If you’ve been asking your lucky stars for a local spot to drink a wide variety of Melvin beers on tap, your prayers have been officially answered! Pure Madness Group has opened its newest Jackson bar and restaurant, The Dojo, located beneath its sister restaurant Roadhouse Pub & Eatery.
Upon entry, vibes from the former Melvin hangout spot, Thai Me Up, are immediately felt. Vinyl is spinning, local artist Kelly Halpin’s hop-head inspired murals adorn the walls, and a plethora of Melvin classics are on tap (welcome back Cherry Bomb, we’ve missed you so!).
The Grub
The Dojo’s menu has a Japanese-meets-Mexican fusion, offering exciting noshes, salads, rice bowls, tacos, bowls of ramen and desserts. If you’re craving a tuna poke bowl and your friend wants tacos, The Dojo is the perfect spot. We started off with the chili kafir lime roasted peanuts alongside one of the signature cocktails, a Painkiller. The combo of sweet pain-killing goodness and the spicy nuts hooked us and excited to order more.
Next on the devouring docket were carrot hummus, KFC bao buns, a kale salad and ahi tuna ssam. The carrot hummus was a welcome spin on chickpea hummus, topped with togorachi and served alongside crispy wontons and pickled veggies. If you’re a fried chicken fanatic, the KFC bao buns are your destiny! Crispy, tangy and sweet, these buns should be ordered on repeat all summer. Both the kale salad and the ahi tuna ssam are light, refreshing and big enough to share.
The taco offerings sway south of the border style, alongside a more international negima yakatori taco full of Japanese flavors. All tacos are $5 -$6 and gluten-free, perfect for your budget. If you were a fan of the restaurant’s predecessor, Code Red’s pozole, you’re pumped, because their pozole rojo and verde options are on the menu.
The Dojo is introducing two ramen options to the downtown scene: a Tokyo Ramen with pork chashu, scallions, ramen, egg and black garlic schmaltz and a tonksatu ramen with pork broth and chashu, shaved cob corn, egg and black garlic schmaltz. Both ramen options are delicious, with slightly different flavor profiles.
The Beverages
And this where the Mother Ship, Alpine’s Melvin location, and Thai Me Up feels really come in. Enjoy favorites like Asterisk*, Crouching Tiger, Hubert, MBR and many more on tap. If you can’t pick one, flights of four pours are available for $13. Outside of beer, the Dojo’s cocktail menu boasts seven boozy options such as Yuzu the Boss with Suntory Toki whiskey with yuzu and orgeat. Think a whiskey based Asian spin on a Mai Tai, but in martini form.
The Vinyl Vibes
Expect to hear stereo-grunge, ‘90s hip-hop, forgotten gems and surprise picks from the crew’s personal collections to be flowing nightly on the record player. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, The Dojo passes the needle to guests. People can bring a favorite record, sign up to spin, and when you’re name is called, you’re up to share your sound. If you receive a cheer from the crowd, you win a free beer (limited to one per guest).
Late Night Food and Happy Hour
The Dojo is open from 11 a.m until midnight, Wednesday through Saturday, serving food until 11 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday, it is open from 11 a.m.-10 p.m., serving food until 10 p.m.
Happy Hour happens late at The Dojo, with $2 off draft beers from 8-10 p.m. daily. Be sure to look for a red, yellow or green light when you enter… If you know, you know (and you’re wicked excited).
