🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Udon is a real mu kratha town. Locals don't just eat it on weekends — they eat it almost any free night, because there are tens of thousands of students from Udon Thani Rajabhat, Rajamangala University and the colleges around town. So the shops compete on price and quantity. In some areas like Soi Jintakham you'll find a dozen places lined up in a single soi, so you can just walk past, read the price boards and pick. The big plus is that many stay open until 3 or 4 in the morning, perfect if you're a real night owl.
Before we get into the shops, let's be straight: most Udon mu kratha is a single-price buffet, and the ingredients lean toward marinated pork, sliced pork, offal and fried bits rather than good-grade beef. If you want tender beef, you'll need to move up to a Korean BBQ or shabu place that costs a bit more. So we've split things clearly: which spots give you cheap-and-full value, and which are worth paying a little extra for better quality.
10 best-value mu kratha & Thai BBQ spots in Udon
The Nua Mu Kratha Buffet, Udon Thani branch
A branch of a well-known Isan mu kratha chain that expanded into the city of Udon. The selling point is one flat price with no extras. They use Betagro-brand pork, plus sliced beef, sliced pork, shrimp, cheese, snacks and ice-cream desserts — over a hundred items in total. It's one of the spots locals talk about most for value.
Nai Tong Mu Kratha, Udon Thani
A spot that gets a lot of reviews in the Udon food-guide scene, known for variety — both pork and beef, marinated and plain, plus yum salads, som tam, dumplings, steamed buns, fried snacks, salad and several dipping sauces. It stays open until 4 AM, so it's a go-to for the late-night crowd after class or work.
Pang Pond Mu Kratha
A long-running shop on Supphakit Janya Road in Mak Khaeng subdistrict that Udon locals have eaten at for years. The vibe is casual, the ingredients are fresh, and the snacks never run short — good for big groups. The price has crept up a little but drinks are still included as before.
Baan Nap Dao Mu Kratha
The cheapest buffet among the comfortable covered-seating spots. The selection is decent rather than premium — the focus is on cheap and filling. Good for students on a tight budget who want to sit and chat all night long.
The 99 THB mu kratha cluster on Soi Jintakham
Soi Jintakham is the real mu kratha district for Udon students, with several 99 THB buffet shops lined up — places like Toem Pung and Pen Nueng, some open until 3 AM. At this price drinks are usually charged separately, but in exchange you get cheap-and-full that's hard to find in other cities. Read the boards and pick whichever place is packed.
Pung Kang Mu Kratha, 99 THB buffet, Udon branch
A 99 THB buffet chain that opened a branch in Udon. The clear draw is one flat, easy price with all the basics covered — good for big groups of friends who want to split the bill down to a few baht each. Friday and Saturday evenings get packed, so come early in the evening.
Mu Kratha at Si Yaek Khok Ma intersection
A 99 THB buffet (drinks not included) right at the Khok Ma intersection, with long seating hours. It's another pin that the late-night crowd around the city center likes to drop by. The ingredients aren't fancy but they're fresh and restocked quickly — a price this low is hard to find in such a central spot.
Useoul Grill, Udon Thani
Moving up to Korean BBQ and shabu buffet, with over 50 ingredients to grill or boil. It's in front of the Usotel water park, and the place looks new and clean. Good for days when you want Korean sliced beef and punchy dipping sauces rather than plain mu kratha.
Shabushi, Central Plaza Udon Thani, 4th floor
An air-conditioned mall option for days when you don't want to sit out in a hot open lot. It's a conveyor-belt shabu buffet with drinks included — dishes keep coming around so you don't have to get up. Good for taking family or a date inside the mall. There's a time limit of about an hour and fifteen minutes.
Suki Teenoi, Bangchak Udon branch
A popular nationwide suki-shabu buffet chain that opened in Udon. Mid-range price, full selection, several broth options, open late — good for people who want the familiar, consistent standard rather than a wide-open mu kratha lot. The queue in the evening tends to be long, so leave some buffer time.
How to pick a spot that's actually good value
Most 99 THB buffets charge for drinks separately, so once you add drinks the real price ends up close to the 179–199 spots that already include them. If you're going as a group and ordering lots of drinks, work out the real per-head cost with drinks before you decide — sometimes paying just a little more gets you much better food.
Want to taste deeper? Try a Udon Thani food tour or cooking class
Half a day with a local who knows the lanes — or cooking a dish yourself — teaches you more than just eating. Book ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide.
Where to eat mu kratha in the student district
If you're staying or studying near Udon Thani Rajabhat and Nong Samrong, Soi Jintakham is the first pin to hit — lots of shops, easy to compare prices on foot, and open late. If you'd rather sit chill under a roof away from the mosquitoes, move into the city center and find a place that includes drinks like The Nua or Nai Tong; it's more comfortable when it rains.
Soi Jintakham
The mu kratha district for Udon students — several 99 THB shops in a row, open late, easy to compare prices on foot.
Nong Samrong area
Has several traditional charcoal-grill mu kratha shops with that smoky aroma — good for fans of the old-school style.
City center / around Nong Prajak
Comfortable spots with drinks included — good for big groups or coming with family.
Three things to remember for a fun Udon mu kratha night
- Pour broth around the rim before you grill — rub the dome with pork fat so it's slick, then pour broth into the outer moat to blanch veg and noodles. The meat won't stick and you get sweet broth to sip.
- Grill marinated pork a little at a time — marinated pork burns easily because of the sugar, so grilling piece by piece tastes better than piling the dome high.
- Ask about drinks before you sit down — many cheap spots charge for drinks separately, so ask clearly to avoid confusion at the bill.
- Go early on Friday and Saturday evenings — the popular student spots fill up fast; arrive late and you may wait for a table or find some items sold out.
Plan a full eat-and-explore trip in Udon Thani
See the Udon Thani travel guide →