Went for Sunday brunch. Place was busy but not too busy so we were seated promptly and the order was taken at a reasonable time. Food came out quickly and we enjoyed our meal. Mine was a taco thing that I forgot what the name was and my gf got the chicken and eggs. we also ordered a side of hash brown. The reason for 4 instead of 5 was due to a mistake on the server. She charged the wrong table for my card so they had to go back and fix it. Other than that it was good.

I recommend you try their 1/2 chicken dish with asparagus! It was amazing, very well cooked and seasoned! No, I didn’t finish it all. My boyfriend also enjoyed his steak. However, our drinks weren’t very enjoyable. In fact, his Sex On The Beach was more like Sex On The Backseat - a completely different drink. Our server Wyatt did a fine job at waiting nonetheless, very attentive and was fairly cheerful. 😊

Overall, a “just fine” and very bland experience. They have a very limited menu and clearly put more emphasis on their cocktails than their food as the cocktail options take up half the menu. We ordered the poutine, burger, and the chicken sandwich with side salads. Both were okay tasting but I wouldn’t say they were GOOD. They were desperately lacking in flavor. The “pickles” on the chicken sandwich were just diced cucumbers. While the chicken breast was very juicy and cooked well, the whole thing tasted like nothing and definitely needed seasoning. Their house dressing which is similar to a ranch didnt have much flavor either and the salads were soggy and sopping with dressing. Definitely ask for the dressing on the side and pour it on yourself if you don’t want a soggy wilty mess. The outdoor seating ambiance was nice with the lights but the seats were TERRIBLE and left deep impressions on the backs of my legs that lasted for at least an hour after leaving the restaurant.NOTE: Required to show proof of covid-19 vaccination in order to dine, even dining outside.

My second visit here was only for a light bite to eat and a refreshing drink. I ordered the smoke on the water (I believe that’s what it’s called) and I was surprised at how well they’re able to capture the name of the drink. It is exactly how it’s described and it’s slightly sweet. I also had the duck wings appetizer and the sauce was amazing! The wings were so good; I highly recommend them.

Good food in a nice atmosphere. Very modern decor and a limited menu where all the food items are done well. We tried several of the different cocktails as well as two appetizers and 4 different dishes. The favorites of rhe table were the poutine, fritters, and the double cheese burger. We will for sure be back to try brunch or even dinner again.

Nice place with a great outdoor patio with lots of seating and space. Food was great, especially the hush puppies. Service was quick and pleasant.

Located in the heart of downtown Durham and beside the Unscripted Hotel, Jack Tar has a relaxed clean environment with a friendly staff. The outdoor seating puts you in the ambience of the Bull City.

Five stars for the fried chickenOne star for the forced 20% tip on mediocre serviceNo problem with paying a good tip because service workers already work hard enough. But unapologetically forcing a 20% tip (on a brunch table of 4) after a very rushed and somewhat abrasive service just left us a bad taste (there was no line, nor was the restaurant closing). Thankfully, the friend chicken was very good, may stick to takeout next time.Time of visit: 10.31.21 Brunch

We got the Migas and tofu breakfast burrito. The chips under the migas were so soggy with salsa and it was very bland. They definitely try to dump enough salsa on it so you can’t taste how bland it really is. I couldn’t even finish it. My friend said the tofu burrito was just okay, lacked flavor.Also, as a vaccinated person I think it’s absurd and ridiculous they require you to show your proof of vaccination in order to get in. Medical records are still private under HIPPA. Not to mention the staff has no clue what they are even looking at (bc they aren’t health care professionals) so what is the point? They weren’t cross checking it with IDs. They glanced at the proof for 1 millisecond. I don’t know why any restaurant would put this burden on their staff to deal with. They even have outside seating and you still need to show proof of vaccination.

Was turned away for not have my vaccine card on my person. No option to sit in or outside of the restaurant. This rule is not inclusive of all people for many reasons. Regardless, they should make that rule very clear on their website.

Service here was phenomenal! And love to see vegan options at brunch. The hand cut fries were delicious & location is beautiful; everything youd expect from eating in downtown Durham.

This place is fantastic. Excellent service and the food is super delicious! If youre in the Durham area, this place is a must stop!

Our server was excellent! Crullers were delicious. I got fish and grits which was cooked perfectly but slightly under seasoned. Overall a good experience. I appreciate that they are checking vaccination cards for entry.

Great spot for a quick breakfast in downtown Durham. Made a takeout order of fish and grits. I havent tried fried catfish with grits before, but I liked the combination. The grits were not too thick and there was perfect amount of cheese in it. The catfish were a bit on the salty side, but they were nice and tender.

I absolutely loved the food here, the crullers are an excellent starter, extremely crispy with a light and very buttery interior. I chose their chicken biscuit sandwich with gravy and egg, which I wish they asked how I liked them.. the biscuits are rich yet light, and the chicken was perfect. The only problem is that they were very busy so service was slow. Youll need to order right away if you come in at brunch hour.

Food was decent. I like the farm to table menu and drinks were good. Menu prices were pretty high.

This brunch was the stuff of legends. Excellent and unexpected food, great and creative beverages, all in a fantastic location.I grabbed the mother and daughter reunion and it was the best biscuits and gravy based meal Ive ever had. The biscuits were chewy and crunchy, the gravy was perfect consistency, and the chicken was melt-in-your-mouth delicious.My wife ordered the pambazzo, which was one of the best vegetarian dishes Ive had the pleasure of tasting. That alone will bring us back next time were in town.This is a must-stop for anyone visiting Durham.

We went to this place accidentally, but feel in love with it from the moment we stepped in. The open kitchen and modern decor, combined with warm staff was all very welcoming. We meant to stop for a drink n snack but ended up having our meal here. The honeysuckle cocktail was light and refreshing. The pimento cheese and crackers was one of the best Ive tasted. Ive never seen a fried smelt fish on the menu anywhere else. It was unique and delicious. The tomato soup n homemade croutons were hearty. Finally, the shrimp banh mi sealed the deal. It was a great sandwich. We had a lovely time and will come back for more, as they had some very interesting items on their menu.

I wished the poutine was not drowning in strong Gravy. Service was excellent and loved that they require proof of vaccination to dine.

Baked Migas was delicious, fresh squeezed orange juice was amazing, and the malted milk cold brew was tasty.

The food was really good, but the manager Justin was very unprofessional. He started yelling and cursing at the cooks which made my dining experience unpleasant and uncomfortable.

There was water dripping from the ceiling at the table where the staff sat us. We asked to be moved. From that point on the service was terrible. Our waiter was impolite and not attentive. We were repeatedly ignored. Service was very slow. They brought out 2 of our 6 meals with no silverware, followed by the other 4 meals 5-10 minutes later, followed by silverware about 5 minutes afterwards. To top it off they automatically added a 20% tip. I wouldn’t recommend this place.

Best pancake I’ve ever had in my life. Y’all, I cook delicious pancakes and I choose Jack Tar’s over mine EVERY TIME!Every dish we had was delicious. My daughter loved her burger and she is as picky an eater as they come.The poutine was scrumptious.The staff was wonderful, accommodating and nice.Go here!

Always tasty with lovely service. The location is central downtown so its better to park a block away and walk. The interior is modern but down to earth with a very comfortable vibe. Kids love watching the OJ machine squeeze oranges when someone orders a glass.

It was the most expensive breakfast Ive ever had. We had pancakes, bacon, eggs, fried chicken with eggs and 2 glasses of orange juice. It was $75 including tip. The taste was ok but not good enough to even finish the whole meal.

We felt they discriminated against our underlying health issues and personal life. We have proof we were negative of Covid with in the last 72 hours. Still was not allowed in to eat with out a drs note proving our underlying health issues. Our health and underlying issues is our business just like their employees health issues are their business. It is a HIPPA violation to be made to show what our underlying health issues are. The negative test should be enough to enter a restaurant.

Oh my goodness this is a tasty treasure awaiting discovery. Everything looked so good coming out of the kitchen we bought smorgasbord and loved every piece of it. Outstanding service too, but most importantly the food is epic.

Really good upscale diner type place. Serves breakfast all day and it is very good. Gas a few soups, sandwich, salad and plate options. Limited menu but they do it all very well and offers enough choices. Small spot and can get busy, but way it is designed makes it feel spacious and high ceilings help as well. Outside seating as well. Kitchen is open and located right behind counter seating. Little pricey if you are just expecting a diner, but it is higher end and also in downtown Durham. Nice spot.

Food was amazing and large servings. Waiter was really good. Only problem was it took a very long time to get food and people who sat well after us got app way before us.

Stop in for breakfast on a Saturday morning. It was pretty busy, but the wait wasnt too bad.The decor had a retro theme, with a modern feel.We shared the breakfast sandwich and a slice of coffee cake. Everything was delicious. Well have to stop back by for lunch or dinner.

Jack Tar is one of those sneaky Durham restaurants that you have to know when to visit. The first few times we went were late night ventures, and I think this is one of the times that Jack Tar shines. Go out drinking in Durham and stagger in to Jack Tar for some drunk person food (pro-tip, the poutine is perfect for this). Weve also gone for dessert after dinner downtown, and again -- it shines here. Theres not loads of people, you can grab seats at the counter no problem.We have tried to pop in for lunch and been overwhelmed at how many people are in the restaurant. So, like with many places in Durham, you just have to be smart about when you visit. But when you do visit, you will not be dissapointed.

Update: on two recent weekday visits the restaurant only had one server on opening. It slowed down service a lot. On the second visit another person helped by delivering dishes, but even so the service was slow.Just had breakfast here. Nice option near the hotels. The pancakes are delicious but heavy! 😋 The syrup was really good! The bacon is nice and thick. Good hash browns too. The coffee is just OK. There was more toast than I could eat. We were there on a Saturday morning and the place was quickly bustling.

Good fresh food and the service is amazing. Our server made great recommendations. Prices are on par for fresh makes quality ingredients.

Wonderful service and food! We live in Raleigh and drove over to Durham just to get out of the house for lunch. Worth it!

Incredible brunch with lots of options. You are sure to find something everyone will enjoy! Would definitely make this a regular brunch spot if I lived in the area!

If you are contemplating between take-out it dine in, I would say dine-in. The staff is super friendly and ambience is just nice to have those hush conversations to loud cheer. We loved their BanhMi(Shrimp) - it felt so fresh and wholesome. Their selection of beers are just nice. The fried smelt fish was a slight dissapointment because we expected to be a bit more crispier. Pimento cheese was yummy but not as spicy as I anticipated. I would have stuck to 4 starts but the staff were way too nice and that made it a nice experience.

I’ll cut to the chase and say the most impressive part of our experience at jack tar was the impeccable service by our server Madeline. she was thoughtful, efficient, kind, and anticipated all of our needs. we will certainly be back!

Great for rich white people (see for yourself) who like to eat outside of Durhams rich cultural heritage. Gentrification at it highest...and highest dollar.

This was one of my most interesting experiences in Durham in a good way. The menu had all kinds of unique items and I tried the chicken fried turkey sandwich. Never had anything like it anywhere else. Those green tomatoes on it were bursting with flavor and complimented the sandwich perfectly. Fries were perfect. Also some of the best sweet tea I’ve drank. I’m not disappointed with even one thing here except the flies stopped me from finishing those fries. (Had to eat outside because of my dog.)

Great restaurant, everything is made in house. Clockwork Orange is a delicious drink, and their dessert doughnuts are the best fresh homemade doughnuts Ive ever had! (Perfectly crunchy w a collapsing melt-in-your-mouth center)

I ordered the half baked chicken with asparagus and croutons. The cook that prepared that meal is a star. I am 65 years old and that was the best baked chicken that I have ever eaten in my life. The entire meal was seasoned to perfection. The chicken was so moist and tender. I highly recommend Jack Tar and cant wait to try a new dish.

Good food, limited variety but they are good at what they do. Service was good as well, prices from $11-$16 for most food. Delicious fresh squeezed OJ $5 a glass but hey, its fresh. I had chicken and egg dish, very good and daughter enjoyed tex mex omelette.

Different but very good breakfast. Crullers were excellent!

Looking for a brunch and decided to give this new place a shot. It was great. We ordered pancakes, an omelette, and biscuits and gravy with an egg on top. Oh yeah a bloody Mary and a screwdriver. What a great brunch.

This burger was cooked perfectly and made specifically to rob other places of the glory of ever being able to compete with it. Do yourself a favor, come here, take their recommendations, lather rinse repeat. #fawnfeasts on ig

I always see this place mentioned in blogs and other places online. I assumed it was probably really great food. Apparently its known for all day brunch? I probably should have gotten brunch. I ordered three dinners to go. I paid 54 dollars. All 3 were incredibly disappointing. The Cobb salad was nothing more than 2 lettuce wedges with bacon bits and cranberries. A small side of sliced turkey (seemed processed). A little scoop of blue cheese, undercooked boiled egg, and a tiny cup of unknown dressing. The Szechuan chicken looked like it was marinated and baked in something red and spicy. It was sitting in a pool of oil and came with a side of some kind of oily sauce that tasted terrible. The chicken sandwich was a boring little piece of chicken hiding in between dry white bread. These entrees were supposed to come with a side salad. That looked like a little bed of green garnish. It wasnt salad. The cup of Mac and cheese tasted okay, but it had a layer of oil on the bottom of the cup. Who uses oil in Mac and cheese? Such a disappointing experience. It seemed like a lot of money for questionable and unsatisfying food.

Located in a busy spot of downtown Durham with decor to make modernist soon. Alas the food is mediocre to good depending on the dish. from way too salty poutine to a good salted ham and grits.

Just Ok. Had to wait an hour for lunch and chose to have a drink. Bartender was kinda rude and short. Some of the food was so salty it wasnt tolerable and sent back. They did give us credit for the good we sent back. Will try again though.

This was our first time stopping in for brunch. The fried chicken sandwich, tomato soup, crullers and home made Ginger soda were great. My partners eggs hollandaise were excellent as well. Well be back.

I really liked this restaurant. I went around lunch time on a Saturday and was able to get a seat at the back bar immediately which is impressive. The ambience felt like an airy, breezes, brunch spot. I ordered the pancakes and the eggs your way because I was so overwhelmed with the menu I could not decide what to get. I kind of wanted to try the turducken sausage but went with eggs instead. The pancakes are huge, fluffy, and delicious. I think some of the best pancakes I’ve had if you like fluffy regular pancakes. You can add berries or chocolate chips but I got them plain. I also had some delicious eggs. I’m normally worried about the eggs at restaurants but these were great. I would definitely come back here for brunch, lunch or dinner.

Definitely had a dinner like atmosphere with twists on standard diner food. Service on a Saturday evening was very speedy. We were immediately sat and the server was by only a couple minutes later. Food came fairly quickly and we were not left looking for a server when we needed a refill on our drinks.

Hostess seemed angry and rude. Otherwise server and food were good.

I refuse to show my vaccine card just to eat some place Im spending my money...And not to mention is against the law to ask ... You all will be getting sued a lot, than you want have a business ...

I was very happy that this establishment is requiring vaccine cards for entry!

Tonight, not many customers and it’s a great cocktail! The ravioli was okay... nothing that I would complain about. I think It would be a different food preference next time. I will definitely try something else on the menu because it’s worth that!!!! Loved that I was offered another option by the staff.... kiddos !!

Great food, very slow service. If you have somewhere to be, choose a faster place.

Really amazing food! I got the shrimp burger and the poutine. First time having poutine and...wow. Our server Tiffany was super accommodating and kind! Just need more gluten free options, but Im totally coming back!

Great aesthetic and location for this restaurant, high care and craft with their food and drinks. Portions were small, but surprisingly filling. Prices are too high for what you’re getting, but it’s hard to blame them with the rent they have to be paying for the location.

Great location, good food. It’s not an amazing place but I don’t have any complaints, it’s like one of those food places you want to go for a Saturday brunch.

I got the vegan cheese steak which I felt was a bit overpriced it looked amazing but I m not a fan of mushrooms and it was heavy on the mushrooms. Nice spot and the staff were attentive and professional!

We had such a great experience here! I had the chilaquiles and they were fantastic. The place is clean and modern (with very comfortable booth cushions), the staff are pleasant, attentive, and knowledgeable, and the bathrooms are individual spaces with excellent privacy. The orange juice machine is fun to watch, and the orange juice is excellent! We will definitely be back =)

Quick brunch after a good run! I loved the ambience and especially the 2 egg meal I purchased with a side of sausage! For a brunch location, Their signature version of a Bloody Mary hit the spot! I can say that I will visit this place again in the future!

First time visiting. Food was superb, however service and attentiveness needs work. Menu is compressed and can be complicated if not explained by the staff. Luckily we had Google to figure out what a lot of the dishes were.

Waited 25minutes to be seated and an additional hour for our food. Bacon was salty, dont recommend the tex mex omelet. Wont be back😔

Great atmosphere...hash browns were great, though catfish was a little greasy. Very friendly and attentive service...will come back again

Did not like the fact I was charged a fair wage fee especially on a to-go order.

Another visit to Jack Tar, and again, it did not disappoint. Tried the catfish with grits and it was prepared well and delicious. Bloody Mary was just the right amount of kick. Service is attentive and servers are friendly. Great vibe!

I found the coffee extremely weak and bitter. And for $3 a cup of coffee...ouch! I had a ordered a cobb salad and when it arrived I didnt know I had to assemble it myself. But over all it was very tasty.

Cool downtown vibe. HUGE (and delicious) pancakes!

I have been there several times and it is delicious with interesting menu items and excellent customer service. The outdoor seating area in the center of Durham is lovely.

Simply a dream come true for the taste...

The wait to get your food is absolutely insane. It’s not even busy, the staff is just slow. Save your time. Eat elsewhere. Additionally the food came out cold.

The inside is open and covid safe. They make their own freshly squeezed orange juice. The double cheeseburger burger is juicy and delicious. The pancakes are bigger than your head and super fluffy. The mother and child breakfast is delicious with a lightly battered fried chicken, homemade biscuit and poblano cream gravy. Highly recommend everything on the menu. And they have a full bar!

Great food, bread/buns are amazing.

Good eats! All day breakfast and lunch.

Great venue, excellent wait staff, great food! Outdoor seating is just as lovely as indoor seating.

Perfect comfort food on a cold night. Beef cheek pot pie.

Went for a friends birthday. My husband an I split the salad and a burger. Both were phenomenal.

Just had the hot chicken with Mac and cheese, slaw, rolls and pickles. It was DELICIOUS! The chicken was moist and the sauce was flavorful and not too spicy. The pickles were a great compliment to the chicken. The slaw was a bit too salty for my taste, but the meal was a winner regardless.10/10, will eat here again.

The place is nice and the way they serve food is good too.

Amazing vegan cheesesteak and farro risotto!! Such creative and delicious dishes

Had breakfast here after a night at the Unscripted Hotel next door. They have a simple menu with basic breakfast dishes - all those we tried were very good. Service is fast a friendly and prices reasonable. The also have fresh squeezed orange juice, which is important to a lot of people.

Hippa violations. BEWARE!!!

The best coffee cake Ive ever had. Dishes were quite hipster (whynot call it salmon instead of gravlax) and delicious of course. Prices were high but the experience from sitting at the bar was excellent!

The Jack Tar is delicious. We started the meal off with some Poutine, the fries were done right and the gravy was the perfect topper. For the main course, I had the pastrami cheesesteak. This pastrami take is southern to the core, pastrami with a sweat cole slaw on top. The slaw was perfect in combination with the pastrami. This is a new Durham favorite.

We went for brunch, I ordered the Baked Migas and my friend ordered the Julia Childs Omelet. She found three long pieces of hair in her salad. I will not be coming back.

No wait for Sunday brunch! Possibly because food was just okay and service was just okay.

Amazing breakfast and kind staff!

I enjoy this place every time I go. Dinner, breakfast, drinks. Solid spot.

Great location at the heart of Downtown Durham. Breakfast all day menu.

Good food & ambience.

I have only been there for brunch numerous times, but dang! They serve up so good food packed with flavor, fresh ingredients, a plethora of savory to sweet treats and make some dynomite cocktails if youre looking for a boozy brunch spot, also the coffee is awesome. Ive had their eggs benedict, simple breakfast sandwich (which was dynomite) served up with their mouth watering hashbrowns, pancakes and the shrimp and grits BUT the made to order Crullers are AMAZING!!!! They are like little round light fried doughnuts coated and tossed in a sugary cinnamon mixture then placed ontop creamy mascarpone and fresh jam ......OUT OF THIS WORLD DELICIOUS!!! They are usually busy, so you might have to wait but I have never waited longer than 15 minutes, the bar is around the kitchen and it has a nice marble countertop with comfortable seating. The rest of the restaurant is open but sectioned with both and table seating. They also have outdoor seating for when the weather warms up. Its clean, nice bathrooms, high ceilings, modern, lots of large windows that let the light pour in and the staff had always been friendly and accommodating. Pictures are bad because my back camera cover broke that morning. But all in all this place is definately a place you will want to check out if youre in the area and looking for a great dining experience!

The breakfast is absolutely delicious and the location is wonderful. Definitely recommend.

Food not super good but drinks were good.

The food was great and overall experience was a pleasure, we would eat there again.

Nice atmosphere and super tasty food. ^-^

My wife and I love trying out new places around Durham. We’ve been wanting to check this place out, so we decided to grab brunch. The place was packed, so we sat at the bar. If we hadn’t, there was a long line of people waiting.The food was pretty fast. We shared an avocado toast, which was very tasty. We also had an order of freshly made crullers, which were covered in sugar and cinnamon, that came with raspberry and mascarpone cheese filling. These were yummy! However the fries weren’t quite successful. I wished we had ordered something different.I gave a four for a couple of reasons - the price and service. It was a little pricey and the service was pretty slow.

My wife and I couldn’t find anyplace to eat after a show we saw this Sunday March 8. We came in and were just going to have burgers but got really intrigued in the menu and I got the raviolis in brown butter sauce these were delightful and my wife had the squash dumpling and kale with mushroom served with a crema and I don’t like kale and that whole dish was awesome. Place was busy but we got served right away and didn’t wait long for dinner. When we return to Durham I’ve found my spot for a real good dinner

This place is described as a diner bit other than the counter, not much about that word describes the place. The food on this menu is superb. Even the pancakes are head and shoulders above anything that has ever been described that way. The decor is equally fine and the wait staff were total pros. I would recommend this place for any meal of the day.

Loved this restaurant and the hidden bar in the back/side room.