Gwangjin ramen with no break time: shoyu ramen and gyudon at Mentsuru

The weather was so nice that I went looking for somewhere to eat lunch while walking around Children's Grand Park. I happened to be craving ramen that day, so I ended up at Mentsuru, known as one of the go-to ramen spots near Children's Grand Park. I'd also heard it's famous as a Konkuk University-area favorite, so I went in with high expectations haha.

Mentsuru Children's Grand Park Branch hours, location and break time

Mentsuru Children's Grand Park Branch has no break time, so you can visit freely even if you miss regular lunch hours. We'd been walking around the park and ended up missing lunchtime, but luckily Mentsuru had no break time at all. Being able to drop in whenever was such a relief.

• Mentsuru Children's Grand Park Branch / 394 Gwangnaru-ro, 1F, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: daily 11:00-23:00 (last order 22:30)
• Location: 1-2 minute walk from Exit 4, Children's Grand Park Station
• Parking: not available, use the nearby Gwangjin Plaza public parking lot

Inside Mentsuru: atmosphere and solo-dining seats

Mentsuru Children's Grand Park Branch feels tidy and put-together rather than the greasy vibe you'd expect from a typical ramen shop, and there are solo-dining seats too. Being a well-known ramen spot near Children's Grand Park, it was fairly busy, probably because it was the weekend. The interior looked clean enough that it seemed like it hadn't been open long. There are also seats for solo diners, so you can eat comfortably without worrying about people around you. Maybe because Sejong University is nearby, the crowd skewed younger — couples, students, that kind of vibe. I could see why it's known as one of the better-atmosphere spots among Konkuk-area restaurants.

Mentsuru's signature menu at a glance

Let me introduce a few of Mentsuru's signature dishes, as explained to me by the owner.

Shoyu ramen

Mentsuru's signature ramen, made with a deep broth simmered for a long time from chicken and vegetables, finished with the umami of soy sauce.

Spicy shoyu ramen

Recommended for those who want the clean flavor of soy-based broth with an added kick of spice.

Shio ramen

A ramen with a clean broth of chicken and vegetables, seasoned simply with salt. Recommended for those who prefer a clean finish over a deep, heavy flavor.

Motsu ramen (beef offal ramen)

A special ramen generously loaded with fresh beef intestines (gopchang), giving it a rich flavor and hangover-curing quality. Good for when you want a spicy, hearty broth.

Abura soba

Mentsuru's signature specialty — noodles tossed without broth in a sauce blended from five different oils.

Gyudon (beef rice bowl)

A beef rice bowl where tender beef meets a well-balanced sweet-and-savory sauce.

We ordered shoyu ramen, gyudon, and karaage. Ramen paired with gyudon and karaage together made for a satisfyingly full meal. (We ate so much that day we ended up skipping dinner entirely.) The portions were quite generous.

How did Mentsuru's shoyu ramen and gyudon taste?

Mentsuru's shoyu ramen broth wasn't salty and had a savory depth, so I could drink it down to the last drop without feeling overwhelmed. The noodles were thin and slurped down easily, and they balanced well with the broth.

The gyudon's beef was so tender it practically melted the moment you bit into it. The portion was generous enough for two people to share comfortably.

Karaage and takoyaki at Mentsuru

The karaage came fresh out of the fryer with a crispy texture that really held up, and once dipped in the sauce, I couldn't stop reaching for more. We had about 4 pieces of takoyaki between the two of us, and even that alone was extremely filling. I usually don't eat much takoyaki because of the bonito flake smell, but this one didn't bother me much, so I ended up enjoying it.

A date course: Mentsuru plus a walk through Children's Grand Park

Since Children's Grand Park is right nearby, it's great for a walk before or after your meal. On a nice day, walking the park and then having ramen at Mentsuru makes for a perfect combo. If you're searching for Konkuk-area restaurants and also curious about ramen near Children's Grand Park, it's worth pairing the two together in one visit.

That's my review of a satisfying meal near Children's Grand Park — the shoyu ramen, gyudon, and karaage were all great. If you're looking for a ramen restaurant in the Konkuk area, I'd recommend Mentsuru Children's Grand Park Branch.