4 stars to the food here. 0 star to the IMPOLITE staff (or even manager) in the store. Just moved to Irvine and did furniture shopping in South Coast Plaza. Not much food option and some restaurants are packed. Went to Marugame Udon for the first time. It was a long line, my husband told me to go inside and find a seat first so we won't end up holding bowls of udon and still can't find a seat. So I went inside to find a seat while my husband waited in line outside of the store. Then this guy started asking me something like "did you place your order?". I answered "my husband is waiting in line to place an order." He asked "WHERE IS YOUR HUSBAND?" I was a little bit stunned (first time been asked such question in a restaurant) and answered "he is waiting in line outside of the store." This guy then kept asking "WHERE IS YOUR HUSBAND?""WHERE IS YOUR HUSBAND?" I ended up going back to the line but didn't suggest to go to other restaurants as other restaurants are either packed or we weren't interested and I also didn't want to keep looking for restaurants. Dear Marugame Udon staff, thanks for ruining my day. You could just tell your customers the rules directly, not humiliating them! read more

From start to finish, the environment was very friendly with all the staff, ease of order was at best. There are pictures everywhere with details letting you know what the dish is. I went with nikutama, the udon is perfect cook and carries the right texture. The broth was absolutely delicious and refreshing with every bite of beef it got better as you go. The Tan Tan was a vegetarian dish full of flavor that any meat lover would respect and love. Not too spicy but mimics beef very well. The tonkatsu was very rich in flavor and depth. The broth was thick , yet creamy. The pork perfectly cooked, compliments the udon and broth. Overall if you're looking for high quality food that won't break the bank I highly recommend this place read more

See all

loved it! one of my favorites at south coast plaza, weekdays aren't too busy so luckily did not have to wait in a long line, but they can get long had the tonkotsu and nikutama udon read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

See all

Love this place whenever I'm craving udon! I also like how you can get tempura add ons of different vegetables and meats. Broth is super flavorful too. It's a self serve style so beware of crowdedness read more

I felt like I was back in Japan! The udon was excellent and the experience watching it being made was authentic. The tempura was a bit greasy but tasty otherwise. read more

Marugame Udon - Miso Udon with kitsune and soft boiled egg and various tempura. - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Delicious udon! In Hawaii there was a 2hr wait and we are glad that we didn't wait for long here in the OC. My boyfriend ordered the one with curry it was so good also! Definitely will order that next time read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Located right under Din Tai Fung in South Coast Plaza. The line wasn't super long when we came at 7 PM on Tuesday night. We tried the special spicy vegan Ramen and it was pretty good but we will definitely stick with the basics next time! Overall, definitely some of the best udon we've had. The bok choy tempura and croquet was amazing! We will definitely be back! read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

See all

Q: what did an impatient pot of water say to the noodles?⁣ A: Udon!?⁣ (cue the laughters )⁣ //⁣ If that joke doesn't bring some joy to your day, I know what will. MARUGAME UDON they've got fresh & made to order udon noodles, tempura and so much more. The broth is always perfectly seasoned and got that umami flavor. They recently added rice and some new .⁣ We were able to dine in when the mall was open. The place was one of our favorite spots to eat at South Coast Plaza. Hopefully we can return to eat soon. read more

See all

we came here on a saturday afternoon expecting it to be super busy but the line was short and we were able to order in around 10 minutes (maybe we just got lucky). you order your food in line and they make it in front of you, and you grab the tempura yourself and pay at the register. there's self-seating, and the space is pretty small. we ordered the tonkotsu udon + gekikara fireball and potato croquettes, everything was really delicious. the broth was flavorful and the fireball added a good spice to the dish. we can't wait for the san diego location to open, and we will definitely be back to try more of the menu! read more

Marugame Udon - tonkotsu udon + potato croquette - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

We love this place! When they first opened the lines were pretty crazy so we had to wait a while to give it a try, since then, the lines are still pretty long, but do-able. Ordering is pretty simple as they don't have much on the menu to choose from. Food is what you expect, they make the noodles fresh as you wait you can watch them with the dough. They used to have this big deep fried ball of random (somewhat like a onion blossomish) but they have now taken that off of the menu (whatever that was, please bring it back) You can get many different sides of items to go with your Udon. I usually get the shrimp, and maybe a fish ball of some sort. Definitely going again. if you haven't been, go! it's pretty cool you can take visitors there since they can visit south coast plaza at the same time to window shop! read more

I would not recommend their delivery service, as an employee of southcoast plaza I placed my order online with Marugame website to have my food delivered at 2:45pm (my lunch time ) delivery diver claims to have my order after ignoring my calls it 3:40pm , contacting marugame for the status of the order . To find out the order never was pick up and still at the restaurant. No lunch for me . read more

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

Great food! Good location! Great service! Can't wait for the San Diego UTC location to open!

Wanted to finally try udon in OC and this was one of the many places nearby in the north OC area. Convenient and clean location inside South Coast Plaza! The assembly line ordering system is organized and much more quicker than waiting for someone to take your order. You are also able to see the workers preparing the food; the environment looks extremely clean which is a great reassurance in pandemic times. Udon noodles can be seen being boiled. Workers ask you what toppings you want. The food itself was delicious and quite affordable for eating out prices considering the area. My party and I all loved our orders of the Nikutama and Tonkotsu variety. The regular sizes were more than enough to fill us up. Tempura sides of different friend meats and vegetables are necessary to cut down on the delicious but heavy savory brother. Great textures and balanced flavors in the udon itself. Looking forward to coming back and trying the spicier curry Nikutama variety! read more

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

See all

Located inside of South Coast Plaza next to, what used to be Sears. I got there right before the rush which was a great plus because it can get a little bit hard to hear. Design as a cafeteria style, on the first window you will get a tray and place your order. You can let the employee on the counter aware of any special requests. You will move on to tempura items and then drinks. Average to $10-13 per meal without a drink. Everything is served as a to-go order and all the necessary items to pack up your order are placed in two areas including lids, utensils, and bags. The service was very nice and attentive, willing to answer any questions and patient when I had to repeat myself a few times. We ordered the Tonkotsu, the pork broth was excellent but the udon noodles are for sure the star of the show. Freshly made, thick and savory. The chicken tempura was better than the shrimp we ordered. But I have to admit I was most excited about their ginger berry tea, I am so glad I tried it! I will for sure be coming back here to try different items. read more

See all

My favorite udon place. The noodles just taste good I always order the regular udon then I will just get some tempura or the square one I think it is tofu. Sometimes I order the one with beef crazy good! I like the tempura flakes too and the green onion for add ons! read more

Too expensive for what you get. Noodles are good consistency but the broth... we have all had better. If it was better price point it would be a draw. But given the prices, it's not worth it. read more

Noodles were 10/10! You can tell that these are freshly made and cooked. I ordered the tonkotsu soup. Pork was soft and broth was very good. Some of the topping were okay. I should have ordered it without the tempura flakes since it kind of turned to mush by the time I sat down. For tempura, I really enjoyed the potato croquette but should have skipped on the tempura shrimp and the tempura squid. The squid and the shrimp tempura was not that good since it had been sitting under the heating lamps. Overall, great place for a quick bite at the mall. read more

Marugame Udon - Tonkotso and tempura shrimp, squid, and potato croquette - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

The food is good. I honestly think I can give 4 or 5 stars for the food itself. The noodles are bouncy, I usually get the Nikutama and this was my 3rd time here. The first 2, I felt like the noodles were a little under and today, it was perfect. The tempura is crispy, flavors were on point, and we also the curry katsu which was delicious. Why they're losing 2 stars, their customer service is pretty terrible. It's not that they're rude, I think they're just kind of lazy. Yes. I understand it's almost all self service and yes, it's busy on some days but tbh as I stood there right next to my friend who already got his noodles, I've watched the staff loiter, talk amongst themselves, and just making the line get longer and longer. There's at least 8 staff behind the counter, some working harder vs others who's just kind of stretching and looking around? It's a mystery to me. Food service still requires service so I hope someone reads this? read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

See all

Food was delicious and service was great. Zucchini and shrimp tempura are favorites. Got my food To go and the wait was short even though restaurant was super busy read more

The food is good and affordable. I've never had a bad experience with takeout or dine-in until today. Please please please make your take out pick up more clearer/easily accessible. I order takeout for the convenience of not waiting in the long line. But the process that this took was so unnecessary. I came at my scheduled pickupl time to check in. And rather than get my order, I had to wait additional time thinking they were still making it. (There was no response from packers as the cashier called out my order ticket). I'm on a schedule, so five minutes or so later I had to directly ask the takeout packer if they had my order...and it was the first bag there. So realistically, my food was just sitting there for who knows how long. I honestly liked it better as the shelves during the pandemic where I can just come and grab my bag But food. I like ordering the nikutama or mentai udon. The sweet beef flavor or saltiness of the egg is awesome. Sometimes I get the tamago tempura, but it's so inconsistent in sweetness and flavor that it's a bit if an unfortunate gamble. read more

Kitchen staff made me very uncomfortable to prepare my Udon. The staff doesn't wear any beard bandanas for possible beard fall off. It just doesn't look sanitize. Even the store manager doesn't care about customers concern. read more

See all

I love udon so I just had to finally try Marugame Udon. The kitchen is open so you can watch how they make the udon noodles and everything. It's a good idea since the wait gets long! There seems to always be a line at all times and for good reason. You can pick out your broth and toppings. The udon noodles have a nice chew to them. I got the kitsune udon the sanuki way (adds tempura flakes and green onions). The dashi was good and not too salty. There isn't a lot of seating and you just grab whatever is available so it's a place to get in, eat, and get out right after. I would definitely come back if I don't mind waiting! read more

I love Marugame udon. My first ever bowl was in Hawaii and I can assure that the quality stays consistent throughout locations. I went on a Friday night with my cousins for a quick dinner and although there was a line, it moved quickly and efficiently. Seating was plenty. The workers are friendly and super attentive, even insists on cleaning up after you! The price is excellent too! read more

Marugame Udon - Nikutama with tempura potato on side and flakes/onions on side - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Me and my girlfriend came in a few weeks ago and had the most terrible service from a dude who had tattoos. I found a spot to sit down but then ended up getting kicked out of a 2 seat table for waiting for my girlfriend to finish paying for food after when I told the guy that she's about to finish paying. He kicked me out and I had to find a different table. We luckily found a spot and moments later when both me and her was eating having food in our mouths, he had the audacity to tell us to move tables since it was a 4 seat table while there was one lady sitting on our left eating alone on a 4 seat as well. Worst service I ever had in my life, do better dude. read more

Open as of Apr 4 with limited (indoor) seating. They have updated menu & their udon is still great. read more

See all

[during covid] This place is so packed during the weekends. At first I thought it was the line to get into forever 21, nope that's the margame udon line. My husband and I came back on a weekday and luckily no line. We ordered the tonkotsu udon and the curry nikutama udon and of course some tempura Pros: fast! (If you go on weekday) your food is instantly ready. The broth was rich and thick. The curry version was also good, huge plus that it doesn't taste like the golden curry that you can make at home. The meat flavors really come through. Tempura flakes are freshly fried and crunchy. Noodles are cooked perfectly. I swear I wasn't that hungry but I finished mine and stole some of my husband's. Cons: the chashu was a bit chewy, I prefer it to be more tender and moist. It was a little bit salty and greasier compared to more traditional Japanese places but I think most people might think it's fine. Overall, I like this place and would definitely come here again. Probably not worth waiting longer than 30 mins in line though. It's not too far away and convenient if you're stopping by the mall. read more

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

See all

Fast service , flexible choices, hot noodles. Easy to order. Good vegan choices. Soup base is delicious.

Marugame was amazing as usual :-) We got there really early so things moved quickly but the udon was amazing. Food was 5/5 and the mouthfeel of the noodles was so nice. It was very smooth and chewy! The broth was also tasty and really enjoyed the tempura. Ambiance was 4.5/5? The interior was really cute but when more people started coming in it felt a little bit too tight, but I think that's just because the store is kinda small. read more

Marugame Udon - Nikutama udon, shrimp tempura, sweet potato tempura - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Located on level 1, directly below Din Tai Fung. The udon noodles were very fresh and soft. The best item on the tempura bar would be the chicken. Cafeteria style line moves fast, finding a table is the trickiest part of the dining experience but seems like most people eat n go which helps. Friends who've been to the other locations like L.A. and Waikiki /Honolulu say those locations are better, oh well. Not bad at all but if the line was longer I would not wait. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

This is the 3rd time my boyfriend and I have given Marugame a try and every time we end up throwing up and on the toilet. The tempura is stale and super oily. Same goes for the tempura flakes that you add to the udon. If you get the beef udon, the beef also sits in oil. People with oil-sensitive stomachs BEWARE! This is a death sentence!! read more

Don't let the long lines fool you, this place is efficient and worth any wait. Food was extremely fresh and excellent. Absolutely will return again. read more

Food is great. Service great. The one thing I ask if owner can create BIG BOLD Signage regarding where the line split end and where the continued line is. To me most people have situational awareness and recognize where the line splits...but for the sake of courteous customers (I was a first timer and recognized it) some people need to signs, don't leave it up to your good customer to regulate and have to approach these in unthoughtful people. read more

Go here for a great bowl of udon! My friend in Oahu had raved about their udon more than once and I can understand her love for it. Their menu includes udon, tempura, and spam musubi. The udon has two sizes: regular and large. The customer in front of us told us the difference between the two sizes is that the large has double the noodles of the regular. I ordered a regular sized Beef udon and a piece of shrimp tempura. The amount of beef given was definitely enough to fill me up and I almost finished the bowl. The beef is thin, tender and has a slight touch of sweetness. I liked the broth. I thought it was well balanced with good flavor and the right level of saltiness. I have a feeling this will be a regular eatery for us. I find it better than other choices at South Coast Plaza. I'd like to try their curry udon next time. We'll be bringing friends and family with us. read more

I dined in here with my cousins once. Loved it and came back. Sadly, it was too crowded for me to dine in the second time so I ordered takeout. The takeout was fulfilled pretty quickly, about ten to fifteen minutes! Wow, I am so surprised by how delicious the takeout was even a while after I drove home. The Tonkotsu Udon and tempura were still so warm and delicious. I will definitely be coming back a third time. And a lot more than that. Can't wait to try the other Udon dishes! read more

Don't be discouraged by the long line, it actually moves fairly quickly, about 15-20 minutes. I ordered #9 Nikutama Udon, which said a best seller. It is on the sweet side, so you can ask them to use half broth or mix broths if needed. It is a nice treat to have fresh udon noodles. These dishes are packed with flavor too. There are several side items you can add to your dish. I did tempura shrimp and Spam. I would come back again, and recommend you give it a try! read more

Marugame Udon has lived up to the hype! I've had Marugame bookmarked for quite sometime now. When I saw that this one was located inside South Coast Plaza, I made it a priority to visit soon. We just happened to be in the mall when we decided that it was time to grab a late lunch. I suggested to our group that Marugame was just downstairs and it has great Yelp reviews. Excited to get my udon on, I rushed our group downstairs to only find the longest line EVER. Noooooooo! Even on a Monday! I will always wait for food but that's not always the case for everyone. We waited for about 45 minutes. There's a pasta place right next door, so a lot of people eventually got out of line to get their carbonara on instead. Who knows how long the line would have been if everyone stayed in line. Marugame was organized though. There is someone managing the line, walking people to their tables, and cleaning tables. As you wait to get to the counter you can watch them make the udon noodles. Fresh noodles and a savory broth really makes the difference when we are talking about Udon. The Food: Nikutama Udon-- Sweet beef and egg. Delicious! Tonkotsu Udon-- Spicy broth with ground beef. Not really spicy but it was flavorful! If you love Tonkotsu broth for your ramen, you would like this too. Beef Udon-- Simple but tasty! Curry Udon-- Nice flavor, but as a curry lover I wanted more curry. The Extras: We went all out on the self serve tempura counter. We picked up the vegetable ball (not sure about the name but this thing was the size of a baseball), shrimp tempura, sweet potato, onion ring, potato croquette, and chicken! We also picked up a spam musubi and a spam and egg musubi. I also picked up a crab onigiri. Drinks are by the can and they only serve coke products. I opted for a Ramune because I haven't had one in such a long time! Oh and you have to order extra noodles just in case. Would I come back again? I would but I have a few conditions: if there was not a line and if I happened to be in the area-- coming back to Marugame would be a no brainer. Not sure if I would go out of my way to try again. While I enjoyed our meal, I have to note that it was more pricey compared to a similar meal down the street at Mitsuwa. Protip: Save room for the tempura and onigiris! All the fixings with your udon is what really takes your meal to the next level. Also Marugame is located across from Uniqlo and next to F21. read more

See all

Highly recommend Nikutama Udon, thick noodle, strong soup flavor, don't forget to add green onion and extra crunchy stuff (I don't know what that's called) Side order recommended: shrimp tempura other tempuras were ok to add. But overall shrimp tempura is what I love. read more

Marugame Udon - Nikutama Udon Shrimp Tempura Potato Croquette Sweet Potato Tempura Crab Meat Tempura Chicken Tempura Spam Musubi - Japanese Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Love this place for quick and easy but good food. Whenever I'm in south coast and want something quick but delicious, this is the perfect spot. Udon and tempura are delicious and you can tell it's fresh and made right read more

Really good fresh udon. Always a good choice when in the area. Can get crowded but it moves quickly. Friendly service and tasty food. What more do you need. read more

Over the past few months, I've been to Marugame Udon more times than I would admit. The food is excellent. I've tried a variety of the items from the menu, but I now only get the #9 Nikutama Udon. It comes sweet flavored beef, a soft boiled egg, and udon noodles. Everything in the bowl comes together well. Fresh udon is created right before your eyes. The beef, egg, and broth are added after the udon is made. There are a bunch of side dishes that you could add to your tray, but I'd rather stick to the udon and/or get an extra serving of noodles. I'm not going to knock a star down for the wait. It make be long at times, but I was able to snag a bowl of udon with no line before. read more