Korean American comfort food at its best. Made a reservation for their last week. Service was communicative as we waited for our table, and then food, to be ready, as they’re very busy.Server was incredibly patient and thoughtful in explaining our options and answering questions. Though it was difficult to hear, as the music was incredibly loud. I love that they play records though!What a treat -and in Avondale! I look forward to what chef Beverly Kim does next.
The food was beyond my expectations. I was surprised how good they are. The noodles salad really refreshing, the pancake was crunchy the dessert also wonderful!! We ordered a lot, and I thought we would end up by taking some back home. But I was wrong. We can finish them all.Can't wait to try the new restaurant from the same owner. !!!
Parachute is an acclaimed Korean American restaurant from James Beard Award winning chefs (and husband and wife duo) Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark. While initially opening with a Korean fusion menu, they have shifted towards traditional Korean cuisine. Parachute's food won over the hearts of local foodies and even delighted the fine folks of Michelin so much that they were awarded a star. It was recently announced that Parachute will be closing its doors on March 23. They plan on using the same space for a new concept that will hopefully be unveiled sooner than later. I had always wanted to dine here, but prior reservations I had at other hot spots made booking a reservation here infeasible. However, I was surprised with a 7:00PM reservation from a family member! I was ecstatic! The interior and overall ambiance of this place awesome. Sleek, modern, welcoming, and unpretentious. As you wait to be seated you can't help but notice the Michelin star signs, which amps up your anticipation and excitement. I also saw that Beverly Kim was there! Very cool! We ended up ordering the yuk hwe, Korean fried chicken, haemul pajeon, 30 day dry aged bulgogi, and the s'mores patbingsu. The yuk hwe was delicious, surprising and a fantastic way to start a meal. The wings were also pretty solid. They weren't as crunchy as other Korean wings I have had, but the sauce was great! Next up was one of my favorite Korean dishes, the haemul pajeon (seafood pancake). While it does appear to be large, it does have a light and airy feel to it. They definitely went easy on the batter and that is honestly OK with me, because this was the best haemul pajeon I have ever had. Our main course (the bulgogi) was delicious. As was the banchan that was served with it. Even though I am a fan of Korean cuisine, I haven't eaten a lot of bulgogi. But this was definitely the best I've had. Up next was dessert and it ended up being my favorite dish of the night. One of my favorite things about eating at restaurants of this caliber is the feeling of delight and surprise when you bite into something unfamiliar. And the smores patbingsu checked all those boxes. With each bite you uncover one delicious layer after another. You taste the chocolate shaved ice and marshmallow first, then the Swiss meringue, then the cinnamon honey ice cream, then the puffed barley, and then the candied red beans! And it all comes together to create a bite of delicious and epic proportions. It was one of the best things I've eaten this year and a hell of a way to end a meal! Great service, great ambiance, cool music, and delicious food. What more could you want from a restaurant? As I mentioned before, this place is closing down next weekend. Keep an eye out for newly available reservations because you never know when something might open up. That's how we got one. I'm sad this place is closing, but in the meantime I'll sample the cuisine from Beverly and Johnny's new restaurant down street, Anelya. After the meal I had here, I'm confident I'll leave that place satisfied.
Julie K.
late to the party, but i finally made the reservation after i heard that this spot was closing on march 23. transparently, i tend to avoid Korean/Korean fusion restaurants that consider themselves modern and elevated. i much prefer true, "no-frills" Korean food just because that's what i grew up eating and loving, both at home and in Korea. "modern and elevated" Korean spots are also often on the pricier side. all that said, i was pleasantly surprised by this spot! i loved the unique yet familiar flavors of each dish and really appreciated that they maintained authenticity. the downside was the plating LOL. also was extremely bummed that i didn't get to try the pork bossam (it was the #1 thing on my list of things to try) because it wasn't in season, but still loved everything i tried, though the golbaengi muchim isn't worth the $ in my opinion. so sad to see this spot go!! what we ordered: - yukgaejang - yuk hwe (Korean-style beef tartare) * my fav !! * - korean fried chicken - golbaengi muchim (whelks w/ noodles in gochujang dressing)
Sunny T.
Went for a weeknight dinner, and had a good time! From the smaller plates, the yuk hwe was surprisingly good. Even though it was frozen, it somehow felt like it was fried?? The sesame flavor was really good throughout and went well with the pear. The korean fried chicken was a nice presentation on a classic, but not anything particularly special. The kimchi pajeon was an interesting take on a pancake because it used chihuahua cheese. I really liked it. We got the smores patbingsu and the strawberry pudding for the dessert. Both were pretty good, but I especially liked the patbingsu. The ambiance was pretty warm and cozy inside. We were sitting on the window facing the street which felt even cozier on a cold winter night. The service was really good and fast. Our server was checking up on us and refilling things pretty often.
Chris B
The food is great, it's a shame they are closing. We showed up for our 6:30 pm reservation and had to wait 20 minutes as it seems like they were over booked. The server was very short with us. When asked how are dishes were, they just walked away before we could even answer.
What can I say that hasn't already been said? There is a reason this restaurant has gotten award after award. Believe the hype. It's just that good. Despite the challenges a global pandemic has wreaked on the industry, Parachute remains exceptional. Flavors, combinations, presentation and service were excellent. I am sad to see this quality restaurant leave Avondale but am looking forward to coming back to their "new, larger space downtown" when it opens. Congratulations to Chefs Kim and Clark and their entire staff on 10 incredible years.
Tom Zeien
Wonderful dinner here! The space is lovely and our waiter was brilliant, knowledgeable, and a joy. The food was delicious, I’m so happy to have experienced it. I’m planning to go back to try more of the items.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Tom Z.
Wonderful dinner here! The space is lovely and our waiter was brilliant, knowledgeable, and a joy. The food was delicious, I'm so happy to have experienced it. I'm planning to go back to try more of the items.
Adrian C
Food is decent with particular standouts being the bulgogi, seafood pancake, and the s’mores bingsu. However other items had small portion sizes and middling flavors.Service was good and the atmosphere was friendly.
We had high expectations. The cocktail #3 and wines were great. The service was fantastic. The front bathroom was a pleasant experience.We ordered the Harmil pajeon, Golbaengi muchim, Bossam, and the 30 day dry aged bulgogi.For $300 for 3 people, none of the flavors were mind blowing, and everything except the Golbaengi was devoid of texture.The last straw was the rice served with the bulgogi- the food runner described a number of ingredients like black garlic, but it completely lacked any flavor; not even salt.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Seafood Pancakes, Pork Bossam, Bo Saam, 30 Day Dry Aged Bulgogi
John Mjoseth
Parachute isn't just a restaurant; it's an experience. From the moment you step into the warm, inviting space, you're greeted by the friendly hum of conversation and the tantalizing aroma of Korean fare reimagined. But the true stars of the show are the food and the service.Our server, Holly, was an absolute gem. Knowledgeable, attentive, and incredibly friendly, she guided us through the menu with genuine enthusiasm, making recommendations that perfectly catered to our tastes. Her passion for the food was infectious, and it only heightened our anticipation for each dish.And the food? Oh, the food! The yuk hwe (Korean beef tartare) was a symphony of textures and flavors, the chilled, melt-in-your-mouth meat perfectly complemented by the sesame dressing and preserved shallots. The haemul pajeon (seafood pancake) was a crispy delight, bursting with fresh shrimp and squid in every bite. No wonder it's on the top of everyone's list of favorites.The pork bossam and the godeungeo gul (grilled mackerel) were both delicious although enthusiasm for them varied from diner to diner.To cap off this incredible culinary journey, we indulged in the chocolate shaved ice for dessert. This decadent creation was a textural masterpiece, the fluffy shaved ice cradling pockets of rich chocolate sauce, sweet red beans, and crunchy rice puffs. It was the perfect ending to a truly unforgettable meal.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beef Tartare, Shaved Ice
RadmilaM
We had a wonderful experience at Parachute. The seafood was the freshest and the addition of Korean style boudin noir to the appetizer menu made a very pleasant and satisfying experience. Sorry to read that the restaurant will be closing on March 23, 2024. Hope it re-opens soon at a location in Downtown.
Clara S.
I am typically skeptical of Asian fusion restaurants because of their lack of authenticity; however, parachute nailed it on the authentic flavors in this upscale modern version of korean cuisine. The dishes were not much different than traditional korean foods and added elevated flavors and quality. We ordered a variety of dishes to try - my only complaint is that because it was coursed out, our dining experience was very long, which would have been nice to know beforehand. We started with the golbangi muchim, which was a nice fresh and spicy start to the meal. Our next course was the japchae ddukbukki, which was basically ddukbukki cooked as if it was japchae. This was tasty and pretty authentic in flavor. Next was my favorite - the bossam, which was excellent for sharing. The oysters added a delicious flavor to the wraps, and the pork was such great quality tender meat. Next we had the dry aged bulgogi, which was good but tasted no different than a normal bulgogi dish. I liked the banchan and purple rice to add to the authenticity. Great for sharing as well. Finally, we got the s'mores patbingsu, which wasn't that great. I didn't like the freeze dried marshmallows. My decaf coffee that I got was also a whopping $5. Otherwise, the prices were not bad at all for an upscale restaurant considering the portions and quality. I didn't like the extra fee they tacked on the bill though (I think it was 4 or 7%???). Definitely glad I tried this place finally and would recommend to others for delicious korean food!
CharB
We were super excited to get a reservation at Parachute, but left feeling very disappointed. The vibe and service were good, although we did wait a long time between our starters and entrees. The restaurant is criminally overpriced. We paid $33 for a noodle salad that was basically cold noodles with gochujang. All the portions were very small though they say they're all meant for sharing. Looking back through pictures in old reviews you can see that the portion sizes used to be much bigger. The food lacked both flavor and texture. Nothing was bad, but nothing was memorable either. We spent $100 each on dinner and left not feeling full. I feel genuinely confused by the situation because of the reputation of the restaurant and the prices they charge.
Korean American comfort food at its best. Made a reservation for their last week. Service was communicative as we waited for our table, and then food, to be ready, as they’re very busy.Server was incredibly patient and thoughtful in explaining our options and answering questions. Though it was difficult to hear, as the music was incredibly loud. I love that they play records though!What a treat -and in Avondale! I look forward to what chef Beverly Kim does next.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Mackerel, Seafood Pancakes, Golbaengi Muchim, Haemul Pajeon
The food was beyond my expectations. I was surprised how good they are. The noodles salad really refreshing, the pancake was crunchy the dessert also wonderful!! We ordered a lot, and I thought we would end up by taking some back home. But I was wrong. We can finish them all.Can't wait to try the new restaurant from the same owner. !!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Mackerel, Shaved Ice, Seafood Pancakes
Parachute is an acclaimed Korean American restaurant from James Beard Award winning chefs (and husband and wife duo) Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark. While initially opening with a Korean fusion menu, they have shifted towards traditional Korean cuisine. Parachute's food won over the hearts of local foodies and even delighted the fine folks of Michelin so much that they were awarded a star. It was recently announced that Parachute will be closing its doors on March 23. They plan on using the same space for a new concept that will hopefully be unveiled sooner than later. I had always wanted to dine here, but prior reservations I had at other hot spots made booking a reservation here infeasible. However, I was surprised with a 7:00PM reservation from a family member! I was ecstatic! The interior and overall ambiance of this place awesome. Sleek, modern, welcoming, and unpretentious. As you wait to be seated you can't help but notice the Michelin star signs, which amps up your anticipation and excitement. I also saw that Beverly Kim was there! Very cool! We ended up ordering the yuk hwe, Korean fried chicken, haemul pajeon, 30 day dry aged bulgogi, and the s'mores patbingsu. The yuk hwe was delicious, surprising and a fantastic way to start a meal. The wings were also pretty solid. They weren't as crunchy as other Korean wings I have had, but the sauce was great! Next up was one of my favorite Korean dishes, the haemul pajeon (seafood pancake). While it does appear to be large, it does have a light and airy feel to it. They definitely went easy on the batter and that is honestly OK with me, because this was the best haemul pajeon I have ever had. Our main course (the bulgogi) was delicious. As was the banchan that was served with it. Even though I am a fan of Korean cuisine, I haven't eaten a lot of bulgogi. But this was definitely the best I've had. Up next was dessert and it ended up being my favorite dish of the night. One of my favorite things about eating at restaurants of this caliber is the feeling of delight and surprise when you bite into something unfamiliar. And the smores patbingsu checked all those boxes. With each bite you uncover one delicious layer after another. You taste the chocolate shaved ice and marshmallow first, then the Swiss meringue, then the cinnamon honey ice cream, then the puffed barley, and then the candied red beans! And it all comes together to create a bite of delicious and epic proportions. It was one of the best things I've eaten this year and a hell of a way to end a meal! Great service, great ambiance, cool music, and delicious food. What more could you want from a restaurant? As I mentioned before, this place is closing down next weekend. Keep an eye out for newly available reservations because you never know when something might open up. That's how we got one. I'm sad this place is closing, but in the meantime I'll sample the cuisine from Beverly and Johnny's new restaurant down street, Anelya. After the meal I had here, I'm confident I'll leave that place satisfied.
late to the party, but i finally made the reservation after i heard that this spot was closing on march 23. transparently, i tend to avoid Korean/Korean fusion restaurants that consider themselves modern and elevated. i much prefer true, "no-frills" Korean food just because that's what i grew up eating and loving, both at home and in Korea. "modern and elevated" Korean spots are also often on the pricier side. all that said, i was pleasantly surprised by this spot! i loved the unique yet familiar flavors of each dish and really appreciated that they maintained authenticity. the downside was the plating LOL. also was extremely bummed that i didn't get to try the pork bossam (it was the #1 thing on my list of things to try) because it wasn't in season, but still loved everything i tried, though the golbaengi muchim isn't worth the $ in my opinion. so sad to see this spot go!! what we ordered: - yukgaejang - yuk hwe (Korean-style beef tartare) * my fav !! * - korean fried chicken - golbaengi muchim (whelks w/ noodles in gochujang dressing)
Went for a weeknight dinner, and had a good time! From the smaller plates, the yuk hwe was surprisingly good. Even though it was frozen, it somehow felt like it was fried?? The sesame flavor was really good throughout and went well with the pear. The korean fried chicken was a nice presentation on a classic, but not anything particularly special. The kimchi pajeon was an interesting take on a pancake because it used chihuahua cheese. I really liked it. We got the smores patbingsu and the strawberry pudding for the dessert. Both were pretty good, but I especially liked the patbingsu. The ambiance was pretty warm and cozy inside. We were sitting on the window facing the street which felt even cozier on a cold winter night. The service was really good and fast. Our server was checking up on us and refilling things pretty often.
The food is great, it's a shame they are closing. We showed up for our 6:30 pm reservation and had to wait 20 minutes as it seems like they were over booked. The server was very short with us. When asked how are dishes were, they just walked away before we could even answer.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 2
Recommended dishes: Beef Tartare, Shaved Ice, Seafood Pancakes, 30 Day Dry Aged Bulgogi
What can I say that hasn't already been said? There is a reason this restaurant has gotten award after award. Believe the hype. It's just that good. Despite the challenges a global pandemic has wreaked on the industry, Parachute remains exceptional. Flavors, combinations, presentation and service were excellent. I am sad to see this quality restaurant leave Avondale but am looking forward to coming back to their "new, larger space downtown" when it opens. Congratulations to Chefs Kim and Clark and their entire staff on 10 incredible years.
Wonderful dinner here! The space is lovely and our waiter was brilliant, knowledgeable, and a joy. The food was delicious, I’m so happy to have experienced it. I’m planning to go back to try more of the items.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Wonderful dinner here! The space is lovely and our waiter was brilliant, knowledgeable, and a joy. The food was delicious, I'm so happy to have experienced it. I'm planning to go back to try more of the items.
Food is decent with particular standouts being the bulgogi, seafood pancake, and the s’mores bingsu. However other items had small portion sizes and middling flavors.Service was good and the atmosphere was friendly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
We had high expectations. The cocktail #3 and wines were great. The service was fantastic. The front bathroom was a pleasant experience.We ordered the Harmil pajeon, Golbaengi muchim, Bossam, and the 30 day dry aged bulgogi.For $300 for 3 people, none of the flavors were mind blowing, and everything except the Golbaengi was devoid of texture.The last straw was the rice served with the bulgogi- the food runner described a number of ingredients like black garlic, but it completely lacked any flavor; not even salt.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Seafood Pancakes, Pork Bossam, Bo Saam, 30 Day Dry Aged Bulgogi
Parachute isn't just a restaurant; it's an experience. From the moment you step into the warm, inviting space, you're greeted by the friendly hum of conversation and the tantalizing aroma of Korean fare reimagined. But the true stars of the show are the food and the service.Our server, Holly, was an absolute gem. Knowledgeable, attentive, and incredibly friendly, she guided us through the menu with genuine enthusiasm, making recommendations that perfectly catered to our tastes. Her passion for the food was infectious, and it only heightened our anticipation for each dish.And the food? Oh, the food! The yuk hwe (Korean beef tartare) was a symphony of textures and flavors, the chilled, melt-in-your-mouth meat perfectly complemented by the sesame dressing and preserved shallots. The haemul pajeon (seafood pancake) was a crispy delight, bursting with fresh shrimp and squid in every bite. No wonder it's on the top of everyone's list of favorites.The pork bossam and the godeungeo gul (grilled mackerel) were both delicious although enthusiasm for them varied from diner to diner.To cap off this incredible culinary journey, we indulged in the chocolate shaved ice for dessert. This decadent creation was a textural masterpiece, the fluffy shaved ice cradling pockets of rich chocolate sauce, sweet red beans, and crunchy rice puffs. It was the perfect ending to a truly unforgettable meal.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Beef Tartare, Shaved Ice
We had a wonderful experience at Parachute. The seafood was the freshest and the addition of Korean style boudin noir to the appetizer menu made a very pleasant and satisfying experience. Sorry to read that the restaurant will be closing on March 23, 2024. Hope it re-opens soon at a location in Downtown.
I am typically skeptical of Asian fusion restaurants because of their lack of authenticity; however, parachute nailed it on the authentic flavors in this upscale modern version of korean cuisine. The dishes were not much different than traditional korean foods and added elevated flavors and quality. We ordered a variety of dishes to try - my only complaint is that because it was coursed out, our dining experience was very long, which would have been nice to know beforehand. We started with the golbangi muchim, which was a nice fresh and spicy start to the meal. Our next course was the japchae ddukbukki, which was basically ddukbukki cooked as if it was japchae. This was tasty and pretty authentic in flavor. Next was my favorite - the bossam, which was excellent for sharing. The oysters added a delicious flavor to the wraps, and the pork was such great quality tender meat. Next we had the dry aged bulgogi, which was good but tasted no different than a normal bulgogi dish. I liked the banchan and purple rice to add to the authenticity. Great for sharing as well. Finally, we got the s'mores patbingsu, which wasn't that great. I didn't like the freeze dried marshmallows. My decaf coffee that I got was also a whopping $5. Otherwise, the prices were not bad at all for an upscale restaurant considering the portions and quality. I didn't like the extra fee they tacked on the bill though (I think it was 4 or 7%???). Definitely glad I tried this place finally and would recommend to others for delicious korean food!
We were super excited to get a reservation at Parachute, but left feeling very disappointed. The vibe and service were good, although we did wait a long time between our starters and entrees. The restaurant is criminally overpriced. We paid $33 for a noodle salad that was basically cold noodles with gochujang. All the portions were very small though they say they're all meant for sharing. Looking back through pictures in old reviews you can see that the portion sizes used to be much bigger. The food lacked both flavor and texture. Nothing was bad, but nothing was memorable either. We spent $100 each on dinner and left not feeling full. I feel genuinely confused by the situation because of the reputation of the restaurant and the prices they charge.