Joss
195 Main St.
Annapolis, MD 21401
410-263-4688
Neighborhood: Annapolis
Cuisines: Sushi, Japanese
Opening Hours:
Open for lunch Monday through Friday 11:30 to 2:30. Open for dinner Monday through Thursday 5:30 to 10; Friday 5:30 to 11; Saturday noon to 11; Sunday 4 to 10.
Price Range: Moderate
Dress: Informal
Noise Level: Intimate
Reservations: Recommended
Website: http://www.josscafe-sushibar.com/
Best Dishes:
A black iron pot of miso brimming with soft poached salmon and slices of carrot and onion, a soothing meal by itself; a jellyfish maki, full of crunchy, spicy threads of fish; terrific sashimi of yellowtail, white tuna, and scallop; well-stocked, interest
Price Details:
Entrees, $9.95 to $25.
THE SCENE. This bustling, intimate sushi restaurant on Annapolis's Main Street taps into a broad cross-section of the city's society: burnished, sweater-wrapped sailors, lobbyists on break from the nearby statehouse, and razored, well-tailored Navy personnel, many of them regulars (check out their Polaroids on the walls) drawn by the consistently fresh fish and frequent specials.
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE. From the hearty cheer "Irasshai!" that greets you as you slip through the curtain in the doorway to the friendly, energetic service to the hum of excitement in the dining room at peak hours, the place radiates warmth and charm. The sushi is well-cut, prettily presented, and almost always firm, cool, and slippery.
WHAT YOU WON'T. If you're seated in the larger back room, you might wonder where the atmosphere went. And the same kitchen that can soar with complicated, exotic dishes can stumble on the simple stuff, like a salmon or tuna nigiri.