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Jax Café

3.9 (443 reviews)
Closed • 4:00 pm - 9:00 PM
Updated 2 weeks ago

Jax Café Photos

Business Info

JAX CAFÉ ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Classy
Moderate noise
Outdoor seating
Happy hour specials

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Recommended Reviews - Jax Café

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Abby L.

Jax Cafe is a must if you're in the NE Minneapolis area! We came as part of a big group and they accommodated us perfectly! Do yourself a favor and start with one of their popovers; easily one of the best baked goods I've had in a long time. They serve it with a whipped honey butter and it's absolutely to die for. I also ordered their Polish breakfast (scrambled eggs, Polish sausage, and a few pierogi) and I was very impressed. Everything was delicious and perfectly balanced in flavor. The food isn't the only thing to enjoy about Jax, their covered patio is absolutely gorgeous. They have a big garden with lovely flowers and little paths throughout. Truly beautiful. We will be back!

Gabriel S.

Really good food. I've never been there but I've heard it talked about for years. I had the pot pie and I went there with my mom and she had the lobster po' boy sandwiches. They definitely impress. If you go there around your birthday, tell them and they'll give you a matchbook. If you go around the summer, make sure you get a trout or go out back and check out the trout stream where you can catch your own trout and eat it if you want.

Smothered Rib Eye
Lillyiana O.

We ended up at Jax Café for a last minute dinner, and I'm so glad we did! The staff was incredibly accommodating and wonderful to work with. They were able to seat our party of eight even without a reservation, which was impressive on such short notice. Once they found out we were celebrating a birthday, they went above and beyond by creating custom matchbooks that said "Happy Birthday" along with the birthday guest's name. It was such a thoughtful, personal touch that made the celebration even more special. The food was outstanding. We ordered a little bit of everything, and every dish was delicious, but a few really stood out. The oysters on the half shell were incredibly fresh. The slow roasted prime rib with au jus and creamy horseradish was tender, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. My favorite was the famous Smothered Ribeye, served over crispy hash browns and topped with sautéed mushrooms, onions, grilled asparagus, and béarnaise sauce. The portion was huge, and I was happy to have leftovers the next day! From the exceptional service to the memorable dining experience and amazing food, Jax Café exceeded our expectations. If you're celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or any special occasion, I highly recommend it!

Jennifer B.

We went for the happy hour roast beef sandwich special, and it was...fine. It's a big beer and a sandwich for $14, so the price is right, it just wasn't amazing. the interior is classic-dark pub style (with interesting stained glass windows), lots of tables and a upstairs. the place is BIG and has a huge parking lot. The outdoor space is quaint, with sun and shade, a fireplace and a little brook. It gives German watermill-town vibes, and was a nice surprise since you can't tell from the street (the courtyard is walled). We got the Perogies, which were fantastic. They my favorite thing I ate, just perfectly crisped a tad and savory. The Beef short rib in pastry with brie was also yummy, but small. All the apps are actually apps, so don't expect a ton of food from them. Servers and hosts were very friendly. The place was packed, but it just wasn't my vibe, and I wasn't blown away by the food.

Polish Bloody Mary hit the spot!
Jingle M.

Our server, Jimmy, was so fun! I love it when servers share their personalities. Beginning in 1910 when great-grandfather Stanley Kozlak built the business on the corner of 20th and University Avenue. The building housed his furniture, hardware, and funeral services as well as the local dance hall. When prohibition ended in 1933, a liquor license was obtained and Jax Bar and Cafe was born- in the very part of the building the main bar lives today. What a legacy. For fine dining with linen tablecloths and napkins, you will not be disappointed! Excellent food, no matter what you order. My Half Wedge with Giant Shrimp cocktail was outstanding! Don't miss this wonderful restaurant.

Sophia P.

Phenomenal customer service! My friends and I came to celebrate her birthday over happy hour and we had an amazing time. All the staff is so attentive and friendly, there were so many small details such as these match boxes they made us that were so thoughtful. The happy hour deals are great and I recommend the white sangria, it was so delicious. I also got the fries on happy hour which were great, my friends ordered lots of different food and drinks and they loved everything they had. I highly recommend stopping by here for dinner or happy hour, it has such a cute old feel as well. They also have a free coat check!

Déjà J.

Was invited to Jax to celebrate a coworkers service anniversary. It had been my first time going, looked like they have a parking lot across the street or street parking. The place was pretty packed for a weekday evening. We were said in a back room with other larger parties. We could see out to the patio & it looked super cute. The interior of the restaurant is a bit dated but I guess that's just the vibe. Kind of reminds me of older banquet rooms or the after church coffee & refreshment rooms after service. The staff were very attentive and handled our party well. I ordered a house salad, pierogis and a chicken pot pie. Food was good. The chicken pot pie crust was light and flaky, which I love. I would definitely come back to check out the patio.

Clubhouse Sandwich
Lauren H.

Go for the PATIO!!! Omgoodness, the patio is so beautiful and romantic - a must see. Sadly, the food was not great when we ate lunch there today. But on previous trips, we were served great food when we ordered steaks. Our server Mel was kind and attentive. It's not her fault the food was mostly blah. Here's what I ate: Oysters (2/5) French Onion Soup (4/5) Clubhouse Sandwich (3/5) Bailey's Chocolate Cake (2/5) Still a 4 of 5 stars in my book because of the outstanding patio area!

Darren L.

I've passed by Jax Cafe so many times (live in the area) and never expected it to be so fancy inside! Great place to celebrate a special occasion or just have a nice night out. We ordered drinks to start, and I got an old fashioned. For as nice as the place is, I was surprised by the average quality of the drink. It had a lot of ice (instead of one big cube or sphere, which I think is standard) and wasn't mixed very well (sugar at the bottom). I'm glad to say though that everything else we had was amazing, so it only got better from there! Appetizer: artichoke dip (small portion) with toasted bread. Main: New York strip - DELICIOUS! Didn't try any add ons. Mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus on the side-- both pretty standard. Overall it was a really nice experience. The steak was so, so good and our server was fantastic. The service, paired with the atmosphere (live piano music) made all the difference.

New York Strip* crusted seasoning
Sousakon M.

Service was excellent! Jimmy was very attentive. The crusted seasoning on the steak was waaaay too salty. We couldn't eat it. The crab cake was very mushy and the topping was extremely salty. Dessert was good. The crème brûlée was not custardy.. it was like pudding. Ambience was beautiful. Food not so much.

Pierogi

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Reviews are mixed. Many mention the attentive and friendly service, classic, elegant ambiance, and popular steaks and seafood.

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3 days ago

Sat out on the patio. It was very nice! Great food and service! Got the ribs and they were very good.

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Jax Café Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Jax Café

Do they allow you to bring your own bottle of wine and pay a corkage fee?? A: $15.95/bottle

I don't know for certain but I read that Minneapolis restaurants have all stopped charging corkage. I will say that they are very friendly and you could call and ask to get a quick answer. Either way, give this place a try!

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Smack Shack - Whole lobster

Smack Shack

3.9(1.3k reviews)
1.6 mi•North Loop
•$$$

I've been to smack shack for food and for late night fun. At the recommendation of my server I…read moreordered the chicken sandwich. While it's not the best one ever it is pretty good and better than others. If going for drinks at night a few things to note: there is usually a line to get in, the place will be absolutely packed inside, and they don't sell THC drinks (or are sold out every time I go). There is street metered parking available. Depending on when you go it could be hard to find. Luckily the North Loop makes for a good neighborhood walk.

We came here for restaurant week and had a very good experience!…read more Our server was great. Very personable and present without being overwhelming. The ambiance was very nice too. The place was very busy and had a good energy about it. I had the Jambalaya, which had chicken, sausage, and shrimp. It was pretty good and had a nice spicy kick. A good portion as well. Girlfriend had the shrimp etouffee with grits. It was nicely blackened and on a big bed of grits. Also spicy. Friend had the original lobster roll. He was surprised it came on Texas toast and not a roll. But he really enjoyed it. The dessert was a sinlme but delicious Cookit with ice cream. I recommend for restaurant week. And if you like seafood in the form of things like the lobster roll or shrimp etouffee that you don't get other places. I thought the jambalaya was fine but unremarkable. Not pictured here was the lobster mac and cheese. Which was only a small appetizer and I thought underwhelming (also, I don't like corn).

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Smack Shack - Decoration on the wall

Decoration on the wall

Smack Shack - Smack Wings

Smack Wings

Smack Shack - Lobster Guacamole

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Lobster Guacamole

St Pierre Steak And Seafood - Oysters on the half shell - These were tiny. Not bad but Ive had way better! Price is okay at $4/oyster

St Pierre Steak And Seafood

4.2(40 reviews)
1.5 mi•North Loop

St Pierre is the sister restaurant to Bar La Grassa and 112 Eatery, and so far we have been…read moreimpressed by this group of restaurants. St Pierre evokes the classic steakhouse ambiance, with a gorgeous bar area and intimate red leather booths. The service was fantastic; our waiter was attentive, cheerful, and knowledgeable. The other staff were friendly and accommodating as well. We observed that they were playing Kendrick Lamar, but it was so quiet so as not to feel out of place at a steakhouse. The food tasted as good as it looks! The gougeres were light, fresh, and soft. The potato pave was decadent and creamy--elevated comfort food. The game hen was a tad too intense for me, but objectively a very good dish. The desserts stole the show, however. Both the pistachio cake and the snack bar donut (basically a creme brulee donut) were well worth the extra money and calories after an already full meal!

Attended & left for across the hall to Bar La Grassa (same ownership, even?) because digesting food…read moreto nerve jangling "music" (high pitch electric guitar tones often found in metal music) ... & some people (me included) break out in hives or break out in week long skin eruptions unique to heavy metal-like tone exposures (dolphns & whales flee from similar tone/pitch dissonance exposure). Mood music helps us (anyone) digest better. Coincidentally, no wait staff appeared cheerful. Was it the music? They were kind enough to oblige a channel change and still I was not confident about their switch but appreciate the well meaning of the wait. Sadly, they lost out on a $250 platting * but Bar La Grassa (if same ownership) had an opening at the bar just across the hall and they had a strong beat for music but just fine to dine, also reflected and evident in a fully packed place versus mostly empty St. Pierre during the early side of dinner hour. No matter how much I wanted seafood... sometimes you make a raincheck for v another day. This was that day. So hungry. I've given Bar La Grassa 5 well earned stars just across the hall. Didn't have to drive, uber, nor re-park... Just literally across the hall. It was actually spectacular there and that is so lucky. Side note, next day at a breakfast place (Bellacore) in the neighborhood had great jazz piping in with the familiar song "straighten up & fly right" & a long line out the door. Life is poetry. Good food deserves good mood music, not nerves of steel music. The food looks appetizing in St. Pierre's pictures. Sorry to miss out on this particular delicious flavor in life experience but atmosphere matters just as much or more to make it a great meal.

Photos
St Pierre Steak And Seafood - St Pierre Dining Room

St Pierre Dining Room

St Pierre Steak And Seafood
St Pierre Steak And Seafood - Burch Old Fashioned

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Burch Old Fashioned

Small Hours - Icelandic Cod. Perfectly cooked with fresh garden tomato puree with nice clean tangy flavors.

Small Hours

4.0(13 reviews)
0.2 mi•Bottineau, Northeast

We've been visiting Small Hours regularly for nearly two years and it keeps us coming back! The…read moreconcept is simple: pair a bespoke wine list with conservas (tinned fish and seafoods) from around the world, add a few freshly prepared menu items and play vinyl records on a hifi sound system in a minimalist, yet elegant space. For service, order at the counter, giving you a chance to chat with owners Sarina and Sam about new and interesting wines or menu items to try. We often order the country pâté, which is found regularly on precious few menus. It's served with grainy mustard and a few slices of rustic rye bread. The snapper tail is perfectly done, flaky yet moist, bathed in an Aleppo pepper sauce that tempts me to lick the plate. On this visit, we had smoked trout, which was oily, smoky, mellow, rich and decadent in the best way. But definitely try scallops or razor clams or grilled tuna collar or whatever might float your boat. Finally, save room for dessert -- the pavlova is a treat! While its accoutrements change with the seasons, it's a staple on the menu and always a lovely way to finish your meal. We make a stop every few weeks, and never get tired of this cozy spot!

Small, but mighty. Cozy, but not necessarily comfortable. Great wine, good food…read more The concept is great! A fabulous wine menu and knowledgeable staff. We wanted a recommendation and the wine picked for us was excellent. Went with the Plavac Milos. The food is honestly incredible! The carrots were my favorite. Someday I'll get enough courage to try the tinned fish. I wish seating was a little more comfortable for the whole "drink a bottle and stay awhile" vibe. It also can get pretty loud when it's busy in the tight quarters.

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Small Hours
Small Hours - One of the best herby garden salads I have eaten. This was a happy hour item.

One of the best herby garden salads I have eaten. This was a happy hour item.

Small Hours - Chilled corn soup that exceeded my wife's home recipe. Perfect flavors.

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Chilled corn soup that exceeded my wife's home recipe. Perfect flavors.

Porzana - picanha

Porzana

4.6(420 reviews)
1.6 mi•Warehouse District, North Loop

In 2025 my boyfriend and I came here twice and noted this is THE best restaurant in the twin…read morecities!! And we continue to stand by that! (And we do food reviews, so we eat at A LOT of places) The vibes, service and food here are absolutely AMAZING! We had made a reservation for our anniversary and the host was lovely when we came in. Our server was so sweet and took very good care of us! Truly made us feel special and almost like we were old friends! I loved that! The food here is to die for! So many unique flavors and profiles! Each dish had me wanting more! And this place knows how to do a steak! We got a medium New York strip and it was perfection! The chimichurri also pairs very nicely! Don't skip on dessert here either! Just delightful! If you haven't given this place a try yet, what are you waiting for!?

Porzana is phenomenal!! The steak with the Chimichurri sauce is a MUST try. We did the steak and…read moreeggs with the Hangar steak. I will say, I highly suggest getting the 6oz rather than the 12oz. We ordered one 12oz (top right in picture) and it truly did not feel like that much more than the 6oz steaks, for the price and value, I would recommend the smaller 6oz size. For appetizers the Papas Aplastadas are very worth it!! Service was good and ambiance is nice. A cool spot that I highly recommend. Top left: Flora Double Cheeseburger Top right: Steak and Eggs -- Grain Finished Hanger 12 oz Bottom left: Steak and Eggs -- Grain Finished Hanger 6 oz Bottom right: Steak and Eggs -- Grain Finished Hanger 6 oz Drink: El Cucu Left: Tallow Fries Right: Papas Aplastadas

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Porzana - Ambiance

Ambiance

Porzana - Lobster

Lobster

Porzana - Berlinesa, ice cream

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Berlinesa, ice cream

Jax Café - steak - Updated October 2026

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