Euljiro ramen spot for a Saturday late lunch with karaage: Mentsuru

This Saturday, after work, my fiancé and I went looking for a good ramen restaurant in Euljiro for a late lunch and found Mentsuru Euljiro Branch! It had ramen but also rice bowls and sides, so it was easy to grab a simple meal in Euljiro haha. Let me quickly walk you through the shoyu ramen, hormone-dong, and handmade karaage we tried!!

Where is Mentsuru Euljiro Branch, and what are the hours?

Mentsuru Euljiro Branch is on the 1st floor of 26 Mareunnae-ro 2-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, 247m from Exit 9 of Euljiro3(sam)-ga Station. It's open daily from 11:00 to 21:30, with last order at 21:00.

Coming out of Exit 9 of Euljiro3(sam)-ga Station, you walk straight ahead,

then cross the street and walk a bit further — it's on your right!

We had a reservation for 3:30pm on Saturday. Since it was that in-between hour after lunch, we didn't have to wait and got seated right away.

How to order at Mentsuru and what the menu costs

To order at Mentsuru Euljiro Branch, you use the kiosk right by the entrance. There's both ramen and rice bowls — shoyu ramen ₩11,000, motsu ramen (beef tripe ramen) ₩15,000, hormone-dong (beef intestine rice bowl) ₩15,000, and more.

When we got to the front, there was also a separate menu board for foreign visitors.

And sure enough, there were quite a few foreign customers when we visited!

• Motsu ramen (beef tripe ramen) ₩15,000
• Tori paitan ₩12,000
• Shoyu ramen ₩11,000
• Shio ramen ₩11,000
• Spicy shoyu ramen ₩11,500
• Abura soba ₩12,000
• Tsukemen ₩14,000
• Hormone-dong (beef intestine rice bowl) ₩15,000
• Gyudon (beef rice bowl) ₩11,000
• Handmade karaage ₩7,000
• Chicken skin gyoza ₩5,000
• Fried gyoza ₩5,000

Once you pick your menu and finish paying, you go inside and get seated! We went looking for a good ramen restaurant in Euljiro, but

there were plenty of options beyond ramen too, with rice bowls and side dishes. They had handmade karaage and fried gyoza, plus Japanese drinks in addition to the usual sodas.

They also had Japanese beer, so if we'd come in the evening, I think my fiancé and I would've each had a bottle haha.

Inside Mentsuru: bar seats that work for solo diners

Mentsuru Euljiro Branch isn't a huge space, but it has several two-person tables and there are bar seats facing the kitchen too.

It works well for two people, but a single bowl of ramen alone also doesn't feel out of place there! So it seemed like a decent spot for anyone looking for a solo dining place near Euljiro,

or for office workers searching for a good ramen restaurant in Euljiro.

Each table has water, pickled radish, and pepper,

and if you open the drawer beside the table, chopsticks, paper cups, and tissues are ready inside. There's also a restroom toward the back of the restaurant,

and aprons are available too, so just ask if you need one!

What does the spicy shoyu ramen taste like?

What we ordered was the spicy shoyu ramen, hormone-dong, and 2 pieces of handmade karaage. First up, we ordered the shoyu ramen spicy.

The base is clean and light, with just a touch of spiciness on top, so it was easy to eat without feeling too heavy! The noodles also had more bounce than other ramen places I've tried, and I personally liked the chewy texture haha. If you're looking for a good ramen restaurant in Euljiro and you like something clean but slightly spicy, I'd recommend this one!

Hormone-don, the beef intestine rice bowl, reviewed

Mentsuru Euljiro Branch's hormone-dong (beef intestine rice bowl) is ₩15,000, and the one we ordered alongside the ramen came with

both beef large intestine and beef short plate together!

I tried a bite with the beef intestine and short plate topped with onion, chili, and wasabi all together.

The sauce was sweet and salty with a strong flavor that went really well with the rice, and a little dab of wasabi cut through the richness of the intestine nicely — it was delicious haha.

Handmade karaage as a side at Mentsuru

For a side, we added 2 pieces of handmade karaage. Handmade karaage is ₩7,000.

The coating was crispy, and the meat inside was thick, so it had a nice bite too. If you're visiting for a good ramen restaurant in Euljiro and can't decide on a side to go with your ramen, I'd say try the karaage too!

For two people like us, it was just the right amount to split!

Is Mentsuru worth it for lunch in Euljiro?

Mentsuru Euljiro Branch has a nice variety from ramen to rice bowls to sides, so my fiancé and I ate quite a filling meal haha.

With the bar seats available too, it seems like a good spot not just for a date but for solo dining as well!

If you're looking for a good ramen restaurant in Euljiro, give Mentsuru Euljiro Branch a try! Next time I have a meal to eat in Euljiro, I think I'll come back to try a different ramen :)