Joanna's Restaurant, Crystal Palace, London

Crystal palace’s oldest restaurant, it’s been here for 30-40 years I think, and gets its name fom the days when it used to have a piano in the widnow.

This is the place to head for in CP if you’ve got a date to impress or you need to take the parents somewhere 'nice’.

Traditional European food, modern British and French with a bistro-ish feel to it. Pies, burgers, steaks, seafood - it’s nothing adventurous but it’s pretty good quality and the service is pretty impeccable.

We got a snotty reception once when we turned up without a booking, with a baby in a pram but that’s about it.

My favourite eatery in SE19 without a doubt.

I’m glad Joanna’s is in South London while I live in North London. If I had this on my doorstep, I’d probably pledge all earnings to them and just move in. It’s just a great local.

After some excellent cocktails - which I really wasn’t expecting to find around Crystal Palace, being a complete snob - the food was crowd pleasing stuff, but set apart from the masses by the sheer quality of the ingredients and a chef who really knows his onions. Pork belly was exemplary, my lithe companion packed away a huge, perfectly cooked steak, puddings were comfort food of the highest order. Every area should have one.

I love Joanna’s! Have been coming here for over two years now, and have always found the service to be exceptional and the food is great. Portion sizes seem just about right to me (do I sound like goldilocks?), I just wish they still did the peach trifle that was on the menu in 2006! It is nearly always busy, and you definitely have to book on fridays and saturdays. They do a really good kir royale at the bar, and it is nice that you get offered a drink at the bar before your meal whatever time you turn up and however busy they appear to be.

I’ve been going to Joanna’s with my husband for five years now and it’s my favourite local restaurant.

I’m very surprised at the previous reviewer as I’ve only ever managed to eat a starter and main - I’ve always been too stuffed for a pudding. I’m sure their portion sizes are typical of restaurants in Crystal Palace, but I guess everyone has different sized tummies!

What did you eat, master-bates? I’m wondering if you ordered off their 'light lunch’ menu, which serves smaller portions at cheaper prices, because it’s a 'light lunch’ option I guess. So the roast on that menu is cheaper and smaller than their typical Sunday Roast, which has loads of roast beef, vegetables, roast potatoes (so many I always leave at least two) and a HUGE yorkshire pudding. Yum! I’ve definitely never been left hungry and I’d certainly recommend this place to anyone visiting the area.

Joanna’s is a traditional restaurant,serving european food (mainly British,though 'modern’,& here lies the rub),has a good quiet & exclusive ambience,& its a really pleasant place to unwind with friends.
However,i have to take serious exception to the now miniscule size of the food portions.Yes its all good quality,but what’s the point when a main course is smaller than what i would define as a typical starter?
I am a local & its a convenient & pleasant place to go with my friends.By now i’ve tried most of the dishes on the menu hoping to find one that will at least fill me up so that i can have a reason to return,but each time,i have been disappointed.
The last time i was there,in desparation i asked the waitress to persuade the chef for a decent sized portion,but no,i just got the usual delicately served Lilliputian morsel,as though it comes off some rigid conveyor belt.When i mentioned this,the waitress suggested an extra sausage which i thought a decent gesture,but then on the bill, i found they had added on that sausage!
Its 'sunday roast’ Jim,but not as we know it.
This is a real pity,as traditional restaurants with dark wood panelling,unobtrusive jazz music,& an almost French sense of style are rare.
So, 2 stars for its style & atmosphere.Quelle dommage! This restaurant could so easily be a real corker,there is so much potential,but its let down by its meanness,which spoils the whole place.