I stopped by Menchuru (멘츠루) on a weekday when I had something to do in Yeouido and needed a proper lunch by myself. The Yeouido branch is known for ramen, especially tsukemen, so it had been on my list for a while.
I originally had tsukemen in mind, but it wasn’t available when I ordered. I ended up choosing the spicy paitan ramen instead, and it still matched what I wanted that day: a rich chicken broth, a mild spicy flavor, and enough toppings to make the bowl feel satisfying.
Close to Yeouido Station
Menchuru Yeouido is about a four-minute walk from Yeouido Station, so the location is easy. If you’re already around the office area, The Hyundai Seoul, or Yeouido Hangang Park, it doesn’t feel like a detour.
That probably explains the lunch crowd. Yeouido has a lot of office workers, and a ramen shop this close to the station is an easy choice when you want something quick but not boring, especially if you are trying to eat before heading back to work or walking over toward the river.
Weekday Lunch Means a Wait
I visited during weekday lunch, and there was already a wait. It wasn’t surprising for a popular ramen place in Yeouido, but it’s still worth knowing before you show up hungry.
The good thing is that Menchuru uses CatchTable, so you can join the waiting list remotely instead of standing outside the whole time. If you’re heading there around lunch, I would open CatchTable on the way and put your name down before you arrive. It helps.
Check Menchuru Yeouido on CatchTable
Good for Solo Lunch
Since I was alone, I got in pretty quickly and was seated at the bar. There are regular tables too, but the bar seat was comfortable for a solo lunch.
I like bar seating at ramen shops because it makes eating alone feel easy. You sit down, order, watch the kitchen for a bit, and the whole thing moves quickly without feeling awkward.
Ordering on the Tablet
Ordering and payment are done through the tablet at your seat. Menchuru is known for tsukemen, but when I visited, the tsukemen options were blocked as sold out on the tablet.
My guess is that they limit it during the busiest lunch window because tsukemen takes more time to prepare. It was a little disappointing, but I switched to the spicy paitan ramen instead.
Paitan ramen is made with a rich chicken-based broth, and I wanted something with a bit of warmth, so the spicy version made sense. It worked out.
Bar Seat Details
From the bar, you can see straight into the kitchen. The staff were boiling noodles, pouring broth, plating toppings, and moving fast without the space looking messy.
I always notice this at ramen places. The food can be good either way, but when the kitchen area looks organized from the seat, it makes the whole meal feel better. That part was nice.
Each seat had pickled radish, and this one was yuzu pickled radish. It was sweet, tangy, and had a light citrus scent from the yuzu.
This was better than plain pickled radish with a rich ramen like this. The paitan broth is deep and heavy, so eating the yuzu radish between bites kept the meal from feeling too much. I liked that more than I expected.
The Spicy Paitan Ramen
The spicy paitan ramen came out with a creamy, pale golden broth, thin chashu, chopped onion, and egg. It looked rich before I even tasted it.
Paitan broth is made by simmering chicken bones for a long time until the broth turns milky and thick. This one had that deep chicken flavor, with a mild heat added to the broth.
The heat wasn’t sharp or overwhelming. It just made the rich broth feel a little more balanced, which was exactly what I wanted.
The chopped raw onion on top worked really well with the broth. Every few bites, a little piece of onion would come through, adding crunch and a clean, fresh bite.
Without it, I think the broth could have started feeling heavier halfway through. With the onion, the bowl stayed balanced. It cut through the richness in a way that made me want another spoonful instead of needing a break.
The noodle portion felt just right for lunch. Not tiny, not overly stuffed. The noodles were smooth and easy to eat with the thick broth, which matters because this kind of ramen can feel tiring if the noodles are too heavy.
I liked that the bowl felt filling without making me feel like I needed to cancel the rest of the day, which is always appreciated during weekday lunch.
I usually don’t love thick, heavy chashu, so the thinner slices here were more my style. They were soft and clean-tasting, without any strong pork smell.
The texture was tender enough to fold into a bite with the noodles, which is exactly how I like eating chashu in ramen. It matched the bowl well.
The onsen tamago was also worth getting. It had that slightly sweet-salty seasoning, so it tasted good on its own, but it was even better with the broth.
I broke it into the soup toward the middle of the meal, and the yolk made the broth feel a little rounder. If you already like eggs in ramen, don’t skip it here.
Don’t Skip the Free Rice
Menchuru lets you add rice for free, and with this broth, I would do it at the end. The ramen itself was satisfying, but the broth was too good to just leave behind.
A little rice in that spicy chicken broth makes the last few bites feel like a second mini meal. It is also a nice way to finish if the broth feels too rich to drink by itself.
If you’re going to Yeouido Hangang Park or The Hyundai Seoul and want a solid meal nearby, Menchuru is easy to recommend. Just expect lunch crowds, and if you specifically want tsukemen, try not to go at the busiest lunch hour.
If you’re making a Yeouido day out of it, I would pair lunch here with a walk at Yeouido Hangang Park after. Rich ramen first, river walk after.
Where to Find It
Menchuru Yeouido (멘츠루 여의도점)
Closest station: Yeouido Station (여의도역), about a four-minute walk.
Good for: solo ramen, weekday lunch, spicy paitan ramen, tsukemen if it is available, and a meal near Yeouido Hangang Park or The Hyundai Seoul.
Tip: Use CatchTable if you’re going during lunch. Waiting can build up quickly.
Open Menchuru Yeouido in Google Maps →
Visited during weekday lunch. Menu availability, waiting status, and restaurant details can change, so check the latest listing before you go.
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