Black Jack, Food Bar at 14th & Q Street NW

[DonRocks]

Jeff Black here. My new Restaurant is now open. Downstairs is a Gulf Coast inspired Oyster Bar ( Pearl Dive), upstairs we have bocce ball and a bar named Black Jack. Let me know what you think. JB

My spy informs me you have an awesome silk screen printing on the wall (and even brought me a pack of Black Jack gum, a piece of which I'm enjoying right now). Congratulations!

Bocce ball !!

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ETA - The menu at Black Jack is funny, one of the more entertaining menus in the city. There's an item named D.O.C.B.S. with roma tomatoes, fresh buffalo mozzarella, and basil. A gulf shrimp sandwich is described as 'a lot better than a lobster truck, and we bring it to you.' Jeff Black Gone Wild.

[Waitman]

Popped into Black Jack after a long day for a late night snack, sadly, at 10:30 on Sunday night, half the menu was shut off, but the "until last call" page was still valid and I tucked into an unexceptional salad and some very exceptional pork belly and black bean nachos. A small sample but something to recall next time you're trying to keep New York hours on a DC Saturday night.

Perhaps more significant (to some) is that the bar is eager to joining the top tier of cocktail destinations and Frank -- of the impressive handlebar mustache, who seems to run the end of the bar towards the window -- is eager to sling sometimes-offbeat sippers in your direction. A "Cigar", with gin and a block of smoked peach ice providing most of the flavor tasted like summer, smokey and fruity. Garnished with a twist of cured pork, it was the closest thing to a bacon cocktail I've tasted. A contrapuntal effort, the Blue something, rooted in house made ginger beer and house made cassis, provided a nice yang before I got into the wine.

Vibe, music, crowd and feng shui all very welcoming, though it was necessarily a lower-key experience than a proper happy hour or weekend night. Sadly, the bocce court was not in use.

Well worth further exploration.