J Restaurant & Lounge

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.\r 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?""\r 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 more

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 more

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 more

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 more

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 more

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 $$$ for it. Unfortunatly we all found J to be major disappointment. The food sucked and the service was amatuerish and fair at the very best. \r \r Firstly the food: the calamari appetizer was very salty and overfried with way more fried bits than actual squid, the shortribs were coated in a thick white film of lard which made threm look and taste terrible (we sent them back), and my salmon was decent for the first 3 bights until I got to the wet and raw center. The flatiron steak was well, ""flat"" - no flavor and a terribly rough texture, the filet was plain tasting as well. We ordered bread pudding for dessert which was sold out, so we opted for the apple strudel and chocolate dome instead, both desserts were fine but they couldn't redeem such a lousy meal. \r \r The service was not great, nobody ever refilled my hubby's iced tea glass even once, and the waiter was a bit of a smart alec who could have cared less if we were happy or not. The somallier was actually quite kind and professional and provided the only example of the quality of service that one expects when paying about $80 per person for dinner. Overall, this place was a complete waste of money. Pros: good wine Cons: terrible service for the $$$, uninspired menu, horrible food preparation more

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! more

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 more

This place as it all......\r 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 ) \r 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.\r Before leaving we walked around and scoped out the place to find a cigar lovers' paradise on the second floor. \r After the game we went back to J lounge were we took advantage of there fine cigars and Louis XIII. \r This is the place when going to downtown....\r \r Pros: Vallet Parking, Service, Food, Cigar Lounge, Top Shelf Liquor, Music, more

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. more

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. more

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. more

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 more

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 more

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 more

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. more

Girlfriend took me for my birthday and here's how it went down:\r \r 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.\r \r 2. Place was cold as hell, which is fine with me, but not for most ladies.\r \r 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?\r \r 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.\r \r 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. more

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 more

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 more

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. - \r \r Cheers -\r \r Red Butler\r Concierge Services\r RedButler dotcom more