Jimmy’s on the James

One of the better restaurants in downtown. Love the live music, food is amazing, and the drinks are pretty good too.

Honestly, there food is way overpriced. You are basically paying for «atmosphere», and even then the atmosphere is not that great. The owner plays his piano as live entertainment, but he has a CD recording in the background so it sounds cheesy and not at all the picture of class they are trying to portray. The food was just ok. You can basically order the same thing at any american cuisine restaurant and it will be just as good. I would say that because of how pricy it is for a mediocre experience, I will not be going back there again.

I went here not too long ago and had… one of the WORST meals of my life.
1. There were gnats flying all over our table. I’m guessing it was from the flowers, but either way, it was a problem.
2. The monk fish I ordered was inedible. It was cooked until it had the consistency of leather and after the first bite, I sent it back. I asked the waiter to have the chef taste it and he said the chef admitted it wasn’t cooked properly.
3. There was a very friendly gentleman playing the piano. He played well too, but our table was close enough to him that we couldn’t hear each other talk, which made it difficult for conversation.
On the positive side, the venue is very inviting. The ambiance is that of a jazz lounge and has some cool pieces on the wall. If anything, the bar is a different vibe from most of the Lynchburg bars so come in and have a drink.

While I no longer live in the Lynchburg area, I look forward to those times I am able to come back to Jimmy’s, be it for dinner or just drinks. The location is amazing, on the river in historic downtown Lynchburg. My first experience at Jimmy’s was at one of their famous monthly wine dinners several years ago. I am not sure if they still do this or not, but if they do, I highly recommend you give it a try. While expensive, you will get several courses of meals perfectly paired with amazing wines.
Around 9pm, live music starts and its always a wonderful time. It really makes everyone feel like friends. Its perfect to set up at the bar around 8pm, get an appetizer or a meal, and enjoy the music when its time. Bobby (originally «the bartender», now one of the co-​owners), also brings an extra spark to the establishment. He knows how to make you feel special, meet all your needs, and assure you have the best time and experience possible.

The filet was out of this world. And the fried ores oh my… the shrimp and grits were great today.

Went in expecting something great based on all the hype I have heard about the place. We did not make a reservation but we were seated within a few minutes which was great. They did tell us up front that they were busier than expected so the kitchen was running alittle behind… which was fine with us but there were open tables all around us so it didn’t quite make sense. I ordered a ginger pear martini which was fine and my husband got a beer served in a tiny tiny mug. I ordered the lamb chops medium rare and they were served to me well done. The chops were supposed to have a mint sauce… I found no flavor of mint just yellow mustard and tomatoes on the chops. They were served over a massive bed of mediocre orza cooked with way too much beef stock. The meal was very dissapointing. My husband ordered the jumbalaya and it was just as dissapointing. There was no development of flavor at all. It took 55 minutes for our meal to be served but they were very professional about it and gave me my martini for free as compensation for waiting. I still don’t understand how the kitchen was so behind though because there were open tables the entire time we were there. Final conclusion: food, atmosphere and service no where near worth the price.

This is one of the best places to eat in town. They have great food, wonderful wine selection, live music, and the best service (thanks Jess, Whitney, and Raechel).

We love Jimmy’s. The location is fantastic with a garage door that can open up for part of the dining room in warm weather. They bring in some wonderful live music. The staff are all friendly and fun. This a great place to come, relax, have a nice dinner, and enjoy the music.

Filet mignon melts like butter in my mouth. Paired well with the nutty asparagus. Best steak in lynchburg. Medium rare is perfectly cooked. Will be back.

Although it is best to have a reservation the hostess still sat us with a short wait. The food was absolutely divine. My wife said it was the best salad she’s had all year. The steak was so good it seemed to dissolve on my tongue. I have to admit it has a grown folk atmosphere so dress accordingly. Overall great place to eat, we will be back again.

What a great find
We were driving thru Virginia and just decided to pull into Lynchburg for dinner.
Cool décor and great vibe.
The tuna app was fresh and great
The meatloaf was one if the best I ever had. And I can’t say enough about the chocolate covered fried Oreos
Don’t miss this place

We are here for dinner on a Tues night and it was quite good! The service was prompt and friendly.
I enjoyed the chicken roulade and my fiancé had the rockfish special. Both were fantastic!
The 4 stars is because everyone’s dish at our table wasn’t very hot. More near the Luke warm side of things. The flavor was great, but maybe they should keep the plates under the heat lamp to help preserve the heat when the food is plated?
Overall, a good experience! We will be back soon!

Second time around was the same as the first. We had a reservation, but got seated 35 minutes late. Not sure why they even take reservations?! Unfortunately we will not be going back. The service issues outweigh the decent food and atmosphere.

After living in this area for three years, I finally made it to Jimmy’s. It was an overall good experience. We arrived at 6:15 for a 7:00 reservation and were immediately seated. I found the place to be surprisingly uncrowded for a Saturday night. We were seated in the «secondary» room, and it was just as well because we could enjoy the live music without it being intrusive as may have been the case in the main room, along with the bar noise. By the time we left the bar was thick with hipsters and party girls out for a fling. They were mostly well-​behaved though.
The environment was pleasant enough, white table cloths and clack and white caricatures of «Rat Pack» notables and comedians of the 50s and 60s on the walls, and reasonable quiet until a few larger parties came in– they tend to be a little noisier. nothing to complain about tho, normal stuff.
We enjoyed immediate service by a friendly serer who was knowledgeable about the menu and we were initially welcomed by Jimmy himself who answered several questions we had about the menu items. Friendly fellow. He did some performing and did quite good impressions of Bennett, Sinatra and Torme’. the music is all of that ilk, very pleasant.
The wine list was unimpressive and in my opinion a bit pricey. ($ 25 or 30 for ordinary wines. $ 6 to $ 7 per glass.)
Dinner was quite nice. I had the Spinach salad and a «blackened» ahi appetizer– and the ahi was perfectly done– blackened with pepper., on a bed of Thai slaw. It was quite adequate as an appetizer and as an entrée with the salad. My guests had the salmon– with good reports, the filet, also well received and the catfish. Another had the chicken roulade, but I didn’t get a review of that. no complaints by anyone. They raved about the desserts– chocolate concoctions — deep fried Oreos with chocolate syrup and a Fuji apple in a dumpling with a caramel filling. Next time I intend to try the Caesar salad. It looked good. There didn’t seem to be any nightly specials that night.
The bread was average, and the veggies on the meals were a bit underdone for my taste. Okra served with the catfish was decent but could have been cooked a bit longer– it was pickled I guess.
A full bar with a smallish parking lot but a lot of street parking. By 8:00 PM there were a number of spaces available in the lot.
Price wise– a bit on the high side. Dinner entrée averaged $ 19 to $ 27. We managed six diners with three desserts with a bill for $ 200 and change. I’m not sure it was worth the fare, but it was a favorable experience overall.

This restaurant is a very upscale restaurant for lynchburg standards. White tablecloths. Classy atmosphere. Even on a weekend night the bar is generally an older classier crowd. Their food is good although I don’t know if it is quite as good as the price tag on it. I don’t have much to say about their drinks. There always seems to be a dozen or so people having a good time by the bar anytime I have eaten there. The piano music is excellent. I am Not sure if they have it all the time but anytime I have been there there have been professional piano players on a grand piano off and on. Sets a great ambiance

Jimmy himself came to our table and said hello! The shrimp and grits were amazing. I wish the shrimps were bigger but the flavor was impeccable. I almost licked my plate clean but I was with two coworkers… The berry pie at the end sealed the deal for me: I love Jimmy!

I arrived with my girlfriend promptly at 5, which is when they open. The staff seemed a bit disoriented as they were attempting to organize everything for opening, which is understandable. Perhaps be ready to open promptly at 5 so that customers will not have to deal with a confused host and tables being set (including our own table while we were sitting at it).
Our server was knowledgable, friendly, and helpful. I appreciated his attentiveness, and he did not seem irritated when I had to flag him down to ask a question about the entrée I already ordered.
The food was great. We started off with pork bites and a Thai dipping sauce, and the sauce made the dish. The pork was average, but I didn’t even mind because the sauce was excellent. Spicy but not overwhelming.
I then, at the recommendation of our server, ordered the jambalaya. While messy, it was delicious. Four different types of meat topped on what seemed to be homemade fettuccine. Just don’t wear a white shirt if you order it.
A great place with a great environment downtown. Classy atmosphere while avoiding being pretentious, which is a tough line to walk. Check it out.

I didn’t know what to expect when I went here the other night… thought it was just a cute name — reminds me of «Jimmy at The James», the bar at The James Hotel in NYC.
When I walked inside, I realized that Jimmy’s On the James is probably one of the most upscale places in Lynchburg. I’m visiting the area, and my experiences of the «upscale» establishments would be middle-​of-​the-​road compared to restaurants I’m used to in South Florida, New York, and Las Vegas. But this place was a surprise — I even felt a bit underdressed in my dress shirt, shoes, & jeans — I felt I should have been wearing slacks at least.
The bartender Bob seemed skilled and attentive — I read many tips on Foursquare that he is the best bartender in Lynchburg. I first had a Grey Goose martini with stuffed olives — not that dirty, but only slightly soiled — which he made adeptly. I shared the seafood risotto, which was scrumptious — not too thick, with a good portion of both shrimp and scallops.
My favorite part of Jimmy’s On the James was the décor and the proprietor, Jimmy. The restaurant has portraits of all your favorite crooners, entertainers, and comedians of the day — Sinatra, the Rat Pack, Laurel & Hardy, the Three Stooges, etc. Jimmy himself sings and tickles the ivories during your meal, and he has a wonderful voice. He came up to me during my meal to introduce himself, and sounded like a Southern, «good ‘olé boy» local, but on the microphone, he sounded just like Old Blue Eyes or Dean Martin or whomever he decided to play.