Jolly Jug

Cool old school joint with an attached bar next door. Hostess was great, fun personality and the food was solid. Had basic breakfast, eggs bacon, hash browns. Everything was good, eggs were cooked correctly to medium, bacon was actually very tasty. Also had the chorizo & egg, once again cooked just right and tasted like I made it myself. The salsa was notable tasty as well, fresh, delicious, with a touch of jalapeno spice. I expect to come back when in the area.

Great food, great service, fair prices. Everyone in our group thoroughly enjoyed what they ordered. Definitely looking forward to stopping in again! Recommend the club sandwich, beef dip and pastrami! This place is overflowing with vintage charm and character. If you finish your meal, you get candy!

Great spot with awesome customer service, and it has the best pastrami in town. I highly recommend it

Stopped by the Jolly Jug in El Monte for a quick breakfast. For years, I’ve passed by this place driving in El Monte. They have a classic sign, the ones you don’t really see anymore. The restaurant has a few booths and original decor, the employees are super friendly. My french toast and coffee were good. They have a bar area in the back. It’s like stepping back in time coming here. I enjoyed my visit to the Jolly Jug.

I’m sad to leave this place a 1-star review, but my recent visit was incredibly disappointing. They charge an extra $2 to pay with a card, whether it’s debit or credit, which feels unreasonable. The beer is overpriced, and the quality of the food has gone downhill. The beef dip, which used to be a favorite of mine, is now dry, likely due to cheaper ingredients. Simon—my favorite bartender is friendly, it’s not enough to compensate for the poor experience. I’ll be taking my business next door to El Marisquero, where the food is better, cheaper, and the beer is reasonably priced. Not to mention, their server Nancy provides fantastic service and is incredibly kind. Hope this feedback reaches Alissa. ✌️Margaret. From Leon

Great night down memory lane at the Jolly Jug in El Monte. Beef Dip sandwiches were off the hook delicious and the service was great! Thank you Alissa and Simon for making our night memorable! We loved it! Paul & Darla and Margie & Jerry takefivewithpaullucido

On any given weekend, we drive 30 minutes to Jolly Jug for one of the best beef sandwiches in the southland! Their house coleslaw is amazing. Margaret is the best and keeps her beautiful piece of SGV history just the way it should be.

I love this lil mom n pop restaurant. The foods good, and the restaurant is super clean and neat. It has a very cool vintage vibe. The only downfall is the service is extremely slow but the owner has a great personality and therefore, its downfall is almost forgiving. I recommend it if you aren't in a rush. On the plus side, it's got a cool little bar with a jukebox n all!

I absolutely love this place. Such an old school diner that it felt like I was a kid again. I had the burger and fries and it tasted great. Service was amazing and there's a bar on the other side of the regular family room. I would definitely come here again for brunch.

This restaurant has everything that you would expect from a vintage diner--from the shiny, slightly squeaky, tan leather seats to the dim, warm-toned overhead lighting to the curvature of the tables and chairs to the collection of pictures and wall decor to the smell of old, worn, yet well-loved air. The vibes are casual and almost mundane, but in a comforting way. I came in around early noon on a Friday to satiate some intense cravings for American breakfast, and there was no wait whatsoever. The owner highly recommended the beef dip sandwich, which we ordered, and I got a breakfast special of French toast with a side of hash potatoes. The price per item was around $15. The food was decent: the highlight of the beef sandwich dish was surprisingly the coleslaw and for the breakfast special plate, I really enjoyed the hash browns which were beautifully crisp as well as the sausages which were savory and juicy. They also served their beef sandwich dish with fresh pickles. This restaurant is sectioned off into two parts. When you enter, on the left is the bar area where you can casually catch a sports game and drink a draft beer. On the right is where the dining area is. The owners were welcoming and attentive and friendly, and I witnessed a couple regulars come in during the time I was dining so it seems like they've got a good community going on.

Came here for some brunch and got the steak and eggs. And of course some drinks to get rams division round started. Steak was delicious and seasoned really well. Simon our bartender was freaking awesome. They even got a juke box on so we can put on some tunes to hype up game day. Only thing I washed though, was mimosas but they don't carry champagne. But all good. Got some shots and food and beer. Will definitely come back again.

I love diner food and breakfast and this place is pretty good! Try the spam and cheese omelette spam well done.,, and the chef from Jalisco makes a really good not too spicy salsa! Don't know why it's dead but it shouldn't be I always come here or Flo's down the street when I'm around Rl Monte

The beef sandwich here was fine, but I didn't find it especially delicious or memorable! The best part about this place is probably the price -- quite reasonable. The decor is interesting & there's a hodgepodge of collectibles and fun things to see.

The atmosphere here is always casual and fun ! Service is on point food is brought to you in a kindly prompt and polite efficient manner. Food is hot and fresh pickles here are the bomb and it's good diner food fresh fun hot and ready you can catch a game have an adult conversation and fun in the bistro area or sit casually and dine with family in the restaurant section. Restrooms have handicap access and there's an outdoor space to have a moment . Clean and really good American Diner food thick fries with house dressing is the go to! Margret runs this place and it's always fun with a wonderful friendly neighborhood atmosphere.

We visited here with our two kids and had a really great dinner. On a week night for dinner, there was no wait for us to get a table. The restaurant is family owned and has been a staple in the community for a very long time. We ordered the beef dip, tuna melt, cheeseburger, and chicken tenders kids meal. Everything came out fresh and we enjoyed our meal. They also had a full bar and a nice looking area to grab drinks with friends. We would definitely return in the future.

One of the last standing coffee shop diner food cafes still standing! With a restaurant dining room on one side and a great divey little bar side the jolly jug is still around and delivering its nostalgic menu of beef dips, sandwiches, soups, salads, chili, breakfast and blue plate dinner plates. Menu is original and prices are still reasonable! Full bar and also great breakfast deals including a loco moco, fried rice and spam! Simon their bartender is super nice and hospitable. I am glad that the little nostalgic coffee shops are still standing especially since rod's grill recently closed in Arcadia. What a gem and institution. A great place to just grab a quick bite in coffee shop style with a trip down memory road! Fun fact it's only had two owners - the first retired and sold it to a new owner over 25 years ago and she kept the same menu and added a few Asian items on it. Try their homemade salad dressings too! Beef dip recommends and their homemade soup is great! The bar side is open late on weekends and the food menu is available there until the early evening then there is a limited food menu. They have a few tv screens to watch the dodgers on!

Had some business in El Monte and heard this place has been open for 77 years! So, I had to check it out. I ordered the Reuben, and my mom had the Tuna sandwich with soup. I'm a Reuben snob, and this one was A+, not the best I've had, but great nonetheless. It was served with potato salad, which was solid as well. My mom loved the tuna sandwich but said the chicken noodle soup was just okay. The owner was super nice and spoke to us a bit. She took over ownership 29 years ago, and the chef has been there for 40+ years. She was proud of her establishment adn food and made sure I checked out the adjoining bar. Glad I went. I would recommend and return.

Overpriced, burger and fires were like school cafeteria food no seasoning little to no ice in drinks. Ranch had a weird taste. Very disappointed

I'm sad to leave this place a 1-star review, but my recent visit was incredibly disappointing. They charge an extra $2 to pay with a card, whether it's debit or credit, which feels unreasonable. The beer is overpriced, and the quality of the food has gone downhill. The beef dip, which used to be a favorite of mine, is now dry, likely due to cheaper ingredients. While the staff, including Simon--my favorite bartender--are friendly, it's not enough to compensate for the poor experience. I'll be taking my business next door to El Marisquero, where the food is better, cheaper, and the beer is reasonably priced. Not to mention, their server Nancy provides fantastic service and is incredibly kind. Hope this feedback reaches Alissa. By Margaret

I went as party of seven on Saturday early afternoon to have lunch and we were seated right away almost empty. Took drink and entree orders; I had the NY Steak special for before 2:00pm, he let me have fries substitute from broccoli and added Garlic bread as a side for charge. Steak cooked very well medium and fries well asked for. Food came out in timely manner and server was attentive with more napkins, condiments and refills. I hope to come again to try other items.

Service was great ! Unfortunately, the breakfast (steak & eggs) had no flavor and had to season everything . I liked the ambiance and had that classic style but I'm not gonna lie I wouldn't come here again for the food. Maybe stick with the pub and call it a day but the food was below mid. Nice people and vintage place but the food needs an upgrade.

Paloma salmon cheeseburger the chilli was a little off for me but that's okay. Eating here was okay. Very peaceful vibe and family oriented

Simply said just good food. I had the beef dip sandwich m. The bread was nicely toasted and the beef was tender and complemented well with au hous, cole slaw and pickles. The au jus was deep in flavor and provided the sauce to tie the bread and the meat together. I also upgraded to chili cheese fried . Flavor was good and just the right amount. The owner/ lady was very engaging and offered some dishes to eat because it was my first time but I think she just looking at me...knows I can eat. I will return for the pastrami and corned beef.

I've past this place many times, not feeling any urgency to try it. First impressions is that it looks like an old diner and bar, that time forgot. Then I read a story about this place online, it had a lot of historical history about the restaurant and it's old and new owners. It was enough for me to put this place on my must try list. So my Son and I showed up to give it a try. Entering through the back and through the bar, continuing around to the front, greeted by a very lovely, friendly female, that turns out to be the owner. The dining area, a little smaller than what I expected, older booths and decor, has character. Area was clean. Order two sandwich plates, one beef dip, one pastrami sandwich, both coming with fries, coleslaw, and a small bowl of dipping gravy. The gravy tasted and had the consistency of beef gravy, which pair perfectly with the beef dip sandwich, the pastrami sandwich would of been better with more of a clear, light au jus. (beef broth) The fries were perfectly cooked, crispy on the outside, moist on the inside, perfectly seasoned, coleslaw was nicely chilled, flavored nicely. The owner was super nice, very attentive and helpful. Interacted with us, enough to make us feel welcomed, but not so much as to keep us from eating. Can't wait to come with the whole family, to try other items on the menu. 4 stars from me.

I am ashamed to have not left a review here sooner. The Jolly Jug is a gem of the San Gabriel Valley and one of the very few places left to get a great beef dip sandwich. Margaret is amazing and keeps her historic 1946 restaurant just as it should be. Don't hesitate, stop in to the Jug for a beef dip with gravy and some of their amazing house coleslaw!

Food was great. We ordered the pastrami and corned beef - kosher style. The bread was a bit soggy at the bottom but it was delicious! Did not have mustard in the sandwiches but they brought some to the table. Coleslaw was fabulous. Also ordered the Mimi and Deana's with chili on the side. Everyone was happy with their food. Asked for extra pickles. Service: was very attentive and friendly. Will definitely come back soon.

Passed by this place many times and finally had the chance to actually walk in. This place is old and has been open for over 70 years. The nice thing is that it's a brunch place that isn't too crowded. I ordered a few things off the special menu. The steak and eggs was pretty solid for its price. The steak itself is definitely a cheaper cut and a little bit more chewy but it had nice char marks and overall flavor. Not bad for $13.99. The pastrami sandwich was something that was recommended as a top item so we tried it. The gravy that it comes with is delicious and the sandwich itself was very flavorful, I would recommend this. Only bummer of this dish was the picture has cold slaw but the item itself had none, not sure if they were out that day or it was an outdated picture. Overall I'd be back since it's local and it's a brunch place that's not too crowded.

This is for the bar,inside the,'Jug" part of Jolly jug...It's a cheery welcoming place,great atmosphere,happy friendly people,really good hidden jem, I recommend you stop by for a drink or two...In N.El Monte on the corner,Peck rd....it has a food section too,breakfast,lunch and dinner...from pancakes,to beef and pastrami dips,to steak dinners...onion rings,fries,coleslaw...it all sounds good in the vast selection, I'll let you know when I try the food. .lol

Salt of the earth people at the bar. Great customer service. The "Cheers" of El Monte. When you got a good buzz going the beef dip sandwich with gravy (au jus on request) will suffice. Ambiance of a fine dive bar.

The food, the service, the vibes!!! everything about this place is absolutely incredible. I had the pastrami dip and as a self proclaimed pastrami enthusiast i absolutely devoured that sandwich. Simon was an incredible server and even gave us some recommendations for Vietnamese food while we were in town which is always appreciated. Definitely check out this place if you're in the area ;)

I came here at 750 pm and it was closed already the time said 10pm I drove pretty far to get here ..........

Margaret, Lisa, and the entire staff do a great job. Lovely place full of welcoming people

Review is for the service because we decided to take our food to go. Waitress had an issue with our active two year old. She felt the need to stare him down and to comment how he was moving around and being "hyper", again he's two. Proceeds to take everything off the table (sugar caddie, salt shaker etc.) just because. She hovered over us and made it more than obvious since we were the only ones there, comes over and moves our drinks by the rim out of my sons way and says I'm afraid he'll spill. First off why don't YOU have kid friendly cups with lids. Second ma'am that's my boy I got him. Nowhere in or outside the restaurant did it say they aren't family friendly. We felt UNWELCOME and DISCRIMINATED for being there with kids. We have never been here before this, horrible first and last experience. I work in the service industry hit me up and I'll show you what real service is. Just finished out to go order. Definitely not worth coming back for. Thanks for the eye opener.

Seen this place for years and decided to stop by for breakfast while I was in the area. I really like diners/dives like this. I usually judge spots on how they pull together certain classic dishes. For this day, it was corned beef hash. Some places give you the canned version. Not this spot. I really enjoyed their version. It leveraged their sliced beef with shredded potatoes. I asked for their housemade spicy salsa that paired with it well. The server and service were great and friendly. On tume with the refills of coffee and water. I also felt the coffee was a little better than usual diner coffee, too. Look forward to getting back here to work through the rest of the menu

I've been coming here since forever (40+ years)! The quality of the food has never changed. It's truly a unique dip sandwich experience. The bread is crispy, the meat is flavorful and juicy and the gravy dip is seriously to die for. The mix of spices in it is what makes it superior. It's not just salty fatty water like most dips. My favorite is beef followed closely by pork and then pastrami, but truly I don't think you can go wrong. The owner is great and so is the service. If you want a delicious trip in a Time Machine this is the place!!

Loco Moco with a side order of potato salad and green onions to had on top of the loco Moco is grinds.

Mom n pops shop grateful food and drinks. Service is great, homie feel. You feel welcome when you walk in.

Awesome ,,,, I had the club sandwich and it was good,,, really good!!! I got it mixed meats style, It's like if you go and have combination fried rice but this is a club sandwich so it's a combination club sandwich with a little bit of all types of meat ,, "man it was so good" This place has been there for over 70 years and I work in that area so whenever I get a chance I'll go and grab something. Some of my coworkers have said to me that their steaks are just amazing which I plan on having next. So if you're in the area , go and try their food you will definitely not be disappointed. Five stars without question...

I very much wanted to give them more stars, but I just couldn't. I ordered a vegetable omelette, hash brown potatoes and sourdough toast with coffee. They used some sort of vegetable oil to make the eggs & they used copious amounts of it. It was slick & shiny & the oil added nothing to the taste, just grease. The potatoes were perfect - I like mine crispy, so to me they were perfect. The toast had so much butter on it that I couldn't taste the sourdough. I always forget to order the butter on the side & that might have helped. The service was OK, not over-attentive, but I only saw one staff member, so, for all I know he was cooking, too. I made a special request, which he forgot at first & then rushed over to fix without me saying a word. One family came in, sat as far away from me as possible & I was still overwhelmed by the volume of the video they were playing on someone's phone. No one asked them to turn it down. It stood out especially because the place was so quiet, everyone speaking in hushed tones, as if it were a library. The reason I won't be going back to give them another try is that about 45-60 minutes after I finished my meal, I developed very bad intestinal pains. I can't think what else it was except this meal. I think if I had taken more control over how much fat was in my meal I might not have become so uncomfortable, but I don't think to do such things when I first visit a restaurant.

This place truly is a gem. Basic fundamentals of a good restaurant: good people and good food. I want to keep this short as possible but so much that needs to be said about this place. This place is literally the representation of the American dream. I grew up in this neighborhood since elementary, left into my twenties all over the place. I was originally looking for a quick bite at Maria's Bakery down the street but they were closed. Decided FINALLY try this place on a whim. Me and my buddy always told each other we would try it out one day but man ... if I had known such great people were running this place, I would have came sooner. Me being Asian American myself and in the restaurant industry... I felt it the moment I stepped foot inside... Best way to sum it up is "Real recognize Real". You can tell that they really love what they do and they do it well. It's something special to keep a place going for 77 years. Most restaurants now outsource products from big companies, everything pretty much tasting the same... but the moment I tried my food, I can tell a lot of it is done the old fashioned way. The beef for the sandwich, the pickles, the peppers ... does NOT taste like anywhere else. I've never been to Philippe's in LA but I would probably safely assume this can go toe to toe with them no question! Beef dip gravy you can tell made from the drippings and not purchased from SYSCO and the coleslaw was well balanced. Simon and Margarette really make the place what it is, a true mom and pop Asian American owned Restaurant with the heart and soul of Los Angeles food culture for what it was, is and should be!

The service was good. The beef dip.... was tasty,better than philippe. Place has been in the city of El monte for years

When we walked in, we were greeted by a sweet lovely old lady who asked us if it was our first time here (and it was). She recommended us to try their sandwiches since that's what they're famous for, so I decided to go with the pastrami sandwich she recommended and it did not disappoint! I loved the concept of dipping the sandwich, because i actually always prefer sauce on the side than on things. I tried a bit of my bf's steak and eggs and the steaks was a little too chewy for me like more well done than the medium rare he requested. However he said some parts does taste like that, so he might've just gave me a bad cut. Anyways everything was still good and i love supporting family restaurants like mom and pop shops like this for breakfast/brunch/lunch!

I got to a very brown restaurant. They gave me water in a brown glass with a brown straw and it tasted like brown water. I was served this while I waited 45 minutes for my cold sandwich until I just got up and left because we were entirely ignored! And the place wasn't even busy

I was last there a few years ago, I ordered four bacon's was served with two strips cut in half, was charged full price. A dishonest operation and will never return.

Service is supreme, the food is fabulous, and the price is a pocket-saver. My wife and I's favorite spot

Oh my goodness: we were out and about and ended up hungry. Googled diners near us. Jolly Jug popped up! What a find. Delightfully quirky and highly unusual, especially the decor. We had a light dinner that the bar tender/server recommended. We love staff recommendations. She said the beef dip Sammie was out of this world. We didn't have high expectations but boy were we wrong. That was a delicious sandwich. I tried the little ground beef tacos too. They were so tasty, simple but right. Margaret is the owner for the last 20+ years and she let us know they've been open 70+ years. We laughed with her about all sorts of stuff. She was so sweet. The food was great and there's a lot to look at while you wait for you food. Here are some interior photos for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

Our jaws dropped walking in... it was like experiencing some awesome time capsule. The decor was original, quirky yet well maintained and clean. We were greeted by the friendly bartender with a cool but serious apron on. They gave us a run down of the menu and made their recommendations, and we are glad we followed them - the Mimi sandwich and Beef Dip were bomb! Savory, tender, perfect blend of flavors. I was worried it was going to be too salty as most corned beef and beef gravies are, but no, it was just perfect. Service was 10/10. The owner gave us a tour of the bar afterwards, and she was just delightful. We highly recommend the Jolly Jug, and we will definitely be back!

Amazing customer service here with great conversation, the vibes are very cozy and homey, music taste is absolutely fantastic. The food is pretty good too!

I Came here with my friends after a tournament. It took more than an hour to get our food. We all were missing something from what we ordered. I guess this place is 77 yrs. That's exactly as slow as they are. Server hardly ever came back to ask if we needed anything: I would never recommend this place to anyone. I would definitely never come back!!!!!

Food and service is good. Have gone to this restaurant for more than 50 years. Pastrami dip is the go to.

First time with my over the hill gang siblings and spouses on the suggestion from a expired friend.(TMI) All I can say is do not let your eyes roll over the location and tired sign. The beef deep is better than Phillepe's and I will go back again as soon as I can.

Hole in the wall bar. Super friendly. Normal drinks. It's not the most amazing outstanding glamorous place, but it's such a good time!!! Watch out for the big guy that's a regular with tattoos on his face. He's a fun time, but he controls the music hahahaha new patio in the works. Can't wait for that. Owner is such a sweetheart!!

My family used to come here at least once a month. The dip sandwiches are fantastic. I'll admit I haven't been in yrs since we moved out of state but I am thrilled to see it is still open. I will make a point of dining here on our next visit to see family.

I can't even begin to talk about how awesome this place is. the owner is the best. thank you for serving us tonight.

Top notch service and great, great food. You'll be surprised how good food is. Like a 5 star restaurant with a El Monte relax feel. You'll savor your food.

Margaret is the best! She's so nice and funny. The service is great and the food is good and fresh. Highly recommend this place. I definitely will be coming back.

Excellent sandwiches, especially the dips. Best tasting anywhere! This is a must for sandwich lovers. You won't be sorry!