There's definitely parts that are awkward though. I can't see the context of your comment in my reply as it's on a completely different page for example. HN has never really been a great UI though, it used to be a massive set of nested tables that didn't render properly on a mobile, it has some tiny fonts and hard to click buttons, and has unliked comments just less accessible by lowering contrast.
It's good enough to read the content and the content is the vital part, but I wouldn't point to HN for a good user experience (beyond the content and lack of dark patterns).
I feel hn experience is awesome. Everything is accessible with one or two clicks. I never wait for something to load, never pest against it because of some obscure behavior. It's simple and efficient. The content is perfectly served. No frills. Even on mobile I don't really feel the buttons so hard to click, even if they are tiny. Maybe we don't use it the same way.
It's good enough to read the content and the content is the vital part, but I wouldn't point to HN for a good user experience (beyond the content and lack of dark patterns).