I visited a good number of bars since I got back to Seoul two years ago. I checked out places ranging from pocha(포차)s to hotel bars, as well as places as friendly as chicken & hof bars to skylounges that charge exorbitant amount of money to be able to look down on aforementioned establishments.
And sometimes, and very rarely, you walk into a place that noy only screams “QUALITY! QUALITY!”, but also lives up to its initial aura of excellence.
And Coffee Bar K, also commonly known as “K-Bar”, is definitely one of them. It simply kills all other bars in Seoul.
See pics and reviews of K-Bar after the jump.
K-Bar is located right across the street from Goshen, or at the top of the hill looking down the Designer Club side of Rodeo street entrance. It has a really tall door and as you walk into it you feel like you just jumped into another dimension of… bars.
I was kindly greeted by a receptionist as soon as I stepped in. I sat down at the bar made out of a long slab of yellow marble, which was lit from underneath. The overall lighting of the place was designed so that one would feel at peace and comfortable in a bar… all the while surrounded by luxurious furniture and interior.
I ordered a martini. Of course it was impeccable as it was mixed by none other than JJ, who recently placed 4th in 2009 World Class Bartender of the Year… I mean… how often do you go into a bar and can have your cocktail concocted just for you? (you can actually request mixologists to customize your drink to your taste).
I ordered yet another drink this time, and I personally recommend this to everyone who gets a chance to check out K-Bar – Red Eye. It is surprisingly simple to make yet it tastes sooooo refreshing. It is basically a 1:1 mix of tomato juice and draft cocktail. Sound unconventional? Wait til you try it. This is the Guiness of cocktails in my opinion, definitely filling and refreshing. Actually, I would even go one step further and say this could even be my ideal meal replacement. Why not try Richard’s Red Eye diet next time you check out K-Bar?
K-Bar has one of the most extensive menus of drinks you can ever want in Seoul. They have one of the broadest single malt selection you can find in the entire peninsula of Korea, and you can even ask for cocktails to be made that aren’t in the menu. (Well, bartenders being world-class and all that…)
They also have a few Cuban cigar selection on the menu. I felt a surge of self-indulgence so ended up caving into my latest cigar fanaticism. Sure, the Cohiba put a big dent in my wallet but it was sure as hell worth it!
I really had a great night that evening at K-Bar. Impeccable drinks, magnificent ambiance and spectacular company. If I could think of other quadsyllabic words with positive connotation I would have used it to describe K-Bar. But I can’t.
If I had to pick on this place though, of course it would be the price. But I think in general cocktails are cheaper than those at Lound. Also to compare it with Lound, K-Bar is more of a quiet bar to go to when you want to talk to someone or get to know someone better. If your wallet can take the hits, this is a must-go establishment for couples… or to-be couples.
Directions: Walk up the hill across from Rodeo street (Designer Club side). Make a right once you hit the T-junction, or make a right at Goshen. It is immediately to your left as you make the turn. (Map below shows directions from Designer Club)
View Coffee Bar K in a larger map
