Finding genuinely authentic Korean food in the US can be surprisingly difficult. We were in New York City craving the real thing, and a highly-rated spot in Koreatown called Her Name Is Han kept coming up in every search, every recommendation list, every "must-eat in NYC" thread we found. We also had a secondary motive: burning our American Express Gold Card Resy dining credits before they expired. Honestly, both reasons were worth it.
Location and Reservations
Her Name Is Han is on 31st Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue, right in the heart of Koreatown in Midtown Manhattan. If you know NYC's K-Town, you know that block is packed with Korean restaurants competing for the same crowd. Her Name Is Han stands out not just because of the food, but because of what they are trying to do: take traditional Korean ingredients and authentic recipes and present them in a warm, modern space that feels elevated without losing any of the soul.
The interior is thoughtfully designed. It doesn't feel like a generic restaurant that slapped some Korean art on the walls. The lighting is soft, the tables are spaced nicely, and the whole vibe reads like somewhere you would take someone you genuinely want to impress without making it feel stuffy or overly formal. We felt comfortable there from the moment we walked in.
Book a reservation. I cannot stress this enough. They open availability 30 days in advance, and it fills up fast. We arrived right at 5:00 PM when dinner service started and the restaurant filled up almost immediately. If you show up hoping to walk in, you are going to be disappointed. OpenTable is your friend here, and so is the Resy platform if you have the Amex Gold.
The Vibe
There is a particular energy inside Her Name Is Han that is hard to describe without just saying it feels like being in Seoul. Not in a kitschy way, not in a "Korean for Americans" way, but in the way that small details add up: the way the server explains each dish, the rhythm of the meal, the attention to texture and balance in every plate. Vincent and I have eaten Korean food together in Korea, and this came closer to replicating that experience than almost anything we have had stateside.
The soundtrack is low enough that you can actually have a conversation, which you would not take for granted in a packed Midtown restaurant on a Friday night. The crowd skews toward Korean diners and people who know what they are ordering, which is always a good sign.
Drinks and the Appetizer
The cocktail program here is soju-based rather than spirit-based, which gives every drink a lighter, cleaner flavor profile than standard American bar cocktails. If you are used to heavy liquor drinks, this is a welcome change. You can actually taste the flavors.
I ordered the Lychee cocktail and it was absolutely my favorite: floral, slightly sweet, with that gentle soju warmth that builds slowly rather than hitting you immediately. Vincent went for the Peach Blossom, which had a similar softness with a fruitier finish. We both agreed we would order the same drinks again without hesitation.
Black Sesame Tofu: This arrived as our starter and immediately set the tone for the meal. Crunchy on the outside, medium-soft inside, coated in a sweet and savory sauce that somehow manages to be rich without being heavy. The black sesame flavor is subtle enough that even people who are not familiar with it will enjoy the dish. It is a genuinely fun, texturally interesting way to start, and it got us excited about what was coming.
Main Courses
It had been a while since we had Korean food this good. Like, actually this good. Both of our main courses reminded us exactly why this restaurant has the reviews it does.
Grilled Bulgogi: It arrived smelling incredible, which is the first thing you notice. That char, that slightly sweet marinade, that deeply savory aroma. The flavor was completely spot-on: the beef had a beautiful caramelized exterior while staying tender inside, and it was served with properly sticky, authentic Korean rice. Not the fluffy American version. The right kind. This was exactly what I had been craving for months, and it delivered every bit of it.
Bossam (Steamed Pork): Vincent was genuinely skeptical about this one going in. His position was: how impressive can a simple steamed pork dish be? The answer, it turns out, is very. Served with white kimchi and a crisp, bright radish, the Bossam here is a lesson in restraint doing all the work. You take a piece of the incredibly tender, slow-steamed pork, layer it with a slice of radish, add a bit of sauce, and roll it up. It tastes exactly like the Bossam you would find in a good restaurant in Korea. The white kimchi is less acidic than the red version, which lets the pork's natural flavor come through. Vincent came around very quickly and was quietly eating his way through it for the rest of the meal without complaint.
Service and Dessert
Before dessert, the staff cleared the entire table and brought out fresh napkins, new plates, and clean spoons. That level of intentional, reset-the-table service is not common at this price point in New York, or anywhere. It felt like genuine hospitality rather than a performance of it. Details like that are what separate a great meal from a memorable one.
Black Sesame Ice Cream: The kitchen plays with texture consistently throughout the meal, and dessert is no exception. The black sesame ice cream is creamy and smooth, with a deep nutty flavor that is not overpowering, and it arrives with chunky green tea powder and dried strawberry pieces scattered over the top. The strawberry is a bit tart, the matcha powder is slightly bitter, and the ice cream is sweet: everything balances perfectly. It is unique without being weird about it. Not overly sweet, not trying too hard. Just a genuinely great dessert that left us both satisfied.
The Amex Gold Resy Credit Hack
Our total before tax and tip came out to exactly $99. The American Express Gold Card provides a $50 semi-annual Resy dining credit. Because both Vincent and I each carry the Amex Gold, we split the bill evenly, which triggered the $50 credit on each card. We essentially ate this entire meal for the cost of tax and tip.
If you have the Amex Gold card, make sure you are using your Resy credit before the semi-annual reset. It does not roll over and it does not apply automatically without a qualifying charge through the Resy platform. Book through Resy, pay with your Gold card, and let the credit do its thing.
Practical Info
Her Name Is Han is dinner-only and fills up fast most nights. Midtown Manhattan means you are not walking to a parking garage, so take the subway to 34th Street or grab a rideshare. The restaurant is compact, so reservations are genuinely important rather than optional. Expect to spend around $45 to $60 per person before drinks, tax, and tip.
For a special occasion dinner, a date night, or just a really good Korean meal with someone you want to share it with, this is the right call. The price-to-quality ratio is excellent for New York standards, and the Amex credit opportunity makes it even more of a no-brainer if you have the card.
The Verdict
Her Name Is Han is worth seeking out if you are in New York and want authentic Korean food. The presentation, the atmosphere, and the food quality make it one of the best Korean restaurants we have had in the US. The Bulgogi alone would bring us back, but honestly so would the soju cocktails and that black sesame ice cream. If you have Amex Gold credits sitting unused, this is one of the best ways to spend them.
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