Songdo lakeview wine bar, red wine steak set and live vocals: Jazz 257

I was looking for a place with a good atmosphere in Songdo, and this is Jazz 257 (재즈257). Jazz 257 Songdo Central Park Branch sits across from the water taxi dock at Songdo Central Park in Incheon, so you can enjoy a lake view while you eat. In the daytime you get the open Central Park scenery, and in the evening there's a lovely night view plus live performances, so it's a popular date spot.

It's known as a top steak place in Songdo, and the signature dish is the stone steak with a fire performance. It was a great place to relax over a glass of wine.

Jazz 257 Songdo Central Park Branch: location, hours and parking

Jazz 257 Songdo Central Park Branch is at 257 Incheontawo-daero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, South Korea (Artfore Building D, Units 201 and 202). It's open Mon–Thu 16:00–24:00, Fri–Sat 16:00–01:00 and Sunday 16:00–24:00. You can use the Artfore underground parking, and it's free for 4 hours.

• Address: 257 Incheontawo-daero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, Artfore Building D, Units 201 and 202
• Hours: Mon–Thu 16:00–24:00 / Fri–Sat 16:00–01:00 / Sun 16:00–24:00
• Parking: Artfore underground parking, free for 4 hours
• After parking: enter B1, turn right → head to Building D → take the stairs or elevator

What are the atmosphere and seats like at Jazz 257?

Jazz 257 is on the 2nd floor of Building D at Songdo Artfore, and the mood was pretty great right from the entrance.

Inside there's a performance stage, and from the window seats you can take in the Central Park lake and the direction of the water taxi dock at a glance.

The big picture windows make it feel open, and once evening came the lighting made the atmosphere even better.

There's a variety of seating: bar seats good for coming alone, window seats good for dates, and large tables for group gatherings.

Midnight Steak / Wine set: which wine should you pick?

What I ordered at Jazz 257 that day was the Midnight Steak / Wine set. You can choose between white and red wine, and I went with red.

Pouring a glass and waiting for the performance, the mood was really good. The space suits Songdo's international-city vibe, and I could see why people come here for anniversaries or blind dates.

How does Jazz 257's signature stone steak taste?

Before the meal, the red wine came out first.

The red wine was slightly dry, which went fine with the steak, and it was easy to drink.

A sizzling stone and a fire performance

Then the stone steak, Jazz 257's signature dish, arrived on a heated stone. It sizzled, and with the fire performance on top, it naturally drew everyone's eyes.

It came out in rising smoke, followed by the fire performance, which was fun to watch and great for photos or videos.

Doneness, juiciness and garnishes

It isn't just a show dish; the stone steak itself was good quality too. The outside was nicely seared and the inside stayed moist and juicy, so it was tender to eat.

There was no gamey smell, and the meaty flavor came through the more I chewed, so it paired well with the red wine.

Next to the steak came garnishes like grilled onion, mushrooms and tomato, and they went well with the meat. The juices stayed in so it wasn't dry, and with the whole-grain mustard the flavor came through even more.

It was cut into bite-size pieces, so it was easy to enjoy slowly on a date.

When is the live music at Jazz 257, and what's it like?

While I was eating at Jazz 257, the live show started. The biggest charm of Jazz 257 is that you can enjoy dinner and a performance together.

On the day I visited, the live show was a male vocalist with keyboard. It wasn't a quiet, concert-hall kind of listening; you hear the music naturally while enjoying food and wine, and the whole space felt more atmospheric.

I hear Korean musicians play jazz on Fridays and Saturdays, and live music in various genres on weekdays and Sundays, so it's worth checking the schedule before you go.

Verdict: Songdo steak, wine and live music in one go

At Jazz 257 Songdo Central Park Branch, you can have dinner, wine and live music while looking out over the Songdo Central Park lake. The stone steak with the fire performance was fun to watch and fun to eat, and the atmosphere itself is so good that it suits dates and anniversaries.

If you're looking for a good steak place in Songdo, it's worth a visit once; both the food and the atmosphere satisfied me.