Mix Lounge is arguably one of the best lounges in Seoul when it comes down to both the quality of cocktail and drinks selection. Located right off a block from the main Garosu Street in Sinsa, Mix boasts 14 varieties of martinis, 7 types of mojitos and 9 brands of vodka (over 16 types of vodka in different variation). Definitely a cocktail lover’s heaven, Mix remains one of the top hangout spots to all the trendsetters in Seoul.
Read more to view a few colorful example shots of the menu as well as interiors.
Mix showcases warehouse/tent-like decor with white beams making up most of the interior. Simple and effective, the interior does the job of making the venue feel an interesting balance of urban and cozy. The question I, along with other observant bar-goers in Seoul, must ask is… What the hell is this cat about? The overly joyous yellow cat with its freakishly loud smile and spread arms making a rather dangerous hug invite has grown on me since I saw it again at this venue not too far from here, on the opposite side of the main Garosu street. If anyone knows, please get back to me. I swear I saw this cat on another venue at Apgujeong as well. I need to figure out what this cat is all about or I may start seeing it in my sleep. Anyhow, I digress…
Mix has one of the most visually pleasing as well as thorough menu I’ve seen by far. Nicely bound together like a book, the menu views rather like a photo album. There are several choices of cocktails, and they all looked tempting. After undecidedly flipping through the menu over a few times, I ordered a classic mojito. And immediately! I noticed that the prices included 10% VAT. This makes the prices on cocktails very reasonable, putting martinis at 15,000 Won and mojitos at 14,000 Won. At other comparable bars or lounges, mojitos would go for 15,000 Won before tax, 2,000 or so more expensive after tax than how much Mix sells it for.
And to my pleasant surprise, the mojitos were actually decent. Absolutely very decent. In fact, I would put it on par with some of the other more expensive lounges such as 74 or Lound at Cheongdam. I have had a variety of mojitos, from mojitos made under 30 seconds going for 20,000 Won in clubs to much more expensive but mojitos produced from following textbook recipes selling for undeservingly exorbitant amount of money, which is actually expected from hotel bars. And I can safely say Mix probably has one of the best mojitos in its price range. Mixologists at Mix got the alcohol content, composition of sugar and carbonation just right. The serving size was also decent, better than some of the other places where they would just load it up with ice like how McDonald’s tries to save pennies by minimizing actual serving of orange juice. I would do the dangerous here and use Mix’s mojito-making skills as a basis to extrapolate to guess their overall quality of cocktail, which I would put nothing less than supreme.
Another interesting & random thing I noticed: I swear the crackers they give out as a side is the same one 74 lounge in Cheongdam used to serve.
So come on now, you must be thinking. Not everything could be awesome about this place. What isn’t so hot about this place?
If I had to pick for the sake of being critical, I would pick their size. The place can seat around 24-30 people max with 6 or so additional people at the bar. So the place isn’t terribly large, which could be a problem since the place is quite popular. So when you go without reservation, you may find out that the place cannot accommodate your crowd of 8 people. Also, some may find their house music a little too loud to carry easy conversation as one needs to raise voice to speak to another. But, that is if you are sitting closer to the speakers.
The Good
- Top-notch cocktails
- Great selection of drinks (cocktails and bottles)
- Good & loud house music
- Reasonable pricing
The Bad
- Maybe too loud for some
- The place isn’t so large so you may need to wait during busy hours (without reservation)
- You will constantly think about where else you saw the yellow cat after you see it on the wall.
Directions: Find the block with Starbucks & Coffee Bean next to each other (if you are coming from Sinsa side, you need to walk almost towards the end of the Garosu Street). Mix is located on the other side of the same block, off the main Garosu street. See map above for details.
Contact: 02-546-4090
