Bangi-dong food alley cocktail bar with a prize draw: Doran Honsul Bar

Looking for a quiet second round in Bangi-dong? Doran Honsul Bar Jamsil Branch

Doran Honsul Bar Jamsil Branch (도란혼술바 잠실점) is a bar for solo drinkers in the Bangi-dong eating alley. I found it after dinner with a friend, when we thought, "Shall we have just one more drink?" The Bangi-dong eating alley is packed with bars, so choosing was hard! I wanted somewhere I could talk quietly instead of a loud place, and that's how we ended up here, haha.

It's not far from Jamsil Station either, so it was great for a quick second round before heading home, haha. The eating alley is bustling with people, yet inside it was quiet, which I loved, haha. I was told it's open from 8 PM to 4 AM~

What does the entrance look like?

The bar is on the 3rd floor, and unlike other solo-drinking bars, it has an opaque door with a hip poster on the front, haha. People say entrances at these bars are hard to see these days, but with translucent doors and people walking back and forth, I sometimes felt my quiet mood was being disturbed? Here it's not even on the 1st floor but the 3rd, and it felt like a space all to yourself, so I felt even more comfortable, haha.

Is the atmosphere good for talking?

Doran Honsul Bar Jamsil Branch has soft lighting and isn't rowdy, so it's an easy bar for conversation. The first thing I noticed on walking in was how nice the mood was thanks to the gentle lighting. It isn't a boisterous pub but a place made for talking, perfect for a second round. Chatting with my friend over drinks, I lost track of time, haha. It seemed fine for drinking solo, and comfortable for two people or a small group too.

The signs are even carefully handwritten, haha. This is exactly the charm of a solo-drinking bar! They also say you get one free cocktail if you write a receipt review...!!

How do seating and ordering work?

At Doran Honsul Bar Jamsil Branch, the owner asks where you'd like to sit and shows you there, and you order with the QR code at your seat. The owner was kind too! I went with a friend, and instead of just putting us wherever, they asked how we wanted to sit, haha. For ordering, you just scan the QR code at your seat!!

We ordered a Godfather and a Blue Lagoon. I usually only drink beer, but the mood was so good that I thought cocktails would suit it, haha. Ordering this easily meant our conversation never got interrupted^^

Breaking the ice with question cards and toys

One reason Doran Honsul Bar was fun! They had toys and question cards that help people warm up naturally. Trying them one by one made us burst out laughing and gave us things to talk about, so the awkwardness melted quickly. It's fun with a friend, and also good on days when you drink alone or want a light chat with new people~~

Two cocktails side by side in a lovely space make for really pretty photos!!!!! A perfect combo to sip slowly while talking with a friend, haha. A shot that fully captured that second-round feeling just by looking at it

How did the Blue Lagoon and Godfather taste?

Blue Lagoon: tangy, sweet and made for summer

The Blue Lagoon at Doran Honsul Bar Jamsil Branch was tangy and sweet, easy even for people who don't drink much. It passed on looks alone. The blue was so pretty that I took photos first~~ The taste was refreshing too, so I think even people who can't handle alcohol could drink it without worry. Sweet yet cool, it's a cocktail that suits summer especially well, haha. The glass was pretty too, great for photos, and it matched the mood!!

Godfather: heavy but clean

The Godfather is fairly strong, so it felt heavy, but the aroma was clean and it was nice to sip slowly. It's what I've been drinking a lot lately. A younger friend I know drank it, and now I drink it often too, and it's delicious. It's on the strong side, so the first sip felt weighty, but the aroma wasn't overpowering and was clean, so it was nice to sip slowly, haha. It really felt like a cocktail at an atmospheric bar.

The complimentary snack: chicken drumstick crackers

The complimentary snack at Doran Honsul Bar Jamsil Branch was chicken drumstick-shaped crackers. They were crunchy and salty and went surprisingly well with cocktails, and were perfect for nibbling on one by one before the drinks arrived!!

Is it okay to go alone?

At Doran Honsul Bar Jamsil Branch, guests chat naturally with one another, so solo visitors seemed comfortable. The owner was friendly too, so even on a first visit it felt relaxed. If you're lucky, you might get a chance to talk with new people naturally, haha. I think it's a good fit for people who like drinking alone.

The owner's prize draw: a dud, but...

While we were drinking at Doran Honsul Bar Jamsil Branch, the owner suddenly asked if we'd like to try a prize draw. I secretly love this kind of thing, and it was my first time doing one in a bar, so it was fun!! We drew 5th prize..!! And 5th prize is a dud~~~ haha. But we had great luck..!!! Another guest won 2nd prize. The prize was ice cream, but they already had some, so they gave it up to us.

Omija ice cream, passed along to us

Thanks to that we got an unexpected treat. It was omija (five-flavor berry) ice cream. I'd never had the flavor before; it was sweet, sour and cool, just right for cleansing the palate after drinking. A small event like this seemed to make the mood even better.

Guests laughed and chatted with each other, and the owner helped create the atmosphere too, so it has a different charm from an ordinary bar~!! It's not a place where you just drink and leave, but one where you enjoy things together with people, haha. It's good for a second round and relaxed for a light solo drink, so I'll probably come back. If you want somewhere a bit more atmospheric and different from an ordinary bar, I recommend Doran Honsul Bar Jamsil Branch!