Johnny Gibson’s Downtown Market

So a young woman reported she was sexually harrassed and followed by three street punks in downtown Tucson and when she called them out on social media, a stranger decided to send her a nasty message. According to the screenshot that she included of his message, and his facebook profie, that stranger identifies himself as Robert Douglas Hinojosa «the boss man» at Johnny Gibson’s Downtown Market where he purports to work. Disgusting.

This is a high end specialty grocery store serving hot and cold sandwiches and breakfast from behind a traditional Deli counter. The store is filled with a fantastic vibe. I’ve never been followed around this place by staff nor have I ever felt pressured to «buy-​now-​or-​LEAVE» no matter how long I’ve lingered, enjoying the AC and perusing the aisles jam-​packed with deliciousness.
Johnny’s puts TJs to shame and, unlike Whole Foods or Sprouts, this place makes you want to buy everything you see with reckless abandon. I can’t put my finger on exactly what it is but every display seems to have been calculatingly arranged by the hybrid offspring of a marketing impresario and a doctor of culinary psychology. Get out of my head!!!
The neat black and white pics of ol’ JG flexing like a little oiled up Hulkamaniac and partaking in guy-​on-​guy beach acrobatics are definitely amusing. However, (call me a skeptic if you must) I highly doubt his diet consisted of the myriad options offered up for your gluttonous indulgence at Johnny Gibson’s.
This place is amazing. Check out.

Johnny Gibson’s has filled a nosh gap downtown: a place where you can get something fresh and relatively nutritious, with protein, fast and for a reasonable price. (For all the great restaurants downtown, very few have a quick option; Maynard’s does, a few blocks away.) Shelves that fill most of the store feature a diverse selection of upscale and pedestrian foods, but the deli and meat cases looked great. If you see something in the deli case that you want to eat there, they’ll heat it for you. Arbuckle’s coffee (YUM) and a local tap selection are there for the thirsty, plus a chiller of water, tea, and several bev cases. Frozen treat section goes from expensive gelatos down to Food Club ice cream. Service seems pretty good but with a shade of ‘tude; the bartender was particularly special in that department. Great courtyard out back is shared with 2 bars. Overall, it’s a great addition to downtown and an easy stop for a quick bite, if not the culinary tour de force on par with places like Proper (and they don’t try to be that, so it’s fine).

So disapointed this morning. The lovely salad bar wasn’t ready when I went in to get my braeakfast salad. They had in the past had a discounted price on salads before 10 AM but today nothing was ready. The salad bar manager hadn’t gotten to work on time so nothing was ready. So disapointed because the salad bar is lovely and with a hard boiled egg it’s a very nice veggie breakfast. The clerks were not at all apologetic or sympathetic. Pretty bad customer service. A big disapointment.

I work downtown and love the convenience of Johnny Gibson’s.
Tamales for $ 1.50 make a great quick and easy lunch. I prefer the beef and green corn. :)
Sandwiches/​burgers are delicious and very large, with a large helping of fries or tots if you add them on.
Salad bar is great, just be careful, it’s easy to make a very pricey salad. My co-​worker ended up with a $ 17 salad without realizing once. ha.
Pastries are gorgeous, haven’t tried any yet, I just admire them when I go in.
I tried a breakfast sandwich today and the egg and sausage were great but the english muffin was a bit styrofoam-​y. not sure if I just got an old muffin or it had been frozen awhile?
All in all a fun place to go in and hang out, very friendly staff!
I plan to keep trying new items as I visit.

My first time in the store, my buddy was showing me their brat selection. The butcher was out of the bacon stout beer brats yet went out of his way to make more for me. Truly amazing service!

Went here for lunch on Tuesday with some family. Their deli sandwiches are fantastic. We had the Wildcat /​Johnny’s Roast Beef /​Miracle Mile High Corned Beef Sandwich /​Gianni’s Italian Sub, they were all so good that we we trying bites of each others. And definitely add the fries for the extra $ 1. They are fresh and crispy. We didn’t shop much but it was nice and clean and had a significant selection of goods that were well organized so it looked like a good place to shop.

Super cute market with a ton of stuff including lunch and desserts you can eat right there in window seating that looks out onto Congress Street. There is also a little bar in the back that allows you to get a pint and drink it either while shopping or out back in the sitting area. Can get groceries or raw meats too if desired. Always a nice place for a bite or a cold drink.

Went here for the sunday $ 9.99 breakfast buffett and the only real complaint I have was they couldn’t keep the eggs out long enough before we all snatched them up. What a great and cheap place to go for breakfast. Even though I couldn’t get a bloody mary for breakfast, I sure wasn’t holding myself back from having a beer on tap!
I think its safe to say we will hit this place up again! and there was NO wait!

I am so happy to FINALLY see a market in the downtown area!!!
This is a big deal for Tucson, even if people don’t seem to understand. Even a few years ago, our downtown couldn’t have sustained a grocery store with fresh fruits and vegetables. Downtown used to be a thriving draw for residents. But, in at least the last 20 – 25 years it took a steep decline. Now the empty pools we skated in high school and the ramshackle houses we haunted are full of people (and water).
Johnny Gibson’s was always a mystery to me, even as a kid. It was a gym when I was young and then it was abandoned for a while (and looked it). Now, it’s a beautiful grocery with a big ass fan, a deli counter, a butcher counter with local selections, a barista, and lots of product choices.
Normally the family visits Safeway on Sunday night but we had dinner at Obon and a smaller grocery list so I decided to check out JG’s and compare prices. It was around 8pm on Sunday but they are surprisingly open until midnight (which was a surprise).
The produce section was well-​stocked, despite the late hour and we were able to find everything we needed. Then we wandered for a bit through the freezer and middle section of the store. The prices weren’t bad! I was really surprised, thinking I was going to pay an arm & a leg for everything but we walked out with our essentials without much damage.
The staff is on the ball. Our butcher/​barista was incredibly charming and gave me exactly what I asked for — a pound and a half of ground beef packaged in 3 separate ½ pound wraps and a coupla steaks (I know I’m a total PITA).
We’ll definitely be going back to sample some of the deli food — the tamales and meatballs look really good — and just do some shopping.
I love keeping my money local and JG’s is a great way to support local business owners while getting groceries!

Johnny’s is everything that all the reviews say it to be. I find it to be a cross between Rincon Market, World Market, and Sprouts in a smaller version. It is a gem for downtown needs. They have a wonderful meat department, extensive salad bar, a soup bar, a deli, a bakery with delectable items, coffee bar, draft beer, fresh fruits and vegetables, office & school supplies, and all other regular items groceries. They have many items that are novelty items, specialty items, and gourmet items. They carry organic items and GMO free items as well. They have plenty of frozen items which includes ice cream and ice cream treats.
I find their prices to be reasonable and not too outlandish for a downtown market. I found their vegetables and fruits to be fresh and not beat up for not being sold for a while.
There are two areas where you can enjoy your drinks or food: an inside area with tables and an outdoor area, which I think is pretty neat.
They are open until midnight! Great for you late-​night downtowners. And to clinch it off, they play jazz through their speakers!

A nice and much needed addition to Tucson’s downtown. They’ve done an excellent job of incorporating lots of variety, especially given their space constraints. One corner dedicated to fresh produce (all of which looks quite fresh), aisles with canned/​dry goods, deli and meat/​fish counter, coffee bar, beer taps, and baked goods/​desserts. They carry a decent selection of beer and wine, and there is both indoor and outdoor seating for those who wish to have their snack or meal there. The staff are also friendly.
My only complaint is the cleanliness. I know it probably gets busy here at times, but each time I’ve come in, it seems the tables and counter seating are dirty. Today wasn’t particularly busy, but every table inside had either garbage, crumbs, or sticky liquid on it. Not so bad as to prevent me from coming back… But stepping it up on the tidiness would earn this place 5 stars.
A great little market to add to Tucson’s evolving downtown.

Downtown Tucson has a local grocer — finally! After much anticipation, Johnny Gibson has opened. The store is a little more budget and main stream than I would like, but it has all the essentials you need living downtown and caters to a broad and diverse community. They stock a good supply of standard groceries, produce, and household items. They have a decent bakery, deli, meat and seafood section. Just don’t expect much in the way of specialty, gourmet, organic, non-​GMO, local, etc type of faire — those type of items can be found at the CO-​OP or Time Market.

I walked in and was greeted immediately, I really liked the way this place was set up. I expected at the very least limited offerings in products but instead I saw a wide variety of beers wine produce a hot food section desserts a salad bar fresh meats chicken seafood including oysters mussels and shrimp, wow I’m impressed. A knowledgeable attendant offered ingredients to items prepared in house as if he’d made them many times and made suggestions on his favorites which looked very fresh. I asked the handsome guy near the hot foods section which desserts he liked and he suggested the chocolate éclair, and it was delicious. I was greeted by the proprietor Paul who mentioned if I had any special requests to let him know, very accommodating. I moseyed over to the meat case and picked two sweet Italian sausages, a can of San Mariano crushed tomatoes $ 5.99 a head of garlic 0.39 cents some De Cecco pasta and a yummy looking cold brewed vanilla coffee I saw near the dairy case. The one thing that warmed my heart is the fact that when I approached the cashier there was a kind lady behind the counter who helped a homeless man with respect and I was win over by these wonderful people. This is not just a grocery store. This is my neighborhood market. Well done guys. Thank you, I’m coming back for sure.

I’ve been waiting to write a review of Johnny Gibson’s mainly because I knew it would take some time for them to work out some kinks and get their groove going. Now that it’s been open for sometime, I think this is a great addition to downtown and I’m very happy that it’s available for those of us who would like to walk and get groceries.
When they first opened, the produce section was sparse and poorly-​stocked; now it’s doing much better. I love that they offer Shanghai bok choy (chin gon choy), which is like, probably my favorite vegetable ever. The butchery is serviceable with most popular cuts of meat available, although don’t expect to get anything too crazy there.
Probably my main complaint is that there isn’t a whole lot of local stuff available. I guess that’s what the Food Conspiracy is for, but it would be nice to see more local, organic items available.
Regardless, being the only grocery store available downtown, it does a good job of offering what most people will need on a weekday in order make dinner and I think that’s basically the purpose of a «downtown market». Whole Foods/​Trader Joe’s/Safeway can fill in the gaps for the rest if need be.

Like many long-​term downtown residents, I was ecstatic to see Johnny Gibson’s open. Finally, a place within walking distance to buy groceries that ISN’T a liquor store or a pricey co-​op! The thing I like about JGDM is you can buy your almond flour and locally roasted coffee… AND you can Oreos and Top Ramen. It has a mixture of specialty «Whole Foods» type items and regular old grocery staples. The prices are reasonable.
The deli, meat counter, and salad bar are where this place shines. They also have beers on tap and a coffee bar. I highly recommend sitting on the outdoor patio and taking in that vibe. During the day, it’s got a mellow feel, but for nights, with the Independent Distillery and High Wire lounge sharing the space, this courtyard has major potential as a downtown hangout space.
This place gets 5 stars from me because of its employees. Somehow I always end up in, like, a 10-​minute conversation with the deli guy or counter girl over cats or the economy or living downtown or whatever, and it’s just cool to know that these people are literally my neighbors. I also love running into friends at this market. I feel it really serves the needs of the downtown community! I’m sure this place will only get better over time.

Awesome awesome market! This place has some stuff that other chain grocery stores don’t have and the prices are reasonable. I really like how neat and organized the store was and how everything was on racks. It gave it a modern look.
The deli seemed interesting as they have some delicious sounding sandwiches and a beautiful looking salad bar. The bakery also has vegan baked good and healthy options.
Definitely a good place to shop!

Johnny Gibson’s Downtown Market is a much needed establishment in the heart of Tucson! Don’t be fooled by the name Market though, This place has an amazing deli, fresh produce, fish and meat counter, coffee bar, draft beers as well as hot food off a grill. Their patio is in the amazing Johnny Gibson’s courtyard. This is a gem! Even if you just need some simple groceries or if you want a date night out with a complete meal and drinks, you are sure to be satisfied by Johnny Gibsons downtown market.

This is a work in progress, still some kinks to work out as far as the point of sale and timing, and also some placement of condiments, ice, napkins, etc.
What it does have is friendly helpful staff, a lot of grocery items I love like, pickled okra, and baby beets. I have gotten 2 sandwiches there, and they have been fresh and the best of quality, the fries are a little funk frozen. I like the patio and it’s connection to the other businesses, it is not set up to it’s full potential, but the potential is there. I so so so want this place to work, and I think they are starting off on the right foot.

This is exactly what downtown Tucson needed.
A grocery store that offers local and non local foods, pastries, meat, fish, and a bar. They have everything from Poptarts to salmon. The produce looks fresh, the only thing they don’t have yet is the meat market. The salad/​breakfast bar looks versatile and fresh. The deli section has all the classic sandwiches and I can’t wait to try one. There is a patio outback for people to drink their beers, for which you can either get on tap or buy from their alcohol section, so they are pretty diverse.
They don’t take amex yet.