Marugame Monzo

"Dish: Uni Sea Urchin Cream Udon Before the pandemic, Marugame Monzo in Little Tokyo had a perpetual line, both for the food and the performance–you’d watch noodle makers inside a glass-walled room throwing and cutting udon like they were on stage. But Marugame is just as great for takeout, even without the show. The fat, dense noodles are excellent in many forms, but for something a bit different, go for the udon in uni cream sauce, which is flecked with incredible bits of Santa Barbara urchin tongue. For a more standard noodle soup, try the Hot Dragon Udon with a light, spicy tonkotsu broth and excellent spiced ground pork." - brant cox, kat hong, nikko duren, sylvio martins

" There's usually a line outside Little Tokyo udon specialist Marugame Monzo during the lunch rush, but once you try their thick, bouncy housemade noodles, you'll understand why. The famous dish here is the uni cream udon, made with just enough sea urchin to give it an ocean-y punch. The truth is you can't go wrong with any of the cream-based udon (the miso carbonara version tastes like a warm hug) or the cold udon with shiso and ume. Fill out your lunch with a side of tempura as you watch the kitchen cut and roll every massive noodle by hand behind the counter. " - nikko duren, brant cox, sylvio martins

"There's often a line outside udon specialist Marugame Monzo, but once you try their thick, bouncy housemade noodles, you'll understand why. The famous dish here is the uni cream udon, made with just enough sea urchin to give it an oceanic punch. But you can't go wrong with any of the cream-based udon (the miso carbonara version tastes like a warm hug) or the cold udon with shiso and ume. Fill out your meal with a side of tempura as you watch the kitchen cut and roll every massive noodle by hand behind the counter. " - garrett snyder

"Stop by Marugame Monzo to sample handmade udon noodles — rolled out and cut to bouncy perfection in plain view of the dining area. For first-timers, the kake or beef udon is a good place to start, but for those well into their udon explorations, the signature miso carbonara or sea urchin cream udon are must-try bowls." - Kimberly Madrid, Eater Staff

"Somewhere in America’s all-out ramen frenzy, udon was seemingly left for dead. But if you ever see the line wrapped outside Marugame on any given day, you’ll understand why these thick, bouncy noodles deserve equal billing. Yes, the wait can seem daunting, but it’s worth it. Come sit at the bar, order that outrageously delicious miso carbonara udon, and watch as they cut and roll every massive noodle by hand behind the glass. " - nikko duren, brant cox, kat hong