Yummy French comfort food but very rude waitress.....
My husband and I went for their $14 lunch special. Â BEWARE: YOU HAVE TO SIT AT THE BAR FOR THIS BARGAIN. Â We didn't know this and got seated at regular table. Â We apologized to our waitress and moved our own glasses, but she was very rude and obviously miffed at our inconveniencing her.
The food and atmosphere was much more accessible than Pigall's or Maisonette. Â Quite tasty but not nearly as fancy. Â I really liked their crusty bread and seafood crepe. Â The smaller portions included in the lunch tray were perfect size.
I'd like to go back for another try (and sit at the bar from the start), but my husband thought the food and experience was just okay.
Had dinner at Table on Saturday night with my partner. Â Have been here before and have enjoyed it. Â We arrived at 7:30 for an 8:00 reservation and had a cocktail at the bar - very good Manhattan. Â One of the things that seems to be a trend these days is to have a TV at the bar playing old movies with no sound - I find this rather annoying and would prefer they just not have a TV.
Our table became available and we were seated at around 7:45.
For appetizers I had the Mister B Hangtown omelet and my partner had the oxtail ravioli. Â Both were excellent - the oysters on the omelet were plump and sweet and the oxtail ravioli was rich with great flavors. Â The ravioli was a good appetizer size but the omelet was almost a full meal. Â
For our entrees I had a snapper with cabbage and beans (the menu was for monkfish so the snapper was a substitute) and my partner had the scallops. Â The snapper entree was quite bland and the cabbage and beans made a sort of dark purple and black blob underneath the fish - not very attractive. Â The scallops were excellent - perfectly cooked with a silky sauce. Â Both entrees were quite large and we didn't have room for desert.
I waivered on a 3 or a 4 star review. Â In the end, 3 of the items ordered were above par and the service was outstanding so I opted for the 4 star rating.
I really don't think I will go back. Â Not that it was bad. Â It just wasn't all that great.
1) Â I made reservations on Open Table. Â A lady called in advance and left a voice mail to be sure we were still coming. Â I called back and said we were and that I was bringing a friend for her birthday. Â The lady said, "Oh, well, be sure you tell your waiter that." Â
2)  The hostess was blase.  Even though I made reservations,  we were  told we had to wait.  We went to the bar and were waited on by a bartender who was equally blase.  At one point, the hostess came and called my by a wrong name and said our table was ready.  But, it wasn't of course because I wasn't who she thought I was. Â
3) Â We ordered a California Pinot Noir at the bar. Â It was overpriced and bitter.
4) Â We were finally taken to a table and just left there. Â We had to ask a bus boy for a wine list. Â "Uh, I think it is on the back of the menu," he said. Â
5) Â A guy finally came over to give us the run down on the appetizers and entrees. Â He acted like an amateur actor who had just memorized his lines.
6) Â The waiter finally came over. Â I am not sure how long he took, but it was awkwardly long. Â He took our order of two appetizers but was taken aback when I asked for a wine suggestion to go with them. Â He finally offered a white wine idea. Â It was okay, but where is the Sommelier?
7) Â One appetizer we ordered was the braised Fois Gras. The lady who brought it said the plate was hot and to be careful. Â When we bit into the Fois Gras, it was cold. Â We asked the waiter if this was "normal". All he said was he said he would make a note of it. Â
8) Â The filet mignon was okay, but, how wrong can you go with filet? Â I asked for a Cabernet to go with the filet and the waiter brought me a glass, which was decent, but didn't offer what kind it was or stay around to let me taste it before he left.
9) Â We ordered dessert because, like mentioned above, it was my friend's birthday. Â The waiter brought it with a little candle but didn't make it seem overly special.
10) Â In fact, no one made me feel special the entire night. Â Bus boys almost broke the table down clearing plates.
11)  The food was good overall  but, nothing like the food you would get at Boca, which I think would be a comparable restaurant.  The service wasn't nearly as good either.  It seemed like the entire wait staff were in new hire training or something. Â
12) Â It was fairly affordable.
Other comments about decor, ambiance, etc. seem to be comprehensive, so I'll just focus on the food. Â Â
Six of us arrived on a Wednesday evening without reservations, but we were able to get a table with no wait. Â The hostess was pleasant and the waiter was very good. Â He had a firm grasp of all items on the menu and was able to answer detailed questions with ease. Â
We started with 4 appetizers. Â The standout was a special oxtail ravioli that was rich and flavorful without being heavy. Â Â The mac and chesse with truffle oil was very good, as was a salmon tartare. Â
We had 4 different entrees. Â Â The roasted salmon and the scallops received high marks for the fish as well as the sides. Â Â Lamb chops were good but maybe not great. Â Â The filet was also rated good. Â
3 shared deserts were very good. Â
Overall, the consensus was a very good meal for a fair price. Â There were certainly no bad dishes, though we weren't absolutely blown away. Â Â We will definitely go again.
My wife and I chose Jean-Robert's Table for our 10th Anniversary dinner. The food was excellent, the atmosphere was comfortable, and the service was attentive.
I will steal a line from another person's post concerning the interior of the restaraunt. ". . . wtih a casual but upscale and refined interior and clientele." It was a very comfortable place where we were able to talk and enjoy ourselves.
The food was very good. We started with the Mister B Hangtown. Who doesn't like an omelette with oysters, mozzarella cheese, and bacon. In addition we had the escargot. They were delicious. We used the bread to soak up the garlic infused sauce from the escargot. I thought the appetizers were reasonable at $12. We had two of the specials for dinner, the Walleye and the Filet. The walleye was excellent. I would skip the filet in the future and go a different direction. While the glaze was excellent, we ordered medium rare and it was at best medium. The learning here is order steak at a place that knows how to do steak like Jeff Ruby's. An additional issue was that a proper steak knive was not provided.
Save room for dessert. We had a chocolate dessert that was fabulous.
The service was very attentive, but not overwelming.
We had an excellent evening.
Yay, so glad that Jean Robert de Cavel reopened in Cincinnati. Â We are so lucky to have him in our city. Â He was fabulous at Pigall's and is fabulous and less stuffy here. Â One of the more affordable pricey restaurants in town. Â Duo of Snail and Frog Leg w/ Serrano, Brie and Garlic Puff Pastry with Alsatian Parsley Butter Sauce. Â Yum, I had never had either, and it was quite pleasant. Â Sweetbreads seared in duck fat with Mushroom, Leek and Bleu Cheese Quiche, Grape Compote. Â The earthy sweetbreads and mushrooms against the pungent blue cheese quiche, finished off with sweet grape compote, I would have never thought of these together, but crave to have them again. Â Sea Scallops w/ Light Truffle Sauce, Fava Beans, Fiddlehead Fern, Leek, Yukon Gold Potatoes Goat Cheese Puree, so good, the scallops were like butter. Â French Chateau Burger w/ Bleu Cheese, Caramelized Onion, Bacon and Tomato on Brioche with Frites. Â Wow, the best burger I've ever had, really. Â The aioli for the frites was amazing also. Â If you are looking for an upscale place with a not so upscale price, this is your place.
Review Source:Delicious and affordable. Â Since when was French food ever so affordable? Â Coming from California, French food is quite expensive...when I came to look at the dinner menu, I looked at the prices and in a heartbeat, I opened the door and went straight on in. From the $$$ signs on yelp, I expected exorbitant prices, but there were some entrees in the 10-20$ range, which is quite affordable given the quality of food served here. Â As I waited to be seated, I knew I was in for a treat after reading the raving reviews describing this place as one of Cincy's finest restaurants.
AMBIANCE: Cozy, intimate, candle-lit, romantic, with a touch of formal. Everyone here was on the older side (I suspect the well-to-do Cincinnatians) and dressed in business casual wear or evening wear. Â This place is the perfect place to bring someone out on a date!
FOOD: Delicious, tasty, fresh, and delectable. Â First I must talk about the bread they have here -- it's some of the best bread I've had ever...in..my..life! Â It's served warm on the inside and crispy/toasted on the outside -- perfect with a slab of soft, supple butter. Â Apparently, this bread is shipped from a Tribeca Bakery in NJ. Â My friend and I ordered the mussels 3 ways, croque-monsieur, and duck breast -- all of which were cooked to perfection and mouth watering. My only warning is that the croque-monsieur comes with chicken livers, so if you're against eating animal innards. Â The duck breast is served slightly rare, which makes it perfect because overcooked duck is dry, and atop a soft and sweet polenta with corn relish. Â And, don't forget about the mussels -- they were served 3 ways although a bit similar to one another. Â The majority of the mussels were in this garlicky, buttery broth which would have been perfect for just drinking. Â The food here had me in heaven.
CUSTOMER SERVICE: Attentive, personal, and friendly. Â The people who work here and the servers here definitely exude great customer service. Â
OVERALL RATING: This place gets a solid four stars. Â I was too full off the entrees that I did not have room for dessert. Â If I come back to Cincy, I definitely would want to come back and try the desserts on the dinner menu as well as the extremely affordable French lunch tray menu.
In a word, underwhelming. Â Our Broadway Series group have been wanting to come here for a year. Â We finally made it, and it was not what we were expecting at all. Â Other than a few side of the sides and some appetizers that were very good, the rest of the meal was just okay. Â I have prepared better salmon at home. Â And for my companion who ordered the vegetarian entree, it was just a larger version of the salad he had as an appetizer. Â It was explained that Jean-Robert makes the vegetarian entree 'on the fly'. Â With whatever ingredients he happens to be 'feeling' at the moment. Â Apparently, he was feeling salad. Â And while it may sounds petty, when a cocktail is ordered and it's to be stirred, not shaken, that is the way I want it. Â When I'm paying $12+ for a cocktail, I don't want a bunch of ice crystals in it watering it down.
Review Source:I've heard about Jean-Rober's Table more than a handful of times, but it definitely is not a casual go-to location to eat with friends. Luckily, that's what boyfriends are for.
We walk in, and the lighting is dim and romantic. I was a little disappointed that they not only forgot about my call 30 min ago that I wanted to push my reservation back, but also, they thought my reservation was an hour before the original time I had set. If it were busy and if we encountered some issues getting seating, I would definitely have been disappointed. Luckily, it was a quiet Tuesday night.
To start we had a lovely bottle of Pinot to compliment the starters of escargot and and oyster omelet with bacon. The buttery and garlic flavoring on the escargot was perfect with the addition of bread on the table to dip with. Additionally, the "Mister B Hangtown" was a great balance of the egg, oyster, mozzarella, chorizo, tomato, and bacon you wouldn't expect to find all in the same dish. Â
For the main course, I couldn't resist and had the beef filet which was accompanied with mushrooms and onions with a side of scalloped potatoes. Absolute perfection. The only small change is that I felt it was a little overdone for medium, but not much complaining there.
My boyfriend ordered the duck breast and I think it was on top of polenta. It was seasoned really well, and not too salty or greasy that can sometimes happen when you order a duck dish. Surprisingly though, the duck was tougher to cut than the filet but overall, the flavor was fantastic. Definitely a recommendation for me.
Lastly, (we love eating), we topped off the night with creme brulee which had a lovely spice to it that tasted like Fall in your mouth. Perfect for the season change and warming you from the inside out!
Overall, you have to go at some point. Take a date. It'll be perfect.
I won't go quite as far as Nathan L. in his review on 9/5/2012, but I will say that JR's table proved to be priced much more reasonably than expected.
We sat at the bar on Friday night and were immediately greeted with a wine list and a smile. I wanted to try something different and was recommended a French red blend that drank fabulously and was easily worth it's low $40 price tag.
We also asked for recommendations and ended up dining tapas style, starting with the surf and turf tartar duo. It was good, but overshadowed by the next dish, the Vol au Vent of Lobster. This dish was our favorite of the night. There were large chunks of lobster claw meat generously strewn throughout the plate and the sauce was delectably rich. We dipped more than our fair share of their fresh baked bread into the bowl to make sure we didn't let any of the lobster sauce go to waste. Next we had the Duck breast entree. The portion size was larger than expected, and the duck was seared to a nice med-rare, but I don't think the duck breast was the best cut of meat. It seemed a little chewier than it should have been. Â
All in all, the meal with wine was $100 before tip, which was a very welcome surprise. The restaurant's ambiance was perfect for a quietly romantic evening, and the service was friendly and prompt throughout the night.
Jean Robert's table may invoke some fear. It seems pricey, you may not be able to pronounce the items on the menu, and you never can trust a French restaurant... not after what they did to those poor snails. I hope you can get over this fear and give JRT a try. Lunch is generally under $15, they have plenty of normal food with good descriptions, and it's actually really delicious.
I was pretty excited to try the beef tartare after reading yelp reviews and ordered it to the surprise of my lunch companions. Here's what they knew that I did not know: it's raw. A big, tuna can size, loaf of raw beef. I bravely ate as much as I could stomach and I have to say that it was delicious and I'm glad I tried it; but you're reading the yelp reviews, you need to know...it's raw.
This is a great place to bring a date or business client you'd like to impress. We went as a large group and they were very accommodating. Upon request, they even turned the music down so that we could hear each other.
Be brave! Give it a try!
Meh.
I was super excited to check out Table. I really love french food, and haven't really found something equal to my hometown (DC) favorites.
Table was just a bit underwhelming to be honest though. While I the service was great, the presentation beautiful, and the atmosphere relaxing and cosy; the food was a bit... bland. Â It wasn't bad, it just wasn't really flavorful.
Maybe because everyone in the Cincinnati area worships JR, I'd expected to be more impressed.
The wine selection good enough, and helped contribute to a more enjoyable overall lunch. I'd be willing to go back to see if my experience was more of a one off, but since the pricing isn't an everyday lunch kind of price, it'll have to wait.
Kind of like how I'm waiting for Jean-Robert to knock me off me feet. I want amazing french food here in Cincinnati! Please make it happen?
One of Cincinnati's best. It's not as fine-dining as Jean-Robert is famous for around here, but the food is absolutely wonderful, and this place is an unexpected bargain - a couple can enjoy a lovely night out with dinner and drinks for under $50.
It's a whimsical sort of place, with a casual but upscale and refined interior and clientele. You'll feel comfortable with a jacket, suit, business-casual, but you'll wish you hadn't worn jeans. You can expect to see some of the city's elite here.
The food has a decidedly French disposition. You can expect eggs, escargot, various birds and game, and interesting specials. Many times "French" food is just "Expensive, Fancy" food. Here, you'll get some variety, and you'll like it.
It's not the cheapest place, but when you consider that there's a world-class chef in the kitchen (and yes, you'll see him poke his head out to meet people), and innovative, exquisitely prepared dishes, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the prices. Entrees are $20 - $35, with a four-course prix fixe menu at $45.
Best yet, you can get one of the city's best burgers for $15. I recommend it.
On a recent visit to Cincinnati, I had dinner at Jean-Robert's Table. I went in with high expectations from this highly decorated chef's restaurant. I left rather underwhelmed.
I love when chefs prepare food in a way that highlights the natural flavors of quality ingredients. A sauce, in my opinion, should be used to let the star ingredient shine, not cover up or mask the natural flavors. In my opening course, Vol au Vent of Lobster, the rich brandy cream sauce drowned the flaky pastry, and over powered the lobster. The lobster was also not well prepared. The texture was mushy and had a bit of a fishy taste that fresh lobster should not have. The sauce was a delicious sauce, it was just an over powering presence in this dish.
The entree was more successful. Scallops in a light truffle sauce. Again, the sauce was delicious, and because it was lighter, it complemented the scallops better than the appetizer's sauce.
I started with a lovely cocktail from the bar and enjoyed a nice glass of Chenin Blanc with my scallops.
The service was a bit spotty. I was seated towards the back of the restaurant, and could frequently hear chef barking orders at the wait staff. Not the atmosphere I expect in a nicer restaurant. I also felt the host would have preferred I sit by myself at the bar instead of taking up a table. (This was Tuesday evening and the restaurant was not overly busy...)
Over all, I had many wonderful dinners at other restaurants during my visit to Cincinnati. Should I return to Cincinnati, JR's Table will not be on my list of restaurants to revisit.
I debated long and hard before giving five stars as I wanted to give four. Â What put it over the top was the price. Â Every dish is worth the dollars being paid. Â The appetizers are amazing and the list of specials never disappoints. My only issue is that the meal always has one dish that falls short of perfect, still amazing, still not perfect though... First time the snails, second time the goose, third time duck... Keep in mind that seven of the eight dishes each time were perfect and the check was completely reasonable. Â On top of all that Table has some great Belgian beers at a great price. Â So yes, I recommend and I'll give five stars.
Review Source:I would give 5 stars if it weren't for dessert. Â The first and second courses were, as usual, sublime!! Â Layered with different flavors and textures, just perfect. Â (Smoked salmon mimosa followed by scallops with truffle cream sauce). Â
Dessert was an utter disaster. Â The menu was bizarre for a French bistro, and I've never seen the dessert menu at J-R's so off base: Â coca cola cake, some sort of corn bread cake, "dense" chocolate mousse served "like s'mores". Â We decided to give the dense mousse and the coca cola cake a go. Â Neither were good. Â Actually, both were actually flavorless. Â The dense mousse had no real flavor of chocolate and it was accompanied by crumbs of graham cracker and crunch marshmallow-like things. Â The coca cola cake just wasn't good. Â Totally lacked description. Â It's too bad, such a good meal should have been followed by a "wow" dessert.
This was our second time here. Â The first time was phenomenal, and I was afraid it wouldn't live up to that experience, but it did. Â First off - we had a reservation and there was no phone call to let us know that there was a two-hour suggested limit. Â So whatever the other reviews have been saying, my guess is that they have stopped doing this. (thank goodness).
We had a party of 5 and tried three of the appetizers; the surf and turf tartare, the fois gras and a special appetizer of morel mushrooms, asparagus and a blue cheese sauce. Â Each one was absolutely exquisite. Â The bread that they serve there is the best I have ever had. Â I tried the skate fish wing, which was light and delicious. Â My date had the duck, which was also delicious. Â
Our waiter was attentive, but not intrusive; Â he asked when we arrived if we had theatre tickets or any time constraints - we let him know that we did, and we got out in plenty of time. The rest of the staff made sure we had water and bread refills at all times. We also asked our waiter about a sauce that we had had on our first visit - a sherry cream sauce that comes on the salmon. Â We wanted our friends to try it, so he brought out a bowl of it (no charge), which we dipped our bread into. Â (Seriously - this sauce is AMAZING).
One thing to keep in mind - as Americans, we are used to huge portions. Â We were all very satisfied when we left, but the portions are more appropriate European sizes - you are not going to get an "Olive Garden" sized entree here.
Overall - fabulous experience. Â Not cheap, but not too over-the-top, especially considering all you get!
Let's take this one down a few notches because:
There is such a thing as too much truffle oil and too much foie gras.
It shouldn't take an hour after being seated to get the first course.
A water carafe on the table is not a "get out of filling water glasses free" pass. Especially for large groups, hello.
Why on earth would they serve a practically EXTINCT species of fish as the special!?! Huge sustainability no-no. (Just because it's not on the Sustainable Ocean list doesn't mean it's sustainable... it's just not an ocean fish.)
I can handle an out of date wine list on the website, but I can't handle how far off the prices listed on the website vs. actual prices listed were. We're talking double. This is not cool at all.
But all of my complaints probably won't have the slightest affect on our city's love affair with Jean-Robert. It's amazing how much sub-par service will be put up with for a taste of local celebrity.
When I first reviewed JR's Table, I wavered about whether to give it five stars.
JR's ill-advised and tacky idea to have his reservations staff leave telephone messages asking that you "limit" your stay to two hours made it easy to flip this rating down to four. Â
And, no, I'm not so outraged by this policy to suggest it warrants a one-star review. Â Jean-Robert's Table is a really good restaurant, and this policy is, to me, ultimately a minor annoyance.
But, still, why plant this unpleasant bad seed in the back of the mind of every diner who steps into your restaurant? Â
It was especially inane on the night we were there, because by the time we got done with our entrees--and we were not slow-poking our way through the meal--we were already at the two-hour mark through no fault of our own: Â The kitchen took perhaps 40 minutes to get our entrees out after a salad course.
We didn't order dessert, but if we had, we'd have been there two-and-a-half hours easily. Â
Despite these annoying phone messages, I encourage people to continue to dine at JR's. Â
And to ignore those annoying messages. Â Now, I'm not raising some call-to-arms for all JR diners to plan on attempting to camp out a table for the evening. Â But don't eat like an animal to abide by some arbitrary timeclock that this restaurant's own kitchen doesn't seem to have the power to control.
Better yet, encouragement should be directed to Jean-Robert's Table itself to stop leaving those annoying messages on our answering machines at home.
Aside from the above, my original review still stands.
P.S. Â Sad comment on Cinci bakeries: Â JR's bread, which is probably the best I've had in this town, is shipped in from New York City (!).
UPDATE (11/12): Â Good news: Â JR's Table seems to have dropped its silly policy of haranguing its guests about a two-hour time limit. Â Although we did get TWO calls, on successive days, asking us to confirm our reservation.
First time at Table, and enjoyed it with a few reservations.
Pros:
Fantastic lobster appetizer. Absolutely delicious.
Ambiance - relaxing casual but still upscale.
Cheesecake - yum.
Cons:
Steak was cooked perfectly but sauce was overpowering.
We reserved via open table and commented that we were celebrating a birthday, but no acknowledgement was made.
Overall, a great night out.
I have passed Table many times while downtown, usually in pursuit of a parking spot by the library, never realizing what it was. In fact, when I looked it up on Google Maps I could recall the convenience store, library, Garfield Suites, but had a hard time coming up with a visual for the restaurant. In my defense, a while back I did notice the mural that went up, and I was impressed; I was just unaware of this much talked about location that had long been right in front of me. I think this 'introduction' accurately sums up my experience at Table. In not being aware of what it was (one of Cincinnati's nicer/est restaurants) I was taken (in a marvelous way) by the obviously 'fancy' food, but without pretense, just good food and a great evening. It made me enjoy my experience all the more.
We went with a large group of friends for a birthday celebration. The mother of the guest of honor is herself French, and knows Jean-Robert. We had a delicious meal accompanied by tasty wine, topped off with decadent desserts, and enjoyed this overall, great spot, to the fullest. There is low lighting, it's intimate, a bit fancy in presentation, but ultimately it's comfortable. Exposed brick coupled with real table cloths, but nothing that insists you might not belong if you don't regularly dine in fine food/top end establishments.
I'm not too familiar with French cooking and I think I really got a delicious slice of what that might entail, from my experience. I had the skate fish...something I had seen on a TV show or Iron Chef, but never on a menu. It was delicious. The sauce took it home, but the texture of the fish was really delightful as well. I think amongst the 9 of us, we ordered a lot of what was on the menu, which means I tried a lot and sadly, I can't recall it all. There wasn't anything that didn't taste good, however, I remember that!
What I can recall is that it was insisted upon by our French ambassador that we try the escargot. Though they were not in their shells (I'm sure for ease, but much to the dismay of my friends mother :)) we all tried them with just a few finding fault. I don't know that I've ever had snails, but they were meaty, mushroom like, and took on the flavor of their sauce/topping, which was totally tasty. We also shared about every dessert on the menu, passing them around and taking bites of it all. The creme brulee and the chamomile ice cream really stand out, even now (a few weeks later). That means they were good.
This restaurant is charming, quaint, and delicious. I now understand its place in the Cincinnati restaurant landscape and can't wait for another special occasion to experience another delicious French offering.
As a side note, I've decided to plan a honeymoon to France after this experience. I credit my awesome company for such a good time, but I also had my eyes opened to the culinary side of France that tipped my scale in its direction as my next European vacation. Well done, Jean-Robert and company!
the food is ok to good depending on what you get, but there are no surprises and nothing exciting. Â the atmosphere is stuffy and old. Â the real reason for my vindictive desire to publicly bitch slap them is because their reservation system is a bunch of fucking bullshit. Â i made a reservation on open table a few weeks ago at 6 pm. Â the day of the meal, i got a voicemail saying that they have a "two hour limit" and that i "have to be done with dinner by 8:00." Â of course, i canceled and went to bouquet instead, which was much more a) delicious, b) friendly, and c) worth the money. Â and i stayed there for three hours.
go fuck yourselves table. Â it is marginally socially acceptable (although still tacky and stingy) to tell people when they make a reservation that there is a time limit. Â however, there was no notice of this policy anywhere on opentable and i received the information via a bitchy voicemail the day of the reservation. Â even king of shitting on social graces gordon ramsey tells you upon reserving that you're on a deadline. Â i have received no response from the restaurant to my complaint about this, so clearly not only do they not give a shit, they don't give a shit that they don't give a shit. Â or something.
the most absurd part about this whole scenario is that a restaurant purportedly celebrating the culinary tradition of france (long, relaxed, drawn out meals to be enjoyed over lots of drinks and meandering conversation) is the only restaurant i am aware of in cincinnati which is not only in the business of making you eat your meal by a stopwatch but is not even willing to give you proper notice to find somewhere else to dine if you're not ok with that.
The lunch try is a decadent, and affordable escape for the downtown cubicle dweller.
The lunch tray changes weekly and is only available in the bar. I suggest arriving around 11:30 in order to secure a spot at the bar. You can easily get in and out in in an hour, but don't expect a much shorter lunch than that. The offerings on the lunch tray are set for the week and are not interchangeable, but they are consistently delicious .
If you're tired of wilted lettuce, PB&J, or whatever take out you find yourself eating and you need a treat please stop by JR Table and indulge!
After 3 months of trying to come here, I finally went with my friends for their birthday. Â I had seen them on the list of Cincinnati's best restaurants and they definitely didn't disappoint.
The restaurant itself isn't huge. Â It's very well decorated and quite enough to have a intimate conversation. Definitely a good place for an upscale date or business dinner. Â Service was great. Â Staff is very knowledgeable. Â
I started with the sweetbread seared in duck fat with mushroom, leek and bleu cheese quiche, and grape compote. Â Loved it. Â Perfect mixture of taste and textures. Â I just wish there were more sweetbreads on the plate.
I then had the "3 little cochon" which was pork belly, ribs & tenderloin with medley of beans, Â and potatoes with bleu cheese. Â Also a really great dish. Â
I will definitely add Jean-Robert's Table to my list of go-to fine dining places in Cincinnati and be back for more.
I finally made it to Table a few weeks ago with a friend. We actually stopped at the Cricket Lounge for cocktails first, and when the servers there asked where we were headed for dinner, they all raved about Table. How funny!
We didn't have a reservation and the dining room was pretty full, but there was ample room at the bar. We were sat immediately.
The staff was incredibly friendly. As a former restaurant girl, I can't say enough how impressed I was with them-- some of the nicest I've had in the city. I would go back again solely to be treated so well.
As far as food, I played it safe and got the seasonal heirloom tomato salad. I underestimated how great it was going to be. The mix of colorful heirlooms was gorgeous, and the tomatoes were juicy and fresh. The dressing gave it a nice zip, but not too overpowering. Fresh herbs were a nice touch, as well as a generous lump of goat cheese.
In addition to my salad, I had a Makers and Diet Coke to drink, along with water, and I appreciated that Table wasn't stingy with their mix. So many places tout themselves as high-end but take shortcuts. Table spares nothing to treat their customers.
I really have nothing bad to say about the restaurant. I can't wait to go back and sit in the dining room! Hopefully the experience is the same.
Jean-Robert's is wonderful, and a lovely night out. Â
We had 5:30 reservations and were seated immediately. Â We did get a phone call indicating there was a 2nd sitting and would be willing to leave at 7:30pm. Â I have to admit that this still irks me. Â All in our party were aware of the time through the whole meal. Â I hope they stop this. Â I don't mind the call that there is a 2nd seating, but giving me a time-to-exit made it feel like it was my responsibility to get out. Â I would give it a 4 except for this.
Once there, the service was outstanding. Â The poor waiter had a list of 5 or more specials, with all the details. Â The waiter seemed nonplussed about delivering it, but we all commented that it was quite a list to keep all in your head. Â Too much for us to keep straight, forget the waiter :-).
I had a shrimp and avocado salad to start and fish for the main entree. Â The salad was fantastic and I strongly recommend it! Â The fish was fine, but not memorable. Â I ended with cheesecake that was out of this world! Â
I will definitely return, but probably not when I have to pay for my meal.
I've been wanting to try Jean-Robert's for ages, but for some reason, didn't realize where it was until seeing the restaurant's mural on an Artworks tour. I was super excited to eat here for lunch.
Walk in the door and step into elegance: the waitstaff is clad in white shirts and pinstripe aprons. The booths are lined with red and black damask. It's a real classy spot right in the heart of Vine Street.
The lunch menu was a bit heavy on the fish entrees, some of which were too adventurous for my dining companion. I ordered the French Country Soup and Beef Tartar. He ordered French Onion Soup and a Turkey Mediterranean Sandwich.
First, bread arrived. It was a warm, crisp piece of baguette. When butter was applied, it melted instantly. Delicious, but we only were served one piece each. Would loved to have had more. Both soups were amazing. The French Country was white bean soup served with sausage, and a zesty hint of lemon or vinegar. The French Onion featured huge chunks of bread and the broth was seasoned with red wine.
My Beef Tartar was flavorful and rich. This is definitely a dish for seasoned palates, as it is raw beef with cucumber, shaved radish and avocado. It's a spectacular European dish that I would only trust someone like Jean-Robert to make here in The States. Unfortunately, my dining companion was repulsed by his turkey sandwich. Â A few bites in, he opened the bun and said, "This tastes like fish." It was actually hummus (that tasted like hummus, in my opinion), but he thought otherwise. The bread was as hard as a rock. Not normally a picky eater, he finished a fourth of the sandwich and picked at the fries. Our waiter came by a number of times but said nothing about him not eating his untouched plate. I would have at least expected the waiter to offer to bring him something else.
While my meal was four stars, my dining companion had a two-star experience, so I'm giving Jean-Robert's a three. I'd be hesitant to bring someone here again unless I know they like the cuisine. Perhaps offering a few tamer chicken and turkey dishes would help appeal to the less adventurous.
Price per person: $20.00
I haven't made it here for dinner yet, but I went for lunch... I honestly had never thought about going for lunch so I consider it an undiscovered gem! I love french food so I automatically love Jean-Ro. The lunch menu did not disappoint. There was a nice variety of options at relatively affordable prices. I got the salad with warm goat cheese in a pastry (sorry, I never remember any names of the dishes) and it was light and wonderful. If you've read any of my other reviews you know I'm a sucker for goat cheese... so goat cheese wrapped in pastry is even better!
The atmosphere was enjoyable and the staff was friendly.
There's much left to experience here so I hope to go back soon to update my review!
Went to JR's Table for a late birthday dinner this week, since my mom didn't want to arrive late and was worried about traffic on 75S we arrived at 5:25 for a dinner reservation at 545. Mary Lou greeted us and was glad to see us again.
The food was great as always, one of my dining companions got a strip steak special for the night and said it had a little to much fat for him.
I had the foie gras for my app, and the sole for my entree, the sole was cooked perfectly, It was just missing a tad bit of citrus on top, that would of brought the entire dish together.
The service was kind of spotty and that's why only four stars. The server was gone for a while and my companions were out of drinks.
Some of the best bread at a restaurant in Cincinnati, I have seen.
The problem with reviewing a French restaurant is that it needs to be reviewed to French standards. Similar to the food, which must be assessed in both flavor and presentation, so must the holistic dining experience be judged by the quality of meal, the responsiveness of the staff and the balanced sophistication of the room and customers. Indeed, French dining is defined by a sense of bourgeois ease, delivered with both extreme care and minimal bother. In other words, it's an ethnic activity crafted to make you feel like minor royalty, and Table succeeds.
Upon entering Table, our group was presented by a stern matre d who was both efficient and polished. We later discovered that she is quite friendly, but keeping careful control over the guest list requires diligence: do not expect seating without a reservation. After being led to our seats, we were greeted by our waitress, who delivered the type of charisma and effortless competency one would expect from such an establishment. Similarly, the rest of the staff worked together to provide a rehearsed dance of consistent service.
The menu, while being traditional at times, takes a handful of playful risks: the 'surf and turf tartare', for example, pairs tuna and beef with wasabi and avocado, two distinctly un-French ingredients. That said, Jean Robert kept this wonderful appetizer tight, clean and delicious (it comes highly recommended). Similarly, main courses are well balanced affairs, served hot and with meticulous care, and generally featuring classical proteins mixed with a handful of more progressive flavors. I tried the sole, and my guest enjoyed a salmon special. Both were prepared to perfection. Likewise, the wine list is almost entirely French, with a handful of Californian offerings, and provides a wide range of both simple and adventurous libations (thankfully, almost all by the glass).
I will stop using big adjectives. The dessert was the best thing I've ever eaten in my life (chocolate and macadamia tart). I can't begin to describe how excellent this dessert was, so I won't bother. It's large enough to share, and is simply breathtaking. If you go to Table, save room.
If Table has one shortcoming, it is the location and exterior decor. The restaurant sits beside two parking lots, and across from a decaying bar district that used to cater mostly to the college crowd. It's a weird neighborhood, and the building is painted a strange tint of yellow that does little to prepare guests for the elegant presentation indoors. Thankfully, upon entering, the room is decorated in a lively but restrained manner, featured both contemporary and classical artwork and beautiful exposed brick. Clientele are generally 'older' (ahem, by about 60+ years), and dress is semi-formal: gentlemen will feel most comfortable in a jacket or blazer, while women have more latitude.
In conclusion, Table offers a taste of elegance and classical service hard to find in Cincinnati. Prices are reasonable, especially given comparable competitors, and the opportunity to enjoy a truly polished meal should be taken by diners seeking this genuine French experience. Thanks Jean Robert!
Having lived in France for 4 months a couple years ago, I have a particular fondness for French cuisine, but it's not so easy to find here in Cincinnati. Â At least that's what I thought until I came upon JR's table. Â I'd been here once for lunch several months back, and I really enjoyed my meal. Â It was a seafood crepe, which was extremely rich, but delicious. Â I also tried beef tartar (which I never had in France), and I'm a fan.
The food was great then, but now I have an even better reason to return: JR's special lunch tray. Â If you sit at the bar, you can order a 4-course French meal for just $14. The menu changes weekly, but today's lunch tray came with a Mediterranean style grilled veggie salad (I believe it was eggplant, zucchini, hummus and a very light dressing), a mushroom and potato soup, scallops with basmati rice, peas and shaved carrots, and for dessert we were served fresh strawberries with white chocolate mousse. The salad was light and flavorful, the soup creamy with a hint of spice from a mustard cream they add to it, the scallops were just the right size for an entree, and the dessert was heavenly. Â
It's an incredible deal for $14, as Jean Robert ensures that the quality is the same as his full-price menu items. Â It's also a quick lunch-- as everything is served at once. Â I already have plans to go back next Monday with another group of co-workers, and I can't wait to see what the menu will be then!
Jean Robert's Table won the Best New Restaurant of 2011 and I can totally see why
Prior to flying out to Cincy, my coworker and I decided to do a little research on places to go for major foodies. Googled it resulting us in a 7pm reservation at the Table.
First out was surf and turf tartar. Half tuna, half steak. I felt like this dish was made just for me since I've always had a hard time deciding between the tuna and the beef. So with this dish I get both!!
Next was my entree of Skate Fish Wing. The wing on top of a bed of sauteed spinach and horseradish potatoes. The perfect accompliment.  It was probably the best dish I had during my trip out to Cincinnati. Skate is just so delicious but now that I was made aware that it is on the  Seafood Watch list, I'm not even sure when I'll ever have it again. So sad.
As for my  coworker, he  got the duck w/ goat cheese grits which he said was "decadent". Sounds good to me!
Last but not least we shared a dessert of pumpkin mousse w/ a spiced cake topped with cinnamon ice cream which we totally housed in 10 seconds.
I left quite full and satisfied. Hurrah to you JR
Amazingly delicious food!
I'd been wanting to try out this restaurant, and finally went with a group of foodie friends. There were 6 of us all together, and we called a week ahead to make a Thursday evening reservation. I was somewhat surprised to hear that I could only get a reservation at 5:30 (or earlier) or 8 pm (or later), but that a 6 pm reservation was not possible for our group. As we planned to see a show later on, we opted for the 5:30 time slot.
When we arrived at the restaurant we were led to a round booth on the far left side of the restaurant. There are two large booths over there, and we ended up seated at the one near the rear of the room. It was very comfortable for a group our size, but there seemed to be a cold draft in this area (perhaps coming from the rear hallway?) that required the use of wraps throughout dinner service. Otherwise, the setting and ambiance was great. We all admired the lighting fixtures, upholstery on the seats, and paintings on the walls.
But what you really want to hear about is the food, right? It. Was. Phenomenal. The flavors certainly did not disappoint. Even the bread and butter they brought out before the meal was delicious. The wine list was extensive, and they had no problem splitting the bottles of drinks we shared between the checks at the table. My salad was delicious and the dressing was full of flavor. My scallops were perfectly cooked- and it is sometimes really difficult to find delicious scallops in Cincinnati. The only disappointment was there were only 2 of them in the dish. However, I expected things here to be a bit pricey. It isn't a large plate full of food that you're paying for, it is atmosphere, presentation, and bursting, perfectly balanced flavors.
Even the after dinner teas and coffees were amazing (the french press coffees or steeping at the table teas) and went deliciously with the variety of desserts sampled at our table.
Verdict: I would definitely go back, but probably only for a special night out every now and then.
No chef in Cincinnati, Ohio has more cachet than Jean Robert de Cavell. His previous restaurant, Jean Robert at Pigall's carried the fine dining torch after the closing of the Maisonette, which was the longest running Mobil five-star restaurant in the country. But now the times are trending downscale, and with it comes de Cavel's new restaurant in a former Lone Star Steakhouse: Jean Robert's Table.
Jean Robert's Table has been open less than a month, but with much fanfare and hype (de Cavel had a contractual dispute with his former business partners that delayed the opening for months). I'd been eagerly following the developments, since it was the one new restaurant I wanted to try while home for Labor Day weekend in Cincinnati. Luckily, so did my parents. Less fortuitous was our complete lack of advance planning-- a call that morning revealed them to be booked solid. We would have to take our chances at the bar.
One thing I've learned from living in New York is the secrets of obtaining seats-- from restaurants to subways-- with practiced passive aggressiveness. My skills were put to good use, and quicker than I thought possible the three of us were seated comfortably at the bar, drinks and menus in hand.
Looking around the restaurant, there are no traces of the former tenant. The bar was stripped clean and looked brand new, and exposed brick set off the main dining room from the bar area (which also has some seats). The crowd was surprisingly older than I anticipated, and on entering the restaurant some guy in front of us seemed to forget where he was and blocked the door for much longer than necessary. He was apologetic when he realized his lapse, but I jokingly told him he was a crappy doorman.
Mussels were served three ways. The big bowl contains the classic mussel sauce, white wine, shallots, and the like. On top is a creamy and spicy sauce which I hardly remember. The real star was the smoked mussels, which added a beguiling element to an otherwise typical plate.
Sweetbreads sat atop a mushroom and blue cheese quiche with a grape compote and port sauce. The sweetbreads were supposedly confit, but tasted fried to me. Either way, they were destroyed by my father and I.
A thick puck of foie gras hid a mound of duck rilletes providing a second fatty element to the dish. These strong flavors were balanced by the salad and plum sauce-- each adding a sharp and sour note.
A quick digression before the mains.
Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale is officially my new most favorite beer in the universe (move over Bud Light Lime!). I first tried it (shockingly) in Kentucky a few years ago when the brewery was just starting out. Now its everywhere in the area (unfortunately they make it in small batches, so it's unavailable outside of the Midwest). On draft, it's outstanding. Aged in bourbon barrels, the beer takes on an oak-y aftertaste (with strong overtones of vanilla) and a distinct bourbon flavor. It's also high in alcohol (but don't drink it too cold or it loses its flavor). Every restaurant worth checking out in Greater Cincinnati now serves this beer, and if you're ever around the area you would be doing yourself a huge disservice to not take a seat and sip on one for awhile.
Now, on to our mains. Duck was good (and the quality of the duck, and all the proteins for that matter, was fantastic), but was the least exciting of our three mains. Served over grits with goat cheese and a blackberry pepper sauce, it did not leave a lasting impression.
Lamb was the special of the evening and my mom never passes up a chance for rack of lamb. The meat itself was excellent and perfectly cooked, although I would have liked a slightly stronger sear. Below it is a couscous and a roasted tomato containing a sharp and spicy parsley salad (the alcohol may have gotten to me at this point, as some of the details are a bit hazy).
Trio of cochon was a huge portion. The gigantic pork chop hides the rib and red wine braised pork belly, which, with its fattiness countered by the lingering acidity in the wine proved to be the best bite of the evening. The beans soaked up the pork jus, and the heavily buttered mashed potatoes (can they ever have too much butter?). My only minor quibble is that the pork chop was slightly overcooked.
We finished our meal with a selection of sorbets and a poached peach-- nothing as interesting as the earlier courses (I've always been a front heavy diner). The whole evening, service was knowledgeable I couldn't have asked for more (though it probably helped we were at the bar, I can't speak for the table service).
So what else can I say? Jean Robert's Table is a welcomed addition to a revitalized Cincinnati dining scene from a talented and respected chef. While the menu, which, on my last glance is incorporating the flavors of Fall, is still finding its legs, I'm excited to see how it evolves before my next trip to my hometown.
Highly anticipated, slightly inconsistent...
We made a reservation for a Friday night and I immediately noticed that the average age in the restaurant was a more in the 40s/50s range. Â Maybe it was just this particular night? Â
The wine and drinks list and the filtered water was an impressive start to our night. Â I'm usually the foie gras default and my date is the same with mussels. Â We decided to try something different and ordered the Vol au Vent of Lobster. Â If you like corn and lobster, you'll love this. Â I also enjoyed the hint of basil and the tender lobster pieces.
From the time when our appetizer plates were cleared to the time we finished our main entrees, the service took a few wrong turns. Â (I'm not usually the one to notice.) Â My appetizer plate was taken right as I was taking my last bite, the entrees were a bit slow to come (but the restaurant was quite full) and the staff was even slower to pick up our entree plates. Â
Taste-wise, I would give both of our entrees 3 stars. Â We had the Strip Steak and the Duck (both med-rare). Â My duck was good to ok; I don't think I'd order it again. Â It was harder to cut and chew because there were more tendons/veins (?). Â The sauce was decent - but the blackberry component left that seedy/hard bite at the end. Â The steak also had that problem with the tendons/veins. Â Bad night? Â Bad cut?
For dessert, we had the Choc. Macadamia Tart. Â It was quite delicious and ended our meal better than I anticipated. Â The chef roasts the macadamias and every now and then the salt on the nuts complements the chocolate nicely. Â Not too sweet but perfectly decadent.
History has shown that the only Jean-Robert restaurant to ever have excellent service was Pigall's. It was impeccable and unrivaled. The others (Jean-Ro Bistro, Green up) had a laid back, efficient, albeit lacking in refined etiquette, style of service. I let it go and thought, "What an authentic French experience!" Â This is the kind of service I was expecting at Table.
As I walked in, the atmosphere was warm and cozy. Â Immediately, I noticed that they have several different kinds of Tables, very clever. We were seated and then greeted several minutes later by our server. Â She dropped off menus and took a drink order and left. When she returned, she failed to give any explanation of the menu.
I ordered the bean and arugula salad with the dressing on the side. Â My friends glass of wine that was ordered when the menus were dropped off, arrived after the appetizer. Maybe they had to pick the grapes?
My salad arrived with two dressings on the side. Â Enter slight confusion. Am I supposed to mix the two or what? Â Our server didn't inform me what to do with them, she dropped it off and left. Â After 5+ minutes she returned and I asked her what they were? Â She didn't know. Well, that explains a lot. Â She came back to tell me that one went on the beans and one went on the greens. Great, so now I have to deconstruct and reconstruct the salad. Â If she simply would have informed me of this slight complication, I would not have ordered the salad that way.
The salad itself was bland and the beans were not cooked PERIOD. They were straight from a can, sans dressing because it's probably pre-made. Fine, I sent it back, they took it off my bill.
Every time I asked for something, she forgot. Â I had to ask for ice two times and multiple times for water, until she just brought a jug and left it on the table.
At the end of the dinner, the manager approached and asked who had the salad? Â She then continued to tell me that I probably wasn't used to the French way that beans are made. Â They serve them al dente and I don't have a taste for them that way. That was the icing on the burnt, dry, crusty cake. It was offensive and completely unnecessary. I know the difference between al dente and not cooked. Â I sat there fuming as I watched Jean-Robert causally walk by several times. Â Sigh.
So, in the end the butter was amazing as I expected. It's what the French do. Â My friend's lobster was decadent and the chocolate torte we had in the bar, was probably the best dessert I've ever had. Â Even so, having such bad service and being personally offended, left a really bad taste in my mouth.
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