The place seems to now be the go-to date place for the wife and I. It is a small intimate location that rather obviously was formerly a house. While it is a very open environment, it still seemed very quiet. The wine list seemed very extensive, but my knowledge of wine is limited at best. Every time we have been there, the food has been wonderful, although recently the service was a little lacking. Not so lacking that I would say that it was poor service, but it just was not the great service that we have had previously. The bacon wrapped stuffed figs are well, they are something delicious that is then wrapped in bacon, how can they be any less than divine?!?! Make sure to get some of the sauce they are in on a piece of bread to get a second chance on your appetizer. Every meal I have had there has been excellent and I look forward to the next time (hopefully they will continue to participate in restaurant week) we get to go.
(5)
Connie S.
We had dinner here Saturday evening. What an amazing time. The wait staff was terrific. Their recommendation for wine was spot on. The salads are so good. We ordered a steak and it was cooked to a medium perfection! The potato dish was so good too. I saw the eggplant dish on our way out. It looks amazing. Can't wait to try it on our return visit.
(5)
Ken D.
We recently moved to Littleton and found out about this place. Mary is a fan of crepes, so it was the draw. Went for lunch and were both very pleased. Mary had the Poulet Bechamel (chicken crepes) and I had a baked dish, Le Provencal (chicken in tomato sauce with spinach and mozzarella). Mine came with a side salad of fresh greens. Mary was in heaven, felt this was the best crepe meal she'd had in the Denver area (and she's tried a few), and I was completely happy. We had a new waitress, who made a mistake of bringing Mary the chicken salad instead of the crepe, then got the kitchen to rush the correct order. She was otherwise attentive, even though she was the only wait staff on duty, and covering both the outside and inside diners. When it came to pay the bill, she actually asked us NOT to give her a tip because of her mistake. (She got one, anyway.) We'll definitely come back.
(4)
Hurricane H.
I really love this place. It's a chic, cozy Bistro a stone's throw from Denver, and worth the drive. It's charming, romantic and unstuffy; absolutely one of my favorite restaurants in town now. The first time we ate here was during Restaurant Week and have gone back several times, for both dinner and lunch...and also brunch on Sunday. Can't say enough good things about the food. It is not your grand-mère's heavy French cuisine. It's always clean and fresh and unique. One of my favorites is the LaFermiere crepe (brunch) that had spinach, artichokes, avocado, fresh mozzarella & pesto aïoli. So different and absolutely delicious. Love, love, love! But last time I had the Crab Cake Benedict and loved it as well. There are always a few specials at dinner. Last week we both had the Colorado Lamb. It was perfect, just perfect, and came with a remarkable risotto. Normally we start with the bacon wrapped dates, they're addictive. But this time we tried a grilled Artichoke skewer appetizer and the escargot appetizer. Couldn't get enough! Sooooo good! I also love the fact that you can get fresh French Press coffee after dinner. I love the fact that JaJa's is locally owned. I love that everything is made from scratch. I love that it's small and cozy. I'd love to keep this our little secret.....
(5)
Sarah D.
My husband and another couple went for dinner on a Saturday night. We arrived at 7 and expected a wait of an hour or so - followed the instructions of the maitre'd to get wine at Katie's next door. TWO and a half hours later and no table, no apologies, no attempt to try and seat us. When we checked in at the hour and every 15 minutes or so after, they would act annoyed and would tell us they were "clearing the table" so we kept waiting. We finally left at 9:30 and just wished they would have said, sorry but we can't make any promises about when we can seat you so that we could have gotten something to eat somewhere else sooner. I guess some people are fine with a long wait but their snobby attitude put us over the edge. Even if the food is great we'll never return and will never recommend. We felt we were treated so poorly, we would not want to support that kind of business.
(1)
Marc S.
I have been enjoying Ja Ja since the month that it opened and have always had very good food, pleasant service and generally and excellent experience. For frequent fliers , isn't it about time to vary the menu?
(4)
Levi T.
This is a good place I guess for Denver. Just moved here from CA so I'm trying to compare it relative to the Denver area - this would be a below average French dining experience in CA. In general, it seems like people here are very nice and so they are generous with the yelp stars, so take it with a grain of salt. This place looks like they have a nice patio, but when we were there it was dark, and their light was broken, so we couldn't sit out there. Food was good, but probably not worth the price for this area. I knew more about the wine on their list than the server did (and she tried to correct me twice on the pronouncing of Gundlach Bundschu - sorry lady, I've been there several times), so don't expect much help on that front. Oh, and the wine pours seemed very small...maybe it was just me, not sure. Overall, I'd go back again, but probably just for a quick lunch. I think you can do better for a special night out.
My mother and I stopped in for a small dinner before a theater performance, so perhaps if we had been of the mind to drop a lot of money on a full meal, we would have been more satisfied... or treated with more respect. Our server was friendly and helpful until she realized we'd be ordering only salads, at which point she ignored us for the rest of our stay. Nobody refilled our empty water glasses, asked how our meals were, or even came back after dropping off the check... Meaning that we had to scramble together enough cash to leave on the table so we could finally get out of there in time for our show. We each ordered a salad (greens, Kalamata olives, marinated artichoke hearts, feta cheese, raspberry vinaigrette) for $12 apiece. I wish we could have added the cheese appetizer to round things out, but at $14 for 3 cheeses, it seemed an unreasonable luxury. NOTE: Few vegetarian options.
(2)
Scott T.
Went back tonight and gave it a second chance. Got there about 6 and the place was about half full already. It's not an overly large restaurant, maybe seats 36 people total not including outside which isn't an option during the winter. Got seated quickly and was able to order a glass of New Zealand Oyster Bay Merlot. Actually had a couple of glasses of this through the night. They have a very good selections of wines on their menu and a nice wine cabinet in the back room. Suzy who waited on me was very friendly and extremely attentive. I drink a lot of water and they did a good job keeping me full. Also, brought out bread and butter as you'd expect in a nice restaurant. I started off with the Sushi de Nougat de Chavre et Saumon Fuma. This was an appetizer to die for. Very good portions with about 5 rolls and absolutely delicious. The goat cheese was very creamy and mixed well with the Salmon, thinly sliced cucumbers, capers, and Unagi sauce. For my main course I had Filet de Thon served over a Risotto. The Risotto was wonderful although I was a little disappointed in the Tuna because it hadn't matched up with the quality of the rest of the meal. But maybe that was just me. I was thinking for desert I wanted some Creme Brulee. Hard to imagine going to a French restaurant and not having Creme Brulee. They did have it and it was to die for with fresh Rasberries and Blackberries on top. Very glad that I got an opportunity to go back and try this again. I would highly recommend this as a place for a dinner date. But on the expensive side to make it a regular stop.
(4)
Kal K.
Ja-Ja Loved the location, smack dab on the fringe of places to waddle off the effects of all that goodness. Loved the dates wrapped with bacon,(how could you not?) Liked the country sampler plate for the variety, sad because no foie gras the day we were there. Dessert sampler and coffee were marvelous. In general the atmosphere and the surroundings go a long way towards bringing you back for more. The food is Denver, Colorado good, but for French, it's only Denver Good. Not St Martin or Paris good. Still I would go back because there are some things that you can only get good at this kind of place, and that goes a long way towards bringing me back. And bringing friends with me.
(4)
M R.
Wanted to take my mom somewhere special for her birthday. Most of the food was good, the setting was charming, but the service was TERRIBLE! Worst I have had in a long time! Also, I specifically do not recommend the beef crepe, it was made with ground beef and tasted odd.
(2)
Ashley H.
I won't lie I thought my meal was going to be amazing and I was left a little disappointed. I went here for my anniversary dinner. We wanted someplace nice but not crowded. The atmosphere was very nice and we were the 1st for dinner so we had the whole place to ourselves. Out waitress was nice and walked us through the tiny 10 item dinner menu. They had a large wine menu which for the night we skipped over. We ordered all at once and had the stuff dates 1st since they came recommended by everyone. They were alright. I would not say mind blowing but just alright. They were very deep and rich in flavor but I could only down 2 of the 6 on the plate. I ended up eating the buttered bread over them. My wife had the seafood salad which when described sounded good. When she got it though it was un seasoned, over cooked and overall very bland. She ate half of it before giving up. I had the eggplant with pulled chicken on top. I will say it was pretty good and from we had sampled the best thing on the whole dinner menu. That being said for $20 it wasn't mind blowing. Or even amazing. I cook chicken and eggplant a lot and know I could make the same dish at home. Overall the meal was pretty average. I feel that if you're going to have a tiny 3 entree dinner menu that the food be amazing and done with great skill and craft. Kind of to show that these are the best of the best. That didn't end up happening. The staff and decor are what's good here. The food left a lot to be desired. I'm sure the wine is decent. I might be back for brunch. Which has more to offer I hear. But as for dinner? I think I will pass.
(3)
Shannon G.
This restaurant is awesome! A quaint French Bistro in an old refurbished house, plenty of atmosphere and the service is excellent! The waitstaff is phenomenal (especially Sue) the menu is explained with great detail from a chalkboard, which changes from time to time. Sue is always willing to recommend a wine accompaniment for your meal and is spot on every time! My favorites are the Stuffed Dates, Millefeuillles d'Aubergines, and the Goat Cheese and Prosciutto. You can make an entire meal of the Nos Petites Assiettes - or little plates. Save room for the desserts which are equally delicious and of course the house Grapefruit Cello, which cannot be duplicated! We've never had a meal where Stephan and/or Janelle, the owners, did not greet us and try to make the meal more memorable. The chefs are positively wonderful, I have never gone away displeased. Treat yourself and your loved ones, you will not be disappointed!
(5)
Dave E.
Ja Ja's is a nice little place in downtown Littleton that I recently went to for the first time. The food was very good, as was the service. I had crab cakes (2) which are topped with a poached egg and covered in a light cream sauce. I'm not sure what that does to the cholesterol reading, but it tasted great. There were a few others in our party and everyone had something different. No complaints from anyone about the food, and we even got a free cup of French Press coffee due to a very minor snafu. There are two rooms for dining - the one in the back is much smaller and is better for a group that may want some privacy or wants to make a little noise without rattling the rest of the patrons. There was also outdoor dining, but it was 95 degrees so we opted for an air conditioned experience. No real complaints except I wish the decor was a bit more French themed.
(5)
Ian M.
So disappointing, my wife really wanted to go here and so I booked a romantic night out and it was ruined. We got stuck at a small table and completely ignored, we had to waive down anybody that passed by for a drink, the water is served in a fancy bottle but is warm and good luck getting a refill. The appetizers were good but the $26 steak was served cold, the sauce was congealed from sitting too long. They bought us desert which was lack luster and dry. I am sorry but for a meal that cost us $140 and 20 minutes of trying to park, just not worth it. Really ruined a nice night out!!
(1)
Alex M.
What kind of person do you have to be to give this place one star? Did they burn your food to a crisp? Did they make fun of you for ordering off the kids menu? I can honestly say I have only had a couple one star experiences in my WHOLE ENTIRE LIFE and Jaja is certainly not one of them. This is what prompted this review. It pains me to see people rip apart some of my favorite restaurants on Yelp, so think of this as internet justice. Although I haven't written a review in a while, Jaja deserves it. I mostly come here for brunch, and each time it is nothing less than exquisite. I'm pretty sure the new chef is a pig whisperer because the pork belly serenades my mouth as it slowly melts away into salty,fatty, deliciousness. I would highly recommend any of their brunch dishes, but my personal favorites are the Chevre and Chive Omelet and the Eggs with pork belly. The ambiance is cool too, but fellow Yelpers, THE PORK. I would highly recommend a visit to Jaja
(5)
Susan D.
The new owners have expanded the menu which we appreciate. Now there is always a chicken and pork dish and croque monsieur/madame in addirion to the steak and moule frites and other staples. The service was good and the atmosphere is a 5*-can't be beat. But the food seems to have gone downhill. The Chicken and Eggplant Napolean wasn't nearly as good as before.
(3)
Melissa N.
Cute little french restaurant, in a cozy little house, with outdoor seating! I will start with all of the things I loved. The food was just spectacular and all prepared to perfection. This is definitely fine dining - the chef here knows how to put a menu together for sure. Must try appetizer: bacon wrapped dates (AMAZING!). For dinner we had the steak and frites and the mussels - also really yummy and cooked perfectly. Extensive wine list to please any palate. Such a nice little restaurant in the heart of a cute Littleton. Put this on your list for a date night for sure! Our service was not great, or even good, this time around - otherwise this would have been a solid 5 star review.
(4)
Riza H. C.
JaJa Bistro..... How shall I begin...* tick tock tick tock * Several weeks before making my trip to JaJa Bistro, I made a phone call for a reservation. The person who answers my call said I cannot make a reservation for a Party of more than 15 people at one seating. But he said, I should call back and see what the Owner said etc etc... Long story short, on SUNDAY July 14th 2013, its Bastille Day in France, so to celebrate that I invite 10 friends to JaJa Bistro for a Brunch Feast. YES, this establishment is in a house. When I arrived at JaJa Bistro, and when I mentioned I have a reservation for 11 people, one of the staffs said, he thought I have cancel the reservation. That reservation was for a 10:30 am BRUNCH. After waiting for a few minutes literally in front of the door entrance, then another staff came to the rescue and mentioned, there are NO PROBLEMS and due to the miscommunications of the Reservation, he can accommodate my friends and I for that morning. They separate us with two seating arrangements. One table holds like 6 chairs, the other holds like another 6 chairs for us. *PHEW* My friends are all excited NOT only about this establishment. Even those who live in Aurora, Golden, Arvada, Highlands Ranch and as far as Broomfield, drive all the way just to have FRENCH BRUNCH that morning with me. Now for the MENU. Since we were the LARGEST Group that morning, both servers handle our group. YES, it was a little wait due to the fact that there are also other patrons. Our servers are also accommodating, to provide the items which ARE ON THE CHALK BOARD, NOT necessary in the Menu. That morning these were the items we ordered : * Bacon Wrapped Dates * Garlic & Olives * 2 orders of Poulet Bechamel aka Chicken Bechemmel * 2 orders of Croque Monsieur * 1 Jambon Benedict * 1 LARGE French Press Coffee * 3 orders of MEDIUM French Press * 1 order of SMALL French Press * 3 orders of Mimosa * 1 Soupe aka Gazpacho * 2 orders of La Chevre * 1 Crepe Madame * 1 La Fermiere * 1 Parisien Burger * 2 orders of Kir Royale * 1 Croque Madam As for me I opt for Escargots ($6.00) and Crab Cake Benedictine aka Crab Cake Benedict ($12.00). The Escargots are already taken out from their shells. I was a little bumped with that, but the flavors are so rich and was indeed delicious. The Escargots is served in a creamy parsley and garlic sauce. My order of Crab Cake Benedict comes with salad and potatoes. The portions are reasonable. Since maybe I was a little full with my order of Escargots, I ate half of my Crab Cake Benedict and bring the leftovers home. The Eggs on top of my Crab Cake oozes when I cut them open and melt away... After our Brunch is almost over, the staffs brought out Complimentary Banana Bread for the table. Definitely a nice touch, to end the Brunch with "Complimentary Desserts" or something sweet. All my friends like what they ordered. Even one of my friends who are from France, and is definitely French, approved about this establishment. She mentioned the food is good. The portions are HUGE to some, and some decide to bring their BRUNCH items in TO GO Boxes. Kudos to Jaja Bistro, and their staffs making the Bastille Day memorable for us. Thank you Stephan and Janelle. My friends kept on raving about the food, the authentic flavors that Jaja Bistro offered that morning, and they cannot wait to come back when schedule permitting. Even though with a little hiccup earlier in the morning, everything went smoothly. Ooh another thing I forgot, JaJa Bistro DOES NOT accept separate checks. Hence, when settling the check at the end of our Brunch, it took awhile coz everyone needs to make sure who order what in the "ticket". Some of my friends also found out the differences in pricing etc etc from the "receipt" and from the Menu. The staffs managed to rectify the problems and issued us the correct check for us to settle the Brunch. Definitely will return to JaJa Bistro when needed. Or another side note, that evening (July 14th 2013), JaJa Bistro had their Bastille Day Celebration with some performances and unique menu etc etc. But due to the weather forecast that was unpredictable, I choose to celebrate Bastille Day with my friends at Brunch instead. Left JaJa Bistro at 12:50hrs ish. @165/2013
(4)
Marcee t.
We are Littleton natives and count ourselves LUCKY to have this kind of restaurant so close to our home. We have dined here five times now. We LOVE Ja Ja! We think the wine and food are exceptional--as good as Le Central (which has been one of our favorite restaurants for many years) and infinitely better than the plethora of boring chains that all have the same exact menus and think that if they change up the decorations (add a Red Robin here and a beach-like atmosphere there) it will seem like a different restaurant. The setting is one of our favorites--inside and out. I also love that they NEVER make you feel like you need to leave. They allow you to eat slowly and enjoy your meal and never circle around waiting for you to pay. I have been here for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and always choose this (or Bocco) if I'm going to stay close to home. I would rather pay a little bit extra for a wonderful meal at Ja Ja than waste my money at restaurants where they pile on the soul-less food.
(5)
Myron T.
Good service with friendly staff. I had the mussels and found them to have quite a bit more sand and grit than usual. The wine was good and the fries were delicious.
(3)
Tasha D.
I enjoyed a fantastic meal here with a co-worker last week. It was a very quiet night for them -- but then I did show up at 5pm on the dot. The hostess was absolutely charming, led us through the wine list and menu, and all of her recommendations were excellent. I especially enjoyed the duck entree and the chocolate mousse for dessert, which had a slightly salty kick that really did it for me. Love!!!
(5)
Alice G.
Paris in Littleton- why not? What a great little restaurant! Great wine, great food, rustic little tables- a nice little set up! The menu is fairly limited, but the options were delicious and we were all happy. It was fun to see the menu etched onto a chalkboard- Tres Parisienne! I enjoyed the steak & frites- my steak was perfect and the fries were delicious. I was pleasantly surprised! I can't wait to go back!
(4)
Leah M.
We were the only people in Jaja Bistro when we went, and although I felt guilty holding everyone up for the night, I appreciated how quickly our meals came out and how attentive our server was. I ordered the croque monsier, and while it was delicious, I started to envy my friend's crepe- mainly because I had ordered the same sandwich the last time I went to Jaja Bistro. I will make sure to get a crepe next time!
(4)
Michelle A.
. Garlicky is what first comes to mind. Second is fabulous Martini. I did enjoy my mussels and french fries. My friend also said her steak and veggies had way too much garlic. Someone that night just had a heavy hand. I have friends who love the restaurant and so I would give it a second chance, It is a cute old house that was transformed into a charming little neighbor restaurant. I hope if I give it a second chance I will be happy.
Came here for lunch on a Saturday. There was a strong perfume smell inside so we dined outside. Not sure if this place smells like perfume all the time or maybe a diner had too much perfume on. There was enough shade on the outside to make it comfortable. I got the jambon and brie crepe. it was served with a spring salad. The ham was nice and tender, the brie sauce was rich and tasty. My friend got the devils on horseback (bacon wrapped dates). The chef made them glutten free for my friend. They tasted pretty good. They were served with an apple sauce and a basalmic glaze. So after eating all the dates, there was some sauce left. So, we ordered a scoop of vanilla ice cream. That scoop came with sliced strawberries. Talking about a lot of flavors, sweet strawberries, sweet ice cream, tangy apples and sauce, thick sweet/tangy balsamic glaze. I'd like to come back and try the moules et frites.
Husband and I were in Littleton for the Affordable Arts Festival today and, because it was around lunch, I whipped out my trusted phone and checked Yelp for a great local restaurant to try. JaJa Bistro was close, French, and got great reviews... I like all of those things! We ordered the bacon-wrapped dates to start and they were DELICIOUS. In fact, when it was time to order the main course, it was hard to pick what I wanted! Everything looked so good. I peeked around at some of the other tables to see if looking at the food would help me decide. Nope. Everything smelled so good and was plated beautifully. I decided on the crab cake benedictine and my husband got their jambon crepe. The poached eggs on my benedict were perfectly done. It also tasted like their English muffins were made in-house... I'd be curious to find out if they in fact were! Husband's crepe was really phenomenal. I snuck several bites while he went to the restroom. I highly recommend JaJa. Even though I don't find myself in Littleton too often, JaJa is a reason to make the trip more often.
(5)
John E.
Nice atmosphere for a romantic dinner. Friendly and helpful staff. Great quality food with a 'every once in a while' price. I had the Moule Frites and thought they were terrific. My fiance had their fresh trout and it was very well prepared. We will most certainly be back to JaJa Bistro.
(4)
Carolyn M.
We ate here last week, New owner/chef from what i had heard. I have a few dietary issues, and have never been to a restaurant that was so tuned in and careful as to what i was served.... The kitchen and our delightful waitress, Sarah.... were so so helpful. We snacked on Olives and Baked Garlic, Brussel Sprouts, Bacon wrapped dates....Steak and Mussels... All delish! A keeper .....only thing that is off ....is parking, no parking lot, and no handicap access...a bummer, as i would LOVE to take my elderly Mom here.
(4)
Janel S.
Hum. I have always loved this restaurant for its quant ambiance and authentic French food. We heard it was under new ownership and wanted to check out the changes. I always order either the mussels or the eggplant/chicken. We ordered one of each and were disappointed to find the recipe/presentation has changed and not in a good way.
(2)
Ralph M.
We went to JaJa's recently and had a great time. The restaurant had a real French country feel, and the food was terrific. I had the millefeuilles d'aubergine, an eggplant and chicken dish with hollandaise sauce. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but it was great. I had my first taste of escargot which I really enjoyed. I tasted my friend's crepe which was out of this world. Our server, Sara, was very helpful and attentive and got our food out in good time. I would definitely recommend this place if you're looking for a good meal in Littleton at a reasonable price
(5)
Dawn N.
I took my Mother here for a nice quaint lunch and what a nice surprise. She had the salad prepared on a crepe and it was filled with flavor. I had the sandwich and the cheese was so gooey and the meat was so fresh it seemed like they cooked everything from scratch. It was a pleasant surprise and I have been back since to get the sandwich to go and the French fries have a delightful seasoning on them and come to your table fresh and hot! I will most certainly return, the only down side was it was a little slow but well worth the wait.
(4)
Jenn B.
Yummy, yummy! JaJa is a great place for a quiet, casual-ish dinner for two. The restaurant is in a converted home, so the whole place has a lot of history and character - definitely a romantic vibe. I have so far come here twice and had very good experiences. Both times I had the mussels dish (it had been a while and I didn't remember what I'd had before), and ohmygoodness those mussels are sooooo good! The broth is absolutely amazing; you will want to make sure you ask for extra bread to sop it all up. The mussels come with a side of French fries, which are super delicious as well; I kept having to fight my husband off them! He chose one of the salads (I don't remember which one), and we were both a little disappointed with its portion size. The appetizer, though, of the bacon-wrapped dates is AMAZING. You MUST try it! The service is decent. On neither of our visits was the server particularly friendly. Not rude or unconcerned or anything, just not interested in the small talk. They tended to walk past our table without checking up on us, so we frequently had to initiate by asking for what we needed. Overall, though, this is a great little restaurant. They have a great wine selection and variety of specials beyond the primary menu (wish I had known that before choosing the mussels a second time!). I am looking forward to coming back and trying some of their other offerings!
(4)
Randy B.
What a disappointment. We wait at the front entrance, with 3 people in the restaurant, and wait, and wait, and wait. I finally go to the back, and find the waiter talking to some customers. No manager. No one else in sight. I ask him very nicely if they are open, because it was around 1:30, and he says yes. I go back to the front and he eventually seats us, and forgets to bring silverware. Surly is the word. Not a smile, not even a friendly nod. Then the food was really good. I hope he was just having a bad day. We won't go back. What a shame. 2 stars only for the food. Only for the food.
(2)
Terri B.
It's a nice atmosphere and the food is delicious. I had that the Trout Almondine and my friend had the Steak Au Poir. We swapped bites and both were good. The Moule Frites that complimented the meal were also good. I will be back again soon.
(5)
L. L.
I live in Littleton ....have been to many of the small eateries in town.... really wanted to like Ja Ja Bistro...read quite a few reviews...bought a Living Social coupon. Followed the fine print....made reservations for dinner on a Thursday evening for 6 pm and said I had the LS coupon. Arrived at 6 pm and were seated by the wine cooler....candle was lit. There were only two other seated tables at this time. We sat...and sat ...with the servers walking right by us for 10 minutes until I asked if we were invisible ? We then got menus...and water. Then after another long .....wait had to ask for someone to take our order. I ordered french onion soup and the veal Bourguignon ...my wife had just the veal Bourguignon ....Ordered a couple of drinks. Our dinners arrived.... -Had to ask for some bread to accompany dinner -French Onion soup.....Was flavorful with lots of onions and a small croton..size was a cup of soup for $7.00. -Blanquette De Veau (Veal Bourguignon)....Wow....chunks of tough meat...half the vegetables were under cooked ...( 1 French carrot....fingerling potatoes ...halved ....under cooked) wife pulled a big chunk of fat out of her bowl. Size was a small bowl for $25.00. For the level of service and quality of the food......not worth it in MHO. Noticed others who were seated after us who were getting reasonable service ?? Did not have to ask for it. Was it the LS coupon ? Will not return to Ja Ja Bistro.... Will go to Le Central ....for epic ... french cooking and service....
(1)
Rebecca R.
I have eaten here twice and loved it both times. The service is excellent, the food is fabulous. Don't miss it - come here for your next meal. Their burger is the BEST burger I've ever had. Melted chunks of brie, sauteed onions and mushroom on a croissant. To die for!! Do yourself a favor and check out this downtown Littleton gem.
(5)
Linda S.
What? How could it be that I haven't found this place until now? We happened across this little gem on Bastille Day and enjoyed a glorious three-hour al fresco experience. Absolutely amazing service--the owner and wait staff were there when we needed them and out of site otherwise (love that, right?). The wine list was laden with French and Cali offerings, super-reasonably priced. We ordered all specials, duck, Ahi salad, and several others. Chef Stephan is a little bit obsessive about quality of ingredients, preparation, flavor combination, and presentation. You can't go wrong with whatever you order. The little bungalow is so charming, we can't wait to go back when it's colder and dine inside. hmmm....I was trying to think of something that wasn't perfect and can't.
(5)
Ang H.
I have to update my review to 4 stars because I am so impressed by the manager who contacted me based on my previous Yelp review. She apologized for the poor service, acknowledged that our experience was unacceptable, and invited me to come back for a better experience. I was SO impressed by the follow-up. I can't wait to go back - the food on our first visit was truly top-notch!
(4)
Cheryl L.
I have been on the prowl for the perfect Croque Madame. This is the 2nd stop on the adventure in Denver that I have tried and I would have to say that it was pretty good. The ham was nice and thick, like it had been craved right off of the bone. Not that wimpy shaved lunch meat type of stuff. The bread had a nice texture and stood up nicely to the sauce and the egg. The egg was nicely cooked so that when you cut into it there was a yellowish-golden river of yolk goodness that flowed like lava over the bread. The Bearnaise sauce was nice, not one of my favorite mother sauces but it was nicely done. I'm wondering if it would be better with a nice Hollandaise sauce instead. That's what this dish needs is more egg yolk, yeah! Would this make it anti-french at that point. I'm not sure, but I think it would elevate the dish and make it just that much better. They fries there were served with it were nice but I think with the heaviness of the of the Madame that I would have preferred a nice side of field greens with a lemon vinaigrette. I'll see if they can make the substitution next time. There seems to be limited seating so if it is a busy time you might want to make an adjustment because I could see there being quiet the wait next time. Although there was outdoor seating so in the summer it would be nice to kick back with a nice glass of wine on a warm summers eve and take in the ambiance of Downtown Littleton. Off to find the next stop in our adventure.
(4)
Heather M.
what can i say about Ja Ja except, out of this world!!! Amazing food! Apps- my favs are the escargot, and stuffed dates Dinner - I always get the muscles friends have ordered the Millefeuillesd'aubergines and steak au poivre. when there has been a special of boef bourguignon my friends swear it is the best they have ever had. there are always different dinner specials but i love the muscles so much i cant seem to order anything else... The crepes are also amazing!!! sweet, savory, doesnt matter, YUM!!! One of my favorite restaurants!!!
(5)
Guy C.
Maybe it was the perfect weather or finally having a date night with my wife, but the dinner we had here was an experience that went far above "going out for dinner." The steak pa voir (sp?) was delicious and the trout almondine was perfectly done. My wife called to see if they could get us in and spoke with Jordan. Just by the way he handled the call we knew we were in for a customer experience treat. Our waiter, Patrick, was knowledgable, friendly, and went above and beyond to make it an experience for us. French press coffee with their chocolate mousse was a perfect way to end the meal. The ambience at this place is what I would call "comfortable French". No pretense, just food and service done with excellence.
(5)
Jessica M.
I cannot say enough great things about JaJa. The waitstaff all know us, remember our preferences, and take such good care of us! Absolutely EVERYTHING that we have ordered has been tres bien. From ratatouie to chocolate mousse (layers of flavor!), brunch faire, sweet and savory crepes (try the crepe-a-dilla!), French press coffee (life changing), pomegranite mimosas, and the house-smoked ham is simply phenomenal! If you have not yet dined here and you're in the neighborhood you MUST, MUST stop by! Great for date nights, brunches, and everything in between.
(5)
Dan S.
Love this place. Just discovered it last weekend. My wife claims she found it first. Whatever. Had escargot for the first time in about 10 years and I didn't want to spit it out. That's saying a lot believe me. The frog legs were excellent too. Ok those were both appetizers but I wanted to eat snails and frog. Rest of our party had chicken and the eggplant dish which I guess is awesome. The waitress and rest of the staff were excellent as well as the chef who came out to meet the diners. Will definitely go back again.
Absolutely wonderful...in my opinion the best casual French food in the Denver metro area. We started with the Assiette Campagnarde, a platter of assorted meats, cheeses, pate, cornichons, olives, etc. The food was fresh, delicious and beautifully presented. For our entrees, I had scallops in a saffron cream sauce, which was incredibly rich and flavorful. My wife had the beef bourguignon, full of fork-tender beef, carrots and fingerling potatoes. We finished with a trio of dessert samplings...chocolate mousse, creme brulee and a nutella/banana crepe. Incredible all. The atmosphere at JaJa Bistro is wonderful - cozy and warm with attentive waitstaff, great food and a very nice wine list. We will be back!
(5)
Em H.
Cozy, romantic and inviting. Such a wonderful atmosphere, a great server who was passionate about food, described menu items perfectly and made excellent recommendations (for both food and wine) and of equal importance, our meals were delicious.
(4)
Kristi E.
Fabulous place for dinner on the patio on a warm summer night. We had the stuffed dates, the Assiette Campagnarde, Indochine mussels and salmon salad. All exquistely prepared. Topped it off with creme brulee. The service was prompt, attentive and friendly. Really couldn't ask for more from this little gem of a bistro.
(5)
Susie H.
I am a fan of this place after eating there once for lunch.... My friend had the French version of a ham and cheese sandwich and I had a crepe with ham and cheese and absolutely loved it! Tried to eat there later but was booked with a private function. I will definitely give it another try and may try the crepe again.... But would love to come back to try dinner here like some of the reviews I have read about.
(4)
sarah m.
I had no expectations when a friend took me to celebrate a birthday and it was fabulous! My Croque Madame was crunchy and tasty; the chocolate mousse was creamy and not too sweet. The service was slow, but we'd warned the friendly and efficient server that we only had an hour and she tried to move things along (and apologized for kitchen issues that were holding up the food). I loved the atmosphere and look forward to returning for a special occasion.
(4)
Carl D.
Had a great meal at JaJa last night. It's in a nice location in a revitalized part of old Littleton. Nice atmosphere, quiet so you can have a convesation, and the food is great. A little pricer than the average meal, but well worth it.
(5)
Adreanna W.
I had such expectations for JaJa's... and they did not let me down. Great place, great food, friendly service. Went for the 'restaurant week' menu, and they did not sacrifice quality by packing in people like sardines *Rioja, I'm looking at you*. Will definitely be going back.
Had a great dinner there on September 30 before going to see a theatre production. It was great! My partner loved it and we were celebrating our 1 year anniversary. The eggplant dish was awesome! As were the desserts, coffee, service, etc... Can't wait to try their brunch sometime.
(5)
Sarah R.
I saw that Westword had ranked JaJa as the #1 brunch spot and made a mental note that I would have to check it out the next time I went to brunch. I was quite excited as JaJa is close to where I live. We were celebrating a birthday over brunch and decided to give JaJa a shot...can't go wrong with a french brunch!! We made reservations assuming it would be packed, but as we showed up at 11:00 we were quite suprised by how quiet it was. How on earth can Westword's top brunch pick be so quiet? It made us a bit skeptical, but were very happy with everything. Everyone enjoyed their meals and the four of us really had a variety of items from the menu. I really can't imagine that there is anything other than delicious at JaJa! The service was equally good. As we left, I noticed the restaurant filled up a bit. They have a great patio as well, which I will have to enjoy the next time I visit. I will most definitely be back for brunch and I have to give dinner a try!
(4)
Michelle G.
We visited this place for the 1st time last night and were very disappointed. We've passed this nice little restuarant many times on our way to other restaurants in the downtown Littleton area. Arrived at 7:15 and was promptly seated on the outside patio which is a Gem. I was the 1st in our party of 4 to arrive. I ordered a glass of wine and explained to our server Danielle that this was our first visit. She did suggest a nice glass of Pinot. I also ordered the 'The Country Plate' as an appetizer after deliberating over the menu for sometime. My friends started arriving at 7:30 and they ordered drinks. We pretty much ordered our food straight after the drinks...again several people said that we had never visited JaJa Bistro before and asked what on the menu she would suggest. We recvd. monosylable responses. Finally our appettizer arrived at 35-40 minutes later it along with some bread. The appetizer was not what we expected but not knowing what to expect, we were still thinking maybe it was just a poor ordering choice on our part. I was asked if I wanted another glass of wine and I replyed not yet... but almost all of our water glasses were empty. She did fill someone's Ice Tea. We wait, we wait and we wait for our Salads...but the Whole meal comes out at one time at almost 9 o'clock. Our server never again asked if we wanted anything else to drink. At this point another server sees that our water glasses are empty and fills them. One plate of the mussels were dry with very little sauce, another person ordered a salad for dinner but the salad was extremely small for a meal, but again we did not know this was how it was going to arrive. The highlight, the french fries were to die for and the Tuna was pretty good as well. Our plates sat uncleared for 15-20 minutes, literally people who had arrived after us had ordered wine, appetizers, a meal and 1 couple dessert but they were gone 10 minutes before us. We were never offered dessert or coffee, our waitress simply brought the check. We left the restaurant at 9:35. In essence, 7:15 to 9:35, no second drink, no water, no extra bread, no offering of dessert....what a shame. We took nothing to go and all of us were still hungry when we left. And before you think it, we are all very healthy petite people that normally get full on dinner. The place looked fabulous.... but unfortunately we will not be back
(2)
Scott L.
Cozy, warm atmosphere. Excellent service. Excellent food. Much needed original (and good) restaurant for the south of Denver area. Stuffed dates are addictive.
(4)
Allison R.
the food was great! the atmosphere was great! it was a bit pricey, but overall we had a really good time. the service was a little slow but it was really busy and our waitress was great so we let it slide. it is a very quaint little restaurant, and the food was amazing. overall very good!
(4)
Neil B.
Excellent and authentic, down to the ambience which included French background music. Menu offerings were unique and I had their Shallot soup, the Brandade of Cod and the awesome Magret du Canard. Plus had a cool French regional wine with each course, best was the Quercy with the duck. Service was very attentive, friendly - never needed to ask for anything. Can't wait to take my wife there! Readers avoid the chains give these small intimate, value priced restaurants a chance on your next outing.
(4)
Mike M.
Arrived around 7, no reservation. Smelled wonderful upon entering. Seating took a few minutes despite open tables. Water and menus brought by a pleasant server. Decided order (my wife is indecisive and usually doesn't decide until server is ready to take order) before bread made it to our table without butter. Ordered wine (limited menu) and dinner at the same time. She orders house salad and agneau; I order the foie and a steak au poivre. Wine arrives. At roughly 7:40 a complimentary petite assiette arrives with apology for delay; kitchen backed up. Stuffed dates are good but not stellar. 7:59 first course arrives. I asked for the check, get argument from server. I tell the server foie only takes two minutes to cook, bring me the check. Cancel the rest. We ate our first course. The foie was good but nothing like Europe. Her house salad was a house salad. Check arrives, just shy of $60. Finally, a positive note, only a $1 a minute to sit here instead of the $2 a minute we would have spent had this been a well-run kitchen. Go home, have already breathing 2002 Chateau du Courneau with some fine cheese. Very nice recovery.
Ahhhh. Memories of yum are sweeping over me as i recall the deliciousness of the brunch I had there. They had sugar dusted Challah french toast with jam-- absolutely, utterly, totally, and completely insanely good. (I really hope I can conjure some dreams of this french toast tonight.) And Jaja's Chocolate Mouse Purse crepe (with house made mousse) was so toe tinglingly delectable. I can't really remember all the other dishes, which were most likely savoury items, but I remember my fellow eaters proclaimed were quite good too. Wonderful service too! So, my answer is whole-heartedly, with a capital "Y", a Yes. Run as fast as you can and eat there, now!
(4)
Isibella A.
The hungry kitten gave this place the benefit of the doubt....Twice. I will stress there's nothing wrong with the food. In fact there's nothing wrong with the decor or the venue... There is EVERYTHING wrong with the service. This is worse than french service, I've never seen anything this bad even while living in Europe. I think we waiting one time 2 hours for our food to arrive and I'm not even kidding. The sad part is there was hardly anyone else there dinning on both occasions that we had to wait for food. The hungry kitten says : This place is a joke, correct your kitchen and your staff, a good restaurant does not allow this kind of service. Never again.
(1)
Nancy K.
We went here the other day. I ordered the pork crepe and my husband had some type of steak crepe but it turned out more like a philly cheese quesadilla which wasn't all that impressive. my pork was okay at the beginning but the crepe got soggy by the end and i couldn't finish it. I might go back for the dessert crepe but I am not agreeing with the 4.5 stars rating on this place. I had higher hope. 50:50 on being back.
(3)
Joseph B.
Foie Gras, I love it but not with veins. Either use a higher quality or remove the veins!!! The stuffed figs were fantastic but French is about foie gras and this was uneatable. I will try again to see if the chef listens. Cute old house converted.
GF and I had a great lunch this week ; The lamb and lentil soup was amazingly delicious. it was served with home made thin toasts that were perfect for this soup. The hamburger plate was one of the best I've ever eaten. It was served with 'Frites" that were crispy and gently infused with white truffle oil. My GF had the Croque Monsiuer which was very large and perfectly prepared with white house cured ham. Both entries were nonpareil. We shared a very delicious crepes for dessert. The rose wine was especially dry and delicious. This restaurant should be on Denver's "Top 25" list.
(5)
Sara E.
Had dinner here last night using a Groupon and I will go back for sure. The atmosphere was great and I loved the low lighting and music. I never thought I'd hear The Shins or Band of Horses at a French restaurant and I loved it. We had the steak and frites and the mussels and frites and both were delicious and very reasonably priced. The French fries were some of the best I've ever had. I can't wait to go back and try something else.
great little place. charming. we both had steak frites and they were really tasty. the steak was perfectly cooked but a little salty. the frites were amazing. most crispy I've ever had. delicious seasoning too. service was nice. friendly knowledgeable perfect timing. we'll be back!
(4)
Holly C.
Disappointing experience! Came on Friday evening of Western Welcome Week and there had been a shower earlier in the aft. but it was a lovely summer evening. This restaurant has comfortable outdoor patio seating with table umbrellas. Despite requests to the hostess, we along with other diners were seated in three cramped rooms of a bungalow style converted house. Menu is limited but what is served seems authentic French. Post dining, strolled around downtown Littleton where every other restaurant with outdoor seating was at full occupancy of patio diners. If you want an alfresco experience, go elsewhere and there are plenty of nearby restaurants eager to accommodate you. The experience was sub par for poor ambiance and disregard for diners' requests. What you see driving by the restaurant may not be available for your dining experience.
(1)
Jennifer D.
Spectacular food and ambiance!!! One of my favorite spots! My sister and mom and I went their for an amazing lunch after walking around Old Towne Littleton, such a treat!!!
(4)
Danny C.
I really had a great time here. Really great delicious food, great wine and really nice helpful staff. Recommended by a person I just met at a local pub. I would go back again.
(4)
Bill F.
Went to dinner Saturday evening around 5:30pm with my brother in law and his wife and a friend of their's. This restaurant is an old Littleton home that is converted into a restaurant establishment. The front living room and dining room sits about 20 people. They also have a backroom that sits additional people. First, our server was very friendly, accommodating and attentive. So kudos to the server. The food was marginally acceptable, but definitely not outstanding in a good way. My wife ordered, the French onion soup, the boat scallop (appetizer which consisted of 1 scallop-( I believe was a sea scallop), and escargot (plate of 12 which we shared). I ordered French onion soup, seared Sockeye Salmon over lentils and something. Dessert was Limoncello parfait and French pressed coffee. Overall I felt my meal was bland and unimpressive. French onion soup, served in a cup vs an oven crock, broth was weak, not full bodied, no crusted bread, thinly covered with some type of cheese, if it was gruyere cheese, I didn't recognize it as such. The person I sat next to said she loved the high quality sherry they used in the French onion soup. I felt it was used to mask the below quality flavor of the onion soup. Escargot, out of the shell: cream-ish style white sauce, bland and unexciting. The boat scallop for $10, which was one scallop that was probably of an ounce, was bland and far from exceptional. I asked both my wife and the other lady if it was infused, marinated or somehow spiced with anything to give it a memorable flavor, both said no, it was actually bland. My wife said even in NYC if she ordered a scallop appetizer for $10, there would be minimum 2 if not 3 scallops served on the dish. Yes there was a yellow sauce, I think hollandaise like, and a celery root like accompaniment to it. But not worth the taste or value. Strong recommendation not to get it. My seared Sockeye Salmon, again strong reservations- don't order it. The Salmon looked more like it was poached and then seared. There was a light shallow horseradish sauce as an accompaniment to the salmon, which was served on top of a bed of lentil bean (thick soup like bed) ' First time I've had Limoncello, my guess, like the rest of the selection, it was not up to par to the "real deal" I will have to try some other places that offer Limoncello before I can truly say JaJa's limoncello is authentic. My wife did order a dessert, which I tasted and seem okay, but not sure what it was, my wife did enjoy the dessert. It's a shame my (brother and sister) in law like this place a lot, it is not on my list of regular restaurants to visit. One last thing, for my wife and I, the straight back no cushion chairs made the meal uncomfortable for the both of us. My wife's back became very stiff after sitting there for about an hour.
(2)
joanne W.
Hi came here with my son and friend. Had heard great things...delightful staff though time waiting for food was ridiculous...45 minutes. Veal special was light on the meat, some meat had lots of gristle and fat. My mahi was prepared well, good flavor, asparagus very good. So all in all. Ok but very expensive for 3.
(2)
Woody S.
Stopped by during Western Welcome Week and had a light lunch. Prices were a little on the high side, but we ate outside and had a good time. I had the eacargot. Far from the best I've had but the sauce was quite good. The Le Provencal was very solid as well, tasting some of my wife's. Service was a little lacking but I think they got more business than expected. We look forward to going back as I LOVE French cuisine and Denver lacks in this area. I'd like to see if the dinner menu is more expansive, as the lunch fare was a touch sparse for my taste.
(3)
Lee S.
First of all, if you know me at all; you know I love French food. We stopped by here for lunch. We have been sampling Croque Madame's all over town. This was good. Not the best, but definitely very good. This place felt more American than some places. I want to stop back for dinner. Dinner update on 02/22/2012. We stopped in and were delighted that they were offering the 5280 Restaurant Week menu a couple of days early. The stuffed dates wrapped in bacon were divine. Great time and good food. Okay! Why only 4 stars? I really want to hear a little French language and maybe practice some talking while in a French based restaurant. "Talk French to me and give me water with no ice."
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street, Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Phil B.
The place seems to now be the go-to date place for the wife and I. It is a small intimate location that rather obviously was formerly a house. While it is a very open environment, it still seemed very quiet. The wine list seemed very extensive, but my knowledge of wine is limited at best. Every time we have been there, the food has been wonderful, although recently the service was a little lacking. Not so lacking that I would say that it was poor service, but it just was not the great service that we have had previously. The bacon wrapped stuffed figs are well, they are something delicious that is then wrapped in bacon, how can they be any less than divine?!?! Make sure to get some of the sauce they are in on a piece of bread to get a second chance on your appetizer. Every meal I have had there has been excellent and I look forward to the next time (hopefully they will continue to participate in restaurant week) we get to go.
(5)Connie S.
We had dinner here Saturday evening. What an amazing time. The wait staff was terrific. Their recommendation for wine was spot on. The salads are so good. We ordered a steak and it was cooked to a medium perfection! The potato dish was so good too. I saw the eggplant dish on our way out. It looks amazing. Can't wait to try it on our return visit.
(5)Ken D.
We recently moved to Littleton and found out about this place. Mary is a fan of crepes, so it was the draw. Went for lunch and were both very pleased. Mary had the Poulet Bechamel (chicken crepes) and I had a baked dish, Le Provencal (chicken in tomato sauce with spinach and mozzarella). Mine came with a side salad of fresh greens. Mary was in heaven, felt this was the best crepe meal she'd had in the Denver area (and she's tried a few), and I was completely happy. We had a new waitress, who made a mistake of bringing Mary the chicken salad instead of the crepe, then got the kitchen to rush the correct order. She was otherwise attentive, even though she was the only wait staff on duty, and covering both the outside and inside diners. When it came to pay the bill, she actually asked us NOT to give her a tip because of her mistake. (She got one, anyway.) We'll definitely come back.
(4)Hurricane H.
I really love this place. It's a chic, cozy Bistro a stone's throw from Denver, and worth the drive. It's charming, romantic and unstuffy; absolutely one of my favorite restaurants in town now. The first time we ate here was during Restaurant Week and have gone back several times, for both dinner and lunch...and also brunch on Sunday. Can't say enough good things about the food. It is not your grand-mère's heavy French cuisine. It's always clean and fresh and unique. One of my favorites is the LaFermiere crepe (brunch) that had spinach, artichokes, avocado, fresh mozzarella & pesto aïoli. So different and absolutely delicious. Love, love, love! But last time I had the Crab Cake Benedict and loved it as well. There are always a few specials at dinner. Last week we both had the Colorado Lamb. It was perfect, just perfect, and came with a remarkable risotto. Normally we start with the bacon wrapped dates, they're addictive. But this time we tried a grilled Artichoke skewer appetizer and the escargot appetizer. Couldn't get enough! Sooooo good! I also love the fact that you can get fresh French Press coffee after dinner. I love the fact that JaJa's is locally owned. I love that everything is made from scratch. I love that it's small and cozy. I'd love to keep this our little secret.....
(5)Sarah D.
My husband and another couple went for dinner on a Saturday night. We arrived at 7 and expected a wait of an hour or so - followed the instructions of the maitre'd to get wine at Katie's next door. TWO and a half hours later and no table, no apologies, no attempt to try and seat us. When we checked in at the hour and every 15 minutes or so after, they would act annoyed and would tell us they were "clearing the table" so we kept waiting. We finally left at 9:30 and just wished they would have said, sorry but we can't make any promises about when we can seat you so that we could have gotten something to eat somewhere else sooner. I guess some people are fine with a long wait but their snobby attitude put us over the edge. Even if the food is great we'll never return and will never recommend. We felt we were treated so poorly, we would not want to support that kind of business.
(1)Marc S.
I have been enjoying Ja Ja since the month that it opened and have always had very good food, pleasant service and generally and excellent experience. For frequent fliers , isn't it about time to vary the menu?
(4)Levi T.
This is a good place I guess for Denver. Just moved here from CA so I'm trying to compare it relative to the Denver area - this would be a below average French dining experience in CA. In general, it seems like people here are very nice and so they are generous with the yelp stars, so take it with a grain of salt. This place looks like they have a nice patio, but when we were there it was dark, and their light was broken, so we couldn't sit out there. Food was good, but probably not worth the price for this area. I knew more about the wine on their list than the server did (and she tried to correct me twice on the pronouncing of Gundlach Bundschu - sorry lady, I've been there several times), so don't expect much help on that front. Oh, and the wine pours seemed very small...maybe it was just me, not sure. Overall, I'd go back again, but probably just for a quick lunch. I think you can do better for a special night out.
(2)Whitney E.
I really want to give this place 5 stars! I love that there's an affordable French restaurant in downtown Littleton, and an extremely cute and cozy one at that. However, my dining experiences never live up to my expectations. Service is nice, but slow. The bacon wrapped dates are a must and the mussels are decent. Creme brûlée is nothing special. More selections would be nice. Overall just okay.
(3)Tiddleywink V.
My mother and I stopped in for a small dinner before a theater performance, so perhaps if we had been of the mind to drop a lot of money on a full meal, we would have been more satisfied... or treated with more respect. Our server was friendly and helpful until she realized we'd be ordering only salads, at which point she ignored us for the rest of our stay. Nobody refilled our empty water glasses, asked how our meals were, or even came back after dropping off the check... Meaning that we had to scramble together enough cash to leave on the table so we could finally get out of there in time for our show. We each ordered a salad (greens, Kalamata olives, marinated artichoke hearts, feta cheese, raspberry vinaigrette) for $12 apiece. I wish we could have added the cheese appetizer to round things out, but at $14 for 3 cheeses, it seemed an unreasonable luxury. NOTE: Few vegetarian options.
(2)Scott T.
Went back tonight and gave it a second chance. Got there about 6 and the place was about half full already. It's not an overly large restaurant, maybe seats 36 people total not including outside which isn't an option during the winter. Got seated quickly and was able to order a glass of New Zealand Oyster Bay Merlot. Actually had a couple of glasses of this through the night. They have a very good selections of wines on their menu and a nice wine cabinet in the back room. Suzy who waited on me was very friendly and extremely attentive. I drink a lot of water and they did a good job keeping me full. Also, brought out bread and butter as you'd expect in a nice restaurant. I started off with the Sushi de Nougat de Chavre et Saumon Fuma. This was an appetizer to die for. Very good portions with about 5 rolls and absolutely delicious. The goat cheese was very creamy and mixed well with the Salmon, thinly sliced cucumbers, capers, and Unagi sauce. For my main course I had Filet de Thon served over a Risotto. The Risotto was wonderful although I was a little disappointed in the Tuna because it hadn't matched up with the quality of the rest of the meal. But maybe that was just me. I was thinking for desert I wanted some Creme Brulee. Hard to imagine going to a French restaurant and not having Creme Brulee. They did have it and it was to die for with fresh Rasberries and Blackberries on top. Very glad that I got an opportunity to go back and try this again. I would highly recommend this as a place for a dinner date. But on the expensive side to make it a regular stop.
(4)Kal K.
Ja-Ja Loved the location, smack dab on the fringe of places to waddle off the effects of all that goodness. Loved the dates wrapped with bacon,(how could you not?) Liked the country sampler plate for the variety, sad because no foie gras the day we were there. Dessert sampler and coffee were marvelous. In general the atmosphere and the surroundings go a long way towards bringing you back for more. The food is Denver, Colorado good, but for French, it's only Denver Good. Not St Martin or Paris good. Still I would go back because there are some things that you can only get good at this kind of place, and that goes a long way towards bringing me back. And bringing friends with me.
(4)M R.
Wanted to take my mom somewhere special for her birthday. Most of the food was good, the setting was charming, but the service was TERRIBLE! Worst I have had in a long time! Also, I specifically do not recommend the beef crepe, it was made with ground beef and tasted odd.
(2)Ashley H.
I won't lie I thought my meal was going to be amazing and I was left a little disappointed. I went here for my anniversary dinner. We wanted someplace nice but not crowded. The atmosphere was very nice and we were the 1st for dinner so we had the whole place to ourselves. Out waitress was nice and walked us through the tiny 10 item dinner menu. They had a large wine menu which for the night we skipped over. We ordered all at once and had the stuff dates 1st since they came recommended by everyone. They were alright. I would not say mind blowing but just alright. They were very deep and rich in flavor but I could only down 2 of the 6 on the plate. I ended up eating the buttered bread over them. My wife had the seafood salad which when described sounded good. When she got it though it was un seasoned, over cooked and overall very bland. She ate half of it before giving up. I had the eggplant with pulled chicken on top. I will say it was pretty good and from we had sampled the best thing on the whole dinner menu. That being said for $20 it wasn't mind blowing. Or even amazing. I cook chicken and eggplant a lot and know I could make the same dish at home. Overall the meal was pretty average. I feel that if you're going to have a tiny 3 entree dinner menu that the food be amazing and done with great skill and craft. Kind of to show that these are the best of the best. That didn't end up happening. The staff and decor are what's good here. The food left a lot to be desired. I'm sure the wine is decent. I might be back for brunch. Which has more to offer I hear. But as for dinner? I think I will pass.
(3)Shannon G.
This restaurant is awesome! A quaint French Bistro in an old refurbished house, plenty of atmosphere and the service is excellent! The waitstaff is phenomenal (especially Sue) the menu is explained with great detail from a chalkboard, which changes from time to time. Sue is always willing to recommend a wine accompaniment for your meal and is spot on every time! My favorites are the Stuffed Dates, Millefeuillles d'Aubergines, and the Goat Cheese and Prosciutto. You can make an entire meal of the Nos Petites Assiettes - or little plates. Save room for the desserts which are equally delicious and of course the house Grapefruit Cello, which cannot be duplicated! We've never had a meal where Stephan and/or Janelle, the owners, did not greet us and try to make the meal more memorable. The chefs are positively wonderful, I have never gone away displeased. Treat yourself and your loved ones, you will not be disappointed!
(5)Dave E.
Ja Ja's is a nice little place in downtown Littleton that I recently went to for the first time. The food was very good, as was the service. I had crab cakes (2) which are topped with a poached egg and covered in a light cream sauce. I'm not sure what that does to the cholesterol reading, but it tasted great. There were a few others in our party and everyone had something different. No complaints from anyone about the food, and we even got a free cup of French Press coffee due to a very minor snafu. There are two rooms for dining - the one in the back is much smaller and is better for a group that may want some privacy or wants to make a little noise without rattling the rest of the patrons. There was also outdoor dining, but it was 95 degrees so we opted for an air conditioned experience. No real complaints except I wish the decor was a bit more French themed.
(5)Ian M.
So disappointing, my wife really wanted to go here and so I booked a romantic night out and it was ruined. We got stuck at a small table and completely ignored, we had to waive down anybody that passed by for a drink, the water is served in a fancy bottle but is warm and good luck getting a refill. The appetizers were good but the $26 steak was served cold, the sauce was congealed from sitting too long. They bought us desert which was lack luster and dry. I am sorry but for a meal that cost us $140 and 20 minutes of trying to park, just not worth it. Really ruined a nice night out!!
(1)Alex M.
What kind of person do you have to be to give this place one star? Did they burn your food to a crisp? Did they make fun of you for ordering off the kids menu? I can honestly say I have only had a couple one star experiences in my WHOLE ENTIRE LIFE and Jaja is certainly not one of them. This is what prompted this review. It pains me to see people rip apart some of my favorite restaurants on Yelp, so think of this as internet justice. Although I haven't written a review in a while, Jaja deserves it. I mostly come here for brunch, and each time it is nothing less than exquisite. I'm pretty sure the new chef is a pig whisperer because the pork belly serenades my mouth as it slowly melts away into salty,fatty, deliciousness. I would highly recommend any of their brunch dishes, but my personal favorites are the Chevre and Chive Omelet and the Eggs with pork belly. The ambiance is cool too, but fellow Yelpers, THE PORK. I would highly recommend a visit to Jaja
(5)Susan D.
The new owners have expanded the menu which we appreciate. Now there is always a chicken and pork dish and croque monsieur/madame in addirion to the steak and moule frites and other staples. The service was good and the atmosphere is a 5*-can't be beat. But the food seems to have gone downhill. The Chicken and Eggplant Napolean wasn't nearly as good as before.
(3)Melissa N.
Cute little french restaurant, in a cozy little house, with outdoor seating! I will start with all of the things I loved. The food was just spectacular and all prepared to perfection. This is definitely fine dining - the chef here knows how to put a menu together for sure. Must try appetizer: bacon wrapped dates (AMAZING!). For dinner we had the steak and frites and the mussels - also really yummy and cooked perfectly. Extensive wine list to please any palate. Such a nice little restaurant in the heart of a cute Littleton. Put this on your list for a date night for sure! Our service was not great, or even good, this time around - otherwise this would have been a solid 5 star review.
(4)Riza H. C.
JaJa Bistro..... How shall I begin...* tick tock tick tock * Several weeks before making my trip to JaJa Bistro, I made a phone call for a reservation. The person who answers my call said I cannot make a reservation for a Party of more than 15 people at one seating. But he said, I should call back and see what the Owner said etc etc... Long story short, on SUNDAY July 14th 2013, its Bastille Day in France, so to celebrate that I invite 10 friends to JaJa Bistro for a Brunch Feast. YES, this establishment is in a house. When I arrived at JaJa Bistro, and when I mentioned I have a reservation for 11 people, one of the staffs said, he thought I have cancel the reservation. That reservation was for a 10:30 am BRUNCH. After waiting for a few minutes literally in front of the door entrance, then another staff came to the rescue and mentioned, there are NO PROBLEMS and due to the miscommunications of the Reservation, he can accommodate my friends and I for that morning. They separate us with two seating arrangements. One table holds like 6 chairs, the other holds like another 6 chairs for us. *PHEW* My friends are all excited NOT only about this establishment. Even those who live in Aurora, Golden, Arvada, Highlands Ranch and as far as Broomfield, drive all the way just to have FRENCH BRUNCH that morning with me. Now for the MENU. Since we were the LARGEST Group that morning, both servers handle our group. YES, it was a little wait due to the fact that there are also other patrons. Our servers are also accommodating, to provide the items which ARE ON THE CHALK BOARD, NOT necessary in the Menu. That morning these were the items we ordered : * Bacon Wrapped Dates * Garlic & Olives * 2 orders of Poulet Bechamel aka Chicken Bechemmel * 2 orders of Croque Monsieur * 1 Jambon Benedict * 1 LARGE French Press Coffee * 3 orders of MEDIUM French Press * 1 order of SMALL French Press * 3 orders of Mimosa * 1 Soupe aka Gazpacho * 2 orders of La Chevre * 1 Crepe Madame * 1 La Fermiere * 1 Parisien Burger * 2 orders of Kir Royale * 1 Croque Madam As for me I opt for Escargots ($6.00) and Crab Cake Benedictine aka Crab Cake Benedict ($12.00). The Escargots are already taken out from their shells. I was a little bumped with that, but the flavors are so rich and was indeed delicious. The Escargots is served in a creamy parsley and garlic sauce. My order of Crab Cake Benedict comes with salad and potatoes. The portions are reasonable. Since maybe I was a little full with my order of Escargots, I ate half of my Crab Cake Benedict and bring the leftovers home. The Eggs on top of my Crab Cake oozes when I cut them open and melt away... After our Brunch is almost over, the staffs brought out Complimentary Banana Bread for the table. Definitely a nice touch, to end the Brunch with "Complimentary Desserts" or something sweet. All my friends like what they ordered. Even one of my friends who are from France, and is definitely French, approved about this establishment. She mentioned the food is good. The portions are HUGE to some, and some decide to bring their BRUNCH items in TO GO Boxes. Kudos to Jaja Bistro, and their staffs making the Bastille Day memorable for us. Thank you Stephan and Janelle. My friends kept on raving about the food, the authentic flavors that Jaja Bistro offered that morning, and they cannot wait to come back when schedule permitting. Even though with a little hiccup earlier in the morning, everything went smoothly. Ooh another thing I forgot, JaJa Bistro DOES NOT accept separate checks. Hence, when settling the check at the end of our Brunch, it took awhile coz everyone needs to make sure who order what in the "ticket". Some of my friends also found out the differences in pricing etc etc from the "receipt" and from the Menu. The staffs managed to rectify the problems and issued us the correct check for us to settle the Brunch. Definitely will return to JaJa Bistro when needed. Or another side note, that evening (July 14th 2013), JaJa Bistro had their Bastille Day Celebration with some performances and unique menu etc etc. But due to the weather forecast that was unpredictable, I choose to celebrate Bastille Day with my friends at Brunch instead. Left JaJa Bistro at 12:50hrs ish. @165/2013
(4)Marcee t.
We are Littleton natives and count ourselves LUCKY to have this kind of restaurant so close to our home. We have dined here five times now. We LOVE Ja Ja! We think the wine and food are exceptional--as good as Le Central (which has been one of our favorite restaurants for many years) and infinitely better than the plethora of boring chains that all have the same exact menus and think that if they change up the decorations (add a Red Robin here and a beach-like atmosphere there) it will seem like a different restaurant. The setting is one of our favorites--inside and out. I also love that they NEVER make you feel like you need to leave. They allow you to eat slowly and enjoy your meal and never circle around waiting for you to pay. I have been here for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and always choose this (or Bocco) if I'm going to stay close to home. I would rather pay a little bit extra for a wonderful meal at Ja Ja than waste my money at restaurants where they pile on the soul-less food.
(5)Myron T.
Good service with friendly staff. I had the mussels and found them to have quite a bit more sand and grit than usual. The wine was good and the fries were delicious.
(3)Tasha D.
I enjoyed a fantastic meal here with a co-worker last week. It was a very quiet night for them -- but then I did show up at 5pm on the dot. The hostess was absolutely charming, led us through the wine list and menu, and all of her recommendations were excellent. I especially enjoyed the duck entree and the chocolate mousse for dessert, which had a slightly salty kick that really did it for me. Love!!!
(5)Alice G.
Paris in Littleton- why not? What a great little restaurant! Great wine, great food, rustic little tables- a nice little set up! The menu is fairly limited, but the options were delicious and we were all happy. It was fun to see the menu etched onto a chalkboard- Tres Parisienne! I enjoyed the steak & frites- my steak was perfect and the fries were delicious. I was pleasantly surprised! I can't wait to go back!
(4)Leah M.
We were the only people in Jaja Bistro when we went, and although I felt guilty holding everyone up for the night, I appreciated how quickly our meals came out and how attentive our server was. I ordered the croque monsier, and while it was delicious, I started to envy my friend's crepe- mainly because I had ordered the same sandwich the last time I went to Jaja Bistro. I will make sure to get a crepe next time!
(4)Michelle A.
. Garlicky is what first comes to mind. Second is fabulous Martini. I did enjoy my mussels and french fries. My friend also said her steak and veggies had way too much garlic. Someone that night just had a heavy hand. I have friends who love the restaurant and so I would give it a second chance, It is a cute old house that was transformed into a charming little neighbor restaurant. I hope if I give it a second chance I will be happy.
(3)Vilma S.
Came here with Calina for dinner since I had a Living Social Deal I had to use. Now I wish I had gotten more deals but will definitely be coming back, especially to try the crepes! I called to make a reservation, but was told to come on in since it was a slow night. Arrived at 8pm and felt we were transported to a roadside bistro in France. The interior was so quaint and cozy, made us feel comfortable right away. There were about 6 to 7 other people there so it wasn't loud. We chose a corner table near a window and I liked the base of the table being rounded and comfortable to rest your feet on. Carly, our server, was very friendly and gave great recommendations. We started off with a half dozen escargot in a very tasty sauce as an appetizer--delicious!! Carly also brought us a basket of bread (I wish it had been warm), and a patty of homemade butter. I ordered the Millefeuilles d'Aubergines (slice of breaded eggplant layered with roasted chicken topped with a creamy parmesan sauce with sautéed carrots and zucchini. I paired it with a glass of Pinot Grigio. All the flavors came together so well and this dish was so delicious. Calina ordered the Steak au Poivre (certified Angus beef steak (8oz) topped with a velvety peppercorn sauce and potatoes as a side. She paired with a glass of Stella. The steak was cooked just right and was very tasty. We were there for about an hour and were completely satisfied and didn't have room for dessert. Carly brought out the bill and I noticed right away she didn't charge us for the wine and beer. I brought this to her attention and she adjusted the bill. She really appreciated our honesty. Hey, got to keep it honest! There is plenty of street parking. Again, will be coming back!!
(5)Dee S.
Came here for lunch on a Saturday. There was a strong perfume smell inside so we dined outside. Not sure if this place smells like perfume all the time or maybe a diner had too much perfume on. There was enough shade on the outside to make it comfortable. I got the jambon and brie crepe. it was served with a spring salad. The ham was nice and tender, the brie sauce was rich and tasty. My friend got the devils on horseback (bacon wrapped dates). The chef made them glutten free for my friend. They tasted pretty good. They were served with an apple sauce and a basalmic glaze. So after eating all the dates, there was some sauce left. So, we ordered a scoop of vanilla ice cream. That scoop came with sliced strawberries. Talking about a lot of flavors, sweet strawberries, sweet ice cream, tangy apples and sauce, thick sweet/tangy balsamic glaze. I'd like to come back and try the moules et frites.
(4)Taylor W.
Came here with my boyfriend to meet some of his extended family for the first time.The bistro is adorable. It was small and quiet, so it was the perfect place to have some wine and nice conversation and get to know one another. Our service was wonderful. The man waiting on our table was knowledgeable about the wines and was very patient with us, letting us take our sweet time enjoying wine and appetizers before finally ordering our entrees. We enjoyed some cheese platters and a goat cheese and salmon "sushi roll" drizzled with lavender honey. Both were a hit (obviously our group loved themselves some cheese.) My boyfriend and I had the mussels, which were good and came with some really good French fries. Others at the table ordered salads and a fish special. Everyone seemed very satisfied with their entrée. Finally, we ended with crème brulees, which were delicious but a little on the eggy side as far as crème brulees go. Their specials all sounded delicious, but I do with their normal menu was a little bigger or that they posted their daily specials online. However, I really enjoyed my time at JaJa Bistro and would return.
(4)Maddie S.
Husband and I were in Littleton for the Affordable Arts Festival today and, because it was around lunch, I whipped out my trusted phone and checked Yelp for a great local restaurant to try. JaJa Bistro was close, French, and got great reviews... I like all of those things! We ordered the bacon-wrapped dates to start and they were DELICIOUS. In fact, when it was time to order the main course, it was hard to pick what I wanted! Everything looked so good. I peeked around at some of the other tables to see if looking at the food would help me decide. Nope. Everything smelled so good and was plated beautifully. I decided on the crab cake benedictine and my husband got their jambon crepe. The poached eggs on my benedict were perfectly done. It also tasted like their English muffins were made in-house... I'd be curious to find out if they in fact were! Husband's crepe was really phenomenal. I snuck several bites while he went to the restroom. I highly recommend JaJa. Even though I don't find myself in Littleton too often, JaJa is a reason to make the trip more often.
(5)John E.
Nice atmosphere for a romantic dinner. Friendly and helpful staff. Great quality food with a 'every once in a while' price. I had the Moule Frites and thought they were terrific. My fiance had their fresh trout and it was very well prepared. We will most certainly be back to JaJa Bistro.
(4)Carolyn M.
We ate here last week, New owner/chef from what i had heard. I have a few dietary issues, and have never been to a restaurant that was so tuned in and careful as to what i was served.... The kitchen and our delightful waitress, Sarah.... were so so helpful. We snacked on Olives and Baked Garlic, Brussel Sprouts, Bacon wrapped dates....Steak and Mussels... All delish! A keeper .....only thing that is off ....is parking, no parking lot, and no handicap access...a bummer, as i would LOVE to take my elderly Mom here.
(4)Janel S.
Hum. I have always loved this restaurant for its quant ambiance and authentic French food. We heard it was under new ownership and wanted to check out the changes. I always order either the mussels or the eggplant/chicken. We ordered one of each and were disappointed to find the recipe/presentation has changed and not in a good way.
(2)Ralph M.
We went to JaJa's recently and had a great time. The restaurant had a real French country feel, and the food was terrific. I had the millefeuilles d'aubergine, an eggplant and chicken dish with hollandaise sauce. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but it was great. I had my first taste of escargot which I really enjoyed. I tasted my friend's crepe which was out of this world. Our server, Sara, was very helpful and attentive and got our food out in good time. I would definitely recommend this place if you're looking for a good meal in Littleton at a reasonable price
(5)Dawn N.
I took my Mother here for a nice quaint lunch and what a nice surprise. She had the salad prepared on a crepe and it was filled with flavor. I had the sandwich and the cheese was so gooey and the meat was so fresh it seemed like they cooked everything from scratch. It was a pleasant surprise and I have been back since to get the sandwich to go and the French fries have a delightful seasoning on them and come to your table fresh and hot! I will most certainly return, the only down side was it was a little slow but well worth the wait.
(4)Jenn B.
Yummy, yummy! JaJa is a great place for a quiet, casual-ish dinner for two. The restaurant is in a converted home, so the whole place has a lot of history and character - definitely a romantic vibe. I have so far come here twice and had very good experiences. Both times I had the mussels dish (it had been a while and I didn't remember what I'd had before), and ohmygoodness those mussels are sooooo good! The broth is absolutely amazing; you will want to make sure you ask for extra bread to sop it all up. The mussels come with a side of French fries, which are super delicious as well; I kept having to fight my husband off them! He chose one of the salads (I don't remember which one), and we were both a little disappointed with its portion size. The appetizer, though, of the bacon-wrapped dates is AMAZING. You MUST try it! The service is decent. On neither of our visits was the server particularly friendly. Not rude or unconcerned or anything, just not interested in the small talk. They tended to walk past our table without checking up on us, so we frequently had to initiate by asking for what we needed. Overall, though, this is a great little restaurant. They have a great wine selection and variety of specials beyond the primary menu (wish I had known that before choosing the mussels a second time!). I am looking forward to coming back and trying some of their other offerings!
(4)Randy B.
What a disappointment. We wait at the front entrance, with 3 people in the restaurant, and wait, and wait, and wait. I finally go to the back, and find the waiter talking to some customers. No manager. No one else in sight. I ask him very nicely if they are open, because it was around 1:30, and he says yes. I go back to the front and he eventually seats us, and forgets to bring silverware. Surly is the word. Not a smile, not even a friendly nod. Then the food was really good. I hope he was just having a bad day. We won't go back. What a shame. 2 stars only for the food. Only for the food.
(2)Terri B.
It's a nice atmosphere and the food is delicious. I had that the Trout Almondine and my friend had the Steak Au Poir. We swapped bites and both were good. The Moule Frites that complimented the meal were also good. I will be back again soon.
(5)L. L.
I live in Littleton ....have been to many of the small eateries in town.... really wanted to like Ja Ja Bistro...read quite a few reviews...bought a Living Social coupon. Followed the fine print....made reservations for dinner on a Thursday evening for 6 pm and said I had the LS coupon. Arrived at 6 pm and were seated by the wine cooler....candle was lit. There were only two other seated tables at this time. We sat...and sat ...with the servers walking right by us for 10 minutes until I asked if we were invisible ? We then got menus...and water. Then after another long .....wait had to ask for someone to take our order. I ordered french onion soup and the veal Bourguignon ...my wife had just the veal Bourguignon ....Ordered a couple of drinks. Our dinners arrived.... -Had to ask for some bread to accompany dinner -French Onion soup.....Was flavorful with lots of onions and a small croton..size was a cup of soup for $7.00. -Blanquette De Veau (Veal Bourguignon)....Wow....chunks of tough meat...half the vegetables were under cooked ...( 1 French carrot....fingerling potatoes ...halved ....under cooked) wife pulled a big chunk of fat out of her bowl. Size was a small bowl for $25.00. For the level of service and quality of the food......not worth it in MHO. Noticed others who were seated after us who were getting reasonable service ?? Did not have to ask for it. Was it the LS coupon ? Will not return to Ja Ja Bistro.... Will go to Le Central ....for epic ... french cooking and service....
(1)Rebecca R.
I have eaten here twice and loved it both times. The service is excellent, the food is fabulous. Don't miss it - come here for your next meal. Their burger is the BEST burger I've ever had. Melted chunks of brie, sauteed onions and mushroom on a croissant. To die for!! Do yourself a favor and check out this downtown Littleton gem.
(5)Linda S.
What? How could it be that I haven't found this place until now? We happened across this little gem on Bastille Day and enjoyed a glorious three-hour al fresco experience. Absolutely amazing service--the owner and wait staff were there when we needed them and out of site otherwise (love that, right?). The wine list was laden with French and Cali offerings, super-reasonably priced. We ordered all specials, duck, Ahi salad, and several others. Chef Stephan is a little bit obsessive about quality of ingredients, preparation, flavor combination, and presentation. You can't go wrong with whatever you order. The little bungalow is so charming, we can't wait to go back when it's colder and dine inside. hmmm....I was trying to think of something that wasn't perfect and can't.
(5)Ang H.
I have to update my review to 4 stars because I am so impressed by the manager who contacted me based on my previous Yelp review. She apologized for the poor service, acknowledged that our experience was unacceptable, and invited me to come back for a better experience. I was SO impressed by the follow-up. I can't wait to go back - the food on our first visit was truly top-notch!
(4)Cheryl L.
I have been on the prowl for the perfect Croque Madame. This is the 2nd stop on the adventure in Denver that I have tried and I would have to say that it was pretty good. The ham was nice and thick, like it had been craved right off of the bone. Not that wimpy shaved lunch meat type of stuff. The bread had a nice texture and stood up nicely to the sauce and the egg. The egg was nicely cooked so that when you cut into it there was a yellowish-golden river of yolk goodness that flowed like lava over the bread. The Bearnaise sauce was nice, not one of my favorite mother sauces but it was nicely done. I'm wondering if it would be better with a nice Hollandaise sauce instead. That's what this dish needs is more egg yolk, yeah! Would this make it anti-french at that point. I'm not sure, but I think it would elevate the dish and make it just that much better. They fries there were served with it were nice but I think with the heaviness of the of the Madame that I would have preferred a nice side of field greens with a lemon vinaigrette. I'll see if they can make the substitution next time. There seems to be limited seating so if it is a busy time you might want to make an adjustment because I could see there being quiet the wait next time. Although there was outdoor seating so in the summer it would be nice to kick back with a nice glass of wine on a warm summers eve and take in the ambiance of Downtown Littleton. Off to find the next stop in our adventure.
(4)Heather M.
what can i say about Ja Ja except, out of this world!!! Amazing food! Apps- my favs are the escargot, and stuffed dates Dinner - I always get the muscles friends have ordered the Millefeuillesd'aubergines and steak au poivre. when there has been a special of boef bourguignon my friends swear it is the best they have ever had. there are always different dinner specials but i love the muscles so much i cant seem to order anything else... The crepes are also amazing!!! sweet, savory, doesnt matter, YUM!!! One of my favorite restaurants!!!
(5)Guy C.
Maybe it was the perfect weather or finally having a date night with my wife, but the dinner we had here was an experience that went far above "going out for dinner." The steak pa voir (sp?) was delicious and the trout almondine was perfectly done. My wife called to see if they could get us in and spoke with Jordan. Just by the way he handled the call we knew we were in for a customer experience treat. Our waiter, Patrick, was knowledgable, friendly, and went above and beyond to make it an experience for us. French press coffee with their chocolate mousse was a perfect way to end the meal. The ambience at this place is what I would call "comfortable French". No pretense, just food and service done with excellence.
(5)Jessica M.
I cannot say enough great things about JaJa. The waitstaff all know us, remember our preferences, and take such good care of us! Absolutely EVERYTHING that we have ordered has been tres bien. From ratatouie to chocolate mousse (layers of flavor!), brunch faire, sweet and savory crepes (try the crepe-a-dilla!), French press coffee (life changing), pomegranite mimosas, and the house-smoked ham is simply phenomenal! If you have not yet dined here and you're in the neighborhood you MUST, MUST stop by! Great for date nights, brunches, and everything in between.
(5)Dan S.
Love this place. Just discovered it last weekend. My wife claims she found it first. Whatever. Had escargot for the first time in about 10 years and I didn't want to spit it out. That's saying a lot believe me. The frog legs were excellent too. Ok those were both appetizers but I wanted to eat snails and frog. Rest of our party had chicken and the eggplant dish which I guess is awesome. The waitress and rest of the staff were excellent as well as the chef who came out to meet the diners. Will definitely go back again.
(5)Joe C.
For waaaay too long, Le Central was pretty much it for French dining in Denver. JaJa changes all that. I went for lunch, and was quite pleased with the poulet béchamel crêpe that I had. Fresh spinach, moist chicken, a perfect crêpe ... very nice. The dinner menu is very short, with only five permanent entrees to choose from. In my book, that's a really good sign. Pick a few things, and do them well.
(4)Eric P.
Absolutely wonderful...in my opinion the best casual French food in the Denver metro area. We started with the Assiette Campagnarde, a platter of assorted meats, cheeses, pate, cornichons, olives, etc. The food was fresh, delicious and beautifully presented. For our entrees, I had scallops in a saffron cream sauce, which was incredibly rich and flavorful. My wife had the beef bourguignon, full of fork-tender beef, carrots and fingerling potatoes. We finished with a trio of dessert samplings...chocolate mousse, creme brulee and a nutella/banana crepe. Incredible all. The atmosphere at JaJa Bistro is wonderful - cozy and warm with attentive waitstaff, great food and a very nice wine list. We will be back!
(5)Em H.
Cozy, romantic and inviting. Such a wonderful atmosphere, a great server who was passionate about food, described menu items perfectly and made excellent recommendations (for both food and wine) and of equal importance, our meals were delicious.
(4)Kristi E.
Fabulous place for dinner on the patio on a warm summer night. We had the stuffed dates, the Assiette Campagnarde, Indochine mussels and salmon salad. All exquistely prepared. Topped it off with creme brulee. The service was prompt, attentive and friendly. Really couldn't ask for more from this little gem of a bistro.
(5)Susie H.
I am a fan of this place after eating there once for lunch.... My friend had the French version of a ham and cheese sandwich and I had a crepe with ham and cheese and absolutely loved it! Tried to eat there later but was booked with a private function. I will definitely give it another try and may try the crepe again.... But would love to come back to try dinner here like some of the reviews I have read about.
(4)sarah m.
I had no expectations when a friend took me to celebrate a birthday and it was fabulous! My Croque Madame was crunchy and tasty; the chocolate mousse was creamy and not too sweet. The service was slow, but we'd warned the friendly and efficient server that we only had an hour and she tried to move things along (and apologized for kitchen issues that were holding up the food). I loved the atmosphere and look forward to returning for a special occasion.
(4)Carl D.
Had a great meal at JaJa last night. It's in a nice location in a revitalized part of old Littleton. Nice atmosphere, quiet so you can have a convesation, and the food is great. A little pricer than the average meal, but well worth it.
(5)Adreanna W.
I had such expectations for JaJa's... and they did not let me down. Great place, great food, friendly service. Went for the 'restaurant week' menu, and they did not sacrifice quality by packing in people like sardines *Rioja, I'm looking at you*. Will definitely be going back.
(5)Pat S.
Lovely, lovely place! This really is an authentic French Bistro combining top notch "home style" cooking in a charming atmosphere. The chef came to our table to talk food, travel, people, etc. with us on a slow night and while he may not be classically trained in a world-renowned Michelin starred kitchen he IS a "joie de vivre" Frenchman with a finely tuned palate ... which goes a long way. Here's what we enjoyed from the menu: Stuffed Dates Assiette de Mousse de Foies de Vollailles et Terrine Campagnarde Moules Provencale Magret de Canard et (a fabulous) ratatouille Crème Brûlées By Colorado-Yelp standards I should really give JaJa a 5 star rating but I want to be true to myself and save 5 stars for the sublimest of sublime dining experiences.
(4)Thomas G.
Had a great dinner there on September 30 before going to see a theatre production. It was great! My partner loved it and we were celebrating our 1 year anniversary. The eggplant dish was awesome! As were the desserts, coffee, service, etc... Can't wait to try their brunch sometime.
(5)Sarah R.
I saw that Westword had ranked JaJa as the #1 brunch spot and made a mental note that I would have to check it out the next time I went to brunch. I was quite excited as JaJa is close to where I live. We were celebrating a birthday over brunch and decided to give JaJa a shot...can't go wrong with a french brunch!! We made reservations assuming it would be packed, but as we showed up at 11:00 we were quite suprised by how quiet it was. How on earth can Westword's top brunch pick be so quiet? It made us a bit skeptical, but were very happy with everything. Everyone enjoyed their meals and the four of us really had a variety of items from the menu. I really can't imagine that there is anything other than delicious at JaJa! The service was equally good. As we left, I noticed the restaurant filled up a bit. They have a great patio as well, which I will have to enjoy the next time I visit. I will most definitely be back for brunch and I have to give dinner a try!
(4)Michelle G.
We visited this place for the 1st time last night and were very disappointed. We've passed this nice little restuarant many times on our way to other restaurants in the downtown Littleton area. Arrived at 7:15 and was promptly seated on the outside patio which is a Gem. I was the 1st in our party of 4 to arrive. I ordered a glass of wine and explained to our server Danielle that this was our first visit. She did suggest a nice glass of Pinot. I also ordered the 'The Country Plate' as an appetizer after deliberating over the menu for sometime. My friends started arriving at 7:30 and they ordered drinks. We pretty much ordered our food straight after the drinks...again several people said that we had never visited JaJa Bistro before and asked what on the menu she would suggest. We recvd. monosylable responses. Finally our appettizer arrived at 35-40 minutes later it along with some bread. The appetizer was not what we expected but not knowing what to expect, we were still thinking maybe it was just a poor ordering choice on our part. I was asked if I wanted another glass of wine and I replyed not yet... but almost all of our water glasses were empty. She did fill someone's Ice Tea. We wait, we wait and we wait for our Salads...but the Whole meal comes out at one time at almost 9 o'clock. Our server never again asked if we wanted anything else to drink. At this point another server sees that our water glasses are empty and fills them. One plate of the mussels were dry with very little sauce, another person ordered a salad for dinner but the salad was extremely small for a meal, but again we did not know this was how it was going to arrive. The highlight, the french fries were to die for and the Tuna was pretty good as well. Our plates sat uncleared for 15-20 minutes, literally people who had arrived after us had ordered wine, appetizers, a meal and 1 couple dessert but they were gone 10 minutes before us. We were never offered dessert or coffee, our waitress simply brought the check. We left the restaurant at 9:35. In essence, 7:15 to 9:35, no second drink, no water, no extra bread, no offering of dessert....what a shame. We took nothing to go and all of us were still hungry when we left. And before you think it, we are all very healthy petite people that normally get full on dinner. The place looked fabulous.... but unfortunately we will not be back
(2)Scott L.
Cozy, warm atmosphere. Excellent service. Excellent food. Much needed original (and good) restaurant for the south of Denver area. Stuffed dates are addictive.
(4)Allison R.
the food was great! the atmosphere was great! it was a bit pricey, but overall we had a really good time. the service was a little slow but it was really busy and our waitress was great so we let it slide. it is a very quaint little restaurant, and the food was amazing. overall very good!
(4)Neil B.
Excellent and authentic, down to the ambience which included French background music. Menu offerings were unique and I had their Shallot soup, the Brandade of Cod and the awesome Magret du Canard. Plus had a cool French regional wine with each course, best was the Quercy with the duck. Service was very attentive, friendly - never needed to ask for anything. Can't wait to take my wife there! Readers avoid the chains give these small intimate, value priced restaurants a chance on your next outing.
(4)Mike M.
Arrived around 7, no reservation. Smelled wonderful upon entering. Seating took a few minutes despite open tables. Water and menus brought by a pleasant server. Decided order (my wife is indecisive and usually doesn't decide until server is ready to take order) before bread made it to our table without butter. Ordered wine (limited menu) and dinner at the same time. She orders house salad and agneau; I order the foie and a steak au poivre. Wine arrives. At roughly 7:40 a complimentary petite assiette arrives with apology for delay; kitchen backed up. Stuffed dates are good but not stellar. 7:59 first course arrives. I asked for the check, get argument from server. I tell the server foie only takes two minutes to cook, bring me the check. Cancel the rest. We ate our first course. The foie was good but nothing like Europe. Her house salad was a house salad. Check arrives, just shy of $60. Finally, a positive note, only a $1 a minute to sit here instead of the $2 a minute we would have spent had this been a well-run kitchen. Go home, have already breathing 2002 Chateau du Courneau with some fine cheese. Very nice recovery.
(1)Wade P.
My wife and I enjoyed a fantastic date night on New Years Eve here. Quaint. Cozy. Great ambience for enjoying a world class meal. The brie and béchamel fondue with pommel frites was a wow. The Duck Magnet with fingerlings and demi-glaze was as good as I have anywhere in the world. And the wine list is ridiculous good when it comes to food pairings. This is my favorite restaurant right now. Do yourself a favor and savor every bite and moment.
(5)Kira M.
Ahhhh. Memories of yum are sweeping over me as i recall the deliciousness of the brunch I had there. They had sugar dusted Challah french toast with jam-- absolutely, utterly, totally, and completely insanely good. (I really hope I can conjure some dreams of this french toast tonight.) And Jaja's Chocolate Mouse Purse crepe (with house made mousse) was so toe tinglingly delectable. I can't really remember all the other dishes, which were most likely savoury items, but I remember my fellow eaters proclaimed were quite good too. Wonderful service too! So, my answer is whole-heartedly, with a capital "Y", a Yes. Run as fast as you can and eat there, now!
(4)Isibella A.
The hungry kitten gave this place the benefit of the doubt....Twice. I will stress there's nothing wrong with the food. In fact there's nothing wrong with the decor or the venue... There is EVERYTHING wrong with the service. This is worse than french service, I've never seen anything this bad even while living in Europe. I think we waiting one time 2 hours for our food to arrive and I'm not even kidding. The sad part is there was hardly anyone else there dinning on both occasions that we had to wait for food. The hungry kitten says : This place is a joke, correct your kitchen and your staff, a good restaurant does not allow this kind of service. Never again.
(1)Nancy K.
We went here the other day. I ordered the pork crepe and my husband had some type of steak crepe but it turned out more like a philly cheese quesadilla which wasn't all that impressive. my pork was okay at the beginning but the crepe got soggy by the end and i couldn't finish it. I might go back for the dessert crepe but I am not agreeing with the 4.5 stars rating on this place. I had higher hope. 50:50 on being back.
(3)Joseph B.
Foie Gras, I love it but not with veins. Either use a higher quality or remove the veins!!! The stuffed figs were fantastic but French is about foie gras and this was uneatable. I will try again to see if the chef listens. Cute old house converted.
(2)Dale Z.
JaJa Bistro was gracious enough to extend 2013 Restaurant Week by a few days. Given this, who was I to say no? A couple of us arrived a bit early, and passed the time by sampling some reasonably priced wine. I started with a very nice Conde de Valdemar Tempranillo (Rioja Spain). It lived up to its description of being a smooth, young, and fruity wine. With my meal, I enjoyed a more robust Caves de Cairanne Côtes du Rhône (France). This wine also had nice hints of berry, but had a spicy quality as well. It paired extremely well with the food soon to come. JaJa offers a Pâté Plate (Terrine & Liver Mousse), but for the full experience you need to order the Assiette Campagnarde (Country Terrine, Chicken liver mousse, Salami, Spanish style cured Chorizo, Cornichons, Pickled pearl onion, onion Marmelade, Olives). I have never been a "liver hater", but nor have I truly sung its praises . . . until recently. This appetizer was a treasure map of deliciousness. The Mousse was somewhat spicy. I think I detected flavors of garlic and cumin. Indeed, it had some of the better qualities of good hummus. The Terrine was eye-catching and palate-pleasing. It went well with the Cornichons, pearl onions, assorted olives, and rich mustard on the side. For our appetizers, I split the Escargots (served in a creamy garlicky sauce) and Bacon wrapped apple stuffed Dates (almost as good, but a different take versus, the ones at Linger). The entrée was good, but it just was not at the same level as the many other outstanding items I enjoyed. This was a rather generous serving of pieces of stewed veal, over roasted carrots, mushrooms, and mashed potatoes. And although some people say this phrase is overused :) I thought it had "great depth of flavor"! The potatoes had a nice texture and had as much meaty flavor to them as the veal did. Dessert was one of those "be careful what you wish for" scenarios. After observing my inability to decide between the chocolate mousse and the crème brûlée, the waiter brought me both. The brûlée was uber-crunchy on top, with a delicate vanilla crème. The mousse was served in a champagne flute (practically overflowing) with sliced almonds and whipped cream. The plate was artfully drizzled with more sweetness, and a duo of blackberries completed the picture. After that very filling dinner, this was way more dessert than one person should even attempt to eat. The service was excellent and the owners are charming. I will definitely be back to try brunch.
(5)Wally B.
GF and I had a great lunch this week ; The lamb and lentil soup was amazingly delicious. it was served with home made thin toasts that were perfect for this soup. The hamburger plate was one of the best I've ever eaten. It was served with 'Frites" that were crispy and gently infused with white truffle oil. My GF had the Croque Monsiuer which was very large and perfectly prepared with white house cured ham. Both entries were nonpareil. We shared a very delicious crepes for dessert. The rose wine was especially dry and delicious. This restaurant should be on Denver's "Top 25" list.
(5)Sara E.
Had dinner here last night using a Groupon and I will go back for sure. The atmosphere was great and I loved the low lighting and music. I never thought I'd hear The Shins or Band of Horses at a French restaurant and I loved it. We had the steak and frites and the mussels and frites and both were delicious and very reasonably priced. The French fries were some of the best I've ever had. I can't wait to go back and try something else.
(5)John S.
ignorant host re " Organics and GMO's; So, I called to inquire about the menu ( I had a few questions ) and a young man answered the phone. After getting my questions answered I also asked," Do you have any organic or GMO free items on the menu?" He answers," EVERYTHING's GMO." I said," No, not everything is gmo, somethings are just sprayed. He said," No everything we eat is GMO.!" After spending a few seconds pondering the idiocy of this person it occurred to me: Hes talking about HYBRIDIZED horticulture. I said," You mean most plants are hybridized NOT GMO, right?" Nope... this idiot want to continue sinking himself. He said," yea, hybrid, so that means EVERYTHING is modified like I said. !.." I responded," No, there is a huge scientific difference between hybridization and GMO's. .... Are you the manager?!" He responds," No, she wont be back for half an hour." I said, "Thankyou" and hung up. The menu is terrific but frankly, I am not sure whether I even want to BOTHER coming into talk to the manager in order to ascertain if the entire establishment is as moronic as this guy. If I hear the manager express the same profound ignorance about basic science I am going to have to walk out. After all, its ONE thing to not be completely organic but aspiring to serve your customers healthier items. Its quite another to be completely ignorant and dare I say, even STUPID about the facts re: The USA's food system and treat a CUSTOMER that way. Especially when on their OWN website they state," If you have any dietary concerns please let us know." I almost lost my gallbladder in 1998 when GMOS infiltrated our food system . I was eating BT corn and soy milk ( 2 main GMO sources in this country) and my gall bladder failed. When I went back to organic food, i recovered. I have eaten mostly organic for 30 years, am no dummy, and if I can choose to have a creme brûlée' with NO rbST or GMOS ( meaning the milk will be organic and not have 20 % pus in it which is what non organic milk has) then I will choose the healthier option. Or if I can have corn that is not BT GMO corn I will choose a restaurant that understands the actual danger of GMO food products. btw, we ended up going to Panzano , all the way downtown, spent 150.00 on GREAT LOCAL Organic meals ( we had a caesar, pear and asparugus soup, lamb ragout with pasta, spicy meatball and rigatoni, 2 desserts and a cocktail. All organic. Delicious and safe! JaJa, hopefully your host who answered doesn't represent your establishments opinion about eating clean, organic fare when possible. You may have lost a LIttleton resident for good.
(1)Cheryl K.
great little place. charming. we both had steak frites and they were really tasty. the steak was perfectly cooked but a little salty. the frites were amazing. most crispy I've ever had. delicious seasoning too. service was nice. friendly knowledgeable perfect timing. we'll be back!
(4)Holly C.
Disappointing experience! Came on Friday evening of Western Welcome Week and there had been a shower earlier in the aft. but it was a lovely summer evening. This restaurant has comfortable outdoor patio seating with table umbrellas. Despite requests to the hostess, we along with other diners were seated in three cramped rooms of a bungalow style converted house. Menu is limited but what is served seems authentic French. Post dining, strolled around downtown Littleton where every other restaurant with outdoor seating was at full occupancy of patio diners. If you want an alfresco experience, go elsewhere and there are plenty of nearby restaurants eager to accommodate you. The experience was sub par for poor ambiance and disregard for diners' requests. What you see driving by the restaurant may not be available for your dining experience.
(1)Jennifer D.
Spectacular food and ambiance!!! One of my favorite spots! My sister and mom and I went their for an amazing lunch after walking around Old Towne Littleton, such a treat!!!
(4)Danny C.
I really had a great time here. Really great delicious food, great wine and really nice helpful staff. Recommended by a person I just met at a local pub. I would go back again.
(4)Bill F.
Went to dinner Saturday evening around 5:30pm with my brother in law and his wife and a friend of their's. This restaurant is an old Littleton home that is converted into a restaurant establishment. The front living room and dining room sits about 20 people. They also have a backroom that sits additional people. First, our server was very friendly, accommodating and attentive. So kudos to the server. The food was marginally acceptable, but definitely not outstanding in a good way. My wife ordered, the French onion soup, the boat scallop (appetizer which consisted of 1 scallop-( I believe was a sea scallop), and escargot (plate of 12 which we shared). I ordered French onion soup, seared Sockeye Salmon over lentils and something. Dessert was Limoncello parfait and French pressed coffee. Overall I felt my meal was bland and unimpressive. French onion soup, served in a cup vs an oven crock, broth was weak, not full bodied, no crusted bread, thinly covered with some type of cheese, if it was gruyere cheese, I didn't recognize it as such. The person I sat next to said she loved the high quality sherry they used in the French onion soup. I felt it was used to mask the below quality flavor of the onion soup. Escargot, out of the shell: cream-ish style white sauce, bland and unexciting. The boat scallop for $10, which was one scallop that was probably of an ounce, was bland and far from exceptional. I asked both my wife and the other lady if it was infused, marinated or somehow spiced with anything to give it a memorable flavor, both said no, it was actually bland. My wife said even in NYC if she ordered a scallop appetizer for $10, there would be minimum 2 if not 3 scallops served on the dish. Yes there was a yellow sauce, I think hollandaise like, and a celery root like accompaniment to it. But not worth the taste or value. Strong recommendation not to get it. My seared Sockeye Salmon, again strong reservations- don't order it. The Salmon looked more like it was poached and then seared. There was a light shallow horseradish sauce as an accompaniment to the salmon, which was served on top of a bed of lentil bean (thick soup like bed) ' First time I've had Limoncello, my guess, like the rest of the selection, it was not up to par to the "real deal" I will have to try some other places that offer Limoncello before I can truly say JaJa's limoncello is authentic. My wife did order a dessert, which I tasted and seem okay, but not sure what it was, my wife did enjoy the dessert. It's a shame my (brother and sister) in law like this place a lot, it is not on my list of regular restaurants to visit. One last thing, for my wife and I, the straight back no cushion chairs made the meal uncomfortable for the both of us. My wife's back became very stiff after sitting there for about an hour.
(2)joanne W.
Hi came here with my son and friend. Had heard great things...delightful staff though time waiting for food was ridiculous...45 minutes. Veal special was light on the meat, some meat had lots of gristle and fat. My mahi was prepared well, good flavor, asparagus very good. So all in all. Ok but very expensive for 3.
(2)Woody S.
Stopped by during Western Welcome Week and had a light lunch. Prices were a little on the high side, but we ate outside and had a good time. I had the eacargot. Far from the best I've had but the sauce was quite good. The Le Provencal was very solid as well, tasting some of my wife's. Service was a little lacking but I think they got more business than expected. We look forward to going back as I LOVE French cuisine and Denver lacks in this area. I'd like to see if the dinner menu is more expansive, as the lunch fare was a touch sparse for my taste.
(3)Lee S.
First of all, if you know me at all; you know I love French food. We stopped by here for lunch. We have been sampling Croque Madame's all over town. This was good. Not the best, but definitely very good. This place felt more American than some places. I want to stop back for dinner. Dinner update on 02/22/2012. We stopped in and were delighted that they were offering the 5280 Restaurant Week menu a couple of days early. The stuffed dates wrapped in bacon were divine. Great time and good food. Okay! Why only 4 stars? I really want to hear a little French language and maybe practice some talking while in a French based restaurant. "Talk French to me and give me water with no ice."
(4)