Solo tsukemen and extra chashu at a Deoksugung ramen bar: Mentsuru

Dinner near the Deoksugung night opening: Mentsuru City Hall Branch

Went to see Deoksugung's night opening and then agonized over where to eat nearby..... The City Hall area is mostly an office district, so a lot of places close in the evening, which narrows the options more than you'd expect 🤔

That's how I ended up at Mentsuru City Hall Branch! I hesitated over whether to wait since it was dinner hour, but waited a bit and ate — great pick both as a Deoksugung night-opening dinner spot and a solo diner's go-to near the office.

Open 11:00-21:30, a quick walk from City Hall Station, and not far from the Deoksugung stone wall path either.

Whether you eat dinner after the night opening or eat first and go in, the route works naturally either way 🌙

How long is the dinner-time wait at Mentsuru?

It's a fairly famous restaurant near City Hall Station, so there's a wait during meal times. Still worth waiting for, since it's a noodle shop and turnover is very fast.

Even if the line looks long, it moves faster than you'd think ⏰ Don't turn around just because the line looks long — stand in it first, that's my advice.

Bar seats and a spacious dining room made for solo diners

Arrived right at dinner hour and Mentsuru City Hall Branch was already packed. What I liked most was the bar seating. Zero awkwardness eating alone.

You see the kitchen ahead of you and never have to face anyone beside you, so you can just focus on your ramen 🍜 Highly recommend if you're near City Hall Station looking for a comfortable spot to eat solo without side-eyes.

Packed with office workers even on a weekday evening — a genuine local favorite near City Hall Station.

Ramen shops usually have cramped seating, but Mentsuru City Hall Branch's interior is quite spacious with plenty of seats, which is part of why turnover is fast. Besides the bar seats, there are also plenty of tables, so it's good for visiting with company too.

What I ordered at Mentsuru: tsukemen and abura soba

Unlike your typical ramen shop, Mentsuru — a solid Deoksugung night-opening dinner pick — has a lot of ramen varieties, giving it a genuinely authentic Japanese feel. Dishes like abura soba and tsukemen, not commonly found elsewhere, made it worth recommending!

What I ordered:

• Tsukemen
• Abura soba

🍜 Tsukemen — broth simmered and served in a stone pot

Mentsuru's signature dish. Tsukemen isn't noodles served submerged in broth — instead the noodles and broth come separately, dipping style. What was unusual was that the broth is served in a stone pot! It arrives still bubbling, and you dip the cold noodles right into it.

Dipping broths are usually seasoned pretty strong, but this one wasn't salty or harsh — full of umami and distinctive, which made it a very satisfying dish!

🥢 Abura soba — broth-free oil-mixed noodles

This one's broth-free, oil-mixed noodles. Loaded with varied toppings, so it looks generous the moment it arrives. Mix it well and the oil's savoriness coats the noodles completely — that clinging umami is amazing ❣️ I thought it'd be light without broth, but it was just as filling as a soup-based ramen.

⭐ Extra chashu is worth ordering ⭐

The chashu is genuinely so tender. Soft enough to fall apart when you pick it up with chopsticks, and it just melts once it's in your mouth. The default amount would've left me wanting more. Strongly recommend paying a bit extra for the chashu add-on. This one thing changes your satisfaction level completely!

Why Mentsuru fits a Deoksugung night-opening itinerary

If you're heading to see Deoksugung's night opening and looking for somewhere nearby to grab dinner, definitely put this on the shortlist. Fast turnover means it won't eat up much of your time.

And with so many solo-dining office workers around, the vibe never feels awkward eating alone, which I loved even more. The atmosphere feels genuinely Japanese, and with so many ramen varieties you don't usually see at other ramen spots, Mentsuru was thoroughly satisfying!