My 40+ year love affair with Joes continues. It's New Year's eve. No reservation. We sit within 10 minutes ( it will be longer for larger groups) Table service with Ben was great. Joes has really been honing in on servers who match the standard. Food. We continue to work the menu. Tonight, the signature Veal Parm on the bone. Veal was a bit lost but well executed. NY Steak was perfect medium rare. Scallops were a B. Dessert. Yes, famous for the butter cake....But don't sleep on Zanzes Cheesecake. Duggans resurrected this business. Bravo. read more

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One of the iconic restaurant here in Walnut Creek in my opinion,service starts as we walked in,greeted with smile.We have no reservations and it's lunch time and uber busy.Management are very busy making sure everyone gets seated right away .There's a separate line for us( without reservations)and because staff are really good ,we got our seat right away.Ambiance is elegant and clean.We love our food,calamari is superb,i got a crab sandwich,complimentary bread is so good,they have the crispy parmesan which is my fave.vege salad is so fresh and the chicken is ok.furry babies are welcome in their patio and restroom is very clean. read more

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Came for my birthday and it was such a treat after it has been closed due to the fire. It was packed as usual - highly recommend making a reservation (if you can). Our group of 6 squeezed into a booth and our server kept us hydrated with cocktails. For eats we got the classic and colloidal zucchini tower, fried calamari, arancini to start. I got the bone in veal parmigiana with a side of beef ravioli. Everything was rich and flavorful and of course I got full after my 2nd bite into my entree. Leftovers for tmrw? Yes please! Ended with the divine butter cake with a fun sparkly topper. Thank you Joe's for a memorable bday lunch! read more

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I fell in love with Original Joe's this year when I tried their San Francisco location, so I had to make a trip out to try the new Walnut Creek location--and I was not disappointed. The restaurant is beautiful, and all of the staff, from the hostess to the waiter, were friendly and extremely attentive. Reservations can be tricky, but they are totally worth it. The bread basket was phenomenal--I am in love with the cheddar-crusted crostini. We started off with the truffle fries, which tasted just as yummy as they do in San Francisco. We also tried the zucchini fries for the first time, and they were as good as we hoped. Definitely a portion too large to finish, but they were very light, and the breading was crispy and thin. For my main, I had the vodka pasta, which was perfectly cooked and had the perfect amount of spice. We also tried the Marry Me farfalle, which was creamy and flavorful, as well as the salmon, which was perfectly cooked. We got the potatoes on the side, which weren't as buttery as the ones in San Francisco but were still creamy and yummy. For dessert, we tried the Italian donuts. They were good, but not a standout. I'm excited to try their other desserts next time. Will definitely be back!! read more

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Besides how long it takes to get a reservation this place is a great spot! Our service was amazing. The coconut margarita was delicious. Our food was perfect and I'm looking forward to trying more things. The chicken parm was the best I've ever ordered. It's got such a great vibe and decorated so nicely. Feels like a nice restaurant Will totally be coming back! read more

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Story time... When I was 12, while visiting my Dad at his office at SFO, he and his coworkers got takeout and got me this amazing burger on a sourdough roll. I had just gotten my braces tightened and didn't get to enjoy it. It looked and smelled so good, but I only had a few tiny nibbles. FOR YEARS, I've thought about this burger and never knew where it was from. I don't know why I never asked my Dad about it before he passed away a few years ago. Anyway, after 39 years, I found it and FINALLY got to enjoy what I now know is Original Joe's Famous Hamburger Sandwich (the one I had as a kid was from the Westlake location). Okay back to my review! Service was a little slow the time we went, but almost everyone we encountered were warm and friendly. It took us some time to get our drinks and eventually our check. During our visit, it seemed like they were still trying to figure out the pace of things. The food quality was excellent, and I liked the variety of bread and butter that they served when we were seated. Original Joe's is a nice addition to the area filled with old charm and hearty upscale favorite foods. I look forward to going back! 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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We were able to get a lunch reservation for my mother's 65th bday. The restaurant is beautiful, plenty of seating and nice decor. The waiting area is small, and many people were waiting so quite a few were standing around while waiting for their table. We were seated towards the back which was more private. Our server was great, he acknowledged my mother's bday right away and asked her what she would like to drink, he offered the choices champagne or mimosa, my mother got the mimosa for her bday drink. The ordering process went smoothly, there were 9 of us. I was disappointed to find out that the prime rib was only available after 3pm, our reservation was at 11am. We ordered the rib eye as a substitute and I had the shrimp scampi. The rib eye was delicious, cooked to perfection. The shrimp scampi was cooked with a different type of shrimp, the ones from Westlake were bigger and are straight while the ones from Walnut Creek were curly and smaller. They also brought out a butter cake with a beautiful sparkling candle for my mom's bday. The bill came and they included the service fee which is standard for a big group. I didn't expect, however, that the bday mimosa and bday butter cake were NOT complimentary, we felt blindsided and I felt like they should have been upfront about it. So if you go, make sure you know they do NOT comp anything for any type of celebration. Overall it was a great experience, the food was delicious and service was amazing. We will go back! read more

Original Joe's - Rib eye, delicious! - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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We frequent the Westlake Original Joe's, but decided to try the new Walnut Creek location since it's closer to home. The décor has a modern touch while still keeping the classic Original Joe's vibe, and I'm perfectly fine with the update -- it feels familiar but fresh. The food was the same great quality we're used to, and the service made our visit even better. Our waiter, Carlos, was amazing. We mentioned that my son had just gotten his braces on, and Carlos immediately connected with him by sharing his own braces journey. His beautiful smile and encouraging words genuinely made my son feel better and more confident. Carlos was attentive throughout our meal, and the drinks were excellent. Overall, Walnut Creek Original Joe's delivered the same great food we love with standout service that made our day extra special. read more

Had a great time coming here for lunch during the week. It was pretty busy but not noisy or overly crowded. Our server Carlitos was awesome, very attentive, friendly, and professional. The food was all very good! The lasagna was heavy, took half of it home, but it was delicious! The linguine with clams was nice and light, good with red chili flakes on the side. read more

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Dined at the brand new Original Joe's on a Monday night and I'm here to tell you, yes it's worth the hype. If you can, get a reservation, but if not, the lounge in the front is available for walk-ins and the wait really wasn't too terrible. I typically highlight the standouts in my reviews but that's very difficult when every single item is fantastic. For apps we got the arancini and zucchini fries. Warning: the portion size on those fries would be better for 4+ people. For mains we loved our spicy rigatoni and fusilli pesto. Drinks and dessert hit the mark as well. This menu is expansive so I know I'm only scratching the surface of the delicious eats now brought to Walnut Creek. read more

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If you're planning a trip to Original Joe's Walnut Creek, let me give you the real scoop: Go. But stretch, hydrate, and mentally prepare for the wait. I came here for my birthday on a Wednesday at 4:30 PM, prime "this place should be empty" hour, and it was PACKED. Like "is Beyonce doing a pop-up concert in the back?" packed. Reservations drop two weeks ahead and disappear faster than playoff Warriors tickets, so if you don't snag one, you're in the Hunger Games line outside with the rest of us. After a quick 15-minute bar wait (because they won't seat you until your whole party arrives), I landed a bar stool... which turned out to be fate because I met the best espresso martini I've ever had. I'm not kidding, I'm emotionally invested at this point. We finally got a table after about 40 minutes, and let me tell you WORTH IT. Here's the birthday feast: Arancini: perfectly crisp, cheesy little angels. Joes Filet of Sole: melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Chicken Parm: absolutely massive, the size of my head. Burger on Sourdough: iconic. Complimentary Bread Basket: dangerously good. Bombolini: warm little cinnamon sugar donut holes with assorted dipping sauces. I could've eaten 40. No shame. Zucchini Fries: a MOUNTAIN of fries, I didn't order it... still mourning that decision while watching everybody else at their tables enjoy theirs The interior is beautiful, classic OJ's charm but elevated. Only note: the ramp to the back is slippery. I did a mini ice-skate slide and recovered, but someone's grandma might not be so lucky, so hopefully they fix that. I loved it so much, I came back alone on my actual birthday two days later on Friday after a spa day. Sat at the bar (again), had ANOTHER perfect espresso martini, and ordered the crab roll, which was heavenly; buttery, packed with crab, zero regrets. Only downside? A super drunk guy making rude, borderline racist and def misogynistic comments at 2:30pm. Sir, please go TF home and drink some water. I think I ended up running him off after his 3rd trip to the bathroom with my "don't play with me today" birthday energy. Not letting him darken my vibe. Also, a sweet woman at the bar bought me a birthday drink, women supporting women is elite. Final Verdict: Yes, the waits are long. Yes, reservations are basically mythical creatures. And yes, this place is busier than Costco on a Sunday. But the food, drinks, atmosphere, and service? Truly fantastic. I'm already planning my next visit, and the zucchini fries mountain is finally happening! read more

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So happy we were able to snag a reservation for a Saturday night here! We had looked weeks in advance & there was nothing available, but the day of we looked & there happened to be a few reservations available. We sat outside & luckily we did because inside was SO BUSY! The patio has heaters that work really well so you won't be cold at all. Our server was super friendly and had good recommendations & conversations. We had the calamari & spinach dip to start..super filling! The portions were pretty big so it filled us up before our meals even came. I order the spicy pasta & added chicken, which I loved! I can't wait to come back & order it again. Also order the espresso martini & it was the best I've had (given, I've only had a few because I'm not a huge fan of them). It was sweet, basically like a sweet cold brew & the alcohol wasn't TOO strong. My only thing is that the butter cake was a bit dry, but the ice cream was soooo good so it made up for the dryness of the cake a bit. read more

This is clearly the hot new place in Walnut Creek, so please make sure you have a reservation. I made my reservation for the Friday after Thanksgiving and the place was hopping. Quite a few people in the lobby waiting for a table or bar spot to open. We arrived about 5-10 min early and were pleasantly surprised that our table was ready and we were seated immediately. The ambiance is dimly lit, gold fixtures and green leather booths. Very old school style. Between the music and shrieking WC ladies, the noise decibel is LOUD. There is bar seating, but it seems minimal. About seven seats on each side, separated by the kitchen break where orders are entered. A little awkward in my opinion. Service was great. Our waitress was good and our water cups were always filled. Now the thing that really matters, the food. A large menu with pasta, steaks and seafood etc. A mix of American and Italian. We had the following: Garlic bread: 4/10 not garlicky, very dry and not cut all the way through. Watching my mom murder it to get a piece was painful. Iceberg wedge: 8/10 very good with lots of blue cheese and extra dressing which I loved. Decent size for two smallish appetites, but not an entree salad size. Clam Chowder: not warm, very watery. Not thick and chunky. Lamb Chops: 9/10 four huge lamb chops, cooked medium rare with a mint salsa, not too heavy on the mint. Easily could have shared this between two people. Biggest lamb chops I've ever had. Filet of Sole: my mom said it was ok. Leftovers were very fishy smelling the next day. 24oz Porterhouse: dad said it was ok, with a shrug. Sides: mashed potatoes and ravioli with meat sauce. Both were not warm. Blackberry spritz: kind of flavorless, not much blackberry and not much spritz. I would have rather had a Diet Coke. The entire theme of the meal was that everything was "ok." The wedge and lamb chops were good, but nothing was stand out as spectacular. The biggest disappointment was that most of the food was lukewarm. For the price, I would at least like my food hot. Would I go back: If someone else suggested it and made the reservation. Maybe for lunch. Bonus: they finally filed the spot with a much needed restaurant. RIP Stanford's. Bogus: the food wasn't warm read more

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What can I say, first of all. I love the food and drinks! I love the espresso martini, and the coconut margarita. Food, the best was chicken Alfredo add mushrooms! And the calamari. Service wise, I had a terrible experience. Manager heather made everything go down hill. We waited 45 min, for a table. Nothing wrong with that! We got sat, and no server came to our table for 15 min. Then Finally Heather comes over to tell us, the table where THEY sat us was reserved for another person. Mind you, no waters, no drinks, nothing. And they still have to wait for other table to leave to move us. I told Heather we had waited over and hour, we were hungry. And she DID NOT CARE. no even an apology for the miscommunication THAT THE STAFF HAVE. Another 10 min went by, they finally moved us to our new table. And waited another 10 extra min for someone to take our order. Because we had to flag down one of the friendly busser because we didn't even know who our server was gonna be. Long story short, really disappointed. read more

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

I'm so happy I finally got to experience Joe's! I will definitely be back once it calms down. The Pros: excellent server. The zucchini fries were a massive portion and tasty. The butter cake was delicious. The complimentary bread (focaccia) with salted butter delish! The Cons: There was so much to choose from I ended up getting the gnocchi with short rib ragu. The ragu was tasty but the gnocchi was so overcooked it dissolved in my mouth. Mushy gnocchi is a crime. The Hugo spritz was also a fail as it did not taste like the Hugo reminiscent of my trip to Italy and I had to get extra simple syrup to help it taste better. I would love to have the gnocchi again but not the mush that I had. Maybe I needed to order something else? Had a lovely time anyways even though my main dish was an expensive miss. read more

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Brief Summary: - Great staff service - Gently slow, chat your way in between meals type of restaurant - Large portions - Wished to have reserved a table before arriving, long wait - Indoor and outdoor seating - Due to how many guests are inside, interior sound level is high. Outside, peaceful and quiet - Located within the old district It's the holiday season, and I was planning to go there for the shopping season. While browsing through places to eat, this one caught my attention from the photo gallery. The presentation was unique, fancy, and artistic. Just looking at these photos jingled the bells for the holiday mood. The restaurant ambiance was splendid too, as if I stepped into the classic holiday films of the old days. So I arrived here on the busiest holiday shopping season of the year, and what did I expect? What did I not expect? I don't know but I certainly didn't expect the wait time to be longer than 20 minutes. There was a line inside, from the doorway to the table registration desk. Luckily, there were long, comfortable sofas lined around the wall, so we had a place to sit and wait. While waiting, I did take time to observe the interior, which is gorgeous. Closest to the entrance there is pocket of a room that was built into a lounging bar. Monitors were the only item that felt generationally out of place, but the rest looked like visual descriptions of the Great Gatsby era. I forgot to mention, when we were listed under the waitlist, they asked for the phone number and I received the initial text message. As estimated correctly from the staff, more or less of 20 minutes later the text message sent the follow up message that the seat is ready for us. Sad me with speaking with reservation staff; I tend to say yes to their initial suggestion over my own. They suggested the heated patio, while internally I wished for the indoor seating because the interior decor! I wanted to admire these while eating, but blaming myself for just saying "yes" to the heated patio option. (I'll get better). On the route to the outdoor heated patio, the staff guided us through a curved wall where it was decorated with photos of the restaurant's history. As expected, the outdoor heated patio isn't as glamorous, but it was indeed warm and cozy. Not too hot that we were sweating either. In fact, after we ate we were ready to close our eyes and fall asleep from the perfect warmth of the heater above. I was worried that sitting in the outside patio is an easy location to be neglected by staff, but that wasn't the case here. Periodically, staff would come by and ask if we were alright; the timing for them to arrive to take our orders were punctual. The food also arrived at the same time, so no one waited and watched as others ate their meal, so that was a subtly kind food experience gesture that I like to mention. The food was artistic, but it was a lot of portions. We also couldn't resist ordering the zucchini fries that popped up frequently in the photo gallery. I ordered the Marry Me Falfalle, and it had volume. It was also our first time visiting here and mostly relied on the food listed in the photo, which aren't what we tend to order. In the next visit, probably near the holiday season again, I might opt for other dishes. The zucchini fries by the way were so fun to eat. The crispy texture and the light flavor of the vegetable, is different from potato fries. We managed to eat half of its portion, when we decided to focus on our main dishes. In the end of the meal, we had to request the boxes to take home these fries. The staff did extra effort of taking the dishes and packing the food for us. read more

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Wow, everybody needs to try this place at least once (and you'll get hooked). It's a very popular place and seems like you should make a reservation to avoid a long wait during peak mealtime. The service was amazing! Outdoor seating has plenty of heaters, a nice fireplace, and good music as well. But the best part was the food! Zucchini fries were addictive, really fun and good to share with everyone at the table and the entrees were especially good all-around. But the thing that will make me come back over and over again is probably the dessert(s). That warm butter cake rivals ANY dessert I've had recently and I would recommend in a heartbeat! Highly recommend this place! read more

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Delicious! I was able to snag a last minute reservation for 5:30 pm (nearly impossible at this new happening place). We had a great time and the fries, filet mignon and desserts were delicious! My hubby got the tomahawk and really enjoyed it! read more

A great place for a special occasion! Celebrated my friend's birthday here with a delicious lunch, after booking a reservation 2 weeks in advance. Highly recommend making a reservation here. Ambiance 5/5 - the vibes are immaculate with stylish classic decor, a large dining room with comfortable booths, and a nice bar/lounge area. Service 4.5/5 - with a reservation, we waited about 10 minutes to be seated after checking in. We had two servers (one in training) who were attentive. They brought out a special sparkler with my friend's birthday dessert, which was nice. Food 4.5/5 - we liked what we ordered, but I still need to try more of the menu! -Joes Meatballs 4.5/5 -Baked Lasagna 5/5 (huge portion!) -Spumoni Gelato 4/5 -Dole whip slushie 5/5 (brunch menu) I look forward to coming back! read more

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The food was delicious! Ordered a couple pasta dishes and they were tasty. The bread was fresh & savory. The only issue was service was a little slow when we were placing our order & trying to pay for the bill. read more

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My wife and I stopped by with no reservations on a Friday evening at 5:30 p.m. and we were quoted a three hour wait. While the wait ended up being closer to 2.5 hours, walk-ins are highly not recommended. When we were finally seated, we got a bar seat overlooking the cooks on the stoves in the kitchen. It felt like a chaotic scene right out of Ratatouille, where there's not a single second of downtime where a chef isn't running around. I personally didn't mind it, since it felt like a show, but I imagine those trying to have a romantic first date might not enjoy the atmosphere quite as much. The complementary bread basket you receive shortly after you're seated is divine. The sourdough baguette is fresh, and I really loved how fluffy the focaccia was. Don't be like me and ruin your appetite by having too many pieces of bread. Between the two of us, we shared the zucchini fries ($17.95), the beef carpaccio ($21.95), Joe's spicy rigatoni with two meatballs ($29.95 + $4.00 per meatball), and the chicken Parmigiana with Joe's ravioli with meat sauce as our included side ($36.95). As you might've guessed, this was way too much food for two people. We managed to finish the beef carpaccio but everything else we ended up packing up to-go. The mountain of zucchini fries you receive is absolutely enormous. The zucchini fries don't taste too oily and the included lemon basil aioli is rich and flavorful, but you're not finishing this appetizer unless you come with a group of six. The beef carpaccio was my least favorite dish of the night. The first few bites felt like flavor bombs, with flakey Maldon sea salt sprinkled throughout the beef and the grated Parmesan, but after a few bites, the dish started tasting way too salty. If there's one dish to get here at Original Joe's, it's Joe's spicy rigatoni. If you take a look around the restaurant, it's single-handedly THE dish that people are ordering. The pasta is cooked to perfection, and the rich creamy sauce has a wonderful kick to it. It's a large portion that two can easily share. Overall, the food here is solid, service is great, and drinks are well-made. I would definitely recommend dining at Original Joe's for a special occasion. With some careful planning, hopefully you'll be able to snag a reservation and not have to wait close to three hours like I did. read more

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The hostesses are somewhat congenial but perfunctory in their service. I was the guest of a good friend. We were taken to an excellent table with a view of the Macys' wall. The restaurant has a great vibe everyone seemed to be having a great time. Our food server was congenial helpful and attentive. I ordered a tequila Bloody Mary which was very god. My Host ordered a 7up and a salad which she said was very good. I ordered my favorite meal which is Joe's Special with Mushrooms. I was very disappointed. The serving was lukewarm and did not appear fresh the mushrooms looked wilted. I ate some and asked for a box.* Our desert was a double scoop of spumoni we shared. * When I got home later that night I heated it up and it was still not the usual Joe Special I love and I threw it out read more

Took sometime but was finally able to get a reservation. You can do a walk in or get in line for the bar. The restaurant is pretty inside with indoor or outdoor options. Our server was amazing sat us and brought us variety of bread and water. For starters we got zuchini fries and calamari and for our main dish we shared prosciutto spicy vodka parmigiana and loved all of it. They are very generous with thier portions also. read more

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This place is literally the worst service I have ever seen. I've never seen so many people working at a restaurant and have no idea what they are doing. Tons of people walking by my table constantly and let alone not one person stops to check, I literally try to wave one down and everyone keeps walking on by. I order a cocktail and eggplant parm and the meal comes first, I have to almost literally grab someone to ask where my cocktail is. Can't tell if the parm is good as it is cold by the time I want to eat it. Horrible I held off on posting this to speak with the manager, and he tried to physically make me feel uncomfortable, I am trying to tell him about my experience and he has his security guard there trying to intimidate me. Eaten thousands of meals out at great restaurants and never seen something like this. What a disgraceful experience. read more

Wow. I had an immaculate experience at Original Joe's in Walnut Creek. Once they announced it was opening up, I anticipated trying it for the first time as I've heard nothing but greatness from the OG SF location. It seemed to live up to the hype. I love the ambiance and vibe of the restaurant, serving classic Italian fusion with a Bay Area twist. It's hard to explain if you're not from here but it's unique! We ordered two pastas: spicy vodka (classic, must try) & the seafood pasta (forgot the actual name) these were sensational, vodka was a favorite. The seafood pasta had plenty of protein from the prawns to clams. It was perfect while I fasted with a pescatarian diet during Lent. Zucchini fries (huge portion) hard to finish, the sauce pairing is unbeatable. Love it! drinks were yummy. I had the espresso martini and my friend had the dole whip style cocktail, that one was good but a little too milky and creamy. I recommend booking on OpenTable as they get busy. It's worth trying out if you walk in! read more

Still very much a long wait to get a table since it opened just this fall so we were glad to be able to dine here on. Friday night! Ambiance is lovely, lots of birthday celebrations throughout the restaurant. Great for families, date night, large gatherings with friends we saw it all. Food was well portioned and lots to choose from. They do not have a kids menu but you can order a half entree which we did for our 7 year old for spaghetti and meatballs. We tried everything from appetizers to dessert and everything was tasty. Eager to come back to try more things off the menu! Pro tip: put your name down and then go shopping or run errands and track your table in the Yelp app! We "waited" 2 hours but had plenty to do during that time. read more

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The inside of this restaurant is stunning! Art deco inspired. My sister got us reservations which I realize are hard to get due to its popularity. The inside of the restaurant is extremely loud. Service was fantastic. We ordered the fried zucchini to start and that was mind blowingly good. The thin cut of the veggie makes it crispy. Served with ranch, it was amazing. I ordered the angel hair pomodoro. When it arrived I had a few bites and realized how under seasoned it was. It tasted like something I might make for myself if I were in a hurry . The server was so kind and let me order another dish. I ordered the spicy rigatoni pasta instead. The sauce was incredible! The pasta was cooked ok, but for the price I would expect it be al dente. My husband ordered the fusilli pesto and it was yummy too. My family liked their meals a lot. My dad got the prime rib dip and said it was excellent. My aunt order the burger and fries and enjoyed it, and my sister got the spicy rigatoni as well. The deserts we ordered were the chocolate cake and the butter cake. Both were divine. The chocolate cake had incredible frosting. I would definitely order both these again. All in all it's a good restaurant but the entrees to me are over priced for the quality of the food. read more

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5 stars for the service! Special shoutout to Jacob who was extremely nice when I called. I knew it was a long shot when I asked if they could change our reservation for that same day from 2 to 4 people. He said since it was raining and they had to move all outdoor reservations inside, it didn't look like they could accommodate the request. Totally understandable! Then I received a call again a few minutes later from Jacob saying he looked into it further and was able to make it work and change our reservation. Small acts of kindness go a long way, especially in today's world! Thank you Jacob! read more

Exceptional food and great service! Ambiance was good too. Highly recommend. We will be back! read more

Quickly made reservations with the manager. They accommodated our table of 10 so well - back private room with a fireplace. Server was sweet, but did not seem present - seemed to have a lot of her mind. It was busy and staff seemed stress. The open kitchen was so "Original" like Original Joe's in SF - brought back so many memories living in SF. Everything was delicious - we loved our zucchini fries, calamari, arancini, RED WINE BRAISED SHORT RIBS (yes, all in caps because it was SO good!!!), Dungeness crab cakes, and so much more. Kids loved their buttered noodles. Can't wait to be back again! read more

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If only one dish to try, then select the calamari dore. Done to perfection, great sauce. Pair it with some wine for a fantastic meal. read more

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The food was worth the wait. We went on a busy Saturday night with a large party. We started off with the zucchini, fries and calamari as an appetizer, and it was so good and was enough to feed nine of us. We all tried different drinks, but I really loved their twist on a classic Cosmo. For the star of the show the prosciutto spicy vodka, chicken I'm going to have to figure out how to make when I'm back home. It was tender, The flavor was so good! read more

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We went to Original Joe's in Walnut Creek for the first time, and I was super excited to have an Original Joe's closer to home. Growing up in San Francisco, I used to go to the Joe's there and the one in Daly City, so this visit brought back so many memories. It truly felt like being back at home. From the moment we walked in to the time we left, the service was excellent. Every worker we encountered was attentive, friendly, and made us feel welcome. I had Joe's famous charbroiled hamburger sandwich on sourdough with fries , absolutely delicious and it hit the spot. I paired it with a beer, while my partner enjoyed a coconut margarita that had just the right touch of sweetness. My partner ordered the spaghetti and meatballs, which were also fantastic. Definitely will be back. read more

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

I finally went to Original Joe's for the first time and I can see why you need to make a reservation so far in advance or be prepared to wait a long time for a table. The service was lovely! Everyone was attentive, friendly, and very welcoming. The inside is full of beautiful booths and it reminds me of an old school supper club. It's a gorgeous interior, although it is packed in there! The food was DELICIOUS! I wish we could have tried more, but the portions are huge and incredibly filling. I can't wait to go back to try more items. Get the zucchini fries. You won't be disappointed. The crab cake was fresh and full of flavor. The lasagna was cheesy and saucy! My favorite was the bombolini dessert. They were light and fluffy doughnuts that weren't heavy at all! So glad we have this location and judging by how packed it was at 11am on a weekday, I'm hoping it'll be around for a long time! read more

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I recently visited Original Joe's to celebrate my sister's birthday, and overall it was a mixed experience. To start, the reservation and communication process wasn't very clear. We had a reservation for 6 adults and 2 kids, but ended up bringing 4 kids. When we arrived, the host (I wish I had gotten her name) seated us at a table set for 6 adults--with no accommodations for the kids. What was frustrating was the lack of reassurance; she didn't acknowledge the issue or offer a solution, and it felt like we were left to figure it out ourselves. Thankfully, things turned around when my sister spoke to the waiter and a manager or owner--a gentleman in a blue suit (I really wish I caught his name). He stepped in right away, asked us to follow him, and completely turned the situation around. His customer service was excellent, and he made sure we were properly accommodated. He was easily the highlight of our visit. As for the food, we started with the bread and butter, which was absolutely delicious. The zucchini fries and calamari portions were very generous and tasted good as well. The main dishes were solid--good, but not quite great, especially considering the price point. It feels like you're paying more for the ambiance, which is definitely nice. Service was a bit inconsistent. Our server didn't check in about whether we were celebrating anything, which stood out because we overheard another table being asked that exact question. Since this was my sister's actual birthday--and we had a group of 10 on a Thursday--it would have been nice to have that acknowledged without us having to bring it up ourselves. Maybe that's expecting too much, but it felt like a missed opportunity to make the experience more special. That said, the restaurant was very busy for a Thursday lunch, which speaks to its popularity. Overall, I'd come back for a date or a smaller, more intimate setting. But for large group celebrations, I'd probably look elsewhere. Big thanks again to the gentleman in the blue suit--he really made a difference in our experience. read more

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Wanted to try this place to see what the hype was about. It is situated right by a parking garage so parking is convenient. I called ahead and made a reservation for 6 adults and 2 kids and a baby. I asked for a high chair too. The person I spoke on the phone with said she could accommodate us. When my party and I arrived at the restaurant, the place was bustling and there was a line to check in at the front. It was a Thursday afternoon. The place remains busy! I checked in and was told to wait a couple of minutes while they cleared our table. When we finally got to our table outside, there were only five seats - one being in the sun. The waitress said "table of six right? Here you go. " I felt ashamed because there should have been eight seats and a high chair. Two people in my party remained standing while the rest of us tried to squeeze in. The waitress said she could split us up and have the others at another table. Another waiter came by who looked like he was about to serve us and I told him about the seating situation. He said he would talk to someone and see what he could do. A few minutes later, the manager came out and told us to follow him and sat us in a spacious table inside and apologized for the mishap. My party and I appreciated that. My party's order included: Calamari Zucchini fries Prime rib dip sandwich Filet mignon with mashed potatoes Chicken Milanese with ravioli Spicy rigatoni with pancetta Chicken Marsala with mashed potatoes Chicken Alfredo Cobb salad Drinks: Pomegranate sparkling martini Dole whip slushie IPA Drinks were good. As for food, the portions (especially the appetizers) are large, the flavor seemed to be lacking. The best foods were the steak and mashed potatoes and chicken Alfredo. Those are classic dishes that can't really be messed up. In terms of service, they did what they could to accommodate us. Maybe not the best place to take kids. However, I did notice other things that usually would be standard practice at other restaurants, especially pricey / nice restaurants. For example, a different waiter brought out the food and he announced each dish not knowing who ordered what or where to place the dish. Also, at the end of our meal, they themselves packaged our unfinished foods to go. They missed one plate and had to be reminded / requested again to package the food. I'd return if I were invited but I wouldn't go out of my way to go back. read more

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

It's been almost impossible to snag a dinner reservation before 9pm, but it seems like luck was on our side today because my party of 3 was able to dine at the bar with no wait. I'm usually not a fan of dining at the bar, unless I was alone, but the marble counter-tops were wide and offered plenty of room. We definitely had the full experience from drinks, apps, sides, entrees, and desserts. Zucchini fries - these comes in a giant mound! Light, oily, and paired with the most delicious lemon basil aioli. This was my highlight of the meal! Clam Chowder - loved how it wasn't extremely thick while having bits of clam, bacon, and potatoes! Paired deliciously, especially with the complimentary bread Wood Brick Chicken - had a server come by and say that it was the most under-rated item on the menu! Giant piece of chicken thigh paired with a marsala sauce almost, and grilled. I ordered my side as pasta and it paired well together! Chocolate cake - nothing extraordinary, but it was yummy. Extremely thick and sweet, ordered a side of vanilla gelato to compliment. The interior of the space is gorgeous, and the lobby was still full at 9pm! Can't wait to come back and try their other menu items read more

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One of the hottest and exciting restaurants in Walnut Creek! No reservations? No problem! Come early and hungry for a seat at the bar lounge room for a vintage feeling takes you back to the 50's-70's. Their menu is outstanding with plenty of selection, drinks, speciality items, seasonal plates, steaks and seafood. A MUST visit when you're in Walnut Creek! read more

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We came here for lunch on a weekday and it was perfect timing (11a) before the rush. The restaurant gave me an old timey feel, like I'm a mobster in NY getting ready to eat with the family. The servers and everyone were very nice and accommodating of any allergies (we didn't have any). The zucchini fries were the best! Super crunchy, slightly on the salty side, but overall the best we had. We then had two salads which was also filling and yummy. I'd love to come again with the kiddos! read more

Original Joe's - Zucchini fries, Brussels sprouts salad and the salad with salami - Italian Near Me - Walnut Creek, California