Late-night bar in Dongjak, Seoul: bokso-sa at Rainbow Pocha

Today, I’m introducing Rainbow Pocha Isu Branch (레인보우포차 이수점), where I went for a third round in Isu! We had eaten really well through rounds one and two, and before we knew it, it was past 1 a.m.... While looking for somewhere we could still go at that hour, we ended up at Rainbow Pocha Isu Branch, which stays open late.

Rainbow Pocha is a pocha (casual Korean drinking venue) with several branches, including Isu, Euljiro, and Wangsimni.

An Isu Station bar open until 5 a.m., with private rooms and group seating

I only used the first floor, but I saw that the second floor has private rooms and group seating too! Good to know before you visit. It says they are open from 4 p.m. until 5 a.m. Places like this are truly precious for people like us looking for somewhere to go for a third round late at night, haha. In particular, the private rooms accommodate from 2 to 10 people, while group seating is available for up to 50, so it seems useful for everything from a small gathering to a large company dinner.

The menu had an incredibly wide range, from filling dishes that work well as a meal to easy snacks to pick at. So it looked good whether you come hungry for dinner or, like us, for a drink on a second or third round.

Outdoor-style seating and a casual interior

What I liked about Rainbow Pocha was that it has seating with the feel of a yajang (outdoor drinking area)! As you can see in the photo, there are low outdoor-platform-style seats, and even indoors there is an open windowed area that makes it feel like you are eating outside. On a day with nice weather like these, drinking at a seat like this feels like the alcohol would just go down so easily, lol.

We sat at an indoor table, but it opened right out toward the windows, so it did not feel stuffy at all.

There were also colorful props and cute drawings all around the venue, which made it fun to look around. The first floor has standard tables, with an overall casual atmosphere that is great for relaxed drinks! I heard there are group tables and sofa seats too, so it seems perfectly fine for visiting with a crowd.

Chicken rosé pasta and complimentary sweet-potato fries

The menu really had so many options. There were filling choices, from chicken and pasta to soups, stir-fries, and fried dishes, as well as lighter snacks, so there was plenty to choose from! Since we had already eaten through several rounds, we chose something that would let us drink without being too heavy. Our order that day was chicken rosé pasta + bokbunja wine + cider + soju!

After we ordered and waited a little, fried sweet potatoes arrived first as the complimentary snack. But seriously, I loved even the complimentary snack!!! The thinly fried sweet potatoes were crispy and sweet, so I kept reaching for them.

It looks like quite a generous portion in the photo too, right? More than anything, I loved that it came with bread. You know how good it is when you dip bread into rosé sauce, haha. The chicken was the crispy fried kind, and it went so well with the creamy rosé pasta.

Bokso-sa made with bokbunja wine, cider, and soju

Bokbunja wine + cider + soju = bokso-sa 🍷 And the real star of the day! Let’s go, bokso-sa~~ We ordered bokbunja wine (Korean black raspberry wine), cider, and soju. Those of you who have tried bokso-sa know, right? It is seriously delicious, lol. At Rainbow Pocha, if you order the bokso-sa set, they provide ice and a pitcher too, so you can make it yourself.

First, fill the pitcher with ice! Then add the bokbunja wine and soju together so the two liquors mix well. Add the cider last, and your sweet, fizzy bokso-sa is complete! The biggest problem is that it is sweet, so you do not taste the alcohol strongly and it goes down way too easily, lol. Even though it was our third round, one glass of this got us drinking again...

Doesn’t it look even more delicious all gathered together? 🤤 We went hard all the way through the third round that day, had bokso-sa, and had such a fun time.

Student bingsu event information

And when I looked it up just now, I saw that they are also running an event from September 9 where students from Soongsil University and Chongshin University can receive Rainbow bingsu (shaved ice dessert) for free when they visit! I am so jealous of students from those two schools... If you are a student nearby, definitely take this opportunity to visit~~

If you are looking for a bar near Isu Station that stays open late, has an outdoor-style feel, or works as a second-round spot, I recommend Rainbow Pocha Isu Branch!