Bistro Jacques

What a find! Went here for 3 course lunch menu and everything was top notch! Excellent mushroom soup, amazing cod, and super dessert — all for 12 Pounds. The service was bullet proof, I truly enjoy this nice French restaurant.

Chosen as the destination for my birthday meal this year, I was hoping for a relaxed yet slightly fancier than your average (well it IS a French restaurant, right?) meal out.
Bistro Jacques was really affordable and had great reviews online — especially for their lunch menu — so I booked a table for two on a Saturday night a few days beforehand and it was no problem, the waitress was also really friendly when we turned up 10 minutes late.
For just over £40 we had two mains, two desserts and a few drinks, which was great value. My steak was cooked to perfection, the shared side dish of vegetables worked really well between a couple, if a little light on spuds — two new potatoes?! So we decided to order a side of fries — oh the hardship!
Although nothing blew me away with the meal, all was well… that is until dessert.
Being a January child, I take it as my civic duty to celebrate all things associated with one of the coldest months of the year… my personal favorite being COMFORT FOOD. So when I spotted a fruity Winter crumble with homemade custard on the menu, I thought I’d struck nostalgic gold and didn’t give any of the other options a look-​in. Sadly the nostalgia was a little to close to reality, as I was served a humongous slab of crumble, drowned in custard in what can only be described as a soup bowl. Now, I admit — I ate it all! And it tasted, alright. But the Déjà vu-​esque memories of school canteen puddings were just too strong and this was not what I was hoping for on a birthday that’s erring into the later part of my twenties.
I know I shouldn’t let one course reflect badly on the whole meal, but as the saying goes its my birthday and…
I suggest skipping dessert on the evening menu and heading straight for the wine.

During my present (but soon to be past) occupation as a student, I rarely have a chance to dine anywhere more sophisticated than the local kebab/​pizza place, meaning my jaunts to ‘real’ restaurants i.e. places where you sit down and eat for longer than it takes you to stuff your food in your mouth and swallow, were usually reserved for special occasions.
On a couple of these special occasions (a birthday and an anniversary) I decided to venture to Bistro Jacques on Hardman Street. This quaint little restaurant is situated just a stone’s throw from the Liverpool Philharmonic, meaning it is often packed with theatregoers eager to dine before heading to a show. With this in mind, Bistro Jacques offers a «Pre-​Theatre» three course dinner for just over ten pounds as well as daily offers at both lunchtime and dinnertime.
Offering authentic French cuisine, I found the food to be excellent in quality and presentation on both occasions as well as offering good value for money. On one occasion I opted for the steak (a typical male choice) and was not disappointed as the chef cooked it to perfection. My girlfriend’s choice of salmon was also met with similar approval. The meals also came with generous helpings of vegetables and potatoes which left us struggling to finish, let alone contemplate dessert.
The service was good and prompt, which was particularly impressive considering how busy the restaurant was on both occasions; a good sign nonetheless. The atmosphere was relaxed, although at times it was a bit loud and rowdy but I think this was mainly due to the numerous Christmas parties that were surrounding us getting into the festive spirit (we went in December), so who am I to judge?
One negative point I would raise about Bistro Jacques is the noise and vibrations coming from Magnet, a bar next door which also has a basement that sits directly underneath the restaurant. On both visits, this created a fair bit of noise and disruption to the atmosphere, although this was generally drowned out by the conversations taking place around the restaurant.
Bistro Jacques has also begun offering a new French menu with which you can pick four or five smaller meals, much like a French tapas, which arrive at your table on top of rustic wooden platters. This offers an interesting alternative for lunch in Liverpool, a nice change from the usual fast-​food favourites that dominate the city.

A pleasant slice of Parisian cuisine on a street that looks like it’s recovering from a gas attack, it’s a miracle and a shame Bistro Jacques decided on this spot. It’s brilliantly handy having such a classy restaurant on an accessible street with no pretensions whatsoever, but leaving here after a romantic meal means you have to kick your way through discarded pizza boxes from the takeaways downwind.
I visited when the place was at its busiest which was slightly detrimental; people’s elbows knocking into mine got to be a chore. However the food was delicious, expertly cooked and wasn’t featured in photographs on the menu. That made a wonderful change to my usual dining experience.

The French cuisine is renowned the world over for its passion, flair, flavours and real honesty and Bistro Jaques does a good job of capturing these factors and throwing them into a merseyside bistro.
The place has a touch of class and feels real and lived in as though you are sharing the experience of dining here with the thousands of other people who have passed through the door.
The décor is authentic and rustic feeling candles in wine bottles and that sort of thing giving you the full gallic experience.
Bistro Jaques takes advantage of its’ close proximity to the theatres and thrives on it even offering a pre theatre dining experience as one of its specials and this is amazing value at £10.95 for a full three course dinner.
Obviously as you would expect the wine selection is classy and varied and for a simpleton such as myself it was alot to take in.
The staff here are great and allow you to take your time and not be pressured which is a liberty I have not always been afforded at French restaurants so I was greatful of it here.
Bistro Jaques is a dining experience full of class so if your searching for the perfect refined spot to fill yourself to bursting before catching a show at the everyman or unity theatre then pop down to Bistro Jaques and soak up the authenticity.

Bistro Jacques is an excellent restaurant situated at the top of Hardman Street, next door to the Magnet nightclub.
They have a fantastic ambience and décor, the walls and interior are decorated with old Parisian newspaper cuttings, which is a great twist on the Bistro’s atmosphere.
The food is great and not too pricey; I tried a salmon fillet with cream of coconut sauce with a side veg and a large glass of red wine two nights ago. This came to less that £20.00, the service was excellent and the food was fantastic.
There was a coupon on the table which entitled you to a free bottle of wine on your birthday in exchange for an email address, which promised no spam!
The kitchen was viewable from the restaurant floor, which is always a plus, it looked impeccably clean, which is another bonus.
They offer a great lunch offer which is three courses for less than £9.95! A steal!

Like it’s sister restaurants on the other side of Liverpool 1 and Matthew St, Bistro Jacques does a good impression of being an authentic French restaurant while not resorting to Parisien prices.
Anyone who has been to Paris will know that it can cost you an arm and a leg for a meal and couple of beers — although I’m not sure why there is still the idea that the French are still great cooks, they’re massive for cheese on toast over there, you get laughed at over here for suggesting it’s called Welsh Rarebit but Croque Monsieur is somehow much more acceptable!
Anyway a 3 course lunch for £8 quid is a bargain and when you can get an early doors — sorry pre theatre — meal deal for £11 its good value and handy for the local Everyman and Philharmonic. They don’t rest on their laurels either as the menu seems to change regularly.

Bistro Jacques is one of my favourite places to visit on Hardman Street. An authentic French restaurant, it caters to all its diner’s needs. The wooden tables add a rustic charm, and matching benches covered with cushions allow for a relaxed and bohemian dining experience.
The menu is most certainly ever-​changing, so after your first visit, on your next you must sample different cuisine. At lunch-​time the atmosphere is laid back, so visit in your casual attire. In the evening, the restaurant is the perfect setting for a romantic meal.
I can recommend the salmon, which was of a very high quality, and served with a delicious salad and new potatoes.
Situated in an ideal location for students to visit (it’s practically next door to the University of Liverpool) and shoppers alike.

Le Bistro Jacques is une recommendation por le romantic dinner for two… An authentic french dining experience awaits for those looking to impress the other half but still stuck in the student overdraft… The wooden furniture, art on the walls and candles in the wine bottles add to a nice escapist atmosphere, and boy do I love that. For me a good dining out experience should be all about escapism. I mean if it wasn’t then you’d be at home cooking or ordering take out, right!!!
The food here is not pricey and delicious. The menu changes everyday but as I mentioned the food is great so no matter when you go or what is on the menu, you’re onto a winner.
Thus just like the other Bistro’s check it out already why don’t ya now that you’ve been Unilocaled… booya!

French cuisine on a shoestring!!! Bistro Jacques is in the perfect area for both students and thespians, and caters accordingly, with a budget menu and a theatre menu.
The special lunch offer is 3 courses for £7.95, which seems amazing, but unfortunately the food always seems as though it’s heated-​up, mass-​produced and bland. The presentation is good, but it doesn’t cover up the quality of the food. Then again, you can’t really expect a prime steak of £7.95! The service can be a bit absent-​minded at times, but the staff are pleasant and friendly.
It is a favourite place for Sunday lunch for my dad, as he always appreciates spending less than £10 for what he terms ‘decent food’, and loves the fact that you can get a French lesson either by reading the messages on the walls or spending long enough in the loo, where an education-​style tape is played teaching you various sayings. A pleasant enough place for a cheap meal, but nothing outstanding about the food.

Great french food, have numerous deals including early bird, lunch rapide and 2 courses and bottle of wine for £12.95, good service and nice atmosphere.

This is owned by the same people as ‘Bistro Pierre’. It is of a similar quality but a bit further out from the city centre.

I went here last night, it was a pleasant evening; good wine, ok service and good food. the place did not blow me away but it certainly gave a good impression. The rustic french décor and dim lighting make it a relaxing atmosphere to eat.