Great place! Very friendly, clean, and the food was amazing. Beautiful plate presentation and the orange cake was off the chart! They have cooking classes too! read more

Blue Bamboo - Orange cake - Comfort Food Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

I read the reviews, and decided to try Blue Bamboo for myself. Don't get me wrong, the food isn't bad. But it's just not worth the inflated price or the hype that surrounds it. We de used to try four of the appetizers to get a sampling of their flavors. What we found was that every appetizer had sugar in one form or another. I'm just into sweet Asian food. So, I ended up paying inflated prices for food I didn't like. Not a bad place, it's just not for me. read more

I accidentally wrote this review for the blue orchid Thai restaurant but it was supposed to be for the blue bamboo... here it is for the blue bamboo; Lovely Restaurant with a nice atmosphere , Superb Servers very professional, Excellent Food everything is prepared fresh and clean eating. I had a very nice dinner. I enjoyed the Seared Ahi Tuna Salad, then had the Shrimp fried rice and for dessert ,Thai Creme Brûlée.. it was moderately priced , for a special dinner out.. I will return. I will post pictures next time!! read more

We went to blue Bamboo on a busy night, but our waitress was not the best. She barely checked on us during our meal, and when it came time to get a box and the check she was moving even slower. The manager, or owner, not sure who he was just stood around and didn't help out when he set up one waitress to serve a huge party. While I can almost excuse the fact that the service was subpar because of the party, that doesn't explain the food. I'm not sure if it's just what my boyfriend and I ordered but our entrees were so bland and boring that I didn't even want to keep my leftovers when we got home. The entrees were so disappointing, since they were being described as having robust flavor and spice and they were so bland the only flavor that my dish had was from the egg noodles. What made it so much more disappointing was the fact that the appetizers had so much flavor and were delicious! So I was set up to believe that it would all be good.. unfortunately the main course was just so bland, boring and overpriced. read more

Yuck! My family went to dinner here last night and with all the high reviews we thought we would be wowed. Not so much. Food is bland small portion sizes for the money and no spices what so ever considering this is supposed to be high end Cantonese food. We could have had more flavor from a Campbells soup can. read more

Overall, great food and service. My rating is more of a critique. I wish they had more options for dessert! The cake was delicious but I would of love to try another item. read more

What a wonderful dining experience! My husband and I had a great date night at Blue Bamboo! From the appetizer (fried zucchini-best I've ever eaten!) to the ahi tuna (beyond delicious!) to the dessert (peanut butter pie with oreo crust-scrumptious!)-everything tasted sooooo good! The atmosphere is beautiful, and the service was incredible- friendly and efficient. We can't wait to go back! read more

It's not often I will leave a review for a place after just one one visit, I've been wanting to come to blue bamboo for years now but somehow just never made the time for it. Today decided to have a low key dinner with the kids. Well the good news is the kids loved the food but I will say this place is better without them as the prices are a bit high for dinner but the food was fantastic. We had a some appetizers to start with the crab Rangoon that was delicious and you get 6 per order about $13 not to bad great as a started. For my toddler I got the pot stickers now they are not on the dinner menu but the waitress kindly offered, he was a picker eater tonight and didn't eat them but I tried and they are delicious one of the best I've tried hands down. Under $6 for 4-6 pieces. My 10 year old got the sweet and sour chicken and I got the generals chicken both amazing but I will say the generals was my favorite I don't know what they did to make it so sweet and sticky and crunchy it was soo good. I also ended up ordering side of fries for my toddler to munch on although he loved my rice there was not much on the plate and I could tell it wasn't enough for him. Overall 10/10 this place is going to get a second visit from me and I'm sad I didn't come here sooner like I've wanted too. Will try it out for lunch we the waitress mentioned the salmon salad is delicious. I think her name was holly she was wonderful! read more

See all

I was ready to be blown away by our experience at Blue Bamboo especially since we went to celebrate a special day. But unfortunately, I was disappointed. We came to this restaurant thinking that we were going to have an amazing experience and feast on unique flavors of "hip asian cuisine." However, it was just okay. I have had better Asian food elsewhere. The ambience is nice and clean. The service was pretty good. The food was good but nothing spectacular in my opinion. We ordered the crab rangoon and the panko oysters for appetizers. There was nothing special about the crab rangoon. It tasted like other crab rangoon that I've had before at other restaurants but just with better presentation. The panko oysters were also okay. I've had better oysters elsewhere. Our dinner entrees were the walnut shrimp and honey-seared ahi tuna. I was highly disappointed with the walnut shrimp dish. It was too dry and the breading was soggy. I expected a crunch to the dish but was left empty handed. Dry shrimp on jasmine rice was not a good combination. I think the only saving grace for us was the honey-seared ahi tuna. This was the best of all dishes. It had such great flavor, the ahi tuna was fresh and the sauce really complimented everything so well. I wish all the dishes were similar to this one. Overall, it was disappointing, overpriced and overhyped. read more

See all

Upscale Asian fusion is what I would describe the food. The last time I was here was after my honeymoon and in need of Asian food. The menu was much more extensive in 2007 but there was still lots of yumminess from which to choose. We started with the calamari and Dragon whiskers (zucchini fries). Both were crispy but could have used more seasoning. I really wanted the short rib tacos but they were out of the short ribs. Since I wanted something lighter, I settled on ahi tuna tacos. This was just enough, especially with the honey soy sauce. I ended with a chocolate squirrel martini, a perfect end to the night. Our sever, Heather, was very accommodating and attentive, hence the biggest reason for the 4 stars. Great service and tasty food. read more

See all

I love this place too! The chef travels to different places and cooks that cuisine. Like Asian fusion. They've had Brazil nights and so many different items. Very nice atmosphere inside. White table cloths. Must try this place. Food is always amazing! read more

In an attempt to find a spot similar to one of my favorites back home, my boyfriend brought me here for valentines day dinner. I had the Honey Glazed Ahi Tuna. It was amazing. Cooked perfectly! There are so many things I want to try on the menu. We will definitely be coming back! read more

Blue Bamboo - Honey Seared Ahi Tuna - Comfort Food Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

See all

I'd wanted to try Blue Bamboo for months, despite mixed reviews. Many of the folks I'd talked to praised the food, wine list and ambiance, but felt that the prices could be a bit lower. Long story short: I agree. Interior is very nice. Apparently, I'm getting old as @#^$! because we were the first ones there for dinner. It's not like I'm trying to do the early bird special. I just skipped lunch and was hungry by 6pm, when we passed by the place. So sue me. Anyway, empty restaurant = best table: corner booth by the window. Music is perfect for us -- that is, plenty of tunes in the realm of Thievery Corporation. Cloth napkins and tablecloths: check. Friendly, not-strange server: yes! She was great, except we think she missed letting us know about the specials, which we overheard from another server. I enjoyed the white wine flight (pinot grigio, chardonnay, riesling) but it's worth noting that they are half-glass servings, which equates to about a buck a sip. Loved the wines, but the concept made me long for BYOBs. We liked the flax crackers and edamame dip. Same goes for the fried dragon whiskers (breaded/fried julienned zucchini and yellow squash strings), although we prefer Maggiano's version of fried zucchini slices -- the dipping sauce is better (horseradish aioli vs. ranch) and you get more for less. Entrees: My green curry salmon and shrimp was good but didn't wow me except for the portion size. The salmon was big, although I would've traded in size for more flavor, a couple of the shrimp were cool, and the mound of stir-fried vegetables and jasmine rice wasn't bland but also could have had more prominent flavors. On the other hand, upon request they made LDC's pad thai 100% vegetarian (tofu, no fish sauce) and provided a peanut-chili-lime sauce that was the tastiest thing on the table. In fact, it gave my shrimp and salmon the kick that the green curry had lacked. I'd look for that sauce specifically on a return trip. The thai tea creme brulee was a fine finish. By then, several other folks had filled out the tables along the walls and it seemed like more of a lively place. The owner was also dropping by tables to chat with the patrons, which is a nice touch. Very different vibe than my pal the "Sushi Nazi" over at Osaka. The other difference was in the numbers. You know that feeling you get when you liked a meal, and everything was fine or better, but when you get the bill you're reminded of a few other places where you'd get an outstanding meal for even less? It's not like you feel cheated, but it reinforces your affinity for those other places, and by the time you get in the car you're thinking, I'd probably come back here and try other menu items, but I'm not in a big hurry. That's what it was like for us. (An example of the exact opposite feeling would be 13Gypsies.) As a result, I'll give Blue Bamboo three stars and a recommended, but with a few qualifications. read more

Excellent service and food. Very large portions. My favorite was the fried pork potstickers; the sauce was different and AMAZING! A little pricey but worth it fir good, fresh food and great service. Inside is very trendy, clean and all new. read more

Visiting from Los Angeles to Jax, the last thing I would expect is a 5 star dining experience. We usually eat at my Mother-in-laws place after shopping at Publix. Or we go to Ragtime for a lunch. MIL suggested Blue Bamboo where she took her cooking lessons and had a delicious Thai-garita. Okay! We'll go! We were immediately greeted by the Owner, Chef Dennis Chan. What a wonderful touch. I greatly appreciated that and he seated us personally! Perused the menu and saw this motto: "Hip Asian Comfort Food" and that made me smile! Appetizers & Beverage Mango Iced Tea with Iced Tea ice cubes - 5 stars (MMM! Mm!) Dragon's Whiskers - 5 stars (OMG! Comfort food to the max!) Chicken Mee Krob - 5 stars (I'm Thai and I approve this dish!) Entrees Chicken Katsu Sandwich - 5 stars Thai Shrimp Wrap - (can't rate, husband had that dish) Dessert Thai Ice Tea Creme Brulee - 5 stars with 2 snaps up! I had 6 glasses of that iced tea, it was so refreshing in the humid Florida weather! I still think about my meal and wished there was a Blue Bamboo in my neighborhood. I would go all the time! Service - 5 stars Ambiance - 5 stars The promise of Hip Asian Comfort Food - SUCCESS!!!! OH, and Chef Dennis has a cook book that is just gorgeous! It is sitting on my coffee table and I look forward to giving a few of his recipes a go! Loved it...can't wait to go back! read more

Love the Dim Sum Sundays. Great to have a local spot in Jacksonville. Kudos to the cooking classes! Denis does not disappoint. The food and recipes from the cooking classes reminds me of my childhood that my parents and grandparents would cook. read more

See all

Had dinner there Saturday evening. First time in the new location. Fabulous decor. Food and service was exceptional. Ribs and duck cooked to perfection. The dragon whiskers a must have. Live at the beach so a drive, but well worth it. Will definitely go back. read more

AMAZING!!! The food tastes fresh and the menu selection is original. I would recommend trying the grit cakes. Very vegetarian friendly and great service. read more

Blue Bamboo - Comfort Food Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

See all

It was cool meeting Chef Dennis. This place has quite the history and involvement in the Jax cuisine scene. March is vegetable/fresh produce month so I tried the chilled peanut noodles off the limited time menu. Tasty with the balanced flavors and served in a martini glass. Other options include General's cauliflower and brussels sprouts. I have such an appreciation for brussels sprout now that I am a grown-up (at least I think I am). Oh, did you know it's brussels with an "s" at the end? Also delicious, the lettuce wraps and short rib tacos! I am not a huge fan of water chestnuts and they tend to overpower other wrap fillings I have had elsewhere, but these were really delicious. Great appetizer to share. But those tacos, reminds me of SoCal and the best tacos being made by Koreans on a truck. Superb! You can skip the tortilla since it doesn't really hold up. Main entree was the Vietnamese Tra. This was a swai filet that was breaded and fried with a sweet and tangy dipping sauce with a white rice side. Since this is the south, who doesn't like fried food, right? While it was essentially fish katsu, it was cooked well and a solidly good item to order as I was trying to stay away from the "common" items like sweet and sour proteins and curry proteins. Dessert was my favorite part: the signature orange cake and thai tea creme brulee. These are some of the tasiest desserts I have had in this town. read more

I have been going to Blue Bamboo, at least every Friday, for 5 years now, sometimes more and it keeps getting better and better. Dennis does an excellent job of continually upgrading his skills and repertoire of culinary delicacies. The only problem I used to have, was when I was too self conscious to ask what something was on the menu if I didn't understand the terminology. When you go to the same place over and over the occasional mistake will occur. I have found Dennis and his staff to always be more than willing to listen and to make it right. He is always participating in things like Caring Chef's and other neighborhood projects. I know I look forward to my visits at Blue Bamboo, it is one of the only Restaurants in Jacksonville that when I walk in I know I will walk out satisfied. I recommend Blue Bamboo to all my acquaintances and it is the dining spot for all my entertaining of family and friends. I hope you all have enjoyable dining adventures and if you get a chance go see Dennis at Blue Bamboo and tell him Marshall said to have him show you what Hip Asian comfort food is all about. ME read more

See all

Looking at the reviews, I thought it was a decent place but somehow it turned out to be a pretty bad experience. Food is over priced for the quantity and quality they have. We had spring rolls which were good. For entrees, we had wok lo mein with chicken and orange curry chicken. Lo mein was good but the orange curry was so bad and so so less on quantity. Our bill ended up to be $40 just for 2 entrees. Thanks to the free appetizer coupon on Yelp otherwise we would have ended up paying $50 for something so little and unsatisfying. The place looks pretty nice and our waitress was decent. But I am never going back here ever again!!! read more

See all

After finding chef Dennis Chan's cookbook, Hip Asian Comfort Food, in Barnes and Noble this past November, I instantly wanted to try Blue Bamboo. The recipes in the book looked inspired and tasty! The actual dining experience? Eh. The first sign was the service. It took about ten minutes after being seated to have someone take our drink orders. After reading Patty's review, I wanted to try the flavored tea with ice tea cubes, but it wasn't on the menu. When I asked the tardy server, she said, "Yeah, we've got, like, tea with cubes in it? Like, and you can flavor it? Sweet or unsweet?" So we ordered the tea and she took off, not asking us if we wanted an appetizer or to order our entrees. Then, a free appetizer shows up with another server - compliments of the chef! The app was great - lettuce wraps with chicken in a great scallion sauce. Crunchy and savory. We were very impressed and happy, thinking the service would improve. Yeah, not so much. It took awhile for the tea to arrive, I never got the water I asked for. After the free appetizer, no one returned to take our entree order. I had to flag down a server. He saw me, nodded, and held up a finger in the "wait just one minute" motion. Then he went and took the orders for another table before helping us. Are you kidding me? In order to make up for not taking our entree orders we got ANOTHER free appetizer! This time it was homemade flax seed crackers with an interesting green edamame spread, but the taste was too funky for me. It tasted like green tea paste. Our entrees arrived. Mine (Panko-Sweet and Sour Chicken) was excellent. I loved the Panko breading and my veggies were crisp and well-seasoned. My girlfriend had the mango-chile salmon, which was dry and under sauced. At the end of the meal, the server brought out a little camera-device (sorry, I'm pretty non-techno) that displayed a slide show of the desserts available! It was a cute idea and made dessert very tempting, but we didn't try any. Overall, I thought the food on the menu wasn't that exciting. The drink menu looked great, I think if they had a bigger bar area it would be a tasty option for happy hour and appetizers. The lettuce wraps and my entree were great, although I thought a little pricey. The service needed MUCH improvement, but we seemed to be the only table getting a raw deal. Maybe it was just a fluke. I doubt I'll go back, and would probably recommend Jackie Lee's China Bistro on Baymeadows to others instead. read more

Dennis is the man and my wife and I dine here as often as we can. The food is fantastic and imaginative with the freshest ingredients plus the service has always been stellar! We bought Dennis' cookbook last year and we have been trying our hand at many of the recipes and have had a great time testing our culinary skills. Can't wait to go back and try something different from Dennis' repertoire! read more

The food was delicious and Heather was very friendly and knowledgeable. We had the crab Rangoon, the dumpling sampler, the spare ribs and the general's chicken. I really enjoyed the general's chicken and their take on it. Heather also brought me a little of the sauce from the red curry chicken (we didn't order it because the kids won't eat spicy) it was really delicious and well balanced. We also tried their award winning cake which was so moist and not too sweet. I took a star away because we went here again and although the food is still good I think it's a bit proportionally off for the price. The second time we ordered the generals chicken, sesame chicken for the kids again and the chicken curry stir fry. At near $20 a plate the portions felt off. The generals chicken has a good amount of chicken but a skimpy side of rice with a lot of sauce, so the rice gets over soaked. The sesame chicken which is off menu gets rung up as a generals chicken but seems to have less chicken? The sauce on the chicken curry is delicious and the veggies are cooked really well but there is hardly any chicken in the dish. Again the portion of rice was measly and the we upgraded to fried rice for an extra $3 which was basically just rice with onions and soy sauce. I felt like last time the portion of food and accompanying side was more balanced especially with the amount of sauce (which are delicious) I would love to eat here more but I just don't think the price fully reflects what is served. I think they are a bit overpriced. read more

Had lunch here, the restaurant looks luxurious with decor and price only, the fish is not fresh, with a rotten odor, portion is very small even from the dinner menu. read more

A great place for dinner! The lamb chops were amazing, so amazing that my 16 month old daughter took one away from me and basically ate all of it. I highly recommend it for an amazing place for dinner. read more

Blue Bamboo - Lamb chops were absolutely amazing! An awesome dinner. - Comfort Food Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Tonight's kind of Pop Up Dinner was pretty darn cool. The whole theme was the TV Dinner. With old TV show theme songs playing. Guessing them was half the fun. Then the memories that they brought back was well worth the price of admission. The food was well a TV dinner. Chef brought out the best that could be with fried chicken n gravy then the Salisbury Steak. Both were accompanied by mash taters and steamed veg. The dessert was his play on the dried out brownie. His came out as a tasty little chocolate cake with a creamy pudding glaze. All in all a very fun and delightful evening. Kudos to Chef Chan and his crew. read more

Sorry to say this, but Blue Bamboo was a letdown. My wife and I came in midweek for dinner and the place was awkwardly dead. Because there wasn't much happening it was easy to look at the walls and notice how dated the interior felt. The server was tremendous and the food was good, but we didn't feel the overall experiece was worth the cost. read more

Blue Bamboo - Comfort Food Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

One of the most interesting menus we've seen in Jax, which made it all the more disappointing when the food arrived and was underwhelming. Most everything lacked seasoning, and didn't live up to the excitement the menu created - applies to entrees more than appetizers, which were pretty good. Also poured very weak drinks at the bar. Good service. read more

The food is very bland. Must be for the southside audience. Had the potato fritters. Bland. Lettuce wraps tasted like pf changs. Duck was dry. Singapore street noodles were a complete joke. I'll never go back Pretty awful meal. Way overpriced. read more

Found Blue Bamboo near our hotel and wandered in. WILL BE RETURNING We've found a new favorite. Plenty of choices on menu. Saki flights (try it, you will like it) Bartender Holly kept us company while eating at the bar and filling us in on the owner's families history in the Jacksonville area beginning in 1930. Great atmosphere and very reasonable pricing for the quality. read more

My absolute favorite restaurant that is my pick for all our special occassions like birthdays and anniversaries! It's not your traditional asian cuisine as Chef Denis puts his own spin on some classic dishes as well as some new inspired creations of his own. My wife and I try to sample new things each time and we haven't found anything that we haven't loved! read more

So so disappointed. I have been planning to try this place due to the reviews on Yelp. We came for HH but they only serve at the bar or lounge. This location looks new and modern. There's also a chocolate shop in this place. Anyhow we were seated at a corner table and asked if we could sit at another table for more room. There were no other people there and we felt attitude from our server. She did seem to warm up alittle after we ordered. Okay what really disappointed me was the food. It was terrible like frozen microwaved food. I just couldn't believe it with the reviews how horrible our experience was. The chicken lettuce wraps lacked chicken. It was mostly onions and carrots. All the portions of the appetizers were way too small for the price. We also had coconut shrimp and egg rolls. It was definitely not Asian and not fresh. It was Gordan's frozen foods. The egg rolls was mostly cabbage. Even the red wine tasted terrible. Overall it was just a disappointment. The only thing I can say is it is an attractive restaurant. But all you foodies out there know, it's never about the way a place looks. We would not recommend or return. Nothing tasted like Chinese food and it's way overpriced! read more

Very tasty food and drinks at this Chinese joint. Expensive compared to take out but the food is quality. Server and management were also super friendly and attentive. I like this place and wish I could go 5/5 but gonna have to go 2/5 for irresponsibility when it comes to food allergies. If you think food allergy complaints are for millennial snowflakes go ahead and stop here, head to Blue Bamboo and chow down on some damn tasty food. Still reading? Well, my old lady can't eat the gluten and it ain't because she is on some fad diet. Her body can't handle it and the results after contamination aren't just a belly ache. Blue Bamboo has a gluten free menu that lists menu items that are cooked in the same oil as gluten containing dishes. People familiar with food allergies...and hopefully any restaurant that has a gluten free menu, knows that as soon as you cook a gluten containing product in oil, any additional items cooked in that oil will contain gluten. End of the story is, my lady got SAF and I didn't get lucky after our date. Any restaurants in Jacksonville who don't get food allergies and want to accommodate people with them should call up whoever owns Bearded Pig...that place gets it...all employees are trained to understand food allergies. read more

If you're having a hard time deciding just come here. Walk in to a bright open atmosphere, and get prepared for a gastronomic journey. You just can't miss this place. It is phenomenal. You'll drive by and see a dim entrance but don't let that stop you from experiencing the fireworks inside. My wife and I had the bbq duck wanton crips, red curry chicken stir fry, honey seared ahi tuna, and for desert, the absolutely perfect orange cake. read more

Great food! Perfect portions! Slightly pricey but still good! read more

This was my first time at the Blue Bamboo. Looks like they just renovated it. Sarah was our waitress. She was absolutely amazing. We asked her for recommendations, everything she suggested was phenomenal! I definitely recommend saving enough room for the creme brûlée! Ask for Sarah! read more

Where do I begin??? This restaurant was highly recommended by close friends however I'm highly disappointed. Our Server forgot to enter our appetizer order and our entrees came before our appetizers. We ordered the crab ragoon and calamari. The ragoon was dry and calamari was greasy. To avoid getting the SAME entrees that came out before the appetizers, I told the waiter to make sure my salmon was medium. Well it was well done and both entrees were luke warm. I'm from Atlanta...I get the 'fusion' thing but for this restaurant; it needs to rethink what the fusion concept really is. Having chicken & waffles and shrimp & grits on a menu with Asian food does not mean Asian fusion. One good thing...they comp'd our appetizers. However...I won't be back! read more

The restaurant had good ambiance and the wait staff was super nice. Food was overpriced and bland. I got the curry noodles which was bland. Veggie egg rolls were small and pretty empty inside. The shrimp appetizer was good. My son got the pepper steak and my husband got the fried rice. Both of them stated how the food was bland as well. We will not be visiting this place again. read more

Went there for lunch with a friend that raved about Blue Bamboo. Started out with the Panko-Cheese Tomatoes. Seasoned well with the crunch that I like when a dish is Panko fried. It came with ranch dressing, so it was ranch dressing. I had the Panko Sweet and Sour Chicken for my entree. Once again the chicken had the crunch, but not seasoned for my taste. The sweet and sour sauce just didn't have the flavor burst that I was expecting, it was just "ok". The peppers, onions, and pineapple were raw. I would have liked them to be stir fried "just a bit" to enhance the flavor. I didn't event eat them after the first bite. So for me the chicken and rice was lunch. Over all the decor and atmosphere was good. My entree was nothing to write home about. So for me................... 3 read more