Tonkotsu ramen solo seat lunch in Cheongju Jiwel City: Myeonsikdang

A few days ago I went to Jiwel City Mall and ended up eating solo at 'Myeonsikdang' nearby — turned out to be a total ramen gem 🤍

Location and hours of Myeonsikdang Jiwel City

• 📍 Myeonsikdang Jiwel City / A-dong 1F, 39 Daenong-ro, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do
• 🕥 Daily 10:30–21:30 (last order 20:50)
• 🅿️ Dedicated parking lot: yes
• ✔️ Naver reservations for 3+ people: yes

Myeonsikdang, a Cheongju Jiwel City favorite, is right next to Jiwel City itself and close to Hyundai Department Store, so it's super accessible! And there's a dedicated parking lot for the building, so you can park with no hassle :)

Solo-friendly window seat and the shop atmosphere

Walking into this Jiwel favorite, the interior is compact but clean and well organized, and the tables — 2-tops and 4-tops — have generous spacing so you can eat comfortably. There's also a solo window seat, so eating alone is easy here too :)

When I visited a bit after 11am on a weekday it was quiet, but once lunchtime hit, customers kept streaming in! With affordable prices it's also known as a budget-friendly spot in Cheongju, and the ramen is delicious, so it seems like a lot of people come for that. Naver reservations are available for 3+ people, and they say you get a free ade with a reservation, so if you're planning to visit it might be worth booking ahead!

What's on the menu?

Here's the à la carte menu at this Cheongju Jiwel City favorite :) They have ramen, pho, soba, udon, rice bowls, and even donkatsu — so there's plenty to choose from, from noodles to rice 🤍

Myeonsikdang's set menus are packed with value! There's a wide variety of sets, all with solid portions, and priced around ₩10,000-something so you can enjoy them without breaking the bank ✨ Not pictured, but there's also a 2-person set for under ₩30,000 — confirmed budget-friendly Cheongju spot 👍🏻

What we ordered

• Tonkotsu ramen + smoky mini butadon (₩12,200)
• Mozzarella cheese katsu, 2 pieces (₩5,900)

The tonkotsu ramen: broth, noodles, and char siu

With mornings and evenings turning cooler, I was really craving a hot noodle soup like this :) The best-selling menu item at this Jiwel City favorite, tonkotsu ramen, is a perfect bowl — rich broth, crunchy bean sprouts on top of the noodles, soft char siu, and a perfectly soft-boiled egg ✨

The char siu, lightly smoked for a bit of charred flavor, has just the right balance of lean meat and fat, so it's soft rather than dry — genuinely delicious :)

The tonkotsu ramen broth is simmered from pork bones for a long time, giving it a rich, deep flavor 🤍 But it's not overpowering at all — clean and light, and just so tasty :) The kind of broth you keep spooning up nonstop!

And the noodles were really chewy and perfectly cooked, so good. They soak up the broth well, and eating them with the crunchy bean sprouts is heavenly 🤍

How much is the smoky mini butadon that comes with the set?

This is the mini butadon that comes with the set :) Rice piled high with smoky, char-kissed meat — how could this not be good! And even though it's called 'mini,' the portion is actually quite generous.

I scooped up big bites of the smoky meat and rice and ate it in between bites of ramen — the meat has no gamey smell, it's savory, not dry at all, and pairs really well with the rice 🤍

A great side: mozzarella cheese katsu, 2 pieces

I heard the donkatsu here is also great and wanted to try it, and luckily there was a 2-piece side option! Naturally I ordered the mozzarella cheese katsu haha. When I tried to pick up a piece with chopsticks, it was so packed with cheese it felt really heavy!

I'd been wanting to try that cheese-pull thing for a while 😖 Inside the crispy katsu was absolutely loaded with mozzarella, and the cheese was so rich and savory — really delicious! It's the perfect side to pair with ramen or soba.

If you're looking for a great restaurant near Jiwel City in Cheongju — or a ramen spot — that's also easy on the wallet, definitely check out Myeonsikdang Jiwel City! I'm planning to come back next time for the soba 🤍