- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
J Bar
Rating Details »
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good for:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
13 reviews for J Bar
One of my favorite restaurants in Tucson. I came here with a party of 6 and a reservation. The restaurant space is small, so I would highly recommend a reservation on a weekend. We had a 5:00 reservation and were waiting outside the restaurant when Chef Janos Wilder came outside, introduced himself to all of us and congratulated me for graduating. He also came to check on us during our meal and make sure that everything was going well.
I had the recession buster ribeye special which was great value and had a unique southwestern flare to it. The nachos were delicious, and the calamari as well. A complimentary dessert with "congratulations" came out as well.
Service was great as usual. It seems that the entire wait staff knows is up to date with every table and everyone seems very eager to please. JBar is a great way to experience the local cuisine of a James Beard Award winning chef at a great price, and I recommend it highly.
Well, my dining friend and I were really hungry when we got here. We were seated right away, and the hostess was really nice.
The service was slow most of the night. It took awhile for our server to get to us. When he did we ordered our drinks. (Tried the cranberry habenero mojito and it was good, not great.). It took forever to get our drinks, but at least the server came back and told us the bartender was slammed.
We ordered two appetizers: Crispy Calamari and goat cheese and sun-dried tomato relleno. And for entrees the Shrimp Mojo de Ajo and the Bistro Fillet.
The calamari were really, really good. And the relleno was good as well, though almost too much goat cheese. But the appetizers were the highlight of the night.
The shrimp in the entree were good, but not that special. Same with the coleslaw it came with. The garlic fries could have been good except they put the salsa fresca right on top of them and they became mushy. Eck.
The fillet was absolutely over cooked. It was so chewy we only ate a few bites. The mashed sweet potato's were really good, but the squash was just, ehh.
It is a good thing the appetizer portions are so big because we filled up on that. We were so underwhelmed with the meal that we decided not to order dessert.
The ambiance is trendy and fun and the view is beautiful. I just expect more from the food from a chef who was once so highly rated. If I were to ever go back it would be to sit at the bar and drink and enjoy appetizers....
J-Bar is probably my wife's favorite restaurant in Tucson. And that's not a bad thing. There is much to be liked about J-Bar. The appetizers are great (especially the nachos!), the entrees are flavorful (try something of the Recession Busters menu) and the deserts are unique and delicious (yum!). Throughout the summer they have a concert series that provides a perfect soundtrack to their menu.
All in all, it's a pretty great place to eat. There really is just one thing that keeps me from giving J-Bar a 5-star review: the waitstaff.
I don't know if their sections are too big or if their training is lax or if we just happen to continually catch the one bad one that night, but we've never had a waiter/waitress who is even decent at the job.
Giving a table time to peruse the menu before ordering is one thing, but making people wait 20 minutes to order is another. On our most recent visit, we waited about 20 minutes to order, another 20 minutes to get the desert menu after we were clearly finished and 15 minutes after desert was finished to get the bill. We were really thankful that a separate person came through the room with water or we'd have not had anything to drink for most of the meal.
If they can get their waitstaff straightened out, this place'll be just about perfect. Unfortunately the waitstaff ruin what would be a great dining experience.
A Fan with Reservations: Okay, let's talk about the food from the incomparable Janos Wilder: the man is a genius!! I have always loved his palate and his creativity. Not one complaint from anyone in our party-only oohs and aahs. Unfortunately, he cannot be a one person show and that's where some weaknesses showed up. Firstly there was a problem about some of the patio dining chairs. We were forced to request a change of chairs for each of us as the originally assigned ones are old minimally padded deep metal outdoor-type ones and none of us were comfortable at all. The waitress was obliging I must say, and she was forced to oblige a few other times that evening so it is nice to report that she remained pleasant about the extra work. (and she was rewarded handsomely for her service)
Second, an Old Fashioned came shaken, not stirred. No biggie but that might be a question one would ask the diner as the order was taken.
Next, although we asked the server twice (to make sure our preference had been expressed) the "medium rare" burger arrived well done and needed to be exchanged by the kitchen. Then the dessert (a turtle sundae) arrived from the kitchen without one of the most important ingredients (warm chocolate sauce) and here was the one failing about the cuisine I noted: it should not be warm chocolate "sauce", it needs to be WARM FUDGE SAUCE. We were nonetheless for the overall experience, the beautiful outdoor seating, the music kept to a background low level so we could enjoy conversation.
And then, the last unhappy bit: looking into the glass kitchen window at the cashier's desk as we were assembling to leave-damn it-that kitchen was disgusting-pre-sliced meats lying out on counters, uncovered, next to what looked like used towels all over the place. JANOS-WAKE UP TO SEE WHAT YOUR EMPLOYEES ARE DOING.
Tucson is not as bad as it might seem. There are some really nice places out here and one thing that Tucson is not missing is fun bars and great food. J Bar is a great place. They have some really interesting drinks, like a cranberry habanero mojito which I implore everyone on this earth to try. It's an incredible drink and I do not enjoy fruity alcohol. Spicy but only for a second in the back of your throat, so interesting. Anyhow, their happy hour is one to remember. It's in a really nice resort establishment so you expect to pay here but they have delicious margaritas for under $3 and the J Dog is awesome! also under $3 you get a huge dog with guac beans and pico de gallo. Cmon, how do you say no?
J Bar is the rare restaurant with virtually nothing wrong in its menu, where unusual flavors meet old favorites, drinks remind you why you drink aside from mere intoxication, and desserts make diets a distant memory--assuming you still have space after the sumptuous dinners and practically mandatory appetizers.
Janos himself is often around during the day; in response to a recent inquiry regarding how firm beef is on the New Year's Eve prix fixe menu, he said that he'll take care of everyone. Many restaurants implicitly make that claim: few follow through as J Bar does.
By the way, update. I went when the plastic was off and wonderful views were experienced by all. Everyone was chilling, having some nice conversation... when the server spilled an entire margarita on my husband. We all laughed. No harm, no foul. The server was beyond embarrassed and that round of drinks was comped. Still, this only proved my point about the wait staff. Is there absolutely no training, or what? The best part was when my husband's shirt dried, it was stiff as a board. I guess from all the sugar.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
3/9/2009
I like the atmosphere of JBar a great deal. I was disappointed when I went because they had these… Read more »
As someone who is not really into fancy schmancy restaurants, I wholeheartedly recommend J Bar as a quality fancy schmancy restaurant (though it really isn't, but it can pass off as one if you are looking to gain brownie points for a date)!
Anyhow, the thing that makes J Bar great is the food! Chef Janos Wilder pays homage to Mexican street food, but puts his own twist on it in an unpretentious and creative way. The drinks are tasty, and they have a great (and cheap -- especially considering since it's located in La Paloma) Happy Hour.
Budget conscious folks should wait until the summer (and you *will* be here in the summer, right?! That's when Tucson's the best!) where there are awesome dinner and drink specials to be had. The patio is also spectacular for watching monsoons make their way across the desert.
Also, Janos frequently walks around the restaurant, talks to his diners, and asks them how they like everything. It doesn't affect the flavor of the food, but it's a nice personal touch and enhances the dining experience overall.
** 6 stars **
J Bar is the casual sister restaurant of Janos. It is located in the Westin La Paloma. It is the restuarant of the famous Arizona chef Janos Wilder. I sat on the patio and had a lovely view of the Tucson skyline. I ordered:
Sangria --
It's okay, but I didn't like the fizzy stuff they used. I probably should have ordered the margarita.
Crispy Calamari --
The sweet potato fries and the watercress did a really good job of complimenting the calamari.
Vegetarian Combo #7 --
Green corn tamale was delicious. Renello was terrific. Mixote was excellent. Lots of fresh ingredients and very unique taste.
P.S. Best guacamole ever!!!!!
My boyfriend and I had to celebrate Valentine's Day early so we choose J bar by recommendation of friends.We arrived early and were pleasantly surprised to see happy hour was still in effect! We both ordered Margaritas at $2.75 each! A deal at any restaurant but a big bonus at the J Bar. The drinks were giant sized and packed a lot of punch! Arrive early as happy hour ends at 6:30.
Next we were offered a selection of "Recessions Busters" The offerings were a super value at $12.95 each! I ordered the stuffed baked potato while my boyfriend ordered beef tips in mushroom and wine sauce cooked under puff pastry. They were simply fabulous! My potato was giant sized layered with lamb bacon, fire roasted pablano peppers, lemon creama, melted jack and Mexican cheese. This is the way every baked potato should be served! My boyfriends dish was "A work of art" . Large chunks of tender beef tips, mushrooms, carrots in a wine sauce under a golden brown pastry top. We were stuffed so we passed on desert. You simply must try J bar. Make sure to check out their Recession Buster offerings as they change often plus happy hour drinks until 6:30! You would pay more eating at a crappy chain like Chilis or Outback! Eat MUCH better food here and for less if you try the recession specials!
great drinks and good food. fun place
Very good. Love his take on the Sonoran Hot Dog. The Achiote Rock Shrimp Tacos was tasty. Not expensive.
The food was phenomenal, the service was great, but the location sucked. It took us a while to find it, even with a GPS unit! We almost gave up, but I'm glad we didn't. Everything there looked and tasted fantastic. You definitely have to try the Chocolate Jalapeno Ice Cream. You'll be sorry if you don't.
