Euljiro ramen restaurant with yuzu pickles: Mentsuru

I’m usually a big fan of rich broths and tender offal dishes, so I had really wanted to visit Mentsuru Euljiro Branch, which is famously known for its motsu ramen (beef offal ramen)! I came away completely won over by the deeper-than-expected broth, chewy toppings without any unpleasant smell, and even the refreshing side dish.

Mentsuru Euljiro Branch: Practical Information

Address: 26 Mareunnae-ro 2-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea Hours: Daily 11:00–21:30 (last order 21:00) Features: Bar seating ideal for solo diners, quick table turnover

Kiosk Ordering and Entry

• First, choose and pay for your menu at the kiosk right in front of the entrance.
• The number on the receipt you receive after payment becomes your waiting number.
• If there is a wait, wait outside briefly and you’ll be called in order.

Because it’s a noodle restaurant, the turnover is fast, and a seat usually opens up within about 5–10 minutes! Since you finish ordering before sitting down, the food also arrives quickly once you’re seated. I was very happy with the system for a busy lunch or a meal after work.

Seating for Solo Diners or Groups of Two to Three

The restaurant has counter-bar seating facing the open kitchen, so it’s not at all intimidating for anyone enjoying a solo meal around Euljiro.

There are also tables for two and four further inside, making it just right for a cozy meal with friends or a date.

Our Motsu Ramen and Horumon-don

The kiosk screen is full of tempting choices, including shio ramen with a salt base, shoyu ramen with a soy-sauce base, rich chicken-broth tori paitan, and abura soba, an oil-tossed noodle dish. We ordered two signature dishes to try what Mentsuru does best!

• BEST Motsu Ramen (beef offal ramen): ₩15,000
• Horumon-don (daechang, or beef large intestine, rice bowl): ₩15,000

BEST Motsu Ramen with a Spicy Kick

BEST Motsu Ramen (Beef Offal Ramen), ₩15,000

The motsu ramen arrived overflowing in a retro bowl with an instantly striking look! The rich, spicy red broth was piled high with golden-grilled beef intestines and meat, crisp bean sprouts, finely chopped Cheongyang chili peppers, and scallions.

The beef intestines were full of fatty filling, so every chew was savory and delightfully springy.

The noodles were wonderfully bouncy too, thoroughly coated in the spicy, rich broth. Along with the crisp bite of the bean sprouts, I kept marveling right through the last mouthful.

Fire-Grilled Daechang and Wasabi in the Horumon-don

Horumon-don (Daechang Rice Bowl), ₩15,000

Neatly plated in a round bowl, the horumon-don came generously topped with fire-grilled seasoned daechang and thin-sliced beef brisket. A colorful egg yolk, scallions, wasabi, chili peppers, and red pickled ginger made it look perfect from the start.

I broke the yolk and let it run over the daechang and rice, then added a little wasabi. The daechang, soaked with a special sweet-and-salty tare sauce, was crisp outside, moist inside, and explosively savory!

Adding pungent wasabi and fresh chili peppers here and there completely cut through any potential richness, so I scraped up every last grain of rice.

Even the pickled radish on the table was yuzu pickled radish, and its sweet-tangy flavor had me asking for refills again and again.

For Spicy Ramen and a Daechang Rice Bowl

Mentsuru Euljiro Branch was a dependable Euljiro ramen restaurant for rich broth, generous toppings, and distinctive ramen and rice bowls. I recommend it to anyone wanting a proper hangover-curing bowl of spicy, savory beef offal ramen; a clean Japanese restaurant near Euljiro 3-ga that’s comfortable for solo dining; or a chance to try a sweet-and-salty, fire-grilled daechang rice bowl.