Original Joe's — Restaurant in Edmonton

Update - The general manager contacted me and we discussed what happened. He explained how they handled the incident after he became aware of it. He made no hollow excuses and I felt he was authentically sorry for what had happened. I think it was a learning experience for all involved. The downtown OJ's is once again back in my top "go-to" list for an enjoyable evening out.

Previous post "This review is on the management - not the server or food (they're always great!). While having dinner on the patio, I sat on the wooden bench side of a table. As I slid down on the bench, a nail that was popped up ripped my shorts. There were about 3 nails that had all popped up about .8 of a centimeter. Fortunately, it only ripped the material and didn't gash my leg. I let the server know about the rip and she let the manager know. They were going to find a hammer and nail them back down after we left. Server was excellent about it. OJ's management, however, was a complete fail. Did they comp me my meal? No Did they comp me my drink? No Did the manager even come to the table to see what happened or apologize? No (and the restaurant wasn't busy). The manager had zero interest in the customer or the damage the restaurant's lack of maintenance caused. I was shocked when the bill for $25 arrived (the shorts were Brooks Brothers and cost at least $75). Now I'm certain the owner will respond to this post with an apology and a promise to talk to the manager - but I think the issue is bigger than that. The compensations I mentioned above are so absolutely basic for the food service industry, it speaks volumes about the calibre of people OJ's is hiring as managers. This isn't a 'the kitchen was slammed' or a 'server staff shortage' problem. It is an incompetent manager problem and OJ's needs to address it or their business will start to suffer. I'm not going to say something stupid like "I'll never eat there again," because I know I will. The food is good. But I might not eat there as often. (By the way, the server felt really bad and as we were leaving, gave me a $10 off your next visit coupon. She was a...

This place is so hit and miss. We go there during the day quite regularly, and there are a couple waitresses there that makes the experience so fantastic. Go there at night, and want to sit on the patio… It’s a totally different story. We went there a few weeks ago, and wandered out onto the patio and the waitress told us that we couldn’t sit out there, because we hadn’t been seated…. (I wasn’t aware that there was a seating host. This may have been because, there was nobody there at the front, or anywhere to seat us. Nor a sign nor anything of that nature.). So we just turned around and left, because we were obviously embarrassed since all the other people on the patio listened to this waitress chastise us. Who does that? There were several open tables, it wasn’t that we were taking someone’s table.

We decided to go and give it another try tonight, and although there were people sitting out on the patio, they had a sign up indicating that that section was closed. The six tables that were occupied out there, apparently had made it out there before the apparent cut off. When we were told we couldn’t go out there, we were told it was because there was only one waitress on. So let me see if I understand.... it’s 10 o’clock on a Saturday night in downtown Edmonton and you only have one waitress on in a bar… That’s crazy. Or your lying. It only took us about five minutes of driving to find another fun outdoor patio. Perhaps this one will be our...

Came here for the wing deal! Wings were pretty big and delicious but lacked sauce. It was like a few drops of us on the wings. The only wings that had a decent amount of sauce was the teriyaki we ordered but everything else was barely sauced.

Service was atrocious. There was only 2-3 tables with a designated server to each table. We were there for 2 hours and our water was refilled once… an hour and a half in and when our food was practically done. Server didn’t check in at all with us either and was mainly talking to her coworkers at the bar area. She was also a little pushy on us ordering drinks/food. I told her we were mainly there for the wing specials and we also got a chicken wrap. After me and my friend gave our wing only orders, she asked a couple times if “that’s all or do you want any mains” I said I’m good for now and she said “are you sure? the wings may not be as filling”. Same for the drinks. I was the DD and she kept trying to push me to get the old fashioned or a beer even after I told her I’m driving.

Will not be back, gave more than a star because the...