Seoul — Where We Ate & Drank
We visited 8 bars in Seoul across two trips, from ZEST's zero-waste cocktails to Bar Cham's hanok calm and Southside Parlor's Texas energy in Itaewon.
Seoul across two trips was a bar-first education: ZEST's zero-waste program, Bar Cham's hanok calm, Southside Parlor's Texas-in-Itaewon energy — nine Top-500 saves and counting. Seventeen Michelin-starred tables wait for the next visit.
We timed one trip for April cherry blossoms, another for October foliage; both crowds are worth joining. The 8 bars below are the ones we actually sat in, ordered from, and remembered.
- 2 visits since 2023, most recently September 2025
- Best months to visit: May–June, September–October
- 17 Michelin-starred tables · 9 Top-500 bars · 3 UNESCO sites
- Also covers Guri-si, Gwangju-si
- Worth timing: Cherry blossom season (April), Autumn foliage (October–November)
Plan your Seoul days with these picks →