Jackson Tavern

I must say I’m disappointed this place closed. We enjoyed our food during our visit and especially enjoyed the ambience. We were hoping to return and sample more of the creative drink menu and I was curious to learn what johnny cakes were all about. Sadly, it has closed and we may never have an opportunity to dine on johnny cakes and the «cruel summer» mixed drink :-(

Update: apparently we were among their last customers and the very last Unilocal review. It closed today.
Original review:
After receiving a fantastic deal to try Jackson’s Tavern, (50% off with the only stipulation being to review the food, which we would do anyway) my husband and I decided it was time to give it a go. Based on the menu alone, we had not previously been inclined to go. That might be one piece of feedback for the Metzgers: we aren’t sure how much market there is in Tucson for modern New England cuisine. The restaurant was not packed on a Friday night, but it certainly wasn’t empty. It felt clean and managed, which is always nice. Staff was pleasant and attentive. On to the food…
As we had a good coupon, we set out to try as much food as we could remotely justify ordering. We were looking for that signature dish that would could exclaim «you gotta try THAT» to our friends, something that we would crave. We started out with the wings. The flavor was quite good: a salty soy flavor with complex undertones of spicy and sour. Unfortunately, the texture of the wings were a less-​than spectacular «flabby.» Good wings are piping hot with crisp skin. These were neither, and although my husband liked the flavor enough to eat them, I couldn’t get past the texture and left them on my plate. If they were hot and crisp with the same sauce, they could have been that signature dish we were in search of. They delivered a small side of what appears to be the same bread Jax used to serve – which we always liked and still do. Very good.
For dinner I had the grilled ham and cheese sandwich. The ham and cheese sandwich was a little small, but passable. The bread was good, the cheese was good, and the ham was good. I guess this type of food doesn’t frequently become legendary and at Jackson it wasn’t legendary either. I had the Mac n Cheese as my side. My husband liked it more than I did. It had a sharp cheese edge but felt under-​seasoned. I would get both my sandwich and side again, but they weren’t so amazing that I will seek them out.
My husband got the clam po-​boy. He liked the flavor and texture of the clams and thought the spicy aioli was delicious with them. The portion was neither plentiful nor truly skimpy, however my husband would have preferred a higher ratio of clams to bread. He really liked the warm soft bun that the clams were piled onto. Unfortunately, the split bun couldn’t contain the clams and most of them ended up being eaten with a fork. We aren’t from New England and so we aren’t sure if this is typical and authentic or not. We also aren’t sure if they are more southern than New England, but he would have preferred an oyster po-​boy. Although he would definitely order the sandwich again, my husband believes there is probably a better version of this po-​boy. The fries on the side were very good: double fried with good salt and solid potato flavor. It would have been good to have had aioli just for the fries.
Lastly for dinner we tried out the Johnny Cakes. Again, we aren’t sure how authentic these are. The cakes come two to a stack and are thick patties of griddled cornmeal. We really liked the texture. Loading them with the included butter and maple syrup made them even better. Still, we both agreed that a pinch of salt would liven them up and we both agreed that there are probably better versions of the cakes out there. My husband did say he would order them again while I likely would not.
We aren’t dessert people but decided to give that a whirl as well. We got the peanut butter brownie and it hit all the levels of «yum» for me. The ice cream and peanut butter cream on top of a warm brownie were worth the special 15-​minute wait. We both agreed it was delicious… but being as it is dessert it wouldn’t be the top priority on a return visit.
Overall, Jackson Tavern is one of those restaurants that is difficult to rate. The worst food we ate was «okay» and the best food we ate was «good.» There was nothing terrible and nothing outstanding. My husband wants to try the pot roast sandwich and the «chowda.» We will therefore likely return, but without an outstanding and cravable signature dish, it could be a while. We would recommend folks give the place a try and see for themselves and will return. This would be a solid 3.5 in rating if we could, but it’s not quite a 4.

Went in for an early dinner around 5:30.
Place was pretty empty (although it picked up later around 7) and we had no trouble getting a table.
They seemed short-​staffed. Overheard the waiter saying that he usually didn’t wait tables and was helping out. Service was fine though.
For some reason they had run out of linguine and clams. How that happens at a seafood restaurant, I do not know. So we ended up going with Mussels as a starter, and for main courses, an Abbey Burger, Fish and Chips, and the Salmon.
All of the food was… okay. The most glaring problem was that every dish was extremely oversalted. The mussels, the burger, the fries, and the spaghetti squash were all like that. Brought the meal down quite a bit.
Probably won’t be back anytime soon. My biggest gripe with the place is that it is waaaaaaaaay overpriced for what you’re getting. There are plenty of other, better, places around Tucson to get similar style food for at least half of the price we paid. It seems like they’re trying to sell it as an upscale, hip New England style restaurant, when it simply felt like just another bar (and we were in the «restaurant» section!).
Jackson Tavern is a place that would really thrive given its location, décor, ambience, and menu as a true tavern/pub…if it had the tavern/​pub prices to match. It just seems contradictory to hand someone a dinner in plastic baskets and deli paper liners and then subsequently hand them an $ 85 tab.

Lovely place to stop by Afterwork or come and meet friends. Such a good atmosphere. Cute, classy and country! Food was so good! Can’t wait to start trying more on their menu! Everyone was so nice and seemed to really know what customer service is about! Happy hour menu was delicious!

I really enjoyed this place. Like a lot. This was the first time I had ever had a lobster roll and oh boy oh boy oh boy. It was absolutely heavenly. I mean if this is a lobster roll in Tucson, I can only imagine what one on the East coast taste like. The one at Jackson Tavern is served warm which I think I prefer. The roll part is a deliciously buttered, warm roll. I mean, I have nothing bad to say about it, it was absolutely perfect. I can’t wait to go back!

As many of my readers know… I take little to no joy in negatively reviewing businesses. Especially independently owned Tucson restaurants.
As I am surely not «in the know» of local restaurant trends and private on-​goings, I choose not to dig into whatever may be going on within the Metzger group. I have enjoyed dining at the Abbey several times and applaud anyone who can birth as many well-​received menus as the hard working chefs of this group have produced.
Our visit to Jackson Tavern was under whelming and we will not return. Granted our visit was only a couple of weeks after their opening, they fell short in nearly every area.
I won’t go into detail… I’m certain the management is well aware of the many problems currently haunting their space.
My hopes are that this talented team focus on one… all-​star production in a modest location. I would certainly support and encourage fellow diners to visit any and all of this team’s endeavors.
Good luck. Your efforts have not gone unnoticed.

Delicious menu and great atmosphere

Jackson Tavern has all the makings to be a very successful little spot in the long haul. I hope that it continues to flourish.
It’s got a very East-​Coasty vibe when you walk in with the darker wooden tones and memorabilia. The more formal dining area I glimpsed as I walked into the bar area, which has a great little lounge seating setup and tables as well as a pretty bar.
Happy Hour runs every day from opening to 7 pm. There are a selection of appetizers and a certain amount off alcohol which is a great way for a group to sample a wide variety of excellent dishes.
My husband and I came in and tried two of the appetizers — the calamari and the clam fritter/​cakes. The calamari is excellent — lightly battered, excellent chew and flavor. It was not overcooked in any way and the peppers and dipping sauce made each bite have a slightly different taste which kept the whole thing fresh. It’s a great dish to share but if you LOVE calamari I would recommend getting separate orders as you won’t want to share! The clam fritter/​cake appetizer was HUGE. It’s got great flavor and comes with a nice little tartar sauce. Be warned, it is a very heavy dish so this is definitely one to share with several people — it’s very tasty (what fried food isn’t? ha!) but it’s more than a meal in itself.
I opted to do a full bowl of the chowda. Now, I am going to preface this — I am an East Coast girl through and through, raised in New England, and I KNOW great chowda. The chowda at Jackson Tavern does NOT disappoint. It’s rich, flavorful, and creamy without being too thick. You can tell that quality ingredients are used and the seasonings are perfect. They serve it with some little seasoned house made (I think?) crackers in it and it just elevates the whole dish. When the bowl came out, my initial thought was that the serving was on the small side. However, as I continued to eat with the ample amount of potatoes and clams in the soup and the richness of the cream singing through, I have to say the serving size is perfect because any more than that would be overkill.
My husband opted to get the Crab cake sandwich. I managed to snag a bite — again great quality ingredients were used. I think I would prefer a little more acidity to sing through — they have the srirracha mayo which was great, but I think a little lemon (just adding after, for personal taste) would really make everything else pop because it actually was a pretty rich dish. The fries are clearly handcut and are very good.
He ended up getting a couple of beers — they have a nice little selection. I opted to do the Summer of 69 Punch thing which was light and delicious!
I cannot wait to go back — I am waiting to deliver that 5^th star to them for a couple visits down the line but I think that they will NOT disappoint! This is definitely a place to go check out!

I’m late in my review, nevertheless… I was with a group of 6 during the grand opening a couple months ago. Bottom line: no beers were available for purchase on the day of a grand opening… not good. Instead, we purchased overpriced drinks (craft-​like cocktails) watered down by filling the entire glass with ice.
Food: I ordered the clam chowder and crab cakes. The clam chowder was hot on the top and cold below (obviously heated in a microwave). The crab cakes were greasy and cooked with way more batter than substance. I was expecting top notch food/​service (like we previously had at another family establishment) but this visit missed the mark. I’m sure some of the kinks have been worked out since then and the restaurant appearance is very nice… but I’ll spend my $$ elsewhere.

Staff is very friendly. Service is good
Drinks are great especially if you come during happy hour which goes until 7 every day.

Goodness, I wish I lived closer to Jackson.
I imagine coming here after work, with a book in hand, and sitting on one of the sofas whilst reading and enjoying a glass of wine. I haven’t tried the main dining room, but the tavern is where it’s at.
I’ve been a couple of times now and can give a decent assessment of the food.
It’s like all the Metzger Family concepts rolled into a single location. Seriously. I get a hint of Gio, Poppy and The Abbey and maybe even a nod to Jax here.
I love the chowder and the crab cakes. So much. Also enjoyed the grilled cheese sandwich. Nice. The meat and cheese platter is good, but could do without the pretzels. And you can order breakfast at any time?! How sweet is that! And they even have French toast.
The tavern also has a fish fry — on Mondays of all days. Not the traditional Friday. On Thursdays, they offer a carved turkey special. The artichoke tip is a lovely melding of garlic, artichoke and heavy cheesy goodness.
There’s even pork schnitzel, linguini and clams, pork ribs, Narragansett stew (I had to Google that) street tacos, wings, deviled eggs, oysters and mussels and a weekend brunch during which you can order the prime rib.
Tavern hour, which is basically the happy hour, is offered until 7 p.m. That’s nice. Nothing like getting to a restaurant at 5:53 and spending two minutes trying to decide what you want off the happy hour menu because they are shutting it down at 6!
I was surprised, though, that there is such a short list for red and white wines. Tiny selection there, though I was glad to see Hahn on the menu.
And I got a kick of the sign over the bar that says «Patriots Fan Cave.»
And for those of you who have little ones, they have a kid’s menu. Family-​oriented business right there.

Just doing a second round of reviewing the exceptional Happy Hour I had so throughly enjoyed a few weeks back. After all the rain we had I was ailing with cabin fever. For us desert rats who dwell in 350 days of sunshine when 2 days of steady rains come it is time to break out of the abode to see to outside world. I love the area where the Happy Hour has it’s own room. It’s so cozy and intimate. Found a wonderful spot at the end of the long table with the swivel stools. Can talk to my honey and swivel to face the large TV screen and watched Duke and Virginia duke it out. The staff is about the friendliest, nicest group of young people around. This time we added the burger, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, aoli sauce, inside a delicious warm bun with their doubled fried french fries. We shared this. All this for $ 8.50. It could be off the Happy Hour and still stay reasonable priced. The Noshes and Seafood snacks are what is featured on the Happy Hour. The crowd is mixed mostly youngish 30ish but you see plenty of 60 and 70’s. Of course the drinks are a buck off beer and 3 off other spirits.
We got here at 5.00 PM and by 7.00 PM the place was teeming with people. We had the fabulous clam chowder which is always a treat especially on a winter’s night, huge chunks of potatoes, clams, and some other alien pieces floating about. Metzger, you did it again. Another innovative well thought out restaurant for our ever growing crowd of foodies in Tucson.

This place is classic Metzger. Great, friendly service, home style foods and amazing décor. Even menu items that seem simple and straightforward are rich and complex. The décor is great! I was so taken with the bar area, and actually ate on the arcade game last time! Also, I like that this place offers a fun, warm bar as well as a quieter, nicer restaurant area. So it can suit any need.
I have been twice and have had the lobster roll, chowda, clam cakes, calamari & chicken sandwich. Everything is amazing! Their happy hour offers great deals on their fun, fruity cocktails and off appetizers! Tucson was so in need of a great, more casual-​feeling seafood joint — and this place is both fun and high quality! To be completely frank: I know some people love Metzger and some people don’t love Metzger. However you feel about their other restaurants (price, offerings, service) is how you will feel about this one!

Had been looking forward to coming back here after the Unilocal Event last week. Happened to have chosen the day of the Pats/​Colts game to come for a pre-​game early lunch. Sat in the bar becasue I wanted to be in the view of the TVs. They ahve three in the bar area.
Rachel our bartender was awesome, very helpful, and even explained to my husband about the liquor infusions for me. We opted for a bloody mary and their choclate shake stout to drink. Yum! The bloody mary was delicious, not too spicy and very affordable. A must for an early weekend seafood lunch.
The bar was pretty empty for it being so early which was fine, it was nice to take in the place and really just relax a bit. My only ONLY issue that I had with the bar, is by the time it got to lunch time, it was a family affair. I know this is a family owned restaurant, but it seems if you wanted some beverage-​adult time to watch the game a be an east coast Pats rooting person, you would have to watch yourself. I had a family with kids sitting next to me at the bar (which I didnt know kids could sit right at the bar). SO everytime I wanted to make a comment about the crazy football game on, I had an eight-​year-​old sitting next to me.
That was my ONLY concern, I still enjoyed my time there. For a little noshing we went with the fresh oysters and «chowda» for apps. Being in Tucson I am always weary of fresh oysters, but these did not dissapoint. Seemed more like the smaller pacific oysters, but I loved the presentation with a spciy horseraddish cocktail sauce. My husband, who is a southie, loved the chowda.
For main course, he had the lobster roll and I had the crab cake sandwhich. The lobster roll was a good size, and Jackson has made it thier own with it being served hot. The sandwhich had a bit of a kick to it as it was seasoned with what tasted like a bit of fennel, but I could be wrong. Just know going in it tastes a bit more flavorful that what you are used to. Good sizes, prices during the game were fab! But overall I would come back to get the dinning room expereience and to get some more of the cocktails.
My service was great, everyone was friendly and welcoming. I will be back!
Faves: oysters, chowda

Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to read is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. My name’s Kathy. I carry a badge. I walked in to Jackson Tavern tonight hiding my Elite badge under my trench coat. I was on a mission, you see… a mission to see if these knuckleheads could match my experience from last week’s Ye Olé Unilocal Elite Event at Jackson Tavern. Was the food, drink and customer service so good last week just because they wanted to impress the good Unilocal Elite citizens? Or is it the real deal?
Well, here’s my confession and it’s just the facts, m’am. *insert Dragnet theme music*
OK, enough silliness. Jackson Tavern for the win. My sidekick/​daughter/​fellow foodie/​happy hour lover and I stopped in to JT tonight to escape our work day woes. A ordered the Summer of 69, a delicious concoction of pineapple tequila, fresh citrus juices, «red syrup» and grapefruit bitters. It was really tasty but a bit on the sweet side for me. Our cute, blond bartender recommended the Double Dragon for me after I told her I preferred drinks that were more tart. I’m a sucker for grapefruit anything, heck I even wear a grapefruit perfume so a drink made with grapefruit vodka was right up my alley. Tasty vodka, fresh citrus juice and orange liquor make this drink a fast favorite for me. It’s so refreshing that I can picture myself sitting on the cool, misted patio (It’s misted or will be, right Brian Metzger?) at JT on a summer evening enjoying my dragon. Ah yes.
A and I split an order of calamari and I’ve found calamari to be kind of hit or miss in Tucson. Jackson Tavern’s calamari is definitely a hit. Tender, flavorful breaded and lightly crisped rings and tentacled pieces are served with cherry peppers and a fabulous garlic oiled and salted arugula alongside a simple but delicious red dipping sauce. A and I agreed that next time we each need our own order.
So the verdict is that Jackson Tavern impresses both the Unilocal Elite and the average Tucson diner ‘cuz I’m both. Service is attentive, friendly and all I could hope for. The drinks are inventive and delicious and the food fresh, simple yet sophisticated and just damn good.
There’s just one thing I can’t get over. That Patriots flag flyin’ out front. #SuperBowlXLIX

After visiting Jackson Tavern for a Unilocal event earlier in the week, I was eager to go back and try their regular restaurant and menu. And I’m glad I did, because it didn’t disappoint.
I ordered the pork schnitzel, which comes on a soft, fluffy pretzel bun. I’m not very interested in chips, and I had missed the clam chowder at the Unilocal event, so I substituted a cup of that as my side item. The chowder (they pronounce it «chowda») was meaty, a little smoky, and perfect for a drizzly Tucson winter night. The schnitzel sandwich looked quite small, especially on its large plate. But looks are deceiving, and it turned out to be a lot of food. And that pretzel bun was amazing.
The dining room itself was a little strange, at least in terms of layout and décor. The walls were sparsely and oddly decorated, compared to the more inviting and interesting tavern room. It looks like they hired two different decorators. Or, perhaps, that they just ran out of interesting things to hang on the wall when they finished the tavern. Service was also a little odd: they brought us four and a half pieces of bread (with fresh olive oil) for 3 people. They were attentive with drink refills, but the waitress was otherwise mostly absent, including when we were ready for her to take the check. But I think the service issues are just part of the «new restaurant jitters».
Jackson Tavern is the sort of place that I really hope will succeed. I gave it 4 stars; I’ll be happy to come back again and try for 5. My recommendation to guests? Don’t forget to try the chowda.

I had the pleasure of dining at Jackson Tavern twice this week… Back to back days because I enjoyed it so much. I have been to many of the other Metzger establishments, but this is my favorite. The feel, food, and atmosphere is different from the other Metzger concepts, but I think it is a welcome change. Although it will steer some of the faithfuls away with its dim, east coast, and casual feel, it will gain many more with its eclectic furnishings, phenomenal staff, and its reasonably-​priced upscale comfort food.
Night one included the Double Dragon cocktail, BBQ pork street tacos, Ginny’s artichoke dip, and the red velvet whoopie pies. The cocktail was reminiscent of a nighttime mimosa with grapefruit juice. It was the perfect ending to a Wednesday and was served up by a wonderful bartender named Meghan (although it will show up as «Megan» on your receipt) who really helped my girlfriend and I navigate the menu. The BBQ pork street tacos were juicy, flavorful, and packed full of meat. Although they were satisfying, I would probably not get them outside of the tavern hour which is $ 3 off till 7 p.m. The artichoke dip was the perfect combination of salty and creamy with good-​sized chunks of artichoke (also $ 3 off till 7). We ended with the whoopie pies. These are a must. I never eat whoopie pies, and I probably never will again unless they are from here. They included fresh fruit, and an astonishing cream cheese frosting. It was the ideal dessert for two.
Night two included the potato skins, pot roast dip sandwich, and a side of mac n cheese. The potato skins are not for the faint of heart. They are hearty: loaded with a beef gravy that contains pieces of their prime rib, and tons of melty cheese. These tasted like a big «suck it» to TGI Fridays. It was, by far, my favorite of all the appetizers I have tried. The pot roast sandwich was loaded as well. It had tons of meat and melty muenster. Dip it in the jus, and it was one of the best sandwiches I have ever had. My girlfriend and I also decided to get mac n cheese (this was just us being gluttonous) which tasted like a creamier noodle kugel. It was great as a side, but could also be eaten as a meal.
Check this place out and support this part of town. You won’t be disappointed.

I decided to go for lunch today to see if Jackson’s Tavern is as good as the other Metzger restaurants. Well, I would say, «yes»!! When I walked in, I was greeted by Rachell and the GM, Josh. Josh misunderstood me and thought I had said, «this is my first time at a restaurant» meaning I had never ventured out into the culinary world before today. We had a good laugh and joked about it a few times over the course of my meal. Now, I’ve only had the burger and fries but it’s definitely worth a repeat to try other stuff. My server, Rachell was attentive and boasted about all the great dishes and her good working relationships with the staff.
I liked the décor. I could see the East Coast vibe they were going for in the interior designs. I enjoyed sitting at the bar and chatting with Rachell and Josh. It was comfortable and relaxed and since there weren’t a lot of people there on a Monday for lunch, it was not noisy.
The burger was yummy (juicy, well seasoned). It didn’t fall apart and end up being a knife and fork eating situation; which I hate when I’m eating a burger. Burgers are meant to be eaten with your hands, not with cutlery! The fries were tasty and there were plenty of them. You have a choice of a 1 – 3 patty burger. I chose the 1 patty. I could have gone with the 2 patty and felt a bit fuller, but the fries helped fill me up.

New restaurant, so they need a few months to settle in. But, our lunch today was quite good.
Shared — A ‘C’ Dog, Basically lobster on a stick with sriacha aioli. Five stars!
Me — Narragansett Stew — thick and rich fish stew — four stars.
My S.O. — ‘The Roll’ — A lobster roll, generous portion of Lobsta — five stars — maybe even six stars.
Very nice addition to the Tucson scene, we’ll be back.

We just rolled ourselves home from a leisurely lunch at Jackson’s and everything was great! Our bartender was super friendly and nice even though she was swamped at times. We tried the clam cakes, C dog, cup of chowda, crab blt and burger. To say the chowda was the least of our faves is saying a lot — because we enjoyed everything. The clam cakes were fried balls of delicous clammy breaded goodness, piping hot and served with some tartar sauce. But the C dog!!! Basically flash fried lobster — on a stick! — with some sriracha aioii = heaven. Ask for extra aioli because it’s only drizzled on and it’s very good. Moving on, the burger was a burger and while good it did not hold a light to my crab blt. I was a little put off by the American cheese but for no particular reason other than it being American cheese. I quickly forgot this irk at first bite. The arugula, bacon, more sriracha aioli and plentiful crab is just the perfect combo. I think this is what I would recommend the most — if you get anything here, get the blt. Draught beer isn’t going yet which is a bummer but not a deal breaker. Their cocktail list is just as good as they’ve all been (The Abbey, Jax RIP) I had the Double Dragon and it is the best ‘greyhound’ you will get anywhere. Bottles are pricey so hopefully they’ll get their taps up and running soon but for now take advantage of all day ‘Tavern Hour’ and that BLT!