Jake's Grill

11/12/07

Reservations are meaningless to this restaurant!

by evandomelen

My Fiance and I went to Jake's Grill to celebrate our anniversary on a Friday night. I made reservations for a window seat a few days earlier and they confirmed that it would be done. When we arrived the hostess gave us a cold greeting and informed us that even though they had our reservations, we would still have to wait for a table to open. We waited for ten minutes in their over-crowded bar while people who walked in after us got tables. Finally a host came to seat us. The food and wait staff were excellent, however. Best calamari I've had. Our waiter was excellent as well, which made up for the first 20 minutes in the restaurant. We got to keep our menus which read "Happy Anniversary" at the top, and also got a free piece of cake in honor of it. I suggest making reservations or showing up after 9 PM, as the restaurant was far less crowded at that hour.

• Pros: Food, Wait Staff
• Cons: Waiting Time, Reservations Not Honored

07/27/09

Too much money for what you get

by Raven777

I've been to this restaurant 3 times over the past year. I don't think I'll be going back any time soon. I was there Saturday night. I could not believe how many dishes, at 6 pm, they were already out of. Talk about not being prepared. The waiter suggested the chicken Oscar - turned out it was over-cooked chicken breast with about 1 TBS of crab on top. The sauce was watery and cold. My husband had the mahi-mahi and he enjoyed it. We had the wild cherry pie for dessert and it was very good. The time before, we went with a large group for brunch. The service was good and there are many choices on the menu. The first time I went, I had the New York Steak. It was over-cooked (I asked for it medium rare) and cold. I sent it back and I swear, they just stuck it in a microwave! The portions, for the price are very small. I don't mind a smaller portion, but for the price....

• Pros: Excellent bartender, interesting brunch
• Cons: Food is often served cold, service at times neglectful

05/18/09

Good Restaurant, Great Bar

by huntrgathrr

We only drop in for their Happy Hour about once a month, and I grab a late lunch there 4-6 times a year (it's right on the streetcar line), so I'm not the best person to judge the full-blown "dining experience." The Happy Hours are great deals for the price, variety, and quality. The lunch plates cost a little more, but without the booze, it's still pretty affordable.

• Pros: Good lunches,Very Happy Hour, Excellent Bartenders
• Cons: Stuffed animals.....real stuffed animals

05/14/09

Very Disappointed

by jlaw75

I would have much preferred to go to Henry's or Hudson's in Vancouver and could have gotten a bettter meal and service This was a retirement get togeter with my wife and boss and it was very disappointing. I got the encrusted halibut recommended by our arroganat waiter; my wife got the mahi-mahi (she was disappointed), and my manager got the 6 oz (all meals way overpriced for what you get) and he was kind to tell us that he enjoyed his meal. I won't be heatig up the telephone wires to make another reservation at Jake's.

• Pros: Setting
• Cons: Food quality and service

02/24/09

great food and wonderful evening...

by eatherenow

I dined there two weeks ago with some friends from work. We all had a wonderful time the food and the service was outstanding. We got a lot for our buck and were surprised at our server?s knowledge and personable attentiveness. I had the crab cakes and the wild salmon it was delicious, my friend the rib eye and he said it was terrific. Oh at last we finished with this chocolate hazel nut dessert "OH MY GOD". I was in heaven. I also enjoyed the old school decor, we felt very much at home and will definitely return.

12/04/08

Tempting because of the Old School Flair-- But not worth a visit

by DGrove

I visited Portland to see clients and went to Jake's Grill with my mother on December 1st. There were four seats next to the windows. I suggested I only had 45 minutes to eat prior to heading to the airport, and could I please sit at a window table. The staff said they reserved these tables for their regular customers. When I ate and left two tables were still open.

The steak they served was overcooked, and cold. The crab shrimp cakes featured lots of cheap pre-cooked gulf shrimp even though it was dungeness crab season. The waitress didn't follow up. They brought me the wrong bill. My mother's tilapia was not bad, however.

Skip it, fly to SF and go to Tadich Grill, a high quality, old-school restaurant.

DGrove

11/30/08

Don't ever buy a gift certificate from this restaurant!!!

by aq

I attempted to use a $100 gift certificate towards my lunch at Jake's Grill today. I was told by the waitress that I would lose the difference between my $56 tab and the value of the gift certificate. I told her I would take a gift certificate for the difference or any other type of credit if cash was not an option. She said she couldn't help me. I then asked for the manager who told me it's company policy at all their restaurants nationally to not refund the difference on a gift certificate. I protested that their claim is exrtemely unreasonable and unfair and that I've never experienced this with the use of a gift certificate at any other establishment. The manager then said that there's nothing he can do. In my opinion this is fraud. When you buy the certificate, they don't tell you that you will lose money on the gift certificate if you don't spend the entire amount on one meal. Needless to say, I paid with VISA.

• Pros: Nothing...this place is well below average.
• Cons: Overpriced mediocre food and service.

09/21/08

Get the Seafood

by MVchick

The sole stuffed with shrimp and crab is to die for. It melts in your mouth. Also loved the triple dessert, you get to sample the molten chocolate de creme, creme brulee, and the pie. Get a seat outside to people watch as you eat lunch.

09/14/08

Great For Lunch/Brunch

by Chacha121

I've been to Jake's around 4 times in the past two years always for lunch or brunch. Everytime the food and service are exceptional. The seafood dishes are delicious. I was only disappointed one time when they ran out of the Blue Plate special for the day. It was around 1:30p so I guess I can understand that.

I've never experienced any problems with the cleanliness of the restaurant as others have said. Everything is always clean and neat. I think it's a great bargain for lunch. And I even bring out of town guests to Jake's and they've all loved it. The menu changes day to day. That's why they have paper menus. But there are certain entrees that stay on the menu all the time like the Chicken Parmigiana, which is my husband's favorite. He orders it everytime and it's always great. I like to try the various seafood dishes. And they are always delicious. Don't forget to leave room for dessert. We've had the dessert sampler, which is a creme brulee, a chocolate mousse and a mixed berry cobbler with ice cream. It was awesome though the creme brulee was my favorite. I've never been to Jake's for dinner for fear of the prices but lunch is a-okay with me.

• Pros: The awesome food
• Cons: It's downtown

09/02/08

Average

by desireedralle

We came down for the weekend and ate here late on a Saturday night. First of all, it was smoky, which is so gross to me, but hey, the laws haven't changed yet here, so I thought I'd just deal with it. The sourdough chunk of bread they served us was rock hard and gross. My lobster was lobster, not bad, but nothing special. Same with his steak, good, not bad, but nothing to write home about. I would tell people to save their money and go to one of the many better restaurants in Portland.

• Pros: Good Service
• Cons: Price, Average Food, SMOKEY

07/28/08

On it's way out of my rotation

by LumberingLarry

The appetizer was calamari, a very standard fare, so for a place like Jake's I'm surprised it didn't have much taste.

The salmon-crab sandwich had salmon that was only cooked on one side. The fish and chips was very fishy tasting.

I write this because I care - Jake's used to be good but this is the second bad experience in a row. I can no longer send out-of-towners there.