Euljiro3(sam)-ga ramen restaurant, dipping tsukemen solo at 4pm

Mentsuru Euljiro Branch: a Euljiro ramen restaurant with no break time

Right next to Chungmuro Station, tucked at the mouth of an alley, this place reminded me just how many different styles of dining Seoul has. I had a late lunch at Mentsuru Euljiro Branch, a well-known ramen spot in Euljiro.

What's great here is that there's no break time, so people like me eating a late lunch can drop in whenever. And since it's open until night, it's also perfect for a simple bowl of soup as a second round after a drink.

What are the seats and atmosphere like at 4pm?

There was a kiosk right at the entrance. The interior had a comfortable feel, and going around 4pm meant it was quiet and calm, which put me at ease. I basically had the place to myself.

The bar-style seating was nice, and there were also about five tables in the back, just right for groups of 2–4. Everything was set up well, so it was also great for eating alone.

What I ordered at Mentsuru Euljiro Branch, and the prices

There were two staff at the restaurant — one serving, one cooking. They greeted me warmly and made the food quickly and with care, which was genuinely comforting.

I picked from the signature dishes at the kiosk near the entrance. Tsukemen (14,000 won) was really intriguing — it's a style where you dip the noodles into a sauce.

I added chashu topping (2,500 won) and an egg (1,000 won), plus the best-selling handmade karaage (7,000 won) and six pieces of fried gyoza (5,000 won).

By the drawer, tissues, cups, chopsticks and spoons were all neatly arranged. I drank a cool glass of water and helped myself to some danmuji (pickled radish) set off to the side.

Pickled radish with yuzu syrup, self-serve

The danmuji container was neat and tidy, and instead of plain white radish, it had yuzu honey mixed in — a sign that even the side dishes got real attention.

I waited about ten minutes. I personally like my noodles a bit on the softer side, and these were cooked exactly to my taste. Chicken, seaweed, egg, scallion, pork belly, bamboo shoots — the toppings came out generously, and I loved it.

How does Mentsuru's tsukemen taste on a first try?

Looks appetizing, right? It was great for a Naver receipt review too. The egg was soft-boiled, so the savoriness practically exploded in my mouth. The seaweed wasn't over-salted, just naturally, mildly salty — and it was overwhelming in the best way.

Mixing in the salty chicken breast, scallions, bamboo shoots, and the soy-based sauce, gently tossing it all together, created a truly delicious tsukemen.

This was my first time trying it, and it had a bold appeal completely different from broth-based ramen. I ordered this sauce-style ramen because it was hot out, and in many ways it was an excellent choice. On top of that, the sweet danmuji added a nice freshness.

Ramen tends to be salty, so you end up eating a lot of sodium — but with tsukemen, the advantage is you can control the seasoning yourself by adjusting how much sauce you pour on.

The tender meat packed in the protein, and there was a good amount of noodles with refills available, so it would also satisfy men with bigger appetites.

Handmade karaage and fried gyoza (6 pieces)

Both the gyoza and karaage were fried to a top-notch level, and I happily devoured them, well aware that fried food isn't exactly good for you — but it had been a while.

I had a bite of noodles too — the clean seasoning and the sauce's deep savoriness were impressive in every way.

The pork belly topping was chewy, fatty, and savory in all the right ways — I really got to appreciate what makes Euljiro ramen special. There were bits of meat in the sauce too, so it was salty and satisfying to enjoy without thinking too much.

The fried gyoza seemed like mini dumplings fried up, and they were crispy and really appealing.

Is Mentsuru Euljiro Branch good for eating alone?

As I was leaving, a woman came in and ate a bowl of ramen alone, just like me, and I liked this quiet, 'midnight diner' kind of atmosphere. With cat figurines saying hello, this was truly a cute little restaurant in the middle of the city. Grab your Euljiro ramen fix here.