I've reviewed Joe's several times, but this weekend deserves its own praise. My husband normally works nights, but a canceled trip left him with a rare five days off, allowing us to enjoy back-to-back visits on Friday and Saturday! Rainy weather followed by a busy schedule had prevented me from completing my usual 8-10 mile daily walks for a few days, so escaping to Joe's twice was the ultimate happy-place antidote to lift my spirits. To start, I have to shine a special spotlight on the vibrant, cheerful server Kim. She has been with the owner, Frank, for 15 or more years, and her dedication, warmth, and sassy joie-de-vivre spirit are unmatched. While the restaurant has a fantastic crew of lovely servers, whom I have also grown to adore, all of the girls who help assist the servers, and the dedicated delivery crew whom I've become so fond of from ordering in and waving to on my long neighborhood walks, Kim is truly the heart of the dining room and another massive reason why we keep coming back. The entire restaurant was bustling with a sweet, harmonious ambience across both nights, from Friday's fantastic performance by the Who Knew Duo to the wonderful Sweetest Day crowd on Saturday. The clientele was just fantastic, and it was fun chatting with several of the surrounding tables. The owners, Frank and Gina, were both working, and it was heartwarming to hear them share the beautiful history behind their family wall of photos. Learning about the legacy tracing from Frank's grandfather Joe, the restaurant's original namesake, down through his parents, adds so much depth to this neighborhood staple. It was especially touching to see the darling, very feminine picture of Frank's mother as a young child holding out her dainty white dress. It truly felt like a family affair between the owners, their kids, all the hard-working servers, the delivery team, and the guests. To top it off, the food was dreamy perfection. We finally indulged and tried their pan pizza, doing half Joe's Supreme and half sausage and cheese so my husband and I could share. It was pure food heaven, and it made me fully understand why Joe's pizza was always a longtime favorite of my Mom's. We also enjoyed "a few of" my go-to seafood favorites that I just can't leave without and must have at least once a week: the Chilean sea bass with spinach, the caprese salad, calamari, and steamed mussels. Every single bite was delicious, health-conscious, and tasted like home-cooked Italian comfort. I completely missed the mark and didn't include my regular photos this time around because I was so transfixed by the food, but seeing some of my previous photos below will give you an idea. I will be sure to photograph that luxuriantly cheesy, mouthwatering pizza the next time I enjoy it! When you want an uplifting, delicious night out, there is no place more inviting than Joe's On Higgins! read more

See all

Just hosted by 45th birthday party at Joe's and have to say it was absolutely perfect! Frank was so easy to work with in booking and the staff was phenomenal the night of. Not one single complaint, the food was great and everyone had a blast! Highly recommend this spot for dinner, drinks special event! read more

Joe's On Higgins - Pizza Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

We got mild chicken wings, fried really well and the sauce was amazing. Also tried fried burrata for the first time and yes! that vodka sauce and fried cheese ratio was amazing! For our entrees, I got the braised short rib pasta -- it was cooked well, just not really my preference. My friend had the seafood pasta aka PLATTER! That entree is enough to feed three people, packed with Mediterranean mussels, calamari, Manila clams, and jumbo shrimp! We finished our meal with their chocolate cake and that sealed the deal! The restaurant's ambiance is nice and the service was great! read more

See all

We came here on a whim. We were hungry so we sat down and ordered drinks and calamari. The bread--- absolute highlight of the show! Came with oil, parm and some seasoning already mixed. Yummm!!! Really if you're a bread snob, this was worth the seating. The calamari ($19) was really underwhelming. The sauce was a little off and the calamari was short of nothing special. I ordered the chopped salad. I don't eat bacon so I subbed bacon for cucumbers. It was a generous salad but 90% was lettuce and only a 10% everything else. I'm a salad girl, I could eat a salad everyday. This one was okay, but to bump it to the next level, the lettuce to everything else % needs to be a little more even. Everyone, I mean everyone around us ordered pizza. People were walking in and picking up pizza. So this seems to be more of a pizza joint. Next time, that's what we'll go for! They have a great outdoor patio and inside large windows that are open to the air. Great environment and service was very attentive and punctual. We'll be back, just not for the calamari. read more

Joe's On Higgins - Chopped salad - large serving due to abundance of lettuce. - Pizza Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

I recently tried Joe's on Higgins and everything was honestly so good. We ordered the bruschetta, eggplant stack, rigatoni vodka with burrata, and a thin crust pizza with half cheese and half veggie. The vodka sauce was incredible. I am such a sucker for a good vodka sauce and this one really delivered. Super creamy, flavorful, and easily one of my favorite dishes of the night. The eggplant stack was also amazing and definitely stood out. Everything tasted fresh and well made. This place feels like such a hidden gem. Delicious food all around and I would definitely recommend checking it out. read more

See all

Excellent calamari, yummy espresso martini . Our server Rtic was wonderful. I could just eat that calamari for a meal . read more

See all

Had a gift card from here and they told me they would not honor was too old. So the guess will not bother trying the food at this place. You would think they would like too increase customer base and increase revenue. The place was 90% empty on a Saturday so sure not worth trying and spend my money/time at a business that is much better and deserving. read more

I used to love coming to Joe's on Higgins -- it was easily a 5-star spot for the food, ambiance, and service. The food is still solid, and the new patio seating is definitely a plus, adding to the nice ambiance. Unfortunately, the service has really gone downhill. The server we've had multiple times now seems tired of serving and doesn't take feedback well. On more than one occasion, she's ignored us, delayed bringing drinks, and made us feel like we were asking for too much when we simply wanted to enjoy our meal. It's disappointing because this used to be a go-to place, but the attitude and lack of attentiveness from the server take away from the overall experience. I truly hope management addresses this, because Joe's has the potential to get back to the 5-star level it once had. read more

See all

I met friends for dinner last night and none of us were in a pizza mood. Joe's menu did not disappoint. Arancini was top-notch along with a special appetizer of a prosciutto crostini. We all chose a pasta. I could not have been happier Great service provided by Katie made our Sunday night easy, relaxing, and delicious. Thanks, Joe...& Frank! read more

Waited over an hour for food I never received. The response was even more disappointing. I will never be dining here again.

Joes is a great pizza place for a drink or two and a great pizza! The service is very friendly, knowledgeable, and eager to help with their somewhat unique pizza styles. The place is very clean, plenty of seating, and occasionally some live music. Their pizzas speak for themselves. No matter which style you prefer, they make it to the best of their ability. I've ordered from here many times and you should too! read more

Joe's On Higgins - 14" Pan Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We had lunch at Joe's today and had a great experience. Despite the Mother's Day rush, the staff remained attentive and genuinely pleasant throughout our visit. I like to keep it simple when trying a new place, so I ordered the chicken Parmesan--it was outstanding. Everything tasted fresh, and the portion was incredibly generous. The bread, served with cheese and oil, was excellent, and the pasta fagioli was exceptional. While the prices initially seemed a bit high, the quality and overall experience made it well worth it. Thanks to the team at Joe's for a fantastic meal--we'll definitely be back. read more

Great neighborhood Italian restaurant. Great drinks, great service, great food! What else is there to say, but visit here already!

07/15/23 - Last night I went here w/my wife. I heard about Joe's Pizza from my sister & have been wanting to check it out. They are located on Higgins close to Jefferson Park. Evidently this is a different location then the one my sister ate at as they have been at this location about 8 weeks. We ordered a white pizza on an excellent thin crust pizza that has 3 cheeses, mozzarella, Parmesan & ricotta cheeses. We also asked for sausage & mushrooms on it. The crust was exceptional as was the pizza. While the pizza was awesome the service was not very good. We waited over 15 minutes until a server came up and took our order. The pizza seemed to take a very long time (approximately 30 minutes) considering it was a thin crust I thought it might be quicker. After we finished I aske 3 different people for the check. The first woman said she would bring it then continued around the restaurant helping other customers. The second was our server who was cute and very friendly but same thing I asked for a box and the bill & she said she would bring it and continued around the restaurant going to other tables. I was beginning to think they were going to comp us the pizza (yeah right). While I absolutely loved their thin crust cheese pizza I felt their service wasn't very good. Would I come back again probably as the pizza was excellent. I give them 5 stars for the food but deduct a star for their slow service read more

See all

Were we here for a party and the service and food were great! Each server was so kind and quick with drink orders and anything you needed. Best bruschetta I've ever had in life and their chicken parm was delicious as well. Great experience. read more

Every time I visit Joe's on Higgins. I have the best meal, service and ambiance. My favorite dish is Chicken Limone. I've never had a meal I did not like. Visited Joe's yesterday and had a great afternoon with friends. Thank you Frank and Alyssa for the best service and hospitality! read more

Food is always delicious and the portions always alot!! Always make you feel welcome and they always go the extra mile to make you feel comfortable!! The server Alyssa is the best and Frank the owner is top notch read more

We had a specialty pizza eat off, and the BLT took first place! Followed by Buffalo Chicken and the SOB. Pizza is very good and comes cut in small square slices. read more

Great food, great ambiance and great service. I stopped in for dinner and had a great meal. Generous portion sizes, really tasty and helpful staff. I will definitely be back. read more

Excellent food service atmosphere. If you are in Neighborhood it's must. Do it. Do it now.

Food and service at this new location are great! My 2nd time visiting this month. My favorite appetizer is the Arinchini. read more

Joe's On Higgins - Pasta Fagioli Soup - Pizza Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

I enjoyed the food, however extremely loud live music, I'm sorry to say. Increasingly louder as a short time passed. If I return, it will be in the back room. read more

Placed a pickup order for a pizza on a Friday. Pizza was ready upon arrival and was pretty tasty. The one thing I didn't like is that each topping is an extra charge, that can make your pizza pretty pricey. The vibe inside and outside was busy- almost full! There was a live band. Will definitely go back for dine-in soon. read more

Joe's On Higgins - Sausage & Mushroom thin crust pizza - Pizza Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Very nice neighborhood place, family owned and operated. Italian offerings, very well done. Service was quick and very friendly. I will be going back often. read more

Great go to casual. Really upped their game when they moved. Friends ask to eat there when they come in town

Food is amazing. Home made pasta and traditional Italian restaurant. Amazing multi generation family run business that's an anchor for the neighborhood. The staff shows this in the care they give to customers and the accommodating service. read more

Good location, nice atmosphere, LOVE the cacio e pepe! Service has greatly improved since my last visit. Will return. read more

Service was very good and the food was delicious. I love the black and green olives on the house salad. Nice surprise. Definitely will be back. It was very nice to see the room was remodeled with exposed brick walls and windows that opened. read more

See all

A Sunday early night experience. OK, they were busy. Big groups, back room was busy. I'm ready to cut the staff some slack on a night like this. However, our group of 3 were next to some VIPs (probably family) that were seated after us. We had simple orders that would have taken minutes to prepare and serve. We waited over an hour. Meanwhile the VIP table guests were inundated with several dishes from the kitchen which were not ordered. "Wow. This is great. What is this?" I don't have an issue with family getting preferential treatment but having to wait over an hour to be served while the table right next to us gets great service, big turn off. BTW, they left before us. Boo. Want to shout out to David. He's a great server and maybe the only reason we may return. read more

The was a extremely long wait time literally 20 minutes for a meatball sandwich side fries and pre made coleslaw. The food was all bland no seasoning what so ever. I only gave it a 3 stars because the bread was very soft fresh and there was a lot of red sauce. I ordered togo and maybe the pizza is better. I'd try the pizza because a friend recommended their pizza once I mentioned to her. read more

Joe's On Higgins - Meatball Sandwich with Sweet Peppers Fries & Coleslaw - Pizza Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Food is good but the prices are high. Wish they had specials for it or coupons after buying so many. Picked up a pizza recently and it was made wrong, they told me to come back in another 30 minutes for a new one. Didn't give me any $$ off for my inconvenience or apologize. read more

Queen of All Saints Women's Guild had their annual Christmas party at Joe's. Fabulous food.. bruschetta, salad, chicken Milanese, pasta and Italian cookie gelato. So delicious! Warm, festive ambience with lovely, attentive service. Frank and Gina, the owners, are wonderful chefs and Kim is the friendliest wait staff! So worth a visit. read more

Joe's is a Chicago legend. The former location at 5747 W. Higgins was recently closed and was given a phenomenal new life in the old Wall's Florist Shop at 5862 W. Higgins. Owners Frank and Gina Demonte have created a glorious diamond in the neighborhood. The restaurant is an entirely fresh, sparkling concept in design that would rival any hotspot on Michigan Avenue or Lincoln Park. The menu has also been trimmed into a sophisticated selection of wonderful contemporary dishes yet keeps many classic, traditional rustic favorites that made Joe's such an icon in the area since the early fifties. It's amazing what a change of scenery can do to turn an already iconic dining establishment into a modern, luxurious experience. The space is sexy, inviting and refined on all levels and is the ideal place to relax and enjoy a cocktail and Italian cuisine at its finest. A few favorites include the spectacular grilled calamari, stunning Spaghetti Carbonara (which isn't easy to find in many Italian eateries), exceptional Veal Marsala and luscious, tender Pork Chops Calabrese. The chefs make sure everything served is given top-tier attention, and it's easy to see the passion devoted to each dish. Pizza, of course, is a mainstay and perfectly crafted. They also have a dessert that places Nutella inside a gorgeously cozy-warm pastry dough with chocolate sauce to drizzle on that defies description. Everything served is perfectly realized and presented. The flavors are rich, exciting and vibrant when they need to be and elegantly subtle when they need to be. There is a full selection of beers, wines and specialty drinks which are sure to please every taste. The waitstaff are also great --- knowledgeable, respectful and very much in-tune to providing exceptional customer service. This beautiful Italian restaurant called Joe's celebrates undeniably the love of family and friends from the moment one enters. It's rare to find this in this day and age. Because of it, it's worth going there again and again to savor and appreciate terrific cuisine and togetherness. read more

My recommendations: Thin crust cheese pizza Stuffed spinach and garlic deep dish House salad Mozzarella sticks Bruschetta Will be back for more! read more

The move across the street was like a move into another dimension. Joe's pizza was always good Chicago pizza. Now in a brand new space, you can sit and linger. It's a cool place, fits right in to the neighborhood. We breezed in, and ate and drank, and breezed out -with no friction. Motorcycles buzzing by down Higgins. 12" pizza is enough for two people! read more

Joe's on Higgins has been a staple in the neighborhood as a solid pizza place, but since they moved down the street and really upped their menu it is on a whole new level. The new place has a modern look and really is an upgrade from the old restaurant. The food has followed that same idea. The classic Italian food is fantastic but their take on them is really special. My favorite is the chicken Calabrese, it's a thin chicken breast with potatoes in a spicy sauce with cherry and other peppers and is amazing. Their meatball crostini and calamari apps are perfect and even their olive oil for the warm bread is high quality and very tasty. The servers are fast and friendly and portions are huge. It is a bit pricey but I feel that you get what you pay for here. It also has that neighborhood feel to everything they do. Since it reopened we have gone several times and will continue to make a regular spot for the family. read more

I came looking for buffalo chicken pizza and they did not disappoint! It was even satisfying as leftovers the next day. Service was great. They had live music that Friday. Overall great local place read more

So let me say I know today was Mother's Day, which means slammed. However, then you need to be on your game. I brought both my sons' families there to celebrate not only Mother's Day but my son's birthday and my 70th. We have been at Joe's before so I thought a safe bet. Drinks came out fine, so did appetizers, then things went south. Salads for adults came out, but 2 soup orders did not. 20 min later the server said they were out of minestrone. At 6:30 pm? Odd. By the were are closer to entrees, so she said she'd box a sale for me to take home. That never materialized. One son's dinner came out. 20 min later the 6 other entrees came out. No pacing to be sure we all got our food at the same time. At 6:30 I finally saw the owner go into the kitchen, and that's when more food started coming out. Very disappointing on what I had hoped would be a very special time. read more

I just checked out the new location it's super cute. Overall I'll be back because of some standout food but as with any place there were dull spots. The bad: - Super loud, they probably shouldn't have the TV volume on when it's that busy. - It smelled like burning pizza - DO NOT, and I repeat DO NOT order the Pasta Fagioli. Aside from it just lacking flavor there was no pasta. None. I was baffled. I actually told the server and she offered to get another soup but I didn't want another soup. And I got charged for the cup even though it comes with my order. The whole soup experience sucked. - The salad was also odd. Dressing came out in take out cups, and there was hardly any cheese but the croutons were really good. The Good: - Grilled calamari was a wow! It's fantastic and we ate every bite. I think it's the best I've ever had. - nice pours on the wine - gluten free pizza was amazing! As well as the regular deep dish that I got for my son. The pizza is really top notch. - The people! Everyone was friendly. It was busy and service was slow but I understand that and the staff never made us feel rushed. So that's my honest review. I'm in the neighborhood so I'll be back, just not ordering soup or salad. read more

There Pizza Is Awesome & Great Customer Service All Of The Employee's Are Very Nice & The Food Is Delicious