I always get excited whenever a new Korean establishment opens, especially when it’s a fancy, stylish, Korean bar like Hanjan.

Don’t be mistaken by the “Tiger” sign – HANJAN is the Korean bar Penang island has been missing.

Hanjan, or “한잔” in Korean means ‘One Shot’, a term used to describe the fun way Koreans say ‘cheers’. With a name like ‘Hanjan’, this hole in the wall eatery and bar fits nicely in the middle of Penang’s hipster Campbell Street. Many bars, cafes have been popping up in the area, but this would be the first Korean bar I’ve seen here.

HANJAN Eatery and Soju Bar, Penang – Drinks Menu
Soju, makgeolli, Korean-inspired cocktails, Korean beer…
Meals are limited. Anju (like my previous post) are dishes to go with alcohol. I would say the food here is mainly served to complement the main drinks instead of filling your stomach. Nevertheless, we came here for dinner and was quite satisfied with the dishes we had.
Literally ‘hole in the wall’. Saves cost on renovation.
Place gets crowded on weekends. Please book super early if you want a nice grounded table. We booked 3-4 days before and they only had a high-chaired table for us.
Lychee Soju Mojito – 2/5
There were more leaves than drink in this. Alcohol content was also not quite satisfactory. I’d try something else next time.
Bibimbap – 4/5
Not bad! A lot of veggies and not overloaded with rice – this bibimbap packs a lot of crunch!
Yangyeom (Korean Fried Chicken) – 3/5
and Pajeon (Kimchi Pancake) – 3/5
I apologize for the photo quality, the place is really dim and my camera phone was not too happy with me that day. The fried chicken had bones – was a bit challenging to eat but the sauce was pretty tasty. The pancake was a 50/50 among my family, very crispy til the last bite but there wasn’t too many ingredients inside.

We also ordered a Jjigae (kimchi stew) which was fiery and spicy! Definitely not for those who can’t tolerate spicy food.

Would I return? Yeah, why not? But maybe for some other cocktail next time.

Address: 56, Lebuh Campbell, George Town, 10200 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

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