Joli Kobe Bakery and Cafe

Adding a couple more things that I love to get (disclaimer: I love croissants)
Sandwiches:
Almond curry chicken sandwich on croissant
Tuna sandwich on croissant
Chicken pesto sandwich panini — nice and toasty!
Sides:
potato salad
fruit (tasty but tiny portion — not a good value for the additional $)

Good place for both breakfast and lunch. Breakfast egg platter was very good and includes fresh fruit.

I quite like the food at Joli Kobe (I get the curry chicken salad), and I like the atmosphere and location.
However, the service is really subpar. Sometimes it’s a sit-​down restaurant, sometimes you order up front. Either way, the staff are displeased that you’re there. They do so little (literally just take your order and drop of the food) that I resent when I have to pay them 20% for something I usually just do myself.
The hours are also pretty inconvenient, and the prices are a bit high for what it is.
Overall, I still go back from the peerless curry chicken, but it’s by no means a lunch staple for me.

Got my sisters birthday cake here. Was a nice chocolate raspberry mouse. It was a hit with everyone at the party. Staff were very nice to give us instructions about how to store until the evening’s events. Of course, we couldnt just go in there and not have a bite of anything else so we partook some dessert bites and they. were. heavenly. Parking can be a bit of a pain here and you definitely dont want to get caught anywhere near this area during rush hour traffic, but otherwise would love to go here often.

Terrible dissapointment!!! First off, they no longer offer Ramen. Cashier had no knowledge as to if the other location offered it either. Did not seem to be knowledgable about their menu offerings, or suggestions. Tried a Jolie combo, not thrilled. Overpriced for what you get! You can make a better sandwich at home. Very Bland sandwich. Disappointed in the lunch offerings, so did not try any of their pastries or baked goods.

I live on Peachtree and have driven by this place a million times and I will keep driving by it from now on. I decided to try it this afternoon for lunch. I will never be going back. The food was ok, not great, bland and ok. But that’s not my problem with this place. The service was terrible. The hostess was very unfriendly and it appeared that we were hassling her for even stepping in the door. When I asked the cashier for half sweet/​half unsweet tea, it seemed like I had asked her to something outrageous. All of the staff I came into contact with had attitude or were very unfriendly. No one said thank you, or were courteous. This place has a nice location but the staff need an attitude check and the lackluster décor and food need a serious improvement. Thankfully, Atlanta has much nicer places to go for lunch.

the yummiest ramen!

I went there for my birthday lunch w my family and the food was decent but the service was bad. The waitress started cleaning the restaurant while we were still eating (the restaurant was not closing or anything).
She swept the floor next to us and sprayed chemical all over to clean the tables and all we smelled was the chemical. When we told her to stop, she looked offended. She came back with bucket of silverwear, sat down at the table next us and started polishing them making loud noise while we are still eating! Unprofessional and unwelcoming.

Bakeries are one of my favorite things but not this place. Management was incredible mean to my friend and the pastries I had were gross. Don’t eat somewhere with poor management, there are plenty of better reputable establishments.

I came in today around 3pm, so the kitchen was closed. :(Way too early in my opinion.
So I just end up buying the pastries. I got a raspberry and white chocolate (mini slice of cake) and also a coffee and chocolate. I also got a brulee crème and fruit danish.
EVERYTHING was soo good. I finish everything under 10 minutes. The mini cake pieces were so good, it melts in my mouth instantly. It wasn’t too sweet or too bland. The fruit danish was also really good, but the fruits could have been more fresh.
Overall, I would recommend it to my friends (already did) and would definitively come back! :)
I gave it four stars because of the hours, the kitchen should stay open longer and the restaurant as well. Why close so early?

Simple sandwich — Ordered Turkey and Swiss on baguette with NO lettuce and tomatoes. Sandwich comes out with lettuce and tomatoes. Sent it back. Comes back without lettuce and tomatoes, but they were just taken off (tomato juice and seeds still on the bread and turkey). Send back again (treated like it was my fault) and must have gone to the back of the queue because it took another ten minutes to get it. If I was the manager, I would have offered a discount — none offered, none given. Will not return

They are friendly and the food is good. They do not serve a lot of food on a plate so you end up eating light independently of what you order. I do enjoy eating there, it is quick and fresh. Just good.
Because they are a bakery and bistro, you can have good deserts but they close very very early, what is a pity. I have tried to go after work many times and they are closed.
Good choice if you want to have a soup and a sandwich or quiche with a soup and such combination types.

Convenient, casual lunch spot if you work in the midtown area. Reminds me of a slightly nicer Panera, with lots of seating and a decent variety of sandwiches, soup and salad in various combinations. I had the curry-​chicken salad sandwhich on wheatberry bread — extremely light on the mayo, you almost couldn’t even tell it was in there, which is great if you’re like me and hate the thought of mayo. It tasted much healthier and more flavorful than a lot of chicken salads I’ve tried.
The curried carrot soup was a bit on the creamy side, but a nice compliment to the sammy. Service was very quick, friendly, and attentive. And, they serve lunch until 3pm… great news if you’re stuck in the office past normal lunch hours.

Expected to order up front like other sandwich places but it’s actually a sit-​down restaurant. When we came for lunch, there weren’t many tables filled but lots of servers. Service was friendly & attentive. Food though was just ok — which is a disappointment considering we ordered their famous «Classic Almond Curry Chicken Sandwich.»
We ordered the «Joli Combo» b/​c it was the best value — includes ½ classic sandwich, side item, and cup of soup for $ 7.95. I picked the «salad w/​ginger dressing» for my side — it was ok. For soup, I got the «blue crab bisque» — which sounds better than it tasted. Both the soup & sandwich were pretty bland.
My friend & I decided we probably wouldn’t come again — not worth the far walk from work, plus not excited about having to shell out a couple more dollars to cover tip … for a sandwich. The pastries looked good though.
FYI — if you park in the garage, they will validate your tickets.

Every time I see a bakery and bistro, I start to salivate for a moist, spongy treat from the depths of a hot oven. I picture baskets of fresh-​baked goods, and glass cases of assorted salads, meats, and pre-​made deli sandwiches ready to be dished out upon request (think Morningside’s Alon’s). I have high hopes for Joli Kobe Bakery and Bistro under the keeps of new management, but there’s a few things that keep it from becoming a special addition to the Ansley Park neighborhood/​Uptown. I’m not one to write a negative review very often, but hopefully it can be taken as constructive criticism.
What’s with the name? One would think the name has a tie to Kobe, Japan and find a menu influenced with a Japanese twist. But alas, it’s a weak attempt. The so-​called bakery is underwhelming because the baked goods taste of large cellophaned quantities of Sam’s Club or the likes thereof. The bistro menu is straightforward and palatable, but it lacks a flavor that sets it apart from nearby restaurants. The only thing going for this place are the breakfast sandwiches — but that’s not hard to get right. The glass cases are practically empty, and for that matter, so are the tables.
What’s with the service? I’ve stopped by on the weekdays and the weekends — the service is a mixed bag. The weekday mornings have slow service and the counter help barely interacts with the customers. Two different Saturday mornings our waitress handed us lunch menus and had to ask the chef if they were still serving breakfast — it was well before 11:00 AM. As of this Saturday (Sept. 25) they are launching a new brunch menu to take care of this. And I’ll refrain from using the term barista after overheated milk was served as a latte. I don’t think the staff have it quite together, yet.
In summary, Joli Kobe doesn’t merit the drive, the on-​street parking meters, the available valet, or a long walk to its doors until the menu has flavor. I’ll keep you posted.

Went there today with my significant other for lunch. He ordered the Kobe Beef Trio burgers with a side pasta salad. The burgers were a bit dry and just average tasting. The pasta salad had absolutely no flavor to it.
I ordered a bowl cream of mushroom soup which had absolutely no flavor. I get much better cream of mushroom soup from Fresh to Order right down the street.
All in all I am quite disappointed in Joli Kobe. The service is good, the ambiance is decent for a café, the food is not worth it at all. If you must go just get a baguette (they make great baguettes) to-​go and save yourself the time and money.

I stopped by one day while running errands. It is an airy, open space. I had the tuna nicoise salad, though I heard the curry chicken is one of their better dishes.
It was a fine serviceable meal. Solid, but nothing made it particularly special. I would be fine going there again but it doesn’t jump out as a destination restaurant. If i worked nearby I would probably go there regularly due to the proximity.

Today, Adam, one of the FB guest bloggers, and I dropped in on Joli Kobe Midtown for a late lunch. It is unfortunately located in the Invesco building on Peachtree. Being a Saturday, parking was not an issue; however, people who dine here during the week often complain of a lack of available spaces. I am a bit surprised with this as there is a parking deck, though I have never parked in it. As an insiders tip, I eat next door at La Pietra Cucina, about two times a week. There are some available metered spaces on West Peachtree that never seem to get checked by the Blue. I won’t guarantee you will get away with it, but you should know that I always have. While the parking does not affect my feelings on the restaurant, it is certainly worth noting.
We walked in and immediately noticed the Japanese styling. For a Saturday afternoon, the peacefulness was much appreciated. The two women behind the counter were both pleasant and helpful. I have visited the Sandy Springs location and had some of their baked goods; however, this was my first foray into their recently updated café menu. The service was pleasant and prompt. Although, the place was empty, so it’s hard to really critique their timeliness.
I elected to go with the grilled ham & cheese sandwich while Adam went for the almond curry chicken. My ham and cheese was pretty good. As I had been warned, it came stacked as a double decker. I have had many a standard sandwich that were larger than this one. I was very pleased by the ingredients to bread (white) ratio. The Béchamel sauce combined with the Gruyère cheese gave the sandwich a nice creamy texture that went well with the sliced ham. I would have appreciated a more savory flavor to the sandwich as a whole. I feel that a salt cured ham and/​or some spiced mustard would have been ideal. Nonetheless, it was quite good. I was disappointed with the accompanying potato salad and pickle skewers. Neither was anything to write home about.
Adam said he felt the Curry chicken was solid, though a bit under spiced. He was pretty sure that the curry was canned, and I am not inclined to disagree. He also made an excellent observation regarding the blandness of the dish: Curry is hard to pull off cold. When served cold, it really should have some extra kick to it to compensate for its’ propensity for blandness. I did notice him add a good bit of salt and pepper. He did like the croissant that chicken was served on. I did not inquire about his mixed green side salad.
The prices were a bit high, so that’s a definite detractor; my ham & cheese came in at $ 8.25. I would have felt it more appropriate in the $ 6 – 7 range. Regardless, as first impressions go, this did pretty well. It is certainly worth a return trip, as I would like to sample more items from the menu in order to get a good feel for the place. I think this is a fine place for lunch, though I am not sure I would eat dinner here. As I mentioned previously, I have visited the Sandy Springs location a few times. I found the baked goods to be very good.

I remembered seeing @ Taste of Atlanta that Joli Kobe had opened a location in my hood and stopped by on the way out of town on a Saturday morning. I figured I’d put the bland sample of the Kobe burger out of my memory and tried the cappucino and an almond croissant.
*RANT* If you’re in a cursed location (R.I.P. JOQ, Mid City Cuisine) and in an empty restaurant, at least greet your (1) customer when they’re in your location and right in front of your face. I shouldn’t have to go out of my way and say hi to you */​RANT*
They serve illy, which I love, and the cappucino was good. Their croissants don’t hold a candle to Parish Market’s at all. The other desserts in the case looked great though and I may drop by again. Parking isn’t all that convenient unless you can grab a spot on the side street.

Yes, I’ve been waiting for this.
I remember the first time I tried to walk to something on Peachtree from work. It was a 90-​degree day. Kitten heels, which stuck in the rubble of the sidewalk as I rushed to hobble across the street to avoid that careening car. Full suitcoat. It was *not* pretty.
Thank heaven for Joli Kobe. Located in crazy close proximity to well, lots of office buildings, I happened across this place as I drove by one day to see the line straight out the door. Today’s visit to this location (apparently there’s one up north further) was a dream, recalling Tokyo, Paris, and even Milano with its flourescent macarons, hot coffee (and espresso!), and — says one friendly staffer — hot breakfast, beginning next week.
I’m not making this up; I am seriously excited that I can finally walk somewhere. The icing on the cake is that the stuff here is actually, well, *good*. Made my day.