Seoul bar near Jonggak Station for bamboo-tube cocktails: Hanuk

I met up with a friend after a long while and wanted to have a drink somewhere with a great vibe, so I searched like crazy around Jonggak Station!! Honestly I never expected a place with this much atmosphere to exist in Jonggak, and I was genuinely shocked! A basement with a space like this!!!

The moment I opened the door I blurted out "whoa... what is this," — let me introduce Hanuk (하눅, Ha Nook), the hanok-vibe bar I kind of wanted to keep to myself. 🙌

Where is Hanuk? Location, hours and parking near Jonggak Station

• Location: Basement level, 18 Samil-daero 19-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea (just a 4-minute walk from Jonggak Station, so it's very accessible!)
• 🕖 Hours: Daily 19:00 – 02:00
• 🚗 Parking: Unfortunately there's no dedicated lot for the bar. If you're driving, you'll need to use the nearby Jongno Building parking lot or the Gwancheol-dong street public parking.
• 📞 Reservations: Easy to book through the Catch Table app.

Hanuk's upscale hanok interior, a hit with foreign visitors too

Walking along Jonggak's youth street, you'll spot a clean "HA NOOK" sign and standee on the ground floor of a building. Like I said, it's tucked away somewhere you'd never expect. So keep your eyes open!!

Heading down the entrance to the basement level, the soft lighting and traditional hanging scroll on the wall already set a secretive mood.

The moment you open the basement door, you'll think, wait, this is Jonggak?

Walking straight in, the first thing that grabs your eyes is the grand, long bar counter and the seriously gorgeous liquor display (the back bar). Thick wooden pillars and a sculpture shaped like traditional roof rafters give it that hanok feel.

Warm lighting anchors the whole space, and the atmosphere is genuinely overwhelming.

Further back there's a floor-seating area decorated with Korean-style pieces like soban (low tables), pottery, gat (traditional hats), and cushions. There's also a generous table-seating area inside.

They've translated Korean aesthetics into something incredibly upscale and modern, and even the restroom is beautifully done up with that same Korean atmosphere.

The tableware was seriously upscale too. They said it's custom-made to fit Hanuk's vibe. Makes sense~ The funny thing is, there were so many foreign guests in this very Korean space (how do you all even find this place????)

There was even a foreign bartender personally making cocktails! I was amazed how everyone found this hidden gem. The music wasn't loud enough to drown out conversation either, so it's great for chatting comfortably.

The atmosphere really does all the work here, so I'd strongly recommend it as a second-date spot after a blind date, or as a date course in general. If you go with someone you're seeing, this soft, dreamy mood might just spark a little love that wasn't there before 🥰

We sat at the bar counter! Sitting there was great because we could watch all these different cocktails being made.

Welcome sujeonggwa and mini yakgwa the moment you sit down at Hanuk

At Hanuk, once you sit down, they clean your hands with a warm towel scented with lemongrass,

and then a chilled welcome sujeonggwa (cinnamon punch) and an adorable mini yakgwa (honey cookie) come out, one per person. It was the perfect appetizer before drinking seriously started, and it made us feel really taken care of.

How do you see the menu at Hanuk?

The physical menu booklet has an overall description of the Hanuk bar concept, and the actual menu is accessed by scanning the QR code inside it with your phone.

The menu is quite varied. There are cocktails from their current signature line, 'Chagyeong,' as well as original cocktails.

There's also a whisky tour where you can taste a variety of whiskies.

There are simple snacks too. Hanuk noodles, 1++ grade hanwoo beef tartare, cold jeyuk (pork), dried persimmon platter, late-night instant noodles, small nibbles, perilla oil rice gelato — all Korean-style dishes that I think foreign friends would really love. That's probably why there were so many foreign guests, right?

And tequila, wine, and traditional liquors are each listed with by-the-glass pricing, so check it out for yourself when you go!

Juknokwon, 25,000 won: Hanuk's top-pick cocktail served in a bamboo tube

This was genuinely so delicious, my top pick! It's a chilled aged martini made with bamboo leaf-infused nokpaju, songsongju, orange bitters and more. The drink is served in a hollowed-out bamboo tube, poured yourself into a small celadon cup — the presentation was perfect too.

When you smell it, there's a faint pine scent, and it doesn't have that harsh martini bite — super clean and refreshing. I can't handle strong liquor well, so this was exactly my thing!

What came alongside it was bamboo shoots. You know how martinis usually come with a lot of olives? Instead of olives, they cook bamboo shoots Korean-style. Maybe that's why it pairs perfectly with the cocktail.

Daegwallyeong: matcha cocktail topped with sheep-shaped potato ice cream

The name alone grabs your attention! A deep green matcha cocktail with a sheep-shaped potato ice cream plopped right on top.

The visuals are insane... so cute from the back... even cuter from the front... we made eye contact. And that gorgeous side profile too...

My friend and I fussed over it saying "how are we supposed to eat this!!!" but after one bite we scraped the whole thing clean. 🤣 You let the potato ice cream 'shower' in the green matcha meadow, spooning it little by little, then mixing it up affogato-style. It was sweet and the alcohol taste wasn't strong, so it went down way too easily. (And yeah, I got tipsy...)

Munbaeju, 11,000 won a glass: the traditional Korean liquor the bartender recommends

I mentioned to the bartender that I'd be going to an omakase soon, and this is the traditional liquor they recommended!

They thoughtfully let me taste it first, and the moment I took a sip, it was completely my style, so I immediately ordered a glass (₩11,000).

It came in a beautiful celadon vessel that oozed elegance from the moment I saw it. Total satisfaction!!

For reference, they also recommended a liquor called 'Hilly,' but it had a bit of an oak flavor that wasn't for me. I don't really like oak notes, so I don't drink much whisky either, but I think whisky lovers who like oak flavor would really enjoy it!

Chamoe highball, 20,000 won: the pick for light drinkers

This one is seriously unreal. Highly recommend it to anyone who can't drink much! It's totally sweet, with the fragrant scent of chamoe (Korean melon) bursting through, going down as easily as a soft drink. But don't let your guard down just because it's sweet — the ABV is surprisingly high, and I ended up pleasantly, thoroughly drunk after this one 😇

Is Hanuk worth the price? Final verdict on this Jongno hanok bar

The cocktail prices run a little on the higher side, but for this level of upscale spatial atmosphere, flawless service, and unusual drinks you can't find anywhere else, it's worth paying for. It's a choice you won't regret when you want to treat yourself on a special day.

Once you've got a nice buzz going, it's a perfect follow-up to walk over to nearby Cheonggyecheon Stream and get some cool night air. If you're looking for the ultimate atmospheric date or blind-date bar near Jongno or Gwanghwamun, I highly recommend this place 🍸 Definitely going back next time 🤍