AYCE Korean barbecue reopens as JBBQ Wok & Dumpling in Commack

One of the quirkiest trends of the past couple years has been new restaurants that serve both Korean barbecue and Chinese hot pot, two distinct dining styles packaged together into one eating experience. This phenomenon may be showing signs of abating, as one of Long Island's biggest players has rebranded its latest location. 

JBBQ & Shabu Shabu opened its first concept in Bay Shore in 2020, and went on to open large restaurants in Smithtown and Commack. But three months ago, the Commack location closed for renovation and has now reopened as JBBQ Wok & Dumpling, ditching the barbecue and hot pot for Chinese fare.

Commack manager Daniel Chen said the Smithtown and Commack locations were too close to each other, dividing customers between the two. Another issue is that the all-you-can-eat concept is expensive and can be wasteful when it comes to food, so it's been difficult to maintain with a smaller customer base. To adapt, he brought in his cousin Tom Lin from a dim sum restaurant in Flushing, Queens, to perform a similar concept here. 

Chen said the concept change drew some backlash on Instagram when it was announced in May — but it was a good move, because Smithtown has been substantially busier since the Commack location closed. 

"Imagine if you have to run a restaurant, but the overhead is killing the business. And you tell them, 'No, you can't close it.' That doesn't make sense," he says. "We can't open the restaurant just for two people. This a huge place. You gotta look at the numbers." 

At the new spot in Commack, there was a small stream of customers during a recent weekday lunch. The dining room still had bright yellow warehouse walls with the old name, but the barbecue grills and hot pot crocks had gone. Servers handed out folded paper menus that look like they belong in a Chinese takeout spot. Although the large picture menu of fruity cocktails, soju and other alcoholic drinks was still present. 

Soup dumplings and dim sum take top billing, with more than a dozen varieties including crab soup dumplings and chicken feet. The dim sum sampler is a budget-friendly way to sample five dumplings for $12 — the dim sum staples shumai and har gow have a slight edge over the soup dumplings, which ripped and collapsed under pressure.

The rest of the menu is greatest hits of the wok, with Thai and Japanese classics alongside dishes like beef with black pepper sauce ($20) and pineapple fried rice served in a pineapple ($14). The XO seafood with lobster tail, scallops and jumbo shrimp is the splurge here at $29, but the portion isn't as decadent as it seems. Although, the stir fry arrives emblazoned with a large orange flower that makes it look a touch more graceful. 

Despite the setback, Chen said all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ and hot pot is still going to be popular in the future as it appeals to the younger generation that loves Asian food. 

"It's still strong, it's just a matter of how much more restaurants you're opening up, how much competition," he said. "If you open a ton of restaurants with the same concept, everybody's going to go down."

JBBQ Wok & Dumpling, 200 Jericho Tpke., Commack, 631-343-7252, jbbqrestaurant.com/commack.html. Open 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, noon to 9 p.m. Sunday. 

By Andi Berlin

andi.berlin@newsday.comAndiBerlin

Andi Berlin is from Arizona and does not know where she is going. But when she gets there, she’ll find something beautiful and delicious that the world needs to taste.