Gwangjin ramen restaurant for afternoon motsu ramen: Mentsuru

It was sponsored, but it’s a seriously great ramen spot. I visited Mentsuru Children's Grand Park Branch (멘츠루 어린이대공원점), just a one-minute walk down the alley right beside KFC after exiting Children's Grand Park Station Exit 4! 🫠

It was a sponsored visit, but the ramen quality was so incredible that I genuinely gasped after one bite and vowed to come back again soon. Such a great spot around Konkuk University ✨

I had motsu ramen loaded with beef intestine, with a soft ajitama egg added, plus horumon-don (grilled beef large-intestine rice bowl) on the side. There’s no break time, so it would make a perfectly relaxed date-lunch course around Konkuk University too! 🔥🌈

I ordered both the motsu ramen and horumon-don. Highly recommend the motsu ramen—it’s seriously delicious.

Mentsuru Children's Grand Park Branch: the basics

It’s just 57 m from Children's Grand Park Station Exit 4, about a one-minute walk, right next to KFC, so it’s super easy to reach. Ordering is convenient with the kiosk and tablet, and there are well-equipped bar seats for solo diners too.

• Sign up for Naver Place notifications to receive a free takoyaki coupon.
• There is no on-site parking, so I recommend Gwangjin Plaza Public Parking Lot across the street.
• If you’re driving, just search for Gwangjin Plaza Public Parking Lot!!

Ordering motsu ramen and horumon-don together

We ordered the signature motsu ramen (₩15,000) with an added egg (+₩1,000), making it ₩16,000, and shared the horumon-don (₩15,000) too! 🌟

How were the motsu ramen noodles and spice level?

Despite its red broth, the motsu ramen topped generously with beef intestine was less spicy than Shin Ramyun, so it went down easily without feeling overwhelming!

The moment I took a sip, the deep, rich broth and nutty flavor of the intestine spread through my mouth. But more than anything, the noodle cooking was an absolute work of art! 🏆 Neither bloated nor undercooked, they had that perfectly chewy, springy bite dancing around in my mouth. The noodles were so good I couldn’t help but marvel!

The ₩1,000 egg add-on had a beautifully moist yolk too, and dipped in the broth, it was insanely good 😍

The noodles were cooked so well. Of all the ramen places I’ve tried, these had the best noodle texture. The broth was tasty too, and it was less spicy than Shin Ramyun. As someone with a low spice tolerance, I found it delicious.

If you love beef large intestine, I highly recommend the rice bowl!! Honestly though, if I came back, I think I’d get the ramen.

Get the horumon-don if you love beef large intestine

The horumon-don (₩15,000) we ordered alongside it is a rice bowl piled high with plump beef large intestine with a smoky grilled flavor! I really love that rich, fatty nuttiness, so I happily mixed it into the rice with the slightly sweet tare sauce.

The horumon-don was nicely tasty too, but honestly, if I had to choose one of the two, I’d absolutely pick the motsu ramen again for its standout noodles and savory broth 🎯

Interior and seating for solo dining

Inside and outside.

There are single seats, so you can eat alone.

Looks like a ramen shop, right?

Solo ramen in the afternoon, with no break time

I went to Mentsuru Children's Grand Park Branch craving rich, spicy Japanese-style ramen near Children's Grand Park! Above all, its biggest advantage is that there is absolutely no break time, so you can visit whenever suits you! 🫠✨

A relaxed solo meal at 4 p.m.

I heard it gets so busy at lunchtime with nearby office workers and Konkuk University and Sejong University students that there can be a 5–10 minute wait! I avoided the rush and arrived around 4 p.m.; there was only one other customer, so I could eat in a quiet, very comfortable setting! 👍

The clean counter-style solo seats make it perfect for coming alone and eating comfortably without worrying about anyone else! 🏆

Tip for Gwangjin Plaza Public Parking Lot

There’s no parking provided by the restaurant itself, but there’s no need to worry if you drive! Gwangjin Plaza Public Parking Lot operates 24 hours a day directly across the road. At ₩250 per five minutes (₩3,000 per hour), it’s reasonably priced—just park comfortably and cross the street, that’s it 🎯

They have a review event, so try the fried gyoza!

The menu and adding an egg

I had mine with an egg added.