Konkuk Univ. cake café: coconut Einspänner & mango cake, Café Ohkam

Why you keep going back to Café Ohkam, a dessert café near Konkuk Univ.

Café Ohkam (카페 오캄) is a cozy dessert café tucked into an alley of bars near Konkuk Univ. Station, and in summer its fresh mango cake is the star. When I look for a café in the Konkuk Univ. area where I can chat with friends on a weekend, this is the one that comes to mind, the place only people in the know seem to find. The whipped cream cakes change with the seasons, which is another reason it's a cake spot you keep revisiting.

Café Ohkam location, hours and parking

• Location: 117-23 Dongil-ro 22-gil, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, South Korea (floors 1–3)
• Hours: daily 12:00–22:00 (last order 21:30)
• Parking: use a paid parking lot nearby

The building is a bit unusual. Everything from the 1st floor, which feels like a 2nd floor, up to the 3rd floor is Café Ohkam, and since it's a converted house, it has a Seongsu vibe.

How to get to Café Ohkam from Konkuk Univ. Station

Café Ohkam is about a 5-minute walk from Exits 1 and 2 of Konkuk Univ. Station. Because it sits inside an alley of bars, it feels a little like a treasure hunt.

How waiting works at Café Ohkam

There's always a wait on weekends! It's a walk-in system, so if there's no seat, you leave your name and phone number and explore the Konkuk Univ. area in the meantime. This was my revisit, and luckily exactly one seat was left, so I skipped the wait.

The entrance, the fresh mango bingsu and the cat

Café Ohkam is famous for a few reasons. In summer it's known as a top bingsu (Korean shaved ice) spot near Konkuk Univ., and even though it's only June, the fresh mango bingsu is already on sale this year.

You can also meet a cute cat here, which wins over a lot of hearts. But you must never touch it! The cat can get stressed from people's hands.

Café Ohkam seating on floors 1–3 and amenities

All three floors are Café Ohkam, so it looks like there's plenty of seating, but the 3rd floor is a rooftop, so in practice you'll sit on the 1st or 2nd floor. There's always a wait, so go with a steady heart.

The place is full of people in their 20s, but I also see 30-somethings who come to fill up on the mood, and it's good for a day when you want to be alone, too.

On the 2nd floor, the seats next to the big mirror are really stylish and cozy, but I've never managed to get one, which is a shame.

• The men's restroom is on the 2nd floor, and there's a phone charger in front of it, so you can feed your phone while you chat away.
• The women's restroom is on the 3rd floor, so there's sometimes a line.
• Wireless internet is available! The ID and password are in front of the men's restroom.

What's on the dessert menu at Café Ohkam?

In Café Ohkam's small showcase you can see cakes and other desserts: fresh mango cake, fruit sando (fruit sandwich), tiramisu, Basque cheesecake, financiers and cookies.

Among the things to enjoy at Café Ohkam this summer, the fresh mango bingsu is a must. It's also perfect if you're looking for a Konkuk Univ. dessert café where you can try all sorts of things, even French toast and kaymak (clotted cream).

Lots of people buy birthday cakes here, so there are several kinds of candles too, at about ₩900 to ₩1,000 each.

Café Ohkam signature drinks

The Delos crumble latte, Einspänner (coffee with cream on top), Einspänner latte, coconut spenner and brûlée spenner can be considered Café Ohkam's signatures.

What I ordered this time and the prices

• Coconut spenner – ₩6,500
• Fresh mango cake – ₩9,500
• Cream cheese financier – ₩3,500

Café Ohkam has four kinds of Einspänner, which makes for a happy dilemma, but no worries, I can just come back to try them all.

The drink and cake were ready quickly after ordering, and the cute cat-shaped buzzer went off. Typical "ppalli-ppalli" (hurry-hurry) Korean speed, and I was very satisfied!

How does Café Ohkam's coconut spenner taste?

Have you ever seen a Konkuk Univ. dessert café with four kinds of Einspänner alone? Café Ohkam has eye-catching items like cakes and fresh mango bingsu, but the Einspänner variety is wide too, so choosing is as fun as at Baskin-Robbins.

I was curious about the Einspänner latte too, but the coconut spenner is said to be a bit sweeter, so I picked it: I choose you!! Served in a pretty goblet glass, it tastes like a smooth café latte, topped with a generous pile of sweet whipped cream and chewy coconut chips.

They even kindly explain how to drink it: scoop up the cream and coconut chips with a teaspoon and enjoy, then just drink the coffee.

Worried the cream would end up on my nose (?), I fetched a straw, and it was so smooth that I finished it in no time.

How good is Café Ohkam's fresh mango cake?

Café Ohkam has several menu items made with fresh mango, so it's a good place to enjoy them. Since it's known as a Konkuk Univ. dessert café, the fresh mango cake is beautifully made and totally caught my eye.

There's a rumor that it's a great tiramisu spot, but making you fall for a whipped cream cake made with seasonal fruit is part of Café Ohkam's charm. The best way is to come with several people and order a bit of everything: tiramisu, cheesecake, a seasonal fruit cake and fresh mango bingsu.

Perfectly ripe, bright yellow fresh mango is studded all over the cake, which really whets the appetite. The moment I poked the mango cake with my fork, I was satisfied for the first time by how soft it was! Then in my mouth it wasn't too sweet, so I could eat it without getting tired of it, and that was satisfaction number two.

The mango was so ripe it was soft enough to eat with just my tongue. The downside is that it disappears so fast, and I wanted more so badly that one slice wasn't enough. There's a reason people call it a Konkuk Univ. cake spot.

Café Ohkam cream cheese financier

Café Ohkam has four kinds of financiers (small almond butter cakes), and among them I chose the cream cheese financier (₩3,500), with visible bits of cream cheese dotted through it.

Café Ohkam overall review

• Taste: ★★★☆
• Price: ★★☆
• Atmosphere: ★★★☆

Café Ohkam is a Konkuk Univ. dessert café with great cakes that keeps popping into my head whenever I'm looking for a space full of mood. In summer the fresh mango bingsu is so popular that it's one of the Konkuk Univ. cafés you have to try, and it's loved by couples and by groups who come to chat. It's also known as a cat café in the Konkuk Univ. area, but whether the cat will be there the day you visit is a mystery!