Jojo Bistro & Wine Bar

Came in on Friday night around 7:00 with three girlrfriends.  The parking lot was PACKED and we had to park pretty far away.  The dining room was busy, bar area packed.  Was hard to talk to my friends because the restaurant was LOUD.  We were seated at a high top table, not really ideal.  I felt like we were in the middle of the restaurant and we were being stared at by all ends, it also didn't help that we were up high.  We felt super cramped, the tables were right on top of one another.  We didn't see a sign of our server for a good fifteen minutes.  Once she arrived she asked if we were ready to order, which we weren't because our plan was to get our drinks going first, which is usually the proper sequencing at a restaurant.  We didn't want to feel rushed, we had a reservation and hadn't seen each other in a year.  Anyways, I got a glass of cabernet which was one of the best Cabs I've ever had.  The wine glasses at this place were funky and chic, I loved them!  My two friends got pomegranate martinis and they said they were delicious and STRONG.  Can't go wrong there.  We ordered four appetizers to share for the table.  

We got raclette; potato chips with melted gruyere and bleu cheese.  I didn't touch this dish because it looked like a pile of lays potato chips and some quickly microwaved cheese.  No thanks, if I'm going to eat straight up grease, I would rather get a slice of pizza at four am after a night of boozing.  It didn't look appetizing in the least but and judging from what was left on the plate when our server cleared the table, my friends didn't fancy the dish much either.  Zucchini fries were next.  Okay, so they were fried zucchini stick, big whoop.  Nothing special, not inedible either but again, a big pile of grease, one fry was enough to realize they weren't worth it.  Next we got the hummus.  BINGO.  Finally a dish to write home about.  If I was alone, I probably would have used a spoon to eat the hummus; yes, it was that good.  The pita that came with it was awesome too but clearly soaked in butter prior to serving, yay more grease; no surprise there.  Lastly we got the sausage pizza.  I am not a sausage fan but this pizza was dang good.  It was loaded with mozzarella cheese and banana peppers.  It was yummy.  Came to about 35 per person which wasn't crazy but again, we only got four appetizers and I felt like I needed to go to the gym when we left.  Wasn't a good start to an evening full of drinking.  

All in all, the drinks were the best part of the meal, come here to grab some appetizers if you aren't looking for healthy food.  One more good thing though, the bathrooms were super clean and just COOL.  Check them out if you ever venture in.

We went here for Valentine's Day. Good bistro food and a nice laid back atmosphere. It looks like they have no corking fee Mondays so it would be fun to go with a group of friends and a couple bottles of wine.

I'd give this place three stars for the decor and ambiance....two for the service..... and one for the food.  So the "mathematical genius" that I am averaged those numbers together and gives the place a two.  

It's lovely in there  I felt like I was in a wine bar in Napa rather than a strip mall in Williamsville. Great lighting.....  beautiful bar......  wonderful high-tops for larger groups..... and intimate tables for couples.  Really no detail was overlooked in the design.  There are even wine labels (are they real?) on some of the walls..... and the cutest wine bottle shaped windows in the entry door (!!!).  It was so well done with the wine theme that I (almost) felt like the designer opened a catalog to the page entitled "Wine Bars" and ordered everything in that section.  You know that Almost-Too-Perfect feeling?

The service was so-so.  Not overly friendly, but not rude either.  I never felt welcomed and had to actually catch the server's eye to be offered a second glass of wine...... HELLO!!!  This is a wine bar!

The wine list is quite complete (as is the beer list) and varietal flights are offered.  That's not always seen around these parts.  The food menu LOOKS good.  Interesting choices indeed. The problem is neither item ordered tasted good.

Two of us shared a "Fare to Share" (appetizer) item and a wood fired pizza.  For the former we chose the hummus and for the later it was the "Roasted Vegetable"  Now, on the menu the hummus was listed as WARM (who does that?!) and I asked if it could be served cold (traditionalist that I am).  A huge bowlful was served, but it tasted very, very bland.  I've had better stuff out of a container purchased at the supermarket.  And the "seasoned flat-bread" that accompanied it was a a random pile of burnt pita bread and a couple of chunks of (leftover?) cheese and tomato pizza.  WEIRD!

The "Roasted Vegetable Pizza" was pretty to look at, but very, very bland.  Put a little garlic and even some salt and pepper on it....PLEASE!  The vegetables (onions, green and yellow peppers, basil, spinach, and yellow squash) were sprinkled on sparingly and the herbed ricotta (meh!) was plopped on with a heavy hand.  Nothing really worked.

My advice:  Enjoy the setting.  Pretend you're in Napa instead of Williamsville.  Enjoy a few glasses of wine with friends.  And.... STAY AWAY from the food.