Liven up your boring ol' brunch routine with a stop at the new restaurant from notable drag queen and legendary party host Juanita MORE. The San Francisco native has struck up a long term partnership with the team behind Jones to take over the kitchen and rebrand the restaurant as MORE!Jones.
“Having a restaurant has always been one of my dreams and I've been actively looking for the right space for almost three years. When Jones came along I thought it was the perfect match. So now people can say 'that bitch also has a restaurant,'" says MORE.
As a passionate foodie and author of the blog Juanita Eats Out, MORE is not new to the hospitality industry; in fact, she worked professionally in kitchens across SF before she became a drag queen full-time. MORE collaborated with long time friend and chef Cory Armenta (Hecho) on the new Latin-influenced menu, which includes some of MORE's family recipes, like the MORE!burger, made with 1/2 pound natural beef steak, poblano chile relleno, jalapeños en escabeche and cilantro.
“This is the kind of food you need when you're hangover,” commented MORE.
Indeed, calories are not meant to be counted at MORE!Jones. Also on the dinner menu are MORE's famous chicken livers served on toast and her French-style carnitas (with homemade ricotta, chicories, and salsa verde). On Wednesday nights, Juanita will host a $35, prix fixe family-style dinner with a changing menu. First up, on September 12, is fried chicken with “honey goo,” followed by pozole rojo on September 19th.
Photograph: Courtesy MORE!Jones
If you're nursing a hangover, the Sunday brunch menu promises relief with an open-faced chilaquiles sandwich with refried beans and a magical hangover pizza cure with pork sausage, mushrooms, spinach, cheese and eggs. Also at brunch, expect drag performances from MORE!’s large coterie, the House of MORE!
Photograph: Courtesy MORE!Jones
You'll likely also see MORE herself wandering around the restaurant, or donning a stylish apron in the back of the house. “For now I just committed to be in the kitchen twice a week. I cannot work all day cooking and be fabulous all the time, but I will be around to enjoy a proper meal” she says.
MORE!Jones is open Tue-Thu 5pm-midnight; Fri-Sat 5pm-2am; Sun 11am-3pm.