Afternoon Spoon Pilgrim · 11 stories

The Spoon After Noon

I write about restaurant meals and everyday places to eat around Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Bars · Things to do

PlaceJung-gu, SeoulBars

Euljiro social bar to chat with locals at Halloween: Yahwa Honsul Bar

Yahwa Honsul Bar Euljiro (야화 을지로점) is a solo-drinking bar on the 2nd floor of 40 Mareunnae-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, right in front of Exit 9 of Euljiro 3-ga Station. On a Halloween-season weekday around 9 p.m., the writer stopped by Yahwa Honsul Bar Euljiro for a second round, took in the Halloween decorations and chatted over drinks with the staff and local customers. Yahwa Honsul Bar Euljiro is an easygoing Euljiro bar whether you drink quietly alone or mingle with people you've just met.

Written Nov 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulBars

Jonggak whisky bar with a friend: Hondonju and Macallan 12 at Hanuk

Hanuk (하눅) is a hanok-style whisky and traditional-liquor cocktail bar in Jongno, Seoul, on the basement floor of a building on Youth Street (Jeolmeum-ui Geori) near Exit 12 of Jonggak Station. On a late weeknight at the bar counter with a friend, the writer drank Hondonju (soju mixed with makgeolli) and Macallan 12, and Hanuk's staff also brought yakgwa (Korean honey cookies) and omija (five-flavor berry) liquor, lent a power bank and handed over a hutgae hangover-relief stick. Hanuk is a distinctly Korean bar worth showing a foreign friend.

Written Nov 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHaeundae, BusanCafés

Sunny terrace café in Haeundae: vanilla latte & lemonade, Low & Sweet

Low & Sweet Roastery is a roastery bakery café on Haeridan-gil (해리단길) in Haeundae, Busan. On a sunny day the writer took a terrace seat at Low & Sweet Roastery and relaxed for about 30 minutes over a vanilla latte, homemade lemonade, salt bread and a chocolate financier. With a not-too-sweet lemonade and a vanilla latte full of real coffee aroma, Low & Sweet Roastery is a comfortable café where you'll want to linger.

Written May 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulThings to do

Weeknight date perfume workshop in Bukchon: 8 woody scents, Muhwawon

Muhwawon (무화원) is a perfume workshop in Bukchon, Jongno, Seoul, near Anguk Station, running one-day classes where you choose your own scents and blend a personal perfume. On a weekday evening date, the writer took a tablet theory lesson, picked 8 woody and forest-type scents, blended three times and chose the last blend as the final perfume. Muhwawon's perfume class takes about 1 hour and is a recommended indoor date in Bukchon for discovering your own scent preferences in detail.

Written Nov 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongsan, SeoulBars

Itaewon cocktail bar on a Friday night: apple martinis at Yahwa

Yahwa Honsul Bar Seoul Itaewon Branch is a cocktail bar for solo drinking (honsul) on the 3rd floor on Itaewon-ro 23-gil in Yongsan, Seoul. On a packed Friday night, the writer waited briefly at Yahwa, then ordered two apple martinis (13,000 won each) by QR code and enjoyed a lively crowd with board games, song requests and foreign guests. Yahwa is a good fit for anyone looking for an Itaewon bar where going alone never feels awkward and there's a chance to mingle with other guests.

Written Oct 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDongdaemun, SeoulBars

Hoegi teppanyaki bar for a second round: sous vide pork neck, Hamaru

Hamaru Hoegi is a teppanyaki and skewer izakaya at the start of the food alley on the way from Hoegi Station toward Kyung Hee University in Dongdaemun, Seoul. On a weekday evening after a first round elsewhere, the writer called ahead to check for a bar seat, then had sous vide pork neck steak (25,000 won) grilled on the teppan griddle right in front of the bar, plus skewers ordered by the piece, with draft beer and soju. Hamaru Hoegi's food is good enough to keep eating even on a full stomach and easy on the wallet, making it a Hoegi neighborhood bar worth returning to again and again.

Written Oct 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDongdaemun, SeoulBars

Hoegi Station izakaya: 8-skewer omakase and bacon tomato, Hamaru

Hamaru Hoegi is an izakaya near Hoegi Station and Kyung Hee University in Dongdaemun, Seoul, an easy spot for a casual second round of drinks with friends. The order was the Hamaru 8-skewer omakase (₩26,000), handmade seafood okonomiyaki (₩17,000) and draft beer (₩5,000); the skewers arrived one at a time as each came off the grill, and the okonomiyaki, decorated with a Shiro drawing, was generous with seafood. For an affordable second round of draft beer and skewers in Hoegi, Hamaru Hoegi is a good fit.

Written Jun 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongbuk, SeoulBars

Late-night bar in Seongbuk, Seoul: 5-piece shrimp tempura at Yesulgwan

Yesulgwan Sungshin Women's University Branch is a Korean bar (suljip) on Dongsomun-ro 20-gil, right in front of Sungshin Women's Univ. Station in Seongbuk, Seoul, with tented-cart-style outdoor patio tables and a big air-conditioned indoor room. Stopping in late for a second round, we ordered the hanwoo bone-broth beef tendon hot pot for 28,000 won, shrimp tempura for 8,900 won and a bottle of Chum Churum soju for 5,000 won: the hot pot came loaded with meat, bok choy, enoki mushrooms and glass noodles like a Chinese huoguo, and the tempura arrived with five whole shrimp. For a roomy group bar near Sungshin Women's Univ. where the food is as good as the drinks, Yesulgwan is the answer.

Written Aug 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJungnang, SeoulRestaurants

Meokgol Station Korean restaurant with a jeyuk set, ₩18,000: Sanchaega

Sanchaega Hanjeongsik Meokgol Main Branch is a Korean set-menu restaurant about 70m from Exit 5 of Meokgol Station in Jungnang, Seoul. For a weekend lunch, the writer called ahead to reserve and ordered the gondre cauldron rice special set at ₩18,000 for two, which came with jeyuk (stir-fried pork), grilled croaker, a spread of namul banchan and sungnyung (scorched rice tea) to finish. Sanchaega is an easy, mild homestyle meal to share with parents.

Written Sep 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulCafés

Ikseon-dong bakery late afternoon: maple cream cheese bread, Munhwa

Munhwa Bakery is a takeout-focused bakery in Ikseon-dong, Jongno, Seoul, a 2-minute walk from Jongno 3-ga Station Exit 7. Arriving late in the afternoon meant walking straight in with no wait, and maple cream cheese bread, mugwort rice cake bread and walnut bread went home to be eaten with coffee. All three tasted and felt completely different, making Munhwa Bakery a good bread-instead-of-a-café stop after a meal in Ikseon-dong.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
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