Hongdae beer bar for daytime pepperoni pizza and beer: Art Monster

Why we fled to Art Monster Hongdae on a midsummer afternoon

It was a scorching midsummer day, and I was desperate for a cold beer, so I went with friends to Art Monster Hongdae, a craft beer specialist near Hongik Univ. Station. Isn't the weather brutal now that we're passing through the rainy season? The air on the Hongdae streets was so hot it took my breath away.

Heat shimmered up off the asphalt, and after a few steps my friends and I only had to look at each other. There was just one answer.

A cold beer. That one desperate wish led us to Art Monster Hongdae.

The moment I opened the door, the heat outside backed off as if it had been a lie.

Art Monster Hongdae location and the window seats

Art Monster Hongdae is a short walk from Exit 8 of Hongik Univ. Station, so it's easy to get to and easy to suggest to friends.

Once we settled into a sunny window seat, the atmosphere alone made it easy to see why Art Monster is counted among Hongdae's best.

Daylight and red lighting sit side by side in one space without clashing, and it felt like time was flowing differently from the busy street I'd just walked through.

Summer Romance and pepperoni pizza: how was the pizza-and-beer combo?

The first glass was Summer Romance, Art Monster's summer signature, with pepperoni pizza on the side. What caught my eye as soon as we sat down was the history of beer competition awards hanging on the wall.

For the first glass I picked Summer Romance, the signature said to represent summer. Peach and passion fruit aromas filled my mouth, and one sip melted away the whole day's thirst. The aroma is showy but the finish is clean, so it never felt heavy and I kept reaching for it.

The pepperoni pizza had a chewy dough and generous toppings,

and it played the hearty supporting role that makes the beer slide down.

See how the cheese stretches? The generous cheese was an umami explosion. I wondered if the dough was made with corn starch, because it didn't leave me bloated at all and sat so easy in my stomach.

Salty pepperoni, then a sip of Summer Romance. With this combo, you don't need to explain why the word "pimaek" (pizza + beer) was invented.

What beers come in Art Monster's A-type sampler?

Art Monster's A-type sampler comes as five glasses, numbered 1 to 5: Cheongdam Daughter-in-law (청담동 며느리), Monkfood, Itaewon Freedom, Neomsabyeok (넘사벽) and Haekjonsim (핵존심). One glass felt too little, so we added the A-type sampler.

Numbers 1 to 5: Cheongdam Daughter-in-law, Monkfood, Itaewon Freedom, Neomsabyeok and Haekjonsim.

Comparing these five wittily named glasses one by one was a lot of fun. Dark beer, Vienna lager, wheat beer... it was interesting to see how many different directions a single category like beer can branch into.

Putting such different characters side by side made me realize that beer, like wine, has subtle differences in taste.

If you want to taste several kinds in small amounts, don't overthink it: the A-type sampler is the answer.

Is this Hongdae craft beer spot worth a return daytime visit?

The time I spent at Art Monster Hongdae on a sweltering summer day was a kind of healing in itself.

No single flavor stood out; what stayed in my memory was the well-balanced harmony of beer and food. I'd like to come back soon and work through the remaining beers one by one.

I have an office nearby, so the Hongdae area is very familiar to me, and I'm just delighted that a skilled craft beer specialist has opened in a place like this.

When you think of beer, bottled ones like Cass or Terra usually come to mind first, right?

The food was the main star, and the drink just dutifully played the supporting role. That's why Art Monster, which puts craft beer front and center, feels all the more welcome.

If you visit Art Monster Hongdae, comparing how the distinctive craft beers differ while enjoying them cold would be a lot of fun.