Tiny portions, bland food, slow service, no taste and definitely not worth the price.

Awful service, there was no one else in the restaurant but we were still left alone the entirety of the meal. We were put in the corner so we would have to get up to get our servers attention. We couldn't figure out the mobile pay feature and someone in the party ended up having to go to the host stand to pay manually. Got the ramen and it was 90% bean sprouts and came in the most inconvenient bowl. The music inside was also way too loud. Would not return. read more

I used to love wagamama. I went on a weekly basis up until a year ago and I started having a real craving for it lately as I hadn't been in ages. I went to dundrum last week with my partner and to summarise I was hugely disappointed. I got the pork donburi and it was completely bland. My partner got another dish that was poisoned with chillies... When I used to come here the food was so tasty. I definitely won't be back... It's so expensive too for what it is. I was wondering why I hadn't been in so long and I realised that I used to go often when I used to get the buy one get one mains with O2 priority moments.. but then I changed to Vodafone! Totally reinforces it being over expensive when it is essentially fast food albeit healthy Japanese fast food. I think they're in need of a menu overhaul, re/pricing and re branding as I honestly feel there's more worthwhile places to visit in Dublin. read more

I really like Wagamama. Especially the one under the Green. I've been to a few in the UK and they've more or less been the same. Here at Dundums Pembroke District, the Wagamama was eerily empty. I think it was a Thursday too, a week or two before Chirstmas. Maybe everyone was still shopping. Service was good, as it normally is in a Wagamama. The grilled Chicken Katsu Curry was not so good. The grilled option of this dish always intrigued me so today I decided I would be good and not have the deep fried version. However I was not expecting the chicken not to be breaded, so that was a bit of a let down. Then the curry sauce that came with it tasted different. Maybe it was all in my head and it would taste fine if I had just ordered the regular Katsu. I dunno. But I left unfulfilled. However my grilled Chicken Katsu curry fascination has been fulfilled. I will not be ordering it again. Deep fried all the way baby. read more

Wagamama - Japanese Near Me - Dundrum, D

What a mess. Party of three, seated with a ridiculously long wait for service, then completely dropped one diner's order and kept us waiting over an hour for that entrée after the two other people were served. We received due apologies and a discount on our bill, but still... Especially for a chain restaurant, this kind of disorganization is inexplicable... read more

It was perfect! Usually this place is busy! Make sure u book a table. And why I didn't come here earlier? This place is rock! Food and service is fantastic! It's quick! Manu, drinks, food, drinks, bill! That's it! I ordered spicy chicken ramen! It wasn't the best ramen I have had but it wasn't a one! My friend had seafood Itami (soup) I can't wait to come back and try something different! It's about 15 and more per head! read more

I don't like the seating style in Wagamama's and tend to avoid it for this reason. Staff are relatively friendly, but I feel as if they're always so quick to rush you out of here. If I come here, I tend to go for the Tofu Katsu, which is certainly a lovely dish, but I've definitely had others which I prefer elsewhere. I actually find it quite pricey here too for the quality and dining experience you actually get. read more

I would give this one star, but I am acutely aware that when I was young I liked restaurants like this simply because I knew no better. I attended this jewel of a place with my two daughters under 8 years. We stood in the door while the staff attempted to seat us in a half-empty restaurant with great commotion and gnashing of teeth. Youthful drama...always a turn-off for the over 40s by the way. When we were seated I was 1 foot away from the lady beside me. Luckily they have cleverly designed this restaurant with pointy, shiny, hard surfaces so that I couldn't actually hear their conversation. In fact I couldn't hear very much, because all the sound bounced all over the room to provide a cozy, loud blanket of chatter. I couldn't hear her because I could hear everyone simultaneously, well, except my children. Well done! I ordered edamame [you will get lots for 6.50 approx I was assured. I didn't]. It arrived with a mound, yes, mound of what looked like saxa salt on the top. I sent it back, pointing out that a sprinkle was adequate, as it would be served in Japan or indeed in any so-called Japanese fusion restaurant. Back it came looking the same. I asked them to take off all the salt please. And they did that. My daughters had some of the children's overpriced menu [6.20 for 2 small pieces of salmon noodles in dry salad]. The salmon was less-than fresh. I know my fresh fish. This tasted of fish and it shouldn't have. She didn't eat it. It was also overcooked. My other daughter's chicken was overcooked too. How can one do this? Simple - employ a chef of can't cook or doesn't care. Either way it wasn't worth it and she ate one piece of it. In contrast the Chicken yakatori was hard and dry. If this was freshly cooked and not heated in a microwave lots of effort had been put into the dish to make it seem, well, old. No one was laughing in the now full restaurant. The other diner's meals were heavy on the starch [rice, noodles] - lots of sauces to hide uninteresting meat. Lots of middle aged people who were coming in here for the first time. I hope they weren't as irritated by it all as I was. If you want a loud, uninteresting meal then this is for you. Best to attend if you don't know much about food, and think mediocre fusion [bit like Maos] is good food and are with lots of friends who like large bowls of starch and bring their own atmosphere with them. this place is like a big cafeteria in a factory. Very expensive by the way for what you get. This place is surrounded by other restaurants of varying quality, and this is one I will never return to. Actually, on mature reflection I am giving this place a one. read more

I've always been a huge fan of Wagamama in Ireland, nearly living in their Stephen's Green branch when I worked in town but when I was invited to have a preview dinner at their new branch in Dundrum, I jumped at the chance. Wagamama run preview dinners so that their staff get some real world experience dealing with customers and the large menu before paying customers arrive when they officially open. We were greeted by Keith and shown to our table after a short wait (it was extremely busy at the 8pm sitting). Our server for the evening was Trevor who was great fun, knew the menu inside and out, could recommend dishes and was very friendly and quick. I ordered the Steak Teriyaki Soba and a side of Shichimi Squid while my companion ordered the Ebi Raisukaree along with a bottle of Tiger beer and a glass of house red. The drinks arrived quickly, followed just a few moments later by the food. The steak on my soba was absolutely perfect - medium rare, nicely charred on the outside and sliced wafer thin. I should add that it was quite a large fillet steak, about 8oz or so. For those who dislike less than medium - well done cooked steaks, I should add that they will accommodate you without any hassle. The soba noodles were delicious, slightly crunchy with a fantastically light and slightly sweet teriyaki sauce. The Ebi Raisukaree had a decent number of large, perfectly cooked prawns and came with a fantastic coconut curry which while not overly spicy, left a lovely warm after taste. If I had one criticism of the meal, the squid was slightly over cooked and was a little rubbery as a result and was a bit too salty for my tastes but these are minor issues in what was a fantastic meal. The bill came to just over €50 and was worth every penny. I look forward to returning and seeing Trevor and all the staff there again. read more

Think of Wagamama as the poor man's Yamomori (http://www.yelp.ie/biz/yamamori-noodles-dublin).... Actually that's probably not fair as Yamamori is not all that expensive, OK, think of it as the poor relation to Yamamori... yes, that about covers it. The food over all is pretty good but at the same time feels like it is missing the mark every time. As a result you will go, probably enjoy and certainly leave feeling well fed (the portions are for the most part generous) , BUT you won't leave thinking "that was fantastic!" The chicken Katsu curry is a good option - order extra sauce, the children's portions are extremely good value and to be fair it is a lot healthier and better value than McDonalds, but not somewhere I would rush back to. read more

same as all other wagamamas except it has a few booths in which you can sit in, which is alot more comforatble that the standard long tables. yasi yaki soba is the best, struggle not to order it every time love the place staff are good, except for this one nervous man who freaks out when you ask for more soy.... all friendly tho and helpful read more

I had not been to any Wagamama since I went to one in London about a decade or so ago. I loved it and went back a few times on a four day trip. The Wagamama at Dundrum had the same cool design on the tshirts, the same cool feeling, same wooden benches, but the similarities ended there. In London, the place was packed, in Dundrum almost no one. While it is a welcome option in the hohum dundrum food offerings, it is just okay and a bit pricey for what it is. I had pan seared noodles with chicken and shrimp - a little hot sauce made it tastier. My better half had a similarly okay noodle soup with chicken(noodles good, soup lacked flavor) - the best part about it was the spoon - it was huge and looked more like a cooking utensil then a spoon. I would go back, but with lower expectations. read more

First timer to any Wagamama, and whilst the food is very good (and indeed fresh due to being served as soon as it's ready), I can't say i'm a fan of the service. The idea of starting my food when my wife hasn't gotten hers yet is not really what I want to do. It's a style of service that means someone is always sitting there when others are eating! The Food itself was good though, the side of squid I had was excellent, perfect texture and just the right seasoning. My main of prawns in a coconut and lime curry was good, but light on the prawns for nearly €15. It's generally a bit more expensive than Mao's Menu, but I haven't tried their food, so can't compare on that basis. The staff are very friendly, but slightly intrusive, I like being asked that everything is okay, but not every 5-10 mins by 4 different people. Use your O2 treats if you have them and get one main course for free. I'd go back, but only in a larger group so that no-one feels left out on the eating front. read more

Pretty much that standard Wagamamma affair. The three courses for 20e was great value. Always go for the fried gyoza and a yaki soba followed by the selection of sorbets. Husband had the firecracker squid which was bitterly disappointing. I would like to see a greater selection on their menu however. I wish they had sushi. Food is good, service is great. I would always choose yamamoris over here however. read more

Think Yamamori, except more franchise oriented. I have to say the food is great, and service is second to none. Ask what way the dishes are presented before ordering though. Some of the broth type dishes contained meat chunks which are lovely but like trying to find chicken nuggets in an Olympic swimming pool! Greatest thing about Waga is that you leave feeling like you got great value, healthy food while still feelingly pleasantly full. I highly recommend it, especially the chu-chee curry. Great way to experience Japanese food before going for more hard core sushi joints. read more

We were there last Saturday - and wow - what a Wagamana eye opener. As major regulars we would be very reluctant to ever return. And I would think twice for anyone else. Service was OK- but there were a LOT of staff standing around, very obviously chatting'. Most at the end of the bar beside our table. We ordered? Hqving the sam thing every time, but know the menus very well. My husband had the large rice bowl, Drombui, I think. He was happy out. I waiting some time as normal for my Chicken Katsu Curry. Not good - at all. In lots of ways. It was then as we ate that my husband noticed a staff member on the long tables in front of the kitchen 'asleep on her hands'. Really weird and off putting. If i had been there with my kids I would have flat out left. Out waitress returned. 'HOW WAS EVERYTHING?'. 'NOT GOOD I SAID, ETC....'. Not referencing the sleeping staff yet. A manager approached, and while, very obviously looking me up and down, asked me about the meal. I explained. I then discussed the 'sleeping beauty'. She said oh, it's OK. She's sick'. Fantastic I thought. A sick person in here with us and lots of other healthy people with kids, etc.... We paid out bill (my meal deducted) and went to leave. Just to see 'Sleeping Beauty' popping her uniform on and back into the kitchen. To cook your food. Enough said. Never returning. Very loyal customers gone. And I will really spread the word. Tottally bad business hygiene and practice. read more

Ever reliable. We went up to Dundrum to try Five Guys but the queue was bananas B A N A N A S we had our two year old with us so there was no way he'd tolerate hanging around much as he loves chips!! So straight down to Wagamama with us, in our pre-child days we'd come here at least once a fortnight before going to the cinema. Always order the same things, wings or gyoza to share, chicken katsu curry for me and yaki soba for my huzz. Hasn't let us down yet! Tried the newly added pork belly steamed bun this most recent visit for something different, not keen, will stick to reliables in future. Staff really vary on visits. It's good quality fast food so I don't expect too much from them to be honest!! read more

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Back again but only because the teenager insisted. In fairness, it was better. I had the Firecracker chicken rice dish which was, as the name suggests, fiery but tasty nonetheless. Teenager wasn't so lucky. She had the Wagamama Pad Thai which we both agreed was exceptionally bland and tasteless. Coke for her and large Tiger beer for me brought the bill to €44 and change. Not bad but not memorable either. I won't volunteer to go back but can't promise I'll resist the pressure from others to do so. read more

I'm throwing an extra star their way after popping in yesterday with El Monkey for a bit of dinner. She was determined to have something Asian and we settled on here. Staff were particularly lovely, but unfortunately the wine I got had turned and her chicken skewers were thigh meat which she does not eat. I asked for the bill and the waitress asked if there had been a problem, I merely said I couldn't drink the wine and we had assumed the skewers would be breast meat, she immediately got a manager who insisted on comping the meal and apologised for not having been as we had wanted. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how one earns extra stars! read more

I agree with Hazel C.- there's just not much to say about this place. It's cafeteria styled seating, with fast service. Good if you're looking for a quick bite, but don't expect much more beyond that. My food, and my whole experience here was just boring and dull. The service was hurried and the atmosphere was drab. My dish was a spicy dish and that's all there was to it- just heat for the sake of being "spicy". It was my first time trying Wagamama and probably my last. read more

Clean, neat and spacious environment. Service was good and friendly. Authentic Asian food lovers steer clear -- would not go back for the food. read more

Good service, pleseant and efficient. Chicken katsu is a personal favorite and wouldn't stray from it often. Most portions are too small for the €14+ price tags. Much better places to eat for that kind of money read more

although, its quite famous and packed with people. This place is not my cup of tea! even though I tried different dishes with my friends. I still cant find any thing that is tasty. I dont knew it's a matter of taste in the end. read more

Raving about ramen Having been to japan in the last month I was, and still am, on the look out for the best tonkatsu/ramen in town. At the moment (August 2013) Waga's do a very competitive 19.95 3 course meal. My girlfriend and I treated ourselves to a meal here last sunday having ordered the gyoza and squid these were indeed very well done as was the desserts - assorted trio of cheese cake - 7/10 for these now on to the main course - I have tried both the Chicken Ramen/seafood ramen Obviously cooked with chicken stock (the seafood ramen too !!!) the broth is rather tasteless and sterile -please do what the do in japan folks and cook the stock with bone in it for taste, you don't have to serve the bone, but this ensures great tasting ramen - BIG PORTIONS GOOD VALUE but just misses the spot. - 5/10 overall verdict: I WON'T be rushing back here but it is good value at the moment so maybe worth a walk in trip. usually the ramen retails for € 14 -16 for a ramen by it own so wouldn't hurt avoiding at those prices ----- Overall its grand but not great - overall 6/10 read more

With wagamamma you know what you're getting, not to unhealthy, reasonably cheap and cheerful, and fairly consistent. Went in last week with the girlfriend, and my main course was very very late but on the plus side, after I mentioned it to the waitress the manager approached and said that he had been informed the of the delay with our meal and was very apologetic, but in fairness he didn't just leave it at that he went a step further and offered "complimentary coffee's" for the lateness of the dinner so, yeah, cool would recommend! read more

Nice place! I went there recently with my friend and her children and we all had a nice experience. I found this place very family friendly and everyone was very helpful with all the request we had for keeping the kids occupied. One thing I did not liked was the noise, even if the restaurant was not full. The food was tasty, but the portions are small and quite expensive. read more

I had noodles for lunch there during the week, and spent the evening getting violently sick because of it. So disappointed, I was such a fan of these. Quality has seriously dropped off recently. read more

absolutely amazing! really love this place (the one in town as well)! Great food, lovely staff, great atmosphere and their O2 partnership discount is brilliant! read more