We had dinner on Christmas Eve and it was perfect. The food and service were great. I'm looking forward to going back since this is my new favorite restaurant. I highly recommend this restaurant for excellent food and service!! read more

Stopped by this restaurant because it was close to the hotel I was staying at and I didn't even do any YELP research as I normally do. I just saw the exterior of the restaurant and instantly knew it had to be at least decent. To my surprise the interior was very nice, a professional intimate setting. Pricing was not bad at all and the food was outstanding. I ordered grilled chicken and coleslaw. I'm a stickler for sides and the southern coleslaw was sooo good. Oh, and they surprised us with their delicious carrot cake, on the house because my daughter graduated Navy boot camp. What a wonderful way to end the meal, I'll definitely go back! read more

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

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Some of the best service I've seen in a awhile! Thank you Dawn! Music was light and lovely. All of the elderly patrons were greeted and promptly seated. The smiles on their faces! The open kitchen was clean and prompt. Will totally come again! read more

Reserved a table for my office Christmas Dinner for last Saturday for 6:30. We went there for the prime rib & it didn't disappoint. The staff was quick & friendly. My husband & I arrived around 5:45 & I informed check in that we were there & would be at the bar. While at the bar the manager came over & informed us he gave our table to a walk in because they called to confirm & we didn't answer. Needless to say we weren't happy & when my boss got there, he wasn't happy either. The manager tried to accommodate us. Was going to sit us at separate tables, which we didn't want. I believe once he was told there was only going to be 5 instead of 6, he sat us at a booth & put a chair at the end. He did provide a couple of free appetizers. When I got to work on Monday, there was no message or text from them as the manager had stated. A reservation should only be canceled by the person who set up the reservation or by the restaurant if the people don't show up on time. Never heard of a restaurant giving the table away just because you didn't answer the phone to confirm! read more

Average 3.5 star rating and I would mostly agree! Calamari was on pointe if we weren't sharing. Hah. Cajun ribeye was well-seared. It was just a really fatty cut. Powerful layer ice cream cake ... is a chunk of ice cream?! I didn't take a photo but kept commenting that it was called layer cake. Looking at online photos now, sometimes there's 3 layers of cookie-- makes so much more sense! Perhaps the bare minimum milkfat to qualify legally as ice cream. Service was fine. She might be newer but pleasant Note to self: vegan burger well done is supposed to be great read more

As far as chains go this is really solid and reliable Food is steady and consistent. Do I ever crave anything from here? No but it's a solid place where everything is good I had the Asian salad which was again very solid but not ringing my bell. Service is very good and the best part of the place. Always fast and attentive Ambiance is straight up. Not fancy or drab but right down the middle. Dark and abut old school but it's totally fitting Solid choice all around read more

Excellent!! Our waiter Pete T was phenomenal!! The food was so tasty and served fast! We were told the wait was 30 mins but it was less than 10! Great ambiance ! Pete T showed his true self when he assisted an elderly person remove their jacket... loved it! Thank you! read more

Food is fine. Not great, not bad, just fine. The place itself is comfortable with ample booths and good lighting but the Redlands is like going to an airport or hotel restaurant. The place usually has a good crowd and service is robotic. Hi my name is...I'll be your server...can I start you off with... It's so scripted and then you get runners that bring you the food and if you're lucky you'll get your original server to come back and get you more drinks. If you come here, stick with their prime rib sandwiches, burgers, etc. just don't stray too far to more expensive fare like steaks. For this go to a steak house read more

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Absolutely love service, environment and food at J. Alexander's. We frequent 1-2 times per week. A request would be to have Hall Cabernet by the glass, Frank Family Cabernet by the bottle, steak rolls on the menu and Nashville hot always available. Everything is superb these would just be great additions that many would enjoy. read more

As I'm writing this review, I've been on hold for 15 mins. I'm attempting to inform the manager that my last order, this past Sunday, they forgot to include my carrot cake in a carry out order. When I called Sunday night to inform them of the mistake, I was put on terminal hold during that call too. Love their turkey burger and hate their customer service. Just rude. I've decided to go elsewhere this evening and will not return. read more

Place is so crazy dark at our table could not see the food almost at all lol. What's up with that? We eat with our eyes nes't-ce pas? The beer list was so dreadful I went with water but usually love a good beer sigh. Place reminds me a little of cheesecake factory quality food so if you luv that you'll luv this. All just felt a bit perfunctory tho service was good. French dip decent tho not Bandera level but rip to them. Fries complete blah afterthought and sniffed like from frozen if you receive my meaning. Are good fries really this difficult? Guess it's the new real real, higher prices for just ok quality food. And that's a little bit of too bad. read more

Came here for lunch and got the cajun prime rib sandwich. It was phenomenal! Seasoned way better this time.. a nice slab of prime rib, on a toasted ciabatta bread. I ordered with some fries. The fries were the super slender ones, but was tasty. Service was good, the food was great, and the price for me... free, since my boss paid for it. read more

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

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Love J Alexander's, this is a go to spot for casual dinner and family celebrations. They have yummy salads if you want a nice sized salad for dinner. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu read more

Great dinner (had fish, Branzino) Very lovely service. We Wii definitely come again. Bla, bla bla read more

I am always loathe to leave negative reviews. I try to find the positive in everything. For a while, my daughter and I would come here every other week (and at times, every week). We liked the ambiance, food, and service. The problem we encountered was that the food and service were quite inconsistent. My daughter would order the burger; although she'd always order it medium well, we had no idea what we would get. Medium well? medium? medium rare? well done? I'd order the salmon and there were times it wasn't done enough (if that makes sense). When it came to service, it became a gamble what we'd get. Would we get straws with our water or no? Will our server check up on us or no? Will they remember to prepare and serve what we ordered or no? Would the host/hostess remember us or no? (Except for one guy, the answer was always no. And even then, it seemed he was too busy to engage with us other than telling us to sit and wait.) Will our sides come as ordered or would we need to remind someone? Will the food be prepared properly or no? There was one particular instance that deeply disappointed us. My daughter loves the Hong Kong shrimp. We ordered it as appetizer. After a wait, our entrees started coming out. We finished them. And we sat. This entire time, our server never checked up on us. It almost seemed he was avoiding us. My daughter was getting antsy because she wanted the Hong Kong shrimp. I told her they probably forgot or they were out of it. Finally, I asked a busser to please get our server. He came and we explained that we never got the Hong Kong shrimp. He was surprised and left. He came back shortly and asked if we still wanted it. I told him we still did. We had to wait almost half an hour to get it. By this time, I was very annoyed and upset. Even though my daughter also wanted dessert, I promised to get her anything, just not here. I wanted to leave. This may seem petty but despite coming here every other week or every week, there seemed to be no recognition of us. We always came for dinner. We were always treated like we were strangers. (I found this to be strange because most other restaurants go out of their way to make us feel special, valued, and honored.) Most people come here once in a while, if even that. This place might be good for that -- if the service and food is done properly that day. But for a regular treat, it's most certainly not worth the price we pay. Unfortunately, we cannot in good conscience return. read more

The restaurant has a great ambiance, and decent food, unfortunately the area we were sitting in was so cold that everyone around us was wearing their winter coat. The server said they were having an issue with their HVAC, but the manager was indifferent. She made no attempt to acknowledge the issue let alone offer to reseat patrons to other parts of the restaurant. read more

This place is now off my list of places to visit. Our favorites like steak Maui, Danish baby back ribs and a few other items. Service is no longer what it used to be. Goodbye J. read more

Celebrated milestone birthday at J. Alexander's on Lake Cook road in Northbrook with our family, 9 in all, the food and service were exceptional! From the flaky rainbow trout to the Chicago Ribeye that was cooked perfectly medium rare as well as our server, it was a truly memorable experience! Will be returning soon and often. Kudos!! read more

I have driven past this restaurant 100s of times and finally decided to check it out. I am so glad that I did. The interior is wonderful. Quiet, beautiful wood and comfy chairs. We were seated quickly and our server was very attentive. The only feedback I have, is that when I asked if the salad was big enough to split, they said no, however they were large considering we ordered entrees and an appetizer. We also got our main course minutes after our salad and appetizers and asked to have them hold it. Our server apologized so all good there. We ordered the Mexico City spinach queso which was wonderful. The salad was delicious as was the chicken and prime rib. In fact the prime rib was one of the best I have had. The prices were more than fair and I had leftovers. I definitely will return back. read more

Salmon ordered for Delivery was great!!! Go figure that delivered fish could be delicious. Jordan and Devin the managers made it happen even though I called them at very busy times they were pleasant and efficient throughout the whole process. Amazing! The baked potato and broccoli were also a delight really happy to have found this healthy and friendly option. read more

Ahi Tuna Salad. I am so very sad, my favorite all-time salad the wasabi tuna salad has really gone downhill and so disappointing. The price has gone up up up and the quality and the size has gone down down down. Sadly, I will not be carrying this out again. Where are my favorite crunchies and this lettuce looks pathetic. And thanks for the bread read more

J. Alexander's Restaurant - What a sad salad for $24 - New American Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

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This is a fine place to experience consistently well-prepared contemporary American cuisine. The unfussy modern décor is dark and romantic, and seating is in roomy, comfortable chairs. The bar, with its view of the kitchen, seems to be a hot spot for weekday Happy Hour. The menu won't necessarily drain your wallet. The most expensive item is a $40 steak, but nearly all of the apps, sandwiches and salads are under $20. Entrée prices include sides, and you can add a salad for just $6. Everyone in our party was extremely pleased with their meals. I reveled in the pecan crusted trout, a huge portion that was juicy and expertly seasoned. My Missus said her fish tacos was a keeper. The cheeseburger, turkey burger, and fried calamari could compete with anyone else's. Even the service was exemplary. I'm a carrot cake fancier and, after reading others' reviews of Redland's interpretation of this dessert, I just HAD to try a piece. OMG. This is served hot and has the consistency of bread pudding. The melty cream cheese frosting was decadent. So, why 4 stars and not 5? We had a reservation for a party of 9, but only 8 showed up. Making a face like she was sucking on a sour lemon, the hostess informed us, "Well, the table is set for 9. Please wait here; it will take us a few minutes to set up the table to accommodate 8." A Hostess Ding-Dong for sure! read more

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

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We have eaten at J Alexander's many times. Food is good most of the time. We absolutely love their grilled artichokes and French dip sandwiches. Their Ahi Tuna salad is also delish. Tonight I ordered the cheeseburger, unfortunately it was inedible. Too much char which made the meat taste burnt and was bitter. So bad, we had to run through a drive thru on the way home to get a burger as I as still hungry. I will definitely be back. Sharing my experience so others that don't like a strong charred flavor doesn't order the burger. read more

Thought I had reviewed this place a few weeks ago however I can't find my review. We've probably been here at least ten times over the years. The food is always good. The service usually is and last night it was great. Our server Greg has been there several years and is an excellent, calm and cool professional that knows his stuff and makes you feel welcome and appreciated. We had the chicken tortilla soup - not your run of the mill broth based soup but a very flavorful rich tomato based soup with chunks of chicken and shredded cheese. Very tasty and served piping hot! My better half had the chicken Milanese (pounded then breaded and fried breast.) It has a little vinaigrette on top, creamy mashed potatoes and a dressed mini salad. The chicken is breaded in panko so it was crispier than a regular breading. It needed a tad of salt though. My entree was the Thai Kai Salad with warm grilled chicken and peanut sauce on the side. Perfectly cooked chicken just a hint of cilantro vinaigrette and the peanut sauce beats any at Thai restaurants. This one is not overly sweet and has a nice natural consistency. read more

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OK, it's a chain. So stipulated. The menu is nice. It's reasonably priced. The specials were attractive. It was a long wine list. The service was outstanding. And the food was really quite good. Yes, the room lacks the personality of a local, more intimate place, but everything else makes up for it. Especially when you consider that you are up in the suburbs... It's pretty terrific. read more

If you asked me two years ago I would of given J. Alexander's restaurant a five star review. I happend to be up from the city today and passed by my old favorite restaurant and thought after my appointment I can't wait to have lunch there. I came in and it felt so different. The food tasted tasted different. No bread or crackers. The host was very cold she preferred to look at her cell phone instead of her customers. It's sad I won't go back, read more

Seating for lunch was quick, and service too. Modern ambiance. Nice menu. I had the Caesar salad with lots of crispy shrimp. Mild and nice Caesar dressing. My husband had the prime rib sandwich. Came beautifully medium/medium rare as ordered. He said it was very tasty, and he raved about the shoestring fries. (He rarely even eats fries!) read more

J. Alexander's Restaurant - Caesar salad with crispy shrimp - New American Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

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We stopped in for dinner the other night, not having eaten there since the name change to Redlands. The service was good, the food was good although expensive for what it was. We started with the calamari which came with a marinara type dipping sauce. Both were enjoyable. I had the crab cakes served with coleslaw and matchstick fries. It was good but not worth the $40 price tag which I didn't realize because it was listed as a market price dish. My fiancé had the prime rib which was nicely cooked and served with a potato side. It was also $40. For dessert we tried the carrot cake which seemed to be more of a hot carrot cake pudding topped with a cream cheese sauce. In addition I had one of their bourbon drinks which packed a punch. Overall we'll return but I'm not certain under what circumstances. read more

J. Alexander's Restaurant - The Doppelgänger bourbon drink - bourbon, amoretto, and cherry plus another ingredient escaping me right now. - New American Near Me - Northbrook, Illinois

Food was delicious, Service was fantastic, ambience was excellent. Nearby neighborhood Convenient location too.

This is a nice place for a business lunch or quiet dinner. The menu is (new) American and while not exciting, the food is always well executed and delicious. We usually come here for a late meal after a long day at the office. You'll get a good meal here. read more

Ashely was absolutely amazing! She made sure our reservation was made and greeted us with a great smile, Her whole vibe is amazing, she made us feel so welcomed. Ashely is wonderful and deserves a raise!! I will come back just for Ashley to be our host! read more

I love this place! We've been here a few times now and always eat at the bar. The bartenders make great drinks and are friendly. One of the main positives is that they will substitute anything without hesitation or an up charge. Don't want rice? You can have mashed potatoes. Don't want croutons on your salad? No problem, they'll give you tomatoes instead. I've never had a request denied. That goes a long way in my book bc I always feel guilty asking for changes. The food is always great too. I love their salads while my husband always gets the prime rib. read more

It's heartbreaking having to write a review like this because the food quality is still above average. That being said, their customer service is a pile of streaming garbage. Prices are insanely high which they have the right to charge. As a consumer, I also have the choice to accept them or move on. They have a decent salmon burger so I chose to accept them. However, once you have to start forcing upon me mandatory hidden surcharges like credit card fees or a container fee (WTF!) on top of your already ridiculous prices, you've lost me permanently. It tells me that as an ongoing business that you're too stupid to properly manage your enterprise that you're dependent upon trickery in order to survive, hoping that your North Shore cliental are either dumber than you are or perhaps just too fat and lazy to bother saying anything. I placed a takeout order over the phone and when I arrived at the location, they're hitting me up for a container fee. I respectfully asked that the charge be removed as it is customary to remove superfluous charges once they're discovered, at least that's my past experience of what other restaurants do. The manager explained to me that it was their "corporate policy" to not remove container charges. I ended up walking out on my order (painful as Hell) because management lacked courtesy and the common sense to perform basic math in that while $38 is less than $41, it still remains far greater than the goose egg that these incompetents received. I've never walked out on a takeout order in my life prior to today, but rest assured, I won't be going back to J. Alexander's any time soon. Probably not a stretch because with all the one star reviews they seem to be collecting lately, they'll be out of business soon enough. read more

Hate leaving this review but... the food... was bad.we ordered calamari, deviled eggs, the french dip, hamburger, Caesar salad, kids grilled cheese and macaroni and cheese. The hamburger came running red so we sent it back. The replacement was good. The French dip was AWFUL. It had the fattiest meat I have ever experienced. I couldn't even eat the sandwich. Since there was already an issue with the burger I didn't say anything and 24 hours later I'm still thinking about how awful that meat was. My husband had been previously and enjoyed it. He was shocked at the food quality yesterday. It was bad. read more

Excellent lunch & dinner choices. Drinks & small plates Delish. Very nice place for Birthday celebrations & after hours catch ups read more

It's definitely not one of the better meals I have had. The Filet Mignon was crispy on the edges and medium well in the center. The carrot cake was hot... the wine was good, though. So was the service. read more

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I was in Chicagoland for business this past week and a few of my colleagues decided to get together for dinner the night. J. Alexander's was relatively close to the hotel we were staying at so we decided to dine here. The dining room is very nice - it's open with mostly a medium to dark wood color scheme complimented by red booths. The bar in the center and the open kitchen in the back serve as a focal point; overall the aesthetics give of a casual yet upscale atmosphere. J. Alexander's is a chain, and from what I was told they specialize in steak. This particular location was renamed and is now under their Redland's brand. I'm not the biggest red meat eater though, so I decided to explore their menu a bit more. It was pretty well rounded - a nice selection of apps, mains, sandwiches, salads, etc; the cuisine was mostly New American. We started with the calamari app. This was pretty good, though we were only served rings - I'm always skeptical when I don't get the legs. I understand people don't like them and they might leave them out but it's also a sign that the fish might have been frozen. Regardless, it tasted good - not the best I've had but certainly not the worst. The marinara sauce it was served with was was pretty good. For my main I decided on a sandwich - the West End. This was a grilled chicken sandwich with cheese, pickle, lettuce, tomato, and onion. For a simple sandwich they did it right - the chicken was juicy, the bun was soft, and everything really worked well together. It was served with shoestring fries which was a nice change from typical fries. Service was very good - everyone we encountered was friendly and prompt. Overall I had a great time at Redlands, it wasn't the most exciting place I've been to but for a place to go while away on business it hit the spot. read more

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Now i KNOW i've written a review for them before... I'm not sure where it went. I have come here numerous times over the years!! My office is a few blocks away so it makes it easy to come for team lunches or for an after-work get together! This place gets busy fast. I would recommend making a reservation, even on the weekdays just to be safe. The restaurant itself is very nice looking. The ambiance is upper-class and you see a lot of people in professional clothing. They have really comfortable seating, wherever you sit. The tables have great chairs and the booths are nice and large and comfortable. The wait staff is very professional and usually on top of things. I like to order their version of a french dip. The beef is so tender and has such a nice taste to it, and their au-juis is also quite tasty. Their fries are bomb, too! The've got those little shoestring fries and holy hell they are SOOOO good!! Highly recommend coming here if in the area. You will enjoy the food for sure. read more

good food good time good waiter Would come back again The atmosphere was nice The appetizers were good Everyone enjoyed their food read more

Truly wanted to like this place but after the service I received today. I am better off going to a fast food restaurant's. Our waitress asked us what we like to drink then mixed our drinks up. Regular Coke and then a Diet Coke. She admitted it and instead of getting us new drinks she had us taste them to figure out. We ordered our food but someone else brought the food to the table. No big deal maybe busy but saw her the whole time chatting with other servers. Never came back ... I look around and saying excuse me but no one paid any attention. Finally she came to our table 20 minutes later after we finished our meal. I flat out said didn't think you ever come back. She said she had to do "To Go Orders". I stopped and asked another employee if to go orders come before dine in customers and she said "no". The manager never came around or anything like the few that were dining in didn't matter. Really sad actually ... we were the only "brown" not working there but eating there. Felt like it was deliberately done. read more