Back when I visited Phoenix, I had the pleasure of eating at JT's curry wagon. Circled the uptown farmers market a couple times to scope out what we had and I knew I had to come back and hit this one and boy, am I glad I did. I went with the black belt curry which is a 50/50 split of the japanese vegetable curry and the braised pork belly dish they have. Found myself a seat under a nearby tent- there are plenty of options since people are constantly rotating in and out of the tables. It was a warm day - be sure to try and secure a shady spot. On to the food, the portion was massive. My wife and I picked on a few other things before here, but we both have healthy appetites. The black belt curry was rich, hearty and absolutely delicious. I still remember the potatoes in that Japanese curry - they were slightly chewy, creamy and I couldn't get enough of them. The braised pork belly was tender, rich, and very flavorful, not too fatty which is something you often have to worry about with pork belly curry dishes. All around fantastic spot and I would highly recommend. The Japanese curry screams "comfort" while the braised pork belly screams "rich" if that helps you decide, or just get both like I did with the black blet! read more

JT's Curry Wagon - Black belt curry - Japanese Curry Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

WOW! I've been waiting for a good Japanese curry spot to pop up in Arizona. JT's Curry Wagon not only fits the bill but also offers an excellent Taiwanese dish, amazing drinks, and exceptional service. My boyfriend and I stumbled upon this stand at Uptown Market a couple weeks ago, and were so impressed by the 50/50. The dish is half curry -- deliciously thick and made from scratch -- and half lu rou fan, which includes the softest, flavorful pork belly. It also includes a few delicious pickled cucumbers and a perfectly jammy marinated egg. Lao gan ma always available to top!! The owner, Jonny, is so welcoming and enthusiastic. He was so happy to have us sample his unique drinks (a frozen thai tea and a lychee lemonade with jellies), and we were so thrilled to honestly say they were delicious! The thai tea flavor was really strong and aromatic. The price is super fair for how much you get. Our dish was packed to the brim, and they really don't skimp on the pork belly. Will 1000% make this out go-to farmer's market meal. read more

JT's Curry Wagon - The 50/50 - Japanese Curry Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

We came across JT's Curry Wagon when we were at the Mesa Night Market. Hubby was intrigued at the cowboy curry. The owner happened to have samples (without meat) and hubby was immediately sold! However we left the booth to see what the other options were and hubby not even 5 minutes later wanted to return to JT's. The flavors were seriously on point! And the portion size was generous. It fed myself, hubby, and our teenager while we waited in the lecon line. LOL I'm so impressed that I'm already eyeballing where i can catch JTs this Saturday! Definitely want to have this again! read more

I've seen this place a few times but hadn't tried it yet. It was at the Park West Farmers Market. I went for the black belt curry which, after tax and tip is almost $30. (The pre-tax price is $20 for the bowl itself) So the black belt was the combo. It was the Japanese curry and Lu Rou Fan. The jammy marinated egg was delicious. I could have eaten a bunch over rice. The pork belly was tender and not overly seasoned. The Japanese curry was mild, so definitely not over spiced. It tasted pretty similar to my Japanese curry when I make it. The crispy jalapeño on top was a nice tough to add a different texture. The pickled cucumbers were very good. Not too acidic, not too sweet. They also had a good texture, not overly mushy. Service was fast and pleasant. Probably will be back. read more

JT's Curry Wagon - Black Belt curry - Japanese Curry Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Amazing food, amazing story. JT really puts his heart and soul into his cooking. He backpacked and traveled for months exploring different kinds of home style cooking and brought back home here in AZ! The Lu Rou Fan is by far my favorite. It's Taiwanese caramelized pork belly and is braised for 48 hours and completely melts in your mouth. The pork belly has so much flavor and they even pour the delicious sauce over the rice. It comes with a marinated soft boiled egg and homemade Japanese pickles. So much in one plate, totally worth the price. The Thai tea is delicious, steeped for 48 hours, clean with only water, soy milk base, tea leaves, and sugar. However my favorite is the lemonade. I was lucky enough to try their limited special Yuzu lemonade at the Japanese matsuri festival. I love Yuzu and am so happy to find a place that sells it! The Japanese curry was also really good. If you want to try both I recommend getting the black belt curry like I did, it's half and half. The curry is perfectly flavored and I love that it comes with a potato or carrots chunk. It's loaded with juicy flavorful chicken. It was a lot of food so I brought it home and it warmed up amazingly as leftovers. Follow their Instagram to know where they pop up next around the valley! They don't have a store front so try and catch them at different markets and festivals around town. read more

JT's Curry Wagon - Lemonade - Japanese Curry Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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JT's Curry Wagon is a pop up food stand that appears at various farmer's markets and cultural/food festivals in the Valley. Their menu is relatively nice and simple: it's a curry bowl that either includes braised pork belly or chicken. Or you can get the bowl that includes both meats which is what I got. It costs more if you use your card so I bought it with cash for a straight $20. The pork belly is so soft. The egg was starkly cold compared to the rest of the warmth of the meal. The style of it reminds me of adobo. The service was friendly and accommodating. read more

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Definite must go! As someone who has been craving a good Japanese curry spot in the valley, JT makes hands down is the best. He brings his knowledge of making great curry after spending sometime in Japan. My partner and I split the black belt curry and it was everything we wanted in with pickled veggies, rich curry, and La rou fan soft but tasty meats. Their lemon drink is also a unique banger with lemon chews in it which I haven't had before! read more

Samples JTs at the farmers market, and was sold- ordered the cowboy curry, which I genuinely enjoyed. Great flavor and portion size, a little sweet, and meat was a little fatty. Overall I enjoyed it. Incredibly friendly staff. Worth a try for sure. read more

They said they were going to show up at the Downtown Farmers Market on 4/19/2025. However, on the same day--4/19/2025--around 12 p.m., they said they were at the Uptown Farmers Market. What's the problem with them? It looks to me like Uptown has the best crowds, and they probably didn't get a spot there until then. So they stood up Downtown and showed up at Uptown. I couldn't trust their food anymore after something like that. read more

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Wow man, I can't stop telling my friends. Have stretched my leftovers into a couple rounds of fried rice now because I don't want the flavor to end. I am still warm from the experience. JT is a regular Soma Yukihira. The confidence and warmth that he greets you with when you walk up to the cart, like he knows you're about to have the best food in your life, he just looks at you & says "Real food man! Try everything!"(samples) with a determined, absolute smile that just screams "YOU'RE WELCOME!" Let me just say holy cow! The explosion & balance of flavors is unlike anything I've ever had. It was like those scenes in Food Wars(IYKYK lol). The Thai Tea was awesome, loved the fermented Yuzu lemonade & the modification with the added Tajin & Chamoy. I especially loved the chicken bowl & went with that. It was the end of the event, so he had one of his employees just "load it up with everything we got." I love that he isn't wasteful, wanted to satisfy & really seems to live a Jiu Jitsu Lifestyle. It's rare to see someone so passionate & so deep into different artistic mediums. Given that he's a reputable Jiu Jitsu instructor, it's cool to see such a master of two incredibly difficult & highly disciplined artistic mediums & his food is exactly that - humble, simple delivery, but absolutely art. From the well selected produce(fattest green onions I've seen in a while) to the precision(Such evenly thinly cut onions) and the depth of flavor(comes wave after wave, each element improving on the next) Thanks JT, I'd love to experience your perspective on martial arts if it's even half as good as your cooking! Thanks again!! read more

Saw this guy at Centennial park. I was attending the Mele Kelikamaka market and his stand caught my eye the most. I had the black belt curry and it was so FIRE! Pork belly was perfect and falling apart. Eggs were marinated and I think salted cuz the yolk was a darker golden color which is very nice. Curry was exquisite. I'm impressed how it was just all one guy doing everything. Very friendly. Very funny. Reads your mind when you look at something for more than 2 seconds and gives you a free sample. Thai tea was very rich and sweet and perfect. He really loads up your plate til it drips everywhere. I need to know his recipe! Also, is there a consistent location or is the wagon constantly moving around? read more

So bomb. Cowboys curry had perfect level of heat and salt. Potatoes in it were cooked perfect and a great portion size. Johny was super nice and it was obvious he loved his business Honorable mention - the Thai tea is unreal and a must get read more

The cowboy curry has so many layers of flavor from the sweet/slightly spicy curry base, Korean bbq beef, and the crunchy onion seaweed topping. The owner insisted I try the Thai tea which is made over 3 days and it was SO good! Loved that it's non dairy and not too sweet. At first I was a little surprised it was $10 but there isn't any ice in the tea to dilute it so I saved half to drink the next day! Highly recommend checking this place out. read more

JT's Curry Wagon - Beef cowboy curry and Thai tea - Japanese Curry Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

This is the best curry and Thai tea that I have ever had. My daughter and I drove almost 2 hours for it as he only sets up here on first Fridays. read more

JT's Curry Wagon - This is the best curry and Thai tea I've ever had. - Japanese Curry Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

JT's had a tent on the lawn out at the Legacy Sports Complex last weekend. I had a combination plate of the spam curry and chicken curry. It was fantastic! The sweet and savory of the curry and spam was a surprisingly delicious combo. Prices were a little steep (probably due to the location), but not out of line with the other food wagons, and portions were more than generous. The rice suffered a bit from having been cooked and stored, but that is to be expected without a kitchen, and did little to undermine an otherwise great culinary treat. Could not recommend JT's more highly, and will be looking for them next time I'm out at Legacy. read more

I just had it for the first time at AZ Athletic Grounds. I must say amazing flavor. Well-balanced taste, authentic, and appetizing. I will continue to seek out your locations. Way to go on this dish. read more