Joe's Pizza (of Santa Monica!)...bridging the gap between New York and LA for pizza!

111 Broadway (at Ocean Ave.)
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310)395-9222
Sun-Thurs 10AM-Midnight
Fri-Sat 10AM-3AM
CASH ONLY!

Joe's Pizza. Joe's. Pizza. A hole has been filled in me that I longed for ever since I moved out here.

After much buzz about Joe's Pizza (famous of Carmine and Bleecker in New York and just famous of New York period) and a bit of delay, are finally open in a great little spot in Santa Monica right by the ocean. Let me explain a little bit to the people of LA. Joe's to many in NY is the standard by which many New Yorkers set there level of quality for pizza. And while New York has many amazing pizza places Joe's really does have a certain something that you can't quite put into words. You can go anywhere in NY and get a great hot dog from any vendor and you can go just about anywhere in NY and get a great if not VERY decent slice of pizza but there is still one Joe's pizza.

Finding out the rumors were indeed true that they opened yesterday, I HAD to head on down there. Now let me explain, I'm in a play currently and was finishing up at 11 last night at Santa Monica and Vine and was compelled to go down there. That's what kind of hold Joe's has on me. I was past Mid City in the middle of the city, far from the 10, and headed all the way over to the ocean at midnight to grab a slice of this man's pizza. Upon arrival I see a super simple store front where they make pizza and that's obviously the main concern. A couple of tables with stools and that's about it but that's really all you need. Joe was telling me that earlier that day the place was a madhouse! Luckily for me, we went late, and LA people seem generally resigned to the fact that there isn't much nightlife out here unless you're clubbing or getting wasted some where. So this new location, while they still had customers popping in, was way more under control.

THE CHEESE!

THE PEPPERONI!

Citysearch was on-hand while we were there to "paparazzi" Joe in action

Stunning results!

In life, you hope that you find what you love doing and are able to make money doing it. Joe seems to be one of those fortunate of people of whom it's plain to see that he loves making people pizza, and feels a great satisfaction from making people happy with his craft. It's people like him that you want to be around when it comes to food.


So how's the pizza? Some of the best I myself have had the experience of tasting. Now I won't claim that this will be the best for you cause after all we all have differences of opinions when it comes to food, but I can wholeheartedly say that you'll at least like it...a lot. So many intangibles are involved from the sweetness of the sauce, to how the dough is thin and crunchy but has just the right amount of give to be able to fold. It's the consistency of the cheese and how all the ingredients interact with each other. It's the marriage of all things coming together, in the right amount of heat, where you get consistent results. Joe's Pizza has all this, not to mention the guy is just a sweet man who has got it down to a science. His pizza can only be understood by tasting it. Words fall flat when it comes to describing it.

I ordered up 2 slices, one cheese and one pepperoni and was very satisfied. And yet I was compelled to buy another slice to completely fill me up as if I was afraid Joe's wouldn't be there tomorrow. What profound pizza this is for me. Top it all off with the fact that they have bottled Coke and you have a meal that could become as popular in Santa Monica as In N Out and Fat Burger are in other places.

Oh, and did I mention the price? Try $2.50 for a slice. I think the idea is that he knows he can sell his pizza at such a great price because if you keep it at a price people can afford, they'll be more apt to come on back...with friends. So yeah he may lose a little at first on projected figures, but in the long run he's got you hooked. Sure it's worth more than that. At other places they they do in fact charge more, but it's hard to rationalize pricey pizza at anytime, because most people know what goes into making one.

As I pause and reflect on what we like and don't like, as people who just love food...and in the end isn't that what it should all be about? Just about what you like. Pizza is one of those things which should be based only on what you like, and not it's state of origin. But Joe, you make a mean pizza that is as New York as all 5 boroughs. But more importantly, you make a pizza that fits my idea of what great pizza tastes like. I welcome you with open arms and hope you never leave LA!

PS. They DELIVER! And here's the menu for download.

Free Refills: No
Entree Price Range: $2.50 to $2.75 a slice and pies range from $17 to $20