Wero
Permanently Closed
Korean comfort food, seasonal prix fixe, craft cocktails
Korean comfort food, seasonal prix fixe, craft cocktails
"Well-regarded restaurant WeRo has shut its doors as of December 30. Owner Wes Yoo converted the restaurant, formerly a gastropub called the Gerald, into a Korean restaurant in 2022 and attracted good reviews. He also opened a lunch bowl spot called Bapshim in the space in 2023, earning an Eater Award, but the restaurant struggled financially and was forced to close." - Meg van Huygen
"On Monday, December 18, Wes Yoo said on Instagram that he was closing his acclaimed Korean restaurant WeRo. Its last day of service will be December 30. Yoo took over the restaurant in 2018, when it was still known as the Gerald and still serving classic gastropub-style food. In March 2022, Yoo officially changed the name to WeRo and since then garnered rave reviews." - Harry Cheadle
"It’s been a busy year for chef Wes Yoo at Wero. This spring Yoo launched Bapshim, a rice bowl takeout operation, out of the Ballard space. Now, according to an emailed statement Yoo sent out this week, he’ll be doing “ the only Korean inspired prix-fixe menu in Seattle” starting Tuesday, October 10. “The dishes offered will continue to reflect [my] Korean childhood while incorporating PNW culture and ingredients as well,” Yoo said in the email. “Embracing global techniques and local ingredients while maintaining distinct Korean flavors is my mission at Wero and the prix fixe menu will be an awesome platform.” There will still be a number of a la carte items on the menu. The prix fixe will be $55 and comes with three courses, all of them savory." - Harry Cheadle
"We're glad that the rest of the city isn't completely in on this Ballard Korean spot's magnificence. There’s typically availability to snag a last-minute reservation, and it's been scientifically proven that gigantic booths (like the ones here) are the preferred seating situation for a group. The menu is a truly delicious grab bag full of sweet-and-spicy chicken wings, butter-roasted potatoes with gochujang mayo, and big ssam platters featuring proteins like incredibly meaty fried tofu or sizzled pork belly with melty fat and crackly edges. Not only that, but Wero's cocktail showing is as vast as Queen’s discography, including standout mocktails." - Aimee Rizzo, Kayla Sager Riley
"Wes Yoo has been building his restaurant Wero since the pandemic began. In 2018, the chef took over The Gerald, a Ballard Avenue gastropub. But when covid arrived and he started eating a lot of food from his native Korea to cope with the stress, Yoo began serving Korean dishes at The Gerald, then transformed it officially into a comfort food–centric dinner spot called Wero, a Korean word that translates to 'comfort.'" - Harry Cheadle