# Joseph in Gwangalli: back after a fire, and the whisky is still good

> I went back to my regular bar, which reopened after a fire. There is no menu; you pick the whisky you want. The whisky and the bartender were both good.

- Canonical: https://jaemyeong.com/en/blog/gwangalli-joseph-20260730/
- Published: 2026.08.10
- Category: 식기(食記)
- Tags: #Busan, #Gwangalli, #whisky, #bar

Joseph reopened after a fire. I saw the news on Instagram. But I had no chance to go after it reopened, and in July something big happened in my life and I could not go. I went at about 9 on a Thursday night, after things had settled. This is my third note on the bar this year, after [April 21](/en/blog/gwangalli-joseph-20260421/) and [May 1](/en/blog/gwangalli-joseph-20260501/).

It is far from home, so I cannot go often. Still, when I get the chance, this is the place I choose. They usually keep candles lit, and to me it feels like a hideout. It is more comfortable than the other bars in Gwangalli.

![A single lit candle in front of shelves lined with bottles](../../../assets/posts/gwangalli-joseph-20260730/01.jpg "A candle was lit that night too.")

There is no menu. You say what you want and they make a cocktail to match, or you can pick the whisky you want to drink. The price depends on what you order. They used to have no bar snacks, but they added some recently.

I drank whisky. It tasted good. Having a snack with the whisky works well too. I tend to avoid sweet drinks. I used to drink mostly peated whisky, and these days I like sherry-cask styles.

The owner was not in that night. The bartender was kind. I often recommend this bar to friends who drink and to acquaintances visiting from elsewhere. It is my favorite bar in Gwangalli, and it was the same after reopening.

I also met Dongdong, who is something like the mascot here, for the first time in a while.

![A brown dog on the floor with its head raised, and a hand petting it](../../../assets/posts/gwangalli-joseph-20260730/04.jpg "Dongdong, whom I had not seen for a while.")