U:Don Fresh Japanese Noodle Station – University District

Great udon with excellent service. The staff is friendly, and the food is served quickly. Portions are generous, and the prices are reasonable. The only downside is that parking is limited to street parking, which costs $5 per hour.

Our first time in here. We got a crave for some udon and this place hit up. The entrance is a little confusing because we were trying to find how to order but found quickly a worker to help. The food was ok, not a lot of flavor on the broth, my best beef rice bowl was super yummy. The side dishes were a plus also. We got some tempura vegetables and chicken kaarage at $1.10/pc not bad. The tables were a little sticky so that is the knock on the stars. Overall ok. No parking nearby

Fantastically delicious food, very genuine atmosphere. Can get a bit pricey, especially with the add-ons you can get after ordering the noodles such as the wings or takoyaki. All in all fantastic experience, just need to make sure the budget can account for it.

This place is probably my most frequented in the city. The portions are big and the prices are great, the food is always amazing. One of the best cheap eats in the city.

Order at the counter and find your own seating. This place was really packed on a Tuesday. The udon was amazing though! Great taste. I wish there were more free toppings and the additional tempura toppings cost a little extra.

I dined here in May of 2022, during the Street Festival. The prices were excellent, and the food was perfectly filling! There are a wide variety of options, and you are definitely able to customize your Udon based on your preferences -- they offer both cold and hot options, along with many sauces and add-ons (spring rolls, etc.). If you are looking for a great quick option in the U-District, I would highly recommend U:Don!

This is one of my go-to dinner spots when I’m in the U District. It’s good quality and very reliable. I love their way of ordering where as soon as you walk through the door, you read the menu on the wall, and then walk up to the counter where they make your bowl right in front of you. After you put your bowl on your tray, you can check out the a la carte tempura bar before checking out. Highly recommend this place if you love udon and tempura!

We have been wanting to try the udon here, and we are soo pleased. It's cafeteria style where you grab a tray and order the udon, like some udon cafeteria in Japan. First you pick the udon style. They have S, M and L bowl size which I like so I dont overeat and can eat more tempura. We had the tantan goma zaru dipping udon and ume oroshi niku soup udon. We then chose the tempura variety that we like, the veggie tempuras were good. They put the tempura sauce in a thermos and you help yourself with it. The dipping udon was actually served cold, both sauce and noodle were cold, only the meat was warm. The sauce was a bit too sweet for me but still good and rich. The meat was okay. The soup udon was fantatic. If you are a fan of ume and daikon like me, you must try it. We also ordered a side of mentaiko. Only $1.50 for a scoop, what a deal. You can also order a side of white rice. Cant wait to come back for more! Btw street parking can be a bit challenging in U District. But we had a fun time strolling along University Way and the campus.

Easy casual dining spot, somewhat simple yet large menu - they basically only have udon dishes and a few rice dishes, but you can get different toppings of your choice, and add-ons. It looks like they also have specials that aren't the regular menu with more fusion bases like basil pesto, etc. But we opted for the traditional flavors and got a sauce-based niku udon and a soup-based niku udon, as well as a gyudon, basically the same flavor all around. The niku/gyudon is definitely a solid choice - plenty of meat and udon/rice to fill you up for a very reason price. Udon was chewy and tasty, just the right texture. They also had a selection of side dishes like karaage and tempura that you could add as well, very reasonable pricing on these as well. Service is super fast since the menu isn't very complicated and they prep it right in front of you. Staff was friendly and patient and there was plenty of seating.

After a morning walk, we worked up an appetite and we picked up U:Don on our way back to the hotel. It's a casual spot in the U District, nothing fancy but the good Yelp reviews brought us in! We got Niku (Sukiyaki beef) udon, Salmon Cream udon, and Kitsune udon to go along with some of the self service items we saw after ordering (salmon onigiri, green bean tempura, shrimp tempura, eggplant tempura). One thing to note is that there was a $0.75 surcharge on each of the to-go udon bowls which I didn't notice written anywhere until I looked at my receipt. All of our udons were tasty. I liked the texture and flavor of the noodles and portions were good sized. A solid meal for a casual/quick place, would come back again.

Headed over for a later dinner at around 7 pm while in the University District area. There wasn't too long of a line so we were able to order and they made it as we walked down the line. Niku Sauce (Cold) & Shrimp Tempura - Opted for the cold version and the noodles were a decent texture and the beef was soft, nicely seasoned. The sauce was a little too salty though and it got pretty oily at the bottom. The shrimp tempura was good with a light batter but slightly small for the price. It was nice how fast we were able to get our food and it was a decent place for a quick dinner in the area.

Our first time in here. We got a crave for some udon and this place hit up. The entrance is a little confusing because we were trying to find how to order but found quickly a worker to help. The food was ok, not a lot of flavor on the broth, my best beef rice bowl was super yummy. The side dishes were a plus also. We got some tempura vegetables and chicken kaarage at $1.10/pc not bad. The tables were a little sticky so that is the knock on the stars. Overall ok. No parking nearby

I'm jealous of anyone who lives in Seattle--I wish I could eat here everyday! Fresh udon and tempura--need I say more? The noodles are chewy and bouncy, the tempura is fresh and crispy, and umami flavors are present in every bite. The set-up is like a cafeteria line which is super efficient! Tell them what kind of udon you'd like, then grab the self-serve tempura while you walk down the line towards the cashier. Recs: Men-Tama Sauce Udon, shrimp tempura, takoyaki

U:Don has so many different flavors of udon and great sides that pair well! The noodles are nice and chewy and i love how you add tempura crunch bits on top for no extra charge. Food is ready super fast and it reminds me of a cafeteria style restaurant. The only thing is there's a really oily atmosphere inside the restaurant that makes it a bit unpleasant to dine in.

Pretty good! There's a decent amount of seating around the place. There are sooo many options on the noodles. From dipping noodles to saucy noodles and then to soup noodles. The service was quick, you grab a tray and go up and tell them what you want and they give you the dish and then you go down the line for the toppings and extras. I like the place and would try the other dishes as well. The Men-tama was two pepper spicy (it was not spicy at all but that might just be me.)

Filling lunch spot with great portions in U district. Service is fast paced and counter ordering style. Cooks have good communication but the front end service seems a bit stressed and unhappy. Restaurant is kept clean with booth, table, and bar type seating. As for the food I wasn't impressed. I ordered the Niku soup udon with seaweed, chili oil, and a soft boiled egg. Noodle texture was a little inconsistent and dish wasn't memorable that I would return. I've had better udon at sushi restaurants... Experience was disappointing since this place is always so busy :(

I haven't been here in years but the quality of the noodles and soup is still the same! I came with my boyfriend who was feeling under the weather. I bought him here to get something nice and warm to make him feel better. He got the Niku Soup Broth. He loved it because it was the perfect soup to have on a cool day + when you are feeling under the weather. This was his first time and he said it was amazing. With great food and kind service. The employees were very nice. The employees greeted us in Japanese when we entered the restaurant. They were very kind and gave us great recommendations. While we were there, they had run out of udon and there was about a 10 minute wait. The employees handled it very well stating that the udon noodles were not ready and they could have a seat while they wait. Then they would call you up to get in line in the order you came in to make sure they honored your position in line. I really appreciated this while I was here. It showed that the employees cared about the customers. I usually get their basic soup udon but this time I tried something new. I got the Tan Tan Soup Udon which has their soup broth, minced pork with their house chili oil. This was so delicious. If you are in the mood for something got with a kick, I highly recommend trying this. I definitely want to get this again. The restaurant reminds me of a more US version of a UDON restaurant in Japan. It is very nice and quiet. There is plenty of seating for everyone. I think that if you are in the food for some good noodles by the AVE in University District you should totally check out UDON

If you're looking for a quick grab and go meal, while you're on budget, this is the place! They have various comfort food, mostly surrounding fresh made udon. The menu is a little complicated because they have many options and sizes. I opted for the mentai udon because I really love the creamy cod roe sauce. Their original udon is also very goo

A solid option with fast and easy service! Fun to have the quick tempura bites as an appetizer as well. Very happy with the my simple choice of the kitsune!

Service was great, everyone was very nice! Lots of seating inside, can accommodate variety of party sizes. I got the niku soup udon which comes with sukiyaki beef. We could add on green onion, tempura flakes, chili oil, and ginger to our udon. Loved the tempura bar: they had veggie tempura, shrimp tempura, fried tofu, even entire pieces of katsu! Very yummy udon for adequate price, will be back! If you want to get more tempura, I recommend getting a small bow of udon!

What went well: - Very friendly staff, the cashier at around 11-12:30 today was extremely friendly and helpful, always having a smile on her face as well. The quality of the customer service I've received by the cashier (which was also cleaning the restaurant) inspired me to review. Kindness matters guys! *cough cough Brandy Melville* -Very quick service, the staff made my noodles as I was ordering in under 5 minutes. -Very reasonable pricing, the noodles were 12.00 and was still pretty cheap with tip included. *Slight* concerns: -Extra charge for chili oil, something that 99% of restaurants provide for free. Probably how they keep the prices so affordable though. -Requires you to be able-bodied, as you are expected to carry your hot & slippery food in a tray (I almost dropped mine!) -Broth is a bit cold, although I ate the noodles right after it was made. Overall, this is a pretty nice restaurant if you're on a budget, able-bodied and want friendly staff!

Just checking in to give another 5 stars because I don't think this spot has ever disappointed me. No joke, i had someone ask me the cliche "if you had to eat one meal forever..." and my answer was the Goma Zaru cold noodles with 2 pieces of Kitsune tofu. Great for a casual meet up or dining alone. Quality fresh authentic food with a casual/cafeteria feel. When ppl come to visit this is a no-brainer of where to take them when exploring U-district.

To be honest, I've never really truly eaten here before, but I had a job interview once and I went in there. They talk to me. They didn't even have my résumé on file that I gave them and I I literally almost gagged. Like the place smelled like soap in the inside. The place doesn't even really look clean the people who's making the food don't seem hygienic. And every single time I walk past this restaurant, I smell soap in a horrid way like vape soap or like you know that sweet smelling fEIN smell. No.

Everything was fast and udon was fresh! The parking is a headache and you definitely will smell like fried food after you eat here. The large portion was right for me, my husband, and a toddler :) We ordered the niku and salmon cream udon. The niku was kind of too sweet for my taste - but if you enjoy sukiyaki style, you'll definitely enjoy niku. The salmon cream udon was great!

A must go place if ur on the aveeee!! Their noodles are handmade and soooo good, I come here every time i want a cheap and delicious meal. The workers are really friendly too!

Being located on the Ave near the UW campus, it's a convenient spot for a quick bite. I didn't order udon, but the beef rice bowl, and I think it's pretty decent for the price. It could use a little more flavor but it was a good portion. They also have a pretty good tempura selection but I opted for the onigiri with salmon, which also could've used some more seasoning. Overall, not the best and I'd choose elsewhere if in the area.

Having gone to other fresh-made udon restaurants in Japan, including in Kagawa Prefecture, the birthplace of Sanuki-style Udon, and in the United States, I had high expectations. As you walk in, you are greeted with a large menu board with a large number of options for udon (hot and cold) and rice dishes. The udon is served cafeteria-style, with you ordering the type of udon in the front of the line, followed by you selecting from an array of various fried tempura items and other delicacies, and finally arriving at the cashier to pay. Katsu Curry Udon, Large ($17) - As soon as we saw the size of the bowl, we knew that this one dish would be enough for the both of us. We skipped the add on bar, other than taking some complimentary tempura flakes for an added crunch. Overall we thought the dish was quite mediocre. The tonkatsu was quite dry inside, although the outside was crispy. The tenkasu was a little bit stale but crispy. The broth was rather weak and didn't have very much curry-forward flavor - it seemed like they mixed sukiyaki beef broth with it so that it was very sweet with mild spice and a thin consistency. I couldn't detect any dashi flavor and I didn't see any green onion, although there was a lot of sliced onions and beef slices. The sweetness of the broth was overpowering. The noodles were on the softer side and didn't have that chewy bite associated with udon. Perhaps they were overcooked a little bit. I only noticed afterwards that many of the reviews mentioning the curry udon are lukewarm towards the dish. I guess I'll add another to the pile - avoid the curry udon! Perhaps their other dishes are much better.

Came here with my boyfriend for lunch since I love Marugame Udon/the whole udon cafeteria concept. We both got medium sized hot beef niku udons, I purchased a potato croquette and he got some gyoza and chicken karaage from the hot foods section. For $13, the portion is really really good!!! I love the freshly made udon dough, the broth, and how it fills you right up on a cold day. The potato croquette was my first time actually trying the fried items at udon cafeteria places, and it did not disappoint. I had a bite of the chicken karaage, and it was very juicy and tender. Everything was so delicious, I have to come back and try the curry version. I do wish that they had the beef niku udon in cold like Marugame does, though. That would be a real game changer!

U:Don is a solid restaurant I like to stop by when I'm in University District. They have an interesting cafeteria-style ordering setup. You grab a tray and wait down the line, order, and then have your food served immediately onto your tray. There's also a tempura bar where you can grab as many as you'd like to have. Payment comes at the end of the line. Niku Soup (with Seaweed + Kitsune Tofu add-on): Very yummy bowl of udon! The udon was nice and chewy and the soup was subtle, but flavorful. The beef was delicious, not too chewy. I really enjoyed the Kitsune Tofu, it had a somewhat sweet flavor and an interesting layered texture. Tempura Shrimp + Broccoli: Delicious! Did not feel like they had too much batter at all.

Ok Udon, does not give the cleanliness and bright restaurant like Marugame, but is ok.. just one thing the smell of their cleaning product prob even when you pass by the restaurant so strong...

Really good udon perfect for a cold day. The Men Tama had so much roe and I loved that it came with seaweed and an egg. My only complaint was that it was around room temperature after I mixed the egg while I would have preferred it hot. The Niku soup was flavourful and the udon was chewy. It was a decent price at around $10 to 13 depending on size and type of udon. This location was a dollar or so cheaper than the other location. I would definitely recommend if you're in the area!

I had food from this place before about 6 years ago. It wasn't any worse or better than I remembered. The servers were super friendly and it was a little over priced, especially for college students. Very clean dining area.

Great price, good service, solid food on the Ave. Wished we had this when I was the UW at the time!

Visited this spot when I was on vacation in Seattle. They have great quick and affordable eats. Udon bowls come in 3 sizes with a variety of tempuras. We got: Beef niku udon, Curry udon, Tan tan udon, salmon basil Pesto udon, Shrimp tempura and Chicken Karaage. It was a pretty full house on a Tuesday night.

The service is fast but the soup and noodles isn't very good here. The broth is oily and felt sick after eating it. The sides they had out were bland and greasy. I would skip this place and find another spot to eat. It's crowded with a lot of college students but not sure why it's so popular. The counter folks are nice and plenty of tables to eat at.

A place to get a quick and nice simple meal. Pretty much a self-service canteen like kind of place. Freshly made udon is thick and chewy in a good way. Niku udon is my favorite, I like it so much that I never bother to try other udons lol. The onion beef topping is sweetened and flavored perfectly, the soup looks light but flavorful. It's good for a cold winter day. Absorbing the marinated sauce, dried tofu in kitsune udon is super flavorful, it was slightly sweet. The only thing bugs me here is the ventilation. My hair and clothes smell cooking oil, so I usually come here in the evening when I'm about to call it a day.

good first date spot . only if they're really chill though. really like the udon and the ordering set up, makes it really easy. goood broth and i like the pickled plum paste

- Super bad customer service - This is my Nth time here, but it's been a while since my last visit. I told the guy who cooks the noodles that I want ginger and green onion, but he doesn't understand or could not hear me, so I told him I only want the complimentary/free ones. I couldn't be more direct, but he put seaweed in my noodles regardless. So I told the cashier, and he gave me attitude telling me it's not free blah blah blah, so basically it felt like they scammed me tbh. I could care less, but the cashier had to stare at the screen the whole time when I was tipping, which was super rude. Honestly though, I don't understand why they expect tips there. We gotta take our own food to the table and bus our own table, so what do they do? Clean the table afterwards? I dunno because my table was sticky as hell lol. Plus, who's gonna tip someone who just gave them attitude? *Shrug* The noodles are extra firm today, or maybe I'm just having a bad day cuz of those unprofessional employees here. Whoever trained them obviously failed :x Ps. Everything is at least 25 cents more expensive as of today.

I like this concept where you can order a basic noodle dish and pick out from an assortment of fried sides. the udon soup is very comforting and flavorful without being heavy. the dipping udon is also a nice option if you prefer something less soupy.

We stopped here for lunch on Saturday. Wasn't very busy, so there was no line & we had no problem finding a table. We tried the beef/onion sauce udon & the creamy salmon soup udon. Both were yummy. I like that the udon is made there in the shop. And there were a lot of options for sauces & topping & such. We also tried some of the tempura veggies but since they are made ahead of time, they were on the cold side. I'd probably skip those next time. But a medium size udon was filling enough without those anyway.

Solid portions can't even lie!! Prices are legit and service is quick because you build it yourself. Always a bit confusing when places like this ask for a tip in my opinion... seeing as how you do everything yourself. Clean inside but the soda machine is kind of bunk and a little out there with the soda choices. Can't complain though none of them are bad per se but just strange.

Update from 2024: Still love the food at U:Don and will continue to return for that! The ordering process remains a bit intimidating if you're new to the types of Udon and toppings, but if you just ask the staff, they're all very kind and willing to help. The noodles are the perfect chewy texture. My order is Niku udon with a soft boiled egg, and I like to add tempura beans, zucchini, and broccoli. I recommend adding the green onions when ordering! Interior remains the same, simple and not much aesthetic but it feels clean which is what I care about so it's alright and I choose this more for a lunch spot than for a date.

U:DON even know how good this place is. I was ecstatic to finally try the one of the most reviewed restaurants in U District this past weekend. Being familiar with cafeteria-style udon and seeing that this existed in U District was a delight. And the fact that U:Don had 10x more flavor options than the cafeteria-style udon place back home got me so so so excited. I'm a sucker for seafood pasta, so I had to get the small hot men-tama ($10.75), which was topped with a creamy mentaiko sauce, mentaiko roe, a soft boiled egg, black pepper, and nori. The noodles are prepared right in front of your eyes, and the workers are fast, yet prepare your food with quality. I also had to take advantage of the tempura bar. The green bean tempura, kabocha tempura, satsuma potato tempura, and shrimp tempura ($0.99 each) were fried to perfection, as was the potato croquette ($2.99). You are expected to bus your own table. But yes, this spot is SO worth it and I can't wait to try other things in the future!

I love the U:Don noodle bar concept! The noodles were fast, fresh and flavorful, with enough fried goodies in the u-pick-it area. I went with a simple small cold Bukkake sauce, extra green onions and a shrimp/vegetable tempura plate from the bar. The noodles were chewy and delicious with a delicious dashi soy sauce. The tempura was good, about what you would expect if it wasn't being served fresh from the kitchen. I really appreciated the variety of vegetables they had. Both the person preparing my bowl and the cashier were lovely. Dining is cafeteria style and then you buss your table. For $15 it was well worth it!

Had some yummy and flavorful noodle soup here! Kind staff and considerate of dietary restrictions.

Located in the U-district only a few blocks from the new light rail stop, makes this place a fantastic lunch or dinner spot. My favorite is the on-tama udon lightly sauced with an extra egg, ginger and green onion. The rich soft boiled egg yolk mixed with the dashi sauce makes a rich taste that will blast your senses with flavor! However, there are many options to choose from and it's great to try different options to find the perfect on for yourself. In addition, do not forget to pick out some tempura veggies and shrimp to pair with your meal. The staff are friendly and the restaurant is clean. There is plenty of seating as well. If you are in the area or want to take a quick ride on the light rail, this is a great spot in the U-district.

I wouldn't recommend getting any of their rice dishes, me and my friends went and every single person who ordered a rice dish got extremely sick after. I've had their noodles and I seemed to survive, but I wouldn't risk it again

I came with high hopes. I am from LA so Marugame udon is like this. A make your own udon bowl. This place the broths felt bland and the curry soup tasted watery. The noodles were that good gummy consistency but the soup base was lacking. I am they type of person that if I am paying for the extra spicy factor, I at least expect a kick. The added chili oil was not spicy at all.Saracha chili sauce is spicier....

Located on the Ave. Getting food is like an assembly line or a cafeteria. You pick your entree off the menu, then staff with add the sauce or broth. Then moving down the line, there's options of already cooked food like vegetables & protein tempura. Seat yourself. Street parking

Used to love this place! After many years, the best thing about this place are the handmade udons! The broth is not bad, but it does make your thirsty (which is my reason for taking off a star). After having the food here and ending up super thirsty every time, I'm pretty sure it's the broth. The wakame seaweed used to be free, and you'd only pay extra if you want extra -- but it's changed now and it's $0.30 if it's added in your bowl. Service is typical to what you'd expect from university district. The tempura's are good, but could be cold sometimes if you ended up grabbing a piece that has been sitting out there for a while. I'd still return for the noodles themselves though !

Compelled by passionate recommendations from a friend, I visited U:Don on a rainy Saturday afternoon. It was the perfect weather and ambiance for soup. I ordered the Mentama and it was mindblowingly good - the noodles were perfectly cooked and tender, the sauce creamy and the roe added a wonderful umami dimension. U:Don has a fun, customizable concept - once you've ordered your udon soup, there's a buffet of side dishes that you can serve yourself. I tried the green beans, eggplant, sweet potatoes and crab - for such an affordable price it can be hard to display restraint and not go overboard. The next time I'm in the U-District and craving soup, I will definitely be stopping by again!

Hot udon on a cold day is the perfect meal. It's a cafeteria style ordering system. You grab a tray and then proceed to the ordering station. Here you choose your entree and add an add-ins, which is an additional cost. I ordered the Niku, one of their popular dishes per their menu. Also ordered the curry, which says spicy, but I didn't taste any heat. It's a bowl of udon with sukiyaki beef and noodles, and added green onions. Then you proceed down to the self serve area of tempura, other fried items such as karage chicken and spam musubis. You pay at the end, find a table, and then bus your own dishes. I came for lunch on a weekend and it was not busy. I would come back again.

My partner and I tried this place because we had just came back from Hawaii and was hoping it would be like the udon spot in Waikiki. The concept is the same but the quality and taste is not. Nice try but not good enough.

I come to this Udon place often. They make fresh noodles daily & have multiple options available and sizes. Udon served @ sushi restaurants never satisfy my craving. Their prices have gone up 10-15% recently with everything going on this year. The broth is undefeated, so comforting. They also have a bunch of side dishes - tempura shrimp, musubi etc. The musubi does run out by the end of the day. Parking is a pain. It's on University Way so you might have to circle a few times to find anything.

This restaurant leads you through a cafeteria style set up, where you can pick up your udon and then select a few pieces of tempura before heading to the cashier where you can pick up drinks and desserts. While the food tasted good, my main issue was my food wasn't hot enough. The tempura was room temperature and the udon soup was lukewarm. I wish they kept the soup hotter and had a higher turnover of their tempura so that it'd be fresher.

Great little joint in the U district. It is cafeteria style self serve. Noodles are hand pulled and fresh you have different choices of broth or rice bowls and have good options for your side dishes, mostly breaded and my favorite is the shrimp tempura. Price is very reasonable, place is clean and service was fast and efficient. Would recommend for a quick lunch place.

U:Don is a quick and affordable place for a good meal near UW. I have gone twice now and both times have been pretty busy around dinner time. But the line goes fast and they make these fresh noodles super quick too. I like how you can see them make it through the glass window and see them drop the noodles into the water to cook as well. I've gotten the small udon soup bowl which was great for a cold night. It was the perfect amount of food and I added a soft boiled egg as well. So filling without being super heavy. I have also gotten their salon cream udon. Now this dish is more on the beach side due to the cream and the addition of a pretty large piece of salon. It was tasty and the broth was good - but I think next time I will stick with the classic regular udon as it tasted more fresh and light. Overall, a great spot for an affordable but filling meal!