Bonny’s was supposed to the be the first stop on a craft beer tour, but as many of my tours involving the brew, it ended prematurely and without any type of coherent documentation. That said, we did have a great time at Bonny’s and really enjoyed their pizza. Bonny’s selection of beers, including craft beers were ample and really hit the spot on a hot summer’s eve.
How to get there: As with most restaurants in Haebangchon, Bonny’s is right on the main street. The easiest way to get there is to take the subway to Noksapyeong Station (Line 6) and depart from Exit 2. You will walk down the hill with the US Army Base on your left. At the bottom of the hill you will encounter a split in the road. Please stay to the left near the kimchi pots and walk your way up the hill. At about 500 – 600 meters, you will see Bonny’s on your left across from Good To Go.
Atmosphere and Service: The day was slowly turning into the night as the sun set behind the mountains, and the atmosphere at Bonny’s was getting boisterous. We squeezed in just in time to get a seat for four people, but as we left, people were starting to line up out the door. A decor of wooden tables and chair, with the occasional booth reflects Bonny’s simplicity and in my opinion, redirects the focus on the food. There is nothing flashy about Bonny’s and yet, it is clean and always seems to be lively. There is a huge beer fridge with various imports from around the world. A television hangs on the wall and there is an open kitchen that teases you with smells of baking crust and melted cheese. Service was quick and efficient. Our pizzas were out to us in about 20 minutes, and the server was polite when she took our orders. The beer fridge is self service so please don’t “YOGI YO!” the server who took your pizza order.
Whole or by the slice, it’s your call.
Bonny’s gets packed quick.
Food and Drink: Today we ordered two pizzas: The Snowden (After NSA whistleblower Eric Snowden) and a regular Pepperoni Pizza. We drank four beers including one Magners Pear, one John Smith, a Fire Rock from Kona Brewing and a Victoria Bitter.
Pepperoni Pizza (17,000KRW): The great things about classics is their simplicity. A good, old fashion pepperoni pizza was all ST wanted to begin the evening. The first thing that stood out was the size of the pizza. This was a full-sized pizza with plenty of cheese and a plethora of pepperoni. The golden brown crust was slick with grease. Nothing fancy, but just perfect all the same.
The Snowden (18,000KRW): If the NSA is tracking this page, you need to put down surveillance devices and grab a slice inspired by the man you are so desperately trying to apprehend. The Snowden was absolutely delicious. The Carbonara sauce was a nice change and really complimented the rest of the toppings well. It was obviously creamier, and had a slight sweetness to it, possibly from the bacon fat? If true, well done. The bacon and chicken were scattered generously, and the black pepper gave it a little spice. Overall, this was one of the best pizzas I’ve ever had in Korea. Well played Bonnys. Well played.
Drinks: My deepest apologizes gentle reader. I unfortunately did not get a receipt, thus I do not have the normal prices with each beer. That said, each beer fell into the 5,000KRW – 10,000KRW range.
John Smith: This is what I started off with just because I wanted the beer with the most boring name. John Smith was pretty bad. Drinking with my American family and friends has exposed me to some fairly watery brews, but this one was like drinking a cup of water from the Thames river and sprinkling it with some hops. I was not a fan and barely choked it down. My British friend mocked me horribly for buying this, and to you, I implore you to stay away.
How the fuck has this beer been around for over 300 years?
Magner’s Pear: I’ve had this one before, and was a little surprised ST ordered it because I never really pictured him as a cider guy. Magners is a great summer beer; cool, refreshing and fruity. Not overly sweet, the pear stands out slight against the apple flavoring. In the summer, this is really refreshing and surprisingly went well with the pizza.
Kona Brewing’s Fire Rock: I first tried Kona Brewing’s Fire Rock when I was on my honeymoon in Maui. My wife and I picked up a six pack and watched the sunset while eating burritos and drinking beer. One of my favorite memories of the trip. Alas, I digress. The Fire Rock is a pale ale that still has a coppery-red appearance. It’s a refreshing beer, with a little hint of fruit and is very smooth with a nice aftertaste. The Fire Rock is perfect for a summer’s afternoon and I would highly recommend it if you are searching for a lighter beer with a little citrus flavor.
Victoria Bitter: Ahh VB. My Australian friend Brendan would be proud. I don’t really know why I ordered VB, but it was there and it’s nice and light so I decided why the hell not and after the John Smith, I was game for anything. A clear, pale lager, VB is quite mild. Despite it’s name, there really isn’t much bitterness to it, instead there is a slight hint of sweetness.
Value: In the end, the whole bill between ST and myself probably came to around 60,000KRW. Since we both paid separately, we are looking in the neighborhood of 30,000-35,000KRW per person. In my opinion, there is some great value here. The pizza is arguably some of the best in Seoul, and there is a cornucopia selection of beer. We will definitely be back and probably take some home with us as well. For now, I highly recommend this place.
Who Should Visit Bonny’s: An excellent choice for pizza and beer. A big screen allows you to watch the game or just chill outside on the patio. A great pub experience.
Who Should Avoid Bonny’s: If you are not feeling pizza, there really isn’t too much else on the menu. That said, you should still probably try some. Also, one more thing, if you have a stomach issue or heart issue, the amount of grease on these pizzas are staggering (which is great for me) but might interfere with that thing called life for others.
Menu:
Derek Versus Lonely Planet 
I love Bonny’s, thou doesn’t help I am somewhat biased to the place since the owner is a Kiwi like me, but I always get my pizza from there, they are just plain and well made and dont have ridiculous toppings that a lot of Korean pizza places have
It was very refreshing not to see corn on my pizza 🙂 Thanks for reading!