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The moment my plane touched down, and we left the airport bar I reminded my friend that I wanted seafood while I was in Portland. We went to breakfast Saturday morning and passed Jake's and made a mental note that this is where we were going to be eating.
We had my favorite escargot for an appetizer along with steamed clams. Delicious.
I had the pan fried oysters with garlic mash and green beans. The Oysters we're awesome! The mash tasty. The green beans flash cooked and still raw with very little flavoring. Our server recommended taking them home and re-heating them, that's how she enjoys them.
My friend had stuffed halibut, along with a side of stuffed shrimp, again we cannot complain.
The seating was tight, and it was busy and halloween night so the service left a tiny bit to be desired. I will definitely go back when I'm in Portland again so I can continue on down the menu.
New menu every day with all of the information of where the seafood was flown in from fresh at the top. It left me with a smile.
Food worth a 3.5 but our server/bartender was soooooo amazing, super attentive, he totally bumped up the rating to a 4 star! :)
At first we weren't too pleased being placed by the backroom bar, wanted a booth but that means at least another 20 minutes of wait. Then we made eye contact with our server, *sparkles*, hehe, alright, maybe slightly exaggerated, but we knew we would be in good hands so we stayed.
Of course we were right!!!
He patiently explained to us all the specials, his favorite, his wife's favorite, the most popular dishes and the taste/texture/sauce heaviness of the dishes, etc. Such a pleasure just to have that conversation and then he was being SUPER attentive to bring us hot water =P That gesture easily made us beyond happy, we were slightly touched, he cared about us! :D
Alright, before I turn this into an essay about our server, I better move onto the food!
After much serious contemplation, we settled for a bowl of dungeons crab bisque (please try it, it's got a slight spicy kick to it, creamy but not overly so, you'd scream yum!), arugula salad with roasted hazelnuts and feta in pomegranate vinaigrette (I heart all the ingredients in this salad, but it was showered in too much dressing, the sourness of the vinaigrette even overpowered the arugula, and for those of you arugula lovers out there, arugula's got a pretty distinctive flavor to itself!). We also shared a sturgeon, mainly because it was caught from the Columbia river in Oregon :D The sauce made all the difference, it was bathed in dijon black peppercorn basil butter, light and flavorful, WOW! The fish itself was grilled to the just-right texture as well...
What a wonderful way to end a day! =]
Expectations are often very difficult to meet, even when tempered by hunger's lingering insistance. Over time, word of mouth can collect amid the darker corners of the subconscious like so much cholesterol, until finally the pressure builds and, like a debilitating heart attack, you have no choice but to acknowledge its presence.
Enter Jake's; long-time Portland institution, tourist spot and favorite lounge of the after-work crowd - I am surprised that it took me so long to get to this historic restaurant, settled just off of Stark and the ever-busy Burnside.
The hype has always been massively complimentary: I will love it, there is no better seafood in the state, Jake's is a religious dining experience, etc etc. I have been to many restaurants in my admittedly short time on this earth, so I know better than to accept hyperbole at face value.
I must note that I am very impressed with the bar - the barkeep was fast, knowledgable and friendly - and while this is not unique to Jake's, the old-school charm with which you are surrounded upon entry is worthy of note, and combines to form a truly relaxing experience, no matter how many people happen to be shoulder to shoulder with you at the time. I enjoyed my Guinness in contentment until we were called to our table.
The restaurant itself is nothing if not classy - elegant, sophisticated trappings take you back to a time where you can imagine the streets outside to be of cobblestone, traipsed upon by horses and carriages and the "newfangled" Model T automobile. Rich oak fixtures, an attentive and courteous staff...the majority of my high score can be attributed to these very important characteristics.
The food itself varied in quality from amazing (the calamari and crab bisque were of particular note) to decent. My dinner itself, the thresher shark, was tasty enough...grilled well and covered in a cilantro butter that was quite nice, but definitely small - I have had a shark steak before, and it was of considerable size, at least when compared to what was offered to me. While light and fluffy, the mashed potatoes were a bit bland, although I am assured that there was some measure of garlic in them.
In all, with the delicate, flavorful crisp of the calamari (and mouth-watering horseradish marmalade!) and a savory, meaty cup of crab bisque as a starter, I think I was simply ruined for the main course. I could have honestly made a meal of the appetizers and been content, given more of the same.
That is not to say that I had a bad experience with Jake's - on the contrary...I enjoyed it very much, and will certainly return. The only thing I plan to do differently, however, is to order something of perhaps more substance for a main dish - maybe then I will be content to offer the perfect score that Jake's so nearly came close to achieving.
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"You get what you pay for" is the case here at Jake's. Expect a $100+ tab for 4 but expect to be fed very well. The seafood here is amazing...the only thing better than the seafood were the snails in butter and garlic...errrrr I mean the escargot...the best snails ever eaten. I ordered the shrimp and scallop fettucine (5 stars) and my parents got the crawfish (5 stars). My sister got the etoufe which was good but not great.
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White jacketed waitstaff with corporate trained spiel greeted our messy sweaty selves after drunk biking here. Felt just a tad out of place, but we were hungry!
The food is quite decent, enjoyed the bay shrimp Louie salad, which our server was kind enough to split for us on two separate plates. Sweet mounds of shrimp in a tangy dressing hit the spot. Really enjoyed the tender and fresh razor clams. Lightly coated with panko and pan sauteed, great fresh from the sea flavor with a marvelous texture. Cedar planked Columbia river salmon was tasty if just a tad overdone. Both entrees served with garlic mashers, string beans and julienned carrots.
Obligatory desert tray presentation worked its magic, hard to pass up. Trio of raspberry tart, creme brulee and mini chocolate mousse bag. Thankfully we were biking down hill on the way back.
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(not so) fun fact: newly issued Washington State ID's are not accepted here.
Like many states, Washington's ID cards are mailed to recipients after being processed by the DMV. This means that at the time of renewal a temporary card is issued to a cardholder with the instruction to present it as well as the expired yet legitimate plastic ID for proper identification. While this policy is widely recognized in the Evergreen State, it tends to garner a few puzzled looks elsewhere.
And, to our surprise, flat out denial at Jake's. As we were told, they have chosen to only accept current laminated identification, which apparently doesn't include our scenario. I can appreciate a business's right to choose who to serve to, after all, the OLCC has a strong and mighty fist. However, it does make me wonder what's really going on... every other spot in town that we've tried says it's A.OK. Why not here? We didn't stick around to find out... because if the card is a no go then the person in question isn't allowed to stay. It's policy. What can you do?
I wholeheartedly appreciate and understand Jake's stance on this, and I do realize that we could have had the option to sit in the restaurant instead of the bar. I, however, am not impressed on how the turn of events was handled (and hence the rating). To me, an instance like this would deserve more than just quickly being turned away. A sincere explanation goes a long way to avoid bruised egos (by both parties) and quell perplexity.
So I would have liked to have experienced Jake's. My brief foray into the cool old bar and beyond awesome late night happy hour menu would suggest that this Portland institution is a happenin' place to see and been seen. But at this point I'm not sure when I'll be back...
... maybe 3-10 business days after I get a -real- ID in the mail.
***UPDATE***
After pursuing things a little more, the manager got in touch to let us know exactly why they run things the way they do. That's definitely worthy of a bump up in my book and sign of an effort to make good. it's appreciated. thanks.
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If you love an old fashioned (over 100 years old), traditional, consistently good restaurant then this your place in Portland. Great bar (has a urine trough in the floor in front of the bar that used to be something that "in the old days" was used for quick relief) My wife celebrated our anniversary there and split a wonderful Sturgeon dish as well as a brie and crabmeat stuffed Halibut. They presented us with a complimentary chocolate cheesecake for dessert which topped off an excellent dinner. Our server was excellent, our dinner was perfect, and we will return any time we are in the Portland area. Jake's Famous Crawfish is everything we had hoped it would be.
We have been coming here for years, and once again, I was not disappointed.
I had the crawfish appetizer which was very good. They were cooked in a spicy cajun broth and served cold. The fuckers take too long to crack open and there isn't much meat there (that's NOT what she said) once you get the suckers open. No blame to Jake's, I blame evolution. I also had the crab and bay shrimp stuffed King Salmon - this dish is to die for. The B&C had the Ahi, the friends had the Sturgeon and the Halibut cheeks - friggin grubs all around. Had some very good decaf and a four berry cobbler w/vanilla bean ice cream. Fuck yeah!!!!
Always loved the joint, and, still do!
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Most definitely a tourist trap as clearly observed when we dined here last week! My overly inquisitive self perused the entire restaurant and can easily pick out them diners from overseas. But for a tourist trap, I quite enjoyed it.
The menu changes daily it appears cuz our menu was dated on the top. And boy oh boy, is it ever the most exhaustive seafood menu I have ever seen with some meat dishes included. I opted for ol' faithful fish and chips and out came 2 giant pieces of halibut with loads of chips. I realized whilst it was fresh, I had made a mistake cuz halibut is too tough for me, I'd prefer cod, should have been more specific. Not the restaurant's fault my bad.
Overall the food was amazing, we also tried their Maine lobster and that was so fresh I swear I found the eyes glaring at me.
One warning though, don't stuff your face with the loaf of sour dough that they bring before your appys or entrees, otherwise you'd be rolling out of the restaurant, like I did, the whole time complaining I am going to die of fullness.
I'd recommend this place even though it is really a tourist trap, go for the experience, its fun, food's good, service fast and friendly and I really had a good time here. Oh, the dessert tray looked amazing but I could barely finished my entree (damn sour dough bread) hence I could not even look at ordering that chocolate in a bag dish.
Love the HH menu. Great place to meet up with friends, but definitely not much else to offer.
The restaurant is never full, while the bar is always full; perhaps they can switch the room or make their dinner menu more in tune with their bar menu.
I wish I could give more stars, but with all the great eateries around, they need to step up and not ride on their name alone.
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Great place to chow down on a helping of crawfish. Took my mom here and she loved it. The meal was excellent and the dessert was to die for.
Site would not allow me to add photos here so I have placed a couple in my profile of the above noted menu items, have a look!
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The staff is knowledgeable. There are no spring chickens serving in this joint. Their servers have been around for a long time. That says a lot of things to me, and all of them are good.
I went here with my husband for our anniversary and they printed out a special menu just for us, wishing us a happy anniversary with our names on it and everything.
They are classy people here. They know how to make you feel special and well attended to. They are considered among the top ten seafood restaurants in the nation for good reason.
I have to say that we had an extremely disappointing meal here this past weekend.
My grandma was in town for her 80th birthday. She loves seafood so my wife and I wanted to take her out for her last meal in town. Having moved here from Seattle and eaten my fair share of seafood there, I have a good basis for comparison. Unfortunately, this was one of the least impressive meals I've had in Portland.
I have no qualms with the service, which was actually excellent. However, all three of us did not like our meals. Now, if it was just one person complaining, I could dismiss it but each of us were completely unsatisfied with the quality of the food.
It began when my grandma mentioned she couldn't chew the (cold) bread that we were served. I figured it was just a senior moment. Turns out she was right - great sourdough flavor but real work to get down.
For our entrees, we each ordered halibut prepared differently. My wife had the cheeks, I had macadamia crusted and my grandma had fish and chips, which were soggy. I hate to say it but I've had better food at fast food chains, not to mention at McCormick's in Seattle. I understand some places have specialties but c'mon - halibut three ways and not one hit?
I rarely write a bad review but was extremely disappointed that this was the note on which we ended my grandma's trip to Portland. I also have no problem paying for good food but feel like the price we paid for this meal was in absolutely no way justified.
Sorry fellow Yelpers... I have to disagree on this one.
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This review is based solely on my HH experiences there, but I'm a fan. Granted, I'm not exactly looking for gourmet when I hit Jakes, but when in the mood for a huge amount of seafood for next to nothing, I'll settle for "it's pretty good." At least the freshness is not questionable. With the amount of crawdads this place goes through, they're always delightfully sweet tasting.
So I went back yesterday with a couple of friends for a happy hour feast. I'm not kidding, either. 2 orders of crawfish, salmon cakes, calamari, mussels, 6 oysters on the half shell, potstickers, tempura ahi roll (I think the Asian influence is a little wierd, but who am I to judge what's on the menu when it's so cheap?), a burger and fries, 2 cocktails, 2 beers and an 8 oz. pour of wine. And our bill was $66.
The three of us were starving upon arrival (hence the over-ordering), and we were all in pain upon our exit. And I though all the dishes were decent to good. Highlights were steamed mussels, calamari, and the crawfish. The potstickers and fried roll were mediocre, but my two pals adored them, so no points docked.
The burger is a steal at $2.95 and comes with awesome steak fries and plenty of mayo and ketchup on the side to drench them in. It's certainly not Paley's burger, but juicy and loaded with shredded lettuce and white onion. Then again, the Paley's burger with fries is $21. It's comparing apples and oranges. Or cross-cut, ground-to-order kobe to frozen patties from some huge operation in Montana.
Tried the Mango White cocktail ($8 just for that). Pretty good for a frou-frou drink.
Service was super on the ball. My cocktail waitress asked me for a drink order while I was still taking off my jacket.
Like I said, it's not gourmet, but if you're looking for decent, super-cheap happy hour, it's gotta be one of my fave spots around.
I'm all about happy hour (hey, I'm a student and we all know students are always strapped for cash) and I've got to give them a thumbs up for their happy hour selection and decadent tasting cucumber martini. Yes, cucumber martini! I was skeptical when the server suggested it, but I'm so glad she did.
I won't hold it against them, but they were out of buffalo wings and normally happy hour without buffalo wings just isn't happy hour. However, the $1.95 Jake's Famous Crawfish Cajun Chicken Sandwich and Spinach and Artichoke dip as well as the $4.95 calamari (soooo good!) and Chipotle Chicken Quesadilla were absolutely delish and perfectly proportioned! Some places tend to serve small portions when it comes to happy hour, so I was quite impressed especially when the server came out with the plates at how huge they were. We also ordered salmon cakes for $1.95 and they were ok. There were four of us and we couldn't even finish the quesdadilla! The only catch to getting the happy hour priced dishes is to order a drink (it can be soda, iced tea, cucumber martini...), but it's still a steal.
I'm not from Portland or Oregon for that matter and I'm so glad we stumbled upon the place as we were walking through downtown. I think we may just make another trip back up to Portland to have another cucumber martini before we head back down to SoCal. It's that good.
We never made it inside, but enjoyed our meal alfresco as the weather was absolutely gorgeous. Great service, great food, great drinks, great price = you need to check them out, at least for happy hour!
We went to Jake's for our 4th anniversary dinner and we couldn't have asked for a better meal, setting or service for the event. I was a little nervous about Jake's because it is a McCormick and Schmick's and I was scared it would have that corporate feel that some of their restaurants have. Thankfully, Jake's is a fairly independent, old Portland place with only a smattering of corporate promotional material to remind you that it is, in fact, owned by a larger national company.
We made a reservation and let them know about our anniversary and when we sat down and started perusing our menu, we noticed that they were customized with "Happy 4th Anniversary!" Since they print a fresh sheet everyday, that's such an easy and nice thing to do. Now we have a little souvenir from our dinner. I love awesome, simple little customer service things like that. Generally, the service was great. We had an older gentleman as our waiter - he had obviously been working there for years and he really knew what he was doing.
The food was delicious, one of the best seafood meals I've eaten. The Dungeness Crab Chowder was outstanding and my king salmon and halibut saute was perfect - chunks of halibut and salmon in a white wine and mushroom cream sauce served with rice and a few raspberries that surprised me in how perfect they went with all the other ingredients. And my wife's macadamia crusted halibut was also very tasty.
For desert, they brought us out a free slice of cheesecake. We were both totally stuffed but we couldn't pass up really tasty, free cheesecake now could we?
And for the amount and quality of the food that we got, our bill was very reasonable. I expected to pay a lot more for our anniversary dinner, that's for sure.
So thanks to Jake's Famous Crawfish for making our anniversary dinner wonderful, so wonderful that we went back to our hotel with our bellies full and took a nap before heading to the concert we were going to later in the evening.
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I was underwhelmed. This was our first dinner our first time visiting Portland. Jake's is supposed to be a landmark place, now owned by McCormick and Schmick's (sp?).
Hard, dark wooden booths. A definite theme, but not too comfy. I tried the macadamia encrusted halibut and it was somewhat dry. Had a little fruity salsa on top, but needed some sauce. And I normally love beet salads, but the one here was not great.
Gotta admit though...my daughter's mac and cheese (which is only on the kiddie menu) was THE BEST mac and cheese we've ever had.
So just OK and not a place I will be rushing back to. For the price and the hoopla, it should have been much better.
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This place is amazing. I ate here with my husband and in-laws during a vacation trip to Portland. Everything we had was delicious. Especially the mussels appetizer. I love mussels and these were truly the best I'd ever had. Large portions and exceptional service. Our server replaced a bottle of wine for us because we didn't like it. I know that all nice restaurants always SAY that you can do that, but I'd never been to one where I felt comfortable enough to actually send it back. I will eat at Jake's every time I go to Portland for the rest of my life.
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So I am not really a seafood snob or anything, but this place was kind of underwhelming. The bar area was probably the best thing about it, as the dining room was kind of dingy and crowded. Unsure of what to order, I went with my staple seafood...crabcakes. I felt they were at best, average and in my opinion, too creamy and overly fried. My husband had the pan-seared scallops which were pretty good, but again, not earth-shattering (and ps. they were shipped in from maine...which was puzzling since portland is so close to the pacific!?)
In general I think that Jake's really plays on the fact that they specialize in 'seafood' but their menu is too large to really specialize in anything. On a good note (& the main reason I'm giving it 3 stars instead of 2) is because our waitor was fantastic, knowledgeable and attentive. All in all, I would maybe recommend this place for unadventurous tourists who are looking for a mediocore seafood experience. Locals...you should know better!
Mind blowing happy hour. It's been a year since i was there and i still remember; 7 happy hour items and 4 beers = 45 bucks or so. Came in after visiting powell's and hung out for the lunch rush. Very nice atmosphere and worth going back for. The dishes were delicious and i look forward to the day i go back to portland.
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Let me just say from the start that if Jakes had awful food, poor services and crappy decor I still would have rated them 4 stars for the Chocolate Bag alone. Thankfully none of that is the case and Jakes was a great dinning experience.
The decor oozes old Portland and history seems to seep from the walls. It could be all the old dark wood or the framed oyster plates on the walls but it practically screams turn of the century.
Service was good. Our server seemed a little green but she was attentive and friendly. She just didn't do a good job selling the food or answering our questions.
Drinks as good but not overly strong. Their cocktail menu has a number of old school cocktails with the history behind them. I've seen this before but I always have fun ordering from these things. What can I say, I'm easy to please.
The food was good. It was served hot and looked and tasted good. I had the clam chowder which was very good and a pasta dish with Crawfish. The Crawfish seemed over cooked, but I'm no expert and the dish was still easy to eat.
Lastly... The Chocolate Bag... Divine.... Amazing... Really...
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Yeah, one star. The hostess asked us several times if we had our ID cards. She even said on the third time, "Are you sure?" WTF? After this, our group recieved several catty comments from the same woman, who seemed to act like we were scum because we came in for happy hour. On face value, the happy hour menu seems nice. 2.95 burgers-these were raw and cold in the middle! Yuck. Portland has enough high end yuppy joints to make me never want to go back. Go to the other Jakes-you'll be glad you did!
I've eaten here twice since I moved here in Portland, but I only eat here when my mom visits. We've always had really great food that were always served in enormous servings, even the dessert! I still have to try the "famous crawfish"... next time.
We split a "famous" crab/bay shrimp cake. I don't know if they're actually famous or not, but they were really good.
Then I had a stuffed salmon special, and my dining companion had the crawfish étouffée. I loved my salmon - I wasn't going to get it originally because I was thinking "Salmon I can get anywhere," but the waiter recommended it and it was stuffed - something I've not had done with salmon before. I'm glad I got it, as it was delicious.
The étouffée on the other hand was very disappointing. I don't know what kind of roux they used for it, but it wasn't a blonde one and it was past even a brown-red one, because this étouffée came out about the color of dark chocolate. It was so dark that it became nearly impossible to taste the crawfish. I would never order it again there and strongly recommend anyone else against it.
The server was a true pro - friendly without being overly familiar, professional, with the right balance of checking in and letting us eat. An older guy, a little round, seemed like he'd worked there forever. If I'm ever back there, I hope I get him as my server.
Overall Jakes was a pretty good experience, good food and pretty good size drinks, which kind of surprised me.. The lobster, Crawfish and clams were all good.. This is place is a little pricey, but it was a good place to go on a date.. I forgot my I.d. and they let me drink which was cool cause i was only 22.. The waitress was helpful and friendly. When i came here my girlfriend and i had just drivin from Seattle and were dressed super casual.. I got a lot of looks and definitely felt a little out of place, next time i go there i will wear a nice suit and tie.. So all in all a little yuppi-ish but pretty damn good!!
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OK, don't get me wrong - the dinner was good. The hollandaise crusted salmon was perfectly cooked and everything else was good. But I expected it to be a little more.. I don't know? Hip?
Jake's felt like somewhere my grandpa would prefer to go when he visited Portland. We were the youngest couple in the restaurant and the dishes were way overpriced for what they gave you. I feel like you could get the same fish for half the price somewhere else.
Overall, underwhelmed.
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Let me start this out by saying this is for Jake's Happy Hour. I've never actually eaten there when the regular people eat there as I can't really justify spending that kind of money on a meal at this time.
JAKE'S HAPPY HOUR KICKS ASS. Let me say that again. JAKE'S HAPPY HOUR KICKS ASS. Sorry for the yelling, but I needed to get that out.
If you could shine a light on this review from the mighty heavens (I am not a religious person), whatever that means, it would point you to the fact that Jake's has a pretty amazing happy hour. Actually they have 2 happy hours, but that is pretty common in this town. True, Jakes is part of the Mccormick and Schmicks restaurant empire, but do not despair.
They have $1.95 menu items. No, you didn't read that incorrectly. For 195 pennies you can get 6 or 7 different menu items. From a burger and fries to sashimi grade tuna rolls. Come on. You can find 195 pennies underneath your couch cushions. If not, check under the floor mats in your car. True, you do have to purchase a drink, but the kick is it doesn't have to be a drink drink. Personally I think their regular drink menu is spendy and their beer menu is mediocre at best. Other menu items are $2.95 and $4.95. Still both good deals when you consider the amount of food and quality (mostly top notch) that you are getting. One never gets to say the word notch enough. Notch.
So, there it is. A good deal on good food during these difficult economic times.
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Holy Happy Hour, the prices for HH are pretty slick, not only do they have regular happy hour at 3-6pm Sunday through Thursday but they also have late happy hour Sunday-Thursday 9pm-close and Friday-Saturday 10pm-close. I was starving one night when got here and I had an order of the salmon cake, oysters and cajun chicken sandwich. All of that food for only 9 bucks, SWEET!!! The oysters were pretty fresh, and everything else was pretty good quality. The bartender was really friendly to all of the patrons, and even though the dining room was closed they were still plenty of people flowing in-and-out of the bar area, been summer there was outdoor seating. The only thing that is stopping this place from reaching greatness is the limited or lack of micro-brews on tap, this is Portland after all.
Excellent happy hour burger satisfied me tonight. The meat was perfectly cooked and very flavorful. Seeing Clyde Drexler and Bill Russell enjoying dinner here didn't hurt either.
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Came here for a friend's birthday dinner and was disappointed with my fish n chips. The fish used… Read more »
After yet another 14hr work day, what a great place to unwind for drinks and seafood-order the fresh oysters and sea scallops. At first glance, I wasn't impressed by the outdoor decor. It looked like any other regular run of the mill bar/diner, but I had it completely wrong once we were seated. The place is huge. The service is very friendly and more knowledgeable than I expected. A lot of the waiters here looked like lifers. I felt the Portland history in them.
In addition to the great oysters my coworker selected, I loved the dungeness crab, shrimp cocktail, and calamari (kudos for the 3 sauces). I was so full after sampling the appetizers that I wasn't sure how I was going to work on the main course. I found a way. The sole was delicious as was my coworker's halibut and side of mash potatoes. Then it was time for dessert. I was completely stuffed, but it didn't prevent us from ordering the fruit tart and chocolate bag. Oh and the lemon drop is a great starter drink. Keep 'em coming...
I wasn't shocked at our high bill, but we enjoyed every dollar spent. Luckily, a portion of the bill can be expensed.
Had dinner here at about 8 on a Sunday night. Made reservations but the place was huge so we didn't have to worry about space. Service was friendly and attentive, and there was a nice homely feel to the place.
Ordered the manila clams for appetizer and decimated the huge plate of it between the 2 of us in less than 15 minutes. We couldn't stop eating, they were so good! I had the famous crab cakes which came with delicious mashed potatoes. The cakes were really good and I liked the dip, but the whole dish was a bit too heavy for me. Unfortunately we were too stuffed by the end of it to get dessert, but they sounded good on paper!
Will revisit if I'm ever in town again, the seafood is super fresh so I'd love to try the fish here.
Ironically the waiter tried to steer me away from the crawfish. I should have listened as others were quite satisfied with their dinner but my crawfish was nothing special, even quite bland. The atmosphere is fun and I'm sure it hasn't changed much over the years but it's also very McCormick and Schmick's, the current owners. My dinner mates had the catfish and the etouffee and both were pleased.
Service was very good and even though the place was busy on a Saturday evening we got a table within 15 minutes.
The wine list looks like it was picked by their wine and beer distributor rather than a sommelier. The wine list is decidedly middle of the road and heavy on Oregon and Washington wines seemingly at the expense of better wines (sorry OR and WA, I know you have some great wines). If a sommelier did pick the list they should be taken out back and shot or at least encouraged to apply at Applebees.
I would have given 4 stars if the meal that shares it's name with the restaurant was better but I'd suggest avoid that particular dish.
By the way, the desserts were fantastic.
As a native Portlander, I'm kinda obligated to be a seafood fan. You don't spend the bulk of your life living this close to the ocean without learning to enjoy its fruits.
Jake's consistently pulls off great dishes; even the cheap lunch special (~$8) is usually a good bet. The clam chowder is delicious and tastes exactly like clam chowder should. A personal favorite is the NW Salmon Saute.
I've never found the service to be anything less than impeccable. They are always cordial, even when I'm there with my networking group each Wed. afternoon. Our group is fairly large (15-20 people) and they are very accommodating, even delivering separate checks to each member of the group and giving us our own room.
The only reason I can't give Jake's 5 stars is because of the parking. Finding a parking place downtown at lunchtime is a job in and of itself. I often have to come up to 15 minutes early for my meeting so I can make sure there's a place to park and I have time to walk there, regardless of how far afield the spot is. I know lots are at a premium, but offering a better parking solution for their customers (shared lot with another business, validating parking, etc.) would really make this place perfect...
...well, that and if I could score a recipe for the NW Salmon Saute.
I had been here several years ago and ate at the bar. At that time I thought to food was pretty good but not great. I went with a group this time and sat in the dining room. The food was very good. We had calamari, prawns, and oysters for starters - all very good. The calamari could have used more little squids instead of so many rings. I had a seafood assortment entree with halibut, salmon, and I think a shrimp cake. The halibut and salmon were very tasty. Wines by the glass pretty decent and the cocktails were above average. Someone else had the crawfish dinner and really liked it. The dining room is deeper and bigger than expected. It's a popular busy place. Worth a visit.
I really wanted to like Jake's. Everybody likes Jake's after all. How could I possibly go to Jake's Famous Crawfish and NOT leave totally happy? Dunno, but it happened.
Grandma called me up and said "I want to take you and your girlfriend out to a nice dinner for your birthday, and talk crap about how fat your Cousin Ryan has gotten since he got a desk job." Ok, she didn't really say the part about wanting to talk about Cousin Ryan, but I knew she would talk about it (and she did).
I've been to Jake's Grill, and thought it was fab for the most part. Jake's Famous left something to be desired. I walk in, and I feel like the Newport Bay Bar hooked up with Skippers and had a baby, only that baby grew up and doesn't realize it's trashy looking. Did that even make sense? I've re-read it 3 times now, and it sums up the emotional moment for me as good as anything else will.
I ordered the Halibut, which was fine but not fabulous. The mashed potatoes were perfect, but my asparagus was served luke warm and wasn't very well cooked. The wine portions are ample, and the bartender knew how to pour a Makers on the rocks fairly well. My water glass was never empty, so the service was great. I can't put my finger on it, but I just expected more than what I got.
Maybe I am a persnickity high maintenance diner, but I really don't care if Henry Wienhard himself allegedly built his brewery near Jake's 100 years ago because it was his favorite restaurant, I care if a restaurant serves delicious food in a defined atmosphere with zest and panache. Humphrey Bogart may have dug the place, I'm not so inclined to say it's that great anymore.
If you want expensive food in Captain Stubings fantasy boat house, ahoy matey. Just because our parents generation, and dusty stuck up guppies (grown up yuppies) think the place is cool doesn't mean it's cool, ya dig?
I scream, you scream, we all scream for...Dungeness crab. Yes, you read correctly, the crustacean. This is, without question, my favorite seafood. I love it. LOVE it! And now, I love Jake's. On the day I ate here, their menu (which changes daily) had it prepared in at least 8 different yet glorious ways. It must have been my lucky day indeed. My problem was having enough stomach space.
Service was outstanding. Our server, although a bit too friendly, was very good. He knew that menu like the back of his hand and was always attentive to our every need. We never felt rushed and the whole dining experience was an absolute pleasure.
My only gripe is that this place gets ridiculously busy. Lines are über long and the wait can really test your patience. But exhibit diligence! You'll be rewarded with some of the best seafood in the area. Besides, the long waits can prove to be quite entertaining as you will often see the wide array of customers this landmark establishment tends to draw.
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I feel bad giving this restaurant only 2 stars because I really wanted to like it - I mean it is Famous Jake's! Unfortunately, I despise when restaurants are late seating people who had reservations (and this was a Wednesday night...they were 20 minutes late seating us). I thought the food was average... it definitely didn't blow me away. I had the Lobster Ravioli's and they really weren't that good - and the pasta was way overcooked and mushy. The atmosphere is fun but it was SLAMMED. I probably won't return.
We stopped here for a late night snack. Our Black Friday shopping consisted of Powell's Books and Spartacus and this was right nearby.
I haven't eaten here in a LONG time. So the experience here was OK. We just got a couple of appetizers and a bowl of chowder.
Now I have to admit...the chowder at New Season's is probably better in my opinion. Not as thick and HUGE chunks of clams in it compared to the chowder here at Jake's. So they lose some stuff there.
The fried shrimp was OK. The dipping sauce was good.
The mussel's were kind of eh. I don't know why but the liquid was really tasty, but the mussels didn't get the same essence. Almost like they steamed the mussels alone then put the liquid on top? I don't know.
So overall OK...but kind of over priced considering there are other places to get better.
People thought this was:
This restaurant is a Portland institution, and this is not undeserved. From the outside, it looks unassuming and casual, but once you step inside, it has a completely different feel. The wooden booths and dated decor make it look rustic and like it has truly stood the test of time, which it has.
The service at Jake's has always been, for me, nothing short of impeccable. These servers know what they're doing; they're career servers and are damn good at their jobs. One waitress was able to suggest one of the most fantastic glasses of wine my friend and I had ever had.
The menu is extensive and printed daily. Their seafood comes from all over and is only the finest fare. There are rotating specials and old standbys, and for me, there is nothing better than the stuffed salmon. A piece of fresh salmon stuffed with Brie cheese, crab, and shrimp? My mouth waters as I type this. That meal has never disappointed me. Served with an appropriate portion of mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables, this is my standby. I sort of wish I had never discovered it because now it is all I get there. And it's delicious.
The dessert menu has tons to offer, from cheesecake to chocolate cake to a wonderful trio of desserts that includes a delicious creme brulee. The restaurant makes special events feel, well, special; whenever my parents and I go there for my birthday, they always ask if it's a special occasion and then proceed to print HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEGAN at the top of the menu. They also bring you free cake! And none of this comes along with that tacky "THIS IS YOUR BIRTHDAY SONG!" crap that you get at chain family-style restaurants.
The bar is awesome too. Lots of specialty drinks that are crafted with care and strong to boot! Jake's is a a true Portland tradition (and if you ask me, it kicks the pants off of Jake's Grill). I can't imagine Portland without it, and, thankfully, I don't think I or anyone else will ever have to.This restaurant has survived the Great Depression; I don't think they're going anywhere.
Our waiter drank the Kool Aid. I just know it. What Kool Aid, you may be asking? Well, the Kool Aid that makes you become a walking, talking, partially functional robot with dead eyes. That Kool Aid. I think it's grape-flavored.
Dead Eyes McGee: Wellllllcome to Jake's Faaaaaaaaamousssss Crawfish, folks! Let me telllllll youuuuuu a littlllllllle bit about our menuuuuuuuu.
(continues to prattle on about the freshest of the freshest fish and whatnot while his dead eyes glisten with what I can only imagine are android tears).
Me: *blank stare*
Friend: *curt nod*
Dead Eyes vanishes into the back for another sip of his Kool Aid while I decide to order the seafood gumbo. Somewhere in the corner of the restaurant a very fat woman with a tragic mullet eats alone and snaps pictures of her food with her cheap camera.
Our orders go through when Dead Eyes McGee reappears, looking slightly refreshed. To my right, a man dines alone while drinking cheap beer. He reads not a book, but a magazine.
When our food arrives, Dead Eyes sets it down with a flourish. He is clearly proud of himself for walking from the kitchen all the way to our table without bursting into tears over a life wasted.
The sauce on my gumbo is fucking congealed. Congealed sauces remind me of death. Which, after some contemplation on my part, is actually fitting at a place like Jake's. Once I stirred it all up and gave it a go, it wasn't half bad.
Tragic mullet woman in the back has moved onto her third plate of food and to what I can only guess is her 4th amaretto sour.
Dead Eyes McGee takes our plates away, his Kool Aid running low. He appears nonchalant that neither of us have completely finished our meals. He goes away, and I anticipate the check to be delivered soon. Out loud, I wonder about who this guy is and whether or not he feels bad about himself when he goes home. My friend hushes me and tells me Dead Eyes is on his way back to offer us dessert.
This is not what I expected....He come out with a tray of what looks like plastic desserts strapped to his chest.
The Kool Aid is back in full effect.
Dead Eyes McGee: Heyyyyyyyyyyy folks! Could I tempt you with some desserrrrrrrrrrrrrt todayyyyyyyyy? We have peeeeeaaaaaach cobbleerrrrrrrrrr and chocolate moussssssssseeeee?
Me: *blank stare*
Our check came. We paid. We left. I don't think he even said goodbye to us.
People thought this was:
Neighborhood: Southwest Portland
Category: Seafood
Neighborhood: Southwest Portland
Category: Seafood
Neighborhood: Southeast Portland
Category: Chinese
Neighborhood: Southwest Portland
Category: Seafood
Neighborhood: Southwest Portland
Category: Pubs
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