A convenient chain restaurant for udon and rice bowls. The food quality is pretty good. I ordered the Nikutama with BK broth, which has a lot of flavor but is very salty. However I think the tempura is better at other locations. The line can move slowly during peak hours. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

This Marugame Udon is located right in the center of Berkeley, and towards where the campus is. Needless to say, parking is a bit of a hassle as a result of the downtown areaish, and of course, all of the students as well. Makes for a bad formula for parking, so try to get here not during peak eating hours. Many of the shops on this street, including other eateries/drink spots don't open until after noon, so I would recommend trying to get there before then. This Marugame is pretty big. and is split up into two sections, with several seatings on both sides of the building. It's your typical Marugame set-up. So you get in line, then you start your ordering process there, beginning with what you want (udon/rice), then start picking out all of your sides too. Pricing wise, it's about on par with most of the other stuff on this street, as it's a pretty busy area. Comparing it to other Marugame Udon spots though, I do have to say this one feels a bit lackluster comparatively, and that's kind of upsetting considering this is one of the earlier shops to have popped up in the Bay Area. The broth here is just not nearly as good or rich as the other spots, which is all the more confusing as on this day we went right as they opened, so really shouldn't be any excuse. The fried stuff was not good today. Everything was cold, and again, we went right as they opened, and most of them were overfried, or just really dry. It was just okay today, and I've been to several other Marugame spots, so perhaps this review just seems lower as a result of those comparisons, but maybe I'll come back again in the future and try them out again. read more

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We love the vegan options here the spicy Tantan is very good. I hope they add more vegan options to their menu. And more locations!

What's the difference between SF State and UC Berkeley? Apparently, the quality of customer service you receive at Marugame Udon. Both seem to be staffed with college students, but the Berkeley location seems to be lacking in interpersonal skills. The cashier was very friendly as was the person at the handoff area. However, we witnessed the person working on the tempura shame a little kid for accidentally touching the serving tong near the top of it. He looked like he was trying to put it back, but was having trouble getting it back into the holder; it was not secured and kept moving around. She said, "Oh great. You touched it. Now we have to wash it." The pressure to never make mistakes must be so great that they didn't even have napkins. The bathrooms were nice, though. This review is two stars because the food was good. read more

Could've been better indeed. The day that I went, I had to wait for around 30 minutes because they were backed up and one of the udon machines had been malfunctioning? Basically, ordering was veryyy slow. I will say - maybe the process would have been much faster if the machine was working properly? IT is cafeteria style, so you basically get your food right when you order, and you pay at the end of the line. But even so, I found the food itself to also be...lackluster. I got the Curry Nikutama: the udon noodles were great - fresh, great texture - but the sauce/broth that tied everything together was kind of generic? I didn't feel like it was anything special. Plus add the fact that tempura is $2-4 per piece?? I had heard good things and had high hopes, but was pretty underwhelmed by this visit. read more

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

Tried the beef dashi bowl with a side of veggies and a 2 pieces of tempura . The broth was sweet and flavorful as described and the udon noodle are very fresh and a decent portion . The beef is really thinly sliced . I would say if it had more flavor depth in the broth it would be a 5 from us . They also have a little booth area where you can get your spices and tempura sauce . When you are done eating the have a organized station to return all your utensils,bowls and garbage /compost. The service was quick and they were very inviting . The ambiance was not loud more of a low conversation /college study area as well since ucb is near by. We would definitely come again when we are craving fresh udon noodles . I totally forgot to snap pics ! But I will next time read more

I ordered Nikutama, udon with sliced beef and egg. The broth was flavorful and sweet. The udon was freshly made, so it is very chewy. The time i went was not so crowded as well. read more

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

Go here often and enjoy most times. Tuesday, stood in lunch line for literally 30 minutes, nothing happening, no explanation, asked a woman behind the counter why no one was being served and she stared at me sternly without answering my question - literally stared me down like I had insulted her after repeating my question a few times, she said "we're restocking" - good to know. read more

Food: 5/10 Service: 4/10 Wait time: less than 5 minutes Portion size: medium Value: 4/10 Came here for the first time because I was craving udon. It's an assembly line kind of restaurant like Chipotle. You pick the size medium or large (hubby still hungry after eating a large) , then you tell them which dish and they put it together in front of you! After you get your entree, there's a self serve tempura bar that you can grab from! I tried the big chicken katsu for $4.75. They also have pumpkin, shrimp, potato, mushrooms and etc. Hubby got the tonkatsu udon and I got the beef udon. I would go with the tonkatsu udon if you were to pick! It has a delicious creamy broth with a kick to it. The noodles were good but a little doughy for me. I also wish there were a little veggies in there. The beef udon I would pass. It's sweet beef that they add into kale broth and it's a little too sweet for me. If you like spicy it would be a good contrast though! Also I didn't see that the big chicken was $4.75. I only saw chicken for $2.50 because the price signs didn't exactly align with the food items. So when I was charged I asked and the cashier who was rude to me which I didn't appreciate. Service is everything to me. read more

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Came here close to closing after a day trip and fortunately secured parking spaces right by the corner of the store. Udon was just what we needed after a long day out. It was time trying nikutama udon and it was so tasty! It has a sweet broth, sweet beef, a soft-boiled egg, and as always with bowls at Marugame, green onions and tempura added on top. I liked how dense the broth was. Usually, I just get plain broth with noodles and fill up on tempura, but since we came so late, the tempura was almost out. I also noticed that there were only four types of tempura, which I'm not sure if it's because the shop has limited selection or if it's because it was the end of the day. My favorite is the fish cake tempura which I did not see a sign for. I bought a "fireball" for 50 cents; it looked like a mush of shichimi that was quite spicy although I can't recall if it was free before or if the ball itself is a new offering. Needless to say that the food didn't last long in its bowl. The checkout process was also quick and easy. The ambience of the store was a bit chaotic, but there was plenty of seating. There were student groups that were eating there together. I liked that the utensils and water were all self-serve. I also liked the format of the bathrooms. All in all, I'd come here all the time if I was a student. The food was delicious. read more

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

Food was good . We went during lunch line moved quickly wasn't to busy. Very friendly staff, place was clean.

Marugame always hits the spot. I get the nikutama every time and I could never get tired of eating it!!! My sis and I came during a Saturday around 3ish with no line!! There's plenty of seating here and the bathrooms are super clean! read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Good food for a good price. Got their udon with some toppings. Udon was made in fresh in house daily and we could see them making it! read more

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

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Very tasty casual udon spot. Got the nikutama curry udon, good curry flavor. The noodles were the best part. The egg was so so. The tempura shrimp and tempura potato croquette were both great, tempura dipping sauce so so. Very fast, nice folks. Good place for a quick lunch, reasonably priced too read more

First time at this Marugame Udon location. I've been to SF Marugame and found out there was one in the East Bay. This location is near UC Berkeley/downtown and Not hard to find. Ambience is great great selection of choices. Very clean location and has a lot of seating. Great place to enjoy a quick meal and relax. However, this location requires street parking and may be hard to find during peak hours so be aware. Also, they didn't have much of a selection of tempura compared to the SF location. Overall I enjoyed my meal at Marugame Berkeley. This time I got the Tonkatsu and Katsu curry rice bowl. I recommend these if you like curry or ramen like soups. read more

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

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I've been to Marugame in Oahu so it was nice to try one on thr mainland. Fresh udon noodles made right in front of you, customer service was fast, and food is very fresh. I had the Nikutama spicy which was a bit sweeter than I would like but overall quite yummy. The tempura options were very fresh and crispy. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

I got the tendon rice bowl and it was delicious! A variety of tempura with shrimp and veggies read more

Marugame Udon - Tempura rice bowl - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

I reccommend ordering in person instead of online pickup on busy days. I ordered through the Marugame udon app & listed to include both sauces and an egg, I wasn't given either. Plus the portion sizing was really skimpy for the regular kake udon. I was pretty disappointed but next time I know I'll have to wait in line. read more

Marugame Udon - Kake Udon, Squid Tempura, Sweet Potato Tempua - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Marugame Udon is for all of the udon lovers out there. I visited the one in Hawaii and can confirm that this location has the same quality. They have a variety of hot and cold udon dishes to choose from. I opted in for the classic Sweet Nikutami udon dish. The way this restaurants works is you get in line and let them know your order. They'll make it for you and ask if you want any toppings on it. From there, you can choose from a variety of tempura. I got the squid and shrimp ones. You'll pay and seat yourself. They have tempura sauce, katsu sauce, and togarashi in a station for you to add accordingly. The udon was perfectly cooked and chewy. If you like sweet beef, you'll really like this dish. I would say it was overall slightly salty but packed a bunch of flavor. The tempura was light and flavorful. Not oily at all which was a plus. The squish was not rubbery which was so surprising and the shrimp with the tempura sauce was chefs kiss! read more

Marugame Udon - Shrimp and Squid Tempura - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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First time eating here. The bowl of ramen I had was very good. The broth was amazing. Had one tempura shrimp which was nothing special. My only problem was the staff. Zero welcome, and really zero acknowledgement of my presence. If I didn't say anything I feel as though no one would have ever bothered to say anything to me. Even though the food was good, I am definitely not a fan of being treated like im not worth anyone's time. I will not be going back. read more

Second time in 3 days, visiting from San Diego and this place is now a regular spot! Parking is difficult here, look for metered street parking along the main street or spots around the blocks. You are welcomed by a spacious dining room, menus on stands and above the order booth, and the delicious smell of what you're about to eat! Main dishes are ordered and prepared in the initial booth, followed by a counter of a la carte selections of tempura, katsu and more. Drinks right before the cashier, and try the calamansi lemonade, it is SO good! I've ordered the Tonkatsu twice, and I'm not over it. The broth is delicious, and all the ingredients just add to it. Udon noodles are fresh, all made to order, right in front of your hungry eyes! Sit anywhere, and there is an island with the tempura sauce, eating utensils and to go containers complete with bags. Enjoy! read more

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

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Recently went to Marugame and grabbed a bowl of their curry nikutama udon noodles. I used to go this spot all the time in grad school and it still hits. I think the noodles have a good chewy consistency and their broths/sauces are flavorful. This was my first time trying the curry udon and I was definitely satisfied. They also have different types of tempura that you can grab as well. The cook was even nice enough to get up some fresh ones for us. Overall, I feel like this is a solid spot if you're looking for a quick bite in a reasonable price range ($10-$15). Fun, casual vibes. Great for lunch. read more

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

Would recommend coming here for lunch or to grab a quick bite. The service is fast. Nice variety of udon flavors, and a couple of rice bowls. Good portions too! They have an array of tempura, my favorite is the sweet potato and giant squid. Nice spot to grab a solid bowl of udon, this place feels fast food-ish, but not bad. It's in the gourmet ghetto, a lot of Berkeley students seem to come through. read more

Marugame Udon - Bokchoy udon with shrimp tempura and a side of Beef - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I enjoyed delicious udon here with family and friends. I thought service and fast and quick. The curry udon was really good. When I asked for extra green onions on the side. The cashier very nicely helped me. Nice seating inside and loved that we didn't have to wait. The water cups were in poor condition though. read more

Can't remember if I've ever been to a Marugame udon before but I would definitely come back! The service style is like chipotle/others where you pick your udon and then you travel down the line to pick up any tempuras you would like. We got the Beef (with all toppings + extra egg) and the Nikutama (with all toppings). Then for tempura we picked up 2 shrimp, 1 squid, and 1 sweet potato. I would say that the Nikutama is so much better than the beef. Don't be fooled like me - i wanted a soupy udon so despite the description of Nikutama being "sauce" it's more like a broth. Would recommend the Nikutama, not so much so the beef udon. I didn't like the flavor of the broth as much. The tempuras were good - the batter is extremely fluffy and airy. There's tempura sauce near the napkins and utensils but I honestly didn't like the sauce. I enjoy a heavier saltier sauce but this one is very light. There are plenty of seating at this location although it was extremely difficult to find parking and took us quite a long while. Would maybe recommend another location if you're driving. read more

Marugame Udon - Beef (with all toppings + extra egg) and the Nikutama (with all toppings) Tempura: 2 shrimp, 1 squid, and 1 sweet potato - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

I would say udon is my favorite type of noodle -- I like it even more than ramen, rice noodles, soba, etc. I was nervous about coming here because I cook my udon a certain way so that it's firm with a slight chew, but this place ended up being pretty great. I really like how you're able to see them make the noodles and cook them. The cafeteria ordering style also makes the service super quick. We tried the Tonkotsu ($11.95 for regular) and Curry Nikutama ($11.95 for regular). Both the broths were great and I loved the tempura toppings on them. The noodles were a bit softer than I would like, but it was pretty close. I wish the dishes had been a bit warmer and that the egg for the Tonkotsu udon was runny though. From the tempura station, we picked the fried tamago, potato croquette, and big chicken katsu. All of them had been sitting out for a bit, so they were on the cooler side. The big chicken katsu was especially cold and it was also pretty dry. I would just pick whichever tempura just came out fresh from the frier next time. Overall, solid and quick udon place with good prices! read more

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Udon is ok here. Just the same as all the other joints. What I'm here to review is their chicken Katsu teriyaki bowl. Sooooooo much sauce. My katsu was swimming in it. Became a soup instead of a rice bowl. If you order, ask for it on the side or ask for a light drizzle. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

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This place is easy, quick, convenient, reasonably priced. I love their udon. Once I saw the cooking staff discussing in details for a longtime whether the udon is cooked to perfection. Love it. Perfect for student and busy professional life. Drink selection is small read more

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I love the concept you get to choose your Udon flavor AND you get to pick a bunch of tempura? Perfect concept. Only issue? Barely any tempura options. Not sure if I came on an off day or that is usually their selection but we had - Shrimp - which was delicious - Mushroom - Bok Choy And that was it folks. I got a spicy udon which has some flavor, but I would not call it spicy. I will come back again one day to see if they have more than the 3 tempura option. Until then keep looking. As others have mentioned parking is horrendous BUT that is not the restaurant's fault. read more

Marugame is a casual restaurant where you order up front and watch them assemble your bowl, so it's a fairly quick process. Self serve tempura is available as well, and the noodles are bouncy and the broth is flavorful. The price is also pretty fair as well. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

I have to say as a franchise, Marugame is as consistent as it gets. From Honolulu where I had it for the first time to this newer bright and airy space, the menu is familiar and equally well executed. Freshly made udon noodles with good bite-back texture. I like to keep mine simple - either kake or BK tsukemen style with some tempura but other noodle options available. Friendly young staff and they accept credit cards. Speedy service makes this a great fast casual lunch spot. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

The beef udon large is our go to, you can ask for extra scallions and tempura flakes. Enough to share with another person. I recommend adding an onsen egg too. Tempura wise we usually get squid and tamago. You can add extra udon and/or soup for a few bucks as well. Fast almost self service with seatings indoor and outdoor (with adjustable sun umbrella). Clean bathrooms. Feels almost the same as the original branch in Waikiki, Hawaii! read more

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I have been wanting to come here for awhile since they added the vegan option. For the convenience and price, I'd say the broth is as good as vegan can get. It's not the best but it's pretty good. Lunchroom style format, you grab a tray and make your way down the bar. You start with telling the server what noodles you'd like, which toppings, and continue down to self-serve tempura sides. My brother and I each got the vegan udon, and brother added a soft boiled egg. Vegans need to note that the tempura is fried with non-veg items so there is for sure cross contamination if you care. I personally couldn't taste the contamination so it was vegan enough for me. We also shared some kabocha and zucchini tempura. Still light and crispy. The vegan udon was topped with ground soy meat, sort of like Tan Tan men. The taste was pretty good but the noodles were a bit over cooked and the soup warm, not piping hot. This place seems like a reliable place to eat on the regular if you don't feel like cooking. If you love to cook Japanese comfort food, you probably could throw something better together at home, but like I said, it's definitely worth the reasonable price they charge if you want a quick, hot bite to eat. Looking forward to coming back. Hope the food will be hotter next time though! read more

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Always love coming to Marugame Udon, especially in the winter when it's gloomy and rainy and I'm craving something warm. I like this location because it is next to a lot of different study spots and coffee shops, so I can always come here after studying to reward myself with a little meal. Parking at the Berkeley location is a little hard to find (but it is hard to find parking on Shattuck in general). The ordering process is so easy and everything I've tried from their menu is great! My go-to order is usually the Tonkotsu Udon and I like to grab some tempura varieties on the side. Highly recommend if you haven't had Marugame Udon before! read more

Marugame Udon - Curry Nikutama (Top) and Tonkotsu (Bottom) - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

With so many choices for food in Berkeley, Marugame Udon is a fantastic option for numerous reasons. It's affordable, service is fast since it's cafeteria-style, and the udon is usually tasty. My friend and I chose to come here for dinner due to its convenient location. It wasn't busy when we arrived so we were able to walk in and go through the ordering process. You select your udon and size (regular or large), pick it up and choose your toppings (tempura flakes, green onion, ginger), then pick out your tempura, and pay. I decided to try the BK Udon Regular size. The noodles were chewy and fresh, but the broth was pretty salty and strong from the dashi. I don't think I'd order it again as I prefer their Kake and Nikutama more. For the tempura, they have a mixture of poultry, seafood, and vegetable tempura. Since they make it individually most of the tempura was still cooking when my friend and I went down the line. So the options can be a hit or miss. For me, udon is always a soothing meal which was much needed for my friend and me. We left full as their regular size portion is generous! Marugame Udon is an acceptable option for a quick, cheap, and filling meal in Berkeley. The restaurant operates as self-serve; you order, receive your food, grab your own utensils, and bus your own plates. It's located on Shattuck with indoor and outdoor seating--parking can be found on the street. Although not my top pick for food in Berkeley, it's a decent place to get your noodle fix. read more

Marugame Udon - BK Udon (No Ginger) - Japanese Near Me - Berkeley, California

Great food and great service by Jamal. I would come back again with my family. The inside is very clean inside.

The price of a bowl of Udon with one piece of smallest pork meat is ridiculous. Not to mention the price of an additional sides you add with it. I had way better Udon than this POS and much more tastier! The curry rice is even worse. I have never tasted a Japanese curry sauce with such bad after taste. Lastly the staff is so silo and unfriendly. Not a good experience for my first time coming here; first and last for me. read more

Omg yumm! This was the perfect lunch on a chilly winter day. My son wanted to have lunch here, and had eaten here before. It was my first time so I wasn't sure what to expect but was pleasantly surprised. I read some of the previous reviews so was skeptical, but my son insisted it was good. I ordered the tonkatsu udon and had some shrimp and zucchini tempura on the side, as well as gyoza. The udon was delicious, a reasonable portion, and good flavor. I didn't get to eat much of the shrimp and zucchini tempura as my son snatched it off my plate and ate it, but the one bite I had was good. We came for a late lunch, around 1:30 on a weekday, and there was no line. They were out of most of the sides but we were able to order and a fresh batch was brought to the table. I would come here again when I'm in the area or craving some udon with my kiddos as there is something for everyone here. read more

my most coveted food spot in HI has finally landed a few location in the bay and I could not be anymore happier at all! This just happened to be the first location I visited but I'm sure I will def get to them all over time! So lets get started..... You already know Im noodz bae so I was excited for them to come into town. I have tried the curry, and spicy udon bowl so far and a handful + more of their tempuras from shrimp, chicken, veggie, and more! they are all delish but the chicken one is still my fave! but you gotta get the shrimp on to pair with your perfect udon bowl style. . They have a smaller sized selection of broths you can choose from but every bowl is unique in its own very special way. I cant wait to try them all and tell you which one holds the title. For now since I've only had 2 bowls I like the curry one best so far. This location is quite larger than the other mainland in HI but thats even better! they have tables all around and a small table for utensils and sauces in the middle. Even have seating outdoor in the patio for those nice days. Service is great and there was no line during our visit. Cant wait to come back for some more udon and my prefect cravings bowl/broth selection! DEF a fan and you should come check them out to see what I'm talking about and see what the hype is all about! read more

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Delicious food that is made from absolute scratch. Made me udon of the best quality. I recommend Marugame to anyone, whether they like udon or not. read more