Ulju café with laptop outlets and weekend tiramisu cinnamon roll: MUG

The weather was so nice I wanted to drive somewhere! Days like this call for going far, haha. So I took a drive all the way to Eonyang, Ulsan. Today's destination: MUG. I'd heard it was a famous dessert spot in Eonyang and was curious, but the moment I walked in, my eyes nearly popped out at all the desserts, haha. The vibe was great too — perfect for a dessert date.

90 Hyangsandagae-ro, Sangbuk-myeon, Ulju-gun, Ulsan, South Korea / Daily 10:00 - 20:00 / Last order 19:30

MUG's parking and charred-wood exterior: why the burnt timber?

As a large café in Ulsan, MUG's parking lot was genuinely spacious. As you can see in the photo, there was plenty of room to park comfortably without any worries.

Standing at the café entrance and looking at the view across the way — clouds drifting, mountains visible, gorgeous trees. The weather was so nice that day, everything just looked even more beautiful for it. I'd been kind of looking forward to the weekend bubble event too, but whether it had ended already or the timing just didn't match up, I never got to see it. A bit disappointing, ugh.

MUG's exterior was a bit special from the start. This land apparently used to be a nursery growing landscaping trees for over 20 years. But in 2013, a wildfire destroyed all the trees — a painful loss. Rather than hide those traces, they used charred wood throughout the café to remember it. Maybe that's why the dark, deep-toned wood didn't feel like plain interior decor but something more special. A place where trees were replanted and a new space was built on the very ground that lost everything to fire. Knowing that, MUG looked a little different to me.

MUG's outdoor space, walking path and dogs on the grounds

Walking around to the back of MUG, there was an outdoor space too, with tables scattered around. A walking trail seemed to continue nearby, but I was too tired that day and just admired it from a distance, haha.

There were quite a few outdoor seats, so people visiting with dogs could sit outside and relax while watching their pups run around. It seemed like a good spot to spend leisurely time in nature — not bad at all for an Eonyang date spot.

MUG is also a gallery café in Ulsan. The very first space you meet when you step inside is a small exhibition room. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a unique café in Ulsan.

What we ordered at MUG

• Americano
• Tiramisu cinnamon roll
• Squid ink garlic baguette

MUG's tiramisu cinnamon roll: weekends and holidays only

If you're visiting MUG, you have to try the signature dessert — the cinnamon roll! Turns out the tiramisu cinnamon roll is sold only on weekends and holidays. Since I happened to visit on a weekend, there was no way I could pass it up. I hesitated a bit, but I was curious enough about the tiramisu cinnamon roll that I ordered it anyway.

Being a bakery café in Eonyang, Ulsan, MUG was packed with all kinds of bread. Everything looked delicious, so I agonized over what to pick, but in the end I figured — familiar flavors are the best, haha — and went with the squid ink garlic baguette.

MUG seating and window views: can you work on a laptop here?

MUG really had a ton of tables, fitting for a large café in Ulsan! But nearly all of those seats were full... A free spot would get taken almost the instant it opened up, so if we'd arrived even a little later, there might not have been a seat for us.

The view was great and the interior was pretty, so I wanted to photograph every corner, but there were so many people that half my photos ended up looking like they needed mosaic censoring — so disappointing, ugh.

The scenery through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows looked almost like a framed picture or a painting — just sitting there felt healing 🌿

Being a large café, quite a few families and groups were visiting. In particular, I saw a lot of guests around my parents' age — who could possibly dislike a view like this? It's a perfect spot for any age group.

Outlets were placed all around too, making it convenient for laptop work. We actually had some work to do on our laptops that day, so we settled into a seat and spent time comfortably.

The restrooms were kept clean as well. Men's and women's rooms were separate and neatly maintained, so it was comfortable to use.

How MUG's americano and tiramisu cinnamon roll tasted

There are plenty of places where the americano just isn't good, right? But MUG's americano was genuinely smooth. Honestly, I didn't expect much from the americano, but I ended up won over by it, haha.

And the tiramisu cinnamon roll I'd been looking forward to — the moment I took a bite, the subtle cinnamon aroma that spread through was really lovely. If you like cinnamon, you'll enjoy this one.

The tiramisu cream was also soft and sweet, and eating it together with the smooth americano was a perfect match. I got why it's their signature dessert — 👍🏻 satisfying enough that you could call this place a cinnamon roll spot 👏🏻

MUG's squid ink garlic baguette, in six-clove garlic bread style

It's the familiar yukjjok garlic bread style, but the cream cheese and garlic sauce combo inside the squid ink garlic baguette was seriously top-tier! We're the type who can never walk past a yukjjok garlic bread on a café menu, and out of all the ones I've tried recently, this was the best. If you love yukjjok garlic bread, I'd definitely recommend MUG's squid ink garlic baguette.

Would I go back to MUG?

They said the cinnamon roll lineup and bakery selection change a bit depending on the season and ingredients, so I'm planning to visit again, haha. The staff were kind, and from the desserts to the americano, everything was delicious, so I'm very much up for a repeat visit. With a great view and a comfortable space to spend leisurely time, this is a place worth visiting in Eonyang — I'd recommend it as a café in Ulsan.