J Restaurant & Lounge

My friends and I went there on a Friday couple weeks ago, and had the most horrible experience. The management at the lounge was rude and frustrating. We were there for about an hour ordering drinks after drinks and ended up leaving after an argument with the management. They moved a chair (cushion) that my sister was using, and when we told them we were using it, he manager said in the most pretentious tone, "we're doing you a favor by letting you sit here" and then started to walk away. I would never return to this place ever again.

Pros: NONE

Cons: service/ management

Posted 03/25/07

Last night a friend and I celebrated our b-days at J Lounge. We had reserved a couple of tables in the upper lounge area. We wanted the night to go smoothly so that we could enjoy ourselves, but the J Lounge management made it difficult for us to do so:
*When I made my reservation I wasn?t told about the ?business/casual? dress code. The management wouldn?t let my bf & the other b-day girl?s bf in bc they weren?t in the dress code. We are all bus. students. Our closets are full of bus./casual attire. If we had been told that there was a dress code, our bf?s would have come in the dress code. My bf drove home to change, but the other girl?s bf could not do so. Management let him in after he pointed out that other patrons w/ sneakers on were being admitted.

*The doormen told me that my guests arriving after 11 pm would have to pay a cover charge. I told them that I had called twice to confirm that no one on my guest list would have to pay a cover charge the entire night. They said they would ?take care of it? & not charge my guests. Unfortunately, about 30 min. later 4 of my friends arrived & had to pay the cover. I talked to management about this and they returned the money, but it was frustrating having to deal w/this matter.

*When I had to pay for the 3 bottles, the other b-day girl & I told the waitress to split the difference btwn. our credit cards. As we were paying, we were harassed 3 to 4 times to leave the club because they were closed . Our waitress came back w/ receipts that were overcharging us by more than $300. We told her & management that this was incorrect. They went back a 2nd time to fix this and came back again w/ receipts that were overcharging us. I don?t know if they thought we were dumb/drunk USC girls & that they could hustle us out of money, or if they were dumb themselves & did not know how to do basic math. Finally , the 3rd time around the receipts were correct.

Go to the Standard or Edison if you want to party in downtown.

Posted 03/24/07

I went to J Lounge because one of my friends was celebrating her birthday there. We arrived a bit early and decided to grab a quick bite prior to our long night of drinking. Our server Crystal was very knowledgeable about the food and made a few recommendations. The service there was excellent and comfortable, something extremely rare in more trendy restaurants nowadays. Being am ex-server myself, I am extremely particular to the close attention I received by our waitress. The lounge is small but very happening as the DJ played the regular hits. The smoking patio is adequate I guess since I never ventured out there. We had table service and the pricing was excellent compared to the premium you would usually pay at a Hollywood club. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a lounge or a smaller club on a Friday night.

Pros: Great service, food and bottle pricing was very low

Cons: Rounds of drinks will add up quickly, long lines for bar service upstairs, Tip: Get a table and bottle.

Posted 03/11/07

visited the restaurant per a recommendation by a friend who raved about the service and quality of the ingredients. i was a little hesitant at first as this area was located in a unique neighborhood. however, our server, crystal, made us feel right at home. she was very patient with our group (there were 8 of us) and not once did we have to look up or try to establish eye contact for a refill on our drinks or to request something. refreshing to finally have great service at a l.a. restaurant! on to the food. crystal recommended the salmon and it was a great choice. it was not dry and the sauteed carrots were cooked/seasoned perfectly as well. truly a great dish. worth trying is the tuna tartare and the crab cakes (tasty but a little greasy for me). oh yeah, don't forget to check out their full-service bar. had a couple drinks with michael. very cool guy that knows his drinks, was very accomodating and took care of all of us. will def be back again. great food, great service, great drinks.

Pros: Service, Ambience, Food

Cons: Unique Location

Posted 03/10/07

I've heard so much about this restaurant, so I had to go for myself and was not disappointed. Try the soup of the day. They are always tasty. Very romantic place. Would highly recommend to anyone.

Posted 03/02/07

I visited the Restaurant last wednesday and I was pleasantly surprised at how busy it was at midday. I think this is a good sign as long as the service is equally good which it was. The tuna tartare was nice and fresh. I enjoyed the Pizza Siciliana. yummmmmy! My friend had the J burger which was throughly enjoyed. Great Lunch and I would definetly recommend the restaurant to others.

Posted 03/02/07

A two floor ( and one Lounge ) club where Saturday night seeps into Sunday and the party people just keep going. The party's started in the first Lounge with resident DJ Carlos showing the dance floor how it's done. But if it gets too much, kick back in the Lounge or patio with a pit fire and romantic private cabanas.

Posted 03/01/07

J Restaurant presents constantly evolving menus and a carefully matched wine list. All designed to reflect an ethos of innovation and creativity.

Posted 03/01/07

Wow! The one word which repeadly tripped from my tongue and onto the gilded dinner plate as I relaxed in the Heaven is... J Lounge Restaurant.
J Restaurant has that magical quality that really marks an amazing dowtown restaurant out from a crowd of merely remarkable ones. Some people call it the X-Factor, I call it the J factor.
I could, without difficulty, go on and write an essay celebrating J Lounge's triumph in reaching out to my heart in such a savage fashion... but I won't because I have a hot date with one of those latina supermodels in ten minutes. Guess where I'm taking her.

PS. Extended thanks to Sergio for the Mango Mojito cocktail. Wow!

Posted 03/01/07

A couple of buddies & I came into J last Friday night & had a blast. We kicked back on the cigar lounge, smoked cigars, had a few cocktails & ate some amazing pizza!! We even made friends with one of the cocktail waitressess who made our evening even more fun!! Andrea was so friendly & all smiles, in fact we're going back tonight!! This just might be the regular Friday night hang out we've been looking for since moving downtown. Haven't had dinner there yet but I highly reccomend the lounge!!

Pros: Cigar Lounge, Music, Service

Cons: Not sure yet

Posted 03/01/07

Came with my husband before a night at the Disney concert hall. We live in the west side and were pleased to find this restaurant. We took Olive North to the concert hall and found the Valet convenient. Great food, ambiance and a nice time. Highly recommend.

Pros: Cuisine

Cons: More dessert selections

Posted 02/28/07

Had a great time there last night. Lauren is an absolutely fantastic server. I look forward to going back and sampling their wine menu.

Posted 02/28/07

Definitly one of the best Mediterrean restaurant outside France. The J Lounge Restaurant has atmosphere, fantastic food and is an escape from Los Angeles. They also have the friendliest bartenders ever. Thank you for this great experience Sebastien.

Posted 02/28/07

Went out for a Sturday night I can finally say that downtown has a venue that you can eat and enjoy an after dinner drink at the same location. This place is exclusive and inclusive at the same time. They let you know your special and at the same time there is no pretentious "Hollywood Types - Standard Types" walking the floor. Hey great job and KUDOS to bartender Johnny for making my wife and I the mango mojitos...Delicious

Posted 02/27/07

To be honest, before I went to the J Lounge I read the reviews both negative and positive and was really skeptical about checking this place out, but as faith would have it I ended up at The J Lounge for a friends birthday party and was blown away. I have ran some of the most upscale Lounges, Nightclubs, and Restaurants for the past 10 years and was raised in a family who was in the service industry. So I have a very High Standard to satisfy, when it comes to Lounges and Restaurants. Happy to say J Lounge met them with flying colors, The Place to start of is wonderful. and classy. and for those who miss that New York loft mystique this is the place for you. The Food was fairly priced and delicious, the ambiance was very warm and comfortable, you could tell from the start that the staff and management took time to make sure everyone was comfortable.

I was so happy with the place that I decided to celebrate my birthday here, and that in itself was an experience. Me being the one who is always running things at events. I expected to have a few mishaps threw out the night cause unfortunately those things happen. Folks! the night was perfect, all my guest who happen to be in the entertainment or service industry were very impressed with the place, the drinks were great and my waitress Carlisle was outstanding, she made sure everyone was taken care of with there drinks, but at the same time she made sure everyone was having a good time not to mention was very knowledgeable when it came to the different drinks and liquors.

So it is clear to see that this is this New York natives new favorite spot... but I Highly Recommend that you see for yourself what classy service this place is all about.

Pros: Great Service ,Ambiance and Food

Cons: More people don't know about this place

Posted 02/27/07

I recently had a bad experience at J Lounge so I decided to read its reviews to see if it was just me...and my gosh, I echo the reviews about bad service. The first 2 times we went on a Friday night, I thought it was such a great hang out spot and told everyone about it. The third time ruined it all. A cocktail server dropped a glass in the smoking patio, which my friends and I all saw, and I guess she never came back to clean it up, because later on that evening, a friend stepped in it unknowingly while standing around the heat lamp, and the glass cut her foot. After cleaning up in the bathroom, she notified the owner and Sommelier and the best they could do was offer a questionably genuine apology and 2 free drinks. That was unfortunate because anyone less forgiving than my friend might have taken legal action because a patron getting injured due to staff negligence is unacceptable. Knowing that, I would think the management staff would be more doting or apologize profusely or offer a free dinner or something. Not a chance. It was as if they didn't care if we ever came back. The Sommelier asked us to email him the incident for documentation purposes, and once that email was sent, there was no response or acknowledgement. I agree with the other reviewers that professionalism and customer service is highly lacking and if the business really wants to be successful, management needs to seriously consider dropping their arrogant attitudes and respect all paying customers. Might I also add that I overheard one of the management staff tell a patron who was waiting outside the business, on the sidewalk for the valet, to leave because he was standing there "a little too long". I don't know what kind of clientele they are trying to target, but if attorneys and highly successful downtowners are asked to leave, I question how long this place will last as a "hotspot". I thought I found a great place, but too bad, I will never go back there again.

Pros: Valet, Ambience, Nice Bartenders

Cons: Service, Music

Posted 02/27/07

I was just looking at some reviews from resturants in the area and i came arcoss J lounge and i was very surprised about the reactions from people about J lounge. I went there about a week ago for dinner and for some drinks upstairs at the lounge. Dinner was pretty good, it was something different compared to other resturants in the the area and it gives off a totally different vibe, a good one. I tried the calamari and its was by far the best i've had in awhile, It wasn't to dry and it wasn't to salty. For dinner i had the roast pork and it was very good.. it was very soft and tender. The service was decent plus you have to keep in mind that they're only been open for awhile so they have to get all the kinks out but overall i think it was pretty good. Then after we had dinner we went upstairs for some drinks in the lounge. I love the setting and the decor, It reminds me of a Miami meets New York kind of scene. The dj played good music and everyone was dancing. I liked how he changed it up and he played different kinds of music. Overall i had a pretty good time with all my friends. At the end of the night i found out that after 10 o'clock the have a 10 dollar cover charge which isn't that bad compared to other lounge and some people were complaining but I was like com'on if you cant pay 10 bucks to get in then you're not goin to spend anything at the bar.. if you go out you're there to go out and spend money If not then just stay home and watch a movie..

Pros: Decor, Music, Good Service, Very roomie, Outside Patio, Valet parking

Cons: Long waiting line

Posted 02/26/07

I just came on here to see what other people thought of J Lounge because I?ve been and wasn?t happy. I wasn?t going to write a review but the review from ?frenchyfred? grabbed my attention. At 1st I found it a bit odd that the review was so over the top endorsing the place?how many times did ?frenchy? visit? He seems ready to sound off on every night of the week, lots of items and even lunch...wow he must have visited a lot. Here?s another explanation, the sommelier?WHO IS FRENCH?also happens to be named FREDERIC. FRENCH+FREDERIC=FRENCHYFRED. Hmmm it all makes sense now. No wonder frenchyfred likes the place so much. There?s also the 100% positive review from garie?who?s never reviewed anything else and seems to think J Lounge is the best place ever!! (yes, he likes to use lots of exclamation points). Come on. Does this sound real:?I really love the attention to detail, my girlfriend was so happy!...Everyone from the server, to our very own cocktail server gave us the attention we were looking for! If only more people knew about J Lounge, they would apprecitaie [sic, um is that French?] the gorgeous decor, delicious gourmet food, and beautiful views of the downtown skyline.? Hmm and it?s funny both of these reviews (frenchyfred + garie) came on THE SAME DAY. But really, this desperate effort by management is reflective of how the place is run. 1st they can?t speak English even when they?re trying to post fake positive reviews. This is how the server was when I went there for dinner two weeks ago. Not really sure if he spoke English because we didn?t get much attention. 2nd, they think that positive reviews can outweigh slow, inefficient, arrogant service. The place is superficially beautiful (we agree on that) but underneath..not so much. Other reviewers sum up the dinner section nicely-it is OVER PRICED. Third, they really do think they?re special. What they don?t understand is a special reputation has to be earned. Good luck management-keep the fake reviews coming

Pros: parking, beautiful inside, nice outdoor area

Cons: arrogant managers, slow inattentive service, food was boring & overpriced

Posted 02/26/07

If you're looking for a hip yet classy spot the J Lounge is it! I have visited this restaurant several times but my favorite time is at night. You can see the downtown city lights from the upstairs lounge and from the awesome patio with private cabanas. It's a great place to hold an event. The staff is courteous and professional. The menu has a variety to choose from to please everyone. I have referred many people and received positive feedback. Spread the word!!!

Pros: Decor, Valet parking, Private cabanas, Ambiance

Cons: Absolutely nothing!!

Posted 02/26/07

The best place to celebrate!!
I recently put together a birthday party at J lounge for my girlfriend's 30th this past weekend... turned out to be the best celebration we have spent together in 5 years! All it took was making reservations with the hostess for bottle service in the lounge, which was very affordable considering I was able to have a 40 person guestlist at the door.
We started out with dinner around 8pm. Everyting from the tuna tartar to the fork tender filet was superb!! Everyone was highly impressed with thier meal, as well as the vast and unique wine selection. Kudos on the presentation of the wine as well, it really makes this restaurant stand out. The delivery of the cake was also exceptional, with a special decoration designed on every plate! We loved the attention to detail, my girlfriend was so happy!
We continued up to the second floor lounge where we had a great vip spot reserved on the dance floor, and we danced the night away. Everyone from the server, to our very own cocktail server gave us the attention we were looking for! If more people knew about J lounge, they would apprectaie the gorgoeus decor, delicious gourmet food, and beautiful views of the downtown skyline...BY FAR THE BEST PLACE TO CELEBRATE A SPECIAL NIGHT!! We will definately be regulars at this hot new spot!

Pros: Decor,patio space, service, food&wine!

Cons: Not good for young kids

Posted 02/25/07

BANNED!!!! I went there on Friday night with my boyfriend to have a nice dinner. 1. hostess would not seat us at first because we didn't have a reservation and the place was half empty. 2. service sucked: did not refill my water and server was not friendly and barely spoke english 3. food arrived very slow 4. my boyfriend had the chicken entree which was was completely dry and worse than fast food chicken. 5. i had a salmon plate in which the salmon was cold and the middle was still pink. overall, this place was a rip off for the quality or should i say lack of quality on the food and service.

Pros: DECOR

Cons: BAD SERVICE, BAD FOOD, OVERPRICED

Posted 02/25/07

I went few diffrent times as i always do to rate a place. Happy hours during the week to enjoy the delicious pizzas, bar menu after a basket ball game(the J burger is fantastic), wenesday/thursday USC party, fridays and saturdays clubbing...I got to have dinner with my friends and a large party for a birthday. I never got dissappointed. The summer looks good with enormous outdoor patio. All the friends i took to J got impressed with the set up. The view of downtown is incredible. I highly recommend J for any time...Got to try lunch...

Pros: Space/decor, drinks selection, outdoor patio, fire pit...

Cons: crowed on weekends

Posted 02/25/07

This place is such a waste. One of my friends had a bunch of us go for her bday party on Friday night. Lots of USC girls/guys there ready to have a good time. I think lots of people are hoping the place will be the new spot. But NO. We had dinner--overpriced. Would have rather stayed and had USC food on campus. Waiter wasn't friendly even though we were spending lots. Slow service. Rude bouncer. OH then lots more people came and we were looking to party. But it took FOREVER to get a drink. Ummm, excuse me---do you want my money??? It was unreal.
THe music was all over the place too. Everyone I was with tried to make the best of it but after about an hour we were all ready to head back to campus and up some parties instead. We were all wishing the 90 was open. Only problem...we couldn't get taxis. There were about 25 of us and it took forever to get them. We asked some people at the place to call us some taxis and they refused. One guy said, "don't you have a cell phone?"
Just a terrible experience. Will not go back.

Pros: close to campus

Cons: terrible service, terrible prices, bad food, rude staff....the list goes on

Posted 02/24/07

A friend & I went for dinner as we were meeting a large group (about 100 people) for a friends birthday party. The ambiance was great- but the food- HORRIBLE. Ceaser salad tasted like it was made with mustard only, calamari tasted like friend chicken, & the ahi- a mess. To top it off- out waitress was slow as could be & didn't know anything about any item on the menu or any drink at the bar. PLUS, at the end of our meal, we were told that they "did not split checks"!!!!!!! Be warned! Bring cash! Even for 2 people like us- the manager finally ok'd it but they made a big deal out of it. Later we went to the outdoor space for the party- but the patrons overall were snoody, unattractive, & unfriendly. The only pros were the design of the place & the fact that the bartenders made strong drinks- probably because the place was mostly empty & they were trying to get rid of the liquor. If you have to go- DO NOT EAT THERE- i had other friend who ate there that night also & their food was horrible as well. For the money it was a waste. SKIP THIS PLACE!

Pros: strong drinks, nice design

Cons: food, serivice, people, overpriced, cannot slipt the check on credit cards, unintelligent & slow service, & did I mention the FOOD

Posted 02/24/07

I visited J Lounge last Saturday for what was supposed to be a fun night out dancing with the girls. First off, parking was good, was only $5, lots of it. But had I known how much this place sucked then I wouldn't have paid it, but instead tried to get street parking somewhere. We weren't on the guestlist so cover was $10. Again, would have been fine... but not for this place, someone should pay me more than $10 to go there again. At the door, the "bouncer" was extremely rude. I was the first in line to show I.D., and he told me not to go anyhwere, but I tried to step to the side to make room for my friends to show him their I.D. and he touched my shoulder and said to me, i already told you to stay. I cant believe this place allows them to talk to their patrons like that! But whatever, i wasnt gonna let him ruin my night... No, because that was taken care of by the pathetic DJ. It was the most infuriating thing to want to dance, but then to have the worlds worst music be played. for example, he would play Beyonce, but he would play her slowest song, and he wouldnt even try to up the tempo, then next he would play a latino rap, then next some song i never heard before. when we asked him to play something else, he rudely replied that he saw people dancing so he could not be doing that bad. he didnt even understand that the people that were dancing were like us and just wanted to dance, despite his effed up music selections. The drinks were not very good either and for being such a big bar, it took like 5 minutes to get our drinks. By the end of the night, some drunk girl had passed out, and again, as security went by me to get her to the bathroom he pushed me to the side, so apparently its okay if i fall down but not for the drunk girl. The only reason why I got a citysearch account was just to let everyone know this place was terrible and to not waste their money. Perhaps the night i went to was bad, but i still dont think I will ever go again. :(

Pros: Cute Decor?

Cons: Terribly rude staff, worlds worst music played here

Posted 02/23/07

We were VERY disappointed by J. We arrived early and sat at the bar upstairs (also no valet in sight so we had to park in a lot nearby). The bartender was not there but his "assistant " was there. We had to wait for the glass of champagne as it wasn't at the bar upstairs (had to run downstairs). Shouldn't the restaurant be prepared if they are open for business????!!! The glass of champagne and martini were $30 (give me a break). The food was SO uninteresting and mediocre that I can't even relay what it was....I can tell you that my partner had the salad with the poached egg on top which was in fact "hard boiled." When we told the waiter he basically shrugged his shoulders. My short ribs were ok but nothing outstanding or interesting. We dine out OFTEN and spend a lot of money at great restaurants....like an earlier review....this is the first time I've been compelled to write a bad review. My advise is to choose a Patina restaurant or Roys nearby....skip J.....

Pros: nice atmosphere

Cons: food, service, price

Posted 02/18/07

What a great place to have a birthday. I recently held my 30th birthday at J Lounge with 30 of my friends. We had appetizers and bottle service on the dance floor and had such a great time. It was a Saturday so it got pretty packed but we danced the night away and couldn't believe we were downtown. The ambiance was nothing short of class and style. The waitress was very knowledgable and prompt (and not to mention very cute) She catered to our every need treating us like real VIP and even referred to me by name all night! My only complaint is the rude manager that I originally booked my table with...not very customer friendly. Overall my friends and I had a super time and would all highly reccomend this place for any party or celebration.

Pros: Bottle Service, Ambience, staff

Cons: Unfriendly Manager

Posted 02/11/07

I am a frequent reader of City Search restaurant reviews, however this is the first tine I have experienced a meal that was so terrible that I felt compelled to write a review of my own. I ate at J last night (2/3/07) with my hubby and two friends. We all appreciate good food, service, and wine, and we were totally willing to spend some $$$ for it. Unfortunatly we all found J to be major disappointment. The food sucked and the service was amatuerish and fair at the very best.

Firstly the food: the calamari appetizer was very salty and overfried with way more fried bits than actual squid, the shortribs were coated in a thick white film of lard which made threm look and taste terrible (we sent them back), and my salmon was decent for the first 3 bights until I got to the wet and raw center. The flatiron steak was well, "flat" - no flavor and a terribly rough texture, the filet was plain tasting as well. We ordered bread pudding for dessert which was sold out, so we opted for the apple strudel and chocolate dome instead, both desserts were fine but they couldn't redeem such a lousy meal.

The service was not great, nobody ever refilled my hubby's iced tea glass even once, and the waiter was a bit of a smart alec who could have cared less if we were happy or not. The somallier was actually quite kind and professional and provided the only example of the quality of service that one expects when paying about $80 per person for dinner. Overall, this place was a complete waste of money.

Pros: good wine

Cons: terrible service for the $$$, uninspired menu, horrible food preparation

Posted 02/03/07

had a great time for second night in a row. should go and hang out after work! they love me and they have cigars!

Pros: good customer service

Cons: have a wife at home!

Posted 01/24/07

my best friend and i planned on having our 30th bday party at J's a week ago. we went to J's for drinks one night and loved it so much that we wanted our party there. we talked to the hostess who was very nice and accomadating and she took down our info and said see you then! a week later we received an email confirming our party. we thought wow this is great-laid back and chill that's what we wanted. well it was too good to be true. to our dismay the week of the party we were told that we would need to reserve a table-especially if we wanted our party to be accomadated without paying $10! what $10?! and that reserving a table means having bottle service...what's interesting is that we were asked to send in a guest list so that there would be no problems...whatever J's! when i spoke to one of the managers he wasn't even trying to rectify their mistake for not giving us the right information. he even lied saying that he called me a week prior a left a message about this. J's get it together, read your reviews everyone says how great the place is but the overall theme is that your service is bad!

Pros: ambience

Cons: service

Posted 01/18/07

This place as it all......
Once you try this place you?re hooked. My friend and I went there and had an early dinner before going to a basketball game at staple center. ( It is very close )
The service was outstanding and the food was fabulous. I can still remember the butter squash soup was soooo delicious. They did a great job there from the mood lighting to background music. I like it when you can carry a conversation at your table and still enjoy the background music playing.
Before leaving we walked around and scoped out the place to find a cigar lovers' paradise on the second floor.
After the game we went back to J lounge were we took advantage of there fine cigars and Louis XIII.
This is the place when going to downtown....

Pros: Vallet Parking, Service, Food, Cigar Lounge, Top Shelf Liquor, Music,

Cons: none

Posted 01/01/07

i just had drinks and dinner there. first, the drinks. i thought it was a good place to meet people from downtown. can't beat the free pizza during happy hour. the happy hour space was also large and can fit a large group of friends. during warmer months, i am sure the outside patio is great; they do have heat lamps but i was just too wimpy to go outside. second, the dining experience. i was really excited to come here as an after-work dinner place. i was sorely disappointed though. the mac and cheese came in cold and we had to ask to get it re-heated -- which they happily did. (i have no problem with the service, which was pretty good). when it finally came in re-heated, it was just too bland. my friend liked the burger. i thought the crab cakes were average. i also had a side of spinach, which was also average. overall, i would probably go back for happy hour but not for dinner.

Posted 12/17/06

This place has something to suit every going-outer's fancy. A big dancefloor, intimate lounge areas, a sports bar, a huge outdoor area with cabanas...whatever you're looking for in your nightspot you'll find it here. I haven't dined here, but this is a great place to grab drinks. Very chic, urban and upscale.

Posted 12/10/06

The restaurant has nice atomsphere. The service was good. Most of the dishes we ordered were delicious especially the crab cake. The only glitch was the drink. I felt the drink was overpriced and the flavor was sub-par. The dance floor is rather narrow but the lounge area was very cozy. Otherwise, it was a really nice experience.

Posted 12/10/06

I was born and raised in LA and have traveled all over the world and visited many restaurants. I know the difference between good service and bad service...and this was BAD. Restauranteurs should know that what keeps people coming back is the food and the service. First, the hostess wasn't very friendly and this is your first reflection of the restaurant - very unwelcoming. Then we went upstairs to the lounge to have a cocktail before dinner and it took about 15 minutes before the waitress came over and then stood there while we looked at the menu that she just handed us instead of saying, "i'll give you a couple minutes to decide." Then when we asked for the bill, it took another 15-20 before we decided to just leave and go downstairs to have dinner. Service at dinner was better than the lounge, but still leaves a lot to be desired. Don't pour the new wine into the old glass!!! Where have these servers been trained??? Spend a little time educating your staff on the proper service protocol and maybe you won't have bad reviews! I will leave you with the one positive...The food was excellent. The mac and cheese was to die for as was the chicken stuffed with sundried tomatoes, blue cheese on top of spinach and polenta. DELICIOUS! Before you open a new restaurant, spend a little time making sure your staff is well-trained.

Pros: Excellent Food

Cons: Horrible Service

Posted 12/07/06

Some of the best food in LA!! It knocked me off my feet, and the service was fantastic. Must try the rib eye, it melts in your mouth. I highly recommend J's!! If anyone is in or near the downtown area than this is the perfect place to come for dinner and stay around to drink. I went with a group a friends for my brithday and everything was to the 9s. Everyone in my group was extremely impressed. It so nice to see downtown finally on the uprise, and a restaurant/lounge like this is the perfect addition.

Pros: Great food, Great Fun

Posted 12/07/06

I've been to many fabulous restaurants in LA and I'm not sure if my standards are too high or if this place is just below expectation...My friends and I went there on a Sat. night and without a doubt we all concurred this was absolutely the worst dining experience we've ever had in LA. For the price you pay I would not recommend this place to anyone. To start off, we were greeted or not by the inexperienced hostess who stood there and gave us the cold stare as we arrive. Although we had dinner reservation, our table was not ready when we arrive. We then tried to proceed to the bar to grab a drink but were interrupted as the hostess yelled at us and told us that we need to wait in the front as our table get ready. After we got seated, it took 20 minutes before the waiter showed up. Instead of offering us some bread or taking the drink order, he asked us for the main course order immediately. I thought it was rather odd. Most professional and trained staff would have been more organized. We waited for another 30 minutes before our water-down drinks arrived. After we had our bland and tasteless appetizers ( i wanted to ask for ketsup), we waited for at least 45 minutes before the main courses were served. We had chicken, short ribs, lamb, and salmon....All tasteless and unimpressive. The bill came out to over $300 for 3 people and it was a waste of money for such below standard service. The lounge and the crowd were equally unimpressive as the food and the service. To sum up for those who are considering visiting this place. If your idea of a fun time consists of terrible service, tasteless food, uninteresting crowd. And if you want to put up with the attitude and rude remarks from the hostess, this is definitely the place to go.

Pros: nice lounge

Cons: service, food, crowd, food, service.

Posted 12/03/06

Went there for a friend's birthday on a Tuesday night. We were a group of nine. My only complaint was the lack of greeting when we walked in. Otherwise, the service was great, the food was great, the ambience was great. We especially liked the the outdoor smoking area. The place is a bit too lit but overall everyone liked it and left satisfied.

Pros: food, ambiance

Posted 12/03/06

Girlfriend took me for my birthday and here's how it went down:

1. They made it very clear that we would be able to get a 7:30 res at best. OOOOH, VERY exclusive. When we got there, half full would be generous. When we left at 9. same. On a Saturday.

2. Place was cold as hell, which is fine with me, but not for most ladies.

3. Our waiter..nice guy. NO clue what he was doing, but nice guy. On two occasions another guy had to come by and take drinks orders after noticing us sitting for ages. And then the drinks were wrong. How do you turn a Manhattan into a Lemon Drop? Did I mention the place was almost empty?

4. Her fish, overcooked/flavorless. But she is picky. My short ribs? Sucked. tough and fatty. And it is a sad day when I have ten times better ribs at an Emeril's in freaking ORLANDO a week before.

5. Overall, not absolutely horrible, but don't give me attitude about reservations at an empty restaurant, then charge me $200 for a meal that is not even as good as what I scarfed down at the Red Lion the night before. If you MUST drag your butt to a desolate downtown and to drop a couple bills, just save us all the trouble and go to Houston's.

Posted 11/30/06

Went to Js last evening. Easy access and ample parking. Decor is great. Good ambience. We had a range of drinks from Martinis to Mojitos. Martinis are fine - Mojitos just okay. The lounge area is crowded between the small tables and the bar. We ordered a bite - standard fare a burger and a salad. It was nice. The service was lacking. - only one person for a large area. We had to get our own silverware. The open smoking area is good. Bottle service seemed to be good. The cigar selection is not good. I would return for cocktails but if Js is going to charge these prices it needs to step up its service game.

Pros: Location, ambience

Cons: inadequate service, poor cigar selection

Posted 11/16/06

My buddy and i went here last night and from the looks of things, this place will DEFINITELY be the next hot spot in downtown if not all of L.A. The decor is what caught my eye first. It had a NY feel to it whether it be the brick interior, candle lit lounge areas, surrounding lofts, and the skyline view from the outside patio. The space is incredible as well. Enough to occupy thousands. From the outside, i almost missed this spot if it weren't for the huge lit J's in red. Parking was easy as well. A great place for lounging......

Pros: decor, plenty of lounge areas, views of skyline

Posted 11/15/06

Went to their opening last friday and it was amazing. I have been there other days prior and there was not a lot of people but I think once the word is out, it will get packed. Has the hollywood feel with out all the wanabe losers.

Pros: Parking across the street, service was nice

Cons: Slow service, pricey

Posted 11/12/06

Wow! That's the word that comes to mind when the back patio, fire pit and delicious food is presented. The upstairs dance area is huge and includes an outdoor cigar patio for all of seasoned smokers. The drawbacks are the poor service (most likely due to J's infancy), and the ssshh talk in the rear patio due to nearby loft dwellers. All in all, a great place. We give it 7 out of 10 and in a few months, that number will most likely climb to an 8 out of 10. -

Cheers -

Red Butler
Concierge Services
RedButler dotcom

Posted 11/12/06

Checked this place out last Friday and loved the decor. The outside patio is huge and a great place to mingle and meet new people. The upstair bar and dance floor was also really nice. Bartenders were really friendly. Drink prices were about $10 which is typical Hollywood club prices. The dance floor upstairs is pretty roomy but the DJ was not that good at all. The place was pretty empty but the bartender told me that they havent started promoting yet. All in all, I had a good time and would recommend this place.
Definitely an asset to the Downtown area and potential to be a downtown hotspot. Let's hope they dont start charging cover and become all pretentious like the Hollywood bars/clubs...

Pros: Great decor, great service

Cons: pricey drinks

Posted 10/26/06

I enjoyed the new resturant and lounge in Downtown L.A. where I can just enjoy the good food and party all night long. I've never felt so great in my life once I went there and enjoyed all the good food at reasonable prices, the dancing to the music and enjoying the nighlife at city lights. This is a place to say, " I would go every night with my girls for a girls' night out." I highly recommend this place to anybody. I love L.A.

Pros: great food, dancing, reasonable prices

Cons: will get a little crowded when word gets out to everyone out there in L.A. and visitors who came on vacation.

Posted 10/20/06

I have had the pleasure of getting a sneak peak at this brand new, up and coming restaurant and lounge and I can honestly say that I am waiting with baited breath for the anticipated opening. The decor is classy and stylish. The food and drinks are imaginative, delicious and reasonably priced. This place is just what downtown needs to get the area back on the map. I highly recommend the bartender's tasty concoctions including the specialty mojitos, margaritas and martinis. From the moment you enter J, you'll be amazed not only at the style of this sure-to-be hot spot, but by the spaciousness and warm atmosphere. Large plasma TV's adorn the walls of the VIP room, comfortable suede couches and retro-style ottoman's provide more than enough seating and an outdoor patio, complete with cabanas and a fire pit, allow for extra space, a casual atmosphere and the opportunity for inviting conversation. Although J has an air of classiness and style, it is anything but pretentious...welcoming young professionals and giving them a place to meet, enjoy great company as well as fantastic cuisine. J is surely to become the place to be in downtown!

Pros: Great Tastes...Great Prices...Great Atmosphere!

Cons: It may get very crowded as soon as the word spreads.

Posted 09/28/06

I got to check the place out as a friend of a friend who had a pre-opening invite. If this place keeps this up they will quickly become a hot spot! I don't know if I want that to happen or not though! It's so hard to find a place that has great food and a hip and inviting atmosphere that doesn't have everyone flocking to it yet. The outdoor patio with firepit is just cool! Also once you see the VIP Cabana seats outside you'll make it a goal to get your butt in one! What I liked most is the fact taht I would check this place out whether it was just for the restaurant or just the lounge - they're both kicking in their own right.

Pros: Really Good Food, Reasonable Prices, Great Ambiance

Cons: How do you keep a good thing a secret?

Posted 09/25/06