Joe's Restaurant

"On a Friday night you’ll find the Lower East Siders at Rolo’s, but the real party is going down 10 minutes away, at Joe’s Restaurant. This old-school Italian spot has been perfecting its chicken marsala recipe since 1982, and if you’re now thinking to yourself “who eats chicken marsala,” stop right there, because at Joe’s, everyone does. Come here for a birthday dinner, or just when you’re craving a meatball in a dining room with framed paintings of garlic and Venice lining the walls, and big families gesticulating in Italian, with full glasses of house red sloshing back and forth in their hands. " - bryan kim, neha talreja, willa moore, will hartman

"If you’ve gotten this far and thought to yourself, “Why haven’t they told me where I can get some really good chicken marsala,” you’re in the right place. Joe’s in Ridgewood has been perfecting their chicken marsala recipe since 1982, and though we haven’t talked much about free bread—because every place on this list has it—it’s worth noting that the free bread at Joe’s comes with not just butter, but house-made marinated peppers swimming in olive oil. It’s a triumphant start to the feast that’s bound to follow at this classic spot, where the $18.95 penne alla vodka is big enough to feed everyone at your table, and the table next to yours, too." - willa moore, will hartman, sonal shah, neha talreja

"Joe’s Restaurant doesn’t just do free bread and butter packets—they do free bread, butter packets, and a plate of house-made marinated peppers swimming in olive oil. It’s a triumphant start to the feast that’s bound to follow at this Italian spot in Ridgewood, where the $18.95 penne alla vodka is big enough to feed everyone at your table, and the table next to yours, too. Joe’s opened in 1982, and while it’s still a good place for some satisfying Italian classics, it’s a great place for a group dinner. It's full of families who come here for every graduation celebration, wearing suits tailored specifically for martini-drinking. They also come here every Thursday night, their suits swapped for sweatshirts. Follow their lead and get the tangy chicken marsala served over mashed potatoes, and a bottle of red, which a server will extract from the wine rack next to the branded Coca Cola fridge. If you end up at Joe’s in need of meatballs and general human kindness, you’re going to find those things here. But you’re also going to find the location of your next affordable birthday dinner, under a framed painting of garlic, next to a big family bickering affectionately in Italian. Call ahead for a reservation. photo credit: Willa Moore Food Rundown Chicken Marsala We’re not sure when we last recommended chicken marsala to anyone. We’re not even sure when we last ate chicken marsala. But our server insisted on it, and an hour later, there we were, soaking up every last bit of thick, mushroomy sauce, and wondering how soon we might be able to order chicken marsala in the future. photo credit: Willa Moore Penne Alla Vodka After the penne arrived, a server came over with a small metal bowl of grated parmesan and asked us if we wanted it. We said yes. One minute later, another server came by, with another small metal bowl of grated parmesan, and asked us if we wanted it. Again, we said yes. There is no such thing as too much cheese on a platter of penne alla vodka. Side of Meatballs An order that includes chicken marsala and penne alla vodka is perfect, but leaves out one very important thing: meatballs. Get a side order, which includes two meatballs, in a light, smooth tomato sauce, with a sprinkle of parm. Low commitment, high reward. Caesar Salad We hate to say this, but the caesar salad here is not our favorite. It’s big, which is a plus, but the dressing is gloopy, the amount of parmesan cheese borders on overload (which we didn’t even think was possible), and the big, underripe tomato wedges don’t add much flare. So maybe don’t eat vegetables here. As if you wanted to anyway." - Willa Moore

"The family-owned dining room with its large Sicilian menu, open since 1982, is a bounty of classics: a chicken francese swimming in lemon-butter sauce, calamari doused in fra diavolo, and fettuccine alfredo bathed in creamy sauce. The are six kinds of spaghetti alone (get the one with eggplant), and don’t miss the anchovy appetizer or the baked clams oreganata. A meal here feels like you’re sitting in someone’s living room." - Robert Sietsema, Andrew Karpan

"Joe’s Restaurant is a neighborhood mainstay known for its comforting meals and welcoming atmosphere." - Eater Staff