People with allergies, THIS IS THE PLACE TO GO! My breastfed son is currently allergic To soy and dairy, this is the only place that I have 100% confidence and trust going to! The management is amazing as well as the chefs. They make their food from scratch.They thoroughly check all ingredients, and even understand when and how soy can be hidden in certain food. The management even printed out ingredients lists for me to go over and bring with me whenever I come back to help the servers accommodate me. Not only that a but their food is delicious. I'm so not a salad person but I always get their salads. Most creative and delicious ingredients. If you haven't had their bread yet either you are missing out! Love this place. 5 stars isn't enough, especially for the care and service!
(5)
Kevin K.
I love the veggie spring rolls as well as the focaccia bread. My other go-to entree is the haddock. I've had consistent success with these two selections. They can also whip up funky creative versions of well known cocktails. Great place to sit at the bar and take in a game on the big screen TV's.
(4)
Kenneth G.
We were in MA for a wedding. On our way home we stopped here. Our waitress's name was Nancy. She was excellent, probably the best I've ever had in causal dining. Very GF friendly, (not for me) for my partner. Food was pretty good too--however the service surpassed all!
(4)
Jim M.
Great atmosphere, interesting menu & some great food. The focaccia and Romano-olive oil dip was a great beginner - chunks of soft, garlicky focaccia was wonderful. The chowder was very flavorful with plenty of sweet clams. I opted for a salad (since I was lo-cal to this point) - the Super Crunchy Salad...quinoa, green apple, avocado, grilled chicken and greens with an interesting orange-sesame dressing. If you are ever in Acton, MA, don't miss this spot!
(4)
Deb R.
Nice change of pace. A little pricey for me for regular night out. I love the variety of food. Had an amazing meal the other night "California Roll" amazing!!!
(3)
Matt W.
I ordered the Ahi Tuna entree salad and what I got at an appetizer. The salad contained seaweed salad and pickled ginger (the kind you get with cheap sushi) and the four smallest pieces of tuna. The tuna was so seasoned I thought I was eating beef jerky. Seriously. I couldn't even taste the fish! The sauce/dressing that accompanied the salad was too sweet, sticky and over powered the rest of the flavors in this dish. I was still hungry after I finished! I was disappointed with this meal. I would not order or recommend this dish. Sorry NYAJ, your dipping bread is still good!
(2)
Denis D.
Been to this NYAJ location several times. Food was always good. Their bread with 'olive oil, parmesan and spices' dip is absolutely amazing. For a little while they had a new menu which was much better than their latest one. It had some vegetarian lasagna with pine nuts and mysterious delicious green sauce... well it's gone. Their latest menu is definitely not vegetarian-friendly. Disappointing. Service was ok, consistently. Not bad... but not good either... A little pricy for a lunch menu... but at least it's good. I would go there again more often if it was cheaper. There are plenty of better cheaper alternatives closer too. Would I recommend this NYAJ ? Sure. It's good. Will I go back? Yes most likely. But definitely not next on my list.
(4)
Rich M.
Yeah, another chain- but still some of the best pizza in Area. Old reliable for family-friendly eat-in or takeout
(5)
Gwen K.
Great food, love the drinks. Waitstaff hit or miss. The servers and bar tenders I've had gotten to know are wonderful and go above and beyond. They take time to really get to know their guest. Ashley ( bar tender) awesome!!! Same with Mark who works on the floor or in the bar area. The oyster specials on Monday are wonderful along w the drink specials.!! I'm glad they have kept this deal around
(4)
Dawn B.
Despite having reservations, we had about a five minute wait the day we visited NYAJ's. We amused ourselves by taking pictures of the beeper which looked like it may have been a Taser previously. First: Oh, the foccacia. Every trip to NYAJ's MUST include their bread with parmesan cheese olive oil dipping sauce. I would even go so far as to suggest going there and only eating that. The restaurant may not agree with that idea, but do it. Really. DH and I went here to celebrate his birthday (albeit two weeks later and one day shy of his birthday coupon's expiration date.) It's impossible to pass up a free entree and free dessert here...why would you!? He ordered the hangar steak rare, and OMG...to die for. I got a chicken Caesar salad which was a bit on the small side; that was actually a blessing in disguise because I was able to save room for the bananas foster bread pudding. Despite only finding one slice of banana, it was excellent. The food is almost always excellent, but the prices prohibit us for coming here more often.
(4)
Mariah E.
The food here is usually pretty good, and if anything is funky, they will fix it. Once, we got the squash-filled manicotti, and the squash was raw inside. They replaced the meal right away. Another day, the gluten-free pasta had a gluten-filled spaghetti snuck in. So, if your allergy/sensitivity is severe, be careful. They did replace it, but I assume the gluten and gluten free pastas are cooked in the same dishes. But, most of the food is pretty good. The specials are usually tasty. Occasionally there's an issue, but they are responsive to fixing it.
(3)
Kate A.
Very friendly staff, great service. Drinks are great -- food is OK. It's a good fall back, but not a destination. All in all, it's solid, but not amazing.
(3)
Avishek S.
FREE BREAD!!! This helped me fill up my stomach. The bread came with this olive oil/Romano cheese sauce that was very rich and filling. I ordered the haddock, which came with fries and coke slaw. I love cold slaw. This one was a bit raw but I don't care. The French fries were too fried, I like it when they're still yellow, not when they're brown and crunchy. This place has a romantic interior with red seats and red orange and yellow lighting. There are all sorts of designs and stuff too on the lights and walls. Good vibe. My free water came with lemon which is awesome for a hot summer day. The haddock was better than I expected actually... In my head I was thinking I would get a fish and chips style fried fish but it wasn't that fried which I liked. I'm still hungry though, but that's because I did these long sprints yesterday and I've been ravenous.
(4)
Matt P.
I have been to this franchise several times and they are very consistent. Our service for lunch was impeccable. Our server, John (or Jon) was outstanding and was flawless, probably the best server I have had at this particular franchise. I had the Steak Frites and a Mandarin Lemonade (and a watermelon one too) and it was one of the best visits I have had here. The steak was amazing. NYAJ's is a go to restaurant when I am in the area and I love it here. Overall, I have had a very consistent and a great service experience here, and I will definitely be coming back. The food here is outstanding and the service is great.
(5)
Deborah D.
I was a little disappointed with tonight's visit. We ordered our drinks and the waiter came with our drinks and took our order. The drink was awful and I sent it back and she was suppose to bring me a fresh one. I received my pizza and finished my pizza before the drink came. I didn't want the drink after I had finished my dinner. I think my drink was made after all the drink orders in front of mine when it should have been made first. We eat here a lot and was just a little disappointed . We talked to the manager and he was receptive to our suggestions . I think they should also offer water to patrons.
(3)
Andrea D.
GREAT bread and olive oil, friendly service and amazing food. Caesar salads are great and I love ordering off the kids menu because I'm usually full from the bread appetizer. Great pizzas too!
(5)
Aliyah M.
Love this place! Went at lunch with the boyfriend. Had a soup and salad (both high quality and yummy). The lunch prices are VERY reasonable. Seated quickly, server was clean, informative and kind. Didn't leave us stranded. Love the bread and oil they bring when you sit down. Need I say more?
(4)
Tim G.
Stopped in here by accident driving from Boston to Littleton for work. A great place to hop off the freeway for dinner and wait for the traffic to suck less before continuing on. The bread brought out before the meal was tasty and interesting when the olive oil/cheese mixture for dipping. I had the jamabalaya and it was quite good. Although, the tails were left on the shrimp. Does anybody eat shrimp tails? For heaven's sake take them off so I don't have to fish through my food to take them off. My colleagues had the steak tips and salad respectively. Both stated their food was tasty. They had dogfish head 60 and 90 minute beers, can't go wrong with dogfish. I will be back next time I have to come out here for work.
(4)
Kasey R.
Love this restaurant! Never disappointed. I stopped by last week and got the green machine chicken. Super tasty and very reasonable price. I also got the lemon tiramisu- so tasty! Our server was very friendly and made sure that we were having a good experience. The manager stopped by as well which was nice. I will definitely be back soon to try something else on the seasonal menu.
(5)
Steve T.
So the Acton location is close by so we spend more nights here than we think. Compared to several area restaurants we find the food and service consistent. Food is flavorful. We have several favorite meals. Bar is solid and the taps turn over enough for variety. Good value for the money.
(4)
Tom B.
Well, the appetizer came out cold and the solution was to put it in the microwave. It came back with the dirty serving utensils. Dinner was good but again it was not hot but sat under warming lights I have eaten here and it was better than tonight
(3)
Brenda W.
I love this restaurant, chain and all. I've never had much of a wait and spent it at the bar so didn't mind so much. It's lively enough and service is efficient and friendly always. The menu selections are up my alley and I always have trouble deciding. On this Friday evening, I opted for the appetizer of asian chicken dumplings and a salad -- the poached pear spinach salad. The dumplings were good; can't imagine how they could have gone wrong they're such a simple dish but the salad was really the winner. Just the right size and the ingredients "red wine poached pears, blue cheese, candied pecans, dried cranberries, baby spinach and crispy onion strings, with warm maple vinaigrette " was just right in taste and texture, as well. Add to this the fact that they offer not just one but two different Rieslings by the glass and I'm loving it. In fact, I ordered the German Saint M and it was wonderful. And, the bread and dipping sauce. Let's not forget to mention that. I was orgasmically in heaven over that combination. And the dipping recipe is on Not Your Average Joe's blog notyouraveragejoes.com/b… Ingredients: Grated Romano/Parmensan Cheese 1 oz Crushed Red Pepper Flakes 1 pinch Olive Oil Blend or Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 fl oz Chopped Garlic 1/2 tsp Directions: Combine cheese and red pepper flakes together. Add garlic and oil and mix well. I dunno. It seemed as though it should be more complicated than that because it was so delicious! One last thing of course -- dessert! We shared the molten chocolate cake with ice cream and even the presentation was eye-appealing. The taste was chocolatey just as it should be.
(5)
Martha M.
The food is amazing and each season they change the specials. Often a popular special becomes a part of the menu They are flexible in the preparation as wee We go to the bar almost every Friday night and the bar staff know us, and are quick to fill our drink order. When we go with friends and sit in the dining room the service is always great and of course the food is alway amazing This is a great restaurant and perfect in Acton It is truly a local favorite for every day and or special occasion Our daughter always includes a gift certificate for birthday gifts They offer birthday card as well
(5)
David K.
Nice-looking place, hip styling. Good beer choices, good servers. Cheese oil for bread is a bit too much, perfect if you are too wasted to care about calories, fat or subtle flavors. Spicy tuna sushi roll was BAD. Cooked, with super-heavy Pablo bread crumbs on outside, tiny overdone and tasteless tuna, and no daikon or soy sauce. They took it off my bill, but said "we do things differently here." Salad with sirloin tips fair. Meat a tad over cooked and tough, and salad greens overdressed, wilted and with too much cheese. Bottom line: good bar, average and unhealthy food, if fun to eat. Manager wanted my opinion, which is good.
(3)
Kate C.
This was my favorite restaurant until I decided to go on a Friday night. Waitress ignored questions we asked, took over 20 minutes before she even came over to us after we sat down, and by the time I finally got my meal it was ice cold and the steak looked (and tasted) as if it were days old. And my boyfriend almost ate the shrimp tails in his jumbalya! Went back to give it another shot and it was disappointing. 20% off take out on home team game day but they didn't take off the discount even after we confirmed. Chicken fingers and fries were the blandest I've ever tasted. And we ordered nachos take out which is the worst idea EVER. So soggy. Completely inedible ! I had their steak goat cheese salad though which was delicious and we got a steak sandwich which was also very good. Doesn't outweigh the rest though. Won't be returning to the Acton location, it's the only place I've ever had an issue.
(1)
Andrew Q.
I'd come here for the free bread alone. Seriously. The bread is always warm and soft, and the dipping sauce, a mix of oil and Parmesan and other wonderful stuff, is simply the best. The food is vastly improved from what it was several years ago as well. I recall not being impressed upon my first few visits to the location, but recently I haven't had any issue whatsoever with the food. It's much improved, though I question if the prices are justified. Expect long wait times. The waiting area is also small and cramped, but they make up for it with a much larger seating area. The restaurant can get noisy at times. If the menu was cheaper, I'd be more sold. For now, I'll take my free, delicious bread, and run.
(3)
Bert K.
As a San Francisco foodie; I enjoyed Not Your Average Joe's. The bratwurst plate comes with a pile of stringy french fries perfectly fried. The bratwurst was fine quality and tasted yummy and the roll was too. I ordered a side salad with crusted almonds. It was a spring salad with a candied pecan's, fresh raspberrieds and a tangy sweet raspberry dressing. Bratwurst plate $9.99 and side salad $6.00 Wine selection: appeared very good selection. Customer service: really good. Parking: ez.
(3)
Geoff M.
Word of caution: the takeout service is terrible! Chance of getting your order right: 25%. This is a chronic problem that management is well aware of but apparently unable to fix. Check everything twice before leaving!
(2)
Yelper H.
Take Out Order. I arrived on time for a simple order of pizza and fries. I went in and asked a waitress where do I collect my order. I was told to keep waiting and she would come back to me. When she never did I went and found it myself sitting in another area. I asked if it was mine and it was. I was concerned that I was waiting ten minutes while all along my pizza was sitting getting cold. The lady said no this just came right out just now. I said are you sure its not cold and I was assured not. It was cold!!!! When I took the pizza out it was cold, the fries were cold, and the pizza loked like it was sitting around for a few hours leftover and just reheated. Honestly, not a good impression and wouldn't go back again. Right now im reheating my pizza and my fries are in the trash!
Great service and amazing staff!! We had the pleasure of sitting at Robb's station, he was wonderful and courteous. Jordan delivered our food and dropped by to ask us how our visit was. Everyone was great and very friendly. Mark and Andrew were helpful and assertive:) One of the best times...Thank you:)
(5)
eduardo s.
I've ate at joes for long time but the past 2 times I've being experience something just not good! I've being extra charge twice on the online ordering... And always asked for well done burguer and got almost a raw burguer. Regular proceedings from the management I was redound for the extra charge but not for the burguer which I didn't eat. I wouldn't give joes another shot.
(2)
Bill T.
An enormous decline in food quality over the past year. Cold bread, much less selection of bread types than a year ago. Rubbery chicken, doughy/undercooked cataloni, over-salted chowder, spotty seasoning of the Jamabalya, almost like they forgot to stir the pot. All served barely warm. The restaurant was 25% full at 5:30 pm on a Thursday night - the 'word' must be out there. We saw a kid next to us served under-melted cheese on a burger, but with a burned roll. Nice combo. Where is the Quality control at the "Pass" in the kitchen? Our server, "M" argued with us about the fact that each of us got 1/2 a menu - literally. Pizza and sandwich pages were not included. He brought a full menu, and basically blamed us for not seeing that the pages could be sticky. As college grads, we can count. Also he bitched that he 'had' to present us with a customer satisfaction survey. Well, you have the data, now do something about it. I'd go to "Crossroads" first. Boring food - but at least served hot.
(1)
S C.
Excellent service and something for everyone. Excellent fresh fruit beverages. Their salads are always fresh and balanced. The only negative is that they don't have Coca cola.
(4)
Becca C.
I've been to multiple NYAJ's locations as its one of my favorite restaurants but the service at this location was slow and the pizza I got was over cooked.
(3)
Adrienne H.
The quality of food has severely declined. Terrible atmosphere staff look miserable. This is my 8 th time here and I keep hoping it will be as good as the Watertown branch. Sadly not. Probably will not come again even though its so handy after soccer practice.
(1)
M. J.
A fun place with a cool vibe that serves up tasty food -- exactly what we were looking for on a recent date night in Acton. I likes that they do carafes of wine (perfect for when you want more than a glass but less than a bottle) and the menu is both unique and mouthwatering. I had a hard time choosing what I wanted to order: steak frites? Crab cake BLT? Chicken parm tower with spaghetti squash? Flatbread pizza? Yes please! We ended up splitting the pulled pork pretzel bites (seriously good and perfect for sharing), my husband ordered the jambalaya, and I had the chicken Cobb. My salad was fairly typical but what stood out to me was how good the bacon was. I didn't even need dressing because it was so flavorful. And the free bread with dipping sauce exceeded the hype. The place was packed on a Friday night but they take OpenTable reservations. We will be back for sure.
(5)
John B.
Been to the Not Your Average Joe's in Acton, MA three times, so this is a summary review of these visits. Ambience: Excellent, Service: Poor, Food: Awful, Value: overpriced Nicely decorated. Long waits for seating for dinner, even on weekend nights. Service is very slow. One waiter wasn't knowledgeable (e.g. Said Sam Adams seasonal was Winter; it was actually Oktoberfest; one was obnoxious (corny jokes, inattentive); one was ok. Except for a rare tuna salad, which was excellent, the food was uniformly bad. Overcooked, dry chicken in one entree, for example. The Not Your Average Meatloaf was just that: Way below average.
(2)
Peter Q.
Used to be decent, but the quality of the food here is now poor and remains somewhat overpriced. I had a burger and a side salad. The salad was $6.99 and had so little lettuce that there was more plate visible than food. The burger was fine other than the bun, which was old and stale. The service is very good, actually, and I probably should have complained and given them the opportunity to fix things, but I don't want to get into a long back-and-forth when I go out to eat. I just want to enjoy good food. I probably won't be back...
(2)
Tom H.
Always consistent. We enjoy the place, particularly the annual Birthday coupon. Register, and get a free entree and dessert for your birthday. (The coupon is good for a couple of weeks around the actual date, so there's flexibility.)
(4)
Colin B.
Great food, good service. I love the bread and oil! I also had a delicious side salad and then the seafood jambalaya and liked that a lot too. Decent beer selection. Prices were very reasonable and almost no wait. Not much more to ask for!
(5)
Roger M.
I am a regular here. They have a very varied menu that enables me to decide what I am in the mood for each time. Items range from sandwiches and pizzas to fresh broiled scallops. I have never been disappointed. What makes NYAJ special is that they are willing to go out of their way to do things special for you. I personally avoid carbs in my meals. So, when I get to the table, I ask for carrots and celery instead of the bread. No problem and no charge. (They even offered free hummus, taziki dip or blue cheese dressing.) Two veggies instead of potatoes -- no problem. Grilled instead of fried -- happy to do so. I always feel that they will go out of their way for me. And, that is a place to be a regular.
(5)
Ray R.
Good food & drinks in the 'burbs. The food is always good and the bartenders make great cocktails. The beer selection is varied with about 7 local and seasonal beers on tap. The waitstaff is very courteous and attentive. Have dinner in the bar and Mark one of the waiters will keep the whole table laughing.
(4)
Kate M.
Wow. Forty minutes for cold food and a rude hostess. Too bad Acton's NYAJ can't be more like the Arlington/Burlington ones. Really disappointed.
(2)
Louis-Charles C.
This was the 5/6 time eating here and each time has been an absolute pleasure. Started the meal off with two appetizers.. The caprese salad and the Caribbean chicken tenders. Both were amazing. The salad was fresh and the chicken perfectly cooked and not overly breaded. I ordered the Tuscan grilled chicken with hand cut fries. Mmmmmm mmmmm good!! It was my mother's first time and she loved her seafood jambalaya. Prices are very reasonable too!
(4)
Douglas W.
I've eaten at a couple locations and have always had a good meal. The staff are always well trained and friendly. I love the menu, it's diverse and there's always something I want to try. I had the special tonight. Pecan chicken with slaw and sweet potato wedges. It was really good. I loved the slaw and the wedges were perfectly baked. The pecan coating became a little too much so I scraped some off, no big deal. It actually tasted really good with bites of the potato anyway. My date had the vegetable spring rolls. They were packed with vegetables and basil. The dipping sauce was excellent. I highly recommend you give these a try. I had one of the salad entrees last time I visited and remember really liking it a lot. I also like the bread they send out. The olive oil and cheese dipping is pretty weird though. I would prefer just olive oil with some herbs to start please.
(4)
Collin W.
The food is stale and mediocre wouldn't recommend this restaurant to anyone not even someone I hate I would seriously give this place no stars if i could
(1)
Stephanie S.
Always a good experience. The service is great, food comes promptly and is always delicious and the way you ordered it. The atmosphere is pleasant as well, it is always crowded but it creates a lively fun vibe, you don't feel crowded. If you are looking for a solid place to eat with regular comforting foods that could please any diverse group (there is seriously something for every kind of taste on the menu), this is the place. And the prices are very reasonable as well.
(5)
J T.
Good food, good staff, you know the commercially standard family friendly restaurant. They have good bread which is always a plus in my book! Nothing spectacular to say about the food but it was pretty average. I'd give it 3.5 stars if I could!
(3)
Elizabeth S.
Just enjoyed a relaxing post-work Winesday at NYAJ. Great deal, decent food. This restaurant is always pretty busy. The bread appetizer is so-so, entrees are good to very good, great selection of beer and drinks. Dessert is forgettable. We went for the apple cranberry cobbler with ice cream and biscuit - the biscuit was dry and stale, and the rest of the cobbler was cold.
(4)
Sharon G.
My friend and I had a great experience here last night - it's the perfect low-key spot to catch up over reasonably priced comfort food. Our waitress was super nice and attentive (Cheryl) and the food was so good. We got the cheesesteak egg rolls (so delish), and then got salads (Waldorf and the goat cheese one). Both salads were great! The free bread was really good too, and the parmesan-garlic-crushed red pepper-olive oil dipping sauce was awesome. We didn't get dessert, but the menu sure looked tempting. Since it was our first time at a NYAJ the manager came out and brought us $5 off coupons for our next visit. I would definitely go back.
(5)
Ethan F.
My girlfriend and I went here when she discovered she had to go on a glutton free diet because of orders from he doctor. The staff here was very helpful with helping her figure out what she can or can not have and gave her a lot of good advice. They have a VERY BIG glutton free menu too. The service was very good and got the dishes out very fast. I was really impressed.
(5)
H L.
Definitely a good name for this "not even average" eatery. Food is clearly frozen and reheated and is vey dry and tasteless. Waitstaff is attentive and courteous but this is not enough for a return visit
(2)
Larry R.
Outstanding experience and food. First time visit. Our waiter Mark introduced himself and saw my wife's allergy card. He took it and returned with Chef G who spent time with my wife discussing how he could prepare her choice. Justin the manager also checked in with us several times to make certain everything was fine. The food was excellent and the service outstanding. I hope they continue their march south and arrive in the Carolinas soon. Would recommend it to anyone.
(5)
Jane E.
We will never eat here again. Our family went for lunch on a weekday. We waited 1 hour and 50 minutes for our meals. They kitchen lost our orders -- that's what our waitress told us when she FINALLY noticed that - hey! a group of people has been sitting at one of my tables for an hour and they don't have food. Even after she remembered we were there (again - it had been an hour!), we waited almost another whole hour for our food to arrive. She did not apologize for the remarkably poor service. We spoke with the hostess and manager, neither of whom apologized or offered any recompense. Food was mediocre. Never, never again.
(1)
Michael P.
We have been here multiple times and each time we leave happy. I am gluten feee and the menu is good. Much better than most with a good variety. Great place for kids. The wait can be atrocious if you don't call ahead or make reservations on weekends. Even with our reservation we waited 35 minutes to be seated. Not acceptable with 2 hungry kids in tow. Overall a very good experience though.
(4)
Courtenay P.
The food was wonderful. Had crab cakes and they were delicious with a great spicy sauce. The service was less than great - minimal attention and did not get refills. Manager never asked how food was but asked all tables around me. I've eaten at multiple locations and the food is consistent and tasty. Disappointed in the service but food was good!
(4)
Roger A.
I'm new to this. My main motivation was the abysmal experience me and my family had at this restaurant a last Friday. We were coming back from my mom's house that lives in western MA and decided to find something to eat around Acton, we've heard good things about Not Your Average Joe's from our sister that went there a couple years ago and since it popped on our gps we decided to give it a try. Bad mistake !!! We got there at 7:15 and didn't sit down at our table until 8:10 !!! We were starving ! The hostess with glasses put up a big fake smile as we walked in and we were promised a table within the next 20mins, we were like the place is packed so it must be good . She disappeared for a while and when the 20mins were up I went back in and another hostess was there and didn't even had our name down , they've scrambled to find us a table but by then 30mins had passed and we were furious amd were offered a few cocktails at the bar, we looked at her and told we don't drink and are you kidding me? The bar had a 3rd row of standing loud obnoxious people swearing and drunk. Our kids started to get upset so I sent them to next door at Dunking Donuts to grab a bagel so they could last the wait. As soon as that happened the hostess that later identified herself as the GM brought us a lil plate with some stale pizza points . We laughed and finally got our table. The menu is very complicated and there was nothing that our kids wanted at this point so I just ordered them a small cheese pizza , if they didn't eat there they were eventually gonna have it on the way back to Boston. My wife ordered the Mustard Chicken which she barely ate because it was cold and the mashed potatoes had entire garlic gloves in it. It was disgusting . I had the Jambalaya and the mussels were not fresh , they smelled like spoiled fish , the rest was okay and uninteresting . We were charged $2.99 for each of the sodas we had and barely saw our waitress for a refill , we kept having to flag her down. We've ended up filling ourselves on bread towards the end of the meal because we wanted out of there , and the bread ... Haha it was advertised as being baked fresh every hour by our server but it was cold and as stale as a couple days old bread I had in my house . The dip is just canola oil and not extra virgin olive oil as we were told by our server . My kids didn't even wanted the complimentary hoodie cup since we were ticked off. The said GM never visited our table after we complained about the food to our waitress . We had to flag her down to get our check and leave that place forever . On top of it all the open kitchen is very loud and we heard the F... Word a few times , they looked very stressed back there and we also saw a lot of employees just standing around towards the back and kitchen , they seem overstaffed on the dining room and lacking cooks behind the line. Do yourself a favor and don't go to that place or any other in the chain, reading the reviews at other locations it doesn't seem any different ! The name can trick you in but the reality is this place is way below average !! Save your time and money.
(1)
Meredith D.
The bread and dipping sauce is awesome! Food is very fresh. I have gotten the chicken enchiladas, meat loaf, bacon blue-cheese pizza, chicken parmigiana and have never been disappointed. I have always gotten lucky with the wait time and got a table right away. Only downside is some of the tables which are very small... Way too small actually. If you sign up for e mails you will get a free entree and dessert on your birthday! The amount I have spent there I deserve it and appreciate a free meal once a year. Keep up the good work and keeping the farm fresh food thing going!
(4)
Andrea F.
Good is good if you can get it prepared correctly. I personally love the Tomato soup with their bread and dipping oil. The meatloaf is beautiful to look at and even better to eat. The chicken carbonara was good after I had them refire it for undercook chicken. Beware and check your food they really do have problems in the cooking department. But when you do get you meal prepared correctly it is really good. This review reflex only the Acton MA location only. I have had no problem at other locations.
(3)
Jeff M.
Very friendly staff, no wait for a weekend evening, which was very pleasant. The food was good and timely. I would only ask them to increase their vodka selection, I'm a snob. ; )
(4)
Mark H.
Sat at the bar and had the scollops they were great. It was busy but I got my food really fast.
(4)
Fan L.
the free bread before meal served is really delicious! the staff are friendly. the clam chowder is also fantastic!
(5)
Catherine W.
Good family restaurant. 3 stars for the ease of bringing children, but 2 stars for food. Very crowded on a Friday night, hard to find a parking spot. Had the Vietnamese flounder as an entree; shared a calamari appetizer. Food was served quickly, but was otherwise underwhelming.
(3)
John L.
Kid's meals (Mac n Cheese and Steak Tips) portion and quality were good. Avoid the calamari. For $11, get an entree instead. The portion was terribly tiny and the calamari was little also. Vietnamese Flounder: the taste was special and good, but it was overwhelming after a few bites. They perhaps put too much Vietnamese fish sauce in it - I felt like drinking MSG as I got very thirsty soon after. Glazed Salmon and the mango salsa was good. I'd try this dish again. Clam chowder: average. Bread was good.
(3)
Mike D.
After my first experience at this location the manager reached out to me and said she would pay for my meal to give them another chance. I took her up on it and I was very pleased. The service and food was excellent and the atmosphere was very nice. There is really something to say for businesses who will reach out to their clientele to make the experience better!! Thank you!! I will be back!! Definitely come try this restaurant out and have a pleasant experience!!
(4)
R S.
Do take out here occasionally - never sit down because of the long wait times. Recently they have been extremely inconsistent in our take out. I make a point to go through the bag thoroughly to make sure that I have everything - but some things I have found have been: missing protein on salad (2xs), missing veggie with salmon, completely leaving off ingredients from salads, inconsistent portion sizes. It's exhausting to never know what to expect!
(2)
D D.
NYAJ is like the 99 with better decor and bread. Ive been at least a half dozen times -with kids, GNO, with my parents...it's OK...it's average. Bread with the dipping oil is by far the best thing I've had.
(2)
Brian L.
Cracker Barrel, but less food! I used to enjoy NYAJ's for an occasional meal, but not anymore, it's disgusting. They can't manage to put together a single meal without garlic. What's with ONLY "garlic mashed potatoes"? How complicated is it, to serve potatoes without garlic? Had Scrod tonight, it was swimming in grease. The so-called "crispy fingerling potatoes", weren't crispy, they were horribly greasy and probably deep friend. My daughter had steak tips ... yuk ! NYAJ's used to serve great Buffalo Tenders, not any more. Burned, tasteless and not even the nice presentation they used to use. The 99 Restaurant is the Capitol Grill in comparison to NYAJ's and that's scary!
(1)
Lauren P.
I would highly recommend this place. I love their food and their service is very good, but a little slow (This would be due to its popularity though). The servers all always so nice an they always make sure everything is perfect for you. Once I drink all of my smoothie and as I joke my mom told the server tag tI didn't like it and that we wanted a new one. Even though he could see that it was all gone, he said that he would have another one made and would take the charge off. We told him we were kidding of course because it was so fabulous, but he was so nice and he truly believed that "the customer is always right;" I never tried that joke again! I would only give them 4 stars because I have only tried 2 dishes there and I cannot make an accurate judgement on they rood, but my mother has tried something new every time we've gone (and we go a lot!), and she says it is always great! There is an upbeat, cool vibe that can work for almost any occasion, parries, date night, or just an ordinary meal, and you can wear what ever you are in; I have gone in dance attire sometimes! I think that everyone should have the chance to enjoy this restaurant, so I say that you should come out and try it!
(4)
Steve D.
They do call ahead seating but don't bother! They'll tell you it's a half hour wait but it ends up being over an hour! Won't return. Take out isn't anything special either.
(2)
Matt P.
This restaurant is my wife and I's favorite place to go, and not just because of the food. First of all, the food is fantastic. They don't have the biggest menu in the world, but to me, that's perfect because if I have too much to choose from, I can never decide. They also have an entire separate gluten free menu which is perfect for my wife; the fact that there is a separate menu makes it so much easier to read and decide between what she can and cannot have. Now usually, we go to NYAJ's on Thursday nights and we like to sit in the bar area. The two girls who work the bar on Thursday nights, Tracey and Kim, are always moving very fast-paced, always staying busy, but always with smiles on their faces and a warm welcome to everyone they come across. We come almost every Thursday just to see them. As they like to say, we get "dinner and a show!" Thanks NYAJ for a great bar tending staff and amazing food.
I like the menu here and it is a fine place to eat at live. BUT, the part of their business that is really atrocious is their take out. TERRIBLE take out service. I've ordered at least a half a dozen times and they are always late, dis-organized and apologetic about getting the orders out. They really need to fix this part of the system.
(2)
Kavita B.
Ugh! We keep going back because for some asinine reason Acton does not have any other restaurants that are open as late, with a liquor license. Their mixed drinks are usually watered down. Wine is never properly stored/chilled. There is nothing redeeming here, it gets worse every time. The only good dishes left are their bread and olive oil dip, and crab cakes. They've even ruined the bread, stingy on the oil, heavy on the red peper flakes, burnt bread, or dried out, day old, cold bread. Wait staff always absent minded and slow, not trained enough to garner even a 15% tip. We're 25% tippers for good service, 30% for excellent (as in Bamboo of Westford). It makes me choke to give NYAJ the traditional 18%. Again, no other place to go in Acton if you want to eat past 9 pm on a weekend, or 7 pm on a weekday. PRO- Hours of operation are the best in Acton. You know what you're getting, so you can prepare yourself to experience impolite, unprofessional service at ridiculous prices for less than mediocre food. It's about the same as 99 in Concord, but pricier-(Acton rents I guess) Good crab cake appetizer. Convenient for a desperate (local) night out if you can keep from letting it frustrate you. (Some of us can't) CON- Definitely not worth your time or money. They will treat you like the last rat on a sinking ship if you come 45 or less minutes before closing time, so good luck. You'll either be completely ignored until you walk into the food prep area or grab the attention of a bar tender. Tables always unclean, chairs and floor too.
(1)
Lee D.
Been going here more recently again because they do have a decent gluten free menu with a nice variety of options and seem pretty educated on gluten free. So far I have had the cobb salad (a few times) and the salmon dish. Both were very good. They offer gluten free rolls with dinner as well. They definitely taste gluten free, BUT, they are so worth getting, as then I can still sinfully indulge dipping into my own personal serving (or two) of their amazing olive oil/parmesan/pepper flake mixture!! Sooo good!
(3)
Lisa F.
As a newish Yelp member, I'm trying to get caught up on my reviews. This restaurant is one of my favorite "chain" restaurants of all time. The bread and oil they serve is delicious (and much too addictive) and my favorite dish is the Rosemary Skewered Scallops which are served over a bed of Israeli couscous with bacon and spinach (at some times of the year, there are also small cubes of butternut squash, too). The most recent dessert I've had was the strawberry shortcake: yum! If you're a part of their email/birthday club, you'll get a coupon for a free entree and dessert annually in your birthday month. That's a fabulous deal! We love taking our children when we want a decent meal out and all they want is pizza or mac-n-cheese. Here at NYAJ's, the pizza is wood-fired and pretty darn good and is the kids' choice of dinner. (They've tried the mac-n-cheese, but it's too "grown up" for their taste buds.) Both of them love the bread as well.
(4)
pete k.
NYAJ in Acton has a LOT going for it. For instance - there are only a handful of sit-down restaurants that you'd actually want to eat in here - and even fewer with good food, good bar, and good service. To take things further, NYAJ has better pizza than (so far, all that I have tried) anyone in town. I hate that fact - but fortunately I very much like NYAJ's pies, when cooked properly (MUST order them 'well done'). Their monthly specials always bring something new for food and beverage - they feature some great local beers, which always makes me happy. March had Cottrell Old Yankee Ale, which was on the beer menu at my wedding. They always have other winners like Dogfish Head on tap, as well. Then there's that bread and oil. That luscious, onion-y foccacia that *always* ruins their chances of selling me an appetizer - though the app's menu always has mouth-watering options. While the Acton location has somewhat unpleasant decor, and a pretty awful parking situation, they make up for it with an almost guaranteed good meal that is tasty and affordable. And if you want dessert.. Peanut. Butter. Thing. Mmmm.
(4)
Christopher B.
I met up with an old friend who lives around the corner. We had much to catch up on, so the food was incidental. I had a nice quahog appetizer - maybe a bit too breadcrumby. Flounder for a main course - interesting with some orange segments. The balance was a bit off though. Too acid/bitter for the delicate fish. The star was the beverage - a raspberry/lime rickey - non-alcoholic. Raspberry puree, lime juice and soda water. Very refreshing. Service was good - open and friendly. The place didn't blow me away, but it was certainly competent.
(3)
Dani C.
Dinner tonight. Great mix of entrees that cover just about any taste, and a Gluten free menu. They offered gluten free rolls along with their regular bread, which was served with an olive oil/Parmesan cheese/chili flake mixture (really yummy!). Spring rolls for an appetizer, and though I expected them to be warm or even deep fried they were served chilled. Very yummy with fresh vegetables. I had the cobb salad, nothing outstanding but very good. Others said their fish dishes and salad were very tasty. I would definitely come back and try other things. It 's also a bit on the noisy side, so if you're planning any deep conversations over a meal I'd probably wait and do it before or after. It was very difficult to hear. Good atmosphere though- go and check it out!
(4)
Miriam W.
I've been to this location and the one in Lexington, and have always had good food. It's a great place to bring big groups, as the menu is large and diverse. Last night I kept it simple with the fresh veggie spring rolls and a side house salad. I really liked these spring rolls, which featured asparagus, shredded carrot, cucumber and rice noodles with basil and a cilantro pesto. These babies were packed with great quality fresh veggies and flavor, and I loved the spicy peanut dipping sauce that accompanied them. The house salad is simple but delicious, with truly fresh ingredients and a really good lemon-herb vinaigrette. It seems like the kitchen is really thinking about what flavors marry well here, and executing things with care. Service is very good. I would prefer it if they asked first whether you want the cheese that comes with the olive oil dipping sauce, but that's a small issue for me. Overall, very good, fresh food.
(4)
S G.
First of all, I want to say that I went into this place with high hopes because some friends have been to this restaurant at other locations all with great things to say. On that note - - - this restaurant is located in a strip mall and really feels like a restaurant that was wedged in between two stores. With all the large decorations and bold colors stuffed into a rather small space - - -it's kind of claustrophobic once you get in there. The hostess took us to a small booth and when we arrived there was a huge plastic bucket of dishes (clean? dirty?) on the seat - the hostess moved them to another booth and motioned for me to sit. The seat was DIRTY. I had to ask her to wipe it off, which she did with a wet cloth then motioned, again, for me to sit. The seat was obviously wet - I had to ask her to dry it (Why at this point I didin't just ask if we could sit at one of the other available booths is a mystery to me) Our server was great ( I was I'd have gotten his name - cause he is doing himself a disservice by continuing to work at this restaurant where his talents -great personality, ease with conversation - are wasted) We ordered a pizza - The Santa Fe Chicken pizza. The pizza was just OK - very, very bland - - the chipotle sauce barely gave it a kick. Very much a let down. It's only consolation is that it was perfectly cooked. I had to use the facilities located at the back of the restaurant. The door leading into the annex where the mens/ladies rooms are was SO dirty that I actually took a step back to navigate where I could touch it to push it open. I finally decided that the safest thing would be to push it with my foot. YUKThe bathroom had a stall with a toilet full of gross crap, almost overflowing and of course it stunk. I was smart enough to grab an extra papertowel on the way out so I could open the door (pull handle) to get back into the restaurant. We had dessert, Marshmallow Creme Brulee - - -it was great - seriously good, decadent, light and perfect with black coffee. Then came the boom . . . . just before we left two girls were putting together napkins with utensils in them and setting tables. One of the girls dropped the utensils on the floor, picked them up, wrapped them back in the cloth napkin and put them on a table without missing a beat. Enough said.
(1)
David D.
All Joe's are basically the same. Pretty good food, the olive oil/parmesan cheese dip is awesome, good cocktail list. Pizza wasn't that great. Ultimately pretty average.
(3)
N J.
One of the best chain restaurants around. When it came to Acton, you would have thought that Times Square had been relocated to Rt-27. Fortunately, the food and service here is good. Specials are flavorful, and they should be awarded 'best burger in town'. I'd like to see the beer/wine/cocktail prices come down a notch.
(4)
Jessica M.
I'm so glad I gave this place a chance, I was really pleasantly surprised. The quality of the food was wonderful and our waiter was so accommodating and and helpful with everything. I will definitely make it a point to go back the next time I'm in the area!
(5)
Al R.
Everyone who works here is great. The food and pricing is great too. We go here a couple times a month. It is the best restaurant in the Acton area. Ask if you have a special request. They make everything freesh and usually can make what you desire. It can get busy so call ahead and reduce your wait time.
(5)
Justin M.
Not Your Average Joe....I hate to disappoint, but you were "Just Your Average Joe's." What was nice was the fact that you were able to accommodate our large group. A great selection and varierty of food. Food portions are proportionate to the price. The food was just average. Nothing spectacular and nothing on the menu that you can screw up. The interior is very colorful. In fact, to best describe the color, imagine artists Picasso and Miro getting wasted and deciding to paint the walls. An orginal touch, but a bit too contemporary/hip for this establishment. I would give your restaurant only three stars, but since your bread is "kick ass good!"; I'll give you an extra star! The bread dip of garlic and olive oil is damn good! If I could, I would just sit down, order a drink, and eat your bread all day. Everyone, you won't be disappointed with their bread!
(4)
Jim H.
Consistently good food at reasonable prices. Service is excellent.
(4)
Rafaela S.
Came here to meet a friend for lunch on a Sunday. The place was busy but we were able to get a booth quickly, serive was friendly and quickly as well. They asked to fill out a survey at the end of our meal and in return I got a 15% off deal next time I'm there. Will deffinitely go again!
(4)
Susan P.
Boring menu. Very slow kitchen. I had to keep ducking as the servers carried other people's food over my head, which made me really uncomfortable. The decor is loud and obnoxious. The level of restaurant noise was so loud I couldn't hear my daughter talking from across our (small) table. The food was just mediocre. No reason to go back.
(2)
Sis Y.
My excuse for not writing about this visit on September 18th is that I left for Philly the next day and totally forgot I came here with my Brother and my nieces. The trip was a last minute kind of arrangement so I didn't expect much and forgot about the visit until my SIL and nieces returned today to find this place closed until noon. We were pressed for time and stopped by the Finagle A Bagel in Needham instead (if you are so inspired you can read that review but it was neither awesome or horrid so that's your choice.) That Sunday we stopped in and had some lunch. I was expecting not this place. I was expecting a diner or maybe a local knockoff of Ruby Tuesday's. This place was a surprise. It wasn't a place I would have taken my kids back when they were wee. Nice food, nice atmosphere, there's a bar in here? Whatever, I don't really drink I'm too cheap to pay outrageous sums to get inebriated with friends and strangers unless it's at a show. And I will get trashed before a show and feed the intoxication with cheap beer because I can't taste anything anyway. Okay, sorry for the tangent. We had kids with us, I don't like drinking around kids, especially when I am going to know them for the rest of my life. Who needs drunken relative memories? So: 1 order of the kids hand-breaded chicken tenders with fresh fruit 6.99. (I ordered wrong, so sue me. How was I to know that my SIL and Brother let their kids eat french fries! It wasn't a criticism on their parenting abilities, I just thought they hadn't relaxed yet. I guess they did. Sooner than I expected. My punishment was my niece picking my fries off my plate. No biggie.) 1 order turkey burger house-made, blended with feta and spinach, served with a mediterranean salad and a side of ziziki sauce 9.99 (hey see what I mean? My Brother is now eating turkey burgers for God's sake with a salad no less. Alright he's been eating them ever since he and his now wife moved in together, bully for him I hate ground turkey. Anything that flies should never be made to imitate red meat or animals that are earth bound.) I ordered the pork cubano - spice-crusted pork tenderloin with pickle relish, yellow mustard and melted swiss, on ciabatta 10.99 and it was alright. I was treated to lunch, I'm not going to complain. I have no shame but I am not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. I had fries with it. And the midget ate some of my fries. That was okay though she's too small for it to be a big dent anyway. The interior decor is funky and the lighting is dim. It was nice but not upscale. I wish I had gotten pictures. It looked like OOP decorated it with it's trendy lamp shades and embellishments. I really wish I had come without the kids and with some friends. The menu looks like a mix of modern meals with regular pub fare. I wish I lived closer, I'd like it if a place like this was around my town. It's a local chain but it had some flyers on the tables declaring that they try to use local produce and products as much as possible. I know that is in vogue lately but I can agree with the local consumerism. It attracts my business. We didn't get to eat here to day (what a shame, too.) I hope that I am able to come here again at some time in the near future. Or maybe (yeah, right,) they'll establish a place in my state. I'm not holding my breath though...
(3)
Linda T.
Went twice and didn't enjoy the commotion to get in. Very busy, good for them, but customers not really moving smoothly. Disorganized was my first impression. Good, not great food, but clearly a chain. I will continue to seek out locally owned and managed restaurants- often superior to the cookie cutter corporate recipes.
(3)
Michael T.
I will say I went here for lunch and was extremely impressed. (I am a West-Coaster and have never been to a NYAJ before.) We got there for lunch and while around 1:00, the parking situation stunk, once we were able to get into the restaurant we were seated immediately. The bread that they give you with olive oil/Parmesan cheese is really good... frankly I could have eaten that for lunch and been quite happy! I ordered the Mustard Crusted Chicken dish which was also very good and came quickly. And overall the meal was pretty affordable. All that would typically make for a 4 star review but what put it over the top was the service. Our server, Halley, was nicer and more attentive than what I would get in a finer restaurant. And in a chain restaurant?!? Her level of service put this place over the top in my book! Next time I'm in town, I will be checking NYAJ out again!
(5)
Mark G.
I can't say enough about this place. The food is excellent, as usual, but the service is what separates them from the other sports bars I've been to. My servers name was Mark (easy to remember as its my name as well). He is excellent at what he does. Friendly, but not over the top. Attentive to my needs, but not hovering over me. Ad knowledgable. He just did everything right. Ask for him! I know I will the next time I go there, and that will be soon and often.
(5)
Nan A.
A nice alternative to the Concord Papa Razzi in a similar vein, NYAJ has friendly service, decent food and surprisingly sophisticated low-lit interior. This restaurant definitely fills an important niche in an area where three folding tables and a sub sandwich are too often the norm. This is a place where a large group could comfortably gather. Highlights include the onion focasia with olive oil Parmesan dipping sauce and the variable sized booths with most comfortable seating. Would be proud to bring guests from out of town here.
(4)
Jim M.
Having a great Sunday lunch at Joe's. The bartender Ashley is so nice. Amazing service, very friendly and so accommodating. Oh, the food is good too!
(5)
Katie B.
Good as always. Bread with olive oil dipping sauce is always a highlight. Spring rolls made with crisp, cool fresh veggies were excellent. Chipotle chicken salad was good, if not really special. Service was great. The table in the middle was a bit noisy - should have asked for a booth on the side.
(4)
Laurie P.
Nice late lunch on a rainy Saturday. Quick service; good food, nice atmosphere.
(4)
W G.
Have gone a number of times for lunch, usually seated and served very quickly. Food is consistently good, good noise level, friendly wait staff, and the menu changes fairly frequently so it does not get boring. Would definitely recommend.
(3)
Kat R.
3 stars... i've been to a few NYAJ's and I think it's slipping a little. No wait... 4 stars. The bread is awesome! Nah... 3 stars... bad mustard crusted chicken last time I went. OK, so I'm confused. It's usually pretty good. Mustard crusted chicken and the steak tips are my favorites. The green beans rock, mashed potatoes are hit or miss. I like the set-up/ feel of the place (they all look the same), except it seems like the Acton one always has screaming children in it. Final opinion, go if your in the mood. If you're looking for something SUPER yummy, you might need to look further.
(3)
Will P.
I like this place, it is noisy and fun. It has an open kitchen, high ceilings, loads of tables. Kinda contemporary. The food is ok, service is ok, room is ok. Would I go out of my way to get in?...nah. But we go from time to time anyway, since it is right off Rt 2.
(3)
Jeff F.
I love NYAJ. I go here all the time with friends and family. We all love it. The food is amazing. Service is amazing. Atmosphere is awesome. They have a full bar.
(5)
Josh K.
good food, great bread and dip
(4)
Tom C.
The wait staff is always attentive. The kitchen can be a bit slow, but not so much as to ruin your plans for the evening. it's a chain, and you get what you expect from that chain as a whole.
(3)
Rick K.
Love the bread! Menu is varied. But one word sums this place up: inconsistent....the food, the service, the wait. Just can't get a consistent feel for this place. he
(3)
Ashley B.
This place is always busy on the weekend! One would think it's the only place in Acton! The great news is that you can make a reservation on Open Table (and yelp?) so you can aviod some of the long wait times. They have a nice bar area where you can order the full menu. The food is great and the specials change up enough that there is always something new on the menu. Great go to place if you are stumped on where to go to dinner!
(4)
Tim W.
My wife and I really like this place. We typically do just appetizers but we've had a few meals as well. A bit crowded at times but very good.
(4)
Dee H.
This is one of the family favorites. They've got a good menu selection, something for everyone. It's bright and colorful and the service is always good. We always feel well taken care of, and are nice and full by the time we're done.
(3)
David L.
Went to the bar on a Tuesday night. Quick prompt service. Too bad they shut everything down at 10pm on the dot but that's because of the town. The beer selection is small but better than most chains and the food was pretty good. I'd been here several times before to the dining room section and enjoyed those visits. I wish they stayed open later.
(4)
Ted L.
My first visit as I'm in the area for business and I love this place! I had the goat cheese salad (added chicken) and the raspberry dressing... DELICIOUS!! The place was very busy for lunch which is always a good sign. It had a really cool, funky interior and great looking bar as well! I'll be back for sure!
(4)
Tessa L.
If I could give zero stars I would after the experience I just had. My family called in a takeout order and when I arrived to pick it up, one of the pizzas was not what we had ordered. The employees could not have been nicer about it, they apologized, offered to redo the pizza, gave me a full refund, and called in the manager. The manager, on the other hand, was rude, sarcastic, and downright insulting. As I was leaving he openly mocked me and told me not to come back as though the whole thing were somehow my fault. I feel so sorry for the employees because as I said, they were perfectly nice and if that's how the manager treats a customer, I hate to think how he behaves towards them.
(1)
Jennifer P.
Food is great - love going there. The manager always comes around to make sure everything is okay. Service is usually outstanding, but this last time, we had a waitress that was a bit overkill. She kept clearing the table. As soon as it was time for our main meal to come out, she took the bread and all of our extra plates without really asking us if we were done. She wasn't pleasant - she seemed too stressed. She kept questioning my dad on the way he wanted his steak in a condescending tone "you know what medium well is right?" and when he replied he did she said "okay - if you want it that bloody". So we weren't pleased with the service.
(4)
Michael C.
Good service and nice clean place to eat but is very average to say the least. Hit up a Cheesecake Factory instead!
(2)
Sarah M.
This NYAJ doesn't seem to be any better or worse than the few others in Mass that I've been in. I usually sit at the bar so service is quick and accurate. The food is always what I expect and they are quick to fix any mistakes. The pizza is good, when they get it right. It usually comes out a bit on the raw side and when you ask for a bit crispy, it is chared. So that can be a bit of a hit or miss. All the waistaff is polite and tries hard and I've noticed that they'v had the same servers for the past few years (a good sign) The place is clean, and quite busy on the weekends. And yes, there are lots of screaming kids, what can you do, it is a family place ...
(3)
Peter G.
A surprizingly nice place with an unusually broad menu. Service fine. Relaxed and casual.
(4)
april l.
I end up here a lot. Mostly because there aren't a ton of other options. It's very hit or miss. The food, for the most part, is decent. The service is OK. SItting at the bar is probably the best bet but once again hit or miss. I think there is one excellent bartender and the rest...not so much. This place is also regularly packed with kids. Families with many many kids (I know, it's alarming but this is also suburbia, I suppose we should know better to expect anything different). So, just keep that in mind when you decide what time to go (i.e. avoid early evenings at ALL costs). And on days when school is out (school vacation, Columbus Day) do NOT go for lunch unless you really like a restaurant full of overstuffed tables of children making loud noises and throwing straws. If you like that, by all means, treat yourself to a day of that at Joe's!
(2)
Caroline D.
This restaurant is spotty at best. Sometimes you go and your food is fine, and other times it is horrible! Parking is a mess because they share a small lot with a bunch of other retailers. Sometimes they give us free bread, and sometimes they don't. One time, we ordered a pepperoni pizza to go, and when we picked it up at the appropriate time it was stone cold. They host said that a different customer had also ordered a pepperoni pizza an hour before and never showed up, so they gave his to us. Ridiculous!
(2)
Kiki K.
Would never go to this branch of NYAJs again. Go to the Burlington or Lexington branches instead. Service was rude (uppity at best), stood at the bar for 10 mins waiting to be asked for my drink order - never was asked even though 2 bartenders were busying themselves the entire time. Manager had really bad breath which caused me to lose my appetite after waiting 50 minutes for a table. Food wasn't noteworthy anyway. My experience at the other NYAJs branches are clean, fun, staff is friendly.
(1)
kraig h.
what a great chain. great food at a great value. clean, always busy.........i love the steak tips...........a bargain!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Tanya H.
People with allergies, THIS IS THE PLACE TO GO! My breastfed son is currently allergic To soy and dairy, this is the only place that I have 100% confidence and trust going to! The management is amazing as well as the chefs. They make their food from scratch.They thoroughly check all ingredients, and even understand when and how soy can be hidden in certain food. The management even printed out ingredients lists for me to go over and bring with me whenever I come back to help the servers accommodate me. Not only that a but their food is delicious. I'm so not a salad person but I always get their salads. Most creative and delicious ingredients. If you haven't had their bread yet either you are missing out! Love this place. 5 stars isn't enough, especially for the care and service!
(5)Kevin K.
I love the veggie spring rolls as well as the focaccia bread. My other go-to entree is the haddock. I've had consistent success with these two selections. They can also whip up funky creative versions of well known cocktails. Great place to sit at the bar and take in a game on the big screen TV's.
(4)Kenneth G.
We were in MA for a wedding. On our way home we stopped here. Our waitress's name was Nancy. She was excellent, probably the best I've ever had in causal dining. Very GF friendly, (not for me) for my partner. Food was pretty good too--however the service surpassed all!
(4)Jim M.
Great atmosphere, interesting menu & some great food. The focaccia and Romano-olive oil dip was a great beginner - chunks of soft, garlicky focaccia was wonderful. The chowder was very flavorful with plenty of sweet clams. I opted for a salad (since I was lo-cal to this point) - the Super Crunchy Salad...quinoa, green apple, avocado, grilled chicken and greens with an interesting orange-sesame dressing. If you are ever in Acton, MA, don't miss this spot!
(4)Deb R.
Nice change of pace. A little pricey for me for regular night out. I love the variety of food. Had an amazing meal the other night "California Roll" amazing!!!
(3)Matt W.
I ordered the Ahi Tuna entree salad and what I got at an appetizer. The salad contained seaweed salad and pickled ginger (the kind you get with cheap sushi) and the four smallest pieces of tuna. The tuna was so seasoned I thought I was eating beef jerky. Seriously. I couldn't even taste the fish! The sauce/dressing that accompanied the salad was too sweet, sticky and over powered the rest of the flavors in this dish. I was still hungry after I finished! I was disappointed with this meal. I would not order or recommend this dish. Sorry NYAJ, your dipping bread is still good!
(2)Denis D.
Been to this NYAJ location several times. Food was always good. Their bread with 'olive oil, parmesan and spices' dip is absolutely amazing. For a little while they had a new menu which was much better than their latest one. It had some vegetarian lasagna with pine nuts and mysterious delicious green sauce... well it's gone. Their latest menu is definitely not vegetarian-friendly. Disappointing. Service was ok, consistently. Not bad... but not good either... A little pricy for a lunch menu... but at least it's good. I would go there again more often if it was cheaper. There are plenty of better cheaper alternatives closer too. Would I recommend this NYAJ ? Sure. It's good. Will I go back? Yes most likely. But definitely not next on my list.
(4)Rich M.
Yeah, another chain- but still some of the best pizza in Area. Old reliable for family-friendly eat-in or takeout
(5)Gwen K.
Great food, love the drinks. Waitstaff hit or miss. The servers and bar tenders I've had gotten to know are wonderful and go above and beyond. They take time to really get to know their guest. Ashley ( bar tender) awesome!!! Same with Mark who works on the floor or in the bar area. The oyster specials on Monday are wonderful along w the drink specials.!! I'm glad they have kept this deal around
(4)Dawn B.
Despite having reservations, we had about a five minute wait the day we visited NYAJ's. We amused ourselves by taking pictures of the beeper which looked like it may have been a Taser previously. First: Oh, the foccacia. Every trip to NYAJ's MUST include their bread with parmesan cheese olive oil dipping sauce. I would even go so far as to suggest going there and only eating that. The restaurant may not agree with that idea, but do it. Really. DH and I went here to celebrate his birthday (albeit two weeks later and one day shy of his birthday coupon's expiration date.) It's impossible to pass up a free entree and free dessert here...why would you!? He ordered the hangar steak rare, and OMG...to die for. I got a chicken Caesar salad which was a bit on the small side; that was actually a blessing in disguise because I was able to save room for the bananas foster bread pudding. Despite only finding one slice of banana, it was excellent. The food is almost always excellent, but the prices prohibit us for coming here more often.
(4)Mariah E.
The food here is usually pretty good, and if anything is funky, they will fix it. Once, we got the squash-filled manicotti, and the squash was raw inside. They replaced the meal right away. Another day, the gluten-free pasta had a gluten-filled spaghetti snuck in. So, if your allergy/sensitivity is severe, be careful. They did replace it, but I assume the gluten and gluten free pastas are cooked in the same dishes. But, most of the food is pretty good. The specials are usually tasty. Occasionally there's an issue, but they are responsive to fixing it.
(3)Kate A.
Very friendly staff, great service. Drinks are great -- food is OK. It's a good fall back, but not a destination. All in all, it's solid, but not amazing.
(3)Avishek S.
FREE BREAD!!! This helped me fill up my stomach. The bread came with this olive oil/Romano cheese sauce that was very rich and filling. I ordered the haddock, which came with fries and coke slaw. I love cold slaw. This one was a bit raw but I don't care. The French fries were too fried, I like it when they're still yellow, not when they're brown and crunchy. This place has a romantic interior with red seats and red orange and yellow lighting. There are all sorts of designs and stuff too on the lights and walls. Good vibe. My free water came with lemon which is awesome for a hot summer day. The haddock was better than I expected actually... In my head I was thinking I would get a fish and chips style fried fish but it wasn't that fried which I liked. I'm still hungry though, but that's because I did these long sprints yesterday and I've been ravenous.
(4)Matt P.
I have been to this franchise several times and they are very consistent. Our service for lunch was impeccable. Our server, John (or Jon) was outstanding and was flawless, probably the best server I have had at this particular franchise. I had the Steak Frites and a Mandarin Lemonade (and a watermelon one too) and it was one of the best visits I have had here. The steak was amazing. NYAJ's is a go to restaurant when I am in the area and I love it here. Overall, I have had a very consistent and a great service experience here, and I will definitely be coming back. The food here is outstanding and the service is great.
(5)Deborah D.
I was a little disappointed with tonight's visit. We ordered our drinks and the waiter came with our drinks and took our order. The drink was awful and I sent it back and she was suppose to bring me a fresh one. I received my pizza and finished my pizza before the drink came. I didn't want the drink after I had finished my dinner. I think my drink was made after all the drink orders in front of mine when it should have been made first. We eat here a lot and was just a little disappointed . We talked to the manager and he was receptive to our suggestions . I think they should also offer water to patrons.
(3)Andrea D.
GREAT bread and olive oil, friendly service and amazing food. Caesar salads are great and I love ordering off the kids menu because I'm usually full from the bread appetizer. Great pizzas too!
(5)Aliyah M.
Love this place! Went at lunch with the boyfriend. Had a soup and salad (both high quality and yummy). The lunch prices are VERY reasonable. Seated quickly, server was clean, informative and kind. Didn't leave us stranded. Love the bread and oil they bring when you sit down. Need I say more?
(4)Tim G.
Stopped in here by accident driving from Boston to Littleton for work. A great place to hop off the freeway for dinner and wait for the traffic to suck less before continuing on. The bread brought out before the meal was tasty and interesting when the olive oil/cheese mixture for dipping. I had the jamabalaya and it was quite good. Although, the tails were left on the shrimp. Does anybody eat shrimp tails? For heaven's sake take them off so I don't have to fish through my food to take them off. My colleagues had the steak tips and salad respectively. Both stated their food was tasty. They had dogfish head 60 and 90 minute beers, can't go wrong with dogfish. I will be back next time I have to come out here for work.
(4)Kasey R.
Love this restaurant! Never disappointed. I stopped by last week and got the green machine chicken. Super tasty and very reasonable price. I also got the lemon tiramisu- so tasty! Our server was very friendly and made sure that we were having a good experience. The manager stopped by as well which was nice. I will definitely be back soon to try something else on the seasonal menu.
(5)Steve T.
So the Acton location is close by so we spend more nights here than we think. Compared to several area restaurants we find the food and service consistent. Food is flavorful. We have several favorite meals. Bar is solid and the taps turn over enough for variety. Good value for the money.
(4)Tom B.
Well, the appetizer came out cold and the solution was to put it in the microwave. It came back with the dirty serving utensils. Dinner was good but again it was not hot but sat under warming lights I have eaten here and it was better than tonight
(3)Brenda W.
I love this restaurant, chain and all. I've never had much of a wait and spent it at the bar so didn't mind so much. It's lively enough and service is efficient and friendly always. The menu selections are up my alley and I always have trouble deciding. On this Friday evening, I opted for the appetizer of asian chicken dumplings and a salad -- the poached pear spinach salad. The dumplings were good; can't imagine how they could have gone wrong they're such a simple dish but the salad was really the winner. Just the right size and the ingredients "red wine poached pears, blue cheese, candied pecans, dried cranberries, baby spinach and crispy onion strings, with warm maple vinaigrette " was just right in taste and texture, as well. Add to this the fact that they offer not just one but two different Rieslings by the glass and I'm loving it. In fact, I ordered the German Saint M and it was wonderful. And, the bread and dipping sauce. Let's not forget to mention that. I was orgasmically in heaven over that combination. And the dipping recipe is on Not Your Average Joe's blog notyouraveragejoes.com/b… Ingredients: Grated Romano/Parmensan Cheese 1 oz Crushed Red Pepper Flakes 1 pinch Olive Oil Blend or Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 fl oz Chopped Garlic 1/2 tsp Directions: Combine cheese and red pepper flakes together. Add garlic and oil and mix well. I dunno. It seemed as though it should be more complicated than that because it was so delicious! One last thing of course -- dessert! We shared the molten chocolate cake with ice cream and even the presentation was eye-appealing. The taste was chocolatey just as it should be.
(5)Martha M.
The food is amazing and each season they change the specials. Often a popular special becomes a part of the menu They are flexible in the preparation as wee We go to the bar almost every Friday night and the bar staff know us, and are quick to fill our drink order. When we go with friends and sit in the dining room the service is always great and of course the food is alway amazing This is a great restaurant and perfect in Acton It is truly a local favorite for every day and or special occasion Our daughter always includes a gift certificate for birthday gifts They offer birthday card as well
(5)David K.
Nice-looking place, hip styling. Good beer choices, good servers. Cheese oil for bread is a bit too much, perfect if you are too wasted to care about calories, fat or subtle flavors. Spicy tuna sushi roll was BAD. Cooked, with super-heavy Pablo bread crumbs on outside, tiny overdone and tasteless tuna, and no daikon or soy sauce. They took it off my bill, but said "we do things differently here." Salad with sirloin tips fair. Meat a tad over cooked and tough, and salad greens overdressed, wilted and with too much cheese. Bottom line: good bar, average and unhealthy food, if fun to eat. Manager wanted my opinion, which is good.
(3)Kate C.
This was my favorite restaurant until I decided to go on a Friday night. Waitress ignored questions we asked, took over 20 minutes before she even came over to us after we sat down, and by the time I finally got my meal it was ice cold and the steak looked (and tasted) as if it were days old. And my boyfriend almost ate the shrimp tails in his jumbalya! Went back to give it another shot and it was disappointing. 20% off take out on home team game day but they didn't take off the discount even after we confirmed. Chicken fingers and fries were the blandest I've ever tasted. And we ordered nachos take out which is the worst idea EVER. So soggy. Completely inedible ! I had their steak goat cheese salad though which was delicious and we got a steak sandwich which was also very good. Doesn't outweigh the rest though. Won't be returning to the Acton location, it's the only place I've ever had an issue.
(1)Andrew Q.
I'd come here for the free bread alone. Seriously. The bread is always warm and soft, and the dipping sauce, a mix of oil and Parmesan and other wonderful stuff, is simply the best. The food is vastly improved from what it was several years ago as well. I recall not being impressed upon my first few visits to the location, but recently I haven't had any issue whatsoever with the food. It's much improved, though I question if the prices are justified. Expect long wait times. The waiting area is also small and cramped, but they make up for it with a much larger seating area. The restaurant can get noisy at times. If the menu was cheaper, I'd be more sold. For now, I'll take my free, delicious bread, and run.
(3)Bert K.
As a San Francisco foodie; I enjoyed Not Your Average Joe's. The bratwurst plate comes with a pile of stringy french fries perfectly fried. The bratwurst was fine quality and tasted yummy and the roll was too. I ordered a side salad with crusted almonds. It was a spring salad with a candied pecan's, fresh raspberrieds and a tangy sweet raspberry dressing. Bratwurst plate $9.99 and side salad $6.00 Wine selection: appeared very good selection. Customer service: really good. Parking: ez.
(3)Geoff M.
Word of caution: the takeout service is terrible! Chance of getting your order right: 25%. This is a chronic problem that management is well aware of but apparently unable to fix. Check everything twice before leaving!
(2)Yelper H.
Take Out Order. I arrived on time for a simple order of pizza and fries. I went in and asked a waitress where do I collect my order. I was told to keep waiting and she would come back to me. When she never did I went and found it myself sitting in another area. I asked if it was mine and it was. I was concerned that I was waiting ten minutes while all along my pizza was sitting getting cold. The lady said no this just came right out just now. I said are you sure its not cold and I was assured not. It was cold!!!! When I took the pizza out it was cold, the fries were cold, and the pizza loked like it was sitting around for a few hours leftover and just reheated. Honestly, not a good impression and wouldn't go back again. Right now im reheating my pizza and my fries are in the trash!
(2)C B.
Easy to find, good location off route 2, nice décor, bright and modern with clean look. Food was very good, bread and oil was nice, sirloin tips cooked perfectly! Everything was great except wait staff. Almost got run over by waiter while being brought to table. On a Saturday mid-afternoon with about half the tables empty it took over 10 minutes for anyone to come to table and tell us it was going to be a bit longer til waitress got to table. Took another 10 minutes to get a bar drink. First waiter was blunt and couldn't be bothered, very disrespectful. Reached across customers plates while they were eating to clear some plates. Told another customer to put tip on receipt add it up and you're out of here. Our waitress was better but still lacking in basic courtesy.
(3)Cori L.
Great service and amazing staff!! We had the pleasure of sitting at Robb's station, he was wonderful and courteous. Jordan delivered our food and dropped by to ask us how our visit was. Everyone was great and very friendly. Mark and Andrew were helpful and assertive:) One of the best times...Thank you:)
(5)eduardo s.
I've ate at joes for long time but the past 2 times I've being experience something just not good! I've being extra charge twice on the online ordering... And always asked for well done burguer and got almost a raw burguer. Regular proceedings from the management I was redound for the extra charge but not for the burguer which I didn't eat. I wouldn't give joes another shot.
(2)Bill T.
An enormous decline in food quality over the past year. Cold bread, much less selection of bread types than a year ago. Rubbery chicken, doughy/undercooked cataloni, over-salted chowder, spotty seasoning of the Jamabalya, almost like they forgot to stir the pot. All served barely warm. The restaurant was 25% full at 5:30 pm on a Thursday night - the 'word' must be out there. We saw a kid next to us served under-melted cheese on a burger, but with a burned roll. Nice combo. Where is the Quality control at the "Pass" in the kitchen? Our server, "M" argued with us about the fact that each of us got 1/2 a menu - literally. Pizza and sandwich pages were not included. He brought a full menu, and basically blamed us for not seeing that the pages could be sticky. As college grads, we can count. Also he bitched that he 'had' to present us with a customer satisfaction survey. Well, you have the data, now do something about it. I'd go to "Crossroads" first. Boring food - but at least served hot.
(1)S C.
Excellent service and something for everyone. Excellent fresh fruit beverages. Their salads are always fresh and balanced. The only negative is that they don't have Coca cola.
(4)Becca C.
I've been to multiple NYAJ's locations as its one of my favorite restaurants but the service at this location was slow and the pizza I got was over cooked.
(3)Adrienne H.
The quality of food has severely declined. Terrible atmosphere staff look miserable. This is my 8 th time here and I keep hoping it will be as good as the Watertown branch. Sadly not. Probably will not come again even though its so handy after soccer practice.
(1)M. J.
A fun place with a cool vibe that serves up tasty food -- exactly what we were looking for on a recent date night in Acton. I likes that they do carafes of wine (perfect for when you want more than a glass but less than a bottle) and the menu is both unique and mouthwatering. I had a hard time choosing what I wanted to order: steak frites? Crab cake BLT? Chicken parm tower with spaghetti squash? Flatbread pizza? Yes please! We ended up splitting the pulled pork pretzel bites (seriously good and perfect for sharing), my husband ordered the jambalaya, and I had the chicken Cobb. My salad was fairly typical but what stood out to me was how good the bacon was. I didn't even need dressing because it was so flavorful. And the free bread with dipping sauce exceeded the hype. The place was packed on a Friday night but they take OpenTable reservations. We will be back for sure.
(5)John B.
Been to the Not Your Average Joe's in Acton, MA three times, so this is a summary review of these visits. Ambience: Excellent, Service: Poor, Food: Awful, Value: overpriced Nicely decorated. Long waits for seating for dinner, even on weekend nights. Service is very slow. One waiter wasn't knowledgeable (e.g. Said Sam Adams seasonal was Winter; it was actually Oktoberfest; one was obnoxious (corny jokes, inattentive); one was ok. Except for a rare tuna salad, which was excellent, the food was uniformly bad. Overcooked, dry chicken in one entree, for example. The Not Your Average Meatloaf was just that: Way below average.
(2)Peter Q.
Used to be decent, but the quality of the food here is now poor and remains somewhat overpriced. I had a burger and a side salad. The salad was $6.99 and had so little lettuce that there was more plate visible than food. The burger was fine other than the bun, which was old and stale. The service is very good, actually, and I probably should have complained and given them the opportunity to fix things, but I don't want to get into a long back-and-forth when I go out to eat. I just want to enjoy good food. I probably won't be back...
(2)Tom H.
Always consistent. We enjoy the place, particularly the annual Birthday coupon. Register, and get a free entree and dessert for your birthday. (The coupon is good for a couple of weeks around the actual date, so there's flexibility.)
(4)Colin B.
Great food, good service. I love the bread and oil! I also had a delicious side salad and then the seafood jambalaya and liked that a lot too. Decent beer selection. Prices were very reasonable and almost no wait. Not much more to ask for!
(5)Roger M.
I am a regular here. They have a very varied menu that enables me to decide what I am in the mood for each time. Items range from sandwiches and pizzas to fresh broiled scallops. I have never been disappointed. What makes NYAJ special is that they are willing to go out of their way to do things special for you. I personally avoid carbs in my meals. So, when I get to the table, I ask for carrots and celery instead of the bread. No problem and no charge. (They even offered free hummus, taziki dip or blue cheese dressing.) Two veggies instead of potatoes -- no problem. Grilled instead of fried -- happy to do so. I always feel that they will go out of their way for me. And, that is a place to be a regular.
(5)Ray R.
Good food & drinks in the 'burbs. The food is always good and the bartenders make great cocktails. The beer selection is varied with about 7 local and seasonal beers on tap. The waitstaff is very courteous and attentive. Have dinner in the bar and Mark one of the waiters will keep the whole table laughing.
(4)Kate M.
Wow. Forty minutes for cold food and a rude hostess. Too bad Acton's NYAJ can't be more like the Arlington/Burlington ones. Really disappointed.
(2)Louis-Charles C.
This was the 5/6 time eating here and each time has been an absolute pleasure. Started the meal off with two appetizers.. The caprese salad and the Caribbean chicken tenders. Both were amazing. The salad was fresh and the chicken perfectly cooked and not overly breaded. I ordered the Tuscan grilled chicken with hand cut fries. Mmmmmm mmmmm good!! It was my mother's first time and she loved her seafood jambalaya. Prices are very reasonable too!
(4)Douglas W.
I've eaten at a couple locations and have always had a good meal. The staff are always well trained and friendly. I love the menu, it's diverse and there's always something I want to try. I had the special tonight. Pecan chicken with slaw and sweet potato wedges. It was really good. I loved the slaw and the wedges were perfectly baked. The pecan coating became a little too much so I scraped some off, no big deal. It actually tasted really good with bites of the potato anyway. My date had the vegetable spring rolls. They were packed with vegetables and basil. The dipping sauce was excellent. I highly recommend you give these a try. I had one of the salad entrees last time I visited and remember really liking it a lot. I also like the bread they send out. The olive oil and cheese dipping is pretty weird though. I would prefer just olive oil with some herbs to start please.
(4)Collin W.
The food is stale and mediocre wouldn't recommend this restaurant to anyone not even someone I hate I would seriously give this place no stars if i could
(1)Stephanie S.
Always a good experience. The service is great, food comes promptly and is always delicious and the way you ordered it. The atmosphere is pleasant as well, it is always crowded but it creates a lively fun vibe, you don't feel crowded. If you are looking for a solid place to eat with regular comforting foods that could please any diverse group (there is seriously something for every kind of taste on the menu), this is the place. And the prices are very reasonable as well.
(5)J T.
Good food, good staff, you know the commercially standard family friendly restaurant. They have good bread which is always a plus in my book! Nothing spectacular to say about the food but it was pretty average. I'd give it 3.5 stars if I could!
(3)Elizabeth S.
Just enjoyed a relaxing post-work Winesday at NYAJ. Great deal, decent food. This restaurant is always pretty busy. The bread appetizer is so-so, entrees are good to very good, great selection of beer and drinks. Dessert is forgettable. We went for the apple cranberry cobbler with ice cream and biscuit - the biscuit was dry and stale, and the rest of the cobbler was cold.
(4)Sharon G.
My friend and I had a great experience here last night - it's the perfect low-key spot to catch up over reasonably priced comfort food. Our waitress was super nice and attentive (Cheryl) and the food was so good. We got the cheesesteak egg rolls (so delish), and then got salads (Waldorf and the goat cheese one). Both salads were great! The free bread was really good too, and the parmesan-garlic-crushed red pepper-olive oil dipping sauce was awesome. We didn't get dessert, but the menu sure looked tempting. Since it was our first time at a NYAJ the manager came out and brought us $5 off coupons for our next visit. I would definitely go back.
(5)Ethan F.
My girlfriend and I went here when she discovered she had to go on a glutton free diet because of orders from he doctor. The staff here was very helpful with helping her figure out what she can or can not have and gave her a lot of good advice. They have a VERY BIG glutton free menu too. The service was very good and got the dishes out very fast. I was really impressed.
(5)H L.
Definitely a good name for this "not even average" eatery. Food is clearly frozen and reheated and is vey dry and tasteless. Waitstaff is attentive and courteous but this is not enough for a return visit
(2)Larry R.
Outstanding experience and food. First time visit. Our waiter Mark introduced himself and saw my wife's allergy card. He took it and returned with Chef G who spent time with my wife discussing how he could prepare her choice. Justin the manager also checked in with us several times to make certain everything was fine. The food was excellent and the service outstanding. I hope they continue their march south and arrive in the Carolinas soon. Would recommend it to anyone.
(5)Jane E.
We will never eat here again. Our family went for lunch on a weekday. We waited 1 hour and 50 minutes for our meals. They kitchen lost our orders -- that's what our waitress told us when she FINALLY noticed that - hey! a group of people has been sitting at one of my tables for an hour and they don't have food. Even after she remembered we were there (again - it had been an hour!), we waited almost another whole hour for our food to arrive. She did not apologize for the remarkably poor service. We spoke with the hostess and manager, neither of whom apologized or offered any recompense. Food was mediocre. Never, never again.
(1)Michael P.
We have been here multiple times and each time we leave happy. I am gluten feee and the menu is good. Much better than most with a good variety. Great place for kids. The wait can be atrocious if you don't call ahead or make reservations on weekends. Even with our reservation we waited 35 minutes to be seated. Not acceptable with 2 hungry kids in tow. Overall a very good experience though.
(4)Courtenay P.
The food was wonderful. Had crab cakes and they were delicious with a great spicy sauce. The service was less than great - minimal attention and did not get refills. Manager never asked how food was but asked all tables around me. I've eaten at multiple locations and the food is consistent and tasty. Disappointed in the service but food was good!
(4)Roger A.
I'm new to this. My main motivation was the abysmal experience me and my family had at this restaurant a last Friday. We were coming back from my mom's house that lives in western MA and decided to find something to eat around Acton, we've heard good things about Not Your Average Joe's from our sister that went there a couple years ago and since it popped on our gps we decided to give it a try. Bad mistake !!! We got there at 7:15 and didn't sit down at our table until 8:10 !!! We were starving ! The hostess with glasses put up a big fake smile as we walked in and we were promised a table within the next 20mins, we were like the place is packed so it must be good . She disappeared for a while and when the 20mins were up I went back in and another hostess was there and didn't even had our name down , they've scrambled to find us a table but by then 30mins had passed and we were furious amd were offered a few cocktails at the bar, we looked at her and told we don't drink and are you kidding me? The bar had a 3rd row of standing loud obnoxious people swearing and drunk. Our kids started to get upset so I sent them to next door at Dunking Donuts to grab a bagel so they could last the wait. As soon as that happened the hostess that later identified herself as the GM brought us a lil plate with some stale pizza points . We laughed and finally got our table. The menu is very complicated and there was nothing that our kids wanted at this point so I just ordered them a small cheese pizza , if they didn't eat there they were eventually gonna have it on the way back to Boston. My wife ordered the Mustard Chicken which she barely ate because it was cold and the mashed potatoes had entire garlic gloves in it. It was disgusting . I had the Jambalaya and the mussels were not fresh , they smelled like spoiled fish , the rest was okay and uninteresting . We were charged $2.99 for each of the sodas we had and barely saw our waitress for a refill , we kept having to flag her down. We've ended up filling ourselves on bread towards the end of the meal because we wanted out of there , and the bread ... Haha it was advertised as being baked fresh every hour by our server but it was cold and as stale as a couple days old bread I had in my house . The dip is just canola oil and not extra virgin olive oil as we were told by our server . My kids didn't even wanted the complimentary hoodie cup since we were ticked off. The said GM never visited our table after we complained about the food to our waitress . We had to flag her down to get our check and leave that place forever . On top of it all the open kitchen is very loud and we heard the F... Word a few times , they looked very stressed back there and we also saw a lot of employees just standing around towards the back and kitchen , they seem overstaffed on the dining room and lacking cooks behind the line. Do yourself a favor and don't go to that place or any other in the chain, reading the reviews at other locations it doesn't seem any different ! The name can trick you in but the reality is this place is way below average !! Save your time and money.
(1)Meredith D.
The bread and dipping sauce is awesome! Food is very fresh. I have gotten the chicken enchiladas, meat loaf, bacon blue-cheese pizza, chicken parmigiana and have never been disappointed. I have always gotten lucky with the wait time and got a table right away. Only downside is some of the tables which are very small... Way too small actually. If you sign up for e mails you will get a free entree and dessert on your birthday! The amount I have spent there I deserve it and appreciate a free meal once a year. Keep up the good work and keeping the farm fresh food thing going!
(4)Andrea F.
Good is good if you can get it prepared correctly. I personally love the Tomato soup with their bread and dipping oil. The meatloaf is beautiful to look at and even better to eat. The chicken carbonara was good after I had them refire it for undercook chicken. Beware and check your food they really do have problems in the cooking department. But when you do get you meal prepared correctly it is really good. This review reflex only the Acton MA location only. I have had no problem at other locations.
(3)Jeff M.
Very friendly staff, no wait for a weekend evening, which was very pleasant. The food was good and timely. I would only ask them to increase their vodka selection, I'm a snob. ; )
(4)Mark H.
Sat at the bar and had the scollops they were great. It was busy but I got my food really fast.
(4)Fan L.
the free bread before meal served is really delicious! the staff are friendly. the clam chowder is also fantastic!
(5)Catherine W.
Good family restaurant. 3 stars for the ease of bringing children, but 2 stars for food. Very crowded on a Friday night, hard to find a parking spot. Had the Vietnamese flounder as an entree; shared a calamari appetizer. Food was served quickly, but was otherwise underwhelming.
(3)John L.
Kid's meals (Mac n Cheese and Steak Tips) portion and quality were good. Avoid the calamari. For $11, get an entree instead. The portion was terribly tiny and the calamari was little also. Vietnamese Flounder: the taste was special and good, but it was overwhelming after a few bites. They perhaps put too much Vietnamese fish sauce in it - I felt like drinking MSG as I got very thirsty soon after. Glazed Salmon and the mango salsa was good. I'd try this dish again. Clam chowder: average. Bread was good.
(3)Mike D.
After my first experience at this location the manager reached out to me and said she would pay for my meal to give them another chance. I took her up on it and I was very pleased. The service and food was excellent and the atmosphere was very nice. There is really something to say for businesses who will reach out to their clientele to make the experience better!! Thank you!! I will be back!! Definitely come try this restaurant out and have a pleasant experience!!
(4)R S.
Do take out here occasionally - never sit down because of the long wait times. Recently they have been extremely inconsistent in our take out. I make a point to go through the bag thoroughly to make sure that I have everything - but some things I have found have been: missing protein on salad (2xs), missing veggie with salmon, completely leaving off ingredients from salads, inconsistent portion sizes. It's exhausting to never know what to expect!
(2)D D.
NYAJ is like the 99 with better decor and bread. Ive been at least a half dozen times -with kids, GNO, with my parents...it's OK...it's average. Bread with the dipping oil is by far the best thing I've had.
(2)Brian L.
Cracker Barrel, but less food! I used to enjoy NYAJ's for an occasional meal, but not anymore, it's disgusting. They can't manage to put together a single meal without garlic. What's with ONLY "garlic mashed potatoes"? How complicated is it, to serve potatoes without garlic? Had Scrod tonight, it was swimming in grease. The so-called "crispy fingerling potatoes", weren't crispy, they were horribly greasy and probably deep friend. My daughter had steak tips ... yuk ! NYAJ's used to serve great Buffalo Tenders, not any more. Burned, tasteless and not even the nice presentation they used to use. The 99 Restaurant is the Capitol Grill in comparison to NYAJ's and that's scary!
(1)Lauren P.
I would highly recommend this place. I love their food and their service is very good, but a little slow (This would be due to its popularity though). The servers all always so nice an they always make sure everything is perfect for you. Once I drink all of my smoothie and as I joke my mom told the server tag tI didn't like it and that we wanted a new one. Even though he could see that it was all gone, he said that he would have another one made and would take the charge off. We told him we were kidding of course because it was so fabulous, but he was so nice and he truly believed that "the customer is always right;" I never tried that joke again! I would only give them 4 stars because I have only tried 2 dishes there and I cannot make an accurate judgement on they rood, but my mother has tried something new every time we've gone (and we go a lot!), and she says it is always great! There is an upbeat, cool vibe that can work for almost any occasion, parries, date night, or just an ordinary meal, and you can wear what ever you are in; I have gone in dance attire sometimes! I think that everyone should have the chance to enjoy this restaurant, so I say that you should come out and try it!
(4)Steve D.
They do call ahead seating but don't bother! They'll tell you it's a half hour wait but it ends up being over an hour! Won't return. Take out isn't anything special either.
(2)Matt P.
This restaurant is my wife and I's favorite place to go, and not just because of the food. First of all, the food is fantastic. They don't have the biggest menu in the world, but to me, that's perfect because if I have too much to choose from, I can never decide. They also have an entire separate gluten free menu which is perfect for my wife; the fact that there is a separate menu makes it so much easier to read and decide between what she can and cannot have. Now usually, we go to NYAJ's on Thursday nights and we like to sit in the bar area. The two girls who work the bar on Thursday nights, Tracey and Kim, are always moving very fast-paced, always staying busy, but always with smiles on their faces and a warm welcome to everyone they come across. We come almost every Thursday just to see them. As they like to say, we get "dinner and a show!" Thanks NYAJ for a great bar tending staff and amazing food.
(5)Marcy K.
Ah! Another amazing birthday deal tonight: A bowl of clam chowder, rosemary skewered scallops (fresh scallops threaded on a rosemary skewer, pan-seared and drizzled with an orange-chipotle chili glaze, served over a succotash of Israeli cous cous, snap peas, campari tomatoes, fresh corn and bacon), grilled sirloin tips served with sautéed green beans and garlic mashed potatoes, and strawberry shortcake (house-made biscuit filled with fresh strawberries and vanilla ice cream, topped with fresh whipped cream). Also included is their good bread and pepper/parmesan/olive oil mixture. All this for $24, but we left a tip on what would have been the full price. Very enjoyable meal. And plenty of leftovers. Come on down for your BD; the price is right.
(4)Thomas B.
I like the menu here and it is a fine place to eat at live. BUT, the part of their business that is really atrocious is their take out. TERRIBLE take out service. I've ordered at least a half a dozen times and they are always late, dis-organized and apologetic about getting the orders out. They really need to fix this part of the system.
(2)Kavita B.
Ugh! We keep going back because for some asinine reason Acton does not have any other restaurants that are open as late, with a liquor license. Their mixed drinks are usually watered down. Wine is never properly stored/chilled. There is nothing redeeming here, it gets worse every time. The only good dishes left are their bread and olive oil dip, and crab cakes. They've even ruined the bread, stingy on the oil, heavy on the red peper flakes, burnt bread, or dried out, day old, cold bread. Wait staff always absent minded and slow, not trained enough to garner even a 15% tip. We're 25% tippers for good service, 30% for excellent (as in Bamboo of Westford). It makes me choke to give NYAJ the traditional 18%. Again, no other place to go in Acton if you want to eat past 9 pm on a weekend, or 7 pm on a weekday. PRO- Hours of operation are the best in Acton. You know what you're getting, so you can prepare yourself to experience impolite, unprofessional service at ridiculous prices for less than mediocre food. It's about the same as 99 in Concord, but pricier-(Acton rents I guess) Good crab cake appetizer. Convenient for a desperate (local) night out if you can keep from letting it frustrate you. (Some of us can't) CON- Definitely not worth your time or money. They will treat you like the last rat on a sinking ship if you come 45 or less minutes before closing time, so good luck. You'll either be completely ignored until you walk into the food prep area or grab the attention of a bar tender. Tables always unclean, chairs and floor too.
(1)Lee D.
Been going here more recently again because they do have a decent gluten free menu with a nice variety of options and seem pretty educated on gluten free. So far I have had the cobb salad (a few times) and the salmon dish. Both were very good. They offer gluten free rolls with dinner as well. They definitely taste gluten free, BUT, they are so worth getting, as then I can still sinfully indulge dipping into my own personal serving (or two) of their amazing olive oil/parmesan/pepper flake mixture!! Sooo good!
(3)Lisa F.
As a newish Yelp member, I'm trying to get caught up on my reviews. This restaurant is one of my favorite "chain" restaurants of all time. The bread and oil they serve is delicious (and much too addictive) and my favorite dish is the Rosemary Skewered Scallops which are served over a bed of Israeli couscous with bacon and spinach (at some times of the year, there are also small cubes of butternut squash, too). The most recent dessert I've had was the strawberry shortcake: yum! If you're a part of their email/birthday club, you'll get a coupon for a free entree and dessert annually in your birthday month. That's a fabulous deal! We love taking our children when we want a decent meal out and all they want is pizza or mac-n-cheese. Here at NYAJ's, the pizza is wood-fired and pretty darn good and is the kids' choice of dinner. (They've tried the mac-n-cheese, but it's too "grown up" for their taste buds.) Both of them love the bread as well.
(4)pete k.
NYAJ in Acton has a LOT going for it. For instance - there are only a handful of sit-down restaurants that you'd actually want to eat in here - and even fewer with good food, good bar, and good service. To take things further, NYAJ has better pizza than (so far, all that I have tried) anyone in town. I hate that fact - but fortunately I very much like NYAJ's pies, when cooked properly (MUST order them 'well done'). Their monthly specials always bring something new for food and beverage - they feature some great local beers, which always makes me happy. March had Cottrell Old Yankee Ale, which was on the beer menu at my wedding. They always have other winners like Dogfish Head on tap, as well. Then there's that bread and oil. That luscious, onion-y foccacia that *always* ruins their chances of selling me an appetizer - though the app's menu always has mouth-watering options. While the Acton location has somewhat unpleasant decor, and a pretty awful parking situation, they make up for it with an almost guaranteed good meal that is tasty and affordable. And if you want dessert.. Peanut. Butter. Thing. Mmmm.
(4)Christopher B.
I met up with an old friend who lives around the corner. We had much to catch up on, so the food was incidental. I had a nice quahog appetizer - maybe a bit too breadcrumby. Flounder for a main course - interesting with some orange segments. The balance was a bit off though. Too acid/bitter for the delicate fish. The star was the beverage - a raspberry/lime rickey - non-alcoholic. Raspberry puree, lime juice and soda water. Very refreshing. Service was good - open and friendly. The place didn't blow me away, but it was certainly competent.
(3)Dani C.
Dinner tonight. Great mix of entrees that cover just about any taste, and a Gluten free menu. They offered gluten free rolls along with their regular bread, which was served with an olive oil/Parmesan cheese/chili flake mixture (really yummy!). Spring rolls for an appetizer, and though I expected them to be warm or even deep fried they were served chilled. Very yummy with fresh vegetables. I had the cobb salad, nothing outstanding but very good. Others said their fish dishes and salad were very tasty. I would definitely come back and try other things. It 's also a bit on the noisy side, so if you're planning any deep conversations over a meal I'd probably wait and do it before or after. It was very difficult to hear. Good atmosphere though- go and check it out!
(4)Miriam W.
I've been to this location and the one in Lexington, and have always had good food. It's a great place to bring big groups, as the menu is large and diverse. Last night I kept it simple with the fresh veggie spring rolls and a side house salad. I really liked these spring rolls, which featured asparagus, shredded carrot, cucumber and rice noodles with basil and a cilantro pesto. These babies were packed with great quality fresh veggies and flavor, and I loved the spicy peanut dipping sauce that accompanied them. The house salad is simple but delicious, with truly fresh ingredients and a really good lemon-herb vinaigrette. It seems like the kitchen is really thinking about what flavors marry well here, and executing things with care. Service is very good. I would prefer it if they asked first whether you want the cheese that comes with the olive oil dipping sauce, but that's a small issue for me. Overall, very good, fresh food.
(4)S G.
First of all, I want to say that I went into this place with high hopes because some friends have been to this restaurant at other locations all with great things to say. On that note - - - this restaurant is located in a strip mall and really feels like a restaurant that was wedged in between two stores. With all the large decorations and bold colors stuffed into a rather small space - - -it's kind of claustrophobic once you get in there. The hostess took us to a small booth and when we arrived there was a huge plastic bucket of dishes (clean? dirty?) on the seat - the hostess moved them to another booth and motioned for me to sit. The seat was DIRTY. I had to ask her to wipe it off, which she did with a wet cloth then motioned, again, for me to sit. The seat was obviously wet - I had to ask her to dry it (Why at this point I didin't just ask if we could sit at one of the other available booths is a mystery to me) Our server was great ( I was I'd have gotten his name - cause he is doing himself a disservice by continuing to work at this restaurant where his talents -great personality, ease with conversation - are wasted) We ordered a pizza - The Santa Fe Chicken pizza. The pizza was just OK - very, very bland - - the chipotle sauce barely gave it a kick. Very much a let down. It's only consolation is that it was perfectly cooked. I had to use the facilities located at the back of the restaurant. The door leading into the annex where the mens/ladies rooms are was SO dirty that I actually took a step back to navigate where I could touch it to push it open. I finally decided that the safest thing would be to push it with my foot. YUKThe bathroom had a stall with a toilet full of gross crap, almost overflowing and of course it stunk. I was smart enough to grab an extra papertowel on the way out so I could open the door (pull handle) to get back into the restaurant. We had dessert, Marshmallow Creme Brulee - - -it was great - seriously good, decadent, light and perfect with black coffee. Then came the boom . . . . just before we left two girls were putting together napkins with utensils in them and setting tables. One of the girls dropped the utensils on the floor, picked them up, wrapped them back in the cloth napkin and put them on a table without missing a beat. Enough said.
(1)David D.
All Joe's are basically the same. Pretty good food, the olive oil/parmesan cheese dip is awesome, good cocktail list. Pizza wasn't that great. Ultimately pretty average.
(3)N J.
One of the best chain restaurants around. When it came to Acton, you would have thought that Times Square had been relocated to Rt-27. Fortunately, the food and service here is good. Specials are flavorful, and they should be awarded 'best burger in town'. I'd like to see the beer/wine/cocktail prices come down a notch.
(4)Jessica M.
I'm so glad I gave this place a chance, I was really pleasantly surprised. The quality of the food was wonderful and our waiter was so accommodating and and helpful with everything. I will definitely make it a point to go back the next time I'm in the area!
(5)Al R.
Everyone who works here is great. The food and pricing is great too. We go here a couple times a month. It is the best restaurant in the Acton area. Ask if you have a special request. They make everything freesh and usually can make what you desire. It can get busy so call ahead and reduce your wait time.
(5)Justin M.
Not Your Average Joe....I hate to disappoint, but you were "Just Your Average Joe's." What was nice was the fact that you were able to accommodate our large group. A great selection and varierty of food. Food portions are proportionate to the price. The food was just average. Nothing spectacular and nothing on the menu that you can screw up. The interior is very colorful. In fact, to best describe the color, imagine artists Picasso and Miro getting wasted and deciding to paint the walls. An orginal touch, but a bit too contemporary/hip for this establishment. I would give your restaurant only three stars, but since your bread is "kick ass good!"; I'll give you an extra star! The bread dip of garlic and olive oil is damn good! If I could, I would just sit down, order a drink, and eat your bread all day. Everyone, you won't be disappointed with their bread!
(4)Jim H.
Consistently good food at reasonable prices. Service is excellent.
(4)Rafaela S.
Came here to meet a friend for lunch on a Sunday. The place was busy but we were able to get a booth quickly, serive was friendly and quickly as well. They asked to fill out a survey at the end of our meal and in return I got a 15% off deal next time I'm there. Will deffinitely go again!
(4)Susan P.
Boring menu. Very slow kitchen. I had to keep ducking as the servers carried other people's food over my head, which made me really uncomfortable. The decor is loud and obnoxious. The level of restaurant noise was so loud I couldn't hear my daughter talking from across our (small) table. The food was just mediocre. No reason to go back.
(2)Sis Y.
My excuse for not writing about this visit on September 18th is that I left for Philly the next day and totally forgot I came here with my Brother and my nieces. The trip was a last minute kind of arrangement so I didn't expect much and forgot about the visit until my SIL and nieces returned today to find this place closed until noon. We were pressed for time and stopped by the Finagle A Bagel in Needham instead (if you are so inspired you can read that review but it was neither awesome or horrid so that's your choice.) That Sunday we stopped in and had some lunch. I was expecting not this place. I was expecting a diner or maybe a local knockoff of Ruby Tuesday's. This place was a surprise. It wasn't a place I would have taken my kids back when they were wee. Nice food, nice atmosphere, there's a bar in here? Whatever, I don't really drink I'm too cheap to pay outrageous sums to get inebriated with friends and strangers unless it's at a show. And I will get trashed before a show and feed the intoxication with cheap beer because I can't taste anything anyway. Okay, sorry for the tangent. We had kids with us, I don't like drinking around kids, especially when I am going to know them for the rest of my life. Who needs drunken relative memories? So: 1 order of the kids hand-breaded chicken tenders with fresh fruit 6.99. (I ordered wrong, so sue me. How was I to know that my SIL and Brother let their kids eat french fries! It wasn't a criticism on their parenting abilities, I just thought they hadn't relaxed yet. I guess they did. Sooner than I expected. My punishment was my niece picking my fries off my plate. No biggie.) 1 order turkey burger house-made, blended with feta and spinach, served with a mediterranean salad and a side of ziziki sauce 9.99 (hey see what I mean? My Brother is now eating turkey burgers for God's sake with a salad no less. Alright he's been eating them ever since he and his now wife moved in together, bully for him I hate ground turkey. Anything that flies should never be made to imitate red meat or animals that are earth bound.) I ordered the pork cubano - spice-crusted pork tenderloin with pickle relish, yellow mustard and melted swiss, on ciabatta 10.99 and it was alright. I was treated to lunch, I'm not going to complain. I have no shame but I am not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. I had fries with it. And the midget ate some of my fries. That was okay though she's too small for it to be a big dent anyway. The interior decor is funky and the lighting is dim. It was nice but not upscale. I wish I had gotten pictures. It looked like OOP decorated it with it's trendy lamp shades and embellishments. I really wish I had come without the kids and with some friends. The menu looks like a mix of modern meals with regular pub fare. I wish I lived closer, I'd like it if a place like this was around my town. It's a local chain but it had some flyers on the tables declaring that they try to use local produce and products as much as possible. I know that is in vogue lately but I can agree with the local consumerism. It attracts my business. We didn't get to eat here to day (what a shame, too.) I hope that I am able to come here again at some time in the near future. Or maybe (yeah, right,) they'll establish a place in my state. I'm not holding my breath though...
(3)Linda T.
Went twice and didn't enjoy the commotion to get in. Very busy, good for them, but customers not really moving smoothly. Disorganized was my first impression. Good, not great food, but clearly a chain. I will continue to seek out locally owned and managed restaurants- often superior to the cookie cutter corporate recipes.
(3)Michael T.
I will say I went here for lunch and was extremely impressed. (I am a West-Coaster and have never been to a NYAJ before.) We got there for lunch and while around 1:00, the parking situation stunk, once we were able to get into the restaurant we were seated immediately. The bread that they give you with olive oil/Parmesan cheese is really good... frankly I could have eaten that for lunch and been quite happy! I ordered the Mustard Crusted Chicken dish which was also very good and came quickly. And overall the meal was pretty affordable. All that would typically make for a 4 star review but what put it over the top was the service. Our server, Halley, was nicer and more attentive than what I would get in a finer restaurant. And in a chain restaurant?!? Her level of service put this place over the top in my book! Next time I'm in town, I will be checking NYAJ out again!
(5)Mark G.
I can't say enough about this place. The food is excellent, as usual, but the service is what separates them from the other sports bars I've been to. My servers name was Mark (easy to remember as its my name as well). He is excellent at what he does. Friendly, but not over the top. Attentive to my needs, but not hovering over me. Ad knowledgable. He just did everything right. Ask for him! I know I will the next time I go there, and that will be soon and often.
(5)Nan A.
A nice alternative to the Concord Papa Razzi in a similar vein, NYAJ has friendly service, decent food and surprisingly sophisticated low-lit interior. This restaurant definitely fills an important niche in an area where three folding tables and a sub sandwich are too often the norm. This is a place where a large group could comfortably gather. Highlights include the onion focasia with olive oil Parmesan dipping sauce and the variable sized booths with most comfortable seating. Would be proud to bring guests from out of town here.
(4)Jim M.
Having a great Sunday lunch at Joe's. The bartender Ashley is so nice. Amazing service, very friendly and so accommodating. Oh, the food is good too!
(5)Katie B.
Good as always. Bread with olive oil dipping sauce is always a highlight. Spring rolls made with crisp, cool fresh veggies were excellent. Chipotle chicken salad was good, if not really special. Service was great. The table in the middle was a bit noisy - should have asked for a booth on the side.
(4)Laurie P.
Nice late lunch on a rainy Saturday. Quick service; good food, nice atmosphere.
(4)W G.
Have gone a number of times for lunch, usually seated and served very quickly. Food is consistently good, good noise level, friendly wait staff, and the menu changes fairly frequently so it does not get boring. Would definitely recommend.
(3)Kat R.
3 stars... i've been to a few NYAJ's and I think it's slipping a little. No wait... 4 stars. The bread is awesome! Nah... 3 stars... bad mustard crusted chicken last time I went. OK, so I'm confused. It's usually pretty good. Mustard crusted chicken and the steak tips are my favorites. The green beans rock, mashed potatoes are hit or miss. I like the set-up/ feel of the place (they all look the same), except it seems like the Acton one always has screaming children in it. Final opinion, go if your in the mood. If you're looking for something SUPER yummy, you might need to look further.
(3)Will P.
I like this place, it is noisy and fun. It has an open kitchen, high ceilings, loads of tables. Kinda contemporary. The food is ok, service is ok, room is ok. Would I go out of my way to get in?...nah. But we go from time to time anyway, since it is right off Rt 2.
(3)Jeff F.
I love NYAJ. I go here all the time with friends and family. We all love it. The food is amazing. Service is amazing. Atmosphere is awesome. They have a full bar.
(5)Josh K.
good food, great bread and dip
(4)Tom C.
The wait staff is always attentive. The kitchen can be a bit slow, but not so much as to ruin your plans for the evening. it's a chain, and you get what you expect from that chain as a whole.
(3)Rick K.
Love the bread! Menu is varied. But one word sums this place up: inconsistent....the food, the service, the wait. Just can't get a consistent feel for this place. he
(3)Ashley B.
This place is always busy on the weekend! One would think it's the only place in Acton! The great news is that you can make a reservation on Open Table (and yelp?) so you can aviod some of the long wait times. They have a nice bar area where you can order the full menu. The food is great and the specials change up enough that there is always something new on the menu. Great go to place if you are stumped on where to go to dinner!
(4)Tim W.
My wife and I really like this place. We typically do just appetizers but we've had a few meals as well. A bit crowded at times but very good.
(4)Dee H.
This is one of the family favorites. They've got a good menu selection, something for everyone. It's bright and colorful and the service is always good. We always feel well taken care of, and are nice and full by the time we're done.
(3)David L.
Went to the bar on a Tuesday night. Quick prompt service. Too bad they shut everything down at 10pm on the dot but that's because of the town. The beer selection is small but better than most chains and the food was pretty good. I'd been here several times before to the dining room section and enjoyed those visits. I wish they stayed open later.
(4)Ted L.
My first visit as I'm in the area for business and I love this place! I had the goat cheese salad (added chicken) and the raspberry dressing... DELICIOUS!! The place was very busy for lunch which is always a good sign. It had a really cool, funky interior and great looking bar as well! I'll be back for sure!
(4)Tessa L.
If I could give zero stars I would after the experience I just had. My family called in a takeout order and when I arrived to pick it up, one of the pizzas was not what we had ordered. The employees could not have been nicer about it, they apologized, offered to redo the pizza, gave me a full refund, and called in the manager. The manager, on the other hand, was rude, sarcastic, and downright insulting. As I was leaving he openly mocked me and told me not to come back as though the whole thing were somehow my fault. I feel so sorry for the employees because as I said, they were perfectly nice and if that's how the manager treats a customer, I hate to think how he behaves towards them.
(1)Jennifer P.
Food is great - love going there. The manager always comes around to make sure everything is okay. Service is usually outstanding, but this last time, we had a waitress that was a bit overkill. She kept clearing the table. As soon as it was time for our main meal to come out, she took the bread and all of our extra plates without really asking us if we were done. She wasn't pleasant - she seemed too stressed. She kept questioning my dad on the way he wanted his steak in a condescending tone "you know what medium well is right?" and when he replied he did she said "okay - if you want it that bloody". So we weren't pleased with the service.
(4)Michael C.
Good service and nice clean place to eat but is very average to say the least. Hit up a Cheesecake Factory instead!
(2)Sarah M.
This NYAJ doesn't seem to be any better or worse than the few others in Mass that I've been in. I usually sit at the bar so service is quick and accurate. The food is always what I expect and they are quick to fix any mistakes. The pizza is good, when they get it right. It usually comes out a bit on the raw side and when you ask for a bit crispy, it is chared. So that can be a bit of a hit or miss. All the waistaff is polite and tries hard and I've noticed that they'v had the same servers for the past few years (a good sign) The place is clean, and quite busy on the weekends. And yes, there are lots of screaming kids, what can you do, it is a family place ...
(3)Peter G.
A surprizingly nice place with an unusually broad menu. Service fine. Relaxed and casual.
(4)april l.
I end up here a lot. Mostly because there aren't a ton of other options. It's very hit or miss. The food, for the most part, is decent. The service is OK. SItting at the bar is probably the best bet but once again hit or miss. I think there is one excellent bartender and the rest...not so much. This place is also regularly packed with kids. Families with many many kids (I know, it's alarming but this is also suburbia, I suppose we should know better to expect anything different). So, just keep that in mind when you decide what time to go (i.e. avoid early evenings at ALL costs). And on days when school is out (school vacation, Columbus Day) do NOT go for lunch unless you really like a restaurant full of overstuffed tables of children making loud noises and throwing straws. If you like that, by all means, treat yourself to a day of that at Joe's!
(2)Caroline D.
This restaurant is spotty at best. Sometimes you go and your food is fine, and other times it is horrible! Parking is a mess because they share a small lot with a bunch of other retailers. Sometimes they give us free bread, and sometimes they don't. One time, we ordered a pepperoni pizza to go, and when we picked it up at the appropriate time it was stone cold. They host said that a different customer had also ordered a pepperoni pizza an hour before and never showed up, so they gave his to us. Ridiculous!
(2)Kiki K.
Would never go to this branch of NYAJs again. Go to the Burlington or Lexington branches instead. Service was rude (uppity at best), stood at the bar for 10 mins waiting to be asked for my drink order - never was asked even though 2 bartenders were busying themselves the entire time. Manager had really bad breath which caused me to lose my appetite after waiting 50 minutes for a table. Food wasn't noteworthy anyway. My experience at the other NYAJs branches are clean, fun, staff is friendly.
(1)kraig h.
what a great chain. great food at a great value. clean, always busy.........i love the steak tips...........a bargain!
(4)