J & M Cafe Reviews

Maybe we visited at regarding time -2pm on a Sat - but they seemed to be out of everything on the menu. No pizzas, no pulled pork etc. In the end we settled for a drink and some chicken wings. The wings were good. The service was good. The atmosphere was ok. It would be a great location for a band. Probably won't go back.

Interesting ambience, large selection of beer, wood fired pizza, friendly staff but for all that, the four in our group all agreed that the food left much to be desired. Mainly, not enough flavor. The pizza was flat, the Black and Bleu burger likewise. The fries and roast beef sandwich were OK.

Stopped in after the walking tour. Brought our friends back the same day. Shimon Shriki was so accommodating. He went next door to get me a Diet Coke for my cocktail because their shooter was flat. We didn't eat but the food looked great!

Went to grab a beer and burger before the Mariners game. The beer was good and at a reasonable price, the food was not so good. The burgers were so burned they were not edible. Sent the first burger back....second one was still burnt! Decided to not eat the food and just enjoy the cold beer instead. I would not go back again because of the poor food.

Atmosphere:good Service: good Food: very good burgers and beers (recommended from the staff). Price: On the average. Cheaper than The Central next door.

We came to Seattle on vacation and asked a local where to eat that wasn't so touristy. She recommended this place and we were so pleased. The food was AMAZING. We got a calzone and chicken sandwich. Both were so delicious, big portions and awesome fries. Also service was fantastic! Definitely would recommend!!!!!

Went in for a beer and was told of the history of the bar. Very interestingly. Seems Wyatt Earp used to play cards here in the 1890’s. He owned a bar on this same corner. Went back for burger during Seahawks came and was totally into the football scene. Great hamburger. Live music and Noisy part of the experience.

The food was great - a burger and fries to die for. But the service was awful. One waitress came up and gave us menus and took our drink order, delivered our drinks and disappeared. We had to flag down another after a long wait to get our food ordered. Then our food came up (as we could see it) and we had to flag down a waiter to get it. And it wasn't that busy for a Sunday afternoon despite the football game. If you have a lot of time and are not starving, the food is good. Otherwise, unless the service gets better, skip this place.

We stopped by this bar having no idea about its history, just after landing in Seattle. This is what we would define as a typical American bar. We were weary travellers in need of food and a beer/wine. This bar met our needs in every way. Beer was very good, wine was good, staff friendly and food was very good if not huge by UK standards. We had nachos and Parmesan chips. (Huge portions ). Sat at the bar, staff were chatty as was our neighbour. What can I say other than a lovely American bar and totally delivered on what we needed,

If you are in Seattle and want good food and really low price Happy Hour Drinks DO NOT miss this place..

We went in here for lunch after our underground tour. We didn't actually know this is one of Seattle's oldest bars, we went in here because their menu looked great, and it was. The food here is really great. It was nice to go in just after they had opened because it was quiet. The building itself is really beautiful. The bathrooms are clean, just remember that it is an old building. When you flush the toilet the floor under you rumbles and the faucet makes a fog horn like sound (old pipes). There is a stage so it looks like they have live entertainment as well. I will go back just for the food.

The menu was all burgers, but they were delicious! The weather was beautiful and we sat outside for lunch. The service was excellent! We were visiting Pioneer Square, and the restaurant was a low-key place near the square.

We were looking for an easily accessible place to eat with a large family group. J & M's was recommended to us by our hotel concierge. It was so much fun. An old fashioned saloon which was family friendly, good food and trivia games to boot!

Went for a late night meal after flying into the city and was welcomed with some great live music (every Thursday). Food was tasty with big portions. Could have split one meal between two of us but both were great and servers were great.

This was a friendly place for drinks, with good service too. We just passed by and decided to stop in and were glad that we did.

The burgers are superb, the staff is nice. Had the luck to eat when the live music began, great band! The food is very reasonably priced. Loads of good local beers on tap.

Since they have renovated their food and mixology have been great, although if you are tail gating in a budget the Central next door has cheaper food and drink. I would come more often for Pregame before Hawks games, but I get pressured while saving spots at a table waiting for friends. This has happened multiple times. I will be drinking at a 4 top and they will want me to move or leave. I literally have to say they are texting and 5 minutes out. Even if I took the last table- and I didn't have friends coming- I would share the table. I don't get that same pressure from any other place downtown before games. So good food and drink- but don't go unless your friends are right with you...

My husband and I were trying to kill time before embarking on an Alaskan cruise. We wanted a drink and some nibbles. We happened upon this very friendly establishment. Try the oysters and chicken wings on the appetizer menu. The bartender named Erin was so friendly and pleasant. We liked it so much we visited again post our cruise and had the pizza, which was also good, while waiting for our Amtrak Train. J and M Cafe is a very short walk to the Amtrak station.

The staff is the best. Great food. Wyatt Earp used to eat and drink there, as did John Wayne. It's good enough for the likes of us, certainly. The J & M has been the hub of Pioneer Square for ever. It maintains an Antique charm, but still allows you to enjoy the grit of the south end of the city. They have music most nights about ten, so if you don't want amplification this might not be your best choice late. The service is top rate, but casual and fun. They remember people here despite the big size. It can be a quiet sanctuary on a rainy Tuesday, and a jumping, raucous mess after Felix pitches on a Friday. When the Hawks won XLVIII in New Jersey, the intersection in front of the J & M shut down for some extra celebration space until it got broken up in the early morning. I don't think that happened anywhere else in Seattle. The J & M is my jam. Go there.

We stopped in not knowing what to expect and found an evening of fun with an awesome live band! The service was great and the night was a blast! If you get a chance, swing by and have a few drinks at this awesome bar!

One of the oldest locations in Pioneer Square. Bar food which was very good. Large, high ceilings, pool tables too. You also can hear music on some nights. It is good for bar sandwiches and the garlic parmesan fries are worth the trip.

We had a blast here!! The service was fantastic (our waitress danced with us most of the night), the Band (can't remember their name :( was the best ever (cover of 80's and 90's songs). Drinks were quick and yummy and priced right. Great dance floor.. can't wait to go back!!

Stopped in for late dinner with our three year old son. Was just towards the end of the Seahawks game, and they have screen everywhere - he was enthralled. All he wanted to eat was a hotdog, and despite not having them on the menu, the wiatress went outside to the place out fromt that sells them and got one for us. After the game the roudy (victoious) crowd came in but we felt safe. Ther was a band playing who were excellent - we had to drag our son out he ws having so much fun dancing to them. The bouncer also made sure my wife and sister in law were safe, in fact when I came back from the washroom before we left he stopped me from taking my hat from the stroller as he thought I wasn't with them! Despite having brought our son, it's still a little rough around the edges but we all thought it was good fun, unpretentious with decent food and friendly staff.

Weekday lunch sandwiches are half-price, running about $6 for a burger and fries. The blue cheese burger was juicy. The fries, however, were thin and overcooked. Chelsea was a great server and made lunch enjoyable.

...work the walk from downtown into Pioneer Square to visit Seattle's oldest bar. The burgers are fantastic and so is Amber, she's the bomb. Do yourself a favour and stop in while exploring this funky area of Seattle.

Stopped in here for a beer while the wife was shopping. Good staff, clean environment, nice selection of beers, and a good looking happy hour selection. I only had the chips and salsa, but every meal I saw come out looked very good. The salsa is more of a pico de gallo, but homemade and fresh. They advertise the best bloody mary in town, but I didn't find it remarkable. Good, but nothing special.

Who knew, we dropped in on a lark and found happiness. The food is outstanding. The service was intuitive, humorous, and just fun to be with. Interesting too to see the old style bar, ceilings, and such. A fun place that we will return to.

Very interesting place , a nice found in the pioneer square . Said as the oldest bar in Seattle, nice decoration , good food , with huge portions. The staff are amazing , specially the bartender, super nice !

We stopped here before and after a Mariner's game down the street and sat outside to do some Pioneer Square people watching. Our server was fabulous, she remembered us from before the game and brought our drinks with a special extra which was really sweet. We probably relaxed out there for about 3 hours with attentive but never hounding service. When ordering wings it seems like the standard portion in Seattle is about 6 wings for $12 so we asked how many J&M included in the serving. The response was 8-10 so we asked for 10 (just being a little silly) and the plate came out with 13! I know it's not a big deal but sometimes it's the little extras that really make a place memorable. We'll be back for sure!

The service was great and the food was excellent. Very nice atmosphere that is also a bar that has live bands. I ordered a burger, which was really juicy and tasted great.

After a long stroll in downtown Seattle we went inside because of the good atmosphere. Waitress was very nice. J&M SPICY BURGER was the best burger i had on our 3 week road trip. Wanted to end with the cheesecake but....they where sold out.....waitress recommended to go for the banana....it was a delight! Waitress was genuine nice and realy interested. So i gave her a big tip! It was the perfect end of our Roadtrip because next morning we flew back home :-(

Great place for a burger to start out your evening. Recent remodel cleaned it up but did not ruin it.

We were sightseeing in the area and noticed that the plates of food being delivered to patrons on the patio looked great! We popped inside, but found the decor and the smell a little off-putting so we opted for patio seating. The service was great -- prompt, friendly and accurate. We had a salmon burger and a black'n'blue burger. Both were fabulous. The bar clearly caters to working guys ... But the patio is lovely for anyone.

My wife and I had stopped in for a quick beer but our server Anthony got us to try a bloody Mary which was fantastic and he also recommended a local vodka called 3 howls. Their blood orange vodka was absolutely outstanding. He also recommended we try a burger which again was outstanding, we were so thrilled with the j and m And the service was the best we had in Seattle. . Ask for anthony he will take great care of you, and if you can sit on the patio it is great for people watching!

We were walking around Pioneer Square, getting hungry I checked out my yelp app on my mobile. J & M Café pooped up, and there it was in front of us. They had a sign outside advertising their bacon cheese burger. In we went. The oldest bar in Seattle served us the best burger we've had in a long time. And they give you an option to have a salad with the burger, which I loved. Many local beers on tap too.

This is a Seattle institution. Their lunch food is adequate but there are better places to go. This is a must visit just for the nostalgia and funkiness.

Stopped here for lunch while in the area. Was fun to hear the history of the bar and it's famous visitors. The food was average. Service was ok. They advertised their Bloody Mary's as the best in the city. We had one- I would disagree.

There's alot said about Pioneer Square and feeling unsafe and vagrants. I dont agree. Its the oldest part of Seattle and has the most character and charm and great bars such as this one. You are not far from the football stadium and station and ferry terminal. Its a place that has earthy down to earth stuff going on. Its not pristine and polished or like a Chain Bar or Restaurant. This is a great bar wih good service and big portions of food. The food is pretty good but its pub food in a bar that serves beer for people that want beer. Do you get my point? Its not wine tasting on Bainbridge Island.

Used to do the J&M in the good ole days of the late 80s. Classic décor, good brews, good people and good times. Renovation since did not retain the great historic décor but the tunes, beer and service is still good. Always a landmark in Pioneer Square and one not to be missed.

I've been there for two nights. Both nights with nice live music. The tenders are kind and the drinks are great.

If you are going to an event at the Clink (Century Link field) or Safeco, the oldest bar in Seattle is just a half mile walk through Occidental and Pioneer squares. It's an opportunity to experience a bit of Seattle culture and history while only parking once. Also an oppor Ryu nite to arrive early and enjoy a bite. The drinks are generous. Under 21 welcome (my 16 year old was part of our party) I had the pepperoni pizza with sausage and mushrooms, it was delicious. The French fries are wonderful, as are the fried oysters.

Mushroom and Swiss burger was excellent. The cod burger was also superb! Get the fries and a local beer with them! Close to pioneer square and the underground tours.

We were hot and tired from walking all over Pioneer Square when we stumbled upon this place. Cold beer,good food and a great nostalgic atmosphere.

A very nice place. Food is good, as are the beers. Service is personal and kind. Personnel is able to help you based on your preferences.

Had a nice meal here. J&M Cafe is right on 1st Street at Pioneer Square. It’s a short walk from the waterfront pier and a lot better than the tourist fare. Really good burgers. Excellent Bloody Marys. Nice atmosphere & friendly staff.

I have been going here for over 20 years now and every time has been a positive experience. The food is cooked with the kitchen right there and is good, fast and fun! Great service no matter how busy they get and if they are busy, at least they acknowledge the fact that you are standing there! Live music every Thursday night right now and great bands with music we all are familiar with. They have a good variety of beer and the big beer spout holders for the party goers who are there to have fun and do not want to go to the bar, or wait for a wait person. It is great and they have been in business a long time and are walking distance, very close to both sports fields to visit pre game, or after... Enjoy! We always have when we visit there.

We had dinner and a couple drinks here and it was not overly busy and the service was marginal. Very friendly waitress but not attentive and it was not very busy at the time we visited. The pizza was ok as well as the nachos. Nothing exceptional though. The decor and old building as very neat though. Not too bad but much better places in Pioneer Square.

We just happened upon this place in Pioneer Square, and it was one of the best "pub fare" meals we have ever had. The chicken wings were amazing. We asked, and they buy high quality chicken and roast it in the oven for an hour first. The chicken just falls off the bone. Then, our waitress brought us our hamburgers and fries. Absolutely amazing! First of all, it's so much food, you could never eat it all. Second, the fries are fresh cut and seasoned perfectly. Third, I have no words to describe how good the burgers are. Our waitress was fantastic. My husband actually gave her a hug because the food was so good and she was so sweet! There isn't much atmosphere - just your typical bar scene. They evidently have a lot of live local music, but didn't have anyone the night we were there. Loved this place and will definitely be back.

We were excited to return to Seattle after moving away many years ago. One of our favorites was the J & M Cafe. I emailed and was given a reservation for this past Saturday, before The Eagles show. When we arrived the hostess knew nothing of our reservation but did manage to give us a table. The things we remembered about the J & M was the great atmosphere and fantastic food. We found neither. It was nothing but loud. Noise really. Any semblance of the old aesthetic as long gone. We ordered beers and made our choices from the 10 things available on the menu. It seemed they were serving their "Game Day" menu that evening. I ordered a pizza and my wife a chef's salad. The salad was nothing special...not by any standard and the lettuce should have been discarded two days before. She picked the stuff off the top but left the brown crap on the plate. My pizza was no better. The sauce tasted like plain tomato sauce from a can with cheese on it. Yuk! There was no flavor...none. We ate, drank our beers, and never saw the server. We had to go find him to pay our bill. It was one of the worst meals we've had out in decades. I really wish we'd eaten somewhere else...even Safeco Field's many food choices would have been a better option...and left the J & M as a happy memory.

We were walking back from a ballgame at Safeco to our hotel when we came upon J&M Cafe. The band was playing inside, so we sat outside to eat. The food was good, service was fair, too many french fries, and a lot of people begging on this corner!

Stayed in Seattle and needed a drink after walk to railway station and then back to Pike Market Place. Good selection of beer and bartender (Jesse) excellent and informative. Although we did not try the food is looked good. We would have returned but simply ran out of time.

a dive bar with live music in the evenings, and more of a professional crowd during the day. love the burgers here. very tasty. good fries. quick service. reasonable price.

After being disappointed by another place we happened on J & M. It was great. The server was at our table almost immediately and super friendly! The good was hot and really good. We'll be stopping by this place again.

We have been to Seattle on two different visits, and we always make this a stop. First, it's located right in Pioneer Square. It's a bit rundown on the inside, but it's clearly a local's place. The beer list is ok. A few local beers on tap, and then your other standard choices. We've gotten good service every time. Not super fast, but very friendly. The burgers are AMAZING! We even had a big group of friends with us (some from Germany), and everyone agreed it's one of the best burgers they've ever had. The burgers are huge! My husband always gets the Honeybadger, which he swears is the best burger he's ever had. The biggest bonus here is the live music. I think they have music most nights. The night we were there recently, they had a fantastic blues band. Extremely talented musicians. We sat with our friends for several hours and enjoyed the good music and the company. A cool and local place to visit in Seattle.

Heard it was the oldest bar in Seattle. Definitely worth the trip if you are in Pioneer Square. Local beer on tap. Food gets 5 stars- the blackened burger with bleu cheese was delicious. Service gets 3 stars-after our food was served one of us finally got up to find napkins, and we had to ask for water twice. But a good place in Pioneer Square to grab a beer and burger with friends? Absolutely.

The location was good and the historic bar atmosphere was fun! The food was decent, but average bar food. Friends who got drinks said the drinks were excellent.

That's what the sign says. Neat large bar with high ceilings. Been here twice before M's games. Maybe 15-20 minute walk to stadium. The food & service is good. Good size portions. The small pizza with a salad is enough to serve two with a medium appetite. The burgers are sizable.

This place reeks of cool nostalgia. Some pretty famous people have been here including Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain as well as some movie shots apparently with John Wayne. We just happened to stumble by after our tour of Pioneer Square highlights. My food was rather poor. Being vegan, there were very few options for me. I ordered a salad with herb oil dressing and fries. The fries were skinny little burnt bits. The dressing was a lot of thyme, a little soy sauce and a little oil; very strong and pungent on a bed of lettuce, lettuce and more lettuce. Didn't finish anything. My husband's lunch was just okay. Having said this, our server was wonderful and the atmosphere was worth the visit. We passed by here later the same evening and there was a great band playing. Perhaps the beer and the music is the best thing about the J & M Cafe.

This is an old bar that serves decent pub grub and is a great place to get out of the rain for some drinks and a bite to eat. I’ll go so far as to say I ate the best hot wings I’ve ever eaten, but my wife hated her pulled pork sliders. No one else complained about their food but no one spoke up about how great it was either. They were out of a handful of beers that we wanted to order but the wait staff was extremely friendly and helpful.

We have eaten here before Sounders games but service is usually slow. The food is ok, not anything special. Now the past two times, we waited over 20 min and still hadn't even gotten our drinks, let alone the food. We had to leave without food or drink in order to get to the game. The number of servers is woefully inadequate on game nights and we will not be going there again.

My daughter and I ate here on Friday 9-23-11 at about 2 PM. We were walking around Pioneer Square, it was a beautiful fall day, and they had outside tables open and were not busy, so we decided to eat there. It took almost ten minutes before our server came and took our drink order and said she would bring a menu. 15 minutes later she still had not come back and since we both knew we wanted a burger and fries we flagged down another sever who was inside the empty restaurant. She very rudely told us she was not our server but would relay our order to her. In the mean time another very disgruntled employee was ripping beer signs off the outside fence cursing (and I do mean foul cursing) at the beer distributor for putting them up without permission. We should have left but we were starving and it took another 30 minutes before our very surly server came back with our burgers but still no drinks. When we mentioned the drinks, she actually rolled her eyes and made an exasperated sighing noise. The burger was very good but the fries had my yearly quota of salt on them, we never did get our drinks. Since I did not want to sit there until midnight waiting for our server to come back, I went into the restaurant to track down the check. There was no sign of our server so the person behind the bar brought our bill up on the computer. We had been charged for the drinks we never got and now I had to wait again while the bartender served drinks before going to look for our server in the bowels of the kitchen. Finally she came out all smiles and apologies and I managed to escape this horrible experience. I did not tip her, I never punish a server for bad food that not there fault, but this was a service nightmare beyond any I have ever had and she did not deserve even a penny.

We arrived on Sunday afternoon after some cocktails on the water at Elliots. Our bartender Rick (picture below) took care of us for several hours and we really did have too much fun. Great atmosphere, drinks, sandwiches and music. Met some crazy young soldiers just back from Afghanistan. Love the J & M and you will too, if you like diners and dives.

I don't know about the rest of the menu, but these fries are the best. However, if you aren't ready for some serious garlic, take a pass. Just the right partner for several cold, local brews. A good place to hang outside.

J&M was recommended from our Uber driver. After the baseball game we wandered down. Great band, professional servers and security. Ensured we got a table and our drinks. A fun bar. Did not get a chance to try the food.

An old favorite spot in Pioneer Square for good music in the evenings, we discovered they also are great for watching a sporting event. Lots of big screen TV's, good food and brew and a lively crowd.

Stopped here on our son's recommendation and loved it. Great old bar, good food and a good selection of draught beer. In fact, we liked it so much we went back the next night. Handy place to stop on the way to Safeco or CenturyLink.

My family and I traveled by Amtrak to Seattle, and decided to walk to our hotel, which was the Westin. We stopped in at J&M Cafe and card room. It's very close to the train station, my husband and I have been there before. We ordered chicken wings, an assortment of burgers, garlic parmesan fries, which were delicious by the way.

Loved, loved, loved this place!!! Noted as Seattle's oldest bar built in 1889... This place is quaint and classy. Showed up to finish watching Thursday night football sat up at the bar and caught the live band at 0930! Bartender recommended the artichoke dip with warm pita chips.....awesome! I could eat this everyday!

Quickly went in for some appy's & beer and we were pleasantly surprised. The food was really good, and not overly priced. The local craft beer was excellent as well. Location is great, close to the city and the stadiums. We'll be back.

This is just a great spot to stop in and have a few pre-baseball game beers. It's loud, it's fun and everyone is always friendly...patrons and servers...It's always busy before the ball games and the servers do an EXCELLENT job of helping you out, which includes letting you line up at the bar at their station to order drinks (which we did unknowingly and they were great about it)...This is a definite spot to stop in to get ready primed for a ball game! And on the way back, either karaoke or a live band, which REALLY gets the place hopping..you'll be a sweaty mess at the end of the night but you will have had a GREAT time!!!

We didn't bother knockin' we just went on in & man oh man did we have some kinda fun. The J&M Cafe had the best line-up to start the Memorial Day wkend...with two solid rockin' bands, "Lo-5 Band" & "Grim Statistic" these two bands rocked the house!! Thanks J&M for hosting these Awesome Artists and for the Delicious Eats, Fabulous Spirits and Excellent Customer Service!! So if you're reading this write up be sure to ck out J&M Cafe next time you're in Pioneer Square Seattle.

This restaurant was recommended by one of the managers at the hotel where we were staying. The food was very good and not at all expensive. Service was very good as well. It was a very busy place and still our waiter did a great job of providing what we asked for.

Had the opportunity to stay in Seattle for a couple of nights and stumbled across this cafe. What drew us in was the soundtrack, Cure were playing, ordered some chips n dip and fries, or chips as we Brits like to call them and were allowed to taste some beers before buying, sampled a fab amber lager. The music kept getting better, Smiths, U2, Echo And The Bunnymen, New Order, Bowie so we stayed for more refreshments. One of which was a monster Moscow Mule which I had to help my darling wife finish. The chap serving us was a delight even though he was recovering from celebrating a significant birthday the night before. Would advise anyone visiting Seattle to seek this establishment out.

Beer was ice cold. Food was fresh and delicious. The Reubens are the best; hands down. Highly recommend this place.

Super nice staff and great food, that you enjoy watching a live band. Laid back atmosphere and definitely fun, no matter if you are a big group or just hanging with a friend.

We enjoyed everything we ordered. Buffalo chicken wings just had the right amount of kick. Black and blue burger was juicy and cooked perfect. The garlic fries are a must. They have lots of great happy hour specials. Our waiter Max was excellent and took great care of us. Also this is the oldest bar in Seattle so you also get a little bit of history.

If your visiting Seattle it is worth while checking out it's Oldest Pub. If you live there well you know that they bring in excellent music for you to enjoy. The Pub is open 7 days a week 11Am - 2Am with Happy Hour M-F 3-6pm with normally 50% off draft beer. One thing for sure is you will ALWAYS experience great service!!! We were there for Lunch & my Burger was excellent along with,...did I mention the service. Pic attached. Will keep going back.

Awesome place to wake up and roll into for a Bloody Mary and post-Friday night recovery. Our waitress, Amber, was a pleasure! Great drinks and welcoming atmosphere!

Great food and great service... The Cod and Salmon burgers were served with great fries and a smile!

Not many places where you can grab a beer and burger in the same place as Wyatt Earp. This is the oldest bar in Seattle and Wyatt ran card games out of the back room near where the pool tables are now. The burger was good and a big size, although a bit overcooked. I sat at the bar and enjoyed people watching and talking to the bartender. I would easily return (although would order my burger rarer) and enjoy a few more beers.

We were later told that the bank had taken away much of the interior, and it had to be restored / rescued by the new owners. Do not expect a Ritz atmosphere here, but a down to earth local bar - Bourbon Street style. Happy hour is 2-6 and 10-midnight. The 99c food is great. I loved the ribs, and Terriyaki skewers. My partner liked the tacos and quesadillas. (Genesee beer is also 99c)

Excellent bar, good food, perfect drinks, live music, quality service... Oldest bar in the city and still rocking. Highly recommended!

The design of the restaurant is okay. It has some old stuff on display that makes to restaurant look authentic. Music is terrible and way too loud, you cannot carry any conversations. Food and drinks are okay.

Great atmosphere, decor and the food looked good too, though we haven't tried. The bartender was very friendly and admonished us for using our phones too much instead of talking to each other.

Years ago, I mean many years ago...like the 1970's ...that's how long it had been since I visited the J&M Cafe. It was a good food and drink place then. And wondered if it still served up good grub. I wanted to use "grub" in this review as this supposedly is Seattle's oldest bar. I met a friend there for a Friday lunch. Pioneer Square was full of Seahawk and 49er fans getting set the NFC playoff game that weekend. The place was starting to fill up so I grabbed a table. A moment later my friend showed up. The J&M was one of his favorite eateries (he works in the neighborhood) so he knew, without looking at the menu, what he wanted. The deep fried oyster sandwich. He tried to sell me on it but I told him I was not an oyster guy. Hadn't had a reuben for ages so that was my choice from a menu chock full of burger and sandwich options. We ordered a couple of beers and before long our waitress placed before us our food. The J&M is not bashful about filling every square inch of a dinner plate with these good sized sandwiches with plenty of fries or chips. (salad available too) This is not a place for the timid of palate. By all means bring an "I could eat a horse" appetite. As it turned out this was a darned good lunch. The J&M Cafe is a good place to eat when you visit Seattle and there's a lot of history connected with the place.

We had our dinner during our stay in Seattle and we didn't regret it. It is a very cozy Bar and reportedly the oldest in Seattle. We had Burgers and they were really tasty! One of the best Burger which I've ever eaten in the USA (and I tasted MANY Burgers in the USA). They have also a big selection of Beer. The server was really friendly. The best thing was that he gave us the Burger (!) for free because it took a little time to long to deliver it. We protested (I had really paid it!) but he insisited. Unbelivable. The best Service that we ever had!

In Seattle and walked around the Pioneer District. We stumbled upon this bar because of the music. Great bank. Sax player laying it down. Good crowd. Would love to go back there again. This is a must see if you love live music.

One of my favorite places for a casual dinner and a beer in Pioneer Square. The bartenders are fantastic, the music is great, and it's a perfect spot to people watch when you're new in the city.

Pretty typical but good bar type food-- burgers, sandwiches and appetizers. The drink menu of course was the draw with innovative local names for drinks and local beers and wines. Very dark like many bars of this ilk.

This is a great place to people watch . We visited after a baseball game. There was a band playing that was fun to listen too. The drinks were reasonable and the staff cheerful and entertaining.

We stopped in late in the afternoon... $2.50 pints and a nice selection of appies for next to nothing. I'd stop in for dinner or lunch next time. Our waitress was friendly and service was outstanding. Stop in if you are nearby.

Tried to join the vibe in this bar after a great Mariners game at Safeco, but the doorman refused to accept European driving licences as proof of ID. He cited that the Liquor Board inspectors would only accept passports as ID. To put this into context, we are both over 50! After travelling in US & Canada for 2.5 weeks, this is the first time we have been asked to provide any ID. Our conclusion is that this bar is only interested in people under 30 or only Americans.....we decided to spend our tourist dollars elsewhere

Cool old pub. A little dumpy (not the same cool patina as a British pub), but fun. The live music was great (albeit a bit too loud), the bartender was great (never had an empty drink) and it was a good place to hang out and relax. I'll visit again, if only for the awesome bartender (she had some great tattoos, can't vouch for any of the other tenders).

These have to be the best burgers in town, and worth everyone of the $10 you will spend on these huge things. They are cooked to order and served piping hot with a mound of fries, in a great atmosphere. Make this a must on your next trip to Seattle, and have a Manny's while you're there.

A nice cafe where we had our last dinner before flying back home. Tasty burger with a big plate with fries. Nice atmposphere and good service.

We were touring around the area, stopped here for a drink and some appetizers. I had the chicken strips which weren't bad, nothing special though. It was mid day so it wasn't too crowded, no live music, but seemed like it would be a cool place at night with some music. Service was nice and friendly.

We only had a happy hour quesidilla, that was good enough for $! ish. Then we went back later and watched the band for a bit, they were fun. The building is old and neat to look around

The J & M is all ways a great place for something to eat and a cold beer but on Fat Tuesday the pl;ace is jumping.

Went to J&M for lunch while on a business trip to Seattle. Had the Oyster Po Boy (fried oyster sandwich) and it was excellent.

We stayed at the Seattle Courtyard Marriott at Pioneer Square and they referred us to this cafe. It was fantastic!! It is old and rustic and obviously a favorite local hangout. The food was so good!! We ate here twice. The first time we had lunch and the burgers were HUGE! Easily would feed two people. Homemade fries with tartar sauce were the best! We returned again on a Friday night and had pizza which was some of the best we have had. They had a band that night, which was fun to listen to while we ate. The staff is quick and very friendly. Would absolutely eat here again on my next visit!!!

The J&M bills itself as Seattle’s oldest bar, which interested us. It smelled inside so we opted to sit outside. Unfortunately it’s located in an area where there is a large population of homeless people and those people really wanted to talk to us. The tacos and cheeseburger we ordered weren’t bad, but they weren’t worth the constant harassment from the homeless.

We were not quite ready to go home after an event, so stopped in here for a night cap. The live music was great - blues and classic rock. Historic place with character and local flavor. Beer and wines were good, beers were better than the house wines, but in Seattle, it's hard to find a bad beer anywhere! We stayed mostly for the music. Our waitress was nice and made sure we were served quickly, even though we arrived at midnight. Stayed about an hour, and it didn't look like things were shutting down any time soon. A good place to go for music, pool, sports on tv, etc. Close to the Best Western where we were staying.

In my opinion this is one of the tastiest restaurants in Seattle. After a visit to the Seahawks Stadium we opted for a late lunch on a Saturday afternoon and were told to give it a try. From the embossed tin ceiling to the hardwood floors and the antique bar there was plenty to see. But the food, well we were all impressed with the quality that was served up. Flame broiled hamburger, flame grilled chicken breast, pulled pork barbque sliders, chili cheese fries ( something I have never ordered anywhere ), even the pepperoni pizza with a sourdough shell were all outstanding. Had it been evening we would have had drinks as well (full service bar). This is a spot that I highly suggest you try even if you aren't near downtown Seattle.

I stopped by with a friend because, well, the food smelled great. Had the J&M Burger (advertised as spicy, and did have a bit of heat, but don't get your hopes up if you're more of a ghost pepper kind of guy) and greatly enjoyed it. They had a very versatile band playing that night, some blues, jazz, and a bit of rock, which was terrific. 5/5 would eat again.

Came to Seattle to watch the Blue Jays play the Mariners. Stopped in this bustling bar on our way to Safeco field the first day. We just had a few beers but the food being brought to the tables looked so good we made it a point to stop here for dinner before the game the following day. On our 2nd visit we both had burgers and fries. They were out of mini corn dogs and sloppy Joe's, which was a little disappointing, but the burgers totally made up for it. The burgers and buns were so fresh and cooked perfectly. So glad we stopped back for dinner!