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Category: Steakhouses [Edit]
14 Front St N
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Visited the Issaquah location one night after work with some co-workers, larger group and we were seated without any issues. Friendly staff and perfectly prepared food.
Jak's makes a mean New York Steak.
Also, get the "UFO". It's their "Garlic Mashed Potatoes covered with a Potato Pancake"
The ONLY reason I didn't give it five stars is because the prices have started to creep up. But I get it.. the economy... blah, blah, blah, whatever.
Great staff.
Great food.
Great bartenders.
Great restaurant.
We go to JaKs as often as three times a week. They have fantastic steaks, but everything on their menu is fab. The steak sandwich and their burgers are mainstays. Fresh hot bread arrives shortly after ordering.
And it doesn't stop at dinner. JaKs brunch is the best kept secret in Issaquah. Benedicts, scrambles, casseroles oh my. $3 bloody's and mimosas. Yes please.
The one problem JaKs suffers from is wait time. Yes, there is generally a wait for a table if you're there at peak hours. But, it's never as long as they say when you leave your name. Many times we've been quoted a wait of over an hour and never had to wait longer that 20 minutes for a seat. Grab a drink in the bar and relax. If you don't want to wait 20 minutes for a table, sit in the bar and eat.
Bottom line, a 20 minute wait is a small sacrifice for a great dining experience.
I used to go here with my work for lunch regularly, and I never understood the hype. Sure, it's better than a lot of what's in Issaquah, but that really doesn't say much. The menu is just so uninventive and the food just tastes generic.
I usually ordered the chicken caesar salad and a diet RC cola (yes, RC is all they served, wtf right). The chicken was decent, but the dressing was not. Some serious overkill on the garlic and anchovy paste. Luckily, the croutons and sourdough bread on the side were good. The service was always fair, and the waitresses all had personalities which can be good or bad depending on who was serving.
Another time I came for brunch with family. I ordered orange juice and eggs benedict. I was disappointed that the orange juice wasn't fresh and that my hash browns were straight from the freezer. The waitress was also crass, but maybe it's because she was working on Easter.
If you want generic, run of the mill American food without any thought or excitement, Jak's might as well be your place.
I've been to mortons, ruth chris, daniel's the met.... IMO, Jak's has a better steak, and much better price. The wait stinks, and don't even think about going on a friday or saturday. Bread is great, garlic mash...outstanding....
Went to Jaks yesterday for Brunch - first time we'd ever been there. Based on their menu on their website I thought they also served steaks at Brunch but I was wrong.
My husband got their hamburger and said it was one of the best he'd had in a very long time (he got the bacon and blue cheese add on). I opted for their chicken fried steak since it was the closest thing to steak on the menu. I have to say it was pretty darn good. The breading was really light and crispy and tasted great. The gravy was a little too sausage-y if you ask me but it was still good. The biscuit was tasty too.
Also, another serious plus - the waitress was great! It seems harder and harder these days to find a restaurant with good service and this place definitely has it!
I hope to go back sometime soon to try their steak!
Note: Review is only based on 1 lunch visit...but OMG their burger is now in my top 3 EVER!!! It was perfectly cooked, a little greasy (in a good way), and full of flavor. Fries and rings were also good.
Expensive, crowded, but worth it. Service is usually pretty good. Park in the back and it's only a short walk to the front door, ....and get a booth, not a table. Overall, it's been great each time we've been there.
The best steakhouse in the Seattle area IMO... The ONLY issue is that they don't take reservations so you'll have to wait 1+ hours before getting seated on normal nights, but it is totally worth the wait. I've heard their burgers are amazingly good, but I always go with their fillet mignon - I just don't wanna wait 1+ hours for a burger, but I should one of these days. I prefer Jak's over the bigger steakhouses in the area. The interior at Jak's isn't as impressive as El Gaucho and company but the food is as good, if not better (also more consistently good in my experience), and I prefer the laid-back, dark wood atmosphere.
Great food and atmosphere. It was casual but upscale, I had a steak and a martini and they were both great. It is expensive but the portions are generous. I can't really complain about anything except the annoying drunk guy next to me at the bar who wouldn't stop talking to me, but that's not the restaurant's fault. I'd definitely go back the next time I'm in Issaquah.
I've been here a dozen times and have only been disappointed with the food once. I have gotten their burger once (it was great) and all the other times. Their ribeye was good, their filet maximillian is good, the only steak I didn't like was their Top Sirloin, but I've never ordered that type of steak and I never will again anywhere. The salad with blue cheese dressing is good. The server also brought me their house vinaigrette to try with the blue cheese and she was absolutely spot on when mixing blue cheeses and vinaigrette, it wasperfect.
Every server/bartender I've had gave exceptional service and I always tip liberally when I leave.
There are three reasons I gave 4 out of 5 stars. Price: I remember when their prices were a little more reasonable. I still think it's great food for the price, but it used to be a bargain for high quality meat. Reservations, they do NOT take them. And, Seats. You can tell they skimped on the buildout b/c the wood finishes aren't as nicely lacquered as they should be and the seats for the benches are not padded as all good steakhouses should be. It can get uncomfortable when you're having a long dinner.
However, food, service and wine selection is top notch.
Excellent (if short) happy hour. Fantastic steaks. Possibly the best brunch value I've ever seen.
Happy hour features a gorgeous steakhouse cheeseburger for $5 but is available only from 4-5pm on weekdays. Well worth the trip at least once: Seattle Metropolitan Magazine gave the burger high marks at the normal menu price of $13.
Wine menu features a pretty compelling local selection but is nothing compared to the "Jak's Creations" cocktail specials. One or two have been average-good, the rest have been simply amazing.
Shrimp and scallop appetizer options are worthwhile but not mindblowing. Given portion size, go straight to the steaks.
Your steak will come out, as it should, exactly as requested on the first try. My friends have unanimously promoted the potato pancakes as best steakhouse side. Nothing bad to say about the salads except they are not made of meat.
Service is unfailingly polite and attentive: between the reasonably-priced cocktails, excellent steaks with salad/veg/potato included, Jak's represents the best value-for-money you're going to find at a steakhouse.
We've made it to dessert a few times. Get the Lovin' Spoonful: the other options just aren't in the same league.
Brunch is the most compelling part: the ~$15 Jak's Benedict is composed of two potato pancakes, two medallions of filet mignon, two eggs, Bearnaise to cover. Fresh fruit and challah toast round out the best breakfast I've had in ages. $4 "Manmosa" optional but strongly recommended.
We used to love going to Jak's, to sit at the bar, have a martini or glass of wine. The food is good I guess if you really need a steak but the wait even to get a spot in the bar, is absurd! The food is not all that good or special but there just aren't many choices while in Issaquah. If you go, be prepared to wait.
In one moment, I changed the way I looked at hamburgers. As funny as that sounds, it's totally true.
I saw Jak's burger was reviewed high on a local magazine as one of the best burgers in Seattle. I had the chance to meet a friend in Issaquah, so I chose Jak's to give it a try. Some of their steaks are amazing and some of their specials were hard to turn down, but I was committed to trying this hamburger.
I ordered it with Bleu Cheese. WOW. Then the waitress told me it's $5 during happy hour!
If you're in a mood for a REALLY good burger, you've got to try it.
Their steaks are fantastic also and the service has always been on point. They're a little small and noisy, but worth the wait and sound.
The food here is lip smackingly good, always fresh and at the perfect temperature. The staff is kick ass, with awesome attitudes, and most are pretty good looking (bonus)!
This place is mid range to pricey, but well worth it. Try happy hour fir some great deals. At dinner, my man and I shared the ravioli with mixed grilled veggies ($20) and a half spinach salad ($8). Manny's Pale Ales were $5.
Oh.... And do try the dessert called Lovin Spoonful; it's the best frigging chocolate cake ever. Ask them to leave it under the heat lamp for a few to warm it, it makes it that much better!
This is the kind of steakhouse you grew up knowing - the kind that brings back memories of family dinners packed with great conversation over steak and potatoes. You know this type of place, right? Traditional dark decor, oversized mahogany booths with wide bench seats and lots of leg room, and of course, plenty of menu options.
Jaks served up some great grub...hearty steaks, tender salmon, and heaping platefuls of veggies and potato sides. While I didn't opt for the traditional steak, my meal of copper river salmon, garlic-mashed potatoes, and broccoli were both plentiful and utterly delicious. I was definitely pleased with my meal. My bf got the rib eye steak with a gorgonzola marinade which he could not stop raving about!
I'm eager to check out Jak's for brunch, the menu is packed with lots of hearty breakfast dishes that sound divine!
Have been here at least a couple dozen times in the last few years. Best steaks in Seattle, and ask for the UFO potatoes. Not on the menu, you won't regret it.
If you go on a Friday or Saturday, you will have a 1-2 hour wait. To us that's part of the charm, we use the time to have a drink or three at Room 38 a couple doors down. Jak's will call you when your table is ready.
Jak's has an amazing cholla bread french toast at brunch. It's really worth getting up for.
The restaurant itself is really nice. Everyone's very polite and the service is pretty good.
Great local steak house.
Filet Mignon with snow crab
and Sirloin was yum
I no longer need to go to Daniel's to satisfy my carnivorous desires.
Creamed spinach was disappointing; but potato pancakes blew me away.
The do not take reservations, so be prepared to WAIT AND WAIT on the weekends, but it is worth it and is much better than higher priced steak houses in Bellevue. There is also a great bar inside and if it is full, a martini bar next door. Steaks are a great value for this area and their specials change quite a bit and are very good as well. Once you actually get seated, the service is great. Little slower at lunch time, but no real price difference between the two meals.
Came here on a Sunday afternoon, the place was not as busy. We got seated right away.
I ordered the Mediterranean spiced beef skewers drizzled with Gorgonzola cheese and sun dried tomatoes with french fries. I loved how the fries tasted with the cheese. We also get a salad with our dish with bread, they also sprinkle cracked pepper on your salad.
I couldn't finish my meal. It was so good. Loved the service, they were very nice. My sis had the Thai Coconut Crab legs wrapped in banana leaves, and my cousin had the sirloin petite which she did not finish! Everyone said their food tasted great!
Headed down to Jak's on a Saturday night, only to be told there was an hour and a half wait !
Went back the following night at 5pm - 20 minute wait for a table.
Well ... the wait was worth it. Steaks are absolutely top notch - I had the prime top sirloin and my lady the filet mignon. The filet was so soft, it was unbelievable: one of the best steaks I've tried in a long time. Sirloin was pretty good too - not overly tough and cooked to perfection.
Definitely can't wait to get back to Jak's!
This is my new favorite steakhouse! The menu is full of all kinds of steaks, all-American favorites, and good old fashioned desserts. We ordered the bacon wrapped scallops with apple chutney for an appetizer (it was a special) and the flavors were mouthwatering! We also ordered the mushrooms, which had the most flavorful sauce! I don't think I've had better mushrooms anywhere! All their steaks come with bread, salad, veggies, and your choice of baked potato, potato pancake, garlic mashed potatoes, or fries. The salad was just okay for me. I didn't eat much because I was saving room for my main course. For my main course, I ordered the ribeye medium well with garlic mashed potatoes and broccoli. They cook their steaks rarer than other places, so make sure to order the next level up from what you'd normally order. My steak was sooooooo gooooooood and juuuuuuuuicy! The broccoli was cooked perfectly with it being a tad crunchy, and not soft. And the garlic mash was so flavorful, creamy, buttery, yummy! Since we had a birthday in the group, we did dessert. I had the creme brulee which was fantastic. Even better than Anthony's! Very rich and creamy and the topping wasn't too thick, it was almost flaky.
Please remember, the portions here are HUGE! My entire table took leftovers home which is highly unusual for this group. I split my entree with someone and we both took food home. Come here hungry and expect to have lunch the next day!
The only downside to the whole experience was that they don't take reservations. I went with 5 other people for a birthday and it would have been nice to have a reservation so we could have mentioned the birthday more discreetly than at the table. Otherwise, I can't wait to go back! Thanks Nicole for being such a great server!
Ended up here for a birthday dinner... Other diners here are right - they don't take reservations... someone from our group went to the restaurant early and put our name down - and apparently you can tell them "around" what time your party will arrive. They also won't seat you unless your entire group is there... but don't fret: while you wait, they will serve you drinks - mmmmm.
Service was good. The mushrooms are AWESOME. The bread was delish - but I simply love bread. I ordered the huge lobster mac and cheese - seriously... HUGE. but it was great. My bf ordered some steak trio... it was 3 different cuts of steak prepared 3 different ways... DELICIOUS.
Of course, as expected, this place is a bit pricey - but well worth the money.
I'm embarrassed to say I made the O-Face while eating the Fillet Mignon today. I ordered medium-rare. It took minimal effort cutting through the steak, so tender, and as I slowly put a piece in my mouth the meat just melted away on my tongue.... ummm yeah lol, it was delicious! Potato pancakes were great too. Staff wasn't naggy, but made sure we were taken care of. Got to be honest though I wasn't really paying attention to staff, since I was giving my food the sex eyes.
We ordered the cheesecake... I can't say it was the best, but it was good. Definitely come here for the steaks, its expensive, but its definitely worth the money. Plus Issaquah is the cutest town ever! If your on a date, you can go the theatre (a real one) afterwards for a romantic evening... or go next door the bar and get wasted... whatevs.
Ordered the Sirloin Steak, after being informed by the Waitress that it was more tender than the New York Strip. It arrived shortly after, but was nigh on impossible to cut, and impossible to chew or swallow. It was sent back, and replaced with a New York Strip. We were given a free dessert, and a free drink for our pains, but the overall experience was that the quality should have been better for the prices paid. The New York Strip was better than the Sirloin, but not great. The Desserts were decent and edible.
I have eaten better Steak, many times. Maybe Jak's feels it's reputation outweighs the need to provide good quality meat all of the time. There is no way that an experienced Chef would not have known that the Sirloin was tough and sinewy.
It is OK. My preferred cut is a filet, and the filet here is sub-par. I know people say fat and bone adds to the flavor, but people who like filets don't like any fat on their meat.
The filet here has way too much fat, so I think it is a bad filet. For some reason they don't take reservations either, so you always have to wait. The prices have gone up too, so its not the bargain it once was.
Absolutely my favorite steak place hands down. Dare I say better than Peter Luger's. The fact that you can get some of the best meat in town with such perfect, friendly, relaxed attitude and that much more enjoyable when it's so cheap comparably.
The biggest pain is the wait for a table, but worth every minute and plus it gives me time for them to decant a bottle of wine before I sit down for dinner.
My absolute favorite has to be the potato pancakes. With the best ribeye EVER. The ribeye is served with shredded fresh horseradish thats been tossed in a little lime juice, sugar and salt. It is by far the best topping I have ever had on my steak. I can't eat steaks anymore without it. It makes it that much better. Regarding the potato pancakes, I have yet to figure out exactly what goes into it to recreate it. They are bloody fantastic. Creamed spinach is also great here, but sometimes a bit too creamy.
I have also tried the filet mignon which is great and the double cut porterhouse, but better at Daniel's, however the ribeye is still my favorite.
The service is perfect in my opinion. No snobby servers, just friendly and always there when you need them. (Hint: If you bring a bottle of great wine and share a glass with the server they will usually "forgot" to charge you corkage).
I have brought many friends and relatives from out of town here and I get calls about how they are thinking about how good the steak was and wishing they could get it.
Update: They do brunch on the weekend, which many people don't know about yet and can easily get a table. The best deal: 10oz NY strip with eggs and home fries although I got the potato pancakes of course. The filet mignon benedict was also very good. The omelets are HUGE.
JaK's is in a non-descript building at the corner of Sunset and Front that you wouldn't even notice driving by.
And yet, JaK's probably is the best dining in Issaquah. Penny and I both ordered ribeye steaks. And as you would expect at JaK's, steaks were tender and cooked properly. Entrees come with decent sides. I love the stuffed potato pancakes. Also, salad comes automatically with your entree.
Desserts are satisfactory. We ordered the chocolate cake and the peach cobbler. The multi-layer piece of cake was good with a bit of a red fruit sauce (not exactly cherry and not exactly raspberry). The cobbler, this time around, was just OK. It would have been better if the peaches were cut into smaller pieces and was just a bit sweeter. Fortunately the Porteguese port provided a nice balance to the cobbler.
Even on weekdays, seating fills up fast for dinner. You might get here as early as 6:00 and still have a bit of a wait for a table.
Service and atmosphere are fine here.
Not just steak here...they also have seafood (tonight they had as a special a parmesan-crusted halibut) and burgers and sandwiches as well.
And don't forget they have a full bar. Since the bartender was cute, I will overlook that on my second martini, the splash of Cointreau I requested was something else I didn't recognize. Penny thought I should have squawked, but I didn't care so much.
There is nothing greater in the world than a well aged steak. A noisy, even raucous (at least on Friday and Saturdays), well priced steakhouse makes this the special treat for birthdays, Bris' or really any occasion. The staff is helpful, salad plates chilled and the UFO's utterly fantastic. Does it mean anything that I eat my veggies when I go to Jaks? It's that good!
Been there a few times for steak, pork chops (very tasty!) , dinner salads, and burgers. No complaints across the board! Oh, and the bartender pours a mean rum and coke:-) Can be a bit pricey... I've spent $150+ on dinner and drinks for three at one point, but the food and good times were worth it.
Good Steaks in Issaquah, go figure!
Jak's serves tasty steaks for a decent price.
I wouldn't say it's the best steak out there, but for the price and location, the food is good.
The wait for a table can be long, but it's worth your while if you have to eat here.
The atmosphere is nice, very casual and dark. The service can be great, it's just hit and miss.
Nothing super fancy here except for the food.
LOVE THE FOOD! Seriously, this place has great food. The steaks are delectable, the desserts are scrumptious, and the service is pretty good as well. Once you're seated, everything is great.....
Once you are seated, that is! It took us 2 hours to get a seat at 6 PM on a Saturday night! They don't do reservations, but it looks like they don't need to. It was packed. However, they at least served us drinks even though we weren't at the bar while we were waiting.
It's a noisy atmosphere, but very lively and vivacious. The decor is very low key, but in good taste.
I strongly recommend coming here and trying them out! It's a great place to eat and just enjoy an evening. Just don't expect a nice quick meal!
The best blue cheese and bacon burger in Washington!
I love me some Jak's Grill! To be fair, I have only been there twice - and both times for lunch - but both times it was de-lish. The first time, I had a halibut and pesto sandwich - not a regular menu item, but something on the specials menu. The halibut was cooked perfectly, the pesto was packed with flavor (but not overwhelming) and even the side salad with balsamic was tasty. The second time, I had the chophouse dip - this was AMAZING. Packed with flavor, juicy, great consistency, and perfectly cooked medium. For a steakhouse, the menu items for lunch are very reasonable and service is great. Love it!
Jak's used to be my favorite steak house, until my wife and I had undercooked steak (ordered medium - got raw) on three separate occasions. Jak's used to prepare the best, most mouthwatering Filet I've ever had. The first time we encountered "the new badness", we returned the steak - and received the same steak back in about 5-10 minutes - just cooked more. The problem is that we had already cut into our steaks, releasing the juices. The recooked steak was now tough and chewy. We went back the next time, figuring that our previous visit was a fluke - it wasn't. Undercooked and raw, despite ordering medium. I ate mine because the previously described shoe-steak was considerably worse than undercooked meat, while my wife just ate the salad and took home a doggie bag to feed hers to our dog. The last time I had an undercooked steak was with a group (I had no choice in location). Despite my previous two unsatisfactory dinners, I was still hopeful - I was wrong. My steak was again undercooked. That said, Jak's still makes an outstanding hamburger, and their grilled veggie plate is delicious (still).
By the way - the meat wasn't the only area where quality has suffered at Jak's. They used to serve you excellent, delicious Broccoli with the dinner. That changed when they went with this crap called Broccolini - stringy green stuff, whatever that is. It looked like a cheap alternative to quality sides - something that was irritating. Hey Jak's management - if you're going to charge big-league prices, don't serve up this awful excuse for Broccoli. Your customers don't like it.
Jak's used to be a 5-star restaurant, but my last three visits were in the 2-star league. This winds up getting Jak's 3-stars in this review.
My note to Jak's management: please restore this place to the previous goodness. Don't take the lazy way out and let this become another has-been. Spend some quality time in the kitchen. Reeducate the cooks. Make 100% sure that, what you send out on that plate is your best effort - it'll serve you well.
BTW: the drinks from the crowded bar are still top-notch.
I've come in a couple times, had the best ribeye steaks here once, and the best burgers ever, so well marinated, and none of any flavour overwhelming the other. Also they will cook to order a true Texas medium rare vs. the Seattle places which always manage to overdo my steak and burgers. Seattlelites can't do steak, but by golly this place can!
* Cannot however, attest to the filet or other cuts, since I only like my meat well marbled with fat.
The service here is snobby, the steaks are sub-par (corn fed is SO 90's; if you want REALLY high-quality steaks, you need to find grass fed beef!), and it's super-dark in this restaurant. Couple that with long lines because they don't take any reservations, and screw it, I'd rather go to the Keg (and it's rare for me to choose a chain over a locally-owned establishment). http://www.yelp.com/bi... for the Factoria Keg outlet, the best one around.
If politics matter to you, JaK's is owned by staunch Republicans; they were rude to Democratic canvassers in Issaquah in 2004 when they stopped in for lunch once (by accident, for sure).
The food is just OK; plating is sometimes awkward or careless, and I've sent two steaks back here because they were overcooked (out of four visits). I don't get what the uproar is about this restaurant.
Outstanding steak! I don't even care that we had to wait almost two hours for a table on a busy Saturday night. I can't remember what cut of steak I ordered (it's been a while), but I assure you it was delicious. I love that the steak comes with a baked potato (with the works) and veggies, instead of a la carte. We also ordered a side of sauteed mushrooms, which were amazing.
The lighting was dark enough to be intimate, but not so dark we couldn't read the menu. The service was timely and unintrusive. I really can't think of a single thing to complain about! Oh, except that it's out in BF Issaquah. Boo! And I'm not trekking all the way to West Seattle either!
The prices seemed reasonable, for a nice steak restaurant. I don't know what the bill came to since I never saw it. Woo hoo for dates! ;)
Their no reservations policy is absurd and hostile. We'd come here at least twice as often if we knew we didn't have to stand around for an hour or else eat dinner right before they close.
The seats, hard wooden benches, are like sitting on a midwestern church pew. They're uncomfortable, and designed so that you won't linger (therefore freeing up your table for more of the mob who's standing around waiting by the entrance.)
That said, the food is pretty good, especially if you factor in the price compared to other steakhouses (like Daniel's or El Gaucho.) I've had a few good steaks here.
Get the real, grated horseradish. It's fantastic. Also get the potato pancakes which, while probably 1000 calories each, are very nearly worth it.
Stay away from the premium salads, overpriced steak toppers, and the like. They're not very good and certainly not worth the money.
If you want to have a great piece of meat and don't mind waiting, you'll get a good deal at Jak's.
I loooooooooooooove Jak's! Everything from their dinner salad with blue cheese to their yummmy steaks. I gave up meat, but I might cheat for a Jak's steak. So good! But they are always busy at dinnertime. I'm talking an hour long wait at least, and they don't take reservations. Even their bar is too full to wait in most of the time. But you can go next door to the bar and they'll call over there when your table is up.
They are really reasonable for a steakhouse too. By far my favorite.
Issaquah, WA
Category: Barbeque
Issaquah, WA
Category: American (New)
Issaquah, WA
Category: Mexican
Issaquah, WA
Category: Breakfast & Brunch
Issaquah, WA
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Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
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