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!

A must stop every time I'm in Little Tokyo, makes sense since a lot of the shops with things that…read moreI'm interested in are located here. I've been going here for probably 15 years or so. I've seen Anime Jungle evolve and take over the entirety of the underground mall area. RIP to Fairytale Boutique, Fickle Wish, Xenon, and the day and age where Anime Jungle had their own dedicated shop for visual kei and J-rock. Never forget what you've lost. Other businesses have come and gone, like the mochi ice cream place. If you ever get mochi ice cream at the supermarket, it's likely from them and the macaron place that I loved, but alas, tis the world we live in. Other than the Anime Jungle that I go to and Little Akihabara LA for their pop ups and events, I also go to Monkey Pants, sometimes I swing into the Sanrio shop (they usually do the character meet and greets here, if not at JapanLA or somewhere egregiously far), Tokyo Japanese Lifestyle (they got staff POSTED there due to the thefts I'm sure, but I've gotten my bearded dragon keychain here and now I have them in all sizes), Catch (located on the 3rd floor and is MASSIVE for blind boxes and other goods), Neko Stop (I've gotten better deals here than the location in the Santa Anita Mall), and I've stopped in the Nijiya when I've been trapped there to get snacks or some bottled tea. Love the bakery there and the meat buns that they have (despite prices constantly rising due to the capitalist hellscape we live in) and the cafe to get affordable savory dango and takoyaki. The okonomiyaki place is one of the best, if not only places to get okonomiyaki at a place dedicated to the dish. Once in awhile they do a collab with multiple restaurants, not just at the mall too, such as Silent Hill F, Reincarnated into a Slime, during AX, Arknights, etc. Really drives the crowds and businesses here which is nice. Parking at the structure is a bit pricy and can get super fisted with bad drivers though, so keep that in mind.

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!

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.

Thank you, Mr. JORGE and Ms. SUMI, for always supporting our Little Tokyo SPARKLE raffle! They…read morehave t-shirt sales going on right now, so check it out!

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!

The ORIGINAL FOOD HALL! Grand Central Market is an essential stop for folks who've never been to LA…read morebefore. GCM has been a part of my childhood as my parents brought me here a lot so we can try multiple eateries. It's the catalyst for the SoCal food hall concept before it became a trend. You'll find American classics, Mexican, Thai, Japanese, Salvadoran, Brunch, Donuts, Ice Cream and everything in between! I recently visited to stop by at Sticky Rice! It's a bit touristy and you'll find a few posers in the crowd but it's still a local classic and it hasn't lost its charm. If you're like me and you enjoy the sounds of hustle and bustle while you eat, you'll enjoy it here. Food is LA priced, don't expect to find a value menu. Even if you're on a budget, check out the dessert spots at least, one overpriced, high-quality donut is better than a $70 meal. Service is pretty solid, I didn't encounter any rude staff during my recent visit.

Nice array of food options for a fraction of the price of a nearby dine in restaurant. The portions…read moreare large at most establishments and one serving could feed two! That was my experience at Tomas' tacos. I ordered 2 tacos for $5 each. I thought the price points was high until I realized I could make 4 tacos from 1! And they tasted good. My daughter had a burger fries from a neighboring business and she said it was delicious. I tasted her fries and those were definitely delicious. For dessert, we opted for McConnells ice cream. The flavors were unique and good. They offered samples when requested which was a nice gesture but their portions were tiny. I paid $8 for 4oz cop of ice cream. The Central Market is definitely worth visiting. There were celebrity chef demonstrations and meals available as well as multiple food options to choose from.

Great open air space with great parking. Didn't get a chance to really dive into everything so I…read morewill be back.

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.

This place is amazing, a book lover's dream! I could probably live here lol. The books are…read moreamazingly priced. You will not find better preowned prices on Amazon or other major book resellers, except Goodwill maybe. There are many structures (such as a metal vault) and beautiful designs made from uniquely binded books to relax around and explore. With two floors to adventure in, a cafe area, and even an few artists vendor areas, this is a good location for tourists and locals to get lost in!!

l've been here several times already and I'm always amazed that a place like this even exists. It's…read moresuch a unique store, and I've picked up books, coffee, and other merchandise on various visits all at good price. Even when I'm not looking to buy anything, it's still worth coming just to explore. The place is unlike anything else. It's also a perfect spot for anyone creating content for a social media travel page. Upstairs you'll find an art gallery and several other shops, while downstairs has old vinyl records and CDs. If you love that classic old bookstore smell, this place has it in full. Personally it's not my favorite, but definitely worth noting for those who do. The main downsides are parking and crowds. Finding a spot by car can be a challenge, and the store draws a good number of tourists so it can get pretty packed. If you're not a fan of crowds, just keep that in mind before you go.

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

BE WARNED! Terrible products and they won't refund you when the garbage they sell falls apart…read more My 8 yo son bought a soft toy for $35 - it was his own money so it meant a huge amount to him. Within a few weeks the stitching came apart and the filling fell out. We tried to return it and they refused - apparently they only take returns on the day of purchase.