Jongno bar with outdoor tables after a Daehangno play: Hanamato

After seeing a play in Daehangno, it feels a little sad to just go straight home, doesn't it?

My friend and I had gone to see a play in Daehangno for the first time in ages. It was a weekend evening, so the streets of Hyehwa were bustling with people and music was playing here and there. Maybe because we'd just come out of such a fun show, I was in an even better mood than usual.

And what about the weather lately? It's exactly the season for drinking outdoors, haha. It felt a shame to quietly head home after only seeing the play in weather like this, so while looking for somewhere to have a drink with my friend, we stopped by Hanamato Daehangno Hyehwa, a Japanese bar in Hyehwa. It's close to Hyehwa Station, so it was easy to head there for a second stop after a play or performance.

A Hyehwa bar with a great location and mood after a play

What I liked first about Hanamato was honestly its location and atmosphere. It was somewhere you could have a drink while taking in Daehangno's own lively energy, which made it perfect for carrying on that post-play feeling.

The night we visited was a busy weekend evening, with lots of people on the street and packed shops. Add Hanamato's Japanese-style vibe to that atmosphere, and it even felt a little like being on a trip. You know those days after seeing a play in Hyehwa when you say, “It feels too early to just go home—shall we have a drink?” It felt like exactly the kind of place that would come to mind.

The feel of the outdoor tables and bar seats

And in a season when the evening breeze feels this nice, you simply can't pass up outdoor tables. Hanamato has outdoor seating, as well as counter-style bar seats on the first floor that suit one or two people. I also found visitor reviews saying that the second floor is more spacious than the first, with open-feeling seats by the windows.

Looking at the bar tables, I thought, “This would be fine for a solo drink, too!” Sitting alone at the bar with a few skewers and a draft beer sounded pretty great.

There were couples sitting across from each other and having drinks at the outdoor tables. Honestly, why did they look so lovely? Haha. You know that fluttery, ticklish feeling. (I lost mine a full 10 years ago ^^^^) Maybe that's part of Daehangno's fun. With people out to see plays, couples on dates, and friends having drinks all mixed together, there was that distinctive weekend-evening buzz.

The fun of adding Japanese snacks a little at a time

For anyone looking for Japanese bar food in Hyehwa, the menu matters too, right? Hanamato had a very broad selection of Japanese snacks, from yakitori (grilled skewers) and oden (Japanese fish-cake stew) to motsunabe (beef offal hot pot), Nagasaki champon, yakisoba, karaage, and mentaiko cheese potatoes. There were also plenty of skewer options, making it easy to choose according to your taste.

What I especially liked was that, rather than ordering one huge dish, we could order a variety of things we wanted in small amounts. Have one thing, order another, then get one more dish while having a drink. That made it possible to enjoy everything slowly, almost like a small course meal.

The food was neatly presented overall, so it was nice to sample this and that alongside a drink. When you're eating and chatting with a friend, there's something especially fun about adding dishes one by one.

Service that felt good even on a weekend evening

There were quite a lot of guests when we visited because it was a weekend evening. At busy times like that, I sometimes feel bad asking the staff for anything, but at Hanamato the staff were kind and we could spend our time pleasantly. Other visitor reviews also mentioned friendly service.

Good food matters, but I think a bar is ultimately a place where you remember the atmosphere of the day along with everything else. The play was fun, the street atmosphere was lovely, and I was happy with both the food and service, so this Daehangno outing became a really pleasant memory.

Next time, Hyehwa at night from a second-floor window seat

After this visit, there was something I said to my friend: “Next time, let's sit upstairs.” Hanamato has seating on the second floor too, and the window-side area in particular has an open layout, so next time I want to sit there with a drink and take in the atmosphere outside.

Hyehwa is nice during the day too, but I think I especially love Daehangno after the sun goes down. Coming out after a play, walking through streets bustling with people, then entering a bar you like and talking about this and that with a friend. It isn't some grand itinerary, but days like that stay with you for a long time.

If you're looking for a Japanese bar in Hyehwa, a Hyehwa izakaya, or somewhere to drink after a Daehangno play, Hanamato was a great spot for a casual drink. Especially on a nice-weather day, I'd definitely recommend taking a quick look at the outdoor seating first. That outdoor-drinking mood is only here for the season.

Personally, Hanamato suited the description “a great place to stop by when you want to keep that feeling going a little longer after seeing a play in Daehangno” better than anything else.