Amazing service! Food quality is a 10/10!!!!!! They recommend me veggies and it was the best with my eel and bento meal.

I like that there's a student discount, makes it pretty good value. Staff are friendly!

When it's this mommy's off day to cook, I always suggest Marugame because I know it's a fam favorite. Marugame Udon is one of those places I keep coming back to--and for good reason. No matter how many new spots I try, this is HANDS DOWN still my go-to when I'm craving something warm, soupy/noods, comforting, and genuinely satisfying. There's just something about watching the noodles being made fresh right in front of you that sets the tone. You know you're about to be in for a treat and get a good meal. The udon is always perfectly chewy, the broth is rich without being too heavy, and everything just hits the spot every time. This Irvine location is located in the infamous Diamond Jamboree plaza ~ in the corner lot where Ajisen ramen use to be. It's spacious, bright and clean & the service is consistent. While I personally try to avoid this plaza at all costs..IYKYK..due to the parking madness & cray cray drivers, it happened to be open later and was close to home for us. I legit frequent their other locations (in Aliso Viejo or even South Coast Plaza) more, purely for my sanity. Lol I opt'd to be adventurous and stear outside my norms for once and order the cheese katsu tomamata. I love tomatoes and katsu usually, so this felt like a natural, perfect marriage. The broth was thick, but flavorful. The perfect balance of sweet and savory. The katsu was uber crispy (as with all their fried sides). The cheese surprisingly worked & was really the star ingredient. It blended everything together perfectly. I'm usually a creature of habit and go for the creamy broth udon, as it's always my favorite. That creamy chicken broth, topped with juicy pork chashu, and a flavorful seasoned egg is just sooo yums! Add some chili oil and flakes and BAM..heaven. Glad I changed it up this time around. I would totally order the cheese katsu tomamata again. Whether I'm super hungry or just need a quick pick-me-up, Marugame never disappoints ~ a total RxFoodie recommend!!! read more

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A small eatery located in Diamond Jamboree shopping center specialized in Japanese hand crafted udon and tempura. We visited there on a Friday around 1:00 pm. The place was relatively small and yet not crowed at that time. Menu items were posted on the wall and order was taken from the counter. Food was prepared right in front of your eye. You pick up your order right there when it's ready . Everything was self serviced like a fast food outfit. The udon bowl came in regular and large sizes. We tried the Bolognese, shrimp BK and Cheese Katsu Tomatama all in regular size. The bowl was small for the price. The meat portions beside the Cheese katsu were stringent , only 2 shrimps for the shrimp BK and a small heap of beef shavings for the Bolognese. The taste was so so and the beef in spite of thinly sliced was tough. Not really worth the price. read more

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Apr '26: - They need to get rid of that order pickup bookcase. Too much cause for confusion. I had waited extra 5 mins for my order, but since it still didn't show, I finally asked staff; turns out it'd already been ready by the cashier. He said the shop no longer places to-go orders on that bookcase... They don't post a sign on the bookcase saying so and to ask the cashier, so when you walk in and see an empty bookcase, you think the staff are still preparing your order. Furthermore, both the online order platform & receipt didn't mention this either, so you'd have no clue about the system change. - Another reason they should rid of that bookcase: other patrons were mistaking it for tray dropoff. - Only one men's restroom. Women's restroom has multiple stalls but without single-room privacy, so a waiting man's outta luck. - Food's been getting a lil more exorbitant. I used to love how cheap their food was. - Staff's energy lately hasn't been as signature vibrant as from their grand opening, but that's ok. - My table was dirty when I arrived. Feb '25: Likes: + The Curry Nikutama has so much meat! For just $15! No wonder it's their popular item. + Clean interior decor. Vibrant atmosphere. + Friendly, helpful staff. + Various utensils and condiments readily available by the order pick-up station. + Your pick-up order is well labeled so you can easily spot it from afar. . Ample but often crowded parking lot. . They're not on UberEats. Extra $4-5 cost on DoorDash. If ordering online, better go on vendor website. . Personally I prefer not having to walk deep into the restaurant to pick up my to-go order. read more

My favorite udon place. I first found out about Marugame Udon in Waikiki and Costa Mesa. Found one a mile away in Irvine and yum!!!! I usually get creamy broth but this time I tried curry #12 this time. It was ok. I thought it was going to be a golden curry but it was more tomato curry. I still finished it. The cheese on top of chicken katsu and noodles were delicious! I've tried the sweet potato three times and it's dry. The shrimp tempura is always good! Service always good and quick! Restaurant was clean and tidy. Love the utensils, sauce and togo containers ready to go on its own table. Thank you Marugame udon! read more

Marugame Udon - #12 regular, shrimp tempura and sweet potato - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

9/10 meal! staff were super nice and the line moved fast. udon was SO good! the broth has a deep flavor and was very flavorful (not too salty though). udon noodles were surprisingly firm and chewy too. only downside is that the beef ratio was off compared to the rest of the bowl :( but it was super tasty! the sweet potato tempura was yummy but not as crunchy (likely from sitting under the lamp). highly recommend though would def come again! + uci students get 15% off :p read more

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

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Great atmosphere, feels like you're in Japan with the ordering system. Choose your favorite dish, add toppings, and then voila you got yourself a hearty meal. I like to order the Cheese Katsu Tomatoma Curry. It comes with Chicken Katsu and cheese in a warm tomato-based curry. I added a tempura crab for an extra bite. I like to grab extra of the fried tempura bits (complimentary) to add to my dish for additional texture. read more

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

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I've been to a couple other Marugame locations around Orange County, and I was very impressed with the quick service here! I came to get lunch with my parents at 1 PM on a Saturday, which I honestly thought I'd regret because of the weekend Diamond Jamboree crowd. I walked past several other restaurants with lines out the door, crowds of people waiting, and I braced myself, anticipating the same fate at Marugame. To my pleasant surprise, there was barely a line (just one couple in front of me), and I got my food in a matter of minutes. I ordered the #3 - the beef udon - and I got seaweed, tempura flakes, and green onion on top. As always, the quality of the food was top notch. Plenty of seating was available inside. This was honestly the most efficient, seamless experience I've had at a Marugame Udon, especially for such a busy plaza, and on a weekend no less. I will definitely be coming back to this location!! read more

Marugame Udon - Beef udon - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

This is my go-to spot for udon! I always order the #9 R -- it comes with two shrimp tempura, which I love. Unfortunately, today's visit felt off due to one of the female chefs. I asked for my shrimp tempura on the side, and I noticed she tried to give me one that had fallen off to the side. Since they were out of shrimp tempura, it seemed like she was attempting to slip that one in. I had to ask for a fresh piece because I wasn't comfortable taking the one that had fallen. As that would be the case for anyone. The service also started off a bit strange -- we weren't asked whether we wanted our udon hot or cold, and I didn't receive enough broth. That said, the highlight of the experience was ROSE. She was incredibly friendly, hardworking, and attentive. Her customer service truly stood out, and she made the visit much better. She's the kind of employee who deserves recognition and appreciation. The ambiance is nice, with plenty of seating available. read more

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Quick service, yummy consistent food, and good space to dine in. Special thanks to Rose for their hospitality!! The absolute sweetest. read more

Marugame Udon - Grilled Eel Bento - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

The BK udon is really good! I like getting it cold. I just wish there was a bit more soup, but it was very flavorful. The service today was very good. Shoutout to Rose for being very helpful and attentive. read more

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Located at the hustling and bustling Asian food extravaganza shopping center, Diamond Jamboree. That's said, beware parking can be tough so build in extra time. A few simple authentic Japanese ingredients are used to make house made chewy and bouncy udon noodles. The noodles were scrumptious. Definitely tasted fresh. The broth was smooth and savory. Mmm! Ample seating indoors and outdoors. Student discount (see picture) are nice aspects of this location. However, service and ambiance are where they fell short. In the time I was there, I never saw an employee come out to the floor to clean tables and do general tidying up. As a result, the tables were pretty gross and random garbage here and there. read more

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I've been really enjoying my recent visits to Marugame Udon, especially their regular kake udon with a tempura side. They've been promoting it as a meal under $10, and it's definitely filling and satisfying for the price. The broth is light and comforting without being overwhelming. Service is quick--I didn't have to wait long, and the udon is prepared fresh. You move down the line cafeteria-style, add your own toppings, pick out your tempura, and then pay at the cashier. It's efficient and easy. Water cups are also conveniently available at the self-serve station. The only downside is the parking at Diamond Jamboree, which can get pretty chaotic, but the food itself makes the trip worth it. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

My family came here last week on my daughter's recommendation--she really wanted us to try this place. When we arrived, there was a line to place our order, but she assured us it was worth the wait, and she was right. I ordered the creamy broth, while she got the Curry Nikutama. We also tried several sides. It was fun watching them make the udon fresh, from dough to bowl. I gotta say, the udon was super yummy--perfect texture and full of flavor. The sides were all tasty as well, and the wait was definitely worth it. We'll gladly be back, though I gotta say finding parking in their lot is brutal. So I say, visit when it's not peak times read more

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I was first introduced to Marugame Udon in Waikiki and didn't realize they were also in Irvine. In Waikiki, you can look them up on Yelp! and see that they are also mobbed with tons of waiting customers lined up for a block! Here, we just walked right in and I'd posit that with all of the super expensive food in Honolulu, MU is such a welcome break with most meals costing less than $10 and we're talking, udon with broth and some tempura on the side. Super reasonable but more importantly, super good. The fresh udon noods have a chewy texture and are super thick, almost like dumplings so what's not to like? My daughter and I had two bowls of Udon, and I had a potato croquette and a shrimp tempura and we each had a soft drink and it was still less than $25 all in. Amazing value but the rare thing is that the food is great as well. Give this a try - you'll dig it! read more

Marugame Udon - Live, Love, Udon. If you're looking for Udon noods, you've found your happy place here. - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Udon always hits the spot, and when it comes to Marugame, the convenience just can't be beat. I get in, I'm sitting with a pile of noodles in front of me within 5 minutes, max. It's fast and easy. I'm such a simple gal, I always get the kake udon, add an egg and a sweet potato tempura. Add some togarashi and I'm good to go. Its simplicity itself and it's delicious as heck. This is one of those dishes that I just consistently crave. This location is in Diamond Jamboree so of course, it can get crowded parking-wise. We came on a weeknight and it wasn't too crowded inside though. Lots of seating at this location, too. One large bowl easily provides enough for two meals (leftovers are just as good). I will be back! read more

Marugame Udon - Kake - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Got the beef udon and it was so good; especially for how cheap it is. They really load it up with beef, which I appreciated. We also got the imitation crab on the side and that was super good too. Service was insanely fast. I got my food almost instantly, and it was cool being able to watch my noodles getting cooked right in front of me. Everything felt efficient but still high quality. The ambiance was great and honestly brought me back to Japan: simple, lively, and comforting in the best way. Overall, amazing food, fast service, great value. 10/10, would absolutely come back read more

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This was our first time trying this chain and we liked it. They make their udon fresh when you order, as in you see them cut the udon before cooking it. The flavor was great but a bit salty towards the end. This was great for a quick bite! It's a cafeteria style layout as you order at the udon station and slide your food tray down the line. You have the option of grabbing tempura for extra charge. You can top your bowl with complimentary toppings (green onion, cilantro, ginger, tempura flakes) and then pay at the register. read more

Marugame Udon - Creamy broth - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Marugame has really great Udon, especially for the prices they offer. Ordered the creamy broth (medium) which is one of their 2 most popular picks. And it was not a disappointment at all! The broth was rich and creamy, and not too salty like many other restaurants prepare their broth. Adding the toppings (tempura flakes, scallions, ginger, and crunchy seaweed) enhances the flavors. The noodles were thick and chewy, just how I like it. Would have liked more of the chashu pork but it is a more expensive item so understandable they don't add a lot of meat. Also ordered tempura shrimp on the side which complimented the soup really well. They have other batter-fried vegetables too but I deferred those for another time. Plenty of seating around with lots of light. Although I can see it getting crowded during busier hours. Orders are quickly made on the spot when you order your bowl of Udon, and then you can pick up sides before you get ringed up. To-go and pickup uses a kiosk instead with self-pay. read more

Marugame Udon - Creamy broth Udon - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

How I've never reviewed this spot is pretty comedic considering how many times I've gone since opening. If you've been to the Costa Mesa (South Coast Plaza) location, then this is much of the same, with a more open space. And for that, it gets the full 5 star treatment. Service is always great, management has really chosen a team that is both polite and helpful. I have not been here once where I felt I was a burden...even during peak hours. It's hard to beat the plain Large Kitsune for $12. Beef Udon is also a great p[topm. However the only let down I've ever had was the Tomatama. It could be my own mistake, but definitely skip that cheese. The katsu, however, was crispy and perfect. Best part about this location, and I am unsure about the SCP location, is the Self-serve tempura flakes and green onions. You know who is loading up on that! Will always be back. Love this place. read more

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Good location with lots of parking. Interior is more of a cafeteria feel. Modern and very clean. Prices are competitive. Food was overall pretty good. The shrimp tempura was perfectly fried. My only complaint and suggestion to the owner would be to not be so cheap with the udon broth. I ordered a large udon and if you look at the pics you can see it barely covers the noodles. read more

Marugame Udon - Tempura udon - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

About what you'd expect from a marugame which is a good thing! Fast and easy ordering from the noodles to the tempura. Plenty of seating and plenty of parking (though depending when you come the lot and structure may be at capacity!). Good service. Clean restaurant. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Solid addition to the diamond jamboree Plaza. I do prefer the South Coast Plaza mall location, but the difference in taste is really minimal so I don't mind going to either. I also wish they had more selection in tempura options which I believe they used to have a lot of prior to the pandemic. I went at the height of dinner hour around 6:30 PM and was surprised that the toppings for the soup, such as green onion and tempura flakes were not being refilled or attended to despite it being a busy time. Also the person that took our order messed up both of ours and gave us completely different soups, and then looked at us like we were crazy when we politely corrected him. He eventually did get the order right, but he looked extremely annoyed while doing it. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Great Food. Great Choices . Service is very fast and great. Good environment to have casual lunch or dinner .

Not wanting to wait in line for hours at another DJ restaurant, we decided to stop by here which luckily had little to no wait. Hungry and overwhelmed, we ended up picking the #1 and #2: the nikutama and the tomatama curry. The line experience is pretty cool, as you get to watch them make your udon noodles and soup as you path across. Then you have a selection of tempura sides to add to your meal. Maybe it's just my inner almond mom, but it would've been nice to have other options besides fried stuff for the add-ons? The udon noodles had a great, satisfying chew, so they certainly nailed that aspect. The broths had good flavor, but I'd say they were a bit too concentrated. The tomatama was very thick, and the dashi broth was a bit too sweet. We even got a side of the dashi broth to-go and it was still tasty despite adding a good amount of water (we wanted to cook some shitake and bok choy in it). All in all, we came to the conclusion that we just prefer ramen over udon, mainly because there are a lot more interesting add-ons for the former. read more

Marugame Udon - Tomatama Curry Udon - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Stopped by Marugame Udon in Irvine and ordered the Nikutama. Simple combo of udon, dashi broth, sliced beef, and a poached egg, but it is really good. The broth was savory and comforting, the beef was tender and flavorful. Ordering is straightforward since you move down the line and customize as you go. The food is ready super fast, so it is perfect for a quick bite. Don't be scared of a short line. It's casual, efficient, and consistently good. Easy place to come back to when you want something warm and satisfying. read more

Marugame Udon - Nikutama. Regular size - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Just found my new favorite Marugame location! Maybe not for the restaurant, but as a customer it's great when the place is not super crowded. We came at opening hour, which, based on my experience in other locations like Costco Mesa, meant that you might have a chance to be within the first round of people in the queue to get a table. But here, not only were there plenty of spots, but the line was very reasonable early. I'm so worried that my excellent review of this place might ruin this, but I have to be honest...! We got three bowls of udon, two large and one regular, for one adult and three kids (12, 9, 3). We also got some tempura as well. I thought it would be plenty of food but the older kids claimed to be not full after! I think they just really liked the food. I'll say one disadvantage for going there early is that the tempura selection felt more limited. For a few items there was only one left, and some were empty. Maybe they didn't want to make so many that early? I didn't try to ask them though. Needless to say, the spacious place for our part of 4 including kids was really nice. Though next time if we came as a part of 5 then there might be more limited places we could sit. read more

Marugame Udon - Spacious indoor space, tables mostly for smaller parties though - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Always our favorite spot for an affordable meal in dj! There has always been seating available when we've visited, service is very quick as well! read more

Marugame Udon - Menu - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Was in Irvine visiting my son at UCI, looking for a great noodle spot. Came across Marugame Udon, great spot! Pro tip: if you are a UCI student with ID, you get 15% off, always great to save if you are a student. Not sure how long they have been open, but still has a "now open" sign up. When you walk in, you order a la cart when you like, Udon, Bento's, Tempura, chicken, Croquette's, drinks, etc. we both went with the #1 Udon spicy of course. Added some kabocha tempura and a piece of chicken and a canned soda. The only thing I wish is they had fountain soda vs canned, always a bummer if they serve cans in my opinion. They do have a station for crunch ice and water, which is nice. Once you get your food, you can add green onion, tempura flakes, spicy flakes, etc. the udon, spice level, tempura, chicken were all excellent, ate everything and wanted more even though I was completely full. The space is open and the kitchen is on display where they make the homemade udon noodles and lot of searing inside and a few outside in front. Recommend you check them out and get some great food at pretty decent prices. Enjoy! read more

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Marugame udon is always a great staple for a cold day so I'm glad they opened one near me! I usually get the beef udon but this time I got their special tomatama curry udon and it was just as yummy. The interior is very spacious with plenty of tables inside and outside making the ambiance very welcoming and inviting! The service was great too! I definitely recommend! read more

Marugame Udon - Beef Tomatama Curry Udon - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Marugame Udon offers comforting fresh udon and crispy tempura. We arrived around noon on a Monday and waited about 5 minutes before placing our order. I ordered a regular curry beef nikutama udon and grabbed a potato croquette tempura. I topped it with tempura flakes and green onions right before paying at the cashier. The curry udon has always been my favorite at all the Marugame Udon locations and this Irvine location was no different. I love the savory rich broth that coats the udon well. The onsen egg adds an additional layer of creaminess that brings the bowl together. read more

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

I really like this location because it's not super busy all the time and they left the add on station out so you can get however much you would like ! This was feedback for the recent limited udon bowl. I got the mentai butter udon and I was a little bit disappointed! I thought it would at least come with a sauce or something to balance out the meal but it was strauhjt up juet one small slap of butter and a small scoops of mentai. This wasnt enough to cover ALLL of my udon so it was so dry and bad. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Came here on a Wednesday night after playing some tennis with friends and needed something to warm us up so went to Marugame. Parking was very difficult at the Diamond Jamboree, probably spent 10-15 minutes circling around for parking which would be an issue for any business there. The inside was bright and spacious with plenty of seating. I saw they had new menu items so I decided to try the Tonkatsu Udon. You can customize your preference of green onions and tempura crisps. Tonkatsu Udon 6/10 - Upon first sip the broth was good, but nothing special. I loved having the thick udon noodles. The chashu portion was huge, but just okay. It was a little tough and on the sweeter side which I didn't expect. Overall an okay dish, would probably recommend their other soups instead. I think what you pay for here is the convenience and speed of the food. The whole process from ordering to paying to eating is less than 5 minutes (depending on how long the line is). Is it the best udon? No, but still solid and a quick and easy option. read more

Marugame Udon - Creamy Broth Udon-Tonkotsu Style - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

Pretty good fast-casual lunch spot in diamond jamboree. Parking in this area at night can sometimes be troubling, and I'd anticipate a longer line than lunch. Aesthetic & Ambiance: 7/10 nothing special, layout is almost like a chipotle style udon, but they do clean tables frequently. The ambiance is hustling during lunch time, but volume isn't an issue. Service: 8/10 mainly self service with just selecting your main dish Creamy Udon: 7/10 broth was definitely creamy much like tonkotsu, I wish there was more to the dish than the egg and pork chashu. I did add green onions but felt like it needed more. read more

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As a newbie to Marugame Udon, I was a bit overwhelmed upon arrival. Their system has you look at the menu as you enter, then you talk to someone behind the counter, as you walk to the cashier their is a hot buffet of add-ons. But now that we went through the whole bit I feel like our next visit will be less stressful. Mind you, we came in after 15 minutes of finding a parking spot inside the garage (no luck) then circling around the parking lot a couple of times; arriving with two cranky toddlers. We needed to sit down and look at the menu before deciding what to order. Udon was delicious. Shrimp tempura was fantastic. Loved all the food. This place seemed to be the family spot as we noticed a few other families dining. Looking forward to coming back! read more

Marugame Udon is one of my fave cheap eats! I prefer this location over the one at South Coast, as it's much brighter and less cramped. My go to is the Nikutama. I can never seem to order anything else. Love how quickly you get your food! I'm somewhere between four and five stars, but will give it a five for service. Even though you are supposed to bus your own tray, someone came by and offered to take our trays before we even had the chance. Parking at Diamond Jamboree can be tough. We got lucky and got a space in the parking garage. read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California

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Came here for lunch on a Thursday. The place was pretty empty around 11 AM. The workers were nice and the process of getting our udon was straightforward. I wish the tempura bar had more items, it was really small. I got the Tomatama Curry with Cheese Katsu (on the side), which was good, but not amazing. The noodles were a bit harder than I would've liked. Glad I tried this though, it was a fun and unique dish! read more

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They put boiling udon soup base in a plastic container. I saw a lot of steam coming out of the soup that was in a plastic container. They have no concept of microplastics leeching into the soup. The proper way is to let it cool down first and then it is ok to transfer it to a plastic container. I will never come back until they understand that convenience should not outweigh health and respect of food people eat read more

I've been going to the Marugame in south coast plaza for yearssss but this was my first time trying the Irvine location! I loved how spacious it was inside compared to the Costa Mesa one, and it was a delicious meal but I do think the other location is just slightly tastier and the tempura selection was very empty when I went which was a little after 6 pm on a Wednesday. This was all okay because I still got what I wanted after waiting just about a minute or two, and I really enjoyed it!! My only actual complaint is that I was sitting right underneath the air vent and the condensation from it dripped on me twice before I moved over, which really kind of grossed me out and made my experience here not as great as it could have been because there shouldn't be any area where customers can get dripped on by something from the ceiling. I hope they fix this, but in case they don't, make sure to look up before sitting down to make sure you're not right underneath a vent!!! read more

Marugame Udon - Japanese Near Me - Irvine, California