As soon as you enter this place, you'll notice a quote which reads something along the lines of: “The night has blissfully gotten longer after a cup of coffee; let’s fill the night up with a bit of alcohol.” It pretty much sums up what YunGunDang is about: it’s a café during the day and a bar by night.
Formerly a public bathhouse, this 3-story venue has been completely refurbished into a jazzy venue filled with vintage furniture and a fairly "homey" vibe. The café/bar's quite serious-sounding name comes from Yeongeon-dong, that of the neighborhood in which it's located in. It's in no way a popular destination in Seoul, but YunGunDang has been quietly attracting crowds from all over Seoul over the years.
If you need a strong cup of coffee to wake you up for the long night ahead, the Caffe Allonge is one to go for. Made with (a 1 to 1 ratio of) 2 shots of espresso and water, it is pleasantly bitter and perfectly intense. When you’re in need of a mixture of coffee and alcohol as we often do, you can try their signature drink, YGD Coffee. This drink, "the mix of coffee and bourbon perfected after 808 trials" (with reference to the 808 hangover drink; each drink has a fun explanation like this), is quite boozy yet smooth. The warm version is recommended, as it ends with smokier notes of whiskey. Once the clock strikes 8pm, YunGunDang only offers alcoholic beverages including a fairly affordable and decent wine list as well as beers that are hard to come across in the country.
There is jazz music played through speakers and, from time to time, there is live music going on in the café. Overall, YunGunDang is a great place for a date or a day/night out with friends. Mind you, though, if the owners behind the cashier seem a little too nonchalant, just think that they are being artistically driven, passionate of their own art.