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

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

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

I tried out J Wilson's for the first time this last week during a Tuesday evening. What a great place with great value. First, our server, Michael, was extremely attentive (his picture posted to this review). He was extremely knowledgeable not only about the menu, but the wine. What was particularly impressive was how he treated an elderly woman in our party who had erred in how she ordered her steak cooked. AnMichael was super respectful and courteous to make sure she was satisfied. Most servers who have made an excuse. The Salmon and Trout were absolutely TOP SHELF! Probably the best seafood I have had in Lawrence and that includes the Mass Street Fish House. Except that the seafood here is about $5 to $10 less per entree that the high end places on Mass Street. Another wonderful surprise is the number of Gluten Free options on the menu. The GF pasta was a penne pasta and absolutely delicious. They also have two chocolate flourless desserts that are to die for. Lastly, their wine selection is superb. It is not super long, but there are plenty of varieties within each wine category and the prices are quite reasonable. They also offered "wines of the day" at under $20 in a separate menu and all seemed very high quality which is surprising. These must be sold at almost cost. read more

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I don't write as many Yelp reviews as I used to, but dang, when you get something as good as the meal I got at J. Wilson's on Monday evening, you have GOT to give that restaurant a big ol' THANK YOU!! I had the Coq au Vin and it was just a stunning dish. Incredibly flavorful, HUGE portion (I just finished the leftovers for lunch...thank you very much). Kudos to the kitchen staff who created such a succulent, intensely flavorful dish. The skin on the chicken was roasted, "brown food is GOOD" perfection. The flesh of the chicken was incredibly juice (no dry bird here!). The gravy/pan sauce with vegetables was hearty, rustic and Heavenly. IF I had one tweak to this dish, it would be more of those lovely mashed potatoes. It was one of the best plates of food I have eaten in a long, long time. Thank you Nancy and staff for a home run of a dish! read more

Great place. Food is excellent and everyone was great. No complaints at all. Would go again.

We came to J. Wilson's for a post holiday brunch with family. We were seated quickly in a somewhat private area with our kids which was nice so I don't have to stress about them disrupting other customers. I ordered the Nashville chicken biscuits. The portion size was good and it was a creative dish full of flavor. I would definitely come back next time I'm in Lawrence. read more

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

A very nice dining experience in their main dining room, party of four: KU Parents Weekend! The menu and wine selection has a French influence an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients, and an evening special. Friday evening all four of us ordered the special, which was farm raised, pan seared, mahi-mahi, served over couscous with lemon/butter/garlic reduction, complimented with baby cherry tomatoes. Is your mouth watering yet? Our next visit to Lawrence, we are definitely returning to J Wilson's. Five stars on Service, presentation, flavor and atmosphere!! Ample and easy parking too! read more

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

Good food!! We had gone a few years ago, then went again recently. Our son is at KU, and we went to J Wilson's for his birthday dinner. It was a Monday, we were able to get reservations easily. Service and food was great! We got crab cakes from the appetizers, and the dip duo- both were good. My husband also had the tomato bisque soup. For dinner I got the salmon, served with beets and broccoli, my son had the steak and my husband the shrimp scampi. We all enjoyed our food. Portions sizes were perfect and we were able to finish our food easily! Service was great too- and staff were all wearing masks!! read more

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Passing through town and saw this restaurant on Google maps, so we thought we would try it. Nice atmosphere, and service was great. We had the calamari fries, salmon, and a salad. All were delicious and the portions were large. I highly recommend J. Wilson's! read more

Had a good brunch at J. Wilson's on Father's Day 2021. Even though it was a busy day we were able to get seated pretty quickly. This is a deceptively large place, it is bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside. As other Yelpers note it's got indoor and outdoor seating and plenty of it. It was humming but not quite full when we went. We were in a large and comfortable booth. Our server did a great job with recommendations, answering questions, and getting refills. No issues with service. I went with the breakfast stack and also tried an omelet, biscuit and gravy, and the cinnamon roll. Everything was above average. The stack is basically a full breakfast in a bowl: eggs cooked your way, bacon, mushrooms, home fries, peppers, onions, and Tank 7 cheddar sauce. It was good but it was too much and a little chaotic. I enjoyed it, I would just probably order an omelet and home fries on a future visit. The biscuit was very good. It was fresh and hot, some places serve you room temperature biscuits and expect the gravy to heat it up. J. Wilson's provides you with a hot biscuit and hot gravy. The gravy needed some pepper but it was a great consistency and the sausage is very flavorful. My son's omelet was really good, like surprisingly good for an omelet. I had some order envy, which is why on future trips I'll probably get an omelet. The prices were commensurate with other breakfast joints of this caliber, so no issues there. I see why J. Wilson's has its reputation in Lawrence, it's well deserved. read more

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We were excited to arrive from out of town, and based on reviews have a great Kansas City steak dinner at J. Wilson's. They were flexible with a reservation change and when we arrived found the setting to be upscale and appealing. After a long day on the road we started with a cocktail. My martini was "perfectly" made. My husband's bourbon was the smallest pour and on mention our waiter - Jillian (?) rectified that. We both took our waiter's suggestion and ordered the KC Strip with potato and vegetable. When they arrived at our table, husbands was cooked to order. Mine was raw - not how I ordered it. No sear. Potatoes were cold. Sent both plates back. The manager delivered our meals back to us shortly. My steak was like rubber. Both of our potatoes as cold as before. So disappointed! The manager offered no apology but offered to bring me a new potato. Really? Apparently she has only been there a few days. No personality or desire to connect with unsatisfied customers. Our waiter was the nicest guy. Really personable, helpful and embarrassed that our night out was a bust. Suggest new manager and chef who can deliver! read more

The NY strip was perfectly cooked......the veg medley was severely overcooked and without flavor...... the roasted Yukon potatoes were also without any flavor or seasoning.....the Cabernet we selected was adequate, just nothing special about it.......the table service was very attentive.......the other members of my party agreed their experience was OK, not at all special...... Exec Chef(ret) Jason D Horowitz Grapevine, TX read more

Tough review. Not too bad of a place. The interior was seemly the same as when it was Marisco's. And due to the lack of upper-scale restaurants in Lawrence, this was not to bad. We came for a graduation dinner, so the company was great, and we were ready to celebrate. Zaney or Zumy (I may have that wrong) spoke more often about his experience as a (lead) server than the times he returned to the table for additional drink orders. Little did he know he was serving a table of multiple service industry veterans. In general, the efficiency was not excellent. But keeping our drinks full, not adding gratuities automatically, and a little less chatter would have got him a much larger tip. The menu was limited, but the food was not too bad. However, we did have to send back a soup that had been sitting for a very long time or was old. Nothing super terrible happened but not very memorable. read more

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The food was delightful, the service was top notch, and Miss Nancy was very sweet and engaging. Highly recommend for the great food and personal service!! read more

Decided to try this place out while I was out running errands one day and I'm so glad I did! The staff was friendly and helpful when it came to explaining ingredients that I didn't recognize. The restaurant was very clean and that includes the restrooms; very important! I ordered a hamburger with half regular fries and half sweet potato fries. everything was excellent! I have never had that kind of meat before and was in shock of how good it was! The price was right for the taste of the food! I plan to go again soon! I would recommend you try!! read more

Always good service and good. We have been going there for years. We have always been satisfied with J. Wilson's.

The food and service was amazing! We came by for dinner on a Monday night and the owner was there. She was so kind and gracious. The dinner was delicious! Definitely felt welcome and food was amazing - can't wait to go back the next time we're visiting our daughters. read more

Really good! We're driving through from San Diego and wanted a good din. Ella was our server and awesome, super sweet, knows the menu, great suggestions - thank you Ella! read more

Service was excellent, food was good, but not hot. It appears they cook everyones order in sequence and therefor the first food cooked is cold by the time the last plate is cooked and then everything is brought out at the same time. I got my extra butter, but my son-in-law never got the hot sauce he asked for. When the manager dropped by to see if everything was ok, we told him the grits were cold, so he took them and brought back a new one, they were not much hotter. He said, "if that isn't hot enough, we have a microwave and we can microwave them, evidently they just dipped up more, but they weren't hot either. My grandson had the cream brûlée french toast, but it was burned to the point he couldn't eat it past the custard and brûlée top. He did eat what wasn't burned and evidently they noticed it was burned and took it off the bill. They should have brought him a different plate instead of serving the burned french toast in the first place, and they should have told my daughter why they were comping the $14.00, which was the price of the french toast. Atmosphere was great, staff was friendly. read more

Great service and ambiance! It was Restaurant Week and we had a great meal! Everything was tasty and service was prompt! We were well taken care of! We will definitely be back! read more

Sunday brunch has a new favorite. Start with a mimosa or spicy Bloody Mary. I love the salmon stack when I sub hash browns. Save the tomatoes for in between bites of contrasting texture temperature and flavor. Servers always have a smile and friendly advice if needed. Dining layout offers some intimacy in a lively atmosphere. read more

I've only been for breakfast but it is the best in town! Food is hot and fresh. Drinks are always spectacular! The ricotta pancakes are my go to!! My service is always prompt and helpful. read more

Great, private place for large events (up to 40 people)! We recently had a group party that's size grew unexpectedly at the last minute. The restaurant staff was super understanding and accommodating, making our brunch a breeze. Brittany, our server, was FANTASTIC and so patient with our crew! The semi private event space was perfect and the breakfast tacos were 10/10. Several of us will be back again in the future! read more

Enjoyed a very weekend brunch here with a large group that was nicely accommodated. The blue crab eggs Benedict was great but the potatoes tasted unseasoned. I'd like to come back for dinner sometime in the future. read more

J. Wilson's - Blue crab eggs benny - New American Near Me - Lawrence, Kansas

Sometimes the service is a bit slow during the day but it's always nice and quiet for conversation and the food is delicious. I highly recommend the spaghetti squash bake, it's my absolute favorite! read more

We had the Sunday brunch. Food was very good. Service was excellent from Alyssa! Nice atmosphere with comfortable seating!

Make your visit!  Outstanding food with great service with fair prices. Came for week day lunch.  Filet Burger, Grilled Trout and Beef Bolognese was all outstanding!   All in our group spoke about how exceptional the coffee tasted.  Then dessert, oh my, save room - topped lunch off the right way.  Roomy high class setting. A Full bar with Pepsi products. Clean bathrooms, easy strip center parking. read more

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Great food and nice ambience. Especially liked the mushrooms and goat cheese, charcuterie board and suggested wine pairings with menu items.

This place has a good menu with choices to please all. We had a lovely meal with our granddaughter. It was a good place to converse while eating, not too noisy. The bartenders could use some guidance on making lemon drop martinis. read more

J. Wilson's is a GREAT local restaurant! My favorite! The chef has a superb menu. Whatever you order at J. Wilson's you want to savor every bite. Take your time and enjoy excellent food. I have never had a bad meal at J. Wilson's. The staff members are excellent, good about making recommendations, do not rush diners, and have always been pleasant. There is a room for groups. I highly recommend. read more

Exceptionally expensive, only fair quality food, crappy service. We couldn't even get water glasses refilled. Finally one of our table mates went and took water pitcher. Had to go wander through building to get waiter to take food order. read more

Splitting the difference for my BF and I - he thinks this was a 4+ experience, I think it was a 3+ experience. My BF and I have set a goal to eat at the best steak houses across the country and we chose J Wilson's based on the excellent reviews. The Good: The interior of the restaurant is lovely. It has a unique flow to it and a nice ambiance to it. The server was very friendly and personable. My BF ordered the filet mignon - which he is raving about. He thoroughly enjoyed his loaded baked potato. He also ordered the mac & cheese which was very tasty. I agree about the mac&cheese since he let me have a bite! The Not Quite So Good: The location of the restaurant is in a strip mall of sorts and the restaurant is on the corner of one end. I have a bad back and a handicapped placard so we parked in one of the many available handicapped spaces, at the corner and walked to what we thought was the entrance. This was in the evening when it was quite chilly out. As we walked up the side of the building, the first door we came to said go to a different door. We were unclear where this door was so we continued walking up the building and the next space was an empty storefront so we returned back to the car only to learn the actual entrance was at the other end of the building. All the handicapped spaces were the furthest spaces away from the entrance, which does not make sense to me. We did make a reservation through yelp and when we arrived we were early and they did not appear to be that busy. They seated us without any issue, but I wonder why the earliest reservation was for an hour and 15 minutes later than when we first tried to get a time. We probably would have been seated that much earlier if we just avoided the reservation. Not sure if this is a yelp issue or restaurant issue. Also, this is my first time doing a yelp reservation and I expected a copy to be sent to us so we would have the address handy, but I did not receive an email. The person who took us to a table tried to place us in a booth which was very long for two people and also very tight for a plus-size person. There were multiple tables available and to have the hostess ask why it wasn't going to work out at the booth put me in an awkward position of explaining why I preferred a table. Think Kate Pearson from "This Is Us" season 4 booth scene. I ordered the butternut squash soup and the kc strip. The soup was nice and hot but the taste a bit bland. This is not my normal soup choice, but I went with the waiter's recommendation so I can't say if this is how the soup is supposed to be. The waiter was very enthusiastic about the soup and while I'm glad to have tried something new, it may not have been a good fit for me. The potato was bland and harder than I like for a baked potato. I did like the bacon bits inside, the butter and the sour cream were separate from the potato and didn't really melt properly. My steak was ok, it didn't wow me. The plate felt too hot like it had been sitting too long before being brought out. Not sure if that's my BF's fault though since he likes to order a more well-done steak than I do. Again our waiter was very personable but the service was on the slower side which did not make a lot of sense because the restaurant was not that busy. Overall for me it was a decent experience, but my BF loved the steak. read more

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Has the Nashville chicken and biscuits. Great flavor and good service. Has a cool bar as well to watch a game.

We've eaten here a couple of times and always been very pleased. The service is excellent. Like most restaurants, they are experiencing staff shortages, but our waitress checked back and kept us updated on our orders. The food is very good (although I'm a sandwich/burger kinda person), I know when I'm being served quality food. Check this place out if you haven't tried it yet! read more

Not bad - good place to eat for upper end restaurants, don't care for their booths especially if kids or people who move around a lot behind you - annoying. Can get noisy from bar - it felt like sports bar when we went to celebrate a special occasion - drunk cackling wine drinkers and TV. My money felt cheap for what we paid. read more

First, they have redecorated and the interior is gorgeous. But, more importantly, the food is GREAT. read more

Large portions and good service --worth the price but make reservations if you're going on a weekend

I would rate J. Wilson's a 3.5 if it were an option. We came to J. Wilson's tonight (Sunday) to celebrate some of my husband's co-workers birthday (what a mouthful!). The inside of the restaurant is very classy! They have beautiful chandeliers and everything is very neat and well-kept! It's a nice, upscale spot for Lawrence! You can expect to pay about $30/plate of food. We came during HH, so I had the house pinot grigio, and my husband had the freestate HH beer. When we first arrived, our waiter was attentive and was good about filling out waters. After everyone had arrived, we ordered. I ordered the chicken in bourbon sauce subbed a side salad for the greens, my husband had the filet mignon w/ baked potato, someone ordered the salmon, and then someone ordered the quinoa salad. Our food took forever to arrive, it took nearly 40 minutes! When our food did arrive, it looked delicious! Everything was plated nicely. But the food was just good, not great. My chicken was seasoned well, but it wasn't incredibly flavorful. I was hoping for deep flavor. The mashed potatoes were a bit too acidic. They mostly tasted of sour cream, which was overwhelming. My side Caesar salad was probably the best part of the meal! It was large, and dressed well! My only complaint with the salad was the polenta croutons. They don't go well with the salad. They taste like breakfast home fries, which I don't think pairs well with Caesar salad. My husband's filet mignon was tender according to him. He said the steak was good, but it wasn't really special or incredibly flavorful. He did like his baked potato though! The person who ordered the quinoa salad did not each much of it, and did not ask for a box to take home, so I'm guessing they didn't really like it. Overall, this place is nice! It's a great place to go when you want avoid typical "LFK." I would say the food is good, not great. I don't like that they don't do the bread and butter thing. When I go to a nicer restaurant, I like to have wine, and munch on the bread, so this was disappointing. I wasn't super impressed with this place and probably wouldn't seek it out again, I would only go back if someone in my group suggested it. Atmosphere: 5 Food: 4 Service: 3.5 read more

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We had dinner there last night. We each had a cup of tomato bisque soup and we shared the miso salmon. They were delicious! We've never had tomato soup like that - it had pieces of tomato and lots of herbs. The salmon came with ginger rice and baby asparagus. The portion was big enough to share. The server was helpful and very pleasant. If we lived in town, we'd go back. But we were just driving through and found the restaurant by accident. We highly recommend it! read more