Fresh udon noodles? Yes, please! We waited for about 30 minutes for our food, but it was worth the wait. The udon soup was piping hot and a comforting meal. The tempura was crispy and freshly fried. The restaurant is currently using disposable dishware and utensils, but don't let that deter you.
Liz V.
This will be my last meal here. Not because it's bad but because it's closing down. Not sure why they are closing. Maybe someone else knows? This was my go-to place for udon where they make it fresh in-house with an assortment of toppings/add-ons. I'll miss this place.
Julie T.
When we tried to go for dinner on Sunday May 22 for the last hurrah before they close for good in June, we were utterly shocked by how things went down and we ultimately left. I didn't know how many stars to give for this instance, but I felt it's important for readers to know before heading out here for dinner. When we walked in, they told us that we could not order directly from the counter, but must order online in order to dine in. There were three people working there that night. Oh and by the way, they ran out of udon and it is supposed to be an udon shop!? I was baffled. How can that be? There was only one table with two people eating on a Sunday night!? *facepalm
Terrence S.
It is true that the servers will be a bit curt to you sometimes. The first thing the waitress said to me when we walked in was "you cant dine in here unless a table opens up" with a flat face. Which was fine because a table promptly opened up 10 seconds after she said that. They also do validate your parking for 2 hours free parking if you parked in the parking structure downstairs so I am happy about that. The Niku Udon was not bad as well, it was a decent amount of udon for the price and a good amount of beef that is soft and flavorful with just a touch of sweetness, which is good because a lot of soup places leave the meats stewing in the soup for too long and they get too chewy and bland. The soup itself was a bit too oily for my taste, but also had good flavor. Not sure how often they clean the dining area, but it is also true that the tables and chairs were grimey/sticky in general, so I do recommend bringing some alcohol wipes or wet wipes to wipe them down yourself.
Brian Y.
I have eaten here many times, however today I could not believe what the cashier told me. I was typing in my order on the computer (you self order) and asked the cashier how do I order the large Zaru (cold) Udon. Her reply "we only are serving regular size today." It's clearly advertised on the menu regular or large for all Udon entrees. It's not like they were running out of their main product of udon noodles, which they make there. No explanation. Such a poor attitude that we just walked out. NOW I KNOW WHY THE OWNER WANTS CUSTOMERS ORDERING FROM A COMPUTER INSTEAD OF HIS INCOMPETENT AND RUDE STAFF. All ended up fine on Mother's Day though... My wife asked how far Mario's Peruvian Restaurant was. We BOLTED a few miles down the road down to Melrose and Vine to have another INCREDIBLE meal a Mario's!
Ann Q.
Customer service was not great... We got crap for ordering online using the QR codes on the tables. The site needs to be updated cuz it even tells you to specify dine in if the online order is for dine in. I can understand the confusion of covid ordering vs. now when mask mandates have been loosened but the restaurant needs to update their systems to avoid these issues and staff should be more accommodating considering it's not a customer error but MGMT error not updating things. Pre covid I've been here a couple times and had decent food at decent prices. Came to little Tokyo for a different restaurant but unfortunately they closed between 2-5pm so we went to this restaurant instead because I remembered decent memories of it. But I don't feel like they've adapted to covid well... There were two tables reserved. The other tables were dirty or occupied. Luckily I still carry sanitizing wipes with me. Tables were still sticky... After some time, I did see an employee come out to tidy up the dining room. She grabbed a rag that was sitting inside a bucket of water, not sure how sanitary that is... Wrung it dry and wiped off a couple of tables and brought in the tableware and recyclables sitting on the trashcan. I really hope she replaced her gloves after, cuz handling food after that is just nasty. They got an extra star because food was decent.
Leo Y.
Located on the third floor of the mall, this small shop has an array of affordable udon. Parking was $10 for less than an hour which was horrendous. No validation for parking Comments: Although the prices were good the trade off is that the order machine was down and had to order from my phone, the order came out wrong, and it did take a while for the food to come out. Order: Tempura Curry Udon, matcha Mochi Fries and a can of green tea
Donna C.
It's been a while since I've been to Little Tokyo. and we came here on our way to the Getty museum. It was lunch time so we decided to have lunch at the shopping center. But I was really disappointed at this place. The ramen was mediocre and the pork Katsu bowl was just bad. The meat was a little dry and tasteless, and the onions were still a little raw. The shopping center itself was pretty dead for a Saturday. I don't think I would come back anytime soon, and definitely not for the food here.
Ivan L.
I went in with my girlfriend on a whim and it was decent. The udon was chewy and long and the dashi broth was okay. The tempura I ordered was sweet onion, shiitake mushroom and green beans. The tempura was very good it was light and fried just right making it the star of the meal. I wish the udon was hotter instead of warm but I know that it's difficult to keep soup hot. I also asked for tempura flakes but I think I'll opt out next time because it made my broth kinda oily. I also ordered kimchi which came in a little cup. Over all I think it was okay for a nice lunch but I would have to think hard about coming back again.
Jeff G.
Thanks to this app we found this terrific Udon and sushi spot! Very affordable, lively environment with terrific food. Service was perfect!
What used to be a solid Japanese joint with udon, curry and tempura plates. Not sure what it is but quality has gone down for sure and so has the portions I think? I get that with the pandemic and inflation, prices were gonna increase but not sure if it's worth anymore. It's pretty much self service - order at the kiosk, pick up your food when your number is called, and throw away your trash in the bin. I REALLY do not like this approach at all, especially with the increased use of plastic as all your food comes out in disposable plastic bowls and paper plates. It seems so wasteful to be using and throwing away that much plastic for all customers daily, so it was hard to digest. Also minor but also major -- you have to buy bottled water id you want water. They don't serve tap. But they validate now w 2 hours free parking. Very sad but don't think we will return :(
Daniel C.
Even the price is standard price in 2022, but the food is still totally over priced. The udon is ok, but the soup is cheap, it taste like same soup base from instant udon. No drinking water for customers, even the soup tastes so salty, they just want you to buy their drink. It took 35 mins to get our order, even when they are not that busy. I think I won't go back.
buta b.
Always wanted to try here but after trying here, I will never come back. First of all ordering was so complicated and inconvenient and slow.. whats the point of having technology trying to save on labor but losing lots of customers. It took probably just 15 minutes standing in line to order on the machine. Food was ok. The tempera was all very crunchy and well fried but the udon was hard but no bounce like real sanuki style ( probably need to knead the dough more) wasabi onigiri needs a warning that it is very spicy( usually wasabi onigiri's have mixed veg in it so it has a hint of wasabi but this one was just straight up and too strong) the tempura soft boiled egg, one was good the other was over cooked. Asked for cup of water but the yell at you saying they don't have it and only sell bottled water. ( at that point, I'm done with this place and the nonexistent service) bathroom was locked and need to get a key from the cashier but the explanation of that is on a storge door that you cannot see waiting there. People walked in at 8:16pm, they closed at 8:30 and they rejected them... Management and the owner really need to rethink things if they want to stay in business...
Alisa B.
An affordable Japanese food option at the Little Tokyo Galleria. Besides udon and tempura, they have lots of snacks and small options, which is perfect if you don't need a whole meal. You order via the ordering kiosk, and you can eat inside (first come first serve seating) or take it to go. I got the mini curry bowl and it was pretty decent. It is quite literally curry and pickled ginger on top of some rice. It was packed with onions and had a very rich flavor. I wish it had more rich though. There was a lot more curry than rice. A bit salty.
Audrey C.
Food: Ordered the Niku Udon with a tempura soft boiled egg on the side. The udon soup was warm and sweet, but the noodles themselves were a bit too tough for me, almost tasted a couple minutes undercooked? The tempura soft boiled egg was great though! Service: came with a larger party last night, and they originally said they wanted to give us a 18% charge on top of our orders and was going to turn our whole party away even though their restaurant was empty when we arrived. Convinced them to not do that (no sign said that they charged extra for larger parties in/out of the restaurant). Took them ~40mins to make bowls for 12 people but they mixed up a bunch of orders and didn't keep track of the orders, so we had to figure out what was missing/not ourselves and tell them what was wrong with the orders (e.g. they forgot to put curry in a curry udon bowl, etc).
Fresh udon noodles? Yes, please! We waited for about 30 minutes for our food, but it was worth the wait. The udon soup was piping hot and a comforting meal. The tempura was crispy and freshly fried. The restaurant is currently using disposable dishware and utensils, but don't let that deter you.
This will be my last meal here. Not because it's bad but because it's closing down. Not sure why they are closing. Maybe someone else knows? This was my go-to place for udon where they make it fresh in-house with an assortment of toppings/add-ons. I'll miss this place.
When we tried to go for dinner on Sunday May 22 for the last hurrah before they close for good in June, we were utterly shocked by how things went down and we ultimately left. I didn't know how many stars to give for this instance, but I felt it's important for readers to know before heading out here for dinner. When we walked in, they told us that we could not order directly from the counter, but must order online in order to dine in. There were three people working there that night. Oh and by the way, they ran out of udon and it is supposed to be an udon shop!? I was baffled. How can that be? There was only one table with two people eating on a Sunday night!? *facepalm
It is true that the servers will be a bit curt to you sometimes. The first thing the waitress said to me when we walked in was "you cant dine in here unless a table opens up" with a flat face. Which was fine because a table promptly opened up 10 seconds after she said that. They also do validate your parking for 2 hours free parking if you parked in the parking structure downstairs so I am happy about that. The Niku Udon was not bad as well, it was a decent amount of udon for the price and a good amount of beef that is soft and flavorful with just a touch of sweetness, which is good because a lot of soup places leave the meats stewing in the soup for too long and they get too chewy and bland. The soup itself was a bit too oily for my taste, but also had good flavor. Not sure how often they clean the dining area, but it is also true that the tables and chairs were grimey/sticky in general, so I do recommend bringing some alcohol wipes or wet wipes to wipe them down yourself.
I have eaten here many times, however today I could not believe what the cashier told me. I was typing in my order on the computer (you self order) and asked the cashier how do I order the large Zaru (cold) Udon. Her reply "we only are serving regular size today." It's clearly advertised on the menu regular or large for all Udon entrees. It's not like they were running out of their main product of udon noodles, which they make there. No explanation. Such a poor attitude that we just walked out. NOW I KNOW WHY THE OWNER WANTS CUSTOMERS ORDERING FROM A COMPUTER INSTEAD OF HIS INCOMPETENT AND RUDE STAFF. All ended up fine on Mother's Day though... My wife asked how far Mario's Peruvian Restaurant was. We BOLTED a few miles down the road down to Melrose and Vine to have another INCREDIBLE meal a Mario's!
Customer service was not great... We got crap for ordering online using the QR codes on the tables. The site needs to be updated cuz it even tells you to specify dine in if the online order is for dine in. I can understand the confusion of covid ordering vs. now when mask mandates have been loosened but the restaurant needs to update their systems to avoid these issues and staff should be more accommodating considering it's not a customer error but MGMT error not updating things. Pre covid I've been here a couple times and had decent food at decent prices. Came to little Tokyo for a different restaurant but unfortunately they closed between 2-5pm so we went to this restaurant instead because I remembered decent memories of it. But I don't feel like they've adapted to covid well... There were two tables reserved. The other tables were dirty or occupied. Luckily I still carry sanitizing wipes with me. Tables were still sticky... After some time, I did see an employee come out to tidy up the dining room. She grabbed a rag that was sitting inside a bucket of water, not sure how sanitary that is... Wrung it dry and wiped off a couple of tables and brought in the tableware and recyclables sitting on the trashcan. I really hope she replaced her gloves after, cuz handling food after that is just nasty. They got an extra star because food was decent.
Located on the third floor of the mall, this small shop has an array of affordable udon. Parking was $10 for less than an hour which was horrendous. No validation for parking Comments: Although the prices were good the trade off is that the order machine was down and had to order from my phone, the order came out wrong, and it did take a while for the food to come out. Order: Tempura Curry Udon, matcha Mochi Fries and a can of green tea
It's been a while since I've been to Little Tokyo. and we came here on our way to the Getty museum. It was lunch time so we decided to have lunch at the shopping center. But I was really disappointed at this place. The ramen was mediocre and the pork Katsu bowl was just bad. The meat was a little dry and tasteless, and the onions were still a little raw. The shopping center itself was pretty dead for a Saturday. I don't think I would come back anytime soon, and definitely not for the food here.
I went in with my girlfriend on a whim and it was decent. The udon was chewy and long and the dashi broth was okay. The tempura I ordered was sweet onion, shiitake mushroom and green beans. The tempura was very good it was light and fried just right making it the star of the meal. I wish the udon was hotter instead of warm but I know that it's difficult to keep soup hot. I also asked for tempura flakes but I think I'll opt out next time because it made my broth kinda oily. I also ordered kimchi which came in a little cup. Over all I think it was okay for a nice lunch but I would have to think hard about coming back again.
Thanks to this app we found this terrific Udon and sushi spot! Very affordable, lively environment with terrific food. Service was perfect!
Restaurantji Recommends
What used to be a solid Japanese joint with udon, curry and tempura plates. Not sure what it is but quality has gone down for sure and so has the portions I think? I get that with the pandemic and inflation, prices were gonna increase but not sure if it's worth anymore. It's pretty much self service - order at the kiosk, pick up your food when your number is called, and throw away your trash in the bin. I REALLY do not like this approach at all, especially with the increased use of plastic as all your food comes out in disposable plastic bowls and paper plates. It seems so wasteful to be using and throwing away that much plastic for all customers daily, so it was hard to digest. Also minor but also major -- you have to buy bottled water id you want water. They don't serve tap. But they validate now w 2 hours free parking. Very sad but don't think we will return :(
Even the price is standard price in 2022, but the food is still totally over priced. The udon is ok, but the soup is cheap, it taste like same soup base from instant udon. No drinking water for customers, even the soup tastes so salty, they just want you to buy their drink. It took 35 mins to get our order, even when they are not that busy. I think I won't go back.
Always wanted to try here but after trying here, I will never come back. First of all ordering was so complicated and inconvenient and slow.. whats the point of having technology trying to save on labor but losing lots of customers. It took probably just 15 minutes standing in line to order on the machine. Food was ok. The tempera was all very crunchy and well fried but the udon was hard but no bounce like real sanuki style ( probably need to knead the dough more) wasabi onigiri needs a warning that it is very spicy( usually wasabi onigiri's have mixed veg in it so it has a hint of wasabi but this one was just straight up and too strong) the tempura soft boiled egg, one was good the other was over cooked. Asked for cup of water but the yell at you saying they don't have it and only sell bottled water. ( at that point, I'm done with this place and the nonexistent service) bathroom was locked and need to get a key from the cashier but the explanation of that is on a storge door that you cannot see waiting there. People walked in at 8:16pm, they closed at 8:30 and they rejected them... Management and the owner really need to rethink things if they want to stay in business...
An affordable Japanese food option at the Little Tokyo Galleria. Besides udon and tempura, they have lots of snacks and small options, which is perfect if you don't need a whole meal. You order via the ordering kiosk, and you can eat inside (first come first serve seating) or take it to go. I got the mini curry bowl and it was pretty decent. It is quite literally curry and pickled ginger on top of some rice. It was packed with onions and had a very rich flavor. I wish it had more rich though. There was a lot more curry than rice. A bit salty.
Food: Ordered the Niku Udon with a tempura soft boiled egg on the side. The udon soup was warm and sweet, but the noodles themselves were a bit too tough for me, almost tasted a couple minutes undercooked? The tempura soft boiled egg was great though! Service: came with a larger party last night, and they originally said they wanted to give us a 18% charge on top of our orders and was going to turn our whole party away even though their restaurant was empty when we arrived. Convinced them to not do that (no sign said that they charged extra for larger parties in/out of the restaurant). Took them ~40mins to make bowls for 12 people but they mixed up a bunch of orders and didn't keep track of the orders, so we had to figure out what was missing/not ourselves and tell them what was wrong with the orders (e.g. they forgot to put curry in a curry udon bowl, etc).