It was a Wednesday night, so it wasn't very busy. Otherwise, it's packed on the weekend! The bouillabaisse (seafood dish) with lobster I thought was an amazing deal considering costs of what I've seen at other restaurants and sizes. This was sizable for a pure seafood dish.
Pictured: frog legs, octopus, veal chop, bouillabaisse with lobster
Parking: You have to find parking around the corner a block or two away. Best chance is off of Central if you're going on a weekend since Central is packed.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Richard
We were disappointed when the expensive red wine was served chilled with the excuse that it was just taken out of the refrigerator. I sent it back and the server opened a fresh bottle at room temperature as it should be. There was also an issue with the pate served with the bread but this was taken care of immediately. The food was delicious.
Wendy Latash
Always fantastic! Brought my daughter and husband here for Sunday evening and had wonderful food as usual: Gnocchi, Branzino and the Chilean Sea Bass.
Angie is such a joy to have help us through the evening . . . We always enjoy her service!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chocolate Mousse Cake, Soup
Michael
We had a friend come in from NewYork and we picked Jilly's. Reservation was right on time. The service was excellent. The waiter gave us plenty of time to order and the food was hot and very good. We knew it would be crowded because of the Northwestern football game.the staff never rushed us and had an excellent time.Our guest from out of town was impressed.
Michael
Hands down best meal I have eaten out all year. Not sure why it took so long for our first visit, but it will definitely not be the last! Impeccable service and absolutely delicious food! We had Beet Salad, Steak Frites, Bouillabaisse, and a wonderful seafood Feuille appetizer. Creme Brûlée and Chocolate cake for dessert, also fantastic. Cannot wait to come back! Thanks for a great experience!!
Quelch Ann
We've always wanted to go to Jilly's. I was so excited when we finally booked to celebrate my birthday. The food is really outstanding. We ordered filet mignon and lobster risotto. Every bite was a delight. We were so happy with the experience. Definitely coming back for more date nights.
JulieH
Hidden gem! We have lived nearby for a few years and finally tried this place. The food was spectacular and the staff so welcoming and professional. Our server even saw us taking family photos out front and dashed out to help before we went in. Excellent French food, a diverse menu and lots of specials to choose from. My husband said it was the best veal chop he's ever had, and the seafood was great as well. Even the kids loved it. Support this local business!
Robert
My wife and I went here for our anniversary. It was outstanding. Food was great. Service was great. Our server had a 2 letter name. I don't remember it, but he was awesome. I've recommended Jilly's Cafe to my parents and friends. Specifically, short rib was melt in your mouth. 5/5. Sea Bass was perfectly cooked. Sauce was just strong enough without drowning out the taste of the fish. 5/5. I suspect if this place is crowded it can get loud. It is small So... If you go then go during the week? Not sure why else this place wouldn't have pure 5 star reviews.
Andrew
We were very pleased with the willingness to accommodate our toddler, the staff and management were friendly. This is a very intimate dining experience, there are probably about 30 seats in the entire restaurant. The food was exceptional, top quality ingredients and perfectly executed. We advised of a food allergy and the server was diligent in ensuring that we had options to substitute anything that might contain the allergen with something that did not. When we requested a mocktail and it was not to our liking they gladly brought us a different one which was excellent. The drinks and deserts complemented the food very well, would feel confident ordering anything on the menu. We will definitely be back. Not an inexpensive date night, but a good value for the price. I believe the prices were fair for the quality of food received and as such it was a good value for the experience and service.
Embryo49
We have been dining at Jilly's for decades and keep returning thanks to the consistency of quality and service. From the ambience of a Parisian bistro to the excellence of food and drink, Jilly's never fails to exceed expectations. We love the total experience here!
Nice quaint space with all the right touches, including the music in the background. Service was fine, but as the restaurant filled, attention was reduced. Food was interesting - not the typical style (read sauces) I've encountered in other French experiences. That's not a bad thing, simply different.
My sister and I dined at Jilly's last night. I am visiting from San Francisco and wanted to treat her to something special. It exceeded our expectations on all levels. The food was delicious, the portions are substantial and the waiter charming.
Penran
My foie gras was delicious. I had the mushroom risotto which was well made and as described but I did not love it. The seasoning was not as subtle as one expects in French cuisine. (It is an Italian dish so what did I expect?) I still ate it all. Katie our server was gracious and attentive without being intrusive. The place was fairly empty... I home it stays open.
Kloz
We had been wanting to dine at Jilly's for years; last night was our first time and my impressions are decidedly mixed. The restaurant is cute--and very small. While it is Bastille Day weekend, I'd arge that in general Jilly's needs 3-4 fewer tables, both for customer comfort and for the restaurant's ability to adequately several them. If you don't like eating packed like a sardine, I suggest going on a weeknight. Our server was polite and as attentive as he could he for how busy the place was. Other tabes I know (because I could hear them talking) were not so lucky. In general service is a bit hurried, a lot harried, and generally too herky-jerky for a $30+/plate restaurant. Lobster Risotto and Bouillabaisse w. Lobsterre generously portioned, perfectly hot, and competently prepared. That said the sauce on the lobster in both dishes was excessive (too much) and aggressive (unnecessary). Both dishes are broth based--zero need to add another, heavy sauce and different (clashing) flavor to the mix. In short, there's work to be done at this restaurant that appear to me to be simple management fixes. Doing so would turn a hit or miss experience into a great one... if only the owner would consider a few choices (cut some tables, better stagger reservations, better train staff, let the food, not a saucy cover-up, sing) that might trim revenue but increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. Last comment: patrons were, on this night at least, almost all very late middle-age to geriatric (trending to the latter).
Ellis Booker
Wonderful anniversary dinner. Only two occupied tables the Tuesday night we ate there. Show this legit French restaurant some love.
We went for our anniversary and didn't hold back.
It was a Wednesday night, so it wasn't very busy. Otherwise, it's packed on the weekend! The bouillabaisse (seafood dish) with lobster I thought was an amazing deal considering costs of what I've seen at other restaurants and sizes. This was sizable for a pure seafood dish.
Pictured: frog legs, octopus, veal chop, bouillabaisse with lobster
Parking: You have to find parking around the corner a block or two away. Best chance is off of Central if you're going on a weekend since Central is packed.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
We were disappointed when the expensive red wine was served chilled with the excuse that it was just taken out of the refrigerator. I sent it back and the server opened a fresh bottle at room temperature as it should be. There was also an issue with the pate served with the bread but this was taken care of immediately. The food was delicious.
Always fantastic! Brought my daughter and husband here for Sunday evening and had wonderful food as usual: Gnocchi, Branzino and the Chilean Sea Bass.
Angie is such a joy to have help us through the evening . . . We always enjoy her service!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chocolate Mousse Cake, Soup
We had a friend come in from NewYork and we picked Jilly's. Reservation was right on time. The service was excellent. The waiter gave us plenty of time to order and the food was hot and very good. We knew it would be crowded because of the Northwestern football game.the staff never rushed us and had an excellent time.Our guest from out of town was impressed.
Hands down best meal I have eaten out all year. Not sure why it took so long for our first visit, but it will definitely not be the last! Impeccable service and absolutely delicious food! We had Beet Salad, Steak Frites, Bouillabaisse, and a wonderful seafood Feuille appetizer. Creme Brûlée and Chocolate cake for dessert, also fantastic. Cannot wait to come back! Thanks for a great experience!!
We've always wanted to go to Jilly's. I was so excited when we finally booked to celebrate my birthday. The food is really outstanding. We ordered filet mignon and lobster risotto. Every bite was a delight. We were so happy with the experience. Definitely coming back for more date nights.
Hidden gem! We have lived nearby for a few years and finally tried this place. The food was spectacular and the staff so welcoming and professional. Our server even saw us taking family photos out front and dashed out to help before we went in. Excellent French food, a diverse menu and lots of specials to choose from. My husband said it was the best veal chop he's ever had, and the seafood was great as well. Even the kids loved it. Support this local business!
My wife and I went here for our anniversary. It was outstanding. Food was great. Service was great. Our server had a 2 letter name. I don't remember it, but he was awesome. I've recommended Jilly's Cafe to my parents and friends. Specifically, short rib was melt in your mouth. 5/5. Sea Bass was perfectly cooked. Sauce was just strong enough without drowning out the taste of the fish. 5/5. I suspect if this place is crowded it can get loud. It is small So... If you go then go during the week? Not sure why else this place wouldn't have pure 5 star reviews.
We were very pleased with the willingness to accommodate our toddler, the staff and management were friendly. This is a very intimate dining experience, there are probably about 30 seats in the entire restaurant. The food was exceptional, top quality ingredients and perfectly executed. We advised of a food allergy and the server was diligent in ensuring that we had options to substitute anything that might contain the allergen with something that did not. When we requested a mocktail and it was not to our liking they gladly brought us a different one which was excellent. The drinks and deserts complemented the food very well, would feel confident ordering anything on the menu. We will definitely be back. Not an inexpensive date night, but a good value for the price. I believe the prices were fair for the quality of food received and as such it was a good value for the experience and service.
We have been dining at Jilly's for decades and keep returning thanks to the consistency of quality and service. From the ambience of a Parisian bistro to the excellence of food and drink, Jilly's never fails to exceed expectations. We love the total experience here!
Restaurantji Recommends
Nice quaint space with all the right touches, including the music in the background. Service was fine, but as the restaurant filled, attention was reduced. Food was interesting - not the typical style (read sauces) I've encountered in other French experiences. That's not a bad thing, simply different.
My sister and I dined at Jilly's last night. I am visiting from San Francisco and wanted to treat her to something special. It exceeded our expectations on all levels. The food was delicious, the portions are substantial and the waiter charming.
My foie gras was delicious. I had the mushroom risotto which was well made and as described but I did not love it. The seasoning was not as subtle as one expects in French cuisine. (It is an Italian dish so what did I expect?) I still ate it all. Katie our server was gracious and attentive without being intrusive. The place was fairly empty... I home it stays open.
We had been wanting to dine at Jilly's for years; last night was our first time and my impressions are decidedly mixed. The restaurant is cute--and very small. While it is Bastille Day weekend, I'd arge that in general Jilly's needs 3-4 fewer tables, both for customer comfort and for the restaurant's ability to adequately several them. If you don't like eating packed like a sardine, I suggest going on a weeknight. Our server was polite and as attentive as he could he for how busy the place was. Other tabes I know (because I could hear them talking) were not so lucky. In general service is a bit hurried, a lot harried, and generally too herky-jerky for a $30+/plate restaurant. Lobster Risotto and Bouillabaisse w. Lobsterre generously portioned, perfectly hot, and competently prepared. That said the sauce on the lobster in both dishes was excessive (too much) and aggressive (unnecessary). Both dishes are broth based--zero need to add another, heavy sauce and different (clashing) flavor to the mix. In short, there's work to be done at this restaurant that appear to me to be simple management fixes. Doing so would turn a hit or miss experience into a great one... if only the owner would consider a few choices (cut some tables, better stagger reservations, better train staff, let the food, not a saucy cover-up, sing) that might trim revenue but increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. Last comment: patrons were, on this night at least, almost all very late middle-age to geriatric (trending to the latter).
Wonderful anniversary dinner. Only two occupied tables the Tuesday night we ate there. Show this legit French restaurant some love.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
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