Joe V's
315 Shawmut Ave
(between Union Park & Waltham St)
Boston, MA 02118 (617) 338-5638
- Nearest Transit:
Union Park St (Silver)
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
26 Reviews for Joe V's
Total neighborhood place to grab some dinner. The specials here usually rock and I rarely have to order off the menu so to speak. Good food, good service, cozy atmosphere!
The boy that took me here summarized this establishment quite well - he said it's a place you wouldn't really drive to, but rather go to because you live in or are in the neighborhood.
The restaurant to me, was a total neighborhood feel. Somewhere that would have familiar faces whether they be staff or customers. And I like that.
The food here was pretty good - we split an arugula salad as well as the lobster ravioli plate. They have a good selection of beers (all bottled) to choose from as well as wines and your standard liquor.
The space is small, but more cozy than cramped. I'm still relatively new to the neighborhood, but I met a few people as my friend ran into friends of his who go here every Friday night for dinner.
Our waiter was really nice and did a great job serving throughout the visit.
I'll definitely be back here when I'm looking for a zero attitude meal in a place where even the new guy is allowed to try out the neighborhood favorite.
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A great neighborhood spot that is reasonably priced. Great pizza, wine, and the outdoor seating is a plus. A welcome respite in what can be a stuffy, pretentious, and overpriced restaurant scene in the South End. If you want to hang out with, meet, and see people who actually make the SE a vibrant, cohesive, and hip community, sit outside on a summer evening and take in the sights (and the food)!
Still my favorite, moderate-priced restaurant in the South End. The yoga pizza kicks ass. Mostly local crowd. Cheap wine list. This is one of the few restaurants that feels like the South End of years ago; affordable, gay, and rarely a line.
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This place kind of kicks ass. It's small, cozy, and serves great food, plus it has a great little wine list. Our waiter was cool as hell and they accommodated my request for tomato sauce on the gnocchi (instead of vodka cream sauce). There's not a ton I can eat here, but I suspect that many people I know would love the pizzas, ambiance, and wine, so I'll wholeheartedly recommend it.
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A bitterly disappointing experience with pizza at a place I'd thought was decent when it first opened.
Got a couple of takeout pizzas recently. Joe V's has a lot of competition with terrific pizza nearby -- The Dish, Picco, Mangia Pizza -- so we haven't given them a lot of business recently. But we like to spread our custom around the neighborhood, give everyone a shot at least once a year.
I always scoff when I hear pizza crust described as being "like cardboard" -- I just assume such comments are from people who don't know or appreciate really thin-crust pizza. But that's literally how these crusts looked, like something I take out of my boxed shirts from the dry cleaners. They didn't taste much better. I was also unimpressed by the toppings. The nearby competition is using fresh ingredients: everything on these two pies tasted like it came out of a can or a jar, especially the roasted red peppers. The "fresh sausage", which once tasted house-made, now tastes like something the Sysco truck dropped off: a frozen commercial product.
I remember this place being much better when it first opened a few years ago. Maybe they're coasting on their early success and reputation. The pies we bought, 2/3 of which ended up in the trash, were more like what we'd expect from a Southie late-night drunk-trade joint on Broadway, not a charming-looking South End place. Baffling, disappointing, and no way near worth the mid-teens prices they charge for them..
This is the COOLEST lil' ole joint-I've eaten here many times and it's a great casual yummy place. We happened upon this place during a South End stroll one Sunday and ended up killing a couple of bottles of wine, some fabu pizza and a few apps that were to die for-very very fresh food. The size of the place lends itself to really cooking fresh. We were the only ones in there (which is why I was so hesitant to walk in) but they had just open. It's super cozy-but warning , on a super sunny day you may need to wear sunglasses at brunch.
It feels like my friends are cooking for me here while I lallygag about....oh, and dog friendly outside too (see post box full of treats) I love the south end. And the patio rocks!
Joe V's is a very unassuming place. Its low key, casual and nothing trendy (which I like) but the food will knock your socks off. I've eaten here a couple of times. Most recently I got the Chicken Marsala. I was a little disappointed when it came out because I thought it was thy meat but I think it was a breast. its served with spinach, topped with shaved parmsean and the chicken is topped with carlmelized (sweet) onions and mushrooms with a yummy broth type sauce. It wasn't your typical chicken marsala but it was delicious. The gnocci is also good- cooked just right and served in a tomato cream sauce.
There is outdoor seating in the summer which is nice because the restaurant is on the corner of Union Park, the prettiest park in the south end. Great Place, great food, GO!
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Joe V's feels like hanging with your friends strange, loud Italian family. Family, friends, couples, all ages stroll in and out creating a comfortable energy. Tables are tight in this little corner street restaurant which adds to its charm.
I had veal parmasean over linguini and Jennie had a white pizza. Brought home two excellent lunches for tomorrow.
We're big fans of monkeys, so the sock monkey-riding-bikes t-shirts make us smile. Tough parking in the area...
Joe V's is one of those places where one needs a reservation in order to dine, much like many other restaurants in Boston and especially the Back Bay area. However, since we got there around 5:30 and therefore before the dinner rush, there was no problem in getting a table for our party of 4. Our waitress was very prompt and super nice, and the food was delicious and not too badly priced (for pizza, anyway). Some of the other selections were definitely more expensive, but ehh. That's not entirely uncommon in Back Bay. The margherita pizza was very light and crisp, which was exactly what I wanted after my heavy lunch earlier in the day. Next time I'm here I'll have to try the pasta dishes. Also, loved the sock monkey "logo". Too cute.
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Good food, great take-out pizzas, unfortunately their customer services is terrible. The waiters were very rude an very child-unfriendly. Sad because the location is great, especially the terrace that reminded me of the European restaurant. My advice is only use their take-out orders.
i was really surprised at how much i liked this place. somehow the reviews here didn't seem so convincing that i thought i was going to really like it - i just figured i would think it was OK. well, i was totally wrong. i can't get over how freaking AMAZING my pizza was here!! it was the yoga pizza with arugula, fresh mozzarella, mushrooms, something else, and truffle oil. the truffle oil tasted so earthy and delicious. definitely my new vote for my next last meal on earth!
my boyfriend really enjoyed his spicy sausage pizza as well - and we left with a LOT of leftovers, so i bet two people could comfortably share a pizza. which is a totally-reasonable-for-the-so-end $15ish.
the sangria was really good too. service was a little too laid-back, but whatevs. we'll definitely be back.
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Joe V's is a mixed bag. Drinks - stick with the wine and beer. The bizarre cocktails they make that slide in under the radar with their cordial license are a definite pass for me. Salads are very good - fresh and large enough to share. I have no idea why they have the steamed chinese dumplings on the menu for $9. I can buy a huge bag of them for a few dollars at the Super 88 - and I believe they consider themselves to be an Italian restaurant? Pastas - pass! Watery, frozen lobster meat for $20, no way! Pizzas are good, crisp thin crust, great toppings. Service is slow and spotty, but fun! Avoid the week-ends, it is teeny tiny and not worth a long wait! This is a 2-1/2 star review, but closer to 3 than 2!
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Located right across the street from Zach and Jens (our transplanted South End, formerly Beacon Hill friends), Joe V's has the best pizza in Boston. We have been here plenty of times, and the sassy, no nonsense waiter is a laugh a minute. The beer selection is great, the atmosphere is great, and the pizza is unique! The only downside is the space, not a lot of it. However, the owner took my cell number and we walked around the neighborhood and he called us when our table was ready! If you are looking for a great local place to get a great pizza, salad and beer in true South End style, look no further! (if you click on the picture for Joe V's I believe that you can see the sassy server in the shot!)
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Eh. Joe V's isn't horrible. But it's far from great. They do, admittedly, have a couple of tasty pizzas, but so do a lot of places. The atmosphere is rather sterile in the weirdest way- I can't even put my finger on it. It's kinda pricey for what it is- and, for the longest time, the wouldn't refill your soda for free. What the heck is up with that? They give you your drink in a tiny-ass cup and then charge you 1.25 for a refill. For shame! (I heard from a recent visitor that that's no longer the case...but it never should have been).
I did like the wine in the carafe thing- you don't find that here too often- and the doggie treat box outside the front door- but I don't go out of my way to go here. In fact, I only go when a couple of friends drag me there.
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This is my favorite spot in Boston! The pizza is the best I have ever had! I agree with Jess K. the perfect meal there, for 2, is to share a salad (they have some of the best) and a pizza. They have a great beer selection and the prices are very reasonable! The space is very small but they did a great job with it. It's laid out well with a great ambiance. Living on the Hill and I would trek over to the South End any day for Joe V's!!
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I really like the pizza from here and prefer it over most other take out options. The pizza is delicious and gourmet (don't expect a big Italian pizza pie). A pizza and a salad are the perfect thing to share between two people. Well, there are other perfect things to share between two people, but a pizza from Joe V's is among them. Definitely get take out rather than trying to find a table. The restaurant is uber tiny and with people always walking in and out to pick up orders, there really isn't an ambiance.
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Great local neighborhood Italian food in the South End.
Great selection of individual freshly made pizzas and homestyle Italian specialities like chicken parmigian and meatballs over linguini.
Restaurant seats about 25 people -- small -- so arrive early, reserve, or hang out at the bar. The bar however accommodates literally only about 5 people. It is more like a wait area.
Great attendive service from the owners.
Staff / owners very enthusiastic about their restaurant, welcoming guests.
Their Joe V monkey character throughout the restaurant and on its paraphenalia adds even more character to this charming neighborhood restaurant.
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I love this place......great atmosphere, great service. There is noting better than to stop off here on a Sunday night and enjoy a cold beer and bowl of Chili. Still hungry? Try the Pizza
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As the South End takes a turn for the more and more upscale dining venues, Joe V's remains a comfortable, affordable haven....great service, intimate and charming atmosphere, and really frickin great food make for a wonderful all around spot! The pizza really is the way to go in my opinion, and the quality is in the fresh ingredients...although the specials usually offer some interesting and delectible variety too! The owner is a fabulous guy with a great sense of community and personability, making an effort to associate with all his patrons and remember as many as possible by name. This place is a gem
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Small, intimate place on one of the South End's nicest streets. Seating is no more than 20 plus a few but the tables are spaced nicely so you don't feel squeezed in. Wait staff is great. Get a salad and a pizza, you won't regret it.
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Don't do it, don't go to Joe V's. Drinks TERRIBLE. Food adequate, service DEPLORABLE.
Both the waiter and the bartender were beyond rude the night we went. It's too bad, because the food was pretty good, and the locale is cute. Service makes it or breaks it, and I will not be returning for a second helping.
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My neighborhood take out place. Whenever I'm hungry and can't figure out what to do I call over and order a pizza and a salad and I'm never disappointed. The staff is so friendly and the food is delicious. I'm not sure if I get the sock puppet theme that's going on.
Overall - great food, great wine list, but sometimes too small of a restaurant for all the demand - try take out.
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Excellent neighborhood spot to relax in casual and unpretentious atmosphere. The space is rather small, but the tables are spaced well enough apart so you don't feel like you are right next to other diners, as is so often the case with small restaurants. The atmosphere is relaxed with a large flat scree above the kitchen and their cute monkey riding a vespa logo and monkey hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil stuff around. There's even a small stuffed monkey hanging from above a large mirror. It adds some whimsy to the place. The wine list is pretty short. Not a huge selection. The food was very good. We had a mussels appetizers which was very generous with three large pieces of Italian bread and mussels in a tomato sauce with bits of real tomato. Very flavorful. For entrees I had the chicken scallopini, which was served with asparagus and risotto. A very generous portion for only around $14. My friend had the chicken parm which was equally generous and served on penne with an abundance of cheese. We were so full, dessert was not really an option, but we spied an awesome looking sundae-like concoction at the table across from us. Definitely will be back for a nice unassuming neighborhood experience and a relaxing vibe. Super reasonable prices too for the South End. Overall, cool place.
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I love this place...tiny, unassuming spot that serves up great casual pastas and pizzas, at reasonable prices for the 'hood. Plus the waitstaff (and owner) are extremely friendly and accomodating.
cozy and affordable...there is nothing better than to go to Joe's on a Sunday evening during football season to have some of their superb chili and watch the game....small but well laid out ot make it v. cozy.....try the pizza as well ...you will love it!
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