ZEST SEOUL

Top notch cocktail bar, no surprise is between the 50s best world bars and 50s best Asian bars. Service was spot on. Atmosphere was awesome, refined yet easy going. The music was great and matched the environment. We mainly had strong drinks, some of them whisky based, they were all delicious but mostly very complex with layers of flavour. Would probably consider trying something easier next time.

As of October 2024, this is a well deserved new addition to the 50 Best Bars list. They pride themselves on trying to be a truly zero-waste bar. They source locally, organically, recycle, and create everything from menu paper to uniforms from reused materials. Their drinks are about the only thing not recycled as each flavor is something new that I've never had! Each drink costs 26000 no matter what you order on the menu. If you book a reservation there's a 10000 won deposit that goes toward your tab. Try getting a reservation as they open because it will get you better seating. The only major downside here is that some drinks like the sikhye milk punch and soy carmel come with a HUGE ice block meaning there's not much liquid in the glass. Hence losing a star due to lack of quantity for the price. It's disappointing that they try to mask the lack of drink they actually serve, but what they serve is delicious. My favorites for flavor were the milk punch and the custard sour. This is a very good bar, but ask if something comes with a big ice block or not before ordering. You'll get more drink for your money if you avoid that ice. Staff is great and speaks English and accepts credit cards.

Had to try one of the best cocktail bars in Seoul and it didn’t disappoint. I tried their version of Long Island ice tea and it was great. The small bites were also great. Really really liked the atmosphere, not too dark so I can see everything around me.

As a big cocktail enjoyer and someone who seeks out nice cocktail bars when I travel, I was particularly impressed with ZEST. The bartenders are passionate both about the zero-waste concept and about making a delicious drink. They are knowledgeable and explained the unique methods of creating the cocktail, and all the drinks we had were delicious!! Our favorites were the Salt Butter (can’t remember the full name) and the Bee’s Knees. The servers and bartenders were all really friendly and fun to chat with. Highly recommend!!

We were lucky to get a spot on walk in for one drink, so I recommend making reservations. The service was top notch, the decor was beautiful and the drinks are original with their twists. Bartenders are super nice and the food looks amazing too, even though we didn't have time to try it. For me, this deserves to be much higher on the world's best bar list, it's been the best cocktailbar I've been to in my life so far

Good bar? Yes. Asia’s No. 2 bar? Not too sure - 2.5 h wait time with 0 updates unlike other bars on the Asia’s best list which will at least give you an update on the queue status. My friends had an early schedule the next day and had to leave. I had to keep walking back and forth to check on the queue status, and even when people cancelled, this wasn’t updated. More egregiously, 1 star deducted because we found out from a wrong bill that was given to us that there was a “Welcome Drink (K)” which was not extended to everyone. The above being said, my husband said he had the best G&T ever here, so we may revisit if we put our names on the waitlist before dinner the next time.

The bar deserves the rank it holds as one of the best bars in Asia. The atmosphere is great, the curated cocktails delicious and the service was really good. As much as I was tempted to order my usual classic cocktail, I end up relenting to the menu. The caprese was one of the best in my opinion - the sour and sweetness of the tomato was what makes it distinct and special. The others such as the Long Island natural tea was very good, where they make the coke themselves. Recommended to come earlier in the evening and book in advance. The bar is quite small so there are many waiting outside.

Well made drinks, big fan of their sustainability mission. Bartenders are very attentive, informative, and friendly.