Joe's American Bar & Grill

Joe's American - think of this chain of restaurants as an upscale pub/restaurant in terms of decor and even more so in terms of what to expect from the menu. However, you may have deja vu all over again as the restaurant does have that familiar look to it. The bar is situated to the right of the restaurant as you enter and can be quite crowded and loud, especially during the tail end of happy hour. The dining area is wide open. This, combined with the bar and tall ceilings, makes for an often loud atmosphere. People tend to raise their voices in order to hear each other, that in turn makes others raise their voices... Burgers are classic and are good stand-by options if you are unsure of what to eat. The menu is varied and includes ribs (my favorite here) wraps, steaks, and all of the other items you would expect from an American restaurant. The spinach and artichoke dip with pita tips is a good appetizer to begin with IMO. An early ""problem"" that was mentioned to me by more than one person when speaking about the restaurant was that the food there gave them the sh*ts. Crass, but if more than one person noted this, and they weren't familiar with each other, there might be something to it. I never encountered this problem myself, and these comments were from the past, so hopefully this is no longer an issue (I do know, from people who oversaw casino buffets, that certain preservatives used to keep buffet food ""fresh"" when sitting out in chafing dishes, can cause upset stomachs, I wonder if this is what was used here). Regardless, it is just something to note. The restaurant offers outdoor seating which is nice, though the traffic on Post Road can be loud and distracting, so mind the traffic patters before choosing an outdoor table. The service was fine though I did have to flag my waitress down when I needed a refill of my ice tea and to have our plates taken away as she was busy inside whereas the 2 tables outside were forgotten at times, or so it seemed. The restaurant is child-friendly and offers plenty for even the fussiest eaters to choose from, you really can't go wrong at Joe's. Pros: Good, Predicatable American Food Cons: Noise Level Can be High at Times more

Although this restaurant is a New England chain restaurant, you wouldn't think so. Inside you have vintage posters and photographs of Yale and the University of Connecticut crew teams and polo matches from the 1920's and 30's.(not in an ""applebee's"" type of way, however)\r Outdoor seating is an option in warmer months \r The best thing about Joe's is the variety...you want pizza? You want steak? You want a burger? You want quesadilla's? You can get all of these things and they are all good. The freshly baked bread is always good and always hot. \r Joe's also has a great bar with tables.\r Great for large parties or intimate groups near the fireplace. Pros: Variety and ability to seat large parties Cons: High ceilings cause the place to be very loud, expect to wait for a table...even on a Monday more