Cuisine

Bar (술집)

District

Mapo (마포구) , Seoul

Address

Seoul Mapo-gu Seogangro9-gil 60

Sanulrim 1992 is a traditional Korean liquor pub on Seogang-ro 9-gil in Mapo-gu, Seoul, near Hongdae, where dozens of varieties of makgeolli, cheongju, and yakju can be sampled in one sitting. The menu provides detailed tasting notes for every drink - body, flavor profile, and aroma - making it easy for newcomers to find a bottle that matches their palate. The owner brings deep knowledge of both liquor and food, offering thorough explanations of each dish, which adds a distinctive layer to the experience. The interior reimagines a vintage jumak (traditional tavern) with modern touches, and the food follows a fusion philosophy that grafts French, Vietnamese, and other international techniques onto a Korean base. The signature cheese potato pancake layers thinly julienned potato with generous mozzarella and crisps it into a savory, shatteringly textured disc. The sous-vide doenjang maekjeok reinterprets a classic Korean pork dish through French cooking methods, accompanied by a ratatouille-inspired sauce. The braised hanwoo offal is tender and deeply flavored, while the squid-ink fried squid delivers a crispier, nuttier profile than conventional calamari. The dumplings use rice paper wrappers filled with meat marinated in lemongrass and Vietnamese soy, producing a flavor entirely distinct from Korean mandu. Adding angel hair pasta noodles to the spicy jjukkumi stir-fry is another recommended pairing. Sundays feature a buy-one-get-one promotion, and day-of-week discounts run throughout the schedule. Bar-food prices sit on the higher side for the Hongdae area, though the quality of execution justifies the spend. Weekend evenings draw waits, so arriving at opening is advisable.