Jakes Burgers — Restaurant in Waco

First time ever visiting. We almost left within the first 5 minutes after seeing the table, but my wife decided to still give it a shot. Let's start with the filth. Was sat a dirty table with pink slime dried up on it. When the server came, I asked the server to please wipe down my table. The server Tyler B went to serve other tables and never returned. I flagged down another young lady who attempted to remove the pink sludge from the table but was unable and eventually gave up. The table remained gross and dirty with crumbs all over it, so I asked her to please wipe down the entire table. She did so hesitantly. The pink slime remained.

Now we can talk about the food in the service. I ordered the double cheeseburger all the way. After taking a few bites of 1/2, I realized something was off. I removed the bun to find that there was no lettuce tomato pickle or onion nor any mustard, as stated on the menu. I was in a time crunch and so I advised my server that the burger was wrong and that I would like it removed from the check . The server informed me that I had eaten the burger so it would be difficult if not impossible to take the Burger off of the check. Bear in mind I had not eaten nearly the whole Burger I had eaten a few bites of one half of the burger before realizing it was wrong as I discussed this with my server Tyler got upset and walked away while I was still speaking with him. This rude and unprofessional behavior blew me away you can't even get away with this at McDonald's but this guy at Jake's Burgers thinks that he's above it all and he deserves to be fired. Tyler Whitton got his manager the manager ended up telling me the same thing that I had eaten the burger and there was nothing they could do for me. There was no apology there was no empathy there was no attempt to make the situation right it was pay your bill and get out. Somehow the fact that they had making an incorrect burger and served it to me turned out to be my fault and I had no recourse of action. I have worked in Hospitality I currently work in customer service I'm 41 years old and I've never been treated like such a child. I will be contacting corporate and I will be letting them know about the behavior of Tyler B just a note to Tyler if your name is on the receipt don't act like an ass hat to your customers and certainly don't walk away while they're speaking to you bad move. I will know happily go tell all of my family all of my friends all of their family and all of their friends in the Waco area about the horrible experience that I had at Jake's hamburgers.

Here are some more advice from a customer service expert. Number one in the event of not being able to get the pink slime off offer up another table. Number two don't argue with a customer about refunding a hamburger. The damage that you have incurred due to the fact that you did not want to give up a hamburger has caused a dissatisfaction issue with a customer and a poor Word of Mouth that will go around there could have been some solution half off take the tater tots off take the drinks off here's another Burger on the house the next time you visit here's a coupon for the next time any number of things could have prevented me from walking out of the establishment Furious and refusing to come back. Tyler B should not have a job I would not hire him to clean...

Jake’s Texas Tea House (Interstate 35 Location) – 5-Star Review

If you’ve only got one chance to visit Jake’s Texas Tea House, let me tell you: go for the Chicken Fried Steak. It’s the kind of plate that earns your trust the moment it hits the table. Golden brown crust, tender inside, with the gravy served on the side just how I like it—thick, peppery, and made to be portioned on your own terms. No smothering required. It stands up on its own.

The sweet potato fries were a surprise hit—crinkle cut (first time I’ve had them that way), seasoned with what tasted like a touch of cinnamon sugar. Perfectly crispy and a great contrast to the richness of the steak.

The Caesar side salad… let’s just say it played a quieter role in the lineup. The romaine was chilled but not crisp, and the parmesan was clumped at the bottom like a forgotten treasure. That said, Jake’s isn’t a salad joint—it’s about the hearty stuff, and in that department, they delivered.

But now let’s talk Dr. Pepper. Not just any Dr. Pepper—this is Waco’s own, made with pure cane sugar, served ice-cold in a glass bottle, and poured into a frosted mug. That alone is worth the stop. There’s something almost reverent about the way it’s served here, and with Waco being home to the Dr. Pepper Museum, it’s like drinking straight from the source.

I chose to sit outside on the patio, which added to the charm. Quiet, open air, a view of the sky—and it felt more conducive to savoring every bite. The staff was warm, welcoming, and attentive, which really sealed the experience. Smiling faces, quick service, and thoughtful touches like the chilled mug all added up.

Did they have mashed potatoes that day? No. Did it matter? Not even close. The star of the show delivered, the sides backed it up just enough, and the atmosphere made it feel like a slice of home on the road.

Verdict: Five stars. A one-time trip that felt like a place you could come back to weekly. Order the Chicken Fried Steak. Get the Dr. Pepper. Sit outside. Take your time. Jake’s is...

I came to this establishment on a Thursday about 4:00 p.m. Upon walking in the place it was empty, I had to wait for someone to come out of the back to seat me. I placed my order shortly after being seated. My appetizer came out fairly quickly, some of the cheese curds were not melted. It took a good while for my food to come out even though they were sufficiently staffed. The queso fries were cold, the crispy chicken Mac and cheese was just ok, the chicken was dry and one side was melty the other side was runny. Again, I was the only customer dining in. Halfway through my meal , a couple came in and had to figure out who was going to seat them. After someone told them to pick a spot, the couple sat there so long and after not getting attended they left. The husband even waved goodbye however, none of the staff seemed to care or apologize. I also noticed that while eating 3 vehicles used the drive through and at minimum each car waited 15 mins. One of the vehicles waited 20 mins and had to drive around to the parking lot and had to wait an additional 10 minutes to receive their food. It was only a medium size bag that was handed to them. Also, when I was seated I noticed the table behind me had a partially eaten plate that no one ever bothered to pick up and clean after. Again, I was the only customer in the dining room and they were sufficiently staffed. Perhaps sometime in the future I might go back just to try their burgers. Not sure though because this was a bad first impression. Seems like service isn't properly managed or...