A. Jack’s is one of my favorite hangout places, and I think it’s time I plug them on my blog.
Owner and proprietor, A. is one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. He’s a bit hard of hearing, so talk slowly and clearly, but he always has a funny comeback and structured responses. When I first met A., he was a bit secretive about his work and preferred to tell life ancedotes. But ever since I learned he’s been in business for a few years, together with his life-partner and business associate H.T. Tippy. It’s only recently that A. Jack’s turned from a best kept secret to one of the hippest hotspot, a place to see and been seen.
And speaking of scene, A. is fond of minimalistic design with clean straight lines, expansive white walls, and plastic furniture in prime colors. Occassionally you’ll find bold design elements, like the flashing mirror in the men’s room, but generally the design is simple. As A. keeps saying, “our focus is on service”. And he’s not lying.
A. built his establishment on the principles of short wait and responsive staff. Orders come from the kitchen as soon as they’re ready, but you’ll have to get used to it. If you order an entire meal in advance, you may end up receiving desert before the appetizer. Another thing to know, A. Jack’s is growing fast and don’t always have time to train new stuff. On occassion you’ll find a staff member that doesn’t acknowledge your presence, and during rush hours the wait is as long as any other restaurant.
Regardless, there’s on thing you won’t find in any other restaurant. A. Jack’s has over 10,000 items on their menu! They claim to have every dish from every cuisine. I found that to be slightly misleading, as A. Jack’s is strongly biased towards cuisines popular in the US and parts of Europe. You’ll be hard pressed to find many dishes from West Africa, for example. Still, there’s something for everyone at A. Jacks. Whether you’re going for their signature A-list Bacon Burger, or for the lesser known but utterly delicious Spicy Unagi, A. Jack’s knows how to make it and how to serve it.
And speaking of sushi, A. Jack’s now employs the star chef of Sushi Ruby, the hip sushi bar on Rails St. There’s also talks about merging the breakfast menu with Paul’s House of Pancakes. In fact, with all the positive attention A. Jack’s has been receiving, A. is seriously thinking of expanding beyond his present Bay Area location. He doesn’t have the money yet, but he has strong confidence in finding investors or even selling to an established chain.
So if you’re in the mood for some grub, if “hip” doesn’t keep you away, if you like responsive staff and a diverse menu, head over to A. Jack’s. You won’t be disappointed.
Tara ‘Miss Rogue’ Hunt