Jay’s Bistro

Must say that the food here has gone downhill with new ownership. Ordered the lamb shank — a longtime favorite of mine. The meat was not falling off the bone. Rather, a bit underdone and dry. The jus was not what the specimen was cooked in, rather, some sort gravy — made from God knows what. Just a disappointment. Once thought it impossible to ruin lamb shank. Have now been proven wrong. Also, prices appear to have gone up about 30% in the past year, adding insult to injury. Will give it one more try, but dubious.

Jay’s was once the go-​to place for a lovely dinner out, but my most recent visit was disappointing. The ambiance is still lovely, but the food was really unremarkable. The lobster bisque was bitter, the salmon was properly cooked but bland and uninteresting. Desserts were delicious, but as a dining experience it paled in comparison to bygone visits.
The saving grace was the piano playing of Mark Sloniker and the Jazz Combo. Will probably return for dessert and drinks while there’s music, but will not likely to come back for the food.

We were looking forward to a lovely, romantic dinner at this well-​known eatery in Fort Collins, only to find the service rude and off-​putting, and the food only slightly better. We arrived early for our dinner, intending to have a cocktail at the bar, and were greeted with a non-​too friendly, «You are 25 minutes early.» When I informed the woman at the hostess stand that I had just purchased a coupon for dinner on-​line, she rudely responded that I was not permitted to use it on a holiday. While I mistakenly had not seen the very fine print on the coupon with this caveat, she insisted on printing out the coupon (in unreadable small print) and bringing it to my table as if to prove her point. No apology, no sorry for the confusion, no attempt in any way to make us feel welcome or valued. We were even more shocked to learn that this was the owner of the restaurant. After beginning the evening in such a negative manner, we were not surprised when we tasted the extremely vinegary, inedible sauce which accompanied the Diver Scallops. Our waitress was brusque in attending to our needs and the pacing of this very expensive meal was so unthoughtful that we were in and out of the restaurant in less than an hour. We declined dessert and instead, enjoyed a delicious ricotta cheesecake and delightful service at Rare Italian, just a few blocks away. Although the meal at Jay’s left much to be desired, luckily my date did not, and we had a wonderful evening in spite of dinner.

Let me start off by saying this is the first review I’ve ever publicly done for any sort of establishment. But, I felt so strongly about my experience I decided to share with others how amazing this place is!
My girlfriend and I were looking for a great place to celebrate Valentine’s Day without dealing with the madness that is every restaurant on such a holiday. We couldn’t have found a better place to go than Jay’s Bistro!
Most places, when they serve appetizers, give you the smallest portion of what you ordered but Jay’s gives you a very respectable portion that is easy to share or hoard it to yourself because it is delicious. If seafood is your thing I strongly recommend the mussels and the calamari.
The drinks were fantastic and the entrees were even better. The seafood bouillabaisse and artichoke linguini were hands down my favorite part of the evening until the dessert.
For dessert we had the chocolate decadence which was outstanding, rich, and delicious!
Amazing atmosphere, perfect for carrying on conversation for hours on end, great in house music thanks to the very talented pianist, and service was very prompt and accurate through the entire evening!
Will definitely be coming back!

This restaurant is really a good go to place when you want a good meal. The service here is wonderful and you really do feel special dinning here. I’ve had many dishes here and I especially like their wild game offerings as well as their salads at lunch time. They have great specials and the desserts are top notch. I would suggest making a reservation anytime you want to eat here as space is limited and this restaurant gets busy as it is delicious.

Stopped here on our way home from Red Feather. Walking in, the décor was very nice and the restaurant had a warm ambiance. Our server/​the bartender was very polite. We got there a little before 4, and were told that they were serving Tapas. I was surprised that they only serve dinner after 5, but the Tapas were great so, meh.
We got the Hummus Trio, which was pretty good, nothing super special. But for 6 bucks, «meh».
We also tried the Peppadews, which is a favorite of mine. They weren’t as spicy as I normally get them, but still very decent and only 5 bucks.
We had the Steamed Mussels, which were my friend’s favorite of the tapas we tried. They were very light and garlicky and delicious and only $ 6.
I had The Stack, mini portabellas stuffed with mozzarella, layered on top of roasted red peppers and tomatoes. It was really good but only two on the plate so for 5 dollars not the best value, and not shareable ;)
I would have traded this dish for more Mussels.
Overall the tapas were pretty good, very filling for such small bites.

Jay’s is a mere shadow of its former self, thanks to new owners Brad and Wednesday who barely deign to appear in their own restaurant. If it weren’t for the talented piano man Mark Sloniker and crew, we wouldn’t set foot in the place b
Sadly, Mark isn’t sufficient draw for many former fans who have felt the cold-​shoulder of the new owners and moved on.
It’s so sad to see but this couple have corporatized the best restaurant and jazz bar in town.

I likes this place much better before the new owners. The lobster bisque is only sold as a bowl and not a cup. The food seems to take a long time to get after you order. They have a nice patio and live jazz music. I also preferred the tuna poke how it was made before. I don’t typically choose to go here anymore.

Jays was my go to for lunch meetings and they still have very good quality food and great service. The change in ownership has resulted in a new menu (which of course is their call). However, long time favorites are no longer on the menu like the fish tacos, wedge salads, etc.
So before you go, look online at their website to make sure there is something new you want to try.
I found a decent burger (but in reality, if I wanted a burger, I should have gone to Stuft or Big Als) but I will return to see if I can find a new favorite on their lunch menu since my staples are no longer available. Also, as a heads up, the menu (even for lunch) is a bit pricey. Still, I have hope in Jay’s and still think it’s worth a try until I find a new favorite. If I don’t find one… then it seems we may have a different problem.

Excellent service, great food and drinks-​not much more to add! Enjoy the patio seating which is street side, always entertaining. This time enjoyed the brunch!

My sister in law booked us a private Rehearsal Brunch on August 15^th, and I cannot speak highly enough of the service we received or the food. It was all well thought out, the waiter was simply amazing and so poliet. I absolutely adored our experience there and we will definitely be going back soon! Thank you to all who made our day even more special!

Went with a big group of peers to a private dinner, the food tasted okay and the desert was good. Servers are good and responsive.

Came here for brunch on a Sunday for the first time and was surprised it wasn’t more crowded. We sat on the patio and the jazz band was great!
Bloody Mary was okay. Avocado Benedict was good, but the biscuits and lamb bacon my boyfriend got was amazing!!! Definitely will need to try them for dinner as well.

I have seen a lot of negativity on these reviews which deterred me from trying Jay’s in the past. I decided to give it a go tonight and had one of if not the greatest meal I’ve ever had in my lifetime.
The entire concept of the Red Deer Loin was perfect. I can’t find quite the words to describe it, other than I don’t really bother with Unilocal but I just felt the need to complement the obvious talent in the Jay’s Bistro kitchen.
I’ve eaten all over America and Europe, and Colorado has repeatedly disappointed my inexplicably picky tastes. I wanted to find a flaw in Jay’s just for the sport of it. One of the beers my mother ordered wasn’t all the way cold… we let the server know and he poured her a fresh one in another glass they had frosted/​chilled. That is honestly the only ‘hiccup’ of the whole meal, if you could even count it.
If negative reviews have had you on the fence about Jays, take the leap and discover one of Colorado’s finest dining establishments.

I’ve always been a big fan of Jays Bistro. From the jazz piano to the formal bar I always appreciate the classy feeling I get when I walk in here.
Most recently I was here for holiday buffet. well nothing struck me is truly spectacular everything was tasty. The bartenders are friendly and talkative. if you’re looking for a nice more formal dining experience in downtown Fort Collins definitely check out J’s Bistro.

Scheduled a work meeting for 12. Food, drinks and service was fantastic. The manager bent over backwards to make sure my event well!!!

Food was excellent. Service also excellent. Prices a bit steep but not excessive. If you go consider a couple of appetizers rather than the entrees– there will be plenty for big eaters. My only objection is that the sound level was so high we couldn’t wait to leave. We walked across the street to Fish for dessert and quiet conversation.

The place — A tasteful and quiet bistro in Olde Town. Parking can be a challenge, like many places in OT.
The staff — Attentive, friendly staff. Well-​versed on menu items.
The food — We went for lunch and had the French onion burger — absolutely delicious! Perfectly prepared, well dressed, amazing flavor.
The kids — I’m thinking I probably wouldn’t bring mine. It is a bit pricey and upscale and my kids act like Vikings. (No offense to any real Vikings)
Summary — Great lunch stop, especially for a couple. Quiet, delicious food, quality service.

I agree with the reviewer who noted that the new ownership has not been good to Jay’s. Whereas the menu was full of great options before, now it seems stark, and my girlfriend and I had trouble finding something we wanted to eat (this is admittedly a first-​world problem, but at the elevated prices they charge, you’d imagine a restaurant would want to offer something attractive to its diners). I ended up enjoying the venison, but my girlfriend really did not care for the Mahi special. The prices are still among the highest in town, the quality just isn’t as good — which is really disappointing since Fort Collins is short on nice date places.
Jay’s still has some great bartenders and the happy hour specials are worth going, buy we will probably look elsewhere for a nice dinner.

We picked this for our only meal in Fort Collins based on Unilocal reviews and a recommendation from a friend. Everything was great.
The place was full but we were offered seats in the lounge area and it worked out great. They had live music that was at the perfect volume level and the service was great.
We started with the bison carpaccio and lobster & mushroom gnocchi. Both were delicious. All the entrees were hits too. We ordered the mixed grill, bacon wrapped venison & the filet. It was all fantastic.