OJ
Original Joe's San Jose
Downtown San Jose's Classic Italian-American Dining Experience Since 1956
2.8(5 reviews)
restaurant
$$
Downtown San Jose's Classic Italian-American Dining Experience Since 1956
Original Joe's San Jose is a beloved Italian-American restaurant in the heart of Downtown San Jose, offering hearty, classic dishes in a warm, bustling atmosphere. Known for its flavorful pasta, steaks, and signature calamari, we serve families, locals, and visitors seeking a traditional dining experience. With an attached bar, The Hideout, and a legacy of community service, we pride ourselves on generous portions and timeless comfort food, making every meal feel like a celebration.
No photos available
Enjoy hearty pasta dishes, steaks, chicken parm, and seafood like our famous calamari, all made with traditional recipes.
Relax in our attached bar with a full selection of drinks, flat-screen TVs for sports, and a casual vibe perfect for gatherings.
Host birthdays, family dinners, or events in our spacious dining area with mid-height walls for a semi-private experience.
Order your favorite dishes for convenient takeout or enjoy a full-service meal in our classic restaurant setting.
Open late with extended hours on weekends, ideal for dinner outings or post-game drinks in Downtown San Jose.
I came in lastnight to celebrate my daughters birthday and from the start the hostess seemed more interested in their phones and gossip then addressing us when we came to get a table. One almost trampled me (I have a brace on my knee and walk slow). The wait wasn’t horrible and we were sat in the side dinning which seemed a little quieter but that was fine. Our server was not interested in our table and you could tell. I’m a server and I’m not sure if it was just an off day for her but she was just not very pleasant throughout the dinning experience. I was really disappointed as we had looked forward to trying you guys out but I don’t know if we will come back. My dish looked amazing however my baked potato was not cooked all the way at all, it was cold as well and so was the rest of my plate….The calamari was probably the best thing we ate and for $400 that’s really sad.
Did not realize this Original Joe's was not affiliated with any other one until after ordering since their pasta looked off. Ordered a spicy vodka rigatoni for myself and was disappointed on the taste and look. All of our rigatonis were soupy and tasted ok. The bread is not free, $5 per basket. We thought it was since they offered but we should've double checked with the server. Service was ok, a little slow. We weren't allowed to order our main dishes with our appetizers despite being ready and we ended up waiting 40+ minutes for them. I don't recommend coming to this location, maybe try the other ones. The wait isn't worth it. The only thing I really enjoyed was the calamari sticks.
I just have to say, Original Joe's is one of the last great restaurants of Downtown San Jose! With that being said, I keep ordering the steak & sausage rigatoni because I love the taste of the sauce! It's so flavorful & forfilling of a warm beautiful dinner. Im only guessing that its a cooked down red wine, but, what do I know? I know I love to eat, I love eating here & my family does too! Thank you so very much for a wonderful evening! We'll be back. Asta lavista.
Overwhelmingly expensive for the experience. Steaks were fine and cooked to the expected level, sides are expensive (12$ for a backed potato or vegetables or ... anything). Dessert ("cannoli") is not on par with it's price (that's a single cannoli in a big plate), the dough is good and crunchy but the cream had virtually no taste. The room is very noisy despite having all tables separated by mid-height walls.
Solid 3 Stars. First time at Original Joe's and I have mixed feelings. The food was tasty but lacked creativity. My Steak Sandwich was too rare and served on a toasted bread roll. That's it, just meat and bread. Flavorful but dull. Accompanied by steak fries. I actually used ketchup as a condiment for my sandwich. I know a lot of people would probably kill me if they saw this but I had to work with what they gave me. Our appetizer was Fried Calamari, no complaints. The other entrées were Chicken Parm and Pasta Marinara with a giant Meatball. Simple and tasty but lacking presentation. Our server was David and he did a great job. His knowledge of the menu was substandard and he showed genuine concern and professionalism. We appreciate David and that's why we tip our waiters 25%. We arrived around 7pm on a Saturday evening. Plenty of parking options in the area. No wait to be seated even though it was very busy in the Resto. Original Joe's has an attached bar called The Hideout. Full bar with flat screens to enjoy the game. We may return to try it someday. So to reiterate, our first visit at Joe's was good. Food lacked pizzazz, but is decent. My dull Steak Sandwich and fries set me back $35. Maybe some veggies and condiments to accompany it would be a good idea? The Pasta Marinara was flavorful not too salty and great portion size. Chicken Parm was simple yet tasty. Our Tiramisu was unfortunately inedible. Something was bitter and off putting in it so we sent it back. Oh well, no biggie. I look forward to returning someday.
Claim Original Joe's San Jose to update business info, respond to reviews, and access analytics.
