# Garlic tonkotsu and fish-powder tsukemen near City Hall: Mentsuru - By Arin (https://superchart.com/en/@midday-spoon-journal/) - Written Sep 15, 2026 - Local places › Restaurants › Jung-gu, Seoul - Sponsored: This visit was sponsored by the business. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@midday-spoon-journal/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@midday-spoon-journal/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/index.md) ## In short Mentsuru City Hall Branch is a Japanese ramen restaurant a 1-minute walk from Exit 10 of City Hall Station in Jung-gu, Seoul, spread over a basement and ground floor with three ordering kiosks. The tonkotsu ramen arrived as a garlic-heavy, first-generation-style broth, while the tsukemen came with a thick dipping sauce full of fish-powder aroma, served alongside handmade gara-age (Japanese fried chicken). Even a diner who once worked in a ramen shop fell for this tonkotsu again, and recommends ordering it with extra-rich broth, more garlic and firmer noodles. ## Good to know - **Hours**: Daily 11:00–21:30 (last order 21:00), no break time - **Location**: 1-minute walk from Exit 10, City Hall Station - **Parking**: Use a nearby public parking lot - **Recommended menu**: Tonkotsu ramen, tsukemen, handmade gara-age - **Seating**: Two floors (basement and ground floor), bar seats and tables - **Ordering**: Three kiosks (ground floor, basement stairway entrance, basement) *as written by the visitor on Sep 15, 2026* ## Where is Mentsuru City Hall Branch? Mentsuru City Hall Branch is a Japanese ramen restaurant a 1-minute walk from Exit 10 of City Hall Station. It's known as a favorite among office workers around City Hall, and this time I tried the tonkotsu ramen, the tsukemen, and the handmade gara-age (Japanese fried chicken). ![Full spread of ramen dishes at Mentsuru City Hall Branch near City Hall Station](https://img.superchart.com/images/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage-01-oa4c0-966.webp) I came to Mentsuru City Hall Branch, a Japanese ramen restaurant loved by office workers just a minute's walk from City Hall Station. ![Exterior and entrance of Mentsuru City Hall Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage-02-17il1-966.webp) ![Mentsuru City Hall Branch sign near Exit 10 of City Hall Station](https://img.superchart.com/images/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage-03-1x14p-966.webp) It's a spacious ramen shop that's great for eating solo, with plenty of menu variety — good for a date too, or for grabbing a beer with a meal after work. Hours run from 11am to 9:30pm, with last order at 9pm. There's no break time, so it's fine to visit outside typical meal hours too. ## Inside Mentsuru: basement and ground floor, three kiosks ![Ground-floor kiosk and basement entrance at Mentsuru City Hall Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage-04-dfdn4-m-966.webp) The restaurant is split between the basement and ground floor and it's a pretty big space. There are three kiosks — one on the ground floor, one at the basement stairway entrance, and one in the basement — so you never have to line up to order, which is great. ![Basement seating down a half-flight of stairs at Mentsuru City Hall Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage-05-1i3p7-966.webp) Here's the basement. Since you only go down half a flight of stairs, it doesn't feel cramped at all, and there's plenty of bar seating and tables, so even during the crowded lunch rush you can eat without feeling squeezed. ![Basement table seating interior at Mentsuru City Hall Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage-06-1ayrh-966.webp) ![Ground-floor bar seating for solo diners at Mentsuru City Hall Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage-07-1bdfe-966.webp) And here's the ground floor. Judging by all the solo diners around, this is clearly a ramen spot that a lot of people come to eat alone. ## What's on the Mentsuru City Hall Branch menu? ![Ramen and donburi menu board at Mentsuru City Hall Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage-08-16cb3-966.webp) The menu board on the ground floor is slightly different from the one near the entrance — there were items not listed even on Naver Place. There's shio, shoyu, tonkotsu, tori paitan and other broth-based ramens, plus tsukemen and mazesoba for mixing or dipping, and donburi (rice bowls) like gyudon, chashu-don and hormone-don. A ramen shop with real variety. ![Add-on topping screen on the kiosk at Mentsuru City Hall Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage-09-pyqit-966.webp) Tapping a menu item shows the add-on options. It's not in the photo, but the ground-floor kiosk also had sides — gyoza and handmade gara-age — so I ordered the gara-age too. ![Drinks menu at Mentsuru City Hall Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage-10-57f7e-966.webp) The drinks menu, just for reference. Today's order was tsukemen and tonkotsu ramen. I'd already tried shoyu and mazesoba at a different branch before, so this time I went with something different. ## Rich, savory tonkotsu and the thickest tsukemen at Mentsuru ![Tonkotsu ramen and stone-pot tsukemen served together](https://img.superchart.com/images/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage-11-1p2ol-1200.webp) The dishes from City Hall office-worker favorite Mentsuru City Hall Branch arrived. Ta-da. Seeing it all laid out felt like being back in Japan. Serving the tsukemen's dipping sauce in a stone pot is a really good idea — it kept the tsukemen warm for a surprisingly long time, if not all the way through. ![Danmuji pickled radish with a lemon touch](https://img.superchart.com/images/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage-12-9oggo-966.webp) On the side, danmuji (pickled radish) with a lemon touch. ![A bowl of tonkotsu ramen at Mentsuru City Hall Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage-13-3ljw0-966.webp) ![Close-up of tonkotsu ramen broth and toppings](https://img.superchart.com/images/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage-14-l7ljt-966.webp) ### Tonkotsu ramen: garlic-forward, first-generation broth The tonkotsu ramen at Mentsuru City Hall Branch doesn't have that thick, heavy broth texture, but the aroma and flavor run deep. It's got that first-generation tonkotsu feel, packed with garlic flavor. ![Garlic-forward tonkotsu broth close-up](https://img.superchart.com/images/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage-15-sh411-966.webp) This broth is exactly the tonkotsu flavor I love. I actually used to work at a ramen shop because I loved this taste so much — and here I was, feeling it all over again at Mentsuru. ![Two slices of pork-belly chashu, soft-boiled egg, and wood ear toppings](https://img.superchart.com/images/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage-16-1h2mu-966.webp) Two slices of soft pork-belly chashu come in, along with half an egg and crunchy wood ear mushroom — a nicely varied set of base toppings. ![Low-hydration noodles in tonkotsu ramen](https://img.superchart.com/images/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage-17-xlcbl-966.webp) The noodles are low-hydration and pair really well with tonkotsu. So good. You can also adjust the broth seasoning, so if you're a ramen fanatic, I recommend trying it rich broth, extra garlic, noodles a bit underboiled. Personally, that's my favorite combination. ![Tonkotsu ramen and tsukemen laid out together](https://img.superchart.com/images/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage-18-fd7ds-966.webp) ### Tsukemen: thick dipping sauce heavy with fish-powder aroma Next, the tsukemen. Again, loaded with base toppings. ![Tsukemen loaded with base toppings at Mentsuru](https://img.superchart.com/images/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage-19-1qhyu-966.webp) One soft-boiled egg, three slices of sous-vide pork shoulder chashu, plus seaweed, green onion, and onion on top. The noodle portion is generous too — one bowl alone would probably fill up an average adult man completely. ![Tsukemen noodles topped with sous-vide pork shoulder chashu](https://img.superchart.com/images/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage-20-16mrp-966.webp) ![Thick tsukejiru dipping sauce served in a stone pot](https://img.superchart.com/images/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage-21-zk0lz-966.webp) The tsukejiru (dipping sauce) is thick, deeply savory, with a strong fish-powder aroma — the exact same taste as the tsukemen I had in Tokyo. You don't have to go to Japan; you can taste it all right here at City Hall favorite Mentsuru. ![Noodles dipped into the tsukejiru sauce](https://img.superchart.com/images/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage-22-5sn9a-966.webp) ### Handmade gara-age (Japanese fried chicken) and drinks The handmade gara-age comes in big chunky pieces, seasoned sweet-and-salty just right — dip it in mayo and it's the perfect beer snack. So good!!!! ![Handmade gara-age served with mayonnaise at Mentsuru](https://img.superchart.com/images/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage-23-3qt6w-966.webp) ![Zero-sugar cola poured over a cup of ice](https://img.superchart.com/images/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage-24-vb50i-966.webp) No beer this time, just zero-sugar cola, but I asked for a cup of ice and it was perfectly refreshing. That's my review of Mentsuru City Hall Branch, a City Hall favorite I enjoyed a lot!!!! ## Where it is - Mentsuru City Hall Branch (멘츠루 시청점) - 2 Seosomun-ro 11-gil, 1st floor unit 1, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea - 서울특별시 중구 서소문로11길 2 1층 1호 - 37.5629944, 126.9731249 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EB%A9%98%EC%B8%A0%EB%A3%A8%20%EC%8B%9C%EC%B2%AD%EC%A0%90/@37.5629944,126.9731249,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@midday-spoon-journal/myeongchuru-sicheong-tonkotsu-tsukemen-karaage/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt