16 Best Bars in Busan, South Korea

Appropriately named, this rollicking Western bar is indeed the headquarters for expat nightlife in Busan, though it also attracts a significant Korean clientele. With quality drinks, live music, amazingly good pub grub, and a million-dollar view of the Gwangan Diamond Bridge, HQ is always a hoot. It's also the best place in town to watch sports, and the staff and owners are as friendly as it gets.

Helmed by a couple from New York City, this quiet, elegant bar boasts a deep wine list, as well as great cocktails and top-shelf whiskies. They also serve proper European-style dishes, bringing a touch of Lisbon and Rome to the backstreets of Busan.

Newly opened and with a prime location right on the waterfront at Gwanglli Beach, this fun spot is owned and operated by a friendly expat Kiwi and his Korean wife. There's a good selection of reasonably priced, imported Kiwi ciders and beers, as well as some local brews.

Owned and operated by a British expat, Beer Shop offers a revolving tap of craft beers brewed both inside Korea and elsewhere. The cooler is packed with a quality sampling of cans from around the world, and the back patio is pleasant for much of the year. They also whip up a mean pastrami burger, alongside other drool-worthy bar bites like sweet potato fries, chicken tenders, and dubu kimchi---tofu served with stir-fried kimchi and beef brisket.

Occupying the second floor of an old town house complete with a balcony, this laid-back bar feels like a slice of Southeast Asia, with tropical plants, rattan pendant shades, and embroidered cushions. There is a lineup of beers sourced from Southeast Asia and a respectable cocktail list, as well as tasty bar bites like sai krok, Thai fermented sausages. DJs spin relaxed tracks on the weekends.

Accessed by a small door and a narrow staircase leading up into an attic, this intimate bar specializes in single malt whiskies and creative cocktails inspired by traditional Korean ingredients and liquors. Try the K-pep, a refreshing sparkling cocktail with Korean pine spirit and maesil, Korean green plums.

Situated right on Haeundae Beach, this newest branch of Busan's craft beer heavyweight offers an array of their signature brews on tap, a fridge full of cans, and quality pub grub. The outside tables offer some of the best opportunities for people-watching in the city. There is a happy hour every weekday from 3 to 5 pm.

Hugus is a labor of love from three Korean guys passionate about the art of brewing. The ten beers on tap feature a revolving, eclectic selection of beers made only in Korea. The accompanying bar bites---which may include fried rice cakes, odeng, and soondae (blood sausage stuffed with glutinous rice)---are also delicious.

Dark, stylish, and intimate, Joseph Bar sets the standard for craft cocktails in Busan. Situated just a block back from the main Gwangalli beach road, Joseph's mixologists are such experts that the place doesn't even bother with menus. Just tell them what you're thirsty for and watch them deftly whip up your concoction on the spot. 

Though it's a pretty typical hotel wine bar—dimly lit and slightly stuffy—it's got a great location and is one of Haeundae's most private and relaxing places to have a drink. Live jazz performances take place nightly and all day Sunday.

Situated just a couple of blocks in from Haeundae beach, Melt is a club and event venue that hosts DJs, live performances, and art events. Unlike some other dance clubs in the area which are known to turn away foreigners, Melt is welcoming to all.

With cold beer, strong cocktails, wood-fired pizza, and a whole wall of classic vinyl, this friendly basement bar has been a center of the Busan music scene since 2006. The Canadian owner books live music several nights a week, running the gamut from rock, blues, jazz, indie, reggae, to hip-hop, and more. 

Set up like an old English pub, this dark, chilled-out bar offers nice beers on tap, solid cocktails, and a great selection of jazz and blues on vinyl. The owner clearly understands the power of atmosphere, and the music alone makes Savoy a true gem in a sea of bars where K-pop (though a fun choice) is usually blasted at deafening volumes.

Forming a U-shape in the streets behind the Lotte Hotel, Seomyeon Pojangmacha Street is dedicated to the disappearing art of old-school Korean tent drinking. Most always staffed by tough, no-nonsense older women, these covered carts offer a simple bench or stool at a tiny counter, where you can nosh on side dishes whipped up on the spot and wash it all down with cold beer, makgeolli (rice wine), or bottles of soju. The food at a pojangmacha is usually good, so much so that it's often the star of the show. And the camaraderie you form with other patrons while eating and drinking together in such cozy environs is something you'll take with you long after your hangover is gone.

This Busan bar chain's Haeundae branch is arguably its most hopping, especially when the weather warms up and people sip drinks on the front patio. The drinks are cheap and the younger crowd keeps things lively, throwing darts and playing beer pong.

Before its current incarnation as a hip restaurant and bar, the cave that houses Yong Ggum was in fact a bomb shelter. This is the perfect place to try a variety of Korean liquors, including dongdongju (rice wine).