UPDATE: A year after opening, Jackson’s remains the soul of the square, always -crowded and always-solid. I rarely return to a restaurant twice (there are just too many I haven’t tried), but this is a spot I take friends and family frequently when I’m “off duty” and want a great meal at a reasonable price.
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Occupying the critical hub spot at Fourth and Davis (left so long empty after the departure of Mixx), Jackson’s Bar and Oven flickered to life in 2009, casting its warm glow throughout the neighborhood like an Edward Hopper painting.
And with it, the soul of Railroad Square was renewed.
Jackson’s Bar & Oven is the second eatery for Chef Josh Silvers, who heads the 10-year-old Syrah Bistro just a block away. Personality-wise, the restaurants share Josh’s sense of playfulness and unpretentious way with food.
But while Syrah will remain Silvers’ higher-end showcase for Wine Country cuisine, Jackson’s is a more casual, family-friendly spot focused on dishes from the kitchen’s wood-fired oven.
In other words, everyday food like chili, hot wings, pizza and hot dogs — but with a chef’s touch.
Get a ring-side seat to the action at the back pizza bar, where things stay plenty warm when you’re within arm’s reach of the 600-plus degree oven.
Top bites: Start with house-made focaccia with green olive tapenade ($3.50) and Josh’s hot oysters with hazelnut butter ($3 each). A fry-fanatic, Josh’s fresh fried potatoes (chili, garlic or paprika) require liberal dipping in cilantro, lemon/thyme or sherry-cayenne aoili ($6).
Roasted mussels with fennel, garlic, onion and beer come piled high and steaming from the oven with a luxuriously briny liquor that bring a tear to the eye and are well-priced at $11.
Cool off with a specialty cocktail from the bar (where you can also grab a bite), including the Ginger Not Mary Ann ($9) made with Charbay Meyer Lemon, galangal, lemon grass syrup, fresh lemon and soda. The menu also includes plenty of artisan beers, wines by the glass and lots of local Sonoma wines by the bottle.
Pizzas range from simple margherita ($14) to proscuitto with mascarpone, pear and arugula ($15), mixed mushroom with truffle oil, daily specials and even a gluten-free version. And while impressive, they’ll need a little more time to nail the cracker-crisp crust I’m so fond of at Rosso and PizzaVino707. Which in my mind just means I’ll have to keep testing them…frequently.
For bigger appetites, there are entrees like grilled hanger steak ($19), roasted chicken, pork chops with grits and pan-seared sea bass. Since the restaurant will be open daily for lunch and dinner, Josh also has a selection of sandwiches (Rueben, burgers, hot dog with house-made chips), salads and soups.
Desserts rotate frequently, but the menu-winner are seasonal beignets — crispy fritters of dough with dunking sauces of caramel, chocolate, pumpkin, raspberry or whatever’s of the moment.
Silvers plans to keep the restaurant open from 11am to 10pm daily, with a special late-night menu at the bar and brunch on the weekends.
Welcome to the neighborhood.
Jackson’s Bar & Oven, 135 Fourth Street, Santa Rosa, 707-545-6900.
Our second visit this week-end for my husband’s birthday. Was told by phone they do NOT take reservations no matter how large the party but suggested I call before arriving. They were very accommodating and held a table for 15 minutes while I rushed down, hair still damp. I enjoy the space but find it very loud, making anything but “Huh” conversation difficult. The service was attentive and inconspicuous. I must admit to a small disappointment over our first visit. Food was OK, but not memorable, even the oven fired pizzas. We enjoyed the colorful sidewalk folks walking back and forth but tired of trying to hear each other while leaning over our plates. Good for a party of two, not so good for more folks than that hoping to converse. Loved the home-made chips with my chicken sandwich.
Glad i found this site.Added “Jackson’s Bar & Oven: The Soul of Railroad Square | BiteClub Eats” to my bookmark!
I gots me two litttle things to say about Jacksons, and should mention now how I had a good experience all in all.
Come on now guys, the whole hot dog thing is cool but do it right if you are going to do it at all. The hot dog buns are just two sides of a stretched out kaiser roll and if they aren’t hinged they don’t make a bun. It’s a hot dog sandwich and it’s impossible to eat.
The pours appear to be measured at the bar and that means one of three things. The management doesn’t trust their bartenders to not have heavy hands, they know they hired people that need measuring cups to make a cocktail, or they are trying to appear precise and special and have an excuse for a five minute drink. Whatever reason they have it just looks silly, takes extra time and doesn’t make anyone think that the bar people know what they;re doing.
The pizza is overpriced but pretty yummy.
My experience at Jackson’s was unbelievable. The service was exceptional, the food delicious, and the drinks enough to let me drive home. The food alone would have made the dinner great (had focaccia bread, Samm’s cup, cinnamon-peach loose tea, mixed green salad, penne pasta, and late harvest chardonnay– all perfect), but the enthusiasm and charm of the waiter made the night extra special. That extra touch was the cherry-on-top to a perfect evening.
One thing to note, I hate olives. YET, I LOVE their olive condiment that comes with the focaccia bread. It was cut with mint and worked wonderfully with the bread.
Very good experience. Will definitely go back.
We went to Jackson’s the first night it opened, as were eagerly anticipating this new restaurant of the Silvers. Wow, what a beautiful space! We sat at the bar, and noticed everyone was trying to do all the right things. Service was wonderful, considering it was opening night. We were asked by both Samantha (?) and the male bartender how we liked our dishes and welcomed comments. So, I did say we both thought the garlic fries were overly garlicked, and other than the top 5 or 6 fries, soggy. My neighbor and his wife thought the exact same thing w/ theirs. The cone keeps it hot, but steamy as well. Cute presentation, unfortunately not good for those who like their fresh fries crisp. I know, a minor thing, but I would want to hear this kind of feedback if it were my restaurant. We ordered the “Little Girl” pizza. Nice flavors, kind of on the limp side though. We asked if they could cook it a little more. Which they happily did. Agree with Heather, and her comments that it doesn’t measure up to Rosso’s….yet. I know Josh had mentioned to us that you would be imploring the “Neopolitan” method to the pizzas, so we really look forward to them getting the technique down. We are going back TONIGHT to try some other items, like the mussels and foccacia.
Keep up the good work, Josh and Regina, the place looks amazing, and most :)everyone is thrilled you have opened!
On behalf of myself, my husband and every restauranteur we know (if I may be so bold), THANK YOU.
While I have been reading these regularly because Jackson’s is new, we do not normally read them everyday. We would much prefer someone tell us directly of any problem, so we have the opportunity to make it better before they leave. We always want people to leave happy and we work hard to try to do so with everyone. So, you are absolutely correct and thank you for saying so. Happy Holidays.
Not sure why anyone would presume to know where we shop for everything, but since you have please allow me to correct you. They are Miller hot dogs which we buy from Santa Rosa Meat & Poultry. They are served with housemade pickles which we use to make homemade relish & house made mustard.
With that said, please do keep in mind, we have been open for only 2 weeks. We are improving everyday as we see what works and what doesn’t. We have spent over a half million dollars making the restaurant beautiful and continue to spend thousands of dollars providing training and a good job to over 45 people. I won’t go into the overhead of a restaurant here but it suffices to say, you are not just paying for a hot dog and a bun. There are other places that will be happy to serve you a hot dog on a paper plate, in a corporate environment, with French’s mustard for less money — if that is what you are looking for.
Sorry, my last post is really negative and mean sounding. I would love to be able to take it back. Again, sorry for sounding like such an ass.
Including tax, $17 for a 6 ounce bacon cheeseburger and fries on day old bread? Meat from Golden Gate Meat Co. at $1.99 a pound and calling it local grass fed (according to waitress)? That was my experience and I haven’t gotten to the limp individual sized $17 pizza yet. I’m looking and begging for an excuse to find value here and still come up empty. Sorry…just calling it like I see it and not happy that I just wasted good calories and money on that limp pizza and mealy mouthed burger.
Including tax, $17 for a 6 ounce bacon cheeseburger and fries on day old bread? Meat from Golden Gate Meat Co. at $1.99 a pound and calling it local grass fed (according to waitress)? That was my experience and I haven’t gotten to the limp individual sized $17 pizza yet. I’m looking and begging for an excuse to find value here and still come up empty. Sorry…just calling it like I see it and not happy that I just wasted good calories and money on that limp pizza and mealy mouthed burger.
Over priced cocktails (if you can even call them cocktails, as I have serious doubts that there was any alcohol at all in my Ginger Not Mary Ann) and slow, albeit friendly, service made for a lengthy, expensive, mostly unsatisfying evening. The food was flavorful, if not plentiful – but I will, most likely, not be returning to Jackson’s anytime soon.
Over priced cocktails (if you can even call them cocktails, as I have serious doubts that there was any alcohol at all in my Ginger Not Mary Ann) and slow, albeit friendly, service made for a lengthy, expensive, mostly unsatisfying evening. The food was flavorful, if not plentiful – but I will, most likely, not be returning to Jackson’s anytime soon.
I went to Jackson’s last night with my best friend after Christmas shopping. The place was bustling, which was inviting. We were seated immediately, but up in their loft at a table for 2 overlooking the length of the restaurant–great people watching location!.
The atmosphere and decor is warm and wonderful. The ginger-not-mary-ann cocktail was good, but was in a small glass and was a little weak. After 2 of them we felt as though we’d been drinking soda rather than a pricey little cocktail and wished we’d stuck to our usual glass of red or a martini.
The big bowl of mussels was very good, but could have contained more mussels and perhaps a second piece of that yummy focassia bread in order to satisfy me. Good broth, though!
My friend–always a sucker for a good reuben–had the reuben. She liked it, but found it to be a little too cheesy. She loved the homemade chips and the pickles.
My friend–also a sucker for a cute waiter–liked the cute winking waiter, which almost made up for the slow service–perhaps just kinks that will be worked out as this place gets into it’s goove?
Overall, I found the prices to be good as nothing on the menu was over $20 and I’ll go back and try the pizza because it looked so so good, but our bill was more than $60 for our soda-like cocktails and 2 dishes and we didn’t leave completely satisfied. Again, new restaurant, workin’ out the kinks so I’m hoping to leave completely satisfied next time.
Oh–about the caesar: Didn’t have one, but saw a few fly by. Not a fan of having to cut my lettuce leaves before eating my salad, but to each his own, yes?
Regina, good luck to you as you all get up & running, and thanks for WANTING the feeback. Also, I loved the little tile with Jackson’s handprint that’s been added into the tiles on the kitchen wall!
I went to Jackson’s last night with my best friend after Christmas shopping. The place was bustling, which was inviting. We were seated immediately, but up in their loft at a table for 2 overlooking the length of the restaurant–great people watching location!.
The atmosphere and decor is warm and wonderful. The ginger-not-mary-ann cocktail was good, but was in a small glass and was a little weak. After 2 of them we felt as though we’d been drinking soda rather than a pricey little cocktail and wished we’d stuck to our usual glass of red or a martini.
The big bowl of mussels was very good, but could have contained more mussels and perhaps a second piece of that yummy focassia bread in order to satisfy me. Good broth, though!
My friend–always a sucker for a good reuben–had the reuben. She liked it, but found it to be a little too cheesy. She loved the homemade chips and the pickles.
My friend–also a sucker for a cute waiter–liked the cute winking waiter, which almost made up for the slow service–perhaps just kinks that will be worked out as this place gets into it’s goove?
Overall, I found the prices to be good as nothing on the menu was over $20 and I’ll go back and try the pizza because it looked so so good, but our bill was more than $60 for our soda-like cocktails and 2 dishes and we didn’t leave completely satisfied. Again, new restaurant, workin’ out the kinks so I’m hoping to leave completely satisfied next time.
Oh–about the caesar: Didn’t have one, but saw a few fly by. Not a fan of having to cut my lettuce leaves before eating my salad, but to each his own, yes?
Regina, good luck to you as you all get up & running, and thanks for WANTING the feeback. Also, I loved the little tile with Jackson’s handprint that’s been added into the tiles on the kitchen wall!
I have yet to eat at this restaurant, but from the outside it looks very inviting and the menu looks tasty! Have heard great things about the pizzas.
For those that did not enjoy the food, I strongly suggest you tell your server. For example, if you didn’t enjoy the “mushy” caesar, tell them, this way the chef can make it better. It’s a new restaurant so trial and error is bound to happen. If you don’t say anything to the source yet complain to everyone else, you’re not giving them a chance to make it better. On that same note, I saw a few comments on service, which they preferred to be faster. Once again, it is a new restaurant so please be patient, however if you find this to be consistent, let them know… they can’t make it better if you don’t tell them.
This goes for any restaurant.
I have yet to eat at this restaurant, but from the outside it looks very inviting and the menu looks tasty! Have heard great things about the pizzas.
For those that did not enjoy the food, I strongly suggest you tell your server. For example, if you didn’t enjoy the “mushy” caesar, tell them, this way the chef can make it better. It’s a new restaurant so trial and error is bound to happen. If you don’t say anything to the source yet complain to everyone else, you’re not giving chef a chance to make it better.
This goes for any restaurant.
I have yet to eat at this restaurant, but from the outside it looks very inviting and the menu looks tasty! Have heard great things about the pizzas.
For those that did not enjoy the food, I strongly suggest you tell your server. For example, if you didn’t enjoy the “mushy” caesar, tell them, this way the chef can make it better. It’s a new restaurant so trial and error is bound to happen. If you don’t say anything to the source yet complain to everyone else, you’re not giving chef a chance to make it better.
This goes for any restaurant.
Showed up Sat night to check out the place for the 1st time. My company and I ordered a glass of wine and jameson on the rocks. It took 10 minutes for them to return and let me know that they were out of jameson and would bushmills work? 10 minutes for that!? Then I ordered a hot brandy, which came to $8! I can’t remember the last time I paid more than $4 for a hot brandy. I’m having a hard time figuring out what about this bar and oven is any less expensive, casual, and less pretentious than Syrah!
Showed up Sat night to check out the place for the 1st time. My company and I ordered a glass of wine and jameson on the rocks. It took 10 minutes for them to return and let me know that they were out of jameson and would bushmills work? 10 minutes for that!? Then I ordered a hot brandy, which came to $8! I can’t remember the last time I paid more than $4 for a hot brandy. I’m having a hard time figuring out what about this bar and oven is any less expensive, casual, and less pretentious than Syrah!
Showed up Sat night to check out the place for the 1st time. My company and I ordered a glass of wine and jameson on the rocks. It took 10 minutes for them to return and let me know that they were out of jameson and would bushmills work? 10 minutes for that!? Then I ordered a hot brandy, which came to $8! I can’t remember the last time I paid more than $4 for a hot brandy. I’m having a hard time figuring out what about this bar and oven is any less expensive, casual, and less pretentious than Syrah!
Had a great time Friday night with a friend~
Good drinks, wine by the glass, split a salad and pizza~
Friendly waitress and the place was filled!
Nice job Regina and Josh~
See you soon,
Sheana
My wife and I have been to Jackson’s a couple of times since they opened. We love it. The food and service have been superb each time. For a being open less than 2 weeks, they really know what they are doing. The prices are incredibly fair for what you get. When was the last time you were at a chef driven restaurant in Sonoma County and nothing on the menu was over $19? Congrats to an awesome job by Josh, Regina and staff of Jackson’s!
I have to say I was so excited for this restaurant to open. My husband and I went there for lunch on Sunday, I ordered the Caesar salad and it was the worst salad I’ve ever eaten. The croutons were mushy, the dressing had no flavor. I couldn’t eat it. My husband got the burger and it was great along with the fries… I heard from two other people the same thing about the Caesar. So now I have my reservations about this place because how hard is it to make a decent salad? Especially at $9???
We went there yesterday for lunch, were promptly greeted and offered the only remaining 2 seats, a high table by the front window which ended up working out just fine. Server was prompt, we went with tap water and an iced tea. I never understand why servers feel the need to “sigh” when one does not want to pay $8.00 for a bottle of water, whether it be for the price or that maybe one just does not enjoy sparkling water with a meal? I hoped that with all of the beautiful rennovations that the tap water would be ok, and it was. The iced tea was delivered without offering any sweetener. I ordered the Bacon-wrapped Hot Dog with house made chips and added cheddar cheese, THAT’S AN $11.00 HOT DOG FOLKS! She had the Caesar Salad and added Chicken, THAT’S A $15.00 CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD FOLKS! The food arrived and then we had to ask the busperson for napkins as there were none. The Hot Dog bun, (supposedly homemade?) was hard and unedible so I just rolled the $11.00 bacon wrapped Hot Dog off the bun and ate it with a knife & fork. Oh yeah, and after searching I found the $2.00 worth of cheddar cheese, LOL! The condiments however were a nice touch, relish puree, ketchup, and a very nice mustard. The Caesar salad was pretty good but the chicken looked and was dry. So $30.00 before tax & tip? Hmmmm . . . a “more casual, family-friendly spot” with “everyday food like chili, hot wings, pizza and hot dogs — but with a chef’s touch”, maybe a few years ago, but I expect just a bit more bang for my dining dollar in today’s economy. Maybe after bit of a ramp up the food will shine as bright as the BEAUTIFUL rennovations! Great location & great atmosphere!
“The worst though was when some slacker with a his sideways baseball cap came out of the kitchen, placed his sorry ass near the bar and starting texing and drinking a glass of water while sitting right next to a shocked older couple. He looked as if he was on parole–old folks were bummed.”
“SLACKER”?? “SORRY ASS”??
Wow. Sucks to be you.
Thank you and yes, I am working on it. I hope to have the menu up next week and the full website shortly thereafter. I apologize for the delay. We didn’t expect to be so busy so fast. Please understand this is our FIRST week open — bare with us folks — it will only get better. (-;
Beautiful restaurant, terrible service. I went on Sunday night for dinner with my husband and son. I had high expectations I had just read a great review in the press about Jackson’s. The service was horrible we came in at about 6:00 they were very busy we were told it would be 20 minutes for a table no problem so we went and sat at the bar for a drink it took 10 before we were even acknowledge .The drinks we order were very good. Our table was ready in 15 min and then the problems started it took forever before our order was taken .We placed our order and waited and waited and waited not once did our server come by to see how we were doing or to explain the long wait that was 45 minutes after we were seated ! When we asked about our appetizers we were told that they would be coming out soon. I was served my salad before my appetizer and ahead of every one else. Then everything came out at the same time by the time we were ready for our main dishes they were cold .All and all the food was ok it is hard to enjoy your dinner with finished dishes littering you table
Beautiful restaurant, terrible service. I went on Sunday night for dinner with my husband and son. I had high expectations I had just read a great review in the press about Jackson’s. The service was horrible we came in at about 6:00 they were very busy we were told it would be 20 minutes for a table no problem so we went and sat at the bar for a drink it took 10 before we were even acknowledge .The drinks we order were very good. Our table was ready in 15 min and then the problems started it took forever before our order was taken .We placed our order and waited and waited and waited not once did our server come by to see how we were doing or to explain the long wait. When we asked about our appetizers we were told that they would be coming out soon. I was served my salad before my appetizer and ahead of every one else. Then everything came out at the same time by the time we were ready for our main dishes they were cold .All and all the food was ok it is hard to enjoy your dinner with finished dishes littering you table
My husband and I just stopped by for a drink before dinner. I asked for a martini with blue cheese olives; they didn’t have blue cheese olives, but they have blue cheese and olives … the bartender had the kitchen make them for me!!! I have had many restaurants not make the gesture; definately worth a trip back. The food going by us as we sat at the bar look delicious. Can’t wait to return for tapas.
Had brunch this Sat morning. I ordered eggs benedict with spinach instead of ham, and my husband ordered corned beef hash. Both were absolutely delicious. I like how they serve the Benedict on texas toast…different and it worked. Coffee was great. The waiter was very attentive and friendly, he had a sweet smile and seemed like he was enjoying working there. We’ll definitely be back.
If you’re listening Jackson’s, getting your menu online would be helpful. Also, I agree with the previous poster. You definitely have some staff in the BOH that shouldn’t be allowed to make an appearance FOH. Off-putting.
Food was great. Our server was great but other staff were confused (we got 5 sets of flatware in between dishes even though the flatware had already been changed and was clean).
The kitchen door is right next to the restrooms (bad idea) and near the dining area. Come out of the restroom and get your ass run over by the dishwasher.
We got to watch a number of kitchen staff walk through the dining room and open the door next to diners (letting in freezing air) to go outside for their smokie break (shouldn’t there be a back door in the kitchen for smokie time)?
The worst though was when some slacker with a his sideways baseball cap came out of the kitchen, placed his sorry ass near the bar and starting texing and drinking a glass of water while sitting right next to a shocked older couple. He looked as if he was on parole–old folks were bummed.
They are going to need to work out these details. Details aren’t just details and most people won’t speak up about these types of problems……they simply don’t come back.
Guests come first slackers.
Jackson’s Bar & Oven takes reservations for parties of 6 or more. Our phone number is 545-6900 and the website will be jacksonsbarandoven.com (currently under construction). Thank you for thinking of us for your event.
PS. The manager’s name is Laura.
Yes, we read BiteClub and monitor what people are saying online because we really want to know and we care. So again thank you.
Jackson’s Bar and Oven 545-6900 Reservation are taken for parties of six or more. Would love to see you.
(707) 545-6900
Re: vegetarian dinning. I know they offer a gluten free pizza. That’s pretty awesome! They also have a vegetarian pizza on the menu along with a wood fired mac n’ cheese. There are a nice couple of salads without meat as well. A vegan diet here could be a tad limited … but there really are some nice veggie options. Re: the pizza crust. A lot of places are doing the “cracker thin” style now. While those are great, folks should not expect those at every new place that opens up. I for one found the pizza dough to be full of flavor. Not too thick nor too thin. JMO.
Would like to take a group Saturday… have a phone number for reservations?
Went for lunch Tuesday. WOW amazed at the transformation of the place. Awesome. Sat at the pizza bar to watch the action.
I have to agree w/ Heather on the crust. They roll it out w/ a rolling pin which seems to make the edge too thick. Also not crisp enough and a little doughy. Maybe hand throwing plus practice with oven timing will make a difference.
Our server was very friendly. Had the hot dog on the homemade bun. Perfect. Loved it. They also have one wrapped in bacon.
I will be back. Congrats!!!
Couldn’t wait to try it since Syrah is a well-liked place. The visuals were outstanding. What a beauty! The disappointment came when the vegetarian I was with couldn’t get a lunch. The server laughed and tossed it off as being a meat-centric place. Most restaurants offer to do something for non meat-eaters! On the positive side were excellent fries and the Beef-Bacon Black Bean Chili was the best chili ever!
Yeah. I think I held on a little too long on re-read. Overlook all my pompous windbagging (i get that way sometimes) and get to the food. Seriously. The mussels are making my mouth water right now. MMMMM.
Mmmm… sounds awfully good. The mussels alone would be enough to get me there. Also sounds like it was written by a pyromaniac, or at least somebody who is a dog chomping on a bone once she gets her teeth clamped onto a metaphor.
I was there Friday night and sampled quite a few delish items! Oysters,Garlic Fries,a great Caesar,Clam Chowder…They have hands down the BEST prawn cocktail I have ever had. SERIOUS. You have to try it! For dessert, the Brownie Sundae was great.(in-house made ice cream too)The thing that had me grinning from ear to ear for several hours afterwards was the “Nutella Pizza”. I am at a loss for words on this one. It was THAT good! CONGRATS TO JOSH AND REGINA! Job well done!
Well, this sounds good. I was waiting for this place to open as the description sounded great and I have always enjoyed Syrah. That location needed to be alive again, too. Besides, it’s a nice, short walk from my house! Being a walkable distance from my house is usually the single most important factor for me in making the list of places to eat.
I cannot wait to go~
Looks beautiful and sounds extra delicious~!
Changed to “burgers”….though I’ll mention the former to Josh.
What’s this? A “buger”? Did I sleep through a new phase in haute cuisine?
“Josh also has a selection of sandwiches (Rueben, bugers, hot dog with house-made chips), salads and soups.”