On our trip to the Maldives last Thanksgiving, Dan and I flew out of JFK’s Terminal 8 (AKA JFK’s American Airlines terminal). We got to the airport early, as one does, and were looking for a decent spot to waste the time before our flight. Unfortunately for us, while JFK has numerous Priority Pass lounges, as well as a Centurion lounge and a new Chase lounge that we can access, it has zero of these lounges in Terminal 8, and we could not access the few lounges in the terminal (flying Qatar without status). However, lucky for us, the Bobby Van’s Steakhouse in Terminal 8 gives Priority Pass members and 1 guest a credit of $28 (equivalent to “one lounge visit”) per person to be used on food and/or drink at Bobby Van’s (for a total of $56 for two). Dinner at Bobby Van’s it was! *SIDE NOTE – check your specific PP membership to confirm that you can bring a guest*

Bobby Van’s is a New York City steakhouse, first opening in 1996. Since then, Bobby Van’s has opened a number of restaurants in New York City, including this one at JFK (its only airport location!). The Bobby Van’s in NYC are good, and I actually go for client lunches somewhat frequently, so I was looking forward to dining at this outpost. The JFK Bobby Van’s Steakhouse location is located post-security in Terminal 8, in Terminal 8’s main dining and shopping area. You cannot miss it after clearing security.  I would note that Terminal 8 has many gates in and around this main area, but also numerous gates that require a bit of a walk to the “far part” of the terminal (via escalators or elevator down a long hall and back up). If this is you, leave at least 15 minutes to walk to your gate, more if you are not fast. There are more restaurants/bars/shops in the “far” area, but no Priority Pass lounge or restaurant.

Anyone at the airport can eat at Bobby Van’s; no Priority Pass (or other) membership is required. Just walk up to the desk and check-in (or possibly add your name to the wait list…). For Priority Pass members intending to use the credit, members are asked to disclose the Priority Pass on checking in. We did this, but nothing irregular happened – I think it was to let the server know to expect it before brining the bill.

Despite the restaurant seeming very busy, we were seated almost immediately at a small table for two. The JFK Bobby Van’s space is set up like a real restaurant, with many dining tables centering around a large, fancy looking bar. This is a nice touch to (almost) not feel like you are in an airport right before a long flight…  In any case, while there is a lot of seating in the restaurant, tables are close and there is not much room for luggage storage.

All guests order from a proper menu, which is decently sized and offers all sorts of options, from salads to sandwiches to steak dishes that are served at the Bobby Van’s in the City. Since we were going on a beach vacation, we tried to be somewhat healthy (?) and split a steak, creamed spinach, and french fries… We told our server when ordering that we have the Priority Pass and how much time we had to eat dinner to ensure we were not under any sort of time crunch – I recommend this.

Our food came out pretty quickly. The creamed spinach was OK, not the best I have ever had but certainly edible, particularly in an airport. The steak, which we asked the kitchen to cut because diners cannot have steak knives in the airport (!), was beautiful but a bit tough. I would have been very disappointed in one of the City locations, but let it slide at the airport. I mean, the steak was certainly still edible, but not exactly what I expected from a Bobby Van’s. And finally, the fries. Absolutely delicious. My thoughts on the food are that its not up to the City Bobby Vans’ quality, but it was OK with the Priority Pass discount.

While we did not order the below on this trip, we visited the JFK Bobby Van’s one other time and ordered wraps/sandwiches. Personally, I recall the sandwiches being much better on our previous visit. I would have ordered a sandwich again, but on our visit, sandwiches were really limited to burgers (which I don’t like).

We also ordered drinks at Bobby Van’s, and they have my favorite – Guinness! I ordered two of those and Dan went with a Manhattan style beverage. Both drinks were good.

I do have to point out some Bobby Van’s cons, in addition to the food not being excellent. First, prices at Bobby Van’s are high and $28 won’t get you too far, although it should cover a sandwich or 2 alcohol drinks. Second, there is no in-restaurant wifi; guests must use the general terminal internet, which was not fast during our visit. Third, there are limited outlets to charge electronics. This is not totally unexpected, but a bit annoying. Fourth, there is no WC inside the restaurant – you have to go out into the terminal.

All that being said, on the pro side, our food came out quickly and our server was very cautious about time and when we needed to leave for our flight. The Priority Pass credits were taken off of our bill when it was brought out, so no issues there. And, despite being busy, our server came around often and was attentive. I think Bobby Van’s is a good place for people wanting to relax and have a normal meal before a flight, but it doesn’t really translate into an “airport lounge” where one can finish up work, etc.

All in, would I go back to Bobby Van’s at JFK, yes I certainly would, especially with the Priority Pass credit, but I would probably not order an expensive steak. I would absolutely go for the Guinness and french fries! If you are on a budget, use the credit on something inexpensive and go elsewhere if you need food; there are plenty of less expensive food options in Terminal 8.

STEAL OUR LOUNGE/RESTAURANT

Bobby Van’s: JFK Terminal 8. Straight past security in the main food/dining area to the right. Open 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM daily. The breakfast menu looks pretty tasty. Those with Priority Pass must disclose