Verdict: unique and flavorful take on udon. Worth trying for those that find regular udon not savoury/umami enough. We came on a Saturday lunch with reservation. Food: we tried the miso carbonara and smokey kurobata (sanuki noodle) with a side of bbq tontoro. The carbonara is full of flavour and comes with a pork slab which is essentially melt in your mouth all-fats. Seems meant to be paired with a high ball to cut through the fatty umami between bites, and may be too jerlak for some folks. We thoroughly enjoyed the smokey kurobata though, as we felt it has the right balance of umami and fats without being too overpowering for when we are not drinking. The tontoro side is not bad, but probably does best with a drink to wash it down on hindsight. Service: Order and pay via QR. Atmosphere: the dining area is pretty limited, so it's quite noisy and long queue at peak. Deco is similar to their sister restaurant Omote, oldies American diner vibes. Reservation is ideal. Price: Slightly higher price than other udon restaurants, but I think it's OK given the quality and location. Others: We managed to get to the place completely sheltered via Bugis mrt exit F.

my friends and myself had gyu sushi mini don,spicy butayaki don,truffle tako and bbq tontoro. The food is nice and the portions are good too. the bbq tontoro might not appeal to everyone though.. it is chunks of fats . i love it.. but cant eat too much of it. the drinks are a letdown though. we had hot citrus orange tea. v much like drinking plain water.. too bland

Visited on Friday evening at about 6:15pm as walk-in, luckily got a table straight away. The restaurant was 90% full when we were seated. Ordered the signature miso udon and spicy kare udon (fyi kare meant curry). Noodles are very bouncy and chewy, offering great mouthfeel. Miso udon has very nice charred pork belly, which i would come back for their grilled meat dons or items! For miso carbonara udon itself, i liked the smoked duck bits but sauce profile itself was subpar. Had better ones elsewhere. Kare udon was nice and felt authentic as similar to ones i had in japan The interior is very cute with cute table setup with tempura penguin holding to your wooden disposable chopsticks. By the time we ate finish, we saw a long queue built up outside the store. If you are heading for dinner, recommend coming slightly earlier or making a reservation in advance

Finally tried this highly raved artisanal udon bar but was slightly disappointed by the udon dishes. The cold flat udon was a little hard but fortunately the dipping sesame sauce was a saviour. The spicy carbonara with pork is definitely not for those who cannot take spicy or porky meat. In fact the side/sharing dishes were much better. Loved their peri peri chicken and truffle crab cream croquette.

had a satisfying meal at Umai bar. definitely for people who are especially into creative, fusion style udon. this place is known for its variety of handcrafted noodles and unique flavours, which definitely sets it apart from your usual Japanese spots. we ordered a mix to share: the miso carbonara, mentaiko gyoza, chawanmushi, cold udon, and highballs (ginger & classic). my favourite have to be the miso carbonara, rich and creamy, almost like a pasta-udon hybrid, and it’s one of their more popular dishes for a reason! the udon itself had a nice chewy texture, which made each bite satisfying. the cold udon was refreshing and lighter, a good contrast to the heavier carbonara. mentaiko gyoza was flavourful with a slight umami kick, while the chawanmushi was smooth and comforting. drinks were easy and refreshing, pairing well with the meal. overall, a great spot if you’re open to trying something different! good for casual catch ups, though expect queues during peak hours.