The Best Bars in Daegu, South Korea

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In need of a drink? This list shares the best bars in Daegu no matter if you need a beer, crave or cocktail, or want to hit the dance floor.

After spending two years teaching English in Korea, I’ve done my fair share of enjoying the best bars in Daegu – maybe a little too much!

As Korea’s third-largest city, the massive expat scene makes the vibrant nightlife in Daegu all the more exciting. Not to mention that a rowdy dance-filled night out on Dongseongro just so happens to be one of the best things to do in Daegu.

So if you’ve been on the hunt for the best bars in Daegu, check out a few of my faves I’ve come to find and love.

↠ Read more: Best Cafes in Daegu

Best Bars in Daegu, South Korea

Whether you’re looking for a cold brew or a nice cocktail, there are plenty of nice places to grab a drink in Daegu.

Brown Bricks (브라운브릭스)

중구 동성로3길 15 대구광역시
23-23 Bongsan-dong, Jung-gu, Daegu

Brown Bricks is a hip cafe and pub located downtown. The entire place is three stories and when the weather is nice, the entire front of the building is a giant window they open up. They have live music usually every week and a good drink selection as well as some snacks. This pub has more of a chill vibe, but is a great place to grab a drink and enjoy the atmosphere.

Monsters Craft Beer (몬스터즈 크래프트비어)

대구광역시 중구 종로1가 종로 45-4
45-4 Jong-ro, Jongno 1(il)-ga, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea

This new craft beer hall in Daegu is MASSIVE. It’s tucked away down a little alley near Jungangno Station. The interior is very modern and industrial and they have so many different taps to choose from. They also serve various bar foods and have bar games for people to play. Even an entire floor dedicated to billiards.

Beer Tunnel 맥주터널

대구광역시 동구 신천4동
Sincheon 4(sa)-dong, Dong-gu, Daegu

Scattered around the city in various different neighborhoods are a chain of little bars called Makju Tunnel (Beer Tunnel). These little establishments are a style of bar that’s pretty popular in Korea. They have about 5-10 beer fridges stocked with varying different bottles of beers, ciders and other malt beverages.

Each fridge has a specific price point, say 5,000 won up to 10,000 won per bottle. It’s serve yourself and you bring your bottles to the counter to pay when you’re finished! It’s not a downtown party vibe, but it does make for a fun night pregaming or just drinking beer and having good conversation.

Don’t let the sub-par rating on Google stop from visiting this local Korean joint. There’s no trend here, just good ole beer.

Communes

대구광역시 중구 삼덕동1가 62-3
12-3 Dongseong-ro 3-gil, Samdeokdong 1(il)-ga, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea

Communes is a nice little dive bar on foreigner street. The owner is a super kind and chill Korean man who speaks flawless English. Once a month, the Daegu Story Slam is hosted here and it’s a fun place to hear ridiculous and outrageous stories from other foreigners living in Daegu. You can check out more about the event on their Facebook page here

Four and twenty rooftop bar/ 4&20 

대구 중구 동성로 4길 13-1 2층3층 
37-2 Samdeog-dong, Jung-gu, Daegu

Four and Twenty is definitely one of my favorite bars and I dare say the best bar in Daegu for cocktails. The vibes are all I look for in a bar, perfect for good conversation. Their cocktails are also fabulous and are on the higher end of quality. In the summertime, they open up their rooftop and it’s one of the few places to grab a rooftop cocktail in the city.

Los Cubanos Bar

대구광역시 중구 삼덕동1가 동성로3길 12-22
12-22 Dongseong-ro 3-gil, Samdeokdong 1(il)-ga, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea

This Cuban inspired little joint has the most creative and delicious cocktails in Daegu. Their menu consists mostly of rum based drinks, but the owner does them well. This has also become another one of my faves and it’s not hard to become a regular at this cozy lil place. This cozy joint is downtown between Banwoldang and Kyungpool National Hospital metro stops.

나빌레라 (Nabilera) 

대구 중구 동성로5길 52
Samdeokdong 1(il)-ga, Jung-gu, Daegu

Nabilera is more a restaurant than a bar, but they have a huge cocktail menu and is a great place to take a date. The interior is darkly lit and filled with lanterns and candles. The seating is all on the floor with cushions and it’s truly cozy. We love starting our night here with a little pizza, pasta or salad coupled with a Korea signature catharsis cocktail.

꽃밭 (KKochbat) Shisha Bar

대구광역시 중구 삼덕동1가 51-5
51-5 Samdeokdong 1(il)-ga, Jung-gu, Daegu

Another cushion/floor seating bar with Moroccan vibes is Shisha Bar. They have probably some of the most affordable cocktails in the city and you can get a hookah for the table for only about 10,000 won.

Black Taco (블랙 타코)

대구광역시 중구 공평로 31
31 Daeseong-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea

Ok so Black Taco is technically not a bar and actually is just flat out a Mexican restaurant, but it’s one of the only places in Daegu that serves food with actual cocktails!

Koreans typically only drink beer or soju or both with their meals so a good cocktail with food can be hard to find. We love coming for their margaritas. The food is nothing close to authentic Mexican, but it’s the best you can expect in Daegu. It’s also gluten and vegetarian-friendly.

Barbarella

대구광역시 중구 성내2동 중앙대로77길 24
24, Jungang-daero 77-gil, Jung-gu, Daegu

Barbarella is a cozy little place with good drinks and great music! The owner often brings in his cat for customers to play with and people only have good things to say about this cute addition to Daegu’s bar scene.

Snug Pub

대구광역시 중구 삼덕동 21-9
21-9 Samdeog-dong, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea

Snug Pub is a cute and quiet little joint that serves some fantastic cocktails as well as dishes for those looking to dine and drink! This is one of my friends’ faves in Daegu!

Dosibam

대구광역시 중구 공평동 국채보상로125길 23
23 Gukchaebosang-ro 125-gil, Gongpyeong-dong, Jung-gu, Daegu

Dosibam is the embodiment of neon retro cool straight out of the 80’s. They have such unique cocktails that are soooo delicious and although I don’t hit this place up often, it’s always a good time with friends when we do. It is a small bar though so be warned there’s limited seating.

Old Blue Jazz Bar (올드블루)

대구광역시 중구 공평로 34
34 Daeseong-ro, Samdeog-dong, Jung-gu, Daegu

For jazz enthusiasts out there or those just looking for a night to get fancy, Old Blue is the only jazz bar in town that I know of. They have decent cocktails and have live performances Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. You do have to pay a cover charge on nights with live music though so be warned.

Kuro Batman Bar (쿠로배트맨)

삼덕동1가 62-3번지 1층 중구 대구광역시
62-3 Samdeog-dong, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea

Kuro Batman is probably the most Korean bar on this entire list. They serve up mostly soju drinks and beers along with a lot of different Korean food dishes. We love this place essentially only because in the summertime they have this amazing watermelon soju.

They take an entire watermelon, cut it in half and blend it with a bunch of soju! It’s big enough to share with a group of 4-ish people. For something a little stronger, we always spike the watermelon with a bit more soju to suit our tastes 😉

Tomar Wine Bar

대구광역시 중구 성내2동 종로 23-8
23-8 Jong-ro, Seongnae 2(i)-dong, Jung-gu, Daegu

Tomar Wine Bar is for the wine enthusiasts out there. They serve it by the glass and by the bottle and also offer great appetizers like cheese plates and more. Honestly for Korea, the cheese platter is pretty decent and the wine isn’t too ridiculously expensive. Their cheapest bottle is about 24,000 won.

Where to Party in Daegu: Best Daegu Clubs + Hoppin’ Bars

GoGo Vinyl (고고비닐)

대구광역시 공평동 공평동 62번지 중구 대구광역시
62 Gongpyeong-dong, 62 Jung-gu, Daegu

GoGo’s is the place where many expats start their nights out. They serve up the famous Korean bag cocktail drinks – adult juice boxes if you will – and they serve them up for cheap. At 5,000 won a pop for a big, strong drink, it’s no wonder many people start the night here. It’s all outdoor standing so if it’s wintertime come properly dressed!

Right around the corner from GoGo’s, is actually another popular bag drink bar called KiKis. Same exact thing essentially so you can take your pick!

My Favorite Bar (MF)

대구광역시 중구 삼덕1가 21-28번지 3층 Daegu 700411
21-28 Samdeokdong 1(il)-ga, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea

MF isn’t mega-popular with all expats, but many do love it as a cult favorite. It’s got the classic sticky and dingy college American bar vibes with multiple beer pong tables, shuffleboards and cheap cocktails.

If you befriend the owner, he’s known to give out free drinks as well! More of a chill party place that’s hit or miss with the crowds. So while I definitely wouldn’t crown this place one of the absolute best bars in Daegu, it is good for big groups or birthday parties.

Thursday Party

대구광역시 중구 삼덕동1가 21-23
21-23 Samdeokdong 1(il)-ga, Jung-gu, Daegu

Thursday Party is a very popular bar in Korea and it’s a pretty big chain with locations in most major cities. This bar is popular with young Koreans and foreigners and is pretty much always busy. It’s your classic dingy bar. Many locations serve brunch and food and it’s one of the few places to grab a drink before 6pm on the weekends. It also has a beer pong table and foosball for a taste of home!

Who’s Bob?

대구광역시 중구 삼덕동1가 21-28
21-28 Samdeokdong 1(il)-ga, Jung-gu, Daegu

A dive bar in the basement under MF, is another cult favorite that’s popular with many expats but not all. Come check it out and see if it’s your style, although again it’s not really a bumping party place.

Valv

대구광역시 중구 21-24번지 지하
Daegu, Jung-gu, 21-24 Dongseongro 3 gil

A hip hop club on foreigner street, valv is popular with young Koreans. There is a 10,000 won cover charge that includes a free drink with entry. Some nights they don’t let foreigners in though so don’t be surprised if they reject you. It’s loud, smokey and packed in there – but makes for a fun night of clubbing.

Big Clubs in Daegu

There are actually quite a few more dance clubs in Daegu, but the sad fact of the matter is that most of them do not allow foreigners in. Some may occasionally and some let you in if you have a “Korean sponsor” but it’s all kind of BS in my opinion.

If you love love love a good club and dance scene and wanna check out these super exclusive places, it’s not impossible – but good luck. A few downtown include Club Frog, D Hell Underground, Club AU, Club Monkey etc.

Am I missing any major places that should be on this list of the best bars in Daegu? Share below!