Joe's Tavern

I love places like Joe's. It's smack dab in the middle of a lower-middle-class residential neighboorhood and is probably the last place you'd expect a restaurant. That does not happen today, and it only adds to its charm (and Joe's is dripping with old-school charm.)

None of that matters though if the food isn't good. Too often "we've been here forever" kitchens like Joe's get stuck in time. Dishes, preparations, and ingredients that were state-of-the-art in 1975 don't cut it in today's world. Thankfully, it appears Joe's can tread a line between classic tavern fare and modernization.

I'd not expect to see risotto topped with shrimp and fresh basil on an old-school tavern menu, but it was a special while we were there. And while Joe's risotto won't win any awards, the dish was well executed, tasty, and nicely plated.

My chicken parm was a solid version of the Italian-American standard. The fried breast was quite large. These​ substantial pieces of chicken need to be cooked longer and end up being dry and stringy. Mine was tender and flavorful with a mostly crisp breading. I also like Joe's red sauce, it's good.

I was pleased to find not a hint of iceberg lettuce in our shared salad, and though I could do without the canned olives, it was good, and the dressing was excellent. I do wish Joe's would dress the salad in the kitchen. I always find it clumsy and messy to 'toss' a plate of salad at the table.

I won't hesitate to return to Joe's, next time I'm in the area and in the mood for classic, hearty tavern fare.

Everything was fantastic and the service was top notch!! It's a hidden little gem in Cohoes. Love it! Everything on the menu is fantastic.

Neighborhood tavern that looks like a dive,/hole in the wall from both the outside as well as inside. IMO perfect in every way. The comrodery at the bar was great and plenty of guests kept coming in to be seated in the back dining area - the reason why is the food is 100% on point. Probably also the reason there were like a millon takeout orders while sat having drinks and dinner. Great and unique selections that will satisfy whatever palette walks through the door. Bar area is small and cramped with the men's room in the possibility worst location ever but the drinks are cold, the folks are friendly and the food is banging.

Our 4th time at Joe's and certainly will not be the last.

We ordered takeout here a few weeks ago and I'm happy to say the food is just as good as if you were eating in. Can't beat the chicken parm and the buffalo chicken dip, that's going to be something we're always going to want to order. Really great chocolate lava cake too. Love Joes!

Recommend by a friend...Interesting joint- friendly local bar. Went on late a Sat night. Called to see if we kitchen was open at 945 and they said yes. Shelby at the bar managed the bar and the "back dinning room" she was a real keeper! Had clams, escarole and wings. I'm a wing snob- ordered crispy medium- they were perfect! Nice buttery just hot enough!
The escarole had a bit of a kick-
The clams were decent
I had a New Castle beer or 2 not typical for a local juke joint. Cheaper than a shipyard pumpkin draft!
I will go back-the Italian menu looked awesome just took late to eat heavy. Seafood was also plentiful.

Spaghetti doesn't get the top billing of very many restaurants these days. The only reason it does at Joe's is because the place has been around for such a long time, they wouldn't dream of changing the sign.

I suppose I should come back and at least give the spaghetti a try. But that would be a hard sell with such solid versions of tavern classics.

For me, the four stars here really represent a meal that was better than one might expect. And there's probably no better place to start than with the pizza. That crust was serious business. It's not a tavern style pizza shell of oily dough pressed into a pan. This is a crisp on the bottom, yeasted dough, that has picked up some good color from the oven floor. It's completely remarkable given the setting.

The mozzarella and melba were fine. Clearly in the top half of the category, but not quite at the level of cracking into the upper echelon (currently occupied by Ralph's, Scubbers, and TJ's). Joe's melba was more than just syrup, but could could use some of the brightness of the berries.

Wings here are totally solid. It's kind of a misnomer to say they are "pan fried in olive oil" since I got a look at exactly how deep that pan actually is. The wings get a nice bath in the stuff, which is really the only way they can get nice and crispy all the way around. And inhaling that classic Frank's and butter aroma, makes the mustiness of the dining room fade away. I actually think the smell had something to do with the cleaning products used and not food smells or moisture. But it's hard to say.

This was actually my first taste of Utica greens ever, so I don't really have much with which to compare the experience. But I was a big fan. A bit of heat, and some tasty chunks of cured meat, tossed into a whole heap of savory, tender greens felt both virtuous and decadent. Clearly one of the drawbacks of tavern dining is the lack of vegetables, and I appreciated this as a way to get a bit of variety into the diet without venturing into salad territory.

Most salads in the region, for most of the year, are a crime. But that's another issue entirely.

I'm thrilled to have found this place. It's an undiscovered gem in Cohoes. And it clearly deserves a place in the parthenon of the region's great taverns. I hope it stays open forever, and that those who go there all the time realize just how special it is.

I can't believe it's been so long since I've been in to Joe's, but I wanted to make sure to come back and update my review from a few years ago.

We've ordered out from Joe's a few times since, but dined in over the weekend for the first time in a long time, and had a great experience. Husband and I ordered the fried mozzarella to start and it was amazing, probably one of the best I've ever had, which is saying a lot! I love the large triangle shaped style, and the mozzarella itself was thick, and fried to perfection. The sauce that accompanied it was also extremely tasty.

For dinner, I opted for the braised beef short rib entree, which consisted of the short ribs, as well as mashed potatoes, served inside of a puff pastry and topped with a delicious glaze. That was divine, heavenly, and oh so rich. I really had to force myself to eat the last few bites because I didn't want to waste any. The menu stated that this dish was award winning, and I can definitely understand why!

Our server was so friendly, helpful, and sweet. I really feel like her service was reason enough to want to return. We enjoyed a drink at the bar after dinner. Although the space itself is small, it's cozy enough, and the service again was great. I can't wait to return and/or order from them again soon.

If you haven't found this delicious tavern tucked into an otherwise exclusively residential neighborhood in Cohoes, you're missing out.

You literally walk into a living room transitioned to a bar. You have to walk through the prep station to get to the dining room. This seemed odd on the first trip, but accurately describes the restaurant's humble and honest approach to dining.

The walls of the dining room are covered with cool vintage photos of the region. There are fewer than a dozen tables, and a couple TVs elevated for viewing.

The menu is extensive for the size of the place, and in general a mix of Italian family standards, pub faire and classics.

We're fairly addicted to their chicken and sausage penne ala vodka. The pasta has always been perfectly al dente, plenty of chicken and sausage, and a generous balance of creamy sauce to pasta. We literally crave it from time to time.

On our last visit I tried the seafood grill special. It was a generous helping of lobster tail, scallops and shrimp. It was designed to be served over rice, but I couldn't leave without sampling their pasta. The owner didn't even blink when I asked for the substitution. The seafood tasted fresh, and was appropriately bathed in a delicious garlic/butter sauce.

They have a small but legit craft beer selection. My only complaint is that the wine list could use a review.

However, that won't stop us from visiting again. Truly delicious food, prepared with heart from an awesome, caring staff.

This place had pretty good reviews so we decided to give it a try. The bar is one of the smallest I've seen. Not a big deal because we didn't go for drinks. We had dinner reservations. When they seat you in the dining room they walk you through part of the kitchen or where the servers pick up food. It's quite odd but it works for them. It's a small place and they need to utilize every foot. The dining area is on the smaller side with a rear entrance and also the only restroom. God help the diners if someone actually uses it for #2. The night we went it was extremely cold outside and the dining room did not appear to have a heat source. There was a plug-in fireplace but unfortunately it did not provide enough heat therefore it was freezing the entire time we were eating. It didn't help a few patrons came in through the back door only to use the bathroom and go to the bar. Onto the food - the main reason we went. For an appetizer we ordered the stuffed mushrooms. They came out huge and smelled amazing. They were stuffed with sausage, bread with butter and garlic and possibly chopped roasted red peppers. They were actually very good, very flavorful and the highlight of our meal. I ordered the 9 ounce filet with roasted red peppers, risotto and a blue cheese sauce on top. My risotto was partially hard and partially mushy and the roasted red peppers needed to be roasted longer and were a little too large for my liking. My blue cheese sauce on top was more like a mayonnaise (you can tell from the picture) and you could not taste the blue cheese whatsoever. Very disappointing. My husband ordered the braised short ribs. It came out like a big blob on his plate with carrots and green beans on the side. The presentation was very offputting. My husband said his dish was okay, a little too sweet for his taste. For the price, mine was $27 and my husbands was $23(I believe), we expected a lot more flavor. Neither one of us ordered dessert. I brought the majority of my meal home and my husband brought what he didn't eat home as well. It was a place we wanted to try, I am not sure will go back anytime soon. We didn't complain, it is what it is. We tipped nicely because the bartender (aka waitress) was extremely pleasant. Maybe it was just an off night.

Joe's use to be our go-to restaurant. past 2 take out orders have been less than par. I don't know how you can mess up a pizza, however they did it. Burnt to a crisp, no flavor. I don't know if they have new cooks, but i think i'll go elsewhere from now on. Also, Blue cheese is beyond salty...