Hongdae late-night bar with a 10pm terrace and Water Lily Pond

It's outdoor drinking season. The days are still hot, but mornings and evenings are cool and the air is great — perfect weather for being outside. After a tiring Friday at work, I dragged myself out to Hapjeong to enjoy the Friday night. Dinner was yakitori, and for round two we went to Rosetta, a cocktail bar with an outdoor terrace. Woohoo.

Where is Rosetta, and what is the terrace like?

Rosetta is a cocktail bar about 5–7 minutes' walk from Hapjeong Station. It's not right on the busy main street, but tucked into a relatively quiet spot just beside it.

I've passed through Hapjeong and Hongdae dozens of times, and I only just found out today that there's a terrace bar with such a great atmosphere here. If I'd known sooner, I'd already be a regular.

We got there around 10pm and lucked out with an open outdoor table. It looked like dogs were welcome at the outdoor tables too — another table had a big dog with them, and I was a little jealous.

Signature cocktails inspired by famous paintings

Anyway, Rosetta, this cocktail spot in Hapjeong, is known for its own signature cocktails inspired by famous paintings. As I recall, most of the art cocktails were ₩21,000. Instead of the usual cocktails you drink every day, there were a lot of fresh, unusual combinations, which made it a great place to try something new. And apparently these signature art cocktails change every season, so it's worth going back each quarter for a new vibe.

True to the painting-inspired concept, artwork hangs all over the place, and even the menu looks elegant and old-fashioned. The vibe, food, and drinks are all high quality, yet the prices are reasonable — only possible because it's Hapjeong/Hongdae, I guess.

What is the indoor seating at Rosetta like?

Here's what the indoor space looks like. Rosetta is quite a sizeable place. There's group seating, of course a bar table, and plenty of tables for 2–4 people. It's been a while since I wrote a blog post, so I'm not sure what order to put things in — just writing whatever comes to mind.

Fruit and cheese platter for 19,000 won

So here's the snack I'm suddenly introducing — this was the fruit and cheese platter, I think it was ₩19,000. As always, a generous spread for the price. Chocolate, cheese, jamón, and peach and shine muscat grapes. Perfect for a second round after dinner.

Water Lily Pond and Dream: the two cocktails we tried

This is the one my friend ordered — with a hint of ma-la spice and chocolate on top — a cocktail called Dream.

And this is the cocktail I picked, Water Lily Pond. Look at that ice — a big block cube. Definitely a place that takes their cocktails seriously.

Water Lily Pond was so good. Right after serving it, they dropped a few drops of oil on top, and the scent was wonderful — a flavor and aroma I've never tasted anywhere else. And Dream had a fantastic pungent aroma, a slightly strong, smoky cocktail.

Is Rosetta a good spot for a date or a first meeting?

It was a Friday I hadn't enjoyed like this in a while — great weather, great vibe, and both the food and cocktails were excellent all night. I dragged my tired body out and kept yawning by 10pm, but it was still such a fun Friday. It was a great space to sit and chat quietly with friends.

Even the restroom inside is fully set up nicely, so it's good for a blind date and perfect for a regular date too. Highly recommend. If you're in Hongdae and want something other than soju and beer, why not try a cocktail bar with a nice outdoor vibe? The staff are also very kind, and it seems like a comfortable place to enjoy in your own way whether you're alone, in a pair, a small group, or a big group — Rosetta, a whisky and cocktail gallery. Ate well, drank well.