Onjium — Restaurant in Seoul

A Culinary Institute's Exquisite Table: A Review of Onjium (Seoul) To dine at Onjium in Seoul is to embark on a journey that transcends a mere meal; it is an immersive exploration of Korean culinary heritage, reinterpreted with a sensitive and artistic hand. Housed within a cultural institute dedicated to preserving Korean traditions, the restaurant itself mirrors this ethos. Its modern facade and sleek, minimalist interiors, often featuring concrete and metal, stand in striking contrast to the ancient practices they uphold. Yet, this juxtaposition creates a compelling and serene atmosphere, particularly when complemented by the views of Gyeongbokgung Palace from its elevated position. The presence of a vibrant open kitchen adds a dynamic element, allowing guests glimpses into the focused precision of the culinary team.

The cuisine at Onjium is a profound expression of Korean royal court cuisine and traditional cooking, meticulously researched and artfully reimagined for the contemporary palate. What truly distinguishes the experience is the unwavering commitment to seasonal ingredients and their natural flavors. The culinary team, led by masters of Korean royal court cuisine, doesn't rely on extravagance but rather on the inherent quality of the produce and the meticulous application of traditional techniques. There’s a remarkable delicacy and lightness to each dish, highlighting the subtleties of Korean flavors and a deep understanding of fermentation, a cornerstone of their culinary philosophy. They even create their own jang (Korean fermented sauces), ensuring unparalleled depth and authenticity.

The tasting menu unfolds as a narrative, with each course telling a story rooted in history. You might begin with a delicate corn porridge, showcasing the natural sweetness and varied textures of different corn varieties. Expect exquisitely prepared seafood, such as crab meat with cherry jelly, a chilled soup offering a delightful balance of seafood and fruit. Their Pyeonsu (vegetable dumplings) are celebrated for their refined taste, often paired with perfectly fried stuffed chili peppers (Twigim). A particularly notable experience might include their Jinju-style braised beef ribs, known for their superb tenderness achieved through meticulous julienning and gentle steaming. Even seemingly simple dishes like Goldong Myeon (noodles in a radish kimchi and bean sprout soup) are elevated to extraordinary heights, becoming definitive versions of Korean comfort. Each plate is a visual poem, arranged with understated elegance that speaks volumes about the thoughtfulness invested in every creation.

The service at Onjium is as refined as the cuisine. The staff operate with a quiet professionalism and an almost intuitive understanding of guest needs. They are incredibly knowledgeable, offering insightful explanations of each dish's historical context, ingredients, and preparation techniques, thereby enriching the cultural appreciation of the meal. This attentive yet unobtrusive approach ensures a comfortable and immersive dining experience.

Ultimately, dining at Onjium is more than just consuming food; it's an educational and deeply satisfying encounter with Korea's gastronomic soul. It's a place where tradition is not simply preserved but actively celebrated and evolved, demonstrating how ancient culinary wisdom can seamlessly harmonize with modern sensibilities to create truly exquisite and...

Onjium was an unique experience from other fine dining establishments we have been to: a mix of traditional dishes pushed to their optimal structure, historical focused and withholding about how the experience will truly play out. If you can try to get the cherished counter seats (only five I believe) so you get the full view of the action. Also I can definitely say the price of admission is very much worth it in the breadth of experience.

A quick rundown of the dishes provided for a lunch in June 2025. Starts off with a very clean pea and tofu porridge, driving the flavours of these two subtle ingredients home. A set of assorted bites comes next: a heavily fish tinged rice square; fried bonbons with odd fillings and two excellently salty-crunchy lightly fried flowers. Then mung bean jelly salad, a harmony of delicate seasonal sliced strips in the five cardinal colours. A soft seafood umami of the croaker and stuffed steamed crab. To cleanse the palate a refreshing Naengmyeon of homemade herbal noodles in a cold tomato water. The strength of the vegetal taste in the noodle highly enjoyable. Next, a platter of whitefish and octopus sashimi; a kimchi-pork handroll; mackerel rolls and a sublime Yukhoe. The thick sliced raw beef paired with julienned Asian pear the perfect combination. Into the main beef course of grilled sirloin and eggplant, a royal dish called Yukmyeon deconstructed. The marination on the beef quite unctuous and well paired with the summer vegetables. A bibimbap follows providing a considerable diverse set of flavours, hard to gist really. Finish up with an ice cream sandwich, puffed rice balls glazed in ginger sugar and perilla seed toffee. The toffee being the standout among those three. Complete the seating with a final bit of curated tea (suggested by this guy) or coffee. Straightforward by some of the haute cuisine gastronomy standards but truly an...

The food was aesthetically pleasing as expected however we did not find that it tasted great. We are tourists so maybe we don’t understand the Korean culture enough. There wasn’t one dish prepared that I liked better than the majority Korean food we have tried at other restaurants. I was expecting more flavor based on what we have tried in the last week being in Seoul. We had to repeatedly ask the wait staff to fill up our ice water. Although the majority of dish ingredients could be explained in English, we were disappointed that all the details were not explained for such a high end restaurant. We have other recommendations for friends traveling to Seoul when it comes to food - especially...