Jumak Korean Kitchen and Pub Ottawa Review – Flavourful Korean Dishes with Minor Execution Misses – Average EV Score: 6.6/10
Reviewed by Tastes of Ottawa
Each dish is rated using our EV Score (Enjoyment-to-Value Score), based on enjoyment, price paid, and benchmark pricing.
Table of Contents
Jumak Korean Kitchen and Pub Restaurant Overview
Jumak Korean Kitchen and Pub is a casual Korean restaurant and pub with a decent-sized dining area, offering a comfortable space whether you’re dining solo or in a group.
Parking is somewhat limited. There are around 8 shared parking spots on the side of the building available for multiple businesses, including Jumak Korean Kitchen and Pub. Outside of that, you’ll need to rely on street parking, which can vary depending on the time of day.
Service stood out in a positive way. The staff were very friendly and attentive, checking in multiple times throughout the meal without being intrusive. It felt like they were genuinely paying attention to the dining experience.
Food timing was also solid. The dishes came out fairly quickly, which made for a smooth experience. That said, I visited around 4:30 PM, so it was still early dinner and there were no other patrons at the time. It’s possible timing may differ during peak hours.
Overall, Jumak Korean Kitchen and Pub gives a good first impression with its service and efficient pacing. The food itself had some strong highlights, along with a few execution issues.
Would return? Yes.
Side Dishes
As expected with a Korean meal, side dishes (banchan) were served at the start.
The quality here was mixed.
The kimchi was quite good, with a solid balance of flavour and fermentation. It had the depth you’d expect and worked well as a complement to the main dishes.
The bean sprouts, however, lacked flavour. They felt plain and didn’t add much to the overall spread.
Instead of the more common potato side dish, this visit included radishes, which were fine but not particularly memorable.
The pickled cucumbers were a highlight among the sides — refreshing, slightly tangy, and enjoyable between bites of heavier dishes.
Overall, the banchan at Jumak Korean Kitchen and Pub were average, with a couple of strong items and a couple that didn’t stand out.
Seafood Pancake (Haemul Pajeon)
Menu Description: (Haemul Pajeon) Mixed seafood (shrimp, squid, clam, etc.), green onion, bell pepper and water batter and fry it once.
Enjoyment: 7/10
Price Paid: $27
Benchmark Price: $27
EV Score: 7/10
Order Again? Yes.
The Seafood Pancake (Haemul Pajeon) from Jumak was one of the better dishes of the meal.
Compared to other versions I’ve had — including at Alirang (see my review of Alirang) — this one was noticeably better.
The pancake had a nice thickness to it, giving it a satisfying bite, while still maintaining a crispy exterior. That balance is key for this dish, and it was executed well here.
The seafood mix was generous and well distributed. It included shrimp, squid, and other seafood, all of which were cooked properly. Neither the shrimp nor the squid were overcooked, which can easily happen with this type of dish. Instead, they remained tender and enjoyable.
Each bite had a good mix of seafood and batter, making it feel complete rather than uneven.
This is a dish I would consider ordering again, and it’s one of the stronger options on the menu at Jumak Korean Kitchen and Pub.
L.A. Galbi
Menu description: Marinated (based soy sauce) beef short ribs broil with onion. Served with rice.
Enjoyment: 7.5/10
Price Paid: $37
Benchmark Price: $28
EV Score: 5.7/10
Order Again? Yes.
The L.A. Galbi from Jumak was a solid dish overall, with a few small issues.
The beef short ribs were very tender, and the meat came off the bone easily, which is exactly what you want from galbi. The marinade added a nice savoury flavour, and there was a subtle char that enhanced the overall taste.
The onions underneath were a great addition. They were perfectly sweet and had absorbed the sauce well, making them a strong complement to the meat.
The rice served with the dish was also noteworthy. Instead of standard plain steamed rice, it was a mixture of sticky and regular rice, which gave it a more interesting texture and made it more enjoyable.
However, the timing of the dish could have been better.
The rice was brought out before the galbi, along with the side dishes, and there was about a 5-minute gap before the galbi arrived. As a result, the rice cooled down before the main dish was served. This felt unnecessary — serving them together would have made for a better experience.
Despite that, the dish itself was quite good, though it does sit on the higher end in terms of price.
Jeyuk Deopbap
Marinated (based gochujang) slices of pork stir-fried in pan with vegetables (mushrooms, onion, broccoli, etc.). Served with rice.
Enjoyment: 7/10
Price Paid: $20
Benchmark Price: $20
EV Score: 7/10
Order Again? Yes.
The Jeyuk Deopbap from Jumak was another strong dish.
The pork was very tender and had a rich, well-developed flavour from the gochujang-based marinade. It had a noticeable level of spice, but it was expected and balanced well with the rest of the dish.
The vegetables added variety in both texture and flavour, making the dish feel complete.
Like the galbi, it was served over the same rice, which worked well here. The rice had absorbed the sauce from the pork, enhancing the overall flavour and making each bite more satisfying.
This is a dish that stands out for its flavour and consistency, and it’s one I would definitely order again.
Final Thoughts
Jumak Korean Kitchen and Pub delivers a solid Korean dining experience, with strong flavours and good service.
The highlights were the Seafood Pancake and Jeyuk Deopbap, both of which were well executed and worth ordering again. The L.A. Galbi was also good, though slightly held back by timing issues with how it was served.
The side dishes were mixed, with some items standing out and others lacking flavour.
Service was a clear positive, with attentive staff and efficient food timing (especially given the early dinner visit). The restaurant itself is comfortable and easy to navigate, though parking can be limited.
Overall, Jumak Korean Kitchen and Pub is a reliable option for Korean food in Ottawa, with enough strong dishes to justify a return visit — especially to explore more of the menu.