schussat "Can't talk. Eating."

Jackson’s Grill is something of a Flagstaff institution — you’ll hear various histories of its founding and its ownership changes and how it was the fine dining restaurant in Flagstaff for some time. After a period of being closed and for sale, the restaurant has reopened with a less expensive menu than it previously offered (though the forty-two dollar surf and turn is still on the menu), which makes it much more accessible for casual dining. It’s definitely worth trying out now that it’s not quite such a big investment, even though our meals were middle of the road.

Let’s do the positives: Jackson’s is in a great location, just off highway 89 south of Flagstaff. The restaurant has a bit of a sprawling feel to it, with multiple areas of dining room & lounge, and three levels of patio. From the array of patios you can listen to the breeze in the aspens, watch the sun set, and see the stars come out. It manages to feel kind of luxy, welcoming, and casual at the same time.

Jackson’s has a long wine list and a handful of cocktails and beers on the menu. We weren’t up for exploring the wine, so we had a couple of cocktails and I went for the reliable Red Hook ESB from the not-very-interesting list of beers. Word around the table was that the strawberry mojito and the margaritas were both good (and stiff), but the ginger martini was a little weird — raw chunks of ginger start it out with a nice flavorful bite, but they end up eventually getting strained through your teeth.

We ordered the mussels appetizer ($13). It was okay but don’t think I’d go for it again. The blackening spices kind of lent an uneasy bitterness, and the mussels were a bit dry. The salads were better: Fresh greens, chunks of mild feta, sweet slices of strawberry and a vinaigrette for some tanginess, it was just right.

The shrimp pomodoro pasta ($17) was delicious, but warning: It’s a cream sauce, which isn’t called out on the menu. Fish tacos ($8) weren’t as good: Served cold, they tasted fresh but bland, and the flour tortillas were boring. The side of sweet potato fries were tasty but also cold. The tacos came with four different salsas, but they didn’t do much for the dish. Our dining partners had a shrimp/scallop entree ($18) and the chicken parmesean ($15) and both said good things about their meals.

So what to say about a place with an appealing menu but food that’s varies greatly in its execution, that sits on a gorgeous hillside and with service that seems eager to please? Give them a try but order carefully, I think.