Atlanta Eats: Jack’s Pizza & Wings

August 15, 2013

One of my favorite things to do in Atlanta is go to all the local restaurants that are offered here. I just love the fact that there are so many options for family-owned and non-corporate dining. I can’t get enough of the fresh ingredients and true passion locally owned eateries provide. So I decided to start a new column called Atlanta Eats. Each week, I will review a new restaurant and give my honest impression of the food and atmosphere. First up is Jack’s Pizza.

Jack’s Pizza & Wings is one of those hole-in-the-wall secret gems that Atlanta holds within its city limits. I heard of the restaurant from a friend, or else who knows if I ever would have tried it. Ok, let’s be honest, I probably wouldn’t have. The outside of the building has graffiti all over the walls and the inside isn’t much different.

When Allison and I walked in, there was no one in sight besides one lonely man sitting at the bar drinking a beer (it was lunch time). The inside of Jack’s is very laidback and eclectic. The walls could use some paint and it seems like the norm for patrons to sign their name—or whatever they want—onto the tables. The condiments are kept in old school lunch boxes on the table, which I thought was cute. If you get bored while waiting for your food, you can go play one of their arcade games or pick a song on the jukebox.

We decided to seat ourselves since it didn’t seem there was another option. We opted for a booth and a few minutes later we were greeted by our waitress who brought us menus and took our drink order. A few other employees filtered into the kitchen from the back and a couple other biker-looking patrons entered to dine. While we waited for our waters, we browsed our menus and I took a trip to the ladies room—bad idea. It was not the cleanest place in more ways than one.

When we were ready to order, our waitress came back and we both ordered Blue Moon draft beer since she told us they had some oranges to go with it—yum! Unfortunately, the oranges were not ready when she served us our beer, but she assured us she’d bring them over asap, which she never did. Oh well, not a big deal.

Allison ordered the Sunshine (“Artichoke Hearts, Mushrooms, and Spinach on a White Pie”) while I just had to have the Pesto (simply pesto instead of marinara sauce, and mozzarella cheese). We wanted an appetizer, but couldn’t decide which one, so our waitress suggested we try the garlic bread with cheese. She told us that we could add any toppings we wanted, which just made us more indecisive! We finally chose the spinach and our waitress assured us we would like it.

Not long after, we were served our appetizer, which was followed by our pizza slices. The garlic bread was really good, but nothing could compare to the delicious pizza that Jack’s Pizza & Wings proudly serves. I immediately understood why this grungy place with the carefree staff is so popular. The crust was nice and crispy on the bottom—just how I like it—and the toppings were just bursting with flavor. You can tell that the ingredients are fresh and that the food is made to order. The “slices” we ordered were huge and more than enough bang for the buck.

Overall, my first impression wasn’t great, but I’m glad I stuck around. The delicious food made up for the unkempt appearance of the restaurant and the uninterested staff. Jack’s Pizza & Wings is a local family owned dive bar and not meant for an elegant evening out with friends. So if you’re looking for a chill, laidback atmosphere with great food and good prices, then Jack’s might just be the place for you.

Have you ever been to Jack’s Pizza & Wings? What did you think of the joint?

photos by Allison Rhee