The atmosphere and food at Jack's Café make you feel like you're eating in the home of a good friend.

It's a family-run establishment headed by Chef Chris D'Eletto, who named the restaurant after his father. D'Eletto has his teenage and  20-something children waiting tables and doing some of the cooking, which only adds to the warm and welcoming experience.

The place is small with seating for around 40, but the taste and quality of the food is BIG. When dining at Jack's, you can get a quick bite of some old standbys before you go to the movies or enjoy a creative dish from the nightly blackboard specials. The staff is very friendly and the place seems to run smoothly.

On this particular night we started with the mini-burgers and a bowl of lobster bisque. The burgers were done to perfection and incredibly tasty while the bisque had a good amount of lobster with a flavoring that was not overpowering. On another visit we had the fried Brie with honey mustard. It is a great starter. We also ordered the fantasia salad, which contained baby greens, grilled vegetables, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion and fresh mozzarella tossed in balsamic vinaigrette. It was fresh and delicious.

Jack's Café is known for its special cheesesteaks and it was one of the best sandwiches I've ever tasted. The steak was fresh while the sandwich was smothered with creamy garlic and herb cheese with sautéed onions; it's so good, you'll have to force yourself to order something else from the menu on future visits.

Another winner is the Don Corleone which features grilled chicken, prosciutto, tomato and melted provolone. It is served with pesto and despite many different flavors, they mesh beautifully.

On our second visit, we tried several pasta dishes and again, they didn't disappoint. The Fettuccine Alfredo had just the right mixes of cheese, which made it nice and moist. It was topped by perfectly cooked good-sized shrimp. Another great choice is the penne with sausage, which was mixed with broccoli in garlic and oil. I reverted back to my childhood and soaked up the sauce with bread; the dish was that good and the place is that comfortable.

We were too full on our two visits for dessert, but if you have room, they looked delicious.
Jack's is a BYO restaurant and it can get crowded early, but if you have to wait, it's certainly worth it.

Jacks Café
325 Broadway, Westwood, NJ
201-666-0400
www.jackscafenj.com