A viral cafe in Little Tokyo brings an epic anime series to life

Los Angeles Times

3 days ago

The Cortez family piled out of their car and stretched their legs. Finally, after an hour and a half drive from their Long Beach home, they had made it to Little Tokyo — specifically, to One Piece Cafe.
'I was just sitting in the car like, 'I'm going to be at the One Piece Cafe,'' said Cammy Cortez, who was introduced to the popular manga and anime franchise by her older brother and now runs a 'One Piece' fan account on X. 'It's going to be a good day.'
Timed to the Los Angeles Anime Convention, the largest exposition dedicated to Japanese pop culture in North America, the new permanent restaurant is the second official location of One Piece Cafe, in collaboration with Toei Animation, from Andy Nguyen, a serial entrepreneur behind several themed restaurants. The first One Piece Cafe opened in Las Vegas in May 2024.
'One Piece' follows the adventures of protagonist Monkey D. Luffy, who dreams of becoming the Pirate King, and his band of Straw Hat Pirates as they seek the 'One Piece' treasure. Fans of the anime have flocked to the Little Tokyo storefront, eager to try Japanese dishes inspired by 'One Piece' characters like Sanji's 'Diable Jambe' Chicken Katsu Sando, with 24-hour brined chicken served on sweet honey milk bread, and Zoro's Onigiri, in honor of the character's love of rice and a nod to his precision as a swordsman.
The interior dons a nautical theme, with walls that mimic the wooden deck of a pirate ship and characters depicted inside portholes. Branded merchandise includes Luffy's signature straw hat, themed key chains and even a 'Wanted' license plate. Drinks, ranging from slushies to matcha horchata, come in collectible cups.
'It's not [like] just they slapped the name 'One Piece' onto a random restaurant,' said customer Imelda Cardenas. 'They really did it justice with the interior and the menu, and the merch they sell inside is really great too.'
Initially premiering in 1999, the 'One Piece' anime has 1,136 episodes and counting, with ardent fans deeply immersed in the lore. The manga, by creator Eiichiro Oda, is the bestselling manga of all time. New audiences were also introduced to the franchise in 2023, when Netflix released a massively successful live-action rendition of the anime.
'If you're a fan of 'One Piece,' then you think it's the best anime of all time,' explained Karime Benmbarek, who came with his older brother Yassine from Northridge to experience the Little Tokyo restaurant. 'Even if you're just a chill fan, you still feel the love through the community.'
Restaurants themed around Japanese pop culture have recently gained footholds in L.A., with Gudetama Cafe and Hello Kitty and Friends Cafe — both within the Sanrio universe — opening in 2024. Local excitement for 'One Piece,' however, seems to be approaching the mainstream. In June, the Los Angeles Dodgers hosted a One Piece Night, featuring a limited edition 'One Piece' card drawn by Oda. The Los Angeles Lakers collaborated with 'One Piece' for their February matchup against the Clippers; exclusive merch from the match now resells for up to $250.
''One Piece' has a pretty big community, and especially with the Lakers and Dodgers collaborating with One Piece, L.A. is bringing anime into their culture as well,' said Yassine, who immediately alerted his younger brother after seeing a TikTok about the restaurant opening. The brothers bond over watching the show and, lured by the chicken katsu sandwich in particular, quickly made a plan to visit in person.
Karime, who tried the chicken katsu sandwich and curry, said, 'I'd definitely come back — if my brother can take me.'
As anime, manga and other elements of Japanese pop culture have become mainstream, the understanding of Little Tokyo as a place where people can engage in those interests has also skyrocketed, said Kristin Fukushima, the executive director of Little Tokyo Community Council. This interest in Japanese subcultures — evidenced in the virality of One Piece Cafe — can have a positive impact on other small businesses in Little Tokyo.
After the Benmbarek brothers finished their meal, they planned to make a day of wandering through Little Tokyo. Another group of friends planned to hunt down a collectible in the nearby shops after visiting the restaurant.
'If you become more into anime and manga, that means you're seeing depictions of not just culture, but also food,' Fukushima said. 'So you have more people knowing what real ramen is versus the Maruchan instant ramen, or people who want real sushi and not just California rolls that they can buy in Ralphs.'
'I think it's just a growing familiarity with what Little Tokyo has to offer,' she said. 'Like, how do I further participate in this?'
The timing of One Piece Cafe's opening comes as Little Tokyo is emerging from June's ICE protests. Located minutes from City Hall and the Metropolitan Detention Center, Fukushima said many small business owners found themselves in a 'lose-lose situation,' with images from the local news keeping people away from downtown out of fear.
Fans of 'One Piece,' with its themes of friendship and freedom, are primed to be attuned to these tensions.
'I really like how 'One Piece' has a lot of nuanced messages about government powers and how oppressed people can come together,' said Daniel Orozco, who first learned about the restaurant at Anime Expo. 'It's really cool and especially relevant right now with everything going on politically.'
Cardenas started watching 'One Piece' during the pandemic and quickly caught up by watching 12 episodes a day. Describing that time, she said, 'Everything was really scary and uncertain, and people just wanted answers and a distraction.'
'There's a message of hope in 'One Piece' because the protagonist Luffy wants to be the Pirate King, but underneath it all he's just fighting for justice,' she said. 'There's a lot of symbolism that can be taken into the real world.'
One Piece Cafe is located at 241 S. San Pedro Street and open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.