Joey’s Place Serves Great Food In A Family Setting

You’ll be pleasantly surprised when you enter Joey’s Place, located on Astoria Boulevard and 84th Street in Jackson Heights. At a modest entryway, you’ll be met by the cordial wait staff and ushered into the spacious dining room that holds linen-covered tables flanked by upholstered wing chairs for diners’ comfort. A huge fireplace warms the room with a cozy blaze while the wait staff describes the day’s specials. Joey personally oversees every detail of the generous portions of Italian food, steaks and seafood, expertly prepared by their talented chef. It’s no wonder Joey’s Place has been a favorite local restaurant and bar for 17 years.

Joey’s wonderful cold and hot appetizers include tender shrimp cocktail and exceptionally good baked clams, left whole and topped with crisp seasoned breadcrumbs, drizzled with a buttery lemon sauce. The hot antipasto for two is a hearty sampling of crisp fried calamari, baked clams, stuffed shrimp, fried mozzarella sticks and a half-stuffed bell pepper. A zesty tomato sauce and a basket of warm, crusty bread add a nice touch. A bottle of Montepulciano wine is the perfect accompaniment. You can also warm up with a steaming bowl of tortellini in brodo sprinkled with Parmesan cheese or a crock of rich, French onion soup.

Over the years, Joey’s Place has developed a repertoire of specialties that bring people back again and again. One taste of some of these dishes will bring you back too. Joey’s stuffed pork chops filled with spinach or prosciutto and topped with a flavorful sauce laced with mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes are out of this world ($16.95). An unbeatable, two-pound T-bone steak keeps the faithful coming back for this tender, sizzling beauty, cooked to perfection for just $22.95. Joey’s serves tender prime rib of beef every night of the week. Take a crack at the king crab legs filled with sweet meat—10 legs to an order for just $21.95. Indulge in twin lobster tails for a fraction of what you’d pay elsewhere. Best of all, these and other meat or fish entrees come complete with choice of baked potato, homemade fries, rice or pasta and a freshly tossed salad, making Joey’s an economical choice for a meal.

Hearty pasta dishes are among my favorites at Joey’s Place. I dove into a bowl of rigatoni with shrimp, diced chicken breast, asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms with a light white wine and lemon sauce ($13.95). As delicious as it was, I still couldn’t finish this big bowl of pasta, so it made an excellent lunch the next day. Angel hair with shrimp is another popular dish, as is the Roman favorite, linguine carbonara, with a touch of smoked bacon.

The chef does an excellent job with sautéed dishes as well, with kudos to veal or chicken marsala, piccata or sorrentina style, with layers of prosciutto, eggplant and mozzarella. Ask for the fresh fish of the day, prepared to your liking, or go with their delicious shrimp scampi over rice.

Sated and warmed by the fire, we were barely able to share one of the decadent desserts. We chose six-layer chocolate mousse, but there’s also carrot cake, cherry cheesecake, ice cream cake and tartufo, plus coffee, espresso and after-dinner cordials.

Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, Joey’s Place offers an express lunch served in less than 30 minutes to meet your back to work schedule. Prices for veal or chicken marsala, linguine tossed with diced chicken and broccoli or a juicy burger range between $4.95 and $8.50. Lunch specials are served with salad and french fries or pasta. At these prices, it’s cheaper than fast food and a whole lot better, considering the friendly and efficient service you’ll receive. In addition, Joey’s Place does a brisk catering business, with private party facilities for up to 150 people. Prices start at just $21 per person and the menu can be customized to your desires. Call now for spring and summer parties.

Visit Joey’s Place soon for delicious pasta, steaks and stuffed pork chops at good prices, served in a friendly, family environment. Orders can be prepared for take out as well, so you can bring home these wonderful dishes for your family. See their ad for specials. At Joey’s Bar just next door, a convivial crowd gathers each night for cocktails and conversation well into the wee hours of the morning.