OAK Hanover — Restaurant in Hanover

Restaurant Review: Oak - A Brick Oven Pizza Gem

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Oak, a brick oven pizza restaurant that left a lasting impression. From the moment I stepped inside, I was captivated by its upscale appearance, with a trendy ambiance that perfectly blended modern aesthetics with rustic charm.

The bartenders at Oak were not only hip but also incredibly skilled in crafting upscale cocktails. The selection of drinks was extensive, and I particularly appreciated their decent wine list, which offered a variety of options to complement the delightful flavors of the pizza. Sipping on a well-crafted cocktail while waiting for my meal added an extra touch of enjoyment to the dining experience.

Speaking of the food, the pizza at Oak was nothing short of fantastic. Cooked to perfection in their brick oven, each slice boasted a thin, crispy crust and a mouthwatering combination of toppings. What impressed me most was the restaurant's ability to incorporate interesting twists on classic pizza flavors. Their creative approach brought new life to traditional combinations, leaving me excited to try each unique offering.

However, no restaurant is without its flaws, and Oak does have a few areas where improvement could be made. The "Smoke and Oak Old Fashioned" cocktail, while intriguing in concept, fell short in execution. The use of oak in the smoking process resulted in an acrid flavor that didn't quite hit the mark. I would suggest considering a switch to cherry wood, as it tends to pair much better with cocktails. Alternatively, the restaurant could change the name and eliminate the use of oak altogether, as I doubt anyone would be upset about that change.

Another minor issue was that some servers seemed unfamiliar with the appearance of their own cocktails. When I ordered the Old Fashioned, I received the Cactus Sour instead. Although it was a mix-up, it turned out to be a happy accident, as the Cactus Sour proved to be even better than the Old Fashioned. Nonetheless, it would be beneficial for the staff to have a better grasp of the menu and its offerings.

Lastly, the high top tables at Oak were strangely small, which made it slightly challenging to comfortably enjoy the meal. While this didn't detract significantly from the overall experience, it is worth noting for those who prefer more spacious seating arrangements.

Despite these minor drawbacks, my overall experience at Oak was highly enjoyable, and I am eager to return. The upscale ambiance, the skillful bartenders, the fantastic pizza, and the intriguing twists on menu items were enough to make me a fan. Oak has all the right ingredients to become a go-to spot for pizza lovers seeking a sophisticated and delicious dining experience.

In summary, Oak's upscale appearance, hip bartenders serving upscale cocktails, decent wine list, fantastic pizza, and interesting twists on menu items make it a standout brick oven pizza restaurant. While there are areas that could be improved, such as the cocktail menu and the knowledge of the servers, my positive experience far outweighed these minor issues. I would highly recommend Oak to anyone looking for an exquisite dining experience and a memorable...

So far the place is great, need to return and try other dishes before updating review! First time i visited it was pretty crowded (weekend) and i asked a few questions about a sizeable group being allowed in and kids, they have two high chairs for kids and anything over 8 people needs a reservation with anticipation (understandable). Be mindful of making reservations as they have cancelation policies in place for your group or part of not showing up with a hold of 25usd per person. Any group over six can not split checks and has an automatic 20% gratuity included.

Now on to the food, it is a novel idea from what i have seen in hanover the taste is pretty similar to food i used to eat in new york city its great and savory the few things i tried i would suggest for the "snack" portions noted on their menu when sent out to the table maybe cutting them into smaller portions the roasted garlic focaccia was absolutely delicious but i would have preferred it to be cut into portions instead of one long piece. The house bread and butter we tried was also really good and portioned out just a little large on the sizes of the portions maybe cutting them up a little would help make it easier to share and eat and the table wouldn't have to cut it up. The marinated olives were rather accentuated on the olive oil i thought they would have been marinated in a mixture of olive oil and balsamic vinegar type but i should have asked before ordering them so im at fault there. Main dish we all tried pizzas and for the most part they did not disappoint at all (everyone has their own tastes) everyone at the table was happy with their own choices made on the pizza as we ordered different ones each and tried them all. To finish up dinner we tried their canoli... i was rather suspect of trying them as I'm uses to hand made nyc canoli and have always ended up disappointed, this time i was pleasantly surprised their canoli taste amazing!. The ambient and decor of the place is nice, relaxing and def a chill spot will return and try other dishes and update my review as i go great service i sadly was paying attention to my phone when our server introduced herself (sorry!).

The smaller tables do seem to need a little tlc where we were sitting next fo the bar paint seems to be a little worse for the wear on the edges.

But it is definitely a great place to take a nice date to impress, a little pricey...

Had quite the disappointing dinner this evening. We’ve gone two other times and have had good experiences, but tonight was just not up to par. The wait time was pretty substantial considering it really wasn’t all that busy (compared to the other times we have gone). We waited quite a while for our appetizer (plum and prosciutto) which was especially surprising, because there’s not a whole lot to it. It’s just plum on top of prosciutto with basil and olive oil. Nothing actually needed to be cooked, just thrown together on a plate. Then finally, after an even longer wait time (around an hour), our dinner arrived. The server said the Chef apologized for the delay and that there were a lot of orders for the Wood Roasted Chicken tonight. My husband had ordered that, and I got the Blue Crab Capelletti. Right off the bat, there was a significant portion difference between his dinner and mine. His being much larger. This is something I’ve noticed with Oak in the past, the discrepancy in portions between the dinner options. Immediately into biting into my dish, I noticed that the inside of the pasta, the crab and ricotta filling, was ICE COLD, and I mean ice, like it hadn’t finished thawing. While the actual pasta and sauce was warm, the filling being so cold made it completely inedible. Which leads me to believe that their “fresh pasta” that they list on the top of their menu, isn’t so fresh! Likely frozen, that they just heat up. I told the waitress right away and asked it to be sent back and taken off the check. She did so, and genuinely felt bad and apologized. She asked if I wanted anything else, but at that point, we had already waited so long for our food, I didn’t want to wait any longer. Ended up leaving hungry and frustrated. Hopefully this is just a one off. Not sure if...