Jake's On Market

Recent Reviews

• Jake's On Market

  

  Matt W.

  • 12 friends
  • 101 reviews

  4.0 star rating

  5/12/2012

  Brunch is one of my favorite meals here (and everywhere). The cheddar grits are out of this world! Their french toast is also spectacular.… Read More

  Brunch is one of my favorite meals here (and everywhere). The cheddar grits are out of this world! Their french toast is also spectacular. Their house-made sausages are quite the savory treat. And the mimosas are a generous pour :)
  
  At dinner, the brussel sprout salad is amazing. I've enjoyed the fried chicken and turkey dinner.
  
  As other reviewers have mentioned, there were issues with service at Jake's due to the heavy initial volume of diners. Now that the crowds are more normal and the staff is becoming more seasoned, the overall experience is greatly improved.
  
  While I was sad to see 2223 leave, Jake's is proving to be a nice addition to the neighborhood. My only complaint is the decor - it's cold, cafeteria-esque, and out of character with the facade of the building.

• Jake's On Market

  

  Andrew Christian C.

  • Elite '12
  • 217 friends
  • 186 reviews

  5.0 star rating

  5/10/2012

  This place is great.  They bar tenders are super cute.  This is the perfect place to go for a late night spanish coffee and some appetizers.… Read More

  This place is great.  They bar tenders are super cute.  This is the perfect place to go for a late night spanish coffee and some appetizers.  
  
  The calamari is delish, complete with lemons and capers!
  
  Spansh coffees come with a free light show, are strong, big, the perfect night cap.
  
  Great vibe, the owner is very attentive, menus are well thought out.
  
  BELLISSIMO!

• Jake's On Market

  

  Bay G.

  • 0 friends
  • 122 reviews

  3.0 star rating

  5/6/2012

  The brussel sprouts salad was one of the best dishes I have had anywhere, and I'm not even a big fan of brussel sprouts.  If they could bump… Read More

  The brussel sprouts salad was one of the best dishes I have had anywhere, and I'm not even a big fan of brussel sprouts.  If they could bump up the rest of the food to this standard, they would be the best restaurant in the Castro.
  
  The plastic chairs were uncomfortable and a really odd choice.  Did 2223 take the furniture with them when they sold the place?  I would try to get a booth the next time.
  
  The manager sat us and all the other diners in the back of the restaurant first, so the table in the window and other tables at the front of the restaurant were empty on a Friday night - making the place look unpopular to foot traffic.  I can't understand why they do that.
  
  The waiter was a bit rough around the edges and disappeared just when we were ready to order, but he meant well.
  
  Desserts were boring, a disappointment after the Chronicle item announcing Jake's opening described the desserts as "whimsical."  (Probably based on a press release.) Nope, just what you would find anywhere else.  
  
  The prices don't seem to match the food.  If you are looking for a good value, this isn't the place, but considering the dearth of good restaurants in this neighborhood, it's fine if you keep your expectations modest.

• Jake's On Market

  

  Cindy M P.

  • 4 friends
  • 5 reviews

  4.0 star rating

  5/15/2012

  No it's NOT 2223. why would it be? Food  is yummy, cocktails even better! Love having after work drinks and nosh. Tad  too loud, but you… Read More

  No it's NOT 2223. why would it be? Food  is yummy, cocktails even better! Love having after work drinks and nosh. Tad  too loud, but you don't go out for piece and quiet right!?

• Jake's On Market

  

  Michelangelo S.

  • Elite '12
  • 1033 friends
  • 546 reviews

  5.0 star rating

  4/21/2012

  I LOVE Jake's For Being OPEN LATE!  SITREP  The thing that sucks about forgetting to eat dinner during normal hours while on the road, is… Read More

  I LOVE Jake's For Being OPEN LATE!
  
  SITREP
  
  The thing that sucks about forgetting to eat dinner during normal hours while on the road, is that the places that serve quality food past 9pm usually become less and less available, and more and more crappy with each hour approaching past midnight.
  
  Jake's On Market is one of those true awesome finds that has great food even late.
  
  SETUP
  
  Located in San Francisco's Castro, Jake's On Market is nestled among a lot of popular Cafe's (for me Cafe du Nord and Lucky 13) where great drinking, awesome music events and fun dance madness occur - but these places don't really serve substantive quality food items.  And so that's where Jake's comes in.
  
  MENU
  
  For munchies, Jake's On Market has their $10 After 10pm late night menu that includes "Bites for Two", with a selection including the Mac n'Cheese balls and the Crispy Calamari - two items I will be returning for VERY SOON.  :)
  
  There are also $10 pizzas, including a Rock Shrimp Pesto pizza and a Wild Mushroom pizza that our group pulled the trigger on, and these were DE-LISH.
  
  THE LOWDOWN
  
  So for late munchies in San Francisco, I totally recommend that you check out Jake's On Market!

• Jake's On Market

  

  Timoteo K.

  • 32 friends
  • 30 reviews

  4.0 star rating

  4/30/2012

  If you go in thinking this place is 2223 you're going to be disappointed. If you go in with an open mind you'll have a better experience.  … Read More

  If you go in thinking this place is 2223 you're going to be disappointed. If you go in with an open mind you'll have a better experience.
  
  Food- I loved my steak, it was cooked perfectly and a good portion. Had the mac n cheese and crab cake appetizers which were really good. And dessert was excellent. Definitely get the cookies.
  
  Service-The maitre d' seemed a little confused but the server was very knowledgeable about the food and attentive.
  
  Wine-On tap, not so good. Has a strange taste.
  
  Cocktails-On par with most restaurants that handcraft artisan drinks. Price point is similiar to most other places with homemade drinks.
  
  Ambience-Definitely feels like a neighborhood place. They just need to dim the lights a bit and get some candles for a more intimate feel at night.
  
  I'd definitely go again.

• Jake's On Market

  

  Mike O.

  • 47 friends
  • 169 reviews

  2.0 star rating

  4/14/2012

  Friday 4/13/12:  Help me out here Jake's. . . .  You're a member of United Mileage Plus dining. We eat out a lot and want to come back.   1)… Read More

  Friday 4/13/12:
  
  Help me out here Jake's. . . .  You're a member of United Mileage Plus dining. We eat out a lot and want to come back.
  
  1) Sat down 15-20 minutes before our friends who arrived later. Ordered before them obviously. They were literally served 20 minutes before us. Finished their meal before ours had even arrived!
  
  2) We were seated at 8:20. Didn't eat until after 10:00pm.
  
  3) Food quality:  Definitely a reason to check Jake's out! Fantastic!
  
  4) Service: Waitress is a total sweetheart but the wait time was intolerable. She should have stepped up to the plate with a bit more a sincere apology regarding our wait time. Still a fan of her's from 2223 though :)  We resulted to eating carbs in order to prevent blood sugars from completely crashing.
  
  5) Host: Thin gentleman with dark hair should not be customer facing. Polarizing attitude. Could have been the busy Friday night.  Before even knowing that we had put our names in spouted off with how long of a wait time we had after telling him we had already put our names in. I had to get the attention of the  hostess who took our name in the first place to give us an actual time. Bottom line! If he doesn't know what he's talking about he needs to keep his flapper shut and not throw attitude in the process.

• Jake's On Market

  

  Yan L.

  • 16 friends
  • 53 reviews

  3.0 star rating

  4/28/2012

  First, thanks for participating in Dining Out for Life last Thursday.  That's probably the motivating reason for me to come after reading… Read More

  First, thanks for participating in Dining Out for Life last Thursday.  That's probably the motivating reason for me to come after reading and hearing mixed reviews.  
  
  The food is OK.  Nothing is horrible; but nothing stands out.  I know it's unfair to compare it to 2223, but the fried calamari, rock shrimp and fennel starter is basically exactly the same ingredients as before, but the 2223 version was SO much better.  What happened?  Couldn't figure out the secret spices in the batter?  Couldn't work the fryer right?  On the plus side, Jake's knows its main demographics in the 'hood, considering all four of us quasi-health conscious guys ordered the roasted chicken, mash potatoes and sauteed spinach.  Safe, comfort food.  The menu is full of those items.
  
  Watch out for the wines on tap.  A couple were pretty undrinkable (I won't name names), but what the heck, at least the bartender fessed up that they do in fact come in a little keg.  Better than saying they come in boxes, I guess.
  
  Service was fine, considering it was a busy night.  Handsome waiter could do no wrong.  Trick to going to places with spotty service: meet up with friends whom you have not seen for a while... good company keeps any evening afloat :-)
  
  Location/ambiance: 3 stars  Food: 2-3 stars  Service: 3 stars

• Jake's On Market

  

  Thomas D.

  • 20 friends
  • 151 reviews

  2.0 star rating

  3/29/2012

  The food is not good.   We had the clams/mussels to start things off and we were disappointed right away.  The dense, piece of sausage… Read More

  The food is not good.
  We had the clams/mussels to start things off and we were disappointed right away.  The dense, piece of sausage (sliced on the bias ) in the broth  was not good.  It tasted old.  
  I had the burger and it tasted like someone had just formed a patty with their hands and grilled it.  It was flavorless.  The accompanying fries were strange--overcooked, oily and tasteless.
  We also ordered the roast chicken with mashed potatoes and spinach.  Again, this was nothing special--it was if you were at home on a Thursday night and cooked this dish yourself.  
  The apple pie with ice cream for dessert was not good--I have never seen or eaten ice cream like this--it didn't seem to want to melt and had a waxy, chunky mass about it.
  
  But--the service was very good.  Everyone from the host to our server was very friendly.
  I'm going to hope that Jake's is still experiencing it's growing pains--it is still a new restaurant.
  I'd like to give them another try.
  PS: The "Stormy Weather" cocktail that I tried was pretty good--ginger beer/spiced rum/lime/bitters.

• Jake's On Market

  

  Eric L.

  • 7 friends
  • 59 reviews

  4.0 star rating

  4/16/2012

  I'm a little confused about the bad reviews.  We ended up here in the morning after being frightened out of the Soul Train Brunch next door… Read More

  I'm a little confused about the bad reviews.  We ended up here in the morning after being frightened out of the Soul Train Brunch next door at Lime (Really... What the hell kind of breakfast place has bouncers and a cover charge?).  I liked Jake's enough that I went back the next night for dinner.
   
  Not a thing on the menu here offended my belly. The white cheddar grits with poached eggs, pork shoulder and crispy Maui onions was all kinds of awesome. The grilled shrimps on the Caesar salad were huge and yummy. And our hands down favorite for dinner was the bacon wrapped meatloaf with bbq glaze.  
  
  Service was a little on the slow side, and the Bloody Mary (aka Bloody Jake) was just average. But the staff were all friendly, knew their shit and didn't cite some lame-ass fire code when we needed an extra chair at the booth.
  
  Before I go back, somebody needs to tell me about the baked oysters.  And the pizza.  And the pan seared halibut with rock shrimp & crab ceviche.  And the bread pudding.

• Jake's On Market

  

  Marck N.

  • Elite '12
  • 37 friends
  • 469 reviews

  4.0 star rating

  4/6/2012

  Met my bestie here for dinner. We shared the Brussels sprouts salad.  This really is a tasty salad.  I love Brussels sprouts. But what… Read More

  Met my bestie here for dinner. We shared the Brussels sprouts salad.  This really is a tasty salad.  I love Brussels sprouts. But what really makes this salad is the poached egg and bacon.  Both add the richness in taste when mixed in.
  
  My entree was the chopped steak. Grass fed ground beef, served medium rare.  The taste was just delicious. Served over sautéed mushroom, with brocollini and sautéed spinach. I substituted the potatoes for spinach.  Everything worked well. It was a delicious dish.
  
  We luckily were there during their happy hour (5-7pm) so the malbec wine was $5 a glass.  My friend had the chardonnay.  At $5, I would be back more often.
  
  Overall a great dinner with my bestie. Despite the negative reviews, I really like this place.

• Jake's On Market

  

  dave o.

  • 5 friends
  • 35 reviews

  4.0 star rating

  4/5/2012

  I was a big fan of 2223 and so had been looking forward to trying Jakes, but then read all of the reviews and was somewhat apprehensive.  I… Read More

  I was a big fan of 2223 and so had been looking forward to trying Jakes, but then read all of the reviews and was somewhat apprehensive.
  I shouldn't have been, I loved it. The food was great, (Cesar salad and pork chop). turkey looked great, brussel sprout salad was awesome.
  The place is a little colder looking than 2223 but the menu rocks, something for everybody. I will be back.

• Jake's On Market

  

  Mike D.

  • 39 friends
  • 20 reviews

  4.0 star rating

  4/14/2012

  Had the burger, it was...almost like I'd never had a burger before.  The meat was juicy but not greasy, seasoned perfectly, and meaty.  The… Read More

  Had the burger, it was...almost like I'd never had a burger before.  The meat was juicy but not greasy, seasoned perfectly, and meaty.  The toppings were incredibly fresh (I haven't tasted tomatoes like that on a burger since I picked and sliced them myself), and the fries were crispy-fluffy perfection, even as they cooled.
  
  Word to the wise: find the bartender named Corey.  Ask him to mix you something off-menu and you'll be coming back for more.  They stock a wide range of unique liquors, and he puts them together beautifully.  You'll be hard pressed to find anything similar anywhere in the city.

• Jake's On Market

  

  Rob L.

  • 128 friends
  • 256 reviews

  2.0 star rating

  3/28/2012

  We gonna try this, but so far decor/ambiance is not their friend.  OK, this is like a month overdue however, here it goes....  Sun night of… Read More

  We gonna try this, but so far decor/ambiance is not their friend.
  
  OK, this is like a month overdue however, here it goes....
  
  Sun night of a 3-day weekend, no reservations & there's 5 of us. We were told 45 minutes at worst. No biggie! I've been in the industry so I understand. Well, over an hour later we get seated; mind you we had a great time waiting and hanging at the bar. Again, not really a big deal until......
  
  Let's start off with the positives. Our server was good, none of this review is to reflect upon our service, she was was great & rolled with the situation, so KUDOS to her! The menu offerings were enticing, they had/have a FULL Thanksgiving Day meal on there, SWEET! There were also great American classics that sounded great! Despite what the issues were, the staff was extremely apologetic and had empathy towards us; wish the Chef was on the same wavelength!
  
  As for the bad, the food. As soon as we were seated, we ordered! Hell, we waited long enough that we already knew what we wanted. So in a flash, we ordered! Well it took FOREVER for us to get our food. Ok, forever is an exaggeration however it was close to over an hour to get our food. And once we did, temperature was very inconsistent with every plate. Due to our disastrous experience we got a free appetizer and a free round of drinks.
  
  Look, we all love a great new place and we want it to succeed! So hope this is just a rough start and they work everything out. I will give them a shot, just not anytime soon, I'll let them pick themselves up off the floor.

• Jake's On Market

  

  David N.

  • 26 friends
  • 14 reviews

  1.0 star rating

  3/8/2012

  I really wanted to like this place.  I *really* did.  But the truth is I would probably spend my money elsewhere. The quality of the food… Read More

  I really wanted to like this place.  I *really* did.
  
  But the truth is I would probably spend my money elsewhere. The quality of the food doesn't match up with its prices. The service was friendly, but weird.
  
  THE SERVICE
  We were greeted by the hostess and we asked for a table of two. She hesitated a little too long to the point where it was a bit awkward.  She then checked her computer as if she was checking for availability. She proceeded to grab some menus and then she fidgeted with her computer again. We had no idea what she was doing. The kicker... the restaurant was EMPTY. She then led us to the dining area, but didn't really tell us where to sit, which confused us.
  
  The waiter was super nice, but a little hyperactive and seemed a bit nervous.
  
  THE FOOD
  The food was cold.
  
  We ordered a pizza, which tasted like frozen pizza from Safeway. I'm not exaggerating. This was bad.
  
  We also ordered the spaghetti and meatballs.  The pasta was gummy. The sauce was okay and the meatballs were dry. They also gave us a side of shredded parmasen cheese to top our pasta.  This was the kind of bagged cheese I'd get at the Target supermarket section. It was hard, rubbery, and flavorless.
  
  We also had the fried calamari, which was more batter than calamari. It was so bland that they battered/fried lemon slices and we mistook it for calamari.  This entire appetizer was not good.
  
  THE DECOR
  Imagine yourself in a cheap Holiday Inn in Bakersfield.
  
  RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE OWNERS:
  1) Please consider where you're getting your ingredients. It makes a huge difference if you're using good ingredients!
  
  2) Consider making the food a little closer to order. Our pizza tasted like it was under a heat lamp and our pasta was gummy, which means that it was prepared too far in advance. I'd rather wait for hot food than get a cold meal. You could consider getting bread (the good kind, like from ACME or even a local bakery like Thorough Bread on Church. Not that gross kind you gave us with our pasta) to hold guests over while they wait for their food.
  
  3) Service--mainly directed toward the hostess. If you have an empty restaurant.. and hungry guests.. just seat them. Don't create an air of busy-ness to see if you can "fit" us in.
  
  4) Decor-- lighten it up! I feel like I'm in the suburbs when I'm here. The space is really awesome, but the decor makes it feel like I'm in my grandma's house. I'm no interior designer, so no constructive criticism here.

• Jake's On Market

  

  Rachel R.

  • 7 friends
  • 21 reviews

  1.0 star rating

  3/4/2012

  I'd love to comment on the food, but unfortunately, we weren't offered a table. We arrived at noon on Sunday. I saw 4 empty tables. After… Read More

  I'd love to comment on the food, but unfortunately, we weren't offered a table. We arrived at noon on Sunday. I saw 4 empty tables. After waiting several minutes for the host to arrive, I was asked if we had a reservation. When I said no, he just shook his head. When asked about the empty tables, he said those were for reservations and we came "at peak brunch time".
  
  While I certainly appreciate that they were (theoretically) busy, I'd expect he would offer for us to wait at a bar, or give us a wait time.. Instead, we were shooed away without any info or a request to come back later.
  
  I live one block away. I walked to a lovely spot across the street where I was treated kindly and seated promptly. Suffice to say I won't run back to Jake's, where I was treated rudely for just requesting a table.

• Jake's On Market

  

  David P.

  • 0 friends
  • 2 reviews

  1.0 star rating

  3/25/2012

  I really wanted to like this place.  The owner is the brother of my  high school friend. However, I went there for brunch and it was… Read More

  I really wanted to like this place.  The owner is the brother of my  high school friend. However, I went there for brunch and it was horrible. The frech toast had no egg batter, and not moist at all.  I had the eggs benedict, and the muffin was hard as a rock. Very tough and hard to cut into.  The coffee being served was cold and it was weak as water.  
  I am sorry, -- but this place really needs a makeover !!!

• Jake's On Market

  

  Lou Z.

  • 1 friend
  • 17 reviews

  1.0 star rating

  3/2/2012

  The new space interior is a cross between an 'upscale' Dennys and not quite a 50's dinner. Skinny dude in front played with the lights the… Read More

  The new space interior is a cross between an 'upscale' Dennys and not quite a 50's dinner. Skinny dude in front played with the lights the entire evening. A few minutes it's so dark the customers were using iPhone's to light the menu then suddenly the lights were full strenght for about 5 minutes. It was an endless loop. Annoying but that was just the beginning of his freakiness.
  
  I went to try their burger, what a mistake. It literally crumbled out of the bun, the texture was like the beef you mix in mac & cheese. Even I know how to shape a burger. The fries were OK.
  
  The bar tender/waiter was friendly but the skinny old guy with glasses in the front was a freak. He was the rudest, strangest greeter I have have experience. I'm guessing this is his first time at a job like this. I'm glad I didn't bring kids there. Because of that guy and the things he did we will never go back there again.

• Jake's On Market

  

  Rob G.

  • 0 friends
  • 3 reviews

  2.0 star rating

  3/16/2012

  I really was excited about Jake's, I have been for drinks several times, and diiner once. Their downfall will not be the food, but rather… Read More

  I really was excited about Jake's, I have been for drinks several times, and diiner once. Their downfall will not be the food, but rather the management.
  
  I was just recently there and the drink menu seems linteresting, sadly the bartender has no idea or recommendations, as he has not had a taste of anything on the menu even though it has been week ssince they opened.. At least he was honest.  The manager was very rudely instructing the staff to move someone out of the dinning room who was there only for drinks. I thought it was funny as it was only 6Pm and the place was empty.
  
  This is not the first time I witness strange behavier from the management regarding seating, or just a lack of welcoming people into the place. I was excited to see some of the staff from 2223 were still there, and as always they are great.. I have tasted several items on the menu, and they are hit or mis, but the drink menu needs to be revamped, as some of the drinks are quite awful. I am hoping the staff will be trained, and learn the menu with time, but doubt most people will give it a second chance in a city with too many great places to eat.

• Jake's On Market

  

  Matt V.

  • 218 friends
  • 726 reviews

  3.0 star rating

  3/3/2012

  This place had better step it up if they want to survive. I tend to be a little lenient when a place first opens, and with this review...I… Read More

  This place had better step it up if they want to survive.  I tend to be a little lenient when a place first opens, and with this review...I am being kind.  
  
  The pork was tasty, although a bit dry and definitely too salty.  The sweet potato puree was really tasty, but tasted more like squash than it did sweet potato.  Regardless, it was really good.  The fennel and ginger slaw was simply divine.  
  
  The fried chicken left a lot to be desired.  It was oily and bland.  I never really thought it was possible to  mess up something fried...but now I am wondering.  I tend to think, if a chef can't make the basic items, then how are they going to make anything else.  If they are going to continue this on the menu, they need to rework the recipe.  The biscuit that came along with this would have been acceptable if it were hot.  It sounded amazing and was a huge let down.  
  
  The beet salad was great as was our service!  Especially the little fried cheese
  
  This leads me to my biggest issue. Upon walking in to the restaurant we were, sort of greeted by the host. I see other reviewers have had issues with this host too. He came across rather surly and pretentious. When I asked about sitting at a table instead of the Gawd awful swivelly bar stools in the bar area, he had the nerve to say to me, "It's Saturday night...we have OTHER reservations to honor." Exqueeeze me? I work in the service industry too, and was by no means rude to this guy. The restaurant was empty, which is why I asked. I understand it is Saturday night...there is no reason to explain that to me, nor is there any reason to be condescending toward me. Simply say, our reservations are full tonight. Plain...done...understood .
  
  To summarize,  I will give this place a few months before I come back again.  It is a solid 3 star restaurant that I feel can pull together to become a go to place.  Hopefully, when I walk in this next time I will be greeted like a normal patron should be.