Jacs Dining and Tap House

Best plastic ever, fantastic fish, we shared the walleye, the plated it separately for us, had the bread pudding also fantastic, great choice of beers and drinks. Have to come back to try other items on the menu.

Best Gluten-​Free/​regular restaurant in Madison! I have celiac and this is one of the few places i feel completely normal. The Friday night fish fry is incredible! Alt-​Brew on tap is the best! Great atmosphere. Cozy and very friendly staff. Feels like a very nice home. I can’t recommend it enough.

I came for lunch on a Saturday around 2 and there wasn’t any wait. They were still serving brunch so we started with a cinnamon roll. It was amazing! For the meal, I got a turkey sandwich and a side salad. It had a cranberry mayo on it which was very good. My boyfriend got their burger and frites. The burger came with lots of frites so I had some. They were perfectly seasoned. Overall, a great lunch at a cute place.

Visited Jacs for the first time last weekend. First off, this place is popular! The dinner wait at 6:30 pm was an hour, which was fine with us. We got on the list, headed across the street for a drink, and eventually made our way back to Jac’s bar for another drink and to finish our wait for a table. The hostess and bar staff were friendly and once seated, so was our server.
We ordered salads and entrees immediately upon being seated and then… waited. It seemed like a very long time before our food finally arrived, and when it did our entrée came out ahead of the salads. We rushed through our salads while our food cooled on the table and the end result was we didn’t get to enjoy either. My Caesar salad was bland as was the risotto that accompanied my chicken dish. For the chicken, one piece was perfectly seasoned with a crisp skin and the other was so salty I couldn’t finish it (for balance, my dining partner had the same dish and loved the salty piece and didn’t like the white meat piece I enjoyed).
This could have been an off night for the restaurant, so I contacted them the next day to share my experience and disappointingly never heard back. Docked a star for the lack of follow-​through from the restaurant management.

Good brunch and good beer selection!
If you like eggs benedict, Jac’s brunch menu is basically a bunch of different versions of eggs benedict along with some sweet items like a home made cinnamon roll topped with strawberries and cream. I got the crabcake benedict; it didnt blow me away, but it was still good. The crabcake didnt seemed to have a good amount of crab by volume, so i did not feel ripped off at all.
What was awesome was the frites with the sauce trio. Man, you get a nice big cone of fries with 4 different aolis: house special, herb, spicy, and cranberry. My favorites are the house special and the herb aolis. The fries themselves are fairly crispy with a nice, chewy body. It was such a treat!
I didn’t order any beers, but their tap selection was good. There were about 1 beers, and they were all at least solid craft choices. The ones that stuck out to me were Romantic Chemistry by Dogfish Head and a barrel-​aged stout from Central Waters.
I’d love to come back for some frites after work with a friend some time!

We stopped in here at around 2:00 on a Saturday afternoon. The place was pretty much empty, but we saw the solid Unilocal reviews and decided to give it a try.
They are certainly not setup for large groups, and seating even for just 4 people seemed to be about their max. We were hoping to sit by a window since it was nice and sunny out, but the tables by them were only 2 or 3 person tables and they told us they couldn’t move them since it would mess up the spacing, which is kind of silly since there was one other table and a few people at the bar at the time. It is a nice place inside through. I like their big wooden bar along with quite a bit of other woodwork in the place. They have some sort of sound dampening cushions hanging off of the ceiling that are absolutely covered in dust and cobwebs that they really need to do something about, but the rest is charming and comfortable.
At 2PM, they only had their brunch menu available. I think they switched to a dinner menu at 3. There were some unique options, but they were very limited. They had a couple soups, a few appetizers, a few salads, 3 actual lunch options, and around 7 or 8 brunch selections. Not wanting brunch food, I went with their turkey sandwich. It was delicious, and I would definitely recommend it. There were orders of soup and a salad at the table as well. Nothing real special, but pretty appropriate for the price. The one person that ordered a breakfast option got the salmon benedict, which was very tasty but unfortunately they didn’t get it fully deboned before cooking and serving the salmon.
They have a really nice beer selection, but it seems much overpriced to me. We saw the same beers at other bars for quite a bit less. I suppose if you want a quiet atmosphere to enjoy a beer in, the extra dollar or two is worth it to come here instead of heading to the more busy areas. Our server was fine. Our waters stayed full and we got everything we needed. The one thing that I thought was super awkward was every time anybody at the table said thank you to her for anything, the response was always a monotone «sure». Maybe that is actually a perfectly appropriate response, but it seemed odd to me.
I certainly wasn’t disappointed in the trip here, but I also don’t have this on any list of place I need to get back to. The food choices were limited but tasty, although nothing blew any of us away. Their beer includes great options, but is overpriced. The place is really nice, but the atmosphere was dead when we were there. Plenty of good things that might appeal to a different person, but it just wasn’t for me.

Yep, this is the place. Close to home, and excellent, always great service. Last time I went in for my signature and theirs Mussels and frets. The mussels were tough, the waitress took them back and apologized and got me a new bowl of the most tasty, best mussels ever. Thank you! When good service is hard to come by you all went above and beyond. I’ve had some wait staff that were kinda sullen, but always polite and food, well its always top.

Great neighborhood spot for good drinks, amazing rotating beers and French/​American fare. The bartenders are friendly and knowledgeable plus they are always concocting different mixes or pickled things for unique drinks. One of the few Happy Hour spots on Saturday! Until 6pm. Go early and stay for some great dinner. The duck wings are spectacular.

This place is wonderful, I love the location and neighborhood Jac’s is located in, my boyfriend and I went there for our 6 year anniversary and it was PACKED however, not only were we seated in no time at all, we had a great window seat, ordered our food (which was delicious) and was eating within 10 minutes of ordering… being the type of person who looks at time as the most precious thing in this world, this place was on their game! The staff remained friendly which I find incredibly important in the service field and I’ve been other places where this is not the case so I appreciate all that was done that evening out and we will absolutely be back to Jac’s with friends and family for many years to come!

I wanted to update my review because I have recently had their fish fry and I have got to say… BEST IN MADISON. I have been looking for a good, traditional fish fry in madison and Jacs hits the nail on the head. The breading is crispy and the fish is nice n flaky on the inside.

Kind of an awkward environment when busy because there is no space to wake, and people are forced to stand in front of the door hovering over adjacent tables. Beer is overpriced for Madison. Food is good but nothing special, just basic American bar fare made a bit fancier.

My family and I had the pleasure of dining at Jac’s for the first time on Friday night. The restaurant itself is very attractive and has a great atmosphere.
It was busy and the was a pleasant buzz from the patrons having a wonderful time. I had the cod fish fry and my Wife had the Taco frites, my 9 year old had chicken nuggets off the kids menu. My Wife and I both had the hard apple cider to drink.
We were seated by the window and enjoyed the view of Monroe st.
Our ciders were delicious and the food arrived in a reasonable time for a busy night, hot and delicious. My fish was flakey the tarter sauce complimented the fish well. Everyone enjoyed their entrée.
Then came dessert. We could not decide what to have so we went with all three. All were yummy.
Overall a wonderful time was had, my child found a meal for himself. Adult menu has wonderful choices. Highly recommend this place.
P. S. We also came in for brunch on that Sunday. You gotta try it!

The walnut burger with beet ketchup is by far the best thing on the lunch and dinner menu. Jacs always has great beers on tap and plenty of variety in menu offerings. It is well known that folks in the area go for half price happy hour, although tonight we went at 6:15pm (typical happy hour time) and we did not receive happy hour prices. This is the main reason we go prior to 7pm, and will continue to visit regardless of happy hour deals, but this is a nice incentive. Needless to say, we will be back, but we will also select a different spot for post work drinks, since their deals have become unclear.

Can you believe it took me years to get here? And then it took me multiple visits to review it.
Love/​hate. First of all, I was not aware that you pretty much need a dinner reservation to eat here. Even if tables are open, they will not seat them all if they are understaffed. This is a good thing but it feels a little bad when you are hungry. They do not have many taps or drinks, so I usually end up not drinking here. The beer selection is always IPA heavy.
The first time I was there, I sat at the bar. Terrible service. The second time, I sat at a table. Great service. The interior is gorgeous and the place is cozy but somehow fits about 15 tables in the place.
There is no parking lot but I have never had too much of an issue getting street parking.
Now the food. A little pricey for what it is. Now it is tasty, but mac and cheese was $ 17. The mac and cheese was a little oily but overall had great taste without being overly cheesy. The ham chunks were really big in the mac. I have also had the Chicken Francese. This was NOT a traditional variety. It was good but I almost wish they had named it something different. I was expecting something more traditional. It was good. My husband loved it but I would not get it away. The breading was thicker than its traditional counterpart. I could have also used more sauce for the mound of potatoes that came with it.
I have also had the cheese curds. They were curds.

I went to Jacs for dinner with a group of approximately 12 ladies on a Monday evening. They warned us in advance that they are not normally able to accomodate groups as large as ours, but since we were planning to arrive early (5:30pm), it would be ok.
I’m so glad they made it work for us because the food was delicious!
We ordered the frites appetizer, which came with 4 dipping sauces, each better than the rest! I ordered the Jacs Classic burger for my entrée and was very pleased with my choice! The burger was cooked well and quite tasty. The side salad was simple, with a light dressing.
Our entire group was licking their plates clean before we left.
I definitely recommend Jacs (but maybe don’t go with a group of 12 people).

What Jacs lacks in space and tables, they make up for in good olé Madison culture, yummy craft cocktails, and a mouth watering menu. In most places I can’t stand a cramped wait at the bar for a table, but somehow the drink selection and atmosphere of Jacs makes it ok.
Once you do eventually get a table, the culinary adventure begins. It may be a bit cliché in Wisconsin, but I do love a good fish fry, and Jacs knocked it out of the park!

Nice quaint little place on Monroe Street. First timer. Right next to Michaels Frozen Custard. Parking is a little difficult but we found a spot on the street. No problem. I enjoyed actually waving the red flag to cross the street, another first for me.
Onto the food… we’ll wait, let’s talk about the Wednesday special which is all about Gluten free products. $ 2 off gluten free beer taps and there is no up charge for gluten free buns, crust, etc. Good deal I thought.
I had a Gluten Free Blonde IPA from Alt. Interesting. Not exactly my cup of tea but I had to try it. I’m all about exploring.
I ordered the Three Little Pigs sandwich. Holy flavor!!! A must have for the hungry. Ham, Bacon and Pork Belly! Swiss cheese, spinach and a pesto mayo on ciabatta bread. Delicious! My wife had the smoked salmon BLT. I had a bite and it had this gorgeous smoky flavor to it. Really tasty.
We both ordered frites with our sandwiches plus the different mayo’s. Four different kinds, all unique. Even a cranberry mayo.
We’ll be back. Very cozy and relaxing atmosphere.

I absolutely loved Jac’s!
We stopped in for dinner on a Friday night and it was packed! We had to wait for a table, so we grabbed a drink at the bar, which was also cozy, but had great service from the bartender.
After waiting for about 30 minutes, we sat down and had a friendly, helpful waitress. She told us all about their specials, helped us choose a drink, and answered some questions we had about menu items.
I had the Dupond Pinot Noir to drink. It was pretty good for Pinot and reasonably priced.
For my dinner entrée, I got the walnut burger and it was amazing. I love how creative Jac’s is with their veggie options, which are abundant. I got it with the fries, which were also great.
There were two things I think the place could improve on: figuring out how to acquire more space and preventing cold air from coming in the front door.
Overall, the place is friendly, tasty, and fun. Everything tasted great, we had reliable service, and the prices were reasonable. I would highly recommend if you haven’t been before, especially for vegetarians and gluten-​free folks. I can’t wait to go back!

Jac’s is perhaps the most underrated restaurant in Madison. But shhhh don’t tell too many people, it’s busy enough.
Cocktails: $ 7 – 11 and they are great — don’t miss the Brooklyn and they make a great Aviation. Bar staff is highly skilled and fun to chat with. About 15 rotating beers on tap. HAPPY HOUR IS HALF OFF DRINKS AND BEER — do not miss this.
Their kitchen pumps out some tasty food and is reasonably priced. Fish fry was really good and I would come back. Their fries are the best in Madison #cantstopwontstop.

As you get nearer, the aroma of delicious grilled and charred beef meets your nose in a whirlwind of sensory overload that forces you through the doors of jacs. Do not fight this sensation.
This may have (definitely was) one of the best meals on a recent trip to Madison. The jacs classic burger was outstanding. The juicy grass-​fed cow, sweet caramelized onions, and sourdough burger bun in particular were the stars of the show. It’s a large burger, and my wife and I easily split it. We got the salad instead of frites, and it was a great accompaniment to the burger. We did try someone else’s frites, and those were also delicious, though with the burger it’d be a heavy meal.
I would definitely return, and though I’d love to try the walnut burger, I don’t know if I could tear myself away from getting another classic. Don’t be a nincompoop, get it medium-​rare for supreme juiciness. Why can’t all burgers be that good?

Love Love Love
Roommates and I decided on going somewhere new in Madison, and found Jacs on Unilocal,and read how much it was praised. So we decided on giving it a shot. I’m glad we did!
Let me just say, love the area that Jacs is in, gives off kind of a small town feel but obviously in a big city, very cute, and quaint.
It was decently busy for a Tuesday evening, but we got right in. Our server instantly gave us a warm greeting, and offered us something to drink and read off the specials. We decided on starting off the meal with The Frites as an appetizer with the four dipping sauces (Classic Aioil, Sage Aioli, Cranberry Mayo… which was my favorite, and the House BBQ.) After looking over the menu, I decided on getting the Bacon Blu Burger… minus the Bacon. with a Side Salad with their House Raspberry — Cherry Vinaigrette. The Burger came on a pretzel bun, it paired so well with the cheeder — blu cheese becheme. I will agree with a few of the Unilocalers that the bun was a bit too big for the actual burger patty.
The atmosphere at Jacs is great, very cozy, dim lighting, soft music playing, and staff was fantastic. Can’t wait to try Jacs out again!

Hmmm. With my sister being gluten-​free, I’ve had more than a few meals at Jacs, since their menu specifies only the items that can’t be made gluten-​free, rather than the usual other way around. We keep going back, and yet…
The good: the food. I’ve had some great meals here, most recently their crab cake Benedict, which was seriously amazing. Perfectly poached eggs, beautiful crab, even the side of potatoes was delicious (though in need of some salt — what IS it with under-​seasoned food in this state?!). I also love their chicken Francaise, and I believe they do a good burger. They even managed to have decent coffee for brunch, which some restaurants just can’t seem to handle.
The not-​so-​good: the service. My sister called it «vaguely neglectful,» and that’s the best way I can describe it. They’re perfectly friendly, and subscribe to the «team» approach, but I always feel a bit abandoned here. When I ordered coffee at 10:30 in the morning, our waitress returned to report that they were running low on coffee cups, so it would be a few minutes. Um… did you break all the cups last night? Or do you seriously not have enough of your fancy glass mugs with handles to manage a brunch service?
Plus, they got my sister’s side item wrong (easily and quickly corrected, but still), and when we asked for the check, the server dropped it and ran, despite the credit card in my sister’s hand. Finally, the restaurant is SMALL, and it can get quite loud, and the tiny back hallway with the restrooms is awkward to navigate.
Overall, Jacs is not a bad place, and I’m sure I’ll continue eating here. Just keep your service expectations low and you should be good to go.

Highlights/​lowlights
1) outstanding gluten free selection
2) cute location
3) wide variety of menu items
I can’t believe that as someone with celiac disease it has taken me this long to come to Jacs!
The great location on Monroe St. With a free parking lot makes this a hassle free outing. The ambience is cute, pub like and the service is about average but not bad.
What really makes Jacs stand out is the unique menu options and massive gluten free menu! The cuisine is American. You can get sandwiches, pizza, pasta, burgers etc. Jacs has gluten free pizza crust AND buns AND pasta AND a separate fryer. I only saw one thing on the entire menu that Jacs said they couldn’t modify to be gluten free. We tried the frites with the dipping sauces (including a sage and a cranberry sauce) as an appetizer. I had the gluten free Mac and cheese with bacon and ham (so bad for you I’m sure, but so good!). Both items I tried were great and everyone I was with enjoyed their meals.
I will absolutely be returning to try some of the other entrees!

Been back to Jacs several times since the 2010 fish fry review; time for a brief update.
+ LOVE the interior. Quaint, comfy, cool.
— Often a bit chilly, especially during fall and winter months. Always feels drafty for some reason.
+ When servers are good, the place can’t be beat.
— When servers are poor (not as knowledgable, not as attentive), it’s not a great experience. Most recent visit for brunch resulted in the server not knowing what the soup of the day was, and mis-​representing the omelet du jour. Sort of frustrating…
+ Beer list has become more «nano» with a lot of really interesting options
+ Bloody Mary is *outstanding*
— Bloody Maria isn’t really worth an extra $ 3; it includes 2 extra pickled veggies (mine was pepper and mushroom), 2 small pieces summer sausage, and 2 small cubes of cheese, with a very small chaser of brew.
+ Better bet: go with the standard Bloody for $ 3, and get a pint of your favorite micro brew for about $ 1 – 2 more than the «special» Bloody
+ Love the menu options
+ Roasted beet salad, the frites, any of the sandwiches, the pork chop… all so good.
— Brunch is hit-​or-​miss. Most of the items are *extremely* buttery, so be prepared. I recently had the omelet and it was swimming in butter.
+ Mixed greens are delicious and perfectly dressed (as a brunch side)
All-​in-​all, I like Jacs. Great vibe, great beer, solid food — it all works pretty well.

We stopped by for happy hour. The bloody marys were average at best. The bartender was an exquisite jerk. Rude, negligent, and brusque, he charged us full price for our drinks, and after we pointed out that it was happy hour, he stated «oh yeah, the only reason you’re here.»
We didn’t eat anything, so I’d feel bad totally slamming the place, but man, get your service mentality together guys. That was just bad.

Not sure what to make of Jacs. For starters, the place is VERY small so I would advice to make reservations if you’re looking to dine on a weekend. That being said, you have no arm room between you and other diners. It’s hard to hold a conversation with your group because the noise travels and makes the place extremely loud.
I think my boyfriend and I came on a down day. We decided to have dinner there and called ahead to reserve a table. Not even 15 minutes after being there, a group of 10 comes in and basically takes over the bar. They were very loud, obnoxious and rude in some instances. Our table was less than 10 feet away from the bar so we were beyond annoyed at their behavior as well as other customers. Not fault of Jacs establishment. The Bartender had to ask them to please settle down. It really made the experience go downhill fast.
As for the food, we started off with the frites with Aoli. Not bad. Fries were homemade as well as the sauce. However, they hardly gave us enough Aoli for the large amount of fries we received but still, it was a good starter.
My boyfriend ordered a jacs burger with a side of clam chowder. The chowder was good. Tasted homemade. He seemed to enjoy it. I got the Mac n Cheese but subbed out the pork for chicken. It wasn’t bad but it was soooooooooo darn cheesy I couldn’t eat it! I love cheese but the dish was just overwhelmed with it tall that it was impossible for me to eat more than 6 – 7 bites.
The next day, I heated up the leftovers for lunch and could not believe how much oil was at the bottom of the the bowl. About a good 5 tablespoons was sitting under the noddles. I am assuming this was the fat that came from the cheese.
Honestly, 2 people really could share the dish because it’s a lot for one person to eat.
I’m reluctant to say anything bad about Jacs because I feel like I can give them another chance. They were far from bad but I expected better based on the reviews I read on Unilocal.I will probably dine there again but I’m not dying to get back anytime soon.
Rating? TBD…