Karai ramen and gara-age set near Sokcho fish market: Ichiba Ramen

Visited Saturday, September 5, 2026

One of the places I was most looking forward to on this trip was Ichiba Ramen, a Sokcho ramen restaurant my sister swore by. I love noodle dishes and was looking for something that felt properly local, and since it wasn't far from Sokcho Tourist Fish Market on the way, the location was perfect — eat a solid meal, then wander the market afterward at a relaxed pace.

The vibe at Ichiba Ramen — a ramen restaurant open from 9am

As soon as we got to the entrance, we spotted a table-ling machine for waiting in line, and checking the hours, we found they open at 9am — a real plus, since that covers everything from an early breakfast to a late dinner.

Inside, the clean, no-frills white-and-wood interior gave off a warm, comfortable feel that made it easy to relax and eat. There's a cute noren curtain hanging by the open kitchen, and the space has everything from solo-friendly bar seats to roomy tables, so it works whether you're eating alone or with a group.

Menu and prices

We ordered easily at the kiosk near the kitchen. The restaurant's signature lineup ranges from the spicy karai ramen to a savory miso ramen, a richly simmered mania tonkotsu ramen, and the distinctive red snow crab and pollack roe cream ramen with a local twist. There were also good side dishes like butadon (pork rice bowl) or chashu-don, plus crispy gara-age (Japanese-style fried chicken), so it was fun deciding. We ended up ordering a good spread: karai ramen, the crab roe cream ramen, butadon, and gara-age.

• Karai Ramen ₩9,500 x2
• Red Snow Crab & Pollack Roe Cream Ramen ₩14,000
• Butadon ₩4,500
• Gara-age ₩5,000

What we ordered — karai ramen, crab roe cream ramen, butadon, gara-age

Here, the owner calls you when your food is ready, and you pick it up and return your dishes yourself. Each bowl came out neatly set on a small tray, which made carrying them over kind of adorable.

Karai Ramen

First up, the vivid red karai ramen — the tonkotsu broth's deep umami base was fully soaked through with a spicy secret sauce, and I let out an involuntary gasp with the first sip.

The thick, tender chashu, springy noodles, and soft-boiled egg came together so well I couldn't stop reaching for my chopsticks.

Red Snow Crab & Pollack Roe Cream Ramen

The crab roe cream ramen I'd been curious about felt like it captured the taste of the Sokcho sea itself.

The thick, velvety cream base came loaded with salty pollack roe and sweet red snow crab tangled through the noodles, filling my mouth with a heavy, deep creaminess. If you love cream pasta or rich sauces, this is the kind of intense, savory bowl that'll hit your exact taste.

Butadon and Gara-age

On top of that, there was the sweet-and-salty pork butadon, which we mixed up with the egg,

and freshly fried, crispy gara-age rounding things out — nothing left to want in this meal.

Location and parking

• 🧭 348 Jungang-ro, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do, South Korea (Ichiba Ramen)
• ⏰ Daily 09:00–21:00 (closes 14:00 Wednesdays only), last order 20:30
• 🚗 Parking available roadside in front of the restaurant or on the side of the building. If full, use nearby side streets in the residential area or the beachside parking lot.

That was my visit to Ichiba Ramen, a Sokcho ramen restaurant I fell for hard thanks to its deep broth and distinctive menu — if it were in my neighborhood, I'd be a regular. Looking forward to my next trip to Sokcho, and thanks to a full, satisfying meal, we had the energy to head straight into a proper look around Sokcho Tourist Fish Market right next door.