JoJu: Modern Vietnamese Flavors on the Upper East Side

JoJu Introduce

For anyone in New York City seeking a culinary adventure that is both familiar and exciting, JoJu is a must-visit destination. Located on the Upper East Side, this Vietnamese restaurant has quickly become a local favorite by putting a modern spin on classic Vietnamese sandwiches and dishes. JoJu offers a delightful and unique dining experience, combining traditional flavors with creative twists that are sure to captivate your palate. The atmosphere is casual and inviting, making it an ideal spot for a quick and delicious meal during a busy day in the city.

JoJu is particularly celebrated for its take on the Banh Mi, the iconic Vietnamese sandwich. But this isn't just any Banh Mi—JoJu's sandwiches are known for their expertly toasted bread and unique flavor combinations, such as the wildly popular Caramel Pork. The restaurant's menu also extends beyond sandwiches to include savory rice bowls, crispy fries, and refreshing Vietnamese iced coffee. It’s a place that focuses on high-quality ingredients and impressive execution, earning praise from both seasoned foodies and those new to Vietnamese cuisine. The efficiency of the service, from the moment you place your order to when you receive your food, is a key part of the JoJu experience, making it perfect for a solo dining adventure or a lunch break.

The success of JoJu is built on its ability to offer comforting, flavorful food that is also a departure from the ordinary. The menu is packed with options that are both "healthy" and "comfort food," providing a balance that appeals to a wide audience. Its modern and fresh approach has garnered a loyal following, and the restaurant’s presence on the Upper East Side is a welcome addition to the neighborhood’s diverse food scene. Whether you're a local who has been "eyeing it every time you leave the subway" or a tourist looking for an authentic and memorable meal, JoJu promises to deliver a truly satisfying experience.

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### Location and Accessibility

JoJu is conveniently located at 1603 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10028. Situated in a lively part of the Upper East Side, the restaurant is easily accessible by public transportation. It is a short walk from several subway stations, including the 86th Street station (Q, 4, 5, 6 lines), making it a great destination for anyone in Manhattan. For those who prefer to drive, there is paid street parking available in the vicinity, though as with any NYC location, it's wise to plan ahead.

The establishment's layout is well-suited for its quick, casual dining concept. While it is a smaller shop, its focus on efficiency ensures a smooth experience, especially for those who order to go. The restaurant offers a limited number of seats for dine-in customers who prefer to enjoy their meal on-site. The location is an excellent starting point or a pit stop for a day spent exploring the neighborhood or nearby Central Park, making it a very convenient choice for a delicious and quick lunch.

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### Services Offered

JoJu is built to provide maximum convenience, offering a variety of service options to cater to a modern, busy crowd. Its service model is streamlined to be efficient, ensuring you get your food quickly. Here are the services available:

Dine-in: You can enjoy your meal at the small seating area available inside the restaurant.
Takeout: For those on the go, the takeout service is very popular and highly efficient.
Delivery: JoJu offers both traditional delivery and no-contact delivery, providing a convenient way to get your food brought directly to you.
Curbside Pickup: This service offers an extra layer of convenience, allowing you to pick up your order without having to go inside the store.

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### Features and Highlights

JoJu’s unique take on Vietnamese cuisine and its commitment to quality make it stand out. Here are some of the key features that contribute to its popularity and fantastic reputation:

Modern Take on Vietnamese Cuisine: JoJu offers a contemporary approach to classic dishes, with unique flavor combinations and high-quality ingredients that set it apart from traditional restaurants.
The "Spicy Green Sauce": A highlight for many customers is this special sauce, which is described as "incredible" and highly addictive, adding a distinctive and delicious kick to any dish.
Double-Fried Fries: The fries are a standout item on the menu. They are praised for being "impressively crispy" and are available in various loaded versions, such as the (JoJu) Banh Mi Fries and Loaded Kimchi Fries.
Unique Banh Mi Creations: While the classic Banh Mi is on the menu, the more adventurous options like the Caramel Pork Banh Mi and Beef Bulgogi Banh Mi are what many customers come back for.
Quick Bites and Healthy Options: The menu successfully balances quick-service comfort food with healthier choices, such as the rice bowls and vegetarian Banh Mi options.

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### Contact Information

For more information or to place an order, you can contact JoJu using the details below:

Address: 1603 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10028

Phone: (646) 799-9475

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### What is worth choosing

At JoJu, the menu is filled with tempting options, but a few items consistently receive high praise from customers. The Caramel Pork Banh Mi is a definite must-try. Its sweet and savory pork, glazed with a unique caramel sauce, creates an unforgettable flavor profile that pairs perfectly with the fresh cucumber and pickled carrots. One reviewer noted that this "weird" combination was "delicious in the most delicious way possible." The bread, described as "toasted really well," provides the perfect foundation for the generous fillings.

Another item that consistently wows customers is the fries. The (JoJu) Banh Mi Fries and Loaded Kimchi Fries are particularly popular. The fries are double-fried, which gives them an incredible crunch that customers love. Topped with a variety of delicious ingredients from the sandwiches, these fries can easily stand alone as a satisfying meal. The portion sizes are generous, with one reviewer suggesting they could be a full meal on their own.

Beyond the food, the drinks are also worth a try. The Vietnamese Iced Coffee and Thai Iced Tea are both excellent choices for a refreshing and authentic beverage to complement your meal. These drinks provide a perfect balance to the rich flavors of the food. JoJu offers a well-rounded culinary experience that is both modern and rooted in classic flavors, making it a great destination for a quick and satisfying meal on the Upper East Side. Its ability to turn a simple concept into something special is what makes it a standout choice in the city’s vibrant food scene.

JoJu Menu

Spring Rolls
Crunchy Monster Spring Rolls $9.95
2 rolls of 8 inch fried spring roll filled with ground pork and vegetables, wrapper made of wheat. ***Please notify a staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
Vegetable Egg Rolls $9.95
3 rolls of fried vegetable spring rolls, wrapper made of wheat. ***Please notify a staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.

Sandwiches
#5 Caramel Pork Banh Mi $13.95
Sweet & savory pork glazed with Vietnamese Caramel sauce. Sandwich comes on toasted baguette, with mayonnaise, cucumber, pickled daikon & carrots, and cilantro. ***Please notify staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
#10 "Hot Chick" Banh Mi $16.95
grilled lemongrass chicken loaded with mild kimchi & spicy mayo spread. Sandwich comes on toasted baguette, with mayonnaise, cucumber, pickled daikon & carrots, and cilantro. ***Please notify staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
#9 The "(JoJu) Monster" Banh Mi $17.45
JoJu's signature sandwich. Traditional Vietnamese ham & headcheese, pork pate, traditional pork sausage meat, and a runny fried egg. Sandwich comes on toasted baguette, with mayonnaise, cucumber, pickled daikon & carrots, and cilantro. ***Please notify staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies
#4 Beef Bulgogi Banh Mi $16.95
Korean-style thinly sliced rib-eye beef with a hint of mild kimchi. Sandwich come with toasted baguette, mayonnaise, cucumber, pickled daikon & carrots, cilantro.***Please notify a staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
#8 The "(JoJu)" Banh Mi $15.95
Traditional Vietnamese ham & headcheese, pork pate, & traditional Vietnamese pork sausage meat. Sandwich comes on toasted baguette, with mayonnaise, cucumber, pickled daikon & carrots, and cilantro. ***Please notify staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
#3 BBQ Pork Banh Mi $13.95
Traditional Vietnamese pork sausage meat. Sandwich comes on toasted baguette, with mayonnaise, cucumber, pickled daikon & carrots, and cilantro. ***Please notify staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
#6 Ginger Seitan Banh Mi $15.95
Seitan bites (made from Soy and Tofu) sautéed in ginger and aromatics. Sandwich come on toasted baguette with mayonnaise, cucumber, pickled daikon & carrots, and cilantro. ***Please notify a staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
#2 Lemongrass Chicken Banh Mi $15.95
24-hr marinated grilled thigh meat in lemongrass sauce. Sandwich comes on toasted baguette, with mayonnaise, cucumber, pickled daikon & carrots, and cilantro. ***Please notify staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
#11 Bulgogi "Bomb Me" Banh Mi $18.95
Korean-style thinly sliced beef bulgogi loaded with mild kimchi and a runny fried egg. Sandwich comes on toasted baguette, with mayonnaise, cucumber, pickled daikon & carrots, and cilantro. ***Please notify staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
#1 Classic Banh Mi $13.45
slices of traditional Vietnamese ham & headcheese with pork pâté spread. All sandwiches comes on toasted baguette, with mayonnaise, cucumber, pickled daikon & carrots, and cilantro. ***Please notify staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
#13 Green Eggs & Ham Banh Mi $13.95
Traditional Vietnamese ham and two fried eggs with spicy green sauce. Sandwich comes on toasted baguette, with mayonnaise, cucumber, pickled daikon & carrots, and cilantro. ***Please notify staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
#7 Vegetarian Ham(Seitan) Banh Mi $14.95
Seitan (made from soy and tofu) cold cut slices. Sandwich come with toasted baguette, mayonnaise, cucumber, pickled daikon & carrots, cilantro.* **Please notify a staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
#12 The "Sweet (JoJu)" Banh Mi $15.95
Traditional Vietnamese ham & headcheese, pork pâté spread, Vietnamese caramel pork. Sandwich comes on toasted baguette, with mayonnaise, cucumber, pickled daikon & carrots, and cilantro. ***Please notify staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.

Rice Bowls
#3B. BBQ Pork Bowl $14.95
Traditional Vietnamese pork sausage meat. Bowl comes with white rice pork house sauce, kimchi, pickled red onions, fresh cucumber, pickled daikon & carrots, fresh cilantro, and fried shallots. ***Please notify a staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
#5B. Caramel Pork Bowl $14.95
Sweet & savory pork glazed with Vietnamese Caramel sauce. Bowl comes with white rice pork house sauce, kimchi, pickled red onions, fresh cucumber, pickled daikon & carrots, fresh cilantro, and fried shallots. ***Please notify a staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
#6B. Ginger Seitan Bites Bowl $16.95
Seitan bites (made from Soy and Tofu) sautéed in ginger and aromatics. Bowl comes with white rice, pork house sauce, kimchi, pickled red onions, fresh cucumber, pickled daikon & carrots, fresh cilantro, and fried shallots. ***Please notify a staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
#2B. Lemongrass Chicken Bowl $16.95
24-hour marinated grilled thigh meat in lemongrass sauce Bowl comes with white rice pork house sauce, kimchi, pickled red onions, fresh cucumber, pickled daikon & carrots, fresh cilantro, and fried shallots. ***Please notify a staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
#1B. The "(JoJu)" Bowl $15.95
Vietnamese Caramel Pork and grilled pork sausage meat. Bowl comes with white rice, pork house sauce, kimchi, pickled red onions, fresh cucumber, pickled daikon & carrots, fresh cilantro, and fried shallots. ***Please notify a staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
#4B. Beef Bulgogi Bowl $17.95
Korean style thinly sliced rib-eye beef. bowls come with pork house sauce, kimchi, pickled red onions, fresh cucumber, pickled daikon & carrots, fresh cilantro, and fried shallots.***Please notify a staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.

Fries
Loaded Kimchi Fries $14.95
The Kimchi Fries upgraded with a runny egg and beef bulgogi! Double fried fries topped with mild spicy mayo, mild kimchi, chopped scallions, cilantro, and jalapenos. ***Please notify a staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
Kimchi Fries $10.45
Double fried fries topped with mild spicy mayo, mild kimchi, chopped scallions, cilantro, and jalapenos. ***Please notify a staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
(JoJu) Banh Mi Fries $10.45
JoJu's fried fries topped with pork house sauce, spicy mayo, spicy green sauce, pickled daikon & carrots, cilantro & jalapeños.***Please notify a staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
Loaded (JoJu) Banh Mi Fries $14.95
The (JoJu Banh Mi) Fries upgraded with a runny egg and beef bulgogi! double fried fries topped with pork house sauce, spicy mayo, spicy green sauce, pickled daikon & carrots, cilantro & jalapeños. ***Please notify a staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
Double Fried Fries $7.95
Crispy seasoned double fried fries. ***Please notify a staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.

Specialty Drinks
Bottled Water $4.00
Lemon Thai Iced Tea $7.95
Thai Tea with lemon, lightly sweetened. Topping not included. ***Please notify a staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
Thai Iced Tea $7.95
Thai Tea with dairy milk , lightly sweetened. Topping not included. ***Please notify a staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
Mojito $8.75
Iced non-alcoholic sparkling & refreshing drink with mint and lemon slices, real fruit pulp concentrate. ***Please notify a staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.
Vietnamese Iced Coffee $7.95
The ultimate jolt! Traditional Hot Vietnamese Phin filter espresso with condensed milk poured over ice. Topping not included. ***Please notify a staff if you have dietary restrictions or allergies.

JoJu Details

Service options
Curbside pickup
No-contact delivery
Delivery
Takeout
Dine-in

Popular for
Lunch
Solo dining

Accessibility
Wheelchair accessible parking lot

Offerings
Coffee
Comfort food
Healthy options
Quick bite

Dining options
Lunch

Atmosphere
Casual

Payments
Credit cards
Debit cards

Children
Good for kids

Parking
Paid street parking

JoJu Photos

JoJu Location

JoJu

New York New York County New York 2nd Avenue

1603 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10028, USA

JoJu Reviews

An average rating of ★4.8 from 89 user reviews.

sandwichbowlkimchi friesspring rollsbulgogipork banh mithai teacarrotgreen saucecaramel pork

★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1

This place has been eyeing me every time I leave the subway station and it has finally pulled me in, and I am soooo glad it did! A modern take on Vietnamese sandwiches and they are amazing.The sandwich I got was the Caramel Pork Banh Mi which was reeeeeally good. The pork is cooked in a caramel sauce which is such a unique flavor combination. I got it because it sounded weird, and it definitely was weird but in the most delicious way possible!!! Paired so well with the cucumber and I also loved the shredded carrot on top. The bread was toasted really well and I got two sauces on the side to sample with the sandwich. The spicy mayo was like any standard one so it was good, but the spicy green sauce was incredible!!! Definitely getting more of that next time.I also tried the Joju fries, which were double fried so they were sooooo crispy. Like impressively crispy I loved these SOOOOO MUCH. They were topped with all the same toppings in the sandwich so it was such a good item. The portion felt large too so I would totally come back and order just this as the meal.Got a thai tea too because why not, its as great as any thai tea is. Yum!The inside of the store was cute but I ordered my stuff to go, it traveled well for the 5-7ish minute walk before I ate. I will definitely be back to try other items because this was awesome!
April 20 · Patrick Zajac
Really amazing food! We ordered Caramel Pork Banh Mi, Beef Bulgogi Bowl, and Kimchi Fries. Fantastic flavors and it just hit the spot after walking all over NYC. I ate the bowl before taking a picture because I could not wait. It just smelled so good. The spicy mayo sauce is so addictive and the fries were crispy and delicious. It's a small shop so there may not be enough space to sit if it's busy. But I would 100% be back the next time I'm in the city.
August 03 · Thea Vijaya Kumar
Perfection ❤️ I grabbed the carmel pork banh mi and a Thai iced tea, both of which were so flavorful. A good balance of pork to veggies, though I do wish there was a touch more cilantro.
August 17 · Katie Del Angel
We were quite excited that JOJU opened a new location on Upper East Side near us. The banh mi was great - authentic flavors and very generous portions. The JOJU & the SWEET JOJU were excellent. The finely shredded and pickled carrots/veggies toppings was exceptionally. This JOJU will be a weekly visit! Cheers!
April 10 · Sweetpea Showroom
Joju’s double-fried fries are some of the best fries you’ll have. The customizable Vietnamese iced coffee also deserves high marks. The Joju rice bowl, while satisfying, skews sweet, and needs more acid and spice. Maybe because Joju is very popular with takeout and delivery, the service can seem slow. Limited seating is available with only 4 small tables.
June 07 · Augusto Paulino