Even restaurants nowadays are getting into the private club game, like with the opening of 9 Jones. This venture is backed by heavies from 1Oak as well as NBA player Carmelo Anthony, so it’s clear that the vibe is going to trend toward the night-on-the-club spectrum. But how did they do? This is the review.

Atmosphere

If Tao or Buddakhan were a twentieth of the size, you may just get the footprint of 9 Jones. The atmosphere that 9 Jones puts out there does not match this tiny boîte of a space. That’s not to say that the space isn’t sleek, and on a cold winter’s night, the bar is pretty inviting for a drink. Decor-wise, 9 Jones sports a supper club feel with velvet booths, black wood finishes, and a dimly lit dining room. That’s just not enough though to save it.

The size of 9 Jones isn’t what makes the atmosphere feel incomplete; it’s also the crowd of people. Essentially it feels like a bunch of finance guys who wanted to look cool, financed the place and brought their wannabe crowd with them. I say this with all due respect having worked most of my career at the top private equity fund in the world before Galavante. Supposedly George and Amal Clooney and a host of other VIPs are regulars, but I highly doubt they come back after the first visit.

Food + Drink

If you’re going to open a Greek restaurant in NYC, the standards are high. There’s Avra and Milos who set the standard of high-quality food, turnkey service, and beautiful atmospheres. Greek food is also not easy, especially when you’re serving up more than gyros. There’s a reason that droves of people flock to Greece, and it’s not just to dance on the table at Nammos in Mykonos. There is something about the simplicity of fresh fish and seafood at a seaside restaurant that is the draw of Greek food. It’s hard though to execute this if you don’t have the right Executive Chef, suppliers for fresh seafood, and the kitchen staff. I don’t know what component (or all) is missing at 9 Jones, but the food was marginally edible. It’s nowhere near the class of Milos and Avra but certainly within its price point.

The wine is unremarkable at 9 Jones but the cocktails are well-made. They have a good concept of roving cocktail carts that is old-school British, a la the Connaught Bar. However, the space is so small that it doesn’t work.

Service

Service is well-meaning but falls short on execution. On our visit, there was clearly something going on with staffing in general. Our server was friendly but disappeared for periods of time throughout the meal. It also took us over thirty minutes for any food, even at a mediocre level, to appear at our table. Drinks were not refreshed for long periods of time and the rhythm between the kitchen, bar, and servers was off. Not sure who’s running this place but they’re relying on a perceived cool factor to keep people coming back.

Overall: 5/10

Respectfully, 9 Jones needs to re-think their menu and bring on experienced staff if this place is to be around in a year.

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FAQs

Q: Where is 9 Jones located?

A: The answer to the Daily Double is 9 Jones, as in its name, in New York City’s West Village.

Q: What are 9 Jones’ business hours?

A: The hours of operation at 9 Jones are as follows:

Q: What kind of food does 9 Jones serve?

A: 9 Jones serves Greek food.