Hongdae pasta spot with doodle walls & mild chili tomato: Hey Joji

Today I'm introducing a pasta place near Hongik Univ. Station that I love in Yeonnam-dong! Lots of restaurants in Yeonnam-dong have a break time, but Hey Joji (헤이죠지) doesn't, so you can drop in whenever you like :) That's why I visit every now and then, and now I'm introducing it to you. It's the Yeonnam-dong favorite, "Hey Joji"!

Hey Joji hours and parking at a glance

Hey Joji is open Monday to Sunday, 12:00–21:00, with last order at 20:00. No break time is its biggest plus.

• Address: 42-24 Donggyo-ro 46-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul (1st floor), Hey Joji
• Hours: Mon–Sun 12:00–21:00 (last order 20:00)
• Parking: no free parking; Yeonnam-dong public parking lots 3 and 4 recommended
• Tip: no break time

How do you get to Hey Joji from Hongik Univ. Station?

Hey Joji sits in a Yeonnam-dong alley, a 10-minute walk from Exit 3 of Hongik Univ. Station! Walk along the main road, then slip into the alley and you're right there, so it wasn't hard to find.

Parking isn't possible, as is usual in Yeonnam-dong :(

Green and red exterior, and weekend waits

I love how exotic Hey Joji already feels from the outside :) The green-plus-red look makes it stand out even more. I've been 2–3 times; there used to be a wait at weekend lunchtime, but this time there was none!

What's the atmosphere inside Hey Joji?

Inside, Hey Joji has a distinctive interior that feels just like an American family home. Even though it uses green wallpaper, it doesn't feel dated at all, and every American-style prop fits in so well.

I especially thought the fireplace and the dark wood furniture went well with the green interior.

My favorite part: the doodle walls

What I like most at Hey Joji is the doodle decor. Because of it, the place felt even more like an American home.

It's nice that the open kitchen lets you watch the cooking, but what I really enjoyed was looking around the interior, so nicely done with all kinds of props. I bet photos turn out great here!

How do you order at Hey Joji?

The menu is displayed outside, and you order at your table by scanning a QR code!

Menu photos are on the Naver menu page, so you can browse and choose.

What we ordered at Hey Joji and the prices

• Bocconcini meat chili tomato pasta: ₩17,000
• Jambalaya rosé risotto: ₩17,000

The food comes in cute Hey Joji bowls, with a yellow side plate as an accent ❤️ The hip tableware makes everything look even better. Let me introduce the dishes one by one.

Bocconcini meat chili tomato pasta: is it spicy?

Despite the name, the chili flavor in Hey Joji's bocconcini meat chili tomato pasta is super faint. The white stuff on top is bocconcini cheese (small fresh mozzarella balls)! Melt it into the pasta and it's cheesy and soft, totally delicious.

I liked that it comes with lots of bocconcini, and I'd recommend it especially as a pasta nobody will dislike!

Jambalaya rosé risotto: texture and flavor

Hey Joji's jambalaya rosé risotto has a crunchy, brown-rice-like texture, with seafood and rosé flavors blended together. Jambalaya is a rice dish from the American South: rice is stir-fried with meat, seafood, vegetables and more, then simmered with seafood and broth.

I liked the brown-rice-like crunchy texture, and the way the seafood and rosé flavors came together. Plus the plump sausage was nicely salty, a perfect topping 👍🏻

Who would like Hey Joji?

That was my trip to the Yeonnam-dong favorite "Hey Joji". With no break time, you can go whenever it suits you and have a tasty meal in a place full of exotic decor. How about giving it a try?!