Champion's Curry Pasadena

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.

The curry tastes strong and delicious! The staff are friendly. A cozy place to enjoy on a cold day 🥰

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.

Small venue but still good food & service! Wish they had Curry Ramen like they did in the Little Tokyo branch 😢

The chicken and pork katsu are delicious, but the curry is a bit too sour for my taste. I would honestly recommend checking out CoCo Ichibanya, which remains my favorite place for Japanese curry in SoCal.

This Japanese curry restaurant is a unique addition to the Old Town Pasadena food scene! I appreciated that they had vegan curry, which was surprisingly delicious. I would add on grilled vegetables and perhaps extra rice for a filling lunch.

The BEST BEST japanese curry in LA! and So very happy they opened a location in Pasadena. We've order the chicken, pork and minced beef katsu and all delicious. For convenience, if you order online, the parking structure has 15 min free parking.

this place is so slept on. I have eaten at just about every Japanese curry spot in the city, and (save for the curry I make at home from scratch) this place is now officially my number one !! portions are BIG, and the spicy curry was actually spicy. magnificent flavor, really kind staff, speedy service and everything is fried fresh. I wish vegetarian-wise that they had tofu katsu, but I'll be back regardless.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

It's incredibly bad. Kudos to management to really screws this up. Curry is really salty and tastes so bad it doesn't taste like curry. rice is very bad, all stuck together. Can't understand why Champion Curry allow their Pasadena location to operate like this. Will never come again.

(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.

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.

I love Japanese curry and I'm pretty picky, I walked past it and it was totally empty but decided to try it and I'm glad I did! I got the minced beef Katsu curry and an order of karage. It was SO good, loved the curry, the Katsu was crispy. I thought the portions were perfect and it tested fresh and flavorful.

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!

Ordered the Chicken Katsu and Pork Katsu rice bowls. The meat was portion was generous, well fried and moist. The curry was savory with just a touch of heat. Definitely levels above typical Japanese curry you get from the local places in the SGV. Also had the fries with the cheese sauce, great appetizer. Will be going again.

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.

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.

Tasty curry and I love how they packed it separately so the katsu doesn't get soggy. The fries were the hand cut thicker fries which was a nice touch.

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.

I'm a big curry fan and I can't believe I only discovered this place now. Generous servings and the selection is great. I got the chicken katsu and the breading to meat ratio was perfect. I like how the curry sauce wasn't too overpowering. I've gone here twice this week and pretty sure it'll be a monthly take out staple for me now. Highly suggest! Pleasant staff as well :)

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.

I wasn't impressed by this Japanese curry - while the fried texture was crispy and the chicken itself was most, the chicken was on the undercooked side and was fatty thigh meat with occasional tendons. I wish they hadn't added the white sauce on top, and the tomato and cabbage were put directly on top of the bowl of curry although it didn't mix well. I did like the spiciness however. The staff was nice and prompt, and the interior was super clean. However, I don't see myself going back, especially at this price. This was priced as if it were a nice curry at a sit-down restaurant, but it didn't live up.

I like how simple the ordering and the menu are. I really like their curry. Highly recommended

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.

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

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.

Used to go to the one in J town....LOVE this stuff! Absolutely habit forming! This one is located next to the parking lot on Union Street in Old Town Pasadena. Quick free in and out parking as long as you don't get distracted !

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.

Great curry BUT over priced for the portion. Their size is kids portion. The rice was enough for three bits, same with curry. Otherwise, this place would be a hit. Too bad for some poor planning.

12/10. Super yummy curry. Crispy katsu. Nice staff, no wait. Cant wait to return!!!! 5 gold stars!

Champion Curry over here on Union street. Small space with a few counter seats so limited seating. Mainly a to-go affair. Space is bright and clean. Parking is decent, you got metered street parking and parking structures in old town. Now to the food. I have eaten at this location a dozen or so times now. Their regular Japanese curry has some depth and richer than a lot of other places. If you like spicy, it's my personal pick but just know it's actually spicy. It's not King Taco's red sauce spicy but it's got more than just a kick to it. The meat selections are cooked to order and the Katsu and Beef are consistently well done on all my orders so far. All entrees comes with a small rice and a tomato/cabbage salad. Rice is on point, never mushy so it's authentic Japanese food. If you are hungry you can upgrade the amount of rice and add a fried egg for a few bucks extra. Or get a side of small fries for a dollar. Overall, very good place for take out with quick service if you are in the mood for Japanese curry rice. Highly recommended and a great addition to this block on Union. Tip: go straight to the tablet at the counter to order if you are doing a walk-in order.

Absolutes rip off. $16 Curry and $5 macaroni salad that's literally one spoonful. Nothing special about this curry. Garbage.

Champion's Curry in Pasadena is a true winner. Their curry dishes are bursting with flavor and offer a range of spice levels to suit all tastes. Beyond curry, the menu is a delightful journey through Japanese comfort food. With a cozy ambiance and friendly staff, it's a top pick for a satisfying meal. Fresh ingredients and culinary excellence make Champion's Curry a must-visit in Pasadena. Don't miss out on this delicious gem!

Terribly overpriced. I definitely don't recommend the vegan curry. It's insanely expensive for just some rice and a bean-based curry sauce (I didn't know that regular Japanese curry is not vegetarian). I thought it was actual beans with the sauce. Definitely don't recommend for vegetarians.

Eh, not great. You get a lot of food, but the chicken almost seemed undercooked so I was afraid to finish it. Might have been dark meat but I thought they said it was white meat? The curry sauce itself was just ok. Everything sat like a rock. Also, the stools were not comfortable to sit at their super small and tight bar table. I'd recommend taking it to go.

Good curry and good customer service! Tried the my steak curry bowl and it was fantastic!

Gross. Expensive thigh meat. What is good about that. No veggies with formed thigh meat for 15 bucks. Hello Mako, I will be seeing you soon. This place has no parking and Walmart workers serving burnt pork and slimy chicken thigh. I expect white meat option for 15 bucks plus tax. Don't expect hello when you come in. You are supposed to ignore staff and go straight to a single kiosk that u have to hurry and learn how to use.

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

Glad this spot opened up in Dena. Good selection of curry plates. The restaurant is quaint with seatings along the window (I think 6 or 7 people max seating). Everything is automated, order thru the pad but super efficient. Not many other places for a quick curry option, so I'm definitely coming back.

Great Japanese curry. The service is a bit removed and robotic. All in all a tasty dish though.

This place was so delicious and the food came out fresh. We ordered the curry fries and they were amazing and addicting. I will definitely be returning.

OMG! We drove to Old Town Pasadena just to try their curry fries. And after that taste of heaven, I will never miss stopping at Champion Curry every time I'm in Old Town. The fries were thick and crispy and the curry sauce was to die for. A true culinary plea

Guy on the phone was rude... I called the restaurant to attempt to place an order and the gentleman snapped at me to place an order online. This kind of workaround wouldn't bother me so much, but in our 15 second interaction, the guy yelled, sighed, and couldn't take a couple of seconds to explain that they don't take phone orders. Turned me off to the business entirely.