Euljiro 3-ga beer pub for couples: Cass Taktak vs Toktok, Eulsam Hof

I go to Euljiro a lot.. and a bar I'd never seen caught my eye, so I looked it up. Apparently it pours draft beer in several different ways so you can enjoy different textures and ways it goes down! As someone who absolutely loves draft beer, I couldn't resist being curious. So let me tell you about Eulsam Hof, which turned out to be not just an Euljiro 3-ga bar but a real draft beer destination.

Where is Eulsam Hof and what are its hours?

Eulsam Hof is a 1-minute walk from Exit 11 of Euljiro 3-ga Station. It's almost right in front of the exit, so it's a convenient spot to meet up or say goodbye.

• Hours: daily 17:00-01:00
• Parking: not available (nearby alternative: Euljiro on-street public parking lot)

Eulsam Hof on a Friday night: atmosphere and seating

Eulsam Hof was almost full even around 10 p.m. on a Friday. I went at nearly 10 on a Friday, the perfect time for draft beer, and apart from one or two seats it was already packed! And about 10 minutes after we sat down, it filled up completely.

The inside is retro and full of character too, but I chose a table outside the shop because it had a street-stall vibe.

Honestly, the chairs and tables are small, so it's not comfortable, but it's a beer-bar feel where you don't sit for two or three hours anyway. The whole concept is a standing bar, a standing hof (pub), so it fits 😀

I also spotted a draft beer quality-control master nameplate on the wall! And it seems the owner is the same as Euljiro Baektan Ppyeoguri (a bone-grilling restaurant)😮 I thought Baektan was a trendy hot spot too, and Eulsam Hof gives off exactly that feeling!!

How much are the snacks at Eulsam Hof? A good-value second-round pub

Snacks at Eulsam Hof start in the ₩5,000 range, so they're great for a light bite on a second round. I came for a second round when I was already very full, so I ordered the peanuts and seaweed (땅콩과김).

As you can see, the other snacks are less for filling your stomach and more a simple accompaniment to drinks. That's why the prices are cheap!! Total value for money👍🏻

Snacks in the ₩5,000 range with draft beer, right in the middle of Euljiro.. I'd been ordering snacks that cost nearly ₩20,000 even when I was full, so finding such cheap ones was a real welcome, haha

There's plenty of peanuts, and the seaweed really goes well with beer🎵

Four ways Eulsam Hof pours draft beer

The menu at Eulsam Hof doesn't just say "draft beer". You choose by pouring style: Sulsul, Foam Foam, Toktok or Taktak.

• Foam Foam: over 90% foam, a special glass full of rich foam
• Sulsul: coarse bubbles skimmed off and a dense foam added for a smooth finish
• Toktok: poured so beer and foam mix quickly, maximizing the carbonation
• Taktak: a glass filled with beer only, no foam, for a clean, crisp finish

The beers are Cass, Red Rock, the barley-flavored signature beer Eulsam Hof, and the lemon-flavored Lemon Hof. I hear Eulsam Hof and Lemon Hof are blended in-house+_+

The coaster also comes with the name and description of the beer you ordered, so you can savor the taste once more as you drink😀

Cass Toktok vs Cass Taktak: is there a carbonation difference?

Eulsam Hof's Cass Toktok definitely felt more carbonated than Taktak. My husband ordered the Cass Toktok, where beer and foam mix quickly! He doesn't love beer foam, but his taste is that draft beer should have some, and he likes strong carbonation, so he went with Toktok. The foam ratio was just right, and compared with my Taktak it really did feel fizzier!

Taktak for people who hate foam

I'm fine with the carbonation going flat a bit faster.. I absolutely hate beer foam, so Taktak was totally my taste T_T Mine's Cass too! See how they filled it right to the very edge? They even spilled a little when bringing it over, and it still looks like this, haha. There's zero foam and the carbonation still doesn't fade. Delicious T_T

And the two of us are people who find Cass the least to our taste among Korean beers, but Eulsam Hof's Cass is somehow different.. it doesn't taste like Cass..! It's much fresher and crisper. After drinking this, my opinion of Cass changed a bit, haha

Last glass: Red Rock Taktak

For the last glass I tried Red Rock Taktak, and it has a different charm from Cass. It had a sort of dried-fruit aroma.. or maybe I'm imagining it, haha

Cass and Red Rock taste completely different, so if you order two or more glasses, I really hope you'll try both beers💖

Eulsam Hof: final verdict

A day when I felt I'd had a truly delicious lager🥳 Calling it just an Euljiro 3-ga bar undersells it: the draft beer is so good it's a draft beer destination in its own right! With retro charm adding to the appeal, I recommend Eulsam Hof as a good-value second-round pub.