Sometimes when I go to Little Tokyo there are parts that I don't always visit, but the Japanese…read moreVillage Plaza is somewhere that I always make sure to stop by and visit. Yes, part of it is because it's smack dab in the center, but the main part of it is because a lot of the businesses I like to shop at and peruse are located here, as well as lots of the places I like to get food and snacks from. I like visiting what I deem the "Anime Jungle pit" since eventually the entire underground section was taken over by businesses related to or owned by Anime Jungle, but in that pit, when there's no crazy lines, I like to visit Anime Jungle, Q Pop Shop, Little Akihabara LA (depending on the collab pop up), Kiddleton Kiosk, and maybe I got into the model kit or the TCG/vidya game shop, but not as often. Outside of the pit in the plaza area, sometimes I like to go to Monkey Pants, but it is a small shop, but they have cute trinkets and sometimes character mascots have meet and greet events, Catch on the 3rd floor, Neko Stop, Maneki Neko, Tokyo Japanese Lifestyle, the Sanrio store, Nijiya for quick drinks or snacks, Yamazaki bakery for the meat buns, Mitsuru Cafe for super cheap dango and takoyaki, and sometimes they have cool collab decoration and events throughout this location. It definitely gets crowded and busy here, the parking garage can get quite fisted, so it's not somewhere I park normally, but I will definitely visit.

Pretty much the most centralized mini-mall of various Japanese businesses that tourists look to…read moreexperience when they think of JapanTown. Great spot for Jpop & anime purchases, ramen & Asian pastries, and of course Hello Kitty merchandise.

My family and I made a short stop at the Little Tokyo Mall in Los Angeles early one Saturday…read moremorning, just prior to leaving for Las Vegas. We were interested in stopping because it was our first time there and wanted to see it, however, we only had approximately one hour to explore. The shopping center wasn't too busy yet since it was so early, but also most all of the stores were closed as well. We did not get the complete experience of everything that this mall offers. A couple of bakeries were open when we visited and I am glad that we stopped! They allowed us to get some sweet treats and pastries, and they actually became one of the highlights of our trip to Little Tokyo! Although some of the stores weren't opened yet, it was great just to explore the area! All of the storefronts at the mall and surrounding Plaza were decorated for the holiday season. This brought an extra layer of charm to the shopping trip and helped create a cozy, festive ambiance! The quietness of the early morning hours created a amazing environment for us to walk through and enjoy our short little excursion to this beautiful shopping center! Although my visit was brief, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I would love to go back again, but next time during afternoon or evening hours when all the shops are open so I can finally see everything the Little Tokyo Mall has to offer!

Parking in the parking desk is easy access into the mall area. Many stores to visit and delicious…read morefoods to choose from. Friendly and clean. Cute photo opt areas. The little mom and pop stores with great prices for collectibles.

30 years ago I remember seeing ornate beautiful dishes and lots of cds! now it seems they have a…read morefun, eclectic mix of stuff. there were practical things (like a veggie shredder & lots of tabi), cool postcards, clothing items & also displays by local artisans... which sort of gave it a gallery-like feel. we ended up purchasing an artisanal hoji-cha & an ear picker. LOL, had to get one.

We had some time to kill and so decided to peruse around Little Tokyo and stumbled upon this shop…read more They had a TON of fun Japanese gift items and decor like stationary, postcards, kitchenware, maneki nekos, origami paper, and so much more. They also had a lot of traditional items/supplies for tea ceremonies, calligraphy, and kimonos. I had fun looking through all the items as it brought me back to our summer in Japan. Apparently they have a long standing history in LA, having opened in 1946 after World War II. The shop occupies the site of the first Japanese-owned business in Los Angeles, circa 1890's. Pretty cool! I have a soft spot for everything animal shaped and soo.... I picked up a fun/odd felt tiger Christmas ornament, a cat pen, and a super cute bronze cat shaped spoon that hangs on the side of your cup. Did I need it? No.... but it's fun and makes me happy. Haha! Overall, great shop to browse around and find some unique gift items. They even wrap up your purchases in paper bags like they do in Japan. I LOVE IT!

Welcoming service as you walk in the door. Lots to see and such creative art tees! Reasonable…read moreprices for their value. I got a random pair of fly earrings, the cutest selection of accessories. Two locations a couple stores down from each other.

I stumbled upon this cute vintage shop while exploring Little Tokyo. Not only they sell authentic…read moreY2K clothing brands like Abercrombie and Fitch sweaters from the early 2000s for over $40, but also have blind boxes, anime, Japanese goods, fun accessories, and a sale trunk on the back. I went home with a few Korean version of Chiikawa blind boxes and a nigiri bag keychain to gift my friend as souvenirs. The cashier was friendly and welcoming. They even have a vinyl album section next door. Definitely worth checking out when you're in Japantown.

Was completely overwhelmed by the sheer amount of everything here. The people are nice and helpful…read moreand it was a successful trip. There was literally everything you could ever want sewing wise and I wanted to fill my car with so much. I felt that what I did buy was very reasonably priced and of a good quality.

Anything and everything you could ever want in one place. The fashion district is an absolute…read moreexperience. I hate the parking and the traffic as well as the crowds but it's definitely the place to be. Wedding dress? knock off designer bags , a pet turtle they got it all!

Ahh yes, Grand Central Market. This place was on my bucket…read morelist for years now and I'm glad I crossed it off. Definitely a must check out spot in downtown LA. It's open air so listen, if you go during a hot sunny day like I did, you're going to need something cold to cool you down. I suggest a 40 or a cold brew if you don't drink lol Or I would say, bring those battery operated personal fans. I tried Villas Tacos, and I love the use of blue corn tortilla. They got a sampler dish if you don't know what to eat. I also ate Thai food, and that was amazing too. Literally, so many spots to try out. Food heaven for the foodies. Parking. I mean, I paid at the lot next to it but I paid $10 before a certain hour.. all day too! I think there's a parking garage next to it but idk the prices or anything. Definitely a must try. Go Dodgers!

Grand Central was perfect to eat different types of foods. Parking was on the location for $5…read more The place was super hot but it's LA in the summer. I ordered a pupusa and some empanadas. My favorite empanada from Nonna's was the Guava one. It was delicious. We orders 6 different ones but that one was the best one I enjoyed the most. I liked all their different murals with Coby and of course my favorite Dodger OTHANI. .

I'm kind of a regular at ROW DTLA so about time I write a review. You can find me often at…read moreSmorgasburg on Sundays! The big food festival that happens every week is what initially brought me to the Row and there is so much to discover there. I also often come here to charge my Tesla ~ charging on Level 5. The Row opened almost 10 years ago on the edge of Arts District and is spread across 30 acres. As mentioned with the charging, they do have a parking garage which is really nice when coming here. And it's a nice garage, well kept and clean, free for 2 hours with validation. You never need to worry about parking when you come here! Like much of Arts District, it's kind of industrial chic vibes. It's an open-air spot with just lovely landscaping and seating all around. There are some excellent food options like Pikunico and Hayato, as well as Go Get Em Tiger for coffee needs. Very cool stores including concept spots and trendy clothing shops. And i'm def getting my next tattoo at Nonfromseoul. Aside from the brick & mortar shops and restaurants and weekly Sunday Smorgasburg, I've been to some other smaller cultural fests & pop ups here. It's always trendy and cute at ROW DTLA!

I really want to give this place 5 stars but I think with its current iteration it isn't quite…read morethere yet only because there's so much space that needs businesses to come in. That being said, ROW DTLA is a dreamscape when it comes to filming content and just catching city vibes in a safe space. Located near the Arts District this space of buildings used to be utilized for the textile industry. With multi floored buildings creating rows of foot traffic on the ground this space is perfect for events, pop ups, and get togethers. It's one of the reasons why Smorgasburg is held here on Sundays. It's why on any given weekend there may be an event being held, whether it be to celebrate AAPI month or the different creatives in the area. This space is filled with homegrown businesses and unique shops to visit. One of my favorite places is Hightide which is a Japanese stationary and supplies shop. The vibes are immaculate and walking in really feels like being in a store in Japan. Another popular space is Scent Bar for those who love perfume and are aromaphiles. With plenty of small curated artists being featured in this apothecary of aromas, Scent Bar is a nice stop whilst visiting the Row. If you're looking for interesting and discussion worthy furniture A+R is a must, located at one of the ends of the Row. For good coffee with artistic vibes you got to check out GGET (Go Get Em Tiger). Next to that if you're looking for stronger waters is Flask & Field with smaller batch and independent distilleries and crafters. All of this and the parking is free for the first 2 hours. In LA, that's unheard of! And it's a large parking structure with modern infrastructure. Blessed. With all this, hopefully ROW DTLA will continue to grow with more businesses and still retain its charm as time marches forward. Good for a short stay or half a day, if you're looking for things to do in LA proper, ROW DTLA is worth your drive.

It's an overdue review, but it's a landmark, super unique spot, and a must if you love books, or if…read moreyou want to take really nice photos that are book themed in some way or form (think magical library themed, etc.). The times that I've gone, we've walked from Little Tokyo, but know that you might have to walk through some sketch areas and one time that we visited someone was having an episode outside, but truly that's just another day in LA if anything. Staff here is SUPER knowledgeable. I mention an obscure, STEM related subject, the gentleman working led us to the exact general area and part of the shelf and then pulled several books that were related to the topic that I was inquiring about. Insane. Also the books are super affordable too. In a day and age when literacy rates are abysmal and physical media is perishing, this is awesome. There's also the option to sell and donate to the Last Bookstore, I'd look at their website for details and it's not only just books here, there's CD's, vinyls, and DVD's, and again, physical media heaven. It's just so mesmerizing to see the architecture and decor here, especially how they use books as artwork and how they're arranged into shapes and into photo ops as well. Definitely lots to explore and of course read and dig into.

to the owner defending their fowl behavior, lie and say…read morethat I'm not a repeat customer, but I have spent thousands of dollars in here totaled up upon my visits, have came multiple times on many occasions to buy vinyls, matcha, and clothes from gimmie danger.. I'm literally your neighbor residing 2 blocks away.I normally get Matcha upstairs from the neighboring cafe before entrance and have been coming down here on my days off for the past four to fives months along with friends with the EXACT SAME BAG that was worn the day of the incident. This time did not even make it into the store to spend my money, was singled out because I was alone with my dog with no matcha rather than with friends and a drink so the attitude and demeanor towards me were completely different upon entry. My average purchase in this store each time I shop is from two to $400. The video attached you are saying your security guard is remaining calm but if you actually listen to it, your security guard is mocking me and saying "ha ha you can't come in ha ha you can't come in" on video (I only took out my phone because your "security" told me his name was "a***hole" and was telling me to get the f**k out and spend my money elsewhere"!) the manager was called because of him saying this with a horrible attitude and him cursing at me and rather than your manager, stepping in and taking appropriate action, he let his guard continue to use foul language and aggressively conversate with me having a completely horrible attitude, so yes after 7 minutes of being cursed out and degraded by your "security" and then your "manager" not handling the situation properly, I had every right to be upset and finally respond back with the same words your guard used with me but somehow as a loyal customer getting harassed with those words thrown at me many times first while trying to spend my hard earned money with a small business, im in the wrong... got it. I will never be returning, and I will be spreading the word of how horrible your business and customer service is to other locals of Dtla. I guess supporting a small local business isn't the move and will gladly take my money to Barnes and nobles how your own Securty guard recommended me to while he was cursing me out saying he doesn't give a f how much I spend or about my business

I'm used to seeing Tokyo Japanese Lifestyle inside malls, so it's neat to have one that's in an…read moreopen shopping plaza. It's definitely one of the bigger ones and it's an interesting mix of items here since the back and side areas also have miscellaneous home goods and kitchen goods too. I think, unfortunately, this shop is horribly targeted by gargantuan amount of theft so they got staff posted everywhere and warning signs as well, so it is what it is. There's a lot of plushies here including those soft mochi mochi sitting animal plushies and anime goods too, including some $5 affordable unique, official Poke'mon magnets. I think, if anything, Tokyo Japanese Lifestyle has the higher ratio of legit items than bootlegs than any of the other similar competitors out there aside from maybe like Neko Stop. I do recall wanting a lizard plush keychain here and asking staff if they had a bearded dragon one. Staff had no idea what I was talking about but they were nice enough to take out the entire shipment from storage, let me point out the one I wanted and I was able to get one. I have been searching for that size bearded dragon plushie keychain for awhile. It's from the Tsuburana Hitomi (round eyed) animals zoo collection, reptiles line! So that's a W in my book at least.

they have an excellent selection of gadgets, trinket and all things cute HOWEVER, as i was perusing…read morethru the aisles on a rainy day mind you, the worker kept asking me to move so he could mop the floor just trying to clean while im clearing occupying the space and looking around, in the end i couldn't get a good look because he kept getting in my way. seriously such an annoying thing to experience

Really cool store with a great selection of Japanese and LA-inspired designs. The staff was super…read morefriendly and the quality of the clothes was better than I expected. Definitely worth stopping by if you're in Little Tokyo.

Love Japangeles! Community minded! Love their designs. Staff are always friendly! Since they only…read moredo online drops once a quarter and they want to encourage people to come to their shop, their inventory is constantly changing! But if you do like a design and you want to make sure you get it make sure to order it when they first drop it. But usually they have a good stock in store. It's located in the Japanese Village Plaza.