Original Joe's Restaurant

Marker Original Joe's Restaurant

(408) 292-7030

301 S 1st St San Jose, CA 95113
Write a Review

5 Reviews of Original Joe's Restaurant in San Jose

Have experience with this business? Write a review


Original Joe's Restaurant  5 Star Rating - World class

By Leilani H. | insider Insider | Rank: 25,413

The area of town was being "rejunvenated" in July 2008 (when we were there), so it was a little hard to find Joe's through the scaffolding. But, don't give up - it's worth the search! This place has been around for years and has a very interesting history of once being a hangout for the San Francisco mob - there's a room upstairs that was used for "meetings"!! Read the menu - it has stories about the restaurant - and take a look at all the pictures on the walls - very cool! It's famous for a hash dish (it's great!!) - plain and simple, enjoyed by all, even the mobsters! Elegant ambiance, tuxedo-ed staff, excellent service, and great food! A little pricey, but that's the cost of notoriety! Really a fun place to eat!

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No (you must log in or sign up to vote)

Not impressed with the new interior or the food  2 Star Rating - Wouldn't recommend

By Michele V.

I have been going to Original Joes far as long as I can remember and I don't know what happened to the food and what happened to the interior, it has lost all of the ambience it used to have. The bar in the back is cold, no fireplace & the walls, well they need help. I think someone was going for the "sport bar" look but in OJ's it doesn't work.
The food had no taste. I ordered Linguine & clams, no flavor to the sauce & hardly any clams. Then there was the cheese on the table, thought I was in a pizza place.
Very disapointed, it will be a long time before I come back.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No (you must log in or sign up to vote)

not impressed with menu or service  1 Star Rating - Unsatisfactory

By P J. | insider_guru Insider Guru | Rank: 1,067

I found Orignal Joe's menu very boring and outdated. What we were served was only average taste and quality. The service was rude and we had a wait. There was a spending minimum for sitting at their counter.

PROS:
CONS: boring menu, rude service

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No (you must log in or sign up to vote)

Not really Italian...  4 Star Rating - Very good

By Kimi d. | insider Insider | Rank: 12,828

Not *real* Italian food; it's definitely Italian-American, but hey, most people in America like that. Portions are fairly large and the food is prepared well. My Italian father-in-law visiting in Italy found the portions oversized but he enjoyed his steak.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No (you must log in or sign up to vote)

Italian food at its best  4 Star Rating - Very good

By Nick N. | insider_expert Insider Expert | Rank: 5,492

If you are looking for a restaurant that serves great italian food and gives you a huge portion to feed your hunger then Original Joes in downtown San Jose is the place to go. They have incredible pasta dishes and a wide selection of entrees.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No (you must log in or sign up to vote)