Joe’s Italian Restaurant, Conroe

By Jacalyn May

Delicious Italian food might not be the first thing you think of when you head north of H-Town to the city of Conroe; but after you visit Joe’s Italian Restaurant, it might be the only thing you think about when you crave all things Italian. 

 

Recently, on a visit to Conroe, my husband and I happened to notice the unassuming, brown square building that houses Joe’s. Located on highway 75, close to downtown Conroe, we decided to stop in for an early dinner. As we pulled into the small parking lot, we immediately noticed a beautiful mural of New York City on the side of the square building which welcomed us to Joe’s. The painted Statue of Liberty, Twin Towers (among the New York skyline) and the American flag attracted our eyes and we felt excited to check out the inside of Joe’s. 

 

Inside

Once we opened the door, we felt as though we had stepped into an old Italian restaurant. To the right of the front door, the cozy bar beckoned us to have a seat and talk with the local customers, but for this visit, we decided to make our way to the dining area to the left of the front door. We were greeted warmly by the friendly hostess and as we followed her to our table, we were pleasantly surprised to see more murals gracing the walls. Some of these beautiful hand painted murals depicted famous sites of Italy, such as The Leaning Tower of Pisa and others, setting the atmosphere of romance and old-world charm that is what makes for us a great Italian meal. The hostess led us through the front dining area, which was open and mid-sized and continued to the back dining area, where booths lined the wall. She sat us at one of these booths and the interior felt homey, welcoming and cozy. 

As we took our seats, the hostess asked for our drink order and immediately returned with our water and a basket of warm swirl rolls glazed with butter and seasoning. Surprised with the delightful smell wafting from the basket, we wanted to start eating immediately, but decided to take a look at the menus first.

The Menu

We looked at the list of a multitude of foods from which to choose while Frank Sinatra’s music serenaded us. The menu choices featured traditional Italian dishes like lasagna, spaghetti, fettucine, parmigiana, veal, seafood and pizza along with many varieties of wines, beers, subs, soups and salads. As we perused the menu, our waiter approached and politely asked if we were ready. We decided to order the olive oil and garlic to dip the rolls in and I ordered Joe’s Salad, while my husband ordered the Meat Lasagna which also included a garden salad. Our waiter was polite and helpful as he took our order. 

 

Within a few minutes, our dip arrived, and we were pleasantly surprised at the presentation. It was on a small plate with finely chopped pieces of garlic, seasoning and olive oil. After dipping the bread and tasting it, we felt the mixture needed a bit of salt, which thankfully our waiter had already placed on our table. After adding the salt, it became a delicious dip for the bread. My husband’s traditional, fresh side salad arrived during this time prior to his main entrée, which he enjoyed.

 

Dinner Arrives

About 15 minutes after ordering, our dinner was delivered to our table. Joe’s Salad was larger than I had expected and had ham, salami, and cheese pieces along with sliced black olives and onions. After I added a bit of dressing and tasted its combined flavors worked well together and quickly filled me as the meats and cheese added a heartiness to the salad. The Meat Lasagna was presented in an oval dish and the melted cheese on top was still steaming as the waiter placed it on the table. The portion was quite generous, and my husband described it as hot, cheesy, saucy, meaty and very pleasing all the way to the last bite. 

 

After finishing the delicious meal, we were unfortunately too full for any of the desserts offered including Tiramisu, Italian Cream Cake and Lemoncello Mascarpone Mousse Cake. 

 

We experienced excellent service, the servers were extremely courteous and helpful, our drinks were frequently refreshed, and the restaurant was clean. We felt the prices were fair for the quality, value and atmosphere of the inviting and delicious Italian restaurant.

 

Later, while looking at their website, we discovered that Joe’s is “a family-owned and operated Italian restaurant located in Conroe, Texas. With a strong belief in the traditional Italian value of family, Joe's considers everyone in the community a part of the family.” 

 

As we continued to look through their site, we began to discover just how much the owner, Joe Haliti and his restaurant mean to the community. According to an article published on December 7, 2020, in The Woodlands Online, December 8, 2020, was named “Joe Haliti Day". This great honor was given to due to, “his unwavering service towards the community of Montgomery County by providing over 50,437 meals for teachers, front line workers and those in Onalaska who endured the EF-3 tornado that passed through that area this past year. Joe’s selfless response originated after witnessing what COVID-19 was doing to his family in Italy. He recognized that the virus was going to gain a grip on the world. He made the decision to put the needs of others first. Doing what he does best. Serving others with great food and great service.” 

 

In addition to the recognition for his tremendous service to the community, “Joe's Italian has also received many Certificates of Appreciation from groups such as the Conroe Police Officers, the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, the Houston CBP SRT team of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Sacred Heart Church, and the District Representative in the House of Representatives. Joe's Italian has even received a key to the city from the Mayor” according to the restaurant’s website.

 

And if that is not enough to entice one to visit this delightful and caring restaurant then maybe the fact that their website states, “Joe's Italian has won numerous awards, such as ‘Best Italian Food’ from the Courier, ‘Best Houston-area Italian Restaurant’ by KHOU, and ‘Certificate of Excellence’ from TripAdvisor” will be enough to tempt anyone to try them out.

 

 When we learned all that Joe’s does and continues to do for not only the Conroe community but for their neighbors, we realized that this is more than just a restaurant. Joe’s Italian Restaurant is a family who cares about providing great, quality food in service to others. The cozy, homey atmosphere that we felt when we visited and dined is something that they strive to achieve. We felt like family while we were there and understand now what Joe’s means when it says on their website that they consider “everyone in the community a part of the family”.

 

So, the next time you are in the Conroe area and crave delicious Italian food from a restaurant who cares about the community and their patrons, be sure to stop by Joe’s Italian Restaurant at 1604 N Frazier Street in Conroe. You will feel right at home.