I found myself stuck in Montclair for business a couple of times this week. To be more precise, I found myself stuck at Just Jake's. Why stuck, you ask? Because this was the meeting point where the company told us to gather and wait for instructions. And wait. And wait for hours. And then wait a bit more... Just Jake's made what was an otherwise horrible business experience at least bearable. I can't remember the names of the two bartenders, but they were fantastic. If you come here ask them to make you a Henne-tea, a Hennessy-inspired cocktail that was as refreshing as it was tasty. Pretty comprehensive list of beers on tap too, including a blond ale from The Bruery, and a cherry sour from Ommegang. Also, I'm not sure whether it was the frustration of the whole situation, but I found the food better than your average bar food. The buffalo shrimp pops were perfectly fried, and the chicken fingers were actually quite delicious. Great, friendly place to relax after work, catch up with friends while watching a game, or just unwind. The kind of neighborhood place you want to have in your neighborhood. If my memories of my two visits to Montclair are not straight out of a horror movie, it is thanks to Just Jake's. read more

Allow me preface this by saying that I've been to Just Jake's for brunch a few times several years back and it was great. The restaurant area in the back was quaint, cozy, and decorated nicely. Now? It looks like who-did-it-and-ran. Tables strewn everywhere, blasting flatscreen TVs surrounding the room, and stacks of board games all over the place. What in the holy hell? No place settings, no decor, nothing. It was no longer a restaurant space...it was an all-purpose room. Our menus were stained with God-knows-what and mine had a hair lodged in between the plastic. Beautiful. Had it not been 10 degrees out and had we not parked right outside, then I would have left. Brunch menu options were underwhelming. We both ordered a 3 eggwhite omelet with spinach, mushrooms, and onions. Our omelets were insanely greasy but the "mini potato pancakes" were as dry as construction paper. Shouldn't it be the other way around? Toast was stale, stale, stale. Even my club soda tasted strange. We were the only ones dining there until a trio of clueless out-of-town tourists joined the "WTF party". I felt awful because I recommended and brought my trusting friend to this pathetic place. I am the Yelp Queen for God's sake. This kind of crap will ruin my reputation! Brunch? Just Jakes? Just terrible. Just don't. read more

Ok after the anger went away, I decided to edit this review. So I just joined zog sports for their volleyball league. Just jakes is literally around the corner so on Tuesday nights we go here after our game for food and trivia. The food is delicious !! That's the great part but their service does not match up. If it's busy they get frazzled and get attitudes. We had a great server though that was attentive !! But it was the manager that had an issue with me. Little ol me? Came on a Tuesday night around 815 and they had a bunch of people. We waited for a table, no problem. We kept asking if the wait would be long because if not we had no problem sitting outside. Manager got snippy and said "what you want me to do, kick them out?" We weren't asking to be rude we were asking so we can go outside and get service out there. So we get seated in about 20 min, not bad ! Then after seeing a group of 8 being seated and taking orders I got up and asked for our waiter to see why didn't we get service. Simple question I asked the bar, "which one is our waiter, we would like to order. Another table was seated after and they ordered." Oh no she didn't like that. Came to our table just to tell me that "we are very busy, I am the manager and you need to be patient. No need to be so rude." She called me rude. I can't believe it. I know customer service and I was not rude to her. She needed a chill pill. Shaking me head. Do better. read more

Just Jake's - The place - Bars Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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Don't go here for the food. It's really not good. Let's face it. This is a bar and that's all it should be. They have good bands on the weekend so they do well as far as bar business and cover charges. The NFL Sunday ticket is a plus during football season but don't bother with the food specials. I have been wanting to go here for trivia. I can't speak from experience, though I have heard good things. read more

Love their happy hour. Prices are great. Loved their cheeseburger and fries. Service is excellent

Haven't been here in ages!!! Came at 5pm on a Saturday afternoon for a friends party in the back room. Super friendly and attentive staff...constantly filling my drink and removing dirty plates. ..tried the beef and chicken empanadas...super most inside, nice crispy shell...super good! Dumplings and sauce were perfect..pasta vodka was good but could have used more sauce....a little dry from sitting in the catering dish ...chicken marsala was delicious too! Would def come for a regular dinner.. we had to leave as the band started playing that I danced my way out the door and asked hubby if we could come back soon! read more

Pretty cool spot. Went here for a quick drink on a thursday night, ended up being a long drink lol. The vibe was cool, beer pong was going strong. It wasn't outrageously packed or intensely loud. I was able to navigate and find my friends right away and was able to hold a conversation with an inside voice. The crowd seemed to be early to late 20s and seemed very chill here. They have specials throughout the week and i got lucky with the thursday one: 3 for $5 domestic bottles. Only got bud light all night (no yuengling!) Im guessing the other beers are coors and miller light. I wasnt able to read the specials for other days but im sure theyre good ones. Definitely will stop by again on my next adventure to montclair. read more

Just Jake's - Just a quick drink, nbd - Bars Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

Great bar with very good food. Had the steak on toast, Korean style ribs, dumplings, wings and spring rolls. All excellent and authentic. Drinks were reasonably priced and well made. Beers were cold and plenty to choose from. Service was excellent as well. Go hang out, have some great grub and watch some sports! read more

I only go here for drinks after playing my volley ball games, but have gotten some appetizers that were pretty good. Aside from that I'm really into beer and they offer such an amazing craft selection ranging from ipas to stouts and sours that are usually hard to find in NJ. Great place to meet up with people for apps and drinks at a reasonable price point. read more

This restaurant is a standard local sports bar with pub food and they also have live bands play on the weekend. The band was reallly loud so we were seated in the back and it was 100% better. Quiet and roomy with TVs so ask for the back room if the band/bar area isnt your scene. They have a nice selection of beers on tap. I ordered a chicken quesadilla and had some of my friends wings. Everything was just plain old delicious drunk food. It is in a convenient area to get dinner before a show at the wellmont theater. read more

Setting - Everyone's favorite Montclair dive. It's one of the only places in town that isn't BYOB. Staff - The staff is loyal to regulars and knows the menu like the back of their hand. Food - The food is your standard fare. The chef tries to be inventive with the "taco of the day" which is usually pretty tasty. The Chopped Salad is a Favorite! read more

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I've been to Jake's multiple times over the past several years. From watching live music, to checking out a football game, or even paint night there is always something different to do besides eat and drink. The staff is always friendly and helpful. The walls are covered in TVs and they have the NFL Sunday Ticket if you're interested in catching a game. There is also an outdoor seating area too which is nice in the warmer months. I have always come to Jakes for drinks but this past weekend I went for lunch while watching a football game. To start I ordered the buffalo wings which were excellent. Not too hot and just the right amount of tang to the sauce. I then ordered the grilled chicken sandwhich. This was essentially a piece of grilled chicken with lettuce, tomato, onion, and some swiss cheese. I would have liked an extra condiment, such a regular mayo or a chipotle mayo, to make the bread a little less dry. My girlfriend ordered the falafal sandwich. She pointed out that it was a little diffuclt to eat since it wasn't in a pita pocket and just on two slices of pita bread. I would recommend Jakes to anyone stopping by the Montclair area for casual bar food or interested in some live music. read more

Just Jake's - Wings and beer. Sunday Funday - Bars Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

Went here last night after dinner with my girlfriend for some drinks. This is your typical restaurant/bar. There are tv's above the bar with sports games on & they're are plenty of stools at the bar as well as tables for people who want to sit & eat. What I liked about this particular bar was that there was plenty of space between stools so you weren't on top of someone sitting next to you. The bar also has a big board in the middle of it with all the different beers selections that they have on draft & bottle. On this night, they had trivia going on. My girlfriend & I had a good time hanging out at the bar, listening to the questions, & trying to guess the answers. In between rounds they played all different types of music. The music wasn't too loud so we were still able to hear each other talk . My girlfriend & I both enjoyed our time here. The service was friendly & fast & we found the trivia to be fun. I would definitely go back here, especially to give lunch or dinner a try. read more

Just Jake's - Trivia Tuesday: Just Jake's: Montclair NJ - Bars Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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This place was ok. I came with a few friends after work for drinks. The drinks were watered down and the food was ok - I had the hummus salad and fries. The sweet potato fries were cold and the wings were ok. The outdoor vibe was cool, very chill vibe. The staff were friendly and very attentive. I would come back here for a quick beer outside. read more

This place was awesome great atmosphere they have a huge front room with a bar in it tables set up and there is a long hallway going to the back which leads to another room with a few tvs and speakers coat hangers on the walls a bunch of tables The whole place also was so very clean and awesome the owner was so nice we sat and talked to her when we got there she was so nice and awesome the whole place was super clean even the bathrooms Drink specials were affordable and great they had a live band garden state radio and they were amazing it felt like we were all at a concert this place is great for large groups we had about 20 people in our party there was only street parking The only thing I didn't like about the place was the girl who served us she seemed a little stupid and she was a bit nasty she gave me a problem at first about not having a card to pay my bill with because she wanted to open a tab and didn't want me to pay cash but I told her I didn't have a card and I was paying cash or I wouldn't get anything she constantly gave me checks after everything I ordered which was annoying and I didn't have the exact amount of the bill I was giving big bills and she wouldn't give me my change she took it all so I didn't leave her a tip because she kept all of my change from all 3 of my bills so I assumed she was just keeping my change as her tip which honestly is wrong and pissed me off I won't get food here again because of it and I will only order beer at the bar I will never get a table here again because of that Also the bouncers at the end of the night were rather rude yelling at us non stop and pushing us out the door telling us we had to leave if we're not part of the band over and over and made us all stand out in the cold to wait for our cabs Other than the server keeping my change and the rude bouncer I loved it here not sure if I would come back because of that but the band was great read more

Just Jake's - Drinky time - Bars Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

I came here with my best friend and her cousin, who is a Russian native visiting. We were not allowed to enter the bar because the Russian woman did not have her passport on her, although she did have an ID with her name, age, photo, and address. It's irresponsible to carry your passport around, specifically to rowdy bars. How would have the woman gotten home had she lost her passport? The bouncer was rude, and this place is xenophobic to foreigners. Will not be coming here again. read more

The waitress was very good. The hummus appetizer was good but this restaurant should be called the "I'M SORRY" I'm sorry our beer taps aren't working I'm sorry there is no soap in men's bathroom I'm sorry there is no potato salad side I'm sorry there's no garlic power for your pizza (Tasteless) I'm sorry there was no cheese on your burger(cook forgot to add swiss) Also wife ordered beyond burgers and came with sweet potato fries. but on menu, says all sandwiches come with Fries.. NOT SWEET POTATO. They were also not good. Waitress was good and nice. Seemed she was used to saying "I'm Sorry" Some points for Beyond burgers, though. I want to give 2 stars but too many "I'm sorry s " .Jakes, you could be a better bar food place, not just a run of the mill with many excuses... read more

Came here on a Sunday night to watch the game. Staff was polite, facility was clean, and they had an amazing craft beer selection with local brews too. I thought the atmosphere was a perfect bar setting to be honest. Although you could definitely tell the current situation had hurt business a bit. For a playoff game, bars would usually be packed. Whereas this night it was on the quiet side. Still, I felt safe and was completely comfortable in my surroundings. But what made the night, was when we left, the owner opened the door for us and said "thank you for coming tonight." Just that small gesture was enough for me to not only write this review, but to continue to support my local small businesses. Because when you support small, you can make a big impact. read more

Decent bar food and happy hour drinks if you're down for an after-work dinner with colleagues. the food won't blow you away, but it's definitely better than Applebee's/Hooters/you name it. There is plenty of indoor/outdoor seating, which is a plus. The service was ok, but friendly. We were here for Paint Nite and they were more than happy to serve us drinks while we painted. Drinks were not bad and the ambiance made the entire evening enjoyable. I wouldn't come here on purpose to enjoy the food but I wouldn't mind coming here as a venue to hang out with coworkers or friends. read more

Appalled by how disrespectful one of their bouncers was to me... basically yelled at my best friend & I to leave at 1:40 since the bar closed at 2. After we responded saying we were almost done with our drinks and planning to leave very soon he said,"aren't women good at multitasking?? Then you should be able to walk to the door and finish your drinks at the same time." (Keep in mind we were literally 5 steps away from the door already) He ended up attempting to apologize and even offered to buy us a new drink...claiming he had a "long day". I'm sure after he reflected on the consequences if we had gone to the manager. We were so fed up, we ended up just ditching our drinks and going home. It wasn't worth dealing with someone that clearly has no respect for others. We are very upset considering we LOVE(d) Jakes and have been a loyal customers for a while now... this behavior is unacceptable. read more

The reason for the 3 stars here is the outdoor setting with TV's and seating to watch a game which is nice. Wings were good, blue cheese not so much. Our server might have been new because she forget a few things but she was sweet. Lost some points Bc I was told to wear a mask while outside. My finance and I are vaccinated and the CDC lifted the mask mandate. Super strange they're still enforcing this. We were looking to go out and forget about Covid for a while. I would return mostly Bc of the outside television setup. read more

Fun for all ages! I always have a great time when visiting Just Jakes with family and friends. The usual cover band performs classics that everyone can sing along too and the outdoor seating is cozy and well arranged. read more

Just Jake's - Bars Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

Been here a couple times to eat. The food is amazing! Wings, calamari , burgers , soups you name it. Everything on the menu is great! We came on a Saturday night when they normally have live bands. There is a cover at the door $8. The crowd is a mix of young-old. Music was ok, the band that was performing that night played throw back light rock till some of the top hits today. They were more of like a Green Day type of music. The sound in there is great! I would def come back and check out another band because I love live music! Drinks are reasonable and they did have drink specials thru out the night. Bartenders are great and they are generous when making drinks! I would highly recommend coming and just sitting here for their food! read more

FINALLY made it inside this bar. I have been avoiding this bar every time they try to charge me a $7 cover. On this Friday night I managed to sneak on by (I won't let you in on my secrets, but I'll tell you it's possible....) The cover is for "the band" which I've been told always plays middle school punk rock, alternative music. AKA: Sublime, GreenDay, Sum-41 etc. They pull away the front tables and make room for dancing which is a plus. They have a special of $2 miller lites on Friday which was a steal. All in all I was REALLY satisfied, I liked the crowd- diverse, the number of people-not too packed, but people there, the prices, and the music is fun for an every now & then feel. I wish I had gone here more often, but that cover is a ball buster. I hear on Thursdays there's no cover, so I may be venturing on those nights. Cover starts after 9pm. read more

Jake's definitely does the job for a local bar with a good beer list and solid bar food. The drink prices are reasonable, especially considering they're in an area where BYOB is the norm, and the beer list has dramatically improved in recent years. They tell you both the current tap list and new taps that are coming, which helps get people excited and coming back. The food is solid, with wings, nachos, and everything else you'd expect from bar food, done solidly. The service is also good - even if you order a beer that's no longer available, they're still polite about it. There's also a nice outdoor area for good weather, and the place gets packed for football games. Overall, it's a solid choice if you want to get a beer in Montclair. read more

I had a nice time here! Outdoor seating was well organized. Chicken Fingers and fries were good. Had a few drinks and shots. Everything was reasonably priced. read more

Back in college, my friends and I would come here on the weekends since there isn't really a nightlife scene in Montclair. I remember paying a cover charge of I believe $8 or so. It really is just a bar that happens to have a stage. The live music is great, but it really isn't a place where you can socialize. It's generally people with their friends so don't expect to come here and find your soulmate. I'll go if I'm in the area, but I won't go out of my way to come here if that makes sense. read more

Says open until 2am. I arrive at 1:20 for literally 1 drink (40 min to close) but right as I walk in the bartender rudely yelled across "No more guys were done" but in the most unprofessional way and the whole bar turned to look... Im not a young 21 yr old. I'm a Lady in ever sense of the word. He could have waited until I got to the bar and politely tell me... I wouldnt have fussed. Service is number 1 and lack of it is clear here. I poured up many drinks I would never yell from a far like this boy did to me. Classless, poorly trained, so if you like that type of service go ahead come here. I'm good to my bartenders I dont leave dollar tips but with that attitude I'm sure thats what they attract. read more

Went here for a quick drink with a date. Very interesting place. Beer selection is decent for a bar that seems to cater to the non-discriminatory beer drinkers among us. I ordered the hummus platter because I wasn't really feeling like a full meal. Hummus was good and the variety of options that came with it (veggies, pita, olives, etc.) was really nice as well. It's a little bit chaotic when you go in, especially if you are looking for a table. We were here on a Thursday night and it was crowded but there was a live band going on at 11, so it made sense. (Side note: they have live music.) Overall, it was a pretty decent bar. I liked the vibe and if I have a chance, I'll definitely go back. read more

We didn't go inside but it was really nice sitting outside and the veggie burger is yummy. The burgers are HUGE! You've been warned, take it easy with the toppings! They have a lot of beer options which is awesome! read more

Just Jake's - Sour beer!!!!!!!!!!!! - Bars Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

I wanted to give a local place a try instead of going to a chain like The Office. Unfortunately, not impressed at all. Arrived at 8:30, looked at menus that were on the bar, and decided what we wanted. After 20 minutes of waiting for the bartender to see what we wanted to eat, we flagged him down and said we'd like to order. He threw a smaller menu at us and said, "it's after 9, you have to order off this". Well, gee, thanks...that just ruined our orders. We placed an order, hummus was tasteless with no texture, chimichurri was tasteless, and buffalo wings were not even remotely hot. Beer was cold, thank goodness. The thing that most put me off was an employee in our faces multiple times trying to get us to go to the back for a free comedy show. Once would have been enough. The place has potential, but needs better food and much better people skills by the employees. read more

This place sucks and should be closed. The food is horrible. Service is super slow. And the drinks were super watered down. Don't wast your time or money going there. read more

Spacious outdoor seating area with TVs and heaters. Staff was friendly and food was really good (especially the wings & pizza) Only thing I would say is some of the chairs are metal, so might want to bring a cushion or towels if outside. read more

Our first and last time at Jakes. Pros: large outdoor dining space with fun atmosphere on their side patio. Lots of TVs with sports on, and varying seating arrangements depending on the experience you are looking for. (The front was quieter for dining, the back was more lively for drinking). Our server was very friendly and attentive and he kept the drinks coming. Strict Covid protocols are in place here, everyone was properly masked up and tables spread far apart. Impressive beer list.....almost too many choices! Cons: our food was straight up horrendous. We both had cheeseburgers. One was missing the requested bacon and both were wayyyyyy overcooked to a point way past oblivion. The French fries tasted and smelled like old fish sticks (gross). Change the fry oil, yikes!!!! One burger was sent back to the kitchen and promptly taken off our bill. DH also reported that the men's bathroom was not clean. Jake's is the perfect spot for game time drinking, but steer clear of the menu. read more

The food here leaves much to be desired, but it's fine for bar food. They've got a cute outdoor seating area and decent beer selection. Gets rather busy during games, but otherwise it will look pretty empty most of the time. read more

You come here for good live music and drinks. Then the bald Bartender will start sweating and stick your credit card on his head while he grabs your drink. Some call it gross, some call it legendary... read more

Maybe I'm prejudiced because family owns Jake's. But we attended a brunch for an engagement party and the food was outstanding. Properly seasoned, not heavy handed on the salt at all. Tremendous and attentive wait staff. Even though they weren't serving food they were on point, clearing tables and keeping drinks filled. I love the atmosphere, they are in an older building and keep it properly maintained and updated with appropriate decor especially for a place that's been open 20 years. read more

Just Jake's - Brunch and Fat Tire draft beer. Is there a better combination? - Bars Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

I came here with a friend on a weekend on a whim. Upon entering there was a $7 cover each. No biggie. They had live music and reasonably priced drinks. The bartender was friendly and they had a live bad. I thought that the bands music was okay. They had an interesting array of a music selection but it wasn't exactly my taste. It did get a bit crowded inside but I like when it's busy. read more

Went here before a concert at the Wellmont on a Monday night around 7 to meet a local friend..They were late so I was by myself at the bar. I was glad it wasnt that busy and there were seats at the bar available. I would say it was pretty slow, bar about 1/3 or less full. I waited almost 15 minutes to get a drink. They bartenders didnt budge. They talked to the customers they were talking with could have cared less. I left after 15 minutes with no drink or acknowledgement. I guess its a regulars only spot. Will not return will not recommended. I had high hopes. My friends say its a great local spot. I have never felt so awkward at a bar in my life. read more

The guy at the door was HORRIBLE. I went there on a saturday night. The drinks were amazing. The band on that day was beyond perfect. Everyone was having fun, dancing and laughing. I paid 6 dollar to get in. After that beer and whiskey shot were approximately 5 bucks. The music was amazing. The ambience, the ac, the people were all amazing. And then I needed a break for a cigarette. I thought that it was my right to take a moment outside and enjoy a cigarette after I drank 2 whiskey and 2 beer. However the young guy at the door told me i couldn't leave. He said there were 60 people waiting to get inside, if i went out for a cigarette i had to wait until everyone went in. How ridiculous that is! I paid for my entrance, i came to the place at 10 pm & i believe i deserve some respect! Everything was amazing beside that young boy. He was making fun of me since I was a tourist. He said welcome to america as if I didn't know anything about hanging out at nights. My first experience was great except that little problem! Some one should teach him to behave! read more