Gwangjin ramen bar with peach cider: motsu ramen for two at Mentsuru

A one-minute walk from Exit 4 of Children's Grand Park Station All kinds of Japanese ramen, from beef tripe motsu ramen to shoyu ramen Bar seating and single seats make it easy to eat solo Mentsuru, where you can enjoy ramen and drinks late into the evening 🍜

Hours: Daily 11:00–23:00 / last order 22:30 Parking: No on-site parking / paid parking available at Gwangjin Plaza Public Parking Lot across the street

One minute from Exit 4 of Children's Grand Park Station

I stopped by Mentsuru Children's Grand Park Branch for ramen for dinner near Children's Grand Park. It's at 394 Gwangnaru-ro, 1st floor, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, only about 57m from Exit 4 of Children's Grand Park Station, so it was easy to find right after getting off the subway. The big MENCHURU Ramen Bar sign was visible from outside so there was no risk of walking past it, and the whole exterior had a distinctly Japanese ramen bar feel.

In front of the entrance there was a standing sign showing ramen alongside a draft Asahi. It seemed like a good spot to come for a meal during the day, and equally good in the evening with ramen and a beer or highball 🍺 There was also a note about a separate late-night service from 21:00 to 23:00, which is worth keeping in mind if you're looking for a late-night restaurant near Konkuk University or Children's Grand Park Station.

The menu photos posted out front showed quite a variety — shoyu ramen, tsukemen, motsu ramen, tori paitan, karaage, and abura soba.

What the ramen bar at Mentsuru feels like for solo diners and pairs

Inside, warm wood tones and soft lighting made the atmosphere calmer than I expected. The kitchen is open, with a long bar table running along the front of it, giving a slight feel of an actual ramen shop in Japan.

There were plenty of single seats, so it looked easy to come eat ramen alone. Beyond the bar table there were also regular tables and group seating, so it works well not just for solo dining but also for meals with friends or a date! The store's signage also noted rooms and group seating for up to 30 people.

From the seats you could also see into the open kitchen, so watching the ramen get prepared felt natural. Overall it kept the feel of a dedicated ramen shop without feeling too cramped or busy, which made it comfortable to eat in 😌

And the cat-shaped phone stand on the table was kind of cute haha

It was fun spotting little details like this one by one 🤭

How many kinds of ramen Mentsuru serves

Mentsuru's menu isn't just one or two kinds of ramen — there were quite a few options to choose from depending on your taste. Shoyu ramen is a chicken-broth ramen seasoned with soy sauce, and shio ramen is a chicken-broth ramen seasoned with salt. There was also tori paitan made with rich chicken broth, motsu ramen with tripe added to a spicy seasoned broth, tsukemen where cold noodles are dipped in a hot sauce, and abura soba mixed with oil and toppings.

For rice dishes there's hormone-don topped with large intestine and beef short rib, and gyudon (beef rice bowl), plus sides like karaage and chicken-skin gyoza, so there's quite a wide range of choices. They also sell drinks like highballs, draft Asahi, soju, and sake, so it looked like a good spot for a light drink with ramen in the evening. For reference, the menu noted that saltiness and spice level can be adjusted on all items.

Country-of-origin labeling was also posted inside the restaurant, so anyone who needs it can check before ordering.

What two people ordered at Mentsuru, and what it cost

We visited as a pair and ordered: Motsu ramen (beef tripe ramen) ₩15,000 Spicy shoyu ramen ₩11,000 Peach cider ₩4,000 for a total of ₩30,000. Each table has an ordering tablet, so we could order comfortably right from our seats.

For a drink I picked the peach cider — the pale pink bottle was so cute I took a photo before the ramen even arrived 🍑

It also made a good carbonated pairing alongside a rich menu item like ramen.

Pickled radish was set on the table, and since it had a yuzu aroma, it was even more delicious.

Motsu ramen: red broth and beef tripe

The two bowls of ramen came out shortly after, and the colors were completely different, so placing them side by side made a striking contrast. One was red-broth motsu ramen, the other clear brownish shoyu ramen, which made it great for two people to visit and each pick a different bowl.

The one that caught my eye especially was the motsu ramen. Mentsuru's menu description calls it a beef tripe ramen simmered in a spicy seasoned broth with savory tripe. When it actually arrived, the red broth was generously topped with tripe, green onion, and cheongyang chili, so the visual was clearly different from typical Japanese ramen. Tripe ramen itself isn't a common menu item, so it's worth noting for anyone near Children's Grand Park looking for something a bit different.

Up close, the toppings looked quite generous, and the tripe really stood out. It was a good choice for anyone who likes ramen but wants something other than the usual tonkotsu or shoyu.

Spicy shoyu ramen piled with chashu

The spicy shoyu ramen we also ordered came with several large slices of chashu, a soft-boiled egg, and green onion. Compared to the motsu ramen, the broth color was much clearer, which was nice since ordering both meant the two bowls didn't overlap in style.

The large chashu and the egg with its still-moist yolk especially stood out. If you're visiting as two, ordering one of each and sharing seems like a great way to go 😊

Worth it when you want ramen near Children's Grand Park?

What stuck with me about Mentsuru Children's Grand Park Branch was how accessible it is right by Exit 4 of Children's Grand Park Station, and how many ramen options there are.

Beyond the common basic ramens, there's motsu ramen, tori paitan, tsukemen, and abura soba, so choosing what to order is part of the fun.

With bar seating and single seats, it can suit solo dining, a casual date for two, or a meal with a larger group, and since it stays open late, it also works well as a dinner spot. There's no on-site parking, so if you're driving, you can use the Gwangjin Plaza Public Parking Lot across the street for a fee.

If you're craving Japanese-style ramen near Children's Grand Park or Sejong University, and especially want to try something a bit different like beef tripe ramen, give Mentsuru Children's Grand Park Branch a try 🍜