6 Best Bars in Seoul, South Korea

A low-key, self-serve bar stocked with beers and wines from all over the world, Dalmac Super is known for its quality drink selection and its friendly staff. Customers can select drinks from one of the bar’s nine glass door refrigerators and shop for snacks like popcorn, chips, and jerky. (Outside food is also permissible as long as each customer purchases one drink.) Each fridge is labeled with a different category: nonalcoholic, Korean craft, lager and pilsner, light ale, strong ale, fruity and sour, black beer, wine, and promotional (highlighting discount drinks of the week). During the summers, customers can sit outside on a limited number of tables set up on the bar’s stoop and people-watch as Itaewon residents make their way through the busy street. Dalmac’s frozen slushies are also a highlight of the season. 

This second floor cocktail and coffee bar manages to feel classic despite pulling off an unusual marriage of Korean and Western cultures. Hangeul directly translates to “Korean alphabet” and the bar’s name was inspired by co-owner Kim Hangeul’s name. Ms. Kim was born on October 9th, Korean Language day, and the bar opened on October 9th, 2023. One decorative highlight of the bar is a wooden beam on the ceiling decorated with dancheong, a traditional Korean pattern of five bright colors typically seen at palaces, done by a professional dancheong artisan using the art form’s customary powder paint (a rarity outside non-traditional spaces). Other nods to Korean culture include the serving of cold barley tea instead of water (typical of Korean households before the ‘90s) and Korean radio playing in the bathroom. None of the elements feel gimmicky and the ambience is never pretentious. Ms. Kim’s husband and co-owner, Jung Hyo-won is a veteran bartender in Seoul’s mixology community so each drink is made to perfection. Try the Cacao Fizz or Boulevardier; if you'd rather opt for a classic, they also make a great Old Fashioned.

A local institution for craft beer, Magpie was founded in 2011 and kicked off South Korea’s craft beer revolution. Their signature beers include the Magpie IPA, Porter, and Stout, but in recent years, they’ve become well-known for their more experimental drinks made with ingredients from Jeju Island, where one of their bases is located. While Magpie beer is sold at bars and restaurants across the country, this original location is a neighborhood institution.

This wineshop and outdoor bar comes to life during Seoul’s warmer months. While the bottles on sale can be taken to go, many visitors choose to have their drinks on the benches just outside the shop on a brick-laden pathway. There are small samplers of cheese and fruit, as well as snacks like chips and pretzels at the counter. There is also a limited selection of beers and Korean liquors. Wine glasses and serving plates are available for guests choosing to drink on-site. When the weather’s fine, the neighborhood residents---often accompanied by their dogs---come for a day drink and enjoy the sun.

Originally founded by three friends from Texas, Southside Parlor started as a small taco truck before becoming an internationally recognized bar topping "best bar" lists all over the world. The two-story space with a rooftop view of N Seoul Tower has great cocktails, a long list of bar foods (tacos, burgers, and nachos) and hookahs on the menu. With a dart board in one corner and a retro Street Fighter arcade in another, the space has an American feel. Everyone on staff speaks English and 1990s hip-hop plays through the speakers. With regular trivia nights and burlesque shows, Southside is a bit of home away from home for anyone craving a bit of the United States on their Korea travels.

A beer-and-pizza joint owned and operated by three Americans, Spill Out offers 10-inch pizzas straight out of the oven, whiskey and bourbon highballs, and a welcoming ambience. The bar’s garlic knots, which are fried and then sauced with pesto and marinara, pair perfectly with cold beer. The bar is known for their American holiday parties, celebrated with cornhole and special drinks. If you are a solo traveler, this is one place you’ll rarely feel alone. Many of the tables are open for a chat and Scott French, Spill Out’s chief pizza maker, can rattle off pizza facts and recommend the city’s best pies.