When I am ono for udon for lunch, Marukame Udon is one of my old standbys in Downtown. I've never been to the Marukame Udon in Waikiki, so I can't compare the two locations, but I like that such a popular eatery is so conveniently located in Downtown and without the crazy long line like that of the Waikiki location. The Downtown location has a restaurant side where you can sit down and eat with friends and a convenient take-out window to grab lunch to take back to the office. The empty seats in the restaurant side are sometimes hard to find, especially empty seats together, but the turnover is rather quick since there is no tableside service. They also added some outside tables along Fort Street Mall for some fresh air dining, which isn't all that great when you consider you are eating right next to a busy pedestrian crosswalk and sitting in Fort Street Mall with all of it's characters roaming around. It does provide a great people watching opportunity. The udon menu is pretty straight forward and yes, they only sell udon. No soba or ramen. The only reason I say this is because over I've heard people ask those questions on multiple occasions. I usually get the Kake Udon, which is plain udon or Curry Udon. The Fried Chicken Salad is pretty tasty too. There is an assortment of Tempura available for purchase ala carte. The service at Marukame Udon is fast and friendly. I especially like the separate takeout window. I find that the service at the take-out is so much faster than in the restaurant. So, if you everyone find yourself hungry in Downtown and need something affordable and fast to eat, visit Marukame Udon. read more

Marugame Udon - Kake Udon with Vegetable Croquette and Eggplant Tempura. - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Really like this place. And at $3.60 for a bowl of kake udon, how can you not love it? The udon is fresh. What makes it fun are the "extras." There's an assortment of tempura, chicken, and musubi. For me, I enjoy my food piping hot. Everything seems cold here (especially the egg.) That's the nature of a cafeteria-style assembly line. The seating is clean and modern. Nice way to lunch if you're in town.... read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I was never a fan of udon until Marukame; seriously...the dashi (broth) was always too weak or uninspired to be memorable for me, but Marukame is different. Their dashi is simple yet flavorful, and relatively cheap - true traditional Japanese fast food. The Ala Carte (cafeteria) style is a plus, so you can get your food quickly, and the variety of tempura-style sides is winnahs...from the Onion Bomb (and it IS bomb!), to fishcake or kabocha - it's all delicious. When choosing your soup (hot or cold, be mindful you get the right one), you can have them add green onion and bits of tempura batter to enhance the flavor. They use a teeny-tiny spoon, but don't fret, and don't hesitate to ask them to keep scooping the goodies until you're satisfied. I also love the free water on premises; again true to their Japanese restaurant roots...it's the little things ya know?! Anyways, I suggest going to the Downtown, Fort Street Mall location as even when busy, the line goes fast...Waikiki you can expect a wait. read more

Marugame Udon - The "Yelp King" combo - Hot Kake Udon with Fishcake and Onion BOMB! Awesome! - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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My friend and I had the curry bowl, after 30 minutes we both threw up. The broth was so oily and deep. Would not recommend this place, even though the line is long it was most of everyone's first time there. I did not like it, this did not taste right. Food poisoning! read more

The famous Marukame Udon has another location!!! WHAT! YAY! Surpassed the busy lines and ordered through bite squad. The food has always been my favorite. The price point is also my favorite. The udon noodles are soft and the soup base has the right amount of flavor. I always order a spam musubi and some ume musubi because noodles aren't enough to satisfy my hunger. I'm happy they offer bite squad delivery. read more

Very popular restaurant with the locals. The line went out the door which was actually nice because the time spent in the queue allowed me to see them making the noodles from scratch. Ordered the kamaage udon with shrimp and squid tempura. The tempura batter was light and crispy. The spam musubi was a treat. The sweet potato cake was very tasty as well. The udon noodles were great. Chewy with good texture. If I had to find a fault, it would be that the tempura smelled fishy (as to be expected). I wouldn't complain too much about it though. Would eat here again. read more

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Staff very kind. Price to value trade off excellent. Has three options we liked that are either vegetarian or fish based. Preparation lightning fast. Has fried shrimp tempura. The udon salad was amazing, very simple yet healthy and flavorful. read more

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Nobody has loved this restaurant more than I and I've proclaimed it to be my single favorite dining spot in Honolulu. Best value anywhere anyhow and I've dined there maybe 100 times. Today is their 5 year anniversary at this location and my wife and I had to be at our favorite noodle shop to celebrate with them, not to mention the 20% discount. We walked in at 5:30PM and I couldn't believe my eyes. There was a dog standing all four legs on the counter exactly on the noodle serving area while the food serving staff were reaching over petting it. I about puked. There were five customers ahead of me and they all felt like I did. We all turned around and walked out. Its not so much that there was a dog standing on the counter at the food serving area, but more so that the employees found this acceptable. Makes you wonder about the sanitary conditions elsewhere. Understand nobody loves dogs more than I however this was catastrophically wrong. From here on out the name "Marukame Udon" only makes me want to vomit. read more

This is my second time eating here. This place is great to grab a quick bite. I could imagine the lunch rush hour. Their Cold Udon vegetable salad is by far my favorite. After trying their udon w/ broth I have come to a conclusion that I rather eat my udon served cold. Price is reasonable and you can also add sides (tempura, vegetable tempura and musubis) try the Tempura Onion, its so yummy! those cost about $1.70 each so all in all your entire meal will cost around $10 read more

We tried to ordered #6 the popular one. We were very disappointed and couldn't finished. Bc the soup was not warm enough and very salty. And all fried stuffs were cold and soft, not hot and crispy. I don't know why people crazy about this restaurant for nothing special. read more

As a huge fan of Marukame in Waikiki and Japan, I have mixed feelings about this new downtown location. First off I was thrown off by the modernized interior decoration. One of the reasons I liked the Waikiki location was how closely it resembled the Marukames in Japan. The menus are also Americanized at this location. What happened to the kamage udon? Thank goodness they still had my favorite ontama udon or else I may have just walked out!! Marukame was a place I can just go for a good cheap meal in casual clothes on a lazy day but I don't feel the same about this new trendy location. This new look is probably better suited for the patrons in the downtown location though. Another thing I noticed was that the downtown patrons seem to spend longer time at the tables. The lines can get really long at the Waikiki location but I've never had a problem finding a place to sit. Usually the people just dine and go probably because most of them are tourists and they have so much on their itinerary! It was awkward at this location trying to find a place to sit for two and seeing a bunch of big tables with only two people sitting there. There were also people who were clearly done eating but were lingering. It's not their fault though if they need a few minutes to digest the amazing meal they just had, I just suggest the restaurant to make better seating arrangements also and to follow the same "no saving seats" rule as the Waikiki location. Aside from all that the food here is still amazing so I am giving it 4 stars. I heard great things about the Paitan udon which is exclusive to this location so I had to see for myself what the hype was all about. I've only had the paitan broth with ramen but I found out it also it goes pretty well with udon. The broth was rich and full of flavor. I prefer my udon cold especially when eating it in HI so I will go back to my regular ontama cold :) Overall this new Marukame location is a great add to Fort St and will provide competition to the neighboring restaurants! I am interested in coming back in a few months to see if any changes have been made. read more

Marugame Udon - Paitan udon with soft boiled egg. Only at downtown location! - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I had been looking forward to coming here to sample & find out what the hype's all about. Wait time during evening rush wasn't so bad & the selection was great, there's something for everyone. I got Nikutama udon which comes with beef, excellent broth. But just as I was at the end of last bites, I found what I thought was a piece of onion, instead it was a piece of plastic like from a packaging. I alerted the staff who was cleaning tables & she angrily said it must be from the mest package, i asked to report to the manager, she left & when she came back said nothing at all. Not sure if she report it or not. A piece of plastic like could end up being accidentally ingested by a child or anyone else who could choke on it. This ruined my first experience at this famous ramen place, I will go somewhere else next time. read more

If you've never came here you definitely need to is truly amazing we have a downtown location and I Waikiki location great udon read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Food is pretty good overall. Had their cold udon with some green onions on it. Didn't take me more than 5 minutes to get my food and to the cashier. The prices for their udon along with some of their musubis are inexpensive and reasonable. This Marukame Udon location on Fort Street Mall at Hotel Street in Downtown Honolulu doesn't get nearly as crowded as their other location in Waikiki. Service was good and I had no trouble finding a seat. When you're ready to go, you can bus your tray at the window all the way in the back, near where the cashier sits. read more

If you are in the mood for udon, want a cheap eat, and don't have a lot of time to dine in at the other downtown eateries, I'd recommend Marukame Udon. I went around 1:30 PM and by then it wasn't as busy as when I usually pass by in the 12 o clock hour (line out the door). Marukame has a good range of udon dishes from Curry udon to salad udon to cold or soup udon. They have the udon made ahead of time so all they really have to do is add the soup/toppings to make your selection. This makes the line move pretty quickly. After you get your udon, the line moves through a tempura bar which is delicious. I recommend the tempura calimari. Last the price was great. My tempura calimari and garlic chicken salad udon came to less than $8. Great deal! read more

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Yummy! Long line that moves fast like everyone else says... I ate so much that night.. we each ordered a bowl of udon and then picked up a bunch of tempura, and some musubis. Kiddo ate rice and the fried chicken, so that was basically a perfect dinner for her too. I wanted to go back there again before the trip was done, but we didn't have enough time. Too much food to eat all over oahu... it's ok, the next time we're back we will go again! read more

Downtown finally has it's Marukame Udon! The prices are low and portions are decently sized. Fast food cafeteria style service with two take out windows. My only negative is that the soup isn't hot . For this, I would rather drive to Jimbo and get my soup HOT, with better dashi, and service. Oh, and the crazy people who love to frequent this area aren't a plus either (downtown ppl know what I'm saying). I'll be back for the convenience! read more

Marugame Udon - Left side udon pool - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Cheap, fast and tasty! This place is the onion bomb... best Asian food value on Fort Street Mall. The noodles are fresh, the staff are friendly, and it's quick. Bring your charger! The bench by the front window has AC outlets so you can charge your mobile device. But make sure you sit with your back to the windows so you don't see the homeless clientele stream in and out of McDonald's. read more

Marugame Udon - Sweet beef rice bowl - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Waaay less crowds vs. the Waikiki location and same High quality udon. Perfect texture to the noodles as always, lots of fried goodness to choose from, & friendly staff. Recommend the niku udon or nikuyazu udon if on the menu read more

Marugame Udon - The spread: Niku udon soup, fried chicken & tempura + nikuyazu udon (seasonal item)!!! - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Location, food, and price is worth it! Curry udon and beef udon are my go-to, light and delicious. Plenty of sides to choose from, just be wary since some items may be sold out when you get there! Means super good! Had to take a star off due to very limited parking in China Town (to be expected, hoping they open more locations) and that they close at 7 pm so can't get a filling meal waiting for the bus. read more

A bit sad to say that I wasn't too impressed with this location. You can't choose a size like you can in Waikiki and the soup wasn't very hot. There's no wasabi and togarashi on the tables, either. Only one community one by the drinks. We did deviate from our normal Bukakkake and Kake soups, though. We got the special tan tan and curry. From now on, I'll stick to the classic. The space is a lot bigger, though. And theres was no line around dinner time when I was there. The do have a little more selection like salads and California rolls. Parking might be tricky but probably easier than at the Waikiki location. read more

Visited last Sat 9/13 lunch time. We had the Sweet beef rice bowl and Paitan Udon with egg. Sweet beef rice - it is ok for $5.20, just the beef was on the cold side. Paitan Udon $4.30 - I added the egg $0.50, the udon itself was great, a bit chewy. they egg was great, the soup base was rich and i almost finished all the soup. BUT my tongue was swollen right after I finish, I am sure they added a lot of MSG in the soup !!! read more

Marugame Udon - Sweet beef bowl - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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The Udon is cheap and good. They get you with all the fried foods. The service from the workers could be better. I was told that I can't sit down and reserve a seat until my husband was ready to pay. I sat anyways. Then when I went to drink my water, the worker asked if I was done. I said does it look like I'm done? She walked away. I think they could've done better with the seating. read more

I hardly ever come to downtown to eat but I happen to be in the area checking out Ross and stumbled upon Murakame Udon. I've been to the other location once and my experience there was good but that location gets really really busy! So I was happy to have entered this location with no wait at all! Although as I entered this place, I felt like I didn't know what I was doing so I stood in front of the menu debating what I should get. The service is not at all pleasant though, no greeting, no smiles or offered help at all. I decided to go with the chicken soup udon. It's like a cafeteria style dine in place where they have couple of workers that pass on your entree to one another. So the worker got my noodle order then the other work place the soup choice in the udon and ask if you want an egg to go with your bowl. Then you have different choices of side entrees to choose from as you make your way down the food line. I got the shrimp tempura, chicken, and vegetable croquette. I wish they had offer more drink options other than tea and water. I didn't care for the tea as their options were sweetened and unsweetened. I tried the sweetened one and it still was bitter to me. We asked the worker if the drinks were refillable and she said she didn't know and left it as that so we'll assume it's refillable till someone tells us otherwise. There's ample amounts of seats in the seating area and the bar tables. Maybe because we came almost to closing that there were lots available. I'd probably assume that this place gets busy around lunch time since downtown can be one of those places that gets packed during lunch. The location is convenient for those who work in downtown. But for people like I do who don't work in the area, parking can be touch. You'll have to find street parking or park at one of those parking garages and get validation from maybe ross or walmart. I have to say though the udon was really good and tasty. The broth is what makes the dish enjoyable and satisfying to the taste buds. My meal tasted fresh and the best side dish would have to be the fried chicken. It's a definite must! The prices were affordable and would probably spend less than $10 for a filling meal. I'll probably be back only if I'm in the area. I wouldn't mind trying the other food items that they offer on the menu. read more

Marugame Udon - Chicken Soup Udon with side shrimp tempura,vegetable croquette and chicken. - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This was my first time there the service and food was amazing an off the hook !!! When we walked in there was a guy behind the glass counter making fresh udon noodles and I never seen that before... It's a hidden gem and well worth it.. i had the #9 garlic chicken udon salad with a side of tempura shrimp, mushrooms, & sweet potato. I would say I will definitely be back again and I totally recommend you should go an experience it for yourself. Park in the Walmart structure and walk right through the store and when your ready to go to your car jus buy something from Walmart for $10 to get your ticket validated well worth it. read more

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This location is a lot bigger than the Waikiki one and just as tasty. Incredibly delicious and cheap eats. Always a must when we're in town. read more

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The food is good here and the price is nice, the only thing that need to improve is the seating area looks a mess plus the fried items are usually less available during their busy hour, guess they need hire more ppl for cooking and cleaning read more

Marugame Udon - Sweet Beef Udon and Fried fish cake, shrimp tempura, potato patty - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I just stumbled upon this place last week Thursday while there from out of town on a training. The atmosphere was nice and the staff was helpful. Being that I am allergic to shrimp I wanted to make sure that the broth they used was not made from shrimp which it was not, so even better. I had the cold udon and I must say it was delish. I can't wait to be back on Oahu, so I can take my family there. I wish there was a place like this on Maui. read more

Marugame Udon - Ume musubi and cold udon soup - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

BEST UDON ON THE ISLAND ! Love the texture of the noodles and wide variety of menu options :) read more

The line is worth it!!! I freaked out too when my sister took me but it goes by really quick. The noodles are made right in front of you and the broth is so rich in flavor I immediately wanted seconds and I had barely started eating. (I didnt get seconds because I ended up being full) the tempura was delicious, I loved the chicken too. I tried the udon with beef which was seriously to die for. I am looking forward to going back really soon read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We arrived at the restaurant at 2 minutes to 9 realizing that the closing time was 9. But thankfully Geoffrey let us in and told us that they still had noodles left and we were lucky to eat udon as our late night snack! Thanks to the manager for letting us in :) This was our fifth time to come here! read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Noodles are freshly made in shop which is short of amazing considering how little you pay for it. Ingredients are fresh and the staff was mostly friendly. I say mostly bc the only thing that marred our experience was that an employee brusquely told my sister that she couldn't sit at a table. Yes, there are signs that state you can't save tables and I do understand that we were in the wrong, but she was carrying her infant daughter and a couple of bags while I and my mother were getting the food. He also said nothing to another woman who was sitting at a table nearby surrounded by shopping bags while her friends got their food behind us. Rather unfair that he singled out a woman and baby but says nothing to someone else. Also, I was struggling to find a place to return two trays and another staff member looked at me and turned away immediately instead of at least offering to clear a space on the shelf. If you don't have any kids or elderly people with you, it's worth it to stop by to try this place. Line can be long but moves fairly fast. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Wow so surprised by this place, especially for someone who does not really eat much Japanese or Asian food in general. They had a huge selection of noodle and rice dishes, tempura and sushi. I went with the chicken teriyaki but tried the zucchini, mushrooms, fish, shrimp and onion rings (split with a friend). All of the food was very good and make sure to get the sauce to dip the tempura into. Oh and most importantly very reasonably priced - everything noted for $14! read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Downtown location hard to find parking. They have a take out window during lunch hours cool! menu same as Waikiki location but less of the sides. They do have a beverage station , no wifi, still the udon noodles are great read more

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Great, great lunch place in Downtown Honolulu. The service is quick as you move in a cafeteria line, and pick up the items you want. And most definitely the prices are reasonable. Since they opened, I've visited multiple times, dine-in and take-out. Not only do they have the original udon, they continuously come up with fresh takes to consume the udon. Recently, they have the cold udon salad with ginger chicken, which was super refreshing to me. Definitely a great lunch venue! read more

Marugame Udon - Garlic chicken salad udon - very refreshing - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Have the hankering for quick Udon?? Look no further, inexpensive and tasty Udon is what Marukame has. Just watch out if you get the sides, like their various vegetable tempuras or shrimp tempura, chicken karaage, and/or various musubi's because it could up your $5-6 lunch to $9+. read more

Marugame Udon - Sweet beef Udon with added egg - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Update 5-14-16: when I visit (which is often) I see more of you have discovered Marukame Udon. What are the rest of you waiting for? It's a great mix of value, quality, and taste. Four people could eat for around $25. The food is fresh and delicious. I'm still addicted to the curry udon and tempura fried chicken. Although, the gentleman who used to do the frying seems to be gone. As a result sometimes you end up with a bit too much batter and overdone chicken. I also love the curry rice and the paitan udon. When I get curry udon or rice, I also spring for extra sweet beef for $2. Coupon alert: During the month of May 2016, buy 2 or more rice bowl or udon menu items and get 10% off. Coupons are right next to the register. Limit 1 coupon per person per day. Suggestion: Get curry udon to go. Pop it in the fridge and heat it up for breakfast. Why not? Who says you can't have udon for breakfast? I think it tastes even better the next dsy, once the flavors have had a chance to settle. It's a highly satisfying way to start the day. Just get the chopsticks and napkins ready. Update 11-24-15: They now also serve 6 flavors of soda, in addition to green tea and water. No refills, though. Remind me to speak to management about the crack cocaine they add into their food items. Oh, never mind, it's too late, I'm already addicted to their curry udon and fried chicken. The flavors in the broths here are subtle and satisfying, and not overly-salty like the sodium bombs we are all used to (and love) in the packaged ramen we get for 35 cents at Longs. The curry udon has just a little kick, enough to make your lips buzz but mild enough for even the biggest wimps amongst us. I usually get the green onion topping, but there are others you can choose from, including eggs. (Note: Although it says it includes shredded beef, it's a miniscule amount. If you need protein, you'll need to get something else, too.) The paitan curry (pork and chicken) was a bit different at first, but then it grew on me. I just tried the seasonal creamy chicken, and like it. I reheated it, and it's more like creamy Italian noodles, rather than soup. (Nothing wrong with that.) My only disappointment so far has been the chicken soup udon; I found it to be rather bland. My only criticism of the fried chicken is that sometimes it is a bit hot and I can't get the crunchy, juicy, greasy deliciousness into my mouth fast enough. I've had the vegetable tempura too, and it is good. The tempura is made in small-ish batches with the idea that none of it should sit out for too long. The prices are good on everything. Udon can be had for under $4 (depending upon which kind you choose). All tempura items are priced per piece. The fried chicken (boneless, skin-on thighs) is currently $1.70/piece, which is actually a bit cheaper than KFC or Jollibee. I usually get extra; so far everything has reheated very well, whether stovetop, regular oven, or in microwave. Your choice of drinks: tea, tea, tea, tea (three variations on green tea and one oolong), and water. Plenty of seating: choose from taller bar stools at a communal benchtop, iron chairs with backs mostly set up for two people but tables can be pushed together, or wood/iron chairs around tables set up for four people. Tables and umbrellas outside. I've gone late Saturday afternoon and on weekdays after work. Never had more than 3 people ahead of me, and usually no one is ahead of me. Easy to get in or out the doors if you use a wheelchair, scooter, or walker. However, once you are in, you may require some assistance. It may be a bit too hard to get a wheelchair or scooter around to place your order and pay. There are a myriad of bus stops in close walking distance. The 1, 2, 3, 9 and 13 buses stop at Hotel and Bishop. From there, it's just a few steps away. The 4 heading mauka (toward the mountains) stops at Bethel and Hotel, about a half a block away. There are also a bunch of other buses that stop on Bishop and Hotel, about a block-and-a-half away. I try to be careful while eating the udon, but to no avail. But it's worth all the curry noodle-slurping stains on my shirts. read more

I always go for the sweet beef bowl for $5.00. Comes with sweet beef, ginger, over easy egg over rice with tempura chips. Always at the take out window which is very fast. Love their fried chicken too. Reminds me of the manapua truck chicken. One of my fav in downtown fast eats.. read more

Marugame Udon - Sweet beef bowl - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Price is good, flavor is authentic but not my thing. Onion bomb is super greasy and made me a bit sick... Sweet beef udon is too sweet, I like the texture of the noodles and the onsen egg cuz the broth is too sweet I couldn't even finish my udon. Well, I really like the tempura pumpkin though. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Hitting my daughter's favorite joint! After she finished her udon bowl... she went straight for mine! So glad they have this Downtown location!!! There's never a long line! Whoohoo! read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii