Tokyo Joe's - Colo Blvd

Fun concept with super tasty food. Tried a bit of everything including some fantastic Japanese rice beer. Was definitely satisfied and will be back.

I love this place. Been coming here for years no matter who works here always great customer service. The food is always consistent. I suggest you eat outside in the summer.

This was the last stop on my tour of the fast-casual restaurants that originated in Denver. My list began with Chipotle and Quizno's and included Noodles, Mad Greens, and Good Times. And other places! People could certainly argue about which eateries should be on my list, and which shouldn't... but Tokyo Joe's is almost always included in general articles about Denver's fast-casual history.

Founder Larry Leith came up with his Japanese fast-casual concept while living in Arizona, but he came back to Colorado (and Centennial, to be exact) to open the first Tokyo Joe’s in 1996. The name is meant to show that Japanese food can appeal to the normal American consumer, the "average Joe."

Tokyo Joe's serves natural meats and mostly organic veggies, and offers house-prepared sushi made to order. Food is steamed or grilled - no frying, no microwaves. Sauces are made from scratch. Some advocates like Joe's attention to customers who are vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, or have food allergies.

I was a little overwhelmed by the menu - sushi, poke bowls, Bento boxes, more. I ordered a build-your-own bowl. Dark chicken, Udon noodles, broccoli, mushrooms, green onions, and Spicy-Aki.

Before I got to that, however, there were appetizers. I ordered the potstickers, 5 pieces of pork gyoza with "Joe's Dipping Sauce," which tasted mostly like Soy Sauce with a little something else that I couldn't identify. I found these appetizers a little less enjoyable than the potstickers offered at Noodles. They were okay. But at Noodles they have a slight crispy edge that is more pleasing, and their dipping sauce is more tangy and sweet.

I enjoyed my bowl much more. First, I was very happy that I could order dark chicken only - an option not available in similar restaurants. Also, the broccoli was quite fresh and tasty. The Spicy-Aki sauce was supposed to be very sweet and also very spicy... I didn't find it to be as strong as I'd hoped, but there was Sriracha at the table. Soy Sauce and red peppers, too.

I had the small bowl, but that was quite filling. There were a lot of noodles, they were perhaps slightly overcooked. On the whole, though, my bowl was tasty.

Some points of interest: there's a carefully-curated iced tea bar next to the soda fountain, and sophisticated menu plan meant to support every kind of meal, from non-carbs to high-protein bowls. The chain apparently sponsors a mountain biking team. The Tokyo Joe's website has a community page, but it is a little off-putting. There are no sponsorships or community efforts other than their bike team, and there is slightly-dubious heading that reads: "We strongly believe in supporting those who support us." That's not as magnanimous as I might have expected, but perhaps it is simply realistic.

One aspect that made me cringe is the Tokyo Joe's Addict Club - their rewards program. I like to think that I have an open-mind, and an open-minded approach to humor, but I can't escape the negative (and tragic) implications of addiction. In fact, the Tokyo Joe's Addict Club was in the news, and not in a good way. Go to the Denver Post and search for "Tokyo Joe’s Apologizes." They should change the name.

There are more positive articles on Joe's. Try "Tokyo Joe's is Trending" at In Good Taste Denver (from 2016, but still applicable). Westword memorably describes the chain this way: "In an atmosphere that's feng shui meets skateboard park, everyone feels welcome -- and leaves feeling well fed."

P.S. I received a nice note from Tokyo Joe’s after posting the above review. They informed me that their “community efforts include working with the Bags of Fun and Love Pup. We donate to these organization through the sales of our Do Good Roll.” That’s nice!

Tried to order online and got an error saying our order couldn’t be processed. Decided to just head in and order to go. Our order was perfect and delicious. Later we checked our email to see that we had been charged for the online order. Called the store and they were helpful and understanding.

This Tokyo Joes is the best. Matt and his crew run a great shop. Every time I am here their crew treats me like a good friend.
A few pro tips for you: Monday’s after 4pm the sushi is buy one get one free. Make Monday your sushi day. I recommend the Poke roll for sure.
Tip #2: Get a membership card, you can get free meals just by eating good food regularly.
Tip #3: Tip the staff, they work hard and deserve it, plus you will feel good afterwards.