Hankook Taqueria: The Best of Two Worlds

By: Maggie Siu

     It’s the perfect marriage of two polar opposites: Korean and Mexican. Ever since the surge of food trucks hit Atlanta, Ga. in 2010, food fans have been chasing down Yumbii, a mobile Korean taco stand. Hankook Taqueria is the hole-in-the-wall headquarters of Yumbii, serving up affordable and delectable Asian-inspired tacos and snacks for crowds lining up outside its door.

     Sitting on the west end of town near The Georgia Institute of Technology, Hankook Taqueria is a short rectangular building housed in a tiny, but crowded, parking lot. The building is by no means glamorous. There are hard, mismatched wooden booths and wobbly tables with a staticky radio played in the background. Even though the tastes of two cultures collide, the room is absent of any diversity or color. It didn’t seem like a very welcoming place, but the winding line criss-crossing the front lobby and the spicy ginger aromas drew me in.

     It may not seem like much since the menu is limited to one page and there’s no table service. However, the menu is simple yet deliciously creative, and the self-service helps keep prices low. Tacos are priced at $2.25 and range from spicy marinated pulled pork to crispy, sweet and tangy calamari. Burritos are available too, which consist of the same ingredients as the tacos but include a larger portion and homemade kimchee fried rice. Generously portioned “street snacks” satisfy the appetizer or side dish craving, but they’re meant to be shared since the baskets are overflowing with food.

All tacos at Hankook come with lettuce, green onion, green cabbage tossed in soy sesame vinaigrette and onions, cilantro, lime and jack cheese.

     Once my best friend and I opened the door to Hankook, we were immediately handed a small paper copy of the menu. A medley of guests crowded each of the wooden tables. Everyone from a group of Georgia Tech frat guys to a well-suited group of businessmen chowed down on baskets of tacos. After hearing so much about the famous Korean tacos, we decided to share one of each – chicken, pork, beef, fish, tofu, calamari and shrimp. We also shared some sesame fries since the $2 deal was too much of a bargain to pass up.

     After finally scoping out an empty table, our fries arrived within minutes. Unlike most fries, these were cooked in sesame oil and seasoned with red pepper flakes and sea salt. The side of ketchup was mixed with sriracha, a popular Asian chili sauce, which gave it a savory kick. Our tacos were swiftly delivered by one of the cashiers about ten minutes after we started filling up on the sesame fries.

     The meat tacos were succulent and juicy– and the soy-sesame vinaigrette paired with green onions and pepper jack cheese was an oddly palatable combination. Where Hankook really shined was their seafood. The calamari and shrimp were both fried to light, crispy perfection and the panko-crusted tilapia was flavorful and fresh. Each taco was accompanied with lime slices, which adequately woke up each ingredient in the overstuffed tacos. We washed each taco down with water since the only other drink options available were sodas.

An atypical food item at a taqueria, Hankook's sliders.

     Roaming around the packed dining room were owner Chef Lee and his wife Mackenzie. They were busy mingling with customers and helping out employees with the rush of orders. Chef Lee briefly stopped by and asked if we needed anything. We assured him that everything was wonderful and having already paid at the counter, we prepared to leave so other waiting customers could occupy our table.

     While Hankook Taqueria focuses mainly on the quality of their dishes, I enjoyed visiting a laidback environment filled with a wide spectrum of guests. It’s a departure from other Atlanta restaurants and remains one of the best secrets in town. The Korean tacos are a rarity in the South, so I was overjoyed I’ve found a place that sells this new food truck staple. Now instead of hunting down Yumbii, I can grab a quick and affordable lunch or dinner in the heart of Atlanta without worrying about what I’m wearing.

Hankook Taqueria 
1341 Collier Road
Atlanta, GA 30318
404.352.8881