Dong Hae Korean Grill & Sushi

Korean grill and sushi on the second floor of Washington Ave — worth the detour?

If you're deciding between Dong Hae and one of Minneapolis's more established spots like 112 Eatery, the question comes down to format. Dong Hae offers a dual concept — Korean grill alongside sushi, which is a harder pitch to land well than a single-focus kitchen. For a first-timer, that combination can feel like a genuine draw or a red flag depending on your priorities. Here's how to think about it.

The venue sits on the second floor of 903 Washington Ave S, which puts it above street level in a part of downtown Minneapolis that pulls a mixed crowd of students, office workers, and sports fans on game days. The second-floor position means you arrive expecting a different energy from ground-floor dining rooms, and the Korean grill format, tabletop cooking, shared plates, a longer meal, suits groups better than solo visits or quick dinners. If you're coming as a party of two for a leisurely weeknight meal, this format works. For a fast lunch or a solo counter experience, look elsewhere.

Public data on Dong Hae's cocktail program is limited, which itself tells you something. Venues that invest in drinks tend to publicize it. Without confirmed details on what's behind the bar, it's fair to approach Dong Hae as a food-forward destination rather than a destination for serious cocktails. If a strong drinks program matters to you, the kind of depth you'd find at bars like Bar Leather Apron or Jewel of the South, set your expectations accordingly. Beer and soju pairings are more likely to be the sweet spot here than craft cocktails.

Booking is easy. This is not a reservation-pressure situation, and walk-ins appear to be a realistic option. That accessibility is a genuine advantage for spontaneous plans but also signals where Dong Hae sits in the competitive set, it's a neighborhood-level option, not a table that requires planning weeks out.

For first-timers: arrive as a group of three or four, lean into the grill side of the menu, and treat the sushi as a secondary option rather than the headline act. Explore more of Minneapolis's dining scene through our full Minneapolis restaurants guide, or check our full Minneapolis bars guide if cocktails are your priority tonight.

Practical Details

Also worth knowing: Able Seedhouse + Brewery and 5-8 Club are worth bookmarking if you want more Minneapolis options. See also our full Minneapolis hotels guide, our full Minneapolis wineries guide, and our full Minneapolis experiences guide for the full picture. If you're comparing cocktail programs nationally, Julep in Houston and All Saints Restaurant represent the kind of drinks-forward approach Dong Hae doesn't appear to prioritize.