Comments on: Joe's of Westlake: Reviews

By: Debbie2008

Debbie2008 — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 17:52:12 +0000

The cocktail lounge is GREAT! The restaurant is AWFUL! An amazing exercise in contrasts, to say the least. Eat elsewhere, but have cocktails here.

I agree with the poster above, expressing disappointment in the frozen vegetables that are obviously straight out of the bag. This, without adornment, was served atop my salad, probably the worst salad I've had in my life.

By: Erica T.

Erica T. — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 04:18:52 +0000

Joe's of Westlake is one of my family's favorite restaurants and I've been dining there since I was a child. If you're a regular, you've had the calamari steak and steak a la Bruno before and know that these are two of the best dishes on the menu. I just read a negative review about Joe's above and it didn't disappoint me because the quality of Joe's food speaks for itself and that's why the restaurant has been around for 30+ years. My favorite dish is the chicken picatta with a side of rigatoni. I love Joe's!!

By: A. Gomez

A. Gomez — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:06:01 +0000

I go to Joe's about once a month just for the delicious sweet breads. I've tried many of the dishes here, but that one always gets me. This place is a Bay Area institution and tends to be packed on the weekends. If you're the kind of person who needs the waiter to hold your hand throughout the meal, then this is not the place for you. They can be cold &, at times, unfriendly, but it just adds to the old timey feel of the place. I'm not one who needs a pat on the back and constant attention as long as I can get a Manhattan as perfectly crafted as the one at Joe's. If you're the sort of person who loves great scotch and perfectly cooked meats, then this is your place. Perfect accompaniment to any dish: the raviolis. For those of you who are too persnickety to enjoy classic food with reasonable prices, then stay away. It's hard enough to get a table without you mopes standing in my way. I loved George's response to Patricia bizarre bellyaching over the "great and tasty" pesto spaghetti: "I thought I could have made it at home for less than $5." "Not as good, though." Word, George. Word.

By: Lesley Wood

Lesley Wood — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:00:24 +0000

Westlake Joe's…my family has been going there for 50 years and we still love it. The best chicken piccata with raviolis and the steak ala bruno is to die for. My folks would always sit at the counter so they could watch the cooks but I prefer a booth in the corner. The wait staff is quick and friendly without overdoing it. I just love that place. And did I mention the meat sauce? You could eat that stuff on white bread and it'd be great! Thanks Joe's and keep it up!

By: John Stansfield

John Stansfield — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 17:03:24 +0000

I grew up in Park Merced about a mile away. We went to Westlake Joes' at least once a week since the sixties, since the A&W was across the street. It was the counterpart of original Joes in the Marina, more affordable but the same great food. It was an absolute thrill to see this gem of west end San Francisco / Daly City still being vaunted as a great place to eat and a great experience.

By: Slipmartin Fixe

Slipmartin Fixe — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 04:14:29 +0000

Hey whoa hey whoa hey hey HEY! Everybody needs to CHILL, daddio! 1. Don't go to Joe's looking for veggie fare. 2. If you need the waiter to explain something, stay home. 3, and this is most important, Joe's down here in Westlake, like Joe's in Marin and, God rest her soul, Original Joe's, is a place that requires a bit of investigation, these days, but once you understand the spirit of the enterprise, you will be duly pleased. Until then, critics, I bid you good day, and will reach for my perfectly crafted Manhattan, right here in the bar at Westlake Joe's.

By: Sandy

Sandy — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 01:15:32 +0000

I can honestly say this is one of the worst restaurants around, a friend of mine loved it (she's since passed on) and I would go with her because it was her favorite, it was hard to choke down the food, my husband ordered the special spinach/egg thing, now my husband is NOT a picky eater, he thought it was disgusting. If I was starving I wouldn't go to Westlake Joe's, it's way beyond it's prime and need to come up to modern times. I'd go to McDonald's before I'd go to Joes, and I detest McDonalds.

By: D. Buxton

D. Buxton — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:38:56 +0000

I love old-style food, cocktails and jazz. Joes disappointed on every count. Seated in the "Cascade" room, the service, ambience and food was the quality of a third rate rest home. Completely inattentive server and bussers, salads drowning in bottled dressings, house wine direct from the box. Entrees like the sole were inedible fritters sitting in grease, partially reheated "prime rib" (dry, sad and tasteless), only our guest who had the meat sauce spaghetti had anything nice to say about it. Condiments came in their original supermarket containers, slapped on the table – sorry we asked. There was no music playing in the beige, featureless dining hall room which perfectly matched the unpleasant, beige food. Bulk portions and memories of better days do not make up for such a disappointing experience. We will never return.

By: Adrienne Ellis

Adrienne Ellis — Fri, 29 May 2009 19:20:18 +0000

I've been a fan of Westlake Joes for several years and found the food that I order to be delicious, filling and the service to be A+++..Patricia doesn't state in her comments that she is a vegetarian but did state it on the TV production.Why would KQED send a vegetarian to an old style Italian restaurant that serves meat,chicken,fish,pasta with meat sauce,etc.Her review makes it seem to be Joes fault when, in fact, this is definitely not the type of restaurant for her.