Korean Chain Paik’s Noodle Opens First Houston Location

Last week, massively popular Korean chain Paik’s Noodle quietly made its debut in Houston.

A hawk-eyed tipster pointed Eater to the restaurant’s newly-opened location at 9355 Long Point Road in Asiatown. Originally founded in Korea in 2006, the restaurant operates a number of locations in California, New York, Illinois, and Texas, including an outpost of Paik’s Noodle in Dallas suburb Carrollton.

Paik’s Noodle is known for its jjajangmyun (noodles tossed in black bean sauce) and jjamppong (spicy seafood noodles), along with sweet and sour pork, another house specialty. The menu is relatively small, with only six or seven dishes on offer. According to its website, Paik’s Noodle keeps the menu small in order to keep prices reasonable — every dish is less than $10 — and ensure quality.

This is the second major chain making its way to Houston’s Chinatown in recent weeks. Last month, L.A. Sichuan star Chengdu Taste opened in the neighborhood, drawing crowds despite its low-key arrival. The same is already happening at Paik’s Noodle, despite a similar lack of buzz.

Fortunately, there are plenty of opportunities to check it out — the new spot is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week.

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