What Our Customers are Saying About JAX!

Open since June, owner Jack Malinowski's JaxNeighbor hood Cafe is at the southwest corner of 29th and Rio Grande, where Drungo Ice House and several previous spots once held court. There's a large dog-friendly patio on the east side, and when the weather is OK, the garage doors can be rolled up to connect it with a larger dining room/bar/performance space. Live music fills the cafe every night except Wednesday, when a Geeks Who Drink trivia contest takes over. Sunday night is Ted Hall's Blues Church Jam. Happy hour specials on weeknights seem to be popular with the neighborhood patrons. Jax serves 23 beers with a nice mix of local craft brews thrown in, and they serve it in bottles, pitchers, pints, and 6-ounce shorties; they also offer 14 wines.

The food menu is limited, consisting mostly of chips and guacamole, pizza, sandwiches, burgers, and salads. We tried the pizza – a 12-inch-by-9-inch rectangular pepperoni pie ($11.95 pizza plus $1.75 per topping) – and found it unusual but likable. The crust is half an inch thick but light and crispy with a golden finish, and the sauce is rich with onions. The pepperoni and cheese both had a quality flavor and were applied liberally. The burgers are available as third- or half-pound patties ($5.95 and $6.95, respectively) and toppings are extra (bleu cheese and bacon add another $2). The meat is juicy and flavorful, and the condiments fresh and crisp. We also tried the Philly-style hot Italian sausage grinder ($6.95), ample sausage heaped with roasted peppers and onions, mozzarella, and a sprinkling of parmesan. It was tasty.

Jax has a very relaxed and mellow vibe, service isn't rushed, and it seems like the ideal spot to meet some pals and knock back a nosh or two with some libations, plus there are a couple of big screens if there's a game on that can't be missed. ~ The Austin Chronicle See the article HERE

 

For my entrée I decided to go with a cheese pizza with sundried tomatoes and mushrooms, and John-Davis was fixed on a blue-cheese burger with potato salad. THE PIZZA WAS AWESOME. The crust was cooked the perfect amount for a subtle but obvious crunch (if that makes sense) and the taste was sensational. I even ate the crust! WITHOUT RANCH OR A DIP! Definitely one of the top 10 pizzas that I’ve tasted, maybe even top 5… A 12×9, 8 slice pie cost $11.95 plus $1.75 per topping, and I could only finish half, leaving me with dinner another night this week. ~ Austin On the Rocks Full Review HERE

 

Coming from New York, I have to admit being skeptical that Austin, Texas could serve up a slice that compares to the best of New York's pizza.  I'm used to big round pies sliced into wedges which I fold neatly to hold in the tasty sauce and lots of stringy cheese while I bite.  When sauce and cheese are gone, I toss that hard little strip of crust aside and grab another slice.  

Okay..now throw that image away and let's start from scratch.  JAX Neighborhood Cafe's pies are made with a sauce as tasty as any I've ever encountered in New York and the perfect amount of cheese, but that's where the similarity ends.  These pies are served on a rectangular shaped, light, crispy crust that brings to mind a hot loaf of naan bread fresh from the ovens of Manhattan's East 6th St Indian restaurants. The crust is light, tasty and crispy. The square slices are firm enough to hold the sauce and cheese while you bite with no need to fold and there's no hard, chewy edge to toss aside.  The perfect flavor and texture lasts to every bite.

I'm back in New York now but I'll definitely be visiting JAX for another pie the next time I'm in Austin. ~ Sharon S. :: NYC

 

What a great pizza Jax!! And, what a tasty Jax burger. I hope UT students enjoy the awesome patio in the Fall. Long live Jax! I liked that my soft drink was served in a heavy glass, not the usual plastic in that area, nice touch. Service is above average and the menu is simple yet with plenty of options, including specialty salads you can find at expensive restaurants. Just go and find out how great it is. ~ Indy V. :: Travis, Texas

 

My friends and I took our dog to JAX to sit and eat on the patio. The waitress filled up a water bowl for us, which as vary nice. We had the "Le Parisian" sandwich and a pizza. Both were really good, the pizza was unlike any other I have tried before! They also have all their beers on happy hour M-F. I like that you can sit as long as you want and order as little or as much as you want and the waitress will never try to push the check on you. The staff said that is the "cafe" feel they are going for. Will be going back Wednesday night for Geeks Who Drink trivia! ~ Victoria L. :: ATX

 

I have to say... I'd heard some radical talk about this so-called "unique" pizza, etc. And was completely expecting to be disappointed from the hype. 

But, I actually got to try this stuff and it is indeed some of the finest pizza I've tasted to date. Something about that crust has this balance and sophisticated flavor that just keeps revealing itself. 

The crust is just perfect for my taste. It's thick but not doughy. It's light, but has an outer layer that'a just the right amount of crispy. It's like it tastes great initially, but then you get this after taste that's even better. Hard to explain. In short, I dig it. :-)

I need to watch how much pizza I'm eating these days ;-) but when I do... I think it will have to only be pizza of this caliber. I liked the decor too! ~ Skip Hunt :: ATX