Hanok ： Korean Culinary Cocktails, Highballs & Bar Snacks

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By Sophie Steiner

The Place

Fafu – the Korean BBQ late night favorite amongst many a Shanghai chef and bartender – now has a younger (and bar-focused) brother, Hanok. It opened in Shake's old spot on Maoming Lu this past June.

Image by Sophie Steiner/That's

Hanok is first and foremost a seltzer bar (read: highballs made with Korean spirits like soju and cheongju and Korean culinary ingredients) that also offers Korean bar snacks by Fafu owner Jacob Ju and his team.

Image by Sophie Steiner/That's

Image by Sophie Steiner/That's

With mixed-level seating for over 70 (across hightops, booths, counter seats, and private tables for different group sizes), the traditional Korean design aesthetic is juxtaposed against a 'bubble wall' backbar focal point – like a fish tank sans fish, plus a lot of flowing and glowing bubbles – an homage to the highball-centric menu and lively atmosphere.

Image by Sophie Steiner/That's

The Drinks & Food

The first page of drinks are all in line with the restaurant's eye-catching bubble wall – seltzer water-based libations with Korean riffs on the classic highball.

Using an American-imported soda machine, all carbonated water is made fresh-to-order, ensuring the silkiest Champagne-esque bubbles, a noticeable difference when compared with standard store-bought carbonated water. 

Image by Sophie Steiner/That's

Milder highballs – like the Barley Tea (RMB88), paired with whiskey, or the Pine Needles (RMB88), stirred with gin – make for easy drinking.

The bolder highballs, meanwhile, pack a stronger, flavorful punch, not unlike a craft cocktail – like the 90 Day's Tomato (RMB88), a blend of a premium tomato drink found in South Korea and whiskey that come together like a Bloody Mary-meets-highball sipper.

Or the Berry Much (RMB88), a fruity syrup comprised of fresh strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, cranberries and red wine combined with whiskey.