Besides kimchi and K-BBQ, Seoul boasts one of the best cocktail scenes in Asia with many of its bars ranking high on Asia’s 50 Best. Here are three of Seoul’s best cocktail bars to hit up on your next visit:
Zest
The brainchild of four bartending gurus in Seoul – Demie Kim, Sean Woo, Jisu Park and Noah Kwon – Zest is an aesthetic and sustainability-focused bar that took the title of Korea’s Best Bar along with the #5 ranking in Asia’s 50 Best Bars of 2023. Everything is zero or minimal waste here – the team even make their own fizzy drinks to avoid unnecessary packaging.
Charles H
Hidden behind a nondescript door in the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, this glamorous, contemporary speakeasy ranked #7 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars of 2022 and is named after the legendary American author and bon vivant, Charles H Baker. Inspired by the Prohibition era with beautifully crafted cocktails, the head bartender is Odd (no really, that’s his name) and mega-talented at mixing drinks with stories to match. Don’t pass on the bar snacks – lobster rolls, crispy fries and more.
Alice Cheongdam
Down the flower-strewn rabbit hole you go for this plush, dim-lit, chandied secret sipper where bartender-owner Terry mixes drinks classic or quirky. A side menu of kooky snacks and greene faerie tipples keep it surreal. Book ahead.
Thirsty for more? Get more tips from the LUXE Seoul guide:
