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I originally went to Paju back in 2019, when they were in their old, smaller location. I wanted to try it again, since it had been a few years since I visited Seattle. I enjoyed it the first time I had it, so why not give it another whirl? I'm glad I tried it again! The new restaurant looks modern and cozy. It's quite the glow up from the previous location! I arrived shortly after opening (around 5:15 PM) and it was fairly quiet inside. I did have a reservation, but I don't think it is necessary if you come right at opening, or shortly after. I think there were only a few patrons, but it started filling up a lot more during the course of my meal. By 6:30, the tables were all filling up. Service was attentive, kind, and professional. Paju has the chops of a fine dining establishment and all signs should lead you to believe that it is, including the price point. I think it's accurate to consider it so. As far as the food goes, I thought everything was lovely! I enjoyed the flavors of everything I ordered. The Honey Bee was more viscous than I thought it would be, but I felt the thicker, syrupy type of consistency did feel more honey-like. That was interesting. The Chips & Dip were fantastic. Lots of flavor here. The dip is good, but the rice cracker/chip was delicious and tasty completely on its own as well. I had the Paju Fried Rice the first time I visited and it was just as good, if not better, than when I had it years ago. I think the plating is better and the portion seems bigger? Good nonetheless. I closed out the meal with the Lychee Sorbet, since I wanted something light. I quite enjoyed the flavor of it! It felt light, refreshing, and not too strong on the lychee flavor. I think it was a good way to end the meal. I'd recommend this, if you didn't want something heavy. It feels like a great summer dessert option. If Paju is in your price range, you like Korean food, or are looking for a nice date night, I think you'd be happy with the dining experience here. If the Michelin Guide covered Seattle, I have no doubts that Paju would be in it. It does, however, have recognition from Eater, and rightfully so in my opinion.
This place hit all the marks for an upscale dining experience I wish more places could offer! The sophisticated ambiance, knowledgable staff, beautiful presentation and outstanding food. I went on a weekday evening and was able to walk in without a reservation and the host sat my party immediately. The space has an industrial vibe, minimal decorations and an open kitchen in the dining area with another kitchen hidden in the back. We started off with a gochujang margarita which had a little spice but the flavor of the gochujang got lost and I couldn't really distinguish it. The NY Tiki Time cocktail was a stunner, the flavors of the citrus, pandan and rum blended smoothly together. I had to take a photo when the drinks arrived. For the apps we ordered the yellowtail and octopus. The presentation really was remarkable and well plated. The yellowtail was in between layer of thinly cut turnip that had a lemon verbena component to it. It was shaped into a flower and placed on a plate in naengmyeon broth. The octopus was tender and in a delicious cream sauce with some roe as decoration. For the mains we got the squid fried rice with kimchi, bacon, smoked quail egg. We also ordered the branzino gui with seasonal vegetables. Both were well seasoned and tasty but I think I enjoyed our drinks and appetizers the most. The staff were slow and intentional with their service and no one seemed in a frantic hurry. The tone of the place was calm and none of our servers gave off an overly pretentious attitude (my biggest gripe with fine dining). Will most definitely come back as soon as possible and can't recommend enough.
I've been in the restaurant industry practically my entire life. I've eaten at Michelin starred restaurants, cooked in Michelin starred kitchens, drank beer and eaten fish eyes with David Chang when he first opened Ssäm Bar in NYC (RIP), and even cooked for Guy Fieri and his wife in Little Italy. He told me I made the best Cavatelli al Rapini he'd ever had. So trust me when I say I know food better than the back of my hand. This place is rare. I stumbled in because it looked frufru and right up my alley, but it's everything you'd expect from those celebrity chef, Michelin Guide, eyeball eating experiences, without an ounce of the pretentiousness. The entire team is humble, soft spoken, and unbelievably talented. My server, Stella, gave phenomenal recommendations and made for genuinely great conversation. You can tell everyone here is passionate and actually gives a f%#k. That's becoming incredibly rare in this industry, where too many chefs are chasing their next award and too many servers are chasing their next paycheck. If you have something to celebrate, a first date to impress, or just need an excuse to treat yourself, make a reservation here. And whatever you do, don't you dare leave without ordering the oxtail or the tartare. Outstanding job.
Dinner from late 2025 Paju in South Lake Union is slick. That is the first word that comes to mind thinking back to this meal. There is elevated, and then there is Paju-elevated. I dislike the more common 'elevated' where a restaurant makes changes such as swapping meat cuts from traditional recipes to something wagyu without any added thought or creativity in the process. Not at Paju. They are Koreans elevating Korean dishes. The dishes are refined and well-honed. Their creativity shows they know what they are doing. Plating is thoughtful. The restaurant itself is modernly elegant, great for date nights. Note the restaurant is quiet and elegant; perhaps they have a private room for loud celebrations. Staff was helpful with my questions. Food was available in a timely manner. The Food: Octopus, $27 - 5 Stars Served with smoked trout roe and dashima beurrie blanc sauce, this dish is visually attractive and absolutely delicious! One of our top dishes of the night. Paju Fried Rice, $27 - 4 Stars Cooked with kimchi, bacon, squid ink, and quail egg, this dish is one of their most popular dishes. I find squid ink to have a subtle earthy type of sea-umami flavor. The bacon and kimchi are a touch stronger in this combination. It's a good dish, but amongst our five dishes, this one ranked the lowest. Mushrooms, $23 - 5 Stars Served with parmesan cheese shaved so thin it's translucent, white kimchi, and truffle aioli, this dish is the bomb! Excellent for the mushroom lovers, it might convert mushroom haters, too. Lol. Another top dish of the night. Branzino Gui, $51 - 4 Stars Served with four banchan, this dish stands out for its execution - impeccably grilled and plated. The fish is very tender and perfectly cooked. I do think it is a bit plain for the price. Branzino is fairly common in different parts of the world. Ranked 4th for the night. Duck - 5 Stars Duck breast is served with a slice of duck and pistachio pastry plus four banchan. The duck is super tender. The pastry is clever utilizing other bits of duck meat. The simple sauce is very important, adding flavor to the pastry. Also delicious.
My daughter made a reservation at this upscale Korean fusion restaurant three days in advance to celebrate my son's graduation. My son had dined here last year and highly recommended it, while it had also been on my daughter's list of places to try, so it felt like the perfect choice for the occasion. As soon as we walked in, my son noticed that the restaurant looked different from what he remembered. The staff told us they had recently moved to a new location, which features a more spacious, modern, and elegant interior. We started with the Yellowtail and Octopus, followed by the Mushroom and Paju Fried Rice to share, and finished with the Dry-Aged Painted Hills Farm Ribeye as our main course. It may sound like a lot of food, but the portions are on the smaller side, and we finished everything without any leftovers. Every dish was packed with umami flavor. The Yellowtail was delicate and refreshing, while the octopus was perfectly cooked--smoky, tender, and incredibly fresh. The mushroom dish was rich and flavorful, and the ribeye was cooked to the perfect level of tenderness. The Paju Fried Rice was another standout, generously infused with squid ink flavor in every bite. Overall, we had a wonderful evening celebrating my son's graduation. The food was thoughtfully prepared, the atmosphere was stylish, and the service complemented the experience well. As expected from a modern Korean fusion restaurant, the portions are relatively small and the prices are on the higher side, so it's probably a place we'd save for special occasions rather than everyday dining.
This place was reccomend by a local friend so I decided to have my birthday celebration dinner here with my girlfriend. Honest take: it's really just okay for the price point and the luxury perspective. Don't get me wrong, the food was good but nothing was outstanding. Our favorite was definitely the beef tartare and the squid ink fried rice. The menu was sparse of entree options. Ambiance was dark and cool. Great for a romantic setting especially with their windows. Service was just okay - was really weird getting the free birthday cake as they seemed to tried to point us towards a paid dessert option instead. Overall: was good but wouldn't consider coming here again.
Went here again after a few years, and glad to see the food is still as amazing as it was last time. Octopus and mushrooms were cooked perfectly, as was the fried rice which still remains our favorite on the menu. Enjoyed seeing the steak being flamed right in front of us...will have try that next time. Love the new bigger location! Service was impeccable
What a lovely way to enjoy food! This restaurant atmosphere is pretty bland and industrial itself, but I do like the floor to ceiling windows that surround the dining area so you get plenty of sunlight. Service was good; our water glasses were always full and we didn't have to wait long for the food to arrive. My favorite dishes of the night were the duck special and yellowtail appetizer. The beef tartare and Paju rice were good too, but not that special compared to the other dishes. I look forward to returning for their other seasonal specials!
Very good food that provided a unique experience amidst so many good restaurants out there. Enjoyed everything I tried! My favorite was the squid ink fried rice. It was so savory. The octopus was very tender. The oxtail hand rolls were very delicious too. The restaurant is smaller and quiet which was nice. The service was great.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Taste Rating: 10/10 Overall Rating: 10/10 Verdict: My new favorite spot in Seattle. Modern cafe featuring stunning plates based on classic Korean dishes inside a lovely, small nook in Queen Anne. Overall Breakdown: * Flavor: 5/5 * Uniqueness: 5/5 * Value: 5/5 * Ambience: 5/5 * Service: 5/5 Summary: I was extremely impressed by the quality, creativity, and value of the dishes at Paju. The attention to plating, careful incorporation of modern techniques and blend of different cuisines, and strong sense of flavor/texture balance delivered a meal that I would expect of a Michelin star restaurant - yet under $40pp. The smoked butter lettuce was a fantastic take on a little gem salad, incorporating Korean flavors with modern techniques without going over the top. The octopus was cooked to perfection and paired wonderfully with the citrus. The salmon crostini was the perfect bite - the crispy baguette topped with seared fatty salmon contrasted against sweet citrus was delightful. The okonomoyaki was a clever hybrid of the Japanese classic with a Korean seafood pancake. The bulgogi bowl was an interesting take of a Korean classic with a pleasantly unusual texture. The rutabaga tagliatelle was the best vegetable pasta I've ever had. And the squid ink kimchi fried rice was a unique variant of the Korean staple. We were lucky to get a table for 10 last minute with no wait on a Saturday lunch. Service was great. The interior was spotless and well designed to fit the modern theme. Great spot for a date, business meal, hangout with friends, or solo meal to indulge in fantastic food. The menu and portions are small, but this makes it perfect for sharing and evaluating the chef's careful attention to each dish. I cannot wait to dine at Paju again. read more
1 year ago
Paju absolutely blew me away! We found the reservation online because I was craving Korean and I'm so glad we found this place. It is a small restaurant, so I highly recommend a reservation because there was a long line for walk-ins. On top of the great ambiance and service, the food was out of this world! We ordered a wide variety of dishes (all served family-style) and enjoyed every last bite. I recommend the bulgogi, Tteok-Bokki, and "little gems" had great flavor as well. They did have some great wine and cocktails on the menu though we did not try this time. We hope to come back! read more
3 years ago
We heard great things about Paju. When we walked in the place it seemed rather plain. The menu seemed rather limited with 10 shareable items. Since there were 5 of us, we ordered everything! And we loved everything! The service was very attentive. We would definitely recommend this place! read more
3 years ago
Highly recommend! Food, service and ambiance was great. I had the hamachi pear appetizer, refreshing, light, hint of lemon and spice along with the rib eye bulgogi which was an excellent combination if savory and Korean spice. When everything on the menu is great you have to try desert and the chocolate mousse was one of the best I have had. read more
2 years ago
1 year ago
2 years ago
Paju is one of the best residents I have been to recently. The comforting flavors, textural variety in each dish and the balanced plates make this a stand out restaurant in Seattle. The space was quaint and familiar and the staff were willing to answer any questions about the menu and restaurant! A lovely restaurant that is worth every cent! read more
4 years ago
Food is decent and you can taste the quality but it's overpriced. The restaurant has a pretty casual and homey vibe. We were seated quickly and the server explained to us this is a "family style" restaurant and encouraged us to order a few items to share. What we didn't expect is at the avg. price of $20+ per dish, the portion is pathetically small. I probably finished the kimchi rice ($22) in 4 bites. It's a shame because it tasted pretty good, but definitely not mind-blowing enough to justify the price in my opinion. Also, when I think about "family style dining" I assume dishes have large shareable portions and this place definitely isn't it, so I recommend changing the spiel and advertise it truthfully, ie. just say the portions are small. read more
Paju was my absolute meal of the year! I can't say enough good things about the food here - extremely inventive, great flavor, amazing presentation, etc. I came here with my family a few days before Christmas, they were nice enough to allow me to make a reservation for 7. We ordered almost everything on the menu and everything was cooked perfectly. The beef tartare was a stand out as well as the Panu fried rice! read more
I want to give it a 4 stars just because of how expensive each dish was for small portions, but the food was really unique. They took a modern twist on classic korean foods and did an amazing job with it. Each dish was around $15-20 and the portions are quite small (they recommend getting around 2 plates per person). I got the octopus, their new pork belly dish, the fried rice, and the panna cotta. It's a great place to share dishes because they're all so different and the servers were super kind and explained each dish as it came out. The octopus was good and easy to share because of the big pieces. I thought the pork belly would be a bit heavy since it's so fatty but it wasn't at all, it was thinly sliced and paired with a tuna tartare which really cut the fattiness. Lastly, the fried rice is a MUST here. It was so delicious and flavorful and nothing like any fried rice I've ever had. I really enjoyed eating here and even though it is a bit expensive for the amount of food you get, it is a unique experience from the amazing service to the one of a kind dishes. read more
Seen this place all over insta-stories lately and had to make my way out there to give it a try. Overall, I'm not terribly impressed by Paju. Best Korean restaurant in Seattle? That's a stretch. The food is good, but I can't say it's any better than just a solid Korean restaurant you would find in Lynwood or something. The ambience is very nice but maybe a little unfitting/stuffy since the food doesn't blow your socks off. We came on a Friday and we're able to get a table after waiting for 15 min and towards the end if the night there were plenty of tables open. We ordered the salad, fried chicken, yukwhe, oysters, squid fried rice and the bolgolgi. Salad: The salad is definitely really interesting. There is a lot going on in the dish in terms of flavor. The burrrata is very creamy but "clean" and pairs well with the smokey vinegar. The grapes brought in bit of sweetness while the walnut layered in some nuttiness. But the endives, the vessel in which all of this sat on was SO bitter. Too bitter. And it's the bitterness that lingers in your mouth for a bit. I loved the mixture but I would prefer a different perhaps neutral vessel. I was scooping just the mixture into my mouth at the end. Fried Chicken: Solid KFC, great double fry, great crunch and well cooked chicken. But it's not that much better than Stone...Stone might occasionally be better.. The sauce is mediocre. I've had better. Although I dislike SIS chicken now, their sauce is way better. Yukwhe: Probably my least favorite yukwhe that I've had to date. I love Yukwhe or anything that resembles it (tartare, tataki). The meat was too lean and came off a bit stringy, felt extra textured and was overpoweringly sweet. Like think bulgolgi sauce sweet. No sesame oil for nuttiness, no coarse salt or flakes, no egg on top. Just not balanced at all. Oysters: Solid. Loved them. The oysters were fresh, small, plump, had that ocean sweetness, not briney and above all sand-less. The asian pear vinaigrette is awesome. Yasss! Squid Ink Fried Rice: My favorite dish of the night. The depth of flavors .. omg. Absolutely incredible flavors. Well balanced and the texture of the rice was worth me calling over the waiter to ask what kind of rice it was and how they cooked it. Truffle Bulgolgi: Overly sweet, not enough sauce and nothing about the meat or anything stood out. The sauce was too light and it felt like I was eating a Yoshinoya bowl. A Yoshinoya bowl would also only be a quarter of the price...? I do love truffle but I seriously hate it when things try to be extra bougie and expensive via some truffle oil. Overall would not really recommend this place as it's quite pricey and just doesn't deliver (imho) amazing Korean food. Unless you want the atmosphere. Then fine, go and get yourself some fried rice, chicken and oysters. Protip: They have no house chili. Only sriracha sauce. read more
One of my friends claimed this was her fave restaurant - and I can see why! Came in a Saturday night - ubered from my house in east lake - cheaper than the parking that night at $35 so beware of the crazy parking in the hot spot of Seattle center during event days! The restaurant is super cozy, was only a couple tables and very intimate with candlelight dining that gives it a very romantic vibe. I didn't really feel like I was in a Korean restaurant at all! The first dish we tried was a wonderful salad that was very crunchy and the dressing was pretty much perfect! Then I did return it was a butternut squash dish, which is really seasonal dish I liked too! The winner for me was the amberjack - if you love sushi and you love the Thai Tom kha coconut soup this one was for you! So original and love the flavors together! The other second place winner for me was the truffle bulgogi wowww the truffle flavor is absolutely amazing! And the egg is an amazing addition on top! They also had a special a Korean taco which was super good and had some very creative elements like fruit infused in which I thought was super clever! Definitely going to return as the menu changes! read more
We have been wanting to try Paju for a little while, and finally did this weekend. We were not disappointed. We had the pancake, beef tartare, salmon rillettes, New York style steak and fried rice. The portions are just right so that ended up being a lot of food for the two of us. The food was all delicious but the pancake was the most unusual and therefore highly recommended. The steak was perfectly done but the star of the show for me was the fried rice. We went early, so the restaurant was not full yet - the service was exceptional and the new courses came out just as we finished the previous ones. read more
A new favorite! I'm impressed with EVERYTHING! I just love fusion and wanted to try Paju for the longest time. Started our meal with Pork Belly which was not what I expected at all! A thin layer of tuna with pork belly on top, and some pickled vegetables to add freshness and contrast in texture. The addition of Sichuan peppercorn is so creative with this dish! Another favorite was the Fried Rice with kimchi, squid ink, and quail eggs! Delicious! The Black-truffle Bulgogi has been on the menu for the longest time. Truffled rib-eye bulgogi over rice with fried quinoa. Also a must try I'm not a citrus person, and will choose chocolate and nutty flavors any time. The Panna Cotta with Yujia tea and Merinque just wasn't my type of dessert. Lastly, the staff were so friendly and really on top of regilling my water! Very helpful on a hot summer day! The menu is small, but they change their items frequently so there is always something new to try. Really enjoyed this modern take in Korean food read more
After my first time at Paju, I already felt that it was one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle - two more visits later and I still feel the same! Between my visits I have tried the wings, fried rice, truffle bulgogi, pancake, chicken liver mousse, and the corn cremeux for dessert. I would say the truffle bulgogi is my #1 must try dish but really every item is excellent and worth coming back to eat again and again. The extremely friendly service, cozy environment, and lots of small thoughtful touches really make the experience worthwhile. read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
Such a delicious Korean restaurant! It's tapas style so order a few plates to share. Everything we had was delicious but especially loved the octopus! I could eat 3 of those plates alone. It also has a beautiful wine selection if you choose to drink. It's a small dining area so reservations are recommended but thankfully they sat us immediately as a walk in on a weekday dinner. And can't forget the service was great too! Definitely would recommend. read more
I've been here twice already and the food at Paju is on another level! So delicious!! It's not your typical korean food but there are definitely hints of korean flavors but an elevated version of it that keeps making me want more and more. I basically tried everything on the menu -- cept the Seafood Ramen and the Chicken Wings which I'll go back again to try :) Honestly, EVERYTHING was so good that I can't pick a favorite dish but if I had to pick a couple that really stood out, it would have to be the Endive Salad, Yukhwae (beef tartare), Truffle Bulgogi and the Paju Fried Rice. I did not know what to expect when I had the Endive Salad, but wow it left us speechless. It had every level of flavor from sweet, salty to smokey, I can't even explain it with words, you'll just have to try it for yourself! The Yukhwae was one of the best I've had -- perfectly seasoned and good quality beef! The Truffle bulgogi had the right amount of truffle without overpowering the flavor of the traditional korean bulgogi. And Paju Fried rice tastes basically like kimchi fried rice but better with the squid ink taste :) All in all, love love loved Paju and can't wait to keep going back for more! The chefs here who are also owners are super nice and friendly as well! Thanks Paju for the wonderful, delicious meals! read more
5 years ago
When my husband chose this spot for our date night, I had no idea what to expect. I'm actually still not even sure how to describe it- What I do know is that Paju is the most interesting take on Korean cuisine that I've ever experienced. For starters, if you've never been here before the waiter will explain that everything is shared and family-style, which is pretty typical for Korean food. Knowing this, we ordered the fried chicken, octopus, beef tartare, bulgogi, and desert. Everything was perfect! The portions, the flavor, the sauces, the very patient explanations of each dish by our server...immaculate. This was also the most attentive and well-paced service that I've ever received. They brought out each dish at the perfect time, they brought the check at the perfect time, and even spoke to us at the perfect time. Even the music was perfect! The restaurant itself isn't large, but since there were only a few other patrons on a Thursday evening I hardly noticed. I'm normally very long winded in my reviews, but I have nothing but great things to say about Paju. If you're thinking about coming, stop thinking and go! read more
Your search for the best korean resty in seattle is OVER. I came across Paju from a food blog and WOW i left speechless and satisfied. We basically ordered everything on the menu. Let's start with the endive salad that was light perfect balance of sweetness from the grapes and citrus from the tomatoes. We got the seafood pancake which was flavor town and honestly quite thick. Truffle cheese enoki mushrooms and fried asparagus made me love veggies even more. Squid ink fried rice w smoked quail egg was a good compliment to my favorite THE TRUFFLE BULGOGI. I was hesitant at first because I thought truffle and kbbq? but wow light hints of truffle w the sweet coated bbq bulgogi beef. To finish a seafood ramen to top off this perfect cold day. We complimented this w a korean sweet rice wine. The service was absolutely 100 percent on point. Super fun people to talk to. I will be bringing my parents, my bfs parents, and anyone out of town here. read more
What a hidden gem of a restaurant this is - tucked alongside T.S. McHugh's and completely unassuming, they are my new favorite standout place in lower Queen Anne. My friend and I had dinner before a show here and were completely taken aback by all of the dishes we tasted. We started with the Albariño and the oysters - fresh and delectable with an interesting mignonette - it was the perfect appetizer to go with the smoked endive and burrata dish. Next we shared the mushroom dish and it was everything all of the other reviewers have described and more. WOW - so good! We finished off the meal with the seafood pancake and loved the flavors and textures. We enjoyed the Barbera with the end of the meal and left completely satiated. We agreed we will be back to try out more menu items next time! read more
Came here for my friend's birthday dinner! The foods were all decently good, but still on the pricier side. I really appreciate the servers explaining each dish as they brought it out, but the hostess was a bit rude (kept on rushing us to order and reminding us the time limit even though we just got there?) Sea Bream Crudo: A light and refreshing dish, but none of the complex flavors mentioned in the menu stood out to us, except a slight tanginess from the blood orange. Endive Salad: Pretty interesting dish to try out if you're feeling adventurous. We really enjoy the pairing of smoked vinaigrette and burrata. Rutubaga Ribbons: The turnip ribbons had a great crunchy texture, but doesn't soak up as much sauce as regular noodles. It's a dish that's not heavy in flavor, but you'll come to appreciate the doenjang flavor with each additional bite. Salmon Rillettes: A small appetizer packed with flavors. Love the hint of yuzu kosho, which pairs perfectly with the slightly gamey flavor of raw salmon. Octopus: One of out favorite dish! Octopus was grilled to perfection; the spiciness of ssamjang and the citrusy flavor of orange balanced each other out, while the sweetness of tomatoes gave another layer of flavor to the whole dish. Ended up ordering another plate! Beef Tatare: It was tangier than I expected, but the seaweed crackers on the side added a great texture and slight sweetness to the bite. Not a lot of flavor though. Paju Fried Rice: Winner of the table. So delicious. Texture of the rice was on the chewier side, and the sauce was packed with flavor with a sweet aftertaste. You will definitely want to finish the whole plate by yourself! Truffle Rib-eye Steak Bulgogi: Pretty standard bulgogi dish, and was a bit heavy on the soy sauce. Even the rice underneath couldn't balance it out. The truffle flavor was there, but definitely overpowered by the savoriness of the bulgogi. Paju Crispy Pancake: A Korean twist of okonomiyaki. The bottom of the pancake was not as crispy as we would like it, and was too oily. Good amount of seafood but couldn't taste the perilla leaves, which could've added a herby taste to the dish. Panna Cotta: Too much meringue in comparison to the actual panna cotta. There wasn't really a distinct taste of yuja tea, so not exactly sure what it was supposed to taste like. Overall a good meal but overpriced for the amount and flavors of the food. The dishes worth getting are the fried rice and octopus. read more
I tend to be skeptical of fusion food since it usually falls into three categories: 1) food with a "spin", aka a reason to charge way more than what it's worth, 2) food that bastardizes one or more cultures or the very rare 3) a refreshing take on food that does justice to one or more cultures. Paju falls into the third category. I met up with a friend at 6:30 pm on a Wednesday night and, while we didn't have trouble getting seated, the place was definitely full by 7:30 or so. Based on the reviews, we decided to get the chicken wings, truffle bulgogi, and Paju fried rice. We ordered the corn cremeux to end our meal. Service was quick and timely. We started off with the chicken wings which had great texture and flavor. The truffle bulgogi and Paju fried rice arrived at the same time. I was quite surprised by how mild the truffle was in the bulgogi, yet it went very well together. The Paju fried rice was slightly creamy from the squid ink but nonetheless so savory. The corn cremeux was a nice and light addition to add sweetness to our palates. This is a great addition to the neighborhood! With such positive reviews, I'm sure that in no time they'll need to set up a reservation system. read more
Love the concept and the simplicity of their Korean fusion dishes! Our favorites included the octopus, squid ink infused fried rice, and truffle bulgogi. The seafood pancake was so crunchy, it was great. Plates are big enough to share between 4 people. We loved everything and service was good. This take on traditional Korean dishes is awesome, and I hope they keep creating unique dishes to try in the future! read more
After about two years of having this place bookmarked and passing by it a million times, I finally made it in here on my birthday and it was great! I will definitely be coming back here again at some point in the future. Hopefully it doesn't take another two years. We came in after a few drinks over at Tin Lizzie for my birthday (yay! it's open again!!! shameless plug). We ordered the Paju fried rice and their calamari dish. Both were scrumptious but tipsy me especially loved that fried rice. It was a perfect blend of slight crunch, savory, and gooey egg yolk. I want to come back for the bulgogi and crispy pancake. read more
5 years ago
Paju was slamming! I absolutely loved my meal here and the restaurant itself is really cute. We ordered the salmon carpaccio, beef tartare, truffle bulgogi, and paju fried rice. The salmon carpaccio was so good! The kimchi caviar was great and the salmon tasted so fresh. It has lemon dashi as well, which I've never had and it's delicious. The beef tartare was excellent too. It had sunchoke chips on top and these really crispy seaweed chips to put the tartare on. The korean pear in the tartare gave a really nice crunchy addition to the tartare too. I was a little nervous about the truffle bulgogi since I find most places overdo it with truffle and it's the only flavor you can taste, but they did it so well here. I tasted a lot of truffle with the first bite, but as you eat more, it becomes more subtle and isn't overpowering at all. It comes with rice on the bottom of the bulgogi too. Lastly, the paju fried rice was so flavorful! I'm not normally a fan of kimchi fried rice, but this dish didn't have tons of kimchi in it, and the bacon flavor added a really nice, smoky flavor to the dish. It's also so well priced! Most dishes were under $20. Definitely recommend coming here, and it makes a super cute date night spot too! read more
3 years ago
5 years ago
It's hard to find relatively nicer/fancier Korean spots in Seattle, so when I learned of Paju I had to go try for myself! The restaurant isn't exactly traditional Korean, but more Korean fusion. I tried the seafood pancake, squid ink fried rice with smoked quail egg, and truffle bulgogi, all of which were delicious. Especially loved the seafood pancake. I can't say the price is totally worth the dishes I tried, as things are definitely on the more expensive side of things, but definitely worth going to try this place at least once. I'd make reservations ahead of time, or you can do walk-in if it's at a random/early time (I did walk-in around 5pm on a Friday and it wasn't super busy). Parking can be quite difficult and I wouldn't say the area around the restaurant is the best. But the restaurant itself is quite nice and feels pretty clean and cozy. :) read more
4.5 stars if I could do it. Paju is WONDERFUL. A somewhat limited menu, but it seems there is something there for everyone. And everything we've had was a real winner. We started with the Endive Salad. Amazing little number - each individual endive had its own grape slice, walnut and smoked vinaigrette. A very beautiful and labor intensive presentation. This on top of a super tasty home-made burrata. Really impressive salad. Then we had the wings - can't decide which flavor to get? Get half of each: soy garlic and half sweet chili. I think I liked the soy garlic better of the two, but both were really good. I'm glad we tried both. Wet-wipes included and you'll need them. Very meaty wings! For main dishes we had the Paju Fried Rice and the evening's special Pork Belly, or Bassam as we call it in the old country. Both dishes blended flavors in creative ways. The Fried Rice had bacon, kimchi and squid ink. And it was topped with a beautiful quail egg. (see photos). The Pork Belly had all kinds of cool things going on including nasturtium leaves and a ssamjang aioli. Again, creative taste combinations!! To me it seems Paju is a very high-end place disguised as a local Korean Restaurant. The prices are very reasonable and the portions significant! Why the .5 star deduction? They don't take reservations for parties of less than 6! This is the third time we tried to go to Paju and the first time we didn't get turned away. (I can't deal with 45 minutes of waiting - I get grumpy; shocking, I know.) Paju is Great!! read more
3 years ago
Came here for a quick lunch on Saturday with a friend. The space/seating was limited. We were lucky to get the last available table. My friend and I shared everything: endive salad, truffle bulgogi, Paju fried rice (squid ink), and fried chicken wings. Food: Endive salad - almost all the reviews recommended it, so we decided to give it a try. Very fancy-dinning style: great presentation, interesting ingredients, layered flavors, and diverse texture. However, in my opinion, it's over-hyped (and overpriced). Maybe fancy-dinning is just not for me... Truffle bulgogi, Paju fried rice - both delicious entrees. Great flavors, good innovation/interpretation of traditional Korean food, and interesting fusion style. The fried rice was too rich and became a bit overwhelming towards the end though. The beef bulgogi in the truffle bulgogi was small portion. Fried chicken wings - after we finish the first three dishes, we added chicken wings (half soy garlic & half sweet chili) since we didn't get enough protein (excuses lol). We both preferred the soy garlic flavor. It was properly seasoned while the skin remained moist yet crispy. The sweet chili one was way too sweet for me. In addition, the skin was "soaked" in the seasoning so it became a bit soggy. However, the soy garlic ones still aren't better than the ones I had at Bon Chon or Stone Korean, yet the price was much higher. Service: It was alright. There were only two waiting staff and they seemed to be overwhelmed by requests. For all the food we ordered, we spent $33 per person (tips not included). It's within the reasonable-pricey range. I'll be back to try the other things on the menu. read more
5 years ago
Paju was a fantastic selection for a chill, intimate birthday dinner! While this won't be your typical traditional Korean joint, Paju shines with their short menu of unique and contemporary dishes that I am sad I no longer have access to anymore as an out-of-towner. The stars of our meal were hands down the Truffle Rib-eye Bulgogi + Paju Fried Rice! These dishes by themselves are already harmonious mixes of perfectly paired flavors, and taking bites of them together elevated the experience further. Another favorite was the Paju Crispy Pancake that tasted like takoyaki and seafood pancake had a baby! Lastly, the wings and octopus were less mind blowing but still yummy. All in all you can't go wrong with trying anything that sounds good to you since these are smaller, shareable dishes. I hope to visit every time I come back to Seattle and know I will struggle with wanting to order the entire menu every time! read more
Had been looking forward to stopping into this restaurant on our next trip to seattle ever since it made it on The NY Times restaurant list. We ordered basically everything on the menu because everything sounded so good. The only items we didn't order were the beet salad (they sold out) and the beef tartare (have a little bit of a beef tartare fear... though I do not doubt they do the dish nicely). Everything was so thoughtfully created and plated. It was all delicious but my favorite was the truffle ribeye steak bulgogi. Fried rice was a close second, and the salmon carpaccio+octopus were both amazing starters. The server recommended pairing the dishes with white wine but we all preferred red. So we shared bottle of red but he kindly brought out a nice white to pair nicely with our starters! It was on the sweeter side... tasted almost like cider and was just delicious with the salmon and octopus. Loved that the dishes were brought out as they were ready by all the staff. They all seemed really proud of the food and experience, and grateful that we were enjoying it. We had a great night catching up with friends over this dinner. read more
3 years ago
Great spot to explore unusual Korean flavors. I didn't live everything, but trying new stiff is always fun. The service was fast and friendly and they were happy answer questions I had. The place is very comfortable for small crowds or couples read more
Paju is one of my most favorite Korean restaurants in Seattle! The co-owner, Bill, and his staff have been very friendly to me and my friends. Food-wise: most of their items are amazing. My go-to items are fried chicken wings, fried rice, and rice pudding. Location: it's difficult to find the restaurant initially but after I have been there a few times, it's easier to locate and find FREE & Paid parking nearby. read more
More info about Paju
513 Westlake Ave N
Seattle, WA 98109
South Lake Union
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(206) 829-8215
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https://www.pajurestaurant.com
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Ask the Community - Paju
Good for well behaved kiddos?
Good for solo diners? Is there bar seating?
Does the restaurant really not offer takeout?
Right now they're offering a limited take-out menu.
Any good vegan options? I see some potential on the surface but sometimes I've seen veggies with fish sauce or animal ingredients.
I'm afraid not. I think virtually everything on the menu contains at least one animal product. Chef Bill told me in the early days of the restaurant that they can make accommodations to dietary restrictions if you call in advance so it's worth a…
Is there banchan, Korean side dishes?
Not the traditional ones you may be used to. I have had fried in house made seaweed chips as a side. They have only been open a few weeks and making changes as needed. Accommodating kids tastes as well. Definitely worth a trip in.
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