New kid on the block, Udon Yama taking on the 500 lb gorilla in the house, Maragume Udon. Located in the Stix Food Hall, Udon Yama just opened earlier this year. Can't miss it as it is right at the entrance, with menu in pictures and bold letters and prices. No waiting at noon Sunday, while Maragume Udon a few blocks away had a waiting line wrapped around the block. Same setup as Maragume , where you go through a line getting your tempura options, select your choice of entree, and pay for your meal. Everything assembly style, where you can see the udon noodles being hand made. Our $11.45 large beef bowl came packed with very thick udon noodles, several slices of beef, green onions and yellow onions in a hearty broth. Broth makes all the difference in the world. Could have used more beef, as several of the beef came with layers of fat. Broth a bit on the thin and watery side. Our $11.95 large curry bowl also came with thick udon noodles, tiny bits of chicken, green onions and yellow onions in a semi spicy broth, much thicker and tastier than the beef broth. Short changed on the amount of meat. They expect a full 18% tip, even though fast food ordering, pickup, and we had to bus our finished tray. Uncomfortably hard chairs too vertical for comfort designed to get you in and out in the minimum amount of time. read more

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Was craving for some sort of soup or noodle back from Vegas .I decided to check out Udon Yama located down stairs inside the Waikiki Shopping plaza . It's a revamp Stix Waikiki use to be a Japan walk restaurants before Covid. I also seen a segment on Cheap eats on TV.My take on this place is pretty good the udon noodles is freshly made daily . The sides they have includes Sweet Potato, fried chicken, fried fish cake , shrimp tempura, vegetables tempura , croquettes, mushrooms, deep fried eggs. The time I went I guess it was a slow period the selection was mostly sold out . They needed to deep fry more products and put them out . Although I thought it was good so I'll be eating there in the future. Support local and be safe read more

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Located in the newly renovated STIX Asia food court, Udon Yama is a duuupe of another popular udon chain in Waikiki. I was actually in line at the other popular udon spot to meet up with some friends that were visiting from the mainland first. But the line was just way too long so I suggested we check out this udon spot. Since I was rolling with a few homies (6 of us), the food court situation was a selling point for us. Although, we all ended up getting Udon- the idea that we could get food from different spots and still eat together was a big appeal. Here's the 4-1-1 Grab a tray + plate and pick out some tempuraed items ( I got the zucchini, egg, mushrooms, and croquet). Order your udon ( I got the "Nikutama" with beef and a soft boiled egg). Don't skip the sauce section for tempura and katsu sauce! Me and my boyfriend shared a large udon and ordered a side of extra noodles. The broth was potent enough that a little went a long way. I was actually between 3 or 4 stars but what really bumped up their rating in my opinion was the adorable folks that work here. There was a bit of a language barrier but the people were just so sweet. My biggest note is that I hope in the future that they can expand their tempura and broth options and keep their tempura as hot n' fresh as possible. read more

Udon Yama - two bowls of food on a table - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Great food and I thought the prices were reasonable. I had the gyudon and the gyudon udon and both were really good. No long wait either.

Wonderful Marugame clone but still without the long lines. Same menu and prices. Had Ontama Udon. Also almost identical. Sauce maybe a bit stronger. I'm glad to have a second location in Waikiki to get reasonably priced quality noodles. read more

Udon Yama - Ontama Udon - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I legit thought this place in the new STIX Asia Food Hall (old Waikiki Yokocho) was Marukame Udon under a different name. The menu, layout and even tempura offerings looked so similar, but when we asked, they said it was a totally different entity from Marukame. I got the regular Hot Ontama ($6.95) with a soft boiled egg tempura and potato croquette. Total was $13.30 with tax; not too bad for a dinner in waikiki. The noodles weren't as chewy or bouncy as Marukame, they were very lackluster. The broth however was very flavorful, and I think I prefer it over Marukame. The regular was a good size for me, but not as big as any of us were expecting. The tempura were also all cold, despite it being prime dinner time (6:40/7p). I did like that they added tempura flakes and green onions; something that Marukame stopped doing. read more

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Skip Marugame Udon and go to Udon Yama! This place has basically the same menu and prices as Marugame Udon but is less crowded and hidden. Prices are the same. There is also good lunch deals for around 10 bucks. The Female working the counter is always nice! read more

This is a Marugame Udon impostor. Actually it can't compare to Marugame at all. No place can beat the quality & taste of Marugame udon noodles & tempura. 3 stars for the mediocre food & service. read more

Udon Yama - Ontama - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Need a quick udon shop, with some tempura fried topping items, a big area to sit, and accommodating space for others to enjoy a different type of food? This is your place. We're were shuffled down a lunch line, picked any tempura item we wanted, ordered the udon at the end and were out in a few minutes. The tempura zucchini could use a bit more flavor, but the croquette was good. Udon with curry could use a bit more flavor as it wasn't as good as the place that shall not be named on Kūhiō is. But a good alternative if you are on Kalākaua. read more

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the staff were so welcoming on our first night in HI! we came late night on a thursday, and it was not very busy. everything was super clean and well organized- self serve for toppings & utensils! as for the food, it was so yummy!! no complaints as it was exactly what i was craving. i would definitely stop by again if i find time on my trip :) read more

Udon Yama - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Came here because it was closer than Marugame and reviews said it tasted the same. Well, I disagree. I got the Nikutama and I definitely prefer Marugame's. There was like two onion slices and the meat was really fatty. Portion was also kinda small. It filled me up (but I also had some musubi and shaved ice like an hour beforehand). Service was not good. There were two young guys and a woman working and the guy that helped ring us up clearly did not want to be there. I felt bad for the woman because she was working and the guy just went to go talk to his friends (the only other people there) instead. They only had one serving of udon, so we had to wait for them to make more noodles or something, idk tbh but it felt like they were unprepared. If you absolutely could not wait for marugame but wanted udon, I guess you could try this place out but I would pass on eating there again. read more

This place is located at Stix Asia, Waikiki Shopping Plaza. You pick tempura on to your plate and then you order your udon right before you pay. Selfservice type restaurant. Had many tables and it was clean. I had kake udon (plain udon) and it was good. I liked the texture of the udon and the dashi (broth). Made me feel relaxed. Tempura was good but it wasn't hot. I wish it was at least warm. So I dipped in my hot broth. They had musubi (rice ball) too. Udon is a good price. Kake udon was only $5.95. Tempura was between $2.50 to $3.50. Musubi was $2.50 read more

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TLDR: Would I come back? Without a doubt. First off, I am by no means an udon connoisseur. Some of my more well-traveled friends mentioned that there are a few ways to elevate udon: noodle texture, taste of the broth, and freshness of ingredients. Overall, I would have to say that this bowl of udon was probably easily in my top 5 bowls of all time. With regard to the noodle texture, the udon noodles here are on the slightly softer side, with just a hint of bounciness/chewiness but giving them that fulfilling slurp. Regarding the broth, it was clear, flavorful, and packed a punch with a slight hint of the sweet beef. And with regards to freshness, how much more fresh can you get than seeing the server put together the bowl of udon right in front of your very eyes? On this trip, I ordered the hot nikutama, paired with a squid tempura, thick zucchini tempura, and a piece of shrimp tempura. Among the tempuras, I was most impressed with the zucchini, which despite being very thick kept its flavor and was well-battered. The nikutama udon also came with its own egg + sweet beef. The entire course was well worth the price, and made me truly appreciate the Asian Stix food hall for its offerings. read more

During my trip back, I ate a lot of plate lunches, fried, and oily dishes. This was probably one of the best meals I had during my trip back home. Udon in cold broth. Simple and refreshing. I ordered the cold Nikutama dish with a side of shrimp tempura. The shrimp tempura should have been replaced with a new batch as it was limp and cold. But the udon in cold broth was so refreshing. The broth taste was clean and did not feel heavy like others. The egg and beef accommodated the udon noodles well. The texture of the noodles was cooked perfectly as it was not too stiff or soft. With affordable pricing, this place is a must when in Waikiki. read more

In the new Asia Stix, they had a number of new places. We went to Udon Yama. They had one employee ring us up and one doing the cooking. I had the kake udon and my partner had the Nikutama udon. We also had some fried items. They were room temperature. Broth was good. Noodles were hot & fresh. Plenty of seating and a cold water dispenser with cups. read more

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Broth - 5 stars Udon 5+ Tempura fish cake-2 Ontama (egg)- egg melts in nicely to broth and adds a nice richness. read more

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My boyfriend and I were starving after 1.5 hrs of swimming in the ocean that we were not thinking clearly. We wanted to eat something warm and just ran into this fast food self service udon place just like marugame udon. Udon was not bad, so I'll rate 3 stars even though my boyfriend said 2 stars. Udon - 3/5. It's something you can make easily at home with a store bought Sanuki frozen udon. If you are craving something warm or udon, just go to Tsurutontan at Royal Hawaiian across the street. The price you pay for their udon will be 200 times more satisfying. And their udon is so much better! If you are looking for a self service one, I'd go to marugame instead of this one. Tempura - 2/5. They were sitting for a while so we didn't enjoy them. Nothing is bad, but I would recommend you to just go to taurutontan for udon around here. You won't feel disappointed like the way we are now. Ambiance - 2/5. It's a fast food joint. Service - it's a self service. read more

Marukame Dupe? Udon Yama is located in the Asian Food Hall (currently in soft opening) on the basement level of the Waikiki Shopping Plaza. The restaurant is right down the escalators on Kalākaua Ave. This review is written largely based on the premise that you've already tried Marukame/Marugame. Udon Yama offers udon with a variety of "toppings." The prices are pretty affordable. Compared to Marukame, the tempura selection is very small. Additionally, you'll pick up your tempura or side items first and place your udon order at the end of the line. Parking: You're probably coming here because you're staying in Waikiki and are walking around. However, if you are driving here, the Waikiki Shopping Plaza has paid hourly parking. Beef Kake - the udon was good but not as chewy as Marukame. I really liked the soup over Marukame. The broth is sweeter than Marukame, and I thought it was well-balanced. Overall, this is a great place to visit if you're craving udon and want to skip the lines at Marukame. read more

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My favorite ONTAMA udon (with egg) can be found at Udon Yama at STIX Asia (was Yokocho in the basement of Waikiki Shopping Plaza) in Waikiki! It is similarly set up like the uh...other udon place with the long line, but the noodles, broth and tempura are a notch up in quality of ingredients and taste! The egg was super silky! They give kama'aina discount and are a great value to begin with. I'm a fan and predict the line for this place will grow and grow! read more

Udon Yama - ONTAMA udon (with egg) + shrimp tempura - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Went here while on vacation and so happy that I did. Conveniently located in the STIX Asian food hall. Delicious udon noodles, I got the Nikutama Udon and I really enjoyed it! Husband got the pork katsu curry which was tasty too. Service was fast and they also have self serve tempura. Love the ambiance in the food hall, so many options to choose from. Definitely recommend! read more

Udon Yama - Pork Katsu Curry - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Solid spot for udon! Came here for dinner with no worries of a super long line like at Marugame! The udon and tempura is just as good here! read more

Udon Yama - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Really enjoyed this udon restaurant in the STIX food hall! I enjoyed all of the different tempura options you could get. I got squid, shrimp, mushroom, and sweet potato (my favorite one). The nikutama broth was flavorful and the beef was sweet and delicious. The portions were pretty decent. Since you get trays, chose tempura while you're in line, and wait for counter service, it can go a bit slowly but understandable since there's only a couple people working (who are all super nice). Overall, this place is great choice if you're in STIX! read more

Udon Yama - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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A very good udon spot! The nikutama udon had the perfect egg, shredded sweet beef, green onions and tempura crumbs. It needed a bit of chili powder for my tastes and a bit on the sweet side but still delicious and filling! read more

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My wife had the cold Udon #3 Bu Udon and I had the hot Udon #2 Nikutama Udon. We also shared Sweet Potato and Shrimp Tempuras. The both Udon was 5 Stars and The Tempura was 4 1/2 stars. The service was fast, kind and helpful. Ambiance is traditional Japanese Udon Style read more

Udon Yama - Eating Area - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Great value delicious and the Asian guy behind the counter is so friendly. I love this place so much. I have had a lot of udon in California and Japan and this is definitely legit. read more

Udon Yama - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I was going to go to the more famous udon place around the corner, but wasn't in the mood to stand in line in the strong wind for 45 minutes - not with how hungry I was. And I'm not sure if the other place would/could have been any better. The nikutama udon here justified my ordering beef, something I almost never do. The thin curly slices melted in my mouth, coated with runny egg and sweet onions, and the noodles themselves toed a precise line between chewy and soft. The flavor combination was dynamite, and could not be improved upon. I rarely finish a bowl of anything, but I finished this one. The only reason I reserve the fifth star here is that their tempura-ed items sit too long under the heater and aren't really hot when they get to you - even at peak dinnertime. Neither my purple yam or mixed vegetable tempura ended up being worth getting, even though I was able to doctor them up at the dedicated tempura-doctoring table complete with shichimi togarashi and serve-your-own tempura sauce. read more

Ordered beef udon. Quick service. Delicate flavors. There is a lot of advertising in the dining area touting the unique Japanese broth. Other than that, typical fast food restaurant ambiance. But the udon was good and hit the spot. read more

Udon Yama - Beef udon. Delicious! - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Everything was expensive in Honolulu Hawaii, especially Kalakaua Ave, Waikiki. I just walked into Stix Asia. There were a lot of restaurants. I was just checking the prices. It seemed that Udon Yama was the cheapest. I ordered curry Udon. It was tasty. I was born and raised in Japan. Curry udon was my favorite. I got the udon in a minute. The udon was very chewy. The curry soup was well done and very authentic. Later, I found that Marugame was cheaper. It was okay, I could still afford to buy udon at Yama. If I had gone to Marugame, I would have waited in the notoriously long line! Overall, If you are a Japanese food lover who is looking for cheap food. Yama is for you! Itadakimasu, Arigato! read more

Udon Yama - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

High cp value udon place. There is no line like other udon place in Honolulu but the food is just as good. Came twice within a week while visiting HI. This is one of my fav places to go to in HI. Would go back again. read more

Udon Yama - Tofu udon - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Service behind counter food excellent Fried selection not oily Cleane setting Ambiance good for families A lot of tables and chairs read more

Quick service, very affordable options, high quality delicious food. Keeps the fam happy!

The nicesttttttt employees! Food is made fresh to order and portions are huge. One of the best pork katsu with rice.

Good food and reasonable prices. Love the options of tempura! Friendly staff and ample seating. The spicy curry wasn't too spicy. Got the udon noodles but the beef was slightly stringy. Def worth checking out. read more

Pork katsu curry and rice was very good, but I wish there was a way to bump up the spice. (Indicated it was spicy, but didn't get that at all.) Udon was pretty good as well, but the curry had it beat 100%. read more

Udon Yama - Udon - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Service was fast. After I ordered to go server told me it would be 7 minutes and my food came out after 2 minutes. Ambiance reminded me of a food hall in Osaka, Japan I visited before. Curry was delicious and has a good amount of spice to it. read more

Udon Yama - Pork Katsu Curry Rice And Two Potato Croquettes - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I really wanted to go to Marugame but did not want to wait. We checked out this place instead since it was walking distance from our hotel. I got the regular beef udon and it was very similar to Marugame. Definitely a nice alternative for a good bowl of udon. read more

Do not give this Marugame knock-off your money! I bit the bullet cause I didn't want to wait in line and I deeply regretted it. They clearly don't respect their customers, and disrespected my mentally handicapped brother. - They ran out of rice, and someone in my party had to reconsider their order. He is mentally disabled and we were talking amongst us to figure out alternatives for him. Despite this, the cashier gave us hella attitude and was trying to rush us through the ordering process. Repeatedly asking us "anything else" as we were verbally talking amongst ourselves. Asking anything else is perfectly fine, but he was clearly annoyed and had an attitude. Mind you, there was no one behind us in line. - They also ran out of broth and gave us way less - Because there is no line, the tempura was not as fresh. - The appeared to run out of broth, and gave us a pitiful amount. - Cold broth - "Cheap" chopsticks read more

Udon Yama - Cheap chopsticks for a cheap knock off! - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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This place looks just like maragume but they are more expensive and have less tempura options. I would say if you don't like standing in long lines and are more interested in the udon than the tempura, you should give this place a try. It is very tasty but I do think once the food hall fully opens they might have to make a price change to seriously compete. But it's definitely worth a try! read more

Udon Yama - Japanese Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This was a fun place to visit. We stopped in during their soft opening as the grand opening is going to happen in early February 2023. We stopped for dinner at Udon Yama and ordered a variety items. We had the pork katsu curry, croquette tempura, chicken thigh tempura, shrimp tempura, onion tempura, mushrooms tempura, nikutama and sweet potato tempura. Everything was done perfectly. Nothing was greasy and we walked out of there satisfied. We will definitely be back the next time we're visiting as there are other places to try and will be back for more tempura. read more

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I liked this place, and realize I have to go back soon to try out those tips from those smart yelpers! (bonus shrimp tempura for kamaaina?! Crispy tempura flakes on top of udon?!). (And yes, shame on me for not reading the reviews before trying it out!). My husband and I shared a tempura zucchini ($2.50 for a huge piece!), $2.50 for an egg tempura (perfectly cooked with a runny yolk inside!), $9 large lemon cold udon (super refreshing and light) and $2.25 extra udon noodles. It was filling and delicious, and though I still cringe at eating indoors, we were able to eat in less than 10 minutes and it wasn't very crowded. I miss eating at Yokocho pre-covid when I didn't worry about eating indoors - but I love that this spot offers something that I didn't even realize was missing from Yokocho! read more