In Manhattan, Koreatown is full of destination-worthy Korean dining, but just a Midtown block away is a sneaky-great restaurant, Her Name Is Han, known for its craveable Korean soul food since it opened in 2015, served in a space that is refined, trendy, and comfortable — the paper placemats are sweetly stamped with the day’s date — and run by hit-making Hand Hospitality.
This place is made for catching up with friends, family members, and loved ones, especially with its cozy, shareable dishes, complimentary banchan, and reasonable noise level — my out-of-town pal and I could talk and hear each other perfectly.
The restaurant makes for an underrated pre-Madison Square Garden concert dinner if you time your meal right, which means getting there when it opens at 5 p.m. Otherwise, be prepared to wait a while. If you live, work, or are staying somewhere nearby, or plan on trekking back to your place, then takeout is a better bet.