Marugame Udon is such an easy, fast, and satisfying meal any time of day. There are so many options to choose from, but I always stick with my go-to: bukkake udon--simple noodles with soup, and it never disappoints. I love that you can now scoop as much tempura flakes and green onions as you want, which makes it even better. The tempura selection is huge, so you really can't go wrong no matter what you pick. Big fan of the self-serve tempura sauce and ginger too--it's nice being able to customize everything exactly how you like it. They've got plenty of seating both indoors and outdoors, which makes it convenient whether you're dining in or just grabbing a quick bite. Quick, customizable, and consistently good--definitely a solid go-to spot! read more

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3 and a half stars I had a very pleasant experience stopping by here for a bite! The space itself is bright, clean, and has a great atmosphere. I ordered the Cheese Katsu Tomatama Curry, and it was delicious. I absolutely love the heavy ceramic bowls they use--it really elevates the meal and keeps everything warm. Another huge plus is the self-serve station where you can get unlimited free green onions and tempura flakes to customize your bowl. My only real critique is the setup there: everyone has to use the same community utensil/tongs to grab the green onions, which feels a bit unsanitary. A different dispensing setup would be a great upgrade. As for the customer service, it is what it is, but it was really cool to watch the chef working through the steam, freshly making the noodles right in front of you. read more

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Very disappointed with my experience at this restaurant. The food came out cold, the cheese wasn't even melted, and the meal looked nothing like the picture advertised. The restaurant itself also felt dirty and not well maintained. The rice was extremely sticky and cold. I politely asked if they could just add a little sauce over the rice, but the staff said they couldn't do that and instead offered to make a whole new bowl, which honestly made no sense since I was only asking for a small amount of sauce which she could have easily done! Overly priced for small portion. Overall, the food quality, cleanliness, and customer service were not good. I would not come back. read more

It's been awhile since we had Marugame. They have so many new items now like the creamy broth. Portions are just right. Creamy Broth - 4/5 flavorful, creamy, good portion size for a regular Bolognese - 3/5 not bad, something different, a bit too dry. Prefer the ones with broth. Tempura - 3/5 sweet potato is really dry, mushroom is better. The sauce is yummy. This location is great because it's not as busy. The customer service, however, needs improvement. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Alameda, California

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Stopped in to try their new menu item, the beef bolognese udon. This fusion idea is interesting. The creamy cheese sauce this comes in made me think of the white gravy sauce for southern biscuits and gravy. It's a very rich/heavy forward sauce and can be a filling meal. My favorite is still either the regular or curry beef nikutama udon. I also noticed they have more rice dishes on the menu now, such as bbq eel and rice. There's an eel and beef bento box (about $23) which looks like an interesting dish to try next. read more

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I've been to a few other Marugame locations, but it's my first time at the Alameda location. It's located in a nice outdoor mall, with plenty of parking. Unlike the other locations, this one was not packed, which was nice for me but maybe not the owners. Marugame serves freshly made udon noodles with various options. You walk down the line cafeteria style and have a chance to customize your order, e.g., cheese, onions, etc. Once you have your bowl of piping hot noodles, you can pick up various sides like tempura, katsu, fried potatoes, gyozas, etc. They have specials that are available for a limited time, and today I got their tomatama curry udon special, which was so good. Their noodles are really thick, and cooked perfectly for that slightly chewy bite. What we got: + Tomatama curry udon - a tomato-y, slightly spicy curry udon served with chicken katsu on top. The curry was pretty creamy so it was more like a sauce than a broth. Really flavorful. + Nikutama udon - sliced beef with a beefy broth served with a perfectly cooked runny egg. + Sides: gyozas, tempura, fried potato patty were all good This is the perfect spot for those cold rainy days. read more

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Came for the udon, stayed for the unlimited green onions. Marugame recently has a promotion for unlimited green onion and tempura flakes and it's perfect for my bowl of udon. The udon itself was good. Thick and chewy noodles in a rich creamy broth. But the real star here is the green onion situation. Fresh, crisp, and unlimited. I turned my bowl into what can only be described as udon with a side of onion mountain, and it was like a cherry on top. The onions added the perfect bite and made every sip better than the last. Everything tasted fresh, portions were generous, service was quick and friendly, and the interior is very clean. Would 100% aggressively top my udon again if they still have this the next time I come back. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Alameda, California

Was wondering what the hype was about with this place, so decided to stop by. Service was quick and udon is ready immediately after ordering. Noodles had a good texture, beef and broth flavor were just ok. Ample seating are and clean. For $14 for the regular size it's just ok, nothing to rave about. read more

Marugame Udon - Nikutama - Japanese Near Me - Alameda, California

Food was ready fast and hot. Very tasty! Clean place, lots of seats indoor and outdoor. read more

Came here for dinner on a return visit. Staff is friendly. Food is okay and a bit on the high side for price. The ambiance is casual and spacious. Would recommend just to satisfy a craving. read more

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I asked for EXTRA BROTH and the employee definitely listened! Yay! The udon tends to soak up the soup so definitely ask for extra broth. The kake was delicious and a good price. Tonkatsu was ok! The tempura is ok too. Staff are always nice. read more

Marugame Udon - Creamy Broth - Tonkotsu style - Japanese Near Me - Alameda, California

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You walk in and like others have mentioned it is a cafeteria style place. You walk up and there is a small menu of different udon soups you can order. Once you decide you walk up to the front of the counter tell them what you want, and in front of you they quickly prepare and make the food. With you udon soup and tray you go down the line and can pick different tempura items - chicken, shrimp, asparagus and other vegetables. Then you pay. With that said my udon did not have plenty of flavor and I found the tempura to be pricey for what it was. I did see many people here and I can understand the convenience of getting fast food udon. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Alameda, California

I came in here with low expectations lol. With all the ramen spots opening up, I thought an udon spot was an interesting choice. Personally I like udon better than ramen if done right. I am also eating this based on what type of a place this is. Fast/casual concept. Pay first choose what you want like chipotle/Subway style but for Udon. Broth was good, pricing was decent and the staff were nice. It was generally clean for the kind of restaurant that it is, and I imagine it's high traffic because it's in the shopping center. You get your food, seat yourself, chill spot. Overall it surprised me, as I only went inside because I didn't want to eat a huge five guys burger or Chipotle. read more

Like all Marugame locations, the entrance is structured assembly line style where you place your order, pick up your order a bit further down the line, grab any additional tempura add-ons you might like before hitting the cashier to check-out. Unlike other Marugame locations however, the back of the house seemed to be a bit chaotic and duties less segregated. The same person who took our orders appeared to prep it from start to finish, which definitely caused a backup in the line. Additionally, fried onion and green onion toppings have to be selected when they are handing you your bowl instead of self-serve later on like other locations. We ordered the Beef Udon and Kitsune Udon during our last visit, along with several tempuras and some gyoza. All of the food was as delicious as we've come to expect with the Marugame brand. The seating here is pretty cramped. We came a bit after lunch and there was still a full house inside. I constantly found myself getting bumped by the person sitting behind me due to how close together the tables are. read more

Marugame Udon - Clockwise from top-left: Beef Udon (reg), Kitsune Udon (Large) & Gyoza - Japanese Near Me - Alameda, California

Friendly staff. Food not bad. They make their own noodles! Tables are wobbly (lol). Nothing much to say about ambiance. It's a chain restaurant so it is what it issss. read more

Marugame Udon - Nikutama - Japanese Near Me - Alameda, California

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Food was very good. I ordered the beef dashi . The deep fried imitation crab and chicken was pretty good as well. Can be a little pricey but worth it. read more

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I love Japanese curry and have cooked it at home since the dawn of time. So when I saw this new item I HAD to try it. As I stood in line waiting to order, I could only anticipate the mouth-watering experience I was going to have. I mean I like their udon soup creations. This HAS to be just as satisfying. As expected though nothing interestingly has changed with their chicken katsu so that's par for course. Now they added curry to it over rice. How shall I say? It's the blandest tasting curry I've ever had. It has no character at all. Not spicy with some kick. Not peppery for some heat. Ok, fine. Not even much curry flavor. Not sweet. I think most of us are accustomed to the prototypical S&K Japanese curry blocks that we can all buy at our local asian markets. I would have to say that any S&K curry, regardless of sweetness or spice level, beats this curry. I'm sorry. I wanted to enjoy and relish in this Marugame rice bowl but boy, just better stick to their original udon soup based dishes. In the end I only ate the katsu with some of the curry rice and left at least half of the rice behind. Now...I'm not sure if others may enjoy this curry. But for me it certainly leaves much to be desired. Will I come back? Yes, because I do still like their other offerings. But this curry, is my least fav. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Alameda, California

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Located in a shopping center with lots of parking out front, we stopped by after doing a wedding dress fitting :) ordering is very simple, you order at the counter and watch as they put together your udon noodle bowl with freshly cooked noodles, fresh made broth, and a variety of ingredients. There is also a little tempura/musubi a la carte place at the end of the counter. We got the creamy tonkatsu broth and the vegan tan tan udon. Both were so tasty, and the udon noodles were incredible! Honestly such a great dinner experience, and very reasonably priced! read more

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CURRY NIKUTAMA The salt, the flavor, the thick broth and hearty chewy fresh noodles. Perfection Service is always nice and fast Quick seating and food court vibes (you gotta bus your own dishes) are all i need to get the job done with a toddler and can make a quick exit after done with the meal This is a frequent return place for me due to ease, convenience and consistent quality read more

Marugame Udon - Curry beef udon - Japanese Near Me - Alameda, California

Date: 7/12/2025 Time: 4:25 PM 67° Sunny After the concert series featuring Pure Ecstasy earlier this afternoon, and since I was in the area, I decided to head to Marugame Udon for linner (late lunch/early dinner). This used to be the location of Panera Bread. The set up in the dining area seemed more spacious and comfortable. My first time here and I wasn't sure what I had a taste for. Sheesh! I must love Japanese food a whole lot. I just had salmon teriyaki with miso soup and salad for lunch yesterday at Hayashi on Park Street. I stood outside of the restaurant looking at the different items on their window. Hmm...the premium tendon rice bowl seemed interesting. All right! Ordering the food is cafeteria style. Get up to the counter, tell the employee what item on their menu you would like. He will prepare it for you, place on tray and you're on the way to the cashier. It's similar to the process at Panda Express. Eats and beverage: premium tendon rice bowl and calamansi beverage. The price of the premium tendon rice bowl was $15.75 (tax not included). It consisted of rice topped with a tempura sauce, two shrimp tempura, chicken, zucchini and sweet potato. I could not eat that rice bowl in one sitting. I need a go to container. Leftovers for a meal later on. The portion was generous. The calamansi was a refreshing beverage and quite enjoyable. Return visit for an udon bowl and possibly an appetizer. read more

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Located across from the MOD Pizza is Marugame Udon fast casual udon chain. No wait on a Monday at 1 pm. Line up and choose your udon then proceed down the cafeteria style line to toppings. Then you can choose any fried items like tempura shrimp, veggies, gyoza, fried chicken. There are also spam masubi and etc to choose. Finally pay at cashier and choose a drink if needed, My vegan Tan Tan noodle was $14.29. The noodles were soft and some were soggy. The broth was not spicy at all, just red and oily. The chicken katsu was pretty dry to the extent of having to dunk it in my udon broth. Not sure if I'd be back. read more

Marugame Udon - Chicken katsu and Pumpkin Tempura - Japanese Near Me - Alameda, California

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Was sooo happy a Marugame opened up in Alameda (not that it's necessarily closer to me than any of their other locations... but just happy to have more locations I guess?) Anyways, that's where we decided to go for late lunch on Sunday. I was prepared for a bit of a wait but there was almost none at 2pm on a Sunday! The only downfall probably because I maybe just missed their lunch rush was that everything was messy and their tempura and toppings stations were almost completely empty. I was happy to at least get a tamagoyaki, sweet potato. Funny story - there was only one piece on the plate labeled potato croquette and I looked at my husband and said "this definitely doesn't look like potato" but I grabbed it anyways just cause slim pickins lol. Anyways, turned out to be the chicken, which was still good anyways ahaha. On top of the stations being almost wiped out, a lot of their tables were still dirty with people's bowls all over - but also the dish return area was stacked very high and probably could not fit any more bowls to return. (I promise, I'm not complaining - I totally understand how hard it is to stay on top of it all during a lunch or dinner rush, just commenting because that was part of my experience with going after the lunch rush). Onto my udon bowl-I picked the #3 which is the beef with dashi broth and sweet onions. I didn't get to top mine with green onions because either I completely missed it or it was all emptied. It's ok though, totally good without it. The beef udon is purely a bowl of comfort, I wish I could have it all the time. The udon has just the perfect amount of chew - it's just so satisfying! My husband has never had Marugame Udon before and he was going to get a rice bowl - which does look really good, but he decided to opt for udon since the place is literally called Udon lol. He had no regrets, even as someone who isn't a big noodle/soupy person, he said he really enjoyed it. By the time we finished our meal, the kitchen area was looking much less in disarray and the tempura station and green onion bowls were all fully stocked again. read more

Marugame Udon - #3 Dashi broth beef udon noodle and a few fried options! Tamagoyaki is always a must for me - Japanese Near Me - Alameda, California

My expectations of Marugane are always a bit disappointing. Marukame, known in Honolulu, has the most delicious food and a very enthusiastic staff. Maybe it's the Aloha spirit. It took me a good five minutes for someone to take my order. As I went down the line, a few food items needed to be replaced, but I couldn't get anyone's attention. My udon was not as hot as I would have liked. Even the go cup lids don't even fit. A disappointing visit. read more

Marugame Udon - Creamy Broth Udon-Tonkotsu Style - Japanese Near Me - Alameda, California

Udon is one of my favorite comfort foods! As a Japanese girlie, this is something I grew up eating and am always down for. Getting together with my Japanese friend, we decided to come here for a warm and filling meal. Marugame Udon is a chain udon restaurant. This is one of their newer Bay Area locations and the restaurant is quite spacious! It's not as busy as their Berkeley spot, so there's typically seating available. Ordering is done like their other locations, cafeteria style. Read the menu, tell the worker your order, pick your tempura, pay, and find a seat! Tables inside are for four or two and there are also tables outside. Service was okay, they misheard our order and messed up, but luckily it wasn't hard to remake it! I got the Kake and added Shrimp Tempura and Pumpkin Tempura. The udon noodles was were nice and chewy but the broth on the saltier end. I won't get the tempura flakes again cause they soaked up all the broth and got a bit weird haha. The shrimp was delicious and had a nice fry. The kabocha was on the drier end but a hearty piece. My friend enjoyed her udon. If you're shopping or hanging around Alameda, Marugame Udon is a nice change of pace for food. I'm a fan of this chain and the affordability and quantity you get. They're located in South Shore Plaza near Chipotle and Ulta. Free parking is available throughout the plaza! read more

Marugame Udon - Kake (Add Shrimp and Pumpkin Tempura) - Japanese Near Me - Alameda, California

@ Southshore Shopping Center 2249 S Shore Ctr Ste 330 Alameda, CA 94501 Marugame Udon offers up a bowl of fresh noodles at an affordable price. This is not a fancy restaurant with table service. Marugame Udon is a cafeteria style place, with a simple menu. Menu prices range from $5.95 to $15.99. Tempura sides and beverages are extra. Free water is available. I was there on a sunny Saturday at noon. I was meeting up with an old grade school friend for lunch. There was a short line, but it moved fairly quick. It's an open kitchen, so you can see everything going on. Orders are made-to-order so a dine-in order is absolutely fresh. So, you just step up and tell them what you want. I ordered a large #3 Beef, and my friend ordered a large #1 Nikutama. As they prepare your bowl, you can add green onions and tempura flakes. Then he places your bowl on a tray, and passes it to you. Next, you can add tempura sides. Drinks are available near the checkout. Utensils and condiments are at a separate station. There's lots of small tables in the dining room and outside on the patio. You have to carry your tray to your table. But I think you can ask for assistance because I saw staff helping a large family w/ kids get their trays to their tables. My udon noodles were fresh and easy to eat. The broth was rich, and not too salty. I would definitely return. Free parking in shopping center lot. read more

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First time at this location and no complaints. It's definitely on the larger side, but it is clean and well kept. Service is quick and efficient. I like ttat this location lets you put in the green onion yourself, as other locations don't and I get shy asking for more. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Alameda, California

We tried the bolognese and the marugame deluxe. Both were delicious. I like that you can choose the add on tempura that you want. There's good variety and something for everyone. I will be back. read more

Marugame Udon is a nice addition to South Shore. I've also been to their San Ramon location. A line forms a little after noon, so get there before the lunch rush. I usually get the Kake which is a light fish-based broth. Usually the regular size is adequate unless I'm really hungry. I like that the broth isn't too salty. The flour for the noodles comes from Japan. So you choose the size you want and the broth comes with big noodles and then for free you can add fresh green onions and tempura flakes. For a small charge I usually add fresh veggies, shrimp and vegetable tempura. The restaurant is clean and the counter service is efficient. They have a machine with water and ice, or you can buy a sweet beverage. I don't think they serve alcohol. read more

Marugame Udon - Large Kake with veggies, shrimp, pumpkin and zucchini tempura. - Japanese Near Me - Alameda, California

i use to love eating at marugame but every since the pandemic, i feel like the quality has steadily declined. however, the quality seems to be identical across all the establishments. the service is always great at all marugames. some highlights from this establishment: their tempura! i love how the tempura is fried fresh & that there's a variety to choose from. they included tempura sauce on the side! it's truly a game changer. my only critique is i wish the soup was more hot. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Alameda, California

Been to a few Marugame Udon places in the Bay and I am so happy they open one closer to home! Got the Tonkontsu udon & 5 piece gyoza and it was really good! For the gyoza, they provided the sauce packet. There are a ton of seating indoor and outdoor. If you've never been here the flow of it is: You order ahead of time, pick out any side pieces (shrimp tempura, etc) then pay, then get your utensils, napkins, extra sauces, water, etc. then, pick any seat you like. Once you're done eating, you'll place your bowl in the "place your bowl here" area, and you're done. I will definitely come back here again! read more

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The food is consistent, same as the restaurants in Hawaii. I tried the tomato curry Udon. Really good flavor, tomato curry. The service is fast and the restaurant is clean. We will definitely be back. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Alameda, California

Very cool to see a Marugame in my childhood hometown! I got the seasonal Cheese Katsu Tomatama udon which was very delicious on a rainy day. I loved the self-service green onions and crispy tempura bits (I absolutely loaded my bowl). Great tomato flavor, and even better with a touch of added chili powder. I liked that the broth tasted super rich and creamy once the cheese melted, and the noodles themselves were fantastically bouncy + fresh (as usual) read more

Marugame Udon - Cheese Katsu Tomatama Udon - Japanese Near Me - Alameda, California

I tried the main Marugame location in Waikiki a while back. If you've ever been, you know the line is crazy long. I ordered a curry dish thinking it would be a curry soup, but it was more of a sauce and not what I was craving. It was just okay. Now that there are more Bay Area locations, I decided to give it another shot. This time I ordered the vegan tantan udon and added a piece of chashu. I thought about adding an egg too, but at that point my bowl would have been almost twenty bucks. The setup here is cafeteria style. You walk up to the counter and order directly with the chef, who hands you your bowl on a tray. After that, you go through the tempura station where you can grab whatever you want. They have fried chicken thighs, shrimp, and veggie tempura, all self serve. Then you pay at the register and grab a seat. After eating, you are expected to bus your own table and drop your tray at the return station. It is a simple and efficient system. This time around I liked my meal much more than what I had in Hawaii. The broth made a big difference. If you are ever craving something warm and soupy for lunch but do not want that heavy ramen feeling afterward, udon hits the spot. It is comforting without making you feel like you need a nap right after. Marugame is not going to blow your mind, but it is quick, consistent, and satisfying. read more

Marugame Udon - Vegan tantan ramen added Chashu Pork (1 Piece) - Japanese Near Me - Alameda, California

Had and amazing experience at Marugame Udon today! I had been walking by this place for the last 9 months or so, always checking out the featured pictured menu items! I had my eye on the #2 Cheese Katsu Tomatama Curry Rice. Something told me this was the ticket! Well I ordered, I ate, and I finished!!! I ordered the Regular size. I should have ordered large!!! It was so AWESOME!! The Crunch of the Katsu was on point! Not soft, not soggy!! Kruuuunchy! So delicious! But what stuck out for me was the base. Many Udon dishes broth is almost always clear and unfounded. The broth of this dish was thick and flavorful! Not too thick like stew is sometimes! Which definitely has its place! But Tomatama Udon hits different than just about every Udon I've ever consumed! Flavorful, almost like a tomatoe sauce on pasta, but distinctly different, and flavorful! In soup form! They offer many delicious add ons, like shrimp, fish, vegetables, cheese, etc. I wanted to add on Tempura, but wanted to wait, to see how much I loved this dish! It is unforgettable! Staff was amazing! Veronica was very attentive and a good part of the staff! Management does a good job! Clean facillities and smooth process. Thank you!!! read more

My favorite Marugame location in the bay, I prefer this location in Alameda because it's not as packed and the soup is always hot. I've tried a few and most don't have super hot soup. Service is always friendly and quick, lots of fresh fried sides, and other sides for your noodles. My favorite is the Nikutama, which has thinly sliced beef, sweet onions, and a soft boiled egg, I get a regular and that has a good amount of food but if you do eat a bit more are extra hungry then the large would be the better option imo. Overall this location is one my top go to. read more

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With Marugame being open for about 2 months now, we finally found a night where there wasn't a line out the door. As a Japanese person, I always love seeing more Japanese restaurants pop up. Marugame is by no means a fancy restaurant. It's not a 5-star Michelin restaurant; however, it is good home-cooking style Japanese food, which is nostalgic. The nikutama udon is similar to a dish I grew up eating. I enjoyed the various toppings like Korokke, tempura, etc. Miscellaneous: - Indoor and outdoor seating available - Parking available via the shared parking lot at South Shore - stations for utensils, dish drop off, water, etc. read more

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I've been waiting for this location to open since they announced it would open back in October 2024 but they finally opened in early March and I'm happy that they did as I can get my udon fix anytime as I go shopping at Alameda South Shore at least once a week! My friend and I met to have lunch on a cold dreary day, a perfect day for comfort food. They were cooking a new batch of udon and they apologized for the wait and gave us each a complimentary iced Matcha tea, delish!!! My friend ordered #7 as she wanted shrimp udon and I had #6, tonkatsu udon and I also ordered one tempura shrimp ala carte. The place is spacious and clean and we had no problem finding a table. They have tables outside and inside but we chose the inside as it was a cold day. We had a nice leisurely lunch and the udon was cooked to perfection, as well as the shrimp tempura. This will be my go to when it's a cold dreary day like today read more

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Marugame Udon is always extremely consistent on quality and taste. Sometimes it can get a bit crowded but food is always fresh and tasty. My eyes are always hungrier than my stomach and I end up ordering more than I can finish but leftovers are always tasty too. Broth, noodz, and snack addons are always delicious. Glad they opened a branch in Alameda. Lots of seating available indoor and outdoor read more

Quick, delicious, customizable udon with a variety of broths to choose from. I typically Enjoy their curry beef udon but the creamy chicken tonkatsu broth caught me by surprise. The quality is very solid and reminds me of fast food udon restaurants in Japan. You basically go down an assembly line customizing your noodle bowl to your liking and adding in tempuras to have in the side if you desire. The interior is pretty casual, nothing fancy, but makes for a nice no nonsense meal that will satisfy your cravings. read more

I'm so happy they are expanding to different parts of the bay! This is conveniently located in Alameda! (It is a tiny bit far from the freeway but the drive to it is worth it)! It's located in a large shopping plaza. The inside is big and has lots of seating outdoor and indoor! This is a cafeteria style served and sit down restaurant so you would get in line order and pick up your temperas if you want to purchase any and pay, then find a seat and enjoy! The udon like any other Marugame is delicious! I always mostly get the tonkotsu but I have tried other ones before, they all don't disappoint so you can't go wrong, if you never been, you need to try! read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Alameda, California