U:Don Fresh Japanese Noodle Station

LOVE this place. Super affordable, filling and tasty. I love that you can customize your soup and have tempura add-​ons afterwards. My favorite are the tempura pumpkin and the Japanese eggplant. They melt in your mouth after you dip them in your soup! It is also easy to get in an out of here if you need a quick bite!

Went for dinner with my partner while we were out on the Ave. I love the model — once you get up to the counter you can see most of the udon dishes are just combinations of options (you can definitely mix and match!), and there’s a sort of tempura bar full of all manner of delightful deep-​fried foods.
I had a cold Sauce Udon with tan tan pork on the side and a few sides. Word to the wise, do not underestimate how filling this stuff is.
I don’t recommend trying to eat the tan tan pork as a side. It’s fine, and it’s not brutally spicy or anything, but on its own it falls a little flat. This isn’t a problem though because adding it to the noodles contributes a nice flavor and, well, that’s how it’s meant to be eaten anyway.
We will definitely be visiting again.

I love this place! I went here countless times while I was attending UW. Cheap and delicious udon!
While you wait in line, you can watch the workers make the noodles. I always get the niku (curry) noodles or just the broth with noodles. The noodles are chewy and delicious. You can have them add green onions and ginger (for free), or even an egg ($). After you get your noodle bowl, you can grab things from the tempura sidebar – I love the tempura veggies and the takoyaki!
When I’m back in Seattle and craving Udon, this is my place of choice!

TAKOYAKI TAKOYAKI!!!
They’re even nice enough to make you a super fresh one that’s piping hot and will even bring it to your table after you’re seated! I love this place and wish it were closer to where I live (Belltown) though there’s the new one in Cap Hill by where I work.
Gotta love the chewy noodles and the slurpingly yummy broth. I almost always get the niku or the niku ume oroshi. And at the new Cap Hill location they’ve got a pork belly udon that’s suuuuper delicious. …I kinda wish they’d cut the pork belly, though, as I have braces and biting into a chunk of meat get meaty bits all over my metal. …ain’t a good look for a petite Asian girl. …but then again, neither is scarfing down a large udon bowl in under 5 minutes while your friends watch in awe and horror…
…did I mention the takoyaki?

Udon has inexpensive udon that is pretty tasty. I would definitely recommend this place if it’s ever gloomy/​raining outside (so typical Seattle weather) because the hot udon soup will make you feel all warm and cozy inside.
Ordering your udon is fast & quick. You just look at the menu at the front and tell them what you want and they’ll ask you if you want seaweed or eggs in your udon. They also have a bar of several different side options such as tempura or fried vegetables.
I’ve only had their Niku udon that comes with braised beef, onions, and green onions but I’ve heard their other options are good as well!

This place was so fun! I came here while I was recovering from the flu and on mostly a soup diet. They do to-​go orders (for a charge).
Seriously tasty soup. The broth was delicious, the noodles were so chewy and cooked perfectly (you can even see them making them while you wait in line!) and I opted for simple toppings since i was on recovery, but will definitely be back for a more adventurous bowl.
*TIP* It’s hard to see the sign — it’s right next to the big tattoo parlor on the corner

Update:
I originally gave this place a 3 outta 5. how naïve was I?
Came back on a cold winter’s day, ordered the NIKU UDON. went cray on dem noodles. Went back home.
The key to a review is KEEN observation. When I got home, I could still smell udon in my clothes. all about dat scent dat seeps into yo threads and REFUSES. TO. LET. GO. And… I DIDN’T MIND. Das when you know it’s good.
Also, their chicken karaage add-​on is only 0.65(ish) cents per piece! Go cray y’all.
Light 4 outta 5

I am disappointed. I am sooo disappointed that we don’t have this restaurant here in Dallas.
I was fairly surprised. A friend of mine brought me here when I was searching for some great udon noodles in Seattle. Not to mention that during this time, I was freezing. It was 50 – 60 degrees, so udon was sounding great.
This place was so similar to a cafeteria. People stand in a line, take a tray, order their udon at the register, and pick up sides on on your way done the line. Almost like a buffet, except it’s not. You get charged for the sides that you pick up.
The food was great. I was so amazed how affordable this place. It was the best udon I have ever had. Which is the reason why I am disappointed that we don’t have this restaurant in Dallas. I will definitely come back here when I’m in Seattle again.
By the way, if you’re wondering why I only gave it four stars instead of five because it was so good – Reason is because I wish that it was a restaurant with actual waiters/​waitresses. That would have made the experience a lot better. The customer service could have been better. It was technically a self-​serve restaurant.

Awesomely cheap and tasty! Perfect for the Ave and even more perfect on a cold winter day. If there’s a line, don’t let that deter you. The line moves fast and the tables are a quick turnover.
You come in. Pick your udon. Grab a tray. Order. Wait for your udon. Then grab a plate and pick out any sides you might want.
If you want something with a lot of flavor go for testing Tan Tan Udon which is perfectly spiced or the Curry Udonwhich is a bit on the salter side. Green bean tempura is basically crack! I could eat a plateful and go back for more. Other notable sides is the chicken kaarage which is crispy and juicy or the spam musubi. I’d pass on the takoyaki. All potato, no octopus and super sweet.

Went here for dinner last night since we happened to be in the area and it was cold and foggy. U: Don seemed like the perfect choice. They have a cafeteria style ordering where you pick you soup and noodle combination and then make your way down the line picking up sides and tempura for extra charge.
I got their signature Tan Tan Udon. It was very flavorful but extremely spicy. I’m Indian and love my spice but this had me sweating and crying even on a cold winter night. Be sure you have a very high spice tolerance before ordering this. They aren’t messing around.
My wife got the more traditional Soup Udon with the vegetarian broth. It was very mild, light and fragrant but lacked in flavor. The dashi broth is definitely nicer. The added seaweed was the only thing adding some real flavor to the dish.
The portion sizes are huge, the medium can more than fill you up. However, the attractive prices are only for the broth and noodles. Everything else in charged extra and frankly overpriced for the quality. The chicken karaage was stone cold, greasy and flavorless. The takoyaki was very mushy and lacked flavor and seasoning. Charging for a teaspoon of seaweed, an egg and even a take out container is just weird.
Overall I liked the basic broth and noodles but am not impressed by having to pay extra for every single other thing especially when it’s not very good. I might go here again sometime to give a couple of their other dishes a shot but it doesn’t look like a place I would frequent.

There’s nothing like piping hot udon in the Winter months, especially when it’s one you get to partially customize. I usually opt for the small «Soup Udon» which is an insane deal at around $ 5 – 6. Then, I pile it on with all of the tempura to my heart’s content. Their chicken karaage is especially delicious, and I’ve never been disappointed with any of the tempura options.
The line usually moves at a decent pace, and I’ve never had any trouble finding a place to sit here. I’ll definitely be camping out here for the next few months!

I love eating here! Parking is a little tough to find but it’s worth the extra driving around. When you get in, you will see the menu to the right and can choose from many options. The udon noodles are home made and you can pick and grab additional toppings as you move towards the cashier. I typically get the soup udon but will sometimes get the tan-​tan udon. Be warned! The tan-​tan is really spicy (but very good!).
Only downfall I would put on this place is the size of the cups for water. They are tiny!

I waited way too long to eat here for a silly reason: I was intimidated by the options and cafeteria-​style ordering. Rest assured, there are plenty of menu boards and helpful signs to guide you through the process of choosing all your options and add-​ons!
When you walk in, there’s a large menu board that shows you all the udon choices, plus a daily specials menu that shows the a la carte items. I went for the kitsune tofu with broth in the small size ($ 7), because I knew I wanted to try some other stuff. At the window, you place your order with soup or without, and you can choose ginger, green onions and tempura crumbs as toppings.
As you move your tray down the line, there’s a selection of individual items priced by the piece: tempura veggies and shrimp, takoyaki, chicken karaage, onigiri and so forth. The unagi onigiri ($ 2.50) looked good, but I ended up getting chicken karaage and a stick of three takoyaki. I took the one with sauce on it and the cashier immediately scurried over and applied sauce to the next one in line, so definitely grab the one with sauce — I’m guessing they do that to avoid sogginess and it worked pretty well. Of course, it adds up quickly when you’re grabbing pieces of this and that, and my total came to about $ 10 with no drink.
The dining area is no-​frills, with low tables and kind of horrible wooden stools. There’s nowhere to put coats, bags, etc., which seems pretty inconvenient given that most of the customers are students. Maybe if you sit at the narrow counter, you can pile your stuff on the counter next to you? The tables weren’t very clean and had crumbs and sticky spots. It was pretty busy when we were there (around 6 pm on a weeknight) and just generally not a nice atmosphere for enjoying a leisurely meal with friends — it has a no-​nonsense, get-​in-​and-​get-​out vibe.
Overall, it’s a quick and convenient place to grab a comforting bowl of soup on a cold night, but I think you’ll get equally good food and better value at any of Seattle’s phở restaurants.

Anyone who knows me knows that I can eat noodles ²⁴⁄₇. It’s my diet. I was so excited to try an udon only place but this did not rock my world.
First of all, do not be fooled by the cheap noodle prices. $ 5 is cheap but all their tempura and sides are pricey and add up quickly. $ 2 croquette,$ 1 shrimp, $ 2 squash, and I’m already at a $ 10 meal.
Niku udon (3.5÷5): Beef was super soft and tender. Broth was just right, not too salty. Noodles were one minute undercooked.
Zara udon (²⁄₅): Noodles were about 3 minutes undercooked. Did they even boil these? I thought my batch was just not cooked right but when we asked them about it, they said that’s just how their cold noodles are. I don’t understand why anyone would enjoy super tough noodles but alright. They took al dente to the next two levels. Besides the noodles, the sauce was too salty and concentrated. They probably just poured it out of a bottle.
Potato croquette (⁴⁄₅)
Squash (³⁄₅)
Shrimp tempura (²⁄₅)

Great udon place. If you’re craving Japanese style udon (cold or hot), this is the place to go! Located in the heart of university district, it’s right on the Ave. my favorite udon is the niku udon (sukiyaki beef and onions). I’ve gotten the curry udon before, not a huge fan as the curry can be overpowering but the niku has a nice and subtle flavor. You can get complimentary green onions, tempura flakes, and ginger (I love green onions so I always ask for extra). It’s cafeteria style so you pick what you want and grab a tray and they prepare it for you. You can also pick out what tempura pieces you want (you pay per piece of tempura based on what it is, shrimp is $ 1.15, tofu is 0.60, etc). Don’t forget to get some tempura dipping sauce which are in the coffee dispensing looking containers next to the register!

I’m not typically a fan of noodle soups, so I didn’t frequent U: Don until I tried dipping sauce for the udon noodles… Life = changed.
I like the noodles at U: Don because they’re super fresh and thick. A downside is that they are super duper long! One single noodle doesn’t fit in my spoon without cutting it. Whatever, minor complaint.
I’ve found that the tempura items you can pick after getting noodles aren’t the greatest. They are laid out for you to pick out so usually they’re cold. A little expensive too, if you ask me.
Small order of goma zaru + chili oil is the bomb dot com, perfect serving size. It’s on a paper next to where you order, not on the big menu.

Absolutely cannot believe that I am still the Duchess of this place on Unilocal check-​in after so many years. I really, really don’t have the $$$ and time to fly back each time after I crave fresh udon noodles. I have searched all of Manhattan/​Queens/​Fort Lee and I have been thoroughly disappointed. Please open a store in NYC asap. Remember… it is really you, not me ;)

Great Udon options! The Noodles are chewy and there is a good variety of noodles (hot, cold, with eggs, with meats… etc.) I usually get the Medium size. There is also a lot of tempura/​side dishes too! I got a fried tofu one and that was great. Overall, good options to satisfy my noodle cravings.
Other Pros:
— Reasonable Price
— Nice seating area
— Friendly staff

U: Don is quickly becoming one of my favorite spots on the ave!
I love that they make their own noodles. They’re hearty, chewy and so good.
So U: Don’s set up is cafeteria-​style: pick up a try and follow the line. The first station is where you order your udon and then it leads you to the sides. My go-​to is their curry udon (small). I’m a sucker for Japanese curry. I highly recommend adding an egg to this dish, the yolk and curry is too irresistible together. I always have to get a side of their takoyaki to make this a complete meal. I think U: Don makes some of the better takoyaki I’ve tried in Seattle. Sometimes I’ll get a musubi (spam or salmon) to bring to work for a snack. I know, it’s easy and cheaper to make it yourself but I appreciate the convenience of just buying one, and not eating a plate of DIY musubis to myself.
U:Don’s food is not only delicious but reasonably priced. Come here especially if you need a break from the abundance of Thai food on the ave. ;)

4 stars for great U: don. This was the best I’ve had in the US. The noodles are really good, they make them there. You can get a big bowl of soup for a low price. I can’t wait to go back again. It’s a little confusing the first time through.
They also have a tempura Buffet. It’s okay, not the best or the worst.
I was pretty annoyed by a few things. One was that the labels for the tempura buffet were wrong and or missing. When I asked them what the things were in an annoyed way they told me to look at the labels. They finally came around and noticed they were wrong and missing but didn’t do anything to fix it.
It’s also loud. This is because the place is really good and it gets crowded.
I’m waiting for the weekend because I really want to go back.