Baby-friendly Yeonnam-dong restaurant with orange wine: Hey Joji

Pitter patter ๑◕‿‿◕๑

Stop watching American home life only through movie screens — come feel it in person at Hey Joji, a place that radiates American home-style restaurant vibes. Walked the streets of Yeonnam-dong with my baby too and made all kinds of memories.

Where is Hey Joji, and can you visit with a baby?

Hey Joji is on the 1st floor at 42-24 Donggyo-ro 46-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, open every day from 12:00 to 21:00. There's nearby paid parking, and babies and strollers are welcome, though there's no high chair.

• 📍42-24 Donggyo-ro 46-gil, 1st floor, Hey Joji, Mapo-gu, Seoul
• ⏰ Every day 12:00–21:00
• 🚘 Nearby paid parking
• ✨ A hip, comfortable Yeonnam-dong date spot with an American home-style restaurant concept and delicious food
• 👼🏻 Babies welcome / stroller access available / no high chair

Held my baby's hand and walked step by step through Hongdae and Yeonnam-dong again after a while — so many stylish people around. Even back when I was young, Hongdae was already that neighborhood bursting with youth, and it still is, honestly. Now that I'm a mom walking these streets, my heart feels the same as back then, but reality is aging along with me, haha.

How long is the wait at Hey Joji on a weekday?

Even on weekdays, Hey Joji has a wait around noon, and it clears out once it's past 1pm. Since I was with my baby, I couldn't handle waiting, so I grabbed lunch at a nearby donkatsu (pork cutlet) place first.

Today with my baby, we stopped by Seoul-type Kika Seogyo-dong branch in the morning, had donkatsu for lunch, then went to Hey Joji. I'd originally planned to eat lunch at Hey Joji, but the wait was insane... apparently even on weekdays there's a wait if you go around noon. Since I'm with a baby, if I miss meal timing my baby starts crying, so I rushed to a nearby donkatsu place instead.

The pasta here is genuinely delicious, you have to try it. Hey Joji is actually famous as a Yeonnam-dong pasta restaurant. They have all kinds of pasta dishes made with special recipes.

If you drop by after 1pm, the crowd has cleared out. This is also a decent spot for a glass of daytime wine, so I stop by every once in a while. As famous as it is for Yeonnam-dong date courses, it's also good for day drinking. Plus you've got to feel the Hongdae vibe — coming all the way to Hongdae and Yeonnam-dong, a wine or beer is basically mandatory. Isn't that exactly what this neighborhood was built for?

A glass of orange wine at Hey Joji, which has no break time

Hey Joji has no break time, so it's great not just for meals but for a light glass of daytime wine too. I went back and forth between the Big Wave golden ale beer and ended up ordering the orange wine.

Ordered the orange wine. It's a wine unique to this place. There's a light hint of whiskey aroma passing through it. I went back and forth with the Big Wave golden ale beer, but the orange wine at Hey Joji was good good.

A homemade lemon drink for the baby

Can I only drink? My baby, who's now practically a proper human being, got the homemade lemonade. First time trying lemonade, and judging by the little "kya~" sound, it went over well. Since it's made with a whole lemon, it's not sweet — actually tart and delicious.

Sweet potato fries, easy to share with a baby

Hey Joji has sweet potato fries instead of regular potato fries! If you're going for a casual beer or wine, definitely pair it with these.

Regular potato fries do their part too when it comes to unwinding with a baby. It gives off that feeling where a relaxing atmosphere and good taste coexist and the fatigue just melts away.

With the weather this hot, cooking in the kitchen at home has its own struggles, so I need to get out with my baby like this and catch some fresh air, even briefly.

Hey Joji seats families with babies at a sofa table

If you have a baby, Hey Joji comfortably shows you to a sofa seat. There's no high chair, but if your child has already graduated from high chairs, the sofa seating is plenty comfortable to sit in.

I really love Hey Joji's own American home-style restaurant atmosphere. If your kid has graduated from the high chair, try out various restaurants and cafés — babies really enjoy it too. Sitting at Hey Joji's sofa seat honestly feels like watching a scene from a movie.

There are truly so many restaurants and cafés in Yeonnam-dong. Definitely check out this restaurant with its own distinct Hey Joji feel. One glass of daytime wine, no more and no less, and I'm fully healed. ♥