Best bars in Itaewon

Those familiar with American university culture may get a different idea from the combination of ping-pong tables and free-flowing beer, but Ping-Pong Pub was founded on the real deal: chugging beer while playing actual ping-pong. With only two tables, customers don't always get to play, but watching is a whole other form of entertainment of its own. Their fare includes beer, nachos and hotdogs, and Ping-Pong Pub regularly hosts private parties and small-scale events. This pub has definitely played a part in Gyeongridan's road to hipster fame. Since its new-found popularity, Ping-Pong Pub sometimes closes off the venue for fashion soirées on weeknights but is open to all for a good night out on the weekend. If loud crowds are your thing, this is the place for you.

While it seems that there are new venues popping up in Itaewon all the time, most of them are too… predictable: fancy lights, hipster furniture and whatever sound that's "in." But this one, let me tell you, is different. With its rough, warehouse-like atmosphere and dim lighting, Beton Brut brings coziness and, most importantly, good music. It's surely a place you can "hang," unlike many of the clubs in the area that are just too much while lacking character. Perhaps that's why you can occasionally spot older crowds here, but of course, that certainly doesn't mean this place isn't hot. With 2 dance floors inside, you can go for drum n base, dub step and trap, or choose to roll with techno and house at any point of your night. If these options still don't satisfy your diverse taste, visit Beton Brut before 10pm for some jazz, acoustic or music critic Lee Dae-hwa's talks. Wait, I have an idea: if there's that special someone that you're into, head here after the dinner. You'll have a chill couple of hours to get into the night, then once the floor turns into a club you'll realize how natural and easy it can feel to be clubbing with a date.

Hannam Liquor is not the most obvious bar. Even if you had its address, you might easily miss and walk by it. And, until you go completely down to the basement through the long and narrow stairs, you’d never know what you’ll see. Inside, the first thing that pops up in your scene is not a bar but a fancy boutique. Among over 400 types of liquors available here, the particularly unusual selection you’ll find is the 3 types of St. George gins: the very forest-like Terroir, Botanivore which has 19 types of plants including cilantro, cinnamon and lime and the St. George Dry Gin made with 100% pot-distilled rye. Don’t worry if too many of the selections seem unfamiliar — boutique manager and sommelier Kim Min-ju is always happy to offer detailed information on and interesting stories behind each liquor. Behind the glass wall in front of the boutique is where Hannam Liquor’s bar section is located. All types of gin and rum sold at the boutique are available here as a glass and cocktails. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, just ask — bartender Kang Geun-hyeok who is in charge of the bar section will create any cocktail that is not on the menu. 5,000 won cover (per person) at the bar includes a bit of dried nuts and fruits, as well as bottled water (still or fizzy). The combination of simple but elegant interior, dim lighting along with flickering candles on each of the tables creates a refined cave-like atmosphere. It is obvious that Hannam Liquor has succeeded in...

Unit 208, Building 31, Hangang Mansion, Ichon-dong — even if you had the address, you’d probably wander around, looking up and down the run-down building in which it’s located. While walking up the stairs built in the early 1970’s after vaguely locating this new café and bar, you’d only see a few residents of the apartments around it visiting their family doctor or picking up small bags of groceries. Hell Café Spiritus, however, has been attracting coffee and cocktail aficionados as well as industry professionals from all over Seoul, with its all-star squad of baristas (who are behind Bogwang-dong’s Hell Café) and bartenders — namely, Lim Seong-eun, Kwon Yo-seop, Lee Hun teamed up with Vault +82’s Seo Yong-won. Inside, you’ll find a minimalistic setting: the tables, bar counter, bar back and even window blinds are all dark brown woods. The simple flower arrangements placed on a few of the tables add an emphasis to the exceptional simplicity, while the classical music played through the large speakers create a nostalgic feel that goes well with the surrounding area. As for the café menu, it is exactly the same as that of Bogwang-dong’s Hell Café, the first venture of the star barista team; the famous Hell Drip and classic cappuccino are available from 9am until 9pm. From 7pm until 2am, a large selection of cocktails, single malt whiskeys and other liquors are available. The list of cocktails including Rolls-Royce (which, here, is made with the Macallan Rare Cask, orange...

With a variety of 14 brews on tap from all corners of the globe, it's possible to spend an entire day beer tasting at Cargo 127 in Itaewon, but the Punk IPA and Primator Stout are our go-tos. Beer is also the focus of Cargo's clean but colorful decor; a wall of painted kegs and posters of frothy pints are dotted throughout the pub. There's also no shortage of pub grub. Cargo's thin, tortilla-like pizza makes for a good drinking snack while their hearty burgers and addicting homemade french fries will keep you going through the night. The servers, who are mostly foreigners that hail from all over the world, are knowledgeable about beer and friendly, and are quick to strike up a conversation. The atmosphere of this spacious gastropub is inviting and is the perfect spot for a group of friends looking to start their night out right.