Restaurant Heading To Auction In Baltimore County As Owner Eyes Retirement

ESSEX, MD — A recently renovated Essex restaurant is heading to auction as its owner plans to retire.

Bidding starts at $500,000 for Jake's Tavern, located at 1006 Back River Neck Road. The online bidding, run by Alex Cooper Auctioneers of Towson, started Thursday and closes Tuesday at 11 a.m.

The bar will continue to operate until the sale is settled.

The 134-seat restaurant currently has gross sales over $1.2 million. The business also has a liquor store and a room that has been used for crabs and pit beef. The 4,600-square-foot building sits on a 1.77-acre lot.

The Baltimore Business Journal on Tuesday broke the news of the auction, reporting that restaurant owner David Jacobs is retiring.

Jacobs bought the property then known as Johann's Restaurant and Lounge in 2022 for $575,000, the BBJ said. The BBJ reported that Jacobs made the purchase after selling his waterfront New Sue Island Grill, now operated as McFaul's Oyster and Reel, in a 2021 auction.

A recent renovation at Jake's Tavern added a new deck and four outdoor tikis. It also improved the building's HVAC, parking lot, bathrooms and infrastructure.

The sale will include the real estate, business, liquor license and all furniture, fixtures and equipment. The snowball stand on-site must be purchased separately for $10,000.

There's also an option to buy a bus that was converted into an outdoor stage, but that's not included in the auction. Inventory must be purchased separately.

"This property presents a fantastic opportunity for a savvy entrepreneur looking to establish a thriving restaurant, bar, and package goods business in a prime location," the auction listing said.

To learn about other changes to the Essex dining scene, read the Baltimore Business Journal's story.