Stopped by Joss Café and Sushi Bar to give it a try. It's a nice, casual spot with friendly service and a solid menu. The atmosphere is relaxed, and everything came out quickly, which I appreciated. That said, the sushi itself was just okay. It was fresh and nicely presented, but nothing really stood out or felt special compared to other sushi places in the area. The rolls were decent, just not super memorable flavor-wise. Overall, it's a good place for a casual meal or quick sushi fix, but probably not where I'd go for a top-tier sushi experience. read more

Joss Cafe & Sushi Bar - Sushi Bars Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

A friend of mine and I stopped in while en route to the Eastern Shore. Despite visiting Annapolis many times, I never knew about this place but my friend had been. It was excellent! We way over-ordered for lunch but it was all fresh and delicious. I would definitely come back! read more

Love the sushi here! It's honestly my favorite and the spring rolls are divine!!! Love having sushi and wine outside when it's nice out! read more

Joss Cafe & Sushi Bar - Sushi Bars Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

Visited from out of town and ate here twice. The fish is high quality and the flavor combinations are great. Some of the best seaweed salad I've ever had which seems weird to say. But it was great. I will say the execution and presentation is not the best. No attempt at any artistry and frankly the rolls are kind of sloppy. But I'd rather have delicious food vs art. Service was great and the vibe is cute. read more

Located on a quaint Main Street of Annapolis towards the end is this very cool and hip Sushi Bar that is not only innovative with its menu, but with its indoors, as well. If you are looking for fresh and creative sushi and drinks, then Joss Cafe is the place for you. Ambience: Not too small and not big enough to sit a family or for you to come and sit on your own. As soon as you walk in they announce a Japanese welcome phrase that makes you smile. They inquire about how many people you have in your party and ask if you want to be seated. I chose a window seat so that I can work and eat while people watching. The seat at the window bar is large enough to fit a laptop and seat five people. There are menus for both food and drinks on your table or the bar and the staff come often to share what it on the menu and recommendations for your experience. You are not overwhelmed with staff hovering, yet if you request their assistance they are available. The table tops seat 4-6 and they are far enough apart that you do not feel like you are sitting directly next to a person. The sushi bar is traditional in the fact that you can see your sushi or sashimi being made to order. Food: Wow! I have a new place to not only work, enjoy your friends but experience great sushi. It is hard to find fresh and authentic sushi. So when I find a place I remain a loyal customer. I had edamame which had salt flakes and you get a large portion in a hold/discard black dish. The dishes are a cool black that mirror the design and aesthetics of the Japanese flair. I had a summer special recommended by my waiter, Chris (shoutout super cool and very knowledgeable) which was a watermelon mojito. I am not a big mojito fan due to the mint, yet Chris's recommendation was great because the drink reminded me of Miami (known for their mojitos). The drink was not overwhelming with the watermelon and because Chris was aware that I didn't care for mint, they made the drink with less and it was truly phenomenal!!! I also had deep fried pork goyza which was amazing. It was crunchy on the outside and the pork and veggies on the inside were very flavorful. They serve it with a hot sauce/vinigar mix which was amazing and a great condiment. The Redskin sushi role was one of the best roles I have had and that is full truth! It had super fresh tuna on the top with a spicy sauce and crunch. The rice and seaweed was fresh and the presentation was beyond innovative serving it on a wooden small table. Overall: If you love sushi, a vibe, great service, knowledgeable staff and great innovative drinks then you MUST go to Joss Cafe & Sushi Bar. Prices are great and the food is greater. Really true review and no filter. 10/10 in Maryland. read more

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Reasonably priced! Great place if you are looking for rolls. They also have non sushi options on the menu! Place gets kinda busy so service can be a little slow but it's all around a great experience! read more

Joss Cafe & Sushi Bar - Sushi Bars Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

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Very good sushi - flavor, freshness, preparation! Look for specials, but enjoy classic faves. Informed servers and pleasant atmosphere are welcoming, though parking on Main Street Annapolis is usually at least a short walk from the restaurant. read more

Sushi, especially the sashimi, is amazing. My family comes here often and is our favorite sushi in Annapolis. Very unassuming location, it looks small from the outside but is quite large once you enter. They also have an outdoor space. Unfortunately you have to enter inside before going to the outside space so it's not dog-friendly. Service is great and would recommend! read more

Joss Cafe & Sushi Bar - Sushi Assortment - Sushi Bars Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

Absolute best maki I've ever had hands down We came for lunch and got the (2) salmon avocado rolls, (2) salmon maki, and (1) salmon nigiri. I kept thinking we were going to spend way too much on sushi but it was so cheap! The salmon maki was the best maki I've ever had. It was slightly salty which really brought out the flavor. I will 100% come here again next time I'm in Annapolis. read more

Joss Cafe & Sushi Bar - Salmon avocado roll and salmon maki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

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Cool atmosphere, gives Japan vibes. They really have an open area where you can see chefs prepare the food. My only complaint is they put way to much rich in their rolls. The rice to fish ratio is disproportionate! read more

Every visit to Joss has been a delight. My acid test for good sushi is the Ikura, and they have always delivered fresh Ikua with eggs that pop in the mouth most deliciously. The bad restaurants in Annapolis area are legion so it's so nice to have a few like Joss that delight. read more

The sushi is very good. Nigiri is tough to beat. Thick big pieces. The Rolls were very good also. Love the ambiance. Lighting was perfect and tables spread out so they're not too close. Servers are nice, helpful, and very attentive. Thank you for a great meal. read more

Joss Cafe & Sushi Bar - Top Tuna, Salmon, and Yellowtail NIGIRI. LEFT is basic Tuna & Salmon roll. Chesapeake Roll, Dynamite Roll, & Chilean Sunset Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

Favorite sushi spot in Maryland! The sushi rice is consistently perfect and the fish is always fresh. The "creamy spicy" (spicy mayo) sauce is so iconic they sell it bottled. Faves are the crunchy ebi, tuna avocado, unagi, toro, and Saki (I ask for it torched). read more

Joss Cafe & Sushi Bar - Sushi Bars Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

I came here once a year ago when I was in town for a conference and it was so good that I came back with my husband on vacation. It was even better the last time! The salmon don bowl was the highlight item for us! read more

I absolutely love this spot! Great sushi, reasonable prices and calming atmosphere. Servers are great here, but always love getting Matt. read more

Joss Cafe & Sushi Bar - This had a Crab & Roe, Crunchy Ebi and I don't remember what the other two were. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

We were a party of 6 and had a great meal as the sushi and sashimi was fresh and delicious. The service was friendly and efficient. The place is a bit noisy when crowded. read more

I'm always amazed at how a place can have mediocre reviews and yet retain customers time and time again. My wife and I came because we received a gift card to Joss's and we love sushi so we of course wanted to try it out. It's located in Annapolis so that is a plus especially with it being in the downtown area. The cons: The octopus dish Takoyaki is very mushy, over sauced, with just a tiny piece of octopus. It says it is deep fried but there is absolutely no crunch to this dish. 2 stars Pork gyoza pan fried was decent another dish though that had way too much sauce the gyoza was drowning in it. 3 Stars I had three rolls two were blah and only really ate them because I was hungry but they were I think a New York and one was a California type with roe the dragon roll was decent. The MENUS are three different menus which is just too much simplify it! Service was good once we got our waitress. I would not go back unless someone else was paying. read more

Great menu and service just a wonderful spot and amazing sushi for our Anniversary. Great suggestion from a new acquaintance was well worth the visit for a wide ranging choice of options. Each serving was better than the last read more

This sushi was so fresh and had such a wide variety at an affordable price. While we did have to wait awhile since they don't take reservations, the service was quick. The actual restaurant is in a great location in downtown Annapolis and the restaurant decor and vibe is great. read more

Joss Cafe & Sushi Bar - Sushi boat - Sushi Bars Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

UPDATE 6/8/2024 I received an email from management letting me know they have spoken to BOTH servers involved in this situation. I'm still appalled that these servers felt so entitled to message and harass someone just because she didn't realize her tip from my friend was on MY check. If the staff from Joss feel they aren't being paid "a living wage" perhaps Joss should either look into paying their staff more, or these servers should look for work elsewhere. Nevertheless, I'm truly thankful that Joss took this situation seriously, and handled it appropriately. read more

Joss Cafe & Sushi Bar - Sushi Bars Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

Went here last night with my cousins, mom and husband for late dinner but got seated right away (around 845pm). Yes it's a bit pricey but we got what we paid for. 100% satisfied and will be returning! Our server was great, attentive and thoughtful, making sure we always had what we needed without being prompted. We ordered a variety of nigiri, one roll, tonkatsu shoyu ramen. My cousins got tempura and the tofu and my mom got the Chilean salad. Drink orders included: Diet Coke, green tea, glass of sauv blanc wine and 2 edo old fashioneds. Food didn't take too long to come out and the food was finished quick! The fish:rice ratio was perfect and the fish cuts and taste were magnificent. Our sushi craving has been fulfilled. My cousins and mom had eaten there before and recommended it. My mom loved the salad so much the first time that she ordered it again. The ramen was a little salty for my taste but still tasty and edible. This restaurant is good for couples or crowds, lots of seating at the bar and restaurant. Happy to find a good sushi spot in Annapolis! If you're willing to pay, it's worth it! read more

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Just saw the reviews for this place and nearly fell over in my chair. Joss IS THE BEST RESTAURANT ON PLANET EARTH. Sounds dramatic but it is. There is absolutely no better sushi I've ever had in my life and I travel a LOT. Joss' food is unmatched. The vibes in this place are everything and it's so cozy. The staff make you feel like family. There's nothing bad to be said about out this place besides it being so popular you may have to wait sometimes. WORTH IT. Joss is absolutely everything. read more

Great little spot in downtown Annapolis. Service was fast, the sushi tasted super fresh, and the prices seemed comparable to similar sushi spots of equal quality read more

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Joss is the go to sushi bar in DTA. Sushi here is always fast and fresh. Service is always fast since they churn people in and out all day. Inside is always busy so if you're looking for a quiet outing, pick a not so busy time. read more

Joss Cafe & Sushi Bar - Redskin, spicy tuna, shrimp tempura, spicy salmon rolls - Sushi Bars Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

I was pretty disappointed by the food here. I was craving Japanese food and sushi while in Annapolis and decided to try this place. The Yuzu saketini was sweet and refreshing, which was probably my favorite thing I had here. The pork ramen was very bland and didn't have any flavor. The shrimp tempura roll I had was also bland. The gyoza was just ok. If you don't usually go to sushi/ramen restaurants I guess I can see how you might think the food here is decent, but compared to other Japanese restaurants I've been to, this place was not nearly as good. However, the server was friendly and the place had a fun, casual atmosphere. read more

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Had drinks and good at joss last week. The cosmo cocktail was excellent! Seaweed salad was the best I have ever had. Had 3 sushi rolls. All were good...., fewer pieces, but good amount of fish. I would recommend this place for sushi and drinks. read more

The sushi is really fresh, service was great, and they have plenty of delicious cocktail options. We were able to have a great time for a reasonable price with our large party. I'll definitely be back in the future! read more

This place is in the heart of downtown Annapolis and is a great to visit if you love sushi. They have alot of different rolls my favorite is the japeleno popper roll but they have some many options and other options if you aren't into sushi. The service was great and this is great place to have a date, the restaurant has a great vibe. It does get busy on the weekends so definitely do a reservation but if not it's about a 20-30 minute wait. read more

Came in with friends last night for dinner. They told us it'd be about 15 min wait so we grabbed a drink at the bar. Our table was ready quick so we brought our drinks to the table . There were a lot of gin cocktails on the menu which is a plus for me! Drinks were good. For dinner we shared tempura veggies/shrimp, edamame and three rolls. Everything was great. Salmon avocado is my comfort roll and it was delicious! Rainbow roll was good too and the fish was fresh. The third roll was some kind of eel/cucmber maybe egg too? It was tasty! We all enjoyed and thought it was very reasonably priced read more

Best Sushi in Downtown Annapolis. I've been going to Joss since I was kid, all my birthday and celebration dinners have been here so it has a certain sentimental touch that makes it so special to me. I recently was just there for my birthday funny enough and it was better than I remembered. We started with the steamed pork gyoza, something about getting them steamed leaves them being so soft and tender. The chili vinaigrette that comes with it is beyond words, I usually keep it to dip some simpler rolls in. My table opted for quite a bit of food. My sister got the noodles with chicken, such an underrated banger. Chicken is juicy and the sauce is peanut butter based and topped with bok choy. For rolls the table did a California roll with crabmeat and roe ( a classic, I recommend ), avocado roll, Chesapeake roll ( one of my personal favorites, it is large so beware ), garlic scallop roll (yum), spicy scallop roll ( can never go wrong with this ), and a tuna avocado roll. The service is always great here and the ambiance is great for dates or just catching up. They don't take reservations so keep that in mind. If you're ever in Annapolis and craving sushi, you gotta check this place out. read more

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The service was great! And I love the location! You can people watch in Annapolis! Annapolis is my favorite city, so I definitely plan on making it back here. I enjoyed the sushi, and the service was really good! read more

The sushi here is great! However, it's very disappointing they don't have high chairs for infants or toddlers. Had we know that we'd likely eaten at another location on Main Street. The service was mediocre, we had to keep asking for refills and the waitress came to the table twice. The restaurant wasn't busy and had multiple staff members. We've been to other sushi places and had a welcoming and friendly environment with our children. This restaurant almost seemed like they didn't want children in the restaurant at all. read more

10/10 experience Colleen was a wonderful waitress who took the time to explain the menu, inform us on specials and gave recommendations. It was our first time so we were new to their menu. I tried their raspberry lemon spritzer mocktail drink which was refreshing but a bit sour I won't lie; still yummy. My friend & I started with the miso soup and split the cucumber sesame salad. Miso soup had great chunks of tofu and a warm brother. The salad was light and refreshing. Now to the sushi rolls... oh my god amazing!!!!! My friend & I split the cucumber roll, dynamite roll, spicy scallop roll, toro jalapeño roll and maguro sashimi (as pictured) so filling and delicious. My favorite was definitely the spicy scallop roll!!! We sat by the window and it was nice spot to people watch and enjoy a good lunch. Wasn't too busy and service was fast. read more

Joss Cafe & Sushi Bar - Sushi Bars Near Me - Annapolis, Maryland

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My husband and I were both impressed with our first time visit to Joss Cage & Sushi Bar. We decided to try it after hearing glowing reviews from your friends who frequent the restaurant. So glad we listened. We had sushi, our waitress was lovely and extremely knowledgeable and capable of answering all of our questions about the menu. Various members of the waitress staff greeted us warmly as we entered the restaurant it really set the tone for a most pleasant experience. The sushi was delicious I highly recommend the Chilean Sea-bass miso soup. Adding Joss to my restaurant rotation. read more

Ok SO I dont know why this place has such a low review because WOWWWWWWW! What do we do when we are waiting for our car to be serviced? Eat, of course! After leaving our cute cafe book store, we came here for a quick bite. We ordered miso soup, pork gyoza and shrimp shumai (steamed), fatty tuna sashimi (toro) and the chilean sea bass roll (name on menu forgotten). The gyoza and shumai were perfectly cooked-tender but not mushy. The miso soup was one of thee best I've ever had (scallions with a perfect crunch and smaller bites of tofu). The stars were the fatty tuna sashimi and the chilean sea bass roll. Normally I'm not a fan of tuna but decided to give it a go and so glad I did. It was chilled but not cold and an excellent grade of tuna. My favorite was the chilean sea bass - I mean wow especially the well cooked sushi rice and the habanero roe sauce was a delightful kick. Imma definitely come back to this spot, without hesitation. read more

Best Sushi!!! I grew up in Hawai'i and this place reminds me of home. Food is fresh and delicious. Staff is friendly and welcoming. Owner cares! Go! You won't regret it. read more

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My friend and I came here for lunch, and was not disappointed. I honestly think, as stated before, some of these reviews should be higher. The location is very low key, so low key I did not realize outside dining was available. It was so discreet lol, but seriously - this spot is cute. I've personally been on a ramen wave for nearly a year now, checking out new and almost any spot, and I would return here again. The staff was very quick at seating us and providing recommendations off the menu. The only thing I was not expecting per say, was the fried dumplings to look how they did *see pictured*. Not that anything was bad about it, it was just different. The only takeaway I have, other than knowing that I would return, is that they do charge you for sides - and I mean sides of sauces, such as spicy mayo & chili oil (ranging from $1-2), which I think is a little... unnecessary. But nonetheless, sauce-less - 4 out of 5. read more

The ratings should be higher for this place. The sushi was fresh and the service was great. We enjoyed basic sushi like tuna, yellowtail that was exceptional and salmon that had great flavor. The roll I would recommend is the Toro Jalapeño. All in all a good sushi dinner for two. read more

This is by far the silliest reason I've ever had for docking a star on a review but it's only as silly as the business itself. I love this place! The food is amazing. Getting the sushi boat when you order enough rolls with a group is a vibe. The wait is reasonable and they are great at notifying when a table is ready. The bar when you walk in is a great way to relax while you wait for a table. Overall, my favorite sushi spot in annapolis. The only thing that is weird about this place is the bathrooms. They have 3 bathrooms. 1 in a very convenient location and 2 that are a long walk around, up a flight of steps, and tucked away in a strange location. They are all locking single occupant restrooms. The part that makes it confusing is the gendered signs. There is only one restroom that's convenient and it's labeled as Women's. Both men and women use it because the other restrooms are very hidden and non obvious. Then, for the restrooms tucked away, people ignore those gendered signs as well. I see a woman come out of the men's restroom and then a man come out of the women's restroom. I honestly don't have a problem with it, it's just a bathroom. It's just funny to see everyone's awkward faces because it feels weird to use the wrong stall but also feels incredibly silly to stand waiting for a bathroom while one sits empty just because of a gender sign. Simplify the restrooms. Purchase some generic gender neutral bathroom signs and just make them all the same. It will have zero change to behavior since that's how people are using them anyway, it will only work to make people more comfortable. read more

Tried to order something delicious that we ROUTINELY order and the General Manager was not willing and said her staff "shouldn't be doing that." I did not even get an apology that they have been letting me order this way for years... It was as simple as adding rice to sushi. Very disapointed in her phone prescence and attitude. We are long time customers and I even had my birthday event there this past April (because Joss is the best sushi around!). We will not be going back. I am so disappointed in the customer service. I would've easily paid for the changes we were requesting too, and she was plain rude and not accomodating. Such a bummer. Based on this experience, I really do not recommend this establishment if you ever have special requests, allergies, etc. read more