JK O’Donnell’s Irish Ale House
121 W Wayne St, Fort Wayne, IN, 46802
JK O’Donnell’s Irish Ale House Menu
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Address :
121 W Wayne St
Fort Wayne, IN, 46802 - Phone (260) 420-5563
- Website https://www.jkodonnells.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 11
- Mon : 11:00 am - 11
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Jeremy M.
Always love going to JK's with my brothers. Selection of beer and food is great. Have to order their scotch eggs every time we go. Price is pretty varied on the alcohol so you can always find something good in your price range. However the lack of space in the place becomes very apparent on a busy weekend night or if something big is happening downtown. It's can also be very loud even without music or televisions playing. We've never really had a problem service wise. They've always been friendly. Sometimes we've had to get their attention for something, but as stated it's normally on a busy night so It's understandable. All in all, it's a great place for a good drink with good friends.
(4)Patrick B.
Great food, great atmosphere, and they happen to have a great band tonight. I've been here a bajillion times (approximately) and I've never been disappointed. The features are creative and delicious. The taps offer an incredible variety as well as the extensive list of bottled beer. I'll definitely be back.
(5)Amanda W.
The two times I have been to this place, the service, food and atmosphere has been horrible. The first was for my birthday, with 10 people. We made reservations. When we arrived, they made us wait an hour. After that, our table still wasn't ready so they tetrised a bunch of tables together, so we were sitting at odd angles and we couldn't converse. We had two vegetarians in the group and the waitress gave us a limited menu. When I explained about the vegetarians, she still argued about not giving me a full menu for them to order from. When our food arrived, it was okay. But, the next day, two people in the party got food poisoning, one of who just had a salad. The second time we went, we were sat after waiting 45 minutes on a Friday afternoon. We waited for 30 minutes for a menu, and then another 30 minutes before we stopped a waiter to ask about our food. They had lost our ticket and our food wouldn't be ready for another 30 minutes. We had a con to be at, so we paid for our beers and excused ourselves. I would never recommend this place to anyone. The only kind thing I can say about it is their selection of beers is nice.
(1)Kris G.
Excellent authentic food, nice menu choices . excellent service and great brew choices. It's definitely a place to return to over and over again.
(5)Taylor T.
I have been to this bar two times and everytime I go I seem to fall in love with it more and more. I love the atmosphere although it may be a little loud at times that is not the fault of the bar. the beer menu is awesome and the beer choices are awesome as well. I tried two beers that I have never had before and I think I have some new favorites. Now to the service. this was probably the best service I have ever gotten at a bar before. our waiter's name was David and he was extremely knowledgeable and you could definitely tell he loves his job. the passion he had while explaining the beer showed he really knew what he was talking about. he definitely made my night way better leaving then it was coming in.
(5)Michelle B.
I just love this place! The food is wonderful, the adult beverages are amazing, and the back room is perfect for hosting a little party like we did recently! The food reminded me of what my great grandmother used to make, in a good way, and modernized! She was an excellent cook with roots in Ireland, and I remember going to lunch and dinner at her home as a kid. I was thrilled to see the choices weren't your typical generic restaurant options, but a jazzed up version of authentic foods without ruining the essence of the traditional flavors, so many chefs seem to get it wrong, but they got it right! I am hooked!
(4)Brian F.
It's always a great experience at JK's! There are a great deal of drink options and their food menu is amazing! Try the garlic aioli with the chips... you won't regret it!
(5)Scott C.
Awesome authentic atmosphere! Incredible beer selection! Prices are pretty reasonable, craft beer and imported beer anywhere from 4 to 10 bucks. I had a Dogfish Head "old style Barley wine" on tap for 8 bucks and it was 15 % alcohol. Food was pretty reasonable, & the pretzels are simply outstanding. Most of the sandwiches and dishes were between 8-12 bucks. Definetly give this place a chance.
(5)Carlo B.
Love this place. When I'm in town, I like to go here. Great food, service, and drink selection.
(5)Todd M.
Checked out JKs for the first time last night - the food is pretty good. I opted for Shepard's Pie ($8 +$4 for small salad), the wife had fish and chips ($9 for half order, 1 piece of fish). We also split some artichoke dip as an appetizer ($9) First impressions: - Price is a little steep for what you get. Our bill after tip was about $55 for a small dinner and 1 beer each. - No music? I half expected to walk in and hear some Black 47 playing over the speakers (hoped rather). That would REALLY help this place, so I hope the owner reads this! It was loud, but in an odd, awkward talking noise kind of way. - Great beer selection. Huge draught and bottled beer menu. - Very few TVs. I could only see one TV from my seat, which was small and in the very corner of the restaurant. - A drop ceiling. This sounds dumb and picky, but I'm going to say it. The bar and booths feel so authentic. The drop ceiling does not. Consider installing a real ceiling with exposed beams and such to complete the authentic look/feel. This place has so much potential! All that said, not sure how much I'll visit. Should the music be added, I could see myself in there weekly!
(2)Scott N.
Food is great and the beers are incredible. They offer good lunch specials and dinner specials all week long. My only criticism is the price but other than that a great place to eat.
(4)Michael D.
Been here many times since the first review. The food is still reasonably priced and the beer selection great. The bangers and mash are delicious and a half order gets you a plate full of mash and three good sized sausages. Always a good choice.
(4)David W.
One of our favorite spots in town. Food is great and traditional ... Jameson and Tullamore Dew is plentiful ... staff is excellent. On a slow or busy night, you can't go wrong with JK's.
(5)Cassondra B.
Best Fried Pickles!! Love to drop by whenever I'm in town. Tons of beer selections. A fun atmosphere and service is always great! Seat yourself style..
(5)Jennifer M.
Great atmosphere, excellent service, superb food and expansive beer selection. One of my favorite places in the area to hang out.
(5)Marie W.
They have great food, and a HUGE selection of beers (or ales or lagers or whatever they are, I'm not a connoisseur, so everything is beer to me). We've eaten here a few times and everything I've had from their menu is outstanding. It's a little heavy on the menu pricing, but I suppose we all have to pay for the location now that Fort Wayne is trying to make downtown happen. I can't comment on whether or not it's "authentic Irish" because I doubt I've experienced anything authentically Irish around these parts past Flanagan's green beer tent on St Patty's day.. which is laughable to even the most fervently blitzed frat boy. The only reason they didn't get 5 stars is that there is always a hunt on to find a table, even for just a few people, and the service is like molasses. They might do better to hire a few more wait staff.
(4)Terra H.
Not bad for some Sunday grub during the game. They showed the 2014 World Cup on a projector screen and instantly won my heart. Great beer list, both bottled and draft.
(3)Kyle W.
Having previously worked downtown, JK's was a frequent stop for lunch. They can be on the pricey side, even for lunch, but everything I have ever had has been delicious. My two favorite dishes are the JK Chicken Sandwich (has a spicy whisky sauce) and the fish and chips. The portions are large and definitely makes the rest of the work day drag by. I have been here in the evenings as well to have dinner and drinks. The beer selection is typical Irish bar fare and prices are reasonable. My go to drink was a beer mix they referred to as a Snakebite. I believe it was around $5 for a pint. It is definitely one of my favorite places to grab a bite and have a drink. The fact that it is downtown makes it all the better, especially if you decide to stroll in after a Tin Caps game.
(4)Kelly V.
My husband & I eat here often (3-4 times a month :) It's by far the best place to hang out in Ft Wayne, eat a delicious & leisurely meal & drink some yummy drink! I love the fish & chips, pub burger, JK chicken, scotch eggs, Caesar or wedge salad, cole slaw, peas, corned beef, grilled cheese.... I could go on & on. The wait staff is friendly & all the food is good! The only thing I don't like is Thursday's special which is a smoked turkey sandwich with curry sauce- icky! Otherwise, it's ALL good! Be sure to check out the rotating taps & watch for more locally brewed goodness!
(5)Jerome K.
Great authentic Irish pub. Bangers or corned beef, plenty of brews to choose from and awesome bread pudding. The atmosphere is relaxed and everyone has a lot of fun, especially when the band plays. I've always had great service here.
(4)Preston P.
This place is AMAZING! My wife and I will spend all evening here starting with appetizers then and entire and finally desert. I don't drink much and neither does my wife but I've been told they have a good selection of beer. I always get the fried pickles and scotch eggs but the pretzel bites are new and delicious. I have gotten the burger and the chicken sandwich which are both good but I've settled on the best cob salad I've ever had. Then I finish with the cheesecake and coffee. The banoffee is good too. Overall this place is great! The atmosphere is nice and the staff is friendly with great recommendations.
(5)Joe I.
Six of us gathered around a table for four and spent the better part of three hours talking, laughing, crying, drinking and tasting. It was a crowded Friday night, and we were all celebrating different things...my birthday earlier in the week, the end of the school semester, one couple's soon to be returning son on holiday leave, but generally everyone was just celebrating the lives that we have been given, and those that love us. We all felt Irish, blessed beyond belief! The main thing that was missing though was some sort of live music. We didn't mind so much though, as music at bars tend to be too loud and hinder long conversations. And boy did we have those! The bar/restaurant is clean, with wood floors & trim, good sturdy tables and wooden chairs. The noise level was fairly high as everything just bounced sounds around. I was actually expecting a smaller and more crowded place, as Irish themed bars are usually super tight, so it was kind of nice to be able to walk around easily. After an Irish flight of beers, we selected a few others to try and shared them amongst the whole group. Elf was the winter warmer that was spotlighted this evening, but the highlight (for me at least) was probably the Trappistes Rochefort 10. Let it warm up a bit and it goes to a whole new level! Everyone had fun tasting the wide selection of ales, lagers and other sorted beers. Fried pickles was hands down the best appetizer we had. We should have gotten 2 orders! Finally ordering some food, we go a few orders of fish and chips, some chicken kabob like things, and lamb pasties. The lamb pasty was created in a refreshingly light pastry with the hot and tasty goodies inside. It reminded me of a chicken pot pie, but one you can hold in your hands, and made of lamb. I tasted the chicken kabob things also, but the lamb pasty would be my pick again. Everyone said the fish and chips were good, but I never got to taste them because they were gone quicker than a leprechaun after his golden treasure. We finished off the evening with another beer, and then some dessert liquors, and stumbled out into the streets to walk around downtown and take in the Christmas lights. Somehow we ended up at the bowling alley for a quick game of 10 pin before heading home...but that is another story. Love JK's! We'll be back!
(5)Tom B.
This place is incredible. Makes me forget I'm in Fort Wayne. Our favorites are the Fisherman's Stew, the Bangers & Mash, and Fish & Chips. Great beer selection, and a very friendly staff.
(4)Kati M.
Good location and great beer choices, but the food menu doesn't have much to please my appetite.
(2)Simone C.
I really expected more. For an Irish bar I expect quality Irish food and that didn't happen. I was excited to get the fish and chips, thinking that if I got a full order I would save half for lunch the next day, wrong! A full order is 2 fish fillets, they aren't even crispy, and the chips are just huge hunks of potato. The beer on the other hand is decent and I don't even like beer. Oh well....
(3)Ashley Marie P.
Atmosphere - 4 stars, but you must be OK with the fact that it's a loud bar. Which is awesome, but not everyone's cup of tea. Service - 2 stars, seriously they need to hire more waiters/servers for busy weekend nights. You just wait way too long for everything. Food - 3 stars. Scotch eggs were stellar, but everything else was questionable. It's decent bar food, but for how nice the place looks, along with the great descriptions of the food, you just expect more once it's brought out to you.
(3)Matthew P.
Bangers and mash and great service!
(4)Stephen M.
I asked for a recommendation between two items--the waitress, friendly and hospitable, highly recommended the fish and chips. Don't get the fish and chips. Fish should have a crispy fry to it--it was soggy. Same for the chips. The meal would rank 2 stars. I looked at the beer list--they would get major stars. The place has a nice buzz to it and the staff is very attentive. I'm forgiving the mis-hit recommendation. I suspect this is a place where one could become a regular. (Not for me though, a wandering out of towner).
(3)James B.
ambiance is great...perfect Irish pub. Liked the selection and service...will definitely be back
(4)Timothy W.
Friends brought me here since they know I am a 'back east' Irish boy from the Bay State. Because of this I am used to proper American Irish pubs, but I am also used to the run of the mill, crap-shoot Amero-Irish pubs for tourists you get in Boston and NYC. This place fell in the middle. The food, drink options, knowledge of the staff and ambiance made it far from a right proper pub, but the place wasn't a latrine of tourist kitsch, free flowing bud-light, or frat boys yelling about how Irish they are. It was a nice comfortable place to grab a pint, sit and talk, and appreciate the calming colours of the kelly green.
(3)Margaret V.
I came here for lunch after a visit to the Botianical gardens. Not being familiar with downtown FW, I was excited to try an establishment that was not a chain. As soon as you enter the "main" entrance there is a sign that says "please seat yourself". No problem.... Then I discovered a problem.... I was a party of one. Therefore, at least accordingly to JK O'Donnell's, I didn't deserve to be there. I waited for a waitress to take a drink order. Then I waited. Then I waited. Then I watied. I was contemplating giving it another minute and then leaving when my glare finally got the attention of a wait staff member. The waitress, Meghan, asked me what I wanted to drink. Not knowing the options, I asked for a diet coke with a lemon. She left, then came back a time later with a menu that listed the drinks. Had I known what beers, very interesting iced teas and other liqours they had, I may have ordered something more exotic. She left and quite awhile later came back to take my lunch order. I decided to have one of the "combo's". which consisted of half an order of their grilled cheese sandwich and a cup of their vegetable/barley soup (the barley soup was the soup of the day, there are other options). The sandwich advertised that the bread was on Irish potato bread and after a VERY LENGTHY time to prepare, I thought maybe the staff had gone to Ireland to get the bread. I am a patient person, but given the restaurant was barely occupied, I found the long wait to be extremely frustrating. I was not alone in being frusrated. A gaggle of 5 women came in and sat down at the table next to me, waited, waited some more, ordered 5 Irish coffees, waited, paid, got their drinks, snorted them down and then left. The half sandwich was very filling. The bread was extremely substantial and there was a lot of awesome gooey cheese, tomato and onion. The soup was ok. Nothing fantatic. My soda was empty for quite awhile before Meghan offere to refill it. Shortly after finishing my meal I asked for the check. As soon as I recieved that I gave the waitress my debit card. I didn't want to wait another 10 minutes to get my completed check. Meghan gave me my bill without a "thank you", "come again" or "happy holidays". In fact, she looked like I owed her quite a bit for taking up her time. For the record, I am a really big tipper. I eat out by myself often, and I understand and appreciate that being a party of one can be a detriment to a wait staff member. If someone treats me with a tad of respect and appreciation I am more than willing to tip as if there were two people dining. Given I received anything but respect, I gave a tiny 15%. I wouldn't eat here again and I would be surprised if the management of JK O'Donell's would respond to the criticism of this review. Maybe I'm wrong... We will se...
(2)Byron W.
Best place in Ft Wayne.... VERY knowledgeable staff, friendly and professional. If you love real craft beer selection, this is the ONLY place in Ft Wayne to go...Ask the servers for beer recommendations !
(4)Daniel M.
So this will be a half and half review. I should also preface this review with the fact that I am of Scots and Irish heritage (I'm a McGregor ffs) and lived in England for 31 years and Ireland for 1. I've only been in Fort Wayne for 5. Enough with the biography. JK's is a great looking bar, great selection of beers, whiskeys, scotchs and bourbons. The prices aren't too bad, especially for their location. When it's full it can be hard to get a seat and it can be a little loud, which is just how it's supposed to be in a pub. If you can get a booth (or a seat at the rail preferably) you should be in for a good night. As long as you can get the attention of somebody to get your order. So, yeah, good bar, fairly authentic in atmosphere....until you read the menu. I think they're playing on the American inability to tell the difference between Scottish, Irish and English. First off, the prices for food are ridiculous. Way over priced. $17 dollars for fish and chips?? Really? You wouldn't even pay that on Grafton Street. Irish Fare - a chicken kabob with teriyaki/curry glaze. Just what I always picture when I think of the Emerald Isle. Irish Stew/Shepherd's Pie - It should be lamb, not beef. Lamb. Or maybe even mutton. The rest of the food is mainly ok, I've not tried everything on the menu. The app's are pretty good, especially the pickles. The lamb pasty is good too, and well priced. Overall it's not a bad place.
(3)Andrew L.
Rude staff. I've been here twice and both times very disappointed in the service. The bar claims to be Irish, but has a completely English look/feel. My biggest pet peeve at a restaurant is to be ignored. When I ordered a beer I was told "we don't have that" and the bartender walked away NEVER TO RETURN. And there were only 5 people in the bar. The second time I came with a group of people and ordered from the menu and was told I couldn't order the food because our party was too big! There were only 8 of us... Needless to say, this place has completely turned me off.
(1)Dana G.
I feel more like the 2-star description fits better than the 3-star one, because this place really was just Meh to me. I got a vegetable sandwich with a potato/leek soup as an appetizer. The potato leek soup was actually pretty good and gave me high hopes. It had a pretty presentation, too. My sandwich was fairly boring and bland -- just covered in flavorless cheese like that'd make everything better. Mostly, it was really overpriced. I was surprised to find my bill at over $15 when I got a cup of soup and a small sandwich. Um??
(3)Parker L.
The beer selection is killer. The whisky selection is fine. The food is standard pub fare. The service is mediocre at best.
(3)Dale B.
I'm not a fan of Irish food. Not that much spice to entertain my pallet. That said....the food was okay. The atmosphere is unique but tends to be LOUD. I love the downtown location to eat. Definitely worth a try....especially if you are looking for someplace to eat downtown.
(4)Jennifer V.
Wonderful beer selection. Great atmosphere. Virtue the Mitten & libertine on tap. Best place in Fort Wayne to relax and watch a game. Seat yourself: we didn't realize there was a room in back. Make sure to check all the way to the right because it's packed on a Saturday night. The fish and chips and shepherd's pie did not disappoint. Their garlic aoili and curry dipping sauces are great! This will be the stop for us when we are in the area.
(5)Rawley D.
If you come here hungry, You will leave full! I had the half order of Bangers and Mash and it was Plenty!. Super beer selection! Friendly folks behind the bar. A Winner!
(5)Mike J.
Food is very good. Simple menu, but some interesting choices. The corned beef and cabbage was pretty good. Can be a loud place on weekends, but it is a pub so it's sort of expected. Worth the visit!
(4)Frank B.
Ordered the vegetarian garden burger and potato leek soup, with Green King Olde Suffolk English Ale. The burger consistency is good. The soup is good. The sauces served with french fries are creative, but I wasn't delighted with any of the three on offer, though I appreciate the effort to have unique variety. Sometimes the wedge fries are prepared well, sometimes it feels they are slightly undercooked. Large wedge fries seem difficult to get right consistently. The beer selection is excellent, and it's certainly a cozy pub style environment. I would give 4-stars, except the crowds can get loud, making it difficult to have reasonable conversations, and some of the servers can get distracted too easily by noise and chaos, leaving some of us unattended. I have been 4 times to test consistency.
(3)Jill F.
Awesome place
(5)Patrick M.
Excellent beer selection and very good bar food. Try the Scottish eggs
(3)Philip F.
Mediocre at best. Being from Wisconsin, I found Indiana's alcohol law where families with children were required to use a separate entrance (in the alley) bizarre. For the things that the establishment could control, other than their beer selection, which was quite good, their service and food was nothing to write home about. I ordered the shepherd's pie, which ended up being the consistency of thin porridge. The flavor was OK, but certainly nowhere near the best shepherd's pie I've ever had. I had ordered their Hop Handle beer selection, which was listed as $5 on the menu. When we got the bill, they had charged me $6. When I questioned this, the server told me that "for future reference" since the beer selection for the Hop Handle varied, the price did as well. I'm sorry, but that's illegal. You can't advertise an item at one price and charge customers another price. For future reference, I won't be making a return visit.
(3)Kelli S.
Went here to grab a bite to eat and a few drinks. Have to say I was a bit disappointed, I expected some true Irish fare. Maybe I'm spoiled, having moved here from Bloomington where they have the Irish Lion which serves nothing but Irish delights. The fried pickles however have to be the best I have had, ever. The spinach artichoke dip is great too. Again, not sure about those items being Irish though. Go for good food, not an Irish experience.
(3)Nick R.
JK O'Donnels is one of those bars that just takes the Irish pub theme and nails it. It doesn't rely on gimmicks, but rather on a great beer selection and a neighborhood vibe. Pros: + Absolutely fantastic beer selection. There's a wonderful ever changing selection, a rotating hop handle, and even flights of drafts ranging from super hoppy to light and crisp. + All the servers are extremely knowledgeable about beer. If you have a question, they'll have an answer. + The bar is cozy, like the people next to you feel comfortable enough to talk to you cozy. That level of friendliness is no small feat! + The layout is great for a small pub, lots of little rooms, a big main bar, lots of stools (tall and short), and an old school wood grain. + There's a good selection of whiskey, and represents the Irish whiskeys particularly well. + Occasionally there is live music (Disclaimer: quality of music varies :P) + The banoffee is quite popular and unique. + Irish bartender?! Cons: - The beers are primarily bottle selections. - Occasionally, they run out of a style of beer. - The food is just kind of ok, there's nothing bad, but nothing ever seems to evoke a "wow!". - No private lot, street parking. Overall, JK's is more a bar I like to visit for a drink than a full meal. That being said, it's a nice place to grab a quick bite and a brew, or just have a conversation. Don't expect the most phenomenal food, but for a bottle, it's a win.
(4)Brian K.
I've been here a couple of times now... Not bad, not great. The service is a little sketchy. We really didn't know who was really our server, during our visit five different servers visited our table but it was still a little slow and definitely uncoordinated (two people brought my wife her drink at the same time). The pub burger is decent but nothing special. The house made chips that weren't burnt were really tasty. The cheddar fondue is great. For dessert we tried the Baileys Cheesecake and Bread Pudding. Both of them were excellent.
(3)Brad K.
What a great little place. I loved the ambiance (although I'll bet it gets crowded in the evening). Totally Irish all the time. (Including their Irish Declaration of Independence complete with a pictures of the signers -- who were all executed. Enjoy the pie!) My waitress (Sarah, I think) kicked ass. She was nice and funny. When I asked for bread to go with the shepherd's pie, she brought out their homemade butters (apple and something else...who can remember I ate it so quickly.) Dessert wasn't brilliant, but it's dessert. So it also wasn't bad. A bit understaffed so don't go waiting for things to happen PRONTO, but chill out anyway...what are you doing that's so important? Answer: nothing. Just a few blocks from the baseball field as well.
(4)Missy C.
Great variety of beer and a good bar to start your night. It gets pretty loud with all of the hard wood. I love the patio seating in the warmer months. The food here has never been my favorite. Their sweet potato fries are really good and I usually play it safe with a grilled chicken sandwich. Last time I tried the bangars and mash and wasn't too thrilled, the gravy didn't suit me and the sausage was not to my taste either. Seriously good beer choices, I usually just get a Smithwhicks which is on tap. The servers and bartenders can be quite surly here, like they don't want to help you. I think the have sticks lodged up their you-know-what's. I do get occasional cool servers that actually smile which is nice. My parents and their friends all got food poisoning from this place last year.
(3)Jarrod G.
Best Bangers n Mash I've ever had!! Great atmosphere and good beer selection! I've only been twice in the last two times I visited Fort Wayne but both times have been great! Fish n Chips also a bit hit. Today I also shared an order of some kind of fries with this great dipping sauce that was kind of spicy. Yum!! I love that downtown Fort Wayne has good eats again!!
(4)Kurt K.
Nice people and great place to have a beer
(3)Jarrod R.
We had a great time at JK O'Donell's about a month ago. We were in Ft. Wayne for a convention and sought out a little spot to decompress after all of the information thrown at us, so we wandered around the corner from the hotel for some "down time." Yes, the beer selection was outstanding, but the service was excellent, too. We were made to feel at home almost instantly. It's the kind of place I wish I had in my neighborhood, but I'm happy these types of places exist.
(4)Sonia C.
Pretty good! Had a good week-night dinner here. I can recommend the cod cake (appetizer - served on sauteed spinach and cabbage). It was heavy, but overall good flavor. My husband LOVED his burger, even if it arrived well-done, not 'medium,' as he ordered. It was nice to see a good crowd during the week - and the crowd was diverse (from 20-50 somethings) - with some "business dinners" and some families with young children.
(4)Stacia M.
Clean. Huge bar selection. Staff/food was prompt. I had shepard's pie which was amazing and pipping hot. My husband had corn beef and slaw sandwich and loved it. The soda bread for $1 was yummy, but the best part was the sweet potato butter to which I buttered all sides of my bread as not to waist any of it. The butter is made in house daily. We also had scotch eggs. Totally a comfort food with awesome mustard dip. Yummy as well! We went earlier in the evening (6pm) and had no problems with noise level or being overly crowded. There is family dining available.
(5)Gary S.
Great traditional irish food - Great beer - Great atmosphere, especially if you are a soccer (futball) fan. I have been here many times, but the most memorable was the US v. England World Cup match this summer. I definitely recommend JK's if you want to get away from the stereotypical sports bars that infest fort wayne.
(5)Anne F.
Hooray for a revitalized downtown! So, I have been here several times since they opened up a couple of years ago. What a nice treat for my hometown - good food at good prices with an interesting beer listing. In Chicago, I would compare it to the Hopleaf in Andersonville. My last visit: Came with my sister to meet a girlfriend. It was 11:45 and were serving alcohol without judgment. We started with the fried pickles. Oh what is that? The BEST food in the world. Dipped in a semi-intense mustard...it was awesome. I started with my first beer (Rango). It was a good combo. That day, we stuck to the main menu: Fish and chips (I like my fish a little crisper, but that it the Fish Fry style I grew up with), bangers and mash (were eaten completely), and the corned beef and cabbage (also, all gone). There was no room for desert, but they are good. I finished with a Bell's Winter Ale (a good beer, if you haven't had one) 1/2 pint (what a good idea!) and some good conversation. it was nice to not be chased out of the place when we were done, although we would have left if there was a line. I happy to see this place in Fort Fun and hope that more like it will move in as downtown becomes more exciting. Keep it up!
(4)AKa H.
So, my husband and I gave this place a couple more shots and I have to say it's still not impressive. Beers on tap seem expensive, food is okay, and there are two things majorly wrong. One, the Lindsay Lohan lookalike is still working there and she still has the same personality. My husband and I thought it was just us, but we watched her as she waited other tables. Second, the menu is lack luster. You don't have many options to choose from, so it doesn't take long before you've gone through a half the menu. If you do come here, I suggest the Reuben. It's the only thing I'd come back for, but then I can get a Reuben a lot of other places. I believe this business stays a float due to the few restaurants located downtown and the atmosphere. This is definitely more a bar, but could be so much more. I'm a bit disappointed because we really want to like this place. Hence being back several times since my last review.
(3)Terra V.
Alright, I'm going to start out my inaugural Yelp with this gem in Fort Wayne. Let's preface this by saying I've been to "Irish Pubs" all over the world, except Ireland, go figure, and this place is pretty darn good. My husband and I have been here quite a few times, sometimes to drink more than eat, and sometimes to eat more than drink. Anyway, the past time I was here we had dinner. I had the Irish stew which was delicious. I will say that it didn't look too appetizing when they brought it to me. It was brown stew, you know? But what it lacked in looks, it more than made up for in the taste department. It had a very robust flavor and wasn't too salty, which most restaurant soups I have had seem to be. I washed it down with, ahem, a few, pints of Guinness and I was completely satisfied! My husband had the pasty and some sweet potato fries. He gave me a bite of the pasty, as I am not a big fan of lamb, but it was just OK. The stew was much better in my opinion. All in all, I really enjoy this place. The Irish music is blaring, the wait staff was great. I forget his name, but he was fabulous, quick and friendly, what more could you ask for? If you're looking to go to a place that gives you a small taste of Europe in the Midwest, look no further than JK O'Donnell's.
(4)Tim J.
We didn't eat here, but we did drink some pretty nutritious beers (there must have been a lot of fiber in them judging by the next day's experience). The good: Beer selection. I have been to places with better selection, but this was pretty good. The server we had was knowledgeable, and the menu was reasonably well organized (I would have preferred an alphabetical listing to accompany the categorized one, so I could see all the products from particular brewers on hand). The bad: Closing time. 1AM. WTF? I got into town late from the Central time zone and well before I drank my fill, we were ushered out. Also bad was the obnoxious yuppie crowd, to which I suppose I belong, regretfully. I wonder if many were happy hour heroes up past their bedtimes, as there were a lot of tanked Chads and Trixies shouting and louting in that somewhat noisy bar. Beers were also pretty expensive. I understand about markup, and that when you carry obscure products sometimes you have to jack up the prices on other stuff, but I paid $2 less for 6 oz. more drafts of Bell's Hopslam at Dash-In (8oz pours @JK's vs. pints @ Dash-In).
(3)Lyn P.
This Irish Pub was one of my favorite places to hang when I was in Ft. Wayne on business. It's just a couple of blocks away from the Hilton downtown and was a much better place to have a nightly wind-down drink than the hotel bar. They've got a good selection of beers from the UK on tap and also an impressive whiskey list. They also had a great selection of bottled beers (lots of good Belgians). The food was pretty good too - the guinness cheese on the cheese plate was awesome. I also had to have their bread pudding and banoffee desserts. The top of the bread pudding was crispy and carmelized, which added great texture to the dessert. And I loved the banoffee (bananas and caramel, hello!) Everyone was friendly and service was top notch.
(4)Marla C.
The food is reliably good and they pick great beers for their expansive list. Of course it is do popular that it can be crazy busy and hard to know if you'll be able to find a seat at dinnertime. It's great to have a nice established pub anchoring downtown. The Irish dishes are tasty and I love the Cobb salad and the veggie burger, too.
(4)Amy S.
I have been here several times while in FW for work during the dinner hour. I almost always get the corned beef sandwich with a side besides fries. The roasted vegetables or soup are both a great option. If you leave any room for dessert, try the banoffee or chocolate of the day special. I have also tried the light beer flight and loved being able to have variety. Prices are super reasonable.
(4)Anne C.
This place was just kind of average, in my opinion. The food was very good, but not great and our service was just so-so. The waitress seemed confused or put out by some of our requests, which weren't that major. We were there for lunch on a weekend and it was quiet so they certainly weren't overwhelmed. They did have a great beer menu though, which everyone at the table appreciated.
(3)Blanco N.
Decent beer. Pretty good bar food. Great atmosphere. One of the only places to watch football (soccer) in The Fort.
(4)Rob T.
I want to put up a disclaimer that this review is a "work lunch" review and is no reflection on the bar/beer selection which appeared to be pretty good. As a couple of out of towners in Ft. Wayne for work, in a woefully un-yelped town like Ft. Wayne, we thought....."what did people do for food in a strange town before yelp?" The answer..."head to the tallest buildings and stop at the most appetizing place" Well in this case that old adage = FAIL! There were plenty of lunchers at JK's, but the menu was anemic and even the old Irish Pub standby of Fish and Chips was adequate at best. The service was also poor. There are some great places to eat in Ft. Wayne, but if you find yourself in this one....stick with the beer and you'll be fine.
(2)Fred P.
Went here for lunch and overall enjoyed it. First off I absolutely love the beer menu. They had Weihenstephaner Dunkel which I absolutely adore. We ordered the artisan cheese plate and JK chips for appetizers. I wasnt that impressed with either. The cheese plate ($15) had 5 somewhat thick slices of cheese with some sweet bread, chutney, and greens. I had hoped for fifteen bucks we might have received more and the cheese honestly tasted like something I could buy at the deli at Kroger's. The chips (fries) also weren't my cup of tea. They were very thick and almost tasted a little under cooked in the center. The dipping sauces, however, were very good. For lunch I had the JK Chicken sandwich which I enjoyed immensely. Each of us enjoyed our main entree for lunch but all agreed that the thickness of the fries was a little much. The staff was very friendly and pleasant.
(3)Trevor L.
Scotch eggs were dry, fries were underdone, cod was very pedestrian. Pretty cool design though.
(2)Dennis G.
Park of my visit to Fort Wayne last month included dinner at JK O'Donnell's. As far as decor and service I wasn't particularly impressed. Granted, I was with a huge party and we filled the private room so a handful of servers were pushed to their limits. We had a reduced menu from which to select since the company was picking up the tab. I had the wings, which were huge. I was actually impressed by the size of the wings. The sauce wasn't spicy by New Orleans standards but had a great flavor. For dessert I had the cheesecake with Baily's syrup. The cheesecake itself was ok but the sauce was amazing. I definitely recommend it.
(3)Miz S.
A few steps away from the Fort Wayne convention center. My friend & I didn't have much time so we ordered some food to go. While waiting, we decided to order a drink. This place has a fabulously huge beer & WHISKEY menu. Very impressive. If I had more time, I would come get drunk here trying all the whiskey cocktails. When ravenously going through our to-go bags we found some bread (makes sense) and several tiny to-go cup things. What's in here? Amazingly delicious apple butter maybe?!? and squash butter?!? These ruled. I want to go back here just to get these addictive substances to dip my bread in. I got the sheperd's pie which was decent (though not enough fresh herbs for my taste). My friend got the bangers $ mash which was HUGE and had delectable gravy. For dessert we both got the molten chocolate cake which was average (though keep in mind, we did get it to go). The salad I got had a good selection of dressings. Go! Eat! Drink! Be merry!
(4)Chris L.
For a non drinker like me, the aspects of a place like this come down to atmosphere, service and food and JK O'Donnell's does an admirable job at all 3. The inside of this Irish pub just screams "PUB!" in a really good way and is a nice example of the genre. The server that we had was attentive, engaging and made the experience that much better. The food is of course of the Irish style, so you can't go in expecting modern fusion, but the corned beef sandwich I had was pretty good. The mustard on the table was spicy and was a good addition. They seem to have a large selection of beers and whiskey drinks, so if that's your thing or if you just enjoy a well done Irish style atmosphere, I would head over to JK O'Donnells.
(4)Barry S.
No doubt about it ... this place is pretty darn good. Our group of seven enjoyed our entrees although the menu isn't too aggressive or lengthy. Good food and beer joint. I'd go there again.
(4)Bean B.
Beer drinkers will love the draft & bottled beer selection available! Great atmosphere & service. The food is good, but keep in mind it's an Irish fare so don't expect anything too exciting. The potato leek soup is tasty and there's a decent vegetarian selection. It's worth a visit or 2 or 3. :)
(4)Amber R.
One of my favorite places to eat downtown. Order a snakebite (harps and strongbox cider) and the fries with curry sauce. I am also a big fan of the Scottish Eggs.
(5)John F.
A very good beer list. But why do I continue to order Irish cuisine and think it will be good. Great pub for a pint, but leave it at that.
(3)Jake M.
I know this place has to have good food, cause so many people I know have raved about this place but I finally tried their food after a Tin Caps game and was sorely disappointed. Their wings were TERRIBLE, they were SO SALTY and hot, I know they are smoked but they were gross, neither me or my friend could finish them they were so salty. The service was terrible too, we couldnt even get our drinks refilled the waitress was too preoccupied with other tables. Im sure I will go back there but hopefully if I order something else it will be a lot better next time but if you want good wings trust me go to Columbia Street West cause their wings are 100 times better.
(2)Ashley R.
Expensive but awesome atmosphere
(4)Sue S.
Every time I go to Fort Wayne I try to eat here. Wonderful bangers and mash! My only complaint is that as of my last visit, you could only get beer & wine.
(4)kelly h.
my favorite place in fort wayne. classic cocktails. great beer selection. hearty food. and the atmosphere can not be beat!
(5)Zack K.
Great selection of beers. If you are a beer drinker and like craft and imported beers, this definitely the place to be. Reasonable prices and one of my favorite places to drink
(5)Katy P.
Came here with the boyfriend while he was doing some work in Ft. Wayne. Dinner was quite tasty--the soup on special was delicious, and the salad and entree we split was pretty good too. They had a decent selection of beer on tap, which is always nice. Service was okay--nothing extraordinary, but nothing to complain about either. Prices were about average for what we got. I've paid more for dinner, but I've also paid less. Overall, good food, good beer, reasonable prices.
(5)Molly L.
JK O'Donnell's reminds me of the pubs I used to frequent in my sleepy college town when I lived in Ireland. The bartender is very friendly. The beer selection is really good, especially for Fort Wayne. No Bud Light in sight! They also have a good selection of whiskeys. I came for dinner and had the Cobb Salad. It was good, but not great. I had a bite of my friend's bangers and mash. I'd definitely get that next time. Minus one star because while I feel that the food is good, it's a little pricey for Fort Wayne. I'm definitely adding JK O'Donnell's to my list of places that make me look forward to coming home to Fort Wayne.
(4)Bill M.
OK, I was stuck in Ft. Wayne overnight, on the way back to Detroit from a business trip in Indianapolis. Apologies to Ft. Waynians for the implication that the town is a place where one might not want to be. So, I didn't expect much when I walked the empty downtown streets from the Hilton Inn. JK O'Donnel's--it was simply great. Unbelieveable beer selection, mostly imports, and mostly Irish, natch. The food was as good as bar food gets. Beer cheese soup was excellent, as was the fried chees appetizer. Fish and chips were also excellent. Live music was also good.
(5)Paul D.
One of the best places in the Fort to get some good beer. The JK whiskey chicken sandwich is the best buffalo chicken sandwich around.
(5)Sam S.
Great place to hang out, have a beer, and a nice meal. Lots of beers and whiskeys to choose from, and some unusual appetizers.
(4)Sara P.
As other reviewers note, the beer and liquor selection are stellar (although they stopped carrying the delicious Hitachino Nest ginger beer). The JK Manhattan w. cherry-infused bourbon is one of the better mixed drinks I've tasted in a while and the whiskey list is enormous. The menu is much smaller than the typical TGIF-Apple-Chili-Bees-type place, which probably would give the kitchen better opportunity to perfect the menu items and to pace their output. However, this doesn't seem to be the case, especially when the place is packed and the kitchen is stretched thin. On these busy nights, I've experienced less-than-decent service, with a very long wait for food, refills, etc., whether with a small or large party; there just aren't enough JK staff to cover the crowd. For instance, on a recent weekend night, it took 1.5 hours for our party of 6 to get our main courses (no appetizers were ordered). My smoked salmon club sandwich w. tomato chutney was delicious, but my fries were cold (but salvageable once doused in curry sauce). Three of my co-diners ordered fish and chips, and the fish was not cooked through and raw in places. The owner apologized and was very gracious, but I believe there needs to be better staffing or kitchen planning for the busy nights. And there are a lot of busy nights at JK O'Donnells. I recommend visiting the place during off-hours to avoid these problems, if you can, because when they are able to hit their mark, JK O'Donnells can be amazing.
(3)Jahan M.
Awesome beer selection! Creative menu! Nice staff! It's a little pricey, and the food isn't epic, but I don't think it's all that shabby. Definitely a good place to check out every now and then.
(4)Hopus M.
You don't have to like soccer or Irish food to like jk's. You don't even need to be willing to try over 100 different beers. All you need is a great attitude and a desire for a real olde Irish bar atmosphere. The best part is the picture by the sink in the men's room.
(5)Christina H.
I've been going to JKs for years, I love the laid back vibe. It's also one of the few places that pours a Guinness properly! The food is decent- I love the fish and chips and McCurdy sandwich- but I really go for the extensive beer list and atmosphere.
(5)Louis O.
Cool place downtown. Beer menu is huge and they actually have a pretty good food menu also Usually pretty crowded and a lot of fun.
(4)David H.
This was a nice place to shelter us from the cold, unforgiving winter weather. The service and the food were fine. A nice assortment of beers and the food is good bar-food.
(3)