Soy sauce ramen and tori paitan at dachi seats, City Hall: Mentsuru

Today I want to introduce a real hidden-gem ramen restaurant near City Hall Station. The clean broth and deep flavor of the soyu ramen and tori paitan were so good. So let's get into this post about Mentsuru City Hall Branch, a ramen spot near the Deoksugung night opening.

Mentsuru City Hall Branch details

• 📍Address: 2 Seosomun-ro 11-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
• 🕢Hours: Daily 11:00–21:30 (last order 21:00)
• Group dining and takeout available

Exterior and interior photos

Mentsuru City Hall Branch is a 1-minute walk from Exit 10 of City Hall Station, so it's very accessible, and it's right across from Goryeo Samgyetang.

There's no parking on site, so I'd recommend using a public parking lot near the restaurant. Now let's head inside Mentsuru City Hall Branch to eat some delicious ramen.

This is the interior of Mentsuru. It's very clean and pleasant, and the soft, warm lighting wraps around the space, giving it a comfortable feel.

Solo-friendly dachi seats and open kitchen

There are dachi counter seats wrapped around the kitchen, perfect for those who enjoy eating alone. It's an open kitchen setup, so you can watch your ramen being carefully made right in front of you — and I loved how clean everything was kept.

There are also 2–4 person tables on the first floor and basement, so it's just as comfortable to visit with coworkers, friends, or a partner.

You can order directly at the kiosk by the entrance,

and apparently if you participate in a Naver review event, they give you a free canned drink or fried gyoza. No reason not to do it, right?

The menu

The menu includes the signature soyu ramen, tori paitan, shio ramen, tsukemen, beef tripe ramen, gyudon (beef rice bowl), chashu don, and more. Tonkotsu ramen and mazesoba are paid for at the basement store.

What we ordered — soyu ramen, tori paitan ramen, karaage

We ordered the soyu ramen, tori paitan, and karaage. The basic side dish is yuzu danmuji (pickled radish), and unlike regular danmuji, it has the sweet-tart flavor of yuzu syrup, so when the ramen starts to feel rich, eating the yuzu danmuji resets your palate right away.

Handmade karaage

The first thing we tasted was the karaage — crispy on the outside while the chicken thigh meat inside stayed moist and juicy. Genuinely delicious.

Dipping it into the mayo sauce or chili sauce that comes with it sends the savoriness through the roof, and the karaage pieces themselves are huge, so you really get that satisfying bite.

If you come to Mentsuru, the karaage is a must-order.

Tori paitan ramen

Next up is tori paitan — a ramen made from chicken simmered for a long time into a rich broth. The milky-white soup feels like eating a health tonic.

The broth is thick and creamy, with the savory richness unique to chicken stock coming through cleanly and deliciously without feeling heavy.

The noodles are thin and soft, soaking up plenty of the tori paitan broth — each bite is really tasty. The meat is tender with no dryness, almost like it's been sous vide, melting in your mouth.

Soyu ramen

Soyu ramen is a clear, soy sauce-based ramen — but it's not just a salty soy broth. Deep stock flavor and umami swirl all through your mouth. It's clear yet has a clean finish, so I kept going back for more.

The chashu is tender and soft, and the soft-boiled egg is savory too.

For anyone near City Hall Station wanting to eat solo or warm up their insides with proper Japanese-style ramen, I recommend Mentsuru, a favorite among City Hall office workers.

Final verdict

• The handmade karaage — crispy outside, juicy inside — is a must-order
• Both the clear, refined soyu ramen and the rich, creamy tori paitan ramen were really delicious
• Dachi seats make it great for solo dining, and the staff service was friendly — great!