The New York strip steak with mushroom risotto at at Jag’s Steak and Seafood in West Chester Twp.
Ray Marcano – Contributed
It must be more than a decade since I’ve been to Jag’s Steak and Seafood Restaurant in West Chester Twp. My wife and I sat in the bar area back then, which features piano music most nights of the week and a relaxed atmosphere.
This time, when we visited Jag’s on Thursday, Oct. 29, I opted for a table in the dining room. Walking through, the space screamed elegance, with low lights that set a romantic mood, and tables set with white linens, wine glasses, silverware and linen napkins.
That’s the sort of fine dining atmosphere that sets high expectations.
Jag’s has an extensive list of food, wine and spirits, and it takes time to study the options. The wine list by the glass offered several appealing, but pricey choices. A Chappellet Mountain Cuvee, a nice wine cost $35 a glass (and retails for $45 a bottle). The wine by the bottle list was more appealing. Options start at in the mid-$40 range with several excellent options at about $100. The Collector’s list shows available wines at $250 and above, like the Gaja ($700, $310 retail.)
Where I can, I’m going to start listing the MSRP’s of wines by the bottle, so consumers understand what they’re paying. Restaurants charge two, three, and even four times the retail (not wholesale) price. Armed with information, customers can decide what is and isn’t a fair markup (understanding alcohol results in the biggest profit margin.)
The crab cake Napoleon appetizer at at Jag’s Steak and Seafood in West Chester Twp.
Ray Marcano/contributed
I settled on the Domaine Du Roujou Silex cabernet franc ($20) and the Zanon Zin ($18). The silex had a lot of cherry and blackberry jam and the zine light pepper and tannins with a hint of blackberry. The silex made a god dessert wine and the zin, which I liked better, a more robust wine for the main entrée.
(Here’s another tip. The wine price by the glass often equals the cost of the bottle, but don’t that deter you. There are plenty of good $20 wines out there.)
I started with the crab cake Napoleon ($20) with creamed corn, avocado, fried tomato, cilantro crème fraiche and pickled cherry peppers. This delicious tower of taste had the right sweetness from the corn, a hint of lime in the cream and a nice crunch on the tomato. The light crab cake was at it should be. The crispy outside complimented the soft inside that had no noticeable filler.
In addition to its ala carte menu, Jag’s offers three course options for $70, $80 or $90 per person, all of which come with soup or salad, steak or seafood option, two sides and a dessert. I settled on the $70 option with crab bisque, a 12-ounce New York strip and carrot cake. Make sure to ask your server about all of the available sides and desserts options because they’re not all listed on the menu, which is strange.
The crab bisque had the right blend of cream and sherry with bits of crab. I had to stop myself from eating it too fast. My wife ordered a filet with a wedge salad and chocolate peanut butter torte, and I was able to taste even more dishes.
Wedge salad at at Jag’s Steak and Seafood in Westchester Twp., OH, on Oct. 29, 2026
Ray Marcano/contributed
The wedge salad blew me away. Anyone wondering how a mountain of iceberg lettuce could be so good needs to try this. The magic is in the thick, creamy and rich, blue cheese dressing. It wasn’t that sharp and pungent cheese but one expertly prepared to blend the flavors. It’s one off the best salads I’ve had this year.
‘I ordered the strip because so many kitchens have trouble preparing it. The lean meat can dry out quickly and get chewy, and I’ve that happen too many times to count. The Jag’s kitchen is on another level. The steak, cooked medium, was soft and juicy with a little salt and pepper. and just enough chew. The steak came with an earthy mushroom risotto, with a deep, rich umami flavor made by incorporating mushroom stock during the cook. You don’t get that much flavor by adding water or chicken stock. The dish also came with sweet and smoky roasted carrots, sliced thin.
A set table at at Jag’s Steak and Seafood in West Chester Twp.
Ray Marcano – Contributed
The massive piece of carrot cake could feed four, especially after a meal like that. This version had more cinnamon and nutmeg and tasted more like a spice cake. Unlike a lot of carrot cakes there wasn’t too much frosting (good!) and what was there provided sweetness.
I passed on Jag’s expensive bourbon since I had a little wine left. Some of the standards (Maker’s Mark, Larceny) cost $14 to $15 a shot with the single barrels like Weller full proof ($32) and Eagle Rare ($24) higher priced. Even if I didn’t have wine left, I would have passed on the bourbon since the selections were more good than great.
Jag’s is one of the truly upscale dining experiences in the area. If you go, ask for the elegance of the dining room, and then go to the bar for an after-dinner drink. That way you’ll get a taste of both.
The review
5 = outstanding, 4 = above average, 3= average, 2 = poor, 1 = terrible
Ambiance: 5. Ask for the dining room
Appetizers: 5. Crab cake = heaven
Wine list: 3.5: By the bottle is better
NY Strip: 4.5: Best I’ve had in a while
Sides: 4.5: Mushroom risotto!
Upcoming wine dinners
Prices are per person:
Nov. 8: C.B. Crane wine dinner, Meadowlark, Dayton, $140
Nov. 10: Antinori 4-course wine dinner, Carabba’s, Dayton, $65
Nov. 10: Ca’ Del Baio wine dinner, Cento Italiano, Columbus, $190
Nov. 11: Friendsgiving in Wine Country, Cooper’s Hawk, Centerville, OH, $79
Nov. 12: An Evening with C.B. Crane, Salar, Dayton, $198 **
Nov. 13: Rooted in Sonoma 5-course wine dinner, Fleming’s, Dayton, $159
Nov. 14: Jungle Jim’s International Wine Festival, Fairfield, $40 to $200
Nov. 16: Wine club paring dinner, Cooper’s Hawk, Dayton, Mason and Columbus locations, $79
Nov. 17: Annual wine show, Joui, Dayton, $73
Nov. 18: Huneeus Family Vintners 5-Course Pairing Event, Napa Kitchen and Bar, Westerville, OH, $235**
Nov. 19: Wine dinner, TBA, Manna, Centerville, $65/$89 with wine
Nov. 30: Mixology Monday with Four Roses, Salar, Dayton, $89
Dec. 22: Wine dinner, Yankee Trace, Centerville, $96
Dec. 22: Wine dinner, Manna, Centerville, $65/$89 with wine
** Includes tax and tip
Send your wine or cocktail dinner listings to winedineddn@gmail.com
Ray Marcano’s Fine Wine and Dine column explores the best wine and dining options in the Dayton region. He can be reached at winedineddn@gmail.com.
Dining and Cooking