Marin Joe’s:

Marin Joe’s was not the type of restaurant I went to with my family growing up. It is a classic American chop house. The type of place you go for prime rib and a whiskey. The nail in the coffin for my family not going to Marin Joe’s was my Dad’s objection to the ten dollar hamburger. Keep in mind this was in the 90’s and most hamburgers in Marin didn’t cost that much. Funny that all these years later their hamburger is only $10.75.

It was late on Black Friday so the dinner options in Marin were few and far between. In my mind there was nowhere to go but Marin Joe’s. I ordered the dish you see in the second photo, the “Marin Joe’s Special”, consisting of hamburger, spinach, and eggs. I know that it sounds gross and it was. I figured if I was going to eat at Marin Joe’s I should order what they do best. With each bite I kept wondering when the flavor was going to kick in. Even the parmesan cheese they sprinkled on top got lost in the mush on my plate. I should have poured a bottle of hot sauce on top but Marin Joe’s is the type of place that only serves Tabasco.  The Joe’s Special is well known dish in the Bay Area but this was my first encounter and my last.

Walking into Marin Joe’s was a time warp. Nothing about the aesthetic, atmosphere, or cuisine is found in newly opened restaurants. As the baby boomers and their parents die off I wonder what the future holds for a place like Marin Joe’s. I can see myself making an annual pilgrimage but can’t see my generation filling the place every night. I just hope that with the success of a show like Mad Men we don’t get a Freeman’s version of the American Chop House. Some things should remain the way they are.