Okonomiyaki restaurant in Mullae Art Village: open-window date at Jojo

Jojo Mullae Branch: an okonomiyaki restaurant in Mullae Art Village

Jojo Mullae Branch (죠죠 문래점) is a teppan Japanese restaurant specializing in okonomiyaki (savory Japanese cabbage pancake), tucked into the alleys of Mullae Art Village. It's open 11:30 - 22:00, closed on Tuesdays, and you can book through Naver Reservation.

My memory isn't great, so I rely on saving places in Naver Map, and I'd had Jojo saved for ages. And then!! Jojo!! Landed in Mullae!! I headed over right away.

How long is the dinner wait at Jojo Mullae Branch?

I visited at 6:30pm on a Thursday and, of course, there was a wait.... They put out chairs outside the shop so you can sit while you wait, and if you wander the Mullae Art Village alleys, the time flies.

The outdoor menu board is neat and tidy too. There are good-value sets for 2–3 people and plenty of à la carte dishes. I was so curious about monjayaki (Tokyo-style runny pan-fried batter), but I told myself I'd try the original in Tokyo soon, so today it was the signature set for two!

Window seats and open glass walls at Jojo Mullae

The inside is spacious and clean. If you book on Naver ahead, it's big enough to handle a group without trouble. The long wait was worth it... window seat, yay!

Once the evening got breezy, they opened up the big glass windows. The vibe was insane~~ total open-air pub feel.

Every seat has a timer and sauces. Being able to pour on as much sauce as you like is great. I totally got my money's worth, hahaha. They also have a coupon that gets you one stamp per ₩10,000 spent!

A griddle at every seat and two draft beers on tap

Every seat at Jojo has its own teppan (iron griddle), and the big plus is that they cook right in front of you. While the griddle heats up, you wait with a beer. There are two draft beers, Suntory and Hanmac, plus a secret little 200ml Suntory, haha, so cute. A quick drink at lunch would be nice too.

Oh, and of course there's a restroom inside. The interior is almost café-level in style, and it's spotless, no need to say more.

Jojo okonomiyaki, cooked on the griddle in front of you

Once the griddle is hot, a staff member comes and cooks the okonomiyaki right in front of you! The sizzling ASMR is so good.

They shape it into a perfect circle and pile on plenty of katsuobushi (bonito flakes). The fluttering flakes were so pretty that I took a photo... my inner pig is going wild. Ha.

Once it's nicely browned on both sides and brushed with sauce, all that's left is to eat, hohoho.

Okonomiyaki fresh off the griddle right in front of you! It's packed with cabbage, bean sprouts and seafood, so it feels hearty and filling.

Undercooked okonomiyaki tastes like raw batter, and overcooked gets dry, right? Jojo, as an okonomiyaki specialist, nails the doneness. The texture was moist and soft, and I loved it.

What does the karai yakisoba in the signature set taste like?

Jojo's signature set includes yakisoba (stir-fried noodles) and tonpeiyaki (pork omelet). Apart from okonomiyaki and monjayaki, the rest of the menu is made in the open kitchen.

We swapped to the karai (spicy) yakisoba. They put it straight on the griddle, so it stays piping hot until you finish.

Pop the soft-cooked egg, toss it all together, take a big bite and... is this Japan..?

Look at that shine on the yakisoba. The seasoning is rich but not salty. Being karai, it's slightly spicy, which keeps it from getting heavy, and it's full of seafood, so picking through it is fun too.

Tonpeiyaki: a rolled omelet filled with pork

I'd never had tonpeiyaki before, and it's a rolled omelet with pork inside! It came in a bowl sized just right for the omelet.. the plating was pretty.

Pork + rolled omelet + sauce = can't go wrong. It was perfect for picking at one piece at a time with beer, hahaha.

Ah, summer vacation... I need to lose weight...

Is Jojo Mullae Branch a good pick for a date or lunch?

Jojo Mullae is a hexagon-stat restaurant: the food, the atmosphere and the friendliness are all top. A place with a long wait has its reasons..

Prices are kind too, so it would be great to come when you want a quick drink with food and order à la carte instead of a set. It's big enough for couples, friends and group gatherings, and with no break time you can go at lunch too, so I recommend it to anyone looking for a Mullae lunch spot or a date course in Mullae-dong!