Two years ago, Tallahassee had the honor of welcoming Takko Korean Taqueria, a restaurant that featured a novel fusion of traditional Korean cuisine with Mexican favorites, previously available only at Hankook Taqueria, a small eatery in Atlanta’s warehouse district.

Takko opened its first location in August 2021 on Magnolia Drive, between Governor’s Square Boulevard and East Park Avenue. 

Soon, Tallahasseeans will be able to enjoy the unique culinary blend at a second location convenient to I-10.  

The new premises is in the Market Square Shopping Center, at 1415 Timberlane Road, next door to Rock N’ Roll Sushi.

Takko’s Executive Chef, Tomas Lee, was the founder of Hankook Taqueria in Atlanta and the Korean-Mexican fusion is his brainchild. 

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Lee made his career in fine dining for twenty years before deciding to return to his Korean roots in 2008.

Lee’s creations at Hankook Taqueria have been spotlighted on Food Network, Travel Channel, Food and Wine, and Men’s Health, and are now carried over to the Takko franchise, an exciting development for Tallahassee food enthusiasts.

The menu features familiar Mexican staples like tacos and burritos with Korean meats and spices, along with fused entrees such as the Korean Fried Chicken with chipotle aioli and Montery Jack, or the Gogi Nachos, warm tortilla chips topped with queso, jalapeños, Takko salad, Seoul Sauce, sour cream and a choice of Korean fried chicken, Bulgogi beef, roasted chicken, Korean pork, or Tofu.

The menu also features a number of vegan-friendly selections, and certain dishes can be made less spicy upon request.

Takko will also feature a bar, serving a selection of bottled and draft beers and cocktails. 

The two Tallahassee locations are operated by longtime Tallahassee resident Greg Marcotte, who moved to the city from Vermont as a teenager in 1988. 

“Tallahassee is a great breeding ground for a lot of different brands,” said Marcotte. “For how small we are population wise, I think because of the colleges and the diversity, it’s a good market for bringing in new restaurants.”  

Marcotte is also expecting Takko to grow.

A third location is already preparing to open in Peachtree City, Georgia, part of the Atlanta Metro area.

“We want to go nationwide, and hopefully go international. Chef Lee seems to think this is something that would really resonate in Korea, because it has an Americanized platform to it. We hope to open two to three more locations here in Tallahassee and expand out from there.”

So when can we expect the Market Square location to open for business?

“We’re shooting for the first week in April,” says Marcotte. “We’ve had some equipment challenges, and the city is apparently very backed up and we’ve been waiting three weeks on our alcohol license, and probably our biggest challenge right now is staffing.”

If you are interested in applying for a job at Takko, the restaurant is currently accepting  applications for Managers, Line Cooks, Bartenders, and Cashiers.

For more information about careers, the menu, or the background of the restaurant, you can check out their webpage takkoeats.com, or look for them on Facebook and Instagram.