This review is for Joey's downstairs - fantastic! One of the best Italian restaurants in Syracuse. Good service, nice atmosphere, and excellent food. I've tried many entrees and all were great - Chicken Parm and Chicken Marsala are my favorites. Even simple things like the bread & butter, soups, etc. are delicious. Their red sauce is thick, rich, flavorful and tangy, exactly the way I like it. Can't recommend this place enough.

Yvonne was a great waitress!!! 3 of us shared the Caesar salad as a starter. Best Caesar dressing Ive tasted in years. Love garlic! One had stuffed shells with a giant meatball. Another had linguine with clam sauce. I had a combo plate with lasagna slice, 1 stuffed shell, eggplant parm slice, 1 giant meatball & 1 sweet sausage link. Lots of sauce. Very, very good. We each ordered dessert. 2 of us chose a three layer citrus sponge cake. Lemon, orange and lime layers with light whipped frosting and coconut on the outer edge. 1 got the white chocolate raspberry cheesecake with raspberry sauce and whipped cream. Good prices, great service, nice atmosphere. Loved it.

Classic American Italian joint. Nice renovation job...nice atmosphere. Food was great....really should cut the bread entirely before putting on table otherwise everyone touches it .... you know what I mean.

The food was excellent, Everything tasted fresh and it was prepared perfect. The bread with the whipped garlic butter is so good, I could have eaten 2 baskets of it. I will definitely be back to try more things of the menu! The staff was so friendly as well. Very happy I stopped here for a quick meal.

Absolutely delicious food, and wonderful staff. Everything was fresh made and just what we needed. It was such a surprise to find such great food. The bread was warm with garlic butter. All of us truly enjoyed our meals. Thank you

It’s always good to eat here, last night June 27,2023 had dinner here with amazing service and food. The server Stephanie (a lovely name ) was super nice recommended good drinks and food. We always like to try new. Thanks can’t wait to go again

It was my first time there, food was amazing, bread was really good and the garlic butter was off the chain. Our waitress Susan M was amazing very friendly, I ordered the Italian Platter because I couldn't decide what I wanted, portions are huge. Beautiful dinning room, definitely will return.

Was our first time ever in Syracuse and were lucky to find this place. Absolutely love it. Definitely make a reservation, as they stay covered up. People there are wonderful and the food is outstanding. Highly recommend.

My wife and I spent the weekend in Syracuse for her birthday as a quick getaway. Unsure of what we wanted to eat, we ended up calling Joey's and were able to secure a last minute reservation (literally less than an hour). From start to finish we were welcomed with sincere hospitality and top notch service. The host, the wait and bus staff were super friendly and gracious. The food was authentic, arrived quickly and served in hearty portions. The decor and ambiance of the restaurant was intimate and classy without feeling'overly' elegant. Drinks were poured exactly as expected with great wine options. Overall it was a memorable and excellent choice to share a special occasion with your loved one.

A very nice interior to a Italian restaurant on the outskirts or Syracuse. The decor is very welcoming. Upstairs is more casual, while the lower portion is a finer dining experience. The food is above average for Syracuse places, since there are vast amounts of Italian spots here. The chicken parm was cooked nicely, crispy , but a tad dry around the edges. The sauce was great, but the parm lacked gooey cheese. The Chicken Riggies was spot on. All steaks cooked to order, and the sides were good. The mozzarella appetizer was a little undercooked, the cheese was solid and not gooey. The calamari was cooked exceptionally well, lightly fried and not chewy. The bread basket was amazing! Over all, not the best Syracuse has to offer, but a place to should visit.

We come here every year during Syracuse Nationals! Never disappoints and awesome service♥️ The amazing food is indescribable and that BUTTER!!👌🏻

Joeys has real authentic Italian food great atmosphere great staff great food. Can't wait to see new place will be out soon! If you want a great meal this is the place . I come out from Rome it's worth the drive!

Dined with a coworker last night, dinner was amazing, Sabrina behind the bar was super friendly, observant, and efficient. Definitely go back next time I’m in ‘cuse.

Cheers to a great mealtime with family & friends⭐️ Enjoy a wonderful evening out @ Joey's❣️ The homemade vegetable soup is simply the Best & it's packed full of good nutrients⭐️ Bon appetite, everyone ⭐️

+1

Homey option with lots of house-made food, abundant quantities, and really good service. I was in from out of town, but you could tell a lot of locals eat here. I got the ravioli with meatballs - the pasta was nice, freshly made, with a nice rich marinara, and well seasoned ricotta filling. Salad was fresh and good, nothing super special, and their bread is warm, with crispy crust and freshly baked with a nice spreadable garlic butter. This is not somewhere you're going to be surprised or get fancy cuisine, but for home-style Italian in a very comfortable setting, it's a great option.

If you’re looking for old school Italian dishes you need to visit Joey’s Italian Restaurant! We started with the calamari steak. It was incredibly delicious and cooked to perfection. We then had the tortellini carbonara which was amazing, and large enough to feed 2 people and we still brought home leftovers. Table-side Caesar salad made for a fun presentation. You won’t regret checking this place out! Our waitress Adeana was so attentive and personable.

+1

Had lunch.opgen sirloin steak on garlic toast unbelievably delicious chicken masala wonderful beef boulabaise delicious. Sauteed mushrooms tasteless. We will return!

Second time dinning there as I bid a mini farewell to my daughter who goes to Syracuse U. Really enjoyed food and friendly service. My family loves their seafood pasta. Besides the salt content on the bacon sauce on top of my filet mignon, overall very good.

+2

If you have a bad experience here than it’s you. Yes it is that good. Recommend the downstairs cocktail lounge for a cool jazz vibe. The house salad was better than some entrees I’ve had in Manhattan. Garlic butter for the house bread? Forgetta bout it. A grand slam.

Beautiful new restaurant, amazing bartender and amazing host, he was so friendly. All the workers were so kind. Went here for lunch today and the bartender knows how to make a great expresso martini! Food tasted heavenly, I highly recommend the eggplant parm!

My first time at Joey's. My wife has been trying to get me here for awhile and I can definitely see why. Joey's has a relaxed, classic Italian vibe. You are greeted kindly and the staff is courteous and attentive throughout. The food: the fresh bread with garlic butter was magnificent, the house salads were fresh with a lovely balsamic dressing, the stuffed mushrooms burst with flavor, the new york style cheesecake was perfection and the cannoli had the best filling I've ever had. The main dishes: Eggplant parm was a work of art and my wife couldn't believe how they did it. The meatball with her eggplant was wow-worthy even though it was slightly cold. The Veal braciola was good but not great and compared to everything else an expectation disappointment. As mentioned it was good but it didn't pop with flavor and excitement like everything else did. I found that surprising given the described ingredients, nonetheless it became a sidenote to a wonderful meal and experience. I look forward to trying more in the future.

+3

Loved it! Great food, wonderful service. The new building is beautiful. We came two days after the new location opened on parent’s weekend. So glad we did and will definitely be back next trip in.

Stopped in at Joey’s (Downstairs) Because it was close to our hotel during a road trip. When we came in, they said there was going to be a bit of a wait, we were fine with that and spend some time at the bar. The drinks were good and strong. For our meal, we started out with the table side Caesar salad. Note: I do not like Caesar salad, but the rest of my group was getting it. I tried a plate, and it was the best salad I’ve ever had in my entire life. We also started off with the calamari steak Which Was also incredible. For my entrée, I had the stuffed rigatoni in the vodka sauce. The vodka sauce was so good, I was tempted to bring it home. My husband had the tortellini and he was also very pleased with his choice. For dessert, I had the tiramisu and my husband had a cannoli. The cannoli was excellent, but the tiramisu was not the best I’ve ever had Our waitress Kathy was incredibly hard-working and attentive. If I ever find myself in Syracuse again, I will most certainly be back

My wife and I had a great meal at the new place. Food was amazing and atmosphere was cool. Will definitely be back soon.

The restaurant becomes quite noisy during peak hours due to the close seating arrangement. I found it challenging to hear my dining companions during their lunch rush. Nevertheless, the food and service were exceptional.

The party I was with was a large one! The food all came out together with little waiting. The food was all hot and very good! Staff were very good and very kind/ professional! Thank you all

Wow! went to visit my husband who works in Syracuse heard about this place being rebuilt we sat at the bar. It was gorgeous. Coolest bar all lit up inside. everything from the salad to the entrée was perfect big TV at the bar really great atmosphere. Can’t wait to go back.

Went to Joey's NEW location recently and the architectural design is absolutely beautiful. Joey's was busy and everyone seemed happy and smiling. My food of choice was the Chicken Marsala which came out HOT and was Fantastic. The place was very clean and the staff professional and friendly. Reviews are not worth viewing in my opinion , with competitors giving false reviews, ONE disgruntled employee, use of AI Bots can all give false information. Go to all businesses and decide for yourself, JOEY'S ITALIAN RESTAURANT is well worth the trip.

Really nice evening. Service was great, place was beautiful and the food was delicious. We had a table in one of the curtained off areas. We felt like vip's. It was fun. Everything was immaculate from the linens to the silverware. The food was clearly fresh and made to order. Will definitely be going back. Originally, we had reservations at Joey's Pro to which is upstairs and a little less formal. We had a wait and had drinks at the bar and the hostess told us they had a cancelation downstairs in the formal dining room so we took it. So glad we did.

+6

Went with wife and daughter. Prices are more than fair, paid $74 for the three us us including 2 appetizers. The location is small and cozy, has an old time home vibe to it. The meatballs are excellent and I can't recommend it enough. Chicken tenders appetizers (which I ordered for my kid) are high quality too, an unusually nice thing.

From the moment we walked in the door we had the v. IP treatment staff was incredible. The cleanliness, the atmosphere, the quality of the food drinks and the employees and owners was top shelf. All the way their personable attitudes towards us was over the top and we truly loved the experience. We cannot wait to return and enjoy our time at Joey's. It is a must do. We can't say enough about our beautiful lovely waitress.Genie was the best and the management in this place.They are so friendly.They include you like you're part of the family.You've got to come here , not just for the food , but just to feel like you're part of something amazing

Amazing Italian dining experience. Every detail is spot on, arrived at 5pm on a Thursday and were immediately seated. Fresh bread was too delicious to pass, and had great tasting herb butter. I ended up getting the filet and shrimp scampi, the sauces were so perfect and the steak was buttery and tender. The only thing I had a small complaint about was the shrimp were a tiny bit over cooked. Had to get a side of the vodka sauce, it was like the best tomato soup ever. Will definitely be returning and enjoying more Italian excellence here in the near future. Update 2/8/2023: Came here again and had the NY center cut steak with mushrooms, cooked perfectly medium rare, also had a side broccoli and side of vodka sauce with a sausage, all of it was delicious... I then decided this was the time to get the table side bananas foster for desert and boy it did not disappoint. Watch the videos for cool fire during the table side preparation, super fun to watch and the smell comes out and prepares you for the delicious treat your about to devour.

+6

**Joey’s Pronto (upstairs) Review** Amazing flavours, amazing staff, relaxed atmosphere. Generous portions (for food and drinks) and reasonably priced. Warm bread with the garlic butter was delicious and hard to stop eating it, but you must control yourself. Fettuccine with vodka sauce, chicken and shrimp (large pieces) was simply delicious. Chicken Riggies with vodka sauce is FANTASTIC. I would lick that sauce off the ground! Here’s a tip that’ll blow your mind…ask to have shrimp added to your dish. I had a shrimp dumped in my plate from the fettuccine plate and it tasted AMAZING with the Riggies sauce. I liked it even more than the chicken!! Chef Mickey came out and introduced himself and he was such a pleasure to speak to. The entire staff were very friendly and professional…keep up the great work Ladies and Gents! Enjoyed everything about Joey’s Pronto. Next time we’ll visit the downstairs restaurant to try other items.

+6

Consider me in labor, because I’m about to deliver a food baby and name it Joey. The moment you walk downstairs, the fragrant smell of Italian food punches you in the face. To start, the atmosphere was immaculate; dim lighting with candles as well as beautiful overhead stained glass lights. Additionally, the service offered here was so great I might name my second food baby after our server, Andrea. She was so kind and was always there to take our order, refill our drinks, and take away our plates the moment we needed her. The food was AMAZING; the attention to detail at this restaurant is like no other. The free bread they offered was heated fresh, sprinkled with parmesan, and served with garlic butter. Additionally, the calamari steak was amazing, as was the Tortellini Carbonara. If you like creamy pastas, it’s definitely for you. Also, I wasn’t very much of a salad person before this, but their side salad with parmesan peppercorn dressing might have awakened my love for lettuce and arugula. Everything about this place was right; if I could afford it, I would eat out here every single lunch and dinner of my life (an exaggeration, but you get the point). When my food babies grow up, I’ll take them here for sure.

Joey's serves delicious antipasto salad. The tortellini carbonara, homemade fettuccine, and chicken marsala were also excellent. We had wonderful service in a classic and warm atmosphere.

+3

Visited for the first time recently and LOVED our experience. Staff was patient with the children of our group and the food was phenomenal. We had the French Onion soup, linguine LOADED with clams, carbonara and finished off with a sizable creme brûlée! Absolutely delicious and we can’t wait to visit again!

A friend was in town so we decided to try the new Joeys. Absolutely beautiful inside. Host, Sabastian was friendly and accommodating. Our server Dorese was phenomenal! She was on point all night, made great recommendations and was very knowledgeable! She didn’t miss a beat. Food was great. I got the linguine and clams, my boyfriend got the riggies and our friend got chicken parm. Portions were huge. Thank you again Dorese! You were so fun and on top of everything.

my family got together for dinner recently in which we had a party of 18. they put us in the Goomba room. the atmosphere was wonderful and the staff was friendly and attentive, even with 3 young kids. when you walked in you see the gorgeous bar area which has i believe like 12 different draft options. I order linguine and clams which was excellent. our party had fried mozzarella for a appetizer (a must try) I highly recommend giving Joey's a try you won't be disappointed.

We had dinner at the new location--Twice. The first time, I had the chicken parm...It was quite a serving. The chicken was nice and juicy, and I loved the sauce. The second time, there were 5 of us. I am a self-proclaimed alfredo sauce expert, and this was by bar the best I've ever had. I ordered the Fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp, and it was delicious. All five of us had a wonderful meal. Our server was very attentive and pleasant. The staff was very accommodating and went above and beyond for my husband who has mobility issues. We ordered desserts and sampled each other's choices, and had a hard time picking a favorite---they were so good! We will be going back for a third time-definitely!

2nd time there Jan 15th and another fantastic experience. Our server “Maggie” is the best! We had her last time too and she goes above and beyond to make sure your taken care of. This time we had the stuffed riggis and the ravioli, both dishes plentiful and delicious! Complimentary bread is always fresh and warm and just to die for with the garlic butter. We’ve officially declared Joeys as our new go to for a guaranteed phenomenal meal and top notch service. Can’t wait to go back!!!

What an amazing restaurant! It was gorgeous. The bar-room lighting was perfect. It was one of the best meals I’ve had anywhere. You are treated like family. This place deserves 10 stars! I can’t wait to go back.

Erica Kendrew

We tried out the new location and it did not disappoint. The food was spot on and the new location is gorgeous and so open. The bar area was busy and looks like a great place to catch up over a drink. Definitely give the new spot a try. We didn't have a reservation and we're able to be seated with a short wait but I highly recommend making a reservation.

C White

I don’t know why so many had complaints about the new Joeys, but to each their own. Our experience on December 19th was wonderful. The hostess greeted us and because we were a little early she suggested waiting at the beautiful bar. So we had a drink and before we were finished our table was ready to our delight! We were seated at a nice table in one of the many sections of the restaurant. I found it no more loud or noisy than any other restaurant, and had no problems having conversation with my husband. Our server was Magdalena and she was absolutely terrific! A total rockstar in my opinion. She was prompt, and attentive and very friendly. The food was amazing, perfectly cooked Eggplant and Chicken Parmigiana…sauce was just as good as the former restaurant, so again, I don’t understand the negative comments. And people complaining about pasta not being included are crazy! You would have to be a gluten to need pasta after the bread, salad and entree!!! Portions were generous!We had a great experience and can’t wait to go back!

anthony fritzen

Hands down best restaurant, local gem, amazing date spot, and just amazing food. Not a bad thing on the menu, they cook everything as though that particular dish is their specialty. I've been going for years and have never sent anything back, never had any problems on the check (which is surprisingly affordable compared to expectations), never had to wait too long, and I've never had to get up to find a waitress. If I could give them extra stars, I would.

Beth Theiss

The new Joeys is beautiful. I had dinner with a friend at the bar last night. I especially like the high ceiling which makes the acoustics pleasant and not too loud like other bars. The service was excellent from the two bartenders. They were friendly and attentive. Of course the food was excellent as usual too. I will definitely be visiting again.

Bradley Dietz

Food was just as good as the original location. New spot is much more open and airy. Really enjoyed our lunch per usual!

Nicky

Enjoyed a lovely meal here. food was hot and fresh. Waitress was very attentive, my water was never empty. Food was slow to come out but I think that’s just how they do it there.

Jill

First time to this restaurant seeking a romantic fine dining experience and definitely achieved that with dark wood, low lighting, and private curtained off table. (Downstairs) We made an earlier reservation and glad we did since it became busier after 5 on a Saturday. Also seemed to center around an older crowd. Our server was knowledgeable but not very friendly, and it worsened as things got busier while at the same time putting on the charm with the table beside us with first name familiarity… Still, the food was exceptional and a level up from our other favorite restaurant. We ordered: shrimp scampi appetizer, surf & turf and filet entrees, with 2 desserts of cannolis and cheesecake. The desserts alone were of the best I’ve ever had at a restaurant. Overall, this is a quality dining experience that is worth more visits! Edit: returned late August 2025 - now 5 stars on everything. Thank you! 🙏

Marlon Blake

This place feels like an old Italian mobster spot. First as others have mentioned the calamari steak was delicious. Secondly, the food was hot and fresh. Third, the desserts were amazing. We had the carrot cake, if they have it try it. The pastas all came with salad, so the portions are pretty filling. Also, the bread that is provided is delicious. If you have a chance I would suggest you stop by!

+5

Alan

This place is actually two restaurants, upper level Pronto is more “family friendly” and lower Joey’s more formal dining. The menus are different. Great family-owned restaurant in East Syracuse serving homemade pasta and fresh Italian options. Staff very attentive and the service was fast. Prices reasonable for the portions they serve. The pasta portions are entree sized, not the typical smaller plates served in Italy as part of a 3 course meal (antipasto, pasta, secondi). The bread was delicious with garlic butter. Weekends get pretty busy. Best to make a reservation especially between the hours of 5-7 pm. Free outdoor parking on site.

Tyler Pierce

This place is certainly a vibe. Great old school Italian restaurant. Went here with my family for dinner and this place did not disappoint. The food was great, drinks are awesome, and staff was very attentive and friendly. We ordered several dishes, including appetizers, chicken parm, chicken French, garlic bread, and dessert. All of it was great. My favorite thing on their menu was actually their garlic butter. It was so good I requested to take some home and they filled an entire 8oz container of the butter for me. Would definitely go back to this place if I’m the Syracuse area again.

Denis

We loved the experience, excellent service, nice ambience, delicious food. The bread they put out on the table was warm and fresh, crispy on the outside. The herb butter is perfect for it. The fried calamari melts in your mouth. Wife had the eggplant parmesan which she loved. The stuffed rigatoni with prosciutto sprinkled over was delicious. Creamy, I loved the vodka sauce it was covered in. We were downstairs.

+3

Authentic Italian cuisine and a great atmosphere. Their new building is amazing! The staff can be cranky at times, especially the older ones, but the food is worth the sass.

A very nice Italian restaurant. The server is friendly and efficient. The food is perfectly seasoned and cooked just right. Try the pork chop special. It is deliciously succulent.

+4

Overall, not a bad place. Went in without a reservation on a weeknight and was easily able to grab a table. Service was okay and the food was nothing to complain about either.

Ravioli round and thick in size. Interior was nicely decorated. Booths or tables available. Window views with the booth seating. Alcohol is available as well as cocktails. Desserts are on display in the glass case. There is a banquet room downstairs for your special occasions.

+5

A nice hidden gem. Food was good, not too much seasoning in the sauce though. The service was great and the waitress was attentive. Not too crowded, nice atmosphere for intimate conversations. Chicken wings, steak, stuffed shells and pasta were really good. Thank you for a nice evening.

+6

It's not cheap but the food and the service was wonderful. The acoustics however are awful! Whoever designed the inside of this restaurant should be shot. Sound echoes and bounces everywhere and pray that your no where near a table of women coworkers whose conversations hit decibel levels of a ball park. Our party of four had to struggle to hear each other.

We are old Joeys customers so take this with a grain of salt. We ate as much upstairs as down. Now the new site is not the old one. The basement ambience is gone as you would expect. The new building is larger and the round shape is a bit of a surprise in that it is architecturally pleasing but loud and cold. The high ceilings the sound bounces and it is loud. The food is as always excellent. Hot and the service is excellent. I am just confused about the new style and the fact it was cold is an issue. Now this is NYE and it’s 25 out. But this is Syracuse and cold and snow are in our dna. So this is concerning. Take all of this into account. We will go again and will give it time to gets is feet under it.

I really wanted to like this new restaurant . Having moved from New York to Florida several years ago, I was really looking forward to going back to Joey‘s. The atmosphere was more like a Scandinavian restaurant than an Italian one. There was no warmth to it. The service was very poor due to a lack of communication between the wait staff. The food was good. They seem to be catering to out of town business people and not locals now . Change is not always good.

Christopher Knapp

We were very excited to try a local favorite restaurant. It was busy even though it was past prime lunch time, which is always a good sign. I ordered the calzone lunch special. My Wife ordered the fettuccine Alfredo. Our Waitress, Jeanine, I think, had been a waitress for a while and you could tell. So was amazing at her job. She brought us a nice bread with a fabulous garlic butter and some Parmesan cheese. My suggestion would be to include the same little side dish of cheese with the salad. The garlic butter was amazing. I had the corn chowder. It tasted homemade. Nice and thick, and full of corn and potatoes pieces. My Wife had the house salad with the house dressing. The dressing was kind of sweet. Our lunch came and the calzone was loaded with cheese and lots of pepperoni. Some sauce on the side would have been nice. The calzone was nice and golden. It was very good. My wife's fettuccine was overcooked. I think it was sitting, waiting for the calzone to the finish, as it also wasn't that hot. The waitress offered to have it remade but we declined as we had somewhere to be. My Wife had some of my calzone and some extra bread with the yummy garlic butter. She took her lunch off the bill and gave us a thing of bread and garlic butter to take home. Based on the calzone, the service and how they handled her lunch, we will be going back. Great job by the waitress. I tipped her the the same amount as our check since they took off my Wife's meal.

sandra crawley

First time going since the renovations. Lightning and reconstruction is very modern and beautiful. Our waitress Gabby was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. Gabby's a keeper❤️ She suggested the tiramisu and it was delicious 😋

Shelly Lynn

Went to the new renovated Joeys...and thats just it!..It's a completely "new" restaurant! No more casual dining with that homey feel and the menu has changed as well...no more trio dish!! Besides that, the food was delicious and the atmosphere was pleasant.

+2

The DDP

This is a review for the downstairs portion of the restaurant. I’d received mixed reviews from colleagues about Joey’s, but since it was close to my hotel I decided to give it a shot one Wednesday evening. After stepping downstairs I was quickly seated at a 4 top in a dining room that was 3/4 full with dim lighting, dark wood, and some areas more private than others. The ambiance gives good romantic date vibes. My waitress quickly arrived with a menu and water. Bread arrived shortly after and I was ready to order having previewed the menu prior to driving over. Caesar salad, Chicken Parmesan with linguini, and a side of meatballs (added these based upon other reviews). The Caesar came out next on a cold plate (why is so hard to find a restaurant that does this anymore) the way it’s supposed to and was fantastic. Perfectly aged Parmesan cheese with a delicious dressing. This was easily the best part of the meal and enough to get me to return to Joey’s. The chicken Parmesan was a bit of a let down though. The chicken was a bit tough/overcooked and because of this I would have liked more sauce and cheese to abate the dryness. The two meatballs were next and I polished those off pretty quickly. They were tender, flavorful, and a worthy addition to the meal. At this point I was stuffed, so I had them box up the linguini which I ate the next day. Overall It was a good but not great meal. The Caesar salad alone would get me to come back, but I’d be hesitant to try the Chicken Parmesan again.

+1

The food wasn't that great. I got a veal parmesan. It was burnt. The bill was pounded is extremely thin. The sauce tasted salty spaghetti was okay. Was runny wet bread. Fresh bread was okay. The fried mozzarella was pretty good. The fried calamari was okay overall was wasn't a memorable meal as far as Italian food

Joey's came highly recommend by the hotel staff... I choose the Joey's upstairs and really enjoyed the food. I had their Italian dinner which was lasagna, stuffed shell, egg plant Parm, Italian sausage, and a meatball. It came with a salad. The bread and butter were delicious. The food was really good. The service was really slow. It was a wait for everything.

+6

We have been going to the old Joey’s for decades. Brought six people from Rochester to experience the new Joey’s. Food was wonderful as usual they are not prepared to handle the new restaurant not enough staff. I was completely embarrassed as five people were served. Ate their entire dinner before my plate showed up and that was after I had to go to the management and raise hell two people ordered drinks they never showed up. I don’t know whether it was the waitress who was not prepared or the kitchen was completely backed up as they have too many people in the new restaurant and they Can’t handle it. When I went looking for the manager, the bartender basically said sorry they went home. What kind of restaurant send the manager home At 8 PM on a Friday night?????

Usually enjoy their lasagna but the new Joeys version was very dry and cheese on top was burned/blackened. Leftovers were not very good because of this. I threw most out. Service was good, cute place. Prices were up more than I thought they’d be.

Loud. Very loud. Kitchen not coordinated. Excellent food when delivered. Seated at 6:45p. Food at 8:15p. Salad meager. Bread basket unimpressive. Worth a try to see if your experience doesn't leave you feeling you were at a rock concert. Maybe with curtains, rugs, and signs saying boisterous patrons will be asked to lower the voices below excessive sound levels then maybe this will live up to the recipes.

I have been coming to joeys for awhile and there is something to say about the atmosphere and the service. But I can’t say that anymore not even 10 minutes into my visit I knew this place felt off and not the same. It’s missing that family feel like when you walk down the stairs and you see the same faces and they know who you are. Now it’s feels like an average chain that you are just another $$. I don’t know if I will ever come back to be honest I miss the old joeys not Olive Garden Joeys

We had a table of 10 last night for dinner with one waitress which was a bad situation… it took forever to get drinks our food, water clean our plates, bring requested things! We needed 2 waitresses to make our dinner relaxing and enjoying, the food was good, but not the service!

Update:7/20 went back lowering my rating to 3 stars.. sat at the bar poor service waited for over and hour for the same cucumber and tomato salad that was wrong along with utica Greens. I had to ask 3 times why is it taking so long? It was a week night hate to see if it was a weekend.. The salad was pre-made and the greens were so so.. Plus the people next to me ordered after I did and received their meals before my 2 appetizers!!! I sat at the bar and enjoyed my dinner with good recommendations from the staff since this was my first visit. Wanted to experience the house specialties. I had the calamari steak.and the stracciatella romano soup. It was very good. Also tried the fresh tomato and cucumber salad. All shown in this review.

Beautiful new restaurant... with what I hope are only growing pains.. we had problems with service from beginning. A couple members of our 5 person party sat in the lobby for 10 minutes while the rest of us were literally waiting for them to show up.... The hostess said she would bring them to our table when they got there.. but she never did.. she was going around asking everybody what their name was for their party, and when she asked us she said "oh, okay" and then ended up coming back with our 2 other guests. Food was hit or miss. Utica greens were good, but had no heat. no spice... Chicken parmesean was good as was the tortellini. To our disappointment there were no filet mignons and we were there early! A couple of us got Linguine with white clam sauce, and it was crazy salty, borderline inedible. My lips were burning from the sodium content! An order of calamari was very tough, and unpleasant to eat. They did remove that from our bill. Our waitress was amazing, but we're not sure we'll be having dinner here again.

UPDATE-3: This restaurant is now under new ownership in a new building that occupies the former parking lot. Despite the fact that in earlier reviews I ranked the original Joey's as the best Italian restaurant in Syracuse, this reincarnation only warranted an average rating based on our first visit. Although we arrived on time for our 5:00 p.m. reservation for 4 on a Sunday, we were left standing in the entrance to the restaurant for 20 minutes before being seated. As we were led to our table, we noticed that the restaurant was only half full. The first thing delivered to our table was complimentary bread and butter. Surprisingly, it turned out to be the best part of the meal. It was warm and had a coating of cheese on the crust which we found delicious. We ordered the large cold antipasto for four to share. However, our server delivered an antipasto that was inadequate for four people. We assumed this was an example of shrinkflation so we didn't complain. The situation was only clarified at the end of the meal when the bill arrived and we discovered that we had been charged for a small antipasto. For my main, I ordered chicken riggies with vodka sauce. The sauce had little flavor and there was virtually no heat to the dish. Halfway through my meal I requested some chopped cherry peppers, an ingredient included in the menu's description of the dish, and the kitchen kindly provided them. When added to the dish it improved considerably. My wife ordered chicken marsala. It came with no pasta and she found the sauce to have no flavor at all. So, overall, a pretty disappointing experience. FIRST REVIEW OF THE ORIGINAL JOEY'S: Best Italian restaurant in Syracuse. As a lunch for two, try a large cold antipasto with tuna fish, Italian cold cuts, cheese, artichoke hearts, olives, pepperoncini, sliced hard-boiled eggs, and roasted red peppers on top of crisp lettuce with balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Goes beautifully with their crusty white bread. If you're still hungry, add a bowl of minestrone soup. For dinner, you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. My favorites include Steak with Italian spices, Manicotti with a side of sausage, Chicken Riggies with vodka sauce, Chicken Francaise, and Chicken Marsala. The service is excellent. If you like to cook, pick up a signed copy of Joey's Italian cookbook while you're at the restaurant. UPDATE-1: The downstairs fine dining restaurant is no longer open for lunch. The hours are 4 to 9 p.m., closed Sundays. (The casual upstairs restaurant, Joey's Pronto, is open for lunch.) The cookbook is sold out, but is available at Amazon for $90, a considerable upcharge from the original price. But, with the great results I've had following the recipes, I still recommend it. UPDATE-2: Still a great restaurant with Joey in charge. However, a new Joey's restaurant is being built next to the current one and is expected to be completed by next March. New ownership will take over. We hope they will continue to use Joey's recipes, but in the meantime frequent the restaurant as often as you can. We returned for dinner on a Saturday night. Reservations are strongly advised unless you want a long wait in the bar or to be sent upstairs to the more casual Joey's Pronto restaurant. Fortunately, we had a reservation so we were seated immediately The bread, the shared cold antipasto salad, and the meatball appetizer were terrific as always. Tried a new dish, stuffed rigatoni with crispy prosciutto bits in a vodka sauce. Probably won't order again because I have a number of favorites on the menu which I'll turn to before the change in ownership. Service and atmosphere we're outstanding.

+6

I recently visited the new Joey’s Italian Restaurant in Carrier Circle to celebrate my grandfather’s 95th birthday. As a lifelong Syracuse native, he has fond memories of the original Joey’s and the one that used to be in the 1000 Islands, so we were excited to try this new location. The food was genuinely tasty. We started with the calamari, which was crisp and flavorful—a great way to kick off the meal. The chicken riggies were outstanding, perfectly cooked with a rich, spicy sauce that hit all the right notes. Joey’s clearly knows how to deliver on classic Italian flavors. Unfortunately, the service did not match the quality of the food. I understand this is a new restaurant, but the staff seemed overwhelmed and disorganized throughout the evening. Despite noting on our reservation that it was a birthday celebration—and telling our server it was my grandfather’s 95th—we were never offered a dessert menu after dinner. Instead, we were handed the check without any acknowledgment of the occasion. We would have gladly ordered dessert, but by then, the lack of attention had soured the experience. As we were leaving, the hostess (who had been visibly stressed and running around all night) asked how our meal was. We mentioned the food was good but were disappointed that nothing was done to mark the birthday. Her response? “Well, you cannot make everyone happy.” That snarky remark really summed up the amateur level of service we experienced. Joey’s has the potential to be a great addition to the Syracuse dining scene, especially with its strong culinary foundation. But the service needs serious improvement—especially when it comes to hospitality and honoring special occasions. Good food can only go so far when the experience leaves you feeling overlooked.

Cathleen Childs

Was excited to go to the new joeys but they have lost their personalities everyone was rushing around this was at 4:30 and only a few people were there. My husband had a strip steak which he said was delicious but it only came with a spoonful of veggies that he could barely get his knife thru I had veal braciole which had good flavor but was only luke warm when it arrived and if the waitress hadn’t suggested I add pasta I would have starved the two pieces of veal were good but too small for a whole meal but the pasta was cold when we asked about desserts they had 3 kind of cheesecake and tiramisu. So my 40th anniversary dinner was a bust the building is great but since the big move the special feeling your other wait staff had is gone It wasn’t a SPECIAL dinner I’ll try you again in 5 or 6 months to see if you improve if not I’ll be looking for a new favorite place

Roger Saddler

Upstairs dining. It has 2 restaurants. The lasagna it's a hard pressed to find any noodles in it. The bread is good but over bakes. The ice tea dis not taste Brewed. I was hoping from the reviews to have a really good meal. This place is not a return place for us. Some of the pictures show the mess with no noodles inside the plate, and the desserts are not true homemade. The salad was nothing special at all.

+1

Ordered a calzone with pepperoni. Got a plain mozzarella cheese calzone. No ricotta, no spice. Our server was so fun tho. Loved her. She did want to take it back but I said no thinking it would have some kind of flavor. Nope. I was wrong.

The new restaurant looks amazing, but I feel like there is a lot of wasted space. They have high ceilings and it makes it very loud. We had made a reservation for our company, but their reservation system did not register our reservation. Food took forever to come out. I am curious to try it again but I feel like they have hiccups they still need to work through.

Service is great building wasnt designd rite. Food needs major u haul dont be scared to changed that old menu and make your own ty cc

Visited the new Joey's and sat at the bar. Waited 35 minutes for a side Cesar salad. Bartenders never once checked on our salad, we had to ask them where it was. It came out wrong which we didnt have time to have it remade. While we were waiting on our food the bartenders had time to both talk to 2 others at the bar that they knew by name.. If you want people to enjoy your bar atmosphere that the whole restaurant is built around you're bartenders need to be on point. They fell short at doing so. Several people up and left the bar next to us without even finishing their food. We have been coming to Joey's for 15 years and its definitely been going through "changes" the last couple years. The old Joey's vibe is gone..

Blade Herrera

The steak was decent, the salad not bad and the desert tasted great.. But getting into the restaurant there was no one to get me seated, the bar was entirely dirty with open chairs but food left all over. It seemed none of the staff had any knowledge of what they were serving and hadn’t tried any of the food themselves so I couldn’t know what this restaurant was known for. I waited for a long while for my food and when my steak arrived, so did my salad and some bread. No silverware was given so I was unable to eat when the food arrived. I had a bite of my salad but wanted to focus on my hot food so that was all and realized there was an unmentioned $3 charge for said salad that I did not eat. I asked another employee if the deserts were good, she had never tried any so I made a random choice. The food is decent, the service for the price of the food was inexcusable. I watched another gentlemen next to me have a very distasteful experience as well and even told that experience to 2 other gentlemen coming in to set down at the bar and made them rethink their food option. Like much in this area, I will not be revisiting. Better experience at Denny’s across the street.

K. Kelly

Stopped in after a long day of travel for a business trip was very surprised to see this place very busy on a Tuesday, which is usually a good thing. Couple of customers raved about the food and I was excited to try it however, I ordered chicken cacciatore, peppers and a lemon drop…well make that two lemon drops. While the peppers and lemon drops were good my food came out was not the chicken cacciatore instead I got the parmesan eggplant. I tried to bring it to the waitress attention, but she wouldn’t stay at my area long enough I did not eat most of it as I tried to eat around the cheese that was on the food. It had a couple bites of the pasta. My guest also received the wrong food while she ate it. She did not finish her food,either a little disappointed in the staff however, the drinks were very good and the atmosphere was very lively.

Waited 45 mins to be served No wine menue until we asked. No specials. Hmmm . Excellent waitress and bartender Over priced meals. No italian dressing !! ?? And very plain atmosphere. Not italian like . My opinion.

Absolutely disappointed. We had a reservation for 6:30 PM — a party of four, listed and confirmed. We arrived on time, only to stand at the door for 10 minutes before being casually told, “Your table won’t be ready for a bit, you can wait at the bar.” Fine. We waited — not 10, not 15, but over 35 minutes at the bar. Not one hostess or staff member checked on us. No updates. No offer for appetizers, nothing. Just completely ignored. Eventually, we left. No dinner. No service. No acknowledgement. As we walked out, the hostess mumbled, “Sorry about that,” like it was some minor inconvenience. Look, I understand restaurants get busy. But this? This was just careless and unprofessional. Do better, Joey’s.

Chef knowingly served a rotten steak. Ordered veal chop. Came out on the raw side which wasn’t worth complaining about. Though when cut open it smelled rotten. The server was nice and horrified by it. THE CHEF OPENED A ROTTON PACKAGE KNOWING IT WAS ROTTON. COOKED IT AND SERVED IT ANYWAYS.

If your ad says open until 10 pm, especially on. Sat nite, seating at 9:20 (when we were turned away)should NOT be a problem, Unfortunately, just another example of Gen X rather be home on their phones than out working. Should have read reviews before planning to stop @ Joeys when we left Saratoga. Indifferent, lazy, rude employees = lost customers, neg reviews & lost profits, Boss should wake up & demand better!

Wow, where to start? I have been to Joey's at least 100 times! It use to be amazing. Great food, great service, great prices. I haven't been there in about 6 months. Ever since the old owner put it for sale, the place went downhill fast. The reasonable prices are long gone, I have a few copies of the old menu on my computer from all the times we ordered! Its CRAZY how much the prices went up. Long story short, we tried to order take-out a few times, and they refused. We ate in person about a week ago in the new place and it's just so meh. The service is HORRIBLE. As the lady on the previous rrviewsaid, the wait staff is nonexistent. The portions are insulting, the food was very mediocre. The chicken parm was small, with little cheese. It's 30$,and they removed the side of pasta. The salad was weak. I use to adore Joey's, but I don't think I'll ever be back. This place is lame, depressing, and overpriced. It would have been better if it just shut down. Ps- They removed chicken tenders appetizer completely, if only I could give it 0 stars.

Update: Joey’s told me to reach out via email so they could make it right and then never emailed me back. I even followed up twice. So disappointing My family has been going to joeys for YEARS. My grandma had some negative feedback about the new Joey’s about a month ago but I shrugged it off and decided I’d form my own opinion. Tonight, I went and it was a horrendous experience, I wish I didn’t waste my time. Not only is it a completely different atmosphere than the beloved old joeys, but the service was absolutely terrible. When we sat at our table, our waitress, I believe her name was Maggie, didn’t even welcome us in or introduce herself, but instead threw a basket of bread on our table and walked away. She returned about 10 minutes later to take our drink order and appetizers. We waited 30 more minutes for her to come back and actually take our order for entrees. By that time, we still hadn’t received our drinks or the appetizer. When asking if they offer a side of mashed potatoes, she replied with quite a bit of attitude and told me that this was an Italian restaurant and they don’t do that. At that point, it had been close to an hour. My partner and I decided that the experience just wasn’t worth it and went to Santangelo’s. Still no drinks or appetizer, we decided to leave. I have never left a restaurant before EVER and typically have a lot of patience, however, this was just unbelievable. I am so disappointed and miss the old joeys.

Bill M

7:00pm reservation, did not get seated until 8:30, apps came out 30 minutes after ordering and were cold, main course did not get to the table until 10:00 pm and was sub-par at best...never should have opened new location until P.O.S. was fully functional and staff was properly trained. Pretty sad I have had better dining experiences at Popeyes.