Late-night bar-seat shoyu and shio ramen at Mentsuru, Gwangjin

I was watching YouTube when a ramen video suddenly popped up and the craving hit me... boom!!

It was already getting a bit late, but when I searched and saw Mentsuru Children's Grand Park Branch was still open, I said let's go, right now!

Where is Mentsuru Children's Grand Park Branch?

• Mentsuru Children's Grand Park Branch
• 📍 394 Gwangnaru-ro, 1st floor, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul
• 🚗 Nearby public parking lots available
• 🍜 Shoyu ramen / shio ramen / karaage
• 👫 Also recommended for Children's Grand Park or Konkuk-area dates

Want to see how the food looks first?

Okay, now let's get into the details~

We arrived well past dinnertime, after 8:30pm, but I was surprised to see more people eating than I expected!

I mostly photographed the food and the store to keep other customers out of frame, but there were actually quite a few people at the tables. And more kept coming in even while we were eating...

Snapped quick photos whenever no one was around!

Children's Grand Park / Konkuk date course and parking

The location is fairly close to Children's Grand Park, so it's a good spot to come for a meal after a walk in the park!

It's also not far from the Konkuk University area, so it works well as a course — head to Konkuk after a Children's Grand Park date, or stop by for ramen after hanging out around Konkuk!

We drove, but instead of parking at the restaurant, we parked right across the street at Gwangjin Plaza public parking lot and walked over! We walked a little after parking, but since it was evening there were tons of open spots!

The bar seats and what we ordered

We sat at the bar seats here, and the overall vibe was clean. Rather than the chaotic, busy feel typical of ramen shops, it felt organized and comfortable to eat in, and the staff were friendly too, which made the meal even more pleasant! Good good.

We ordered three things: shoyu ramen, shio ramen, and karaage! If you're going as a pair like us, ordering one of each ramen plus karaage as a side seems like a solid combo.

For a clear conscience... we got zero-sugar cola haha...

How was the shoyu ramen?

First, the shoyu ramen! It's soy sauce-based ramen, and the broth was cleaner than I expected! The egg was cooked to perfect doneness too!

When you think of ramen, you usually picture a heavy, rich broth, but this wasn't too heavy or salty, so it was easy to eat without feeling weighed down.

I also liked the noodle texture — chewy, and a great match with the broth. Dipping the noodles briefly in the broth before eating brought out that distinct shoyu umami really nicely!

How is shio ramen different from shoyu?

The shio ramen has a slightly lighter color(?) than the shoyu and a plainer, cleaner feel!

I'm usually the type to agonize when asked to pick just one between two menu items, but this time we ordered both and compared them as we ate, which was great. If you personally prefer a clean broth over a strong-flavored ramen, shio might be the one for you.

I felt the shoyu was tastier, but my husband said the shio was better haha — so I guess we each ordered the right one for our taste (?) If you're going as two, I'd recommend one shoyu and one shio to split and share!

The side dish: karaage

And surprisingly, the karaage stuck with me. I ordered it as a side without expecting much, but it turned out better than I thought! The chicken felt fresh with no off smell at all, so it disappeared fast (and once only one piece was left, it became a staring contest).

The batter wasn't too thick either — fried to just the right level of crispiness, and it went great with the ramen!

Karaage can be disappointing if it's too greasy or if the chicken smells off, but this one had none of that — clean, and I felt it was good value too! If ramen alone feels like it's not quite enough, ordering this as a side is a good call!

Haha, that little phone stand detail... so cute...!

Kitchen hygiene and table setup

Sitting at the bar seats meant we had a close view of the kitchen, and it was really clean..! You could feel the staff staying attentive to hygiene the whole time!

What surprised me most was that customers kept coming in even while we were still eating. There really is a difference with a place like this (the photos avoid showing other guests, but in reality there were quite a few people dining.)

Pepper was set out on the table like this, and they told us to let them know if the seasoning wasn't quite right! For me, it was exactly right~

This yuzu-flavored danmuji (pickled radish) was also a nice touch!!

We were so full,,,, you can see the bowls emptied out, right???? Haha

To sum up

If you're looking for somewhere to eat dinner near Children's Grand Park, or craving something not-too-heavy on a Konkuk-area date, how about ramen?

I liked having the fun of ordering two different ramen styles like shoyu and shio to compare, and I really liked the combo of chewy noodles with a clean broth.

Overall the store was clean, the staff were friendly, and the food was very satisfying ~ If you're looking for a ramen restaurant near Children's Grand Park, or want a clean meal after a date around Konkuk, I'll remember Mentsuru Children's Grand Park Branch as a place worth stopping by!