Raise a glass to “Grandma’s Beer” (Yeokjeon Halmek), Korea’s biggest chain of pubs known for their (literally) ice-cold beers and cheap food and drink prices.
There are many excellent Korean craft beer bars and breweries but sometimes, it is nice to enjoy a mug of beer, watch sports with locals and enjoy Korean food in a pub style setting.
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We love our boozy nights out in Grandma’s Beer” (Yeokjeon Halmek 역전할머니맥주) after a long-day of sightseeing and there are hundreds of these chain bars in Korea. From Euljiro to Gwangju, Haeundae to Daegu, we’ve enjoyed our epic evenings ordering beer after beer (and soju) using electronic tablets.
Featuring beer prices to food menus, here is our guide to Grandma’s Beer – Yeokjeon Halmek, Korea’s biggest chain of bars (and best).
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What is Yeokjeon Halmek / Grandma’s Beer?
Korea’s biggest bar and pub chain, Yeokjeon Halmek (known affectionately as Grandma’s Beer – or Grandmother’s Beer 역전할머니맥주) has been around since 1982 and has around 1,000 bars in South Korea.
It is a franchise operation so all the bars have a similar look and feel (quite vintage), with the branding featuring a cartoon Grandma (할머니 halmeoni). The first bar opened at Iksan Station over 40 years ago.
For British readers, we’d describe Grandma’s as the Korean version of Wetherspoons pubs or for Americans, maybe Applebees, Hooters or Boston.
Based on our own experiences, it is popular with Korean workers and young locals plus sport fans – oh and the occasional travellers like ourselves.
Grandma’s Beer is also famous for being the first pub in South Korea to serve iced beer mugs in all their bars – and I can tell you during the hot Korean summer, those super cold beers taste amazing (it is usually Terra beer or their own brand).
If you want to watch Korean baseball or K-League soccer but can’t get tickets, head to one of these bars to watch sports with locals – it is an amazing atmosphere (especially when the home team wins).
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Where is Yeokjeon Halmek / Grandma’s Beer Bar opening hours
As there are around 1,000 Grandmother’s Beer Bars 역전할머니맥주 across Korea, most cities have several such bars and they are also very popular in student areas and near university campuses.
We usually find the bars by stumbling across them or just search for the Korean term on Google / Naver – there is also an official bar finder here (but it isn’t so good when using English) >
If you are staying in Myeongdong, the nearest Grandma’s Beer / Yeokjeon Halmek is next to Euljiro 3 Station. You can find it on Google Maps here or by searching for Grandmother Beer 역전할머니맥주 을지로3가역점.
Most Yeokjeon Halmek / Grandmother bars in South Korea open mid afternoon and close around 2am. Some bars have extended opening hours on Friday nights and the weekends.
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Korean beer and soju prices at Yeokjeon Halmek
There is some degree of regional pricing but no matter where you go, the beer and food at Yeokjeon Halmek is comparably cheap.
Based on a trip to one of their Seoul branches, a large 500 ml beer costs just 4,700 won – around £2.50 / $3.35 USD / $5.25 AUD / 3 Euros – and it is served in their famous ice cold frosted glass
In bars outside of Seoul, 500ml of beer is 4,500 won or 3,300 won for a 300ml (go large, if I were you)!
We also enjoyed using the mini soju blender – a large bottle of ‘gold’ soju with a side mixer and the blender costs 6,500 won. We felt like we were in the movie ‘Cocktail’ when using it! And I think I am Tom Cruise too after several sojus.
A bottle of soju costs around 5,000 won – as a comparison, the same brand in CU or 7-Eleven is usually 1,800 won to 2,500 won so it isn’t too badly priced.
Generally all ordering is done via a tablet, which has an English language setting – you order your food and alcoholic drinks and usually, the drinks arrive in less than a minute (but usually longer on the weekends).
Please note that in most (but not all) Grandmother’s Beer bars, they ask you to also order food if you are drinking – so for instance, we usually share a huge platter or get a couple of small dishes.
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Food menu and prices at Yeokjeon Halmek
Like the beer, food at Grandma’s Beer 역전할머니맥주 is cheap and cheerful (and definitely not healthy).
Most of it is deep-fried fare or filling noodle dishes – there is a core menu of about 30 different items plus they sometimes have seasonal specials.
You usually need to order food with your drinks so we often share a plate of spicy fried chicken & chips which was about 11,000 won – now compared to good ‘chimaek’ (chicken and beer) places, the food here is very average (some dishes are not great).
However, it is half of the price of many other similar restaurants – so if you are travelling in South Korea on a budget, this is the perfect place for pints and plates of food.
Here are some example menu items and prices at Grandma’s Beer – Yeokjeon Halmek as of our last visit in May 2025:
- Plate of chips / french fries with sauce – 7,000 won
- 30cm long cheese donkatsu – 10,000 won
- Fried shrimp and mappak – 7,000 won
- Garlic soy boneless chicken – 10,000 won
- Assorted sausage platter – 12,000 won
- Seasoned french fries – 7,000 won
- Two homemade sausages – 6,000 won
And the noodle dishes are out of this world and so filling:
- Cheese Rabokki deep fried mix set -14,900 won
- Jjapaguri set 14,900 won
- Grandmother’s Sugak stew – 10,000 won
- Fish cake soup – 9,000 won
Check out the full Grandma’s Beer menu here >
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Cheers / Geonbae 건배 to Grandmother’s Beer
At the end of the night, pay your bar tab and stroll (or stagger) back out onto the street – yeah, all those sojus just hit you when outside right (do drink responsibly).
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