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CJ Lunch Box
Category: Restaurants Sushi Bars Sushi Bars [Edit]
403 Richmond StreetToronto, ON M5V
Neighbourhoods: Entertainment District, Downtown Core
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 5 pm
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
15 reviews for CJ Lunch Box
15 reviews in English
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Review from Vivienne D.
Toronto, ON
11/25/2010
Fast, cheap, fresh sushi! Love it! Don't be intimidated by the line-up, it moves really fast! Staff is friendly and food is fresh. Not the best quality nor the best tasting, but the value is unbeatable!
The salmon they use in the sushi is surprisingly fresh for a small sushi joint and the avocado is always ripe. Almost always the staff will throw in free pieces of yam tempura in the sushi box, a nice touch!
Apparently miso soup is also free with take-out? I've always paid cash so never really noticed if they charge for it.
Two boxes of filling sushi and a cup of miso soup for $8? Yes please!
Cash only under $10, and above that you can use cards. -
Review from Lynn C.
5/11/2012
A long time ago, when i first entered Waterloo as a first year student, there was a sushi house near the school called "Mr. Sushi" and the food was cheap and good and the payment was "honour system" where you just go to the unguarded cash register and pay your own bill. A year later, this extremely successfully sushi joint was sold to someone else and the glory days were over. Another year later, a place called Charlie's Lunch Box opened in a different plaza - the cheap sushi and lunch bentos were a hit and about a year or two later, the place was sold and the glory again ended.
Fast forward 4 years later, this rumoured same owner opened a place in Toronto named CJs lunchbox - also cheap sushi, but I was pretty disappointed. Yes the sushi is cheap - about $4 per roll, all pre-made and placed in little boxes at the front. The prices are good for what you get, but the experience was just not the same anymore. The menu is very small (no spicy mayonniase) and miso soup now cost $1. Did Mr. Charlie sell this place again? -
Review from Jenny H.
Toronto, ON
12/17/2011
The sushi here is unbelievably cheap and quick. $4 will get you 8 pieces of sushi in a variety of forms (including dynamite rolls, sweet potato rolls, and California rolls). You can upgrade with some gyoza or help yourself to some complimentary miso soup.
While I can't say the food here is particularly delicious, it does the job when you're on a budget.
This place is always busy during lunch hours. The wait will only be a few minutes though since everything is pre-made and packed in easy-to-take-out plastic ware. -
Review from eric g.
Toronto, ON
5/21/2011
Cheap and cheerful sushi joint, set up mainly for takeout, with a few tables. Can't say the sushi is especially memorable - a bit mushy, like most cheap sushi - but the vegetarian gyoza were very good. Staff are super-friendly.
But in the end... aside from the fast service, how different is this place really from the hundreds of others cheap sushi peddlers in town? -
Review from Angela L.
5/26/2011
CJ Lunch Box is what I would call a sushi dive bar. There is much left to be desired from the decor, but the food is cheap and the service is cheerful. The frankly unappetizing and limited overhead menu makes ordering somewhat confusing. There are no descriptions or photos of arbitrarily named maki and combos. From the way that the very friendly lady behind the counter greeted me and asked me what I was having in the same breath, I figured that this place was frequented by nearby office workers who probably know what they like and have the same thing daily. This was pretty much confirmed when a young girl who looked very much like a fashion intern came in and ordered six California rolls to go.
For a little more than a fiver, I was able to afford the daily special of a shrimp tempura roll and fried-to-order veggie gyoza. I watched news headlines scroll across the muted flat screen while waiting for my food and was pleasantly surprised to have it served to me with a big smile. There were many more dumplings than I had expected and even a few bonus yam tempura pieces thrown in for good measure. The food wasn't the best, but it filled me right up and was a steal of a deal on a day when I had forgotten my wallet at home and was starving with only a pocketful of borrowed change. Although the table was less than spotless, the large windows provided lots of natural light and a decent people watching vantage point.
I found it quite strange and rather depressing that all of the hot trays and refrigerated section were empty. Since the first thing on the menu are the groceries, it would probably only boost sales if CJ displayed some of those fish and specialty Japanese ingredients out front alongside ready made sushi boxes. -
Review from Brenna K.
Toronto, ON
7/29/2009
Definately a good time. This little sushi take out place is cheap AND fresh. You can get a lunch for under $5. Mine usually cost $8 cause I love sushi so much I need to eat until I can't move. Miso Soup is free with your take out.
I went there today and the guy who probably owns it was singing and dancing to "dancing queen" on the radio. That made me happy.
There is room to sit down but not that much. There is always a line but it moves fast! -
Review from Kara M.
Toronto, ON
3/26/2009
Super cheap lunch. Little sushi containers like Bento Nouveau but it's all made fresh that morning so you're in and out quick. Comes with miso soup.
It's like sushi fast food! -
Review from Jeremiah L.
Toronto, ON
4/19/2010
For cheap eats of sushi, CJ Lunch Box owns the title. The staff is incredibly friendly and accommodating; the food is fresh, and you can order something quickly and painlessly if it's not available to be picked up pre-prepared during the lunch time rush.
The only downside is it's no open on the weekends for a quick bite when we're downtown! -
Review from Tony T.
10/6/2010
Having grown up in Metro-Detroit, I've been to Toronto quite a few times.
Here for a conference, I hopped over here for a late lunch.
I DO NOT regret it. Delicious, and inexpensive, but not short on flavor and flair.
Very friendly and conversational staff. The special was an 8pc shrimp tempura roll and about 8 dumplings. This filling lunch was about $6.
If you're looking for inexpensive but still tasty, seek no further! -
Review from Brian S.
Toronto, ON
7/20/2011
I've been in the neighbourhood a lot recently and I ran into this place somewhat randomly a few months ago and now it's one of my go-to places. It's not your standard sushi place. It's a fast-moving serve-yourself sushi joint with decent, but not great, sushi served in little plastic boxes which most people take out. I believe they do custom orders, but mostly I just go and grab a box or three of some of their goodies in little fridges in front of the line. I always tend to over-order when I'm here, so be careful.
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Review from Jan A.
Toronto, ON
7/15/2009
If you want affordable sushi that tastes good, CJ Lunch Box is the place to be. Don't be fooled by it's exterior! The good stuff is on the inside.
Everything is made fresh everyday by a great staff and if you get there early enough they even have salmon nigiri sushi (and if you get there really early enough, sometimes they add in extra pieces of sashimi)! usually though I get the salmon roll plus the FREE miso soup and it comes up to like $4 for eight pieces or something ridiculous. The nigiri might be a bit more expensive but it's still pretty good for fast food sushi.
It has come to a point where after working late nights/all nighters at the studio that I think it's okay to have sushi and coffee for breakfast because it just tastes so good and is really affordable.
Their hours are kinda wonky though. They usually close whenever their food for the day runs out so it varies and all the good stuff goes pretty fast. I'd say good luck trying to find any salmon rolls after 2 or 3pm.
Really though, I never thought I'd ever eat sushi for breakfast until I found this place. -
Review from Eric M.
4/22/2010 13 Check-ins Here
This place was THE place to eat if you were one of the many cooped up office folks at Richmond and Spadina when it opened. While the traffic has died down a bit it is still one of the busiest places on the corner.
For service and quick eats, CJ's has it locked. The owner is incredibly sweet and willing to work as many deals as he can into the lunch hour rush. It might be something as small as rounding your meal down to the closest dollar or throwing in free yam tempura but it's always appreciated.
You might not want to stay in and eat because it's just so small inside but if you're doing take out you might wait all of five minutes from line up to cash out. The long cafeteria style counter has a cold, sushi combo and hot section (for noodles, bento-ish trays and spicy fried chicken nuggets that are addictive).
This place would have been a solid 4 stars if it they had better prices but I find I spend the same amount for lunch at CJ as I do at other places and while CJ's food is tasty, it isn't the same quality. -
Review from A. H.
Scarborough, ON
5/9/2011
Cheap, fresh and fast is how I like my lunch, and CJ doesn't disappoint. They're friendly and helpful, and there is a great variety of sushi, mostly maki rolls. My staple is salmon/avocado rolls with veggie dumplings, and wakami salad, and a complimentary miso soup. Sometimes I'll get the veggie noodles or the tempura shrimp maki rolls. They also cater !
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Review from Deb P.
Toronto, ON
12/3/2010
It's not exactly the best sushi, but it is fairly fresh and you can't beat the price. It even beats out some of it's more expensive counterparts. *cough*Sushi Xtra*cough*
Some awesome features about the place:
1. The staff is extremely accommodating, friendly and talkative and not in that awkward "Please shut up. I just want to get my food" kind of way. The owner is absolutely the cutest little man. You'll often find him singing and dancing.
2. Just those little extra things. The miso soup is free. Probably doesn't seem like a big deal since miso soup is basically just broth, but most places will still charge you at least a buck or two for it. I also usually tend to order the "Special" which comes with dumplings and they'll usually throw on some free yam tempura with it.
3. The prices, man! THE PRICES.
All in all an enjoyable experience. Two enthusiastic thumbs up. -
Review from chris m.
Toronto, ON
1/2/2010
1. best avacado/cucumber sushi ever! so fresh! tofu inari is also amazing!
2. free miso soup
3. cheap!!!!!
4. only open on weekdays for lunch
5. fast and friendly service... CJ, the owner, is awesome!!!
6. take out or eat-in!
7. vegan friendly... lots of vegan options :)Listed in: vegan in toronto
