Jens' Restaurant

The food was Okay. Nothing to be excited about. The calamari was amazing but everything else went downhill from there. The bread was cold and just sliced sandwich bread, nothing special. The salads were mediocre, flavors blended and not that great. I had the beet salad and my husband had the Cesar salad, his was way too vinegary not even sure it they even used anchovy sauce. The pasta was horrrrrrible not even cooked properly and the sauce was bland and not very favorable. I had the ribeye steak and it was totally fatty could barely eat. Seasoned Veggies were two pieces of zucchini and a ton of mashed potatoes. The chutney was cold and not great. So bummed heard so much about the restaurant and couldn’t wait to go, I don’t think I’ll ever go back. Can’t believe it had such high reviews. It was my birthday tonight…. Booo Jen Roy

Would 100% recommend Jens' Restaurant. The atmosphere is quiet and warm, a great place to have a conversation ans be able to hear each other. Their charcuterie board is full of flavors that will treat your taste buds. Their main meals are fresh and tasty, paired with their wine selection, it makes dinner great. Definitely worlds best carrot cake too!

Loved this place. The staff were friendly and attentive. Katherine was great! I wish I hadn't aggressively eaten the charcuterie board before I could get a picture. It had so many flavor combinations to try. The the house salad with the strawberry vinaigrette was light and refreshing as it was a bit warm outside today. Our steaks were seasoned and cooked perfectly. My filet fell apart in my mouth. The scalloped potatoes were a perfect contrast to the seasoned filet. We will see you again! Thanks 😁

This was the first fine dining restaurant we visited in Anchorage, and we have been back several times. Despite being fine dining, they're actually also a nice place to go with well behaved kiddos too, and even offer a kids menu. They do a very good job with their fish offerings. The black cod should be tried at least once if you like fish. It's very rich and tasty. They also do a great job with the Alaskan favorites, halibut and salmon, which are always moist and flavorful. Other favorites of ours include the beet salad, and I'm especially fond of their Virgil's chocolate mousse. I'm rather picky when it comes to chocolate desserts, by which I mean that I'll enjoy it no matter what, but I'm not going to say that it deserves to be hyped unless it actually does a good job. Most places have desserts that are just way too sweet, and the sugar content overwhelms the chocolate flavor. This one is just right. It's got a hint of espresso that accents the chocolate nicely, and fresh strawberries, and really nice texture. If you're a fan of the flavor of chocolate and don't like it to be overwhelmed with sugar (looking at you salted caramel & buttercream frosting), this dessert is for you. My wife is fond of their key lime pie as well. Maybe not the best ever, but in contention for the best in Anchorage certainly. Service is always friendly as well. We've never had a bad time here. Thanks for the great meals!

We started with the charcuterie board. It had a nice variety of meat, cheeses, & fruit. It came out quick, just after we got our drinks. The rockfish and salmon were fresh. The food was nice and hot when we got it. The vegetables on the dishes were nothing special. They were cut big but cooked thoroughly. The rockfish had a nice sauce. The salmon had a chunk of butter with cranberries that was supposed to melt on the fish but it was very thick and too sweet. Service was pretty good. Our water cups were never empty. Overall it was good and we will be going back.

Went to Jens' for dinner with friends at the end of our fishing trip. They were busy but still attentive. Good wine selection and fair prices. You really should order the sockeye salmon or halibut since their specialty is seafood but I opted for the beef Bolognese pasta since I was fished out after nearly a week or seafood. Pasta came out perfect temp with well cooked noodles. Bolognese was great and made just right.

First time in Anchorage for work, and a friend recommended coming to Jen's for dinner. We were taken care of by Kim who was extremely attentive and made some great recommendations for our meal. She suggested the calamari to start and it was unlike any version I've ever had. It was extremely tender and full of flavor, and I would order it twice if I could. My colleague had the rockfish and loved it and I enjoyed the ribeye steak which was a very generous portion at 14 oz. This was a very enjoyable dining experience, and between the food, the ambiance, and the attentiveness of our server Kim, I would absolutely come back again.

The food was actually quote good. Although I wished I had ordered more of their Danish style entrees. Very interesting and delicious. Service is very professional. Their weakness? The opening bread. It was really pedestrian. Everything else was good.

This restaurant is fantastic! If you're in Anchorage and looking for family-owned high-quality dining, add this place to your list! The ambiance is quaint and has a romantic, cozy European/Danish flare. Our server was warm and friendly. He gave us several pointed recommendations to guide our beer and food selection. Excellent selection of wine and local beers. The complementary fresh bread was warm, and moist with a nice light crust. The food was all delicious and perfectly cooked. The big "happy taste pallet" award goes to the Grilled Salmon, SR IPA, & carrot cake! We would definitely and eagerly return to this culinary gem the next time we're in Anchorage!

Valentine's day evening. They had 130 reservations! So a friend and I sat at the bar and enjoyed appetizers and coffee. The calamari was the best i have ever tasted--pan fried in citrus sauce with capers-tender and flavorful. The spinach filled ravioli was also very yummy and satisfying with another spectacular sauce. Will definitely return. Also the bartender, Darren? Was kind and attentive, a great visit for us. Ill check on their reservations next time.

Service was great, food was delicious.... The only reason I didn't give 5 star was the staff was taking the trash via front door. A bit distasteful.

Jens is an institution in Anchorage . I met friends for a small birthday celebration . They serve salads and small plates between 2-4 in the front of the restaurant . The calamari got rave reviews but everyone thought the salads were underwhelming . Dining in Anchorage is expensive . With that in mind I expect the food to be delicious , if it's not even if everything is is good I can't give a restaurant 5 stars .

I have been eating at Jen's for 25 years. Whenever I'm in town I eat at Jen's. It is consistently delicious. The prices are much better than similar restaurants. The setting is cozy and intimate. Jen's is a 10 out of 10.

Excellent food and the service is always spectacular. The special tonight was played beautifully and tasted fabulous.

Beautiful intimate space that has a lot of love. You can tell from the decor and the people who work there. And yay for booths! The gravad laks was cured perfectly by dill and the accompaniments were perfect. The gorgonzola cream on the ravioli was heavenly. Yes we sipped up every drop with the complimentary bread. The special soup and entree of the nights were pretty good. Soup a bit too tomato-y? But that is just my preference. I should have asked what kind of soup. The bison short rib needed something to cut the richness of the sauce. Great for small and large celebrations. A special gem for the area and well loved, when you see solo diners at the bar in scrubs you know it's a local favorite.

Delicious restaurant in Anchorage. They served Danish food along with high end local dishes. I had the first salmon of the season from Cooper River over a bed of greens including fiddlehead ferns. It was spectacular. I have dreams about this dish. For dessert I had a Danish Red Pudding, which brought back memories of my mormor's cooking in Denmark. I loved this place. I cannot say enough good things. The staff was excellent. Amazing beer and wine selection. Delicious food. Unique menu prepared to perfection. Nice, inviting, clean decor and interior. I highly recommend this place if you are in the area.

Love the food, the drinks, and the service. Great small spot for amazing euro style food!

This was a very nice restaurant to go to here in Anchorage. I thought the service was good, the atmosphere was lively and the halibut I ordered was cooked nicely. It was fresh and everything about it was flavorful. However my rice was undercooked by a lot as the rice was hard. Overall, I still thought it was a good experience and would recommend to others.

My husband and I were in town for vacation, and we took a chance on this place after seeing the reviews. We are SO glad we did! Everything from the appetizers to the wine to the dessert was fresh and absolutely delicious.

I highly recommend Jens as a well round high end restaurant for Anchorage. The services is amazing, food excellent. The ambiance is great for date nights or out with friends or family. The servers are well versed in the food & beer & wine menus. They are very attentive & have great customer service. We always start with the oysters they are nice & fresh. The calamari, here is also a great choice. We've tried a lot of there menu nothing was disappointing. My favorite right now is the Wagyu you can get it in 5oz or 8oz. Do not forget the desserts the key lime & chocolate decadence are our go to to finish the meal.

Do not judge a book by its cover..it looks like a strip mall from the outside but once you walk inside it is a fine dining 5 star restaurant. The food was amazing, the salad was a perfect combination of flavors. I had the pasta and it was the best I've ever had and that says a lot because I travel across the US trying many Italian restaurants. My daughter had the "almost world famous" steak and she really enjoyed it. I highly recommend this restaurant for fine dining.

Always a fantastic date night spot! Everything is great here, can't say enough good things

We are recommending this restaurant. Very good service, great food, a nice, cozy place.

This is it. Best upscale restaurant I've been to in Anchorage. Leaps and bounds ahead of the one at the top of the hotel downtown. I'm so impressed with the creativity and execution of their dishes, and the service was top notch! I got the seasonal special with Kodiak scallops that were cooked to perfection! So many times scallops are over cooked, but these were Goldilocks perfect. I loved the pairing with the extra crispy brussel sprouts and the pops of flavor from the pomegranate. And the CALAMARI y'all. Lightly breaded and sautéed in a sauce from the gods. Capers accented the dish wonderfully. If I die and wake up at Jen's Restaurant, I'll know I made it to heaven!

We had a private dinner in the back room and it was lovely! The appetizers we had were calamari, ravioli, and meatballs. All very good! The Caesar salad is phenomenal. One of the best in town. There's two options for rockfish and I tasted both. They were both fantastic but the onion crusted one was just a little bit better as far as flavor goes. We ordered several desserts and they were all fabulous as well. Our server was not overly friendly, it seemed like we were putting her out if we asked for anything. It's a very small and intimate place that definitely needs a reservation and the prices are not for the faint of heart. It's a lovely place for a date or special occasion!

This is just not my kind of restaurant. The ambiance is fine, and doesn't feel like you are in a strip mall. The service was great and the food quality and made well. Unfortunately, I simply don't want anything on the menu. I guess this is more of a recite of my own tastes than the restaurant. I will say that the server I had didn't do a great job of explaining the dish I had ordered, which contained very nearly raw red meat. Take a look at the menu and prices. If they seem good to you, then enjoy Jens. If not or your reaction is just so so, you might be more like me.

Don't be put off by the strip mall location. This is an upscale but affordable fine dining restaurant with great service, a wonderful menu, and unique touches warranting a genuine 5 star experience. I have dined all over the world, and the delicious food served here was among one of my most memorable meals ever. There were 3 of us, coming in hungry after camping and riding horses in the backwoods all week. I loved everything about this restaurant. We ordered several of the appetizers, and beer and champagne from a diverse wine/beer menu. No hard liquor or cocktails, but they have interesting options by the glass, and all my favorite beers were on the menu. I posted a photo of the wine menu. Every dish was beautifully plated, the farm to table salads were exquisite, and the flavors of each dish and sauce were moaning good. We split the Pepper Steak as our only entree and it was AHMAZING as described. Desserts were excellent too. We had the chocolate mouse, the creme caramel, the decadent chocolate cake, and the unique Danish berry pudding (like a high end jello) with fresh cream. Yup. Spot on, impeccable service. This place was recommended to me by a friend who lived in Anchorage and is a personal chef. It's her favorite restaurant in Anchorage, and now I know why. If you can only eat out once, check it out. Price is very reasonable for the "moaning good" quality.

A great restaurant with fine dining in Anchorage. The food is great. I had 2 appetizers - a delicious pate with gherkins, crispy bread crackers, blueberries, and onions - and a seasonal special of fiddleheads. All good! They had 3 halibut options. I went with the Alaskan halibut which was on a bed of couscous and greens. Had tomatoes and pesto and a large slab of seasoned butter on top. Also delicious. And then to finish it off, a cup of coffee and decadent chocolate mousse. Ambiance is great. Look past the strip mall parking lot currently under construction. Large bar area with seating and a side room with mostly 2 or 4 person tables. The art work on the walls is all for sale and from the art gallery in the same parking lot. Staff were attentive. Water glasses were always full. Large wine list and beer options. No hard liquor here. Definitely worth a trip. And they also are a great option for lunch.

Would have never come here because it seems like an expensive place to eat at. Honestly it isn't that bad at all. Market price for the oysters were 3.50 each. And they were huge! Well worth getting oysters. The Thai chili sauce that came with it complimented it very well. Also got the Grilled Sushi Grade Ahi Tuna, it was cooked perfectly. Glad it wasn't over seared. The veggies that came with it complimented the tuna very well. Just wish they used a different rice rather than basmati that went a bit better with the tuna as well. Overall this place was pretty tasty and know what they are doing. Would definitely come back for their oysters.

This restaurant is located in a strip mall with plenty of parking. The restaurant it self is very clean and the staff is great. This was my first visit and we ordered the grilled lamb lollipops as appetizer. The lamb was cooked perfect and it was so flavorful with the sauce. I highly recommend this appetizer. The Pasta with Beef Tenderloin Tips was a bit heavy on peppercorn for my taste but besides that the flavor was excellent. We had a good experience and we will be back.

A wonderful dining experience. We started with lamb lollipops and gravad laks which were both delightful. We had the soup (duck mulligatawny) which was full of flavor and depth. My entree, the mushroom rockfish, was a generous portion (3 filets) and cooked to perfection with an array of mushrooms. Other members of our party enjoyed the salmon special and the onion crusted rockfish. The server perfectly paired wine with each of our meals. We finished the meal with a traditionally danish dessert which was light and sweet. Would definitely recommend Jen's. The food was superb and the service impeccable.

Great food and perfect date nights for couples . I took my wife here for our anniversary and she loved it

We have been vacationing in Alaska for about a week now and our dinner here was, by far, the best meal we have had. There were six in our party including one vegan with a dairy allergy. Even she, was able to get a delicious dinner. Though they don't have a printed vegan menu, our waitress was able to offer multiple choices for her! Amazing. I had a very rich lunch so I wasn't super hungry. I had the Caesar salad and added salmon to it. The salad was delicious with a good amount of dressing and the salmon was flavorful and cooked correctly. The only thing about the dish that I would have changed and made it perfection, would be, to have crisped the salmon skin. Other than our resident vegan, the others had the salmon special and the halibut. Both were very good but I would say the biggest hit was the halibut. Our server was wonderful. She was super careful with the vegan food, which was important to us. Warning, they do have a cheesy tradition of blasting the song "Love and Marriage" when you are celebrating an anniversary and they bring out the desserts. But then they took a nice photo of us and gave it to us in card! Great memory for us!

We eat out a lot so only read on if this is the case for you as well. We ordered salmon, halibut, and the herring appetizer. The salmon and halibut were drier than we were used to. The accompaniments didn't taste good. The herring appetizer came two different ways, both had an offensive smell and tasted like vinegar. This review is not to offend the chef or the type of food served as this is a really upscale restaurant. However, we ordered the same entrees at Glacier Brewhouse and they were much more tasty and memorable

We came here for my husband's birthday last night. We had been about 10 years ago before we moved out of Alaska for my birthday and we both remember it being so memorable. To start, our service was terrible. Our appetizer plates and initial drink glasses with a cider can and tiny Prosecco bottle sat on the table empty for the entirety of our meal even after we ordered wine. It's a 2 person table so it's not like there is a lot of room on the table to begin with. And the couple times our server came to check on us she could have walked away with something. I can't express enough how terrible the service was. It did take a very long time for food to come out, but we noticed it was like that for all the tables. When the food did come out I have to admit it wasn't anything to write home about and honestly not worth the price. We got two appetizers; the crab cakes were good, but the ravioli was bland and the vegetable chunks mixed in were huge. The ceaser salad was by far my favorite item. My husband said his steak was okay and my Gorgonzola pasta unfortunately was exactly like the appetizer. A bland cream sauce not even tasting of Gorgonzola and huge chunks of barely cooked vegetables. When you go to a restaurant of this caliber you expect the service to be attentive and the food to be better than what you could make at home. It was a fail. And sadly not a great birthday dinner for the hubby. I know it's hard when you compare an experience to a previous one, but I have to admit we won't be going back.

Very good food! Nice service and ambiance. The only reason took 1 star off is kind pricy. One main dish cost $45.

I eat out a lot, and I was not expecting to be completely blown away tonight... but here I am. Earlier this evening I finished up my meal at Jens' Restaurant and I can't stop thinking about it. My appetizer, the soup of the day Mushroom Tarragon, was one of the most delicious soups I've ever had... and I don't even like mushrooms!? The most perfectly cooked and flavorful salmon fillet, and a light but decadent dessert. I'm still trying to decide which part of my meal I enjoyed the most. I will be back, and soon. This was the absolute perfect celebratory dinner in a quiet, classy setting with friendly (but not fake or overbearing) waitstaff. Try this one if you've been putting it off... you won't regret it.

Awesome service and food! We eat here frequently and it doesn't disappoint! Highly recommended!

It has been awhile, but figured I'd finally add that this is an excellent place worth checking out for date night.

Our meal was full of rich and savory flavors and perfectly charming service. My favorite place to go for a "fancy and casual" meal with a friend. It was a little hard to find the first time because it's tucked away in an unassuming strip mall.

Great place for a nice dinner, fresh Halibut prepared with mushrooms and a creme sauce, fresh steamed vegetables. Wouldn't change a thing! Service is wonderful, staff is friendly and accommodating. Would recommend for date night or a night out of delicious food or dessert. Wine menu covers just about every need and is reasonably priced.

Still a MUST GO!!! So many times when a small cafe changes ownership there is a distinct change - for better or for worse. This time this little perfect cafe had little change and even that change was a move toward a higher level of perfection. The ambiance is simple linen table cloths, small tables, petite decorations that do not block views or eye contact for the patron. A few paintings decorate the walls. There is usually only a quiet hum of conversation, (occasionally a loud larger party, having a great time, ignore all others to let their voices dominate the entire cafe). Menu changes are frequent but the favorites seem to always be there. I am constantly impressed by the cleverness of the dishes. Of course like bread, there is a basic formula. The chef sticks to the formula, but always finds a unique twist. All ingredients are of the highest quality, so the taste explodes in your mouth. This is one of those stable, reliable places in our community always pleasing and impressive to those we bring here and yet we also can look forward to a unique and pleasurable dining experience.

Best in Anchorage. If you live in Anchorage or are visiting this restaurant will wow you with great food

Stuck up owner! Was better when Yen, was actually still owning the place! New owner is so selfish & the market is on the tank, should leave while she still can!

I thought I'd be writing a glowing review of this place, unfortunately my wife got food poisoning and was sick for a day and a half after eating here. She had the scallops and woke up a few hours later throwing up and all the other bad signs of food poisoning. First and last time at this place.

This is the best restaurant we have experienced since we arrived in Alaska 2 weeks ago. The herring appetizer and onion tart was amazing!! My entire family loved the entree they ordered. We tried the pastas, the halibut and salmon and the filet. Everything was cooked to perfection and delicious. We highly recommend the amazing restaurant. Make a reservation for sure.

Cesar Salad without dressing and a lot of regular oil... I can't believe it, seriously

I'll admit to a moment of trepidation when we parked our car in front of a nail shop in a strip mall before going into the restaurant. It was also like an adventure going into such an unassuming place to find what was inside. Restaurant is gorgeous and elegant. We were there for lunch and my only mistake was thinking that it wouldn't be as dressy at that hour. It was power lunch central of suits and dresses. Oh well.... As for the food - wow. Just wow. Caesar was the best we had in Anchorage and my gravad lax and scallops were sublime. I was expecting nice - but they did knock it out of the park. Service was good - server was great too. Yeah next time I'll just go more Hugo Boss and less Carthartt... lol

While in Anchorage we came here for foie gras since we can't get it in California. We started off with seared foie gras and beet salad. The foie gras was very good but small amount hiding under a pastry. The mushroom sauce around it was very tasty. Beet salad was good but did not have much beets in it. We also had Sashimi napoleon, more like an ahi poke with crunch wonton skin in between. It was okay. And the pork chop as our main course. I hardly ever order pork chop in any restaurant but the description of this entree, grilled with a blueberry bourbon glaze served with a fresh cherry-rhubarb and bacon compote, looked interesting. To my surprise, it was very delicious. I would order it again. Overall, we enjoyed the meal. It was worth taking a bus to get here. Great service.

It's been 8 years and Jen's doesn't disappoint. Changed but not changed. Definitely on my must go list for Anchorage.

I've gone here for lunch a couple times and it was very good. I also got the impression that the lunch and the dinner are quite a bit different. I sat at the bar and the bartender was dialed at the perfect level of chattiness. The food was what I'd describe as "Danish comfort food". I got a hash with scrambled eggs and some soup. Great food for a dark winter day. I need to come back and check out dinner.

High end food fair priced! Every time I've been in there I felt there service was also amazing.

We reserved the Party Room for 16 in honor of our son's Wedding Rehersal Dinner and we couldn't be more satisfyed with the whole experience. The room was just the right size and culturally Danish which was fun. When we arrived the server introduced himself and asked for any instructions. He was warm, personable and his service was impeccable. We chose Menu #3 because it had Beef, Fish and a Vegetarian option. From appetizers to desserts, we were delighted by the quality and quantity of food we received. The sides had elevated flavors. The appetizers were a perfect bite, and the House Salad was 'summer on a plate". Many guests took boxes to-go. This was my first visit to Alaska and my first meeting with any of the Brides' family. Thank-You all for making it so delicious and memorable.

I really wanted to love this restaurant and I will give it another chance and try a pasta dish, but I was not as pleased as I thought I would be. The Calamari was the absolute best thing we tried. The steak meals were tasty, but it did not scream "fine dining" to me. We were patient, but the service was very slow and took such a long time to get drinks, bread, apps and our meal. They also bring cold bread to the table and It does seem like it should be served warmed. I would give the food more of a 3.5-4 stars if I was rating it, by itself.

I don't do 5 stars but Jen's deserves it. Unpretentious but classy. Call it Alaska class which is unique and special. Nancy, new owner, has done a great job is maintaining Chef Jen's traditions and adding her spin. Staff always attentive and friendly.

1st time to Jens', but can guarantee it won't be the last. Onion crusted Rockfish and the Pepper Steak were fantastic.

Though it appears that Jens sold this place in 2016, it doesn't seem like it has changed since 1987. It's located in a shopping center with a patio in the parking lot. The decor is very dated and it felt like a funeral parlor from the 80s. It was clean and everything was nice, but it was just not modern or hip. No one was in the restaurant on a Thursday night except for two other tables. Our server was excellent and knowledgable. The menu is upscale New American, but with a somewhat dated feel as well. It didn't have the excitement of some modern menus, but instead had dishes that I've seen a lot of. Everything was good, but it just didn't feel that special. There are a lot of restaurants at this price point in Anchorage but this wouldn't be my first choice. However, there was nothing wrong with this restaurant. Everything was delicious and the service was great. I think if this was in a different location and renovated, it would a great place.