Joy Mart Restaurant

My coworkers and I are regulars here (lunch). The food is great and the lunch menu is a really good deal. The regular menu is pricier. You can order 2 or 3 item and it comes with a salad and miso soup. Two items usually fills me up. Guys should probably order three.
My order almost never changes:
Item 1: Volcano Bowl. This is my fav item and why we keep coming back. I’ve never found another restaurant that makes anything similar to this. *Tip, if you’re feeling fat order it with half mayo.
Item 2: Spicy Tuna Roll or Albacore Sashimi

Just an FYI, Joy Mart has closed and has been replaced by Kuraga.

Tried the dipping ramen and some soju drinks. I also had a bit of my sister’s Western roll which was seared steak and avocado. While the food is a little pricey, it was decent and you are really paying for the atmosphere. It’s a pretty relaxing setting near the heart of Lil Tokyo plaza. I think I would rather have had the rotating sushi or orochon if the lines weren’t so long.

I’m a regular here for lunch and I’m always going with their 2 or 3 item lunch menu which comes with miso soup and a small spring mix salad. Their soba is really delicious and I really love their volcano bowl. Their lunch combo is sure to get a person full.

Service can be a little frustrating sometimes, thus only 4 stars. We’ve had times when it took a long time to get our orders, but the majority of the time they’ve been on spot with our orders.

Simple and affordable lunch specials. They have 2 item combos that run for about $ 9-​$ 11 (depends on what you pick), and you can choose which two items you want (soup and salad included).
I had ramen and calamari (I know, such a weird combo — but it’s what I was craving!) and both were good. The calamari was fresh, and the ramen broth was good. The noodles were a little overcooked, but still good.
What I loved about this place was the PEOPLE WATCHING! I sat out in the patio and found myself entertained for an hour.

Let me first put out a disclaimer: Like many reviews on Unilocal,this is my first time here, and my experience is exclusive to what you may experience. My lovely friends I had gone with stated that this is the first time they had a bad experience there and that maybe it was because of how busy the restaurant had gotten (which is really no excuse). But I’ll elaborate later.
First, let me state why I did not give a 1 star. I respect the menu; it is unique in that you can choose 2 – 3 choices of food, which includes a salad and soup, that certainly fills you up.
Everything else goes downhill from there. Once seated and our orders were taken, we waited approximately 30 minutes for our food to come. 30 minutes! After viewing all those who came after us, they had received their foods before us. After questioning the waitress, they had apparently forgotten our order and «will take another 3 – 5 minutes.» No sorry no nothing. Furthermore, once our food was received, they had forgotten to give my friend his miso soup that comes with the meal.
To make matters worse, the restaurant inside was HOT. I was sweating bullets the whole time. It did not seem that they were generous about AC. To top it all off, the food was so-​so. I had gotten the salmon bowl with roe, and that was tasteless to me, and too much of a chewy texture. Go with the volcano bowl and the beef sashimi.
After much hype from my friend about this place, I was pretty disappointed. I really wanted to enjoy it, but I don’t think I’d be going back.

****REVIEW FOR DRINKS ONLY****
As traditions go, this place is a mandatory stop for me and my friends before dining at Shabu Shabu House across the way. Don’t get me wrong, Joy Mart’s menu offers good quality food, but I always need my fix of some good ol’ shabu.
Anyway, back to Joy Mart. I love coming here and ordering a large hot sake, Otokayama to be exact. This particular sake has a nice flavor, strong and smooth finish — if that makes any sense. Pair that with a large Kirin and the next thing you know everyone is in good spirits. It’s a win-​win for everyone. Also, the large order of sake seems to take forever to finish. I am convinced that this bottle is magical and never-​ending amounts of sake flow from it! If you split that large bottle between two people, I am pretty darn sure you get six rounds in, no joke.
The staff here is great! Nori is particularly my favorite server! It’s taken me quite a few visits to remember his name, but I finally got it down :)
Also, they have a wide variety of sakes to choose from, hot or cold, you name it, they probably got it. If you can’t decide on what sake to order, they do offer sake samplers that range from one end of the spectrum to the other — all which are reasonably priced. Beer selection is well rounded too.
I love you, Joy Mart, please don’t ever leave me.
xoxo

A friend and I visited this restaurant only after Kula had a wait too long for our starving appetites. The place was isolated but we wanted sushi QUICK and gave it a shot. Unfortunately everything is pricey for what you get, but the food wasn’t bad at all! The orange roll was nice and sweet, and forest roll was refreshing. Albacore salad was yummy although the fish could have been more fresh. At least the service was impeccable since we were their only customers! Joy Mart is definitely not my first choice in the area but I wouldn’t mind coming back. :-)

We had dinner here before heading off to Café Dulce. The place had a cool and modern feel and was also very clean as well. By the way, Joy Mart Restaurant is also under the same company (Teishokuya of Tokyo Inc.) as Kagura.
We had ordered the following:
Salmon Carpaccio — Fresh salmon with onion garlic dressing sauce
Salmon Ikura — Fresh salmon with salmon Roe & chive
Appetizer Sampler
Orange Roll
Tofu Burger Ramen — Deep fried tofu with original vegetable broth in soy sauce soup
I only had the Tofu Burger Ramen and I love it!!! The noodles had a nice and firm texture. The broth wasn’t too salty and the Tofu Burger was thick and yummy. So far I think this is the only restaurant that serves vegetarian ramen (delicious + healthy)!
My friend and my brother said that the food they had ordered were also good, but not the best that they had. I wasn’t able to get exact feedback from them because I was too busy eating my dish LOL.
Customer service was fast and efficient also. I will definitely come back here again and try out their other selections. :)

I’ve walked by this place so many times and with so many options in the area, I never thought to stop by… until today. If you’re looking for a quick bite to eat for lunch without having to wait for a table, this is probably you’re best bet. It’s crowded but there is plenty of seating inside and on the patio.
There’s a variety of lunch specials. You can select two items for $ 8.95 or three items for $ 10.95. All kinds of stuff to choose from like sashimi, beef bowls, udon, salads, gyoza, and sushi rolls.
I tried the albacore sashimi, a spicy tuna roll and the Japanese beef bowl. The special also came with a small miso soup and house salad.
The three pieces of albacore were fresh and fairly large. The spicy tuna roll was cut into six big pieces and they were generous with the tuna. Maybe because I was hungry, but my favorite was the Japanese beef bowl. Lean pieces of flavorful beef over a bed of rice with a few pieces of pickled ginger sprinkled on top.
This wasn’t my first choice in Japanese Village, but definitely a place I’ll consider the next time I’m in the area for lunch.
* Validated parking for Japanese Village can be found off Central Avenue if you can’t find decent street parking.

This place is OK, but that depends on what you order. If you come here and order sushi or rolls, its definitely only going to be 1 star. But if you order their rice bowls or udon, then its ok.
Their lunch specials are an ok deal, and again… ok depends on what you order. For $ 10.95, you can choose 3 items off of the entire list of lunch special items, or choose 2 items for $ 8.95. The list includes sashimi (each item has 3 slices of the specified fish), rolls, salads, udon, soba, rice bowls.
DO NOT order the sashimi or the rolls here. The sashimi quality is subpar and the rice for the rolls taste machine made. They don’t even have a sushi bar.
Just stick with the rice bowls and the noodles. The udon was decent. The beef bowl and the eel bowl are pretty good too. Besides that, this place has nothing special or spectacular about it.
Service was fine as well. Nothing amazingly good or bad.
Parking: There is a structure for the plaza. They give a 2 hr validation for this place.

GOOD:
* Food is pretty good. I ordered the salmon (~$ 14) and it came with soup and salad. I still felt a bit hungry afterward but it wasn’t bad.
* Cute place. Dark and intimate.
BAD:
* The sushi dishes are kinda pricey for what you get — which is standard but I saw my friend’s $ 12.50 and it’s pretty small.
* Service is kinda slow — didn’t get my water as often — we had to keep asking.
I would have to say this place is ok. I came on a weekend, so their lunch specials didn’t apply. So I guess try another time… but I’m good.

Joy Mart may sound like a happy convenience store, but actually it is a decent Izakaya in the heart of Japanese Village Plaza in Little Tokyo. The location is good for business and the menu offers some tempting, yet unspectacular, dishes. We came after a special day out to share a pitcher of Sapporo Draft and a few bites.
* Shishito Peppers with Bonito Flakes and Soy Sauce — The Joy Mart version was a little more bitter than some. A misfire for a favorite of mine.
* Agedashi Tofu here is your basic Fried Tofu with Ginger, Green Onions, and Bonito Flakes in a light Broth. We weren’t expecting more flavor and didn’t get it either.
* Spicy Chicken Legs were pulled off well thanks to the Spicy Soy Sauce
* Spicy Hamachi (Yellowtail) is a common Izakaya offering these days. We liked the Joy Mart style of thin pieces of fish with Jalapeño slices in a Yuzu Ponzu Sauce
* Rainbow Roll with a little bit for everyone: Tuna, Yellowtail, Salmon, and Avocado on a Crab Roll. It’s a classic for a reason.
* Grilled Black Cod that’s been marinated in a Saikyo Miso (Sweet White Miso) Sauce. Not bad. Not bad at all.
It was little to chilly to be outside, but we enjoyed it nonetheless. Service was typical with nothing to complain or rave about except a little slowness to get our check. Parking is the same as for all of Little Tokyo: either street after 8:00 for free, metered parking before 8:00, or one of the lots/​structures.
At 3-​stars, Joy Mart is good enough for a return visit when I’m in the area. I wouldn’t plan my day around it or anything, however, when you want some drinks and Izakaya food in a relaxed atmosphere in Little Tokyo then Joy Mart is a good choice.

After 30 mins I felt my stomach do the mad rumble and had to run to the bathroom and drop bomb! Sorry but just keepin it real.
Suspect: Spicy Tuna that was mushed into paste on Spicy Tuna Salad
Concept is cool: Choose any 2 or 3 items on th menu for $ 8.95 or $ 10.95. All meals come with FREE miso and salad.
This spot is very IPF (Indecisive People Friendly) because of the variety to choose from like sushi rolls, salads, teriyaki, ramen, udon, fried rice… All very fast food-​ish.
Not that I’m a food snob but I graduated culinary school and know what simple mistakes restaurants make that could easily be avoided like drying your greens before tossing and serving it (I ended up eating lettuce soaked in water *ewww). I just love GOOD FOOD not FOOD THAT MAKES YOU SICK.
Sorry but I will not be back.
I tried, I really did.

This review is long overdue. If I had an android/​iPhone, I’d be the Duchess or whatever of this place. I come here Monday through Friday, around 12PM to 2PM. Why? Because I work at the Federal Court down the street. This place has been established as «Three Bowls» at work and my coworker and I come here every day for lunch. Literally, every single day.
So my review, although very legit due to the many times I’ve been here and not just one dining experience, is based only on the lunch special they have on weekdays.
I’ve tried almost the whole lunch special menu but I am not going to review everything, because that will take too long. So here is my usual.
Albacore/​beef sashimi: It is fresh. Sometimes, when way too many people order it, they will give you super thin slices, but I only received this a handful of times. It’s not often, don’t worry. At most times, it’s a good chunk of meat/​fish.
Volcano bowl: YOU. MUST. ORDER. THIS. If you do not order it, your meal won’t be incredible. This is what I come for. Order it and ask for spicy mayo. Eat it with the spicy mayo. You can thank me after :).
The lunch special comes with miso soup and a salad. You can choose any 2 items on there for $ 8.95 or 3 items for $ 10.95. Pretty decent pricing for the food you get. The menu includes sashimi, the simple sushi rolls, some noodle soup, and lots of rice bowls (thus, getting the name 3 bowls for you being able to order 3 bowls). Lunch ends at 2PM, so don’t be late!

This place has basic Japanese fare, but nothing that stood out. I was disappointed that they did not have sushi a la cart. There were a few rolls to select from — most included spicy sauce, so if you’re not in the mood for that you only have one or two rolls to choose from. The rolls were plain and unimaginative and the dragon roll I had tasted like it came from one of the grocery store sushi kiosks. The eel was limp, not firm, and the shrimp tempura was more soggy than crisp.
They do offer a side of sashimi, but it is only available with a lunch special order. I asked if I could get it with my roll and was told that it was offered at a special price with the lunch special. When I offered to take it at a regular price I was told that I couldn’t have it without ordering a lunch special, which was very disappointing and poor customer service.
Not someplace I would revisit or recommend.

After a visit to the Geffen we were looking for a great Japanese place saying as how we were in Little Tokyo. After a quick walk down 2^nd St and through the Plaza, we ended up at Joy Mart.
The menu has your typical Japanese cuisine; sashimi, sushi rolls, teriyaki, noodle bowls, etc. They also have a special section that gives you a choice of two or three different dishes.
I love, absolutely love sushi so I was trying to stay focused on the sushi portions of the menu. After finally looking over the entire menu I decided to get two dishes from the special menu. I got the spicy tuna roll and veggie spring rolls.
The tuna rolls were great but were served a bit warmer than I would have liked. I think (and probably a lot of people would agree) sushi is best when served frigid cold as if it just came off the ice. The rolls were good, but didn’t stand out as anything over-​the-​top. The veggie rolls were crispy on the outside and hot on the inside. They were definitely my favorite of the two dishes. When you order off the special menu you also get a salad and bowl of miso soup to go with whatever you order. The miso soup was pretty bland. I actually only took two or three sips of it. The salad was topped with a very tasty citrus dressing.
The service here was very nice and attentive and the patio is great for people watching. While we were eating, the patio was full of European tourists so it kept the eavesdropping interesting too!

As Duke of Joy Mart, I feel obligated to write a review of this fine establishment.
I work in nearby DTLA and Joy Mart has become a regular lunch eatery for me and my coworkers. Prices are affordable and the sushi/​bowls are delicious!
It’s located in the Japanese Village Plaza and is definitely a more affordable option to the other Japanese restaurants in Little Tokyo.

A friend recommended this place. If you like Daikokuya or Orochon then you will be a little bit disappointed with the ramen here. The only good thing I like about this place is that they have a cleaner restroom. Oh, and you don’t have to wait in line.

I love this place! It’s one of my favorite places for lunch. Also they have amazing prices for their combo lunch up until 2:30pm (after 2:30 the prices aren’t bad, just not the super deal as the regular lunch special).
They have wonderful sashimi. I try to get a combo which includes sashimi every time that I go here.
The outdoor patio is great for «people watching.» A great spot to sit and enjoy a few beers on a warm afternoon (or evening).
This place also has an amazing selection of Sake!
I recommend the chilled Masumi Sake.
Also, the staff is excellent. I always get wonderful, friendly service.