Jake's Diner Billiard Club

by Christina S.

The BEST grilled cheese sandwiches  EVER.... (thank god for lactaid)I am not a big pool person.. I can barley even shoot the ball.. But, it was fun.. There is a full bar downstairs (not upstairs) but they will bring your drink to you if you are dinning upstairs. Prices are cheap.. The grilled cheese once again is amazing!

by Brad W.

***DINER REVIEW ONLY****I had been a patron of Jake's for over a decade.  This place went from outstanding and worked its way down the prickly path to unbearable over the years.  They used to have an amazing short order cook who was like OCD MIRACLE MAN who took their regular drab diner frozen junk and turned it into works of art.  HE LEFT YEARS AGO.My fiancee and I would split an order of amazing chicken strips and a burger--the fries--oh those fries--they "crunched" like the sound of ice being chipped with Sterling Silver.  Those were the days.........The wait staff behind the counter changed frequently--and has often been filled with pouty/unenthusiastic "servers" who find it annoying to refill water because they would rather be watching the TV behind the cash register or fooling around with a friend hanging out inside.  Either that--or they would be so short staffed that one person was responsible for everything.........This really hurts to write this review because Jake's was a true destination for my fiancee and I.  As huge supporters of Pasadena Culture we valued our religious-like patronage of this landmark--until they seemingly changed owners a few years back.  We went in, even after the place had been slipping out of zombie-like pattern behavior a-la DAWN OF THE DEAD and noticed they tried a new gimmick with new ownership--to rip off "The Counter" and have a "Build Your Own Burger" type menu.  The food was utterly disgusting--just generic Costco patties cooked by amateur hour at the grill.  I told the new owner that he really needed to shape up and that the meal was a joke compared to old standards set by OCD MAGIC MAN...you want to know his response....."Maybe our ingredients aren't that great right now--we're kind of low in inventory and maybe changed suppliers.???"What a fucking shill of an answer from a clueless Son of a Bitch.  The response made no sense--you have a decade-old customer giving you the straight story on why your new joint is empty and unhappy...and that is your nut sucking, drool inducing reply you brainless ball-slapper!Do yourself  a favor. If you and your loved one walk by this cute slice of nostalgia--resist at all costs.  Even if starved--wander into the Apple Store next door and lick the maple laminate floor--it will taste better and cost much less.

by Tommy H.

The food is very good, the waitress is really sweat.It's really nice to sit outside and watch the faces of Pasadena walk by.

by Sal P.

Jake's is a multifaceted, worthwhile Pasadena spot. The food is pretty good on the upstairs/streetlevel part. If you want to play pool, they got your number. Just wander downstairs and they have plenty of tables for you to show your prowess or if you play pool like me, to show how inept you are at a game you genuinely enjoy. If you want to get a drink or chat up a new stranger then the bar area is accommodating for that. Just one of the many great places to discover in Pasadena.

by Joyce L.Toni L.Frank L.Pam S.Jalal B.

My friend led me through the diner portion, I kept thinking, I thought we were going to play pool, but surprisingly was all hidden downstairs.We ordered large beers, little did we know large beers meant LARGE beers..after a few rounds of pool and numerous trips to the bathroom we still had yet to make a dent in our beers, so we sat down so we could focus on chugging and then left.We returned quickly after my friend realized he lost his phone, the staff, manager, and security guards were all super helpful even after we clearly couldn't find the cell phone, they still tried helping us, and luckily they did because we found it in a dark corner thanks to the guard's flashlight.The crowd is very mixed from what I could see from that night, age-wise and ethnicity-wise, it is def a hidden gem underneath a small diner on a very hip street and if I lived in pasedena, this would definitely be a regular stop on a night out on Colorado Ave!Having never been to the other do-it-yourself burger joint, The Counter, I don't have a comparison point for Jake's. So far I like what I taste. Food: Jake's is a custom burger shop where you can choose the meat, bun, ingredients, and sauces. When you can put items like pineapple and garlic aioli on your burger, the possibilities are endless. Take for example my concoction, a turkey burger with veggies, pepper jack cheese, and honey mustard sauce on a whole wheat bun (http://www.yelp.com/bi...). This was one of the better burgers I've had in a long time. The meat was tender and juicy, the apricot sauce sweet, and the cheese mildly spicy. I was in heaven. They also serve fried pickles and shakes in a variety of seasonal flavors like pumpkin. I've yet to try these, but it's on my to do list. Also, the fries here are crispy and satisfying. Atmosphere: I'm starting to learn that many places in Pasadena like to maximize their area by going underground. This place is no different. From the street it looks like a cozy (i.e cramped) 50s diner complete with the cute metal and vinyl chairs. Once you go underground, it looks like a den of iniquity with tons of pool tables and a bar. They have some sort of wheel behind the bar that you can spin, but for what purpose, I don't know. The downstairs area is way too loud while there isn't enough seating upstairs. Also, their patio is really disgusting and needs a good cleaning. This may be the only flaw to the place that comes to mind. Service: Burgers can come out slowly at times, but otherwise there's not much else to report. Synopsis: Just thinking about that juicy hunk of turkey flesh makes me want to go back.My pops was a pool shark. Mom passed away when I was two and dad used to bring me and my twin brother along with him to the pool hall on occasion. One of my earliest memories is sitting on a bar stool, drinking a delicious chocolate malt, while dad played pool with some sucker. I must have been four years old. Damn, that first malt was a wonderful thing. Looking back, it probably wasn't the best environment for a couple of towheaded preschoolers, but those were different times.Jake's Diner Billiard Club had me swimming in a sea of nostalgia today. I ordered a burger at the bar. I like the checklist system they use for building your own burger. They give you a little clipboard and a golf pencil and there you go. I got mine with grilled onions, cheddar cheese, bacon, jalapeno slices and chipotle aioli. I had to get a chocolate shake. HAD TO.That was a mighty good burger and fries. The bun was toasted just right and the burger was nice and meaty. That chocolate shake was darn tasty, too.After I finished up the grub, I went down and checked out the billiard room. I don't play--never been much of a chip off the old block--but I wanted to watch somebody rack 'em up and take in the atmosphere. The other vivid childhood memory I have is that most of my dad's pool hall friends had a finger or two missing. They were meatcutters: a hard-scrabble, blue-collar bunch. Creeped me out when they offered to shake hands. Jake's is just a tad more upscale than that.All in all, the food was decent and service was friendly. If you ever find yourself hungry for a burger in Old Town, give 'em a try.This is our New England Patriots headquarters for the group that was formerly at the 35er in Pasadena. Jake's has done a excellent job at accommodating our transplanted group and we appreciate it.The food is great,  drinks are strong and beer is cold. If you are a PATS fan and wish to watch the game with sound on and plenty of screens to choose from then this is the place. Plenty of pool tables and outdoor Patio seating up top facing Colorado Blvd. on a nice sunny day!BTW Burgers really are delicious!Respectfully ReviewedMy friends and I were craving juicy burgers and fries yesterday evening, so we decided to give this place a try. Well, we are never going back again!!!  the food was utterly disgusting, overcooked generic frozen patties, tasteless-triple fried fries, I could have had a better meal at Jack in the Box for a lot less.Since we were hungry and cold, we ate the burgers and left the fries, and when getting the check we told the waitress that the food was not up to par and that we were a bit disappointed. You know what her answer was??  "well I'll have to throw all this food now hahaha...."if you are hungry and eat shitty food, it's still shitty food!!!

by Jane S.

Last Wednesday afternoon, I was happy. Jake's had 2-3 of their large TV sets in the diner set to the Laker parade. The weather was perfect LA weather, sunny and slightly breezy. Solid burger in hand. My friend and I sat outside in the patio towards the back. I recommend this when the weather is nice during the lunch or dinner hour, it feels nice. Inside the diner, it can be a little stuffy with all the cooking from the grill close by. We were in the shade in the back, which meant not as much people-watching, but we were at a perfect angle from the TV set inside.I'm only reviewing their diner, but it's pretty neat they're open 'til 3 a.m. for late night pool and beers on Fridays and Saturdays: http://static.px.yelp....Ordering is build-a-burger style, so customize your own. Take a clipboard, check off what you want, and hand it to the people behind the counter. I thought it sucked that it was a $1 each for adding cheese AND things like avocados. I shouldn't be picky, but I thought most places charged little for cheese, and slightly extra for avocados. Along with avocados, you can choose from sauteed mushrooms and more. The basic burgers start at $5.99 but you can pick and choose, add on, etc. My cheeseburger was pretty tasty.The patty could have been a little thicker and thrown on the buns perfectly so that there would be an even patty to bun ratio. I hate when there's leftover soggy bread. Besides that, no complaints.We also ordered a basket of fries for $1.49, which was a decent deal. Fries were pretty good, there was a little bit of seasoning mixed in, too. Two burgers and a basket of fries came out to $17.97 though. Slightly hurt my wallet, but I was satisfied and feeling very full and  the effects of a food coma coming on while walking around in the sun. Which is either the best or worst feeling ever.

by Luis S.

I stopped by here while in old town Pasadena with my girlfriend and was not disappointed. We were on a hamburger binge all week and Jake's definitely brought the goods. The teriyaki burger I ordered was friggin' delicious, and this is coming from someone who HATES pineapple in anything other than fruit salad.Only downer was no Root Beer floats, but we got some ice cream next door, brought it over, and had the waitress dump it in a tall glass of root beer.Service was great and the food was delicious. Skip those over priced restaurant burgers and get one at Jake's!

by Raider J.

I had a burger with chedder cheese, grilled onions, and a fried egg.......Way Yummy.  Fries were very tasty as well.I luv the food and the casual diner decor.  Great location on Colorado Street!  This place is like Five Guys Burgers......They allow you to custom make your burger at a fast food/diner atmosphere.I followed the review of Jane S. and decided to try this place.Thanks Jane!

by Toni L.

Having never been to the other do-it-yourself burger joint, The Counter, I don't have a comparison point for Jake's. So far I like what I taste. Food: Jake's is a custom burger shop where you can choose the meat, bun, ingredients, and sauces. When you can put items like pineapple and garlic aioli on your burger, the possibilities are endless. Take for example my concoction, a turkey burger with veggies, pepper jack cheese, and honey mustard sauce on a whole wheat bun (http://www.yelp.com/bi...). This was one of the better burgers I've had in a long time. The meat was tender and juicy, the apricot sauce sweet, and the cheese mildly spicy. I was in heaven. They also serve fried pickles and shakes in a variety of seasonal flavors like pumpkin. I've yet to try these, but it's on my to do list. Also, the fries here are crispy and satisfying. Atmosphere: I'm starting to learn that many places in Pasadena like to maximize their area by going underground. This place is no different. From the street it looks like a cozy (i.e cramped) 50s diner complete with the cute metal and vinyl chairs. Once you go underground, it looks like a den of iniquity with tons of pool tables and a bar. They have some sort of wheel behind the bar that you can spin, but for what purpose, I don't know. The downstairs area is way too loud while there isn't enough seating upstairs. Also, their patio is really disgusting and needs a good cleaning. This may be the only flaw to the place that comes to mind. Service: Burgers can come out slowly at times, but otherwise there's not much else to report. Synopsis: Just thinking about that juicy hunk of turkey flesh makes me want to go back.

by Sherisa K.

Had a really nice time here...They had a full bar and I had a great time with my date...We played a few games of pool and the setting was very relaxing...He paid so I dont know if it was alot  but I dont think so...You gotta check this place out..I will definitely be going here again...