Euljiro 3-ga Korean bar with traditional liquor pairings: Moss

The day my aunt came over from the US and I went shopping in Myeongdong, we were wondering what to eat for dinner and settled on a traditional Korean liquor bar that both foreigners and Korean diaspora guests would fall for~ When my aunt visits, people usually take her for webfoot octopus, grilled fish, or Korean set meals. Of course those are delicious too, but I thought she might get a little tired of the same kinds of Korean food over and over, and I wanted to show her somewhere Korean young people actually go.

My aunt happens to enjoy a drink or two and likes stylish places young people go, so this time I took her to Moss (모스), a Korean bar in Euljiro. It turned out sooo good. The owner was incredibly kind, the food was delicious, the drinks were delicious, and she said it was her favorite restaurant she had visited in Korea. So proud! Korean bar food paired with traditional liquor—I really am such a good niece. Taking Auntie to Euljiro Korean bar Moss, let’s go ❤️

Moss near Euljiro 3-ga Station: location and seating

Moss is on the second floor at 46-2 Supyo-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, about 112 m from Exit 11 of Euljiro 3-ga Station. It is open Monday through Thursday from 18:00 to 01:00 the next day and Friday through Saturday from 18:00 to 02:00 the next day; it is regularly closed on Sundays. At the time of the original post, there was also a notice that it would be closed for Chuseok on September 25.

Moss is on the second floor. Just head this way and go up to the second floor.

There is one regular table, and the rest are bar tables. Even at the bar tables, there is storage inside for your belongings, so it was handy for putting down all our shopping bags.

As you would expect from a traditional liquor bar, there were loads of drinks, lots of glasses, and everything was pretty. From makgeolli (Korean rice wine) to cheongju (clear rice wine) and traditional soju, you can order by the glass, which is perfect for trying a bit of everything. It felt like a hideout for serious drink lovers.

Moss menu and choosing traditional liquor

There is a written menu as well as a photo menu, so I think it would be super convenient for foreigners and Koreans alike. So thoughtful,,

The seasonal sashimi ceviche was ₩26,000, aglio e olio with seasonal greens was ₩18,000, and fried mushrooms were ₩10,000. I ordered the Boksoondoga that I love. I had wanted to try Jiranjigyo, but I thought the thick makgeolli might be a bit challenging for my aunt, so we went with clean, fizzy Boksoondoga, which pairs well with food.

Boksoondoga, champagne makgeolli

Boksoondoga is reaaally carbonated, so you need to be careful when opening it, but they opened it perfectly for us. True to a traditional liquor bar, they explained the drinks well too, and my aunt loved that haha. I think friends from abroad would really enjoy it here.

Boksoondoga is a little like champagne: bubbly, clean, and refreshing, so it is perfect for easy drinking! I actually love traditional liquor and even went to a traditional liquor academy called Gayangju Research Institute, but I have forgotten everything and don’t know anything now. Still, I just really like refreshing ones like Boksoondoga,, hahaha

Boksoondoga itself is not difficult to drink and tastes fresh, so it is truly a flavor anyone would like. My aunt said it was her first time trying makgeolli like this and she absolutely loved it.

Korean bar food and traditional liquor pairings

Moss complimentary bar snacks

Moss’s complimentary snacks were seasonal greens, seasoned aster greens, seasoned cucumber, and young radish kimchi. They were nicely seasoned—just right with drinks. They go so well with makgeolli, right~ My aunt loves inviting guests over and cooking for them in the US, and she said serving banchan (Korean side dishes) like this in dessert cups was such a great idea that she would definitely use it next time hahaha. Cheers~

Seasonal sashimi ceviche

Today’s fish was sea bream~ You cannot easily get Korean-style raw fish in the US, so she had mostly eaten ceviche with octopus or shrimp. She really loved this ceviche made with seasonal sashimi.

Fruit, pickled onions, and raw sea bream—impossible to resist,,, Honestly, it was delicious heh~ She got another idea from this too and was happy, saying she would make it for her friends later.

Seasonal greens aglio e olio

My Korean-American aunt loving the size of this K-garlic hahaha

Yes, garlic needs to be this big for aglio e olio to be worth eating. Garlic the size of baby potatoes: approved. The cheese, olive oil, garlic, and seasoned aster greens went so well together and it was delicious.

Fried king oyster mushrooms

The batter was a bit like tangsuyuk’s chewy fried coating, so it was seriously sooo goodㅜ And this is only ₩10,000,,,

I thought the sauce was basil mayo, but it was perilla-leaf mayo. I loved that it felt so distinctly Korean.

Button mushrooms are expensive in Korea but cheap there, and in the US you cannot get king oyster mushrooms unless you go to a Korean grocery store.. King oyster mushrooms that cost ₩1,000 in Korea are like $5 in the US. What feels like a luxurious fried mushroom dish for foreigners is ₩10,000 here. Seriously, when you are hanging out with or hosting an international friend, shop in Myeongdong and come to Moss.

Complimentary Hard Potion that my aunt loved

Because we were enjoying everything so much and my aunt kept saying how delicious it was, they gave us a glass each of Hard Potion on the house. Unlike the clear Boksoondoga, Hard Potion is the unfiltered base liquor itself. It is thick, sweet, and higher proof, so I thought my aunt might find it difficult, but she liked this too haha. It was so fun!

We had a great time and headed out.

Moss restroom

There was a restroom key, so I thought it would be the building restroom, but it was a clean private restroom. Nice.

If you have international friends, Korean diaspora family, or acquaintances visiting Korea, take them to Moss in Euljiro~~ It is perfect when you want to show them something beyond the obvious Korean dishes, give them a taste of the vibe Korean young people enjoy, and introduce delicious traditional liquor too. The owner was genuinely kind and explained the drinks well, so even people who do not know much about traditional liquor could enjoy it without feeling intimidated.

From refreshing makgeolli like Boksoondoga to rich, undiluted makgeolli, trying them all made my aunt completely fascinated and happy. The food was all clean and delicious, and the atmosphere was lovely, so I highly recommend it as a dinner stop after Myeongdong shopping. My aunt said it was her favorite restaurant she visited in Korea, so this niece is proud~ If you are looking for a dinner restaurant-bar in Euljiro to take an international guest, I recommend Moss. Kind owner + traditional liquor + Korean bar food + atmosphere: that combination is a success ❤️