We drove 45 minutes to get here and experience was terrible. There was an employee that was rude to me and her coworker. She didn't ask a question directly to me, instead asked my boyfriend "Does she want to order anything?" But I had already ordered. If she wouldn't been paying attention instead of talking to her coworker, she wouldn't have to ask. Also, we asked for plates because we wanted tempura. There weren't any nearby so we asked her for some. Instead, she pointed at a bowl that they use to cook. We told her it's dirty and rudely told her coworker to get more plates. We said thank you and she just said "yeah" with a blank face. Super rude! Wish I knew her name. We usually get pork ton katsu but decided to try the beef udon. I'm not sure if it was the beef or the broth but it made our stomachs hurt so bad when we went home. I wouldn't recommend this Marugame Udon location AT ALL. read more

Marugame Udon - Miso Udon - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Great quick and affordable food. Service is very quick, you get your food in a matter of minutes. Perfect food anytime throughout the day! A staple whenever I'm in town! I got the Tonkotsu Udon this time and it was just as good as their other menu items. Great place to come and eat with friends! The menu has been updated recently as well. read more

Marugame Udon - New menu as of 4/27/24 - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

Awesome service! The servers are nice , kinda loud but nice ambiance and causal vibe.

Ordered rice bowls to go. They skimp on carryout orders. Had to add rice from the day before. Also ask you to tip on takeout. STOP RIPPING CUSTOMERS OFF! STOP BEGGING FOR TIPS FROM STRANGERS! What little food they give you is just meh. Every employee looks like a high school kid. Pay your people a high wage and stop being shady, Marugame $$$ read more

Marugame Udon - Save your money and dine elsewhere $$$ - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Would definitely come here again! We tried the san Ramon location and now we went here to see if it's the same ! Love the service, the noodles was great. It's super clean and safe at this location. The only this is they don't have fountain drinks. All their drinks would be individual can. Other than that, love love love their food ! read more

See all

Delicious udon. Reasonable price. Can't recommend enough! There's a nice little outdoor seating area and parking can be rough, but it will be worth it. read more

Great udon. !!! Friendly staff.. curry udon is my favorite, with some katsu chicken in top

We were in the Berkeley area yesterday and since it was a bit chilly, we decided to go for some noodles for lunch. We ended up at Marugame Udon. I had been wanting to go since coming across it in SF the last time I was down here. We both ended up getting the curry nikutama. It came in either regular size or large, and tbh the regular size was pretty large for us. Unless you're feeling extra hungry, I would suggest sticking with the regular size bowl. The curry nikutama is topped with generous amount of sweet beef and a soft boiled egg over fresh udon, and served in their house-made savoury beef curry sauce. The curry sauce is on the sweeter side and is slightly thick. You are also given the option to add complimentary toppings which include, garlic, green onion, and tempura bits. You can also add different types of tempura for an additional charge per piece. I got a shrimp tempura, potato croquette, and kabocha tempura. I enjoyed the shrimp and kabocha tempura, and as for the croquette it was pretty plain with just mashed potato on the inside. Overall, we enjoyed our meal and left feeling very full. read more

Marugame Udon - Curry Nikutama - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

I don't know why the reviews for this place are so low. It's good, cheap, and filling. What's more to ask? The menu is simple and straightforward, and it's very easy to order. The restaurant is cafeteria style in that you'll slide a tray down the counter of tempura tempura after getting your bowl of udon. You can watch them make the udon noodles right before your eyes--so fresh! A lot of reviews complained about the soup being "not hot enough," but I don't know what they're talking about. It seemed plenty hot to me. The inside was beautifully decorated, the food was delicious, and even better--the prices are super affordable. read more

Marugame Udon - Bukkake udon with sweet potato tempura - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

Having been to the one in Oahu many years ago, I had a good, albeit not 5-star, impression of Marugame Udon. My son and I were catching a play at the nearby Bay Area Children's Theatre and he's a fan of udon so I decided to take him here before the show. Happy to report, it was better than I had remembered! The service is cafeteria style, which I actually quite enjoy as a different experience. You first order your udon. As the bowl is prepared right in front of you, grab a tray and place it on a specific spot that says "Place tray here." The staff asks if you want some of the toppings: green onions, tempura flakes and ginger (which is sort of blended into a sauce of sort). From there, you slide your tray down the expanse of tempura. There are tongs placed throughout for self-serve. So you can pick that one special piece that looks a big larger or crispier than the rest. Then pay the cashier at the end. There's also an island with utensils, as well as to-go containers if you don't quite finish it all. My son had the Nikutama udon, which has some beef and a raw egg that cooks a bit, although will still be running, in the hot soup. I had the Curry Nikutama udon, which is effectively the same thing but with curry sauce. I devoured mine. I'm a bit of a sucker for Japanese curry. This combination of the udon + running egg + beef with the curry though was out of this world. I only wish there was a Marugame Udon closer to me. read more

See all

This review has not 1.. not 2.. but 3 reviews in one. Why? Because I ate this place 3 days in a row because it is THAT good. Marugame Udon is such a unique style restaurant you must stop in and experience. It almost has a cafeteria style walk up counter to select your order and watch it be made fresh right in front of you. You can see your noodles be made fresh from start to finish. Watch your bowl be out together by the staff. Sounds like a lot, but the efficiency of this restaurant is awesome with a staff member in each station. After watching your bowl made, there is a grab and go tempura station with many different options to add in. I ordered the Nikutama Hot all times (I know I probably should've ordered others but it was just too good) I added green onions, shrimp tempura and the Fireball. Add the fireball on the side if you'd like to make it spicy!! Best udon bowl I've had in such a long time and will continue to keep coming here. read more

See all

Our first stop after arriving in Oakland and it did not disappoint. If you're craving for some really awesome Udon, then this is your place. The Nikutama is my fave and you can add a few tempura pieces on the side; I highly recommend tamagoyaki. read more

See all

This is a chain restaurant and this location seems to have less traffic compared to the one at Stonetown Mall. Lots of Cal students come here. Nothing special here except they made their udon fresh. It's a fast food restaurant because they batch made their tempura for self serve (buffet style). This also speaks to their quality and taste (i.e. hard boiled egg vs nice "yolky" egg, concentrated broth vs freshly made & etc). If you have high blood pressure, don't come here as their broth was very very very salty and full of MSG. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Stopped by for quick meal before hopping on BART. Cafeteria style ordering where pick up tray and go down line, selecting noodle, rice, tempura, drinks, etc. Ordered #6 Nikutama Udon (later found is house favorite) - freshly made chewy noodles. BK sauce too salty for me. Wished came with some veggies beyond green onions. Soft boiled egg got a little disfigured when cracked by worker. Didn't select tempura because looked like it was sitting on counter for a while (not made to order). read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

This college got spot is fantastic! The speed and efficiency in getting your order and food is hands down like a conveyor belt. Lines can get pretty gnarly during meal times so come prepared to stand in line for a minute! However the food is delicious and well priced to not hurt your former college senses! I love the broth and protein topping options for the udon or rice if that's your thing. The tempura can be a lil "meh" as they cooked in advanced so you them up buffet style. All in all a good, fast hearty bowl home style noodles! read more

Delicious. The udon was thick and perfectly cooked and warmed me up on a cool day, the sides were tasty and the battered zucchini was crunchy. I normally have a huge problem with music but the music was ambient and makes the place lively but not overstimulating. The service people were very nice and warmed up some tea for my mother even though they did not have to. 10/10 would eat again read more

Marugame Udon - The tonkatsu udon, soft egg, battered zucchini & shrimp, and a peach soda. - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

loved the food amazing 10/10 got full staff is super sweet you wanna have a study date or a bite for dinner here is the spot read more

Marugame Udon - Katsu Curry Sauce , rice , Udon , Egg, tofu, tempura - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

service was fast, nice seating area. don't think it was the best i had it was ok. decent for its price read more

Marugame Udon - creamy style tonkotsu - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

I have been looking to try this place for so long. They only had one location in San Francisco and I just couldn't make it out there! Luckily they opened one in Berkeley! I was going to a concert later in the evening and wanted to eat something that would keep me full until the end of the show and not get tempted to order bar food. Upon first glance this place was EMPTY. I felt so lucky to enjoy my food in peace. The order system was confusing, as they have QR codes posted on the doors telling you to order online. I couldn't get the QR code to work for shit, so I asked an employee at the front. He told me not to worry about it, and order inside. Cool, since I was the only customer at the moment. It's all udon noodles, so all noodles are going to be thick. Just an FYI. You choose your broth and you can choose their 3 complimentary toppings which are green onion, ginger, and some other thing that I completely forgot. Sorry! I got the green onion and ginger. Then you can choose to get tempura shrimp, yams, veggies, croquettes, etc. It is self serve and EACH ONE has a different price, it is not free. I pay for my meal and take my tray to the utensil and sauce station. They also have water available as well if you did not want to buy any bottled drinks. I was never really a fan of udon until I tried Marugame. I loved the ginger flavor in the udon, it gave it a nice kick without it being overpowering. The noodles were a little too soft, I think they sat for a bit in water. I wish they were just a little more firm. The broth was really tasty and not too salty. One thing that I did not like was the tempura/fried options. I ordered a yam and a croquette and it was damn near cold. So disappointing. They are under a heat lamp and it didn't keep them warm for very long. I dipped them in broth to maybe bring it back to life a bit. That did help a little. I wish they were fried to order. This place is really good though. I would definitely come back and try other broth options. read more

Marugame Udon - Croquette and yam - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

This udon spot is solid for the price, convenience, speed, and space. I came on a Saturday night and the entire process of ordering was super simple and fast. I got the tonkotsu udon and found that the broth was quite rich for the price. I didn't try any of the tempura, but they were cafeteria style so it won't be the freshest but convenience seems to be the biggest selling point here. Everything else like additional spices or water is self serve and smooth. Overall, I enjoyed the process of walking through the line and seeing the noodle making and boiling stations. read more

See all

Good but not as good as the original location in Hawaii. I had a free day in California and drove 3-hours to eat here for my Udon fix! It's been so long since I've been to the location in Hawaii and was happy to hear that they started to franchise out to the Bay Area. I had to check it out! I went with my usual - Udon noodles with the beef. I stopped by a bit after typical lunch hours and the place was still steady. I was able to get through the line quickly for my large bowl of Udon. I paired it with two shrimp tempura. You can ask them to make it fresh for you and bring it to your table. My bowl was delicious but it didn't taste as good as I remember. I'm not sure if it was the broth or what? Next time, I think I will do the dip version. Overall, happy that I don't have to go to Hawaii to eat here anymore. I can fly to California anytime to get my fix. I enjoyed the spaciousness of this location, it definitely has the other one beat when it comes to that. The customer service was great and no complaints. read more

I like it overall. I do enjoy the fat that one pays in the begging and then you get to enjoy your meal without doing maths and whatnot. So a big point for that. At a glance the menu is a bit difficult to read and gather. I had to ask if there is any vegetarian ramen and it does exist. I believe five options. Once you are set with your ramen, one has the option to take a handful of tempura. There's plenty. A limited amount of drinks are present but that's fine. Customer service seemed okay. The staff member who charged for my good was not aware of the shapes or type of tempura in order to charge me. East clean up with labels which is always convenient. Flavour wise this place does hit the spot. The only downside like what I read in other reviews is the temperature of the food. The ramen was good but the tempura was in an extreme state of room temperature. I would come back again for the ramen. The sweet potato tempura was on point and delicious. read more

See all

Super student friendly udon chain. It's cafeteria style so you stand in line to order your entree and they make it right there for you and put it on your tray. Slide on down and pick up whatever tempura you want. Order at the register. Go sit down and enjoy Fast, affordable (ish), and they take cal credit The noodles are amazing and it's such an easy process read more

I've been here a few times. Each time, I've gotten the tonkatsu. The good: -Tonkatsu is always delicious and my friends and family have enjoyed their meals as well. -The people who ring you up are really nice, as are the cleaning staff. -All their stuff is biodegradable so you can take your leftovers home and put the containers and utensils in the Berkeley city compost. -They have a fried egg topping that is spectacular -Mixed vegetable topping option is nice as well, the veggies taste really fresh -I really appreciate the unlimited puréed ginger in the condiment area -It's always very clean, including bathrooms. The bad: -The amount of soup you get isn't very consistent. -The people you order from can be kind of rude. I will keep going back because it's generally a nice place and although the menu is small, it has vegan options for the vegans in my life. read more

Marugame will always be my go to spot for udon. Never misses. Good soup, good meat, good portions. The non-udon items r OKAY (sides/drinks) but hey, this is about udon!! read more

See all

I ordered the curry udon because I've never had Japanese curry before and wanted to try it. The noodles were as expected of an udon, but the curry was very salty. I added water to make the meal into a noodle soup and it was still too salty. Minus the salt, I appreciated the flavors, but don't expect your standard curry flavor, because it isn't anything like that. It was more of a spiced gravy. What I'd change: salt. I'd have loved to eat these noodles with a thick sauce that was seasoned right rather than having to make adjustments myself. If 3 stars is adequate, this was 2.5. I'm rounding up. I'd order something different given the choice until they change their recipe for this. Note: I watered it down and ate for DAYS. Salt was salty. read more

It's a fun place. Cafeteria style in the sense you line up and order your food, get it on a tray, and move in down toward the register to pay. Nice tall ceilings, lots of bar/table seating, and even outdoor seating. I've been to the same restaurant in Honolulu. The udon noodles are very good. Soft and tasty. I prefer the Tonkatsu broth but this visit I had the Curry Nikutama. Its very thick. You get sweet shredded pork and an egg. Also green onion and crinkly toppings. Also had fish, squid, and zucchini tempura. Everything tasted good but I agree with other reviewers that the food is not hot. In fact, some of the tempura was cool/cold. Even the noodle soup was warm at best. Normally I'm used to piping hot. I really suggest they heat up the food. read more

See all

I've driven past this place many times and have seen lines out the door which has always deterred me. But this past weekend when the weather was almost 70 (in February) and no one wanted a hot bowl of noodles, I decided it was finally time to see what the hype was all about. I decided that I barely minded the wait b/c it was very cool to see them rolling out dough, cutting the noodles and then cooking the noodles in the giant vats of hot water. I didn't realize it was cafeteria like service so things moved very quickly. The tempura bar was very cool and I tried the fish cake, shrimp and sweet potato. Next time i'll just get 3 shrimp as that was by far the best! The Curry Nikutama was delicious although it was less brothy and more thick saucy. I wish they offered uncooked noodles for takeout. It would have been perfect for the hotpot I had later that evening. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

We've been to the Honolulu location and I think there was more selection of tempura but it also had much more traffic so having a full menu there made more sense. The Berkeley udon wasn't spectacular nor was the tempura but all very tasty. The restaurant itself is larger with more seating and was more comfortable because the Hawaii Marugame was just too crowded with a line out the door. This location was much cooler inside than in paradise so it was nicer to have hot udon and not eat with sweat dripping from my forehead. Slurp up and Gochisosama! read more

I went here two separate times, the first time I ordered a kitsune udon (regular size) and the second time I saw that they had a new item posted on the signs, a creamy vegan miso udon, so I ordered a regular size for that as well, with tempura crumbles and green onion and no ginger. The tempura flakes are free but getting the big pieces of tempura costs more money. There can somewhat of a wait in line due to the popularity of this place, but the service itself is pretty quick and reminds me of a school cafeteria. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, and bathrooms. I thought the food was decent and savory. I would've liked there to be more toppings/ingredients overall (I'm more used to having ramen where there's a lot of stuff in it) especially relative to the price, but they are basically the only place specializing in udon I've encountered so far in Berkeley. It's pretty close to BART/downtown Berkeley, and is located on the ground floor of a UC Berkeley building, Berkeley Way West. read more

Marugame Udon - Creamy vegan miso udon - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

Didn't open at the open time, I ordered on DoorDash but they won't let me in that clearly staffs are inside working.

I had Marugame Udon in Tokyo as my last meal abroad in Japan before this location in Berkeley opened up and thought it was so funny that they had brought it to the Bay so soon after my trip. The quality is essentially the same as what I had in Tokyo and the udon noodles are so chewy and pleasant to eat. I always go for the Nikutama because I love the sweet broth and the generous portion of beef they provide. I usually pass on the tempera because the noodles and soup are filling enough (regular size). Service is fast although it gets quite crowded so the wait time is usually due to the amount of people. Service is also very friendly. I always worry I won't find a seat here because of how popular this location is, especially amongst Cal Berkeley students, but they also have some outdoor seating. Always popping inside. Husband's Review: "Fresh noodles :) " read more

Fiancé and I came for dinner tonight. Got here around 6:30, which was perfect because shortly after, the line was out the door and along the sidewalk. FYI: There's a sign that you should have your vaccination card to dine in. Someone asked us if we had it, but no one actually took a look. That's a bit concerning. When you come in, you're welcomed with menu and a view of the staff making the udon noodles in-house. You go to the first station, where you order the type of udon you want, then walk along where you can pick different sides. You have to pay for these sides by piece so keep that in mind as it can definitely add up. After paying, there's an island where you can get your utensils, sauces, and water. At the end of your meal, you clean up after yourself and there's a station where you split up your dishes according to the signs. The food was really good! We opted for the regular size of the Nikutama and Curry Udon. My only complaint is that they don't come with no ugh broth. Like you actually have to dig for it, which is unfortunate because broth is just so good especially now that the weather is starting to cool off. read more

Marugame Udon - Curry Udon - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

Food: 4.5/5 Service/Wait: 5/5 Price/Value: 5/5 Atmosphere/Uniqueness: 4.5/5 TL;DR: This place is perfect to get a quick bite to eat around campus. The food is always consistent and good. The price is reasonable, especially for the quality of food. The noodles are just the perfect amount of bouncy and chewy. They have the cooking down to a science because they are never overcooked. Miso Udon: 3/5; The miso was just not that good. The soup tasted a bit weird. A bit too salty and did not taste like miso. It comes with the same beef that is used for their other dishes. Calamansi drink: 5/5; This was super refreshing, especially on a hot summer day. The drink is the perfect mix of sweet and tart. Nikutama Udon: 5/5; This is always solid and my go-to. The beef is nicely marinated with some sweetness and sauteed with onions. The egg is softboiled and runny. Paired with the tempura flakes and green onions, this dish could not get any better. Tempura (assorted): 5/5; There is a large variety to choose from: fish cakes, chicken, squid, vegetables, etc. They are always fried to perfection and crunchy. If you want an item and they don't already have it made, you can tell the cashier and they will make it fresh for you. read more

Marugame Udon - Miso Udon - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

This place was really hyped up by many of my friends so I decided to try it out. At first I loved this place, but over time the dishes got very bland for me. Lines can be long depending on what time you show up. They used to check for proof of vaccination but recently stopped. Some servers are super nice but some seem like they just want to go home. It's a hit or miss. Overall, getting your meal here feels a bit like a Japanese version of Chipotle. The price is super reasonable (honestly pretty cheap) for a regular bowl of Kake Udon and the size is quite generous. It might look small when you first get it, but oh boy, it was a lot for me to finish. The noodles were bouncy and chewy but the soup was so salty that I could barely finish the noodles since they absorbed so much of the salty flavor. The chicken tempura looks really big when you get it but in reality, most of the tempura is just clumps of panko and there's only a tiny sliver of chicken in there. The sweet potato tempura is also very meh, since the sweet potato barely had any flavor. Each bite of tempura came with so much oil and I was a bit disappointed. The croquette is pretty good though. I ended up getting pretty bad food poisoning after coming here once, possibly because of how much oil there was. The restaurant provides some nice compostable bowls and utensils in case you aren't able to finish your meal. When you're done eating you put your dishes and plates away in a designated area, a bit like a school cafeteria. There's also a compost bin and trash can but almost every time I went they were overflowing and stuff is falling out. Overall, I think this is probably somewhere I'd only come to occasionally when I'm craving udon and looking for an affordable meal. read more

Marugame Udon - Regular kake udon with a croquette and sweet potato tempura - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

Definitely a college type of place that reminded me of the cafeteria. Marugame offers cheap udon with various options and plenty of seating. They do require vaccination cards if you wanted to sit inside. My fiance ordered the beef udon and while it was good, they really don't give you a lot of beef compared to other places. He had about 2 pieces of beef which was disappointing. I ordered the bk udon which was pretty good for a cheap udon restaurant. You can order sides such as a hot spring egg, kitsune age, sweet beef, shredded seaweed, kake soup and extra udon noodles ranging from $0.70-$4.50. This place is a good place to go to if you wanted something quick and cheap to eat. read more

See all

Quick and clean sit down spot for udon. Pick your noodles and walk thru the tempura bar. The nikutama is sweet and savoury and the cold makes it great for a post hike lunch on a hot day. The service is quick and you take ur own plates back after. read more

Marugame Udon - cold Nikutama - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Updating my current review because my last review is outdated. Quick Summary: - Plenty of chairs and seats to sit down - all gender bathrooms - Affordable prices with contently filling portions - Ordering is cafeteria style: line up, order, slide down, check out, eat, put away dishes and head off your way - Once you finish eating, take your tray to the area near the cashier. Separate the items by the tag taped on the shelf Marugame Udon has now been my go-to place to have lunch or dinner, or any time I'm hungry. The restaurant style is like a cafeteria because guests will order before sitting down. They line up at the entrance, decide on an order and slide along the countertop with the delicious tempura sides, and then checkout at the end. Since this is a cafeteria style, there is a place to put the dishes away. Always do that, so the next guests can find a cleared table to sit down and eat. There is a station, where it used to store unlimited green onions, ginger, and tempura flakes, but that has bee replaced with take out bowls and lids (I'm hoping this is temporary because I loved covering my broth in green onions). During the pandemic, the green onions, ginger, and the tempura flakes are given by the staff, one will need to request it after they place the bowl of udon on the tray you carried in. The broth, compared to the first experience, became pleasantly hot now. I have actually returned here multiple times since the first review, and that was the only time the broth was lukewarm. The rest has been hot. The Marugame Udon broth is so good. Lately, I finish the bowl by drinking the whole soup. My go-to lately has been the kake udon. It's the one with just broth and udon noodles. With this dish I can really taste the goodness of the broth. Unlike ramen, where the soup has a stronger salt content, this one is lighter. My other favorite is the kamaage udon, but that has been temporary removed from the menu (probably the kama bowls). That dish focused on the udon noodles rather than the dipping broth, so I eat that, when I just want to eat udon (typically chose this on warmer days). read more

See all

Cheap, fast udon and tempura place. If you want a quick bite but don't necessarily want fast food items, this is the place to go. You can get a decent meal in for a decent price. I wouldn't get too much of the fried tempura flakes into the soup, because it gets soggy really fast and makes the soup all mushy. I like the tempura; they have different options from squid, sweet potato, to bok choy and mushrooms. Plenty of seating, water and condiments are self serve, and you put the plates away yourself at the end too. read more

Marugame Udon - Tonkotsu (top), Kake (bottom) - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Convenient locations near University of California at Berkeley. A little bit sketchy as homeless camps just steps outside of the front door. Do you need a vaccine proof in order to dine in or eat at the patio area. Food is cheap but quality is not there. Basically only the Udon and poached egg is fine. All other ingredients not so good. I have number seven (4/5) and number 10 (1/5). Not to impress unless you are shot in cash. read more

See all