In an ironic twist, I absolutely love this place. No, J Alexander's is not one of Cleveland's hip independently-owned gems. However, the food is always flavorful and well-presented. Many would classify this as a "fancy restaurant." Given its low lighting, dark wooden accents, and smooth jazz tunes playing in the background, I would agree. Despite being somewhat fancy, though, the food prices are exceptionally reasonable. (I personally love coming for lunch an ordering the Hyde Park chicken sandwich, an great meal for only $11.)
The bar is also nice. Though I haven't spent any time at it, I did notice that it sported neat alcohols like Avion tequila (think HBO's Entourage) and Reyka vodka (Icelandic vodka!).
Grade: A