I love Hakata udon so much that I would travel to Hakata just to eat it, so when I heard that there was a restaurant in Tokyo serving Hakata udon, I happily went there. This restaurant was one of those places, and among all the Hakata udon I've tried in Kanto, this one was the closest to the taste I had in Hakata! I visited during lunchtime. It's primarily an izakaya, so I assume the main business is at night, but you can also use it as a dining hall for udon during lunch. (Looking at the menu, there are set meals and rice bowls centered around Kyushu-style dishes like chicken nanban. I'm also curious about those dishes.) They use noodles from "Inaba Udon," and it seems like they separate the noodles and make the broth in the restaurant. I'm not sure what the relationship is between this restaurant and Inaba Udon, but just using noodles from a long-established Hakata noodle shop raises expectations. When the udon arrived and I took a sip of the broth, I was surprised. This is exactly the taste of Hakata! The saltiness is stronger than the local one, but I wonder if this is due to the nature of an izakaya, or if it's adjusted to the taste of people in Tokyo. However, this broth is exactly like Hakata udon. And the noodles were fluffy and chewy! I haven't actually been to Inaba Udon yet, but I didn't know their noodles were this good... The next time I go to Hakata, I will definitely visit. Also, the burdock tempura was my favorite style, with a fluffy and crispy coating. The sweet burdock inside the coating, steamed and baked, was amazing. It's been about 10 months since I last visited Hakata. I was so moved to rediscover my favorite taste after a long time. I'll make sure to visit the night service as well.

I have recovered and can now eat regular meals, so I had a set meal at the same restaurant. I ended up going two days in a row... (lol) Today, I chose the Chicken Nanban set meal, which is a specialty of Miyazaki. The chicken was very tender and easy to cut with chopsticks. The sweet seasoning and tartar sauce matched well and it was delicious. I might end up going again next week...

I've been having stomach issues lately, so I've been eating udon noodles every day to get by. I wanted to try some delicious udon, so I visited a place where I found udon that is unique to Kyushu. My favorite Kyushu udon has a completely different broth. The udon noodles are soft and easy to eat. If I don't feel better this week, I might just go there every day (laughs). *The photo is of meat udon.

Finally made it! It was a bit crowded as expected around 12:30 on a weekday, but I was able to get a table and ordered the most popular dish, gobou tempura udon. Of course, I also got the complimentary kaya gohan. Despite the scorching heat outside, the inside of the restaurant was quite cool thanks to the air conditioning, allowing me to leisurely enjoy the piping hot soft noodles. The soup had a light color but a rich flavor. I would have been happier if it was free of chemical seasonings. The customers were mostly male office workers, and the staff were friendly and energetic.

The concept of the restaurant from appetizers to the end is good. However, the cost performance is not great. It may be difficult to attract customers in other areas besides Ebisu. I ordered dishes like fried horse mackerel, grated yam on a hot plate, and mapo tofu. I forgot to take photos, but the mapo tofu was good, and I think it would be nice to have udon noodles to finish off the meal.

Working in Ebisu ~ Before heading home, four of us decided to grab a light drink. We entered this restaurant at 5:45 PM and managed to get a table without a reservation, as it was starting to get crowded on a Friday. By the time we left at 8 PM, the place was fully booked. We started with a toast with beer and ordered as shown in the photos. The kamaboko butter skewers were delicious, especially the saltiness of the skewers. The skin could have had a bit less fat though. For the finale, we ordered Hakata udon, opting for the Maruten Udon. We also tried the recommended Niku Udon and Goboten Udon. The broth was tasty and the udon noodles were similar to those at Hakata WEST.

The udon in Fukuoka was authentic Fukuoka-style udon. It was really delicious! Fukuoka udon is known for its soft noodles, and this place captures that softness perfectly. The pork belly skewers are also amazing. In Fukuoka, when people talk about yakitori, they mean a skewer of pork belly! The atmosphere in the restaurant is also really great!

The other day, I was walking around looking for a restaurant and stumbled upon this one. When I checked on Tabelog, it had high ratings and scores. It was a good start by chance. The assorted yakitori was reasonably priced and came in three flavors. It was incredibly juicy and delicious. Being able to finish with udon was also great.

【Purpose】Suitable for daily use, great for those who like budget-friendly casual izakayas, can be a good option for a date. 【Pros】Delicious udon noodles, overall great value for money, affordable drink prices with the option for free refills on lemon sours, a wide variety of Fukuoka dishes to enjoy. 【Cons】Located next to a love hotel, which may be awkward in some cases. 【Others】 ===========

I ordered the pork cutlet bowl for lunch (990 yen). The sliced meat was not too fatty and there were 7-8 pieces included. The meat was cut into pieces and topped with scrambled eggs, so every bite was creamy and delicious. The seasoning was not too sweet, with a strong soy sauce flavor. It was very appetizing. You can also add a mini udon for around 250 yen for lunch, which is nice. The miso soup was also tasty with a rich broth. They have a variety of set menu options, so you won't get bored even with regular visits. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal.

I ordered the Kakiage Tempura Udon (790 yen) which came with a nice bonus of Kashiwa Meshi for lunch. The udon lived up to its sign saying "More Broth than Noodles", with a rich and flavorful bonito broth. I couldn't resist drinking several spoonfuls of the broth on its own at first. The noodles were soft and not chewy as advertised, but they soaked up the broth well and spread a delicious flavor in my mouth. The Kakiage tempura consisted of 5 slices of deep-fried burdock root with a generous amount of batter. As I ate each piece, the batter absorbed more broth and became juicier, adding to the overall deliciousness. Other toppings included fish cake and green onions, with plenty of the latter which was a nice touch. The Kashiwa Meshi was also tasty. It's no surprise this udon shop is listed as one of the top 100 in Japan - the udon was delicious! They also offer oden, and I saw some people enjoying a drink during lunch, so I'd like to come back and try it as an izakaya next time. Thank you for the meal.

- Oden (daikon radish, fish cake), lemon sour exclusive stir-fried pork belly with chili, 6 skewers of pork belly, sweet shrimp tempura, fluffy dashi mentaiko, burdock tempura, Miyazaki specialty chicken nanban, specialty meat and burdock tempura udon. The restaurant seems popular, as it was almost full on a weekday at 6:30 PM.

[Nearest Station] 3 minutes walk from Ebisu Station [Budget] 1000-2000 yen [Overview] Hakata Udon Sakaba Ichikabachika is an udon sake bar born from a collaboration between the group that operates "Hakata Ippudo" and "BUTABARA TO THE WORLD," representing Hakata. It's great to be able to experience the Hakata atmosphere even in Ebisu in Tokyo! They are open for lunch, making it a convenient spot for a quick meal after basketball. [Menu] ・Burdock Tempura Udon [Notes] I visited with a friend after playing basketball. They are open even at odd hours like 2:00 pm, making it a lovely place for daytime drinking. This time, I finally got to try the burdock tempura udon that I couldn't eat last time due to a hangover from the day before and basketball. ・Burdock Tempura Udon The udon lacked firmness, known as "Koshinuke Udon," and had a delicious taste of the broth itself, with the crispy burdock tempura coating that was also tasty! The small pieces of burdock tempura were easy to eat and delicious. The difference between having firmness and lacking firmness is that the latter has a well-defined flavor after absorbing the broth. I would like to eat it as a finishing touch with highball or shochu. It's still delicious as always! They have been working hard since the pandemic, so I want to support them! Thank you for the meal. I will definitely visit again!

■Access: 2 minutes walk from Ebisu Station on the JR Yamanote Line ■Second visit ■Purpose: Dinner with friends ■Overview: A popular izakaya in Ebisu known for its Hakata udon. The name Ichikabachika is derived from a combination of the "ichi" from the famous ramen chain Ippudo and the "hachi" from the well-known yakitori restaurant Hachibei. In addition to Hakata udon, the restaurant also offers various other Hakata specialties. ■Menu: The recommended Hakata udon comes with toppings such as tempura vegetables, shrimp tempura, and raw egg. On this particular visit, we ordered various dishes a la carte to enjoy with drinks. The dishes we tried were: - Kashiwa udon - Nikudofu (tofu and meat) - Garlic stir-fried pea sprouts - 10 pieces of chicken skin - Edamame ■Impression: I had noticed on a previous visit that there were various menu options besides udon, so I had been wanting to come for dinner for a while. I finally had the chance to visit in the evening with a friend in Ebisu. The signature udon, as always, was of high quality, showcasing the restaurant's dedication. The motto of the restaurant, emphasizing the importance of broth over noodle texture, was evident in the soft, carefully flavored broth and noodles. The udon is delicious on its own, but also pairs well with the sweetened kashiwa or with added toppings like chili pepper or yuzu pepper on the table. The other dishes were equally delicious, especially the garlic stir-fried pea sprouts, which had an addictive flavor. The crunchy texture of the pea sprouts combined with the strong garlic aroma made it a perfect accompaniment to drinks. There are still many other dishes I want to try, so I look forward to visiting again soon. Thank you for the meal. ■Rating at the time of visit: 3.5

Udon sake bar in Ebisu. Located in a back alley off Ebisu Ginza. I ordered the katsudon for lunch. The flavor is delicious, but it's quite strong. The rice runs out quickly, but the portion size is generous. The katsudon would be even more delicious if the seasoning was a bit lighter. The udon is soft and lacks chewiness, so it's not to my liking.

I went to Hakata Udon Ichikabachika. It's about a 5-minute walk from Ebisu Station West Exit. I ordered the Goboten Udon for 790 yen, which came with kashiwa-meshi. It was served quickly, but the Goboten was different from what I expected. It was soft and fluffy, not what I had in mind. The taste was good, but a bit disappointing. The kashiwa-meshi was delicious though, so I would like to try their set meals as well. From the entrance, it doesn't look very spacious, but it seems to have depth as customers were being seated further inside.

I visited the restaurant around 4 pm on a holiday. I was alone so I was seated quickly, but both the counter and table seats were busy. My favorite Hakata udon restaurant in Yurakucho had closed down, so I was looking for a delicious Hakata udon shop... The udon here was exactly what I was looking for, with a soft texture! The tempura, vinegar motsu, and lemon sour were all very delicious and I was very satisfied. The staff were all friendly and the atmosphere was great, which left a good impression on me. I would love to visit again when I am in the area. Thank you for the meal.

#Udon Izakaya #Ebisu [Ippudo's Udon Concept] Located at Ebisu Nishiguchi, this udon izakaya is actually a concept by the famous ramen chain Ippudo. Enjoy dishes like meat tofu with a hint of udon, grilled skewers, chicken nanban, and burdock tempura to accompany your drinks! Finish off your meal with the popular meat and burdock udon.

I went for lunch! I heard that the katsudon was delicious, so I ordered the Onojo-style katsudon and udon set! First, the katsudon... delicious! This is by far the best katsudon I've ever had!! The pork cutlet is juicy with a nice amount of fat, and the slightly sweet and rich flavor typical of Kyushu region is wrapped gently by the egg! Normally, I would add shichimi halfway through to change the taste, but I didn't even think about it and found myself finishing the whole dish! This is a katsudon that hits the spot! Next up is the udon. At first glance, it seemed like a regular light dish, but when I took a sip of the broth... it had a strong punch! The udon noodles were not just firm but rather chewy, and I polished off this dish too! I was very satisfied!

It's about a 7-minute walk from Ebisu Station West Exit. When I visited around 1 pm on a weekday, there were about 3 groups of customers ahead of us. There is a large counter in the middle of the spacious interior. We ordered the following for 2 people: - Gobo Tempura Udon 790 yen - Tororo Udon 890 yen - Oden 200 yen each The Gobo tempura is said to be a specialty and it was delicious. The broth for the oden and udon was similar, slightly sour, so it might be a matter of personal preference. Thank you for the meal.

I visited this udon restaurant with a friend and ordered the Chicken Nanban set meal (1050 yen). The rice was a large serving with free refills, and it came with udon broth and pickles. A small potato salad was also included, making it a great value for money and very satisfying. The fried chicken had a rich flavor even without tartar sauce, and I really enjoyed it. The Chicken Nanban itself was flavorful and to my liking, so I was very satisfied. However, the strong flavor of the Chicken Nanban made me thirsty, so I wish the salad portion was a bit larger. The small potato salad that came with it was not enough, so there is room for improvement in that aspect. I noticed that the udon ordered by other customers looked delicious. Although I was focused on the Chicken Nanban this time, I would like to try the udon next time. Since it comes with udon broth, I'm sure it will be delicious. I highly recommend this restaurant to those who enjoy flavorful Chicken Nanban. Overall, I was very satisfied with the food and the value for money. I look forward to trying the udon next time.