This is a strong 3* rating, because Jethro's was a welcome respite from the menacing chain restaurants that have cropped up all over Altoona. The place is tucked away, up a hill sandwiched between a Wal-Mart and another phantasmagorical shopping complex. I think this is considered to be a "nice" place for the area, but it is a family style restaurant where jeans and sneakers would be perfectly appropriate. There is no pretense to the decor. Rustic country. Water, iced tea and draft beers are all served in Ball mason jars. Early in the evening the bar was busy, but the restaurant was pretty empty. After ordering, we realized it was happy hour, with $1 drafts and half priced appetizers. But the bar was a bit smokey, and it was nice to be seated at a table. Jethro's calls itself a place for ribs. And they also have a wide selection of Italian food. So, that's what we got. I had the 1/2 rack of ribs with a side caesar. The missus had the house-made potato/ricotta gnocchi with tomato sauce. We saw something on the appetizer menu we had never seen before. Pepperoni stuffed bread. The waitress vouched for it, so we conceded and got a small order. Holy cow. Likely it was enough calories for a whole meal in itself. And while it was good, it was not quite as good as it could have/should have been. The bread itself was a bit overly chewy. But it's hard to go wrong with cheese, sauce and pepperoni. So the ribs were meltingly tender, if not terribly smokey. The sauce glaze was a nice combination of sweet and spicy, although a bit more sweet then is generally my taste. Overall, a nice enjoyable fatty treat. A 1/2 rack isn't a lot of food, but it is very rich and filling. The only real disappointment was the side caesar which was so heavily dressed, most of the salad was more dressing than greens. And this is coming from a man who likes a heavy hand with dressing. The gnocchi were fine. Nothing to write home about. But props for making it there, and using ricotta in the dumplings. The portion was overly generous, as I think we made another couple of meals out of the leftovers. Our bill was ridiculously cheap, and we had a great time. Far better I think than if we went to the Cracker Barrel (which would have been choice number two - since the wife oddly had NO interest in going to Hooters).
(3)
LM C.
I would have given this place 4 stars, but the lack of cleanliness and the unfriendly hostess was the reason for that. The atmosphere itself was great and our waiter was very attentive and the view was spectacular! But the food was even better! Being from Western, NY we love our chicken wing dip, and Jethro's delivered! It had lots of chicken and the seasoning just right served in a little bread bowl, which hit the spot. I had an amazing pasta dish with blackened chicken, scallops and grilled shrimp with blue-cheese alfredo sauce! That's something I have never heard of before and it was delicious. My husband had a Pittsburgh Burger that a giant could eat! I would stop there again if we were traveling through. It's nice to go to a one of a kind place rather than a chain.
(3)
Neal E.
We had dinner here our final evening in Altoona. When we arrived there was a loud and spirited Karaoke event going on in the bar with lots of laughing and dancing. We sat in the dining area. I ordered a Caesar salad, plus a couple of appetizers: an order of riblets and a half dozen boneless chicken wings - with Blue cheese and celery. I also asked for a side of the same hot sauce that was used to coat the boneless wings. The Caesar salad was fresh and crispy, but rather ordinary in flavor. The riblets were very tasty! I enjoyed them a lot! The boneless wings were good, but nothing to make you say wow! Service was good. If I was in the area, I'd come back here again to try a steak or hang in the bar for a drink.
(4)
Tammy W.
Horrible service. Probably won't be back. A good server will tell you specials and not give attitude about getting grated cheese for pasta. And oh my forget about asking for extra napkins Two thumbs down. Really sad. We have enjoyed going there in the past. Won't be back
(1)
Dr. Vincent B.
Always enjoy this place...good food...good service...good atmosphere. Had a little hiccup with lipstick left on our wine glass, but hey it was a nice shade. Definitely one of Blair Counties finest!
(4)
Julie C.
My husband and I have been on and off Jethro's fans for about five years. Lately, (the past six months), have been VERY hit or miss. Sometimes it's a hit, and sometimes it's a very very big miss. Most recently, we've experienced overlooked, dry ribs (a dish they're supposed to be known for...) and raw chicken. My husband order a half chicken on our most recent visit and when it cut into it, it was still 90% uncooked, there was no mistaking it. Typically we never send back food back to a kitchen, but this time we had to. Our waiter, though he apologized, didn't seem overly concerned, and we did not receive cooked chicken until we were done and say around waiting and waiting for our bill and the chicken, which eventually left in a to go box. At no point in time did a manager approach our table in regards to the chicken that was still practically clucking. The service is spotty. You might be someone decent, or you might get a high school kid that would rather socialize with the bus boys than wait on tables. Not a gamble I'm ready to take again soon. Sadly, I'll be taking the same amount of money to a chain for a better dinner and better service. UPDATE: Have gone back twice since the above review, mainly because I've been dining with others that picked the location. Their soup and salad lunch is good for a quick lunch; I recommend the wedding soup and the salad with house Italian. Fresh cut fries are always a plus in my book for a restaurant. Food seems to have improved a bit, or maybe just my luck with it there. That being said, I unfortunately cannot report that service has improved. Wait staff still seem to have a pattern of cockiness and nonchalant attitude that, in my case of lunch today, comes off very stand offish to customers such as myself. Aside from undercooked food, a big turn off of a restaurant, for me, is a waiter or waitress who seems "inconvenienced" the entire time they're serving you even a basic meal in a half empty restaurant.
(2)
Thomas A.
Food was just ok. They don't marinate their ribs, just covered in BBQ sauce. Shrimp was done same way nothing special. I didnt get the Guinness but the bartender did pour it incorrectly. I would prob just go to Fridays or Texas roundhouse if I was in the area and wanted ribs or BBQ
(2)
Sarah F.
Firstly, I'll say that the view is absolutely amazing, and they have a beautiful outdoor space. Nothing else about the experience was particularly unique. I went over the summer as a party of 6. I got the fish in chips, which was unimpressive. The fish was obviously not housemade, as it had the triangular shape that frozen breaded fish has. Our server continually talked about how she just turned 21 and how much she parties. (I was there with my parents and grandparents, so its not like she was trying to relate to a group of college kids.) Jethro's was fine, but not great.
(3)
Carrie M.
Had a pulled pork sandwich and cold slaw. It was good. If I were in Altoona and craving BBQ, I would go there again. themarketingpartner.com
(4)
Julian B.
Mulekicker.... nuff said.
(4)
Tom K.
I am here for work and so I am staying at the Marriott Courtyard and I didn't feel like leaving the hotel so I thought I would give this place a shot since they deliver. I was talking to a very nice lady and she recommended that I try the ribs and chicken combo and so I did. They was no minimum that I had to pay for delivery and no delivery charge at all. The other thing I was very impressed by was when she told me it would take only 20 minutes for delivery - I was shocked! True to her word the guy was knocking at my hotel room a few minutes before the 20 minutes was up. They had everything packed up nicely and food was very hot - the only complaint I would have was that the fries that went with the order were soggy from the bbq sauced on the trip over. The following night I order the Chicken Marsala and it was very good as well but for the money - the ribs and chicken were a better deal. I would strongly recommend them!
(4)
Terri C.
Stayed in town again but already visited visited Raphael's down the street -- see my review from last week. This time, we tried Jethro's. It's tough to find because it's way up a hill. The parking lot was packed which was a good sign. Walking to the entrance, we could smell the aroma of steak and it made our mouths water. The inside was rustic but in a good way. Very unique. Despite the packed parking lot, there were quite a few empty seating areas. There seemed to be some sort of confusion at the front area because, as were greeted quickly by one server, another server took over and made it seem like a real bother; she stuck us in a dark corner nearest the hostess booth when there seemed to be lots of other seats to choose with better views and not in the darkness. We asked for some recommendations and she seemed totally put off and said everything was good while gazing disinterestedly into the distance ... hmm. Anyhow, the food was awesome: I had chicken parmesean which was hot and flavorful. We also sampled the pepperoni bread which was terrific. My coworker had ribs and shrimp; he said everything was great. Heather showed up once -- about 2/3rds through the meal -- to "see how everything was going and did we save room for dessert?" My coworker was never offered a refill on his beverage and all my dishes -- including the 'roni roll dish, salad dish and entree dish -- sat on the table in front of me until our check arrived. Then it took five minutes to get our bills paid -- despite the register being within about ten feet of our table. We agreed: the food was awesome but Heather should act a little more interested in serving diners.
(3)
Mike H.
We finally just walked out. The place looks ok but the hostess tried to sit us at a dirty table when there was a perfectly clean one right next to our table and then after almost 5 minutes and still standing there waiting for someone we decided to leave. As we left the hostess made a snide comment to another worker that she told us they would clean the table. I guess a clean table isnt a given there.
(1)
Ian R.
When I moved into the Altoona area I started looking for a good local restaurant that isn't a national chain. My wife had told me about Jethro's before I moved up but It was about a year later when I tried it. The food is great and the staff is very nice and speedy. I haven't had one bad meal yet. I try to get different food everytime I head up there to see if they're only good with one food group or another. They haven't failed me yet, so I highly recommend you try it. Its a nice place to meet friends for a drink or for a quick meal.
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Daniel B.
This is a strong 3* rating, because Jethro's was a welcome respite from the menacing chain restaurants that have cropped up all over Altoona. The place is tucked away, up a hill sandwiched between a Wal-Mart and another phantasmagorical shopping complex. I think this is considered to be a "nice" place for the area, but it is a family style restaurant where jeans and sneakers would be perfectly appropriate. There is no pretense to the decor. Rustic country. Water, iced tea and draft beers are all served in Ball mason jars. Early in the evening the bar was busy, but the restaurant was pretty empty. After ordering, we realized it was happy hour, with $1 drafts and half priced appetizers. But the bar was a bit smokey, and it was nice to be seated at a table. Jethro's calls itself a place for ribs. And they also have a wide selection of Italian food. So, that's what we got. I had the 1/2 rack of ribs with a side caesar. The missus had the house-made potato/ricotta gnocchi with tomato sauce. We saw something on the appetizer menu we had never seen before. Pepperoni stuffed bread. The waitress vouched for it, so we conceded and got a small order. Holy cow. Likely it was enough calories for a whole meal in itself. And while it was good, it was not quite as good as it could have/should have been. The bread itself was a bit overly chewy. But it's hard to go wrong with cheese, sauce and pepperoni. So the ribs were meltingly tender, if not terribly smokey. The sauce glaze was a nice combination of sweet and spicy, although a bit more sweet then is generally my taste. Overall, a nice enjoyable fatty treat. A 1/2 rack isn't a lot of food, but it is very rich and filling. The only real disappointment was the side caesar which was so heavily dressed, most of the salad was more dressing than greens. And this is coming from a man who likes a heavy hand with dressing. The gnocchi were fine. Nothing to write home about. But props for making it there, and using ricotta in the dumplings. The portion was overly generous, as I think we made another couple of meals out of the leftovers. Our bill was ridiculously cheap, and we had a great time. Far better I think than if we went to the Cracker Barrel (which would have been choice number two - since the wife oddly had NO interest in going to Hooters).
(3)LM C.
I would have given this place 4 stars, but the lack of cleanliness and the unfriendly hostess was the reason for that. The atmosphere itself was great and our waiter was very attentive and the view was spectacular! But the food was even better! Being from Western, NY we love our chicken wing dip, and Jethro's delivered! It had lots of chicken and the seasoning just right served in a little bread bowl, which hit the spot. I had an amazing pasta dish with blackened chicken, scallops and grilled shrimp with blue-cheese alfredo sauce! That's something I have never heard of before and it was delicious. My husband had a Pittsburgh Burger that a giant could eat! I would stop there again if we were traveling through. It's nice to go to a one of a kind place rather than a chain.
(3)Neal E.
We had dinner here our final evening in Altoona. When we arrived there was a loud and spirited Karaoke event going on in the bar with lots of laughing and dancing. We sat in the dining area. I ordered a Caesar salad, plus a couple of appetizers: an order of riblets and a half dozen boneless chicken wings - with Blue cheese and celery. I also asked for a side of the same hot sauce that was used to coat the boneless wings. The Caesar salad was fresh and crispy, but rather ordinary in flavor. The riblets were very tasty! I enjoyed them a lot! The boneless wings were good, but nothing to make you say wow! Service was good. If I was in the area, I'd come back here again to try a steak or hang in the bar for a drink.
(4)Tammy W.
Horrible service. Probably won't be back. A good server will tell you specials and not give attitude about getting grated cheese for pasta. And oh my forget about asking for extra napkins Two thumbs down. Really sad. We have enjoyed going there in the past. Won't be back
(1)Dr. Vincent B.
Always enjoy this place...good food...good service...good atmosphere. Had a little hiccup with lipstick left on our wine glass, but hey it was a nice shade. Definitely one of Blair Counties finest!
(4)Julie C.
My husband and I have been on and off Jethro's fans for about five years. Lately, (the past six months), have been VERY hit or miss. Sometimes it's a hit, and sometimes it's a very very big miss. Most recently, we've experienced overlooked, dry ribs (a dish they're supposed to be known for...) and raw chicken. My husband order a half chicken on our most recent visit and when it cut into it, it was still 90% uncooked, there was no mistaking it. Typically we never send back food back to a kitchen, but this time we had to. Our waiter, though he apologized, didn't seem overly concerned, and we did not receive cooked chicken until we were done and say around waiting and waiting for our bill and the chicken, which eventually left in a to go box. At no point in time did a manager approach our table in regards to the chicken that was still practically clucking. The service is spotty. You might be someone decent, or you might get a high school kid that would rather socialize with the bus boys than wait on tables. Not a gamble I'm ready to take again soon. Sadly, I'll be taking the same amount of money to a chain for a better dinner and better service. UPDATE: Have gone back twice since the above review, mainly because I've been dining with others that picked the location. Their soup and salad lunch is good for a quick lunch; I recommend the wedding soup and the salad with house Italian. Fresh cut fries are always a plus in my book for a restaurant. Food seems to have improved a bit, or maybe just my luck with it there. That being said, I unfortunately cannot report that service has improved. Wait staff still seem to have a pattern of cockiness and nonchalant attitude that, in my case of lunch today, comes off very stand offish to customers such as myself. Aside from undercooked food, a big turn off of a restaurant, for me, is a waiter or waitress who seems "inconvenienced" the entire time they're serving you even a basic meal in a half empty restaurant.
(2)Thomas A.
Food was just ok. They don't marinate their ribs, just covered in BBQ sauce. Shrimp was done same way nothing special. I didnt get the Guinness but the bartender did pour it incorrectly. I would prob just go to Fridays or Texas roundhouse if I was in the area and wanted ribs or BBQ
(2)Sarah F.
Firstly, I'll say that the view is absolutely amazing, and they have a beautiful outdoor space. Nothing else about the experience was particularly unique. I went over the summer as a party of 6. I got the fish in chips, which was unimpressive. The fish was obviously not housemade, as it had the triangular shape that frozen breaded fish has. Our server continually talked about how she just turned 21 and how much she parties. (I was there with my parents and grandparents, so its not like she was trying to relate to a group of college kids.) Jethro's was fine, but not great.
(3)Carrie M.
Had a pulled pork sandwich and cold slaw. It was good. If I were in Altoona and craving BBQ, I would go there again. themarketingpartner.com
(4)Julian B.
Mulekicker.... nuff said.
(4)Tom K.
I am here for work and so I am staying at the Marriott Courtyard and I didn't feel like leaving the hotel so I thought I would give this place a shot since they deliver. I was talking to a very nice lady and she recommended that I try the ribs and chicken combo and so I did. They was no minimum that I had to pay for delivery and no delivery charge at all. The other thing I was very impressed by was when she told me it would take only 20 minutes for delivery - I was shocked! True to her word the guy was knocking at my hotel room a few minutes before the 20 minutes was up. They had everything packed up nicely and food was very hot - the only complaint I would have was that the fries that went with the order were soggy from the bbq sauced on the trip over. The following night I order the Chicken Marsala and it was very good as well but for the money - the ribs and chicken were a better deal. I would strongly recommend them!
(4)Terri C.
Stayed in town again but already visited visited Raphael's down the street -- see my review from last week. This time, we tried Jethro's. It's tough to find because it's way up a hill. The parking lot was packed which was a good sign. Walking to the entrance, we could smell the aroma of steak and it made our mouths water. The inside was rustic but in a good way. Very unique. Despite the packed parking lot, there were quite a few empty seating areas. There seemed to be some sort of confusion at the front area because, as were greeted quickly by one server, another server took over and made it seem like a real bother; she stuck us in a dark corner nearest the hostess booth when there seemed to be lots of other seats to choose with better views and not in the darkness. We asked for some recommendations and she seemed totally put off and said everything was good while gazing disinterestedly into the distance ... hmm. Anyhow, the food was awesome: I had chicken parmesean which was hot and flavorful. We also sampled the pepperoni bread which was terrific. My coworker had ribs and shrimp; he said everything was great. Heather showed up once -- about 2/3rds through the meal -- to "see how everything was going and did we save room for dessert?" My coworker was never offered a refill on his beverage and all my dishes -- including the 'roni roll dish, salad dish and entree dish -- sat on the table in front of me until our check arrived. Then it took five minutes to get our bills paid -- despite the register being within about ten feet of our table. We agreed: the food was awesome but Heather should act a little more interested in serving diners.
(3)Mike H.
We finally just walked out. The place looks ok but the hostess tried to sit us at a dirty table when there was a perfectly clean one right next to our table and then after almost 5 minutes and still standing there waiting for someone we decided to leave. As we left the hostess made a snide comment to another worker that she told us they would clean the table. I guess a clean table isnt a given there.
(1)Ian R.
When I moved into the Altoona area I started looking for a good local restaurant that isn't a national chain. My wife had told me about Jethro's before I moved up but It was about a year later when I tried it. The food is great and the staff is very nice and speedy. I haven't had one bad meal yet. I try to get different food everytime I head up there to see if they're only good with one food group or another. They haven't failed me yet, so I highly recommend you try it. Its a nice place to meet friends for a drink or for a quick meal.
(5)