Joe's Pizza Santa Monica Review

The first time I had the grandma slice at Joe's Pizza Santa Monica, I thought, wow. This is probably my favorite pizza in the world. I've never had anything like it since, and I think about this slice all the time!

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In this guide 7 sections

Joe's Pizza in Santa Monica is a tiny slice shop on Broadway a block from the pier and Cream and I ate there about five times during our month living in Santa Monica in early 2025.

It became our slice spot.

When we're in New York we always want that New York pizza and never get it, and then we came to LA and found the best New York pizza I've had anywhere. It's kind of ironic. If you want good New York pizza, go to LA for it!

Is Joe's Pizza Santa Monica Worth It? My Quick Answer

Yes! Joe's Pizza is a 10/10 for us. It's a great quick lunch, a block from the Santa Monica Pier.

• Order first: the grandma slice. The regular cheese and pepperoni are really good too.
• Why it's so good: a thin, perfectly cooked crust, high-quality sauce and cheese, and huge slices.
• What it costs: slices are $4.75 to $6.50 on the shop's online menu (October 2026).
• The one downside: there's hardly anywhere to sit.

I'd stay close enough to walk over for another slice. These are my three picks in Santa Monica.

Why Joe's Has the Best Pizza in Santa Monica

For me, it starts with the crust. It was thin and perfectly cooked every time we went and the sauce and cheese on top were so high quality too.

And the slices are huge! Every one tasted fresh, so we kept going back.

The Grandma Slice: Order This One First

My one must-order at Joe's is the grandma slice, and on the menu it's fresh buffalo mozzarella and pecorino romano over their grandma marinara. Basil and olive oil go on top.

The cheese on mine was so creamy that it almost reminded me of ricotta, and it tasted so fresh.

The grandma isn't always out. Slices ready to go change through the day. If it's gone, I'd just get whatever they have. Cheese and pepperoni were good too.

What to Order at Joe's Pizza Santa Monica

We always ordered by the slice. Joe's also sells whole pies and garlic knots if you want more than a slice. I checked their online menu in October 2026. The slice prices below come from it.¹

Slice	Price	What's on it
Grandma (our favorite)	$6.50	Fresh buffalo mozzarella, pecorino romano, grandma marinara, basil, olive oil
NY Cheese	$4.75	Mozzarella and marinara
Pepperoni	$5.50	Cup-and-char pepperoni, mozzarella, marinara
Margherita	$6.00	Fresh buffalo mozzarella, marinara, basil, olive oil
White	$6.00	Mozzarella and whipped ricotta with spinach and garlic, no tomato sauce
Sicilian Cheese	$5.50	Thick sesame focaccia-style crust, mozzarella, pecorino, marinara
Spicy Pepperoni Sicilian	$6.50	Sicilian crust, pepperoni, spicy marinara, jalapeño

What I Didn't Love: The Seating

My only con is the seating. There's hardly any.

You get a few seats outside along a wooden counter, and that's it. When there was space we had a little routine, and I'd grab two chairs while Cream went in and ordered the pizza. If it was full we just skipped it and came back another day, because there's nowhere else to sit.

If you don't want to wait, I'd carry the slices across Ocean Avenue to Palisades Park and find a bench looking out over the beach.

Where Joe's Pizza Is and How to Get There

We always walked over. Joe's Pizza is at 111 Broadway in Downtown Santa Monica near Ocean Avenue. It opens at noon. I'd check Google Maps for the closing time on the day you go. Coming from the Santa Monica Pier, it's about five minutes on foot. It's two blocks from the Third Street Promenade, too. By train, Downtown Santa Monica station on the Metro E Line is about seven minutes away.

One heads-up if you're coming from the pier. Its famous neon sign isn't there right now. It came down in October 2026 to be restored and is due back in late 2027.²

If you want to come back for seconds I'd stay close, and for a pier view The Pierside Santa Monica is right at the entrance about a block from Joe's. Hampton Inn & Suites Santa Monica is next to the Metro station. Where to stay in Santa Monica has the rest, area by area.

Why We'd Go Straight Back to Joe's

If we were back in Santa Monica tomorrow, Joe's is where I'd go first. It gets a 10 from us. We loved the crust and the huge slices, but really, it's that grandma slice. Everything else we loved is in things to do in Santa Monica.

Next time I already know the plan, because I'll grab the chairs while Cream goes in to get us two grandma slices!

Next Steps for Your Santa Monica Trip

• Santa Monica Pier: a block from Joe's, with the rides, the parking, and when to go
• Things to Do in Santa Monica: the beach, the markets, and the walks we did every week
• Palisades Park: the clifftop park across the street, for a slice with an ocean view
• Where to Stay in Santa Monica: which area suits you, and the hotels near the beach