Custom cocktails and dry ice performance at The Momento, Jeongja

Quick summary ✔️ A Jeongja cocktail bar with Harry Potter back-alley vibes ✔️ No menu — custom cocktails made by the owner ✔️ Dry ice performance ~ ice cream fire show ✔️ Great for solo drinks, dates, or special gatherings in Jeongja

I was on the hunt for a bar with good vibes in Jeongja, and I actually found one I really loved, so I had to write this up. It's called The Momento.

No sign outside: how to find The Momento

Honestly, at first... I couldn't find the place. I walked around the entire Emco Heritz Complex 1, and the address was clearly here, but there was no visible shop haha. Turns out The Momento's sign barely stands out, so it can be a little tricky to find on your first visit. I mentioned this to the owner later, and he said even his regulars always call it "the place with no sign" haha. So if you're visiting for the first time, definitely check the location details before you go!

📍 146 Jeongja-ilro, Emco Heritz Complex 1, Building 101, Unit 126, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea ✔️ Hours: 7:30 PM–2:00 AM (daily)

✔️ Located inside Emco Heritz Complex 1 ✔️ Near Jeongja Station When you first arrive, look for the building first.

Finding Ace Realty seems like the fastest way to locate it. And there's also a sign that says "Momento" on the ground out front, so make sure to check the floor too before heading in! I didn't at first, and ended up circling the whole complex haha.

An antique atmosphere like a Harry Potter alley

Even the exterior has a strangely distinct atmosphere. Personally, from the moment I saw it, I felt like it belonged in one of those hidden alleys from Harry Potter. A lot of cocktail bars these days go for a clean, modern look, but The Momento leans more antique and classic instead.

The walls are black brick combined with wood, giving the whole place a slightly dark, dignified feel. But it's not so heavy that it feels intimidating to walk in — actually, once inside, it was surprisingly comfortable for drinking and talking.

And though it's not in the photos, the owner was wearing a white suit. Add that to the mix and suddenly it felt like a blend of Harry Potter and Alice in Wonderland haha. This place clearly has its own distinct world built around it.

Looking further inside, there's a huge collection of liquor on display. Whiskeys and all kinds of liqueurs packed in tightly, with even a ladder set up — it genuinely felt like stepping into a cocktail bar from a movie. On one side, I also spotted cocktail-related certificates and credentials, which made the place feel even more legit.

On one wall, there was even a letter from Shinsegae Chairman Chung Yong-jin praising the drinks. Spotting something like that made the place feel extra classy, and somehow made me expect it to taste even better haha.

First floor bar tables, second floor private space

The first floor is mainly bar tables, great for visiting alone and drinking or chatting with the owner while enjoying cocktails. On one side there's a spiral staircase, and following it up leads to a small space on the second floor.

The second floor is set up like a private room, which seems perfect for a group wanting a more private conversation while drinking. So this place works well for anything from solo drinking in Jeongja to gatherings with friends or dates.

No menu, and how the pricing works

The Momento doesn't work like a typical bar where you pick a drink off a menu. You tell the owner the style you want, and he'll either make something to match your taste or recommend something you can order. Cocktails run about ₩23,000–25,000 per glass, plus a separate ₩5,000 cover charge.

So it's not exactly a cheap bar, but once you think of it as a place where you're enjoying the whole process and performance of making a cocktail rather than just drinking one, the pricing makes sense.

From coasters to basic snacks

Once you're seated at your table, they bring out a Momento coaster and a wet towel — and not just handed over casually, but pulled out from a pretty box. Little details like this made the whole experience feel special.

Water and basic snacks come out together too — simple things like Bouchard chocolate and Ace biscotti.

Personally, the salted chocolate and the Ace crackers were exactly my taste. They went well with sweet cocktails and would probably pair fine with something heavier too, so they were great for picking at while drinking.

The first drink made to my taste: Grand Bleu

The first thing I ordered was the Grand Bleu, recommended after I described my preferences (some strength, but not too heavy, and a bit sweet). Once you order a cocktail, all the liquors that go into it get neatly lined up in front of you first.

Then he makes the cocktail right in front of you, which is entertaining to watch in itself. The whole process feels like watching a tiny performance, so the wait never felt boring. And the real highlight of The Momento starts after the cocktail is finished — the dry ice performance!

Smoke suddenly billows up and the whole mood shifts, and he even tells you the right timing to take photos, so I ended up taking a ridiculous number of shots haha. Probably close to 100. That's how good it looked. The ingredients were blue curaçao, Fiji, Malibu, and lemon liqueur, and the taste was exactly the style I wanted.

It was refreshing and sweet like a blue lemonade, with just a slight weight from the alcohol. So it didn't feel too light like a soft drink, but it also wasn't so strong that it was hard to drink. Refreshing and sweet with just the right kick — made exactly to my taste.

And the ice was incredibly clear. Usually with cocktails, the ice melts fast and waters down the drink, but this one stayed almost fully intact until the very last sip. It was great to be able to drink it cold the whole time.

Above all, having such a pretty cocktail made right in front of you with a full performance really makes you feel taken care of. I think this would be a great spot to come to for a quiet conversation with someone special. In particular, if I ever go on a blind date in Jeongja, this is definitely the place that would come to mind for round two haha. Perfect atmosphere for a line like, "I know a good place for a second round in Jeongja, want to go?"

If you want something light, try the Moscow Mule

My friend ordered the Moscow Mule. She wanted something light that wasn't too strong. It naturally comes in the classic copper mug the Moscow Mule is known for, and with dry ice added on top, this one had its own visual impact too.

I'd recommend watching a video of the owner's flashy technique haha. Even though it has vodka in it, it felt lighter and less overwhelming than expected.

If you don't drink much or you're new to cocktails, starting with something like this seems like a good idea.

The owner who tracks down cocktails you don't even know the name of

Something else I noticed that day — the owner really knows his stuff. At the table next to us, a customer wanted a cocktail they'd had somewhere before but couldn't remember the name, and only described a rough impression of it. The owner rattled off a few options right away and nailed exactly what the customer was looking for. The customer looked thrilled, and watching that made me think this place would be even more fun for people who genuinely love cocktails.

So if there's a cocktail you want but can't remember the name of, I'd recommend coming to The Momento and just describing the flavor or characteristics you remember. The owner will probably track it down for you haha.

Dessert fire show

My friend and I were happily chatting and clinking glasses when suddenly a fire show started. It turns out this is a dessert made by pouring vodka over ice cream. Watching a fire show happen right in front of you again was genuinely entertaining.

I'd already been taking photos of the pretty cocktails, and now the dessert came out like this too, so of course I took more photos haha. The ice cream itself was sweet and delicious, and the slightly melted ice cream combined with the subtle scent of vodka worked better than I expected.

And watching the fire show made it feel even more delicious for some reason haha. At that point, I must have thought "I want to come back" about a hundred times.

That said, since it's sweet ice cream with alcohol mixed in, if you keep eating because it's delicious, you'll suddenly realize, "Oh... I'm going to get tipsy from this" haha. Still, it was a dessert that stuck in my memory to the very end.

If you're looking for a special drinking spot in Jeongja, try The Momento

The Momento felt less like a bar you just have one drink at and leave, and more like a place where you enjoy the atmosphere, the cocktails, the performance, and the conversation all together.

What I especially liked was that instead of just picking something off a menu, you tell the owner the strength, sweetness, or whether you want something refreshing or heavy, and he makes it to match your taste. So among people looking for a cocktail bar in Jeongja, I'd especially recommend this to anyone who wants a drink tailored to their own taste rather than a fixed menu.

The atmosphere was also great, so it worked well as a date spot in Jeongja. The dim lighting and antique vibe make it good for serious conversations with friends, and it also suits a date where you want to quietly drink and talk. Visiting alone and sitting at the bar table to get a recommendation from the owner also seemed like a good option, so I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a solo drinking spot in Jeongja too.

This is genuinely a place I feel like I'll go back to again and again. If you're looking for a good-atmosphere whiskey bar or cocktail bar in Jeongja, I'd recommend giving this one a try at least once. Next time I go, I'll have to ask the owner what he'll make for me this time haha.