Yukhoe and cream sujebi date bar in Jongno, Seoul: Refine Euljiro

I went on a date in Euljiro and stopped by Refine Euljiro Myeongdong, which apparently is super hot right now. I visited pretty late, but the place was still nearly packed. I guess it's because of the atmosphere — a lot of couples were there on dates. I was there for a date too, and everything from the vibe to the food was satisfying, so let me introduce Refine Euljiro Myeongdong.

The interior and seating at Refine Euljiro Myeongdong

This is the inside of Refine, which I'd recommend as a date spot in Euljiro. By the window you get a nice green view outside, and there's a variety of seating — bar table, regular tables, and a private room. Overall it feels like a dining pub, but with a casual atmosphere where you can enjoy food, drinks and music, so it works well for dates or blind dates too.

What's on the Refine menu?

Here's the Refine menu. This was actually my second visit, and pretty much everything I've had so far has been good.

These are the dishes I ordered last time. Refine's udaegalbi (premium short rib) is really good too!! It's good enough that I'd call it a go-to spot, and I was happy with everything I ordered this time as well. Refine is a fusion Korean dining pub, so most of the menu is Korean-food-based overall. It's like familiar Korean dishes given a slightly different twist, which also makes them great with drinks.

Above all, Refine has a really wide range of traditional liquors. From makgeolli to various other traditional drinks, if you're someone who likes traditional liquor, it'd be fun to try a few different kinds.

You can even do a traditional liquor tasting

At the front of the store, they offer a tasting of some traditional liquors for customers who order them — perfect for anyone who loves to drink!

Wine instead of traditional liquor, and the bar-table vibe

I ordered wine instead of traditional liquor this time. Having a glass of wine in such a nice atmosphere somehow made the date feel even better. Isn't the bar-table atmosphere great too? The lighting was soft and even the wine glass and table setting felt aesthetic, so it was great for photos too.

I personally love this kind of atmosphere, so I was really happy with the overall vibe the whole time I was there.

How the dishes we ordered tasted

Yukhoe (Korean beef tartare)

Yukhoe. This is seasoned with a sesame oil and gochujang (red chili paste) base, and the spicy-sweet gochujang flavor paired well with the nutty sesame oil aroma. Unlike the plain style of yukhoe you usually get, the seasoning here is quite strong, which made it great as a drinking snack.

It was especially good eaten with the crispy fried rice paper chips served alongside — they added extra texture. The combination of soft yukhoe and crunchy chips was so good I kept reaching for more. It paired better with wine than I expected, and it's a dish I'd want to order again on my next visit.

Perilla bibim pasta

Perilla bibim pasta. This is a perilla pasta made with capellini noodles, and the nutty aroma hits you the second it arrives. The noodle texture was great too, and it went really well with traditional liquor.

Cream sujebi

Cream sujebi. This was one I personally enjoyed a lot. It's a rosé cream flavor with a slight Korean-food twist added, making it spicy in a way that keeps you coming back for more spoonfuls. It's a great snack to have with drinks too, so I'd definitely recommend this one.

Would I recommend it as a date spot in Euljiro?

Today I introduced Refine Euljiro Myeongdong, which I'd recommend to anyone looking for a good-atmosphere date spot in Euljiro! From Korean-based fusion dishes to a variety of traditional liquors and wine, it was great for having a meal with a drink, and the atmosphere is genuinely nice every time I go. If you're looking for a good-vibe date restaurant near Euljiro or Myeongdong, Refine Euljiro Myeongdong is worth a visit :)