Where to drink in Seoul
The list clusters in Cheongdam (2 rooms, led by Zest), Seochon (Bar Cham), and Dosan Park (M+MS Bar). Pick a district first and walk between rooms rather than crossing Seoul between drinks.
Best bars in Seoul
Four ranked rooms in Seoul, from Cheongdam to Seochon, with addresses, booking rules, and what to order.
Seoul places 4 rooms on our current Asia ranking, across Cheongdam, Seochon, and Dosan Park. Every one is below with the detail that decides where you actually go: the address, the reservation rule, what a visit costs, and the serves worth ordering.
In this selection
4 bars
#3Seoul · Concept cocktail
Zest
The Cheongdam concept bar that made zero-waste chic, ranked No.3 in Asia for 2026 and The Best Bar in Korea for a fourth straight year, with hallabong gin and an open prep lab.
View profile
#14Seoul · Cocktail bar
Alice
The Cheongdam speakeasy reached through a Gangnam flower shop, where Terry Kim and Mason Park serve Wonderland-named cocktails at No.14 on our 2026 Asia ranking.
View profile
#34Seoul · Cocktail bar
Bar Cham
The Seochon hanok cocktail bar that put Korean spirits first, helmed by BJ Lim with regional distillates and clay-cup soju rounds, ranked No.34 on our 2026 Asia ranking.
View profile
#43Seoul · Cocktail bar
M+MS Bar
Le Chamber's fermentation lab on Dosan-daero: a café by afternoon and a bold cocktail room by night, brewing its own beer and landing kimchi broth and currywurst at No.43 on our 2026 Asia ranking.
View profile
The highest-ranked bars in Seoul
Zest (Cheongdam) at No.3, Alice (Cheongdam) at No.14, and Bar Cham (Seochon) at No.34, on the current Asia list. Positions move with each edition, so a room can climb or drop between seasons.
Reservations and spend
Of the 4 rooms in Seoul, 3 require a reservation and 1 takes walk-ins. Every profile carries the phone, website, and reservation rule we last confirmed with the room. For a sense of spend, Alice lists about ₩27,000 per cocktail.
How we chose these bars
Each of these 4 rooms holds a position on our Asia ranking for the current season. Editors visit unannounced, more than once where a room has changed hands or rewritten its menu, and score on drinks, hospitality, consistency, and sense of place. We take no fee for inclusion, so nothing on this page can be bought. Seoul rooms we rate but have not ranked are published as profiles without a list position.
Questions about Seoul bars
Booking, districts, and how the Seoul ranking works.
What is the best bar in Seoul?
Zest holds No.3 on our Asia ranking for the current season, in Cheongdam. Its profile carries the address, hours, reservation rule, and what to order on a first visit.
How many Seoul bars are in the Top 50 Bars Asia directory?
Four rooms in Seoul, across 3 districts. Each one holds a position on the current Asia list, and we add rooms when an opening changes how the city drinks rather than to fill a quota.
Do you need a reservation for bars in Seoul?
Of the 4 rooms in Seoul, 3 require a reservation and 1 takes walk-ins. Each profile lists the exact rule, the phone number, and the booking link.
Which neighbourhood is best for bars in Seoul?
Cheongdam carries the most entries on this page with 2 rooms, which makes it the easiest base for a night of more than one. Seochon and Dosan Park follow. Every profile names its district and nearest station.
Nominate a bar for the next Asia list.
Tell our editorial desk about a room we should visit next season. Send the city, the bar, and what makes it worth the trip.