business Profile records. Ventilation engineering (downdraft or overhead exhaust at the table) was a tiebreaker positive signal. We removed Korean-fusion operators without a tabletop grill, takeout-only Korean kitchens, and operators whose phone number routed to a delivery aggregator.
Frequently Asked Questions #
What is the difference between charcoal, gas, and induction tabletop grills? #
Charcoal grills (typically using lump charcoal or briquettes) produce a higher temperature and a smoke-influenced flavor on the protein, and they require an active ventilation hood at the table. Gas grills run on natural gas or propane piped to the table and deliver a consistent temperature with less smoke. Induction grills heat the cooking surface electromagnetically and produce the least smoke and lowest ambient heat. Most Nashville Korean BBQ operators run gas grills with overhead or downdraft ventilation.
How does all-you-can-eat (AYCE) compare to a la carte pricing? #
AYCE charges a fixed per-person price covering a published menu of meats, banchan, and sometimes seafood, with unlimited reorders across a two-hour or similar table window. A la carte charges per cut of meat ordered, which lets a smaller party order specifically and pay only for what is eaten. AYCE typically prices higher per guest but rewards guests ordering across multiple cuts; a la carte rewards guests ordering one or two premium cuts.
How many banchan side dishes should I expect? #
A standard banchan service in a Korean BBQ room delivers between six and twelve small side dishes per table, with kimchi, pickled radish, seasoned spinach, fish cake, and a rotating selection of additional preparations. Refills are part of standard service in nearly all Korean BBQ rooms and should not require a separate charge.
What is the difference between galbi, bulgogi, and samgyeopsal? #
Galbi is marinated beef short rib, typically cross-cut and marinated in a soy-pear-garlic base. Bulgogi is thin-sliced beef (often from the sirloin or ribeye) marinated in a similar soy-pear-garlic preparation. Samgyeopsal is unmarinated pork belly in thicker slices, grilled at the table and dipped in salt-and-sesame-oil at service. Each cut runs a different grill time and a different finishing format.
Do these restaurants sell soju and makgeolli? #
Korean alcoholic beverages including soju (a clear distilled spirit) and makgeolli (a cloudy rice-fermented beverage) require a Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission license at the restaurant level. All three rooms above hold a beer-and-wine or full liquor license sufficient for soju service. Makgeolli availability runs more limited because the perishable nature of the beverage restricts wholesale distribution.
Is the ventilation enough that my clothes will not carry odor? #
It depends on the grill type and the ventilation engineering. Tables with a downdraft vent at the grill or an overhead hood directly above the table pull cooking smoke away effectively and reduce clothing-odor carry. Rooms running only ambient ceiling ventilation without per-table extraction will leave a stronger residual odor on clothing, especially with fatty cuts including pork belly.
Is this list paid placement? #
No. None of the three restaurants paid for placement. This directory operates with a single paid slot disclosed in the Editorial Note when present; no paid slot was sold for this edition.
Editorial Note #
This guide was published on 2026-05-11 and reflects research current as of that date. Verify licenses, phone numbers, and current business status before engaging any firm.