We didn't order any food, so this review is for drinks service, and vibes. On our way from the Petersen Automotive to Pijja Palace, we had some time to kill and so found Jay's Bar on Yelp. The four of us arrived a little after 4:00 on a Thursday, found street parking (rather than the tiny lot), and pulled up to find two other patrons and who we think is the owner doing some business on her computer at a table. Erich was very friendly but not imposing. The happy hour deal of Kirin and gyoza sounded good, but we were on the way to dinner and decided not to. My brother ordered the Big Bad Baptist (on draft!!! I haven't seen it in forever!), my sister-in-law enjoyed her Brooks Dry Cider, Jim G. had a Space Dust on draft and I enjoyed the Yuzu You cocktail, which was a nice mix of shishito-infused gin, yuzu liqueur, lime, and cracked pepper (there's also a bit of simple, which I asked Erich to omit). There was some nice music playing and a rousing tennis match on one tv (at least according to Erich and the two other patrons) and on the other, the end of a Godzilla movie and then an episode of The Sopranos. I imagine at night when this place is packed, the vibe is a bit different, but it was great for our purposes. We are way far away in the northwest SFV, so this isn't a place we'll drive all the way here for, but if we're in the area, we'd definitely stop in again.
Jim G.
Stopped for quick cocktail before dinner. Erich, our bartender, was friendly and quickly got our cocktails started. I had a beer and Lissa G got the Yuzu You. It was a tasty drink, with shishito infused gin. Parking in the lot and on the street.
Richard Young
Parking: Great bartender Sara is amazing she is on point knows her cocktails
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: French Fries
Chalee T.
First one in at 4pm on a rainy Tuesday. I was told the chef isn't here yet and will be late. First impressions of Jay's is that it's smaller than I thought. It's located in a strip mall on the corner of Fountain and Sunset. I started off with a cold Kirin and waited for the chef to arrive. The bartender came up to me after waiting for the kitchen to be started up. I placed an order for the J's Special Burger ($12) with cheese (+$2). It doesn't come with a side so I ordered the fries extra crispy with the wasabi salt. I ordered another Kirin as I felt my order wasn't going to ready anytime soon. The burger is no frills, no veg at all except for the side of pickles. My fries were hot and crispy. The wasabi salt added a nice touch of flavor. So, as someone that likes spicy food, the added flavoring wasn't spicy at all. Upon closer examination of the burger, it looks like it's a preformed patty. Nothing special about it especially since I waited 30 or so minutes to come out of the kitchen. So, I think it's a quarter pound patty with a bun and cheese. It's alright but I think I can get a better burger elsewhere. Jay's is a cool place to hangout and have a drink with friends or a date. But, it's small and intimate. I can hear the convos going on. So, not a place to share intimate secrets, lol. I ordered a Soy Sauce Ramen to finish off my happy hour. The broth was super tasty but I had to add some fresh cracked black pepper. The ramen noodles had a nice chew to it and the fresh scallions were nice. Wow, amazingly satisfying after I finished the bowl especially on a rainy day. Jay's got a bit busier as it approached 6 pm. A perfect time to call it a day.
Aro Velmet
Basically, $7 for a mediocre cab sav and basic bun-and-patty burger is ok for a happy hour. What is not okay is to discover that - even though it says nowhere that happy hour is only m-f - you've been charged $14 for both. The burger, honestly, could've had a better one at mickey d's across the street for $3. I know these are inflationary times, but c'mon. Even for silver lake this is outrageous.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 2
Shannon Holzer
First time dining in here it's okay to be reminded during Happy Hour to keep all menu pricing under $20.00 per menu item and before/thereafter depending on the item as to vary but more than $30.00 per menu item. This is in regards to pricing restaurant cleanliness service etcetera this is for previously and currently and not just here.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Steven H.
Jay's bar...home of the $5 burger years ago. That wasn't sustainable, but new owners have honestly improved it and still have a great menu. The baristas make this place. Fast, straight up good cocktails. They pay attention and don't leave you hanging. One of my go to spots in Silverlake that never disappoints. Feels like family when you are here.
Andrew W.
Both Yelp and the establishment's website list their hours on Fridays as opening at noon, but at 12:30 P.M. the place is closed up tighter than a drum. No hours are listed on the padlocked door, although a sign with an open padlock reading, "Come in, we are open," is displayed. (Someone who appears to be an employee just came by, looking confused, tried the padlocked door, then walked off.) I'm not sure what's going on, but I don't like wasting my time or travel funds.
Sébastien Aurillon
Got some attitude at the bar … not sure why but next time we’ll go somewhere else…
Atmosphere: 3
Service: 3
Dennis Meyer
My go-to bar in Silverlake for sure. Constantine and his staff are all super nice and the happy hour with Kirin and gyozas is a good deal. Japanese influenced menu including healthy options. The owners (if I remember correctly) have or had a ramen spot downtown so they carry that here as well. The burgers are amazing too! Small but cheap so I get 2. Plenty of healthy options including 2 different veggie ramen with spinach noodles. Lots of great cocktails and beer variety too
Loved the service and the conversation with the bartenders. Nice little bar.
Cin H.
Love this bar. Chill vibes, beautifully crafted cocktails with 5star hotel bar touches, and friendly bartenders. Constantine always makes you feel welcome and is all around genuine guy .
Saidah G.
My favorite bar when I lived in the city. Constantine was the best! Served up great drinks and even better service. A cute small bar with the best vibes.
Gabriel M.
First and foremost, the bartenders here are absolutely wonderful! The drinks...the food...and the ambiance is up to par. BUT, the A/C definitely needs an upgrade. I wanted to stay for more drinks and spend more money but it was way too hot! I wanted to give 5 stars, but the AC definitely made me put 3. Poor staff having to work in this environment, especially the amazing cooks in the back. I hope the owners fix this problem.
Chris B.
Good drinks, cool bartender, decent local (not always crowded) vibe, but their food is eh' . Burger sucked in my opinion, food tasted frozen-ish. I won't be back for food, maybe a cocktail though.
We didn't order any food, so this review is for drinks service, and vibes. On our way from the Petersen Automotive to Pijja Palace, we had some time to kill and so found Jay's Bar on Yelp. The four of us arrived a little after 4:00 on a Thursday, found street parking (rather than the tiny lot), and pulled up to find two other patrons and who we think is the owner doing some business on her computer at a table. Erich was very friendly but not imposing. The happy hour deal of Kirin and gyoza sounded good, but we were on the way to dinner and decided not to. My brother ordered the Big Bad Baptist (on draft!!! I haven't seen it in forever!), my sister-in-law enjoyed her Brooks Dry Cider, Jim G. had a Space Dust on draft and I enjoyed the Yuzu You cocktail, which was a nice mix of shishito-infused gin, yuzu liqueur, lime, and cracked pepper (there's also a bit of simple, which I asked Erich to omit). There was some nice music playing and a rousing tennis match on one tv (at least according to Erich and the two other patrons) and on the other, the end of a Godzilla movie and then an episode of The Sopranos. I imagine at night when this place is packed, the vibe is a bit different, but it was great for our purposes. We are way far away in the northwest SFV, so this isn't a place we'll drive all the way here for, but if we're in the area, we'd definitely stop in again.
Stopped for quick cocktail before dinner. Erich, our bartender, was friendly and quickly got our cocktails started. I had a beer and Lissa G got the Yuzu You. It was a tasty drink, with shishito infused gin. Parking in the lot and on the street.
Parking: Great bartender Sara is amazing she is on point knows her cocktails
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: French Fries
First one in at 4pm on a rainy Tuesday. I was told the chef isn't here yet and will be late. First impressions of Jay's is that it's smaller than I thought. It's located in a strip mall on the corner of Fountain and Sunset. I started off with a cold Kirin and waited for the chef to arrive. The bartender came up to me after waiting for the kitchen to be started up. I placed an order for the J's Special Burger ($12) with cheese (+$2). It doesn't come with a side so I ordered the fries extra crispy with the wasabi salt. I ordered another Kirin as I felt my order wasn't going to ready anytime soon. The burger is no frills, no veg at all except for the side of pickles. My fries were hot and crispy. The wasabi salt added a nice touch of flavor. So, as someone that likes spicy food, the added flavoring wasn't spicy at all. Upon closer examination of the burger, it looks like it's a preformed patty. Nothing special about it especially since I waited 30 or so minutes to come out of the kitchen. So, I think it's a quarter pound patty with a bun and cheese. It's alright but I think I can get a better burger elsewhere. Jay's is a cool place to hangout and have a drink with friends or a date. But, it's small and intimate. I can hear the convos going on. So, not a place to share intimate secrets, lol. I ordered a Soy Sauce Ramen to finish off my happy hour. The broth was super tasty but I had to add some fresh cracked black pepper. The ramen noodles had a nice chew to it and the fresh scallions were nice. Wow, amazingly satisfying after I finished the bowl especially on a rainy day. Jay's got a bit busier as it approached 6 pm. A perfect time to call it a day.
Basically, $7 for a mediocre cab sav and basic bun-and-patty burger is ok for a happy hour. What is not okay is to discover that - even though it says nowhere that happy hour is only m-f - you've been charged $14 for both. The burger, honestly, could've had a better one at mickey d's across the street for $3. I know these are inflationary times, but c'mon. Even for silver lake this is outrageous.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 2
First time dining in here it's okay to be reminded during Happy Hour to keep all menu pricing under $20.00 per menu item and before/thereafter depending on the item as to vary but more than $30.00 per menu item. This is in regards to pricing restaurant cleanliness service etcetera this is for previously and currently and not just here.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Jay's bar...home of the $5 burger years ago. That wasn't sustainable, but new owners have honestly improved it and still have a great menu. The baristas make this place. Fast, straight up good cocktails. They pay attention and don't leave you hanging. One of my go to spots in Silverlake that never disappoints. Feels like family when you are here.
Both Yelp and the establishment's website list their hours on Fridays as opening at noon, but at 12:30 P.M. the place is closed up tighter than a drum. No hours are listed on the padlocked door, although a sign with an open padlock reading, "Come in, we are open," is displayed. (Someone who appears to be an employee just came by, looking confused, tried the padlocked door, then walked off.) I'm not sure what's going on, but I don't like wasting my time or travel funds.
Got some attitude at the bar … not sure why but next time we’ll go somewhere else…
Atmosphere: 3
Service: 3
My go-to bar in Silverlake for sure. Constantine and his staff are all super nice and the happy hour with Kirin and gyozas is a good deal. Japanese influenced menu including healthy options. The owners (if I remember correctly) have or had a ramen spot downtown so they carry that here as well. The burgers are amazing too! Small but cheap so I get 2. Plenty of healthy options including 2 different veggie ramen with spinach noodles. Lots of great cocktails and beer variety too
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Loved the service and the conversation with the bartenders. Nice little bar.
Love this bar. Chill vibes, beautifully crafted cocktails with 5star hotel bar touches, and friendly bartenders. Constantine always makes you feel welcome and is all around genuine guy .
My favorite bar when I lived in the city. Constantine was the best! Served up great drinks and even better service. A cute small bar with the best vibes.
First and foremost, the bartenders here are absolutely wonderful! The drinks...the food...and the ambiance is up to par. BUT, the A/C definitely needs an upgrade. I wanted to stay for more drinks and spend more money but it was way too hot! I wanted to give 5 stars, but the AC definitely made me put 3. Poor staff having to work in this environment, especially the amazing cooks in the back. I hope the owners fix this problem.
Good drinks, cool bartender, decent local (not always crowded) vibe, but their food is eh' . Burger sucked in my opinion, food tasted frozen-ish. I won't be back for food, maybe a cocktail though.