Cheonggyecheon Korean pub with liquor tasting and clam soup: Refine

It was the day I met up with college friends I hadn't seen in ages, and we were meeting in Jongno. After wondering where to go, we picked Refine Euljiro Myeongdong, right in front of Cheonggyecheon stream. Spoiler: it was a total success as a meeting spot.

Where is Refine Euljiro Myeongdong?

Refine Euljiro Myeongdong is at 67 Cheonggyecheon-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, in Jongno 1-beon-ga Officetel, Units 204-205. It's right in front of Cheonggyecheon, so it's easy to find!

Just head up to the 2nd floor!

What are the Cheonggyecheon view, liquor tasting and atmosphere like?

The biggest feature of Refine Euljiro Myeongdong is its liquor tasting program. There are lots of trendy Korean pubs around Euljiro and Jongno these days, but a tasting program made Refine really special.

You don't just pick a drink off the menu; you taste and then choose, so it's fun whether you know liquor well or not at all. Sitting in a space with a Cheonggyecheon view, trying things and chatting with friends, we lost track of time. Let me tell you all about it.

Wow, so cool, right? It looked even better once night fell.

Seating from 2-person tables to group spaces

Refine Euljiro Myeongdong has 2-person tables and 4-person tables.

There's a bar too, and it looked so cool. The food tastes different depending on which table you eat at, doesn't it?

There's group seating too, and we sat at a spacious 4-person table. There's also an even bigger separate group room, which is great for gatherings and company dinners. I snapped a quick photo of it with the lights off.

Which liquors did we pick after the tasting?

After the tasting at Refine Euljiro Myeongdong, we chose Maekgeun Naeil yuja (citron) and Seoseol (375ml, 13% ABV). Every single thing we ordered that day suited my taste.

The Maekgeun Naeil has a subtle citron aroma, and the Seoseol is 13% but went down smoother and easier than I expected. 🍶

Here are the drink menus.

Nurungi rice makgeolli (500ml) ₩43,900

The nurungi rice makgeolli is ₩43,900 for 500ml. It's a clear rice wine (cheongju) that goes down nicely, and it paired well with the dishes.

Refine Euljiro Myeongdong food menu and prices

Clam soup ₩22,900, extra pasta noodles ₩3,800

The clam soup (baejirak sulguk) is ₩22,900, and adding pasta noodles is ₩3,800. A Korean pub with a sulguk (a hearty soup eaten with drinks)! The cool, spicy broth works both as a side dish for drinking and for soothing your stomach.

We added the pasta noodles too, and dunking them in the soup is a real treat.

Premium short ribs ₩49,800

The premium short ribs (udae galbi) are ₩49,800 and overwhelming from the first look. The portion is generous and it tasted really good; it's great for sharing with friends and goes so well with drinks.

Potato pancake ₩22,900

The potato pancake (gamjajeon) is ₩22,900, crispy outside and soft inside. A jeon (Korean pan-fried pancake) is a must with drinks, right? 🙂

It's a bit fusion-style, so I can imagine opinions splitting. I enjoyed it a lot.

Don't skip the hotteok dessert

And. The hotteok (sweet filled pancake)!!!!!! You have to try it. Order it twice!!! I'm going back just for the hotteok dessert, haha

Ice cream with dalgona sweet potato fritters, a fantastic combo.

How was Refine Euljiro Myeongdong as a Jongno/Euljiro meeting spot?

At Refine Euljiro Myeongdong, there wasn't a single thing to complain about that day. A nice space in front of Cheonggyecheon, the unique experience of liquor tasting, and delicious dishes all around, a perfect three-for-three.

If you're hunting for a meeting spot around Jongno/Euljiro, I sincerely recommend it! You can take a Cheonggyecheon stroll for a date afterwards, and it connects straight to Myeongdong too. The staff were all kind as well. Good good.