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    Jake's Place

    4.1 (248 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

    Jake's Place Photos

    Business Info

    JAKE'S PLACE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Jake's Place

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    First time visiting. Had high hopes, maybe too high. Others we know who have been were kind of sketchy in their reviews. Seemed some things great - pimento cheese - other things not so great. Were in the neighborhood so figured lets give a lunchtime try. Parking lot was almost full, good sign. Room pretty full, another good sign. People must like this place. Was advised of a special of the day, drinks came quickly, and waitress attentive. So still looking good. Meal one - Pork sandwich. Looked good. Came with their version of fries, large wedges of potato. Crisp on outside, soft on inside. Wife said it was OK, had better had worse. The sauces on table, neither were what she would like so had sandwich without which was fine. Meal two - pork and brisket combo. Potato salad was very good. The coleslaw was fine and the soft drink was cold.......If I'm not talking first about the meat there might be an issue. So here goes. The silverware at the table had a fork and a knife, plain Jane knife style. Not going to cut a steak with that kind of knife. But for what I ordered I did not expect to have to cut anything. Tray with food came and on my tray was a steak knife. ?????? Table to our right, guy had just brisket and he too was given a steak knife. Pork first. Heavy is grease / fat on the tray. There is good pork fat and there is bad pork fat. This was more on the bad pork fat. My guess - chopped, held in warming tray with the fat renderings poured over the top to keep moist. It had some smoke flavor to the meat, but neither sauce on the table was complimenting the fat. Brisket came with a sweet sauce layered in a stream over the slices. BBQ being finger food I attempted a pull test to check the tenderness and it was overlay tight. Found that cutting it with the steak knife that was provided with the meal was the way to go. Not trying to be overly critical. My wife says I am a BBQ snob. As one who judges and critiques BBQ all over the US, I do feel I can be overly critical of BBQ. I do not try to compare restaurant quality to that we judge at contests as restaurants cannot baby every single meat as we get in a comp. A comp is a one bite challenge. Restaurants are feeding the masses. But I think BBQ should always be very good to great. I can see some flaws here and things that certainly can be fixed. Maybe it was a bad lunch day for staff. So not going to say one and done. If in the area I will probably try it again. Hoping things will be better on the next trip.

    Smoked Turkey sandwich w sweet potato fries. Baked beans  Priddy Burger Beef Brisket Sandwich with hush puppies.
    Susan B.

    Awesome Food and service ! Went on a Saturday for lunch. Prices are great , food is great and people are great. Restaurant is cute . Great atmosphere for a little smoke house. We will go back . I had the smoked turkey sandwich. Highly recommend.

    Outside entrance
    Leslie T.

    You can't go to a Randolph Macon game and not stop here for some bbq. The bbq was selling food at the game and we had to go check out the location for ourselves and see the full menu. It is a rather small place but there is additional seating outside in back. One fun feature is the tables themselves- old sewing table bases. Everything we tried was delicious the pulled pork, brisket, ribs, Cuban sandwich- fries and hush puppies. I personally loved the Cuban sandwich and ask to add pull pork to the grilled cheese- not on menu but they did it for us and it was good. Staff were attentive even though it was getting busy. They have a Jake's peach ale that isn't bad and refreshing with your food. They had desserts but I will have to try them next time when we come back to Ashland.

    people eating and drinking at a restaurant
    Michael S.

    Finally got to Jake's Place. We are always anxious to try a barbecue joint, and there was no excuse not to stop in at one that is only 10 miles away. There were highlights and meh-lights. Let me start by saying that I am reviewing this at what I consider to be BBQ restaurant standards (since some of you who know me personally know I am a competition judge.) I am not comparing this food to competition Q, that is a whole different realm, and volume alone can drive differences in cooking in a restaurant. So looking at it as a restaurant: Setting: -- Atmosphere was family-oriented. The staff clearly knew a lot of the patrons, and treated everyone well. -- Service was friendly and attentive and accurate. We could not have asked for better treatment. Drinks were kept filled, several check-backs on anything we needed, prompt take out boxes and check when requested. Food: There were some real stars on some of the plates. For starters, the onion rings were about the best I have ever tasted anywhere. Fresh cut and dipped in a light batter and crumb coat, just once and not double dipped as some places do, made for light crunchy rings without the onion getting steamed to death inside. A real treat! Pro tip -- ask for ranch dressing instead of ketchup for these rings, it is a great combo! Also in the spotlight were the side dishes. Small side portions but good nonetheless, we enjoyed the collards, the potatoes, the hushpuppies, and the mac and cheese. The slaw was a perfect BBQ slaw, not too wet and just the right touch of seasoning (celery salt in this case I think.) The apple sauce was off-the-shelf okay, but served its purpose in breaking up the flavors of the meats I got (more on that in a minute.) Sauces: There are two sauces on the tables -- one was a vinegar based sauce that I supposed was intended to be eastern NC style, but was so thin and single note that it may as well have been Kraft Italian salad dressing. (There was no label on the bottle, so it may well have been intended not as BBQ sauce but salad dressing. hmmmm.) The other sauce, in an identical bottle but with a label, was a smoky red sauce. I was reminded of a specific commercial sauce, and was afraid the smokiness would be too strong but it paired well with the meat, and the sauce was needed. Great barbecue doesn't need sauce, and bad barbecue can't be rescued by it. But average Q sometimes needs a little help with flavor or moisture or both. Among the meats we ordered, the ribs were the star of the show. Well seasoned, cooked perfectly, The half rack we ordered went down easily and will be my order the next time I am in Jake's. The yardbird (smoked chicken half) was just on the verge of overcooked; a bit dry, but had good flavor. Red sauce ended up helping moisture after the italian sauce didn't. The pork and brisket were very dry. The brisket crumbled apart like stringy pot roast, and it needed the sauce the kitchen had topped it with as well as what I added at table to augment the fat in adding the yum factor. Not a bright spot. The pork was also dry and needed help, but the flavor of the pit was definitely there. Better than crock pot / slow cooker pork, not as good as average backyard smoker fare for tenderness or taste. So all in all, it was an average barbecue restaurant experience. I will go back and try things again, it was an acceptable meal in a friendly place. But I hope for better.

    Appetizer  redneck egg rolls

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    2 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    4 months ago

    Small space and well managed. Has outdoor eating space. Brisket had nice chew and flavor.

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    6 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    5 months ago

    Best bbq sandwiches ever! Best prices in town ad well. Super friendly staff 20-10 recommend

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Great Barbecue and service. We have been there twice, first of many more visits. Pies look good, refreshments are spot on!

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Food was great, service was fast and friendly. We had our dog with us in the outdoor dining area and multiple employees came to pet her

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    9 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Food was great. i ate there a month ago so can't remember what. I ate just know it was very good

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    The food was delicious and the service was excellent we had a great time with the family.

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Best BBQ in Hanover! I heard they are trying to sell the business. Hopefully it stays open for a long time to come!

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    Page 1 of 7

    Ask the Community - Jake's Place

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    Around The Table

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    This place has some delicious, down home soul food! The…read moreservice and hospitality were excellent! I search for great soul food restaurants and this is the best one I've found in Virginia, so far.

    The laughter from cousins, the smells of granny in the kitchen cooking, hugging your favorite aunt…read morethat makes the best Mac and Cheese and leaving with your belly and heart full from good food and family. This is Around the Table. A family owned restaurant where everyone who walks in becomes family. I came in to get food to go after church which is probably their busiest day. The dining room was full of families eating after church or just enjoying a Sunday together. reservations are suggested. I went to the register and was met by one of the owners Ms Kelly with a warm smile. She made suggestions to my daughter and I and quickly got our orders in. They have everything from pork chops to catfish. From Mac and cheese to corn pudding and cabbage. And talk about Homemade desserts! Whew. While we waited for our food and we could watch the football game that was on the tv. We also met the other owner Ms Amie! They have an event space in the space next door and they were hosting a birthday party and catering the entire event. Every staff member I came in contact with had A1 customer service and with a smile. Our food was ready pretty fast and when it came up they went thru our whole bag with us to show our pipping hot order was correct. We barely made it to the car before we had sleeves rolled up and forks in. I highly suggest the Catfish with Cabbage, Yams and Corn Pudding. My daughter had cabbage and Mac and cheese and we shared some pound cake that was perfection. If you need a good home cooked meal and wanna feel the warmth of family I recommend you hurry to Around the table.

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    The Caboose Market & Cafe - Pimento cheese, chicken salad sampler

    The Caboose Market & Cafe

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    If you are trying to support a local business over a chain, this is the place you need to go! This…read morespot is an absolute gem. It was a bit hidden but great location next to an actual train track. Interestingly enough, a train passed through while we dinned. I'm sure the outside experience it better than indoors. However, the outside tables is more limited. They feature a small menu, but you can tell they focus on fresh ingredients. Quality over quantity. I ordered the chicken salad sandwich, and it was easily one of the best I have ever had! What really elevates it is the inclusion of thinly sliced apples; they provide a fantastic crunch and a perfect sweet-tart balance. You have to try it! We stopped by during a busy Tuesday lunch rush, and despite the place being packed, the staff was very attentive. Everyone was kind and clearly working hard, doing their absolute best to check in on us and keep things moving. Highly recommend this local spot for a fresh, high-quality lunch!

    What an amazing lunch today at The Caboose Market & Cafe in Ashland, Virginia. The cafe is located…read morein downtown Historic Ashland near the railroad tracks. The old building has a nostalgic flare with a cozy interior atmosphere! The cafe was full and for good reason, the food was excellent! We started with the grilled cornbread and Frico wine. The cornbread was absolutely delicious and the wine was perfect! My husband had the Caboose Burger and said it was good but nothing special. I had the Fig Pro Quo and it was spectacular! I had a side salad which was simple but really delicious! It was a great first experience and I'm looking forward to going back! My kind of place for sure!

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    Service was nice and friendly I got the hickory bbq sandwich with macaroni salad. I thought the…read moresandwhich was a letdown it was pretty bland tasting didn't have much flavor the roll was nice and soft and tasted good. We also got chocolate chess pie. It was nice and rich with great flavor. Nice dark chocolate flavor mixed with buttery crust. My view on this place has pretty tiny portions too.

    Last Friday's lunch decision directed me to this small town delicious spot. I hadn't been there in…read moreyears. First, I checked out the menu that is posted on the wall, and tried to make the right decision. EVERYTHING is homemade. Ok, I decided on the Tuna Salad on a white homemade yeast roll. You can select one side, so I had cucumber, tomato and onion salad. I couldn't pass up on fresh lemonade and a slice of one of the most delicious coconut pie I've ever had. The lady that took my order was soooo sweet and of course knowledgeable of the menu. I didn't feel rushed, just relaxed. Soooo we had the most interesting conversation that concluded her parents knew my mother back in the day. I didn't expect tears of joy at lunch. It was lovely! I didn't get her name, but I'll never forget her until I return with friends and family to experience this "small town" treasure. Ok, the food. The roll was golden brown, soft and screamed HomeMade. It was filled with a white flaky and well seasoned tuna salad, topped with fresh crunchy shredded lettuce. YUM ! The cucumber, grape tomato and onion salad had a lite vinaigrette dressing. Fresh !! There is freshly made strawberry lemonade, lemonade, Iced tea and the Pepsi fountain drink products. Ok, the star of the show. That slice of coconut pie was Perfect. The crust was brown, very flaky and filled with a thick creamy coconut filling. This little cute old town restaurant is next to the railroad track and train station that's across from Randolph Macon College. It's popular to the students and residents of Ashland. If you would like A DELICIOUS Lunch in a warm and cute small town restaurant, come to Homemade's by Suzanne!!!! Thank you

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    Homemades by Suzanne - Ashland - Chicken Salad on Wheat Roll with a side of Succotash Salad along with Sweet Pickles

    Chicken Salad on Wheat Roll with a side of Succotash Salad along with Sweet Pickles

    Homemades by Suzanne - Ashland - Homemades was 2nd in the top five of BEST County Ham in the nation in a contest ran by US News

    Homemades was 2nd in the top five of BEST County Ham in the nation in a contest ran by US News

    Homemades by Suzanne - Ashland - Suzanne's has deliscious desserts!

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    The Spot Sports Bar and Grill - Wings are for dipping!

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    I'm giving 3 stars but I would come back here because the food we ordered was delicious. I would…read morejust be sure to be very clear about the costs of everything and double check the bill and any takeout I get. My sister and I visited with my niece (my sister's daughter) and it's a cute local place. They were having a daddy daughter event for Valentines Day on one side of the restaurant and it was adorable to watch. We ordered the garlic knots to share and they were really good. I got the Italian sub with onion rings and my sister got the pesto tortellini with shrimp. The menu is weird because there aren't any prices on it. Due to that fact, my sister asked the waitress before ordering the cost of her dish. She was told $13. She was surprised to get such a low cost with the shrimp on the dish but went ahead and ordered it cause it seemed like a good deal. When we got the bill, it was about $21 plus we believe the waitress didn't properly split the cost of the garlic knots but we didn't realize it till after we had gone home and double checked our bills. Finally, I ordered a chicken parm sandwich to go for my husband to eat before he headed to work. The bag I was given was taped shut so I didn't check but when we got home, we didn't get the onion rings we ordered for him. The attention to detail seems to be lacking at this place even if it did have overall good food.

    They have some work to do, great location though. Only have 2 small TV's, very small bar area- like…read more5 bar stools. Food was awful, even pizza. Need a simple menu of a few things they do well. Hopefully they'll figure it out.

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    The Spot Sports Bar and Grill
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    Jake's Place - southern - Updated May 2026

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