Goyang ramen with a 6-year-old, extra noodles and egg: Gyedan Ramen

Even when the weather was humid and hot, I kept craving that rich tonkotsu broth and chewy noodles. So one day when ramen was on my mind, my husband said there was a famous ramen place on Ilsan's Bamlidan-gil, and took me to Gyedan Ramen. At first I thought, why come all the way out here just for ramen? But after tasting it, I changed my mind completely. I ended up adding extra noodles and finishing everything, and it was so good that this time I brought my kid along for a second visit.

Where is Gyedan Ramen Ilsan Main Branch, and is there parking?

Gyedan Ramen Ilsan Main Branch is located at 10 Yulcheon-ro 7beon-gil, 1st floor, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi, on Ilsan's Bamlidan-gil. It's open daily from 11:00 to 21:00.

• 📍 10 Yulcheon-ro 7beon-gil, 1st floor, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi, South Korea
• ⏰ Daily 11:00–21:00

Parking is possible in front of and beside the restaurant, but there aren't many spots, so during busy hours it's worth planning to use a nearby parking lot too. On my first visit, even though it was lunchtime, I got in without any wait, but not long after I sat down the place was completely full. This time I waited about 30 minutes.

How to join the waitlist with CatchTable

Gyedan Ramen uses CatchTable. You can check how many people are ahead of you on CatchTable and put your name down at the right time so you don't end up waiting too long to get in.

First time at Gyedan Ramen? Order the motsu ramen

On my first visit to Gyedan Ramen, I chose the motsu ramen. I already love motsu (offal), so there was no hesitation, and looking around at other tables, plenty of people were eating motsu ramen too. I ordered motsu ramen with extra noodles, and my husband ordered gyedan ramen with extra noodles and tamago-bap (egg rice).

The fried makchang (grilled beef intestine) on top of the motsu ramen felt a bit unfamiliar at first, but once I tried it, the crispy outside and chewy inside went perfectly with the rich tonkotsu broth. The broth was rich but not too salty or greasy, so my spoon kept going back in, and with the chashu and wood ear mushrooms added, it was delicious right to the end. I still want it now!!!

Why extra noodles are worth adding

I'd recommend getting extra noodles at Gyedan Ramen. As I was eating, it was so good I thought, 'this is definitely an extra-noodles situation!'

The broth was so good that even after finishing all the noodles, I hated to let the broth go to waste.

The spicy sauce on the table is also a nice touch — I'd recommend trying the basic broth first before adding a bit in the middle, rather than putting it in from the start. Once the spicy kick joins the rich tonkotsu, the whole mood changes. Even though I can barely handle spice, I ended up adding two spoonfuls in the end haha.

Tamago-bap: the surprise hit on the menu

Gyedan Ramen's tamago-bap (egg rice) is a good dish to share if you're visiting as a pair. My husband ordered it, and it was better than I expected.

The soft egg and salty-sweet seasoning went really well alongside the rich ramen. Eating ramen alone the whole time can feel a bit heavy, but having tamago-bap in between switched things up nicely — so if two of you are going, it's worth ordering one to share.

Back with a 6-year-old: extra noodles, egg and rice

On my second visit to Gyedan Ramen, I brought my 6-year-old along. We ordered motsu ramen and gyedan ramen, added extra noodles and extra egg, and also ordered a separate tamago-bap and a bowl of plain rice for my child.

Since the first visit was such a hit, this time we went back with my kid.

We're both big eaters so we ordered generously, and after finishing it all, I really felt like adding those extras was the right call. My 6-year-old was trying ramen for the first time and ate way better than expected, which made mom and dad quietly proud.

My kid doesn't like anything with toppings, so we ordered plain rice separately to eat alongside the ramen, and that went down pretty well too.

Verdict: a Bamlidan-gil ramen spot in Goyang worth returning to

Gyedan Ramen Ilsan Main Branch was satisfying enough that I brought my kid back for a second visit.

On the first visit, I fell for the fried makchang and rich tonkotsu broth in the motsu ramen and even added extra noodles — and this time, it was satisfying enough that I came back with my kid too.

If you love rich tonkotsu broth or motsu, I'd recommend the motsu ramen, and if you usually eat a lot, go ahead and add extra noodles and egg. Add tamago-bap on top and you've got a really filling meal.

Next time I want to try the yuzu bibim ramen, which I haven't had yet. If I'm ever craving ramen on Ilsan's Bamlidan-gil, I think I'll be heading back to Gyedan Ramen. 🍜