There were tons of big stars at Craigs last night -- Viola Davis, Paul Haggis, Nick Jonas -- but Kim Kardashian only stopped to talk to one person ... Saints head coach Sean Payton.
A TMZ staffer inside the restaurant saw the whole thing unfold ... Kim walked into the joint with her good friend Lil KIm in tow -- "The entire restaurant stopped to look at them. People were in awe."
Kim noticed Payton sitting with 4 other dudes at a table in the middle of the restaurant -- and walked right past other stars (including Haggis) to say what up!