Tabelog ratingBakka (麦香) is a full-service Sanuki udon shop in rural Marugame. That alone sets it apart in a prefecture where most udon is self-serve at a counter. Noodles are boiled to order and every piece of tempura is fried fresh. Beyond the classics, the menu includes a mild, cream-enriched curry udon, a chilled curry udon in summer and asari butter udon with clams. The shop was selected for Tabelog's Udon WEST "Tabelog 100" in 2020 and 2022.
Most reviewers start with the noodles, which they describe as glossy, springy and chewy, with a clear wheat aroma. The clean iriko (dried sardine) broth is regularly praised, above all as ice-cold hiyakake with sudachi citrus. The house favourite is toritenbukkake, chicken tempura over noodles with lemon and grated radish. The soft, sweet tai-chikuwa tempura (fish-cake fritter) comes up again and again. Staff are described as friendly and the room as relaxed and good for families.
The complaints are consistent. Reviewers report waits of 30–60 minutes outside, with slow table turnover. Some found the noodles too soft for traditional Sanuki tastes, and spice fans call the curry bland. One visitor reported dead insects in a water jug and a grubby tablet; another saw tenkasu on the floor. At a busy time, one diner was told late in the queue that orders were capped at one serving.
This is a daytime shop with no dinner service, and lunch typically comes in under ¥1,000. Reviewers in 2025–2026 paid around ¥420 for kake (plain hot udon), ¥620 for creamy curry udon, ¥780 for asari butter, ¥860–900 for toritenbukkake, ¥1,020 for oyako bukkake (chicken and egg tempura) and ¥220 for burdock tempura. A larger portion added about ¥90. That is more than old-school Kagawa shops charge, and some noticed price rises, but most felt the made-to-order noodles and fresh tempura justify it.
- Getting there: 561 m from Okada Station according to the listing. Reviewers describe a 12–15-minute walk, on a line with roughly one train every 30 minutes. The shop is easiest to reach by car.
- Parking: two car parks, with 8 and 6 spaces.
- Booking: reservations are not accepted, so just walk in. Sign up on the tablet at the entrance and wait outside, in a partly covered area. Arrive before the 10:00 opening: queues build from late morning and some items sell out by 11:00.
- Hours: closed Wednesdays. The shop sometimes closes early once the noodles run out.
- Payment: credit cards are not accepted. Electronic money and QR payments (PayPay) are accepted. You pay after eating.
- Children: welcome, including preschoolers, and a mini-size udon is available.
- Seating: 38 seats: 20 at tables, 6 at the counter and 12 on tatami. There are no private rooms and no private hire.
- Smoking: entirely non-smoking.
- Ordering: by tablet at the table. An English-speaking visitor found the staff helpful.
- Heads-up: the green chilli condiment is very hot, and some bowls arrive with wasabi already added.
