The other day I was invited to lunch by one of my new Montana friends, Levi. He called and saw me sitting on my front porch. I guess I looked hungry. Levi suggested we go to JAKE’S bar and grill over on 2425 Gabel Road here in Billings, Montana 406-252-9375
Having driven past the place for the last few years I had never stopped in to check the place out. First of all, when you walk in, it is very nice, well lit and things seem tidy and busy albeit quiet. After all, it was lunch time so there was not much of a ‘bar’ scene with all the forced laughter and people trying to be loud and sound important. It was just nice, I continue to walk to my table.
I ordered the Tempura Battered Fish and Chips, here I go again ordering seafood in one of the biggest land locked states in our United States. Our waitress was very pleasant and we chatted a few times about this great state of Montana. The young lady’s attention to service and hospitality was just perfect. (did I mentioned that she was pregnant?) I also ordered a dinner salad and I asked for the Roquefort Blue Cheese dressing. The salad arrived looking fresh and just slightly chilled and the dressing was just excellent. You could tell that someone had paid attention to making a perfect salad dressing using the right amount of real Blue Cheese…. positively delicious.
A few minutes later the “Fish and Chips” arrived and that too was hot, light and very tasty, it too was perfect and it came with a nice portion of tartar sauce. The fish was cut into large pieces and it too was hot and crunchy. The fries were hot and perfectly salted, this is the way it should be. For a quick minute I had to take a breath and realize I was in Billings Montana the land of terrible restaurants and even worse food. The ambiance at JAKE’S bar and grill is very nice, as I said it is wide open well lit and just looks inviting for a nice meal. I loved the fact that you can come here for a lunch meeting and have a nice conversation and hear each other speak without all that ‘noise’. And did I mention that the food on this visit was just perfect with really great service?! Bravo! A great place to eat in Billings Montana!
Part II
Having enjoyed a great lunch at Jake’s Bar and Grill that I decided to take one of my grandsons there for his birthday….. I had made a reservation and upon arrival we got the “Bar Hustle,” ‘Oh we are getting table ready, go and make yourself comfortable at the bar.’ Right away it is important to “Gin” the bill, it is like going into restaurants in California or New York or so called up scale joints that sell the bottled water. “ Would you like flat or carbonated water?” Restaurants make thousands selling bottled water! My response is just a glass of ice water please. I am not paying 8-12 dollars for a bottle of water! On this date, I looked at the hostess and said they are 12 and 14 years old, are you serving minors in your bar this evening? We were seated almost immediately, you have to be aware of all the tricks that these restaurants come up with to pay the bills.
We were seated in a really nice booth and it was just right, the ambiance, the seating and the atmosphere was just perfect! Our waitress had a personality and we ordered a sashimi tuna appetizer (in Montana, this can be scary) the appetizer was served perfectly and the taste and sauces could not have been better.
All of us had salads and like lunch, the salads were chilled and the dressings were just perfect. Unlike the lunch salad, these were bigger and as I said, perfect temperature. Whoever made these would appear they like their job, and so we enjoyed the salads. All three of us ordered steaks, Jake’s 16 oz. Ribeye, 12 oz New York and I had 8 oz Filet Mignon. All the steaks were absolutely cooked perfectly, and the side of grilled onions and mushrooms could have been a little more generous, however, great tasting! On this trip all 3 of us ordered baked potatoes loaded and this too was a great idea, it looks as if they are baked ahead of time. The cheddar cheese is melted on top and on top of that goes the butter, sour cream and chives aka “Loaded.” Baked Potato, Garlic Mashed or Fries…. great choices.
As it being a birthday, my grandson was given a choice of any desert on the menu. He chose the ‘Butter Cake,’ we had to take this home as we were all stuffed and there was cake waiting for us at home. Upon arriving home what we had was possibly one of the best desert cakes I have ever had. Plus our server gave us a scoop of ice cream that was still frozen! Once again, this was a great dining experience. Damn, someone pinch me! Am I still in Billings, Montana?
Unlike some restaurants I will look forward to visiting and dining at JAKE’S BAR and GRILL located in Billings, Montana…… make your reservations 406-252-9275 and tell them, America’s Food Critique, John J. Nazarian suggested to eat here!