Godaime Hanayama Udon Ginza

This was one of the spots my fiancée and I knew we had to make a stop at. Sure there's tons of drummed up hype around this place (and even my dad's friend from Singapore had it on his list of "must-trys"), but winning the japan udon champion 3 years in a row? That CAN'T just be all hype. Research obviously alerted us that this place is strictly walk-ins. They don't take reservations, so you're pretty much guaranteed to have anywhere from a slight wait to a long wait. We arrived around 5:45 pm right before prime dinner time and there was already a small line forming. Luckily we waited maybe around 15-20 min before being seated (not bad at all). I knew before arriving at the resto, that their flat-wide noodles (oni-himokawa) was their claim to fame, yet when looking over the digital QR code menu, my mind totally derped and I selected the regular round udon instead (I think it was because it was translated to "wide-river" noodle which sounded weird to me lol). Anyways, regardless of the noodle choice derp, this udon might've been the best udon I've ever had at this point in my life. My fiancée ordered her udon in broth, I ordered the dipping udon with curry broth on the side (my noodles came chilled and the broth arrived in this really cute pufferfish mascot bowl). The udon was so good, you could literally slurp it cold without any broth. But the curry sauce just brought it to a whole other level. SUPER intense, umami curry that just coated and clung to the exterior of the noodles. They have a lil souvenir shop in the entrance area where you pay for your meal. Here, Hanayama Udon fans can buy home-ready udon kits to make convenient meals. The hype is totally justified!

We were in the area and decided to stop by this place around 2:30 p.m.. There was a small queue, so we lined up, and about 15 minutes later, we were lucky — the hostess told us they had just enough noodles left for us as the last customers! There were still a few people waiting behind us, so we definitely avoided the long wait many other reviewers mentioned. We ordered two lunch sets for two people and a kid, and the flat noodles were incredibly smooth with a great chewy texture. I found that you can really appreciate the flavor of the noodles when eaten cold and dipped in the sauce, though I personally prefer them in the hot broth. The lunch set also included tempura with rice, making it a very filling and satisfying meal. Overall, we were really glad we stopped by — great experience and perfect timing!

I stayed right across from Godaime Hanayama Udon Ginza Ten and always saw a line of people, so I decided to try it. They open at 11AM, but the QR queue starts at 10AM. I arrived around 9:40AM and was the fifth group. After checking in, I went back to my hotel and waited for the notification to return. You get an email or message once your turn is close, and the queue page updates live as well. They’re usually fully booked by noon, so going early makes a big difference. I ordered the Hanayama-Set with the cold Oni-Himokawa noodles, which come with soy and sesame dipping sauces, plus the tempura rice bowl. Tempura included fried shrimp, squash, asparagus, and maitake mushroom. The noodles were soft, silky, and very wide, almost like ribbon-style rice noodles. The sesame dipping sauce was refreshing and the tempura rice bowl was tasty and comforting. My mom ordered the hot Hanayama-Set with the same Oni-Himokawa noodles served in broth, along with the chirashi-sushi rice bowl that includes trout salmon, shiitake mushroom, tamagoyaki, scallop, and cucumber. After trying both sets, I personally preferred the cold version and the tempura bowl. Overall, it is a solid meal with good value at 1590 YEN per set. Worth trying at least once, especially if you don’t have to wait too long.

After waiting for this moment!! We now know the trick to get it is…come to que up at 9:20-9:30 then you will be the first group to get the waiting ticket at the machine at 10:00am!! Then u stroll around wait for 1 hours then yes!! You are the first group to taste this. What I can say is worth the wait!!! From the bottom of non-Udon eater - i love it so much and I bet those who love Udon will feel u found ur soul 😇 Beware at 11:03 the lunch waiting ticket is sold out!!! So u have to wait another day We try both hot and cold udon set and both of them are good. But if u r not Udon eater i recommend hot set

I think the feature of this restaurant is the thick noodles you dip into sauces and enjoy. We grabbed a ticket early and wait 2.5 hours which was okay. We got to shop and walk around Ginza while waiting and there's lots to do in the area. An email is sent before you're up so there is some allowance. My noodles were good and extra size up is free. I had sesame sauce (??) and soy/wasabi/green onion. My set came with chirashi which was as quite good. The tempura is also very well prepared.

Get here before opening—you won’t regret it! At Godaime Hanayama Udon Ginza, you can take a queue ticket before the restaurant opens and receive an alert to return when it’s nearly your turn. I arrived 30 minutes early and still waited 3 hours to be seated—was it worth it? Absolutely. This was the best udon I’ve ever had. We ordered the Ginza Set, which included cold Oni-Himokawa with soy dipping sauce, hot udon in a broth-based soup, and a perfectly fried tempura platter with a variety of vegetables. We also tried the Oni-Set, featuring hot Oni-Himokawa with Mugibuta pork in broth. My favorite was the cold Oni-Himokawa—the wide, flat noodles had an incredible texture and satisfying bounce. English menus with photos made ordering easy, the seating was spacious and comfortable, and the service was attentive and pleasant. Overall, an outstanding dining experience—truly worth the wait for unforgettable udon.

Here’s a natural English translation of your review-style text: ⸻ The restaurant’s location was quite good, and I liked that the reservation system worked via QR code. We were able to shop elsewhere first, then scan the QR code around 10:20 a.m.—before the 11 a.m. opening—and were seated around noon. The atmosphere was pleasant, and the dining area was cool and comfortable. Personally, I found the udon a bit bland, but the tempura rice bowl (tendon) was excellent. Next time, I’d definitely like to try the tendon as a standalone dish. Overall, the staff were friendly, and the cozy, relaxed vibe of the place was a real highlight.

Found this spot off of social media! The thickest of noods! Personally ordered: deep fried shrimp with mitsuba (450 yen, ~$3 USD) tempura assortment udon set 1950 yen, ~$13 USD) a few beers Huge fan of the texture of the noodles. The tempura was fried well too. Although there might be a line...it moves relatively quickly. Total ended up being $22.72. You pay as you leave and they are super efficient splitting up the bill in the end.

Ticking off another viral place but it was worth it! We came for dinner which is apparently a lot less busy than lunch and made the first seating. We still had to grab a ticket upon arrival though. Of course we tried the flat udon across the board and we were all pleasantly surprised by the silkiness. The width also made for some fun slurping. Of our three choices, I liked the cold dipping udon best. It preserved the bounce of the noodles best. The tempura was also skillfully friend and I loved the inclusion of maitake mushrooms! My second favorite was the hot udon. Although it affected the texture of the sheets a bit, that broth was delicious! Bringing up the back was the carbonara. This one had the bounce and I really enjoyed the richness but I personally am not a fan of smoked ham and generally that flavor was quite pervasive in this dish. Also, we really appreciated the staff for checking on an allergen too and they went the extra mile to state that some of their ingredients may be made in a facility handling peanuts. Overall only the sesame sauce was eliminated. I would definitely recommend this experience overall.

I stayed right across from Godaime Hanayama Udon Ginza Ten and always saw a line of people, so I decided to try it. They open at 11AM, but the QR queue starts at 10AM. I arrived around 9:40AM and was the fifth group. After checking in, I went back to my hotel and waited for the notification to return. You get an email or message once your turn is close, and the queue page updates live as well. They're usually fully booked by noon, so going early makes a big difference. Staff was tourist friendly and understood English. I ordered the Hanayama-Set with the cold Oni-Himokawa noodles, which come with soy and sesame dipping sauces, plus the tempura rice bowl. Tempura included fried shrimp, squash, asparagus, and maitake mushroom. The noodles were soft, silky, and very wide, almost like ribbon-style rice noodles. The sesame dipping sauce was refreshing and the tempura rice bowl was tasty and comforting. My mom ordered the hot Hanayama-Set with the same Oni-Himokawa noodles served in broth, along with the chirashi-sushi rice bowl that includes trout salmon, shiitake mushroom, tamagoyaki, scallop, and cucumber. After trying both sets, I personally preferred the cold version and the tempura bowl. Overall, it is a solid meal with good value at 1590 YEN per set. Worth trying at least once, especially if you don't have to wait too long.

This is one of the most unique meals I had while in Japan. My husband and I queued up around 11:30 AM and there were 50 parties in front of us. Luckily we were staying in ginza so we were able to a bit of shopping and hang around our hotel. We weren't notified to return to the restaurant until around 2:30 pm so a 3 hr wait time. We both got the large udon set which came with both the traditional udon noodle soup, the wide udon noodles for dipping, and the tempura. I have to say, the wait was worth it! The wide noodles had a great aldente texture and were so much fun to slurp in. The tempura batter was thin and crispy. The traditional udon noodle broth had the right amount of umami. I was honestly thinking about going here twice during our trip but decided against it to try new things.

My favorite meal in Tokyo! The wide noodles were absolutely delicious and had a great texture. The cold dipping sauces paired well with it, especially the sesame sauce which clung to the noodles perfectly. The lunch set also came with a bowl of crispy tempura. We wanted to avoid the line so we got there at opening at 11am on a weekday, but there was already a line and we had to get seated after the first round of customers. This took roughly 40 minutes, but it was very much worth the wait. While the interior felt more upscale, the prices were reasonable, especially compared to the cost of dining in America. The front of the shop also sold the dry noodles and soup base so you can make it at home!

Found this spot off of social media! The thickest of noods! Personally ordered: deep fried shrimp with mitsuba (450 yen, ~$3 USD) tempura assortment udon set 1950 yen, ~$13 USD) a few beers Huge fan of the texture of the noodles. The tempura was fried well too. Although there might be a line...it moves relatively quickly. Total ended up being $22.72. You pay as you leave and they are super efficient splitting up the bill in the end.

Ambiance: The restaurant is dark with an elegant Japanese modern touch. Service: the staff was incredibly friendly and helpful with the menu Food: Amazing. A must try for anyone who enjoys Udon. Their signature flat wide noodle paired with their sauces was perfectly chewy and paired incredible with the two sauces. Their tempura was well fried and crunchy. Please go and check it out yourself! Note: Be careful of the line and come early!

Came here with a group or 6 for dinner time. It was about a 50 minute wait time until we got seated. Make sure to grab a ticket when you arrive and check the queue for wait time. I would recommend going with 2-3 people only or splitting up the group for faster times. Highly recommend ordering the Akagi Beef Lava Grill (Strip Loin) was very soft and juicy. Don't skip out on ordering it! The udon was amazing. Our group ordered Assorted Tempura Zaru Two Flavors (Soy Sauce Dipping Sauce & Sesame Dipping Sauce) and Ginza Gozen set. For 50 yen more, I would recommend ordering the Ginza Gozen set over the assorted tempura zaru with two flavors as it was just too much noodles for one person. Both sauces were amazing, especially dipped. The tempura batter - can't best that. Service was very friendly. Staff was super nice.

I came to Godaime Hanayama Udon after seeing it viral on social media and was prepared for a long wait for lunch. I got to the store around 10:30am (when it opens at 11:30am) but didn't realize that the ticketing opens at 10am. By the time I got my ticket and place in line, my estimated wait time was over 2 hours and I did end up getting seated around 1:30pm (they do alert you to go back to the restaurant ~15 min before you're next up). The good thing about Tokyo is that most of the restaurants use an online waiting system so you can take your time to shop around Ginza and check your place in line. I was a bit skeptical of the food given the long wait but it really did deliver! I got the hot udon wide noodles with thinly sliced pork, a poached egg and a side of tempura. The noodles were perfectly chewy, slippery and really had a great texture! I also loved the soy sauce that they provide, and pouring it on top of the udon, pork and mixing the egg in was just divine. I have to say this ended up being maybe my favorite meal in Tokyo - definitely worth the wait, just come early to grab a ticket and plan to shop and explore the area while you wait!

Recommended by a friend and so glad I was able to try it in Japan! There are no reservations and is first come first serve. Arrived on a weekday a little before 10:30am and there were already 10 people before me. They open at 11:00am. The noodles were so wide, silky, smooth, and chewy! It comes with two dipping sauces (soy and some mixed sesame). Both were amazing! The sesame one seemed like it included various types of sesame seeds such as black sesame and was so fragrant, nutty, and savory. I got the set meal which included the hot stone rice with tempura which was ¥1,590. The noodles were great, however I feel like the tempura felt a bit too greasy. The tempura included fried shrimp, okra?,mushroom, eggplant and pepper. Overall, I liked the noodles which is what they are known for. Staff didn't really speak English but didn't really have to communicate with them as the way to order is to scan the barcode and you select what you want and they bring your food then the receipt.

Actually happened upon this udon shop because it was really close to our hotel. There was a line waiting so googled it and realized I had it bookmarked. So we decided to wait in line. We got lucky because after waiting for about 20 minutes, the staff came out and told us she would check if there were noodles left and if that was okay with us. The group behind us ended up being the last group they were able to take. We waited roughly 45 minutes before getting seated. They only had the thick noodles left and had sold out of the thin udon. That was perfect for us. Ended up ordered a cold udon and it was delicious. The noodles were cooked to perfection. I wish I could have added noodles but I wasn't sure if they had enough since they cut off the groups that came after us. Staff was super friendly. The store itself was beautiful decor wise. They also sell the noodles dry and as gift boxes. Ended up buying one back to Taiwan but have yet to try it yet! They tell you how to cook it when you purchase as well.

Be prepared to wait ages to get a seat in this restaurant because it is sooo popular! While the udon was extremely delicious and very unique, I'm not sure if it was actually worth the time we waited. The restaurant opens its doors at 5:30pm on weekdays for dinner and when we arrived just before 5pm, there was already quite a long line ahead of us. We ended up getting a seat after about 1.5 hours, and our food came out pretty quickly after we placed our order! I got the udon carbonara with their famous flat wide udon noodles, and it was seriously so good especially on a cool winter day. The carbonara was rich and creamy, and the wide noodles did a great job of holding onto a lot of the delicious flavor. My fiance got the cold udon set which came with two dipping sauces for the noodles along with a tempura platter. Both of us really enjoyed the dipping sauces and it was fun to alternate between the two or even mix the two together! Overall the food here is amazing but know what to expect in terms of wait times when you come to this restaurant. I'm glad I got to try their famous udon noodles but not sure if I'd come again...

We went to the Haneda Airport location on our way out and no wait for a table. However, the restaurant was full so a slight wait on the food. Order online and the food is served with a smile. The flat udon was simple but absolutely delicious and so easy to get down. We also enjoyed the other items we ordered that were presented in a such a pretty and delicate way. Highly recommend the restaurant.

I didn't feel the same as all the other rave reviews and think it's overhyped. They open at 11 am and if you want to get seated with the first group, go early! Line up a hour before. The inside doesn't seat too many like 10 tables. I got there at 9:56 am on a Wednesday morning and there wasn't anyone in line. But as time passed more people lined up. Before you know it, line is half way down the block. They known for their flat udon noodles.i got the Ginza set that comes with their regular udon but I switched to flat noodle to try. The set comes with tempura but it was super oily. The set comes with dipping noodle and noodles in the broth. I thought the noodles were aright, nothing worth waiting a hour in line for. The noodles had nice chew but not the best udon I've ever had. They definitely know how to capitalize on the hype. They have a souvenir corner where you can buy the noodles to take home. They even have a separate menu that they'll leave with you after ordering. Cash and card accepted. But good value for 2 set meals at $22.86. That's like one meal in the states.

Food 4.5/5.0 Service 3.5/5.0 Value 3.5/5.0 Decor 3.5/5.0 Overall 4.0/5.0 Really good wide udon. Probably borderline 4.0/4.5 on food, but really quite good. Would go back. Later in the week, I even picked up a few of their packaged noodles at a different location... we'll see how that goes...

The udon here is good, but probably not 2+hours good, which is the amount of time we waited before getting seated. Make sure you arrive 30min before they open for a shorter wait time. We arrived right at 11am and our queue number was 49. We went shopping around ginza area for about 2h before being notified to head back to the restaurant. By the time we were back, I saw that they had already put up a sign that they are closed for the day to new customers. Dang. The udon here has the perfect texture and chew. Like many others have said, cold noodle is the way to go, although I did find that it became a little too plain after a while. The curry was really tasty and the warmth was perfect for a cold winter day.

Really incredible udon so it makes for a memorable dining experience. Known for their extra wide Oni Himokawa noodles, people line up for hours to land a spot to eat. The wait can be very long but they do have waitlist system in the front. Even when we showed up 30 minutes before open, the wait was still close to two hours. The noodles are the main show and nothing else really matters. I had the cold version and I could've slurped the noodles all day long. They were soft and silky and pairs perfectly with their dipping sauce. I'll definitely try to eat here again when I'm back in Ginza.

I was eager to try here since the Himokawa udon (flat wide noodz) is half the cost as it would be in New York. Getting a spot at the Ginza location was the bane of my existence; you'll probably have better luck at the Nihonbashi location. The restaurant opens at 11, but we queued around 10:30 to get a ticket. It was an estimated 2 hour wait at that point, but we only waited an hour. You're free to roam around after you get your ticket number, but should return when there's around 4-5 people ahead of you. If you miss your number when they call, you'll have to wait on standby (which we saw happen to a lot of groups). We ordered both the: HANAYAMA SET: Cold and with flat noodles, served with 2 dipping sauces -- soy and sesame. Feel like cold is the way to go, because the noodles won't get too soggy. The noodles had a nice chew and springy texture to it; made it very enjoyable to slurp! I preferred the sesame dip over the soy dip, but alternating them gave it a nice contrast. ONI SET: Also cold and with flat noodles served with Mugibuta pork and soft boiled egg. This set wasn't so much a dipping udon, but rather a cold mix-in udon. The server advised us to mix the broth in small amounts. I liked how this set was a little more protein dense as it came with egg and pork. The egg also added a velvety essence to the bowl -- making it more savory and rich. Both sets also came with a rice bowl in which we chose the TEMPURA BOWL. The tempura was average; not bad, but could've been crispier. Among all the tempuras I tried during my Japan trip, this wasn't really my favorite. Felt like I should've just went with the pickles and salmon roe LOL. While I did enjoy my meal here and I do think the udon is delicious, I don't think I could justify the wait again or (as mentioned before) I would just go to the nihonbashi location. LOL although a bonus about this place is that you can purchase their udon as souvenirs at a very reasonable price; I can safely attest that they still taste pretty similar if you make it at home.

One of the best meals I had while visiting Japan! As per the advice I got from family & online, I highly recommend getting a ticket at 10am before the restaurant opens at 11am. We visited on the weekend and were seated in the second round after opening. While waiting for our number to be called, they were sold out and stopped giving out tickets for the day at 11:20 am (close at 4pm on the weekend)!! This was a highly anticipated meal but I was glad that it lived up to expectations. I ordered the cold flat udon combo which came with a tempura don & wow, the noodles were amazing paired with their light dipping sauces, a sweet peanut & savoury soy option. The servers were very friendly and the customer service was great as per usual while in Japan. The restaurant itself is very quiet & quite small, we were seated in a shoes off area which was fine. I highly recommend dining at this spot.

Got here 20 mins prior to 5:30pm opening time there was already a line. We didn't get in with the first bunch so we waited until 6:15pm ish. If this were a game of Cooked! they would've lost. Half of the tables were empty and or waiting to be cleaned. Maybe they were short staffed but they definitely could have moved more people though. There is also no seating time limit so I think some of these people were just on their phones while people waited outside. Now the food. Yes, the flat udon was good. But actually the regular udon was better! Also as an aside- I think the couple that was in line ahead of us didn't understand that udon is very heavily fish-based and the girl ended up ordering just the tempura mushroom. So if you're a vegetarian, just save yourself some time and go elsewhere.

Famous for their wide udon noodles, this was one of the best meals I had in Japan. The texture is completely different to regular udon noodles, however the flavors are all the same. However, the texture allows for a really unique eating experience as each noodle holds onto even more sauce and in turn becomes more flavorful. They even have a storefront where they sell their wide noodles with ready to eat sauces that allow you to experience this meal at home. I really enjoy this aspect of it as I was able to buy some to share with family back in the states.

My Japanese friend told me about this place and how she really wanted to dine here but wasn't able to on her trip. She's been wanting to dine here on her past two visits so it must be good if she wants to come here that much. Told another friend about this restaurant while he was visiting and he was able to dine here. He said it was really good and worth the wait. At that point, I made sure to add it to my itinerary. Not knowing that a lot of places close December 30th till either January 3rd or 4th to celebrate the New Year, the only date I could fit this restaurant in was the evening we arrived. It's not ideal to land and go straight to the restaurant to wait in line to eat after a long flight. A foodie has to do what a foodie has to do. We went straight there after we checked in and the line was long before they opened. Think we arrived around 5:30pm and from what we were told, the spot we were in was over an hour wait after they opened at 6pm. Waiting in line was torture since it's very cold and we're so tired from our 9.5 hour flight. When they finally opened, we moved closer to the front of the line with all the first seating customers in the restaurant. Yay! It actually was under an hour for us to get it which was amazing. Before we could go in, there was some confusion on who's being seated first. Everyone was in line except for this female that cut in line. The nice Japanese couple in front of us was going to let her cut but I made a big deal out of it and shamed her in front of everyone in line. I'm American and I won't let that slide as everyone patiently waited in line. Good thing the 8 people behind us were from CA so they didn't agree with her cutting too. I can't believe she had the audacity to cut in line. She didn't get in and gave me this mean stink eye for embarrassing her in front of everyone. Good for her. When we finally got in, we were greeted with English menus, hot tea and oshibori. Mink ordered their Mugibuta Pork with a side of Tempura and I got their Ginza Set with a side of Grilled Akagi Beef (not sure if that's the actual name of what we ordered but Google Translate said it's called this). The food didn't take long and we dug right in. They are known for their flat wide noodles here and it didn't disappoint. We can see why they won the World Udon Championship 3 times and why people wait 2-3 hours to dine here. Mink doesn't eat steak that's not well done but she had the end piece that was more cooked than the rest and really liked it. We both really enjoyed our meal and can see why they have lines daily. It's probably best to go early before they open to get first or second seating. The restaurant can accommodate small, medium and larger groups. There is a side room for larger groups. You also want to be observant of who's standing in line around you because apparently some people think they can just cut in line. They do accept major credit cards and cash here. There are also souvenir udon packs you can purchase. We picked a set up to gift our friend since she hasn't been here yet. Hopefully it'll hold her over till she's in Japan again. Solid udon restaurant in the Ginza area.

We always judge a place based on how much we'd crave the food after we get back from vacation. This place wasn't high on that list but it was there. Was it the best Udon we had? No but it was very good and unique. I ordered the wide Udon with pork. It was very good and REALLY hit well given it was cold and rainy. Our group was a group of 9 and we were worried they'd not be able to fit us. The kids were tired and we had to wait a while outside. Everyone was a trouper though and the staff was amazing. They sat us in the tatami room so the kids loved it even more. If you do get some kits to go, one warning, the curry based one they said was for 2 people. We guess it's for 1 person at best.

Godaime Hanayama Udon in Ginza is celebrated for its wide udon noodles known as Himokawa udon, which measure 5 centimeters in width and are incredibly thin at just 1 millimeter. This style of udon originated from Gunma Prefecture, a region famous for its high-quality wheat production. The restaurant's Himokawa udon has a delicate, light texture that enhances the flavors of the accompanying dishes, Godaime Hanayama Udon - Authentic Himokawa Udon in the Heart of Ginza. Highly recommended if you don't mind at least 1 hour wait, then when you settle in and order, another 25 mins for the udon to arrive! I truly wish I didn't have to wait that long, but they don't have a reservation system. I was waiting in the rain, they offer umbrella which is nice. The menu features a variety of udon styles, including the cold zaru udon with dipping sauces and the bukkake udon served with toppings and sauce poured over. Notable dishes include the assorted tempura zaru set, which pairs the wide udon noodles with an assortment of tempura, including prawns and seasonal vegetables. I ordered the Mugibuta Pork (lot noodles in broth-based soup. The toppings: Mugibuta pork, kamaboko (Ost cake), green onion, carrot, and spinach. Mugibuta pork is one of the specialty in Gunma (Gunma is a mountainous, landlocked prefecture on Japan's Honshu Island). This was really but I couldn't finish. The pork was thinly sliced, marinated (bacon-cut like), super tasty. I also ordered the Maitake mushroom tempura, it was crunchy and fattening good :-) the dipping soy sauce comes with ginger and daikon for you to mix it in. Lovely. The dipping sauces available are soy, sesame, black sesame with pepper, roasted sake, and curry. They also offer their soy sauce sets for purchase to take home. Opened in 2016, the Ginza branch quickly gained popularity due to the restaurant's award-winning udon, which had won the Udon World. Championship from 2013 to 2015. The interior of the restaurant is designed to provide a cozy, inviting atmosphere with elegant Japanese decor, making it an ideal spot for a comforting meal. Due to its popularity, there is often a long queue, so visiting earlier before they open, for a shorter wait time.

This is what we called faith. I saw this restaurant all over social media but it was not on my list this time in Tokyo. I was in the area because I wanted to go to a Michelin star ramen spot but that week the ramen place decided put their restaurant up for reservation instead of lining up. I was so sad because its sold out for the day. On my way, I remember seeing a small line at a restaurant that is a block away and when I got there, it was this super popular udon I been seeing all over social media. I was maybe 20th in line at 10:10am. I waited for about 15 mins and the line had quadruple. Now I understand why some say it's a 3-4 hour wait. It was super delicious. I got the set where there is regular udon and flat udon. Cold and hot, along with tempuras. It was all super perfect. Service was fast and good. It was so good, I ended up buying 3 boxes of the dry flat udon home. I waited for an hour but if I had to wait any longer, it's just too long and no thanks. Luckily it was earlier in the day and this was October 30th and the sun was strong. Can't imagine waiting in the heat, rain or cold. That's just me tho. But yes, it was one of my favorite meals on this Tokyo trip.

Line was exceeding long, at least 45 mins wait during early month of April. They cut off the line at around 8:45p.m. and yes the cold thick udon are worth the wait and I highly recommend the sesame dipping sauce. I ordered not aware they were cold dipping noodles and wished I had order some hot soup. Good Ambiance, clean, decorative during spring cherry blossoms season and good spacing for the servers to walk from kitchen to customer's desk, which is rare considered Tokyo square footage is one of most expensive. Bonus about this restaurant is the souvenir section. We bought some Himokawa udon & dipping sauce giftbox. Aware: There are two restuarants in the Tokyo location, Ginza customer line cutoff earlier due to its popularity.

I saw this on instagram. Read reviews and basically if you don't come at least 30mins - 1 hour before opening , you may Que for 2 hours. They are known for thick cut udon noodles. They were chewy and delicious. However I wouldn't wait that long for it. I ordered the cold dipping noodles, hot udon, and carbonara udon.

This is a very popular place known for their flat udon. Restaurant is beautiful, clean and well kept. Line during any time of the day, we came in the morning and there was a line. Came in the evening close to closing time and still a line. Both times took about 1.5 to 2 hours before we got seats for 3. Have to say the udon, broth and everything it comes with is delicious and mouth watering. Both my adult children and I enjoyed all the dishes we ordered. Even purchased some flat udon to bring back to the US. Service was also super sweet, of course being in Japan. I don't think they know how to rush therefore lines are also long. We came back a 2nd time before they even open and the line was even longer so we anticipated wait would be around 2 hours. Since it was raining and freezing cold outside so we forgo and went elsewhere.

After 45 minute wait in the evening heat and humidity, it was our turn. So glad that we decided to eat here. I had the Ginza set that included both the hot and cold wide noodles, and tempura. Everything was so delicious! The maitake mushroom tempura was so awesome!!! Had to buy a couple take home sets to enjoy at home in Honolulu. It was heavy to carry but wish that I bought a few more.

It is one of the best udon eating experiences you will ever have.. Big fat wide udon noodles that soak up all the soups flavor. Between my wife and I, we decided to order two hot udon combos with the special wide udon and an additional order of the wide dip udons so we could try the two most popular styles. The tempura bowl was just good, but if you really want to try something different, I would suggest the picked veggie bowl with fish row on top and seaweed on the bottom. FYI, you need to come at the minimum 45-60 mins early before they open, or else it's an almost guaranteed 2-3hour wait during the day. Overall, it was an amazing experience, and you will not be disappointed.

Don't go on the weekend! If you do, be prepared to line up one hour before opening. We went 30 mins prior to opening and it took about two hours to get seated. Wild! The host was really kind and offered people umbrellas to block the sun as we waited. Be prepared to call a waiter and order immediately as it takes some time to get food. The noodles were thick and chewy as expected. If you're a fan of this time of noodle then you'll love this place. Sauces were also tasty. Tempura was on point! Broth is very light for the hot udon option - my boyfriend was not a fan..mostly because of the wait! If you don't want to wait, they have meal kits you can purchase at the register, it just doesn't come with the sesame sauce.

You must come before opening at 5:30pm because the line does get quite long. It's beautiful inside, super floral and bright. In my opinion, the food was pretty good but it was just missing a WOW factor. The tempura is delicious. I'd also recommend the cold dipping noodles. The black sesame sauce was packed with flavor!

long wait but definitely worth it! We came here 30 mins before open and got seated at 12:30. food comes out fast. We ordered the Oni set cold and the cold hanayama set. The noodles are flat but still maintains the bouncy and chewy textures of a round udon noodle. Staffs were there to inform on how to eat the noodles properly to enhance the flavors. The dipping sauce for the oni set is poured in small amounts so when you eat the noodles it will have a salty and savoy taste whereas if you were to pour it all in at once the sauce slide off the noodles. for the interior you can sit at a table or there are booths with tatami mats. Theres around like 11 tables. so expect a hour wait per 22 people~

THIS PLACE IS GOOD! Worth the wait to try their very special extra wide udon noodles which as SO INCREDIBLY CHEWY and surprisingly insanely filling with each bite, and their special SESAME DIPPING SAUCE for their udon noodles! The wait can be absurd if you go at dinner time (like a line that spans 2-3 blocks). BUT, I lined up about 30 min before the store opened, and was 4th in line! They seated us immediately upon opening :) And I say a 30 min wait is totally reasonable. So LINE UP BEFORE THEY OPEN! The steak is so good that I double checked to see if we had ordered wagyu haha. Turns out it wasn't wagyu but just insanely juicy. Highly recommend. I got the tempura and wide udon set. The tempura is fried impeccably, and the udon was the star of the show. I've never had anything like it! Just insanely chewy and SLIPPERY which created an amazing mouth feel. It comes on this cool platter where the udon is soaking in cold water, and you can place your next bite of udon on the center raised platform so that it drains of water by the time you're ready to eat that bite. Portions were HUGE (we were so full lol struggling by the end) yet SO CHEAP for the quality and honestly for the beauty of the restaurant. There are cute tatami style seating areas, as well as regular tables. Service of course is impeccable as everywhere in Japan. It gave a very high end feel, and I honestly think they could charge much more for their dishes. The wait was well worth it, and I will definitely be bringing my boyfriend the next time he comes to Japan with me! Can't wait to go back!

I loved the oni-himokawa noodles so much I came here twice on the same trip! Would 100% recommend for a very unique noodle experience in Tokyo. They have two locations, one in Ginza and one in Nihonbashi. My first visit was to the Nihonbashi location, which is much less popular. We showed up 10 minutes before opening at 11 and were the second group in line. I almost couldn't find it because there was no one in line when I walked past it. The second time was to this location in Ginza, which is much more popular. I arrived around 10:30 on Monday morning and there was already a long line. My party of 4 just missed the cutoff for the first seating and had to wait another 30 minutes to get seated as part of the second seating. Plan to come early when you come here if you don't want to wait too long! They have an English menu available, which makes ordering easy. I got the hot oni-set both times. The hot set comes with a bowl of oni-himokawa noodles with pork and broth as well as a rice bowl of your choice on the side. I got the tempura don, which comes with friend shrimp, squash, and maitake mushroom. All this for only 1490 yen, which is a steal imo. Everything about the meal was perfect. The tempura was fried perfectly and went well with the slightly marinated rice. The noodles, which are the widest I've ever had, are super smooth and silky and also quite chewy. I'm kinda obsessed and very sad I can't get this outside of Japan. They do sell dry oni-himokawa noodles so you can bring some home for your friends and family to try. I bought a couple so I can keep enjoying them a while longer...

Be ready to wait for a bit but the food did not disappoint! Great portion (I eat a lot) and service was fairly quick. Would recommend but just be aware that they close out the line outside pretty early so be sure to get there early..

The Ginza Set was absolutely spectacular, and the service was immaculate. I suggest lining up ~15+ minutes before doors open to get a seat! Delicious! Thank you so much to the staff!

Arrived at 10:50am on Monday morning and there was about 30-40 people in line already. Once Hanayama opened at 11am, I waited for another 90 minutes before being seated. The strange part is...once you sit down and place an order, food came out in less than 5 minutes...so not sure why the tables turned so slowly. I got the tempura set with "zaru nimi" (cold, two flavors of dipping sauce...sesame and traditional) with the signature "oni himokawa" (flat, thin noodle). At first taste, I really enjoyed the flat, thin noodle. But about 3rd piece in, I started getting full. It's like having 3 bowls of the regular udon...very filling. The star of the tempura was the maitake mushroom, very juicy, perfect temperature and nicely battered and fried. The rest of the tempura was alright...maybe because they were served almost lukewarm, room temperature. Easy walk to the Muji flagship Ginza store afterwards ... a nice combo stop if you are in the area.

Udon is one of my favorite Japanese dishes, and after seeing the line at this location, I thought it must be really delicious. I got a skewer with dough glazed with soy sauce and the largest set with tempura, cold noodles, and wide noodles in hot broth. The skewer was delicious and so was the set. Both noodles were super bouncy and fresh. You dip the cold noodles in their sauce, but it was a bit too bland for me. The hot broth with the wide noodles were amazing! I wish I had gotten a bigger bowl of it rather than the cold noodles. Although their main focus is on their noodles, their tempura was also one of the best I had in Japan. It was crispy yet soft and went well with the noodle dishes. Overall, the food was good, and the noodles were delicious and fresh and chewy. I recommend getting the hot broth if you wanted more flavor.

This udon is simply unbelievable. The wait times can be tremendous (2-3 hours) so I recommend coming one hour before opening so you don't have to wait as long as the other guests. That being said, the wait for us was 2.75 hours after arriving before the restaurant opened. We ordered the wide udon, ikura-don, the set meal (wide udon, thin udon, and tempura), thin udon in broth, and the creamy seafood udon. The texture of these udon noodles were simply unbelievable. The bounciness and chewiness of the udon is something that cannot be found in store-bought frozen udon. I enjoyed the thin udon more than the wide udon, but this is more of a personal preference. This chain of restaurants is known more for the wide udon, but the texture for me lies within the thin udon. The broth for the udon for all of the dishes was not overpowering and had the precise amount of seasoning to compliment and uplift the texture of the noodles. I am actually sad writing this review as I don't have an alternative to this udon in the United States. My favorite udon of the three was the creamy seafood udon. It was served cold with bits of cured pork belly and clam with a cool cream broth infused with incredible umami. Every bite of this noodle with the creamy sauce coating each strand of noodles was pure bliss. Simply astounding and unbelievable. Ironically, the tempura I had here was more crispy and enjoyable than the tempura I had at a Michelin star establishment in Tokyo. All in all, this restaurant is absolutely worth the wait. Just be prepared in the case of rain and come as early as possible!

Best udon I've ever had in my life. Definitely worth the wait. I will say that it's more worth it to get in line one hour before they open so that you can be a part of the first wave of seating. We were in the second wave of seating after getting in line 5:20 pm and the wait ended up being 1 hour after they opened at 6 pm. It's the type of restaurant where you need to be in line before or shortly after it opens because the line closed for the night shortly after we got in line. Once we entered we immediately got hot tea and a warm towel which was a relief from the rain. Service is fast if you know what you want but it's faster to flag them! Food review: Ginza udon: pick this if you have the chance! It lets you try the two types of udon, both hot and cold. It includes a dipping broth and tempura sauce with additional ginger sauce, daikon, and green onion Tempura-kake udon (hot udon): the tempura is non-greasy, crisp, light and flaky. We got shiso-leaf, Japanese pumpkin, shrimp and mushroom tempura. The dashi has a great flavor and isn't too strong. I got the thick noodle and they have a smooth mouthfeel that is easily slurpable. Wagyu beef: cooked perfectly and perfectly paired with the salt, wasabi and sauce. Oishi! Our meal came out to about 5550 yen or $37 usd. Overall I see why this is so popular with a long line. For the cost, wait and taste I would say it's worth it if you come early!

The udon was unique and I really enjoyed the texture (zaru udon.) The tempura was very so so especially the maitake, and this was especially disappointing for me as Zaru udon and tempura are my favourite things in combination! The maitake almost tasted like it was made out of dried ones and not fresh. I've had way better with my friends in Japan but while I am a tourist in Tokyo, it is pretty good I guess? . One other disappointing thing was that my partners udon was the regular cut when the advertised photo was the flat one. This was very annoying. Went at 7pm on a rainy day and waited 45 minutes in line.

My first experience with flat udon. We waited in line for about 2 hours for this, glad we did but probably do it again. Udon was really really good, perfect chewiness and the seasame dipping sauce was heavenly and delicious! Price was very reasonable, food was good, and the restaurant interior and service were 5-star, no wonder why the line was so long.

Go the Combo set with them tempura don. Add on of extra tempura The Thicc Udon is texture was just right. Goes really well with the sesame dipping sauce!!!! Tempura soo crispy and soft on the inside. The mushroom one is one point!!!! Staff was friendly. Ambiance spacious and the decorr are nice! Go early as there is a line up. I went on weekday.

I recommend getting the flat noodle udon with soy sauce and roasted sake sauce. Make sure that you are correctly ordering the flat noodles instead of the regular udon. The regular udon is good too, but the flat noodles are unique. I was pretty full but the assorted tempura was good too. The service is good and the ambiance is cute!

Expect a bit of a wait! We went on a cold/rainy weekday before borders reopened and the wait around lunch time was 1.5-2 hours. You put your name down, party size, and will be called in order. There are two seating areas inside. Note that you might have to take off your shoes if you get seated in the tatami room. English menus are available! Service is quick and efficient. This was the perfect warm meal for a cold day. As seen in the pic, I couldn't pass up trying their XL udon sheets, along with their "regular" udon. The meal set also came with a side of tempura. Near the counter, they also sell dried noodles or gift boxes of their noodles with a curry. This is such an affordable and yummy gift. The dried noodles cooked incredibly well and had a smooth texture. I can't recommend this place enough.

Finally visited Hanayama Udon after seeing all the posts about it on IG! This udon shop has been operating for over 120 years and is very famous for their wide udon. My first visit was on a rainy weekday morning. We arrived around 11:30am, and we waited around 1.5 hrs for a table. Since it was lunch, there were some special lunch sets that came with a small tempura don. I loved the udon texture as it was smooth, chewy, and super wide. The sesame sauce with the cold udon is also super tasty. I loved the udon so much we bought some of the dried udon to bring home. We happened to be in Ginza a week later and decided to have their udon for dinner. We arrived around 5:15pm (their dinner opens at 6) and there were around 10 people ahead of us. We were able to make it in the first round so only waited around 45mins this time. However, this time it seemed like the chef changed. The cold udon wasn't presented as neatly as the first time (see photos) and there was actually a hair on the udon... We saw it as it was being served and the server immediately took it back to change the udon. This time we also got the curry udon. While the cold udon was similar texture as last time, I found the udon in the curry a bit soggy. Nonetheless, still very delicious. Overall I'd say very tasty and unique udon, but I wouldn't wait over an hour for it again. Maybe 30mins. Was a bit inconsistent over the days as well. The restaurant is also very understaffed, there's actually many empty tables inside but no staff to clean the tables and seat the customers.

This is the best udon store in tokyo. I can say all the main and side we've ordered were perfect. Service was great. Restaurant was super clean. The flat udon was cooked perfectly and chewy. Perfect for dipping and in soup.

perhaps the most special udon spot... mom got the zaru udon set and i got the hot udon set. highly recommend the set that comes w lightly coated yet crunchy tempura! this place lives up to its hype and is worth the wait. keep in mind that this places opens at 6p and line starts forming from 4:30p or so we waited an hour until we got seated!

Godaime Hanayama Udon offers a unique kind of udon noodle (Oni Himokawa) that's wide, thin, and slippery, and the small restaurant had a long line even before opening. The Zaru Nimi came with cold noodles served with a soy sauce (garnished with scallions, wasabi, and ginger) and a creamy sesame miso sauce for dipping. The cold version was particularly good for experiencing the unique slippery, smooth texture of the noodles. I also tried the Mugibuta Pork and Maitake Kake, both of which came in a warm broth along with various toppings. The Migibuta Pork featured thin, fatty pork slices, kamaboko (fish cake), green onion, carrots, and spinach; while the Maitake Kake featured maitake mushroom tempura, grated radish, bonito, kamabo (fish cake), and green onion. As part of the lunch set, we also got a side of Ten-don, which came with shrimp, kabocha, and maitake mushroom tempura served over rice with a savory sauce. Overall, the unique style of noodles and the friendly service made this a memorable dining experience that came at a great value, though I wouldn't necessarily wait in line again to eat here.