I love the J. Alexander's where i live in Columbus, Ohio, so I guess it's safe to say I'm a fan of all J. Alexander's! I was in Raleigh for a quick work trip and my friend moved to Chapel Hill a few months ago. We met up for a quick dinner near the hotel I was staying at. It was near a mall, so mostly chain restaurants popped up on Yelp, but I was excited to see this as an option. And I had no idea, but it turns out my friend had worked at a J. Alexander's in college, so she knew the entire menu! We went there on a weeknight around 7p. The place was steady, not too busy. We were seated at a big spacious booth. I love how the lighting in the restaurant is dark, but then when you get to your table, it doesn't feel too dark at all (although I'll admit that I would never want to work here due to the dim lighting.). We started off with a sushi appetizer since we were both hungry. It was on the specialty menu and our server recommended it. It comes out in little "cakes" and not your typical sushi roll. I really was not a fan of those. Based on how she described it, I thought it had everything I'd like in it. But the cream cheese tasted more like a horseradish and I think there was asparagus in there which I don't like as well. For my main meal, I went with the sirloin which comes with the the mac & cheese. I enjoyed the sirloin but it was greasy. I felt like there was a puddle of grease on my plate the entire time I dined. I know my stomach well enough and thought "this won't work out well for me later..." Which sure enough I had a bad stomach ache by the time we left. Which is why they lose one star. Not to mention the exact same thing happened last time I was at a J. Alexander's so I'm starting to feel like I may enjoy their food but the food doesn't reciprocate that feeling. lol The mac and cheese was great! Very unlike any I had had before. It's super creamy, has up to 5 different cheeses in it and then I believe our server said that onions are cooked in with the cheese so it melts and creates and more flavorful taste. I really enjoyed it! For dessert, I was not leaving this place without the carrot cake. I had it back in January and still think about it often. I actually cannot stand carrot cake (prob one of my least favorite desserts), but a friend got it last time I was at a J. Alexander's and it was mind-blowing! It comes with a sheet of melted cream cheese icing. YUM! I shared it with my friend, but I will admit that it wasn't quite as good as I remember it being last time I dined at a JA. However, still something I'd definitely recommend. All in all, a solid chain with a great selection and top notch desserts! I hope to be back soon (and hope my stomach can handle it!). read more

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4 1/2 stars would be more like it, but I can't round up to 5 because for the first time ever (or that we can remember), Husband's leftover Bacon & Swiss burger didn't make it home with us, but someone's else's steak sandwich and mashed potatoes did. :) Otherwise we loved everything about this place...the ambiance (really nice and super comfortable!), the food (terrific and plentiful!), and the service (very professional and just the right amount of friendly). We enjoyed a Sunday lunch here at an off-hour (around 2:00). We started with a glass of red for me and a brew for Husband, along with their killer Mexico City Spinach con Queso. Yum! Would be a perfect app for 4 people, which meant we had some wrapped up to take home. Looking forward to those leftovers! Husband loved his Bacon & Swiss burger, along with the shoestring fries. He polished off the fries, but had a lot of his burger left, but sadly he is burger leftover denied. :) I LOVED my Steak Burger with cheddar and grilled onions. And the broccoli that I subbed for the fries was excellent as well, although it had a lot of oil on it. A very good olive oil, though, along with some nice parmesan. I have plenty of both leftover as well. Love the variety on the menu as well. It was really hard to decide between the awesome sounding sushi,salads, sandwiches and entrees. Welcome to Raleigh J Alexanders...we plan to come back to appreciate you some more! read more

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Very consistent with food and atmosphere. Always a number of specials. I like to sit at the bar.

One of my favorite places to eat the food was awesome, the ambiance and service was great!

Not a bad place, but not great either. Food is okay, atmosphere is GREAT! Beer selection is the pits (no porters or stouts? Really?). Stick with the wine. A bit pricey for what we received. Service wasn't bad, albeit a bit slow for not being busy. read more

Excellent!! Will return to try the Cajun Ribeye!!! Will was a great server!!! Can't wait to return for the triple chocolate cake & the amazing carrot cake!!! read more

Great restaurant with nice ambience and high quality food. Service is always great and the team effort is a good one!

Our family loves J. Alexander's!! Chain restaurant that doesn't feel that way at all. The menu is extensive so there's something for everyone and my kids enjoy the kids menu (especially their fries!) Highly recommend the steak egg rolls for apps! read more

We came here for our anniversary. My husband had never been and I'd only been once. I got the crab cakes, husband got the ribs. The food was great and the service was perfect (thank you, Mike!). Warning: the portions are huge. We had a few leftovers to take home. Really nice place. If you haven't tried it, go. We did our reservations online without any problem. read more

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Was a maggot in our food, which happens with fresh veggies and stuff. I didn't make a scene or anything. But the only thing they gave me for the mess up was a free desert which was a nice gesture but they could of did a bit more tbh. My wife was grossed out by it more than I was, and she barely wanted to continue eating her food. To top it off the prices were pretty astronomical and the food mediocre at best. read more

Sunday May 16, 2021 was the first time my wife & I ate at J Alexander. Outside of the clean, spacious venue the food was not disappointing, better yet our service was great. Maleek who waited on our table was phenomenal, very knowledgeable about the menu and wine pairings which was very helpful being it was our first time dining there. We will definitely be visiting again! read more

J. Alexander's - Mexico City spinach con queso! - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Food was great for the first time 5/5 nothing else to say. Service was great the were very nice to us. Ambiance was very classy for such a small area. read more

Steak rolls were definitely something original, decadent, however a little greasy. The Key Lime Pie was the winner: creamy, tart, just the right amount of sweet. read more

COVID19 review: I felt super safe here with their outdoor seating. The outdoor tables are properly spaced apart. If I'm not mistaken, there are only 3-4 tables and they're first-come, first-served. You cannot reserve theses tables. BUT, unlike some of the other outdoor set-ups I've seen (where small tables are crammed next to each other, defeating the purpose of 'social distancing'), J Alexander's outdoor set up felt really safe and comfortable. Servers all wore masks throughout too. General review: The food was fantastic and the drinks too! I had the cheeseburger one day, and the chicken tenders the next (like a kid, lol). The burger was big and rich, and you can sub the fries for any other side. The chicken tenders were a bit too crispy for me, but still delicious. My preference was the burger by far. My friend got the steak rolls which were massive and delicious, too. I will 100% be back! read more

Their cocktails are BOMB!!! Food never misses ! The Honey and I have tried so many dishes so far all we can do is sigh and "mmm mmm mmm " EVERYTIME! read more

i've only been here for lunch and have enjoyed it. the food is yummy and i especially love the shoestring fries. service is exceptional and the ambiance is top-notch. prices are high but stick to the appetizers and you still get a good lunch portion. read more

Nothing about this place enticed me to return. Food was, meh. Atmosphere was tense and noisy

Great new restaurant with a dynamic menu serving just enough of the right things. If you've ever been hungry but not quite sure for what this is definitely worth a visit because odds are something they're serving will strike a chord. I've had the steak burger and the regular cheeseburger made with chuck. Both were impressively cooked a perfect medium rare on the 2 occasions I've visited. I can't say that one is better than the other - it depends on the type of burger you're craving but what I can say is this is a seriously great burger - like chucks or bad daddy great. I can't wait to explore the rest of the menu - the things I've seen leave the open exposed kitchen have looked equally as good. Great looking place too - it was done really well and the staff are appropriately welcoming. read more

J. Alexander's - Medium rare bacon cheese burger - delicious! - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Dinner with my boyfriend suggested by a friend. The ambience is very nice. They practiced social distancing. Great menu selection. I had grilled grouper with lemon butter sauce. Originally came with mashed potatoes and broccoli. I wanted to sun the mash for a loaded baked potatoe but due to both sides being considered half a potion I had to get the broccoli as an extra side. My boyfriend had steak and fries. The steak was cooked perfect. They also have a great wine abd dessert option. I gave 4 stars because the service was just a lottle slow(which could've & just been the server) and the grouper could've used a little more seasoning. When in town i'd definitely revisit and try something different. read more

J. Alexander's - Deviled Eggs - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I dined here last Friday night. The experience was odd. The hostess did not even say hello or goodbye, she was on her phone and she basically threw are menus on the table and walked away. The waiter was hostile when I proceeded to order an alcoholic beverage after asking for water. He was in-personable and did not seem to care for us being there. My order came out and it was wrong and overcooked. First time here. Not planning on returning. read more

Visiting my son at NC. Went on Easter no reservation and they were very accommodating. Food was good. Warm carrot cake very nice

Regrettably we decided to try this once great restaurant for Sunday lunch. We understand service everywhere is not what it used to be but when you watch people arrive later than we did and get waited/served before us it is not a good start. But we waited 20 min for our drinks. Approximately 35 min seated we ordered lunch, burger and fries and I chose chicken tenders and fries. When her burger and fries finally arrived the fries were so soaked in grease they could not be eaten. When we brought this to our servers attention she stated " I saw they were really greasy but I brought them anyway" If I saw something not right then why would you make the decision to serve???? They then offered to replace the order of fries and did and they were ok. I didn't know if we hit this place on an "off" day or this is the new normal. We will not return, and we are disappointed as this used to be our go to place while in the Raleigh area. read more

J. Alexander's - Super greasy fries, look at that shine - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

This place is really cute on the inside but the menu doesn't live up to the potiental of the restaurant. You would expect middle/high class dining which it was, kinda. But the food options just didn't met my expectations. Anyways, we started with the appetizer shrimp that was really good and had a good amount for two people. I also order the red-head rita, which was really good and i was surprised that they included a refill of the drink on the side (this made its worth $13) my first glass had a black spec on it but i had no probably sending it back (the waiter also left the first refill so technically i had 3 drinks for the price of 1 because my glass was dirty). Anyways, my food was great, we also order the rotisserie chicken that i was told was great and the side of macaroni and cheese was also okay. read more

J. Alexander's - Red-Head Rita - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Went for a business lunch because I have been to another location before and knew what to expect. They are a good place to take a customer because the setting works well, there are good food options, the service is usually spot on and the prices are not that bad. We started with deviled eggs which were overstuffed and super yummy. My guest got the turkey club which was huge and came with shoestring fries. I got a tuna and salmon sashimi plate and we split mac & cheese. It is shells in a creamy white cheese and so good. They have a lot of sushi choices, but this tuna and salmon is simple and really good. Enjoy! read more

The food, service, and ambiance were all great at J. Alexander's! We had a reservation for dinner and were seated right away. We shared one of the specials (swordfish with a butter sauce and side of sauteed spinach) and the Steak Burger (ground beef tenderloin and ribeye, Tillamook cheddar, grilled onions and Kiawah Island dressing) which came with really good shoestring fries. Both dishes were good, and we had plenty of leftovers. For dessert, we got the Key Lime Pie which was truly beautiful. read more

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Always great service. Very consistent and delicious food. Very clean and upscale vibe. Good for business dinners or a date night. read more

Yesterday a friend and I stopped to dine at this establishment. Since it was nice we decided to do outdoor dining. We enjoyed the meal and the service was great! The food was delicious! We decided to do the ribs, loaded baked potatoes, and the butternut squash prepared differently from what I'm used to, but it was really good! For dessert I chose the key lime pie, but the crust was different and I opted to send that back. I also couldn't help but notice the size of the pie had decreased- I'm assuming to offset food cost since there is a rise in food prices. To drink I chose the Elite margarita was good, but I would discourage them from putting the lime in the drink as the rind taste overpowered the drink over time. The prices at J Alexander are in line with most restaurants about ($20-35 per plate). Parking is easy as they have their own parking lot. Reservations are not required, however if you prefer reservations you can certainly make them. I will continue to go to J Alexander! read more

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I love J Alexander's. Always have. I'm a long time customer of over 10 years. Used to go to the location in Cleveland, then in Florida. Now I'm going to the one in Raleigh. Lately I've been eating here a lot. The wait staff is great, I enjoy the food, and the atmosphere. I also really love their choice of ambient music. Shout out to the bar staff. They're competent and exceptional at their jobs. Today I was saddened to realize that they raised the price of my favorite item by a whopping 20%. This makes the value proposition of dining here far less enticing. I think I will have to reduce my attendance of this restaurant from 2-3 times a week to 1-2 times a month as other restaurants in the area offer better value at this point. I still enjoy the food here and I still will be a customer, but a 20% price hike makes the difference between a casual dining place where I can go regularly to a place only for special occasions. I hope the price hike makes sense for them, but the extra $4 per visit will mean a loss of almost $1000 dollars a month from me and my guests at least. Hope someone at J Alexander's reads this and considers more reasonable changes in their pricing! read more

Second time here. First was many months ago- different manager. Fantastic experience. This time just a week ago Sunday night around 6pm. Food was great but waitress was not familiar with menu. read more

The restaurant surprised me. The food was great. It's a good place to go if you're celebrating and in terms of price I thought it was reasonable. read more

We went last night for my birthday and each of us got a different entree and they were ALL amazing. I had the filet and switched out the mashed potatoes for a loaded baked potato- the filet was perfectly cooked with a delicious béarnaise (though it was a little cold) and the baked potato was super hot with just the right amount of cheese, sour cream, butter and chives. My husband got the salmon and the orzo salad-cleaned his plate. My brother had the ribs and in his words: "The sauce and char amongst each of the ribs brought an elegant approach to a truly southern dish." His girlfriend and my parents had the short rib sandwich, the club sandwich and the French dip sandwich - they too also raved about each entree. Finally- dessert. The carrot cake had a unique twist to the traditional classic. It was layer-less and one large square slice of cake that was super warm with cream cheese icing poured on top that was melting over the cake. SO GOOD. The key lime pie was a HUGE slice and also really delicious. Not pictured was the cheese and spinach dip with chips appetizer. Don't let the basic-ness of what this appetizer is usually like fool you. It was awesome! The service never missed a beat. Our water glasses were never empty. :) Special touch of the night: they gave me a handwritten birthday card when I sat down for dinner! Sweet touch. Make sure you let them know ahead of time that you're celebrating a birthday! read more

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tonight was my second time to have dinner at J. Alexander's . I raved about the food to my friend. She and I went tonight and I was disappointed. we both had the mashed potatoes and agreed they were cold/dry/with no flavor. I poured on the salt and butter but it didn't help. Last time I got the stuffed baked potato and it was delicious. We shared the battered shrimp. They were very greasy. I should have sent them back. Our waitress was excellent . cathy s read more

Everything from the environment to the food is perfect. The booths are comfortable with dim lighting. The mexico City con queso and Mr jacks chicken are delicious. The staff is also amazing. read more

The food and ambiance are superb. If it were closer, we'd probably go at least once a month!

Always consistent in all areas Always hit the correct temperares in all their steaks which are pretty affordable for the quality of steak read more

We were disappointed with our dinner this weekend. Excited to get back out and enjoy a nice dinner cooked by someone else, we had a Saturday evening reservation. Hostess took us to our table which was loud and right next to the kitchen but we rolled with it. She gave us one paper menu (it's a single sheet of paper - couldn't spare two?) and no silverware. One good thing was our server. We hate when no one acknowledges you quickly and she was great about it. Stopped by to welcome us, brought us a second menu and some water and then continued to give solid service for the rest of the evening. Our food was not good. First my medium steak was actually rare on the inside. When they brought it back, now it was medium well/well done. I ate it and it was ok, but not worth the price. My boyfriend had the flounder special which was much more heavily fried than expected. The lemon butter sauce was just thrown on half the fish, the broccoli had some kind of vinegar tang to it, and the potatoes were missing from the plate. The server tried to make it right, but by this time we had been there for more than an hour and we were just ready to eat and go home. It's unfortunate this place was not as nice as we had remembered from years ago, and with so many other choices in this area we likely won't be back. read more

Met friends for a late lunch here on a Friday. The restaurant is very nice inside, with an open kitchen. The meal was excellent. Two meaty crab cakes, creamed spinach, and mac-n-cheese. I added a Moscow Mule - and it was all great! Clean restrooms, and friendly, attentive wait staff. I'll definitely return when in the area. read more

J. Alexander's - Crab cakes, creamed spinach, and mac-n-cheese. - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Wow what a great experience we had. I had the tuna fillet and it was outstanding. My coworker had a New York strip and that was also cooked to perfection. The drinks were on par. And at a great price to boot. Service was top-notch as well. I will definitely be returning read more

J. Alexander's - Grilled tuna filet w green beans - New American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I came into j alexanders because a friend recommended it, and was attempting to enjoy a meal with my husband. I was sitting at a table near the kitchen and heard a manager scream and act extremely disrespectful towards one of her employees. I'm not sure of the situation but I believe no boss should speak to an employee in the manner that was done. I enjoyed my steak maui and the mac and cheese was great though. read more

We had a really great brunch experience here! We made reservations, so there was no wait. The waiter was very courteous and knowledgeable about the brunch selections. He advised that everything was good, and he was right! I had the lemon ricotta hotcakes and bacon; my friend had the Belgium waffle with strawberries. The flavors of each were delicious, understated but still noticeable. I also had the elderflower mojito, my friend had the classic mimosa with a splash of grenadine. Overall great food and service. Ample parking. I'm not sure that they take reservations in excess of 4 people, I would call to be sure. I recommend read more

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