2 /5 John P.: Normally Id give Jakes a 4or 5 star rating. I dont go often because of the price, but once or twice a year, during the fall/holiday season I like to go, because the food really is, normally, top notch. This time, however, I cant say the same. The atmosphere was, as always, fantastic, tables neatly placed, and enough space between different parties. We always ask for a table next to the window overlooking the park. Service was spot on, except, oddly, the server cleaning the crumbs and plates, who was a bit, brash? I suppose he was just busy and wanted to get things done ASAP. I cant speak for the quality of food my other guests had, but for me, I ordered the cheese/crab mancotti with a citrus hollandaise sauce, truthfully it just wasnt very good the dough was gluey, the filling seemed to lack any cheese or other flavor other than crab. My dish, off the special menu, was also a hollandais3 inspired seafood dish--seabass--which was good, however, the rice and string beans that came along with the dish was both dry and hard. Lastly, I ordered a diet coke, the first which tasted fine, however, after having finished it, it sat empty without a refill for most of the evening, only, finally to be refilled with a diet coke that tasted HORRIBLE. I couldnt place it on the soda itself or the ice, my mom and dad both tasted amd agreed it tasted off. Suffice it to say, I didnt finish it. Overall, as a patron of Jakes for years at this point, this was the very first time that I came out disapointed. Some may say its a steak joint why did I go with fish--my answer is I dont like steak and have always gotten a delicious non-steak plate here before. I will return in hopes that this evening was a one-off, however, I hope its not a sign of decline for this establishment, because if so, the price of last nights dinner and experience wqs undeserving.
