The Derby House
1068 Park St
Jacksonville, FL 32204-3908
(904) 356-0227
There are certain restaurants that exist which have legends attached to their name; the Derby House in the 5 Points area of Jacksonville, Florida is one of those. Some of the legends include the original location having a full service bar; even being known as a speakeasy or a ‘blind tiger’, if you will. There are stories of college football players being served liquor underage and even a night that Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe stopped in for late night visit. There was an article in Jacksonville Magazine that gave details to some of these rumors. If you decide to research this you should know the original name was The Green Derby.
Now located on the corner of Margaret and Park Streets in the heart of 5 Points The Derby House is still a local favorite. One of the busiest times to visit The Derby House is on a Saturday or Sunday morning. On the day of our visit we chose a Thursday. They were not real busy but they did have a few tables that were being used. When you walk into the Derby House you find your own table and a server will get to you when they can. This is rarely a long wait, and usually someone acknowledges that you have been seen. If you have much of a wait you are able to sit back and relax and watch the t.v. that is in the corner (and always on).
We sat there and I was really craving some breakfast. One great thing about The Derby House is that they serve breakfast all day. After looking at the menu and the specials I decided to go with the waffle breakfast special. This is a waffle, 2 eggs, bacon and a drink. I am not certain if this is a regular special, so I am not going to quote a price on here. But be aware that it was very reasonable. Another item that makes breakfast desirable here is the Macedonia Omelette. This includes ham, bell peppers, feta cheese, onions, tomatoes and green peppers. They also make a great plate of corned beef hash and eggs. For the cost effective breakfast diner: you can get 2 large eggs, grits, toast and jelly for under 4 bucks.
One of the favorite pastimes of those who visit the Derby House is to count the typographical errors on the menu. The servers tend to share the duties when you visit, so don’t expect to see either a favoritism or jealousy with the staff and confusion about who is waiting on what table. After we placed our order it took a very short amount of time to get the order brought out to our table. My breakfast was very good. As a matter of fact the waffle was delicious! The servers kept our drinks filled and were very kind.
As you sit there and eat you do have an overwhelming feeling that there could be a cleanliness issue there. As far as I know they have not had any official issue with this though so I do not want to accuse them of something that they have not been cited with. However, you can make this judgment for yourself.
After we were finished with our meal we did have to wait an extra long time to receive our check. My belief is that is you have already taken our dirty dishes then it is time to bring the bill. When you do get the bill you should know that it is best to take your money to the counter in the middle of the restaurant. On occasion they have let me pay at the table, but it can take a while.
If you walk past the cashier and the kitchen area you will find yourself on the outdoor patio. This is also the smoking section. They offer breakfast all day, lunch and dinner is available Monday thru Friday. Some of the other favorites at The Derby House include the Big ‘D’ Super Burger, fresh tuna sandwich, even meatloaf or a N.Y. Strip. There are no items on the menu over $10 with the average price under $7. On certain nights of the week they do offer live music on the outdoor patio. The patio has about 8 tables that are all covered by umbrellas. If the weather does not cooperate they do bring the music inside.
The Derby House is not a fancy place by any means. But it is very good and very consistent. Do know that on the Saturday and Sunday mornings that there might be a wait to get a table. As far as the hours go you are going to be best to give them a call at (904) 356-0227.
Also, do not be surprised at all if you see me at The Derby House…maybe even tomorrow.
Reviewed by Pie, email: pie@piesplate.com
ive been once….thought they needed to change out the plastic syrup containers….they were from the eighties i think…lol seems like they just kept filling them. I had the waffle however and it was really good.