Yes :-) Jennifer's review (Jan 13th 2007)

Liberty Lake’s Hay J’s Bistro, like the original Moxie and now defunct Eses before it, nails the bistro concept. Food that’s warm and welcoming. Nothing trendy. Nothing fussy. Nothing stacked or pureed. Traditional beef, chicken, and seafood dishes with nothing more than a bit of demi glace, barely smashed potatoes, and sauteed vegetables. Just comfortable food that’s affordable and delicious. Food this cozy makes it easy to overlook a bit of sprinkled parsley on trendy triangle plates.

Hay J’s is a place where high heels and Birkin bags mingle with the jean clad masses. Families cluster, couples chat, and singles hang out at the bar. The earthen walls, black tabletops, vases of single gerber daisies, and IKEA wall hangings keep Hay J’s mellow. So mellow, conversation flows between tables. And, naturally, wine is plentiful and even chocolate stout shouts from the menu. Casual communal servers keep dinner service running smoothly while still appearing laid back.

And while Hay J’s is a bit blue in the early hours, I’m convinced Liberty Lake’s young parents hit the bar later in the evening. Why not? It’s fabulous to have such a neighborhood bistro.

Yes :-) Melissa's review (Jan 27th 2007)

In our experience, service is usually fairly slow. Last week we waited an hour for our lunch entrees (a salad, soup, burger and sandwich). We’ve been there three or four times, each time waiting longer than seems necessary to get our food.

Parents, they only have one high chair. So if someone else is using it you may have to use a booster or have a plan B. Kids menu is serviceable, but not printed, just recited by the servers.

Food is yummy, but speed and lack of kid accommodations will affect our decisions to go there.

Yes :-) Mary S's review (Feb 23rd 2007)

Be prepared to be amazed. I had the halibut and it was as good or better than any I ever tasted. Perfecto!

I also had a salad that had fresh apple and some soft cheese with wild greens and a spicy dressing.

My cousin loved her dish as well.

When we drove up, there were cars parked all over the place, and for a Wednesday!!! No wonder they are so busy, they are the best in the area.

No :-( mac17's review (Mar 3rd 2007)

A friend of mine raved about the seafood cobb salad at this place, so I finally went to check it out. The atmosphere was much nicer than I expected given it’s location (next to a gas station/convenience store). My only issue was the lighting – too dark for me. Could barely see what I was eating, which to me is part of the experience.

Foodwise, it was just so, so for me. We had the beef medallions and stuffed chicken breast wrapped in pancetta. The chicken was overcooked and pretty dry. he reduction served with the beef didn’t do anything.

Also had two different salads. The Ladieu, which is goat cheese, grapes, red onion, pecans etc. and a rosemary, granny smith apple salad. None of the ingredients in either salad really stood out as much as I would have liked. ust okay, not great.

I really wanted to be able to say yes, but for me, ultimately it’s about the food and they just aren’t quite there.

No :-( Tashi's review (Apr 19th 2007)

Three of us went off to try Hay J’s. One loved her meal (the shrimp Cobb salad) and the other two were ambivalent at best. The tomato basil soup had the consistency of something between tomato paste and spaghetti sauce, and the Caesar salad was bland, bland, bland. The chicken wrap sandwich was okay, as was the black bean and chicken soup.

The service was quick and attentive.

Yes :-) Heather's review (Oct 4th 2007)

Plentiful and tasty. Nothing surprising. Dark, with brown and black motif and dim mood lighting, but tasteful decor. Crab cakes (appetizer) were fairly bland but had high-quality ingredients and were perfectly cooked. Medallions of beef were medium-rare and deliciously crusty on the outside while terrifically tender within, the reduction was salty but otherwise not remarkable, potatoes were good and retained texture. Green beans were the most remarkable feature, barely steamed and crispy but enhanced with flavors of lemon and butter. There were about two more beef medallions than I could handle, so I took a small box away to the motel. My son ordered the chicken tenders and fries; it was so dark inside Hay J’s that when his order arrived he exclaimed, “plum sauce!” with glee and dipped a chicken tender only to discover that this was BBQ sauce. That’s the problem with mood lighting, you can’t see what you’re eating. My husband ordered the chicken tortellini and commented that there was less chicken than he’d expected, but he ate every bit of it so presumably it was tasty. We wish the owner well and thank him for being in this location!

Yes :-) Peggy's review (Sep 15th 2008)

We love Hay J’s. We are in Liberty Lake quite often and go there every time we have the opportunity. Even every night if we are there for more than one night at a time. The staff is friendly and attentive. Don’t expect to be in and out in a hurry – its a dining experience – not a race. The food is great and very pleasing to the eye as well as the tummy.