Yeonnam-dong American restaurant steak date: Hey Joji

It had been a while since my fiancé and I went out for a Yeonnam-dong date. Since I wanted it to feel like a proper meal out, we searched for a great steak place and visited Hey Joji!

From Hongik University Station into Yeonnam-dong’s alleys

We came out of Exit 3 at Hongik University Station and headed toward Yeonnam-dong. Hey Joji sits just inside an alley off the main road. There is plenty to look at and so many pretty spots along the way, making it a route that gives you lots to talk about on a date.

A vintage interior with no break time

Hey Joji is great for a Yeonnam-dong date, especially because it has no break time, so you do not have to worry about when you visit. The warm green interior feels both vintage and antique. The lighting is a little dim, so it has a lovely atmosphere even during the day. There are window seats, too, and lots of cute little decorations.

There were definitely lots of couples on dates, and it is a popular steak-date spot with a wait on weekends. We went to the table we were shown and ordered from the menu using the QR code on our phones.

We were set up with cute yellow underplates and waited for our food.

Tender, juicy house steak

We ordered the House Steak. At ₩31,000, it came with flat iron steak and sweet potato fries, which made me smile again with their cute French-fry shape. We were very hungry, so I wondered if the steak might take a while. But even though every table was full, it arrived without a long wait. It was cooked to a nice medium-well.

It arrived cut into easy, bite-sized pieces, so it was easier to focus on our conversation. A tender, juicy steak without any chewy sinew! The staff were kind, and the steak was really delicious.

Slightly spicy jambalaya rosé risotto

The dish we ordered with the House Steak was the Jambalaya Rosé Risotto, ₩17,000. It had a slight kick, and the steak and risotto went really well together. The rice grains were tasty, and the sausage pieces were large! There was also a good amount of shrimp and squid, so it added protein, made the meal filling, and gave it a nice bite.

For two people, I recommend adding a side

Still, two dishes for two people felt just a little short on quantity. There are side dishes such as waffle chicken, corn ribs, and chicken tender Caesar salad. I think one more side would make the meal just right. The dishes were so good that I was excited to try the other items, too!

There are also a variety of unusual pasta dishes, including garlic squid oil pasta, jambon butter cheddar pasta, and Cajun shrimp rosé pasta.

Corkage and a casual date atmosphere

It naturally made me think of wine, and corkage is available, too. Wine corkage is ₩10,000 per person, and they also have lemonade, Stella lager beer, Hoegaarden Rosé beer, and Big Wave Golden Ale beer.

The music was good, the food was harmonious and delicious, and it really felt like we were out on a Yeonnam-dong restaurant date. It was such a pleasant, fun time. As an American home-style restaurant, it has a wonderfully exotic feel, but it is not overly formal or intimidating, so we could relax over a casual date meal.

They are open during the Chuseok holiday, so it could be a good place to visit if you are wondering where to go. The next time we come back for another Yeonnam-dong date, we are planning to try other dishes, too!

Discount tips to know before visiting

• Get ₩1,000 off when you visit after making a Naver reservation.
• Write a reservation review for an additional ₩1,000 discount.
• Earn points worth 20% of your payment when paying with Naver Pay through an N Pay Connect terminal.