Bar
Zest
A basement cocktail bar in Gangnam built around Korean produce and zero-waste methods, ranked second on Asia's 50 Best Bars list in 2026.
Bar Cham
A small cocktail bar in a hanok in Seochon that showcases Korean spirits and native ingredients, ranked on Asia's 50 Best Bars in 2026.
At a glance
- Type
- Korean spirits cocktail bar in a hanok
- Area
- Seochon, Seoul, South Korea
- Price
- $$$ · Upscale
Good to know
- Asia's 50 Best Bars 2026
- Hanok setting
- Korean spirits
- Waitlist
Why we recommend it
Bar Cham sits in a traditional hanok in Seochon, the old neighbourhood west of Gyeongbokgung Palace, and has become one of the most talked-about bars in the city for its focus on Korean spirits and ingredients. It is run by Byung-jin "BJ" Lim and his team, and it was ranked number 33 on the Asia's 50 Best Bars list in 2026, having placed higher the year before. Its own description, Korean tradition with modern flair, sums up the approach well.
You enter through a sliding wooden door into a small, softly lit room with a tiled roof overhead and a bar counter at its heart. The menu draws on traditional Korean liquors, such as soju, makgeolli distillates and yakju, and on native ingredients that rarely appear in cocktails. Past drinks have included a negroni spiced with deodeok, a mountain root, and Korean bitters, and the Wonju, a rich mix of a local organic rice spirit with mezcal, corn and black pepper. For a quick introduction to Korean drinking culture, small shots of soju are served in clay cups, meant to be drunk in one go with a toast.
The bar suits couples, small groups of friends and anyone curious about Korean spirits beyond green-bottle soju. The bartenders are well placed to explain what is in your glass, and the setting, among the tiled roofs of one of Seoul's oldest districts, adds to the sense of occasion. It is a good choice for a drink after dinner in Seochon or a day at the palaces.
The room is small and seating is limited, so booking ahead is advised, and a waitlist operates on busy nights. While you wait, the same team's second bar, Pomme, a few streets away, serves cocktails based on apple spirits. Prices are similar to other top cocktail bars in Seoul. Arrive early in the evening for the best chance of a seat, and remember that this is a residential area, so keep noise down in the lanes.
Gyeongbokgung Station on Line 3 is about ten minutes' walk away. Seochon's lanes are full of small restaurants, wine bars and cafés, Tongin Market is nearby, and Tosokchon's ginseng chicken soup makes an easy dinner before drinks.
Bar Cham FAQs
What kind of bar is Bar Cham?
A small cocktail bar in a traditional hanok that focuses on Korean spirits and native ingredients.
Where is it ranked?
It was number 33 on Asia's 50 Best Bars in 2026.
Do you need to book?
Booking ahead is advised as seating is limited, and a waitlist operates on busy nights.
What should you drink?
Try one of the cocktails made with traditional Korean liquors, or a soju shot served in a clay cup.
Who runs it?
Byung-jin BJ Lim and his team, who also run the nearby Pomme bar.
Is it good for groups?
It suits couples and small groups; the room is small.
How do you get there?
Walk about ten minutes from Gyeongbokgung Station on Line 3 into the lanes of Seochon.
What is nearby?
Seochon's restaurants and wine bars, Tongin Market and Gyeongbokgung Palace.