This restaurant is trending towards 4 stars, but not quite yet. I have found this restaurant to be reliable for a whole host of entrees. Prime rib falls into that category. As of late, the seafood specials have been creative and properly cooked. Most, succulent--nicely spiced. I'm not convinced yet that it's a trend to rely on, but if it is, 4 stars for that. Oh, and I will say that the shoestring potato fries are the way they should be made--close, very close! read more

The side if Mac n cheese is wonderful. Not a Big Mac cheese fan either. But.... It was so good my first bite I ordered some extra carry out for lunch and left it on the table. It is amazing creamy I think 4 cheeses shallots bacon n cream. Nice atmosphere. Prime was was soso. read more

Stopped in for a quick lunch while traveling. Looks like a food place to come back for a steak! Had the trio appetizer with guacamole, spinach cheese dip and salsa, and a nice bowl of really good black bean soup! read more

J. Alexander's Restaurant - New American Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

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My husband is a lunch regular and after hearing about this place for years, he finally took me for dinner on a weeknight. The name is a bit confusing -- I'm told it used to be called J Alexander's, but is now called Redlands Grill, but the signs still say J Alexander's. I was pleasantly surprised by the meal. It was very good. We ordered the fire-grilled artichokes as an appetizer, which were excellent. For my main dish, I had the Thai-Kai Chicken Salad. It was HUGE with a LOT of chicken, flavored well, and fresh. I really enjoyed it. Service was also good. I'd like to come back again if in the area! read more

I loved J Alexander's when it was on Clybourn. My favorite thing was that if you order a martini to give you a little teeny glass filled with ice and put a mini shaker in it so the rest of the martini stays cold. They goodness they still do that at the Redlands. But that's about it. We had deviled eggs turkey club and the Thai salad. All were just OK. If you're in the area it's worth the stop but don't make a special trip. read more

J. Alexander's Restaurant - New American Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

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I met my daughter here after work for dinner and we had a great time and the food was very good and the even had choices for me because I am a vegan read more

J. Alexander's Restaurant - New American Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

My friends and I have been to this restaurant a couple of times. While the food was ok, the service was extremely awful. We had four different waiters/waitresses, all of which one of us had to call over so that we could get service. They did not check in on us once to ask us how the food was or if we needed anything. Our waters were never refilled. There was a lot of attitude and what felt like annoyance from the staff. After we received our check, we sat there and waited roughly 15 minutes prior to being taken care of. Safe to say that we will not be returning to this restaurant and we will not be recommending it to others. read more

The blonde host (older of the two blondes) is one of the most rude people we've encountered. When asked ONCE how much time we had to wait she goes "42 minutes" and we had already waited for ten minutes with an estimated 35 minutes at the start. Then as we were talking, my grandma asked what the name was on our table count and I said 'I don't know, they didn't ask' and she interrupts and says "I know your party, relax". We would have left if it weren't my grandpas birthday, but none of us are coming back. Awful experience. Rude service. Even before the meal even starte read more

Very good. Spot on. Service excellent and the food just perfect . Highly recommend. Not cheap however

Delicious and consistent. Have not been here for awhile. We had a large party of 9. Food arrived quickly and it was really good. Everyone enjoyed their meal. Wide selection to meet everyone's tastes. read more

Excellent service, steak/fish, and experience at J Alexander's! Go see Tia at the bar; 5 stars because of her and the 14oz Chicago Ribeye! (the Branzino fish was great too!) read more

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These guys really know how to grill a steak to the perfect temp! Slightly understaffed, but worth the wait.

Best I can report is that they consistently serve decent food from a very limited menu and the service is good. Like every other place, prices have really risen. Had French dip sandwich and my wife had the rotisserie chicken. No drinks, no dessert. $72 with tip. Value proposition is questionable. read more

I wish I had a time machine and could go back 15 years. This was when J Alexander's was a GREAT restaurant and not a mediocre one. Most recent visit, and probably last included: Fruit flies - Soggy salad - forgot an ordered item - and most repulsive, the sour beer odor near the bar probably coming from dirty sinks or drains. read more

The quality of this establishment has gone way downhill, as it is truly not what it used to be when this restaurant first opened, as with new ownership the quality plunged downwards as well. The food didn't taste fresh and the service was nonexistent. Furthermore I will not be back! read more

$8 for soup and $19 for a burger and fries is insane. Picked up my order to go and got down the road and I'm stuck with an $8 soup and no spoon or cutlery. Called to complain and they said it's upon request... How was I supposed to know this? They also said they would take off the soup which they still have not done... read more

The grilled chicken salad had almost no chicken in it. It's contains too much of crispy stuff, (the Menu description doesn't mention it). So it's not good for you if you are on a protein diet. read more

Food is pretty good, and it's extremely close which is what has made it an occasional spot, however this evening will be my last. Every time we go in it seems as though the bartenders are extremely busy even though the bar is never full. This evening I dined by myself and got a cocktail and the prime rib. I've always enjoyed the prime rib there and decided to go with the King cut so I could take some home. Being an evening I wanted to get out, I planned to stay for a bit. Usually I have a pre-dinner cocktail and then a glass of wine with my meal. The prime rib came out less than 5 minutes after ordering - I would say awkwardly too fast - was it someone else's rejected meal or did they just have a bunch under a food lamp ready to go. After finishing my cocktail and what I was going to eat, I had planned on getting a glass of wine anyways. I told the bartender I wasn't sure how much more I was going to eat, but would definitely like a box for at least some of it - which he promptly brought me. But then after boxing it up, he just handed me my check and said if there was anything else I needed to let him know. Why hand me the check before asking me if there is anything else I would like? Isn't that server 101? I was very annoyed at the assumption I was done. It certainly wasn't so busy that they needed to fill seats, but that is how I felt. Not only would have increased the tip %, but the overall value of the check. read more

King in the man bun on the 26th of August deserves all of the tips!! He wasn't even our server and was super helpful. Thanks for a delicious feast as always. Much love! read more

Amazing! The veggie burger was very tasty. Fish tacos were terrific. Generous portion size. Great presentation and atmosphere. We will definitely be back! read more

I love the Prime Rib French Dip. Good quality and customer service.

My wife nearly choked to death tonight at this restaurant. As I was trying to help her, none of your staff (4-5 individuals) even came over to assist. Luckily an angel came over to assist and my wife is fine. How about train your staff on how to save someone's life. It's the least you can do. The waiter actually asked if we wanted our food boxed up as I paid for the $250 partially eaten dinner. read more

The food & server was absolutely phenomenal. We came here from Atlanta to the best server ever. Fargo is by far one of the world's best server & an incredible restaurant. Ask for Fargo from Venezuela, it would be a great experience in dining pleasure. read more

This is an outstanding restaurant! The customer service is excellent! Our servicer was Fargo and words can't express how amazing he was. We had a large party and everyone's order came out perfectly. Our appetizers came out hot and delicious! Please don't skip dessert! read more

I would not even give this one star. I went there to a dinner that was a memorial for my dear friend. I'd ordered a centerpiece of flowers from Pesches's ( Des Plaines) to be delivered beforehand. When we arrived there were no flowers. The host checked with the manager who checked and assured us nothing had been delivered. Sad. The next day I went to the florist ( Pesches's) who back tracked on the order and found out that yes, they had indeed been delivered. Pesche's called the restaurant, the person who spoke was very rude; called the florist a liar etc. The piece was indeed received by J Alexander's but they denied it. Pesche's very kindly reimbursed us for the flowers, because they are s good and decent business. In no way was it Pesches's responsibility. This restaurant will never get my business again and I am spreading the word. They are not worth their salt! read more

My family liked the restaurant. My daughter got the chicken tenders and loved it with the mustard. The chocolate cake was too chocolaty according to my other daughter. There was some delay in between service, I'm not sure if the waiter had too many tables assigned to him or if this was just how they operate. Overall it was an average restaurant with an average meal. read more

J. Alexander's Restaurant - Menu my daughters Ethiopian elephant - New American Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

We come for the atmosphere, comfort and proximity to our home. Our server, Jennifer, was outstanding! She enhanced the evening for us by being extremely helpful and kind. In the past, the attitude of one of the male servers has been arrogant and curt. There is no excuse for this behavior in a service industry. Food is consistently good but rarely great. There are a few specials each night but the menu and side choices never seem to change over the years. The bartenders could use some re-training in recipes for classic cocktails, especially the Cosmopolitan. Presentation is always special, but not the taste. The Key Lime Pie is excellent! read more

If I could give this place a minus star I would. I live close by and was looking forward to enjoying a nice meal. IT was a forgettable dinner, the only reason I remember what I ate was because it was so awful.I had the pork chops ( dry) the beets were sweet as in sugar was added.I just couldn't wait to get out. Don't go, unless you you want to have an terrible time and waste your money. read more

The food here is quite delish! The French Dip is to die for -- as is their prime rib deal on Sundays. For dessert - carrot cake is insanely yummy!! I recommend to all! read more

The more expensive a place is, the more I expect of it. Which is why I have to give J's a measly review. We came here on a Monday night with 7 people, only to be told when we called ahead to reserve that we couldn't, but once we got there, we received an incredulous look from the hostess...as in, how dare we show up without a reservation?! But no bother...they put us on the list, and we kept ourselves occupied at the bar with drinks and appetizers. Once we were seated (almost 45 minutes later), the waiter launched into his favorite appetizers, failing to notice we had just had the very ones he was mentioning. I pointed this out, which seemed to deflate his whole spiel, so he failed to go on to mention all the specials, soups of the day, etc. I went for the salmon and 'smashed potatoes,' which are really mashed red potatoes with a bit of the skin still there. How clever. You can't really screw up mashed potatoes, so I have no complaints about those. However, the salmon was incredibly salty. I couldn't even finish it. I have had better salmon fixed at home with absolutely nothing but pepper on it. Come on, $23 for this crap? Additionally, my glass of Pinot Noir was lacking in flavor, so this place just completely struck out for me. read more

Okay anyone that knows me knows that I LOVE J. Alexander's. I was happy to see that there was one in the area when I moved. Well this is my second time at this location. I must say that I am not a fan of the layout. The bar is in the middle of the restaurant. I am used to the other locations where it is off of the dining area. So I have had to adjust to that. Now to the food. I only order one thing. The Steak Maui. I love love LOVE this steak. Its hard for me to consider ordering anything else. Well the steak maui was good but it wasn't the BEST one that I have had. I can't really explain it but it just did not taste the same. The service was okay..but again it was just okay. It took the bartender quite a little time to take our order. I just was a little disappointed because I LOVE this place. That being said I would NOT be against going again. I guess my expectations are now a little lower. read more

I haven't been in a while since they left the city, but it was just as great as I remember! We had a little mix-up with the steaks (we were given another tables steak order) although we didn't mention anything or complain, (we done believe in complaining for every darn thing, that is just rude)b it was so nice how the manager (Ryan) came to reassure that we now had was the correct steak, etc. Just excellent service overall, and the food was delicious! The drinks were also perfectly made. I wish they would bring one back to the city! read more

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I like the quality of food and service... the attendent was very humble and friendly.. read more

J. Alexander's Restaurant - New American Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

J. Alexander's is a nice little diamond tucked away in the North Chicago Suburban rough. Situated between a major North/South car chocked toll way, another car chocked east/west highway, and endless cul de sacs and office parks, J. Alexander's is a meeting place for the commuting weary. This is a classic American contemporary restaurant serving classic American cuisine. During the day, it caters to the business community that dominates the area. In the evening it caters to this same crowd after work, plus the local community living in the area. I have experience here in both scenarios. On the business front, our organization came here for lunch one wintery afternoon. There were a little more than 20 of us and the staff at J. Alexander's handled us all flawlessly from entry to exit. It was a real joy to see them work. When we arrived, they had our area all prepared. There were a handful of servers ready and waiting. They wasted no time getting us watered and taking our appetizer orders. Then the army of servers went to work taking our lunch orders, while simultaneously, runners were bring our appetizers and drinks. When the main course came, there was no confusion as to who ordered what. I must say, they were a well-oiled machine. The setting here can best be described as contemporary, open and high energy. The place has a large horse shoe bar in the middle which overlooks the kitchen, and is flanked on either side with dining areas. It is clad with dark wood and colorful accents throughout. The bar area has a vaulted ceiling, while the dining areas have lower ceilings, providing a more intimate feel. As for the food--You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. For Seafood, try the pan seared scallops, the Ahi Tuna or the grouper with mango papaya salsa. For lunch, the fish tacos are delicious. If you like sandwiches, try the turkey burger, or my favorite, the prime rib sandwich. This is an 8 ounce slab of succulent aged prime rib slapped between two pieces of toasted French bread. Or better yet, try the French Dip. This is the same prime rib, but sliced thin, slapped on the same French bread and served with Au Jus and your choice of a side. For me, the jury is still out on which prime rib sandwich is better, but if you are a meat lover, you have to try this. Or, you can't go wrong with a basic steak and fries. J. Alexander's specializes in wood fired-fired cuisine. Service here is prompt and friendly and the price is reasonable. read more

Having been here a few times before, we came here for lunch one afternoon earlier this month. I knew to expect a nice lunch that day and was thrilled to know we were going to J Alexander's. After perusing the lunch menu all morning, I knew when I walked in that I was going to order the French Dip sandwich...which is ultimately prime rib sliced thin and dipped in au jus. My only complaint is that the sandwich didn't come with cheese on it...which is a huge issue, because I LOVE CHEESE. However, the sandwich was still unbelievably delicious without it. (In hindsight, it was probably better without it so as to not take away from how good the prime rib was.) The horseradish was a great compliment to the sandwich too, and the fries are wonderful. Shoestring, so be prepared when you get the really thin kind with lunch. I cannot wait to come back here on my own and order the mac and cheese. It sounds like I really missed out by not ordering that, so I know that will be on my tab next time around! Be cautious at lunchtime...this place packs up quickly since there are so many corporate offices surrounding the area. read more

What happened, J.Alexander's?? We used to come here years ago when they had great items on their menu and the place was lively and a great alternative to Wildfire. The decline began when popular items disappeared off the menu. We stopped coming in regularly, and would stop by occasionally to see if anything has improved on the menu. We came in today after several years being gone, and sadly this will likely be our last. The service was great, and the food itself was good, but the selection on the menu is incomparable to what it used to be, and the prices are way too high for what is offered. Try for yourself and see if you agree as well. read more

Loved this place. Customer service was an A+. Stopped in for a glass of wine right after work. Had such a great experience I came back for dinner. Food and wine top notch and the staff is personable, fun, and very engaging. Will return anytime I'm in this area. read more

I haven't been here for about a decade. I came a lot with my family when it opened. I remember the ribs were TO DIE FOR... fall off the bone. I came the other night because it was a good central location off the tollway for a groups of colleagues. The food is fantastic! I didn't get the ribs... but I shared a salmon thai dish and an ahi tuna salad with my bestie. we both ate them all up. So good. One of the guys got a turkey burger. It looked yummy and he said it was good. The place is a bit loud. I think they want it that way because it creates a nice vibe for the after work crowd. Our service was a bit spotty. At one point I didn't see our waiter for a t least 15 minutes. I thought he was off shift... then he showed up again. It turned out ok (or a-ok as I rated it). We could all enjoy our meals and the night with old friends. read more

The best time to come here is Friday for dinner! Why you ask? Because that is the only time they serve their special baby back ribs, which are literally the best ribs I've ever EVER ever had. These are super tender, they literally fall right off the bone. The portion size is huge! The coleslaw is made in house and tastes super fresh. My family frequents this place often just for these ribs, that's how big of a deal they have become. I've come here for lunch before with a few coworkers, and the meal was very average. Best sides are Macaroni and Cheese, Mashed Potatoes, and Coleslaw. The fries are thing shoestring fries, which I am not a big fan of. The salads - I've tried the Redwood (Rotisserie Chicken) and Ahi Tuna - both are gigantic but really average. You might as well go for a solid entree if you are going to come here. read more

The absolute worst "fine" dining experience, ever. I took a friend out for her birthday and although it was an impromptu type of thing we didn't have to wait at all. The restaurant was near empty for the time I asked so there was no reason that the service wasn't better. As the meal progressed the place did fill with patrons, mostly families toting small ones. The waitress was pleasant enough and brought out water to get us started. The birthday girl noticed something and shyly brought it to my attention. Dirty drinking glasses not once, but twice. Even after assurances by the manager that the rest of the meal will go flawlessly. The service was rushed and the food was average at best. My filet was not the best cut. Maybe I was assuming too much for a place of this type, but a 30 dollar plus charge for the filet was way too much for the quality delivered. The creme brûlée was burnt, even after managers assurance. things just don't go as planned. I knew that there will always be mistakes, but when you promise something at least try and deliver on that promise. My trip to this average eatery will reman below average in my eyes. read more