Jordan's Cafe -- Heights Area…read more
Sunday brunch at Jordan's Cafe was definitely an experience! I made reservations for around 11:45 AM, and let me start with this: MAKE THE RESERVATION!
Parking: Parking is CRAZY. There is a free parking lot, but it fills up quickly and is shared with Barney's, another popular brunch spot. Everyone was circling looking for a spot. We eventually had to park across the street and walk over. I could even see the businesses across the street eventually having to block off their parking because people dining at the restaurants are taking up those spaces.
Once we finally made it inside, we were greeted and checked in. One important thing to know: 100% of your party has to be there before they will seat you. So if you're bringing a group, give everyone a good 20-minute head start so you can actually be seated at your reservation time.
And if you DON'T have a reservation... good luck! We heard some people were waiting 1 1/2-2 hours for a table. So, again, MAKE THE RESERVATION.
Once our entire party arrived, we were seated within about 10 minutes at a large table near the window. The atmosphere was nice. Good music, but not so loud that you couldn't have a conversation. They also had TVs playing the game, so it had that nice brunch + sports bar vibe.
Our waiter was good. Not amazing, but definitely not bad. He made several recommendations, and his recommendations actually delivered.
STARTERS
Pot Roast Biscuits -- $20
Now listen... This is something I NEVER would have ordered on my own. Two biscuits stuffed with pot roast for $20? It didn't even sound appetizing to me.
BUT...
THESE WERE AMAZING!
The pot roast was packed inside those biscuits, and the flavor was SO good. I even took one home, reheated it, and it was STILL good! And let's be real -- reheated biscuits usually don't hit the same. These did.
Highly recommend. And yes, I'm ordering them again.
Oxtail Egg Rolls
These were another standout. Usually when you order an oxtail egg roll, you get a little oxtail and a whole lot of filling.
Not here!
These were FULL of oxtail -- like packed to the rim! They were delicious.
We wanted to try several other appetizers, but we had to remember we still had entrees coming, so we stopped ourselves.
DRINKS
I had the Blueberry Lemon Drop, and it was VERY good.
Someone at the table had a peach Crown Royal cocktail -- I can't remember the name -- but that was also really good. We also had mimosas, and those were good as well.
ENTREES
Catfish & Grits
This was my meal, and the catfish was cooked perfectly. Crispy on the outside and just right.
And those grits?
They were so good that I didn't need to add salt, pepper, butter, hot sauce -- NOTHING. They were already seasoned perfectly.
And apparently I'm not the only one who thinks this is one of their things because it seemed like half the restaurant had catfish and grits! The word is definitely out.
Fried Chicken Wings
The wings were seasoned REALLY well. They come with two sides, and the flavor was on point.
My only complaint: the wings were a little small. I definitely needed those wings to be bigger.
Sides -- Greens, Yams & Mac & Cheese
The yams were GREAT! I love a restaurant with a good yam, and these were on point.
The greens were just okay. Not the best I've had, but definitely not the worst.
The mac & cheese was also good. Not life-changing, but hot, cheesy and satisfying. And that's another thing I noticed -- everything came out hot.
My biggest issue with the sides was the portion size. The sides come in these small little cups, and when you're paying extra for them, I expected a little more. They were enough to eat with your meal, but don't expect much leftover for later.
Lamb Chops
The lamb chops were... okay. They weren't bad at all, but they weren't one of the standouts for me either.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, nothing we had was bad. There were definitely some standouts, and there were a few things that could be improved.
The winners for me:
Pot Roast Biscuits
Oxtail Egg Rolls
Catfish & Grits
Yams
Blueberry Lemon Drop
The biggest negatives were the parking situation, small side portions and the size of the chicken wings.
And let me warn you: this is probably a "go on payday" type of brunch. Once you start adding appetizers, cocktails, entrees and extra sides, that bill can climb quickly.
But would I go back?
Absolutely! Especially if I'm in the area.
And you already know I'm getting those $20 pot roast biscuits again!
If you're planning to visit Jordan's Cafe, make that reservation, bring your appetite, and give yourself plenty of time to find parking.
Have you been? What did you order? Let me know what I need to try next!