Hongdae teppanyaki lunch, draft beer and flag coupon: Jojo Yeonnam

My friend came all the way up from Gwangju to Seoul and booked a stay near Yeonnam-dong in Hongdae, so right after checking out we went looking for a Japanese restaurant nearby for a light day-drinking session — and that's how I found this place. It's exactly the spot for casually enjoying Japanese food with a drink, so let me introduce it right away.

Jojo Yeonnam Branch hours, parking and Naver perks

Jojo Yeonnam Branch

Hours: 11:30 – 22:00 Break time: weekdays 15:20 – 17:00, weekends 16:00 – 17:00 Parking: not available / use nearby public parking lots - Yeonnam 3 Public Parking Lot: 229-66 Yeonnam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul - Yeonnam 4 Roadside Public Parking Lot: 224-68 Yeonnam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul

Reservations available via Naver. Subscribe to Naver notifications for a yakisoba size-up coupon (usable between 11:30 and 15:00). Leave a Naver receipt review for the oolong tea event.

Even though I visited around noon on a weekday, there were already people finishing up their meals and heading out.

Jojo is a Japanese restaurant in Yeonnam-dong, Hongdae, specializing in teppanyaki, packed with mouthwatering menu items like monjayaki, yakisoba, and okonomiyaki.

What three of us ordered for a lunchtime drink

Jojo yakisoba Mentaiko monjayaki Karashi donpeyaki Draft beer (400ml / 200ml)

My friends said they wanted monjayaki and yakisoba, so I dutifully ordered and read through the 'how to eat it properly' guide!

The little flag coupon you write your nickname on

When I ordered the monjayaki at Jojo Yeonnam Branch, they gave me this cute coupon. They asked me to write a nickname on it — I was confused for a second, then wrote down my friend's nickname from Gwangju and handed it over.

It came out stuck into the monjayaki like a little flag, haha. It wasn't a big deal, but my friend got so excited taking photos of it. A small fun touch.

Mentaiko monjayaki: loaded with cheese as standard

The mentaiko monjayaki at Jojo Yeonnam Branch, a Japanese restaurant in Yeonnam-dong, Hongdae, comes with a full generous scoop of mentaiko (seasoned pollock roe), plus a heap of cheese on top. I personally love cheese in my monjayaki, so this was right up my alley.

Some places make you pay extra for that much cheese and mentaiko, so having it included as standard was such a good point!

The staff kindly warned us that oil might splatter, and watching them make the mentaiko monjayaki with such skilled, flashy hands alone was enough to make my mouth water.

The thin layer stuck to the hot plate had this crispy-yet-chewy, scorched-rice-like texture, while the batter above stayed moist and savory — the mentaiko monjayaki at Jojo, a Japanese restaurant in Yeonnam-dong, was seriously charming.

The mochi bits are even better if you roll them around a bit longer so every side cooks through — so wonderfully chewy and full of charm.

Karashi donpeyaki and its wasabi kick

At Jojo, a Japanese restaurant in Yeonnam-dong, Hongdae, there are also seats right in front of the teppan where you can watch the cooking happen live. Thanks to that, we got to watch our karashi donpeyaki being made right at our table, which added some visual fun on top of everything else.

I already like donpeyaki in general, and since Jojo, a Japanese restaurant in Yeonnam-dong, Hongdae, had a spicy karashi version, we all agreed and ordered the spicy one!

I expected 'spicy' to mean some kind of chili sauce drizzled on top, but it turned out to be a subtle wasabi flavor instead.

Each table also had Jojo's special sauce, mayonnaise, and a fire sauce set out, so if you're not into wasabi-style heat, dipping into these sauces instead could be a good way to get your spicy fix!

Jojo yakisoba with a glass of draft beer

The Jojo yakisoba had such a glossy, gorgeous look to it. I already love yakisoba in general, and this one was genuinely delicious. We came here to day-drink, so of course we had to order something to go with it!

But since I'm the lightest drinker among my friends, I embarrassingly went for the small size. There were plenty of options — highball, sawa, draft beer, and more — so you could order whatever suits your taste, but I firmly believe teppanyaki calls for draft beer, so we all went with that.

Drizzling on some of the mayo from the sauces set beside it makes it even better. The springy noodles, crunchy cabbage, and plenty of smoky-charred meat made it seriously delicious.

If you're looking for a good spot for day-drinking or just casual beers, or if you're craving proper teppanyaki, I recommend stopping by Jojo, a Japanese restaurant in Yeonnam-dong, Hongdae!!