Sokcho ramen with easy parking and garlic paste: Ichiba Ramen

Easy parking for Sokcho's best ramen spot Ichiba Ramen

My husband and I wanted something hot for brunch-lunch, but neither of us was in the mood for gukbap (soup with rice), so after a lot of thinking I ended up bringing us to Ichiba Ramen, a ramen restaurant in Sokcho. It's not tucked into a food alley or by the beach but sits right on the roadside, so finding Ichiba Ramen was no trouble at all, and the parking was easy too — honestly a very convenient restaurant to visit. The menu is on the smaller side, but every single item is delicious, so it's great for sharing with company. If you're looking for a ramen restaurant in Sokcho, I'd strongly recommend Ichiba Ramen.

Where is Ichiba Ramen in Sokcho, and where do you park?

The exact address of Ichiba Ramen, a ramen restaurant in Sokcho, is 348 Jungang-ro, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do. It's open from 9am to 10pm, with last order at 9:30pm.

They told us there's no camera on the road in front of the building. From what I understood, that meant a few cars could park right in front if you're only stopping for a quick meal, but just in case, I parked further in on the side of the building.

Inside Ichiba Ramen: solo seats and space for groups

The interior of Ichiba Ramen, this Sokcho ramen spot, was bigger, more comfortable, and cleaner than I expected. With this much space and a reservation ahead of time, it genuinely looked like it could handle a company dinner or a big group gathering.

Personally, I always feel good about restaurants with an open kitchen — it feels like the owners' confidence in what they're making. Ichiba Ramen has one too. There's a straight bar-style seating area off to one side for people who prefer eating alone, and if you don't mind facing the open kitchen and the owner directly, you can sit there instead.

Ichiba Ramen is normally so popular with Sokcho locals that there's usually a wait, but since I did an opening run, there were zero parties ahead of me. Orders went through a kiosk, and I grabbed a seat before ordering.

Ichiba Ramen menu and prices

A bowl of ramen at Ichiba Ramen averages around ₩12,000. Because I got there right at opening, I got to watch the owner prepping the menu items, and just from watching, I could tell the ramen was going to be good.

• Special Tonkotsu Ramen ₩15,000
• Karai Ramen spicy version ₩9,500
• Gara-age (Japanese fried chicken)
• Two extra eggs, ordered separately

How do the karaage, Special Tonkotsu Ramen and Karai Ramen taste?

The gara-age came out in nice bite-sized pieces. I expected it to be scorching hot, but it was just the right kind of warm. The batter was crispy and had none of that greasy heaviness, so much so that I could tell they change the oil often — crispy and tender at the same time. Dipping it in mustard sauce for a clean bite was a real treat. Good as a light starter before the meal, and it paired well with the ramen too.

The Special Tonkotsu Ramen. If you can't handle spicy ramen, I'd recommend this one — not spicy at all, and the garlic paste that comes with it adds real depth to the broth. The meat that comes with it is so generously sized, with zero off-smell and excellent texture. The noodles are on the thinner side, but the whole combination — bean sprouts, finely chopped green onion, meat, egg, garlic paste — works beautifully together.

The real kick at Ichiba Ramen, this Sokcho ramen spot, is this garlic paste? Seasoning, whatever you call it — it's like magic seasoning that makes the broth taste incredible. It wasn't spicy at all, and even the Karai Ramen itself was on the milder, cleaner side, which made it a good brunch-lunch option — not too heavy on the stomach, and satisfying to finish.

Why two extra eggs are worth adding at Ichiba Ramen

We separately ordered two eggs at Ichiba Ramen to get some extra protein in. Even if you're not usually into gamdongran (seasoned soft-boiled eggs), these moist eggs at Ichiba Ramen seem like something everyone could like. Genuinely moist, and just salty enough to eat plain and be delicious. I ate one plain and dropped the other into the ramen like an extra topping, and both were great. If you're looking for a ramen restaurant in Sokcho, I highly recommend Ichiba Ramen.