Donburi Cafè

Stumbled upon this place, tucked away in downtown LB. I was looking for some ramen and there was a sign out by the sidewalk with pictures of ramen and other food items. It caught my eye and I decided to check it out. It was empty inside and out so I was unsure if it was open. But upon entering, we were greeted by a nice woman who took our order. I think she was the owner because she gave us a "first time" discount when we paid. The food was ready in a timely manner and placed on the counter for pick up. You take your food on a tray back to your table. I actually liked busing my own table (they have a sign that says please bus your own table). There was music playing and the ambiance was calm and encouraged us to take our time enjoying the meal. I ordered ramen and had asked for spicy but ended up being okay with being served mild broth. The flavors were delicious. The gyoza was filling as an appetizer but were served very hot and stayed warm while I enjoyed the other parts of my meal. The beef bulgogi was very filling and tasty. Coupled well with a Saparro drink. Enjoyed our meal and the experience in the restaurant, even though we were the only patrons. Definitely worth exploring outside of my normal downtown eateries, so glad I found Donburi!

Wow! I was pleasantly surprised when I traipsed down Pine Avenue and popped into Donburi Cafe. The location is somewhat strange being kind of a 'dead end' in an older mall setup on Pine. I had dined at a neighboring restaurant that unfortunately closed so I popped into Donburi. Only one person was seated outside at the time; upon questioning him - he said it was good. The place is amazingly clean and organized. Without a ton of staff, they obviously want diners to take on some responsibility for bussing their trays back to the main counter and NOT being wasteful with utensils, napkins, etc. I like that. I ordered the Spicy Chicken Don albeit I'm not a huge chicken fan but it was getting close to my bedtime. First, the portion seemed quite generous so I took some home albeit I could have finished it off. Second, the miso soup was really delicious. I forgot how good it could be. Third, finally, the chicken don was quite good although I think more Korean than Japanese, which is fine. I like both and I appreciated the white rice. By the time I left, several other folks had popped in and a few takeout orders had gone out the door. I wouldn't mind if they offered a mini portion for about $10 for less hungry times. I'll be back.

Of you have a yen for good curry then this is the spot. It's Japanese with a bit of Korean mixed in. Very satisfying curry udon. Highly recommend.

SO good and SO comforting! A classic mom-and-pop shop with the most delicious curry and the happiest smiles! Seriously giving Coco Ichibanya a run for its money.

Great place to eat Mommy Amy's food very welcoming and positive all the time , highly recommended

We walked over from the Renaissance Hotel for dinner. The reviews were rather favorable so worth a try. Even smaller than I had imagined, with apparently all of their outside tables stacked indoors for some reason. Not very inviting for indoor dining but we didn't want to haul our orders to go back to the hotel. So we settled in at one of maybe only 4 indoor tables.Our orders were for me, the Curry Karaage Chicken Don(bowl). And for her the Teriyaki Chicken Don. Not the greatest ambiance but we had no real complaints with the food. Downright delicious. Very noisy outside though, situated right below a nearby apartment complex. With a large group of kids coming inside badly in need of a bathroom, which this restaurant does not have. They were very polite and well mannered in their asking I must say.

Disappointing visit this time.Katsu Curry Don ($14.50): Very crispy pork katsu with fresh, delicious medium grain rice.Katsu Don ($14.5): This was a miss. One really realizes that missing the Japanese brown curry, the taste of the katsu isn't great. This one had a thick breading, causing the inside to be a bit gummy. It was supposed to have an egg on top, but instead it was put on top raw. The dish wasn't hot enough to cook it at all, so basically raw egg on top of rice.

Nice little Japanese restaurant in the heart of downtown Long Beach!Atmosphere: 10/10This is in an amazing location and I truly hope downtown LB can find a way to recover and flourish again like it used to so this quaint little restaurant will thrive and stick around. The decor is simple and beautiful. The place is very clean and well maintained. Service: 10/10The woman who greeted us and took care of us was very sweet, patient and just all around gave perfect customer service. We were the only two there so there was no wait. The woman took our order, cooked our food and brought it out. A young man came in to work and he was also very polite and courteous. Food: 8/10I ordered the tofu veggie don and my daughter ordered the katsu curry don. We both enjoyed our meal and my daughter wouldn't stop talking about how amazing the curry was. I prefer Indian curry over Japanese so I'm a bit biased, my daughter is the opposite so her opinion is more valid than mine. So the curry was 10/10 for her. Miso soup was ok (7/10) and the tofu vege don was pretty good (8/10) but tasted better after I added the sauce it came with. That sauce was perfect (10/10)!! They could successfully bottle and sell it on the market.

Don't sleep on this cafe! It's hidden away but very much worth seeking for. I wish I had multiple stomachs to go back for more rounds but I'm cursed with only one

This is a prime example of a great local business that is not pretentious and focused on their customers' experience. We each ordered a bowl of udon (one with broth and one with Japanese curry) and the food is simply phenomenal. None of that premade stuff from US foods or Sysco, just great ingredients made with care and love. There's also outside tables if you enjoy outside dining which adds to the chill vibe. Worth a stop if you're looking for a simple meal that won't break the bank in downtown Long Beach. Bon appetite!