At this price point, we were disappointed. We probably won't come back unless the owner were to comp so to give another try. Our server told us that the boullabaisse was their signature dish so I ordered it. It was very average. The spinach salad was the best part of our meal. The biggest disappointment was the duck which our server said was her favorite. It said it came with a wild rice cake, so my wife ordered this. She has a gluten sensitivity, which the server never asked about, and it was served with a potato pancake.
We had an early table (6:30) and the restaurant was about 70% filled. It's a charming space that's obviously established and most likely has its frequent diners that have been coming for years. We were sat in the very back table near the cash wrap - a table that shouldn't be there in my opinion, as it was near a soiled wall and next to a beeping computer system - it sounded like nonstop text messages throughout the dinner (the table next to us even complained about it, and they were another 5' away). Our server didn't greet us with a hello, etc - just simply walked up and asked “are you ready to order or not?” It was a pretty cold start to the night. Tablecloths were stained / dirty, we went without silverware for a good portion of the meal, the music kept starting / stopping... just an unfortunate environment and atmosphere. The pear salad was good. Trout almondine had good flavor but definitely overcooked (it was also massive portion - they could size it down to focus on flavor and keep costs down). The Bouillabaisse broth was great; the skin-on, large chunks of salmon was an odd choice / flavor for the fish option (as it's usually a whitefish). Overall, it was okay. We aren't looking for anything wild – clean environment, kind & attentive service, food that matches the cost... but with places like Pomeroy nearby and Le Bouchon a short drive away - Jilly's can easily make a few small changes that would add up to a big difference.
Bonnie Watt
Charming, delicious neighborhood bistro. High quality food and very reasonable prices. They decorated for Valentine's Day which was cute.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mark Friedlander
Last week, my wife and I met another couple at Jilly's. I'd never been there before. Although the place was full, the service was fast, friendly and helpful. The food and wine were great. I had bouillabaisse, and it was large and perfectly done, with lots of shellfish and saffron. Prices were very reasonable. The decor was warm and welcoming. I will definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
David
Had been a while since we last visited but were looking forward to good french food. Unfortunately the food was spotty and not as good as we expected. Oysters had way toooo much breading, the sea bass was over cooked and average at best. Of the 4 dinners and 4 appetizers half were good and half were at best average. Disappointed
Embryo49
We regularly dine at Jilly's, and this was our Valentine's dinner. It did not disappoint! As usual, service was impeccable, provided by the owner! Friendly, efficient, attentive! My wife started with the spring roll, which she found different but delicious! I had excellent escargot which is one of my go-to choices. I also stayed with one of my faves, the venison: many slices of tender, tasty meat in a cherry sauce. My wife ventured out to the pricey special veal chop, which she loved, with enough to bring some home for the dog! As we finished our wine, we were too full for dessert...until we were surprised by an unbelievable crème brûlée to share! All in all, a fantastic evening from all sides! That's why we come back!
Alex Litovsky
Everything was just okay, nothing really stood out. The waitress recommended the short rib entree. It had barbecue sauce on it - not very french or very good. Other folks got the seabass. Everyone agreed that it was lacking flavor. The spring roll and the escargot were pretty good.The service was pleasant but very slow. Our waitress was very overwhelmed. Also had to ask for different napkins since ours had lipstick on them - clearly not washed.So many good restaurants in the area, I see no reason to come here.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
LB
First time dining at Jilly’s Cafe for dinner and it’s a solid 3.5 out of 5 stars. I tried their French version of Lobster Risotto and sadly, the lobster tail was overcooked to the point it stuck to the shell. This should not happen if lobster was cooked correctly. For a $50 entrée this is a silly mistake but would suggest quality check in the kitchen. The French Onion soup was also a bit small serving, served in cup size for $12. Other members in my party enjoyed their entrées which I’ve shared below. For dessert, the carrot cake was delicious. I do not recommend the lava cake, as it’s not a lava cake but chocolate cake. The “lava” was on the outside and a bit disappointing. Due to some other interesting menu items, I would like to return to give it another shot. The last suggestion for this restaurant is to offer better parking options. You have to park several blocks away and it’s paid parking only.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Carrot Cake, Escargot
chicagomike
A quiet French bistro with simple but tasty fare up and down the menu. Superb steak frites, very nice bouillabaisse, shrimp and Brie with toasts appetizers unique fresh and appealing. Non intrusive wait staff. Affordable but very limited wine list. This was our first time and it is already one of our favorite neighborhood gems.
Good was amazing, however service was quite slow. I understand the servers were doing everything between the two of them, but I just felt like the server was annoyed by our presence. And we just kind of felt forgotten. Honestly would not go back due to the service and drinks were way over priced. Food is 10/10, that kitchen does not deserve that front-of-house.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Escargot, Boullabaisse with Lobster, Rack of Lamb
martín glusberg
Good but not
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Drew Haverstock
Expensive and, without question, 100% worth it. We weren't rushed, the appetizers, drinks and meals were all superb. I look forward to coming again. Just...wow. Well done!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Escargot, Rack of Lamb
JenniferH
We concluded 2023 with a spectacular dining experience at Jilly's Cafe, deserving a 5-star rating. Their three-course meal was exceptional, starting with the fluffy Crab Cake with Remoulade sauce; rich garlic butter Escargot; and Lobster Vol Au Vont with buttery lobster on flaky pastry, for appetizers. A Pinot Noir Sorbet served as a delightful palate cleanser. For entrees, the veal chop was tender and flavorful, resting on a horseradish potato puree and Hericots Verts with mushroom cream sauce. The Filet Mignon was remarkably tender, paired with whipped potatoes, creamy mushroom sauce, and perfect asparagus. The standout was the Lobster Risotto, rich in flavor with creamy pesto sauce, scallops, and shrimp on heavenly risotto. Our wine, a 2019 Chateau Puynormond Lawargue, beautifully complemented the meal with its complex notes and balanced tannins. For dessert, the crème brûlée with its light custard; the fresh-tasting key lime pie; and the indulgent chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream provided a grand finale to the meal. Jilly's Cafe excels in both cuisine and service, ensuring a top-tier fine dining experience. It's a place that's sure to impress and linger in your memories.
Salshar
What a disappointment for New Year's Eve. Drafty seating, rushed service. No butter for over cooked lobster tail. Scallops needed better sear. Fatty, tasteless veal chop, none of the guilty pleasure escargot. Outrageous price. We used to love this place. We won't be back.
At this price point, we were disappointed. We probably won't come back unless the owner were to comp so to give another try. Our server told us that the boullabaisse was their signature dish so I ordered it. It was very average. The spinach salad was the best part of our meal. The biggest disappointment was the duck which our server said was her favorite. It said it came with a wild rice cake, so my wife ordered this. She has a gluten sensitivity, which the server never asked about, and it was served with a potato pancake.
We had an early table (6:30) and the restaurant was about 70% filled. It's a charming space that's obviously established and most likely has its frequent diners that have been coming for years. We were sat in the very back table near the cash wrap - a table that shouldn't be there in my opinion, as it was near a soiled wall and next to a beeping computer system - it sounded like nonstop text messages throughout the dinner (the table next to us even complained about it, and they were another 5' away). Our server didn't greet us with a hello, etc - just simply walked up and asked “are you ready to order or not?” It was a pretty cold start to the night. Tablecloths were stained / dirty, we went without silverware for a good portion of the meal, the music kept starting / stopping... just an unfortunate environment and atmosphere. The pear salad was good. Trout almondine had good flavor but definitely overcooked (it was also massive portion - they could size it down to focus on flavor and keep costs down). The Bouillabaisse broth was great; the skin-on, large chunks of salmon was an odd choice / flavor for the fish option (as it's usually a whitefish). Overall, it was okay. We aren't looking for anything wild – clean environment, kind & attentive service, food that matches the cost... but with places like Pomeroy nearby and Le Bouchon a short drive away - Jilly's can easily make a few small changes that would add up to a big difference.
Charming, delicious neighborhood bistro. High quality food and very reasonable prices. They decorated for Valentine's Day which was cute.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Last week, my wife and I met another couple at Jilly's. I'd never been there before. Although the place was full, the service was fast, friendly and helpful. The food and wine were great. I had bouillabaisse, and it was large and perfectly done, with lots of shellfish and saffron. Prices were very reasonable. The decor was warm and welcoming. I will definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Had been a while since we last visited but were looking forward to good french food. Unfortunately the food was spotty and not as good as we expected. Oysters had way toooo much breading, the sea bass was over cooked and average at best. Of the 4 dinners and 4 appetizers half were good and half were at best average. Disappointed
We regularly dine at Jilly's, and this was our Valentine's dinner. It did not disappoint! As usual, service was impeccable, provided by the owner! Friendly, efficient, attentive! My wife started with the spring roll, which she found different but delicious! I had excellent escargot which is one of my go-to choices. I also stayed with one of my faves, the venison: many slices of tender, tasty meat in a cherry sauce. My wife ventured out to the pricey special veal chop, which she loved, with enough to bring some home for the dog! As we finished our wine, we were too full for dessert...until we were surprised by an unbelievable crème brûlée to share! All in all, a fantastic evening from all sides! That's why we come back!
Everything was just okay, nothing really stood out. The waitress recommended the short rib entree. It had barbecue sauce on it - not very french or very good. Other folks got the seabass. Everyone agreed that it was lacking flavor. The spring roll and the escargot were pretty good.The service was pleasant but very slow. Our waitress was very overwhelmed. Also had to ask for different napkins since ours had lipstick on them - clearly not washed.So many good restaurants in the area, I see no reason to come here.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
First time dining at Jilly’s Cafe for dinner and it’s a solid 3.5 out of 5 stars. I tried their French version of Lobster Risotto and sadly, the lobster tail was overcooked to the point it stuck to the shell. This should not happen if lobster was cooked correctly. For a $50 entrée this is a silly mistake but would suggest quality check in the kitchen. The French Onion soup was also a bit small serving, served in cup size for $12. Other members in my party enjoyed their entrées which I’ve shared below. For dessert, the carrot cake was delicious. I do not recommend the lava cake, as it’s not a lava cake but chocolate cake. The “lava” was on the outside and a bit disappointing. Due to some other interesting menu items, I would like to return to give it another shot. The last suggestion for this restaurant is to offer better parking options. You have to park several blocks away and it’s paid parking only.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Carrot Cake, Escargot
A quiet French bistro with simple but tasty fare up and down the menu. Superb steak frites, very nice bouillabaisse, shrimp and Brie with toasts appetizers unique fresh and appealing. Non intrusive wait staff. Affordable but very limited wine list. This was our first time and it is already one of our favorite neighborhood gems.
Excelllent dinning
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Good was amazing, however service was quite slow. I understand the servers were doing everything between the two of them, but I just felt like the server was annoyed by our presence. And we just kind of felt forgotten. Honestly would not go back due to the service and drinks were way over priced. Food is 10/10, that kitchen does not deserve that front-of-house.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Escargot, Boullabaisse with Lobster, Rack of Lamb
Good but not
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Expensive and, without question, 100% worth it. We weren't rushed, the appetizers, drinks and meals were all superb. I look forward to coming again. Just...wow. Well done!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Escargot, Rack of Lamb
We concluded 2023 with a spectacular dining experience at Jilly's Cafe, deserving a 5-star rating. Their three-course meal was exceptional, starting with the fluffy Crab Cake with Remoulade sauce; rich garlic butter Escargot; and Lobster Vol Au Vont with buttery lobster on flaky pastry, for appetizers. A Pinot Noir Sorbet served as a delightful palate cleanser. For entrees, the veal chop was tender and flavorful, resting on a horseradish potato puree and Hericots Verts with mushroom cream sauce. The Filet Mignon was remarkably tender, paired with whipped potatoes, creamy mushroom sauce, and perfect asparagus. The standout was the Lobster Risotto, rich in flavor with creamy pesto sauce, scallops, and shrimp on heavenly risotto. Our wine, a 2019 Chateau Puynormond Lawargue, beautifully complemented the meal with its complex notes and balanced tannins. For dessert, the crème brûlée with its light custard; the fresh-tasting key lime pie; and the indulgent chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream provided a grand finale to the meal. Jilly's Cafe excels in both cuisine and service, ensuring a top-tier fine dining experience. It's a place that's sure to impress and linger in your memories.
What a disappointment for New Year's Eve. Drafty seating, rushed service. No butter for over cooked lobster tail. Scallops needed better sear. Fatty, tasteless veal chop, none of the guilty pleasure escargot. Outrageous price. We used to love this place. We won't be back.