217-728-7112
19 N Main St Sullivan, IL 61951
| Recommended: | yes | 0 | no | 0 |
| Kid Friendly: | yes | 0 | no | 0 |
Wow! We recently had dinner at Jibby's and were thrilled! We had a great filet with bourban carmelized onions that our waitress recommended and it was great. The service was awesome as well! Theresa took care of us and I have to say that we received the best service we've had anywhere in a very long time!
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talk about a good time the food was great the tastiest crab cakes ever. Our waitress kelly was on top of it all we cant wait to enjoy another night out 10 of us at our table and none of us went without great service the whole time
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My wife and I had a wonderful anniversary dinner recently. We both dined on the fillet which was expertly prepared. Service was second to none. The dessert options were superb. The total bar and restaurant bill was under $100.00 including tip. I highly recommend this establishment.
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What a delightful place! On a whim, two girlfriends and I decided to see a show in Sullivan. Years (and years) ago, my sister was a supporting actress at Little Theater. I can remember hanging out at Jibby's after the shows and watching the real "famous" stars mingle and cavort. As a 10 year old, it seemed so glamorous! So, I told my girlfriends we had to eat at Jibby's in order to get the full experience. I had no idea it had been remodeled to such an extent. It is beautifully decorated with an urban city feel, but they cater to you with a small town manner. We were extremely lucky to get in without a reservation, as someone else had cancelled. However, I would definitely make a reservation in the future. All three dinners were excellent. As with some of the other reviews, the service was not great, only because the waitress, while sweet, had way too many people to attend to. The manager was extremely friendly, adding us to the email list to alert us to upcoming wine tastings and the like. The bill was extremely reasonable even with several glasses of wine included. We plan on going back and taking more girlfriends next time!!
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I just went to Jibby's Restaurant on Friday night with a couple of friends. We sat at the bar and ordered drinks. I had dinner, I ordered the tilipia, which they were out of. The bartender/waitress suggested the salmon, which was the special. It was stuffed with crab and blue cheese (I think) and came with mango sauce too. It was very tasty. I really thought all the wait staff were very nice, professional and gave us excellent service. Doug came around several times and was very nice and personable. I thought that the prices were very resonable. The broccoli that I had on the side was sort of cold but I didn't complain and just ate it anyway.
The decor was very nice and the atmosphere was great. We plan to go back. I wanted to ask Doug for a picture, but I did not. He was warm and friendly. I think I'll ask for that picture next time I go!!! I never went to the old Jibby's...so I can't make a comparison to that!!
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What a disappointment. Despite Doug billing this as a "destination restaurant" the food and experience are third-world at best. Have reservations? Hope that no one is sitting at "your" assigned table as you will not be seated until that party is finished (regardless if other tables are open, nor if you have been waiting 45 minutes or longer). Seated in the bar area? Good luck, as there is no room and it is akin to eating during a frat party. Don't go hungry as it may take an hour or more until your meal is served ("service" is a term used loosely), and the quality is, well, hit or miss. If Doug is there you might get lucky and receive a free dessert, which hardly makes up for the inconvenience of this "experience." Save the time and frustration by driving 20 minutes north to Stoney's in Dalton City for exquisite food, impeccable professional service, and your table will be ready at the requested time! The old Jibby's, although somewhat of a dive, was far superior. I won't return to Doug Wilson's Jibbys.
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It has been brought to my attention recently that my exit from the establishment known as "Doug Wilson's Jibby's" has been, shall we say, misunderstood. After talking with several people connected in various ways, I've gathered that it took quite some time for the story to get around and the story that got around was not exactly the actual facts of the matter. So to set the record straight:
I did not quit.
From roughly Thanksgiving onward I had absolutely nothing to do with the place. As I had almost no one's phone numbers or email I really must apologize to the many friends I made while there for what must have seemed like an abrupt departure, with apparently no communication. Of course in all fairness very few contacted me either.
Several people have informed me that as far as they knew I had quit. Again, not the case.
At least 2 months afterward, most people still did not know I was even gone! This I consider problematic because:
My name and face were both used in publicity for the restaurant both in advance and during the opening. I was connected in the public view with Jibby's and as such there should immediately have been public announcement of my removal (for all I know there was some attempt, I don't live in Sullivan, I am going on hearsay). In my opinion my name and reputation were traded on following my removal. The food (recipes) that I brought in with me (an important point) should not have been served following my removal but, judging by these reviews, still are to some extent, or at least were for some time.
I bear no animosity towards Doug for my removal, and I am not trying to "air dirty laundry in public", nothing that did not happen directly to me is any of my business to disclose, and I would not dream of so doing. Don't interpret this as some sort of sour grapes, this is no kind of condemnation of Doug or of Jibby's. Again judging by these reviews, a lot of people seem to like the place. By all means go right ahead. Obviously Jibby's and I made an improper fit in someone's opinion. That's business, his decision to make and I accept that, wrong as I think it was. I am not writing this out of bruised ego or anything of the sort. In fact I hadn't given any of it much thought for months til I happened to speak to a few pertinent people recently, one of whom told me of this website. So I just wanted to make sure everyone knows and understands:
If you had a bad food experience from 11/20/2008 onwards, I'm sorry you didn't enjoy yourself, but it wasn't me. If you had a good food experience, well, that may have been my recipe but not me in the kitchen making it.
These are my interpretations of events as I have gathered. If I am unaware of any pertinent details, or I suppose if I have just gotten this completely wrong, please feel free to let me know.
David Johnson
eggsfreebnik2@aol.com
P.S. in response to that review from 11/15/2008-"You would think that a chef that cooked at Disney World would know how to cook a steak." Excuse me, but do you really think the Chef cooks everything that comes out of his kitchen? The Chef plans and oversees operations, designs recipes and plating and plans menus, and only occasionally does "hands-on". This is the sort of thing I referred to above as being problematic.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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the place was classy, the food was amazing, and the service was great, our waitress (from Chicago) was on top of our whole dining experience. We even got a visit at our table from Doug himself. We will be back
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Went with my husband last Sat. for lunch. My food was great - husbands was just all right! I had the Mushroom wrap with fries. The wrap was wonderful. They put whatever I asked for on it and it oozed with deliciousness! The fries I think could have been a little more.... fried? I think they put some frozen ones in the microwave or something and prepared them that way. They were soft and hot, but didn't look like they had been deep fried or oven baked. My husband ordered the steak burger. He thought it was all right but commented that he has had better burgers in the past! I thought the waitress did a wonderful job of taking care of us. The restaurant did seem to be understaffed though - when business started to pick up, I noticed there were people waiting for a while at their tables to be serviced. There were two waitresses working at the time we were there. We must have gotten there just in time! I guess you just have to beat the crowd when dining there. We spent around $23 and that was for my water, wrap/microwave fries, and my husbands pepsi and his steak burger with everything on it. This was ordered from the lunch menu so I am not sure what they offer in the evening. The atmosphere was nice/decor beautiful, and I thought Doug did a great job in remodelling the place although, I do miss a little bit of the old "Jibby" bones.
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Amazing FOOD, amazing decor! Service was good but still getting adjusted. The atmosphere was great a good lively yet comfortable feeling. Definitely a great overall experience. My husband and I will be back.
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What a joke this place has become! Sacrificing good food and service (which is what Jibby's USED to have) for a classy decor and mediocre food/service was not a good trade-off. This place won't last long with this kind of bad attitude amongst the wait staff. I even wrote a letter to the owner detailing the awful experience we had and have yet to hear back from him, which tells me he expects the facade of a classy place will keep him in business regardless of the lack of customer service and lousy food.
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Ok, so a lot of reviews of the new Jibby's (Doug Wilson's 'J') have been less than...forgiving.
I do have to admit that they are having a bit of trouble with maintaining a respectable wait staff for such a 'classy' dining environment, thus giving the overall grade less than an 'A', which otherwise it could very well earn.
I went to school with a lot of the people who comprise the staff at Jibby's and I hate to say it but their attitudes still reflect that of snotty, indifferent and unprofessional, at times 'ditzy' high school students.
In order to reflect the true class the restaurant has to offer, they need to be more selective in whom they allow to represent the establishment.
Some of these, shall I say, kiddos, DO in fact exude a certain charisma that appeals to the younger diners, but I have noticed that they don't relate as well to the older diners that make up most of the revenue.
As I mentioned before, fluid service overall is still to be desired and hopefully will be achieved soon. It is unacceptable for a three top not to be served their entrees all in one fell swoop. It is also unacceptable for the men to be served before the women, in any case.
Basic service protocol needs to be adhered to. There are certain 'little things' that make up a whole dining experience, and thus far they have been ignored.
Not that I don't have all the faith in the world that these issues will reveal themselves to the person(s) in charge and will be promptly corrected.
I think said people really do care, but the prevailing issues have not yet been brought to their attention.
I still think it is an awesome place, and my husband and father in law share the same positive sentiments, 100%.
I am also disappointed that a few promised items from the original menu have not yet made an appearance on the new menu.
I vow to give these 'discrepancies' some time to self-correct. After all, I am not in charge and my opinion is just that, my opinion and does not necessarily reflect the views of everyone else.
I sincerely hope that anyone else who may have had less than a superb experience with the new Jibby's give it another shot...or two. Remember, persistence pays. Eventually everyone will get more of what they want and less of what they don't!
This comes from a person with an experienced background in working in the upscale food industry.
Thanks for re-considering!
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We are a group of friends who like to travel to nearby towns and try new and different restaurants. Recently we went to Sullivan to Jibby's. Several of us had been there before at the old Jibby's. WOW what a change, decor is beautiful. We were warmly greeted by the hostess, seated in lounge for a short wait. The food was fantastic, Steaks perfect, pork chops and chicken tender and flavorful. The only problem was the frozen overcooked broc, cauli, carrots, could have been fresh and steamed. The price was reasonable. Where we were seated was by a group of loud customers which was louder because of the low ceiling. But that was not the fault of the restaurant, just noisy people. They also told us of a Sunday Brunch which we intend to try one day.
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I began my experience at the new Jibby's incredibly optimistic. I would later find out that I was being too optimistic, but I must say I had an open mind from the start. I loved the atmosphere. Doug Wilson did a fantastic job. Sadly, atmosphere will not keep a restaurant in business. Things like bad service, overpriced food, and overcooked food will shut down a business. Once the celebrity quits making appearances at the place, the "celebrity" experience will die along with it.Being a vegetarian, I face challenges wherever I choose to eat. However, it is usually not an issue and the waiters are excited about the challenge of helping the kitchen and myself adapt. I ordered the 4 cheese macaroni and asked if they could bake tomatoes into it. The waiter seemed confused and unwilling to work with me, and added $1.00 to the menu price of $4.95 on the final bill. When the food came, mine was delicious. However, my boyfriend ordered a steak cooked medium, and received well done. Which is inexcusable. We then waited forever for the waiter to offer us the dessert menu. Being a pastry chef, I mainly judge a restaurant by its desserts. I was surprised that the dessert menu (which the waiter recited from memory... without prices... should have been a red flag, but oh well) had more choices than the dinner menu. I chose the creme brulee cheesecake, and boyfriend chose New York Style cheesecake. When it came along with the bill, my portion was normal, but his was tiny. When we asked the waiter about the lack of cheesecake he would be paying $5.95 for, he took offense to our inquiry and sent the manager(?) to us. She tried to explain that it was pre-portioned cheesecake from Sysco (blech) and that they had to charge that much in order to make any money on it. I did the math, and they are charging at least a 200% markup on that cheesecake. How can a restaurant expect to make the same profits from their alcohol as their desserts? Not going to happen. The manager also made us feel guilty for "blaming" the waiter which we did not. He made us feel guilty for being unsatisfied with unsatisfactory conditions.My advice is to stay away from Jibby's. At least do not go there with high expectations just to have them crushed as I did.
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My family of four went there for my parents' anniversary this evening, and I have got to say that I was quite disappointed. Let me break it down into components:
Food: There were highs and lows to the food. The bread before the meal has some spices mixed in, which makes for a healthy and very appetizing bread loaf. Once we got to the main course, however, the quality went downhill. My mother's steak was somewhat good, but the tuna special was undercooked while the crab and lobster cakes were overcooked.
Service: Here's what REALLY brings them down though: service! Our waitress was in such an incredible hurry that she would ask if everything was okay with her BACK TURNED! She hated taking time to explain anything to us, and she raced to get to all of her other tables. It's as if the place was severely understaffed, and as a result, the service was appalling.
Let me end with this little tidbit:
***WHEN WE GOT HOME, WE HAD A TELEPHONE MESSAGE FROM THE RESTAURANT ACCUSING US OF NOT PAYING THE BILL!***
The message stated that we had only placed one $50 bill instead of two to pay for our meal. We called and told them we paid, and they said they would look again. Three minutes later, we get a call saying they found the money. Clearly, we were deeply offended by this accusation.
Don't invest your money here. If you do, demand good food and good service for the prices you pay. People need to speak up when service is bad and when the food is underwhelming. And remember, make sure your money is CLEARLY in the open or else THEY ACCUSE YOU OF THEFT!
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Last night my spouse, two of our children (ages 6&8), and a group of friends had the pleasure of dinning at Doug Wilson's Jibby's Restaurant. The children's meals were reasonably priced at $5.99 for a new years eve. Their kiddie cocktail drinks were kept filled. My husband and I each ordered the pepper loin.The food was very tasty and wait staff were very attentive. Doug was very pleasant and made sure to greet each and every table. The decor and the ambiance in the restaurant were great. I loved seeing an old favorite hang out revived. It is also nice to be able to have a nice dinner without having to drive an hour to get there. We will definitely be regulars.
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The food / service was Outstanding,. Doug took the time to allow my wife to get a few pictures by the Christmas Tree. We will come back for sure.Tks Greg
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i live in St. Louis but was in central Ill. this last weekend and had not been to Jibbys since they closed. I must say that the remodeled restaurant is both elegant and intimate. I think central Ill. needed a place just like this, the dinner was excellent and the service was friendly and organized. The theater was having a 8pm showing and the restaurant was busy but the staff handled it without missing a beat. My wife and I will come back again when we are in the area.
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My husband and I took our two children to meet others for lunch at Jibby's. I was a little worried at first that it wouldn't cater to the kids, but I need not have worried! They did not give us a kids menu, but our wonderful waitress told the kids what their selections were. The lunch menu had a good selection, reasonably priced. Our waitress kept our drinks filled, and was there exactly when we needed something.The food was delicious with generous portions! Some restaurants go a little skimpy on kids' plates, but not Jibby's! Our son and daughter both enjoyed plenty of chicken strips and fries. We tried a few of their appetizers...all of which were terrific! We were too full for dessert, but the oatmeal cookie dessert that passed our table looked very appealing!We had a large party, and the staff easily accommodated us and spoke to us like friends. This restaurant is beautiful! A terrific atmosphere for a large family dinner, or for a romantic dinner for two.It is a 50 minute drive for us to Jibby's, but we will definitely return; and we won't need theatre tickets as an excuse to make the trip.The price was very reasonable. A family of four for lunch, with an appetizer was $35.
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I'll get this out of the way first...I loved the old Jibby's. I loved the old attic mixed with cigarette smoke fragrance, the pictures of The Wicked Witch and Mike Brady, the atmosphere (or lack of), and the plain, but quite good, food.
I did not jump on the "a star has descended on Sullivan" bandwagon and went to the new Doug Wilson's Jibby's with some trepidation.
It was redecorated in a way that may be a tad too sophisticated for our rural residents, however it is really lovely inside. It is much more open looking thanks to part of the dropped ceiling being removed. The chairs with the starry upholstery were a perfect touch for the only restaurant in town suitable for pre or post theatre dining. Some of the stars from the walls seemed to have been removed, which disappointed me a bit. Sadly, the attic/smoke smell is gone. It is a different place.
Mr. Wilson was very nice and greeted people and helped out, as a good restaurant owner should.
The food was good and very reasonably priced. My Jibby burger was not the same as in the old days. It had no seasoning and was a little dry. I wasn't asked how I wanted it done. My daughter's Black and Blue wrap was tasty, but should have had real bleu cheese crumbles rather than the dressing which tasted pre-packaged. The balsamic onions on the sandwich were tasty, but they overpowered the rest of the sandwich. The homemade potato chips were very tasty. Our kids were able to get kid-safe cups, and a kid-meal was made for the little one, but is not on the menu. Fresh fruit was a nice addition to the menu. Two adults and two children ate lunch for $29.
I have to get used to what is really a new restaurant. But I think it won't be too difficult. I would say the meal was satisfactory, but the restaurant atmosphere was very good. Overall, it was very nice.
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I know the restaurant has just re-opened under a new owner, but I was not very happy with the meal I had received. I had ordered a steak and got a charcole brickett. You would think that a chef that cooked at Disney World would know how to cook a steak. Not sure if I am going back or not. May have to wait a while. The bill for a family of 4 was $50.
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Doug Wilson did a wonderful job re-doing a hole in the wall restaurant. The place now has a wonderful atmosphere and the look of a very expensive restaurant. I have not been there for dinner, but a person can have a great meal for under $7.00 at lunch, and heh, I got a picture of Doug to boot!
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The old Jibby's was great, although the atmosphere didn't exactly say "classy". The pepperloin steaks, chicken ranchero sandwich, shrimp and chicken caeser salad and pink poppyseed dressing have made this restaurant a staple to many 'Sullivanites' as well as a staple in the community's eateries.
The new Jibby's, recently revamped and reopened by design artist Doug Wilson, has an incredible new look that truly gives the place the flair it needed to be seen as one of the greatest places in Sullivan to dine.
It's now the perfect option for a romantic dinner date, posh night out with girlfriends, or hang out night with the guys.
Want bring the whole family? They've got room for that! And food to please everyone with new selections added to the menu, along with old favorites that make Jibby's 'Jibby's'.
I definitely recommend going, but you may wait a few weeks as the new staff have some kinks to work out in the way of fluid service. Hey, every 'new' place has at least one or two things to work on!
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jibby's has been remodeled and re opened by doug wilson of trading spaces. my best friend manages it. new menu, huge bar and wine selection. best steak in town. make a reservation, you'll love it.
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I purchased a gift certificate as a Christmas present on Dec. 19th. 2007.Jibbys knew they were closing and sold the certificate anyway. My parents didn't get to use the certificate and I am out $30.00. I can produce the cancelled check and certificate.I am entitled to a refund!
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Jibbys is a little outdated but the food is pretty good. It is a bar/resturaunt so you have that type of atmosphere. Nice place to go when you want to sit in a dimly lit and sometimes loud setting.
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The food isn't too bad here. Just a little hole in the wall. It is an old building that could use a little remodeling. I would say this is more the place you would want if you are looking to see a lot of old stars that used to frequent the Little Theater on the Square. Cheap prices, ok food.
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