Despite modest cuisine I was hoping to celebrate a family members birthday at this restaurant. Walking in and being told our party of 7 is to big and they won't seat us is a shame. Sorry J's your 2 stars are for previous/ modest food. We won't be back until someone learns front of the house management and service. Also given time and temp food issues they appear to be having I suppose I'm glad we couldn't get 7 people. read more

I give this review because the food was really quality for a chain and because Megan the bartender made up for otherwise subpar staff. She was friendly, attentive and unflustered Honestly there is a great value proposition here, but if a chain restaurant has employees visibly complaining on the floor it proves all the snobs right. Keep making consistent stuff, getting unique local drinks and control your staff and I won't be the only one giving 5 stars. read more

Excellent service, great food and atmosphere. Nice place to go visit w a friend and not hear everyones convo's. Good time glad we stopped!

One of the best burgers around. My waitress got me in and out with time to spare on my lunch break.

Best carrot cake in metro Detroit I've ever had and basically the reason I keep coming back to J's. Tried the salmon dip on this visit too and that was fresh and delicious. The steak burger was good but wouldn't have me coming back just for it. Good thing the appetizer and dessert would. Turn around time during the workday lunch period was also quick and fast which is nice for those who don't have a long multihour lunch break. read more

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J. Alexander's is the TGI McChilliBee's of the three dollar sign dining experience. Are you a staunchly middle-middle to upper-middle-class person looking for a power lunch or after hours dinner meeting, but aren't looking for anything resembling a distinctive aesthetic character or feeling of being locally rooted? Go here. Everything about the inside screams carefully staged industrial/modern chic, from the brick fireplace to the ceiling beams that reach down and flow into the partitions. All the walls are decorated in tiles that look like they were plucked from the kitchen backsplash of a trendy, gentrified Manhattan apartment circa 2005. They have an expansive wine selection - including dessert wines and bottle service - but most of them are classed up by a ridiculous mark-up (which is common, but this is egregious. A bottle of their port is $40; I loved the glass of it and immediately found it at two different Ann Arbor wine stores for $18). It's the kind of place made for execs who work around the Haggerty/6 Mile area to overspend and posture. The food is fine. It's not great but it's not bad either. It's the most generically good food I've had in a long time. The fundamentals are all there - locally sourced greens and produce. Good baked potato. The veggie burger was made in-house and tasted like a moist, fresher version of a frozen Morning Star black bean burger. What I mean is, this is the kind of place so devoid of imagination that they would taste a frozen store bought veggie patty and decide to just recreate that at a considerably higher quality. So, if you want the tastiest version of something common and kinda uninspired, here you go. I'm being snotty because this is the type of place made for, and located near, business crowd folks who want a vacuous curation of "middle brow cuisine" without anything resembling local flavor or authenticity. It's a place made for a guy in a suit to order $40 baby back ribs while talking to another guy in a similarly ostentatious suit who orders something comparable. It tastes fine. It's good. It's boring-good. I don't like wearing suits. read more

Visited for a work trip and was suggested this restaurant. Service was nice, prompt, and friendly. We ordered the Mexican Queso Spinach Dip, the Chicken Tenders, the Calamari, and the New York Strip. The queso dip was delicious. Perfect amount of cheese to spinach ratio. Tastes 10 times better when you add the salsa to mix. Honestly would've liked more salsa to go with the cheese The chicken tenders were amazing. Perfectly cooked with match stick fries. The tenders were really tender and juicy. The sauces also were great. One was a spicy aioli and the other was a tangy bbq The calamari were fresh and covered in herb and garlic. It came with a tomato sauce but I asked for a tartar sauce and was given something way better. Remoulade sauce. The New York strip came with a side of Mac and Cheese. The steak came out perfectly medium rare. Could've used more salt and pepper. We did not like the Mac and cheese. It had a sour taste to it. Maybe they used sour cream to make it creamier but we took one bite and didn't touch it after that. Only reason this place is getting 4 stars is because the Mac and cheese For dessert we got the famous carrot cake. It was massive. Way too much for two people. It tasted delicious. It was gooey and soft. Texture was more of a bread pudding than a carrot cake. Overall great experience. read more

A great dining experience. J. Alexander's in Northville has a wonderful staff that serves excellent food and drinks. The chicken pasta soup, ribs, and roasted chicken are great options. The service was quick and the restaurant had a relaxing ambiance. read more

atmosphere: romantic, dimly lit w a nice bar area service: fine FOOD: Great! We had the filet and alex salad. Best salad Ive had since many delights in there + finely chopped. Filet: I have traveled many places and Id say this is a close race to top steak (Gibsons Chicago other competitor) ever. Its thick, seasoned lightly, and the biggest pc...cooked to perfection. It was kind of crispy outside and juicy inside. YUM!! The smashed potatoes are prob fattening, but prob the one thing I will allow on that front b/c theyre so good. VALUE: Ok, theyre not cheap. $45 for filet, $10 drink, $8 salad=$63. But, there is a reason theyre usually packed for an exp. dining place!! So, all in all, worth the price. read more

J. Alexander's - filet w smashed potatoes - New American Near Me - Livonia, Michigan

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What can I say. J never disappoints. Visiting in town and had to visit. Mac & cheese was delicious. Key lime pie was to die for!!!!!! I don't even like key lime but this was on pointe !!!! Everything is delicious the service never disappoints!!! read more

This place is slipping. They are polite but not very willing to work with you. They are very reluctant to make a martini that is not on their menu. The filet at its price point should be as you order it. Glasses, plates, utensils all left on the table. Manager just kept walking circles around the restaurant and I didn't actually see him talk to a single customer. I hate to add this in but I'm a server myself...this was a major disappointment, especially after spending what we spent. Will not be coming back and will be spreading the word. read more

The food is always good but today was the best yet. Reservation only currently. Very easy system online or you can call. Still had to wait for our table for about 15 minutes. Didn't really understand that but was ok. Our waitress Shanda was amazing. I would say one of the best servers we have ever had. Friendly. Prompt. Always around and checking in. Apps were good. Alex Salad was really big. Steaks were cooked to perfection and very flavorful. Only let down was they ran out of mashed potatoes so I ordered loaded baked which arrived cold (cheese n butter were not melting even) which was promptly replaced. But really should not happen at a restaurant of this level. Mac n cheese was perfect. Love the fact they use fresh squeeze juice in the drinks when possible. Will definitely be back. read more

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Great service, good wine and the tuna filet was wonderful! Good date night spot, was a little on the louder side if you're looking for a more quiet intimate setting but then again I was there during a dinner rush. read more

Very disappointed, I have come here for years. My favorite is the Tai Kai salad, it used to be a huge dinner salad for $18, today it was a large side salad size and something was missing. For one thing it was very light on the dressing so I ordered more but it took quite a while to get our server Matthew to check back with us, so I had to ask a different server. She happily got it for me. I feel that Matthew was not attentive at all!! And, so don't typically want much attention. read more

Went here for dinner at 5:30pm, and the restaurant was packed. But I was able to sit at the bar. I ordered a fat tire beer, a chef special soup (mushroom, beef, rice), and Grilled Scottish Salmon (grilled salmon with a special cold rice mixed with some other stuff). The food was really good, especially the soup. The bartenders and the waiter were really nice. However, it was a little pricey. I paid $45 in total of everything. Especially over $7 for a beer is kinda overprice. In general it's a good place for a special event or for business dinner. read more

J. Alexander's - Grilled Scottish Salmon. - New American Near Me - Livonia, Michigan

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Ambiance is great. Servers are very well trained and professional. Carrot cake is what brings us back!

Came here for dinner on a weeknight. We were a party of 3. We ordered the spinach queso dip. I ordered the prime rib dinner with a side of broccoli. What's hot - Menu variety. There is steak and seafood and some less expensive dishes, like burgers, salads, and sandwiches. - Quality. I ordered my prime rib and made sure to tell the waitress that I wanted some pink. I got that. The steak was not dry. Tender and well seasoned. Not too much fat. Just enough. The au jus was great. Their horseradish sauce didn't have much of a kick, which sucked. Their brussel sprouts are also delish. Definitely recommend that if you're looking into veggie options. - Service. Attentive, but don't expect any attention after you pay the bill. In other words, they won't continue filling any water glasses, etc... - Price. You get good size portions for what you pay. My prime rib was less than $40. Their prime rib comes with smashed potatoes. I asked if I could sub for a veggie. I was able to do so without any additional cost. What's not - Wait. Their wait during the general meal times means there is a decent wait, which can go out the door. Not cool. If you're going during a general meal time (for example, dinner time between 6-8pm) make a reservation. The restaurant is a decent size, but they can get full fast. Final Answer Would definitely come back, but only with a reservation. read more

Tonight, I lost my J Alexander's virginity. It amazes me how I never thought to try this place before! So out of the 3 closest locations, I chose the Livonia in because it had the best Yelp reviews. We made a reservation for 7:30PM. When we arrived and checked in, they told us it would be 10-20 minutes for our table to be ready...it look over 40 minutes. We were seated in the order in which we arrived with the other patrons. Doesn't this defeat the purpose of a reservation? The ambiance is dark with candles at every table. It's very romantic. We were seated in a booth and the server came over to take our drink orders 2 minutes after. This may be odd but...they have the best water I have ever had in my life. LOL. They bring it out in a big jar and the server refills your glass when they check on you. I don't know what brand of water that was but I wanted to take a jar of it home! We ordered our meal (I had a ribeye steak and fries, boyfriend NY strip and smashed potatoes) and a salad. Everything was delicious! I also ordered a chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream and our waiter told us it was on the house and Merry Christmas. She definitely earned her tip. Her service was amazing! read more

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Decided to give this place a first time try for my guy's birthday. I made reservations online and when we arrived, we were quick to be seated. The staff and our waitress was superb! There was staff going around to make sure our waters were filled and our table was clear of dirty dishes. I got the steak n' fries meal. The fries were fresh and delicious. The steak wasn't bad but I had higher expectations. The butter that came on the steak made the entire meal - holy flavor! There are a couple of reasons why I rated this place 4/5 instead of 5/5. I thought the soup and salad was part of the meal but after looking at the recipe, it's an extra charge. That's kind of annoying. We ended up spending $112 (tip included) for our steaks, salad, soup, and one drink each. To me, the money wasn't worth it. I've had better steak for cheaper. So I'm glad I tried it but I'm in no rush to come back. All in all - excellent service and great staff. read more

Came here for my birthday for the carrot! They have the best carrot cake ever!!! We love coming here for it! Server was super nice and checked on us a few times! We started off with the queso dip, which was really good! Then we each got a Caesar salad. Those salads were huge! We should of just shared one. It was really good! Then we ordered the chicken strip dinner! Omg it was really good and a huge amount of food! I took home left overs for work the next day! We were so full but we still ordered the cake! read more

J. Alexander's - Mr. Jack 's Crispy Chicken Platter - New American Near Me - Livonia, Michigan

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I call to get a reservation on a Sunday afternoon, however they were fully booked. It's been years since I've eaten here but it was my son's choice. The person on the phone said we could do a walk in... which I thought was kind to suggest. I asked what would be a good time. She said 3 or 4 pm. Great! We arrived at 2:50pm and by 3:20 we were sitting down at our table. Brooke was our server. She and all the staff were dress well and looking good in their uniforms! They were very impressive! The service we received was great and so was our food. This was an old standby for our family many years ago way before the area got so big. Now I guess I will have a o put it back on my list of go-to places! Thanks guys for coming through when it's hard to eat out during COVID. read more

Haven't been here in a couple years due to covid and really looked forward to it but was pretty much dissapointed with the food. The service was exceptional and the manager took care of a gift card situation we had and quickly resolved it which I appreciated. 2 of the dinners came with french fries (a ton of them) that were extremely cut thin, cold and hard. the other fish dinner came with brocolli which was so hard you couldn't cut it and was cold. sent it back for another order but another plate of hard cold brocolli showed up. they took that back and replaced it with green beans. there again cold and hard. it's like they don't steam or cook their vegetables at all. They comped us a desert to share which was nice. My baby back ribs were good but the cole slaw was pretty much tasteless. Chicken tenders were very good with the honey mustard. Overall atmoshere was nice. I liked it but the wife thought it was way too dark and hard to read a menu. Our server Asia was extremely nice and should commended. Not sure we'll be back too soon. read more

Went in after work and it wasn't crowded yet. Got sat immediately and the waitress was prompt, friendly and professional. The food was ok. I ordered the filet mignon with béarnaise and a baked potato. Unless the food is really bad, I try not to send anything back. Plus, I was starved. The steak was ok, I ordered it medium. It was dry and looked/tasted medium well and the baked potato was cold. I'll go back and try again. I've been before without issue, so I'll definitely come back. read more

Everything was excellent from the food,decor and customer service, I will be back...yum!!! read more

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I am so sad that I'm having to even post a negative review here!! My husband and I eat here often, we LOVE the food and the service is always great! But tonight was definitely not a good experience, my dinner was good as far as flavor but it was cold, our appetizer was delicious but my husband ordered the 10oz filet and asked for it to be cooked medium besides the fact that his steak was Luke warm after he ate around the outside corners the steak was literally medium rare.... The waiter from the beginning was just terrible, he took our order for drinks and 30 mins later he comes back and said he forgot about my drink so another 15 mins and I finally got my drink, he was not professional and would disappear for long spurts. When we brought the food to his attention he did his job as far as sending one of the managers over her name was Courtney she said I heard you weren't happy with your steak and yea I saw your steak it was not cooked correctly can I give you desert to take home we said thank you but no thanks, assuming she was a good manager I was expecting some type of a small discount on our bill that was over $100 but no, nothing they literally brought us the bill with the undercook steak. So you saw the meal was undercooked and yet you did absolutely nothing . Very very poor customer service and I'm so disappointed as I said before we dine here and definitively expected better especially for what you pay !!! read more

Service at front desk is grouchy and rude don't recommend take the other option if possible

Earlier tonight I took my friend out for a late dinner hoping they had his favorite soup ( white bean with smoked bacon ) they informed us it was only a Monday offering, he ordered chicken pasta soup instead. I had wanted to try their cypress salad ( because I always get Alex's salad with dinner ) our offerings were good, but I missed that usual salad and my friend got showered with hot sauce from the toddler at the table behind us. The manager offered seltzer water for his shirt. The food and service was very good. read more

J. Alexander's - Cypress Salad with avocado, bacon, chicken tenders, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, greens. - New American Near Me - Livonia, Michigan

Our favorite local restaurant. Amazing service, they all actually help each other out. Love the salads, steaks, hamburgers are the best around! We often sit at the bar. The cocktails are top notch and great wine selection. Love the atmosphere too read more

Service was great, loved Jamie. Had the chicken salad but did tenders instead of grilled. Also had the chocolate cake (fudge was my favorite part!) and my husband had the veggie burger which he enjoyed. Something I always order when coming is the queso. It's amazing and anyone that shares with me says the same! read more

J. Alexander's - Chocolate cake - New American Near Me - Livonia, Michigan

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For a restaurant of this class you should received warm bread on the table with butter before the meal. Meals should be three course. And the lighting is terrible it's so dark in there you can't tell if hair or anything is in your food. Prices are too high for just meat and potatoes. read more

Always have great food at J Alexander's. I do have my favorites, the chicken tenders they have are the best, not greasy and definitely not heavy breading. You can cut them with a fork, dipped in their honey mustard.... To die for! My husband and I will split the steak burger as well, to big to eat it by myself. Always juicy! read more

I had not been in nearly two years. My husband has never been. We decided to take the chance and give it a whirl. Things have changed somewhat. For the better. The staff here was way more on the ball and after a job change (and a very nice raise indeed) I am not feeling nearly as cheap as I once was. I decided to splurge and get the spendy ahi tuna. It took my husband forever to decide if we wanted apps and what he wanted to eat. I explained we were newbies to our poor waitress Chelsea, my husband actually was and I was practically J Alexander's re-virginized so it did take me a minute to pick too. Well she really went out of her way to make us feel welcomed after that. She brought us a basket of delicious croissants and was great about explaining everything. She also was so on top of drinks, I love that. We ended up skipping apps as we opted for spendier mains. I am not as cheap now but let's not get carried away or anything. Like I said I got the ahi tuna. Yep, that tuna was evilly delicious. Worth the price tag. Perfectly cooked to a delightful rare. The dash of creamy wasabi sauce on top and the dipping sauce alongside were delightful but did not overwhelm the fish. They served it with two huge slabs of beefsteak tomato which had a bit of sea salt and cracked pepper with a drizle of olive oil. Yum. The smashed potatoes I got with the dish too were just ok, I'd go for a veggie, mac and cheese or a loaded baked potato substitute instead if I got it again. James had the NY strip served with the tasty mac and cheese. Heads up that they slightly undercook the steaks here. His taste for steak is midway between medium rare and medium and his medium rare order looked perfect for my palate, coming out midway between rare and medium rare. No worries they will make sure you get it exactly the way you like. Ultimately he was very pleased. It is a ginormous slab of beef and so very tender. The mac and cheese was sinfully good. I think the secret of this place is go big or go home. The spendier food made me much happier than I had been prior to this. Chelsea was an amazingly great waitress the whole entire meal. This was a special occasion for us but we were playing it low key. She must have overheard us talking though because she brought us a slab of warm carrot cake to share for dessert. Mmmmmm heaven and holy huge. It was a lovely surprise and such an unexpected treat. For this visit everything was perfect and yep, now we will be regs. I am craving that tuna again something fierce. read more

Quite comfortable. Good service. I had a dinner and a lunch here - food was good both times.

Not sure what happened to this place, its been a few years since ive been here so my husband and I decided to check it out on our date night Saturday. We had reservations at 5, got there about 15 min early and they seated us around 5 (which was great). Sat down and waited for a few min, a server walked by and said "your server will be right with you" okay fine. Waited another 5 min and someone else walked by and said the same thing. We began to get alittle annoyed, waited about another 10 min and my husband finally got the managers attention to let him know we havent been greeted. He said im sorry ill get you an appetizer and then sent someone over. The crab cakes were delicious and my husbands steak was great too, mac and cheese was VERY bland, tasted like noodles and butter with a little parm on top, definitely needs seasoning. The womens restroom was disgusting, towels and toilet paper all over the floor and no towels for hand drying. Honestly probably wont be back any time soon. For an "upscale" restaurant we arent impressed anymore, it has gone down hill since our last visit for sure read more

The hostess that checked us in was dismissive and rude. 3 out of 4 dinners order steaks cooked medium. All 3 steaks were served well done. Mitchell's Fish Market was a much better experienc. read more

I brought my girlfriend to the Livonia location for dinner last night. We had reservations, but still waited 30 minutes before being seated. The restaurant was very busy so we understood the wait, especially since my girlfriend works in the restaurant industry I ordered the filet medium rare and she the veggie burger. She is vegetarian and has raved about the veggie burger here in the past. Since I am an avid steak eater I thought this was a great choice for a Valentine's Day dinner. Overall the dining experience was okay, but not really what I expected from a higher end restaurant. Our bill was $131 with a nice bottle of wine which was the best part of the meal for me. I ordered the filet medium rare, but it came out medium. It was still a decent steak, but not what I expected for a $39 steak, and not nearly the steak you can get at Ruth's Chris for only $10 more! My girlfriend enjoyed her veggie burger and had no complaints with her meal. Our waitress was pleasant, but we both thought she could have been just a bit more attentive. Normally I would tip 20-25%, but I lowered that to 15% due to what I felt was less than stellar service. The worst part of the evening, and the reason I feel compelled to write a review (something I do not usually do) was when the hostess was preparing a 6 person table adjacent to our booth. As she was setting the table she dropped the menus on the ground and they all scattered on the floor. She immediately picked them up and proceeded to place them on the table directly on top of the silverware wraps! I don't think I need to point out the sanitary concerns here, and if we had not already finished our meal I would not have continued eating after witnessing that. Overall I would give the experience 2 stars and we will not be dining here again, nor would I recommend J. Alexander's to anyone. read more

Prime rib was ok. Pricey for what you actually get. I live in texas, where some of the best steak restaurants reside. Carrot cake was delicious though. It was so moist, it was almost wet. If I go again, I'd get one of the speciality burgers. read more

J. Alexander's - Prime rib, horseradish and smashed potatoes. Regular size. - New American Near Me - Livonia, Michigan

It's a tradition to eat here for my dad's birthday. Prime rib every time. And it's delicious. The prime rib is tender, juicy, succulent everything you want it to be. However, everything was really salty. The calamari, my prime rib and my green beans. Gosh I swear, if you zoom in my photo, you'll see 16 sea salt granules on each green bean! I couldn't eat it. I took it home to rinse off my veggies so I could eat it. Sad day. Please cut back on the salt!!! Please!!! read more

J. Alexander's - Prime rib- with a green bean substitute (instead of garlic mash) - New American Near Me - Livonia, Michigan

Ordered the cypress salad for carry-out. When I got home and opened the container-the salad was missing chicken, pecans, croutons and avocado. There were 4 containers of dressing in the container which left very little space for the salad. Definitely not worth the $26! Very disappointed! Was looking forward to having the cypress salad not a garden salad. read more

If you like Prime Rib, then stop by and give it a try! Everything is a-la-carte, so in addition to the prime rib, if you want sides, each side items are $4. Order the Mac & Cheese, its really good. To start, order their onion rings, its very good; I also love their calamari!. If you are looking to order a salad, try 'Thai Kai Salad', of all the salads, this is my favorite. Last time I was there, we met up for a friends birthday dinner - two people from our group ordered the special steak medium, they came almost well done, they took it back, recooked and offered free desserts on the house. Service is excellent from the moment you walk into the restaurant. read more