The Jackson Bar and Grill

“The Jackson is the most underrated brunch spot in Rochester. We went on a Sunday after church and got right in. Cole, our server was personable and very knowledgeable of the menu. We had espresso martinis that were well balanced and the perfect pick me up. We ordered the Short Rib Hash and Breakfast Flatbread with a side of potatoes and it was absolutely delicious. If you are looking for a new spot to try in the area, this place is it. 12/10 recommend”

“The salmon was absolutely delicious, and my kiddo loved the butter pasta—ate every bite! The place has a great vibe with a warm, inviting atmosphere and excellent-tasting food. Definitely a spot we’ll be coming back to!”

“The Jackson is a super fantastic spot, perfect for a date night! The ambiance is lovely, though I’m not entirely sure if the giant painting fits the concept of the place just my personal opinion. We opted for shareable meals as appetizers and didn’t go for the full entrees, but we felt the menu could use a bit of a tweak. The service was a bit lacking, especially considering the place was empty when we arrived. Our server only added food to the table without removing any empty dishes or drink cups. Overall, The Jackson is a good place with excellent drinks, just needs a little work on the menu and service.”

“My mom and I came here last year and had some of the best food of our lives: a chicken risotto dish, a brussels sprout salad, and the most delicious apple cake we have ever tasted. It was so good that we asked to speak to the chef, who to our surprise came out to the table to talk to us almost right away! I can’t remember her name but she was so sweet and you could tell how passionate she was about the food she had made. We left so happy (if a little light in the purse) and I told all of my friends about this little place…. This past weekend, my husband and I stopped in again. What a huge mistake. Our food tasted like it had been prepared at a Leo’s Coney, my chicken was so dry I left over half of it on the plate. The young man serving us didn’t ask how our food tasted, even when he asked if we wanted boxes for our barely-touched meal and we declined…even the overpriced drinks couldnt make that food taste good… We did’t complain….we just paid way too much for our food and left very disappointed. Clearly the chef my mom and I met has moved on or is out of town, and this place doesn't know how to operate without her. I recommend: Stay away from here until the cooks can learn how to cook! Very sad that this place has ended up like all the other flavorless cookie-cutter restaurants in The Village. You can get the same food from Kruse for half the price…and better drinks too!”

“The fluffy pillows tasted like a mistake - so much salt the inside of my mouth it felt puckered as though I'd taken a bite out of a lemon. Out of brussel sprouts so I couldn't get the interesting looking warm salad I wanted and spinach instead of brussel sprouts I agreed to have with the scallops, (no other choice) which for $38 I expected to be more than a count of 4. But I couldn't eat more than 2 anyway because there was so much garlic and salt and balsamic... couldn't taste the scallops much. Was a little surprised that when we said we just wanted water that the waiter didn't open the bottle that had been on the table when we sat down and pour it for us. We poured it ourself and it wasn't very cold, no ice in our cups, and we emptied the bottle pouring it for ourselves by the end. (No ice? Correct. No.) Soup of the day was tomato bisque, my daughter ordered it and waiter came back saying they were out. He was very apologetic and asked if there was anything else she'd like and she said okay mashed potatoes. So instead of salad or soup we had a side of mashed potatoes. Okay, they were pretty good, Then - more as they were the same mashed potatoes my scallops were placed in. The spinach on top - it was fine but just way too much going on on my plate, and texture was nonexistent. Brussel sprouts would have probably worked better for texture. Couldn't really taste the scallop as the overpowering garlic, salt, balsamic reduction, blinded it, as well as sort of each other. I am not sure what I was tasting just "everything and too much of it" is what I would describe it as. The waiter mistakenly left the truffle mayo on the side and left the the peppercorn off the steak. Fine though, when my daughter brought it up he brought out peppercorn sauce. I still am not sure why they put half a jar of mayo on a dish for her - not just because she asked it be left off, but why such a large amount? I wish I could have traded it for ice water and maybe some bread or flat crackers on the table to absorb some of the seasoning of which there was way too much on everything out of my mouth. I wasn't going to leave a review, but as I type this,I finished eating over 3 hours ago and have brushed my teeth and used listerine, then fluoride rinse, and THEN STILL ate a plain tortilla but nothing can make my mouth stop tasting like a solid garlic clove. We dined on a $150 gift card and I was happy to give the waiter a quite generous $39.76 tip to have used up the card. For $150 plus tip we had the "fluffy pillows" (of SALT) served with garlic butter, a side of mashed potatoes, a steak with fries and half a jar of unwanted mayo, and 4 scallops atop mashed potatoes with spinach. That's it, no drinks, not even tea, not even ice for the water, and no dessert. Atmosphere would be 4, the main restaurant styling has a lot going for it, but the bathrooms fail at what appears to have been an attempt at "maximalist chic." And I think the tables are a gold Calacatta marble laminate print, not real marble, although still really pretty. I was very pleasant and didn't bring any of this up to the nice waiter. I didn't want to make it a negative experience for our special occasion. My daughter loved her steak, so there's that. Yay! I feel sad for this place having not done better. It's a good idea and seems like there's much unrealized potential. I admire the courage of a solo restaurant chef/entrepreneur. It's probably hopeless but I have to go brush my teeth again. Maybe I should try gargling with vodka. Seriously I'm considering that.”