Hear me out: yes, you came to Korea for Korean food. But somewhere around day three of stews and barbecue, you might want a bowl of something different — and Seoul’s Japanese ramen scene is genuinely good. For proper tonkotsu ramen in Gangnam, Yuramen is where I’d send you: rich, clean pork-bone broth, serious mazesoba, and one of the cheapest happy hours in the neighborhood.
The smell hits you at the entrance, where a little Totoro figure greets customers. Good sign.
Getting there
- Address: 32 Bongeunsa-ro 4-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul — 1st floor (Google Maps)
- Subway: Sinnonhyeon Station, Exit 6 — 3-minute walk (or about 6 minutes on foot from Gangnam Station)
- Hours: 11am–9pm Sun–Fri, 11am–10pm Sat, no break time — a rare and beautiful thing, perfect for late-afternoon meals when other places are closed
The space
Yuramen Gangnam is warm-lit and cozy, with an open kitchen that’s reassuringly spotless. There’s a proper bar counter too, which makes this a great pick for solo travelers — eating alone at a ramen bar is completely normal here, no awkwardness involved.
Ordering
At Yuramen Gangnam, you order and pay at the kiosk by the entrance. It has English (imperfect, but workable), the menu comes with photos, and cards are accepted — between the three, you’ll manage just fine.
Two things to know before you sit down:
- Self-serve bar: kimchi, pickled radish, and rice are free and unlimited. Nobody will explain this to you — just grab a small dish and help yourself like the regulars do.
- Happy hour: from 11am to 5pm, a 200cc draft beer is 1,500 KRW — about one US dollar. A beer with ramen at 3pm for a dollar is the kind of small joy trips are made of.
What we ordered
Full-Topping Yuramen + Mini Chashu Rice Bowl Set (19,500 KRW / about $14.50)
The signature: tonkotsu ramen loaded with chashu pork, a soft-boiled egg, and the works. The broth is the point — deep and savory but clean, not greasy. The noodles are very thin with a real bite; try wrapping a slice of chashu around them for a mouthful of pure pork richness. The egg is custard-soft.
The mini chashu rice bowl on the side is sweet-salty and tender — the right move if ramen alone won’t fill you up.
Mazesoba, mild (11,000 KRW / about $8)
If you haven’t met mazesoba: it’s brothless ramen — thick chewy noodles tossed in an intense, umami-heavy sauce with minced pork. It eats completely differently from soup ramen, and this one is excellent.
How to eat mazesoba like a regular
- Mix everything thoroughly before your first bite — the sauce hides at the bottom.
- Halfway through, add two or three drops of the kelp vinegar sitting on your table. It brightens the whole bowl; I honestly prefer it this way.
- When the noodles are gone, don’t surrender the leftover sauce: get white rice (self-serve bar, remember) and mix it in. This is the officially sanctioned Korean-and-Japanese way to finish, and it might be the best part.
Local tips
- Hit the 11am–5pm window for the $1 beer, and note there’s no break time — this is my go-to recommendation for a 3pm lunch in Gangnam when everything else is closed.
- It’s a newer spot and the crowds haven’t caught on yet: I walked in on a Sunday with no wait. Go before the word spreads.
- Gangnam is more of a business-and-nightlife district than a tourist sight, but if you’re in the area for shopping or K-pop spots, Yuramen Gangnam beats the chain restaurants near the station by a mile.
Verdict
If you want tonkotsu ramen in Gangnam, Yuramen nails the fundamentals: broth with depth, noodles with texture, and prices that undercut half the trendy spots nearby. Between the solo-friendly bar seats, the free self-serve sides, and that happy hour, it’s an easy place to recommend — whether you need a break from Korean food or just a genuinely good bowl of ramen.
