Jojo Bistro & Wine Bar

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  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.

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  Posted on 03.12.13 Samantha S.

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  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.

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  Posted on 02.22.13 Lou R.

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  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.

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  Posted on 01.16.13 Jody G.

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  I'm on par with the other reviewers - the atmosphere is great, and the food is just fine (I wasn't expecting a ton from a "chain" and you can do a LOT worse than Jojo if you are going to a chain).
  
  We've been to Jojo twice now - once during restaurant week (which I try not to use for my review basis) and once last week because of a free appetizer coupon that came in the mail from Northtown Automotive.
  
  Our restaurant week experience was decent - not the best waitress, but the food was good (especially the apps - the raclette was nontraditional but super delicious) and I was happy with the whole "feel" of our evening.
  
  Last week we returned and just had a seat at the bar. Hubby ordered a beer, and I wasn't drinking that evening so I asked the bartender to make me "something delicious" without alcohol - and he happily delivered! I was pleased that I wasn't met with any weird looks or attitude from my request. And it was indeed delicious!
  
  We ordered the fig and gorgonzola flatbread and settled in. It came, and was okay. Some bites were great, but some were almost inedibly bitter - I think the whole thing needed a little more gorgonzola (which was sparse) and dressing and it would have been much better. Unfortunately, 1/3 of the way in, a foreign object was discovered - however I was more than pleased with the way the whole situation was handled. A very friendly manager, a convincingly appalled bartender, and another free app later and I almost forgot about the whole thing until now! Things like that happen now & then to every restaurant, the important part was that they did a really good job handling it (as opposed to an experience I had at an Italian restaurant where they simply told me to place the piece of plastic wrap to the side and keep eating).
  
  So after the flatbread we had the grilled jumbo shrimp (4, in case you were wondering). They were a little better than the flatbread, no real complaints. If you're going to order anything though, just bite the bullet on the calories and get the raclette.
  
  So all in all:
  Service: First visit, 2/5; Second, 5/5
  Food: 3.5/5
  Ambiance: 4/5

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  Posted on 01.16.13 Bethany M.

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  I'm surprised by all the critical reviews... come on people, this is a chain restaurant in a plaza in Williasmville, not a locally owned wine bar on Elmwood.  
  
  With that said, great selection of wine, sangria, drinks and good food to munch on... super thin crust pizza, hummus, truffle fries.... nice, pleasant atmosphere... BYOB on Monday's...  what's there not to like?

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  Posted on 12.28.12 Lindsay S.

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  Watch out or the cougars will maul you.  Anytime other than happy hour, this place is crawling with middle aged women fresh from the plastic surgeon's office.  Odd, but makes for good entertainment.

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  Posted on 12.04.12 Callie R.

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  The atmosphere of JoJo is warm and rustic modern. I love the decor from the red water glasses to the overhead lighting. It's very inviting. Even the bathrooms are nice and they offer lavender hand soap. I love the smell of lavender.
  
  We came here for restaurant week after Black & Blue said they only had reservations available for after 9:30pm. No dice. JoJo got us right in for 6 at 6pm.
  
  My one complaint about the atmosphere- it's loud. Was hard to talk and hear among 6 women. The restaurant week menu also left something to be desired. So I ordered off of the regular menu. Braised beef short rib over parmesan polenta.
  
  The bread and butter they bring out was amazing. Warm with a crusty crust and a warm soft middle. Perfect. I only had water since I'm not really a drinker and I didn't want to blow my budget since there are plenty of days left to eat out before restaurant week ends!
  
  My meal was AMAZING. The beef short rib was fall-off-the-bone tender. Polenta was creamy and tasty. Perfect comfort food. As much as I loved it, I would have appreciated a veggie on the plate too. Roasted squash or green beans? Even roasted fennel over top would have been great.
  
  Anyway, I had no complaints about the food or ambiance (save for the noise of course). But the service... Oh, the service...
  
  If the service had been on, I would have had no problem doling out 5-stars. But everything was SO slow and there were so many excuses as to why... The kitchen is backed up... On restaurant week?! There were only a few other tables occupied when we got there. And wouldn't you think pumpkin creme brulee would have been made ahead of time and torched later?? So why was that held up?
  
  We were there for over 2 hours. And I'll admit, I was not with the easiest crowd- all women over 55 aside from myself. They're finicky and I was embarrassed at their complaints but the service really was SLOW.
  
  I'd come back to JoJo for another meal. It's a shame they're not open for lunch though. Hopefully the service will be better the next time!

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  Posted on 10.18.12 Lindsay A.

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  I recently had the pleasure of going to JoJo with a group of friends.  The inside of the restaurant is quite beautiful and well decorated.  The service was excellent and the waitress knew the menu quite well.  We all ordered something different and sampled each other's food. We went on a BYOB Monday night and there was no corkage fee.  It was great as we each brought a bottle of wine with us.  We stayed long because we had so much to talk about and nobody tried to rush us.  The Parmesan-truffle fries are absolutely wonderful and I'd go back just for these.  I also had the racelette chips which are very good but must be eaten while they are hot.  Once they cool, the cheese on top solidifies and it's hard to eat.  Others had pizzas and they loved them.  One had soup and raved about it.  I can't wait to go back.  I don't live in this area anymore but I think Jojo is great.

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  Posted on 10.10.12 L. R.

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  Recently went to JoJo with a client after a planning meeting and enjoyed the experience.  
  
  Unimpressed by the exterior in a strip mall, I was pleasantly surprised by the interior of modern and a bit minimalist.
  
  The wine list and beer list were not extensive, but was well thought out and provided a nice range of options.  Not in the mood for wine, I was happy to see that they had Magic Hat #9 on tap.
  
  The grilled romaine salad with a caesar dressing and balsamic dressing was a good balance of flavors.  The beef medallion special was very tasty, but the potatoes that accompanied it were a bit bland.
  
  A colleague had the white truffle and parmesan fries which were quite delicious.
  
  Not sure when I'll be back in Buffalo, but would happily eat there again if someone recommended it.

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  Posted on 06.24.12 Andrew A.

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  i am of the philosophy that a successful 'wine bar' is a rare occurrence, a delicate balance between a well crafted wine list and flights complemented by expertly executed small plates.  unfortunately, Jojo Bistro & Wine Bar is not amongst those illusive expert endeavors...it is, however, a respectable pursuit, and one that i found enjoyable nonetheless.  its just a shame, because it could have been spectacular, the potential IS there for this establishment.
  
  visited Jojo for the first time this evening with my best gal pal, and we were pleasantly pleased with the warm and unique decor.  as a design freak, this place is a feast for the eyes, with wonderful old fashioned bulb chandeliers and honed woodwork in organic forms.  an enormous floor to ceiling wine rack is a stunning focal point near the bar.  we chose to sit inside and soak up the decor, even though the patio on a summer evening sounded lovely -- just not when it faces out onto busy Sheridan Dr.
  
  we were greeted promptly by a very friendly server, who informed us of the evenings specials and knowledgeably answered questions about the offered wine flights.  we chose to go with the 'french 76', and i was pleased to be served four different varietals in their own sizable glasses (at least four good sips per glass) for only $12.  a crusty warm french bread in its own paper bag with fresh cream butter was served along with our wine, and it was quite good, albeit very hard on the teeth and gums.
  
  house salad was the usual size, served with a house dressing that was rather bland if not for the addition of some crumbly bleu cheese.  our entrees were served without too much of a wait, a large bowl of mussels (with the very peculiar side of french fries) for the bestie, and the Jojo burger for me.  unfortunately, Jojo's loses some of its sparkle with their entrees.  the bestie's mussels were 'fishy' and tough, and she didn't want to risk having to worship the porcelain gods for the next three days,  so she requested something different.  she opted for one of the flatbread pizzas that Jojo's claims to be known for.  bestie found the crust very thin and crackery, but otherwise an improvement from the mussels.  my Jojo burger was overcooked and dry, and didn't seem to have any seasoning aside from some salt (thank you jeebuz for at least that!).  the roll was delicious and toasty, and would have been the perfect vehicle for the burger, had it been juicier.  the fries were crisp, but very greasy and full of sodium.  a good handcut fry, or some pomme frites, would have been a better option.
  
  overall, the evening was not horrible by any means. Jojo is a very enjoyable place to kick back and enjoy some decent wines at rather reasonable price points, especially for a wine bar.  the atmosphere is stellar, and the music was great (we even heard a couple of Dead tunes thrown in the mix to our surprise).  i don't know i would go out of my way to visit Jojo unless the rest of my party wished to make the trip out to this suburban wine joint.

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  Posted on 05.24.12 Kristen T.

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  I have come here several times, especially on BYOB Mondays. There are some great items on the menu and some meh items. I have been pretty impressed with the "raclette" chips covered in cheeses. pretty decadent. I know someone in the kitchen and the term home made chips is a bit misleading. they come to Jojos precooked and frozen, but the final fry is done on premise. The duck rolls are quite nice, and the meatloaf was fabulous but they have taken it off the menu. The assorted burger sliders are a must try. very good blend of flavors there. The charcuterie is fabulous,especially with a full bodied red like a zin or malbec. I've had the calamari there several times and it was good just once. its pretty easy to overcook so i understand. I've had the pizza twice and felt that there wasn't enough goodies on top. I've been inimpressed with the stuffed peppers and pate. the cheese plate offers a hunk of hard cheese and no proper slicing utensil. the other cheeses were quite good. I have always had attentive service. I have been here on a double date where we order so many tapas they dont fit on the table at once, but yet, they still try. I would suggest they stagger the kitchen a bit differently. I feel that there is ample room for improvement and that falls on management.

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  Posted on 05.16.12 M M.

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  The pizzas are good, if a bit crackery. The apps are hit-n-miss; the calamari is good and the pate works in a pinch. Salads and the burger are consistently good. Fun upscale casual atmosphere & a bar scene that appears less showy than Black & Blue's..

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  Posted on 02.02.12 Alan B.

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  I realized I forgot to review this place after I saw my friend Deb's review!  I agree with her - the decor & atmoshere are great.  Gorgeous bar with a good selection.  We were thrown off a bit when another friend ordered champagne, apparently made by Francis Ford Copolla's company - it came in a can.  Tasted good, but still - a bit odd. My riesling was very nice.
  
  Several of us shared appetizers & pizzas, so I'll review what I tasted.  Fried calamari were fine, but nothing special.  The mussels were awesome - perfectly cooked & not a bad one in the bunch.  However, 1 dozen would have been plenty for us - the 2 dozen was A LOT, even split a few ways, plus they came with an order of fries on the side (?!) This was not noted on the menu, and while I always appreciate good french fries, if I had known this I would not have ordered the white truffle & parm cheese fries too!!! Those were delicious, but obviously extremely rich.  My favorite appie BY FAR was the figs stuffed with Stilton bleu cheese & wrapped in prosciutto - I would order those again & again.  Amazing.
  
  I opted for the sausage pizza (chorizo, banana pepper & mozzarella) and friend chose the mushroom (fontina, caramelized onions, olive oil, & rosemary.)  We figured we'd share.  Both were good, but I much preferred the flavor of the sausage pizza.  The crust was a bit too thin for my taste, so not spectacular but OK (Bambino's pizzas are better, IMO.)  Also, they are HUGE - I assumed they would be more of a personal pizza, but they were probably 14-16" in diameter. Even being thin-crusted, it was a lot of food.  Tasted great reheated in the oven the next day though!
  
  I would like to go back & maybe try some different wine.  Their small cheese plates & charcuterie (never heard this term - italian sausages & cured meats, apparently) sound VERY intriguing.  So yes, I will go back.  But I won't go running back.

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  Posted on 02.01.12 Paula T.

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  Went for dinner with a group of women from work. Decor was quite lovely, as noted by others. Service was fine, but food came out slowly, considering it was a weeknight and not at all busy. My spinach salad with walnuts was good, but something I make at home all of the time. I had their pizza, as I heard they were known for it. A large, thin crust, marghareta pizza for $12? Great!  Not really. It was so well done that the outer one third "broke off." I also could not identify the type of cheese they used. It had a tangy taste and slightly orange color.  Just not good. I wanted to like JoJo's but just didn't like my food.

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  Posted on 01.13.12 Deborah B.

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  Went there for the food and loved the thin crust pizza and wedge salad. We ate at the bar since we didn't have reservations--yet, nearly half the tables were empty for our entire meal.  Seems they honor reservations even if people are running way late. The service was good. Our one appetizer -- cauliflower gratin -- had no cauliflower and they took it off of bill. Seems like a good concept and neat menu, but probably needs superior management to get to the next level.

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  Posted on 01.02.12 Ou G.

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  Jojo is sort of like a copy of a copy of a haute cuisine wine bar: you get what they're trying to do, but the quality falls short when compared to the real deal.
  
  Starting with the wine: the list is quite long -- there's a full page of white bottles and another of red bottles, plus another sheet of half-bottles (plus cocktails and beer) but I struggled to find anything really interesting. On the bright side, prices are about double what you'd pay in a (local) wine store, which means that they are pretty cheap as far as wine bars go. We settled on a bottle of Shramsberg Mirabelle Brut Rose ($46) which wound up being decent. Monday, incidentally, are BYOB (=no corkage charge), which seems odd for a wine bar.
  
  I chose the wedge salad ($7) as an appetizer with the intention of pilfering my "main" from my companions. The traditional wedge -- "iceburg" (according to the menu: <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.restaurantjojo.com%2Fjojo_dinner_menu_2011.pdf&s=9a20bb397887d0af117af8005a4de809e94a46a9e046743b82544e7109b48048" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.restaurantjoj…</a>), bleu cheese dressing, bacon -- was okay, though there were brown (bitter) bits in the lettuce. The artisanal cheese plate ($18) was decent, if not particularly imaginative. The truffle oil on the white truffle & parmesan fries ($5) was completely overwhelmed by the salt.
  
  The thin-crust pizzas were the highlight of the evening. The special ($14) was a chorizo (?) and caramelized onion pie with a bleu cheese crust. Yum. One is enough for two people, so my plan to snatch bites from others worked out famously. The mushroom pizza ($12) was -- reportedly -- very good, but I found the Mexicali ($12) to be... odd.
  
  The mussels ($10), on the other hand, were a big disappointment. The serving size was huge, but the flavor was lacking (in a Thai dish?) and the dish was barely warm. After sending it back -- and having it come back cool *again* -- we swapped for the scallop risotto appetizer. The scallops ranged from properly done to a bit over-cooked, and the risotto was almost soupy. Grrr. Risotto is tough to make -- especially on a schedule -- but this is supposed to be haute cuisine bistro, right?
  
  Service is friendly enough. The waitress forgot to bring the wedge out with the rest of the appetizers -- even after specifically asking me when I wanted it served. Combined with the dual-cool mussel event, it makes one wonder where the mandatory (for parties of 8+) 20% tip is going.

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  Posted on 12.27.11 David B.

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  Since I moved to Buffalo, I've been missing my favorite restaurants pretty hard; especially the pizza I used to know.  Oh thin crust, how I yearn for thee!  Jojo's has been a nice surrogate.
  
  We felt immediately at home when we first walked in.  It's not quiet per se, but it is intimate.  I started out with the raclette, which wasn't the best I've had (if you want it done right, go to Albany - a place called DP, which is on the first floor of the Hampton Inn - yes, really).  Oh yeah - careful of the open flame of the candles and the flexible, droopy, one page menu - I almost caused a full-on conflagration, there.
  
  The pizza was AWESOME, if you like thin crust.  I do, and I really loved it.  I basically got a goat cheese pizza, and haven't been this happy with a pie since I was last at Emma's Pizza in Cambridge, MA (Emma's is still better, but this was close).  
  
  What's nice about thin crust pizza is that you don't feel grossed out or sick afterward, like I tend to feel after trying 'typical' Buffalo pies.  It doesn't feel like you've been eating cake or a whole loaf of bread.  Or a Volkswagon.
  
  Our server was great; very attentive and polite.  We split a bottle of wine (tempranillo - which you don't always see at many places around here), and never had to refill our own glasses - he was always there to pour.  Toward the end he was a little scarce, but at that point it looked like his table volume had increased significantly, and I can't fault him for that.  Been there, done that, seen that; it wasn't his fault his section got crazy, so no points taken off.
  
  My date ordered the special as an appetizer (kalamari with caper sauce).  He used hyperbole to describe his love for it.  I tried the sauce, and it was pretty damn nifty.  Yum.  He also loved his soprasetta pizza as much as I loved my chevre pizza.  
  
  I am literally psyched for the next time we come here.

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  Posted on 01.13.11 Gwen F.

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  Pretty yummy grub, I'd come all the way from Cali to visit family and had only seen the inside of an Ihop. So this joint was more my idea of some good eatin'. We ordered some Zucchini fries to share, and one of my cousins and I ordered the mushroom pizza (pretty tasty and perfect of one person, I actually couldn't finish mine) My other cousins ordered the veggie pizza and the coconut shrimp, both looking equally good. We went for a later lunch on a weekday (1:30) the place was pretty empty. Service was good, and the ambiance of the place was nice. Clean bathrooms always a plus! If I'm ever back in Buffalo I'd do lunch here again.

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  Posted on 12.10.10 Susan D.

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  A cool and delicious wine bar, in a fairly uncool location.
  
  As with everything else in the suburbs of Buffalo, this place is located in a nondescript strip mall.  Inside, however, the place has a fun atmosphere and, more importantly, delicious food. My wife and I started with the Duck Spring Rolls, which seemed to be fresh.  They were crispy and tasty, if a bit greasy.  For an entree, I got the Butcher's Steak Special with a glass of Malbec.  Honestly, I didn't have high hopes for the steak, but was pleasantly surprised by its robust flavor and superb texture.  The Malbec was spicy and delicious, and it paired nicely with the steak.  My wife got Raviolis, which she thoroughly enjoyed.  The Flourless Espresso Chocolate Torte was rich and smooth.
  
  Our waiter was attentive and exceptionally friendly.  
  
  Bottom line:  we thoroughly enjoyed our experience, and we will be going back much more in the future.

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  Posted on 03.27.10 Xonist J.

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  Have you ever walked into a restaurant, opened the (cutely folded) menu and said "this is exactly what this neighborhood needs?"  Such was my experience at jojo.  OMG, cute little plates for sharing! YAY!  A place to grab some wine and some nibblies on a weeknight with my girls.  Raclette! Figs! Pommes Frites! And pizzas to fill up on.  
  
  At this point, you are saying "wait...this was a 2 star review, right?"
  
  Well, yeah, cuz the food was eh, "not so good".  Raclette=pile of house-made potato chips with melty swiss and blue cheese.  No, this didn't suck but it wasn't raclette.  We used to make "chips and cheese" all the freaking time in college, and this was a gourmet version.  Good, not great.  The figs were "eh".
  
  The mushroom/fontina pizza...simply had no discernible flavor.  Yeah, there were mushrooms.  Yeah, there was fontina cheese.  It just really had no taste.
  
  The wine list is VERY heavy on Napa/California and Australia.  There are some decently priced bottles (30-40 range) and some splurges, but nothing special.  A self-proclaimed "wine bar" should have some adventuresome items, no?
  
  [This review is not at all influenced by last Friday night's walk-in and walk-out where I just had One Single Glass of Wine that tasted like ass.  Oh, the crowd sucked.  I came back to try the food]

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  Posted on 01.14.10 Kelly T.

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