The 2015 opening of Charles H., the award-winning bar tucked behind a nondescript basement door at Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, helped spark the city’s now-thriving and globally-recognized craft cocktail scene.
Today, the stylish hotel in Gwanghwamun continues its legacy by ushering in a new era of elevated mixology with the highly anticipated opening of H. Bar. Hidden in plain sight—its unmarked front door is located within Charles H.—the intimate bolthole with seating for just eight guests offers a drinking experience unlike anything else in South Korea’s capital city.
“H. Bar was born from a desire to reimagine the cocktail experience entirely—not just in terms of what’s served, but how it’s felt,” says Head Bartender Odd Stranbakken. “Our aim was to create something world-class and category-defining—the kind of place that sparks conversation among global bar circles while remaining deeply rooted in Korean identity.”
While à la carte offerings are available, H. Bar’s specialty is an imaginative tasting menu of cocktail “courses” paired with small savory bites to complement the drinks. “The course format allows us to slow down the tempo and tell a story by building contrasts, emotions, and textures, sip by sip,” explains Four Seasons Hotel Seoul’s Beverage Creative Director Alyssa Heidt.
The cocktails spotlight techniques typically used in modern gastronomy (think: centrifugation, rotovap distillation, freeze-drying) and South Korea’s most cherished ingredients like Seongju chamoe, Daejeo tomatoes, and Chodang corn. The goal? To broaden guests’ perceptions of what cocktails can look, taste, and even smell like, while introducing them to the country’s wonderfully rich and diverse natural bounty.
Among the team’s proudest creations is Shampagne. “It looks and feels like a celebratory glass of Champagne, but contains zero grapes,” says Strandbakken. “Instead, we use fermented Korean fruit, perilla leaf distillate, and a touch of wildflower honey, which is carbonated just before service. Guests are always surprised when they find out it’s one-hundred percent Korean.” Another team favorite is Sweet Corn, which Strandbakken describes as “a creamy zero-waste cocktail served in an opaque glass to challenge visual assumptions.”
Naturally, this considered attention to detail extends to H. Bar’s design. Bathed in golden light, and kitted out with a gleaming quartz countertop, chrome steel accents, and lacquered green walls, the space exudes a warm, yet glamorous feel. The music and temperature were also taken into account, to ensure a seamless and unforgettable experience. As Heidt puts it: “The space is deliberately intimate, immersive, and story-led, so every guest leaves feeling like they’ve discovered something secret—something crafted just for them.”
* H. Bar is open Tuesday to Saturday, and advance reservations are required. Two course menu seatings are available from 8:30 to 10:00 pm and 10:30 pm to 12:00 midnight, Thursday to Saturday. An à la carte menu is available from 6:00 pm to 1:30 am on Tuesday and Wednesday. Course menus are priced at KRW 150,000 per person. À la carte cocktails are priced from KRW 38,000, plus a KRW 10,000 cover charge, which is waived for course menu guests.