Jak’s Grill

I would give it a five star if everything was based just on the food, but alas, I rate restaurants on the overall experience. Especially fairly expensive ones, like Jak’s. Because of the service, it gets only four stars from me.
Food: I’ve never had a bad meal here. In fact every time, I walk away raving about how good it tasted. Excellent quality and they know how to prepare it. Note that they cook things exactly to order, if not a little under, so make sure they understand how you like yours done.
Service: They don’t take reservations. Fine. But they make you wait until every member in your party has arrived before even thinking about seating you. So if someone in your group gets delayed (hello traffic!) then be prepared to wait some more. Once you do finally get seated, the service is adequate but nothing to rave about.
We are lucky to have this restaurant as a dining option in Issaquah — not a lot of comparable places to choose from.

Their seating policy is insane. At 4 30 you can’t sit in the bar, all of their tables are empty but if 2 of your party of 3 are here they will not seat you in one of their 25 empty tables. I could be ordering drinks and appetizers, instead I am not spending any money and sitting on a hard bench as their bar fills up with only 20 people. I will definitely not be coming back.
So if you post things on Unilocal that Jaks does not like they kick you out of restaurant. Their policy has just lost some long time customers

I don’t see what all the fuss is about. The server had no idea what kind of salmon was on the menu, and when she asked she was told «Probably farmed.»
«Probably Farmed» is not a species of fish.
Neither she nor the other server she asked had any clue as to what they were serving. Ordered the steak instead, which was a good quality cut and cooked to my preference. But for the prices they charge, the loud atmosphere, the uncomfortable seating, and clueless front of house staff, you’d have a better evening at almost any other restaurant in Issaquah.
Save your dollars and spend a night at a place like Daniel’s Broiler instead.

Best steak in town… Hands down. Love the country style vegetables and potatoes. No reservations. Be prepared to wait for a table during prime hours.

An Issaquah favorite and must visit. We have done brunch and dinner here more times than I can count, which says everything you need to know. Our favorites are the filet for dinner, morning melt for happy hour breakfast (must do), and Jaks Benedict for regular breakfast. They do these little potato pancake things for a side or for the Benedict and they are amazing. We go for happy hour breakfast a couple times a month — drinks and food are cheap and great, and the service is always on point. Can’t go wrong with Jak’s!

They do not take reservations. They do not seat you unless everyone has shown up. The wait is long. You can drink while you wait. The drinks are strong. The food, oh man the food is good.
Again I have no idea why I go to steakhouses when I never order steak. I hear the steak is good. I obviously did not order the steak. We stated with bacon wrapped scallops. Yum! I ordered the crab stuffed halibut. IT IS SO GOOD. Did I mention that the portions are extra large, I highly recommend you share. I opted for the spinach salad, green veggies and potato pancakes. Not disappointed at all and worth the wait. Dinner comes with your choice of salad, veggies and choice of potato side. Good price for the quantity and quality of food.

Well let’s start when I got there. They told me they wouldn’t seat my party until everyone was there, which was just fine by me. But then when I told them my whole party was there they continued to seat parties of the same size who arrived well after us.
We got to our table and didn’t see our waiter for about five or six minutes, which was no big deal but we were very hungry. When he did aririve he filled our waters and before we had a chance to order drinks he was gone. My uncle finally caught him to get our drink order in. Then after ten minutes or so he dropped out drinks off, which even after we ordered more he never cleared, we got to order. He didn’t explain the specials and had a hard time explaining menu items. Then he asked me how I wanted my lamb cooked, I said rare. When it arrived all three chops were cooked different, none of them being rare. He didn’t come back to check on us during our meal, and I decided that I wouldn’t send it back,
When he came to clear our plates after them being empty for about ten minutes or so, he dropped the check. We asked for the desert menu because we were celebrating my birthday. We did get desert and it was delicious.
I used to go to the Jaks in west Seattle at least once a week, but was very dissapointed with my food and service at this location.

So So fabulous! The specialty wine selection paired with perfect food! Prime rib was excellent.

Today’s brunch experience was more than unacceptable. It took 45 min for our food to come out and we had to make the effort to get a status update. We heard a series of excuses as to why it took so long such as «it’s mother’s day, it’s the busiest day of the year», which doesn’t fly since there were people who ordered after us and they received their food before we did. We also overheard Donny, our server talking about us and him telling his coworkers it’s because we ordered the crab cakes and that’s why the food took so long– like we’re supposed to know that?! A good server would state that ordering the crab cakes can take longer than the other breakfast items.
The regulars sitting next to us even felt bad and grabbed the manager’s attention, but by then the food came out so we just ate and left. The manager and server didn’t return to check on us afterwards at all.
My girlfriends and I are mothers and to be treated so rudely on our day was very disappointing and upsetting. A sincere apology was all it would have taken to better the experience, but all we heard were excuses and gossip.
I also happen to speak with someone at the spa afterwards and she told me about her horrible service experience too! She didn’t receive an apology and said she’s planning on writing a review as well. The food is good and we would have returned again, but it was apparent they didn’t care to have us come back.

So here on Unilocal,Jak’s Grill is described as a traditional, American steakhouse. That pretty much says it all. While their prices may seem steep, keep in mind the portions are ridiculously large and their steak dinners come with bread, salad, and a side. Also their baked potatoes are huge! A friend’s dinner came with a potato the size of a pomelo (a giant grapefruit).
Anyhow, while the food was bountiful I found the meal to be a little lackluster. Details, like the salad consisting mostly of iceberg lettuce was a drawback for me. Although I will say their potato pancakes were tasty since they were filled with green onions and cheese.

Jak’s is one of my favorite places for steak! It is incredible!
I met up with my coworkers here once for dinner and ordered the special they had at the time that was steak with crab on top covered in melted butter — it was LIFE CHANGING! Probably one of THE best meals I’ve had my entire life… incredible!
Even the sides here tasted great!
I returned later to try and get the same meal and sadly it was no longer on the menu :(
I’ve never been disappointed here. Its a great place for a romantic date or even a happy hour with coworkers. I highly recommend checking it out! I will definitely be back!

Ok, over the past three years we’ve eaten here about two dozen times. And yes the food is very, very good (great steaks and burgers).
However even like tonight when it’s not busy, they will not allow you to sit and order if there is a member of your party arriving later. If you do sit and your party arrives later they will not take their order. We were going to order drinks, appetizers and food until the third member arrived in twenty minutes… But no can do.
Look I’ve lived in LA and SF, I get it when it’s busy. But it wasn’t tonight. And, hate to inform Jaks Issaquah is not a big city, and their restaurant while good isn’t like any of those in the «cities»
My advice, food is good but their policy on sitting is pretentious, inflexible and not attentive to their customers.
Oh well there’s Max’s, Fins, and Flat Iron Grill. Enjoy them instead.

Our favorite brunch restaurant in town! Still have not try their dinners but will be soon. Last time had their Bloody Mary, crab cake Benedict and potato pancakes. So delicious. The service was friendly and just a great local spot for great food.

I love traveling and relying on my Unilocaler friends to help me find good food! Thanks, yet again.
Went for dinner right at opening, shortly after 4pm. They filled up quickly so we were glad we got there early accidentally. I ordered the Panko Parmesan Halibut and my hubby had the Lobster Mac and Cheese (one of our all-​time favorite dishes). We split it and bother were terrific! I’m not sure which I liked the best.
I made the mistake if getting mashed potatoes. They were quite plain. And dull. The waiter suggested that next time I order the potatoe pancake, that’s definitely what the Unilocaler folks recommended… Unfortunately ID forgotten about that.
Otherwise the meal was terrific and our waiter was awesome.
Definitely would go again if in town again!

The food is good. Nothing outstanding but good. The service was adequate and our server was lovely. That’s why it got 2 stars instead of 1. The issue really is about a water bottle. On their door it states no outside food or beverages but in my experience when I explain it’s water, and that I have particular water needs (that I’m not going to get into here, but it’s medical based) it’s been a non issue and I carry on and have a lovely time. From cheap diners to upscale restaurants. Non issue.
Until today. I was told I’d need to take my water bottle to the car or put it away. I offered to dump the water out and have them fill up up. No dice. After the manager made a couple snarky comments about the sign on the door and water being plentiful in Seattle, he made an exception for today but said in the future it would need to stay out of the restaurant. Fair enough. Since my water situation is permanent and not a temporary issue for me he essentially said I’m not welcome since leaving it behind just isn’t an option for me. There won’t be a next time.

Jak’s is my favorite steakhouse. Their meals are well priced for the big portions and there’s a lot of variety. The steaks are perfectly cooked, their Mac and cheese unbelievable, and definitely order the potato pancakes with your meal!
They have a great week day happy hour with a delicious burger and fries for only $ 6. Get there early because it gets crowded!
I love their weekend brunch too. Their eggs Benedict is incredible and everything is so delicious. I look forward to every visit!

If the restaurant weren’t so packed for dinner all the time, I would give it a 5-​star rating. Expect some of the BEST steak and seafood around. My all-​time favorite dinner is their bacon wrapped scallop kabobs with a pear Gorgonzola sauce. Holy cow. It’s out of this world. Their steak tips are to die for. Great wedge salads too. I would have to try REALLY hard to find something I didn’t love on the menu. It has a total Seattle cuisine feel, with gourmet everything and seafood and succulent sauces thrown in wherever they fit.
A great option for lunch, even with large parties. Come early for dinner or expect an hour long wait, and that’s for a party of two.
Happy hour is 4−5pm, and that messes up dinner reservations because the bar gets so full there is no space to wait inside for a table to open up.

This review is for Jak’s breakfast. The excellent dinner and happy hour services are worthy of separate consideration.
Jak’s is an Issaquah institution, worth the wait on Friday and Saturday nights, when crowds fill the small bar and line up down Front Street waiting for their shot at the justifiably popular dinner menu. Ah, but there’s another, less crowded side to this old girl, in the form of weekend breakfast service.
Survey the menu. A selection of stylized eggs benedict plates yields some winners, including the Jak’s, which features a butterflied filet mignon, cooked to your specifications. The sweet southern hash is another favorite, and biscuits and gravy featuring sumptuously puffy house-​made biscuits is a treat well worth the caloric splurge. Sure, you can also get French toast, but today you put on your big boy pants, and you came ready to eat like a man. Good thing for you, every plate comes with a man-​sized steak knife perfect for doing man-​sized damage to a plate of man-​appropriate breakfast food.
But what to drink? Sure, they serve coffee, and it’s good, but listen: It’s the weekend. Stop being a Sally sissy-​pants and order yourself a breakfast cocktail. Of course you deserve it. And if you order a second, then top that off with a delicious breakfast? You my friend have entered the nap zone. And that is a beautiful place to be.
Still not convinced? Listen to me, damn it: Just because it’s breakfast doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a cloth napkin, some nice wood paneling, and professional service. It doesn’t mean you have to settle for your usual stack of pancakes or (god forbid) a Denver-​freaking-​omelet. Close your eyes and imagine waiters in pressed aprons, soft music, and the gentle burble of your fellow diners lingering over a cup of steaming coffee. Reach down to your lap and feel the linen. Imagine your server arriving at your table bearing a potato pancake topped with perfectly medium rare piece of filet mignon, surmounted by a soft poached egg, and draped with a silky gown of fresh hollandaise. That’s for you, mister. You deserve this. You earned it. Now go get it.

Jak’s is hard to beat. One of the best HH on the east side, delicious food, quality customer service and it won’t break the bank. It’s a perfect place for a nice dinner with our two young kids (9&6). Slow enough to enjoy but fast enough for the kids not to get anxious.
We’ve only had steak here for dinner and a burger and appetizers at HH but the seafood dishes we saw go by look pretty tasty.
We usually will bring our wine. Corkage is $ 20 if they don’t have it on the list $ 25 if they do. Cheers.

Excellent steak, but the seafood was just OK. The only reason I didn’t give it a 5 star is because of the salty carb cake.
My friends have told me a few time how great the steaks at Jak’s are, which made I and my wife wanted to give it a try. So when we got a chance to go out for dinner date at week day, Jak’s was a natural choice. And I have to admit, I was really impressed by its steaks.
My order was 9 oz (petite) dry aged New York strip steak, cooked medium rare. It’s everything you expected in a great steak. Juicy, tender with the natural rich meat flavor exploded in your mouth. They dry aged the steak for at least 28 days, which is my favorite part because when I cut the steak, there was no extra blood water flowing out and mess up my appetite. The cut was very clean like it was just moisten. However when you bite it, you can feel all the delicious juice in the meat overwhelming your taste bud. Love the steak.
My wife ordered crab cake. It was OK but definitely not as impressive as the steak. The crab meat was fresh, but the seasoning was quite overpowering and way too salty. She agrees that next time she will order the steak instead.
The service was very good. The place was very crowded that night but our waiter still managed to check our table regularly for our needs. When I asked his opinion about which gravy goes with my steak, he knows exactly the answer. Nicely done.
This was our first time visiting the Jak’s, and we’re sure we will visit it again.

Quelle petite phrase bouleversante au coeur d’un être?