Restaurant in New York City, United States
Serious Korean in Midtown. OAD-ranked. Book it.
Her Name is Han is the strongest case for serious Korean food in Murray Hill, backed by an OAD Casual North America ranking of #155 in 2025 — up from #234 the year before. Booking is easy, hours run daily for both lunch and dinner, and it earns a return visit from anyone who found it solid the first time.
Her Name is Han is one of the more credible Korean restaurants in Midtown Manhattan, and the OAD rankings back that up: it climbed from Highly Recommended in 2023 to #155 on the Opinionated About Dining Casual North America list in 2025, up from #234 the year before. That kind of consistent upward trajectory in a competitive field means something. If you've been once and wondered whether it was worth a return, the answer is yes — and if you haven't been, this is a stronger case for Korean food in Murray Hill than the neighbourhood's reputation might suggest.
Midtown east of Fifth Avenue isn't where most diners look for serious Korean cooking. That's precisely what makes Her Name is Han worth knowing about. The address , 17 E 31st St , puts it a short walk from Koreatown's K32 strip on 32nd Street, but the cooking here sits in a different register: more considered, less cafeteria-pace, and with enough critical recognition to justify treating it as a destination rather than a convenience stop.
For a returning visitor, the OAD ranking is the useful compass. The list rewards consistency and kitchen discipline over buzz, so the jump from #234 to #155 in a single year signals that whatever the kitchen was doing well, it's doing more of it. The restaurant's 4.5 Google rating across 2,572 reviews adds a floor of reliability , that volume of feedback at that score is harder to sustain than a single glowing review cycle.
The hours reward planning. Lunch runs 12–2:20 pm daily, dinner from 5:30 pm, with last seating at 9:50 pm Sunday through Thursday and 10:50 pm Friday and Saturday. Those hard end-times are real: this is not a place that lets tables linger indefinitely. If you're coming back for a longer meal with a group, Friday or Saturday dinner gives you the most runway. The compressed lunch window , just over two hours , suits a working meal or a quick Midtown stop, but don't arrive expecting to stretch it.
As a neighbourhood anchor, Her Name is Han occupies a specific gap. Koreatown's 32nd Street corridor handles volume and late-night demand well. What it doesn't always offer is a meal that rewards attention. If you've already done the K32 circuit and want Korean food that's worth a dedicated trip rather than a post-work default, this is the right move in this zip code. For context on where it sits in New York's broader Korean dining conversation, compare it to Jua, bōm, and Jeju Noodle Bar , all operating in different formats and price bands, but collectively defining what serious Korean cooking looks like in New York right now.
Price range is not confirmed in our data, so we won't speculate. What the OAD Casual designation does tell you is that this is not a tasting-menu operation , expect a more accessible format without the omakase commitment. If you want high-concept modern Korean in New York, Atomix is the reference point. Her Name is Han is doing something different, and that's the correct reason to go.
For returning diners: the consistency signal in the OAD climb suggests the kitchen hasn't peaked and coasted. A second visit should hold up. If you went during the 2023 Highly Recommended cycle and found it solid, the 2025 ranking suggests the kitchen has tightened further. Worth testing that theory.
If Korean dining is your focus this trip, also consider Meju and 8282 for different angles on the city's Korean dining range. For Seoul comparisons, Mingles and Kwonsooksoo show where Korean fine dining sits globally.
Booking is rated Easy. Given the OAD recognition and a loyal local following in a neighbourhood that doesn't have a deep bench of serious restaurants, booking ahead is still the sensible move , but you're not fighting Atomix-level demand. Lunch on a weekday is your lowest-friction entry point. For dinner, the Friday and Saturday extended service (last seating 10:50 pm) is the call if you want a relaxed pace. Note the strict closing windows and plan accordingly.
If you're building a longer trip around serious restaurants, Pearl covers Lazy Bear in San Francisco, Smyth in Chicago, Providence in Los Angeles, The French Laundry in Napa, Single Thread Farm in Healdsburg, and Emeril's in New Orleans.
A few days to a week ahead is usually enough. Booking is rated Easy, and Her Name is Han doesn't carry the same reservation pressure as OAD-ranked tasting-menu venues. Weekday lunch is the path of least resistance. If you want a specific Friday or Saturday dinner slot, book 5–7 days out to be safe. Walk-ins may be possible at off-peak lunch hours, but given the compressed two-hour lunch window, it's not worth the risk.
Smart casual is the right call. The OAD Casual designation and Midtown location both point away from formal dress. There's no confirmed dress code in our data, but this is not a jacket-required room. Treat it like a serious neighbourhood restaurant: put-together but not dressed for a financial gala. It sits in a different register from a $$$$ omakase counter, so leave the tie at the hotel.
Dinner, if your schedule allows. The lunch window is tight , 12 to 2:20 pm , and the format doesn't lend itself to a relaxed meal at that pace. Dinner gives you more time, and Friday or Saturday evening extends last seating to 10:50 pm, adding another hour of runway compared to weeknights. That said, lunch works well as a focused Midtown stop. If you're returning and want to try something you didn't get to last time, a weekday dinner is the version to book.
| Venue | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Her Name is Han | — | |
| Le Bernardin | $$$$ | — |
| Atomix | $$$$ | — |
| Per Se | $$$$ | — |
| Masa | $$$$ | — |
| Eleven Madison Park | $$$$ | — |
What to weigh when choosing between Her Name is Han and alternatives.
Book at least one to two weeks out, especially for Friday and Saturday dinner, when the kitchen runs until 10:50 pm and demand is highest. The OAD Casual North America ranking climbed from Highly Recommended in 2023 to #155 in 2025, which means more people are paying attention. Same-week availability exists on weeknights, but don't count on it for a specific date.
This is a Midtown lunch-and-dinner Korean spot, not a tasting-menu temple, so dress practically: neat casual is fine. The OAD recognition signals a serious kitchen, not a formal dining room, so you won't feel underdressed in jeans. Overdressing would be the odd choice here.
Lunch runs 12–2:20 pm daily and is worth considering if you want to avoid competition for tables — most diners in this part of Midtown are chasing dinner reservations elsewhere. Dinner on Friday and Saturday runs an hour later (until 10:50 pm), giving you more flexibility if you're coming from somewhere else in the city. For a relaxed first visit, lunch is the lower-pressure option; dinner on a weeknight sits in the middle.
Her Name is Han is primarily known for Korean in New York City.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
