Jimmie

Went there last night and the restaurant appears to be closed. The phone number also is disconnected. Le sigh.

This review is just for the phở ga that I had here. Came in for lunch and they said today’s special was phở ga.
I was curious as to if anyone can beat Turtle Tower, so I decided to give it a try. Saw couple locals eating it and I thought, it’s probably not that bad.
Anyway, the soup base is good, and the noodles ok. Just not sure what is missing. It’s like the home version of Turtle Tower. Probably no msg? Anyway, I will have to come back and try their other fusion items. Saw another table order it and it looked good!

Came to Jimmie Bar Ristorante last night with three other friends since my awesome Heather W. had a
voucher to redeem. The voucher stated that we had to order at least $ 100 and a 18% gratuity was going to be added in the end. Sounded good to us, so we proceeded to order a whole bunch of things off the menu to rack up our bill. We had —
a dozen of oysters — these were nice and small and very delicious
two orders of garlic noodles — two plates were just right for four people. these weren’t the typical noodles that garlic noodles come in but they were okay.
shaking beef — really good. very tender and flavorful
Lemon grass chicken salad — the chicken had sort of a weird texture to it but the lemon grass really shined through and was really good. the salad was a spring mix with a nice vinaigrette dressing.
Sea bass — this was one of their specials, and we all love sea bass so we had to try it. The sauce IMO overpowered the fish but the fish had a really smooth good texture. it came paired with veggies and roasted potatoes.
Frutti di mare — mussels, clams, and salmon pieces in a wonderful garlic broth. Pretty delicious.
Their bread is also really good, especially the second batch which was fresh and warm.
We also ordered a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc which paired well with our seafood dishes.
One flaw of Jimmie’s is that many of their items on their menu weren’t available because it wasn’t it season which was annoying.

I came here for dinner with a few friends. When we walked in around 6:30 there was absolutely nobody else in the restaurant. I was surprised at how «fancy» it was in comparison to the other TL establishments I frequent. Tablecloths and cloth napkins, abstract paintings on the wall, darkish lighting, etc.
I wanted to try the «Special duck noodle soup» but they said it was unavailable. (I hate when restaurants do that!) I settled for the free range chicken noodle soup ($ 7.50). There was a picture of it on the menu and it looked really good.
The soup was so bland. My friend also ordered it and we spent our time trying to add condiments to kick up the flavor, but it didn’t work. My other friend ordered a kobe beef burger and he liked it.
What irritated me the most is that all the other tables got free bread and we didn’t. That makes me sound like a cheapskate and really petty, but it’s the principle. We were younger looking than everyone there, so maybe there’s a minimum age for the free bread. Shrug.
I suppose if you’re looking for something a little nicer in the Tenderloin, you could try this place. I would rather go next door to Sai Jai Thai.

Went here for dinner w/​friends last night and we were greeted and got seated promptly. This place is nicely decorated, clean, and w/​a very friendly atmosphere. The staff were friendly and very attentive to our needs. For our meals, we’ve order the lobster w/​garlic noodles which the lobster was very succulent and the noodle was very tasty. Shaken beef which the meat was very tender, juicy and nicely seasoned. The Frutti De Mare, which is a mix shellfish w/​garlic white wine, basil, & lemon sauce which is also delicious. For dessert, we’ve ordered flan and ice cream which was also delicious. We came here on an empty stomach but left very satisfied. If you’re looking for a great meal to enjoy w/​good friends then I suggest you to give Jimmie’s Bar Ristorante a try. You won’t be disappointed.

Had dinner with my friend Alice and brother on Tuesday night. Before we finalized our restaurant choice, we checked out
for $ 75 gift certificate ($ 150 minimum order to redeem; 18% gratuity added to the total bill). There were a few that offered $ 75 GC, so we narrowed down to Jimmie Bar Ristorante after reading the raving reviews on Unilocal.
Parking was rather painless and we parked on the street and walked one block. To me, the décor is a bit like a Chinese restaurant when I first walked in. I think this might be a slight ½ star deduction…
We ordered a bottle of Jade Mountain Merlot ($ 55), half a dozen oysters ($ 12) and crab cake ($ 9) as appetizers. For entrees, we had the squab ($ 16.50), tiger prawns with garlic noodles ($ 16.50), and another seafood dish with mussels, salmon, shrimp and clam ($ 18.00). All food is of great quality and the service is wonderful. Our server and the owner came to us quite frequently asking us if everything was served right.
For dessert, we had flan, chocolate mousee cake, and tiramisu (each dessert is $ 4.50@). I am a bit disappointed with the tiramisu (½ star deduction) even though the flan is spectacular. I didn’t taste the chocolate mousee cake, but bro ended up finishing the whole thing, which must be good I suppose! In the end, we each paid $ 40 after the $ 75
coupon, which I consider pretty decent considering the food we ordered and consumed PLUS the bottle of Jade Mountain!!! Overall, we are happy with the experience and chances of us going back are high. :D

We attended here as a large group, 13 people if I remember right and the staff were very friendly, no one was left waiting for food a very pleasant experience.
As such a large group we sampled a wide variety of the menu and there were no complains from anyone, the oysters got rave review as did my Shaking Beef. highly recommended!
A touch on the pricey side but I can accept this for a good meal with friends.
My only complaint — It was to cold, turn up the heating

Today was my second foray to Jimmie’s — I work a few blocks down the street. It’s been nearly empty both times at 12:30 pm, which aroused my suspicions, but I’m glad we forged ahead and took our seats. It was a bit chilly, possibly because the place is 50% glassed in, so bring your coat if it’s cold outside.
Chicken noodle soup — just right. A classic phở broth, but the freshness and quality of the actual chicken is what distinguished it. Recommended.
Poussin roasted chicken — delish: raisins and sweet onions working together to create a not-​too-​sweet sauce. I think the chef gave us a full serving of vegetables on each plate even tho’ we split the dish between us.
Service was attentive — I think we had three or four people checking on us, refilling water and tea, helping us navigate the menu. It probably helped that there was only one other party in the place for a while.
Prices were above some of the hole-​in-​the-​wall Vietnamese places on Larkin Street, but in line with Bodega Bistro and Mangosteen. $ 22 for the two of us. Definitely worth a visit if you tire of your everyday haunts.

We stayed at the Cova Hotel for 3 days and couldn’t wait for dinner time to eat at Jimmie’s.
The Kumomoto Oysters here are definitely the best I think I have ever had. We had 3 dozen between the 3 of us and probably could of ate 3 more.
We had the Tiger Prawns and Garlic noodles. The prawns were tender, moist and spiced perfeclty. The garlic noodles were firm, fresh and again spiced perfectly.
We’ll be back!

Wow… after the renovation of the now new Cova Hotel in the TL, they opened a nice cozy restaurant right next to it. My pops park his cars here with monthly parking (yes…parking really sucks ass in this neighborhood… especially with their meters). Everytime I walked past this place… it seems empty. Two things that comes to mind at an empty restaurant… they are new… or they suck.
Thankfully, we were feeling lazy that night for dinner and elected to try some place close by. Just so happens my parents know the chef here so why not give this place a shot.
Staff was extremely friendly serving us and stopping by to give us water right away. I guess it was a slow night because the bartenders were just watching college football the whole time… cuz…well…there wasn’t anyone there ordering drinks.
For appetizers, we had Oyster Pancake… which was surprisingly very chewy with the oysters embedded into the eggs. Worth a try… not one of my favorite dishes.
Ordered a few cups of New England Clam Chowder… not bad. I must say… but still think they poured it out of a can and nuked it in a microwave.
My dad ordered their lamb chops… he gave me piece and I must say… it tasted great. Very tender and a little bit pink in the middle, just the way I like it. It was delish.
Mom ordered the Charbroiled Chicken marinated in an assortment of veggies/​fruits. I see raisins in it… but nonetheless… it was one of the better dishes. Chicken was moist and the skin was tasty. Argh… I want more.
I ordered their Penne Pasta with bacon drenched in french onion sauce. Ooooooo… BACON!!! Loved it!!!
Curious about the other dishes… must try again!

Stumbled upon this place with a
coupon (again)
This place is located outside the Cova hotel, small cozy restaurant.
The staffs were friendly and kept asking us if everything was okay. We went with a party of 9, and they quickly set up the table for us and gave us menus. As a large party, it took us quite a while to choose our food. To our surprise, Jimmie, the restaurant owner/​chef came out from the kitchen and asked us if we wanted to have a family style dinner cooked for us. We agreed and our feast started.
First came the bread. Oh boy those were some REALLY good bread. Do ask for vinegar and olive oil. They have the best dips and I just couldn’t stop eating the bread with the dips. For appetizers, we had oysters. It was fresh and tasty. They had no more crab cakes (which Jimmie highly recommended), so we had a salmon salad which was also delicious and well cooked. The calamari fritti (fried squid) was alright. Then we had the chicken mattone and the shaking beef. Both meat were tender and well flavored. Do try! The prawn and garlic noodles were delicious! The prawn was huge and the noodles were cooked asian style. It was a good match and I have no complaints. This was one of my favorite dish of the night. For desserts, we had flan, which again, i have no complaints on.
It was a pleasant surprise with all the dishes that Jimmie prepared for us. Attentive service is a plus, great dinning experience. If you go there, I do recommend trying: prawn and garlic noodles, oysters, salmon, crab cake, chicken mattone and shaking beef. The bill came out great and nothing was really overpriced.
Do go there early, the neighborhood is just a little iffy once it gets late.

Great place, great food. Had the egg rolls, crab, crab cakes, oysters, garlic noodles, salmon, wine and chocolate mousse.
Everything was very good. The staff was very friendly and attentive. We had a party of four and they took care of us very well.
Ben Lee who is either an owner or partner is a lot of fun. Make sure you get to talk with him and hear some stories about growing up or fishing. Very funny guy.
You might not think the food is as good as it is from the outside of the restaurant but Jimmie bar is worth a visit when you are in SF.

Restaurant is decent. Service is good. We ordered the kobe beef burger, shaken beef, penne pasta, these were delicious. We also ordered a chicken noodle soup (thinking it’s the regular American one) for $ 7.50, it ended up to be the vietnames chicken noodle soup! We also ordered a salad, very plain, not that great. overall, the place is pretty good but prices are too high. we came with 2 adults and 2 children, we ordered one soup, one salad, 3 entrees, and a bottle of red wine because we had a
certificate and the minimum order is $ 100. we ended up paying $ 100 after the $ 50 certificate. Not a good deal at all. I might come back if the prices go down a little.

This is a fantastic restaurant located on the premises of the Cova Hotel. Although the location is right in the TL, the food and the service is exceptional. I came with a friend and we shared the oysters, the tiger prawns with garlic noodles, and the half rack of lamb.
It was actually my first time having raw oysters, but I could tell that they were very fresh. They were slightly sweet, and very good. Part of me was just glad that I didn’t puke from eating raw oysters, lol. They also gave us some toasted bread with butter, and their bread was great! It was toasted perfectly with just the right texture and crunchiness. Then the lamb came out and it was amazing! The meat was rich in flavor and cooked just right. The fresh vegetables that it came with were seasoned very well. I loved the squash and even the carrots, and I’m usually not a fan of cooked carrots. It also came with sliced potatoes, cauliflower, and pears.
The prawns with garlic noodles came out next, and the shrimp were gigantic! My only complaint is that they were deep fried with the skin on, and I found it hard to remove the skin because it was at the stage where it was stuck to the shrimp and difficult to peel off. Normally, i can either peel it off, or bite into it and eat the meat, but leave the skin intact. However, when I tried to bite into it, I bit into the skin as well because it was fried to a stage where it would break when you bite, but still stick to the meat. The result was it being stuck between my teeth. The taste of the shrimp was just ok, and I didn’t care too much for the noodles either, but my friend loved the garlic noodles (they weren’t garlicky enough for me).
The service was great. We ate at the counter and the waiter and waitress were very attentive. They refilled my water consistently and checked in with us to see how the food was. I would give the service 5 stars and would definitely order the lamb again, but I’d pass on the shrimp. Oh and this place takes
coupons, so the $ 25 definitely helps make it affordable for a very stellar dinner.

Asian-​Italian Fusion in the heart of the Tenderloin?
Two months ago, one of the girls at Silk told me that the chef of Bodega Bistro opened up a new Asian Fusion restaurant called Jimmie in the TL. BB is one of my favorite restaurants in the TL, so I immediately added Jimmie to my mounting list of «To-​Try».
Last night, 8.16.10, my friend and I came to Jimmie’s at 8 PM w/​o reservations and was promptly seated.
MENU:
Here’s a link to a menu:
Please note that it’s not 100% accurate. Some items like the Tom Yam Kung Soup, Carpaccio, Oyster Rockerfeller and Ham Shank were NOT on their actual menu. They’ve also raised their prices of their clams and oysters to $ 12 and the lobster bisque to $ 5.50.
A major disappointment is they didn’t have certain items listed on their actual menu. For example, the whole crab and lobster were not available last night. I wanted to order the crab salad, however it wasn’t available either, so our waiter suggested the crab cakes (off the menu). BUT, when I returned from the restroom, the waiter told me they didn’t have crab cakes OR the filet mignon rossini I ordered.
Needless to say, I was annoyed. If you do NOT have certain menu items available that night, you should disclose that upfront to your customers.
FOOD:
*Kumamoto Oysters (½ dozen-​$ 12): OMG! These were some of the best oysters I’ve ever had. The kumamotos were extremely fresh, delicate, and sweet. The accompanying cocktail sauce w/​horseradish was tangy, sweet, and spicy and perfectly complemented the kumamotos.
*NY Steak ($ 22.50): YUMMY! I’m normally a filet mignon type of girl as it’s a leaner cut of meat, yet tender if cooked properly. However, I really enjoyed the NY steak. It was perfectly grilled to a medium rare w/​a pink center. The charred crust gave a slight crunch and hint of smokiness which lead to the tender and moist center. The accompanying red wine reduction was bursting w/​a rich savory sweetness.
I opted to get all veggies instead of potatoes. The broccolini, yellow squash and carrots were cooked to a tender al-​dente and had just the right amount of salt to bring out the natural sweetness of them.
*Complimentary Cheesecake: Ok. Although it was creamy and decadent, the center was icy and cold.
SERVICE:
The staff at Jimmie are very nice and friendly. Jimmie, himself came by to say, «Hi» and Fan, our waiter (for most of the night) had a sarcastic sense of humor which very amusing. However, there needs to be more focus on managing the front of the house and better communication (i.e. menu issue).
There were many times where no one was in the front and diners were just left waiting around. Also, since there isn’t a dedicated wait staff per a table, one person’s primary task should making sure diners are ok.
AMBIANCE/​DÉCOR:
The space use to be a hole-​in-​the-​wall Chinese restaurant and they did a spectacular job transforming the space into a sleek and contemporary dining establishment. The muted grey walls, stone flooring, abstract artwork, crisp white linen tables, and light rock music sets the tone for a comforting, yet upscale environment. However, the noise level is like that of a Chinese restaurant during Sunday morning dim sum which is LOUD!
There’s table seating for about 35 people, but they can accommodate much more if the bar didn’t take up more than ¹⁄₃ of the restaurant.
CROWD:
European tourists. Jimmie has been opened for 3 months and I was wondering WHY there were only 5 Unilocal reviews. B/​c Jimmie is located at the bottom of the newly renovated Cova Hotel it makes it a convenient location for tourists to eat. Besides, by the look on many of the tourists’ faces who stepped out of the hotel, I doubt they would venture far from the hotel to grab a bite to eat.
PARKING:
Metered street parking and lot parking on hotel premises (I believe it was $ 2 for every 20 mins).
Jimmie has A LOT of potential. The quality and taste of their food is right on par w/​BB w/​an Italian twist of course. However, their kinks in the menu and service needs to be ironed out. Hopefully, when I return in several months, they will have the crab and filet mignon available…

I was looking for something a little different from what I usually go to for take out food today, since it’s been an exhausting week at work for us both and we needed a special wind down meal for dinner. So I started roaming the streets of TL for a restaurant that might fit this bill. When I got close to the Cova Hotel, I remembered reading about a new restaurant that opened in there and decided to check it out. I realized I might have found IT when I entered. The place is nice and clean. Staff are friendly and helpful. When I asked one of them for suggestions on what to order, I was told that for 2 people, I only needed the roasted poussin with vegetables and the garlic noodles, nothing else. He didn’t even try to make me spend more, though I was fully prepared to order 3 dishes. So I followed his advise and was very glad I did! The chicken was so moist and tender, the vegetables were cooked with the juice of the meat and packed with flavor. The noodles were also very tasty and the portion was huge.
It won’t be easy to start a new restaurant in this area that is already surrounded by many others. I wish them all the luck because I want to keep going back!

We live in the Tri-​Valley and we were meeting up with my mother and sister for lunch so we thought we try Jimmie’s. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted graciously and was offered a beverage. We also was able to meet the chef Jimmie himself. We started out with their special egg rolls, then came the Kumamoto Oysters, Giant Tiger Prawns with Garlic noodles, Shaking Beef (cubes of Filet Mignon) with Garlic noodles, and desert. The desert was a very refreshing Flan!
I must say, the food was excellent and priced perfect! I rarely give out 5’s but Jimmie’s take the cake! I’m still thinking about those Kumamoto’s! It’s like dining at Michael Minna’s or Gary Danko’s but ¹⁄₁₀^th price! LOL!

As many of you know, the Tenderloin is known to have quite a few hidden gems and Jimmie Bar Ristorante is yet another addition. Our dinner began with a dozen oysters. They were so fresh and tasty… sweet and plump. I can’t wait to go back to order another dozen. Calamari was crispy and light, you can’t go wrong with ordering those for appetizers. Tiger prawns and garlic noodles was a very generous portion. The tiger prawns were HUGE! The husband had shaking filet mignon with greens and mash potatoes. I had a bite and it was deliciously full of flavor. A friend recommended the lamb, which I shall try next time.
I just wish I still worked in the civic center area, so I could swing by here for lunch more often. Definitely a to-​go spot.

We went to the restaurant for Father’s Day celebration. It was our first dining experience there. Located at The Cova Hotel, Jimmie is newly renovated with chic décor and a huge bar area serving Italian food with an Asian twist. The restaurant is a diamond in the rough as it sits in the heart of the Tenderloin district of SF.
Upon arrival, we were greeted immediately by the host and bartender and were seated promptly. The wait staff was attentive, but the bartender gets an A+ for great service! Our drinks/​water glasses were never empty. Some highlights included the fresh oysters and crispy calamari as appetizers. The lobster bisque was the star of the appetizer round as every spoonful had lobster in it. As entrees came out, I’d have to say that the tiger prawns with garlic noodles was my favorite.
All in all, this was a pleasant dining experience. Food was great, and the prices were a bargain! One more thing I forgot to mention, the bread is from Boudin’s – that’s a plus! I would definitely come back again.

(See pics)
A new addition to Tenderloin by the remodeled Cova Hotel. The Italian Vietnamese Asian fusion is new and creative, also a new addition to Jimmie Kwok’s already well-​known Bodega Bistro.
The menu is of a very good variety. 4 soups and 4 salads options to start, and each course has different kinds of meat that you will find something you love.
I had the lobster bisque and it was very delicious. The whole mini loaf of bread was warm, something that I always think is an important gesture.
Ben, the guy who runs the place, whose brother is part owner, was super nice and friendly to describe every dish, even the breakfast, on how they prepare each one. How I wish I could order them all.
I had the shaking filet mignon brochettes, which was cooked with good red wine stir fried style with onion and a simple green. I could not help but also had the garlic noodles. Both were very tasty.
Ben was so nice to even give me a wine tasting. I had the recommended Jade Mountain Merlot which was a very generous pour and good pairing to the food. He’s the nicest guy who makes you feel like eating at his own kitchen with the great cuisine as he shared his life, cooking skills and family tales.
I have to come back to try out the oysters, squab, halibut and filet mignon rossini dish (filet mignon wrapped with bacon and white truffle on top.)
Ambiance wise, it’s just starting and a bit like family style as they were having friends and family to try out their dishes. This can quickly change as more people visit.
This evening they did not have music playing but it does look like they have the stereo ready and will be playing at some point.
A solid start with a promising opening.