Marukame Udon Thao Dien Review: Best Japanese Comfort Food

Hello from District 2! As an expat enjoying the vibrant lifestyle here in Ho Chi Minh City,

I’m always on the lookout for comforting, reliable spots to eat.

After wrapping up an evening workout at our apartment gym,

my husband and I had that familiar post-gym hunger.

"Should we hit up Marukame Udon?" he asked.

Without hesitation, I said yes! It’s our ultimate comfort food ritual,

so we headed straight to the Thao Dien branch for dinner.

Having lived in Saigon for about three months now,

this is a spot we return to at least once a month.

If you've ever been to Hawaii, you might recognize this as the same legendary udon chain

that draws massive, block-long lines in Waikiki!

Marukame Udon - Thảo Điền

The go-to Japanese comfort spot in District 2

The ordering system here is super fun and efficient!

First, you look at the large menu at the entrance and place your main order.

They mark it down on an order slip for you.

While they prepare your fresh udon noodles or rice bowls,

you slide your tray along the counter cafeteria-style.

You can grab soft-boiled eggs, kimchi, fresh tempura,

and your choice of drinks, tea, or even a cold beer.

Once you pay at the register, you grab a seat,

and they will bring your freshly prepared main dishes right to your table.

They close at 9:30 PM, and since we arrived around 8:30 PM,

the tempura bar was running a bit low, which was a bummer.

Their mixed vegetable tempura (kakiage) is absolutely incredible—

I fell in love with it on our last visit!

If you want the best selection of crispy tempura, definitely try to arrive a bit earlier.

Tonight, we decided to skip the noodles and ordered rice bowls:

the classic Katsudon (pork cutlet) and the Chickendon (chicken bowl)!

It was our first time trying the Chickendon, which features crispy chicken and kimchi over rice.

They mentioned it would take about 7 minutes to prepare,

and that's because they fry the chicken fresh to order!

The Katsudon uses pre-fried pork cutlets finished with a fresh egg wash,

but the freshly fried Chickendon was the real star—piping hot, incredibly crispy, and delicious.

They place a colored clip on your order sheet at your table,

and once they serve your hot food, they collect the sheet.

Bottled water is 15,000 VND (around $1),

while canned sodas and Sapporo beer range from $1 to $1.50.

Freshly squeezed fruit juices are 39,000 VND,

which is about $2.50!

Now, let's talk about our favorite Marukame hack.

Honestly, we might be coming here just for the cilantro! (haha)

The self-serve condiment bar has a mountain of fresh cilantro meant as an udon topping.

Since we are absolutely obsessed with cilantro, we grab a generous bowl of it,

drizzle it with tempura soy sauce, and add a heavy shake of shichimi (Japanese chili powder).

It makes the most amazing, zesty side salad!

Before moving to Vietnam, I thought everything would be loaded with fresh herbs,

but you actually have to seek them out in modern restaurants. This hack is a lifesaver.

Our main bowls arrived: Katsudon and Chickendon!

Each bowl is priced at 105,000 VND

(approx. $4.00, including the 8% VAT).

Here is the Medium-sized Katsudon.

Even though Marukame is famous for its udon noodles,

I’m a major rice lover. This is already my third time ordering the Katsudon here,

and it never disappoints!

And here is the Medium-sized Chickendon.

This was my husband's choice, and I think I might order this next time!

It features a soft-boiled egg, kimchi, and a generous heap of freshly fried,

ultra-crispy chicken. Stealing a bite from his bowl convinced me instantly.

The restaurant offers cozy, traditional Japanese-style tatami floor seating

alongside standard western tables, so you can choose your favorite vibe.

It's easily one of the best casual Japanese dining experiences in Thao Dien, District 2.

I’ll definitely share reviews of our other favorite menu items next time!

Stay tuned!