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Claim Jumper Restaurant
Category: Restaurants American (Traditional) American (Traditional) [Edit]
2250 E 17th StSanta Ana, CA 92705
(714) 836-6658
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
One of the most unique bar and grills around. Visit any one of our three bars or restaurants all located under one roof. The Tuscany Club is a sweet… read more »
52 reviews for Claim Jumper Restaurant
Review Highlights
"This place has a salad bar and awesome chocolate cake."
(in 6 reviews)
"...don't forget that Claim Jumper has an AMAZING Happy Hour."
(in 7 reviews)
"Maybe I was lucky, but definitely I'm coming back."
(in 4 reviews)
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52 reviews in English
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Review from Dennis P.
9/23/2011
My past experience with any Claim Jumper location almost always included sharing an obscenely gargantuan baked potato. Alas, those days are gone but not forgotten.
I had dinner with some friends at this location in Santa Ana, and this was one of our favorite gathering after-work spots. The atmosphere here was always quite welcoming and hospitable, including the food servers.
When we were all here the last time, I had the black tie chicken pasta. The sauce they used was a creamy alfredo sauce (my favorite) and the dish contained bowtie pasta, blackened chicken, spinach tortellini and oven-roasted tomatoes, which made for a wonderful taste sensation.
For dessert, we shared Claim Jumper's claim to fame, a chocolate motherlode cake. If you want to experience chocolate overload, this is the one to get! Claim Jumper's reputation for serving very generous portions remains intact, especially with this delectable goodie.
The service this last time was friendly but not that prompt. :-( At least, the order was all correct. Our server was this friendly guy who just became a first-time dad, so he went around to all of us showing a picture of his new baby girl. :-) This elicited a lot of "oohs" and "aahs" and congratulations from everyone.
It's too bad that the quality at Claim Jumper is steadily going downhill. I just hope that the powers that be take steps to reverse that trend. -
Review from Richard R.
Santa Ana, CA
11/3/2011
I used to be a huge Claim Jumper fan. Sad to say, but those days are long gone.
The prices are way up, the quality is way down and most of my favorite items on the menu are gone. My beef ribs were questionable, me wife's steak was mediocre. The baked potato was undercooked. The service was OK, but not great- the bread wasn't delivered with the meal and the runner couldn't figure it out so he had to come back to ask us what we had ordered.
I think my money will be spent elsewhere until I hear of a revival for this once great chain. -
Review from Shaila C.
Tustin, CA
12/12/2011
Customer service here is HORRIBLE!! Me and my dad really like Claim Jumper for their food, so we put up with the awful customer service because is location is close to our house. It really is just a problem with this location because at the Claim Jumper in Costa Mesa, we dont have any problems at all like we do at this one!
The last time we came here we were left waiting at our table for 15 mins. 15mins!! With out anyone even coming over to take our drink order or even make eye contact with us. That is totally unacceptable. We have waited 45 mins for our food here, on several occasions and the food is not even complicated. A chicken breast dinner-fries+ mac and cheese, and a bowl of soup (or salad), thats it! I have no idea why it takes close to an hour to get it but like ive said its happened a few times. Thats a kitchen issue, but it still doesn't help them when the waiter is not even coming over to refill our drink, and seems to be flat out ignoring us.
We have to order right away when the waiter first greets us, or we run the chance to wait another 20 mins before they come back. OH and i want to mention that we come here around 1-2 pm, for a late lunch. So its not even an issue of being busy, because its never packed with people when we come, just a few table or occupied.
I have no idea what the hell their problem is, they need to get their act together. Im going to flat out refuse to come here anymore the next time my dad mentions it. Id rather drive the extra miles to the other location. I seriously cant take it anymore, we've given these guys so many chances, and thats not the way its suppose to work! -
Review from Christine N.
Fountain Valley, CA
7/21/2011 6 photos
Today was a lunch date with my Boss & a few of my coworkers. He owed them lunch and I tagged along for the free meal. Trust me, I know my meal is NOT a freebie, it's attached to a working price tag. I will be paying for it somehow on a new assigned project, I'm feeling it already! Nonetheless...free meal for today.
We get there and got a table right away since we were a party of 4. I haven't been to a Claim Jumper in ages, probably becuz my waistline has boycotted restaurants that serve more food than my tummy can handle, yet my eyes never turn down anything. I really have to get them 2 organs to function better together! Can't we all just get a long!
Well, it was time to order and we got the following items:
01. Potato Cheddar Soup ($4.99 Cup/$6.49 Bowl) - 3.5 Stars
Fresh baked potatoes and simmered with aged cheddar
- This was good but I know they changed their recipe becuz it's not as creamy or potatoey as I grew up with it. They def downsize their Claim Jumper portions too.
02. California Citrus Chicken Salad ($9.99 Lunch) - 3.5 Stars
Char-grilled chicken with mandarin oranges, green apples, avocado, dried cranberries, glazed pecans, bleu cheese crumbles, red onions and green onions. Tossed with their signature citrus vinaigrette dressing
- My boss ordered this and it looked decent, tasted decent he said. Another Gourmet Rabbit plate!
03. Chopped Cobb Salad ($9.99 Lunch) - 3.5 Stars
Char-grilled chicken, bleu cheese crumbles, avocado, bacon, diced egg, tomatoes with homemade bleu cheese dressing
- This was my dish. It had a hill of bacon, chicken, eggs and bleu cheese. Now that's what I call tine MOTHER of all ANT HILLS. Yummy! I had my salad with Balsamic Dressing instead of the Bleu Cheese but had it on the side just in case!
04. Sliders ($10.99) - 3 Stars
Mini burgers topped with double-thick cheddar. Ask for "The Works"
- Not my dish but my coworker finished it all and it didn't look too appealing to me but taste was probably good for her. It came with skinny fries as oppose to thick fries!
05. Meatloaf & Mashed Potatoes ($13.99) - 4 Stars
Beef, pork and vegetables slow-baked with a sweet tomato topping. Sliced thick & served over mashed potatoes with herb demi-glace, roasted vegetables
- My other coworker had this dish and they def downsided the portion. The Meatloaf was on a diet becuz it was wearing some skinny jeans! Where's the BEEF we asked! She wasn't liking their portion controlled so much either!
NOTES:
SERVICE - I'm giving our waitress a 3 Stars becuz she was missing half the time but when she popped around, she was great. They were quite busy for a lunch hour.
PRICES - Kinda still on the HIGH end for a luncheon. Go with their lunch specials and it's the same size as their dinner portions but cheaper in price just becuz it's LUNCH.
OVERALL - This location was getting a face lift on their exterior but I think they gave their foods a major makeup too. Everything was DOWNSIZED. Their "use to be" awesome salad bar used to include salad and soup, now it's just salad. A poor and fresh deprived salad bar I thought. Things were low and lifeless and didn't look FRESH at all.
PARKING - This particular one is pretty crowded since the plaza is home to many food restaurants. Give yourself time to find parking. -
Review from Elvis P.
Long Beach, CA
11/18/2011
Tonight we had the best experience in the ten years we have been going here. Brooke, our server, was totally awesome as was the perfectly cooked food we received.
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Review from joanne m.
Fremont, CA
5/30/2011
Food is decent, love that they have a salad bar.
Service is super spotty.
Not as good as I have experienced at other locations...by far -
Review from Sandy M.
Newport Beach, CA
7/25/2011
If you want giant portions, this is the chain to go to. Food is ok. good place to go with a big group. you will not leave hungry!
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Review from remie m.
Newport Beach, CA
3/4/2011
claim jumper has been my favorite restaurant since high school!
I would always go to the one off PCH or the one on culver (b4 they closed). . . but this one was in the middle of my friend and I.
my fave dish is the dinner portion sliders! YUM!!!
never fails me!
The server Callie was very friendly and fast. Thanks for your excellent service Callie!
The poritons r huge which is good b/c i bring the leftovers 4 lunch @ work d next day! :)
I also ordered there red velvet cupcake. . .with is delish btw! a perfect meal! -
Review from Brittani D.
Orange, CA
10/7/2011
The service was horrid the food was rancid and I would never recommend this place to a starving homeless child. I would say die of starvation before you even think of going here.
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Review from Sade J.
Los Angeles, CA
3/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
There's a reason I stay away from chain restaurants...Claim Jumper reminded me of that.
Calorie ridden,mass produced food...nothing special!
I'm pretty sure I won't be giving it another try Los Angeles has so much more to offer! -
Review from Monica D.
10/3/2010
*** HAPPY HOUR REVIEW IN THE SALOON ONLY!!! ***
At that horrible hour that is 5pm on a weekday in south Orange County, one of the greatest distractions provided (and let's be honest, the diversions in this neck of the woods are few and far between anyway) is the lengthy daily happy hour offerings of the local neighborhood Claim Jumper.
My favorite branch is this one, situated at the very end (beginning?) of a relatively busy white-bread strip mall. The bar area, or their 'saloon,' is a gigantic sprawling area with plenty of booth seating, a small bottle/bartender island, and even a fully functional popcorn machine!
Now onto the good stuff. The drinks are nice and cheap -- from $4 for a pint of house beer to $6 for some stiffer cocktails. But the absolute greatest part is the food -- $2 for a soft pretzel that you'd swear was manna straight from heaven, to $4 mini pizzas and $5 fish tacos. Everything is fresh, well made, filled to the hilt with everything and just plain tasty.
The service is always efficient and warm, and we're never waiting for a table when we come in. On the plus side, the check always comes out to a very reasonable amount (at least until 7:30pm). Thanks CJ for always being there to make my hours extremely happy! -
Review from mimi p.
Normally I like Claim Jumper and their food is always good...
Went in the past Saturday evening..and we had 2 birthday certificates (party of 4).. and we were going to sit in the saloon, in the bar area next to each other so we can easily use the certificates and still be able to sit near each other.. We noticed that it was dead, no one was in there so we decided to sit in the booth... We asked the waitress if it was ok was to use the certificates since we came there together and we did have 2 birthdays to celebrate... She told us we can order our meals and she can "try" to put the certificates on our bills, but it may or may not work?? WTH is that??? She was very snooty and very unattentive.. So our party just decided to split up and the other 2 sat on the other side..
We placed our orders and got french onion soup and the chicken and ribs meals... The chicken looked like it was under cook because the meat was still red inside and she also forgot to bring out our muffin... We had to chase her down for every request we needed..By the time we noticed the chicken was red, we were too tired to even talk to her.. Horrible service!!!! -
Review from Gee T.
2/28/2011
Went here.
It sucks.
"nuff said. -
Review from JOHN M.
Long Beach, CA
9/17/2011
I have been to this restuarant before, the service and the food were great. This last time the food was poor and the service was just ok. The country fried steak was mostly breading and the mashed potatoes were warm and terrible. The gravy was nasty and the soup was the best part of the meal. I will not return to this branch ever again.
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Review from Isabel T.
Irvine, CA
8/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Claim Jumper used to be a favorite...not so much anymore. The portions aren't the same like they used to be and nothing really pops anymore. It's just an ok restaurant and I'm not going to pay $20 for an ok lunch. I'll probably skip this place for lunch but they do have decent happy hour specials.
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Review from Kathi K.
Newport Beach, CA
12/9/2010
Met with friends for happy hour/early dinner. Service was fantastic. The food...not so much. We had a chance to glance at the nutritional info and my advice is to look elsewhere if you want anything remotely healthy.
I ordered a small bite--Fish Tacos and they were swimming in grease. They need to update their decor and their menu here. -
Review from Lars B.
Anaheim, CA
10/6/2010 1 Check-in Here
This place specializes in large portions. They have good fish main courses. Basically a good cross of American foods.
Honestly nothing here ever stands out to me as really great. It's more like getting a large plate of comfort food whenever I go.
The atmosphere is rather inconsistent though. The theme is supposed to be Gold Rush California. Every time I go all I get from it is that I am eating in a log cabin and the waiters are wearing gold star badges. It doesn't really scream much of anything other than "Log Cabin" diner. -
Review from Stacey R.
Downey, CA
12/19/2010 1 Check-in Here
The food is good, but we waited about a good hour to recieve our food and when we did, it was a little cold =/ Oh and it was only 3 of us!
Other than that, cheese sticks are DELICIOUS! -
Review from Kim D.
3/23/2009
This is a true story of love, pain, and pie.
A decade ago, my future brother-in-law was a server here while he was finishing college. This meant that my painfully frugal parents used to corral us for "family dinners" here, which was really just an excuse for my Dad to leave a generous tip for the FBIL. My singular mission in attending these garish meals was to EAT SOME PIE THAT OTHER PEOPLE BAKED.
Homemade pie - with old-fashioned, from-scratch crust PIE is an obsession and tradition that was inflicted upon me, as a crucial component of my evolution into a WASPy Chinkana. The art and love that goes into baking a truly homemade pie is revered among foodies and is for most 30-somethings, an unheard of endeavor that borders upon insanity.
In my family? It's like a compulsory event in Home Ec-Olympics, with legions of relatives judging both your technical execution and artistic expression. The Russians (by my cousin's marriage) are always giving us bullshit low scores; it's all political.
But Wait - There's MORE! We baked with fruit we grew in back and front yards: nectarines, apples, green and black plums, apricots, lemons, grapefruit, tangerines, navel AND Valencia oranges. There was also a peach tree, but it was a failure because our Golden Retriever thought it was a tennis ball tree.
Concord grape vines and blackberries grew up arbors and trellises; we had strawberries and tomatoes, bell peppers, radishes, carrots and we even grew CORN. Do you know how socially crippling it is to have school friends over for dinner, and be told to "go pick a salad"?
During the height of summer, our yard smelled sweet... like ripe fruit - and the Band of Five were dutifully dispatched every afternoon with buckets and a fruit-picker stick to battle the dreaded Japanese Fruit Beetles: giant, iridescent, black, monster "June Bugs" on steroids. We'd sometimes carry umbrellas out with us to shield us from the rain of beetles that fell upon us every time we moved the branches or tugged with the fruit picker.
The lethargic, fruit-gorged beetles would fall on us - sometimes - DOZENS at once, which would result in screaming, flailing and panic-dances. Then, they would buzz around and land on the fruit trees, again. Dad would whistle as he watched from the kitchen window and rolled out fresh dough for the pie crust.
Sadist.
Back to Claim Jumper - remember? With my mental powers, I tuned out the oppressive, heavy-hipped crowds crammed into "Mom Jeans". I would force a smile and pick at an anemic salad that was served with a gravy boat of artery-clogging dressing; no triple-bypass baked potato soup for me, thanks. Ribs drenched in cloyingly-sweet, mass-produced BBQ sauce - go ahead - I had a late lunch.
While my sister fawned over her intended, and my parents smiled approvingly at their blossoming romance, I was either restless or sullen, which I would attempt (poorly) to mask by having a staring contest with nearby stuffed moose head. But when that giant dessert tray was FINALLY brought around, I was all about THE PIE.
It was like having flashbacks to my days on the Academic Decathlon Team: Oooh! Oooh!! Look at me first! "Olallaberry Pie for me!" I would shout across the table, before the FBIL could even begin his presentation.
Crumbly, butter-laden, sugar-jacked, golden-brown goodness on top, with pockets of fruit filling punching through... an obscene portion that I would cheerfully devour, while the rest of the family shuffled doggie bags around and "shared" enormous hunks of carrot cake, groaning through bites of Chocolate Motherlode Cake or the infamous I Declair.
Grinning, ebullient - purple seeded filling peeking out between my teeth, I would take another ravenous bite of MY Olallaberry Pie and pose the earnest question, my words thickly slurred by the cornstarch-stabilized fruit: "Why... didn't... you order *gulp of milk* the PIE?" Dad would shoot me a desultory and withering glare.
Gleeful and triumphant masochist.
In the distance... the buzzing of fruit beetles haunts me, still.Listed in: Meet My Pathologically Frugal…
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Review from Dan H.
9/30/2009
One of the advantages of being divorced with no kids is I never have to go to "family restaurants". Thank you Jesus, thank you Lord! If you have never been to a CJ, thank the above as I did and move along, nothing worthwhile here.
Ok, maybe one or two things that I'll get to.
This yelp begins at the Angel game on Monday 9/28/09. The Angels are hoping to clinch the AL West on this chilly night at the Big A. Not only do they clinch, they put a big time whooping on the Rangers with 11 runs. If that aint sweet enough, after the 10th run they post on the jumbotron "Free wings at CJ for the next 24 hrs". Hmmm, doubt if I will ever cash that lil treat in.
Well lo and behold a long lost ex-coworker contacts me and says he will be in Orange on biz and lets hook up. Hmmm, what's in between Tustin and Orange where we can catch up? Benjies? Nah, he's too young to appreciate an old deli bar. OMG!! There is a CJ on the corner of 17th and Tustin! WooHoo!! I get to cash in!!
So we meet shortly after 5:00 and are practically the only ones in the bar. Kinda weird, have read they have a popular hh. We both order a glass of wine ($1 off for hh), not bad and what a pour!! Their ginormous servings even spill over to the bar? Well......thanks for that!
After a half hour or so of catching up the bar is now packed, and packed with, ahem.... large people mostly, and lotsa kids. Ah, we are busy CU and are barely noticing the mayhem swirling around us. Hey, lets order those wings!
Wings were meh, but 3 glasses of that CJ pour and I was gnawing on those bones like they were puppy chow!
If you are looking for something good to eat in this area and want a casual, even family friendly spot do yourself a favor and head north 2 blocks to Benjies Deli. You will thank me later.
You're welcome. -
Review from Randi B.
1/3/2009
I think I am over Claim Jumper. The last time I went, it was to the Brea location, we had a HORRIBLE experience, and I ended up giving it one star, although I would have preferred giving it zero stars.
So, last night my parents took me and my BF out to dinner, by dad chose the Santa Ana location. We were seated promptly, our waitress was nice. But the food was...eh.
I got the Goldrush Chicken. It is served with mashed potatoes and gravy and root vegetables. The chicken is supposed to be topped with a mushroom/onion sauce and melted cheese.
My first bite was of vegetables, a carrot and zucchini to be exact. They were cold. I then tried the mashed potatoes, also cold. My chicken was warm, but not hot. And the "melted" cheese was not melted. There were clumps of shredded cheese all over the plate. It was edible, but it wasn't very good.
My stepmom's Jumbo Fried Shrimp were a dark brown, almost burnt looking. My dad and my BF both ordered the Whiskey Chicken, which we all found to be way too sweet.
At the end of the meal, we had a problem with paying. I guess they had a promo going on for the holiday's, where if you purchased gift cards for a certain dollar amount, you received $10 gift cards as a reward. My dad had received 9 of those gift cards. The back of the card was worded strangely, and my dad understood it to say you could use up to 5 of the cards at a time.
When it came time to pay, my dad put 5 of the $10 cards in, and he was told that he could only use 4 of them. The computer would only let them put through 4. My dad wasn't having that, and he kind of fought with the server, stating the back of the card suggested you could use 5 cards. After some back and forth, and the server saying the computer wouldn't allow it, they magically got the computer to accept the 5th card.
Overall, it was a hassle, and the food was just okay. I really don't think I will be returning to any Claim Jumper locationsfor a long time to come.Listed in: Are you kidding me?
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Review from Ken G.
2/24/2010
This place doesn't seem to get very good reviews, but I thought my last trip here was great.
I'll start off by saying that I typically don't frequent, or usually even like, big chain restaurants (Applebee's, Olive Garden, TGI Friday's, etc.), but this restaurant does have some great food. My favorite dish here is the Fried Chicken and Buttermilk Biscuits (it's actually not on the menu anymore, but you can still order it and is the same price as the Chicken Fried Steak, which was around $16 for the "large") - it's always arrived perfect and tasty. If I'm in the mood for comfort food, this is usually a great spot for me to go to. The fried chicken at Claim Jumper, for some reason, is still the best fried chicken I've had (at a non fine dining restaurant).
We had bread pudding and a mint chocolate chip ice cream cake slice for dessert - it was great!
The service was bit on the slow side, but our server was still very friendly and got all the order items correctly. -
Review from Ana M.
2/23/2008
HAPPY HOUR!!
5$ Margaritas and Martinis! Cheap beers! Rad appetizer specials! $1 off any drink or regular appetizer that isn't on the special list.
I didn't eat dinner there .. I just got wasted and got appetizers. The nachos were decent, the garlic cheese bread was DELICIOUS! Margaritas were yummy... it's a great place for happy hour i'll say that much.Listed in: Happy Hour in The OC !
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Review from Don H.
Yucca Valley, CA
5/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
The portions, the portions, the portions. Enjoyed the salad bar and french onion soup. The chilled plates and forks add enjoyment to the salad experience. Great muffins.
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Review from Charlene E.
Placentia, CA
10/19/2008
Disclaimer!
I am a big Claim Jumper fan and despite all that happened tonight, my husband and I were both really happy with our food.
On with my review:
Met another couple here for dinner tonight. I hope it was just off night but things did not go well. We placed our drink orders (coke, ice tea, etc., no booze) and our server brought them out fairly fast. She took our orders and said she would be back shortly with the salads and well, that took quite a while. She promised us drink refills when she delivered the salads but that didn't happen.
The salads took so long, our entrees arrived while were only halfway through with them and we still didn't have drink refills. The runner who brought the entrees handed our friend his prime rib, which he ordered medium rare, and said "we don't have medium rare prime rib, only medium, I hope that's okay." Um, no that's not okay when you order medium rare and the server never mentions they only have medium. A manager came over to see what was wrong and we told her about the prime rib, the salads that took so long they coincided with our entrees and the drink refills that STILL hadn't appeared.
Another manager came over and offered our friend a rib-eye in place of the prime rib and not wanting to waste any more time, he took it but that meant we were almost finished with our meals by the time his came to the table. His medium rare steak was almost raw but we had complained enough already and he ate what he could. We finally got our drink refills and had to ask for the rolls that came with our entrees, and were only brought one and had to send the runner back for the second one. Sheesh.
I guess it just wasn't our friend's night because he ordered a chocolate creme brulee for desert and when his pregnant wife tasted it, it had a distinct coffee flavor and when they asked the server about it, she apologized (again) and said it was actually chocolate mocha. Not a big deal unless you are pregnant and avoiding caffeine but by this time, we didn't even want to hear another "I'm sorry" we just wanted to pay our bill and leave.
But I guess when Claim Jumper totally f's up your meal, sorry is all you get because they didn't reduce our bill by a penny. -
Review from Alisha G.
Long Beach, CA
2/18/2009
After driving around trying to find a place to have dinner we spot the chain restaurant Claim Jumper. We normally shy away from chains but always thought of CJ's as the exception not the rule. Not anymore.
We arrive around 8:45 on a Friday evening, and are seated immediately as the place is totally DEAD. After :30 seconds our overly chipper, overly coiffed waiter bounds over to our table to get our drink order and is surprised that we need a minute to open the menu. Justin/Jeff/Seth or whatever fake waiter name he was using came back to take our drink order. That is when he must have fallen into a wormhole because he disappeared. We sat waiting for almost 15 minutes before he returned with our drinks and to get our dinner order.
When our food arrived, the fish and chips was totally disgusting, the breading or should I say coating was chewy/greasy creating a slimy consistency in your mouth, who ever was in back must have really hated fries judging from what they did to them. They were way over seasoned with what tasted like stale Lowery Seasoning Salt, the Thai Coleslaw had big pieces of romaine lettuce and let's just say the romaine in coleslaw was not not yummy, the veggies which I always loved were completely overcooked leaving them limp and tasteless. Not to mention the temperature of both my fish and my dates chicken was Arctic.
So I bet you are thinking I should have sent it back right??? Well I would have if I could have gotten the attention of our waiter. Who come to find out was at the bar flirting with a group of MILF's. And far be it from me to interfere with Dragon/Justin/Jeff trying to line up a BJ in the parking lot from some Doctor's hot morale-free wife.
It really sucks because CJ's is a little pricey, I mean not Spago pricey but it will set you back a little with drinks and if you opt for dessert you may have to become an indentured servant.
I guess this is what happens when you compromise.
Why go to a place where they make you feel like a burden for dining there, when you can go a "mom and pop" place where they seem to go the extra mile, giving you way better service and quality for your money. -
Review from Mehrdad M.
Placentia, CA
1/10/2009
This is the "good" Claim Jumper in my neighborhood. Sadly the Brea one is closer to me, but I would recommend you steer clear of the Brea location as the food and service are dreadful.
The Santa Ana location has an excellent and courteous staff. The food always seem to be of a higher quality than the Brea location. I know, that doesn't make sense since they're a chain, and logic would dictate that their foods be identical. But what can I tell you? The Santa Ana location is simply better in every way.
By the way, this location DOES take reservations! So do yourself a favor and make reservations if you plan on going on a weekend night.
Also, don't forget that Claim Jumper has an AMAZING Happy Hour. It surprises me how many people forget that about this franchise.
Enjoy your food, and get ready to be filled, as the portions are huge! -
Review from Mark P.
Temecula, CA
6/25/2010
My OC sales rep and I typically eat at Claim Jumpers when I co-travel with him. This location is easy to get to and has a great parking lot. The staff was friendly and took good care of us (just keep my tea filled and I am happy).
I tried something new for lunch and loved it! I tried the BBQ sliders and I recommend them for lunch! The portions are always big and the food is always fresh. -
Review from Rich L.
Garden Grove, CA
3/6/2010
ZzzzZzzz.... oh sorry there, I was in a food coma. Since it was a Lent Friday, I went there, trying to remember to order something seafood like or vegetarian (hopefully the first, and not the second).
Our waiter was very kind and got our orders pretty quickly. If you haven't been here before, then be warn, everything here is big! The forks, the knives, the spoons, all big as well as the dishes and food.
We order the spinach dip and it came with tortilla chips that was bigger than the average ones too. I've had better spinach dip (ones with asparagus too) than here, but this one wasn't so bad.
We then order the clam chowder that was good, but by the time we were done we couldn't move. It was just sooooooooooooooo big and filling that it took me about another 2 hours before the food coma went away.
PS: they have happy hour from 3 till 7 I belive, but only at the bar. -
Review from Alan J.
Pasadena, CA
2/29/2008
Never in my wildest dream would I think of raving about Claim Jumper. I'm not much into chain restaurants. But after a few samples from coworkers (leftovers), I've jumped on the bandwagon and join in the weekly lunch orders.
I'm a huge fan of the black tie pasta and the citrus salad with blackened chicken. The lunch portions are suffice and the prices are fairly decent. Not to mention you have the option of garlic bread or muffin with your order. Hands down the cornbread muffin is SUPER GOOD.
I had to give an extra star for their service. My boss won a lunch drawing and they served us free lunch sandwiches that served 20 people. They were even kind enough to deliver all the free goods.
I'd also recommend the Ore Cart for the meat lovers and mud pie for those with a sweet tooth. Claim Jumper is really not that bad. -
Review from Sam V.
Houston, TX
1/9/2008
I have eaten at different Claim Jumper locations (not by my choice) and if it is anything, it is certainly what I would consider a failed attempt at an upscale Friday's or Chili's atmosphere. The menu is standard American fare, so don't expect anything exciting.
What really gets my goat is the fact that the portions may be huge, but they lack any taste or even aroma. The cedar plank salmon, the chicken cashew sandwich, the soggy quiche - all bland dishes with no imagination. Even the fresh fruit they serve is bland (unripe).
The muffins, french fries and great service are the only things that save this place. I will continue to eat here as long as my customers keep requesting it. -
Review from Cassie P.
4/27/2007
We took the girls from the office here for lunch on their suggestion. I haven't eaten in a Claim Jumper for 12 years! And not much has changed!
A huge menu with huge portions. Everything seemed fresh and everyone ate their food. Burgers, fish stix and a large sweet potato filled with Jamaican chicken.
I hunkered down with a slice of mud pie. Yep! Mud Pie for my entree. Why waste my calories on the other stuff if mud pie was what I really wanted. Unfortunately, it had a big chunk of ice covering the crust side that wasn't too appetizing.
Our server was great and anxious to keep our bottomless cups full. -
Review from Giancarla E.
Garden Grove, CA
2/27/2010
I wonder why this restaurant has such low reviews. I've had nothing but excellent food and even more impressive service here and from all the Claim Jumper branches. The last time I was here with my mom, they cooked my steak incorrectly so they gave me a brand new plate and docked 70% off the bill! They were super nice about that and my esteem of them grew.
Being a happy meat-eater, I usually get their ribeye steak along with grilled asparagus. I love getting a side of their Thai slaw and an appetizer size of their Crunchy Spinach Salad. LOVE their cheese bread (must-have every single visit) Yes, their food is a little pricy but the portions are absolutely gynormous! I rarely finish my food and usually have a doggy bag for the following meal.
Mmmm...ribeye steak... -
Review from Stephanie P.
Seattle, WA
12/22/2006
The Claim Jumper is huge in Reno, but I've never been a fan of them --- partly because of their high prices and monstrous portions, and partly because I once saw a waitress lick a full ice-cream glass on her way to serving it at a table. I was a bit leery when a friend suggested we go there for lunch, but I'm pleased to report that the southern California version of Claim Jumper is an entirely different, and much better, beast.
We were there on a weekend day for lunch, and it was busy but not crowded; they seated us right away, though it was a few minutes before we saw our waitress. The lunch menu is not nearly as out of control as the giant dinner menu --- most of the options offered are reasonably sized and fairly well priced. They even have a salad bar now, which isn't huge but has a pretty decent selection (and some pre-made cold salads and slaws).
I had the roasted turkey sandwich, and asked for a side of cranberry-orange relish, which our waitress brought right away. The sandwich was good, though their shoestring fries were much too salty, and with the dill pickle on the side, it was just way too much sodium. My friend had the "Widowmaker" burger, which was frighteningly huge and apparently has a layer of onion rings wedged inside (not slices of onion, mind you, but batter-fried onion rings). He was a little baffled about how to pick it up and eat it, but had no complaints once he started in on it. Their Bloody Mary was strong, but not overpoweringly so, and came in a generously sized glass.
In addition to sandwiches (offered with a choice of sides, including fresh fruit and coleslaw), they also offer smaller versions of some dinner entrees on the lunch menu. Most of the lunch selections are $10-12 --- and since this is Claim Jumper, they can't totally overcome the urge to press giant portions upon you, so you won't leave hungry. Our waitress was pleasant and attentive, got our orders right, and was quick with the refills. I'm still afraid of the Claim Jumpers in Nevada, but after trying the California version, I haven't given up entirely on the chain. -
Review from Johnny N.
Los Angeles, CA
4/5/2009
Ok, there must be an issue with this location. I have been a steadfast fan of CJ from the beginning, but after tonight's experience (as part of a string of experiences), we're probably not coming back (to this location at least).
- One order of the winter special, beef stew. The meat had a texture worse than Dinty Moore.... it was like meat jello, but not as tender. Also way salty... to the manager's credit, she offered to take it off the tab, and let my mom have the Produce Bar gratis.
- The garlic cheese toast was drenched in fat... no, it's not the healthiest thing, but we're talking squeeze-and-drip amounts of fat.
- A ribeye, ordered medium rare. It came out medium well. I was hungry and ate it anyway, but it was drier than a medium well should be.
- A sirloin, medium well.... WAY to tough and dry. Really, the claim of "aged" steaks should be take off the menu.
On top of it, while our server was great, there was another one who was happily chatting away with his customers, sitting on the railing, and blocking the path of my mom, who stood there for at least a minute without the server noticing (and she's too polite to "interrupt")... I had to step up there and ask him to get out of the way. -
Review from Guillermo G.
Los Angeles, CA
4/25/2010
This place was recommended to by a friend. He invited my wife and I to try it. I was a little skeptical because of the reviews. There were some good one, but also plenty of bad ones. Nonetheless, I went for it.
It was a good decision. This place was great. The staff was really friendly and attentive. We got our orders fast. The quality of the food is fantastic, and so is the quantity. A plate of food is enough for 2-3 people, seriously (depending on what you order, but definitely for 2 people). We did three courses, all great.The CJ RED Ale was also tasty.
The place is not cheap, but considering the amount of food you get it's fair. My advice is to order with the intent to share. They have this piece of cake that is almost a whole cake in any other place...insane.
I've seen the negative reviews and disagree with them. I don't know why. I had a wonderful experience. Maybe I was lucky, but definitely I'm coming back. -
Review from Abraham D.
Orange, CA
2/27/2011
Great place for happy hour. Cheap drinks and appetizers.
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Review from Ashlee N.
Orange, CA
6/4/2010
Go here all the time with my friends/family and it's for the most part always been great. I LOVEEEE their food...I get the fire roasted artichoke every time...it's a must cause I love artichokes. I've even ordered it from take out twice. Pricey but worth it. Only bad thing I guess is the last time I ordered it to go, I ended up having to wait a while when I went to pick it up. The service has always been decent when we've gone into eat and we've never really had to wait too long even on busy days...I think the most we waited was 15-20 minutes but it was PACKED. I will keep coming back to this Claim Jumper
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Review from Tory L.
Santa Ana, CA
3/8/2011
One of my favorite places to go when its your birthday. Very good.
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Review from H H.
Tustin, CA
11/2/2010
This Claim Jumper has been good in the past, but holy cow, no more! We waited an hour for food, 10 more minutes for ketchup. It was one of those surreal dream-like restaurant experiences where you feel invisible and time-warpy. When our food arrived it was overcooked and cold. So obviously, there was a service issue. And a cooking issue. I could have used those sliders as hockey pucks. And double cheese? Not even single cheese. Maybe 1/4 cheese. Maybe the chef needs to read the menu. After one slider I was done. What!? You don't want to take that home with you?
I'm giving 2 stars because it has been better... good luck.
