Marugame Udon Argyll — Restaurant in London

I was visiting London and went to dine at this place with my family. It’s was a Friday evening around 7pm and guess it’s the peak time as there were many customers at once. The service is a “journey” styled self service where you first get your main dish then you take your desert from the desert section, next you choose the drink and at last is where you pay and go to a table to eat. Since there were many customers lining up behind, I had to choose quickly from the exhibited options of deserts and drinks and the options were also not the usual ones but Japanese products which you don’t see very often. Therefore I quickly grabbed a drink in a green can where it was written “Matcha mojito” hoping it is just a soft drink as I was under pressure to move quickly and didn’t read all the product information on the label. After paying for it and reaching my table I realised that it was an alcoholic drink and it cost me around 6.35 pounds (approx) so obviously I didn’t want to just put it in the trash so I wanted to go back to the counter and exchange it for some non alcoholic option. This is where it gets interesting, coincidentally the person at the counter was the store manager and he told me I cannot exchange even though it was only literally 5 mins since I paid for it and the can was still not opened and I was still inside the store. He told me “You decided to buy it and you paid for it so IT’S YOUR FAULT” so we cannot exchange. As a resident of germany for the past 10 years this answer shocked me because the return policies are very popular, transparent and fair in germany and I did not expect anything different in (UK)London. I had to talk some sense into this person and make him realise there wasn’t much time for me to read everything and decide especially because first of all there was no clear visual or spatial distinction made between alcoholic and non-alchoholic drinks made in the drinks section and second there were really a lot of customers behind me in the line which doesn’t give you much of time to make and informed decision and thirdly returning an unopened can which was bought 5 mins before and not having left the store premises shouldn’t even be an discussion. After some hard discussions he agreed to exchange it but with a lot of hesitation. This really shocked me about the store manager’s behaviour, their return policy (where a customer has to fight so hard for an obvious issue) and how they have not cared much to segregate the alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks especially because the underaged kids can also commit this innocent mistake. These are the compromises you have to face from a customer experience point of view when you just choose a place for average food at...

Food was yummy but service was a major letdown. Maybe staff is new, but fobbing off customers who have paid but are waiting for their ramen is not cool. I think this happened because the design of the kitchen line creates a major bottle neck with poor communication between front and back of kitchen when supplies run low.

You order directly with the person doing food prep. I ordered a pork tonkatsu ramen, one of their top selling items. Person in front of me got one, but for some reason mine would require 3-4 min wait. So server asked me to pay first and said to pick up after paying when my order would be ready. This was lie number one.

Took over 5 min to pay because the clerk was learning how to pour beer (they have a bottom up glass filling station, pretty cool). Went back to the noodle window where they had been busy processing other orders but not mine. Different server now tells me mine will be another 3-4 min wait. When I said that’s what previous server said already 5 min ago, he said don’t worry. Be patient and I will give you a large one no extra charge. That was lie number 2.

Eventually the first server came back, bumped into the second server and they had dropped something which needed cleaning up. I then reminded the first server about the order I had already paid for. Another customer was also waiting for hers. She said once it was ready she would bring it out, please have a seat. This was lie number 3.

I sat and waited. And waited. And watched her fill every order but mine and the other customer’s. Nothing was going to come. We had been fobbed off. Not sure if the server thought we might not notice not getting our food and was hoping we would just go home?

Eventually the manager spotted me looking back at the kitchen and asked me if I needed anything. I explained the situation on behalf of myself and the other waiting customer and she said she would go expedite the order. The manager eventually brought out the order for us. But sadly with no egg. But the food was still good. Just so horribly let down by what looks like either staffing shortages or just...

I recently dined at Marugame Udon, and I must say, it was an exceptional experience from start to finish. The restaurant offers a delightful array of Japanese cuisine, and I was thoroughly impressed by the quality and variety of dishes they had to offer.

To start, the Tokoyaki and Chicken Katsu Tempura were absolute standouts. The Tokoyaki was perfectly crispy on the outside and delightfully creamy on the inside, while the Chicken Katsu Tempura was cooked to perfection, with a crispy coating and tender, flavorful chicken.

For my main course, I opted for the Chicken Teriyaki Rice Bowl, and it did not disappoint. The chicken was juicy and flavorful, and the teriyaki sauce added just the right amount of sweetness to the dish. Paired with fluffy rice, it was a satisfying and delicious meal.

One thing I particularly loved about Marugame Udon is their dedicated condiment counter, where you can customize your dishes to your liking. I enjoyed adding extra toppings and sauces to my meal, enhancing the flavors even further.Another highlight of the dining experience was the bottomless soft drinks option, which added great value to the meal.

Additionally, the Kids Eat for £1* promotion is a fantastic offer for families looking to enjoy a delicious meal together.One of the most impressive aspects of Marugame Udon is their speedy service. Despite the restaurant being busy, the udon noodles were made fresh in just 5 minutes, ensuring that each dish was served piping hot and full of flavor.The staff at Marugame Udon were incredibly friendly and attentive, providing excellent service throughout my visit. The outlet itself was super clean and well-maintained, with ample seating for diners to enjoy their meals comfortably.Overall, my experience at Marugame Udon was nothing short of delightful.

From the delicious food to the friendly staff and inviting ambiance, it's a restaurant that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a taste of authentic Japanese cuisine. I can't wait to...