The food was great The ambiance was delightful The service was excellent and full of oersona read more

First time dining at Joe's this past Saturday night. Husband and I were craving Italian food and a good glass of wine. First impression: the building is darling, with nice brick work which looks like it's been there for a loonng time. I do love old buildings, they're built in a style that just isn't duplicated with new buildings. The staff was semi friendly, but not great and not very timely. They did seem to like working with each other as we heard them joking and bantering with each other a lot. Food was quite mediocre. We ordered penne with red sauce, with beyond sausage and mixed veggies. The pasta was okay, but they cut the beyond sausage into strips which was kind of odd. The veggies were just straight out of the steamer and tossed in on top as a scoop of unseasoned blandness. This part was really the bummer. Wine selection was mediocre as well. Not sure if I'd return, maybe I'll give it another shot at some point but not in a rush to do so. read more

I hadn't been here in years so was pleased to have the chance to dine there today. First, we were greeted by the owner, who noted my father using a walker and seated us close to the door (and also the fireplace which was nice since it was a rainy day). No sooner did we sit down then we were served water, warm bread, and butter. Nice. The waiter was very attentive, told us about the crab benedict special (dad ordered it), and we ordered drinks and perused the menu. Just by the way the coffee they serve here is really delicious, full-bodied as I like it and of course bottomless. I ordered the open-faced steak sandwich, my wife ordered a salad (no judgement, but WTF?). I was kind of surprised when the waiter asked me how I liked my roast beef cooked - it was a sandwich after all - but I was to be pleasantly surprised when it arrived. It looked like a slab of perfectly cooked prime rib served on a slice of bread, with mashed potatoes, veggies, au jus, and horseradish on the side. Amazing. Perfection on a plate. Dad's benedict was just as impressive, and my wife's salad... it was great, but really honey? A salad HERE? Anyway, I am really looking forward to coming back here to try some of the other indulgences on the menu. Truly a five-star experience. read more

When I arrived, I had to look for someone to figure out how to be seated. I asked a server how I check in, and he stated I needed to go almost to the back of the restaurant. In retrospect, there was a sign indicating such as well but somehow it didn't register to me! The gal who greeted me at the desk and then seated me seemed a bit rushed--not very personable. There was an accordion player singing songs in Italian, which was a nice, unexpected touch. I'd been here a few times over the years, and my experience of the food was the same as tonight. It's traditional Italian but American-ized cuisine. Very old school. Like it had its heyday at one point, perhaps. Our 4-top table had the scallops, mixed seafood; two of us had the broiled salmon special. The gal who had the scallops twice said she wished they weren't breaded--just olive oil and garlic would have been great. You get a choice of carb of rice, mashed potato, and I chose the baked potato--can't remember the last time I had a baked russet potato. It was a bit overdone, and served with a ramekin of sour cream and chives. Mixed veggies side was thin small pieces of green beans, one small broccoli floret, one slice of carrot, 4 small quarters of zucchini. Bland, as was my slightly-overdone broiled salmon. Could have been worse. I wish I could understand the positive reviews this restaurant gets. Many reviews say the prices are great, but my dish with a Pellegrino and tip was $50. The restaurant's been in business since 1947. Honestly, overall uninspired and a bit tired by today's standards, in my experience. read more

See all

Great Italian food, and they have lots of vegan options. Service is always excellent, too. I always get spaghetti and Neapolitan sauce. Comes with a side of really good and really fresh Italian bread. If I'm extra hungry, I add a side salad. read more

Some places are so mediocre you wonder how they stay in business. We only went here because we're missing Marin joes. Unfortunately the only similarity is the logo. The food was so embarrassingly bland it didn't even seem worth complaining about, even if the server had bothered to ask us how it was (which she didn't). There are many better options in San Rafael so we won't be trying this place again. read more

we came into San Rafael Joe's to get dinner with our service dog and we wanted to eat at the bar and he said that we were not allowed to eat at the bar with our dog. even though she's a Service dog. He said some of the patrons might have allergies and said that we could sit at a seat far away, and they could serve us, but at that point, we didn't want to eat there. Because we know that's not actually legal for them to do that. So we left, and we came to Burren House next-door, where everyone was super friendly and it was a great atmosphere and nobody had a problem with my Service dog. Sadly, I will not be going back to San Rafael Joe's ever again. We used to go there all the time but no more. read more

The atmosphere was great and the food was even better. Anyone looking for a great old-school restaurant this is the one.

Thank you Joe's for donating a meal and nourishing our group's evening rehearsal. The pesto pasta was my favorite -- so comforting and life sustaining :) read more

San Rafael Joe's - Italian Near Me - San Rafael, California

We enjoy our lunches when we visit San Rafael Joe's! The food is consistently delicious and the service is friendly and attentive. We especially enjoy our server Rita, a pro with great personality! read more

I order gift certificates for friends as gifts that live in Marin County as it is one of their favorite dining spots. I haven't had the chance to visit but the manager, Cynthia is very nice and I call her to order a gift certificate by phone and she mails it promptly. read more

This place is an absolute must-experience! The food was excellent, the cocktails were top-notch, and the desserts--simply amazing. The ambiance exudes timeless charm with warm wood accents, leather seating, crisp white tablecloths, and spot-on service from a truly outstanding staff. I had a Stoli Vodka martini--a rare find these days--paired with sautéed scallops in a garlic and mushroom sauce, along with a side of ravioli in a rich pink sauce. To finish, I enjoyed an affogato, which was the perfect ending. Our group shared a delightful mix of meat and seafood dishes, accompanied by pasta sides, a solid wine selection, and several desserts, including key lime pie and chocolate cake. We sampled a bit of everything--and I must say, it was absolutely divine! read more

Amazing. Joe's is back! Great food, great service, reasonable prices! We should be gathering here more often! I am so happy they are so great, again. A Marin staple! read more

I was in town for business and walked past this place. I saw this signage and thought immediately it was another location of "Original Joes", which I enjoy. It is not. (Seriously, the signage is deceptively similar.) This place was pretty gross. The penne was overcooked and the "meat sauce" had barely microscopic amounts in it and was kind of slimy and bland. Never again. But seriously, I can't believe there's not a copyright infringement case against them for their font choice. read more

Food was very bland, tasteless and is not worth the price. Rita the waitress was nice and explained everything well. But the food did not do us justice, we ordered the calamari and bruschetta as appetizers. The calamari was chewy and flavorless and the bruschetta was mid. I ordered fettuccine Alfredo with chicken, the Alfredo did not have any flavor. Not even cheese or pepper made it better. My boyfriend ordered scallops that came with veggies and raviolis. The scallops were not good, the raviolis taste like they came out of a can. Like chef boy are d. Did not even want to ask for a desert menu. Nice atmosphere but out dated to say the least. Will most likely not be returning to this establishment. Hope this helps. read more

Like going back to the 1950s, going out to dinner with my family. The atmosphere is basic: bar, two dining rooms, kitchen on one end, entry on other and a walled off area, which I guess is left over from smoking days where a "non-smoking area" was required. Menu has just about anything and you can always count on those meat and potato dishes like hamburger steak, fried chicken, many fish dishes...all along what was then "blue plate specials." We were involved with a funeral and were very hungry so came in just prior to closing. Relatively empty, they seated us and took our orders. A couple of restrictions and no restrictions on bar, so we are very grateful that we were accommodated. Old time stuff. And nothing fancy. read more

When you hear someone say the age-old phrase, "eat at Joe's!", they probably mean this place right here. Being around as long as it has, Joe's in San Rafael is one of those places that's either a smash hit or a dying star, and I can safely assure you that, for me at least, it was a delightful dining experience. For starters; this place has a classic dining atmosphere that reminds me of going out to eat with my grandparents. Very laid-back and relaxing, yet still vibrant and full of energy and life. On our most recent visit, they had live music playing, which helped enhance the mood just that little bit! The food on offer is rather stellar. Prices are a bit steep, but you get good bang for your buck. Chicken cutlets are nearly credit-card thin (which, for those who've never had cutlets before, that's exactly how you want it!) and the Meatball sandwich had a good meat-to-bread ratio, which can be hard to find when you use French Bread! Service was fast and friendly. A couple of our entrees came out wrong, and the issue was fixed in surprising speed considering how busy they were. As apology for the small bit of issue, they gave us our dessert for no charge! Joe's is a staple in the area for good reason. If you're around, be sure to stop by! read more

See all

You can always count on a good meal at San Rafael Joe's. It a favorite of locals for birthday celebrations, anniversaries, and all kinds of special events that mark meaningful rites of passage. It has an old world Italian restraunt ambiance that is solidly ensconced in the community. Service is excellently delivered by professional waiters and waitresses. Treat yourself to a cocktail from the bar. This time it was a perfect Manhattan. read more

San Rafael Joe's - Salmon and prime rib - Italian Near Me - San Rafael, California

Delicious Reuben Sandwiches! We had these for St Pattys Day and they did not disappoint ! Moist and fresh and divine!! Great customer service and a huge order! We will be back !!! read more

San Rafael Joe's - Reuben sandwich - Italian Near Me - San Rafael, California

Great nice more than adequate ambiance, gooey gooey Good food, narley good service, particularly non repulsive dietary relivance.

We gave it another shot. Other than the $21 cheeseburger the food was atrocious. The clam chowder look like wallpaper paste. The risotto special with chicken look like it belong in the bathroom of an Indian restaurant the $48 prime rib special was way undercooked and not appealing. The restaurant was surprisingly crowded. It's gonna be a while before I return. read more

More like 3.5 stars. It's not bad but work is needed to improve. First time here and honestly had no idea they existed until we found out Marin Joe's was closed for renovation. This is a great spot on a relatively busy road for San Rafael with lots of parking in the neighborhood and many businesses. Upon walking up to this restaurant we honestly thought it was closed. It looked dark from outside with zero people sitting at the tables. Fortunately they were open but everyone was seated in the back of the restaurant. No idea why but it just sort of added to the not so lively situation (unless you sat at the bar area). Our server was a very nice lady with purple hair. Very friendly and mostly attentive. I say that because she didn't notice we needed refills but she did make sure we had everything else we needed for our meals. She was the nicest one there. Our prime rib and ravioli were pretty good. Ravioli reminded me of Westlake Joe's in Daly City. Perhaps not blow you away good but nostalgic good, which is perfect for me. Prime rib was very tender. I just did not like that my ravioli was lukewarm. I wanted piping hot. Other than that I think their prices are not bad for what we got. Their au jus for the prime rib was so good I dipped the bread in it. I do wish the front of the house staff were friendlier. They seemed way pre-occupied with whatever they were doing both when we came in and definitely when we left. Strangely enough their front of house staff are located mid-restaurant by the bar. It's a long silent exit out the door after your meal because the front half of the restaurant is empty. Would have been nice to at least have the restaurant host say goodnight or thank you or acknowledge you in some way on the way out. Nope, wouldn't even look up. If they didnt look closed when you walk by on the street I'm sure they would have more curious potential customers like us. We'll probably be back out of convenience but not for any excitement. read more

San Rafaels best service! Enjoyed a long overdue Dinner with my Siblings and, as usual, we were really impressed with the genuine attitude and Wine knowledge of our server, (by the way she did not try to rush us out to get her table turned, which I always appreciate but seldom find ANYWHERE these days). We enjoyed a fantastic dinner and drinks in a warm, and inviting atmosphere. read more

This is a local establishment that continues to put out good food. Our server was amazing!! It was so refreshing to be served by someone who truly loved her job. The restaurant could use a refresh but in spite of that I would definitely recommend. read more

Never disappointed every time I come here the best service and the best food by far if you're looking for a restaurant to go to in San Rafael this is the place it's worth the price the food is wonderful and the bartender is amazing thank you Joe"s read more

i wanted a italian meatball sandwich so i went to san rafaels joes, i recieved a hambuger on roll / red sauce, just hambuger nothing meat-ball about it, last time i'll eat their, it used to be good, not any more !!!!!! read more

The service is wonderful, but the beurre blanc is NOT creamy. It is broken so it comes very thin (watery). This is the afternoon chef. Perhaps the evening chef knows how to cook beurre blanc so that it's creamy. I remember their pesto sauce as being rich and memorable but today it was almost tasteless. Not enough salt. The espresso is wonderful ! read more

4 words: Cold floppy steak fries Asked waiter for some hot ones and they never materialized just like I will never materialize here again.. read more

We had your family Christmas Dinner here at San Rafael Joe's. They set up a long table and it was great. Since their were so many of us, we had a good selection of dishes to sample. Bobby and the rest of the staff gave us great service. We even had space for the grand kids to play ! LOL Food was well prepared and everyone enjoyed there meals. Recommend! read more

See all

Ordered the special Salmon, $30. Salmon was okay, but was pink salmon, not my favorite, definitely the cheaper cut of fish. Ordered with rice and vegetables. The vegetables were pure muusch. The rice (pilaf style) was tasteless, dry, and old. Not good. Disappointing. Will not return. read more

First time to be here (was here last weekend) and they didn't let us down. Excellent service..Rita gave us a classic service, when servers used to have a conversation with the customers. Food is great and wide variety. Ambience is very good. Restrooms are clean. read more

San Rafael Joe's - Prawns Sauté with Mushrooms - Italian Near Me - San Rafael, California

See all

Absolutely terrible. This place serves the lowest quality food. I don't know how this place stays in business. The spaghetti sauce tastes out of a can and the pasta is not freshly made. Disgusting place. Save your money. read more

Three of us had several dishes here, not one of which I would ever order again. The Prime Rib was overcooked, sinewy, tough, and grey. The Clam Chowder was like paste, the salad was swimming in dressing, and the ravioli was like mush. Now, I would like more restaurants to flourish in San Rafael, and I would love to see San Rafael Joe's be so great that reservations were hard to get, but this restaurant isn't for anybody who hasn't been going there for decades and is used to settling for the food they serve. I rated it two stars mainly because the staff that has been there for the aforementioned decades still try as hard as they can to take good care of the clientele despite not being able to overcome the less than underwhelming food. Being a hometown institution doesn't allow for giving up on the quality of food. read more

One of the best Fishnchips I've had they have on Fridays only Comes with all the wfixings

San Rafael joes used to be a great place imho. Over the course of 2 dinners, I have changed my mind. Joes used to take pride in preparation of its food. Now, however, it's not so. Fries served with the food were cold and not fresh. Burger King was not close to royalty as it once was one of the best burgers around. Meat was dry and not seasoned. None of my special instructions were followed and after the long wait for food, decided to just eat it. Guess all empires fall. read more

A great find - busy and a wait, but it was worth it. All the apps and entrees were well above average. We'll be back../ read more

Always exceptional service here. The food is good, these pictures are from two visits. My boyfriend finally was able to get his fried oysters they were out last two visits. Prices are reasonable. My Scampi was good but It had a funny aftertaste, like when you get bad ice from the ice machine. Portions are big and the restaurant it's nice but a little dated. But like I mentioned the service is always friendly and fantastic. Will always come back here read more

See all

We had our annual Christmas lunch for 17. AJ was our server. We all ordered off the menu. 17 different orders. Everyone was happy with their order and service was perfect. We go there every year and they always do a great job. read more

Went there with a friend of mine to have a nice dinner, ordered the fillet of soul and he had the seafood combo, both were disgusting. The fish had been breaded, but probably cooked on the grill, because the breading was burnt and then covered in the sauce, so it was so soggy and disgusting.. The fish was the same on my friend's plate and the oysters. He said we're not any good. They seem to be breaded and maybe deep fried? And they charge high fine dining prices. So if you're looking for a good food go somewhere else. read more

San Rafael Joe's has been in San Rafael for years and hasn't changed much during that time. I suspect a fair number of people just come for the bar service and because there is parking right behind the restaurant. The night I went the food was average to poor (when an Italian restaurant makes sub-par Caesar salad, that's not a good sign). The calamari was not very crisp and the spaghetti sauce was like canned spaghetti sauce. There are better options in Marin County for Italian food. read more