Jacks has a new owner. Still an economical place to eat in Old Town. Same food plus some healthier choices. Also has a few pan- Asian dishes. Try the avocado toast. But now without the rules and restrictions. Friendly vibe. Top notch service. We will all miss Jack but Doko and her husband Ricky are very nice people too. My favorite new Jack's story. Patron: What should I have for lunch today? Ricky: Try the brisket sandwich. It's delicious. Patron: I have been coming here for years and never had it. Ricky: Why not? Patron: Jack never made it. Ricky: But it's his recipe. He showed us how to cook it. It's one of the best things in the menu. Patron: That surprises you? read more

We're torn on this one for a number of reasons, but settled on a 2 stars. I love hole-in-the-wall places and the fact that the dude running the grill is the owner. Here's why I will go again. Jack can cook and egg and the omelets looked pretty good. One of us had the Italian bread french toast. It was cooked well and tasty, but was a bit on the eggy side. I will go back because the place is clean, Jack can cook and egg and I like to support locally owned places. Next time I will get an omelet or plain eggs and bacon. Keep it simple here. Here is why I had to be honest and give it 2 stars. The coffee sucks and is served in styrofoam cups. You eat off paper plates with plastic utensils. There is little seating and it wasn't very comfortable. My dish was bland and it was next to impossible to get the woman serving us to pay attention to service....we were sitting three feet from the register at the counter. They are closed on Sundays and don't accept credit cards. BOTTOM LINE: If you live in Alexandria and want to pick up a quick breakfast, give it a try and keep it simple. Don't get the coffee. read more

Best breakfast ever! The corned beef omelette is amazing. Fresh squeezed orange juice is the way to go.

Hands down my favorite spot for lunch. This location has new owners who have turned the place around. Excellent simple good food, fast, great customer service. Owner run and operated. Support local shops- these owners care and are hardworking pros! read more

The food was amazing. I have no complains except that it was really crowded due to it being so small. But you know if business keeps going it can expand in the future which could be amazing. read more

Jack's Place is a fantastic place for a cheap, tasty sandwich near the Alexandria coastline. It is quickly becoming my favorite $10 and under option in the Old Town area. This time, I went with the brisket sandwich au jus. Although the brisket could be of higher quality, it meshed well with the au jus and made for a perfect not too light-not too filling sandwich. For those who want a greasier experience, may I suggest any of their cheesesteaks? Jack's is probably best known for being a breakfast spot, but I haven't had the ability to try it out for that yet. This place is CASH ONLY so make sure you bring something other than the plastic. read more

Tried Jack's Place the other day for the first time. Service was a little slow but that was ok. I'm ok to wait most days. Had the meatloaf sandwich and it was pretty good. Would definitely go back. read more

Been coming here for the last few mornings and I must say this place isn't to be overlooked! The lovely ladies serve up the best food, friendly service, coffee is nice! Can't beat a better breakfast spot. read more

Lil hole in a wall but very good American breakfast, quiet and simple just how I like it!

Waaaaay off the beaten path in Old Town lies this little 3.5 star cafe that serves up a mean breakfast (literally). The owner/cook frequently makes fun of the patrons while they sit at the counter (limited seating otherwise). I've had breakfast here many, many times and have luckily managed to escape any ribbing thus far. It is not much to look at (at all!), but the food is good and the entertainment value is priceless. read more

Jack's is an Old Town staple. More of a diner feel than a restaurant. I've been trying for years to receive "regular" status, but alas it still has not happened. Regulars at Jack's get to share jokes with Jack himself, help themselves to coffee behind the counter, and even occasionally work the register. This isn't the place to eat with a big group or if you hate clutter, because Jack's walls are covered with photos of customers, their families, and their pets. Seats are limited to the counter and a few tables. The food is made to order, cheap and quick. Warning, they only take cash! I love the breakfast sandwiches and nothing beats the grilled cheese on a rainy day. I will bump up the rating once Jack brings me into his inner circle. read more

Jacks is a nice local place a few blocks from where I live. If you've never been there see the directions below for your dinning enjoyment. How to eat at Jacks for the first time. On Saturday morning get up early and make yourself breakfast at home because its going to be awhile before you get another meal. After breakfast at home arrive at Jacks ready to wait for one of the 16 seats in the place. On my trip there the wait for a seat wasn't bad ~10 minutes. Once seated find a blue menu and make your mind up quick because no time can be wasted getting your order in. Once your order is in, this when the waiting begins. Since this is your first time at Jacks they are not going to think about making your order until you've waited 55 minutes so sit back and watch the regulars come in after you, order an omelet and bacon for their dog. The regular will get their omelet eat it and feed the dog and be on their merry way while you wait. This will happen two or three times. Eating at Jacks for the first time is not about getting a meal it's about them testing you to see if you're worthy of a meal. So after 55 minutes put $5 on the counter for the two coffees and leave. It's a shame they way they treat new people since Jacks is only a few blocks away from my house, it would have been nice to have a breakfast place so close. read more

What can I say? Except that my bride and I have breakfast there every Saturday morning when we are not on the road. The Saturday morning crowd is mostly regulars. Jack has coffee ready for us before we even sit down at one of the few tables or at the counter. Then there is continuous chatter with friends we have come to know and love. We hear of babies born, new jobs, travels far and wide. Jack's is important to us. And Rudy is a good cook, too!!! read more

I go to Jack's once or twice a week. Great place if you want the local (very local) breakfast experience. I've read all the comments about Jack's and I have to say, They are a bit unfair. Jack is a really good dude and he is the guy cooking at all times. Is he the most congenial person in the world, No. But like every small business owner out there, he is doing his best. The food is exactly what you would expect from the local dive breakfast place. No frills. They have great eggs and bacon and even better french toast. Two things to know: No outside food or drink - This place has 11 seats. Respect that. The guy needs every seat ordering his food and drink. Cash Only - I don't agree with it, but respect it. He's a small business owner that doesn't want to pay the CC fees. Prepare for the Rant - The locals are great. Jack is awesome, but he is also very passionate about politics and sports. You will get an earful on either area. Price - For the bills this guy has to pay to stay open in Old Town, the prices are fantastic. Old Town is expensive and don't compare his prices to your home town diner. I hope this helps people get a picture here. This is a great local breakfast dive owned by the same guy for over 20 years. read more

My friend and I had the best breakfast ever yesterday! We will be returning for more! If you're new to town, don't hesitate to check out this place... you won't regret it! read more

Large portions for a good price. Very small place though and they only take cash.

Definitely local and probably not for everyone. There is very limited seating, so if you don't get a seat, sorry. The place is NOT fancy, it's a greasy spoon and to me that is a good thing. Mateo is the guy that takes your order, serves food, cleans up, and takes your money. Jack is the cook...and he doesn't seem to talk much either. I sat down at the one open seat and Mateo was very friendly and brought coffee right away. Prior reviews said the coffee was instant, but I watched them make about 10 pots while I was there, it certainly wasn't instant, and I thought it was great. I ordered an egg white omelette and added jalapeños, a side of bacon and rye toast. Now it did take about 20 minutes, but who cares?? There is 1 cook with a small griddle, so it takes a little while, but it's worth it. Sit back, relax, have another cup of coffee, and people watch. The food is served on styrofoam disposable plates, but whatever....it's a greasy spoon. My omelette was delicious, the bacon was cooked perfectly, the rye toast was awesome, and the coffee was great. With a very generous tip it was $15. One drink in old town is $13 so I think this was well worth it. If you are looking for a trendy quick place, this is not it. If you want table side service, this is not it. You have to come up with your coffee mug to get a refill. It's cash only!!!! One of the regulars actually bussed her own table. But something about this place was so terrible that it was awesome. I'm a new regular. read more

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Great service, even greater sandwich. Order a simple bacon egg and cheese sandwich. Asked to add sausage and instead of just doing it, heblet me know about the size of the sausage and that a side order comes with two so I paid half and got one sausage instead. Small courtesies like that go far read more

Jack's Place is very small with only about three tables that seat two or three people and a bar/counter that seats four to five. The breakfast menu has a substantial amount of classic options with a few interesting twists. The food was delicious and the portions were more than reasonable for the price. In sum: inexpensive, interesting, tasty, and local. Biggest drawbacks: Not good for large groups, not good for really fast service. read more

Jacks has got to be Old Town Alexandria's tiniest eatery, only 15 seats, but I have enjoyed it for years. Interesting people and conversation. It is tiny, and you should have a sense of humor and expect an informal, elbow to elbow dining experience. * Jacks is cash only (way old school) and you wont get a latte there either, but if want a great breakfast or lunch, walking distance to the river and King Street (just 2 blocks) than Jacks is your place. The best breakfasts bets are the Italian french toast, blueberry pancakes and the chili omelet (In season) the home fries are good too. The breakfast sandwich of choice is "the usual" its a fried egg, with cheese, tomato & lettuce and a little mayo, request italian bread (add a little ketchup and tabasco) Bam! its tasty. For lunch try the chicken cheese steak, and my new personal favorite the pastrami ruben hold the sauerkraut. They also have a full run of deli sandwiches. All sandwiches come with a side of mac, slaw or chips. For desert, try the 15 cent York peppermint candy. read more

In a word: great! This is an institution in Old Town, now owned by great folks that carry on the tradition -- and offer even more! Great food, super-friendly staff, fast service. Terrific little breafast/lunch no-frills place. Note: It's super small -- seats very few people; carry-out business is often the case. They even take great care of our dog! read more

This place is just merely ok. Very tiny - maybe 2 tables and a couple high tops along with the bar. The breakfast was nothing special that I had and hubby had the italian french toast. The french toast was better than the egg dish I had. We expect more from a breakfast place and this area just doesn't seem to have that true diner breakfast. If you like hole in the wall, eating with plastic off of not real plates and pretty much serving yourself, then this is the place for you. I will say that it did seem to draw a bunch of regulars from the neighborhood. They are CLOSED on Sunday by the way! read more

We were able to immediately get a table at 12:15 on a Saturday. They stop serving breafast at 12:30 so the friendly server immediately took our order. The portions were huge! The pancakes were the same size of the plate and the veggie hash and omelet was loaded with fresh vegetables. The menu states they cook using olive oil. All I know is I truly enjoyed the freshness of the food and the quick service. I will definitely be back. read more

What a great place. It feels like Jack is making breakfast since the end of the Vietnam war. And boy he does it well. Had the blueberry pancakes -big as a plate, fluffy and tasty, some crispy bacon and the corned beef hash. Yummers! Don't miss out by going to some of these horrible chains read more

This place is OK, kept busy by somewhat of a cult following. The food is OK, nothing special, just typical diner breakfast food. Serving on styrafoam with plastic utensils, though, is lame. Can't comment on the service, as there isn't any: you place your order & pick up at the counter. If you want to try this place, get there when they open, as they only have about four tables and a few seats at the counter. Coffee isn't up to "diner coffee" standards. Fun place to try, but I don't see us returning...not with so many other great breakfast options in the area. read more

We love going to Jack's - one of the previous reviewers said "you always run into a friend." That's true, but most of the people we see at Jack's we didn't know until we started going there; we just sort of built the friendships over time. It does help to be a bit outgoing. The food is good (especially the "Breakfast Usual") and varied and if you want alterations, Jack or Rudy will see to it. Best not to ask for hollandaise, (though rumor has it that Jack himself can do a mean one); it's a running joke. And despite the banter, these are caring people - on both sides of the counter. Who needs a therapist if you have Jack's? read more

I looked at reviews of local restaurants, and saw that Jack's Place had high ratings. I walked in to find a tiny bar, with maybe 3 or 4 small tables around the outside. The first impression was awful, but I said to myself, "I'm here to eat!". I read the sandwiches were good, so my wife and I ordered a few. Here's where it really got bad. Basically, we paid for bottom shelf deli meat on wonder bread. Horrible food, put the staff seemed nice enough I guess. I would not recommend this place to anyone. read more

Didn't get to eat here server was too rude to deal with. Cash only. Maybe the food is good, didn't stick around long enough to find out.

Always consistent. We come here for weekend brunch and weekday lunches ... actually is the best place in old town for sandwich platters. Really good food with BIG portions. This is an owner-operator restaurant which is rare. If the place is too crowded to sit just get your food to go and enjoy it a block away at the park overlooking the Potomac River. Can't go wrong here. read more

breakfast bagel sandwhichs are cheap and real tasty. no debit/credit cards though is a real drag. very cool neighborhood atmosphere read more

Definitely the best breakfast we've found here. Food: I had a the sunnyside special (no cheese), sausage and orange juice. J had one pancake, scrambled eggs, toast, hashbrowns and coffee. The hashbrowns were crispy, the bacon was delicious and WARM, and the eggs were pretty perfect. I tried just a bite of J's pancake -- so cakey, I loved it. Service: Interesting... Jack works the grill and his wife (?) whose name I didn't catch works the register/counter. Everyone orders at the counter and if you are sitting at a table, the people at the counter will pass your food to you as it comes. Pretty fast for a one-man grill. Other: There were definitely a lot of regulars on Saturday morning. Like everyone says, Jack's Place is charmingly down-home. I didn't realize exactly how tiny it was until we got there -- 6 seats at the counter, two high-top deuces and two normal 3-tops. $20 even for everything was, I thought, a good price. I'd love to go back again. read more

This is where I end up about three mornings a week (but don't tell my wife). I've been going to Jack's since I moved to the neighborhood, 8 years ago. Great place -- very much a place where you get to know people and they know you. There's a lot of history here, and some pretty damn good food too. I can particularly recommend pancakes, corned beef hash, and for lunch try the Canadian Dip. OK, he named it after me a few years ago... ;) I definitely stand by my sandwich. There's only maybe two or three people who'll go behind the counter, so don't feel left out if you don't. ;) And another note: Even though it's a small place, people cycle through pretty quickly. If there's no table inside just relax outside on one of the benches for a few minutes, and you'll be in! read more

This was a good find! A very tiny place. I highly recommend sitting at the bar so you can watch your food being made. Great food for a great price! I will be going back! read more

I checked out this little hole in the wall first thing on a Saturday morning in Old Town Alexandria, close to King Street and the riverfront. Very nice! I had an omelette for breakfast - it was large, tasty and STUFFED full of sausage, onions, and green and red peppers. The two Mongolian women working there (new owners) were friendly and efficient. Several regulars came in while I was there, and some came in for carry out. Real coffee cups and plates by the way. And they do accept credit cards (one review said cash only - not so, at least not now). Recommended for a quick bite - but it's little, don't go with a big group. read more

I can't imagine why I would ever want to eat anywhere else in old town for brunch again. I'm pretty easy to please as far as a normal brunch goes; three eggs over medium and a slice of toast puts me in a chipper mood for the rest of the day and Jack does it perfectly. There's a real satisfaction that I get from watching someone who does their job well, and grabbing a seat by the counter and watching Jack cook up a storm makes for a great Sunday morning. read more

Good home cooking in Old Town. Jack would be the first to tell you that if you're looking for something fancy, go somewhere else. The biggest drawback is the size. There are only two tables and about 10 stools. But, if you can get a seat, you'll get a good breakfast at a reasonable price in Old Town. We didn't have lunch, but I'll bet it is as good as the breakfast and again, reasonable.If you are claustrophobic, avoid this place. read more

Jack's Place is a very local hang out. It's small with bar seating but the portions of food for the price is great. Their omelettes are huge. I had the damn good omelette while the fiancée had the corn beef with sour cream. They were both pretty tasty with some hot sauce. There are a lot of locals that seem to visit and the staff is very friendly. read more

The place is small and you usually have to wait for a table, but it can't get more LOCAL than this. Only locals come here. The cook is always nice and friendly! The downfall of this place is the fact that politics, is always the main conversation going on between guests and the owner and not the most educated discussions to say the least. (That's why we've stopped going) The coffee sucks but the food is great and it's cheap. read more

We've been here a couple of times since Jack retired. The new owners have not missed a beat. Friendly, neighborhood, casual, great food. Old Town really needs a great sandwich place, and Jack's is still it. Plus, you can get FRESH SQUEEZED ORANGE JUICE, squeezed right before your eyes. A delicious addition to delicious breakfast or sandwich. read more

Came here today (Wednesday, 10/5) at 9:15 AM. Place was closed. No hours posted on door. Thought it was supposed to be open due to the menu photo posted here that had the hours. Local places like these that disrespect their customers should be shut down. read more