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. read more

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The food presentation was unique and beautiful and we ordered three dishes - beef tartare, the yellowtail and squid ink rice. The highlight for me was the beef tartare with nori. The yellowtail dish was lemony and the thiny sliced turnip was an art itself . My friend really liked the squid ink fried rice. The rice was made very well but personally I always find squid ink rice to be bland and a bit uninteresting, so the kimchi in the fried rice added some contrast. The restaurant was pretty empty on a weekend night. Service was ok. I love the glass and high ceiling. read more

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. read more

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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. read more

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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. read more

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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. read more

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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. read more

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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! 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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The service was extremely dismissive from the beginning. Even though there were plenty of open tables, we were seated at the bar instead. We also had to ask multiple times just to get napkins. Throughout the meal, the waiter seemed uninterested and inattentive. What made it especially uncomfortable was that immediately after we asked for the check, the staff started whispering about the tip right in front of us. We still left an 18% tip, which they honestly seemed surprised by. Overall, the service felt careless, unprofessional, and unwelcoming. The experience was disappointing enough that I would not come back. read more

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 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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Exquisitely-balanced atmosphere steps away from a beautifully designed urban greenspace was just the beginning. House margarita and Honey Bee started the evening of understated superb summer dining. Exquisitely-balanced offerings reflect a mastery of elements. Oysters -- we like small, were bright paired with perfect mignonette and smoky-sweet Cho-jang. Devilishly-clever trio of Pistachio cream, parm and new-to-me crown daisy were the perfect match to crisp gem. Bugak was quietly and architecturally-presented - the delicate-looking gim cradles layers of subtly- balanced rice, meat, kim chi, and topped with impossibly delightful crisps. Ban chan and gorgeous aioli graced the perfected NY steak. I'm running out of descriptive words-- the puddle of creme brûlée with cherry pair artful and silky. Restrained refined service added to exquisite balance of approachable exceptional offerings. Chef Jeong and team are top tier! read more

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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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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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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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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

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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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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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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Expensive and did not live up to the hype. The branzino gui ate very dry. Completely unseasoned and yet they took so much care in presentation. The charred lime they gave us was also dry. Stingy banchan portions. When we brought to their attention, the server said she would let the chef know. Indifferent service. The chicken wings were ordinary and not moist. Roasted corn tasted out of a can. Everything tasted terrible. Spend your money elsewhere. 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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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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Excellent food. Modern Korean fusion. I stopped by and had an excellent dinner at the bar. Excellent services. Look for Peter for drinks. He has great recommendations. I'll be back again to try their specials wood fired duck in half. 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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WARNING This is a totally different place for dinner and lunch. For lunch they have an insanely cut down and basic menu. None of the things that look good are on the menu. The food was mediocre at best, no elevation whatsoever. I'm not sure if this also reflects how their evening food is, but I'm not coming back to waste my time finding out. Shouldn't even be open frankly. Very disappointing. Also, it's all online order, like at a fast food joint. - so no real service. Food quality, also like fast food. Not a good look. What a waste of a decent ambiance. 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

Paju serves unique, delicious, high-quality Korean food with small but significant ingredient additions/changes that I haven't encountered anywhere else, and I'm hooked. The menu and experience differ between lunch and dinner, and this is my lunch review. Simply put, lunch is much more casual and affordable than dinner (You order lunch scanning the QR code at the table). If you're on a budget, you can eat lunch here for less than $20. I went here for lunch twice during my business trip last month and here's what I ordered: - Seafood Tofu Soup - $17.50 - A seafood soondoobu (순두부) with a generous helping of soft tofu, shrimp, mussels and clam, served with rice. Delicious, refreshing and not spicy-I bet they could make it spicy if you asked. I enjoyed the texture from the cabbage bits. - Seolleongtang (설렁탕) - $15.50 - Oxtail bone broth served with potato starch noodles and brisket, comes with salt and green onion already added(typically doesn't at other Korean restaurants). High-quality ingredients and flavor, a great comfort food with a generous serving of brisket. - Shaved ice dessert (빙수) - $9.00 - A great combination of cinnamon, ginger cream and fried rice puffs. Delicious and different than other Korean shaved ice desserts I've had that typically have red bean and overly sweet ingredients. If you're on the fence about coming here, maybe try out lunch first. Lunch is more casual, affordable and simpler than dinner, but is delicious and high-quality. You should come here for dinner too, and I'll post about my dinners here soon. read more

Paju - Seolleongtang - Korean Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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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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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

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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