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    J. Wilson's

    4.3 (234 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    J. Wilson's Photos

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    J. WILSON'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Classy
    Dogs allowed
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - J. Wilson's

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    Lump crab cakes $19
    Tuan P.

    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.

    Miso Short Rib
    Shane G.

    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.

    Pancetta Eggs Benedict
    Mike S.

    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.

    Miso short rib

    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.

    Filet Mignon with zuchini and mashed potatoes
    Denise F.

    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!!

    Lindsey W.

    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!

    Waffle
    Kay L.

    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.

    Their pork chop was MUCH more rare than the medium rare shown in the depiction.
    Carol C.

    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.

    Goat cheese dip with GF bread
    Warren G.

    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!

    Deviled eggs

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

    Phon W.

    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.

    Quiche

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    5 years ago

    We ordered squash Mac & cheese with chicken, a salad and A chicken sandwich. Everything tasted great. Chicken sandwich was OK.

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    7 years ago

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    4 years ago

    They had no Ribeye cuts of steak. Too over priced! Service wasn't that spectacular either.

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    Page 4 of 6

    Ask the Community - J. Wilson's

    What is the corkage fee?

    Good morning. Our corkage fee is $20 for each 750ml bottle. Thank you for your interest in J. Wilson’s.

    Does J. Wilson's offer any gluten free or sensitive options?

    Gluten free items will be noted on our menu as GF, or GFA (gluten free available - if any modifications need to be made to prepare it gluten free.)

    View All 3 Questions

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    Upgrading from four to five stars. This has become my go-to destination for everything adult…read morebeverage related. No, it's not the biggest store in the city, but to my mind it has become the best. Why? Three important ways: 1) Best service, never fail. Walk in the store and they ask if they can help, but they stay out of your way if you tell them you don't. Try getting help in some of the other stores? Difficult, typically. 2) Superb selection. Everything I'm looking for and more is here, and the people working here are pros. I asked today about the 200 yr. anniversary Guinness, guy doesn't blink and said they had a run on it but expect to be replenished in tomorrow's shipment. Not an unusual response, particularly the workers in the back who really seem to have it under control. 3) Consistency, see #1 and #2. I get this every time I arrive. No shortages, no folks standing around with hands in their pockets, no bored "when is my shift ending" looks on faces, etc. I can even recycle my wine corks here. I like that. And yet I can still come in and get surprised at what I can find, and that really makes me happy. The convenient parking is also a real plus, and with the laws recently changed the store has gotten larger (no need to separate out things like glassware into another internal "store" etc. Just keeps getting better so happy to revisit this review.

    Best in town. Was looking for a hard to find local whiskey. They had it. I was only visiting town…read moretoo.

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    Large selection of liquor, wine & beer..

    Mass Beverage

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    I've been here before, but its been awhile, and since it's about a far as I can possibly drive in…read morethe city to get to a liquor store, well, that's mostly why I rarely visit. But if I lived on this side of town I'd be a regular. Don't get some of the low ratings, but that's not my problem. What I really like which I've observed here before, is although they're not the largest in town, the selection is top tier, and shows that the people running it know their business. Not just a beer stop for the college crowd. If you're hunting down a first-rate single malt from Islay or need a small batch bourbon out of Kentucky, they have it. And the wines, the same. I was in particular on the hunt for a Barossa Valley aussie wine and found several to my liking. That and "Butter," one of the few Chardonnays I regularly bring home. Service was professional and someone came around to assist but didn't hover in place like a freaking drone. Thank you. New twist in checking out: they bar code scan your purchases through plexiglass. Cool! Works for me. And everyone is adequately observing best safety practices. No mask deniers need enter, thank you. I can get used to people with brains. Not sure when I return, but I left with everyone I was looking for, saw far more than I'd ever need, and everything else here--pricing included--is what it should be. Well done, Mass Beverage.

    there were 3 prices for the same 24 pack of beer(coors banquet) .the clerk rang it up and i pointed…read moreout that there the different prices and i should receive the lowest one --he said -"the price that rang up was the right price". i took him back and showed him the different prices and he said -"so what". i asked if he knew about "the truth in advertising" law. and he said "so what" rude and totally not into creating a return customer satisfaction. i spend close to $200.00 a month on adult beverages-- and none of it will be spent in that store again.

    J. Wilson's - newamerican - Updated May 2026

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