Hay J’s Bistro

Awesome restaurant. Don’t judge a book by its cover with this place. In a gas station plaza but some of the best food in the area. Very good service and kid friendly as well. Pricey but worth it.

Best key lime pie I have ever had. Service is, for the most part, very very good however; I have been there several times when it was not — slightly rude — not coming back to check on table. Thus the 4 stars

Went there for Valentine’s Day, totally unexpected until you walk in. Food was fabulous, atmosphere was perfect. Great place for a romantic dinner

Always great food and service! Our favorite spot in Liberty Lake

Have been going here since they opened and have NEVER had a bad meal. in fact, every dish is always EXCEPTIONAL, regardless of what you’re looking for. The family friendly atmosphere coupled with the sways amazing service and food make this our «go-​to» restaurant, for any occasion. The recent addition to the Half Price club is the icing on the cake!

Very good food, some of the best in Spokane. Everything is very fresh and tastes amazing. It’s nice that they change up the menu often, but keep many of the staples. They’ve also got a great beer and wine menu.

Our favorite place in Liberty Lake. Don’t judge a book by the cover. Gas station location with supercharged tasty food and drink!

Loved it. Person dining next to me had calimari that looked drench in some sort of sweet sauce — wrong, wrong. I felt sorry for him. I asked him how it was and he said too much sauce /​too salty. Hence, not 5 stars. I asked for my sauce on the on the side and it was amazing that way– just a little tiny bit was needed, if at all.
Great wine, nice atmosphere, fair prices.

I travel often for work so finding a decent place to have a good meal is difficult. Whenever possible I look for restaurants that the locals talk about. 9 out of 10 times they are right.
Today at the recommendation of fellow Unilocalers I chose Hay J’s Bistro which also happened to be within walking distance of my hotel.
This is a nice cozy place with a very small bar located 2 feet away from the front door. I was greeted with a warm hello and a polite smile by a server and sat at the bar. My wait was not long but I felt ignored as the bartender discussed her children with another patron while she put a menu, wine list and a glass of water in front of me.
The menu is very enticing and will make your palate tingle with the thought of tasting the very descriptive offerings. I chose the «Veal Marsala Risotto»
I was in the mood for wine and told the bartender that I wanted to taste the dish so I could pair the wine. When my meal arrived the bartender whom I will assume is an owner directed the server to place it in front of me. Again, the bartender who was engrossed in a conversation forgot to give me utensils so she reached across the bar and slid them to me and went back to her conversation.
The presentation was not as glorified as it was described but «looks can be deceiving.» The risotto was flavorful and had my taste buds wondering what was next. What came next was not as exciting as the risotto. The veal was not flavorful. Not only was it bland, it was like chewing on cow hide.
But wait, there’s more! Remember I told the bartender I wanted to order my drink when my meal arrive? Well, I glanced at her many times to get her attention because I was craving a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon in hopes it would improve the taste of the veal but she was still too busy talking about her kids. I was ²⁄₃ into my meal when she finally walked up and asked if I was ok. I was not only ok, I was done.
I finished my meal and paid the tab. I am however a good sport. Despite the meal and her outstanding attentive nature I still left her a 20% tip. (In cash)
I am hopping for their sake it was an off night for the chef and the bartender/​owner. I however, will not return.

Easy to miss, but a relative in Coeur d’Alene recommended it. Was a good decision. It’s well-​decorated interior, but small, with a full bar. Food was amazingly fresh. Even little touches were nice… the was a full service, with a pot and box selection of numi teas. Yes, it looks like a gas station convenience store on the outside, but it’s worth going in.

Don’t let the gas station fool you! Amazing food!
I rarely write reviews but use Unilocal a lot since I travel quite a bit. When I went to this place three consecutive days, I knew I had found my lunch spot.
–décor is warm and the infused waters are relaxing
–I’m a non soup lover but they have a soup selection with rich goodness that is rarely matched
–everything from bistro medallions, Kobe burger to fried green tomato sandwich is amazing.
–they pay attention to detail, the bread matters and the sauce matters.
Go there for lunch or dinner… it will be difficult to be disappointed

We were visiting and got this recommendation from the hotel desk. I must say, if we lived in Spokane or Valley, we would be here regularly. We split appetizers, salads, entrees desserts. It was absolutely amazing. The server gave us the background and even went next door to their deli to get some humus for us to take on the rest of our trip (camping in Glacier). Wine selection is excellent as it should be out there. If this restaurant was in Cincinnati, it would be packed all the time. We do know our food here. Try it, you will love it!

I had the pastrami sandwich special. The fries were fantastic and the sandwich was also quite good. The portion size for me was a bit small but a good size still. The service was very good also. I did have to wait quite a while for my meal, that’s really the only negative.

Quaint, quiet and excellent food in The Valley!
We ate the tapas plate, clams and calamari.
Calamari was cooked perfectly, the tapas were extremely flavorful and the clams were excellent.

We couldn’t find anything good in Coeur d’Alene for dinner… so we ended up here! The food was phenomenal, the service out of this world! We lovely locally sourced foods and you can really taste the organicness in every bite! We had the halibut (Chilean seabass was out) and the beef short ribs — wow! I’d have pictures but couldn’t wait to dig in. We finished our delicious mean with Coconut Cake — I dare say better than Dalhia Lounge!
P. S. It is next to the gas station! ;)

Today, was much better than my first visit. The waitress was very attentive and made sure drinks were always full for our group. The wait for food though is still very long… something they are known for apparently.
The food: French Dip w/​fries
It was pretty darn good. Just the right portion for me to go back to work and not feel like I would need a nap. The meat was tender and I like be the hint of horseradish inside. I would say it in my top 5 places for French Dip. The au jus was simply wonderful and the best I have had. Very recommended!

I have been here about 10 times and every experience was perfection. A clear favorite is the Parmesan Crusted Halibut; it is always cooked properly and is generously portioned. The service is prompt and friendly and the atmosphere is lively and warm.

Hay j’s is our favorite place to dine in Spokane when we come for our annual visit, especially if you are in the Spokane Valley. I always get the seafood Cobb, it is a beautiful and delicious. It has a huge seared prawn on top and Langostinos, and spicy seared ahi, which were unique add ons. The dressing is very light vinaigrette which is great to balance the bacon and lots of blue cheese.
The special seafood chowder really stood out on this visit. It had a little extra something like lobster stock and maybe a hint of sherry that amped it up way over an ordinary chowder.
My husband had the steak and chimichurri sauce sandwich and was a little let down because of the lack of chimichurri and he didn’t like the bread, but that’s what you get sometimes when you ignore the server’s recommendation. At least we got the chowder, which she suggested.
It is a casual place, and much more upscale (but cozy) inside than it’s gas station parking lot location indicates. It is funny that this gem of a place is in the middle of nowhere off of the Liberty Lake/​Otis Orchard exit.
We are known for our foodie tendencies and ability to search out local gems whenever we travel out of the metro area where we live and Hay j”s makes our short list!

The Steak is orgasmic. Have the steak tips appetizer. I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious everything was, we even ordered a a second appetizer because the first was so good. A little pricey, but absolutely worth it. Yum!
Great service, quick and well versed in the menu. The music was great too, perfect date night setting! We will be back for sure!

This is a lovely restaurant located near/​adjacent to a gas station. But once inside, it is very warm and well decorated.
The food is perfect. I had the seafood Cobb salad. Seafood and lettuce can be a tricky combo and I’ve had seafood salads at other great restaurants that end up a soggy, fishy tasting mess. But this seafood Cobb was perfectly seasoned, contained a great combination of ingredients, and the seafood was perfectly prepared. My friend had the halibut and gave me a bite to try. It was equally delicious and came with a wonderful tasting rice. We also had the tapas plate which was excellent. Crème brûlée was also well prepared and delicious.
I felt the service was five star: Attentive and kind without ever being pretentious. This is a hidden gem and highly recommend.