Hongdae Japanese restaurant with mozza cheese katsu: Myeon Sikdang

I was trying to figure out what to eat in Hongdae today and came across Myeon Sikdang Hongik University Branch! I went looking for ramen, but once I actually saw the menu, there was way more than just ramen — pork cutlets, rice bowls, soba, all sorts of things, so I had more options than I expected 👀

For anyone looking for a ramen spot or a place to eat solo in Hongdae, let me walk you through the vibe of the place and the menu items I actually tried!

Where is Myeon Sikdang in Hongdae, and what are the hours?

Myeon Sikdang Hongik University Branch is on the 2nd floor at 104 Wausan-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul. It was about a 9-minute walk from Hongik Univ. Station, and it's located near Hongik University!

• Mon–Fri 10:30–21:00 (last order 20:20)
• Sat–Sun 10:30–21:00 (break time 16:00–17:00, last order 20:20)

Myeon Sikdang Hongik University Branch is on the 2nd floor of a building on Wausan-ro! Once you find the stairs from the 1st floor and head up, you'll see the restaurant right there haha. If you're wandering around Hongdae looking for a place to eat, this one's pretty easy to get to! And with a menu that's more varied than I expected, I was already debating what to order before even walking in haha.

Bar seats for solo diners and the wood-toned room

The inside of Myeon Sikdang Hongik University Branch is done up in wood tones, with bar-style seating along the wall, which made it good for eating alone. Walking in, the whole place felt warm and comfortable. The walls are wood-paneled too, with the restaurant's logo and food photos hung around, so it felt clean but still had that proper restaurant feel haha.

Seating ranged from 2-person tables to bigger tables for groups. There were also 4-person tables on one side, good for eating with company, and bar-style seats along the wall that looked fine for solo dining! The kitchen was also open, so you could catch a glimpse of the food being prepared. Each table had a tablet for ordering, so you could browse the menu and order comfortably right from your seat haha.

Also, spoons and chopsticks were neatly tucked away at the table, with napkins provided too! Instead of a separate utensil holder next to the table, there's a drawer-like compartment you open to find the spoon, chopsticks and napkins inside, so you just take out what you need haha. Having it all organized like that made it convenient to grab utensils right away when eating!

What does the tonkotsu ramen taste like?

I ordered two things: tonkotsu ramen and mozza cheese katsu. First, the tonkotsu ramen! The broth had that deep, rich flavor distinctive to pork bone stock, with noodles, chashu, and egg all in the bowl!

The broth was rich but also had that umami depth typical of ramen, which paired well with the noodles haha. Dip the noodles generously in the broth and you get both the nutty and rich flavors together — I think this is a solid pick for anyone who likes ramen!! Slurping up noodles in warm broth especially made me think this would hit the spot when you want a filling meal in Hongdae haha. It's affordably priced too, so I'd recommend it!!

Mozza cheese katsu: how it eats alongside the ramen

Mozza cheese katsu is a pork cutlet with mozzarella cheese inside, so it went really well alongside the ramen haha. The outside was fried up crispy, and cheese inside meant you got that stretchy cheese-pull visual when you cut into it!

The cheese had a nutty, salty flavor that was good on its own, and eating it alongside the cutlet made for a filling combo 🤭 If ramen alone feels a bit lacking and you want to add a side, ordering one of these katsu options seems like a good call! Mozza cheese katsu can be ordered as a single dish, and there's also a 2pcs side option sold separately, so you can pick based on how much you want!!

Self-serve bar: pickled radish, kimchi and clear broth

On one side of Myeon Sikdang Hongik University Branch, there's a space set up like a self-serve bar! Radish pickle, kimchi, and broth were provided as standard!

The radish pickle was crunchy and sweet, good to have in between bites of ramen or the cutlet, and the kimchi had a spicy, tangy kick that worked well with the richer dishes! The broth also came out warm, nice to sip little by little while waiting for food haha. It was great that both the ramen and the cutlet could be paired with the broth haha. Overall, the basic side dishes were put together cleanly, making them easy to add on without feeling like too much.

The restroom is inside the restaurant, which made it convenient to use during the meal! Since it's located inside, you don't need to step outside, and not having to leave the restaurant while eating was a nice touch haha.

Is Myeon Sikdang worth a stop in Hongdae?

I visited Myeon Sikdang Hongik University Branch craving ramen in Hongdae! The overall wood-toned, warm atmosphere made it comfortable to eat in, and with seating for solo diners, it seemed like a place anyone looking for a solo-dining spot in Hongdae could visit without hesitation!

There's also a wide range of menu items beyond ramen, so it'd be a good pick to visit with friends and each pick out what you want! If you're looking for a place to eat solo and filling in Hongdae, or a restaurant to visit with a friend where everyone can choose different dishes, Myeon Sikdang Hongik University Branch seems worth a visit!!