We used to Love Cafe J but no more. The staff cannot handle busy Friday or Saturday crowds. Saturday evening we waited for over 30 minutes (even with a reservation) for 4 people. Then our waiter rushed us through the meal, picking up our plates while we still had our fork in our hand eating! Don't ask for any change from the menu- a plate of cut up vegetables to eat with the queso in addition to the chips was denied. We were told all vegetables are cooked. Really? You serve cucumbers on your salads! The scallops were a rubbery consistency & I could not finish eating them. I have always ordered the scallops but the quality of all the food has diminished. Cafe J seems to be more interested in serving drinks & "bar food" quality then the upscale restaurant it USED to be. Won't be going back! read more

My friends and I frequent Cafe J's on Sundays, not only for the amazing brunch food, but also to visit our favorite bartender, Clint! He is so friendly and always remembers us, and our drink orders, when we come in. I usually get The Hangover- Coyote Ugly Style, but also enjoy the Red River Relleno! Their "What Came First" (chicken and waffles) is great, but i'm not a fan of their syrup, the consistency is too watery for me. read more

Such an extraordinary, eclectic building with a vast history of previously being the Central Lubbock Hospital when nurses still wore white & donned the nursing cap. The feel of the establishment is warm & comforting with just lovely conglomeration of local art work. The Patio is stunning as it is half covered with pergola, bi-level & tables with expansive umbrellas to protect the fairest of lily skin. Seating is comfortable & accommodating for all sizes of parties. Let's get to the crux of the matter; the beverage & food section! Wine list is awesome, diverse & not limited to Texas only vino. The food is just not a marry with the environment, the art or the price. I have tried many different dishes but, each felt below par of my expectation. I find myself perpetually seasoning to enliven each dish & look for that innovative flair & well in reference to my grilled cheese, it fell a slice of smoked Gouda & peppered bacon short. Staff is nice, just want sumptuous, defined flavor & oh the bread on the grilled cheese... I had hoped for artisan & it ended up as a honey wheat as I would methodically pick up from United. I just need them to step it up a notch on the culinary sect to garner a loyal following for something aside from cocktails. read more

See all

Went for lunch and loved it! First time going and was surprised by the swanky atmosphere. Great place to wine and dine a client or nice date. Ordered the spinach salad and added salmon, it was absolutely DELICIOUS! Filling but not stuffed. Salad was fresh and flavorful and salmon was cooked perfect and juicy but not raw tasting. Also got the stuffed jalapeños for an appetizer, very good as well! Service was perfect. Will be returning. read more

Chelsea was our waitress and the service was attentive and quick! The brunch menu was fantastic, I had the French toast with strawberry syrup and pineapple mimosas with a shot of white rum. There are a couple places for Sunday brunch in Lubbock but this is one of the top choices. They also had a good selection of vegetarian dishes read more

I've been coming to Cafe J for years and it's always been ok but this last time was far from even ok. Food: Menu changes to more casual fair might've been ok except they were poorly executed. Caprese salad (when it finally came out) had almost no balsamic on it. Pasta Bolognese was super stingy on the sauce. Found myself trying to spread it out to make it last. Crime Brûlée was WAY overcooked. Tasted like a mouth full of weird egg. Ordered an espresso with desert and they were unable to provide anything other than plain coffee. The coffee was watered down. I ruined it putting in my normal amount of cream (not much really) and it tasted like water. My husband had a similar experience. He ordered this new strawberry carrot cheesecake which had a very strange sort of whipped and gritty texture. Not very appetizing at all. He also ruined his coffee with the cream. Service: When you spend over $100 on dinner some basics should come with it. My salad was wrong but husbands was right. Backwait took mine back presumably to correct but disappeared never to return. No offer of cracked pepper for husband's Caesar salad either. My husband sat and kindly waited for my salad to arrive to eat. Finally, our waitress who was too hands off appeared and asked where my salad was as if I would know. (Trying not to sound a snob. I used to wait tables. I get it. But it wasn't very busy and this is basics people.) Finally she brings out my salad 15 minutes after my husband got his. Then, five minutes into my salad, our food arrived. To her credit, I didn't complain about anything but she'd noticed that I hadn't taken more than 2 bites of my crime brûlée and she noticed how overdone it was. She voluntarily took it off the bill. The whole dinner seemed awkward, ill-timed, and generally poorly executed overall. If La Sirena or La Diosa hadn't been booked, I'd rather have gone there. Cafe J has just lost what little they had. Seems that they are largely relying on legacy diners who seem to be drifting away. A slow evening on a Valentines Day weekend at prime dinner time is a bad sign. read more

Went again today after swearing Cafe J off a year ago. I still don't like the food or the art on the walls. But particularly don't like the food. read more

The service was awful, this is not high class dining. Food was brought out at all different times, and a friend of mine never even got her food! It was an appetizer too. Never came out after having to ask MULTIPLE times where it is. When it finally did, it came out wrong. Still charged her for it too, even after I had to ask for it to be changed. Ridiculous place. 1 star, I will not be coming back. read more

Undoubtedly the best place I have ever been to in Lubbock. My boyfriend took me there for a romantic celebration of my birthday and the cafe j foods, desserts, drinks, ambience, staffs, bar tender made it a fantastic experience. Chelsea was our server and she's amazing. We ordered a "zombie" cocktail which wasn't on the menu and the bartender Clint looked it up, made one specifically for us. We ordered Moscow mule, chardonnay (as suggested by Chelsea to go with the entree) & martini too.. one thing I could say that the cocktails are not sugary and heavy on ice like all other places! They were just so perfectly mixed up! We ordered shrimp cocktails for starter and salmon au poivre vert as entree and a delicious tiramisu for dessert. We couldn't try their 5$ dessert wines as we were full & satisfied by the foods & cocktails. This place may be costly. But I would say any other romantic place in Lubbock cost as much as this place, but the experience is whole lot different than the others, so you wouldn't feel the pinch on your pockets!! After all on a romantic celebration you wouldn't mind the money as much as you would value the experience. Highly recommended. Awesome place.. I totally fell in love gonna come back again for any celebratory dinner read more

Cafe J - Salmon au poivre vert - New American Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

Slow/poor service. Over an hour and a half for lunch with no crowd. Food was not good. Got the beef pork burger. Strange consistency and hard packed. Seasoning was way salty. Chicken fried steak was ok but nothing great. Overall a bad experience and over priced. read more

I used to love coming here and have since found MUCH better places. I looked elsewhere when they gave me literally 3 pieces of lobster in my Mac and cheese a year ago. My new normal spot was randomly closed for the day so I decided to venture back. The host staff was extremely rude, we hadn't made reservations and she rolled her eyes and made us feel unwanted there. Once seated on the patio we ordered some "iced coffee" DO NOT DO THIS. It was so watered down it looked like iced tea and we later learned that they pour their regular hot coffee over ice, as a former barista this is a big no, no. Just take it off the menu instead of charging 2.50 for water that smells like coffee. The menu for the French toast didn't state that it would be covered in chocolate which was a big disappointment for two of the people I was with that ordered it. Our waiter was nice, but clearly off in the weeds or new. I ordered a $14 omelet and the French toast was a similar price. An absolute rip off. The food used to be amazing and it is below subpar now. You're paying for the atmosphere and that is all. I'm surprised this place is still in business. I will not be returning. read more

See all

I have come to Cafe J for four years. Couple of thoughts about coming this time: 1) $6 just for paying with a credit card - really? 2) if you don't have something for more than a week - take it off the menu 3) food was sub par for lunch. Lunch service was also poor. read more

Very disappointed in their Sunday brunch. I've been to Cafe J a couple times at night to get drinks, but this was my first time eating here. Everything from the food to the service was just underwhelming. Our server was nice enough but seemed distracted/generally apathetic about working today, and she messed something up almost every time she came to our table. My vegetarian friend's horneado relleno was brought out with bacon on top, which ended up being someone else's order. By the time hers came out, it was lukewarm from sitting out in the kitchen. The dishes were placed in front of the wrong people at our table, so we had to awkwardly swap big plates ourselves. Another friend ordered a side of hash browns and never received them - his check took an extra trip so they could be removed at the end. I ordered the crab cake benedict, which was alright but didn't really feel worth the $15 I spent on it. I've definitely had better elsewhere, and in places that weren't as fancy/hyped up as Cafe J is. Nothing at the table really stood out other than the cinnamon chicken and waffles. I'll still come back for drinks, but not for anything else. Nothing saddens me more than subpar brunch food with bad service. read more

Cafe J - Crab cake benedict (1 more not pictured) - New American Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

Their Friday/Sat nights appear to be "white-only" nites. Lunch is below average unless you get the Mac and Cheese (someone should reward whoever chefs this up) but I will say the atmosphere is chill, wait staff is great and one of the few places in Lubbock you can go on the weekend as a single adult. It's hit or miss. read more

In Lubbock it is difficult to find diversity amongst restaurants. If you are looking for a Chili's, Pei Wei, or a fast food joint you're set, but when it comes to the more upscale...let's just say it, you are 5 hours from Dallas and 9 hours from Houston. Now I understand Lubbock is only 100 years old and it would like nothing more than a 5 star restaurant to make the town "hoppin," but they might have to just keep trying. While with many places it might just be the food, which is quite decent here, but I believe it has a lot to do with the aura. I know I am only 19, you do not have to tell me, although when I am looked at as though I am 12, I'm somewhat offended. Yes I am a college student in a college town, no your tab will not be significantly higher because I will not be ordering rounds of drinks, but your tip might be higher if you acted as though that didn't bother you. I was taught very young to tip at the very least 20% and if your service was significantly good or bad, you may raise or lower. I just feel that at such a place you need to treat every customer the same. You are located in a distinct college town, directly across from the university, it's time to realize it. While if your looking for a change in your run of the mill restaurants I suggest it, I would just prepare yourself, if you are not apart of the Lubbock Socialite club (oxymoron don't you think) to possibly be looked over. I've"ve always enjoyed what I've ordered here, especially the pasta carbonara and the wedge salad. It comes out at a decent time and always fresh. Obviously my only complaint would be for them to remove the stick to relieve the up tightness. read more

NO! This should be the first thing you say when anybody suggests, requests, ponders, or wonders if Café J should be visited... again... NO! A group of six of us walk into Café J on a somewhat slow night; I say slow night not because I know anything about the restaurant business but because there was nobody waiting for a table, the bar was empty, and about a quarter of the tables were being used. We were greeted by a hostess that said there would be an hour wait, apparently no more than 25% of tables can be used at any given time. We were skeptical but put our names on the list (first and only people on the list btw), and proceeded to kill an hour in the bar. 1h15m later one of the guys in the group goes and asks what the holdup is. The hostess seemed surprised that we were still here and hurried us to a cramped table towards the middle of the restaurant. Our group is fun loving and pretty laid back so we (at this point) were not frustrated with the Café J. Drinks that we brought from the bar came and went with no waiter. Eventually a guy walks up to the table and takes our orders with so little emotion he must have just left his other job as a tele-marketer. He scribbles down our order then fades away. One person (Cody) decided that we should have some calamari as a trophy for finally being seated and getting a waiter. When the manager brought it out to our table Cody politely asked if he could get a side of ranch to dip the calamari in. The manager, acting like we just insulted her faith while running over her dog, immediately snapped at him and said 'what do you think this is, a steak house?!' (I didn't memorize the menu, but I'm pretty sure there was some sort of steak on the menu... apparently not enough to qualify as a steak house though). So we're sitting thinking that really nothing else could happen that would make this meal anymore unpleasant, then two things happened in a very short time span that cemented the fact that I would never return. Our table was positioned to partially see into the kitchen (more specifically where the food gets lined up before it is served); from this vantage point we saw the ranch-hating lady going down the line and dipping her finger in the sauce on a dish, then lick the finger for a taste test, then poke it into the next dish. This repeated itself about four times; apparently you have to ask for no finger spit in your food at Café J. Lastly, we saw our waiter going to town picking his nose while carrying a tray of food out of the kitchen and deliver it to some unsuspecting people a few tables over. In a nut shell, NO! is what I insist anytime this restaurant is mentioned. I would rather get dressed up and eat at IHOP around the corner, at least they would have ranch. If you do get dragged here, be sure to ask for no finger spit! read more

I'm from out of town and went to cafe j for my birthday brunch. It was perfect!! The $10 bottle of champagne and oj is awesome and our server was so sweet!! I highly recommend sitting on the patio here :) read more

I have been to Cafe J a number of times for lunch, but today was the first time I was able to catch brunch. The atmosphere is always one that invites everyone to relax from the door. Our server was very friendly and accommodating. We came in with a plan to try the cinnamon waffles and chicken and the newly re-added lobster Mac and Cheese. I have waited for lobster mac to be added back to the menu for a long time. Overall the meal was delicious. The grapefruit mimosas really hit the spot (I recommend the carafe over buying by the glass). I've had a lot of chicken and waffles and while these were not the best I've ever had, they were okay. The mac and cheese was everything I remembered. read more

See all

I have been living in Lubbock for a total of 6 years and managed to never go here until last Friday. I had been told that it was good, but nothing crazy awesome for the price. I would agree with that statement. The waiter kept telling us that he hadn't waited on a table in a long time and didn't seem concerned about anything really except for being done waiting tables for the evening. It took about 20 minutes after we were taken to our table to get our drink order taken. Then about another 20 minutes later they brought us our silverware and napkins and took our order. It took about 30 minutes after ordering our drinks from the bar to get to us and we they were brought to us I literally had to grab it from our waiters hand as he nearly dropped it. He blamed it on not having eaten in a while and the fact that he felt very shaky. I guess they were understaffed and he didn't get a break? That doesn't equal good service. I got the beef tender. It was described having a side of garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus. It came out and it had two half asparagus spears and the rest was thinly shaved cooked carrots. I would have liked to know I wasn't actually getting asparagus so I could have substituted for something else. I don't fancy cooked carrots. When you are paying $40 for an entree, you should really know what you are getting. The steak tasted fine and was cooked correctly. The other dishes amongst my family looked good as well. For the price and type of restaurant they are going for, I would just rather go to a similar restaurant (I can think of many in Lubbock) that I like better and feel like I am getting my bang for my buck. I wouldn't be opposed to going for happy hour drinks with friends and drinking them on what looked like a lovely patio. I didn't have a fancy cocktail this time around and I have heard that they are good. read more

Cafe J - Beef tender - New American Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

For Lubbock, a five. For anywhere else in the world, probably a four. I feel like Cafe J's is the first place that opened in Lubbock while I lived there that filled the need that people have to get all dressed up and go out and pretend they're rich. From the moment you walk in, you feel like you're in a high class restaurant, and maybe in another city. It's designed really nice, and the service is USUALLY impeccable. Not always, but usually. They are known for their martinis, and they will make them perfectly to your order, however picky. The food is always great, and there are interesting combinations that you won't usually see in West Texas. Prices are a touch high, but what else would you expect in a place like this? This is the place to go when you want to pretend you have a bunch of money and aren't stuck in the LBK. read more

OMG! My buddy and I had the Ribeye, med rare, potato pave and grilled asparagus w tomatoes.I'm a steak connoisseur and I know how to make a mean steak. This steak was so good, I'm gonna go home and bitch-slap my momma! Great food, service and ambiance. Wow!! Can't say enough great things. read more

Cafe J - New American Near Me - Lubbock, Texas

They are the only restaurant in town that passes the card processing fee onto the customer. Unacceptable.

We hosted a large family group for brunch to celebrate my son's graduation from Texas Tech on the weekend of the 18th. Everyone was very pleased with their food selections. The burger was giant and family members said it was hands-down the best burger they could remember having. My sister-in-law had the kids grilled cheese and raved that it was the most amazing grilled cheese she'd ever eaten. I had the Enchiladas Montadas and it was wonderful. I think everyone in our large group would be happy to go there again and even order the same food items. Our servers were very friendly and helpful. The nice hostess (manager?) even helped clear our tables at the perfect moment so we could enjoy each others company without the mess. We made an advance reservation and Café J called to verify in advance and was quite helpful with all my questions. Highly recommended by more than 20 people in our group, adults and kids alike! read more

I've been here a few times and I usually bring my parents here because it's close to my college home here at Tech, but this last time I was there the service was awful. We showed up at 7pm and we waited more than 20 minutes for our first round of drinks and 20 minutes for our appetizer. We had been there for more than an hour and forty five minutes before receiving our entrées. Cool place but either understaffed or the management needs a wake up call. You can't charge 45 dollars for Bison and make us wait for our food and drinks with no music in the background. read more

This is a great place to go and have brunch and just visit for a while. The food is decently priced for the portions you receive. It's nothing out of this world but it's worth going to if you have time to spare. read more

Delicious food and inventive desserts, somewhat spotty service (and an included gratuity for our party of four when our server offered to divide the check our orders, perhaps she thought she might not get a good tip otherwise). A friend really enjoyed the quail. Good salad, too. Again, surprised in a good way, by Lubbock restaurants. :) Con: Really awful lighting in the restroom. Prepare to look sickly. Cool lighting in the bar/sitting area. I didn't get a chance to look at their outdoor area. The restaurant was quite busy on a Saturday night (not a Tech game weekend or anything). I felt they could use another server or additional staff back-waiting. read more

So this is a pretty laid back lounge/restaurant/almost martini bar. But this place is pretty upscale for Lubbock. This place is almost too nice for this city. I love going here with friends for brunch on Sundays and having mimosas---yummy!!! Its a great place for entertaining guests who like a laid back place because every other place in this town to go to is overrun with college students. Always a great time here! read more

I have been here several times during my time of living in Lubbock. The service is TERRIBLE, the manager is so rude to every customer and his employees. The food is awful, I sat at my table for 15 minutes before a server came to us. Do not recommend. read more

We love this place! Such a fun and creative menu and all the food is delicious. Have to try the Chilton if you're from out of town.

Great service! Menu could add some variety but the food was amazing! Definitely recommend coming with family and friends!

I've been in Lubbock 4 1/2 months went by Cafe J for Sunday brunch and the best dinning & foods I've had sense I been here. We had Chicken & Waffles ... Steak Tacos Looking forward to going back. read more

They changed their hash browns and that was the saddest thing. The unique cheesecake I tried when I was there was great too. Desserts are always nice as well. Honestly there isn't many vegetarian options. While there are great selections there's not enough for me to eat here to justify coming often. Regardless the food is very good and i recommend it. read more

Never had anything but pleasant wait service here for dinner. The remodel has made a pleasant, mostly separated bar area, an outdoor area and the restaurant proper. I was pleasantly surprised by how reasonable a Hendrick's Gin & Tonic was in the bar. There's a good rotation of dishes, many of them creative. Specialties and salads are quality. But while the caliber of food is welcome in Lubbock, I'm not really convinced it rises to the price. Were I a better judge of wine, I'm afraid I'd definitely notice the markup in the drink menu, and the entrées definitely seemed high. If you're trying to spend money on a date or impress an in-law that doesn't like steakhouses, this is pretty much your bet. read more

Love this place, but can get expensive. Brunch, lunch or dinner .., everything I have had was great! There is this potato thing they have with the steak at dinner that I have dreams about!! Atmosphere is nice too! read more

The good was inventive and tasty but I felt that they tried too hard to be different. I had a green chile mashed potato side with pork chops, all very good but a bit on the eclectic side! Bread was great! The service was great and the wine was priced well. read more

In short, this place is not worth the price. If it was a bit cheaper, then I'd give it one more star, but still the food was not great. We ended up paying $100 for mediocre food and drinks for two. read more

This was my first time at Cafe J but not my families first. They told me the first time they came they absolutely loved it but not so much this time. I ordered the trout which was suggested by our server. It was good! Hopefully I can come back and have a better experience because I loved how nice it was! Btw- our server was really great and very knowledgable read more

Cafe J's brunch is on point. Don't regret your choice: go ahead and order a full entree of chicken & waffles, too. Regardless. Cafe J has a phenomenal brunch menu. Their Sunday brunch offers the right amount of savory and sweet breakfast options, all at a not-too-expensive, well-golly-it-IS-brunch price. Most entrees are between $9-15. Most meals are average to larger portions, and they normally offer compelling flavor combinations. But you have to get the Chicken & Waffles. That is not a request, that's a command. They have fried, boneless chicken, a dense waffle, and the best, warm maple butter. Their mimosa pitchers are also the way to go if you're hanging out and trying to do brunch right. Request the patio if the weather is great, as the inside is dimly-lit, making it well-suited for a dinner date or cocktail but might not be your jam at 11:30am. Reservations are a little tricky to come by in the mornings, as I called when they opened this past time when I went and was told either be there immediately or they wouldn't have a table till 1. Which may make you hesitate if you're headed there with a large party! Call ahead, but be okay with hanging out for a table. read more

I am reviewing the lounge. It's just not that fun. The lounge is decorated in a cold and sterile manner, and the drinks are only ok, nothing remarkable in creativity or prices. There are banquets to sit on and a few tables, and you can order appetizers and cheese plates, but it is almost like the owners aren't sure what they want this area to be (and it has been in this uncertain stage for a long time). Overall, the vibe is cold and stark with cold gray lighting, and then over the bar, you have a game playing blasting HD light on everyone's faces (not flattering). And then in the same 20z20 foot space, you have a musician playing cover songs. All too loud to have a real conversation with the friends you came with. Clientele tends to be those who attended rush parties, still in their rush clothes. read more

Sorry - I am not a fan. I have been to Café J twice and both times my meat was cooked incorrectly, it is very frustrating when you ask for your tenderloin Medium and it comes out Medium well with just a slice of pink. I started out by requesting how they cooked medium rare - the waitress told me it is cool in the center and warm toward the outside, well that is in incorrect, so I ordered it medium hoping for medium rare - red and warm throughout (which is actually medium rare) - but no luck, both visits they managed to mess that up as well. And finally the waitress never asked us to cut into our steaks to check them (she must have known) and she never asked if everything was okay. Poor. Mashed potatoes were bland, asparagus as listed on the menu was nearly non-existent on my plate. (2 little tiny pieces) Crab cakes were awful - lumpy and inconsistent. Our group will not be returning. read more