joey's in mayfield edmonton is truly a really great restaurant to go to for a first date. it's got a really pleasant atmosphere, even though it is (kind of but not really) a franchise; i've honestly had so many memorable experiences dining here. overall, it has a generally accepting atmosphere even if you are dressed to the nines or alternately wearing sweats. i mean, preferably you could choose to wear jeans or something as it has a nice balance between fancy and casual dress attire-but you could definitely get away with less.
generally speaking, i prefer cozy little unique family-owned restaurants that make you feel good inside about helping out a local business. with that being said-we all hit these types of restaurant "chains" from time to time, for a multitude of reasons. whether it's for a birthday dinner, a typical date night, or for the plain and simple fact that some people have no idea where else has good food besides the typical go-to places that everybody else has heard of.. and let's face it-might as well go someplace with generally attractive people working there-i've ended up at joey's a crapload of times.
the first joey's opened in 1992, and now there are a number of locations, with 3 currently in edmonton. i've frequented the mayfield location over the years, as well as the jasper ave spot (before it closed down in anticipation of its new location in bell tower).
while i wouldn't exactly rave over joey's, i'd have to admit all-around everything is comfortable and consistently reliable. which doesn't, of course, sound overly exciting but is nice to know you can count on feeling general satisfaction. the restaurant itself is spacious, with a generally upscale decor, but a classy laid-back atmosphere. i've always found the service to be the typical standard of most restaurants-polite and mannerly.
i have tried many dishes over the years and i find the food and drinks have all been satisfactorily palatable. i prefer the filet mignon, which is my personal favorite here-and i particularly love the fully loaded, crispy mashed potatoes. they remind me of spring rolls in appearance, and i find them an entertaining and delicious accompaniment. lately, they've featured a fair amount of asian-inspired fusion dishes which is intriguing, though i'd have to rate their "sushi" as passably mediocre at best.
overall, i'd say i enjoy all the joeys restaurants, though i'd have to say that the mayfield location is probably my favorite. the winning feature here is probably the patio, as it is technically still indoors, but has an outdoorsy feel with lots of windows. if you are in the west end and are looking for a place to eat-check it out for sure!