Paju
Korean restaurant · South Lake Union
513 Westlake Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
Highlights
Inventive Korean cuisine featuring squid ink fried rice and beef tartare
Inventive Korean cuisine featuring squid ink fried rice and beef tartare
"For a seamless-but-still-sorta-fancy lunch in SLU, there’s Paju. The restaurant known for its wood-fired takes on Korean classics serves a small menu of bowls, wings, and other bites, all in a breezy dining room without a wait. The poke is a standout—delicate chunks of salmon and tuna with creamy bits of avocado, and a thick, tangy sauce to keep things interesting. If you don’t need to run off, order the shaved ice for dessert that tastes like bingsoo-ified Cinnamon Toast Crunch." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley
"Right in the heart of Amazon’s SLU campus is Paju—a sorta fancy Korean restaurant where you can bust out laptops and not look out of place. While the spicy pork bowl is pretty good, the poke must hit your table. It has delicate chunks of salmon and tuna that get along with creamy bitsies of avocado, snappy cucumbers, and a tangy sauce. If you don’t need to run off to another meeting, order the shaved ice for dessert that tastes like bingsu-ified Cinnamon Toast Crunch." - aimee rizzo, gabe guarente, kayla sager riley
"Paju moved from a tiny Queen Anne location to more spacious digs in SLU. There’s now a full bar, an open kitchen with a wood-fire grill as the centerpiece, and enough black marble to assume Home Depot was having some kind of blowout sale. And while more space means more menu items, what we love about this excellent Korean restaurant is what’s been here all along. photo credit: Nate Watters Aside from a couple of misses, Paju is still making some damn good Korean food. You’re in good hands with standout bites like a savory seafood pancake with fistfuls of dancing bonito flakes that pairs well with a chili lime oil-infused martini. Kimchi fried rice is colored black with squid ink and ingredients like bacon and a raw quail egg cracked on top give it a smoky punch. And the yellowtail crudo with hints of lemon verbena and tart granny smith apple slices is as beautiful as it is delicious. The incredible seafood continues during weekday lunch with their bright, delicate poke. You may leave smelling like a campfire thanks to that wood-fire grill, but Paju is perfect for work dinners (Amazonians we’re looking at you), power lunches, dates, and maybe even a low-key birthday celebration. Take advantage of the opportunities that more space and a full bar brings, and keep Paju in your arsenal. RESERVE A TABLE WITH RESERVE A TABLE Food Rundown Chips And Dip Bites from these curly shrimp chips echo with a satisfying crunch and pair nicely with a mustardy dip. We could easily snack on these all night. photo credit: Nate Watters Yellowtail Ah yes, old faithful. Delicate slices of yellowtail formed into the shape of a camellia with tart green apples and refreshing naengmyeon broth. It’s almost too beautiful to eat—almost. photo credit: Nate Watters Cauliflower This hunk of roasted cauliflower is charred nicely on the edges, though it has been hit or miss inside. One time it was perfectly soft, while on another visit it tasted raw. photo credit: Nate Watters Sujebi Sometimes a dish comes along that has everyone at the dinner thinking about it weeks later. These chewy sujebi noddles in an umami-loaded bolognese are just that. It’s savory and a little sweet thanks to soft slices of Korean melon and finished with wispy breadcrumbs for a nice burst of texture. Don’t skip it. photo credit: Nate Watters Seafood Jeon The outside of this excellent pancake has a crisp shell topped with a sweet tonkatsu sauce, a creamy mayo drizzle, and some dancing bonito flakes. Also, the middle is packed with large pieces of tasty mixed seafood. photo credit: Nate Watters Paju Fried Rice Eating this fried rice makes us feel like we’re sitting by a fire inside on a peaceful snowy day. It’s an amazing pile of squid ink-infused rice with bacon, kimchi, and a smoked quail egg yolk. The combination of the fluffy yolk-soaked rice, the crunch of the cabbage, and crispy edge bits is already outstanding, and then they go and add bacon to it. Branzino Gui The best part of this dish is the sides of seasonal banchan it comes with, like punchy kimchi or bright asparagus. Other than that, this is a very dry and thin cut of branzino. Stick to the smaller dishes. photo credit: Nate Watters Poke The main hit of Paju’s lunch menu is this dish filled with delicate chunks of salmon and tuna, all mixed in with avocado bits and snappy cucumber. It comes dressed in a thick, tangy sauce so good, you'll be tempted to steal the extra little bottle they give you on the side. photo credit: Gabe Guarente Shaved Ice If a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and bingsoo had a love child, it might resemble Paju’s shaved ice. Rice puffs add welcome texture, while a light cream at the bottom does a wonderful job making sure each cinnamony bite never feels one-note. photo credit: Gabe Guarente" - Kayla Sager-Riley
"At this upscale Korean restaurant, a wood grill smack dab in the middle of the dining room fires up exciting dishes for tables full of chatty groups and double dates. You’re in good hands with the savory seafood pancake with fistfuls of dancing bonito flakes, smoky kimchi fried rice, or an artful yellowtail crudo with hints of lemon verbena and tart granny smith apple slices. All are shareable with that out-of-town friend still recovering from Space Needle vertigo." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley, gabe guarente
"This acclaimed restaurant moved in 2024 from a small Queen Anne space into more lavish South Lake Union digs. It continues to serve up contemporary takes on classic dishes like yukhoe (beef tartare) and haemul pajeon (seafood pancake). But the Paju fried rice is the real showstopper with a smoked quail egg yolk centered on the squid ink-blackened, kimchi and bacon-enhanced rice. Enjoy a cool finish with a bingsu (shaved ice) dessert if available. As of early 2025, there’s a very limited lunch menu" - Jay Friedman
