Soju Station is preparing to open by the end of August at 1976 W. Southern Ave. in Mesa, according to a recently filed liquor license application.
The concept is the latest venture from restaurateur Jaong Woo, whose portfolio includes BanChan, Babo Jumak, K Food Garden at H Mart, Kimchi Korean BBQ, and Kimchi Xpress.
Woo said Soju Station is designed as an authentic pocha, short for pojangmacha, a Korean version of the Japanese izakaya concept.
“It’s an Asian ‘Cheers’ where friends and strangers alike enjoy each other’s company while partaking in amazing food curated for the drinking culture,” Woo said.
The restaurant’s design will reflect four themed spaces inspired by the elements. “The kitchen is Fire. The main floor dining room is Earth, with train themes. The second floor bar area is Water, and the patio space is Air and garden,” Woo said.
Upstairs, a bar called Calypso’s Cove will embrace a waterfront atmosphere inspired by the coastal city of Busan, South Korea, where Woo’s mother grew up. An outdoor patio will complete the concept with garden-inspired elements representing air.
The menu will feature traditional anju, Korean dishes meant to accompany drinks, alongside seafood specialties, including oysters, sashimi, seafood pancakes, spicy rice cakes, pork belly, galbi short ribs, hot pots, and live Dungeness crab and lobster from on-site tanks. Woo said all artwork throughout the restaurant is being created by his mother.
In addition to food, Soju Station plans to showcase rotating themed pop-up bars inside Calypso’s Cove, with new stories, cocktails, and food pairings introduced approximately every 90 days.
As a certified mixologist and bar historian, restaurateur Jaong Woo said Mesa’s growing Asian District made the city a natural fit for the concept.
“The City of Mesa has embraced Asian culture. We’re excited to become part of that community.”
Additional details, including an exact opening date, have not yet been announced. What Now Phoenix will update this story as more information becomes available.
