Joe's Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Clinton

So, my wife and I are both chefs. My wife went to culinary school, and I trained under an executive chef. I am also Italian. We are very picky when it comes to eating out. We saw Joe's had a 4.8 rating which, as a former restaurant owner is very hard to do, so we decided to give it a try. Upon entering I have to say that I was actually very leery. It's not like the fancy Italian restaurants with all of the really cool decor and atmosphere etc. It is very simple in plain. I will be honest I did not have high hopes at all. Holy cow was I wrong. We started off with an appetizer of spinach artichoke dip. This is probably the first restaurant I've ever been to where it was actually fresh artichokes and everything was truly fresh and authentic. Very well done. They next brought out some garlic rolls which were actually homemade, you could smell the yeast in them. Incredibly soft and very good. I ordered the lasagna and I was very leery because I normally don't like ground beef in my lasagna, we use a combination of Italian sausage that's fresh and ground beef. But I was not disappointed. It was very well cooked, and even the beef seemed as if it was fresh, it was also flavorful and very well seasoned. We're thinking was probably locally sourced. My wife had a pasta trio and my son had a plate of spaghetti. For a kids plate it was huge but he ate all of it. This is a family-owned business, and all of the owners were on the floor working. Which is something you hardly ever even see a restaurant manager do. But they were on the floor, they were clearing tables, they were bussing tables, they were doing just about everything on the floor. Both them and our servers were excellent I have to say the sauce on everything was magnificent, the cheeses were fresh, everything was far above anything I have ever expected. It's honestly probably the best Italian restaurant we have eaten at and I don't say that lately. If you are ever in Clinton Missouri definitely give them a try. Don't let the outside fool you, it's one of those tiny little places that you would never know existed otherwise, but...

Joe's Italian Restaurant in Clinton, MO is an absolute gem! My whole family of foodies was thrilled to hear a new eatery was coming to town and we eagerly awaited the opening. From the moment we stepped in, it was clear Joe's was something special, the aroma alone made it clear that we were in for a treat. The complementary and obviously homemade rolls were to die for (everyone had two 😳🤤). The calamari appetizer came out quick, fresh and delicious. Skyler had the tour of Italy (spot on) and I ordered the lobster raviolis (A MUSSST HAVE). Both diners came with a salad, if the dressings weren’t homemade, I would be shocked. 👌 Sophia had the ravioli and I was very pleased to see the same attention to detail with the kids meals. The presentation of the dishes were simple, but beautiful, allowing for the food to be the star of the show… and it was 🤩. The dessert menu was extensive, but unfortunately, we were all too full to try any. Next time, for sure. The food is simply outstanding – bursting with flavor and clearly made with passion. Beyond the incredible food, the owners were exceedingly kind and welcoming, making us feel right at home. Our waitstaff was attentive and friendly… for it being their first week of operation, I was truly impressed. When employees feel 100% confident in their roles and really find their groove... look out. Pretty stoked to have them here in Clinton, and we can't...

So I will start by saying, they just opened. With that on mind, it will take some time to learn the ins and outs of ordering and such. The wait time was not as long as they originally quoted and they got us seated. There is very little decor which makes for an extremely loud restaurant when full (which is was). All the servers were a pleasant; however, we had so many I wasnt sure who ours actually was. They did run out of a lot of things but tried to make due and I am satisfied with that. Unfortunately, it was a bit hot in there and the flies and gnats needed to be handled. Now, the food was absolutely amazing! We tried so many things because it all smelled so good and all the food I saw brought to other tables looked delicious! It did not disappoint. Our salad was a bit small but it's probably a good thing because the entrees were so filling. They give complimentary garlic knots which are tasty. You must try the lobster ravioli. I couldn't get enough! I will definitely give it another try at a later date as well as an...