The food was amazing and yummy . The leather seats we sat on were ripped but comfy. The water smelled weird and the cups were wrinkled and cut. But if you're hungry I recommend this place! It will cure your hunger and leaves you full! read more

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Went in a big party and got lucky enough to find seats for 9 on a Tuesday early evening. Line itself moved very fast and it seems like turnover time for the tables are pretty fast too, but no guarantees for seating especially for a larger party. Not sure how that works if you have to stand in line before grabbing a table. My S.O. got the kitsune udon and I go the katsu curry rice bowl. We also ordered various tempura on the side, which was self-serve. Both entrees were okay, nothing special. My S.O. and other friends mentioned that the kitsune itself was a little too sweet for their liking. And I thought the curry sauce was too watery. Nonetheless, the rice soaked it up really well and the dish was very fulfilling; just not what I would prefer for a dish like this. The katsu served in the bowl was crunchy, thick, and juicy. Probably the best part of the entire meal. The tempura we grabbed were also okay, nothing that blew my mind. read more

What more can one ask for in an udon? The udon is SILKY smooth and I can honestly eat like two bowls. Soup is always flavorful and toppings are the best! For the tempura flakes, I recommend scooping it or place it on the side so that it doesn't get too soggy. Love that they have fresh tempuras & you can grab whichever one that speaks to you. My only gripe is that sometimes it's very hard to find a seat so it makes the dining experience a bit inconvenient. This is our go to for udon as it never disappoints! read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Like fast food with much better food. There was a line to order but it moved pretty quickly. We got the kake udon and bk udon, plus assortments of tempura that you can grab on your own. The udon was tender and chewy, broth was hot and flavorful, and tempura was perfectly crunchy. Its just you cant linger to long once you have finished so other ppl can use your table. Highly recommended! read more

Food was well priced. My husband who is particular about his food likes the udon there. He even looked up the other branches. They have a lot in the Philippines read more

This place is really popular so get here before the rush! Really good udon and is a bang for your buck! I would usually go for the mentai udon which was AMAZING but I think recently they took it off the menu, but there are other good options too! I also like that you can add extra tempura or katsu on the side, which I would definitely give a shot since the chicken katsu is really juicy. Definitely grab lunch here if you are in the area! read more

Our first time going this past Sunday. We arrived 20mins before they opened and there was already a line forming. Luckily, it wasn't long just yet. Closer to opening the line started to get longer. So the way it works is you order your food first by ordering the main dish followed by grabbing the tempura you want, then the drinks at the end. Sit anywhere you want, but keep in mind you have to order your food first before sitting down. So you can't save seats. It's a very fast pace ordeal so don't be discouraged when you see a long line. The process is fast along with what you're eating. Would definitely recommend checking it out! read more

Marugame Udon - Tempura: mushrooms, chicken, squid and sweet potato - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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We ordered 3 different bowls: Nikutama Udon, Tonkotsu Udon, and Curry Nikutama, 3 shrimp tempura and 1 fried chicken breast with total about $55 without tips. 1) Nikutama Udon: I think it's overrated in my opinion. It's taste a bit too sweet for me so I would pass this one. 2) Tonkotsu Udon: This one is the best among the 3 that we ordered as its taste is very well-balanced so I would definitely at least get 1 bowl of this, then you can try any other bowl if you go as a group so you can see which one you like. 3) Curry Nikutama: This one is a bit too salty for me so I would not recommend it either. 4) Shrimp Tempura: It's good so I would recommend at least get 1 as a side dish 5) Fried chicken breast: Obviously too dried so I won't recommend. Overall experience was okay, not as good as I expected. read more

My first Marugame Udon experience, and it was at the Costa Mesa location. It was a weekday lunch event before heading to the airport to go home. Stumble upon this place and heard it was a great joint. Ordering concept made simple. Noodles are smooth and of a nice consistency. The broth is nice. Additional charge for extra broth. Glad there wasn't a long wait since it was a weekday. read more

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Tip: don't buy a balloon and walk in here because you need to hold your tray, haha Was good g to get a cold Nikutama, but saw the new vegan some and wanted to try. Expected it to be a clear broth and to a light soup, like the ginger broth at Souplantation. However, it was unique and was thicker than expected. I loved how addicting it was. read more

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The best spot to get udon! I love how fresh their udon noddles are. My go to is the tonkatsu with a side of the fireball. I usually like the tempura but it seems like the options has decreased the last year. I am not sure if they got rid of the musubi or if they didn't have it when I was there this week. I wish they would bring it back! Service was only okay. The spot is always crowded so come early before the lunch rush. Overall, I recommend it for the udon, the sides are lacking compared to before. This spot use to be a 5 stars for me but I does seem like the quality has gone down a bit for the sides. read more

Marugame Udon is finally at a location closer to me! I remember the first time I had it was in Waikiki in Honolulu and there was always a line from the front door. Now there's finally a location closer to me at the South Coast Plaza Mall. The set up is the same where you would order at the front and request which type of Udon you would want and then they would give you your bowl once it's ready. You then walk down the line and there is a bunch of selections of different tempuras that you can add to your plate for an additional cost. My only issue with is that the location in Hawaii had a lot more selections of tempura compared to the one here at the Costa Mesa location. The udon was solid, it was rich with that BK sauce. The egg was cooked perfectly and there was plenty of beef in the bowl. However, I felt like the flavors just weren't quite the same as the one I had in Honolulu. The ones in Honolulu were more flavorful compared to the one here. However, it is still a solid bowl of udon and definitely hit my udon cravings. I'll come back again and maybe it'll be better the next time! read more

Marugame Udon - Nikutama Udon - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Wow. Just wow! I came here a few weeks ago. Huge line. I waited for 10 min. Line didn't move so I left. I came back and this time the line was short. I went for it. Off top, the place is clean and service is good. Fast too! Fresh udon! I got the #6 I think. Sweet beef and I also got the fried potato thing and shrimp tampura. Everything was good. Really good! Price was fair. I got a good amount of food and quality for what I paid. The broth was perfect. I really like that it wasn't over salted. My shrimp was fresh! The real winner for me was the udon and beef. I've never had sweet beef like that before. And the udon was thick and soft. Sooo good. Thanks for the good food guys. Keep it up. I'm bringing friends next time! read more

I had been spying this spot for a while, and I finally made my way in recently. South Coast Plaza does not have a lot of casual eateries, but this one is a great spot to quickly get your food. Located in the downstairs level close to the carousel and UNIQLO is Marugame Udon. The menu is displayed largely at the front, and you order and take a tray. They serve you almost immediately and then you have the option to grab some tempura or additional items with some tongs on your way to the register. I came here with my 9 month old and they even had high chairs. This place would not be good for very large groups however. We ordered the Chicken Katsu Curry and Nikutama Udon. Also grabbed a zucchini and sweet potato tempura to try. Everything was delicious. The udon noodles had great favor and broth. The chicken katsu curry had the curry sauce mixed into the rice and lots of crispy chicken. Portions were very generous and prices were very fair. They had plenty of tempura sauces and other things for you to grab on your own as well. I would definitely come back here in a heartbeat. Loved it!! read more

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I love love this place! Absolutely a big fan of udon and their prices are amazing too. There is usually a wait during dinner time, but the line passes by pretty quick (about 20-30 minutes). It is self seating. I usually get the tonkatsu udon and it's absolutely 10/10 to me! read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Possibly the best affordable dining option in the mall, Marugame Udon brings a world of chewy udon noodles and fresh fried tempura that should satisfy all palettes. The line may look daunting but it moves surprisingly fast. When I got in line on a weeknight overflow line extended 15 people back and my total wait to get to the order counter was 15 minutes. If the line extends out of the mall I'm guessing the wait time is probably closer to 45-60 minutes. Everything at Marugame Udon is freshly prepared before your eyes. House made noodles that are strung from a wooden pole and tenderly dipped into boiling water before being allowed to gently slide off the pole for further cooking in the pot. You then move along in the cafeteria style line and place your noodle order. Pick up your noodles and then you help yourself to the priced-by-the-piece tempura and musubis. For no extra charge, you can add chili oil, tempura flakes, chopped green onions, cilantro and grated ginger. Nikutama Udon ($9.90 - Regular Size) - I went with their signature sweet beef and poached egg udon. The soup broth for this dish concentrated so you do need to make sure your noodles have been dipped before you take a bite as the soup does not extend over the noodles. If you break up the egg, the runny yolk flows into the sea and gives you a thick, creamy soup. The beef is cut paper thin and has a delicate balance of sweet and soy that doesn't take away from anything else in the bowl. Top your bowl with green onions and tempura flakes and you'll experience some different textures that all just works. The noodles are cooked just right, a chewy bounce that gives when bitten into. I recommend the regular size bowl if you are going to be getting any other sides. A large bowl is huge and should only be attempted by those who haven't seen food in a week. Potato Croquette ($2) - Fair portion size, very crunchy on the outside and piping hot tender on the inside. I liked it and will be getting this again. Vegtable Kakiage ($1.80 - Shredded onion, carrots, sweet potato and green onion) - This fried ball of strips of veggies is totally worth its price. It's large and shareable and you can either dip it in tempura sauce or peel off bite by bite and drop them in your noodle bowl. Could have been a tad crispier but overall it's good. Shrimp Tempura ($1.80) - A large shrimp stretched out long and battered and fried. Good shrimp to batter ratio, it matches up to what I receive and most Japanese sit down restaurants. Spam Musubi ($2.60) - They serve this with or without a layer of egg. I loved their spam musubi. The spam is cut thinner than most places and pan fried to where it's crisp on the edges. The difference maker in this is that they use fried rice for the rice brick. Wrap that and the spam in a thick nori band and there you have it. My whole meal came out to $19.50 after taxes. Very reasonable considering all the sides that I got to pick and choose to go along with my bowl of udon. The I admit, the line at Marugame Udon is intimidating. But it moves quicker than you'd imagine. That said, if it was a busy day at the mall I probably wouldn't wait more than 30 minutes. On a weekday I would hope for 15-20 minutes. It's a great place for families with kids to eat at if the wait isn't too bad because you can pick and choose what fried things your kids will actually eat without overpaying. Everything I ordered was tasty but some of the other musubis looked a bit mushy. You can't go wrong with their Nikutama Udon... Next time I want to try the curry version of it. Their udon here is good, but it is just a tad shy when comparing to somewhere like Marugame Monzo in Little Tokyo. But I'm not complaining, not at all, this is a wonderful and welcome addition to the mall! read more

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Tried this place for the first time after always seeing long lines to get in every time we passed by. Got the kake udon with some tempura sides and enjoyed it overall. Dashi was a little too salty for me and while the texture of the noodles here is pretty good, they are not as firm and chewy as I've had at another good udon place here in the OC. Still recommend, though! read more

Hot, fresh, plentiful! This udon place is busy and a small, narrow space, but the FOOD! Amazing! I had this before an event at Segerstrom and it was delicious. I ordered beef udon and added a few pieces of shrimp tempura and a sweet potato tempura in the side. All was really, really good! I'll definitely be back!! read more

Marugame Udon - Beef udon with shrimp and sweet potato tempura - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I was surprised to see a line right at the opening, and thought the restaurant would be packed. However, once I saw the line was for a self-serve style ordering, I understood why it took time to be seated. The food smelled so good, and the amount of food served seemed larger than other restaurants. I was just there to pick up my online order, knowing this popular place would be crowded and observed COVID requirements. If I have a chance, I would like to dine inside, but that may be awhile, since omicron has started another round of infections. I really miss Japanese style udon, and will now visit the other Marugame Udon restaurants to compare notes between the various locations. read more

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LOCATION: South Coast Plaza (1st floor next to Forever 21) PARKING: Parking lots/structures everywhere. Can be busy. WHAT I ORDERED: Regular Hot Nikutama Udon ($11.45) This is my go-to udon spot. I always order the Nikutama Udon when I come for its sweet and savory beef and broth. The udon noodles are perfectly soft and chewy and soaks in all broth. I love how the noodles are so thick. The udon can get a bit salty, so make sure you have a cup of water beside you! At Marugame, you're ordering in a cafeteria-like fashion once you get in line. You slowly move your tray down, starting with the type of udon you want, choosing different kinds of tempura to pair with your udon, then drinks and extra items (musubi, onigiri, chicken karaage, etc.) if you prefer. There is a variety of tempura, ranging from vegetable to protein tempuras. If you come during dinner time on any day of the week, expect a wait. The line will wrap around the corner, but it moves fast. It's surprisingly only a 20-25 minute wait at most. There are a bunch of tables inside, and I'm sure everyone chows down their udon because it's that good. I'm always willing to wait in line to eat their delicious udon! read more

Came around 6 pm on a Friday and was prepared to wait long time to get seated - however, it felt efficient and we only waited around 15 minutes. I like that they put out numbers on your table so you don't have to worry of hunting down a seat. I also like the open window so you can see how the noodles are made. It's also pretty cool grabbing your own food. I did hold up the line because I was trying to get a little bit of everything. I thought that there would be tempura broccoli but it wasn't there. The chicken was also a little dry for my taste and it reminded me of porkchop. I did go a little crazy with the green onion and tempura toppings. I opted for the basic udon flavor - I liked the broth and the the noodles were great - I liked that they were fresh. Overall, it was a fun experience but I think I'll hold back on the fried foods for the sake of my diet. read more

Marugame Udon - Udon - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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I like the packaging! It separates the noodles from the eggs and sweet beef, and the broth is also in a separate box. Dumplings are still crisp. We are very satisfied. read more

Marugame Udon - Nikutama Udon, Gyozu - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I finally had a chance to check out Marugame Udon in South Coast Plaza! It's kinda located in a pretty good place I would think.. right underneath Din Tai Fung haha. There was no line the first time I went, but the second time on the weekend, I saw how the line is actually blocked off and is controlled to go along the wall that's past the Barilla restaurant. The wait actually wasn't that bad though haha. Anyway, both times I had looked at the menu and went for their curry nitkutama ramen, regular size. The regular size was definitely filling enough for me haha. It's nice to look through the window and check out the process of how they make and cook the udon. It's kinda interesting haha. At the point where you order, let them know R/L and the number of the dish you want. You'll get your bowl pretty quickly and then walk down the line and decide what addons you want. I went for their shrimp tempura (and it was actually interesting too to see the extra tempura flakes get separated so customers can get them for free in their soup haha). They had a bunch of other tempuras down the line lol, and then the next area was the onigiri and the spam musubis. Guess who mightttt have also gotten one of the onigiri as well haha. After that comes drinks, paying, and then finding a place to sit to eat! The curry in the bowl is not really spicy but there is a thick consistency and a kick to it. It's feels like it should be a heavy dish but it's actually pretty light. The udon in there is so good. Having it dabble in the curry to get some of the broth - I love it. The beef is sweet too and a great addition to the dish. The egg is eh. Haven't gotten it to cook, even when I have it drowned under the beef. Welps. The prices do get a bit pricey once you keep getting more add ons.... Something simple that can have premiums hahahahahaha. But it gets the job done and it gets the job done quickly if you're in a rush! read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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I tried the beef soup a little too sweet and rich for my taste. The noodles are made fresh in house and you watch the process while waiting in line. It is a very popular place in South Coast, the lines are huge all the time. I would like to try just the noddle's without meat in the near future. read more

Marugame Udon - Beef udon w soft egg - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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I was missing Hawaii and my husband and I were on our way up to Long Beach so I asked him if we could try out this Marugame location. It is located inside South Coast Plaza mall in a corner with two other Michelin star Asian restaurants. There are plenty of ramen places but very few restaurants highlighting udon as the main star. The line looks intimidating at first and you get a little worried because the place seems so small and you start to wonder when you'll get in and if you will have a place to sit but it magically works out. The attendants are quick to turn o er tables to ensure you have a spot to enjoy your food. The line moves fairly quickly so don't fret. It is "cafeteria style" quick service where you go up and order your food and it gets prepared down the line and you can pick up tempura sides. We had the Curry Nikutama, and Tonkotsu. We also shared some tempura and added their chili paste. IMO the curry was better than the tonkotsu but each one was different. The curry had a thicker concentrated soup base whereas the tonkotsu was a thinner more traditional broth. The sweet beef is delicious and the noodles were cooked to perfection and not too mushy. The spring egg on my curry udon was also perfectly cooked where the yolk was soft boiled (kept together but still soft). read more

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This place never disappoints! Brought my sister here to experience this amazing place with Udon and let me tell you we now have have new customers woo hoo. Looking forward to sharing this Amazing Udon spot with the rest of our friends and family. read more

Pros: Fast service, lots of different menu options. This was not my first time at a Marugame Udon, so I knew to expect a fast-moving line and hopefully above average udon noodles. Food: Everything was lukewarm, and the noodles were not chewy. I got the kitsune udon and my husband got the niku udon, and both were underwhelming. The shrimp tempura I got on the side was redeeming, but everything else was just okay. Our meal was only $24 which was great, but the quality of the udon noodles was just not what we remembered. read more

This restaurant is directly across UNIQLO, we went there for an earlier dinner after shopping. We got #9 Nikutama Udon, which said a best seller, and #11 Beef Udon. Both of which were too sweet for us. We were downing water while eating. The tempura tastes fine. It is a Japanese fast food restaurant, choose your udon by name, place your tray there, proceed down the line too pick from a variety of tempura, rice balls and Inari sushi and drink, then pay and enjoy your meal. read more

Marugame Udon - No. 11 - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Japanese cooking, no matter how simple or casual, will always involve some sort of technique or skill. Even though Marugame is more of a casual eatery, it's nice to see that they incorporate fresh udon into their noodles because, well, udon is probably one of the major components aside from the broth. I've heard nothing but great things from my girlfriend and friends, so we finally found some errands to run in the area and get Marugame for lunch. I often times order the bold, deep, comforting dishes, but this time around my girlfriend ordered their Tonkatsu Udon. I ordered their Nikutama Udon. I really like how the udon gets put into this udon suction machine to draw out any starchy water. I personally love my noodles fresh, but as dry as possible as to not dilute the broth. I also like how they put the bowls into hot water to keep everything hot. Anyway, the Nikutama Udon was amazing!! I often times like to add more flavor into my food, but this around I just enjoyed it for what it was. Nikutama is essentially like a gyudon/sukiyaki flavor (not as sweet as sukiyaki). The broth is full of body and sweet dashi flavor. The beef was also really tender and satisfying to eat. Good news to my fellow green onion homies! There's a big tub of green onions you can toss into your bowl after you get your udon! And there's the little tempura crunchies right next to it too. The only thing I might skip next time is the egg. It's boiled juust enough to cook the egg whites, but still a little slimy and the yolk is still runny. I like eggs, but I dislike the yolk and gloopy egg white. The Tonkatsu Udon was sooo good too! The broth for this is heavier, but comforting and full of bold pork flavory goodness in every sip. The chasiu was tender too. Added bonus! There was bits of ground pork in the broth as well. Further down the line are fried tempura goodies you can grab along the way, as well as onigiri. The tempura is tempting, but it adds up quick at $1.80 a piece. The crab meat onigiri was okay. Obviously because it's an onigiri it would be loaded with rice, but this being my first time and all I wanted to get one. I would skip it next time around. The service at Marugame was a-okay in my book. It's sorta cafeteria style where they put the ingredients into your bowl and you grab some items yourself. Everyone I encountered was nice. Costa Mesa is a bit of a pain to get to from where I live, but if I'm ever in the area, I will absolutely consider coming here to eat! read more

My go-to order is the Nikutama with shrimp tempura on the side. This place can get pricey, depending on how many sides you decide to get. You can easily spend $20+ on a meal here. I'd recommend placing an order online and bringing it home to eat. The restaurant offers the option to not have the meal pre packed, so you don't have to worry about your noodles getting soggy or having the soup spill everywhere when you're bringing it home. Be sure to double check that they provide all the sauces that you request, there's been a few times where I've had to eat my tempura without the tempura sauce (must try!) Expect there to be a wait if you're ordering in-person. Anytime I've passed this restaurant, there has been a line. I'd estimate the wait time to be around 10-15 minutes. The chances of finding a table inside are slim. The interior is small compared to how many people come here to eat. read more

This was such a fantastic experience from beginning to end. The food: they hand make their noodles and it's so fun to watch them while waiting in line. The line looks intimidating but it moves quick! The staff was so friendly and knowledgeable. You have to try the calamansi-ade, it's delicious! The restaurant reminds me of old school Japan. I feel like I'm in another country. Coming back here for sure! Can't wait! read more

every time i'm in the area, i have to eat at marugame udon! this popular udon place has such savory and authentic udon and is a must try. the lines do get very long, and sometimes reach the end of the wall. however with the long lines, i've never had trouble finding a seat. the seats are all very close together and compact. i got the kitsune udon and the texture of the noodles, the salty broth, and sweet tofu makes for a perfect combination. they also have a vast variety of tempura, but i got the bok choy and sweet potato. the sweet potato is very consistent but the bok choy does feel weird fried, since the vegetable is usually watery. it's not a bad thing, but it does take some getting used to. as for the service, its very quick and has a "school lunch" vibe. you pick up trays and go down the line, which makes for a very fast ordering process. things like water, togo boxes, sauces, and utensils are all self service too. read more

Marugame Udon - tonkotsu udon, kitsune udon - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Finally got the chance to come here and the wait was not as bad as it looked! Marugame is usually always busy and the line extends far beyond the storefront, but on a Saturday night at about 7:45pm the wait was only about 20-30 minutes to get seated after ordering. One reason why I docked them a star is because it would've been really helpful if we had someone explain the menu to us. Not all of the udon options are broth as some of them are similar to tsukemen style where it's just a rich, saltier sauce. Luckily, I ordered the kitsune udon which had a broth but my boyfriend's bestselling Hikutama was not. There are 2 sizes and what you see in the picture is exactly what you get. It seems rather cheap until you add all the extra sides like tempura, musubi, etc. Luckily, the green onions and tempura flakes are complimentary. Overall, I enjoyed my meal. The tamagoyaki was definitely one of my favorite sides as well as the crab meat musubi (hard pass on the salmon flake) but I regretted putting too much tempura flakes on my broth as it soaked up all the soap. If the line is short again, I'd definitely come back here. But with it being so close to Din Tai Fung, it would be in their best interest to start a yelp waitlist for make them that much more appealing. (94/100--2019) read more

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There is a reason I keep coming back to Marugame Udon! It's quick, delicious, fresh and priced right! I've been to this location 3 times now and I have brought friends and my family to come eat here. The udon is made fresh, straight from the rolling of dough, to the cutting of the noodles, to boiling them so it can be served to eat! I've ordered the Kake Udon, Green Thai Chicken Udon, and Mentai Kamatsma Udon. All of them have never disappoint! I plan to try a different kind every time I visit! The tempura bar has everything! From shrimp to awesome blossom to zucchini to spam musubi. You name it! I love the concept of grabbing and go and sitting down and having your meal. It is a very quick and efficient way to dine, reminds me of the past few times of my restaurant experience in Tokyo! P.S. By the way, this place has unlimited green onions and tempura crunches, perfect additions to add to your udon noodles! :) read more

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I love this place! I was reluctant at first because the line seems like it would take forever to get seated, but it went by pretty fast. This is cafeteria-style, know your order before it's your turn put your tray down and you are much closer to stuffing your belly! I got a #9 Kake Sauce with egg, sweet beef. It was delicious! They don't skimp you on the beef either. Next time I want to get it with the Kake Soup and see if I like that better. I topped it with tempura and green onion and got crab tempura as well. Must try :) read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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The udon here is so good. The noodles have a very good bite and chewyness to it. I love the noodles from Marugame. I've tried the tonkotsu, Nikutama, curry, and beef w/ kake soup. And I was surprised by how much I liked all of them respectively. My definitely favorite is Nikutama because the broth is so savory and enjoyable with the udon noodles. The tempura here is hit or miss sometimes though, sometimes the tempura can be sitting out for a while so by the time you go through the counter service, pay, and sit down the tempura is cold since it's been sitting there. But the tempura batter they use is very light and crispy which is the perfect accompaniment to the udon. I also like adding extra green onions and tempura bits to my udon. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Conveniently located in South Coast Plaza, Marugame Udon attracts a variety of customers who love to enjoy one of the best udon bowls in town. Known for the ongoing hype, I decided to try this place out for myself for a birthday lunch! I was blown away. I ordered the most popular udon order, and it did not fail to amaze me. From juicy & flavorful meat to silky & warm noodles to a comforting broth to crunchy & irresistible tempura flakes, my udon experience was made complete. The small side items such as spam musubis and various tempura were the cherries on top. Super flavorful. Super neat. Super delicious. Give this place a shot to experience freshness at its finest! read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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My favorite udon place ever! You know it's good when they consistently have lines out the door and snaking around the side of the building. I've been to Marugame in both Hawaii and San Francisco, and now in Costa Mesa! They're extremely consistent in their quality of food and service. Pro tip: if you come around 4 p.m. on their off-hours, there is absolutely no line! Eat away! I tried their Bukkake Udon this time around, and it hit the spot. The noodles were fresh and chewy, and the soup had the perfect amount of flavor and saltiness. I also got their spicy roe musubi. The roe was so flavorful and I liked that it was distributed throughout the rice and wasn't just at the top. That way, there was flavor in every bite! I also got a classic spam musubi--so good. They sprinkle furikake in the rice, a nice finishing touch on an already delicious snack. I also tried some of my friend's fishcake tempura. So yummy! A spongey fishcake hugged in crispy, golden batter. read more

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Absolute love the choices on the menu! Specially when you get to the tempura buffet part and choose extra for your meal! The meal is very well reasonably priced. Your entree always gets freshly udon noodles! Very quick service! The only down part I'd say is the tempura can be gone pretty quick. Though if you are in need to wait for it, I've learned you pay for it and they can bring it to you when seated! Seating can be tricky when they are busy but this spot never misses on how delicious it is! Enjoy! read more

Oahu's well-renowned udon shop has finally graced the mainland with their presence. Oh how the stars have aligned for us residents of OC that they decided to land here first vs NYC. Enter my happy dance. Yes, the line is long, nothing new there, and consistent to Hawaii, it moves. It's cafeteria-style so the movement can depend on how quick customers are in getting their food and how fast the check-out is. Twice I've been, it's at the register where I see the hold up. There's only one person checking out and very slow in keying the items, too. Hopefully that gets better over time. My favorite here is the shredded beef udon soup with egg. Make sure you read the description as some have "sauce" while others have "soup". Pure comfort food bursting with flavor all in one bowl. It's perfection. Go easy on the tempura items as they add up! But also don't miss out on the musubis. I really like the Mentai Mayo one and only for $1.50. You're welcome. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California