Euljiro ramen restaurant: offal beef bowl with soft egg, Mentsuru

I visited Mentsuru Euljiro Branch, a ramen restaurant near Euljiro3(sam)-ga Station that's popular with office workers eating solo! Overall I was satisfied with everything — the food, the vibe, and the friendly service.

The daechang (beef intestine) and beef brisket rice bowl combined chewy, savory daechang with tender brisket, and popping the yolk and mixing it in made everything even richer and smoother. The fried gyoza and handmade karaage I ordered as sides were nice and crispy, and paired well with the rice bowl.

The space is mostly bar tables, so it felt totally fine to visit alone, and the staff were friendly, which made for a relaxed meal. If you're looking for a solo meal near Euljiro3(sam)-ga, or want a hearty dinner with a casual beer after work, this is a good spot — leaving this review for anyone in that situation.

Hours — Daily 11:00–21:30 (last order 21:00)

Where is Mentsuru Euljiro Branch and how do you order?

Mentsuru Euljiro Branch is in a great spot, just a 5-minute walk from Euljiro3(sam)-ga Station, so it's really easy to get to.

There's a kiosk at the entrance of Mentsuru Euljiro Branch where you order and wait, then get shown to a table — kind of like the system you'd find in Japan.

What is lunchtime solo dining like at Mentsuru?

As a ramen restaurant known as a lunch spot for office workers around Euljiro3(sam)-ga and Euljiro-ipgu, Mentsuru Euljiro Branch was packed with solo diners at lunchtime! But turnover was fast, so people kept getting seated quickly.

The interior is mostly bar tables, so it felt completely comfortable to visit alone. There were actually lots of other solo diners too, so I could relax and enjoy my meal. What really stood out was the kind manager — from seating to taking orders, everything was handled quickly and smoothly, so even as a first-time visitor I felt at ease.

The customer base was really diverse too. There were quite a few foreign customers, along with office workers like me enjoying a solo bowl of ramen, and some diners casually pairing their meal with a beer. Whether you're eating alone or having a drink alongside your meal, Mentsuru Euljiro Branch felt like a place where anyone could feel comfortable — it was nice seeing everyone enjoying the meal their own way.

What impressed me most was how kind the manager was. Even during the busy hours, they handled seating and menu explanations quickly and smoothly. Despite the rush, they never lost their composure and took care of each customer attentively — that really stuck with me. Thanks to that, I imagine foreign customers can order without much trouble and enjoy their meal comfortably too. The food matters, of course, but this kind of thoughtful, attentive service is another strength of this place.

Mentsuru menu prices and what comes on the table

Here's the menu at Mentsuru Euljiro Branch.

The menu board listed chicken skin gyoza, but it wasn't shown on the kiosk.

Get a free drink through the Naver receipt review event!

Every table had pickled radish, pepper, and water neatly set out. Since I'd already ordered at the entrance kiosk, my food came out just 10 minutes after I sat down. Even during a tight lunch break, the fast service felt like a real plus, and it seemed like a great system for busy office workers on their lunch hour.

Daechang and beef brisket rice bowl with an extra soft-boiled egg

What I ordered was the daechang (beef intestine) and beef brisket rice bowl with one extra soft-boiled egg. The generous portions of daechang and brisket piled on top made it look pretty appetizing right from the start.

Then I popped the egg yolk...!!!

The yolk coated the rice and sauce once more, adding even more richness and blending everything together into something moist and smooth in the mouth.

I tried the daechang first — the outside was nicely browned while the inside kept that chewy texture. It had that distinct savory, rich daechang flavor, and the fatty taste spread out subtly with each chew, which I found really appealing. It wasn't too tough, just chewy enough, and went great with the rice.

I tried topping the daechang with onion and wasabi. The wasabi cut through the richness of the daechang and the saltiness of the sauce, while the onion added a refreshing finish!

The beef brisket had its own different charm from the daechang. Thinly sliced, it was tender to bite into, and the savory juices from the meat blended really well with the rice.

Having both types of meat together was nice — the texture and flavor were more varied than if I'd eaten just one. Daechang brought a chewy, savory flavor, while the brisket was tender and mild yet rich, so I could enjoy both different charms in turns.

Eating the daechang and brisket with rice and a bit of wasabi was the tastiest combination. If you like daechang, you can really enjoy its savory flavor here, and since brisket is included too, meat lovers will be satisfied as well.

6 fried gyoza and 2 handmade karaage as sides

For sides, I also ordered 6 pieces of fried gyoza and 2 pieces of handmade karaage. The fried gyoza had a crispy dumpling skin with a moist filling inside, making it a great pairing with the ramen or rice bowl, while the handmade karaage — crispy outside, juicy chicken thigh inside — had a salty flavor that made me think of beer.

When just ramen or a rice bowl feels a bit lacking, adding the crispy fried gyoza and juicy handmade karaage as sides makes the meal feel much more substantial.

The fried gyoza had that crispy crunch the moment you bit in. The outside was fried to a golden brown crispness while the dumpling filling inside stayed moist and soft, and I liked that contrast in texture. The filling had a subtle savory, salty flavor that was tasty on its own, and would also be great ordered alongside a rice bowl or ramen. Being a crispy fried item, it also went really well as a beer snack!

The handmade karaage was crispy on the outside while the chicken meat stayed moist and tender inside. Biting in, you get that crispy coating followed by juicy chicken meat, and the seasoning wasn't overly strong, so it never felt too heavy.

It had that classic karaage charm — crispy outside, moist inside — with a savory chicken flavor that kept me reaching for more.

Is Mentsuru Euljiro Branch worth a visit?

Overall I was satisfied with everything — the food, the atmosphere, and the friendly service. The daechang and beef brisket rice bowl brought together the chewy, savory flavor of daechang with the tender richness of the brisket, and popping the yolk and mixing it in made it even more savory and smooth. The fried gyoza and handmade karaage I ordered on the side kept that great crispy texture and paired well with the rice bowl.

Above all, the space made up mostly of bar tables felt comfortable for solo dining, and the staff were friendly, making for a relaxed meal. I think this is a good ramen restaurant to visit if you're looking for a solo lunch or dinner spot near Euljiro3(sam)-ga, or want a hearty meal with a casual beer after work.