Gangnam jazz bar date night: John Coltrane Songbook quartet, Flat Nine

Where is Flat Nine and what is the atmosphere like?

Flat Nine is a live jazz bar on the 5th floor of a building at 10 Gangnam-daero 65-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul. It sits between Gangnam Station and Sinnonhyeon Station, so it's very easy to reach by public transport. It's one of the hottest spots between those two stations right now. When you're busy day after day, don't you sometimes want to heal with great music in a lovely setting? This Gangnam Station bar is perfect for exactly that.

Come up to the 5th floor and a hip vibe hits you right at the entrance. The moment I opened the door and stepped inside, it felt like a completely different world. The toned-down black interior was calm yet really upscale. The lighting was soft and moody too, making it a perfect space for a special experience or a date.

What are the seats and tables like at Flat Nine? Any downsides?

Inside, Flat Nine was quite a bit bigger than it looks from outside, with a huge number of seats. The whole space seems carefully designed just for watching live jazz. The tables are arranged so that wherever you sit, you can feel the energy of the players on stage.

One honest drawback: the tables are really small. The two chairs don't tuck fully under the table, so my legs felt a little cramped. But if you come as a couple, it's an excuse to sit snug and close together. With the physical distance naturally shrinking, I thought it was actually a plus for a romantic date.

Tips to know before visiting Flat Nine

Flat Nine charges a live show fee of ₩15,000 per person on top of the course price, and the show times and lineup change every day. Knowing the tips beforehand keeps you from being caught off guard and makes the evening much more enjoyable.

• First, remember that a live show fee of ₩15,000 per person is charged separately.
• Second, checking the show schedule and lineup isn't optional; it's an absolute must.
• Third, if you want a good seat right in front of the stage, definitely hurry and come early.

That's because the show times and the musician lineup are different every day.

Before you go, I recommend checking the schedule in the Naver Place notice or on the official Instagram. And if you arrive right at showtime, the best seats are very likely to be taken already.

Tonight's Flat Nine lineup: John Coltrane Songbook

We got to Flat Nine around 7:30pm, leaving ourselves a little time. The lineup for the night was a group called 'John Coltrane Songbook', a jazz quartet of saxophone, piano, bass and drums. Just seeing the grand instruments set up on stage got my heart fluttering and pounding.

How much is the Flat Nine Classic dinner course and how do you order?

The Flat Nine Classic dinner course is ₩39,000 per person, and we ordered for two on the tablet menu at the table. We sat down at the seat we were shown, soaked up the upscale mood, and placed our order.

The course runs from a welcome drink all the way to dessert and is so full that the value felt great. With the tablet menu on the table, you can order with one tap without calling staff, which was convenient.

You can browse the menu slowly and add orders easily, so it's a pretty comfortable system for the customer. I'd read earlier reviews, but when I visited, the individual dishes had been changed to something a bit nicer than the previous lineup.

Welcome drink

The Classic course started with a sparkling welcome drink in a very pretty glass. The color was dazzling enough to catch the eye, and the fizz was lively, perfect for whetting the appetite before the meal.

I clinked glasses lightly with my boyfriend for the first time in a while, and we kicked off a lovely, romantic dinner.

Fried potato appetizer

The first dish was an appetizer of appetizingly fried potato. The outside was fried super crisp while the inside kept that fluffy, floury potato texture. The savory smell drifted past my nose, and since I was hungry, I cleared the plate in no time.

Bread and the squid and radish appetizer

Next came fluffy bread, served warm and fresh from the oven. The crumb was soft and chewy, and dipped into the sauce and balsamic oil served with it, it was full of flavor.

After that came a very unique appetizer neatly arranged with squid (hanchi) and radish. I'm a total meat person who always likes meat far more than seafood. But this dish blended the chewy, bouncy squid with the crisp, refreshing radish in a really harmonious way.

The sauce was fresh and clean, with no fishy seafood taste at all, and I scraped the plate clean.

Lasagna

A hot lasagna to fill up my empty stomach arrived, beautifully plated.

Between the carefully stacked layers of pasta sheets was plenty of rich, deep meat sauce. Every time I lifted a forkful, the cheese stretched out in a mouthwatering way, and I marveled at it while enjoying the rich flavor to the fullest.

Main steak

The highlight of the Flat Nine Classic course, and the one I'd been waiting for most, the main steak, finally appeared. As I said, I'm seriously into meat, so my expectations for the main were huge.

The moment the steak hit the table, a subtle, luxurious aroma spread and stirred my appetite. I was genuinely surprised when the knife went in and the meat sliced smoothly without any pressure at all.

The first bite was absurdly tender and melted away before I could even chew. It was so soft I wondered if the meat had been ground fine and re-formed. The doneness was exactly how I like it, with the juices locked inside.

The deep savoriness and meaty aroma filling my mouth with each bite made a perfect pairing with the jazz. My boyfriend tried a bite and raved that it was the best thing he'd had recently, better than the pasta places or barbecue spots around Gangnam Station. Honestly it was so good that I caught myself making a happy, wistful complaint that I wished there were a bit more meat. Thanks to the steak, our date mood got even sweeter.

Dessert chocolate cake

After finishing the meal happily, a sweet chocolate cake came out as the final dessert. The sweetness of thick, fudgy dark chocolate wrapped my mouth nicely and lifted my mood.

A bite of soft cake with sweet jazz melodies on top made it a perfect end to the day.

How was the John Coltrane Songbook live show at Flat Nine?

While we leisurely enjoyed the course at Flat Nine, the live jazz show by the 'John Coltrane Songbook' quartet began. The bright stage lights came on and the performance kicked off. The moment I heard the saxophone's weighty, gorgeous melody filling the whole space, I got thrilling goosebumps all over.

The clear keys of the piano, steadily backing it up, lifted the mood of the room even higher.

On top of that, the rhythmic thumping of the bass and the lively drum beat blended together fantastically. I was completely lost in the feast of instruments unfolding right in front of me. I could feel each player's subtle changes of expression, their breathing, even the way they exchanged glances. It was top-quality live music you could never experience at an ordinary bar or restaurant.

Chatting while enjoying the great live music, I fully understood why Flat Nine is famous as a Gangnam Station jazz bar. At the nearby tables I saw plenty of middle-aged couples on dates enjoying the live music. It's an appealing space where anyone, whatever their age or generation, can connect and enjoy good music together. As a Sinnonhyeon date course or a nice Gangnam Station bar, I don't think it gets better than this.

Can you adjust the course serving speed at Flat Nine?

The last handy tip at Flat Nine is that you can flexibly adjust the serving speed of the food on the spot. Slowly savoring delicious food while waiting for the next course is part of the relaxed charm you only get at a jazz bar.

But if you're very hungry, it's best to ask the staff when ordering to bring the food out quickly. They respond kindly, so don't hesitate to ask, and I hope you enjoy your meal without the flow being interrupted.

Make unforgettable memories in an atmosphere with live music and great food. If you're looking for a Gangnam Station date course or a live bar near Gangnam Station to celebrate a special day, I'd recommend Flat Nine without hesitation.