J T Basque Bar & Dining Room

Great food. Be patient, it is a busy restuarant. I eat there all the time. My favorites are lamb chops and sweet breads. My wife likes their salmon.

This is a wonderful Basque restaurant. Very family oriented. You will not leave hungry. Wonderful staff.

Classic Gardnerville fare. Get a Pecan drink and steak sandwich covered in garlic with fries. Great Basque in general.

The steak sandwich is a must for lunch… It comes with garlic but if you’re feeling a bit cantankerous you can add extra garlic just to keep strangers further away that day. A nice salad and fries completes your meal. Nice comfy atmosphere where farmers and businessmen can feel at home. Perfect lunch as far as I’m concerned.

Always a great experience and love seeing the owners working and visiting with the customers!

I’m so happy that I finally made the trip to Gardnerville to try JT’s out. It’s been a while since I had Basque food, but I’ve only been to one of the restaurants in Reno, so it was nice to switch it up.
It was quite busy when we walked in and it wasn’t immediately apparent if everyone was standing in line for the bar or waiting to put their name on the list to be seated. When we asked another guest, he said that we were next up to put our name down, but again, it wasn’t completely obvious where to go to talk to the hostess. We just sort of stood around until someone came up to us to get our names.
While we waited, we ordered the obligatory picon punch. Our bartender was really friendly and chatty, without being slow to make drinks while she chatted. Picons are always served in small glasses, but even though they do pack a punch (no pun intended), I feel that $ 5.50 is a little high for them.
Our wait for a table wasn’t too long and service was consistently quick throughout the meal. Although, the quickness did almost make it seem a little rushed and that there was barely time to enjoy a course before the next one was being brought out. Preferably, I’d like a little bit of time to digest, take a breather, and talk to your dinner companion (or even the other people at your table) before the next plate of food is being placed in front of you.
If you aren’t familiar with how Basque restaurants work, the food is served family style, so you share with the rest of your party. It’s almost guaranteed that you’ll be sharing a table with another party. JT’s dinner consists of soup, salad, beef stew, beans, shoe string fries, your choice of meat as your entrée (steak, lamb shoulder, chicken, sweetbreads, pigs feet, or lamb chops), and dessert (coffee and ice cream).
The soup is a vegetable soup and pairs nicely with the crusty bread. I would have liked it a little bit warmer. The salad is really simple — just greens with a vinaigrette. The beef stew is more like braised beef and vegetables and the beans are just a simple slow cooked pinto beans. Personally, I would serve the salad after the stew and beans to get a break from the richness before you main comes out.
The fries come out with your meat, but at the time we got to that course I was so full to eat many of them. My lamb shoulder was delicious, but again, I couldn’t eat much of it, so I happily took it home with me (plus, that way the dog can have some bones!). The ice cream choices were vanilla or praline. I loved the praline one — I had completely forgotten about this flavor of ice cream so it was a nice blast from the past.
Overall, a simple, but delicious and filling meal and definitely worth a repeat trip.

I always anxiously anticipate my visits here when I visit Nevada. Enjoyed a great dinner with my stepdad before New Years.
I rarely order anything except the lamb chops with garlic, as they are exceptional. All of the other sides before the entrée are very filling and good.
I always feel at home and comfortable when I’m there. Really need to sample a picon punch next time I’m in town.
And I like that you always greet an old friend or make a new one while there!

Had dinner here New Years Eve. The food is served family style. Juicy cuts of steak, fish or Basque style chicken and, lamb chops of course. The oxtail stew, offered as a side dish, was delicious. A fun festive atmosphere.

Had a good lunch today… good service and okay food. Then went to pay with a gift certificate that was for more than the meals total. Because it was apparently given as a «donation» the unused part has to be forfeited. We were only talking about $ 7, but the experience and how they dealt with it was unsettling. Don’t you want us to come back and spend that $ 7 plus a lot more? Don’t you want to send a positive message to people that might not have come to your restaurant had they not won it in an auction? Won’t be going back.

Simply Delicious every single time! Love this place and Love the lamb chops with garlic!

Having just moved to the area, I thought we’d try the local legendary basque cuisine. I think I’m still waiting to try it, because there is no way what I’ve just eaten could be considered cuisine. Terrible wine, ice cold butter pads, warm soup and room temp bread are the first items to hit the table, and I need not tell you, not impressed so far.
A horribly heavy vinegar ‘dressing’ if that’s what they’re calling it covered a salad that had no flavor to begin with to follow.
The server, although attempting humor put me off in such a way that only could be described as admonishing me for not eating the entire helping of soup he’d ‘graciously’ brought to our table.
Beans, didn’t try them at all.
Entrees consisted of Basque Chicken, tough to say the least and SMOTHERED in a very tangy tomato sauce, and lamb chops that resembled miniature pork chops which were so off putting with such a high fat content that my night was completely ruined at this point.
High priced dog food.
I’m now drinking a beer, but what I really need is mouthwash.
Go across the street to Overland, go next door to Jackpot Café, or cook at home. In any case, it would be better.

Service was very slow. Lamb chop was very dry. The soup seemed bland. Was really looking forward to eating here and was so unimpressed.

One of the best meals that I have had in America! Everything on the fixed menu is delicious and it just keeps coming.
If you are passing through or staying in the area I would whole heartedly suggest going here for lunch or dinner.
While you are waiting for a table you can have a drink at the fantastic all American saloon bar.

Judy finished eating a great lunch at the JT Basque restaurant in Gardnerville, Nevada. If you have not been you must go! The JT is as authentic as it comes if you are looking for an authentic Basque meal. My server was Kerry. Request Kerry if you decide to dine at the JT. She is knowledgable about all the choices on the menu, very fast, and most importantly extremely friendly and personable. It seemed as if she was every customers friend as they walked through the door. Today I had the Tuesday lunch special, spaghetti and meatballs. YUM! The serving size was massive and it came with water, salad, and bread. The price was more than fair. I think it cost around $ 12 for the meal, $ 20 after tip. It was that great!
If you ever have the chance to make it to Gardnerville, check this restaurant out and make sure to request Kerry.

We made a quick little road trip for some lunch at JT’s. What a great place. I love the old building and the décor inside. It is warm and charming. The dolls dolls bills on the ceiling add a nice original touch to the place. The server was so friendly and knew the menu inside out. She was great. Everyone was friendly and greeted us when we came in and when we left. I love that.
We ordered a pecan punch (holy sh! t those are strong) and a xalimoto (spelling?) Two very interesting and different drinks that are so far removed from our culture here. We decided on the steak sandwich and the chicken soup. As other reviewers have said this food is really great. The sandwich was so garlicky and yummy. Lots of flavor and the meat was tender. I would definitely recommend this item. The soup was fantastic. I loved the flavor and I want to go back just for the soup. My friend thought it was just ok but I really liked it. Th bread was fresh but I agree that it is funny they don’t have a napkin in the basket. Not a deal breaker though. I would have given this place five stars since the food was good and the service was great but it just missed that «Knock my socks off» notch. Anyhow, I will definitely be back.

We really enjoy Basque restaurants. We’ve visited the ones in Reno and recently we had a chance to try out J T Basque. The building is historic and gives a fantastic atmosphere. Do read the plaque on the bldg. about its history.
We enjoyed a few drinks at the bar before dinner. The bartenders are friendly and drinks are served efficiently. Tasty picon punches are $ 3.5. A good deal. Let the bar tenders know when you are ready for dinner and they will let Maria know to line up a table for you.
Dinner is a parade of tasty food. Soup — tomato based vegetable soup. It was so tasty that I risked getting filled up and didn’t let any go to waste. Salad — basic iceberg lettuce with oil and vinegar. Beans and Stew — 2 separate dishes that taste great together. Entrees — we got sweetbreads and rabbit. The sweetbreads were sautéed with peppers, onions, and mushrooms. While the flavors were tasty, I found that the preparation made the sweetbreads grainy. Maybe I just prefer the version at Louie’s in Reno that is cooked in wine and more supple. The rabbit is a limited quantity item. It was tender and tasty. Entrees come with a plate of seasoned shoestring fries. Wine comes with the meal. For two people, the wine came in a 12 oz soda bottle. It’s serviceable wine, especially since we’ve already had some cocktails before. If you’re more of a wine drinker, the corkage fee is $ 7.
The service is pretty efficient and friendly. They do have many dishes is move and tables to turn. So there isn’t a lot of time to chat, which is fine. We’re here for the food. There were plenty of locals there for celebrations and meeting with friends.

Today’s visit was like the way you feel when you’re returning to a trusted family members house. You know how it will feel, how the place looks, and what you’ll be eating, and it’s all very good.
After nearly three decades of visiting this restaurant, it hasn’t changed, and it continues to be the unique, quality place that it always has been.
Today I had the Basco Burger and my wife had the steak sandwich. As usual, I needed to finish her lunch, and those six bites of steak were fantastic. She always orders extra garlic, and it’s really a good thing that we both like garlic, because she’s not shy about it.
The Basco Burger is what you’d expect a burger to be, but it’s cooked to order, and I order mine on the rare side. it’s delivered just the way I like it, and both of these lunches come with a side of fries and a very simple salad.
Be sure and check out the pictures, as my old football coach used to say, «film doesn’t lie.» He continues to be correct. Notice the nicely grilled onions on my burger, and the voluminous supply of garlic on the steak sandwich.
Again, it’s a trusted stop at 1:30 on a Saturday, and it does not disappoint. As you’d expect, I’ll be back, and maybe I’ll see you there. Praise God, life is good, and a simple meal, well done, can make your day complete.

I have never ever written a critical review but need to this time. Two weeks ago we sat down at about 4:45 …they opened at 4:30… but had others to seat as it was a busy night.
I asked our waitress about what the ½ the rabbit was and she indicated it was a rabbit side complete with back loin, front and back legs and they only had 6 rabbits so I placed my order. I was assured by her that mine was placed before they took the last order a few minutes later.
When mine got to the table what I had was 4 front legs only! If you know rabbit. as the chef certainly knew. the front legs have extremely little meat on them. No large back leg nor any of the wonderful back loin. I mentioned it to the waitress but in doing so didn’t want to make a fuss because it was not her fault. The chef or cook gave someone else a great meal and gave me a lousy plate.
The 5 of us ate and not once did the owner or his wife approach our table to see about my meal. I paid the bill left a tip but will never recommend this restaurant. Extremely disappointing and as I love basque food but guess I will have to eat it elsewhere. For over $ 25 you should get at least a taste of the rabbit.
waitress good… ambiance…great…side dishes good…

As many of my previous reviews have mentioned, I am a BIG fan of the Basque boarding house experience, having been surrounded by Basque culture much of my life. I’ve wanted to try JT for a long time, and I was so happy when Friend’s kid requested Basque for her birthday dinner… a perfect excuse to make this happen!
To say this place is classic isn’t strong enough. First, I LOVE the beautiful old building and the old people and the locals and the overall feeling that Damn, this place has been serving food here for a LONG time. The bar/​waiting area is just fantastic; I love the old hats and the dollar bills on the ceiling and the stuffed mountain goat. My kalimotxo was not the best I’ve had, but that was a small complaint compared to the quality of the rest of the meal.
Between the eight people in our party we sampled the shrimp scampi, the pigs’ feet with tripe, the sweetbreads, and the lamb chops. All. Amazing. I was loathe to share my lamb chops… they were perfection. Perfectly cooked, smothered in garlic… heaven. I’m surprised I had room for them, though, because the set-​up was so fantastic that I couldn’t pass up anything. The soup and salad were both fresh and delicious, the warm bread divine, the beef stew and beans could have been a meal by themselves. I was disappointed that there were no oxtails or tongue on the menu, but maybe that was just the day? Finally, the fries… OMG…the FRIES! *drool* The wine was perfect for washing it all down, and the ice cream at the end was lovely. (No cheese option, though… another small disappointment.)
Our servers were awesome, and even though it seemed like everyone in the dining room was having a birthday that night, they still sang joyously and festively for every one. It was overall a great experience.
JT might not be one of the most famous of the Basque boarding houses, but it deserves to be. This is not just a great meal, but a great experience.

Having been to basque region and being a fan of basque cultural center in Bay Area, this fell a bit short for me.
5 course meal didn’t rock my boat as the soup was weak and flavorless, lamb chops was ok small about 2 sq in and consist of 50% fat and bones. Beef stew was the best part. Salad very vinegary. My friend had the basque chicken which was only 1 chicken breast made in a basque sauce.
Basque culture center gave you ½ of a huge chicken. Fries wasn’t crispy and just ok.
Holiday spiked nog didn’t even give me a kick… Coming from a man that get drunk on a single beer… Lol
Another friend ordered a medium cooked steak but was completely raw or rare inside.
Love holiday spirit décor inside though.
Culinary was is a definite pass unfortunately