Every weekend, Daegu‘s downtown is flooded with expats looking for a night of fun. Bars like Old Skool, Commune’s, and the many dance clubs have their hands full of foreigners ready to sate their desires, whether they be for alcohol, music, or the opposite sex. A smaller number of Daegu’s foreign community, searching for something a little more familiar, pull their stools up to another bar, far from the bright lights of downtown. Sugar Joe’s is the bar few know about, and that’s just the way their patrons like it.

Located across the street from Kyungbook University’s North Gate, Sugar Joe’s is far from what you would call an “expat bar,” the clientele there is still largely Korean. That isn’t to say that there aren’t a lot of foreign customers, they have their share. The majority of these expats have been here more than one year, and many have been coming to Sugar Joe’s for a long time. So what makes Sugar Joe’s so attractive to these people? For starters, Sugar Joe’s is more neighborhood bar than nightclub. There’s no dance floor to speak of, never a DJ, and you’re more likely to hear golden oldies over the speakers than hip-hop. What Sugar Joe’s does have is live music every week, with both Korean and Western bands (sometimes a mix of the two). Sugar Joe’s hosts a dart league on Tuesdays and open mic on Thursdays, serves great burgers, and has a rooftop patio to enjoy the night air. More importantly to the regulars, however, is the familiarity. Everyone there knows everyone else, and you’re usually met with a resounding greeting upon entering the door (think “Cheers”). You don’t have Koreans on one side, and expats on the other, but rather everyone enjoying themselves together. The friendly staff all speaks English, as do many of their Korean customers (quite a few of them learned while sitting on these very bar stools). If you’re looking to “hook up,” or drink yourself silly, head downtown. Sugar Joe’s just isn’t that kind of place.

When Heejung Jo opened the bar two years ago, she didn’t have any intention of marketing to a certain cross-section of the population. Sugar Joe’s never advertised to foreigners, and still doesn’t. Being so close to KNU, it was only natural that some of the foreign teachers would eventually stumble across the place, and word-of-mouth advertising took care of the rest. To many, Sugar Joe’s isn’t just a bar, but a part of their extended family. The bar celebrated its 2nd anniversary on August 29th, and several former Daegu residents came from as far as Seoul to join in on the fun. Sugar Joe’s obviously has a good thing going. Just don’t tell anyone.

Sugar Joe’s is open Tuesday-Saturday 7:00 – 4:00ish. Rooftop open until midnight. Closed Sunday and Monday.  Cocktails are w6,000 and up, Pints w3,000 for Hite and w6,000 for Hoegaarden.  Burgers are w4,000 and up

Printable Korean/English taxi directions

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