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                                                                      EXHIBIT 23

              Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Annual Report (Form 10-K)
of J. Alexander's Corporation of our report dated March 4, 1997, included in the
1996 Annual Report to Shareholder's of J. Alexander's Corporation.

Our audits also include the financial statement schedule of J. Alexander's
Corporation listed in Item 14(a).  The schedule is the responsibility of the
Company's management.  Our responsibility is to express an opinion based on our
audits.  In our opinion, the financial statement schedule referred to above,
when considered in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole,
presents fairly in all material respects the information set forth herein.

We also consent to the incorporation by reference in the following J.
Alexander's Corporation Registration Statements:

a.  Form S-8 Registration Statement (No. 33-77478) pertaining to the 1985 Stock
    Option Plan, filed on May 25, 1994;

b.  Form S-8 Registration Statement (No. 33-77476) pertaining to the 1994
    Employee Stock Incentive Plan, filed on April 6, 1994;

c.  Form S-8 Registration Statement (No. 33-39870) pertaining to the 1990 Stock
    Option Plan for Outside Directors, filed April 9, 1991;

d.  Form S-8 Registration Statement (No. 33-4483) pertaining to the 1985 Stock
    Option Plan, filed on April 1, 1986;

e.  Form S-8 Registration Statement (No. 2-78140) pertaining to the 1982
    Incentive Stock Option Plan, filed on June 25, 1982; and

f.  Form S-8 Registration Statement (No. 2-78139) pertaining to the 1982
    Employee Stock Purchase Plan, filed on June 25, 1982;


of our report dated March 4, 1997, with respect to the consolidated financial
statements incorporated herein by reference, and our report included in the
preceding paragraph with respect to the financial statement schedule included
in this Annual Report (Form 10-K) of J. Alexander's Corporation.


                                           ERNST & YOUNG LLP


Nashville, Tennessee
March 26, 1997


