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This place first of all was soooo cute! I loved the environment, it screamed high class but also very cozy. The portions were great and to be honest this was one of my favorite ramen places I've been to in NY.
Came here with a group of friends. They have chilled ramen for summer days. Unfortunately, the omelette ramen was way too sour (and I quite like vinegar). I had to drink water in between bites to counteract the sourness. The service was terrible -- very slow. We had to ask for water refills multiple times and it took a long time to flag down the check. They auto add gratuity for groups over 5 people. There was also some fly under the table as I got bit a few times.
I really really love this restaurant. It's rare for me to stray from an order once I find what I like, but this menu makes you want to order something new each time. Goes without saying that the dishes and udon noodles, specifically, are phenomenal. I also really love the communal/ long table-style seating that they have in the center of the dining area
I'm surprised by how affordable this is for williamsburg especially for a place of this quality. (Hope i didn't jinx it) But I came for lunch and got cold udon and unagi tacos which is basically a hand roll. Everything was very tasty and large portions. As someone who is trying to cut down on meat consumption, I appreciated how many vegetarian options were here. Plus their music is fire.
Rating 3.5 I compare all the udon places in NYC to Raku, which is my favorite. Unfortunately, I thought the udon here was just ok. I got the shrimp tempura udon: the noodles were not chewy, which is the main feature I look for. You get two pieces of shrimp, which they place in the broth itself. I wish they placed it on the side since by the time I ate them they were really soggy. We also sat the communal table, which felt a bit cramped during dinner (especially with bags, umbrellas, and winter coats strewn everywhere). Overall not bad but not the best I've had.
I'm always down to try a new sushi spot, and glad to add this one to one of my favorites. There isn't a whole lot to say really- it's a cute, simple dining room with a long, wooden dining table in the center. The food is fresh and delicious. I only ordered two rolls which I devoured, and I saw people around me ordering the noodles, so I'll have to try that next time!
Great takeout for noodles! They pack everything up with the broth and extra spices separate, which was a nice touch. Kinokojil kake udon was great, chewy noodles and SO MANY different mushrooms (usually you only get a handful from most veggie soups) and lots of umami flavor while still being subtler than ramen. The eggplant was a nice touch as well, an upgrade from your typical tempura udon without any heavy meats. The original fatty mama ramen was your typical mix of chashu and veggies and egg, the broth had some extra ingredients that made it a little more flavorful and didn't have that bitter aftertaste you get sometimes with tonkotsu. I reheated in the next day and it had some odd clumps, but wouldn't have been an issue day-of. I loved the homemade gyoza maybe the most! The two sauces to go with it were savory and delightful, truly unique, and the dough was the perfect combination of soft and crisped. I'd get takeout again or try sitting in!
Pretty cute and vibey restaurant with friendly staff, but unfortunately the food was very mid. We got the pork gyoza to split. I liked the dole up of sauce in the middle (mostly salty and spicy, a little sweet) and the dipping sauce they provided on the side. The dumplings themselves however weren't that good; they weren't crispy at all, they were oozing oil, and the filling wasn't very flavorful at all. The pork curry udon was okay, the broth wasn't too heavy and the pork was pretty tender. The udon was a little too soft and overcooked though. My friends who got cold udon said their udon was very al dente - I had the impression they cook all their udon together and the people who order cold udon dishes end up with undercooked udon and the people with warm warm udon dishes end up with overcooked udon.
If you have Ramen, Sushi, good music, good drinks and good service all under one roof...well I'm there. Really wanted to give 5 star review for Samurai Mama however the only minor detail holding back is the broth on their original Ramen is a bit thin and lacking that rich deep flavor. Maybe it was just a one time fluke but overall I was very content. Definitely coming back soon to try their own house made Udon.
DELICIOUS!! Came here while visiting NYC and our local friends book our reservation here. It did not disappoint! We started with several apps and you really can't go wrong with any of them! I had the tofu udon in fish broth for my meal (I think it was called the Kitsune Udon) and it was very yummy. The tofu had a slight sweet flavor which was good to help break up the photo. The broth was SO good and I would recommend this place! The ambiance was also very nice.
This restaurant has been on my list and I was finally excited to check it out for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. I loved the communal table and the decor inside. However, I'm not sure I would've liked it if I came during dinner because it would've been a bit too cramped and loud. It's winter time and no coat room so my winter jacket took up the entire seat next to me. Because I came during lunch when it was empty, it was not an issue. Ordered the seaweed salad, pork gyoza and sukiyaki udon. The seaweed salad was very interesting. The menu did not provide any details so I was expecting the usual seaweed salad you get anywhere. This was a dish that came with 5 different kinds of seaweed and 2 different sauces. It was very cool and unique, but flavor was just okay in my opinion. I felt extremely healthy eating it though, which is a nice feeling. Pork gyoza were small but packed with a lot of flavor. And the sukiyaki udon was delicious! I loved the umami, fatty beef and how the tofu soaked up all that sauce. My only wish was for the udon to come out hot like they do in Japan. I hardly had to blow on the udon to eat. I would come back to try other udon and ramen from here!
Really liked the fresh, chewy udon noodles :) Soup broth for the chilled bukkake udon is good if you like a sweeter broth. And I loved the onsen egg it came with! Desserts are pretty standard, nothing to write home about. Good for groups or a semi-casual first date.
6 years ago
Great service, great Covid safe outdoor dining, great food. Everything was super fresh. We got the seaweed salad, shrimp gyoza, karage, washu beef burger, sukiyaki udon, green tea mochi with red bean paste, and hot sake. Thank you read more
6 years ago
4 years ago
My first time here and I ordered the Bukkake Salmon Ikura Udon. Loved it! Definitely would go back to eat it again. Also tried the taco set. The fish was very fresh. And the pork gyoza was not bad. read more
8 years ago
Authentic Japanese Tavern where are served excellent udon and sushi. The variety of udon is incredible! The environment with its soft-lighting is as beautiful as the food. We tried some dip fried chicken (not you typical fried chicken) with garlic sauce, the Inoko Tsukejil Udon with a cooked variety of mushrooms dipping sauce and on top of it a perfectly cooked poached egg. You might experience a little bit of wait during busy nights but it worth it. read more
10 years ago
Samurai mama is always a great experience for me and this time around was my second time there but first time during the winter season. It was such a windy day today so I decided to get a hot pour over udon (spicy bukakke udon) and it wasn't very spicy *my spice level is very high so it might be spicy to others who aren't used to it* and the poached egg was just perfectly cooked/uncooked . However I did expect the soup to be a little hotter but that was okay because I ordered a mama mojito to warm me right up! My friend got the lychee shocu and the bartender was showing us how they put lychee ice cubes into the cocktail instead of regular ones in order to enhance the lychee taste :3 The servers are always friendly and so was the bar tender. read more
5 years ago
Samurai Mama is my absolute favorite restaurant in Williamsburg. The staff is always courteous & helpful. I love to order the kitsune udon with ume. The broth is light & delicious. I also love the vegetable gyoza (way better than the pork) & the salmon uni tako. I've been here so many times & the only thing I didn't like was the squash. I was expecting it to be warm. I've been to Japan & this place reminds me of it. Order your broth extra hot! read more
11 years ago
One of my go-to places when I'm craving Japanese food in the area or on a cold blustery day to enjoy some hot soup with udon! Definitely expect a wait during dinner hours on weekends, but it's generally ok to get a seat during the week or earlier on in the day. During busy times they stick you in this back room where you can have a drink but there's barely any place to stand or sit and it's a bit uncomfortable. Once seated, I usually enjoy the Bukkake udon, a term which I used to connote with very bad things but apparently means 'dump style' udon where you pour broth onto a bowl of noodles and a poached egg. Once you add a topping or two on there the dish comes out to about 13-16 bucks. I was extremely hesitant to try the 'taco' style sushi as it sounded like some sort of gross fusion concoction, but it's really just a modified hand roll. There's a ton of fish and other goodies in each one, and it's quite filling. It's also the first time I saw a sushi dish come out with a choice of three different soy sauces, each with a different level of wasabi already mixed in. I'm not sure if that's more or less authentic than a normal sushi place but I it was certainly unique! One dish I was surprised not to love the Mama's gyoza dish, which is a whole bunch of gyoza cooked together on a cast iron pan. I love gyoza, and I love the crispiness provided by the cast iron, but in this dish it just made each dumpling soggy and hard to eat vs. just having normal individual ones. Disappointed as I was sure I would be a huge fan of this! Finally, I highly recommend their lunch special, which they also serve on weekends! For $10 you can get a donburi bowl with salad and soup, and for $3 you can get a bowl of udon on the side! It ends up being a huge meal with a lot of variety for a bargain! read more
5 years ago
7 years ago
Second time here and service very consistent. I had such a wonderful server today. I think her name was Kaynon. Really sweet and attentive. Food is really good. Sushi tacos are tasty and offer some crunch. Garlic chicken is a must. Veggie dumpling sounds simple but not no simple. I enjoyed these a lot. Draft beer was refreshing and light. The setting was most comfortable. I really enjoyed this establishment overall. read more
Samurai Mama is an udon spot, which is an interesting detour from the current ramen and hand pulled noodles craze in NY. First thing you'll notice is that this place is big. More long than wide (heh) and they even have a waiting room in the back where you can order drinks while you wait for your table. It actually kinda feels like a sauna (thankfully not temperature-wise) because there's wood paneling and everyone's sitting next to each other facing the same direction. Anyway, I ordered some sort of ginger drink, which I think was mixed with beer. It came in a big pint glass, and was not good. But there was a lot of it, and I got drunk since I'd been day drinking. Service was quick. For my udon, I went with the Pork Curry. The broth had a bit of tartness to it, but the curry flavor was pretty mild. I liked the pork portions, but the noodles were also great. Thick but not rubbery. I also tried the Nikujil Kake udon, which was with pork belly. I liked that one a bit more. But both were good. They also have a Bukkake Udon, but it sounded kind of messy. read more
5 years ago
They actually take credit now (visa and MasterCard)! Large cabin like rooms with udon. I got the nabeyaki and it was delish. Served piping hot, it was the perfect meal for a cold day (and my cold). Would highly recommend the food here if you just want something light and soupy. I also ordered the hot tea while I was here, what an amazing combo. read more
12 years ago
Upon entering the restaurant, I caught a strong whiff of incense and knew right then I would like this place. Very spacious and good for groups - they have a large communal table in the front. We went towards the back of the restaurant, where it was more quiet. The gyoza came in a cast iron pan - very cool - and was topped with spices. Definitely different from any gyoza I've ever had; it looked like a pizza pie and had crispy flakes on it. Very tasty. I got the spicy Bukkake udon, where the soup comes in a separate bowl. No MSG and just the right amount of spicyness not to knock out the flavor of the meat + noodles altogether. I thought it wasn't going to be enough soup, but it turned out to be just enough so that my noodles aren't drowning in a broth and difficult to pick out. Definitely would recommend this place to anyone on a ramen break and who wants to try out some delicious udon instead. read more
8 years ago
Business owner information
Makoto S.
Mirabel,…
We've been now a couple times and it's always a treat! On a chilled NYE night, it was easy to get a seat. Staff was friendly, not overbearing, but a bit aloof. We ordered a couple of rolls, uni taco, mushroom tempura, shrimp tempura udon and everything was delicious and prepared with great finesse one would expect at a Japanese establishment. Consistency in taste and quality across each visit and with sister restaurants if phenomenal! Price point is very fair for this offering. Thank you!!! read more
11 years ago
Good little place in the neighborhood- we got there around 8 and got seated right away at the communal table. Service was adequate, we got water right away and they came back to take our orders a little after. I really enjoyed the spicy tuna "tacos", each portion comes with 2 pieces, and they were delicious. I got the udon with pork in soup form and those noodles were one of the best I've had so far. Only downside is that I wish the udon portions were bigger, especially for the price. Definitely a spot worth checking out read more
Thought this was a pretty good stop on our journey over to Brooklyn. Sounds like we went at the right time (around 2-3 on a weekday) because there was no wait and the place was sort of empty. We ordered: SEAFOOD CURRY UDON - OMG soooo good. The broth was to die for and everything about this was just amazing. I would order this everyday. LUNCH SPECIAL - 2 rolls( JALAPEÑO YELLOW, GUACAMOLE SALMON) salad and small udon soup. Very filling. I could definitely have shared this with someone, well the rolls anyway. Atmosphere was cool and very relaxed since there was practically no one in there but I can see how busy it gets since it is so small. read more
Came here to eat ramen - not the best ramen I've had in the city, but not too bad (although I regret not ordering the udon!) The gyoza was good - this place is CASH ONLY so remember that! Will be back to try the udon sometime read more
8 years ago
8 years ago
So I just came from Samurai Mama and the food wasn't too bad, however service was not good. The waitress spilled some oil on my friends dress and also accidentally dropped a dirty spoon on my arm. I know it was clearly an accident, however it's ridiculous that they require a 20% tip for a party for a party of 5. With the accident we would have tipped way below 20% because they didn't even try to offer anything for consolation. Their service definitely does not deserve the 20%. I was considering to fight against the bill, however it may be a losing battle and just not worth my time. read more
10 years ago
Why do all the good restaurants come in when I move away?! I came here last week and their katsu donburi lunch special definitely hit the spot - veggies were super fresh, the meat lightly breaded and gently coated with egg, overall tasted authentic. It came with a simple soup and a salad as well - nobody ever comments on the side salad, but that simple dressing had a nice tangy kick. This is also one of those places you can eat alone at and feel totally comfortable. Felt relaxed sitting at the big center table. If I had a bigger apartment I'd get one of those for myself. read more
4 years ago
10 years ago
Possibly the best sushi I've ever eaten in my life. OK, I know I've said that alot - hey, I love sushi! - but this was truly wonderful. The service was a bit weird, being at a large communal picnic-style table meant the waitress had to lean way in beside us to deliver our food and beverages but it was ok. The food was just stunning and well surpassed anything I could've dreamt. I loved their sushi rolls which were in individual 'leaves' of seaweed. Yummy! We had so many lovely things and I would happily go back time and again. read more
Late nite stop..loud bday party in a booth..sporadic diners at the family style table..dripping AC...all of that did not bother me one bit..but what fid was the service..our waitress seemed to have a chip on her shoulder...ordered a tuna roll..(mediocre)..pprk dumplings (not bad..but did not like how it was pan seared).. and a cocktail...would of ordered the udon if the service was more friendly read more
7 years ago
Got the mama ramen which was delicious. The broth was not too heavy but still flavorful. The Chashi pork was the best part. It was like butter. The egg was the perfect texture. My only complaint is that I think my ramen might have been waiting to come to me for a little while because it was only lukewarm when I got to me and the noodles had already absorbed a lot of the soup by then. But the food itself was good, just seems like the waiter messed up and left it waiting to long so I'll let it slide and still give 5 stars. I want to come back and try the sushi taco set! read more
8 years ago
We'll get the bad out of the way first, I can corroborate others' comments on the lack of customer service here. Our waitress seemed perpetually annoyed by us. Never once smiled, never once responded to our "thanks" with a "you're welcome". That said, the food and ambiance out-shown that shortfall for me. Our grub came out correctly and in a timely fashion, and everything was absolutely delicious! I'm already dreaming of returning to enjoy another large bowl of their pork curry udon soup. It was amazingly flavor-filled and every bite and slurp complemented the next. My draft asahi super dry arrived perfectly chilled and was a wonderful companion to my hot dish. The place has a warm, cozy, homey feel to it and had my group not had plans at Videology immediately after our meal we probably would have made ourselves comfortable drinking a few more ice cold asahis. Definitely worth checking out! read more
13 years ago
I liked the vibe here but the portions are small. I had the pork belly udon soup and spicy salmon taco which was basically salmon on top of a dollop of rice with a square of seaweed enveloped like a taco. The pork belly was all fat and the amount of noodles was pretty miserly. Nice place but I wouldn't come back especially when there are so many other cool places to try in this neighborhood. read more
8 years ago
9 years ago
Plethora of vegan veggie options and clearly labeled with a (v) on the menu. The udon soups can be made vegan too, just ask for the vegetarian broth. The entire meal with 2 shared appetizers still felt light and is perfect for the summer heat. Country style kabocha (4/5) The kabocha was sweet and creamy but it came in these huge chunks which were awkward to pick up with chop sticks. The flavor was modest but enjoyable. Seaweed Salad (5/5) I've never had a seaweed salad like this before. I can't tell you what's in it because I have no idea but it felt healthy AF. On the side they give you a choice 2 dressings you can pour yourself. Sansai Udon (4/5) The broth was light, flavorful and tasted of mushroom. They add plenty of veg to the soup too and the noodles are nice and thicc. read more
10 years ago
Went here for a late lunch; appetizers were delicious. I ordered the Mama Ramen; I looked through the ingredients to see what's inside. The Ramen was good but as I continued to eat my body and face especially was beginning to itch. I looked into my bowl and noticed eggplants. Why wasn't this listed on the menu? If I saw eggplants on the menu I wouldn't have ordered this. This was extremely careless and dangerous on their part; what if I had a severe deadly allergic reaction? Of course I didn't ask if there were eggplants in the Ramen bc well who the hell have heard of eggplants in Ramen & it wasn't listed (everything else was listed though). Fortunately the only thing that happened to me was a very itchy body & a couple is rashes. read more
This place is cash only! I came here on Sunday around 12:30pm and it wasn't packed at all so we were able to get seated right away. I decided to order the Fatty Mama Ramen ($11) on the lunch menu special. The lunch special came with a small bowl of salad. The dressing in the salad was really good! Everything about the Fatty Mama Ramen is not your typical traditional ramen. The broth contains seafood (bonito, sardine, flying fish, crab, and mussel). The noodles aren't actually ramen noodles. They're more like noodles you'd find in beef noodle soup. These two main points are why I rated the restaurant 3 stars. It's not really ramen, BUT the dish was delicious. I really enjoyed the light broth. It was very refreshing, and roasted garlic that comes on the side really adds a really nice flavor to the dish overall. I found out afterwards that there is Samurai Papa that supposedly serves all ramen. I think when I come back next time, I will try the udon dishes since it seems like mama specializes in udon rather than ramen. read more
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