Sillim bar with seat mixing and card games in Seoul: Yahwa Sillim

Sillim solo drinking bar for a lively Friday night — Yahwa has a wide range of drinks and is great for making friends. After going hard on soju-beer mix as round one, I suddenly wanted something lighter, like a cocktail? So I headed to Yahwa Sillim, a Sillim solo drinking bar where you can enjoy a variety of drinks at reasonable prices.

Where is Yahwa Sillim, and how far is Sillim Station Exit 4?

Yahwa Sillim is a 3-minute walk from Sillim Station Exit 4, so it was easy to find. It's on basement level 1, and you can feel the good vibes starting right from the entrance.

Seating inside Yahwa Sillim and how to order

Inside Yahwa Sillim, the layout is a C-shaped table where you sit facing each other while drinking. The seats were pretty comfortable, so even sitting and talking for a long time, I didn't feel my seat getting uncomfortable.

Ordering was simple and smart — just tag NFC or scan a QR code.

Yahwa Sillim menu and seat mixing times

The drink menu at Yahwa Sillim was full of variety — cocktails, beer, and non-alcoholic cocktails. We started off with Yahwa and Faust.

Seat-mixing happens at 10pm, 12am, and 2am, so if you don't like your seat, you can just hang in there haha. With one click you can also report a villain, and you can join the Yahwa anonymous chat room too — worth knowing!

What complimentary snacks come with your drinks?

At Yahwa Sillim, a kind staff member first brought us a hangover remedy and honey. Starting with thick, sweet honey to protect my stomach felt smart.

They also brought us a chicken leg snack and Bouchard chocolate — a sweet-and-salty combo that went down way too easily.

Breaking the ice with strangers: card games and alligator roulette

Honestly, as a capital-I introvert, striking up conversation with strangers in a setting like this isn't easy for me. But at Yahwa Sillim, the table has a variety of card games ready to go.

There's even an alligator roulette game perfect for a little bet, so playing games together, we all got close fast.

Kkotjam, 9.5% ABV: the cocktail with a flower floating in it

While chatting with the new people I'd just met and picking at the basic snacks, out came the Kkotjam! It's a cocktail with a pale blue color and flowers floating in it — the kind of visual that lifts your mood before you even take a sip. At 9.5%, the floral scent and lemon brightness blended so smoothly that the alcohol smell was almost hidden.

Faust, 40% ABV: for when you want to get drunk

When you want to feel the intensity of alcohol, Faust is the one. Coming in at a whopping 40%, it's a cocktail I'd recommend for people who can handle their drink, or who just think, 'I want to get a little drunk today.'

It had a deep, heavy taste, like a real grown-up's drink.

We clinked glasses and kept the fun conversation going. Partway through, I found out the person across from me was in the same industry, so we ended up talking way more than you'd expect from people who'd just met, haha.

In the middle of it all, we checked our fortunes with a book, and mine said to be content with what I have. Contentment with one's lot... how do you even do that...

Godfather: an old-school cocktail with a scotch whisky base

This is the Godfather I ordered as an extra round at this Sillim solo drinking bar. It's a scotch whisky-based cocktail, so naturally on the stronger side.

There's a rumor it's connected to the movie The Godfather, though I'm not sure the truth of that has ever been confirmed. With a heavy cigar aroma mixed in, it was bittersweet — the definition of a classic old cocktail.

Finishing the night with cheese cake

Toward the end I got a craving for something sweet, so I ordered the cheese cake at this Sillim solo drinking bar for dessert.

It was rich and soft in just the right amount — delicious! Cocktails really do pair especially well with cake.

The staff were kind, the service was great, and I got close with the people I drank with — we even went on to a second round together. It was such a fun experience ✨ If you're looking for a Sillim solo drinking bar where anyone can easily make friends, I recommend Yahwa Sillim!