UPDATED: JEANNINE’S CLOSING IS ONLY, UMM, PERMANENT, SAYS JEANNINE’S 
Why has the Belgium-by-way-of-Montrose Jeannine’s Bistro stopped serving those moules-frites? Culturemap, it appears, has been following the Westheimer Rd. restaurant’s self-demotion on Facebook: “Earlier posts,” reports Whitney Radley, giving a breathless blow-by-blow, “indicate gradually waning hours — the restaurant temporarily dropped lunch service on April 10 — and chronic staffing issues — it issued a call for ‘good waiters and kitchen helpers’ several days after — before warning . . . that the bistro’s kitchen would temporarily close altogether to ‘make some decisions.'” Update, 12:50 p.m.: Another Facebook post from Jeannine’s says that the restaurant has decided to close for good. [Culturemap] Photo: Allyn West
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I absolutely love this place. I’m a little surprised, since it’s been full the last few times I went.
I hope they find a way to keep it open.
First they decide to cut only lunch, then closing temporarily. Will they stay open will they close?
Enough already of the Belgian waffling.
Their Facebook page indicates they’re closed for good.
Strange is the first word that comes to mind. I’ve enjoyed myself here so the staffing issues seem odd since it was packed when I was there.
@eiioi My parents loved Jeannine’s as well and we always went there at least once while they were in town. They just happened to be in town last week and when we went there on Thursday we were shocked to see it closed. After a quick search for other Belgian restaurants we decided to give Cafe Brussels on Houston Ave a try. It is the same great food as Jeannine’s – you just have to drive slightly further. My parents even thought the food was better.
As someone who was there the night the former establishment IMPLODED, I’m thinking that place is jinxed.
L’Olivier just down the street is amazing contemporary French food. Former executive chef from Tony’s who hails from Burgundy. Yes please!
Cafe Brussels is operated by one of the Jennine’s owners ex-wife. They owned Cafe Montrose together before the split. She’s Belgian, so I’m sure the food at Cafe Brussels is great. Jennine’s is owned by americans, but I thought it was excellent and there were always tons of frenchies there.
I’m not an expert on restaurant business, but this mention about staffing issues make me wonder if they were having money troubles (you know, if some people don’t get paid, they tend to leave :-) )
We went there once on a Sunday night (when we often eat out) and found it closed. That eliminated at least one visit per month by us.
Otherwise, we loved the place.
We are going to miss Jeannine’s. Kind of a special place for the missus and me. I refuse to patronize Cafe Brussels. I have doubts about the quality of the food there since the owner was also part of the team at the Broken Spoke which was horrid.
Any despondent mussels lovers can head over to Cafe Brussels on Houston Ave, between Washington Ave and I-10.
I am sad to hear of the closing. Food was always excellent and the owners were very nice and welcoming this restaurant will be missed by my husband and myself…