Mazesoba mixed with rice at a Cheongju Japanese restaurant

Cheongju's most beloved noodle restaurant — here's my recommendation of the best value menu items at Myeonsikdang, a Cheongju Jiwel City favorite.

Where is Myeonsikdang Jiwel City and where do you park?

Myeonsikdang Jiwel City is located on the 1st floor of Jiwel City Mall Building A, a Cheongju Jiwel City favorite. It's directly across from Solbat Elementary School, so it's easy to find.

You can park in the basement lot of the LK Triplex commercial building, which is free for 2 hours. The entrance to the basement parking lot is next to Tous Les Jours.

Inside Myeonsikdang: seating, menu and group reservations

There were so many customers I only managed to snap the interior on my way out!! With true value for money and great taste, Myeonsikdang Jiwel City records a 93% waiting rate during lunch peak hours and is loved by everyone from students to families — truly a Cheongju Jiwel City favorite.

With plenty of bar tables plus tables for 2 and 4, it's great whether you're dining solo or coming with family, friends, or a partner.

Groups of 3–6 can also make reservations via Naver outside of peak hours (12pm–1pm). If you reserve, you get a 2–3 person ade drink as a service — don't miss it.

The menu features ramen, pho, soba, udon, rice bowls, and katsu. In these high-inflation times, all the prices are reasonable, so it's really good value.

You order via tablet,

and if you write a Naver receipt photo review or an Instagram review, you get a canned drink as a service.

Tonkotsu ramen: fresh noodles in pork bone broth

The signature menu item at Myeonsikdang Jiwel City, selling over 2,000 bowls a month on average: tonkotsu ramen. Topped with chashu, bean sprouts, tamago (egg), naruto (fish cake), seaweed, and green onion, it looks great just from the visual alone.

It's a Japanese-style ramen where rich, savory pork bone broth meets tender, generously sized chashu, soft egg, and crunchy bean sprouts.

The deep umami of the long-simmered pork bones comes through while the greasiness is cut, making for a clean, savory broth — truly excellent.

These are fresh noodles, not fried ones, so they're chewy and soft, with the rich broth soaking well between the strands — a perfect match with the toppings.

Mazesoba with kelp vinegar, then rice mixed into the sauce

My beloved order every time I come to Myeonsikdang — mazesoba. It comes with rice and a special vinegar alongside the noodles, so you can enjoy it in different ways.

Mazesoba, a Japanese mixed noodle dish reborn Korean-style, is my favorite menu item — you mix it with ground meat, green onion, chives, seaweed, and the special mixing sauce.

The alluring sweet-and-salty rich sauce coats the noodles, giving off a deep, savory flavor.

About halfway through the noodles, drizzle on a bit of the kelp vinegar that comes alongside — it cuts the richness and the umami explodes.

And after finishing the noodles, mixing the leftover sauce with rice makes for a hearty, satisfying finish.

Butadon and mini cold soba set

Another great value option: the butadon (grilled pork rice bowl) and mini cold soba set.

Pork grilled with a smoky char is generously topped with egg yolk, onion, green onion, and sesame seeds. The subtle smoky, savory flavor from the pork, combined with the sauce well soaked into the meat and rice, makes it delicious.

The mini cold soba, with its slushy broth, is cool and refreshing, cleansing the palate nicely after the heavier butadon.

Is Myeonsikdang Jiwel City worth a return visit?

Myeonsikdang, a Cheongju Jiwel City favorite, offers excellent value menus around ₩10,000 including tonkotsu ramen, mazesoba, shabu kalguksu, and handmade pork loin katsu. With generous portions and refined flavors, it's a fantastic, affordable spot near Jiwel City with a 200% revisit intention.