Hongdae cocktail bar revisit: Woodford Reserve quarter bottle, Bitters

Bitters is a Hongdae cocktail bar hidden behind a bookshelf door, with the feel of stepping into a bar in a movie ✨ It's at B1, 3-30 Hongik-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, open every day from 19:00 to 02:00 the next day, and you can book through Catch Table.

Where is Bitters in Hongdae?

Bitters is about a 10-minute walk from Exit 9 of Hongik Univ. Station. It's a little way inside an alley, so I'd recommend searching it on a map app :D I loved it so much last time that I came back after two months. This is Bitters 🍸✨

What are the space and atmosphere of Bitters like?

When you walk into Bitters, the first things you see are the 3.5m-high ceiling and a back bar lined with bottles. Seating is split into bar seats and table seats, and I always sit at the bar haha. The tables are pretty too, but the bar seats are sooo romantic and beautiful.. 💛

Rows of bottles sit right in front of you and soft jazz plays, so it really feels like you've walked into a bar in a movie. If you're looking for a bar with a great mood in Hongdae, I'd really, truly recommend it ✨

What are the menu and set prices at Bitters?

Bitters has 12 signature cocktails alone, and the lineup runs from classic cocktails to whiskey and wine. The sets are especially well put together, so I'd recommend going for a set menu!

We ordered one of the sets, Quarter Bottle Set 2 (6 drinks, ₩85,000). It comes with 1 quarter bottle of whiskey + 1 snack + 1 soft drink.

• 🥃 Whiskey: Woodford Reserve bourbon
• 🍈 Snack: melon jamón plate
• 🥤 Soft drink: ginger ale

How does the Woodford Reserve bourbon taste?

Bitters brought out the whiskey first. The Woodford Reserve bourbon I chose has a subtle sweet scent of vanilla and caramel, with oak notes, and goes down smoothly. You can feel bourbon's characteristic weight, but it's smoother going down than I expected, so I think even people new to whiskey can enjoy it without pressure.

If you can't decide what to order, ask the bartender. They explain things in a very kind and easy way :-)

Quarter bottle vs. half bottle: which to choose?

The quarter bottle at Bitters is quite generous, so I think it's just right for two people having a light second round. On the other hand, if you're coming for a first round and plan to take it more slowly, a half bottle set might be better. When I came as a first round before, I ordered the half bottle.

How big is the melon jamón plate?

The melon jamón plate at Bitters has jamón (Spanish cured ham) draped over sweet melon, and comes with crackers to go along with it 🍈 Honestly I was surprised how good the spread was. The melon came in three long slices and there was a decent assortment of crackers, so it's plenty even for two.

Sweet melon with salty jamón needs no explanation, right? ✨💛 It's one of my all-time favorite drinking snacks.

Now and then I put it on a cracker with an olive, and the crunch made it sooo delicious... ✨

Is Bitters a good Hongdae date spot?

With the Woodford Reserve, I started neat to taste its original aroma and flavor first, then slowly sipped it on the rocks with ice 🥃 Both last time and this time, in the calm, romantic mood of Bitters, I had a really lovely time chatting at leisure with someone I like after a long while.

The mood is great every time, so I want to come back again. If you're looking for a bar with a good atmosphere in Hongdae, or a quiet drink and conversation, or you're wondering about a date course, I recommend visiting Bitters 💌