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

Original Joe's is a local chain of restaurants in SF's North Beach and Daly City's Westlake. Our friend wanted us to try their new location in Walnut Creek and made reservation for our party of 8 at noon on a recent Saturday. This location is on S. Main off Broadway Plaza. We parked in the Broadway Plaza parking lot, which is a short walk to the restaurant. The restaurant was packed and we were seated in the outside patio. I'm glad we were seated here as it was mellower than the louder and busier inside. After ordering our drinks, we checked out the menu and decided to share two starters: Calamari with house made tartar and cocktail sauce - it was good. Lightly battered and crispy. Zucchini Fries - a heaping portion of fries topped with parmigiano Reggiano and a house made lemon basil aioli for dipping. Never had these types of fries. Cut shoestring style and they were light and delicious. The served a complementary bread basket with butter. It consisted of sourdough slices, Focaccia squares and a bread crisp slice. House French bread - love warm bread and butter. So good that we asked for refills. I had the Joe's House made Ravioli - a generous portion of beef and spinach filled raviolis in a meat sauce topped with Parmesan Reggiano. I just wished the raviolis had a thicker filling. Other entrees ordered by our group were spaghetti and meatballs, House made beef lasagna and bone-in veal Milanese. Everyone was happy with their orders. When we left, the restaurant was still crowded and there was a waiting line. Service was friendly, accommodating and efficient. This is not your typical family style Italian restaurant, but it's more upscale and good for special occasions and get-togethers. read more

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A relatively newer location that opened up in Walnut Creek. It's still quite popular with nearly impossible to make reservations and a line out the door at all hours of the day. We managed to get in somehow by putting our names down at 5pm on a Saturday and they called us up 30 min later. Honestly we were so surprised! The food was good, but honestly not worth all the hype. It was all executed well and tasted delicious, but it's not gonna be anything new or exciting. The rigatoni was the star, perfectly al dente with a spicy tomato based sauce. I would come back for that. The zucchini fries were good, but would skip next time. It was a LOT. Everything else was decent but not worth returning for. The location in south San Francisco is good too, you can just go there. read more

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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. read more

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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! read more

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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 read more

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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. read more

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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! read more

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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 read more

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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. read more

Original Joe's - zucchini fries - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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 read more

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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. read more

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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. read more

Original Joe's - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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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. read more

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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. read more

Original Joe's - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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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. read more

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Wifey and I had dinner here for her birthday and we enjoyed the food and location wasn't to far away from home. Our reservations was for 5PM and was seated immediately when we checked in. The restaurant is packed and full of people. We ordered Crab cakes, zucchini fries for appetizer and didn't realize how much of the fries you get. You can feed at least 4-6 people we ended air frying the rest at home and was still good. Wife ordered short ribs with potatoes and I had the prime rib dinner. For dessert we shared a butter cake. Wife had a good time and we both were satisfied. read more

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Amazing service and bustling We love the SF location and the Walnut Creek location was just as good We will be back! read more

Original Joe's - Calamari - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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Just enjoyed a delightful lunch here. The restaurant has so much atmosphere with the decor and comfortable seating. Our server Vita was amazing! We had the prime rib dip with ravioli and it's big enough to share. They offer complimentary bread basket with homemade butter. Definitely a fun place to eat at read more

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Upon entering, the restaurant was busy, but the hostess was very pleasant and let us know we could either wait five to ten minutes for a table in the main dining room or be seated in the bar area. We chose the bar and were greeted right away, promptly given water and menus, and even received a complimentary bread basket--a nice touch. Bar area is very nice. We ordered two bay shrimp and avocado sandwiches with fries, and my wife had an Italian black cherry spritz. My wife really enjoyed both her sandwich and her drink. Unfortunately, I found my sandwich rather bland and not particularly memorable. That said, the menu offers plenty of options, so I'd be willing to return and try something different. read more

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4.5stars! One of the most talked about eateries in the Walnut Creek area . Gorgeous interior great for breakfast lunch or dinner dress up or dress casual . Professional staff well versed and attentive . Reservations recommended but mornings are easier than evenings. Ordered the chicken parmigiana that comes with a side ( I ordered spaghetti with meat sauce). It was huge ! Juicy chicken and tasty pasta . The Joes petrale sole was large and panned fried with tartar sauce on the side . Light and satisfying . The eggplant parmigiana was shaped like a lasagna and it too was plentiful and tasty. Complimentary bread included a variety but the focaccia was the star . Great service by Myra ! Nice restaurant to make a good impression with savory hearty food . I'll be back again to sample more of the menu selections . read more

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We had such a great meal at Original Joe's--everything we ordered was honestly a hit. We started with the fried calamari, which was perfectly crispy and not greasy at all. Super fresh with a light batter, and the sauces on the side paired really well. The crab cake was another standout--crispy on the outside, tender inside, and served with a rich, flavorful sauce. For mains, I had the spicy rigatoni and added meatballs--so good. The sauce had the perfect kick without being overwhelming, the pasta was cooked just right, and the meatballs were juicy and full of flavor. My husband got the chicken parm with a side of ravioli, and both were classic comfort dishes done really well--crispy chicken, melty cheese, and rich, satisfying sauces. And we couldn't skip dessert--the bomboloni were amazing. Light, fluffy, coated in sugar, and served with chocolate and raspberry sauces that made them even better. The vibe is lively with that old-school Italian feel, and service was solid. Definitely a place you can count on for consistently great food--we'll absolutely be back! read more

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My husband and I came here on a Thursday night and even though it looked pretty busy, we were able to get seated right away. We sat next to the kitchen and it was pretty cool and entertaining seeing all the dishes get prepared and organized. Everything we ordered was really good! Our server warns us that the zucchini fries and fried calamari were huge portions but we still wanted to try them. He was not wrong but we didn't have any regrets, since they still tasted really good as leftovers. The rigatoni was super creamy and had a nice, little kick. The seafood pasta was very flavorful and they didn't skimp on the seafood. We never really order dessert but we had to after seeing them make so many. It was soooo good, very rich and a perfect, sweet dish after all the salty appetizers and entrees. We'll definitely be back to try their other dishes! Overall ambiance was nice but can get very loud. Our server never checked in on us after we placed our orders (except to drop off the dessert menu and check lol) but all the other staff were super attentive. read more

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We scored a last minute reservation after contemplating possibly popping by and trying to get on a waitlist. So glad we had a reservation. The restaurant was full, bustling with the entire waiting area full around 4:00pm on a Saturday. It took maybe 15 minutes to get checked in and get seated. It was a little chaotic in the front area. If you have noise sensitivities, this place is not for you. Once seated, our server Roy was awesome. He was very attentive, patient with our questions and had a great vibe. Service was spectacular. We were a little overwhelmed with all the yummy choices and he gave us to the space to take our time with each selection coming out at different times. Let's start with the bread basket variety. I am not a fan of butter at all, but the spread that came with the bread was fantastic. Loved that there were three different types of bread. We also ordered the classic martini and coconut margarita. Both were excellent. We moved on to the mussels and zucchini fries. The epic mound of zucchini fries didn't disappoint! So light and airy, yet crispy. A definitely must. The mussels had great flavor but we did notice quite a number of the shells were empty. We finished with the house made short rib gnocchi. The pillowiest gnocchi we both have ever had, 10/10. Overall, we had an amazing dining experience. Highly recommend reservations. It's also very busy and loud on a Saturday afternoon. It might be overstimulating for those with sensory sensitivities. read more

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This location is just as nice as sf, without the long wait. As always their calamari is a must and their seafood linguine was probably the best of its kind I've had in a while - would come back and order two of these. Interior and outdoor patio were so pristine, and service was OK, but you would hope for something a bit nicer than a single sparkler in an empty bowl for a birthday surprise:/ read more

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not much to say besides: good food, good service. parking is free in a parking garage right next to it for the first like 3 hours, so you should have plenty of time. my steak was undercooked and they had to redo it, (ordered medium well, got rare in the center lol) but it's whatever. what i love about original joes though is the BUTTER CAKE !!!!! ugh it's so good, i dream about her all the time. read more

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Came for lunch today to celebrate my birthday. OJ's never disappoints. Place was bustling at 1:00pm. Everyone was enjoying their meals. Wait staff are very professional. I ordered Arancini as appetizer, really delicious. Cup of chowder that was okay, I've eaten better. My main was the Joe's egg dipped sole. Perfectly cooked. Ravioli side that is delicious. My wife had veal piccata that was generous and very good. We ended the meal with a light dessert I forget the name. They are round pillows if dough with a couple dipping sauces. Brought home probably 1 full dinner of food. All these good things wrapped in a traditional old world diner house feel is a perfec read more

I've been trying to get here since grand opening & FINALLY got a reservation on my birthday! What a great spot, with great staff.. Everyone was so friendly, even wishing me a happy birthday. Walking past the bar, I mentioned wanting the strongest drink possible & they confirmed they can make it happen. They even offered to drive me home or finish my drink if I couldn't since I had to drive home. That's what I call customer service, lol! Jose was our server & he was excellent! When I asked him about the house salad, he named all the toppings & every dressing on earth without hesitation lol. He also recommended the coconut margarita, which was really good! We sat on the terrace on a gorgeous day to enjoy this delicious food. I had the lasagna, but didn't know it would be huge like that. Salad was great, lasagna was perfection! More than enough for left overs. I topped it off with an Italian margarita before leaving & it got the party started. Fantastic experience, food, & birthday! Say YES to Original Joe's if ur in the Creek! read more

Original Joe's - bread & butta - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

This is a great place! Definitely a repeat!!! Service was EXCELLENT! Food was delish and an awesome treat with the sparkles!!! I especially loved their espresso martini!!! The food was tasty and presentation was impressive. This is my first time there. I will come back and try other dishes. read more

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I had to see what the hype was and why they always had a line! We couldn't get a reservations so we waited in line. It wasn't too bad for during the week probably about 20 minutes! The restaurant is huge and packed!!! We finally got seating at the bar which was comfy and perfect for a kids free date night. I had the coconut margarita and let me tell you... it was like I was on vacation!!! Creamy yummy with grated lime garnish. My husband had a caprese martini that I wasn't a fan of but I can see why others might like it. All the bartenders were above and beyond kind and so helpful going over the menu. I ended up ordering chicken saltimbocca which was a little on the salty side which I was earned but absolutely delicious. I couldn't believe it comes with a full side of pasta or ravioli. The portions are phenomenal. To start we got the zucchini strings. They forgot to mention it was a huge tower. HUGE. DEF LOVE THE PLACE AND WILL BE BACK FOR MORE. GET THOSE DRINKS READY!!!! read more

Original Joe's - Zucchini app - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

Stopped here just to see if we would even have a chance of getting a table and we were able to sit at the bar and waited about 5 minutes. We just had some appetizers and drinks as we were about to go shopping. The dip was ok felt like it could be creamier it was very chunky under the melted cheese maybe it's better with the crab. They also gave us a bread basket. The bartenders are what gave us the best experience. Very friendly honest and very attentive. I had. Blood orange drink that was very refreshing. The winner for me was the Hugo spritz obsessed one of the best spritz I have had. We didn't get a chance to try more food but we will be back for sure. Prianna and Mo were great and made it fun to sit at the bar and would answer any questions we had. Can't wait to come back and try their entrees! read more

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Went here on my birthday, place was nice. Food was decent. I was expecting to get a dessert with the sparkling candle at the end of our dinner but i didn't get anything. There was 3 people that got the birthday dessert with the candle but me. read more

Original Joe's - Italian margarita and Chardonnay wine. Bread and butter. - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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Came here for a Sunday afternoon lunch date with friends. I loved everything about this place. It was packed for a Sunday, which made me glad we'd made reservations. The place is swanky without being over board. You definitely can wear jeans and shorts durning the day and cocktail dresses and suits at night in this place. The wait staff are very professional and attentive. The food was delicious and amazing. I think the price per dish was just about right. Food all around is expensive, but the amount served and the quality of the food makes the price a steal We got the highly recommended zucchini fries and calamari to start, crab eggs benny and eggplant Parmesan with a spritzer to top off a Sunday funday date. read more

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The ambiance was great, bright and clean, upscale look place. The food was really good! Temperature of food was great, flavorful and very good portions! The drinks are good. The service... AMAZING! Our server Carlos M. went above and beyond, very attentive, very efficient, friendly, upbeat and great charisma. Would definately go back! read more

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This is actually a very tough review. I feel like in order to give an accurate review. I have to tell you everything that was excellent about it and everything that wasn't. So I would like to say that their service absolutely deserves a 5 star. Every server and part of their wait staff was attentive and always on time. Our glasses were never empty and any condiment or anything that we needed, it was always there in a jiffy. They anticipated the need before I was even aware that there was a need. The ambiance was absolutely lovely. From the music to the decor, everything was classy. Also worthy of 5 stars. The presentation for the drinks were absolutely stunning and the bartenders never missed a beat. Their beverages were always consistent and on point. They were also 5 stars. So here's where we get to the part where it wasn't the best... We ordered the chicken parmesan, spaghetti and meatballs, fried prawns and the short rib gnocchi. We also ordered the calamari as an appetizer and a small cup of minestroni soup and a beet salad. Unfortunately, the majority of our food was just ok. It lacked flavor. The minestroni soup was definitely on the salty side. I'm not sure what The Four of Us were expecting in terms of the flavor, I just know that we were expecting a little more. We felt like it was just ok. I will probably give it another chance in the future but for this experience we had to give the food a 3 rating. Everything else was a 5 star rating. The food couldve been better. read more

I finally came in after not being able to make a decent reservation at a decent hour I'd normally eat. Hubs and I decided to just walk in right at opening without a reservation and take our chances. Although there was a line to check in, the bar area room had immediate seating. The manager saw that we picked a seat in the middle when he said there's a great spot near the window, right near the open fire place. It was perfect. Water and bread basket came immediately as did our server. She came bearing gifts of amazing recommendations. Prime rib French dip with fries and clam chowder for Hubs and Crab Roll and house made chips for me. Oh. M. Gee. It was love at 1st bite for both of us. THIS is why you can't get a reservation and that even as a walk in on normal weekends the wait is HOURS long. Their food was amazing. Never expected to love a dungessness crab roll this much. Perfectly seasoned and not too heavy of the mayonnaise nor was it drowned in butter like other crab roll places. The chips though. Oh their chips I could munch on all day. Thinly sliced potatoes and salted just enough. Not oily at all. Although I was full, their bombolino was that. So b0mb. Hot donuts with chocolate and raspberry sauce for you to drizzle or dip, whatever your heart desires. Did I tell you that the donuts were tossed in cinnamon sugar? Yes, yes. It was the dessert that hit the spot. Need to come back and try their tiramisu and butter cake. read more

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This is a lively and bustling place. I came here for my birthday dinner and Valentine's Day. Servers are attentive and prompt even on a super busy day. The crab cake was my favorite. It's so meaty and fresh and the beurre blanc sauce is so flavorful. The steaks were cooked to our desired temp and the addition of Gorgonzola topping was perfection. And finally the butter cake is so delicious. My husband indulged in it even though he's not big on sweets. So happy they opened this location. read more

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After trying for weeks, I finally scored a dinner reservation! The trick is to tap on the notification once it appears on your screen. Any slight delay will cause you to lose your spot. It's like buying BTS 'Arirang' concert tickets -- don't hesitate, be on point and stay persistent. If not, you're not going to see BTS lol. Just a warning, this is located in one of the busiest areas in Walnut Creek. There is street parking all over downtown, but looking for a parking spot on the street is like trying to get a reservation here. It's a double-edged sword! The good news, there is a parking garage near the restaurant and all the stores. We were seated immediately after checking in. The restaurant gives intimate vibes, warm lighting, and a great setting for a perfect date night. It's family friendly too. I did observe that the tables were too close together. If you're expecting some personal space, this isn't for you. The service was excellent. Our server was very attentive and welcoming. The food was delicious. It was on the pricey side but worth the money spent. I ordered a couple drinks -- Appetizers: Zucchini Fries (This will feed at least a table of 3-4), Beef Carpaccio, and Arancini. Dinner: Veal Dirty Saltimbocca and Chicken Parmigiana Dessert: Joe's Warm Butter Cake (Highly recommended!) Everything on our table was delicious and all the portions were perfect with exception of the zucchini fries which was more than what we expected! Overall dining experience at Original Joes was worth the wait. You might have better luck finding a lunch reservation, but it seems to be limited as well, even on weekdays! read more

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Came for lunch on a saturday and was surprised there wasn't a wait. We were able to get seated right away. Got the gnocchi and ravioli and the portions were huge. Both dishes were very good. read more

Original Joe's - Gnocchi - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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This one was hard. I waffled between three and four. We came in without reservations on a rainy Saturday before 2. There are two entrances which make it very confusing to know who was first or which line to be in. We snagged two seats at one of the bars. There seems to be a bar area, counter area and a back bar area? Our bartenders were awesome- attentive and knowledgeable. Espresso Martini, joes martini, and a glass of sav blanc. Portions are HUGE- seriously after our app we were close to done so we split the entree. If you've seen the month long wait list just go and sit in bar.. sans menu and service. We had the calamari and the French dip. Both so darn good! Would order both again read more

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