I'm not sure where to start except to say thar John Jeffries in one of the best dining experiences I've had in Central PA. Five absolutely well-earned stars. I visited as part of a work related event and was able to enjoy both the bar and dining room. The bar selections were first-rate and while not extensive they were well-considered. John Jeffries specializes in local farm to table ingredients. I enjoyed a watercress potato soup followed by the Puedmontese grass-fed petite beef steak. Both were absolutely delicious. The service was first-rate: friendly and attentive without being obnoxious and VERY well-trained to a level you'd expect in a much larger city. Can't wait to bring my companion back for a visit that I know she will love. read more

First, I love the rustic meets modern aesthetic here. I'm a sucker for exposed brick and stone, conduit and other throwback "finishes". The hotel lobby and bar are welcoming and represent entree to this small eatery. This place features local farm items so the menu is always subject to change. We went to celebrate an anniversary (not ours) and it was a nice welcome for the server to offer the celebrants complimentary prosecco. From there, it was an adventure. Three of us had the shrimp and grits, which, uniquely, were not the typical southern dish but an earthy creation featuring very barley forward grits that also included very chunky carrots and other enhancements I am at a loss to identify. Good, but a surprise for my southern shrimp and grits-expecting palate. The shrimp were pretty overcooked and detracted from the barley-enhanced grits. Two enjoyed the wedge salad. For mains, two enjoyed the shrimp bisque, and the pan fried boneless chicken breast. I had the meatloaf and found it to be a bit gamier than expected likely due to using grass fed beef. The mushroom gravy was nice despite some of the mushrooms having gone over the rainbow bridge. The tallow fried potatoes were luscious despite one being undercooked. The desserts were interesting and all supposedly made in-house. I had the mint chocolate chip ice cream which I found somewhat grainy and crystallized and very lacking in mint flavor. The flourless chocolate cake will likely shock you with its petiteness, but trust me, it packs a wallop of richness that will probably satisfy you. The tres leches cake and honey lavender crème brûlée got high marks. Overall we all liked the ambiance, and were somewhat disappointed with the food. 3.5* rounded down to 3*. read more

I had dinner at John J Jeffries on Saturday night, when I spent the weekend in Lancaster County. The restaurant has been open for over 15 years, which says a lot! It's a farm-to-table restaurant that features produce and meats from farms in Lancaster County. I had their chilled organic gazpacho (vine ripe tomato, cucumber, fresh herbs, lemon, and Crème Fraîche), New Zealand Tai Snapper (with risotto primavera and a smoked tomato dill Beurre Blanc), and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. Everything was great, but the snapper dish really blew me away. The fish was perfectly cooked and the smoked tomato Beurre Blanc?! Amazing. The service was great, and the restaurant is both elegant and casual. They have quite a lot of parking, which makes it an easy place to grab dinner. Lancaster has a great food scene, and John J Jeffries is just another example of the great restaurants in town. read more

John J Jeffries - NEW ZEALAND TAI SNAPPER Risotto Primavera, Smoked Tomato Dill Beurre Blanc - New American Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Slightly upscale American restaurant that is part of a hotel I came here for dinner with my fiance (we tried both a chicken a risotto dish) and we were not very impressed with the quality of the food, especially given the steep price tag. I also got a drink that was not very good either. We visited for my birthday, and they gave us a choice of either a complimentary prosecco or dessert. We opted for dessert, and we tried their key-lime pie, but we were also unimpressed. They also forgot to comp the desert on the bill until after I saw it on there and reminded them Our server was very friendly, however she was MIA for large portions of the night The complimentary bread & butter was tasty read more

Extremely delicious and overall pleasant experience at John Jeffries. I love the fact that the menu rotates seasonally. On top of the sustainable practices. We reserved a table outside and it was a beautiful day. Took advantage of the menu by ordering something I don't really see on menus. Red Deer. Super interesting. Medium temp and it was perfect. We also got a number of small plates. Oysters, pork crackling, and the shrimp bisque. Highly recommend. Drinks were excellent. More than a few Mexican Penicillins were had. read more

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I was staying at the hotel. I went to the restaurant and there was no host to be seen. I went to the restaurant part and a waiter was there. He was very rude. He told us to see the host to be seated. But he said it with disdain. The host was not there. It was not too busy. There were empty tables. I'm sorry if it's not your job as a waiter to seat people, but don't treat people poorly. If the host needed to step away, say so. You can also say what he looks like. Etc. I left without eating there. The place looked nice though. read more

I love this place! Amazing amazing farm to table options. I've had the chicken twice and was not disappointed. read more

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Wonderful setting, very romantic and inviting. The drinks were great and the food was perfect. We had tomato/cucumber/pesto salad; shrimp & grits; shrimp bisque and liver with grilled onions. It was all fresh and spectacular. The bartender was so friendly and attentive. Great service. read more

We booked a reservation for a business end of year dinner and we had such a lovely time! The process was relatively smooth to email and get all of our options picked. The food was so tasty and well presented. There was more food than we needed and everyone left comfortably stuffed. There was a great selection of drinks, even non alcoholic drinks. We were seated in the art gallery and there was such great energy in there. Would definitely come back here again! read more

John J Jeffries - Christmas decor inside - New American Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Great bar, nice ambiance and pleasant staff. We returned last week based upon our prior experience from a few years ago. On the evening we visited the menu was heavy on mushrooms--they managed to find their way into dishes that I wouldn't ordinarily expect. (Fortunately, the crème brûlée was excellent and free of fungi!). Diners beware! The food was just OK this time--not bad, but nothing to champion. read more

The restaurant was wonderful. Our server was a young woman named, Trinity. She was professional, personable and a pleasure to have take care of us. The fish and appetizers were delicious. An attractive restaurant with the ability to hear your fellow diners. If I was in Lancaster again I would definitely dine here again. read more

amazingly high quality and fresh food! you can taste how the animals are pasture raised from nearby lancaster farms. ambiance included candlelight. i wish they gave something for a special occasion. i went for my birthday but they did not even ask "is there an occasion tonight" which other upscale restaurants do... read more

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Great liver and onions! Try rainbow trout!!! Shrimp and grits was phenomenal! Ask for Mark as your server! read more

A wonderful farm to table option. The cocktails are delicious - creative and tasty. The locally sourced foods are well prepared. The plates have rich flavors - the duck was particularly good. The multiple rooms are comfortable with good acoustics. The service is helpful and attentive. There is a 3.8% service charge if you pay with a credit card. read more

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Great dinner experience for our party of four! Service was attentive and personable without being intrusive. The chef's tasting is a surprise that comes to the table after drinks are always delicious and gets me through from drinks until food arrives (I can't be without food for more than a few minutes without fearing starvation). It is just a taste, and a classy super nice element to the experience. We shared the appetizer of Steak Tartare which tasted excellent and had (I think) a raw quail egg on top. We ordered the flat-iron steak, the seafood special (scallops) and the beef stroganoff. After the food arrived, the table talk was reduced to moans of delight that may have drawn glances from the other diners. Portions were just right and we finished off with shared deserts of Lemon Custard and Flourless Chocolate cake. Wonderful evening, start to finish! read more

3 1/2 stars and I have to get this out of the way, the waiter charged me an extra $4 for a coffee cup? Brah, uncool man. My wife & I are staying in the hotel and decided to dine at John J Jeffries which is attached to the hotel. We are seated and I'm feeling the vibe. Good cocktails in a nice setting while being served dishes using local ingredients. I dig that, let's get the party started. I ordered a peach Old Fashioned and a salad with smoked trout. OUTSTANDING! Loving the fish and my cocktail was strong, so far all checks in the awesome column. The waiter comes over and reads the specials. I ask, what steak is being served tonight? In a serious tone he says, That would be chuck sir. I almost spit out my drink and laughed! Um, I'll have the wild caught shrimp and grits. My plate comes to me and it looks great. I take a bite of the shrimp. It was frozen and defrosted, the shrimp has a weird water taste. *chef, are you tasting the food you're preparing? This shrimp should not of been served to me. No bueno. I push the shrimp to the side and I'd like a cup of coffee. I'm told it comes in a French Press, cool! The dessert we chose to share was Chocolate pate, delish! I pour myself a second cup of coffee and noticed there was a small amount left in the press pot. I ask the waiter for another cup for my wife. Not a problem sir. The bill comes and there is a $4 charge for the second cup? What the HELL! I paid for the entire press pot, if I drank 4 cups of coffee I'd be up for two days! How I see it, I paid for the press pot. Was I charged a sharing fee? I left pissed, my dinner entree was off and my coffee wasn't shareable. I'm done with this review read more

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Probably the best meal I have eaten in Lancaster while vacationing (besides an Amish home). A soup spoon of parsnip soup was sent out and it was kid approved delicious. I would have added some chives on top for a pop of color and extra flavor to taste however, it was delicious as it was. Two different types of bread were served with sweet butter, a mini roll and a loaf kind of some sort. See pics. We ordered the liver appetizers both Chicken and Beef. The chicken was a pate with croquettes and the beef smothered with gravy and onions that I did not let a drop waste. We used the dinner bread to clean our plates, so unrefined but, sorry not sorry so good! Liver can be really horrible or really good. This was melt in your mouth good. The white bean cassoulet was delicious, a little bland for my liking but I find that's how all our meals in Lancaster have been, even when they are supposed to be spicy. Since I'm used to eating highly spiced dishes, this could be why I would consider it on the more bland side. Someone else may think it perfect. The steak was medium rare cooked perfectly, seasoned well, and texture was melt in your mouth. I wished I had order medium not medium rare. Usually, it's over cooked when I order medium so I said medium rare, it was not over cooked. It was cooked correctly. My preference is medium. I didn't send it back, it all tasted delicious, the idea just makes me feel a little weird. My family enjoyed it. The sauces were good that it came with but the steak was better all on its own to me :) The potato sides were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, without a feeling of heavy oil. The duck was delicious, but our grandma makes it better. Unless you have someone in your family that can really cook, this was delicious! I'm used to eating duck a little more tender. The season and sauce was delicious! The desserts were all fabulous. Our favorite was the lemon curd with a type of shortbread cookie. Best I've ever had. It was lemony and tart. The blueberry coconut sorbet had an amazing texture and it was just lightly sweet which was excellent!! It's so nice to have a dessert that's not overly sweet. I think a different flavor choice would have made this another level amazing like - matcha, lavender rose, or ginger. I would have probably added a baton, or sugar crisp insert for a textural crunch. The cinnamon creme brûlée was good. It wasn't extra special to me, I would have wanted an harder sugar crunch of the top, there was no break more like a little crumble and I prefer a deeper dish and less sweat with that said, it was still fabulous. Those are just my personal preferences. Our waitress was extremely helpful and knowledgeable about the money and helped us order along the way. While I wouldn't call it kid friendly - like no kids menus or high chairs, it was perfect for my family with teens with budding pallets. Great meal for price considering it's all organic and farm to table. I loved this place. Sorry no dessert pics!! We ate it all so fast :-) read more

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We had dinner last night, and the service was amazing. We are thankful to Abby who was our server. Her recommendations were great. We also tried their cocktails and loved the Penicillin and Whiskey Sour. We started with beef tartare, pork cracklings, and bone marrow. Beef tartare was a 10. However, bone marrow could be better. Also, the entrees were Lamb Sirloin and NY Strip. Honestly, we were impressed with the strip but we can't say the same thing about Lamb sirloin. Both dishes have the same sauce which was a little disappointing.Overall, we had a great experience at dinner in Lancaster. read more

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Everything we had they made to perfection . Delightful potato parsnip soup - absolutely marvelous lamb chops with butternut squash puree and roasted potatoes , and excellent ribeye steak . For dessert the coconut tart was absolutely to die for .our best restaurant dinner in recent memory read more

John J Jeffries - Lamb chops - New American Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

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Five of us had: 1. Seasonal Salad - fresh and light, great starter to share 2. Grass-Fed Dry Aged Beef Tartare - delicious and highly recommend! Perfectly seasoned. 3. Local Grass Fed Beef Liver - the texture was perfect so if you're into liver, I would highly recommend. 4. Vegetarian Dosa - we got this as an appetizer to share. I saw a few reviews recommend this so we got it but it was underwhelming. 5. Darhower Farm Grass-Fed Dry Aged Beef NY Steak - this was underwhelming and was a very mediocre and wa chewy ~9oz steak ($36) 6. Fisherman's Stew - had risotto and very good portion size. Good flavor too if you like seafood. 7. Lamb Shoulder - this was alright, has a very good lamb flavor but was a bit chewy. Definitely wasn't melt-in-the-mouth. We got Long Island Iced Teas and a Lavender Sidecar. The Long Island Ice Teas were delicious and inexpensive at $9.75. The Lavender Sidecar was $10, I think, and wasn't as delicious as the Long Island Iced Tea. Parking lot available! read more

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Great selection, delicious food, good service, pleasant atmosphere. I especially love their tartare and soups! read more

The best fried oysters! Homemade corn and blueberry ice cream with a shortbread cookie. Unbelievable!!! Bartenders were a pleasure.

Very peaceful and quaint. The server was excellent very knowledgeable and make good recommendations. The manager stopped by and offered her support. She was very pleasant and friendly. Now comes to the food you can't say a bad word about it. Started with a basil lemon drop cocktail highly recommend. First course was beef carpaccio which basically melted in your mouth. And for the entree I had the Schaefer farm Red deer entree. Was not gaming cooked to perfection, medium rare. Was accompanied by risotto cooked with dear heart broth. Had to be the best risotto I have ever eaten. read more

John J Jeffries - New American Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

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Lovely atmosphere and the service was very good without being pretentious. We had a reservation for four. We enjoyed the cheese plate which was very good. The tallow fried pork cracklin was the only thing we didn't love, it lacked flavor. It was described by our server as being similar to pork rinds which was spot on I should have known to skip it. The steak was exceptional. The chicken and risotto entrees were very good. My 86 year old father in law had the liver and he said it's the best liver he's ever had and he's been eating it all his life. Only one of us had room for dessert. The crème brûlée was worth saving room for! Almost forgot the amuse bouche and bread plate were a very nice touch at the start of the meal. read more

Great food and cocktails. Impeccable service. Love the atmosphere and vibe. Can't wait to see what's new on the menu.

We LOVE this place! It's our favorite haunt. The restaurant is great but because we live locally we often just dine at the bar. Hunter the main bartender is FAB! They have a great farm to table menu and because they use 'the whole animal' they will have rotating options for pork and beef that are really interesting and tasty. But in terms of favs-- their soups, the meatballs, the sweet potato fries when they have them.... Anything that comes with risotto. And their fish dishes are always tasty!! read more

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A 45th wedding anniversary in a brand new town. Where to go to celebrate on a Sunday evening? John J Jeffries was a top ranked suggestion. Crossing our fingers we made the reservation. Greeting us was a lovely hostess, Jaelene. She was so kind and friendly. As soon as she heard it was our anniversary, she provided complementary Prosecco. How delightful! She surprised us by asking if we wanted still or sparkling water, explaining that the sparkling water was made in house. Of course we had to try it. How amazing! Our first moments were looking very positive. Our server, Dawn, continued to keep the five stars rolling. She was friendly, helpful, knowledgeable about the menu, and gave us great suggestions! The chef provided a lovely tasting sample for us of focaccia bread, zucchini bread, and a lovely beet alad. More delight! Dear Spouse had the special salad for the night which was tomatoes, cucumbers, goat cheese mozzarella with a pesto sauce and balsamic vinegar drizzle It was beautifully presented, and tasted the same. I took a huge risk, and ordered the Tartare appetizer. Having had exquisite tartare while in Paris, I held my breath and really didn't expect it to come close. Wrong! It was superb! Dear Spouse enjoyed the fish special for the evening, which was trout served over a corn salad on a bed of gazpacho. It was fresh and delicious. I opted for more beef and had the ribeye which was served with pomme frites, which were cooked in pig fat. Oh. M. G! Perfect! I had a side of fresh tomato, corn, cucumber melange, which was also delicious. A lavender sidecar cocktail showed up early in the evening and was also delightful! Dessert had to be crème brûlée and again no disappointment. We cannot say enough good things about John J Jeffries's restaurant. It's decor, the vibe, the service, the food, all outstanding, located in a lovely boutique hotel in downtown Lancaster. This will be our new anniversary tradition and we are so happy that they exceeded all of our expectations. read more

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I'm new to the area coming from the DMV where fine dining is highly rated. We wanted to see what the LNC had to offer in fine dining. I'll give this lovely place a 4.5*. A beautiful historically restored building, and boutique hotel w lovely art work in lobby. We sat outdoors and loved the setting. It was very relaxing. We felt we were transported back to a European outdoor bistro. Maybe it was the cool air of the evening. We had prompt service and a genuinely friendly staff that was personal. I highly support farm-to-table restaurants, and this was not a disappointment here. For drinks we had wine. And a good and fair priced listing. I love my Rosè this time of year. The waitress suggested the LNC Rosè. I took the gamble and was not disappointed. For starters, we went w the shrimp and grits. I am very particular about this dish having lived in the South. I was amazed. It had a wonderful twist, and my taste buds were exploding with all these different flavors. 5*. Please keep this dish year round. For entrees we had, the vegetable risotto, which was an excellent w red sauce that just made us want more. 5*. The dry aged 10 oz. rib eye steak entree had too much fat on it. So, it was a disappointment the farm veggies and nashed potatoesthough were delicious. 3*. But in saying so, I will be back and will recommend this gem to others. Well done, LNC. It's good to know there is fine dining here. read more

Spending the weekend in Lancaster and looking for a farm-to-table restaurant and stumbled upon this gem. Unfortunately the signage is not clearly visible when driving by and we missed it several times... oops. Once we found it, we were all pleasantly surprised. The place is very cute with a great outdoor sitting area. The food was fantastic, even my teens couldn't complain about anything. Serving sizes were on the larger side which is great if you live in the area and can take leftovers home with you. We ordered the cheese platter and duck wings for the table and OMG it was fantastic! I ordered a salad with shrimp which was just the right size and the shrimp melted in my mouth. My kids had the meatballs which they said had to be the best meatballs they ever had. Dessert was excellent, the homemade mint ice cream tasted very fresh. Cappuccinos needed no sugar, there was no bitterness. If I happen to be in the area again I will be stopping by for dinner. read more

Amazing good and ambiance for an anniversary dinner. The food and waitstaff were amazing. Loved the salmon with black rice. Husband had the beef and it was cooked to perfection. Cocktails are fun. Service was SO fast. Def a fancier place with quality food so the prices reflect that. Was also very busy on a Saturday night. I would recommend a reservation. We were staying in the Lancaster arts hotel that's attached so this was perfect. read more

My sister and I hosted an anniversary dinner for our parents this past weekend at John J. Jeffries. We could not be more thrilled with the experience from start to finish. They actually upgraded us to a nicer room than the one we had booked, to allow for more space. Jaylene, the manager on duty, and the entire staff were very communicative - they anticipated our needs and were never intrusive. The flower delivery went seamlessly, the food was excellent, and no guests were ever in want of a drink refill. They made everything very easy! Highly recommend. read more

If you are looking for an expensive meal with small servings and a very mediocre atmosphere, this is your place. Their beef tartare is actually very good and the bright spot on a very limited menu. Portions are generally too small for the price. Prices are not in line with the ambiance. There are much better options. read more

Great place with great food and service !!! Nice original design. Original menu items. read more

Possibly the best restaurant I've went to this year! This place is attached to a hotel so there's ample parking although the exact boundaries on where to park weren't super clear. What I loved about this place was that the tables were separated from the bar by rooms so it was nice and quiet (but also not too quiet) and overall a great place to talk! Now the food - we started off with seasonal salad and cheese plate, which were both amazing. The salad especially was so fresh and delicious! For the entree, I got the Fisherman's stew, which was basically risotto inside a soup mixed with all kinds of seafood, starting from scallops to shrimp to mussels, etc. It was absolutely the best - I think I'll think of it from time to time. We ended our dinner with the ice cream trio, which was fantastic as well (the maple ice cream was probably my favorite). Most highly recommend! read more

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Unique dining setting in industrial structure. Attentive service. Vases with lovely flowers at table side. Real candle lights. Fresh ingredients. Esoteric menu. Nice app sample and yummy breads up front. I saw bartender pulling a stout when we arrived - nice. Smoked salmon in ceaser salad impressed. Oddly, didn't have a common congac at meal end. My 'small plate' beef liver was tender and tasty. Unfortunately, it was on a full-size dinner plate swimming in 'au jus'. Hard to eat without splashing. Juice in small side pitcher for me to apply would have been great. Wife loved the duck. As a former supplier to Michelin level institutions, I wish local facilities would invite me to coach them. read more

Decent bistro in the heart of Pennsylvania. Food was mediocre but eclectic. Tried an array of dishes with the family. Pros: Fusion of foods that were prepared delicately but a lot of the dishes were a bit underwhelming for the cost of the dish. The drinks menu was very moderately priced and the bartender seemed heavy handed. Cons: Price and Portion. Flavors could have been a bit deeper but overall decent for the area. read more

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Farm to table! Their beef tartare is the best I've ever had. Even better than more upscale and pretentious restaurants. This is a must try! I got the grass fed beef special of the day which was short rib. So delightfully tender with many different textures and tastes on the plate. The complimentary appetizers were really unique as well. Their smoked beef tongue is on my list to try. You can't go wrong here. read more

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My company had their Holiday dinner at this location. We had a total of 53 people at this event. The service was impeccable--every detail was handled with care and professionalism. The food was outstanding, bursting with flavor and beautifully presented. A truly memorable dining experience! read more

This review is for staff training, not food-related or atmosphere. Showed up early for my reservation and checked in with the host. The host told me it would be a few minutes and to wait at the bar. After 45 minutes, the Bartender was very concerned we waited so long and spoke to the manager. I found out the host never checked us in after I confirmed multiple times with him and was sitting in front of him, waiting at the bar. He actually asked me afterward if he had previously spoken to me. My girlfriend flew in from out of state for our only night in over a month, so I was pretty frustrated as we watched open tables for 2 sit there empty throughout the wait. I also watched many other couples check in well after us, and be seated. The staff then places us directly next to the kitchen, where I can hear everything going on and staff running by our table the entire dinner. Hard to have any conversation or enjoy the atmosphere. Staff tried to offer a free soup "on the house" in return for the 45+ minute wait. Finally, at the end of dinner, they very kindly took off a whole $12 from my meal. I still tipped the waiter in full as he was a nice and professional guy and it wasn't his fault, but it really seems like the staff is not trained to the caliber of the fine dining experience that the restaurant portrays. But if you want a good steak tartar, I'd still highly recommend that. read more

This place was awesome! This had an ambiance that was really nice with vintage brick and cool lighting. The food was fantastic. Service was quick and very responsive. The wine selection was unbelievable. Also, they pride themselves on using local grown and caught foods. See my photos of the foods our party had. Quite a nice selection and variety. Enjoy! Try it you'll like it! read more

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