I have been to Marugame in Honolulu and in San Ramon recently. The Berkeley location is much bigger! It's a lot more seating. They have both indoor and some outdoor seating. The food quality has been consistent across all three locations I've visited! Each location has different favorite menu items. For Berkeley that's the curry nikutama. Service is quick once it gets going. It is cafeteria style so it's very simple. Sometimes you might be waiting a little bit if they aren't taking orders that moment. I got the regular sized curry nikutama and an iced matcha tea. It was a fairly filling meal. Good flavor. I'd be happy to get it again. The matcha tea is very earthy. It may be too much for some people. The restrooms are gender neutral. Very clear labeling on how to dispose of the utensils. The only issue I have is the physical location. The parking is difficult for someone that doesn't live in town. As a Cal student Marugame would be great! I'd be eating here once a week minimum. But I would not drive into Berkeley for Marugame. I'd rather go to the San Ramon location which has a free parking garage structure. read more

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I've been to Marugame Udon in Berkeley more than ten times now, and I can confidently say it's one of my favorite go-to spots. The menu is refreshingly simple -- you choose between a few broth or sauce bases (clear dashi, curry, vegan, or dashi sauce), pick your size, and you're good to go. They also offer rice bowls if you're in the mood for something different. What really sets this place apart is the freshness. The udon is made in-house -- chewy, bouncy, and absolutely delicious. The tempura is also made fresh throughout the day, and you can taste the difference. They have a great variety: shrimp, squid, katsu, chicken, gyoza, egg omelette, potato croquette, sweet potato, zucchini, pork sausage, jalapeño, and pumpkin. My personal favorites are the egg omelette and zucchini -- perfectly crispy outside and tender inside. Each bowl comes with green onions and tempura flakes on the side, which is a nice touch. The broth is flavorful but not overly salty -- rich in umami and super satisfying. They also offer a selection of drinks like calamansi and green tea, though I haven't tried them yet. The ambiance is surprisingly nice for a casual spot: clean, spacious, with tasteful background music and even indoor trees that give it a cozy, fresh vibe. Parking can be a little tricky depending on the time of day, but honestly, it's worth the effort. Great value, consistently good food, and a place I'll keep coming back to. read more

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Let me preface this by saying the first time I tried marugame it was in Honolulu, so my standards are high. You are going to look at my picture and say wow that looks great. But just like the Good Lord warns us looks can be deceiving. The food looked great but that's it. It just looked. The chicken was dry. The sauce was lacking flavor. The potato croquettes were awful they lacked any type of crunch and were cold. Listen the staff was nice. It was clean and it didn't smell. But that's it for compliments. My advice is turn all that water off and stop washing the flavor off the food and fry the tempuras to a crunch. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Overall good found, the price was not so good and the curry was okay at best atleast for the item I got it. The ambience was great and it's nice to be able to see the process happening in front of you. A decent spot for those who like to customize their bowls but quite pricy. read more

Marugame Udon - Cheese Katsu Tomatama Curry Rice - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

I love Marugame so much. I'm never disappointed. When I want a bowl of udon, Marugame is my go to. Don't forget to also get the various tempura! Easy to order, super quick, and there are a lot of seating at this location. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Marugame deserves better reviews! It's delicious, very affordable, warm and fresh food. Service was quick and the line moves fast. I tried the miso broth with soy meat and it was so so good! It's hard to find a fully vegan option that's actually tasty. read more

Marugame Udon - Miso soup with soy meat - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Loved the place, was there for the first time. I really liked the noodles, they are handmade. Will be visiting this place again read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Surprised to see this low rating, perhaps we're spoiled in the Bay with good Japanese food options. Udon noodles are made to order and consistently cooked to perfection, never overcooked, always wonderfully chewy. I always get the number one and say yes to green onions and tempura flakes on top. I love the shrimp tempura. Cafeteria style means that it's always easy to get a table as people finish up quickly. Used to have to fly to Hawaii for this! So great to have this local option and also one in Alameda. read more

Ambiance: Marugame is a quick serving Japanese restaurant focused on udon, tempura, and rice dishes. Service: Since it was self serving, the service was as good as it gets since they provided a quick checkout and wait for getting our noodles. Food: We got a nikutama and miso beef udon along with a tamagoyaki and zucchini tempura. We found the nikutama to be quite good and very reminiscent of udon in Japan. However the miso beef udon was terrible. The flavors were everywhere, it was sweet, sour, and bitter with no complimenting flavors. It was pretty much inedible and would COMPLETELY avoid. The tempura was cold and soggy and was obvious had been sitting. However I found the tamagoyaki tempura to have a nice egg flavor. I do want to note that this place is quite expensive and other options for udon are much more preferred over this establishment. read more

Marugame Udon - Nikutama Udon and Tempura - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I wish I had read the reviews before coming here. It's like a fast food Burger King of udon. The broth is OK, but it's kind of like an assembly line, and the vibe is bad and the food is mediocre. Music is loud and the workers look bored. Plastic spoons and forks. This place is tacky. Would definitely not come back. :( read more

We came on a busy afternoon, I love tempura and my gf loves thick udon. A match-made noodle spot. Music brewing, deep fryers frying, the smell of the broths simmering before you order in line is what really caught my attention. We had several things to try: 1. Curry Nikutama - very silky, oily, smooth and umami broth, sweet beef on top, and a soft poached egg. Yummy 2. Shoyu Tonkotsu - a very creamy porky/rich broth and a half hard boiled egg(we didn't know you could choose, saved that option for next time) nonetheless, a very good udon soup. 3. Tempuras: sweet potato, tamago, potato croquette, zuchinni, and shrimp. They were all freshly fried. Hot and very good! 4. The drinks: Calamansi-ade, super refreshing, just enough sweetness and tart. A solid drink. Matcha is strong on the tea with perfect sweetness. Both very good, solid drinks. The staff was very friendly and welcoming. That's 5 stars! Will definitely visit again and try the other items. Love this place! Thanks Marugame Udon gang! read more

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Server gave me a free sticker!! And the tomatama udon was really good! Would totally recommend! read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Well I never would've come here on my own. I was in the building for an event and needed a quick bite. I was underwhelmed by the menu but I'm not an udon girly. I do not seek it out. The noods are just too much for me. But I needed something and a member of the staff offered me a sample of broth. I liked it and decided on the tan tan. The broth was really tasty but I was slurping and kinda dripping all over. It's messy to eat, or I'm not good at it lol. I didn't eat it all so I put the lid on and took it home. I reheated it the next day and was pleasantly surprised all the ingredients held their structural integrity. Surprisingly, I liked the taste even more the second day. Maybe because the noodles had softened up a bit. But the restaurant was easy to spot, it was very nice inside, plenty of seating, super accommodating and nice staff. I'd go back and recommend. read more

Marugame Udon - To go bag, you can pack yourself and grab what you need (utensils, pepper seasoning, etc) - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Amazing food, quick service, nice music and atmosphere. Great value and good vibes for catching up with friends. Top picks: Nikutama, Tonkotsu Small is very filling. Add ons are pricey. (Cool format where your bowl is made right in front of you! Very efficient but don't forget to bus yourself on the way out.) read more

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If you had Marugame in any of their other locations and enjoyed the food. This location will not disappoint. Lots of seating and close to the University. read more

Convenient location near the Berkeley campus with a lot of seating! Similar to other locations, the ordering system is like a cafeteria. Very solid bowl of udon, but line can move a bit slowly and during peak hours it may be hard to get a table since a lot of people sit around and hang out. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Good experience, fresh food! Would definitely come here again, especially on a cold day.

Marugame is heaven for anyone who loves udon. The order process is easy, you pick an udon base and then can add toppings and fried goods on as you go down the line. For this visit, I got the Nikutama, which is beef and egg. The broth was so flavor I actually drank it until it was empty. The potato croquette was delicious as well, but eat it quickly or it will disintegrate into the soup. The told of the egg was running beautifully when I broke it and mixed it into the udon. This place was huge, very easy to find a table to eat at. There are also good tables outside. The only thing that threw me off was the bathroom. It's pretty much a communal area so both men and women go in, so don't be too alarmed when you walk in together with a stranger. Parking: Not too bad. I was able to find cheap street parking about 3 minutes away. read more

Marugame Udon - Nikkutama - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Great service and communication! My go to when I'm in Berkeley! The staff is always friendly and the food is always fresh and hot

We came here at around 8:30pm on Sunday and the restaurant was pretty empty. I was served right away and ordered a kake udon with a side of squid tempura. The broth was luke warm but it might be because there was a slight hold up at the register. The udon noodles were also slightly soggy as well. The broth tasted good though and the meal definitely hit the spot. The squid tempura wasn't crunchy anymore but it also did the job. Overall cannot complain about the meal. read more

Excellent Japanese udon, tempura and soups. Self serving Good ambiance for grab and go, including enjoy at place. read more

Ate here yesterday and tried the Kitsune Udon bowl super comforting and hit the spot. The broth was light but flavorful, and the sweet tofu skin added a nice balance. Noodles had that perfect chew. Service was fast, and everything came out fresh. Great spot if you're craving something warm and quick. read more

I recently came here again. I ordered the Nikutama and it was pretty good. The udon was filling. I would recommend getting the tempura on the side so the soup broth becomes less chunky when you mix it all together. I also got a couple of tempura items. The tamagoyaki is a must as well as the sweet potato. Now, the most impressive thing about this place was their spoons. It was so legit and sturdy. read more

Marugame Udon - Tempura: sweet potato, tamagoyaki, and croquette. Nikutama. - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

great place to grab a quick & affordable meal around berkeley! the chicken katsu had the right balance btwn meat & breading - the teriyaki sauce was just a little too sweet for me read more

Marugame Udon - Chicken Katsu Teriyaki - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

They are quick but I just spent over $30 on ramen with lukewarm broth. Even if the vegetables and noodles are put in cold, the broth should be piping hot. And it wasn't. I've been here a few times (it's convenient to work) but this will be the last. It's just not good and not cheap enough for being just meh. And the area where you pick up your cutlery and sauce is sort of a disaster zone. And you need to bus your own table but there are still the options for tiling starting at 15%. With so many options for good food in downtown Berkeley this spot will get a pass from me from now on. read more

I tried their vegan bowl and liked it. Would love to try it again. It doesn't take much time to order and get your bowl. I also tried their fried chicken and liked it. It's right under my gym so I can go whenever I feel hungry after a gym session. If you like Ramon bowls, you can give it a try. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

The noodles were very thick and chewy and were quite delicious. I ordered the tonkotsu broth. A bit of a stretch from traditional the udon broth and I think they're trying to incorporate more ramen style broths with their noodles. Unfortunately, compared to other ramen tonkotu broths, this one was a little flat and not very rich. Flavor was good but it needed more umami to it. I would probably try another broth next time. The 2 slices of chashu were good as well as the side of chicken katsu and tempura. read more

Fast cafeteria style udon place walking distance from UC Berkeley. Order first. Get food. Pay. You can take out or dine in a casual but large sitting area inside or patio dining outside. High ceilings = feels very spacious. My son loves his udon, and this place is perfect, he always gets the extra portion and it's exactly how he likes it (no onions, extra flakes!). The menu isn't that extensive but you can add on tempura or chicken katsu to make your meal more filling. We went here twice in 3 days, this is the kind of comfort food he likes. Service is LIGHTNING FAST and friendly. Restrooms are unisex. Sign up for their frequent flyer program. Credit cards or cash. read more

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First time at this location and it is clean and spacious! Plenty of room and there is outside dining as well. Menu you choose what you want cafeteria style. I had the regular tonkatsu with side of tempura and calamansi drink. Disposable utensils and you bus your tray and sort out the washables and disposables. Would come back again. Metered parking and free residential street parking. The portion I ordered was tasty and just right read more

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I thought the udon was pretty good, but I did have to ask for more soup, which they kindly didn't charge me extra for. It tasted like other Marugame's I've been too. The only thing my boyfriend I didn't like about this place though, was the joint bathrooms. I thought it was fine at first, but when I walked in and saw a man, I immediately was jump scared. The stalls are completely blocked off from one another, but still. read more

Hands down my favorite udon place in the East Bay! I love the selection of different toppings for the udon bowls. The restaurant is clean and service is quick. I highly recommend the tempura and the skewers. One thing that stands out here is that the soup is always served at the right temperature. We did not have trouble looking for street parking at this restaurant. read more

This Marugame location was solid. Fast service and staff is friendly. Plenty of takeout containers and utensils at the side table in case you want to take your item to go. The cold noodle combo was good if you want something simple; it comes with one choice of tempura and a drink. Would come back if craving Marugame and in the area. read more

Marugame Udon - Cold Noodle Special $10 with Matcha - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Fire meal. Got the beef gyudon and it was super good. Usually get the udon but wanted to switch it up this time. The beef is super tasty and only critique would be that it's pretty heavy on the sauce. The service is always really good and inside is super clean and spacious. Love this place for a quick dinner w friends! read more

Marugame Udon - Beef Gyudon - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Honestly, it was a little disappointed, trying this place after visiting the location in Hawaii. There's definitely not as many people as this one so I think the fried temporary items are not moving as fast as they are in Hawaii. Definitely taste a little bit more fresh and newly fried in Hawaii than this location. I really enjoyed everything here though overall with the selection and prices. Parking was OK, but you'll probably have to park a little bit further and the residential area. read more

Super similar to udon shops in Japan! Love the udon, but some broths are a bit salty, and meals are not extremely substantive. Great place to get dinner with friends, though. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

DO I RECOMMEND THIS PLACE?: 10/10 would recommend i loveee nothing more than a bowl of warm soup and noodles or just noodles with sauce is equally my top choice! if you're looking for high-quality noodles along with some bomb tempura then marugame udon would be a great spot for you! i appreciate how they have various options (including vegan choices) after going to both this location and the san ramon location many times - their staff, service, and food quality is always up meeting my expectations!! the casualness of the restaurant ambiance is like cafeteria style - in which you go through each section (noodle ordering, toppings, tempera, and then pay) but it's still very personal and intimate! tips: - no private parking but lots of street parking and parking lot available - lots of vegan options available - noodles with soup/sauce available - indoor and outdoor seating available - perfect for friends, family, dates, pet friendly (outside) read more

This location is quite spacious and nice. Many things are self service after ordering your udon in front like finding a seat, getting utensil and water, and putting the tray/dishes away. The udon was very tasty. Their tempura was alright. I feel like the quality of the oil that they fry the tempura in isn't that good because I can taste it in the tempura. read more

Marugame Udon - Tempura (sweet potato, shrimp, and croquette) - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

I'm so disappointed. I've been to the one in Hawaii and I feel like this branch's quality is utterly lacking comparatively. It was not tasty, everything was messy, and service was bad. I asked the girl serving if I could get a bit more soup and she literally gave me a few droplets lol she could've just said she can't do that if she didn't want to? There were no clean cups for water and the self-service area with sauce and utensils were a hot mess too. Step it up Berkeley Marugame! read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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First time here and my food wasn't hot. I came on Friday at 6pm. The service was nice but very disappointing. read more

Marugame Udon - curry nikutama - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

The restaurant is beautiful inside and very spacious. It's typically busy but it functions sort of like a fast food place. You go in a line to order your noodles and then you walk down a lane of tempura or extra sides you can grab to add to your order. What's special about this dining experience is you really see your food being put together! The udon is very freshly boiled in front of you and then they throw it into your soup broth. They follow by adding in all the toppings and extra ingredients. The dishes are filling and flavorful and you can order and eat within minutes! After you're done you just place your waste and tray onto a window towards the kitchen where the staff will grab your trays and dishes. It's a really nice place to drop by in Berkeley but admittedly parking is super hard to find! It's along a strip of other businesses too, which makes it easy enough to go out for desserts or other food right after! read more

Marugame Udon - Spicy Tonkotsu udon with shrimp tempura & Tamagoyaki - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California