This weekend I got to revisit one of my favourite new spots on Bold Street: Jimmy’s Liverpool. Last time around, we got to see what the Jimmy’s bar had to offer – this time, it was all about their newly-opened restaurant.
Now boasting three floors, each storey at Jimmy’s Liverpool offers something a little different: the basement for their gigs, the ground is where you’ll find the bar and top floor is solely for the restaurant. The style of Jimmy’s can be spotted from a mile off (thanks to the neon) and while the restaurant is certainly no departure from that the décor is a little less noisy (no lava lamps up top) the vibe is certainly more relaxed. With a grand piano front and centre and a pianist knocking out classic melodies – featuring a variety of soul, blues and rock – the mood is set the moment you step through the door.
Before we sat down to eat, we were lucky enough to get to have a quick chat with George Craig, the co-owner of Jimmy’s who set up the business with his brother, who gave us some insight into their South American inspired menu. The pride and joy of their kitchen is what they lovingly call ‘The Big Green Egg’, a Kamado-style piece of ceramic cooking equipment that doubles as both a grill and a smoker. On this, George promised, would be the best cooked meat you’ve ever tasted in your life. Would it live up to the promise?
For a bar-cum-restaurant, the menu is certainly nothing to sniff at. There are over 25 foods to choose from, each more mouth-watering than the last. We started with a few of the nibbles on offer. Salt and pepper halloumi, meatballs in a rich tomato sauce and flatbreads served up with guacamole on the side. All were delicious and a nice decadent tapas selection that would be sure to go down well as little pickers for a night of drinking. The mains, though, were an absolute class above.
A sampler from their ‘pure indulgence’ section of the menu, the JFC, did not disappoint. Tender fried chicken with a colourful slaw and sweet curry flavour, this chicken could give the colonel himself a run for his money.
Next, Chimichurri Seabass. A whole grilled fish accompanied grilled cherry tomatoes and smothered in an Argentinian sauce made up of oil, vinegar, garlic, parsley & oregano. An absolute taste sensation, the seabass was absolutely brimming with flavour.
The last main we got to try, by the far and away the best selection of that night (and that’s saying something), was the steak. Beforehand George had given us a rundown about this and informed us that all beef they use has been aged 40 days in a Himalayan salt chamber before being cooked on their grill. The beef and Big Green Egg certainly did not disappoint here, the steak was one of the best I’d ever tried with an unbelievable smoky char flavour that did wonders. The true measure of a meal is the sadness you feel when you’ve nearly finished it, from my first bite here I was hooked and for my last I was near tears.
The dining experience at Jimmy’s far surpassed what I was expecting. When I hear about a bar opening a restaurant, I immediately think of all the hashed attempts – yes, Mojo, I’m looking at you – but this is certainly not that. Jimmy’s restaurant is another absolutely stellar addition to an already sublime venue, a relative newbie to Bold Street’s bustling scene that has all the hallmarks of an instant classic and a big presence in the city.
Jimmy’s Liverpool is offering 50% off your bill for their restaurant if you book before New Year’s Eve this year! Be sure to book before December 31st and see what the hype is about for yourself.
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