I stumbled upon Jacks Monterey, during our stay at the Portola Hotel and Spa, while on vacation. Let me tell you, it was definitely not the standard hotel restaurant. The staff delivered polished, attentive hospitality in a cozy relaxed setting both times I was there. The food was appetizing, vibrant, and fresh. I had an organic veggie tray with hummus that can only be described as crisp, crunchy and colorful. We also ordered pizza on a cauliflower crust. Both dishes were amazing. It was definitely the ultimate convenience to step out of the elevator, and have a world class meal at my doorstep. I would definitely recommend visiting, especially if you are staying at the hotel. Great food that is easily accessible. read more

Jacks Monterey - Bars Near Me - Monterey, California

My family and I had both breakfast and dinner at this restaurant during our recent stay in Monterey, California. We loved everything about this place. From the convenience of dining in the restaurant located in the same hotel where we were staying to the large menu, the relaxed atmosphere, and the service we received, it was FANTASTIC! The waiters and waitresses who took our orders during our two visits here were EXTREMELY friendly, hardworking, and attentive, and they truly seemed to enjoy their jobs. Thank you very much for the excellent service. We had numerous dishes, and each one was absolutely delicious, well-prepared, and filling. This restaurant must hire the best chefs in town, as all the food here was very tasty. Our dining experience was fun and positive. read more

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I'd like to start off by saying the service was great and the place was beautiful. But if I'm being honest, I had high expectations for this place, and left feeling underwhelmed. I ordered the Classic Filet Mignon and was actually a little disappointed. The flavors of the filet were just not there for me. The potatoes felt stiff and lacked butter, cream, or broth, and also didn't have a lot of flavor. Unfortunately, I kinda wish we ate somewhere else. This place wasn't worth the price. Side note: They validate parking. read more

Jacks Monterey - Classic Filet Mignon - Bars Near Me - Monterey, California

Amazing food!! Great service as well!! I came in late after a meeting and ordered lamb lollipops and the crispy kale and Brussel sprouts. Everything was cooked perfectly!! I loved it!! read more

Jacks Monterey - Crispy Brussel sprouts & kale - Bars Near Me - Monterey, California

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We had a delicious breakfast with incredible thoughtful service from Plu! He took such care of us and seemed to read my mind: bringing extra coffee to go as I was about to ask. read more

Clam chowder was not very good. Bread and butter was tasty! Always appreciate good fresh butter. Hotel lobby style atmosphere but they have a couple of tvs for sports which is nice. Paid for a $59 check with a $100 and the server brought back two $20s as change and scurried off basically forcing an overtip which was annoying.... read more

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We've been coming here for years. It is a perfect spot to dine with car week and other big events going on around town. All the action around is fun! The hummus plate is one of the best I've had around. All of the food is good, and the prime rib on Friday and Saturday's is delicious! read more

Jacks Monterey - HUMMUS & ORGANIC VEGGIES - Bars Near Me - Monterey, California

Really good , we stayed at Portola so it was nice to have this just downstairs. Food and drinks were good and a good menu for the kiddos. read more

Jacks Monterey - Chicken wings and fries. Beers on tap. - Bars Near Me - Monterey, California

Service here is really slow, which I understand why as it wasn't like it was crazy busy. I enjoyed my chorizo burrito in the morning. It was a really big portion, which was nice as you can share it. Unfortunately, I think if you want a great breakfast spot, you should go to Carmel. read more

We came back to Portola hotel and spa and had to try Jacks again. We had the Philly cheese steak sandwich, prawn scampi pasta, huevos rancheros, and the breakfast burrito. Everything was delicious. The pasta got better than before. The sandwich is not your normal Philly steak sandwich it looked more like a steak burger but it was good. Their breakfast was hands down the best I've had in a long time. We ate outside so we took the food to go since in the morning there is no service outside but the hostess was very accommodating with our needs. The outside sitting is great and relaxing as well. The inside of the restaurant is very pleasing to the eye and clean. Will totally recommend eating here. read more

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We had breakfast here and had amazing service from Plu. If you are a water drinker like me. They fave filtered water so the water is really good, no need to add a lemon to make it taste better. Food was so good we devoured it before I could take pictures. Yogurt parfait had a beautiful presentation and was delicious. read more

Jacks Monterey - When we said it was our anniversary weekend Plu brought us dessert - Bars Near Me - Monterey, California

Our stay included bottomless mimosas and breakfast! Our first visit was great. Our server was attentive and wonderful! The food was good. Our second visit, the manager didn't smile much yet seated us right away. Our server was okay and informed us about extra charges for avocado, which we weren't charged the day before. We were fine with the charges. Later, the manager came to check on us and asked who our last server was. I did not want to get any one in trouble given the way she was asking. It wasn't a good feeling. She could work on being friendlier. I hope they are treating their employees well... Overall, their food is okay/good. There's many great dining options in the area. The last experience sealed the deal that we won't return if we don't have to. read more

Great place to visit inside The Portola Hotel lobby Jacks has a great ambiance and setting. The service there is very good. All servers are very attentive to the customers and always check up on us. My 3 stars comes from the food served at Jacks Monterey. It is very under par when it comes to the food in the menu there and for what you pay we expect more. The sliders were extremely under cooked and tasteless the cooked onion was horrible with a plastic texture and taste. The burger was very under whelming also and not worth the price you pay. Jacks Monterey is only good for scenery and ascetics only. Luckily for us spending are hard earn money we have many other good eatery options within walking distance of Jacks Monterey. read more

We just stopped for a quick visit before going out with friends to a different restaurant. We ended up grabbing a couple of drinks from the bar and had the bread. Our female bartender who had been working for 19-20 years was amazing and had great service with super sparkly nails. The drinks are good and the bread was outstanding or as the kids would say (that was gas). It's in the lobby of the hotel so perfect if you don't want to go far to eat. They have breakfast then closed till dinner and I heard live music one night. read more

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I got the portola burger with fries and it was really delicious, The lettuce and tomato tasted fresh and the cheese was perfectly melted. The fries tasted fresh and they filled the basket up with a lot of fries. I would order this again. The waiter came to refill the drinks, the waiters were friendly too. The inside of the restaurant felt like it was outside, it included trees, rocks, and fake grass. It was bright inside during night it was peaceful inside not too loud. They even have a bar inside and a lounge to relax and enjoy the view. read more

Jacks Monterey - This is another view of the portola burger. - Bars Near Me - Monterey, California

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It's Christmas Day and we decided to have Christmas dinner at Jack's Monterey. My mom is 90 years old and wanted something easy, no faft, so, we were happy to comply. We were sat at our table and waited about 10 minutes for our server to come and recognize that we needed two more menus and silverware settings. We gave up and I hunted for them myself. The server finally came to the table and we ordered waters and two coffees. Only water was brought to the table, so after 25 minutes I went to the host stand to make a personal request for coffee. That took another 10 minutes to receive. The food was generic and the Christmas turkey dinner was lukewarm. The turkey was a bit dry and tough to chew, so I asked for a large serving of gravy for our table to add some hydration within our dish. The ambience was non-celebratory with the exception of a couple Christmas trees that you pass to get to the restaurant, within the entrance of the hotel. We expected the trees in the restaurant, where we were sat, to have a decorative treatment with ornaments--nothing. It was also quite cold, somewhat of a wind tunnel because of where the doors exist. We will never go here again. read more

The service was pretty meh and very unfriendly. Seems like all the waiters and hostess were in a bad mood and that kind of made my birthday dinner with my family unpleasant. Food was pretty bland but the drinks were great. The restaurant and hotel are absolutely beautiful but everything else was lackluster read more

Jacks Monterey - JUMBO SCALLOPS - Bars Near Me - Monterey, California

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3/3/26- Portola Hotel & Spa Started the evening at Jack's where Juan made an excellent Cadillac margarita -- absolutely delicious. After that, we headed over to Peter B's to watch the game, where Alex the bartender greeted us and made us feel welcome. It didn't make much sense to have live music at a sports bar on game night, but Zack was really great and did a fantastic job. Victoria and Spencer were amazing -- attentive and friendly throughout the night. Andy, the busser, kept everything spotless -- no dirty dishes left on the table. Overall, a fun night with great service all around. read more

Huevos rancheros was the best I have ever had. Server Plu was the best! No need to leave the hotel for this breakfast! read more

Jacks Monterey - Bars Near Me - Monterey, California

Beautiful restaurant attached to the Portola hotel especially with the holiday decor. Food was only okay and service wasn't the best but good for a hotel dining option read more

Excellent breakfast with even better service. Plu was our waiter. He was fun, helpful and attentive. Enrique was a great assistant to Plu. We will be back soon. read more

Food was very much on point and delicious with every bite. Plu was the best server, always congenial and kind. Ambiance was a hotel lobby but the Food and service more than made up for that. Definitely 5 stars. read more

Dessert & beverages at the bar is always my favorite way to end a night in downtown Monterey. Sooo many options & the best bartenders in town. They acknowledge me immediately, even when they're busy. Not like Cibo's where the bartenders spend more time on the phone just watching their customers from the mirrors. Jacks prices are good. Latte is served in a soup bowl. Sorry, I forgot to get a pic. Warm yourself by the fire & don't forget to use the super clean bathrooms before you leave. Ample parking & location is great for accessing everything in Monterey. Check out the hotel, too. read more

Jacks Monterey - Whiskey & Chocolate Cake - Bars Near Me - Monterey, California

Food is excellent, big portions if you're super hungry, atmosphere is warm and inviting and the service is even better. Plu was our server and he was on top of everything, friendly, attentive and professional. We live in Vegas and have seen that this is the level of service that separates the best from the rest. If you have high expectations, Jacks and Plu will not disappoint! Ben and Anna read more

In town for the Big Sur Marathon and needed a good breakfast spot. We decided on Jacks and this hit the spot completely. Got Monterrey Classic eggs Benedict and highly recommend. My brother and father loved their choices too..brother got French toast. read more

Jacks Monterey - Monterrey MONTEREY CLASSIC EGGS BENEDICT - Bars Near Me - Monterey, California

Had a fabulous breakfast here! The French toast had so many berries and I was in love! Our Server Plu was excellent! He was personable, professional and attentive! Highly recommend read more

Staying here at the hotel and love stopping in to Jacks for libations and food. It's always a great vibe chillin here. Service is great. read more

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This review is just for the breakfast at Jack's Monterey, which is located inside the Portola Hotel & Spa (separate review). Hubby and I stayed at the hotel and included the breakfast w/bottomless mimosas for our weekend stay. Our first morning we had the pleasure of having Plu as our waiter. He was so friendly, welcoming, and provided us top notch service! He recommended to us a few items. We went with the huevos rancheros - they make their green salsa in-house. I was sold. It was a tasty breakfast, my iced coffee was absolutely delicious, made by Plu. He always ensured our mimosa glasses were full. Now, it takes me a while to finish my drinks. I had my water and mimosa, so I was working real slow on my iced coffee. I was planning to ask Plu for a to-go cup, but he beat me to it and brought me a to-go cup! He's very good at anticipating your needs before you even ask. It also happened to be my birthday weekend, and the staff brought me a slice of cake with a candle, and they all sang me happy birthday! It was very kind of all of them and I liked how they all did it as a team. Plu's service was excellent! The next morning, we had a different waiter. He was one of the ones who sang to me and asked me how our night was which I thought was kind of him to ask. We saw Plu and he stopped by our table to say hello, which I thought was very kind since it looked like a pretty busy morning. He noticed the iced coffee I had was different (black over ice), and asked me how it was. I said it was okay, but he knew me already and said he'd bring me the one I like. Sure enough, he brought me the same one he made for me the morning before. So GOOD!!! Hubby and I nicknamed it Plu's Iced Coffee :) Again, he noticed I was still working on it, and brought me a to-go cup with fresh ice. I didn't even have to ask! So thoughtful. Made for a perfect drink to take on our walk along the trail outside. Overall, a fantastic breakfast, and top notch service from Plu. If you can, request to sit in his section. read more

Jacks Monterey - Bars Near Me - Monterey, California

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Food and service was great. Our server Plu was so nice and helpful. Awesome experience!

We had a wonderful experience at Jack's last night! We are staying at the hotel and had a full day adventuring and we wanted something easy and delicious and we saw the menu and decided to give it a try. The atmosphere is super fun and we have two kiddos who loved eating under the trees and the lights. Our server, Isabelle, was the absolute best! She gave wonderful recommendations, was super kind and made our night special! All the staff were great and our drinks were always full and the food was so good! The tempura squash blossoms were enjoyed by us all and the kids loved their macaroni. We tried the noodle and shrimp salad and the lobster roll and peach cobbler for dessert. Everything was flavorful and fresh and the cocktails were delicious too! This was our favorite dinner experience on our vacation and it was thanks to Isabelle and the rest of the team for being genuinely positive, it was contagious and my whole family left feeling full and happy! Thanks again! If we are ever back in the area we will be back in a heartbeat! read more

Loved the food! Servers were awesome and the ambience was chill! Would come back here

This review is only based on drinks. Came in for a nightcap and ordered a dirty grey goose martini... it was average and the service was also average... took our order, but never came back. Decent for a hotel bar as there is variety and selection and the food that was passing us looked good, but maybe you need to have a meal... Ambiance is good as it is inside the Portola Hotel and Spa which is nice. read more

Jacks Monterey - Dirty Grey Goose Martini - Bars Near Me - Monterey, California

Service and food are good. Need a happy hour menu to keep us there as Peter bs next door have good one.

Came by for breakfast while staying at the hotel upstairs. The indoor dining area is located in an airy atrium space shared with the hotel lobby, and there is more seating further inside of the restaurant next to a cozy fireplace and bar. Buttermilk pancakes - ordered with chicken apple sausages on the side. The two medium sized pancakes pancakes were perfectly buttery yet light and cooked to just the right height, the outer edges were CRISPY. Ugh we couldn't stop raving while eating these! Eggs Benedict - always a solid choice, I was very happy with the poached eggs :) Huevos rancheros - the fried tofu in this was a nice touch paired with the salsa verde. Dog friendly in all areas. Service was also quick and friendly! read more

Jacks Monterey - buttermilk pancakes, chicken apple sausages, eggs Benedict, and huevos rancheros - Bars Near Me - Monterey, California

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Had breakfast after Thanksgiving at Jack's Monterey which is located inside the Portola Hotel. Breakfast menu and food was a 3.5-4 star. Our family ordered the silver dollar pancakes. Two eggs any style, chorizo burrito, and waffles. All good. Ambiance and Service is a 5 star. Ambiance - the restaurant is situated in the atrium of the hotel lobby which is convenient for hotel guests and surrounded by beautiful indoor trees, a bar, and fireplace. Service - Plu, our server, was very attentive and went above and beyond. Service was smooth with no long wait times for food. He was super friendly and hospitable. read more

The food was good, service was attentive and they allow dogs in the atrium so that is nice. The food has been pretty good for many years that we have been coming. The bar is fun. read more

Jacks Monterey - Waiting for dinner - Bars Near Me - Monterey, California

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We dined here on New Year's Eve and liked the food but service was off. Waitress description of my entree didn't match the dish I was served. She was also absent when we needed her table side. Background sound level was extremely high making conversation difficult. We were seated by the exit door and had a blast of cold air every time someone entered or exited. This was very annoying. Manager explained safety precautions made it impossible to close one of two doors. Offered to move our table midway through the meal. He did discount the price of our check. We would recommend the food, but not the service or venue. read more

Everything was amazing. Wonderful holiday spirit and festive decorations. The food was delicious and the wait staff super nice and friendly. Our server Plu went above and beyond. He was friendly and very attentive. I highly recommend Jacks and a stay at the Portola Plaza. read more

Our breakfast was so delicious and our server, Plu was excellent! I highly recommend! read more

Jacks Monterey - JAVIER'S SKILLET and CREATE YOUR OWN OMELET - Bars Near Me - Monterey, California

The food, ambiance & staff were amazing! Attentive and Personal! Plu & Alberto! We will be back!