Jack's Cafe -- CLOSED

Would go back again. Next time I'll skip the intimate (more expensive) diner in the Ocean Room and just skip to apps. on the first floor and head to the club upstairs after. Be prepared for pricey martinis! Good time overall.

Pros: Good service, interesting menu

Cons: loud music from above while having an intimate diner

Posted 07/09/09

Well to start off...I was VERY impressed! We joted off to San Diego a couple of weeks ago, to get married. Driving down from L.A on a friday. Anyway, I made reservation's ahead of time online through Jack's website with open table. Which was awesome, even got email confirmation on time and day. I chose Jack's because how beautiful it was with so many differen't choices on restaurants. I also chose the Top floor Ocean room.. YOU have to choose that one! They have canopy's & cabana's with lots of pillows! Which I was also impressed that they gave us the cabana with a view just like I requested. It was HUGE! WOW...I scored extra points on this night! We were seated at our table and greeted VERY promptly by our waiter, Robert. If you have the Ocean room ask for him. He took care of us well! We had several differen't orders of sushi, which were very tasty and very fresh! GREAT sushi chefs! I kicked my high heels off, snuggled in that awesome cabana and enjoyed our wine our food and then desert & expresso's & most of all each other! I couldn't have asked for a more special night! Jack's came through on ALL levels! When we were finished we didn't want to leave. And Jack's left us already making plans for another trip down to San Diego which we will totally will be right back in our cabana at Jack's!!!!! We LOVE LOVE LOVE you guys for making our night so magical! We couldn't have picked a more special place to spend many anniversary's to come...From this born and raised San Diego girl, you have set yourselves high among the rest! All I have to say is, look out LaJolla....Her comes JACK'S! Love you guys and will be seeing you VERY VERY soon!
Adrienne David a.k.a. Mizz Hollywood Hair!

Pros: Great area, Great service, Great prices, Great atomosphere, Beautiful View from the Ocean room!

Cons: Not even One!!!!

Posted 12/03/08

Best Pork Chop I have ever had. The ambiance and setting is great for Happy Hour but would also be a great date night spot.

Posted 11/18/08

I went to Jacks tonight, was promptly seated at an excellent, centrally located, table. I was informed by my waiter that this was the first night for the new menu on the first floor. I couldn't have been happier. I ordered the scallops and the opakapaka, and my friend ordered the chilean sea bass. All of these dishes were fantastic. The plating was ingenuitive and the flavors were first class. Everyone should have dinner in the grill at Jacks La Jolla.

Pros: Food, Service, Music

Cons: nada

Posted 07/15/08

My husband and I recently ate at Jack's. We had not decided prior to going which level we would dine at. There are three great choices depending on how much you want to spend, what menu you would like to order from, and what area you would like to eat in. We decided to eat at Viaggio and were thrilled with the attentive staff, the excellent wine selection, and the fabulous take on Italian cuisine. We will go back many times. In fact our waiter told us that everything is house-made from their ice creams to their pastas. Truly a great dining experience.

Pros: SERVICE AND FOOD

Cons: PARKING

Posted 07/15/08

My fiance and I dined at Viaggio last night. The venue is beautiful especially since it is so warm out. It mediteranian climate. The retractable roof and sidings provided us a nice cool ocean breeze. The menu was spectacular. Since the menu is so large our server recomended that we try the seven course tasting menu--and what a treat. We were able to enjoy the a nice sample from the antipasti, primi and secondi portion of the menu. Although the waiter suggested we could create our own menu, we were successfuly pleased with the 14 different dishes we got to enjoy. Kudos to the chef. Service was streamlined as well.

Posted 07/15/08

Jack?s is a restaurant and club located centrally in La Jolla. So much for the good news. To sum up the bad news we experienced when dining there recently with some friends: The food is heavily overpriced, ?fusion? cuisine is ill-conceived, the service is inattentive and slow, and the food left our intestines rumbling for the rest of the night.

Our group of about 10 friends went to Jack?s on a Friday night to have some good food and perhaps listen to some music in one of the lounges afterwards. Despite the restaurant seemed only at 25% capacity, we had to wait a long time to receive the attention of one of their 10-plus waiters, who all seemed to be guys in their early 20s. What could be said about the meals is that they were mediocre at best. Bread was stale, gazpacho (and most of the other dishes) lacking taste, and the fish (going for about $30 a piece) left many of us with a bad feeling in our intestinal track. The food combinations seem odd as well (e.g. halibut on a bed of luke-warm soba noodles sprinkled with corn and sausage?) and were probably assembled by somebody without taste-buds.

Jack?s prides itself with a 4-start Mobile Guide rating, which we could not disagree with more. It speaks to the fact that, when it comes to fine dining choices, you probably shouldn?t listen to a gas station.

Most of us decided to give the desert chocolate cake a chance, which resembled a turned-over muffin with ice cream. The spoonful of ice cream was probably purchased off-premise, because it was actually quite good. However, the price of the desert was certainly not. Since we were in a group, the restaurant treated itself to a billed 20% gratuity, which the service and the food quality did not deserve.

In summary, I would advise against dining at Jack?s. The food is sub-par, expensive, and the service inexperienced and slow. La Jolla has so many better restaurant options, with more atmosphere and excellent food, and most are much less expensive than Jack?s.

Pros: Central location (but so are many other restaurants in La Jolla)

Cons: Food, service, overpriced

Posted 06/06/08

It was the first weekend of 2008 when I went to visit a friend staying in San Diego & this is the restaurant she chose. Jack's Dining Room was by far one of the best dining experiences I have had in a long time. Since most (but not all) places in LA have terrible service, this was a welcoming change for the new year. Everyone was attentive and courteous for such a nice place; I was expecting the same stuffed attitude or aloofness that I receive from most nice places, but this was an exception. The food was fantastic-cubes of bluefin tuna, poached pear & arugula salad, crispy jidori chicken-& the chef even had smaller dishes brought out to us that we didn't even order, & they were amazing as well. The place is slightly confusing for a first timer with all the levels and dining choices but everyone was accomdating, & we capped off the evening at the upstairs bar which had a great dj & crowd for a Friday night. It's March, & this still warrants my title of best dining this year...I was certainly not disappointed & hope you won't be either.

Posted 03/23/08

Had lunch upstairs, on a weedkay afternoon. Our waitress was very pleasant and really seemed to love her job. Our food was great. No huge portions, but I like that. It was a very nice and quiet experience. I would come here again and will return to try out their tasting menu in the fine dining room.

Pros: food and service

Cons: sushi bar not open for lunch

Posted 12/29/07

Went for a Birthday Dinner in late January. They impressed all of us in the dining room, including 2 New Yorkers and a vegan (also a chef). With little notice, the chef made a corresponding vegan dish for everything on the tasting menu, which held up amazingly.

Great meal and service, and I've paid a lot more for worse food. Bars were also fun, and I'm dying to go back some time to try the fireplace/candlelight/waterfall table, as well as the menu in the grill room.

Pros: Food, Choices, Flexibility

Cons: Not Quiet

Posted 02/04/07

On top of Jack's providing an array of dining and bar options, the Dining Room at Jack's has a few more tricks up their sleeve. I have now had the opportunity to dine in the Dining Room twice, once to the underground feel of a Sinatra band on Sinatra Sunday and the second on a ultra hip Thursday night, where beauty wafts from the cool, confident and refreshingly knowledgeable service staff to bustling bars filled with ultra chic La Jollan?s sipping on their secxy martini?s and clasping to the bottles of Veuve?making it a true NY see and be seen. It?s often compared to the New York big leagues, and I truly believe that places like Jack?s are changing the face of not only the culinary scene here in San Diego, but are truly making San Diego a CITY.

Pros: always accomodating

Posted 01/20/07

My daughter and I celebrated her birthday dinner at Jack's. We had the most delightful experience from start to finish. The service and attention to detail were impressive and our meals were incredible. Also, we thoroughly enjoyed the live music with our meal and were treated like VIP's. We definitely will be returning often, and highly recommend this restaurant!

Pros: Food, ambience and service

Posted 01/07/07

I experienced Jack's for the first time last night after reading about it on city search and found my new spot. When I arrived I sat at the bar where I had a wonderful cocktail that was served with a flower in it. The bartender was so helpful by explaining the whole restaurant to me (there are three floors with three different restaurants). After my husband arrived we decided to eat at the grille because we loved the ambiance with the fire and flowing water. Our server was friendly and prompt, as was the manager who recommended a fantastic bottle of wine to us that was priced reasonably as well. The food was very impressive from appetizers to dessert, everything we had exceeded our expectations. After dinner we decided to stick around in the lounge and enjoy the band. They were a good time. All in all it was a great experience and I will be sure to return.

Posted 01/01/07

We came in for a glass of wine before making our dinner reservations at a nearby restaurant and never ended up leaving. (Ofcourse we called to cancel our reservation!)
I couldn't be more impressed with the service and the warmth of the staff.
The ambiance was relaxed and classy, with the exception of the restrooms on the top floor.
I only had time for dinner in the Wine Bar/Grille but we did take our own little private tour of the entire building and got a taste for all the different restaurants and bars.
I give Jack's 4 stars for creativity, attentive service, HUGE wine list, and the "walk-in" factor! (the ability to walk-in and get great service).

Pros: There is something for everyone at Jack's La Jolla!

Cons: Thursday nights get a little too crowded and noisey.

Posted 12/27/06

Jack's La Jolla is absolutely amazing. I have never been to a cooler restaurant. The decor and ambiance is over the top. I have eaten in the grill and just off the Ocean View room both areas were so comfortable and enjoyable. The food is outstanding - we started with sushi samples which were melt in your mouth and then had a full meal which was delicious. The staff were so attentive and friendly. I have been recommending Jack's La Jolla to everyone I know.

Posted 12/16/06

fantastic service, great food. I felt every staff member was out to create the perfect night for my anniversary. Definately dine at the Ocean Room at Jacks La Jolla!

Pros: everything

Cons: not open 24 hours a day

Posted 12/11/06

I am a frequent visitor to Jack's. Each venue is unique and so unlike the other, it's almost impossible to get tired of the place! I especially enjoy the Grille at Jack's, the food is delicious, and completely affordable. It is by far the best place in La Jolla to have a nice glass of wine and appetizers after work.

Posted 12/11/06

My husband and I just recently moved to La Jolla from the east coast and had heard about Jack's through work friends. We had reservations in the Dining Room, which is on the second level . We arrived early in order to investigate some of the bars that are located on the other levels. Walking into this giant complex, half the time we thought we were lost. What we did find was a funk band playing inthe grille and a piano duet upstairs - they were so much fun! When the activity went from bustling to busy we went upstairs for our reservation. We were seated in a private booth and given complimentary champagne when we mentioned to our server that we had recently been married. We ordered a seven course tasting menu, which was risky for me because I'm a picky eater. However, the server asked if I had any dislikes or allergies so I was willing to try. The food was wonderful. We were surprised at the size of the plates (large portions) and pleased with all of the pairings. Our server was incredibly knowledgable about the courses as well as the wines that went along with each, bring each glass just moments before the food arrived. Each plate was a testament to the award winning chef who has really mastered subtle flavors. Whether the dish was something I would have ordered on my own or not, every item on the plate worked in harmony as there was perfect balance between salty and sweet, sour and savory. All in all it was a great experience - they won me over with the little dessert plate they brought with the check. Next time we'll bring friends and make a night of it.

Posted 12/11/06

Jack's is getting quite a bit of publicity and for the most part it lives up to all the hype. There are a bunch of different restaurants within the building and all are very classy and have there own advantages. I have personally dined at the downstairs grille and I was impressed by the menu and food. The prices were also not too bad. This is a good place to have a drink after work and chill with friends. The crowd tends to be a little older with females looking for that rich single guy. Overall this is a fun and trendy place in La Jolla that is worth checking out.

Pros: cool bar with different levels. The crowd is very well dressed and good looking.

Cons: Can get pricey.

Posted 11/27/06

Everyone's talking about this place. if you can figure out which of the 6-7 restauarnts-within-the-restaurant you want to go to, i'd suggest the dining room. it's waaaay more expensive, but the food in the much-cheaper grille just isn't that great. it's a cool, if pretentious, place overall.

Posted 11/26/06

My wife did it again. She made reservations without asking me. I had never heard of Jack's. I guess it is new. Although we had to wait for our table for 15 minues, they bought us drinks. Most places just let you sit there and wait. The food was great, no it was terrific! I think they brought the chef from NY. After dinner we walked around and found out that there are two other restaurants. The jazz on the ground floor was very enjoyable. the piano on the top floor was also great, and the DJ certainly knew how to get people dancing. Anyway, I would recommend JAck's to everyone. I guess I will let her make all of the reservatios from now on.

Pros: Great Food, people watching, wine list

Cons: it is very busy

Posted 10/28/06

I visited Jack's for the first time and was amazed by style and decor of this restaurant. The concept is truly original with multiple offering throughout the restaurant. After being seated and having a couple of drinks, we wandered around the rest of the restaurant- it was almost like being in a chic mall or something. Extremely warm, comfortable and posh. The drinks are agressively big too!

Pros: Open Air Restaurant, Ambiance, Decor. Solid 3 hr happy hour

Cons: Pricey but worth it. Parking

Posted 09/12/06