Soul, swing, beats, rhythms… Jazz is a melting pot of cultures. It originated in the late 19th century in New Orleans, USA, and by the mid-20th century, it had gained worldwide popularity. Today, it is an iconic genre of music enjoyed by young and old alike. It’s a harmonious and sophisticated style of music that uses piano, guitar, drums, cello, saxophone, clarinet, trumpet, and more.
We’ve compiled a list of jazz bars where you can visit not only those who have already fallen in love with jazz, but also those who find it intimidating. If you want to hear jazz music played live, take a look at the list of jazz bars in Seoul below.
1. Dido Jazz Lounge
Dido Jazz Lounge offers live music that is both sophisticated and popular. You can check out their Instagram for a month’s lineup in advance, so you can plan your visit, and you can reserve a table for a guaranteed seat.
🎧 Read the Dido Jazz Lounge x Secret Seoul interview here
📍56, Jayang-ro 18-gil, Gwangjin-gu (Naver map)
🎷 20:30 ~ 22:30
2. Flat Nine
With 9 signature cocktails, Flat Nine is famous as a date spot for couples and a cocktail restaurant. Located very close to Gangnam Station, it is easily accessible, and although it is a cocktail bar, the food menu, such as sous vide flank steak, is rumored to be delicious, so you can enjoy both the first and second drinks here. You can get a sneak peek at the menu and lineup on Instagram.
📍 10 , Gangnam-daero 65-gil, Seocho-gu (Naver map)
🎷 Mon-Thu 18:00 ⏐ Fri 19:30, 22:30 ⏐ Sat 16:00, 19:30, 22:30 ⏐ Sun 16:00, 19:30
3. Yeonnam 5701
Like a small concert venue , Yeonnam 5701 is a jazz bar representing Hongdae, so it’s easy to experience live music even if you’re a jazz beginner. They have a set menu of food that pairs well with bottled wine to help you choose, and their extensive wine list covers a wide range of prices and tastes. You can check out a month’s lineup in advance on Instagram, and performances are held every business day from Tuesday through Sunday. There is also a branch in Sinchon.
📍 Hongdae Branch: 64, Donggyo-ro 23-gil, Mapo-gu (Naver map)
4. Entry55
Entry 55 is a popular jazz live venue where you can enjoy music in the comfort of a movie, even if you don’t know jazz music. The unique thing is that you can bring in food from outside or takeout. But not drinks or alcohol. Instead, there’s a lineup of over 100 liquors hand-picked by Entry 55’s lounge. There are daily performances ranging from standard jazz and blues to pop music and Latin. There are two branches: Seongsu and Sadang.
There are two sessions, one in the morning and one in the evening, each lasting 55 minutes. For more information, check out the official Instagram or fever.
📍Seongsu Branch: 60, Seongsuil-ro 8-gil, Seongdong-gu (Naver map)
Hours: 🎷 Wed-Fri 18:30, 21:00 ⏐ Sat 19:30, 20:30 ⏐ Sun 15:00, 19:30
The entry to Jazz: 라이브 재즈 공연 @ 성수 - 4 · 11 reviews
5. in the millennium
Since 1996, when the concept of a jazz bar was not very popular in Korea, Millennium has been loved by live music lovers for a long time. This is the same place where MC Yoo Jae Suk transformed into a bouquet and played the drums in ‘Nolgyeonmuhani’. It’s a small space that can only fit 40-50 people inside, but the unique atmosphere that time has created is mesmerizing.
There are live performances every day. You can check the schedule here. You can find the Thousand Year Road at Jonggak and Paradise.
📍 Jonggak: 6, Samil-daero 15-gil, Jongno-gu (Naver map)
Opening hours: 🎷 Weekdays 20:30 ⏐ Weekends 20:00
6. Get Olight
Located in Cheongdam, Get All Night is a luxurious live ocean. It starts a little later than the others, so it’s usually a good place to grab a second drink and enjoy the music. Performances start at 10pm every night. Reservations can be made here, and you can see the schedule and menu on their official Instagram.
📍 18 , Dosan-daero 57-gil, Gangnam-gu (Naver map)
hours: 🎷 21:20, 22:00, 23,20