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Udon Yama

4.2 (214 reviews)
ModerateJapanese, Noodles
Open 9:30 am - 10:00 pm

Udon Yama Japanese Restaurant Photos

Business Info

UDON YAMA ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Dogs allowed
Good for groups

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P Y.

Great late night spot. Food is so fast and tasty. Just go down the line and grab ur food. Plenty of space to sit. Got the beef udon combo and it was a good amount of food for 9.95!

nikutama cold
jessica l.

I came at 7:30pm on a Tuesday and there was plenty of seating. The service is extremely fast and the workers are nice. The restaurant is well decorated and very spacious. I got the cold nikutama and it was good, but not my favorite cold udon (that goes to yume in boston). The broth was lukewarm and lacked a little bit of flavor to me. The noodles themselves were cooked well and the meat was yummy --umami and slightly sweet. I wish the broth had a little more depth, but for the convenience I would come again.

Beef lift
Sam Z.

I'm a local guy, that never comes to Waikiki, but I gotta say udon Yama is a good dine and dash. The line was out the door, and pretty casual.. Service was fast, pick your add-ons as well as pick your meal. Tonight, I had the beef udon which was flavorful and delicious and reasonably priced. Service was friendly, and courteous. Do I like coming to Waikiki ? No. But if I'm in the neighborhood, I would come back again. Follow me on Insta: @noodlesoupr Follow me on Yelp!

Nikutama Udon
Kathleen P.

This place is basically Marugame Udon but with a shorter or even no line! I do think Marugame's tempura is crispier, but, after trying Udon Yama for the first time, I came back the next day. It was pretty good! Monday around 7:30pm was way busier than Tuesday at 6pm. If you want something refreshing, get the cold lemon udon. I never thought I'd have lemon in udon, but as someone who loves tangy flavors, I really enjoyed opening up the slices and biting into them. I also tried the hot chicken teriyaki and the hot nikutama udon with both toppings on all which I would order again. I want to try everything on the menu! Prices seem to run about $1 more than SF's Marugame, but that's what you get in a tourist area. Still worth it. After you order and get your food, grab utensils, sauces, and self-serve water, then grab a table.

Niku udon
Sarah L.

We know that there are a lot of really good Japanese food in Honolulu and we were really craving udon and decided to get this place a try. It's located in the basement of a food hall. We didn't wanna wait for the line for the other place and we're looking for something light and quick in my opinion. I honestly thought that the service was really quick and nice and also the concept is pretty similar to Marugame Udon in my opinion. The only thing is that the fried things are not always fresh . But I still decided to get the squid tempera which I enjoyed and the fried egg. I got the niku udon. I thought the broth was really good. It was light and also flavorful at the same time. The noodles were pretty good, but if you like it on the chewier it is on the softer end. But if you're looking for a quick udon place, this place has a lot of seating and I recommend .

Fish cake tempura
Evana L.

This is my regular udon spot. I love the Nikutama and the Lemon bowls. I've tried the hot and cold broth of Nikutama and both are so satisfying. The Lemon bowl that only comes in cold is especially refreshing on a hot day in Waikiki. The broth is addicting and it's perfectly seasoned so that it's not too sour but it has just the right amount of acidity to make the simple bowl stand out. Their noodles have a consistent texture every time which I can rely on and appreciate. I've tried many of their tempuras and my favorites are the egg, zucchini, and seafood pancake. On top of that, the restaurant is such an easy and casual stop for lunch or dinner as they're right in front of the entrance of Stix, they have plenty of tables, and the self service bars for the tempura, utensils, and sauce are awesome.

Nikutama Udon with (clockwise, from top) Chicken Tempura with Sweet Sauce, Zucchini Tempura, Sweet Potato Tempura, and Shrimp Tempura
Mike L.

Considering how long they've been around and how Hawaii is always so hot/warm, it's amazing to me how Marugame Udon still manages to attract a crowd. On multiple occasions, the line practically stretched around the corner! So, it's no wonder that, as we walked through the Stix Asia food hall, Udon Yama and its relatively modest line caught our eye. The same type of set-up and menu, yet in a much cooler space, with less than half the wait and plenty of available seating? How could we not give this place a shot? While the obvious similarities they share with Marugame Udon gave us hope, it should be said that even if they didn't, Udon Yama legitimately looked pretty appealing on its own. As we made our way down the line past the trays of tempura and side dishes, not only did everything look pretty good, but they felt a bit more varied as well. What's more, the range of entrees offered so many enticing options. While we were obviously here to try their udon (which they had almost a half dozen varieties of, served both hot or cold), I have to admit I felt more than a little tempted by their Katsu Curry Rice and Beef Bowl. -- (#1) NIKUTAMA UDON with Sweet Beef, Onion, and Hot Spring Egg (Hot)...$14.95 This was great! I loved the broth, which had a nice beefy flavor with a bit of sweetness to it, the noodles were well cooked with a nice bite, and there was fairly generous amount of beef in the bowl. Delicious! -- ZUCCHINI TEMPURA...$2.50 Hardly amazing, but not too shabby either. This legitimately might have been the longest zucchini tempura I've seen, but what I liked most was that it wasn't at all overcooked or mushy. -- SHRIMP TEMPURA...$2.50 Pretty straightforward, but still terrific! Since it's their most popular tempura, the workers were constantly refilling the tray, so these were especially hot and crispy. As for the shrimp itself, it was really plump and meaty. -- SWEET POTATO TEMPURA...$3 Of all of the vegetable tempura items we had, this was easily my favorite! The potato was soft, with a sort of creaminess to it, but still had some bite to it. -- CHICKEN TEMPURA WITH SWEET SAUCE...$4.50 Even though it's called Chicken Tempura, this felt a little closer to Karaage. Either way, this was pretty solid. The batter wasn't quite as crispy as I would've liked, but the chicken itself was really juicy and it tasted far better than the one I've had in the past at Marugame Udon. -- (#4) BEEF UDON with Sweet Beef and Onion in Kake Broth (Hot)...$10.75 Pretty similar to the Nikutama, though not entirely alike. Besides the obvious absence of the egg, the other thing we noticed was that this broth didn't taste quite as sweet. A little more plain in that sense, but still pretty good! -- MUSHROOM TEMPURA...$2.50 This just wasn't very good, though, to be fair, I don't think mushroom tempura ever really works since they're like sponges. So, as much as I appreciated how big this was, it felt a little soggy and oily. -- MIXED VEGETABLE TEMPURA...$3.50 Kind of similar to Yachae Twigim (Korean shredded veggie tempura), but not quite as good. That's not to say that this tasted bad, though; it's just that this one had a bit more batter, so it was harder for the veggies to stand out. -- SOFT BOILED EGG TEMPURA...$2.50 I only had a bite of this one, but what I had was pretty decent. I don't usually go for egg tempura because of how the batter doesn't usually stick to the egg, but I liked how the yolk on this one was so gooey. While what we had at Udon Yama wasn't as good as what I had when I first visited Marugame years ago, the same could be said for the trips I've made to the latter's locations in the Bay Area. Plus, when you factor in the shorter wait times, not having to wait outside, how much more seating there is here, and, most importantly, the fact that the food here isn't dramatically far off, I'd probably opt to come back here just to save on time and for the convenience...and to try their Katsu Curry Bowl!

Rachelle C.

Friends, I am team Udon Yama! A hidden gem in the STIX ASIA food hall there are usually no lines because of their friendly and fast service. I will say its a nice little escape from the crazy streets of Waikiki. A calm vibe all around. Such delicious comforting broth and freshly made udon noodles! Other popular udon restaurants (no shade), are also good but make me feel heavy, sleepy and slow right after. Udon Yama's broth was rich, earthy, yet very light and full of umami! The gyudon was also packed with flavor, happy that the sweet onions were not overpowering the beef flavors.

Nikutama Udon + a variety of tempura. YuMmm! =)
Jill F.

@fortunefoodfinds: "Trust me, UDON-a like this! I always order a large Nikutama Udon to share + a variety of tempura from UDON YAMA located at Stix Asia in Waikiki. A place I L.O.V.E. to go with my family, where we enjoy n' eat happily!" Staff: fully staffed Interior: many table seating Exterior: located at the Stix Asia Food Hall Wait time: 5-10 mins Parking: Waikiki Shopping Plaza garage, validation available Overall comments: always go here when we visit this food hall. Udon is very good n' flavorful. Beef is tasty. Egg on top completes the dish perfectly. Large size is enough to feed two. They have a wide variety of self-serve tempura. My faves include the shrimp n' soft boiled egg, while my kids eat the croquettes. I actually eat the tempura with katsu sauce that makes it extra yummy. We usually finish everything, but if you do end up with leftovers they have everything you need to take it home. Great udon spot!

Gina N.

Udon Yama is located in an indoor asian food hall. Our party of 6 was starving, so we were eccstatic to see that there was no line. It's al la carte style - you start with a tray and grab item items along the queue, mainly different kinds of tempura, as you walk down the line. At the end of the line is where you order your udon and it's done in minutes. I ordered the Nikutama and it was delicious! Delightfully umami with notes of sweetness. I will say that the portion sizes are a bit small. The regular looks like a small and the large looks like a regular, I reccomend sizing up if you have a bigger appetite, but the regular was perfect for me! The tempura was a bit of a miss for me. A wee bland and stale. Might've been because we came towards the end of the day. We came in lieu of waiting in the long line for Maragame Udon, and it was definitely worth it in my opinion. No wait, affordable, and solid udon. Great place to grab udon in Waikiki. Not to mention you can walk around the food hall for boba, drinks, or desserts afterwards.

Niki Tama
Candi K.

No broth and the lady said she'll have to charge me more for more broth. How much money are you losing giving me a little more broth? The stinginess and lack of customer service wow.

Pork Katsu Udon Curry
Linguini B.

Katsuuuu. What a word to say, aye? Top 10 word in the global dictionary. Furthermore, pork cutlet? What an idea. Then to top it off you're gonna toss it in a brown curry? Yea, just an average version of this dish can get the job done. I typically avoid Katsu Curry even though it seems a perfect dish for me. I was once a little college boy that dreamed of eating Katsu, of eating curry and eating udon in an area known for Asian cuisine. My excitement was always met with disappointment. I've never not had an oversalted version of it. This curry, to my surprise, was perfectly salted. Would've enjoyed a little more heat, but the color of my skin typically makes servers avoid serving me the real spice. I plan to test this theory by getting outrageously tan and returning. I will not report back either way the experiment goes because I won't be back here. And because I already have the answer from similar experiences. Not complaining, you get what yo get and you don't get upset Mr. Ford. Anyways, I've stalked the Stix (Asian Stix) for daysssss. Hunched over, skipping through crowds like they were cones. Making some ethnic eastern Asian loves full head over heels for me. Or so you'd think. Continuing on... My side piece isn't as adventurous as I - A man with a cultured pallet. So, I snuck away in the crisp of daylight and hit it myself. This locale allowed for a quick in and out, others were sitdown. This was cafeteria style, which made me shocked by the quality of what I ate even though it wasn't superstardom. The pork was pretty good, not good and not great. Pork quality I enjoyed but was probably slightly overly fried. Breading was good. Went well with the sauce I drizzed on top like a vet in the game. Guy knows ball. The udon within the Katsu Curry Udon dish was also good. Not blow the hair off the nips type good but good enough that I finished them thick noodz. I could give this joint a 4/5 but I'm being stinggg and cringgg - if you're here for like 2 weeks would def say worth a go. Go go powaaaa rangaaaz!

Nikutama
Elise L.

Yummy udon restaurant, kinda hard to find though. Ordered the famous Nikutama and it did not disappoint. I give it a score of 9/10, deducted a point for how sweet it kind of was. The regular size was just enough. Enjoyed the tempura on the side too (which you pay extra for). Would come again!

Nikutama Udon

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Awesome food at a great price. Super friendly staff!! Delicious udon. Staff was all Japanese, so you know it's authentic.

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Udon Yama Reviews in Other Languages

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Came in 2024 when it was one small restaurant but now they've opened up a second side next door…read morewith plenty of seating. I would still do a reservation just to be safe. We got the pork katsu deluxe set and recommend getting another side of rice for 2 people. The fried oysters are also a standout dish so I definitely recommend that. Service is quick and portions are big so I also recommend splitting a dish or doing family style.

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