Incredible flavor with authentic French atmosphere.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Escargot, Wagyu Steak Tartare
Matt Sowards
I want to update my review of Josephine from New Year's Eve. I wish I could leave the other up to show how much better my second time was, but maybe that's for the best.Let me just say this: I have never been happier to be wrong about something. Truly, my most recent experience at Josephine was like night and day compared to the NYE episode.My wife and I met a friend of ours for dinner last Sunday. We were greeted immediately by the folks at the host station who showed us to our table upstairs. The aesthetic upstairs is really quite lovely. From there our wait staffer, Daisha, guided us through multiple courses of culinary delight.I started with their pea and mint soup, which was something I'd never had before. It was well balanced and didn't push too much in the direction of pea or mint. It's something I hope to try again. For my entree I had the boeuf bourguignon. The beef and carrot mixture was nestled into a mashed potato vessel that gave a charming elevation to French country fare. I was particularly impressed with the herb-y flavor of the mashed potatoes, it married well with the beef/carrots/sauce.My wife had the salmon, which came topped with a very generous portion of smokey roe. She loved the way the smokiness complimented the salmon. Our friend also went with seafood and had the shrimp and scallops. I was lucky enough to get a bite of the scallops which were well seasoned and almost buttery smooth in the center. Their sauce americaine was delightful.Finally, to make up for being out of desserts on NYE the staff sent us the creme brullee AND the opera cake, which we're both a delight.We also had a few martinis (the 50:50 was a stand out, especially if you're like me and like vermouth), a decaffeinated cappuccino, and more than enough Coke.A magnificent experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Isla Durham
Beautiful restaurant but that’s where it begins and ends. The food was not bad but could be better. However, the service was a bit of a disaster. Our waiter was dropping plates and utensils. Quite frankly he seemed intoxicated and unwell. We waited over 25 minutes just to place orders after our drinks were served. I would say that there are better French restaurants in the area that are perhaps not as ornate but offer a better dining experience.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 2
DaFran Ware
We missed brunch. So we settled for their mid-day menu which is extremely limited. There were maybe 4 or 5 items. We got 2. The burger and the salad. Both were delicious. The fries were fantastic. I left nothing on the plate. Will definitely go back on time for brunch. Mid day atmosphere is quiet. Its rather low lighting.Parking: Difficult parking since in old town.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Deb
Regrettably, my experience at Josphine was disappointing. The food presentation lacked attention to detail, and the latte art was sloppy.While indulging in the duck confit with poached eggs, I encountered an unexpected eggshell. They didn’t give Dessert menu. Even I finished the whole dishes, they didn’t ask for any dessert. For birthday celebration, we ask dessert menu. The crème brûlée was almost burnt. Moreover, the timing of the bill during dessert felt rushed, contrasting with the service received by other patrons. Notably, two American ladies were presented their bills only upon request. On a day meant for celebration, my birthday, this treatment left me feeling marginalized, possibly due to my Asian background.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 1
grover czech
Great waitress, very friendly and happy. However, the man in the gray jacket the black pants was kind of grumpy.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Andrea F
The food and service were exceedingly slow, even the length of time it took for our server to take our main and dessert orders. After waiting for a while with the dessert menus we had to flag him down to tell him we didn't want dessert and wanted the check. Still, all the slowness was blamed on the kitchen. We arrived at 6:15 and didn't get out until 9:20 -- we were a party of 2.I have to eat gluten free (Celiac) and tried Josephine because of the posted GF menu. I made the mistake of ordering something that came with GF bread which appeared to be Udi's white sandwich bread, barely toasted. The texture of the stuff is awful -- would you normally serve mushy white sandwich bread with a good French meal? I asked for it to be toasted some more and they kept bringing me piles of the same mushy bread with the exception of one batch that looked like someone hit it with a brulee torch for a quick minute. It was comedic but also was the opposite of attentive service. There's much better GF bread out there -- baguettes even! you keep them in the freezer! -- consider stepping up your game if you're going to prominently feature a GF menu.At one point someone came to the table and brusquely asked if it "met or exceeded our expectations". This person did not sound like they actually wanted feedback. I said, "um .. it's good... " referring to my entree, and he said "good" and whisked away. Generally the place seemed too busy to care.Dietary restrictions: Extensive GF menu but the GF bread they substitute in is awful.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 2
Tammy Gordon
The wine and cocktail program really stand out. My favorite bite was the escargot. ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Escargot, Wagyu Steak Tartare, French Onion Soup
Kelly Green
Saturday brunch or weekdays for lunch are nice and quiet! Excellent fluffy quiche, classic French 75s. Nice chat with the bartender Hayley.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Quiche
Vanessa Colina
I can’t stress enough how much of a good time we had at Josephine for brunch on a Sunday morning. We were seated in the patio. The food was excellent, I had the Josephine salad. The drinks were good, the staff were friendly and funny. This is my new favorite spot for brunch!
Super delicious food and wonderful service. What's not to like? Just know parking is not convenient, which is the standard for Old Towne.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
J S
Great food, love the martini flight!Service is okay wouldn’t say five stars. And at night the lights get quite dark
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
Audra White
Went to Josephine for the first time yesterday and sat at the bar for Happy Hour. Was fortunate enough to have Kel wait on us who made our experience so wonderful by being welcoming, funny and kind. The house Old Fashioneds are only $8 during Happy Hour which feels like a steal - they were absolutely delicious! We also ordered a cheese plate and all 3 we chose were excellent. We were sad to have to leave Josephine's, but have already made plans to return for a meal. Be sure to stop in!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Tim Heintz
This was my third or fourth visit. Each one has been special, making this place one of my favorites.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pate
DeidreF
I took my parents. They swear this was the best restaurant meal they've had in ages. The food was exceptional with amazing presentation and nice portions. I highly recommend the fois gras.
Incredible flavor with authentic French atmosphere.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Escargot, Wagyu Steak Tartare
I want to update my review of Josephine from New Year's Eve. I wish I could leave the other up to show how much better my second time was, but maybe that's for the best.Let me just say this: I have never been happier to be wrong about something. Truly, my most recent experience at Josephine was like night and day compared to the NYE episode.My wife and I met a friend of ours for dinner last Sunday. We were greeted immediately by the folks at the host station who showed us to our table upstairs. The aesthetic upstairs is really quite lovely. From there our wait staffer, Daisha, guided us through multiple courses of culinary delight.I started with their pea and mint soup, which was something I'd never had before. It was well balanced and didn't push too much in the direction of pea or mint. It's something I hope to try again. For my entree I had the boeuf bourguignon. The beef and carrot mixture was nestled into a mashed potato vessel that gave a charming elevation to French country fare. I was particularly impressed with the herb-y flavor of the mashed potatoes, it married well with the beef/carrots/sauce.My wife had the salmon, which came topped with a very generous portion of smokey roe. She loved the way the smokiness complimented the salmon. Our friend also went with seafood and had the shrimp and scallops. I was lucky enough to get a bite of the scallops which were well seasoned and almost buttery smooth in the center. Their sauce americaine was delightful.Finally, to make up for being out of desserts on NYE the staff sent us the creme brullee AND the opera cake, which we're both a delight.We also had a few martinis (the 50:50 was a stand out, especially if you're like me and like vermouth), a decaffeinated cappuccino, and more than enough Coke.A magnificent experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Beautiful restaurant but that’s where it begins and ends. The food was not bad but could be better. However, the service was a bit of a disaster. Our waiter was dropping plates and utensils. Quite frankly he seemed intoxicated and unwell. We waited over 25 minutes just to place orders after our drinks were served. I would say that there are better French restaurants in the area that are perhaps not as ornate but offer a better dining experience.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 2
We missed brunch. So we settled for their mid-day menu which is extremely limited. There were maybe 4 or 5 items. We got 2. The burger and the salad. Both were delicious. The fries were fantastic. I left nothing on the plate. Will definitely go back on time for brunch. Mid day atmosphere is quiet. Its rather low lighting.Parking: Difficult parking since in old town.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Regrettably, my experience at Josphine was disappointing. The food presentation lacked attention to detail, and the latte art was sloppy.While indulging in the duck confit with poached eggs, I encountered an unexpected eggshell. They didn’t give Dessert menu. Even I finished the whole dishes, they didn’t ask for any dessert. For birthday celebration, we ask dessert menu. The crème brûlée was almost burnt. Moreover, the timing of the bill during dessert felt rushed, contrasting with the service received by other patrons. Notably, two American ladies were presented their bills only upon request. On a day meant for celebration, my birthday, this treatment left me feeling marginalized, possibly due to my Asian background.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 1
Great waitress, very friendly and happy. However, the man in the gray jacket the black pants was kind of grumpy.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food and service were exceedingly slow, even the length of time it took for our server to take our main and dessert orders. After waiting for a while with the dessert menus we had to flag him down to tell him we didn't want dessert and wanted the check. Still, all the slowness was blamed on the kitchen. We arrived at 6:15 and didn't get out until 9:20 -- we were a party of 2.I have to eat gluten free (Celiac) and tried Josephine because of the posted GF menu. I made the mistake of ordering something that came with GF bread which appeared to be Udi's white sandwich bread, barely toasted. The texture of the stuff is awful -- would you normally serve mushy white sandwich bread with a good French meal? I asked for it to be toasted some more and they kept bringing me piles of the same mushy bread with the exception of one batch that looked like someone hit it with a brulee torch for a quick minute. It was comedic but also was the opposite of attentive service. There's much better GF bread out there -- baguettes even! you keep them in the freezer! -- consider stepping up your game if you're going to prominently feature a GF menu.At one point someone came to the table and brusquely asked if it "met or exceeded our expectations". This person did not sound like they actually wanted feedback. I said, "um .. it's good... " referring to my entree, and he said "good" and whisked away. Generally the place seemed too busy to care.Dietary restrictions: Extensive GF menu but the GF bread they substitute in is awful.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 2
The wine and cocktail program really stand out. My favorite bite was the escargot. ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Escargot, Wagyu Steak Tartare, French Onion Soup
Saturday brunch or weekdays for lunch are nice and quiet! Excellent fluffy quiche, classic French 75s. Nice chat with the bartender Hayley.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Quiche
I can’t stress enough how much of a good time we had at Josephine for brunch on a Sunday morning. We were seated in the patio. The food was excellent, I had the Josephine salad. The drinks were good, the staff were friendly and funny. This is my new favorite spot for brunch!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Super delicious food and wonderful service. What's not to like? Just know parking is not convenient, which is the standard for Old Towne.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great food, love the martini flight!Service is okay wouldn’t say five stars. And at night the lights get quite dark
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
Went to Josephine for the first time yesterday and sat at the bar for Happy Hour. Was fortunate enough to have Kel wait on us who made our experience so wonderful by being welcoming, funny and kind. The house Old Fashioneds are only $8 during Happy Hour which feels like a steal - they were absolutely delicious! We also ordered a cheese plate and all 3 we chose were excellent. We were sad to have to leave Josephine's, but have already made plans to return for a meal. Be sure to stop in!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This was my third or fourth visit. Each one has been special, making this place one of my favorites.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pate
I took my parents. They swear this was the best restaurant meal they've had in ages. The food was exceptional with amazing presentation and nice portions. I highly recommend the fois gras.