Onjium (1-star Michelin)

Onjium is a fine dining restaurant that I have been to many times, probably 2-3 times a year. I guess my first visit was back in 2018. From my experiences at Seoul's Michelin-starred restaurants over the last decade, I can confidently say that Onjium is the best.

Strongly recommending it to everyone could be challenging. Nonetheless, Onjium is the greatest restaurant for someone like me who prefers to use high-quality ingredients to bring out their inherent flavors and characteristics rather than relying on flashy cooking techniques.

Every time I visit, the staff is super friendly, and I can't help but enjoy my meal with a big smile. I would be really grateful if you could keep serving such tasty food for a long time. (Note: It's been a while since I had that meal there, so my recollection may be incomplete.)

onjium korean fine dining michelin star restaurant seoul

At Onjium with my lovely sister.

Although I appreciate the window seats that look out over the stunning Gyeongbokgung Palace wall, my favorite spot is at the bar table, where I can watch the chef’s dynamic cooking in action.

Today's Menu

At Onjieum, this menu isn't a big deal. Because they serve plenty of dishes that aren't listed on the menu.

Corn porridge

A mixture of a variety of corns and rice.

It’s not overly seasoned, so the more you chew, the more that tasty sweetness of the corn comes through on its own. The texture of each corn is unique, making it fun to chew, and it's just the Korean-style appetizer I was looking for.

Onjium Soju (Korean alcoholic beverage) mixed with passion fruit

Obviously, I asked for a pairing with traditional Korean liquor.

The wine pairing sounds also great, but honestly, I just keep going for their food with traditional Korean liquor because I’m a big fan of the Soju they have here.

Welcome dish

A welcome dish that you won't find on the menu.

Starting from the middle, we've got Bu-gak (fried seaweed), dried fish, steamed rice cakes, homemade fish roe and Korean melon, and eggplant.

The way Onjieum cooks veggies is fantastic. Every single thing had a wonderful, tasty flavor.

Hip Scarlet (traditional Korean fortified rice wine)

Coming up next is the Hip Scarlet with a hint of whiskey and port wine.

Crab Meat with Cherry Jelly

I was highly impressed by this dish. It's a chilled soup that mixes a variety of nuts and is topped with seafood like crab and octopus, along with cucumber, watermelon, and cherry jellies, all drizzled with cherry sauce on top.

It was a wonderful dish, and the cherry slices, seafood, veggies, and creamy pine nut soup were all beautifully balanced.

Nagakmangwol Takju (Korean traditional milky rice wine)

Pyeonsu (dumpling) & Twigim (deep-fried vegetable)

Without a doubt, deep-fried dishes always go wonderfully with Takju.

These dumplings (left) are packed with summer veggies, and I’m pretty sure zucchini is the star this time. I'm a big fan of vegetable dumplings.

You've got pickled veggies and Twigim on the right, which is a fried food with meat stuffed in chili peppers. That pickled veggie as a side tasted incredible.

Chicken soup

You won't find this on the menu either. It is a chicken soup garnished with chicken and cucumber kimchi. I know from experience that it will taste delicious, but Onjium's delicate touch is always very remarkable.

Such a refreshing taste that totally gives off those summer vibes. Also, there is a sourness that wraps up cleanly.

Dalholjinju (a clean distilled liquor)

Brewed in a city called Goseong.

Seasonal Platter

One of my favorite dish from Onjium which is also not listed on the menu.

It is a dish that features seasonal ingredients on one plate. Last winter when I visited, there was a moment when they served Hong-eo-ae (fish liver) with this dish, and I still remember how amazing it tasted.

Starting from the top and going around: cold pork with aged kimchi, raw fish salad, octopus, steamed crab meat, and Namul (veggies).

Though I enjoy Onjium all year round, my favorite time to visit is during the summer months. With this amazing view, I totally prefer lunch to dinner.

'Dam' The Original

DaeHa Saseuol Jeok (Beef and perilla leaves salad)

A sauce prepared with soybean paste and prawn heads. Just wrap up the beef with some perilla leaves and dip it in a good amount of soybean paste sauce.

Goldong Myeon (noodles with vegetables)