Bau House Dog Cafe in Seoul, Korea 바우하우스
I went to a Dog Cafe, YES, a dog cafe. This is definitely something that I wanted to experience while visiting Seoul, because even though it would be assumed that you would be going to a cafe in which you can order cafe beverages and play with dogs, I just didn't know what to expect. Jen took me to 바우하우스 Bau House Dog Cafe after our visit to Gyeongbokgung Palace.
The cafe is hidden on the backside of the Jeil building, so you have to turn down this small street and see the photos of the dog on your right hand side before seeing the entrance cafe. Overall, I definitely think this is a place or concept you have to experience at least once in your lifetime, unless you absolutely are not keen on or are allergic to dogs and animals.
THE SPACE + HOW IT WORKS
The cafe is separated into two sections; the front area for the small dogs and the back area for the large dogs. I'm not quite sure if the cafe actually houses any dogs like a kennel, but dog owners stop by throughout the day to drop off their dogs like a doggy daycare. When you arrive you can sit in the front or go straight to the back to find a seat. You'll be handed a menu and once you've decided what drink you'd like, find the staff member and order and pay for your beverage. Drinks cost around ₩7,500 (approximately $6.80), so it's a pricer drink but you are paying for the experience as well. You can purchase a small bag of treats starting at approximately ₩4,000. As well, there is no limit on your stay in the cafe, I believe Jen and I hung out in Bau House for about 2-3 hours.
MY REACTION
At first I was taken back by how many dogs were in this space and loved finding dogs hiding among the booth tables and nooks & crannies. Unless the dogs are drawn to you, they won't really come to you. You have to purchase a treat bag, and once they've spotted you with the snack bag, the dogs go after you and you are immediately surrounded. Therefore, there are guidelines for feeding the dogs: you have to feed them at the center of the room away from the tables/guests and the snacks are sticks that you should break into smaller pieces to share with all of the dogs. I was bummed that some dogs were hitting other dogs to try to get to the treats first, or even pouncing on me uncontrollably. I unfortunately couldn't get the word 'sit' correctly in Korea, but if you know the word sit in Korean or you are very authoritative and say sit in english while pointing your finger, that seemed to work for some of the dogs. Whenever a new dog was introduced into the group (the owner was dropping the dog off), the dogs would go crazy and bark all at once. The staff members are extremely efficient at cleaning up pee spots after pee spots because there are so many dogs in one area that are usually not taken out to go to the restroom. I needed more of a mellow environment so Jen and I moved to the front of the cafe where the small dogs are, and cuddled with Pomeranians and Chihuahuas. I like that you can have the option between spending time with the small or big dogs, the space in general is well taken care of, and the drinks were good (I ordered an iced green matcha tea). Afterwards Jen and I grabbed Korean fried chicken and beer at a restaurant next to the Jeil Building facing the main street of Yanghwa.
GETTING HERE
Bau House
Jeil Bldg. 1F
394-44 Seogyo-dong,
Mapo-gu,
Seoul, South Korea
Address in Korean: 서울특별시 마포구 서교동 394-44 제일빌딩 후면 1층
Phone:
+82 2-334-5152
Cafe Hours
Monday-Friday 1:30pm-10:30pm
Saturday-Sunday 12:30pm-11:00pm
Take the Seoul Metro (Subway line 2/6) to Hapjeong Station and take Exit 3. Turn around when you exit and make a left down the nearest road/ alley (you will walk alongside the left side of the Jeil Building and see dog photos and the Bau House Cafe sign on your righthand side, then end at the entrance to Bau House). If taking a taxi, you can give them the full address above so that you are dropped off at the building.
Facebook | Website (won't be able to translate to another language)
