Samurai Mama

Hidden Gem for Authentic Japanese! This Japanese restaurant was a delightful surprise! From the moment I walked in, the atmosphere was warm and inviting. The chef's attention to detail truly shone through. He even recommended a special cold ramen dish, perfect for a scorching NYC day - it was a visually stunning and refreshing combination of chilled noodles, crisp and colorful vegetables, and a perfectly cooked slice of chashu pork. I paired it with a refreshing Japanese IPA, and the flavors were incredible. Service was top-notch, and I felt genuinely cared for throughout my meal. Highly recommend this place - I'll definitely be back!

Delicious. The service was great. The atmosphere was fantastic. When asking for advice on an order they were happy to give it. We really enjoyed the gyoza. Crispy and flavorful, the condiments on top was amazing with it. The sukiyaki udon? Phenomenal. Highly recommend. Don't sleep on this place!!!

Came in for an impromptu dinner date and eating at Samurai Mama was perfect! The dishes were all playfully vibrant in both presentation and taste. We ordered the Fried Shishito Peppers & Brussels Sprouts and the Squash which both tasted delicious. For our entree we got the Kinoko Tsukeji Udon and their special Cold Ramen. The Kinoko Tsukeji udon tasted savory and deep with the dipping aspect making for the perfectly textured bite every time. The special Cold Ramen was refreshing and zesty. For a dad’s night, these two dishes felt balanced and delicious. Can’t wait until next time!

Was not a fan of the dump style udon, the texture and flavor profile were mediocre. The gyudon was not good, the meat was not tender and hard to chew. The fried chicken was ok and so were the vegetable tempera. Cute restaurant but overall mediocre food.

If you have Ramen, Sushi, good music, good drinks and good service all under one roof…well I’m there. Really wanted to give 5 star review for Samurai Mama however the only minor detail holding back is the broth on their original Ramen is a bit thin and lacking that rich deep flavor. Maybe it was just a one time fluke but overall I was very content. Definitely coming back soon to try their own house made Udon.

It’s a small establishment , so you may be sitting neck to neck with someone else , Which wasn’t a huge deal for me and my husband . I’ve had plenty of ramen and udon experiences, as I’ve also had my fair share in Japan and many places across the globe . There aren’t many places specializing in just udon so my husband was super stoked I was able to find a place like this for our trip in Brooklyn ! And omg , it was delicious ! The texture of the udon was chewy and spot on , and you can tell they know what they are doing by tasting the broth; not overly salted and heavy, but just the right amount of season and umami that’s only achieved by authentic methods ! The waiters are also super helpful as there were so many options we were interested in… they were definitely able to give recommendations that did not disappoint! Would definitely come back again if we’re feeling some legit udon ! Keep up the good work !!

The restaurant is quite unique with its distinctive decor, offering mainstream food styles. The taste is decent, though it’s renowned for its udon, there’s still room for improvement.

Super delicious udon, I didn’t try a lot of menu items because my stomach had been feeling sensitive before I got there but this pork belly udon really helped my stomach feel better. The broth literally healed me fr. The pork belly was so tender it DISSOLVED into the soup I swear. Our waiter was super sweet and constantly checked in on us! I will def have to come back

Hidden Gem for Authentic Japanese! This Japanese restaurant was a delightful surprise! From the moment I walked in, the atmosphere was warm and inviting. The chef's attention to detail truly shone through. He even recommended a special cold ramen dish, perfect for a scorching NYC day - it was a visually stunning and refreshing combination of chilled noodles, crisp and colorful vegetables, and a perfectly cooked slice of chashu pork. I paired it with a refreshing Japanese IPA, and the flavors were incredible. Service was top-notch, and I felt genuinely cared for throughout my meal. Highly recommend this place - I'll definitely be back!

Delicious. The service was great. The atmosphere was fantastic. When asking for advice on an order they were happy to give it. We really enjoyed the gyoza. Crispy and flavorful, the condiments on top was amazing with it. The sukiyaki udon? Phenomenal. Highly recommend. Don't sleep on this place!!!

Came in for an impromptu dinner date and eating at Samurai Mama was perfect! The dishes were all playfully vibrant in both presentation and taste. We ordered the Fried Shishito Peppers & Brussels Sprouts and the Squash which both tasted delicious. For our entree we got the Kinoko Tsukeji Udon and their special Cold Ramen. The Kinoko Tsukeji udon tasted savory and deep with the dipping aspect making for the perfectly textured bite every time. The special Cold Ramen was refreshing and zesty. For a dad’s night, these two dishes felt balanced and delicious. Can’t wait until next time!

Was not a fan of the dump style udon, the texture and flavor profile were mediocre. The gyudon was not good, the meat was not tender and hard to chew. The fried chicken was ok and so were the vegetable tempera. Cute restaurant but overall mediocre food.

If you have Ramen, Sushi, good music, good drinks and good service all under one roof…well I’m there. Really wanted to give 5 star review for Samurai Mama however the only minor detail holding back is the broth on their original Ramen is a bit thin and lacking that rich deep flavor. Maybe it was just a one time fluke but overall I was very content. Definitely coming back soon to try their own house made Udon.

It’s a small establishment , so you may be sitting neck to neck with someone else , Which wasn’t a huge deal for me and my husband . I’ve had plenty of ramen and udon experiences, as I’ve also had my fair share in Japan and many places across the globe . There aren’t many places specializing in just udon so my husband was super stoked I was able to find a place like this for our trip in Brooklyn ! And omg , it was delicious ! The texture of the udon was chewy and spot on , and you can tell they know what they are doing by tasting the broth; not overly salted and heavy, but just the right amount of season and umami that’s only achieved by authentic methods ! The waiters are also super helpful as there were so many options we were interested in… they were definitely able to give recommendations that did not disappoint! Would definitely come back again if we’re feeling some legit udon ! Keep up the good work !!

The restaurant is quite unique with its distinctive decor, offering mainstream food styles. The taste is decent, though it’s renowned for its udon, there’s still room for improvement.

Super delicious udon, I didn’t try a lot of menu items because my stomach had been feeling sensitive before I got there but this pork belly udon really helped my stomach feel better. The broth literally healed me fr. The pork belly was so tender it DISSOLVED into the soup I swear. Our waiter was super sweet and constantly checked in on us! I will def have to come back

p solid udon and ramen noodles!! i got the ebu tempura one - the shrimp was delicious but the udon base was a bit too fishy for me. the noodle texture was delicious though! the chilled ramen noodles were a dish we got that was off the menu, but so delicious and flavorful. great service though & peaceful ambiance!

If you have Ramen, Sushi, good music, good drinks and good service all under one roof...well I'm there. Really wanted to give 5 star review for Samurai Mama however the only minor detail holding back is the broth on their original Ramen is a bit thin and lacking that rich deep flavor. Maybe it was just a one time fluke but overall I was very content. Definitely coming back soon to try their own house made Udon.

DELICIOUS!! Came here while visiting NYC and our local friends book our reservation here. It did not disappoint! We started with several apps and you really can't go wrong with any of them! I had the tofu udon in fish broth for my meal (I think it was called the Kitsune Udon) and it was very yummy. The tofu had a slight sweet flavor which was good to help break up the photo. The broth was SO good and I would recommend this place! The ambiance was also very nice.

Came here with a group of friends and the vibes in the place were great. However I don't think I'll be coming back for the food - everything was very disappointing. We got the karaage, agedashi tofu for starters and they were a bit lack luster to me. I got the sushi taco special set and my boyfriend got an udon. The sushi taco was not worth it -especially the special. It was just ok. I didn't love the udon either- it didn't have the qq mouth feel for the noodles that I like. And the soup was just ok for me too. Overall won't be going back

This restaurant has been on my list and I was finally excited to check it out for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. I loved the communal table and the decor inside. However, I'm not sure I would've liked it if I came during dinner because it would've been a bit too cramped and loud. It's winter time and no coat room so my winter jacket took up the entire seat next to me. Because I came during lunch when it was empty, it was not an issue. Ordered the seaweed salad, pork gyoza and sukiyaki udon. The seaweed salad was very interesting. The menu did not provide any details so I was expecting the usual seaweed salad you get anywhere. This was a dish that came with 5 different kinds of seaweed and 2 different sauces. It was very cool and unique, but flavor was just okay in my opinion. I felt extremely healthy eating it though, which is a nice feeling. Pork gyoza were small but packed with a lot of flavor. And the sukiyaki udon was delicious! I loved the umami, fatty beef and how the tofu soaked up all that sauce. My only wish was for the udon to come out hot like they do in Japan. I hardly had to blow on the udon to eat. I would come back to try other udon and ramen from here!

Really liked the fresh, chewy udon noodles :) Soup broth for the chilled bukkake udon is good if you like a sweeter broth. And I loved the onsen egg it came with! Desserts are pretty standard, nothing to write home about. Good for groups or a semi-casual first date.

The food area is beyond amazing. The service is better than expected. The environment is very nice with music playing in the background.

This place is known for the udon and ramen - so don't miss out on trying these delicious noodles. We also got the fan favorite - sushi tacos. While each piece was beautifully presented, it didn't taste that special. Perhaps we should try the chef's special or pick our own next time. But I'd highly recommend the wasabi margarita and the spicy bukkake udon. The udon was so tender and silky. The soup base was seasoned perfectly without being too salty. Sitting at the communal table was a fun experience. It was set up mainly for couples. You can always tell when a couple is on a first date! Service was prompt. We were in and out in under 45 mins!

My go to spot for Udon. Especially because they have a veggie broth option. I've been dining at Samurai mama for years and it's always been consistent in good food, service and ambience. I love their agedashi tofu, veggie tempura and Sansai udon. The udon never disappoints. Of all the Japanese spots I've dined in NYC, this is hands down the best veggie udon I've had. Many places don't really offer a veggie broth option so big plus for Samurai. Whenever I'm in the area I stop in for a bite. Great spot!

Was craving hot udon/soup in the Williamsburg neighborhood so my partner and I decided to come here. The place is definitely smaller than we thought but the service was nice and the interior is dimly lit and more for a romantic type of meal. The udon soup was pretty good and the hand roll we ordered was also pretty standard. The only thing is if you prefer privacy, they only really have one big table for you to sit next to other people on. Also one thing to note is when we paid at the end, the server comes and holds the device for you to pay with card and give tip, it was a little awkward as the server was watching you do every move/give tip. Overall standard Japanese udon/soup place in the area.

i'm really surprised that this place still exists - especially on a main street in williamsburg where there is sooo many amazing asian restaurants around. my two guesses are that it's because it's the only really udon-centric spot in the neighborhood and that maybe it caters to a specific williamsburg crowd that maybe never had udon/asian food before (and maybe vegans bc they do have a veggie broth)?? i remember coming here and samurai papa's several times back in 2015-2107 and seriously don't rmember it being this bad!! bc wow.. this might have been the worst restaurant my bf and i have been to in the city and i dont say that lightly. i mean you can't taste bad, have bad drinks, be slow AND be expensive. you have to have at least one of the four at MINIMUM. look, i want to use my reviews for good and lift businesses up, not tear them down but i'm telling ya, 2/5 is GENEROUS. my bf and i got the pork gyoza, veg tempura and sukiyaki's each. pork gyoza 2/5: tasted like something you could get from the freezer section of target - not even an asian restaurant. you know how most places serve gyoza with the lace? the crispy skirt? well it had that skirt, but it was not crispy - it was straight soggy. how... veg tempura 3/5: super standard but the dipping sauce was good! i'll give them that! giving credit where credit is due and the shishito peppers were good! but it was just shishito peppers, mushrooms and sweet potatoes which i thought were a strange variety. sukiyaki 2/5: again, this was generous. salty but flavorless, the noodles had no chew, it felt overcooked. also the onsen egg it comes with? was RAW. i'm not talking a lil underdone, i mean RAW. it took us 30 min from the moment we sat down til the food came out. 30 min?!! we'd be asking for our checks at most other restaurants within 30 min. and somehow when the food came out, it was lukewarm? how did it take that long and not come out piping hot? what's going on back there? only good(?) thing is that portions are pretty big? but i'd rather have smaller portions with lower prices. how were the drinks also bad? my bf got the lychee martini that tasted like a lemon martini and the city pop(?) cucumber drink that tasted like cucumber water. his first drink came out after the appetizers - so think 30 min into us sitting down. the setting, as many other reviews mentioned, is communal with only a few booths and tables to the side and some seating in the back. it's tight and awkward and not very wheelchair accessible - i mention this bc there was a party of 4 that came after us that were squeezing past the seated patrons which is totally fine for us but i imagine was not very accommodating for them. if you've had any medicore japanese food before, i'd skip this place and look elsewhere - like anywhere else. if you're looking for good udon, heck, even mediocre udon, i'd skip this place and head into the city to tsurotontan in union square (only 2/3 stops on the L) or raku in EV or WV - trust me, it'd be worth the trek. only giving is 2 stars bc 1 star seems harsh and the food was subjectively edible AND our server was kind. but can't say the same about the hostess.

Sushi tako set $21 was very good for quality and value. I also ordered the wakame udon $13 which had a good portion. The proportion with broth and content was a bit off. There was too little broth and too much content (overloaded tempura & seaweed). Overall, it was a filling meal and good value!

Order: - Sukiyaki Udon (5/5) Pros: - Amazing tasting udon - Large portions - Unique restaurant aesthetics - Kind and quick service Cons: - Small restaurant with a large middle table/bench that most customers sit at Overall: The udon was perfect on a cold night. I definitely will be back

I had put Samurai Mama on a list of places that I wanted to try out in Williamsburg but hadn't actually thought that we'd get the chance to try it out so soon. We got there just before opening (12:00 PM) on a Saturday so there was no wait. We were seated side by side at a long communal table in the middle of the restaurant. One of their signature items is the sushi taco set, which looked yummy, but we opted to try the Bara Chirashi as we figured that there would be more pieces of fish for us to share. The presentation was lovely and the fish was fresh. For $28, it's a pretty good deal for the amount of food that you get. We also tried the Mama Original Ramen ($17), which, per the menu, is made with a stock of bonito, sardine, mackerel, pork, konbu seaweed, mussels, shiitake, and garlic and topped with a slow-cooked egg, chashu pork, bok choy, nori, bamboo shoot, fried green onion, fresh scallion, bonito and scallion oil. The soup was very flavorful and the noodles were bouncy and chewy. I will definitely be back to try the udon noodles next time!

It's good. Not great. The staff makes you feel rushed to order. Rushed to complete the transaction. Everything feels rushed. No one that works their smiles, especially the host. One sign that is telling is not seeing an Asian customers in an Asian restaurant

First of I would not come to this place again so many more great spots in the area. But you hate to see other that came after you and ordered after you get their food before you. That just always sucks and waiters should not let that happen . The variety of the menu isn't bad. My curry seafood udon wasn't bad. But the quality and amount of seafood definitely didn't make it seem like a seafood udon. Mini shrimp and I mean like mini shrimp , 2 pieces of the mini scallops. So I paid for the broth and noodles pretty much . The sushi tacos were fresh but nothing special . And the gyoza which same as the ramen came out after other patrons were basic and lacked flavor . But again dipping sauces to the rescue .

What a quant and sweet little spot in Brooklyn! Found it randomly as I was leaving domino park and glad I did. The style inside is definitely cozy, everyone either sits on a giant family table or somewhere along the bar. What I didn't have pictured was our ramen and udon and both had incredible broths. The sushi tacos were fantastic! So fresh and the quality was so good and the sushi rice was superb. Our bartender was also awesome, it was great to chat with him about his hometown and Japan. Loved it here! Highly recommend!

To be honest this is a very New York small restaurant . They promote community dining which is nice since I've never had that experience before. They have 2 private booths and a small private table in the corner if you want a little more intimacy but seems to be on a first come first served basis. We tried the spicy tuna roll which had a weird taste didn't really taste like much of tuna. Over all the rolls I'd give 4/10. We had noodles but we thought they were ramen but non the less the noodles were cold. The broth should have warmed it up but that was also lukewarm/cold. It was surprisingly filling but wouldn't try this restaurant again. Service was slow not sure why. People came after us but some how got theirs ramen and everything before us. Price wasn't bad about 130$ for the meal plus a bottle of presseco. Would I go back? Probably not. Would i recommend? No, there are plenty of restaurants on that strip that are the same so one of those might be a little better .

Sitting at a giant Viking-like dining table was a new experience. I guess it makes use of the space effectively and encourages mingling, but I went on a date and the communal dining felt a bit awkward. It was still cool since the table was large enough that you still felt like you had your own space. The taco set was pretty worth imo. Def need ramen or apps to fill you up though.

From the outside this place is a humble unsuspecting hole in the wall. Once you step inside it feels elevated but without being pretentious. The food is delicious and the staff were very friendly. If you're looking for comfort food in a cozy spot, Samurai Mama is the joint.

I had some high hopes when dining in here with my friends. The interior was charming and this was my first time trying chilled udon. The flavor of the broth was good initially, but then I found that it got way too salty towards the end of the meal. It also took a while for the food to arrive, and for a server to check in with us to get our bill. Overall, this is a decent place to try, but I wouldn't say it's a standout.

Recommended by a friend, visited it one fine afternoon and fell in love. Not a very impressive look from the outside but super cute interiors. They have a common shared table seating as well as cabin style private seating. We started with a warm bowl of edamames. For mains my friend ordered their classic ramen and I went for sea food curry udon. The portion size is generous, packed with delicious shrimps, clams, calamari and the noodles were well cooked but what took my heart was the broth. Each sip from the bowl was enjoyable. My friend was equally floored by her Ramen bowl. Our server kept regularly checking on us and ensured we were taken care of. We left satisfied and happy. Will definitely recommend you visit this place for great Japanese noodle bowls. They do a great job.

Excellent food at this little gem, the sushi is amazing as are many of the dishes I have had here, it gets a bit crazy at night even with a booking you can wait a fair time 20 mins in my case, I prefer lunch here, the deco is very cool modern Japanese style with some old artifacts. It's awesome go and try Samuri Mama I have been going for about 10 years

I chose this spot for a date night with my boyfriend and I must say it was pretty nice! I got the sushi set and he got a bowl of ramen, and we shared some karaage. His food (ramen) took forever to come out which was the only downfall. Ambiance is good so seats fill up pretty quickly. I would definitely recommend making a reservation beforehand!

I've had Samurai Mama bookmarked as a place to visit for whenever I'm in Williamsburg, and going on a rainy day was the move since we wanted something hot and cozy. The main feature of the interior is a large communal dining table with some booths. The menu is great with many choices of appetizers, donburi, udon, ramen, and sushi. Great for eating with a group since there are so many options. My friend and I got the sukiyaki beef, kinokojil kake (mushrooms), and a set of the sushi tacos. The sushi tacos were good but not remarkable, despite how popular they seem. My favorite was the salmon! The udon was okay in terms of flavor, but the noodles don't compare to other restaurants like Raku. They're a bit thinner than what I'm used to for udon. The portion is quite generous, which is great. Overall, a good neighborhood spot when you're looking for Japanese food. I wouldn't travel out of my way for it though.

Love this spot! It's a really warm and slightly romantic spot (because of the dim lighting). Food and service was fantastic. Here's why: My boyfriend and I had the sukiyaki udon, dipping noodles, sushi taco set, and drinks (lychee highball and yuzu iced tea drink, forgot to take a picture unfortunately). We started with the sushi taco set as our appetizer, and each taco is distinctly delicious!!! Each taco has either a hint of yuzu, avocado, or a tiny tweak with some ingredient added to it and it really enhances the taco taste. There is also no fishy taste to it, which is great because I can then taste each fish as it is. It comes with soy sauce and wasabi soy sauce to add on top. The noodles are handmade and all the broths have no MSG which really tells a lot about the restaurant wanting to cook quality food. The sukiyaki udon was delicious. It came with a poached egg on the side which is really thoughtful so that it doesn't cook in the udon and I can eat it whenever I want. The broth is light and flavorful. It has a sweet slight yuzu taste with its savory beef broth that blends so well with all the ingredients. The udon is cooked perfectly, chewy. My boyfriend had the dipping noodles with pork, which I tried a little bit of. It's also really delicious, the broth is richer than my udon, and has a stronger flavor. It sort of tastes like the brown sauce that you put on an omurice (if you know what I'm talking about). In terms of price point, it honestly is quite affordable and reasonably priced like $18 a bowl of udon and $21 for sushi taco set. Like for the quality of the food, price point, attentive service, and great vibes in the restaurant, it's great. I would love to come back again honestly.

Came here for the first time and will definitely be back! We got the original ramen (there are two ramens on the menu that sound very similar but it seems like the difference is that the original is in a full broth - what the typical ramen you would expect - and the other is more of a dipping style in a concentrated broth). We also got the bara chirashi. Both were delicious and the service was great - the waiter was very attentive and good at walking through the menu.

Menu is misleading, food quality is subpar at best, I had a lunch special rice dish and it came with deep fried mostly oily dough with thinly sliced vegetables that you can barely see...Will not return again

The food here is great. Most of the restaurant is seated at one long table, family style, which is annoying and i dont think its all that space efficient either. If you love Japanese food and hate privacy this place is the best. Otherwise its a sort of a compromise.

10/10 no notes. Delicious udon, a delirously cool space, and a cautious staff that explains everything, even warning you away from some of their more exotic-sounding cocktails, which are actually all good. A great date spot, and they are open for lunch. Highly recommended.

Cute restaurant with a long communal table in the middle. There were multiple options for udon and fish on the menu. Staff was very nice. I got the mountain vegetables with udon. It was average. Definitely a solid bowel of udon. However, I went to Raku recently so it was definitely not as soft as Raku. If you are in the area, not a bad choice, but wouldn't go out of the way for it.

Food: 4.5/5 Pleasantly surprised at how delicious the udon was here! Stopped by for dinner and we ordered the 4 mushroom udon and the sukiyaki. The 4 mushroom udon was savory and soul soothing. The dashi(?) broth was incredible. The sukiyaki was a bit sweet but it had a hearty beefy flavor. It also came packed with beef, bokchoy and tofu. The bowls looked small but it was a lot of food. I definitely recommend giving this place a try! Service: 4/5 Great service overall. Very attentive and friendly staff. Ambiance: 4/5 Cute large and a bit dingy. There's a big communal table in the middle with private tables all around. Overall, a great dining experience with delicious food!

Dine in review Wait time: 10/10 - Was immediately sat down without a reservation at 6pm - I requested a booth and was so politely told yes but with an hour time limit as they had reservations for those, which I had no problem with as I was just happy to sit at a booth :) Food: 10:10 - I ordered the Fatty Mama Ramen and it was delicious!! I didn't think I could finish it but it was lift-the-bowl-slurping good! I asked for spicy oil and they were so nice to provide as much spice as I needed (I ended up needing 2 lol) - My boyfriend ordered the chicken (oyako) donburri and he also finished his entire bowl - not surprised tho (he always does) but was very happy with the flavor. Not sure if it was the egg/veggies or the entire dish, but it was very juicy! Great ginger essence to it for those ginger lovers Drinks: 10/10 - I ordered a red wine and really enjoyed it. It was wet with a hint of dryness and not overpowering at all. I thought it complimented my ramen and enhanced the flavors - My boyfriend ordered a Japanese wheat beer (unfortunately, I forgot the name) but it had a cute blue-ish label. It was fruit, refreshing and not too light. I think 5 or 5.5% abv. Would recommend to beer enthusiasts!

My experience here was interesting. My friend and I had requested a booth and we were told at 5:30 PM that they would need it back by 7 since they had a reservation incoming. We both thought no problem an hour and a half is more than enough time for us to have some Ramen. We were mistaken. My friend ordered miso soup and sushi and I ordered Ramen. My friend spent the next hour waiting not just for her sushi but for her miso soup as well! Their reasoning was that the kitchen was backed up with all of the other orders but at the time we arrived there were only two other people dining in the restaurant so that was a bit confusing, however we brushed it off. My Ramen was brought out about 45 minutes before my friends food which I think is weird bc the norm is that you eat your meal together and not one person sit there and eat while the other person stares at them. Each time we inquired about the status of her order we were brushed off and when my friend said "can I at least get my miso soup?" the waitress said "sure" and walked away and we didn't see that soup for another 20 minutes. 15 minutes before 7 PM we were reminded that they would need the table -- so aside from being disappointed at the amount of time it took to get the food we were also disappointed that they thought it was fair to only give her 15 minutes to eat said food. Needless to say I definitely will not return to samurai mama.

This restaurant is amazing! - Pork Gyoza: super flavorful with a nutty side sauce and crusty exterior, can't go wrong - Taco set: delicious sampler of nigiri wrapped in seaweed - Bara Chirashi: varying selection of fish with a contrasting yuzu flavor that I absolutely loved, the fish is also super fresh and the sushi rice is amazing - Lychee Martini: perfect for lychee lovers and those that prefer a sweeter cocktail Overall, we had a wonderful dinner and pleasant experience with the staff as well. It's very easy to make reservations online and food is unique. Will have to come back for udon or ramen next time!

Was looking for Japanese food in the neighborhood and this perfectly hit the spot. Got the kitsune udon and the signature sushi taco and both were phenomenal. Great flavors, textures, and all at a super reasonable price. Will definitely be coming back

Came here on a recommendation from a couple friends. Made reservations for 7pm, got there a few minutes early and was greeted and seated immediately. When I got there, there was a good amount of open seats in the front dining area and they placed me in the back dining room which was small. Place is dark lit and rustic looking. The service was abysmal. Not sure why they'd place me in the small back room but I was trying to flag them down by waving my hands and I could see 3 waiters just chilling and talking amongst each other. I did this for a few minutes before getting up and asking to move to a different seat so they could actually see and serve me. What was ordered: 5pc taco set - good value and nice presentation but in my opinion I didn't taste much if any flavor in each "taco" Spicy bukkake Ramen - good and flavorful Niku tsukejil udon - a bit sweet of flavor in the broth. Next to no pork inside and ontop of that they didn't give me the dipping sauce... My overall experience of this place is bad. Terrible service and mediocre food.

This place continued my somewhat disappointing journey to find good Japanese food in Williamsburg. While there is a good variety of food, there are no really strong standouts. The food here can be best described as just okay. It hits the spot for Japanese food cravings, and even does those pancake style gyoza, but the actual taste is just so so. I would pass on the burger collaboration they're doing as that dish was quite a bit worst than the other options.

Best pork gyozas ever! Also had the sushi tacos (basically a handroll) and salmon & ikura chirashi which weren't as good

Solid sushi spot! Unfortunately I was not in the mood for udon but from what I saw on the menu I will definitely come back to try it. Sushi rolls were good and I really appreciated the pickled cabbage on the side as a substitute for ginger. Shrimp gyoza was fried perfectly with an interesting tonkatsu sauce on the side.

I've been to Samurai Mama twice now. Admittedly, I always worry about the second visit to a restaurant I fall in love with at first try, but Samurai Mama only continued to impress me. The flavors here are simple yet executed to perfection--the key to real Japanese cuisine. The quality of the ingredients here is so impressive! My advice to someone dining here for the first time is to try something you wouldn't normally order at a Japanese restaurant. While gyoza, sushi and chicken karaage will always be delicious, trying something new at a place like Samurai Mama is the way to go because everything they do here, they do it right. A perfect example is how they execute their uni tacos; my boyfriend was not a lover of uni until he had them here. The balance of flavors from the beet-dyed yuzu radish with the freshness of the uni takes this straightforward dish to a whole new level! I cannot say enough about how each neighborhood needs a spot like this one--Samurai Mama is definitely our go-to when we're in Williamsburg!

I love here going so much! I'm a fan of the dim lighting and raw/grunge looking atmosphere. The waiters are always very friendly and accommodating. I would always make a reservation to this spot since it gets quite busy even on weekdays. It's THAT popular. These people are great at making consistent and delicious cocktails. My favorite has got to be the lychee martini because they actually use fresh lychee (you can even see the lychee bits swirling around your drink) unlike some other establishments. I always get their agadashi tofu since I'm a sucker for that dish. My other go-to appetizer will be the pork gyoza. It's got a nice subtle crunch to it and the dipping sauce is different from your regular gyoza dipping sauce but it's different in a GOOD way. I really enjoyed my kitsune udon as well. I ordered one shrimp tempera as a side and it was nice and crunchy. My only critique is that I wish the udon noodles were cooked for a bit longer as they were firmer than al denté. My friend got the seafood curry udon and she really digged it so highly recommend that if you like curry! Nonetheless, this is one of my go-to spots in Williamsburg. I can't wait to try their other dishes and cocktails!!

Gyu don was just ok, I feel that it wasn't simmered as well in marinade so the flavor on the beef was just lacking. The udon had a flavorful broth. The sushi is what you would expect from most places, does the job but doesn't necessarily blow you away. For Williamsburg it does the job for Japanese food but if you're looking for that Japanese appetite if yours to be crushed with happiness you may not find it here all the time. It's a good restaurant otherwise and has seating on both sides of the block (outside for COVID-19 reasons).

Happy to stumble upon this place. Was busy but service was really great, attentive, and quick. This wasabi margarita was one of the most unique and delicious drinks I've ever had. The wasabi is great tasting REAL wasabi and the cucumber flavor is delicious. They also had real wasabi (not horseradish) mixed with soy(?) for the sushi rolls which I love. Rolls and noodles were both good prices. Egg was perfect.

I look forward to cold weather just to go back to Samurai Mama. Pork gyoza is divine. Really enjoy their sukiyaki udon although many of the options are terrific. Need to try the dipping style udon & ramen. The biggest issue here is lack of staff, they are very busy and really could use some extra help because the service can be painfully slow. Hope they are able to get some extra hands on board because food wise, it's a terrific spot.

MAMA! Enjoyed the vibe and enjoyed our very kind waiter. He honestly looked like a samurai with the luscious locks idk if that was on purpose or not but he was great. Loved the bukkake recommendation. God I love me some good bukkake. We were seated in the back and had to walk through the kitchen which I enjoyed. Sushi was alright it would fun if they spiced up the toppings. Classic hole in the wall, efficiently spaced fun, Williamsburg dinner spot.

Every time I've walked by I've thought about how interesting the exterior looks. It took a few minutes for us to get seated; I wasn't thrilled at how close all the parties sat to one another at the large central table. When we got the food it was all just subpar. The agedashi dofu was lacking in both the flavor and texture department. The sushi tacos were pretty unfulfilling as well, especially compared to many other hand roll places I've been to in the city. Lastly, the cocktails here were just alright. Overall, I just don't think it was worth the money.

The food was amazing, but the service was really passive aggressive and lack luster. She was really rushing us to get our check, which kind of took away from the experience. Other than that, beautiful venue, with chill music and vibes.

I liked the vibes of the inside of the restaurant. It's as bright as a Hollister Co. but without the horrid smell of cologne. The restaurant has very mellow vibes and the waiters are also chill. The food is actually not badly priced, but also mediocre. I got the bukake udon and the portions are kinda small in my opinion, but the ingredients are fresh. Probably would not come back but I don't regret coming here either.