Hangangjin Station izakaya with corkage and beef tartare: Hannam Tatsu

This is my go-to-go-to-go-to spot. I've been coming here with friends whenever we meet up in Hannam-dong for a while now. The vibe is upscale and both the plating and taste never disappoint, so this is a Hannam-dong izakaya bar I always recommend for dates: Hannam Tatsu.

There are so many great-atmosphere bars and izakayas in Hannam-dong, but I've loved Hannam Tatsu for quite a long time. ♡ It's not too loud, calm but still has a great vibe. I've attached the full menu including drinks, so check it out if you're planning to visit :)

Do you need a reservation at Hannam Tatsu?

I usually book a reservation before visiting Hannam Tatsu. This time I reserved through Catchtable. Even though it was a weekday, the place was still nearly full.

Hannam-dong itself gets crowded on weekday evenings, but Hannam Tatsu especially draws a lot of guests, so I'd recommend booking ahead if you can.

What we ordered at Hannam Tatsu and what corkage costs

Usually when I visit Hannam Tatsu I eat a lot of sashimi, but that day we already had a second bar booked that specialized in seafood, so we ordered other dishes instead.

• Korean beef tartare with gim-bugak (fried seaweed chips) — ₩40,000
• Squid ink pasta topped with sea urchin and abalone — ₩30,000

We did bring some wine, but since it was white wine we planned to drink at the second bar, at Tatsu we ordered the Ilpumjinro tonic set instead.

Hannam Tatsu's corkage fee (max 1 bottle) is ₩30,000 for wine/sake, ₩50,000 for champagne, and ₩80,000 for whiskey. Also note corkage is only available for guests with reservations before 8pm — keep that in mind!

Drinks list and the Ilpumjinro tonic set

Don't think that because corkage is allowed there's no alcohol here — there's really, really a huge variety of sake, whiskey, wine, and even champagne. Nothing is missing.

For a simple start we ordered the Ilpumjinro set. I don't drink tonic water myself, but I can't live without lemon. One of my friends drinks tonic, so we ordered the set!

The ice bucket is way too cute .. I genuinely wanted to take it home haha. And I wasn't the only one thinking that? All my friends were fussing over this adorable little bucket haha.

Two of the three of us arrived late, so one friend ordered a beer and drank alone for a while .. sorry friend...ㅠㅠ haha.

Lately I keep seeing these Cloudy Bay pamphlets at bars. Thinking of it as store price, it actually seems pretty reasonable.

Inside Hannam Tatsu: atmosphere, private rooms and standing-bar seats

Hannam Tatsu has a woody interior but still feels really upscale. Maybe that's why I saw quite a few tables having business meetings. There are also private rooms available.

Come to think of it, I've never actually been inside one of the rooms — I don't even know what they look like. I've never sat at the standing-bar seats either, but next time I come for a date I'd love to try them. Feels like the drinks would just keep flowing, haha.

They also serve my favorite lemon water. You end up drinking a lot of water while drinking, so I really appreciate it when lemon water or tea is provided instead of plain water. I'm just not a plain-water kind of person.

Korean beef tartare with gim-bugak (40,000 won)

This is genuinely delicious .. you have to order it .. I'd always gone with sashimi on my visits to Hannam Tatsu before, so this was my first time trying this kind of dish, and I regretted not having tried it sooner.

True to using Korean beef (hanwoo), the tartare is incredibly fresh, and the gim-bugak (fried seaweed chips) is such a great touch .. I don't even like gim-bugak that much normally and rarely eat it, but it paired so, so well with the tartare.

If you leave it sitting too long the gim-bugak gets soggy, so eat it right after placing the tartare on top while it's still crispy. The texture is honestly the best!

Squid ink pasta with sea urchin and abalone (30,000 won)

This one was also .. genuinely a moment of divine gratitude. The abalone tasted like it had just been pulled from the sea. So tender.

I don't usually eat sea urchin, but my friends said it was really delicious and were so moved eating it. The squid ink sauce was seasoned just right and tasted amazing too. I have a feeling this will be my go-to pick for drinks going forward.

The restroom at Hannam Tatsu and that hand wash

The restroom is right inside and kept clean. That orange hand wash by the sink smells amazing. You really have to try it!!!!!!!!!!!! I told my friends the hand wash smelled so good and suddenly they all started taking turns going to the restroom ..

Why Hannam Tatsu works as a date bar in Hannam-dong

Given the great atmosphere, this is a place I've always recommended for dates in Hannam-dong. It's already so famous that if you've been drinking in Hannam-dong you probably already know it, but since it's my go-to-go-to-go-to spot, I'll keep visiting and recommending it.

This alley is full of great restaurants tucked away everywhere, so it's easy to hop to a second spot afterward, and it's an alley I genuinely love. If you're looking for an izakaya in Hannam-dong, or a bar for a date near Hangangjin Station, Hannam Tatsu is the one I recommend.