Jill’s Restaurant

Good food, great service! I’ve been here twice for brunch and its awesome!

The stars were not aligned on New Year’s Eve when we had a sub par dining experience, but when the management heard our comments, they were clearly aghast and treated us very well, which has encouraged us to give it another try. Looking at the other reviews, it seems the problems we experienced are not the norm.

This place is occasionally outstanding but is too inconsistent in their performance to earn the five stars they sometimes deserve. The first time I went there, I was with date and sat in the main dining room. The food was extraordinary and the service was flawless. The next time, I came with my family and sat in the side dining room. The staff was obviously angry, the food was cold, and we were largely ignored (couldn’t get our drinks filled, couldn’t order dessert, couldn’t get our bill and then couldn’t pay our bill).

This review is for dinner. My birthday dinner, to be precise. I love Jill’s Friday vegan buffet, and had heard that they have vegan options all the time, so I suggested to my husband that maybe we should go there for my birthday dinner. He called to reserve, explained that we are vegan and was assured that there is a vegan menu at dinner and that the kitchen could modify most dishes to meet our needs. The person taking the reservation asked if this was a special occasion, and he told them it was for a birthday. When they called to confirm, they mentioned again that it was a birthday dinner and they were looking forward to hosting us. When we got there, we ordered drinks, which took 30 minutes and several polite reminders to the staff before they arrived. My husband’s Mezcal cocktail was undrinkable. There were a grand total of two vegan entrees we could choose from: spaghetti and a tofu/​quinoa dish I could have made better at home. My husband asked about desserts. Mind you, at the buffet, there is a wide assortment of amazing vegan desserts. For my birthday dinner, on a freezing cold winter night, we were offered only sorbet as a vegan dessert. The service and vegan options were so unbelievably sucky. We wish this place could be in our regular rotation of restaurants, but won’t be back for any meal other than the Friday vegan buffet.

We came here with friends for Restaurant Week and enjoyed it more than any RW outing for a long time. It’s an attractive space, with emphasis more on elegance than creating a party atmosphere, which suited us perfectly. It was actually quiet enough for long conversations (but the bar and lounge area were noisier and livelier, if that’s what you’re in the mood for).
The food had good quality ingredients, comfortable portions, and was really tasty and well-​prepared, with one proviso. My husband had the duck, which he thought was very good, but underdone for his taste (our taste – we like it really well-​done). But that seems to be the style for duck now, so we shouldn’t take points off Jill’s for that. My friend and I had delicious tender short ribs with what seemed like home-​made noodles, mushrooms and other veggies. Her husband had the pork chop, which looked great, but come to think of it, I didn’t hear his opinion, since, because of our nice quiet table, we were all able to get involved in our conversations. I loved my lentil soup app, made with bacon, and crème brûlée, boring and ubiquitous I know, but a good version. Unlike some RW menus, Jill’s offered 2 – 3 choices for each course.
We went on a Sat. night, and it wasn’t busy at all. I’m not sure why it’s not more popular, but based on our experience with both food and service, it should be. I didn’t have a chance to look at the regular menu, so maybe the prices are prohibitive.

This place was awesome! Fast, polite and friendly service, nice location, warm environment, and delicious food. We ordered the Turkey Burger from the lunch menu. It was very tasty, not expensive, and good portion. We enjoyed its peaceful and romantic atmosphere with a glass of white wine, served chilled. I definitely recommend this place.

Hubs and I had a great date night at Jill’s over the weekend. It is VERY dark in the restaurant– especially if you’re in one of the side round booths like we were. Very romantic. (Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.) Ok, then, back to the food. Jill’s has HH daily in the bar from 4 – 6 where you can get $ 4 beers, $ 5 wines, and $ 7 martinis as well as some discounted food. We had the ahi tuna tartare. Though it was very tasty, it was VERY small. Even at the HH price of $ 8.25 it seemed a bit high.
The dining room opens at 5:30 and they participated in First Bite Boulder. The menu was wonderful! I started with the lentil soup and Hubs had the tots. Both were really good. The tots portion (4) is a bit small so keep that in mind if you’re super hungry. They came out and poured my soup table side which seemed a bit much since all it entailed was sticking a ladle in a cauldron and pouring it in a bowl (no added garnishes or anything) but whatever. Give me pomp and circumstance! I felt like a princess with my soup.
For our mains, I had the duck and Hubs went with the short rib. Both were fantastic. The duck fat could have been a bit crispier — I felt like portions were slightly underdone but the flavor was great and I would definitely order it again with no problem.
For dessert we both had the chocolate torte. We asked 2 different people and that was the hands down recommendation. It was a perfect cap to the dinner.
This could have been a 4 star review, but what really elevated it to 5 stars for me was the general manager, Antoine Moinard. He was personable and helpful and sincere. He gave great wine and food recommendations and I would definitely follow his advice upon dining at Jill’s again! Thanks, Antoine for making our evening so lovely!

THANK YOU to Jill’s for having a Friday vegan buffet! It has become our new lunch spot. I was so surprised to find this plant-​based paradise in the middle of Boulder. There are even gluten-​free options in the buffet.
The restaurant is light, airy, and perfect for luncheons with friends. I’ll be back!

For being the «restaurant in the hotel,» the quality was very high. As a foodie, I like creative foods that play with both flavor and texture. Jill definitely fit both of those. I highly recommend this restaurant if you’re in town for a few days.

Yum! Best unexpected find in a very long time.
This review is only for Jill’s weekday lunch buffet. (Jill’s is located in the St. Julien on Walnut.) I hesitate to call it a buffet, because that word conjures images of an endless line of steam trays containing mediocre, mass-​produced, and quasi-​unidentifiable food-​oid substances. Jill’s lunch buffet is nothing like that, nothing whatsoever.
The food at Jill’s is all freshly and beautifully prepared, and of high quality. There are soups, salads, hot meat and taters, lovely fish, a cheese and nut platter, fruit platter, warm pasta, a half-​dozen luscious desserts, etc etc. In addition, a crew of cooks is continually making fresh little fire-​cooked pizzas during the entire lunch period. About 10 are on offer at any one time. And the toppings are lovely. For example, one pizza had artichokes, pesto, red onions, Kalamata olives, mozzarella, and a nice red sauce base. Tasty! And included in the low $ 12.95 price is a glass of good, drier rose wine. And a full pour of it, not a small amount. There is something decadently fun about having a glass of wine at a weekday lunch.
Anyone can find many things to like on the buffet. And, on Fridays, the entire buffet is vegan.
The atmosphere is very nice. A real restaurant. Fine dining, if you wish to use that term. The space itself is beautifully done in an understated style, and huge floor-​to-​ceiling windows let in considerable light, while giving a view onto Walnut. Good for people watching. This is a great versatile venue. Perfect for a business lunch, a place to take out of town guests, a weekday treat for a couple or a gathering of friends, etc. This is now our go-​to place for all sorts of occasions.
The staff is good. Real staff. Who seem to know what there are doing. Such a strange and wonderful thing to find in Boulder!

Let me preface this to say that dealing with the General Manager, Philippe, prior to our dining experience was wonderful. We were on the waiting list for Easter Brunch. Easter falls on or around my mother’s birthday, and my twin sisters’ birthdays (all on April 6). So, I desperately wanted to get in for brunch as it was also my mother’s 60^th birthday and my two sisters flew in to surprise her, along with all of her grandchildren (three children under 12, one 1 year old baby). He got us in for 8 people and there ended up being 7 (one person was ill). It was kind of like an «Easter Miracle.» I was ecstatic. The food was wonderful, the band was fantastic. We were very happy in general until the end of meal when we tried to pay.
Firstly, website lists the adult brunch as $ 34.95 per adult and $ 19.95 per child in a few places on the website, which is what I was expecting. I see today that another section of the website lists brunch as $ 41.95 for adults and $ 19.95 per child. If that were the case would have been a great deal. However: it was $ 59.95 per adult, and $ 21.95 per child. I would have REALLY appreciated knowing that going in, but it is what it is. It was Easter. This was special.
My mother wanted to pay for my sisters and their children as their birthday present. I told my mother I would still like to pay for her meal. So, my mother was to pay for 2 adults, and 3 children. I was to pay for two adults. 7 people total. The waitress returned with our check, which of course surprised me. My mother put on her reading glasses, and said «Wow. I thought you said it was $ 34.95 for us and $ 19.95 for the kids?» I asked her if she wanted me to get it, but she insisted and gave her card. As the waitress returned and she signed her check, she turned to me and said «this can’t be right, it’s way over $ 300. They included 15% gratuity. Wait, no. They said 3 adults and 2 children.» I looked at my bill which was about $ 150, plus the included 15% gratuity. I concluded that they must have thought my niece, who is 12 and taller than me, was an adult. I informed the waitress, yes, I know she looks like she’s a lot older, but she’s 12. It’s two adults and three children on that check. So the waitress went back to correct the bill and returned with a bill for THREE ADULTS AND THREE CHILDREN. The waitress had already gone, so I took my mother’s still incorrect bill to find her and explain again. I couldn’t find her, so I asked a hostess for help and gave her all the receipts, including the one my mother had already signed for the incorrect over $ 300 amount. The waitress came back, was obviously confused thinking there were 8 people. I nearly asked her if she wanted to see the picture of our party that she had taken; however, I explained again, two sisters, one mother, one me, all adults. Three kids, one really tall, all under 12. Two adults on my bill, two adults and three kids on my mother’s bill. As she went to fix the bill, my mother asked for the receipt back for the incorrect bill that she had signed so she could tear it up. The waitress said «Oh, don’t worry, I will take care of it.» My mother was reluctant to say the least. The waitress returned, showed my mother her new receipt where they had taken $ 74 off of the first bill, and had her sign a new bill, which was about $ 230 due to the 15% tip. My mother signed it, exasperated but grateful to have her family and such a wonderful meal, and happy to have met Philippe, who had checked in on us during the meal. It’s because of him that the waitress got $ 25 more than the 15% tip from me. We left pretty happy until the next day, April 6, my mother and sisters’ «actual birthday.»
WHEREIN OVER $ 600 IS BEING HELD IN CHARGES FROM JILL’S RESTAURANT FOR BRUNCH BECAUSE THEY CHARGED HER $ 300 FOR THE FIRST WRONG BILL, BUT $ 230 FOR THE «CORRECT BILL,» AND $ 74 FOR THE AMOUNT «SUBTRACTED.» Our rent check might bounce because I asked my mother, who is disabled and lives with me, to write the rent check as I had run out of checks (yay!) and put cash into her account. My mother and I went back to the restaurant with our documentation to get this sorted on the way to her birthday lunch with my Aunt. Nicole, the manager was no help and said there was nothing to be done with my mother’s bank. Having had to push through refunds before, I informed her how to do it. She wouldn’t. She didn’t even offer a refund for the erroneous amounts charged instead of «subtracted.» However, she’s sorry and understands how upset we are! She wanted us to wait and talk to Philippe call us (wait, as our rent check may or may not clear) and over half a grand is being held in limbo due to their waitress, and she COULD do something. No solution was offered. We get to stop payment and try to sort it out. My mother was so upset she walked out in angry tears.
That is how you ruin a wonderful experience. That is how I go from wanting to send a thank you card to Philippe, to researching how to file a BBB complaint

New to the neighborhood… I dine here about 2−3+ times a week and I am surprised that Jill’s is not packed at lunch time.
Oh well… perhaps the gorgeous glass windows, upscale linens and hushed elegance are too formal for Boulder’s casual lunches? This is the POWER LUNCH spot but with the added perk that Jill’s offers a ready-​when-​you-​are ‘buffet’ in the formal dining room, plus a bistro menu in the casual bar lounge.
A better word for ‘Buffet’? Muffy: «We’re not eating at a buffet, Skippy, we’re ready-​dining!»
The ‘buffet’ is not Country Buffet. Instead of lasagna surprise, think Provencal pistou soup served alongside perfectly balanced white bean, hummus and pesto (I like to add a little pesto and white bean as an island within my pistou soup bowl)…artisanal breads, gourmet Tuscan and southern France pissaladiere-​inspired pizza and flatbreads, pasta and fresh, creative salads: Mixed greens with candied walnuts, cranberries, bleu cheese… orzo with orange segments, herbs and nuts… arugula with grilled shrimp, vegetables, roasted artichokes, olives… the finest lamb stew this side of Villefranche.
Fridays offer a vegan lunch theme and it is so good that I suspect that even seasoned carnivores have to stop to think about what is missing.
Oh, and lunch ‘buffets’ are accompanied with a glass of Provencal rose (not sweet, but crisp) in your ticket price of $ 12 and change. Seriously! It’s SUCH A DEAL. Kids are $ 8 and that is so worth the price for NO WHINING «when is the food coming?»
…ready-​made pizza, mini desserts such as cheesecakes, chocolate mousse cups, ramekins of crème brûlée, fresh berries and fruits, perfectly prepared macaroons, chocolate cake, pastries… it changes every day and it’s like Forrest Gump’s proverbial Box of Chocolates… you never know which one you’re going to get.
Golfers can relate. I prefer to think of it not as a buffet, but more like a ready game of dining.
Muffy: «We’re not eating at a buffet, Skippy, we’re ready-​dining!»
Dinners are a class act. Traditional without being stuffy, repetitive or overly premeditated. Steak Diane prepared tableside, exacting desserts, perfectly prepared steaks, filets and chops. They hit each entrée on all rails. The service and food match the endless parade of Euro cars in valet, which is fun to watch from the comfort of your dining spot overlooking Walnut Street.

Recently, I was lucky enough to be invited to brunch at Jill’s.
This brunch at Jill’s was hands down, the best brunch that I have been in quite some time, and perhaps, it exceeded my brunch expectations set when my father took me to my first country club brunch many years ago. Yes, I have chased that dragon since childhood.
The quality and variety of food is outstanding and sure to please even the most finicky eater. Traditional hot and cold breakfast, they’ve got it. Benedict’s, they’ve got them. Seafood, they’ve got it. Chocolate fountain, they’ve got it. RIPE fresh fruit and salads, they’ve got them.
For me, there were more choices — that I wanted to try — than there was room in my stomach. That is what I call brilliant marketing because it makes me want to come back for more. I honestly loved everything that I tried. The bottomless bloody’s and mimosas flowed freely. At $ 41.95 the value is incredible.
My table agreed that Jill’s has the best brunch — when somebody else is paying. Sure, I would never turn down a free brunch at Jill’s, but more importantly, Kate K and I further agreed that we do not need to wait for a special occasion or somebody else’s wallet, we will go whenever we just want brunch, regardless of who pays. I would also include this on the list of places to bring out of town visitors to show them (1) a cool place; and to (2) fill their bellies.
When in Boulder, do not become a myopic slave to the offerings on Pearl Street. I learned that some of the very best restaurants are situated on the streets adjacent or parallel to Pearl. Be sure not to miss these places, like Jill’s.
Be sure to book early for Holiday brunches. Unfortunately, we were too late to score a table for this Easter, but I will be calling soon to book for NEXT Easter because it is that good.

We had the luxury of being able to go to Jill’s for brunch yesterday, and being so close to St. Paddy’s day it was Irish themed. The food was all very good, it’s surprising to me how authentically themed the food was. Bangers, colcannon, boxty, Irish cheeses and more, even down to the «Irish American» corned beef and cabbage that was house cured. There was also the standard brunch fare of prime rib, omelet station, assorted pastries, fruit and so on. The dessert area was great with a mix of whiskey cake, baileys crème brûlée and even an all time Irish favorite (I saw that every where in Ireland) green Rice Krispie treats that you could dip in the chocolate fountain. Beyond the food was the service, the wait staff was busy running about keeping everyone happy, and the Maître ‘D Philippe was great, welcoming and wanting to make sure everyone was pleased.
It was also a nice thing to hear from Chef Laurent about their weekly brunches, how they will theme them around any upcoming holiday or just their usual spread. It was also great to hear about their oh la la lunch, for only $ 13 you get a Provence style lunch with a glass of rosé included, which at that price is a steal.
I’m not sure I can go to Brunch every weekend, it does come in at the higher end at $ 42/​pp or $ 20 for a child, but does anyone really need to have all that food on a weekly basis? We were so full that we didn’t eat again until later that evening. The polished service and plentiful well made dessert options more than make up a great value for a special Sunday.

I had the pleasure of going to an event here this weekend ! I was blown away by the presentation of the buffet .
The staff was lovely as well… i had the eggs, waffles with the blueberry sauce and the carmelized oatmeal to begin my brunch… It was so tasty. i went back for more too… the cheeses were amazing… And so were the desserts… everything was lovely and the restaurant was nice and clean… Phillipe was a gem and gave the experience a certain charm…
We will come again and have another delish meal here…
I loved the Unilocal event and the awesome people we sat by …
Thanks again Jills…

Brunch is extravagant and to the nines here! Philippe is so friendly and makes sure you are taken care of. I love how luxurious this place is. The service is outstanding and the food is delectable.

This restaurant is top notch. Wish i could give it hgher than 5stars. Irish mac and cheese best ive ever had. The crème brûlée oatmeal top notch. Wait stafff friendly and very efficient. I would recommend Jills to everyone. Top notch all the way.

This review is for the restaurant’s happy hour only. I saw their happy hour menu (4−6pm daily) and I knew I had to try out their Bistro Tots. There weren’t many people in the restaurant around 5:30pm, so I had a table to myself.
The Bistro Tots were delicious and the Truffle Mac and Cheese was fab as well. The tots were made with mashed potatoes on the inside and a crust on the outside + truffle aoli and parmesan cheese. The mac and cheese was made with rigatoni pasta. The happy hour food is priced well, so it’s a great spot to stop by for a couple bites of food then hop somewhere else in downtown Boulder!

Amazing food quality !
Located in the St. Julienne hotel in downtown Boulder, CO.
I first visited this restaurant 10 years ago while staying @ the hotel.
After moving to Boulder I’ve made this one of my favorite lunch spots.
Try the «900 Walnut Salad «(baby organic greens, candied walnuts, pears, red grapes w/​a hazelnut vinaigrette)
The have the best «French Onion Soup «in Boulder. (they melt cave-​aged Gruyère) melted in a wood fired oven.
We attend their Sunday brunch when guests visit from out of town & eat dinner occasionally .
Try the «Steak Au Poivre «for dinner (natural Angus NY w/​a peppercorn sauce)
Seasonal dinner specials available .
Best regards,
John

I came to Jill’s for a graduation dinner. We were lucky enough to get the table surrounded by windows which was also a little separated from the other tables.
The waiters were very nice, but the most noticeable thing was that the service was so slow. Like, painfully slow. Like molasses on a cold day in January slow. It took about 45 minutes to get our drinks, another 15 to get some bread (after voicing some frustration on our part), and probably another 30 minutes for appetizer salads.
Altogether, I had the Caesar salad (perfectly seasoned), the New York strip steak (nice and tender and came with fries), and the dessert sampler with crime brûlée (a little soupy instead of custardy), the chocolate cake (very rich), and fruit tart (a delicious bite).
It’s a shame the service was so frustrating.