Azuki — Restaurant in Seattle

Been coming to Azuki for 4 years now ever since they first opened their doors during pandemic times in early March 2020. It was take out only when we first discovered them (around March 14, 2020 if I remember correctly) but we met Ryuji-san and thought that he was the pretty cool resto chef-owner around the area and hoped that his restaurant business venture would survive the pandemic because his Udon is very authentic Japanese similar to the ones found in the Land of the Rising Sun!

Back then, we lived just walking distance and so we order take out and almost immediately our food is ready instantly, and so we thought maybe they’re not getting enough business probably because it’s so hidden and there’s no big signage or anything and also because of the pandemic, so we made it our goal to at least eat their udon twice to three times a month in 2020 - 2021. As Seattle and the world re-opened, it seems that Ryuji-san’s business started picking up and we were thrilled that the likes of social media attention from Seattle foodies (mostly food instagrammers and tiktokers) are giving them free marketing and much attention. We were also thrilled that Evening Magazine featured them as well. Now in 2024, we live a bit far—but we still love their udon and eat here ones a month via dine-in and truly experience small space, Japan-like vibes.

Not only that it’s a small space, but there’s also a long wait so make sure you line up before they open as you’re in Japan. Overall, their udon and broth is amazing. Our go-to and have been ordering since they March 2020 is their Garlic Pork and Signature Beef. We also like their Yuzu Shio as well as Miso Shippoku.

Overall, if you’ve been to Japan, Ryuji-san’s udon brings authentic hand-made Japanese udon to the west. If you’ve not been to Japan but want to experience or maybe even “practice” Japan-like restaurant vibes and taste of authentic Japanese udon before you go to Japan, then highly recommend...

I went in with a party of 6. We didn't have a reservation. From what it looked like having a reservation was pretty standard. They slotted us in for a 1 PM, so we ended up waiting for about an hour. Once we were seated we all took a look at the menus hung on the walls, a combination of appetizers and noodle entrées. All of us got something different: spicy chicken udon, sushi rolls, signature beef udon, udon with dumplings. We put in our order at the desk, and in the meantime we poured our own water, barley tea, and grabbed our utensils from the nearby shelf. It also had a red pepper sauce or soy sauce you could take to your table if you wanted. The bowls that the meals came out in were huge, but the portion sizes were just right. The bowls being wide and large allowed for the udon and broth to cool quicker, they did come out fresh and piping hot. The udon noodles are hand made and made fresh daily. But how did it taste? It was immaculate. The traditional, home made seasonings they used, coupled with the fresh noodles and vegetables, left us impressed and satisfied. The customer service was top notch and they were extremely friendly, despite us being obvious tourists and non-regulars. There was limited seating, maybe enough for 8 parties total, but you could have the option to sit...

My recent visit to Azuki was surprisingly mediocre, given the other glowing reviews. What I thought was a haven for udon enthusiasts turned out to be thoroughly underwhelming

The ambiance of the place was one of the immediate drawbacks. The restaurant was disappointingly cramped, making it challenging to enjoy the meal in a relaxed setting. The tables were closely packed together, and maneuvering through the narrow spaces felt like an unwelcome obstacle course.

The service at Azuki was surprisingly slow, adding an extra layer of frustration to an already lackluster experience. The waitstaff didn't seem particularly overwhelmed or understaffed yet the food took almost 30 minutes to come out. We also heard angry shouts coming from the kitchen, giving us more cause for apprehension.

Finally, the udon noodles were, to put it simply, just okay. The texture was good, but I felt the flavor was lacking and the soup lukewarm. For how long they took to make our bowl, I would have thought the dish would be fresh and piping hot. Not so. It's like they prepared a bowl, left it out for 30 minutes, then served it to us when it was lukewarm.

Probably won't be back again next time,...