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    The James

    3.9 (148 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Order The James Takeout or Delivery

    The James Photos

    THE JAMES ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Live music
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - The James

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    Reviews With Photos

    Grilled Shrimp Cocktail
    De'Laka B.

    Classy low lit bar. Restaurant staff was very polite. I started with Hefeweizen. The appetizers were delicious. Lobster roll bites and grilled shrimp cocktail were a hit. My dessert was packed up to go so when I got home, I was able to dig into my banana cream pie. So dang good! Would recommend.

    Restaurant Week menu
    Rhonda S.

    Colby (like the cheese!) bartender was so great! Offered plenty of food suggestions. Best lunch deal Ever is the 1:2 sandwich and pick two a soup or salad and a side for $18. Wow!!! Generous portions and the lobster bisque MMMMMMMM! Very rich but a hefty bowl. A really good, substantial lunch. The chef came out and we all clapped for him hahaha the food was that impressive. The interior is quaint. A cute fireplace in the main dining area is very cozy. Love the white roses and other decor. Overall a memorable vibe and looking forward to coming back during warmer weather when the patio is opened.

    Get the bread!
    Sarah K.

    The James has one of the best patios in the burbs. Excellent menu. Super attentive service. Great drinks. Live music. And kids eat free! The patio is first come first served but definitely make a dinner or lunch reservation then when you arrive see if you can get a patio spot. Highly recommend

    Crispy Baby Brie
    Melissa B.

    I went during lunch time (1pm ish) and got seated at the bar area. The food was delicious and reasonably priced, but what really stood out to me was the decor and atmosphere. Came here without looking at reviews so next time I come I'll definitely make a reservation because I have to try their dinner menu!

    Gina V.

    Wow the place is so cute all in blue the drinks are amazing the food is divine and the service to come back too I loved it here best hamburger I ever Eaten it was cooked to perfection Our server was very amicable We Dine out next time I will Ear Inside

    Bloody, soooo good!! - A Bloody Mary cocktail with a tomato base is garnished with cheese, pickles, and a fried snack on a skewer, served on a wooden table.
    Sam D.

    Had cocktails in their outdoor patio in the summer, browsed the menu and knew I had to go back to try the food. The fam wanted to try a bit of everything. We ordered the shrimp appetizer, the "Italian beef bao buns, and the scotch egg. All AMAZING!! I got the crab cake Benedict! Scrumptious. Love the mini brick hash brown. We'll be back!!

    Kids cheeseburger with chips.
    Andrea M.

    Stopped in for my Birthday dinner. I wanted to try somewhere new and always thought the Patio area was lit up and so cute! Stopped in with my husband and kids and sat inside to eat. Service was phenomenal- just wish I had gotten refills on water as he never asked and I just drank my husband's. Other than that he was very nice and wonderful helping my kids. Went out of his way with customer service. I got Steak with blue cheese crust and it was delicious! My husband ordered a side of their Red potatoes which was delicious too! Very cute restaurant and we would definitely eat here again! My kids loved their Macaroni and Cheeseburgers and they are PICKY so that said a lot!

    GFO Turkey Club Sandwich
    Michelle W.

    After going to the Farmer's Market, we decided to stop by The James for lunch after checking their menu which has Gluten Free option. The outdoor dining area is always inviting. We were seated quickly, and greeted by friendly staff. We received the brunch menu, which was different than the lunch menu displayed. Upon clarification, the brunch menu has gluten-free options but not printed. They also have an interesting cocktail and mocktail menu. First of all, the lunch menu has more options. The brunch menu was a bit limited. We ordered Turkey Sandwich with chips (GFO) and Watermelon Salad with shrimps added. The watermelon salad was refreshing. With the feta cheese, it has a balanced of sweet and savory. The Turkey club sandwich was ok, nothing too special. Overall, a better than average experience, and I was expecting better food given the restaurant quality in Geneva.

    Dessert menu. Would have ordered some if our server ever returned.
    Shevon R.

    I really wanted to love this place, but was sadly disappointed. I went to their website and made a reservation online. When we arrived, they couldn't find our reservation. And, yes, I know I did it correctly because I received a reminder text. It wasn't very busy inside so we were seated at a tiny two-top. Our server had a shadow as did two other servers that night. Our server was friendly and competent. He asked if we were celebrating anything. Told him it was our anniversary and we wanted to try The James. Took our drink order. The drinks took quite a while even though there were only about 5 or 6 tables. Drinks were good. Ordered the Crispy Baby Brie. It was okay. The fennel slaw added a good touch. The honey was a little too much. We both ordered the prime rib. It was tasteless. Adding a pour of au jus didn't help. Still bland and barely seasoned on the outside. I don't like cold food on the same plate as hot food, so the salad, prime rib, mashed potatoes, and asparagus all on the same tray was weird. My husband didn't mind. We both thought the meal was just mediocre. The server came by once after our meal was delivered. We finished our meal. We waited and waited. He and his shadow finally came by and asked if we would like dessert. We said we would take a look at the menu. He gave it to us. That was the last time he would bless us with his presence. We waited, waited, waited (about 15 minutes). Decided that we were not going to wait to order dessert any longer and just wanted to leave. Waited, waited, waited (another 15 minutes). The shadow passed by so we asked if he was able to get our check. He did. Then, we waited, waited, waited (another 20 minutes). Finally, asked another server if he could just run our card so we could leave. We never saw our server or his shadow again. Kidnapping, distraction, memory lapse. We will never know. The service started out a 4-star, dwindled slowly, and ended on a negative-star. Here's the kicker. As we left and walked down Third St., we saw our server and his shadow standing outside on the patio. Just standing and looking at the tables out there. Not sure if they just forgot we existed, didn't care, or what. Unfortunately, we will probably not be going back.

    Tuna Niçoise salad - A salad with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, and vegetables, served on a patterned plate, with another dish in the background.

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    7 months ago

    We sat outside on the patio. Music was way too loud, Bloody Mary was way too watery and foccaia with whipped eggplant was barely edible.

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    Ask the Community - The James

    Are you open for lunch?

    Hi! Yes, we open daily at 11 am for lunch!

    Do they accept reservations?

    Yes! The link wouldn’t work, but The James is on Resy, please just search and you’ll be able to find us!

    What is the dress code?

    Casual to dressy! Shirts, shoes, pants, shorts...we want you to be comfortable and covered, that's all!

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    A nice spot to grab a drink on a nice weather day - the outdoor patio is fantastic!…read more The fellas and I grabbed a round of brews here while roaming around downtown Geneva and we had zero complaints. It was really nice out so, naturally, we were at the outdoor bar/patio. What a delightful space: open, airy, ample seating, great staff. The biggest bummer is navigating inside for the bathroom but everything else is top notch. We're fans and will return again!

    I'd love to share my full experience at Preservation but alas, there isn't much in the way of food…read moreor drink I can report on. The service however, is a different story. My friend and I arrived around 7:15pm this evening, Tuesday night, a weekday. We were greeted by a hostess in a full winter jacket and completely empty front room. She gave us the option to sit in said empty room or to follow her back to a "cozy heated area." We couldn't decide so we asked her to choose, and she led us down a long, narrow hallway to the back. There were three parties total in the indoor patio--us, another table of 2 and a large party of 8. Their outdoor patio was open, and with a view of it from the cozy room. The outdoor patio was festive with holiday lights, heaters and perhaps 3 people sitting at the bar. Many employees bustled back and forth through the door linking our two spaces. Our waitress brought us two glasses of water and food menus, pointed out the QR code menu on our table and walked away. That was our ONLY interaction with her. We proceeded to then sit for 15 minutes, watching our waitress, along with 3 other employees walk back and forth, attentively serving the large party, cleaning up a recently vacated back booth, chatting with one another and even saw another employee take a moment to vape inside near the POS system. We were ignored. No eye contact, no smile, no acknowledgment. It's as if we were not even there. For a slow Tuesday night, with ample staff, this was unacceptable. It grew so uncomfortable that we gathered our jackets and began to walk out. As we made our way back down the long hallway, the hostess, carrying a tray of waters, thanked us for coming in. Clearly there is a lack of awareness--or attention to detail. In what world would we have been able to order drinks, eat and pay our bill in less than 30 minutes since you seated us? But Finally! Someone noticed us. Too bad it was too little too late. We walked a block down to a different restaurant, and had an amazing time, spending more time & money than originally anticipated at that establishment, as a direct result of the poor hospitality and lack of service received at Preservation. Their loss was the Alchemist's gain.

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    After having dinner in Geneva,we decided to walk around the downtown area and saw Geneva Winery…read more They have a nice outdoor area with tables and chairs plus live entertainment on the weekends. We decided to stop for a quick drink and listen to the acoustic music group that was playing. It was very warm so we were excited that they offer wine slushes with a variety of flavors. Each slushy is topped with one of their wines. I had the pear slushy and my wife had the frozen lemonade. Both were very refreshing. They also offer wine flights,wine by the glass or bottle and a nice selection of cheese,crackers and dips. Dogs are welcome. A great place to go and enjoy a summer night listening to music and drinking some wine

    The James - wine_bars - Updated May 2026

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