J Coco

I have been to J Coco a handful of times and each time I leave impressed!
My most recent visit was on a Saturday night… the day prior we made a reservation for 4 and the only reasonable time left was 8:45…we took it. When we arrived we were promptly seated at one of the high tops in the back. Definitely not the best seat in the house (so close to the kitchen that we frequently heard screaming), but it was fine for the laid back meal we were having.
We ordered a bottle of the house cab and the boys landed on Stellas. We decided to start with a few appetizers that we could all try… the Mac’n’Cheese, Short Rib Tacos and the Tuna. All of it was delicious! Though my favorite is the Tuna and I have ordered it every time I have been here. It is seared just perfectly with a great garnishments. Even the non-​tuna person at the table said they enjoyed it.
For meals, we had the Short Ribs, Cubano, Salmon and the Seabass special. My boyfriend had the Short Ribs and didn’t seem to be too wowed by the dish. He didn’t care too much for the sauce the accompanying gnocchi was in and thought the short ribs weren’t cooked quite right (maybe too fast?). The Cubano had a really outstanding review – my friend really enjoyed the frittes that came with it too! My girlfriend gushed about her Salmon with Risotto – giving it a stellar 9 out of 10! My Chilean Seabass was outstanding. Cooked exquisitely with a delicious sauce. I couldn’t get enough of it and have learned to always get the special when dining here – it has never disappointed.
Between the bottle of wine, 4 – 6 beers (we were celebrating a home sale – don’t judge!), the 3 appetizers and 4 entrees our total came out to a little over $ 200. Perfectly reasonable for the quality (and quantity!) of food we got. J Coco is definitely in my top 5 Omaha Restaurants… I just wish it was closer so I could go more often! Next up: J Coco Happy Hour!

This was my first visit to J Coco, and although I can’t say I was «wow’ed,» the meal was really good and I’ll definitely be back. (J Coco came highly recommended by many, so my expectations were pretty high going in – I own that).
I ordered the prime rib sandwich with frites. The sandwich was excellent and had amazing flavor, and the ciabatta bread that it came on was perfect for dipping into the jus. To me, the frites, though good, were not anything special — and I’d put them closer to traditional fries.
The other two people I dined with both got the burger, cooked to medium. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they were both actually medium. (Many places have a tendency to overcook, or be inconsistent). The bite of burger that I tried was really good — I can see why they are known for them here.
For dessert we ordered the chocolate cake, which came with lots of fresh berries and wasn’t overly sweet — very good.
Service was really slow and overall just nothing special, but our waitress did seem to have quite a few tables, so maybe it was a fluke thing. I’ll definitely be back in the future to try out their happy hour menu and some other regular menu items.

Came here with a group for lunch and shared calamari and pork belly buns for appetizers and had the steak frites for an entrée. Pricing seems to range from fair to too much for various items. For example, 3 small pork belly buns cost $ 12, while a steak with fries and vegetables cost $ 15. Service was fairly attentive, and we always had our waters refilled.
The calamari was crispy and pleasantly chewy with a hint lemon. A plate of them cost $ 10, and it is worth it. The small pork belly buns were flavored with Asian spices and were delicious, however not worth $ 4 each. It’s a shame, because the pork was tender and flavorful, and I would definitely order it again if it didn’t cost so much.
The steak frites came with sliced steak topped with bearnaise and fries, with a side of creamy spinach and carrots. The steak was cooked perfectly and was super tender. The fries tasted freshly fried, and the carrots were sauteed well. The only problem I had with this dish was that the bearnaise was so powerful, and there was too much of it. The entire steak was swimming in the rich butter and egg yolk sauce, and the fries soaked up the butter flavor as they were placed on top of the sauce. While it started out tasting really good, towards the end I got way too much butter taste. Despite this, it was an enjoyable meal. I just recommend you ask for the bearnaise on the side.

Went there last night w a group of 7. Wait staff very knowledgeable of menu &helpful in helping us all decide. Even brought a sample of soup to see if we liked it before ordering. BTW Ginger chicken soup delicious. All of the entrees were great, especially the special which was the Chilean sea bass, which was amazing. Salads were bountiful. Everything fresh. Definitely recommend.

We got there a little early for our reservations so we went to the bar. I ordered one of the house cocktails, so you would think they would know how to make it. After fumbling around for several minutes trying to make our drinks the bartender says, «I’m not very good at this job.» About that time our table was ready so the hostess seated us. About 10 minutes later my drink finally came. I was a little worried about how dinner would be after all that, but it was quite good. I ordered the pork schnitzel special. It could have used a touch more salt and pepper, but it was paired with a delicious mustard that made up for that. The sautéed Brussel sprouts were also tasty. Highlight of the meal — the pickled red cabbage. What would I skip next time — the vegetable root purée which tasted a little grainy.

Went here for our 2 year anniversary. Great place! The half duck was fantastic, the Mac and cheese side was devine, my wife lived her chicken entrée, and our soup was delicious. Service was quick, personal, and generous. Their desserts are lovely, and so is their liquor list.

Went to J. Coco to enjoy their special Omaha Restaurant Week menu. What a great experience! The restaurant and bar were super full and lively, but it wasn’t so loud that I couldn’t enjoy my dinner conversation. The Crab cake slider on pretzel bun was delicious. My main dish of beef medallions was the perfect portion size of three with garnish, so I wasn’t too full. And the dessert, vanilla spiced creeks brûlée, was the best I’ve ever had. Highly recommend for a nice date night spot!

I arrived there and was seated promptly and was served my drink almost immediately. I looked around and the décor was modern and really classy. They served bread and butter which was yummy. I ordered the fried chicken sandwich. It was not greasy but rather crunchy and juicy like I was hoping. The slaw added crunch and their special sauce was creamy and yummy. The whole entire meal was delectable. The bathrooms were super classy and clean and I left feeling happy and full that’s for sure. Prices were decent and service was pretty good too. Completely satisfied and I will be back.

Had read some great reviews of this place and really wanted to like it, but it was just meh. My husband loved the tres majories and my salmon in rice paper was wonderful but the risotto it came with was undercooked and crunchy. Our daughters vegetarian pasta (the only vegetarian entrée they offer) was so salty she couldn’t finish it. We should have called it a night then but went for dessert. The chocolate cake was clearly not made on site, it was still defrosting when it was served. The budino was called a custard but tasted a lot like thin instant pudding. For the price point there are much better places in town.

I love it here; the ambiance, food, and staff all make it a great experience. I recently had the Steak & Frites off the lunch menu and it was absolutely delicious. I’ve had various other items on the menu that have all been fabulous as well. It’s a good restaurant to try a few appetizers and a few entrees and split them amongst friends. Jennifer Coco is a great chef and is fun to chat with.

Delicious food with a seasonal menu based on availability of ingredients. We had the cheese stuffed fried squash flowers appetizer, which I would have eaten as an entrée they were so delicious. We both got the sea bass which was cooked well but was very pricey and the beans and stuff it came with weren’t that yummy. I’d like to come back to try other entrees.

Shrimp and grits are yummy with good flavor but a little watery compared to true southern grits. Teres major medallions were really tough and hard to cut and chew. The accompanying creamed spinach and potatoes were average. The lobster paired with it was fishy and I didn’t finish eating it.

Last night we took our son out for a special dinner. I had messaged them after making the reservation so the business would know that one diner had special dietary needs.
It is a beautiful space, atmosphere is just right with table chatter and happy clinking of wine glasses. We were shown to the table immediately and the host greeting our young son kindly. Our waitress seemed rushed or overcommitted and never greeted us or shared the specials. I learned that there were specials when I wandered past a note in the kitchen on the way to the restroom.
After all, our biggest interest was all three of us eating and having a nice time. I asked the waitress what could be ordered that was dairy free and gluten free? She offered to consult with the kitchen and report back. Returning she did not point to any menu item, but instead offered «do you like fish? We could do a steak?» Whatever you like. She suggested salmon and I want confident, but had been told that JCoco had a great chef and she did special dishes for vegetarians and vegans, so I agreed. I had mentioned that I like all kinds of food and I was hungry and open to whatever.
A bit worried because while my son and husband were noshing on bread and butter, my appetite was growning, i asked if we could get the Cobb salad with the cheese on the side. The waitress cautioned that it was really big and «is ranch ok?» Well, no, it isnt, so the waitress shrugged and said «oh» and didn’t offer any accomodations.
So, my husband and son both enjoyed their plates: burger and beef sandwiches.
My dish was literally three green beans, one asparagus spear, half a carrot, and 3 bites of salmon! I laughed. And then asked if this was dinner? How much was this? The waitress didn’t know but offered to get me a menu. I said i was not interested in a $ 28 dish like this and she could take it back. She wouldnt! And told me I should keep it and eat it because that is what they give for a meal. I laughed again in disbelief. The man and waitress offered me a side and i accepted an order of french fries, just to not upset my son and husband and get to the show on time. I really would have preferred to leave. I did not see the bill, but my husband told me that the «fries were free and they took a few bucks off the salmon.»
They was I see it, if it costs $ 6 to add salmon to a salad and $ 6 for a side of fries. We paid twice that for what JCoco offered me as a dinner. My only regret was not taking a photo – it was the size of a silver dollar with five green veggies sticks underneath.
If you are a vegetarian, vegan, gluten or dairy free or have other special dietary concerns, I would not recommend J Coco. I felt isolated and taken for granted on a evening when I was hoping to make each member of my family feel connected and special. We survived it, but will choose differently in the future.

Visiting Omaha we started looking at Unilocal and Trip advisor and a friend recommended J. Cocos. Well its the best meal I’ve ever had in Omaha.
I’ve been coming to Omaha for about 20 years and being from SF I am usually at best, humored by the food choices. Well was I surprised.
The tacos were amazing. I ordered the Ahi Tuna salad… again amazing. I took a bite of the Waygu burger (I am going to order this next time). The bread was warm and Fresh.
Katrina our server was super attentive and helpful and did not at all hesitate to recommend her favorites.
I would highly recommend J Coco and will certainly eat here again before I leave next week. And yes, I’ve tried all the «best» steak houses and the «best» of old town…

My favorite place! We live close and visit often. I have never left disappointed. One word… Burger! Best in town!

Really pleasant client dinner in this upscale restaurant serving farm to table seasonal dishes.
The atmosphere is very «homey» yet upscale feeling. Dimly lit, slightly crowded but still quiet enough to have a nice dinner.
We shared a couple of appetizers — the Korean short rib tacos and then we each had a salad. The tacos were great and the beet salad was excellent. It had gold and red roasted beets with candied pecans, watercress, arugula, and goat cheese. The soup that night was a tomato bisque served with a mini grilled cheese sandwich — it looked amazing and my co-​diner said it was.
For dinner I went with the coffee and cocoa rubbed pork loin which was served with cornbread stuffing with a butternut squash sauce. It was so good but after the appetizers and salad, I was really too full to eat it all. My co-​diner had the cedar plank salmon which came with some type of lobster tater tots — she said it was amazing. They also had dishes like shrimp and grits, honey roasted chicken, crispy duck and of course a couple of different beef dishes.
Way too stuffed for dessert which I am certain is amazing. Must try if you’re in Omaha. Oh and the service is top notch — didn’t matter that they were extremely busy, our server didn’t miss a beat!
One weird thing — the bathroom is shared with the comic book store next door. Nothing negative at all about that except that if you make the wrong turn — you wind up almost walking into a completely different store front.

Delightful. I was there with the fabulous Megan G, and also enjoyed the drinks and dessert options.
The atmosphere is very crisp and modern, with a nice patio area (we opted for A/​C though). The desserts (chocolate mouse in a chocolate cup with mixed berries, and a salted caramel chocolate cake) were scrumptious and appropriately portioned for ONE person (do not try to share one dessert with your friend if either of you love sweets).
It was a lovely location for our triple-​date. Our waters were kept filled, our checks were split (thank you!), and we wanted for very little over the course of our evening.

Service
1^st Waitress was rude and rushed us through the entire order. No one wanted to say anything. But I finally broke the ice and said something… and everyone agreed and stated that they didn’t want to ruin the meal by being negative.
We agreed on asking for another waitress
2^nd Waitress was extremely nice! Very professional. Explained the history and uniqueness of J. CoCo.
Manager was very nice and understanding (although, she did make an excuse for waitress #1– by saying that they weren’t expecting to be so busy because of the nice weather …
That is the last thing a customer wants to hear… is an excuse… I never understood this because there is really no reason to ever be rude…
A manager should take the feedback and do whatever they feel is necessary with it… and that does not include making excuses to the customer.
Food
GREAT!
Shrimp and Grits: B
Tenderloins: B
Burger with Avocado: A
Lamb: C – was overcooked but my husband was hungry so he ate it anyways!
He is very particular about his lamb as he is a trained chef and he will take you to school to explain the texture that lamb is suppose to be… and that texture was not achieved with this lamb.
Mocha Cake or something… forgot what it was called: A+. I was basically in love with this dessert.

Waitress is a bit short, bordering on rudeness.
Ok, just talked to her to change to our order and d she became full fledged abrupt and rude! Woo. Haha, she’s had a very arrogant air to her. Wow.
New server was AWESOME! She was the best and she really made our night fun and relaxing.
The food was excellent. My burger was one of the best I’ve ever eaten. Everything was fresh, fresh, fresh. I also had a house salad with a walnut vinaigrette –delish! The iced tea was marvelous, made with loose trees leaves and passion fruit juice. I can’t wait to go back.
Oh yes, they grow their own herbs and veggies. Cool place on many levels.

As a Burger Brigadier I’ve been called upon to consume burgers in the fertile burgerland called Omaha. It’s a duty I don’t carry lightly and tonight episode 4 took place at J. Coco. Upon arrival I greeted the smiling faces and appetizers with my usual sense of purpose. Smiling Unilocaler faces good… appetizers good… burger?
uhhh not so good. Medium rare, almost. Overpriced, seriously. Worth a return trip? Unless I pick the right six numbers on Saturday and Bronco’s down the street is closed. Not going to happen!