Farm to table with excellent food. Our waiter was fantastic! Located in cute historic hotel. Traveling for work, definitely hope to come back. read more

Very healthy and local food not to mention delicious I would recommend it to everyone.

One of my husband's favorite restaurants. Even an hour away from our house we still try to make it once or twice a year if possible. Our biggest complaint is that they don't take the time to update the menu online. If we are driving that far for dinner we like to make sure there is something we especially want. They have a nice house cocktail list which rotates somewhat seasonally but is more stable than the food menu. Dinner starts with an amuse bouche of soup which is typically very good, along side mini muffins and focaccia. The menu is divded into small plates and large. The small plates can be somewhat substantial though and you can easily make a meal of two. depending on what you order. One of our favorites is the "surf and turf", beef carpaccio and scallop crudo. We have yet to try "the truth" but I imagine it is amazing. There is usually some kind of shellfish and grits which we enjoy. There is typically a pork belly small plate as well which I would recommend. Staples on the menu include tacos and jimbimbap but we haven't really tried those. You can't say there isn't something for everyone though since the menu doesn't really lean to one cuisine over another. For example, the last time we went the vegetarian dish was Indian dosa. Typically for entrees you can't go wrong with game/red meat and a fish. I have had the trout a couple time as well as some of the other fish and they do a really excellent simple preparation. We had been told that the chef trained under Chef Wolf in Baltimore and you really see the attention to detail and the development of flavor in his cooking. The atmosphere is upscale without being stuffy. Enjoy the art in the hotel on your way to the restrooms. I would highly recommend making a reservation though and not trying to walk in. You can eat at the bar as well which is in a separate area from the dining room. read more

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Had a nice time at this restaurant. The cocktails were delicious, and my table really enjoyed the appetizers... The shrimp and grits and Jim bim bop were super flavorful. I think we all agreed we wish that those were entrée size, especially the shrimp!! We all got the steak as our entree which was fine but underwhelming in comparison to the apps. We had to ask for bread, which they did bring after we requested it but no butter to go with it. All in all I give it a four out of five. It was a nice ambience, the service was really good, and the food was good. I'd try it again and get something different. read more

Great farm to table restaurant. Ambiance and service outstanding I had the meatballs over orzo. Excellent.

If I could give 6 stars I gladly would. So far my dining experience at this establishment has always been top notch. Nothing has ever been missed and nothing should have been added. From the rustic Art Deco decor to the customer service and attention to detail in every dish, this restaurant clearly cares about not only what they are bringing to the community but also each and every patron. The dishes are seasonal and fresh, organic and sustainable and flavors are at peak performance in your mouth. The seasonal bisques are a must have for me each time. Creamy, savory and seasoned just right. Never tasting like the bottom of the pot (even though I've ordered the very last serving of daily bisque on several occasions) The small plates and large plates provide spectacular variety from local grass fed animals and cheeses to vegetation options with local organic produce. Additionally, the bar staff knows their way around the drink menu, suggesting the perfect wine pairings or concocting a classic adult libation to heighten your dining experience. The prices here may be steeper than most places but the quality of provisions, ambiance and service is worth it. Healthier options short term elevate you and the environment long term so I'd suggest it's a win win all around. read more

Excellent cocktails. Good food. Pleasant environment. The desserts were off the chart delicious. I highly recommend.

Without a doubt, the best restaurant in town! Amazing food service and cocktails! The rhubarb margarita was especially extraordinary!

The food here was amaaaazing! I got the java lamb leg roast and it was so delicious I kept eating way past the point of being full. They were very accommodating for my dietary restrictions (squash allergy) and substituted the grilled vegetables with the most delicious corn I've ever had. My husband got the pork and was very pleased. For dessert, I got the organic fair trade chocolate cake which was stupendous. I did not share. Also, the restaurant is beautiful. We ate outside under a vine wrapped trellis roof that was so beautiful. Our servers were very friendly and accommodating, although the hostess was pretty apathetic. She looked like she was maybe 17 so it could just be a summer job situation. I think my favorite part of the evening was when fireworks starting going off across the street, and our waitress Julia told us we were fine to go watch them, and she'd bring the check to us. Just a fabulous experience. read more

I'm splitting this review. This restaurant is just wonderful. Great food, locally sourced. Just wonderful. Service warm and friendly. And I now share this with the Belevedere Inn. Which is equally amazing. Have never been to Lancaster, but they have 2 top shelf restaurants that rival any in the world. read more

Came from Baltimore for the weekend. Had booked this and one other "fine dining" establishment for our two evenings because I could specify outdoor dining (I'm vaccinated but have cancer and am in chemo so I'm only dining outdoors.) Got there and we were offered a table inside because a rehearsal dinner gathering had spilled out onto the patio. Do better with planning. read more

Extremely slow service. We waited an hour for our entrees after we placed our order. Ridiculous. They did offer a $25 gift card because of the slowness. Fortunately they let us use it that night because we will never go back. read more

I've lived in Lancaster for four years (returning after being out of state due to a job), and I had never visited JJ Jeffries until last night...I was missing out! The service was excellent, and the food...there are not enough adjectives to describe. I had the entree portion of Steak Tartare, and it was probably the best I have ever eaten worldwide. Rather than lightly seasoned beef that most restaurants choose to allow the diner to embellish with capers, onions, etc., JJ's infuses the dry aged beef with a plethora of flavors, inclusive of a wee bit of "heat" that makes for an excellent meal. The entree came with crostini for the tartare, fingerling style potatoes, and a salad (that was probably the most underwhelming portion of the meal). Alcoholic offerings are wide and varied, with a nice selection of wines as well. I will definitely be back! read more

Mmm! Mmm Mmm MMM!!!! What a delight it is to dine at John J Jeffries, where the menu fluctuates with seasonal availability and everything is always fresh and delicious! Tonight my husband dined on Jim's Bimbop - a Korean inspired hot small plate with rice and pork, kimchi, and veggies in a soy garlic sauce - and the braised pulled pork with mac and cheese and micro greens. My hubby likes to consider himself a macaroni and cheese connoisseur and happily handed out a 10/10 on his side fare. I had the delicious fried Lancaster County potatoes and steak dinner both of which i can report were delightful. For dessert Tom enjoyed a peanut butter and dark chocolate cheesecake while I reveled in ecstasy over a dark chocolate pâté with fresh whipped cream. Dessert was truly giving me the ooh-ah-aaaahs, my compliments to the pastry chef! read more

Okay Mr. Jeffries you win! What a delicious find here in Lancaster. I'd argue that they have the best tartar I have ever had. Wonderful duck salad as well, and I love the little chef tasting with complimentary focaccia in the beginning. Great, local wine options. Settled on a Pennsylvania merlot that was so yummy. Also had a decaf espresso with a twist and a dirty martini, both were fantastic. Service could not have been better, I think my bar tender's name was Frank? He was great. This meal was everything I needed after my 15 hour day, great job guys! read more

Thought this place was really nice, and loved the farm to table concept and rotating menu. Staff was friendly and professional, dining room happened to be quiet when we were there so had a good conversation with our group. Given the focus on local, sustainable and fresh ingredients, the middle of winter can be tough. The restaurant was very accommodating for our vegan and gluten-free friends in the group with excellent options for everyone. read more

We came to John J Jeffries for a rehearsal dinner and were very pleasantly surprised. Being from the DC area, we didn't expect much from a hotel restaurant in Lancaster (no offense) but it was a well executed and flavorful meal! The first course of tomato and corn combo bisque was all around the favorite dish of the night. The soup was poured in as half and half so you could eat them separately or mix them together. My husband said he could have had 5 bowls and been happy with an excellent meal. We had a few small dishes (salad and cheese/bread) which were also decent. For our entrees, we chose the sea scallops and steak to share. Both had nice flavor and were well done. Portion sizes were good and sides which came with them accentuated the main dishes. The desserts were also delicious, the peach cobbler was warm and fresh while the chocolate cake was a satisfying sweet ending to the meal. We had a preset menu (with only the choice of entrees) but the tomato/corn soup was unforgettable and highly recommended! We had our own private server so our experience was great. I would definitely come back again to try out some other dishes! read more

One word-meh. Total disappointment. Started off great with basil lemon drop martinis and cream of mushroom soup. Both were good, just not exceptional. Cheese plate is nothing more than a few scattered squares of mediocre cheese samples and a couple of dates and walnuts. Certainly not worth the $18 price tag. My wife and I both had the meatballs and saffron risotto. When I say truly bland that is an understatement. Have the chefs ever heard of the concept of salt and pepper? Overall, feckless and uninspiring. Don't waste your time or money when there are so many other great places who do it better. read more

Best place I've been to in Lancaster. Farm to table food and great service. All local brews and I see why this Is one of the 2 or 3 places to bring people here. Appetizers were good and everyone loved their food. If I was around here, I'd come back for sure. read more

Dined here last week. Service was wonderful, and we were touched by the complimentary Prosecco for our anniversary toast. For our first course, we chose the beef tongue as well as the liver. The tongue portion was fairly small but the liver portion could have almost been an entree size. Both were delicious. My entree was the beef tartare which was fantastic. My husband chose the bison flank steak special which he found to be disappointing as it was quite tough. Overall we enjoyed ourselves and will return. read more

Good is always good and fresh. There has never been a bad dish! Their vegetable, meat and fish are all local farmed so there is definitely nothing frozen makes a huge difference in taste? The corn bread they give is soo yummy read more

A tad difficult to find, but that was over shadowed by the great food and the outstanding wait staff. Our waiter was as good as I've ever encountered, with his knowledge of food and wines. My steak tartare was nearly as good as i've had at '21' Club. read more

Just a quick note to say that my wife and I wanted to go out for a celebration dinner. We are new to Lancaster. I had been to another "go to" spot for that "knock it out of the park meal." Folks from Lancaster may pick up what I mean. But I would say that I left with more money left in my wallet and had just as nice a meal. Great service, loved the signature cocktails, the whole nine yards. We shall return. read more

John J. Jeffries was a pleasent suprise. The atmosphere is simple and elegant. My wife and I opted to sit at the bar. For a Tuesday night it was pretty packed. I ordered a lavender side car wich was delicious. The bartender was very knowledgeable about the food specials. I landed on ordering the pork gorditia. The pork gorditia that night was being served with slices from a braised pork shoulder. When the meal came it looked amazing. It tasted even better. The sauced mixed with the rice, johnny cake, and perfectly cooked pork was incredible. Everything tasted fresh and was well paired. Looking foward to returning someday soon. read more

Excellent food and service. We came for a birthday party with a large group and our server did not miss a beat. Venison, Guinea hen, braised beef all amazing. The hotel is worth a look, for sure. Thank you, JJJ! read more

John J Jeffries - A close up of the carousel ram from Rocky Springs Park. - New American Near Me - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

I was a little worried after reading all the Yelp reviews before coming to this restaurant. I was mostly worried about the service since all the criticisms stem from the service. However, we didn't have any service issues! I'd give this place a 3.5. we shared the beef tacos (pretty good). I had the meatball and risotto dish, and my husband got the pulled pork dish (the first one listed on the entree menu). My meatballs were very dense. Definitely filling, but very dense. My husband's dish was extremely tasty. I would definitely order his dish again. One side note, the area we were seated in was a little odd. It is to the right of the hostess stand, located behind a curtain. I guess it is to separate the dining area from the popular bar area...but it was a bit odd. This dining area was pretty small, with views of the hotel lobby. Anyway, not a big deal. I wouldn't say it was very romantic. Rather, this place is a good place to get a solid tasty meal. read more

Since we were staying at the hotel, we felt we needed to try this place out. This place was excellent! The restaurant uses local, fresh, and in season ingredients so they will explain to you that some menu items are not available at that time. We decided to order a bunch of different items so we could sample as much as possible from the menu. The outstanding dishes were the steak tartare crostini and quail egg, the Soft Tacos and the sea scallops. I was pretty happy with all of the dishes but these were my personal favorites. The drinks here were also good, I had the franco Patron and it was done perfectly. The service here was great! read more

Visited Lancaster for the first time a few weekends ago and dined at John J Jeffries. We had the place to ourselves for awhile since our reservation was at 5pm, when they opened. As a result, our server was very attentive and both our drinks and food arrived at our table promptly. We opted to split the responsibly sourced seafood, which was salmon from Scotland and the grass fed dry aged meatballs. The salmon was served with black rice and sautéed vegetables. The meatballs were served with mac & cheese, tomato sauce, parmesan cheese, and fresh herbs. I enjoyed the meatballs with mac & cheese so much that I forgot to take a picture. I certainly recommend JJF for a classy and safe dining experience. read more

The issue I had with John J Jeffries was precisely this, way to many options... I swear I sat there for over half an hour just trying to decide what to order... it was also very dark inside... with that all beloved so called 'mood lighting' I was told by one of the waitresses... a huge eye roll on that one... next time I will bring my own flash light so I can see the menu better... haha. read more

Oooooooooooh yes please more succulent scallops and tender tender loving deer and juicy pork and very fine service!! Jjj made my tummy and my friend's tummy extremely happy. Please give them your tummy's love too! read more

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Had a great dinner this past Friday night with friends. Service from our server Noel was excellent. My wife and I are both vegetarians and had the vegetarian dosas. They were amazing! Thank you! read more

One of the fanciest places in lancaster. The food is good although the menu is not very ample... A sober restaurant; a little dark for my personal taste but still a nice place though. We like to go there to celebrate special occasions or just from time to time. read more

Best meal I've had in 2020! Absolutely everything from the drinks to the dessert was delicious...but the fried green tomatoes and steak entree were phenomenal! Our waiter, Hunter, made the night even better. Very kind, attentive and funny. If it's a nice night, get a table on the patio. It's beautiful out there! read more

The ambience is quite nice and the waitstaff were wonderful but the food was quite disappointing. Everything we ordered including the cocktails were just below average. The food lacked flavor and I was expecting a more creative interesting menu especially at this price point. read more

Always a delicious dinning experience made with fresh ingredients. My favorite is the King Bim Bop. read more

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

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The ambiance, staff and food are all top shelf. My son and I thoroughly enjoyed our meal which included two small plates then we shared the Fisherman's stew. We ended with the chocolate pate and coffee. Everything was delicious and well worth the $85.00. I highly recommend this Lancaster treasure and will definitely be returning read more

Gathering was for a birthday! It has been years since we have visited this restaurant after not a very good first three impressions. Wow- this place has a great culinary groove Adventurous menu that is executed with attentive service. Table of eight had nothing but praise for every course My wife and I will return in the not so very distant future read more

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This restaurant is amazing. The steak tartare is the best I've ever had. The wait staff really know the menu and the alcohol selection. They are very friendly and helpful. The food is locally sourced, and the menu changes according to what is available. The food was fresh and well prepared. Everything was delicious. And the cocktails were wonderful. I would highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Unbelievably good, unforgettable flavor! Fried green tomatoes, pesto, mozzarella, fried pork belly on top. read more

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

My wife and I recently hosted our families and friends for our rehearsal dinner at John J Jeffries and the best way to describe the evening was simply top-notch! From the start to the end of the event, the service was friendly, attentive and responsive to our group's every need. The food itself was spectacular and I am still dreaming about how good the Pork Belly Love appetizer was! The cocktails we ordered were also quite good and the overall ambiance of the event space is understated yet elegant. One of my favorite features was being able to take advantage of the lovely patio space for a cocktail hour style opening which helped everyone loosen up and enjoy each other's company before sitting down for the formal dinner. All in all, this was a truly fantastic evening and hassle-free experience. The event coordinator, Ladan, was very helpful in arranging logistics and in helping us plan the event. She will make sure your next event goes exactly according to plan! I would highly recommend John J Jeffries for your next public or private event! read more