Our Take on Pongdang Craft Beer Co.
Pongdang Craft Beer Co. sits in Sinsa, on the Gangnam side of the river, and is part of the wider Pongdang craft-beer family that BeerAdvocate and RateBeer both track across Seoul. The group is best known for the sour specialist Sour Pongdang in Itaewon, with this Sinsa room running as the more straightforward neighbourhood pub.
The format is honest. RateBeer's Seoul beer guide describes Pongdang Craft Beer Co. as mostly a pub that keeps a few of its own beers on tap, usually approachable styles like a pilsner or a pale ale, rounded out with imports. It is a place to drink well without studying a menu.
Sinsa gives it the right address. The neighbourhood draws an after-work Gangnam crowd, and the room suits a relaxed couple of pints with friends more than a destination tasting session. Time Out Seoul has flagged the Pongdang name among the city's craft-beer operators worth knowing.
For a focused beer crawl, the sibling Sour Pongdang in Itaewon, which Time Out notes is the first bar in Asia to specialise in sours, is the more adventurous stop. This Sinsa location is the easygoing local.
What to Order
Best Time to Visit
After-work weekday evenings suit the relaxed pace. Weekends run later for a longer Sinsa session.
Who It Is For
After-work Gangnam drinkers, casual groups and anyone curious about the Pongdang house beers. Deep-tap-wall hunters should pair it with a second stop.
What Regulars Say
Pair it with Magpie Brewing Co, Seoul, Pony Pizza, Seoul and The Booth, Seoul. The full Craft Beer Bars in Seoul roundup and our Seoul Bar Guide cover every occasion, and the craft beer bars near me hub finds the closest taps to you.
