Amazing food!!!! Super!!! Thé server Julia was very nice!!! Will definitely be returning again soon.!!! read more

Café Jacques - Gambas linguine!!! - French Near Me - Berlin, BE

Hidden gem. CASH ONLY. Great for dates. North African/French cuisine, with nice wine assortment. My bf & I are meat lovers & enjoy the mixed grill platters, oriental meat platter (with lamb, merguez, cous-cous, chicken, etc.)- as well as the angus roast beef steak drizzled with red wine/orange sauce & sides of green asparagus & roasted potatoes. For vegetarians, you'll also find stuff on the menu. Something for everyone... The dessert of the day was holunderberry mousse (normally lavender mousse, but they ran out on Sunday evening) on a "himbeerspiegel" (raspberry mirror). Extremely rich, creamy, yet fluffy & delicious... Again: Romantic place, great for dates- preceded or followed by a walk along Maybachufer riverside. The lighting is also warm, dark & sexy- again: perfect for looking your best/most enticing on a date...(you're welcome, ladies.). :-) read more

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Where is Jacques from? Actually his real name is Gustav and he's Swedish, or maybe not. Regardless, his restaurant is a superbly charming affair, dark and cozy, relaxed and cool. The food is a melagne of all sorts really, and there didn't appear t be a menu as such. Just bring us some starters, and then something else. Whatever you like? Rabbit? Check! Sadly, or maybe not, I consumed so much strong alcohol I can remember little of the experience. So I will surely be back. read more

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AMAZING FOOD! We had a seafood pasta and a homemade beetroot wasabi ravioli with sallad. Both tasted like heaven. One of the best rhubarb schorles I ever tasted. Dessert was a mascarpone and elderflower saga with berries. Everything 5 star. On top of this: super friendly and happy laid back staff, good English, great place and cozy atmosphere. Am going back today again :-) (Expect it to always be fully booked. Either you have to wait for quite some time or even smarter - reserve a table!) read more

Café Jacques - Homemade ravioli with wasabi and beetroot with a side salad (included) 11.50€ - French Near Me - Berlin, BE

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I was here once, long time ago. I do not remember much....but i definetly could remember valuable details: the amazing wine, the funny guitar player, the big round table with many Friends....and the friendly owner with the che Guevara look and the big friendly smile. read more

On a rather cold and wet trip to Berlin, my travel companion and I were staying in the Prenzlauerberg area of Berlin and were looking for a place nearby that we could have dinner after a long day (we were both flying into Berlin very early that morning). Café Jacques was within walking distance from the U-Bahn station that we were adjacent to. This place has had some good reviews, but we wanted to give it a go anyway. The reviews are darn right about this small joint with an amazing menu and a great vibe. Certainly make sure you make a reservation if you're coming here because it gets really packed and we were really lucky to get a spot in here without any reservations. The staff here are über friendly. We didn't speak any German, but the staff were willing to converse with us in English and even translate pretty much the entire menu for us (and yes, there's no English menu here - which is actually a good thing). We settled on a pita and hummous starter and pasta and a veal main for our mains. The wine list is absolutely amazing and even the basic wines are absolutely delicious. We both had the Temperanillo which arrived in huge glasses with generous pours. Serving sizes were also very large for Europe (albeit, everything is bigger in Germany ;)). This place is definitely off the charts and for a somewhat "hole in the wall" type place, it was absolutely phenomenal. If I'm ever in Berlin again, I would definitely come back here. Great food, great music, great atmosphere and certainly a great city. read more

Food is delicious, there's no arguing in that. Came here with a group of 15 people to celebrate my birthday! We called in advance and booked the table, so that wasn't an issue. Service was a little bit too slow though, which I heard has always been one of their weak points. Otherwise, no complaints! read more

I went with a friend on a hot night at 22:00 and it was full. We had to wait a good 15 minutes for a table. We had Gazpacho, which was served in a very generous bowl. It was good although with a few faults (they didn't seed the peppers and it was spicy). We saw how large the portions of the other clientèle and decided to share a plate between the two of us. We ordered the couscous plate but it was sold out. We ended up with a mixed Mediterranean plate (lamb, chicken, merguez, tabbouleh, hummus, etc.). It was definitely large enough. We then had the best part of the meal, dessert: it was fig mousse with a chocolate sauce. The service was great and the clientèle was very international and friendly. This review was written in 2010. read more

A cosy, candlelit restaurant on Maybachufer with french/european/north african cooking. The food is always reliable and can be excellent, from home made pasta through to the mixed meat grills and fish dishes. A good selection of wines too. Beware, it does get quite crowded/busy (by Berlin standards, although fairly normal if you're a Londoner) so book in advance. PS The name (Cafe Jacques) is confusing, it is most definitely a restaurant, not a cafe, and is only open evenings after 18:00. read more

Had dinner here during a trip to Europe and what a little gem we discovered. Delicious (generous pouring of too!) house wine to sip on, along with wonderful ravioli that has the best sauce for dipping in bread! Additionally, the candlelight setting is the perfect atmosphere for a fun and relaxed night. read more

Wow... this place bomb. Dude with long hair was so nice and he even translated the menu in French but I don't speak French so he reversed straight to english. Prawns were so fresh. Lamb was amazing. Both of my girls were feeling happy and relaxed. Thank you. read more

Café Jacques - French Near Me - Berlin, BE

We went as a big group and everyone was delighted with their food- perhaps with Fleisch Grill as the winner for the meat-eaters. I had the Fisch Grill and it was perfectly made, although it didn't taste very much. The dressing helped but I guess I prefer a little more spicey fish. Delicious bread, wine and dishes of starters and eversmiling staff, Jaques himself included. I wasn't too excited about the dessert though, it was called chocolate mousse but I'm not sure where the chocolate was hidden Anyway, I was certainly not disappointed, and I know my friends agree this place would be worth visiting over and over again. read more

After a walk on the canal or a bout of shopping at the Turkish Market, dine in comfort at cozy Café Jacques, a bistro with great wine and delicious French-Mediterranean classics such as couscous, fresh pasta and meats, as well as or original creations like duck in pistachio sauce or turbot in wild-leek sauce. Owner and constant presence Ahmad Arssan will happily assist you in finding the perfect matching wine. read more

Been past here possibly hundreds of times, but strangely never tried it out till this evening, with friends who had recommended it. Quite full, usually a good sign and we were not disappointed. The vegetarian "Märchenteller" is worth trying; the mains looked very good but we weren't especially hungry this evening. Decent wine, pleasant service, relaxed atmosphere. We'll be back. read more

French/Morroccan Kitchen, with focus on meats such as lamb, veal, rabbit. Fish courses and Pasta's are also available. The meats: Having eaten at least 25 times at Jaques, (its my regular invite people out for a cosy dinner place), i have only once been disapointed by the meat. On all other occasions the meat has been next to perfect for the price category. Highly reccomendable is the Fleisch Grill for the hungry diner. The meats vary with season, but generally you get 3-4 different types of meat and a side sauce and salad to compliment it. My favourite dishes are the lamb and rabbit dishes. Recipes vary but the meat is always cooked to perfection. The Fish: THe Fisch Grill is great for those with a larger maritime hunger, the helping is huge and can cure any hunger. Pasta's. Dont go to a french/morrocan kitchen for Pasta. They are fine, but you are missing out on the better part of the experience. The only thing this restaurant is lacking is some african wines, to match up the morrocan part of the menu. read more

Went there because it was recommended by Lonely Planet and were not disappointed. The menu is short and in German however, every waiter spoke enough English to read the menu to us. The food is as good as you can expect in a German restaurant: kind of plain. Atmosphere is excellent: dark, candle-lit interior and cozy outside seating (we went after dark). I would recommend this place for anyone looking to dine in great atmosphere and wishing some simple food and alcohol. WARNING: smoking is permitted insider after 11pm (when the street seating closes). read more

I came, I saw, I could barely stand up after my dinner. The style is minimalist. White walls, chalk board menu, and most importantly, candle light. You will try to guess the century you're in. Is it the Age of Enlightenment or 2010 a Space Odessy? It's busy and crowded but if you are dinning as a group it is somehow better like you're talking in a circle at a party. If you have the open mind and the opportunity, I suggest asking the immediately recognizable owner to suggest an ensemble based on your preferences and mood and pair it with a wine. The food is a selection of Mediterranean, French and Italian and not necessarily your standard picks of each. It is excellent quality, but it is the whole experience that makes Cafe Jacques a marvelous experience. read more

Came here because Lonely Planet listed it as top choice in the area, and this was one of the best dining experiences for us in Berlin. The place is small and cozy with great ambience and friendly staff. The owner, Ahmad, is charismatic and funny, his wine recommendation was on point. The menu is a blackboard menu that consists of a variety of types of dishes. All of the vegetables and seafood was really fresh and everything was exquisite. The lamb dish was absolutely delicious and so was the seafood linguini and the "fish variety" dish. We had a great time, the place is recommended for anyone that wants to have a nice night with awesome food by the river. read more

I adore this place. My favorite place for French in Berlin. The prices are more than fair considering the high quality and wonderful atmosphere. Great for dates as well as groups. Recommend sharing the fish platter and fleisch platter with a friend. Great wines too! read more

One of the great Restaurant du Quartier's to be found anywhere! I am heading to Berlin today and very much looking forward to my fifth visit to Cafe Jacques. Intimate decor, nice date place, sophisticated food, very good service,- I'd like to see a more in depth wine list, but the choices are solid and well priced. read more

Went with two girlfriends and shared all the dishes. Don't be confused by the name of the restaurant... it's really more Lebanese-French than French-French. Regardless, our cous cous with lamb and seafood grill dish was excellent and the waitress was really sweet and didn't mind translating all the dishes on the chalk board. read more

Small, cosy place with lots of ambiance! Jacques walks about schmoozing with all the guests, helping people choose wines etc. We had a wonderful 3-course dinner at a bargain price (compared to Stockholm...), will certainly return here next time we are in Berlin. read more

Excellent little french place. Husband-wife duo, super friendly, great menu, very fine food. Lamb, casserole, chicken, all excellent. Then there's creme brulee. I'm getting hungry just writing this review. read more

Berlin eating can be unexpected, and this hidden gem, river adjascent, is atmospheric (in an understated way), with a brillant carte du vin and one of the most aromatic cups of coffee in Berlin. The food is so fresh and seems prepared with such attention that you would think it was not a menu, but just for you. They do the best humus I have ever had. A real blend of contrasting eating options, prepared in an unpretentious - yet very impressive - way and with wonderful service. Wonderful too to wander out onto the river of an eve. One of my fav Berlin eateries. read more

In a nutshell, Cafe Jacques has decent food which is ruined by poor service and a generally strange attitude that pervades the place. With no menus, you have to walk across the room to peer at a blackboard of daily specials which our waiter declined to explain or even talk about. Ditto with the wine. The first of our group of ten to arrive were alternately harassed for not immediately ordering drinks and told to sit down when trying to look at the menu. Our waiter periodically lectured us for not ordering sparkling water with the several bottles of wine we ordered (telling us he was going to charge us for the tap water we were drinking), and hurried us into ordering food which led to a mad relay of ppl trying to check out the blackboard menu. That said, the food was pretty good (seafood linguine, lamb with roast potatoes). The final straw came when a trio (cello, accordion and something else) entered the restaurant and played a couple of tunes, after which money was aggressively demanded from us. Quirky is fine, but bad (and frankly bizarre) service and treatment of customers isn't. I was disappointed at choosing to celebrate my birthday here. read more

i'm not certain what cuisine jacque's is supposed to serve, as we could never get a straight answer from the staff where the owner is from. the dishes aren't particularly french or moroccan, so it's anybody's guess. i've been there twice with large groups (including some french people) and we all found the food to be pretty boring despite a nice presentation. jacque's has a nice atmosphere, but i wouldn't spend my money there by choice. read more

Unfortunately I have to give it a 2 stars. Very disappointed. Late service. Amateur appetisers. And An incredibly sad steak with some potatoes. My breakfast this morning was a royal meal compared to it. I had friends over and wanted to impress them with the chill Berliner atmosphere and nice food at candle light. Thought that cafe Jaques would have been a safe choice.. well I was wrong. Totally out of my nice restaurant list. Sad..as I liked it.. read more

Wonderful place. The server patiently explained the menu in English to us and the food was delicious and reasonably priced.

Excellent atmosphere and amazing food. I've been there twice and the staff is exceptionally friendly and attentive. Highly recommended. Be sure to book a table. The place is packed - rightfully so. read more

Returned to Cafe Jacques with high hopes after an aborted spontaneous visit on a busy night in which we were invited to dine at the bar, and then ignored for 20 minutes. Reservations are definitely a good idea here, and armed with one on the second visit the service was perfectly attentive. Extra high marks go to the wine list, perhaps the best in Kreuzberg. From the robust and lively to the crisp and fruity, the list favors French and Mediterranean wine with lots of character and compatibility with the menu, but at very reasonable prices (EUR12 - 26/bottle, with half-carafes also available). You can hardly ask for a better place to duck in with a few friends for drinks and snacks. The food, on the other hand, straddles the middle of the range of neighborhood offerings. The "Märchenteller" (EUR9), which doesn't bother explaining itself on the blackboard menu, is certainly a creative take on the meze platter, with sesame-battered, fried vegetables piled up alongside hummus, tabbouli, and other standards. But the execution is no fairytale; a spongy, stringy stick of fried celery and a greasy little knobs of fried white veg bogged down the fresher tastes on the plate. And while there's nothing wrong with good Turkish bread and hummus, they're as standard in this neighborhood as rice in China. The starters menu is rounded out by a selection of salads, cheese platter, and meze with meat (6-10), which all seem promising. Mains tend toward the simple and hearty - a welcome touch in the winter. A perfectly chewy house-made Tagliatelle (EUR10) came with a nicely braised but bland veal ragout and a basic side salad. The tender veal also appeared as a massive hunk of back (EUR15), served with crisp roast potatoes and overboiled asparagus. The star of the plate was the memorably fragrant rosemary sauce drenching the meat. The generous portions make for a very satisfying meal even as the food is less spectacular than it sounds on the menu. The offbeat, unpretentious decor, candlelit charm, and efficient service all cement Jacques' reputation as a neighborhood institution, and it's well worth a try. read more

Excellent service, amazing flavorful food! We were visiting Berlin from NY and our German is nonexistent. The staff and owner were incredibly accommodating and friendly. They helped us pick a delicious meal and made our visit a great experience. Definitely recommend this neighborhood gem with more locals than tourists. The location is perfect with plenty of options for after dinner drinks as well. read more

Possibly our best restaurant visit of 2014. Party of four, every one impressed by the quality of the food and wine. I had the Fleischgrill (mixed grill) and the meat was tender and tasty, no trace of MSG. Others raved about the red snapper and chestnut ravioli. Good wine list, and advice thereon. Staff were cordial, personal and for the most part, prompt. We'll be back! read more

Cafe Jacques has moved and lost its soul! The owner is a liar (more below), and the service was exceptionally bad, even for Berlin. We used to go here often -- the food was good, the small atmosphere nice and while the service was hit or miss, it usually made up for it with its ambiance and tasty meals. My girlfriend and I made a reservation on the phone, which was an odd experience to begin with, as it sounded like the person taking the call was drunk or asleep. Regardless, we got to the NEW restaurant (no one told us it had moved ... 4 buildings down) and were told that our reservation didn't exist. The owner, who it became apparent was the one I had spoken with on the phone (he's not German, and it's easy to pick out his dialect between the phone and real life) lied to me, saying "I never said you'd have a reservation" and then two minutes later, saying that we hadn't spoken on the phone because he didn't get to the restaurant until 18.00. The stories didn't match, and it was very clear that I had spoken with him on the phone earlier. One waitress, seeing our distress, was wonderfully smiley and helpful, told us to take a seat at the bar and we would get a table soon -- 20 minutes. GREAT, I thought. After some struggles to get a glass of wine, we were happily sitting there when some other people took the table that clearly was going to be for us (German's are less than good at honoring the code of a restaurant -- if you don't have a reservation and see an open table, it doesn't mean that it's yours). 30-40 minutes later a table opened up, and we did exactly the same thing as the other German couple -- and took the table. The owner then came over and made a very public disapproval, asking us rudely "Who gave you this table" and "you can't sit here". The waitress, ashamed of her boss, cleared the table and told us we could stay. While we hovered in limbo not knowing what to do, he then snidely came and hissed that we could have it, and brusquely pushed our coats onto a chair to get us sitting down. We debated whether to stay (our night was fast on the verge of ruin anyway) but I said "yes -- it's the best food around," and there aren't a lot of choices at 22:00 on a Saturday night aside from Turkish and Indian ... we then waited almost another 30 minutes before someone finally realized we hadn't been given an order yet. We ate in silence as our night was ruined by the incompetent owner. Thank god his staff has better manners than him, even if they had too many tables to take care of a two-top with food and drink. Berlin doesn't have a great amount of good food at moderate prices, and Cafe Jacques used to be a special place. Needless to say, it has a lot to learn if it wants to grow up into its new space. The owner not lying and belittling his guests would be a good start. read more

I went there for dinner without reservation. We got a table for two next to the board where they have the menu options. They don't have a Menu where you can carefully choose your food. You need to stand up and eventually if you have a question they will answer. The food was nothing special, the meat was not tasty if it wasn't by the sauce and the prices are not that friendly. The environment is not so cozy as I expected. In the end, I wouldn't go back there. There are better choices in Berlin. read more

Beautiful ambiance, which is why I walked in on a whim. But I've been having one mind-blowing meal after another on this trip and this was the first disappointment. The hummus with vegetable salads was fine if overly simple and not so fresh. But the bread was absolutely STALE and when I mentioned this to the person who was serving me who also seemed to be the owner, or at least the manager, he said they're was no other available bread. It was bizarre. I have never been served stale bread in a restaurant. I ordered the panna cotta against my better judgment considering the quality of the rest of the food and it was equally loveless. It tasted as if it was made from a package from the supermarket with a very fake flavor of raspberries. The wine was fantastic. So go for a glass of wine and the ambiance and then go somewhere else for dinner. I'm actually still at the table because my shock at the lack of quality was so extreme that I had to leave a review immediately. read more

well firstly, i must say I am still confused on where neukölln end and kreuzberg starts, but i was here with friends for a nice dinner and the restaurant has a very nice and cosy atmosphere with candles lit everywhere. My 3 stars are a bit harsh, but I decided to give only three and the menu is not that large and if you do not like mean this is not the place to go as almost all dishes contain meat or fish and if you don't like cheese it's also a bad place to go.We also ordered something twice which the waitress forgot to give us, so we had to reorder, But we where there for hours, so it was not bad, but still I don't think I would be going here again due to the menu problem. I ordered the maerchenteller and it was good, but i didn't like the aftertaste of the hummus and the cucumber salad i thought was way too garlicy, but friends of mine had the roast beef and said it was delicious, so if you're looking to eat a great meat dish for a reasonable price in a cosy atmosphere this is the place to go. read more

I am writing my first review in order to recount the worst dining experience of my life. First, my friend and I waited for a table at the bar. The place looked great and it was packed! The waitress told us it would be just a few minutes and so we stood and enjoyed a couple of beers. Another waitress, a little on the unfriendly side, came along and we explained we were waiting. We were seated after about 15-20 minutes and then no one came to take our order. Ignoring us, we waited a good twenty minutes before unfriendly lady returned and took our order. She came back two minutes later and told us the kitchen was closed!!! She apologized and admitted it was her fault (and that she was a little drunk!!) but we were totally shocked. The other diners were as well, piping in that they couldn't believe they had seated us and made us wait and then done this. She offered us cold food. Nearing midnight, everyone sat satisfied finishing their meals and we could do nothing. We were starving after waiting so long and we really wanted the hot meal we'd been waiting for. Waitress from hell informed my friend and I that all the restaurants would be closed and apologizingly directed us to döner. Halfway down the rainy block we turned back in desperation since she seemed genuinely apologetic. We sat down again, didn't even order. They just brought us appetizers and wine while some of the other waitresses looked at us with sympathy. However, when we got the bill, it was totally insane! 43 euros for a large appetizer and the equivalent of a bottle of wine-30 euros for wine!! They didn't even comp us after all that crazy. We couldn't believe it. So, to give us a brief overview of this shit show: no hot food and the most expensive wine this side of the America. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. But really? This was honestly the worst dining experience I have ever had anywhere and the most absurd business practice that I have ever come across. Way to ruin the good opinion I always had of Berlin, Cafe Jacques. read more

Simply the best - in terms of quality and DIVERSITY of food, WINE choices, ATMOSPHERE, LOCATION, friendliness and competence of STAFF, and guess what: PRICES! If only we had such a marvellous place in New York! read more

A simple neighbourhood restaurant, nothing fancy but good advice from friendly staff, nicely cooked food, good choice of wine and a modest bill. Add to that the epic company of my wife and you have a cracking night out. read more

We went to Cafe Jacques tonight because all of the reviews said it was one of the best in Berlin. I hope not. The waitress seemed bored. The food was at best mediocre. We had an appetizer of fish. Hummus, artichokes. Tabbouli and tomato cucumber salad which was understated although not bad. Main courses were also mixed. The fish plate was not bad it just didn't have any flavour. The couscous plate was absolutely amaturish. The couscous tasted like it was instant, certainly mushy and the meat had no indication of being cooked slowly in broth that would then flavour the couscous. The lamb and chicken were dry, the merquez salty the couscous wet and mushy. The sauce had no flavour and there was no sign of harissa anywhere. Do not order this dish. The wine was very good. It did not save the meal. read more