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    Original Joe's

    3.9 (657 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Original Joe's Photos

    ORIGINAL JOE'S ATMOSPHERE

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    Recommended Reviews - Original Joe's

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    Arancini
    Avril L.

    I came on a Sunday for a late lunch with my best friend. It was busy--about a 45-50 minute wait for a table--so we opted to sit at the counter instead. I've been to the Westlake location a few times, so I found myself comparing the experience. For two people, we ordered arancini and meatballs to start, plus two side salads, fries, and two pastas: a spicy rigatoni with chicken and the marry me farfalle with chicken. Overall, the food was solid. The spicy rigatoni was a standout as always. The arancini was perfectly crisp without being oily, and I'd order it again. The meatballs were also good. The farfalle was enjoyable, though the pancetta pieces were quite large and a bit too fatty--I would've preferred them smaller and more rendered. The side salads were skippable, with basic dressing and nothing memorable. The ambiance was lively, but service felt a bit inattentive. We had to ask for menus twice, and a nearby table received bread while we didn't.

    Sandy L.

    3.5 stars! Service was amazing, everyone was super friendly, charismatic, and helpful. I give them 5 stars for that The pasta and food were okay, meats like the steak and lambchops were a bit bland. Pastas were ok - but the lasagna was probably the best. Butter cake is a must! Glad to see that Walnut Creek has this option though for special occasions!

    Prime rib dip sandwich
    Eric B.

    Jefferson was our servers name. He was polite, on top of everything(refilling our drinks without us asking), funny. We got the calamari and truffle fries. Both come in a large mountain order. Calamari has tartar and cocktail sauce. Very crispy. Fries had an aïoli sauce, the fries were crispy and very hot. I got the prime rib dip sandwich. Very tender prime rib, nice soft bread and it came with a side of horseradish and Ajou. Also a side of fries. This restaurant makes you feel like you're in NY. We sat outside but they had heat lamps and a fire place. Very cozy. My Wife and Daughters had a nice time. I'll be back

    Lina F.

    We came in as a party of 9 and ordered a variety of plates, appetizers, and desserts--unfortunately, I didn't get photos of everything, so the pictures don't do it justice! To start, the appetizers were excellent. We had the zucchini fries, crab cakes, arancini, and calamari, and everything was fresh, flavorful, and really well done. For my entrée, I ordered the prosciutto spicy vodka parmigiana with a side of spaghetti. The dish itself leaned quite salty, and the spaghetti was a bit dry and lacked that "umph" in flavor. Even the kids at our table didn't enjoy the spaghetti and meatballs and ended up switching to something else. That said, some dishes truly stood out. The braised short ribs were absolutely incredible--tender, melt-in-your-mouth, and easily a must-try. It's definitely a signature dish. My husband's veal piccata was also very well prepared and delicious. The service was spectacular from start to finish, especially given the size of our group. The staff was attentive, friendly, and made the experience even better. Overall, it's a great spot for a date night or drinks with a nice dinner. While not every dish hit the mark, the highlights and service definitely make it worth visiting.

    marinated olives and zucchini fried
    Natalya S.

    Friday night and it was packed! Despite how busy it was, the servers were very attentive and patient, we got our food quickly and our group was very well accommodated. The food and drinks were delicious, we ordered a bunch of items with my favorites being the esperesso martini, the giant mound of zucchini fries, and the butter cake I now have dreams about. That first bite into the cake was phenomenal, I highly highlyyyy recommend ordering it!! The bread baskets have a good variety of freshly baked breads and our food was overall really tasty. It was a great night of eating!

    Inside
    Carly B.

    A great spot to add to Walnut Creek dining! The servers are very attentive. I was very surprised how good the food was. The spaghetti and meatballs and the carbonara sol we're incredibly delicious. We found the steak to be a bit tough cooked for a medium rare. I would definitely recommend booking a reservation months out ! They're are completely booked for the next few months

    zucchini fries
    Linz C.

    The restaurant itself is beautiful and the trendy bar area has a self-seating section. I've been to the other original joes location many times but have never ordered the zucchini fries. I finally tried it today and I can confidently say they are life changing. First of all the presentation, IT IS MASSIVE and heads will turn to stare at it. The three of us didn't even put a dent in it, it could easily feed a family of 5. What I love about it is that it doesn't taste or feel greasy, and the light but crunchy batter is never went soggy. It also comes with a creamy green sauce and lemon on the side. 11/10. Service was friendly but minus one star because I never got the salad i ordered.

    Everett L.

    Really nice atmosphere. Hard to get a reservation. The staff is nice and they have heat lamps. Food is served huge portions, get the zucchini fries. Expensive as expected

    Bar seating
    Lily S.

    After finally dining here, I can understand why it's so hard to get a reservation. Everything about the place is classy. The decor is very elegant, and you're treated like VIPs from the moment you enter. The food was excellent from the first bite of bread to the last cup of cappuccino. There was one tiny mishap with the salad that came with my chicken Milanese, but they took good care of me. They redid my entree and didn't charge me for it. Very classy. What we ordered: + Joe's spicy rigatoni - this was so delicious. It's creamy and a bit cheesy, with just the slightly bit of spiciness. The curved rigatoni held the sauce perfectly. + Meatballs - tender, moist, and delicious + Chicken Milanese - breaded chicken breast with an arugula salad. Nicely seasoned and delicious with a squeeze of lemon. + Bread basket (complimentary but worth a mention) - there's about 3 different types of bread, including focaccia, sour dough, and a toasted thin cracker-like bread. The butter is soft and salted. + Cappuccino - Nice! Overall, a wonderful experience, and now I want to bring everyone here.

    Leeza D.

    My friend and I sat outside on a lovely spring day and we both ordered the meatball plate. It was very good and the portion was enough for a light lunch. Great atmosphere and service. Please come and create your own adventure.

    Lunching!
    Mary M.

    Vibes and busy venue, however the food is quite bland. I suppose the spot is more about a cocktail and poor food. Next time I'll try other dishes as well as hope for better service.

    Suechu T.

    I came here for lunch on a Wednesday and it was great. The service was good and surprisingly the place was full on a weekday. We had the fried zucchini appetizer which was very good and crispy but a large portion! Definitely good for a group. I had the crab roll which came with a lot of crab! And the chips were actually very good and crispy without being too hard or oily. No photo of the pastrami dip my husband got but also extremely delicious.

    My fav warm butter cake
    Steph M.

    This place never fails. I am from San Francisco and I usually go to the one in Daly city the original Westlake, Joe's, but we tried the Walnut Creek location since it opened this year and it did not fail. Everything on the menu is delicious always getting the calamari as an appetizer and I got a salad this time but my baby got the rack of lamb which he said was amazing and he makes it amazing lamb chops. This place does not disappoint. The service was really on point and had our drinks to us pretty quickly and it was very busy. We sat in the bar area at a table since the restaurant seating was an hour to 90 minute wait. Love this place.

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    1 month ago

    Veal parmigiana and chicken Marsala were awesome. Service was awesome as usual and old fashioned very satisfying

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    Page 1 of 17

    Ask the Community - Original Joe's

    How are the acoustics? Difficult to hear?

    No, it's good acoustic for conversation even when it's crowded.

    Are walk ins available on weekdays?

    Yes! But there may be a good wait. The bar is always open for walk ins.

    Are well behaved dogs allowed? Is there an area for them?

    Haven't seen one

    How far in advance can a reservation be made?

    2 weeks

    Does original Joe offer high chair for toddlers?

    What I'm told they do 60% reservations online or calling in, The other 40% are walk ins you might have to wait 30-40 minutes which was the case for me however totally worth it.

    Open Table shows no reservations available for lunch on any date in December. Do they take reservations for lunch? It's hard to believe that every day in December would be full.

    You may walk in and sit at bar if no table is available although usually there are some waiting time to sit at table.

    Do they offer take-out orders?

    Only two locations offer this https://www.originaljoes.com… Read more

    Do we need reservations for the bar?

    No reservation needed if you sit at the bar.

    Is there a Happy Hour? There is nothing on their website. If so, what are the hours?

    They do not currently have a Happy Hour.

    Is it reservations only?

    They allow walk-ins, but when we were there at 5PM on a Sunday, wait time was 2 1/2 hours! And I saw on the reviews people waited up to 4 hours. Bar is open seating, but that was packed too, so I highly recommend making a reservation.

    What is the corkage fee?

    Corkage is $25 for 750ml, $50 for a magnum.

    Any update on reopening date? Still 9/1/25?

    Unsure but they have been keeping their website updated: https://www.originaljoes.com/walnut-creek

    Do you have gluten free options? Is there a kids menu?

    Yes to gluten free, no to a kids menu

    Are kids allowed?

    Yes they are, but they're better left at home with a babysitter.

    Can we walk in right now?

    Yes. However, wait is 3 hours. If you can keep it to 2 persons and will take the counter, it can be less. Go put your name in and shop at Broadway Plaza or have a drink… Read more

    What are the dinner hours?

    It's on the website

    Where's the phone number for the restaurant? I want to make a reservation over the phone, not online, and unable to locate the number. Can you please share?

    Phone number is online. However they do not take reservations over the phone, it is strictly through open table

    I want to call to make reservation, but cannot find the phone number? Also when I go to online to make reservations it defaults to Westlake location.

    Check their website again! It's there :)

    Is it open now?

    Yes, it is open as of August 14th, 2025 at 11:00 a.m.

    View All 21 Questions

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    Galpao Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse - THE GOLDEN STEAK

    Galpao Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse

    4.5(1.4k reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$$$
    Large group friendly
    All you can eat

    Made reservations ahead of time for our large group of people. Glad they were able to squeeze us…read morein. They were so nice to accommodate us. Once we sat down, the meats just kept coming and coming nonstop! I ran out of space on the small plate we each had. They had to give me a big plate to put more meat on! All the meats were so good! Flavorful. Tender. Juicy. There were lots of choices at the salad bar, but I didn't eat anything from there because I was so stuffed with meat. All the staff and servers were so nice to us. They always made sure we were taken good care of - plenty of meats, refilled waters constantly, changed our plates with clean plates. Loved the ambiance with the live piano music playing (Saturday night). We had a birthday celebration in our party and they brought out a little cake with ice cream for the birthday person. It had a candle lit too! The plate said "Happy Birthday" and they brought out spoons for everyone to have some. Plus, we brought our own cake and candles and they were so nice to let us bring it and helped light the candles for us. Overall had a good time, good experience, good food. I would recommend trying especially for a special occasion.

    I went to this restaurant with my family for Mother's Day, party of eight. Honestly, the experience…read morecould have been pretty disappointing if it weren't for the service. Sandra, who seemed to be one of the managers, was very polite, attentive, and professional the entire time. She and the team she was leading had a lot of tables to take care of, but she still handled everything with kindness, patience, and a good sense of humor, and we appreciated that. Even with how busy and chaotic things were, she remained gracious and helpful throughout the experience. The Brazilian drink she introduced us to was also very good. The restaurant was extremely crowded and it clearly seemed understaffed for the number of guests they had. The meat service ended up being very inconsistent, and everyone at our table tried different cuts because certain selections simply were not making it to all the tables equally. Even so, because of the professionalism and effort from the staff and the way we were treated, we may give the restaurant another chance in the future.

    Photos
    Galpao Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse - Our menu is inspired by the Gaucho culture and the authentic dining tradition of the Brazilian cowboy - grilled meats and fresh salads.

    Our menu is inspired by the Gaucho culture and the authentic dining tradition of the Brazilian cowboy - grilled meats and fresh salads.

    Galpao Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse - Hearts of palm, artichoke, sweet beets, asparagus, caprese salad, imported cheeses, and cured meats are only some of the almost 40 items.

    Hearts of palm, artichoke, sweet beets, asparagus, caprese salad, imported cheeses, and cured meats are only some of the almost 40 items.

    Galpao Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse - With 17 different cuts of meats, ranging from beef, pork, chicken, lamb, and fish, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

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    With 17 different cuts of meats, ranging from beef, pork, chicken, lamb, and fish, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

    ELIA - Complimentary Bread Rolls with Olive Herbed Garlic Dip

    ELIA

    4.2(628 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$$

    And April 12, I had a birthday party dinner at Elia, after making these reservations for pa party…read morepf 10 over a week before, I confirmed my reservations by email, and 6 phones calls from the restaurant. I was told I would be charged if I missied the reservation as well. Day of dinner, my party arrived at Elia 20 mins ealry and was still told they couldnt sit down. In that time the restaurant decided to let another party sit at my reserved table instead. Finally arriving myself ( still 5 mins to soare before reservation) I see my entire family standing in the middle of the restaurant. ( Only black family in the entire building of course) after questioning the fron door person she told me shes trying to get a table and wait at the bar?! 35 mins later my family was seated. Thinking I would have an apology for the miscommunication, I had to request my own birthday desert as they gave a lit candelr and song to guest around. And yes the restaurant knew it was my birthday they even had the menus changed. I go to this restaurant a lot so im still very upset how my family and I were treated and I bullied down to confirm my reservations multiple times. Overall. This is my last time at Elia. I hope this is reviewed and Elia updates their customer service. Thank you to the waiter who did her best with so many issuesz -Kiarra R.

    What an amazing treasure! Fabulous Greek food, attentive service, a great wine list, and a…read morebeautiful setting. The olive oil dip is absolutely the best I have tasted. On my last two visits we ordered just from the appetizer selections, and every dish was superb. After seeing a flaming dish at an adjacent table, I knew I had to try it. It was Greek cheese lit on fire, then extinguished with lemon juice. Fantastic. The lamb meatballs and the grilled octopus were outstanding. Definitely one of my favorte places to go.

    Photos
    ELIA - Main dining room

    Main dining room

    ELIA - Complimentary bread with olive oil

    Complimentary bread with olive oil

    ELIA - Seafood pasta

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    Seafood pasta

    BH Wood-Fired Grill

    BH Wood-Fired Grill

    3.9(673 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$$

    First time back since the remodel and have to say I was impressed!…read more Definitely missed their pretty outdoor patio which is currently not available but the interior has a beautiful new look and was perfect for lunch. They have also revamped the menu and though some old favorites are missing - we enjoyed what we tried - namely the grilled artichokes which are a slightly different recipe to what was previously on their menu but absolutely delicious with that same wood-fired taste and accompanied by two dipping sauces that was fantastic. Also had the artichoke dip which was also really good with lots of chunks of artichoke! The only thing that was unnecessary was the sour cream - unless the intent was to mix into the dip and salsa which did not really go - the dip itself was fine and stood out on its own. Service was okay; they appeared short staffed as we had a significant wait to get the check, but food and atmosphere were great!

    Ambiance is beautiful... think hunting lounge. Warm, inviting, soft green and wood decor…read more.. whoever designed did an amazing job. 5 star Service is also very attentive without being intrusive. The staff work well together to make a very enjoyable experience. Food ummmm... not as good as previous years. Not bad, just very limited. There are 3 or 4xs of drinks over the food menu. While nothing was bad, it definitely wasn't exciting. Artichoke & spinach dip was very good, but served with chips, sour cream & salsa....was just very odd. Corn croquettes were also tasty, 5 little balls with a plate full of roasted chillies... again...a bit odd. Burger.. something different next time. Salad... this was the prettiest item ordered. All in all... they need to work on the menu. Dinner was highly disappointing on the food front. It looks like would be a wonderful place to come for drinks.

    Photos
    BH Wood-Fired Grill
    BH Wood-Fired Grill
    BH Wood-Fired Grill

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    Prime Steakhouse & Martini Garden - Caesar Salad with anchovies quality Parm and with big enough for two.

    Prime Steakhouse & Martini Garden

    3.8(180 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$$$

    Our dinner could not have been better. From the fabulous drinks (watermelon & mint martini) to the…read moreexquisite service provided by Anita, Santi, and in specific the manager Hans went above and beyond. I'm overly impressed, and definitely will be back! The ambiance was incredible as well, felt like a night in Europe, thank you to the team!

    Been wanting to try out this place; wife and I finally did last night for Mother's Day. Beautiful…read moreevening so we asked to be seated in their garden area next to the white roses, which was lovely. Waited on by Jason, who was very professional, attentive and constantly checked on us without being obtrusive. Ordered the following: Seafood tower for 2 - reasonably priced, but minimal selection. Addition of crablegs would've elevated this. But we still enjoyed the lobster tail and fresh oysters. The jumbo shrimp cocktail was great too. French onion soup - simply sublime! Ceasar salad - delicious, I actually finished the entire plate despite not being a veggie eater. Sauteed mushroom - this one is OK. We prefer cremini mushrooms from Ruth's Chris. Filet mignon - cooked perfectly. Lean but still tender and juicy. Cream of spinach and asparagus perfectly complimented the steak. House cut prime rib - perfectly medium rare. Perfectly seasoned. Delicious. Was a bit chewy but this is me just nit-picking really. Au jus was piping hot! Lemon tart / Pear bread pudding - both were excellent desserts after such a rich meaty dinner. Overall had a fantastic time and would definitely come back. The only downside was perhaps our entrees took a bit long to come out. It was Mother's Day service and I think they were just a bit busy. No biggie.

    Photos
    Prime Steakhouse & Martini Garden - Lounge area

    Lounge area

    Prime Steakhouse & Martini Garden
    Prime Steakhouse & Martini Garden - Back lounge area

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    Back lounge area

    Original Joe's - italian - Updated May 2026

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