Located in The Days Inn Hotel across from McDonalds
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Susan’s Daily Lunch Specials
Wifi Now Available
Drink Specials
Sun - Thurs Open till Close Friday & Saturday till 8pm
Sunday $3.50 Hurricanes
Monday $3.50 Bahama Mama
Tuesday $1 Margaritas
Wednesday $3.50 Mongolians
Thursday $3.50 Rum Runner
Friday $3.50 Hawaiian Punch
Saturday $3.50 Mai Tai
Sunday- Nascar. $12.25 build your own buckets (5) till 8pm. $1 drafts 8-close
Monday- 45¢ wings. $1 drafts 8-close
Tuesday- Open Mic/DJ. Fat Tuesday Fiesta Night with DJ Bootsy, Build your own Buckets (5) for $12.25
$1 Margaritas, 50¢ tacos 5pm-10pm (dine-in only), $1.75 longnecks 2-8pm.
Wednesday- Ladies Night Plus DJ/Dance party. 75¢ chicken tenders.
Thursday- Karaoke/DJ. $1 drafts 8-close
Tuesday 21st Fat Tuesday Party with Food & Drink Specials
WE NOW HAVE KENO!!!
Huge outdoor smoking patio with TV’s available
Upcoming Eventsss
Friday
3- Color Blind
10- Specyphi
17- TBA
24- Parti Gras
Saturdays
4- Kenny Welch Band
11- Weezy Jefferson
18- Catch 22
25- House Party
Reviews
J&B’s Tavern 3 years new and far improved
CV: It’s been 3 years since J&B’s opened. The good ship is sailing under full sail too, great job and congrats to you all. We have a few questions. Think back to the day you bought her, what plans did you have then and how does that compare to now? What has been the hardest part so far?
Jim: We are still under the same concept as when we bought her... to bring back what I remembered about a fun bar, with a hotel (to stay safe). Back when Jack had it in 95’ (my first bar tending job) it was one of the best locations in town to have fun and not worry about driving. Almost like a house party. Most importantly I remember the great clientèle it once had. The hardest part was overcoming some of the past experiences people have had there, trying to get people to take a chance and see it’s not the old bar with all the trouble. That’s the hard part.
CV: A pub features food & music, a great pub features good food & music, J&B’s seems focused on both. It’s certainly a factor in the success. Many pubs claim they can’t make any money selling food, how have you made the kitchen an important part of your overall sales? Is the menu today what you expected when you opened? What works and what just washed?
Jim: We are more of a tavern vs. a restaurant. Our sales will be prominently alcohol. We like to feature some good food that isn’t over priced (as a restaurant can be). We try to concentrate on making the best sports bar food that goes well with cold beer. Our prices fit anyone’s budget for dinner (and a beer). Some restaurants people can’t go to that often (due to there hefty prices to cover the major franchise fees that they pay). I hold our food to the same quality but don’t have franchise issues to worry about. I want my customer to know they’re getting a great deal. We have made a few menu changes every season to accommodate our customers and we’re in the works of a new menu as we speak. We have tested our .50c taco day and a .75c cheese coney day. They were a huge success. Customers love discounts.
CV: Here’s a big factor, the bands. It’s a fine line between paying big money for big bands that get a big draw
(hopefully) and spending too little on bands that sound like a deal, but turn out to hurt your crowd rather than help it. After these 3 years of experience how does your line-up come about? What have you learned about booking bands? What resources (if any) aid your band searches? What advice can you offer in regards to live music booking?
Jim: I can admit that I definitely
changed my lineup quite a bit since opening. The bands that started were a lot of help and great bands but as I started to learn more about our local bands I realized that I had to just put it out there (money) and take a risk in hiring some more expensive bands. I didn’t do it on a whim either. I researched sites such as Cincy Vibe, asked questions of my clientèle and also I give credit to the bands I have.
Most bands are extremely nice and know the economy is in the dumps and they’re willing to cut you a break on a show to see how they would fit in your establishment. Plus, having friends like Dan Varner and Kenny Welch helped to get these monsters to play my tavern. Two great guys who’s bands definitely help me through some bad weeks with their monster shows.
Any advice I could give another bar owner in booking bands is... ask the most important people (your patrons). Also, I check the band’s hits on their sites and see what kind of reputable clubs they play and if they get re-booked. We started off with an all classic rock band schedule and now we have evolved to more modern rock/upbeat shows. I’m excited about the tavern starting our first jam session open mic night on Tuesday with The Rusty Van Band. Now, other musicians can get together for a night of music and fun.
CV: We’ve seen the changes at J&B’s in real time. It’s been fun and there is surely more to come. Give us a sneak peak at the next new promotions to come.
Jim: We have some awesome bands coming. Kenny Welch Band, Dan Varner Band, Snow Shoe Crabs, My Sister Sarah, 9 Story Plunge, and 3 day Rule... Since the day we started I have Vince and Tammy running DJ/Karaoke on most Fridays. The crowd loves Tammy’s limbo contests, and the karaoke contests. In the past couple months we added Kenny Welch as a DJ (Sundays & Mondays with $1 drafts). Tuesdays are our new open mic night with The Rusty Van Band. I believe we’re the only place out there now who doesn’t close even 1 day and has entertainment everyday!!
CV: Finally, what advice have you gained from the past three years of experience to offer the entrepreneurs out there itchin’ to get hold of a pub?....Advice for future entrepreneurs??
Jim: Well take your time. Don’t necessarily jump at your first chance to become an owner. Make sure your finances are set for even the worse start. Be open to other peoples suggestions and learn how to roll with the times.. Last but definitely not least, I am one of the luckiest men out there when it comes to my staff. Treat them with complete respect and be there when they need you and you will get it all back in return. I have had very little turn over since opening and the crew I have now are the most loyal employees out there. If it wasn’t for there help and work pumping the place up, I would probably be some telemarketer now. Some bar owners forget that we need our customers much more then they need us!”
CV: If only we could convince corporate America of that we’d have free enterprise. Rat bastards from all walks of corporate restaurant chains firmly believe they can be rude, unprofessional, unhealthy, unskilled and overpriced yet the lines will still wrap around the building. 100’s of fools with a fistful of dollar bills prove them right everyday too. It’s hard to keep believing in the American dream of successful business ownership when your biggest competitor sells only well disguised lies. Amen to everyone out there who has managed to keep their business alive. It sure as hell ain’t easy.
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Screw You Dollar Menu.
Big cheesy burger lovers beware. We’ve found the biggest cheesiest burger of them all. Hey Burger Guys... we beat ya this one too!
You’re all slipping over there at http://cvgburgerguys.blogspot.com/ (cincy burger guys) because even the hit Food Network T.V. show Diners, Drive Ins & Dives seized on one of these cheesy carnivore treats when they saw one up close and personal. When we saw the same damn thing at J&B’s we made room for a last minute article to get the word out. After all that’s what we do.
Hey we ain’t one to brag because we realize nobody can ever dish the dope on the Eastside like we can. After all, are the Burger Guys hanging out 6 days a week in an Eastside pub? No (we need at least one day off people).
Well, we are and when we saw a “Palmer” on a plate get sat in the window we wondered “how the hell did we miss out on this thing?”
Turns out we didn’t miss out at all because J&B owner “Big Jim” slapped another just like it on the grill and we watched in awe.
J&B’s is a bar, a club, part of a hotel and a restaurant. Yes it is a restaurant folks. The owners are well aware in order to pay the rent they need great local shows like Dan Varner, Floor 13 and the like. They realize they need the game regardless of what channel it’s on and the drink & wing specials that go with em’.
Now that they have all that under control they feel it’s time to move on to the menu. The wings are already a crowd favorite (they’re the big fat meaty ones and those always take the cake). They cost more for the bar but in the end the patrons couldn’t be more pleased and that’s what counts.
Nevertheless, J&B’s felt the need to offer even more local favorites like hoagies, baby back ribs and prime cut steak dinners. I say “hell yeah” I’m all for it. I love hoagies... I love ribs and I love giving my money to local residents instead of some corporate chain. Plus I damn sure love enjoying my meal while The Dan Varner Band warms up. Throw in a 33 degree draft and I’m sittin’ and grinnin’
You’ll see the new menu items in January. The goal is to give the lunch and dinner crowd slugging their way down Beechmont a good reason to stop by and relax over a great meal. Every day the fast food joints like McyD’s and Whiteys are over across the street raking in the cash. J&B’s is bringing more to the table (and putting more on the plate) than those two could do for double the money. So why don’t they have a line at the take out door for lunch? Simple, because until now you didn’t realize. Now you do so you have no excuse. Try J&B’s for lunch next time. The “Palmer” is just one of many surprising delights they serve up. Just look at Kevin Pottorf manhandle his monster burger. He cleaned his plate... but he didn’t ask for seconds. Screw your “dollar menu” McyD’s.
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Karaoke Kings Throwdown In A Showdown.
You usually see a “karaoke night” on local bar’s schedules. Some are good, some just suck. What makes the difference is the effort and talent. J&B’s Tavern not only has a karaoke night... they have two. Wednesdays are hosted by Bob Stoley from RPS Productions and Fridays are Vince & Tammy’s night. It didn’t take long for a serious competition to form. Not only with the singers but with the DJs as well. There was only one solution... a karaoke showdown!
Bob narrowed his field of followers to the best and brightest to take on Vince & Tammy’s top talent. The whole crew of semi-finalists where gathered for one final contest on Friday night . Vince and Bob came ready to square off and Tammy took the night off as DJ and acted as official referee, MC and show organizer.
The night’s performances all rocked and in the end it was extremely close (1st. & 2nd place were separated by only 2 points) but there could be only one winner and that honor went to Lil Mike with his awesome “You Shook Me All Night Long”. JJ took 2nd place with an unbelievable “Me & My Gang”. 3rd place was no slouch either, Rick rocked “Vehicle” and got a standing ovation. It was a tie for 4th for “Jonny Cash” and Amy (JJ’s sis).
Amy also had the crowd on their feet with her excellent performance of “Suds In The Bucket”. Good talent, great competition and pro DJ’s made this event a karaoke night at it’s best. Competing DJ’s was certainly a twist, it really kept things lively. Tammy did an excellent job of keeping the contest flowing smooth, fast and lots of fun. Damn good job folks!
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J&B’s Tavern Celebrates their One Year Anniversary.
You may not think 1 year is a big deal, but in the bar business it’s the first benchmark. Especially when every bar that occupied your space before you completely sucked (yeah that includes you too Jack). Strangely enough what makes them so different from their failed predecessors isn’t really that different at all.
The bar has always had bands, but now they have good bands. It has always served food, but now it has great food. There were always bartenders, but now it has nice ones. It always had patrons (at times), now it has good people. No more moron misfits, just local friends and neighbors who just want to have a good time and unwind. It doesn’t stop there, J&B’s is fast becoming a hot spot for seeing really good local talent you won’t see at other pubs. For the first time the bar’s owners pay great attention to what the crowd wants instead of what the owner wants and that’s the best difference of all! J&B’s has carved out a solid niche for themselves and judging by the crowd, the bar’s finally built on solid ground. “Happy 1 year J&B’s” you earned it, you deserve it. Rock on.
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J&B Tavern Breathes New Life Into An Old Favorite.
Eastsiders who remember the bar at the Day’s Inn back when it was “The Regional Connection Cafe” remember how crowded it used to get. They also remember how Jack (previous owner) savagely beat it into the ground and left the loyal patrons high and dry (along with a long list of unpaid vendors and employees). We’re here to tell you it’s back in business and it’s better than ever by far.
Jack abandoned the bar to sell suckers used cars but the new owners of J&B’s have no such intentions. In fact, they have years of club management skills under their belt. Now instead of making other people’s clubs successful they own one of their own. At long last they’re free to run a pub of righteous proportions right here on the Eastside! Now it’s owned by people who actually know what to do with it. J&B’s is still fresh but the crowd is well established. If you thought it was good before your going to love it now. How about $1 drafts for Monday night NFL ticket for starters.
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