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All 949 San Jose Restaurants »

Original Joe's Restaurant

301 S 1ST St, San Jose, CA 95113-2884
(408) 292-7030
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Ranked #8 of 949 restaurants in San Jose
4.0 of 5 stars 115 Reviews
Price range: 0 AUD - 15 AUD
Cuisines: Italian, American
Good for: Groups, Local cuisine, Special Occasion Dining, Entertaining clients
Dining options: Lunch Spot, Dinner, Takeout, After-hours, Dessert
Restaurant details
Good for: Groups, Local cuisine, Special Occasion Dining, Entertaining clients
Dining options: Lunch Spot, Dinner, Takeout, After-hours, Dessert
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115 reviews from our community

63% Recommend
    43
    29
    23
    13
    7
Rating summary
    Food
    Service
    Value
    Atmosphere
Date Rating
Henderson, Nevada
Senior Contributor
34 reviews 34 reviews
Reviews in 23 cities Reviews in 23 cities
26 helpful votes 26 helpful votes
2 of 5 stars Reviewed 23 May 2012 NEW

I had dinner at Original Joe's about 10 years ago and the food was good. Now? Not very good. I got a simple order - spaghetti and meatballs. The meatballs were seriously undercooked. The inside was extremely pink (not good for ground meat). The waiter actually claimed that was because they weren't just beef - that other meats were the... More

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San Jose, California
Top Contributor
72 reviews 72 reviews
Reviews in 37 cities Reviews in 37 cities
50 helpful votes 50 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 20 May 2012

Well, the Saturday evening wait was quite long, over an hour. I came for their Calamari Steak. It is fried, not baked or pan fried as good as I had in Morro Bay. More

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Marietta, GA
Senior Contributor
35 reviews 35 reviews
Reviews in 26 cities Reviews in 26 cities
16 helpful votes 16 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 13 May 2012

This is a neat place to go, especially if you sit at the counter to watch the cooks and listen to the banter. I ordered the hamburger steak, side of ravioli, and salad. Never got the salad! Even though my waiter had only two customers. Hamburger steak is ridiculously larger - like 16 oz - too much for any one... More

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San Francisco, California
Senior Reviewer
10 reviews 10 reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 13 May 2012

This is a special place you go to either impress someone or treat yourself. I will say the food is truly delicious and the portions are generous. I have never been able to finish a meal after several visits. The waiters are dressed up and service is very professional. I have to drop 1 notch for prices. They are high.... More

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San Jose, CA
Top Contributor
60 reviews 60 reviews
Reviews in 26 cities Reviews in 26 cities
38 helpful votes 38 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 13 May 2012

I have loved going to Original Joe's for almost all of the 40 years we have lived here. Even though they have remodeled and updated the interior, I don't think the food has changed in all that time. It is still large plates of quality food served in a classic atmosphere. Nothing trendy here! Only difference is that they now... More

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See 4 more reviews by halems for San Jose
Sunnyvale
Senior Contributor
49 reviews 49 reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 11 May 2012

I've been going here my entire life! The locals call it "OJs" and it not only offers fantastic veal scallopini, but traditional Italian food. All meals come with pasta on the side so don't order extra. The servers have been there forever and treat you like your grandmother does. The bar is located at the back of the restaurant and... More

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See 14 more reviews by hiredpen for San Jose
San Jose, California, United States
Contributor
18 reviews 18 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 7 May 2012

This is one of the greatest places for real Italian cuisine. The food is always great. More

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See 15 more reviews by Rose K for San Jose
Bella Vista, Arkansas
Top Contributor
138 reviews 138 reviews
Reviews in 96 cities Reviews in 96 cities
62 helpful votes 62 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 4 May 2012

Had about the best meatball sub of my life here. It was huge and made me feel as though I was having a heart attack, but I kept eating. Yeah - it was that good! More

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See 2 more reviews by Mike W for San Jose
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
1 of 5 stars Reviewed 2 May 2012

Always tasty food and great bar serves! Bravo! Hubby had chicken piccata with a spot on lemon/caper sauce while I indulged in a penne al forno with rich mushroom/meat sauce. Service always spot on. Old school atmosphere. Sometimes a wait at desirable dinning hours but quickly forgotten with exceptional lounge service. More

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Denver
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 28 April 2012

This place was incredible. The dress code was everything from shorts and tee-shirt to a suit. The waiters are in tuxedo's and are friggin' amazing at what they do. Our waiter, Christopher who is a dead ringer for Buddy Holly, was awesome. My friend asked if they had blue cheese stuffed olives and they didn't but I assured him that... More

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