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Tokyo Central

3.8 (146 reviews)
Open 8:00 am - 10:00 pm

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Self serve hot food
Frank P.

Delicious food from the hot food bar. I eat at one of the outside tables. They have a good variety of food. I always eat there at one of the outside tables.

Hot food area (1 of two) so clean and everything looks delicious!
Jenny T.

I finally made it out to Irvine to check out their new Tokyo Central. The way the store is set up is definitely reminiscent of that of which I encountered in Japan; a tad bit small a cramped feeling but for sure efficient use of all the space. Everything is displayed beautifully and packed neatly. There were many displays labeled in English and had a lot of helpful pamphlets/signs educating shoppers on origins, directions of use, and more on these signs. I really appreciate that since I am always looking for new things to try and looking to learning new things about products. I especially love the hot food area. It was quite busy since I had come in around noon, just in time for lunch. Everything was fresh and nicely labeled, with workers bringing out more hot trays as others began to run out. The offerings here for hot foods have a few varying items than that of the one in Costa Mesa. There were also tons of bentos available as well; coming in around noon seems to be the move if you're looking to grab a quick bite. The tables to eat are outside the supermarket in front of their sushi restaurant, but remember to grab utensils and accompaniments inside near the exit door.

Kelly's cookies
Lauren S.

Came here around 3pm on a Sunday afternoon, very busy. First time to this Tokyo Central store. It appears bigger than the Costa Mesa store, and has a lot more merchandise for each variety. I bought a cute cookie pack for mother's day. Since I didn't bring a cooler, and couldn't go home right away, so I didn't buy any cold stuff. I would definitely come back and try their sushi and marinaded meat.

Chicken Karage
Stephjoy P.

Absolutely love Tokyo Central. It's our go to spot for a quick plate before heading the beach. Every thing is delicious & fresh. The only downside is the wait... because everything is made fresh the foods not always ready. We came in around opening time and waited about an hour for HALF of the food to start coming out. So if you are planning a trip before the beach or in a rush, def not a great idea. However it was worth the wait for me!

11/1/25
Evelyn T.

The hot buffet ($10.99 per pound) was good to me on a cold, rainy day. Previously I wrote about some of it possibly upsetting my stomach. A Tokyo Central representative asked me questions and I felt reassured with the proactive approach to my review. The next time I saw the skewers they looked more well done. I bought them and liked their umami taste. I purchased more food for lunch and thought it was convenient and tasty for a weekend lunch. The cashiers are polite and efficient. There's also self checkout. I still prefer Tokyo Central Costa Mesa, partially due to nostalgia and also because of the larger variety of ceramics. The parking lot is much better here and I know I'll return for cooking staples such as miso paste, rice, tofu, and produce. The hot buffet, sushi, and sashimi are going to be picked up when I don't feel like cooking.

Daph H.

I absolutely love that Tokyo Central opened in Irvine! While it's smaller than the Costa Mesa location, it's cleaner - though the signage on the displays always looks somewhat chaotic. The prepared foods are a great deal. Even though the store is smaller, they always have a terrific selection of items - I always have a tough time choosing! I've done the hot bar as well. though that one adds up. Don't miss their karaage chicken! It's great for picking up noodles, sauces and other grocery items. Prices, I think, are lower than at Mitsuwa. Tokyo Central was CRAZY when it first opened but the crowds are gone, so parking is no problem! Glad to be able to add Tokyo Central to my shopping rotation.

Candy April 2026
Linda F.

I do like this Tokyo Central location in Irvine. Very different layout than the Costa Mesa store. It is very long and the staff have always been very friendly. For the prepared sushi and hot food items, I give it a 4 as I feel the selection at the Costa Mesa one is much better. I there is plenty of parking. We have come here twice so far during the weekday so parking has not been a problem just yet. Love that it's right next to Boiling Point. I do think they have an excellent candy section. I love Japanese candy!

James M.

Came here 3x over the past ~10 days bc of the following... - reminds me of Japan (layout, shopping experience) - convenient location - easy parking - wide variety of products - authentic brands - great snacks - in-store dining

Hard onigiri

Extremely disappointed in Tokyo Central Irvine. My mom and I got called "nasty ladies" by two workers at a chuhai sampling stand because we accidentally ignored them. We were just minding our business, talking to each other and getting what we needed. The store was packed, so I didn't even realize that one of them was talking to us at first. Before I could even glance in their direction, they called us "nasty ladies" for, I guess, ignoring them in a conversation I didn't know I was a part of? What a pair of rude and narcissistic humans. And the icing on the cake: the onigiri and karaage was cold and hard!

Loved this!
Denise T.

I love going to Tokyo Central! What's not to love? Hot food bar: tempura, udon, karaage, etc. Options are perfect. If you're looking for a quick lunch. it seemed like a lot of people were coming here for that exact reason during their lunch break from work. I've tried there tempera and give that an A+. They also have sauces on the side, so don't skip out on that. Other premade lunches: I saw a lot of their items were marked 20% off. These were things that they needed to be purchased the day of such as Ramen and rice bowls. I tried their 3 piece innari and it did not disappoint. Party trays: For Friendsgiving this year, my friends and I ordered one of their sashimi trays that was enough for 3 to 4 people. Make sure to order at least least four days in advance online and then pick up in store. Super convenient and easy. We made extra rice and got some seaweed to go with the sashimi and it was absolutely perfection. Parking was easy. They also have tons of snack options. Some things are on the pricier side so just keep that in mind. Come hungry and it'll be a great way to spend an afternoon.

Connie T.

My mom found this place on Yelp and wanted to check it out with me. This location used to be an Armenian market, but they completely transformed it into Tokyo Central--and wow, we definitely went a little crazy shopping here. We spent almost $200 just exploring all the goodies! They have an amazing food section with bento boxes, egg sandwiches, tempura, rice bowls, and more. The variety really surprised me. My mom was especially excited because she even found the exact hair dye she usually buys straight from Japan! Everything is very well organized, and the ambiance is clean, modern, and inviting with such a great variety of Japanese goods. They also offer self-checkout for 10 items or fewer, which is super convenient. Great service overall. We'll definitely be back!

Spicy Tuna Roll 1/5. Never again. Tasteless. What's the filler, though?!?!!!
Nicole H.

This mostly for the spicy tuna roll. I hate giving low ratings, but this spicy tuna roll was the worst I've ever had. The tuna was bland, tasteless, and seemed like it had a filler in it instead of fresh tasty spicy tuna. I was so sad I spent any money on it. Luckily, I bought it mainly as a snack; I would have been even more upset if it were a lunch! I think it was $7.99. What a waste. Not sure how you get this staple of a dish so wrong, but I'm never buying it again, and it makes me wary of buying any rolls there, now. Parking was okay because we went on a weekday, non peak hours. I was looking for a roasted green tea or hojicha tea from the Oi Ocha brand, but they only had regular green tea and matcha green tea packets. Again, disappointed, I was looking for the canned strawberry milk, and that wasn't there either!!!! WTH! The layout of the store seems awkwardly narrow and a bit suffocating. I can't imagine being in there if it's packed. No, thank you, I'm so sorry. On the positive side, the hot bar seems to be very popular. The salmon was all out. That must be a best seller at lunch. Yum! I've been to the Costa Mesa location and find that one a bit more unnerving. The workers are helpful there, and the layout feels bigger even though the store itself is older. From the Costa Mesa location, I've tried the fruit sando and the salmon onigiri, and those were good. I always appreciate a discount, so the 20% off the deli foods is nice after 7 p.m. If you love all things Japanese, definitely try them out. (But, I found my tea at Mitsuwa which is in the same Irvine shopping complex. Plus, Hamada ya is in there too for delicious fresh bread and creamy froyo!)

Willie L.

Great selection of Japanese goods, food, and snacks. There is a lot of prepared food that you can pick up at the store. The staff is always busy restocking. The store feels a bit cramped with the flow of traffic basically one way. There are two different lines for checkout. You will have to walk all the way to the end of the store for regular checkout. It can get a bit hectic shopping there. Not to mention the parking in that plaza gets really busy.

Discount after 7 pm

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Review Highlights - Tokyo Central

Tokyo Central is a terrific Japanese grocery store I patronize at least once a week.

Mentioned in 5 reviews

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Tokyo Central - intlgrocery - Updated May 2026

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