Two words: HAPPY HOUR! Half the price and half the portions, but makes it easily shareable and allows you to try much more of the menu. A win win in my opinion and this place is now going to be a must stop every time I visit NorCal to go to Fanime since it's walking distance from the convention. We went on the first day of the con, which is Friday, and it was towards the tail end of the Happy Hour so it was pretty busy, but it was going to get more packed due to the dinner rush coming in. We were lucky to get a table and some seats, but on a normal day there's a good number of tables and seats and a counter in the back. You order through a QR code on the table and they bring your food to you. The server was friendly, informed us of what was in stock, what wasn't and super pleasant when dropping off our food. Love service with a smile (even in very busy and stressful conditions). I don't partake in alcohol, so I didn't take advantage of that, but they do have a solid menu variety of the types of drinks they do have. When I walked past to go to the restroom, there's a counter under some TV's showing what they have too. There's some photo opportunities in the hallway to the restroom, love the neon chicken angel wings photo op. For our dinner, we got the: 1) Corn Ribs: -Crispy, Cajun glazed corn ribs and you can get a side of sauce with this but they were seasoned so well that it was unnecessary to add it. -After seeing this at Disneyland, I was enamored by the concept of corn ribs and how novel they are, how easy it is to eat it from a full hulking corn cob. Delicious and interesting, I'd get it again for sure. 2) Fries: -Solid and crispy fries. Great for snacking between bites of meat and dipping in ketchup and sauces. They're good fries. 3) Cracklin' Chicken Bites: -I LOVE CRISPY CHICKEN SKIN. -If it's on the menu at a skewer, BBQ, or any other place, you bet I'm going to order this and when I saw this on the menu I HAD TO. -It's chicken bites with the crispy chicken skin pieces for flavor and texture. Think god tier popcorn chicken. Super yummy and crispy, little burst of indulgent oil from the skin, moist meat, and just addicting to eat in general. A must. 4) Potato Salad: -I love potato salad and this is a solid potato salad, a bit sour from the mustard, but great as a palate cleanser between all of the meat. I just think I wouldn't order this again, because everything else was so good and we had so much food. 5) Hot Links (a la cart): -Got 2 hot links for this one. Nice char on the edges and it has a good kick to it. I always get this when it's on the menu since I love sausage meats. Will definitely get it again. 6) Beef Brisket (a la cart): -Several slices of beef brisket, again, really nice char on the edges. Super moist and tender, flavorful meat. Good smoky flavor. Goes great with the BBQ sauces that they have there. A good, reliable protein choice. 7) The JuJu: -Shout out to Jackie's sister! -It's a mix of grape and cherry Kool-aid, nice sweet, fruity drink to wash down all of the umami and savory flavors. I love when places have unique, non-alcoholic drinks like this. We left right at the tail end of the Happy Hour and when the real Fanime Day 1/dinner rush came in and it was starting to get packed real quick so kudos to staff for holding down the fort. Definitely want to make this our Fanime tradition every year! read more

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Stopped by Jackie's during the Mexico vs. England World Cup watch party downtown and here are my thoughts: FOOD: Scoop's "Not Yo" Nachos (10/10): These were one of the BEST loaded nacho fries I've ever had. The fries were loaded with cheese sauce, pico de gallo, green onions, JP's Original BBQ sauce, and the "Set It Off" sauce. I chose smoked brisket as the topping, and it was incredible. The chips also added a nice crunch. Portion was huge for $20. Fried Chicken plate (9/10): You can't go wrong with fried chicken for the soul. The chicken was juicy, crispy, and tender. I chose the potato salad and rice with gravy as my sides; they were okay, but the chicken was definitely the star. It was a bit pricey at $30 for three wings and two sides. Service/Ambiance: Staff was quick to get the food out and the place was clean with lots of indoor seatings. Overall, good food. I'd probably come back for just the nacho fries. read more

Jackie’s Place - Brisket Nacho Fries - Soul Food Near Me - San Jose, California

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Stopped by to get some food for dinner. First time at this location. Normally I go to the N.1st location. This one has very limited street parking. I ended up parking in a public parking lot. I got the food Togo. So I knew it wouldn't be hot, not a big deal. For some reason it seems like the normal portion was smaller than usual. I assume that they weigh it out . But maybe they just eyeball here. The brisket plate I got came with two side. Chili and mac& cheese. You have the options of any 2 sides. The sides tasted fine as usual. But my brisket was kinda really dry. It looked fine ,it had a good crust and smoky ring. This time it tasted dry. I really had to soak it in the bbq sauce. It was nice that there was someone waiting at the pickup area for the to go orders The location is smaller than the other location . I know this is probably just a one time bad experience,but I stick to the other location read more

I've eaten at Jackie's Place at another San Jose location, this was my 1st time at this one in Downtown San Jose. I ordered the seafood gumbo and a watermelon lemonade. The gumbo was good and it came with a fresh cornbread muffin. For a cup of gumbo and lemonade I paid $19 plus tip. The food was ready instantly as gumbo was already prepared and it was served with a scoop of rice inside the cup. There was a lot of seafood and chicken in the gumbo and after eating it with the cornbread I was very satisfied. The lemonade was too sweet so I drank half and added some ice and water. I was in the area because I was attending the San Jose jazz festival. I appreciated that Jackie's staff was prepared for the large crowds of people that were coming in to eat while I was in the restaurant. There were groups of concert goers, and musicians who were leaving their set. The line moved quickly, and there were quite a few people taking orders and preparing the food. I would return the next time. I'm in downtown San Jose and have a taste for soul food, maybe I'll try their barbecue next time! read more

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The ambience was absolutely great. Great customer service the food, I'll give it a 10/10 the red beans and rice has flavor. The texture of the beans were right I just had one small complaint the rice to sticky and no gravy so a lil dry, but other than that, the portions are perfect and the price is right. read more

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Fast food version of the original location. Service is definitely faster, place feels more airy and less hectic. I got full nachos. It was huge with lots of meat. I wouldn't say it's the best food ever but good for after day drinking. read more

Jackie’s Place - Soul Food Near Me - San Jose, California

The soul wasn't in the soul food tonight unfortunately. We tried the Milpitas location and everting was soo good. But today everything was dried out brisket and ribs. Chicken had an off taste to it. Sadden to hear the north location is close til 2027 ): Brisket was dried, no Smokey taste to it. Ribs was also dried but was soft and pulled apart easily. But needed the bbq sauce to give it flavor. Chicken was oddly tasting tonight, not so crunchy as last time! I appreciate the buser coming to clean each table regularly. The place was packed, music was on point. So was hoping to have some good tasting meals. read more

I really was stoked when Jackie's Place added another location, this time in the heart of the downtown area of San Jose. I feel like family when I'm here. Everyone knows I'm ready to eat. The staff could easily each tell me their favorites and I would come away happy! They also knew if I could, I would totally try to eat the entire menu. The staff would keep asking if I enjoyed the food. I don't have to say a word. They could tell how much I enjoyed it by looking at my face! read more

Jackie’s Place - Gumbo, corn ribs, watermelon lemonade, and cornbread - Soul Food Near Me - San Jose, California

My complaint is like the other reviews: the parking is pretty bad, just like their other location. If I'm not mistaken, I bought the gumbo in the past and it was half the price. I'm not sure what size it was, but I ordered the cup size this time, not knowing it would basically be a mouthful for $15. I was extremely disappointed. The portions are not the same. I can't take away from the fact that the food is pretty good, but the portion size and parking are disappointing. read more

Jackie’s Place - $15 CUP -Seafood Gumbo Soup - Soul Food Near Me - San Jose, California

Heard good things about Jackie's and decided to stop in for lunch. I had the burnt ends with a side of sausage, beans and cole slaw. The burnt ends were super flavorful and the portion was just right. I loved the smoked sausages. The beans are excellent as was the cole slaw. My wife had the chicken sandwich with fries and she loved it. read more

Man oh man was this place firing on all cylinders!! We had never been to San Jose & didn't really expect much outta their Soulfood. Boy, Was I wrong!! We traveled up from Long Beach, Ca for a quick weekend get away. I ordered the fried fish, greens w red beans. My nephew ordered the brisket plate, yams w Mac & cheese.... EVERY THING WAS SEASONED & cooked to perfection!! I was really amazed at how good the food was! My fish had the perfect amount of cornmeal ratio w that perfect crunch! My nephews brisket was tender & smoked just right! I mean..... GEEEEEEZZ!! They didn't miss! Cornbread was dang'there my dessert! Listen! When I come back to the Bay Area.... (YES!! San Jose IS PART OF THE BAY AREA!! ) I will definitely slide back through those doors!! read more

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I've lived near this Jackie's Place for nearly a year, and finally decided to try it with a group of people. Upon going inside, the restaurant was very clean, and had a self-order kiosk. We chose to sit outside after ordering a brisket plate, a fried chicken plate, a rib ends plate, and a pulled pork plate. The food came out fairly quickly. I got the brisket plate with French fries, collard greens, and a cornbread muffin. The brisket itself was juicy and the fries had a good crunch, however, as someone who's never had collard greens before, they weren't really my thing. My guest with the pulled pork plate said that their meat was dry, and we all agreed that the cornbread muffins were very dry as well. My guests with the rib ends and fried chicken liked their meat, but not so much their sides. read more

Jackie’s Place - Smoked Beef Brisket Plate - Soul Food Near Me - San Jose, California

Me and my wife did a to go order at Jackie's place. My wife ordered the smothered chicken plate with macaroni and cheese, yams and cornbread. I ordered the soul bowl. My wife loved the chicken and yams. She thought the Mac and cheese was missing something and not seasoned well. I love my soul bowl very filling and very delicious. The bbq sauce was the perfect addition to the bowl. The customer service was great and the staff greeted me when I entered the restaurant. The ambiance is customer friendly and the menu has some great choices. A great soul food place to eat at. read more

Jackie’s Place - Soul Food Near Me - San Jose, California

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I'm glad that Jackie's Place has opens another location at Downtown San Jose! It's very good for SJSU students and other locals to try soul food here. The place is smaller compared to the first location, which is at north. The service here is good though since we can serve ourselves some complementary water as well as togo containers for leftovers. Also, it's different here because we didn't really need to order via mobile and instead do it through a kiosk or in-person. I prefer going through that process since it's normally how I order food. I always wanted to try candied yams and gotta say that they're very sweet and delicious. The beef chili beans tastes good and fried fish is well seasoned. The cornbread really hits the spot though since it's soft and fresh. Personally, I prefer the other location better because of the atmosphere and vibes, but this one is still good to go to though. If you care more about the food here, then it won't be much of a difference. If you also care about atmosphere, I recommend going to the other location which is at north. read more

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The pork ribs are decent but don't get the beef brisket, it's expensive and dry AF. Corn bread is also ok. read more

Jackie’s Place - Half lb of dry brisket and one rib - Soul Food Near Me - San Jose, California

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We picked up food to go. I ordered the smothered chicken plate with macaroni and cheese, yams and cornbread. I loved the chicken and yams. the Mac and cheese was missing something and not seasoned well. Service was fine as we picked up and it was ready. It's a busy restaurant so plan accordingly. Will come back though. read more

Awesome to have this spot in downtown San Jose. It was a busy Saturday. I love that you can order at the register, through a self serve kiosk or via a QR code at the table. Staff does a wonderful job helping folks, cleaning tables, and getting food out quickly. Also, where else can you get grape Kool-aid and legit sweet tea. Food all around is solid. Catfish is standout. read more

Jackie’s Place - Scoops "not yo" nachos - Soul Food Near Me - San Jose, California

Amazing food! Friends and I just walked by and decided to eat there. WOW! The BBQ, chili, corn bread, everything was so wonderful!

If you're looking for amazing and authentic soul food in San Jose, Jackie's Place is a must-visit! Their sandwiches are packed with flavor, made with fresh ingredients, and prepared with care. Every bite tastes homemade and comforting, just like great soul food should. The food is consistently delicious, I also had the fish plate, super, the portions are generous, and the welcoming atmosphere makes you feel right at home. Whether you're stopping in for lunch or bringing family and friends, Jackie's Place delivers great food and great hospitality every time. read more

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ALL OF THE FOOD WAS DELICIOUS! Husband and I were visiting San Jose for work, and decided to check out Jackie's Place. We walked in, and it literally felt like a warm hug. The staff was so kind, everybody was eating and enjoying themselves. I LOVE THAT! The fried fish, baked beans, collard greens, brisket, and cornbread was sooooo flavorful. I also loved the BBQ sauce. We will be returning next time we visit San Jose! read more

Jackie’s Place - Soul Food Near Me - San Jose, California

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Ordered some bbq pulled pork which was solid with some fries and coleslaw. Overall service took a little more than I'd expect but the staff were super friendly and offered to bring the food to me. They have indoor and outdoor seating so overall not mad at it. Not sure if I would go back or not. read more

Jackie’s Place - BBQ Pork Coleslaw fries - Soul Food Near Me - San Jose, California

We were walking around downtown looking for a place to eat, and Jackie's Place beckoned. I really liked the decor, which is a lot of white walls with red accents. They have numerous tables and seating areas. I ordered the hot link meal, and the hot link was amazing. It was just spicy enough and extremely tasty. The size of the sides is really generous; I couldn't finish my delicious mac and cheese and greens. They do provide to-go containers if you want to take food home. The pork was pretty good though it did need a bit of sauce on it. I thought about ordering the fried fish or nachos, but was looking for something slightly lighter! Also noticed they have gumbo which looked really good! The woman who took our order was very personable. You can also order on a screen or with a QR code at your table. read more

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Nestled downtown SJ this Jackie's location did not disappoint. The eatery is large with plenty of seating for any size group. Picked up the menu and restaurant staff told us it was condensed and the full menu was via QR code (needed info lol). We each got a plate and the food was portioned very well (had leftovers and gave some away). I choose Mac and greens for my sides and every bite was magical. read more

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Lively spot with plenty of indoor seating. Greeted when I got there, rib plate was enough for 2 for $40 with sides. Great quality meat and well-needed soul food in Downtown san jose. Parking can be hard to find depending on the time. read more

Jackie’s Place - rib plate with collard greens and rice and gravy - Soul Food Near Me - San Jose, California

Great food and great service. Service was over the top, always checking in to ask if we needed anything. Everyone was really nice and friendly. read more

Jackie’s Place - Soul Food Near Me - San Jose, California

Wow, like coming home for Thanksgiving or Xmas for me! I had the gumbo, Mac N Cheese and the peach cobbler. Gumbo was not too spicy and the taste was 10/10. My mom is from New Orleans and I grew up on gumbo and etoufee! Lots of crab and shrimp. Delicious. My Mac N Cheese clearly had a hole in the cup because it was all gone and I don't remember how.... Cobbler was insane. Again, cobbler was insane! Corn bread was so flavorful you don't need any butter etc. but it was a little on the "cutesy" side if you ask me. Thank you JP for a great meal. The service at the south first street location was excellent. Will definitely come back again and again. read more

Jackie’s Place - This pic looks like an Owl right? The owl that ate my gumbo and Mac n Cheese! - Soul Food Near Me - San Jose, California

Everyone is friendly and it is open seating! There is a qr code at the table to order when you sit. I got the fried fish and it was massive but thin however. It was seasoned well. The real winner was the Mac n cheese. It was cheesy and delicious. I also got the juju and honestly, for $1 for a refill, that's so worth. It's bright inside and always busy which was what drew me to the place! read more

Jackie’s Place - Soul Food Near Me - San Jose, California

Ate lunch here over the weekend and had a wonderful experience. The dining room is a beautiful open modern space with about 4-5 large screen TVs for your sports viewing pleasure. You can order food at the front counter or through QR codes at each table (the menu online offered more options than the printed menu, for sides and such). We got the smoked pulled pork plate with collard greens and beef chili beans (made with smoked brisket), and the rib tip plate with mac n cheese and extra corn bread on the side. To drink, we tried the juju house special, which was a sort of grape flavored kool-aid concoction. The collard greens were just a tad salty, but other than that, we enjoyed everything about our meals. The cornbread was tasty, the mac n cheese had the perfect creaminess and flavor. The meats were tender and so yummy, those rip tips smothered in bbq sauce particularly satisfying. Wow, we were impressed. We had only been to the original Jackie's Place until now, and the newer downtown restaurant seemed to provide a taste and experience ten times better. Staff and service warm and friendly, wait time for our food roughly ten minutes or so, and a welcoming vibe with 90's rnb playing in the background. There's nothing I didn't love about this place during our recent visit. read more

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The food is always decent, but parking at both locations is horrible, especially downtown on South 1st Street. One employee, who I was told is named Juju, is extremely rude and unwelcoming. To be fair, not all the staff are rude, but unfortunately, I received the same treatment from her at both locations. Good food, but the parking and customer service definitely take away from the experience. read more

Got lunch on a weekend. Restaurant was half full. No wait. Workers were pretty welcoming. But I felt better service at the other location. This place was clean. We ordered the Scoop Nacho, Smoked Brisket Plate and Fried Chicken Wings Plate. The flavors in the Nachos were good. The Brisket could have been better but with the sauce, was fine. The chicken really hit! Parking isn't easy but it's worth a try. Soul Food read more

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Came to give this place another try and it was just ok. The fish was nicely cooked but the coating can be too much after several bites. It definitely needs a dipping sauce. Wish they had tartar sauce or malt vinegar. It's just too dry, rough and not pleasant on the palate after several bites. Brisket was nice and soft and was good with their bbq sauce that was readily available at the table. Definitely added the hot sauce that was there as I like my bbq to be sweet and spicy. Cornbread was good. It is small and I wished they had honey. Mac and cheese was good but for me could be a tad more cheesier. We did self order which was quick. And it's quite spacious inside and plenty of seating. Like many businesses in a downtown area, parking can be difficult. read more

Jackie’s Place - Fish and brisket with cornbread, Mac and cheese and steamed rice. - Soul Food Near Me - San Jose, California

Service great, food great, incredible vibes, and rich in culture. Each time that I've come the experience has been great. From oxtails to bbq chicken the food has been exceptional. Staff is always warm and inviting, space is always clean, and I look forward to returning. Great place to go after a game. read more

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Loved it! It's like chilling at a family bbq with good food and beats. The DJ played a great selection of songs - had us ALL grooving in our seats. I saw many head bobbing and bodies swaying. I was looking forward to trying the oxtail but it was sold out, along with other popular items. The sweet tea is super sweet - I had to water it down a bit. The watermelon lemonade is really good. read more

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We stopped in for a snack around 8pm on a Friday night. The place wasn't too crowded, but had a decent amount of customers. The service is friendly and welcoming. They treat their customers like family. *Scoop's "Not Yo" Nachos: Made with both tortilla chips AND fries! Then topped with cheese sauce, pico de gallo, green onions, JP's Original BBQ and "Set It Off" sauce. "Scoop's Not-Yo" Nachos are a Tex-Mex creation brought to our menu by Jackie's son "Scoop" (4/5). We got it with the smoked beef brisket which was a decent amount. All the ingredients in these nachos combined together to create a flavorful of acidic, tart, savory, smokiness, and crunchiness. *Big Red Soda - This looked so interesting that I had to get it. I didn't try it yet but took it home. [description from the web] Big Red actually has a flavor profile that aligns more closely with a citrus cream soda. Others have described it as having a hint of bubblegum or vanilla, but the majority of its taste consists of lemon and orange. read more

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By far the best soul place you could find in the South Bay! I am a big soul food girly and I highly recommend the gumbo and catfish! Finger licking good! I like this location better than the first one. The customer service is amazing here vs the 1st location not too happy about the customer service but this one A1. The atmosphere is a vibe. The only downfall is the parking sucks read more

Food was great, along with great service. Plus all to go essentials were out in the open to grab and I didn't have to wait for a server to grab them for me when I was finished eating. Would definitely return to this place if I was ever in the area again. read more

Jackie’s Place - Fish, combo plate, came with 3 pieces of basa fish and two sides. I added the gravy for $2, also added on a chicken wing for $4 . - Soul Food Near Me - San Jose, California

Jackie's Place is so yum ! Met up with some family and had a large group of 15+? Pretty sure it was 20 of us. Parking is going to be in a surrounding structure for smaller cars. I have a huge lifted truck and had to park in an open pay lot. That was $15. Jackie was there ! So nice , so welcoming, working hard. Order off the simple menu using a QR code . This is helpful for those meeting up and paying their own bill. Most beverages are canned and you can order grape or cherry kool-aid out of a fountain. My cousin ordered some , wowza, that was a sweet kick! If sugar is your thing, get this ! Ask for ice to water it down. They have water cups and iced water too. A nice touch is that they have it on cart with to-go containers for left overs. Ordered were loaded bbq tip fries , cousin ordered that and they served it with bbq sauce when clearly boy said no sauce and they were so nice to make right and so o kept the saucy fries, they were HUGE! Can feed 2 1/2 servings. Shared a rib and chicken plate. Mmm the bbq here slaps! It's so tender , juicy , and falls off the bone. Didn't get fatty pieces. This happens from time to time at bbq places and most places make it right if you tell and show them. There was chicken and waffles , that looked good. I think somebody ordered chili fries ? There was not one thing that was missing its flare here. This is a very laid back place that's got the cutest photo spot. I see this place working out for a long time for bbq lovers! read more

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I appreciate their effort, but I think the first location is slightly better. The key to having multiple locations is the hope that the 2nd one is just as good if not better than then original. compared to the first one, this spot is more of a lunch place for sure. On the bright side, I'm happy that there's now a location nearby that I can walk to. BB read more

Can never go wrong! Great food, awesome service! First time visiting this location and it is so cute! Plenty of seating and the vibe matches the location down the street. I grabbed a couple plates to go and could hardly wait to eat once I was handed the bag. read more

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Went in with some friends. The cashier greeted us and was very friendly. I ordered the baby back rib plate with Mac and cheese and chili and brisket nacho fries. The ribs were cooked well and fell right off the bone. The Mac and cheese was a little plain, I think they could have had more cheese flavor. The chili was very good had a nice spice to it and some nice chunks of meat. The nacho fries we pretty good and also had a good amount of brisket in them. The restaurant itself was very clean and had plenty of seating. My partner ordered the chicken and waffles and the waffle was very light and fluffy. They chicken wings were fried perfectly crispy and still juicy. read more

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