I made a reservation at 1pm in the Lex location on a Sunday. Contrary to the note when you make the reservation, you don't have to do a prie fixe menu. They were taking some walk ins as well. I shared the japchae boudin balls which were decent but the real star was the roe sauce it came up. I got the brisket and grits which is apparently their signature dish. This was delicious. It wasn't too heavy, and there was plentiful brisket to pair with the grits. The cherry tomatoes seemed raw, I thought it was going to be pickled somehow. They ended our meal with yakult. I'd come back here to try other things. I did try a bite of the blue crab curry and it wasn't my preference, and the portion was also smaller. read more

Kjun - Japchae boudin balls - Korean Near Me - New York, New York

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I already thought Kjun was such a clever name for a Korean Cajun restaurant and then I learned it's also a play on the chef's own Korean name. I ate at her pop-up at Essex Market at the start of the pandemic and then when she opened her first brick and mortar in Murray Hill and am so pleased to have dined here last weekend at her most built out space to date. I've mostly enjoyed her dishes a la carte but she insisted on taking us on a culinary journey of her choosing, so of course we said yes. After the chef took note of our group of 6's dietary restrictions, out came gumbo, kimchi stew, a very delicious umami flavor bomb that was a marinated boiled egg topped with creme fraiche and caviar. Korean fried chicken, watermelon salad, a shrimp and black bean shrimp noodle dish, and lots of steak. Some dishes were evidently a fusion of Korean and Cajun flavors, but others felt strictly Korean. Everything I tried was flavorful, though I found some of the portions a bit precious, particularly since we were sharing as a group. The meat eaters in the group left full because there was so much steak brought out to the table, but the tofu alternative brought out for me wasn't quite enough to leave me sated. We were all willing to be spendy for this meal, but I think I would have gotten more if I had just ordered a la carte. We paid about ~$80 per person and I don't feel like I got $80 worth of food. I would gladly return but would personally opt out of the tasting menu journey. read more

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Enjoyed the unique combos! Vibes were also fantastic despite being an incredibly tight space with no real room to put away bags and coats. While everything was cooked perfectly, I did find that most of the dishes leaned sweet rather than spicy or savory, so my palate was pretty tired by the end of the meal. The fried chicken especially had such an incredibly crisp batter and juicy meat, but was just begging for a hit of salt because the batter and sauces were also all sweet. Overall still glad we did the family-style tasting menu but be prepared for over half of the dishes to mostly be sweet. read more

This was one of the more unique fusion cuisines (Korean + Creole) I've had in a great way. Free Amuse-Bouche (1/5): I forgot the name of it, but it was free so it won't count towards the rating. Was a bit too acidic for me, and needed to wash it down with water after. Chicken Liver Pate (5/5): This was pretty much my favorite dish and one of the best sourdough's I've ever had. The chicken liver was very rich and flavorful, and the melon/plum was a solid contrast. Seafood Jjajangmyun (5/5): Almost like a squid ink-infused japchae. Has a unique flavor profile, and the shrimp + calamari were a nice compliment. The decor stayed true to its menu as the walls contained traditional Korean folk art, while the general interior felt like I was in New Orleans. I would definitely come back to try the Kimchi Jambalaya, Japchae Boudin Balls, and Kjun Chicken Sando. read more

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Arrived at 9 pm, an hour before closing and immediately was told that they close in a hour, the entire time I felt as if I was being rushed to order & eat, even turning lights off as my party & I sat at our table. Despite the restaurant being really small & feeling the urgency to eat, I did enjoy the corn bread & shrimp po boy, fresh & flavorful. read more

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What can I say about this place besides it's a must go ! Pin it and make it happen you won't be disappointed. Went on a Saturday evening had reservations (they were fully booked) - although the space was small every space was utilized well and everyone had their privacy ( great date night for sure ) Everyone including the chef and owner were conversing and working at the same time - best service I've been too for sometime. No BS just common ground for good food and its origins. Every food tells a story, KJUN was about friendship and a bond. Korean and Cajun soul. We opt for the tasting menu although it was meant for 3 they said sure we will make it for 2 - well let me tell you we were both stuffed to the rim ! Just look at those pics ! And we took food home ! I would highly recommend just going there and try everything the jambalaya was epic , fried chicken seasoning on point, shrimp and grits you'll lick the bowl. The honey chips ( OMG) I can eat a whole bag! Only thing is I had no room for desserts so didn't get to enjoy it! I look forward to returning but will try the other items I've missed ! read more

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I had a fantastic experience here! Everyone was so friendly and the server was so nice to give me recommendations. It's a cute little restaurant that's dark and cozy, but very small so you're bumping elbows with those around you. I got the prix fixe menu for 1, which was about $60 (includes 1 snack, 2 sides, 1 main, 1 dessert). For the amount of food you get, the price is super reasonable! I left feeling very full. Snack: Japchae boudin balls: 9/10. These were great! Fried perfectly and the sauce that came with it was also super yummy. It tasted kind of like deep fried egg roll filling with the japchae noodles. Sides: Green tomato kimchi 9/10, Pear salad 8/10. The green tomato kimchi was so unique! It was very tangy and refreshing, and the crunch was amazing! It was the perfect side for my main to cut out the heaviness. It's different from other kimchi i've had, I wasn't expecting it to be in a more watery liquid. The pear salad was good as well, but nothing memorable. Main: Galbi and grits: 10/10 This was spectacular. Truly so unique and an amazing combo of flavors! The grits were very rich and cheesy, which was balanced by the sweet galbi. It also had cherry tomato kimchi and I believe pickled radish which helped with flavor fatigue. I loved this! Dessert: Strawberry yummy: 5/10. This was essentially like a cornbread tres leches. The ratio was off, I only got a tiny square of cornbread and it was about 70% cream! The flavors didn't really stand out to me. Despite this, I still give KJUN 5 stars bc the other food is that good!! I would love to try the other dishes read more

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I'm a huge fan of KJUN. Everything we ordered was incredible and packed with flavor, and the fusion really works. For a table of four, we got the cornbread hushpuppies ($13), honey brown butter chips ($15), beaucoup fried chicken ($68) with green tomato kimchi and potato daikon salad, seafood jjajangmyun ($30) (a MUST order), and the galbi & grits ($30) (another must order). Every dish hit, no misses. The flavors were bold, balanced, and honestly just really fun to eat. Dessert was honestly just ok -- the strawberry yummy ($10) and goguma pecan pie ($12) were fine but the portions are really small and wasn't anything special. This place is pretty tiny with very limited seating, so reservations are basically a must -- but it is so, so worth it. If you can snag a reservation, go. This place is special and absolutely worth the hype. read more

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Had the Mardi Gras Menu in mid-February. Chef Jae was in the kitchen and served some of the dishes. Delicious from start to finish. Went with a party of four so we shared a lot of food. Favorite dish was the honey butter potatoes (one of the freebies we got during the meal). Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and full of flavor. We loved the different textures, temptatures, and flavors of the dishes, such as the crunchy daikon in the potato salad, the green tomato kimchi that brought some heat, the chewy jjajangmyeon with seafood, the hot comforting cup of gumbo, the cold raw oysters, and the crawfish atop the creamy grits. The meal ended with delicious desserts (strawberry yummy and sweet potato pecan pie) and complimentary probiotic drinks. Can't wait to visit again once they have their new location up and running (it looks much more spacious than the current location). read more

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ahhhhhh so delicious - where do i start!!! i sat at the bar because the place was PACKED on a tuesday evening - which heightened my expectations and i was not disappointed. it was a busy little space - so curated and cozy! they had outdoor seating too. we ordered according to the tasting menu for 2 - all the options looked enticing so it was a HARD decision but we did it and EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT!!!!!!! i did not expect to receive NO misses with complete satisfaction. everything was packed with flavor and a perfect balance of textures etc. often dreaming about coming back here read more

We got the Japchae Boudin Balls, Seafood Jjajangmyun, and galbi and grits. The japchae boudin balls had a bit of spice with a nice kick to it. The seafood jjajangmyun was nothing special and tasted exactly as expected. Our favorite was the galbi and grits. The galbi itself was very tender and the grits were so flavorful. I really loved how they put radish on it and the acidity and sweetness of the radish complemented the dish well. This place has limited seating with 4 bar seats and 6 tables mainly seating groups of 2. Service was fast and servers were attentive. read more

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Decided to try out their lunch special so headed here for my lunch break. Really wanted to try the fried chicken, unfortunately their lunch special specifically for the fried chicken is take out only. Seeing I really wanted to try it, I decided to order it and took it back to the office. 3 pieces of chicken was $29 excluding tip. The chicken was nice, the coating was light and very crunchy. The only thing was inside the chicken tasted a tad dry. Not sure if it was because of the travel time back to the office but it definitely would have been better fresh. Would love to come back here again and try something other things on the menu. read more

Kjun - Korean Near Me - New York, New York

Giving 4, but I really felt more like 3.5 stars. While everything was good, nothing blew me away. My friend and I did the dinner for two ($115) which I think is actually a lot of food. It comes with 1 snack, 2 sides, 2 mains, and 1 dessert. We ordered: Snack: Fish beignet - the right amount of crispiness without being too oily Sides: Korean Pear Salad and Potato Salad - generally refreshing Mains: Crab Curry, Kalbi Grits - good but missing some pizzazz or in other words needed more cowbell Dessert: Pecan Goguma Pie - My favorite dish, soft and pecany Service was good and attentive, but I wish there was more flow to the service. Everything kind of came out at once and felt overwhelming considering how small our table was. I also constantly felt aware of the time because the reservation explicitly said 75 minutes and once we sat down the server told us we'd only have 60 minutes and then later said 75 minutes was okay. The meal was not inexpensive, so I had higher expectations. Overall a cozy space and would recommend for a try, maybe better experience on another night. read more

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Joyeux Mardi Gras! Purposely came here on this day to have some New Orleans style food with a unique, Asian twist to it (my attempt at paralleling it with the Lunar New Year which is also today). The place itself looks small but is slightly larger than it feels for you can get decent enough seating space for about 12 people and the restaurant itself was half filled when I came in. Service was definitely spot on and attentive, props to the one waiter and the cooking crew in the back. I did say the place itself was relatively small so the kitchen can easily be seen within a distance. Didn't have to wait long for my Shrimp Po'Boy and Gumbo along with Root Beer to come up. The Po'Boy sandwich was played well along with 2 toothpick flags of the KJUN logo on each side and the Gumbo was so fresh, you can still see the steam rise slowly from it. The dish itself was as delectable as it was palatable. Po'Boys hit so good, the assortment of different Korean garnishes inside the sandwich give it an intriguing taste added to it. The Gumbo was also so hearty and a delight to eat. Root Beer, was standard fare but it was something I could find in a supermarket so it was something to wash down my food. I enjoyed my time here, granted I can't do it often because this is one of the more pricey end restaurants but I would definitely revisit soon enough. read more

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Walked in for lunch on a Tuesday -- Lunar New Year Tuesday at that -- and the place was poppin! Luckily there was one seat left at the bar for me to take. I got the shrimp po boy and it was phenomenal. Hit all the spots and I enjoyed it from the first bite to the last. Will definitely be coming back to explore the rest of the menu! Yum read more

Kjun - Korean Near Me - New York, New York

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This place is the perfect place if you love both Cajun and Korean food! They take fusion to the next level. Almost every dish we got wowed us and we vow to be back. We did the set menu since price-wise it made the most sense as we wanted an appetizer, side, and multiple entrees. The only thing that was disappointing was the dessert as it's supposed to be for two people but when it came out it was the size of one person (not even)! The place is really small so I might want to come back in a day I don't have work or I'm not wearing a heavy coat as there's really no room to put anything anywhere. They offer to put your coat in a bin which helps but the place really is super tight. read more

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This meal was insane.... We made a lunch reservation a few days in advance and would totally recommend you do so, since the restaurant hold less than 15 people at regular tables and only a few seats available for bar seating. I love the cajun and korean fusion here, every dish we had was amazing that we are already thinking about our next visit here! Our favorites were the kimchi jambalaya and the short ribs and grits!! Both absolutely packed with flavors that worked so well and so the food was so juicy and just homey feeling which goes along with the overall feel and cozy vibe of the restaurant. The chef came around herself to check on us and it was so nice to meet her and tell her in person how phenomenalwe thought her food was! We heard that this place has a seasonal menu and so we are so excited to try more amazing dishes from this place in the future! read more

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Such a great restaurant, loved the Korean and Cajun fusion. Personal favorite was the gochujang andouille and grits, loved the cheesy grits and the flavors were so well balanced. K-pear salad was also wonderful, sweet and savory. The sesame seeds added a nice touch. The gumbo was also delicious, loved the kimchi okra, which added a nice pop while eating the gumbo. Service is quick, inside is cozy, and I heard they are opening another space soon! read more

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The space is extremely small but cute inside. A little cramped. Service is pretty fast and attentive. Overall the food was good but not mind blowing. I don't think i'd go back but i enjoyed my meal. the Jambalaya was good but not standout. The Seafood Jjajangmyun had a great texture and was yummy. the squid pieces were very tender. i wish the shrimp was deshelled but i get that this is southern style. The pecan tart was very tasty. Probably my favorite thing from here. If you're intrigued, i'd recommend checking out but wouldn't say you must try it. It was also definitely expensive -- almost $100 for 2 ppl for 2 entrees and a dessert. The price is the main reason i wouldn't come back. read more

Kjun - Seafood Jjajangmyun - Korean Near Me - New York, New York

Both KJUN locations are excellent. We recently went to the new location at 334 Lexington which offers a $78 pp set menu. The new space is much larger and it may be a little easier getting a reservation these days with the added seats. Service is great. Most importantly the food is fantastic. For our set menu we chose; Fried Oysters - very good. Catfish - very good. Fried Chicken Bites (additional) - excellent, these are the best in the city. Honey Butter Chips (additional) - since the Korean restaurant Ouiji doesn't offer them any more Kjun's butter chips are the best and are a must get. Eggs & Caviar (additional) - a fancier take on the soy marinated egg from the original KJUN, very good. Oysters & Rice Cakes - not a huge fan of raw oysters, but the combination of the rice cakes and sauce made this enjoyable. Kimchi Jambalya - a staple from the original reastuant that is just as good. Galbi & Grits - hands down the best thing on the menu. Get this as your main, it's a great mashup of Korean BBQ cooked Cajun style. Strawberry Cake - a nice cap to an excellent dinner. Chef Jae has been killing it since her pop up several years ago. You can't got wrong with either spot, but the new location is more of a dinner spot and the best place to try her high quality food. read more

Kjun - Banchan, Honey Butter Chips, Fried Chicken Bites, Oysters & Rice Cakes, Catfish, And Fried Oysters. - Korean Near Me - New York, New York

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The flavor profile here is incredible. I love the freshness of the incredible and the fusion between American and Korean. The pickled watermelon rinds blew me away. I definitely recommend the pate (just wow), short rib grits, watermelon salad, and fried chicken. But overall everything was solid. I think this is one of the few places you really can't go wrong unless you order something that you know has an ingredient you don't like. Some people have told me negative things about this place but that was for when they first opened so I think the restaurant had done a lot to improve. So maybe keep that in mind for early reviews. read more

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We loved kjun for a meal so this time we tried the tasting menu. Honestly I didn't appreciate the tasting menu/ family as much. I would recommend a la carte if u get a chance! I liked how the green tomatoes had a sodalike sparkly in the taste. The okra is always my favorite. The watermelon salad was refreshing. Collard greens was good but not too special. The potato salad had extra texture (maybe they added a fruit or vegetable) so that was nice. We had fried catfish (it was ok) and had a few other items that weren't too memorable. Dessert was a tiny strawberry short cake and a small one serving pecan tart.... So 6 of us shared this 2 tiny desserts. read more

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Random Find: KJUN KJUN in Murray Hill is a hidden gem that fuses Korean and Cajun flavors with stunning flair. As the name suggests, KJUN serves world famous Korean fried chicken alongside sides like okra kimchi (surprisingly my favorite of the night), and New Orleans corn-grits coated seafood laid over umami-filled squid ink japchae that is hands down the best I've ever had, so hearty yet feels high-end. The shrimp BBQ came with a sauce we devoured with buttered sour dough toasts, & KJUN's honey butter chips, layered with sweet, lemony cayenne and salty flavors, were simply addictive. For dessert, the sweet potato pie was served with 2 servings of a popular probiotic drink similar to Yakult that was popular in Asia and my childhood favorite. Portions are generous for such refined plates. Kjun even started us off with an amuse-bouche. How nice! Chef Jae Jung--born in Korea, raised in New Orleans, and "refined" in NYC--brings these three worlds together beautifully through her inventive and fun menu. Suspecting that theymight know each other, I insisted on taking a selfie with Chef Jae Jung to show to James Beard semifinalist @nikkicabreramills of @Peche in New Orleans. I was right, they know each other! It's definitely a small world with big flavors coming from the kitchen of these two successful female and immigrant chefs. Much enjoyed--and definitely coming back. Thank you, @chefjaejung ! #curious_eater #neworleansfood #nola #cajun #koreanfood #kjun read more

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Third time here, first time at their new location (not officially open yet). Had a set family menu and, as usual, loved everything. The honey chips, fried chicken, ribs, gumbo, and galbi grits were standout in taste. The japchae balls, fried catfish, seafood jjangmyun were amazing too. Everything was creatively executed as Korean Cajun fusion recipes, while also mouthwatering delicious. The pecan pie and strawberry cream desserts were good too, but the strength was definitely in the savory dishes. read more

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Came for lunch and tried the Boudin balls - nice crunch and dipping sauce Kimchi green tomatoes - perfectly crunchy, savory, and spicy Collard greens - solid but nothing out of the ordinary Galbi and grits - this was a surprisingly complex dish that I can't even describe. I was kind of expecting your normal stewed meat in a carb but it was so much more with tons of texture and deep flavors. The strawberry desert - I don't usually like desserts but this was fantastic and had a deep strawberry flavor read more

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I've been dying to try KJUN, a Korean-Cajun fusion spot and it did not disappoint. This unassuming little restaurant is so small... so definitely make a reservation! FYI -- it's BYOB. We went for the "Dinner for Two" set menu ($115), which includes one snack, two sides, two mains, and dessert. We started with a complimentary watermelon cube with a sweet puree served on a spoon--simple and refreshing. - Kimchi okra: Not spicy, slightly sweet, and such an unexpected but delicious combo. - Daikon potato salad: Cold, creamy, topped with fresh chives--my favorite! Must order!!! - Cod beignets: Lightly fried, crisp on the outside, with soft, tender cod inside. - Nola shrimp: Buttery, flavorful shrimp served with toasted bread. - Galbi & grits: Another odd pairing that works beautifully. The galbi was super tender and the cheesy grits with rich gravy were comforting. - Cajun fried chicken: Juicy, crispy, and served with pickled watermelon rind (weird right? But good!) and a sweet and spicy honey sauce. They also offer a hot sauce on the side for an extra kick. - Peach iced tea: Fresh and clearly homemade--though at $15 for one cup, definitely on the pricier side. - Strawberry mousse?: Light, not overly sweet, and topped with fresh strawberries. The meal ended with a complimentary Yakult drink. Overall, the food was excellent from start to finish. KJUN is a gem worth seeking out! read more

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Korean Cajun fusion done pretty well! so tiny inside you def need a reservation, and they will hustle you to finish all your food in under an hour. lovely but a bit cramped ambiance. they gave you some freebies like butternut squash with pickled radish in a spoon to start and yakult at the end. the galbi grits was my fav dish. so rich, perfectly buttery and cheesy with tender slightly sweet and savory beef. seafood jjajangmyeon was decent and the jambalaya was just okay, not much kimchi flavor. hard pass on the green tomato kimchi. too salty and crunchy. read more

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Overall for a fusion restaurant that always leaves me skeptical, it was surprisingly well done! Some dishes were more of a hit than others but I think overall the ones that worked, worked. The ones that didn't as much- I think it can be better executed. We opted for the tasting menu which showcased all of the dishes, and with that the corkage fee was waived for us due to the size of our party. So I have to say I do appreciate the restaurant for making that accommodation. We traveled to New York for my fiancés bday and this place was recommended by one of our friends and since we're Korean and getting married in NOLA, this was a no brainer. It was almost meant to be that we came across this spot. The restaurant is verrryyy small and so small in order to get to the bathroom, you have to go through the very small kitchen. With that said it is a nice touch that you can see the kitchen as I've always been a fan of open kitchen concepts. The service I have to say was 50-50. The person identified as a chef and owner did not seem as welcoming as she was the one manding the front door. I realize that her and her team were getting our table ready however we have been to other restaurants in New York City that were just as busy and the owner or manager was willing to take a few seconds to welcome us. On that note when we made the reservation, we were told over the phone to come earlier which we still ended up waiting about 20 to 25 minutes longer than our reservation time. However, I will say the service was made up by the wait staff because they were amazing. They were energetic, attentive, prompt, and very engaging. Now let's move onto the food. Some of my most favorite dishes was the take on jajangmyun with squid ink, collard greens, pork ribs, and the honey butter chips. The star of the night was the okra which I do not like but in this application was delicious, a little sweet, tangy and crunchy. No dish was disappointing per se as they all tasted good, it was the fusion aspect that was lacking in some. read more

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Very cozy place! Make a rez or be ready for a bit of a wait. We got a table inside but switched to outside bc it was very loud. The mix of high-low is interesting. Fusion high cuisine with low ultra casual interior setting. I was curious to try as many things as possible because of Korean Cajun mix at play, so we went with a dinner set where you pick a snack, two sides, two mains and a dessert. I also got a chicory drink Misugaru and it was soooo delicious. The taste like a coffee latte but there's no caffeine! We asked for recommendations but our server was struggling so we just picked whatever. For the set we got Japchae Boudin Balls. For sides, green tomato kimchi and okra kimchi. For mains, of course KJUN fried chicken and seafood Jjajangmyun. And dessert Strawberry Yummy. The Boudin balls are ok..I was expecting noodle nests but it's all grinded up so it's just deep fried balls that are mushy inside. Kimchi was pretty good! Fried chicken..the chicken skin was so light and crispy I loved it! And I didn't feel greasy after eating it. And my fav was the Jjajangmyun..it's not like the original at all..the sauce was creamy and rich and with a good amount of seafood. The dessert - the cream and strawberry were great but the weird cookie inside was super hard and overpowering the rest of the desert. Overall it was a really good meal. But is it worth the money? Bc it was not cheap.. I'd say if you want to treat yourself then it's worth it. They definitely are more experimental and for someone who enjoys food, this is a fun place to experience unexpected flavors. But on that note, if you're going to charge this price level, having sauces in to-go plastic containers feels a middle finger to the customers. I'd love to see some fun experimental dinnerwear to match the vibe of the food. read more

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TL;DR: Korean-Cajun fusion at its finest. A mind-blowing tasting menu, flawless service, and a BYOB perk made for an unforgettable 4th of July dinner. Chef Jae Jung is the real deal. We scored a July 4th reservation at Kjun for their full tasting menu experience, aka "The Carnival" and I can say this was one of the most exciting meals I've had in a long time. As a lover of both Korean and Cajun food, I was curious how this fusion would play out, and chef Jae Jung (Top Chef alum) nailed it. Our group of 10 came prepared: we brought a dozen bottles of soju (yes, we finished them all), and the staff was kind enough to waive the corkage fee, a major plus. The space is tiny, maybe 30 seats max, so the fact that they accommodated our whole party was awesome, especially on a packed holiday evening. We waited about 15 minutes past our reservation, but considering the logistics, totally understandable. Once seated, service was attentive and organized. Our drinks were chilled and served quickly, and the staff walked us through what to expect from the Carnival menu. Then the parade of dishes began, and what a ride it was. We kicked off with Low Country banchan, a Southern take on Korean starters. The kimchi okra was a standout: crisp, spicy, and addictive. The collard greens also had depth and flavor that screamed comfort. Boudin balls followed, giving pure Louisiana vibes, while crispy catfish with gochujang brought the perfect Southern-Korean heat. One of the biggest surprises was the mayak egg, elevated with pork skin and Creole seasoning, hands down one of the best bites of the night. The honey butter chips were also a fun nod to Korean snacks, with indulgent flair. The gumbo delivered exactly what you'd want: hearty, flavorful, and warming. The gochujang spare ribs had a great balance, tender but still with bite. Then came some more big brain fusion, LA galbi short ribs over cheesy grits, umami heaven meets Southern soul. The BBQ shrimp was a perfect one-bite creole hit, paired with crusty baguette. Then came the crowd favorite: Korean Cajun fried chicken. Kjun somehow fused the ultra-crunch of Korean double-fry with the soul of Southern spice. A+. But when we thought we were finished, they brought out their take on jajangmyeon. With squid ink, shrimp, and daikon, leaning into coastal Creole flavors while nodding to Korean comfort food. Dessert was nothing to slouch at, a pecan pie tart and strawberry cream parfait closed the meal with sweet balance and a refreshing finish. At $110 per person (with BYOB), this was a steal for what felt like a chef's table experience. The creativity, the flavors, the hospitality at Kjun is the real deal. It's mashup of two bold cuisines, and I can see why it's become one of NYC's hyped restaurants. read more

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I will dream about the food at Kjun. I would go out of my way to eat at Kjun. It is just that f-ing amazing. My husband wanted to wing our trip to NYC and not make any dinner reservations. I know, I know. So as I was trying to make last minute reservations I saw that we could put on names on the wait list at Kjun so we decided to walk that way and hope for the best. Chef was out front running the show when we walked up and asked if could wait about 20 minutes. I don't think it was even 10 minutes until she got us seated at a cozy table on the sidewalk just outside the front door. Our server brought us water and a frozen towel to help keep us cool and someone else brought us a container of ice as well. We started with a simple marinated watermelon bite and ordered "dinner for two" which was one snack, two sides, two mains, and dessert. For our snack we had the cod beignets, our sides were the okra kimchi and potato daikon salad. For mains we had the kimchi jambalaya and BBQ shrimp. We also added a piece of chicken. Dessert was the strawberry yummy. First, let me say I couldn't walk away from the table, I wobbled because I felt so full. I knew I was eating too much but didn't want to stop because it was so wonderful. The flavors are outstanding. The textures are amazing. I want to go back with a group of people so we can order more and try more. Hands down an outstanding meal! Let me take a few lines to talk about service. You're not going to get fine dining service with someone wiping crumbs between each course, but you are going to get real people who care about their guests making sure you get everything you need and leave happy. Everyone knows what the job is and they hustle to get it done. If I could give Kjun more than five stars, I def would! read more

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Kjun is consistently exceptional. Who knew that Korean and Cajun cuisine are a marriage made in heaven? I've tried a number of dishes there and love everything so much. The gumbo and kimchi jambalaya are standouts among a menu of options where you genuinely cannot go wrong. Lunch specials offer a very good value. Chef Jae and her staff are equally wonderful human beings and super accommodating. Wheelchair access details: there is an accessible table outdoors, indoors may be a bit challenging because it's a tiny space that used to be a to go only spot. Chef and her team went out of their way to accommodate our group and make things work for me. read more

Fusion flavors that I've never had together before and we loved it! The only reason I'd not give 5 stars is because it was the most rushed meal I've had of my life. We came with a group of 6 so we couldn't do a la carte. We had the option of choosing our own set of apps, entrees and dessert for $300 or having the chef's choice for $55. We went with the latter and was really happy we did. We probably wouldn't have even know what to order. They started with some small amuse buche style bites on spoons, brought out ban chan and then started with the main dishes. Ended with small mini desserts. Only misses were the poboys which were complete salt bombs and the dessert which seemed pretty basic in contrast to the rest of the dishes and the layers inside were way too hard/crunchy. read more

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very tight space. nice intimate ambiance. good for two people at a time. the dishes i tried felt somewhat lackluster. everything was a fusion dish and fell somewhat flat. the ideas of the dishes felt very intiguing but by the time they reached my mouth all the excitement faded away. especially give then price this place feels somewhat gimmicky. read more

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It's pretty "cozy" spot - only seats about 20 in a comfortable and fairly sedate environment We did the family style meal, which was really ideal. They ask you at the beginning if you want any preferences and of course, I piped up about the. " fried chicken."! They started out with a small squash amuse bouche, then we had some fritters, followed by a meatball "boudin ball". We also had cooked okra and a really unique potato salad. They followed with a delicious gumbo with homemade sausage. Then we had the fried chicken! Wow. Came with hot honey and one other sauce. The squid in pasta and mushroom with radish on top was last before dessert. The person waiting tables knew the food backwards and forwards and was a real treat to work with. (Eli!) They finished the meal with a very small dessert which was kind of a strawberry and cake and whipped cream specialty. We really love the meal. I found the flavors on every course just exploding in our mouth. Really enjoyed this experience and it's a must do! read more

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KJUN is one of those spots that feels small and intimate, which is nice if you're looking for a cozy vibe. But heads up, if you're watching your wallet, this probably isn't the place for you. Granted... it is New York. What do I know, I'm just a tourist? But I felt the prices lean toward the higher end, and this was the most expensive meal on our New York trip. I left feeling like I paid a premium for something that didn't quite hit the mark. Don't get me wrong, I really wanted to like this place. I really did. I think the concept is great, I really want to encourage Asian American owners to try their hand at something. Perhaps we should have come in and gotten the Chef's set, or a tasting menu? Though we did ask for recommendations. I'll try to break down constructively where I felt there were misses. We went in expecting bold Cajun flavors, or spicy, fermented soy Korean flavors, but the food didn't quite deliver on that front. The dishes weren't spicy enough for my taste, and the seasoning felt a bit muted--like it was trying to be Cajun but just didn't quite get there. Korean food can be really spicy, and same with Cajun. But each dish we ordered felt like it was Cajun, or Korean. If we take the fried chicken thighs, for example. I was hoping for that satisfyingly crispy, crunchy breading that makes Korean fried chicken legendary. Instead, I felt the batter was thin, and it felt decidedly more like american fried chicken. The chicken sure was juicy, so it was cooked well, but I have a hard time calling this fusion. The gumbo was fine, we did like the okra kimchi that came as a side, but I think that the dark gumbo came out as a very cajun dish. The okra is a good korean twist, but didn't seem particularly fermented and so the spicy flavors did not stand out from the okra. Service was friendly and the space felt intimate, but the food is really the star here, and I was left wanting a little more kick and authenticity. read more

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Wow, blown away by this meal. Cozy atmosphere with very few seats and very kind attentive service. We ordered: - cod beignet: instead of beer batter they use makgeolli, very creative. Also got hints of hot sauce. Not sure how I felt about the wasabi aioli. Honestly if we could skip one dish it would probably be this one. - gochujang andouille and grits: This. This dish was fantastic. Beautiful presentation and flavor details, kind of felt like fine dining but big and southern style. Sauce was superb, meat was superb, grits amazing. Subtly sour profiles from the radish and crunch from some celery/radish was superb. Lot of rich flavors from andouille and grits and freshness from the various toppings, this was harmony in a bowl. - NOLA shrimp: also blown away by this. Very rich bc it's bathed in a skillet of butter but soo much flavor. Comes with a side of buttery toasted sourdough. Shrimp was full of flavor from the rich murky sauce, we were literally spooning the sauce after we ate all the shrimp. The onions inside are pickled so there's bits of freshness amidst all that butter. Amazing dish. Portions are pretty large so I would recommend family style so you get a taste of everything!! read more

Kjun - gochujang andouille and grits nola shrimp - Korean Near Me - New York, New York

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I do not pretend to be an expert in Korean or Cajun cuisines. So this is the dummy approach! We came with high expectations. It didn't disappoint. Very busy place. High turn over. Only the main waiters know the dishes everyone else just nodes yes. Cosy, old neighborhood atmosphere with 1 and only bathroom accessible through the kitchen. Yes you read that right. -The service was very quick, polite and accurate. The food ! -normal size portions -the watermelon salad was okay. Coming from a watermelon and feta background I cannot say that this was that exciting. -pork ribs were different and interesting. Maybe flavors we had not tried anywhere else. -seafood dish: very flavorful with deep (yummy) seafood taste. Was that ink on the noodles? Great -kimchi J Dish: that was expected to be on the spicy side and it was. Big portion. Great combo of flavors. -white fish marinated w dips. That was interesting. We contemplated taking the 300$ deal for 4 of each type of dish but that would have been a lot for a dinner of 4. We went for a couple of apps a salad and 4 mains instead. Will we be coming back? Mhhmm dunno. Maybe for that chicken :) read more

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I've been wanting to try this place for a bit. Highly recommend making reservations, I never made reservations but I'd try my luck whenever I was in the area and I'd see a line and the waitlist would be 45 minutes. Finally made reservations and went, I did same day reservations on resy but it was dying opening time so there were a few reservations open. It's a BYOB spot and they charge a $15 corkage, it's listed on the beverage section of the menu. Free corkage included with set menus! We did the set menu combo for two people. I wanted to try a little bit of everything and was eyeing the tasting menu but the server was quite transparent and said that it might be too much food for us. They were very kind and recommended the combo set for two but said they would do smaller portions for the snacks/ sides so we could try a few more things from the menu. They also recommended adding a piece of the fried chicken which ended up being my favorite- it was just decadent and perfectly marinated and cooked. Juicy and tender on the inside, and hot and crispy on the outside. I loved everything but the stand outs were the gal I brisket and grits, pickled vegetables(green tomato and okra kimchi), soy marinated egg with cracklin( on the house), and of course, their fried chicken. One thing to note is that seating is very limited. It is not a place you order food and sit and chat for 3 hours. There are six two-seater tables and a bar that seats 4 inside. They have a few tables outside as well. Not sure they could seat a big group together due to how limited the space is but I think groups of 4 or 6 are manageable by putting the tables together. The staff is very efficient, regularly checking in and cleaning up to keep the table from being too cluttered. read more

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I came here for my birthday dinner and absolutely loved everything I ate! The honey butter chips were a huge portion but very addictive. The soy marinated eggs were perfectly cooked and had such a pleasant combination of flavors and textures. The gumbo was a super classic and well made gumbo, with okra kimchi that provided the perfect acid to complement the rich dish. The kimchi jjim had tender pork and was well seasoned. The place is very small but the service is very friendly and accommodating. I was very happy with my meal. read more

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