Arancini on a menu always makes me sigh inwardly with joy. Rice balls are banging. I don't think Wheeling is known for its food scene, but after visiting Elle & Jack's (also Elle&Jack's, no spaces, according to its website) and a couple of other restaurants in Wheeling, I'm starting to think people are sleeping on this West Virginia city. The food is really good at this little restaurant. Elle & Jack's leans toward Italian cuisine, but it gets a little funky with it by offering things like chimichurri salmon, a burger and steak frites. The menu is small, though, which is a relief. A pared down menu is my favorite kind of menu. Give me a small list of the things you make well, and I'll be happy. We got the arancini as an appetizer, of course. My kids had never had arancini before, and they loved them. But it's hard not to love a fried ball of rice covered in red sauce! I got the steak Caesar, because I do love a good Caesar salad. At this point in my life, I'm pretty much obligated to order the Caesar if it's on a menu. The girl can't help it. The steak was cooked perfectly (medium well), and the only thing I would change would be to make the croutons smaller. We also got a side of charred Brussel sprouts with bacon and dates. These were good but needed to be a little more charred! In my opinion, Brussels sprouts taste best when they're scorched. A side order is huge and meant to be shared. It could have easily been shared with three or four people. Elle & Jack's does not have an official kids' menu printed on a paper, but they have an unofficial kids' menu, which apparently lives in each server's head and can only be shared verbally. It's like five or six items. From what I remember -- because our server's words floated away from me like dandelion seeds in the wind as soon as he spoke them -- kids can choose from pasta with red sauce, buttered noodles, a grilled cheese and a cheeseburger. One of my kids got pasta with red sauce, and it was a perfect portion size for a child. My child liked it but said that the noodles were too chewy (they were probably cooked al dente). My other kid got a grilled cheese, and he liked it just fine. The kids' grilled cheese comes with fries. The scene here is slightly upscale but casual. I saw people who were dressed up and people who were not dressed up. I think it's definitely a come-as-you-are joint, but a place to visit when you want something a little more elevated. read more

Jerk chicken special on Friday 4/24/26 was fire. Not exaggerating when I say that I preferred it over the jerk chicken I had in Ocho Rios, Jamaica in 2021. read more

Elle & Jack's - American Near Me - Wheeling, West Virginia

Quaint little upscale restaurant. Great burger and everything else looked delicious. Service was reasonable quick for a finer dining experience. Would definitely recommend and look forward to dining there again. read more

Our server was attentive and helpful. She made excellent recommendations for our meals. Hands down I recommend the Earl Grey Crème Brûlée for dessert. They have a wide variety of beverages and quaint outdoor patio dining. read more

Elle & Jack's is sublime! Our server, Alicia was perfect in every way. Ask for her if she's working. The ambiance here is impeccable. The decoration and atmosphere is fresh and on point. I had the cucumber mock-tail and it was delightful! The Apple & Burrata salad with candied walnuts was incredible. My wife had one of the specials which was Shrimp and Mussels Diablo pasta. Alicia said it was pretty spicy but could be toned down. My wife preferred that option and adored the gorgeous tasty dish. I had the Jamaican shrimp curry since the chef is from Jamaica. Simply one of the best dishes I've ever had. Perfection. How he doesn't have a James Beard award or Michelin star is beyond me. They had a special chocolate espresso cake for dessert which was outstanding. Alicia and Elle & Jack's served us one of the best meals we've had in years. We just moved to KC after living in Las Vegas for a dozen years. We know good food. Wheeling is so lucky to have this gem. 5 stars feels like too few. Top shelf all the way. Just go. And ask for Alicia. Everything was perfectly timed by her and she's super enthusiastic, energetic and engaging. She's also from my home state. Grew up 40 miles from me. Small world. read more

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Elle and Jacks is a delicious upscale experience with some spectacular entrees (particularly the prime rib!) Visited here recently to celebrate a friend's birthday and genuinely loved it. I had actually been here a year prior but never wrote a review, though the two experiences were very similar: outstanding food with excellent plating, great service, and a fancy ambiance too. My prime rib was delicious and had sizable portions as well. The birthday girl was kind enough to let me sample the scallop dish as well, which was similarly tasty. Service was quite good with regular callbacks and drink refills. I did not see any decrease in service quality between last year and this year, which is more than can be said for the overwhelming majority of restaurants I have frequented in recent memory, so kudos to this place for rising above! Pricing definitely keeps this place as a special occasion only kind of spot, though it is perfect for that purpose. I highly recommend Elle and Jack's, it's a gem worth splurging for! Overall: 4.5 stars ---- Pros: - Fantastic food, both in taste and presentation. - Stellar service, consistent across time. - Good menu variety. - Great ambiance for special occasions or dates. Cons: - Pricing prevents this from being a regular thing. - Parking is a bit touch and go in this area though some street parking is available if you're lucky. read more

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I had been wanting to try this place as the photos I'd seen always made the food look delicious. The actually food was better!! I made reservations for my birthday dinner. I got the scallops and my guest got the filet. We both got old fashioned (mine was the wintertime, which was soo good and not as sweet as I was concerned about). The service was great from entrance to leaving. Our server, Alicia, was attentive but not pushy or annoying. She had a great attitude and was all smiles. It was a Tuesday so it was a little slower but still abuzz but easy for conversation. The actual temperature was a bit chilly but the atmosphere was warm. Highly recommend and would love to return! read more

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Everything is done right at this restaurant. The food is modern and delicious. The cocktails are top notch. Every server who I have encountered is attentive, knowledgeable and nice. Elle & Jack's could compete in any high end city. The ambiance is modern and the mood is high energy. Guest seem to enjoy themselves. It does get loud. Don't plan on a quiet romantic evening. read more

WOW... am I really in WV? Elle and Jack's is amazing - a far departure from my previous dining experiences in WV. The restaurant itself has a very cool decor. The environment was a tad noisy but super upbeat and almost electric. The service was spot on. The food... was amazing - for an appetizer, we had the blue cheese dip, and wifie is still talking about it - delicious. I had the scallops, which were awesome. Wifie had the burger, which she loved. I am convinced this is the place for dinner in Wheeling, WV... read more

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I was expecting great things after reading all the reviews but unfortunately, our meal was pretty lackluster. We really wanted to try the arancine appetizer, but were told they were out. Then for dessert we wanted two orders of Bananas Foster bread pudding, but were told they only had one left. The entrees and other stuff we were able to get were ok, but nothing special. Overall, disappointing. read more

Elle & Jack's - Meatball appetizer - American Near Me - Wheeling, West Virginia

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Braised Short Ribs get a 5.0. Chips and Blue cheese get 3 for the chips and 5 for the blue cheese dip. Good restaurant overall but drinks and entrees a little pricey. read more

Very good service aT the bar Drinks well done Food fresh and tasty A must stop in downtown wheeling!

I love this place my husband and I have been here three times and soon to be our fourth for his birthday! The food is amazing and you feel like you're on vacation! The ambiance is chill! read more

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Long time valley resident I finally stopped by and from the start it was a neat little place. That is where it ended. A birthday celebration was ruined by poor quality food. The filet was more steamed than grilled, curry shrimp had tails on it still gnocchi was unpleasant. Muscles were farmed lastly the chicken tasted gamey and boiled. Sad $200+ dinner for four. read more

Elle & Jack's - Thyme chicken - American Near Me - Wheeling, West Virginia

We were so excited to be able to give this place a try. Reservations were pretty easy to come by since we planned a few days in advance. The vibe is trendy and cool with vibrant animal print wallpaper adorning the back wall where we were seated. The blue cheese dip appetizer was a delicious way to start off our meals. It included a generous portion of dip along with bread and house made chips. For our meals, we were a little disappointed in the amount of menu items that were not available for the evening. However, the dishes that we decided on were absolutely delectable. There was not a bad thing about any of our choices which included everything from the lamb, steak, chicken, and seafood pasta. Our table had quite the variety of choices chosen. The cocktails were pretty decent even though one of them was a little off. Overall, the experience was great and we would be happy to return to try out some of the other items on the menu. Our server was pleasant and gave great recommendations. read more

We had a lovely meal here before attending a show at The Capitol Theater (which is stunning). We were warmly greeted by our server and offered drinks from the nice list of wines and cocktails. I had the pear elderflower martini and hubbie had the old fashioned. Both were fresh and well balanced. For dinner we shared the blue cheese dip to start. It was good bit strong on the blue cheese. Then we shared the pear salad and the short rib. Both were tasty and generous portions. As others have said it was a bit loud in the restaurant since of course it was a full house before the show. We very much enjoy the food and the service. We will be back! read more

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Four of us dined here early on the evening on a Thursday, and were the only customers in the lovely dining room for most of our meal. My husband had the special: penne with Cajun Alfredo sauce and chicken and raved about it. I ordered the scallops with sweet corn risotto and asparagus: divine! The scallops were perfectly grilled, lightly browned, tender and moist, and the corn risotto was creamy and delicious. Our friends also enjoyed their steak and salmon meals. We couldn't turn down dessert, either, so hubby and I shared a yummy carrot cake cheesecake and our friends enjoyed the pumpkin pound cake with homemade cinnamon ice cream. We devoured every bite! Service was excellent, as well. We'll definitely be making the 70-minute drive again to dine here. read more

Excellent food overall. Lamb chop appetizer was outstanding. Great service without feeling rushed. Prices were reasonable for the quality. Would definitely recommend and will be back the next time I'm in town. read more

We made reservations for our anniversary. Service was great. our waitress was on point. I got the Lamb shank.It was absolutely delicious! the meat just fell off the bone and the risotto was so creamy. My husband got the Creole Shrimp and it was boosting with flavor. Atmosphere was prefect, not too dark and sound level was great. read more

It is very small space but unique decor and bar area. We tried at the right time and night only waited a few minutes. This is very upscale for middle of downtown wheeling location. We tried charcuterie board for an appetizer which was delicious. The menu is not very big and I believe changes from time to time but still overwhelming decisions. We had the steak frittes, vodka pasta, osso bucco. All amazing didn't have room for dessert but they sounded great too. read more

Had the rice balls for an appetizer and linguine with seafood for dinner. We asked for the dinner to be made fra Diablo style and the chef was more than willing to accommodate. Both items were delicious! Our server Tabatha was very good and easy to talk to! read more

Our first trip to Elle & Jack's was FANTASTIC! The overall experience hit that perfect sweet spot between fancy and casual. Sort of like Casual+. I wore shorts and a polo, and did not feel out of place for an early evening weekend meal. The restaurant looks fabulous. It is just right. Lots of room, modern finishes that are juuuust funky enough. They have a small bar area with hi-top tables , and regular 2/4/6 seating throughout the rest of the dining room. We were happy to see some of our favorite faces from Avenue Eats, and service was terrific. The staff were all smiles and knowledgeable regarding menu and presentations. The menu is just right as well. Not too big, and every choice is worthy. We started with a steller charcuterie board appetizer, and not a scrap was left. Prosciutto, salami, olives, dates, crustini, artisan cheddar, homemade strawberry compote. Yes, please. My wife had the seared scallops with polenta and wild mushrooms and could not stop raving about it. I had the EJ Burger. The burger was HUGE and delicious with a heaping serving of fresh cut fries. Fantastic We finished with Bananas Foster Bread Pudding. Our server said this sells out most nights and I fully understand why. A flawless comfort food dessert. Everything was fresh fresh fresh. Elle & Jacks checks all the boxes. Great food and service. Huge portions, and the value is there pricewise as well. Solidly resting in the center of the $$$ range, but overall 100% worth every penny. I do believe they now have a lunch menu, and I can not wait to try it. We had a shared appetizer, two dinner entrees, a shared dessert, and my wife had a glass of wine with a pre-tip bill of $80. For this quality of food and experience you can not beat that in Wheeling WV. Every restaurant in town should be on notice, because the bar has been raised by Elle &Jacks read more

The food was so yummy! The drinks were elevated and unexpected. The staff were attentive and thoughtful with their suggestions. It was a really enjoyable evening. read more

Service was amazing the food was great but we left a cash tip and our server came running after us as we left saying there was no tip in the book. We were a party of 6 and at no time did anyone leave the table until the server was there. That said we left a sizeable tip here in cash and it was taken the minute we walked out. So we ended up giving our server an additional amount on the credit card. Not happy and because of this we won't be back again. *** UPDATE 12 days later *** Since this review the owner sent me a message, which states what her servers told her. We were a party of 6 people and their version of what happened is completely different from ours. I have tried reaching out to the owner, but now 2 days later no response. She says her servers have integrity but obviously not since the owner will not hear/read what we have to say. Our bill for that dinner was quite expensive and we will let everyone know it's safer to pay the bill via credit card and that should include the tip. read more

The food is always excellent. The service is as well. The ambiance is nice. The bartender is terrific and makes a wide variety of special and unique drinks. She is always friendly and a hard worker. I would recommend eating at the bar as well as at a table. read more

This was top tier the risotto might've been the best part even tho the lamb was perfect read more

Elle & Jack's - Lamb Osso Buco - American Near Me - Wheeling, West Virginia

Had the braised short rib. Presentation was mediocre and gravy or aus jus used was so salty it was almost inedible. May go back to try something different but not a good experience. Food was not commensurate with cost read more

Food is good.....above average but way, way, way overpriced. 42 bucks for a NY strip? No. 16 dollars for a hamburger? In Wheeling? No. 24 dollars for roasted chicken which is a chicken thigh and leg and some fingerling potatoes? No. The restaurant is nice but not fine dining. There is a good drink called the spices marguerita they serve but its not on their menu. Service is good. Not great. Wheeling is an economically depressed town. The whole town shuts down at 6 o'clock. If you DO decide to dine here, gobble up every morsel to make sure you get your money's worth. Park on the street. Sit outside. Stare at the empty storefronts. Open til about 9:30. read more

Elle & Jack's - American Near Me - Wheeling, West Virginia

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We came here for our anniversary and everything was absolutely perfect. We started with the blue cheese dip and even with me not being crazy about blue cheese, it was delicious. Then my husband had the steak and frites and I had scallops with sweet corn risotto. I can confidently say that was one of the best meals I've ever had in my life read more

This place is really great, and exactly what downtown Wheeling is needing right now. Casual lunch with easy access for for all the nearby businesses (especially nice for lunch on the patio when the weather is nice) and a fun, nice place to get some great dinner read more

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We Love ELLE & Jack's. We are from out of state, and every time we come to Wheeling, we come to E&Js. The food is great, service and staff personalities are terrific, and did I mention the full bar and that the desserts are from WHISK, the best bakery around!? I sound like I have stock in the place or I know the owners. Neither, but I just love it. read more

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This place is SO LOUD! Quite small and tables are practically one on top of the other. We had trouble hearing each other across our table, about 3 feet from each other, and had trouble hearing our server. The food was quite good but the noise ruined the entire experience for me. There's probably not much they can do about it because of the configuration of the space, but what a shame about the noise. read more

Wow! Wow! Wow! My partner and I were always huge fans of Avenue Eats, and Elle and Jacks is in the same vein quality, and creativity wise. We enjoyed the following dishes: 1/2 dozen broiled oysters - absolutely delicious, cooked to perfection. Scallops and Polenta - so so good, scallops were cooked perfectly and the polenta was flavorful and comforting. Lamb chop - well cooked, satisfying portion, fell off the bone. Earl Grey Crème Brule - Holy crap, this is where the meal took on a new level. Devine dessert. French Martini - good, not my favorite cocktail, but that's just my taste. Spicy Lemon Martini - Never would have considered cinnamon and lemon in a martini, but it was the perfect seasonal pairing. If you are looking for a more upscale dining experience without the stuffiness, this is the place. We enjoyed everything about our experience. Atmosphere is a VIBE, fun and funky. Also, on a Saturday night you usually will need a reservation. read more

If your going to offer outdoor seating in the fall please have a heat source...in a way we were glad to be outside bc the noise level inside was deafening you could hear it loudly from the outside. Our waiter got our drink order and then we didn't see him for about 15 minutes. We figured bc we were the only ones outdoors that was how our evening was going to go. But it got better. Hubby got scallops he said besides the mushrooms which were tough. They were excellent. I get the meatball appetizer which was delicious and we shared the truffle fries which were not great. The aioli was thick and tasted like mayo. We shared the bananas foster bread pudding and it was dense and swimming in the sauce. All in all it was a good meal but there were definitely some misses. read more

Bar meets diner atmosphere. Very loud, lots of kitchen noise, and tables close together. Our waiter was diner style, but the next table's waitress provided high end service. I recommend this place, because the food is amazing!!! It was cooked to perfection and the plating was a beautiful presentation. Drinks from the bar were mixed to perfection. Deserts were excellent. Nice variety and well executed. Will definitely go again, maybe try sitting out on the patio for a better atmosphere. read more

Elle & Jack's - Scallops cooked perfectly - American Near Me - Wheeling, West Virginia

Lara, Phil and their team are outstanding per usual. We celebrated our friends engagement last evening and the food was outstanding, drinks spectacular and the vibe was energetic and friendly!! Love that they brought this gem to downtown Wheeling for us to all enjoy! read more

Elle & Jack's - American Near Me - Wheeling, West Virginia

Outstanding service and menu, well executed - will definitely return . Would highly recommend giving this a try.

We stopped in there twice and enjoyed both visits. It's nice to have a rose among thorns in Wheeling. The food is exceptional and the service is great. They have a great selection of specialty cocktails and dinner choices. read more

Charcuterie was excellent as an appetizer, followed by Peach and buratta salad. Aperol sour was the perfect drink! My husband had the Curry shrimp dinner with a side of brussel sprouts that we both shared. Best dinner we have had in the Ohio Valley in years. Definitely adding to our rotation. read more

We picked this for the Lamb Shank I love lamb. It was really good with a cheesy risotto as the side. My wife had Scallops which were seared. Both were good. The service we prompt, we had reservations and that went without a glitch. The vibe is upscale, but everyone was dresses casual, I worn shorts and fit right in. read more