Editor’s note: Jack’s La Jolla closed suddenly July 30.

Some restaurants stick to one theme: Italian, Japanese and what not. Some lounges become the spot for after-work hours, the perfect date fix or the cheap drinks joint. Some nightclubs stick to the same philosophy — one DJ, spinning records with one type of beat. But at Jack’s La Jolla, such a conforming style is unacceptable.

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Photo by Steven Bartholow

Hidden at La Jolla Cove lies one building, three levels and an array of experiences. A five-star restaurant with a mellow piano bar, a sexy dance club scene with the finest Mojitos and the hottest jams, and a tranquil bar with a 900-bottle-wine-list and live jazz — are just three of the affairs found at Jack’s.

“The coolest thing that I like about it, is you don’t have to leave,” said Jack’s manager Adam Boyer. “You can have a nice fine-dining dinner, then hear some live music and then go to a nightclub — all under one roof. It’s almost like a little city within a building.”

Opened less than five years ago, Jack’s was once a one-theme style restaurant inside a three-story building on the corner of Girard and Wall. But as years passed and businesses closed, owner Bill Berkeley began to slowly take over the dwelling. Now all three stories have become a part of what we know as Jack’s, accompanied by a sidewalk cafe, three restaurants, four bars and one nightclub.

Berkeley simply wanted one San Diego establishment that could satisfy all cravings, said Boyar: “Jack’s pretty much appeals to all crowds — anything from 21st birthdays all the way to 50-year-olds hanging out, dancing. It’s a wide-range of different people.”

Like any business in the world though, Jack’s isn’t immune to the economic despair. Boyar said Jacks’ responded to the recession by offering discounts to patrons. Jack’s rollbacks include extending Happy Hour times, offering coupons and boasting its wine specials.

The café

Catering to La Jolla’s lunch crowd, Jack’s hosts a sidewalk cafe on Girard Avenue with a full bar. The sidewalk offers cheap lunch specials for local business folks or tourists on the weekends. Although the cafe isn’t the best of what Jack’s has to offer, it’s a good spot for a casual lunch.

The restaurants

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As you walk through the entrance of Jack’s, the first of the three restaurants you’ll encounter is Jack’s Grille. With beautiful decor designed by Berkeley, the restaurant is centered around a fire-pit beside two rows of tables, with water flowing through rocks. Offering a homey feel, the Grille offers beefy dishes, seafood and American classics like burgers and pizza.

Above the Grille and on the second floor are the other two restaurants. Viaggio is an Italian-style steakhouse. At the blissful sounds of a piano, patrons can choose to be seated in two areas: a dimly-lit dinning area with modern sofas or beside the balcony overlooking the Cove. The steakhouse offers the usual three or five-course dinners (the three courses are averaged to be $40). But, Viaggio has a bonus. If patrons walk down a hallway, they are given a full flash of the Viaggio kitchen and chefs as they style their foods on plates.

^[3]The third restaurant, Ocean Room, is across from Viaggio on the same second floor. It offers a more casual dinning experience over moderately-priced seafood. The Ocean also offers patrons sushi on a dime. Like Viaggio, patrons have the option of sitting in one of the cabanas overlooking the cove or a more cozy area near two fireplaces.

The lounges

Jack’s Wine Bar is beside his Grille on the first floor and has a similar atmosphere.But Berkeley offers one unique goodie in this wine bar: 900 bottles to choose from, a menu which is world reknown according to Boyar. The never-ending wine list is accompanied by live jazz or blues on some nights and a flamenco bravura on other nights.

Above the Wine Bar on the second floor, are three other bars: Wall Street Bar, Beach Bar and Ocean Room Bar. The Wall Street Bar caters to “professionals” and has a DJ on weekend nights.

During my time there, the DJ spun techno-type (kind of 80s, kind of not) records. At the Beach Bar, patrons find a more casual atmosphere with a DJ rocking the latest tunes on some crowded weekend nights, said Boyar. And next to the Beach Bar, is the Ocean Room Bar — no DJ, just a fun atmosphere with drinks on the cheap.

^[4]The dance club
On the third floor of Jack’s lies their dance club, Level 3. Level 3 is where you can find the Gaslamp scene at the Cove. Half of Level 3 is under a retractable roof while the other half is indoors. That means dance goers can find themselves dancing off cocktail calories under the Cove’s amazing starry nights or indoors in a typical club scene. The house DJ is DJ Angle but at times, guest DJs will visit Jack’s to rock its Level 3.

So other than eight different businesses in one building, what’s the advantage of patronizing Jack’s? For one, the drinks are amazing and cheap (had the best Tom Collins there for $6). You won’t ever feel sorry for the group of youngin’s standing outside waiting to get in, because the size of the building never calls for a waiting line and no cover for any of their venues.

Just try enjoying another venue after visiting Jack’s. Jack’s is located at 7863 Girard Ave. (858) 456-8111.

Hoa Quach is the SDNN political editor and usually writes about the deficit but likes to visit Jack’s to stay sane. She can be reached at Politics(a)SDNN.com