Original Joe's on East San Carlos Street has been serving plates of Italian-American food since 1956 and looks more or less unchanged from when it opened. Red vinyl booths, white tablecloths, brass fittings, and a long counter facing an open kitchen where line cooks work over flames — this is the platonic ideal of a mid-century San Francisco-style steakhouse, transplanted to San Jose.
The classics are the way to go: spaghetti with meat sauce, a Joe's Special (ground beef, spinach, eggs, mushrooms, onions), or a New York steak. Portions are large, prices are honest, and the bartenders pour serious drinks. Lunch is the easier reservation; dinner can be busy. A San Jose institution.