Vegan
Japanese
Organic
Delivery
Take-out
Fusion
Gluten-free
Vegan Japanese restaurant est. 2008 on the third level of downtown's Little Tokyo Shopping Center which has parking. The menu features a variety of refreshing beverages and vegetable sushi rolls, plus salads, ramen, seitan entrees, and other creations. Intimate setting. Reported closed April 2024.
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333 S Alameda St Unit 310, Los Angeles, California, USA, 90013
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- Wheelchair accessible
- Accepts credit cards
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Last update on 12 Apr 2024 by shojin
Update business info -
Added by eric on 14 Jan 2008
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130 Reviews
First Review by button
JesiDi
Points +71
Love this place! - Edit
I absolutely love this place! When I became vegan, I was really missing Japanese food, which was one of my favorite. Shojin is in a Asian mall, which has other restaurants and markets. So, it's good to bring non-veggie friends to check out the other spots in the mall.
Read morePros: Delicious food, Fresh, Friendly staff
Guest
cooldara
Points +333
So yummy! - Edit
I took my daughter there yesterday for her birthday. It took us 2.5 hours to get there, but it was really well worth it. We had the 15.95 lunch go-zen, and it included a "chef's choice" entree. Well, to our happy surprise, that entree was the "wellington" from the Christmas meal! It was fantastic. The miso soup and salad were great, the okra cakes were delicious, and the tempura was amazing. The price is completely worth it, and I would definitely go back. The ice kreme trio is really good: two words...maple pecan. They even made a special plate for my daughter for her birthday, and the service is very good. I highly recommend this place!
Read morePros: Outstanding vegan sushi, worth the price, yummy desserts
Cons: only in L.A.
Guest
dinakourda
Points +98
Duplicitous Dinner - Edit
My party of 13 had a reservation at 5 pm last night. The food was delivered as quickly as possible, however, there were about 20 diners out on the "patio" and I think they did the best they could with both 5 pm reservations. One drink and one sushi roll item were missing from our order. The food was good and so was the service until the end. I asked for the check and presented the manager with a 20% off coupon (that was provided as a thank you from a volunteer event by a local farm animal sanctuary). He said, no - our party was too big and it couldn't be used. I asked him what the maximum amount of diners we could have on a coupon and he said 4 (even though a maximum wasn't specified). I told him to split the bill 4 and 9 and he refused. He also refused to split the bill in any way (cash/credit card/completely). I insisted he do something and he told me I could use it next time. Since I'm from OC, I told him it wasn't practical and he told me he'd "fix" the check. When presented with the revised check he told me he took the drinks off and didn't want to help us determine what amount that was. He finally found the original check in the trash and the discount amounted to only 10% of the total bill. As a result, my dozen friends and I are not interested in returning to Shojin. I will NEVER go back to that type of poor customer service. Oh and their desserts are really bland and not very sweet at all.
Read morePros: food, service, validated parking
Cons: dishonest, bland desserts
Guest
Colinski
Points +110
Gourmet Japanese Vegan - Edit
Very good food. That's all I can say. Haute cuisine, Japanese style. Everything I've had here has been delicious. Because it's gourmet food, expect to pay for it.
Read morePros: Delicious, High quality, Polite staff
Cons: Small portions, Pricey
Guest
Courtnichka
Points +64
I love Shijin! - Edit
Every time I've come here the food and service has been great. Last time I came here was after shopping in Downtown LA. I had the Soba Go-Zen: spicy sushi, veggie tempura, salad, veggies, pickles and soba noodles. It was great! My server was very attentive and friendly. He even threw in a free scoop of mint chocolate ice cream when I finshed my (huge!) meal.
Read moreCan't wait to return here!
Pros: delicious, lovely atmosphere, excellent service
Cons: kinda pricey but worth it, traditional hours- closed 2 hours midday
Guest
solarkismet
Points +243
great - Edit
Really great - highly recommended
Read morePros: vegan, tasty, variety
Cons: 3rd floor of mall
Guest
snappea
Points +32
amazing dining experience! - Edit
I went to Shojin for the first time for their 5-course Christmas Dinner, and it was absolutely amazing... perhaps the best meal I've ever had! Each course was creative and incredibly flavorful--starting with appetizers (eryngii mushroom, slow roasted tomatoes, and mini-donut on curry) to the potato-leek soup and carmelized persimmon salad, the two delicious entrees (tempeh loaf with tomato sauce and grilled seitan steak with herb butter) all the way to the dessert of christmas cake with snowman shaped ice cream. Not only was the food spectacular but the service was amazing as well--the servers were so nice and friendly. The restaurant is located in a fun shopping mall with some interesting, nice shops. Shojin is perhaps my new favorite restaurant in Los Angeles and I highly recommend it!
Read morePros: amazing food, friendly staff, lovely atmosphere
Guest
Mimi710
Points +640
Yummy and fresh - this place is amazing! - Edit
My friend and I ate here in April. The food was so fresh and yummy. Our waitress was very friendly and the service was relatively quick. I highly recommend this place even if you have to go inside of a shopping mall to get to it.
Read morePros: yummy, more than just sushi
Cons: maybe a bit pricy
Guest
sabri
Points +102
oustanding - Edit
I went to eat here about a week ago for lunch. The place is simple but very friendly, the waiters were attentive and smiling. The sushi was very good as the soba, the barbecue seitan was incredible and later the chef told us that they make it themselves. The detox drink I had was made with cranberry, ginger and cayenne pepper, at the beginning I didn't love it but during the lunch I have appreciated it a lot. The food that left me speechless was the sweet potato cheesecake. I am a dessert addict and I have never tested something more delicate and delicious. I plan on going there to eat very often. I highly recommend this place. Please sustain such great vegan restaurant!
Read morePros: excellent food, friendly staff
Cons: parking, location
Guest
nrgy
Points +40
AMAZING!!! - Edit
I love SHOJIN!!! I'm there all the time & there hasn't been a moment I haven't been wowed by their food. Not only is the food great but the staff there is very friendly and attentive. It is one of the best vegan restaurants in LA! PEACE! :)
Read moreps: their caterpillar roll is addicting!!! I would have that every day if it were possible!
Pros: amazing food, healthy, extremely friendly staf
Guest
SonjaCPA
Points +5270
Scrumptious - Edit
We've only been here once so far, but keep planning on going back. The food is so fresh and scrumptious. We shared the pumpkin croquettes and seitan appetizer. I had the katsu curry for dinner and it was lovely. The Green Tea Moss cake is definitely interesting and while I enjoyed it, I can see it being an acquired taste. We also went downstairs to the Japanese grocery store and found some tasty Japanese snacks that happen to be vegan.
Read morePros: fresh and healthy, easy parking, wide variety
Guest
philjdomm
Points +945
Finally, Vegan Japanese! - Edit
I cook and make my own Vegan dishes and LA seem to breed the Fusion and Like-mindedness.
Read moreI tend to sweep the Carb-Rice from my sushi but Shojin replace some of their Sushi rolls with Quinoa which is ten times healthier, less carb, more protein and minerals & vitamins!
Guest
eric
Points +21062
Fine Dining at Budget Prices - Edit
Shojin is fantastic. I highly recommend it.
Read moreMy family went for lunch today and was very pleased. The decor is very elegant chic yet comfortable, and the food varied, top quality, beautifully presented, and delicious.
I had the lunch bento box which comprised of assorted 4 small dishes in addition to brown rice and soup ($10, even cheaper if you can get there between 11.30am-12.00pm M-F for the special $8 rate). My wife got a combo deal and chose avocado & mushroom rolls plus soba noodle soup ($10).
Everything was delicious.
BUT, the dessert we had, the raspberry pumpkin cheesecake, was superb... gorgeous in everyway ($4,75).
Bravo to the chef, Kimiko, and the Shojin team for a wonderful dining experience. This is fine dining at budget prices.
Shojin is what the westside (Santa Monica / West LA) needs!
Pros: food, value, atmosphere
Guest
rikki
Points +25
OUTSTANDING!! - Edit
This has quickly become our favorite restaurant. It feels very much like a 5-Star experience, yet it is reasonably priced and has a comfortable atmosphere. The food and the service are excellent. I really tasted the quality & freshness of the ingredients, and the staff are amazing and friendly. And it's conveniently located on Alameda, with free parking.
Read moreI'm still working my way through all the wonderful dishes, but for dessert I wholeheartedly recommend the cobbler with mint ice cream. They have a Wednesday sushi night that I am curious to try as well.
This place leaves me with a food buzz! I'd give it ten stars (cows) if I could!
Pros: Fantastic food, Outstanding Service, Free Parking
rikki
PS - I noted after posting this review some reviewers found it pricey, but for an equivalent non-veg experience it would cost *much* more, and I found the prices much better than somewhere like Real Food Daily. For the care & quality that went into the food, I found it very reasonable.
Read moreGuest
jamber79
Points +376
great place - Edit
My non-veg boyfriend and I loved this place. It was decorated nicely and they played fun music. Our waiter was fantastic and made sure we had everything we needed. The fried seiten balls, the curry vegetables, and the grilled vegetables with tempeh were all excellent. Their bbq sauce is delicious (kind of tastes like teriyaki sauce). Will definitely go again. Only downside is everything seems a little overpriced, more meals should come with rice rather than being charged extra.
Read morePros: food, service, decor
Cons: prices
Guest
condekedar
Points +9629
Unusual and tasty, but pricey - Edit
Shojin offers an upscale, unusual Japanese food experience. Portion sizes are a bit small, but the ambience and service are excellent. We arrived late and stayed past closing, but our server was continually warm and gracious. I took three colleagues to this place, two of whom are non-veg, but everyone loved the joint.
Read moreThe grilled seitan roll appetizer was delicious and savory, as were the Nasu miso vegetables, which all of my colleagues loved. They also enjoyed their three-mushroom pasta, whereas I found my BBQ seitan with broccoli a bit too slight---it needed rice (which was an extra charge) and its portion size needed to be increased to justify its price ($11.95).
Desserts were a mixed bag. The green tea moss cake was unusual and while I liked it, no one else did. It might have been too strange a taste for some. The peach and apple cobbler with mint ice cream was a bit pedestrian for me, though tasty enough. The walnut chocolate cake was too flat for my tastes, without enough zing or sugar.
Still, Shojin is to be recommended. The location is a bit shady, and it's on the third floor of a shopping mall which seems to close earlier than the restaurant does, so make sure to get there by 9 p.m. at the latest. We got in because the security guard saw us and let us in.
Pros: Quality, Service, Unusual dishes
Cons: Location, Portion sizes, Expensive
The Veggie Cook
Shojin prices are FAIR / MODERATE for Los Angeles standards, actually. Not at all expensive. I live in LA.
Read moreGuest
jamalex
Points +123
Healthy yet luxurious fare, heart-warming staff - Edit
I came here with a group of friends while we were visiting LA, and got in to the restaurant at 10:30pm, not long before they closed, but the beaming staff welcomed us in warmly, and made us feel like long-lost relatives.
Read moreThe place is gracefully decorated with an intriguing mix of cultural styles that fit together to create a very comfortable atmosphere. The staff was wonderfully Japanese -- very gracious, polite, friendly, and, well... cute! The chef came out and explained to us what the various dishes were, and we had some nice conversations with the waiter.
The food was great, and reminded me of the shou-jin ryouri (Japanese temple food) I had tried in Japan. The dishes weren't large, but magically filling, and left us (in combination with the energy in the place) feeling very satisfied and happy. They even brought us out a sampler tray of their desserts, which in themselves would be reason enough to drive long distances to eat here -- truly delightful!
Pros: Happy, Hearty, Healthy
Guest
spiceislandvegan
Points +1464
Shojin met my expectations - Edit
After reading some reviews, I decided to take the long journey from Tustin to Downtown LA, Little Tokyo just to try this restaurant. My husband and I took the Metrolink to Union Sation and then took the shuttle to Little Tokyo. It was not hard to find this restaurant. The decor inside is really really nice and professional. I love it! Our lunch started with a bowl of cauliflower soup (soup of the day) that was so delicious. I had the Crispy Seitan Curry with brown rice and salad. The salad dressing was flavorful. The curry sauce is not fatty at all and contains all vegetables and not coconut milk. It was so delicious. The seitan was fried but not oily. Husband had the seitan with miso sauce and it was very good too. For desserts, I had the Green Tea Moss cake which was just ok for me. It was not that sweet. Husband had the Chocolate Walnut cake which was totally decadent and satisfying. He said that it was the best vegan chocolate dessert he had for a while. We recommend this Chocolate dessert. Next time, we'll try the new dessert items they have. Next time, we'll come back for dinner. The service was excellent. Our waiter was friendly and helpful. We were told that they will validate the parking. Cool! I just wish that this restaurant is not so far away from home. We would have visited it more often.
Read morePros: Healthy Vegan, Friendly Staff, Organic and delicious
Cons: Too far away from home
Guest
Hugo
Points +53
Wonderful! - Edit
Several days ago I discovered this restaurant on HappyCow. I usually read what people have to say about restaurants before deciding on wheather or not to patronize them. So after reading the five (all positive) reviews of Shojin by Happy Cow members, I decided to go to their website and find out more about the restaurant, since after all it being only three months old. After reading the menu on the Shojin website, I decided to take my wife and invite several of our friends to the restaurant on a Sunday night for dinner. First of all, the restaurant is very clean. The decor was very modern with a slight Asian flare. The staff was very genial and catered to our every need. The chef came out to greet us at our table. He was very courteous. Our food was "Wonderful!". We ordered A LOT of food! :) We ordered four diferent appetizers: The Traditional Vegetable Appetizer (Very good! Expecially the Okara!) The Organic Tomato Tartar (Excellent...you must try!) The Nasu Miso Dengaku (Which is sweet egg plant in sweet miso sauce...loved it!) The Fried Garden Seitan "tsukune" (Which was my favorite part of the night. Do your self a favor and get two orders of these. They are soooo goood!) As far as soups is concerned, we had: The Kabocha Pumpkin Chowder (Which was quite good) The Caulliflower soup (I really liked this one!) For our entrees we had: The Grilled Vegetable Curry (Which was good) The Crispy Seitan Cutlet Curry (Which was scrumptuous) The Grilled Vegetable Curry (Nice!) The Seitan Katsu Curry (Also nice!) and last but not least The Barbequed Seitan Plate (Which had this uncanny resemblance to real Barbequed poultry. Yes, the kind you used to eat at barbeques before you turned Vegan! But need not worry. It's 100% Vegan!) Yes, we even had space left for dessert! We had The WalnutsChocolate Cake, The Green Tea "Moss" Cake with Sweet Azuki Beans, The Raspberry Strawberry Sorbet, and a DELICIOUS Chocolate Granola Parfait which is a glass filled with tofu chocolate cream,vanilla ice cream and granola. The presentation of each course was flawless and gorgeous. Oh, I almost forgot about a couple of pasta dishes which were amazing. I really liked them. Especially the pasta dish with its pesto sauce in it. Do not be 'on the fence' about going to eat at Shojin. We drove all the way from downtown Ventura to dine at Shojin, and will DEFINITELY be going back. So treat yourself to some exceptional Organic Vegan fare at this great restaurant!
Read morePros: Great service, Very Clean, Excellent food presentation
Hugo
Hands down, THE BEST Vegan restaurant in Los Angeles!
Read moreGuest
gr8vegan
Points +2357
AUTHENTIC! - Edit
I think the solid 5 start reviews speak for themselves. I'm actually upset with myself for not reviewing Shojin sooner! I went with the vegan meet up here in LA and we had a great time. The chef is extremely nice and came out and spoke to us about herself and the food. I can't wait to go back! The Green Tea Cake dessert is really cool! Share it because a little goes a long way!
Read morePros: more authentic japanese food, nice staff
Cons: location, well for me that is!
Guest
ladude26
Points +47
Love this Restaurant Japanese Vegan :-) - Edit
Flavorful Food, Nice friendly people, great atmosphere, free parking.
Read moreI had a Green Iced Tea Drink which was great, I had a starter and I had the Bento Box. Very Tasty Healthy food. I like that it is organic, no additives, chemicals, etc. The dessert was really, really good. I had the green tea Cake and had the Chocolate Walnut dessert with Coffee. Tip bet. 2-4 you get free coffee with dessert. They gave us a vegan organic cookie on the way out. I would recommend this place to vegans or non-vegans. Just Park in the parking structure and take the elevator up to the 4th floor and walk across the bridge into the Mall and go toward your left when you walk in. The only con is that I don't live closer.
Pros: Yum, Healthy, Friendly Staff
Cons: Wish I lived closer
Guest
button
Points +206
Top notch Japanese cuisine - Edit
This excellent vegan Japanese restaurant is a very welcome addition to the east side/down town neighborhood. We thoroughly enjoyed all the healthy, finely prepared dishes. The staff was super friendly and helpful and atmosphere was nice (though I could do with different music - like Japanese instead of Brazilian.)
Read morePros: Healthy, Japanese Vegan Cuisine!, Great Staff
Guest
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