Yuen Jay

I’ve been dying to try Yuen Jay since it first opened. The reviews have been superb… but the reservation list was typically 4-5 months out. Who can plan their life that far ahead?!

That frustration aside, Kate and I took a leap of faith and walked in one night. Luck was on our side and they had an opening at the bar. It was cramped, but we didn’t care, because what came next was truly spectacular.

This place is known for their pizza, which is where the twist comes in. Founded by husband/wife super-chef duo Steven Yuen (not THAT one) and Jayne “Jay” Romani, the menu is a Korean/Italian fusion inspired by fine Korean dining blended with traditional Italian style wood-fired pizza.

We ordered two pizzas to split between the two of us. They were so good we ate the first one entirely before I realized I’d better get some pics for the review.

The first was an Unami style pizza, covered in mushrooms and greens. It was the perfect blend of savory and salty.

The second pizza was a more traditional pepperoni, but came with spiced ground beef and the sauce was a blend of traditional tomato with a mix of Gochujang to heat it up. It was the right kind of hot. Kate was ridiculously sweaty, which she won’t enjoy me posting here, but hey, I pride myself in the honesty of my reviews.

Now that the food is out of the way, let’s get to the real goods of the review here. The restrooms. And if I’m being honest, I would’ve waited the 4 months just to use these beauties alone. What a treat.

The entire experience is in the details. The main attractions are clean and simple in their design. Classic white sink with clean lines, next to a very upscale looking classic white toilet. Can’t go wrong with the basics. But like I said, the details is where this all starts to shine.

The exposed copper plumbing worked into the design of the space was a treat. The way mirror and the hanging lamp were hung from the pipes was a fun surprise, along with the copper piping converted into the actual faucet itself.

The bulb they chose for the hanging lamp gave off a delicious warm glow and I was mesmerized by the shapes created by the LED filaments. I’m always surprised by how elegant these things can be when someone puts the time into properly designing a light bulb.

Stepping back from the sink revealed another pleasant surprise. The space itself had been a storage facility many years ago, so the old wooden beam work from the original flooring had been left in place, but augmented with a new concrete poured flooring. Seeing the exposed woodwork sanded down and polished, weaving between the broad swaths of concrete, gave the space a vintage, but modern feel. The vintage storage pieces added to the vibe in all the right ways. They even created a fun wall piece out of the old floor planks. The little back-lighting effect was simultaneously creeping and delightful. It really added to the overall warmth of the room.

There were multiple ways to get to the restroom, so I tried the other hallway on the way out and came across another set of pleasant surprises. The small wooden light fixtures mounted along the wall were exquisitely crafted, and I learned they were also created by wood left from the original beam work in the building.

Then lastly, as I rounded the corner to head back to find Kate, I spotted a wall of photo booth strips. They had the cutest little photo booth tucked away in the wall, hidden behind a vintage velvet curtain. We couldn’t resist and got a few pics we hung with the rest of the collection.

All said and done, this place was top notch from the food to the restrooms. Every detail was on point, which I suppose is to be expected at one of the city’s most popular restaurants. If you can’t sneak a spot at the bar, get on that wait list. 100% worth it. Full ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️’s for Yuen Jay!