Chez TJ Reviews

Lovely staff, dinner was a wonderful journey of tastes.

If we take the price out of the equation, then the pros are: convenient location, interesting food, pretty presentation. They were super proud of the herbs from their garden but seriously, my herbs are a lot fresher, some of theirs were slightly wilted. The lobster smelled a bit fishier than expected. They are very proud that they were flown fresh not frozen. I get mine fresh too and mine smell better so I'm not sure what's going on there. The foie was good but a bit tougher than expected, totally didn't have the melt in your mouth aspect. The lamb and duck were amazing and perfect. The wine pairings actually did pair well. The cons: really expensive for the quality, I've had better meals for around the same, a bit less in London, Copenhagen, and NYC. The truffle add on at $40, totally not worth it. The bodacious fondue was super salty so I gave it to the bf, he loved it. It was also hellaciously long. I was told 3 hours but ours were closer to 4. It started to feel tedious at around 2.5. Service was ok. My water glass wasn't filled very promptly which isn't a big deal but let's face it, you're paying for the experience as well when you're dropping that much per person ($195 prix fix, $120 wine pairing, $40 truffle add on, $25 champagne - per person pre tax pre gratuity, of course). Would I have enjoyed it more if it was half the price? Unfortunately, no. And that's why it's getting 2 stars. It was good for Mountain View but not great, even for the Bay Area.

We love hanging out. Last night we arrived in this magnificent restaurant which friends recommended to us. We enjoyed a beautiful time there with first-rate meal and a nice stuff and a talented cook. We put this restaurant in our list and we will definitely come back very soon. Highly recommended.

This is such a great place to hang out with friends, drink beer and eat bomb let me repeat BOMB hot dogs!

parking is a little hard to find, entire menu took a little too long

The service is very nice and the food is excellent and interesting. The alcohol pairing was fabulous. Probably my favorite food experience so far!

Great fine dining experience.
Of course it is expensive, even compare to average Micheline one star restaurant, but the mild subtle complex flavor is definitely worth it. The wine pairing is excellent too.

Excellent dining experience with interesting choices of selections on the tasting menu. The courses were really either hit or miss for us, mostly hitting the flavors well however. At times the courses were rather bland, or even felt like a certain flavor or mouth-feel was missing from a broth or dish. The desserts were easily the best part of the meal: thoughtful, whimsical, inventive, and very satisfying. Left feeling stuffed at over 12 courses, but the serving and wait staff were all exceedingly polite and truly deserve the Michelin star for the experience. The wine pairing was good as well, but ended up being far too much alcohol in the longer tasting menu.

french food and the feeling here is better than most. Entered near ten, it was not crowded. Next time I'll be back with my coworkers.

I love this spot! They give first-cleass food, their menu is rich, The chief cook in that place is an expert, I love very much eating all their dishes. The dishes are always good, the service towards the guests is good. I go often to this restaurant and I not even once was discontended. Highly recommended.

Visited a few Michelin star restaurants. This is the absolute best. Fantastic service, great variety of dishes that are very well executed

Since the new chef has taken over it's really declined. The new Sommelier also leaves something to be desired and wait service has also fallen off, I had to pour my own wine more than once which does not meet my expectations for either a Michelin star restaurant nor $150 a plate dining experience. Food was very good, but not outstanding given these occurrences I will not be returning as there are plenty of other fine dining establishments in the area and all provide better service. Chez Tj does not deserve it's Michelin star, not even close.

Food overly fussy without being outstanding and the wine pairing was super light given the price.

Six stars would be most appropriate. Chez TJ is a prixe fix Michelin-rated restaurant nothing less than outstanding. Over the years they have transitioned to the current single menu offering, which is not disclosed upfront, making it an experience of discovery. Years ago their meats were perhaps the only blemish on an otherwise perfect set, however I can say they have finally resolved it and their current menu is exceptional all around. Local ingredients of the utmost quality, great culinary skills, and imaginative presentation. Their wine pairing is superb as well, specially the whites.

Visiting Mountain View these years, I have never found this French restaurant. I ate it tonight and it was very delicate. Everyone tasted twenty dishes. Especially the art of panning is better than cooking. Well, I'll get the price. Higher, maybe you can get better two stars with the same money, because there are a few dishes that really make the mysterious, feel no impact of taste and chew the essence. #tastingmenu

Amazing imaginative food and wonderful service. Highly recommended for a posh night out.

Great to treat yourself at Chez TJ. Chef's tasting menu is sure to please.

Awesome food, even more amazing service. Pricey, but not as bad as some other Michelin star restaurants. Love the upscale yet informal atmosphere.

Pretty cute restaurant which is a little house. The waiter say the house has been here for 130 years and the restaurant is here for 37.

Very nice service. Foos looks good and some of them are quite tasting. Would love to have the menu at the beginning tho :)

Very creative and delicious food. Menu is fixed but not revealed. Surprised by the number of items you get. Extra ordinary service explaining each course. Great place for a special occasion.

Chez TJ is wonderful. The prix fixe meals they serve are an adventure into the culinary arts. You get to experience such a diversity of flavors and textures. Chez TJ allows you to not just eat, but savor. The atmosphere of the restaurant is welcoming and relaxing. The quality of the food and drink is a rare find.

My husband and I loved our dinner at Chez TJ! The food and courtyard setting were perfect for a lovely evening out. The courtyard to the side of the main entrance has been enlarged and modified extensively to create a beautiful spacious Covid addressed seating area. The garden surrounding the courtyard was lovely, adding to the romantic ambiance. We dressed for the cold evening and stayed very comfortable with the multiple heaters placed near the tables. I brought a blanket for my legs to make sure I stayed warm since I tend to run cold. The wait staff was friendly and available yet not overly fawning. The meal was leisurely but paced nicely. There were gaps between plates but it just meant more time for conversation and didn't seem overly slow. Chez TJ offers their tasting menu only. If you are looking for a big steak, this isn't your place. But if you enjoy lots of small portions with a mix of different flavors and bites that dance on your tongue, you'll love this restaurant. The menu changes weekly so there doesn't seem to be a point in talking too much about specific dishes other than to say we enjoyed the playfulness of the flavors. There was only one dish that was bland and needed the caviar that was offered at an extra cost. My husband ordered it, I did not. We both left quite full, felt the price was very fair especially compared to other Michelin rated restaurants and would be happy to go back anytime.

pricey but worth it for a splurge. 2nd only to manresa in food in the south bay

This is our favorite restaurant for special occasions. Very intimate dining with friendly staff and superb food.

loved our visit... enjoyed the chicken, filet, koobideh kabobs... and absolutely enjoyed the desserts... a must try whenever you head out in Burbank. Absolutely, love the desserts... LOVE IT!!!

Due to the mixed reviews, my husband and I were deathly afraid that we would not enjoy our meal at Chez TJ. Nonetheless, he wanted to give it a chance so we took advantage of the travelzoo coupon ($99 for the 8 course tasting (valued at $150) and came here on a Friday night for a 6:30 reservation.

Walking up to the restaurant, Justin, the front of the house manager, opened the door for us and every single person greeted us politely. Service was consistently good throughout the night. We felt the flow and speed was on point and the transition from plate to plate was perfect. The only time we had to wait awhile was before the dessert courses began, and again for our bill.

Rudy, our server, presented most of our dishes to us. James, the sommelier, poured every pairing for us. They were both very knowledgeable about the items that they presented to us.

We did add the supplementation for the A-5 Wagyu and it was worth every single penny. The steak was cooked to perfection. We also got the supplementation of the wild boar with shaved truffles and again, it was great. In fact, we enjoyed every single course and its accompaniments -- again, shocking to the both of us because we just didn't know what the meal was going to be like given the mixed reviews.

Lastly, we enjoyed the wine selections paired with each dish. At the end of the night, James also promptly emailed us the list of wines we paired with each dishes, including those that we purchased by the glass for the cheese course.

Excellent food and quiet atmosphere.

We celebrated our anniversary and this particular one was one of the best dinners we have had at a fine dining restaurant.

Great place for special occasions. The wine pairings are excellent

It s a great word. I didn't go to so many Michelin-star restaurants, but it was the best I have ever eaten.

We've been many times over the years, this time was truly delightful. The dishes were creative, with fresh ingredients and clever flavor pairings. Overall not too heavy, so even after all the courses I only pleasantly satisfied.

Just wow. Many course tasting menu - many wonderful shall dishes over 3 hours. Very conducive to wonderful conversation.

We left satisfied with Chez TJ's "presentations"! As our server said, we didn't need to make a lot of decisions. The course was $195 pp before tax (9%) and gratuity, and there are optional cheese plates and supplement menu to choose from, though we don't drink alcohol. The course took roughly 2.5 - 3 hours so we spent a lot of time chatting between plates. All staffs were very nice to us and made sure we were happy and enjoy our meals.

Been there twice, once for the full tasting and once for the other menu. Both times I was impressed. The meats were succulent and juicy and the small morsels they provided had plenty of taste (any more meat would have been overkill). Various foams and dehydrated olive oil were used very well to accentuate the delicateness, but there was nothing that felt like you were not eating everything. Everything was delicate, but everything had substance. Nothing was overwhelming, but we left feeling very, very full.

Fantastic sommelier, if you're into that sorta thing.

Servers were very personable and not at all pretentious; very willing to joke around.

Menu changes daily, classic French technique with California twists. Fancy food but still very pleasant.

One the best. I flew in from LA with a buddy of mine. If your vusting the bay area you gotta try this place!!

Our got place for celebrating special events. Amazing and creative dishes and wines everytime over the past 30 years. Do not pass up the cheese course, they have introduced us to amazing cheeses over the years.

We were looking for dinner choices on a Saturday night. Saw there was a table available. Made reservation 30 minutes before getting into the door. The menu was not published. So we did not know what we would get.

Food in general is great. Caviar, oyster, truffle, king crab, etc., the usual stuff you see for a restaurant at this level. Not too rich and creamy. Fits the current trend of healthy eating. The duck is particularly good, crispy outside with very tender meat. But the antelope tartar is a bit too wild for us. I think it'd be better if the staff can warn us earlier and let us decide if we want a replacement dish. The final sweets is very good but too much in quantity.

Good scene for tasty french food. i think i might become a regular. the bill won't break you.

Have eaten at dozens of Michelin restaurants around the world. The food quality was good but nothing that creative or particularly well executed. The service staff was good but not as passionate about food, the ingredients that go into each dish and how each dish is made as a Michelin restaurant staff should be. The wines alone were good but did not pair well with the food (for example we had a Pinot paired with the red snapper which overpowered the delicate flavor of the fish). The bill came out to be ~$350/person with the basic wine pairing. For that price point keiko, benu and crenn are far better in terms of creativity, freshness of ingredients and plating.

The best tasting menu I have ever experienced. Well balanced. Perfect tempo. Phenomenal service. Just fantastic!

Highly recommend the California tasting menu with wine pairing! It's going to be a 2.5 hour affair, so budget the time and settle in for some goodness :)

Incredible dining, solid wait staff, and well worth the Michelin star. Dining room is quiet and intimate. No alcohol other than beer and wine, but the wine list is so incredibly epic you won't miss the cocktails. Would recommend upgrading to everything they suggest, including the pricier wine tasting.

Another great dining experience at this establishment. Always consistently good, and a mix of new and interesting with familiar cuisine styles & techniques. I don't eat there very often, generally just special occasions, so I don't know how often they change it, but I will add that their current fall"-ish" menu is one of the best I've ever had there. So if you're considering it, now is nice time to go.

I love restaurants in a bungalow and even more is if it's a 19th century Victorian house. It has that historical building smell that reminds me of Registar's office in the basement of my old university. Chej TJ combines the old world charm with gastronomically avant garde presentations. I highly recommend this place for any romantic occasion that I hope will remain a permanent fixture in down MV.

Long overdue review, I've when I dined here I arrived a few minutes early and the door was locked with nobody in sight. When I was seated there were flies around my table. The food was less inspiring and bland, headed by former chef Jarad Gallagher. I'm also pretty sure they have a bunch of fake reviews on Opentable with the same photos. Don't throw away your money at this establishment.

A bit pricey but worth every penny service was great. Food was amazing

Imagine just getting out of a mediocre culinary school, visiting a three star restaurant in Paris with amazingly creative and well crafted dishes, and opening a restaurant with the goal of emulating that food. What you would get would be highly creative, but poorly executed dishes. That's what I got at Chez TJ last year. My meal started off with a foie gras and peanut butter madeline cookie as the amuse bouche. Which, in simple terms, is a dog treat, a really gross dog treat. Sadly the meal wasn't significantly uphill from there. The majority of the dishes my wife and I got were far more creative than they were tasty. In fact, only two of the dozen or so things we ate we would ever want to eat again. Oh, and the service matched the food. It seemed that each of the four or five waiters who delivered the courses was well trained in mumbling the descriptions of the dishes. So half the time, we didn't even know what exactly we were getting. Also, we got the shorter tasting menu and our meal still took almost three hours. There was a period of almost 40 minutes between courses. Terrible. How on earth this place got a Michelin star is beyond me. The meal I had there wasn't just bad for a Michelin starred restaurant, it was objectively terrible. Does my review seem harsh? Maybe. I know that other people have gone to Chez TJ and not been fed dog treats, but with plenty of high-end restaurants in the bay area, I (and you) have no reason to give them a second chance.

The restaurant is very classy and quiet. This is perfect for a calm night out with your wife.
There is a lot of effort in the food preparation and presentation but it ends up being too much. There are too many different flavours in so tiny portions. Going back to simplicity and let the fresh products offer their own flavours would have make me wanting to come back.

Excellent meal. 14+ course tasting menu. The duck with peaches was my favorite course. Wonderful staff. You can actually see the chefs picking herbs in the garden.

Exclusive and cozy, outstanding and impressive, delicious and beauteous! Thanks for all attention and care from the staff! Made our anniversary unforgettable and wonderful! We absoletely enjoed and satisfied! We are so happy that we chose this place for our special evening!

Best place in town. An unparalleled experience that must be had by all.

The dinner was a unique experience with a lot of variety. Had a great time :)

The quality of food is always excellent and exciting. The service is exceptional. This is our to-go fancy place with no hassel.

Attentive staff, beautifully paired dishes. Nicely spaced in a unique space.

Great tasting menu that varies continuously. Huge focus on local ingredients (they even have their own garden for vegetables) with a French and Japanese influence in cooking style. I have been there twice in one month and both times got very different and original menus. As for the wine pairing, very good set of wines mixed between California and France. Amazing quality for the price of the menu.

I know they're known for sausages but the fries!!! Get them!!! They also have like a bajillion dipping sauces so be nice to yourself and get all of them

Wonderful food, from my perspective certainly at 2-star Michelin level.
Service is great as well - highly recommended!

If you've the means and a special opportunity, sample the dynamic menu, vibrant atmosphere and engaging service at Chez TJ. We enhanced our experience with the nightly wine pairing and otherwise placed ourselves in the capable hands of the staff. The cost is significant, but if you're looking for a meal and an experience that will knock your socks off, look no further.

Exquisite food. Great service. Wonderful culinary experience with creative and unusual tastes. It is a once in a lifetime experience in a beautiful historical Victorian house redesigned into a restaurant. Deserves more than one Michelin star.

Excellent food and service! The ambiance of this charming Victorian property is lovely and has modern accents. It was very clean and we felt very safe eating here during COVID. My only criticism is that the wine pours for an added flight could be a little heavier. Otherwise, excellent all around!

I really enjoyed our visit yesterday evening. George Aviet, the owner of Chez TJ came around the tables and greeted us during the dinner service. The open ambience was relaxing and beautiful. All the staffs were wearing masks and took precautions.

There were heating lamps in case the weather gets a bit chilly. Air purifier in the bathroom to help with air conditioning and keep the impurities out.

10/9th, 2020 menu

Oyster with fennel, gougere, wagyu pop and golden raspberry

Pogne with whipped butter
Crab salad with sorrel with Mandarin

Black cod with corn and fingerlime

Tortellini with duxelles and mushroom broth

Celery sorbet, apple, puffed barley

Pain levain

Lobster

Squab with plums


Whipped fromage blanc with garden peaches

Supplemental: cheese dish - get it!

Chocolate tarte

Berries and cream

Mignardise

The service was exceptional and the dishes were all tasty. Our sommelier, Thomas, was very knowledgeable with wines and gave us great suggestions. We hope to come back soon I m a fan!

Amazing experience. Great ambiance. Delicious, creative, fresh, beautifully prepared dishes. Great, off-mainstream wines. Professional, friendly service. Great views of the garden

Peking Chicken and Combo Fried Rice is to die for. Been going for a while just for their Peking Chicken. Great service. Reminds me of a local chinese restaurant in Korea back in the 80's.

Excellent food and preparation during the pandemic. Keep on. Attached photos are food being taken out to my own plates.

My significant other and I had the World Tasting mid-November 2019, and it was everything we expected. All dozen or so courses were diverse, exotic, and filling. The full experience lasted about three hours, and the service was phenomenal. We opted for the corkage fee over the wine tasting, and that went just fine. Chez TJ is an experience to have.

we really wanted to like chez tj but the tiny portions of mostly boring and often inedible food, coupled with the high price, sloppy service, and a site that needs some work prevented us from doing so.

Very good. While the quality of the ingredients is remarkable, Chez TJ is not on the same level as two and three star places like others have claimed. For example, the butter was refrigerated and impossible to spread (they make a show of scraping it off of a giant block), and I had a hair in one of the lobster bites. While I'm not expecting to be wowed by every course, there were two that neither my wife nor I enjoyed and didn't finish. The meats we had were phenomenal; the Wagyu especially so. The selection of wines by the glass weren't outrageously priced (by restaurant markup standards) and were also quite good. While in summary the experience was enjoyable, I'll be going elsewhere in the future at this price point.

This place is excellent! Fair rates, big portions and the staff are regularly super nice.

While the food is actually pretty great, the menu was heavily biased towards seafood and got us pretty bored. Nonetheless, the food was excellent, with a special shout-out for the truffles!

A truly great dining experience. Excellent food, service, and wine.

Fantastic food with great concoctions of flavors - great for a special occasion!

What a amazing treat!! The food was awesome. I had the pork and beef louleh. The pork was seasoned perfectly and grilled just tender. The beef was just a bit dry but still tasty and fresh. The restaurant is very clean and the alfresco dinning was just to my liking. Plus, the servers are just amazing and beautiful. Overall, it was great meal on a Tuesday lunch with great companies(co-workers) and mouth watering delight. Next time, I am ordering ahead.

Outstanding spot for delicious french food. visited sat afternoon. i will be back with my friends.

Exquisite presentation, brain-freeze inducing food, in a very good way!

Tasteless interior and the food did not impress me either. I have been to much more fascinating places in the area for a third of the price. I assume I am simply paying for their Michelin star.

I couldn't wait to leave after spending nearly FOUR hours there with huge time gaps between bites with nothing to do if you are not getting wasted. And if you don't drink alcohol, you are mostly stuck with water or lemonade.

Great food and presentation, and knowledge staff. I spilled a little food on my dress, and our server brought out a napkin and soda water to help lift the stain. That was a friendly gesture and appreciated. We will go back.