Wow, no reviews for this venue in a long time, and many not so good. I've been here several times the past few months (including last night) and find the service and drink availability to my liking. Apparently others agree as the place is packed most of the time in the evening. Guessing the management had a shake-up in the running of the bar because people aren't dumb--there are quite a few good options for a drink within a block of here if the service doesn't meet the need. Our service has been consistently quite good.
First, the martini crowd really seems to like the Jayhawker. That's not my game so I can't review their options but I know people that rave about some of their choices. They have a modest but very high quality options in draught beer although the Guinness is too cold--but they do take care in pouring it--but that's the case *everywhere* and is mostly my problem. Some very good IPAs, Pilsners and specialty seasonal beers and micro-brews including the O'Dell's 90 Shilling, a delicious pint of goodness. A decent single malt selection and our bartender clearly understood what I was ordering last night. Can't say that about some places in town (a what???).
Noisy, crowded, it's sort of a young professional to middle age and older hangout to my eye although one of my Yelp pals said it was the sorority crowd. Haven't seen that the past 3-4 visits... likely they've moved on to the Cave at the Oread which is more in line with that age group and much, much closer. It has a distinct advantage in that you can puke after your Jägermeister shots and still be within reasonable walking distance back to the Greek house. :)
Acceptable bar chow as well, the french fries in particular were pretty spectacular the previous time and came with some nice non-out-of-the-plastic-container dipping sauces. Wise move. I'm not seeing the 1-2 quality issues indicated from a year or two ago but that's just my opinion. Worth a second shot. This is a darn nice place and pretty happening for my adult beverage choices.
Thursday martini night is the only time I've even in here. Â I had a burger once and was rather unimpressed, but LOVE the 1/2 priced martinis (~$4-4.50). Â They have several dozen martinis ranging from sweet to classic to savory, so just about anyone can find something they'll like.
Tito's Revenge with hot sauce, tomato juice and vodka is very spicy while the Snowdrift is sweetly amaretto. Â I love the Jayhawker Juice, which is just pineapple infused vodka. Â It gets quite crowded as the evening goes on so I'd suggest getting there early if you want a table, but it's definitely worth elbowing your way to the bar otherwise to try one of their signature concoctions.
Sadly this place keeps getting worse and worse. Â Its a shame too because its a great location, a beautiful bar and its in the hotel (the Oread is trying to hard for me, at least the bar). Â
Unfortunately the food is just crap. Â Many years ago they did a great peppercorn filet, crabcake and the pasta a la vodka was good. Â Now they do a lame steak, some poorly executed frou frou stuff and a dead pasta. Â
Honestly the service was always mediocre (it is in a college town so they dont get the sharpest tacks) but the last time it was even worse than usual.
Put the poor service, the terrible food and the premium prices and this place is dead to me. Â Id rather go to Pepperjax for a nice meal.
This is a slightly edited review based on the events of the evening of 10/13/2011. Â The bulk of this was written on my smartphone as we sat at the table, and only a few elements have been added for clarification and further explanation:
Holy living fuck what happened? As I write this, I have been seated at a table in the Jayhawker (which we reserved beforehand for the event) I have finally received one drink after a delay of -- no exaggeration because we checked the clock -- 40 minutes from the time of drink ordering to the time of delivery. My drink order was messed up a (wrong brand of liquor in the drink), promised the premium drink that was brought at the price of the drink I ordered, waiting. . . still no drink, finally got the drink, decided I was tired of waiting, asked for my ticket, ticket was messed up, still waiting for the corrected ticket and tab that was requested now 25 minutes ago when the drink finally arrived., and our server appeared for a table visits ten minutes apart. Â All told, seventy-five minutes in the bar for one drink and the ticket for that drink.
Also fun, due to the initial delay my friend ordered his second drink when his first arrived. Not only did drink #2 not come (which was ordered with specificity and attention) but the absent-minded server actually asked him on a later visit if he would like another drink, despite having clearly ordered just what he wanted 20 minutes prior.
I will do my best to avoid the Jayhawker in the future.
----
Editing and supplemental information -- We set up an evening at the Jayhawker for Mrs. R's birthday, a simple evening with a couple of friends. Â As we've experienced that the Jayhawker can get a bit crowded on a Thursday night, we called in advance and reserved a table for ten -- this way we would all have a place to sit together and we would presumably have the efficiency of have a waiter for table-service. Â All of this works in theory, except it did not, as you read above. Â We ordered an initial round of drinks, and while it does take a little bit of time to craft cocktails, the initial ordered round didn't arrive for 20-25 minutes from the time of ordering. Â Two primary issues on the first order -- my drink was a dry gin martini, which consists of 90-95% gin with. Â I ordered it with a specific gin as that's the gin I wanted to drink, but I was informed by the server that the drink he had brought was of a different gin. Â Not to be fussy, but when you're paying good money for a drink that is supposed to consist of the liquid you ordered, you should get what you ordered. Â I clarified my order and the waiter said that he would bring the corrected drink. Â
A friend who was with us was disgusted by the amount of time that ti took to receive the first round and decided to order his second drink when the first arrived. Â Since he's not much of a cocktail drinker, he told the waiter that he wanted a gin martini, and based our my friend and my earlier conversation, I clarified with the waiter that he wanted a dry gin martini -- so two of us told the waiter the order; this factors in later.
After the "wrong drink" was sent back, the waiter came back to the table to apologize for the mix-up in my drink order, and offered to bring the drink that had been mistakenly made to me for a discounted price. Â In an effort to just get a drink while I was creeping up on the 30-minute mark sans beverage, I agreed that he should just bring me back that drink. Â Based on the 10-15 minutes it took me to ultimately get the drink and that the glass was hot from the speed-washer, I can only presume that the drink that was brought to me was made fresh, (though it was still made with the wrong gin). Â
As one more step of insult-upon-injury, the drink that my friend had ordered never materialized. Â In fact, when the waiter was finally delivering my cocktail at the 40-minute mark, the waiter asked my friend if he would like to order another drink -- apparently our joint effort on ordering a drink some 20 minutes prior had just been whispers in the fog.
After the protracted debacle of actually getting me a drink, we asked for our tabs. Â Not only was this another long affair (ca. 35 minutes from the time of asking for tabs to ultimately getting slips to sign) but the aggregate frustration of the evening gave me plenty to time to pen the above "review" with plenty to time to spare and ruminate on how the evening had gone.
After our group left the Jayhawker, we proceeded to another establishment that gave us excellent and attentive service, but that's a review for another time.
I like this place...for certain things. I usually go here only on martini night (Thursdays) when you can get half price martinis off a list of about 30 or so. I have had a good chunk of that list over the past 5-6 years, and most of them are quite tasty. They also have a surprising amount of alcohol for a 4 dollar martini. Even the "classic" vodka or gin martini is surprisingly smooth and the olives are some of the tastiest around. Service is usually pretty good, but the more crowded it gets, the slower it gets (I know, breaking news...). The happy hour menu, which is every day from 5pm (I think?) has some really good selections of small plates starting at $1.95 or so.
I probably wouldn't come here for just a drink, since there are better and cheaper places on Mass Street. But for a special, especially the 1/2 price martini night Thursdays, this is a really good place.
The Jayhawker is the bar inside the Eldridge Hotel, which is also home to a restaurant called Ten. Both the Jayhawker and Ten use the same kitchen, the same menu, the same staff, and the same bar. I was seated in the Jayhawker for dinner one night and was told it was "the same thing" as Ten. Kind of weird. Why do hotels do that?
There was one server for the entire place, so it took forever for our order to be placed by a server in a bad mood. Can't blame the dude I guess.
Anyway I came here expecting a nice lunch, and end up with expensive food from the freezer. I ordered a Grilled Chicken Sandwich. I couldn't swallow the chicken because it was so freezer-burnt. The avocado was brown and the bacon was so dry like it had been sitting out all day. Â We also had the crab cakes which the waiter said were pre-made. Bad choice.
There is also a Martini night here on Thursdays. There is a cover charge and well martinis are like $8.
I enjoy the Jayhawker. It is an especially nice place to grab drinks with co-workers. Â The newer modern interior (revamped a couple of years ago) is nice, but the high ceilings can make it quite noisy on busy nights (like Thursdays, for the 2-for-1 martini nights). I miss the bar seats made of saddles and the old, smoky mirrors that made the place feel as if it had witness Quantrill's Raid (which matched the rest of the Eldridge's vibe), but the new dark wood and open layout are nice (this could be damning with faint praise, but I will not go down that route). Â
The bartenders are great and willing to work with you, but if you are there when it is crowded, you might be in for a wait. Â The table service, if you can get a table, is always friendly as well...which is saying a lot on nights when the place is packed with thirsty college students.
If you are looking for food, the appetizers are good (and cheap during the nightly happy hours), but for a meal, I would suggest Ten (still in the Eldridge and prepared in the same kitchen, just a little more formal and a little less noisy and for the price you will pay for a meal, the increase in atmosphere/decrease in noise might be recommended).
All I can say is, It's a good thing I don't live in Lawrence. This great little place as 2 for 1 Martini's on Thursday. With an impressive menu of delectable flavors that range from sweet and fruity to hot and spicy, the Jayhawker could quite possibly be the death of me =)
Excellent Atmospher, great staff and convenient location makes this one of my favorite places in Lawrence. Â Keep in mind the menu can get pricey but the specials more than make up for it.
I am only reviewing the bar inside the Eldridge - I have a separate, much more opinionated review on the restaurant...
The Jayhawker is a standard hotel bar except a lot more busy, often littered with groups of college girls looking for a girls' night out. Their martinis aren't bad, and you get an especially good deal on 2-for-1 Thursdays (try the Andes Mint, it's unusual but very smooth). If you can find a seat amongst the clutter, the Jayhawker isn't so bad if you're looking for something an ounce classier than most dives in Lawrence.
Mmmmm, New Year's morning, or actually noon but anyways, let's head downtown for some steak and eggs. Okay, a half dozen establishments later, who the heck is serving steak and eggs vicinity Mass St?
Hey the Jayhawker has a steak on the menu and they're doing brunch, lets give it a go!
Having only been here for martini specials previously- Adhana T and I got to watch my buddy get boliviated on blue "Man-tinis" for something like $20 on night last month which was sweet-we weren't sure what we were getting ourselves into, especially when we sat down to learn from our waitress that they were fresh out of steaks...ARGH The Horror!
So we settled for some fish & chips (me) a burger (her) and some fantastic mac & cheese (us)
Yeah, I would have preferred a little more "Bam" in the fish's batter and thicker chips, and the sweet potato fries were not from The Burger Bar, but the mac & cheese was rockin'!
Its a hotel pub/sports bar light type establishment, with some pretty good chow. We have not eaten next door at Ten, but will check it out soon.
If I had to pick a reason for hitting up The Jayhawker, I think it would be some pre-Liberty Hall extravaganza, or maybe drinks after work...and of course Martini night!
I used to frequent this bar with friends for half price martinis on Thursdays. We'd make an afternoon/evening of it with dinner, cheap and fancy girly drinks, then finish off the night with tipsy stumblings around Mass. St. until we were sober enough to drive home. Good times!
Then, there was a time when we congregated for our usual evening of indulgence, only to be met with a changed menu of higher prices and smaller servings. You gotta pick one or the other, folks. The food was smaller, the drinks were weaker, and our bill was higher by about 25%. We thought (hoped) it was just a fluke, but when we went back the next month, it was the same story.
I understand that in a dive economy, everyone's gotta make some compromises. Don't gouge your customers and cut back on the portions at the same time, though. Or at least wait a month between the two adjustments! The disparity between our current and previous experiences was enough to drive us away, never to return.
We RUN to the Eldridge and the Jayhawker for steak when we visit Lawrence. Â (Sorry Michigan but you can't serve a steak like Kansas does!)
Dinner last week was the surf and turf special of parmasean encrusted scallops and a 4 oz. filet with grilled asparagus. Â All was perfectly cooked. Â My mom had the same dish and said hers was great as well.
You won't be disappointed.
I shall begin my review with an almost tearful remembrance of what was...the tall tapestried seats that seemed to be ripped from a 1930's parlor, candles and antique lighting illuminating the drunk across the bar from you just enough to seem sexy, but not enough to see their nose hair. Â I remember sipping martinis and tirelessly watching other lawrencians stroll down Mass with motivations and obligations far from my mind.
Fast forward to the new Jayhawker. Â I truly feel it should have been renamed, the Jayhawker holds fond memories and sentiment that would not be possible with the blinding lights illuminating high tops and booths full of family friendly patrons that wouldn't dare wander into the dimly lit prior locale. Â *SIGH* Bright lights and booths to corral the kiddies aside I can not hate the place for what it has become. Â They do have nice specials, I visited on a Friday and opted for some artichoke dip and their classic tomato bisque soup over a few brews at the bar. Â At this mid afternoon hour the place was pretty desolate-just how I like it. Â
I found the bartender to be extremely personable. Â He offered a taste of the one tap I did not recognize and described the body and style of the Farmhouse Ale perfectly, I always love a bartender who knows their beer. Â Although I can fondly reminisce on Halloweens spent in the parlor seats and day drinking by the windows I still make a stop into the reincarnated Jayhawker when I am in town and usually enjoy it.
The Jayhakwer is the only true grown folks bar in Downtown Lawrence. It is a little upsetting to think of the nice bar and atmosphere that was destroyed to create the new, wannabe old, superficial Jayhawker.
TVs everywhere.
Medicore bar staff that doesn't seem attentive of its patrons (pretty much the norm for most bars in Lawrence, but shouldn't this be different?).
Generic "hotel bar" dark wood finish throughout the design that wipes away any trace of the Eldridge as a unique property in a unique town.
Fortunately, management has thrown a couple bones in the form of having live music at least every week and desirable drink specials. But the place is just trying to be something it's not. It's supposed to be the kind of place that suburbanites come to feel they are experiencing "downtown" culture. It's really a new pseudo-sports bar with below average service that lacks any authenticity or character. Â
You WILL find an interesting mix of people in this. It ranges from local celebs to hotel guests to middle-aged townie drunks to college kids. A selling point is the unique mix of people-- which also existing before the reno.
The conversation about the Jaywalker, which is almost decent, cannot be had without a reference to the renovation/destruction of the existing property. They had a very interesting and unique bar, which was replaced with a boring, but servicable bar.
I held my birthday cocktail hour here. Â They have a fabulous selection of martinis. Â I like them sweet and sour so I tend towards the Lemon Drop and the Glamour. Â
For dinner, get the goat cheese encrusted scallops. Â Wow. Â So outstanding.
Unexpectedly for the name, this place is much more chic than a sports bar. Â I was wearing a short dress and boots, and didn't feel overdressed at all. Â This is one of the nicest places in Lawrence to get drinks, so do it up, kids!
The Jayhawker is a nicer bar than most Lawrence bars. I have some great memories from the old pre-renovated Jayhawker. Not sure if she's still around but I remember distinctly this one old lady who would come in for a martini pretty much every day around 1 pm.
It's lost some of the old charm but they kept the attention to detail in their drinks! There aren't many, if any, bars in the area with such a good martini selection. So they had a renovation - that doesn't mean they are owned by some big corporation. Still a local business, just more updated.
For the graduation celebration dinner, our reservation was for TEN but were seated in the Jayhawker area. Â I realize standards are lower during the madhouse rush of graduation weekend but I don't think that's a good enough excuse at an establishment that is supposed to be higher level. Â My scallops were not remotely fresh, very fishy tasting. Â Yes, I am in Kansas but I've had better in the area. Â
The fruit and cheese plate was good and plenty for all four of so it was a good thing I filled up on that. Â Tasty blue cheese. Â
Dessert was ridiculous; we ordered creme brulee that ended up tasting entirely just like salty butter, however, creme brulee shouldn't even have butter in it. Â I'd suggest the cook go to <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Ffoodtv.com&s=287626687bdd6167d761f0c79a5417b90173fd7ab9fa4e1e455da3f1666e6b25" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://foodtv.com</a> and search up a recipe. Â For their benefit the ingredients should look like more of the following: heavy cream, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla extract, light brown sugar, NOT simply 2 sticks of salty butter in a ramekin.
A land of contradictions. Â ESPN on TV, downtempo music over the speakers. Â Dark and intimate yet noisy. Â They get points from me just for serving my favorite beer (Blue Moon), which is hard to find at bars in town.
Private tables in the corner and along the walls, less private tables next to those, and the bar, where everyone can see and hear you. Â In that way, the Jayhawker can be what you make it. Â If fills up sometimes on weekends because it's part of the Eldridge hotel and attracts event/reception guests. Â Otherwise, it's a laid-back place and home to some of my favorite memories.
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