Mappen

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!

When you first walk into Mappen, you grab a tray and make your food selection from the cheap and cheerful menu to one of the smiley workers behind the counter. You then wait for your food — think tasty teriyaki rice bowls and ramen — while various fried accountrements are displayed for easy grabbing as you navigate your way to the counter (which you totally will grab — how smart is that marketing?)
The only drawback is the slightly messy ordering style, which can get confusing if you’re a newbie (like me) — I was waiting ages for my noodles, standing in everyone’s way, when they were at the cashier waiting for my pickup. Then there was slight confusion over what to pay for and what I had actually ordered even though I was given small laminated pieces of paper denoting my purchases (or so I had thought). Confusion compounded by workers not speaking the greatest of English, but the staff were happy, polite and smiley throughout.
There’s an easily-​accessible self-​serve water station and best of all — they have a condiments bar! *does a happy dance*. I’m a sucker for a sweet sticky sauce to go with a savoury selection, and amongst the usual suspects of chilli oil, soy sauce and vinegar was a pot of sweet chilli and a squeezy bottle of tonkatsu sauce. This is in addition to the three types of salad dressings that are right by the ordering counter. The standout — they offer tempura crumbs to sprinkle all over everything you buy! Which I did because, deep fried things.
BF had a deluxe teriyaki salmon bowl with rice and the mini salad /​udon combo upgrade. Aside from the salmon being overcooked (almost inevitable with the operation Mappen has set up), he thought the dish was great with nice balanced flavours. I had a vegetarian bowl with soy mince, veggies and pickled cabbage, which was very good but needed more soy mince as protein to balance all of the rice. A side dish of pork gyoza was tasty.
Meal for 2 with large portions was around $ 30, excellent value, and the cheerful staff shouted something as we left which I think was their translation of «thank you very much.» Thank YOU Mappen. We’ll be back!

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.

This was a great discovery. The place is quite traditional Japanese and telltale tonkatsu broth (our barometer for Japanese food) was very authentic. Efficient buffet line style service offering with home made honey lemon tea at the cashier.

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!

I absolutely adore this place. I come once a week either for a speedy work lunch or for a cheap and cheerful weekend meal.
Super friendly staff and amazing Japanese lounge music make for a fun experience every time.
My pick is the bukkake ontama for $ 4.90, unbeatable value and super delicious. I recommend adding some sesame dressing and a touch of chilli oil — it’s a next level taste manœuvre. I usually find it hard to pass up something in the hot food cabinet in the way through: chicken katsu or takoyaki. But I never need it, as delicious as it all is, the bowl of tasty noodles is enough as a meal for me.
I always enjoy sitting at the window enjoying my lunch, watching the line get longer and longer for the sushi train next door. I’m done with my meal before they even get in the door! They just don’t know what they’re missing.

Great spot to get something quick to eat. Pretty much the first thing that caught my attention was the good prices for the food and there’s usually people waiting in a queue to order food here so it must be good. For an area where meals will usually run you $ 10 or more, this is a nice welcome alternative.
Service was friendly with staff usually greeting people and food is prepared rather quickly.

I love this place. Great price, good food and they always greet you when you arrive/​leave.
Menu suggestion: Spicy Chili Tofu

This is a great place to pick up Japanese takeaway or a quick cheap meal. I’ve been quite a few times and you’re welcomed by friendly staff who in the authentic Japanese way all say «Irrashaimase» when you enter (translates to «Welcome, how can I help you?»). The place is a fantastic cheap hunger buster where you grab a tray and progress down the service area to the check out before sitting down to eat.
The food is varied ranging from terikyaki chicken/​salmon with rice to thick noodle soups (both thick udon and soba style). There is also the thick Japanese curry and rice combos. The servings are generous but for bonus hunger killing goodness you can pickup some tid-​bit extras like tako-​yaki and gyoza before you reach the cashier.
On the note of price, the place is cheap where you can pick up a large serving for around $ 8.

This place is basically the same as the city one except for some unique features being that It’s not as crowded and that there is a steak available here which you can’t get in the city (and its quite decent for a sub $ 10 meal).