Original Joe's of Westlake will open its doors Monday with new owners after closing nearly two years ago. The Daly City eatery is an icon in town famous for its atmosphere and Italian food.
It’s taken two years but the wait should be worth it when Original Joe’s of Westlake opens its doors for the first time Monday night with new owners and a new modern look.
Joe’s of Westlake closed two years ago but the owners of Original Joe’s in San Francisco bought the quintessential Italian-American restaurant and are ready to finally open its doors after extensive interior renovations.
The Duggan family, siblings Elena and John, are the new owners who intended to bring the restaurant back to life a year ago but instead completely remodeled the interior so it can remain open for a long time.
It is housed in a Henry Doelger-designed building, the centerpiece of the entire Westlake neighborhood on John Daly Boulevard.
The restaurant has hosted private events in recent weeks and new staff has been training daily in anticipation of Monday’s opening. Some of the former staff are reportedly coming back to work also.
The food will be similar to what it was before, with fresh ravioli prepared on site every day.
The prices, however, will be slightly higher, more on par with Original Joe’s in San Francisco’s menu.
The bar to the left as you enter the restaurant has improved sightlines to the main dining room, which have the same big booths — just reupholstered.
The Duggans have Joe’s in their blood as their grandfather Tony Rodin was an original partner in Marina Joe’s with Bruno Scatena, who later opened Westlake Joe’s.
Bruno’s daughter Melinda sold Joe’s to the Duggans in 2014.
The 10,000-square-foot restaurant seats about 300.
Daly City resident Patty Gibney Sturm started the Facebook page “Memories of Joe’s of Westlake” after the restaurant closed two years ago.
She was headed to the restaurant Thursday night.
“I feel like a kid waiting for Santa to come down the chimney! My husband and I get to go to OJW tonight for dinner. I have been anticipating this for over two years! I am beyond excited. I’ll be sure to let you all know how it was. I’m sure the word ‘perfect’ will be used. Thanks to Elena and John Duggan for their tireless efforts to bring our Joe’s back to us,” Sturm wrote on the page Thursday.
The restaurant has its own Facebook page now at facebook.com/originaljoeswestlake that features behind the scenes glimpses into all the preparation that has gone into opening night.
One of the pictures features ravioli maker Julio de la Rosa, who worked at the Westlake eatery for 35 years before it closed and is returning to his old job under the new ownership.
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