Jake's on 4th — Restaurant in Olympia

I used to go to Jake's all the time before they closed down, it was one of my favorite places to go to regularly. I could be myself, be safe, and be accepted.

When I had heard that they were reopening I was beyond excited! I had planned a night out with my little sister and some friends. I was looking forward to introducing Jake's to my little sister as it was such an important place for me in the past.

So last night we went to Jake's.

Unfortunately we ended up leaving due to an overwhelming amount of rudeness from staff and other guests. There was a few friendly staff members, which I appreciated. But most of the staff I interacted with had an aggressive demeanor and I felt it was completely unnecessary.

One staff member had yelled at me to move out of the way as I was walking to the bathroom. I wasn't standing around blocking the path, I was actively walking to the bathroom.

Another staff member randomly approached us, yelled at us, and accused us of doing something which we had nothing to do with. Obviously mistaking our group for others who may have been causing trouble. I honestly thought we were getting kicked out and all we were doing was chilling in the corner (We left shortly after this). The staff member also never apologized when they realized they were wrong.

As far as other guests being rude, I don't really understand it. People go out to be social, not to be mistreated. Whatever happened to taking care of each other? I'm honestly not really sure why people at Jake's were so rude, we had went to other bars on 4th and everyone was far more kind to us.

I was sober the entire time, so I don't know how the drinks were. But other's seemed to be enjoying them. We never had a chance to...

I went to Jake’s last night and honestly it felt like coming home. Jake’s was the very first nightclub I ever went to, and it’s always held such a special place in my heart. It’s more than just a bar or a place to dance. It’s always felt like this anchor in the community. When it closed, I was so bummed. I had finally gotten to the age where I wanted to go out, dance like no one’s watching, enjoy drinks with my friends, and let that hot dog stand take care of me after a night out.

So when I heard Jake’s was soft opening this weekend, I had to be there. The line was long but honestly I would’ve waited all night just to see what was going on inside. Even though I didn’t dance this time, I loved seeing everyone out on the dance floor! People from all walks of life, just moving and laughing and being together. The vibe was incredible.

People were playing pool, singing along to songs, and I was living for my Polish dog with cream cheese, grilled onions, mustard, and ketchup. I’d been craving that combo for years and it hit exactly how I remembered.

One of the owners is actually friends with the friend I went with, and she pointed her out to me. She was like this adorable fairy running up and down the line outside, hyping people up and making everyone feel welcome. Her energy was unreal in the best way.

I’m so glad Jake’s is back. And I’m even more excited knowing that someone like Dryte is helping run the show. You can feel how much love and intention is being poured into it. I seriously can’t wait to keep showing up and bringing all my friends to experience this one of...

I was excited when Jake’s on Fourth reopened downtown — the first couple of weekends were great. The staff is fantastic, and it’s such a welcome thing to have a place in Olympia where people can go out and dance.

That said, the music has been the biggest letdown. At first, it was just a little underwhelming, but over the months it’s become really repetitive and difficult to dance to. The DJ doesn’t seem to mix songs well or read the room, and it’s taken the energy out of the space. A nightclub or dance spot lives and dies by its music — it’s what keeps people on the floor, engaged, and excited to come back. Lately, it’s been so off that the dance floor is almost empty, which makes the whole experience feel awkward.

I want to stress that this feedback comes from a place of support. Olympia needs a place like Jake’s, and I really want to see it thrive. The staff clearly cares, and the atmosphere has so much potential. But unless the music improves and a DJ can keep the energy flowing with a variety of songs that people want to dance to, it’s hard to justify coming back regularly.

Please, Jake’s — bring in someone who can truly DJ and make the music the heartbeat of the night. If that happens, I know this place could become the go-to spot for dancing in...