Solo drinking at a Gangnam cocktail bar: four zodiac drinks, Jusindang
In short
Jusindang Gangnam (주신당 강남) is a zodiac-themed signature cocktail bar in a basement styled after an underwater dragon palace, a 3-minute walk from Exit 11 of Gangnam Station in Seoul. Arriving alone at 6pm and sitting at the bar table, the writer drank four cocktails in order — Ox, Rooster, Rat and Dragon — and liked the smoke-billowing Ox and the cream-cheese-like Rat best. Jusindang Gangnam is an unusual cocktail bar that works perfectly well for drinking alone near Gangnam Station.
Good to know
- Location
- 9 Gangnam-daero 96-gil B1, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (about 161m, a 3-minute walk from Gangnam Station Exit 11)
- Hours
- Daily 11:00 – 02:00 the next day, break 15:00–17:00
- Parking
- Paid parking available · 6,000 won for the first 60 minutes · 6,000 won per additional 60 minutes · 30,000 won daily maximum
- Seating
- Standing tables, bar table, counter seats, couple seats, single seats, rooms for 3–10, group seating for 4–20
- Amenities
- Corkage available (paid), reservations, takeout, Wi-Fi, separate men's and women's restrooms, high chairs, groups welcome, Naver reservation
- Cocktail prices
- Rat 17,000 won · Dragon 18,000 won · Horse 19,000 won
- Food prices
- Potato pancake 19,000 won · Gondre (Korean thistle) noodles 19,000 won · Grilled eoyang Hanwoo beef steak 58,000 won · Monkfish aioli 23,000 won · Sous-vide beef short rib 45,000 won · Beef round tartare 32,000 won · Jamón salad 18,000 won · Obang skewers 18,000 won · Cat cake 12,000 won
- Price reference
- ₩17,000 ≈ $12.5 · ₩18,000 ≈ $13 · ₩19,000 ≈ $13.5 (2026-09-19)
as written by the visitor on Sep 18, 2026
I wanted a light drink alone near Gangnam Station, so I stopped by Jusindang Gangnam (주신당 강남). I'd been here before and kept thinking about it. This time I visited a bit early, at 6pm.
Where is Jusindang Gangnam, and what should you know before going?
Jusindang is about a 3-minute walk from Gangnam Station Exit 11, so it's really easy to find. I assumed a cocktail bar would only open in the evening, but apparently they do lunch service too.
- 🏠 Address: 9 Gangnam-daero 96-gil B1, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (about 161m / 3-minute walk from Gangnam Station Exit 11)
- ⏰ Hours: Daily 11:00 - 02:00 / Break time 15:00 - 17:00
- 🚗 Parking: Paid parking available · ₩6,000 for the first 60 minutes · ₩6,000 per additional 60 minutes · ₩30,000 daily max
- 💺 Seating: Standing tables, bar table, counter seats, couple seats, single seats, rooms for 3-10 people, group seating for 4-20 people
- 🛎️ Amenities & services: Corkage available (paid), reservations, takeout, Wi-Fi, separate restrooms, high chairs, group bookings available
- 📲 Naver Reservation
What's on the menu at Jusindang Gangnam: zodiac cocktails and food
The menu at Jusindang Gangnam pairs zodiac-themed signature cocktails with proper bar-food dishes. Cocktails run around ₩17,000 for Rat, ₩18,000 for Dragon, ₩19,000 for Horse.
- Potato pancake ₩19,000
- Gondre noodles ₩19,000
- Grilled eoyang Hanwoo steak ₩58,000
- Monkfish aioli ₩23,000
- Sous vide short ribs ₩45,000
- Beef tartare ₩32,000
- Jamón salad ₩18,000
- Obang skewers ₩18,000
- Cat cake ₩12,000
- Rat cocktail ₩17,000
- Dragon cocktail ₩18,000
- Horse cocktail ₩19,000
The dragon-palace basement, and why the bar table suits solo drinkers
That day at Jusindang Gangnam I had four cocktails: Ox, Rooster, Rat, and Dragon. Heading down into the mysterious-feeling basement leads to a space that feels quite different from a typical bar.
The interior seems modeled after an underwater dragon palace, with decorations everywhere, so it was fun just to look around from the moment I walked in.
Since I was visiting alone, I sat at the bar table. I liked being able to watch the cocktails being made right in front of me.
I'd had a late lunch so I wasn't hungry, and decided to just go all-in on cocktails today.
First glass: the smoke-billowing Ox cocktail
The first thing I ordered was the Ox cocktail! It comes with a flashy performance — smoke pours right out of the ox's mouth.
With cocktails, taste matters, but honestly the whole process after ordering is entertaining in itself. And of course it tasted good too. Maybe because I love milk tea, but the Ox cocktail really suited my taste.
If you scan the QR code, it recommends a cocktail based on your saju (Korean fortune reading). Jusindang keeps getting more sophisticated — impressive. But I decided to order what I actually wanted to drink rather than follow the recommendation.
Second glass: the layered Rooster cocktail
Second was the Rooster cocktail. I'd been quite curious about how this one would look.
I chose it after seeing the ingredients — after the Ox cocktail, I wanted something a bit more refreshing and crisp this time.
Its defining feature is a meringue that separates it into an upper and lower layer, and if you look closely it really does resemble a rooster. The taste was more refreshing than I expected — the top part is smooth, the bottom part is tangy.
Third glass: the Rat cocktail, like an einspänner
Third up was the Rat cocktail! Personally, along with the Ox cocktail, this was the tastiest of the four I had that day.
The Rat cocktail's defining feature is a smooth, dense body like cream cheese, with brown cheese sprinkled on top.
It's a little rich, but I'd compare the feeling to drinking an Einspänner coffee. I think women would especially love this one.
Last glass: the color-changing Dragon cocktail
Last was the Dragon cocktail. Already my fourth drink. Apparently the Dragon also comes with a flashy performance — good thing I saved it for last.
The purple-colored cocktail changed to pink. Really fascinating. It tastes like a refreshing herbal tea — perfect for the final round.
The ice has the Jusindang logo carved into it.
So today I went through Ox → Rooster → Rat → Dragon, four drinks in order, and sipping through them slowly, the time went by faster than expected. I was worried drinking alone might feel lonely, but watching and enjoying the cocktails turned out to be its own kind of fun.
Verdict: is Jusindang Gangnam worth it for drinking alone?
Jusindang is worth a visit if you're looking for something a bit different near Gangnam Station. It seems popular for dates and gatherings, but drinking alone like I did was pretty good too. Next time I'll try some of the cocktails and dishes I didn't get to today.
※ Please note this post may bring in more customers, so thanks for your understanding.
Where it is
9 Gangnam-daero 96-gil B1, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea서울특별시 강남구 강남대로96길 9 B1
