Jongno cocktail bar with Korean welcome tea: Hanuk

Hanuk in a basement near Jonggak Station

Hanuk (하눅) is near Jonggak Station. The surrounding alley is a popular spot packed with restaurants and bars, so it was great for a second stop after dinner or as part of a Jongno date. The bar is on the building’s first basement level.

Once inside the building, there is a staircase down to the left of the elevator. Hanuk’s sign made it easy to find! Korean-style objects were placed from the entrance onward, so Hanuk’s own atmosphere came through before we had even gone in, haha.

Waiting and seating when it is full

The interior is on the compact side, but there are both bar seats and regular tables. When we visited, every seat was taken, so we were shown to the waiting area behind the bar.

I think we waited around 10 minutes! We could look through the menu in the waiting area beforehand, which gave us time to decide which cocktails to order.

A menu that makes unfamiliar traditional ingredients easy to choose

The paper menu introduces Hanuk and explains how to use the bar, while the drinks menu is accessed by QR code.

This menu was where I really felt Hanuk’s attention to detail! Even with traditional cocktails made with unfamiliar ingredients, reading the descriptions gave me a fairly clear idea of what they would taste like.

Potential allergens are marked separately too, which should make ordering easier for anyone with allergies or dietary restrictions. An English translation is also available, so it looked like a great place to visit with international guests☺️

We were shown to a table!

Sujeonggwa and mini yakgwa welcome tea

Once you order, they bring sujeonggwa (a chilled cinnamon-and-persimmon punch) and mini yakgwa (honey cookies) as welcome tea. Cold, sweet sujeonggwa with chewy mini yakgwa… what an irresistible combination 🤎 I want it again even as I am writing this!

Mud Festival with seaweed and chocolate

🍫 Mud Festival They explained that Mud Festival is a cocktail using gim (roasted seaweed) and chocolate to express a thick, fudgy texture, just like its name. At first, it had the sweetness of rich, thick chocolate milk, but as it went on, the aroma of alcohol and a savory saltiness joined in for that addictive sweet-and-salty appeal! Paired with the tongka served alongside it, it felt even more like having a sweet dessert 🤎

Chusu, where yuzu meets jang sauce

🌾 Chusu Chusu is a refreshing cocktail inspired by the autumn harvest. Its rice-stalk decoration immediately caught my eye, and it suited the name so well! The yuzu gave it a bright citrus aroma, while the parts touched by the jang (fermented sauce) on top had a salty, unusual flavor💛

Hanuk felt new even on my second visit

Hanuk is a Jonggak cocktail bar that puts Korean ingredients and stories into each glass! It was my second visit, but every menu item had such a distinct concept and flavor that it still felt fresh. I recommend Hanuk to anyone looking for an unusual Jongno date spot, hoping to take an international friend to a Korean-style bar, or wanting to try distinctive cocktails made with traditional liquor❣️ Next time, I want to come back and try another signature drink too :)