Handmade gyoza and tonkotsu ramen at Shomendo, a Hongdae ramen shop

Why go to Shomendo, a ramen shop in Yeonnam-dong, Hongdae

While looking for a good ramen restaurant in Yeonnam-dong, Hongdae, I ended up visiting Shomendo (쇼멘도).

There are so many great restaurants and ramen shops in Hongdae that it's always hard to decide where to go, but this time I was craving rich, warm Japanese-style ramen, so I searched for a ramen place good for solo dining and ended up here :)

Shomendo hours, break time and location

• Hours | 11:30-20:30
• Break time | 15:00-17:00
• Last order | 20:00
• Location | 24-2 Donggyo-ro 46-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, 1F

Shomendo seating and interior: all bar seats and an open kitchen

The whole store is bar seating, but there are also seats toward the back with plenty of space, making it easy to eat comfortably. It's an open kitchen too, so watching the cooking is a nice bonus.

There's even a phone charger at the seats, which is super convenient, and right now they're giving out cute ramen/gyoza-shaped keyrings for free!!

Shomendo menu: three kinds of tonkotsu ramen

Hakata tonkotsu ramen / shrimp tonkotsu ramen / spicy tonkotsu ramen — there are three menu items, and they're solely a "tonkotsu ramen" specialist.

How to eat Shomendo ramen in 3 steps

• First, plain — the deep flavor of tonkotsu itself
• In the middle, add garlic for an extra layer of aroma
• At the end, takana (pickled mustard greens) with rice, into the broth, all the way to the last drop

Tonkotsu ramen is known for its rich broth simmered from pork bones, making it one of the more intensely flavored ramen types, and since I like this kind of rich, savory broth, I was looking forward to it.

And since eating just ramen felt like it might be slightly lacking, I ordered the handmade gyoza (dumplings) alongside it :)

What does Shomendo's Hakata tonkotsu ramen taste like?

The Hakata tonkotsu ramen had rich tonkotsu broth with thin noodles, so I could really taste the depth of the broth. It was genuinely deep — the best ramen I've had recently!! Made me feel like every ramen broth I'd had before wasn't even broth 🤣

The chashu (braised pork) in the ramen was very tender, and the egg was a nicely soft-boiled, well-seasoned — it really maximized the flavor haha

Plus, with 2 free noodle refills and a rice refill, even people with a big appetite can eat until they're very full.

I also ate it in the recommended order, and honestly, you should really try it this way — it makes it even tastier :)

Are Shomendo's handmade gyoza worth ordering too?

The gyoza had a grilled, savory exterior with a juicy filling inside, so it went well alongside the ramen :) Eating gyoza and then going back to the ramen broth gave a different feeling each time, making the meal feel less monotonous than eating ramen alone.

Going back and forth between the rich, savory tonkotsu broth and the golden-fried gyoza especially, my chopsticks just kept going!! haha

On top of that, the owner checking in with each customer individually about whether they needed noodle refills and such was really nice to see :)

Is Shomendo good for solo dining or a date in Hongdae?

Personally, when eating in Hongdae, since there's so much to see and do, I tend to prefer places where I can eat something reasonably filling without it being too heavy or requiring a long stay, so I can move on to my next plan.

In that sense, Shomendo's ramen feels pretty good — you can fill up on warm broth and noodles for a solid meal, and afterward it's easy to head straight to a nearby café.

If you're looking for a good ramen restaurant in Hongdae, whether for solo dining or as part of a date course, I recommend Shomendo :)