Best bars in Itaewon

The best reason for coming to Golmok? The music! LP pubs may be commonplace in Seoul, but Golmok Vinyl and Pub is no ordinary bar. The music selection is often headed by DJs or determined by concept parties such as Bob Marley's birthday bash. Weekends tend to be packed, so time your visit wisely. Golmok Vinyl and Pub serves whiskies, vodka cocktails, and beer on tap. Pickings are slim when it comes to food, so come with a full stomach, or else plan to feast your ears on their tunes. You can try your luck with requests, but sitting back to the flow of their selections isn't such a bad idea either.

BARN Lounge offers great drinks with dishes created by a skilled Maltese chef. The burger made with naturally leavened bread and lots of gouda cheese goes perfectly with the Heineken draft.  

The name of this little bar comes from the original title of director Wong Kar-wei’s 1997 film, Happy Together. From the images projected on a wall and a pair of gold fish inside a bowl placed on the counter, to a little pink room hidden inside the bar, its space itself, too, gives off the luscious and sentimental vibes that are apparent in the film. Chungwangsaseol’s colorful melancholy suits a mellow night out, alone or with a friend or a stranger who’d lend you a good ear. A few seats at the bar counter, which are the only available seatings here, offer a quite intimate space for a group of two or three. Taiwanese mango and pineapple flavored beers are often paired with little dishes including the tomato ramen and fried rice, while in terms of liquors, gin is the only available type. Tanqueray 10, Beefeater, Hendrick's and Boodles are the selections that go into the gin and tonics. Boodles Gin which has a subtle note of juniper berries and cilantro is, interestingly, garnished with fresh cilantro. Quite unusual, perhaps, but it certainly makes for a refreshing combination. The Tanqueray 10 gin and tonic with thyme leaves and blueberries is simple yet flavorful. All of the gin and tonics are quite small in size, but have the perfect balance (and also reasonably priced). Situated in the quiet residential area above the “108 stairs” in Human-dong, Chungwangsaseol is not the easiest place to spot. Yet, its uniquely Hong Kongese vibe seems to continually attract equally...

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...

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.