I think that the folks giving this restaurant a 4 and 5 star rating are high on drugs, drunk, or friends and family of management. I don't give stars for the view. I could have walked down to the river and had a picnic that would have been less costly and tasted better than the food served here. My wife and I decided to give this place one more try after a round of golf at Cool Creek. We arrived at 4:45 pm on a Friday, were seated in the outdoor dining area. I ordered the soft shell crab and lobster Mac and cheese, my wife ordered the vegetable lasagne. All three dishes were horrible, the crab was fried to a crisp along the edges and tasteless. The Mac and cheese had a terrible fishy flavor and my wife's lasagne was boring and tasteless. It's been 2 hours since we left and I still have terrific gas from the food. Now a few comments about service. We were seated about 8 feet from an area they call the pizza bar. I asked if I could order a pizza and was told no. Who came up with that ridiculous seating arrangement and ordering process. Our server was quick, blunt and invisible until we were finished eating when she dropped the check on the table and never asked if we wanted dessert, coffee or an after dinner drink. Management needs to address the quality of the food and get an experienced head chef who takes pride in the food coming out of the kitchen. They can't and won't survive on the view, not with people like me who don't give a shit about looking at a river but would rather have delicious food and good service instead of bad and overpriced food. read more

I have traveled all over the country for several years and have patronized hundreds of restaurants from taco stands to five star "A" list establishments, and have never received such horrible service not once but TWICE! The first time my wife and I went to this restaurant was a cold winter evening, and the place was only a third full. We ordered salads, appetizer, main dish and a beer. After about 20 minutes, our main dishes came out. No salad, no appetizer. We ask about it, our response, "Oh, I thought I told one of the other servers to bring those out." Really?... Ok, perhaps an honest mistake. We declined to reorder the appetizer and salad for it made no sense to order and wait for an appetizer and salad after the main course. For the rest of the evening we did not see our server until we had to flag her down to ask for the check. First impression gave me a bad taste in my mouth. 10 months pass and we decide that perhaps things have changed and to give the restaurant another try. We arrive around 6:45pm and ask for a table. The hostess indicates that it will be a short wait and hands us a buzzer. We go to the bar and have a drink. 45 minutes later our buzzer goes off. We leave the bar (giving up our seats) and hand in our buzzer. We literally take two steps and the hostess states, "The server just told me that she is saving your table for a bigger party that MIGHT show up soon. I'm sorry but here is your buzzer back. It shouldn't be too much longer." Wait a second, what?!?! There were at least 5-6 empty tables, and what you have basically just told me is that the server wants to wait for the bigger crowd to make a bigger tip, and therefore since I am only a table of two we will have to wait. This is unacceptable!! We waited patiently for an additional 30 minutes (large party still absent), before we walked out. WE WILL NEVER GO BACK TO THIS RESTAURANT AGAIN, and this review is a warning to those thinking of visiting this place. read more

What a great view to have while enjoying a great dinner! The pork chop was outstanding! First time there last Saturday and will be back very soon! read more

Food is delitefully delicious, service exceptional, view of the river wonderful but...you really should make a reservation if you want to go. We went there for Sunday brunch at 1PM without a reservation and the place was packed. Waited a 1/2 hour to dine inside in the AC and was seated right next to the buffet. We could still see the river past all the tables but because the room was packed with people and has high ceilings with no sound baffles, it was so loud we couldn't hear each other talk without literally yelling, not to mention we weren't comfortable with the constant line of people standing and walking around our table to get to the buffet. The waitress was kind enough to move us outside away from the hustle and bustle and where the view was great. Would have been perfect if it wasn't a mid-summer day in PA with the oppressive heat and humidity. Next time we'll make reservations for a seat right next to the windows inside for lunch on a weekday. Most women can't eat $20 worth of food at the buffet anyway. read more

My husband and I hadn't been to John Wright's in awhile since our last meal wasn't the best. Decided to give them another try on Friday evening. View of the river at night is great, service was fine, but food was terrible again! My husband had the Caesar salad and I had the Applewood Smoked Salmon. The salad had no Caesar flavor at all and the salmon was way too smoky and tiny portion. The waitress had no response to my comment about the salmon. Very disappointing. We will not be back! read more

Saturday evening 12 ladies had reservations at 7 pm. When we arrived we were given 1 menu to share until they could get more. The waitress never took our food order until 745 pm. We waited and waited and waited. No one came to explain. When our food finally arrived at 8:35 it was not edible. Not only was it not delivered by our waitress but by kitchen staff but it was terrible. My daughter took one bite of her nasty dried up chicken skewers. I have been told many times to get the filet. I ordered the filet which was full of fat and gristle. By the time I got past all that to the meat it was flavorless and chewy. The potatoes were cold and stuck in one lump. The green beans were the best part of the meal and they weren't even that great. The waitress never returned to see how everything was or if we needed anything. We had to find our waitress at 9:35 to request our bills. She asked if we wanted boxes since hardly anyone at their food. We all said no that we wouldn't want to take that food home. She said nothing. She cleared our plates and took our money. By this time I was so angry and everyone was ready to leave as we were to meet others at 9:00 somewhere else (of course we were late) figuring 2 hours would be plenty of time for dinner. We also noticed that people that arrived after us were served and finished with their food before we even got ours. There was a problem at the table behind us and the manager was hunched down at that table for approximately 25 minutes with his butt crack sticking out. So we had to look at that on empty stomachs. On Sunday when I had calmed down I called. The man that answered the phone said he is a manager but not the manager that was on Saturday night. He told me the GM was there and that he would take my name and number and have the GM call me. It is Tuesday afternoon and I haven't yet gotten a call. I am just assuming the GM will not call because he doesn't really care. read more

Couldn't wait to try JW since they enclosed the dining area. I ate here many years ago and loved the view. Even with a reservation, the service was unacceptably slow. Tables seated after us were being served before us. We waited over an house before we had to track down the manager to ask when our entrees would be served. Not once did our waitress come over to acknowledge that our food was still not out. The noise level is deafening. We handed cash to the only busboy working all of the tables alone. He was doing an exceptional job. After finally receiving our meals, the food quality did not match the price point. It's really unfortunate that our experience was so terrible. It reminded us of Cracker Barrel Chic. read more

We went with a group of 10 people for dinner. We were told that we had to be out of our table in 2 hours. I have never experienced anything like that in any restaurant ever. No apology or any care that the group spent a good bit of money. I would not return. The food was overpriced and mediocre at best. We were very disappointed to say the least. They truly do not care about customer satisfaction. read more

Great food, beautiful serene view of river!

Extremely unsatisfied! After working in the food industry for 5 years in the past I understand mistakes and I am not a complainer however. I recently was in a wedding held at john wright and while the bridal party was getting ready the ladies decided to order shots. The front house manager (not knowing one of us was at the bar) comes down stairs and says to the bartender " I cant believe they are ordering shots. I should spit in them or dump them on a tray and pour it back into the glasses, you think they will notice?" Right after saying this realizes one of us was sitting at the bar and immediately says "i was just kidding". When I brought this to another managers attention, I was given an apology, THATS IT! We also got in trouble for dancing to loud out on the second floor porch. I'm sorry but the amount of money that was paid to have a special night there they should have been a little more accommodating to us. The food was not very good and was extremely pricey. After the prepaid gallons of liqour drinks were empty it was supposed to be a cash bar. They didnt charge anybody for their drinks and told the groom (my father) he had a $600 tab to pay at the end. Overall worst customer service I've seen at a wedding! read more

Never had an ounce of bad food here! Top notch meals, wonderful view right by the river. Amazing restaurant. Sunday brunch is also spectacular! read more

We waited 1.75 hours for our food, and it never did arrive when we finally left! We arrived at 6:05 for our reservation and left at 7:45 after only receiving an appetizer and drinks. No explanation when our food would arrive or any interest in helping our party of eleven. My wife's birthday dinner was a disaster! If you are looking for a place where they don't care about the customer and don't mind waiting over two hours for your food, this place is for you. As for us, WE NEVER WILL BE BACK, and we plan to tell as many people as possible about our horrible experience! read more

Although the location offers a nice view and relaxing atmosphere, I was not pleased that we were asked by the waiter to give up our table after 2 hours because they needed it for another reservation. We were on the pizza patio and would have stayed longer and bought more drinks. read more

Great lunch. I had the Reuben which was exactly what I had hoped for. Tried the chips and guacamole. The guacamole was really good! The atmosphere was great and the view was awesome, even though we sat inside. Service was prompt and as expected. read more

We had a party of nine on a Saturday evening. The service was attentive, the food superb and the ambience was warm and friendly. Must go back again! read more

well we're do we start first staff need more training deliver drink with no napkin .then there no bartender so a waitress made made our drinks .not her fault she read them out of book . then we got a Cobb salad made incorrect not dress, missing topping . then a non grilled Reubens that was so dry .we also had a California chicken wrap that was most wrap and lettuce with a watery ranch dressing read more

I am not sure what happened behind the scenes, but something surely has. We were there with friends in the second half of July and had a terrific meal with great service. We returned last night and it was an awful night. The service was poor, the food was average to poor for all 6 of us and the whole patio was filled with staff that seemed harried, confused and unhappy. With all the choices in Central PA, we will not return even with that beautiful setting. read more

I can't say enough about this place! The view is spectacular as the restaurant sits a few hundred feet from the Susquehanna river. The food was tremendous, and I was happy to see an emphasis on local fresh ingredients. The service at the John Wright is impeccable, with the wait on food and drink being completely within reason. I will certainly be back! read more

We have never had good service at John Wright. Menu is vey limited and food is ok. Someone needs to teach sous chef that asparagus needs to have the tough end cut off. Every time I have had the cream of crab soup with the asparagus, it has tough pieces in it which you cannot chew. This is just unacceptable to me. Entrees were served before appetizer plates and soup bowls were removed making a very crowded table with dirty dishes remaining. Again unacceptable. Server had an attitude. The inside seating is so noisy that conversation is impossible. What a shame, such a lovely location, but service is never good here. I keep trying to like it here, but am very discouraged, which prompted this first time review. read more

Great view. Service was wonderful. Food was basic but good. We had mushroom burger with sweet potato chips. Burger great. Chips not good. Crab soup good but a lot if old bay. read more

Waitress wasn't very pleasant. When she brought us bread, no plates our silverware came. Food was good but not as hot I would like . Coffee was not hot. Price reasonable but I don't think I would go back. read more

My wife and I recently went to John Wright with a group of family for dinner. I was hoping to like this restaurant and enjoy the experience. The service and food made it clear that they are not looking for repeat customers and I will not be going back. I ordered the pork spring rolls as an appetizer. They were soggy, oil logged and lacked flavor. I ordered a burger and fries for dinner. The burger patty was significantly smaller than the bun it was served on and was small by any standard. The bun was dry and crumbly and not at all good. Ketchup was not served with my burger and fries, on the table or offered to me! Our server failed to come by the table in a timely manner after the food was served in order for me to have asked for ketchup to help add some much needed moisture to the burger bun. The fries were limp and seemed to have been sitting for a while. My wife received a salad with "grilled chicken" on it. The chicken, which had been sliced before being placed on the salad, was obviously under cooked in the center. A new salad was brought out for my wife. It arrived after most of us had finished our meals. Our server, after serving our initial mixed drinks, failed to ask if we wanted another drink and my water glass sat empty for over 5 minutes on more than one occasion. After serving a salad with obviously raw chicken on it and requiring my wife to wait an extended period of time to receive her meal, I'd have thought that a restaurant who wanted any chance of getting our repeat business would at the least comp the salad and possibly more. Let's just say that they did a very good job of ensuring that my wife and I will not ever go back and will not be able to recommend going there to family or friends. read more

Incredible little treasure on the shores of the Susquehanna! One of the better restaurants I've been to in awhile. The location and view of the river and bridges is just what this town needed. The food (appetizers and dinner) were incredibly fresh and flavorful. I follow them on Facebook so you see that they take great pride in finding fresh and local food as often as they can. I got a chance to talk to the main chef as he was making his rounds - nice guy and very personable. The biggest "complaint" I heard from friends and family about this place was the PRICE. Yes this place is not a $10 meal deal. I believe I saw dishes from the menu ranging from $18-25'sh a plate mostly; but everything we ordered was well worth it and incredibly good. I'm writing this review by memory as we were there about 3 weeks ago 7/5/2013. We got to enjoy a few drinks at the outside bar the first night where the waitresses were extremely nice and the bourbons were great. And our second visit we got to sit at the inside bar for a drink or two and enjoy some good live music. The bartenders inside were not "quite as friendly or talkative" as the outside ones but they definitely had a fairly busy bar to maintain. We want to go back for the pizzas as they look amazing. Only complaint was the one gazpacho appetizer dip we ordered at the bar was either to pricey for the amount of of gazpacho you got. The flavor was there but they probably could have doubled up on the bowl... or maybe cut back on the price a bit. In general, for me and my wife it was fantastic and a must go back. read more

The service was great and the pizza patio was nice to sit out. The Tuscan pizza and peanut butter bomb were great.

This place is still in business because of the great location and ambiance. Each time we go we experience confusion and forgetfulness among the young and inexperienced staff. One person in our party had to ask for an item three times before it came (30 minutes later). Checks were incorrect and handed to the wrong parties at the table. The food is inconsistent and unmemorable. This place has a lot of potential and could honestly be our favorite go-to restaurant. I recently had family visit from New York City, and although I would have liked to have taken them here, I couldn't chance it. read more

I was greatly impressed with the view of the Susquehanna, but profoundly disappointed with the service. Restaurant management was aware that our group was sizable and agreed to accommodate us, but when we arrived tables were not set up, menus were not distributed for several minutes, drink orders were delayed. Once my table's orders were finally taken we had a thirty minute wait and THEN my salad was incorrectly made. The manager danced around with "you can see we're busy/it won't take long to correct the error". Half of our group was ready to set back out, the other half had just gotten their plates, and I was offered a Caprese salad without the chicken I had ordered. I simply went to Rutters for some cheese, a pickle, and an apple. Don't accept a group if you're unable to fulfill your end of the bargain. It was a very disappointing experience. read more

We were given a gift card as a Christmas gift. We just now got around to using it. The building and restaurant itself are lovely. They also have free wine tasting and a cute gift shop. (I bought an air plant and an ornament that reminds me of my grandma). My husband and I started out with the dinner rolls and the baked oysters. The rolls were bland and had no flavor. They would have better with an infused butter. There were only three oysters on the plate. They were very difficult to pick off of the shell and the flavor was odd. The Parmesan on top was more like a cracker and I actually had a hard time finding the actual meat. Our dinner then came; my husband and I both got the ginger soy grouper special. It came with rice and zucchini. The grouper was VERY rubbery and had almost no flavor. This had to have been frozen and then stuck under a warmer after baking for a short period of time just to thaw it. The rice was good on its own. We then tried the pumpkin creme brûlée. It had a terrible consistency, somewhat like a chunky pudding. Creme brûlée is to be smooth. All in all, I was extremely disappointed and we will not be going back. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone that values good food. read more

We had two friends over for dinner tonight and it was great. Our waitress really was good. She kept our water glasses filled on a hot night. The food was excellent as always. Breakfast is wonderful too. But what really set this night out was my wife left the table and forgot the box of food we were going to take home. We did not notice it until we got home. We thought for sure it was gone. When I called them they still had it and saved it for us. Most places would have thrown it out. That is why I gave them 5 stars. Like others said you need to make a reservation. read more

We dined at John Wrights on November 21, 2013 with a dinner group. We arrived before the designated time and had to suggest to the wait staff that the folks might like to order drinks before being seating. That did work out eventually. The staff was very accommodating when non-expected group members arrived, needing a rearrangement of the tables. The food service was fairly timely and was very good. Of the large group attending no one had any negative comments about the food or service. Our group has dined at John Wright's on other occasions and plans to return in the future. read more

Incredible dining experience - food, service and atmosphere were amazing.

Great location along the Susquehanna River with outdoor bar and dining overlooking the river weather permitting. Panaramic windows in the dining area of the river during cold months. Good service and good steaks. read more

I had a great experience this past weekend. There was an hour wait to eat outside, but that is to be expected at 7:30 on a Saturday night. My friend and I decided to grab a beer at the outside bar and ended up staying and eating at the bar. The pizza was the best wood fire pizza we have ever tasted and was cooked perfectly! The bartenders, Anne specifically was super caring about how our food tasted and was so thankful we enjoyed the food and overall experience. I was a bartender for over ten years and it is hard to find good service. I have not had that type of service in quite awhile and I am beyond pleased with Anne and the other gentlemen (sorry I don't know his name) that took care of us this past Saturday. I will definitely be back before the summer season is over. Thank you for the great service! read more

This place does not have a warm or interesting atmosphere. It is much like a bar of 40 years ago. It is in need of a facelift. The portions are large and spicy, but not very tasty or imaginative. I have tried this restaurant 3 times in 12 years. I never had a dish there I could say " Boy, I'll get that again". We don't go anymore. The food is not what you would hope, if you have had Cajun before. The wait staff and owners are polite enough. read more

Made reservations for 18 people for my best friend's 25th wedding anniversary and it was the best service, food, & atmosphere we could ever ask for! We wanted an intimate dinner party and John Wright delivered. The entire staff made every effort to help surprise the guests of honor and were very attentive to our every need. Our server was excellent, we never waited for a drink & she had a great personality. The food was great, we all ordered different menu items and they all came out together,hot & delicious, which is very challenging with a party of 18. We were so happy we chose the John Wright Restaurant for this special occassion, we left feeling like everyone really cared about our experience. Can't wait to go back! read more

Was unsure of this restaurant after reading some of the reviews but was very satisfied with the service, the food, drinks and atmosphere. We were seated promptly upon arrival. Our drink orders were taken, the specials of the days were shared, our meals arrived in a timely manner. The food was hot and delicious. Overall I was very pleased with my experience and look forward to enjoying another evening at the John Wright Restaurant. read more

How do you describe a perfect dining experience? The Hostess greeted us with a smile when we walked in. We were sat almost immediately. Our server was friendly, and thorough even though the dining room was full. We received our drinks immediately, and our appetizers, and entrees promptly thereafter. Their specialty drinks were out of this world! I recommend the Mojitos, that apparently come with mint that is grown on site! Just a phenomenal experience from top to bottom. I would recommend the John Wright Restaurant to anyone in the area. read more

Went with the wife the other night. Parking lot was packed and lots of people inside waiting by the hostess area. We were told a long wait time unless we waned to sit at the "Patio" with their new "Patio Menu". It was a bit brisk so we opted to stay inside. Found seats at the bar and decided to stay there. We informed the hostess of that. Sitting at the bar we saw many tables that were empty, it made us wonder why we could not be sat at one of them. The bar seemed nice so we did not care. Got myself a local beer - very good. We ordered 2 of the "bar only" $5 "happy hour" apps. One was chili rubbed chicken on a stick with some type of fruit salsa. It was small (tapas sized) and looked great but had zero seasoning on it. It was very bland. The salsa was good. We also got a fried shrimp app. Again small and looked awesome but lacked any seasoning whatsoever. It came with a dipping sauce that again was very good. I ordered a burger with fries ($13.50) and the wife had a small salad with shrimp ($14). I figured for the price it would be the best burger I ever ate. It was good but not anything better than the local mom and pop down the street that would cost less than half. My wife said her salad was good but not anything special, but when they say small they mean small. It was so small she finished the entire thing, and that never happens, that was a first. All in all, other than the bland appetizers is was not all that bad, but $57.25 for what amounted to be a burger, a salad, 2 "happy hour" apps and 4 beers, is a little steep. We will go again for the atmosphere and get a few drinks but I doubt I will go again for the food. Again it was not bad but when I pay for top dollar I expect to dollar and not just mediocrity. Atmosphere - Great Service - Good Prices - $13.50 for a bacon cheeseburger! Are you kidding me? read more

It is true that I tend bar here. I am also a huge fan of this establishment. Truly, when I do have a day off, it's the first place I come. I celebrated my birthday here, and recently, following the wedding of friends, I brought a dozen people back to the bar for a nightcap :) Without a doubt, I have never been as proud of a restaurant as I am of this one. I and my comrades have worked our tails off to improve the service and experience of all of our customers. Please come see us, and I promise you won't be disappointed! read more

Met friends for dinner and we were all very pleased with the service and our dinners. The waitress was very friendly and courteous. We did have to wait a bit for our meals to be served, but it was a Saturday evening and it was very crowded. I certainly will go back again. read more

Unfortunately, the quality of the food and service has really gone down hill. There was one large party in the restaurant along with a single table on the patio and us (a party of 2). We ordered pancakes and side of bacon. Around us on the patio no tables were bussed, it took the servers over 30 minutes to clear those tables. Our food order took over 40 minutes. When my plate come out, the pancake and bacon was ice cold and the pancake was burned on the bottom. It took over 10 minutes for us to find a member of the wait staff to return it. Her excuse "it was the big party's fault". Sure manager was sorry and the order was replaced but my friend was already done with her meal. We ended up be late to our function because of very slow service and reorder of the pancake. Honestly, I've gotten better pancakes at Mcdonald's. read more