About Joe’s Italian Restaurant & Bar
Beyond their size, small businesses are defined by their spirit. And at the helm are their intrepid founders—scrappy, ambitious, and resilient. They invent and build things despite uncertainty, because it’s what drives them. Their risks lead to innovation that moves the world forward. And we need them.
Had a terrific lunch today at Joe's in Ladera Ranch. Kristen, our server was professional, knowledgeable, and a beautiful person who provided stellar service. The ambiance was upbeat and positive, and the restaurant and bar were meticulous. We started with drinks, and the bread and olive oil which were so tasty. My wife ordered the Halibut with pasta and steamed veggies, and I had an antipasta salad with a side of one meatball and one sausage. Everything was tasty and served hot. We took two orders of meatballs and an order of Lina rolls home with us. We plan on coming back as the menu selection is vast and the pizzas look amazing. Thanks to Kristen and the other staff members who provided quality service and food! Highly recommended
The chicken had a chewy texture, and unfortunately, the sauce was overcooked. While the waiter tried their best and was friendly, they made a few mistakes that you wouldn’t expect from an upscale restaurant. The interior ambiance was okay, but sitting outside was a better experience, although still not exceptionally special. We enjoyed people-watching and browsing nearby shops.
Excellent restaurant. We had friends along and had a good sample of the dishes. Lasagna, penne and meat sauce plus sausage, baked ravioli, and gnocchi. All excellent. 5 layer chocolate cake shared 4 ways for dessert. Outside seating was available, but we were seated inside by choice. Good spacing for the seating. We have covi d concerns. The outside seating is permanent, not just pandemic. We got here at open and when we left it was busy, great to see. Staff all attentive and great. Highly recommended
Came here for the first time for my birthday last night. Sat inside since it was evening. It was so loud we could not hear each other speak. Took a very long time before we saw our server who was not friendly at all; didn’t smile, didn’t greet us or give his name, didn’t seem happy to be there at all. Food was ok but wish we had gone elsewhere to celebrate. Then I saw the owner’s shocking replies to other negative reviews and that confirmed we will never come back. The immature narcissistic mentality someone must have to publicly degrade, disrespect, and reject any negative feedback from his customers is appalling and unacceptable. We just moved to the neighborhood and will never give this place our money again. Joe no bother replying- I won’t read your childish remarks.
So glad we got to try Joe’s for the first time. I took a look at the menu before we arrived. I thought it was going to be a fancier restaurant but surprised it was more of a casual setting. There were a few booths and mostly tables for big and small groups. Nice bar that spans the bigger half of the restaurant. There is also seating outside. We got there when it opened and were greeted and seated right away. We were pleasantly surprised to see a Happy Hour menu (3-6pm). We ordered the fried calamari, the famous Lina rolls and the meatball sliders. My friend ordered a pasta with sausage and said she thought it was the best pasta she ever had. The pasta was very Al Dente for me and was not tossed and cheese was not served. You need to ask if you want cheese. The Lina rolls were fabulous and served with meat sauce. The sliders are a big size portion. It can get pretty loud in there. There was a large party seated nearby and only us in a booth. Service was good, prices are on the higher side on the regular menu. Good option for a taste of Italian. We were there when it opened and parking was easy on a Saturday.