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ANDERSON — Jax New Orleans Bistro soon will have a new home.
The restaurant will celebrate its third anniversary at 112 N. Main St., the former location of McCarthy’s and Friends Food with a Flair, owners John and Dixie Benca confirmed on Tuesday. The couple plan to convert the current Jax location at 502 N. Main St. into a 120-seat banquet, private catering and special event facility.
The new location also has meeting space for 40. Currently, Jax needs to close to the public to accommodate large parties of 50 or more. Benca said he’s sometimes had to decline requests for that reason.
“When 112 N. Main St. became available, we knew it was the perfect opportunity to move the daily bistro operation closer to the courthouse square while maintaining our fine dining atmosphere for special occasions and corporate events at 502 N. Main St.,” Dixie Benca said.
The new location still will be called Jax New Orleans Bistro. The restaurant’s menu, staff, hours, phone number and Web site will remain the same. A grand reopening is set for Aug. 1 at the new location.
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Jax has outstanding food and wonderful people. Dixie and John are incredible supporters of our area. I cannot wait to go to their new location!
Good luck to you both. I know you will be succssful...
I agree ! John and Dixie are great supporters of our community and great people in general ...Kudos to you both ! I wish you both Good luck and much success !!
Great food in a great atmosphere! I look forward to checking out the new digs.
Does this mean, however, that their current location is now closed? Anyone?
Any time I have gone to Jax we were about the only ones there. Food is good but prices are higher than most of other And restaurants. I think this has been a problem for most of the other DT restaurants too. Just a thought.
Food prices are actually very much in-line with other dining establishments in town, both in the downtown area and outside of downtown. What makes Jax a step or two (easily) beyond others is the service, the quality, and the consistency of both time and time again.
The current location is open and as I understand, will be open up until the move to the new location.
Don't forget - Jax and it's sister establishment, McGee's are THE ONLY dining establishments in Downtown Anderson that offer Sunday Beer/Wine/Liquor sales.
Hats off to a fine group of folks!
- SSHM
That is a great location. Unfortunately the previous restaurant wasn't the most 'service oriented' place I had ever seen. Got kicked out the week of their grand opening along with a room FULL of people. Could have predicted its demise at that point.
John is a good guy. Hope he hits it at this spot. Love the food just needs more people. We all need to take a hard look at these great restaurants downtown and start eating there rather than all the chains on Clemson Blvd. Support these local guys taking a risk. You won't regret it.
SSHM, have to disagree about their pricing. If I'm wrong and they're so great why aren't they packed every weekend? But then again you sounded like an ad for the 2 businesses. I like both businesses, so would like this new location for Jax to do well, btw.
Generally - most people head to the chain restaurants that Viaduct commented on. And a lot of people simply don't know about these places, which is a shame because the food is delicious , and the atmosphere is great ! ( and at Mcgees they have concerts, trivia night, and a really good happy hour deal )
in response to Jaded
What can I say, I do support both businesses. Heck, for that matter, I'm an avid supporter of just about anything in the downtown area. You've got to support the local guys - they are the ones that keep your economy rolling along.
As for the prices . . .
Compare Outback/Longhorn steaks to those that you can buy at Jax. Look at the prices . . .
Yes - on par.
Differences:
1.) I don't get handed a glowing hockey-puck when I walk into Jax (unlike the chain establishments along the boulevard).
2.) I don't have to wait 45 minutes to be seated, let alone another 30 minutes to eat when I go to Jax.
3.) The quality of the food is better.
4.) The quality and knowledge of the staff is better.
5.) No stupid "flair" on the uniforms.
As for being packed or not packed, as others have noted, Downtown is often forgotten when it comes to dining options. Forget it no more.
- SSHM
aahahaha !!! - i hate that flair stuff AND the glowing hockey pucks...glad to see someone else does too !
SSHM,what about Carson's, Logan's and the other rests not near 85. I eat out a lot and I know that Jax is higher than just about anyone else in town and so do u. Obviously the facts u listed are what determines where someone dines, thus the crowd at Jax. Why is Matty's doing well if price is not a factor? But S you always are smarter than everyone else so u are right....
in response to Jaded
Don't be Jaded. =)
Logan's is another one of the flair/hockey-puck chains. Then there is the issue of peanuts and peanut shells on the floor . . . yeah . . .
Carson's markets itself as a family steakhouse. Locally owned and operated, yes, you should support them and their sister establishment, Tuckers.
Which, while we are comparing restaurants, is more closely in-line with Jax (Tuckers) from a price standpoint.
At the end of the day, the message should be simple: Support your local businesses first, then those chain places second (as they feature local workers too).
And please ... keep the glowing hockey-pucks and flair away from downtown!
- SSHM
yeah,do we need another "elitist" eating establishment?
It's difficult to compare different tastes of people. What I like about something someone else may hate. But Dixie, if you get this message...please bring back the homemade potato chips at McGees!!! They're one of my favorites. I love eating downtown, even if I pay a little more it's worth it to me. I tend to compare the food more than the prices when eating out, and we have wonderful restaurants downtown.
I know the Chiquola is private but if you get a chance, their new menu is about as good as you will find. Excellent food and service.
Sullivans has an awesome lunch and dinner. Very dependable for good quality food!
Jax has some great food. Don't know why the crowds are low but a definite don't miss downtown.
Matty's is a great location and atmosphere. Mediocre food for me but it packs it in even on the weekends for lunch. I hope it does well.
Once the parking issue is corrected downtown I think the foot traffic will grow and the market will pick up down there. It a cool location and great food. No need to get to Exit 19 on your date night. Park the car downtown and go hopping!
the chiquola? don't you have to pay $5,000 to walk in the door? sorry, that went towards a new roof on my house. only went to JAX once and i loved it! shrimp and grits....yummy.
You pay 5k but then walk thru the door as many times as you want! Hah. Whether you are a member or a guest of a member, it is really good stuff.
Haven't been to Jax, but I love Corbett McGees.
mmurphy:
I agree with ya on the chips at Corbetts. They were the best! Pretty much everything on their menu is good.
Jax's move to the former McCarthy's location will be a good thing for Jax, for Downtown, and for the rest of the businesses there.
I disagree with those who say Jax and other downtown restaurants are priced high. They are basically comparably priced with most downtown mid-priced, casual atmosphered, specialty restaurants everywhere, including Anderson. The difference is that they are locally-owned so they recirculate their money in the local economy.
Amy and I don't go to the Chain Restaurant Alley strip of Clemson Blvd. We prefer to keep our money locally, since locally owned businesses will keep more of the local money circulating in the local economy, rather than sending the money to whatever foreign state the chain's home office is.
I look forward to their move. We will patronize them, as we do the other locally-owned, customer-service-oriented businesses downtown.
By current county and city administrations concentrating attention on attracting downtown economic development, it will help to attract more business and industry to this area.
For what it's worth, I look forward to a more vibrant, lively downtown Anderson, and I plan to do what I can to help downtown Anderson become a centerpiece hub of regular activity. It will be nice, in the near future, when there will be activity downtown in Anderson even past 9:00 pm!
And I am currently talking with some folks to see about attracting some more activities downtown on a regular basis for the Fall.
I applaud all the positive folks, the local area businesses who are bringing a return of activity to downtown Anderson, and the positive-minded city and county leaders and administrators who are working diligently to redevelop downtown Anderson.
Plain.
Simple.
Common Sense.
Capt. Leonardo Ortiz
www.ortizforsenate.org
Maybe a little higher than, all depends on what you're wanting to eat or drink. Personally, I know that when my wife and I go to Jax I'm going to pay a little more. But I also know most persons there aren't bringing their children and am paying for atmosphere (yeah, I'll pay for that, <rolling eyes>). I'm not a huge fan of Jax's but it does offer a different taste and that's something important to me.
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