A Tacoma restaurant known for selling out its Hong Kong-Vietnamese barbecue before closing time has opened a second location in Seattle, marking the first expansion in its 29-year history.
Tho Tuong BBQ, the Lincoln District fixture, opened a Seattle outpost called Tho Seattle at 1253 Thomas St. in South Lake Union earlier in spring 2026.
Kevin Ngo, son of co-owners Phuc and Linh Ngo, left a career in tech to lead the new restaurant, according to a Tacoma News Tribune report published Thursday, July 23.
The original Tacoma shop has operated since 1997, with Phuc Ngo preparing roasted ducks and pork himself using a process that includes a 24-hour marinade, 12-hour drying in the fridge, and hourly turns in the oven. He has maintained that routine for nearly 30 years, the News Tribune reported.
What it means for Tacoma customers
The Tacoma location remains open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Most plates and bowls run $17 to $19, according to the News Tribune's TNT Diner restaurant column. The menu features roasted pork, duck, and chicken alongside noodle soups and sides like pickled mustard greens and rice vermicelli.
Regulars know the drill: the restaurant frequently sells out before its afternoon close, a pattern that WhatNow Seattle noted when reporting on the planned expansion in March 2026.
The restaurant's profile in the community was underscored when the City of Tacoma announced June 30 that Mayor Ibsen would hold office hours at Tho Tuong BBQ on July 22 from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
The Seattle location
The South Lake Union restaurant is positioned as a more upscale version of the original, according to a review from The Infatuation.
The food-review site described the space as having "design flourishes that scream 'come have a nice lunch before returning to your respective tech corporation.'"
Visitors to the original spot on South 38th Street will recognize its signature look: hanging roasted meat in the window, a style reminiscent of a classic Chinatown takeout shop, paired with a Vietnamese-themed mural on the wall.
The Seattle location can be reached at (206) 556-2189.
