Another business in the Castro has closed it's doors. This time it's Jake's on Market (formerly Restaurant 2223) at 2223 Market St. While Jake's was still more upscale than the myriad of diners found throughout the Castro, it still had a comfortable, welcoming atmosphere that you wouldn't feel awkward walking into with a pair of jeans and a t-shirt on.
Unfortunately, the comfortable atmosphere and the gourmet cuisine was not enough to keep this restaurant's head above water. On November 30th, owners Tim Travelstead and Brad Becker posted a goodbye note on the restaurants website and on the front door of the restaurant thanking their loyal customers and calling out the haters who rated them poorly on Yelp,
With much regret, Jake's on Market has closed.
To our many regular customers, we are very grateful for the support you gave us in our desire to open a warm, neighborhood restaurant owned and operated by a family here in the Castro, for the residents of the Castro. I just wish there had been more of you. But we will always remember your kindness.
Jake's on Market closing letter
And for a small minority of people who rooted for our failure before we ever opened our doors because we weren't the same restaurant that had previously occupied this space, and which we had no connection to, well, we'll never forget you either. Reading reviews and ratings on Yelp such as, "I hated the color of their T-shirts, I'll never be back. I give them one star!" or being criticized for the taste of food that we have never even served at Jake's, was both amusing and demoralizing, not only to us as owners, but to our co-workers who put all of their efforts into giving each guest a great experience.
Lastly, we wanted to thank the wonderful people we got to know who worked with us both behind the scenes in the kitchen and in the front of the house serving you. Owning a restaurant is a 24-hour a day experience, and we couldn't have picked a nicer group of people to spend our time with. Life goes on, we'll continue to raise our family, and we wish all of you our very best wishes.
Sincerely, Brad and Tim.
This adds yet another vacant storefront to the many that litter the Castro. While I am dubious it was related to a few bad reviews on Yelp and not the high cost of leasing retail property in San Francisco (check out commercial real estate listing site LoopNet's graph titled Retail Property Asking Rent - Lease Trends), maybe a 'fine dining' experience so far away from Castro Street is not a good idea. The more casual Sliders Bar & Grill just a block away seems to be doing pretty well and nearly every time I walk by they are always busy with only a table or two free.
Why do you think Jake's on Market failed to hold its ground? What do you think should replace it?
