Hongdae brunch café with a jamón avocado pancake plate: Jam Jam

On a nice-weather day I was walking through the Yeonnam-dong alleys and stopped by Jam Jam for brunch. You know those days when just coffee feels a little lacking but a full meal feels too heavy? That was exactly the kind of day it was, so I went with a pancake plate and a cold ade to go with it.

How to get to Jam Jam, and its opening hours

Jam Jam sits on the Seongmisan-ro 29-gil alley you reach by walking from Hongik University Station toward Yeonnam-dong. The big window with JAMJAM lettering and the menu board out front made it easier to find than I expected. The entrance already has a slightly vintage, playful vibe, so I ended up taking a photo before even stepping inside, haha.

• Jam Jam · 24 Seongmisan-ro 29-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul
• About 10 min walk from Hongik Univ. Station Exit 3
• Weekdays 10:00 - 21:00
• Weekends 10:00 - 22:00

Hours and menu items can change, so it's worth checking Naver Place before you go.

Inside Jam Jam: retro basement interior and seating

Inside, exposed concrete walls mixed naturally with green plants and round mirrors. It felt less like a carefully styled space and more like an old studio thoughtfully touched up. Mirrors were scattered around, so it was a decent spot to take photos while waiting for brunch.

Next to the ordering counter is an open kitchen, with large tables and two-person seats mixed in a good balance. Each table had a slightly different mood, so where you sit seems to change the photos quite a bit.

Further inside, olive-green sofa seating runs along the back — warm lighting against rough walls turned out to be a surprisingly nice combination. The space was longer in person than it looked in photos, and it was a good spot to eat brunch and chat slowly.

The furniture and props aren't matched to one single style — it's more like retro pieces mixed together comfortably. If you prefer a space with a bit less polish than the shiny new cafés, I think you'd like it here.

What we ordered at Jam Jam and what it cost

We ordered the pancake plate and a green grape ade. Pancake plate ₩15,000, green grape ade ₩6,000. Prices are as of the visit and may change depending on the store.

What comes on Jam Jam's pancake plate?

The moment the plate arrived, the colors were so pretty I took several photos first. Three round, doughnut-shaped pancakes come with avocado, soft-boiled egg, jamón, tomato, and baby greens. Butter and maple syrup are served alongside, so it was easy to switch between sweet and salty within a single plate.

The pancakes alone look like a sweet dessert, but eating them with the avocado and jamón made it feel like proper brunch. The salty jamón was mellowed out nicely by the mild avocado and egg, and the tomato refreshed things in between.

The plate had so much variety that even sharing it between two people never felt monotonous. We started light with the salad side and later piled plenty of butter and syrup onto the pancakes — that order turned out to be my personal favorite way to go.

Is the green grape ade worth ₩6,000?

The green grape ade had grape flesh and syrup settled beneath clear soda water. Stirred well, it was sweet and refreshing, brightening things up between bites of brunch! Even with maple syrup on the pancakes, the ade kept the whole meal from feeling too heavy.

How do Jam Jam's pancakes taste and feel?

The pancakes were browned deeply on the outside, so I expected them to be a bit firm, but the inside was moist and fluffy. Plain, they're fairly mild, and adding butter and maple syrup brings out a rich sweetness. Cutting them into big pieces like in the photo made the contrast between the crust and the inside even more noticeable.

Who should visit Jam Jam in Yeonnam-dong?

If a café is only pretty, one visit is usually enough, but Jam Jam's brunch plate was substantial and genuinely good, so next time I'd like to try the pasta or French toast too. If you're looking for a relaxed late breakfast in Yeonnam-dong, or a café near Hongdae for a date where you can also get some nice photos, Jam Jam is worth a stop :)