This is a cute restaurant on the side of Mekong plaza. I never even knew it was there! When you walk in, you are instructed to take off your shoes before entering the dining room. The tables are in a tatami room style with an area for your legs to hang below. The ambiace is pretty cool. The service was good. The food was also very good, albeit a bit overpriced compared to other similar restaurants. It was a bit cold in the restaurant and I really wanted some hot green tea to warm up, but their drink menu is severely lacking and they didn't have any kind of tea to order!! read more

See all

Huge miss -- absolutely not worth the price. Unfortunately, this restaurant was a huge miss for us. I went in with an open mind and was willing to overlook some of the quirks and extremely high prices if the food and experience made up for it. Unfortunately, they didn't. When you arrive, you take your shoes off and walk barefoot or in socks up a few small stairs into a sunken dining room. I've experienced this concept at other restaurants and normally wouldn't have an issue with it. The problem here is that you obviously have to touch the floor with your hands to sit down, meaning you're touching the same floor where other guests have been walking barefoot or in their socks. The server then brings an oshibori (hot hand towel), which is a nice touch, but unfortunately it had such a strong floral fragrance that the smell lingered throughout the meal. Even worse, the towel was never cleared from our table and sat there for the entire dining experience. And apparently, we were expected to use our fragrant floral oshibori as our napkin, because we were never given any napkins at all. We eventually had to ask for them and the response was a look of confusion. We started with the Dragon Ball roll, which was $64 for five pieces. The server specifically explained that it contained three different types of tuna and egg yolk, which sounded interesting and had us excited to try it. Unfortunately, it was extremely disappointing. Each piece was essentially half egg yolk with a small amount of tuna. The yolk was gooey, sticky, and lacked flavor, and the entire dish was incredibly bland. There was no wasabi, soy sauce, or other accompaniment provided. When I asked for soy sauce, I was told they charge extra for it, which was pretty ridiculous considering we had already spent $64 on a five-bite appetizer. We also ordered the Wagu Sando and the carbonara udon, which were equally underwhelming. They lacked flavor and were not something we would order again. The Wagu even had a weird flavor that I struggled to wrap my head around. For dessert, we ordered the cream sando. The custard filling was actually good, but the breading was extremely oily, so we ended up eating mostly the inside and leaving the breading behind. And then came another head-scratcher: we were given plastic forks to eat dessert. At a restaurant at this price point, being handed plastic forks with dessert was honestly laughable. We shared one beer and one sake, along with the roll, Wagu Sando, carbonara udon, and dessert, and our bill came to almost $300. We left still wanting more to eat because these are very small portions and we are not even heavy eaters. I don't mind paying a premium for a restaurant when the food, service, and overall experience justify it. I was completely willing to overlook the prices if the food had delivered. Unfortunately, it didn't. Between the lack of basic things like napkins, being charged extra for soy sauce after spending $64 on a five-bite appetizer, the bland and underwhelming food, the oily dessert, and being handed plastic forks, the entire experience felt incredibly underwhelming for what we paid. For us, it was 100% not worth the money, and we will not be returning. Pics included for reference. read more

See all

Thank you, Chef Kass. Authentic and high quality food and Japanese atmosphere. This is a scratch kitchen, all ingredients imported from Japan. The price is based on the excellent quality. Drink: Amabuki I love Sushi and Passion Fruit Highball. Both excellent. Started with Hamachi Crudo, followed by maki rolls and more nigiri. Maki: Maguro, Blue fin tuna Nigiri: Otoro Best, yes best sushi quality I've had in Arizona. Had the Ume Daikon salad to clear the palate. - Delicious and refreshing. Finished with Ten Kale Udon, for those unfamiliar the noodles take time to prepare fresh (20-25 mins). And tempura. Excellent firmness and broth. Location: High end for the plaza it sits in. This can easily be in any high end Scottsdale location. Price: High quality, higher price. Again location is not the best for this type of establishment. Service: Excellent. I see older comments questioning the service. If they had issues they have been fixed. read more

Udon Shin - Hamachi Crudo - Noodles Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

See all

We had a great time here at Udon Shin. It wasn't too busy when we went here in the summer for early dinner on a weekday and we were a party of two so it was easy for them to seat us at the bar area. They do have tables for larger parties that feature Horigotatsu style seating in which you sit at ground level and there is a recessed pit for your legs to rest. We shared the hamachi crudo, daikon salad and got the carbonara udon and cold wagyu udon. The crudo and salad were really spectacular in presentation and taste. I think I liked these appetizers even more than our noodles! Out of the two udon dishes I liked the bold flavors of the carbonara more but my husbad preferred the more delicate flavor of the chilled udon so to each their own. Service was very attentive and it was cool seeing each chef prepare everyone's meal at the bar seating. We shared the age cream which was an indulgent treat. read more

See all

This place is very unique. I do like the overall vibe. The staff we interacted with were very friendly. Overall the meal I got was good it was just a tad bit too rich for my pallet. The pricing of everything seems quite high as well considering this is a noodle dish. I would say it is a great experience to try once but I am unsure if I would necessarily want to come back again. But overall that is a personal preference. If you do enjoy richer tasting dishes this udon carbonara will be perfect for you. read more

Udon Shin - Carbonara Udon - Noodles Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Was so excited to try this since I saw it all over social media and also saw the opening day lines out the door. I've also had the pleasure of having the original in Tokyo, which led me to be a bit disappointed with this location. It has a great japanese style dining area with one part where shoes are removed and you sit in a tatami like room. This was something that you don't get elsewhere. The service was also very friendly and attentive. The food itself was good, but nothing really blew me away. I got many different menu items and wasn't blown away to come back for any specific one. The udon was good but not entirely memorable (aside from the shape they bring it out in). The part that makes me sad is that the price is very high for what you get and this is much much higher than what they charge in the original store. read more

See all

The service is good and professional. The restaurant atmosphere is small and cozy, and everything looks nice here. All the food we ordered looked delicious; I love my Wagyu udon--it's tasty, and the marinated Wagyu was good. Other than that, the soup udon and everything else are pretty normal and not really special for us. Overall, the prices are a bit on the higher side and not entirely worth it if you are looking for standout food, but if you want to find a genuine local Japanese udon shop atmosphere, this place looks perfect. read more

See all

A brand new udon restaurant just opened in Arizona, and it is phenomenal! It's totally worth the hype. Udon Shin has such a cool concept. Before you're seated, you have to take your shoes off, so fair warning, wear some socks lol! Once you're seated, it's traditional-style dining with floor cushions and low tables, which makes for a really fun experience. The food was so, so good. I honestly couldn't have asked for better udon. I ordered the Wagyu Udon, and mixing the egg yolk into everything was literally perfection. I ate it so fast because I couldn't believe how good it was! My friend ordered the crudo and said it was delicious. I also tried another friend's tempura udon, and honestly, I probably wouldn't recommend that one. It wasn't very flavorful, and they have so many better options on the menu. For dessert, we ordered their cream-filled sandwich, and it was amazing. Overall, 10/10! The food does take a little while to come out, but I'm pretty sure that's because everything is made fresh from scratch, so it's definitely worth the wait. The service was also excellent. Everyone was incredibly polite and helpful. If you've been craving authentic udon, this is definitely the spot to check out! read more

See all

We waited a few weeks and finally picked the perfect time to come. It was 3 p.m. on a Saturday, and there was no line outside the restaurant. We walked in and were seated right away. The hostess didn't ask what kind of table we preferred, so we ended up sitting at the counter, which actually worked out because that was what we preferred. We liked that the chairs had back support. Walking toward the back of the restaurant, we noticed two private rooms for bigger groups. There was also a larger dining area with more tables, but that section requires you to take off your shoes. We ordered the Carbonara Udon, A5 Wagyu Kamatama, and Chef's Tempura. We really enjoyed the food. The udon was chewy, and we loved the texture. The A5 Wagyu was tender, and the tempura was fried perfectly. It was crispy and not too greasy. All of our servers were very friendly. We're glad we came to give this place a try. That being said, it is definitely overpriced for a bowl of udon. read more

See all

Love the concept and aesthetic--even with global locations, Udon Shin maintains its intimate and minimal layout. Shoes must be taken off if seated in the dining rooms, which elevates its ambiance from other restaurants. Our server was great; she took the time to answer questions and checked in occasionally. Negi toro was really good; it's a super simple roll, but the tuna was fresh and the ratio to rice was good. Note that if you order any sushi, soy sauce and wasabi aren't served with it as they already put the proper amount of wasabi and brushed soy sauce meant to be enjoyed with it. The carbonara was probably the star for me--it was creamy without being heavy. The tempura bacon was basically a tempura slice of ham (quite thick). The kake udon was extremely simple, just udon and broth. It was tasty, but not something I'd return for at that price point. Overall, their house made udon noodles lived up to the hype, but expect to pay a heavy price tag for the meal. Age cream dessert was exactly as described--fried bread stuffed with cream. The cream was tasty, light, and not too sweet, but ultimately not super memorable. I think it's worth trying if you're a noodle fanatic, or at the very least, to try the sushi. read more

See all

I'm a total udon lover and udon is on my top 10 favorite list of things to eat! Naturally, I was excited to hear about Udon Shin's recent opening in town. We came during their 2nd week of opening, and to avoid lines, it was around 9:40PM on a Saturday night. We were seated right away in the booths where you remove your shoes. I love the integration of the cultural Japanese vibe, decor and ambiance. The staff were incredibly hospitable and different servers would assist in taking our orders, bringing and clearing our dishes which made the dining experience very inviting and smooth. We ordered the hamachi crudo which was beautifully prepared! I loved the citrus paired with the spice of serrano peppers, it nicely melded the flavors with the hamachi. I also had the ebi tempura, very good, but pricey for $10. For udon, I got the A5 wagyu kamatama. They did mention that udon dishes take 30 mins bc they're made to order. It was extremely tasty, noodles were made perfectly. The addition of wagyu and egg definitely elevated the savory dish. However, it does come at a very steep cost of $44. Overall, I thought the food and service were phenomenal, but be prepared for a high tab. Would definitely come back, but only for special occasions or for friends or family in town. read more

See all

Udon Shin We went in between lunch and dinner since we were in the Tempe / Mesa area and arrived at 3:45pm with no wait. Entered the front door into a hallway with the receptionist behind a podium, then was asked to remove your shoes, was led to a Japanese style room with white panels, the room had about 3 steps up with one long table where the table height was just above the floor and had a sunken floor for your legs and feet, with a seat pad, which was not the easiest to get into. The 2 of us shared a table with other people. I believe the table could accommodate 10 people. They were on one end and we were on the other end. A little awkward initially but it worked. We were handed the 2 menus, a regular one and one with specials, the waiter explained things well but was expecting us to make a decision right then, so we asked to give us a minute to think things over. We decided on our meal, we started with the Ebi Set which use to be called the Chef Tempura. The Ebi Set contained 2 large tempura black tigerk shrimp, kabocha, zucchini and red bell pepper, the black tiger shrimp were about the largest that I have ever seen, close to 10 inches and incredibly delicious. The A5 Miyazaki Wagyu Donburi was a small bowl with a bed of rice, A5 Wagyu and dry flat noodles. Tasty but very small bowl, was not what was expected, probably would have passed and get sushi instead. Udon Carbonara Carbonara style with namatamago (raw jidori egg), cheese, bacon tempura (served raw or undercooked). Now if you are expecting a soup base, this is a creamy cheese sauce, the bacon tempura is very good and the best part of this entree, but the overall dish is a little different than expected. The udon was a good combination in noodles in a cheese creamy sauce. Although a popular dish, I believe it is popular because it is the least expensive udon dish at $33 as opposed to $44 or $49 for other udon selections. Age Cream Fried artisanal japanese milk bread with house made cream filling, the bread is pretty interesting, tasty with a lot of cream, pretty good. Service was very good, always there asking what they can do or topping off drinks, very attentive. Overall, if rating on purely on food would give a 3.0 to 3.5, service a 4.5 to 5, quantity of food a 3, price point of food a 2 way over price, come on I was just in Osaka, Tokyo and Kyoto last year and the beauty of Japan was excellent food for favorable price point. So I would overall, with the overall extremely high price for udon, small quantity, taste/quality i would give udon shin an overall 3. People are not going to come back with those price point of dishes, the first word of mouth recommendation will be extreme high prices over quality of food read more

See all

I ate here for the first time after seeing it on Instagram. I sat at the bar, and the server was very friendly. He explained the menu, gave me recommendations, and made me feel welcome. Since I sat at the bar I talked with the chefs, who were also incredibly hospitable. The entire staff was warm and friendly. The chefs recommended the fatty tuna nigiri and some hand rolls. I also asked them to make me a uni hand roll with caviar, and it was absolutely delicious. They recommended a yuzu highball as well, which was refreshing and paired perfectly with my meal. For my main dish, I ordered the carbonara udon with giant tempura bacon. While I usually enjoy bacon, I wasn't particularly in the mood for it at the time, so I only had a few bites. However, the udon itself was excellent. If you're looking for more authentic Japanese udon, I highly recommend this place. read more

See all

Hubs and I arrived here on Saturday 15 minutes before opening and there was already a decent line forming. You will wait outside and then the host will let you inside to place you on their waitlist. There are two areas to sit at. If you're dining at the bar area, then you do not need to take off your shoes. If you're dining in the table area, then you will need to put your shoes in designated cubbies. We sat at the bar. The ambience is inviting and warm. The service was friendly but the food did take a bit of time to get to us. We didn't mind it though as they're still new. We ordered the wagyu kamatama udon and the wagyu sando. The sando is not on the menu but you can ask for it. Bear in mind, the prices here are on the upscale side. The sando was $55 on its own. The udon noodles were delicious and the perfect texture. The dessert was simple but also very tasty. Parking itself can be a bit tricky because it is a shared lot with many other businesses. Try to come early if you can. We will definitely return to try the carbonara udon! read more

See all

So promising but ultimately disappointed. Missing the masterful attention to detail you come across easily in Japan. Udon was fantastic and our waitress gave great service. Cold udon is elite and the wagyu bukkake is no exception. Where things went wrong were the details like poorly seared wagyu, undercooked rice and patchy tempura, and most criminally, the cream sando which was soaked in oil and borderline inedible. Unfortunately the aftertaste of it is lingering on my palette. The best I've had was Godaime Hanayama Udon in Ginza and was less than $12 a bowl. Marugame is not far behind. Premium prices on top of the lackluster execution makes it very difficult to imagine returning. read more

See all

Came here the day after opening. Only had to wait about an hour, the line wasn't too bad. The service was friendly & attentive! Got my order out quickly & there were no issues :) Big fan of the udon carbonara. Very flavorful and creamy. Also liked the bacon tempura, it went very well with it. I like the ambiance & think it was a fun experience. I was worried about the place smelling like toes tbh but there were no odors lol read more

See all

Exciting to have an Udon Shin in Arizona! I hate to say it, but we were extremely disappointed. My group went on the Grand Opening Day- we were the second and third tables to be sat: I have mixed feelings, so I'll be sorting my review into three categories: Food, Ambiance, and Service. ----- Food: The flavor of the food was excellent. We received our entrees before the starters, which I would not have preferred. The carbonara udon was EXCELLENT: the bacon was flavorful and the tempura batter was crisp. The egg and the butter tasted wonderful with the noodles. The udon had divine texture and flavor. I also enjoyed my partner's A5 Wagyu Bukkake- however, the portion of meat was small for the price (almost fifty dollars!) and staff forgot the broth part of the udon for about ten minutes. The Hamachi Crudo was very beautiful, but I didn't feel as though the amount or flavor were stellar for the price. The sauce was difficult to eat. Our group also split the Wagyu Sandos- the meat was buttery, and the caviar added a perfect touch of freshness. I did feel as though the milk bread was a tad oily (this is a nitpick; it was still AWESOME). If the bread was less oily it would have been ABSOLUTELY perfect. Ambiance: The interior was lovely. We did not feel like we were in Mesa, Arizona. The corridor to take shoes off was narrow and crowded- bring shoes that are easy to remove. I also appreciated the beautifully thin water glasses and elegant light fixtures. The presentation of the food was upscale. Beautiful craftsmanship! Service: The service was, respectfully, awful. Firstly, we came as a group of 8- I asked that the host seat us nearby our other half of the group, and they did not. We had the same server, so not sure why they did not just seat us at two tables next to one another- it would have been easier for all involved. Upon sitting, we were asked if we would prefer sparkling or still water. Assuming it was complementary, we all chose still. We later found out each water was NINE DOLLARS (the soda was cheaper!) with no alternative initially given. After we had unknowingly accepted the premium water, only on our refill did the server conveniently mention there was tap water available- felt very deceptive. Especially after waiting for 3 hours in the heat, it should have been disclosed that the first offered option was not complementary. Our server also repeatedly brought the wrong food out- firstly, our starters came out after we had essentially finished our udon. One member of our party ordered the kake udon with bacon tempura- first, they brought out the bukkake udon (he did not order that), and then they brought the kake udon with shrimp tempura (he does not eat shrimp), and then after a long period, the bacon tempura finally arrived, alongside a side of a sauce and grated daikon (staff did not explain why these items were also given). My partner also ordered the A5 Wagyu Bukkake- and they forgot to bring out the pour over sauce for about ten minutes. At nearly fifty dollars, all components of the meal should be served together. We were also charged for a beer and a cola, that the OTHER HALF OF OUR PARTY ordered, not us. Afterwards, a different member of staff said our paying party member that he would be refunded for the error, with no real apology or offer to compensate for any other issues, such as the lack of sauce, receiving the wrong order 3 times in a row, etc. Finally, we felt as though the server was not prepared. For the grand opening, staff should be trained adequately. He appeared nervous, did not explain most items on the menu, repeatedly forgot items that we ordered (even with a notepad), and did not introduce himself. A different member of staff had to come and help several times, and then after that member had helped, our initial server came back and repeated the same info. It felt like staff were not communicating with one another at all. Staff also seemed annoyed when we pointed out we were wrongly charged. The other members of our party on the opposite end at least had a dessert and their waters compensated- we were not offered anything. ----- TL,DR: Food was excellent, but service was very bad for the price point. I understand first day jitters, but for the price point, the experience was horrendous. I had high expectations for the grand opening, but ultimately I and my group, were very let down. We were among the first customers in the restaurant- during a grand opening at a luxury price point, staff should be prepared to provide the best experience possible. Furthermore, my friends who visited Udon Shin in Japan remarked that it was FAR cheaper for water and pricing was much more transparent. (I understand import fees, but 9 DOLLARS for water with no initial alternative disclosed is ridiculous.) Honestly, we feel robbed. Two stars for food and ambiance. We will not be returning unless service improves. :( Disappointing! read more

See all

Food was delicious. Their udon has perfect texture but bit pricey for what you get. The sushi crudo was super fresh. Tempura was absolutely delicious. Overall, great meal, but for the price I wonder if I'd return. However, I recommend to try at least once and decide for yourself. read more

See all

I really enjoyed the experience here at Udon Shin! Felt like an oasis where people can have an experience similar to Japan without leaving Phoenix. Keep in mind prices are noticeably higher than a local Japanese restaurant in the valley. I was grateful to make it in with no wait. The udon carbonara was really tasty. It comes with parmigiano reggiano, egg yolk, butter, chives and a sort of bacon tempura. Combined it almost tastes sweet. Markel the server was great. Ambiance was certainly elevated Japanese. read more

Udon Shin - Carbonara Udon - Noodles Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

So happy I finally got to stop by here. The inside of the restaurant is super nice. Sat at the bar and it was really fun watching the chefs cook. The food is SO good. I had the Wagyu Kamatama Udon and I have to have it again. Staff was super friendly too. Can't wait to go back. read more

See all

This place felt like I was back in Japan. We took our shoes off and sat at a table with cushioned seats. We got the carbonara and the kake udon with a side of tempura. It was delicious! Would definitely come back to try the drinks and desserts next time. read more

Udon Shin - Noodles Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

See all

Reminder, everyone: This is their opening weekend, and they're doing the best they can. I've been following Udon Shin's social media pretty closely when they were first announced to open a restaurant here. I LOVE udon, and was excited to eat some authentic udon! I came on Sunday, the day after their grand opening. Around 8pm, there was still a line outside, but it wasn't too intense compared to the previous day. I think one of the hostesses was supposed to come outside to take our name/guest count, but that was honestly really unclear; no one came outside until they were ushering people to sit in the inside waiting room. There's some room for improvement here, as I would have hated being in line in the heat for however long I'd need to wait. Maybe an iPad reservation system or something? But the line moved super quickly at this point in the night, so I waited maybe 20 minutes max. The inside is pretty tight; there's a giant inside square full of tables for parties of 4 to sit at while there's a bar area for parties of 1-2 to sit at that overlook the kitchen. This reminded me of the restaurants in Tokyo, where we had to really squeeze in to make us all fit. Our waitress got to us pretty quickly, and warned us to order sooner rather than later since it'll take about 20-30min. to prepare our food. We got the shrimp tempura, a carbonara udon, the wagyu udon (not to be confused for the wagyu/tempura cold udon), and the age cream. I am a FIEND for shrimp, so I thought it was REALLY good; the shrimp was huge! The only downside of this dish is that it's $10 for ONE shrimp tempura... The shrimp WAS huge, but... The carbonara udon was basically what you'd envision an Italian dish to be. It wasn't my favourite to be honest, but because of the butter and the cheese, the sauce ended up being a bit thicker. I did wish it was a bit saltier, but if these are the same recipes they have in Japan, I'm not surprised that the salt factor would be lacking a bit (as the food just isn't as salty in Japan as it is in America). The bacon tempura was surprisingly really good. The wagyu udon was also really good, and the wagyu was VERY yummy. I wish the sauce was just a slight bit thicker though as it did not stick to the udon that well. Between the two udons, I preferred the wagyu udon more. Finally, the age cream was also pretty good, but not really anything to write home about. It's $10 for one sando, which doesn't sound terrible until you realize a sando is literally half a slice of toast. They just deep-fry the toast, then cut a line down the middle to simulate two slices. Honestly, the udon WAS better than the frozen blocks you could get at the grocery stores, but was it everything worth ~$100 + tip? I'm not quite sure. If I think of the wagyu udon as more of a sukiyaki, then I think the price is more palatable, but as an udon, it's a little hard to stomach. I think I WOULD come back, and I'd try the wagyu/tempura udon next. I do agree that this place is pretty pricey, and that is definitely an inhibitor for me coming back frequently, but if my friends were to want to come, I wouldn't necessarily say no. The only thing is that I felt the carbonara was pretty filling, but my boyfriend said he could still eat more after his wagyu udon. He felt that for the price, the amount given wasn't enough. I personally felt the service was really nice, and by day two of grand opening the staff seemed to understand the demand more. read more

See all

Our service was amazing! Miley was engaging, attentive, personable and knowledgeable. Loved the Japanese sitting style and ambiance. The food was WAY overpriced. Undon with 4 measly pieces of waygu for $44. It was ok. Also had the udon with tempura. Delish but still $$ for noodles. We just got back from Japan. Prob our whole meal would have been less than 1/2. We probably won't go back. read more

I was looking forward to trying Udon Shin ever since I heard they were coming to Arizona. My first meal here did not disappoint! The care and attention the staff and chefs took was a delight to see. I wanted to try a bit of everything and decided to try some of the dishes they recommended. I can't wait to go back and try other dishes as well as the specials they are now offering. I recommend sitting at the bar for your first time to experience the open kitchen and ambiance of the restaurant. Next time we sit at the Horigotatsu. We started with the tempura sampler, along with some crudo and nigiri. Our udon dish we selected was the Carbonara. We finished the meal with the Age Cream. I highly suggest trying Udon Shin! read more

See all

finally got the chance to come try udon shin! walking in, the hostess led us to the bar section but i had wanted to sit at a table for the full experience. she was great about it and left right away to set up our table but it seems that the bar for smaller parties is probably the default seating. there were no shoes allowed and we sat in basically a hole but it was great! the menu prices were definitely steeper than expected with the cheapest udon at $33. i've been to the location in Japan so comparing, this one in mesa is much more elevated and has a fine dining focus while the original is much more casual and quick paced. the food was good and worth it to try but i dont think i would go back. hamachi crudo was amazing and citrusy but there were only three pieces for $18! overall, i enjoyed the ambiance the most and the experience. read more

Udon Shin - hamachi crudo - Noodles Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

See all

Waited 4hrs in line for the opening! Good udon, great texture, the udon carbonara was my favorite. Tried the hot and cold wagyu soba as well as udon carbonara. The tiger shrimp are huge and tasty. The disappointing thing was the off menu secret wagyu sando - what you see on Instagram is not what we got, we got a tiny sliver of wagyu compared to what they advertised on Instagram.. This ended up being over 130pp, which I think is little crazy for udon. Advice for the management as well: since there's a 4 hour wait in line or more sometimes, you don't check people in until they get to the front of the line. Let people check in and leave to their cars or the shopping mall instead of waiting outside in the hot heat! read more

Udon Shin - They gave very tiny thin slices of wagyu - Noodles Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

The staff was friendly and welcoming, and the service was good. The Chef Tempura is a must-try, and the A5 Miyazaki Wagyu Donburi was delicious and one of the highlights of our meal. Unfortunately, the udon itself was just okay and not worth the hype in my opinion. The main reason for my rating is what happened after the meal. Neither my son nor I enjoyed the udon, and as shown in the photo, we left a large portion untouched. We asked for to-go containers so we could take the leftovers home, but were told the restaurant did not have any available. It was disappointing to pay full price for meals we barely ate and then be unable to take the remaining food with us because no takeout containers were available. While the staff was kind, this experience left us frustrated and significantly impacted our overall experience. read more

See all

I went for lunch and the ambiance inside is high end and unique for Arizona. There are dinning rooms that are sit down and shoes off which is an interesting concept; I wouldn't say it's common in Japan restaurants but is something different. Not sure that I would be into that so we sat at the bar which had normal seating. Additionally, the wait for the food is approximately 30 minutes which is quite long especially for japanese lunch; maybe the atmosphere for dinner would be more authentic. Japanese lunch is typically meant to be fast and convenient. The service was good, the wait staff was attentive and had useful recommendations and good communication about the timeline for the order. I ordered the tempura appetizer and the udon carbonara. Firstly the tempura was fantastic, some of the best I've had anywhere outside of Japan. Each piece is fried gently and for the perfect amount of time to ensure it is crispy on the outside without the batter getting too dark and moist on the inside. While the udon noodles were a great texture and consistency, the carbonara was overall quite bland and lacked depth of flavor. I was disappointed as for a dish priced at $33 per bowl, I would have expected a higher quality product. Overall, my opinion is that it is overpriced for the quality of product that you recieve. I don't see myself going back very much in the future. read more

See all

Udon Shin recently opened in Mesa, and after hearing about the long wait times when they first opened (up to four hours), we decided to wait a while before trying it. My daughter took me out for lunch, and we thought this would be a great opportunity to finally give it a try. Unfortunately, it will most likely be our first and last visit. The check-in process was confusing and seemed completely backwards. Customers are required to wait outside in line until an employee comes out, brings them inside, and then adds their name to the waitlist. It would make much more sense to allow guests to check in immediately rather than stand outside waiting just to get on the list. We sat at the bar, which gave us a clear view of the food preparation area. What we observed was concerning. The employee responsible for making the noodles was also helping garnish other dishes, moving between handling raw egg and garnishes such as green onions without changing gloves. Another employee prepared our daikon salad after handling raw fish and then proceeded to make a toast dessert and our salad without changing gloves. Seeing these food-handling practices made us uncomfortable. For our meal, we ordered the Kake Udon with Namatamago and the Ume Daikon Salad as an appetizer. The salad arrived just a minute before the udon. When the udon was served, the egg came on the side in a small dish. We added it to the soup, expecting the broth to be hot enough to cook it slightly. However, the broth was barely warm--about the same temperature as the water we were drinking. The soup was not hot enough to cook the egg at all. To add to the disappointment, our waiter never checked back on us during the meal to see if we needed anything or to ask how our food was. Basic customer service and attentiveness were lacking throughout our visit. As a result, eating the udon with a completely raw egg was not enjoyable. The egg white simply coated the noodles and had a slimy texture that I found very unappetizing. I stopped eating shortly after seeing the egg white run down the noodles. Overall, the food safety concerns we observed, the confusing check-in process, inattentive service, and the lukewarm broth made for a very disappointing experience. Based on this visit, I would not return. read more

See all

Just had lunch here and was very, very pleased. Sat at the bar and was able to watch the precision and care taken by the whole staff as the owner approved each dish before delivery. My wife and I had a little of everything, including the dessert Sando. Everything was not cheap but it was spectacular. A unique dining experience in the Valley of the Sun. My favorite dish was the Waygu Nigiri and the Hamachi. There is not one thing I tasted I do not recommend to a food snob like myself. Worth every scent and highly recommended for anyone who knows what they are in for. Service was splendid and both the bar area (where we sat) and the table area were clean and elegantly decorated in a minimalist style. read more

See all

Whoever the restaurant manager is ...who was in charge of hiring the front end staff...the first associates your customers see...Need to be fired ASAP along with the front end staff. They hired a bunch of high school students for probably low wage ....unprofessional individuals who have zero clue on what they're doing. Our drinks came towards the end of our dinner...that was an interesting one. .. $50 for a bowl of soup.. they are more focused on quantity there instead of quality. The A5 beef ....was enough for one bite smh. And while we waited in line...the lady who has a facial spa there brought everyone lemon water because she felt bad for all of us...instead of the useless manager at the restaurant. This place won't last more than 12 months here unless they get their act together. read more

Udon Shin - Noodles Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

I read the negative reviews and I have to disagree. A lot of the complaints come with the downsides of opening up brand new and having an influx of people wanting to try the new & exciting place. It's understandable that the wait was long, it's new! If waiting isn't your thing, wait a couple months or come during a time that isn't so busy. I say the wait was worth it. The udon noodles were the perfect texture, and it was so creamy! Our waiter checked on us, was very attentive, and another gentleman (maybe the owner? Not sure) would come by to teach us more about the food, how it's prepared and best practices. My 9 year old son is very into Japanese food, and he has a blast there. He loved that he was getting explanations and tips on eating the food. The inside was nicely decorated. It felt for a moment we were not in AZ anymore - little taste of what it would be like to visit Japan. It is a little on the pricier side, but to be expected, and worth it in my opinion. 10/10 great experience, and their desert felt like "home" to me. I would definitely drive out here again. read more

Udon Shin - Carbonara Udon - Noodles Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

See all

Way overpriced, mediocre food. It's not HOT enough! Don't mane the place so cold that it makes the food cold immediately! Soooo underwhelmed by this place. I'll be surprised if it's still around in a year. Definitely a place to avoid! read more

I found Japan in the middle of Mesa. This restaurant is gorgeous and has great food. I had the carbonara noodles with A5 and it was amazing. The noodles were perfectly cooked and flavorful. The tempura shrimp is huge and crispy. read more

Udon Shin - Noodles Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

This place lived up to the hype. The restaurant was very cool, loved the Japanese environment. We had the Hotate set to start and it was great, many different tempura battered foods to try, and the scallops were delicious. Then we tried their Dragonball roll special. It was pricey at 68$ for 5 pieces, but it had uni and jidori eggs imported from Hokkaido and they only made 2 portions for the day so we decided to splurge. It was delicious, the roll was so rich but packed with flavor. It was worth trying once. Finally, the main dish that everyone has been talking about, the carbonara udon. It came with a tempura battered Canadian bacon which was so crispy and delicious, but the udon noodles were the star of the show. Perfectly cooked and every bite exploded with flavor. This dish is what I will be coming back for many more times. I loved it. Also shout out to the wait staff who answered all our questions about the food and kept our water cups from emptying. read more

See all

The hamachi crudo was to die for!!!! The udon was very fresh and so rich tasting. What really stood out was the service, they had the NICEST servers along with hostess!!! We did the authentic eating experience on the floor and it was a great place for a Friday night dinner! read more

See all

Food was okay. Tempura was good but very oily, came sitting on paper that was completely soaked in oil. Udon honestly just tasted very standard, didn't feel like anything special. Honestly I could not tell a difference between their udon and my frozen one at home. Service was okay at best. Felt like a very long wait for entrees and the bill at the end, given this was weekday lunch and they weren't busy. With all those together, taste of food and service, just absolutely didn't warrant the price of their items on the menu. Felt like a complete rip off. I ordered the special $68 roll and it tasted like chopped up melted different kinds of fish rolled in rice and seaweed. There was zero umami. Couldn't taste the different components of the sushi. So disappointed. For a $200 lunch, we could've gone to a much fancier restaurant and gotten better tasting food. Not worth it. read more

See all

I knew it was going to be good, but I was totally blown away by how amazing the food was. The Hamachi Crudo looks unassuming until you take a bite and experience more flavor than you thought possible. The Wagyu Kamatama was one of the best things I've tried in my life. The age cream for dessert is a must, not overly sweet but the perfect ending to a great meal. The staff were amazing and super attentive. We went on a Thursday evening and got right in. The food came quickly and refills were constant. read more

See all

Great ambiance, great service, wish there was more food. Went to Udon Shin during peak time. Waited for about an hour in line before being seated. You have to wait outside in line to get your name on the list, then wait an additional time to get seated. Hosts Emily and Adi were very sweet and made great conversation. Staff were very attentive, and our server, andrew, was very attentive and knew a loy about the menu. We ordered the Ebi Tempura, Carbonara Udon, and Age Cream. Age Cream was amazing, and the Carbonara Udon was very unique, would definitely come back and explore the rest of the menu. The portions were small but the experience was like nothing we have tried before. read more

See all

The food was meh, the service was pretty bad! They were very welcoming and kind but took 20 mins to visit our table then brought out alcohol drinks before our water? Food too forever and we had a hungry toddler. (No kids plates or cups available) When the front door closes it shakes the fall in the front room we were in. Our veggie tempura was for delivered with our food. We asked and they said it was coming. 30 mins later no tempura so we just said to cancel It because we already finished our meal. Just the check and out. Food was lacking flavor and design. Had high hopes! But nope. Seating rooms were "traditional" ish so cool read more

Udon Shin - $150 work of food.... The spicy paste was $2. The sushi was like $16 - Noodles Near Me - Mesa, Arizona