Gwangjin ramen with paid parking nearby: shoyu and motsu at Mentsuru

Today's post is about 'Mentsuru,' a ramen place near Children's Grand Park Station that I fell head over heels for after my last visit.

My husband and I went out for a weekend date and some fresh air, and when we got there, there were couples, solo diners, and even families with strollers. It seemed like a great, low-pressure spot for a Konkuk University date lunch, just like it was for us.

It's the kind of place that's gotten a lot of word-of-mouth buzz for doing proper Japanese-style ramen right, and we finally made it out and demolished a shoyu ramen and a motsu ramen! Let's get into the detailed review.

How to get to Mentsuru Children's Grand Park Branch

🚇 The address is 394 Gwangnaru-ro, 1F, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul (Hwayang-dong). It's practically right outside Exit 4 of Children's Grand Park Station on Line 7 — barely a minute's walk!

It's immediately visible as soon as you come out of the station exit, so it's super easy to find, and the accessibility by public transit is honestly the best.

Mentsuru opening hours and what the restaurant feels like

⏰ It's open daily from 11:00 to 23:00. (Last order and other details may shift depending on the store, so keep that in mind if you're visiting late!)

There's no break time, so it's convenient even if you show up at an awkward hour — a big plus. The cozy atmosphere also makes it a good spot for solo dining or a solo drink!

Mentsuru menu and prices

🔥 Mentsuru's signature feature is its clean, non-fried fresh noodles. Their main ramen and rice bowl menu includes:

• Shoyu ramen / spicy shoyu ramen: ₩11,000
• Motsu ramen (beef tripe ramen): ₩15,000
• Tori paitan: ₩12,000
• Abura soba (mixed noodles): ₩12,000
• Rice bowls like hormone-don and gyudon, plus sides like karaage

That day, I went with the classic clean choice — shoyu ramen — and the unique, rich-broth motsu ramen.

How the shoyu ramen and motsu ramen tasted

Shoyu ramen at Mentsuru (₩11,000)

🍜 Mentsuru's shoyu ramen has a soy-sauce-based broth that seemed to be blended with chicken and shellfish stock, because the umami hit hard from the very first spoonful!

Unlike your typical salty, harsh soy-sauce ramen, the broth here was super clean and deep, so my spoon just wouldn't stop moving. On top of that, three thick, tender slices of chashu came included as standard, so I got to enjoy it heartily along with the noodles down to the last bite. If you like a light, non-greasy ramen, this is a definite hit for you!

Motsu ramen, beef tripe ramen at Mentsuru (₩15,000)

This one was overwhelming just from the visuals — rich, spicy broth piled generously with savory beef tripe (daechang).

I was a little worried it might be too greasy, but the spicy, deep broth made the tripe's richness explode in synergy. The chewy texture of the tripe paired with the fresh noodles was really unique and appealing. If you're usually a fan of tripe or offal dishes, this is a signature menu item you have to try!

Where to park near Mentsuru Children's Grand Park Branch

🚗 Since Mentsuru Children's Grand Park Branch sits in a busy area right by the station, it doesn't have its own dedicated parking lot. If you're driving, you'll need to use a nearby pay lot or public parking.

Since access by public transit (subway) is so good, I'd strongly recommend taking the train if you can! We used the Hi-View Officetel pay parking lot. It was ₩1,500 for 30 minutes and then ₩500 per 10 minutes after that, which felt like a reasonable price.

On weekends especially, the parking areas near Children's Grand Park get jammed and the wait gets long, so I think it's just easier on the mind to use a pay lot.