The Jousting Lemur pairs wine taps with polished comfort food

What the public feedback says

The Jousting Lemur holds a 4.4 Google rating from 67 reviews, with the supplied feedback consistently emphasizing three things: wine, attentive hospitality and a polished atmosphere. Public listings classify it as a wine bar, bar and restaurant, while diners describe a downtown Bismarck setting that feels classy and warm rather than stiff.

Several reviewers frame it as a date-night destination or an evening-out spot worth dressing up for. At the same time, the welcome does not appear overly formal. One family dining with a daughter noted that a staff member brought her strawberries, suggesting a team willing to accommodate guests beyond the usual wine-bar audience. Another review points to live music as part of the appeal.

Wine and atmosphere lead the experience

The wine program is the clearest point of distinction. Reviewers repeatedly praise the selection, and one visitor was particularly impressed by the wall of wine taps. That setup gives the room an identity beyond a standard neighborhood bar and appears to be a major reason travelers plan to return when they are next in Bismarck.

Comments about the atmosphere are similarly strong. Words such as welcoming, warm and classy recur across the feedback, along with praise for the music. The overall picture is of a comfortable but polished room suited to a date, drinks with friends or a leisurely dinner. Its moderate price classification places it in the mid-range category, appropriate for an evening built around wine and a full meal rather than a quick budget stop.

Food goes beyond bar snacks

Although wine may draw initial attention, diners do not treat the food as an afterthought. The named dishes lean hearty and beef-forward. Monday’s all-you-can-eat prime rib receives an enthusiastic endorsement, while another diner praises both the prime rib sliders and fries after reheating leftovers the following day.

The chimichurri steak sandwich also earns a strong recommendation, giving steak fans another option beyond the prime rib offerings. A separate repeat visitor singles out the bison burger. Taken together, the reviews point toward substantial comfort food with regional appeal rather than a menu limited to small plates.

These dishes are not mentioned often enough in the supplied sample to establish consistency across every visit, but the food comments are uniformly positive. The strongest pattern is that guests arrive for the wine-bar concept and leave talking about both the drinks and the kitchen.

Service and overall verdict

Service receives some of the warmest feedback. Reviewers describe staff as friendly, kind, accommodating and genuinely engaged. One bartender is praised across separate visits, while another diner appreciated that the chef checked on the table. A guest also recounts a positive interaction with the owner. Those details suggest visible, hands-on hospitality rather than an impersonal service model.

Based on the available public ratings and review sample, The Jousting Lemur looks best suited to wine drinkers, couples planning a proper night out and diners in the mood for prime rib, steak sandwiches or burgers. The reviews supplied do not reveal a recurring complaint. The clearest practical note is that the all-you-can-eat prime rib experience is specifically associated with Monday nights, so that promotion should not be assumed on other days.