J Restaurant & Lounge

Not a bad place, but they did screw up our reservation. We had a party of 30 for drinks, and they completely screwed it up, suddenly charging people.

They ended up fixing it by refunding our money, giving us a larger reserved section, and comping us a bottle of champagne.

Fun place, worth going to and trying it out.

Pros: HUGE area, good music

Cons: Management

Posted 10/27/09

Good place to unwind

Posted 10/05/09

Nice lounge/patio club indoors modern and well serviced.

It felt like more of an Asian atmosphere (did not mind it) for those who are looking for that type of community and spot.

overall i think it was nice and i had a great time.

Pros: Great music

Cons: Admission fee/ Drinks are high

Posted 06/20/09

great family atmosphere. nice setting.... the ambiance really captures the experience. order, eat, enjoy...

Pros: Example: best croissants in town

Cons: What are the drawbacks?

Posted 03/26/09

The food was honestly terrible. It felt like fine dining (setting-wise) with cafeteria style food being served. We started the night with the Fritto Misto platter... how hard is it to screw up tempura? They managed. The dinners in general were average at best. The saddest part of the night was the fact that there was not one other table on a Friday night around 9:00pm. Our server was excellent, the hostess friendly and the rest of the staff were both attractive and highly diligent. Too bad they don't have their own food working for them...

Pros: Open Availability, Courteous and Diligent Servers

Cons: the FOOD

Posted 03/16/09

This is the best place for a Bachelorette Party--hands down! The bar is swanky and subdued--great lighting, great design features--a great place if you're not into the gaudy and annoying "Hollywood" bars that pepper the Sunset Strip. We opted for bottle service which was, in my opinion, the only way to go if you're with a large group. The music was great all night--a good mix with a little for everyone. The drinks were awesome (the Mango Mojito's were absolutely delicious). Our server, the bartenders, and the management helped make this one of the most enjoyable nights I've had out in L.A. Glad we made the trip downtown--it was well worth it!

Pros: Valet, Ambience, Service, Drinks/Food, Music

Posted 02/22/09

They have $3 martinis at lunch! What can I say? Well, Ahi Tare Tare was very good. Risotto was OK. Not crowded at lunch on Friday so nice and private. The back patio is really nice. Have to try next time

Pros: Food, Service

Cons: Parking. Plenty of parking (across the street, etc.) but no valet

Posted 02/19/09

My friend wanted to go to brunch at a place I'd never been too... and now, will never forget. J's was out of the blue....I never saw it coming. Great, great, great! Okay, so we had some freakishly amazing omelettes and tried to find the bottom of our "bottomless mimosas". Safe to say..never happened. :) Our server Melissa never stopped pouring, how often does that happen... that you actually get ALL you can drink? Never.. except here at J's.
But that's not the best part. So we had a Superbowl party to go to and kick back, relax, hang with or friends.....Never happened. We Never left. We called our friends and told them to get down here! It was twenty bucks! All you can eat and drink. One more time... twenty buck.
Beer garden upstairs, Buffet of snack perfection, Beer pong tournament outside on the hugest patio ever! They were building projection screens through out the place so everyone could have a sweet view of the game. (even though I counted at least 5 plasmas) Go big or go home!
The whole scene started to freak us out in a good way, why.. it was like we walked into J's personal Superbowl party and they couldn't be happier we stayed! Getting a drink from the bar was a breeze too. It was Superbowl sunday and the bar staff never looked away from the bar! How wierd is that! ( okay, well no one in the world was doing anything the last 10 minutes of the game, but if I wanted a drink I'm sure it would have happened.)
Safe to say, Never expected this kind of fun at a bar.
We'll be going this weekend to check things out "club wise" and let you know.
As for Sundays' at J Lounge.
We'll be there!

Pros: Great people, great food, great price, Great place.

Cons: Never knew!

Posted 02/03/09

The biggest lounge I have been to. They have an outdoor patio and an indoor area with seating and a full bar. There was an event going on when I went, so it was a little different, but interesting. Great place to just lounge and kick back and people watch.

Posted 01/28/09

J Lounge is hosting the official Los Angeles 2009 Inauguration Gala on January 20th. Great concept called The People's Party - in celebration of Obama and local philanthropists. Red Carpet Entry * Live Performances * Slide Show tribute to Barack Obama and the advancement of change in our society * Award Ceremony honoring individuals that have dedicated their lives to community service and philanthropy * There will also be televisions throughout the venue broadcasting the telecast of the Washington DC inauguration and galas. All proceeds go to three charities in the city...

Full details and tickets at 2009lainauguralgala dot com

Posted 01/04/09

it's 7:00 am on new years day and i am up just to post a bad review about this dumpster called j lounge. that's how bad it is.
on of my friends came across this club/resturant and was fooled by few fake good reviews and convinced a group of us to spend new years eve there.
even though tickets were purchased a month ago and were in hand we still had to wait in linnnnnnnnnne for no apparent reasons other than the management trying to create a fake vibe for the place.
once inside we were met with 3 portable plastic toilets to the right serving the whole first floor crowd, imagine having to wait in line in a new years party for half and hour to take a leak in a pitch black dark nasty portable toilet.
so the party program was:
an hour in line out side to get in...WITH TICKETS PURCHASED IN ADVANCE IN HAND.
1/2 hour in line to take a leak.
45 minutes in line to get a stupid drink.
and while at it listing to some lame a** music from a lame a** sound system, in a completely fake atmosphere and a fake not know any better crowd.
unless you are one of those losers who would shed out $3000+ for a VIP table, you'll be ignored, disrespected and not get you 1/5 of your money worth of service, drinks or food.

Pros: new years party was soo bad i left sober before midnite and had a chance to call friends and family and wish em a happy new year.

Cons: J lounge

Posted 12/31/08

I discovered J lounge early this year, and have been meaning to write something on here for a while!! I have a tendency to be critical of restaurants as I was in the hospitality industry for almost 10 years. And like most people, I don't have a tolerence for haughty attitudes, neglect, or bad management. That being said....
I have to say, on my numerous visits everyone was extremely friendly, from the smiling hostesses, who seemed classy, to the unique bartenders, to the professional servers. I have run into a couple of the managers as well and even the owner on occasion and they seem to recognize me too. How nice! Or, could it be the "good to see you again....(like everybody else)" face?? haha...no, actually they knew my name. Maybe I go to often!!? Well it is close by, and easy parking, so who can blame me?
My favorite night is Wednesdays when they do salsa. For those of us who aren't pros, its an intimate atmosphere with lots of guys willing to show you the steps!! They also have a group lesson, though I usually get there too late to really enjoy it!! I would suggest calling before you come in, as I noticed lately they close for a lot of private events on that night.
Hmmm....what else can I say? They have fun djs on the weekend, and their french toast and bottomless mimosas rock too!!

Pros: Easy parking, good service, and atmosphere

Cons: A bit cold, wear a sweater with your mini dress for dinner!!

Posted 11/25/08

J-Lounge has a great brunch! I'd love to see more people there. It's a great view from the patio, as you sip the BOTTOMLESS mimosas (and they're not in the slightest bit stingy with the Champaign or overly watered down with too much OJ)!

This is definetly an awesome place to stop in for a classy brunch without breaking the bank. Two of us left for under $40!

If you live downtown, you must support this place.

Pros: Good menu with great prices!

Cons: Buffet a little limited, but still good. No salt & pepper on tables?

Posted 07/26/08

Well i did not mind it ,but once you go to the lounge area it's just a nice look really relaxed with a big asian crowed. went to the club area and it was the same. but hey it depends who you roll and how you roll had a good time with my peeps.**WARNING** Very expensive for drinks lets say to coronas about 14$ no go

Pros: Nice area location

Cons: DRINK PRICES

Posted 05/20/08

I have eaten here many times. When this place first opened, the staff was pretty awesome and the original chef was on spot. But now, I feel it is best if you just have a salads, burger and/or pizza instead of trying to go big. The food is good but just isn't worth the top dollar. The beer selection is nice and have some nice cocktails too, though a bit pricey. The wine list has a good selection of old world and new world at decent prices. Depending on who is your server, service is a gamble and the knowledgeable staff is absent. The French manager dude has some real skills and the bartenders are cool. The dessert menu can be forgetable as they need to improve. J Restaurant and Lounge is cool during the weekdays when you just want to chill, drink, eat, smoke and watch some sports and girls. But, the weekends are to be avoided unless you wanna be hanging with amatuers and wanna be's all crowded together smelling like garlic.

Posted 12/01/07

The food is mediocre at best. You can't put teriyaki sauce on everything and call it fusion. But the patio is great for apres work cocktails!

Posted 11/11/07

I visited J Lounge on a Friday night late October, I was impressed with the place. One thing I wasn't impressed with was the drink prices, there seems to be a difference in how much you pay for a drink depending where and who you order it from. My friend and I ordered 2 apple martini's in the downstairs outside patio and paid $25.

We went upstairs and wanted to order food but we were told that all the seating sections were going to be bottle service only in a few minutes, so we didn't order. We went over to the upstairs bar near the smoking patio and the 2 male bartenders were rude, unattentive and more interested in carrying long winded conversations with friends than in providing service to the paying customers. I had the unforunate luck to end up with some guy named "AL" with bushy hair, this guy ignored me, despite me standing there directly in front of him. He proceeded to point over me and ask some of his buddies what did they want a drink, like I was invisible. When his I asked him if he didn't see me, he again asked his friends what did they want. His friend saw how this dude "Al" was ignoring me and told him to go ahead and take my drink order. I ordered and he charged me $15 dollars and said there was a 15% gratuity added. I couldn't believe this guy, aren't places supposed to let you know ahead of time they are adding gratuity?

Other than that the place was cool, the manager took care of it and the security staff was nice too. The music was so, so a little too retro sometimes and the all bottle service areas are a bit overboard. The crowd was mixed, mostly Asian. The patio area is beautiful but I would hesitate to go back.

Pros: Nice place, huge patio

Cons: Expensive drinks, difference in prices, wannabe rockstar bartenders

Posted 11/10/07

The first time i walked in here i thought "chicago." It didn't look like an LA restaurant to me. I like the space, even though it is quite large. The downstairs is nice for casual dinner. The food is good, not spectacular but good. Frederic, the manager/sommelier is a treat. I wish the wine list were more reflective of his scope and talent, but they are growing it. The patio is really pretty too, very nicely layed out with good views of parts of the skyline. I like the upstairs cigar patio as well, but I'm not as wild about the dance area. It's a little cheesy, and can attract big USC frat crowds.

Pros: good food, full bar, cool patio

Cons: dance club part cheesy, sometimes frat crowd

Posted 11/04/07

I am on the verge of breaking up with my girlfriend for making me attend her sister's birthday party at J's Lounge. The dump charged $225 for each bottle of Absolute and automatically applied 18% gratuity; in addition to charging our party for 4 bottles; instead of the 2 we ordered. On top of that, the waitress pocketed $160-$180 cash. The credit for the cash did not appear on any of the inflated bills. We are going to file a police report for running up our cards and overcharging. The short teen-age Pilipino manager dismissed our concerns. He feigned surprise and maintained innocence. I am surprised that the place is still in business. The place is largely unappealing. It smelled and there were only 2 bathrooms, with one stall each, serving a couple hundred low-class people. I recommend going to Chili's or TGI Friday's for 1/50 the cost for a similar experience. The best thing about the joint is the army of JC Penny suite-wearing half-witted bouncers/security guards whom walked around trying to appear important.

Pros: the EXIT sign, when we all left

Cons: Dumpy area (Its in Skid Row/Downtown LA for pete's sake) SHADY waitresses...A Pathetic attempt at a Hollywood scene

Posted 10/07/07

I went there based on the good reviews and was I surprised. I ordered fetuccine which arrived as a plate of mushy slop. I checked on the menu recently and it's no longer offered, maybe that's why, too many people complained?? Then there's the service. I have always received good service at every place and have a good attitude towards service personnel, and this was the first time in my life where a server's behavior was outright rude. Maybe it was something in the water that night, I paid an expensive price for awful food and rude service. Another friend of mine several days ago despite my warning and also did not enjoy her experience.

Pros: Nice decor

Cons: Expensive, sub-par food quality

Posted 10/02/07

if you're asian, your probably not getting in.. the bouncer at the door on saturday nights is a bit selective on what kind of people get in.

Posted 09/30/07

Great place for after work drinks or a fun night out with friends! They have multiple rooms with a different vibe. A place to dance and lounge upstairs. A small outdoor space for smokers to look up at the skylight. A HUGE outdoor area with cabanas and a fire pit to mingle and cozy up with someone. :)

Posted 09/09/07

loved it went last thursday for dinner,. food was great, portions where good!!! upstairs is super cool and the biggest patio I have ever seen, can't wait to go again. DJ starts at 10pm! if you are not too full after. Oh try the bed or roses cocktail!

Posted 09/05/07

The food was great, the service was great. I really dugg this place and I think that everyone should try it out!

Posted 08/29/07

This place is definitely a joke. It wants SO badly to be hip, trendy and Hollywood, but it instead comes off as a frat house with good lighting. Cavernous and empty describes both the space and it's soul. Just depressing to be there. The management appears VERY young and inexperienced - just a lot of guys in cheap looking suits trying to do their best Sopranos impression. The staff in the bars, however, were competent and engaging (granted, it was a slow night). The food and the drinks are WAY OVERPRICED! I can tell that they're trying to acheive something more than simple bar food (it is tolerable in that respect), but this is not a restaurant! It's a GIANT bar! You can't be all things to all people - choose one or the other or be mediocre at both. That's what this place is - mediocre. At least there's actually people at Busby's.

Pros: Giant patio

Cons: Food, price, atmosphere, decor . . .

Posted 08/02/07

PROMPT SEATING, IMPECABLE SERVICE, AWESOME AMBIANCE, AND A FASCINATING MENU. The food prepared was absolutely exquisite, the service unmatched!!! My wife and I had an absolutely amazing time, we let the chef surprise us with our entire meal, and we couldn't be happier. Excellent service, PERFECT DATE ATMOSPHERE!!!!!

Posted 08/01/07

I was one of the audience members who were at the J Lounge & Restaurant to see the Tina Kim comedy show on July 26, 2007 but the show was canceled about one hour before it was supposed to open. As we were standing on the sidewalk before going inside, Tina came out and told us the owner Sergio Dovarro had just canceled the show on her after being rude and disrespectful to her. J Lounge & Restaurant overbooked the space (letting other people sit in the space that was supposed to be reserved for the paying show audience -- who would have otherwise spent a lot on the drinks and food from which the restaurant would have profited.) That was very disappointing since I know Tina would never cancel her own show no matter what. I was so offended by the way the restaurant owner treated her and also because of the fact that he didn't have any respect for the audience members (who planned on seeing the show for weeks in advance and drove hours to get there) either. I would never go to the J Lounge & Restaurant again. They don't deserve my business as well as the business of about 200 other people who were there to see the Tina Kim show.

Posted 07/28/07

For someone that spends so much time in the South of France I am so pleased that there is a restaurant that pays attention to detail and is definetly using only the best ingredients. I do not usually write reviews but this time I just had to. For anyone who wants great food check this spot out and make sure to ask for the chef. He comes out to the tables. He took care of us so I am sure he will do the same for everyone. I definitely will be back.

Pros: cuisine

Cons: no shops near

Posted 07/16/07

The drinks are overpriced and not very strong. The patio is nice and large. If you are asian you'll love it-because basically thats all there is. Music is ok...

Pros: close parking

Cons: NO diversity. Weak spendy drinks

Posted 07/09/07

I had a fantstic dinner with my wife and friends. This place really knows what's important in a restaurant. They truly demonstrated that they understand food. Highly recommend to all that appreciate great food.

Pros: food

Cons: not close to my house

Posted 07/08/07

Everyone in the club was of Asian decent, there was not mixed crowd! I ordered 3 specialty drinks that they have on their drink menu which was Mango Mojitos...the bartender was idiot and made 3 regular mojitos and it dawned on him later that he made a mistake and then later went to go make the mango mojitos and tells me that they are all out. What a weirdo! The music was ok, the place has a huge outdoor patio in case you're looking for freash air. The music was average. The guys were not cute except for one! There were places to sit .....I guess you can gather that since it's a Lounge! I would not recommend this place if you are looking for diversity.

Pros: Large patio area

Cons: One type of crowd & overpriced drinks

Posted 07/08/07

The sommelier(who also happens to be the manager) is fantastic (Frederic Hemon)...he knows his s it about wine and food...avoid the "club" space at all costs...have dinner, relax order a wine that comes from Lebonon(yes!!)

The $18 drink prices(yes $18) and the crowds are to be avoided in the "club" area...would go again just for dinner...

Posted 07/06/07

I remember the days when a lounge was a place you could go to have a few drinks in a relaxed atmoshphere. That's just what J Lounge USED to be. When the place first opened I was able get there before 10 pm and walk in and have a drink without being hassled. The patio in the back is beautiful with a fire pit and tables for those who got there early enough to snag one. Nowadays, however, no one is allowed at the bars until 10 pm and a line forms out the door and everyone is charged an entrance fee...both men and women. The dress code is ridiculously strict. I had to argue with the bouncer, who was actually pretty friendly, for five minutes to let me in because I had some white on my shoes. I was told I would have to ask a guy who I assume was either the manager or the owner, who was standing just inside the doorway glaring at patrons as they entered to make sure the dress code was being enforced. When I attempted to speak with him he ignored me and walked up to the bouncer...I assume to reprimand him for letting me in. After getting in I walked out to the patio to grab a table, but noticed that all the tables are now reserved for bottle service only. Drinks are grossly overpriced, and management is arrogant and exude an attitude of superiority toward their patrons. My friends and I were all surprised and disappointed at the sudden turn for the worse J Lounge has taken. If they continue down this path, J Lounge is going to fizzle out fast. I assure you, any good reviews posted were either posted by J Lounge management/staff or were posted months ago when this place was actually enjoyable. Never again!

Pros: Ambience and decor

Cons: Overpriced, arrogant staff/management, terrible service

Posted 06/24/07

How about waiting an hour for appetizers and 30 minutes for drinks that had been sitting at the bar waiting for the waitress to bring them to us. Then getting attitude from the managment that it was our fault because we ordered the food from the waitress rather than the bartender. even the busboy got into the act and defended the fact that our food didnt come out on time because there was an error and our food was given to someone else. when we pointed out that others were getting their food, we were told it was because they preordered their food! The least they could have done was tell us of the faux paus. instead we had to track them down!

WORST SERVICE AND OUTRIGHT RUDE!!

Pros: nice ambiance

Cons: rude service

Posted 06/24/07

Our party of 6 arrived at J Restaurant & Lounge on a Saturday at 5:00 P.M. The restaurant did not open until 6:00 P.M. but we were escorted to the back patio area and before we knew it, they opened the bar and bar food was brought to us. It was calamari and pita bread slices. They were both excellent. We all ordered mojitos and I can tell you they are one of the best in town! Promptly at 6:00 they came outside to let us know that the table was ready. The food was absolutely wonderful. The service was impecable. Our waitress was very friendly and knowledgeable about the food. We all had a great time and would definitely recommend it very highly

Pros: Great food, great service and a terrific atmosphere

Cons: None

Posted 06/19/07

Wonder what the "J" stands for in J Lounge??? It stands for JOKE. This place is just that. A JOKE. While the facade it puts on reminds its patrons of a place that once had class and character, this newly renovated and "revamped" lounge is by far the worst experience I have had in LA in a long time. Stemming from a chef who's bases his cooking on the notion that "spices were invented to cover the rancidity of meat" J Restaurant and Lounge takes its terrible attention to quality of food and carries it over into their service and drinks. Overpriced drinks, which I'm immune to these days in LA and don't mind paying for when service is friendly, are coupled with attitudinal bartenders and unknowledgable waitresses. If you like waiting half an hour to get a drink, then when you order have the bar tender scoff at you and swear under his breath because he doesn't want to make the signature drink they advertise, then this place is for you. Oh and if you like an overly cocky owner who is just as unfriendly and scummy as the place he operates, then by all means, check it out for yourself. STAY AWAY AT ALL COSTS. If I was able to, I'd score this negative stars. FYI too, I have been to this place more than once, always with the hopes of it changing because I like the decor, and each time I had a worse experience and been more disappointed always leaving upset.
Just so you know, after speaking with an ex J Lounge employee, the only positive reviews about this place are from the owner under false city search names. Joke Lounge is not worth your time, energy, headache, or money!

Pros: physical space had potential

Cons: everything else

Posted 06/19/07

Rude management. Descent food. OK bar. Nice view.

It was my girlfriend's birthday and she was forced to make dinner reservations at 7:15 because the restaurant was booked with "reservations" for 8 o'clock. However, as 8:00 rolls around the place is COMPLETELY EMPTY with us and a small family of four sitting at the WORST tables in the house.

The management seemed to be very comfortable with treating diners like dirt, just because it was a saturday night and they had a line of like 3 people standing outside. Also, it seemed rather odd that a restaurant has a "No Birthdays" policy. Lucky for us though, our waiter was gracious enough to fixed us up a small dessert with a candle in it.

My advise, don't go for dinner. But i guess the bar is OK. Even though there are dozens of better bars to chose from in LA with better locations and friendlier service.

And, I forgot to mention that the drinks at the bar were overpriced, yet they were still weak.

Pros: The food was OK. But I could get way better for the same price.

Cons: Reservations were a nightmare. Management made no effort to accomodate our group of 7.

Posted 05/20/07

OK so you aren't going there for the food if you do go there for dinner like I did....oops. I ordered pasta with mussles and the shells were there but no mussells. My best gues is that they did me a favor...lesson learned its a bar - order bar food.

Anyway
The drinks are legit from standard mixed drinks to the more exotic cocktails- service is standard and friendly. But the bar has a phenomenal view of downtown, a great patio you almost feel like you are in someone's backyard, maybe in NYC. They draw a fun, very good looking & well styled crowd - definetely a good spot to meet people dancing or outside chatting. In my opinion the bar offers something for everyone, just not dinner. (fyi the bar food is solid)

Pros: view, drinks, people

Cons: i think ive made myself clear

Posted 05/15/07

WORST service! IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR CHAIR IN THE PATIO AREA MAKE SURE YOU GUARD IT WITH YOUR LIFE. THE SHORT HAIR WAITRESS TOOK TWO OF OUR CHAIRS AWAY AND WANT TO KICK US OUT, ALSO TOLD US THEY ARE NOT IN CITY SEARCH. GUESS WHAT I HOPE YOU ARE READING THIS BECAUSE I FOUND YOU! Drinks are good they will add 18% tip on your tab no need to park valet, there is a $5 parking near by

Posted 05/13/07

worst place I have EVER been to.... the service was bad, the food was worse, and the drinks were so overprices it was a joke.
do not listen to the fake reviews posted by the staff - this place is BAD!

Pros: none

Cons: food, service, menu, drink prices

Posted 04/27/07

This place is great. The bouncers were actually REALLY nice when we went. In LA, that is SUPER rare. The decor is great, the dance floor was large and well air conditioned. There are TONS of places to sit down, which I love. THere are plasma TV's strategically positioned throughout this space. The space is really well designed. There is a patio (which isnt that smokey at all) that is awesome. There are 6 cabanas, its own bar, and a superb view of the downtown skyline and a really cool fire pit. You even get the view of the Eastern. All in all, the club was very balanced between lounge and dance club. I will definitely go back again. If the crowd continues to be chill, and the bouncers continue to be cool, this will be on my regular rotation.

In the end. My opinion is to go check it out for yourself. In the downtown renassaince, places are up and down and everyone has their own opinions. It is best to check places out once a month and see whats going down. Stop being afraid of downtown, and come check it out and form your own opinions

Posted 04/27/07

Taking advantage of living downtown, my wife and I decided to celebrate a special occasion (a birthday) by "walking" to J restaurant for dinner on a Friday night. We had reservations for 8 p.m. After a nice stroll from our loft, we arrived to find this great place. We were greated very warmly and shown to our booth. The atmosphere is great, nice furnishings and very romantic. I will say that this it is a very large restaurant according to LA standards. The service was great, attentive but not bothersome. The wine and drink choices were abundant. The wine list is sufficeint, but as I say in all my review of restaurants, ease up on the corkage fee, allow patrons to at least bring their own bottle of wine. The food was outstanding and portions large (important to me since I am a big guy (athletic build) and like to eat), since sharing is our thing. We had the calamari and ceasar salad which were both very good. The hot bread and butter is a nice touch. We had the roasted pork and mashed potatoes which could have only been improved upon if they would have served it on a warmed plate. But for the quantity and quality, it was delicious and more than enough for the two of us. We were there for about an hour and half, very leisurely dinner and then took a tour of the place. The lounge upstairs is nice, the outside atrium/patio area (similar to that of the Golden Gopher) was nice, especially with the window and the plasma screen TV nicely aligned was cool. This would be a nice place for an after dinner drink. I know that there are some unhappy folks with the lounge staff, but for a nice dinner, close to home for us, it was a great evening and would definetly return. We are looking forward to this summer and hopefuly some happy hours on the back patio.

Posted 04/20/07

Wow, this place is great! It is romantic and the atmosphere is amazing. I dont recommend you come in your sneakers, baggy jeans and Sean Paul t-shirt. This place is classy and if you want to go to a place with kids and teens this is not the place for you! Plus the place is HUGE! There are areas for everyone. I'd say the younger crowd is up stairs on the dance floor! Plus all the Plasma add a lil something different. The paintings are amazing! The one near the restroom on the third floor of the Beetles is unbelieveable! Its a beautiful place and I highly recommend it! Best mojitos i've ever had!

Pros: Valet, drinks, atmosphere

Cons: none!!!!

Posted 04/11/07

I remember when this place was unpretentious, friendly. What a difference a few months makes, eh J Lounge? The doormen (in particular the chubby guy with short hair that looks like a ninja turtle) have no sense of humbleness or hospitality. They present themselves with classless arrogance and take their paltry hourly wage job way too seriously. They're unaccommodating, when they don't even need to be. Trust me, with staff like this it won't be long until the novelty fades and this place dies out. There are far nicer places than this one, The Edison for one, that will be better worth your time. If you want Hollywood, go there. No need to put up with the mini-me Hollywood attitude here. My friends and I will NOT be returning again. Good job J Lounge, you just lost about 40 patrons in one night. ______

Here's a tip: J Lounge flagrance knows no boundaries. Check your receipts when you pay by credit card. They'll add an 18% "service" fee on drinks. J Lounge will then conveniently add a tip line even after they charge you the 18% fee. Sometimes you'll get the extra receipt with the service charge shown. Sometimes you won't. Be wary.

Pros: Large outdoor area, loungey decor

Cons: Service, pathetic doormen, music (unless you like top 40 hip hop from 6 months back)

Posted 04/10/07

While the J Lounge's strength is in its large open venue, this place leaves a lot to be desired. For one, its management is clearly untrained and has no sense of hospitality (with the exception of the servers, bartenders, and the guy who hands you paper towels in the bathroom). As for the Managers and the bouncers, beware. They are obnoxious, rude, and for some reason forget they are not on Hollywood Blvd catering to the likes of young JT or Paris Hilton, but overseeing an establishment that is blocks away from Skid Row. A bouncer told my friend he didn't like the collar on his shirt and almost refused him entry! But what is truly laughable is the J Lounge's third reich enforcement of their shoe policy. They will pretend to sweat you on your trendy pair of sneakers (the same ones you can wear into Area and Hyde), but will with painstaking reluctance let you in after some bodyguard huddling and play calling. But the real joke is once you get inside, and find yourselves surrounded by a crowd that could mislead you into thinking you just stepped into the throes of another downtown venue, the LA City Jail. Don't drop the soap!

In short, if you must party in downtown, go to Edison. Otherwise take yourself up the 101 to Hollywood.

Posted 04/02/07

My father booked two tables for our family party last thursday night at J Lounge. What can I say ? This place might be paradise, but then paradise doesn't close at 11pm. Still, this is a great place to roll the end of the afternoon into the evening, especially after a day's work.

Posted 04/02/07

I have been to J Lounge on 4 occasions, each one progressively worse than the last. I will NEVER go back there. The rudeness and arrogance of the staff completely negate any small positives J's has to offer. While J lounge claims that there is no cover before 10 pm, what the sneaky management does is prevent people from going in, claiming that it actually doesnt "open" until 10 pm. We had had a guestlist sent in specifically so as to not have to deal with this hassle and had agreed to reserve an area upstairs for $600. The bouncers walk away from you when you are trying to talk to them, even when we told them that we had arranged for a reservation space. After 30 minutes of this BS, we left - J Lounge can thank its bouncers for losing out on a fair chunk of revenue (we had 60+ people in or group). On another occasion, after having my ID checked, I started going inside only to have the bouncer grab my arm and say extremely rudely, "you have to wait here, i didn't say you could go in yet." because he had to check the rest of my friends' IDs? Um, it's cold out and you should neither be speaking to people like that nor should you touch your patrons. Finally, the last time I went, I had friends dining inside and had planned to meet them for dessert so that we could all go upstairs together. When I got to the door, the bouncer told me that I could not go in to see my friends, because I did not have "dinner reservations." And the fact that a group of my friends were already inside eating made no difference, I could not go in to look for them. Overall customer service standards are nonexistent at this place, and the general disdain that everyone working here shows towards patrons is disgusting. I've never experienced this level of rudeness anywere - completely unwarranted, as the music is spotty to poor, drinks are ridiculously overpriced and let's face it - it's downtown LA, a few blocks from skid row, not Hollywood. Beware - J lounge is TERRIBLE.

Pros: Large space

Cons: RUDE staff, expensive, music is all over the place

Posted 03/31/07

I went to J Lounge last saturday night to celebrate my wife's birthday. The dining room was pretty crowded and noisy. But thought it is a great adress for both fans of Mediterraneen food and anyone counting their dollars. The voluminous menu here offers generally excellent food tour of Europe with dishes from South of France and Italia.

Posted 03/25/07