Quant little place with lots of character. Our food was good, the service was slow. They were very busy so slower service could be expected.
Enjoyed people in line waiting for a table; the wait was not too bad. Our poor server had 7 tables and it was busy so we did experience a longer time for things but as we were in no hurry we just enjoyed the lively atmosphere. My spaghetti was good ; they did not over salt like so many places do. My husband's veal parmesan was delicious and I enjoyed stealing some.
After the first bite of my eggplant parmesan sub, I was wondering if I had contacted covid, because I could not taste ANYTHING: mushy bread and tasteless eggplant barely covered by tomato paste and some sort of industrial cheese substance. This is for the sub: the fries or onion rings are extra. So, I paid extra for onion rings, which were not too different from the frozen variety, but at least they were cooked well and crispy. Scanty, but crispy. Why does this review get as high as two stars? Because the Greek-styled feta and olive appetizer and Greek-ish salad were good: both included a robust feta with a handful of tasty olives. The salad throws in iceberg lettuce, a few slices of cucumber, and lots of onion slices. The dressing is generous. The bread served with the appetizer was GOOD. Alas, this good bead made for a disappointment regarding the sandwiches or subs. The sandwiches, unlike the subs, do unexplainably come with free fries (or other side). One of my guests had the gyro sandwich, which involved placing scanty slices of meat in store-bought pita with barely any sauce. I say scanty slices of meat (supposedly beef and lamb – couldn’t tell the difference) because the dish almost qualifies as vegetarian. The tomato slices and lettuce, compared to the meat, were generous. Beverages: the fresh-squeezed limeade was average, but tastier than the main dish. Service: average. Slow but sometimes on point. Décor: not unpleasant. Sound level: loud cafeteria.
I was hoping for more but I think the problem was breakfast. Will go back for lunch. Thought the sausage gravy was watery and the biscuits like yesterday's. Enjoyed the market better across the street which is tied to Joe's.
After waiting for what must have been twenty minutes for a veggie-burger and two sides during a slow time of day, I made a quip to the server along the lines of asking for more napkins and coffee that I would need "if the food ever gets here", which was meant to be more of an observational quip than a verbal attack against the server. The server returned with napkins and coffee, and then proceeded to berate me at length in an aggressive manner about the way I had spoken to her. I can't remember everything that she said to me, but it included the phrase , "Don't do it again!" (or else what, I wonder?). I have worked in customer service and I have worked in food service. The only time I was ever fired on the spot from a job was when I mouthed off to a customer, and nowhere near as severely as how I was spoken to by this Joe's Inn server. If I had ever spoken to a customer that way, I know full well I would be out of a job. Looking at the past reviews, it seems Joe's has a track record of employing impolite wait staff. Since when in the food service industry is it considered acceptable for a server to ream a customer a new body cavity because the customer made a remark about how long the food was taking to get there? I have had to eat out a lot over the years, and this is literally the worst experience I've ever had with a server. I won't be back, but I will tell all my friends. As with the Red Hen Restaurant in Lexington, I am sure the loyal Joe's Inn core customer base from the the Fan District and the Museum District doesn't mind the smug, woke attitude.
I recently moved to Richmond & was referred to Joe's Inn by a "local" who resides in The Fan District. So happy for his referral. It is a really cool place. The staff is super friendly, the food fresh & tasty, ample portions, good presentation & fair prices. The place can be very busy - have lunch here at 2pm or dinner at 4:30 and avoid the crowds. The restaurant is in a beautiful historic walking district. The men's bathrooms feature some rather colorful graffiti which always makes me laugh. Parking is free & rather easy if you arrive midday. I recommend Joe's Inn to all!
The pasta dishes are the real deal! Menus great. Services great. Atmosphere great.
Feeling nostalgic, we dropped in on an former old favorite. After a 30+ minute wait after ordering, my veggie burger can only be described as grey mush formed into a circle, completely devoid of any flavor. My son’s sirloin tips were sparse- suitable for a 5 year old, but not a grown man. My husband’s crab cake was ‘not bad’ and fries, just ok. So disappointed! Richmond has become such a great place for dining that we’ll not be coming back. Bye, Joe. : (
Stopped in for a quick bite and breakfast for 3 of us and lunch for the other. Could not get over the large portions not to mention the taste and the prices. Will definitely pop in the next time we are traveling near here again. THE FAN district in RICHMOND VA... YUMMM ???? ?
We came in 3/26/22. If I could rate 0 stars I would, the staff was attentive so 1 star for good staff. The limeade was decent but RUN! don't let the reviews fool you. They have HUGE cockroaches... As we were waiting for our check we saw at least 3 huge cockroaches roaming around the restaurant. We alerted our waiter and were told "it's an old building" as the excuse for the roaches. The roaches were so big they could've paid for our meal...(they've been eating good for sure). The health inspector needs to re-assess, as many of them came from the kitchens direction.The food was lacking taste so our plates were very full. After seeing the huge cockroaches we were glad we didn't finish our meals. Who knows what the roaches have touched...YUCK! Shocked to see so many pests and shocked that we even had to pay for the food.First & Last time coming in. Don't let the reviews fool you.