Marugame Monzo

  4.6 – 1,607 reviews   • Japanese restaurant

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Hip spot where an array of udon dishes are prepared with noodles hand-pulled in an open kitchen.

✔️Brunch ✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in ✔️Take out ✔️Delivery Marugame Monzo 90012

Hours

Friday11 AM–10 PM
Saturday11 AM–10 PM
Sunday11 AM–10 PM
Monday11:30 AM–9 PM
Tuesday11:30 AM–9 PM
Wednesday11:30 AM–9 PM
Thursday11:30 AM–9 PM

Address and Contact Information

Address: 329 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Phone: (213) 346-9762

Website:

Menu Photos

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Reviews

Matty Lee
A classic in the neighborhood. Their udon has a great texture to it, especially if served cold.

Got the cold Ikura udon with grated radish, green onions, seaweed, and broth served on the side. It was refreshing, the broth was salty yet served in a small potion so it wasn’t overwhelming. The Ikura was fresh and zesty.

Their tempura appetizer was a great crunchy addition to how soft, salty and chewy the udon noodles were.

The only drawback is that when it gets busy, a divider is put between tables, so there’s no privacy and you overhear conversations. Would recommend coming here when it’s more chill. Overall, would recommend for great udon with great texture.
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Kat C
Came here with my friend at 3:30pm on a Wednesday; honestly the perfect time because it was empty and service was great. I’d come back to try the creamy options, but this visit was a bit of a mixed bag.

Beef with Fluffy Jidori Egg Udon (Double Portion) — 3/5 I’m used to the beef udon at places like Marugame where you get that sweet marinated meat and plenty of broth. I expected the egg to just be an accompaniment (like a soft-boiled egg you add on top), but this was different. The “fluffy egg” was more of a scrambled-boiled style that mixed in and turned the broth into a thick, creamy sauce.

The Issue: It was barely a soup. The egg sucked up all the liquid, and there wasn’t even enough “soup” for one person, let alone the double portion of noodles we ordered. I was honestly pretty upset because I really wanted a noodle soup. We had to pay $2 extra for a side of dashi just to fix the dish ourselves, which shouldn’t really happen. Once we fixed the broth level, the flavor of the beef and egg was yummy, and the dish was great, but I’d probably just stick to the regular beef udon next time.

The Noodles: The udon is super thick and very chewy. I personally prefer my noodles to be a bit more flour-based, but if you like a heavy chew, you’ll love these.

Mixed Tempura — 5/5 No complaints here! The batter was so nice, light, and crispy. Totally delightful.

The Spot: Shared the double portion and tempura and it was the perfect amount for two people who aren’t starving. Just be careful with the egg dishes if you actually want broth!
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Jimmy Shen
Marugame Monzo is a true gem in Little Tokyo, offering one of the most memorable udon experiences in Los Angeles. Their creative approach to this beloved Japanese comfort food elevates it far beyond the ordinary. The tempura arrives hot, golden, and perfectly crisp—each bite showcasing expert technique. The fish roe shrimp udon stands out for its remarkable depth of flavor and the superb, chewy texture of the noodles that captures the essence of authentic Japanese craftsmanship.

Though the restaurant is small and often bustling, the wait is absolutely worth it. Every bowl here reflects care, precision, and genuine artistry—making Marugame Monzo one of the finest udon destinations I’ve had the pleasure of visiting.
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Earvin Montero
The udon was good and the portion was generous, and the takoyaki was delicious. We came during rush hour, so we had to sit outside, and the restroom was always full, so we couldn’t use it. The prices are a bit high for the quality expected, and the staff could be a little more attentive. Still, it’s an option to consider if you’re near Little Tokyo.
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Jack
Great Udon noodles just the portions might be small for some people. Ordered the Bukkake Udon and the Mentai Cream Udon, both were delicious.
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Felix G
If you’ve never tried this place, it should definitely be on your list to try. It’s one of our top restaurants when we visit Little Tokyo, been coming here for years before the pandemic and I’m glad this place survived.

The place is small, with outdoor seating available, Service is always fantastic and the wait isn’t usually too long.

I will say I miss the days when you can see the chefs preparing the udon in front of you. It was an art. Now I think everything is pre-prepared.

The udon is cooked perfectly, never had an issue

Our go-to dish is the Sea Urchin udon. Rich, creamy, and delicious uni cream sauce with actual uni you can eat by itself or mixed in. It’s also surprisingly not too heavy of a dish so it’s perfect to have anytime whereas the carbonara is just too heavy for us to have all the time

Opted for the beef udon with jidori egg udon. Cooked perfectly. Beef isn’t too sweet with the broth and egg mixed in.

Fried chicken skin is delicious. Personally I would ask for the sauce to be on the side to use for dipping as some pieces don’t get enough sauce and some are drenched in it.

As long as they’re open, they’ll always be one of our top options when we’re in the area.
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Jennifer Sun
Honestly, I don’t see the hype about this place. I got the beef bukkake udon with an added egg. It was just boring. The noodles were fresh but it didn’t taste anything mind blowing. The service was also very mid. I honestly didn’t know how to eat the cold udon and all I tasted was the daikon so I prob did it completely wrong but they didn’t seem to care. They were very curt with words until I left.
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Alina Lysak
I got beef udon and agedashi tofu, both of which were absolutely delicious. The prices are very affordable for the provided quality and size of the portion, and the service was great
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W O’Brien
Japanese cuisine in the heart of Little Tokyo that specializes in delicious Udon noodles dishes.

First time at this location. It seems very popular by the wait times from lunch until evening. Service is served on a first come first serve basis following the sign-in list right outside the door. Seating is available both outside and inside. I recommend seating outside as it feels more open and seating is faster. Due note that outside is a bit breezier in the winter yet you are protected from the Sun with what seems like an EZ-up canopy.

First time trying Udon noodles. They are delicious slightly sweet noodles in a broth of what seems to be Miso soup. Variety of Udon dishes are served such as those with Tempura chicken which I also tried. The Udon dish was perfect while eating outside in the cold windy weather. My party also tried the rice bowl and did note the flavor was typical of what they encountered in Japan.

The Udon dishes are rather large. Yet the rice bowl and Edamame appetizer were rather small and left wanting more.

Service here, although friendly, is rather slow and unprepared for the seemingly popularity of the place. I saw our server once, when we ordered our food and then another one who brought our food. Some beverages seemed to be forgotten and was brought only when the food was brought out. The Edamame appetizer was also brought out at the same time along with the main dish.

The restroom facilities were clean during our visit.

There are many Japanese restaurants serving Udon walking distance to this location. If the line is too long I suggest trying those other ones.
The
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Fiona Hsiao
Felt a bit stingy on the portion and ikura&uni compared from the menu pictures?

Noodle was delicious and service was good. Just wish to have a more fulfilling dinner.
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