Mukja Korean Barbeque

We’re all about trying new places, and this was our first time at Mukja Korean Barbeque in Puyallup. We went on a Friday night and were happy to see it wasn’t too busy — we got seated right away, which was nice. The atmosphere was pretty cool, with modern decor and good music playing in the background that gave the place a fun vibe. Our food came out quickly, so we didn’t have to wait long to start eating. As for the food itself, it wasn’t bad, but to be honest, we’ve been to other Korean BBQ spots that we liked better. The quality was okay, but it didn’t really stand out compared to some of our other favorite places. Also, we felt it was a little pricey for what we got, especially when we compared it to other spots we’ve tried. Even with that, it’s still a nice place to come for a date night or to bring family if you’re in the area. The service was friendly, and the overall vibe was fun, so we still had a good time. We might come back again, but it probably wouldn’t be our first pick when craving Korean BBQ.

My husband and I tried this place on a Tuesday night. We didn’t get the KBBQ but tried other items on the menu. He got the sweet and spicy korean fried chicken. The drumsticks were huge, flavorful, still sizzling, and worth the price. The ranch though was the tangy buttermilk prepackaged kind we don't like but we weren't expecting it to be homemade ranch. I got the beef soondubu soup. I really liked the flavor! The banchan were also nice. I was a bit bummed it didnt come out boiling with the egg freshly cracked on top and the beef wasnt thinly sliced. That being said, I think Mukja is catering to the population nearby. If you go in knowing this and not trying to compare it to Lakewood or places or up North, its great for the location. We had an amazing waitress who was very quick and attentive. Our initial placement was next to a family who were listening to their phones on full volume. Our waitress moved us and was so kind about it. I'd go back for sure. I am happy lowering my expectations for what Korean food Im used to for a place that is conveniently located with great staff and tasty food.

First time having lunch here. Amazing food. Wonderful customer service from start to finish. Food came out great. Got the Galbitang soup 🔥. Appetizers were delicious! Love the fact a lot of their items /recipes are made in house. Definitely will be coming back again

Very kind staff and hospitality, good portions and options of food, cool aesthetic and environment, and kept us full! In my opinion this is one of the hidden gems for Korean-BBQ, especially with those prices. Photo in middle is Option B (our options we had gotten were the Cote Sal Boneless Short Rib, Marinated Spicy Pork and Combo-cut Pork Belly). The spicy pork here is the spiciest marinated pork I've ever came across so far, we loved it! Otherwise they included all 6 sides for us with sides of rice each and an option of Kimchi or Soybean soup, in which we chose the Kimchi. It was hot and refreshing! Definitely worth the drive down. :)

Omg when this place finally open my friends and I scrambled since this place is the FIRST KBBQ IN PUYALLUP!!! They’ve got a great lunch set that’s super affordable and the meat combos are great! They hands down have one of the BEST NAENGMYEON (cold noodles) I have had and that’s one of my favorites so I’ve had my fair share. Great interior design and lots of drink/ice cream options available.

MUKJA BBQ serves delicious food! We ordered Combo B, a large portion of Korean wings, and our son had chicken nuggets and fries. Everything was packed with flavor and came out hot and fresh. The portions were generous and definitely worth the price it didn’t hurt the pocket at all. Our waitress, Leana, was attentive, friendly, and made the whole experience even better. She checked in on us often and made sure we had everything we needed. Excellent service all around! Highly recommend if you’re craving Korean BBQ or just want a solid meal that hits the spot. They also serve Corona so that’s a plus!!!

Wow! The whole family stuffed themselves. It was a lot of fun cooking the meat on the grill. Delicious sides. This restaurant is someone's baby.

My boyfriend and I came in during their late night happy hour as we were in the area finishing some errands and wanted to get food before we called it a day. When we got to the parking lot, we noticed it was pretty full and took that as a good sign especially on a Thursday night. I love the neon signs that not only adorned the windows but on the walls of the restaurant. It definitely gave us off Korean pub/bar vibes. The restaurant seems to be more catered to a younger audience, super casual and energetic. Although, the bathroom interior design is of old traditional Korean paintings and Korean poetry. I love that though as this is Puyallup's first Korean BBQ and just in general the only real Korean restaurant so I love that they showcase all types of Korean culture, arts, and designs. K-pop was played a decent volume level and we didn't have trouble hearing one another or even others. They also had various TVs playing different K-pop music videos too! As we arrived inside, we were greeted by a friendly waitress who showed us to a table and gave us menus. Another waitress came by with waters and she would end up being our main waitress for our dining experience. I got the Sweet Seoul Strawberry and naengmyeon while my boyfriend got a chicken katsu and chicken fried rice. It took some time to receive our food and it didn't come in the order I expected as it was the fried rice, naengmyeon and chicken katsu. Nothing came all together which was interesting as I think we were the only ones who ordered since the other large party inside was a party doing KBBQ. Just a heads up for those who prefer to have their food all together and relatively around the same time as others. The food was very delicious though! We were impressed with the generous portions and it definitely makes sense why they are priced the way they are. I would love more toppings on naengmyeon as I feel this the most skimpiest of naengmyeon toppings but they provided plenty of noodles which was nice. I guess my advice is to order on the happy hour menu if you want to eat stuff with your naengmyeon. The banchan was also really good and the waitress checks on you often to get you refills, which I really appreciated. This is coming from a Korean who lives in Federal Way so I know what good Korean food tastes like and Mukja definitely nails it on flavor, as well as gorgeous presentation! The service here was very professional and personable as the waitress would joke with us, ask questions to get to know us, and treat us as real people. I could hear the other waitress be really sweet and fun to the big party table as well, so you can tell that these employees enjoy their job and want to give their customers a memorable time. I do want to come back to try their lunch specials and look forward to stopping by here whenever we are in the area and craving some great Korean food!

My boyfriend and I tried Mukja for the first time and we were pleasantly surprised. Mukja isn't an AYCE establishment (which we usually prefer) however, it was actually really nice because we felt like the quality of meat was better than what's usually served at AYCE. We ordered the Combo C, where we got to pick 3 different beef options. The combo also came with all the typical side dishes & a choice of soybean or kimchi soup. We went w/ the kimchi soup - it was such a nice addition to the BBQ & had a little kick to it too, which we loved, lol. Will definitely return!

Super sweet waitress. She did apologize on behalf of the "new girl cook" when I pointed out the ridiculous amount of onion- not to mention, some of which were raw. I've found it unpleasant with what a true Korean bulgogi dish is supposed to look and taste like. I'm a quarter Korean, I know what home is supposed to taste like. We ordered ***sprouts as part of our side dish choice with the lunch special, which she came back 20min later to tell us they unfortunately didn't have any to provide- so we ended up with a lot of broccoli. The meat was barely there, and the pieces were cut so small it was more a frustrating quest to pick out. I ended up just separating the mix of different cut onion that wasn't cooked thoroughly. My son had the same experience with his dish, as our entree was the same thing. Totaling to around $35 you would think they would have comped part of our bill! I'll probably try it out one more time at different hours, to see if I just went on a bad day but that was enough to give me a red flag that, if the next time is disappointing I'll just never be back. Not worth the amount, what it should be as a claimed cultural dish, or consideration of the customer at the end of the day that just wanted a decent lunch meal with their kid. Restaurants, if your entree is ruined please find the decency to make it right SOMEHOW because my stomach does not digest just apologies.

What a yummy Korean barbecue. We had Wagyu, chicken and brisket. The sides were also yummy. The one dish I had for the first time was Kimchi soup, all I can say is WOW!! The service was OK maybe a communication barrier and waitress not really able to assist in choices and just appeared rushed. Food and atmosphere made up for it. Definitely would go back again. TIP-the prices appeared to be per person so thought extremely expensive but when you choose and it recommends 1-3 that is for all 3 not per person. We choose the price in middle so definitely would pay the 5.00 extra next time.

Once again, our server Mags doesn't disappoint us. She is amazingly attentive and always serves with a smile. The food is still absolutely fantastic.

Quite possibly the most delicious food selection ever. The service is quick and knowledgeable. Worth every penny! And the ambiance/atmosphere is very cozy and welcoming. A great place to chow down.

Ah yes, KBBQ has finally landed in Puyallup. Happy to say Mukja has some proper KBBQ and then some. Honestly its a a one stop shop kind of spot where they literally have almost everything on their menu. From KBBQ to Soondubu to KFC(Korean Fried Chicken) to Naengmyeon (Cold Noodles) the menu has pretty much everything. Ive been by here twice with the family when I was in town and can say the quality of the meat here is better than the all you can eat spots you might be driving to. The name of the game here is Quality over Quantity, but no matter which combo you choose you wont be leaving hungry. Got the combo C both times since they were all beef, and it didnt disappoint. This is going to be our go to whenever we visit. The banchan here is pretty good too as well as the doenjang jjigae (soybean stew). A very welcome addition to Puyallup. We no longer need to drive to Federal Way to get our fix when im home visiting. Check this place out!

My boyfriend and I came in during their late night happy hour as we were in the area finishing some errands and wanted to get food before we called it a day. When we got to the parking lot, we noticed it was pretty full and took that as a good sign especially on a Thursday night. I love the neon signs that not only adorned the windows but on the walls of the restaurant. It definitely gave us off Korean pub/bar vibes. The restaurant seems to be more catered to a younger audience, super casual and energetic. Although, the bathroom interior design is of old traditional Korean paintings and Korean poetry. I love that though as this is Puyallup's first Korean BBQ and just in general the only real Korean restaurant so I love that they showcase all types of Korean culture, arts, and designs. K-pop was played a decent volume level and we didn't have trouble hearing one another or even others. They also had various TVs playing different K-pop music videos too! As we arrived inside, we were greeted by a friendly waitress who showed us to a table and gave us menus. Another waitress came by with waters and she would end up being our main waitress for our dining experience. I got the Sweet Seoul Strawberry and naengmyeon while my boyfriend got a chicken katsu and chicken fried rice. It took some time to receive our food and it didn't come in the order I expected as it was the fried rice, naengmyeon and chicken katsu. Nothing came all together which was interesting as I think we were the only ones who ordered since the other large party inside was a party doing KBBQ. Just a heads up for those who prefer to have their food all together and relatively around the same time as others. The food was very delicious though! We were impressed with the generous portions and it definitely makes sense why they are priced the way they are. I would love more toppings on naengmyeon as I feel this the most skimpiest of naengmyeon toppings but they provided plenty of noodles which was nice. I guess my advice is to order on the happy hour menu if you want to eat stuff with your naengmyeon. The banchan was also really good and the waitress checks on you often to get you refills, which I really appreciated. This is coming from a Korean who lives in Federal Way so I know what good Korean food tastes like and Mukja definitely nails it on flavor, as well as gorgeous presentation! The service here was very professional and personable as the waitress would joke with us, ask questions to get to know us, and treat us as real people. I could hear the other waitress be really sweet and fun to the big party table as well, so you can tell that these employees enjoy their job and want to give their customers a memorable time. I do want to come back to try their lunch specials and look forward to stopping by here whenever we are in the area and craving some great Korean food!

First time here with the family. Ordered beef combo and half & half 10 piece chicken. The food was delicious and fresh, the service was great, and the ambiance was relaxed and comfortable. I would recommend Mukja if you are in the Puyallup area and are craving KBBQ.

Fresh meat with beautiful presentation, service was delightful and the ambiance was infectious, when on the south hill - this is the spot!

I came here about two weeks ago with my wife for a date night. A friend of mine mentioned the restaurant and said it was great. The atmosphere was very nice, and the restaurant was clean. We had the Mukja Mix Combo (B). I think the chicken needed more seasoning and my wife thought the beef was a little too gamey for her liking. Overall we had a great experience and will definitely be back.

They just opened last week and everything is still new. All of the meat is fresh tasting. You can tell that they put a lot of thought into the process of all of their dishes. Tae was our server, and she was above and beyond. She wanted us to be comfortable and get everything we needed. She was very attentive and personable. The ambiance was very Korean new age with K-POP on several screens. There was a lot of cool drawings on the floor from customers which I thought was a cool thing to allow.

Ambiance was pretty on the inside. Lots of things for your eyes to see. Tv and music playing. Service was good. I like that they have a call button for your server instead of having for them to walk up to you. That makes it more efficient.z food was good. $60 meal portion was a little skimp, but presentation was very nice. Cheesy corn is a 10/10 recommend. Egg soufle also.! I would go there again, but definitely a boujie-er korean bbq place then the normal all you can eat. (Also combos are not all you can eat)

While visiting family, I discovered this wonderful gem. I'm an absolute snob about Korean cuisine, but Mukja is one of my new favorite places! This is one of those "cook the food at your own table" concepts, so it encourages you to actually slow down and have a conversation with your table mates: a bonus if you have teenagers! This dining room gets crowed and a little noisy at high times, and the wait for a table can be long on the weekends so plan accordingly. We ordered the preset meals #2 and #3 ( they advertise that these meals feed 2-3 people) for our party of four. There was SO MUCH FOOD!!! They are very generous portions. Everything we ate was delicious, and fresh. My only complaint was the soup that came with our meals wasn't very hot, but it was very delicious, and we ate all of it. The next time I am in Puyallup visiting family I will definitely be returning to Mukja.

New spot in town definitely had potential. It's not an all you can eat but we did a combo for three of us and it was plenty of food for us. We did the half and half of fried chicken we all enjoyed it. My husband got the fried rice with an added egg on top and he liked it. Loved the fact that they let the kiddos draw on the floor yes I said that right on the floor. Service needs some work we had to ask multiple times for things because they were forgotten. It was not very busy and we still had to flag someone down to pay the check. I like that the tables have multiple cooking pots so if you have a group you can share the cooking. I am not in a rush to go back but I wouldn't say no to going.

Bummed they no longer let us switch out the soup for steamed egg... steamed egg is cheaper than soup lol. But also, not everyone in our party likes the soup options and I hate that it goes to waste. Honestly, I think they should give more options than just the soup so people could pick. *just a piece of advice!* I also think the combo options are very limited to what you could choose, and still pricey for the amount you get. I still feel like there are a lot of kinks to work out. K bbq is always popular but every time I come this location is always on the emptier side...

Extremely delicious food and supreme service! Friendly atmosphere and great staff! I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who loves Korean cuisine!

Kbbq, not all you can eat but you pick from combo list. Combo B was $60 and we got brisket, bulgogi & pork belly. Serves 2-3 people, with the two of us we were full ! Server was helpful, kind. Didn't speak a ton of English but was sooo sweet and we had zero communication issues. Very cool inside. We went at night so the neon light were pretty neat.

I'm never the type of person to leave bad reviews or reviews at all but the service here was absolutely terrible. The food quality has gone downhill, and it honestly feels like the owners are just money hungry now because the prices definitely don't match the quality. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. You'll basically be ignored the whole time. Our server, Natalie, came to take our order using this weird baby voice which I normally wouldn't care about, but it felt super fake and forced. After we ordered, we asked for extra side dishes that never showed up. Instead, she was sitting on her phone the whole time before finally bringing our food. Thirty minutes went by and she didn't check on us once. Didn't ask if we wanted to order more food/desserts, didn't refill our waters, nothing. My husband even asked for more water, and we never got it. I've been here a few times before, but after this experience, never again. Natalie completely ruined our experience here. This place seriously went downhill overpriced, lazy service, and no care for customers whatsoever. Anyone who has left a good review about this place saying the food was great obviously has terrible taste buds

My daughter and I came in for lunch. Pro - The spicy pork in the lunch combo is soooo soooo good and we both highly recommend. Con- service is a little slow. I think the issue is with the kitchen but it's well worth the wait We will be back over and over again for the lunch special.

Love this place! Ordered Mukja Mix(Combo B), Half/Half Fried Chicken and Green Tea Samonco. The meat was high quality and delicious. The Kimchi Chigae was tasty and warming on a wet Washington evening. The chicken was crispy on the outside yet tender on the inside. I like that they had dessert options and the ice cream was refreshing. This is a great place for family, friend gatherings or for a date. It's fun, modern and hip!

Have been excited to come by when I saw Puyallup was getting a Korean BBQ place. Walked in and was greeted quickly and sat, but then took about 10 mins for anyone to come introduce and ask for drink order. A lot of servers and people but they seem to just be in their own space and gathered often near kitchen area as a group. It is not all you can eat style you order by the combo or individual meats. Ordered the combo "B" Bonchon came out lack luster in flavor, meats arrived had to ask for salt and pepper and bean paste to add flavor. You can take the meats you don't eat with you Don't think I will return, there an other KBBQ options that are worth the drive.

You can expect relatively long wait times during the dinner rush, and unfortunately service is a bit on the slower side. That being said the food is pretty good. The experience of making your food is quite a bit of fun, plus they bring a significant amount of sides to try with your meal. We order the chicken and pork belly combo which offered quality cuts of meat and a decent amount as well. We also ordered wings which were exceptionally delicious. Overall I would definitely return but maybe for an early dinner to avoid the crowd and hopefully receive better service.

Second visit! You can tell the staff has found their groove. They have definitely added more meat to their combos (we had combo A). The food was delicious and the banchan was great. Bean sprouts, kimchi, cucumber kimchi and fish cake! The Cass beer was cold and the glass was also cold, which was great. A couple of suggestions! 1. Have more napkins at the table, we do like the container that has everything you need to eat/BBQ (tongs, scissor, spoon, chopsticks). But not nearly enough napkins! 2. Please consider getting Perilla leaf (kkaennip (깻잎) wraps for our meat! Lettuce is fine, but would prefer kkaennip!

This new Korean bbq restaurant in Puyallup served up generous servings of delicious food. The cuts of meat were great, my favorite was the marinated short rib. The sides were a great pairing also, to get all the flavors of kimchi, bbq meat, and rice in one bite. The interior of the restaurant was large and open, a good space for sure. My group felt comfortable. Beyond the space, the staff did a great job, especially for a newly opened restaurant. It's worth the drive from Seattle (where I live), but if you live in the south sound, it's a must.

Been here a few times now and we love it. Not an all you can eat type of bbq but they have all the meat options I'd want. Try the kimchi pancake it's sooooo good!

Go see my girl Tae, she was keeping us entertained while the food was cooking. 10 out of 10 on keeping everything cleaned.

Service was amazing!!! Ambience was great . However, the value for your money was lacking. Save your money on this one

Mujka Korean BBQ is a fresh and much-needed addition to Puyallup, especially after this location sat vacant for years. The restaurant itself is spacious with plenty of seating, though it does fill up quickly during prime dinner hours. The food was definitely good--high-quality meats, solid banchan, and nice presentation--but it leans heavily on the expensive side. For what you get, it feels a bit overpriced, especially compared to other Korean BBQ spots in the region. That said, the overall vibe and experience were enjoyable enough that I'd still go back, just with the price point in mind.

Inattentive staff. We came at a slow time in the afternoon and waited almost five minutes before being seated. Food was great, but the K-Pop music blaring from speakers and on TVs at every angle were not our vibe. I prefer the banchan in quantity and refilled as desired. Here, it's treated like a side order you add to your meal three at a time. Overall rating: C- Most like wont come back.

the only reason thier getting a 3 star was because out server Mags was great. the food its self were small portions and didnt even taste that good especially for not being a AYCE place. ive been to AYCE bbq That taste 10times better than this place. atleast we can say we gave this place a try

I've been waiting for this place to open and was looking forward to a go to spot for KBBQ in Puyallup. While the restaurant's ambiance is beautiful and the wait staff were pleasant, I expected more from the menu. Unfortunately, this isn't an all-you-can-eat KBBQ spot. The waitress assured us that the $38 sliced brisket would be enough for our party of 2, but the portion seemed small compared to the all you can eat servings I'm accustomed to at other KBBQ places. The meal comes with banchan (side dishes) and soup, which were a nice touch. However, it was a bit inconvenient that we had to ask for bowls and extra plates to set the cooked meat and banchan. Overall, it was an ok experience but felt it could have been better with larger portions and more attention to the little details that make a meal more comfortable. I'm hoping to give this place another chance in the future to see if it improves.

Side dishes(Banchan) are on point. Love how they offer romaine lettuce as a side. Also ordered the egg soufflé. It's yummy. Wish they offered rice paper as well but overall food is delish. Staff is very friendly. Spacious inside as well.

Food was ok to good, but only two girls at lunch time. The service was sooo slow and painful. You're pretty much ignored most of the time that you're there. I sat at my table after eating for 10 mins waiting for check. I had to go walk up to the cash register to be rang out. I hate that. Probably won't go back. Food was ok to good, but not outstanding to offset terrible service.

Food was pretty good. I took my mom here. It was our first time we came across this place. It was pretty busy and we were able to be seated before they closed for lunch. However, we did have to wait a little while for our food. The table next to us got there after we did, and they received their food before. It was a cute and fun place to try. I'd probably go again.

The interior had a nice vibe, but this K-BBQ spot is not all-you-can-eat. Customer service left much to be desired--our server was sweet, but the rest of the staff, including the manager on duty, were not as pleasant. Unlike other K-BBQ places, there are no vents above the tables, so the burners are kept at a very low heat. This made it take forever to cook the meats, and none of them developed the desirable BBQ crust. We ordered a combo meal, but the portion size didn't feel worth the price. There are other options on the menu, like Japchae and Korean chicken, but we didn't get a chance to try them. Check your utensils in the tool bucket on the table. All of our spoons were dirty. Presentation of the meats was very nice. .

We were a family of 6 and went on a Saturday night. The restaurant is spacious. We were seated in a room with game. Our server was very sweet and attentive. We ordered the family combo which were reasonable. The food were delicious.

We were in the area visiting friends and this was the perfect spot for their first kbbq experience. The combo meals was such a perfect amount of food and we got such a good variety of everything. Not to mention by husband won't stop talking about those korean chicken wings. We are already planning our next trip back to the area! On top of the delicious food, service was excellent! Highly recommend!

I'd give bbq 4 stars. Other food 3 stars. But they get 1 star for not disclosing gratuity fee included in our group. There were 7 of us. Server didnt even mention about gratuity already included for 6 and more group. Because they dont give us check, no way of knowing whats being charged and server didnt say anything. So i ended up double tipping. I'm all for tipping, but i do not like them deceiving us and not disclosing.

If you decide to come here they just had their soft opening on Friday & be patient they are short staffed but extremely sweet especially the owners. I ordered most of what's on the menu and I am very impressed! The ambiance is all good vibes and the service was excellent! Manifesting they do well in Puyallup. I love supporting new business, brings me joy

Really good food, the bulgogi is to die for! Great ambiance and super nice helpful employees. A little expensive, but so worth it. We will be back!

Quality meats, great sides, great service. We came on a Monday for early dinner and it was a nice vibe. Will definitely be back!

If I wanted tomato soup, I would've gone to Panera Bread. The kimchi soup has an overwhelming amount of tomato sauce, truly disappointing. The Napa kimchi side dish is beyond salty. The only items that was even close to being acceptable was the rice, cucumber and daikon kimchi. I was excited to try this place seeing all the reviews but definitely disappointing. Will not come here again.

Mukja is my favorite KBBQ spot! I've been obsessed with coming here. The ambient is great and the decor of the restaurant is so welcoming. The staff is really nice and attentive. My husband and I go often, we like to order the all beef combo C. It's more than enough for two and if you're not too hungry even 3 people can share it. The quality of the meat is also very good. My favorite side is definitely the radish kimchi, the potato salad and the pickled radish. I always recommend this spot to all my friends and they love it!

I am so excited for there to be a Korean bbq in Puyallup! My family and I love kbbq and have tried many across various towns. At first I was worried about portion sides here after seeing other reviews but it seems they have listened to the feedback and updated their portion sizes. We got the pork and beef combo and everything was delicious and you could tell it was good quality meat. The service was really great and the inside is very clean, open, and trendy. My favorite is cabbage kimchi which they ran out of but after trying the kimchi soup, I'm excited to come back and try the fresh kimchi. Both the soybean and kimchi soup were great. I would definitely recommend and I will be back again. I hope to see the sides rotate in the future for more variety. Oh and the chili soybean paste was delicious!

Overall great food. Sweet and spicy chicken to die for. Really stingy on the Large fries tho.

Wonderful food that was new to me and helpful service. Thanks, I'll be back. I'm glad that you're open for lunch.

Excellent food and service. Our waitress Tae was very friendly and personable. We will definitely be back.

The food and service were top notch. I think they are still learning their waitlist system. The wait times are not at all close to how long you will wait. When we put our names down it said 15-20 minutes. We waited 1hr 30 minutes.

Great holiday season night out with friends enjoying our beer/suja tower and delicious Korean BBQ. Service was excellent , food superb and good time had by all.