Looking for a good hearty meal that is somewhere between food court eats and pricey restaurant? Marugame Udon is your best bet. Located right outside the food court next to Cheesecake Factory, it is literally your mid price point option. Made to order noodle soups, base, protein, and flavoring all customizable. Friendly staff, tasty eats, plenty of indoor seating with a couple tables available outdoors. The only cons: 1) For some reason, the sides are all priced higher than expected when considering the entrees (soups) are relatively decently priced. 2) Fountain drinks are no longer available. And there are no refills on the juices behind the counter. read more

Marugame Udon - Gyoza, Beef Gyudon, tonkatsu udon, tempura - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

I've been meaning to stop by the Santa Anita Mall location for a while now. The interior is spacious with plenty of seating, and I was pleasantly surprised to see a few menu items that I didn't find at other Marugame locations. I ordered the Bolognese Udon ($12.25), and it was cheesy, flavorful, and came with an egg. The portion was generous and definitely worth the price. However, I was disappointed at the taiyaki, it was oily and dry and I had to throw it away after a few bites. Additionally, they didn't have the chicken cutlet (that comes with the noodle) prepared, and we had to wait around 10 minutes for it. I would like to visit this location again. read more

See all

Clean establishment with a friendly staff. The food was very fresh and light. The bento box consists of savory sliced beef with a soft boiled egg. It would be similar to Yoshinoya but this is much healthier !! read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

See all

The food here is just okay, though it is a nice change from the options in the food court. We placed our order through the kiosk in the restaurant and it took quite a long time to be ready, especially for how simple the meal was and how few people were in the restaurant! I would definitely recommend ordering with a staff member rather than the kiosk as many other people got their orders before we did. The restaurant set up is pretty awkward with a lot of tables crammed in the space. It's a tight squeeze to get into many of the seats! read more

You can never go wrong with a bowl of udon from Marugame. I usually get the Nikutama and their udon is always fresh and bouncy in texture. It's a sizable portion and they measure the beef/onion mix so every bowl is always exact. I sometimes get their tempura as well and recently tried the fried chicken which was so crisp and seasoned perfectly. All in all a solid place to dine when visiting the Arcadia mall. read more

Marugame Udon - Nikutama - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

Food is always excellent. Prince without a C, forgive me for not knowing how to spell your name, thank you! Really great customer service, a warm welcome upon entering & the food is perfect temperature every time! read more

Marugame Udon - Large BK Hot - Udon - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

Marugame Udon - Fast, Flavorful, and Filling (Mostly) I stopped by Marugame Udon with a buddy for a quick Friday lunch after hearing great things about their freshly made udon and build-your-own-style setup. The line was long but moved fast, and I was curious to see if it lived up to the hype. What I Ordered: Nikutama Udon (Regular) - $10.95 A savory-sweet bowl of udon topped with tender beef, soft-poached egg, and green onions. Tempura Shrimp, Pumpkin, and Egg Omelet - ~$2 each Highlights: Nikutama Udon Broth & Noodles: The broth was rich and flavorful, with a slight sweetness that paired well with the sweet beef. The udon noodles had that perfect bouncy chew. Comforting and satisfying without being too heavy. Tempura Batter: Crispy and well-seasoned--but the pieces themselves (especially the shrimp and pumpkin) had clearly been sitting under the heat lamp too long. The texture was dry and lacked that fresh-fried punch. Quick & Efficient Setup: Despite the lunch rush, the cafeteria-style ordering moved quickly. You grab a tray, pick your udon, add sides, and pay at the end--great for a fast casual meal. Other Notes: Toppings Bar: Free green onions, tempura flakes, garlic, and sauces let you customize your bowl to your liking. Affordable for the Quality: Under $20 for a filling lunch with multiple items--good value overall. Areas for Improvement: Tempura Freshness: The batter was on point, but the holding time under the lamp affected the texture and flavor. Would love to see higher turnover or made-to-order options during off-peak hours. Though the portion of beef felt a bit sparse for the price. Still tasty and well-marinated. Limited Seating During Lunch Rush: It was tough to find a spot during peak lunch--expect to hover a bit before you can sit down. Tips: Credit cards and Apple Pay accepted Self-serve water and condiments available Try to go before noon or after 1:30 PM to avoid the worst of the lunch crowd Free parking in the shared mall parking lot and structures Indoor/Outdoor seating and tables turn over pretty quickly I'd definitely come back to Marugame Udon for a fast, reliable meal. Next time, I'll try the curry udon and maybe skip the tempura unless it looks freshly made. If you're in the mood for a customizable, satisfying bowl of noodles without the long wait of a sit-down spot, this is a solid choice. read more

Marugame Udon - Nikutama Udon - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

See all

Good place for a quick lunch, although I feel like the portions are kind of small. Service was fast and efficient; there are self-service toppings off to the side to add to your bowl. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

This spot is right outside of the food court of Santa Anita. I like how there's not a wait when I get my food, it's made right in front of me. The staff are sufficient in preparing the meal quickly. I got the Chicken Katsu with Curry and Pumpkin tempura. The curry could have been more flavorful but, it paired well with the sushi rice. I liked that they didn't dose it with all the sauce, just the perfect amount of sauce to rice ratio. The katsu was tender, dipped into the tempura sauce was delicious. The pumpkin tempura was perfectly crispy while slightly sweet and squash like inside. There's ton of seating inside and out - mostly you eat and go. I always come here if i'm feeling some japanese comfort food. read more

Marugame Udon - Chicken Katsu Curry - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

This is located by the AMC and Cheesecake Factory entrance of the Santa Anita Mall. It's just outside the doors. There's lots of seating but it can get busy. They have a kiosk! The kiosk is mainly for takeout meals, I believe. Otherwise you'll get in a line and make your way through getting your order. It's a chill place with decent noise volume It's a good place to eat with friends if tye other mall food chains don't interest you. The food was fairly okay. I got the katsu curry with rice. It was a good amount of food. I was able to finish and was quite full! read more

Super solid spot. First time here, got the nikutama and the curry nikutama, I 100% preferred the curry version. Great comforting broth with curry flavor that wasn't too over whelming. That being said, I'm not quite sure if the hype is supposed to be focused on freshness of the udon, tempura bar, or general overall experience, but I thought everything was fairly top-notch with nothing sticking out in particular Ordering was a bit different from a traditional restaurant, but not too difficult to figure out. Very old school cafeteria style. Tempura items were great and fresh. My only complaint was the the cleanliness of the place. Felt like a panera bread that hadn't been cleaned all day. Everything felt slightly sticky, condiment and drop off areas were disheveled and out of items. read more

This is a great quick-service meal that's pretty fairly priced. I got the Nikutama and a potato croquette. The potato croquette was so fresh and crispy and delicious! Sooo good!! The udon noodles definitely tested fresh as well and I loved how you could put as much green onions as you want. The meal was delicious and was about $17 for everything. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

This review is based on the service. Was in the area and needed a quick meal. Got into line and the line didn't move for almost 10 min. It's then we noticed there was no one stationed at the area to take orders. I then noticed an older gentleman standing at the register. He is watching the line but does not move to see why the line is not moving. Instead he stands there doing nothing because obviously no one has ordered to pay yet. I approach him and ask if he is the manager. He replies yes so then I ask why he is not managing his staff and instead allow customers to stand there not being serviced. He made an excuse and said he was busy. I pointed out that I had been watching him and he was doing nothing. All in all we waited in line for more than 15 min before the line started to move. But it only moved because I had to complain. We have frequented other locations in LA and OC, this location uses a smaller bowl for their regular size compared to other locations. The price is the same as the other locations but the bowl sizes are clearly smaller. Am I the only one that finds that sus? read more

This place has a crowd and rightfully so! You can feel the vibe as you walk closer to this establishment. You can smell the food before you walk through the door. This place is worth it. Everything is fresh. They are making everything right in front of you. Nothing beats fresh Udon noodles so you have to go with the Favorites to experience it for yourself. If you want it spicy ask for the fireball at the register. Food was great, very filling and flavorful. Nikutama was a perfect balance of food with the extra fresh veggies. And the Calamansi was very refreshing. Would order again in a heartbeat. The staff is fully immersed in the greetings of every customer coming through their doors. Very high energy and everyone had smiles and greeted you with respect. They have table greeters coming by to make sure your meal is up to your expectations and ask if they can get you anything. They even bus the table for you when you're done with your meal. Will definitely return back for more! read more

Marugame Udon - Seating Area - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

See all

The udon is freshly handmade right in front of you, which was super chewy and perfect!Additionally, the service is pretty fast and around 10-12 min depending on what you get.Finally, the ambiance is pretty chill and just relaxing vibes. read more

Marugame Udon - udon noodles with VERY soft boiled egg - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

I love udon, I especially love fresh hand pressed udon. Finally Arcadia gets its branch of the Japanese chain and it's amazing. Of course they make every effort to highlight the main draw of their in house made noodles and it's an open kitchen concept with half the space devoted to showing you the noodles and broth being made. I like the little touches, like warming your noodle bowl in a special basin of boiling water to both sanitize and also pre-heat the bowl to allow the soup and noodles about to go in to retain temperature for longer. The menu has mainstays which are always available, and other items are seasonal and you might enjoy something very different on your next visit. Get a bowl of fresh udon, follow the process as the workers heat your bowl, add your noodles and soup, select your toppings and grab those extras like tempura and katsu and enjoy the al-dente udon! read more

See all

Yummy food, affordable & their servers are always kind. No lack of seating, a very chill place to enjoy food

The service has been steadily going down for a while. The new hires dont care about their job. The tempura was all massively undercooked and they semi laughed it off or tried to blame the fryer, not themselves for not seemingly knowing how to cook anything. They dont stock the green onion or tempura flakes even when told. No one comes and cleans the tables. Overall lazy staff now. read more

Crispy tempura and you can grab as much as you want! Fun but can go overboard! I don't like udon that much but I was surprised that I liked it more after going again! Service is okay, you grab it yourself and find a table yourself. I would come back just to grab tempura read more

Marugame Udon - Beef Gyudon w tempura - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

Cheap good eats at the mall! Plenty of tables to choose from, and it's self-serve. You first pick your udon, then you walk down the aisle of tempura and choose whatever you want to elevate your meal with. I used to skip the udon and go straight for the tempura and musubis. However, they have not had good musubi selections for a long time for me to want to skip the udon. A good place to hang out with family and friends, but since the door is perpetually open, I find myself swatting flies away quite often... read more

Located on the outskirt of the mall near Cheesecake Factory Nikutama udon is sweet and savory and topped with gyudon. Cafeteria assembling line style when ordering as you're able to pick up fried tempura goodies on the way to the register. Make sure to ask for more tempura flakes & side of chili powder as those have to be requested. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

Came here with my daughter for an early lunch on a Tuesday. The place is nice, clean, and big. Menu items are very straightforward. We ordered the Beef Udon and the BK Udon with side order of shrimp, squid, and pumpkin tempura. I love how the udon is perfectly cooked and has that chewy texture. However, they could be a bit more generous with the broth. I barely had any broth in my BK udon. It's like eating the udon dry. This place is pretty much self serve, so service is almost nonexistent, except when we put our trays and bowls back, the staff from the kitchen counter took it and emptied it for us. I will come back but not anytime soon. read more

See all

My friends and I love coming here when craving for some udon. I always order the Beef Nikutama Udon which comes with thinly sliced beef and a poached egg on top. The broth is sweet and savory with great umami flavor and quite addicting. The beef is tasty and almost reminds me of the beef from Yoshinoya. The udon noodles are always perfectly cooked and al dente. I've also tried their Tonkotsu Udon, but the broth tasted watered down and didn't really taste like the usual tonkotsu broth you'd typically expect from a restaurant. I'd recommend sticking to their more popular items like the Beef Nikutama or Curry Nikutama. I also like to get their tempura shrimp or tempura sweet potato as a nice little side snack. The prices here are also quite affordable and the service is pretty quick. Overall, a great place to come to for a quick meal and for some great tasting udon. read more

Marugame Udon - Beef Nikutama Udon, Sweet Potato Tempura - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

See all

First time I tried this place, but my wife has had it in Hawaii. Overall the food was pretty good for a chain and I would recommend it. My wife got the #1 Nikutama Udon. The sweet beef was tasty. It reminded me of the gyudon from Yoshinoya in Japan (not the horrible bland one you get at Yoshinoya in the US). The udon and broth were all tasty. I got the #23 Tendon. Everything was nicely battered and fried to perfection, except for the squid. That was a bit soggy and sad. The meat-to-rice wasn't great, as I was left with too much rice after I ate all the tempura. The restaurant operates like an assembly line and then you bus your own tray/table when you're done. Again, pretty good for a chain. I would recommend it if the wait isn't too long. The line does seem to move along reasonably quickly. read more

Marugame Udon - #1 Nikutama Udon - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

See all

This Marugame Udon location is inside the Arcadia / Santa Anita mall. You can park anywhere and walk over, but the closest area would be by The Cheesecake Factory. Parking is free in the lot. The line here is long. I guess you can call this fast food? You order your food and go down the line watching them make it. You can pick up some tempuras on the way. (They do not have rice balls/musubis here!) Then you pay at the end. The menu is pretty self-explanatory. I would recommend getting the regular beef if this is your first time. The soup is really good. The noodles are great. The beef is eh. I like getting the curry nikutama sometimes, but it's a very flavorful dish. This one comes with a soft-boiled egg. Bathroom available. Credit card/Apple Pay accepted. read more

Marugame Udon - Menu from November 2024 - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

See all

Food is very good, and the service is excellent, the manager and staff are great, definitely will come back

One of the places we frequent in the Santa Anita Mall. It's right outside of the food court. The line usually moves quickly but it can get super busy. There's a decent selection of udon and rice bowls but I tend to get the vegan tan tan since it's very flavorful. The veggies are a little cold so it can affect the temperature of the entire dish. My fiance got the curry nikutama but they kind of skimped on the soup. It barely coated all the noodles so it was a little disappointing. The tempura seem very fresh. They can add up price wise so I don't know if a meal for 2 for about $40 is worth the price point. read more

Marugame Udon - Vegan Tan Tan - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

See all

Super cool spot ,very vibing . First time here First time could be a bit confusing then it gets better to understand how you order . They cook your noddles in front of you ,they make your soup in front you with fresh ingredients. They have a self serve tempura in variety pieces ,each piece is charged individually. Not a big menu but just enough . Soup and broth was good I had the Tonkotsu Udon . I didn't the tempura batter was tasty very blain for me. Friendly staff. Enjoined a new iced Matcha ,that was yummy read more

Marugame Udon - Tonkotsu Udon - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

Delicious, affordable, I'm coming back for sure ! Works if you're looking for a quick light bite, but also is great if you're looking for a heavier put you on the couch type of meal. I wish we had a spot like this out where I stay, but when I'm in the area, I'll definitely be back ! read more

I started coming here when they were newly opened and I was surprised to see the difference a year could make. I returned after a year and it was a slow day. Weekends tend to be really busy. When I walked in, it was quiet and I didn't hear a greeting. I was confused and I felt ignored because there's a sign that says "order here" when you walk in. I was standing under the sign and the guy working the udon noodles was soft spoken so I was unable to hear him. After I told him my order, I immediately noticed how much smaller the regular size bowl looked compared to last year. Even if the serving size is the same, the bowl made the food looked cramped. I knew how the green onions and tempura flakes would add to the cramping. Trying to mix everything together was a bit harder with less space. If possible, bringing back the old bowls for a cleaner experience! Also, the vibes of the employees felt off. I believe in being professional, despite what is happening in one's personal life. If it's a management thing where employees and management don't get along, then like reevaluate and fix yourself so your employees reflect that!! The food was still good but I've added this to my "won't come back here for a while" place in my notes. read more

Muragame is my go‑to spot whenever my udon cravings hit. The noodles are always fresh, flavorful, and incredibly satisfying. Every visit feels consistent and comforting, and the quality never misses. Highly recommended for any foodie looking for delicious, reliable udon. read more

We always love coming back here. I love trying out all the different new flavours. Udon and tempura are always fresh!

Marugame Udon hits different during the colder months. It has been our go-to comfort food whenever we visit the mall. Something about the combination of soup and tempura makes it the ultimate comfort food. We love their Nikutama and Curry Nikutama. After getting your udon, you can load up on any tempura you like at the sides bar. We always get the sweet potato, tamago, and whatever else looks intriguing at the time. For drinks, do not sleep on their calamansi lemonade. It's too good to miss! read more

Marugame Udon - Curry and regular nikutama - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

Marugame Udon is my go-to when I want something fast, fresh, and satisfying. The noodles are always on point -- super chewy and made fresh on the spot. I usually get the beef udon and toss in a soft-boiled egg. Love that you can customize it with the free toppings (tempura flakes and green onions). Even when there's a line, it moves fast and the food comes out quick. I came during the summer time and ambiance could be better. There was a lot of mosquitos and air conditioning was not running during the day. Overall, it's a great spot for a quick solid meal. Highly recommend if you're craving udon. Providing this review as four stars due to the air conditioning and ambiance but it's a great spot if you want to stop by quickly before you check out the malls. read more

I'm very happy marugame udon opened up in Arcadia! I used to have to go to OC or Honolulu to get these comfort udons. Recently just came back from a work trip and was craving these udon. The space is clean as usual and there's actually enough space here instead of how crowded the other locations I've been to are. Service here is top tier, one of the workers even took the finished trays for us which the other locations didn't have. The curry udon was actually pretty salty for me personally the past few times I've tried it here, but the usual sweet beef udon always hits the spot! read more

Marugame Udon - Tempura spread - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

See all

Good food, great for families. Self serve convenience is nice to have. The new clam chowder udon was a good add.

One of the top places to go! - Service: They always welcome us with a big smile and a good "HELLO" when we walk in whether how tired they are or busy. We walk in at 9:30 and they close at 10 but they still welcome us with "WELCOMEE" ( not one or two but a whole team) made me soo welcome - Food: 10/10 I'm literally so happy since they have this chain opens bc I have always loved loved loved their udon! It taste GREAT and unlike any other udon places. - Ambiance: Clean, neat and spacious! You'd never worry if they have tables or not, they have at least 20 tables indoor and 3 tables outdoor! WILL COME BACK AS USUAL read more

See all

Service is quick! If you haven't tried this somewhat cafeteria style service, I'd say do it once for the experience. Plus udon is pretty good comfort food so why not. If dining in, first you decide what udon to order. Then the noodles are boiled and freshly assembled in front of you. Next, you walk through something like a hot food bar and pick out which fried item you would like as an add-on. Lastly, you'll check out at the register and eat! Nikutama $13.95 On the sweeter end, would recommend if you like gyu don, or sliced beef with onions, and poached runny egg (onsen tamago). Tonkotsu $13.95 Like the name suggests, it is a tonkotsu broth with cha siu. Kinda like the ramen but less salty, and different noodle of course. Tempura Squid It is great!! Chewy but not hard to bite through. Cooked at just the right temperature ~ go for it if you like squid or seafood. Chicken Katsu Also cooked at the right temperature. Even better when you pair it with the Katsu sauce. I really like how at marugame you can grab the tempura sauce (with minced ginger) warmly dispensed as well as other sauce/seasonings on your own. Let's me modify things to my likings! read more

See all

You can never go wrong with Marguame Udon! My wife and I are happy that this location is available at the Santa Anita Mall. It is located right outside the food court area near Cheesecake Factory. When you walk in the restaurant, you will head to your left where you place your order. The friendly servers will make your bowl in front of you and you can add any additional sides if you want. As you continue down the line, you can choose to take more a variety of fried sides, such as sausages, potatoes, tempuras, vegetables, and chickens. You can also grab a drink or get the self-serve water after you pay. Once you're ready, the cashier will ring you up and you can find your seat. My wife got the regular size Nikutama, which is one of their "Most Loved" items, which comes with sweet beef and soft boiled egg. I usually get the Curry Nikutama but I ended up getting the large size Tonkotsu this time. This is also another "Most Loved" item and came with chashu pork, miso ground pork, and half of a seasoned hard boiled egg and I added on a Gekikara Fireball (spicy paste). We also got a fried potato and a fried chicken to share. Everything was delicious. My wife really enjoyed the sweetness of the Nikutama and I really enjoyed the savory flavor of the Tonkotsu. The spicy paste wasn't too spicy and made my meal even better. Once you're done with your meal, you bus your own table and take the trays and bowls to the trash/return station. If you're in the mood to try some udon or something soupy, definitely come and eat at Marugame Udon! read more

Marugame Udon - Gekikara fireball on the left. Large size Tonkotsu on the right. - Japanese Near Me - Arcadia, California

See all

Great food. Open later too. Clean, staff is quick, not too much of a line. The crab leg tempura are so good, you have to try.