Jus' Mac At 2617 Yale St.

[Highway6]

Kraft is good, but only in the same way McDonald's is good. You've had it all your life, it's cheap, maybe reminds you of being a kid. It's definitely not top notch cuisine from a cheese or pasta standpoint. But hey, we still eat it. Especially when you toss a can of chili in there.

Still haven't gotten there...need to soon.

I'm Italian.. I know my pastas, and I'm pretty adventurous in the cheese department. Consequently, I've never considered Mac'N'Cheese either pasta or cheese... Only Grade A comfort food. Nor have I ever considered it top notch cuisine ( I did a double take earlier in the the thread when someone mentioned it being available at Smith & Wollensky's ).

Anyways.. outside of a Kraft box, I've never had Mac'N'Cheese worth a damn... so I look forward to trying this place out.

Edited October 11, 2010 by Highway6

[SilverJK]

i had the taco-mexi and it was good. Wife had the Rustic, and it was also good. They are definitely still working out the kinks, but it was still a good dining experience. It did sit a bit heavy on the belly(i ate the whole thing) I'll definitely be going back soon.

[ToolMan]

I went with a friend yesterday at 7:00pm. It was pretty crowded with a 30 minute wait. I had the buffalo chicken, but it really wasn't my thing. The spicy hot sauce didn't go well with all of the cheese; however, the big chuncks of bacon were perfect in the dish. My friend had the Rustic which I liked better. Both of our dishes came out luke warm.

I will be back.

[TheNiche]

I went by there today for lunch. Tried the Quattro, a four-cheese mac with breadcrumbs on top, to really delve into the simple form of the dish. At $9 for maybe 12 ounces of food, I regret it. The mac was beyond al dente. The cheese sauce at the bottom had a gritty texture to it (reminding me of Luby's). Overall, it was kind of soupy. It should be thicker throughout rather than just a sauce. On the plus side, a tad bit of ham fell into my dish, and that morsel and everything around it was delicious.

I'd rather pay more for an entry-level steak, less for ginger beef at the Vietnam Restaurant, or just bring a bag lunch and buy better-quality whiskey for when I get home. A lower-priced french onion soup would've been preferable, too.

I'll have to go back once more to try something meatier...for meat's sake.

[Materene]

Somehow I retained the taste for Cheese even after tasting that god awful stuff they had in the B2 c-ration, it came in a small tin about the actual size of a can of boot or shoe polish, which is what it happened to taste like, and you could actually shine your boots with it! Those menus listed above sound really good but I live in the country and have mastered the use of a microwave, well muh two dogs think so.

[LTAWACS]

I still have yet to try this place. Perhaps that is a good thing?

[Highway6]

Does anyone else have a 1st time or 2nd visit review to share on this place ?

Chronicle seems to think its a success as far as crowds are concerned, yet is underwhelmed by lots of the dishes.

http://www.29-95.com...-review-jus-mac

Edited December 16, 2010 by Highway6

[crunchtastic]

Maybe it's the Holiday Effect. Who really is hankering for a carb blowout right now?

For the next two weeks, if I had nothing but sashimi, liquor, and Super Dieters Tea things would be good.

too. much. food. everywhere.

[20thStDad]

Maybe it's the Holiday Effect. Who really is hankering for a carb blowout right now?

For the next two weeks, if I had nothing but sashimi, liquor, and Super Dieters Tea things would be good.

too. much. food. everywhere.

Ha, I thought it was a good idea to try out our chocolate fountain (gift that sat in the closet for 2 years) at the company pot luck. Well, it was a great idea. And then later it didn't feel like a great idea.

Let the overeating continue! January is for regretting.

[skwatra]

Does anyone else have a 1st time or 2nd visit review to share on this place ?

Chronicle seems to think its a success as far as crowds are concerned, yet is underwhelmed by lots of the dishes.

http://www.29-95.com...-review-jus-mac

i went a few weeks ago for the first time. I had the Popeye and added chicken, my girlfriend had the Jalapeno. Mine was really good, fresh veggies and high quality cheeses and spices. The Jalapeno was good too, not enough content for me but really spicy and good blend of cheeses. We had 6 people there and everyone was pretty happy. Most of the girls had leftovers.

I don't eat mac and cheese often, and rarely order it. But I have had better at other restaurants as a side. But with all the extras they have inside, this is a really good option.

Not some place I'll go frequently, but I would recommend checking it out, and I'll be back eventually.

[ricco67]

i went a few weeks ago for the first time. I had the Popeye and added chicken, my girlfriend had the Jalapeno. Mine was really good, fresh veggies and high quality cheeses and spices. The Jalapeno was good too, not enough content for me but really spicy and good blend of cheeses. We had 6 people there and everyone was pretty happy. Most of the girls had leftovers.

I don't eat mac and cheese often, and rarely order it. But I have had better at other restaurants as a side. But with all the extras they have inside, this is a really good option.

Not some place I'll go frequently, but I would recommend checking it out, and I'll be back eventually.

I've been promising to take the SO for quite some time, so I told her we're going to hit it on monday. I'm going to search their menu and pick out what might be appealing.

BTW: Macaroni and Cheese Pizza rocks.

Don't like M&C? Go join Al Qaeda.

[heights_yankee]

We've been around 4 times. With two toddlers, it's an easy dinner out where we know we're not going to have to wrestle them for their dinner choice. They get the mac w/ broccoli. I love the buffalo mac, but I am addicted to Frank's Red Hot. My husband has tried a couple different varieties and liked them all. Do I think it's the greatest place around? No, but it's quick (when you're in the early dining set like we are) and easy. I think they did the right thing having a small space with a limited number of seats because their concept is so narrow. They are, however, adding paninis to the menu for a little diversity (still carbs + cheese). I've never had temperature issues with the food but since I have had the same dish at least 4 times, there were some small consistency issues. One time the hot sauce was only on top so I needed extra. When I ordered the next time, I asked for extra but this time they mixed the hot sauce in to the mac and also dumped extra on top when I requested it. At that point, it was too much. Next time I'll just get extra on the side. I also wish they opened at 11 on Sundays since we have to feed those rug rats around 11:30 or they go nuclear. While I feel like it might be hard for many people to be real regulars, i.e. once a week-ish, I can see us going at least once a month, especially since the 4 year old asks for it by name.

[Jus Mac]

We'd like to thank all those that have supported us over the last 10 months because without you we wouldn't have been able to expand into Sugar Land. Here's to spreading the cheese!!!

[Jesse]

We'd like to thank all those that have supported us over the last 10 months because without you we wouldn't have been able to expand into Sugar Land. Here's to spreading the cheese!!!

Wow! Congratulations! That's really great that you're able to open a 2nd location within the first year. Kudos to you and your friendly neighborhood restaurant!

Now, can you fix that nasty pothole upon entering your parking lot? :-)

[OutfieldDan]

Wow! Congratulations! That's really great that you're able to open a 2nd location within the first year. Kudos to you and your friendly neighborhood restaurant!

Now, can you fix that nasty pothole upon entering your parking lot? :-)

Lets hope that they start treating their employees better. I have first hand knowledge that Jus' Mac doesn't provide any food to servers and distributes tip revenue unfairly. There's at least one case of a former employee who quit and they confisicated his tip revenue. They claimed that all he was due was the below minimum wage they pay.

I personally will not patronize them.

[Jus Mac]

Lets hope that they start treating their employees better. I have first hand knowledge that Jus' Mac doesn't provide any food to servers and distributes tip revenue unfairly. There's at least one case of a former employee who quit and they confisicated his tip revenue. They claimed that all he was due was the below minimum wage they pay.

I personally will not patronize them.

OutfieldDan,

I would suggest you tread carefully with the statements you just provided. These accusations are ENTIRELY FALSE. We have NEVER paid anyone below minimum wage and in fact ALL employees make well above minimum wage.

We know exactly which employee you are referring to because for one all our employees are very well compensated and we've had very little turnover. By the way...he didnt quit, he was in jail for 2 weeks due to a drug possession felony. Of those 2 weeks we had no clue as to where he was. That is called job abandonment.

Again, if you chose to provide false information then we can solve this in the appropriate manner.

Jus' Mac

[OutfieldDan]

OutfieldDan,

I would suggest you tread carefully with the statements you just provided. These accusations are ENTIRELY FALSE. We have NEVER paid anyone below minimum wage and in fact ALL employees make well above minimum wage.

We know exactly which employee you are referring to because for one all our employees are very well compensated and we've had very little turnover. By the way...he didnt quit, he was in jail for 2 weeks due to a drug possession felony. Of those 2 weeks we had no clue as to where he was. That is called job abandonment.

Again, if you chose to provide false information then we can solve this in the appropriate manner.

Jus' Mac

Tread carefully? He wasn't in jail and he wasn't arrested or charged for anything. You can check that yourself. Do an Internet records check if you don't believe me. You seem to be the expert on baseless accusations. The fact is that you refused to pay him his tip income for the time he worked. I believe it amounts to a few hundred dollars. In my book that's unethical, and stealing.

Low turnover? That's not what I hear. How about letting your employees have a little macaroni on the house so that they know what you're selling and also feel good about who they work for?

The problem you're faced with now is that you treated an employee unfairly and expected to not have any repercussions. Well, guess what? You're busted.

Edited August 23, 2011 by OutfieldDan

[Jus Mac]

Tread carefully? He wasn't in jail and he wasn't arrested or charged for anything. You can check that yourself. Do an Internet records check if you don't believe me. You seem to be the expert on baseless accusations. The fact is that you refused to pay him his tip income for the time he worked. I believe it amounts to a few hundred dollars. In my book that's unethical, and stealing.

Low turnover? That's not what I hear. How about letting your employees have a little macaroni on the house so that they know what you're selling and also feel good about who they work for?

The problem you're faced with now is that you treated an employee unfairly and expected to not have any repercussions. Well, guess what? You're busted.

You're obviously a friend of David. And now I know for certain its him that is the basis of this conversation. David didnt report to work for two weeks straight..no phone call and no call from any of his family members. We have a business to run and that includes having employees to do certain tasks. It isnt our responsibility to monitor our employees after they leave Jus' Mac. At some point you have to be held accountable for the actions you take and understand those actions can and will affect your place of employment. We attempted to contact David but the phone number we had on file was no longer a working number. At some point you have to fill the position and that's what we did.

David then came into our establishment 2 weeks later stating we was arrested and placed in jail for having drugs on him. Then proceeded to tell us he is going to rehab for his drug addiction. End of story...

There are no repercussions...he never returned to work. He received his paycheck for the time he worked. He was an hourly employee and thus was paid for the time he worked. When you're in jail (according to him) you kinda don't make money at that point.

And the food situation...he wanted us to provide him with free food daily. That isn't our policy and never has been. We offer all our employees discounts if they choose to eat at the restaurant.

[heights_yankee]

And the food situation...he wanted us to provide him with free food daily. That isn't our policy and never has been. We offer all our employees discounts if they choose to eat at the restaurant.

While I have no desire to get in the middle of this sticky situation, I just want to say that I waited tables for more than a decade at everything from tourist trap to TexMex to white table cloth and rarely, if ever, were employees given free food. I worked at one restaurant where the closer got a free meal because they would be there until after midnight, but in every other single instance, 1/2 price was standard.

[Jus Mac]

While I have no desire to get in the middle of this sticky situation, I just want to say that I waited tables for more than a decade at everything from tourist trap to TexMex to white table cloth and rarely, if ever, were employees given free food. I worked at one restaurant where the closer got a free meal because they would be there until after midnight, but in every other single instance, 1/2 price was standard.

Its not even a sticky situation. We actually like David..he just stopped coming to work. Its strange that we are even having a conversation about him but alas we are.

Yes, when he stated that we should be feeding our employees for free every day I was perplexed on how he came up with this. Then he stated he should be eating free because he worked here. I know of no restaurant who does this.

Not even really quite sure why somebody would post this totally false information. Its really sad to be honest with you. David came to us about a drug addiction, received his check and we never heard from him again. That was months ago.

Edited August 23, 2011 by Jus Mac

[KinkaidAlum]

I went the other night for the first time. I've wanted to go for months, but I live down near Rice U and just never got around to making the trek up North. Was glad I finally did. The pickled jalapeno mac was delicious.

[DistribAire P.E.]

until recently I have long since given up eating Mac N Cheese, usually it was the Kraft box stuff and I just don't care for it. Velveeta shells and cheese is usually pretty good. but at restaurants the Mac is almost always utter crap and so I never ordered it. until about 6 months ago I had the Mac N Cheese at OceanAire and OMG was it awesome. Now I've given mac a second chance at certain restaurants, had some last night at 360 sports lounge and it was also fantastic.

May have to give this sugarland location a shot here shortly

[heights]

Jus' Mac is getting some heat from McDonalds over trademarks. If anything, the news coverage should help their business:

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=8364497

[Jesse]

Jus' Mac is getting some heat from McDonalds over trademarks. If anything, the news coverage should help their business:

http://abclocal.go.c...ocal&id=8364497

Yeah, this is beyond absurd. I hadn't even made the connection until I read the article.

[s3mh]

And the lady that gets 2nd and 3rd degree burns on her legs from overheated McDonalds coffee is the poster child of the frivolous lawsuit, but McDonalds gets to harass small business owners who cannot afford more than 10 minutes with an IP attorney with frivolous claims of infringement?

And this isn't an isolated incident. McDonalds sued a teenager raising money for the Special Olympics for using the term "McFest" (kid's last name was McClusky and was playing with her own name).

I am going to go to the McDonalds on Yale, order a Big Mac and then sue for fraud because I thought I was going to get a big thing of Mac 'n Cheese.

[heights]

I tried to go to Jus' Mac tonight but the line was out the door. Guess everyone was looking for a Big Mac! I decided to go to Beck's Prime instead and got a $10 burger that was on par with 5-Guys.

[20thStDad]

I tried to go to Jus' Mac tonight but the line was out the door. Guess everyone was looking for a Big Mac! I decided to go to Beck's Prime instead and got a $10 burger that was on par with 5-Guys.

No it wasn't. If it was, you ordered the wrong one. Bill's Burger doesn't cost $10 and it's the best. 5 guys doesn't compare on a burger level.

Edited September 25, 2011 by 20thStDad

[heights]

No it wasn't. If it was, you ordered the wrong one. Bill's Burger doesn't cost $10 and it's the best. 5 guys doesn't compare on a burger level.

I don't want to hijack the Jus' Mac thread with a burger war, but the Bacon Cheesburger was $8.95 plus tax so that's nearly 10 dollars. Maybe I'll try the Bill's Burger (same price) next time and see if the sauce adds some flavor.

[west20th]

Jus' Mac is getting some heat from McDonalds over trademarks. If anything, the news coverage should help their business:

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=8364497

Looks like it is only positive PR for Jus' Mac. The lawyer at McDonald's that thought this suit was a good idea needs to be fired. Are they going to sue Apple next?

[skwatra]

They have opened a 3rd location on Westheimer and Bagby in Midtown. Not sure when, just noticed it.