The ambience and the service at J Wilson's was great when my friend and I decided to have lunch there on Valentine's Day. Our server was particularly helpful and very pleasant. She earned an A+ and her tip reflected that. That said, my friend and I were both extremely upset about the lack of options for lunch. Everything on the menu was brunch and the options for that were not great. It took us quite a while to finally decide on what we would have. I had the quiche Lorraine with sweet potato fries and a salad. The sweet potato fries were OK, but the quiche was cold and I ended up eating less than half of my food. My friend ordered the blue crab benny which came with home fries. Her potatoes were cold and she also ate less than half her food because she said she didn't like it. I will accept blame for not realizing J Wilson doesn't serve lunch on weekends, but the quality of the food is on them. When I come to Lawrence, it's almost always on a Saturday, so I will not be having lunch at J Wilson's again. read more

We dined in at J. Wilson's as a group of 3. The middle stone wall area was unique. I liked the looks of it. I don't know if J. Wilson's is known for their steaks. I had the medium rare bone-in ribeye for $49. It was slightly over cooked but not by much. I didn't like the taste of the rub/sauce on the steak as it tasted a little sour. I've never eaten a steak at a steakhouse with this taste. It was certainly unique. I loved the lump crab cakes though; very moist and creamy. The service was great. Our waiter was attentive and offered a free coffee cake for a birthday celebration. J. Wilson's has an average 4.3 stars on Yelp which is really good. However, the bone-in ribeye was underwhelming. I would rather pay $20-30 more for a more exceptional steak. P.S. my brother also could not finish his KC Strip. read more

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J. Wilson's was great. It was a super nice restaurant, and the service was above and beyond. We took my daughter for her birthday, and she loved it. My Miso Short rib was so good. I will definitely be going back here. read more

J. Wilson's - Miso Short Rib - New American Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

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My wife and I came here for brunch for our anniversary. We've been to Lawrence numerous times but never heard of J. Wilson's but it is definitely a new favorite of ours. She had the Ultimate Biscuits and Gravy and I had the Pancetta Eggs Benedict. Both serving sizes were filling and the flavors were outstanding. Our waitress was knowledgeable about the food and incredibly personable. We would really like to come back for dinner as the atmosphere is more for dates and less "kid friendly". It was more laid back for it being brunch but I would assume that for dinner, it would be best to wear casual clothing--no sandals, shorts, or t-shirts. I also would love to check out the cocktails as their whiskey selection looked promising. I noticed as we were leaving they have Union Horse Distilling Co. bottles and a barrel by the door. Union Horse is always a win in my book. Great place. Great food. read more

J. Wilson's - Pancetta Eggs Benedict - New American Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

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Alivia was our server and she was amazing! I was visiting from Washington DC and wanted to take my family out for steak so asked & found out that J. Wilson's had great steak. So we went there after church on Sunday only to find that brunch only was available. I asked Alivia if any exception could be made since we had a couple of dietary restrictions...plus, we wanted steak. And we got steak. Alivia talked to the kitchen/chef and thank you, thank you for being so accommodating. We would not expect this every time but this was special. The steaks were perfection and all the sides. I have been to this restaurant once before and I just remember how cozy and comfortable the ambience was and wanted to experience it again with family. Thanks a million - and please let Alivia know we will not forget her kindness and stellar service. read more

This place never disappoints! Staff is always super nice right when you walk in. The food is fresh and the portion size is generous. Dining room is very cozy and great for a date night or any meeting. read more

Best steak I've had in Lawrence. Service was excellent. Ambience was nice reminding me of a 70s decor. Little expensive, but it was worth it. read more

GREAT service! Unique dishes and interesting atmosphere. Large menu with plenty of choices.

The salmon burger slaps. What can I say? The service is great. The inside is beautiful. Short. Sweet. To the point!!! To be honest I've never eaten inside. I'll have to do that sometime. For takeout though it's always good and hot by the time I get home. They have amazing sides too! read more

I've been coming to this area for about 4 years, and I was seriously getting tired of the college town food. Even the "upscale" places. Very randomly, my daughter suggested this restaurant - she had never been before, but heard some good things. This is now our go-to for visits. We started by splitting a Caesar salad and had the bread service. The salad was fantastic - a traditional Caesar in the best way. This would be a great lunch with grilled chicken. I'd skip the bread service next time, just because it wasn't necessary. Entrees did not disappoint. My daughter (a normally picky eater) had the rigatoni with vodka sauce and chicken. It was really great, with just a hint of chili flake to make it interesting. I had the miso short rib on the waiters recommendation. Just wow. It fit the fall weather perfectly. It's not for those keeping calorie counts, but I'd recommend it to anyone who likes meat. Dessert was another recommendation: a coffee cake with custard sauce and berries. Again, a winner. The place was great, from the ambiance to the food to the hospitality. And I expected the bill to be much higher. You can't go wrong coming here if you're looking for a great dinner. read more

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My husband and I stopped in one evening for happy hour and sat at the bar. It's a very elegant bar area as well as the rest of the restaurant. Great for date night! We tried some HH offerings and then had dinner. We were waited on by Chelsea and Bruce. Chelsea made me a really beautiful drink called Winter Harbor!! After that I had a lovely glass of Gewurtztraminer wine which was recommended by Bruce. I highly recommend the deviled eggs and Korean Shrimp. The eggs were some of the most divine deviled eggs Ive ever eaten. For dinner my husband had the Smothered Pork Chop and a Filet Mignon for myself. Everything was well prepared and delicious. You must give this place a try!! read more

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From the moment I called just an hour before to reserve a table for the patio to the time I left, I received nothing but amazing hospitality and service. Alas, my plus one had to cancel minutes before arrival so unfortunately my casual dining experience for two was a solo brunch endeavor but the host and my waiter Zach took amazing care of me. The grilled chicken Caesar salad and sweet potato fries were delicious and don't get me started on my grapefruit mimosa. Chef's kiss. Thank you J Wilson's for chauffeuring me on my food and beverage journey. Cheers! read more

J. Wilson's - New American Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

A very pleasant meal. As always. Excellent serve, presentTion and service but I wish they changed their menu more often, lits mire often so tere would be more surprises for their regulars. read more

We came here for a birthday lunch with my in-laws. The restaurant itself is upscale-casual, and family-friendly. They offer brunch on the weekends. I opted for the waffle, which was topped with whipped cream, blueberries, and honey. It was pretty tasty. My father-in-law ordered the ultimate biscuits and gravy, my mother-in-law ordered the everything sandwich, and my husband ordered the BELT sandwich. We also shared the beignets. Everyone was happy with their meal. I wish they offered turkey sausage or bacon as a side option, as well as iced coffee. Overall, it was a good brunch, and I would like to come back to try dinner sometime. read more

J. Wilson's - Waffle - New American Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

Do not eat the pork chop!!! It was served completely raw. My daughter didn't notice until she had eaten quite a bit of it. When questioned they said it was fine because they used to use meat thermometers, and because their meat is special and it could be undercooked because of how it's harvested. This made no sense. So they only took half off of the meal, but gave one free dessert. I'm not sure, but I would think that would be illegal to serve completely raw pork in a restaurant. read more

J. Wilson's - Their pork chop was MUCH more rare than the medium rare shown in the depiction. - New American Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

Great hours and staff. Always the best food. We have eaten there many times over the years and each time is a wonderful experience.

As a infrequent visitor to Lawrence I think it is safe to say that J Wilson's has been one of the top dining experiences for me as someone with celiac. My husband and I dined at the bar and the service was made better by the fact that the bartender was new and didn't have a lot of opinions on the dishes. It was nice to have someone honestly say that they just haven't tried enough things to recommend them. All of our food was fantastic. They were very sensitive to my gluten issues and provided GF deserts in the sampler, all of which hit the spot. My old fashioned was made expertly and they even exchanged my husbands wine for a different glass when he didn't care for the first one. Excited to dine here again when I return to Lawrence next time! read more

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Service was great. Appetizers, baked shrimp dip & Wheatfields French loaf were also very good. Unfortunately the ribeye was a bit grainy and overcooked - disappointing. read more

We stopped for a quick lunch while in Lawrence and everything was good. The service was good. It's a nice sit down restaurant and would be super cute for a date night. read more

J. Wilson's - New American Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

We had reservations for our family group of 8. But when we arrived, our tables were not yet ready. We were surprised as the restaurant wasn't too busy. We waited 15-20 minutes past our reservation time before we were seated. Other people who came in after us were seated immediately. Eventually, we were taken to a semi-private area. We were greeted by our waiter but then there was a disconnect somewhere as it took a long time for the staff to take our order and an even longer time for our food to come to the table. Our family even joked about running out to another restaurant to get something to eat as we waited for our ordered food to arrive. The staff even teased us by bringing in a huge tray of food, and then realized the food wasn't for us and leaving our area again. Oh my. As we were celebrating several birthdays, we were surprised when we were told that we were going to be charged $25 for bringing in our own birthday cake that was homemade by grandma!? What the heck!? If that is going to be a policy, then you should probably have that listed on your website or somewhere. It sounded like it was a new, made up policy and I doubt we will ever convince our family to return. On the plus side, once we did get our food, it was all very good. But not good enough to justify a 2 1/2 hour dinner service when many of our family group still have quite a drive to get home. The service really let this restaurant down tonight. read more

Quality food and warm environment. The deviled eggs are a must! Garden omelette had a great poblano cream sauce and the cocktails were great! read more

J. Wilson's - Deviled eggs - New American Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

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Wonderful brunch with two of my hubby's cousins. I had the quiche with salad and sweet potato fries and my husband had the crème brûlée French toast - both delicious. Our server was excellent and we loved the atmosphere! read more

J. Wilson's - Quiche - New American Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

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Went to this restaurant in Lawrence last night. Party of 8. Order included two appetizers (truffle fries and crab dip). Both were good. Ordered several steaks (two were overcooked); two fish entrees (salmon and trout), both reportedly delicious; a couple pasta dishes (nothing wrong there). The food overall was good; wine choices were excellent! Here's where things get interesting. We ordered 2nd rounds of wine, tea, soda. Took 20 min to return with drinks. That was clearly a problem and the server recognized it and comp'ed the appetizers! Much appreciated! Here's problem #2- A party of 8 takes a while to get through the ordering process, appetizers, entrees, and drinks. Before we had received the check, about 1.5 hrs into our dining experience we were told by two separate staff we needed to wrap it up because they had another party of 8 coming in (mind you there were 4 other tables that could seat eight). Once we had paid, we were told we had to exit as the other party was ready to be seated. I've eaten in some of the finest restaurants in the US (my wife and I travel a lot for work and pleasure). Not once in our lives have we been asked to wrap up our dining experience and exit! After spending over 500.00 we were shocked and embarrassed in front of our out of town guests. Food was good but that treatment is not acceptable when you spend that kind of money on a meal! Likely not returning and not recommending to our friends and family! Lots of other great food options in Lawrence. read more

I have not been here in a while but i tell you what, service excellent and smothered porkchop was on point. My friends had the special which was a country fried pork chop and i tried a bite as well, awesome! Will be back read more

Service is very slow and food is subpar. The host Thomas was very rude to our 80 year old grandmother. Would recommend the Big Biscuit next door, very friendly staff and service was fast. read more

J. Wilson's - New American Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

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This is my second time here, and I have yet to be impressed. I don't recall exactly what it was last time, but it was something about the steak. This evening, I ordered the pistachio crusted salmon medium-rare. It came out medium-well; all the flesh was light in color without any of the proper pink I was expecting throughout most of the serving. I immediately informed the server, they said they had accidentally put it in as medium. I would have been ok with medium. The server apologized and the manager came over later and apologized. I think I'll come back one more time for food, and if it isn't ideal, I may come back only for drinks, because it is in a convenient location. I should note that they did comp. a dessert; appreciated. The bar most mostly empty, the small parking lot was full, and the noise level was moderate. The interior is appealing; they just need to pull it off with the meal. read more

This place is just amazing. Ideal for a fancy dinner. It is not as pricey as 715, the food is delicious. Definitely one of the best restaurants in Lawrence along with Merchants. Baby scallops were amazing. Linguini also very flavorful read more

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While the food was amazing, our experience came with an odd incident. Our server accidentally spilled water all over the table, leaving my dad's shorts soaked (we were very kind about it as accidents happen). What was truly disappointing was that upon paying the bill, not a single compensation or offer was made to acknowledge the inconvenience of moving tables and sitting through dinner in wet shorts. This lack of customer satisfaction was very unusual and unexpected, especially since we were celebrating my dad's birthday. I expected much better from this establishment. read more

This place is no bueno Ordered a beet salad which was a salad with one beet sliced up and sprinkled over the salad, also, when I ordered wine, bartender asked if I wanted a 6 or 8 ounce poor - I said don't you mean 9 ounce? She then told me Kansas law limited it to 8 ounces! Wait what? Setting at the Marriott restaurant now and just ordered a 9 ounce wine poor , that is what they are telling guests so they can still charge the 9 ounce price but only give you 8, also in general, chef needs to go back to cooking school, butter nut squash ravioli tasted like dessert ( way to sweet) not dinner read more

Service and food quality so consistently good. Always a great place to go to celebrate or just because.

We went to J. Wilson's for dinner last night with a group of six. This restaurant, at the end of a strip mall, aspires to be more upscale than it turned out to be. (Added note: the acoustics in the restaurant are such that the "lively" environment really just makes it hard to hear normal conversation. Needs some sound abatement to soften the acoustics indoors.) Our group started with the cheese dip trio, grazing board, and house bread. First, kind of shocking that at this price point a diner has to pay for bread, but whatever. Dinner rolls and a sort of biscuit-cum-foccacia served with herb butter were fine. The cheese dip trio was uneventful. The grazing board of "local meats and cheeses" consisted largely of a few slices of salami (or similar) and some local sausage and a spoonful of cheese curds and a few slices of cheese. The remainder of the board was piled with house-pickled veg and lots and lots of bread and crackers. For $16 I expected quite a bit more charcuterie on this grazing board. For mains we had: filet mignon (a fine cut of meat prepared perfectly), salmon with roasted beets in a beurre blanc sauce with curried creme fraiche, two surf & turf specials (more on this in a moment), a house-made black bean burger that my sister-in-law found "delightfully flavorful and spicy" vegetarian option with pepper jack cheese and a southwest sauce and an amazing curry soup, and a KC Strip with bleu cheese sauce and hand-cut fries. On the surf & turf: though both of the two steaks were ordered medium, one was somewhat underdone. The scallops (the "surf" part) were small and overcooked to the point of being bounceable and buried in an oily butter sauce. A shame. The KC Strip was prepared well but the "bleu cheese sauce" was an overwhelming and overpowering pile of bleu cheese crumbles...along with a huge scoop of herb butter (see photo). The bleu cheese crumbles and the butter had to be set aside in order to simply taste the steak. The fries were overcooked. Cocktails were fine, though a gin & tonic was brought to the table instead of the ordered gin martini. Our waiter was friendly and provided good service. Overall, a decent meal but as stated at the top, this restaurant has aspirations to be more upscale than they seem to be able to deliver. read more

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Great food, slowish service considering how empty it was. Will go back! Lots of good veg/vegan/GF options.

We dine at J Wilson's on a regular basis. We always find the food to be well prepared and good service. Atmosphere is nice and you can enjoy conversation with others nicely. Have taken a few larger groups and they accommodate a nice space for us as well. I find them to be consistent in quality which is important while dining out read more

The food here was absolutely delicious. I ordered the Coq Au Vin and the portion was perfect and the skin on the chicken was so flavorful. We also ordered the Steak Frites with sautéd shrimp and that was also very good. We ended the night with the Apples and Cream dessert and that was the cherry on top! Everything we ordered here was so flavorful. Will be back again! read more

J. Wilson's - Coq Au Vin & Steak Frites - New American Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

The only gluten free pancakes in town! And they did not disappoint!!! Great espresso martini, the spaghetti squash bake was excellent to. The only thing I'd change is that both patios are right on parking lots. So not the best ambiance outside, maybe more privacy screen or vines might help. The tall artificial palms on the back patio are nice and help a bit. Overall, service is top notch, food is great, drinks are great, decent selection of items for a vegetarian and with a few accommodations you can find gluten free and vegan items. I'd go there every week if there were more gf and veg items available. The server happily answered all my questions and it was a win for a brunch spot. Looking forward to checking out dinner soon. read more

J. Wilson's - Spaghetti squash bake, gluten free pancakes with chocolate chips, real butter, maple syrup. - New American Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

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Took my family of four here for dinner on May 19th. Started with their mushroom and goat cheese appetizer and a bottle of Girasol Chardonnay. They both were solid choices. For dinner, I had the chicken sandwich and a cup of potato and leek soup. My wife had the spaghetti squash bake w/chicken and the potato and leek soup. Our kids enjoyed the pork milanese dish. Service was quick and efficient with water glasses topped off multiple times. For dessert, we split the chocolate stout cake and peaches and cream dishes. Both were delicious. We will definitely return to this local gem! read more

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Enjoyed a lunch meeting there. The food was good, the noise level facilitated a successful meeting, service was great, and patient. Booths were comfortable and the parking was good also. The staff was friendly and professional. What more could you need? read more

Awesome food and exceptional service. This place never disappoints. I swear by their crème brûlée french toast during brunch ! Just had happy hour for the first time and their calamari, and cucumber mule were amazing! Definitely chem them out if you're in Lawrence! read more

Omg - first time here. I had the salmon sandwich with sweet potato fries and hubby had steak frites - all excellent! I had an espresso martini (fabulous) and hubby had gin and tonic which he said was excellent. I appreciate that this restaurant has lots of gluten free selections as my granddaughter has celiac disease. Our server Lucas was attentive but not intrusive. read more

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The food was very good. The bartender was nice. The place was very cute inside. We had deviled eggs and they were delicious. The Bloody Mary had a lot of flavor! read more