KJUN
Korean restaurant · Murray Hill ·
Korean-Cajun fusion with fried chicken, gumbo, and jjajangmyun
Korean-Cajun fusion with fried chicken, gumbo, and jjajangmyun
"Pairing Korean and Cajun cuisines, this Murray Hill favorite is moving just a block from its tiny, 20-seat home at 154 East 39th Street into a much bigger, two-story space at 334 Lexington Avenue at East 39th Street, set to open in late January 2026, after years of turning away walk-ins and operating without a liquor license. Owner-chef Jae Jung says the core menu will remain, with Korean Cajun dishes (think seafood gumbo), while Kjun 2.0 adds more “upscale” options like lobster and grits and new steaks, aiming for “multiple layers” rather than one dimension. The plan splits the vibe by floor: a New Orleans-style bar downstairs with loud music and, for the opening party, Rebirth Brass Band, and a reservations-only, more Korean-leaning dining room upstairs (the current restaurant offers a $115 tasting menu and other set meals). The original space will pivot to a takeout and fried chicken sandwich spot under a new name once the move happens, with pop-ups and parties in the mix. Jung, who trained under the late Leah Chase at New Orleans’ Dooky Chase, launched Kjun as a takeout-and-delivery operation in 2021, grew it into a pop-up later that year, competed on Top Chef’s 19th season, and opened the current restaurant in 2022." - Nadia Chaudhury
"Kjun is a casual place with colored beads on every table, like a fun dinner party on Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras. Bring your own beer (or wine) to complement all the amazing Korean-inspired Cajun mashups here. The most interesting one is the jjajangmyeon, with fermented black bean sauce and crispy fried oysters." - molly fitzpatrick, bryan kim, willa moore, will hartman, sonal shah
"Korean meets New Orleans at this Midtown East hot spot that started as a pop-up with dishes like fried chicken, tomato kimchi, and jambalaya, or shrimp and grits in shrimp dashi. The menu is a robust collection of snacks, sides, and hearty meat dishes served in a warm, utilitarian dining area." - Melissa McCart
"Top Chef season 19 contestant Jae Jung opened her own spot leaning into what she knows best. The result is this fun Korean Cajun restaurant Kjun in Midtown, where she marries her Korean background to her time spent working and learning from the legendary late chef Leah Chase in New Orleans, shown through prix fixe and tasting menu options and takeout." - Nadia Chaudhury
"A kitchen known for Korean–Cajun fusions (examples given include "jambalaya with strips of kimchi and gochujang andouille and grits") that also offers a Korean–Cajun smash burger on its lunch menu, demonstrating genre-mixing approaches to the trend." - Jaya Saxena