Joe Bob checks in from Denver Colorado. This time with juicy lookin’ foods
Jack n Anna Martinez only opened their Mexican food joint in 2000, and it has been a huge hit in Denver ever since. They came up from New Mexico in 1994 and had the “Chile Shop” for a few years, roasting chilies and doing catering. The demand was such that they had to open a real restaurant.
I have finally been stunned by a plate of pork.
I ordered the Carne Adovada Breakfast plate at 4:30 in the afternoon trying to avoid the crowds. The platter arrived with the largest pork fest I have ever seen. This would feed a family of four.
The wonderful juicy tender pork was covered with two fried eggs, placed correctly upside down atop the section of pig. Beans and potatoes, with roasted green chilies mixed into the potatoes. Homemade chips and salsa….a Negro Modelo of course.
I have had about four different meals here and all were great. They are open seven days a week, newly expanded, and have a full bar now. Take out is not a problem.
Opening time is 11 AM every day. Someone always parks a cool 70 Dodge
Challenger outside, a good sign in my book.
J. Bob – Denver, CO
Jack-n-Grill
2524 Federal
Denver, CO
80211
303-964-9544
They have great food, but watch out if they decide NOT to give you your food. After going there many times, the last time I went I waited over an hour for my food (which was totally wrong when I got it anyway) & they made NO attempts to rectify the situation or make ammends. Great place if you have the time (LOTS of time) & not so great if you feel you’ve been wronged.
Recently dined at Jack n Grill and was wonderfully satisfied with their outstanding service and quality of food. After dining at many restaurants Jack n Grill was one of a kind. Their Calabasitas are one of a kind and unheard of. My Grandmother used to prepare this dish and it’s just the way I remember it!
Hats off to the owner’s and staff for a job well done. As stated on the menu this restaurant is not fast food so a wait is expected. My girlfriend and I tried several items from the menu, enchiladas, stuffed rellenos, soft tacos…all were excellent. Such a treat for Denver to have!!!!
My husband and I have eaten there twice. The first time we were so excited to have the food and ambiance that we were only able to find in Albuguerque or Santa Fe. The second time (9/2) the t.v. in the “sports lounge” was so loud that it spoiled our dinner. Even after repeated attempts to ask our waitress to turn it down it was too loud to shout over. The food is great, but I won’t go back until they figure out if they are a dining establishment or a sports bar.
Hey Linda,
That’s really too bad, television shouldn’t be on during a damned meal. That’s just plain rude. Keep us posted, please.
Biggles
This palce is great.Great food,great service what more can you ask for in a place. The family there a huge Bronco fans so when its game day the t.v. gets a little loud(i’ve been there when its game day) I think you shouldn’t go during game days and you won’t have to worry about loud t.v.’s or join the fun in the bar(thats what i did)
Pro’s:Their food is above average, and the service was on par. The menu is very creative. Good environment.
Con’s: My burger was over cooked (and I was not given a choice about doneness). Cash Only is obnoxious in todays world; despite their long and frequent excuses. Green Chile, in my mind, was not as good as advertised.
In response to David: They clearly explain on the menu that they “are not fast food” and that you might have to wait; especially when it’s busy. Every burger is made from scratch when it’s ordered. To me that is worth waiting for.
Jack-n-Grill rocks!! I eat Mexican food more
than any other, and I know almost every spot in
Denver. Their green chile is THE BEST. However,
do NOT ask for the “nuclear” version…you’ll be
sorry!
BEST green chile in Denver. But the place has changed a LOT since they opened. Most of the staff now is non-Hispanic, and nobody from the neighborhood eats there…why?….the prices have gone thru the roof. $12 for a smothered burrito!!
Service can be hit-and-miss and the last time I was there I got a beef burrito when I had ordered cheese.
Hey Man of Truth,
12 dollars for any burrito is a crime, if not plain wrong.
Smothered burrito. A heavenly log of love.
Biggles
I guess I haven’t figured out what the big deal is about this place. Tried it for the second time again today and was once again disappointed. Two of us bought a pitcher of “top shelf” margarites and I don’t think there’s was even a shot of tequila in the whole pitcher! Burgers were overcooked and tasteless. The guacamole salad was good, but for $8 it better be!There are too many other truly good Mexican restaurants in this town for me to waste another dime on this place!
My husband and I are both military and tend to eat out a lot. We recently tried the Jack-N-Grill on 40th Ave. This place was horrible. After placing are order the waitor came back to our table and began to talk to us about Margarittas. We had not ordered Margaritas at all. The salsa and chips that was brought to the table was the worst salsa that I have ever had at a mexican restaraunt. When the waitor brought us our food he mixed switched up my husband and my order. The smoothered burrito to me would mean that it would have sour cream but there was none. There was no sour cream with the quasadillas either. You could see the grease from the meat in the burrito floating with the green chili. Sopapillas are my favorite thing. When biting into the bites first impression was good but after the whip cream wore off it tasted like you were eating a dough pcoket full of salt. When we told the waitor he left and then came back and said that he had tasted the cinnimon and sugar mix and that it did not taste bad to him. When he brought us the check he said that he had taken the sopapillas off the bill along with the margarittas. What margarittas??? We never ordered any and if we had they never made it to the table. We live 2 minutes from the restaraunt and I had to go to the restroom before we could even make it home. Please take our advaise and do not eat at this place.
I am a Manager for an airline at DIA, so I have seen the Jack-n-Grill on 40th and Pena on my way to and from work several times, and decided to try it. So I picked up my wife after work and stopped by. We were seated promptly and our drink order was taken followed by our food order, at which the waitress said that they were backed up and it would be 8 to 15 minutes. A little long for a Mexican restaurant but I understand stuff happens. We recieved our chips and salsa which were the worst I have ever had in my life. The chips were as thick as a piece of cardboard and had clearly been fried for way too long. Obviously we didn’t want seconds. My wife and I waited and waited. It wasn’t until the waitress came a half-an-hour later to say that it would be another five minutes. I grinned and bared it as the waitress took my wife’s Pepsi to get it refilled. She never came back, not with my wife’s drink, not to apologize, nothing. At 50 minutes I had not seen a manager come to apologize, not our waitress, not any of the waiting staff. No one clearly cared about our business. I have never left a restaurant without leaving some form of tip until now. Nor have I ever left a restaurant without getting my food. Obviously this Jack-n-Grill is not intent on pleasing the customers at all, as I am pretty sure at least two or three other tables were in a similar position as my wife and I. I will never go back, and I will also warn any travelors to avoid this restaurant like the plague. I have never been so livid in my live. Stay away, far away.
I had no idea JnG had a second location. I have not been there in ages as I prefer La Casa de Manuel and Taco de Mexico. I now live near JnG on Federal and will go back for another test. I agree that TV and food don’t mix at all. I have always avoided rush hours there and prefer mid afternoon. Manuels is the best mexican food in Denver…period. Down at 32nd and Larimer since they had to move from 20th and Larimer. Eight years now at newer location. Donna has been working there since 1979 when I began going. As long as you avoid the Blue Bonnet on South Broadway and Casa Bonita on West Colfax, Denver has plenty of great Mex food. I shall report back from JnG quickly with updates. P.S….I would never order Margs from a Mex eatery. Never had good Mex food with good Marg at same joint. Some incongruous combo there that I have been unable to explain after many years of searching. Esp if they push the margs you know they are bad with no booze in them. Esp depressing is a whole pitcher of margs with no booze !!! Gimme a root canal…
Owner/Manager parks, blocks both handicapped spaces. Company doesn’t respond to a letter.
We were at Jack-n-Grill’s second location (on E. 40th), and saw some truly obnoxious behavior by an owner or manager.
We saw a guy in a big white Yukon zip right up between the two empty handicapped parking spaces, and park directly on the striped area between them. It seemed that this guy was actually somebody in charge of the restaurant, either an owner or an off-duty manager, as he spent about 30 minutes chatting with the staff, going behind the bar, etc.
For some reason, he left for a few minutes, came back with a couple of passengers, and parked exactly as before. Total time blocking the handicapped spaces: probably 30 minutes.
The striped area is used for unloading wheelchairs, etc. Parking like that, between the two marked handicapped spaces, effectively prevented their use. Furthermore, I didn’t notice, but no doubt the Yukon was also blocking the ramp area in the sidewalk. So even if someone in a wheelchair managed to park and unload somewhere else, they would have had to find another ramp, just to get to the door.
We were disgusted by this behavior of a manager/owner who was too lazy to park 5, 10, 20 spaces away, and who didn’t care about any handicapped patrons who might show up.
Hey all —
The Jack-n-Grill near DIA is NOT owned by Jack Martinez, the guy who runs the original Jack-n-Grill on Federal. In fact, the DIA location is no longer a Jack-n-Grill at all; it’s still a Mexican joint, however, although it utterly and completely sucks. The original Jack-n-Grill is still thriving — and the green chile still rocks, as does the corn-in-a-cup. True, it’s changed substantially since its inception as a chile shack, but the food here is still excellent.
Nichole – learn how to spell!! Trying to read your post was truly painful.
The Food Is Great!!! Quit Bein Haters !!!!!!!!!!!!