Review: Jacqueline Suzannes Bistro.

[XylathaneGTR]

I've been meaning to get this up here for the last week...but it's finals season and i've been rather busy. Since my brain now feels like mush, I thought this was a good time to take a break and throw up a review.

Anywho:

Jacqueline Suzannes Bistro
1219 9th Ave S.E. (Inglewood)
(403) 266-1005
www.jacquelinesuzannes.ca


I recalled a beyond user (A790) mentioning that his family owned this restaurant and I decided that i'd give it a try after I found out that a restaurant I originally had in mind was closed sunday evenings.

I called saturday evening and booked a reservation for the following sunday (as in, the next day) at 6:30. The restaurant called me around 11 on sunday morning to confirm, which I appreciated.

Ambiance/Atmosphere: 9/10

The restaurant is located in an old historic building, and felt very quiet and comforting. It should be noted that the restaurant is also an antique shop, so the decor is quite different from what you'd expect from your average place. There was a lot of character in the decor and it gave it a really nice 'personal' feel, and my date and I really liked that. There was even a guestbook at the front to sign. The musical selection played was also fantastic (Sinatra, various classical, etc) and really added to the atmosphere. Overall, a very nice place.

Food - 9/10

The food was delicious. My date ordered the Sake Poached Atlantic Salmon (~26). I'm generally not a huge fan of seafood. I like sushi and lobster, but i'm not really a fan of cooked fish...I just don't like it. I did try some of her salmon and it actually tasted really, really good...to the point where I wouldn't mind eating it. (If someone can take something I don't like and it ends up tasting great...I tip my hat to them.)
I ordered the Linguine with Spolumbo Sausage (~18.) The pasta was very fresh and light, and came with a delicious sauce that had a bit of a kick too it, but wasn't "too spicy."
There was also a complementary basket of some sort of bread (I guess it would have been a 12 grain wheat-ish bread) that was very fresh and quite tasty.
Overall, the food was very well prepared, very fresh and the portions were nicely sized.

Service - 10/10

My date wanted to have 'the window seat' right up at the front of the restaurant. Once of the owners (i'm going to assume A790/Cam's father) checked up on us regularl, and even brought us a couple of dry vodka martini's, free of charge. (Very tasty, and the olives were delicious, too.) My date was rather curious about the manequin and player piano that was sitting next to us, and Cam's father told us a bit about the history of it and how they came about owning 'Nick' (the manequin)
Cam's mother also checked up on us, and made a wine suggestion for my date that turned out great. We were very well looked after.

Pricing 9/10

Prices were very reasonable for what you got. Entree's in the high 20's low 30's, appetizers in the low to mid teens. For the two of us, including a glass of wine and a softdrink, it came to just under 60 dollars.

Overall - 9/10

It can generally be summed up that it was a great dining experience, and I really enjoyed every minute of it.
There is street parking infront of the restaurant, as well as an impark lot located about 1/2 a block up the street...so there's ample parking available. I look forward to going back.

[max_boost]

I've been wanting to try this place for awhile but schedule hasn't worked out. Good to hear such a positive review.

I love salmon.

:drool: :drool: :drool:

[Jynx]

Seems like a perfect review. Surprised not a 10/10?

Any negatives at all?

[LongCity]

Any biases in the review?! I plan on trying this place out some time after exams were all finished up. Reminds me of Rocky when the owner(s) come out and have small talk with the customers.

[adidas]

did a790 know that your were from beyond and that you were makin a stop down there?

[XylathaneGTR]

Originally posted by Jynx
Seems like a perfect review. Surprised not a 10/10?

Any negatives at all?
I'm hesitant to give something the holy 10/10.

I wouldn't really say there were any big negatives in the experience. The window seat we decided to sit at was a little cramped in terms of space, but that's about it.

Adidas: I sent a790 a pm about it, enquiring if they were open on sunday evenings, as I couldn't tell for sure from their website. I ended up calling and making a reservation before he got back to me. I had only heard of the place after he mentioned it in a thread and suggested it (and did state that his family owned it.)
I later sent him a PM thanking him for recommending it, as it was a good experience.

I did mention to him in a PM beforehand that I had made a reservation for sunday evening. There were a few other groups of people in the place, and some that arrived about the same time I did...So i don't believe he knew who I was, and i don't believe we got "special treatment" because im a member of an ultracool secret internet forum or anything like that...

I thought i'd thank them for the good experience by throwing up a review.

[A790]

I'm glad you enjoyed it :)

I'm actually heading down there tonight for a meal. I don't work there anymore so it's fun to pop in and enjoy the restaurant from the other side of the table.

[GQNammer]

Trying this place out tonight! After reading this review I'm having high expectations of this place. Don't know if that's a good thing or bad thing.

[A790]

Originally posted by GQNammer
Trying this place out tonight! After reading this review I'm having high expectations of this place. Don't know if that's a good thing or bad thing.
Make sure you call and get a reservation :) It's been quite busy for the last few weeks.

[GQNammer]

^^

Yup made reservations. Just got back from there.

The first impression wasn't very great. The person up front, (older gentleman) seemed surprised that my wife and I were there. I told him we had a reservation for 2 and said, "are you sure?" I told him yes and that I called in 2 hours ago and they said that they had space available for 8pm. He checks the book, still surprised says, "okay I guess we gotta set up a table for you guys upstairs."

It wasn't a BIG deal but first impressions do count for me.

Went upstairs and I thought I was gonna smoke my head in the ceiling lol. But it was a nice ambience and comfy chairs! I'm just glad I didn't come at a busy time because upstiars looked like it could maybe fit 16 people uncomfortably. There was live music being played downstairs where the bar is, guess there was an xmas party going on.

Our server was great for the most part. Only snag was when I asked for a refill on my drink and she was heading downstairs but talked it up to the table behind my wife and I for about 8 minutes. But no biggie, i'm a patient guy.

Ordered 2 apps and 2 entrees. Our apps were the giant scallops and cold smoked salmon, both were absolutely delicious. My wife ordered the lobster ravioli and I ordered the linguini with spicy italian sausage. Again, both were soooo good. I'm a meat kind of guy and a lot of places I find myself finishing the meat before I finish my pasta, but this was not the case. Plenty of sausage :) Excellent portion size also. My wife brought 1/2 of her entree home and I didn't finish mine.

Overall, it was a good experience and I would highly recommend this place to everyone. Food is excellent, price was fair, and service was good for the majority. Oh and forgot to mention, with our 2 apps, 2 entrees, a chocolate cheesecake, tea and pop came out to $105 including tip ($91.80 before tip)

[Neil4Speed]

Hey Guys,

Just giving a quick review of JS. Me and My girlfriend checked it out a couple of weeks ago, and it is truly one of my new favorites in Calgary. I think part of the charm is its versatility. At first thought I felt it would be suited as a perfect first date spot, with the personalized service, fantastic food, and eclectic furnishings and decorations coupled by the charm of ingelwood. However, the more I thought about it, it is equally suitable for a few friends going out for a nice casual dining experience for those who are discerning about their food - as we witnessed two couples just hanging out drinking wine with their fantastic appetizers.

Our server was professional but approachable and friendly. Service was excellent, and our food took very little time. We ordered a bake brie for an appetizer, with the Sake Salmon on Wild Rice, and my GF ordered the Buternut Squash Ravioli, We finished with an interesting Creme Brule. Everything tasted exquisite and on par or better than any fine restaurant that I have been to. The servings are generous and I couldn't even finish my meal - of course food this good would never be wasted I took it home and savored it as my lunch the next day. The Creme Brule is unique in that the filling was cold, and intended so, its a nice twist on a classic dessert - refreshing after a heavy meal.

Our Meal came to ~100 after everything (no alcoholic drinks).

I can't wait to come back to this great restaurant - for the brunch for sure, the menu looked delicious.

[bigbadboss101]

Was going to go to Nelly in the Loop but we saw a line up so my gal friend suggested J & S. Had the table right by the front window. After a while I realized it was Cam who was our server.

Food was very nice, and the menu selection is quite good. Server was friendly and helpful. All in all a pleasant experience will definitely go back again!

[A790]

Thanks for the great reviews guys. Being a family restaurant, we all work hard to keep things flowing smoothly. We hit some snags every now and again, like any other restaurant, but we work hard to keep things running.

Also, it was great to meet some beyonders! :)

[twodoor]

We just had a group dinner at Jacqueline Suzanne's last night.

They have a private loft space in the back, and rearranged it to give us one large table for 17. It is an older building so the loft ceiling is a little lower than normal, but after you're up there for a few minutes you don't even notice it (and it was a good for a few jokes at the expense of the tallest members of the group). It's normally several square and round tables that seat up to 20, but the single large table worked well, and gave us a little room to stand and mingle with drinks before dinner. The space is above the kitchen, so it gets a little warm with a large group, but there is a window on the back wall for some extra air flow.

They allowed us to order off the menu, and the group covered a fairly wide range, including salads, escargot in a parmesan cream sauce, crab cakes, a neptune beef tenderloin with king crab, the daily special chicken breast, and several of the prime ribs, to name a few. The prime rib is served Friday and Saturday, and the 10 oz and 15 oz servings both seemed very generous. The entrees also all arrived together, so kudos to the kitchen staff. The day's dessert specials included several flavors of creme brulee and cheesecake, along with tiramasu and baked apples.

The service was top notch (even with having to bound up and down the stairs) and the meal was a fantastic accompaniment to an evening of catching up with old friends and colleagues.

I had looked at several other places, but they were all much more stringent in their group requirements (e.g. Saltlik downstairs required $1500 minimum, Vintage needed a $500 deposit and set menu). Metropolitan Grill on 8th in TD Square has a private room behind the bar, but the decor there is starting to look pretty worn (e.g. broken floor tiles). Ric's Grill was willing to let us order off the menu, but their private room holds up to 50, so we would have been sharing it with another group.

As it turned out, Jacqueline Suzanne's was very flexible in working with us on the space set up and giving us the full menu, and everyone in the group had a great time with a terrific meal. If you have a group of similar size, I would certainly recommend Jacqueline Suzanne's.

[McHonda]

Heard about JS on CalgaryPuck, going there tonight, now my expectations are raised another notch haha :D

[A790]

Originally posted by McHonda
Heard about JS on CalgaryPuck, going there tonight, now my expectations are raised another notch haha :D
How was it? :D

[McHonda]

Originally posted by A790

How was it? :D

It was very nice meeting you last night Cam, we and our friends all agree that we haven't had such great service in a Calgary restaurant in a long time! Of course I think it helps that you are a part-owner haha :thumbsup:

I will write this review in the format of the OP's:

Ambiance/Atmosphere: 9.5/10

It was hard to find and we drove around the block a few times, I did have to finally call and ask for hints lol but we did find it afterwards no problem. The ambiance is very unique and intimate, which makes for a perfect space for chit-chat and get-together among couples, as was our case. By the way, our ladies found the furniture for sale in the back pages of the menu very amusing.

Food - 9.5/10

Our friend suggested the Baked Brie with Peach Chutney to start with. The 4 of us shared this together and it was more than enough cheese, however the Crostinis were somewhat lacking at first in comparison to the cheese's portion. My buddy asked Cam for more and he let us know that the $0.75 charge per extra piece was comped by the chef ;) lol...so yeah if you order this Brie to share among friends be prepared to pay up for the extra crostinis. :poosie: Overall, a very enjoyable appie to kick off the evening with.

As the OP suggested in his rave review, I suggested the Sake Poached Atlantic Salmon to my friend, she was initially scared off by the Wasabi aioli, but Cam assured her that it doesn't have the "kick" of wasabi, and that he would serve it on the side, so she did finally decide on it and it turned out great!

My lady had the Seafood Linguine in Creole sauce and she also loved it. There is also pieces of salmon in it, and like the OP I am generally not a fan of cooked fish, I did try a piece and totally agree that it's fantastic.

Me and my buddy both had the AAA tenderloin, his was the special of the night not on the regular menu, Oscar with hollandaise sauce, it came with the biggest jumbo prawns I've seen in my life, the steak was barely visible when it was served, and the steak wasn't exactly a tiny 6oz'r either. He loved it.

Being that we're not in a steak house my expectations weren't that high for the food, I originally was going to get the Linguine with Spicy Italian Sausage as I am a big fan of Spolumbos, but my lady insisted that I go with the steak as I am also a carnivore in the worse sense of the term :D No meat, no joy for this guy hahaha.

So I had the Blue Cheese & Escagot variant of the tenderloin. It was served with a generous amount of blue cheese sauce and 3 de-shelled escagot. I'm a huge escagot lover and this was simply divine, no questions about it. Next time I'm definitely ordering the escagot as an appie.

The steak however was slightly overcooked to the medium side (I asked for medium rare). However it wasn't a big deal and it was still very decent. For the record my buddy's steak was done right so I'm sure this is just an anomaly. The blue cheese did help the flavors so it was still pretty good overall.

As for dessert, our friends had the Creme Brule Duo and the Chocolate Cheesecake, we shared another Creme Brule Duo between the two of us. All were very good, the Creme Brule came as advertised by Neil4Speed above, with a cool filling. It came in 2 containers, one is Kahlua and the other Apple Cinnamon flavored. I really enjoyed the Kahlua flavored one, the Apple Cinnamon one was reserved for my lady and I absolutely cannot stand Cinnamon, she loves it though!

Wine - 10/10

I am normally a Merlot drinker, but I am also a beer snob and when it comes to wine I am not nearly as picky as my buddy, who is also a "wine enthusiast" as defined by Cam, with a considerable collection at home. On Cam's suggestion, we had the Luigi Bosca, a Malbec from Argentina with hints of blackberry and dark chocolate, it was quite intense with a smooth long finish. An excellent pairing for the steak IMO.


Service - 13/10

There cannot be enough said about Cam's excellent service. When he mentioned that Suzanne is his mom that's when I realized he was indeed the man I've read about here on Beyond. He also did tell us we're getting 10% off because of Beyond, and we were pleasantly surprised since I did not see his thread on this promo before I went out. Admittedly I did hear about JS's on CalgaryPuck first but a little poking around on here let me to this review thread. :)

Throughout the evening Cam was very entertaining without being intrusive or overdoing his bits. I have quite a few clients/friends/relatives in the restaurant business and I am sure even they would be throughly impressed by the service. Bonus points for the purple shirt haha :bigpimp:

The final nice touch is, after my lady spilled the beans about the occasion, he put a candle on a cookie with my creme brule and serenaded me, along with the other table in the far corner in celebration of my birthday. (which is still a week and change away actually), Thank you. She did take me home though, contrary to your suggestion earlier :ROFL:

**Cam has certainly not bribed me to write this review ;) but that is how wonderful he has made our evening out, that I am now compelled to tell anyone who ask for a restaurant suggestion from now on to pay JS a visit. I am generally quite picky when it comes to the service I receive in the hospitality industry, and I really could find no faults with the service this evening.


Pricing 9/10

What the OP said basically, I believe our tab came to ~$220ish before tip, for the four of us. It was my friends' treat and I didn't get the exact figure. Prices are in line with most downtown restaurants but the experience is incomparable. In that light, I would say it's most reasonable and a great value.


Overall - 11/10

Jacqueline Suzanne's was definitely a great place to spend the evening and I'm glad we gave it a go. A re-visit is definitely warranted. As long as Cam can guarantee a pigflufree environment next time :ROFL: *I keed I keed* lol

Two thumbs up :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

~Horace

On an unrelated note, nice shutout by Kipper last night :goflames:

[The_Rural_Juror]

My honest non-biased thoughts on this place.

The good: Best eggs benedict that I have ever had. Excellent service. Reasonable pricing. Well worth a trip.

The other: My very first impression upon entering was that this isn't the type of place that I would normally go to. The antique-y decor, and the hobbit friendly second level, was a little different for me; and I genuinely felt like I was going to be tossed out for being decades too young.

[DC328is]

Just tried this place out yesterday.

I ordered the Triple A beef with blue cheese and escargot. It was exsquisite! portion was perfect. exceeded my expectations. however, like the previous post, i asked for a medium rare, but it seemed to be that it was more on the medium side.

my girlfriend ordered the sake poached salmon. the fish was very soft and juicy. In my opinion, the salmon could use a bit more uniqueness to it. It kind of tastes like what my mom makes at home. perhaps somehow make the outside nice n crispy and the inside soft and juicy.

Onto dessert, we ordered the gran marnier creme brule. it was absolutely delightful.

Service was 8.5/10 (probably because we arrived so early, 5:45 pm)
Ambience was 9/10 (lots of unique antique wear)
Food was 9.5/10 (especially the triple A beef steak)

ide definitely go again!

[CMW403]

I ate here just before new years, it was fantastic.

The food was delicious, most mentionable was the lamb appetizer. In my online reservation I mentioned that it was my girlfriend and I's 6 month anniversary. We got desert on the house and a beyond members 10% discount.

my girlfriend absolutely LOVED the atmosphere. The antiques and decor were right up her alley and she's already begging to go back for breakfast.

Excellent work cam.

[stevieo]

oh man, reading all these reviews makes me really wanna go there soon. good job a790 and family. :angel:

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by stevieo
oh man, reading all these reviews makes me really wanna go there soon. good job a790 and family. :angel:

Yeah, I just booked in for saturday night, lol, menu looks goood.

[Tomaz]

It's been good eats here since the day it opened.

A790- When is that Pecan Pie coming back. That stuff used to make my dates horny! I need it back! lol

[max_boost]

Hey A790, what's the latest seating on a Fri or Sat night? Don't want your employees to get upset if I come too late haha but I'm very generous when it comes to tipping. :D

[A790]

Haha, I'm no longer at the restaurant on a regular basis, but I thank you all for your kind words and great reviews :) We all work hard to keep that place running strong.

Sam, the Kitchen closes at 10pm, so I'd get there around 9-9:30. Don't worry, you won't be turned away and no one will give you attitude. Make sure you give me a heads up when you book so I can make sure you're taken care of :)

Tik-Tok, PM me your name so I can pass your info along to the floor manager too :)

[taemo]

looks like this is where I'm taking my b for her bday.

hey a790, what do you guys have for dessert?
also is it possible for me to request a specific sparkling wine?
she likes Nino Franco "Rustico" Prosecco di Valdobbiadene or do you have any recommendation?

[R-Audi]

Not going to make another thread..


I was there for Brunch on Sunday... everything was excellent!
Great Server..
(can't remember his name)

Great food..
(I had Spicey tenderloin wrap, other 3 had breakfast items--All breakfasts were quite large! Then we broke down for dessert.. the Creme Brule combo; all excellent!!)

Only thing I would mention... if you are taller (over 6"2) dont make reservations upstairs! (We knew this going in... but preffered sitting upstairs anyways)

Great place!! Highly reccomended.

[A790]

Originally posted by taemo
looks like this is where I'm taking my b for her bday.

hey a790, what do you guys have for dessert?
also is it possible for me to request a specific sparkling wine?
she likes Nino Franco "Rustico" Prosecco di Valdobbiadene or do you have any recommendation?
Call the Bistro and ask for Brynne. Our dessert options change routinely as we make them fresh in-house.

[dannie]

I popped into Jacqueline Suzannes last night for dinner. We had an awesome dinner and a great time with the server! :) The lamb was especially fantastic. I would recommend stopping in here for dinner if you are in the area.

[smurfette]

Amazing food for the price! Service was great and the atmosphere is cozy. Will be having my birthday dinner there!

[Boomph]

Will be making my 5th visit tomorrow night with my parents for a celebration. Really looking forward to the butternut squash ravioli and the creme burle.

But has anybody got any recommendations on what appetizers to try, other than the salads we usually get.

[A790]

Originally posted by Boomph
Will be making my 5th visit tomorrow night with my parents for a celebration. Really looking forward to the butternut squash ravioli and the creme burle.

But has anybody got any recommendations on what appetizers to try, other than the salads we usually get.
Aw dude, so many options.

Are you vegetarian? If so- Baked Brie FO SHO. Delicious.

If not, the lambtini is awesome. The scallops are awesome.

Man it's all good. 5 visits? You're the man/woman!

[dj_rice]

Originally posted by A790

Aw dude, so many options.

Are you vegetarian? If so- Baked Brie FO SHO. Delicious.

If not, the lambtini is awesome. The scallops are awesome.

Man it's all good. 5 visits? You're the man/woman!


Wow you speak highly of your own restaurant :rofl: :facepalm:


Open up a Edmonton location damn it! :cry:

[stevieo]

Originally posted by dj_rice



Wow you speak highly of your own restaurant :rofl: :facepalm:


Open up a Edmonton location damn it! :cry:

just drive yourself and lude_grl down here for dinner instead man! scenic route, then dinner, then go to banff for the night. get outta the condo for a weekend. good for you two

[A790]

Originally posted by dj_rice



Wow you speak highly of your own restaurant :rofl: :facepalm:

Open up a Edmonton location damn it! :cry:
Hey man, would you eat at a restaurant if the owner was like "Man, all my food sucks ass."

Hell no, you go where it's DELICIOUS and boy, it's DELICIOUS. hahaha.

[Boomph]

Originally posted by A790

Aw dude, so many options.

Are you vegetarian? If so- Baked Brie FO SHO. Delicious.

If not, the lambtini is awesome. The scallops are awesome.

Man it's all good. 5 visits? You're the man/woman!

I will try the scallops tonight. I just want to try new items. Got any recommendations for the entrees? I always get the roast beef, or the squash ravioli, and salmon.

[flipstah]

'Tis a shame that you're closed tonight as I was going to bring my family there for Family Day.

Another time perhaps. Can't wait to eat there! :thumbsup:

[Wrinkly]

Damn - another to add to my growing list - had my eye on this for a while, too!

Maybe my family will take me there for my birthday (HINT, HINT) :D

[Speed_69]

I went here tonight for the first time with the GF for her birthday. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a great place to eat. The restaurant has many antiques and has a very cozy feel.

We started off with crabcakes. Absolutely delicious!:drool: For entrees, I had the Triple A Beef Tenderloin Filet with blue cheese and escargots and the gf had a 10oz Prime Rib which was one of the specials for the night. Both were cooked to Medium Rare and Medium as we requested. My Beef Tenderloin was really good and the prime rib was even better. We were kind of dissapointed for dessert though as we wanted to try the creme brule but they were out for the night which I found abit odd considering they made their desserts fresh in-house? We opted to just pass on dessert after that. For drinks, I just had a tall double rum and coke- can't really screw up on this haha.

Service was also great. I will definitely go back to this restaurant :thumbsup: Can't really go often though because i'm not baller like the rest of the fellas on Beyond haha

[LongCity]

haha just cause it's made in house doesn't mean they have an unlimited supply of ingredients... Anyways, have had this pace in mind for a while so I am a prospective customer for the near months to come!

[nrt_vw]

just read the reviews here and checked the website, i'll definatley be making some reservations soon :drool:

[cet]

I went with the family last night for dinner. The food, the service, the ambiance, everything was excellent. Will definitely be going back.

[taemo]

I tried going there at 5pm on monday but it was still close.. one day..

[B_Tran]

Was there last Friday night for Dine Out Calgary...just fantastic.

[Clever]

Planning on celebrating my wife's 30th there with a few friends, will post review after.

[A790]

Originally posted by Clever
Planning on celebrating my wife's 30th there with a few friends, will post review after.
When you visiting?

[Clever]

Hey Cam,

April 3rd, just waiting on how many people are coming before I make reservations.

[Klew]

For xmas I gave my aunt and uncle a gift certificate to Jacqueline Suzannes Bistro (since there is nothing but good reviews about it), and they used it for their anniversary dinner recently. They told me loved it there, and they're planning to go back soon too. I guess I'll have to try it out for myself now!

[A790]

Originally posted by Clever
Hey Cam,

April 3rd, just waiting on how many people are coming before I make reservations.
Right on, I hope you have a blast :)

[Clever]

I'm sure it'll be great.

[GQBalla]

Just put in a reservation for 2. For a birthday. I'm excited. Will post review after!

[Amysicle]

I went during Dine Out Calgary to this place and the food was just excellent! Service was a bit slow at first, but then they switched servers and our second server was a bit more on the ball, had some stories to share and listened to ours. Didn't overstay her welcome but was around if we needed her.

We were by the front windows and I was worried it might be chilly but it was fine.

The prime rib and lobster ravioli was just excellent and we were surprised by the portions sizes because we expected them to be much smaller due to the lower prices offered by the event.

More than happy to go again for a date night!

[Wrinkly]

Went to Jacqueline Suzanne's last night for my burfday dinner.

(I know I could have let you know ahead of time Cam, but I wanted to keep it 'honest' and see how it went without any 'special' treatment.)

Was very busy, they were a server down and we were served by an older lady (Manageress) who was very nice and pleasant albeit a little rushed. As a result getting refills for drinks was a little tough, but not a huge deal and it didn't affect our enjoyment of the evening at all.

Absolutely loved the ambiance/atmosphere of the place - warm and cosy, with subdued lighting. Just as it should be IMO. Worth going just for that - big comfy chairs, too! The upstairs with its low ceiling is really cool, though it does get warm up there.

Loved the food - a Canadian restaurant that can actually make good Yorkshire Puddings that look and taste like the real thing, they were excellent, what a rarity! (That's quite a compliment coming from an English person) ;) :thumbsup:

My Caesar salad was good - I wouldn't call it super special, it's just a salad, but good nonetheless - and very well priced.

The 10 oz. steak was good and cooked to order. They even managed to rustle up a couple of special ordered blackened, despite being so busy.

My only criticism would be the "vegetables" that came with it. I would hardly call one very skinny piece of Asparagus, one strip of yellow pepper and four very small pieces of potato a serving of vegetables. It was more like a garnish (my son took a photo which I will post when I get it from him). That aside, it was a delicious dinner.

Desserts, as mentioned by previous posters were limited in choice which was disappointing. I had the last piece of Pecan cheesecake. I found it ok - didn't knock my socks off or anything, but was perfectly fine, but maybe a little too sweet for my taste. Others had the chocolate cheesecake which I got a taste of - that was delicious, should have had that instead..lol

I can't comment on total bill or how big a tip was left because I didn't pick up the tab. What I can say is, from looking at the menu, prices were commensurate with the food and certainly not 'over priced'.

Overall a great experience in great surroundings with very friendly service. Definitely on my "go again" list! next time I will resist the steak and try something different.

The only other negative that was nothing to do with the restaurant itself - were the bloody Harley's roaring past the front door with their excessively loud exhausts. They drowned out the music even though we were as far back inside as you can possibly get.

Jacqueline Suzanne's - GO! You won't regret it IMO. :love:

[Clever]

Originally posted by Clever
Hey Cam,

April 3rd, just waiting on how many people are coming before I make reservations.




Just wanted to give a quick feedback on Jacqueline Suzanne's, we were there on Saturday for my wife's birthday, with 13 people in our party, everyone had a great time and the food as our server said "the food here is not good, it's amazing" everyone in our party agreed, the food was excellent the service was awesome . I can post a more in depth review when I have time. We will be coming back again and I'm sure everyone else in our party feels the same.:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[A790]

Originally posted by Amysicle
I went during Dine Out Calgary to this place and the food was just excellent! Service was a bit slow at first, but then they switched servers and our second server was a bit more on the ball, had some stories to share and listened to ours. Didn't overstay her welcome but was around if we needed her.

We were by the front windows and I was worried it might be chilly but it was fine.

The prime rib and lobster ravioli was just excellent and we were surprised by the portions sizes because we expected them to be much smaller due to the lower prices offered by the event.

More than happy to go again for a date night!



Originally posted by Wrinkly
Went to Jacqueline Suzanne's last night for my burfday dinner.

(I know I could have let you know ahead of time Cam, but I wanted to keep it 'honest' and see how it went without any 'special' treatment.)

Was very busy, they were a server down and we were served by an older lady (Manageress) who was very nice and pleasant albeit a little rushed. As a result getting refills for drinks was a little tough, but not a huge deal and it didn't affect our enjoyment of the evening at all.

Absolutely loved the ambiance/atmosphere of the place - warm and cosy, with subdued lighting. Just as it should be IMO. Worth going just for that - big comfy chairs, too! The upstairs with its low ceiling is really cool, though it does get warm up there.

Loved the food - a Canadian restaurant that can actually make good Yorkshire Puddings that look and taste like the real thing, they were excellent, what a rarity! (That's quite a compliment coming from an English person) ;) :thumbsup:

My Caesar salad was good - I wouldn't call it super special, it's just a salad, but good nonetheless - and very well priced.

The 10 oz. steak was good and cooked to order. They even managed to rustle up a couple of special ordered blackened, despite being so busy.

My only criticism would be the "vegetables" that came with it. I would hardly call one very skinny piece of Asparagus, one strip of yellow pepper and four very small pieces of potato a serving of vegetables. It was more like a garnish (my son took a photo which I will post when I get it from him). That aside, it was a delicious dinner.

Desserts, as mentioned by previous posters were limited in choice which was disappointing. I had the last piece of Pecan cheesecake. I found it ok - didn't knock my socks off or anything, but was perfectly fine, but maybe a little too sweet for my taste. Others had the chocolate cheesecake which I got a taste of - that was delicious, should have had that instead..lol

I can't comment on total bill or how big a tip was left because I didn't pick up the tab. What I can say is, from looking at the menu, prices were commensurate with the food and certainly not 'over priced'.

Overall a great experience in great surroundings with very friendly service. Definitely on my "go again" list! next time I will resist the steak and try something different.

The only other negative that was nothing to do with the restaurant itself - were the bloody Harley's roaring past the front door with their excessively loud exhausts. They drowned out the music even though we were as far back inside as you can possibly get.

Jacqueline Suzanne's - GO! You won't regret it IMO. :love:



Originally posted by Clever





Just wanted to give a quick feedback on Jacqueline Suzanne's, we were there on Saturday for my wife's birthday, with 13 people in our party, everyone had a great time and the food as our server said "the food here is not good, it's amazing" everyone in our party agreed, the food was excellent the service was awesome . I can post a more in depth review when I have time. We will be coming back again and I'm sure everyone else in our party feels the same.:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Glad everyone had a great time :)

[taemo]

finally had a chance to try it out

booked a table for 5:30pm last night, we had the seats right by the windows since no one was there yet and the waiter offered us to pick where to sit.

waiter was really friendly, always there to make jokes with us, check how we are doing and our food.

we ordered the crab cake for appetizer, found it a little soggy to my taste (don't know how it should be) but darn tasty, spicy but can't get enough of it, perfect as it came with salad to take off a little of the heat aswell.

for main, my gf ordered the seafood linguine whereas for myself, I ordered the prime rib.
one of the best pasta she ever had, the prime rib as well was exceptional, my favourite along with Mercato's bistecca.

for dessert, as my gf was full, I just ordered a Crème brûlée to share with her.


definitely one of the best restaurants we ate in Calgary and on our top 3.

[msommers]

Finally had a chance to try this restaurant for lunch and in short, we'll be going back.

We came in yesterday and were nicely greeted by a young man. The place was dead, it was us and an older couple. We took the seat by the window and were taken by all antiques placed throughout the restaurant. We put in our food order and I ordered a beer. He promptly came back with the bottle and a glass. I was a little taken actually when he came back later and made a bit of a snarky remark about me not using the glass he provided; notable but not a huge deal. We were later invited to look around. Given that the restaurant was pretty much our's at the time, we snooped. Lots of cool things to look at! It was apparent that the restaurant was named after a favorite author (or at least appears that way). The girl I was with said many times how cute the place was, how much she liked it, etc. Myself I found it had a lot of character as well; I suppose old buildings just have that attached if kept in as good of shape as this place. The top floor made me feel much taller than I'm used to, I'm not so sure this area would be favorable for anyone taller than 5'8 if that.

Our food came quite quickly which was expected. I had the jambalaya and she had the Moroccan wrap. I was absolutely stuffed by the end. I have Jamalaya anytime there is a chance and this is probably the best I've had from a restaurant, definitely not the spiciest though but I think that was to do in part from a subtle sweetness I sensed. There was not a huge portion of rice (which is great) but rather a splendid portion of various meats to fill the plate, each cooked perfectly. My date mentioned the Moroccan wrap was also quite good, but the salad that it came with was just ok.

I'd like to go back with more people another time to try various appetizers and maybe to sneak a bite off of other's plates because lets face it, I'll just be ordering jamabalya again!

I was skepitcal about the reviews given how heavily involved a beyonder is with the restaurant. Pleasently surprised, it has lived up to the hype.

[Wrinkly]

Not named after an author, but the two women that started the business apparently. :)

We had a couple of 6' tall guys upstairs, and they could still stand (though their hair was dusting the ceiling...lol). But it's really irrelevant when you're sitting down to eat.

[TYMSMNY]

Had a great experience here as well.

4 for dinner. every dish was great. Prime Rib (cut WAY more than paid for :drool: ), Blue Cheese/escargot Tenderloin, Lamb Chops, and a seafood pasta. Dessert was very good... I had some apple thing.

Staff good care of us as well as introduce how the building came to be, what it use to be, what the ceilings were made out of and of course... in a fire situation... the firemen would have access to water right from the floor.

Price was very reasonable for the quality of food that was served. Would definitely go back, a definite :thumbsup: .

[deee_wreck]

Went for dinner yesterday May 6

Wasn't busy in the resto, probably a 4 tables occupied.

She ordered the chicken du jour , I had the blue cheese escargot filet.

Overall good experience, mike the server was very friendly and talkative.

will definitely return.

[max_boost]

Went here for dinner tonight and it was fantastic. Excellent service, great food, delicious desserts.

Crab cakes and stuffed mushrooms for appetizers.

10oz prime rib and rack of lamb for mains.

Chocolate cheesecake and trio of gelato for dessert.

+ Great conversation = 2.5 hours went by in a flash.

The decor is different but I appreciate it for what it is.

Definitely one of the best meals I've had.

Will be back.....when I return from China hahaha

[JfuckinC]

Hmmm How late can you make reso's say if i wanted to make some for 2 tomorrow? Cant deny this many great reviews haha :nut:

[TYMSMNY]

Originally posted by JfuckinC
Hmmm How late can you make reso's say if i wanted to make some for 2 tomorrow? Cant deny this many great reviews haha :nut:

usually ok for Wednesday nights, enjoy.

The Tenderloin w/ bluecheese + escargo = :thumbsup: I get that every time I'm there.

[A790]

Originally posted by JfuckinC
Hmmm How late can you make reso's say if i wanted to make some for 2 tomorrow? Cant deny this many great reviews haha :nut:
Reserve online at www.jacquelinesuzannes.ca :)

[JfuckinC]

Originally posted by TYMSMNY


usually ok for Wednesday nights, enjoy.

The Tenderloin w/ bluecheese + escargo = :thumbsup: I get that every time I'm there.



Originally posted by A790

Reserve online at www.jacquelinesuzannes.ca :)


Awesome, just did, Thanks!
Super jacked, just checked the menu and it looks like i'll be skipping lunch haha

:drool:

[A790]

Originally posted by JfuckinC






Awesome, just did, Thanks!
Super jacked, just checked the menu and it looks like i'll be skipping lunch haha

:drool:
How was it?

[JfuckinC]

Originally posted by A790

How was it?

Phenomenal! The food was great, i loved the feeling of the restaurant and the service was just like everyone said, amazing!

I'm going back for some garlic shrimp and prime rib soon haha

[Tik-Tok]

Guess I'm the only one who had bad service there, lol. Maybe we should try it again.

[A790]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok
Guess I'm the only one who had bad service there, lol. Maybe we should try it again.
Like any business, it's nearly impossible to win 100% of the time. Let me know when you reserve and I'll make sure you're taken care of. If we flunk a second time... the meal will be on me!

[thecitizen]

Is it OK to wear shorts and a t-shirt here? Or will the owners/staff get offended?

[A790]

Originally posted by thecitizen
Is it OK to wear shorts and a t-shirt here? Or will the owners/staff get offended?
It's fine :)

[bignerd]

Had dinner there tonight.

Prime Rib special was gianormous (had to of been more than 15 oz) and was very very good.

I had Portobello Ravioli with mushroom cream sauce, it was good, although I think I would order something else next time (and after I tasted my husbands prime rib I kind of wished I had ordered that...). Portions were good/large. We did not leave hungry what so ever.

Service was good, place was empty(literally two other couples were there while we dined-maybe it was the cold weather?) so food came out blistering fast.

Dessert was duo of Creme Brulee.....soooooooo good and I love my creme brulee.

ONLY complaint, I am positive the ice tea was from a powdered mix (i.e. Good Host etc...) it is NOT okay to serve this in a restaurant-especially if you consider yourself fine dining, even if you consider yourself crappy dining. Keep a few cans of Nestea/Brisk on hand, heck even Arizona Iced tea is better than the powdered stuff.

[G]

Is this place kid (2 year old that likes to occasionally scream/yell :facepalm: ) friendly? We had a bad experience once. Nephew was a little loud and some older lady turned around and hushed him. WTF I lost it, it wasn't even a formal place.

[Tarrantula]

^ I wouldnt bring kids there. What fine dining place do you normally bring kids to? There isnt even a kids menu...

[G]

Just wondering if it really is fine dining when A790 said it was fine to wear shorts and a t-shirt.


Originally posted by Tarrantula
^ I wouldnt bring kids there. What fine dining place do you normally bring kids to? There isnt even a kids menu...

[JDMMAN]

Went here for dinner on a date once; Great atmosphere and very interesting concept.

Reasonably priced too!

[A790]

Originally posted by G
Is this place kid (2 year old that likes to occasionally scream/yell :facepalm: ) friendly? We had a bad experience once. Nephew was a little loud and some older lady turned around and hushed him. WTF I lost it, it wasn't even a formal place.
We don't have a kids menu, but we can accommodate nearly anything. When you reserve just specify so that we know in advance.

Originally posted by G
Just wondering if it really is fine dining when A790 said it was fine to wear shorts and a t-shirt.


We call ourselves "Casual Fine Dining". Shorts and t-shirt are fine as long as they aren't tattered, cut offs, offensive, etc.

We find our clientele seems to dress more business casual.

[badatusrnames]

Originally posted by G
Just wondering if it really is fine dining when A790 said it was fine to wear shorts and a t-shirt.



I think it's really more out of consideration for the patrons of the restaurant, not the owners.

I'd expect screaming kids at Denny's, if I went to a place like JS (I've been there), I'd be expecting to enjoy my meal in peace without some screaming kid shattering it.

Don't take any offense, but when you decide to become a parent, one of the trade-offs should be understanding that if you want to visit nice restaurants, it's going to have to mean arranging for childcare and leaving the screaming kids behind.

[ercchry]

just made a reservation for tonight with the gf, will be my first visit :thumbsup:

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by badatusrnames

Don't take any offense, but when you decide to become a parent, one of the trade-offs should be understanding that if you want to visit nice restaurants, it's going to have to mean arranging for childcare and leaving the screaming kids behind.

:werd:

And you don't really have a right to be mad at someone who "shushes" your kid (or nephew), if they're interrupting everyone else's dining, and you aren't doing anything to stop it.

hx9Y6tQ8shk

[SilverGS]

There is a $15 for $30 Coupon on GroupOn today. Enough people have already got the deal so it's good now.

http://www.groupon.com/calgary/

Some Details
# Expires Mar 6, 2011
# Limit 1 per person, may buy 1 additional as a gift. Limit 1 per table, 2 per table of 8 or more. Not valid with other offers.

[Speed_69]

Went here again last night. Me and the gf shared Creamed Garlic Shrimp to start and they were delicious. The sauce was so good so I ate the complimentary bread buns with it. I had the butternut squash ravioli and the gf had the Beef Tenderloin Filet with Peppercorn Cream Sauce. The food wasn't as good as the first time we went there few months ago but still very good! For dessert, we shared Gelato and Creme Brulee which were both very good as well. Want to try their Prime Rib feature again which is available every Friday and Saturday :drool:

[A790]

Originally posted by SilverGS
There is a $15 for $30 Coupon on GroupOn today. Enough people have already got the deal so it's good now.

http://www.groupon.com/calgary/

Some Details
# Expires Mar 6, 2011
# Limit 1 per person, may buy 1 additional as a gift. Limit 1 per table, 2 per table of 8 or more. Not valid with other offers.
This is true.

Here's a direct link: http://www.groupon.com/deals/jacqueline-suzannes-bistro-calgary?utm_campaign=jacqueline-suzannes-bistro-calgary

[G]

Well found a way around this. Made reservation for last Tuesday to celebrate my wife's birthday. Invited the in-laws, an uncle and aunt as well as my 2 year old. I made note of my 2 year old while making reservations and he said no problem he will just seat us up in the "attic". Server was great because he kept taking and joking with my son who really seemed to like him so he was very well behaved which is the norm anyways.

Food was fantastic! We had
Crab Cakes $16
Warm Bacon Cheese Dip $14
House Salad $8
Asian Chicken Salad $14

Butternut Squash Ravioli $18
3 AAA Alberta Beef Tenderloin Filet $32
AAA Alberta Filet Neptune $35
Chicken du Jour $28
Oven Roasted Rack of Lamb $36
2 15 oz Prime Rib $35

4 Stellas
1 glass of red wine

Price was reasonable for 9 guests a little over $500 including tip.

Everybody really enjoyed the night and my son got to enjoy a nice restaurant for the first time.



Originally posted by Tarrantula
^ I wouldnt bring kids there. What fine dining place do you normally bring kids to? There isnt even a kids menu...



Originally posted by badatusrnames


I think it's really more out of consideration for the patrons of the restaurant, not the owners.

I'd expect screaming kids at Denny's, if I went to a place like JS (I've been there), I'd be expecting to enjoy my meal in peace without some screaming kid shattering it.

Don't take any offense, but when you decide to become a parent, one of the trade-offs should be understanding that if you want to visit nice restaurants, it's going to have to mean arranging for childcare and leaving the screaming kids behind.

[Guillermo]

After intending to go for the last couple of years, we finally made it out today. Everything - the room, the service, and the food - was very good.

I had the crab cake benedict with potatoes. I usually avoid potatoes at breakfast places because they are almost always old, overcooked, and dry. However, these were perfect - crispy on the outside, yet hot and moist on the inside. The Hollandaise was probably the best I've ever had, and definitely made in house. The eggs benny was good, although it wasn't serve on an english muffin, and I REALLY missed that. it was just a crab cake topped with poached eggs and hollandaise. I guess they assume that the bread crumbs in the crab cake take the place of english muffins, but without the muffin the dish was missing the crunchiness and chewiness that is necessary for perfect eggs benny. Since the crab cakes are mushy, without texture from the english muffin, you're basically eating a soggy pile of food. It was still good, but during the entire meal I was wishing for the english muffin.

My dining partner had the salmon benny, with salad with blueberry vinaigrette. She said it was very good as well.

So, all in all, it was an excellent breakfast. We'll definitely be going back often - next time at night, since we were thinking that the room would be perfect for having a couple bottles of wine in the evening. :bigpimp:

[Dycker]

Was out last Saturday night with the gf for a date.

Food was unreal. I had the Lobster Ravioli and the gf ordered the Prime Rib. She let me have a couple bites and I will be getting the Prime Rib the next time I go.

:thumbsup:

[Neil4Speed]

Hey guys, I went last weekend - Amazing as it was last time. A consistently great dining experience. Will definitely be back again. Our server Matt, was amazing, a genuinely great guy who made the whole experience very comfortable like we were dining with a good friend.

The food, phenomenal as usual, Lamb Meatball Linguine - stellar. Friends got the stuffed chicken, great.

[malcolmk14]

Went last night for my birthday, had a lovely dinner. Grand marnier scallops to start. Got the prime rib, girlfriend got the butternut squash ravioli, Mom got the salmon, and her boyfriend got the filet neptune. Everything was excellent, and dessert was a baked apple with vanilla bean ice cream.

I love this place.

[A790]

I thought I'd post this: http://www.kijijideals.ca/deals/calgary/jacqueline-suzannes-bistro-half-off-food

$20 for $40 at my family restaurant (Jacqueline Suzanne's - http://www.jacquelinesuzannes.ca), or $10 for $20 worth of lunch :)

Your support of our family business is really appreciated beyond, thanks a ton!

[max_boost]

Wicked! Going to buy one for sure.

On a side note, Kijiji has daily deals now too? Can't keep up with all these different sites.

[Guillermo]

been several times, has been GREAT on every occasion. A790, i think i may have seen you a couple of times... are you the manager-ish guy with blond hair and glasses? would say hi, but wasn't sure if it was you or not, hah!

[A790]

Originally posted by Guillermo
been several times, has been GREAT on every occasion. A790, i think i may have seen you a couple of times... are you the manager-ish guy with blond hair and glasses? would say hi, but wasn't sure if it was you or not, hah!
Haha no, that wasn't me. That was Nevin. I no longer work there (since about this time last year actually).

[bituerbo]

Amazing food here, definitely in my top 3 places to eat in Calgary.

[TYMSMNY]

Great! Picked some up. Thanks for the heads up! I'd recommend anyone interested in quaint bistro in trendy inglewood to give this a try. Angie's (server) pretty funny and extremely friendly.

[taemo]

$25 For $60 Worth of Steaks, Fresh Seafood, Drinks & More at Jacqueline Suzanne's Bistro

Looks like they have another killer deal on dealfind.com
http://www.dealfind.com/calgary/jacquelinesuzannesbistro?a=22b205a1ac9a

Reading the fine print it cannot be redeemed until tomorrow but I can't wait.

[lilmira]

Great food, great deal, can't wait to go.

[npham]

I've picked up a voucher today as well. I will report back once we get out there for a dinner.

[desi112]

shoot was planning on going there googled review and this thread came up and i realized that there was a deal damn it!

sucks...what ever still may end up going.

[supe]

Originally posted by desi112
shoot was planning on going there googled review and this thread came up and i realized that there was a deal damn it!

sucks...what ever still may end up going.

Sell you mine for $25 :)









jk I plan on checking this place out

[desi112]

Originally posted by supe


Sell you mine for $25 :)









jk I plan on checking this place out :whipped: