A locally owned Meridian restaurant has bid farewell to customers.
KJ’s American Grille is closed, its website says: “Thank you for a great 34 years!”
The restaurant, which is located next to a gas station and a motel at 1565 S. Meridian Road, is under new ownership, the website adds. No other information about the transition was provided.
A classic family-style restaurant, KJ’s was not actually KJ’s for the entire 34 years. For nearly three decades, it operated as a franchise location of the JB’s Restaurants chain. In 2020, the JB’s affiliation ended, and KJ’s was born. “We will continue with the same longtime ownership, management and exceptional crew,” KJ’s explained on social media. “We will continue to offer the same quality of food and service that you’ve become accustomed to.”
Prior to closing, KJ’s American Grille rated a 4.3 out of 5 stars on Google and a 3.8 out of 5 on Yelp.
Comfort food was the focus at KJ’s American Grille. Chaotic S. Yelp
Although news of the permanent goodbye has spread, some former customers still are finding out the hard way.
“They closed the darn restaurant,” the most recent Google review says. “New owners and being remodeled as of 9/23/26.”
KJ’s replied: “34 years. Good times and bad, 1,000s of fantastic memories of all the young kids working through high school, college and beyond. Not to mention tens of thousands of wonderful customers and support over all these years. We wish the very best to the new owner to carry on and have all the success and happiness and joy that we’ve had.”
The former JB’s sign was changed into a KJ’s sign in 2020. The Last Honest Reviewer .. Yelp
Related Stories from Idaho Statesman
Michael Deeds
Idaho Statesman
Michael Deeds is a long-serving entertainment reporter and opinion columnist at the Idaho Statesman, where he chronicles the Boise good life: restaurants, concerts, culture, cool stuff. He started as a summer intern after graduating from the University of Nebraska with a news-editorial journalism degree. Deeds’ prior Statesman roles have included sportswriter, music critic and features editor. His other writing has ranged from freelancing album reviews for The Washington Post to bragging about Boise in that inflight magazine you left on the plane.
Dining and Cooking