Hanover Street
Chez Jules was previously a huge chain of restaurants which came crashing to the floor in 1998 due to the rapid expansion of the company. This time, Pierre is keeping the size more modest, starting with a team of four in this one restaurant.
As a fantastic opening offer, the food on Friday was free from 12 noon through till 12 midnight. We managed to pop along to see if the food and ambiance is as good as the 1990s Chez Jules.
Interior Chez Jules
The interior is basic but rustic, with tables and benches suitable for dining on your own or with a group of people. Candles are present on the table and lighting is dimmed in the evening.
It wasn’t particularly busy despite this free offer and we were seated at a table immediately. We were quickly offered pre meal starters of bread and butter, alongside sliced salami and a huge bowl of salad in a wonderful dressing.
The free offer did not extend as far as including drinks, but table water is always waiting for you. We ordered a bottle of Magners at £4.95 and a small house white wine at £2. Pierre has brought back his excellent wine choices which will only set you back £10 a bottle for a basic white, red or rose. Other more expensive options are available.
The menu for free food was simple, steak or fish. Both my dining partner and I opted for the steak, since that’s one of the main things Chez Jules was famous for back in the day.
Chez Jules steak
I am a bit of a beef aficionado and can honestly say that this steak, despite it only being a skirt cut was mouthwateringly delicious as well as being cooked to perfection (rare). Neither of us required a steak knife as it was just so tender. The sauce was red wine and shallots with thyme and complimented the meat beautifully. The pomme frites were also perfect and the main course was over all too soon. The normal price for a similar steak to this one would be around the £10 mark.
Dessert was easy to choose as every option sounded delicious. We plumped for the chocolate tart and the banana crepes with caramel sauce. Most desserts are around the £3.50 mark.
Banana crepes
The crepes and banana dessert were a force to be reckoned with. The caramel sauce was heavenly and the bananas served warm along with the crepes. The chocolate tart was also good, but because of the pastry, was slightly on the dry side with the supplied cream.
Chocolate tart
I hope that this Chez Jules becomes busy with its old atmosphere for which the restaurant was famous. Although this was only a sample of the menu, I am confident that the rest of the food will be of equal quality. Be sure to book ahead if you want to avoid a bench table.
You can find Chez Jules at 109 Hanover Street, telephone 0131 226 6992.
Back in business
Suitable for disabled ? Unfortunately the restaurant is down a set of stairs
Map of this location
Tags: Chez Jules, Edinburgh, review
I think that you were influenced by the FREE food deal. We went there and it was all wrong. There is cheap and there is CHEAP, this place just insulted in every way, there was absolutely no atmosphere and hideous decor, it felt like some homeless canteen made to look look like a ‘natural’ french bistro knocked up on the cheap. I imagine the Friday ‘free food deal’ was a stunt to get people in because no one was going (how appropriate the sign inside is that you feature), but how embarrassing having to give your food away. We had the steak and it was ok to good, but the desserts were clearly the awful bought in type, the wine was nasty. I live in Edinburgh and it has become really boring to read repeatedly of Pierre’s rise and fall. The restaurant scene has moved on and there are now better offerings elsewhere that don’t have to sell out.
We went (or rather tried) to lunch here today. Would like to be able to comment on the food but having waited 40 minutes for two passable onion soups and then a further 45 minutes without a sign of our main courses, we left. Very disappointing if the owners of Iris are involved as that is one of our favourite places and Chez Jules has only brought them down in our estimation. With the Dogs’ empire on the other side of the road I give this place a couple of weeks at best!
Interesting feedback and we look forward to reviewing it when we are paying customers. It looks like they better up their game to survive in Hanover Street.
#1 – Why did you go then if there are better offerings and you are bored of reading about Pierre ? Competition for a restaurant you run nearby per chance ? and same for #2 me thinks
We tried it last night after seeing your tweet about the free food offer. I wasn’t expecting much but we were pleasantly suprised by what we got. It certainly wasn’t fine dining but there was plenty on the plate and it was full of flavours – three of us had the skirt steak with shoestring chips and my daughter had the salmon. The large bowl of green salad was perfectly dressed (and also free). It was a bit draughty in there but the weather was extreme last night.
It is exactly what it says on the tin – Chez Jules is back, anyone who ate there in the past (or at Pierre Victoire) will know exactly what they are going to get. I don’t think the formula is dated, there’s always a place for rustic French cooking of this standard at a budget price.
Glad you had a good time there and since it was a freebie, definitely worth the cold weather! Will be interesting to see the quality of food and service in a few weeks, they are definitely finding their feet just now.
Myself and my family used to go to the Chez Jules and Pierre Victoir restaurants years ago. I went with my Mum to the Hanover St CJ today for the first time. It was excellent! The staff were v friendly and v efficient. We started with a nice wee bottle of Davinci (I know, it is Italian), and the pre-starter of a coarse pate and gherkins in a herby oil, plus the trademark bowl of lettuce in a tasty dressing with a basket of mixed breads.
For Entree I had the Lobster Bisque and Mum had the Tartiflette. Yum!
Then for Mains, Mum had the Fillet Mignon with string fries. And I had THE BIG ONE, massive steak, but cooked v rare that it melted on the journey down to my eager belly. Both steaks were chargrilled with garlic butter melting on top. Yum yum!! (I was amazed that THE BIG ONE did not make me feel overly stuffed, it hit the spot).
Finally, Mum had room for a banana crepe with toffee sauce and real vanilla ice cream. She struggled (with a grin), while I played wisely with a tasty black coffee.
Over all I was surprised that it felt like the 90′s Chez Jules I remembered and loved.
I will be back for there Coq Au Vin and delish gratin dauphinois. Viva la France.
Had a week in Edinburgh during May, found Chez Jules absolutely great food simple but excellent quality and amazing value. Found many other restaurants in Edinburgh over-rated and expensive suffering from “Emperors New Suit Syndrome”
saturday 24th july my husband and i had lunch today at chez jules in edinburgh,it was outstanding.would highly recommend we will be back!
this reviewer seems to be obsessed with free deals, half off, etc rather than good food. Anyone who orders steaks well done and calls themself an “afficiando” is somewhat suspect to begin with.
I had lunch at chez jules a few weeks ago and it was dire. Its trying to be a simple french bistro which is a good idea and a much needed one in edinburgh. Good quality french bistro cooking
reasonably priced and not too fancy is in short supply here.
But Chez Jules was dirty, sloppy and lazy. It seemed geared to doling out cheap slop to the hen and stag or rugby weekend crowds. We first tried to sit at the couple of tables outside as it was a nice day, but when at looked down at my feet there was a kitchen container with cigarette buts in it. Nice, very appetising. We moved inside and the plastic table clothes were dirty and sticky. A fresh authentic baguette should be the minimum standard at a french bistro and its not rocket science. Chez Jules had the usual edinburgh stale, wrong tasting baguette. The food cut corners everywhere. My seabass was not fresh and was served on some wilted lazy bed of onions or something. Simple fresh food is easy, but you have to care and keep an hand on the management and cooking personally constantly. It looks like Pierre has delegated to a bunch of kids and dour Scots chefs and is off doing whatever. If they tried to pass this off as a bistro in Paris, I fear people would be tearing the place down.
#10 I think you need to re-read the article, the reviewer has the steak rare! And who doesn’t love a bargain when it comes to food?