Hidden gem right here. At the time I went there was no one here which is honestly a shock with how good this is. Despite only having one person working, the food came out pretty quick and it was delicious. Also the fries are a must have, especially with the curry. Overall, really good curry spot so definitely give it a try!! read more

Champion’s Curry - Pork Katsu Curry Rice - Japanese Curry Near Me - Pasadena, California

Champion's Curry does have good curry with nice flavors, but I don't feel like the price is justified. This Pasadena location is just off of Colorado in a small shop. There's limited seating but I haven't seen it too busy the times I've gone. Each curry dish that contains a protein (or veggie) is about $20, and the ones that don't contain a protein are about $15. They have a limited number of workers but the food doesn't take too long to come out. I do feel like their menu options have dwindled in the past few years, and sometimes they are sold out of/don't have some of their menu options available. The taste of the curry is nice, and has a nice blend of spices. I think their protein options are good as well, and I like their house spice blend. I think the portion size is also fair. I just don't feel like it's worth $20 a dish. If each protein-containing dish were $15, I'd have given this place four stars. There are several parking structures nearby--we always park at the Schoolhouse garage and walk over. read more

Champion’s Curry - Fish Curry Rice - Japanese Curry Near Me - Pasadena, California

We're usually big fans of japanese curry, but this place missed the mark. Got the: - Chicken Katsu with Spicy Curry ($15+): curry barely had a kick, and adding the spicy seasoning on the table didn't do much either. Katsu had an offputting oil aftertaste but the chicken itself was nice and juicy. Tried adding Worcestershire sauce which was meh, but it added a bit of acidity to what was a lacking flavor profile. Side pickles were salty and there was veeery little cabbage. Portion was also small for the price paid. Service was friendly and quick tho! I also like the overall mini mart decor and vibes. read more

Champion’s Curry - Inside 6/16/26 - Japanese Curry Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I had such high hopes for Champion's Curry at this Pasadena location since they had good ratings. Unfortunately, it was disappointing. There is a QR code at the register for you to order yourself. The worker there did not give me any direction on whether I should order myself or he could take my order. It was not busy and it took a few minutes of me trying to get the online order to work for him to ask me to take my order. I ordered the Spicy Grilled Vegetable Curry Rice ($15.50). The curry was not spicy at all. It was the same non-spicy level Original curry that my father-in-law ordered. They either gave me the Original or their Spicy and Original mean nothing. The portion was small for what it was and my curry was mildly warm. The curry flavor was not bad, but I wouldn't come here again for it. I get that this is downtown Pasadena where quality is not reflected in their prices, but dang, I felt ripped off. There used to be a Champion's Curry in Irvine and it was far better compared to this one. Sadly, I won't be returning and I can't recommend this place to anyone. read more

Champion’s Curry - Menu. 5/30/2026 - Japanese Curry Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Was craving for a Japanese curry . this curry from Kanazawa is darn good. good portion of rice and katsu. (sorry no picture of the Pork Katsu because the hubby consumed it right away) We ate on a Thursday noon, service was quick, and they are polite. The vibe was very Japanese: it's simple. sit down and eat then go on your merry belly full way. This would be the closest to a legit Japanese curry taste we been looking for. Building is right to where you can park on the side of the street or if you prefer do the building parking where it is located. read more

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Decided to check out Champions Curry while in old town and it did not disappoint! It is a very small place with only a few seats inside but theres also a seating area outside. This is definitely not a full service restaurant and is more fast casual if you're looking for a quick bite. The cashier was very friendly and the food came hot & fresh. The curry had a good kick to it and the chicken katsu was cooked perfectly. The portion was good as it wasn't too heavy and filled me up just right. read more

Champion’s Curry - Japanese Curry Near Me - Pasadena, California

I really love Japanese curry, so it's nice having Champions Curry in Pasadena. The spot is small with mostly bar seating, and parking in the area isn't the easiest, but the curry here is amazing. I usually get the chicken katsu curry, and the katsu is always cooked well. Light, crispy, juicy, and the curry itself is delicious. The only reason I don't come here more often is because the portions feel a bit small for the price, and sometimes it doesn't fully fill me up. But when I'm in the mood for a smaller meal, I still find myself stopping by from time to time. read more

Champion’s Curry - Chicken Katsu Curry Rice - Japanese Curry Near Me - Pasadena, California

There's street or nearby structure parking for here. The interior is really clean and there's limited seating with high chairs. The staff are very thorough and professional. The wait was decent for food. I got the pork kastu curry. It might be the best presentation for kastu curry I've had. The kastu was hot and juicy with a good thickness of meat. The cabbage was very thin but that's actually fine. The curry was good although it was a bit sweet? It wasn't bad, just something I noticed. I still easily finished my curry. But depending on how you like your curry this can go either way. The meal is well portioned. I finished basically everything and was satisfied. It's worth a chance for a quick meal. read more

Champion’s Curry - Pork Katsu Curry Rice - Japanese Curry Near Me - Pasadena, California

The food is amazing. It's pretty comparable to the late Curry House. I've been searching far and wide to scratch that itch and Champions is just as good!! I always get to go. read more

Located on a side street in old town Pasadena, Champions Curry is one of the latest Japanese curry restaurants from Japan, to come to Cali. They have another location in Little Tokyo as well. There is a public parking lot just next door but it does require payment. There is street parking as well but you'll have better luck on an adjacent street. The set up of the restaurant is more akin to a take out spot. There's only a couple of tables and some counter seats and isn't a real traditional restaurant. I ordered the pork katsu with curry on their tablet and waited for them to bring it out. The price is pretty similar to other katsu curry places, just under $20. The flavor of the curry has that curry flavor but a more gravy like texture. Its thick and chunky and a little bit on the saltier side. There is some sweetness to it, but not a light. The pork katsu was fried perfectly and was juicy and crispy at the same time. The portions of the food was on the slightly smaller side and wish they would have given more for the price. Overall if you love japanese curry, then you should definitely try Champions Curry. read more

Champions Curry made for a satisfying and flavorful lunch! Prepping food for the workday can feel like a chore, so finding a spot that's quick, tasty, and reasonably priced is always a win--and this place delivered. The curry had great flavor, the portion was adequate, and the price was right. I'd definitely come back, though probably not on a busy weekday, as parking can be a bit tricky. Still, a solid lunch option when you're craving something hearty and delicious! read more

Champion’s Curry - Kara-Age Curry Rice - Japanese Curry Near Me - Pasadena, California

For the price, I feel that the portion sizes here are quite small. The staff were very nice, and the woman at the front who helped use was extremely thorough at her job. If you choose to eat inside, they do have a small window seating area with some very uncomfortable stools. They're sort of tipped forward, and at an awkward height at the counter, which makes enjoying your meal difficult. The flavor of the curry was decent, leaning towards sweet. I do like that they offer Worcestershire sauce at the counter. read more

it's hard to find a Japanese food option that is NOT ramen or sushi...and quick non sit down restaurant. Wish there is a food court somewhere in Pasadena.... We are there Monday for lunch and the guy was nice and very helpful. The food itself it's good cause the curry itself has bits of meat and you can tell has depth which means they really put some real ingredients in the sauce rather than just plain msg. Although the patty is small but I can sense there is onions and bit infused into the hamburger which this asian taste buds appreciate rather than just meat and no other flavor in the patty. We tried both the katsu and hamburger curry, we liked them both.....if you compare the price and portion with Americanized fast food chain like Ono Hawaii which give you "similar" food, of course, I can see it's no fun to have less food, but the prep and the outcome has difference in my opinion. The taste is also different. Like if you go next door to the main chick, it's also only two piece of fried chicken tender, they charged around 16, 17? I would pay more for the details you put in the food in the Japanese curry while the chicken tender next door is pretty much chicken tender with battery and TONS of msg like powder....no other "Whole Foods" are ingrained into the food. I know even McDonald is expensive these days, so what can I say, I get why people would complain! :) oh I checked the receipt again, its literally 15 and 16 dollars, plus tax, not 20, my bad read more

There's a parking structure in the same block. The store is close to Memorial Park metro station for those that want to avoid parking. They have indoor seating and a window where you can watch them prepare food. Their menu and dishes are pretty simple. I got the pork katsu and it was a solid meal. Definitely not the best katsu or curry I've had in LA, but it's a convenient choice in old town. read more

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I was craving curry especially since I've tried the food before at their Little Tokyo location which is now gone. I ordered the spicy Katsu chicken curry which comes with steamed rice. The curry gravy was so good and flavored just right and the chicken was perfectly cooked. It's unfortunate that they don't update their menu with a vegetarian option of this curry meal. read more

Champion’s Curry - Spicy Chicken Katsu JUN2025 - Japanese Curry Near Me - Pasadena, California

Curry is very tasty. I was craving Japanese curry with a hamburger steak and this little spot had it . The portion was just the right size .not to overwhelming. The person working the counter was very polite read more

If I'm going to pay $20 for a plate of food there's got to be way more value than this. Portion size is way too small, you're selling rice, water and spices. No value, no stars. read more

Champion’s Curry - Japanese Curry Near Me - Pasadena, California

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My go to spot for Japanese curry! Loved chicken katsu both original and spicy (got a bit kick but not crazy/burning hot, does build up though). Best to dine in while the Katsu was crispy and juicy. The curry has a deeper flavor which I cannot describe. It's quick, fresh, and tasty! My husband thinks the portion is a bit small but I'm perfectly full every time. Staffs are super friendly and always got a smile on. Will continue to support! read more

Champion’s Curry - Spicy Chicken Katsu Curry Rice with extra cabbage - Japanese Curry Near Me - Pasadena, California

We came about ten minutes before closing and so we were still able to get served to eat in. For a Saturday night 7:30 seemed early even with the Rose Bowl game happening. We got the pork katsu curry and spicy Chicken katsu sandwich. We made it a combo for $1 more and got some salad. Even though we ate in the dishes were on paper togo containers which made it convenient when we didn't finish. The sandwich was filling and came with the (spicy) curry on the side for dipping. It was pretty decked out. The veggies were fresh but in this application perhaps pickled might work better. The curry bowl had a good amount of rice and meat so we couldn't finish that in one sitting. The rich curry help satiate us quick! read more

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The menu is small but it makes it easier to choose between what type of curry you want. The lady that helped me was very kind and greeted me warmly. I got the pork curry and a macaroni side salad which was around $20. Honestly the curry itself would have been enough since the portion was filling but I decided to get the macaroni salad as well. The food was delicious and the resturant was empty when I got in but it was nice to eat in a place that wasn't too noisy. Overall I would definitely come again for the wonderful service and the size portion read more

Champion’s Curry - Curry Sauce & Pork Curry topped with Sour Cream with white rice, a side of cabbage and pickled red radish and a side of Macaroni salad - Japanese Curry Near Me - Pasadena, California

My favorite. I wasn't a freauent of the little Tokyo location but it translates well. My go to is the wagyu hamburger curry, it has a great flavor and the curry works like gravy. Also the steak fries really deliver, especially when dipped in gravy. Not the the cheapest option but it always delivers. read more

Champion's Curry is a popular Japanese chain whose curry-making history goes back to 1961! They seriously have some of the best curry we've tried. Kanazawa-style curry is more rich, savory, and has a gravy-like consistency. Their curry paired so well with the crispy chicken katsu and hamburg steak. And if you want even more curry goodness, order the curry cheese fries read more

Champion’s Curry - Japanese Curry Near Me - Pasadena, California

MUCH better dining experience and food quality than years ago when I went to the Little Tokyo location. It is a smaller eatery and seating is very limited, but there is an alleyway with lots of tables and seats (safe alleyway by the way, lol). We came in 20 minutes before they were going to close and the service was super efficient, friendly, and courteous to us. I think the only L here is the fact that so many businesses bizarrely close so early in Pasadena?? Like 7:30 PM on a Friday night? Isn't this prime time for the youth to be out craving food and dinner? Who knows. Our group ordered all mild spice level curry and got the: NY Steak, Pork Katsu, and Wagyu Hamburg Steak curries. Each one comes with a small side of cabbage salad to be eaten with the dish, tomato Rakkyo salsa, sour cream sauce, and chives. There is a good portion of rice to curry ratio without being too much or too little of the other. Even with a mild spice level, it still had a pretty good heat that added up as we kept taking more bites of our meal. Nice depth of spice flavors that wasn't one dimensional. All the meat was moist and flavorful, not too salty either. Went great with the freshness and slight sourness of the salsa. I shared my curry with a friend and it's definitely a hearty helping, so although the prices have inflated, it's a good amount! Solid Japanese curry spot. read more

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Amazing service. They got my order wrong but they made it right and fixed it. The food they serve has a unique curry flavor. If you had currywurst before I would compare it to that. It's a good twist that I like and kind of miss from my trip in Germany. The vibes is kind of do it yourself and not talk to anyone. A great place to grab a quick bite and go. Parking is a bit hard to find though. Would recommend coming and enjoying their food! read more

For a $15 bowl of curry, I do not think the price is worth the quality. Would I come back? No. Here's What I Got: Karaage Curry: ‣ The 2nd best ‣ JUICY CHICKENN & umami flavor Chicken Curry: ‣ A bit on the dry side Pork Curry: ‣ The best of the three ‣ Crunchy katsu & good flavor Overall: ‣ Rice was cooked alright ‣ Curry was slightly salty, but flavorful ‣ All food came in single-use containers Ambiance: Definitely a quick-stop spot or to-go place with MINIMAL seating. When I visited, a lot of their menu items were unavailable. Staff: Super sweet read more

Can't believe we just found out about this place through dine LA week! We got here around 11:30 on a Sunday and ordered the dine LA menu - we chose the mild chicken curry with matcha milk. We were blown away! The portion was huge and more importantly, the katsu was crispy on the outside but the chicken is super tender and juicy on the inside! We really like the cabbage and tomato on the side - they are very refreshing! On to the curry, we personally really like it as it's on the lighter side but still full of flavor! There are a couple seats in the store but only a few are facing the window so you can also just do take outs. Highly recommend! There is a parking structure right next doors! read more

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Extremely impressed. This is a casual dining spot with insanely good fried chicken-it is so moist and crispy on the outside. Some of the best fried chicken I have ever had. I ordered the spicy chicken katsu. Very nice! The curry could be spicier but it was lovely read more

Curry rice for lunch is so yummy. Enjoying the weather too! I tried: 1. Pork katsu curry rice 2. Beef minced katsu read more

Yummy katsu spot with flavorful Japanese curry. A nice casual spot for someone looking for yummy modernized Japanese fast-food-esque goods. The only reason for the 4/5 star rating is that they don't have a good number of items on their menu. They're not offering their side small salad option anymore and a bunch of other items on their menu are crossed out, but you wouldn't know unless you were in person at the restaurant. The pork katsu curry rice is yummy. I was hesitant to try their curry because I was worried that it would exacerbate acid reflux. I don't know what it is about their curry, but it went down more easily than I expected. They have a nice selection of beverages in the small fridge to the side - don't forget to take a look before finishing your order! read more

2.6 stars I came to try their curry since they were participating in DineLA. For $15, you can choose the type of curry you want, type of protein, and type of bottled drink. I chose to go with the grilled vegetable, original curry option plus an Ito-En matcha milk tea. The curry was super salty for me! Tasty, but too salty. The vegetables were nicely grilled. The bottled tea was...average. Service was friendly and the interior is small, simple, and clean. It definitely doesn't have the space for a huge crowd. It is also credit card only, which may be a problem for people who like to pay cash. Paid street parking or garage parking only. read more

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Alright. It pains me to give a review in the middle but when I do, it's with intent to make the place better and give feedback. Parking is a bit annoying since you have to enter it on a one way straight and also pay for it. Upon entering, we were very enthusiastically greeted by two super friendly individuals. Had I gotten my order taken by them, the experience would've felt so much more personal and better. Instead, we were guided to use one of those self ordering kiosk. In any food business, people will return for good food yes, but if your food isn't out of this world, the only thing you have left to offer is top tier hospitality which this place has potential for. For these three entree's I payed close to 50$. VERY expensive for fast food and small portions in paper plates. It lacked presentation, all shoved into this bowl. The pork was juicy and the curry sauce was super tasty but the portions were just way too small for the price. The curry fries were decent too. Needed some salt but other than that, it was as good as it could be. The accompanying tomato mixture seemed very random and like it didn't fit the theme. It was very "pico de gallo" which doesn't go on a classic Japanese curry dish. This would've been great with the pickled radish that usually goes with curry. read more

Champion’s Curry - Pork Katsu Curry and curry French Fries - Japanese Curry Near Me - Pasadena, California

Great easy walk in location, for quick curry. I've seen the original Champion curry on Japanese YouTube and glad to have randomly found one closer in Pasadena. Loved the cabbage side salad with Japanese dressing. Cutlet pork good and just wished the curry which came in separate container was hotter, but intricate spiced good curry. We had ours on the spot sitting at a counter. Next time I would ask to have them heat the curry more and have it poured over. Would like to try again. Service is good and easy without much wait. Ambiance is clean and easy and recommend pick up. read more

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My wife and I got takeout from this place. She got the hamburger steak curry and I got the karaage chicken curry. Both were really good and actually better than expected. The hamburger steak was really flavorful and the karaage chicken was juicy and crispy. The curry has a tiny bit of a kick to it but it's not too spicy. Service is quick and friendly and there's parking lots in the area. read more

Got the karaage curry bowl this time, wow so good. The chicken was crispy and I thought was superior to the chicken katsu( also super good). read more

Champion’s Curry - Kara-Age Curry Bowl - Japanese Curry Near Me - Pasadena, California

Ordered the chicken katsu curry. The chicken wa fantastic, probably top 5 for katsu I've had in the states, but I wish the curry had a no spicy option. Even the regular curry had a kick to it. The service was great. There's not a lot of seating, only bar seats, and it's more for a takeout crowd. read more

Champion’s Curry - Japanese Curry Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Champion's Curry is one of the reasons I miss living near LA. Where in the 805 can you find such delicious yet affordable Japanese curry dishes? Luckily, my family was visiting Pasadena one weekend, and we stumbled upon this gem. We're huge curry fans, so we had to give it a try. The prices are great, and the curry is amazing. They even have a veggie curry bowl for my wife. The service was excellent--everyone was super helpful when we had questions about the menu. As for the ambiance, there aren't many seating options since the place is mainly set up for take-out. If you live in Pasadena, you're lucky to have this tasty spot nearby! read more

Champion’s Curry - Japanese Curry Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Best curry in LA.... And only exposing bc I need them to reopen near Long Beach again. Service is always great. Though I've been asking for a T-shirt since they closed the LA location. read more

We came to Champion's Curry on a Saturday afternoon for a late lunch. I had seen a post about them on IG boasting their authentic flavor and wanted to try it out for myself. Champion's has a small footprint with limited counter-like seating. There is one self-serve ordering kiosk where you browse, order, and pay. As this was our first visit and there were people behind us, we felt pressured to make our order quickly. We would have let the people behind us order before us had there been a posted menu for us to review... but there wasn't so we had to use the ordering kiosk to review options and rush through our decision making. We ended up ordering the minced beef curry (spicy) and the steak curry (regular). When ordering, there was a comment about being able to adjust spiciness but we couldn't find where and feeling rushed, i guess we ordered the default... which ended up being way more spicy than we would have liked. Beyond that, the flavor was average but a bit runny if I'm honest. Not bad curry by any means, just not great. I wanted to love Champion's but it was just ok. Service-wise, staff was semi-friendly but very hands off since you could self order. We did notice that neither worker was wearing gloves when handling the food, equipment, or trays. Not sure whether the CA or Los Angeles policies apply (nor do I know food code policies) but that wasn't what I wanted to see when I looked through the glass at the kitchen area. Price wise, I guess everything is more $$$ these days but for $16+ each, I was expecting a little more. Plus there's the "parking tax" as street and/or metered parking is extremely limiting so we had to park w the flat rate of $10 (as of this review). Not entirely Champion's fault parking is $$$ but if you're going to go, it's better to know or maybe order to go and have someone who can hop out and grab the food while you circle the block (streets are too narrow and busy to wait and block traffic--don't be entitled!) TIP: plain/tap water isn't an option on the menu but we saw someone ask for plain water (on our way out) and they were given a cup. We didn't know so we suffered through the fiery spice and went for drinks afterwards. Side-note for context: It's days like this I REALLY miss Curry House (which wasn't even that good either but it was a consistent staple and not as $$$ as a lot of the Curry places i see around nowadays). I'll have to go to Sawtelle for Curry instead. read more

Champion’s Curry - Minced beef curry on the left, $1 side Ceasar in the middle, steak curry on the right. - Japanese Curry Near Me - Pasadena, California

A lovely place for curry in Pasadena. They have deicious Japanese curry. The seating is quite limited so most people take it to go. We had curry with burger, chicken and fish. The meat was all juicy! The karaage side was good too. Lovely vibe and service. Parking is very limited and there was no free parking. read more

I understand everything costs more now after pandemic. But I feel for the price I pay here, I should not be eating out of a paper bowl.  I love sweet Japanese curry since I cannot eat spicy, the chicken cutlet here is tender and juicy.  The menu description says it comes with salsa so we were intrigue, but it is strange to see the pico de gallo chopped tomato with Japanese curry. I feel like something is missing and I crave more food because the portion is on the smaller side. There's only bar stool sitting by the wall and window. If you order drinks, it is self serve at the refrigerator.   The worker who took our order was very soft spoken, instead of calling out the number on our receipt she call out the entree names which makes it even harder to hear.  Street parking if you can find any, we parked at garage parking near Everson Royce on Raymond.  Oh how I miss Curry House! read more

Champion’s Curry - Chicken Katsu Curry - Japanese Curry Near Me - Pasadena, California