Original Joe's (Reported Closed)

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colonelpanic

Joined 6 years ago

SF location is CLOSED. Trudged through the tenderloin war zone today to go to this five star restaurant because of the reviews I read on Citysearch. What I encountered was a burned out, boarded up storefront with CLOSED BECAUSE OF FIRE sign posted on it. Doesnt look like its coming back any time soon.

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finickyflower

Joined 7 years ago

Best Hamburgers!. This is a fun to hang out and get a great burger and a drink. My girlfriends tend to want a more "refined" enviroment but this place ROCKS! Nice to get out of Cow Hollow for a change.

Great customer service too.

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brandonm

Joined 8 years ago

My Favorite SF Restaurant for Many Reasons. bar - great mix of characters, Bill is a GREAT bartender though you may need to shout. always has sf teams on the tv.

food - astonishing real food, not "cuisine"

neighborhood - yes, sketchy, but well worth it.

i absolutely love this place - you cannot find anything like it.....perfect place to start the night, that is if you are not looking for trendy.....just do it!

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foodielover

Joined 9 years ago

Joe's Original Hamburger is worth eathing. If you dare to brave the neighborhood in the Tenderloin where the stench of urine fills the streets for blocks, where we were approached by panhandlers and people who are chemically dependent for money and our leftovers in hand, (no less than 3x) & where you hang tightly onto your wallets and purses, then Joe's is definitely worth a visit. It's close to the Golden Gate Theater and have been there since 1936. The waiters serve you in tuxedos & reflective of the times, there are Asian waiters working along side the Croatian/Slav staff now. An eclectic mix of seniors, bachelor military vets living in local low-income housing, tourists, hipsters and families all come to dine at the counter or tables. A delicious sm. green salad for a mere $3.50 was enough to feed 2 and came with crisp greens, slivers of carrots, 2 wedges of tomato, green peas, a couple of broccoli florets and a jalapeno pepper. The guy next to me looked like he really liked his sm Caesar salad for $4.50. The bread was just ok, not crunchy or flavorful like Boudin's. We sat across the bar and you have 2 TVs in front of you and it's rather entertaining to watch the bartender at work. The veal Milanese came with a lightly breaded crumb, not greasy nor over salted for $15.95. The Original Joe's hamburger for $8.50, was a lean tasting chuck patty on a Italian-French loaf. I was so please it was not oversalted. The steak fries served with it was bland, with pieces varying from too soft to overly fried & hard. You could tell from the lack of enthusiasm that our young waiter wasn't going to make this a career job if he had a choice. Our water glasses were not kept full until the end of the meal & I had to drink someone else's cup waiting for more water. After 7pm, every table and counter space were filled. Would definitely return to try more items, but perhaps for lunch, when the neighborhood residents are asleep.

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jlemmon78

Joined 7 years ago

Inredible Rib-Eye. I went here with my brother while he was in town on business. What a great experience. Great beer selection, vegetables... and the steak. Rib-Eye cooked medium rare in butter. Wow. I'll be back for sure.

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chembuff

Joined 7 years ago

My favorite. One of the old-time diners that's endearingly authentic. Take a trip back in time by checking out the cocktail bar. The wait staff may be surly, but its necessary for the grimy neighborhood. Come for the atmosphere, as well as the burgers, which you can smell cooking for blocks.

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thaoecolt

Joined 8 years ago

Great hamburgers and Italian food. Tough neighborhood, but it's worth going to Joes! You haven't had a real hamburger until you've had one at Joes. Portion was great and you don't need much more than the Hamburger and fries. Best in San Francisco!

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2clfrwrds

Joined 8 years ago

But don't walk up Turk St. to get here. Okay, that said, I come here every time I'm in town. My ambition in life is to duplicate their pasta sauce. The waiters are skilled without making a big deal out of it. Their meatballs strike fear into Italy's heart. This place is the real thing.

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limo4usf

Joined 8 years ago

TRUE "OLD SAN FRANCISCO". One of the last of "Old San Francisco" restaurants, with waiters still in traditional tuxedos. Top quality food at reasonable prices, you will never go wrong here or leave hungry. The hamburgers, hamburger steaks, and pasta are to die for, nobody in the city does it better. They continue to survive in a rough area were most would have moved or folded long ago.

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

This venerable restaurant has been serving simple Italian and American dishes since 1937.. In Short
A mix of old-timers drift inside this retro-inspired establishment--complete with swirl barstools at the counter, rounded vinyl booths in the main dining area, and a classic '70s cocktail lounge in the rear. The menu is mostly Italian with dishes such as veal scaloppini or ravioli. American offerings consist of open-faced roast beef sandwiches or broiled chicken, though the best bet is to go for the charbroiled hamburger.