JFires’ Market Bistro
725 N Market St, Waterloo, IL, 62298
JFires’ Market Bistro Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Waterloo for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Waterloo for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Waterloo for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
725 N Market St
Waterloo, IL, 62298 - Phone (618) 939-7233
- Website https://www.jfires.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :Closed
- Mon : Closed
Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Trendy
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
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James S.
First and foremost, all the bad reviews for this place are about the service. I will admit that the service was somewhat stretched. However, this is not a fast food place so if you arrive not expecting a quick service then you will not be disappointed. The atmosphere is simply outstanding, if weather permits sit outside. We actually witnessed the bartender picking fresh mint for the garden to mix a drink with. Now onto the food. We started with an appetizer of mussel and although this is my first time eating this dish so I do not have any previous experiences to compare they were outstanding. Unfortunately they were out of bone in pork so I had to settle for ribeye and shrimp, which was cooked perfectly. Luckily we have family nearby and we are looking forward to returning. There are many items on the menu that I want to try, lol
(4)Sabree B.
JFires' offers a commendable white table cloth dining experience away from the hustle and bustle. The staff is highly professional, the menu is well rounded, and the drink selection is diverse. The service is the standard spiel for a place at this price point. You can expect many sirs and madams and well rehearsed and knowledgeable servers. The vibe is clean, quite and bright and the building is gorgeous. There's lots of glassware and historic pieces abound - you may want to leave younger children at home. It's a great venue for some downtime with friends or family, or maybe a romantic night out. The food is consistently prepared to a high standard. The kitchen is fairly flexible to modifications and on the fly creations. The menu offers a good deal of choice including some vegetarian options. Expect fairly standard fare for a bistro. There's nothing terribly adventurous on the menu and it's a little dated, but you can expect anything you order to be tasty and fresh. JFires' is definitely worth the trip, and if you're local you may appreciate the history that exists in the building a little more.
(4)Lori C.
The service was great! The Caesar salad was great! Steak was good, nothing spectacular, but tasty. Crab pasta had a good flavor but fettuccine noodles were a little tough. The atmosphere was great, I don't like sitting in one big dining area where you can see everyone. We sat in a small room with a fireplace, very cozy and private!
(4)Tina S.
We thought having some drinks and a light dinner on the patio sounded nice. The patio has a feel of New Orleans, with the vines twisting and turning on the arbor to create a very nice shady patio. One can tell that some time and energy is put into maintaining the look and feel of the arbor. Nice job. One thing I have heard time and time again about JFire's is the service is slow, and yesterday was not any different. We made our presence know when we sat down at a table, but we were seated a good ten minutes, before my date walked to the bar and asked if we could order....The bartender brought us water and we wanted the Sangria, we were offered three varieties: red, white and peach. What... since my date and I are big fans of sharing he picked the white and I went with the peach. This is were the fun really started, we watched as the bartender made each Sangria individually. It was not cheap wine poured into a glass and some fruit added. No she mashed or pulverized cherries, oranges, peaches (in the case of the peach Sangria), she added Brandy, (we know this because we later asked) a sprinkle of cinnamon, finally the white wine and shook up the entire drink. She was not finished it was garnished with a lime wedge, Lets say that the drinks almost made up for the slow service. We ordered the Boudin sausage balls for an appetizer. They said panko dressed, they were very tasty and not too spicy, but they were deep fried a little too much because they literally fell apart when you cut into them. They were served with a cucumber sour cream dipping sauce, heavenly... The kicker with this appetizer was the pickled veggies that garnished the dish it was pickled cauliflower, carrots and celery.... just a good as the main dish. Time for the main course....Mushroom lasagna, we argued about who took home the leftovers, because neither one of us cared for it and I did not want to make my taste buds taste it again. They do have music on the patio on Sundays, it starts at 5. Nice back drop.
(3)Jill P.
Small town, family owned, everything is fresh and made to order. Service is always amazing! Must order the fresh fish it is never cookie cutter, something new with new flavors every time. Dining outside is always wonderful with the beautiful grape arbor shading you on the large brick patio. Please do not pass through Monroe County without trying this gem!
(5)Brian S.
Brian Food was ok atmosphere was good as they had entertainment in outside patio..that was fortunate because we would have walked if not for the music. Waited for 1/2 hr after being seated and only because we had to ask for drinks. VERY DISORGANIZED with no one taking charge (Mgr) and making sure customers were given great service. Not the 1st experience with slow service as this happened on my last visit as well. We also had to ASK for bread and was told by our waiter that they are only allowed to serve bread when customers ask for it because they are losing money...really ARE YOU KIDDING ME...you think you might be losing money because.your service sucks.....how much does bread cost??? Anyway Taking.over 2 hrs to have dinner is not what I expect..oh the waiter did throw in a free dessert....whoop de.do Won't be back any time soon
(2)Tom J.
If you're a fan of old houses like me, you'll enjoy just waking into JFires and looking around. Of course it's mostly updated, but the floors still have that ancient scratched up hardwood patina and it still has some historic charm about it. Our service could not possibly have been better. The server was very enthusiastic and helpful, and when we had a problem with our daughter's dinner, the head chef/owner came runnig out and went WAY above and beyond to make things right. We had some cajun pasta and an italian sausage flatbread. Our daughter ended up with chicken strips and buttered noodles. All the pasta is made from scratch and it was wonderful. The chicken strips were also especially good. My only complaints; the chicken in the pasta was cut into chunks that were too big and for some reason, they put lettuce on top of the pizza. It was easily removed, thuogh. I noticed they have a nice big patio out back and the waitress said there is live music on weekend nights.
(4)Suzanne R.
The only reason this restaurant is getting 4 stars is because our food took awhile to come out . Starters we got shrimp cocktail and a lobster and crab salad served in a martini glass with fresh bread . Very very fresh ! Excellent taste and texture . Main dish : The couple with us had the Skat , with broccoli rabe and rice dish they enjoyed it . My husband and I got the prime rib special . Very good . Cooked to perfection . With the prime rib I got spinach and kale sauté and mixed veggies . Both were wonderful . Dessert : The bread pudding was to die for . The homemade ice cream was smooth and creamy . So good . The atmosphere was rustic , but homey. A lovey place to have good conversation and dinner .
(4)Brett C.
Always enjoy the food, staff friendliness, ambiance especially outside. Thanks for taking care of us for my wife's birthday. Love the prime rib, ribeye and scallops, and wine suggestions of bartender.
(5)Monica T.
J Fires was a great choice for a Sunday eve. There was live music on the patio and the atmosphere was very pleasant. Our waitress was new but she did a super job. You could tell she was proud to work at J Fires by the way she described how the Chef prepared the BBQ shrimp sauce. Which was excellent! When we were looking over the desert menu she was quick to tell us the cherries were hand picked from the owners back yard tree. The staff was also very accommodating for our elderly parents. Great experience!
(4)Paul K.
I just had one of the greatest vegetarian meals in an age in a town of less than 8,000 people. I just about shit my pants when the hostess told us they had an entire vegetarian menu in addition to the few vegetarian options on the regular menu. As an appetizer we ordered the veggie fries, which is just vegetable tempura but it was done well. As an entree I had the Quinoa Stir-Fry and sweet Christ was it good! It came with a side of red-pepper soup and even though I'm convinced it was just Pacific Foods Roasted Red Pepper Soup it was great. Eating outside under the grape arbor was quaint, and even though we had an Arby's staring us in the face on the other side of the parking lot, the charm remained. And dude, $1 PBR on draft.
(4)Julie C.
Just HAD to visit after viewing the website and seeing that J.Fires was once my great-great-great grandfather's plantation (the David Ditch). The hubby and I took the MoDoc ferry over from Ste. Genevieve, a leisurely stroll up the IL side to Waterloo (stopped at a winery along the way since our reservations weren't for a few hours). Arrived at J.Fires, seated immediately, waitress seemed a bit aloof, but service was good nonetheless. We sampled a few wines, I decided on the strawberry wine (made local), and was fantastic! Husband chose the local chaumborcin, and loved this as well. We received bread at the table, which seemed store bought (hopefully next time will be made in house), and ordrered a cheese platter as an appetizer. Variety of cheeses, nuts and fruit, with local honey and crackers. Another suggestion is to serve with homemade crackers or wafer crackers rather than Townhouse! We each decided on a pizza for dinner (but there were MANY other scrumptious sounding options we wanted to try). He ordered the cheeseburger pizza, I had the cheese; both were very tasty. Pizza was served on a marble slate (not sure why?), piping hot and crust was excellent - my cheese pizza was a flavor explosion in my mouth, kept you guessing which I loved. Husband equally enjoyed his cheeseburger pizza. We left stuffed with plenty of leftovers! :) We will return with more family members during the day to see our ancestor's plantation --- I am so ecstatic that J.Fires has vowed to keep the old home/barn/grapes as is, brings a tear to this girl's eye thinking it could've been bulldozed. Sad that McDonald's and Arby's are nextdoor, but don't let this deter you from enjoying a great meal here. Jennifer (owner) came up to our table after I told the waitress I'd love to hear the history of the home. Jennifer was so sweet, and was excited to hear any history I had on my g.g.g. grandfather living there. I told her I'd dig up some info and be back - so we'll return soon. Would like to try their Sunday brunch...
(4)Justin G.
A great atmosphere -- especially on the back porch during sunset -- but mediocre food at best, and some of the worst service I've ever experienced! It wasn't even that crowded. It was a chore to get an extra round of beers or bread or napkins or anything, and the food arrived late and cold. The menu sounded great, but the positives end there, with everything we ordered either under-seasoned or shockingly over-salted. The waitstaff was apparently missing a person that night, which is understandable, but the staff (save for one waitress in particular) that was present seemed inexperienced and timid. I doubt we'll be back.
(2)Aaron K.
An upscale restaurant with flavors more common to the New Orleans area, JFires' is a great addition to the dining options in Monroe County. At JFires' the food is only surpassed by the atmosphere. Only open since January, JFires' won a spot on St. Louis Magazines 2009 A-List for Outdoor Dining. Sitting under the arbors of a converted winery the atmosphere quickly transports you out of Waterloo. The quality of their food is superb and the level of presentation is something I usually only see in big city restaurants (like those of my hometown - Chicago.) The Cochon De Lait was expertly cooked - not overcooked and stringy but still falling apart when forked. My wife's Crab pasta (an admittedly tough dish to screw up) had a creamy and unique ginger and chipotle pepper sauce. I would also recommend checking out the desserts. We tried the cheesecake and a toffee/ice cream concoction, both of which were excellent. I have only visited here once for dinner so I am hoping this is the level of service and professionalism received at every meal. I will definitely be trying JFires' again when I am next back in town (maybe lunch??) and will update this review accordingly.
(4)Sara H.
Family in the area gives us an opportunity to sample the "new" fare in town and this place is finally a spot worthy of a recommendation. Dave Braswell of the Corner George Inn in Maeystown suggested we try and I loved the grilled romaine and fennel salad, lamb grilled to med rare with mushroom sauce and potatoes anna was delish. This is worth a trip for area folks from St. Louis to visit. The food in St. Louis had matured and this chef is on the same curve but with local soul. "Fancy" for the locals but casual business attire is fine and the historic bldg is worth a peak. New Orleans nods on the menu but broader and done with a deft hand.
(4)Matthew L.
Good atmosphere, the Louisiana-esqe menu was a bit lacking in the meat area as it was mostly vegetarian. Had the BBQ chicken and Gouda pizza, along with some calamari, both were excellent. The service was good not great. Wasn't very busy, but was celebrating the 1 year anniversary of being open. Though I didn't have them, others in my party LOVED the veggie fries. Was there for lunch, got a glimpse of the dinner menu and saw that the prices increase quite a bit for dinner. But if you're in the area I recommend giving it a shot, you just might like it.
(3)Andrea P.
Really, this place is worth the drive out to Waterloo. I have had a very difficult time as a vegetarian finding restaurants that 1. Have meatless options and 2. Have fresh and local options. We had the veggie tempura fries for appetizer, they were good but a little too greasy for my liking. For entree I ordered the squash with tempeh, mozzarella, among other herbs/toppings. It was decent. I think the squash could have been cooked a bit longer and a bit more flavor could've been added somewhere b/c it tasted a bit bland. Despite the lack of taste, I was content with the dish being fresh. Sometimes I think I could just order a plate of raw vegetables, and I'd be happy than much of the processed food that is served at most restaurants! But, I do think I'll try the quinoa or the wilted romaine salad next time. The salad that was served with the squash, I think, was better than the entree itself. The lettuce was slightly wilted and it was delicious. My significant other had fish tacos which he said he enjoyed. I had a cherry-pineapple-coconut juice, which they gave for free since they were out of coconut juice. Free was fine with me! For dessert we tried the strawberry fruit crepe and it was delicious as well. Great food, given the limited amount of options in the SW IL area, great staff, and wonderful outdoor atmosphere. We will be back and I recommend making the drive out if you like good quality, fresh food.
(4)Katey R.
I love this place. I have been a few times. Inside seems more upscale, but outside is really great. You can even take younger kids and have a nice meal and sit outside and just enjoy. The food has always been really good. The service could use a little work, but nothing too terrible.
(4)Paul K.
Service poor food average price about right. $1.00 PBR still there. N&D acoustic guitar and mandolin over the top great. The two were in fine voice and their guitar work was a work of art. Raccoon emptying his bladder from above on my son and his girlfriend priceless. It is not often you get lousy service and give a place 4 stars, but the waiter who was rather clueless as to what was on the menu, and what sides came with it did manage to do one thing right. He told us the kitchen was backed up and they were running behind. You know the truth never hurts in these situations. Thank goodness N&D kept playing great tune after great tune. We had starters of a cheese plate and boudin balls they were great. Around the table I had the bone in rib eye with smashed potatoes and a garden salad. Since I don't do carbs I asked for veggies instead of the potato. Well I got the potato anyway. Ehh no big deal. My wife had the boned chicken did have a good taste. My oldest son the Famous Chip K had what looked to be a mountain of pulled pork. I am sure he will give his take on his and his wife Bridgett's meal of seafood pasta. My wayward son the vegetarian got some vegetarian dish and I will darned if I remember what his girlfriend ordered. No complaints were heard from anyone so I thinking the food was fine. Outside seating is a must here but I do want to warn you about the raccoon who hangs out on top of the grape arbor( a real huge arbor with big grape vines) which is the main seating area. It seems that Mr. Raccoon seemed to enjoy positioning himself it such a way that when he needs to drain his bladder you the customer may or may not be the target. My son thought is was a water leak of some sort my wife knew it was some animal relieving himself and my daughter in law saw a part of the critter and said it was a squirrel. I wish I could go into detail on the denial that it was raccoon waste by my son but that is too long. But one statement he said it did not smell like urine like he knows what a raccoon urine is supposed to smell like! I know this is lengthy and I hope people read it but a great time was had by all in this Waterloo hidden gem. Someone said they wished it was in St. Louis but I don't think it works the same anywhere else. Things you forgive in Waterloo will not be forgiven in St. Louis. Quirky place.
(4)Sasha R.
We went to J Fires tonight. We had reservations at 6:45 and finally received our drinks at 7:15. We had a party to attend at 8:00 pm and still hadn't received our food by 8:30 pm. Also, we had three waiters in the mean time. We left at 8:30 and they still made us pay for our drinks. Still hungry we left and showed up late to our party! Not going back!
(1)Chip K.
Located on what used to be a farm, the ambiance at JFires' Market Bistro is pretty top notch. I can't speak for the indoor seating, but if you sit outdoors, you're seated under a charming arbor with nice lighting. If you sit on one side of the arbor, you get a nice view of some rolling pastures... but if you sit on the other side, you get a nice view of an Arby's. So, your mileage may vary depending on where you get seated. But the arbor is nice. Except for the fact that some liquid dropped next to my brother from above. When we looked up, we saw a critter running away from the area. Our waiter told us that there's a "raccoon friend" who hangs out on the top of the arbor. So, yeah, my brother almost got peed on by a raccoon, it seems. They should probably do something about their "friend." Starting out, we got some boudin sausage balls and a cheese plate. The cheese plate was pretty typical, comes with three decent cheeses, and like many a cheese plate was overpriced for what you get. The boudin balls were pretty tasty, but I really liked the pickled vegetables that they were served with. I got the "cochon au lait." I reckoned at the time that it meant something along the lines of "milk pig," which didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Wikipedia told me that it is a suckling pig, which is fed its mothers milk and is usually killed between 2 and 6 weeks of age. Now I feel sad. It was pretty good, though, I have to admit. It was a big hunk of pork that easily shredded when you poked it with a fork, and was covered in a spicy sauce. The dish also had bacon, fried mushrooms, and a cajun potato salad... all of which were pretty tasty, although the potato salad was a little bland. Around the table... my wife had their crab pasta, which she liked a lot; my brother had a vegetarian squash entree, which was pretty small but I think he liked it. His girlfriend had shrimp scampi pasta, and I think she liked it. My father got a steak, which he thought was okay, and my mother got chicken which she really liked. Service was atrocious, although I usually don't factor service into how many stars I give a place. The waiter was pretty bad about refilling our drinks. From the time we sat down to the time we got our food was about 2 hours. Only towards the end of the 2 hour wait did the waiter tell us that the kitchen was overwhelmed. So... enjoy the ambiance and the food, beware that the service might be a little slow, and beware of falling urine. (You know, it just occurred to me that many Yelp users would give this place one star because of the business with the raccoon pee. Maybe I'm just weird.)
(4)