Han Woo Ri, a Korean restaurant in downtown Lexington, just might become your favorite new discovery in central Kentucky! Check out our review and favorite menu items.
By: Alisha Trenalone
There’s one restaurant in Lexington, Kentucky, that gets a lot of love here at Champagne Tastes.
You may have seen Sarah mention it longingly in her recipe for vegan kimchi soup. And with good reason!
Han Woo Ri, a Korean restaurant located at 371 South Limestone, is somewhat of a hidden gem in downtown Lexington.
The first time we went, it quickly captured our hearts with its fantastic flavors and small but cozy dining area.
It’s been the perfect place to meet up with friends or just to have a special family meal, and I also love stopping there for pickup.
Han Woo Ri Hours and Parking
Han Woo Ri opens its dining room for lunch and dinner, but closes for a couple of hours in between the two. Check their website or Facebook page for exact times.
If you want to do pickup, it’s easy to call ahead with your order, but a limited menu is also available on DoorDash (order here) and GrubHub (order here).
Parking is available in a very small lot behind the restaurant.
Han Woo Ri shares a building with a couple of other businesses, but you’ll be able to see its sign from the street.
Looking for other things to do in the Lexington area? Check out the UK Arboretum, Evans Orchard, Talon Winery, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, and Raven Run Nature Sanctuary!
The Menu
An appetizer like the soft shell crab, drizzled with hot sauce, is a great beginning to a meal.
One of my favorite entrées to get is the bulgogi, a dish that features marinated strips of beef along with stir fried potatoes, onions and carrots.
The bulgogi is sweet and just a little bit tangy, and my whole family adores it! You can get it in regular or spicy variations.
Sarah’s favorite entrees are kimchi dumplings, soon doo boo/soondubu jjiage (a spicy soup that includes tofu and seafood), and pa jun (seafood and green onion pancakes).
Dine-in entrées are served with delicious miso soup.
What’s wonderful about this place is that there are options for a variety of palates: there’s sweet food, there’s spicy food, there’s meat or seafood or veggies.
So even if you have a family or a group with different tastes, everyone should be able to find something delicious!
Lexington is full of great restaurant options no matter what you’re in the mood for! Check out The Local Taco, Pietana, or Athenian Grill. And don’t miss the European Delights bakery for dessert.
Han Woo Ri also serves amazing sushi. Sarah’s pick is the dragon roll, featuring shrimp tempura, crab, avocado, cucumber, and eel. Because Sarah missed it so much, she’s been inspired to make spicy salmon poke bowls, spicy tuna poke, and deconstructed sushi bowls at home too.
Dessert at Han Woo Ri
Last but not least is dessert. Han Woo Ri offers mochi ice cream, something I had never experienced before my first visit there.
The cold and creamy ice cream nestles inside a chewy and squishy coat of sticky rice dough, making for a really delightful texture combo.
The menu offers green tea, vanilla, mango, and strawberry flavors of mochi. (Mango is our favorite.) You get two at a time and can mix and match flavors.
Korean Cooking at Home
Can’t get to Lexington to visit this delightful restaurant? You might enjoy experimenting with similar dishes at home!
Sarah has tested and fine-tuned recipes for kimchi seafood soup and a version of Korean seafood pancakes.
But if you are close to Lexington, do give Han Woo Ri a visit! It just might be your favorite new discovery in central Kentucky.
About Alisha Trenalone
I’m Alisha and I live in eastern Kentucky. Discovering good food is one of my joys in life, but you will also find me doing lots of reading and dreaming of travel. Having worked at a local newspaper for several years, I’m avidly interested in the written word and the art of sharing stories. Now I help Sarah out in various ways here at Champagne Tastes!
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