I'm not usually one to leave reviews, especially not a 3-star review, but I feel like people should know about my experience at Tsurukawa Udon. First, the food was delicious. Absolutely no complaints there. Unfortunately, the service really took away from the experience. I came here with my family, a party of 5, during lunch. We put our names down around 11:30 AM and were seated around 1:00 PM. We didn't mind the wait at all, but once we were seated, we received virtually no service. There's a QR code at the table that allows you to order, so we placed our order that way. However, throughout our entire meal, no one checked on us or came by our table. It felt like we were forgotten about. When our food arrived, the food runner noticed that we didn't have any utensils, plates, or even water. Aside from bringing out our food, that was essentially the only interaction we had with the staff. We finished our meal, and when it was time to pay, we were told that a gratuity fee would be added because we were a party of 5. I understand gratuity for large parties when there's table service, but in this case, I genuinely didn't understand the charge. We weren't checked on, weren't given water or utensils until our food was already being delivered, and otherwise received no table service. Again, the food was great, and I have no complaints about it. Unfortunately, the lack of service and the automatic gratuity left a disappointing impression. I am not sure if this is normal for them but I hope the restaurant can improve in this area because the food is definitely worth coming back for. read more

Tsurukawa Udon - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

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The meal was incredible! We ordered the Cold Udon set and the mentaiko cream gochugaru udon. The Mentaiko was not too spicy, it reminded me of rose udon. It was rich and creamy. The Cold Udon had a chewy and deep texture, and the sesame sauce was a highlight, given I don't usually enjoy sesame flavors. What topped off the experience was our server, Rachel. She was incredibly attentive to what we might enjoy on the menu as we described our preferences, and checked up on us regularly even during a busy dinner rush. Would definitely come again! Thanks once again Rachel! read more

Tsurukawa Udon - Cold Udon set and Mentaiko Udon - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

Absolutely loved the food here. Officially new favorite udon place, truly one of a kind. I love the spinach flavored udon and I come here every time for it. Everything we ordered was so delicious. The service is also top tier, thank you so much to server Rachel for making our delicious experience so much better. Definitely showing all my friends this place. read more

Tsurukawa Udon - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

Put yourself on the waitlist about an hour before you want to eat. It's nice you can do it through mobile. The wait was about 1.5 hours but since I don't have to wait there, I didn't mind I think the ac in the plaza was broken that day so it was a little hot but they tried their best with lots of fans Had the cold udon set yum! And the mentaiko, also yum! Wish the cold udon had more noodles but I like the texture of the noodles. Letting it soak in the sauces for a bit before eating is delicious. I love the yuzu dipping sauce and sesame. The tempura is also super crispy and yummy. The mentaiko is definitely heavier and yummy too. A little spicy but not too bad. Would get both again. I def want to try the karaage next time because it looked guuuud. Once you order, the food comes out pretty fast read more

I wanted to try this place out after seeing the hype on tiktok, but the service is what turned me off. I placed my name down as a solo diner and it seemed like they had open tables but they weren't proactive on checking the waitlist. I waited around for a bit until a worker took in another solo diner (not me) in first; I went up to her and asked her if I needed to put my name on the waitlist and she said no. She then proceeded to take me to a table that hasn't been fully set up. Ordering process was simple, qr code and asked for water. But I guess the workers think that a guest sitting at a table with no condiments is fine when every other table had it. Food: Cold Udon Set I liked the yuzu and black sesame sauce, it provided good contrast. But I wished there was another protein in the set other than 1 shrimp tempura. Overall, very carb heavy. Parking was in the shared plaza. Also there's no big sign outside of the restaurant so it can be hard to miss. I don't think I'll be returning. read more

The wait for a party of 2 was pretty long for a Sunday around 3pm. There doesn't seem to be central AC available as they had a big mobile fan and kept the doors open. Ordering is a quick process as you just scan a QR code. The bacon cream carbonara was super good - I was surprised to find the seaweed on top but the saltiness complimented it well. The spinach cream smoked salmon had an interesting bite to it - my bf enjoyed that it didn't have an overpowering spinach flavor. read more

Tsurukawa Udon - bacon cream udon carbonara - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

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This place is way over-rated. We ordered karaage as our app and an assortment of cold flat udon sets, tonkatsu curry udon and the bacon carbonara udon. Karaage was not flavorful, very mid. The chicken was not marinated and the coating outside was not very crisp. The flat noodles with duo of dipping sauces was decent for a hot day like today. However the tonkatsu curry udon was terrible- the curry was so watered down and did not have the deep flavor profile or consistency of what a Japanese curry should be. The fried coating on the pork cutlet was also on the chewier/harder side as if it had been breaded and sat out a while waiting before it got fried. As I ate this mess in front of me I was definitely not a happy camper, to put it mildly. As a foodie, I thought that this dish was truly a culinary travesty and thinking about it now as I write, I'm still shaking my head in disbelief how anyone could have the audacity to ever call it a curry! We all agreed that the carbonara bacon udon was probably the best tasting dish at lunch but the heavy sauce was rather too rich and we struggled to finish it. Our experience sitting out in the patio was pretty much a terrible one as customer service was almost non-existent. There was barely any interaction with the staff as ordering was through the app. We had to really flag down waitstaff to get water refills, especially on this sweltering hot day with no breeze, no fan, nothing to make dining in the patio a more pleasant experience! It appeared that the AC inside the dining room was broken as well? Anyway after we finished we requested the bill through the app, because this was their system of paying. No one came despite requesting twice, and we sat waiting for 20 min for anyone to even look our way. The table adjacent to ours had come after us, eaten, paid and left while we were still left waiting for a check. We flagged the waitress who took care of that table and requested to pay and she said sure and disappeared. Finally someone came out to take care of us and said this is your total. It includes a 20% gratuity already for a party of 5. As we paid, I asked her if she felt it was fair to pay 20% for non-existent service?? She said she would call the manager out to speak to us. We were kept waiting a while yet again and were about to just give up when finally she arrived and heard our complaints about the food and non-existent service. She explained it was some glitch in their iPads and apologized. She did take off my curry udon and the 20% gratuity to be fair, but clearly the damage was already done. This udon place will unfortunately not be on our list of places to return to. read more

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I saw the cold noodles on ig and had to try it. There is a long wait so join the waitlist on your way via yelp! There is indoor and outdoor seating and service is fairly quick. The cold noodles came out later than the rest of our order but maybe due to its high orders and noodles being cut fresh. Menu and order process is through a QR code but I did see print menus at the counter.There are servers available if you need help or want to order directly from them. Zoey refilled our drinks, water canteen, and was helpful during our visit. We got the spinach cream udon with smoked salmon, it was super rich and creamy! The cold noodles with dipping sauce were light and simple, perfect for a hot day! The tempura that came with this set was perfectly battered and fried perfectly. My fave was the takoyaki appetizer. We'll definitely be come back to try the mentaki udon. read more

Service: fast casual vibes since its fast and you look at the menu and order on the phone. Food: solid. Mentaiko udon was rich and creamy, not too spicy. Cold udon set: liked it more than i thought i would. Black sesame sauce tasted like a treat. The yuzu dipping was light and refreshing, my preferred. Would order the same things again but wish the portions were bigger for the price. read more

Tsurukawa Udon - Mentaiko cream gochugaru udon - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

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Forewarning, no AC so come prepared to be baked inside or outside the place lol I would avoid coming during lunch hours on hot days because the food unfortunately becomes less enjoyable when you're just focused on the heat. After trying a few of their highlight dishes, I'd say the hot, creamy udon was probably better than their flat cold udon. I've had similar flat udon at other establishments, and I would say the flat udon here was on the thicker side, not as thin as you'd ideally want it to be. There was definitely a bite to it, so it was okay. I wouldn't come back specifically for this, but I would come back for their creamy udon if you're into that! Service was nice and prompt. read more

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After seeming endless social media posts about this place, I figured why not, let's give it a try. Fearing that the line might still be long, we stopped by shortly after they opened. We placed our name on Yelp waitlist but because they were so busy, I don't know if they relied on that as much as seeing who was waiting right outside the restaurant. We ordered the Himokawa Cold Udon Set and the Mentaiko Cream Gochugaru Udon. I can understand the appeal, thick flat noodles dipped in delicious sesame or yuzu sauce, which is perfect for a summer day. Very flavorful but the tempura that came with the meal was a bit cold (like it's been sitting around for a while). The katsu was a bit over fried and dry but the mentaiko ramen was definitely the hit of the meal. VERY HEAVY BUT FLAVORFUL. I had to dip some of the flat udons in there just to get more of the sauce. It is definitely a place that is worth a try. Service was generally quick but they look a bit overworked with how busy it got. The interior is a on the small side. Will return once it's not so busy. read more

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I'm obsessed with the Cold Noodle Set at Tsurukawa Udon. After having lunch here twice, it's confirmed that this meal is a most try. The cold noodle set comes with a side salad, mixed tempura, wide udon noodles, and 2 dipping sauces. The ponzu is refreshing and the sesame is slightly sweet and nutty. Although it's a bit warm in the restaurant, they have fans constantly running. Thanks Tim for helping out our party! read more

Tsurukawa Udon - Cold Noodle Set - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

I had to try Tsurukawa Udon in Tustin after seeing this yummy udon fish blow up on TikTok and I LOVED it! My boyfriend and I both ordered the himokawa cold udon because it was HOT outside and it was super refreshing. The dish came with tempura and a salad in the side. There were two dipping sauces - one yuzu sauce and one black sesame. Both were YUMMY with the bouncy chewy flat udon noodles. I would come back after the hype dies down. I was on the waitlist prior to arriving but still had to wait an extra 30ish minutes after getting on the waitlist at 11:20am on Sunday. read more

Tsurukawa Udon - yummerz - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

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Tip: don't come during hot summer lunch times. They have a wall AC unit but cannot turn it on because it messes up electric supply to the kitchen appliances like the fridge. So they have bunch of fans running and the inside feels like a mini sauna. That said, service is very friendly. The ordering is done via QR code. Most people come for the himokawa udon, the flat ribbon-like udon. Honestly, it's not the restaurant's fault, but himokawa udon is just not my cup of tea. I've tried it at Godaime Hanayama Udon Ginza in Tokyo so this is my second time trying himokawa...still don't like it. First, it's a bit of an awkward eat. The ribbon udon is quite heavy so dipping into one of the two sauces (black sesame or citrus yuzu) is quite challenging. You can't really "splurp" the udon, otherwise you might gag and choke. The salad is way too wet so the greens look wilted. The tempura was okay, but the broccoli tasted like frozen mushed broccoli with no flavor that's been deep fried...the texture of broccoli almost tasted bready, very strange. I think the himokawa cold udon set is great for photos and for first timers wanting to experience flat udon. But, I still prefer regular udon noodles. read more

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Great food at a good price! We shared a cold udon set and ordered tempura on the side, both were absolutely delicious. I especially loved the black sesame cold noodles, they were nutty and chewy and refreshing! We will absolutely be back soon! Staff was a bit overwhelmed but very friendly and attentive. read more

Tsurukawa Udon - Black sesame cold udon set - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

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My boyfriend and I luckily got seated quick because it was just the two of us versus groups of 3-5 people. The service was fast but not great. You place your order on your phone and the servers only bring out the food. We didn't get checked on during our meal. When we were ready to pay, there is a button to request a server to bring the check. I pressed it 3x within 15-25min and no one came. I flagged down a server and asked her to bring the check and 10-15 minutes went by and she didn't bring it. We asked another server and she helped us through her iPad. I think the service can definitely be worked on. The food overall was good. The chicken karaage came out piping hot and crispy. I honestly tore the roof of my mouth with the chicken lol. The flat udon noodles set was good and very filling. I'm not a huge fan of black Seaseme, but it wasn't too overloaded with that very nutty flavor. It was sweet and creamy which went well with the plain, flat udon noodles. The inside searing was nice, a lot of tables but didn't feel too cramped. Lots of natural lighting and beautiful decor. read more

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This place was super cute and clean! Their food really lived up to the hype! Their cold udon flat noodle set was delicious. You get two dipping sauce. A black sesame and a yuzu. So darn good! Their curry udon wasn't too salty and thick. It was very tasty! I think the star of the show was their fried oysters. It was fried to perfection! Casin and Calvin, the servers, were so professional, fast and so nice! Which is really hard to be since it was so busy! When we signed up on the waiting list it said it would be an hour to an hour and a half. But once we got there, we only waited 30 minutes! It felt like a win to me! read more

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I saw this place on Instagram and decided to make the drive to see what all the hype and long lines were about. We arrived only about 15 minutes after opening, but there was already a long list of parties ahead of us. We ended up waiting about an hour before getting seated on the patio. Ordering is done through a QR code, so there wasn't much interaction with the staff. Unfortunately, no one checked on us after we were seated, while we waited for our food, or during our meal. I eventually had to flag someone down just to ask for water, which we didn't receive until about 20 minutes after sitting down. Considering how long the wait already was, the lack of service was disappointing. We ordered the Himokawa Cold Udon Set, which came with a salad, vegetable tempura, yuzu dipping sauce, and black sesame sauce for the flat udon noodles. I'd give the dish around a 6/10. The noodles themselves were good and had a nice chewy texture, but the tempura was dry and cold, and the salad was pretty underwhelming. Overall, if you're looking at an hour or two-hour wait, I personally don't think it's worth it. The service was mediocre and the food was just okay. Nothing about the experience really stood out or made me feel like this was one of the best udon spots I've tried. read more

Tsurukawa Udon - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

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The food was unique and delicious, but the portions are kinda small for the price you're paying. Ordering is via a QR code. Calvin, our server, was top notch during a busy Friday evening. read more

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I was so excited to try this place since we loved a something like this in Japan! I'm glad there's check in for wait times because I did not want to wait hours for it, and I had no wait at all both times! The service both times I went was really great, and the interior is cute. Love all the tanuki's lol. We tried to order everything on the menu, but missing a few items: Himokawa Cold Udon: this one was what I wanted to try most, but I actually don't love cold noodles in general. The sauce is good, and kinda sweet, but I preferred that over the black sesame sauce. The noodles are good, but i wouldn't order this again. It looks pretty though. Himokawa Hot Udon: it's a simple broth and may be boring on its own, but I love the noodles and I think it pairs well with the other rich udon dishes. Could be convinced to get this one again! Mentaiko Cream Gochugaru Udon: omg this was SOOOO good and soo flavorful. It was hard to eat anything else after because it really set the tone. Definitely would come back for that one. It's delish! Bacon Cream Carbonara Udon: I liked this one a lot too, but compared to the mentaiko, it wasn't as good and a little too heavy to get both. I would choose one or the other, but would most likely get the mentaiko cream one. Curry Tonkatsu Udon: I liked that this one had meat that came with it, but nothing else stood out. I've had better curry udon, but I don't love the dish in general. Chicken karaage and gyoza: this was bomb!! Loved it and would def get these again. Overall, I wish there was more protein in the dishes, but I get why there isn't. I would wanna try the spinach one next! read more

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Stopped by to try the flat udon and mentaiko udon! The flat udon was perfectly chewy and paired so well with the yuzu dipping sauce. The mentaiko udon came with a thick, creamy sauce that was rich and delicious. Our server, Zhin, was also so kind and helpful! The restaurant was a little warm inside, but thankfully the fans were running. Overall, a tasty spot worth checking out! read more

Tsurukawa Udon - Cold udon - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

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Been seeing this spot all over social media so I finally went out to go try this place with two of my friends. Came around 11, got seated around 11:45am. Most popular dishes are their cold flat udon noodle set (comes with tempura and salad) and their cream udons so we got those. Mentaiko gochugaru - it's good but it borderline tasted like hot cheeto puffs, not sure how I felt. Tofu cream with beef - unsure how I felt about this as I didn't like how it was sweet and savory. Unexpected Cold flat udon noodle- this was the best item as I really enjoyed how refreshing the yuzu dipping sauce was versus how savory the black sesame sauce was. The udon noodle had a fantastic chew. Salad and tempura were mid but what do you expect haha. Overall, it's worth a try but I would say the cream udons are kind of mid. There isn't really anything special about it and I wouldnt come back for it. I say, come if there's not a long line or wait until the hype dies down. read more

Tsurukawa Udon - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

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We came here on a Tuesday night and the wait time is insane even on a weekday! We got on the waitlist and was estimated 2 hours for our table to be ready. After we finally sat down, we ordered their signature cold noodle set as well as the salmon spinach cream udon. Both dishes came out very fast, and tastes alright. I don't think it lived up to the hype, especially when the price of each dish is $20+ which is kind of a lot for udon dishes. The spinach salmon udon was a little too salty and just tasted like cream. As for the cold noodle set, the two dipping sauces didn't have a lot of flavor so it was underwhelming. Overall, I think their seating management should be revised because there were so many open tables outside so to make it more efficient they should ask if customers are okay with sitting outside when they get on the waitlist. read more

Tsurukawa Udon - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

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Join the waitlist on Yelp! This place gets really busy and we waited about 1 to1.5 hours on a Wednesday night after joining the waitlist. If you are looking to compare this place to Godaime (The famous flat udon place in Japan), look elsewhere, it doesn't even come close, but the dish is unique in its own way l. Having tried Godaime in Japan I had to try the cold flat udon! It comes with a salad, vegetable and shrimp tempura and a black sesame dipping sauce and a ponzu for the tempura. The udon is thick, the sesame sauce is good at first, but it starts getting bland (Too much sauce) so I started dipping it into the ponzu for a different taste! Overall, I thought the dish was just okay. The tempura was good, but the udon didn't really stand out. We also tried out the carbonara udon. I will say the texture of the udon was really good, very soft. The carbonara flavor was good as well. However there is a ton of sauce and it can start to get overwhelming. The chicken Karaage is really good and I recommend it! I also understand that it gets super busy and they are just trying to push tables out and get orders out asap to keep the line moving , but the food coming out at different times made the experience not as enjoyable. Our cold flat udon came out first, and it took about 15-20 mins for the carbonara to come out, then another 15-20 for our Karaage appetizer. The table next to us there was a couple and one person got their food first and it took over 20 mins for the other person to get theirs, so one just had to watch the other eat. I would come back to try their other udon dishes. They had a tofu cream and a spicy one that sounded good. read more

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This place was not worth. We waited about 45 minutes for a party of 6 and there's NO AC in indoors - it was swelteringly hot and humid inside. The food took a long time to be made and it was mediocre. Our table ordered a variety of dishes - the cold udon set with tempura, the spicy udon, mentaiko udon, sukiyaki udon, and the smoked salmon udon but they were all just meh. I ordered the cold udon set and my dipping sauces came lukewarm. The yuzu was refreshing but the black sesame was not it - tasted like the sweet black sesame dessert soup. All the dishes are also pretty pricey as well. Staff were also super difficult to flag down as well to ask for more water. Honestly Oki Doki or Meiji Seimen are way better options if you like udon. read more

Tsurukawa Udon - Cold udon set - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

This is a new unique kind of udon, just opened at The District in Tustin. The tsurukawa cold udon was laid out & served with 2 different sauces - sesame & yuzu sauces. I like both sauces, sesame has more flavor & thickness and yuzu is obviously lighter. We preferred the cold over he tsurukawa hot udon. The spinach Cream smoked salmon udon was creamy, flavorful & I even dipped my flat udon and used the spinach cream sauce. Delish!! This place is definitely popular & my suggestion is to add your name on their Yelp waitlist. We did that and got in when we checked in. read more

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Sooo this place already started off in a extremely bad foot. To begin my party arrived 15 mins before they opened and we just waited outside to allow the staff time to set up. A couple arrive a few minutes after us and the waitress completely ignored us and spoke to them and told them to give them 15 mins to set up and there wasn't a waitlist. That's fine my party decided to walk for 10 mins and come back. Once we returned the couple was no where in site and the staff left out the waitlist. I signed us up and we were the first on the list. We waited outside the door and then the couple from before showed up and was immediately seated. My party was completely ignored. Not only that several other parties showed up and signed up after us were immediately seated while we were completely ignored. It took a completely different staff member to get us seated and not even an apology. Already a terrible first start. Once finally seated the menu is digital only and was nice that everyone was able to order from their phone. That's was nice we didn't have to fumble around. Since the place was new my party decided to order a full spread. Fried oyster and Katsu for appetizers, 2 deluxe plates, and a sukiyaki udon. Let's begin with the apps..... they were both fried to hell, crunchy yes but also hard where you kinda wonder if they left them in for too long. The oysters at least were good flavor, but the Katsu was dried. Next onto the main course, presentation wise spectacular but there are some serious flavor issues. The sukiyaki was overly sweet and the udon didn't taste the best... it was chewy and felt cold at its core. As for the deluxe plate I would avoid the next time if there is one. By the time the plate got to me the udon noodles were dried a bit. The sauces tasted bottled and lacked flavor that pops. The tempura was nice but felt robbed as my other party member were missing a few pieces of their tempura set. The sesame was creamy and sweet while their ponzu sauce just fell flat. Overall I wouldn't recommend coming back, the staff's attitude ruined the experience to begin with and the wait for our food was long and was not worth the wait. You can say I'm just being a snob but several tables around us didn't even take more than 2 bites of their food before walking out. I didn't even mention the feeling of other tables being served before us and our order being forgotten. read more

Tsurukawa Udon - Fried oyster - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

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I've been seeing a lot of hype on social media about the Japanese flat udon here, so I finally decided to check it out. I came on a weekday around lunchtime and luckily it wasn't that busy. We had to order the Himokawa Cold Udon Set that everyone has been talking about. The udon itself is super flat and wide, but it wasn't thin. It actually had a nice chewy texture to it. For me, the sesame sauce is where it's at. Super creamy with tons of flavor. The ponzu sauce was just ponzu to me, nothing too crazy. The set also comes with a salad and some tempura. We also ordered the Bacon Cream Udon. This thing was sooo creamy, almost to the point where I couldn't finish it. My girl took one bite and said she couldn't do it lol. It had a nice flavor, but it's definitely rich. I probably wouldn't order it again unless I was sharing it with a few people. I also tried the shrimp tempura, which was just mid and nothing too special. The chicken karaage was decent. Some pieces were a little dry while others were nice and juicy, but overall I still enjoyed it. Overall, the food was decent and I'm glad I finally got to try the flat udon everyone has been hyping up. The Himokawa Udon with the sesame sauce was definitely the highlight for me. I'd come back if there wasn't much of a wait, but I personally wouldn't wait more than 10 to 15 minutes to eat here. read more

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I've been meaning to try this place since I missed out on flat udon in Japan because of the wait! Tsurukawa is in the Tustin District, next to Candle Lab, with the parking lot by AMC pretty close. The restaurant was very busy for a weekday dinner, but we surprisingly got a table pretty quickly after joining the Yelp waitlist. There's indoor and outdoor seating, with bar-style seating and tables for groups. Self-ordering is convenient with the menu QR code, though you pay the bill with a server. They provide water cups with a pitcher. The himokawa cold udon set was unique and well-executed. The noodles were thick with a nice bite, and the black sesame dipping sauce was earthy, savory, and packed with umami. It had a concentrated flavor and adhered really well to the udon. The tempura had a light, crispy batter that paired well with the ponzu sauce. The side salad was a nice palate refresher. We also liked the mentaiko cream gochugaru. The sauce reminded me of rosé carbonara, but with cheesier notes and just a hint of spice from the gochugaru. The garnish felt thoughtful and intentional- the onions cut through the heavy cream, while the crispy lotus root added texture. I also enjoyed the idako appetizer, basically baby octopus tempura. The octopus was extremely tender with zero toughness or chewiness, and it came with a tangy, spicy mayo. Drink-wise, the menu wasn't anything exciting, and we didn't see any desserts. Neither is really an issue, with so many dessert options at the District and around Irvine. Overall, I'd definitely return to try more of the menu. Very carby, but everything was well done. read more

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This newly opened udon spot has been gaining a lot of attention on social media, so I was excited to give it a try. Having traveled to Japan, I've been wanting to find a place that serves quality flat udon noodles, and this restaurant definitely caught my interest. It's conveniently located on the border of Irvine/Tustin inside a shopping plaza. The restaurant offers a modest amount of indoor seating along with some outdoor tables. Since it's still very popular, I recommend joining the waitlist early. We ended up waiting about an hour and a half before being seated. If you're on the waitlist, I'd also suggest checking in with the host when you arrive to make sure everything is in order. They're best known for their cold udon noodle set, which I thought was excellent. The flat udon noodles had a great texture, and the dipping sauces were flavorful. I especially enjoyed the sesame dipping sauce, which had a rich, nutty flavor without containing peanuts. My only complaint was that the portion of protein felt a bit limited. The set comes with cold noodles, dipping sauces, a small salad, and tempura. My husband and I also tried the bacon carbonara udon. The sauce was rich, creamy, and full of flavor, making it a comforting and satisfying dish. However, similar to the cold udon set, I felt it could have used more protein. There wasn't much bacon in the dish, and a larger portion would have balanced the pasta and sauce better. The service was decent overall, though there was a small issue when we were seated. We were only given two appetizer menus, and although I mentioned it to our server, it wasn't addressed before she took our order. Overall, the food was the highlight of the experience. Despite the long wait, I enjoyed the meal and can see why this place has become so popular. If you're a fan of noodles or udon, I would definitely recommend checking it out. read more

Tsurukawa Udon - Cold flat udon set - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

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This new udon spot in Tustin has so much potential to be a go to spot for all noodle lovers in oc!! Of course we had to try the flat udon that comes with two delicious dipping sauces. Both the ponzu type sauce and the black sesame sauce were so good I couldn't pick a favorite! The food here deserves 5 stars especially because you can't really get this anywhere else in the area. Also, the servers were very kind and were trying their best as it seemed like a lot of them were still learning since it's a new restaurant. Now for the less positive parts of our experience- It is SO HOT in the restaurant!!!! The AC is either broken or they won't turn it on, so there are just a bunch of fans blowing hot, humid air around and it really brought down our experience. Also, we both ordered the same thing but one came out about 10 min later. I really hope these areas will see some improvement because I really loved the food! read more

Tsurukawa Udon - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

I missed out on getting flat udon on my trip to japan and have regretted it since, so I was so excited to see they've opened just a short drive from me! I ordered their most famous classic flat udon set and another time I had the mentaiko cream gochigaru udon. The classic flat udon set comes with 2 dipping sauces: black sesame & yuzu ponzu. They were both really good, but my personal favorite is the black sesame, as I prefer creamy & nutty flavors. The first time i tried the ponzu sauce it was too salty, but I think they adjusted the recipe so the next time I tried it, it was a perfect balance of tart and salty. The mentaiko cream was also really good; it was creamy and flavorful, but I wish there was a bit more mentaiko taste. Overall, a really solid spot and I'm always really excited to try more of their menu! read more

Tsurukawa Udon - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

Amazing and quick service! The wait is worth it. We were seated for 6 after a 30 min wait and put in our orders. We ordered the spicy udon, cold udon set, mentaiko gochujang udon, and curry udon. The cold udon set was super refreshing and the spicy udon is a must try All the servers were so helpful in making sure our water was filled, and we got our side plates. Audric was especially helpful to get the bill to us and make sure we were on our way when we were ready. There is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating and it is quite spacious. Again we were a party of 6 and we fit comfortably!! will definitely be back here again soon. read more

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Delicious! It was hot inside tho so dress appropriately. I got fried oysters and donkatsu read more

Tsurukawa Udon - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

Came here on a Sunday around 1:00 PM and ended up waiting about 40 minutes for a table. Honestly, the wait was worth it! I've been wanting to try Godaime Hanayama Udon in Tokyo for a while, but didn't get a chance to when I was there. So when I found out there was a location here in OC serving the similar flat, wide udon, I was really excited to finally try it! We ordered: Himokawa Cold Udon SetMentaiko Cream Gochugaru Udon (Spicy)Takoyaki The Himokawa Cold Udon Set was the highlight for me. The udon is incredibly wide and flat, which makes it so fun to eat and definitely different from your typical thick, round udon noodles. The set comes with two dipping sauces: yuzu and sesame. The yuzu dipping sauce was absolutely delicious, especially on a warm summer day. It was light, refreshing, and citrusy, and paired so well with the cold udon. The sesame sauce was richer, nuttier, and more savory. I liked having both because they gave the noodles two completely different flavors. The set also comes with a salad and vegetable tempura. The tempura was light, crispy, and not greasy, which was a nice complement to the cold noodles. The Mentaiko Cream Gochugaru Udon was another favorite. This was definitely more indulgent, with a creamy sauce and a nice spicy kick from the gochugaru. There was a lot going on flavor-wise, but somehow it all worked together. Definitely a dish for anyone who likes their noodles creamy, spicy, and packed with flavor. The takoyaki was fluffy on the inside and really good. A great little side to share while enjoying the noodles. Overall, we really enjoyed our meal. The Himokawa noodles were definitely the star of the meal, and I loved being able to finally experience them without having to fly to Tokyo! Would definitely come back to try more of their udon dishes. read more

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I wanted to know what the hype was about. Overall the food was okay. The hot sukiyaki udon broth was very sweet. Not really my style. Their signature dipping flat noodle was chewy and soft, but the dipping sauces were mediocre. The noodle itself was good but i didnt find myself wanting to dip it. The tonkatsu chicken was dry and not much flavor. Service was friendly and fast. Came in at 11am and it was already getting packed. There was a line when we were leaving. I really wanted to like this place since its close by. But unfortunately i dont see myself coming back. read more

Tsurukawa Udon - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

After waiting about an hour for a table, I got to try the noodles here. I ordered the mentaiko spicy udon; the noodles were perfectly cooked with the right amount of bounce and chew. However, towards the end of my meal, I caught something in my mouth I could not chew: it was a piece of plastic about half an inch wide. I was disgusted and flagged a server to alert them of the situation. The server apologized and said that the plastic must be from the noodle packaging. I was shocked to learn the noodles aren't made in house. Also, I don't think the waitstaff handled the situation well at all. I wouldn't come back here. read more

I had a very similar style of flat udon when I was in Tokyo, and Tsurukawa's Himokawa udon is honestly almost 100% similar to what I had in Japan. The wide, flat noodles have that same chewy and bouncy texture that I've been looking for but haven't really found anywhere else around here. Tanuki bowl is a highlight too. Japan handmade bowls and I wanna buy . Compared to the Himokawa udon I had in Japan, Tsurukawa adds more of a Western fusion touch. I tried it with their creamy sauce and was actually surprised by how well it worked. The sauce is rich but very smooth, and it combines really well with the chewy flat noodles without covering up the noodle texture. I heard from the server that they have some new items coming out in the next couple of weeks, so I'll definitely be back to try them. Hopefully by then the line won't be as crazy though Waiting almost an hour to get in was definitely a commitment, but for the Himokawa udon, I'd come back again. read more

Tsurukawa Udon - Mentaiko cream udon - Japanese Near Me - Tustin, California

Newly opened viral udon that originated in Japan. They did several things well, with some things that could use improvement. The service was friendly, and the food came out quickly. The kitchen staff must have been cracking out orders as it was pretty busy at lunch time. The fried octopus was a solid dish. Light and crispy, however became soggy quickly if nkt consumed immediately. The gyoza was crispy and juicy, though they should have paired it with gyoza sauce instead of spicy mayo. The flat udon set came with tempura, which was light and crispy. The udon itself had a good chewy texture which was very enjoyable. The yuzu dipping sauce was bright, fragrant and slightly refreshing; I just wished it was colder to help with with the summer heat. The black sesame sauce had a deep nutty flavor that is very enjoyable if you like anything black sesame. Of the two, I probably like the flavor profile of the black sesame sauce over the yuzu, but both were enjoyable. The carbonara was initially quite good. I very much enjoyed the flavor profile. However, after awhile it becomes a slog to eat through the portion, which was pretty generous. The sauce is just too rich and salty. Plan on sharing this dish with others so you don't get food fatigue. It would be nice if the restaurant offered an "udon flight" where you could choose 2-3 different udons to try with smaller portions. Thst would definitely help with the food fatigue. Overall, I may want to try this place again when they start offering the tonkotsu udon so I could try that and the curry udon. read more

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We decided to grab dinner here after seeing it all over social media, but unfortunately, the experience was a mixed bag. ​The Food (5/5): The food came out relatively fast. I ordered the Curry Tonkatsu Udon--the noodles had a fantastic, firm "bite" to them (great texture!), and the curry was well-balanced without being overpowering. Everyone in our group really enjoyed their meals, and my friend was a huge fan of the black sesame seed udon. ​The Service (2/5): I have to dock points here due to the severe lack of attentiveness. You order everything yourself via a QR code on the table. The only time we actually saw our server was when she dropped off our water carafe and brought out the food. No one ever checked back in to see if we needed anything else or how the food was. ​The Major Issue (Where they lost us): What upset us the most--and completely ruined the night for my wife--was the hidden tip. We had a party of 6, and unknown to us, they automatically added a 20% "service fee for parties of 5 or more." ​Because you order via QR code and don't get a physical paper bill, the server just handed me a handheld portable reader with the final total already loaded. Assuming standard payment, I swiped my card and added my usual 20% tip on top of it. ​It was purely by chance that I asked for a receipt and noticed the double tip. It would have been common courtesy for the server to mention the automatic gratuity, especially since customers are paying on a small screen without an itemized breakdown upfront. I can only imagine how many larger groups are unknowingly leaving 40%+ in tips every single night. ​Final Verdict: The food is good, but the sneaky billing practices and lack of service left a really bad taste in our mouth. My wife made it clear she doesn't want to return, and it makes you wonder how often this is happening to other parties of 5 or more. Proceed with caution if you go with a group, and always check your receipt before paying! read more

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