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Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars [Edit]
Neighborhood: DowntownMon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
"When I have the taste for sashimi, I fill up the car and drive 80 miles to go to Sushi Go 55. There are probably 500 other sushi…" read more »
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This place is always crowded during lunch....the food must be great right? It's good but not great. Their lunch menu is better than dinner menu in term of value and taste.
You get to choose 2 items for $8.95 or 3 items for $10.95. You can choose from sashimi, sushi rolls, salad, udon, kara-age or donburi. We got fire tuna bowl, spicy salmon bowl, volcano bowl and spicy pork bowl.
The portion was not small so it's a pretty cheap and filling lunch. Lunch comes with salad and mis soup. Overall food was not bad for the price.
We went back for dinner and got maxi roll (fresh albacore over spicy albacore and avocado roll), tuna with green chives, albacore with spicy gorund radish and yellowtail with yuzu. Again the food was good but not great.
Pretty awesome little japanese restaurant in little tokyo
Went here for the first time yesterday with my cousin for lunch.
Lunch specials are fairly priced with the 2 items for $9 or 3 items for $11 and it comes with miso soup and salad.
So of course i got 3 items since its only $2 more. The items range from sushi rolls to salads to mini udons and ramen bowls to rice bowls.
I was very hungry being an architecture student and rice is very filling so I ordered 3 rice bowls.
The volcano bowl, tuna bowl, and the unagi bowl.
All were very delicious and filling and I ended up not finishing the rice for the volcano bowl :(
Will definitely come back to see how the dinner menu looks.
Normally I'm kinda wary of Asian fusion restaurants, but this place changed my mind. I went with my boyfriend a couple of nights ago and I love how they have a sake bar. I had the Meibo variety (which was sweet and full of body). The sashimi was surprisingly fresh and didn't taste funny.
That night, I accidently dropped my wallet on the floor where I was sitting and didn't realize it until I got home. The wait staff at Joy Mart were kind enough to find my wallet and hold it for me until I picked it up. I didn't even have to show my ID to pick it up. ^_^
My fiance and I fell in love with this place on our recent trip to LA. Used to Chicago prices and quality for sushi, we agreed, this was some of the best sushi we'd had outside of Asia. And the prices were out of this world good--four beers, nigiri, two rolls and edamame for under $80?!?! (aaaaah, to live on a coast. . . !!) I wish we'd had more time in LA to explore the rest of the sushi eating experience, but Joy Mart left a great taste in our mouths. We swung in on a whim, late one weekday night, but the fish was fresh, the service excellent, presentation simple and clean and best yet--the cost nominal.
I've been coming here every other week or so. Love the rolls where they use real crab, no fake orange stuff. I also love their bibinbop.. Good stuff along with their iced green tea with simple syrup..
They also have a great selection of sake... Service is actually better than before. Maybe, it's because they notice me regularly..
Sushi is good. Not the best but good. The restaurant isn't the cleanest... Table is always sticky… Read more »
The restaurant serves sushi and has a sake bar. I felt like having some sashimi and a bottle of beer, so in we went. The atmosphere was quite cozy, a good place for a first date or a nice dinner with some buddies. They serve plum wine!!!!!
The sushi is always fresh, but the ramen is pretty typical.
I wish there was a quiet place like that close to where I live. I would be there all the time. I'm just not into loud bars and clubs anymore. Call me strange, but I like not having to yell at someone three inches away from me to in order to have a conversation.
Great for the price.
Lunch specials include a list of approx 40 items to choose from, and you can get 2 for $8.95, and 3 items for $10.95.
I prefer the rice bowls to the sushi, but I've had sushi that has been much worse.
It also comes with Miso soup, and a small side salad.
Good Stuff!!!
I ordered the Toban Yaki which is green tea soba noodles, sliced beef, nori and egg all in a hot stone pot like the ones Korean restaurants use for soondubu. I really liked my dish because it was warm and very beefy.
i also tried some rolls and all of them were good. I especially liked the addition of shio leaf in the Hama Hama Roll.
Apparently the owner is a Japanese woman yet there are Korean, Thai and Chinese dishes on the menu. It was an interesting mix of dishes.
I also love the location! I love walking around the village after eating dinner to shop and grab some dessert.
On first inspection, Joy Mart seems like nothing more than your regular Drake Mallard (your average citizen of St. Canard). Just another sushi joint in LA's little Tokyo. Joy Mart's "regular menu" doesn't seem to be anything too special; Decent Japanese food for a regular price. However, for 3 hours (11:30 - 2:30) every weekday, (excluding holidays) Joy Mart dons it's mask, cape, and wide brimmed hat and transforms into so much more. This little known, seemingly normal, restaurant becomes the noontime hero that we all need. Long story short: in my opinion, Joy Mart's lunch special makes it one of the best little Tokyo restaurants to have lunch.
As you may have guessed, I've only really eaten here for lunch. This review applies only to the lunch-time special. The dinner menu is a bit too pricey for me. I'm a poor law student so my idea of expensive may be a bit skewed. To me, a menu containing a dinner sushi roll with a price tag of $16 is a terror that flaps in the night, and should be avoided.
Like the old Goosebumps books, The lunch special gives you the opportunity to "choose your own adventure." For $8.95, you can get 2 items. $10.95 will entitle you to a choice of three. The choices consist of: 12 rice bowls, 4 types of sashimi, 4 types of sushi rolls, 4 salads, 3 soups, and 5 other appetizers. It is completely up to you to choose which ones you want. Thats 630 possible two-item combinations! (that's right, I did the math)
There is one item on the menu that deserves special mention. The aptly named volcano bowl. The volcano bowl is an elegant mix of spicy tuna, scallops, seaweed flakes, and shitake mushrooms, SMOTHERED in baked Japanese spicy mayo. (and I mean Hugo Stiglitz style smothering) I can only assume that this dish was given the name based on the scientifically proven fact that one bite results in an eruption of flavor that would rival Pompeii. (yes, as tragic as that incident was, the volcano bowl is that damn good) This thing is the main the reason I eat here, and I strongly encourage that everyone who visits Joy Mart for lunch at least taste it.
The Tiger roll (tempura shrimp) or spicy tuna roll make a perfect LP (sidekick) to your volcano bowl. Another thing worth mentioning is the tropical iced tea. The iced tea is a nicely flavored blend with an orange slice. Following the whole Goosebumps motif, the Tropical iced tea is served with a small decanter of mysterious sweetening liquid. (my best guess is corn syrup, however it is possible that it was whipped up by Prof. Snape) Utilizing this liquid you can adjust the sweetness of your beverage to match your exact specifications. The tempura fried ice cream is pretty generic, but it is always a nice way to end your meal.
There is a decent sized area to dine outside. Joy mart is located in a shopping center, so there are plenty of places to go after eating. Try to find parking on the street, (metered) because parking your Ratchaser in one of the nearby garages will cost anywhere from $4 - $8. All in all, if you're looking for a delicious, not necessarily traditional, sushi lunch for under $15 (tax and tip included) Joy Mart is the place for you. But don't take my word for it. Dun-Dun Dunt. (Reading Rainbow sound)
"Let's Get Dangerous" - Had to throw it in, just in case you didn't get it yet.
I came to downtown LA for a conference from out of town, and at lunchtime was given a vague wave in the direction of Little Tokyo for places to eat. Boy did I stumble upon a gem!
Joy Mart's lunch special offers quite a bit more of a selection than your typical lunch special menu. Your choice-3 item for 10.95 or 2 item for 8.95. I got the 3 item combo, and chose the volcano bowl (a divine concoction of tuna, scallops, and mushrooms baked with mayo sauce), the spicy tuna roll (pretty standard fare--but a yummy addition to my lunch), and the california salad (spring greens, real crab meat, thinly sliced avocado & cucumber in a perfect ponzu dressing). The presentation, even at the height of the lunch rush to a lone diner eating at the bar (Awww, poor me) was quite thoughtful and pretty.
Having sat at the bar, I'd recommend a table or an outside seat if the weather calls for it. I was crammed into a small space in between two other diners-the only others at the bar and the cash register (this should give you an idea of the space...not huge!). I had wait staff constantly coming & going next to me, and new diners coming in the door directly behind me. That's honestly the only negative part of the experience--the food was fresh, delicious, and creative, and my waiter was friently and courteous (if distracted by the number of tables he had).
All in all, a place I'd definitely visit again for lunch, if only I didn't live two hours away :(
My new favorite little find in Little Tokyo. My boyfriend came to downtown to take me out to lunch and we decided to stroll through Little Tokyo and find a spot... we're always looking for outdoor patios and theirs looked quite cozy behind the trees...
Their lunch prices are very reasonable and you can choose from a variety of bowls and dishes ranging from salads to bowls to sushi, to sashimi to noodles and more... If you like lots of little dishes or "not so little dishes" rather... then you might enjoy this place...
It was around $8 for 2 items or $10 for 3 items... i had the spicy tuna salad which was alright... and the volcano bowl which was a mix of little scallops and mushrooms covered in mayonnaise... the bf ordered a fire bowl (spicy tuna with habañero) ... not enough habañero if you ask me... an unagi bowl and an udon bowl... now you may think... this is either one hefty bf... or some tiny bowls... well these aren't the giant bowls you may be used to when you think of ramen or udon... and even with my help... the bowls were barely finished... so unless you can pack it down... 2 items will suffice...
And yes these meals come complete with miso soup and salad. While the food may not blow you away... i would definitely go back to enjoy their patio... :)
Had the ginger tofu with vegetables, was pretty good. Nice place to have a lot of options for lunch specials. They have 3 menu pages full. The most fun menu was the one with all the different mix and match items for bento. I didnt have any of their sushi so I cant really say anything about it. Nice atmosphere. Nice servers. Big portions.
Funny how I always pass this place but I have never been inside until now because of a work lunch. Ha! And they validate parking at the garage that is near the karoake bar. Cool, Free parking in this area is awesome.
We ate here because the line was too long for Shabu Shabu house and were pleasantly surprised. We drank Yebisu beer outside and had a litte of everything on the menu, particularly the sashimi. I highly recommend the place.
This is a really awesome Japanese Sushi and Appetizer bar. Small intimate tables, or large tables for you and the crew. You can make even a small dish a meal when you add a rice set (soup salad and rice). The best Sake selection and good beer.
LOCALS HINT: The best, most traditional Shabu-Shabu in LA is right next door but the line is outrageous. Put your name down on the list and sit on the patio of Joy Mart and order some Sake or a Beer. You'll thank me.
I'm going to buck the bandwagon here. Good service, nice prices, cool interior, but the food made me feel like getting punched in the stomach.
After finishing my lunch at Joy Mart, my digestive system started rejecting the crunch roll and soft shell crab appetizer. Actually, it started while I was eating. I am partly to blame for getting something with a lot of avocado in it, as my body hates avocado. But the soft shell crab was entirely their doing.
While eating the last piece of deep fried crab, I wondered where the crab was hiding, because I had a mouthful of batter. Fried batter. About 30 minutes later on my drive home, an invisible man or woman started wailing on my abdomen.It was probably the crab kami taking revenge.
Whatever it was, I think I should have ordered the noodles. Or ordered a lot of alcohol to kill the parasites.
Joy Mart. More like nightmare mart.
After wandering around the LACC for Anime Expo '09, my party and I were tired and in the need of some good Japanese food. I had originally wanted to go to another restaurant in the area, but the line was long (which is normal for a Friday night, actually) with the wait list two pages long. So we wandered around and ended up in Little Tokyo and went through the different restaurants We wanted to find one that suited our needs, which included:
*Good food at low prices
*Open late (it was around 9 PM when we got our group together)
*Able to accommodate a large party (we were about a group of 12)
We found Joy Mart and saw that it satisfied our needs. The interior was nice and welcoming and the staff were nice as well. We took up two tables in the front and I was surprised that it was not as crowded for a Friday night. We got a pitcher of Sapporo (which is awesome, and this is coming from a person who is not that big a fan of beer) and everyone ordered.
I got the Chasiew Ramen which was good - not too salty and nice texture to the noodles. Food service was normal though two people in my party didn't get their food while everyone else did (maybe because they ordered the same thing and it took a little bit more time to prepare). But from what everyone said, the food was good and the prices were good as well.
Overall, this is a good place for some good Japanese eating and a nice atmosphere (unless you have a large loud group... which could be my group). I wish I had tried their sushi rolls but I didn't have enough money on me (dang). Next time, though.
The lunch specials here are awesome either 2 items or 3 items and you can get out of there for under $12. I usually get the 3 item because by lunch time I'm HUUUUNGGRAAAY! First item I go with is the unagidon (eel ricebowl) super yummy, the portion is a decent size for lunch, when I'm done with the bowl I feel fairly satisfied, but not too filled up that I move to my second dish cold soba (buckwheat noodle). For all you that know this cold noodle dish it may seem kind of bland, but it's nutritious, and with soba sauce it's simple yet good. I always save room for my third dish which is the spicy tuna roll, I but a lot of wasabi and it gives that nice spicy/tangy taste in my mouth. The roll is also pretty good. So for under $12 bucks you got a styling japanese lunch. Oh I forgot to mention, you also get miso soup and salad. Yummy.
I've dined at Joy Mart for years. It's located inside the Japanese Village Plaza. Parking is located on Central Avenue, between 1st and 2nd Street.
I love Joymart because it serves an eclectic mixture of foods from different Asian countries, and unlike some Asian fusion restaurants, Joymart actually does an excellent job at it. I like the sea bass. It's my favorite. I usually eat it with a tall glass of oolong cha. My daughter likes the ramen and the salmon sashimi.
weird.
hello?! it USED to be joy mart-the convenience store!! i used to buy snacks here! Xp
(but i have to admit, i love that its called joy mart restaurant =p )
so how does a convenience store turned restaurant do on its food?
pretty not bad =)
albacore sashimi with garlic ponzu - the smell was a little overwhelming at first, but it tastes so good you kinda forget. and the ponzu was really good with the shredded daikon it was accompanied with.
spicy dynamite roll - scallops on top of spicy tuna rolls. i really liked this one, even though it burned (i cant do spicy-it hurts). but man, what a good burn! =p
chicken gyoza
hamachi kama - learned that fish have collar bones. this one in particular was grilled and super moist
like i said, pretty not bad...wonder how other convenience stores would do if they turned into restaurants...ewh!! can you imagine 7-11 the restaurant?!!
Four stars because it's a little prciey, but otherwise this place rocks!
Their crystal shrimp is amazing! It comes with banana ketchup and delicious peanut sauce... Who would ever think banana ketchup could be so tasty? Who would ever think of banana ketchup in the first place? Whoever did is my personal hero. So, so good!
The sake is yummy too. We got a bottle for $25 and it only took about one glass to get me pretty toasted, so that was definitely worth the money. The rolls are good, nothing spectacular, but definitely quality sushi.
Oh, and the tuna salad (either of them) rocks. Wasabi mayonnaise with three different kinds of tuna? Yum. Seriously, yum.
We came here for a late lunch and ordered a variety of rolls, ramen, and set lunches.
My 'jer jer mien' or ground beef with ramen was pretty good: flavorful and hearty, although I think the ramen would taste better if it was less raw (some prefer this.....I'm not a fan). The salmon roll was great, generously sized, fresh, and filling.
Service was attentive, and it doesn't hurt that the wait staff was good-looking. Not really affordable, but hey, it's sushi. Wouldn't mind a repeat visit.
When you're thinking of good Japanese food with a lot of variety, this is certainly the place. They have everything from bento boxes to sushi and Japanese beer to sake. Their prices are a bit steep but they do a good job with the taste, it's actually pretty good.
My suggestion for a cheaper place would be Tots, however if you're willing to splurge a lil, Joy Mart is a place to eat at. Both are good and yet it leaves you wanting more. It's a nice place to take a date for dinner since it's dimly lit which gives it a romantic feel.
Food was SALTY! We ordered chicken ramen, chicken combination, Tokyo ramen, chashu ramen, and fried calamari. Chicken pieces in the ramen was great, but when I tasted the broth, it was salty. As for the calamari, I tasted some promising favors initially. Unfortunately, I started to get super salty flavors towards the end. I guess our party did not order the right dishes, but I did not particularly enjoy any other dishes that my friends ordered.
I considered giving two stars; however, there was one issue. One of my friends asked the waitress to wipe the table because the table felt sticky. The waitress was very rude and has the nerve to say, "It's supposed to be like that." Even if the table is "supposed to be sticky," that is not a professional way to snap back at a customer who is making a legitimate request.
Oh yea, one more thing. After we were seated, no one approached us to get our drink order for about ten minutes.
Steve V pretty much nailed it.
Joy mart, or "Red House" as my co worker calls it, is my fav spot for lunch. for $10.95 you get to pick a 3 course meal of your liking from the lunch menu, which consists of ramen, sushi, rice bowls, sashimi, salads, rolls and some other stuff.
My personal fav is the volcano bowl, rice covered with a gooey mustard colored tuna-mushroom concoction that is unlike anything else. Do yourself a favor and come get some.
Let me first say that I probably will come here again to experience the rest of the menu but this review is based purely on a couple of visits and orders. I will admit that I did not order any sushi, which is a large portion of their menu, so I can not speak for the sushi. Let's make that clear. I also have not tried their sake. So, you might be asking, "why such a low rating if you haven't even really tried their most acclaimed items?"
First off, I'm really rating this a 2.5 because I like the place but I'm not a fan for a few reasons. Those being the dishes I've had. The Ramen, Gyoza and Shumai. They were mediocre at best.
Overall, the ramen was disappointingly plain, lacking flavor and originality. The pork was the best part, well cooked and flavorful, but hardly makes up for its dullness. The gyoza and shumai had to be previously prepackaged frozen goods, as I'm 100% sure the shumai were. This a complete faux pas for any respectable restaurant. This was particularly hard to get over. Do not order these unless you know what to expect. I appreciate freshness and that the chef prepare my food in the least bit before serving it to me. I can only hope the sushi isn't prepared with once frozen fish...
I'm still open to try the sushi and sake and can only dream that they are more pleasant. Till then... this is all I have to offer.
Came here on a Monday night for a friend's birthday. No one was inside and usually that worries me--a good place should have a lot of customers no? In any case, the wait staff was extra attentive to us cause we owned that joint, haha.
I ordered the tuna tuna salad which had your typical greens in a teriyaki/wasabi mayo sauce... mmmm. And I was pleasantly surprised at how many seared pieces of tuna they gave alongside the center spicy tuna... there were heaps and certainly did not disappoint.
I also ordered the creamy salmon roll (philly roll in general) and the spicy dynamite roll (baked scallop on top). Both were to my liking! I tried some of the other rolls at the table (Sakura and Tuna Tempura) but ultimately my choices greeted my palette the best!
They have a wide variety of food for those of you who aren't into sashimi or sushi -- everything from ramen to bibimbap to korean pork.
I don't see myself coming back here cause of the distance, but let's just this place was definitely a "Joy."
Plus, there's a Pinkberry RIGHT there! That's an added bonus!
I love that this place is named after the convenience store that it used to be. Either that's a stroke of genius or just really lazy. Only eaten here once, the sashimi was okay, it kindof pales in comparison to some of the stellar joints in the area but it's got a really cool vibe to it.
The best reason to come here is for the excellent saki selection, I believe they have a good happy hour but I"ve never been here that early. I would suggest having sushi at Hama or Sushi Gen or Shabu at the place across the way or Kushi and then popping in here for a drink
It's never been busy when I've been in the area, so you shouldn't have trouble getting a seat.
Food - B
Ambience - A-
Service - B
Value - B
I was not impressed with this restaurant. I am not a sushi expert, but I do know that sushi rolls can be made without sea weed, soy paper, or rice paper. While I understand that the menus specifies no substitutions, I thought leaving out sea weed would be ok until I was told by our waiter that sushi cannot be made without sea weed. Every single sushi restaurant/bar that I have been to in CA and FL are more than willing and capable of rolling without any sea weed---personally I do not like the fishy taste it gives whereas soy or rice paper allows you to taste the ingredients inside nicely. I also do not use sugar in my coffee or tea so that I can taste them as well....just a side note.
The food was good, and the service was good, nice atmosphere & staff, but just did not rock & roll for me.
Three-and-a-half-stars, really.
I feel the prices can be a bit high, but the food is very good and arrives quickly. The staff is friendly.
The sake is excellent and there's quite a large choice.
Everything is in generous proportions which perhaps accounts for the prices. When you order something, expect 10 slices of it!
The "lunch boxes" are very good.
Stop by Joy Mart! You'll love it and leave quite satisfied.
We randomly had dinner here last night after our first plan fell through (that restaurant smelled "fishy"). When Joy Mart was mentioned to me, I had visions of a tiny convenience store but was pleasantly surprised how nice it seemed with the dark walls and recessed lighting.
Most people seemed to be seated outside on the patio. There is some people watching to be had as hoards of tourists and locals converge on the Japanese Village for trinkets and eats.
We opted to sit inside. The tables are already set up with chopsticks and plates. I tried to move my plate and it stuck to the table! I guess this reminded me to keep my elbows off the table less I want some skin stuck on that sticky thing.
We decided to get a bottle of sake (most of the sake list had bottles in the $30+ range) and it was served with the largest sake glasses I've ever seen that required little boxes to hold them. How cute. But possibly this was their way of having your glass not stick to the table. Later I noticed some other table got their bottle in an ice bucket. Hey! Ours wasn't served in one. Bleh.
We ordered a range of dishes to share for four including calamari, spicy pork wraps, four rolls and a bowl of ramen.
The calamari was on the meaty side with barely any breading (good) sprinkled with a dark green seasoning (very Japanese but I didn't like it).
Next came the spicy pork with three large leaves of Romaine leaves. There's four of us. Arrgh. Granted, one of our party is vegetarian but still! There was probably enough pork to warrant at least three more leaves. It was good. I liked the slivered scallions with the pork.
I chose the Maxi roll which was a spicy yellowtail roll topped with yellowtail. The gay boyfriend ordered the hama hama roll which was albacore and shiso roll. Gay boyfriend's boyfriend had the spicy tuna roll deepfried tempura style. And the first wife ordered the Hot Asian roll which was unagi on top of a spicy tuna roll. I liked the yellowtail and albacore rolls the best. The tempura roll had cream cheese in it which I wasn't terribly into. And the Hot Asian roll's eel was a little bony and fishy.
I should note there is no sushi bar. I had initially been tempted to order the nigiri plate but opted not to when I realized all the food would come from the kitchen.
We still felt a hankering for something so we split a ramen which was a nice end to our meal. The broth was good. At first the noodles were good to me but then I realized they were just a tad too al dente and almost seemed uncooked. I'm sure if they had time to steep in the broth more, it would have been fine but we had to rush out to catch our theatre show.
After tax and tip, it was about $30 a person.
This is my go-to place for sushi near East LA. Given that my other option is cafeteria-grade box sushi, Joy Mart has given my friends and I some much-needed lunch time joy...
Lunch special (noon - 3 p.m): miso soup (always piping hot) and a small salad, plus two sushi/ sashimi/ tempura bowls for $7.95, or three for $8.95.
The Fire Tuna bowl (spicy tuna, wasabi mayo and roe over rice) is my favorite, but there's also the Volcano bowl (scallops, shiitake, and tuna in crystal sauce with bean sprouts) that comes pretty close. Of course, these are just two options on the very decent (I'm thinking about thirty items at least!) lunch menu, plus the extensive a la carte menu that's available all day. They have some creative sushi offerings (amazing cream cheese tempura crab roll) and pretty good ramen bowls. And if you're not feeling adventurous, the Orange Chicken bowl over rice isn't too bad. They will usually switch out the rice in a bowl for salad if you ask them to.
Waitstaff can be absent-minded at times. It's usually busy at lunch (never been there for dinner), so you need to flag them down - hence the 4 stars. And if you're a regular, as I am, they'll end up finding a table for you in record time... just be polite. :) oh, and never, ever park in the parking lot on the corner of Central and 2nd... you'll get towed. If you DO get towed, the towing office is located on Alameda and 16th - cash only, and the guy in the hat smells funny. yeah, I speak from experience.
see you there! (no, really. i can eat spicy tuna 3-4 times a week, and i usually do).
No clue why there's so many bad reviews for this place. I frequent Joy Mart about once every two months or so---and I usually can't remember the name, but at least I remember where it is!
Anyway, DESPITE the fact that some drunk guy tried to stab the waiters once when I was having dinner and subsequently had to be interviewed by the cops, Joy Mart has some pretty good fusion sushi, and the rest of the menu is decent as well.
I'm a sucker for the spicy tuna salad. I've also tried the Mexican Roll (chicken? avacado? salsa?) and was surprised. I generally order the tempura spicy tuna and cream cheese roll; I've never been disappointed.
OK, it's 9pm on a Saturday night in Little Tokyo, with the Detour Festival http://upcoming.yahoo.... going on several blocks over and parking's an illusion. We walked into the little alcove that is Joy Mart, expecting there to be a waiting list, but to our surprise it was nice and quiet, with only two other tables and a couple of people at the bar. This can't be right, I said, checking the time. No matter, we were starving and had traffic to fight. The menu featured lots of ramen and meal options, at decent prices. My lady and I both ordered rolls as well as a seafood dish and the garlic chicken entree. Service was prompt and attentive enough; maybe we got lucky that night, judging from others' experiences?
Sushi was nothing spectacular, but still better and fresher than the rotaries. I enjoyed NOT sitting elbow to elbow at the bar and having quiet conversation (no loud music or drunken revelers...yet) and was pleasantly surprised that the bill for full dinners, alcohol, and rolls for a party of two came up to just under $60. Perfect starter for an evening out, when you're not in the mood to deal with the waiting list at other establishments. While I probably won't be back here unless we were in a similar predicament (starving and can't wait for Sushi-Gen), I'd recommend it for groups where not everyone wants to do sushi.
I came here on my stroll to Little Toyko and was craving udon noodles.
Lunch time specials. HOLLA!!
this place is awesome..i also like to add that this is the first time ever i've sat in a resturant and ate by my lonesome. le sigh...it didnt help that i was surrounded by couples and groups. oh well.
The service here was excellent. I had ordered a Sapporo, he turned the corner and came back with it. WOW! was it waiting for me? the beer def helped my awareness for being alone, it wasnt so bad.
The lunch specials here are pretty good. you can pick 2 items for 7.95 or 3 for 9.95.
i opted for 3. cuz why not?!?
i got the salmon and tuna sashimi and the udon noodles.
they are the perfect portion for lunch and the fact that you can have a variety is great.
the meals also come with salad and miso soup. the miso soup was one of the best i've ever had.
a nice meal for under $15 and that is with a beer.
yumm yumm yummy
Yet another fabulous find in the Little Tokyo District! All of the fish items are fresh, tasty, and served promptly. Prices are equally delectable: you are served quite a filling meal for reasonable $ amounts. As far as the ambiance goes, I enjoy the intimate atmosphere, dim lighting, and the rad music playing. To top off the memorable trip, leave some room in your bellies for the most sensational caramelized banana dessert, drizzled with chocolatey-perfection. Joy Mart is a bit off the sidewalk path, so keep all eyes open when searching for it. This restaurant's name speaks for itself, methinks;)
The food was good. Too bad I had to gulp it down because it took 12 years to arrive at our table.
My friend and I wandered in here hungry, and ready to splurge. We stood around for a while as service people busied themselves around us deliberately avoiding eye contact until we finally took it upon ourselves to sit at one of the empty tables and notify several of the waitstaff "Is it ok if we sit here? We'd like to order." Sure, sure.
Time passed. Centuries turned into eons, the waitstaff continued to avert their eyes as they passed us.
Eventually we flagged down one of the dudes and asked to order. Iced green tea and two rolls.
More time passed. Tables that had been seated after our arrival were recieving their salads and first courses. We were still waiting on iced tea.
We made some inquiries, posited some questions to a few frantic service people who scurried away from us so as to not be held accountable for having heard our requests for iced tea. Oh but for some iced tea.
A table that had been seated after we'd arrived begain recieving dish after glorious dish of yummy looking food. Some of the remaining waitstaff continued to feign business by dusting and idly slapping a dishrag across various surfaces just out of earshot.
Food showed up. I had a tuna tuna, my friend had a yellowtail something roll. Can't remember. I was too hungry. It was delicious, but I think that reaction might've been tempered with hunger. We ate in a hurry, and I pressed my credit card into the waiter's hand when I managed to corner him by the bar, otherwise it would've been another 10 years before we got the bill, and by then we would've missed our evening appointment.
So. Good food. TERRIBLE TERRIBLE GODAWFUL service.
everything ELSE was good....but the Agadeshi Tofu that i raved to y'all about in my original review was less than superb than the last time i ordered it.
over-fried, over gelatenous....just wrong.
everything else...good...agadeshi....errrr, no.
This place is more of a 3.5 stars than a 4....
I've been here probably 7 times?
The Good:
great sake…
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I usually go to Frying Fish but me and my mum decided to try something new today.
Joy Mart was okay. Nothing spectacular. I'm not a huge ramen fan but I decided to go with some soup noodles today. I didn't like my ramen with pork because there were way too many bamboo shoots and the broth became too bark-like for me.
Nothing really stood out for me but it did seem to have a steady flow of customers coming in and out.
They have lunch specials which are really reasonable. I got a miso soup, salad, vegetarian sushi and pork ramen for $7.95.
Oh, and I saw a number of people who looked like they were professionally dressed so I assumed they were on their lunch break but the service was really slow so I have no idea how they can pull this off?
I give this place 3.5 stars.
I ate here on Tues and had the lunch special (2 items for $8.95 or 3 items for $11.95 AND it comes with soup and salad). I had the volcano bowl and the sushi tuna roll. I've had many spicy tuna rolls and nothing compares to Noshi Sushi on Beverly. However, after eating here, I must say, this place also has some good spicy tuna (although I still think Noshi Sushi still tastes better).
The volcano bowl was okay. I think it was just too heavy for me. It was good but not great. I probably will try another bowl next time .
Overall, it's a great place for lunch specials!
Although, like an awkward first date -- not really sure if you're interested in the person -- I had my doubts about this restaurant.
Initially, bad first impression -- they sat us in the back by the bathrooms where we began perspiring profusely but they did move our table to a nicer local. The sushi was decent enough and their Ramen was regular. Still nothing to write home about -- but when the drinks began flowing more freely ... the the restaurant did get better, just like a date normally would as well.
I'll say that at one point I dropped my drink accidentally and they were on top of it and refilled it immediately and were very attentive and helpful. At the end of the day, it kicked it up a notch for their save on the drink fiasco. It turned out to be a decent date afterall. :-)
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Japanese
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