Peach tree highball at an 8 PM window seat: Hey Jinny, Euljiro bar

My sister and I went to Euljiro this week — we finally booked a table at Hey Jinny, the Euljiro date-bar everyone's been talking about, a place I'd wanted to visit for ages!

Even on a weekday it's genuinely hard to get in without booking ahead. I'd had to work late that day so I reserved 8pm, and when I tried to show up a bit earlier they told me all the earlier slots were full and to please come at my assigned time! Classic Euljiro bar energy (்▿்)

I'd been meaning to go for a long time, and once I finally did, the vibe was even better than I expected, and honestly great value too — I'd definitely go back.

Where Hey Jinny is in Euljiro, and its opening hours

Hey Jinny, Euljiro

• Hours: Daily 5 PM – midnight
• Location: 1-minute walk from Exit 10, Euljiro 3-ga Station
• Strength: great atmosphere and reasonably priced food

Inside Hey Jinny: a low-lit Euljiro bar with window seats

Hey Jinny sits opposite the Nogari Alley, on the second floor of a building in the food alley where a lot of Euljiro bars are clustered. The interior is especially quiet and dimly lit, so plenty of couples come here for Euljiro dates, and since it's never loud, it was also perfect for my sister and me to just chat quietly.

Even though we had an 8pm reservation, every table was already full — couples, and what looked like groups of coworkers, all enjoying wine and highballs in that same hushed atmosphere.

I especially loved how cute the tableware was the moment we sat down!! My sister and I were seated at a window table, so we could look out while eating, which gave the space an open feeling, and since the table isn't really visible from the others, we could talk freely without worrying who might overhear. There was a sign saying no excessive PDA, which honestly made me wonder what on earth happened before haha.

What to order at Hey Jinny: highballs and eohyang gaji

The most famous dish, crispy eggplant (yuhyang gaji), is a standout thanks to its thin crispy batter and sweet-and-sour sauce! It's the bestseller here, so I ordered it with high expectations — honestly, so many places serve this dish now that the overall standard has gone way up. I wondered just how good Hey Jinny's version could really be to be their signature dish... and it truly, truly delivered!! Fresh out of the fryer, the thin-battered eggplant was so good it nearly made me cry.

Soft on the inside, completely shatteringly crisp on the outside — the texture alone is pure bliss. I already want to go back just for this.

The pasta topped with dried shrimp and plump shrimp was an unexpectedly excellent surprise!!! I'm definitely ordering it again next time. I don't remember the exact name, but I recall there being only two pasta options on the menu, so it shouldn't be hard to find.

Chinese-style dried shrimp pasta made for Korean tastes

This pasta has both the rich creaminess of a cream pasta and the savory depth of Chinese-style pasta. Do you know that particular umami from dried shrimp?!! With every bite, cream, seaweed and shrimp swirl around together in your mouth in this complex flavor, and it was so ridiculously good my sister and I actually fought over it.

Hey Jinny as an easy second-round bar in Euljiro

The sweet highballs are a must-order too. I got the peach tree highball and a zero-calorie cola — the flavor leans more into the liqueur itself than pure sweetness, so it was easy to drink without feeling heavy. With everything from wine to highballs of varying strength, it's a great choice for a simple, easy second-round Euljiro bar.

Drinking while looking out at the Euljiro 3-ga street somehow made me feel like I got tipsy faster haha.

Honest verdict on Hey Jinny as a date bar in Euljiro

Recommended if you want a Euljiro bar that's both good value and pretty. Considering how famous Hey Jinny is, the food prices are surprisingly reasonable, and booking through Naver Reservation gets you a service item too. So if you want a quiet drink in Euljiro, this is a solid pick. With a wide range of highballs and wines, it also works well as a second-round bar — if you're after a simple, relaxed Euljiro date bar, I'd book without hesitation.