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Cafe Jack
Categories: Restaurants Asian Fusion Food Coffee & Tea Food Desserts Asian Fusion, Coffee & Tea, Desserts [Edit]
508 S Western AveLos Angeles, CA 90020
Neighborhood: Koreatown
(213) 365-8882
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11:30 am - 3 am
Fri-Sat 11:30 am - 4 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot, Valet
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Late Night
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Hipster, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
119 reviews for Cafe Jack
Review Highlights
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"The place is definitely a ship and ALL ABOUT TITANIC." In 49 reviews -
"WIN on the fact that it's shaped like a boat." In 5 reviews -
"He was singing various Korean and American songs." In 33 reviews
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119 reviews in English
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Review from Miguel R.
12/8/2011
The drinks are expensive and service can be a bit slow even when they are not busy. However, the servers are very gracious. You can have fun with the little service request buzzers at the tables that Korean places love to have haha! Just don't get carried away :)
They also serve food here!
I heard about this place on LA Weekly and knew I HAD TO come in at least once!
CHEESE, OH PERFECT CHEESE! SO CHEESY HERE!!!!
The place is in a ship that looks like a bathtub Titanic! The decor inside consists of several stills from....you guessed it....the BESTEST movie EVER....TITANIC!!!! OH, JACK!!!! GLUB, GLUB, GLUB!!!! If that doesn't get you uber sentimental, well, maybe this detail will....they have little red heart shaped pillows with syrupy sweet messages embroidered on them like "I LOVE YOU". HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY BEAT THAT? Plus you get to hear lots of GREAT Korean love tunes:)
Sadly you rarely get to drink in the ship. I have always been seated outside of the ship in an area that is behind it. What's worse is you can't go to the tip of the ship and reenact that OH SO COOL scene in the movie where one of the characters oh so cinematically spreads out his or her arms to show the utmost elation of being on the world's greatest cruise ship EVER!!!! GLUB,GLUB, GLUB!!!! Jack, I will eternally love you!!!!Listed in: Quirky Los Angeles, Magical Koreatown
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Review from Katherine C.
Claremont, CA
4/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
#25. The boat looked awesome. That was pretty much it though.
I ordered a rose tea. Turns out they didn't have it. Or something along those lines, cause the server came back and spoke in Korean, so I wasn't sure what he was trying to say. I ended up getting a citrus chamomile tea. Let's just say that it didn't taste as good as it sounded.
The drinks are pretty pricey. I did get to sample the medicine tea, which is probably one of their better items. At least you know it's good for your health. But that section of the menu has no English translations, so you'll have to ask the server for suggestions or bring a Korean-speaking buddy along. -
Review from Thea G.
Los Angeles, CA
1/21/2012
The heart of the ocean is not to be found here. There's a definite smell of 1997 in here, and by that I mean it probably hasn't been cleaned since James Cameron had the best year of his life.
I just want to warn people before Titanic 3-D comes out that this is not a great place for your Titanic nostalgia. My boyfriend and I walk in expecting a delightfully tacky experience, we're all about kind, pleasant, and clean tackiness that is fun. The waitress seemed very confused by our presence and asked if we wanted to be seated on the unheated patio. When I asked if it was heated, she said "no, but we have blankets". I thought it was a theme cafe, not a reinactment.
We said we'd split a shaved ice for $6. After ordering, about ten minutes after, she told us we had to order the large size for twelve dollars since there were two of us. I then tried to order two black coffees instead of the shaved ice, and she said, "oh, so you want two black coffees and shaved ice"? I had to repeatedly say "no shaved ice."
So we were waiting, and waiting, and then I got to focusing on the smell more, which smelled very unclean in general, and did I mention, there is no booze involved in this place and their coffees cost more than an expensive well drink. She finally came back over and confirmed if we wanted the overpriced coffees, at which point we just left. -
Review from george H.
Eagle Rock, CA
1/14/2012
Wow! Amazing!
This is an IDEAL spot to come to if you're looking to permanently damage your taste buds, stomach, wallet and outlook on life-- all in that chronological order.
Not only is the food here ridiculously disgusting, but it's also disgusting and exorbitantly priced for how disgusting it is. You would think I've used the word 'disgusting' too much if you've been reading this, but repetition alone isn't enough to express how wrong and how much of a misdeed this restaurant is to society as a whole.
My gf and I came here expecting the normal, comforting korean food fare that is enough to satisfy your tastebuds/wallet, complementing your night out, but what we got totally diverged from that, consumed our happiness and threw up all over our night's atmosphere and mood.
I ordered the ''Super Dukbokki'' which was supposed to come with udon, and dressed with the other dukbokki criterion, but when it came out it was sans that-- and littered with cheese instead-- I think the korean people there thought that since I was American I wouldn't notice it, so they thought, 'hey, let's not waste all these great dukbokki ingredients on this bitch-ass american and drown this shit with cheese instead--FUCK AMERICANS! North Korea FTW!'.
To my surprise, while we were leaving, I spotted the late Kim Jong Ill in the kitchen fucking up another patron's dish-- he noticed me, smiled and shouted, "Hail North Korea!", But I freaked out and quickly walked out of there.
From that, I concluded that Kim Jong Ill didn't really die and owns and operates this restaurant to keep busy during his retirement years-- as only he'd subject people to this kind of torture.
So yeah, that's what happened.
Fuck this place.
Oh yeah, drinks are $7.00 each. -
Review from Kevin H.
Los Angeles, CA
Service is slow. Drinks are so and so. Atmosphere is great. Well maybe just for studying. Every time I go here its never busy. But for some reason service is always slow. So i would recommend the place for just a place to study. Not a lot of people there, so always quiet.
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Review from Jim A.
12/15/2011
Coffee is descent. Kinda sweet. Would be better with regular baristas. Go here for the atmosphere though.
Oh the korean girls working the counter are definitely hot and cute!Listed in: Coffee Shops!
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Review from Lyndsay S.
Los Angeles, CA
12/29/2011
Cafe Jack is a titanic themed boat restaurant. It's very kitschy which gives it some charm, but the food is gnarly.
Take a photo from outside and then run. Do not eat here.
Peace. -
Review from Yi Z.
11/12/2011
Eww. Titanic was so 1997 and this cafe shouldn't be here today. I walked in and it smelled so bad inside but in all of my years of living in Ktown, I had never been to this cafe so I thought it was worth a try. The decor inside is even more tacky than it looks outside.
The menu was inexplicably confusing. Everything had a price and then a second price. Sometimes the second price was lower than the original price and sometimes they're higher. Huh?
I ordered an Oreo Cookie Shake and you know, it tasted like Oreos? My friend had Jasmine Oolong Tea but I didn't bother to try it. On a Thursday evening, there was only one other customer.
When we walked out, we noticed that the parking lot was filled with cars. I guess they must use it as an overflow lot of somewhere else. There are 3 other cafes within a block of this place so I say, skip it and go somewhere else!Listed in: Cafes
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Review from John B.
Santa Clarita, CA
8/13/2011
Walked in.
All the employees stumbled out of their chairs as though they weren't expecting any customers.
7PM and I discover I am the only customer!
I politely excused myself, searching for more inviting digs.
Wondered as I left "Do they earn any rent on all the junk vehicles stored in the front of this business?" -
Review from Stacey C.
Buena Park, CA
9/3/2011
It was my first time coming here and it was aiiite i guesss.
Pros:
They open really late so its good to come and study. Theres a lot of space indoor and outdoor to eat and sit and the interior is really cute. Theres like pictures of titanic and movie stills and stuff everywhere. Oh and drinks come with one free refill (:
Cons:
Omg dont ever get their passion tea. Its DISGUSTING-_- you also have to pay for valet and the place is kind of hidden. Drinks are overpriced and are jst okaay. Service could also be better too. The place is kinda hidden in the back, so you have to be on the lookout!
Overall I would come back here if i had nowhere else to go to eat and study. -
Review from Priscilla C.
Cypress, CA
Updated - 8/13/2011
I came around here for a 2nd time after another show I attended.
I never came here before 12 AM before so I wanted to try it again.
Before I even entered the parking lot, this crazy Caucasian girl attacked my car, trying to get in. Scared me shitless.
Anyways, the valet parked my car (only costs $1.50 but gave the old man a little extra because I feel bad that he has to sit outside in the cold:/ )
Instead of sitting in the indoor booths, we just sat in the outdoor booths. I don't really consider it OUTDOORS bc the ceilings are closed off and stuff.
Got the peach iced tea again (so addiciting) and they only refill it once for free. Better than nothing right? And I can't drink 3+ teas in a row anyways so I got my tea for money's worth.
Next time I come back here, I would want to study or something. It's not loud, plays quiet/mediocre music, and service is fine.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/9/2011
My friend and I were looking for a cafe after a show we went to.
It was already 12-1 AM, so we tried… Read more »
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Review from YeLin B.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 9/4/2011
I change my mind. This place is terrible, or maybe it's just their workers. I came by the other day and I had to meet with a friend and as I waited, I pressed their service button over 8 times!! The worker passed by me TWICE and I called at him, he still decides to ignore me. So after 30mins my friend had arrived and while we were talking for about 20 minutes, I was upset and I started crying and OH LOOK the waiter decides to arrive(where were you in those 50 minutes asshole?). His nosey ass decides to stick around and I didn't want a drink at the state I was in. So I got the peach tea from the worker's recommendation. As we were leaving I decided to go to the restroom and the same worker asks, "What happened?" in this curious, meddlesome tone to my friend.
IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. IF YOU HAVE TIME TO LISTEN TO GOSSIP, DO YOUR JOB.
By the way, the tea tasted like shit and I threw it away after a sip. Coffee Bean has cheaper and better tasting shit than this. I'm not coming back here.Listed in: No
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/10/2011
I like this place. The drinks are a bit on the sweeter side and they don't serve any boba in their… Read more »
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Review from Shelly J.
6/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
A little cozy place tucked in on Western. It got a lot of attraction back in the days--the idea of a boat shaped cafe--but I think it's less hip nowadays. The place looked a bit rundown the last time I went actually.
I really liked their Yulmucha tho! It's a milky, grain and nuts-based tea.
Upon a few visits, the only thing that prevents me from really loving it is that the drinks are too sweet. Probably use too much sweetener, and that really hurts any of the teas from having an authentic taste =P
Parking's valet, unless the valet guy's not there.Listed in: Coffee/Pastries/Desserts in LA
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Review from Andrea J.
Los Angeles, CA
8/6/2011 2 photos
A friend of ours said that he had the best shake of his life at Cafe Jack in Korea town so after our long day at the NHM and Exposition Park we decided to head over to this off-the-wall homage to all-things Titanic. It didn't disappoint.
In addition to the framed Jack and Rose movie stills and ship accoutrements, it looked like Christmas and Valentine's Day threw up all over your crazy aunt's house. FANTASTIC!
I did in fact, taste the best Oreo shake ever and my boyfriend got a delicious strawberry smoothie with boba.
I was slightly uncomfortable with the fabric-upholstered booth-backs because they looked pretty dingy and I was worried about bed bugs, lice, or other nasty creatures that might be residing there. I just tried to keep my head and back off of them. They'd do well to replace the backings with vinyl or leather.
It was dead when we stopped in around 6 pm on a Friday. I bet this is more of a night spot. I'd definitely come back then to get a feel for Korea town night life. -
Review from Klarize M.
Cypress, CA
1/1/2012
The workers were nice but our service wasn't that great. It took us about 30 minutes for us to get our food, which was sub-par, although we were the only customers in the restaurant. It's a cute looking place, but I probably won't be going here again.
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Review from Ashley K.
Los Angeles, CA
8/19/2011
Idea is tight. I mean who wouldn't want to go to a cafe that looks like a boat right?
Pros:
1. Plenty of seats if you are with a large party ... (mainly because its deserted)
Cons:
1. Drinks are expensive
2. Music sucks! They play depressing Korean music that a sad drunk man would be singing along to.
3. Service is super slow
So good try Cafe Jack. But unless you revamp the music and the atmosphere, I dont think I can recommend you to anyone. Sorry -
Review from Ed K.
Come to this place just to see the crazy boat in ktown. I honestly didn't believe this place existed until one of my friends led us out there after a healthy night of ktown drinking. Post 2am snacks and desserts, here we come!
Yes the decor is silly and cheesy and seems more appropriate to the fast food 'Long John Silver' or 'Red Lobster' chain seafood crowd, but in the wee hours of the morning, something that seems kind of dumb in the daytime is quite hilarious after drinking multiple rounds of soju. Oh and that food isn't half bad either. Our group of 4 split a large shave ice pat bin soo topped with multiple scoops of green tea ice cream and waffles topped with strawberries, chocolate and whipped cream.
I haven't tried the daytime cafe food but I think I would go back for laughs and bring other equally incredulous friends as well, in the future. -
Review from Jessica S.
Pasadena, CA
9/1/2011
I think this place is going down. We used to come here and it would be busy, but it doesn't seem like that now. I was there last night and we only saw 2 other groups. It seems really dingy and the music was weird. Like an older person trying to be cool. It made us all feel uncomfortable and awkward.
When we ordered, everything that I wanted had rice in it. Then the server came back and said that they were out of rice. What Korean Cafe is out of rice??? Make some more! Geez! So then we ended up order soup.
About 10 minutes after the server took our order, someone started smoking near us! This gave me a HUGE headache! So my friend asked the server if our food was ready because we wanted to leave if it wasn't. The server said the food was ready, but then 10 minutes later we still didn't have anything. At that time my headache hurt so much so we just told them were were leaving. -
Review from Chef Bigfoot ..
Seattle, WA
I'm on a boat!!
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Review from Gracie R.
Downey, CA
This is an amazing place .. I love their coffee and the most wonderful part of it? It's REFILLABLE! yup you heard me right! :)
The coffee was just made to perfection..
I had a Kimchi Rice which is one of the things that I crave now..
Talking about the place itself, for a person like me that love cute tiny little details.. this is a work of art! It is Gorgeous ! they really put their time and effort to build this place. so check out and walk the entire place if you can they even have cute private room for parties or group ..
I asked the owner Jack "why didn't they serve alcohol?' I just thought this is a perfect spot to chill , dine & wine.. But he said "its too much trouble"
Its pretty understandable I can imagine what if some drunk guy messed up with all those interiors..
Overall, 5 stars for coffee, food, service and the ambience.
Kudos Cafe Jack! I am definitely going back -
Review from Natasha W.
Los Angeles, CA
8/13/2011 1 photo
The best part about this place is that the whole thing is shaped like a boat (that's what the two stars are for). About 10 of us headed over to Cafe Jack since it was pretty late and it was one of the few places open for dessert that was nearby. Never have I felt disgusted to eat something until that night -- we all ordered different patbingsoos (which I normally love) and all of them came half melted and a strange brown color. Most of my friends agreed that it looked like they had been made by a 5-year-old. They all tasted the same: like a watery mess of fruit and chocolate syrup, all topped off with a generous sprinkling of fruity pebbles.
A lot of reviews talked about how the food here is bad but the patbingsoo is okay. I can only speak for the patbingsoo being awful, but I will definitely not be going back to see what the food tastes like. -
Review from Aileen Y.
Davis, CA
2/12/2011 1 photo
I'll admit it, I'm a prepster. As such, I love all things nautical. How could I not love the decoration in here? However, I do feel like it's a bit overwhelming at first, but it's too cute to pass up.
I didn't try anything here but the green tea patbingsoo, but it was pretty good. It came with lots of fruit, standard green tea powder, etc. However, the green tea ice cream that topped it? Less than stellar-- more creamy-tasting than green-tea tasting.
My friend and I might have indulged in some mild vandalism on the (already heavily etched, I swear!) tables. :) -
Review from Maggie K.
Los Angeles, CA
4/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good service? Yes. And very polite!
Campy? YES!
Good drinks? Yes!
Good food? Not so much. It gave a couple of my friends the poops and I didn't finish my food. They did give us free ice cream that had Fruity Pebbles on them. Delish!
Otherwise, see it once and never go back again. Thanks for the memories. -
Review from Sue C.
Los Angeles, CA
3/9/2012
Excited for Titanic 3D? You have questionable taste in movies. But I understand. I'm not over it either. Get your weird fix at Cafe Jack, where the walls are completely covered in iconic pictures of Jack and Rose daringly breaking all socioeconomic barriers in the name of hormonal love. Beautiful. There's also really random framed Impressionist paintings of floral gardens. For real though they have a nice loose leaf tea selection. To find it, drive down Western and around 5th st. look for a ship's bow emerging from the recesses of a parking lot. You really can't miss it...
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Review from Elaine K.
3/17/2011
Heyrie was closed...
So friends and I YELPed for another place nearby.
CAFE JACK was on the list for "places open now".
Walked in, no one was around at first..I think 1 person was working...so I give him props since he has to multitask on his own. Service was fine and the waiter was friendly.
Wasn't very crowded [keeping in mind it's a Wednesday night; 1 am]..
Didn't know what to get, but we did end up ordering:
thukkbokki & 2 drinks:
one was white chocolate mocha and the other was yoormulcha?
my korean spelling is probably way off.
Anyways, the thukkbokki was alright. It costs 12.50 though, so...It's not that worth the money. Especially since there's not very much ricecake in it at all...nor oden...but there's this strange cake thing under it. i dont even know. It was bleh.
The drinks were decent. White chocolate mocha was a bit too sweet towards the end...
The decor is on the verge of...yardsale-esque?
The seats and lighting is nice...
Overall...
It's just...
A-OK. -
Review from Val S.
Chatsworth, CA
11/15/2010
Saw the ship theme and was curious. Went in with a friend to check things out after a concert at The Wiltern. The Akita outside, Billy is about the only cool thing about this place.
First of all, they didn't even have a proper menu. 60% of the things on the menu were crossed off etc. We got some appetizers which were pretty much the only things we wanted to take a chance on. (Sure as shit wasn't going to order Sushi from a place so sketchy) The appetizers were so so. (Wings and Tempura) All were too spicy. If you love spicy foods you'll be okay with those apps.
Here's the kicker. This place charges $7 for a less than 16 oz glass of unsweetened Mango ice tea. Since the menu was so unreadable and the waitress (who was very nice) wasn't able to communicate well in English, we didn't know the tea was $7. We ended up ordering 2 of those suckers. Had we known we would have stuck with water. I don't mind paying for things, but $7 for plain old mango ice tea is INSANE. Specially because there are no refills.
The place is Titanic themed. Well, with food and prices like that for tea, I'm surprised this place hasn't sunk. -
Review from jeannie p.
Cerritos, CA
5/12/2011
likes
They have their own parking.
dislikes
It's very difficult to find for a first-timer. It's in between two buildings, and once you see it, you cant miss it. It's the only building shaped like a big Boat on the street. It's like a typical k-town shaved ice/boba serving cafe. I'm starting to think it's getting a little bit more challenging to figure out the difference between all these cafes. Overpriced drinks, no refills, small shaved ice potions.. have all become a norm. You should choose your favorite cafe based on the ambiance and parking convenience.
suggestions
A fan of their oreo shake. Their shaved ice is okay too.. but it looks identical to Caffe Village's.
interesting facts
It may also be a little cheesy, but their interior decor consists of Titanic flashbacks. -
Review from Allen C.
8/24/2010
As a kid, I always wondered why old men were so pissy and grumpy ("p/g") all the time. And THEN.......I grew up. To all the old men I judged for being p/g fools, I apologize. As I've gotten older, I've become way more p/g than I used to be. Lately, I've been uber-annoyed with people and I don't hesitate to give attitude anymore when deserved. I'm also not so afraid to speak my mind or speak up (sometimes rudely) to get my way. Maybe I'm just not willing to deal with bull-crap anymore. ORRRR, maybe I'm just one of those 24/7 male-PMS/miserly men? Could it be? Aaaaand, this brings me to Cafe Jack. Perfect place to be p/g because it deserves it. I'm only writing this review because I'm super p/g right now and these are the only times I have the guts to write bad reviews.
WIN on the fact that it's shaped like a boat. The Titanic in fact. How wonderfully kitschy. FAIL on everything else. I don't live too far from here (I'm talking walkable), so I decided to try the place with some bored friends for a late night snack/drink. All I have to say is, have you ever been so turned off by something that "it" shrivels and you feel like it's regressed inside? And by "it", I'm talking about my balls.
Yeah, that sums up my whole experience.
Not only are there pictures of Leonardo DiCaprio everywhere (admittedly kinda funny), but the food is not so good and EVERYTHING is highly overpriced for what it is. The overpriced menu is key to my p/g-ness by the way. The service is apathetic and the environment is just bizarre. I just remember people dry humping in one booth, smoking in another (ugggggh), and Asian beatniks sprinkled around. I mean, they weren't wearing small circle sunglasses or berets or anything, but they came off as beatniks to me. And then I remember looking at the menu and thinking to myself "W....T.....F. One million dollars for WHAT??!"(Disclaimer: slight exaggeration, but you get the point). I wish I was drunk when I came here because it would've made it aaaaaalllllll better. I feel bad for this review now, wait, nope, the p/g is kicking in....Listed in: The Town of K
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Review from Ray K.
Los Angeles, CA
9/5/2010 6 Check-ins Here
I love this place. Like if you know where to sit it's always a great experience. I went with my gf and we sat in the very end smoking section and were seated in this booth like area with pillows, a blanket, privacy, dim lighting, outdoors I mean it was perfect.
Go here, but give yourself a chance to explore around a little bit, this place is so big with so many small rooms, I can't imagine not having just the most coziest a-s time here. Drinks were about normal price for a korean cafe, and theyre open til 4? Jesus....
Call button to summon waiter, never had any problems. In, out, everyone was very nice. I love Cafe Jack. In the beginning I wasn't too thrilled but the more I came here I realized how big the place was and that got me to like the place more and more. Give it a try, explore a little first is my recommendation. -
Review from Elijah L.
Los Angeles, CA
5/3/2011
I've been here a few times over the past years and yeah... it's not that great.
My favorite boba drink at any cafe/tea shop is the regular milk tea. It's a simple drink that even one of my college roommates was able to make without trouble. The boba milk tea here is mediocre for two reasons. The drink itself is watered down/bland while the boba is undercooked (undercooked boba is hard to chew).
Also tried the mango smoothie and oreo smoothie. Oreo smoothie matched the description while the mango smoothie only has a hint of mango flavor.
I know they used to give unlimited refills. I haven't been there since last winter, but if it's true that they stopped giving refills, then one less positive about the place. -
Review from Alice Y.
8/21/2010
Meh.
My bf and I decided we needed to try the cafe shaped like a boat. Thought it would be fun...
So it's pretty cheesy all-around with random lighting (there were 6 or 7 types of lighting, which is a no-no when it comes to restaurant planning) and tons of pictures from the movie 'Titanic.' What comes to mind is clutter: there is so much stuff all over this place and so unnecessary... And there weren't many people here on a Friday night, which is no bueno.
We ordered a latte and a tiramisu (only after being told they were out on sweet potato cake). The tiramisu was whatever. They sprinkled fruity pebbles on top and drizzled the plate with chocolate syrup. The tiramisu was dry and I could tell it had been sitting in the fridge for a while. The latte was okay- just a standard latte.
Overall, I think this cafe might've been nicer in its hey-day, but now it's just sorta sad...Listed in: Caffeine addicts anonymous
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Review from jolly c.
Los Angeles, CA
12/24/2009
Hearts, Lights, and Tragic Ending!
I give many many stars to people with the tenacity to follow their passion and fulfill their vision. People may think that it's strange to dream of having a "Titanic" movie themed cafe that's shaped like a boat and parked in the middle of K-town. But, people, follow your hearts and stomachs and come to....Cafe Jack!
The decor is all strange romance: red, cream, and gold painted walls; twinkling lights strung everywhere; thrift shop looking odds and ends that decorate the walls and stand in corners; interesting theme rooms; scenes from the movie in gold frames on red walls, and heart shaped cushions emblazoned with "I Love You" and "Diva".
It will be fun to bring your adventurous date to dine at night in this fusion themed cafe that's all about.. what else?.. love, illicit romance, adventures on the high seas, and the delicious tragedy of unfulfilled true love. Bookmark this place for Valentine's Day and it will be special, I assure you, at the least, it won't be forgettable. Give him or her a sapphire heart shaped jewelry and you are sailing on the high seas of chivalrous romance! :)
You'll be in their world when you first step into the parking lot and gaze up at a prow of a wooden ship. There is even a little area built just for taking photos but you can't go up to the top. On the left are the outdoor seats with heat lamps and when you go through the doors, there is the dessert case on the right and the cashier stand. Wait there to be seated by one of the harried but friendly staff. There's a bell at every table to call the servers when you need them, don't wait for them to come to you, just push.
Go through and explore the entire place which is a wooden maze of odd nooks and crannies. There's a back room with a working baby grand and further back, more private rooms with unique decorations. The owner has fun changing decor and the setup of the space every so often, it's like his personal fantasy playground.
My favorite area to sit is in the patio or garden-like area with wooden booth seats, plants, stone fountain, lights, and red heart cushions. There are blankets when it gets too chilly and the hot drinks aren't enough to keep you warm. The middle "ship's cabin" is comfortable to sit in and has a brass wheel that dings when you push it.
The food is Korean fusion which means they serve pastas, sushi, and sandwiches along with regular Korean snack foods served in boonshikjums(snack bars). So they serve very spicy and delicious ttokbokki (spicy rice cakes), odeng (fish cake kebab), and udon. They have a nice mix of food and snack food for everyone's palate.
They have a variety of drinks including a very potent bitter medicinal tea with ginger and ginseng. The owner said that they get it from a herbal doctor and that it is very good for you in winter. I believe it, it heated everyone up at the table. The drinks are expensive but with free refills if everyone at the table orders a drink. But they do have happy hour during the week where the food is cheaper and the drinks are half off before 8pm.
The creamy seafood pasta can be a little sweet, so just ask for it not too sweet. The tomato sauce seafood pasta is very good. The sushi is also tasty and the chicken wings are perfectly cooked with gooey sweet and slightly spicy sauce on the outside. The ome-rice (omelette with rice inside) which is a very common Korean snack is well seasoned and satisfying. Don't forget to end the meal with the unusual sweet potato cake which is really a very good cake. Mmmm
I hope you enjoy the ambience and the fantasy of Cafe Jack and maybe it will inspire you to materialize dreams of your own. -
Review from Grace Y.
Los Angeles, CA
1/26/2010 1 Check-in Here
Still in search for a nice cafe in koreatown...
6 of us walked into this cafe and were greeted by a nice looking couple.
Got a seat in one of the corners next to the pool table they had..
ordered our drinks..
and chatted on for hours.
I wanted milk tea.. and guess what? They didn't have it!! *still shocked*
They offered to make me one.. but it was really nasty. (didn't complain or anything 'cause it wasn't on the menu and they tried to make it for me D:)
All other drinks we had were ok.
We had fish-katsu and that was ok too. :P
One of the servers tripped on his way to our table and dropped all the drinks he had on the tray.. and it splattered all over my shoes (argz :[) and broken glasses got everywhere. Poor guy, poor shoes. D:
This place is huge.. but empty..
I think I know why..
I sorta feel sorry for the owners. (They seemed like real good people :[) -
Review from Nancy Y.
Los Angeles, CA
2/17/2008 12 photos
Cute coffee and tea shop that is tucked in the back of the street on the east side of Western, north of 6th street. Open about a year, the coffee shop is built like a ship, see pics. Theme is from the movie Titanic, there are framed pictures from various scenes on the the walls. In door and outside space to sit and lounge, with colorful mini-lights all over, more than the usual. Sort of kitsch french cottage decor, though that might not have been what they were going for, with heart shape pillows and the like. They still had Christmas decorations up as well.
Limited menu, coffee is $5. I had rose tea, $6 see pic, cute but not really my thing. It tasted like strawberry water. They have fusion asian food here, and shaved ice dessert as well. The staff is pretty young, probably under 24, that is not my preference. It was pretty quiet when I was there, just about 3 or 4 groups. It was cold at night and they didn't have the heat lamps running, might be a nice brunch place, I didn't try the food. Service button on table, open till 2am, grade A, credit cards accepted, limited parking lot right in the front. Three and a half stars, for the mini lights, rounded down.
Plus, disregard the domain name, http://cafejack.net. Though this is painted on the side of the ship / building, it is an advertising link site. Either they don't own the domain or haven't developed the website yet.Listed in: Ktown Watering Holes
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Review from cherie T.
2/11/2010
The concept is interesting - big ship w/ titanic decoration ... you'll see lots of pictures of Jack and Rose (dicaprio and winslet) - ambiance wise, it's a pretty cool little place to hang out.
drink wise not so good AND expensive!
i ordered their passionfruit tea - bland and taste nothing like passionfruit. It reminded me of Starbuck's passion tazo tea.
Caroline C. ordered oolong - they say it's bland; no oolong flavor at all.
my friend's coffee was just eh - nothing great about it
we looked at the menu and the CHEAPEST drink we saw was $4 - 5 drink and it was a shot of an espresso. haha
i didnt try their food, but beverage wise: "me thinks not" i dont think i'll come back here to order a drink it's just not worth it. -
Review from Matthew K.
Venice, CA
9/21/2009
One word description: Ship
Pro:
Cute place
Buffet
Con:
Buffet
Price
I guess this was a coffee shop but now they serve a buffet of korean dishes. The food is ok but the price is kinda high for what they serve. I think they should just stick to coffee
Cost: Dinner per person
$20 -
Review from Jan D.
6/14/2009
Recommendation: Coffee and Teas!!
I just stumbled upon this place today while looking for a place to read my GMAT book. It is the most cutest place ever!! I love it. I would probably go back in the night time so i can check out the ambiance at night. I really like the Christmas decor and the Korean Love Songs... it just sets the mood. I didn't really eat, i only had drinks. So i can't rate the food but i can rave about the ambiance (as you have noticed).
Can anyone guess why it is a coffee place named Jack? 4..3...2....1.....okay i will tell you, it came out of the movie... da da daaaaaa.. Titanic.. like Jack and Rose.. Jack you know.. leonardo dicaprio.. and their love for each other.. all mixed together to make a coffee place that has a pool table and piano and karaoke.interesting huh? well go check it out.. you won't be let down.. it is pretty nice.. a cup of reg. coffee.. approx. $5. So enjoy.. you don't have to keep purchasing.. i only got a cup of coffee but i stayed for about 2 hrs. so it is not like other coffee places in k-town.. so a high five on that. -
Review from Caleb B.
Los Angeles, CA
6/7/2008
If you feel the need to chug some Haterade and spew grosspeech about Cafe Jack than you're probably not the kind of person that I'd want to babysit my kids. I don't have kids (that you know of) but it's just the idea. You can't be trusted when you have no sense of humor fun or kitsch. Humor, fun, kitsch are the colors which bathe Cafe Jack. Afterall -- IT'S A FREAKIN' SHIP of a coffee house.
A former coworker regaled me with tales of Cafe Jack. I knew that when I found the right fellow conquistadora we would go live it up. That we did, as expected. Though what was unexpected: I didn't get kicked out. I imagined being powerless over performing an impromptu "King of the World" one man show in such a way that might endanger myself and others. That didn't happen. Weird.
And yes the tea was $7 but such a cost is really no concern to a man of means such as myself. (Sugarmomma paid for it.)
_C$Listed in: Enjoying The Recession
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Review from Caroline Y.
Los Angeles, CA
12/18/2006
Coffee on a ship? In a parking lot in K-town?
This is an interesting little place. The coffee shop or shall I say cafe is a ship parked in a parking lot on Western. The exterior and interior decor are really pretty. The walls are filled with pictures from the scenes of the movie "Titanic" with Leo Di Caprio and Kate Winslet. It's all outdoor seating with heat lamps all around so it's warm from the heat lamps and crisp from the fresh air. The drink menu is pretty extensive with coffees, teas, smoothies, shakes, shaved ice, etc. The cafe also serves fusion food. Unfortunately, I have not tried the food so no comments on that, but I did try their green tea latte ice blended which was pretty good. Service was not bad either. I'd go back cuz it's really purdy...Listed in: Hey sugar...treat yourself...
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Review from Paul d.
Simi Valley, CA
10/14/2008
This place is open til 4AM...The later the better...
I arrived with a small party and grabbed the guitar...They didn't mind...
Let me tell you that the fresh fruit with shaved ice and ice cream is just the thing to cleanse your palate after Won Kok... The standard tea and coffee in an Asian cafe populated this menu...
Sure, it's a Titanic themed cafe...I really didn't care because it was open at 3 AM and they were serving me food...
The manager showed us a little appreciation by giving us 4 free slices of cheesecake...Not the best cheesecake in the world, but the gesture was really nice...
Another outdoorsy place to hangout and chill...I'd definitely head back here when I'm in the area late at night...Listed in: Late LATE Night Eats
