Gwangjin ramen for two with Asahi draft and takoyaki: Mentsuru
In short
Mentsuru Children's Grand Park Branch is a Japanese ramen and draft beer restaurant 30 seconds on foot from Children's Grand Park Station in Gwangjin, Seoul. Arriving after 7pm with a friend, the writer ordered shoyu ramen (11,000 won), spicy shoyu ramen, takoyaki (5,000 won) and Asahi draft beer (6,000 won), with extra egg and cheongyang chili. The yuzu radish pickles cut the richness, making Mentsuru work equally well for a daytime beer or an evening dinner date.
Good to know
- Location
- 1F, 394 Gwangnaru-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul — 30 seconds on foot from Children's Grand Park Station, 5 minutes from Sejong University
- Shoyu ramen
- 11,000 won
- Spicy shoyu ramen
- 11,000 won
- Motsu ramen (beef intestine ramen)
- 15,000 won
- Takoyaki
- 5,000 won (about 5 pieces)
- Asahi draft beer
- 6,000 won
- Drinks
- Draft beer, highballs, ramune and other Japanese drinks
- Seating
- Plenty of bar seats for solo diners, plus tables for two
- Ordering
- Kiosk at each table
- Hours
- Late-night restaurant with no break time
- Freebie
- A drink or fried gyoza for leaving a Naver review
- Price reference
- ₩6,000 ≈ $4.4 · ₩5,000 ≈ $3.7 · ₩11,000 ≈ $8.1 (2026-09-16)
as written by the visitor on Sep 16, 2026
What kind of place is Mentsuru Children's Grand Park Branch?
Mentsuru Children's Grand Park Branch is a Japanese-style ramen and draft beer restaurant 30 seconds on foot from Children's Grand Park Station and 5 minutes from Sejong University. Known as a Konkuk University hotspot and a Sejong University favorite, this Mentsuru ramen bar sits just 30 seconds from the station.
- A lunch favorite 30 seconds from Children's Grand Park Station, 5 minutes from Sejong University
- Famous among Konkuk University and Sejong University students for ramen and draft beer
- No break time — a late-night restaurant open until late
- 📍Shoyu ramen, motsu ramen, takoyaki and draft beer are the standouts
- 📍Interior feels like Japan, restrooms are clean, solo dining is comfortable
- 📍Chewy noodles and rich broth make this a genuine Japanese ramen spot
Would I go back? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — Solo dining is easy, the ramen is delicious, the draft beer is excellent — it was already a go-to spot for me, and I'll keep coming back.
Whenever I walk by, it's always packed with Konkuk University and Sejong University students — it's become a really popular ramen spot near Children's Grand Park Station lately!
Inside Mentsuru: bar seats for solo diners
Mentsuru Children's Grand Park Branch has a really spacious interior. True to a Japanese ramen restaurant, it felt like being on a trip to Japan.
I visited after 7pm and customers kept streaming in even then, including plenty of foreign guests. As you can see, there are lots of bar-table seats, so solo dining never feels awkward — it's such a comfortable space. (I've eaten here alone quite a few times myself.)
I came with a friend this time and we sat at a 2-person table. There's a tablet kiosk right at the table, so you can browse the menu and order comfortably.
Mentsuru's main menu and prices
Mentsuru Children's Grand Park Branch has quite a variety of ramen. There are 3 signature dishes — I've tried all of them and they were all delicious!
Spicy shoyu ramen ₩11,000, motsu ramen (beef intestine ramen) ₩15,000, shoyu ramen ₩11,000
The best part is that they also serve Asahi draft beer 🍺! The drink menu is varied too — draft beer, highballs and other options — and there are even Japanese drinks like ramune. We ordered shoyu ramen, spicy shoyu ramen, takoyaki, Asahi draft beer, and a soft drink.
Yuzu radish pickles, the only side dish
The table was set neatly and cleanly. And one great thing about Mentsuru Children's Grand Park Branch is that the pickled radish is yuzu radish! Ramen can get a bit rich as you eat, but the yuzu radish's freshness cuts right through it — I loved that.
Asahi draft beer with takoyaki
First to arrive was the Asahi draft beer (₩6,000). The foam was excellent and it was so refreshingly cold. Draft beer with ramen on a nice evening is a genuinely happy combination 💛
The takoyaki (₩5,000) came out fast, about 5 pieces. My friend, who's a total takoyaki fanatic, said it was really good. Pair it with beer and it's basically the perfect drinking snack.
We just kept eating the draft beer, takoyaki and yuzu radish over and over, and it was still so good — it'd be perfect for a daytime drink on a Konkuk University lunch date or an evening dinner date!
Shoyu ramen and spicy shoyu ramen with extra egg and cheongyang chili
Finally, the shoyu ramen (₩11,000) arrived. I added egg and cheongyang chili — with the very rich broth, tender meat, and the noodles, the cheongyang chili added a nice bit of heat. (And this place is a soft-boiled egg spot, for sure.)
And here's the spicy shoyu ramen my friend ordered. The broth is a bit redder in color. Adding cheongyang chili on top made it perfect for my friend, who loves spicy food!
Honestly, I was already full from the takoyaki, but the ramen was so warm and the broth so good that I ended up finishing the whole bowl of shoyu ramen too!
Also, if you visit Mentsuru, make sure to leave a Naver review to get a free drink or fried gyoza! I did this myself the first time I visited :)
How long is the wait, and why go back to Mentsuru?
Mentsuru Children's Grand Park Branch is already famous as a Konkuk University and Children's Grand Park favorite, so it's always busy. There can be a wait in the evenings, but turnover is fast, so you don't end up waiting as long as you'd expect. Honestly, this neighborhood has more bars than restaurants, so there weren't many places to grab dinner while passing through. Since Mentsuru opened, it's been so nice to have somewhere I can casually stop by for something warm in the evening 🙂
Where it is
394 Gwangnaru-ro, 1F, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, South Korea서울특별시 광진구 광나루로 394 1층
