JOEY Burnaby

Dear Diary,

I’m going to be reviewing the one and only Joey Burnaby. Fun fact: I do work here so this is going to be the most honest and factual review there is.

Location: Mixed emotions. It’s in a good location in regards to being in a restaurant-heavy area. However, that does mean there is a lot of competition. Also, NOBODY CAN EVER FIND IT. There are no signs and it is literally in a mall. It is extremely invisible. Tell me who decided this. More people would come here if it was actually accessible. No joke people complain about this every single day, YET NOTHING CHANGES??? The parking lot is a disaster and there is a good chance your car will get hit like mine has. However, it is free for 3 hours.

Service: This is really dependant. It truly depends on who your server is and how staffed they are. It is often very chaotic, not allowing servers to give their 100%. You often see them having way too large sections and being very overwhelmed. However, if they are able to give their best, they give their best (server dependant). JOEY og’s are amazing. They also have a VIP budget, meaning they will make your experience special. If there is ever a problem, they will take care of it and you will leave happy. Guaranteed. I think this is one of their strong suits because they truly put the customer first and make sure you are willing to come back.

Food: Let’s talk about my favourites and least favourites. I will say the menu is pretty large and has many options, including accommodations for dietary restrictions such as gluten-free. Just want to throw in the fact that they changed the cute menus to now look like a diner menu ❤️. Not impressed.

Smalls + sharing – They are all good. My favourite is the Roasted Corn Guacamole. I LOVE IT. The pickled onions, corn, feta… AMAZING. I tried the Cactus Club new Avocado Dip and it did not hit nearly the same. However, my friend who works at Cactus said the opposite. The dip is definitely more of a dip meaning it is more smooth and hummus-like, and the guac is more of a guac, meaning more chunky. My least favourite is the Hummus, but that is a JOEY staple. I think it’s just my personal preference and it’s not for me. Another one of my hot takes is that I don’t like the Truffle fries nearly as much as Cactus’. I don’t know what it is… and it’s an unpopular opinion. They just overload the parmesan so much and the truffle aioli from Cactus is so much better in my opinion. I could literally drink that sauce but this one is okay.

Sushi – YES. Highly recommend. The sushi cones are to die for. They are the most perfect treat ever! The Tuna poke and the Sushi cone with prawn tempura are the best snacks, and they hit every single time. I used to get these every single day I worked. I cant recommend them enough. The seared salmon sushi is also good. It has a unique umami sauce glazed on top that I love but $20….. plus it’s not filling at all. You definitely need to order more with this.

Salads – You may be wondering… where is the caesar salad? GOOD QUESTION. IT IS GONE. REMOVED. Another crime has been committed and the most classic salad in the world has been removed. Why? Because it’s too basic? Not possible. It is a staple and needs to be brought back immediately. Katsu, Beach, Tuna, and even House salad are all good. The Katsu is a fan favourite. The goat cheese in the Beach scares me, but I forced myself to try it and I lowkey liked it. The Mercado salad though… should have never been added to the menu.

Sandwiches + Burgers – Apparently the veggie burger is actually good, but I’m too scared to try it. All the regular burgers are very mid and nothing special. Tuna Club is fun with the onion ring in it, but the raw tuna also scares me. Butcher’s Sandwich I actually really like. The dijon and the crispy onions>>>. The California Chicken is also one of the best options, except the arugula rubs me the wrong way. Not sure why Fish Tacos are in this category.. but they are not it.

Mains – The Teriyaki Chicken bowl comes with literally no chicken. So beware. The Tuna Poke bowl is good but OF COURSE they had to ruin a good thing and now avocado is an extra charge. Peanut Prawn Curry and Roasted Cod are fire. Herb Crush Salmon is good but people say it can be oily. Also the peas in it?? Why?? I always recommend the Blackened Chicken, as it is one of the best. Bombay Butter Chicken is good and same with Chicken Parm. Ravioli Bianco is yum, but it’s very rich in flavour. Maybe a bit too much for me sometimes.

Steak – Yes. I approve. Of course, people complain all the time about how their steak is cooked, but the steak itself is always good. The crispy mash that comes with it is very unique and delicious. Many upgrades are available. I normally just get the Sirloin and it does the jobbb. Steak and sushi, and steak and ravioli are top tier. Love having a bit of both! The ponzu sauce that comes with the steak is a must.

Sweets – They are all great. The donuts are so fun. I love the maple ice cream that comes with the Apple Pie.

Drinks: Good selection of wines and beers. Love their daily drink specials. Smoky Paloma – eh. JOEY 75- no. The Bellini is great but why is the glass so ugly? Like please make it more fun and not a regular water cup. Same with the Sangria. The drinks with “super” in it, mean there is slush, and those are great. I LOVE THE SLUSH. They make every drink so much better. The Crush Drinks are yum. They also have non-alcoholic options and I’m a fan of the She Pretty and the Frozen Lemonade. I also approve of their coffee and have honestly had surprisingly good iced latte’s from here.

Prices: I could NOT imagine paying full price for this food, but that is mainly because I work here. I recommend coming during happy hour. One thing that is CRIMINALLY FOUL is that when you upgrade your fries to truffle fries, the upcharge is $7. ARE YOU JOKING??? At Cactus, it is around $2 extra, so people are absolutely stunned when they see the bill and I don’t blame them. I think this is actually insane and Jeff Fuller needs to be locked up for this.

Atmosphere: Not the cutest JOEY location to be honest. The ones downtown and in Shipyards are much nicer. The upstairs Skybar and patio are nice, but it is not very lively up there compared to downstairs.

Experience: A downfall of this location is how the liquor license doesn’t go out into the front entrance. This means the JOEY’s classic bubbles on arrival doesn’t happen. -50 points for this. Something I love is that they do tasters. I think it’s so fun being able to try different items on the menu and it’s a unique experience.