Yume Ga Arukara — Restaurant in Boston

I typically do a lot of research on places we plan to eat at before visiting a new city but this time, I saw there was an Udon place with relatively decent prices (compared to the selection in Seaport in Boston) and was close enough to our hotel for us to walk so I put it on the itinerary with not much more thought into it.

We arrived on a Monday night - actually, it was Memorial Day. As I said, we walked from our hotel in Seaport - and it was like a ghost town. Only a few people out and about in what I thought to be a more happening place. We arrived at the little center where YuMe Ga Arukara was located and there was no one else in sight - except for the people in line for this restaurant. The place is pretty small. There are counter spots for you to sit at and watch the kitchen and then 4 other tables for 2. There were about 6-8 people in front of us but we didn’t wait long at all - maybe 10-15 minutes at most which we spent reviewing the menu and looking at Google reviews and recommendations. We actually ordered our food in line and paid in line also so that also made the time go by quickly. There are 5 in our family so they were able to join 2 of the tables together for us and added a chair.

The interior was very clean and charming and did remind us of restaurants in Japan. There was a little box on the table that had napkins and wooden chopsticks. The waitress brought out water for us in super small glasses.

The food came out as it was ready and not all together. It did take a bit long and the waitress said they weee making fresh noodles for us. I would have liked to watch but the counter spaces weee all full and I didn’t want to get in their space. The two hot dishes came out first - the hot niku udon and the spicy hot niku udon. We took our photos and were well into our noodles before the cold dishes came out. We had one signature cold niku udon and 2 spicy cold niku udons. And of course, we all added the egg - which is $3 for one egg!

FOOD - All of the dishes were delicious. The noodles were springy, the broth had depth of flavor. However, the spicy dishes were not very spicy at all. I really enjoyed my hot niku udon but if you haven’t ever had cold udon, you should definitely try that. Luckily, we have several people in our family and were able to share each other’s food.

ATMOSPHERE - nice and clean and bright.

SERVICE - the waitress who took our order outside was very nice and friendly but the other waitress was not so friendly. She was nice but didn’t really smile. As I stated, the water cups were very small and we had to ask several times for a refill and she didn’t look happy about it. Another lady working just looked grumpy. It was late when we were seated - there were a few more people who came while we were eating. Several of them had not received their food by the time we were done - however, the waitresses were already cleaning up and getting ready for the next day. That’s not a problem to do for empty tables but we were still eating and they were standing there refilling the napkins and chopsticks at our very small table. And they took up all the chili flake containers while we were still eating. I really think that if tables still have patrons, you shouldn’t be clearing the condiments and refilling items (unless the item was low and needed by that patron) until the customers are done and have left.

We did enjoy our meal and...

This restaurant’s servers can seriously damage the customer experience. No matter how good the food is, an untrained server can ruin it all.

First, please be mindful of racially insensitive remarks. Just because a group waiting outside looks Asian doesn’t mean they’re tourists. I brought friends from DC because I know how good the udon here is. When we were asked where we were from, we answered, “DC,” but the server asked again, “Where are you originally from?” That question made all four of us, American citizens, feel uncomfortable. Even after we told her it wasn’t appropriate, she continued making similar comments throughout the interaction.

Second, there’s no need to give attitude to a group of four who simply wants to dine together. We were willing to wait for a table, and we said clearly we didn’t want to be split up. We weren’t trying to mess with your table rotation we just wanted to eat together and enjoy our meal. Being asked multiple times if we’d sit separately felt pushy and unnecessary.

Third, once we were finally seated, we were placed at two tables side by side but then told not to move them together. That made no sense. We were one group, clearly talking and eating together. The server kept using hand gestures to tell us not to push the tables together, which made us feel unwelcome and awkward. If there’s some rule against joining tables, it was poorly explained and poorly handled.

Lastly, please don’t use the kitchen as an excuse. The server kept saying the kitchen was pressuring her, but we didn’t see any interaction between her and the kitchen staff at all. It felt like a lie to justify rushing us out. I get that turnover is important in the restaurant business, but there’s a respectful way to manage that. This wasn’t it.

What’s most disappointing is that the first location of this restaurant was amazing. It was smaller, but everything ran smoothly and the staff was polite and professional. This second location felt completely different. The server we interacted with today lacked basic training and social awareness. It felt like being served by someone with no experience or understanding of how to treat people. I really hope management takes this seriously and improves the training and professionalism...

If you haven’t tried Yume Ga Arukara, prepare yourself for an udon experience that feels as close to Japan as you can get without boarding a plane.

I ordered both the Cold Niku Udon and the Spicy Hot Niku Udon, and trust me, despite the similar names, they’re two completely different experiences.

Let’s get this out of the way, the Cold Niku Udon is the clear winner. The base was clean, flavorful, and clung perfectly to the cold, chewy noodles without a hint of oiliness. Every bite tasted incredibly fresh.

The beef, however, was disappointing. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either. The thin slices lacked juiciness and tenderness, tasting almost like packaged meat that may have been frozen at some point. While it didn’t have that freezer burned taste, it felt like the core flavors you’d expect from well-prepared beef just weren’t there. It’s clear that the meat isn’t the strong suit, but thankfully, the noodles and base steal the show.

The Spicy Hot Niku Udon had a different vibe. Instead of a clean, bold taste, it offered a comforting, soup-based warmth. I couldn’t help comparing the broth to pho, it didn’t have the same depth or richness. Still, it served its purpose, wrapping you in that cozy, fuzzy feeling you crave on a cold day.

What makes Yume Ga Arukara truly special is the experience. The open kitchen layout lets you watch the chef handcraft fresh udon noodles right before your eyes. If you can, grab a high-top table for the best view, it adds to the authenticity and immersion.

While food in Japan itself is in a league of its own, Yume Ga Arukara does an amazing job for an American spot. If you’re craving a taste of Japan, this is as close as it gets, and it’s worth every bite (despite the underwhelming beef).

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