For more than 50 years, Original Joe's has acquired a loyal customer base and quite a reputation around San Jose. This part diner, part Italian restaurant features a tuxedoed waitstaff that serves up heaping plates of burgers, steaks, pastas and other substantial food. Descended from the first (and, at the moment, shuttered) Original Joe's, which opened in 1937 in San Francisco, the San Jose incarnation continues the tradition of creating a no-nonsense, New York City-style aura, and locals say that's part of what makes it stand out in suburban San Jose. The most coveted seats are at the counter, where diners can watch the busy kitchen staff work their magic in a cloud of garlic-infused smoke and steam. The results are thick, dripping burgers with steak fries, meatballs bigger than fists, sautéed mushrooms and Joe's Special: spinach, hamburger and onions scrambled with eggs. Other entrées include steaks, grilled fish, pasta, chicken cacciatore, eggplant Parmesan and a number of oversized omelets.
Full bar. Serving lunch, dinner and late-night daily.
"For 51 years, they've been serving classics of American and Italian-American food with heaping portions of big city attitude and glamour. Walk into Original Joe's for dinner or a late meal after a night at the bars and the plush booths and long counter will transport you to San Francisco, Chicago or New York."
- Stett Holbrook, Metro, Dec. 5, 2007
ADDRESS
301 S First St,
San Jose, CA 95113
LOCALEATS AWARDS
Top 100 Restaurant
DESCRIPTION
For more than 50 years, Original Joe's has acquired a loyal customer base and quite a reputation around San Jose. This part diner, part Italian restaurant features a tuxedoed waitstaff that serves up heaping plates of burgers, steaks, pastas and other substantial food. Descended from the first (and, at the moment, shuttered) Original Joe's, which opened in 1937 in San Francisco, the San Jose incarnation continues the tradition of creating a no-nonsense, New York City-style aura, and locals say that's part of what makes it stand out in suburban San Jose. The most coveted seats are at the counter, where diners can watch the busy kitchen staff work their magic in a cloud of garlic-infused smoke and steam. The results are thick, dripping burgers with steak fries, meatballs bigger than fists, sautéed mushrooms and Joe's Special: spinach, hamburger and onions scrambled with eggs. Other entrées include steaks, grilled fish, pasta, chicken cacciatore, eggplant Parmesan and a number of oversized omelets.
Full bar. Serving lunch, dinner and late-night daily.
"For 51 years, they've been serving classics of American and Italian-American food with heaping portions of big city attitude and glamour. Walk into Original Joe's for dinner or a late meal after a night at the bars and the plush booths and long counter will transport you to San Francisco, Chicago or New York."
- Stett Holbrook, Metro, Dec. 5, 2007