Saejeol Station ramen shop that won over a ramen-hater: Oreno Ramen

Why I took a ramen-skeptic friend to Oreno Ramen Eunpyeong

Oreno Ramen Eunpyeong (오레노라멘 은평점) is a ramen shop on Bulgwangcheon-gil near Saejeol Station. I suddenly craved ramen, searched for good ramen in Eunpyeong-gu, and ended up here. And of course it was time for another food outing with Bamtol, who showed up as usual!!! The problem... Bamtol doesn't really like ramen... But today's goal is just one thing: Project Make Bamtol a Ramen Fan, starting now.

It's a 5-minute walk from Saejeol Station Exit 1, and you get there quickly just by following Bulgwangcheon-gil. Bamtol, who dislikes ramen, came along without complaint, so I guess their mood was fine today (or maybe they were just hungry).

Oreno Ramen Eunpyeong hours, parking and waiting

Oreno Ramen Eunpyeong is open 11:00–20:30, with a break from 14:30 to 17:00. Free parking is available, and there are chairs for waiting!

• 5-minute walk from Saejeol Station, on Bulgwangcheon-gil
• Open 11:00–20:30 (break time 14:30–17:00)
• Free parking available
• Waiting chairs available

We went around 1:30pm on a Saturday and waited about 5 minutes!

Oreno Ramen menu: tori paitan and karai paitan

The menu at Oreno Ramen Eunpyeong is simple, just two things: tori paitan (creamy white chicken broth) and karai paitan, its spicy version! I'm a spicy-food lover so I went with karai paitan, while ramen-hater Bamtol figured tori paitan would be the less intense option and chose that.

Look, an open kitchen! Seeing the clean interior made me trust the place even more!

What can you get refilled for free at Oreno Ramen Eunpyeong?

Oreno Ramen Eunpyeong refills noodles (half or full portion), broth, steamed rice and kimchi for free. Before the ramen itself, let me brag about the little details that quietly moved me.

First, the notice stuck on the table: "Noodles (half/full portion), broth, rice and kimchi can be refilled for free. Please feel free to ask." It's not just something they say out loud; having it clearly posted means you can ask for a refill without feeling awkward. (Bamtol and I actually got free refills of noodles, rice and broth ^___^)

Bags for your belongings, and the self-serve bar

Near the entrance there are apron-like bags where you can hang your belongings. It's summer and I was fumbling around with my bag, so little touches like this were a surprisingly welcome point!

The self-serve bar had chilled green tea and sweet-and-sour pickles (they seem to be served instead of yellow pickled radish, and they were weirdly addictive). I'm a total pickle lover, so I refilled them three times haha. There was also a generous stack of small plates, which made sharing easy.

How was the tori paitan?

The tori paitan at Oreno Ramen had that nutty, rich chicken-broth flavor that really stood out. Can you see the creamy white broth in the photo? T.T The combination of thin, springy noodles, tender chicken breast (this was reeeeally delicious T), and a soft-boiled egg was great! Personally, I preferred the original tori paitan over the spicy version too.

Even Bamtol, our ramen-hater, said they felt moved from the very first bite and were super satisfied!!! Project Ramen Fan: a huge success!

The biggest strength of Oreno Ramen Eunpyeong is that noodles, rice and broth are all refillable! I left completely full.

Refills this generous...? It honestly felt like starting a whole new meal .. I'm so touched it's unreal (= can't even believe it) T_T

Would I return? ★★★★★

Results of the ramen fan project

Result first: mission accomplished!!! Bamtol, who had been lukewarm about ramen, emptied the bowl down to the last drop at Oreno Ramen Eunpyeong and even asked for refills. A miracle.

From the friendly free-refill notice to the thoughtful little self-serve bar, it's not just the taste but these small touches that have firmly put this place on my "want to come back" list. If you're craving ramen in Eunpyeong-gu or near Saejeol Station, even with someone who doesn't like ramen, I highly recommend it!