Udon Shin
1 / 10

Udon Shin

4.6
·491k reviews·,

Renowned for its incredibly fresh, springy udon noodles and innovative fusion dishes, Udon Shin is a must-visit for noodle lovers.

Highlights

Highlights

Must-see attractions

Social content

Social

From TikTok & Reddit

Best Time

Wed/Fri 18-21h

Blue hour photography, calmer galleries

CrowdLow
Udon Shin

Udon Shin

Highlights

Highlights

Must-see attractions

Renowned for its incredibly fresh, springy udon noodles and innovative fusion dishes, Udon Shin is a must-visit for noodle lovers.

4.6
(491k reviews)

"The udon was outstanding, and the tempura was crispy and fresh – truly worth the wait!"

TIP

Virtual Queue System

Secure a virtual queue ticket early (even before opening) and monitor your turn via phone to save time.

Skip the Line Option

Consider paying ¥2000 per person to bypass the long queue for immediate entry if time is limited.

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Quick Facts

Open·Closes 10PM

Cuisine

Udon Noodles

Price

Mid-range

Phone

+81 3-6276-7816

Address

相馬ビル 1F, 2 Chome-20-16 Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo 151-0053, Japan

Insta-Factor

High

Highlights

Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences

Signature Carbonara Udon

Signature Carbonara Udon

A unique and creamy udon dish topped with cheese, egg, and bacon tempura, creating a fusion of Italian and Japanese flavors.

12 best restaurants near Shinjuku StationThe Best Udon in Tokyo (Japan
Freshly Made Noodles

Freshly Made Noodles

Experience udon noodles made fresh to order, with boiling times adjusted for perfect texture based on the day's weather.

Shinjuku 12 Best Lunch Restaurants 2025: Shinjuku Station Gourmet Guide13 restaurants you must visit in Shinjuku | Japan Travel by NAVITIME
Crispy Tempura Assortment

Crispy Tempura Assortment

Enjoy a variety of crispy tempura, including must-try cheese and kakuni pork, perfectly complementing the udon.

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Insider Tips

from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit

The best udon in Tokyo? 🇯🇵 Try the cacio e pepe noodles at Udon Shin 🍜 #tokyofood #udonnoodles #tokyofoodie #tokyolife #noodles
@thehungries
169 likes • 5.5K views

Virtual Queue System

Secure a virtual queue ticket early (even before opening) and monitor your turn via phone to save time.

Skip the Line Option

Consider paying ¥2000 per person to bypass the long queue for immediate entry if time is limited.

Is this Tokyo food spot actually worth it 🤔 I took one for the team and waited in the udon shin queue #tokyofood #tokyofoodguide #tokyorestaurant #visittokyo #tokyotravel #tokyotravelguide
@emmakatehall
582 likes • 22K views
FINALLY tried udon shin !! there were a few viral udon spots that came up as recommended but after reading heaps of reviews and TikTok’s later …. Opted for udon shin being the most consistent taste wise! Lots of people didn’t dig the long wait but tbh I thought it was worth it - just had to try get a ticket at a good time and have some plans in between so it didn’t feel like a dry wait. 📍 Udon S...
@eat_withviv
319 likes • 8.8K views

Patience for Entry

Be prepared for a wait, as the virtual queue doesn't guarantee immediate seating once called back.

Small & Crowded Interior

The restaurant has limited seating (around 10-12 seats), leading to a cozy but potentially crowded atmosphere.

📍Udon Shin ⬇️ [TRAVEL HACK BELOW] Here’s how you can cut short your waiting time for the best Udon in Tokyo! 🇯🇵🍜 Tip: Plan in advance so you can time your meal properly. 10.30am - Got our ticket. They open at 11am but go before they open to get your Q number. 12.15pm - We went to shop in Shinjuku. We tracked our number via a link and was called back to the shop. We joined a physical Q. We queued ...
@iwantalmondss
36 likes • 2.4K views

Tips

from all over the internet

Virtual Queue System

Secure a virtual queue ticket early (even before opening) and monitor your turn via phone to save time.

Skip the Line Option

Consider paying ¥2000 per person to bypass the long queue for immediate entry if time is limited.

Patience for Entry

Be prepared for a wait, as the virtual queue doesn't guarantee immediate seating once called back.

Small & Crowded Interior

The restaurant has limited seating (around 10-12 seats), leading to a cozy but potentially crowded atmosphere.

Cash Payment

Most transactions are handled via a machine, and it's recommended to bring cash for payment.

What Travellers Say

4.6
(491k reviews)

Reviews Summary

Udon Shin is celebrated for its exceptionally fresh, chewy udon noodles and creative dishes like the signature Carbonara Udon. While many find the food delicious and the tempura a standout, the overwhelming consensus points to extremely long wait times, often spanning hours, which some feel detracts from the overall value. The intimate, small setting adds to the charm for some, but can feel cramped for others.

"The best udon I ever had in Tokyo. I came here last March for dinner, but we gave up because of the long queue. This time we came back for lunch and surprisingly there was no queue. After we finish our lunch, it's a long queue, We are so blessed and lucky.

The flavours were outstanding; the food was so yummy, tasty especially the tempura pork bacon (must try) so original. adding to the overall enjoyment of the meal.

Staff are good and polite. I highly recommend this udon place. Definitely I will be coming back"

vincent wang

"Not bad, but definitely overhyped.
There was a long line out the door, which I didn’t mind, but the signage was misleading. Signs instructed us to scan a QR code and wait until our number was called to rejoin the line. However, the QR code was nowhere to be found. When I stepped inside to ask the staff, they just said, “We’re not doing the QR code today, please just line up.”

This was unnecessarily confusing, and I wasn’t the only one—other customers were also frustrated, and we ended up sharing information with each other just to figure out what to do.

The food itself was expensive, but you do get a generous portion and it tasted good. Presentation was also nice. Unfortunately, what completely turned me off was the water they served. I don’t know if it was the water itself or the cup, but it smelled like an aquarium—super fishy and incredibly off-putting. I unknowingly took a sip and immediately spat it back out.

The inside is small, but since it’s not really the type of place where people linger, getting a seat didn’t take as long as expected. The staff were okay—not particularly helpful or friendly, but not rude either.

Overall, for the price and the wait, I don’t think I’ll be going back."

Yui Perez

"Udon Shin – Come for the noodles, stay for the… 3-hour queue?

If you’re planning to eat at Udon Shin, do yourself a favor—grab a virtual ticket in the morning unless you enjoy spending the better part of your day standing in line, questioning your life choices. I waited three hours just to devour my meal in 15 minutes. Honestly, it felt like I was training for a food-themed endurance sport.

The restaurant only has 10 seats, which adds to its charm… and its chaos. There are technically two ways to get in:
1. Pay 2000 yen per person and skip the whole queue. VIP treatment. Walk in like a boss.
2. Or, if you like to suffer like I did, go the free route. First, you pick up a virtual queue ticket that tells you how many groups are ahead of you. Sounds efficient, right? Plot twist: it’s not. Once your ticket calls you back, you then join another queue at the storefront. That second line took me a solid 40 minutes—and that’s after already waiting 3 hours.

I arrived at 10:30 AM (they open at 11), was told to get a virtual ticket, and didn’t actually eat until 1:45 PM. The kicker? The virtual queue isn’t actually a line—it’s a free-for-all. When your number gets called, you race back, and whoever shows up first gets in first. So yeah… not a real queue.

To make things spicier, people who paid the 2000 yen just casually stroll in and get seated while you’re still outside, reevaluating your patience and life choices.

Inside? It’s cramped. Cold. Not just temperature-wise but in vibes too. No smiles, no small talk, just a sardine can of hungry strangers silently shoveling noodles.

But the food? Oh, it was good. The udon was springy, cooked to perfection, and they even have their own signature butter. But the real stars were the tempura, especially the cheese and kakuni pork—absolutely divine, and honestly made me consider queuing again (just for a second).

Still, I can’t say it was worth the half-day investment. I get it, they’re popular, and people gotta make a living—but unless you’re paying to skip, prepare to lose several hours of your life for a brief but tasty moment.

Pro tip: Snag that ticket early in the morning so you can enjoy a nice, early dinner without the emotional damage. You’ve been warned."

markos paterakis

What People Like

Springy, perfectly cooked udon noodles
Unique and creative udon flavor combinations
Crispy and delicious tempura

What People Dislike

Extremely long and chaotic wait times
Confusing queue system
Small, cramped seating area

Frequently Asked Questions

Wait times can be very long, often several hours. It is highly recommended to utilize their virtual queue system to manage your wait time. [^M3]

The Best Udon in Tokyo (Japan

Yes, some sources mention an option to pay approximately 2000 yen per person to skip most of the queue and gain immediate entry. TikTok

TikTok

The signature dish is the Carbonara Udon, a unique fusion of Italian and Japanese flavors featuring creamy sauce, cheese, egg, and bacon tempura. [^M1]

12 best restaurants near Shinjuku Station

The restaurant is very small, with limited seating, typically around 10-12 seats at the counter and a few tables. Reddit

Google Review

They use a virtual queue system rather than traditional reservations. It's advised to get a virtual ticket early in the day. TikTok

TikTok

Yes, while traditional udon can contain meat and fish, Udon Shin offers vegetarian-friendly versions and vegetable tempura. [^M7]

Where to find Vegetarian food in Tokyo

Visiting during off-peak hours or arriving well before opening to secure an early virtual queue ticket is recommended. TikTok

TikTok

Mentioned in

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This little udon shop, with six seats at the counter and just two tables, serves freshly made noodles that go down nice and smooth, plus great side dishes like tempura and deep-fried tofu. You should really try its signature 'carbonara udon', where the noodles are topped with grated cheese, a runny soft-boiled egg and a thick slice of bacon tempura, much like its namesake Italian counterpart. Don’t be put off by the long wait at Shin.

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Whether you’ve avoided this place because of the horrendously long queue, an udon lover or have this place on your eat list – I’m here to convince you why you should absolutely visit during your next trip. With the new virtual queue system, you must plan properly so you don’t waste time!

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Udon Shin is known as the Western Creative Udon because they pioneered the Carbonara Udon – the Udon taking social media by storm. While the traditional ways of having Udon here are subpar and the noodles are on the softer side, Udon Shin makes up for it with some creative combos such as Carbonara Udon with Bacon Tempura, Mala Chilli Beef Udon and Cheese Tempura. If you want pure Udon excellence, best to look elsewhere but if you want to taste the OG Carbonara Udon and still one of the best renditions of the dish, you have to come to Udon Shin.

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At Udon Shin, you can enjoy udon made with their motto of "freshly kneaded, cut, and boiled." Their specialty udon is prepared by cutting the dough upon order and adjusting the boiling time according to the day's weather conditions to create the ultimate bowl. My recommendation is the tempura shrimp and seasonal vegetable udon. The noodles have a smooth texture followed by a springy and firm consistency, with a noodle presence unlike anything I've had before.

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For those on a limited budget udon can be another delicious go-to-meal. Traditionally Udon is made and topped with meat and fish meaning it can often be off-limits to vegetarians. But do not fear, if you head to the tiny, traditional and infamous Shin Udon restaurant in Shibuya you can slurp on a tasty veggie friendly version of the dish along with crunchy veggie tempura and deep-fried tofu.

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With six seats at the counter and two tables, Udon Shin can only accommodate a maximum of 12 people. Despite its small size, the shop is one of the best places in Tokyo to get superb wheat noodles. Using carefully sourced wheat flour, Shin’s udon is freshly kneaded at the store and the boiling time is adjusted based on the day’s temperature and moisture level to ensure the perfect texture.

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So when you see locals forming snaking queues, you know a place is worth the wait. Udon Shin is one of those places. A tiny shokudo (a small, casual restaurant serving local cuisine at a reasonable price) less than a minute away from Shinjuku station, Udon Shin has only six counter seats, but it offers delicious udon with side dishes like tempura and deep-fried tofu.

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Udon Shin is a specialty restaurant that takes the time and effort to serve freshly cut and freshly boiled udon noodles without any compromise. They give visitors the best udon experience possible and do not leave the udon cut or boiled. The time and effort they put into their udon is directly reflected in the flavor and texture of their udon.

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If you are quite familiar with Udon noodles, you may already heard this restaurants. Shin Udon is often called the best Udon in Tokyo and it is very very popular. The passionate owner chef has been on the quest for the perfection of Udon noodles, and truly committed to the process of making good Udon dishes for each customers everyday.

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If you are quite familiar with Udon noodles, you may already heard this restaurants. Shin Udon is often called the best Udon in Tokyo and very very popular. The passionate owner chef has been on the quest for the perfection of Udon noodles, and truly committed to the process of making one good Udon dish for each customers everyday.

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A Tokyo favorite noodle spot we always revisit is Udon Shin. On our first visit, we waited hours in line for these noodles, but now they have a ticketing system. Go a couple of hours before you want to eat, take a ticket from the machine, and receive a QR code with your queue number and estimated wait time.

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Udon Shin has built a reputation for serving what many consider the best udon in Tokyo. Its thick, chewy noodles are made fresh daily, and the bowls come topped with ingredients like soft-boiled eggs, butter, pepper, and tender beef. Be prepared for a wait, but the new virtual queue system helps.

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