Jolene's

I really wanted to love this place since several people had good things to say about it. The decor is beautiful. Service was excellent. The food was good, but nothing was spectacular. Maybe my expectations were set too high. The two items that stood out were oysters and french onion soup, although the cup was tiny. Foie gras was tasty, but the duck was overcooked and the cabbage was very bland. Desert, was not impressive. This place is closer to 4.4-4.5. I would try other places before i return.

Overall this experience just did not land. Drinks were good but the service really lacking. We shared oysters which were just okay and two beef tartares that were good. Our server never repeated our order back to us and never asked how we wanted our steak. It took a very long time just to get water refilled. I asked a manager who never came back. I ended up asking our server and they finally brought some. You should not have ask at all for water. Our first course sat on the table for a while and when the next course came out, staff was scrambling to clear. We were served soups with no spoons. The onion soup was actually the best part of the meal. When entrees came out one was missing, my wife’s. Not sure if the order was not heard, but we had to wait while the rest of us had food. We got a quick “sorry for the wait” but that was it. The duck came out without a steak knife and when two people were sharing a steak only one knife was dropped off. Maybe a silverware shortage but still not great service. We tried all three desserts, all just okay. The olive oil cake was the best of the bunch. The food overall was decent but it was extremely loud and chaotic. I actually saw servers running on the floor. If you are going to have a menu and prices like that the service needs to match. Watching our server put a plate on top of our boxed steak to go wasn’t a great end. As it stands I would not recommend this place and would not return. Edit: they responded to this review by asking me to email. On 11/11 I sent them one, today is 11/16 and they have not responded. This checks out based on the experience I had at the restaurant. Edit again: John -- Sorry for the delay, I'm just catching up on emails after a busy week. Thank you for the incredibly thorough chronicle of your visit — and for the sequel. While we’re sorry the experience wasn’t for you, we do appreciate the level of dedication. Most guests who feel a restaurant “isn’t for them” simply… stop coming, rather than embarking on an investigative miniseries. All jokes aside, we clearly missed the mark for you, both in service and in following up by email. That’s on us, and we’ll do better in the future. We're a small, independent restaurant trying our best and we're the first to acknowledge we still have much to improve on. If you’d like to try us again, please let me know so that I can personally look after your visit. My direct number is xxxxxxxx Kind regards, Glennon Glennon, I was truly upset/frustrated by my experience. The lack of care/attention showed by all the staff was disappointing. If you want to send me gift cards to come in again maybe I will. I spent a decent amount of money and I still tipped 80 dollars because I waited tables for years. I felt like our server was set up to fail. I’ve been a server looking for proper steak knives and they are all in a dish pit. It was the whole vibe. Very frantic. If not I get it. I just won’t be back. Best, John John, Thank you for sharing more context — I hear the frustration in what you’ve written, and I don’t take it lightly. What you experienced sounds chaotic and disappointing, and that’s not the environment we strive to create. I also appreciate the grace you extended to Erin, especially given your own background in the industry. I want to be transparent: while we occasionally make gestures when something has truly gone wrong, we don’t offer gift cards as an incentive for a return visit. Hospitality, not obligation, is what brings people back. That said, if you ever decide on your own that you’d like to give us another chance, I would be more than happy to personally oversee your reservation and ensure it reflects the level of care you should have received the first time. Please feel free to reach out to me here. My direct number is xxxxxx Either way, I respect your decision and genuinely wish you well. Kind regards, Glennon I didn’t respond to this last email but I just wanted to share my emails since they said I “demanded” gift cards. This place will fail. Don’t waste your money

We enjoyed a fantastic four course meal at Jolene’s last night. We had been to the bar a few times before (also adore their bar and bartenders!), but this was our first experience in the dining room. We especially enjoyed the mushroom bisque, Parisian gnocchi, wagyu coulotte, and duck breast. We finished the evening with a lovely crème brûlée paired with smooth and rich espresso and cappuccino. All drinks were great, including our cocktails with dinner. Everything about our experience was 5-star quality. The food - its scent, taste, texture - all incredible. The service was also excellent. Our server, I believe his name was Nick, was very attentive. We stayed for a full 2 hours enjoying each course and conversation in the dining room. Looking forward to more evenings to enjoy at Jolene’s!

Love it here! Sitting outside on a Saturday night feels like an evening in Europe. Lovely and obviously well trained waitstaff. The drinks are clear and fresh with good selections. Food is lovely, could be a few more options to choose Vegan but enjoyed Veg and Fish options! Finally grabbed a photo! Cocktails and dessert, anyone?!

I didn't get the opportunity to explore the full menu however I'll be back to test things out. More than likely that 4 will become a 5 in the very near future! The service was amazing and the atmosphere was incredible! Perfect place for adults to be social, go on a date, happy hour, all purpose spot that you'll love! While you're there, get the bourbon espresso martini, aka The Mr. Harrisburg!

I'm really impressed with this place and I don't give 5 star reviews easily, but Jolene's really earned it. Right now it still seems under the radar, but comparing favorably to Andiario in presentation, freshness, and execution, I don't expect it to stay hidden for very long. Do not let fear of mispronouncing a French word or a misplaced perception of pretentiousness dissuade you from trying Jolene's - it's amazing, and worth going outside your comfort zone for. And while I'll say it's not cheap, it is accurately priced. And it stands confidently among the very best restaurants in the Philly suburbs. Food: I was wowed by nearly everything brought out in three dinner courses (and some of my wife's food too), and a couple dishes were just good. All of the dishes had a laser focus on detail which came through in both taste and presentation - just lots of little things done right. For 3 examples: 1) A twist on Vichyssoise, with the cold soup poured over an accent of a delightful crumble medley. 2) Fresh scallops seared separately from the rest of the Bouillabaisse to achieve the right temperature and texture, then added in at plating. 3) steak tartare with the texture and freshness of Tuna sashimi, so perfectly spiced that it tasted cooked, sitting among the best beef experiences I've had in a long time. Wines by the glass were French only and presented 16 well selected and fairly priced choices. I had no trouble pairing my wines to each course with some baseline knowledge of French wine, and got to try a few things new to me. Service: Grest restaurant service should feel simultaneously intimate and anonymous while providing guidance and reassurance. Our server Nick nailed it and was an excellent guide. He is clearly passionate about his work and is well informed, but also smart enough to shift gears and stand back to let the food and wine do the talking. He was ever present when needed and blended into the wallpaper when not, but was never far - threading this needle is difficult for many servers to pull off but it separates the best from the rest. And this is not to diminish the rest of the staff who worked hand in glove as a team, not missing any details, and coming together to make Jolene's a memorable experience. Setting: They've done such a great job attending to lots of little details comparing favorably to Parc in Philly or Mon Ami Gabi in Las Vegas. The visual style threads the needle well between old and new, respecting both the place it's located and the fresh menu. As the bar and dining room filled up it did not get excessively noisy, and hushed conversation was still possible. Being able to see the bar but not be in the bar added visual interest. Even the bathrooms were intentional - accessible through one pink mystery door in the back of the bar, revealing a well composed unisex bathroom lobby and full privacy rooms. In short, I'm coming back. Hopefully for many years to come. I had high expectations and they were exceeded. There's enough in this current menu to keep coming back, and when the newness wears off I would encourage them to consider offering or converting to a prix fixe menu once people understand what Jolene's is about. For a completely different experience I want to come back on a cold day to sit at the bar with the onion soup and a beer. They will probably tempt me into staying and spending more than I intended, but it will be ok. My only regret will be I'm not getting the full sit down service. To wrap I'll quote a famous chef who says that perfection is lots of little things done right. While Jolene's isn't quite perfect yet, it's close enough, and they are surely on that road. Food - 5/5 Service - 5/5 Ambiance - 4.5/5 Comfort - 4/5 Value - 5/5

Went to Jolene’s on 9/19 and it exceeded my expectations and was some of the best food I’ve had at a restaurant. The beets, scallops and cowboy steak were all incredible. For desert we had the crème brûlée and it was the perfect ending to our meal. Everything about Jolene’s was wonderful and I will definitely be dining in again in the future.

Jolene’s is a great spot for a well-executed French meal with excellent service. The French onion soup was deeply flavorful, and the squash soup was smooth and well-balanced. The goat cheese salad was fresh and thoughtfully prepared. The lasagna with truffles was rich and satisfying. The wine selection was impressive, and the dirty martini was expertly made. Service was attentive and welcoming, making for an all-around excellent dining experience. Looking forward to returning.

We live in the borough, have been to every restaurant many, many times, and consider Jolene's a true gem amongst many other great restaurants downtown. The service is always attentive and the vibe is low-lit, kind of sexy but not stuffy or too fancy, and good for date night. I don't usually leave reviews but have seen a few that I disagree with, so here's a summary of our experiences: The oysters and mignonette are fantastic, some of the freshest and tastiest we've ever had (and we order them everywhere we go). We've had several lovely dinners here, as well as happy hours/casual apps at the beautiful bar. The bouillabaisse and gnocchi are incredible, and we also love their scallops and escargot. Portion sizes are what you would expect from a French restaurant--perhaps on the smaller side compared to the enormous plates we've become accustomed to, but we have always left feeling more than satisfied. I will never understand why people take stars off of their reviews for prices. You can see the menu and pricing before you go. If the portion sizes were truly tiny, I'd get it--but they are very similar to what you'd find in Paris. We appreciate having a great local French place and highly recommend!

My dining habits have changed lately- we've started doing more apps at the bar instead of sit down meals - am I becoming my parents or is it due to a series of disappointing full meals or maybe both? Either way, Jolene's made me remember why dining out is a treat when an experience hits the mark. Service was polished and professional. We each loved the wine we chose. There wasn't a miss on any of the food- onion soup, steak tartare, chevre chaud salad, duck, gnocchi and crème brûlée- all excellent and portions were good. The art deco vibes inside are lovely. It was a really nice way to spend my birthday!

Definitely check the menu before you commit, this French menu is authentic and small. It's also pretty pricey with very small portions. I was disappointed in the wine, for $17 a glass I was expecting to be blown away by my Pinot noir but it was average and actually gave me a headache. The ambiance is nice but both times I went it smelled like a wet basement. Idk, it's a unique spot but I will not be back.

Very cool, upscale spot, but a bit overpriced for the quality that you get. The bartenders were absolutely fabulous. They're a very friendly and get great recommendations.

After looking at the menu ahead of time, I thought Jolene's aperitif hour held from 4-6 p.m. each day would be the way to go. We went on a Saturday night, were greeted upon arrival, and got a seat at the end of the bar. All good! It was busy but not overwhelming. We decided to order a Brie de France appetizer and Gaufrettes. I also ordered a Belle Poire cocktail made with Clutch vodka and pear. It was beautifully presented in a flute and quite delicious. My husband ordered a Negroni which he also liked. When the appetizers came out, we were disappointed. One was a tiny piece of Brie on a plate with only 4 small pieces of baguette for $7. Nothing special. Our second appetizer, the Gaufrettes, was basically ruffled potato chips, also $7. It was like someone opened a bag of Herr's and only gave us a few chips. What a disappointment. The place is lovely and has a hint of Paris, but we were disappointed. Fortunately, we each had an onion soup, which although salty and quite cheesy, made us feel better. As we were getting ready to leave and paying our bill, we noticed an $8 charge for Evian. We were given a standard water carafe when we sat down. For all we knew, it was from the tap, and we definitely asked for still water, not anything fancy. When we brought it up to our server/bartender, she offered to take it off the bill, but we had already paid. Please check your bill for up-charges such as this before you pay. What a joke!

Left Jolene's feeling completely ripped off. While such a beautiful space, this restaurant will not last. Overly pretentious, and trying to be high end. The portions and prices are laughable. I arrive for my 7:15 reservation midweek, at approximately 7:05. The restaurant is probably 1/4 full, with multiple empty two tops. The host asked me how far my friend was. I said 5-10 minutes. She acted like she was going to seat me, then proceeded to walk me to the bar saying I can order a drink and hangout there until my friend arrived. Weird. I opted to stand outside. This really set the tone. Food was cooked well, however the prices/portions were insulting. I ordered the french onion soup, escargot (star of the show), and the gnocchi. The french onion soup was nothing to write home about. A small spoon should be given with the escargot to get all the amazing garlic sauce as the bread just didn't sop it all up. The gnocchi was $27. Probably cost $3 to make. And could barely satiate a small child. The gnocchi pieces were very small, and not much of it. The crab was a tease. If you're going to charge an entree price for a second course, then portion this out appropriately. My girlfriend ordered a $37 fish entree. She said the piece of fish was small, and it was hidden under foam, served with minimal veg, and not even a carb. For $37 this is truly a slap in the face. I tasted her lemon olive oil cake which was very good. Our server was attentive on a positive note. I did request everything be coursed out and I was served my soup and escargot at the same time while my friend watched me eat. I just cant get past the pricing and portions.

This was the most exceptional birthday dinner! We had to come on a Tuesday even though my birthday was on a Monday because of their business hours. However it did not disappoint! While it was a slower business day the experience was just as lovely as a busy Friday or Saturday evening. We had the most exceptional service. The oysters were the best I've ever experienced and I loved the presentation. Our entrees weren't huge portions, but definitely enough to keep us satisfied. While it is on the more expensive end I think the key to a full Jolene's experience is to order multiple courses to experience the intention of their menu. It's a celebratory experience of fine dining and that's just a part of it! Loved every bit of this experience and will definitely be back for the next celebration!

Can only give a review on the bar... Great espresso martini made with real espresso! Bar is dark and feels cozy, great date spot! Bar tenders were engaging and attentive. We didn't eat, so cannot give any feedback but it smelled good inside. Only negative review was the drink was $19. That's a lot of west Chester.... We're not in the city.

The service here was fantastic and food was truly exceptional! My only comment would be that for a $17 glass of wine, the pour could be improved. It was small. But overall, lovely dinner experience here with beautiful decor + atmosphere. Would return.

What a fantastic addition to the West Chester bar scene. We stopped by the bar on Saturday night. The bar (and West Chester in general) was hopping but we still managed to find a table and order drinks. Service was fast and the drinks were wonderful. I tried a classic vodka martini and the Paloma. Both were perfect. I will definitely be back!

Great service and tasty food! The ambiance was also very warm and cozy. I loved everything that we had. Steak tartare, oysters, duck, halibuts, all deserts on the menu, we left stuffed. I would definitely come back again.

First time at Jolene's and it was a night to remember. The food is excellent, the service was above and beyond, and the ambiance is unmatched in West Chester. At one point I dropp f my napkin and a server came over with a fresh one and took the old, small things like that set the experience over the top. Overall it was just an incredible experience and we can't wait to go back. Started with the Brandade Croquettes, 2nd was the Chèvre Grande, and then the Filet which was cooked perfectly.

Good food and atmosphere. Fairly loud. Manager refused to give separate checks to the three couples although we asked at the beginning of the meal. Never had this happen... even in the best restaurants. We probably will not go back because we felt our needs were not met.

Food was ok. Looked like a fancy restaurant great for first dates, but it really wasn't.

A group of us had dinner at the new restaurant Jolene's in West Chester. The host was very nice and the service was ok. The space is lovely. The food most disappointing- the French onion soup tasted good but was tiny and stuffed with bread, essentially you were eating soggy bread with cheese. The Lasagna was terrible- several of us ordered this French style Lasagna- no one ate even half of it. The fish dish was ok according to those who had it. The most absurd was the three small roles we received when we ordered bread - small unexceptional roles for 16 dollars. We were anxious to leave - went elsewhere for desert.

I love it here!!! The ambiance is amazing and the food and drinks are great. I think the best part is that you can pick and choose from each course and either go heavy or stick with some lighter fare. Great servers and bartenders and a great manager. I would definitely recommend to a friend!

I'll start with the positive. The ambiance is lovely, dimly lit and very romantic for a date night. The first disappointment which is a big one is their four second pour rule for a glass of wine. The waiter brought the bottle to the table and poured for 4 seconds. Three sips for my husband and the glass of wine was done. Order a bottle! We sat at the window table in the bar so had a great view of the bartenders making drinks. All drinks are measured and not filled in the small glasses they use to serve them. The onion soup though small was quite good. Escargot was put into shells that were extremely hard to get to, very frustating. My husband enjoyed the sea bass and the scallop dish was good, but not hot. We decided to go up the street for dessert and an after dinner drink where the pour was more free flowing.

I really wanted to like Jolene's (as we desperately need more French food options), but sadly after two visits, I just can't recommend it. Small portions and pours along with hefty prices is just too much. They (including the manager) also hassle you to order everything upfront. We like to graze through the menu with wine, but their attitude just wont allow it.

The staff were absolutely wonderful and very polite. Our waiter was very familiar with the food and drink menu and provided honest answers to help us with our selections. The courses came out appropriately, spaced and each course was cooked perfectly and was delicious. I made another dinner reservation the very next morning...

Went here for our anniversary dinner and everything was excellent. The service was quick and personable and the ambiance was lovely. For our meal we ordered the French onion soup, chèvre chaud, gnocchi, filet, sea bass, and tarte tatin. The standouts were the soup, salad and quail (which was complimentary from the chef knowing we were celebrating a special occasion). My husband and I were both pleasantly surprised by Jolene's and will definitely be retuning soon.

I read the other reviews and you can definitely tell who has never eaten at a French restaurant before. This was very similar to the experiences we had eating IN France. If you don't like fancier food and smaller portions, this isn't the place for you. My husband and I had the oysters (he said they were better than any he's ever had), the bread (I will say the bread was very lackluster, but it's $6 not $16 like someone said in a different review), the French onion soup (delicious broth full of onion and bread inside still had a little crunch, only complaint was you could tell they torched the cheese because the parts that were darker tasted like propane), escargot (delicious but the shells are huge and a little difficult to work with), the stuffed quail (delicious), the filet and the mushroom lasagna. The mushroom lasagna was phenomenal, but you must love mushrooms. They shave fresh black truffle over the top which definitely has a bit of funk to it. The cocktails were priced like all of the other cocktails you find in nice restaurants. Expensive but well-made. Service was excellent. My only complaint about the restaurant itself is how loud it is, but we were seated closer to the bar.

Beautiful place, love the ambiance. Waited to be seated for about ten minutes although we had a reservation and arrived one minute early. The host was nice, kept saying over and over "I'm so happy you are here," to each of us, which was different! LOL. That was all fine. Ordered drinks after we were seated and from there it all went downhill. The servers, especially ours, did not introduce himself. They were obviously inexperienced and not well trained. There was a very drunk loud party behind us consisting of about 8 men. I waited 40 minutes to get my second cocktail. Had to flag down another waitress from a different area to get my drink, to whom I would like to shout out cause she was the only server hustling. Meanwhile, our waiter completely avoided eye contact with the 3 of us for 40 minutes. I raised my hand a few times, even kind of yelled, "excuse me" but he just scurried past to take care of the loud table, perhaps because they were ordering bottles and bottles of wine, and he saw dollar signs. I just wanted a second over-priced cocktail for my birthday, dammit! Was he avoiding our table because our food was late, and he thought we'd be angry? Just feed me drinks then. Then the food came, and that was the JOKE of the evening. Each of the 3 courses were so salty, I couldn't finish them. And they're small plates. This place is trying so hard to sell it's "high-end" luxury feel with high priced food, when it's really just college bar food in a fancy outfit. Left very disappointed. Will not return.