Han Oak Restaurant LLC

Wow- all the awards and rave reviews are not wrong- every single thing we put in our mouths here was absolutely delicious!

This was one of my favorite dining experiences I’ve ever had. We went for a birthday and were the first people seated. We ordered two of the gimbap party, a soft shell, crab add-on, a sizzling, seafood, add-on and two cocktails. The first thing they brought was a bunch of little plates of deliciousness. There was kimchi, and while I do not like kimchi at all, this was absolutely delicious. There was also tofu. It was soft and had some kind of sauce and did not taste anything like grocery store, tofu. The roasted, sweet potatoes, and braised beets were also fantastic. Next, they brought the corned beef so yook. It was sliced so thin you could roll it up with the cabbage, and eat it like some sort of little meat roll up. When you finish that, they actually pour the rest of the broth it comes in in a bowl and I can honestly say I prefered the broth to the actual dish. The dish was delicious, don’t get me wrong, but the broth is the Star. Next they brought out the cocktails. I’ve got the Come Here Often, and as someone who doesn’t drink much alcohol, this was delightful. We also ordered a bottle of Jinro 24. It tasted like a gin and tonic to me so if you like that sort of thing, it’s a good choice. We definitely could not finish the bottle. Next, it was the main course, and there was a lot. The nori was also very different from anything I’ve ever purchased from a grocery store. It was thin and light and full of holes. It did not have a strong flavor, which was preferable to us, the bulgogi and koppa were both amazing they have perfect texture as well as good seasoning. The hokkaido scallops were not really to my taste. They were the only thing we left behind on the table. I’m sure they would be delicious to someone that likes raw scallops but to me they were not. They also brought a big plate of veggies and everything was thinly chopped . The sauces were fantastic. The hot mustard was my favorite. There was another thicker sauce that was also ridiculously good. The extras we got were a sizzling, seafood platter, and the softshell crab. The seafood platter was OK. The softshell crab however, was a game changer. It was better than any softshell crab I’ve ever had before, so if you’re going to pick one, I would definitely go for the softshell crab . The desert was Korean shaved ice, and I don’t even know how to describe it. It was lighter than snow, full of unusual and interesting tastes, and textures… And absolutely phenomenal. If I could change one thing it would have been that they would have brought us two separate bowls instead of having to share, because I wanted all of it for myself. The staff were very attentive, but not in your face. It seemed like every time someone came to our table. It was a different person, and they were all really great. They don’t wear uniforms, everyone is just wearing whatever they want and it was really interesting. The music was a little on the loud side but in a good way. There was a lot of pop/rap music, and it was all female artists while I was there. The bathrooms are clean, as was the entire restaurant. I would absolutely recommend. And I plan to revisit Han Oak the next time Im in Portland. (It was worth the hour drive in the rain) The only recommendation I would make is go early because there is absolutely nowhere to park.

I've been here a few times. Pretty reasonable for a prix fix. Different every time. Good cocktails.

The food is very good, but nothing really special. The location is great. The service is generally good, but some of the staff has some issues. The person “in charge of the wine” (surely not a sommelier) decided to open our wine somewhere in the kitchen and taste it over there… no cork brought to us and when asked argue with me that opening the bottle and having a short glass from my bottle is what is done now… I never seen that before!! I think they should let the customer taste the wine and watch how the bottle is open. The other issue is they decide to start a karaoke before we finish our dinner. I think they are trying be cool and fancy at the same time?? For their prices I would have appreciated to be able to enjoy the meal to the end without being disturbed like that. I think it is a one time restaurant. I came with high expectations, but I was disappointed…

We had such a phenomenal experience start to finish. The ambiance is beautiful and cozy, with rain tapping on the roof. The service was impeccable. And the food! The banchan and gimbap was so fun. Everything was both delicate, thoughtful, and filling. The umami mommie cocktail was unforgettable. Can’t wait to see what they come up with next!