Rainy-day lunch watching open-kitchen chashu at Okagura Ramen, Itaewon
In short
Okagura Ramen is a tonkotsu ramen restaurant tucked in an alley near Exit 4 of Itaewon Station in Seoul. Dining solo at the bar table on a rainy afternoon, the writer watched chashu being grilled in the open kitchen while eating tonkotsu ramen (₩13,000) and han-ip gyoza (bite-size dumplings, ₩6,000), then mashed in fresh garlic halfway through for extra flavor. The broth tasted like a trip to Japan, and the verdict was a full 100% return visit.
Good to know
- Location
- 5-minute walk from Exit 4, Itaewon Station (Line 6), inside an alley
- Tonkotsu ramen
- ₩13,000
- Umakara tonkotsu
- ₩13,000
- Miso ramen
- ₩14,000
- Mazesoba
- ₩14,000
- Zaru soba
- ₩13,000
- Han-ip gyoza
- ₩6,000
- Drinks
- Terra draft beer, Asahi/Ebisu/Sapporo/Orion canned beer, non-alcoholic Cass bottle
- Seating
- Bar table (dachi), 4-person tables, terrace-like extended space
- Ordering
- Scan QR code and order from your phone
- Requests
- Danmuji without ginger available on request, fresh garlic available on request
as written by the visitor on Sep 6, 2026
Do you like Japanese ramen? There's a ramen restaurant in Itaewon run by a chef with years of experience in Japanese cuisine. I visited on a rainy day, ate tonkotsu ramen, and felt like I was briefly back in Japan. Here's my honest review of Okagura Ramen in Itaewon!
Itaewon restaurant pick: Okagura Ramen
Apparently the owner used to run an izakaya, and Okagura the ramen specialist was born from that. It has an open kitchen where you can watch the ramen being made, so eating alone here was a treat for the eyes — and the owner and staff were all so kind, which made the place even better!
How to get there from Itaewon Station
📍 Walk about 5 minutes from Exit 4 of Itaewon Station (Line 6) and you'll find Okagura Ramen tucked in an alley.
The exterior has that unmistakable Japanese vibe 🍜 — it had been a while since I'd had ramen in Korea, so I walked in with high expectations..!
Here's my review of an amazing solo lunch: tonkotsu ramen paired with mini gyoza!
Interior and seating
Since I came alone, I sat at the bar table (dachi seating). It was a bit past lunch hour but customers kept coming in — even so, the owner offered to let me sit at a 4-person table if I wanted 🥹. That kindness put me in a good mood right away — a real find in Itaewon.
There was also a space that felt like an extended outdoor terrace, bright and nicely decorated — seemed like a great spot to eat too haha. Watching the chashu being grilled live 🔥
Table setting
At the bar table there were tissues, paper cups, chopsticks, danmuji (pickled radish), and various sauces up front. The black kettle held warm oolong tea to drink before and after the meal — nutty and clean, it paired really well haha.
How to enjoy Okagura Ramen the best way
There are various types of ramen, and they've thoughtfully written out which sauces go with which menu items.
The danmuji set on the table apparently has ginger in it. So if you don't want ginger, just tell the staff and they'll bring you some without!
✔️ If you need fresh garlic, just ask and they'll give you some
Watching the owner cook while waiting for the ramen was so much fun from the bar table seat haha. The ordering system is QR code — scan it and order from your phone.
Okagura Ramen menu and prices
- Tonkotsu ramen ₩13,000
- Umakara tonkotsu ₩13,000
- Miso ramen ₩14,000
- Mazesoba ₩14,000
- Zaru soba ₩13,000
- Han-ip gyoza ₩6,000
They also have Terra on draft, plus Asahi, Ebisu, Sapporo, and Orion canned beers, and non-alcoholic Cass in bottles, for reference!
Tonkotsu ramen
The broth on this Japanese tonkotsu ramen is genuinely deep... completely my type.
It was drizzling all day, and somehow eating it felt like having gukbap (rice soup) — it just fit the mood even better! And the chashu melted in my mouth 🥺 If you love meat, or if you're a hungry guy who wants a bigger portion, add extra chashu — you won't regret it, generously loaded, haha.
Side dish recommendation: han-ip gyoza
I thought the portion might be a bit much, but I saw the table next to me eating it and wanted it so badly that I ordered it too — the han-ip gyoza (bite-size dumplings)! So cute and appetizing looking 🥟
Dip it in the red sauce that comes alongside and it's pure deliciousness. Even though I was already full, I finished every single piece without leaving a crumb 😉 I highly recommend making this a must-order!
Adding garlic is a must
I was happily eating the tonkotsu ramen as-is, and once I'd finished a little more than half, I mashed in some garlic — and the flavor jumped up so much! I told myself that next time I revisit, I'll add the garlic from the very first bite haha.
I wanted to greedily finish everything, but I left just a little bit of noodles (out of conscience, since I was so full) — the broth was so good I wanted to mix in rice 🤣
Would I go back?
That's my honest review of a solo lunch at Okagura Ramen, an Itaewon favorite. I've been to Japan close to 20 times and eaten countless bowls of ramen there, and this one genuinely reminded me of a Japan trip haha. My return visit intent is 100%! If you're looking for a restaurant in Itaewon, Okagura Ramen also makes a great date spot — highly recommend.
Where it is
26 Itaewon-ro 14-gil, 1st floor, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea서울특별시 용산구 이태원로14길 26 1층
