Namdong ramen restaurant premium set with mixed katsu: Hongdae Gureume

I was craving Japanese ramen recently, so while visiting a friend in Incheon, I did some serious searching and ended up at Hongdae Gureume Incheon Nonhyeon Branch!

Parking and location — 2nd floor of the iFlex Building

One thing I loved even before setting foot inside: parking is available! 🚗 No worrying about where to park before a meal, which makes it easy to visit for anyone driving 👍🏻 And the lot is spacious!

The restaurant is on the 2nd floor :) Get off the elevator and go right, straight ahead!

What's the atmosphere like?

Walking in, the place felt clean and cozy, decorated in a cute Japanese style — you could feel the thoughtful little touches everywhere!

I want to go to Fukuoka! A Fukuoka you can walk to!!

Walking in suddenly gave me the urge to travel to Japan again haha 🥹 I really want to go.

Hair ties, aprons, even a phone stand

Once I sat down, I noticed a hair tie ready on the table for tying up your hair, and an apron right there too! And even a phone stand — these small details showing that much care really stood out. Comfortable hands and eyes while you eat 👍🏻 If you're dining solo or have long hair, you'll definitely relate 😮

What did I order?

The menu had ramen, tonkatsu, soba, sushi, salmon rice bowls, and tons of set menu options — total decision paralysis. I did consider the salmon and soba too 🫠 but I wanted something hearty that day, so I went with the premium ramen set's Korean-style spicy ramen and the mixed katsu. 🍜🥩

(Oh! They also have great lunch specials!! Didn't get a photo of that menu though ㅠㅠ)

How the Korean-style spicy ramen tastes

First up, the Korean-style spicy ramen! I usually like Japanese-style ramen too, but that day I wanted a spicy, kick-you-in-the-throat broth, so I picked this.

It wasn't too greasy, and the spiciness paired really well with the noodles — the rich broth and chewy noodles were a great combo, and the spicy flavor kept calling me back with every bite. If you love spicy food, this is the dish for you. 👍🏻

The inari sushi was also delicious, and it came with a salad, shrimp tempura, karaage, and fruit — the little menu details were so cute and nice!

Mixed katsu and cheese tonkatsu — a love-it-or-hate-it note

Then there was the mixed katsu we ordered together! It was great being able to try several kinds of katsu at once. The frying was crispy on the outside and soft inside — went perfectly with the ramen.

The cheese tonkatsu had a bit of a smoky flavor? that was a little strong for me, so that might be a love-it-or-hate-it thing 🥺 just a heads-up! There were two sauces plus salt and wasabi, so you can go with whatever suits your taste!

Anyway, adding the mixed katsu to the premium ramen set made for a truly filling, generous meal 👍🏻

Who would I recommend this to?

I didn't get to join the Naver photo review event myself, but they're giving out salmon sushi, takoyaki, and a drink, so keep that in mind!

If you're in Nonhyeon-dong, Namdong-gu, Incheon and can't decide on lunch, need somewhere good for solo dining, are hunting for a great ramen spot, or want to enjoy ramen, katsu, and sushi all together — I'd highly recommend this place 🍜✨

There was a little note with words of comfort and luck, so I pulled one, and this is what it said! 🙆🏻‍♀️ Smile and good fortune comes!!

The way to invite happiness is: smile! 😊

Anyway, Hongdae Gureume Incheon Nonhyeon Branch has so many options — from ramen to tonkatsu, sushi, to rice bowls — it seems great for a group where everyone can pick what they want. I want to come back and try other menu items next time! The staff were kind and the food was hearty and satisfying overall 🙂