Half Moon Bay Joe’s Restaurant

Saying at the HMB Lodge and not wishing to drive, we decided to walk over to Joe’s. Casual, less, expensive and good, is what we wanted. We were promptly seated and had our drinks quickly. My wife, needing GF, chatted with the waiter, who offered menu items, which could be prepared GF. Loving raviolis with meat sauce, I ordered, that and my ordered a steak (medium-​well). We enjoyed our house salad with beets and our dinners came out shortly after. My plate of raviolis looked fine, but were only half covered with the meat sauce. The waiter reading my mind, offered some Parmesan cheese and brought out a small dish of meat sauce, upon my request. My wife cut into her steak and noticed it was medium rare. But, the waiter gladly took it back for additional cooking and we were both very pleased with our meals and server! The bill was much more reasonable than our recent outings and we left quite satisfied.
This Joes is as good as any we’ve tried, including Westlake Joe’s too!
Fancy, this place is not, but it’s perfect for a good solid meal and fit the bill, for sure. I highly recommend this place for any meal.

I grew up going to this restaurant at least once a week with my family. We got to know the owners and most of the staff and they are all very nice people. They have great Italian food. Some of my favorite dishes are the Cheese or Pesto Tortellini, Meatball Sandwich, and their Mushroom Burger. Joe’s has a quiet atmosphere and is tucked away a few minutes south of Main Street right before you reach the Ritz-​Carlton. This place is great, and is a family favorite of ours, and I would recommend giving this place a shot if you are out with your family in Half Moon Bay.

We screeched into Joes from the highway
In search of basic breakfast. For some reason this place did not come up on our internet search and caught us by surprise.
They had Good, strong fresh brewed coffee and kept it coming
Big circular booths reminiscent of a classic diner in New Jersey
Clean, Nice bathrooms (refreshing on a long road trip)
They also found some corn tortillas for me to substitute for toast (I am gluten free) which scores extra points
All around good place to stop if you need some fuel to keep ya going

I grew up eating at Joe’s in San Francisco Chestnut and Fillmore corner. Now right here and Half Moon Bay and I got to say growing up as a youngster this place back then was good and this place over here is great right now. So if you’re by the coast come by and give it a try it’s worth it if you love Italian dishes this is your place because I know it’s mine. I always enjoyed my Joes Burger on sourdough roll and there are many more favorites but that’s for you to discover. Exuse me while I finish this great lunch.

Pleasantly surprised with the food quality and the awesome customer service from everyone!

Was greeted by a slightly irritated employee but seated in the near empty restaurant right away. Before we sat down we noticed our table was dirty. Crumbs and coffee stains on table and more crumbs all over the seat and floor. I wanted to give them a shot but I started to notice more and more food on the floors even at further tables. My mom looked slightly sick when I had looked in the little buttons of the chairs where food and grime had wedged its way in. The back of the booth seats and blinds were layered with thick dust and food crumbs. You could write in the dust like it was an unwashed car. That part disgusted me. The smelly bathroom was wide open across from the open kitchen and that was the last straw. We didn’t order, we walked out and left. The servers didn’t check on us once for the 10 minutes we were there although the place was just about empty except for a dad and his son. We were glad because it was definitely unsanitary… No thanks!

WORST FOOD EVER!!! asked for a manager and he never came to the table. 20 minutes later asked again and they told me he said I have to go to the window if I want to talk to him. Never go here, you will be disappointed. Even the servers there are clueless! I would give them 0 stars… Do not go here!

No matter how you look at it, Joe’s is one of those places where you can always go and get a really decent meal. The staff is friendly and always helpful. It may not fancy, but it is always good.

We ate here twice whole staying at the HMB lodge. We enjoyed the Italian selections very much. The service is very fast and attentive. Very professional place for the price. Dont be put off by the older décor. The prices are reasonable and the food good.

We had an overnight in Santa Cruz and wanted to do breakfast on the way down. 3-​Zero café was jammed with a long wait, as it usually is, so we continued south. Found Half Moon Bay Joe’s. And a find it was.
As another reviewer said, «Nothing fancy.»
A good standard fare breakfast menu, done well.
The staff is very friendly — they talk to you.
Service is good.
Food was very good. Prices reasonable.
They have huge cakes in the display case as you enter. Since we were having breakfast, we didn’t have any, but they looked really good.
The highest compliment I can pay is that on the way home from Santa Cruz, we wanted to do breakfast again. And without hesitation as soon as we left the hotel, we said, «Let’s go to Half Moon Bay Joe’s again.» Which we did.
If we’re down that way again, this is the place at which we’ll eat.

I give this 4 stars easily for what it is. It doesn’t portend to be fancy, no «our famous _​_​_​_​_​», not trying to be catchy or some sorta coastal institution.
What it is … is very friendly, very good prices, and well-​rounded menu of American comfort food, clean, very clean bathrooms, plenty of parking, quiet, a bunch of tables, especially booths, the list goes on. Serves until 10ish, I believe
It beats any chain like a Denny’s or Lyon’s, as it iis a cut above. Shame it’s on the south end of town, but if you find yourself post-​HMB Links looking for an affordable, safe, hungry bite… this is your place. No views, except a satisfied belly underneath and a well-​priced receipt on the table.

Good family owned business. Had the burger and fries vey basic but done perfectly. Staff was very attentive. Good place to stop off.

Cute little diner with good size portions.
A group of us came here for a late breakfast over the Labor Day weekend, and had a delicious Brunch before hitting the beach in Half Moon Bay.
We were seated quickly, the portion size was generous and the food didn’t take too long to arrive. It’s a diner, not a top of the range restaurant, so keeping that in mind it was lovely. The staff were cheerful, polite and attentive and the food was hot, cooked well and not too expensive.
I got the blueberry pancakes, which came with their own little pot of warmed syrup, but the eggs Benedict looked delicious too: P

We called in our breakfast order togo. Three orders for a family of four. We had trouble finishing the food!
I had the porkchop with eggs. I opened the carton and what do I find? TWO PORKCHOPS! Both cooked well so there’s no pink, but not to the point of being dry. Nice subtle flavoring of rosemary.
Pancakes. Huge pancakes. THREE HUGE PANCAKES. So soft and fluffy!
If we’re ever out in this area again, Joe’s will be our default breakfast location.

Love the pancakes here. Joe’s is a throwback type of diner, and that’s a good thing. Located on the PCH 1 right near one of my favorite hiking spots, Joe’s is good place to fuel up after a beach day or before a road trip along the coast.
I’ve only ever had breakfast food here so keep that in mind when reading this review. Overall, the breakfast here is 3 stars (losing points for price and just being ‘average’). Of note, the sausage was the weakest link (clever huh? :P). However, I’m big pancake fan (literally and figuratively, eek) so I really enjoyed their pancakes. As you can see in the picture I posted, they were large and tasty! Service was good here and they had a nice bathroom; the parking lot was a little weird to get in to but there were ample spots during the weekday morning. The interior is huge so I’m guessing it might be crowded at certain times but during brunch on a weekday it was pretty dead inside.

Excellent service!
The bread was delicious! Huge portions for a great price! Good ‘ol Italian food!
Comfy seats too

Excellent food! We came for lunch, the kids got bkfst, adults got items on the lunch special. Portions were huge and delicious sour dough bread was served!
Great quick service! Friendly waiter. He even made my southern boys some sweet tea!
Clean restrooms!

Good fresh breakfast. Staff is friendly and prices are reasonable. Location is very close to ritz half moon bay.
Nothing fancy. Usually bacon and eggs, pancakes. Have a great selection of cakes.

I came to Joe’s with a unique perspective: about 20 years ago, we stayed at the adjacent Half Moon Bay Lodge on a family vacation. At that time, I believe Joe’s was under different management but was handy and an easy place to dine with kids in tow.
Today, I found myself back in the area and had the chance to stop in for an early dinner. Not much had changed — the décor is indeed «classic» but still a good step above Denny’s! Flooring is new wood laminate and everything was very clean. Trust me, I’m a stickler for clean!
A great amenity — free wifi! Just ask for the password!
I was seated promptly and offered a menu and beverages. My waiter was Pablo, who was attentive and suggested halibut as a fish entrée when asked what the best option would be. The bread basked featured crusty sourdough bread, served with olive oil and butter.
The dinner salad was generous and nicely presented, with garbanzo and kidney beans. Dressing came on the side (more than I could ever use), and Pablo offered fresh pepper. Pablo offered to delay my entrée a few moments, so I could finish the salad. When the fish arrived (I opted to skip the sauce), it was grilled without a lot of added butter. The fish was firm and delicious. The Swiss chard I selected as my veggie was a bit salty for my taste, but still a welcome change from the usual offerings in a family style restaurant.
Joe’s wasn’t busy at all on Sunday afternoon — a few locals seemed to drift in as I ate. I felt comfortable lingering a few minutes to check e mail, etc. Joe’s is a comfortable place with basic but good food, a welcoming atmosphere, and solid service. It’s not «trendy» in the least, not pretentious, and not a white tablecloth place… but it’s WAY above what some reviewers describe here.

Jamie W. and I were motoring down Highway One on a recent Sunday thinking we’d grab breakfast at 3-​Zero Café at the tiny Half Moon Bay Airport. However, we took a look at the overcrowded parking lot and decided we’d continue onward for an alternative. Unfortunately the increasing traffic congestion made us a bit testy, so we decided to pull over at Joe’s since it had the familiar moniker of the San Francisco institution. They will have you believe they are related to the Original Joe’s, but whatever relationship they may have now appears solely focused on the one dish on both menus, Joe’s Special. We were a bit confused even getting to the parking lot since there isn’t direct access from the highway.
You have to drive on a hotel access road and drive around the building which looks like pretty much any roadside diner you would find in this great land of ours. When we entered, it looked like a reconverted Denny’s with the same big family booths against the windows and the smaller tables in the middle. We ended up at one of the big booths next to a local family celebrating mama’s birthday. Judging from the drawls in their voices, we thought we were near Pigeon Forge, not the Bay Area. Once we saw the menu, we switched gears and thought we were on Rodeo Drive as the prices seemed absurdly high relative to the blue collar crowd they appear to attract (photo:
). We weren’t about to face that traffic again, so we heaved a resigned sigh and ordered.
Jamie went for the $ 10.95 Denver Omelette, a four-​egger, at least that’s what they claimed, with the diced ham, peppers and onions almost completely hidden from view. It came with a flat of hash browns that looked like it was cut into a perfect rectangle with a buzz saw (photo:
). The result was less than appetizing. I had the $ 14.95 Joe’s Special Scramble, which only had a passing resemblance to the original with the ground beef overcooked and mealy, the spinach barely out of the freezer, and the canned mushrooms and chopped onions bringing up the rear literally. Thankfully I had a fruit cup instead of the hash browns which would have been major overkill (photo:
). True, the portion was huge but unfinishable. Service was pretty canned despite the folksy vibe. If you want the perfect Joe’s Special, just keep driving.
FOOD — 2 stars… exorbitant prices for diner fare that doesn’t even taste that great
AMBIANCE — 2 stars… Denny’s redux
SERVICE — 2 stars… staff focused on their regulars, not much attention to out-​of-​towners like us
TOTAL — 2 stars… just a mediocre experience all around… Joe’s Special here ain’t so special