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Original Joe's San Francisco Reviews
I've long considered OJ's in San Jose my favorite
I've long considered OJ's in San Jose my favorite restaurant. This was my first time at the one in SF. It's the same food as the one in SJ - pasta, other Italian food, and steaks. Very good food. The bread and butter is amazing. Prices are a little higher than typical for the amount and style of food, but not too bad. Omar, our server, was great. Definitely different from the old mafioso types they had 20 years ago, but I'm guessing those guys have all passed. We sat outside, so it was loud, but the little chairs were comfortable enough.
The ambiance was like a classy Italian old school
The ambiance was like a classy Italian old school restaurant. The service was phenomenal. We went to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday and it was perfect. The food was delicious, fresh, and authentic.
Went here for dinner on a busy weekend, and we waited about
Went here for dinner on a busy weekend, and we waited about 15-20 minutes to be seated. We sat outside and it was pretty chilly, but the outdoor area has amazing heaters. I ordered the linguine and clams, and I really enjoyed it! However, I felt like the food was a little overpriced for the portion. My server was great and took really great care of us! She was very conversational and asked multiple times if we needed anything else.
The sauce was very good but my noodles didn't taste very
The sauce was very good but my noodles didn't taste very ready to me. However the flavor was delicious, I just wish they would've done the noodles a bit better. The service was amazing, we had two servers who were very kind and attentive considering how busy they both were! Also received our food as a party of 5 within 30 minutes of sitting down!
Original Joe's is always a great staple and one of my
Original Joe's is always a great staple and one of my favorite go to spots. Out of all my visits this was probably my least favorite, but that had more to do with the dishes I ordered than the restaurant itself. The Cobb salad was fresh, the spicy rigatoni had good flavor, and the seven layer chocolate cake was absolutely amazing. I was a little bummed that nothing special was done for my friend's birthday, but even with that, it's still a place I really enjoy and will continue to come back to. Service was good and attentive and nothing beats the beautiful ambiance a stunning outdoor Sunday on a OJs table has.
I came here because my Taxi Driver said it was the one
I came here because my Taxi Driver said it was the one place I should eat at while I'm here. Jimmy, I'm not sure if you were a secret ambassador for the restaurant, but if you're reading this: I get it. Thank you. I had a 9PM reservation and I splurged for the Prime Rib. It was very, very good. If you plan to do the same, save room- I could barely finish half of it. My only regret was not having a bigger stomach. My waiter was nothing but friendly. I'd definitely love to come back earlier in the day and try more from their menu!
I've been wanting to check this place out for a few years,
I've been wanting to check this place out for a few years, and finally had the chance. We stopped in for lunch on a weekday, and were some of the first people in the restaurant. They don't offer kids options but were willing to split any full sized dish into two which was a great option for the little ones. The calamari was top notch, as was the lasagna. The steak was cooked to perfection and had almost an old world flavor to it that I can't explain. It wasn't dressed up with any fancy sauces or heavy seasonings, it was just meat, the way it was intended to be. Fantastic. The service was good, and the atmosphere stands out as one of the shining spots of our visit. By the time we left, the restaurant was absolutely packed, so it's safe to say this is quite the popular place in this part of town.
Delicious Steak dinners seared over hot coals.
...Wonderful ambiance with everyone enjying their delicious steak meals....Families welcomed
It's like stepping back in time with this world, famous
It's like stepping back in time with this world, famous restaurant... And it certainly didn't disappoint! The appetizers your order were outstanding, and we literally had a pile of calamari between the four of us... Tender and delicious. Portions were good sized we split a bowl of New England clam chowder and a lasagna, which was plenty. Good luck if you drive there trying to find parking but once you find it, it's well worth it.
First time at original joes and it was an amazing
First time at original joes and it was an amazing experience! Loved the vibes of the restaurant, very old school Italian and reminded me of carbone! Started off with the truffle fries which were incredible. Arrancini was pretty good, would probably try something else next time. Vodka pasta was incredible, portion was so large it could be shared next time. Nice spice. Salmon was flavored incredibly. Shrimp scampi had perfectly cooked shrimp in it. Dessert was also incredible, definitely don't skip. Service was also great, attentive and completely cleaned our table before dessert. Loved the vibes and will definitely return! A little pricey but perfect for a special occasion.
North Beach institution Original Joe's ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Great classic restaurant in San Francisco's historic North Beach district. Great cocktails to accompany a fun Italian inspired brunch menu of tasty dishes. Our server Amy was absolutely wonderful and made our meal that much more enjoyable. Reservations recommended, especially on busy weekends.
Unmatched service!
The food and atmosphere at Original Joe's are unmatched in the city. The flavors are exquisite, and they serve very generous martinis, too. However, what makes this restaurant truly special is the service, and especially the care and consideration of the manager, Yoshua. He goes out of his way to make every dinning experience unforgettable. Original Joe's is a gem!
Don't visit San Fran and not eat here
Absolutely a dinner to remember. We were fortunate enough to make reservations because this place was hopping. In spite of that our food came out very quickly. I had the half order of spaghetti and meatballs and it was still huge. Over a quart of some of the best I have ever tasted. The sauce was thick and rich like it was cooked for hours and the meatballs were incredible. She had the scallops risotto and they were also very tasty. Don't leave without ordering the butter cake. I don't usually eat dessert but would have this every time. A classic place with marvelous food.
Still great after all these years.
There is a reason that Original Joe's is still so popular after all of these years. The food and the service are outstanding. The three of us had quite a variety of dishes, including the Veal Milanese, Linguine & Clams and the Fried Prawns. The waiter was able to accommodate some substitutions on the dishes, was always there when we needed him without being hovering over us. I do not have anything about this experience that was negative, and I highly recommend Original Joe's.
Great service and food!
We had such a great time here when visiting San Francisco. We were there on a Saturday night and it seemed like there were a lot of local friends and family there celebrating birthdays. Their desserts looked amazing but we were so stuffed after our delicious meals that we couldn't try any! The server did mention that you can get half portions of their pastas which would have been much smarter for us, especially since we were staying in a hotel with no way to heat up leftovers. Someday when I return to San Francisco, I'd be happy to come back to OJ's! ps Minus 1 star because it was quite loud, which didn't bother me, but wasn't my husband's favorite. It's just a very busy, big place.
Best in Class
I’m firmly in the “this was the best meal we had in S.F.” camp. We go to a LOT of Italian restaurants, and everything at OJ’s was outstanding. Even the fried calamari, which is tasteless in virtually every restaurant we go to (and we order it anyway. . .), was fantastic. The noise level is mighty high, and the restaurant is semi-frantically busy, and—of course—it isn’t the cheapest restaurant in town, but the quality of our dinners more than made up for it.
Origin Joe”s
Our recent culinary journey took us to San Francisco. It was the Fourth of July and we were meeting with family from Australia. I booked a 5 top on one of the busiest nights on short notice to eat at Original Joe’s. This eatery is iconic and has been around for decades. The ambiance, atmosphere and decor are amazingly warm and inviting. I’d like to thank James for providing us with table. You deserve praise and a big thank you. We ordered Minestrone soup, which was delicious. House salad bravo. Filet Mignon, Cacio de Pepe, Chicken Cesar Salad and Veal Scallopini. Presentation and flavor profiles were spot on and well worth it. It’s not easy to pick out a diamond in the rough, make no mistake. Original Joe’s meets the criteria. Our Australian friends said “it was the best meal they had in San Francisco” We really enjoyed the experience and highly recommended Original Joe’s. Thank you Tripsters Chef Edwin Padilla Good Food…Good Vibes
Enjoyable and yummy
We simply turned up without a reservation but we were warmly and happily seated outside. The service was quick polite and friendly. We shared a lasagne between us and thoroughly enjoyed people watching on the busy street
Best lamb chops
Visited fifteen years ago, had the best lamb chops ever, back on holiday from the UK, had the lamb chops again, superb as good as I remembered, faultless service, not cheap but real quality.
Good to very good food. But they charge you a higher price than the price listed on the menu.
I had a late lunch at Original Joe's on Union St. by Washington Square in Little Italy. While the food was good to very good, the service was poor and, worst of all, they engage in deceptive prices. I ordered a salmon main course. The menu said $33.95. After the meal when the bill came the price was $38.95. This was $5 higher than the listed price. I complained and the waitress, Amy, told me I was eating "dinner" and not "lunch." I was there before 3 pm. The dinner menu lists the exact same salmon main course as $36.95. When I pushed back that I was still being overcharged, I was told because I had a side the price was $38.95 even though the menu said a side was included. Needless to say, what happened was unacceptable. On a side note, for an Italian restaurant, I thought it was odd that the wine list has very few Italian wines. You would expect Trento DOC sparkling wine or Franciacorta sparkling wine and maybe a chardonnay from Piedmont or Tuscany. All things considered, I cannot recommend Original Joe's. Do not eat here.
If you show up without someone in your reservation for two,
If you show up without someone in your reservation for two, you will not be seated. Horrible!!!--why should anyone wait unseated, when the other guest hasn't arrived yet? Am I incapable of ordering drinks and appetizers in anticipation of my guest? Am I a child undeserving of a seat when unsupervised? (The least they could do is state their policy when booking a reservation--to give a customer notice). My first and last visit to this establishment.
San francisco North beach original joes is not good at all.
We tried it twice since as a family , we had been fans of the other SanFrancisco location for over 50 years. we gave North beach two tries and both failed. San Jose is awesome as well as the Marin location. The food is Always spectacular. We are big fans of the Veal scallopine with ravioli and salad with thousand island dressing and sourdough bread. We also enjoy the spumoni for dessert . Give San Jose and Marin locations a try . You won't be dissapointed!
First off, I was visiting my bestie in North Beach.
We love to come to the bar at Original Joe's and grab wine and snacks. This time we came, it was a Sunday and the Google listing said they closed at 10 PM but when we walked in at 9:20 the bar said they were closed. No prob and we asked to just get a glass of vino. All of the bartenders ignored us except for Eddie. He apologized for the early closing and was able to get us garlic bread and a salad. This is true hospitality! He is holding the company to its standards. We are obviously in the biz and wanted to give a shout-out to Eddie for keeping the art of hospitality alive!!!!!
Some of the best spinach dip you could ever have no
Some of the best spinach dip you could ever have no exaggeration. It's a small but telling reason why this place is held in such high prestige in the city for decades.
Food: Complimentary bread was cold, and gummy.
easily fixed by getting it warmed up. Portions are huuge, flavours are incredible. No complaints tbh. Im pescatarian and my friend is a vegetarian, we have more than enough options to choose from. I had the dungeness crab cake, which blew my mind i was not expecting legit flavours in an American restaurant, but then this is legit italian. I also ordered the clam chowder which i had to go because i got full from one piece of arancini and half of my crab cake. I had my eye on the Branzino, i had the best Branzino at Elena's a few weeks ago and im curious if its as good or even better. Tho the castelvetrano olives made me choose clam chowder instead. For desserts we had 17 layer chocolate cake and tiramisu to go (we ate it so fast a few hours after our meal at home, incredible desserts best served chilled) They sent bombolini with a side of raspberry sauce and chocolate sauce. Italian desserts should be more flavours than sweet, and this hits the park. (Pun intended) Experience resembled Elena's brunch churros, can never go wrong with it. A must order. Service: It's my first time coming here. I met a friend that day that told me "im taking you to the first restaurant i went to when i moved to SF". Surprised to be in OJ north beach. Lindsay is our server, she's pretty knowledgeable of the menu. Didn't hover and waited in a timely manner. Incredible service. Bar manager said hello, tho me and my friend are both sober we declined the cocktails. They do have a great selection. Ambiance: There's a reason why its always packed. It's Original Joe's, you just have to experience it yourself. Overall itself a solid restaurant. You'll get more for what you pay. Definitely no comparison in the city, this restaurant has the charm and identity enough to withstand through time. Cheers!
The food is quality and the portions are VERY large.
The spicy rigatoni is one of my favorites & something I consistently order. They also make a combination of excellent classic cocktails and fun new originals. I will never get over how great their service is. They split plates for you & make the dining experience so pleasant. They are great for large parties but make sure to get a reservation! For smaller groups you can check in and plan to wait an hour or two nearby & grab a drink across the street or in vibrant north beach.
Original Joe's is always serving up great drinks and
Original Joe's is always serving up great drinks and service. The ambience is lively. You have the bar area and the dining area. We usually hang out at the bar and share a couple of drinks while waiting for our table to be ready. They make a solid old fashioned and espresso martini. This place is always crowded. There are TV's in the bar area for all you sports enthusiasts.
Perfect Italian food
We had not made a reservation, but were quickly given a nice table. The service was great! Smooth, friendly and fast. The food was good. The atmosphere is great, a bit loud and hectic, but really typically American. Still one of the better Italian restaurants in the Italian neighborhood.
With so many places to choose from in North Beach, it
With so many places to choose from in North Beach, it surprised me how busy Original Joe's was. The food is decent quality and they have a little something for everyone's diet. I enjoyed the Fritto Misto which is basically calamari with some other seafood thrown in with a delicious spicy sauce. The portions are big too so one appetizer was able to satisfy 4 people while we waited for the entree. The Veal Parmigiana was good, but the Monterey Jack cheese was a bit thick for my liking. It made the entree feel heavier than I wanted. Also, shouldn't it be made with parmasan cheese instead? My wife enjoyed the Clam Linguini with white wine sauce and also mentioned it was oilier than she's used to and sat heavily. Overall, good food, drinks, and service with large portions, but very heavy. Make sure you don't eat all day to be able to finish your food.
Went here for dinner last night and was beyond disappointed
Went here for dinner last night and was beyond disappointed in the service. We walked up to check in for our reservation and there were 4 people behind the podium laughing and talking amongst themselves. They saw us walking up and standing there but didn't stop to help. They kept showing each other something on their phone before finally paying us attention and checking us in. Then a hostess (older blonde woman) grabbed two menus and gestured us to go towards the left of the podium. There were people blocking the way so we waited and then didn't know where to walk since the hostess was behind us. When we turned around to find her she then gestured us to go to the right of the podium and made a face and rolled her eyes at us that we apparently went the wrong way when we initially went to the left where she gestured. We were shocked. Our actual waitress was nice and the food was good but not enough to ever go back. We told her about the hostess and she said she would tell her manager but it was honestly just so rude that we almost didn't stay.
Very old school Italian.
Big servings of rich pastas along with classic veals and chicken items. Never leave hungry
Amazing food, great venue, and amazing staff.
It's great for a lunch, dinner, or wedding after party.
The food is amazing.
Service was amazing. I came here for my one year olds birthday and they were so kind. And so welcoming. Highly recommend.
Great food, friendly & responsive service, nice "rat pack"
Great food, friendly & responsive service, nice "rat pack" ambiance. Made my short list of North Beach restaurants.
Very cool looking establishment.
Top notch speedy service. I had the fettuccini Alfredo with shrimp and found it delicious not overly creamy which is commonly done and the shrimp was tasty . I especially enjoyed their spinach artichoke dip as it seemed like very fresh ingredients and not your typical generic fare and it came with delicious crisp large Melba toast like crackers which complimented it well . The calamari was very tender with a light and tasty batter . Really liked the accompanying sauces . The desserts were phenomenal but I especially recommend the butter cake . An excellent experience.
Impromptu visit to this restaurant after our intended
Impromptu visit to this restaurant after our intended restaurant changed their menu to Persian food instead of italian. We wanted Italian. We stopped at Tony's, but the wait time was one hour and a half. This restaurant was able to sit us outside immediately. We'll take it. We sat overlooking the park. There was never-ending traffic of people being dropped off. Service was wonderful. Water topped off. Numerous check-ins. Got extra bread. My one disappointment was the salty chicken marsala sauce. Otherwise, it was delicious. I chose the side of ravioli (a meal in itself). I love the sauce, the soft raviolis). If you dont have teeth, this would be ideal. I got three pieces of breaded thin chicken with lots of mushrooms. Classic dish. My friend had shrimp scampi with noodles. Hugh plate. My other friend had salmon and a side of ravioli. We finished our meal with butter cake. Hugh to share with ice cream and sprinkled blueberries and strawberries. Very sweet, but it's another of their signature dessert. Actually, all their desserts sound good. They have the famous Zanze's cheesecake.
This place has amazing service.
But. At medium rare, the filet mignon was tougher than a Denny's NY strip steak. Pasta wasn't sauced enough (shrimp scampi). The good news is that the service and atmosphere of the restaurant itself is amazing and more than worth it!
DO NOT ORDER RAVIOLI Went tonight for a dinner.
Got the Cobb salad and the ravioli. Cobb was decent/good, ravioli was spot on chef boyardee. To the T. It was really gross. Couldn't even come close to finishing it. I've been here other times and had a good experience so you guys get 3 stars. Would be 1-2 if I had no loyalty.
Too loud.
Food below average, tried the chicken parm and was disappointed, chicken was rubbery. Service was excellent though.
Highly disappointed with the service I received for my
Highly disappointed with the service I received for my birthday. I arrived on time for my 9pm reservation. The hostess told me to take a seat. Me and my party waited. As other patrons came in, they were seated fairly quickly. My friend went to inquire how much longer our party of 3 had to wait. They, and when I say they, I mean five people at the desk! They said they were waiting for the rest of our party to arrive?! Truly left a bad taste in my mouth. As we finally were seated, the host did not apologize as I shared this was unacceptable. At this point, my dinner was not going to be as exciting as expected for a birthday. It gets worse as Guillermo, our waiter, comes to the table. He was offended as I shared my experience and ordered a drink. He made sure to let the table know that it was not his fault. Thereafter, the service went downhill. In the middle of dinner, we had a new server. Just as dry, didn't introduce himself. Food is always good. Service sadly makes me not want to go back to this location. My friends noticed all this and felt the same if not more.
Was brought here for a work dinner.
We were actually supposed to go somewhere else, but they weren't open until 5, so the consensus was to come here. They were able to accommodate my large group last second, and were fairly nice about it. We were put in a room, which was probably best for them, as my group is not quiet. We ordered a few appetizers. Garlic bread, cheesy garlic bread and the spinach artichoke dip. All were delicious. The dozen of us ordered many things. Vegetarian options, pasta, steak and lamb. Not one of us had a single complaint. The servers were all kind. Kept our drinks full the entire time. We ordered desserts, even though none of us really had room. There were a couple birthdays coming up so we wanted to celebrate. One of the birthday people was in the restroom when the desserts arrived and the server turned right back around. It was so nice of them. A+ service. A+ food.
Couples night out
Superb restaurant with a great menu and value for money, great staff and I highly recommend the 25oz steak with some local IPA
Italian restaurant
We were well received at this restaurant, which is located in a typical Italian neighborhood. The restaurant's decor is reminiscent of the 60s with tables for 4 people with leather bench seats and cushions. The staff are very friendly and helpful with advice. We ordered a Caesar salad, a carbonara pasta and a rib eye steak accompanied by mashed potatoes and esparragado. All dishes were well prepared and the quantity was quite generous. For dessert we ordered an ice cream sundae with cream and chocolate sauce which was delicious, also with a generous amount. In the USA there is no practice of drinking coffee at the end of the meal but here, despite the cups being too large for the amount of coffee, we can drink coffee here. The price/quantity ratio is very reasonable
Typical Italian-American dinner
We wanted to try an Italian-American place experience in San Francisco and we tried Originale Joe's and were really happy with the choice! The place inside is really welcoming and has a beautiful atmosphere. We tried the fettuccine Alfredo and the spaghetti with meatballs, two Italian-American classics. We had a very good time and recommend it!
Well worth the visit
Great experience, food & company. The service was efficient and the restaurant very busy. We had wonderful wine and enjoyed our evening
Great food and atmosphere!
Sat at the counter overlooking the kitchen - wow, they work hard. The food was delicious and the service was solid. One of the best burgers I ever had. French dip sandwich amazing. Caesar and roasted beet salad were phenomenal. Butterscotch pudding did not disappoint. Share it, it’s rich.
Excellent.!
We ate at original joes for the first time 2 weeks ago and I went back again last week and I have another table booked next week. Delicious food and excellent and quick services I would recommend original Joes to tourists and locals, I would say it’s definitely amongst my top 10 restaurants in SF. I would also highly recommend getting the prime rib dip and the chicken parmigiana on your visit!
Delicious
Absolutely loved our family meal here ! Recommend by a police officer who we got talking too. What a recommendation ! Delicious food, lovey staff and great atmosphere.
Exceptional amazing!!
Wow!! Our meal was amazing! I have photos! it was fabulous!! I'll tell you what I ate... we had house pinot full carage $38 for 2 of us. We both had the house salad, the dressing and homemade sourdough bread was fantastic! We ordered lasagna and mine was eggplant parmesean, it was exceptional!! Then to top off an amazing Meal, we had Joe's sundae (vanilla Gelato) and tiramisu and 2 cappuccinos. Needless to say we boxed up to go alot if food but it was great service! We give it 5 stars!
Fantastic old-school American Italian restaurant
Fantastic old-school American Italian restaurant. I had the Veal Parmigiana with a side of ravioli. Really good quality food. Service was geat too.
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