I have been here many times and keep coming back because they do a good job being creative with their specials. Today I had the medium wings bone in which is a common go to for me. I love them. The wings are a bit on the smaller side but sauce and cooking is great. The chowder flavor was great it was a bit thinner that I prefer and more potatoes would have been perfect. Lastly the special drunk grandpa pizza was great. Quiet in here tonight but it's a Sunday in a local pub so as expected. read more

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According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the colloquial use of the word dive to describe a "drinking den" or "other disreputable place of resort" comes from the fact that these types of establishments were originally housed in cellars or basements, into which "frequenters may 'dive' without observation. I will leave it to you to decide whether Shakey Jakes Cafe is a dive bar, but they seem to take pride in it. As you will see upon arrival the door mentions that Shakey Jakes is recognized by Yelp & NJ.com as one of the top Dive Bars in Jersey. Bartenders are super friendly, helpful & professional. I sampled Bombay Sapphire, which is offered in a small glass or beer goblet...humm okay I'll bit let's go Big! I ordered the Steamed Clams, which come with croastini. On the menu it is offered with a Cajun Garlic Butter, I replaced that with just the regular drawn butter. Wow--wonderful nice size clams with the toasted bread, delicious. I loved it so much I had a second order. If you are are a steamed clam fan don't forget to sample the clam broth. This place is a keeper. I sent a picture of the front door of Shakey Jakes to my wife and son. I mentioned that "If I go missing this is the place to start." I showed the text to the Bartender, she got a huge kick out of it and said you are not from around here are you? read more

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It was close and they had food. I would not go out of the way to come here again. The wrap was fresh. The pizza was swimming ‍ in bbq sauce. The pork was dry. read more

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Great local place, consistently good food and you know what you're going to get every time. Service was amazing, our server was very kind and helpful. Not many places to sit and that's really the only knock but it's great for a post game meal with your family and friends. read more

Shakey Jakes Cafe - My BLT burger - Dive Bars Near Me - Stanhope, New Jersey

Classic dive bar! Inside was kind of dirty and stuff hanging everywhere but after all that perfectly describes a dive bar!! If you are In the area and looking for a dive bar to go to, shakey Jake's is for you! The pirogies in the garlic butter sauce were on point! I love pirogies of all kinds and have never had them like this before so I wanted to try them and was not disappointed. Service was prompt and I always had a full beer, never had to ask for another. Pool, darts and other games are available just like a typical dive bar! read more

Shakey Jakes Cafe - Pirogies in garlic butter sauce - Dive Bars Near Me - Stanhope, New Jersey

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I was in the Stanhope area last night looking for a place for dinner. Seeing I had Shakey Jakes bookmarked, my wife and I decided to stop in. On a Thursday night, it was pretty quiet, but looks like it's a fun bar with plenty of regulars. We started off with a couple of cocktails which were very good. My wife likes Toasted Almonds and this was made well. For entrees, I went with the Ironbound cheesesteak and my wife had a burger. The food was good. I like trying cheesesteaks from different restaurants and this was well done. All in all, Jake's was a fun place to stop in. If we're back in the area, we'd definitely revisit. read more

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Place is really cozy and the music is great !!!! The food is good and you get a lot so it's worth the value . I had the bones less pork chops in marsala sauce over linguini and was great . Their beer is cold and on point Staff is friendly However they need to pay a little more attention to orders cause I asked for mashed potatoes and they served me broccoli. Also the silverware wasn't very clean . Aside from that is a good place to go , they have amazing teriyaki wings read more

Shakey Jakes Cafe - a sign for shakey jakes - Dive Bars Near Me - Stanhope, New Jersey

Can't believe after living in the area 20 years I've never visited this place before! Menu was vast and our choices were incredibly tasty. The staff and other customers very friendly. This may become a new regular spot for us!! read more

We have been here a few times. The pierogis were excellent, chicken finger we delish. You can tell when restaurants take pride in crispy non greasy friend food. The BLT, Fish and chips and salad were delish. Very friendly staff.. Will be back very cute inside. read more

Cool little dive bar, great bar food, friendly folks. Beer was cold. Would definitely be my go to local bar if I lived here.

I ordered the sesame chicken which was listed as a House Favorite and also suggested by our server. This was delicious! The batter was crispy with a sesame flavor that paired well with the sweet sesame sauce. The chicken was juicy and flavorful. My partner, who does not like almonds, tried this and was surprised to find that he liked it. This has a flavor that even non-almond lovers can enjoy! I ordered two starches: rice and mashed potatoes. The rice had a buttery, onion flavor. The potatoes had the homestyle taste. I added a dash of salt and pepper to my taste. I was stuffed! Food was great. Drinks were a larger than expected margarita and a tequila sunrise with Cazadores tequila. I was feeling toasty with one drink. I think two margaritas would make me feel giggly. We were there on a snowy, Tuesday night, so it wasn't very crowded. We were greeted by a friendly server who was also bartending. He directed us to pick our seat. The environment was relaxing and cozy. Music was on speaker and not too loud or sounding "blown out". We didn't have to yell to hear each other. Locals gathered and joked at the bar. Place was mostly child friendly. Some loud profanity heard from folks at the bar. However, no smoke in the air. No concerns for an unsafe environment. After a long drive, we were looking for a local place with good food and drinks that was also kid friendly. The restaurant was near our hotel, so it made for an easy night out and met our needs. read more

Shakey Jakes Cafe - Sesame chicken with rice and mashed potatoes - Dive Bars Near Me - Stanhope, New Jersey

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To be fair, I am only reviewing customer service, as I've never eaten here and don't plan to after my experience today. I went in to purchase a gift certificate for someone who does enjoy this establishment. I was charged 10.95% tax on the purchase. When I questioned it, I was told,"That's just how we do things here." I was taken aback by this, so I took my gift certificate and left. After thinking about it more, I was still annoyed because I KNOW there is no tax on gift card/certificate purchases, so I called to speak to "the manager," who also happened to be the person who helped me in person. Again she told me that's how it's done, and when I called her out on nearly doubling the NJ sales tax rate AND on double dipping ON TAX, as the person using the certificate is going to be taxed on their meal when they receive their bill, the manager assured me that when they see the gift certificate, they'll be sure not to tax the meal. I have my doubts. I'll be referring to this place as Shady Jake's from now on, and if zero stars was an option, that's what I'd be awarding my one and only visit. read more

Met some friends here for drinks and dinner. Place does need some interior work. However the staff, bartender ( Chris ) were nothing short of hospitable and welcoming. The drinks and food were great. I highly recommend the penne vodka, pork chops, and chicken/shrimp franchaise. read more

Great local bar , good food. Outdoor seating available. Great deals throughout the week. Great service

Definitely doesn't fit dive bar - it's a great little bar!!! Chris the bartender manages the whole section and was awesome ! Food came out at same time! Beer variety was good Darts good Bluetooth jukebox great No karaoke --don't believe the internet We couldn't be happier read more

Shakey Jakes Cafe - Pasta Santa Maria! - Dive Bars Near Me - Stanhope, New Jersey

Hiked all day at Allamuchy State Park, needed some food and a cold beer afterward-so glad i found this place! The initial picture of the Pork Belly Mac and Cheese is what got me through the door, too bad it's a special. I can't be too upset considering how incredible my Pork Belly Tacos were! The little seaweed salad on top put them over the top-never seen anything like that before. Just smelling them when my waiter put them down made my mouth water. The pork belly was perfectly cooked and had a nice crunch, the eel sauce on the side was just sweet enough. My friend and I split the mac and cheese which was fantastically gooey and cheesy. Initially didn't think I could eat all 4 little tacos, but they were too good to stop eating. Only 3 are pictured because I devoured the first one before taking the picture If it wasn't nearly 2 hours away from me, I would definitely be a regular here! read more

Shakey Jakes Cafe - Pork Belly Tacos - Dive Bars Near Me - Stanhope, New Jersey

Excellent food, service and convenience too. I have had so many positive stories about this restaurant & bar and now I can agree with their reviews also. read more

Earns the title of "the 18th best dive bar in New Jersey" for sure. I had the tuna tacos and they were delicious.

Staff is attentive always checking to see if drinks need to be refilled but the place is definitely a dive bar. The art on the back of the restroom door is weird read more

Shakey Jakes Cafe - Dive Bars Near Me - Stanhope, New Jersey

Great menu, friendly staff, and fun bar atmosphere! I especially love the art work on the back of the bathroom door stalls.

First time at this place and it was solid! Good food and decent beer selection. I had the Cuban which was great.

Can't say enough great this place! Don't judge a book by its cover! GREAT FOOD and service you just have to try their zucchini soup. It is the best. Great friendly service read more

This restaurant made me so sad. Yelp gave it 4 stars, but I give it zero. The pork belly tacos were $15 for 3 ounces of meat and 4 crunchy shells. The "famous " almond sesame chicken was $18 for a somewhat decent version of bad Chinese food. It came with a side of microwaved rice. The chicken wings, if you can call them that, were basically broken bones fried and sauced. The garlic was undercooked and had that bitter flavor that ruins food. We didn't eat them. The chili was apparently decent, but I'm sure it was canned or microwaved. This place honestly sucked so bad I considered torching the place. $62 for $8 worth of food, poorly cooked, the waiter was almost decent, but even he kind of sucked. Do better shaky , do better. read more

Nothing really did it for me at this joint. Could have easily been a better experience, however the girl behind the bar had a lack of attentiveness. Believe she was training, but come on, food is delivered and the beer glass is empty, and went halfway through the meal to have it filled up... The food, typical roadhouse/bar food. Wings (salt/vinegar sauce by recommendation) didn't fluff my feathers much. Burger and fries, well, they were a burger and fries. Great happy hour specials and chill atmosphere, easily could've been 3 or 4 stars with a better bartender and a different wing sauce selection. Maybe next time! -Cheers read more

During the COVID, this has been our go-to for take out. Top notch food, creative, delicious and lovingly prepared.

Had to leave a review bc tonite, as alway the food was on point- never been dissapointed here. Plus Chris the bartender and the waitress who's name we did not get were SO nice and welcoming. They love what they do and it shines through. Great great place!! read more

The ambience is really good. A cozy place to chill with friends and family. The staff was very sweet and friendly and the food is also amazing. read more

First time in, our bartender/waitress was incredibly kind and attentive our entire time in. The food was exceptional for all 3 of us at the table as well. Atmosphere is also divey in the best way. This is truly a hidden gem and I'm very happy to know it exists now. read more

Cute little bar with good food. Ordered chicken pot pie. Was actually amazing!! Prices are reasonable and good selection from kitchen. Waitress was also the bartender but she rocked it. Hard worker friendly girl! Definitely be going back read more

Dined there on afternoon of May 18th, the bartender was tending to at least 10 folks at the bar, our table on one side of the pub, a table on the other side, folks eating outside - and she did it with ease, as well as being friendly and fun! Food came out fast and was very good. I will say the prices on their website must be a bit out of date (it shows $10 for 12 wings, menu at the pub says $15... website says $18 for fish n chips, menu at the pub says $22). As other reviewers mention, the wings are fantastic. I may have to nominate the Teriyaki Jerk wings for the 100 Things To Eat Before You Die list. I recommend experiencing Shakey Jakes. read more

Food was amazing, highly recommend the Asian Sesame chicken. Drinks were generous and the staff was great. Great experience and would easily go back read more

Lived up here for 5 years and pass this place all the time. Finally broke down to try it tonight and I am kicking myself in the ass for not trying it sooner. We got the Chicken Chimi Change, Pork Roll Tacos and the best bar pie around! Everything was extremely tasty and fresh. I called ahead for the order and they told me how long it would be. I arrived at the time stated and it was put on the bar as soon as I walked in. Could not ask for more friendlier service over the phone or from the bar tender. I wish I could give more then 5 stars! read more

Awesome casual bar with great bar food. Wings and cheesesteak hit the spot. Bartender working by himself handled everything really well!

YELP comes through yet again. The last time we were in the area we pulled a Yelp search for a fun local spot with good food. We ended not coming here on that trip but bookmarked Jake's for the next time we were in the area. We're sure glad we did. Jake's is a great local spot, with great food, a fun and kinda divey feel. Our server made us feel welcomed and brought drinks and menus right away. The husband was craving wings, so we got the wing special, they were good, sweet, but not spicy. The husband also had the ribs which were fall off the bone excellent. I ordered some kind of watermelon vodka drink and a cheese steak. Very good cheese steak!! The bill was a little bit more than we anticipated, but this is a solid spot with good food and a comfortable, welcoming atmosphere. read more

This place has EXCELLENT food. Stop thinking just gooo. I had the crispy pork belly Mac and cheese and my husband got a half rack of ribs; both exceeded our expectations. So yummy! read more

Shakey Jakes Cafe - Crispy pork belly Mac and cheese special - Dive Bars Near Me - Stanhope, New Jersey

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Food was great. Wings are the best. Service was excellent and the servers are very friendly and pleasant. Very attentive!!

Went with friends on NYE at lunch time. The one waitress was fantastic! We all had standard drinks. We split the nachos which were great, cheese on all layers and pico too. We also had their Mexican chicken dip that was very good. Our friend who joined later on got their potato skins, those looked and smelled so good! Never were we rushed great spot, great food and when you order premium liquor you actually get it unlike other area bars. read more

Just got back from this place and they have wings that are comparable to one of my favorites. Good job on that Jake's. The fries were also cooked perfectly and the waitress was very friendly. You should stop in to check this one out.. read more

Best nachos I've ever had!!! Friendly staff and patrons. Cute place, and check out the funky clock. My husband had the ironbound cheesesteak and I had the chicken fried chicken, yum. My new go to place for sure read more

Ordered recently the other night from there and even though we live five mins down the road and got there very early to pick it up the food was cold. We got soup, moz sticks, a cheesesteak and chicken nachos. The nachos were soggy! Disappointing because we used to love this place and it's so close to home. read more