Rating: 4 cows
Jar bills itself as a modern chophouse with cozy feel of a neighborhood supper club. The description fits.
As you walk into Jar, you're struck with a certain warmth. The wood walls, low lights, and throwback decor are inviting and lack even a hint of pretense. We assembled the Steak Club on a Tuesday night and the restaurant was full; that's usually a good sign. We started with drinks at the bar as the party trickled in. One commenter slurred that the whiskey selection was decent. That's high praise from a man drinking from a brown paper bag.
The steaks at Jar received generally high marks. We ordered the 10 oz. filet of beef, 14 oz. prime rib-eye, and 16 oz. dry-aged prime Kansas City steak. The steaks were generally ordered medium-rare and came both cooked to order and served at temperature. Many steakhouses can't get this right, so we were happy off the bat.
The filet was excellent and well seasoned. The rib-eye had a good amount of marbelization, but was a bit fatty along the edges. The center had a some choice meat but the amount of fat caused one reviewer to wonder if he ordered lard. Finally, the Kansas City steak was a good piece of meat, but the reviewer would have preferred more seasoning.
As with other steak houses we've visited, Jar offers a number of premium steak sauces to pair with the meat. They range from the usual (green peppercorn, Bearnaise, lobster Bearnaise, and horseradish) to the unexpected (spicy mustard, tamarind, and lemon caperberry relish). The lobster Bearnaise sauce was subtle and tasty, while green peppercorn sauce was overpowering and too much. At least one diner commented that the steak's seasoning should have been altered to accommodate a side sauce.
Like the sauces, the side dishes were a mix of classic and different. The mashed potatoes and french fries were good, if a bit pedestrian. The purple yams and beet greens received rave reviews.
Our experience at Jar was a pleasant one and many of us would return for another visit. The service was generally very good, especially for a party of ten.