Jazz Bistro on 4th — Restaurant in Fairbanks

2.5/5 (rounded up to 3/5)

Overall one of the better places in Fairbanks that I've tried but so many things felt unfinished. The waitress told me they opened 4 months ago but I still expected more.

Good: -My salmon tasted great and was mostly (see below) cooked well -Live jazz (we didn't stay for it unfortunately but it seems like a main draw of the place and was unique) -Everyone was very friendly -Lots of parking right out front -Someone that I assume was the chef came and asked us how our meal was, that shows me someone here is very dedicated to this place and is personally passionate about its success

Not so good: -Table layout was awkward, there's a table right when you walk in by the door -A "microwave in use" sign in the dining area was unappealing (I've never seen that before and if you're using a microwave I wouldn't think it wise to advertise it) -No tap water due to previous customers complaining it tasted bad, reason from restaurant was that it's an "old building" and they're working on it; bottled water for a little less than $2/each instead. -No wine, beer, or alcohol of any kind (no liquor license yet). We were told we can bring in wine and pay a $10 corking fee and any unconsumed wine would have to stay at the restaurant. As a customer that seemed strange... Why would you be open 4 months without a liquor license? -Entree came with choice of side, I intentionally ordered my food and didn't specify which I wanted to see if the waitress would ask me... She didn't and gave me the black bean option -We had an unlit candle on our table. Some tables were lit, some were not -The center of my salmon was raw but the 80% that was cooked was excellent -Our menus were 1 sided and not in a menu sleeve. Glancing around the room one table had the same menus (but in a sleeve) and another table seemed to have something on the back of their menus. Not sure what that was. -No dessert menu or verbal indication from staff that they had any desserts -Waitress seemed to forget about us, waited about 10 min for a check after another server took our finished plates. -A woman randomly started playing a violin or viola, which sounded wonderful, but seemed out of place and awkward in this setting for some reason. Perhaps she should sit and face the dining area and not stand? I'm not sure.

Overall I was happy that the food that was cooked tasted very good. There aren't a lot of nice places in Fairbanks and the cost of our food leads me to believe that Jazz Bistro is aiming for that mark.

I hope this place can tie up the loose ends and get some more consistency and professionalism across the board. I feel like with the food quality there is a lot of potential but it seemed like even after 4 months this restaurant wasn't ready to open. We'll be back in the spring again, hope to see...

Is Jazz Bistro on 4th the best restaurant in Alaska? There certainly is an argument to make for that, even if I only spent nine days in the state. But is Jazz Bistro on 4th one of the best restaurants I have ever had the pleasure of dining at? Oh, absolutely, to the point where I would feel comfortable saying this place is in my top 10 best dining experiences in the country.

You'd be forgiven for not assuming much from the outside of this place. The corner location of a block in downtown Fairbanks does little to catch your eye from the outside. But the inside is a whole other story. Booths and tables spread out from the mini-performance area near the door, while a private dining room rests further back. It's a welcoming decor that is only outdone by the staff.

The owner and his wife are two of the nicest individuals you will ever meet. From sharing stories about their musical careers (more on that in a second) to sharing recommendations for what to do in the great state of Alaska, these two are warm, inviting and eager to make sure every guest has a wonderful visit.

And how could you not? The food is, without doubt, the best Cuban food any of us have ever tasted. Now, granted, we don't have a voluminous history to check this against, but not only was this the best meal we had in Alaska, it was the best meal I've had all year. Fish specials are amazing and guava juice was refreshing... almost as refreshing as the local beers I polished off.

The pace of the meal was expertly laid out - if you're in a hurry and plan on rushing to get to your next stop, do not ruin the experience by coming here and speeding through the meal. I promise the meal is designed to be an opportunity to enjoy expertly prepared dishes and potential live music.

We had dined here last Tuesday, and while there was no entertainment on the docket, the owner and his wife graciously obliged our request to hear a song. And holy cow, are these two talented! She has a voice with range and depth, and he could probably play with his eyes closed better than most other trained musicians. While the food is fantastic, equally impressive is the musical prowess these two display.

Suffice it to say, I cannot recommend Jazz Bistro on 4th enough. Reservations are definitely recommended, and don't give up if you are not able to secure a reservation right away - I had to try twice before I got the confirmation, and I promise it was worth the effort.

Cheers to the Jazz Bistro on 4th team - yours is a restaurant locals should frequent and travelers should...

Disappointing Experience at Jazz Bistro on 4th – Not Worth the Hype

With only one evening to enjoy in Fairbanks, we chose to dine at Jazz Bistro on 4th—a decision we deeply regret. What was meant to be a relaxing, memorable night turned into a frustrating and uncomfortable experience.

We arrived promptly at 6:50 PM and placed our order for two starters—the Signature Salad and Tapas 21—by 6:55 PM. Unfortunately, our order wasn’t entered into the system until much later, only after the waitress returned to take our entrée selections. When we inquired about the starters around 7:20 PM, we were met with a surprisingly rude and dismissive response from Chef Rico, who curtly told us it had “only been 28 minutes” and that we should expect to wait at least another 10 minutes since “everything is made fresh.” We fully support fresh cooking—but what we don’t support is being talked down to. Rather than a courteous explanation, we were told, quite condescendingly, that as New Yorkers we “knew nothing about the restaurant business.” That comment alone shifted the tone of the evening from disappointing to outright disrespectful.

At that point, we considered leaving, but stayed because our entrées had already been ordered. In the meantime, still hungry, we opted to purchase a $9 bread basket, which consisted of six slices of bread for our party of four. While the bread and salted butter were admittedly delicious, it did little to offset the poor service and uncomfortable atmosphere.

To make matters worse, the owner offered no apology or accountability, instead blaming us for arriving early to our reservation—as if that somehow justified the delays and rude service. M It should never take over 35 minutes to serve a salad and a tapas dish, regardless of when guests are seated. But more than the wait, it was the lack of professionalism and respect that left a lasting impression—for all the wrong reasons.

For a city as welcoming as Fairbanks, Jazz Bistro fell far short. On a night that should have been special, we were made to feel like a burden instead of valued guests. If you're visiting Fairbanks and hoping for warm hospitality and great food, we strongly recommend...