Taking its name from an old nickname for the railway police, Pussyfoot Saloon is a lively, locomotive-themed gem that is a slice of pure escapism. Visitors first descend into a high-walled courtyard before finding themselves in a glitzy Prohibition-era style space, a theme that continues with the cocktails.

The Negroni here is among the best I’ve had, while those that push the envelope include the Ramos Gin Fizz, which is machine-shaken for a full six minutes; and the Bee’s Knees, which combines Martin Miller’s Gin, lemon and honey inside a stunning bee-shaped vessel.

Address: 657-189 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu

5 KL speakeasies with the most creative cocktails in town

2. Charles H.

A pioneer on the local mixology scene, Charles H. (named after prolific American cocktail writer Charles H. Baker) nonetheless retains an air of secrecy, hidden as it is behind an unmarked door in the Four Seasons Seoul which opens onto an AvroKo-designed space inspired by the underground speakeasies of 1920s-era New York.

Head bartender Keith Motsi is responsible for the bar’s current title on the Asia’s 50 Best Bars list as the best bar in Korea, thanks to imaginative concoctions inspired by Baker’s writings, such as the Astoria Old-Fashioned, a pour-it-yourself version of the classic martini, and the Manhattan Flight, where three versions of the Manhattan are served alongside one another.

Address: Four Seasons Seoul, 97 Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu

What’s the most important ingredient in a cocktail?

 3. Southside Parlor

Opened by three Texans, Southside Parlor has been a fixture on Seoul’s bar scene since it opened in 2013. Since then, it has served as a welcome reminder of home for Americans living abroad, as well as locals wanting to sample the bourbon-drinking culture of the American South.

Relaxed and unpretentious (it’s full of well-worn leather sofas, arcade machines and dartboards), Southside’s drinks similarly tend towards solid, approachable classics elevated using home-made bitters, sodas and syrups. We recommend the award-winning Chiquita Pepita with cucumber-infused tequila. Make sure you don’t overlook the authentic Tex Mex-inspired food menu.

Address: 4/F, 218 Noksapyeong-daero, Yongsan-gu

Sweet treats and great steaks at Prohibition Grill House & Cocktail Bar

4. Bar Musk

“Quiet please! Whisky sleeping”, reads a sign at the entrance to Bar Musk, a vaulted, mahogany-panelled bar that evokes the inside of an oak barrel. Needless to say, the whisky selection here is second to none, including rare bottles like The Balvenie 30-Year Single Malt Scotch and Whyte & Mackay 21-Year-Old.

The cocktails are classic, Ginza-style creations – highballs, Gimlets and Sidecars – mixed by Kim Jun-hee, one of Korea’s best ice carvers, known for his perfectly spherical ice balls. The bar also doubles as a cigar lounge, making it a comfy haunt for those seeking a taste of the gentlemen’s clubs of yore.

Address: 1/F, 630-21 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu

5. Alice Cheongdam

Named after Lewis Carroll’s children’s book Alice in Wonderland, visitors to this bar take on the role of Alice and must first make their way past a flower shop and down a flight of stairs before ending up in a space resembling an English manor, where the “rabbits” (bartenders) take them on a head-bending mixology journey.

Approaching the realm of molecular cuisine, the experimental cocktails here involve plenty of nitrogen gas, foam and eclectic glassware. The Alice Boutique is the signature cocktail, involving a grapefruit-flavoured gin and tonic served in an elephant-shaped glass. We’re partial to the Hippity-Hoppity, which blends Absolut Elyx vodka, elderflower and aloe vera in a rabbit-shaped tiki mug.

Address: 84-20 Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu

Emirates has a secret drinks menu – only served on request

6. White Bar

This bar lives up to its name – it boasts Seoul’s largest selection of gin (70 varieties to be exact) – and is South Korea’s only watering hole to exclusively stock clear spirits, from vodka, soju and tequila, to more obscure types like polugar, ouzo, pisco and baijiu.

The bartenders take their gin seriously, and can build a gin and tonic from the ground up, from gin type and home-made tonic water to the ice and glassware. By their estimate, there are 62,270 gin and tonic versions offered at White Bar – it would take you several lifetimes to try them all. For those overwhelmed with all the gin, there are 15 signature house cocktails of which we recommend the Still Negroni Loves Negroni.

The interior is reason enough to come visit: designed to resemble a bank vault, it includes the Botanical Bank, an array of 30 safes that store bottles of gin for VIP guests.

Address: 93-14 Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu

Want more stories like this? Sign up here. Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter