Han Oak

They did not disappoint. This was my first time coming to Han Oak and might I say... I was impressed. The vibe is so comforting. From the moment I walked in it felt like I was just hanging out in my friend's backyard. We sat at the chefs counter (which did feel a little more like the bar) but everyone was super friendly knowledgeable. My partner and I both had a non alcoholic drink and they were both delicious! All the small starter plates were so flavorful and tasted so fresh!This was my first time having gimbap and I will say I am hooked. Everything was amazing and it was so fun being able to be creative and build your own adventure. And it may not look like it but there was plenty of food for two people, but they will give you more of anything if you'd like. Dessert was so yummy as well. After eating all of that food it was a nice and light! I will definitely be back!

My boss had asked me if I would join him for Korean barbecue, while we were at our conference. I agreed to go. I'm not that much of a fan of Korean barbecue but I love the side dishes/banchan. The evening of our reservation he told me that he had also invited his best friend's son and his roommate, who were freshman at the local university. I was happy to have the young men join us. Finding this location wasn't quite easy. Our driver dropped us off at a parking lot. My boss saw the sign with an arrow pointing right but we went around to the front of the building. Not finding the entrance, we went back to the parking lot and a small sign that indicated the door. It was easy to miss.Walking inside you're in a covered outdoor area with a section that goes into an indoor dining space. There is a small grassy area with some kids toys on it. Trees and shrubbery are all around.The young men had arrived before we had. On the table there was a drink menu, a menu with add-ons, and a menu that explained the different courses that you're offered. It wasn't the type of Korean barbecue that I was expecting where you cook your own food. I was, however, intrigued by the variety of dishes that are served on this fixed menu.A waitress came to take our drink orders and asked us if we wanted any add-ons. We didn't do any add-ons. I asked for an iced tea. They didn't have ready but they would make some fresh for me. I asked for the green tea. It was pretty weak. As each course arrived the wait staff would explain what it was and gave recommendations on how to eat it. Everything is served family style. You are given a small plate, but the plate was later taken away, so you eat from the communal vessels. I'm not a germaphobe, but I can see how some might be taken aback by that.The first four dishes that we were brought were banchan. The first dish was a bowl of kimchi made from cabbage and some pickled daikon radish. I thought both were excellent. The second dish was a salad of pear and mustard greens. I thought that they worked well together. The sweetness with the bitterness of the greens was a nice contrast. There was a small dish of this spiced eggplant which I really enjoyed. Sadly this is one of the few dishes that we couldn't get a refill of. Everything else on the menu was refillable for the most part. The last of the four dishes was a version of what they called potato salad that had roasted potatoes covered with a dressing that was like potato salad dressing. I am convinced that they use some Japanese mayonnaise because it was much richer than the American type mayonnaise that we have here. I didn't care for this one but everyone else at the table really enjoyed it The next dish that was brought out was a small bowl of broth that had very thin slices of beef at the bottom. To the side there were some cut-up vegetables that included cabbage and corn. We were recommended to use our chopsticks to roll the beef up with some of the vegetables inside, like a taquito. The beef was incredibly tender. The beef and broth both had a subtle flavor. I just found it a little messy to eat. The main course came next. A small tray with little indentations was filled with different kinds of vegetables including leeks, cucumber, sliced egg omelet, pickled radish, mushrooms shredded carrot, and sheets of rice paper. We were also brought small bowls of steamed rice that had some rice vinegar in it and nori sheets. A small dish of a marinated tuna was brought out. I found that to be delicious, but again this is one of those things that we couldn't get more of. There was a stone bowl that had roasted pork loin that was marinated in what the waiter described as "Korean A1" sauce. He suggested that we use the nori sheets as an analog for a tortilla and make small tacos with different ingredients. We were also brought out a little sauce tray that had some mustard, a soy sauce based dip, and a creamy type dip. I'm not sure what the creamy dip was, but it had a nice flavor. Each of us made our little customized tacos. Everything was delicious. We kept eating and eating. We ended up asking for a little bit more of the vegetables, but our eyes were bigger than our stomachs. We weren't able to finish all of our food The last course was a very light dessert of shaved ice. It has some some red beans at the bottom and condensed milk over top with some sliced strawberries. I didn't even try it, as I was so full. We were asked if we wanted to take any of the food home but the boys were headed back on the bus, so they didn't want to carry it back.It was about $68 per person for the dinner. None of us left hungry. It was an adventure and most everything was absolutely delicious. The service was excellent period. The outdoor setting was a little strange. The bathroom had disco lights in it which was a little bit disconcerting. We had an early reservation but the restaurant soon filled.

Came here because it was on "Somebody feed Phil" and tbh, didn't know what to expect. Sometimes Phil's recommendations are GREAT (new orleans) and sometimes they're a bit meh (Austin). My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our experience at Han Oak. The food was delicious and we could really taste the Korean fusion. Everything was very Korean, but many of the items were elevated with a twist such as the banchan and beef brisket. I also really like how the restaurant is true to its Korean core and offers unlimited banchan and sides. Food:At first, I thought $65 was a bit expensive for gimbap, considering the fact that you can purchase gimbap for $10 from Korean grandmas, but the meat and fish was made to perfection!! It feels like chef Peter took a very simple dish and made it more fun and elevated. The seaweed wasn't too dull, with the perfect amount of crunch and the mushrooms, something so simple, had a lot of flavor. I was a little disappointed about how the rice was unevenly cooked though, some parts were too wet and some were too hard (feels like a big Asia restaurant no-no!!) The bingsu dessert flavor was also quite unique although we felt like the ice could have been more smooth.Drinks:We were really impressed by the big selection of unique cocktails and wine bottles. The wine director was there at the time, and we really appreciated how he helped us pick out a bottle! They offer Oranges, which we thought was unique (coming from California at least). His recommendation really complimented the dishes. Atmosphere:It was very chill and the perfect mixture of indoor and outdoor with a hint of romance. You kinda feel like you've stepped into a special place once you walk through those doors in the parking lot. I love how they left the green lawn empty, it doesn't give the restaurant too much of a crowded feeling. The volume of the music was perfect and the tables weren't too close together - I could still hear my husband and know that no one can hear us!! The vibes were great!! Service:Very friendly staff!! Our waiters were all very knowledgeable about the dishes, although at one point they did forget to refill our banchan. WOULD I COME HERE AGAIN? YES!!! Love their take on Korean fusion, the vibes, and drink selection. Personally, my husband and I loved it as a date night spot. We walked over to "too soon" cocktail bar afterwards and it was the perfect end to the night!

It's such a vibe here!! I could definitely see myself coming back here the next time I'm in town. We didn't try the Gimbap Party menu here, so can't really speak to that, but it looked awesome. It was great seeing so many tables enjoying that. I love Gimbap and it's cool they made it into such an interactive experience here.The actual set up of the restaurant is one of the best I've ever come across. It truly feels like you're at someone's house, and love how big and spacious the patio area is. This is truly the perfect place for a nice dinner in the summer. We got a few non-alcoholic drinks as well as desserts like shaved ice and another specialty rice cake dessert. They were just setting up for karaoke when we were about to leave, and I could imagine this being such a fun place to spend a weekend evening! The team here is also so kind!

Han Oak is worth the elevated experience of Korean food through the lens of kim bap. The whole experience was playful, fresh, and of course delicious!We wanted to try this place because of the Netflix show Somebody Feed Phil. We weren't disappointed.The menu is set for you. It is a go and enjoy with friends, type of vibe. I believe the menu changes seasonally based on what is available in terms of local produce. There will be some variations depending on when you go. But the basic set up is consistent. You have ban chan appetizers, which include chef's mom's kimchi. Then you have the mains to build your own kim bap experience. Then dessert to end the meal - bingsu and maybe another option with Korean-inspired flavors.Everything for us was solid. It was nice to have fresh local ingredients highlighted during this meal. Service was also exceptional. Han Oak easily accommodated one of our party's dietary needs (gluten and meat free). Han Oak is an innovative spin on 'everyday' Korean food. It is meant to be interactive and experiential, a meal you share and a vibe you partake of and contribute to. I consider it non-snooty fine dining. One gripe I have is that the temp of some of the dishes could have been served hot (but this is more a personal preference). As a reference, kim bap is usually eaten at room temperature, so it makes sense the food wasn't hot.

I'd wanted to dine here for quite a while. So I was thrilled when they were hosting the Good Food foundations dinner and I was invited to attend. The service was exceptional, especially considering it was an event of all food and beverage industry professionals, and business owners. A very demanding group.Such a beautiful and unique set up with the open courtyard design. Wish I'd gotten a photo of that, but there are plenty available to reference online. The cocktails were exceptional. I had one that had a slight note of savoriness to it with sesame oil. The starters that were put out for everyone to Nashon while they arrived at the event were fresh, unique, and delicious with a seafood.Mind blowing dinner served family style. Grilled beef and Hamachi Crudo served with an array of sides, rice and seaweed to create handheld bites.

Wow, what an experience. I went here with the old ball and chain and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. It was a feast. The food was fantastic and absolutely something we've been thinking about for the last two weeks. The staff were very friendly and it felt like we weren't eating in a Portland suburb. Ambiance felt like we were eating in a tropical jungle. Anytime we have family or friends in town, we will be taking them here!

Heard about Han Oak from David Chang's Ugly Delicious. We happened to be able to get a reservation during our visit. The restaurant was hidden but the interior was so cool; industrial but also had an indoor/outdoor vibe.It was a gimbap party themed menu, which was so cool. We were so happy with each course. The food was delicious and well thought out. Service was impeccable! Would recommend to anyone visiting Portland.

Came here with a reservation for 7 and 2 children on a Friday night around 8pm and it was still packed!Working as a set course meal, the idea behind the meal is a deconstructed gimbap. Serving endless fresh veggies paired with either the bulgogi, koji coopa, or scallops, each bite is decadent and packs a punch. The different flavors and textures play off each other, and it was super filling!The drinks were all good and unique. I had a umami Mami, which is soju and vodka mixed with sesame, miso, and lemon. It was definitely something I haven't had anywhere else and was tasty!We happen to have an open mic karaoke night and it was such a fun crowd and time. People singing their hearts out, laughs being shared, I definitely would come back.

There's a reason why this place gets so much notariaty.The service was great! Everyone was nice and attentive. The banchan came out immediately, and I finished it off fairly quickly for them to immediately refill more plates of these lovely snacks.They had only the Gimbap party and some add ons when I went. The gimbap party consisted of a variety of toppings for you to roll your own rolls. It was a very fun experience. I ended up being full after the main gimbap, but I really wanted to try the seafood add-on, so I ended up ordering the add-on because everything that came out had its own distinct taste. The add-on was also well put together and was worth it.The cocktail was also very well balanced. The dessert was a shaved iced coconut strawberry type dish. This was a nice ending to my meal.I left Han Oak a little bit too full, but I had a lovely experience.