Joan’s On Third: A rustic-chic, gourmet eatery and market.

Joan’s On Third

Y’all, I’ve been wanting to come to this place for the longest time. I’m a Yelper, and a Yelper addict, so I’ve come across rave reviews of this rustic-chic eatery on third street many times. This was our first visit, and it won’t be our last, they are a step above the average eatery!

Let’s talk about parking, because in LA it’s always about the parking. The parking is horrible. My husband and I had to circle the block several times, and even then we still had to park a whole block away from the establishment. I know this doesn’t sound like a big deal, but if you’re handicapped or someone in your circle is, then this is not a convenient place to park around especially when it is busy. There’s meter parking in the front and some parking in the back of the building in the alley. Honestly, I wasn’t crazy about parking in the back, it just looked too shady to me.

Joan’s On Third

On the outside this eatery looks normal, but when you step inside, it’s a whimsical bistro. Oh, also this place during its peak hours is crazy hectic…super crowded. It was all just too much with children running around, loud parents chasing after them through the cluttered walkways. We’ll try to never come back during peak hours. Even though the inside was frenzied and chaotic, when we ate outside it was surprisingly much more peaceful. So, if the weather permits, I recommend eating outside.

The entire place was decorated with Spring & Easter touches. Also, everything inside was clean and organized. Elegant food displays were sprinkled everywhere and they all looked delicious. The upscale ambiance was sealed with the relaxing, French music that was softly playing in the background. There was a large group standing behind us in line, and they were all speaking French. Seriously, it felt like we were patronizing a chic, establishment in Europe.

If we lived closer, like maybe just around the corner, then I can see us coming here a lot. If we’re ever in the area, and we’re craving a sandwich or a salad we’ll come here again. Sadly, this place wasn’t memorable enough that I would plan my day around it. You know what I’m talking about? We all have those special eateries where we dream about it all day long, a special occasion place, a cheat day splurge? Sorrowfully, this place isn’t ‘that’ kind of memorable.

Btw, of you’re on a health kick, or you’re trying to watch your calories…then this is not your place. I don’t think anything we ordered was healthy.

1.  My husband ordered the $13 Short Rib Sandwich: We loved it. It was greasy, gooey, and flavorful. The white bread was crunchy and the meat was delicious. It consists of short ribs, melted jack cheese, and caramelized onions. 

2. We ordered and shared the $11 Chinese Chicken Salad: We liked it. Is this a healthy salad? No. It’s a big portion served in a metal bowl (I didn’t like the metal bowls. Like, are we camping?) sliced pieces of fried chicken, wonton strips, rice sticks, and almonds. Since this isn’t exactly the healthiest salad, we decided to split it. I’ll order this again if we ever go back. Comfort food salad.

3. And I ordered the $12 Turkey Club: It was very, very good. Not memorable, but good. There was absolutely nothing wrong with this club, there were big slices of bacon, and it all was so fresh. A tiny little side of sweet, sliced cucumbers was also served. 

I’m surprised and disappointed that none of these orders came with gourmet chips, fries, or salads. This place isn’t cheap, you’d think that they would offer their own gourmet homemade chips or something extra. We didn’t leave hungry, but I know we would have if we didn’t order the salad on the side. 

Joan’s: Pros & Cons

PROS:

• Elegant & sophisticated interior
• European ambiance
• Upscale
• Above average experience & food
• Quality
• Chinese Chicken Salad was a good portion
• Food had good flavor
• Everything we ordered was delicious

CONS:

• Too crowded
• Horrible parking
• Hectic & Chaotic – confusing experience when ordering.
• Service could be better
• Pricey
• For the price of our meals, the sandwiches should have come with gourmet sides.
• I wanted to order a coffee and a pastry, but I couldn’t, because the pastry section was empty.

Yes, if we’re ever in the area we will come back to Joan’s. This is not a memorable place, but they are an above average establishment, and it was a satisfactory experience. To be fair, we’ve only been here once, we need to come back several more times and order a few more items to make a final decision.

Joan’s on YELP

JOAN’S ON THIRD

8350 W 3rd St

Los Angeles, CA 90048

(323) 655-2285

Have you been to Joan’s? What was your experience?

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