Jackson’s Bar and Bistro

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Photos by Katie Turpen

The Pacific Panini is filled with blackened ahi tuna, Monterey Jack and pico de gallo.

Chaotic, upbeat and super casual — this is the vibe Jackson’s owner Tom Shaffer aimed to create more than seven years ago when he was looking to expand his Nashville restaurant located near Vanderbilt University.

 “We kept coming back to Birmingham two or three times a year,” Shaffer said. “I really like the energy here in Homewood.”

Since opening in September 2006, the expansive patio has become a familiar spot for those looking for a place to brunch, lunch and hang out for late-night eats and drinks. The restaurant attracts a variety of customers from the business professionals at lunchtime to local college students in the later evening hours.

 “Nobody needs to worry about dress here,” Shaffer said. “We just want everybody to come in and relax.”

Shaffer said his time spent in Spanish bistros in Europe inspired the interior design of the restaurant, which has an open kitchen, stone pizza oven and an upstairs loft space. Funky art pieces by Paul Wilm from Naked Art adorn the walls.

“We’re an American spin on a European bistro,” Shaffer said. “And for comfort, we have this big American bar.”

Shaffer dubs his menu as “creative comfort food.” The menu offers everything from Steak Frites to a Baltimore BLT to Tacos Del Mar.

 “We have a lot of different cuisines, and we’re always trying new things,” Shaffer said. “People may not realize we get fresh produce every day. We also get fresh seafood.”

Despite the array of offerings that represent different countries and traditions, Shaffer mentions a small plate and a dessert item that keep many loyal customers coming back again and again.

 “I always joke if we took everything off but the Buffalo Feathers and the Cookie-Dough Egg Rolls, we could still do great business,” Shaffer said.

There’s an obvious reason for this favoritism: flash-fried wonder. The Cookie-Dough Egg Rolls — fried chocolate-chop dough in pastry —  are topped with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream. For the Buffalo Feathers, pieces of juicy, pulled white-meat chicken are flash fried in a hot sauce.

Behind the expansive bar under low-hanging mood candles, Jackson’s bartenders serve up specialty, “newish” cocktails such as the Gentleman Jackson, which contains Gentleman Jack whiskey, Blue Moon, house sours, marmalade and bitters. The bar is stocked with 30 different beers including a local selection on tap and what Shaffer refers to as a “tight but good wine selection.”

 “We make a lot of the ingredients in house,” Shaffer said. “We make our own grenadine. We make our own bitters.”

Outside of happy hour and late night, brunch on Saturdays and Sundays lasts until 3 p.m. Forget your average mimosa paired with eggs and toast. The menu offers twists on classics drinks such as the Asian Mary made with wasabi vodka and the Cypress, a blend of champagne and grapefruit juice. Then sink your teeth into one of ten omelettes such as the Alpine, a gooey delight of Swiss cheese and Broadbent bacon.

The restaurant’s weekly specials include half-price wine on Sundays and half-price beer, well and call drinks on Tuesdays until midnight. And just in case you thought you heard everything, the bar has a late night menu that includes oven-baked S’mores and the bistro’s specialty flatbreads and pizzas.

When asked his favorite part of being a restaurant owner in Homewood, Shaffer gives several answers.

 “The social part, getting to talk to different people,” Shaffer said. “Also, putting together a creative menu, meeting with new providers. It’s hard work but it’s a fun business. It’s great because Birmingham is very food-conscious right now.”