Had a great experience here. We ordered a really good spread starting with the beef tartare and the Bugak which are their oxtail hand rolls. The beef tartare was incredible. The Korean pear mixed in adds a lot of great flavor and the seaweed chips it comes with are a really nice touch. The oxtail in the hand rolls were super tender too. For mains we got the Paju fried rice and the 14oz dry aged New York steak. The fried rice had a really nice flavor to it. The steak was definitely a standout since it was very well cooked and super tender. I really liked all the sides that were served with it! Highly recommend this spot if you want a really high quality meal. read more

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Was on the last night of a work trip, and was initially thinking I was solo. So was not looking to eat trash. I looked up Paju before in South Lake Union nearby my hotel, and was excited to try it. Ended up finding a partner in crime anyway, and headed over close to closing time. Place is dark and modern, although I appreciate the wood oven being front and center. Owner was a little awkward given the timing, however she warmed up to us pretty quick when she said she was going to be in/out as we promised, and did appreciate the food itself. Got the sesame negroni, which was a unique and untraditional way to approach this cocktail. The sesame made it very different, and it remained as strong as I liked. The bugak (almost like a Korean taco with oxtail) was awesome. They were kind of just 2 bites of food each, however what was there exploded with flavor. I could've eaten 5 of these. NY strip was just ok. Didn't get any dry aged flavor from it at all. Not enough seasoning either. Bachan with it--brussel sprouts, kimchi--were tasty though, and the Paju fried rice was awesome. I wish they could put some beef/fish with that and call it a day. One of my favorite fried rice preparation I've had, but hey, I'm a sucker for squid ink. Would definitely come back here next time I'm in Seattle. Next time would sub the steak for the seafood jeon or branzino, however really nice meal otherwise. Compared favorably to other elevated Asian cuisine I've had (Joule in Seattle, Goosefeather in Tarrytown NY, Danji in NYC). read more

modern korean food with a cozy interior. came to celebrate a birthday-choco pie bday treat on the house. the menu is fairly simple and got to try a good variety. octopus - my favorite, cooked perfectly yellowtail - bright, refreshing cauliflower mushroom - favorite, parmesan, truffle seafood jeon - a bit oily, very airy paju fried rice - favorite, unique, hybrid of sticky rice/regular rice texture dry aged new york steak - overdone, prefer medium rare branzino gui - smoked flavor, tender seunjeonggwa bingsu - unique, cinnamon like flavor non alcoholic drinks: seasonal shrub, barley palmer read more

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Went to this place for a birthday celebration. Parking: pay street parking or you can park at Amazon obidos/Rufus parking garage. Free parking after 4pm weekdays, all day on weekend. Reservation: opentable. Cc required to reserve. Dresscode : jeans and totally relax attire Restroom: men and women restrooms. Kinda smell funky. We ordered: Paju Fried Rice - Squid Ink, Kimchi, Bacon, Smoked Quail Egg $27 = 7/10 *perfect texture of the fried rice. Cauliflower - Almond, Sesame Seed, Mint $19 = 8/10 *beautiful charred Dry Aged New York Steak 14oz - Served With Our Seasonal Banchan $58 = 5/10 *it is because it was cooked well done, and the server didn't even ask us how we would like our Steak cook. Branzino Gui - served With Our Seasonal Banchan $51 = 5/10 *it tasted burned and overcooked, it was dry Seafood Jeon - perilla Leaves, Bonito Flakes $27 =3/10 *it was super oily, I think they dip fried it, we cannot taste any seafood or any substances. Mushroom -Parmesan, White Kimchi, Truffle Aioli $23 = 8/10 *we like it, great flavour Octopus - Dashima Beurre Blanc, Smoked Trout Roe, Yuja $27 = 8/10 *crispy on the outside, tender inside Yellowtail - Naengmyeon Broth, Lemon Verbena, Turnip $24 = 7/10 *refreshing Bingsu - Sujeonggwa, Ginger Cream, Misugaru $11 = 5/10 *kinda taste like hot tamale candy Barley Palmer - Boricha Tea, Yuja, Spakling Water $10 Overall it's ok. Service is not the friendliest. And again the server doesn't even ask about how we would like our Steak done. Disappointed. read more

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Modern Korean done beautifully, located in South Lake Union. Outstanding dry aged steaks, cooked over open flame. Get the Paju squid ink fried rice and roasted cauliflower. Excellent cocktails. Menu is well organized and features a few standouts in each category. Will definitely back for the bulgogi and seafood pancakes. Fantastic service. Love the vibes. Staff is passionate about Korean cuisine and knows their food inside out. read more

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Delicious food, great service, amazing ambience! Love the fun, cozy vibes of Paju with its open kitchen and wood-fired grill. I went for dinner with a friend and it was perfectly enough food for 2. The following was ordered and ranked! - Gochujang Margs (8/10) their most popular cocktail - Yellowtail (10/10) delicious naengmyeon broth with lemon verbena & turnips - Seafood Jeon (10/10) super crispy, great seasoning, light and batter not too heavy - Paju Fried Rice (9/10) squid ink, bacon, kimchi fried rice was amazing - Dry Aged Painted Hills Farm Ribeye Steak (9/10) cooked to perfection, comes with tasty banchan - Bingsu (10/10) super light, great way to end a meal, ginger cream complimented the sujeonggwa and misugaru Meal came out to $300 for two (plus a glass of Syrah wine) and it was absolutely delicious. I highly recommend taking your date to Paju to try contemporary Korean cuisine! read more

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If you have not started a "Visit Seattle" list, THIS is your reason to. Paju is in the thick of the tech district of Seattle with a glowing view of the Google logo and a stone's throw from Amazon. The vibe inside is intimate, modern, and immaculate. In addition to several adult libations, there are a handful of non-alcoholic cocktails on the menu, which always gets a restaurant extra praise from me. The servers were incredibly knowledgeable about the menu and the specific ingredients within each dish. We had an allergy at our table and the servers were able to steer us in the right direction without having to ask the kitchen. First, get the Yellowtail and make sure you have all the broth it comes in. They give you a spoon for a reason! Second, don't freak out about the octopus. If you have never had it before, this is a perfect place to try it. It's smokey and slightly crispy on the outside due to the wood-fired grill they use to cook it, and beautifully tender on the inside. It's served with a citrusy beurre blanc sauce and adorned with smoked trout roe (think savory popping boba). The cauliflower was tender and had a nice char that nicely added to the flavor in addition to the creamy almond sesame sauce. I knew the ribeye with banchan was going to be my choice before I even got there. It did NOT disappoint. As if the meal could not get any better, the piece de resistance for me was the Bingsu. A bowl of sheer joy that started with a delicate cinnamon snow and crunchy puffed rice pieces for added textural complexity AND flavor. Dig to the base which was the lightest cream that was not quite mousse, not quite foam. A spoonful of all of the components of the dessert was pure transcendence. They are known for this dessert and it is earned, It is clear the chef and owner leaves his heart and soul on your plate. His passion for food and culinary art shines in every bite you take. This place should be on a Michelin watch list, no question. read more

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Paju was just ok for me. I literally didn't even know this place existed until a recent team lunch. The dinner menu looks way better, as the lunch menu is quite small with just a few options. The interior vibe is modern and feels lux, but the food wasn't anything special. I got the bibimbap with bulgogi and while it looked good, the bulgogi was very bland. I was expecting some punch of sweet/savory and it just didn't deliver. The veggies were fresh, but overall, the dish fell flat for me, even with the addition of some gochujang and some extra kimchi to try and add some flavor. The chicken wings were decent, if not enormous. I personally hate super giant wings, but the soy garlic reigned supreme over the sweet chili flavor. Yelp reviews for their dinner menu make me feel like one should skip lunch here and go for dinner instead. read more

Most people come to Paju for dinner, but don't sleep on the lunch menu! I've eaten here a few times and have tried the Poke bowl, Seolleongtang, Fried chicken, and Kimbap. The poke bowl is the star of the show! It comes with lots of lightly marinated tuna and salmon, veggie toppings, and a bed of rice; the flavors are perfectly balanced, and the portions are just right. The Seolleongtang is savory and delicious, served with plenty of sliced beef and chewy glass noodles. I don't know if they changed the beef recently, but it is not as soft as it used to be, which is a bummer. The salt level tastes good, but I always end up thirsty after having this soup, so keep that in mind if you're sensitive to salt. The fried chicken is crispy and tasty! The kimbap is good as well, pretty average to other Korean restaurants I've tried. read more

Paju - Poke bowl - Korean Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Drinks: Started with the Paju Vesper; balanced, smooth, not too strong. The Jasmine Spritz was a favorite; bright, lemony, and super refreshing. Oysters: Perfect acidity from the vinegar, complemented the fresh oyster beautifully. The gochujang added sweetness, though a touch overpowering. Octopus: Perfectly cooked; tender, flavorful, and full of umami. The citrus beurre blanc and herbs made it well balanced. Cauliflower: Perfect char with smoky bitterness balanced by creamy almond and mint. Grated tri-color cauliflower on top made for a fun presentation. Fried Rice: Creative with squid ink. Smelled incredible but needed a bit more salt for punch. Standard kimchi fried rice. Branzino: Flaky and tender with crispy skin. Banchan paired nicely; not a fan of beets personally, but overall great dish. Service: Very friendly and great staff. Slight delay in spacing between 2 dishes, but great service overall. read more

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I was in Seattle for a half-day seminar, and this restaurant was near my hotel. I checked reviews on Yelp and Google, and looked at the recommendations on Eater, and all of them had high praise for Paju. So naturally, I got reservations. We arrived for our dinner reservation on time, and were immediately seated. The space is quite nice, but what really stands out is the stack of firewood near the entrance. It looks a little out of place until you find out they use a wood-fire grill to cook. We ended up sampling the following: - Little Gem: Good. Sort of like an easy-to-eat version of a Caesar Salad. It was inventive, and a good starter. - Octopus: Excellent. This was another level. They managed to make sear the edges to give it a nice crusty texture, but the centre was still tender, and the beurre blanc and roe was incredible. Fine-dining quality dish. - Mushroom: Very good. Magic combination of mushroom, cheese and white kimchi. - Bugak: Very good. Tasted as good as it looked. Another great inventive dish. - Paju Fried Rice: Excellent. When I thought I've had fried rice in every way possible, I didn't think there would be another way to deliver it. I was wrong. They did. It tasted or felt like nothing I've had before, and I loved it. - Ribeye: Excellent. Preparation is perfect, and outdoes most steakhouses. Perfect crust full of flavour. Perfectly even medium-rare. Banchan was very good too. - Bingsu: Very good. Again, a different take on a common Korean dish. It's creamier, and has bits of ginger that makes every bite pop. Impressive. - Basque Cheesecake: Very good. One of the lighter Basque cheesecakes I've had. The cabbage kimchi seems off-putting, but it works. Service was very good. We were helped by two people with very different personalities. Once was more traditional - very polite and professional. The other was quirky, and had a fun sense of humour. They definitely contrasted, but thought they were both equally good. Overall, an excellent meal. Excellent and creative food, great service, all at a fairly reasonable cost. I'm already planning my next reservation when I return to Seattle. read more

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Overall it didn't deliver on our expectations. The food was good but not great. With a party of 6, we nearly ordered everything on the menu. Service was great but and if I was coming here to snack and drink, it might have been better. We came to eat and left saying it was just ok. Kinda expensive for just ok. read more

My friend and I went to Paju on a Thursday night. I made reservations for 2 at 6pm. One of the waitress is really sassy and likes to crack jokes. I'm not really into it but sure. Happy hour ends at 6 so my friend who got to Paju early was able to secure some happy hour dishes, some of the dishes are HH exclusives. We got the meat and rice bowl and the cheesy corn for HH and then we just got the yellowtail small plate from the main menu. Everything was fine, nothing crazy. Average nice, expensive restaurant in South Lake Union. It started to get busy after we left. It came out to $42 per person for just those 3 items. read more

Paju - Yellowtail in the front, cheesy corn, and some meat bowl - Korean Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Reviewing again because their lunch menu is great. The bibimbap is tasty and has plenty of vegetables and great texture (chewy, crunch, soft, etc). The new beef noodle dish, seolleongtang, is like pho (I say this as a Viet person) but... cleaner? It's a very comforting and warm dish with a generous portion. The fried chicken is also delicious. Priced are very reasonable for such an elevated and yummy midday meal. Bingsoo is a must, every time. Plenty of space for walking in on a weekday. Street parking was a little harder to find, but I assume most people walk here from the surrounding area. read more

The interior is good. The street view and some SLU is good. The environment is nice. The staff was polite and nice. The quantity of food was good. But the taste was ok. Mushroom was decent/good. Not great Paju fried rice was just ok. Honey Bee was good in taste; but not worth the $$ FYI, there is 3% service fee. And for party of 5 there is a service charge of 20%. And ALL 20% IS KEPT BY THE HOUSE. NOTHING for the staff. read more

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Paju is a nice happy hour spot in South Lake Union area. Flavorwise I would say everything is very cohesive and it's a nice modern take on korean food. It definitely has that upscale feel to the food. The portion sizes are smaller shareable bites. They are really good at balancing textures and flavors in their dishes. I would definitely say to expect to spend a little bit more since they're shareable plates. Staff: nice (4/5) Sanitation status: (5/5) Paju Fried Rice (5/5) The fried rice was good. It had a nice squid ink flavor and the raw yolk added a nice touch when you mix it in. Octopus (5/5) The octopush was phenominal. The yogurt sauce that went with it with saltiness of the fish roe was amazing. It was grilled quite nice and had a good char on it. We ordered this again, it was a table favorite. Seafood Jeon (5/5) The seafood Jeon was interesting it had the sauce and toppings you would normally see in an okonomiyaki. It was good and savory and had a good amount of seafood. Mushrooms (5/5) The mushrooms were divine with a fine heaping of cheese. They were sauteed quite nicely and had carmelized flavor. I would definitely order this the next time I come back but I am a big mushroom and cheese fan. Pork and Pears (5/5) This dish was really good the pork was caramelized and came with some breadcrumbs to add more textures. It was sweet and savory and could be paired with a crisp pear. It was such a good balance of flavors. read more

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I had this place on my list of to try and was happy that I had the opportunity to visit. Overall the food was good, however I wasn't thrilled about the cocktails. The one thing that I really enjoyed was the squid ink fried rice. We came on a Friday night without reservations but the place wasn't busy at all. Service was ok. read more

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I've been there 2x with co workers, both for dinner and happy hour. Happy hour was great, lots to choose from and the drinks were delicious. We sat facing the kitchen on a bar table so we saw the dishes that were coming out and ordered more food because the dishes that were coming out looked so good! read more

Paju is a city located in northern part of South Korea. It is also a lovely restaurant in Seattle that serves modern Korean food. We are lucky to have such a place to eat in Seattle. Bill the chef and owner worked at the two Michelin star restaurant called Junsik in NYC. I've been there at least 5 times. His experience and creativity shows in the food artistry and quality. The dishes are unique but has the essence of some traditional Korean dishes and ingredients in a new modern way. I finally got to try them in their new location. I don't know why I waited so long. The new location is beautiful and much bigger than their previous location in Queen Anne. This is how I like to eat, small shareable dishes. It's a must place to eat in Seattle. Really we are lucky to have this place in our city. read more

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Saving a star for full dining. dropped in a few nights ago was going to an event and needed to waste sometime so ordered a couple items off the happy hour menu. The cheesy corn and I asked the bartender what the popular drink was she suggested the vesper. She also suggested the house-made rice chips to go with the corn. Everything was delicious corn comes out piping hot and sizzling in a cast iron pan. the vesper was a beautifully balanced cocktail ice cold would definitely get that one again and was $2 during HH. I dealt mostly with the bartender during my visit can't say enough about the service friendly helpful and didn't make me feel rushed but still attentive. The space is beautiful, very open lots of windows. Much of the final touches to dishes are done in an open area in front of house which is cool to see. Excited to visit with a group pf people to try more of the menu and have an actual dinner. read more

Paju - Veper on Happy Hour Menu - Korean Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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My husband and I recently celebrated our anniversary at Paju, and it was a fantastic experience from beginning to end. We reserved through the Capital One restaurant portal, which required a $60 deposit, but it was refunded after the meal. We were seated right away and welcomed with a complimentary glass of champagne for booking through Capital One. A lovely surprise was the custom-printed menus that wished us a happy anniversary, such a thoughtful touch! The food was the real star of the night. We've dined at Michelin-starred restaurants abroad, and honestly, this came very close in terms of flavor, technique, and presentation. We enjoyed every single dish, which is rare! - The Hama Hama oysters had a creamy richness and paired beautifully with the rice vinegar mignonette. - The yellowtail was bright, light, and refreshing. - The oxtail Bugak (like a Korean taco using seaweed as the shell) was flavorful and inventive, the mushrooms on top were a great addition. - The Paju fried rice was light yet packed with flavor, not greasy or heavy like most fried rice dishes. - The branzino was outstanding ! Perfectly deboned and served with a variety of banchan that made each bite feel different and exciting. While the drinks weren't the highlight for me, they were still good and interesting, we tried the sesame negroni and the jasmine spritz. Dessert was a nice finish, I especially enjoyed the barley ice cream (more than the bingsu), and it even inspired me to try making something similar at home! Service was friendly and attentive, and while the dinner felt special and elevated, I'd say the pricing was reasonable, average for a nicer restaurant. Highly recommend Paju for a date night, celebration, or just a solid upscale Korean fusion experience. We'll definitely be back! read more

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I really wanted to love Paju and rave about it, but I must admit it is not more than a good restaurant. You should still go, and I may be back one day, but I think it has potential to be amazing, and there were moments during the meal where it was. They were less frequent than moments where it was just good. The selection of Makgeoli is really exciting, than interestingly only from NYC - we had some and it was great, though I would expect more from Korea, not just Brooklyn...maybe I missed something. The service was kind and caring, but not overly professional - which was nice, but also didn't make or break the meal. We were some of the last to leave the restaurant and didn't feel rushed, which is always important. We ordered a lot of food, and much of it was really good, but the best dish was the steak - the dry aged ribeye. OMG that was good. I could eat that for days! The squid ink fried rice is a dish that everyone talks about - and it's good - but it's not like really really great, it's just good, maybe an egg bigger than the quail egg would help with that! The oxtail tacos were oooh so good, and I could have eaten more, I'm sad I didn't. The beef tartare just fine, I wish it was better. The little gem salad s nice and healthy, and the calufilower really beyond fine. Again, I think this is a spot with potential, but it's not living up to it right now! read more

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A Korean fusion restaurant with a nice ambiance that could work well for a date, but unfortunately, the food just didn't deliver for us. Service was a little slow, and to start, they were out of the yellowtail appetizer we originally wanted. We ended up ordering the squid ink fried rice and the Paju crispy pancake. The fried rice was overcooked, dry, and bland. The pancake resembled more of an okonomiyaki, especially with the bonito flakes on top, but it was drenched in a heavy sauce that didn't taste great and left the whole dish soggy. Given the strong reviews, we were disappointed with our experience. Maybe we caught an off day. read more

Paju - Squid Ink Fried Rice - Korean Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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We had great dinner there, the restaurant felt warm and welcoming. The lights were soft, and there was a nice quiet and enjoying their meals. It felt like a good spot for both a date night and get together with fam and friends. It was fresh and soft, and the flavor was so good. We had Beef Tartare and tried the Squid Ink Fried rice. It looked so rich, and the taste was deep a little salty. The truffe bulgogi was really good. The beef was very tender, and the truffle smell made it special. Every bite was full of flavors. The service was fast and everything came out in good order. read more

Very good service and this new location is beautiful. This is really a place to come hungry and work your way through the menu to try it all. I'll need to make some more visits but my favorite dishes so far were the cauliflower and fried rice. read more

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Boyfriend booked Paju's Valentine's dinner after looking at the menu so color him surprised when we arrive that night and the menu is different featuring items he's allergic to! Paju's staff did their best to accommodate which I can appreciate but why change without communication? We were able to have the chef replace a key main and with another dish, but I was also a little put off by the fact that they gave us an ultimatum to either continue with the menu or substitute for both of us. Why would we choose an option that he can't eat? I do understand that the question was asked out of courtesy but it was unnecessary. Just tell us that both of us will be accommodated for the allergy. Regardless, the menu was studded with some true gems that were absolutely dreamy like that caviar and egg amuse, the foie gras pearl barley, our off-menu dry aged ribeye, and the proper chocolate soufflé! Each dish had a kiss of Korean or Asian flair but I would say that most preparation did lean French so keep that in mind if you were expecting some of the stronger Korean flavors to show up. All in all, the experience was intimate, elevated, and still a treat despite the snafu. I would definitely be interested in coming back to Paju someday to try their regular menu. read more

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I am Korean and I love seeing elevated Korean food restaurants and love to support them! I had two places in mind and decided to give Paju a try for my mom's birthday trip to Seattle. It was a Friday night around 6PM, to my surprise it was a bit quiet. We were seated right away, I was also very surprised to see that the chef was greeting guests, it's a pleasant surprise! Disappointingly, I didn't feel like we were very welcomed in the restaurant, just ... cold and quiet HAHA onto the food! Octopus: My friend recommended I try this dish and it was delicious. The octopus was cooked nicely, the dashima beurre blanc *chef's kiss* almost licked the dish Hamachi Crudo with Nengmyun broth: I was debating between this dish and the steak tartare; with a little encouragement from the server we decided on the yellowtail and I am glad I did! It was a very familiar taste but with unfamiliar combinations? The nengmyun broth and yellowtail harmoniously balanced each other; not one overwhelming the other. Mushrooms: I do not care what you say this is by far the BEST FREAKING thing I ate in Seattle. Please keep in mind this is my review and this is my opinion hehe I LOVED everything about this dish. Literally a flavor festival inside your mouth. Really enjoyed the kimchi inside that gave a punch of tang. I .. took it togo to eat it at the hotel ... HAHHA Bugak: I think this is a dish that can be loved by everybody. Korean elevated taco hehehe Duck Special: This was not on the menu but was a special that night. The good was that the duck was cooked to perfection, it was pink with the skin nicely grilled and not chewy. It also came with a small side of duck...wellington? duck tarte? THAT was delicious! This dish comes with a few side banchans. Bingsu: I ... want to bring home a TUB of that ginger cream. Dear lawd I was so full but I couldn't stop eating it, I can bathe in that ginger cream HAHA Overall it was a great dinner. I'm not familiar with the history of Paju but it was just shy of perfection. Not sure what it was, everything was good and the restaurant was pretty but something was... off. We did get two glasses of wine, maybe I should've tried their cocktails. read more

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One of my favorite restaurants in Seattle! We came here twice for New Years Eve and birthday celebration, and the food was consistently amazing! I think this place has the best Korean fusion food out of Seattle, LA, SF, and NY. We loved the braised short rib nori taco and sujebi bolognese. The short rib was so tender and flavorful - it is very expensive for the portion, but we got it during both of our visits with no regrets. Sujebi bolognese has such a unique texture from the sujebi - i would say it is not the same texture as traditional sujebi, but more like rice cake texture that soaks up the delicious sauce. We also loved their special, which was perilla truffle noodles - an elevated take on the Korean traditional perilla makgguksu. Their bingsoo dessert is a perfect way to end the meal - very light and refreshing! I think the service could be more friendly but with this kind of food, it doesn't bother me. The place is darkly lit, cozy, and clean. I'd save this for a special occasion! read more

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absolutely loved this place! definitely go and enjoy, you won't be disappointed. unique flavors combos and such attention to detail in every aspect... cooking, plating, tasting. if you sit at the chefs table (bar top) you can see majority of the cooking (aside from the fryers in the back) and it's so cool. they also have a wood fire grill there too for their steaks and fish items. we tried the yellowtail, bugak, beef tartare, octopus, and hama hama oysters. everything was SO good and i can't wait to go back. it was every bit you close your eyes good. the yellowtail (hamachi) was so pretty came displayed as a rose i didn't want to eat it. the bugak was delicious.. basically a sushi hand roll rice then oxtail mushrooms and crispy sunchokes on top. the beef tartare was delicious had the cutest dollops of crème fraiche and all the pieces of mint (i believe) were all aligned OCD straight and the nori sheets you get here chef makes himself it's crazy. the "ice cream" is more like a shaved ice aka sno cone with barley flavor but it's very light and surprisingly delicious. the octopus is delicious it is so tender and heaven in each bite i couldn't get over the textured crispness of the octopus suction cups but tender meat on the inside.. and that combo was so good. hama hama oysters are always good, it's so fresh and they're local. i have gone to the farm multiple times myself even tho it's 2 hours away. the chef is so so nice too. a nice korean guy who just loves to share his love for food with others. they also have fancy cocktails with unique spins.. the cocktail i had was topped with sesame oil and it was friggen delicious. read more

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I don't often like fusion/re-imagined Korean food. I find that it's not often well executed or it just doesn't fit my palate. But Paju was such a delightful dining experience that it made me open to re-exploring cuisines like this. I think the octopus and the squid ink fried rice was good but not standout. The squid ink fried rice was flavorful, mainly tasted of the seaweed garnish, and surprisingly large in portion. My favorites were the beef tartare and the sujebi. The beef tartare had a surprisingly light flavor that, creamy and slightly sweet, which paired well with the deep umami flavor of the crispy seaweed. I felt that the sujebi mixed different elements together successfully. The crunchiness of the garnish w/ the chewiness of the sujebi. The meatiness of the bolognese w: the freshness of the pear. I couldn't stop eating this dish. I'd like to come back to try some of their other dishes and maybe reorder some of the dishes again. read more

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We came to Paju on a Friday at around 4:45 just in time before Happy Hour ended at 5p. We ordered off the happy hour menu and had an excellent experience. I started with the margarita and it was fantastic. Roasted Corn Chicken Wings Truffle Bulgogi The roasted Corn was delicious and cheesey. The Chicken Wings were pretty good. The Truffle Bulgogi was awesome and great quantity. The staff was attentive and friendly. read more

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We reserved a chef's counter table and despite being seated next to another couple I felt like we had a good amount of space for private and relaxed conversation. Interior had a good romantic ambiance and staff were friendly. For drinks we got some cocktails (spritz and vesper) - both of which were delicious! The cocktails did not have an overly strong alcohol taste profile which is exactly my preference. For appetizers we got the oyster and octopus. Oysters were delicious, fresh and paired well with the vinegar sauce, but the gochujang sauce was good but not my preference. The grilled octopus was glorious - cooked well, tender and not rubbery, and the bright, herby, creamy sauce balanced the octopus and salty roe well. Next we had the squid ink fried rice. Don't get me wrong - it does taste good - but I was not necessarily blown away by it. The grilled cauliflower was delicious, though I thought the dish could have used a smidge more salt, but the bitterness of the char balances well with the almond cream sauce. Finally we ended with the branzino and accompanying banchan. The branzino was excellent - crispy skin and flaky meat. For banchan we received kimchi, eggplant (YUM), beets (not a fan) and organge slices. We decided to skip dessert because we were so full from our meal! read more

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We went for a week night dinner- we were greeted and seated right away! Place is on the smaller side with an open kitchen concept w soft warm lights, making the place sophisticated yet cozy! We ordered: 1) Beef tartare: I loved this dish despite other reviews. I thought the beef tartare paired very well with the garnishes and the fried seaweed chips. 2) Seafood jeon: this had a touch of Japanese- style dish and we absolutely loved the pairing of the two cuisines! Every bite was soft and crunchy at the same time and very flavorful 3) squid ink fried rice: loved the twist to a classic dish! read more

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The service was great and it was a really pretty and chic dinning room to eat in. We came pretty early and made a reservation at 4pm, though we probably didn't need it for earlier than 5 or 6. The food and drinks were very tasty and pretty unique. The food is on the pricier side but I'd say the portions are pretty good. We would come back for a special occasion for sure. read more

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This place is for sure a must try and I wouldn't be surprised if they got a Michelin star in the future if it comes to Seattle. Usually fusion can lose its way but Paju manages to keep the heart of each dish while putting their twist on it. Everything was amazing from start to finish. And when the squid ink fried rice wasn't even the top star dishes we had while still being a favorite and enjoyable, that definitely says something. The pictures speak for themselves, definitely try it for yourself. It's going to be expensive but worth the money. During the warm summer, a must have would be the yellowtail which is so refreshing and the octopus which was cooked perfectly and still light enough for you to enjoy your other dishes. I've had plenty of branzino and I appreciate them deboning it and presenting it the way they did. You must try each bite with a banchan, it makes each bite so unique. My stomach went to bed happy that night. Thanks for making our anniversary dinner memorable!! read more

Cozy spot with a creative Korean menu of plates made for sharing. Presentations are pretty. Sesame negroni was nicely balanced and I was a fan of the Paju fried rice and mushroom medley even though I don't care for truffle. The cauliflower was not my fave, but don't miss the banana milk ice cream- it's fantastic. Staff was great about answering questions about the menu, guiding us on the amount of food to order, and making adjustments to the plating to keep dairy on the side. Go with a group that likes to share. read more

Made a reservation for a business meeting here for their newly open patio. Check out their well done IG, and for sure do a reservation. During your reservation, there's a hold on the cc that's charged per person and will be released as a refund back you when you check in for your reservation. This place is in front of a major bus lines and you can hop on mass transit easily. Customer service was spot on here, our party had both a dairy allergy and shellfish allergy and they were so kind and friendly with our allergies. We had; Drinks JASMINE SPRITZ GOCHUJANG MARGARITA PAJU VESPER Food YELLOWTAIL HAMA HAMA OYSTERS And the half Duck special. Drinks were light and refreshing and complimented the flavors. Presentation was so pretty that we didn't even want to dig into the yellowtail for breaking it up. Duck was the special for the night and had turducken vibes. Overall, a lovely dinner experience to have a business dinner at. read more

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Really good food! The restaurant has a nice ambiance with great staff that's kind and very helpful. We ordered the octopus dish, the cauliflower, the squid ink fried rice and the dry aged rib-eye. Everything was very beautifully plated but my favorite dishes were the fire roasted cauliflower and the rib-eye with 'banchan'. read more

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First time dining here and the service was pretty good and food was tasty. We started off with a glass of makgeolli and it was a pretty decent pour for $9. For dinner, we ordered the little gem, beef tartare, octopus, cauliflower, and fried rice. Definitely skip the little gem - the lettuce didn't taste fresh at all and it was overdressed I'd come back for the octopus and cauliflower - both dishes where the main ingredient was the star and everything else on the plate complemented it. Beef tartare was ok. Beautiful presentation but the smoked cheese overpowered the beef. I wanted to taste the beef more. Paju fried rice was a bit of a letdown. It was unique but taste wasn't anything to rave about. It could've used some protein in it. read more

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I called up Paju in order to make a reservation for a team dinner because you are only allowed to make reservations for up to 6 people online. I needed a reservation for 18. Even though they normally don't take groups over 8 people, Paju worked with me and helped me to make a reservation for 3 tables of 6 that would be close together in order for our team to be able to experience the restaurant and its delicious food. Originally, I had scheduled this meeting for late August but due to some happenings at the office, we had to make a relatively last minute change to the reservation to bring it up to August 5th. They were able to help me immediately and were wonderful to work with. You do need to pay a deposit in order to hold your reservation but this is refunded to you when you arrive at the restaurant. On the day of, they were actually able to bring tables together and seat us all together at one long table which was wonderful since originally we thought we would be split amongst 3. The food and service was absolutely amazing, we split a variety of different dishes including the "chips and dip," cauliflower, seafood jeon, paju fried rice, little gem, mushroom mix, truffle bulgogi rice bowls, and bulgogi seaweed hand roll. All of the food was amazing, even things that would generally be considered quite humble, like the cauliflower. I was amazed at how delicious it tasted and now I want to start cooking with it myself! The drinks were lovely as well. Something else that is very cool about Paju is you can actually see the kitchen (or at least a part of it) from the dining room which is something I appreciate. It makes the experience more homey since you can see the beginning to end of your dishes. Paju is definitely on the more expensive side of restaurants in the SLU area. But it is worth it. You can tell from the quality of the service, ambiance of the restaurant, and deliciousness of the food. I am very glad for the recommendation from my team to make a reservation here, it was worth it! read more

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