Korea’s Famous Poop Cafe (UPDATED)

Updated October 24, 2023.

At first glance, the Poop Cafe (또옹카페) is a seemingly normal cafe, despite the odd name painted in huge letters across the windows. However, once you get closer, you start to realize that there is a tree inside decorated with colorful poop-shaped papers. Then, once you are inside, you realize that the poop-shaped papers also have adorable little faces, sneakers and handwritten messages on them from previous visitors. At this point you may start to wonder what kind of cafe decorates a tree with “cute” poops?!?

Inside, the cafe is surprisingly normal. There is a long coffee bar when you enter and it is quite spacious. The space has a very casual, relaxed earthy feel to it. Several mismatched chairs and colorful wooden tables occupy the majority of the space. To be honest, I was a little disappointed with the normality of it all. I suppose I was hoping for more of a shock factor.

Despite the ordinary interior, I began to to find those quirky poop hidden treasures I longed for. A few squat toilets that had been turned into mini gardens occupied some floor space, porcelain cups with poops painted on them lined the shelves and colorful plush coils of “poop” could be found on tables, chairs and in little nooks and crannies. I like to get a little silly with the plush poops.

And, if you’ve ever wondered what it’d be like to drink out of a toilet, your journey is at an end. The cafe’s specialty drinks come in toilet shaped mugs (they’re also available for purchase). I can’t say they are very practical to drink out of, but they make for some very interesting pictures.

There are a few snacks on menu, but the poop waffles are a clear standout. They’re drizzled with chocolate sauce (obviously) and served on a plate shaped like a squat toilet (!!). They’re also served with chocolate ice cream and taste great, in case you were wondering.

The real treat is served just outside the cafe. The Poop Hotteok is an must-eat for any and all visitors. In fact, we’d even recommend stopping by just for the hotteok. The hotteok comes in two varieties: red bean and chocolate. I brought my mom and youngest sister here here and they weren’t too keen on the red bean. The chocolate, on the other hand, is freaking amazing.

If you’re looking for a quirky “only in Korea” kind of place to visit, this should definitely be on your list. Since it’s located in the heart of 인사동 (Insadong) there are lots of things to do and see while you are in the area, especially if you are a tourist. It is also just a hop and a skip away from the lovely 경복궁 (Gyeongbok Palace). If you ever find yourself in the area, be sure to treat yourself to a toilet of coffee.

Address:

• 4th floor, 44 Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul