Just Kitchen Jax — Restaurant in Jacksonville

Just Kitchen – A Disappointing Return to What Was Once a Favorite

I had dined at Just Kitchen a year ago and left thoroughly impressed. The food was fresh, flavorful, and memorable—so much so that I had raved about it to friends and family. Unfortunately, my recent visit was a stark contrast, leaving me disappointed and questioning what went wrong.

This time, we ordered two falafel sandwiches and a hummus platter—items that rely heavily on freshness to shine. Sadly, none of them lived up to expectation.

The falafel arrived with a dark grey-brown hue, a visual giveaway that they were far from fresh. When I inquired, the staff confirmed my suspicion—they had been prepared two days earlier. As someone who’s enjoyed authentic Mediterranean food for years, I can confidently say falafel should be deep golden-brown, crispy on the outside, and airy inside. These were dry, heavy, and lacked the vibrant flavor fresh falafel delivers.

The hummus was another letdown—it was served ice cold, straight from the fridge. Hummus should be creamy, room-temperature, and freshly blended—not something that feels like it came off a supermarket shelf. If I wanted refrigerated hummus, I could’ve picked some up from Costco or Publix.

The pita bread was also poorly executed—thick, undercooked, and doughy with a sticky, raw flour texture. It felt rushed and carelessly prepared, which is a shame considering how essential fresh pita is to a Mediterranean meal.

On top of all this, the prices were on the higher side, making the lack of quality even more disappointing. Whether it’s a change in management or a lapse in standards, the magic from my first visit is sadly gone.

Regretfully, I won’t be returning to Just Kitchen. Freshness should never be negotiable, especially for a cuisine that celebrates it...

If you’re in Jacksonville, Florida, Just Kitchen is a must-visit spot for fresh, fast-casual Mediterranean cuisine! This place effortlessly blends quality and speed, offering a vibrant menu featuring delectable salads, wraps, pitas, and more, all crafted with Mediterranean flair.

Your new favorite Mediterranean restaurant, @justkitchenjax, showcases the chefs' and cooks' passion in every delicious bite. Don't miss their secret menu item, the tomato bisque—it's next level! They also offer a variety of dips and spreads and a kids' menu.

Here’s what we tried:

JUST PLATTERS: The Greek: Garlic Rice, Tomato, Cucumber, Sumac Onions, Olives, Romaine, Feta The Med: Creamy Polenta, Lemon Garlic Broccoli, Basil Mushrooms, Arugula, Za'atar Spiced Shrimp

HUMMUS BOWL: Arugula, Marinated Chickpeas, Red Quinoa, Sliced Egg, Tomato, Cucumber, Olives, Pickled Onion, Pita

GREEN GODDESS: Supergreen Mix, Roasted Sweet Potato, Spicy Broccoli, Chickpeas, Avocado, Shredded Carrot, Candied Nuts

Our ratings: Green Goddess Salad: 10/10 Chicken Shawarma Wrap: 9/10 Just Fries: 10/10 Cilantro Falafel Cone: 11/10 Beef & Lamb Gyro: Delicious Shrimp Salad: 9.5/10 Dressings: Red Pepper Walnut, Cilantro Pesto, Roasted Eggplant, Olive Tapenade: 10/10 Baklava: 11/10

The food is not only delicious but also healthy, complemented by a fantastic ambiance, quick service, and exceptional staff—CJ, Jaz, Danny, Nick, and Cody.

Visit Just Kitchen Jax at 13423 Beach Blvd #104, Jacksonville, FL 32246, and experience Mediterranean cuisine...

I was curious to try this restaurant after reading about it opening.

When you enter the line, there are menus displayed on the wall as well as handheld menus to make your selection. With most other restaurants with the build your own bowl/fast casual format that I've been to, you go down the line and you tell the staff what items you want added to your dish. Given the layout and appearance of the food line, I assumed this would be the same but it's a little different. You place your order with the cashier, a number is given to you, and then the dish is made and brought out to your table. The only downside I saw to this is you don't get to see each ingredient beforehand which can be helpful in deciding what to order.

I had a salad with chicken shawarama. The chicken was not edible, almost like jerky; it was very dry and salty so after a couple of bites I began to pick around it and threw most of it out.

The salad itself was not bad and there was a decent selection of additions to pick from to add to the greens base. What was disappointing though was the price relative to the portions. The salad was $16 ($4.50 was for the chicken) and I would have hoped to get more of each ingredient at that price point, especially for the fast casual format. Instead there was more of the lettuce mixture and fairly small quantities of the toppings. I've been to some full service restaurants recently and paid the same or less for an entree that was higher quality and about the same portion size.

I had high hopes but ultimately left...