Mappen

The tonkatsu deluxe here is the BOMB!!! Super good soup base and lots of toppings!!! Cafeteria style with add ins such as chicken, springrolls and vegetables . . The pickled vegetables were really good but the Karaage chicken was not crispy . . Tasted more like teriyaki chicken . . The ramen was really
Good though . . Definitely would come back!!!!

Fabulous food at very reasonable prices. Great service. Always busy. Love this place!

Mappen is like a school canteen - get a tray, order what you want, pick some sides and pay for it at the end of the line.

The selection is not huge but suffice - ramen/ curry rice/ udon/ rice bowls.

Reasonable prices and food is good.

My go-to place for some japanese comfort food when I am in the area :)

Grab a tray, line up at the counter and order your food, cafeteria style. Walk past tempting fried delights like takoyaki, fried sweet potato, fried tofu... walk past advertisings of cheap cocktail's and beer. Get to the counter to pay, with more than you intended on the tray. Pretty cheap and decent ramen, I tend to go the deluxe tonkotsu ramen. A rich pork broth filled with noodles, topped with cha sui pork and egg. Oishi(delicious).
There are also plenty of other tasty and cheap options including udon, curries, salads and rice combo's. A great choice if you are in Bondi junction and are after delicious Japanese food on the cheap.

Really digging the atmosphere here! Fast, friendly, made to order- all the good stuff. Solid find for a quick lunch or dinner. Watching them make your food is pretty cool, open seating so make a new friend and plop down with a stranger :)

I hate the kake stewed beef... I should've added an egg. If it came with veggies in it, it would've been heavenly. For now, it's just good.

I'd absolutely say to swing by if you're nearby and in the mood for something quick and good. Pro tip: make it heavenly, add the egg!

Best meal for under $10!

This little gem of a place is found amidst the hipster and health food stores of Bondi at the junction. If your budget is suffering from those $20 raw almonds you just bought, let your wallet recover here.

It's fast, delicious and cheap.

I had the Kake soup with soba noodles and the spice was perfect and the flavours were top notch. I also had the octopus balls as a treat cause I love them and although they could have been a bit warmer, they were gooey and delicious.

I love the DIY station with tempura bits, green onions and self service water.

I got the regular size and was full half way through.

Money well spent :)

Cheap, fast and yummy!

I was kind of confused where to order and how to order when I first entered. Maybe it's just me but it was a little confusing.

I ordered the teriyaki salmon with soba noodles. You had the option to get it with udon or soba noodles, with kake soup or dry with their bukkake sauce. It came with two large pieces of salmon but the salmon did not taste like it was teriyaki at all or had any seasoning on it which was a little disappointing. It was good regardless because I added more flavor putting in chilli sauce topped it off with a ton of tempura flakes :)

I also ordered the pre made takoyaki balls which were super cheap. So worth buying because it tasted good as well. They were not fresh but for $2 you can't go wrong. If you're on a budget you can definitely get really good food here for cheap considering that it's in the Bondi area!

Delicious, simple food at a very reasonable price in the heart of Bondi Junction with a take-away pace in a small relaxed restaurant.

For a large bowl of protein and noodles in a ramen style you're looking at about $11 for lunch which is great and the large size is very filling. There are also sides available, mostly tempura if you're looking for a little extra. I've been a few times now and quite enjoy it.

I work really close to this place and almost walk past it everyday and never been inside before. Today I decided to change that. Mappen offer Traditional Japanese food. The place works with a buffet style line so you grab your tray and select something from the menu. They offer a wide range of Ramen, soba and udon options.

I went for the special which was mount volcano. This name sold it for me. I wanted something spicy to warm me up because it's almost winter time. The server quickly prepared the dish for me adding thin noodles and lots of beef. You can choose thick noodles if you prefer.

The meal was $12.90 for the large size and I was stuffed afterwards. It had the right level of spice and the beef was delicious and plentiful. I decided to get take away so decided against adding the egg but it's definitely worth ordering if your eating there and then.

The servers were very friendly and as you make your way along the cafeteria style rails your met by many temptations like chicken katsu and some dessert options to. Great lunch or dinner option considering that sushi train is next door which always has a line to get in. Interior is very well decorated and cozy for a nice sit down meal.

Overall impressed by this location and considering I'm walking past here often I will come in again and try some more options from the big size menu.

Oh ontama, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

Mappen's ontama (half cooked eggs), are a revelation. Soft, quivering orbs of white and gold that just slip right out of their shells when the server cracks it into your bowl. Move over poached eggs, ontama is the way to go!

Mappen gives me flashbacks to the quiet noodle shops in Tokyo train stations - just as fresh, tasty, quick and cheap. There's a huge choice of noodle combinations, both udon and ramen, served hot or cold, which in all cases are cooked by order. They get it right from the simplest Kake udon to the briny but not too rich tonkotsu ramen.

I've yet to try their rice dishes but there's plenty to get FOMO over with all sorts of umami driven toppings of teriyaki, tempura, curry and tuna tataki, always with the option of the ever tempting ontama to top it. Scratch that, how is ontama ever a choice? It's a given if you know how to live!