Reviews for Joe's Restaurant in Ithaca, NY
This is a traditional restaurant in Ithaca, NY. Italian food is served 7 d a week. I was here few years ago. So I will check... whether food taste is still the same, I hope so. I ordered Tuscan zuppe and chicken Marsala ... both were delicious. Read more
We have never been impressed by Joe's, but it had been a few years, so we tried it again. Not much change. Service was good, but... food is still so so and the prices too high for the quality. They have a great menu, but the execution is subpar. Nothing isgreat and most everything needs more or better seasoning. The biggest turn off of the dinner was the smell from a strongcontinuous waft of the ladies room air freshener. Lastly, we brought home cannoli. At first it appeared that the cream wasoverflowing, but after the first bite we noticed the inside was empty. They had squeezed it on each end and had none inside. Sodisappointed. Read more
Before reading further, don't hesitate to order the mozzarella sticks. They are AMAZING. I visited Joe's having always been... local to ithaca yet never before setting foot inside. I decided it was time to give it a go. The atmosphere inside is very nice,and the tables are the most spacious I've seen at a restaurant, by no means will you struggle to fit your plates around thetable comfortably. I ordered the fried calamari, and the Italian sampler as appetizers (Mozzarella sticks, fried ravioli, andmore calamari because I love the stuff). The Calamari is garnished with a lemon wedge and sliced banana peppers which pairedgreat, and the Calamari was cooked to the absolute perfect texture - however the breading used on calamari itself I found to bea bit underwhelming and tasted like flour - it wasn't off putting enough to stop eating it, but I was hoping for a bit moreseasoning in the breading. Beyond that the fried ravioli stuffed with ricotta was great, the center soft and the edges crispy.The mozzarella sticks were 100% my favorite part of the dish; I'm not sure how they make them but the mozzarella inside tastesalmost like it's been soaked or dipped in a white wine before it was fried - it was absolutely heavenly. I would order a trashbag full of those mozzarella sticks to take home if I could. The marinara dipping sauce served along side them was smooth,sweet, and non-acidic - superb. The entree I ordered was a weekly special: Fish and Chips. The fish was deep fried battered codwhich was served in 4 small fillets, with the side of home made (and excellently seasoned) fries. The fried fish breading wasdark and crispy, while the inside remained soft and flaky without becoming mush as often deep fried fish turns into. The homemade tartar sauce that came with the meal was a knock-out. It was chunky, it was robust, it had so many more flavors in it thanyour typical sauce - it was also a tad spicy, so if your not a fan of some heat be aware. The fish itself Read more
I just had lunch with my best friend at Joe?s. It was my first time and I loved it. It?s always her favorite go to restaurant.... It wasn?t too busy when we walked in but we were greeted immediately by a very friendly server. We were seated into a largebooth in the bar. She explained the half price appetizers which was a nice surprise. We loved the fresh cut calamari andbeer-battered mozzarella sticks. I enjoyed the chicken parm sandwich and my friend loved the vegetarian thin crust pizza. Youcan really tell how fresh all the ingredients are. I will definitely be back. Read more
Joe's has been around for a while now and has gone through various revisions, some good, some not so much. Right now they're in... a good phase, not as wide a menu as they've had in the past, but what they do offer is solid and good. Meatballs and spaghetti,classic Italian fare are well prepared and tasty. Janice, one of the wait staff is back and she makes iced tea good enough tobottle as we approach the warmer months. A good test for authentic Italian is how well do they serve the calamari? Joe's passeswith flying colors. For dessert, you can do like Pete Clemenza from "The Godfather," leave your gun, and order cannoli. Read more