I came here with my friend Sandra, and it did not disappoint! We came early, right when it opened, so we didn't have to wait in a long line. This location is outside the mall, right before you enter the food court. I enjoyed the big, yummy bowl of udon. The flavors were great, and I got to pick extra toppings. I had a lot of tempura stuff on the side, lol. Delicious broth and the noodles weren't too soft. I kept thinking about the bowl of udon for days after my visit. The staff was nice and it was easy to order and add any extras. read more

Got a large udon with tonkotsu broth. The udon had a great texture and the broth was very hearty. Liked the self-serve free toppings and the decently large portion size as well. read more

Marugame Udon - Tonkotsu Broth - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

My sister wanted to come here as she tried it first originally in Honolulu. I have heard and seen lines out the door since it opened. Tried this on a random odd time when there was no lines. Perhaps I had too much expectations coming in but it was just ok for my husband and I. Since i never tried a udon soup cold, i thought this would be the time & place to try it especially when it was a popular one as they named it. For me, with that I guess i was having even more expectations ordering their most popular just to be like, "thats it?". First off, i thought it was cool they dunked my bowl in icy cold water to go with my cold noodle like pouring cold beer into pre-chilled mugs to keep it cold. But to see the server dunk my udon in the same icy water pot made my eyes grow and jaw drop. I tried to reason with myself with a positive thought that they must be so confident how clean their bowls are inside and out that even chilling noodles further in the same bucket would be just as good. *head scratch* Anyway, the cold broth nikutama was ok. It was interesting at first to ever try a cold udon soup. But a soft boiled egg would be a better fit than a semi raw pouched egg for a cold broth. The pouched is probably more fitting for a hot soup broth. The menu stated soft boiled though, so it was a bit deceiving. The broth was also just ok perhaps because after trying it cold I guess perhaps it's simply better warm. Will give it one more try with it warm next time to really get a better taste of the broth. The amounts of sweet beef was nothing more than what Yoshinoya would give you but at least Yoshinoya got BOGO coupons to make up the portion. My husband got the beef veggie bowl and the amount of beef in his rice bowl was even much less than my udon. It was sad. The beef may be a bit better than Yoshinoya but the portion they give, being a bit more costly for what you get plus the very long lines on most days, I think I will be ok to simply get my fix at Yoshinoya if getting a rice bowl. Especially when i prefer the savory beef juice than teriyaki sauce with my sweet beef. I will say though that their tempura tamago was very good and I can simply have a bowl of just that to snack on instead. I will give credit to the servers also who were very nice and helpful. Even though they have to work on Mother's Day, they were great and full of smiles. Overall, will give it one more try with other items and a hot Nikutama etc next time. read more

Marugame Udon - Cold nikutama and beef veggie bowl - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

We always love coming back here. I love trying out all the different new flavours. Udon and tempura are always fresh!

Good food, great for families. Self serve convenience is nice to have. The new clam chowder udon was a good add.

We went closer to closing time and there was no line at all. We tried the chicken katsu curry rice bowl for $12, which was a reasonable price for the potion of food we got. The consistency of the curry was thinner and had a slightly different flavor than a typical curry. The calamansi lemonade was about $5 and felt overpriced for such a small cup of lemonade that was not filled to the top and not refillable. In conclusion, it's a reasonable place to get a quick bite to eat after watching a movie. read more

Marugame Udon - Katsu Chicken Curry and Calamansi Lemonade - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

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Delicious, affordable, I'm coming back for sure ! Works if you're looking for a quick light bite, but also is great if you're looking for a heavier put you on the couch type of meal. I wish we had a spot like this out where I stay, but when I'm in the area, I'll definitely be back ! read more

Obsessed!!!!! Like literally. So happy they are everywhere in SoCal! I fell in love with place when I first went to Hawaii! Everything made at all their locations are just as I remembered! Soooo good! I love all their fried stuff and of course! Their udon!! The fresh udon being made In front of you is pretty cool! Service is wow! 5/5 Place is small and cozy! Love love love! read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

Holy cow was that a DISAPPOINTMENT!! As a huge Margume fan myself who dines at Sawtelle regularly, this food at this Santa Anita location was absurdly far apart from its usual quality standard. If you've eaten at their location in Waikiki (my first time), you'd know how amazing the product is supposed to be. Umami, unctuous udon combined with freshly fried tempura... it's supposed to be a bite in heaven. Service was so so as I can tell the workers were just trying to get home. The "ambiance" was cool because the place is still pretty new. I highly urge management to take a closer look at this location because it's a shame that they let this location ruin their reputation. I'd rather eat instant ramen than come to Santa Anita and eat shoelace udon that had no bite. Even Glendale location is better! read more

First timer here! Nestled on the outside of the food court of the Arcadia mall. It has a steady stream of customers because price points are reasonable. $13-15 a dish beats any fast food. The photo on the wall for tempura chicken teriyaki is deceiving. Looks more like a grilled chicken but I knew it couldn't be. One star less because the girl who was serving us was looking at our chicken as if it looked raw and she had to confirm with the other server that it wasn't raw. She picked up a piece and threw it in the trash in front of us. A little weird. Udon is a bit salty. The bite is good though, nice bouncy and chewy noodles. Tempura was charged by piece. Place is so busy they don't have enough help To clean down tables. It's just ok to me. Nothing to run to but good for something reasonably priced and not fast food. read more

Marugame Udon - Bp udon large and tempura chicken and sauce - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

This is the "Chipotle" of Udon bowls. It is cafeteria-style and you can add anything you want. My first time ever at a Marugame Udon was in Honolulu, Hawaii so I had for memories and high hopes. This experience came close but not the same. This particular Marugame is located at the Santa Anita mall (Westfield), which is directly across from Cheesecake factory. It is tucked in near the entrance. I came super early because I was told this place gets super crowded. It opened at 11 am and I met my family there. There is ample signage outside and a big menu with photos and descriptions . You can start out with either a noodle bowl or perhaps a rice bowl and you continue down the cafeteria style to add any toppings you may like such as tempura fried chicken or maybe some fried dumplings. There are also things you can request inside of your Super Bowl, which is extra meat, eggs, onions, etc.. Each topping or add-on is quite pricey so you're looking to add on anywhere from two to $10 so you have to be wise with your choices otherwise you can easily walk out of there with a $50 bowl . I ordered a tonkatsu bowl and added on some tempura. That pretty much filled me up but if you are extra hungry you can add on at anytime. There are seats to eat-in there but you can also take anything to go. When Marugame started to expand, it felt more corporate and less food you got so that's why I'm giving this a four instead of a five stars. The food was great but the experience just felt way too generic and not authentic. read more

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Honestly.. Marugame has been consistently delicious and affordable. Prob been 8-9 times in OC, Arcadia, and SD combined. How can a bowl of noodles be so comforting every damn time?! They always seem to be connected to a mall so good to walk it off and shop after. Udon is fresh and chewy and beef = tender and flavorful. Don't skip out on the various tempura bites too! read more

Marugame Udon - nikutama udon bowls and gyudon rice bowl - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

Nikutama udon was amazing. A+ The chicken in the katsu curry was salty and overcooked. B- read more

Marugame Udon - Chicken Katsu Curry - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

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My bf and I went on a Tuesday weekday and there was barely anyone there and no wait! So much less crowded than the LA location. This location has a structure of a cafeteria line where you have to line up to get your food. The food came out pretty fast and the employees were efficient. The service was good. The food itself and how it's priced could be a little better. We got the regular Nikutama and curry Nikutama. Although the noodles were chewy and flavor was good, the egg and broth was lacking for me. The broth was a little bit too salty for my taste and the egg was very undercooked. I do like my eggs on the undercooked side but the yolk was very watery and the whites were barely holding together. The price for the udon was pretty decently priced, but the tempura shrimp ($2+ for each piece) and the extra egg ($2) in the Nikutama was priced far too high. The shrimp was small and the tempura sauce was very bland. Wasn't really into it. I would probably come back again for a quick udon fix, but nothing really impressed me to give it a 5 stars. read more

Marugame Udon - Nikutama and Curry Nikutama w/ side of shrimp tempura - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

Heart broken to come and found out they changed their menu and got rid of their most popular Tonkatsu Ordered Kake and it was bland. Definitely not coming anymore :/ read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

We really need a Marugame in Las Vegas! Many years ago we ate at a Marugame restaurant in Honolulu and it was one of the best meals we've ever had. It was simple, tasty, and affordable. We hoped that Marugame will branch out and I'm glad they did. Marugame now has locations in California and Texas. I probably ate at most of the locations in California but first time in Arcadia. The food is always consistent throughout all their locations. The fresh Artisan Udon Noodles is the best I had so far. Our fav is the Nikutama and its variations hot, cold, and curry. My goto is the cold Nikutama. It's quite refreshing when the weather is warm. The add on of different Tempura sides is a must. Please open a branch in Las Vegas! read more

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I have been to this restaurant but in South Coast Plaza and it's definitely good as last time but this time, I tried a new flavor which is the spicy tan tan udon in regular size and it was really good, personally wasn't spicy for me but brother taste well. The ambience is really nice and walks are decorative with art and service was quite quick. read more

Marugame Udon - tan tan udon - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

Came here on a Saturday evening after walking around the mall, wait was pretty mild, about only 5 minutes before I could order in this conveyor like line. Pretty much just tell the person what udon bowl you want, they make the bowl in front of you, and after they give you your bowl, walk to the tempura space (optional), and then to the cashier to pay. The udon was good, and the soft egg had a nice texture to it. The best udon though? Not in my book. The udon is just a simple, good bowl, but nothing mind blowing to me. I also tried their tempura and it's of good quality too. I really liked their potato croquette. Seating was pretty available, it be first come, first serve. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

Parking: Located inside The Shops at Santa Anita, which has plenty of parking available Ambience: Large and spacious restaurant with outdoor seating available. Decorated with plenty of colorful Japanese artwork on the walls. You order at the counter and can add additional free toppings like green onions and tempura flakes, which taste great! You see them prepare the dish right when you order it, so it's guaranteed to be fresh :) Service: Quick and friendly! Taste: I got the tonkotsu udon, which was fairly good and was made even better with the tempura flakes. I would've preferred the flavor of the soup / noodles to be stronger, but overall, it hit the spot and is a great place to go when you have an udon craving and want your food quickly. read more

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It's always consistent quality here! The entrance is located outside the main food court and it has ample seating inside. I love the calamasi drink!! Service is pretty quick as you go down the line quickly as the add the soup, noodles ect. The fun part of coming here is adding on tempura but each piece is around $2 so you have to be careful or it could get pricey! Everything I ordered in the photo was around ~$20 or so! read more

Marugame Udon - Kitsune Udon, Shrimp Tempura, Potato croquette, side of corn, and calamansi drink - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

I love when good food is cheap!! Marugame is located in the mall and their bouncy, chewy udon and savory sauce never disappoint. You'll get served sanuki style udon cafeteria-style for less than $15. This meat in this dish kind of reminds me of Yoshinoya in the best way Honestly the tempura is a skip. Because it sits out on the tray for not sure how long, it wasn't as crispy as I had hoped and I wish the potato was sweeter. The tamago (egg) tempura was probably the best out of the ones I tried though! Restaurant is self seated but the workers will sometimes collect your tray for you which is so kind. Love the art painted on the walls here too. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

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First time having this aside from the Honolulu location. Same concept. Wait in line, pick your soup, and add toppings. This location did not have as many sides as what I'm used to seeing but the flavor of the soup was spot on. I usually get the curry but this time I got the Tonkotsu it came with only 1 piece of pork, some ground beef, and half a boiled egg. Very creamy and flavorful. There are signs encouraging us to download the app. I did that while standing in the long line but the app was not user friendly. I added my card for payment with the app and when I got to the register to pay the worker said we can't pay thru the app. So I'm confused how do we earn the points then? I would definitely come back but I just really hope your sides will be filled and fresh. read more

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Unfortunately quality of food here is bad. Pumpkin tempura tasted bitter, Dan Dan noodle was soggy, and Nikutama soup was extra oily. In general a fan of Marugame chain, but was shocked by the food quality of this particular store. Unfortunate especially because the ambience and location of the store is good. read more

This is a wonderful fast food place to get fresh tempura and udon. They recently added a test item to test - tempura with imitation crab. They were the best! I sure hope they will bring back this item full time. read more

The staff are really nice and accommodating. Amazing and delicious food. The place is so chill and cool vibe. I just found my go to food spot Definitely recommend 10/10 read more

Love that we don't have to go to Hawaii to eat this . My daughter loves this place. Super friendly staff , place is clean, condiments are easily accessible now- love it !! Temperature of soup is hotter than before . Their spam Musubi is yummy too !! read more

I first saw this chain when I was in Waikiki, but with the line stretching down the block I decided to skip it. Luckily they opened this location in Arcadia so I was excited to try it. I decided to order takeaway since the rest of my family was ordering from other restaurants in the food court. Don't do what I did and wait in line, I didn't see the to go sign and didn't know until I got up to the noodle guy that you need to go straight to the cashier for takeaway orders. I decided on the Nikutama with a side of shrimp tempura, chicken tempura, and potato croquette. I was impressed with the flavor of the BK sauce that came with the udon, and I love the texture of the udon, it was nice and chewy and tasted fresh! The base noodle prices are good, but the total cost quickly adds up once you start adding additional a la cart items. My three additional items brought my total over $22. Luckily I downloaded the app to get a reward of $5 off my order. In addition to udon, they also offer a few rice bowls, and a vegan udon option. read more

Marugame Udon - Menu 12/2023 - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

Food is more average than anything. It is a cafeteria style food service. You order, take the food, then you take to cashier to pay. Like ikea style. I really dislike the texture of the udon. They were a bit too well done. It lacked the bounce and chewiness of udon. My favorite was the dashi broth. Both the curry udon and the rice dish had the same kind of curry. It was sweet, not spicy. The chicken katsu was dry. If I am to go again, I would only order the calamari-ade. It was refreshing. Probably will not be returning. read more

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This place is great! Went today with the family and not only experienced friendly service overall (particularly from Jason), but the food was so good! We all left planning our next return! Make sure to try the tempura - it is beyond juicy and truly a treat! read more

I am a BIG FAN of this 'Japanese Noodle & Tempura Chain', and I try to come here or to another branch as often as I can, especially when I can introduce this place to a friend for the first time. Luckily, I lived in the Los Angeles area for nearly 30 years, with most of my time there making my numerous homes in Hollywood (both in the flats & the Hills), Glendale, Studio City, The San Gabriel Valley (where this branch of Marugame Udon is), the West Side near the beach (Topanga & Santa Monica), and Rancho Cucamonga & the High Desert), and nearly ALL of these Areas have a branch of Marugame Udon in them. But there is no place where I lived that had more Asian influence & food than the areas around Arcadia, which was great (and delicious). Conceived as a potential fast-food like counter-service Udon & Tempura chain restaurant in Japan in the year 2000, Marugame Udon still holds true to the authentic tradition of Sanuki udon which started centuries ago in the Kagawa Prefecture in the southern part of Japan. Since its first restaurant opened in Japan, Marugame Udon has been committed to serving freshly handmade udon. Their Udon noodles are made with skillful hands in an "open kitchen"..., ...unhurried broths, flavor-filled, freshly fried tempura topped with condiments to compliment. We have steadily expanded our restaurant network, reaching about 800 restaurants in all prefectures, and actively expanded not only in Japan but also around the world. Since we opened our first overseas restaurant in Hawaii, USA in 2011, we have expanded our restaurants through Asia to North America, reaching 1,000 restaurants in the world in 2018. In 2021, we opened our first restaurant in Europe in London, UK. With a reach unsurpassed by other companies, we have the No.1 position in the Japan Customer Experience Ranking 2022. We aim to bring the same great experience to a location near you. Marugame Udon provides hand crafted udon bowls and tempura from a lively open kitchen, allowing guests to watch as their food is prepared. Making Udon noodles in the Marugame way is a long, time-consuming craft. Making daily from simple three ingredients, flour, water and salt in our open kitchen, we stick to what we do because we want our customers to enjoy the best taste and texture of real Sanuki udon from Japan. Udon and Tempura are perfect partners in Sanuki style. In Kagawa Prefecture, home of Sanuki udon, many of udon stores serve tempura as side dishes. NIKUTAMA Our best-selling menu around the world serving with sweet and savory beef and BK sauce, with a poached Onsen egg (soft boiled egg). KAKE Udon in a light dashi broth with full of savory umami flavor. Just like our udon noodles, we also make fresh dashi broth at our kitchen everyday. It is a classic comfort food in Japan. KAMAAGE MARUGAME's signature udon bowl which can fully enjoy a more fragrant and aromatic udon experience. Udon straight from the Kama (pot) served in Kama water with BK sauce (thick dipping dashi sauce) for dipping. Marugame Udon also offers a number of Full Vegan Meals (both Udon Soup Bowls, Rice Bowls with Toppings, and many Vegan Side dishes). Some of the Non-meat options, include steamed Bean Sprouts, steamed corn, a steamed vegetable medley, plus white plain rice, and plain boiled udon noodles served with a bowl broth. But the most interesting non-meat item is the stir-friend soy beans in a sweetened vegetarian brown sauce (it looks just like ground sauced beef and is yummy on rice). Marugame Udon offers numerous broths, soups, and sauces, both meat based, fish based, vegetarian, and vegan. These include a light Dashi fish & seaweed broth, a rich pork Tonkatsu soup, a Vegan miso broth, a spicy red "Tan Tan" (Dan Dan) broth, a thick curry sauce, and the restaurant's signature "BK Sauce". read more

Amazing customer service from the GM Charlie (I think that's his name) and another service associate. The udon was soooo tasty along with the shrimp tempura read more

Food is delicious, simple and savory! Restaurant is clean and service is fast. I would definitely be coming back read more

My boyfriend and I always come here! It's become a staple whenever we come to the Santa Anita Mall. They always have the best, most fresh udon. My boyfriend loves the Nikutama Udon and I love the Kitsune, with perfectly chewy udon noodles every time. Charlie, the GM, is so kind and goes above and beyond to make sure each customer feels welcome at Marugame, thank you Charlie! We will definitely be back and I highly recommend you stop here for a quick bite while shopping at the Santa Anita Mall. read more

DELICIOUS!! I've been coming here for years, and Marugame Udon has always been a favorite of mine. It's located at the entrance of the mall, making it easy to stop by for a quick lunch. It's like a fast food quick service style, and you are able to get your food very fast. The wall of the restaurant also has an interesting mural, and there's music playing in the background also. read more

Have always loved getting Marguame in college so was excited to find out they opened one near my home! Super disappointed with this location though. Udon was premade and had none of its signature bouncy texture. It was just soft, which is not what you want with udon. The soup and beef for the Nikutama is still good and egg was still runny, but for a place that markets itself for its fresh udon, it was disappointing. read more

There aren't too many options to get freshly made udon (Marugame Monzo still tops in J-town) so it's great that Marugame Udon has opened chains in LA -- I believe the OG location is in Hawaii. Udon noodles are always fresh along with a selection of a la carte tempura. All Udon are soup based and they have 3 rice entree options now. You can go for simple Udon options with just beef or more complicated with all the toppings and even curry. If you come around lunch or dinner time there may be a line but it moves quickly as this is a fast casual dining setup. Please don't get a table until after you order. Check out all the pics on Yelp! Also, kudos to them for sorting both the wood chopsticks and plastic soup spoons to recycle! read more

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This is our go to spot for udon. My kids especially love this place and always look forward to having their kake. Their food is good and prices on their kake can't be beat. I also love how they have a variety of toppings to offer: fried tempura, cilantro, green onions, fresh seaweed and ground ginger. At my latest visit, Charlie's customer service was on point. He not only made sure my order was accurate and complete but also recommended their in house spicy chili sauce to add more flavor to our soup, making sure we don't miss out on anything! read more

This place is my choice for comfort food. The bento dishes are well-proportioned, and the udon soups are great for any season. Some of the menu changes each month, so there is always something to try out. Dining in is a great experience, as you can watch your soup prepared while you're in line. They have also added tempura side dishes that you can pick up. If you prefer ordering for pickup, there are kiosks that bypass the line. I've ordered some of the udon soups for dinner, and they are packaged well enough that nothing spills when driving home. The dining area is nice, with a modern feel to it. Dining in uses traditional bowls for the udon soup, so there is a nice mix of old and new. read more

I know it's cliche to say "think of chipotle but if it's [insert type of food here]" but that's my point of reference for any type of build your own food spot. In this case, think of chipotle but for udon. Thought it was cool to get to see them making and boiling the udon in front of you. And it was nice that they had some preset menu items because I usually have a hard time deciding if it's entirely build your own. I chose the Tonkotsu and my friend chose the Nikutama and we were both really happy. We came on a Sunday around dinner time so there was a line out the door, but service was efficient. They also have tempura items you can add to your bowl. Overall a good experience. read more

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Located by the Santa Anita Mall, this restaurant is built like a food court style place and is great for quick meal. When you arrive, the menu is available to view your selection. Once ready, head over to the ordering area and let them know what you like. They will hand over your food and you can make your way over to the fried selection to DIY any tempera or croquettes. Pay at the cashier and then finally, find a seat and enjoy your meal. Udons were great and wasn't bothered by not having any service. Would recommend for the yummy udon. read more

Marugame Udon - Curry Nikutama - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California