Jake's Steakhouse

Zagat Survey: Jake's Steakhouse
“Sterling beef”, aged in the owners’ own facility, is “juicy and cooked right” at this comfortable, midpriced Bronx steakhouse staffed by an “attentive, friendly” crew; locals consider it a “special-occasion” destination and advise “ask for a table by the window” “overlooking Van Cortlandt Park.”

The Bronx: Hey, Zagat! Over Here! - August 21, 2005, The New York Times
Jake's Steakhouse serves some of the best creamed spinach and mashed potatoes anywhere. Steaks are juicy and good, but the genius dish here is the full rack of pork ribs: sweet, smoky, and soft.

Dining Diary for December 1, 2004 NEW YORK (CBS)
Every borough of the city has its steakhouses. Manhattan has scores of them, Brooklyn has Peter Luger’s, and the Bronx has Jake’s Steakhouse, a three-year old located on Broadway in Riverdale. It has valet parking, a handsome woody, lived-in look and three levels of hospitality starting with a bustling, noisy bar at street level.

Booths and tables on the second and third decks handle casually clad neighbors cutting into wet-aged prime steaks. And good renditions of classic pastas, salads, crabcakes, fish, pork, lamb and chicken. Mussels fra diavolo as a first course are almost a main, and fried calamari gets an appealing marinara. Fried shallots crown a mache and radicchio salad with crumbled gorgonzola and balsamic vinaigrette. Jake’s staff is friendly and helpful. Prime has its price. T-bones and filets are thirty-two dollars, ditto lamb and veal chops.

Dining Out for June 16, 2004 Riverdale Review
Jake’s Steakhouse in the Bronx, one of the area’s finest destinations for wet-aged, prime quality steaks and seafood, is marking its Third Anniversary year with an upgraded menu and new specialties.
Guests at Jake’s get the full steakhouse experience plus. The multi-level 126-seat restaurant is just minutes from Yankee Stadium, the Major Deegan, Henry Hudson and Saw Mill Parkways. On the street level a handsome wood bar shines with mirror accents. Highlighting the walls are beige and wood wall accents and a combination of booth and free standing tables with green tablecloths. On all 3 levels are lovely Western prints (some Remington’s included). The upstairs dining room is accented with brick walls and designer industrial pipe. Dramatic picture windows overlook Van Cortlandt Park and the activity along Broadway. The dramatic view and beautifully designed dining rooms are a perfect palette for Chef Jeffrey S. Raimo’s bill-of-fare.

Great starters on the new menu include: Filet Mignon Tips, flame broiled and served with horseradish sauce; Jumbo lump Crab Cake, served with chipotle and Dijon mustard sauce; and Mussels Fra Diavolo, Prince Edward mussels tossed in a spicy marinara sauce. A daily Raw Bar offers such choices as: Clams or Oysters on the Half Shell, served with all the trimmings. Jake’s serves only the ëhighest quality Sterling Silver Certified Premium Beef, hand selected cuts that are wet aged and perfectly marbled. Carnivores will delight in such house selections as: 20 oz. Shell Steak, sliced off the bone, served with natural beef jus; 25 oz. T-Bone Steak, offering both shell and filet mignon, natural beef au jus; 45 oz. Porterhouse for Two, a hearty combination of shell and filet mignon, sliced off the bone; tender Filet Mignon, 14 oz. center cut, flame broiled and served with beef au jus; Petit Filet, 8 oz. center cut; Prime Rib of Beef served as 20 oz. Queen or 26 oz. King cut; classic Surf & Turf, with filet mignon and broiled Brazilian lobster tail, garlic cream sauce; Shell Steak au Poivre, with a brandy black peppercorn cream sauce; and Jake’s Filet Mignon, topped with melted gorgonzola and garnished with frizzled fried onions and port wine sauce.

Other hearty meat choices include: Center Cut Pork Chops, served with caramelized apples, Dijon mustard white wine sauce; Double Cut Rack of Lamb dusted with Jake’s seasoning and served with mint jelly; and Grilled Veal Chop, topped with sauteed onions and mushrooms, served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes.

More than a dozen addicting steakhouse sides available a la carte include: creamed or sauteed spinach, garlic mashed potatoes, sweet potato fries, sauteed mushrooms, onion rings, seasonal mixed vegetables, Basmati rice, or sauteed broccoli.

Fine alternatives to beef include: Shrimp Scampi, jumbo shrimp sauteed with white wine, garlic and fresh lemon, served with steamed broccoli; Penne ala Vodka or Penne Pesto, available with choice of chicken or shrimp; Twin Lobster Tails; and Zuppa De Pesce, clams, mussels, shrimp and calamari over linguini tossed in a marinara sauce over pasta.

At lunch the house also offers a variety of overstuffed Burgers and Sandwiches including: Prime Rib Dip, thinly sliced and served on garlic bread; and a Reuben, lean, thinly sliced corned beef on rye with sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing. The good Hereford ground beef burgers are served on toasted English muffin and come with a variety of toppings.
Save room for such desserts as: Jake’s Boston Cream Pie, Broadway Brownie, N.Y. Style Cheesecake, or Apple Crisp.

Partner Peggy Ryan often acts as host along with manager Jim Powers. The staff here is professional and eager to please. Chef Jeffrey Raimo, a 1991 graduate of the C.I.A., had previously worked such noted restaurants as: Gregory’s and Opus in Westchester, and Bubba’s at Mohegan Sun. The house now also offers live piano entertainment on Thursday evenings. There are private party facilities for up to 50 guests
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Jake’s Steakhouse is located at 6031 Broadway, Bronx, N.Y. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week. Lunch served 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Main courses at lunch start at: $8. Dinner menu available all day and evening. Dinner hours: 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday thru Thursday; to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Bar and cocktails. Live entertainment Thursday evenings. T.V.’s for special events. Full take-out. Private party and catering facilities. Major credit cards. Valet parking evenings; municipal parking days. Proper casual dress.

Morris Gut is a restaurant consultant and former restaurant trade magazine editor. He has been tracking and writing about the food and dining scene in the Bronx-Westchester area for over 20 years.