The Gastropub at Jake’s

And now this place is closed. What a surprise.

Place is closed.

My co-​workers and I went to Jake’s to give it a try for happy hour. We ordered food (which was OK) and cocktails of course. We were certainly the youngest people there, so the place was relaxed and quiet. (Our group ranged from late 20’s to mid 40’s).
We were having a nice time, had just asked for the bill when the manager asked us to leave because people that had reservations requested our table.
I was horrified that after spending over $ 300 we were being asked to leave because someone was waiting! I have dined at many restaurants much nicer than this regular restaurant and have never been treated like that.
My co-​workers and I will never return for happy hour and I always make sure to let people know of the lack of service we received when we went. The food was not impressive as I felt it was a regular bar food type deal. Needless to say… I don’t recommend Jakes.

Went for the «business lunch» with 3 friends, left 2 hours later frustrated and unsatisfied.
Saying that the service was slow would be an understatement. They set their menu up to make you believe that they provide a «business lunch», namely a quality lunch, reasonably priced, where you can be in and out in less than an hour on a lunch break.
I decided to try the Bison and Lamb burger, which seemed unique and tasty. It turned out ok, but nothing spectacular. After eating it, I felt it was overpriced (about $ 17 for the burger and fries) and was not worth the cost.
It took us more than 1 hour to get our meals, and then an additional 20 minutes to get our checks after asking for them. We saw our waitress a total of 4 times in the 2 hours we were there (once to get drink order, once to take our food order, once to bring our food, and once to bring our checks). We got refills once in the 2 hours we were there. What made this so much worse was that there were only 3 – 4 other tables seated at the time we were eating, so there couldn’t have been a back up in the kitchen.
I will not be coming back here, and I won’t recommend this to anyone.

I was so disappointed with Jake’s. Went with my boyfriend for Valentines Day dinner. We got seated at the worst table in the restaurant, practically on top of the hostess stand. It took at least 15 minutes for a waiter to come to our table, where he rushed us into ordering everything — drinks, appetizers, entrees.
Calamari was good.
I ordered mussels, which said on the menu were served with french fries. When they came out, there were about 4 fries on top of the mussel pot and the mussels were ice cold. My boyfriend ordered steak which was okay.
Crappy service and even worse food. Will not go back.

New owner, new menu, bad results. Menu additions land a GastroPub!!! I think not. Incredibly disappointing in almost every aspect, bring back Jake’s, without the Gastro… pub.

Incredibly disappointing is an understatement! New ownership has not done Jake’s justice! Not only have they done away with some of the staples from the original menu, but the service was lacking in every aspect.
We were a party of 6 and first tried to order a couple bottles of wine. Of the FIVE bottles that we tried to order, the waitress told us that they were out of all of them because their shipment of wine was being delivered the next day. We finally settled for a mediocre (at best) bottle.
The food then took forever and we had to basically flag someone down if we needed water or more drinks. When the food finally arrived it was aweful. The Ahi Tuna was completely flavorless, the NY Strip was tough, the Mac & Cheese was insipid and one of the meats that came with the Charcuterie tasted like old shoe. I think the best thing were the French fries.
We spoke to the waitress about the food and shortcomings and requested to speak to a manager. She said she would convey the message to the manager, but the manager never came. Since we were so disappointed with our meal we assumed they would offer a bottle of wine on the house, but our waitress made no attempt to makegood, just a simple apology. She was not rude, but definitely not accommodating. We basically had to flat out ask her to comp our last bottle of wine, which she did.
The vote was unanimous… we will never return to The gastropub at Jake’s!

I really don’t do much write ups but after going to this place last night I just had too. It was the worst dinner I have ever had. Simply put I wouldn’t go there if you were buying me dinner. Save your money eat somewhere else.

10 mins each for a drink, peanuts, quarters or a check… ive gone here 4 times each time where the service in between drinks has just been horrible.
tonight my friends we so fed up we were going to leave cash and dip, but i had to finally tell the manager what was on my mind. She comp-​ed us a drink, but i doubt we’ll be going back anyway. tonight they had a bar full of customers and one bartender, so i can kind of understand a wait, but last two times was half a bar full and TWO bartenders with the same crappy service. No one ever came in to check on us, and we were well done with our drinks before our server came to ask if we’ d like another round. we practically had to beg for more, and wait forever to get it.
Sorry jake’s ive always wanted to try your food but your bar service sucks, the only thing is you make a mean lychee martini.

WOW! What a fucking disappointment!
I used to love this place but now I have to kill it (with my review below).
I’ve been going to Jake’s for years and I went tonight for dinner which turned out to be the most frustrating experience in dinning I’ve had in a long while. The service was horrible and I did my best to calm down my party while I tried not to snap at the waitress for her attitude and lack of hustle on the job. I ordered the lobster roll which I’ve ordered in the past and it’s been stacked with lobster in the past but tonight there was nothing in there. Super stingy portions. I ordered it with fries and I waited over 10 minutes to get the ketchup.
I was told by a friend that I ran into on my way out (he just had the same experience as I did but with a different waiter) that they changed owners. Well, it showed that these new owners have no fucking idea what they’re doing. They took a great place and ruined it. Congrats on fucking up one of my favorite spots. Thanks.

Last night I went to Jake’s with a party of 11 to celebrate my nephew’s confirmation. Upon first entering I thought «Ahhh, this is going to be a nice night» because there was a nice live jazz group playing and the place was pretty full considering it was a Tuesday night… I was wrong though, it wasn’t a great night.
They sat us in a new private room at the back of the restaurant and although the space was nice, some of the walls were just begging for art. There were also no speakers in that back room and although we could hear the music from the main dining room it would’ve been nice for it to have been a bit louder.
The service was okay. I felt bad because they had our server running between our party and the rest of her tables in the main room, but she did the best she could.
The food was the «meh» part. I used to looove the food at Jake’s and now, i must admit, the food was lacking. I ordered the steamed mussels and the frites that came on top were cold. I had to send them back and ask for a fresh order. The rest of the table was divided on their meals. Two people had the lamb and bison burger which was not a hit and a few others had the roasted chicken which was a hit. My mussels were ok, but I wish there would have been more bread at the table to sop up the liquid. Two of the other guests had the salmon which they really liked.
The food at Jake’s used to always be spot on and now it’s sad to say that its hit or miss

Bison and Lamb burger? Just say no!
Given the amount of recent polarized reviews and so many foodie friends singing the praises of this «gastropub» I figured it was time to return.
It all started with slow and un-​enthused service. Nothing like having your server not be able to answer most questions and be somewhat unenthusiastic about the prices. Not a fan of their $ 15 sundae brownie in which the brownie isn’t «that sweet.» Way to turn diners off from the extremely short list of desserts. Even better? We ask about the dessert plate which had run out and our server tells us she’ll go check. Suddenly, she appears with a sad looking piece of cake meets gelatin which was unappetizing to look at and even less so to eat.
As for the bison-​lamb burger? I wouldn’t order it again. At times it reminded me of liver and no one wants a liver burger.
Ready for the shocking factor? My dining companion LOVED her dinner. I’m coming back to give this place another shot sooner rather than later. I’m giving them benefit of the doubt for a rough night and poor server.

3.5…I wasn’t exactly thrilled when my friend suggested we go get drinks at Jakes last night. Every time I’ve driven by it seems like its too posh and snotty. But its actually not that bad. The place seduces you when you walk in, it must be the low lighting and the silk curtains, it definitely draws you in.
I sat at the bar and waited for them to show, and apparently it was «Cougar» and «Steak» night… an interesting combination, and an even more interesting crowd. The bar makes like an island smack in the center of the locale. To the left, candle lit dinner tables, to its right designer style booths, and right in front there’s a lounge enclosed by curtains, with beds and sofas. I don’t think I’ve experienced a Gastopub before, but it was definitely a very comfortable experience. Super romantic.
Anyway, I got there around 11pm which is when their late night Happy Hour begins. I didn’t know this til I got my check, I was really surprised that they had only been charging me $ 3 for my Chardonnay glasses. When the girls showed, we decided to sit at the bar and order some food. The bar is definitely comfortable enough to have a meal. Don’t bother with the sides, they don’t put a lot of effort into making them. Notable mention to their Portobello Carpaccio, it hit the spot. If Sam or Sean happen to be bar tending, sit at the bar and chat with them, really cool individuals.

I first went to Jakes about three years ago. I loved the décor. Casual, dark wood with a huge bar. This place was your typical American bar/​restaurant, think Houstons but with a more neighborhood type feel.
And then they turned Miami.
I walked in the other day and noticed that everything was white. White funiture, white drapes, and white candles. Basially Jakes went from a great after work happy hour restaurant to some sort of fuffy Delano rip off.
News to Jakes. The white Delano thing works only in the Delano because it is on the beach.
Jakes has lost all its charm and a customer. Good bye Jakes, it was a fun ride while it lasted but I gotta go.

In my mind, I have made Jake’s out to be a great dining experience. However, when challenged with the task of writing a review, I’m confronted with the realization that maybe I’m not as happy with Jake’s as I thought.
That being said, I’m still going to give them 4 stars since I’ve never had a truly terrible experience. There are just a few pet peeves I have.
1. The outside seating is terrible. I appreciate them offering it, but really it’s the worse place to eat your meal. You’re constantly dealing with sidewalk pedestrians (both the mall going kind, and the ever present bums.) You also have to hold your conversations over the deafening traffic noise.
2. I felt that the menu focused too heavily on seafood. As I find myself in the category of non-​seafood diners, this is a little disappointing.
3. What with this «gastropub» crap? What an ugly name to give to an eatery. The only thing I think of when I see or hear the word «gastro» is a myriad of gastrointestinal problems. Not cool.
Nevertheless, the food is really, REALLY good. I usually get the steak special which comes with two sides, and I’ve never been let down. They’ve also got great holiday specials, so if you’re looking for a perfect date dinner, Jake’s would be a wise choice.

Reading the reviews, it appears I am not alone with having a kind of love/​hate relationship with this place — it seesaws mainly due to the uneven food, as service has always been good, if (Miami) slow.
I do not understand its new concept and my only recollection of the term ‘gastropub’ was some trend from London a couple of years ago, so it seems a little late to bring the concept here (what’s next — Jake’s Food Foam Palace?). Regardless, the new setting is still very classy and the new white paint glistens from the sun when you go for lunch on a sunny day (why it took them so long to open for lunch is a mystery).
Their lunch offerings are reasonably priced and very good. I have had:
–Pork sandwich — not too dry and a nice touch of sweetness
–Duck flatbread with goat cheese and greens — great mix of flavors, but not enough for lunch — have a soup with it or ask for extra bread.
–Turkey sandwich — enormous and stacked with tons of turkey, but is not too special as is; but the mayonnaise they serve on the side makes it so.
During happy hour, They serve some complimentary bar food. One time, they gave me some seafood fritters and another time it was oysters Rockefeller (I’m not into oysters). But, I did wind up ordering their very yummy mushroom and four cheese flatbread. But, skip the Dogfish IPA beer on tap and stick with Newcastle (they also have some specialty bottles from Belgium, I believe).
Hopefully, the food will stay consistent.

I have been to Jake’s Bar about 3 times. Each time the food has been okay. The steak was pretty good, big servings. Prices are reasonable, if you are in this area, don’t expect to pay less than $ 15.00 a plate.
The other day however I went with some co-​workers, Wednesdays they have half off bottle wines, which is great if you love wine =) We had their appetizers. DELICIOUS! They had a duck carnitas over a large tortilla chip. It was so good. We also had their Mediterranean appetizer, it had a little of everything, also very delicious! I definitely recommend if you love wine and want to go for appetizers, this place is a great place to try. Great atmosphere and nicely decorated. They just added a little lounge for those who don’t want to eat and just go for drinks.
I give the restaurant a 4 stars, I would give it 4 ½ but I can’t.
UPDATE: 02.04.08 — Jake’s bar is being renovated, and is opening up in 4 days, it’s going to be called The Gasstro Bar! Yes I’m not kidding, that’s what the big banner said above the door!
I know it sounds horrible, hopefully they won’t change their specials, like Wednesday half off bottle of wines, and their appetizer menu! I guess we’ll have to check it out when it opens again.

We had dinner on a Sunday evening with some friends at Jake’s Bar and Grill. They had a Sunday night Barbeque special which included your choice of Rubs, Chicken Memphis Style or Beef Brisket with your choice of two side dishes for $ 8.99. I had the chicken with sides of fries and macroni. My W had the ribs and with corn on the cobb and cold slaw. For dessert I ordered the Apple Blackberry Crisp (I went to the gym that morning). The dessert chef left the skins of the apples in the crisp, I’ve never had it that way and I would give it a thumbs down. We ordered American Coffee (but they ran out?) so guess what, we ordered espresso and cappuccino.
In summary, the service was great, the atmosphere was very nice (music a little too loud) and the location is good. For parking, there is a garage down the street and metered street parking. I understand the locals stay away from the Sunset garage.

Great location, good food, ambiance.
However, they fail to make the mark with their wait staff. Be ready to be treated with indifference once your order and first round of drinks are delivered.

I ate here once, but with all of the other amazing restaurants nearby, we haven’t been back. Not that Jake’s is bad, there is just nothing extra special about it.
The food was just as good as expected, as was the service.
But…meh…I wasn’t convinced.