Jackson's Blue Ribbon Pub: All about choices

One need look no further than the name to figure out that Jackson's Blue Ribbon Pub, owned by Mark Zierath and his brother, Daniel, isn't your average bar. Although the name is a bit of an homage to a certain beverage, the "blue ribbon" stands for quality - in food and service. (Jackson is the name of Daniel's son.)

The Zierath brothers opened Jackson's - on the corner of 113th Street and Bluemound Road, in the former home of Pitch's and a few other restaurants - March 8. Their aim is to create a different kind of pub: "Jackson's is really down to earth," Mark says. "It's a friendly, neighborhood place that happens to serve really good food."

To make sure the food is good, the Zieraths hired a fully trained, accredited chef with years of experience to create pub food that is made from scratch every day.

"We use only high-end, quality fresh ingredients," Mark explains. "Everything is made from scratch, whether it's the hand-stuffed jalapenos, the hand-breaded chicken tenders or the mozzarella sticks that we cut on our own. Nothing is frozen."

Although they've only been open a little more than a month, there already are customer favorites, including the open-faced rib-eye sandwich ($11.95), the grilled cheese BLT ($7.95), the Friday fish fry ($8.95 to $11.95) or the homemade pizzas ($7.95 to $9.95, plus $1 per topping). There also is a brunch on Sunday that features a variety of traditional menu items.

For Brewers fans, Jackson's offers a shuttle to all home games.

Ziereth hopes the secret of the pub's success will be in the customers' hands: "We're all about choices. You tell us what you want. Our menus are constantly expanding and changing as time goes on."

Here's hoping that's the secret formula.

The Basics

NAME: Jackson's Blue Ribbon Pub

ADDRESS: 11302 W. Bluemound Road, Wauwatosa

PHONE: (414) 988-4485

WEBSITE: JacksonsBRP.com

FARE: pub food

HOURS: 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday

PRICE RANGE: $6.95 to $10.95(approximate)

RESERVATIONS: no

HANDICAP ACCESS: Coming in May.

GLUTEN-FREE OPTIONS: Yes - ask the server.

LOOKING TO 'GRAB A BITE'?

"Grab a Bite" is an informal look at the food scene in the Wauwatosa, Brookfield and Elm Grove area by freelance writer Karen Waldkirch. Whether you're looking for a place for a date night or a casual spot for lunch, Waldkirch will be out and about scouting eateries for you. If you have a suggestion for a column, e-mail her at kmwaldkirch@yahoo.com.