I would say that the food is good, ambiance is okay and service is so-so. It is run by culinary school at VCC. While the food is good, the wait time is too long. Also, I was not able to order the lamb because they ran out. Manager told me to order ahead to ensure that I get what I want the next time. While I understand that this is a popular item, this statement alone is discouraging me to want to come back. I would like to recommend that the wait staff to be re-trained and for them to stock their kitchen adequately so that we don't end up with the 2nd choice of our choosing along with subpar service. read more

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Hearing this for SO MANY years and my friends always telling me to try this, I had to finally pull myself out to get to this at least once in my life!! Here's the preface about this place. It is a student run fine dining restaurant of the year. It is multiple courses, and it changes every year. You gotta pre-book online every year. The previous years, the tickets were always sold out, so this year finally being able to try it I am so excited to be here! This year's menu is as follow: Ceviche Seafood- Octopus, lobster, scallop, side strip prawns, nitro avocado foam, charred jalapeno citrus broth. The thing about this piece, it is EXTREMELY heavy for a ceviche piece. I didn't like this as much as I thought as I love ceviche pieces, and this just wasn't hitting my notes. But one thing about it, the flavours notes really mixed well. I loved how intricate this is because the nitro avocado foam was very cool. Steelhead Fish- Asparagus, pork jowl, corn, peas, artichokes, oyster & dill Nage This was extremely delicious. I love the colour, the flavour and how the fish was so hidden in the plate. The fish was literally wrapped around this rice wrap that mixes extremely well with the flavours. It melded really well. Squab Bird- Oxtail porcini tart, salsify, Café au lait sauce I think this was my favourite. That Oxtail bone marrow really stole the show for me. I don't know how the bird mixes into this, as the oxtail just killed it for me. The squab felt like a secondary part of this dish. Lamb (Main Dish)- Potato pave, carrot cauliflower dome, cippolini onion, balsamic lamb jus The lamb here was perfectly cooked. As a person who doesn't like lamb much because of the gamey taste, this was surprisingly well made. The funny thing was that carrot cauliflower dome. That was such a hilarious piece as my friend and I flipped it over, I was like WHAT WAS THIS.... LOL. And the Potato pave, was deliciously made, as it was perfectly layered and crispy. Dessert (Chocolate)- Grand Marnier chocolate mousse, salted caramel, brown butter ice cream The dessert piece was spectacular. The chocolate was so delicious, and I am surprised they literally made it into an Aero style of bubble chunk. The chocolate literally melted in your mouth. I loved how the whole plate really melded together perfectly with each other. Enjoyed it a lot. From now on, I will be coming back again and doing a review each year for this place! Congrats VCC Culinary Graduates of 2021!! read more

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Well this will be one of the first reviews since COVID ended. They are now offering an excellent chef's table prix fixe meal that offers some great creations for a very reasonable price. Items like the puffed foie gras with a honey bubble and brioche, and a sous vide steelhead rolled in a scallop mousse served on a sauerkraut dill consomme and assorted veggies were two of the excellent innovative starters using fresh local ingredients. The venison and cherries three ways with oxtail tart starter was great. The main did not disappoint as the lamb tenderloin wrapped in bacon was perfectly cooked and tender and accompanied by a cumin infused lamb neck, a celeriac and mushroom compress, a pencil of squash, and a cipollini grilled onion served with a balsamic glaze. The dessert was a complex single serving tiramisu cake with a cocoa dusting with a deep expresso coffee ice cream on porcini crumble. Good job! read more

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You wouldn't expect a fine dining restaurant in the middle of VCC, but JJ's makes it work. And they do it well. This is run by students and their instructors, and you can really see the passion they have for making good food. We were on the hook from the beginning up until the very end. Their menus are seasonal so they do not always have the same items, but if you can, definitely try to catch their olive oil soaked lobster and grilled monkfish in coconut curry. We had a lovely evening at their Chef's Table dining experience. Thank you to everyone at JJ's for giving us an unforgettable experience - will be back! read more

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Food is amazing! Service amazing! Ambience amazing! Highly recommend this restaurant! From the USA, read more

The food here is beautifully presented and the service is considerate and attentive. The 3-course dinner for only $24 is such a great deal, and the quality is exceptional. The seared scallop and pork belly appetizer was paired with a bright, crunchy salad and all of the components on the plate really complemented each other. My beef entrée was not only gorgeous to look at, the flavours were incredible. The beef was cooked to medium-rare perfection, the vegetables were tender without being overcooked and everything was seasoned just right. The lemon tart, although a bit small, was a nice finish to the meal. I found this to be the least impressive of the three dishes, but it was still quite enjoyable. A lovely meal with wonderful company - what more could I ask for? read more

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A little gem of a restaurant hidden in a college stetting. Produced and managed by students but don't be scared by this fact because what we have here it's at its best. Nice for a romantic dinner or celebrating a special event JJ it's the ideal location. Prices are adequate for the food quality, the service it's great and although the restaurant it's not big in dimension it's set in a very spacious and open way. Although I only went there once it's surly a restaurant that I would love to visit in the future. If we keep in mind as I said above the dishes are made by students the future of top notch cuisine it's surely bright. read more

My friend and I had a lunch at JJ's Restaurant (VCC) once. We had an awesome experience there. JJ's restaurant is a small restaurant inside Vancouver Community College (VCC). It owed by VCC for its students to practice cooking skills. The restaurant is only open a period of time during the day. Inside the restaurant is fancy design and the decoration is very simple. The table setting is of western style. People can see cooks who are making their food. The menu is very simple, includes Appetizers, Mains, and Desserts. All the food together are $24 person. It was a very great deal. Servers here were all students. They were very professional. We very enjoyed our lunch at JJ's Restaurant. read more

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Student run kitchen and also the servers. Instructors are keeping a watch over and also involved as well... The food was fantastic, and the service was good too. There isn't a choice of what you are having, so having an open mind to trying things is a plus. This was my first time to try it, and it definitely won't be the last. read more

It may not be in the most glamorous locale, but if a fine dining experience at bargain prices is what you're after, JJ's serves innovative three-course meals for about $20 to $25. It's situated within Vancouver Community College's downtown campus building and functions as the training room for VCC's culinary arts program. All the food is prepared and served by students under the watchful eye of their instructors. I have been here several times for lunch, and the food is fantastic. I'm not being generous because they're students; the school is very up-to-date with food trends and they really do serve the dishes with flair and little garnishes and all the frills. It's a full-on, full-service, white tablecloth experience, and nice enough even for a business lunch or dinner date. It's not a huge secret, though, so you generally do need to reserve ahead of time. read more

This place rocks. Great value, fantastic menu options, high quality foods, beautiful presentations, and oh-so-adorable service. Though the food is delicious, it's not even my favourite part. My most memorable part of the experience here is the service. VCC's chefs in training are expected to alternate work in the front lines as well as in the kitchen. The result? Beautiful meals served by people who would rather be in the kitchen (we had the sweetest guy and his hands were shaking with nervousness when he served us the food, but he did such a great job). It's really neat to see the passion of a cook working the front lines. It really makes me appreciate cooks for what they do, and how they are the unsung heroes who often go unseen while we enjoy our incredible meals. read more

I visited this restaurant for the first time this week and was totally impressed. Fine dining for a reasonable price. $24 provides a three course meal in a room of white table cloths, well dressed servers and a big screen that provides a view into the kitchen of the chefs-in-training. I dined with a friend. We had a tasty salad of mixed greens, followed by a main course. I opted for salmon while my friend had chicken. Both were delicious. We both chose the lemon tart for desert. Each course had three items to choose from. For the quality and cost, I would definitely recommend this. It's a perfect location for the opera and theatre crowds, who come well dressed. For my friend and I who were attending a literary event at the Vancouver library it was easy walking distance. Also close to Skytrain. Reservations are recommended. read more

I really wanted to like this place but wow, what a let down. Came here with my class of 10 for a lunch. Subtly nervous servers, some of whom couldn't answer simple inquiries of the menu. As a fellow learner who feels the pressure of an evaluator, I can empathize. Their uneasiness and stiff service rubbed off on me though and it became a discussion (read distraction) in our dining experience. Maybe I'm not much of a foodie, but I was disappointed by the portion sizes. Haute coulture presentation and culinary artistry, but positioned beside the cafeteria food and inexpensive bakery, my stomach was left yearning for more (and not because of any inspirational excitement of my taste buds). All in all, given the imposed learning environment, wasn't a good place for a casual eat. Maybe, to enjoy it, I need to go back for an intimate dinner with more formal attire. But then, given the out of the way location, I probably wouldn't muster up the energy to do so. Note: You can't just drop in. Have to make reservations a few days in advance. read more

Did a spur-of-the-moment lunch here today. Fabulous! Pan-seared scallops, with truffle gnocchi and crispy artichoke, in an exquisite sauce. Seriously, to die for. The rum cake with Okanagan peaches and whipped cream stretched the waistband to its' limit. The food is so darn good that every citizen of Vancouver should be eating here at least once each year. Support a student! Eat at JJ's. A surprisingly good wine list, too! Great value all around. Reservations are needed - but I called at 11:15am and was in for the 11:30am opening. read more

LOVE the live-feed on the dining room tv on the happenings in the kitchen. The idea of supporting the training of up-and-coming chefs is also appealing to me . And yes the service was filled with nervousness and awkwardness, but they are student chefs not professional servers, so that was okay. The food was alright. I had the lamb that was cooked well, but the vegetable sides lacked in both taste and presentation. The crab cake was a bit disappointing in that it needed more salt and less mayonnaise. The pavlova for dessert was very pretty, but the dessert just again, lacked the finesse and complexity in flavour. (I thought I would get schooled in meringue making, but the one I baked at home, actually did have the fluffy inside, as well as a vanilla bean and lemon zest infused cream. This meringue at JJ's was disappointingly just all tough candy shell). I guess the students are practicing the art of executing a service and perhaps did not create the menus themselves. I think it is the passion and creativity that really make a dish, anyways :) I wanted to love this place, but was left disappointed. Perhaps I will try the cafeteria next door instead. read more

What else can I say...I'm called jj ! What a wonderful dining experience. Return often. read more

I came here with my culinary meet up group the other day for a 3 course quality chef inspired 4 - 5 star meal for $26 plus tax and tip. This is student driven so patience is required as they are learning, however, all went smoothly. They were patient in addressing some of my dietary concerns, the food was plated awesome and the taste(s) were amazing. I had the salmon which was flavorful and tender. While eating you can watch the students prep your food. It is like watching a food network reality show without a lunatic yelling and screaming f-words at you. We ate at the Bistro 101. I will come back to try their bakery. read more

I love to come here and eat the food here the food is good I love the food so much I just can't get enough of the food here the stuff is wonderful and amazing they're always smiling delightful and Sherry they will serve you the food in the way that has never been done before they're serving expertise will blow you are your chair the gastronomic shaft lights will have you feeling like you had the angel suck your balls just such a wonderful place I just can't get enough of it if they close their doors I simply will not be able to carry on with my life I love this eating and drinking establishment, face. read more

I loved it. Both Evening Teacher and day teacher/Maitre'ds treat everyone with the utmost respect and attention - from the Students to the customers. Their level of attention is astounding. The students there do a fine job at serving. It's a great place to get a great fine dining meal at an affordable price. read more