Cafe Han River

Doesn't Recommend

Christine Liu

Joined 5 years ago

Blink-and-you'll-miss-it eatery dishes up homey Korean fare. This cheap-eats Korean stopover makes up for its barely-there atmosphere with homey traditional favorites steaming in procession from the kitchen. Come prepared with cash and an appetite for spicy vats of pork jigae, plates of unctuous spareribs and a delicately palate-cleansing seaweed soup--eschewing complicated special requests (unless it's delivered in Korean). A movie poster here and there decorates the walls of this restaurant in Brookline's Audubon Circle, yet tables still bustle with belly-full chowhounds and boisterous students. It's virtually invisible from the outside, which only adds charm to this hidden gem.

Doesn't Recommend

lovefoodverymuch2008

Joined 5 years ago

horrible. This is gotta be the worst experience ever! I went there because it has a neighborhood feel and it looks very authentic. I ordered a Bi Bim Bok and my friend ordered a beef noodle dish. It came very quickly, but my Bi Bim Bok had no beef in it. My friend's beef noodle had pathetic two pieces of beef. I went up to the owner, and kindly asked why there was no beef in my dish, as I had Bi Bim Bok many times and I always had beef in it. The owner looked at it and said "oh I forgot". She went in the kitchen for ten seconds and came out with beef added to my dish. I was initially happy until I tasted it and realized that the beef was frozen! Granted it was cooked but it was FROZEN! So I went up to her again and asked kindly that maybe there was a mistake and my beef should not be frozen. She looked at me like I was crazy and said " you can just mix them with rice and warm it up." I couldn't believe she said such a thing! So I refused to do so, and she responded "fine! I will microwave it." She microwaved it and she came out and said "this is not supposed to be smoking hot." God, there is no way in hell I will go back to this place.

Recommends

shmurghi

Joined 10 years ago

satisfying and friendly. I've been going to Han River at least once a month for the last 2 years. The couple who run it are always friendly, and the service is prompt, but that's not why I go there. The food is absolutely amazing. Their Pork Pulgoki is rich and spicy, and Kim Bab, Korean sushi, is perfect for a lighter meal. Its not a fancy place, but I'd still bring anyone I know there because of the food