I had seen a few good reviews and it was our last night in the area. So we thought we would give it a try as we were looking for something not fried. We came pretty early and we're seated quickly and served promptly as well. We tried the scratched in rum and Coke, which seemed a bit high priced for what it was ($16). We also had a strawberry lemonade, which was delicious. We started with the bacon wrapped scallops, which were pretty good but rather small. For our main courses, we tried the cod, fried fish dinner and the lobster boil which came with a nice salad. Both were a good flavor, but we did find ourselves hungry again in about an hour. This could just be the seafood effect too- as sometimes it's not as filling and we had hiked a lot that day. We also never had our waters refilled, or a jug left for us (like many places had done) but the servers were very kind and friendly. Ambiance wise, the blinds being drawn make the view feel blocked but it is bright and has a floral theme. The tables are close together and as we were leaving it was getting busier so may get to know your fellow diners in some spots. They also had a nice cafe downstairs which had a nice selection of drinks, coffees included and to go sandwiches etc. Overall we liked this place but the cost for leaving hungry is what brought the total overall score down for us. read more

See all

One of the mainstays of Rocky Harbour, Java Jack's is a local favourite. We had dined here many years ago on our last trip to Gros Morne and returned to find a healthy dose of nostalgia along with still fantastic food. We had a reservation for dinner and there was a bit of a line outside (the landing area by the entrance is quite small) of other diners who also have reservations. We were led in soon enough and brought to our table on the upstairs level. We thoroughly enjoyed the homey decor which hasn't changed since our last visit and brought back fond memories. Our server was a young man about to start his freshman year at university this fall. His attitude and work ethic really shows the best of Newfoundland. The food was solid overall. We enjoyed the bacon wrapped scallops, seafood chowder and especially the moose pie. If you just order one thing, GET THE MOOSE PIE! It's hearty with perfectly flakey pie shell and a blast of flavour inside. One disappointment was that they removed their cod tongue dish from their menu. As a uniquely Newfoundland dish, I hope they can bring it back for the next time we return to the island. Overall a wonderful experience and we would definitely come back the next time we visit! read more

See all

Years after, we revisited this restaurant in Rocky Harbour during another trip to the Gros Morne national park lately. The place was packed at dinner hour and it's better to make reservations. We were seated shortly after arrival with reservations. The young server was very friendly and he provided attentive services througout the meal. The food here had hits and misses. This time we've tried quite some varieties of dishes here, but unfortunately they got rid of our favourite cod tongue from the menu. - The beet salad with goat cheese: it was not bad - Seafood chowder: Sufficient ingredients inside but I personally prefer more creamy and stronger flavour for chowders - Bacon and scallop wrap: one of my favourite dishes here and we fought for it. - Salt cod fish cake: It's signature local food but I didn't enjoy the dish very well. The portion of potatoes definitely overpowered the flavour of fish. - Pan fried cod: it was an okay dish. - Moose pie: I liked the dish. It was so flavourful and the flavour of moose meat mingled really well with the puff pastry. - Creme brulee: The surface was a bit over torched and bitter, yet the rest was so yummy and at the perfect sweetness level. Overall, I enjoyed the relaxing vibe here. For food, I would recommend the moose pie and the bacon scallop wrap. read more

See all

We had a seriously good dinner here. Garden salad was as nice and fresh as one could get anywhere. Salmon was beautifully done, and the moose stew was a treat. Wines by the glass were also very good. Service is top-flight. Well done. read more

I had the cod tongues and they were delicious! It was crowded but the food was well worth the wait ! Great service , great food

+.5 for service Passed by this restaurant on my way back to the hotel and saw the recommendation from The Lonely Planet, so my family decided to give it a try. The restaurant was inside this cool little house that looks like it was converted. Dinner menu options were quite good, with options ranging from seafood to rabbit. I had the seafood chowder to start, followed by the cod. My dad also ordered the lobster linguine tutto mare, so I was able to share a couple of large plates. The seafood chowder was pretty good here. I'd still give the slight edge to Buoy and Arrow though, I really loved their seafood chowder there. The cod, however, was amazing. Probably the best one I had that entire trip. The lobster tutto mare was also very good, the lobster pieces were obviously fresh from the waters nearby. Service was excellent here. Definitely worth the recommendation in my opinion. read more

See all

Great place to grab a breakfast sandwich and coffee and then head to the beach for the view. Great service with great local tips for where to go. read more

Java Jack's Restaurant & Gallery - Bacon, egg, and cheese bagel with drip coffee - Seafood Near Me - Rocky Harbour, Newfoundland and Labrador

Traveling to this area for the first time can be challenging, trying to figure out what your restaurant options are. Rocky Harbour is fairly small, and it has no chain restaurants at all. That's a good thing! We stayed three nights within a mile of this restaurant, and we tried it out first for a lunch. We split the seafood chowder and (warm) Irish soda bread, which were both amazing. I had the big garden green salad, and I can tell you that all the ingredients were so fresh it tasted like it came right out of their garden... which they actually do have onsite. The lemon garlic vinaigrette dressing was homemade, too. On top of all that, the second floor dining room has some great seats by the window overlooking the bay. The wait staff was impeccable as well. That's my review for lunch. This place was so good, we came back a night later for dinner and then followed that up with our morning of checkout by dropping in when they opened for breakfast. Dinner entrees here are simply over the top. In such a small little town, I was shocked at the freshness quality and even the presentation. For my dinner, I had the pan-seared cod. This came with tomato confit, garlic mashed potatoes, fresh seasonal grilled vegetables, and the icing on the cake... a nice slab of house-made lemon dill butter melting on top of the perfectly grilled cod. While my dish was as five-star as it gets, my wife's lobster linguine was one of the best seafood dishes I've ever tasted. See my photos! On our last trip to Java Jack's, we arrived right at opening time. Both of us had one of the amazing muffins, which we had to wait just a few minutes as they came right out of the oven. Worth the short wait! This is some of the very best brewed coffee in town, too. Get the dark roast, you won't regret it. If you are staying in Rocky Harbour for a couple of days, by all means hit this place up more than once. It was by far our favorite place in town. read more

See all

Delicious! We had the seafood chowder & salted cod fish cake. First time trying Irish Soda bread & i'm hooked. Our waitress was fantastic - trying the sticky toffee pudding for dessert. Definitely coming back b/f we leave this charming town! We love NL!! read more

Java Jack's Restaurant & Gallery - our view - Seafood Near Me - Rocky Harbour, Newfoundland and Labrador

This is an excellent choice for anyone visiting the Rocky Harbour area. What makes it a five in my mind is it's broad offering of vegan and gluten free options. There are several choices of each and more that are listed as adaptable. And after a short discussion with the waitress, we discovered that there are even more options if you're willing to be flexible, like substituting rice for pasta. Of course, this alone won't make you a five. The facility is clean and nicely decorated with local art. Service is very friendly and the food is excellent. Everything has a home, rather than restaurant feel, from the tablecloths to the traditional-ish menu. A great choice for anyone, but probably the best place in town if you have any food restrictions. read more

Java Jack's Restaurant & Gallery - Gluten and Dairy Free cod (lobster butter on the side) - Seafood Near Me - Rocky Harbour, Newfoundland and Labrador

See all

Stopped here for breakfast during our visit to Gros Morne. Food and service were great. Beautiful patio and great gift shop with reasonable prices. Regular coffee was great. Only negative was the Café Americano really wasn't good but other than that I highly recommend this place. read more

Food is over rated. Not sure what everyone else is raving about. Service: I'm sure someone else will have a different service experience but we had a different waiter touch our table twice (after a long period of waiting or with clean plates) before our actual waiter touch our table a second time after seating. Not great. Food: We ordered cod tongues, mussels, cod main and rabbit en croute. The rabbit was our favourite. It's basically a chicken pot pie but with pulled rabbit. It is definitely delicious. The cod large plate was listed as "black bean crusted" but was clearly only crusted with breadcrumbs. It came with confit tomatoes. Which were quite cold, typically anywhere else these are served to atleast room temperature. The fish was cooked fine, but didn't feel special for the price. It was placed on a bed of mashed potatoes which were bland. Felt unseasoned, if it was supposed to be plain then it's a huge disappointment for $35.50, you can atleast toss in some garlic or parsley, or any herb. Both large plates came with these vegetables that did nothing for the plate. There were these very sad, steamed veggies that detracted from the meal. Bland, felt previously frozen, definitely unseasoned and was barely warm. Honestly felt like someone reheated those precut frozen mix veggies in a bag. Cod tongues were a strange attempt of elevated cooking (see pics). They had clearly trimmed the fat off, but this leaves the tongue relatively 1 dimensional and lacking it's signature soft chew texture in contrast to the flesh portion. The crust was too salty and the sauce didn't do much for it either. At $17 you get 6 tongues. In St. John's and Petty harbor (of the four other) restaurants you'd get much more for less. Disappointing. Mussels were okay. These apparently change everyday so your mileage may vary. Although if you're reading this, I'd hope you've decided otherwise. Our mussels were cooked with a herb and spiced butter sauce. Very salty, cook was fine. Anyway, spent about $120. Left hungry for ice cream we got across the street. read more

See all

If you're looking for coffee or good service or friendly staff or somewhere worth spending your money.... Don't go here Rude staff, very sub par espresso, service was incredibly slow. Next time I'll bring a book to read in line... if there ever is a next time. The $1 muffin was the only thing worth it. read more

We enjoyed dinner here twice and for coffee and sandwiches once. All three times were wonderful. For dinner I had the lobster linguini. It is fresh and cleanly presented. It is also delicious. The cod was equally delicious. My dinner companion had the rabbit in puff pastry. For desert. Fruit crisp and vegan pavlova. It was a hit and a pleasant surprise. I would gladly dine here again read more

Best food we've had in NL. The garden salad was so fresh and well dressed. The tomato basil soup tasty. The cod was better than other places. read more

Great to be back at Java Jacks after five years. Great coffee and a delightfully fresh cod fish cake. The restaurant is quite cozy and had a simple but varied menu. Lots of homemade dessert mixes, sauces, and fruit spreads. read more

Java Jack's Restaurant & Gallery - Classic salt cod fish cakes - Seafood Near Me - Rocky Harbour, Newfoundland and Labrador

A let down for me. Was told it was on the expensive side but good and worth the money. I ordered the grilled salmon with mixed veg. The salmon was a previously frozen block of meat and not fresh caught as I expected for the price. The peach glaze was nice but not exceptional and wasted on the filet that was left cooking too long. It wasn't burnt or dry, just too firm and missing the flavor of a perfectly cooked fish fillet. The carrots, string beans and peppers were of varying doneness. All in all if this restaurant had earned a good reputation that chef did not prepare my meal. read more

We had breakfast, lunch and dinner here. Food was fantastic and great coffee! We had egg bagels for breakfast, chicken wraps for lunch. Rabbit en croute is so delicious! Top notch food and service! Highly recommended! read more

Great place! Enjoyed two cold beers with our amazing entrees. The Cod, which was pan fried and served with roasted potatoes and steamed veggies, which was a nice change from deep fried fish. The Rabbit pie was also so good and flaky! Service was excellent considering we didn't have a reservation and the place was packed! Definitely book a reservation, you don't want to miss this place read more

See all

Java Jack's is great! We were a group of 9 and ordered boxed lunches for our hikes (excellent choices and delicious). We had a delicious dinner with an assorted menu with lots of choice including gluten free. We'd return again for lunches or dinner and we'd recommend the food to anyone. All the best for 2023! read more

We visited this place because it was well reviewed online and for the most part it was a solid 3.5 star experience. The food is mainly seafood although there were some meat and vegetarian options. We started off with a bowl of the clam chowder and cod cakes. For our mains we had the cod and the lobster arrabiata. They were both solid but a little uninteresting. Overall, our meal, along with two beers was about $130 with tip. The lobster pasta itself was $38 and definitely not worth the price. The cod was $26 and also a tad overpriced. While the ambiance was nice, I probably wouldn't return because of the cost of the meal. If you do decide to come, I would recommend making reservations. read more

See all

Vegan lasagna, other great seafood choices. Cute interior. We were in Gros Morne National Park hiking and stayed in this small town, not expecting any fancy restaurants, but Java Jack's surprised us. This restaurant is located in a small house, so it's easy to pass by, but it's a very cozy cafe/restaurant combo. Surprisingly they also had vegan lasagna and other healthy options instead of the usual fish and chips around the area. The lasagna I had was one of the best I've ever eaten and the seafood that others ordered seemed to be good too. If you're looking for good food after a long day of hiking, this is your spot. read more

My husband found Java Jack's while our for a run in Rocky Harbour. He noticed a lot of cars there for lunch...a good sign. We weren't disappointed. He had seafood chowder, Lobster Linguini and seasonal fruit crisp topped off with a large decaf latte. Everything was excellent. The menu notes V and GF choices so I was happy. Since I wasn't hungry I had a Roasted Beet Salad with goat cheese, mixed greens, walnuts and honey-Dijon dressing and Cod Fish cakes with great Java Hack's relish. Delicious. Our server Heather was friendly and provide excellent service. She recommended the Roasted Beet Salad.. great recommendation. read more

We had dinner here in August 2014, and was recommended by friends. We were not disappointed. Beautiful view, delicious cod made with unique flavours and lovely service. After a long drive to Rocky Harbour, it was an oasis in Newfoundland. They have their own garden, making the flavours fresh, and the cod tasted like it was caught that morning. We feasted with our eyes too. The decor had a lovely Newfoundland charm and so did their dishes. Make sure you take it slow because that's what traveling in Gros Morne is about, and you should sample the flavours of the dishes slowly. read more

Java Jack's Restaurant & Gallery - Seafood Near Me - Rocky Harbour, Newfoundland and Labrador

3.5 stars. Got take-away. Only place in town that serves non-fried meals, so that's definitely a bonus. Food was good, although a bit bland. $60 for an appetizer salad and vegetarian meal - decent portions, but a tad on the expensive side. read more

The service left a lot to be desired but it was early in the season and perhaps our server needed a few days to adjust. The cod meal was excellent but the lobster linguine needed something? It was tasteless. Quantity yes, quality no. Order the cod. read more

Good foods and excellent services! We ordered Chef Inspired Mussels, Cod main dish, Rum cream pie which were great! read more

See all

Coffee was fine, however, we couldn't get any real food! We stopped in around 11, and apparently they don't offer food from 11-12, as it's in between breakfast and lunch. The guy at the register was incompetent, as he didn't even know what a pour over was, and seemed to doubt it was on the menu when we ordered it. The lady preparing the coffee was kind enough to refer us to the Treasure Box a few doors down, which was perfect. We would have loved to try this place during our visit, but what little service we had there was disappointing. read more

Excellent meal at Java Jack's in Rocky Harbour. Wonderful server (daughter of the owners) and great food. The prices are a little higher but match the quality and service of the restaurant. Ordered the pork tenderloin with cranberry apple Chardonnay chutney, whipped potato-rutabaga and season vegetables. The bread to start is delicious and you must save room for their famous sticky toffee pudding! Note: the have a cafe on the first floor with take out wraps for hikes around Gros Morne. Also, scones, muffins, cookies and coffee to go! read more

Java Jack's Restaurant & Gallery - Dinner Menu - Seafood Near Me - Rocky Harbour, Newfoundland and Labrador

See all

We ate here three times in two days. Does that tell you anything? Java Jack's is a real treat - part of the "Ohmygod-ness" of this part of the world. We were visiting Gros Morne (and Newfoundland, as well) for the first time. We were on our way to the boat tour of Western Brook Pond (HIGHLY recommended!) and my wife's Lonely Planet Guide suggested this place as somewhere to score some good sandwiches for the trip. They weren't kidding! I got a wrap that was full of (pardon my French) really yummy morsels of chicken, and stuffed with the equivalent of a wonderful mixed-green salad! How good was it? Good enough to stop there for dinner on the way back to Woody Point. My sweetie's Thai Shrimp Noodles were very flavorful, and my Bubbly Bake (forgive them the name - but if you like fresh seafood - and lots of it - covered in a light Alfredo sauce, then this is for you) was outstanding! Their dessert menu was not original, but by far the best you'll find in the area. My wife's Chocolate Torte was superb, and my Berry Crisp was the best I had in Canada. (...and that's saying something!) Yes, we did stop there AGAIN for breakfast on the way out of town the next day. Yes, we were staying at a B&B that provided breakfast, and Java Jack's was almost an hour away, but... you get the idea. If you're ever in this part of the world, you owe it to yourself to try Java Jack's. (...and say "Hi!" to Sinead for us!) read more

Went here while in NL on vacation for my 30th birthday dinner. Dined with family, including my 2 year old nephew. I loved everything about this place. The restaurant is colorful but not chintzy, bright and sunny, has a view of the water, and they were playing Sarah Harmer (my personal favorite) during dinner. We had made a reservation and our table for 6 was ready right away My nephew was ever so slightly cranky but the server was friendly and patient throughout, and helped us by taking his order first and his food appeared almost immediately, which made the little guy pretty happy. Even the adults in our group were admiring his tasty looking grilled cheese. For appetizers several of us ordered the smoked arctic char with potato salad. My husband is not typically adventurous with fish but loved the flavor and texture of the fish. It was served with a warm, light salad and a creamy, light dill dressing. I will dream of this dish. One of our group had the chowder which got no complaints. For our mains, we ordered cod, scallops with super yummy almond romesco, and salmon with a fruit salsa. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the tender fish and great flavors. If I had to choose just one thing I'd go back repeatedly for the arctic char appetizer! Dishes seemed to fly out of the kitchen at a great speed. We went half an hour after dinner service started, and the place was full by the end of our meal. They would not take reservations for groups less than 6, and I can see why because the place was bustling (mid-August). Would give more stars if I could! read more

Probably the best restaurant in town. Great menu, fresh food, cozy atmosphere, friendly staff. Reservations are a must. The cafe offers terrific wraps and bagged lunches for hikers (order and pick up the night before if you're leaving before 8:30am) and their tea and coffee is most welcome after a cool day on the trails. read more

Has a wonderful dinner here tonight with my sister and brother in law while on vacation in Newfoundland. It was surprisingly good. The mussels and the seafood chowder were excellent. Our main courses of cod, salmon and pork were all terrific, well prepared and beautifully served with potatoes (or rice) and fresh vegetables. Dessert was a mixed (local) berry cobbler with vanilla ice cream. Amazing! All of this topped off by our server, Jillian, a terrific young woman. The three of us agreed that this was a great find, and highly recommended. read more

Wonderful little restaurant. Salads were great, chowder was good, fish cake was good. Sauce for fish cake was great as was the molasses butter for the roll that came with the chowder. Service was very prompt and friendly. It was very busy at night but we could walk in at lunch. It is a small place with maybe 12 tables. Came back for dinner. Soup and special pasta is great. Wait was much longer for food - about 30 minutes for entree after the salads. Drinks and ambiance made it worthwhile. Sticky puffing with ice cream for dessert- made in the restaurant and delicious. read more

Java Jack's was the best meal we had in Rocky Harbour. The service was friendly and the food was good. We had the mussels, cod tongues and a salad, all of which were very tasty. The seafood chowder was on the thin side which isn't my preference. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a good meal in town! read more

What a great find. We drove into town after the boat tour at Western Brook Pond and got the last table for the second evening sitting without a reservation. Great service and we loved looking at all the local art on the walls while we waited for our food. We started by sharing a plate of cod tongues. They were very good with a lovely creamy sauce. My wife has never been to the island or had cod tongues so these were a good intro for her. I had the Rabbit en crute and she had the Cod. The Rabbit pie was very good although probably could have used more meat. It was seasoned beautifully and was covered with a flaky puff pastry. It came with glazed Brussel sprouts and carrots. Very yummy. My wife's cod was crusted with a black bean spice and the side was oven roasted baby potatoes which were a little underdone. All in all though a really good meal and very pleasant atmosphere. read more

Went there for lunch on Wed Aug 28. I got Fish cakes which were good. My son got pulled pork wrap. It was cold and dry and tasted like it was out of a vending machine. Curry dip was good. Service was fine. Avoid pulled pork wrap and you should be fine read more

Heard good things about Java Jacks so thought we woukd give it a try. I had the pasta with lobster at market price which was $42! Pasta dish very bland, had lobster pieces and LOTS of chopped carrots, topped with lobster tail. Wasn't impressed with the lobster tail, it had a powdery texture. No sauce, just plain noodles, onion, carrots, a couple of pieces of tomato and of course some lobster. As I said absolutely no flavor. Had sticky toffee pudding for desert, just ok. Probably would not eat here again. read more

We decided try Java Jacks today for Mother's Day lunch. The meal was delicious Very tasty and well presented. The deserts were Delicious also. Very friendly owner and staff . It was indeed a good choice go Java Jacks. We will be dining there again in the near future. read more

Excellent restaurant. This place is definitely worth a detour. Even though the restaurant was fully booked, they let us sit down in the cafe to enjoy our dinner. The food was amazing. We ordered salmon, cod and lobster pasta. The fish was incredibly fresh and the dessert which followed (sticky toffee pudding, fruit crumble and coconut sticky rice) was delicious. Our server was attentive and made sure that we always had everything that we needed. The cafe is very cozy and the walls are covered in gorgeous artwork which is for sale. There is also a shelf holding goodies to purchase such as lotions, books and preserves. Overall the experience was unforgettable and we wished we had eaten at Java Jack's every day during our visit. read more