I would give this place zero stars if it were an option. This was hands down the worst service I have ever experienced. I brought a group of 12 for a birthday dinner, and from the moment we arrived, we were treated with utter contempt by a server named Gustavo, who apparently also owns the establishment. The disrespect started immediately. While we were simply organizing our seating (before even ordering), he became visibly angry and hostile. After our appetizers arrived, he completely abandoned the table. Our used plates were never cleared, we were never asked how the food was, and we waited over an hour for our main courses. When we tried to order another round of drinks while waiting, Gustavo told us he was "way too busy" to take our order and that we "needed to figure it out" despite us being ready to order. When I politely mentioned that I hadn't ordered an appetizer and was very hungry, asking if my pizza could come out, he snapped, "You will get your order when all the others come out. I'm not going to push ahead your order for that." The "owner" then had the audacity to lecture us, raising his voice and telling us, "this is what I mean with you guys," because we had adjusted our seats at the beginning of the night. When I finally asked for the bill to escape the situation, he brought me someone else's check. When I pointed out the error, he blamed us again, laughed in our faces, and scoffed. When we told him we wanted to speak to someone above him, he condescendingly told us, "You're not in this industry, you don't know." Save your money and go somewhere where the staff, and the owner actually value their customers. Gustavo is unprofessional, disrespectful, and has no business being in the hospitality industry. Absolutely disgusting behavior. read more

It is a great place. It has Good service, and the food was excellent see pics Drinks and appetizers were the boom read more

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Food was delicious,service was perfect, and Ambiance was great even though the restaurant was fully occupied.

4/5 service - for those prices it's a little stingy to give 0 paper napkins for pizza and when asked only drops 2-3 tiny squares without even bother to ask if would like more, made decision for me when and if dishes will come together or as soon as ready 1/5 food - sadly... really looked forward to enjoy this place. An easy tell for skill and attention of Italian restaurants is Carbonara. All the quality issues aside let's talk very basics: salted meat and salted sauce and seemingly lightly salted spaghetti makes for a bit too salty. Temperature a bit too hot for the egg which seems to have been skimmed on too. Pizza was thin ok, but dough was tough and also soggy middle bottom, also just too salty (and I enjoy salty foods)... and next day I had pizza nova and wow. They should have just ordered pizza nova to fool customers. My roommate in college tried making pizza first time and it ended up like what I had here. Portions are all also not impressive at all. Extremely disappointed. read more

Joia Ristorante - Scipiano Pizza, sloppy soggy and shoddy. Really looked forward to something great and got the opposite. - Italian Near Me - Aurora, Ontario

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We enjoyed a nice meal at Joia, good attentive service, well prepared food, decent choices on the menu. They accommodated an appetizer portion of the gnocchi, which I really wanted to try. My wife had two Apps instead of an entree; Portobello stuffed mushroom & grill calamari which she really enjoyed. We shared a chicken pesto feta pizza, which Kai our server recommended, very good choice. I had the veal portafolio which was a great preparation and good variety of complimentary vegetables on the plate, plus a very savoury dish, made to order. This is an established restaurant, with many Moses reviews, but I was impressed with our experience. Great wine selection, little pricy read more

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I would like people to know that when they read this review I speak from the heart and really enjoy good food when it is presented to me with care and quality produce. My opinions and views are not with favouritism or with regret, but with honesty so here goes............. Joia Ristorante is a ristorante that shouldn't have any expectations put on it. If you are looking for a ristorante or regular restaurant in Aurora Joia fits the bill. A established ristorante that has firm roots in Aurora for over 20 years should have learned more then what it is willing to give and preset to you at your table. Joia should actually care about what it puts on the plate. Joia isn't a Italian ristorante, nor is it a high end ristorante. It's just a establishment that is trying to play the part. The food isn't surprisingly over the top nor is it mouth watering. It may look fancy on the plate but lacks taste, flavours, substance and overall pride. Let me be honest, I took my wife out for a romantic dinner out. Drove over a hour to walk into something special and to be mesmerized. I was expecting these flashes of flavours, for my belly to be content with all the high hopes that I read from yelp. But it was a disappointment on all levels. Here is what my wife and ate for dinner: Cesar salad wasn't more then unseasoned dressing with no cheese or anchovies to brighten up your pallet. Portobello mushrooms that tasted like they were out of a can. Cozzie marinara was totally off base and wasn't worth the hassle. Veal Marsala was out dated and hard to eat when it seems they use the same sauce for the portobello ripieni. Over priced wine list that no one should have to pay $30.00 for 1/2L of 17.00 Chianti. Please don't get me wrong or think I am bashing Joia, I enjoy great food and I am willing to pay for it and when it's amazing I rave and when it's totally average I have to say it. This ristorante needs to either be a totally Italian ristorante and start from scratch and learn the basics of real Italian cooking and not try to be a ristorante that just gets by on wishful thinking of being a Italian ristorante and just serve high priced wine and below average food at a high price. Because Joia has that hitting on all cylinders. I will not go back or recommend this ristorante if you want real Italian food. But if you want to be over charged and feel like you have wasted some hard earned money it's the place for you. read more

Joia Ristorante - Bill for dinner - Italian Near Me - Aurora, Ontario

You know those restaurants where the theme is the staff are rude? It's like this restaurant has taken on that theme without informing the customers. We were rushed as soon as we were seated. Expensive for what you get. The food is ok at best. I knew of this place and it's decades of existence so was looking forward to a nice night out. We will never be back. How has this place been here this long? read more

Went to Joia last week and this was my third visit, the place is real nice and the servers and management are very friendly and professional. The place is trendy and the clients are always professional and dressed to business casual. Their Margherita and pesto pizzas are the best i've had, and will always come back to this place whenever i'm in the Aurora area. read more

My family and I recently ate at the Joia Aurora location and it was less than desirable. From the moment I called to make a reservation, to the moment we left, every staff member we encountered were either rude, unwelcoming or simply ignored us. We weren't greeted at the door and waited at least 5 minutes before the hostess came to seat us. Several staff walked by and didn't even acknowledge us. The waiter took his time to come to our table even though he had less than three tables, two of which were leaving. He didn't greet us, nor offer any suggestions on specials and didn't take our order accurately. Once the food arrived, the presentation was as if the kitchen had just thrown the food together. I asked the hostess who served us, if my pasta was gluten free and she wasn't sure. After checking, she confirmed it wasn't and placed a new order. Our waiter never came back to check on our food, nor asked if we needed anything, and he didn't even refill our water glasses. We had to call over the other waiter to request dessert menus and more water. After waiting another 15 minutes to place our dessert order, our waiter provided a steak knife for our crepe and said sometimes it's hard to cut through. Why would you even still offer a dessert like that? After waiting again, my son got up to go to the bathroom and asked our waiter if we could get the bill. Upon returning a few minutes later we still hadn't recieced it. He was too busy closing out his tables and finsihing up his billing to even bother with us. The only other table that came in with us, was also waiting a while before he got to them. Finally, I got up and ask again for it. When it came, he magically became polite and thanked us for coming...guess he thought that's all it takes to get a good tip. We left and won't be coming back. I'd rather drive to Richmond Hill or Markham than settle for service like that again. read more

Fantastic first experience at Joia Newmarket today. I attended with a friend and we split the calamari and bruschetta. I had the fish special which was orange roughy and my friend has the meat special which was a veal parm. I have to say what I noticed the most was the amount of wait-staff. There were so many waiters on hand and it showed, as our food came out fast and everyone was very attentive. My fish was to die for. A little spicy, cooked very well. My friend was also happy with her veal parm - very cheesy. The calamari was a huge portion. If I have to suggest something - the bruschetta is not traditional. Rather it's sliced tomatoes on a pizza. I would pass on it. But otherwise a great dinner. read more

This is my third visit to Joia. It has been a favourite for parties for us to go to. First, the place is immaculately clean. The place looks good, and it smells good. Not too loud, and friendly. Joia has a great menu with lots of wonderful things to order. Pasta, risotto, pizzas, lamb, steak. The table was well served and the appetizers were great. I have to eat gluten free, and this made my last visit challenging. The options that were previously available weren't during this visit. They were out of buffalo mozzarella, and I was told that there was only one option now available to me. I didn't want pasta, so I asked if they could do me a steak. The steak was very good, as were the vegetables served with it. The environment was good, but there had been an error made during the reservation, so the whole meal seemed rushed and that they were doing their best to get us out of there. One late attendee was told that they couldn't make a pizza for her because they thought that the pizza oven was off. It wasn't. The waiter reached over people while they were eating and got in the way of their eating while trying to fill glasses and take away dishes. It seemed to me that they didn't really want us there for the majority of the meal. I think it is really the service that affects my review. Great food, but not really inviting or friendly. Very different from our previous visits. read more

Sadly disappointed on entry. That was fast..There was no greeting, absolutely no feeling of "welcome, nice to see you". I actually felt like an intruder rather than a guest. A disaster right there alone. We were seated at what was surely the draughtiest table in the place, closest to the washrooms, (clearly the 'cats table'), by our server who made no attempt at being personable, in fact looked put off by our presence. And this is even before getting to the food. On that! I will waste little time except to say it was generally average at best, while paying well above average $$$$. And the worst bruschetta! Will definitely NOT be back. read more

Heard a lot of good tings about his spot so we decided to take the drive to Aurora the restaurant décor and layout were impressive , I liked where the wood oven pizza was situated,, really gave you the feeling you were entering into a really authentic Italian eatery we started with the Calamari and a pizza to share as our appetizer, I figured with a wood oven the pizza it would be worth a try food was out quickly, the calamari were good but was a little disappointed in the pizza , with a wood oven it could have been so much better. For our mains the kids had pasta with a red sauce, I had the lamb shank and the wife had the salmon the sauce was a little too sour for the kids liking but they ate it none the less, the Salmon was under seasoned but cooked perfectly the lamb shank was fall off the bone and very tasty Had the pizza been to my expectations (given the oven they have) I probably would have given them another star, this would not be my go to place for only a pizza read more

We got takeout as we couldn't dine in due to the COVID pandemic. We had fried calamari, which they fried up just before I picked up the order to keep it hot and fresh. We had the seafood pasta and the stuffed veal 84. The veal was a bit tough and overcooked. The seafood pasta was good enough. Portions were generous. I've eaten in at the Newmarket location pre-pandemic and the food was better so maybe this just reflects the takeout experience. read more

The food is mediocre and overpriced .Bread is not served with pasta .Place is very noisy ,chairs are not comfortable and service is not what we are used to .When it's rated as the best restaurant in Aurora ,I won't be eating anywhere else in Aurora .Had an excellent bottle of wine .No I would not recommend it . read more

I really enjoy this spot. It's warm, friendly and the food is delicious, and their presentation is lovely. I have never had poor service or a mediocre meal. Special mention to Lucien, who handled my father with absolute grace and dignity (he had a stroke which left him with some deficiencies). I highly recommend this restaurant, it has become our go to in this area. read more

Joia Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Aurora, Ontario

Tonight was our first visit to Joia Aurora, more than what we expected! The European decor is beautiful and cosy. The food was served in good size, nicely plated and delicious, there features a brick oven that served freshly baked pizza, the Tiramisu really speaks for itself. We'll definitely go back. read more

We came down for our anniversary with our best friends, based on reviews. It turned out to be one of the best nights we ever had!! Our server, Gustavo made our night, made us feel like family. He made some suggestions regarding a few simple substitutions to some of our orders which took the meal to a whole new level...Gustavo, if you are reading this, Mille grazie amico!!!! As long as we know we can experience the atmosphere provided last night and the food is as amazing as it was, we will definitely reccomend Joia to friends and will visit again next time in town. read more

Joia Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Aurora, Ontario

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The service levels at this establishment are horrendous. Love the food, but unfortunately it is not worth even going to go through the absolutely crappy service. So many other restaurants very close, go check out all the others. read more

We celebrated New Years eve at this restaurant last night. The staff was amazing. It was crazy busy and they were clearly working very hard to make sure everyone was having a wonderful dining experience. We appreciate all your hard work! The menu had a lot of selections and we found it difficult to choose. Everything sounded so good. I finally decided on the escargots just because I haven't had those in years. Brought back some good memories. The main course I chose was the linguine with lobster and shrimp in a Sambuca sauce. It was divine. The portion was generous. For dessert we all had the cannoli. Very good, we all agreed. And a lovely presentation with fresh fruit, sauces and shaved dark chocolate on a long white plate. Thanks again to all the staff for making this a very special New Years Eve dinner with friends. Perfect in every way. See you in 2015! read more

Joia Ristorante - Cannoli are so good! Mamma mia!! - Italian Near Me - Aurora, Ontario

Joia is a cozy restaurant tucked away in Aurora. Joia has a daily menu in addition to the regular menu which can be viewed online. We were served bread with oil/vinegar after we ordered. For our appetizer, we ordered escargots with portobello, onion and garlic in a merlot sauce on crostini. It was SO delicious, definitely my favourite part of the dinner. Our mains were veal marsala and risotto, both were amazing. The veal marsala was quite a thin sliced portion but very filling as it was served with truffle mash and grilled veggies. The risotto was also great, mixed with green peas, red onion and mascarpone cream..I just wish for $23, the risotto would be served with some kind of protein. The service at Joia is one of the best I've ever had at any restaurant, the staff are all very friendly and professional. read more

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Haven't been in a while because the last visit was rather disappointing. Tonight reinforced why we have been absent for a while. Meat was overdone and dry. Wine by glass selection very limited. The server never checked on our water nor enquired if the food was to our liking. Pretty poor show read more

I'd love to give you a detailed review of my dining experience at Joia but I can't because I never got closer than the parking lot . Joia was recommended to us by another restaurateur friend of ours . Last night I consulted their website which clearly indicates opening hours until 10:30 pm . As an added measure I called to see if reservations were necessary to which they responded no and that they had plenty of room for 2 people . I told them that we were leaving Kleinburg in 10 minutes . The GPS showed 27 minutes and we left at 8:15 . Due to road closures we were detoured which made the trip 45 minutes and we arrived at 8:59 . The hours posted on the door did not match their web site and showed 10:00 pm . We found the doors locked so my wife knocked on the window at which point she saw who I'll assume was the manager or owner run and hide in the kitchen !!! Really ???? So I sat in my truck and called . They answered the phone and told me that they are closed and that they had sent the kitchen staff home . I asked why they would not have the professional courtesy to call us and inform us that they are closing early - his response was turse , unapologetic and borderline rude , as if to say this was our fault . There is nothing more infuriating than establishments that don't keep their posted hours . If business is to slow and you can't afford to keeps the lights on then at least have the decency to let your customers know your intentions before they waste 2 hours of travel time and a quarter tank of fuel to have the door slammed in your face . I can afford to eat anywhere and we are known to travel for good food but I WILL NEVER STEP FOOT IN THIS PLACE , and I will actively discourage anyone else From doing so, there are plenty of other establishments that deserve our business - but then again if Joia is sitting empty on a Tuesday night their business or lack thereof most likely has nothing to do with food quality and everything to do with their puss poor approach to customer service . read more

This place is fantastic and elegant!! Delicious food made fresh to order, super attentive and friendly staff making for excellent service, a very welcoming and classy environment and it's not downtown Toronto!! :) We shared the fried seafood platter as an appetizer, super fresh and good, then ordered the melt in your mouth ricotta gnocchi in a rose sauce for my entree (so so good) accompanied by a delicious glass of Pinot noir and ended with a good ole cup of coffee! Loved everything about this place. We sat for hours and staff was so kind to let us enjoy the night. They're so professional and kind! Looking forward to many more dinners at Joia! read more

Amazing food and great service. I loved the environment. They make their own pasta too. It was yummy. Also I recommend getting dessert and a cappuccino. Delish This is a great place for a date night or parties. I saw families but it's a romantic place for a date night. My husband and I went there alone and really enjoyed ourselves. Their wine list is crazy amazing. Even people form the city recommended them because they were the only ones to carry certain bottles of brands we wanted. Also they make their own pizzas in a fire brick oven Try the pesto pizza. read more

I went here for my birthday dinner with my family. We haven't been in a while, but I was really in the mood for good pizza, so I decided to give it a try! We got the fried seafood, grilled calamari and two orders off the special's menu - both of them mussels. I personally only like mussels in a red sauce, so I asked our server what the italian description meant and if it would be served with a red sauce. He ensured that yes, it would be served with a red sauce, but 10 minutes later, another server brought out our dishes and the mussels were in a white sauce! I did speak to the waiter, who re-read the menu and said, ah it comes in a spicy sauce. Well, the sauce was spicy, which was the saving grace and essentially was what kept it's 5-star rating. However, I did urge that if he wasn't 100% sure, he should double check next time. He seemed nice about the error. For our mains we got the calabrese picante pizza, veal stuffed with mozzarella and prosciutto, veal marsala and another special - venison with a blueberry, wine sauce. Everything was excellent. -My pizza was cooked in a wood-burning oven, and it was crispy, gooey and spicy. -The stuffed veal was a huge portion, and was so tender, gooey with cheese, salty and yummy. -The veal marsala was also a large piece with great mashed potatoes. -The venison, though apprehensive to try, was cooked a perfect medium-rare and not drowning in sauce. It was a tasty gamey meat, but SUPER tender. Really surprising good. Next time I'll hopefully leave room for dessert! I'd go back in a heartbeat! read more

The food was pretty good at Joia. Although I would say I'm a bigger fan of Zefferini's veal dish. I had a veal scalolpini dish.. My husband had a penne with sausage. I think that next time I would go for pizza and salad there next time. We had bruschetta as a starter and we both really enjoyed that read more

At best this place is "meh." As you walk in, it feels like this place is stuck in time - reminding me of the 1980's, Sade, and Mariah Carey. It's everything I "love" about living in the burbs - the perfect destination for the velour track suit crowd. Men beware - cougars are on the prowl. The menu is too big, the dishes are unoriginal, and the food is laden with olive oil. Nothing is horribly bad... Except that it reminds you that you live in the burbs, and that there are few dining choices. #depressingsituation read more

We usually come here when we want a delicious and satisfying Italian meal couple with the great service and ambiance.

Joia is a fantastic restaurant. Service was outstanding, food was delicious, and the restaurant is just elegant. I came here with my girlfriend for her birthday and it went undeniably well. After ordering, we promptly received some fresh bread served with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. The bread wasn't anything special, but it was fresh and warm and that's one of the most important things. We got the escargots with Portobello mushrooms to start and it was FLAVOURFUL. The escargots were cooked just right and I enjoyed them very much. As our mains dishes, we got a risotto and the veal marsala. The veal was tender, and the marsala sauce complimented the meat very well. The veal came with a side of truffle mash and grilled vegetables which give it a very pleasant smell and taste. The risotto comes with green peas, red onion, and mascarpone cream. Again the risotto had a pleasant and creamy scent. Lastly, I wanted to go over the service here. It is hands down one of the best that I've experienced in my life. The staff are courteous, attentive, friendly, and humourous. read more

Good restaurant in a small plaza at the north end of town. Nice atmosphere and decor, great service from waiter Lucien. Have enjoyed the pizza from their brick oven and the spaghetti bolognaise which is terrific. Flat bread & olive olive oil at the table is a nice touch and very tasty. A good selection on the menu with reasonable prices for the quality provided. Highly recommend to all. read more

So this is my second time going here. The first time was decent, I had pizza and no wine. This time however the mistake to order wine was made. It was a 70 dollar bottle (their price) so after we got home I decided to check what the LCBO sells it for. They charged 25. That's 3 times more I mean okay they want to make some money but jeez that's stupid. Most restaurants it's double, okay yeah you get the experience of dining out but nope not here. It took 50 mins for a salad. It's not like a pizza or something it's a salad it's simple 5 mins to make at most. We saw our waiter 3 times through the night. Once at the beginning once when he asks how your food was and then to collect his tip. So now that it's like an hour and a half in we get our meals. I had the special pasta which is spaghetti and meatballs. It was overly salty, like enough to salt the roads lol. So 2/3 meals were salty. Once had like chunks of sea salt and the other was just plain salty. So when our waiter shows up (2nd time) we tell him and he takes it away. So 2 meals were taken away so we got to watch the 3rd person we were with eat how nice. They bring our food out about 5 minutes later. It's still salty and doesn't really taste that great. But I sucked it up because I was starving. Overall I would not come back here. Would recommend Roma it's about 5 mins north of upper Canada mall. Summary of the review: do not eat here unless you want marked up wine and salty food read more

Yeah Yelp. This is as good as it gets. Don't agree with my fellow reviewers. I love Italian food done well with old-time classic professional-level waiters. I can't go all the time because yes, it's not cheap but my favourite treat in Aurora. We're lucky to have them. read more

This is a great Italian Restaurant. They have wood oven pizza and great selection of wine. However the service is a bit slow, which don't be in rush and enjoy your dinner. read more

Tues night dinner for two. 8pm arrival in out of the pouring rain. Warmly greeted and shown to a four top beside the fireplace. Excellent Quick service to offer drinks. My request for a glass of Shiraz gets me a well-recited description of two choices. Well served glass full of fruitiness yummm and delish. Dinner companion had Stella in a bottle. Not happy with "on-tap" selections but was middling on the beer by bottle Bread and oil/balsamic delivery speedy and courteous. Server's suggestion of veal and shrimp was awesome and paired with penne at my request rather than veg as I have a thing for arrabiatta. Might be an urban myth but I was told the owners' parents grow the peppers in their home garden. Yowza!! Excellent kick! Love to give report on a second dish but the description of the veal was enough to tempt the both of us I would recommend this to anyone looking for an upper edge dining locale that delivers quality food and attentive service. $100 for dinner for two with no apps, 3 drinks, and a well deserved tip read more

Most disappointing meal that I have had in months--read previous reviews and walked by the new building that looked great so was quite excited about going--there were 3 of us. First impression was disappointing as we were used to the Aurora location--almost cafeteria style and VERY noisy...Service was excellent and very attentive so full marks there. But the food on all accounts for all 3 of us was less than disappointing, I had the grilled calamari that was swimming in oil--the pasta bolognese was served piping hot but had absolutely NO taste--the bruschetta that we had ordered at first came after all of the mains were delivered was on a slim pizza flatbread, slightly burnt with whole tomatoes sprinkled with again, tons of oil and basil for a topping....UGH..won't be a return customer. read more

If your in the mood for pizza, their siciliana pizza is absolutely mouth watering. I always start off with the muscles, fantastic and amazing priced dinner. Me and my girlfriend love this place! read more

Used their online booking to make a reservation for Mother's Day dinner. They say they will call to confirm. Over 5 days go by without a confirmation. We also tried calling to confirm our reservation countless times but no answer. Finally reach someone this morning and the tell us their full, their reason for not calling us back is " we're busy". We'll take our business elsewhere in the future. Thanks Joia for a special mother day! read more

We've lived in Aurora for 17yrs. Joia has always treated us like family. Make the trip to Aurora and don't miss this gem Excellent food and atmosphere. My mouth is watering just thinking about their stone fire oven cooked gourmet pizza. read more

I noticed an add in the Era Banner this morning about the misconceptions of Joia. I guess they are trying to bring in the lunch crowd but thought it would be worth while to write in about why I eventually stopped going there to dine. I find your wine list ridiculously expensive, actually it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. We regularly head out, either in Toronto, or north of Toronto closer to where we live and are very familiar to the true cost of California wines at the LCBO. The markup at Joia is just silly, and although I'm sure many of your customers just expense their dinners, it still seems like your taking advantage of who ever wants to enjoy a decent bottle of wine with their meal. So if there is a box to be checked on overcharging your customer, I will check off T. read more