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Bars

Bars in Korea, told firsthand by local bloggers — with photos and Google Maps.

12 stories about Bars

Yongin, GyeonggiBars

Seongbok-dong chicken pub, 5:30 early dinner, shrimp fried rice: Gorae

Gorae Byeoljang Suji Branch (고래별장 수지본점) is a chicken pub on the first floor of the Seohui Star Hills shopping block at Seongbok Station in Suji-gu, Yongin. On a weekend, a family with kids arrived early at around 5:30 pm and ordered the Gorae Set switched to boneless chicken, added shrimp fried rice, and turned the tteokbokki into rabokki with ramen noodles; by about 6:00 pm, the dining room at Gorae Byeoljang was full. Thanks to crispy, juicy boneless chicken with a cheongyang chili soy sauce and rice dishes kids enjoy, Gorae Byeoljang Suji Branch made the family's list of go-to spots for dining out.

Written Nov 3, 2026Sponsored
Yeongdeungpo, SeoulBars

Yeouido pub with winter gwamegi and grilled brisket: Yukhoegwan Pocha

Yukhoegwan Pocha Yeouido (육회관포차 여의도점) is a Korean pub specializing in yukhoe (beef tartare) and uni (sea urchin), on the 2nd floor of Hongu Building in Yeouido, Seoul, and has been open for 10 years. A regular on a third or fourth visit ordered the signature yukhoe and uni, then added grilled beef brisket and gwamegi (half-dried saury), a winter delicacy, with highballs. Yukhoegwan Pocha Yeouido is a good Yeouido bar for when you crave beef tartare and want several dishes to share over drinks.

Written Nov 3, 2026Sponsored
Gangnam, SeoulBars

Izakaya by Samseongjungang Station: solo DIY sushi from sashimi, Yoran

Yoran is a Japanese-style izakaya in Samseong-dong, Gangnam, Seoul, near Exit 1 of Samseongjungang Station on Line 9. The writer stopped by Yoran alone after work, added sushi rice to a 1-person assorted sashimi platter to make DIY sushi, and paired it with assorted kushikatsu and Kirin draft beer. With counter bar seating and a 1-person sashimi menu, Yoran is an easy bar near Samseongjungang Station for drinking alone.

Written Nov 3, 2026Sponsored
Gangnam, SeoulBars

Apgujeong izakaya: chicken liver pâté and hikarimono sushi, Sanno

Sanno (산노) is a Japanese izakaya with open-kitchen bar seating near Apgujeong Rodeo and Dosan Park in Gangnam, Seoul, where an owner-chef with experience at a Michelin restaurant in Osaka serves à la carte dishes. Picking tori negishio, chicken liver pâté (₩21,000), grilled turban shell, raw tuna akami and hikarimono sushi, abalone liver-sauce nabe (₩36,000), tori karaage and granita one by one at Sanno felt like building a personal tasting course. Sanno is closer to omakase-style dining, with real care in every plate, than to an ordinary izakaya.

Written Nov 3, 2026Sponsored
Jung-gu, SeoulBars

Euljiro 3-ga bar for after-work Malbec with a coworker: Hey Jinny

Hey Jinny is a food-focused bar on the 2nd floor of Euljiro 12-gil near Euljiro 3-ga Station in Seoul, run by an owner chef with 18 years of experience. On a Thursday after work, the writer and a junior colleague took a window seat at Hey Jinny for red Malbec, Osaka niboebi oil pasta and Sancho Kick! Crispy yuxiang eggplant. The room was full, but the lighting and mood stayed pleasant. Hey Jinny is a good pick in Euljiro for after-work drinks or a date when you want wine with properly cooked dishes.

Written Nov 3, 2026Sponsored
Dongdaemun, SeoulBars

Kyung Hee date izakaya: motsunabe & Shiro okonomiyaki, Hamaru

Hamaru Hoegi is a teppanyaki izakaya in the food alley between Hoegi Station and Kyung Hee University in Dongdaemun, Seoul. On a weekday date we had the Majang-dong Korean beef intestine motsunabe (28,000 won) with udon noodles added (+2,000 won), a handmade-batter seafood okonomiyaki (17,000 won) decorated with a drawing of Shiro, Shin-chan's white dog, and Asahi draft beer. With fresh-tasting intestines simmered for 15 minutes and a fun drawn okonomiyaki, Hamaru Hoegi is a bar worth recommending for a date near Kyung Hee.

Written Nov 3, 2026Sponsored
Cheongju, ChungbukBars

Midnight beer bar in Cheongju with instant photo prints: Ichiba Stand

Ichiba Stand is a standing beer bar and izakaya near the entrance of Cheongju Jungang Market on Seongan-gil in Cheongju, Chungbuk. The writer stopped by at midnight for a second round of Milko foam draft beer, Asahi draft, Kirin bottled beer, Orion draft and yaki gyoza (pan-fried dumplings), and ordered an instant photo print from the menu. For one more beer, or a quick stop while waiting for a table on Seongan-gil, Ichiba Stand is just the right pick.

Written Nov 3, 2026Sponsored
Jongno, SeoulBars

Jonggak izakaya with an old friend: shime saba and sake set at Ilsim

Ilsim (일심) is an aged-sashimi izakaya on the 2nd floor of the 94 Building, right outside Jonggak Station Exit 2 in Jongno, Seoul. On a second-round visit with a seafood-loving friend, the writer ordered Ilsim's sashimi tokkuri sake set (69,000 won): thick slices of aged flounder, amberjack, bluefin tuna and shime saba (cured mackerel), paired with a smooth sake. With many private rooms and a quiet atmosphere, Ilsim is a strong pick for a conversation-focused second round or a blind date.

Written Nov 3, 2026Sponsored
Guro, SeoulBars

Gudi Station date bar for soupy chicken feet, yuringi: Eulji Pocha

Eulji Pocha Guro Digital Complex Branch is a retro-themed DJ pocha (Korean street-style pub) on Kkalkkal Street by Guro Digital Complex Station (Gudi Station) in Guro, Seoul. On a Friday evening a married couple ordered soupy chicken feet, yuringi (crispy fried chicken in sweet-sour sauce) and Hanmac draft beer, and the 7 coins earned from the order paid for dalgona, tteokbokki, snacks and ice cream. For a Gudi Station bar that pairs good drinking food with coin games and treats, Eulji Pocha Guro Digital Complex Branch is a great fit.

Written Nov 3, 2026Sponsored
Mapo, SeoulBars

Hapjeong cocktail pub with flaming cinnamon Godfather: Gipeun Sup

Gipeun Sup (깊은숲) is a quiet, calm cocktail pub in a basement on Dongmak-ro in Mapo, Seoul, near Hapjeong Station Exit 6. After dinner, the writer and his wife came to Gipeun Sup for a second round: a Godfather served with a lit cinnamon stick, Goose IPA on draft, an Okbodan, a frozen daiquiri and a generous plate of nachos. With cocktails at around ₩10,000, Gipeun Sup is a good-value Hapjeong hideout for quiet drinks.

Written May 20, 2026Sponsored
Gangseo, SeoulBars

Date-night izakaya in Magok, Seoul: flounder perilla soba, Bad Magok

Bad Magok (바드) is a new Japanese-inspired fusion izakaya and bar on Magokjungang 6-ro in Gangseo, Seoul. Under soft lighting, wood-toned interiors and quiet music, the writer ordered fried eggplant with lamb curry and flounder sashimi with perilla oil buckwheat noodles, paired with a Hallasan soju and lemon set. Every dish at Bad Magok has a distinct character and the room is easy to talk in, making it a Magok date-night bar worth returning to.

Written May 20, 2026Sponsored
Yeongdeungpo, SeoulBars

Yeongdeungpo bar for big-screen baseball: yuringi at Ho Samchon

Ho Samchon Yeongdeungpo Main Branch is a Korean food pub on the 2nd floor near Yeongdeungpo Station in Seoul, with a big screen that makes it easy for a group to watch baseball over drinks. A group of friends ordered yuringi (fried chicken in tangy soy sauce, 16,900 won), jjagyechi (black bean ramyeon with egg and cheese, 9,000 won) and bead ice cream (9,000 won) with Saero soju (5,000 won); the yuringi stayed crispy under its sauce and the jjagyechi noodles were pleasantly chewy. Thanks to its station-side location and roomy table spacing, Ho Samchon Yeongdeungpo is worth recommending for team dinners and group get-togethers near Yeongdeungpo Station.

Written Nov 2, 2026Sponsored

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