Weekday couple visit, no wait, tamago-bap pick at Gyedan Ramen, Goyang

Whenever I go to Japan, ramen is one thing I always make sure to eat. Today that rich, savory broth flavor was suddenly on my mind, so after a long while I went back to Gyedan Ramen, a well-known spot in Ilsan's Bamnideul-gil. I first visited years ago and loved it, but somehow I'd forgotten about it until this craving hit.

This place is famous for its long waits — I'd actually turned around and left a few times after seeing the line. This time I went just outside weekday mealtime, and luckily got a table right away with no wait at all.

Gyedan Ramen Ilsan Main Branch: location and hours

• Address: 10 Yulcheon-ro 7beon-gil, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 11:00 - 21:00

A ramen shop that feels like a Japanese back alley

Gyedan Ramen sits tucked inside Bamnideul-gil, an area packed with restaurants and cafés. The clean, understated exterior looked exactly like something you'd stumble on in a Japanese alley while traveling.

Parking is usually the headache around Bamnideul-gil, but this place has a few spots right out front, so we got lucky and parked immediately.

There's a kiosk at the entrance for registering your name on the waitlist. Since I've turned back a few times myself because of the wait, I'd say it's smart to plan for a wait if you're going on a weekend or during mealtime.

A cozy space with plenty of Japanese atmosphere

The restaurant is on the smaller side, with table seating in the center and bar-style seats toward the back. We sat at the bar, which had that unmistakable Japanese ramen-shop feel.

Since ramen turns over pretty quickly, seats that opened up while we were eating filled right back up with new customers.

The moment we walked in, the place was filled with that deep, savory broth smell. Even before the ramen arrived, I was already looking forward to that rich soup flavor.

Gyedan Ramen and Motsu Ramen — a simple menu

The menu was simple — two signature dishes, Gyedan Ramen at ₩11,000 and Motsu Ramen at ₩12,000, plus a summer season Yuzu Bibim Ramen. Side dishes include tamago-bap (egg strips over rice) at ₩3,000 and chashu-deopbap (chashu rice bowl) at ₩5,000, and they also serve highballs and milk tea.

My husband and I ordered Gyedan Ramen, Motsu Ramen, and tamago-bap to share.

Rich tonkotsu ramen simmered over 14 hours

Gyedan Ramen is made with pork bones plus chicken stock, simmered for over 14 hours. When it arrived, the milky broth already looked properly rich, and one sip confirmed it — deep and savory.

The broth leans slightly salty, so it's delicious even on its own, but it went especially well when eaten alongside rice.

The noodles weren't the chewy, springy type — they were thin strands that soaked up the rich broth nicely, perfect for slurping.

The generous pile of chashu (braised pork) on top wasn't overly fatty either — soft, and a great match for the rich broth.

Gopchang and chashu together: Motsu Ramen

My husband's Motsu Ramen came with a generous amount of nicely charred gopchang (grilled beef intestines). I can't really handle intestines like gopchang or daechang, so I stuck with the plain Gyedan Ramen.

The Motsu Ramen didn't look as greasy as I expected, and with both gopchang and chashu in the bowl, my husband kept saying how rich and delicious it was as he ate.

If you want to enjoy both gopchang and chashu, Motsu Ramen is the way to go.

Even better with the spicy table seasoning

For the first few bites, we tried the broth plain, letting the rich flavor speak for itself. Then we added the spicy seasoning set out on the table — and honestly, my husband and I both preferred it that way! The savory, rich broth turned spicier and more addictive, and we kept going back for more.

Try the broth plain first, then stir in the spicy seasoning partway through — it turns into a whole different, equally great bowl of ramen.

My surprise pick of the day: tamago-bap

The ramen was delicious, but what stuck with me most that day was actually the tamago-bap! It's rice topped with a generous pile of thinly sliced egg strips, plus some meat on the side.

Taking a big spoonful, the soft egg strips and rice combo was way better than I expected. I ate it plain at first, then dipped it lightly into the rich ramen broth — and that turned out to be an even better move.

Because the broth is slightly salty, it seasons the rice just right when combined, making it even more delicious.

And that perfectly cooked egg — so good, haha!

My husband mixed the leftover rice into the broth and cleaned his bowl down to the last drop, haha!

For when you're craving rich Japanese-style ramen

This is a place I'd turned back from a few times because of the wait, but eating here again after so long, it was just as good as I remembered. The rich tonkotsu broth, the fun of stirring in the spicy seasoning, and the surprise favorite — the tamago-bap — all made for a satisfying meal.

When I'm craving proper Japanese-style ramen without traveling far, Gyedan Ramen in Ilsan's Bamnideul-gil is a place I'll definitely go back to.