Chae

This was a very poor experience. After reading all the wonderful reviews on Unilocal we were not prepared for such a poor meal. We started with the pickled sampler which was okay and the shishito peppers which were really yummy. We also had the egg rolls which were okay. We then had the duck jook which was very bad. It was basically over spiced gingery rice mush with boiled duck. We also had the Brussels sprouts salad. We thought it was a safe choice because it is hard to mess up. But we were so wrong. The sprouts were very undercooked and the mustard spice overwhelming.
The service was good and the place looks very nice.

I loved the food… but their air conditioner was broken or something when we went! Everyone… including the staff… was sweating. Anyhow, the service was great, and the food was amazing. Got some of the buns– tried every type of meat– to start, and the big rice bowl to share for our meal. The big rice bowl was split between five people and we still had leftovers to take home! Yum!

This was my 3^rd time at Chae, and it is still excellent! We had the eggrolls, galbi tacos, pork belly buns, and bulgogi. It was all extremely good. The server was also prompt to refill drinks. The pork belly buns are a little pricey at $ 7/​each, but they are worth it!

This is the best Korean I have outside of South Korea (and Lawton, OK). The owner is so kind, he might even come visit your table. I can’t recommend this place more for a nice night out with your three closest friends or a unique date with someone you are trying to impress.

Made it in during the ½price small plates, which is an awesome policy to begin with, and ordered the Galbi Tacos. Totally worth it, with delicious and succulant beef. Had a sauce with a little kick in it too which was nice.
Was a little intimidated my the price of the meals in the Family section, but the friendly waitress explained that I could order a Lunch-​sized order which was under half price. Those dishes are normally intended to feed a family. i can eat a lot just by myself, but the small plate and the bibimbap I ordered more than stuffed me.
Nice atmosphere with really modern and almost an industrial feel. Interesting choice of background music, early 90’s soft Rap, but I do feel like it caters to the overall atmosphere.
Finally, I really liked how my server actually read the back of my Credit Card and came and asked to see my ID before she ran it.

CHAE IS BAE.
I love their pork belly buns and the Galbi tacos. There is a certain time during the day where they have ½ price appetizers and can get the tacos sleeve cheaper.
It’s a little pricey, but well worth your money. I could eat a million pork belly buns.

Disclaimer: I’ve never had Korean food of any kind before, so I have nothing to compare to.
Now that the disclaimer is out of the way, I must say… I am beyond impressed! We did four small plates which was a perfect amount of food. We had the egg rolls, tacos, fried risotto balls, and the shrimp bun. Everything exceeded my expectations. It was all fresh, hot, flavorful, and perfectly spicy.

Believe the hype about this approximately 6 month old Korean joint on NW 23^rd. We had a reservation for a Tuesday night dinner, and I’m glad we did, because by the end of our meal, the joint was full and most of the patio seating was gone as well. Chae’s dining area is a modern space, and small. There are two patios, one behind the restaurant, and one in front. The weather was perfect for dining al fresco, but we didn’t want to deal with the traffic from 23^rd street on the front side, or the sun on the other side. If they had a shade apparatus to block the evening sun, that back patio would be fantastic.
We were seated in a half booth table thing and our server approached us immediately. We went with a bottle of wine, and while Chae’s list is very small (I think around 7 or so bottles total) the prices were good. And, the 2 wines we had were nice selections as well, and neither over $ 50. Our server was fantastic, she offered suggestions for dishes and explained each dish to us thoroughly. She was friendly, but not overbearing. A+ treatment.
To start, we had the pickled vegetables, the chicken wings, and the oxtail soup. The pickled veggies were the «worst» dish of the evening, and I put worst in quotations because they were still very good. Our choices were kimchi, onions, and cauliflower. These were probably the best pickled onions I’ve ever had, and one of the better kimchis.
The chicken wings were fantastic. Crispy, and slathered in a spicy sauce and sesame seeds. You are going to get messy eating these, there’s no way around that. But, you won’t care. They are cooked perfectly, and the sauce has enough heat so you know it’s there but not so much that it blows you away. They only come 3 to an order, we could have eaten several more orders. In fact, I could have come to Chae, eaten nothing but wings, and I would still give them 5 stars.
The oxtail soup had a fantastic broth. It was dark, rich, and seasoned very well. The noodles were thicker and were prepared well. There is plenty of ox tail in the soup, you’ll get some in every bite. Another re-​order.
For our entrees, we went with the crispy pork belly and the bibimbap. Both are large enough to share, we ended up with leftovers. The toasted rice in the bibimbap gives the dish a nice texture. It’s loaded with veggies, a nice runny egg, and topped with a slightly spicy red sauce. I will ask for more sauce next time. The server mixes it at your table, which I liked. Every bite had so many flavors, and they all built upon one another, so one was not overpowering and they all worked in concert.
The pork belly was my single favorite bite of the evening. It’s crispy, but not burnt, and covered with a sweet yet slightly spicy sauce. Served on a bed of seared veggies (primarily onions) you get a very large portion. It’s bacon on steroids, and it was fantastic. I asked our server if we could order bibimbap with pork belly instead of short ribs. She responded that she would be able to do that, so next time I eat at Chae, I already know my order.
I highly recommend you order too much and have leftovers to take with you. The next day, all of the flavors meld together further. Very glad I finally made it to Chae, and I hope to be back very soon.

What a lunch! Great ambiance, service, menu, layout, 2 patios! Wow. Chae (pronounced rhyming with stay) fits a niche in OKC we haven’t seen. An edgy cool modern Korean restaurant,
Our meal started off with a couple appetizers. First the Chicken Bun (like a Korean slider). Karage chicken, shishito caramel, and pickles all on their traditional spongy/​sweet bread. If you have never had a Korean sandwich now is the time to start! I enjoyed it, although the shishito caramel tasted more like soy sauce. Too salty y’all, but still a good experience. The flavorful chicken (that actually tasted like chicken… GASP) with a crunchy exterior made the appetizer for me.
Next the Galbi Tacos. Excellent. The short rib meat, cabbage, pickled jalapenos, pickles, and chaejang were a perfect match. The chaejang that made it. Flavorful and juicy. 2 to an order.
For our main entrée we got the Dak Galbi, family style. A bowl of sauteed spicy chicken, onions, carrots, and cucumbers came on a bed of sticky rice. You can get a large bowl for $ 22 or a half order like we did for $ 11. It was more than enough for two after appetizers. And while I enjoyed the steaming freshness, tangy spice of the chicken, wonderful presentation, and family-​style aspect, I was probably more in the mood for something savory rather than spicy. I can’t wait to come back to try the Bulgogi (marinated beef) the same way, family style.
The menu is a bit esoteric, so you might want to leave your less adventurous friends at home for this one. And the pergola out front is not done yet, but when it is the outdoor seating will be spectacular with front and back patios. Parking at lunch is a challenge, but I hear at dinner time, the OCU parking restriction goes away and there is more parking on the street. They also have a full bar.
Definite thumbs up! Can’t wait to explore the menu more!

Chae was a very interesting experience. The restaurant has a great feel. We had a reservation through open table, but at 7:15pm they weren’t full.
The hostess was polite and when we asked for a different table than where she was taking us, it was no hassle to move. The server was polite, but they seemed to not have enough help. Our beers took a bit too long to arrive after ordering them, prob around 10 min.
The apps were very good and has great presentation. We ordered the kimchi and some tacos. We also ordered a brussel sprouts salad. It can later, but just about 2 min before the rest of our food. We had the pork belly w veggies and the spicy chicken. Both were ample family style portions and their pricing is very fair.
My only complaint would be that it was a little warm in the restaurant and the staffing levels.
The flavor of the food was delicious and a nice change for OKC.

Easily a 5 star spot! Service is spectacular. Super cool menu, rad blend of traditional/​modern Korean & non-​Korean themes. Had the bibimbap, so good! Also had the kimchi risotto side dish, which kind of blew my mind. Never had anything quite like it. Order it! Local craft beers. No Korean beers tho :/​Not that they are that good, but I’ve traveled there before and wanted one for nostalgia’s sake
Fun vibe. Great food. Don’t be a square, say yes to the Chae!

I. Love. This. Place. I’m so happy it is right down the street and they are open late! The last time we ate here, we sat on the front patio. Our favorite thing to order is the pork belly steam buns BUT we really love the chicken wings too! This place likes to serve dishes «family style», so you get a great amount of food for the price. We’ve had the duck jook which was spicy and delicious, perfect if you’re needing some comfort food. We also love the dweji galbi (please don’t ask me to pronounce it) and thought it was amazing. You get like an entire slab of pork belly! For desert, get the hoedduck, which is salty and sweet and creamy and chewy and crunchy. So good! We will frequent this place, and I’m so glad that building location finally has something good going for it.

Im not going to lie, Im an idiot. Im a huge fan of Korean food and when I saw this place open I looked at the menu and was like, wheres the Bulgogi, no Banchan? I thought this isnt the LA Korea Town food I love, so why waste my time?
Fast forward several months… a buddy and I were driving by on the way to Phở Lien Hoa when we saw the sign for Modern Korean. I had completely forgotten about Chae until we go inside and I saw the menu. Well, I am so HAPPY I had forgotten and gave this place a chance! Seriously, some of the best food I have had in Oklahoma City. Hence, we are back to me being an idiot for missing out on this deliciousness for the past however many months. So upset with myself right now, all I hear is the Eagles «Wasted Time» playing through my head…
Anyway, we tried the tacos, the pork buns and the Bibimbap. All were amazing, however the tacos may be the best thing I have eaten in Oklahoma City, and Im not exaggerating. The Bibimbap was also very good and a good size. Imagine a hot bowl with rice on the bottom (that gets a cool crunchy texture from being on the bottom of the hot bowl), a nicely sweet-​salty marinaded meat, kinchee, a fried egg, and some veggies like red cabbage, bean sprouts, cucumber, pickled onions, etc getting tossed with a slightly smokey sauce with just a hint of spicy. Drooling just thinking about it.
And then theres the rest of the menu I havent tried yet, but looks equally as delicious. I cant wait to go back. The Oxtail soup, the short ribs and the brussel salad all are calling to me to be tried next.
If you have never tried Korean, seriously do yourself a favor and come here to try some very good dishes.
Oh, and here is a cool tip for you… apps/​small plates are half price from 2 – 5 pm for Happy Hour.

Came on a Tuesday for happy hour and immediately made reservations to come back that Saturday! Chae is so great. I love seeing people come in and push Oklahoman’s taste buds! I’ll eat and try anything and my family typically will but the idea of korean food scared them a bit. They trusted me but everyone left after our meal raving about how good it was – win!
We had a party of 5 and got a reservation at 7:45. The interior is small (and could use a little more ambiance if you ask me) as are the tables and chairs. They had a spot reserved for us that would easily fit 4 but uncomfortably fit 5. We squeezed in and didn’t make to big a deal about it but they could tell it was awkward. Instead of leaving us hanging they quickly came back and moved some things around for us. I belong to a family of half lefties and have righties. We would have been jabbing elbows all night otherwise.
Enough about the space issue lets talk about the food! I started with the Hibiscus Soju Spritz and easily could have drank 5, so delicious and fresh! I then took control of the food with help from our friendly waitress. We started with a few orders of pork buns and tacos then got the iron bibimap from the family plates and the duck risotto from the entrée. I could probably eat pork buns as my last meal. Bold statement but I have just recently discovered my obsession with them and can’t get enough. I thought the tacos were pretty good but everyone else really really liked them. I found the short rib meat to be a bit tough. The iron bibimpa and duck risotto were excellent! I think I’ll have to say the duck risotto was my fave!
I can’t wait to come back! I would just advise coming in small groups and making a reservation for sure if it is a friday or saturday!

And this is why you need to prioritize which reviews you write first. There is nothing worse than following the freaking CM.*
I was happy to join some fellow Unilocalers at Chae a week or two ago, and I was pleasantly surprised! My main experiences with Korean food have been at the lower end of the price range, so it was interesting and fun to see what a classed-​up version of the cuisine looks like. You can get a good bit of heat and spice with some of the dishes, but it is very much the «slow build enhance the flavor» type of heat instead of the type that smacks you in the face immediately. And as you’d hope, there wasn’t a dish we ordered that wasn’t well-​prepared.
I was particularly impressed with the Arborio rice on my main course, because it’s been a long time since a restaurant has cooked it the right length of time. I’ve paid a lot of money for undercooked and overcooked risotto in my day, and this was perfectly balanced. It was indeed a hair over-​salted, but only a hair. I certainly didn’t expect it in a Korean spot, but it worked perfectly with the duck. And all the appetizers and entrees we sampled (yay plate sharing) were darn tasty in my book.
Now Shay’s right — it can get a little crowded in there. It’s not Chae’s fault that the Unilocal Oklahoma City community is now letting people taller than me dine out with us. I wasn’t consulted on this either. But it meant that we were indeed a bit cramped during our stay. I scoped out the other tables, and there’s not much to be done, it’s just the constraints of the place. No big deal, and I’ll happily go back any time. Chae will most definitely be part of my rotation.**
* Not really. But you just feel like a scumbag for criticizing anything at all after the wave of enthusiasm and niceness that is Julie.
** Which is getting a little out of hand, I ain’t gonna lie. Oklahoma City impresses more and more every year in the dining department.

Wow. How good is Chae? I didn’t even know how much I liked Korean food until I had the chance to eat here. First of all, Oxtail soup! Do not miss Oxtail soup!
Beyond that, it seems you can’t make a mistake with this well-​curated menu. I’m working my way through the menu but my favorites so far (in addition to the Oxtail soup) are the pork buns and shrimp buns, the pickled sampler and the Brussels sprout salad. Everything has been delicious, and I’ve loved getting to explore a new cuisine.
Kudos to Chae for taking a sad little building that really needed some love and turning it into a tiny, minimalist treasure. I know the university must be very happy to have them, as is the community at large. I’m excited to see this concept thrive and see what else Daniel comes up with — he’s done so much in OKC in such a short time, he seems unstoppable, and he’s clearly got the stuff successful restaurateurs are made of.

I found Chae to be very affordable – my meal came out at $ 30 before tip, and that was with an entrée ($ 9 for ddukboki, sans mandoo), a Sapporo, appetizer, and dessert. I had planned on spending a little more, so it was a pleasant surprise to see it come in at $ 30.
My meal, the ddukboki, which is a dish well-​suited for the veg-​inclined. It’s soft rice cakes (visually, they’re akin to pasta noodles) and grilled veggies slathered in a delicious sauce. Now, when the menu says «spicy,» don’t think that it’s an American-​kind of spicy. That dish was SPICY. Still delicious, but I was very happy that the waitress kept me in constant water refills whilst eating.
Everything else I tried – the shrimp steamed buns and the red cake cheesecake mousse – was also excellent. The cheesecake mousse was a little heavier than I expected for a mousse, but it was a welcome palate cleanser after my very spicy ddukboki.
Unilocal claims Chae doesn’t take reservations, but that’s a lie. You can reserve your spot on OpenTable. I’m very happy I made a reservation – Chae was bustling on a Friday night, and even with the reservation, we waited about 10 minutes or so for our table to clear. My only quibble is that the space is very small, and fitting 8 people around the tables they pushed together was definitely very cozy, if not slightly on top of each other.
Definitely give Chae a try if you’re looking for something a little different. I left full but not stuffed, happy, and satisfied with a pleasant dining experience.

I have been to Chae twice now and I am a fan! The restaurant is small and quaint, and just cozy enough.
The service has always been good and where they really shine is the food. I order the vegetarian dumplings in a spicy sauce. Seriously, so good! We have also gotten the chicken wings and peppers. My husband had ordered the short ribs too.
If you are on the fence about trying Chae, don’t be. The prices are reasonable and the food is fantastic. Nice to have something a little different in Oklahoma City.

Pretty fancy place on the inside and the outdoor patio is nice.
Parking is limited and you feel weird parking on the street but they assured that no one has gotten towed.
I got the pork bun (2 for $ 6) which was tasty but tasted like it had buffalo sauce. If I had to estimate its size, it was one bites worth, a silver dollar, ping pong ball? The shrimp bun was $ 7 and less flavorful and similar size.
The seafood soup had a very strong chicken broth flavor. I will admit that sometimes it takes a few days to make so there may be a slight odor. Yes… as a bachelor i have eaten some pretty skanky stuff
. well the flavor of the broth reminded me of that.
and even though it was a little spicy … lacked the flavor pizzazz that you expect
The dessert described as a blanket of happiness turned out to be a pancake with extremely sweet ice cream. For $ 9, my mom would have slapped me for wasting that kinda money.

High potential, but has some identity issues. It feels like it wants to have a similar niche to Guernsey Park with its trendy ambiance and modern fusion cuisine, but you need to hire an elite team of specialists including a Korean translator and Gordon Ramsay to decipher the cryptic menu. We had to go on Unilocal to figure out what we were ordering.
I had some galbi tacos, kimchi cheese balls, some cha siu bao thing, and some of my friend’s egg rolls. So I had a Mexican dish, two Chinese dishes, and the most «Korean» thing was a cheese ball with mozzarella and bacon in it. Madness!
The bibimbap looked delicious, but was $ 24. That’s a fried egg with veggies and a few ounces of beef on rice. I can make it at home for a few bucks.
Anyway, the food was good, but blatantly overpriced. It was fun, but money is probably better spent elsewhere.