Freshly made udon. Nothing goes better than this. My second time here. And this time we tried the duck udon and sea urchins udon. Both are excellent. The sea urchins one is creamy and VERY RICH. The cream sauce bend in really well with the sea urchins. But definitely not something you would order if you are on a weaker stomach. The duck udon is flavorful with plenty of meat. The soup pair perfectly with the udon as well. There was a line outside before it opened. But not too bad. They got a little eating area outside right next to the street and I saw people ate there with their dog as well. I guess that they are "kinda" dog friendly? read more

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7/19/2026 3 1/2 Stars Not my first time here, but my first review on Yelp. Been awhile since I was last here. UDON KAKE It was good, but the broth was a bit salty at first. Udon noodles were good, but it was not excellent. It did have light chewy texture. BUT in comparison to Meiji Seimen, it fell short, really short! I was disappointed. BEEF BOWL It was delicious! Beef was tender and moist and loved the caramelized onion too. Rice was delicious too, not dry nor mushy. Served with pickled red ginger. A very satisfying bowl. Sat at the bar, so watched them make udon from scratch, which was nice. WAIT LIST There was a line when I got there, just as it opened. It wasn't long, but everyone wrote their name down on a wait list. There's a sheet of paper placed on the table outside. Please write your name down ASAP, as that will help in making sure that you will grab a seat. Also, the lines are disorganized too, so it's best to write down your name, so no one cuts in front of you. It is a small restaurant. Limited seats. CUSTOMER SERVICE It was okay. Everyone got in the restaurant in the order they came in. Service was quick and there were no delays in taking orders. The server came by quickly and dropped off the check as she saw that I was nearly finished with my meal. PARKING Parked at Joe's Autoparks. It was $15! I did not know until after I paid the ticket. Very difficult to find parking in this area, so not many options unless you want to walk really far, back to your car in 90 degree heat. There was another parking garage next to Joe's, but the price was the same! Would I come back again? Not sure. Given that the udon wasn't what I expected, it may be my last time here. Also, parking sucks. read more

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Been almost a year since I last updated my review so figured it was time for an update. Ordered UberEats since parking in Little Tokyo is extremely challenging and stressful. I was hesitant to spend $48 (after fees and tips - original price - $31.75) but I figured I'd rather pay a bit more than deal with parking and waiting an hour just for a table. The udon is still very soft and fresh. The sea urchin pieces have gotten much smaller and less than before. The sauce is still rich in flavor and very creamy. Wish there was more sea urchin and noodles to justify the price! However, I know UberEats takes a huge chunk of fees from restaurants, which is why they have to upcharge the price! Overall, I feel like the portion size is slightly bigger during the dine-in experience so I would recommend dining in if you don't mind the horrendous parking and long wait time for a table. read more

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Finally made it to Marugame Monzo and it definitely lived up to the hype! The uni udon was the highlight of the meal--rich, creamy, and absolutely worth ordering if you're a fan of uni. We also tried the seafood tomato udon, veggie udon, miso carbonara udon, and the fried chicken skin, and everything was delicious. Each dish had its own unique flavor, and you can really tell they put a lot of care into making their noodles. We came on a Saturday for lunch, so we expected a long wait, but it was actually very reasonable and totally bearable. Service was efficient, and once seated, the food came out pretty quickly. Overall, a great spot for fresh handmade udon, and I'll definitely be back to try more items on the menu! read more

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i like this place! i want to go back and try more menu items. i got the gratin udon and it wasn't too cheesy at all. i also tried the beef bukkake udon, which is so refreshing and cool to eat on a hot day!! the place inside is pretty small, so you're really close to your neighbors when eating. the service is pretty quick and they are nice! downside is parking, but it is little tokyo. i will be back!! read more

Marugame Monzo - Gratin udon - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I ordered the Carbonara Udon and it was creamy and delicious. The fried chicken skins were crispy and tasty. I tried to add the seafood (shrimp ama scallops) to my order and they didn't allow it. Bummer and why I rated the meal and experience as a 4 star. read more

Aight, I eat pretty plain food most of the time and occasionally get Instagram baited into trying viral stuff, including Menchirashi's carbonara udon in Tokyo, which I enjoyed despite the sauce being fairly light. Marugame Monzo's sauce, however, is the opposite of Menchirashi's. The sauce is SUPER flavorful with a rich, creamy mouthfeel and a strong umami flavor from the bacon and miso. I added mentaiko since I did the same at Menchirashi and honestly, everything was fantastic. The udon itself is pretty much exactly like fresh udon in Japan. Perfectly bouncy, chewy, and satisfying. Staff were also wonderful and service was insanely fast. We probably waited less than 10 minutes for both our udon and tempura, and they consistently checked in to make sure everything was good. I can't wait to come back and try more of their menu, especially the uni cream udon. The only thing I didn't like was the shrimp tempura since it had a lot of batter and not a ton of shrimp, so it was on the greasy side. I did enjoy the soft boiled egg tempura though. The yolk exploded into the udon and somehow made the whole bowl even better hehe. There are plenty of tables inside with limited bar seating. If you're a 2 top you might be sharing a table real close with some neighbors (they put a divider). If there's a wait, write your name down on the clipboard outside! read more

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For as long as I can remember, I've been team udon over ramen. And in my opinion, this place puts that debate to rest. The classics like Niki Udon, Kitsune Udon, and Curry Udon are incredible staples that stand the test of time and simply hold their own. But if there's any restaurant to enjoy the classics and dip into a little fusion cuisine, THIS is a place you should add to your bucket list. Their creamy mushroom udon is phenomenal. Mushrooms are delicately seasoned and cooked correctly, the texture of the noodles have a perfect bounce/chew to them, and that cream sauce? Addicting. This place has this distinct homey comfort type of vibe to it. The restaurant's decorations aren't too over the top. Most importantly, it's such a clean establishment. In my experience, the servers here are a bit soft-spoken. But they're polite and very knowledgeable about the menu. I look forward to trying more dishes off the menu! read more

Marugame Monzo - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

We passed this place during a food excursion and decided to try their hand rolled udon. One of the best decisions we made during our trip! We only tried the carbonara udon, but it was truly memorable. The sauce was creamy although a little split, but not overly salty which allowed the subtle umami and miso flavors to shine. The noodles were cooked well and had a gentle chew. The bacon was juicy with lots of fatty bits. Next time I would add an ontama to it to make it even better. The service was great and quick. We sat at the counter so could watch the noodles being made. This is definitely among the top 3 places I ate in JTown during this visit! read more

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Had to bring my husband here because he loves udon and this is where you can get some of the best udon. We visited on a Saturday for lunch and to our surprise, there was no wait at all. We were seated right away. However, I wasn't too fond of the seating arrangement. Our table was shared with strangers, with a divider in the center to separate our groups. Our orders were placed very quickly. My husband ordered the Mentai Squid Butter Udon and I ordered the Beef Udon. Both bowls came out extremely quickly and at the same time, which was a happy sight to see. The broth here is exceptional. The beef udon was packed with flavor. I loved this very much since it was a colder day. Plenty of beef was provided to go along with the udon, which was a nice addition to the meal. It was a very fulfilling and delicious meal. The Mentai Squid Butter Udon was also very tasty, filled with lots of fished eggs and shredded nori. The broth was very soupy, not super creamy, and not too salty, which was surprising. I loved everything about it. Since this is Little Tokyo, parking can be found in many different lots all around, mostly paid parking. There is also street parking, which is likely metered parking. Overall, this is a wonderful restaurant, as their food is top quality. Service is fast and friendly as well which always makes the experience better. I only wish the restaurant was a bit bigger though since the seating can be a tight squeeze. Other than that, Marugame Monzo is amazing. read more

Marugame Monzo - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Ordered the miso carbonara udon & ikura don. The udon was great: creamy and flavorful, but definitely felt more like the carbonara part of the fusion. I regret the ikura don though. It took a while to come out, and it was too bland. I wish it was more like a poke bowl. read more

Marugame Monzo - Miso carbonara udon & ikura don - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

One star off for horrible parking and no designated validated structure Otherwise the food is delicious though can be pricey compared to other soup cuisine like Thai or Vietnamese. My sea urchin udon has an adequate amount of sea urchin. The duck udon has a few slices of duck unlike dishes like Bun Mang Vit or Mi Vit Tiem where there is a whole thigh and other meat portions. At least the meat here is deboned so non-Asians can eat Service is fast and food comes out immediately. I was in and out within 40 minute. I will come back eventually for something else but not in a while. read more

Marugame Monzo - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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So so amazing. One of the best meals I've had in Little Tokyo. Wait can be long, but it's so worth it. Food comes out quick, service is efficient. Food is high quality and DELICIOUS! Tons of seafood in my udon, perfectly creamy and savory. My friends all adored their dishes, as well. Definitely one of my top recommendations if you're in the area read more

Marugame Monzo - Cream Mentai udon - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I can't believe I have never written a Yelp review for Marugame Monzo before! This is literally what I get everytime I visited LA. My friend and I always said we need to try new restaurants but fail every time because we always ended up craving Marugame Monzo. They literally have the best cream udon in my opinion! They got the ratio RIGHHTTTT!! It's creamy but not crazy creamy that all you taste is heavy cream. I can taste the flavor from the protein!! The hand crafted udon noodles always cooked to perfection with the perfect texture. The noodles soaked up the sauce up so well!! I have tried different cream udon dishes here - the famous sea urchin cream udon, the carbonara udon, the mentai cream udon, the butter squid udon, etc... My fav would definitely be the mentai cream udon, as you get lots of yummy seafood (shrimps and scallops) in the sauce. The butter squid cream udon is also really good as well!! I like to pair my cream udon with a side of chicken karage!! I really like the batter that they use for the chicken! It's crunchy and airy and very well seasoned!! Service has always been amazing! You get seated fairly quickly and the staff are super attentive! They always check up on you to see how you are doing. The restaurant is small and they make the best of the space they have. I like the glass window/bar area where you can see the chef make the udon noodles!! read more

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My friend and I came on a Friday afternoon for lunch and were seated quite quickly outside. I ordered the Uni udon and she got the shrimp tempura udon. We split the eggplant tempura, Agedashi tofu, yuzu lemonade. The udon had a bouncy texture and the normal broth was clear. The Uni udon was creamy and not at all overpowering. I surprisingly felt lighter than I thought I would after finishing such a creamy dish. I can only speak of the outside environment since I never went inside. It can be a bit hard to wave someone down since they're so busy. We sat near the doorway and there were plenty of people waiting after we sat down but there was a nice waiting area so it wasn't so cramp. read more

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Sometimes you just want a simple well made meal. I love coming by to watch the udon masters make the udon, so freshly made! I love getting a kake udon, just great handmade udon with really flavorful broth and some green onions as complements to the noodle soup. Amazing! read more

I love coming here for their sea urchin udon! They do a really good job at making sure it has a strong seafood flavor and it goes very well with the cream sauce. The noodles are freshly made and you can taste the quality. Definitely expect to wait, as this restaurant is very well loved by both locals and tourists! I definitely recommend for a casual but good quality udon spot at an affordable price!! read more

Marugame Monzo - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Late-ish lunch on Juneteenth. Of course there was a wait. 8 parties down so we had plenty of time to pursue the menu. QR code at sign in. It's a typical sized place for a restaurant on First St. (I.e. small & narrow). They do make use of every space though. Parking is...Little Tokyo...sigh. IF you're lucky enough to get street parking, go buy a lotto ticket on your way home. Parking structures near by. We shared: Agedashi eggplant: Japanese eggplant beautifully "fan" sliced. Dashi was VERY good. Generous amount of grated daikon. Assort. Tempura: Saw this being served while waiting. Looked really good and it WAS! Large shiitake mushroom. Fan cut Japanese eggplant, kabocha pumpkin, shrimp tempura & two (2) shiso leaves. All VERY crisp not oily. Warm dashi side had deep umami rich flavor. Probably made the legit kombu & bonita flake method. #1 ordered the Miso carbonara: garlicky carbonara served with their signature house-rolled out udon. Wonderful dish. Portion sizes were adequate. #2 ordered the Uni carbonara: same garlicky carbonara with uni bits strewn about. Estimating one whole uni broken. This actually works for ease of eating. Plus, uni ranges in the $18/oz on the low end to $60 or more/oz on the higher end. Yes we love & appreciate their gonads. Udon noodles were chewy, bouncy & worth the wait. Yeah yeah....the dough is purchased. Not house made. But, seriously you've seen the YouTube videos of restaurants specializing in Japan? Yes there are places in LA who make their dough & roll it out. It's Hella lot of work! Yamachan produces large scale udon/ramen in San Jose. It's fine. Let them work out the dough to water ratio. Also portion size was decent since we shared a couple apps. Might want to consider the option of extra noodles. The table to our right full of younger male co-workers were there to socialize. They probably all grabbed an afternoon snack. Was it worth the 30-40 min wait? ABSOLUTELY! Michelle 2025 Star. Yes it's worth the wait even with the sucky parking. Got so excited forgot to take photos of our udon. That's ok. Just take a look at the 3,000 photos. read more

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My boyfriend and I visited on a Friday afternoon and were seated immediately! We were really excited to try it out since we were in LA. I ordered the mentai squid butter udon and he got the sea urchin cream udon, we ordered a takoyaki appetizer to share. The udon was amazing - I loved how the udon noodles were thick and chewy! My boyfriend loved the cream udon, and he was glad that it wasn't too heavy. Portion sizes were perfect, they weren't stingy about the amount of squid / uni which we really liked, and pricing was very reasonable. We're really glad that we were able to come and visit, especially after I had it on my list for so long! read more

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This place has the best udon and will continue to be my favorite. Everything on the menu is great, and I recommend trying something different each time.. you really can't go wrong. It does get a bit tight and crowded, but they do a good job with seating, and there's a bar area too. The inside is always clean, which matters most to me. Pricing is great, and the customer service is solid. read more

Marugame Monzo - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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My second time here. Drove over 1.5 hours in traffic just to get here in time before last call orders from the kitchen. And it was totally worth it. They closed at 10pm on Saturday night, and we arrived around 9:40pm. The service was excellent. Our food came out pretty quickly. And it was still amaaaaazing! I had the Carbonara udon, and my friend had the Mentai Squid udon. We also ordered the tempura soft boiled eggs and shrimp. Every single bite was just umami overload. Adding one more photo to my last review. As usual in Little Tokyo, parking isn't great. You either pay for expensive parking lots or try your luck with street meters. I got lucky and found an open meter on 2nd Street and walked through the main plaza to get to 1st Street. read more

Marugame Monzo - Carbonara udon - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This place was hidden in plain sight. I used to always go to Daikokuya and Far Bar, but this spot was never on my radar until I started hearing all the positive reviews so I had to check it out. I love udon, and this place serves some of the best in town. The two standout dishes seem to be the Uni and the Miso Carbonara. Since I'm not a fan of uni, I went with the Miso Carbonara. I also ordered the fried chicken bites and the tempura sampler. I started with the chicken, which was crispy and well seasoned definitely a strong start. The tempura sampler was solid, but nothing particularly memorable. But wow the noodles were the star. The texture was fantastic, and the miso really brought everything together, making the dish rich and flavorful. Next time, I'd probably try one of the more traditional udon dishes since you can always get a great carbonara at an Italian restaurant. That said, this place is definitely worth a visit, do yourself a favor and check it out. read more

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A great spot for udon. Feeling really hungry and passing by. The line wasn't that long this Sunday and was seated quickly. Inside I ordered the takoyaki and the uni udon. The udon was comforting, the texture of the noodles were firm but chewy, and the uni and cream were the dominant flavors. The takoyaki was good; deep fried. Id stop by again read more

Marugame Monzo - Uni Udon and Takoyaki - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

With the recent heatwave a nice bowl of cold udon REALLYYYY hits the spot! The hand made noodles are perfectly soft and dense and chewy. Portions are SMALL here but trade off is they have cool flavors you might not be able to find elsewhere! The bowl is so big it's misleading but there's really not that much noodle. In the past I've tried their uni cream and mentai squid. They were pretty good but wouldn't get again. This time we all ordered from the cold udon section. Mad Tiger Udon ($16.75)-- Comes with soft boiled egg already, basically mazemen flavor profile. Salty, umami, good flavor! Heaviest option out of what we ordered. Starts to feel heavy and greasy at the end. Shiso Mentai Udon ($14.25)-- Acquired taste you either love it or you don't. It's very heavy seafood, ocean tasting with the mentaiko and seaweed flakes. But as an avid mentaiko fan this was wonderful (albeit tiny). Added an extra egg for I believe $2.25. Plum Shiso Bukkake Udon ($13.75)-- VERY acquired taste with the pickled plum paste. It's super salty. They even recommend mixing the plum paste in small portions and not using all of it right away. It's bright and refreshing if you like the taste and will taste absolutely horrid if you don't. If you like ume flavors in general this is perfect for you though! Good on a hot day especially. Shrimp tempura ($3.50)-- It was fried well, light and crisp, not oily. But pretty steep price point for the size. My complaint is the portion isn't enough to be filling. The Mad Tiger was enough given its heavier and more oily and has some protein. Heavy enough where you don't really want more of it. The mentaiko and plum left us feeling still kind of hungry after even with adding additional egg and shrimp tempura, respectively. The noodle portion is pretty small. We'd definitely need to add the $3 extra for extra portions if we come back next time since we left and got a second meal somewhere else right after. Would I get any of these flavors again? No. Would I be willing to come back again though? Yes. And definitely need to pay for more noodles because the standard size is not enough really. As for service, they asked to take our order almost right after we sat down and we weren't ready yet so asked for more time. And then after that it was really hard getting their attention to order because they're busy serving or cleaning. Parking is standard for Little Tokyo . Either get lucky with street parking or pay to park in a lot. read more

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As a huge fan of udon, I really wanted to like this place but was sadly disappointed. I'm not sure I understand why it's so popular tbh as we did have to wait a while, granted it was 4th of July weekend and AX was going on. We went on the Friday afternoon for lunch. We did have a big party of 8 people so we had to wait a while which was understandable. Everyone has to be there to get seated. I want to say we probably waited around 30 minutes. The service was great at least and I'm glad we were able to sit indoors with the AC as it was so hot that day. They offer indoor and outdoor seating. It is a somewhat small restaurant. The food was the source of our disappointment. The portions were extremely small for its price point. They serve it in those deep bowls and you'd expect there to be more food at the bottom, but there wasn't and the food on top that you see is all there is. Aside from the portion sizes, I got the miso carbonara udon but the taste just wasn't what I was expecting, unfortunately I have had better. I don't think I would come back. read more

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My go to here is the udon clams vongole, it's so flavorful. It always hits the spot. You also can't go wrong with any of the traditional broth options. There's always a wait, but I feel they're pretty quick and efficient. And there's a center across the street to walk around while you wait. read more

Marugame Monzo - Clams Vongole - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I have been craving this place for so long and finally got my fix! The restaurant itself is extremely small & truly, barely any tables lol making the wait time super long. I think it's time they expand their business to a bigger location the udon never disappoints! Always 100/10! Service can be hit or miss, but for the most part they normally are very polite and prompt. I would love to visit more often, however the wait times truly make me hesitate. Hoping one day they do expand to a larger location! read more

Marugame Monzo - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Great fresh udon made here. Lots of variety. And each one of our dishes were delicious. We had a large group and friends in our party who are more comfortable eating outside. It was great that they were able to accommodate us. Staff was friendly and came outside to check on us regularly, make sure our water cups were being refilled as needed. This is a great little place in the heart of Little Tokyo, close by to the Japanese Museum and East West Players and the Aratani Theater, if you are looking for good food within walking distance. read more

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The food was amazing, service was good too. Lunch rush is a lot for the staff to handle but they did it with grace. I can truly say this place is a gem in downtown LA. read more

There's always a super long line here whenever I pass by during the lunch and dinner rushes (along with the other popular restaurants down this particular street), it can get quite crowded. I have surprisingly eaten here before the cafeteria style Marugame Udon franchise started popping up all over SoCal so this was the standard of measurement for me. Pretty neat that you get to watch them make the noodles in front of you, so you know it's the legit fresh stuff. It's not the biggest restaurant, so it can get quite crowded and you can see how the line and wait can get fisted. Ambiance is casual but can get very crowded and busy and loud even on in the inside. Unfortunately, the last time I was here was with my friend's garbage ex who over ordered and over ate and then "split" the bill evenly amongst us, but the Uni Udon and the standard Kake Udon (clear soup with green onions and tempura flakes) were delicious and a great, easy to eat (if you can do seafood) choice to showcase both their regular soup noodles and their fancier fusion pasta style noodles. The udon has a deliciously thick chewy texture to the noodles and went great with both clear broth and creamy pasta. Since it's inception, I have had creamier uni udon, as this one is a bit "soupier" but still tasty either way. I think if I'm ready to brave the lines, I'll try some of their more unique signature udon dishes. read more

I'm surprised I never reviewed this place even though I come at least twice a month! I brought my friends here for the first time yesterday and they enjoyed it. The servers are always kind and welcoming, I never received a bad service experience here. I usually get the mushroom cream, but I already came this week so I wanted to get the ankake mushroom udon ( my partner's absolute favorite) for the cold night. My friends both decided to have the miso carbonara udon and they enjoyed it thoroughly! The would definitely come back again and try something new. For our appetizer we got the fried chicken and it was crispy and piping hot when it came out. Definitely a great choice to share amongst 3 people. Highly recommend this spot, been coming here for the longest and I'm happy they received a Michelin Star ! read more

Marugame Monzo - Ankake mushroom udon and miso carbonara (left ones) - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Food: I ordered two of my old favorites, the Mentai Squid Butter Udon and the Miso Carbonara Udon. The mentai squid butter came with that signature clear broth (salty, umami-rich, and comforting) priced at $12.95. It tasted good, genuinely enjoyable, but I couldn't shake the feeling that it used to taste even better ten years ago when I was in college. Maybe my palate changed, or maybe time just makes flavors feel more magical in hindsight. The miso carbonara was creamy and rich, everything you'd want from a fusion udon, priced at $12.50. Again, very satisfying, but slightly different from what my memory insisted it used to be. Still, both bowls were solid, savory, and comforting in that classic Marugame Monzo way. Price: Monzo has always offered generous portions at reasonable prices for Little Tokyo, and the signature dishes are still pretty approachable. The Miso Carbonara Udon sits at $12.50, and the Mentai Squid Butter Udon is $12.95, which is extremely fair considering the handmade noodles and the specialty flavors. The rest of their signature udon lineup stays mostly in the $11-$13 range, keeping things consistent with what you'd expect from a popular udon spot in LA. Ambiance: Marugame Monzo still has that cozy Little Tokyo charm. Compact, bustling, and centered around the open udon-making counter where chefs hand‑roll and cut noodles right in front of you. It's warm, slightly chaotic in a fun way, and smells richly of broth and dashi. It's the kind of place where the energy hits you the moment you step in, especially during dinner rushes. Even after all these years, the vibe still feels authentically comforting, very "Little Tokyo staple." But be ready to put your name down on list, stand in line, and wait for 10-30 minutes! Service: Service has always been quick and efficient at Monzo, and that hasn't changed. Staff move fast, they take orders, deliver steaming bowls, and turn tables without making you feel rushed. It's attentive in the way busy noodle shops tend to be: brisk but friendly. The bowls came out hot and fast, and the team kept the flow steady despite the crowd. Parking: Parking in Little Tokyo is, as always, an adventure. There's no dedicated parking for the restaurant, so you're left with the usual mix of paid lots, meters, and whatever street parking you can scavenge. The area is walkable, but depending on the time of day, you may end up parking several blocks away. It's very typical for the neighborhood, but worth knowing before you circle endlessly. read more

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This place was nice and homey. I loved the Japanese interior and the service was also very nice. I've been to Japan for over 3 weeks this place definitely reminded me of Japan. My dish was okay the carbonara was a mild flavor but overall still good. My girlfriend beef udon was super flavorful and the beef was amazing. read more

Marugame Monzo - carbonara udon - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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It's been a while since I've eaten at Monzo. I used to come here a lot about a decade ago and it was actually the first place I ever had a uni cream noodle dish. I was in the area playing Pokémon and noticed they had just opened and there was no line, which almost never happens. Since I was dining solo I grabbed a seat at the bar pretty quickly. I wasn't in the mood for something creamy this time so I ordered the mentai squid butter udon and also the agedashi tofu. The udon noodles were cooked perfectly with that nice chewy texture they're known for. The mentai butter sauce had lots of roe and tender pieces of squid. The agedashi tofu was good too, they gave a lot of grated radish but not quite enough sauce for me, though I still enjoyed it. Overall a very solid spot if you want more unique udon dishes. There's almost always a line here so timing your visit helps. Also being on the Michelin Guide feels well deserved. read more

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Intimate udon spot in Little Tokyo! This place is absolutely delicious and super cute inside. Its a pretty small space so seats are close together, some tables having a divider, so be prepared to be in close proximity with other patrons! The staff here is so welcoming and attentive. We put in our order under five minutes and the food was out in less than 15! I usually order the Hot Sansai Udon, but I super recommend their Vegetiful Udon which is vegetarian. Its packed with mushrooms (my favorite), tofu, cabbage, and carrots. However their meat dishes are also really good. Come here if you are spending a day in Little Tokyo and want some nice hot soup!! read more

Marugame Monzo - Hot Sansai Udon + Vegetaful Udon - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Marugame Monzo has great hand-made udon noodles and great prices! My group all enjoyed our respective dishes. The pork in the kakuni udon was super flavorful and the vegetable udon came with some unconventional yet delicious veggies. They also offer a wide variety of other types of udon. The portion sizes are on the smaller side, which isn't a problem if you're not looking to completely stuff yourself. As someone who usually cannot finish an entire bowl of ramen, it was perfect. You can ask for an extra order of noodles for +$3 which would bring the prices up to what I normally see for entrees these days. read more

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Marugame Monzo gets quite busy during peak hours (weekends, dinners and such). They unfortunately don't have a Yelp waiting list so you will have to put your name down on a paper list. You'll also get seated much fast if you choose to sit outside but I'll be honest there's a lot of car fumes, street smells and vendors in this area and it certainly isn't a peaceful experience. For a party of four we probably waited 30ish minutes with the food coming out quickly after ordering. All the staff is very friendly! All of us tried the mentaiko udon which I thought was really yummy but personally thought it could have used a pinch more salt & cream (definitely preference and I think the majority would disagree with me). I'm comparing the creaminess and flavor to the mentaiko udon from another Japanese restaurant. read more

Marugame Monzo - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This is my go to spot in Little Tokyo! We went on a Saturday night so definitely busy. However, they have some outdoor seating which wasn't full so we got seated right away. I ordered the Sea Urchin Udon from their signature dishes. The udon is in an incredibly creamy sauce with a generous amount of uni mixed in. My friend found it to be a bit on the salty side, but I think it was as expected considering it is Uni. I absolutely love this place and will definietly be back! The duck udon caught my eye for next time. read more

Marugame Monzo - Sea Urchin Udon - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

never posted reviews here and now can't find the pictures which i am sure i have! i am still confused if this place is related to the chain marugame or nah? either way its far far better here than the chain. i loved the udon qq chewiness and loved that their fried items were pretty light! wish to return one day soon!!! read more

Came here for a lite bit after the lunch crowd, though the place was crowded (almost all the tables were full and more were coming in!) It's a michelin guide 2025 recipient. They have the top 5 udon listed on the wall when you first walk in, give them consideration as the decision is tough. we decided to split the udon carbanara which is unique, insanely rich (cheese/egg sauce -not a broth) and crispy, salty addicting bites of ham. The noodles are top notch - chewy like udon noodles should be. we also split the eggplant appetizer which was light and refreshing. love the generous portion of grated daikon as well. So good. they also have a yuzu honey soda (in a can) and it's so good. Tried to find it at the various Japanese stores in Little Tokyo, but couldn't. Order it. It's fantastic! read more

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