Mary H.

Super underwhelmed despite having had high hopes for this spot. We arrived for our 6:15 reservation on a Friday a tad early but were able to be seated when we arrived at 6. Most of the seating is high top seating at the bar but it's a fun ambience. We were encouraged to order 3 appetizers and 3 pastas for 2 people. They claim the pastas are about 75% the size of a "normal" pasta dish so that you can try more. We opted for the chicken lollipops, k meatballs, and seasonal salad for the apps, and chose 2 pastas - the calamarata & kimchi, and the tonnarelli & lobster. We figured we could order more if desired. The appetizers came out altogether and quite quickly, which was nice. Sadly though, nothing really felt special. The food was also somewhat lukewarm. Nothing tasted inherently bad, I just never had that moment of "yummy!" Onto the pastas. The two pastas arrived nearly at the same time as one another. I enjoyed the texture of both pastas. But again, flavor and temperature were disappointing. We left somewhat full, not stuffed. We were originally going to order dessert but decided to skip and go down the street for cheaper (and likely better) instead. The food was underwhelming, and this coupled with the tiny portions made this a disappointment, especially at the price point. Service and vibe were the main redeeming qualities. We won't be returning but happy to check it off our lists.

Ron W.

At the edge of an edgy hood sits Lapaba taking up the whole corner. Drop the key fob off with the Valet for only $12 and duck inside. Two Hostees will check you out, check you in and confirm your reservation. The space is Euro-minimal, sleek and slick. The decor is as lean an #9 Spaghetti and as modern as Tokyo Central Train Station. White Subway tiles and brass accents, a snake-y marble bar contouring the curvy space, two four tops and a wide open kitchen that anchors the room. That's it. Speaking of the kitchen, this crew is all brass, bold and confident. The game plan is a serious mash up of Korean flavors, condiments, and spices layered over, around, and on House Made Pasta. The Chefs cut their teeth (and Tonnarelli) at Osteria Mozza. A dedicated Pasta Room sports a large window with a dangle of Pasta making implements worthy of Marcella Hazon's kitchen. Chef McKenna and Chef Matthew know their way around noodles and are making Nancy Silverton proud (and wealthier). A squadron of Black Shirted Line/Prep Cooks keep the water at a rolling boil and the K-Sauces at a simmer. A loop of BTS, Stray Kids and Twice fuel the energy without eclipsing diner's table chat. The vibe is pleasant and a good mix. Settle in and have a cocktail or two. It's Wine, Beer and Soju here but that leaves plenty of room to be playful and creative. They can mix up some fine signature drinks with just Matcha, Soju and Yuzo. You know, all the stuff you have laying around your pantry or haven't seen since your kid moved most of it to his locker at school. I decided to keep it simple. A Soju Yuzo Sour was all of that plus a splash of Simple Syrup to balance the acidity. Served short it was just what I (anybody) needed. The Staff: Ready, willing and helpful to interpret the menu and or nudge you in the right direction for dinner choices. Manny introduced himself. "I'm here to give you the spiel". "Spiel on", I replied and he did. Manny needed no urging. He promptly rolled out 15 minutes of A-material and K-Schtick while peppering his set with recommendations which were all spot on. The concept here is "family style". That could mean Grandma's tried and true comfort dishes or a full flat out food fight including a hail of dinner dishes depending on family dynamics. Here it's all civilized with the emphasis on shared plates of great food. Manny watched carefully during my dinner and timely coursed out a wonderful meal. First out were house special K-Meatballs. The kitchen showed some brass balls with this opening move. Delicious Bulgogi mixed with a little Milk Bread "Golf Balls" with a hint of Truffle and a sledge hammer of perfect Hot House Tomatoes reduced to a lovely thick sauce and ladled over my tender balls. (So to speak). Fried Chicken made an appearance. Half a dozen little Drumette Lollipops brushed with a sticky Sweet-ish Chili (Calabrian) Sauce. Enjoy them with the cup of Pickled Daikon Cubes and dip in the Yuzo Ranch. However, the Chicken was tasty but the skin quickly lost it's crisp-osity. I am used to Fried K-Chicken crackling crunchy enough to require replacing a few fillings or at least days of flossing. The Tteobokki (Rice Cakes) are usually chewy tubes. Not there. These little bite sized bits under a mantle of fresh grated Old and Young Pecorino Cheese (Cacio e Pepe style) were as soft as pillows or your Momma's Gnocchi. These should be offered by the bucket. The Little Gem Salad was a gem indeed. Stacked Leaves drizzled with Doenjang (a thick savory Soybean Paste similar to Miso) and several tablespoons of crisp Gim (Seaweed) standing in for Croutons and all topped with Shaved Parmesan Cheese. Lovely. The Garganelli & Pesto was made with Perilla, (from the Mint family), the freshest Sugar Snap Peas and Toasted Pine Nuts. This was re-imagined Pesto as fresh as an entitled Gen Z'er. The Bucatini Amatriciana had Roasted Guanciale lardons withut a speck of any fat. A deep rich dark long simmered Bean Sauce stood in for Crushed Tomatoes. Finally, a dusting of more Parmesan Cheese made this the most memorable dish I enjoyed at my memorable meal here. The Orrecchiete with House Made Fennel Sausage was poached from Osteria Mozza and every bit as good as the version you'll find there. A hat tip to Nancy Silverton. Finally, the Tonnarelli with Lobsta chunks took center stage. Mixed with Chili, Ginger and Lobsta Jus this dish was nothing short of terrific. Lapaba...come to Papa!

Christina A.

I had such high expectations and I was so disappointed. I don't like big portions but the portions here were tiny! And the pasta wasn't as good. I took a friend and spent $160 including tip and came out hungry. Also it was so hard to make reservations on open table but the restaurant was half empty. But it is a cute restaurant with mainly bar seating. It is a nice place to meet up for drinks, small plates and dessert. The dessert was really good. But I definitely wouldn't be back for dinner. There is valet behind the building but you have to walk around.

Jeremy J.

I really wanted to love this place but unfortunately I left feeling something to be desired. Mostly more food. I don't really enjoy when a server tells you how to order, especially when their recommendation is to order to share. And then the plates to share are smaller than what should be enough for one person at the same price point as a normal sized dish. I guess I would feel differently if the food was amazing but everything was kind of underwhelming. At least for me. The only positives for me were the service was fast and friendly, and the decor was nice. Other than that, I can't justify giving this place my money and leaving hungry. Sorry, Nancy.

Arthur E.

Fancy pasta bar vibes in Ktown. Went for a weekend dinner. They have valet (though I ubered to not deal with the parking situation). Had reservations and was seated at the bar right away. It wasn't crowded but almost every seat was taken. Drink-wise, there's beer, wine, soju and soju cocktails, and makgeolli. Food-wise - there's some appetizers, salads, and pastas. You order about 2-3 dishes per person and share. Ended up ordering a bottle of makgeolli, burrata con créma, little gem caesar, garganelli & pesto, radiatore & galbi jjim, and agnolotti & cheesy corn. Got our makgeolli, along the burrata and salad pretty quickly. The makgeolli was pretty good - more on the lighter (both flavor and texture) which made it pretty easy to drink. The burrata was neat with the sweet potato situation, but was a bit overpowered by the sauce. The caesar salad was good and had great texture with the tiny croutons. The pastas came out shortly after our dishes were done and replaced. The garganelli was cooked well but think the pesto was a little too light. The radiatore was great - meaty, hearty flavors without weighing you down. The agnolotti was also pretty good - good texture and flavor. For dessert, we ended up with the tiramisu-garu and pavlova. The tiramisu was really cold - almost gave ice cream cake vibes. The flavor had a bit of brisk ice tea to it (in a good way). The pavlova was fruity and light - pretty good as well. Overall - was a good time and good food. One caveat is that all the kimchi dishes do have shrimp in it - so if you are allergic, you'll have to avoid them. I may switch out a few dishes if I came around again (probably the burrata and garganelli) but wouldn't mind coming back!

Olivia L.

The fusion I didn't know I needed - Korean x Italian flavors just work so well together. The meal exceeded all expectations. - Burrata con crema: a strong start to our meal. I'm not a sweet potato person but I enjoyed my 2 small bites very much (the dish was tiny lol) - K meatballs: bulgogi meatballs, tasty and moist, loved the milk bread that came with it - Charred broccolini: pleasantly surprised by the bold flavor if this seemingly simple dish - Cacio e pepe rice cakes: this just makes so much sense! i'm so surprised i never thought of making this myself - Agnolotti & cheesy corn: it's obvious that corn agnolotti is having a moment in the food scene. this is a very nice iteration of the dish. - Bucatini & amatriciano: think jjajangmyun with guanciale. our faveeeee dish of the whole meal. Still thinking about it - Radiatore & galbi jjim: a very familiar flavor of short rib pasta, nothing too special. could've skipped this. *all of the dishes are in smaller portions We loved our server, impeccable service by Jeff. Truly a pasta bar, most of the seatings are at the bar top (great for date nights) with 2 high tops in the corner for larger groups. Disappointments: We ran a few minutes over the grace period, dm'ed on ig because there was no phone number to call, still couldn't get a hold of the restaurant so when we got there, our table was already given away and we had to get on the waitlist (1.5 hours wait). Please have a working phone or a reliable way for patrons to contact the restaurant. I wish the wine glasses weren't stemless glasses.

Sarah M.

Went to celebrate a birthday! Great ambiance and service for a place in koreatown but my expectations may have been too high for the food. The portions are smaller, but I prefered it as we were able to order lots of things and try a little bit of each. We ordered- Kimchi suppli - didnt love this as much, it would've been better with more cheese inside Fried chicken - this was pretty good! Cacio e pepe rice cake - would not order again, lacked the flavor I was expecting Radiatore&galbi Jjim - this was good, tasted like a ragu pasta I've tried somewhere else Agnolotto&cheese corn- this was definitely my favorite! I'd go back just for the agnolotto! Tiramisu - it was a bit too soggy for me, probably wouldn't order next time.

Michael G.

Cool concept and a great date night spot or to meet up with a group. We came on a Sunday night with a reservation. Majority of seating is at their bar area, with a few tables that could fit parties of 3-4. Everything was great and totally shareable. Between the 2 of us we tried: - market salad - hamachi crudo - kimchi suppli - k meatballs w/ milk bread - radiatore + galbi jjim - agnolotti + cheesy corn - orecchiette + sausage - pavlova (must try) My standout bites were the k meatballs, radiatore and pavlova. The meatballs and radiatore were familiar Italian flavors and just a rich flavor overall. The pavlova is a new dessert item and it was the perfect balance of freshness, sweet, and nuttiness from the black sesame. My only critique is the agnolotti was a bit too buttery for my liking and I was hoping for more cheesy flavors. I also wish the corn was incorporated into the sauce more. Great flavors and textures though. Cant wait to come back and try other items such as the fried chicken, burrata, and cacio e pepe rice cakes.

Brandon S.

Came on a friday night before rush hour with a reservation and was promptly seated at the bar, which takes up essentially the entire restaurant. (Hence name la pasta bar) I ordered k meatballs, chicken wings, agnolotti cheesy corn, radiatore, and orecchiette with sausage, and a tiramisu-garu. The k meatballs and chicken wings were really tasty starters. The k meatballs tasted like your typical bugolgi but with the texture and spices of italian meatballs. The chicken wings were cooked nicely and the sweet spicy sauce reminded me of korean fried chicken. The pastas were very much on the smaller side. The agnolotti cheesy corn was very very cheesy with hints of corn here and there depending on how much corn I picked up with the spoon. The orecchiette and sauage was on the saltier side but good texture. The radiatore was very delicious with a nice strong meaty ragu. I stuffed the ragu inside of the radiatore and it was a mini flavor bomb. Tiramisu-garu tasted like how it sounds. A mix of tiramisu and misugaru. Overall, decent food and better than what I was expecting. I was told the owners were the same as norikaya next door, which was horrendously bad and overhyped for handrolls. Luckily, this spot is actually worth visiting. Service was exceptional. If you were picking between lapaba and norikaya, skip norikaya and come here.

Jude K.

Interior is 10/10. Definitely pro-level design. Valet or street parking available. Mule: Solid and refreshing. Wine: Minimal list, but every bottle is a banger. Broccolini: Ssamjang sauce is a game changer. Super tasty. Crudo: Mid flavors with a clean cucumber finish. Pasta Breakdown: Galbijim Ragu: Very solid. Kimchi Calamarata: Sauce was a bit too aggressive. Corn Agnolotto: A little too sweet for me. THE MVP: K-Meatball & Bread. Literally melts in your mouth. Best dish of the night. Service: Good! Bottom Line: Go for the aesthetics, stay for the meatballs.

Jessica G.

This place has intrigued me long way before they even opened their door, then in the early opening days it's just too busy to even get a reservation especially as I was aiming for weekend. I finally gave up and picked a weekday dinner. Finding street parking would also test your luck certainly. The venue setting was interesting with one long marble-top counter table so you could tell small-size group would be more ideal. Thankfully the menu was quite brief so at least eased the decision making. Most of the were meant for sharing so you could try multiple dishes, but portion wise it's more on the smaller side. We got their Fried Chicken as starter, served with Calabrian Chili and somewhat reminded me of Thai Chili Sauce. It was good and I loved the idea of refreshing yuzu ranch dipping, making it distinctive but I would say the chicken itself was moderately good. The radiatore was cooked al dente and the wine flavor stood strong in the sauce. Generously served short rib ragu was lovely, but I got it when people said to not expect it to remind you of signature Korean flavor, which I certainly didn't mind knowing it's fusion anyway!

Elizabeth L.

Was excited to try this place once it opened. There are only 2 small tables over on the side and the rest is bar seating only. I loved the chic ambiance of the place and how lengthy the wraparound bar was. Service was amazing. The server was friendly, attentive and timely, and stopped to check on us and even made conversation with us after we had closed out and he was no longer obligated to. The rating is for the food, unfortunately. The servers here warn you that the pasta serving sizes are a little smaller than you'd expect and you're meant to order multiple entrees and apps in order to feel full. We ordered 2 apps and 2 pastas for 2 people. We got the fried chicken and the bulgogi meatballs. Even if they were both nearly $20 appetizers, I thought both were pretty solid. The fried chicken was well cooked and had a great sauce on it. I thought the yuzu ranch on the side was unnecessary. The bulgogi meatballs did have distinctive Korean flavors and the bread it came with was soft. The pasta which is the main entrees was where we fell short. We got the cheesy corn agnolotti and the radiatore galbi Jim. Both pastas were overly salty, but the radiatore extremely so, to the point where both my partner and I had to force ourselves to finish it. I could tell the agnolotti was handmade and loved the texture of the fresh pasta, but beyond that it was simply drowning in brown butter soup, not a good way. The texture of radiatore + the overly salty meat + sauce was just an overwhelming combo. I would have given this 4 stars but felt that if both of us found an entree to be so overly salty it is off-putting and hard to eat that's a pretty basic issue and a big markdown. Each entree was $25 for a smaller portion so we decided we didn't want to try a dessert priced at $14 after that. The apps and drinks are great though! Maybe it was just an off night.

Justin J.

Finally was able to get a reservation after some time if trying, so was really excited to finally get to try out Lapaba. Got there and was seated immediately at the counter. Drinks are more wine, beer or soju based, so skipped the cocktails this time. Appetizers, we tried the K meatballs, fried chicken and cacio e pepe rice cakes. The K meatballs were a bulgogi meat with truffle tomato sauce and a side of milk bread. The meatballs were nice and most inside, but needed that tomato sauce to give it a little extra flavor. The milk bread was disappointing, tasting like normal bread. At least it didn't taste like any milk bread I've had in the past at other places. The cacio e pepe rice cakes were very underwhelming. There is a pecorino crisp on top of soft, moist rice cake bites. Just felt like it did not come together if this dish. And I was really excited for this one. Finally was the fried chicken, which are little drummettes, crispy on the outside, moist on the inside coated in a glaze and gives with a yuzu ranch dipping sauce. Those were great! Entrees, we tried the Bucatini & Amatriciana as well as the Agnolotti & Cheesy Corn. The agnolotti was very tasty, a nice creamy smoked scamorza inside with the thyme and brown butter sauce on the outside. My knock here is I wish the corn had been a sweet corn to pair with that savory cheese inside. Feel the flavor would have popped more. The bucatini had a lot going on with the pecorino and crispy guanciale with the sauce from the jiajang. Noodles were cooked well, had the right amount of aldente to the pasta. Just a nice and flavorful dish. Overall, a newer Korean Italian fusion restaurant in K-town serving up since interesting dishes. They didn't all with for us, but the fried chicken and the bucatini were very good. The agnolotti and meatballs were also good. Skip the rice cakes, they were not it.