Udon West

My usual after work place to get food to go, friendly and energetic staff. Its a reasonable price in st marks, little cozy space and definitely a great place for food at late night.

My go to place to grab a quick bowl of noodles with a friend when I’m in a rush. Emphasis on A FRIEND since it’s a small place and they don’t seat you if you have a lot of people. I say a party of 3 or less is the safe route to take. Not a fan of their rice but their seaweed with simmered beef udon noodles always hit the spot.

Came here with a few of my friends to grab our fix for udon. I got the shrimp tempura udon and the portion was decent. The udon tasted really good, but I recommend taking out the shrimp tempura because it will get soggy in the soup.

Pretty good Japanese food in the East Village at affordable prices. My best friend and I got here at around 1pm and we were able to snag two bar seats. I had originally wanted to sit at the regular tables but I actually liked the bar seating because it lets you see the cooks prepare your food right in front of you. The server was very nice and attentive. The place is small but definitely not the smallest establishment I’ve been to. Water is self serve and you have to get up yourself to get it but if you strategically sit at the two bar seats right in front of the water dispenser, you can just turn around and get it without getting up #smartidea
Chicken katsu curry– The curry was very tasty. I liked it better than the one at Go Go Curry since the one here had a nice spiciness to it. The curry at Go Go Curry was just sweet and not spicy at all. In terms of the katsu, Go Go Curry wins because it’s a little crispier and they give bigger portions. Here, they only give 5 pieces of katsu. The portion of the rice is huge though so you will be full.
Spicy tuna don/​udon combo– My bro got this and I got to try a little of it. My bro liked how the udon noodles were very soft but not too mushy and I really enjoyed the broth that it was cooked in. The spicy tuna tasted very fresh and they do give a reasonable portion of it.
We ended up splitting a $ 25 check, which I would say is pretty worth it for lunch in Manhattan. The portion sizes are fair and the service was good. The food itself was alright, nothing too special. I would say to come here if you work around the area and are looking for an affordable place for lunch.

I came here not too long ago to grab a little food and meet up with a friend. We ended up, each with our own bowls of Udon and a plate of Kaarage (japanese marinated fried chicken) and just relaxed chit chatting.
The only thing is that we weren’t allowed to have a table since it was just 2 of us and they needed at least 3 people for a table, of which they only have 2, so — go in a pair and not more since you’ll need to sit next to each other to talk.
Other than that — the food is pretty good nothing special, but tasty. I’d come back with just one other person to talk and have food.

2.5−3 stars. This place solidified my general view on the the myriad of Japanese spots/​casual joints lining St. Marks: fast, hearty and solid food for cheap but definitely mediocre quality at best.
I ordered the shrimp and veggie tempura udon bowl per one of the waiter’s suggestions. It was extremely filling but really very basic. There were only 4 – 5 shrimps total. The tempura «veggies» we’re basically strips of fried onions and the occasional carrot.
It’s not my cup of tea, but I can’t complain that much because it was really cheap and the wait wasn’t too bad at all. If you’re looking for quality udon though, prepare to be disappointed.

A cosy noodle restaurant in St. Marks. Food came in fast, noodles were hot, fat and filling. I ordered the curry combo platter for $ 10. Most of the platters range from 10 – 13 $ while the bowls of noodles range from 7 – 9 $. Since it’s a small place, unless you’re going on a Saturday morning or an odd time to eat, this place I usually packed and anticipate about 15 minutes wait time to get your noodle soup. Good for small groups or even just by yourself.
Don’t forget– it is cash only, so make sure you stop by a local ATM.

Cheap? How cheap? Cheap as Hell?!
This may (or may not) have been the line of questioning that transpired between myself and my one friend who had been singing Udon West’s praises for the past couple months. Japanese food is almost a passion of mine, with the simple yet deep flavors evoking memories of my times abroad… oh so long ago; plus, those Japanese peeps stay pretty slim, so the food must be relatively healthy, yeah?
After weeks of a mutual inability to find a day to meet up, the stars finally aligned, and we were able to check this place out (while adding an additional two persons to our dining party). I should warn that coming to this place squad deep is not the best idea… with four in our group, we were easily the largest party; luckily we had arrived just before the dinner rush crowd, so we were promptly seated. That being said, there was a number of groups of 3 – 5 people deep that had to wait until my dining party had eaten to completion.
Our über idiosyncratic waitress was super snappy, but not pushy, and ultimately entertaining; granted, yours truly has a strange appreciation for such characters (depending on the time and the place)… but I can totally understand how it can be a negative for most. Essentially, waitress knew that more would be coming after us, and that despite our collective need to socialize, it was neither the time or the place for any of that; we pretty much needed to eat (and leave).
It was kinda fun, having to rush through our orders, with the waitress repeating our orders to herself in rapid succession so that she didn’t forget. In the end, she got my order right, so that’s all I have to say about that.
For less than $ 10, I got myself a fried pork cutlet over a heap of rice and curry (katsu curry). The portion was super generous, and the katsu was much larger than the pictures had me expect. The curry was beautifully flavored… totally worth the asking price. Everyone else got an udon dish (they each expressed their approval).
In the end, we were in and out at the snap of a finger. Despite the hasty in and even hastier out, the line was still quite sizable… might I suggest that you either fly solo to this place, or, come here at odd ends and times with a group no larger than 4 if you would like to sit, eat super tasty food, then get the hell outta there (as quickly as possible).

Udon West reminds me of a walk in dive restaurant in Ebisu, Shibuya.
It’s a place where the food is inexpensive, delicious and quick.
You can’t go wrong with a udon and tuna don set for $ 11. The broth has a clean finish and isn’t heavy.
The spicy beef and kimchee udon is ok, but I would have preferred all the other dishes I saw in front of people. Like the Kalbi short rib rice bowl for only $ 13. Or the Karage curry udon.
Any place that solicits great memories deserves 5 stars in my book. Hope to come back many, many more times.

CASH ONLY!
I ordered the gyoza set udon and added niku (simmered beef) and raw egg. This is my favorite topping combo for udon and it was perfection and hit the spot — we had mad udon cravings and Udon West did us good!
The atmosphere is pretty quiet and keep-​to-​yourself, which was actually pretty cool. Most people sit at the bar and you can see them make your food.
The gyoza was pretty much just frozen dumplings and then cooked grilled in a pan and then steamed in some way. It was pretty good, but if I come back here I definitely want to try the spicy tuna don set that everyone is raving about!
Also beware, the add ons for the udon can pile up. The simmered beef was about $ 4 extra.

I’m not sure why is this place only have three and a half star for rating. I get that it’s small and somewhat rundown but to me it’s the character of the restaurant.
This place only have counter seat and it’s limited amount of seats, you can see the cooks make your food. I think it’s a really fun place to grab a cheap meal especially when it’s cold outside.
For NYC standard this place is pretty affordable and the portion is pretty generous too.
We ordered a sauteed beef short ribs which was super delicious.
Then I ordered Gyu-​don with Udon, my wife ordered the cold udon with potato croquettes. With side of the deep fried kaki age. Our bill was only $ 40.
It can be perceived as somewhat dirty but what place but the food and the price makes it all worth it.
Cash Only and beer/​sake only!

Late night, hungry, and know what you want ASAP? I think this is a good place to go, but don’t expect a date night experience with super awesome customer service. It is small, and it is a bit tight, but if you’re starving and you want food PRONTO for a relatively decent price, I think it’s the place to be!
I sat down and tried to put my jacket away– but was immediately tended to regarding my order. I wasn’t ready yet. 5 minutes later, the lady returned, and I placed my order. The place is small, so turnover has to be quick (look at the menu ahead of time, my indecisive brothers and sisters).
I got the fatty tuna (which was delicious)– the waitress even had the courtesy to let me know how to eat the dish (wasabi, soy sauce, mix in the tuna), which I didn’t expect and I was happily surprised (so I guess she’s not mean but speedy). My companion ordered the beef dish. I thought he merely got fatty beef (the same kind we get in hotpot), but… no. this was some DELICIOUS fatty beef, and the portion of beef was PLENTY. Mmmm…
So the next time Kenka has a 2 hour wait, I’ll be going here ;) unless I feel like sitting down and chatting with friends for hours.

This restaurant could barely fit more than 15 people, but whatever. Its good for a quick, satisfying meal.
Me and 2 other friends came on a Tuesday night around 8pm and there was about a 1 minute wait. I ordered the shrimp tempura udon ($ 7.50), which just came with udon and 2 pieces of shrimp tempura and nothing else. I ate the 2 shrimp pieces very quickly so soon I just had noodles left. The noodles were very smooth and the soup was very flavorful but it almost tasted like the ramen seasoning packets or something. But it was still very good so I don’t mind.
There are also sets on the menu that you can choose for around $ 11+ which comes with udon, some type of meat, rice, and a salad which seems pretty worth it.
Oh and they don’t serve you water or anything here, they have a little water machine with plastic cups and its «self serve» :)

Really nice little place for a quick Udon noodles or Curry craving fix. This is usually packed because the space is small, but it moves fast enough. The guys are cooking in the spot and you can see them preparing the ingredients right in front of your eyes (over the counter) it looks quite fresh and the meat looks good too.
I had the Shrimp tempura with udon noodles and it was fine. The price is ok too, basically great for a quick lunch if you’re in the area, which was the case for me. Didn’t snap any pictures this time.

I came with a friend because we were craving soup. We came when it wasn’t busy so we were immediately seated at the bar.
They have a self service coat check as well as self serve water. Purses can be hung beneath the counter.
Both my friend and I ordered shrimp tempura udon soup with clamari tempura on the side. The food was served quickly and was devoured.
For the price the udon was well worth it.

Glad I found this Udon spot in St. Marks because my bf and I were literally walking in circles, deciding on what to eat. No regrets coming here because the Udon dishes are fairly priced and taste delicious!
My bf and I both settled for a combo. All combos come with the same Udon but a different side dish. I ended up getting Gyu-​Don while he got the Chicken Katsu. For around $ 10 each, I thought it was a pretty good deal. I also liked that there was no wait time for us when we came. We were seated at the bar once we entered, which I found pretty cool.
Overall, a good experience. Definitely recommend this place if you’re looking for a tasty meal.

I’m giving this place a solid 4. Living really close to Saint Marks I walk by this place all the time. I was finally able to try it.
They have really well priced combo prices with everything being under $ 12. I ate twice in a row actually first time trying the Udon + Curry combo. It was good. The only thing is curry had no meat. Sorry I just didn’t know so I ended up ordering a side of tempura which made the meal exactly what I was craving.
Second time I ordered the fat Tuna bowl + Udon. My fav so far. 100% recommend this place if you are starving on a budget!

This place is probably a 3.5÷4 star rating now. I used to love Udon West but I think the quality of food definitely went down. The Gyu-​Don is always super hard to chew now. The fried chicken is still good.
Also, recently they increased their menu prices AND got rid of the happy hour. Couldn’t they have dealt one blow at a time? On average the dishes are $ 1 – 2 more.
Rounded up to a 4 because Udon West will always have a special place in my heart and is still a pretty satisfying meal.

You can never go wrong with udon west!
I usually get the kara-​age udon (I first tried it only because my name is kara, and it’s actually really good). It’s fried chicken in udon. If you can, separate the chicken from the udon because it’ll obviously get soggy and it definitely tastes better when it’s fried! The udon noodles are so nice and soft. The broth is also really tasty. It’s a perfect meal for the cooler days but still delicious in the summer.
The location in St. Mark’s is tiny tiny! It can get pretty busy as well. There’s really only 3 tables and the rest is counter-​seating. So worth it though!

Have been to udon west in midtown and this one has a consistent performance, except being a smaller size.
Ordered the cold udon with kimchi and raw egg. Really liked the dipping sauce! My friend got the beef udon and she also enjoyed it. Would like to try the spicy tuna don next time.
Cash only.