A cozy Seongdong, Seoul bar for solo drinks and card games: Oshu

A cozy little bar for solo drinks in Wangsimni

Solo-drinking bars are so popular these days. I hadn’t gone because I heard it had a vibe like Roso, but it’s a small solo-drinking bar with such a cozy atmosphere that I was really happy with it..! There hadn’t really been a bar like this in Wangsimni, so I’m thrilled one finally opened.

My friend and I had both been so busy lately, working until dawn and completely frazzled, but we had time over the weekend. After a nice long nap, we were like, let’s get some fresh air, and I called her over to the neighborhood haha.

There were cards, so we were seriously playing games when the owner gave us a complimentary Lemon Drop 🍋 The rim is coated in sugar, and it was sweet and delicious.

Salty olive snacks and a guestbook

There was a salty snack my friend likes, so we ordered it. 🫒 The green olive and black olive combo was marinated with peperoncino, garlic, and olive oil, and the salty flavor and umami were amazing.

Oshu Wangsimni Branch is in Haengdang Market, so Hanyang University students come by sometimes, but it seemed like mostly longtime residents from Eungbong and Wangsimni visited. The age range seemed pretty varied too!?

The guestbook was black, so of course I opened it right away.

The person who drew this was definitely an art student. They picked out just the key details in such a stylish way—amazing. This is exactly the vibe.

My friend and I drew each other. She said she recently got down to 42 kg, and I can only be jealous... People who stick to a diet are so fascinating. When I’m tired or stressed, my appetite just explodes.

Complimentary alsaeuchip shrimp crackers

These are crispy, salty alsaeuchip shrimp crackers!! My friend loved them so, so much that we got about three refills.

Free highballs and sweet Lemon Drops

Opening-event highball

Oshu gives you a highball as an opening event. They offered Suntory and Jim Beam highballs!! We’d actually decided in advance what to have, but I was tempted to try a matcha highball, which you don’t see often elsewhere. But the first drink was free, so I was already a little tipsy.

It was a free highball, but it was strong and genuinely delicious!! The thoughtful owner said they stock zero-sugar tonic for women customers worried about dieting, and I was touched all over again.... I want something sweet, but I don’t want to gain weight!

They also had Bouchard chocolate, and its bittersweet flavor was delicious. It came out of the fridge, and that crisp little crunch was excellent!

This olive snack is seriously insane. With garlic and peperoncino flavors, it’s a salty snack that goes so well with alcohol. It seems like it would be kind of annoying to make at home, so I’ll come here to have it instead~~

Twilight cocktails and tequila

Signature Twilight cocktail, 11%

Next was their signature cocktail, Twilight, at 11%. It has a bit of strength, with a refreshing flavor and a slightly dry finish. It isn’t very sweet. All the signature cocktails are pretty—this is definitely a place with an eye for aesthetics.

Please stir it well before drinking. It has a subtle floral scent? A refreshing kind of flavor? I recommend this when you want to get a little tipsy!!

This is a Lemon Drop.... It was sooo good. You can also buy bottles, and there was a group of friends drinking bottled whiskey.

We all held up tequila shots and cheers~ Tequila is ₩6,000 per shot, but six cost ₩30,000, so that was a good deal. It came with salt on the rim and a lemon wedge, so it was easy to drink. I loved that distinctive funky aroma of Jose Cuervo tequila.

If you’re on team sweet, get the Lemon Drop.

Naturally hanging out with people we had just met

We’re clinking glasses together so warmly and drinking together, but we actually met here for the first time. My friend suggested solo-drinking bars, and I’d never once gone to one alone, but I think Oshu would be nice solo too?! You can check its Instagram Stories before going, and the owner warmly starts a conversation when you get there, so I don’t think it would feel awkward.

They put a melon snack in the middle for us to share. It spilled while they were setting it down omg. I’m mad.

My friend kept looking for salty snacks, so the owner gave us crackers. He gave us four bags, but my friend quickly tore one open the second it arrived.

They were so good that I posted them on Instagram too. Then I got a DM from a friend saying they looked delicious.

Wow, these were seriously delicious. The savory, rich umami of truffle with salty, crispy crackers meant I just couldn’t stop eating them. I didn’t even have much of an appetite, but I have no idea how many I ate haha.

To finish, we had ice cream that the group next to us had bought~~

They brought strawberry and plain, so my friend and I traded bites. So good~~

We drank quite a bit more than I expected, and a slight headache was starting to come on, when the owner quietly gave me a Condition Stick. I usually only have the mint-chocolate flavor, but the original was so good for the first time in ages?! It’s somewhere I’d want to return to when I just want a simple drink alone.

On Fridays and Saturdays, closing is extended by an hour, but I heard it gets so busy then that there aren’t even seats... I think I’ll stop by now and then when I’ve had a hard day!