Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Udon Yama

    4.2 (225 reviews)
    ModerateJapanese, Noodles
    Open 9:30 am - 10:00 pm

    Udon Yama Photos

    Business Info

    UDON YAMA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

    You might also consider

    More like Udon Yama

    Recommended Reviews - Udon Yama

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Udon
    Tony C.

    I was hungry for udon while everyone else in my group wanted sushi, so I stopped here for Udon. Ordering was straightforward: grab a tray and a smaller tray for extras like tempourshrimp, potato fritters, etc. The service was on point: order at the counter and afterward, no one interrupts your meal. The ambience is simple, almost like a cafeteria. But that's not a bad thing when the food is so great!

    Beef udon and a fried egg tempura.
    Lynn L.

    Went once and came back again! I like that Udon Yama is not super busy, they are fast, and there are nice people work there. Some of the tempura isn't super fresh and crunchy, but the udon noodle soup makes up for it. How it works here is that you get in line, grab a tray, select the tempura you want and other small bites, decide on the udon or curry dish you want, pay, and then go find a place to sit. Once done with dining, you can set your tray in a specific area, and they will take it from there. There's free water next to that drop off area. I like their chili flakes. I get a container, pour a mountain of chili flakes, and drop in some broth and make it a poor man's chili paste. So good. Utensils are provided by the seating area. Definitely recommend if you're in the Stix Asia food hall area if you're craving some udon! I need to come back to try their curry and lemon udon bowl. Thanks, Udon Yama for being my first udon experience in Waikiki!

    AmberAyame T.

    Still my favorite udon place ever. I always get the same thing. Large, cold kitsune udon w boiled/ tempura egg. The kids always get koroke and zucchini tempura. I'm always so excited for summers in Oahu, I think a lot of why is for this udon dish lol.

    Reasonable for Waikiki.
    Chez T.

    Located at the Waikiki Shopping Plaza food hall Udon Yama is good for a quick bite. There's a small buffet portion where you help yourself and pay by the item. Then when you get to the cashier you place your udon or curry order, order your drinks and pay for the items you helped yourself to. The sweet chicken that was in the self serve line was very tasty. Our curry was ready quickly and you seat yourself at any available table. There is a water station for self serve water and when you're done a place to drop off your dishes. There's no table service for anything and the place is kinda small. It's definitely a place where you eat and go, not somewhere to leisurely take your time. Prices are Waikiki prices so a little higher than average. Curry was good.

    2 #10's for lunch.
    Bob S.

    The food is very authentic and flavorful. It's like actually being in Japan as we go there often. The service was terrific with Tadashi at the helm. I love the ambiance and the ability to take what you need for takeout containers, bag and other things you wish to add to your food prior to take out. The place is super clean and cared for. What a great lunch we had and locals get a 5% discount which is great.

    Khoa L.

    Super disappointing. Fell for the reviews saying this was a better alternative to marugame and was such a lie. More expensive for way lesser quality food. Lukewarm temp and smaller portions.

    nikutama cold
    jessica l.

    I came at 7:30pm on a Tuesday and there was plenty of seating. The service is extremely fast and the workers are nice. The restaurant is well decorated and very spacious. I got the cold nikutama and it was good, but not my favorite cold udon (that goes to yume in boston). The broth was lukewarm and lacked a little bit of flavor to me. The noodles themselves were cooked well and the meat was yummy --umami and slightly sweet. I wish the broth had a little more depth, but for the convenience I would come again.

    food
    P Y.

    Great late night spot. Food is so fast and tasty. Just go down the line and grab ur food. Plenty of space to sit. Got the beef udon combo and it was a good amount of food for 9.95!

    Lunch Special
    Vicky b.

    Got the lunch special and it did not disappoint! Good portions, great food, and affordable prices. Definitely coming back!!

    Beef lift
    Sam Z.

    I'm a local guy, that never comes to Waikiki, but I gotta say udon Yama is a good dine and dash. The line was out the door, and pretty casual.. Service was fast, pick your add-ons as well as pick your meal. Tonight, I had the beef udon which was flavorful and delicious and reasonably priced. Service was friendly, and courteous. Do I like coming to Waikiki ? No. But if I'm in the neighborhood, I would come back again. Follow me on Insta: @noodlesoupr Follow me on Yelp!

    Number 4
    Katie S.

    This is the yummiest udon I've had in a long time! The broth is so clear and delicious and the noodles are firm. They added crunchy tempura bits and green onions on top and the whole thing will cost me $6.23! I have a bunch of different temporary things you could buy on top of it. I just love the noodles and the broth

    Fish cake tempura
    Evana L.

    This is my regular udon spot. I love the Nikutama and the Lemon bowls. I've tried the hot and cold broth of Nikutama and both are so satisfying. The Lemon bowl that only comes in cold is especially refreshing on a hot day in Waikiki. The broth is addicting and it's perfectly seasoned so that it's not too sour but it has just the right amount of acidity to make the simple bowl stand out. Their noodles have a consistent texture every time which I can rely on and appreciate. I've tried many of their tempuras and my favorites are the egg, zucchini, and seafood pancake. On top of that, the restaurant is such an easy and casual stop for lunch or dinner as they're right in front of the entrance of Stix, they have plenty of tables, and the self service bars for the tempura, utensils, and sauce are awesome.

    Nikutama Udon with (clockwise, from top) Chicken Tempura with Sweet Sauce, Zucchini Tempura, Sweet Potato Tempura, and Shrimp Tempura
    Mike L.

    Considering how long they've been around and how Hawaii is always so hot/warm, it's amazing to me how Marugame Udon still manages to attract a crowd. On multiple occasions, the line practically stretched around the corner! So, it's no wonder that, as we walked through the Stix Asia food hall, Udon Yama and its relatively modest line caught our eye. The same type of set-up and menu, yet in a much cooler space, with less than half the wait and plenty of available seating? How could we not give this place a shot? While the obvious similarities they share with Marugame Udon gave us hope, it should be said that even if they didn't, Udon Yama legitimately looked pretty appealing on its own. As we made our way down the line past the trays of tempura and side dishes, not only did everything look pretty good, but they felt a bit more varied as well. What's more, the range of entrees offered so many enticing options. While we were obviously here to try their udon (which they had almost a half dozen varieties of, served both hot or cold), I have to admit I felt more than a little tempted by their Katsu Curry Rice and Beef Bowl. -- (#1) NIKUTAMA UDON with Sweet Beef, Onion, and Hot Spring Egg (Hot)...$14.95 This was great! I loved the broth, which had a nice beefy flavor with a bit of sweetness to it, the noodles were well cooked with a nice bite, and there was fairly generous amount of beef in the bowl. Delicious! -- ZUCCHINI TEMPURA...$2.50 Hardly amazing, but not too shabby either. This legitimately might have been the longest zucchini tempura I've seen, but what I liked most was that it wasn't at all overcooked or mushy. -- SHRIMP TEMPURA...$2.50 Pretty straightforward, but still terrific! Since it's their most popular tempura, the workers were constantly refilling the tray, so these were especially hot and crispy. As for the shrimp itself, it was really plump and meaty. -- SWEET POTATO TEMPURA...$3 Of all of the vegetable tempura items we had, this was easily my favorite! The potato was soft, with a sort of creaminess to it, but still had some bite to it. -- CHICKEN TEMPURA WITH SWEET SAUCE...$4.50 Even though it's called Chicken Tempura, this felt a little closer to Karaage. Either way, this was pretty solid. The batter wasn't quite as crispy as I would've liked, but the chicken itself was really juicy and it tasted far better than the one I've had in the past at Marugame Udon. -- (#4) BEEF UDON with Sweet Beef and Onion in Kake Broth (Hot)...$10.75 Pretty similar to the Nikutama, though not entirely alike. Besides the obvious absence of the egg, the other thing we noticed was that this broth didn't taste quite as sweet. A little more plain in that sense, but still pretty good! -- MUSHROOM TEMPURA...$2.50 This just wasn't very good, though, to be fair, I don't think mushroom tempura ever really works since they're like sponges. So, as much as I appreciated how big this was, it felt a little soggy and oily. -- MIXED VEGETABLE TEMPURA...$3.50 Kind of similar to Yachae Twigim (Korean shredded veggie tempura), but not quite as good. That's not to say that this tasted bad, though; it's just that this one had a bit more batter, so it was harder for the veggies to stand out. -- SOFT BOILED EGG TEMPURA...$2.50 I only had a bite of this one, but what I had was pretty decent. I don't usually go for egg tempura because of how the batter doesn't usually stick to the egg, but I liked how the yolk on this one was so gooey. While what we had at Udon Yama wasn't as good as what I had when I first visited Marugame years ago, the same could be said for the trips I've made to the latter's locations in the Bay Area. Plus, when you factor in the shorter wait times, not having to wait outside, how much more seating there is here, and, most importantly, the fact that the food here isn't dramatically far off, I'd probably opt to come back here just to save on time and for the convenience...and to try their Katsu Curry Bowl!

    See all

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    20 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Doris D.
    252
    1314
    1142

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    2 days ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Chez T.
    135
    549
    1486

    22 days ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    21 days ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Khoa L.
    200
    253
    1711

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    14 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    23 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Wendy C.
    11
    330
    979

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    11 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 2
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jodi H.
    583
    1403
    2841

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Trinh D.
    142
    124
    101

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jenn N.
    309
    259
    1717

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 2
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 6

    Udon Yama Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Udon Yama

    You might also consider

    Tonkatsu Tamafuji

    Tonkatsu Tamafuji

    4.6
    (2.5k reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $$$

    Tamafuji is honestly the king of tonkatsu on Oahu, and probably in Hawaii. I like other tonkatsu…read moreplaces on island but I (personally) don't believe anyone is playing in the same league. From their breading, meat quality, and ambiance, it's all fantastic. Compared to the upstairs restaurant, I felt like I could really enjoy my entire experience because I was less overwhelmed by noise and the small space. Their service is always great and friendly :-) I can't recommend this place enough!

    My cousins highly recommended this place, and after seeing so many Instagram posts about it, I knew…read moreI had to give it a try. We attempted to make reservations, but they were completely booked until the following month. Since we didn't want to miss out, we decided to order their most popular tonkatsu meal to go instead. When we arrived, there were already a lot of people waiting outside. I went in to check on our order, and they let me know it would be another 10-15 minutes. Since it was a hot day, we wandered over to the crystal-themed shop next door while we waited. It had lots of interesting items to browse, although we ended up leaving empty handed. About 15 minutes later our order was ready, and we Ubered back to our hotel, which only took a few minutes. When we opened everything up, the portion felt a bit small for the price. The tonkatsu itself was tender, but for us it didn't quite live up to all the hype. I did appreciate that you can choose clam soup instead of the traditional miso soup, and there are different rice options as well, which is a nice touch. Overall, it was a good meal, but not one that completely wowed us given the price. It's possible the experience would have been different dining in, but with the long waitlist and the hot weather, takeout was the better choice for us.

    Photos
    Inside seating
    Inside seating
    Making the sauce
    Making the sauce
    Mix Katsu Set

    See all

    Mix Katsu Set
    Marugame Udon

    Marugame Udon

    4.5
    (14.1k reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    Taste good and quality. Long line but fast served food. I will go back again. My daughter love udon…read morealso she will give. 5

    It's a rare treat when I fall in love with a place and rave about it so much that I have to have it…read moreagain. Not only that, but I have to bring my significant other along to share in the deliciousness! I don't know how I'm just now talking about Marugame Udon. When I first came here, my friend and I decided to give it a try because we saw the longest line and wanted to see what all the hype was about. There was a couple in front of us who said they come here every time they visit Hawaiʻi and that it's a must-do stop on every trip. When you walk in, it's a small place. You can watch a team member washing the noodles and portioning them into bowls right in front of you. Then you choose your bowl size, small or large, and select your broth. After that, you get to choose from a variety of fried items and other à la carte options displayed on a warmer. Seating can be limited because of how busy this place gets. You line up to get your food, pay for it, grab your condiments, utensils, and a cup of water, then find a seat and enjoy. I've already been here twice, and after writing about my experience, I need to make a third visit happen very soon! There are not enough days off in a week to enjoy all of the amazing food on this island, but I'm going to do my best to experience as many places as I can. This place is totally worth the 45-minute commute from Wahiawa.

    Photos
    Dining room
    Dining room
    Kake Udon
    Kake Udon
    Inside seating

    See all

    Inside seating
    Izakaya Tenkichi

    Izakaya Tenkichi

    4.6
    (253 reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$

    What can I say about Izakaya Tenkichi?? Everything is AMAZING. I've been there twice, once for…read morelunch and once for dinner. It hits every single time. It was much busier at dinner. I recommend making a reservation, because the space is small. The service is top tier. The servers encourage a good time. They even have a drink menu of server favorites. Think of them as party hosts. Every single thing I've eaten there is amazing. From the avocado to the tempura to the massive ikura bowl that serves 4. I can't recommend one thing in particular. I do encourage you to try anything seasonal. I promise. They won't disappoint.

    Given that I've been here three times in the last month, I think it would be safe to say that…read moreIzakaya Tenkichi is one of my favorite restaurants. The first thing you'll notice when coming here (during a busy dinner time) is that it's really noisy, in a fun way!! The staff is super friendly! There are basically three options for seating.... booths that seat about 4 comfortably, tables on the bottom that can accommodate small or large groups, and bar seating. I've done them all and they are all comfortable. You'll find way more specials at dinner time. The food is really high quality, and super consistent too! My favorites are the yummy cucumber and the garlic cabbage salad, and the tempura and sushi/sashimi/donburi are all great too. Oh, and don't sleep on the hamachi kama. The tempura batter is light and airy and you have the option of tempura sauce, tare, or different kinds of salt. They're all really nice!! Great desserts and alcohol selection too!! Parking is a breeze next door at the old stadium mall, but warning that it may be pretty full at night. You can always find street parking along King Street though. I highly recommend this place for small and big parties alike!! But make reservations for dinnertime because walk-ins are probably not gonna happen.

    Photos
    Steep stairs. Much easier to navigate going up. Going down after some adult beverages? Better use the handrail
    Steep stairs. Much easier to navigate going up. Going down after some adult beverages? Better use the handrail
    Yuzu Cheese Cake ($5.50) - really sweet, especially with the granola. Would recommend getting a different dessert.
    Yuzu Cheese Cake ($5.50) - really sweet, especially with the granola. Would recommend getting a different dessert.
    Dinner Menu (1 of 12) as of 3/5/2026

    See all

    Dinner Menu (1 of 12) as of 3/5/2026

    Udon Yama - japanese - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...