Paju Reviews

Excellent service with beautiful presentation. Wait time for the four items we ordered was 10 minutes. Excellent wine selection to match with the distinct taste of the menu items.

Food and service were very good. Less than stellar review due to: 1) Menu is deceptive. Prices in the $20s range BUT very small a la carte portions, they recommend 2 -3 per person. Cost for dinner for five well over $300. 2) THEN to add insult to injury, mandatory service charge of 25%. WT_! So one is looking at a tip in excess of $75 - regardless of service. To sum it up, food is good but IMHO not worth the price.

We went to Paju with a group so we were able to try virtually the entire menu. There were definitely favorites, but no real misses. The squid ink fried rice, truffle bulgogi and Korean fried chicken were favorites. The only items we missed were oysters and beef tartare. Service was great and the server was patient in explaining the dishes and helping us work around potential problems with food allergies.

Read about this place in New York Times and popped in for early solo dinner at the bar seating overlooking the open fire oven. Hostess and waitress both in their early 20s and nice enough but….. Server could not make any menu suggestions whatsoever. “Everything is good” and “depends what you like.” Told me about the feature white wine and did not know what grape or what country. I asked the price and didnt know that either. I selected three things- loved the celariac chips, octopus was good, squid fried rice good but too salty. Liked the food overall. Most other diners were KIDS- who is paying for their food? Honestly I felt like I was in a university dorm cafeteria, very very young crowd. One table two young couples with a baby who smashed a glass. My bill was $86USD. I didnt leave hungry, but no dessert and only one glass of wine.

We wandered outside the many good restaurants around Seattle Rep but then saw Paju looked open. It actually was only doing take out on a Wednesday but graciously let us sit down as the only in house diners. (They seat people Thursday-Sunday.) We have been here a few times before Covid. Food fantastic then. Fantastic now. Tonight we had the Bulgogi and fish scallion pancake. And their yummy Albarino. We love their salads and chicken wings as well. But mostly we loved getting to know Bill better tonight as he made time to talk to us. And pour a little extra splash of wine. Like we were family. Bong Soo his real name. Use it and surprise him! Just get here.

We nearly dismissed this because of the low number of reviews on TripAdvisor - until we realised it was because Pagu has just opened. So glad we chose it. It was easily our best meal in Seattle (after 4 days here). We had the endive salad, the truffle bulgogi (made with beef rib eye), the Hwe Dup Bop (raw tuna poke) and the chicken wings (soy garlic and Korean sweet chilli). Every dish was made with super-fresh high quality ingredients. Our favourites were the Hwe Dup Bop, the truffle bulgogi and the soy garlic chicken wings. Even our teenagers, who aren’t the most adventurous eaters, declared it was a fantastic meal. Very attentive service, amazing food. Highly recommended.

Paju is a modern Korean restaurant that just opened and is hands down the best food I have ever had. The chef relocated back to Seattle leaving NYC where he was head chef at a restaurant with 2 Michelin Stars. Food is unique and tasty and I have already been back a few times. They don’t yet have their liquor license but was told they should in the next week or so. I can’t decide which dish was my favorite because I loved them all.

After our arrival in Seattle we were looking for Korean food. Coincidentally we found this little gem and the provided pictures convinced us to give it a try although there were only a few recommendations online. The place is small with a very cool industrial touch and the staff is very friendly and attentive. The menu is small but very special, new interpretations of some Korean classics (e.g. truffle Bulgogi) and the food was as delicious as it looked in the pictures. All in all it was a very nice experience and we can highly recommend this place!

Food to die for! A great find for our first Korean restaurant. Our waiter, Jesse was super friendly and informed. Gave great advice about the menu and the wine. Didn't really know what to expect but as each dish arrived a new delicious experience arrived with it! Mushroom dish, seafood, beef...all of it was fantastic! Such a shame we weren't 'locals', otherwise this would be a regular visit.

WOW!! We got take out from Paju last night! Had not been to the restaurant before. The chicken wings were perfectly crispy, and I liked both seasonings, though maybe preferred the sweet chili slightly. The Spicy Pork was amazing, and came with rice to soak up the sauce, even though it wasn't mentioned in the description. But the most surprising was the salad with Smoked Vinaigrette! So delicious and intriguing. I have to find out what they smoke and how. The prices were quite reasonable, and portions generous. I can't wait to order again and try more things, but now cannot do without that salad!

Yesterday, July 2020, I did take out from Paju. The pandemic quarantine has not only been an economic tsunami for the restaurant world, but it has been an onslaught to innovative cooking. How do chefs show their talent restricted to take out? It's difficult at best, and forces kitchens to reinvent themselves. I might have tasted those restraints with my take out food from Paju. The guys who operate and cook at Paju have amazing culinary pedigrees, with San Francisco's Fifth Floor, Saison and New York's wildly expensive, two star Michelin Jungsik on their resumes. Jungsik, located in Tribeca, was a culinary adventure, and also unfortunately a financial adventure, when I ate there several years ago. It was upscale, food hit or miss, in the Chicago's Alinea fashion. Like Alinea, a one time event, not necessarily good or fun. Paju, tiny, minimalist, with a menu designed for the flannel wearing, hiking obsessed, dot com Seattle contingent, is far away from the Jungsik concept. I ordered two kinds of chicken wings, Paju Fried Rice, and the Paju Crispy Pancake. Everything was tasty, but not special. Culinary innovation seemed buried by the "weight" of take out restrictions. I wanted memorable. I got okay. Paju won't be forgotten. With that resume, I will return for a sit down dinner one day, pandemic willing. The Covid-19 moment in history has gone from frightening to depressing. Another year of this medical and emotional malaise is a devastating thought. The virus has not only literally killed many of us, it has and will continue to kill art in so many ways. What have we done to deserve this? We need a "Brave New World."

Paju opened recently on lower Queen Anne with a simple dining room, small kitchen and a very flavorful menu. Bill Jeong and Chung Jeong, co-owners of Paju, have both been cooking for decades. They have put together a menu with a variety of interesting and unusual items for a Korean restaurant. We loved the Oysters, Endive Salad, Beoseot (seasonal mushrooms) and Chicken Wings. The Chicken Wings were a delightful surprise—much better than we expected. The service was good, the food was excellent and the prices were very reasonable. We’ll return to try more dishes.

Second time and the food was AMAZING...on every level. The flavors, preparation combine to make an unforgettable experience. Chef Jeong fuses Korean and European flavors like a magician. Unbelievable how unique, tasty and sublime the dining experience is. And the service is impeccable.

We have been twice now and are almost done with eating everything on their short but mighty menu. Such great flavors and interesting presentations. You really cant go wrong. One of the few things we havent had is the mackerel which might be their most popular dish! Wings, endive salad, the pancake with dancing bonita, bulgogi, its ALL GREAT! tiny place so come early or call for a reservation. I think they take them now. Portions good for sharing.

This small restaurant serves unique Modern Korean dishes that left me so impressed I had to come back twice to try the whole menu. The menu is based on seasonal fresh produce and, while short, offers a great variety of flavors and dishes. I recommend sharing with your party so you get to taste all the chef has to offer. The wings are super-crispy and unique, the beef tartare is delicate and flavorful, the mushrooms melt in your mouth, the Bulgogi has a great not-overpowering truffle finish, the fish pancakes are just super-yummi, and the panna cotta is to die for! The service is super friendly and the chef-owner Bill walks the floor to answer questions and share his story. I had a chance to converse with Bill and discovered he was the head chef for a two-star Michelin restaurant in NYC, before moving back to Seattle to open his own restaurant. Great chef, nice person, cool story. In my opinion this is the best restaurant I have tried in Seattle and the reasonable price makes the experience affordable fro most. I would try it now while it is new because I am sure it will be difficult to find a table when the word gets out. And did I mention you need to have the panna cotta?