Overall Opinion/Service

Both times that I went to Jefferson’s were on a Friday night at around seven at night and boy was it busy.  I was worried we’d have to wait forever for a table, but right as we walked into the door we were greeted and told it’d only be ten minutes.  The service at Jefferson’s is top notch and each time I went to Jefferson’s I had friendly waitresses who were very tentative to our needs.  Neither of them ever let our drinks get low, they took our orders very quickly, and we only waited about ten to fifteen minutes for our food after placing the order.  After our food came the waitress checked on us frequently and brought us our check in an efficient amount of time.  My dad and I were in and out of Jefferson’s in about forty minutes which was great on a busy Friday night.  For college students Jefferson’s is a great sit down restaurant to go to for a quick bite to eat.

My overall thoughts of Jefferson’s are very good, but I would only recommend it to certain people.  I don’t think older people above thirty would enjoy the loud atmosphere that college kids bring into Jefferson’s.  This restaurant is suited for college kids because they have great prices that are very affordable and the atmosphere is casual enough to go on any given night.  I thought the food could’ve been a bit better due to the things I’ve heard but it wasn’t horrible.  Overall, Jefferson’s is perfect for college students who are on a budget, and are also looking for a casual place to eat a decent meal.

The Food

 Now, I was originally referred to dine at Jefferson’s by a friend to try their burgers and wings because they were apparently “out of this world”.  I ordered the basic cheeseburger, and when it arrived I was thoroughly impressed with how big the burger was, the amount of fries I received, and what came on the burger, all for only eight dollars. The burger came with onions, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese which were a generous offer, but I like my burgers plain and simple.  I decided to take off the onions, pickles, and tomatoes, so all that was left was the cheese and lettuce. When I bit into the burger I was a bit disappointed with the flavor because I was expecting it to be something I’ve never tasted before.  After hearing how good the burgers were, I thought that mine was just average.  The burger wasn’t very juicy, nor was it seasoned to perfection and it was a little burnt around the edges.  My dad ordered the mushroom swiss burger for eight dollars and he said his burger was decent, it was a bit more well done than he wanted it to be, but it was popping with flavor. He said the taste of the combination of swiss cheese and sautéed mushrooms complimented each other very well.  On the other hand, I went to Jefferson’s a second time and had a 6 piece, mild boneless wing basket for eight dollars.  For their wings they offered lots of different flavors of sauce ranging from spicy to mild, and they had different portions from a 6 piece to a 24 piece.  The wings were much better and lived up to their fame because they were perfectly breaded, I could tell they used premium white meat, and they were doused in just the right amount of sauce.  The side I chose with my meal were the basic celery sticks and ranch dressing.  They gave me a generous amount of celery sticks and I liked the big cup of ranch that came with it so I didn’t run out.  This time, my dad ordered the chicken wrap basket and he said that it was not up to par.  He complained that there wasn’t very much chicken in the wrap, and way too much lettuce.  He decided he’d stick to the burgers next time, but ask them to grill it less.  Overall, you get what you pay for at Jefferson’s and the lack of food quality in some categories is made up for in the price you pay for it.  

Menu

Jefferson’s has a variety of food options and I was very impressed when I opened up their menu.  The menu contained typical American food like 7 different types of burgers, 9 different types of sandwiches, and 11 different types of wings.  Everything on their menu sounded very intriguing and they offered a side for each entrée and could choose from a variety of things, like coleslaw, veggies, soup, salad, fries, etc.  I was also surprised by some things listed on the menu as well, like their oyster dinners and fried pickles as an appetizer.  I was too chicken to try the oysters, but I was feeling adventurous enough to try the fried pickles, and damn.  If anything, I would totally recommend Jefferson’s just for their fried pickles, they were outstanding.  The combination of the two complimented each other well with the saltiness of the pickle with a light coating of fried batter.  I was also impressed with the price of their food because almost everything was under ten dollars.  I went to Jefferson’s two times with my dad and a meal for two was nothing more than twenty five dollars including tip.  This is a very appealing factor for a college student because we’re all so frugal with our student budgets.  I was very impressed with the amount of options on Jefferson’s menu and their prices were outstandingly cheap for a college student. 

The Inside Scoop

Jefferson’s is a relatively small restaurant inside but they had no problem utilizing the limited space.  The restaurant holds a fair amount of people by lining the walls with booths and filling the middle with tables, while still having a nice bar towards the back.  I went to Jefferson’s at seven thirty and was seated right away because of the large amount of seating.  The walls of this restaurant are covered in a graffiti wall of dollar bills. When I asked our waitress what the story was behind the uniquely decorated walls I was expecting some rad story, like a celebrity leaving behind a trademark after eating at Jefferson’s, but was disappointed when she told us it was started by a customer. Overall, Jefferson’s is the perfect place to dine if you’re a college student because of its fun, laid back atmosphere

Atmosphere

Jefferson’s is conveniently located on the corner of 8^th and Massachusetts Street in the heart of downtown Lawrence.  The popularity of Mass Street contributes to the success of many of the business’s that are located here because it’s a hot spot for college students, like myself.  Downtown Lawrence has many unique shops to visit and lots of great restaurants to try.  When looking at Jefferson’s it can look a bit unwelcoming if you’re a sophisticated, thirty year old, stay at home mom who has money to blow, but to college students it is perfection.  The rowdy atmosphere makes for the perfect casual dining experience for young college students.  The inside of Jefferson’s is plastered with big screen TV’s so customers can watch the big games while stuffing their faces with a Jefferson’s burger.  When I went into Jefferson’s I saw many college students with friends and very few families.  The atmosphere was very fun because everyone seemed to be laughing and enjoying the company of their friends.  One of the nights I went with my dad, a Sait Louis Cardinals game was on and there were many fans at Jefferson’s that night to watch the game.  The restaurant got pretty rowdy and loud after a big play, and there were lots of college students who might’ve been a little under the influence.  So, with that being said, older people might not like the loud atmosphere that college students bring to Jefferson’s, especially on game days.  Overall, Jefferson’s has a great atmosphere that I would recommend for college students who are looking to have fun with their friends.

First Impressions

Jefferson’s is nothing special; it doesn’t have top notch burgers, nor is it the most appealing restaurant.  But, nonetheless, Jefferson’s is the perfect hole in the wall for college students.  If you’re like me and are on a college student budget and you’re sick of the shitty, overly greasy burger on the go, then stop what you’re doing! Jefferson’s is a step up from those McDonald’s burgers while also being at an affordable price.  Jefferson’s may not be the greatest restaurant on Mass, but I would recommend it to college students who are on a budget and are looking for a quick, casual place to dine out.