J's Penalty Box

The most classic sports bar a sports bar can get. Some of the best pizza in town, some of the best wings in town, in the atmosphere is a classic sports bar. They even got the Jumbotron as a queer guy who likes sports And good food, This place is awesome.

Jake did an amazing job being attentive to our needs on the patio. He always seemed to be right there when we needed another drink or wanted to order some food. The pizza and nachos were absolutely amazing. If your in town I highly recommend you checking out this local staple.

Great service and food. Fun to watch a wings game at.

The Holiday Drink Menu is very impressive, one drink will have you and yours celebrating ASAP. Also a great place to watch the world series finale and an MI football game at the same time.

Great pizza. The meat pie rolls are incredible, too, don’t miss those. Carry out is especially easy because they run the order out to your car even if you park in the public lot behind their building.

Becca and Elliot were wonderful in attending to everything! Such staff deserves recognition! I will never go anywhere else for such great customer interaction! #gowings

Fantastic food, friendly service, and great drinks. Fried mushrooms were out of this world and the Haterade was awesome. Our bartender was so nice! Loved the atmosphere.

Like this bar staff was super nice,(hey Jake!) Got to get a good seat right up at the bar with excellent views of the games!!! While sitting here you can not notice all the great smelling food!!! And it was very appealing to the eyes too! Just wish I had a bigger stomach to eat everything!!! I'll will be back to get a pizza and possibly some chilli...just not at the same time🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩

Best wings, round pizza, and nachos in the area! But you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Best sports bar in town and bartenders are the best!

This is one of my favorite places to drink and eat a pizza in the ferndale area. The owners are so nice and involved with their business, the overall vibe is good and their pizza is half off on thursdays which is actually very good tasting!!!! The bartenders have always treated my boyfriend and i so sweetly and the drinks have always been strong but reasonably priced. Best sports bar in the area, masculine sports vibe but very LGBTQ friendly love this place

My husband and I just came here for the first time tonight and I can already say for sure that we will definitely be back here. We came and had a drink at the bar and ordered some half off pizza since it was Thursday. I've heard amazing things about their dill pickle pizza but as a bit skeptical since we have never been here before. We ended up ordering a small dill pickle pizza and a small meat lovers pizza to go. Both pizzas were good, but the dill pickle pizza was absolutely amazing. Like nothing I have ever tasted before, quite literally. Not too overpowering with flavor, but somehow just the right amount. The meat lovers was also good and had great taste, but we definitely both preferred the dill pickle pizza. Service at the bar was great, all the servers, bartenders, and bouncers were super polite. Can't wait to come back. Highly recommend stopping in (or doing takeout) for half off pizza on Thursday's!

I came here tonight specifically to try the pickle pizza - I'm always on the hunt for good pickle pizza in the Metro Detroit area, and a friend and I had just tried Sherwood Brewing, in Shelby Twp., a few weeks before. Sherwood's was good but very thick and bready; J's ended up being the opposite, but also very good. My dining companion and I had some drinks to start - they had Ace Pineapple cider, which I like, although it ended up being a little pricey ($8). You can get a small or a large pizza, and normally the large pickle pizza is $19, which is also pricey; however, on Thursdays, they do half-off pizza nights, which I had scoped out on their Instagram or Facebook page beforehand, so it ended up being only $9.50, which is a bargain. As for the pizza itself, it was a very thin crust pizza, which was good. It was a little TOO salty but similar to Sherwood's, they had fresh dill on it. I would order it again although I also want to check out the other pizzas on their menu too, before I decide if I want pickle pizza again. Waitservice was very good, also - they constantly checked on us and brought water refills. I'd go here again although, as you might imagine, it's pretty loud, as it's a sports bar. Tonight was Thursday and there was a Red Wings game on but thankfully no football or anything like that (contributing to the loudness, haha). I also used the bathroom once while here and it was clean. They do takeout as well so I'd probably come back here again for that!

The place is a cool bar for the games but the food is not good. The burger tastes like a cheap frozen meal I'd expect from McDonalds. Not a sports bar

We came in hoping to watch some of the US Open. Unfortunately, we happened to come in the first day of college football. Our fault, we should have checked the schedule. The food here is quite good. The service is good, but not great. I do plan to come back because it has a really fun vibe.

Best place to watch sports, hangout, and feel welcome! The food is always delicious. It's hard to find a place with consistently good pizza, not to mention cauliflower pizza, but we crave it! My hubby loves the dill pickle pizza. They always have deals on beer and food, so it's easy to enjoy yourself without breaking the bank. They have fun drink deals when the Red Wings score a goal or the Detroit Tigers hit a grand slam. They have quizzo on Wednesdays, and are always showing sports (lot's of TV's too!). My husband and I have come here many times since it opened, and have never ONCE had a bad experience with the staff. We recommend this place to everyone we know. It is very apparent that the owner cares about her place of business, but even more about her customers. It is a fun, family like atmosphere. We absolutely love this place and the staff!!!

Great dill pickle pizza! Friendly staff. Did a carry out order, so not too aware of the ambiance, but the bar itself seemed very nice.

Came here to watch the AFC championship game (go Chiefs) and got the pickle pizza! I would come again just for the pizza! However I wouldn't consider this a sports bar for people who like to get rowdy! We saw a man get denied entry just from yelling when he walked in the door because he was coming here to celebrate the Eagles winning the NFC championship. It was very odd. We left at halftime to watch the game at home because I was stressed about the game and I didn't want to get kicked out for yelling haha!

Rude, unwelcoming, egotistical staff. Would not recommend. Terrible experience. .....

Disappointed in my experience here. Friendly waitress, decent food, but the management and ownership make this a bar I will never visit again. They are a self proclaimed sports bar, where cheering for your team is a cause for verbal berating by the owner. I am a firm believer that if you own any business you should never yell at your patrons. I am also a firm believer that if you own a sports bar the atmosphere should be lively. If I wanted to watch sports in silence I would have gone to the library. I am also in disbelief that after seeing other reviews stating the same thing the owner is claiming it is not true. That the reviewer is trying to harm small businesses. I would love to see the owners of this establishment take responsibility for their behavior. I know some people on the internet troll and write fake reviews, but at a certain point if multiple people are claiming something about you, maybe you are the problem. I had high hopes for this bar. Really bummed it wasn't what they claim to be.

Located on Woodward in Ferndale, stopped here for a few drinks with friends. It is a traditional sports bar. It's relatively small inside, I went on a Thursday but I can see how it could get packed on the weekends. It has an abundance of TVs so if your a sports fanatic this is a place for you to stop by and try out. Only giving it 4/5 because I did not get food so I can't attest to their food. But overall 5/5 for good beer, loud sports bar atmosphere!

First thing we are greeted with is the owner screaming "BACK UP!" In our faces... Not cool at all. We were trying to find our friends we were meeting up with and he was probably the rudest owner of an establishment I've ever met. Very condescending when nobody asked. The waiters and servers were very kind and accommodating however, so that at least made up for their boss's terrible behavior.

Super friendly and efficient staff and management.... Always on point ! And you can get one of their fantastic pizzas on Thursday for 1/2 off!! Nothing else to say but, get there for all your sports, dranks and food needs

The service was good, and the happy hour drink I had was tasty. I ordered a pierogi and fish lenten menu dish, and it was pretty good. The pierogis tasted better than the fish, but nothing was bad. At one point, my friend accidentally knocked his nearly full glass of beer over and they brought him another one and mopped everything up without any complaint which was really nice. Prices were good, and parking wasn't too challenging. There are some spots with 2-hour limits right out front and parking in the nearby library parking lot as well.

If I could leave 0 stars I would. Came in with friends to watch the lions game immediately got rude attitude from the older man. Old woman with grey hair and glasses would not leave me and my friends alone and there was always an issue. Me and my friends decided to leave after that. Was extremely rude and will never be coming to this place again. Go somewhere else. Unprofessional and rude/bad management. Not welcoming and bad experience.

I have never walked into a bar, and from the second I was greeted with such hostility and rudeness. The older guy and older woman were extremely disrespectful to my group of friends at noon on a Sunday to watch the lions game opener. The energy in the bar is like you're every move constantly being watched and can't just have a good time. I would not recommend! There are plenty of other spots that have better costumer service.

Forever a Bart's fan, this place has turned over a few times since I've lived in Ferndale. With so many local faves, sometimes it's hard to force yourself to try a new place. If nothing else, the pandemic has inspired us to "spread the love" and support our local businesses. Last night we decided it was a pizza night, and tried J's for the first time. Was super excited to land on the weekend Pizza & Wings deal for $24! We ordered online for curbside pickup- I have to say we were super impressed with every element of our experience with J's. Online ordering was a breeze (huge points!), our food was ready in 30 minutes and the curbside pickup was well-executed. The attention to detail available during the online ordering process was amazing! I HATE ordering online because I'm a PITA, and I always have some type of special request. The system allows you to pick up to 2 different sauces for your wings, and even allows you to decide whether you want them sauced, or sauce on the side! Same thing with the pizza toppings. Offers the ability to add extra on half or the whole pie and even charges accordingly!! Now for the food...LOVED that the large pizza was actually LARGE!! (Sorry, forgot to take the pic before digging in!) sauce and toppings were on point, the crust was meh at best- like zero flavor. I'm a bread connoisseur, and I've been baking sourdough bread for the last four days- if I could just share some starter with them....sorry, I'm digressing here. In any case, J's offers a different special everyday and we're excited to try the burgers and the fish and chips. We'll definitely be back!

Food is way over priced for the establishment. This should be a good place to get good food at good prices! I mean come on $16.00!! For a patty melt or burger! It better be wagyu (which btw it's not) 80/20 for sure. It's just overpriced for the food they serve. Haven't been back since and I live in walking distance.

Came here for dinner during the Funky Ferndale Art Fair. We were worried it would be to mobbed for us to get seated or dinner, but we found a table and were waited on promptly. My boyfriend and I split tacos & potato skins, both were delicious. The drinks were good also and not too expensive. Classic sports bar, lots or tv's going, but what I really loved is that the front has a roll up door so you have an indoor / outdoor dining experience. On a beautiful day - what could be better? We'll definitely be back to hang out, have a drink and a burger or snack.

Great atmosphere, drinks, specials and fantastic service - you know great family ownership as soon as you walk in the door. Pickle Pizza, Club Sandwich, the Turkey Ruben - all fantastic!!

This place is SUPER DELICIOUS!!!! I promise. Try the pickle pizza. You will not be sad!!!

Normally I would give this place 5 stars hands down. However the last few times I went in Teresa and Michael were not bar tending. Hopefully I just caught their off nights because the bartenders working were not nearly as personable and friendly.

I've been living in Ferndale for over 12 years now and I've been to every bar around. I have to say without a doubt that J's penalty box is by far one of my favorites. The food and drinks are great (try the dill pickle pizza) and it has great vibe. I'm not even a sports fan and I really enjoy watching the game. It's the perfect place for a good time. If you're lucky you can sit at the bar and Teresa will make you one of her incredible whiskey cocktails. She's incredible!!!!! I honestly feel sorry for anyone who hasn't had Teresa serve them a drink.

I dig it, My burger was right on! cooked really good, fresh toppings, tasty bun and the beef was cooked the way I like it and came out perfect. The place has a really good vibe and the service was pretty good. I like the front open roll up doors and we ended up with a good table and good service. Prices are not too expensive and the beer list is good with some specials. All-in-all I really enjoyed my experience at Js penalty box and I want to come back and check out more of the menu and try more of the food and definitely drink some more beer, the place was fun.

We have been hearing good things about J's pizza, so we ordered for New Years Eve and were happy we did. Pizzas were half off since it was Thursday, so we both got our own to ring in the new year as total pigs! I read that you can order online, and maybe I was totally missing it on their site, but I couldn't find anywhere to actually order it. I called instead and it was easy enough. When I arrived to pick up, there was someone dropping food off to another car, so he came over to me after and quickly brought out our pizzas without having me call into the restaurant for curbside. The pizza was great! Being half off was a plus because I think it's a little expensive if you have to pay full price. However it was very good, and the large is huge. It was easily three or four meals for me.

I used to go here for lunch since I work in the area. Good food. Great service. Competitive pricing too. Their pizza was good. Since Covid, their hours have been changed and closed at lunch. Ugh. Miss hanging out here for lunch. I could hide here and not bump into coworkers.

Great neighborhood bar. Pizza was excellent. Ranch is homemade and soo yummy! The snapshot grilled cheese was very good. Fries rocked! Drinks were good and cold but a bit pricey. Service was good. Would return for sure.

It is a Sports Bar on busy Woodward just south of 9 in Ferndale. The owners are an electrician and his wife, who was a bar manager somewhere else before. Basic beer drafts with some crafts on tap. Solid design and sports TVs. Decent food. Good prices for the area. The staff are what makes this good. They are friendly, fast, and helpful. Limited pay street parking, more parking behind.

I came here with my boyfriend to enjoy the festivities with Cinco de Mayo and the Kentucky Derby. Great vibe with garage doors, which were open. The weather was great. The bar was having great drink specials, so we tried the magaritas, mint juleps, and jello shots. Everything was great. The service was great. We had a great location to watch the derby. No complaints!

We came here to celebrate a Sunday afternoon and were greated warmly by the staff. Theresa was a ROCKSTAR, allowing my husband to put on a soccer game in the middle of lions football. It's her birthday and she has been a bundle of entertainment. Don't miss this little gem.

Such great bar food and wonderful, friendly staff! I've gotten carry out and delivery from J's multiple times and it's always great. From their amazing fried pickles to the delicious mango habanero wings. I'm not a pizza lover, but their coney dog pizza is one of the few I crave regularly. Highly recommend

Female Bartender is rude and ridiculous. Friend was walking in but wouldn't let me save one seat next to me (I had been there for a minute and she hadn't even taken my order yet so not like I was holding up a long line). Will never come back. Awful

Love this place, it's such a great atmosphere with such great enthusiasm. I've gone here a couple times as a small group and one time as a large group and our service has been outstanding. The owner is always personable and always make sure to check on you to make sure everything's going well, the bartending staffed is always watching on the floor and making sure people are getting drinks in the wait staff never lacked to do so. Their burgers are great their wings are excellent and now I hear that they're getting a pizza oven and I'm sure that's going to be as good as the rest. I highly recommend that you check this place out.

Love going to Wednesday night trivia. if you plan on going to trivia, make sure you get there before hand or else you will not get in.

I love this place!! They have the best deals Saturday and Sunday when places normally don't have a happy hour! My favorite bar

Maybe suffering from a little identity crisis still? They should've gutted this place and started fresh since it's still reminiscent of Club Bart, John D's and most recently, Crave Lounge. It feels like a sports bar in that it has TVs and a few dart boards, but overall it's missing that sporty feel. That aside, the staff here is outgoing and I can tell they really want J's to last. The menu is fairly standard as is the dining area but I haven't actually tried any of their food so more on that later. Definitely worth a try though!

Good location, good food, good service. If you're looking for a sports bar this is your place. Has a large garage door for an open restaurant feel as well as seating out back.

J's is pretty standard as far as sports bar atmosphere goes. Can't complain. Very small inside but I've never had a problem getting a table or a drink on a weekend night. Plus $3 beers always makes me happy. The 4 stars are really for the fried food. The best bar food ever! I was very pleasantly surprised when I ordered the french fries and the fried pickles. The fries were soooo crispy and crunchy it is literally what dreams are made of. Whenever I try and order fried pickles at other establishments...I become disappointed by the soggy-ness or the taste of the nasty pickle they used to fry. Not J's! The pickle was delicious and the breading was crunchy! You can see (and taste) that they use dill seasoning in the breading which is genius. Don't forget to get the sauce! The only thing I disagree with is their prices. Seems a little on the high end for fried food. Next drunken cheat night....I'm coming to J's!

Degenerate and rude staff; bar is outdated and not in an appealing way that gives it character. Aggressive bouncers for no reason when the bar isn't even a fun or lively place. Makes money solely based on location only

Been in here multiple times now. Given it a fair shake. Maybe it's just not my scene, but out of the 4 or 5 times I've been in, it's been less than enjoyable. Beer selection isn't terrible. Haven't eaten here for full disclosure. The Wednesday trivia host is overbearing and annoying AF and the trivia format is lamesauce. Tiny. Often cramped. Setup leaves a lot to be desired. Dart boards situated so you're throwing across the entryway. I'm a sports bar guy. Just not this sports bar.

Terrible establishment, went here as a last resort to celebrate a birthday because it was open during covid. Definitely wasn't worth it. Our server was kind and we had no issues at all with him but we were rudely told to leave as soon as we finished our drinks. No one else in the bar was asked to leave and there were more people hanging out that have also finished their drinks. We payed our bill with no issues and tip more than accordingly. We weren't acting any type of way and even the people around us didn't understand why we were being asked to leave. When we asked why we were being asked to leave we were denied a reason. While asking they played a loud buzzer over a speaker instead of giving us a reason. Do not give your money to this place

Randomly came in here because nothing was open and I have been back several times since. The wings are the best Buffalo wings I've had and the staff is super friendly and fun. Lots of TVs and good music. Definitely recommend this place!

The chili is probably the best I've ever had, second only to my boyfriends home made recipe. The staff is super friendly and they always have Tigers baseball on atleast one of the tv during the baseball season! Two thumbs way up :)

Fantastic pizza. Staff is great. All their food is great but their pizza and deep fried mushrooms are the best.

I tried this place for the first time today and I really liked it. I came with my wife and 9 month old son and the staff was very accommodating. We ordered the Perogies and the eggrolls - both were devoured within a few minutes. What set this place apart from most is the positive energy that comes from the location and staff. Everyone was upbeat and they seemed to be enjoying themselves. I got the opportunity to meet the owner Sam and his wife - we talked for quite a bit about their story and it was really great. It's really nice to see owners of the bar talking to customers, being cheerful and having fun. Overall food was great and customer service was on point. We will be coming back!

The penalty box? The sportiest thing about this bar was my sub par jump shot when I walked out. The aesthetic was that of a bar I won't be back to, and I love all things hockey. My waitress, a failed member of the Betty boop fan club, questioned my drinks when I asked for them, making my drink order a gigantic production. 40 minutes later I received said drinks and realized this wasn't gonna work out. Some advice: don't name a bar after hockey and not have an aesthetic to go with it. Why were the waitresses not in hockey gear or referee outfits? I was dying to go there and the second I got in, I was dying to leave.

They never disappoint! Stopped in for a quick bite today, and it was delicious! We had tasty, spicy bloody Mary's to start. I had the California Reuben and it was perfect! Hubby had the jalapeno burger and quite enjoyed it. Fries and wedges were creamy on the inside and perfectly crunchy and seasoned!! Our bartender Jordan was fun and made our quick lunch great!

one of my favorite hangout spots!! J's never fails to impress. the drinks are always great & come out super quick. the food is amazing, my favorite being the pizza & wings. also, the entire staff is super kind & welcoming.

Relatively new sports bar in Ferndale. Unique layout with good beer specials. Friendly and attentive staff. Good tv selection. We didn't try the food, but looked like your average bar fare.