The St. James — Restaurant in Town of North Hempstead

My wife and I were not planning on going to this bar/restaurant because we wanted to go to the Mexican place next door. But I hate to say it but that place was dead. So off we went since or plans to be in Mineola.

I do have to admit The St. James was a very warm and friendly restaurant. We got seated immediatly and our waiter came right over to take our drink order. Well since I was in an Irish pub I ordered Jameson neat and and a beer. My wife ordered a drink from the drink menu.

The drinks came in a timely manner since it was a long day and we just came from my stepsons birthday party. We then ordered our meal. We both had the same thing. 2 French onion soup and 2 French dips. Ok so this is a rare thing when we go out to order the same thing because we both like to taste the other persons meal.

But I was in the mood for soup and that sandwich and so was she. OMG!!! The soup came out you can smell the onions but it was not overbearing. Of course I told my wife to wait and she got a little burnt tonge. Then the French dip came out. Let me tell you, I can eat. I like watching that show Man vs Food.

Well I took a look at the dip and so did my wife and we both realized we are never going to finish the entire sandwich. We did finish only half and well took the rest home to enjoy another day. After another round of drinks we asked for our bill.

Ok here is the shocker. The food and drinks were excellent in portion and taste but when we received the bill we were a bit surprised. I don't mind spending money to go out and do understand it's a luxury but their is a limit to what I would like to spend especially when it's not fine dinning. Maybe I'm wrong.

I do understand prices have gone up but spending over $200.00 with tip for two rounds each of drinks with food was a bit over our budget. Going to Franks Steahouse or Vincents or even Ruth Cris I would understand but not here. But overall I'm not putting down the drinks or food in taste or portions. Just didn't expect it to be that high. Will we return.

YES!!! The food is worth it. But we won't turn it into a young kids night of don't worry about money. We all have had that night....

Huge Disappointment. I had dinner here last night, Saturday, September 29, 2018, and I will not be returning. We sat down and not even 10 seconds later, the waitress rushed over to take our order. She seemed overly eager for us to order as quickly as possible and the place was empty as we got there a bit early. There is a very limited beer selection - the same old offerings. We had to ask if there was pumpkin beer on tap as it was not listed. I ordered a medium rare hamburger and what I got was an overcooked, dry, unappetizing hockey puck. It was definitely a pre-made patty and it was one of the worst burgers I have ever eaten. (Actually, I didn't eat it.)

The waitress continued to rush us, even though no one was waiting for a table. The highlight of the evening was paying the bill. We included cash and part of it on a credit card. The waitress comes back to the table and says she "took care of it" and she "figured it out." We kept telling her we were owed money and she kept insisting her calculations were correct. After a full ten minutes, my friend showed her our math and she was allotting herself a $49 tip on an $89 bill.

Stay clear of this place. The food is terrible and you might get stuck with a waitress who helps herself...

While ownership here may change hands periodically, the delivery of good food and drink, a great gathering place for friends, and making new ones remains the same. The menu offers a delicious array of appetizers, numerous choices of comfort foods like burgers, shepherd's pie, and chicken fingers. However, keeping with a more health-conscious society, fresh salads and fish dishes abound here. There were six of us dining, and each entree was attractively served with healthy sides. Service was on point and staff friendly. Dessert and tea options were limited (maybe because it was a weeknight), and they could benefit from a boost like doing brownies and chocolate chip cookies to go with their ice cream. I'd even add sorbet as everyone likes a little sweet to finish the meal. The decor is pleasant, and the back dining room looks convenient for private party rental. In contrast, the front dining area is adjacent to the bar and enjoys viewing several sporting events on their multiple televisions. If you are looking for your own bar stool ala "Cheers," you won't be disappointed by visiting The...