I rarely give a restaurant five stars but Jar deserves it. I have yet to try all the steak places in town, but JAR is the best steak I have had to date. The service is excellent, decor is elegant and everything I had, corn, potatoes (it's been a little bit so I don't remember all the dishes) was amazing. KOBE was to die for. Go, special occasion or just for the hell of it. You WILL NOT be disappointed! read more

Top notch service, excellent food, great wine list, wonderful desserts. Jar has a an old-world feeling, combined with a classy modern appeal. The result is a feeling of "this place knows what it's doing". If you're in the mood for steak, this is the spot -- recommend the filet mignon over a rib-eye cut (unless you're a rib-eye fan). Also, for dessert lovers, highly recommend the chocolate and butterscotch puddings. One thing to note, the atmosphere feels heavy and rich with its dimly lit interior and non-existent windows -- so don't take a date here if you want a carefree, lighthearted meal. But do frequent Jar if you want to enjoy a wonderful steak dinner. read more

I figure I might as well write the review while it is still fresh in my head. I went to Jar today for the 2nd time. We got this little coupon thing so we decided to try it for dinner as we were disappointed the last time we went for a sunday brunch. We figured it would be a lot better if we went for a dinner and since she is one of the top chef masters contestant we figure it would be better yet we were quite disappointed. Personally, I really dislike how those high class restaurant is usually so damn dark and it bothers me -_- but I guess i should overlook it since it usually like that in a lot of the high class restaurants. Service was great right when we come in and we were welcome with hospitality. The waitress was really good and I was quite satisfy with her service. The busboys were great too because my water never got to the point where it was empty so i would say the service is superb. If i was gonna complain about one part in the service then I would have to say when we order she recommended us the a side dish of sauce. The sauce...just went horribly wrong with what we order. It totally didn't match and we were just super disappointed in how they recommended us this but failed horribly. It started off pretty rocky when they served us the bread. My gosh...it was like eating a piece of brick. -_- I don't get why they would decide to serve us that bread when the skin was just plain hard to eat. The middle was alright but the outside...I just wanna throw it at someone to see if it hurts. SO right when i got the bread I wanted to say i would give it an one already. We also got the devil egg and personally i liked the devil egg. I wasn't exactly sure what was on top but it brought a nice flavor to it because it added a bit citrus to it and BAM us and that completed the nice little appetizers. OH we ordered two dishes which was the fries and braised brussel sprouts The fries was excellent and i just wanna keep eating it. Every bite was just full of crunchiness and that is something I like. The braised brussel sprouts is quite tasty but at the same time i feel like it was quite blend and the texture was a bit off but it didnt taste bad. I ordered the Rib-eye while my friend ordered the Jar's pot roast and my bro ordered the sea bass. I'll start off with my Rib-eye. I would say that my rib-eye was perfectly cooked to be honest but it didnt WOW me. It's like they give me a fine quality steak where I can just get at home. It tasted good but it isn't anything that is special and didn't stand out. If i was to order a $35 dollar steak, I want something that completely overwhelm me and it didn't do that. I mean the taste is there but they need to add some components that can give me that feeling of "WHOA i would like to come here again just to eat it." My friend's pot roast was pretty lovely i would say. I mean i would hope so for it to named "Jar's signature Pot Roast." I really like the sauce and the carrots and the carmelized onions around it. It really give it a nice taste to the pot roast. The pot roast was tender and if it was my dish I just wouldn't stop eating it. Overall this was my highlight of the restaurant. SO we realized that Suzanne is only a good meat cook. MY GOSH i was disgusted by how the sea bass taste. Nothing went well in that plate. It was blend, saltless, and i dont know what the last word to describe it would be because I can't imagine myself tasting that dish again. My brother was complaining the whole time about this dish and to be honest(ALTHOUGH he went a bit extreme) i would say it was quite nasty. I would never ever expect a top chef to make this fish and just sent it to us and expect to like it. I can go to an asian restaurant that can give me more taste that this sea bass would ever be. Personal Opinion: Don't try the seafood!!! One more thing that totally bummed me and that was the presentation. I really expected a great way to present your dishes and when our entrees came it was such a buzz killed that i was like what the...fuhhh. OH and for the price that im paying...i would say the amount just wasn't enough. Probably won't come back to this place tbh...my real would be a 2.75 so EH. The fish really threw us off the boat. read more

I first became aware of Suzanne Tracht from the first season of Top Chef Masters, and ever since then, I've had this restaurant on my to do list. The concept and style of the food is amazingly simple, traditional american comfort food, just done really well. Appetizers: Crab Deviled Eggs and Black Mussels were quite tasty! Entrees: Pot Roast, Lamb Shank, Kansas City Steak, Lemongrass Chicken, all cooked and seasoned very well. You order your sides separately, and several worth mentioning were the duck fried rice, asparagus, and brussel sprouts (really~ brussel sprouts!) Also, as everyone else mentioned, you must try the butterscotch pudding with salted caramel... delightful! It can get quite loud here at the later hours, so come early if you're looking for a quieter meal, also try the spa water cocktail! read more

Hard to see this place. It's pretty dark inside but what steakhouse isn't. We came here using a Groupon or OpenTable deal. We had the Maine Lobster Cocktail, the Lemongrass Chicken, Rib-eye and fries. All delicious. The lobster cocktail was very tasty. Definitely order one to share for two. It's small but should share it. You must save room for the entree. The rib-eye was perfectly medium-rare. You think it's easy but only the great steakhouses know how to cook medium-rare. This place is one of them. The chicken was amazingly juicy. Now why not 5-stars? The service was not the steakhouse service I expected but it was not the horrible service some other Yelpers claimed. Our waiter just didn't feel like he wanted to be there but was holding back his displeasure of working there. read more

Braised ox tail was yummy, great atmosphere. Service staff is helpful but they stay out of your business. Love, love, love the food. Power Lunch/Dinner! Do it! read more

Came here for Sunday brunch and the place had a nice vibe. The door is on the side and looks very mysterious. Once inside, there are only a few small windows that have bushes on the outside, so there is very little natural light. The walls are wood and the light fixtures are unique. The chairs also roll which I thought was strange. It felt like I was at the office. The service was great. They were attentive, but not overly so, which can be a tendency at some of these higher end places. They did bring us the wrong drink, but that was not a big deal. Onto the food, I had the Lobster Benedict which was great. Their menu was diverse and offered many unique items. The pork that was included in the Lobster Benedict I could have done without. I'm not sure that improved the meal. All in all, an okay place. For brunch, I wish it had more light or even an outdoor seating option, but Jar is not that kind of place. I would like to come back and try dinner. read more

I realized I never wrote my DineLA 2011 review for Jar! But, seriously I am still thinking about that Butterscotch Pudding. I have yet to have one comparable to Jar's. However, on the same note, I still remember the disgusting duck fried rice. It was too oily, the flavors didn't pair well with duck's natural fats and taste. I might have to come back for DineLA 2013 just for the pudding. Nomnom. read more

We actually walked in on a Saturday night and had no problem getting a table. And after waiting a bit for menus, we started the culinary adventure. Brussel sprouts with kimchi. Yum. Burrata caprese. Smart. tempura squash blossoms. Worth the cheat. The entrees: coq au vin and braised oxtail. oh yes. nicely done. perfectly done. dessert: butterscotch pudding with salted caramel. Seriously. You can put salted caramel on anything, and it'll taste good. But this was definitely heaven in a glass. Nothing came in a Jar. False advertising. The bathroom are the ugliest I've ever seen. read more

I am REALLY disappointed in Jar. Yes, the food and ambiance are great - It's actually what is making writing this review so difficult. I love it so much that I decided to host my 12 person birthday dinner at Jar. I made the reservation with the reservationist...all is well! A little over a week ago, I called the restaurant prior to the date of my birthday dinner to confirm the time of my reservation and was told that my reservation was canceled -- the restaurant decided to be closed on that date. I did not receive a call, text, email, pigeon currier service, NOTHING to let me know that my birthday dinner reservation was being canceled. Thank goodness I called to confirm my reservation time! What if me and 12 guests showed up that evening? The hostess that I spoke to on the phone didn't have any answers other than "I don't know why nobody notified you." I asked to speak to a manager, none was available. I asked if a manager would call me back, I STILL HAVEN'T received a callback 7 days later. I worked in F&B for many years. I know mistakes happen; they're bound to occur and that's ok! However, it's how you handle those mistakes that make all the difference. Unfortunately, Jar didn't do so well this go round. ;( read more

Great food and service. Our server Tomek made us feel welcomed and was knowledgeable about the menu. I'll definitely return next time I'm in LA. read more

Dined here with a large group, and was impressed by the cocktails, food and wait staff. Great fish & steaks. Desserts were out of sight. Cocktail selection was creative and delicious. Ambience is masculine with wood lined walls. Didn't care for the over-sized, leatherette chairs on wheels. Felt very awkward and we all kept bumping into each other, which I guess made our night even more fun (actually). read more

We came here years ago and the service was terrible. We were given gift cards for the terrible experience. We didn't go back for years but decided to give it another try. At the end of the meal waiter came back and said can't honor gift card. Said that person no longer worked there and had no record. Manager said chef wouldn't honor it. Ridiculous. Very overpriced underwhelming meal at full price. Now never going back. Food was average and manager and chef attitude very insulting. Who wouldn't honor their own gift certificate? Beware of their bait and switch. read more

Decor: classic, mid-century style with little touches that cater to an older audience. Service: gracious and attentive with an old-style flair. Food: traditional steakhouse fare; not too many bells and whistles but decent salad options. Drinks: decent menu of cocktails and wines; some nice contemporary twists on classics. Ambiance: a bit quiet, possibly too bright with a need for a better soundtrack; interesting people watching. read more

So sad about writing this. Jar used to be my favorite restaurant in LA. The only place where you could get a Kistler Chardonnay, great steak, etc. etc.. My son is 10 so my husband and I don't get out too much anymore so tonight (sleepover night - yeah!)... lets go to Jar!! It was awful. From the attitude of the waiter (we only actually even saw him twice) to the microwaved potatoes, soup so bland I had to ask for butter, pepper and salt ($14) to the $44.00 hockey puck steak. It was awful. When the hostess asked if everything was OK, I said, "No". We've never had such a terrible experience here and I'm kind of in shock. She didn't care at all and said, "oh, well, have a nice night". I"m sure she'll go fare in her MAW career (model, actress. whatever....). We won't be going back and am disputing the charge as it literally ruined the one night my husband and I have had to ourselves in probably 6 months. Sorry Jar, it's O.V.E.R. Oh, they comped the microwaved potatoes, wasn't that sweet. Otherwise I think they would have been an extra $10 - 14 or so. The whole thing is just sad. Hopefully the Meteor shower view from Griffith Observatory will make up for the hideous date night dinner I just had (well sort of....I'm actually still hungry). read more

Our waiter Kevin did/did not do the following: - sprayed/spit a huge amount of saliva all over my face. -I asked him if I could have my salmon spicy and seasoned and spicy sauce. He said absolutely - he took our order and 5 minutes after he came back put his hand on my friend and me which made my friend very uncomfortable and said that he had forgotten what I had ordered. I reminded him and he left. - our food finally arrived. I was starving. My salmon was not at all what I had ordered and I could live with that but what really got me was it was a really bad piece of fish. Shame on the chef for even sending out a piece like that. - all of our side dishes were incorrect. - then he came to tell us the right side dishes were coming out and there was no sorries out of him. We told him about the salmon. Then manager came to me and took care of the salmon issue. I wanted to tell the manager all of the above but I couldn't as Kevin was hovering near by. - then my husband's steak wasn't cooked the way he ordered and it was way too rare for him to eat it. He finally had to ask him to cook it a bit more. His steak still came back pretty rare - then we were given dessert menus but he wouldn't come back to take the dessert order - I finally had to ask the guy serving us more water to take our dessert order but Kevin heard that so he then took our dessert order. - then the bill arrived without any compensation. Not even the coffee was compensated. What a horrible waiter, kitchen staff, chef and experience. After I got home I called the manager Renata and told her all of this she apologized but hesitantly, reluctantly and non committal in her response for any compensation. I had to literally pressure her to tell me what I would be compensated if I was to return. She said salad, drink and maybe dessert. The more I think about it the angrier I get. Terrible service from everyone and especially disappointed in the manager who lacks customer service skills. read more

I am giving Jar this one star solely on the bar experience my friend had last night. She does not drink alcohol, but wanted something along the lines of a mocktail to still feel fancy. The bartender had no idea what she was talking about and all that was offered was a Shirley Temple. It continued once they got to their table with the server rolling their eyes and saying "that virgin situation". In this day and age, there are many sober people out there living normal lives, just without alcohol. Alcohol is the only drug that you have to justify not using. My friend felt belittled. If she were celiac and asked for something gluten free, they wouldn't have blinked at that request. Is Jar not aware of the whole mocktail movement? There are restaurants and bars with entire mocktail menus. Keep up with the times, Jar. Until you treat your customers, who are laying down a pretty penny for a meal at your restaurant, with respect, you will not get my business or will I refer you ever again. Very disappointing. read more

Love this place! Food was super good. Room was super pleasant. Service was impeccable. We shared the deviled eggs and the burrata salad. Date had Kansas City steak which he loved. I had the scallops. Mashed potatoes were delicious. Can't wait to go back. Not inexpensive and no valet so you'll need to Uber or find parking. Celebrity sighting spot if that's your thing. read more

If only 0 stars was an option. The bloody glaze of the ribs hemorrhaged out of the saran wrap so disturbingly I was mentally unnerved before even touching the food. The tenderness of the ribs did not even approach "fall-off-the-bone". This was singularly the toughest, most resistant rack of meat I have ever attempted to consume. This meal ended up in the trash can. The best part were the dinner rolls and they were not dinner rolls worth buying. Thank you for ruining my meal, Jar. read more

My brother decided to treat me and our mother to Thanksgiving Day Dinner instead of cooking in. The kids were celebrating with their mom. The menu was delicious. A big high 5 to the staff for enjoyable meal. This is my first time here. Looking forward to my next. read more

Jar - New American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Loved the 3 course lobster meal! Great services. To make it 5+ I just wish On the dessert, blackberry shortcake would be awesome with a scoop of ice cream! read more

Been here couple of times the food is totally organic, the sevice is amazing. The vibes are great, I would definitely recommend my friends to come here. read more

Jar is definitely one of the best restaurants and steakhouses I have ever been to. It's an unexpected mix of a high-end steakhouse with the comfort & love of traditional American fare. The interior is kind of a retro throwback to the 50's-60's restaurants of old Hollywood. The staff was friendly, professional and knowledgable. It was a pleasant surprise to the warmth from the staff and the food. The one thing is, it is a little dim in the restaurant so my pictures didn't come out well at all. As for the food... the quality of the steak is rediculous. My husband ordered his steak medium and he literally could have used just a butter knife to cut the meat because it was so tender, that it was just falling apart and melted in your mouth. I am a huge fan of sauces so having the option to choose a sauce for my sliced steak is righ up my alley. I chose the Green Peppercorn sauce and it was delicious. The steaks do not come with sides, so you are able to order a variety of them a la carte. We chose creamed corn and mashed potatoes and they were the perfect compliments. My husband has stated that this was THE BEST steak he has EVER eaten. We couldn't have asked for anything more and can't stop talking about it. read more

Jar - New American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Had friends fly in... Second time coming here. I forget our servers name the first time but he was great, Tomek made our experience flawless tonight.. Food is amazing as usual. Service was beyond the typical LA experience. We'll be back. Keep this same energy! :) read more

Went to Jar for the Sunday night fried chicken dinner which I found mediocre at best. The chicken was bland with little flavor, the cole slaw also bland, and the mashed potatoes were something you could whip up at home. And the biscuit, dry and cold. The only saving grace was the butterscotch pudding for dessert. That was really great! The interior is beautiful and the service was good, but based on this one meal, I can't say I would run back. read more

3.5 stars We ordered some of the entrees with the help of yelp :] Appetizers: deviled crab eggs-- Yummy! but come on deviled eggs are too easy to make to make it taste bad. Squash stuffed blossoms with ponzu sauce- another yummy treat. This appetizer wasn't what I expected. Didn't know it was going to be fried but I think it matched with the ponzu sauce because of this. For wine to accompany our dinner, we got the Merry Edwards, pinot noir at the recommendation of the waiter. The wine was light and smooth . For dinner= Surf and Turf- I think it was a special that day. It was ribeye steak with lobster tail. The steak was cooked to perfection. . I got the famous Jar's potroast and it was everything they said it would be. The meat was tender, juicy and so soft that the meat was barely holding on together. For sides, we got the creamed spinach. The creamed spinach however wasn't that good. I've had better. read more

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One of the most disappointing dinners in a while. Went to celebrate my mother's birthday. Took over an hour to even get our first course. The waiter was barely seen throughout the night. It got so bad that after two and a half hours, one round of drinks, and finally then clearing our plates from the main course, my 92 year old grandmother went up to the front to complain. Instead of trying to continue this long process, we sang happy bday not to cake, but simply to the candle already on the table. The food was good, but the complete lack of service all night put a huge damper on the birthday. And even after my grandmother talked to the front staff, they didn't even try to rectify anything including a complimentary dessert. This place used to be great, but total lack of customer service. Such a shame. read more

Great menu items at reasonable prices. Overall makes for a great dining experience. Dishes are generally very well made. 4/5 stars due to: 1) on two occasions the Mussels were less than impeccably fresh. 2) on one occasion the Coq Au Vin was nowhere near the tenderness expected. 3) The Squash Blossom Appetizer, imo, tasted like sanitation fluid. read more

The food has been Consistent for years. Love the pot roast and fresh oysters. Order the wedge salad to start. Would have liked to have veal on the menu as in years past. Bread Pudding was a little dry but everything else was fantastic. read more

I'm so not glad when we had our table it got us a extra 10 mins wait just to clean it food also got deliverd to the wrong table, honestly this is shit read more

The ribeye steak and duck fried rice enticed me and were delightful. This restaurant has an old-school Hollywood vibe, which was fun. Friendly and helpful waitstaff made the evening a good one. read more

We made a reservation for Valentines Day because we had a really nice time at this restaurant previously. We were seated by the bar with a preset menu which was ok, but the waiter took a long time to come and take our order. First the drink order was all wrong and they had to redo the drink 3 times, then the steak was ordered medium rare and came out RAW meat. This place did not have enough staff to handle this occasion. I would not go to this place again. read more

It's been a while since I had a fine dining experience so I was excited to try Jar out with some of my best girlfriends last night. We came armed with a OpenTable coupon, $25 for $50, and we soon realized how puny it was when we glanced at the menu, but oh well! Our loud bunch was subdued a bit when we entered the classy, quiet space. It's all about sleek lines and lots of wood, kind of mid-century, mostly just fancy schmancy. The crowd was pretty mixed, probably due partly to the fact that it was also during DineLA restaurant week. We were a tiny bit late but weren't made to feel bad and led right to a big table in the center of the dining room. Our server was very nice and friendly if a bit spastic, but she really was on top of her game the whole night. We decided to share a few sides, and we went with the brussels sprouts, fries and creamed spinach. I have to say that they were less than impressive... not bad, just not really special. The fries were perfectly crispy but the creamed spinach was a bit runny and not so great. Our entrees were pretty terrific. After skimming former reviews I went with the signature pot roast. It was wonderfully moist and rich, but i found it a bit too salty, which I rarely say as I am a salt fanatic. One friend got the Prime Rib Eye, and it was absolutely fantastic, though very bloody for a medium rare. We all really loved it though, especially dipped in the Tamarind sauce recommended by the server. Another friend got one of the night's specials, a braised long rib with rice noodles, that was incredible. The portions were caveman sized, the meat was perfectly tender, and it had a fun little Asian twist to it. The final selection was another of the night's specials, a soft shell crab that I didn't get to try but my friend was a bit disappointed both in the small size and the flavor. She said she liked the one at Father's Office much better. By the time dessert rolled around we could barely sit up straight, so we shared the banana cream pie, which happens to be my favorite dessert. Jar did not disappoint! It's a little tart, not a slice, and although I usually like a flaky pastry crust in my banana cream pies, this was a delicate, thin graham cracker inspired concoction, and it worked beautifully. They keep it pretty simple, with lots of bananas, whipped cream and some caramel, but it is marvelous. Although this place is very nice and perfect for romantic dates or special occasions, we found the service and atmosphere to make us feel right at home. At one point one of us had an unfortunate red wine/white tablecloth situation and the staff took it in stride, even joking with us about it, and not making us feel bad at all. I'd definitely suggest this place to anyone who wants a nice, classy night out and some fabulous MEAT! read more

Chef Suzanne Tracht is one of the handful of female chefs who is playing with the "big boys" and her place in culinary world was recognized by appearing on Bravo TV's Top Chef Masters. Being from L.A., I've heard about Chef Tracht's refined homestyle-cooking before her appearance on the show. And having only been here for brunch, I was excited to try Jar out for dinner. After a long day at work and driving in traffic, I wanted to sip on some bubbly while catching up with a girlfriend. This glass of Prosecco not only took the edge off but got my cheeks a little rosey, but being Asian that's not saying much. We were given bread and butter to start. The bread was soft, which was lovely since I rarely like eating hard pieces of cardboard. crab deviled eggs - I really enjoyed the deviled eggs, the crab was a nice change to this traditional dish. The crab flavor was pretty mild and since crab is one of my favorite things to eat, I was hoping for stronger, in-your-face flavor. arugula salad, artichokes, currants, almonds, goat cheese - I thought this was a fabulous salad. It was simple and dressed very well. From the creamy goat cheese to the curunchy almonds, the textures were spot on. The citrus dressing and the initial sour artichokes go really well with the sweet currants. I love how the aftertaste of sweetness from the artichokes compliment the currants as well. french fries, garlic, parsley - Everybody loves fries. And whenever you see this deep fried piece of potato heaven covered in garlic, you don't count calories, you don't think about your thunder thighs and muffin tops, you just order it. The fries were addicting and the garlic wasn't too strong, so don't be scared. Jar's signature pot roast, carrots, caramelized onions - The pot roast was fork tender and the portion, hefty. Well, hefty for us. The caramelized onions and carrots added that great sweetness to the roast while the creamy horseradish was mildy spicy but had a nice kick. The horseradish was dangerously light and wonderfully flavored. duck fried rice - This dish was definitely heavier than the other fried rice dishes I've had due to the fattiness of the duck. It was a bit too heavy for me, especially when eaten along side the pot roast. The shaved green onions did break up the oiliness in the dish, but I wanted something more. Maybe some heat or acid? Overall, I thought the food was delicious and the service, wonderful. Everyone was so friendly and knowledgeable about the food, as they should be. For upscale American food with no frills and fuss, I suggest giving Jar a try. For pics, see http://nelehlovesfood.blogspot.com/2010/05/jar-restaurant.html read more

MOST SHOCKING EXPERIENCE I'VE EVER HAD AT A RESTAURANT. I live in this neighborhood but will never go back to this pathetic excuse for an upscale restaurant again. To begin, my friends and I ordered drinks and appetizers, and everything was perfectly fine. Then came the time for our main courses. Our waiter was emphatic that the Wagyu Kansas City steak was the best on the menu, so we all ordered it (please keep in mind, this is the most expensive steak that one person can order). So our steaks arrived and both of my friends found theirs to be fine, but unfortunately, mine was about 75% gristle. I tried two bites, both of which I had to spit out, then cut into the rest of the steak to find more of the same poor quality meat. Let me be clear: This wasn't an issue of the cut of steak. We all ordered the same thing. I tried theirs, I tried mine, and the steak I was given was clearly of inferior quality. I've never sent back a meal in my life, but for $50, this was simply unacceptable, so when our waiter came by to check on us, I told him this, and he happily took it back and said they'd take care of it because it happened all the time. I thought that was that. Little did I know... About 5 minutes later, a woman came to our table asking what was wrong with my steak. Despite being shocked at having to justify my meal being bad twice, I related to her the same thing I told our waiter (which would be abundantly clear to any person actually asked to eat the steak). She said okay and walked away. Confused, I looked at my friends, who were just as bewildered as I was by this behavior. We all agreed that it was peculiar but that it had also been resolved, so there was no reason to dwell on it any further. Little did we know... Another 5 minutes passed and a man came to our table. I thought he was bringing me a new steak, but oh no, he was bringing my original steak BACK TO THE TABLE. He said that the chef had determined that there was nothing wrong with it and that I would have to eat this (now cold) steak (of which they had taken it upon themselves to remove about 1/3 of, so now the original 16 ounces was closer to 10). Shocked, I asked him if he was serious, which he responded to by looking at one of my friends and asking if there was anything wrong with HIS steak. My friend said no, but also reminded this man that they were not the same piece of meat. The man hemmed and hawed until I finally asked him to please leave our table. My mind completely blown by the events that had unfolded, I genuinely had no idea how to respond to this behavior. A neighboring table that had witnessed the entire spectacle suggested that we simply walk out after being treated so poorly. Had it not been for our waiter (who was fantastic and seemed mortified by the entire ordeal), we may have done so. But not wanting to stiff him, we finished our meal (I got maybe 5 bites out of my $50 cold train wreck of a steak). Our waiter and (I'm guessing) his manager handled the situation with as much class as they could, comping the steak and our drinks, which I thought was a stand-up move (For the record, we still tipped our waiter 25% of what would have been the original sum of the check). But at the end of the night when, still incredibly irked by this insulting display, I asked to speak with the person who took it upon him or herself to decide what was or was not acceptable for me to eat, the coward elected not to emerge. Simply put, this was unacceptable behavior for any restaurant, but particularly for one charging the kind of prices that Jar does. You may elect to eat here and you may wind up having a perfectly acceptable meal... BUT if something in our meal isn't to your liking -- frankly -- you're screwed. EAT SOMEWHERE THAT WILL RESPECT YOU INSTEAD. read more

I am very sad to say that after Ciara G. and I had dinner here tonight, I have been inspired to create a new Yelp list called "Sucky service, good food". WHAT'S GOOD: * Braised Lamb Shank entree ($25) - a HUGE lamb shank, braised in soy with star anise til tender, perfectly fatty and glazed, and served with its own saucy juices. Delicious! * Ciara's Bistro Steak ($35 BBE 3-course prix fixe) - cooked a perfectly medium rare, a little peppery for my taste but the meat was tender and seasoned well. * Duck Fried Rice ($9) - the rice was a little on the chewy and oily side, with a few crunchy grains mixed in with the duck pieces. But the flavor was good, and it went well with the spices in my lamb shank. * Creamed Corn ($8) - super fresh corn, in a very light cream sauce. Not overly creamy or heavy like some, this was summery-light and tasty. * Banana Cream Pie (included in the BBE 3-course prix fixe) - a very light and crumbly crumb crust, with a layer of fresh bananas and pudding, and fresh whipped cream on top. A drizzle of slightly salted caramel sauce accented the presentation and taste of this yummy dessert. WHAT SUCKS: * The Japanese Purple Yams ($9) - we were told they would be "right out" when our entrees were served, but as we were finishing our dinner they still weren't out. When I asked our server, she immediately brought them out - but they either had been sitting under a heat lamp or in an oven the entire time. They were SCORCHING HOT, and dried out and hard to the point of being inedible. We sent them back. * Iceberg Wedge (included in the BBE 3-course prix fixe) - a generous wedge, but so overdressed with thick and rich blue cheese dressing, that it was difficult to eat. The dressing was tasty, but far overwhelmed the iceberg. WHAT SUCKS EVEN MORE: It started the moment we were seated - even at a very early (and not crowded) 6:30 dinner hour on this Thursday night. Ciara had made an OpenTable reservation for 2, and they asked if the other 2 in our party of 4 were on their way. When our server Rosie came over to greet us, she brought us drink and wine menus only, and left. Only when she came back for our drink orders 10-odd minutes later, did she bring out dinner menus. After the table on my right asked for BBE menus, Rosie turned to us and asked if we wanted them too, but we declined. Did both tables really need to ask for them before she brought them? As we were eating our entrees, the table on my left was being told the specials of the day by their server (who was different from ours). Which was news to us, because Rosie never even told us there were any specials. Though we ordered before them, the table to our right received their hot appetizer (a special that we didn't even know about) before Ciara got her Iceberg Wedge. The same hot appetizer was taken off their table, and placed on OUR table, as directed by Rosie, within seconds of it landing on their table. Only to be taken OFF our table and placed BACK on their table, after a walk halfway back to the kitchen. Confused much? Because this is a fine dining establishment, we also were not expecting it to be SO LOUD in here. It was shockingly loud for such a dimly lit restaurant. Plus, I was surprised to see that the bathrooms were single-locked mens' and ladies' units. One for each, meaning there was constantly a wait for the ladies' room. THE BOTTOM LINE: For the amount of money I'm spending on dinner here, I certainly expect a higher level of service than what we were shown tonight. The only saving grace to the service here tonight was due to the hard work of the busboys and perhaps the pastry chef (or whomever it was who brought our dessert to the table). They were the hardest working guys we saw all night! P.S. - valet was $6 read more

Our meal was tremendous! We ordered the specialty that night - braised short ribs with asian flat rice noodles in a cinnamon/anise beef broth, a rib eye steak with roquefort butter accompanied by a small, baked onion, as well as a wedge salad covered in the best blue cheese dressing I've ever had (flavored with a hint of smoky bacon and onion with bits of blue cheese). Our cocktails - the Sourberry (ketel one citron, muddled strawberries, fresh lemon, simple syrup), a stiff drink made with St. Germain, grapefruit juice and vodka, and also a glass of their California Cab. You can't have steak without red wine. That would be a sin. read more

Fan-fuggin'-tastic. Beautiful space, decor, and overall ambiance. Pre-brunch perfection is delivered to your table in the form of a generous wedge of heavenly coffee cake that is *just* sweet enough to make you feel like you're indulging in something special, but not nearly sweet enough to ruin your appetite. I opted for the sinful french toast with fried banana and a side of maple syrup (which was nice to have handy, but was really not necessary with hot, gooey, caramelized banana running the show), while the lovely Kristine G. opted for the meticulously constructed chopped salad. We were also happy to split an order of perfectly extra-extra-crisped bacon, countered with a healthy portion of fresh berries. Jar is a wonderful dining destination that appears to cater to families with giggling young children in tow to suit-clad business-types with an equal measure of success. The food is accessible but decadent in all the right ways, ranging from corn pancakes to pork chilaquiles to pot roast hash. Since I've been brunching on the wagon, I've been searching endlessly (and fruitlessly) for a Virgin Mary that makes me forget how much I miss vodka. The good news is, my search ended this morning, in a glass garnished with a celery stalk and a giant, peppered prawn. The bad news is, Jar is in Los Angeles, and I live in Oakland. Additionally, they made a thoughtful price adjustment for the lack of alcohol in my drink, shaving the cost from $14 to $5. I might add that not every restaurant thinks to do this, and I greatly appreciated the gesture. Jar, don't go changing. You're fabulous. read more

Long story short: Chef Tracht? Duke Ellington called... he wants the 1940s back. Solid food. Long story long: DineLA #2 of 2: I came here on a wet Monday evening with my friend Andrea during the 2nd week of DineLA last month. It actually took me to look at the website to find the words, but upon walking in, I felt as if I was transported to the 1940s. It had that classic kind of feel, from the furniture to the lines to the fixtures, the décor screamed Duke Ellington. The only thing missing was a live jazz band in the corner featuring none other than, Duke Ellington. I say all this not as a bad thing, but it was kind of cool and I liked it. A little pleasantly unexpected I should say. I checked in with the hostess and once I realized I was first to arrive, I took a seat at the bar. The bartender immediately came over and I ordered just a water. I actually kind of liked the coaster with the logo/restaurant name in the corner and the baby blue color. Andrea arrived shortly thereafter and went back to the hostess. After a brief blank stare, she realized I had already checked in and that we were ready to be seated. We were lead to our table relatively in one corner. The furniture kept very well with the theme of the décor. Andrea sat on the inside, which was padded bench seating, and I sat on the outside. What was interesting was that my chair, which resembled more like an egg chair, was is had rollers. Not that I had any problems in those regards that night, but I'm just saying. What happened next probably set the tone for a majority of the evening. Where is our server? We seriously waited almost 5 minutes before we decided to flag down a busboy to get our server. Then when he did finally come, he took our drink orders and I asked him to decant the bottle of wine we had brought, but he apparently "forgot" to give us the menus. He seemingly avoided us for a few minutes before we could flag him down to give us menu. By this point, I was getting quite upset. Looking over the menu, the choices seemed pretty straight forward. However, it included an amuse bouche. There was a choice between a crab deviled egg or a char siu pork croissant. I ordered the crab deviled egg while Andrea ordered the croissant. My appetizer I ordered the apple and celery salad with arugula and watercress. I decided on the Jar signature pot roast as my entrée, and for dessert, the famous chocolate pudding. Andrea ordered the roasted beet salad, lemongrass chicken with kaffir lime leaf, and banana cream pie. - Crab deviled egg - again, not a huge fan of deviled eggs but at least the crab wasn't overcooked. - Char siu croissant - I liked this one much better. - Apple and celery salad - good contrast of textures and flavors. The apples and celery were nice and crispy and there wasn't too much dressing. - Beet salad - I only had a beet, so I actually can't comment too much. - Pot roast - simply presented. Pot roast was a tiny bit underseasoned but the root vegetables and broth were nice - Lemongrass chicken - Andrea actually gave me about half of her chicken, but it was really tender and really flavorful. - french fries - seasoned fries... pretty good - creamed spinach - pretty standard - I did not try Andrea's pea tendrils or purple potato, so I cannot comment - Chocolate pudding - this was really good. Perhaps the highlight of the meal. Only befitting that it was dessert. You could really taste the quality of the chocolate and the creme fraiche was a great contrast - banana cream pie - this was really good too. The sliced bananas came through the not too sweet custard and the shell was flaky yet crispy. The entire night, I was tempted to ask if Chef Tracht was in the kitchen or not, however given the environment, it just seemed it would have been a little awkward? *shrug* Perhaps our paths will cross some other way. Now that I have knocked this off of my list of LA Restaurants to try, I look back and have decided this was a great meal, despite the so-so service, with solid food. read more

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The food is good, but overpriced for what it is. I am certain I will not remember what I had or anything about the food after 1 week. What I will remember is being treated poorly here: I made the reservation 1 week in advance and requested a freestanding table, not one of the booths, which I know are a little crowded and less pleasant for a party of 4. They said they would do their best. When we arrived, we were shown to a booth right at the kitchen door. A table for 4 was open in the center of the room, and I asked to be seated there. I was told it was reserved. I said I had made a reservation and specifically asked for a freestanding table. The hostess just shrugged and repeated herself. The table we had dinner at made for a very unpleasant evening. Every 2 minutes the kitchen door would loudly swing open 3 feet from my face. A truly "jarring" experience (pardon the pun). At $400 for a party of 4, I just expect a better experience. read more