The inside is small yet inviting with the assistance of fabulous hosts! My dining partner and I munched on some amazing brunch shares accompanied by some smashing cocktails. My favorites were the S&P Eggplant and the Grilled Halloumi. Loved my La Vida Loca signature cocktail. Those cocktails though... keep them coming, you will thank me! read more

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I have been to all of their locations and I have never been let down. The servers/bartenders are ALWAYS amazing. I have made great friends with some of them. All of their food is absolutely amazing and they have really good cocktails too!! Always a good choice when you're around. read more

I get excited to eat with creative menus like JWF has. Stopped in for breakfast and now can't wait to go back and try their Branzino. Super friendly and attentive staff. We ate at the Chelsea location which has a cozy feel inside, really relaxed and I particularly liked the natural light coming in from the windows. I've noticed Haloumi popping up on more menus lately and whatever the combination of flavors in the grape topping on their Grilled Haloumi was really tasty! read more

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I was disappointed to say that the food here just missed the mark. After hearing about this place for a while, I had high expectations, but I just felt like the food didn't taste good. I just didn't like the flavors that they had, and I even felt like it wasn't flavorful enough. The food was quite disappointing. The service and ambiance were standard. Can't complain about that, but due to the food and its off-putting flavors, I would not return. read more

Jack's Wife Freda - Green Shakshuka - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New York, New York

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Great ambiance and good food. I got the beets dip and the whole branzino. The branzino was good but pretty salty - needed to balance out my bites with the cucumber and tomato salad and the couscous. read more

Jack's Wife Freda - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New York, New York

I'd been to Jack's Wife Freda in Soho many years ago-I can't recall what I had. I didn't know about the location in Chelsea, but was glad to see it, as I was searching for a place to eat. I asked the server for his recommendations, and he suggested starting with the fried Zucchini Chips. I did. They were excellent - sliced thin, but not too thin. Very crisp exterior but tender, hot and a moist Zucchini interior. There was a sauce that came with it....I made sure to dip every bite in it! The server also recommended the Chicken Schnitzel. The last time I had schnitze, was in Italy, so there was a high hurdle for Jack's. The picture doesn't quite reflect how thin this schnitzel was.....how very thin. It was maybe 1/2 inch thick (at the most)....or should I say thin. While I was very surprised to see how thin the chicken had been hammered, I was even more surprised that it was tender...and even juicy. It tasted good, but the outer part of the cutlet was dry and too crisp. The sauce served with the schnitzel was too spicy, so I used the sauce which came with the zucchini chips - it was a perfect dip. My recommendation-seriously consider pounding the chicken to at least 1 inch thick -it's too thin. The schnitzel was served with light and fluffy mashed potatoes and a tasty diced salad of mostly cucumbers with some tomatoes. read more

Jack's Wife Freda - Chicken Schnitzel - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New York, New York

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Came here for a birthday lunch/brunch with a couple of my friends. I loved that they have such an expansive menu that has an option for everyone's taste. Food was fantastic and portion size is just enough for one person without feeling overly full. Jack's Breakfast, Peri Peri Chicken, and Fried Zucchini Chips were the best plates on the table. Service was great, but we also went on a Saturday around 3pm so we were one of the only tables. You can make reservations, but they also take reservations walk ins. read more

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I loved my food and the experience. The vibe of the restaurant is cozy but large enough to accommodate groups. I came here on a Sunday afternoon around noon for brunch and had no issue being seated for a table for two. I had the eggplant panini with a chopped salad on the side and my friend had the tuna salad. I was torn btw the panini and salmon burger so I will be back for the salmon burger. read more

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Popped in for a quick Sunday breakfast and they were super busy! I ended up getting a hot oat vanilla latte and eggplant sandwich with fries. The food tasted really fresh and flavorful, with plenty of dips for the sandwich/fries. I can def see why they were busy, would love to try the dinner menu! read more

I had heard a lot about this place, so I went in with high expectations but honestly, I didn't think it lived up to the hype. They have a green shakshuka, which is a bit different and seems to be popular. My boyfriend tried it, and it was just okay--nothing special. As expected in New York, the tables are very close together, so don't expect much personal space. We didn't have a reservation and waited about 15 minutes to be seated, which wasn't too bad. Overall, it was an average experience. Not terrible, but not something I'd go out of my way for. read more

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I didn't order any food because I was pressed for time. I ordered 1 drink the Pink Guzzler and it was so darnnn good. But trust I would be visiting on my own soon. They had indoor and outside seating available. A good way to sit down and get to know someone or just relax and enjoy a meal me time. read more

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Food was pretty mid. The menu looked better than the food actually tasted. Service was fine. Nothing special. Ambiance was okay. Indoor seating looked nicer than outdoors. Overall a very mid experience. read more

Jack's Wife Freda - Outdoor seating - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New York, New York

Been here a few times. It is always quite packed, but I do love the vibe and I love the food. It's like Mediterranean food. I've mostly eaten breakfast type food here and have also been to the one in Soho. The location in Chelsea is much smaller than the one in Soho, so... just know that. The yogurt bowl is amazing, the shakshuka? is good and so was most everything I've. The coffee is great. read more

I really did like my dinner here I just felt like the service was a little off. The waitress was very sweet but had to keep getting the manager to come over. The burger was outstanding as were the fries. My hubby got the chicken schnitzel and it was a bit too breaded and dry but otherwise everything was tasty. I think we may put this on the list to try for brunch which seems to be what they are known for. read more

So overrated. Heard great things about this place but unfortunately it was a bit disappointing. Went here for a Saturday brunch, cafe was super cute and had diner vibes and large seating size which is a plus for nyc My friend and I shared the rose waffles and green shakshuka. Shakshuka tasted overwhelmingly like spinach and rose waffles were literally normal waffles with a bit of rose syrup, nothing special. Left unsatisfied and still hungry, wouldn't come back again read more

Jack's Wife Freda - Green shakshuka and rose waffles - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New York, New York

great place for kids. crayons for coloring. server was great. little expensive for what you get. zucchini chips crispy and delicious appetizer read more

Jack's Wife Freda - Kale Greek Salad - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New York, New York

Heard this was a very popular brunch spot and was recommended here by a friend so had to check it out. I made reservations for 10:00 AM on a Sunday. The interior is very bright and clean. It's rather noisy inside, so I struggled to hear my friend that was sitting right in front of me. I got the Chicken Kebab with couscous and salad. Honestly, for the price point and the hype, I was rather disappointed. It's a decent amount of food but not a large portion. The chicken was well-cooked and the salad was fresh, but the flavors were rather bland, especially with the couscous not bringing any flavor to the plate. I expected the peri-peri chicken to pack more of a punch. My friend was also disappointed in his Chicken Schnitzel for similar reasons. Between the lackluster food and noisy ambiance, I don't think I'll be returning here. Perhaps there are better menu items, but for how expensive this place is, I expect more from each of their dishes. read more

Jack's Wife Freda - Chicken Kebab - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New York, New York

It was my first time trying out Jack's Wife Freida and I made a reservation for Sunday brunch. Not sure about other locations, but this one has packed seating with a large table in the middle that is shared between different parties. We ordered the fried zucchini chips and wings as shareables. I liked the zucchini fry aioli dip, and the chicken wings had a good flavor (little spicy). For mains, we got the Green Shakshuka, Madame Freda, and Mimi's Salmon Burger. The highlight was definitely the madame freda, their take on the croque madame. The salmon burger was okay, and unfortunately the shakshuka fell flat to me - it was on the watery side. The service was great but the food / atmosphere was not my favorite. read more

Jack's Wife Freda - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New York, New York

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My friends were talking this place up and I was worried it wouldn't live up to the hype, but it's solid. I'd give it a 4.5 but rounding up. FOOD: My friends and I shared a bunch of stuff. The eggplant appetizer was good, and although I wasn't the biggest fan of the sauce, I thought the eggplant was done nicely. Of our mains, I liked the skirt steak sandwich the most probably. The meat was not super tender, but the flavor was really good. I only say the meat wasn't super tender because they had problems cutting it -- I don't remember struggling to chew. We also had the salmon which came on a bed of sautéed kale, which I enjoyed. I also liked the chicken dish my friend ordered. Pretty flavorful. DESSERT: We had the flourless chocolate cake, which had some chipotle in it. I didn't really taste the chipotle, but I did enjoy the dessert. I would recommend it for chocolate lovers, but say it's not very spicy. Although I would probably try something different next time. SERVICE: Service was good! The waiter was very attentive, although I would say he would lose some points for trying to take our dishes away when we were still picking at them. But he was super nice overall so no actual points lost. He did not offer to refill my hot water though, which would have been nice. AMBIANCE: Nothing too too fancy, but kinda cute too. Would go for a date or with friends. Clean, nicely decorated. OVERALL: A fan! Would come back. read more

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We decided to celebrate our first Xmas with the little one with lunch/brunch at Jack's Wife Freda. This used to be one of my fave restaurants before moving to HK in 2015, but I haven't been since I moved back. Alas, it didn't live up to my memory. We ordered: Whole Roasted Garlic: Delicious, and a big hit for baby too! House Salad: Underwhelming; this tasted like cold iceberg lettuce. I could see the dressing, but couldn't taste it. Green Shakshuka: I discovered Shakshuka here for the first time many moons ago, and was sad that it fell flat this time around. The sauce was fine, but the dish felt like it needed something to add a little oomph. Cantelope Mimosa: I avoid cocktails in general because I find them too sweet, but this was perfect! I would go back just for drinks so I could have this again. It was crazy packed for the holiday which I'm sure was stressful for the staff, but the service was amazing. Anytime the baby started crying, someone would materialize with a toy to placate him, and our waitress, Chelsea, was patient and attentive. It's possible it was an off day foodwise because of the holiday, but I'll likely just go back for drinks. read more

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Two years ago my boyfriend and I found this restaurant by chance on a cold and rainy night. Ever since then, Jack's Wife Freda in Chelsea has been one of my favorite restaurants in the city. No matter what time you go, the waitstaff will be lovely and accommodating, the ambiance will be cozy and warm, and the food will be fantastic! On that note, there isn't a bad thing on the menu. My all time favorite dish is the chicken schnitzel- served with a refreshing chopped Mediterranean salad and the creamiest, most savory mashed potatoes I've had outside my grandmother's house. A very close second would be the Peri peri chicken kebab, with the same chopped salad over a bed of couscous with finely chopped mint leaves and lemon. For appetizers, their beet dip with feta is delicious, and so are the soft and flavorful lamb kefta! I know this is a widely acknowledged fact, but their green hot sauce is out of this world delicious. I'm not usually one for hot sauce, but it's so herby, creamy, and garlicky that I usually end up slathering it onto everything. The brunch service at JWF also cannot be beat. The breakfast/brunch items are available all day, but it's worth going in the morning to experience the lively and bright atmosphere. My favorite thing to get is the Mediterranean breakfast, with eggs over easy, and a cantaloupe mimosa. The steak prego for lunch is great too, as they pile it high with a ton of medium rare steak! All in all, don't miss this special place if you're in the area. I can't recommend it enough! read more

Jack's Wife Freda - Chicken schnitzel with extra green sauce - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New York, New York

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Duck bacon -- need I say more? The egg and cheese roll with duck bacon was outstanding. The chicken kabob with couscous was absolutely fabulous, and the service was truly excellent. Highly recommend! read more

3.5 but I wanted to love it more, especially for the excellent service and atmosphere. I love the vibe here but unfortunately the food didn't really live up to the hype for me. The kids meals are nicely priced for the large portions they received as well as the coloring sheets and stickers which was a nice touch and kept them busy. But my sister ordered a lemonade for my niece and when we got the bill it was $8!! For a kids cup of lemonade lol our server confirmed that price was correct. The peri peri chicken wings were ok. The roasted cauliflower was pretty good. I ordered the salmon for my entree and it came out raw in the middle :( they took it back and recooked a new salmon piece for me but that was a bit off putting. The chicken schnitzel was a nice size portion and also pretty good. My husband said the burger was just ok but kind of bland for the price. Not sure I'd return with all the great dining options in Chelsea but this was a good place to take the kids. read more

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When you walk through the door, you'll find a moody ambiance accompanied by guests quietly enjoying a meal or drink with friends. The staff is very welcoming and attentive. Our staff dinner is held here annually to commence the beginning of NYCC, it's always a wonderful time sharing delicious food together. The matzo ball soup is a favorite for all of us, the matzo ball has a perfect chew but also very tender! Peri Peri chicken is a no brainer if you're not stranger to a kick of spice, I only wish you could choose to order white or dark meat BUT both are juicy and delicious none the less. I'd recommend ordering a side of couscous to balance all of the acidity from the Peri Peri chicken dish. Steak was cooked perfectly and seasoned very well. Not pictured, some desserts. Try them all and find your favorite! Enjoy your visit next time you're craving a comforting meal! read more

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First time trying this place and I feel like it's definitely worth trying at least once or twice! We came here for a late lunch and got seated quickly. They have a lot of seating inside so it's a tight squeeze in between tables. Our waiter was nice and came to check on us often. We got the zucchini chips, roasted cauliflower, and green shakshuka. The zucchini chips and cauliflower were so good! The chips were crispy and lightly battered. The cauliflower was nicely roasted and the garlic sauce on top was delicious. The green shakshuka was good, but I wish the egg whites were cooked a little more and for the price I thought it would come with more bread. read more

Jack's Wife Freda - Zucchini chips, roasted cauliflower, green shakshuka - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New York, New York

- great peri peri chicken - I liked the melon mimosa - awesome warm cheese appetizer - wait staff was amazing - shashuska got good reviews from the table - the duck poached eggs looked delicious - very bright and sunny - I enjoyed the soundtrack - seated right away on a Wednesday morning in February read more

This is one of the best places to get brunch! Pros: + Incredible food options + Great for vegetarians and those with other dietary restrictions + Unique takes on classics - I was so excited to see the lamb kebabs instead of beef + Staff and service were incredible! Cons: - Limited reservations IG: QueenOfAdventureNYC read more

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Many say it's essential to try this chain. We reserved for Sunday brunch and it was packed. The server was nice, and the menu has a lot of interesting items, but the actual food and drink were just fine. I got the green shakshuka with a side of fingerling potatoes, which should've been more tender. The green sauce was made of tomatillos, and the dish by itself was light. I tried the violet cocktail. The fresh cantaloupe juice was good. The spice is very mild. read more

Jack's Wife Freda - Green shakshuka and fingerling potatoes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New York, New York

Dropped by for a quick bite with a friend at Jack's Wife Freda! Shout-out to the menu design for its cute illustrations I'm a fanatic for kebabs and shakshuka so we got the Chicken Kebab and Green Shakshuka - the chicken was super juicy and nicely marinated complemented with the side salad. The shakshuka I will admit I had high expectations because I really like the flavor combo of the earthy herbs and fresh spices, but their green shakshuka just tasted like a green salsa and was more watery than anticipated. But overall had a decent meal, great service, and lovely atmosphere inside :) read more

Jack's Wife Freda - Chicken Kebab & Green Shakshuka - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New York, New York

I love this restaurant. Literally a 10/10!! Breakfast is my favorite meal and I'm obsessed that they serve it all day. Truly haven't ordered anything I didn't love, my favorites below: - Fried zucchini chips - Peri peri chicken - Green shakshuka Pro tip! Go hungry with a friend and order the above, you will not be disappointed read more

I've been wanting to try Jack's Wife Freda for the longest time (thanks Grossy Pelosi for the rec!) and it did not disappoint! I got the green shakshuka and a cappuccino. Luckily we got there fairly early and there was no line to get in. The shakshuka was delicious and the eggs were perfectly cooked. I could have had another right then. Will definitely be back! Service was friendly and loved their hats! read more

Jack's Wife Freda - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New York, New York

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Stopped by Jack's Wife Freda an hour before closing on a weeknight for a quick meal. I've wanted to try their brunch food forever, but I ordered the Jack's burger instead since it was dinner time. I have to say, the burger was pretty bad. Worst I've had in awhile. It was very dry and pretty small (especially considering it was $27 after tax and tip). The fries were decent, but that's about the only good thing I can say about it. I know they're supposed to be known for their brunch, but how hard is it to screw up a hamburger? I was especially baffled by the fact that the only toppings the burger comes with are a slice of tomato and a few fried onions. Not even a piece of lettuce or some sort of sauce to make it less dry. Plus, adding cheese is another $3. No thanks!!! I don't plan on coming back here anytime soon. read more

Jack's Wife Freda - Jack's burger - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New York, New York

3.5 really! This location is less "Insta-famous" than the others so we got seats in the almost-vacant outdoor seating area upon arrival on a Sunday around 9:30 A.M. Our waiter was kind of odd but the other staff were really nice. Though I've had this place on my To-Visit List since like 2019, I honestly didn't have big expectations. I love light, fresh Mediterranean food! But JWF sadly left a a bit to be desired. We Ordered: *Green Shakshuka w/ Challah Slices *Grilled Halloumi w/ Grapes *Roasted Tomato w Poached Eggs and Halloumi *Avocado toast w/ Picked Carrots + Tomato Jam + Arugula Side Salad * 2 Bloody Marys + OJ The portion were small and the plates overpriced. Food tasted fresh and light for sure, but also uninspired and lacking in the small, basic details/flavors they should have and/or would benefit from. When Sera Y. mentioned, "the green shakshuka was basically 2 sunny-side eggs with some green sauce. the egg whites were not easy to mix into the sauce" she took the words right out of my mouth. The tomato jam and pickled carrots were delicious, though. Grilled halloumi too but was all tiny and thin like my challah toast slices. Bloody Marys were also good! Glad to have finally paid it a visit but will not be coming back any time soon. read more

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We had an early AM reservation. Service was reasonably attentive if not overly friendly. The location is bright and inviting. Their GF selection was just ok. The only bummer for me is they don't have any GF bread options to sub in for their breakfast dishes. Homemade avocado hot sauce was a standout. read more

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I've NEVER had a bad meal here. The peri peri (anything) is so good but those wings are next level. Trick- just be willing to sit at the bar if they are packed. read more

Jack's Wife Freda - Poached Eggs w/Tomato & Haloumi* added a side of chopped salad - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New York, New York

So I stopped by for a quick food on a Saturday. Place is hustling and bustling. Loud and vibrant. I sat at the bar. What made that place great were two lights behind the bar. Huge Shut out to Nico and Jonathan behind the bar. They hustle with smile and still are extremely polite and sincerely happy This place opens for breakfast so seeing happy bartenders at 2 pm is rare. lol. Thank you guys. Keep up the amazing work. Ppl like you make customers want to come back. read more

It was fairly easy to get a reservation for a Saturday morning. The menu had a few different things that sounded really good to us but we decided to order the duck bacon sandwich and the madame Freda. I think this place was a bit overhyped though. I have heard about it for years as being the best brunch in NYC, but in my mind it seemed a bit unmentionable. read more

Jack's Wife Freda - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New York, New York

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I have had this spot bookmarked for years so last week I headed into the city early just to go and finally have breakfast. It's a cute little spot with great service and a nice looking menu. I went for the Madame Freda, their version of the classic with a perfectly cooked runny egg on top and served with fries (my choice) or a salad. The fries came lukewarm but they were still good and I found the Madame to be saltier than I would expect but it was still delicious. I'd like to come back and try some of their other dishes. read more

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I had no clue this place was only in NYC. It feels like a chain that wound have one in Vegas and LA. This one is small and cute. The one in SoHo is huge and has more a vibe and their location for people watching outside is tremendous and feels very Paris. The prices are pretty high and I understand it's the West Village. I don't mind paying $19 for a brunch item in a cute place, but the poached eggs with Halloumi was laughably small. Their Halloumi app is really good btw and so is their Cauliflower. The eggs were poached well and the ingredients were all nice but I look at it and it felt like when I grab a BEC sandwich from a deli, like you know you're gonna be hungry a couple hours later, which I was. Service was good, we sat at the bar. The Sat lunchtime bartender made good lattes while serving the bar and making all the cocktails. His shift ended and the other guys were super nice too. Ok, so the tomato on the poached eggs didn't work. I don't think the Halloumi should go on the bottom either cause it makes it soggy fast. And they gave two really small pathetic pieces of bread for it. A maybe slightly larger slice of Halloumi and definitely bigger pieces of bread and switch out the tomato for a different veggie. Look it was fine. But not something I'd crave and if you want to be a successful NYC restaurant you need to have those items. Their SoHo one will always be busy because of their location, their large amount of people watching outside seating and its huge inside and the vibe is really a scene that automatically makes you feel like you're going out. And it reminds me of LA restaurants that feel like a destination but are way more expensive. So great job on the SoHo location. This West Village location, honestly the food on the menu isn't good enough and original enough I think to sustain the competition you'd have right there. I've noticed that Mediterranean food is a lot more supported in NYC than other large cities in the US. And that white women LOVE this place. Like they are obsessed with this place and they brunch and go out in groups. I think with the smaller area of this particular location, maybe they should have tried a different concept or menu at least. Good luck Jack. read more

We chose this restaurant to celebrate a family birthday. Because we had kids in our party we arrive early (@5:45). We were seated immediately. The first thing my companion and I noticed was how fricking loud the music was. We questioned whether we should stay but the rest of the party arrived and we didn't want to relocate our group. The food was decent, as was the service but the blaring music was unbearable and really detracted from what otherwise would have been a pleasant experience. On a service related note, I absolutely hate when servers remove plates before all parties have completed their meals. I was taught it was poor manners and more upscale restaurants train servers to wait until all customers are done. We felt very rushed because the server swooped to our table as soon as she noticed a member of our party completed their meal to removed their plate. The food is not worth the atmosphere of this place. There are many better options in the area. read more