J

Such a shame - this used to be a great little restaurant - doing good value and tasty breakfasts, well made thin-crust pizzas, and average pasta dishes. The food side to some extent is till fine....However, a big plus used to be the team of friendly waiters and waitresses who were welcoming and efficient.

Sadly over the last few months service standards have dropped significantly - the new focus seems to be speed rather than good service. This is a shame as the restaurant has lost its charm. I also speak Italian and have noticed a tendency for the waiters to make derogatory and unprofessional comments about the diners...espcially when they don't leave a tip! They should remember people will tip for good service, but not when standards have fallen so low.

There is a lot of competion in west hampstead - this restaurant will not survive unless it pulls its socks up!
Comment on this reader review

Chris
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 6
Sunday, May 04, 2008

my husband and i ate there last saturday. we both had tagliatelle lobster. it was fantastic. we could not belive it only £11.95. the staff were really freindly and the atmosphere was great. the waiter was a young italian that gave us best of service.
Comment on this reader review

kerry
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Saturday, December 08, 2007

Not sure about this place....

I went back their for the second time since they changed their decor, and thought they might have changed everything else.

But I was wrong.. All white and clean-the decor, I like it. Nice tables as well. The food? quite the average Italian. Nothing really special, I think. The generous portion made me ask myself if these are freshly cooked... If the quality is good then surely they will cut down in size. My friend had panna cotta for desert. On the menu it said it's served with strawberries but it came out with very very sweet chocolate sauce instead. Whey didn't they tell us about it?! The chocolate sauce was too overwellming and he couldn't taste the panna cotta at all, he said.

Arrogant service was also putting my dinner off. Italian restaurants should have happy singing waiters! It has certainly improved their atmosphere by changing their music and the decor but food still remains the same. I don't think I'll go back there again.
Comment on this reader review

Mark
Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 4
Thursday, September 06, 2007

A cracking restaurant with good food and friendly service. They do the best cooked breakfast I've had in London as well as quality pasta, pizzas and salads. The specials are often very good too, had a delicious lasagne there a few weeks ago and also a top notch steak, rocket and parmesan salad. It's busy every night of the week and the relaxed atmosphere is spot on.
Comment on this reader review

Rich
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Monday, August 20, 2007

Not usually a food critic, but today felt compelled to leave my review of J's. A pleasant decor was possibly the only thing that saved the awful experience that was J's. My first dish which consisted of swordfish and safron mash was about as bland as the paper on the menu the waiter failed to give us for about half an hour and appropriately described as my friend as cat food. Appaled bythe dish I was being charged about £16 for I sent it back and asked for the beef stew and rissottto. The beef was quite tender but the sauce awful and it was horribly coupled with tasteless rissotto. Although the waiters were friendly the service was very slow. I must say the pizza's looked ok, but I will most certainly not be returning to comment.
Comment on this reader review

Amine
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 1
Monday, April 16, 2007

Ate here on Saturday night. Not somewhere I would usually eat but remember a very well priced meal in the past with extremely generous portions. WOW I was not disappointed. I was delighted to find my start of "pan grilled tiger prawns" turned out to be langoustines. My main (the days special) was black tagliatelle with a whole lobster and clams was delicious and amazing cheap considering. Highly recommend this place for great food very well priced
Comment on this reader review

nathan
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 9
Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Pretty good food and good value for money. Unfortunately I've recently been to J for a Sunday brunch and the service was appaling. The waiters seemed to be more intersted in people watching than in taking orders/bringing bills etc..
Comment on this reader review

Assia B
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 6
Friday, July 21, 2006

Fantastic!!! Great Service and wonderful food!
Comment on this reader review

Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, May 31, 2006

I enjoy J. The vegetarian breakfast is good. I've had lunch there--not as good. Pasta was bland and salad was horrible with wilted lettuce and awful tomatoes. I will stick to only eating breakfasts there.
Comment on this reader review

Taren
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Sunday, May 28, 2006

This is okay. It's fairly cheap and the food is well okayish. Pizzas are big as are the portions of pasta. Personally I'd like the portions of pasta to be slightly smaller. You used to be able to get draught lager but it's now all bottled which I don't like because I feel I'm getting ripped off.

All in all if you're feeling a bit peckish but it's nothing special.
Comment on this reader review

Dominic Fox
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 6
Tuesday, November 29, 2005