Best bars in Hongdae

There’s a new charcuterie place where you can wine and dine. Though you might think of this place as a bar, because they make their own French ham and sausages here, it would be better to consider it as a professional charcuterie. The word l’impasse is French for “dead-end alleyway,” and the number 81 stands for the year that the duo from Studio Food Lab, chef Gregorie Michot and chef Jio, were born. These two searched the meat shops of Majang-dong to make their own ham and sausages, and finally found the perfect one (they use Australian lamb). Studying the culinary arts at the age of 16 and having worked as the sous chef for La Tour d’Agent and Plaza Athenee, chef Greg’s handmade charcuterie is close to flawless with all that experience under his belt. Chef Jio also makes things easier when he brings over the menu and breaks it down so that we can understand it. Currently at L’impasse 81, there are six types of handmade sausages, six different hams, four kinds of pâté and rillettes. It’s the kind of meat you can’t get anywhere else in Korea. The spicy lamb sausage, merguez, was superb, and the Andouille sausage, where they put the meat inside the stomach of a pig, was a menu item that would cause even the French to go home smacking their lips. The sausages come with several sides, including creamed spinach and potato gratin. (Our point being: it’s big enough of a portion to be your meal.) The cassoulet (traditional French dish made by boiling beans and meat in tomato...

This Humphrey Bogart of Hongdae bars hides on the basement level of the Vans Store. It’s not the top shelf alcohol, the first-class mixology or the classic décor that’ll have you falling in love – it’s the utter lack of pretentiousness. With expert bartender sense, Robin (the bar’s owner) and other staff are quick to tailor a drink according to your taste palate. Although our personal favorite is a Grey Goose and mascarpone cheese combination called the Porma Dulce, none of the drinks fail to deliver. This is the place to go if you want to impress someone. Easily one of the country’s best bars and definitely the most underrated; your first visit to Robin’s Square will be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Limix Lab has white walls, silver tables and silver chairs in a space that would look almost clinical if not for the shelves on the back wall full of glowing, multi-colored glass jars. These jars contain the centerpiece of Limix Lab’s menu: an array of infused vodkas including mint, grapefruit, yuza and Korean plum. Co-founder Ryu Joo-hyun was working at a traditional Korean alcohol company when he decided to try vodka in place of soju while making alcoholic infusions. He loved the result (the fruit flavors came through better), and later started Limix Lab with a friend. In addition to infused cocktails, you can also buy jars to take home. Not a fan of vodka? There’s a vanilla rum cocktail on the menu, as well as a selection of craft beer they made with their friends at Itaewon pub Pyrus.

Craft One… Located in Yeonnam-dong, this bar opened last June combining good craft beer with a local flavors. Made by locals, they exemplify the next stage in Korea’s beer evolution. The vibe… While the bar feels young and vibrant, it’s quite devoid of decoration or daintiness. It’s not Itaewon and the crowd here has considerably many more Koreans, and more males than females. Trek out here for the Mingle (the beer), but not necessarily to mingle.   

Banana scented makgeolli?  Shindong Makgeolli was different from any other makgeolli I’ve had before, it had a hint of bananas in it. The restaurant gets its alcohol from Shindong Brewery, a small brewery in the Chilgok County of North Gyeongsang Province that the owner stumbled upon. In this timeworn brewery, one master brewer makes the alcohol by himself, deciding on the length of fermentation and the amount of water to infuse by relying on his years of experience. That’s why you may feel a slight difference in the taste of the makgeolli every time you go. The menu is updated daily with seasonal Gyeongsang Province-style dishes. The jeon (Korean-style pancakes) is made from fresh ingredients and the pork, which is brought over from Gyeongsang Province, are bothgreat choices.

There is no question about the pairing of well-aged whisky and quality chocolate—this doesn’t only apply to wine. Suprisingly located in the midst of the raucous Hongdae university district (more specifically, the notorious alleyway near hookup hotspot Between Night n Music), d.still is staffed with skilled (and attractive) bartenders to boot. The menu exhibits their attention to detail, and paired with their quality cocktails sets the mood for fine dining. Miyeok seaweed in the winter, dureup shoots in the spring—d.still utilizes seasonal ingredients paired with the perfect cocktail. Audible treats include the likes of Keith Jarrett and Charlie Haden.

Jam sessions among musicians don’t happen only in New York City. It can also be easily seen at Le Salon du Lapin, located in Hapjeong. Although it’s not a live club, you’ll see random performances by musicians who come to just hang out with the owner. Performance genres vary between blues, jazz and rock. There are a variety of drinks, including whiskey, cocktails, beer at relatively affordable prices while the bar also offers non-alcoholic cocktails and coffee for those who are not drinkers.

Combining modern aesthetic with a German countryside feeling, you’ll first notice Krämerlee on summer nights by the jovial drinkers seated outside. As indicated by their German name, the bar offers a simple menu of six craft beers and four food dishes. Although the classic Weissbier is a local favorite, manager and German native Christian recommends the Helene, which has undertones of the pear juice from which it’s made. Popular dishes include Christian’s favorite flammkuchen which he describes as “German pizza” (made predominately with white cheese and onions) and the potato and sausage platter. 

While you sip one of their “Zombie shots,” all of the lights go out all of the sudden and a group of zombies appear out of nowhere at a nerve wrecking sound of siren. They grab you, force you a long eye contact, dance to a Big Bang song then pour you a shot while you’re probably shivering with fear. Who doesn’t want that, right? While I consider there’s enough in my life that makes me fearful (which comes for free), if you enjoy horror and don’t mind being grabbed by creepy looking zombies, Noneun Zombie might be an alright place to visit, perhaps once. As the zombies don’t hang around in the bar, you need to sit at a table for a while—they’ll come out when you least expect it. While one downside is the fact that you need to order food with your drinks, the drinks here are pretty cheap, and their Bloody Zombie Chicken is actually not bad as fried chicken. All in all, and perhaps as expected, it’s a place that’s definitely for the gimmicks rather than a quality menu. Accordingly, you’ll go through a thorough I.D. check when you enter, on a level that’s unusual in Seoul. There is usually a pretty long line outside the bar around midnight, so if you want to avoid waiting in line you might want to visit before 10pm or after 1am. Would I go back? I'll just say that I had to get many more drinks (at a different bar) afterwards to learn to laugh again.