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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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

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

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

A small little spot but a bit bite of flavor. Love their curry and katsu - one of the best places in all of LA to enjoy Japanese curry.

Why such a bad review~ first it's a small place so you basically don't have much space to sit besides the front where they have stools. Which I like so I can eat and watch people or the other way around. Lol Staff members are really nice and helpful. But you can order through the ordering system but if you have questions regards of your order they'll help you. The price seems to be decent and the portions are pretty good. Curry here and the cutlet here is really juicy and flavorful. It reminds me of curry house but much more deeper flavor. If you're in Pasadena I recommend this spot to try. Delicious curry and cutlet! read more

Their chicken Katsu is perfect. I ordered the curry spicy and it was not spicy enough for me, but it was delicious. I would come here again. 100% Prices very reasonable. Portions generous. Love them! read more

Came here since they had a DineLA offer for a curry + meat and a drink for $15. After we ordered we had to wait about 15 minutes before our food was ready so service was quite slow when we arrived at 4:30. In terms of the curry, spicy is actually quite spicy. Flavor wise it was good, I didn't find it being anything that special. My chicken on top of the curry was fried well and was super juicy. The hamburger steak patty was also very moist and delicious. It's a pretty solid meal however it didn't wow me. I wouldn't go out of my way to come here especially since parking in the area isn't free. Nearby parking structure are a few dollars per hour. read more

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Oh the food here is sooo good!! I love Japanese curry and after I got takeout here, I couldn't stop eating it! I would highly recommend the chicken karaage curry bowl and the chicken katsu curry bowl. The curry is rich and flavorful, the little bits of meat in it are just heavenly! The chicken are both very soft and fried to perfection. I wasn't too fond of the salads though. I got the pork katsu salad and the pork katsu was a little dry for me and the salad was just a small mix of lettuce and some tomatoes + egg macaroni salad. I thought this was average and would choose the curry rice bowls over this one. The curry cheese fries are a must add side if you want curry on curry :). They do takeout only (I believe) and online ordering was really easy through toasttab. There isn't really parking, but there is a paid garage nearby if you want to pick up your food! read more

The pork katsu curry was wonderful. The curry was rich and a little decadent and the katsu was golden and crispy!

Wow -- this place has the best curry in town! I stumbled upon it by chance, and it turned into one of the best food discoveries I've made. The gentleman at the front desk is so kind, patient, and genuinely friendly. The menu has a huge variety of curries, and every dish is packed with true flavor, not just salt (unlike many other curry spots). I'm definitely coming back! read more

Have been searching for a replacement for Curry House for a while now. Unfortunately, this place was not the one even tho I had high hopes. Katsu seemed over cooked and the curry sauce was too salty. I would say my #1 right now is Maji Curry and I'm pretty happy with it (albeit a little sweet). Coco Ichibanya is a little too watery and not as complex. Will keep looking. read more

(Takeout Order) The food tastes fine. Nothing spectacular. The serving sizes and prices are atrocious (please see attachments) Fig. A - $6.50 side of salad that looks like a few pieces of lettuce and a tiny container of dressing. Fig. B - $5.00 mac salad that is half a bed of lettuce to make it seem full Fig. C -$15.50 very frugal serving of chicken katsu rice. Chicken looks like scraps put together. I feel a bit scammed. The only thing I feel like was alright for the price was the spicy cheddar karage. Spent $90 for 3 people, including a $10 tip I feel foolish for even giving. read more

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The food was pretty tasty but I was sad when I realized the menchi katsu they were preparing was for 4 orders and not just mine. They split a patty into 4 pieces. I think for the price, I should've at least gotten 2 pieces but maybe I'm just a fatty. The menchi was pretty tasty and I'd have appreciated 1 more piece. The spicy curry was okay but I'm a sucker for cocoichibanya read more

They really do make some delicious curry! The wagyu with the spicy curry is a must! I really like that they have a variety of protein or veggie options for their curry bowls. We also tried their Fish Katsu Sandwich with Cilantro Aioli. The Fish was slightly salted but with the Aioli it was not bad. Will come back for their curry bowls again read more

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There's parking in a few structures nearby but you have to pay unless you're lucky with street parking. We went on a Sunday afternoon and there was no line. It took around 10 min for us to get out food. We got the pork katsu and kaarage curry. The cury was good, it was flavorful and had a meaty taste. The pork katsu and kaarage weren't that crispy and the meat felt a little tough to eat. There also wasn't that much meat for the price compared to some other katsu curry places we've been to. read more

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

Tried the Pasadena location during dineLA week. It's a good deal. The curry was good. They messed up on our order but was apologetic. Overall, I would try it again if it was part of the dineLA deal. read more

Champion’s Curry - The curry was good - Japanese Curry Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Great service, very nice people and food was spectacular. I got the chicken katsu curry and i highly recommend!

A great place to get Japanese curry rice! It seemed a little pricey when we first visited, but for the amount and quality of the food you get, it's quite reasonable. We got the hamburg (thick beef patty) curry and the ny steak curry. The meats are cooked fresh on the spot as the order goes in, and as someone who grew up in a Japanese household I can say it's very authentic Japanese style curry. The small salad on the side is a nice touch too. My only complaint is that you can only choose 2 spiciness levels (very mild and very hot, at least for my taste) so I wish there's an intermediate spiciness level I can ask for. Still, great place to get curry, will definitely keep getting food here. read more

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

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At first, I was really excited that a Japanese curry place opened up here. Looks like a franchise. But it's not really a good place to even eat in here. No chairs with backs. It's all bad stools along a wall. So if you come with three people you're all sitting along the wall. The curry comes with a small side of tomatoes for some weird reason. The curry isn't even that good. It's tasteless and boring. The Katsu isn't light. The breading isn't that good. All in all, if you're in the mood for Japanese curry, I'd go to Katsu Sando in Alhambra or Ducks. read more

Excellent flavor and the meat was cooked right (although the chicken karage was small pieces, dry and overcooked), but since their storefront is so small, I wish they took more care in how they package their take-out orders since that makes sense it would be the larger part of their business. Specifically I wish they could find better packaging that better segregates all the different parts of a curry plate. Last order I made, the juice from the red pickle had stained the rice pink and the katsu was soggy from sitting on rice. read more

I expected the Katsu to be a bit more crispy and breaded but it tasted more meat-y. The quality of the food was definitely clean. The curry was good and flavorful. Staff were welcoming and attentive. Because it's on Union, there is a limited amount of space in the restaurant itself to sit down - there is outdoor seating in the alleys nearby. Parking is tough because a lot of the lots charge my 15 minutes. Highly recommend park on Green or Delacey (first 90 min $1) if you are willing to walk. read more

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I'm so happy Champion's Curry opened up in Old Town! This is a small restaurant with a handful of spots to sit and dine in. I'd recommend taking your order to go and also ordering ahead of time. The food does take like 15 minutes to prepare, so if you order on site be prepared to wait a little. I always order the minced beef katsu with spicy curry. It's literally my favorite go to meal throughout the week. I probably order from here once a week! The spicy curry is no joke, and so delicious! read more

I saw this place on the way back from shopping and had to try the Kanazawa style curry. The workers were friendly, and I was able to watch them prepare my order (beef minced katsu bowl and grilled vegetables bowl). I took my order to go, but there's room to eat in person if you have time. The original curry wasn't too spicy and was enjoyable with rice. My katsu looked a bit dark but was still tasty with the curry. The vegetables went well with the curry too. If you're in the mood for Japanese curry, this is the place to go. read more

Champion’s Curry - The food prep / kitchen is visible...it's nice to see how your food is prepared. - Japanese Curry Near Me - Pasadena, California

I decided to try one of the more affordable eats on the DineLA restaurant week list. For $15 getting a bowl of curry and a drink is what cheap eats are these days. The curry is just alright and I took the leftovers back for another meal. I'm used to eating the DIY homemade curry brands House Curry and S&B so this wouldn't be my 1st pick but when you are hungry it does the job. I've never eaten too many curry joints that did exist in the past so I can't really compare. There are just a few bar-type seating since this is a smaller place. I came after 1 p.m. on a Sunday, but it wasn't crowded and there wasn't a line like some of the other eateries nearby had. You order from a tablet and the drink fridge is near the counter. The drink fridge has an assortment of American and Japanese drinks. It's clean & modern. Something you would expect from a new restaurant. I'm glad I tried it to see what the hype was about, but I highly doubt I'd be back. read more

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I stopped in here amid holiday shopping. It was empty and I'm always a bit curious as to why. I looked and could see that you coildnt see the menu from the outside which is probably why people don't immediately walk in. I'm gonna say - PEOPLE ARE MISSING OUT!!!! I ordered the simple chicken katsu curry and fries - and omg it was good!!!!! My chicken pieces were super big and tender. Especially if you want something different from the tacos and burger joints - this is perfect! I have to joke that if I wanted something healthy - I'd go to to their neighbor the TikTok popular spring roll spot. But for the boyfriends who wants something substantial - this is your spot. For the speed and service I'll give it 5 stars! read more

Tried this place for the first time today! Ordered the chicken katsu spicy and pork katsu. Ordered the pork katsu without chives...received the meal with chives. But to top it off both meals were COLD, as if they had been sitting. We politely asked them to rewarm the food...when we received it back, it was still cold. Very disappointing. Will not be returning. However, workers were polite and establishment was clean. read more

Overall I thought this place was decent. I got the chicken katsu curry, which was solid. The chicken was fried perfectly and was tender on the inside. The curry was good. I thought the portions were good as well. At first I thought my order was small, but I was barely able to finish it. read more

Great tasting Japanese Curry. Will definitely come back. The portion is big, rice is done well. Perfect balance of spice and taste

Been seeing this place on social media a lot lately so I was really curious about trying it. I was able to come here for lunch one day. There is a paid parking lot in the same building, or paid street parking if you can find it. The inside is pretty small, theres only 5-6 seats. I came here with a friend, and there was not enough seats for the both of us. After we ordered, it took maybe 5-10 minutes for our food to be ready. In that time some seats opened up so we were able to dine in. I ordered the pork katsu. While ordering I asked the cashier if the spicy was really spicy and they said yes so I got the original. The original is not spicy at all. She said I can just add the chili thats on the counter to make it spicier. Overall the portions were reasonable, the pork was cooked well, nice and crispy. The curry had good flavor but I wish I got the spicy, I will try that next time. Overall it was good, but nothing life changing. The location is fine if you're already in Old Town Pasadena for whatever reason, but its a little bit inconvenient to go just for this. Also the size of the restaurant makes it inconvenient for larger groups. read more

I'm a huge fan on champion curry at other locations, but I think the Pasadena location can be better. When I received my food it was cold and even looked a little burnt. The taste was still good, but just slightly disappointed. I hope they can improve so I'm not going to give 5 stars. Also, when online ordering they don't have options for the spice level. The ambiance of this location is definitely just a Togo spot which is fine. There isn't much service here either because you just order from a kiosk. I think they're really missing a warmer touch overall (food, service, and ambiance). I'll still be ordering from here just hope they could make improvements. read more

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

I usually go to the one in Little Tokyo. I didn't even realize there was one in Pasadena. You order at the screen and pay. Then the people do their thing and boom, you get curry. I like getting the hamburg steak with my curry. Maybe I'll try the katsu next time I go. Definitely opt in on the bit of veggies. I eat it like a flavor reset when all you taste is curry after a while. read more

We came for the curry. We had the grilled veggie and pork curry. They were out of chicken curry for the day or that would have been our order. We are still grieving the close of the curry house, so whenever we see Japanese curry on the menu we like to try it. The curry rue for Champions is beef broth/stock base. It was Okay. Not the same as Curry House but we'll still come back. We declared the grilled veggies as the clear winner. The pork Katsu was a bit on the dry side. So we will come back for the veggies. If you dine in they have chili powder you can add to the dish. If you like it spicy. I didn't see on the kiosk where you can order. Didn't even think to ask. You order and pay on the tablet. read more

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Curry cheese fries!! Curry cheese fries!! Curry cheese fries!! Their chicken katsu was delicious too. read more

Food: tried the Chicken Katsu Curry Rice (spicy) and ITS SPICY!!! I can handle my spice but I was sweating out of my eyeballs. Ambiance: clean, order at the front kiosk. There is some counter seating but only about 8 seats. Not good for groups. Definitely more of a fast food type place. Location: on union, before the parking garage entrance on your left, across the street from the Container Store (between cha redefine and main chick). Parking: street parking is limited, but there is an attached parking garage ($1 for every 20 minutes, max $10) Bathroom: not inside the establishment, just outside in the main building in the parking structure. Ask the staff for the code. read more

So far I've been here twice. The first time I tried the beef minced katsu and it was cooked perfectly. The second time I ordered the pork katsu, took it home to eat, and it is extremely dry and almost burnt (see photo). My partner ordered the fish katsu and it is cooked fine and moist. The curry itself is good, so I hope in the future the consistency of the cook is better, or else I'll go elsewhere for curry. read more

Champion’s Curry - Pork katsu is almost burnt and dry. - Japanese Curry Near Me - Pasadena, California

I love Japanese Katsu and Curry but this place aint it. It was a warm summer evening and no one was there, despite the other nearby places being moderately filled. I came into a very tiny, rinky dink stand where I had to order on a tablet. The one worker was to busy to say hi, despite no actively cooking. Nonetheless, the Meat and Curry was not too bad, but it wasnt as pictured. The picture shows curry on one side, rice on another. Instead I got everything touching a bowl. A cardboard bowl at that. And plastic utensils. Really? in 2023 You are still doing that or are too cheap to wash em? I also ordered the side salad, which by the way places like this usually include that, but hey. Sadly the dressing tasted like Dawn Dishsoap. I dont think this place is gonna last long. Probably a bit less than a year, tops. read more

The chicken feels weird and too hard.. Better go to Dirt Dog the next door. Sorry about my honest review read more