Hansang — Restaurant in Melbourne

Let me preface this by stating that I possess an exceptionally refined palate, one that can discern authenticity from a feeble attempt at culinary mimicry. Unfortunately, Hansan finds itself precariously teetering on the latter. It is not the worst Korean food I have encountered, but let’s be clear, it is far from an exemplary representation of the cuisine.

Let’s begin with the so-called Kimchi Pancake. Now, I have eaten kimchi pancakes before, and I have also eaten pesarattu, a traditional South Indian lentil crepe. Imagine my surprise when this alleged Korean delicacy bore an uncanny resemblance to the latter. This leaves me with two possibilities: either Hansan has taken extreme creative liberties with traditional Korean fare, or pesarattu has secretly infiltrated the Korean culinary landscape under my radar. Given the lack of logic in the latter hypothesis, I am inclined to believe that what I was served was simply not a proper kimchi pancake but a blatant impostor.

Moving on, the chicken selection or rather, the utter lack thereof. When one visits an establishment claiming to specialize in Korean cuisine, one expects a reasonable variety of chicken-based dishes, considering that Korean fried chicken has, in recent years, achieved global acclaim. But no, Hansan appears to have taken a bold stance against poultry diversity. If your idea of a good meal includes more than a meager selection of chicken options, you will be sorely disappointed.

Now, I will acknowledge one redeeming factor: the abundance of side dishes. If you order a main dish, you are inundated with a diverse array of starters, a concept that, while generous, does little to salvage the mediocrity of the actual entrée. It is as if the restaurant is attempting to distract you from the inadequacy of the main course by overwhelming you with an excessive number of small plates. A clever tactic, but I see right through it.

In conclusion, Hansan might appeal to those hailing from Korea, where familiarity breeds comfort. However, for those who are not Korean and seek an authentic, high-quality Korean dining experience, I strongly advise taking a moment to reconsider your choices before stepping through those doors. You may leave with a full stomach, but you will also leave with the lingering question of whether you just consumed a Korean meal or an elaborate...

To be clear first, this is not about the food

I’ve been dining at this restaurant since before the pandemic. Even though I don’t live nearby, I’ve made the effort to return whenever I’m in the area, and I’ve recommended it to many friends. Sadly, this recent visit was so upsetting that I now regret ever doing so.

After finishing our first round of side dishes, we politely asked for a refill — something the restaurant is known to offer generously. Wanting to be helpful, we stacked the empty plates to make it easier for the staff to collect. The server didn’t say anything at the time, but when bringing the refill, they told us the dishes are reused and should not be stacked. We appreciated the explanation and acknowledged our mistake — we genuinely didn’t know.

But what followed was completely unacceptable. The staff member aggressively slammed each side dish onto our table, one by one, in a way that felt hostile and humiliating. It was shocking — I have never in my life been treated with such rudeness in a restaurant. We were made to feel like we were begging for food, when all we had done was unknowingly break a rule and then apologize.

At the end of the meal, I spoke with the manager, hoping to express my concern. He gave a brief, expressionless “I understand” and offered no apology, no acknowledgment. It felt like our experience didn’t matter at all.

Earlier in the evening, I noticed the same staff member slamming the front door quite forcefully — perhaps due to the door being difficult to close. At the time, I didn’t think much of it, but in hindsight, it added to the overall feeling of tension during our visit.

This experience was genuinely hurtful — not just because of the bad service, but because I used to trust this restaurant and proudly recommend it. I now feel embarrassed that I ever encouraged others to come here.

I hope the management takes this seriously. A good meal is not just about food, but about feeling respected. We admitted our mistake, and we expected the same level of respect in return. Sadly, that was not what we received.

After reading other reviews, it seems we’re not the only ones. I truly hope changes are made — no one should leave a restaurant...

CASUAL ECONOMICAL CHOICE FOR KOREAN Hansang is one of few Korean restaurants that DON'T specialise in just BBQ :) It is located on busy King St in West Melbourne so lunch time patrons will have trouble finding parking but dinner patrons will be able to park easily on the street. It isn't fancy but it offers solid Korean fare in decent sized serves at a reasonable price. The beef dish we ordered was enough for four people so we took half of it home in a doggy bag! Two of us dined on a Friday night (without pre-booking) and got the last table.. but turnover is fairly fast so even if you wait, it shouldn't be long. Its not the kind of restaurant where you linger and chat. The tables are not large so if you order more than a couple of dishes (with their accompanying side plates) you will jockeying for space! The noise level is fairly high (not helped by the hard surface walls and loud music) so try to get a table that is along the front windows. The service is friendly but not very fast. They have a small range of beers and Japanese wines available plus the usual range of soft drinks. The restaurant is all on one level so people with mobility issues wont find any particular challenges entering. The table are fairly close together which makes wheelchair access a bit challenging.... ask for the slightly more spacious window tables. Accepts credit / debit cards and offers a small discount if you pay by cash. Good for a quick meal with friends or a solo dinner. Not really recommended for kids (no kids menu / noise...