Popped in the lunch on Sunday and while there was a wait for tables we were able to sit at the bar right away which was nice. They've done some updates since I visited last and it looks really nice inside. The bartender was super nice. He was really busy since he was the only bartender. He made really good drinks (which I forgot to take a photo of). I had the Brussels sprouts (marked gluten free on the menu) they were good and I didn't have issues the next day so I think cross contamination is okay. Not a huge fan of the aioli it came with but they were good with hot sauce. I want to try the gluten free artichoke and spinach dip next time. All in all a nice time. Everyone we interacted with that worked there was nice and there were stunning views from the second floor. read more

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Went on a Saturday night, not busy at all. We enjoyed a lovely dinner and amazing food! I had the salmon dinner, cooked perfectly with nice crunchy asparagus and mashed potatoes. We are frequent customer and lately the customer service has drastically declined. Got our meals in and 1 round of drinks in and we never saw our server again. I couldn't get a Refil on my drink either. She came back finally and said I'm sorry I forgot about you guys I've been busy with other tables. Mind you our bill was over $100. Once we finished our food we sat for another 15 min trying to pay the bill. With this amazing view on the water eating such delicious seafood the customer service really needs to step up. This is the 2nd time in a row being forgotten while being a customer. read more

Sailor Jack's - Salmon dinner with mashed potatoes and asparagus - Seafood Near Me - Benicia, California

So I made a reservation online for 7pm and saying i want upstairs by a window for our anniversary dinner. They did actually accommodate that which was nice. I did think since it was our anniversary they would have gave us a dessert or something but no. First impression was the view was amazing. When we sat down our table was sticky everywhere. Our glasses were stuck to the table. The plate for bread had crumbs on it. So cleaning needs to be stepped up. Not sure what happened there. We tried 2 drinks on the menu. Strawberry martini and benicia sunset. The martini was ok but my drink benicia sunset is where it was. It was great highly recommend. We ordered the burger and fish n chips. our fries were great. The burger was ordered medium well but it was more medium i would have just ordered well done. But it tasted great my boyfriend loved it. The meat tasted fresh. My fish n chips were good as well. My only thing is I like mine crispy and I felt they could be more crispy parts in the middle felt soft making it seem soggy. It was good and I'd get again but I just like them more fried for a crispness. The bread is good as well not warm which sucks but still good. I feel it was a good dinner cant beat the view. We did have to ask since it was almost sunset for them to open the blind. they never asked us nothing and i wanted pictures and actually see it. so i had to ask someone to pull it up. Thought they would have said something. Also we got someone elses bill and the internet was out so it wasnt letting us pay. so we had to wait for them to fix it. But we weren't in a rush just glad i caught it was the wrong bill. I think overall I say 3 but 4 because the view is epic and I would go again. read more

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This used to be one of my favorite places to eat. The parking has always been sketchy but yesterday due to a festival it was insane. I love eating by the water, they kept the tents outside which I like. With all of the updates, you still do not have the ability to make a reservation online. You have to call and you will often receive a busy signal. Food: The drinks aren't as strong as they used to be. Which is a bummer. I had the Dona Benicia Margarita. It was good, but it wasn't strong it was light on tequila for sure. Crispy Brussels - no complaints they were good Fried Oysters- were ok, they could've been fried longer a few were undercooked. Service: The waitress was slow, she did put in the orders on a hand held device which was cool. When the food comes out it's wrapped in foil and dropped off at the table. They don't bother to remove the foil from the table which I find odd. We sat outside and there was a fairly large size rat roaming the dining area. It was very off putting and I've never seen any ever in my prior visits. Yuck. read more

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We went here recently after a Beer event a road the street. We had a gorgeous view of the Bay and it was almost sunset. We did not have a reservation but they accommodated us for a party of. 3 easily. We had started of with a few cocktails and beer and appetizers. Calamari was nice and plentiful portion wise. I had ordered the Mango Tuna steak and wifey had a seafood pasta with Shrimp. Both dishes were very good and pretty good portion wise , as well. Server was super friendly and attentive. Their House beer isn't bad and we had a spectacular view of the sunset. Nice scenery and good food will bring us back to SJ's in Benicia. read more

Sailor Jack's - Pasta with Prawns and red sauce - Seafood Near Me - Benicia, California

It's our first time in Sailor Jack's. The food is great. The service is excellent. The ambiance is relaxing. read more

Sailor Jack's - Seafood Near Me - Benicia, California

Heard and read great reviews about there fish and chips at Sailor Jacks. Excited to try, my daughter and I went. We sat outside near the water. Great view. Everything on the menu sounded delicious to us. Maybe that we were both just hungry. We wanted to try something that we never tried. Fried oysters. We asked a waitriess how popular they were. With a stright face very popular. When they came out, we both looked at each other. Not really what we were expecting. She tried first. I was waiting for her expression to pass. She said that I have to try. I did. I spit that out so fast. It was the worst thing that we have ever tried. Then we tried the salmon cakes. They looked good. Taste... let's just say we have had much better. A lot of breading. Then our fish and chips came out. We crossed our fingers and hoped for the best. They were ok. On greasy side. Tartar sauce was very good, as well as the coleslaw. The fries were awesome. Still have not found good fish and chips around here. Will still make the trip to bodega to get them as it is well worth the drive. Our waiter, George, he was great. We will go back and try something different. The customers at the next table food came out, their shrimp salad looked very good. Maybe we'll try that next. read more

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Picked this restaurant for the view. Unfortunately the outdoor seating wasn't open so I got a window seat. Clam chowder was amazing. Fried oysters were good. Short ribs were dry and risotto undercooked. read more

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Walt here from Walt's Adventures and revisiting Sailor Jack's in Benicia, California. We love the seasonal decorations and we're immediately given a table out front. Instead of the ordinary bread that every restaurant delivers, we were given homemade biscuits. They were all light and flaky and served with both butter and jams on the side. It is recommended to use either one or both of the sides for the biscuits themselves were dry. When eaten with either side, the biscuits true flavor comes forth and are a delightful change from the usual. We ordered the Jack Burger and Fish and Chips. The burger was very good. It was juicy and flavorful. Although, it was so juicy that it made the bottom bun a bit soggy. The Fish and Chips was served with a home made tasting slaw. My only regret to the slaw is that I wish I had more of it. The presentation was a good amount but I was sorry to see the bottom of the dish. As for the fish, it was perfectly presented and you could even just dip it into the tarter sauce itself as if it were a large stick. Let's talk about the accompanying fries. The fries with the Fish and Chips were just fries. I was not impressed with what flavor I could find. The garlic fries, on the other hand, were underrated. These fries were some of the best garlic fries I've ever had a pleasure consuming. If given the option of fries, always choose the garlic fries. It was obvious that Sailor Jack's loves flavorful food and cares much about customer service. It is a restaurant that I am happy to say is one of my favorites. read more

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I got the shrimp Louie it was really good. My friend got the grilled chicken club she liked it too. This was during lunch time. read more

Sailor Jack's - Shrimp Louie - Seafood Near Me - Benicia, California

Such a cute local dinner spot! Service was great. Plenty of food and drink options to choose from. I settled for the filet and it was cooked perfectly! Garlic mashed potatoes were amazing too. Would love to come back and try oysters next time. read more

Sailor Jack's - Filet with mashed potatoes and broccolini - Seafood Near Me - Benicia, California

A tradition of our family on Christmas Eve is to take family to a restaurant with a view. This is a "WOW!" You can see from the Carquinez Bridge to Mt. Diablo! I took this picture just before dinner! Beautiful! We dined with 11 family members and we all agreed and were very pleased with all aspects of this Christmas Eve choice of meals. From the Crab Cake, Brussels Sprouts, Caand Oysters appetizer to their Halibut, and their Salmon dinners. The kids were also happy with their burgers! Service was nice and friendly, accommodating and efficient! 5 Stars in our book! read more

Sailor Jack's - Sunset at Sailor Jack's Restaurant Christmas Eve 2023 - Seafood Near Me - Benicia, California

Our first visit to this restaurant. We usually go lucca or Bella Siena when in Benicia but it was for Sunday breakfast. So impressed with the "community vibe" - lucca does weekday breakfast and sailor jack on wkend so as not to compete. How kind! Hubby had eggs - I went more lunch menu with an appetizer - the ahi poke. It was delicious - high quality sushi grade tuna perfectly sauced. Amanda was so attentive and it was the same for all patrons. Views were nice - we will certainly be back given our usual seafood spot (wc yacht club) has closed. read more

Decided to eat in the bar since I was dining alone. As I sat down, the bartender (Steve) left...went downstairs and was gone for several minutes. As I sat there waiting I noticed several employees just standing in a small circle and chatting. No one acknowledged me at all. Eventually Steve reappeared and eventually made his way over to me. No apology for being gone, not even a smile. I got my cocktail and a few minutes later was able to put in my order. I ordered the Jack Burger that comes with fries or salad. I ordered it with fries...Steve asked me if I wanted Sweet potato or garlic fries..had no idea I had a choice. Ordered the garlic fries but had NO IDEA that I would be charged extra for them. Food arrived and my cocktail was finished. Shortly afterwards Steve asked if I would like another drink, I asked if they had 805, instead of "no I'm sorry but we do have ...." He just said a stern "no" gave me a menu and walked away. He never came back and when he did, I was half way through and gave up on him coming over. No "sorry I took so long," or whatever and NO there were not that many people there or a ton of drink orders to make. The restaurant has an incredible view from both the dinning room downstairs and the bar upstairs. If you want to sit in the bar then sit at a table and NOT at the bar. Your service will be prompt and you won't be ignored like you would be at the bar. C'mon Steve-smile or at least try to be nice. read more

Sailor Jack's - Cup of clam chowder - Seafood Near Me - Benicia, California

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Wednesday, November 15, Friend and I stopped in here to Sailor Jacks for lunch, we sat up in the bar area, beautiful view of the bridge. Met our server, Crystal, started off with just a drink, martini, and ice water and bread. I ordered a wedge salad with a nice piece of medium rare Salmon - The Food was delicious! I have been here several times and will return !! Thanks Crystal ! read more

Sailor Jack's - Wedge salad with salmon - Seafood Near Me - Benicia, California

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Crab cake wasnt exciting and full of veggies. The Ceaser lacked flavor and the dressing was strange. The fish and chips are a must have here. The ambiance and seating was absolutely stunning. read more

+2 stars for location: table by the water on a beautiful day. Easy to get up and take a walk along the bay, or up First Street. The other guests also seemed very friendly. Food- below average. 1 of the fried oysters tasted like literal poop which put me off the rest. We left about 5 on the table out of a dozen. Crab Louie salad was very haphazard and the flavors didn't come together; it would've been better served as an intentionally deconstructed salad instead of one that was obviously thrown together with very little thought of presentation. Clam chowder wasn't bad, just average. My brother said that his salmon sandwich (not shown) was ok but I tried his fries and they weren't seasoned at all. Nothing, not even salt. They were like the fries you get in the freezer section at Safeway. Service- a little sparse. Our appetizer came out before we were provided utensils and bread- and no one noticed we weren't provided those things when they set the appetizer down. We had to ask for those separately. Also, I HATE the hand held credit card thing they give you that calculates the lowest tip at 22% and that percentage takes into consideration the tax. And the waiter is standing right there waiting for it. It makes you feel like a d*** if you want to provide a 15 or 20% tip on top of just the food. If the food didn't already leave a bad taste in my mouth, the credit card thing did. I'd give it another chance for the ambiance but order completely different things and also be aware of the tipping racket. read more

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Observing as a former server/hostess and a bartender: This place (like many restaurants these days in post-covid economy) seems to always be understaffed. Indoor/upstairs servers seem to be annoyed to provide any other service or conversation then needed, no hello, only "are you ready". Forget clearing appetizer plates before main course off the tablr. Pretty sure we ordered different type of oysters than were served to us. Glasses are set on table dripping from dishwasher yet they have lipstick marks on. Food is ok. Risotto is a delicate dish, it was extremely undercooked. Wine selection is decent. The ambiance is really nice at sunsets, but the body language of the stressed-out servers ruin the experience. read more

Get on the reservation list if you want to sit by a window woe outside by the water! Food- it's your American fare. Portions are generous and the meat is fresh and cooked well. Drinks- hubby likes their lemon drop, bring your own Diet Coke read more

Sailor Jack's - Sunburst Salad with Romain and blackened chicken - Seafood Near Me - Benicia, California

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I like this place! Great views and a great staff. Very cool inside, unique to say the least. Not for us today but looks like parking could be an issue during a busy time. My GF and I ordered calamari to start and it was perfect. The sauce it came with really made it better. She ordered the wedge salad and she enjoyed it, I had a taste and it had a good flavor. The blue cheese dressing was really good. I had the clam chowder and I was not impressed. Something was different from other chowders. Like there was to much of a seasoning the did jot belong. The bread they serve is a awesome sourdough and served warm. We both always ask if we would come back and we both said yes. I did watch about four plates come out of this opened faced crab sandwich. It looked really good and must be cause every table it to, just clean plates after.I WILL GET THAT! Why four stars? The chowder which I spoke about and we waited a while for our drinks to get refilled. Now I will also add this staff was busy and they are going up and down stairs. Again everyone there really nice and welcoming. Be more than happy to fill that last star after next visit. read more

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Mid service, Sometimes you get a good server, sometimes you will be left with bread and no water for an houy. GREAT VIEW Prices are steep but that's everywhere these days, hard to say if that reflects against them. Honestly, I used to love this place back in the day. But the chefs just changed too many times. You never know what the food will be like anymore. read more

The food is great! The waiter took advantage in adding the tip once I had already signed without my consent. I have the habit to leave the tip in cash which I did but I noticed later he had added the tip and percent which surprised me but too late! Too bad for the service! read more

Went there for lunch today and was definitely not disappointed! They have lots of indoor and outside dining. We ate upstairs with a great view but I recommend getting an outside table near the water. The service was excellent. Our waiter was very nice and accommodating. Food was great! Their menu is extensive without being way too much. I had the portobello sandwich, hubby had the seafood omelet, our friends had the salmon and the shrimp Louie. Everything was excellent plus they serve these yummy biscuits on the side. I am such a sucker for great biscuits! I also had a mango mojito that was delicious and did not skimp on the alcohol. Location is perfect and there is plenty of parking. I would definitely go back to Sailor Jack's! read more

The food is fresh and well done. The service is very good and they coke all the time to check on you. And honestly the ambiance, we sat outside so it was beautiful and refreshing. My family had the brunch and we had no bad meals. read more

Sailor Jack's - Seating area outside - Seafood Near Me - Benicia, California

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Wow! We understand why this place is a local favorite now. The views can't be beat since it's right next to the water. We chose to sit inside since it was windy but still appreciated the scenery. The monte cristo sandwich was filling with just the right combination of savory/sweet. The salad was fresh. The clam chowder was rich and creamy and you can really taste the clams. The sole was tender and delicious. Overall, a great meal. Be warned that they really only have 2 bathrooms, so if you want to use them, there might be a wait. But otherwise a great experience. And you can stroll along the waterfront afterwards to walk off the calories. read more

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5/10 Turf & Surf - Small steak "medallion" overwhelmed by gorgonzola butter, 2 small grilled shrimp, lobster, rice and broccolini. 3/10 Burned, not charred, tiny Brussels sprouts with a tart glaze. 8/10 Garlic fries were good. They'd have been better if they were hot. 6/10 Fresh? oysters 6/10 Bread & butter was just okay. 8/10 Prawns pasta was good but nothing spectacular. 9/10 Calamari was perfectly fried. The aioli tasted more like mayonnaise than anything else. The marinara we requested tasted like unseasoned chunky tomato sauce and the cocktail sauce tasted like ketchup. Major fail on getting that right. 10/10 The best part of the experience goes to the wait staff. They were extremely courteous, attentive and helpful. 10/10 Quaint tiny, cute restaurant. Beautiful view of the Bay. Would I return again? No. But there are dozens of restaurants on the street I plan to try. read more

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My 1st time to eat brunch here last Sunday. I met with 7 other of my friends & it was suggested by my sister & other friends who ate here already. Great choice. I loved the ambiance & place of the restaurant. It's located in one of my favorite cities in the Bay Area (I live in SF), so it was a wonderful experience dining in a nice, cute & quaint place, also beautiful window views. Celebrated my sister & cousin's 70th bdays. The food was excellent & the service was superb - nicely staffed. I loved that their menu is well-rounded with a great variety of dishes to choose from. I was very impressed with my visit & will definitely come back to try the other dishes next time! read more

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We happened on this place by accident because we wanted to sit near the water. We were so delighted! The views were spectacular, excellent service, but the biggest surprise was the food; OMGosh the food was extraordinary! I had the polenta and I've never had such delicious polenta. My partner had the fresh Cod special and it was also out of this world delicious. Thank you Sailor Jack, we will be back!!! read more

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Super cute nautical atmosphere! I wanted to love it for lunch Saturday. The clam chowder was way too thick! Wouldn't recommend. The crab cakes were fair, the butter lettuce came out of a bag with no dressing. Not fresh looking. Had to ask for dressing. My husband loved the salmon blt sandwich. Service was good. I will try something different next time! read more

I stopped in on a Sunday with my three kids. We sat indoors on the lower level, tucked in a little corner. There were great views of the water from our table. The girls had butter noodles, my son had the grilled cheese. The wife and I had the little neck clams and the ahi tuna poke for appetizers followed by the fried oysters and tuna steak sandwich for appetizers. The table bread was really good and for some reason hit the right spot. It was hot, crusty sourdough but it did t fall apart when you put butter on it. The little neck clams were ok, the poke needed a little more seasoning, I could taste the tuna for sure but poke should be more marinated. I hit some acidity on the bottom of the pole which was the best part, They oysters were seasoned well and nice and plump, the tuna sandwich was pretty good, seasoned well. The best metric for me was that my kids enjoyed their food and the view. Their meal came with ice cream in a little mug that ended their meal on a good note. Also we had great service, our waiter had such a welcoming voice, checked on us often and the plates were bussed quickly. read more

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Eat here all the time. It's always good food and great location. Try the mahi-mahi tacos. Service is excellent as well.

Our favorite spot in Benicia to eat . Always have a good meal and servers in this restaurant. Looking for Parking today was not bad . And we got seated right away.our server was very nice and friendly. You can pick where to set inside or outside. read more

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Our party of four had dinner on March 5, 2023 for our youngest son's 30th birthday. Our oldest son shares my birthday on March 20, hence the group celebration. The waitress serving us was Elizabeth. We found her to be timely, efficient, and very personable. If you like freshly prepared seafood that is beautifully plated, dine at Sailor Jack's. The restaurant also offers an exceptional rib eye steak. I was very happy with my Petrale Sole while my husband had the halibut. The Fish and Chips ranked high too! Terrie is the manager, and she chipped in to help when more diners arrived. Her work ethics impressed us as well as the other staff who rushed to help with the height of the dinner service. Dessert should not be skipped: Creme Brulee, New York Cheesecake, and Apple Pie Ala Mode This may be a tiny establishment, but it's very quaint and offers a wonderful water view - I can't wait to return during warmer weather! read more

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I'm writing to express serious concerns regarding ADA compliance and the treatment my wife and I received during our recent visit to Jack's Restaurant in Benicia, following our attendance at the Peddlers Fair. Despite several open tables located outside the front and right side of the building--both of which appeared to be on flat, accessible surfaces--the hostess directed us to a tent area located down a gravel driveway and into a sandy section. My wife uses a wheelchair, and navigating through the rocks and sand was extremely difficult. She became stuck, and I struggled to push her through the terrain. Once inside the tent, additional obstacles made it even harder to reach our assigned table. I'm confused and disappointed as to why we were not offered seating in the clearly more accessible areas. The hostess was not particularly friendly, and the experience left us feeling unwelcome and frustrated. Ultimately, we chose to leave without dining. This experience was upsetting and unacceptable. I strongly urge that Jack's Restaurant be investigated for potential violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). I would not recommend this establishment to anyone seeking accessible accommodations or respectful service. read more

They've a lovely little set up going on; I hope they keep it post pandemic. Seating options were indoor, outdoor, water view and on the water!! Our server was amazing, I want to say his name was Neil but I may have made that up. Anyway, great young guy, Italian... made great beer recommendations and appreciates our love of garlic fries. He's a keeper!! My boyfriend and I split the crab cocktail, Jack's Burger, Fish & Chips and we doubled-down on the garlic fries. I had the Hen House brewing Reptilian Shadow Government IPA and it was fabulous! We will definitely be back. read more

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I bumped this review one star simply because Andrea, our server, was the highlight of my dining experience. Her upbeat attitude and positive energy were radiating and contagious! We also ordered a lot and she held no judgment and even encouraged us which was nice. We made reservations by calling a couple of hours ahead of time. Unfortunately, there were no more seats by the water so we were seated on the street side which had heaters too so it wasn't too bad. Loved their warm bread and butter (who doesn't). The things ordered...ready...set...go: - oysters - mussels and fries - brussel sprouts - gumbo (w/o sausage because of no meat Fridays) - strawberry cheesecake - creme brulee -decaf coffee Yup, a lot. I liked their oysters, mussels & fries, and their creme brulee. The gumbo was alright, but the base tasted more like tomato soup rather than a type of roux. The sauce for the mussels & fries was addicting and even asking for more bread to dip it in the sauce was a must! We couldn't decide between one dessert; hence, the two orders and we killed most of it. The cheesecake had actual strawberries in it which was different yet pleasant. I'd definitely come back here again and hope all servers are like Andrea. Would love to sit by the water for the gorgeous view of the hills and the sunsetting. It gets pretty cold so bundle up! read more

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Ate here at a date night. Top floor is great water scenery. Sitting outdoors is a must here. Drinks were very good. And service was excellent. The one thing I disliked was the food unfortunately. read more

I ordered the Clam Chowder and Shrimp Louie to go. My bad, I should have checked everything before leaving because the Shrimp Louie had only 1 large shrimp and about a half a cup of chopped bay shrimp. For $21, there should have been 5 large shrimp and the bay shrimp left whole. They didn't include any of their sourdough bread. At least the chowder was ok, garlicky, and helped out with the addition of some heavy cream. The young woman who was hosting also could use some additional training. I ordered additional chowder to go and she told me it would take 15 minutes to put together. It literally takes less than 5 minutes to pick up a container, fill it with soup, put the lid on and place the container in a bag, and hand it off to the customer. Why would it take so long? I asked. "There are a bunch of orders they have to take care of first." I am in the food industry and find this extremely disappointing for a restaurant, a seafood restaurant at that, to be either stingy or reckless with the food it is serving its patrons. In addition, the customer service was lacking. Sailor Jack's has been around for a long time but since the pandemic has gone quite downhill. I don't think I want to come here again. read more

Sailor Jack's - Shrimp Louie $21 - Seafood Near Me - Benicia, California

Ordered the fish and chips, it was like the fish you get in the frozen aisle of Safeway. Like Gorton's fish filets. For $21.00 I expected the real thing. Won't go back. read more

Great food, amazing service, perfect ambiance upstairs and great drinks. Been here before during the day in the summer and ate outside, inside is a completely different vibe read more