Pohang cocktail bar near Yeongildae Beach with non-alcoholic drinks

How our first night in Pohang ended at Yeongildae

The place that wrapped up the first night of our Pohang trip was Rokdam Localdaum, a cocktail bar near Yeongildae Beach. We'd already had a huge red snow crab set for dinner, and just going straight back to our accommodation to sleep felt like such a waste haha!! Such a waste!! So we decided to take our time and look around Yeongildae a bit more.

Rokdam Localdaum

The whole reason I came to Pohang was to see Spacewalk, and from the reviews, Spacewalk at night looked amazing too?! It hadn't rained, but there was a rain forecast so I was anxious, and since more rain was expected the next day too, I went to at least take a look. And sure enough — Closed because of the rain 🥲

Still, the night view was pretty in a way you can't see during the day, so I came back down fairly satisfied haha

What kind of bar is Rokdam Localdaum, and where do you park?

Rokdam Localdaum is a bar on the 2nd floor of 328 Samho-ro, near Yeongildae Beach, and parking is free at the nearby Yeongildae Beach public parking lot. Since it's a bar, leave the car behind! It felt like such a waste to just head back, so my mom and I decided to end the day somewhere with a good atmosphere, and that's how we found this place.

The name is unique, and pretty too, right?! 'Rokdam' is short for 'localdaum' (locality), and it's described as a space where music and life stories are paired together to share a cultural experience — so it felt different from your average bar.

Climbing the stairs, the entrance was already packed with whisky bottles, and I thought — this must be a popular place. Once I stepped inside, I understood why. The vibe was out of this world~~

I'd also recommend this to anyone looking for a Yeongildae date spot. It's great for couples enjoying the atmosphere together, and just as good for chatting with family. Drinkers can enjoy a wide variety of liquor and snacks, and non-drinkers can fully enjoy themselves too thanks to the non-alcoholic cocktails and ades.

LP records, retro decor and live shows at Rokdam Localdaum

There was a display of LP records on one side, and it was so pretty.

I felt like music lovers especially could have even more fun hanging out here. They also hold live performances, and you can check the schedule ahead of time on their Naver updates. Unfortunately our visit didn't line up with a show, but it's a place I'd love to come back to on a performance day next time.

Rokdam also lets people who want to perform in Pohang rent out the venue, so it goes beyond just a place to drink — it's somewhere you can enjoy music and culture together 👍🏻 With guitars, a TV, LP records, and retro props scattered around, it wasn't just a place to eat and leave — there was real fun in just looking around the space itself.

Rokdam Localdaum menu and prices, non-alcoholic cocktails included

Rokdam has a wide range of drinks, from cocktails to beer, vodka, whisky, rum, and highballs, plus snacks, pasta, and brunch menu items that pair well with them — great for a Pohang brunch or a casual drink. Since neither of us drinks, I was a little worried at first, but once I saw non-alcoholic options on the menu, I knew this had to go on our trip itinerary haha

There were surprisingly many non-alcoholic options, so we got a recommendation haha. Here's what we ordered that day and the prices.

• San Francisco ₩10,000
• Shirley Temple ₩8,000
• Fresh basil tomato ade ₩5,800
• Fresh strawberry ade ₩5,800
• Gambas al ajillo ₩15,000
• Truffle fries ₩8,000

How the non-alcoholic San Francisco and Shirley Temple taste

It felt like the kind of place a lot of people searching for Pohang cocktails would find, and it was great that even without drinking, the non-alcoholic cocktails let us enjoy the mood just as much. Once you order, they shake it up right there at the bar.

San Francisco had a refreshing, fruity sweetness that was easy to drink from the very first sip, with the tart-sweet flavors of several fruits blending together. Shirley Temple was sweeter and more refreshing, with tangy carbonation and sweetness that made it easy to drink like a soda. Neither had any alcohol in them, so it was perfect for chatting about the trip with my mom over drinks.

Even the cocktail coasters all had different designs, and they matched Rokdam's vibe perfectly — the concept was on point 👍🏻

Shrimp sold out, so the gambas came with tiger shrimp

Rokdam's gambas al ajillo (₩15,000) — that day they'd actually run out of shrimp, the main ingredient. I really wanted to try the gambas at Rokdam, but there was this shrimp shortage issue. So I said it was fine without shrimp, could they just load it up with garlic instead, and the staff offered to go buy shrimp for us — I said thank you, but really, it's fine... haha

But wait, there's shrimp in the photo?!?!?! In the end they made the gambas with tiger shrimp, haha. They asked if tiger shrimp — different from the original ingredient — would be okay... Owner, chef, I love you…💕 They could've just said sold out, no complaints from me, but I was so grateful.

Who puts tiger shrimp in gambas…🥹💕 I love shrimp, so I ate every bit, meat and head included. The garlic and oil brought out the shrimp's flavor, savory and salty, and biting into the big shrimp was so satisfying!! Thanks to that, any disappointment vanished — running out of shrimp actually worked out great.

Dipping bread into the oil is a charm all its own! The oil-soaked bread was chewy and hit the spot perfectly.

Truffle fries at 8,000 won: better than expected

The truffle fries (₩8,000) we ordered alongside also exceeded expectations. I'm honestly not a huge fan of truffle flavor, but the fries here were genuinely delicious.

The truffle aroma hit as soon as you picked one up, and in your mouth the savory potato flavor combined with that distinct truffle richness in a way that worked better than I expected. A total beer-snack killer of fries~ We ended up finishing every last one.

Last round: fresh basil tomato ade and fresh strawberry ade

Between the delicious food and sipping non-alcoholic cocktails while chatting away, the fatigue from the first day of the trip was slowly melting away. To finish, we ordered a refreshing fresh basil tomato ade and fresh strawberry ade (₩5,800 each) with soda for our last round.

The fresh basil tomato ade had a subtle sweet-tartness from the tomato with basil aroma layered on top — charming and clean and crisp. The fresh strawberry ade had a strong sweet, tangy flavor that came through immediately. Since both were made with real fruit, we got to end even our last drink of the night on a happy note.

Why Rokdam Localdaum works for a Yeongildae date or family night out

When traveling, it's easy to rush around trying to squeeze in one more famous sightseeing spot, but that day was a relaxing Yeongildae date at a great spot — good food with my mom, taking our time chatting, listening to music, looking at the props.

Next time, I'd love to time a visit around a performance and enjoy a Pohang cocktail while listening to live music 😊

If you're looking to spend a slightly special night near Yeongildae, or searching for a Yeongildae date spot with a great atmosphere, I'd recommend Rokdam Localdaum 💕