Judy's is by far my favorite restaurant. From drinks to dessert and everything in between, is nothing short of top notch. Their bread is amazing, but save some to dip in the truffle sauce from the Brussel sprouts. Trust me, you'll want to lick the bowl...bread is classier. My go to entree is the scallops. They are on a bed of caramelized onions, served in a cast iron skillet....out of this world. I have never had an entree I didn't like. Also, do yourself a favor and safe room for dessert, you won't be sorry. read more

Dined with a friend at Judy's last evening. Called for reservations the day of dining and all they had left was a high table or spot at the chef bar. We chose the high table, by the intimate bar area for more privacy. It was extremely busy, but the service kept up with the demand. I had the sea scallops, around 6 of which were served with an onion compote in a pottery dish with a fresh side of red mashed potatoes, snow peas, and carrot shreds. Very hot, fresh, and delicious. My friend had the short ribs, which looked and tasted amazing. For dessert we split their famous coconut layer cake. It was huge, but the frosting was very light, the cake was filled with coconut and coconut was surrounding the outside of the icing as well. Two issues: We were never offered a choice of water (the tap water from the city left an aftertaste) and second was unacceptable. As my friend and I were finishing our shared cake for desert, the waitress came and took the plate away without asking if we were through. We were appalled and thought how inconsiderate this was. Otherwise another fun, lively evening in a beautiful, converted cozy, old industrial farmer's market with soaring wood ceilings and great artwork and ambiance throughout. Make sure you use the bathroom downstairs before you are seated, otherwise you will get your exercise. Thank you Judy! read more

WooooHoooo...what can I say. The atmosphere a 10, the food a 10, the attentiveness 10!! I've been in and out of Reading for the last 30 years and I'm sorry to say this was my first visit! It'll be the place of choice in Reading for any further visits. I had Brunch on Sunday, two eggs, fabulous Italian sausage and grilled polenta cakes. It was adorned with a herb sauce that was amazingly flavorful! Normally I do the sauce on the side thing; I could have totally eaten double sauce this time around!! WOW! I can't wait to see what the kitchen has in store for me next time around.!! read more

Wow! I got to celebrate my birthday with family at Judy's for dinner and it was absolutely a highlight of my day. First, our server was attentive, helpful, and such a sweetheart. She started us off with warm homemade bread with oil which we may have devoured in 15 seconds, incredibly good. At her recommendation, I started with a cup of garlic soup which may have been one of the best soups I've ever tasted. For entrees, our table got: limoncello chicken, roasted duck with cherry sauce, seafood pappardelle, and curried vegetables. We were all happy with our choices and everything tasted delicious. For dessert, we split creme brûlée and a chocolate marquise, both of which were plate-licking worthy (but this is a classy place so we used our self control.) I really hope to make it back this spring to see what new dishes they can tempt me with! read more

I have been struggling with this review, my husband and I visited Judy's On Cherry 2 weeks ago and we sat at the Chefs table., side note every single time I have dined here I have always sat at the chefs table because I felt it was an experience and it is usually great. This time I felt like we were an inconvenience, when Judy walks in to cook one would think she would greet you, but no we felt very uncomfortable. The waitress was a total moron, kept calling us honey, love, baby, ok girl. We only had salad after the entree was served! The food itself is great! I don't know that I will rush back since I have to travel 45 minutes to go here. read more

Experience was wonderful, dinner was delicious. Our server was nice, accurate and efficient. Caution- the "enraged pasta" dish is very spicy. read more

Atmosphere& food! Fabulous! It was my husbands and my first time there. We will be back for sure!

We've been to Judy's three times now.  Unfortunately, the experience has gotten worse each time. The good stuff:  the atmosphere, decorations, desserts, bread and majority of the food were all absolutely wonderful.  Parking was plentiful, free and close. The mediocre: The service was friendly but a bit slow (both being seated and waitstaff as well), even for a crowded fine dining restaurant. Service at our third visit was indifferent, distracted and slow. She repeatedly had to come back for forgotten items... at a table for 2... The bad:  Specialty event for which I called ahead, indicated 'gluten free' dinner option, so we made reservations.  Upon dining, everything was a chore and needed 'special ordered' and/or 'sent back.'   It took almost 90 minutes to get our food and there was no bread that evening.  There was no apology for the wait or the fact that there truly didn't seem to be a 'gluten free' dinner which we paid for; it was sort of an after thought thrown together at the last minute.  Dessert saved the meal there. Bonus bad: $32 plate of scallops arrived as a tiny portion, even by modest appetite standards. Additionally, they were served on a bed of caramelized, in this case burnt, onions. That is just not something that can happen at these prices. Meal was already 2 hours in at this point so no way were we sending it back. Very disappointed. =( read more

Best fresh food, excellent drink options including beer & wine diversity. Service is probably the best ever had; the people who work here seem to be friends and more like a family. Sitting at the chefs table is so entertaining and educational. Will return with friends! Loved it!!! read more

We were looking forward to a fabulous dinner. Started out with the oil and hot focaccia bread. Super delicious. Then apps Fried green tomatoes and calamari. Fried green tomatoes great, calamari dry and worst we have ever eaten. Dinner entrees of salmon and Chilean sea bass were delicious except my sea bass came out cold and my husband's salmon came late to table. Service extremity slow, sat down at 6:20 and paid our check at 8:50 without dessert. Sorry wasn't going to wait any longer. Hopefully we have a better experience next time because the place looks great and menu items all look fabulous. read more

We had another amazing dinner at Judy's on Cherry two in our party got the paella and it was rich and full of tasty Seafood. Two shared aged steak and raved that it was the best steak they have ever had. One had sword fish that was deliciously prepared. We also had some amazing desserts. I am a chocolate monster and there chocolate dessert is absolutely scrumptious. The owner and Chef Judy even stopped by our table to ask about our meals. We will be here again when we are in town. read more

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From the moment we walked in the door the service at Judy's was exceptional. We were seated promptly and our server, Steve, was both knowledgeable and attentive throughout the meal. This was our first time eating at this restaurant since we were in town for a convention but it won't be our last. The meal was exquisite-very delicious. read more

Judy's on Cherry - Charcuterie board was delicious! - New American Near Me - Reading, Pennsylvania

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Fantastic food. Great atmosphere. Superb service. Nice wine list. Former farmer's market.

Visited for the first time the Saturday after Valentine's day. Called to make a reservation a few days before, everything was booked for 7pm. A few hours later, the owner (I think) called me back and told me that 7 was not open and could we reschedule for another time. Fine, booked 7:45. Fast forward to Saturday, we arrived on time. You have to walk up the stairs to another small lobby to check in. It was kind of strange, you weren't really sure what to do if you had never been there before and there was no hostess at the desk initially. Their reservation system is still a piece of paper where they were crossing out peoples names as they were seated. It seemed very unorganized, and seemed that they had overbooked because there were many 7:30 reservations that still weren't seated when we arrived. We were seated a few mins after 8. So we got a regular menu, wine list, and a special Valentine's Day cocktail menu (which had like 4 cockails on it?). No regular cocktail menu. I didn't want any of these sugary drinks so I asked for a Tito's dirty martini and we ordered appetizers. Martini came out as straight vodka! No olive juice and no vermouth. This is a classic cocktail and any good bartender should know how to make it. Complimentary bread that every table is supposed to get took probably 45 min to come out. The food runner kept taking it to every table other than ours! We got our salads and appetizers before this bread. And as it was a raved about item in other reviews, I asked for it 3 separate times because I wanted to try it. Appetizers calamari and artichokes were good but small. Dinners were pretty good, boyfriend enjoyed his seafood cioppino. My scallops were ok. Definitely not the best dinner I've had at that price point by any means. We did have a wonderful bottle of Pinot noir. Our waitress, an older lady with short red hair, was wonderful. Otherwise, everything seemed pretty unorganized and just not up to par. As this is probably one of the biggest date night weekends of the year, they should have been much more prepared for service. Traveled from Lancaster for "something different" and was disappointed that I didn't just choose to go somewhere downtown lanc. Probably will not return. read more

This was sold as a Euro cafe with Mediterranean styled dishes. I'm not quite sure about that. They started us with hot foccacia bread. I have to say this is one of the few restaurants I've been to where there was no doubt the bread was straight out of kitchen. The food was good -- manchego cheese for appetizer, pistaschio crusted pork loin in a sweet sauce, and a rich swiss chocolate cake with espresso butter cream. However, it wasn't as good as it was written up to be. Maybe this place is somewhat cuilinarily confused between the Euro and Mediterranean areas? Overall, the restaurant is louder, the crowd a little younger, and the feeling a bit more hip. The interior is a little interesting looking because the roof is wooded and half rounded. read more

I ate here with family approximately three years ago, but it was quite good from what I remember. Service was good. Location isn't the greatest, though the venue is generally not considered to be a warzone. Slight snoot factor, though I forgot about it when the food came. Nice place to take a date. read more

Always a good dinner at Judy's! They even have champagne by the glass. A nice romantic setting...friendly staff...you can't go wrong. I really enjoyed it! read more

Judy's on Cherry - New American Near Me - Reading, Pennsylvania

Nowhere near as good as I had expected especially based on other reviews, however the experience was seriously marred by unbelievably slow service and an inattentive waitress. I wanted to order from the restaurant week menu but since it took 20 minutes before our server came for our order and we only had roughly an hour and 30 minutes to eat before an event I changed my mind and ordered a pizza. My friend ordered a pizza too and we both got side Caesar salads. It took another 20 minutes after ordering to get the bread - so it was 40 minutes from sit down to bread. The salad was pretty pathetic and consisted of a tiny plate with nothing but a handful of wet romaine on it, a sprinkling of parmesan cheese and a couple croutons. That's it! No discernible dressing. On the plus side both of the pizzas were pretty delicious. We had another 15 minutes of sitting with empty plates until we got the servers attention again to get the check. We had watched the entire evening as she strolled very nonchalantly with no sense of urgency at all even though the restaurant was pretty busy. We finally got her attention by literally leaning out from the table and waving our arms because even though she kept walking through the section she would never look our way. She apologized that she "forgot about us". It ended up being an hour and 25 minutes from sit down to check for 2 personal size pizzas and 2 side salads. I wouldn't recommend Judy's unless you've got LOTS of time on your hands and you don't like Caesar salads. Once and done. read more

Took a client here for lunch. There were 5 of us. Walking in you notice it is pretty nice. Great decor, giving you that factory/loft/warehouse feeling, but on a upscale. Taking in the atmosphere, i expected an expensive lunch, but nothing was even over 10, except for a pizza that was 10.95. We got a variety of foods. General consensus was: Pizza Margarita was GOOD, Mac and Cheese very good, Chix Sandwich pretty good... We also ordered some fabulous desserts: Coconut Cake, Death by Chocolate Cheesecake, Toasted Almond Cake, and Strawberry Sweetheart cake. All get positive reviews. Not familiar with the area, so can't really comment on parking/ safety, but we walked here from the office we were at, and it seems ok. read more

The spiritual successor to the Peanut Bar's food (although disappointingly lacking their wings). It's more comfort food than haute cuisine, even though it thinks of itself as a "European Cafe." Definitely make reservations here if you're going to be coming during the weekend; I hear it fills up rather quickly. Great ambience, and attached to the Speckled Hen pub, which is also worth a mention for a surprisingly good beer selection and being smoke free. read more

A true gem of a place for half plates, bistro menu and fine dining. Menu is creative and diverse. Amanda at the bar is amazing and we'll def be going back. Thanks for a wonderful dining experience. read more

This is my favorite restaurant in Berks County. Great service. Great drinks. And the food... I'm having my rehearsal dinner here. That good! read more

My colleagues and I were in Reading for a workshop. This was actually my first time in Reading and we wanted something for lunch that wasn't fast food or your typical chain restaurant. Judy's has a nice jazzy vibe to it. If you've ever been to New Orleans, the look and feel of this place must have been inspired by the Jazz City. As soon as you walk in, there's an abundance of colorful artwork. The dining area is located upstairs. I ordered the feature of the day, which was a hearth pizza wih brie, caramelized apples, arugula and balsamic vinaigrette. The bitterness of the brie along with the sweetness of the caramelized apples was interesting, but in a good way. It was very good, but I probably should have shared it with my colleagues because after a few slices, the brie was a little overwhelming for me. Overall, the experience was a good one. If I'm ever in Reading again, I know I have a go-to spot for lunch. read more

This in such a romantic and classy spot. I was taken here on a date and the atmosphere was perfect. Not to mention the food was great! If you want to impress your significant other take them here! read more

Overall, an unexpectedly nice dinner in downtown Reading. Lots of great options on the menu. And every dish came out of the kitchen with good visual appeal. I loved the old architecture of the building, especially the wooded beamed ceiling. But I still can't figure out how puffy ribbons, Christmas lights and miscellaneous tchotchke in turquoise blue complement the architectural details. Were you hoping to get me thinking about the Jersey shore? I also can't figure out why it took so long for our entrees to arrive. Even with drinks & appetizers, it still took FOREVER before we received our entrees. The food was fairly tasty, but i was really aggravated by the time the food arrived. I certainly would have enjoyed it more if the rhythm had been more predictable. And one more nagging question - why was my GF seafood chioppino garnished with glutinous bread? Maybe you should remind the kitchen of what "GF" actually stands for. For some patrons, this oversight could create nasty consequences. read more

Fantastically beautiful restaurant. We had the vegan mushroom and roasted cauliflower couscous and the Swordfish & shrimp paella. Both were perfect. read more

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A Reading fixture. I've been coming here since I bussed tables here as a newly minted highschool grad in '05, and even as my palate has changed over the years, I don't think I've ever been disappointed. Everyone else is right that the focaccia bread, butternut squash soup, and coconut cake are standouts, but pretty much everything on the menu is solid. Tonight I had a special three course meal for $20 -- house salad with balsamic, seabass on orzo and with side of green beans and wax beans, and the coconut cake. Awesome. Girlfriend had vodka rosa pasta dish with seafood -- also great. Dad's salmon was great. Great great great. In conclusion, come here. (Server also was very good -- bright, attentive and helpful with recommendations.) read more

I was visiting family when we chose to check this place out based off of my niece's recommendation. The staff was polite and understanding when we called to let them know we were running late for our reservation. I ordered the beef short ribs and asked if I could sub out the potatoes and vegetable being I am gluten free which they kindly obliged. The flavor was good...not amazing but good. Vegetables needed more seasoning and so did the ribs. I ordered the flourless chocolate cake for dessert which again was good...I expected mainly cake but really it's mainly mouse..wahht wahht. I did appreciate they they weren't skimpy like most restaurants are with desserts they charge an arm and a leg for. The bathrooms were clean...but this is not a restaurant that someone who has issues with stairs should go to because there's a pretty big flight going into the place and the bathroom is downstairs so I didn't feel so bad eating that cake if you know what I mean. Prices are a little steeper for it being PA but I guess that's because you are in the city. They sadly hadn't gotten their order of filet mignon and had changed the menu from what was advertised which was my only real annoyance with this place. I have a gluten intolerance and the only 2-3options I could really eat were either changed or unavailable. My husband was happy with his crab vodka paradelle and said the bread was really good too. Parking is across the street in a lot that is complimentary, which we love...free..is a dying word these days. read more

Everyone in Berks County raves about this place, but I've been sorely disappointed all 3 times I've been. The first time I got an appetizer that was a clay baked Mediterranean shrimp dish and it was bleh. The shrimp tasted like they had been frozen or they were brought in already cooked. They had a fishy taste to them and that is never good for seafood. My friend got it the second time I was there and it was the same thing. My desserts are always terrible. The only good thing are the flatbreads. Those are tasty. The last time I went, and the last time I will go, I got a scallops dish. They cook everything in a wood-burning oven and it was terrible. They didn't sear the scallops, they tasted like they had been boiled. It was awful. Put this restaurant anywhere but Berks and it would close in a heartbeat. read more

Excellent restaurant! Amazing food! The salad to start was amazing, fresh, crisp as if it was fresh picked that day! Steak was tender and juicy, lobster cooked perfectly! Cocktails and drinks tasty well made by the bartender. The bread is to die for served warm with a delicate herb oil! Service is was a little slow, understandably as everything is made fresh no microwave or out sourced pre-made food here! A+ it is pricey, dinners are smaller portions however after eating here you feel full! They even had a special birthday plate prepared for my lady with here name and happy birthday written in chocolate served with our dessert. Outstanding!!!.....Recommended!!! read more

Having grown up in Reading, I've heard for years that Judy's is one of the premier places for fine dining in Berks County. Surprisingly though, I hadn't tried it until this year when I went with their with my family to celebrate my mother's 60th birthday. First off, the place has a great atmosphere. There's old pictures and classy paintings along the interior walls. The decor is somewhat intimate and dark, but not too dark that you can't be out with a group of people. Overall, a very nice ambiance. Our server was very nice and friendly, but also very flustered. She left our table mid-drink order to tend to something else and clearly was given too many tables to take care of. The wait for food was significant. Our reservation was at 7:30 and we didn't receive our entree until about 9. But I was only at Judy's the once, so I can't say if this is a regular thing. The butternut squash soup was fantastic and was one of the best soups I've ever had. It contains lump crab meat and a little curry for some heat to contrast the sweetness of the butternut squash and I just loved it. One of the best single dishes I've had anywhere and worth the price of admission. The focaccia bread they serve with oil has a salty, flaky crust on the outside and is really good. In fact, I wound up eating way too much of it while I waited for my entree! I ordered the scallops and must say I was a little disappointed with them. The scallops were cooked fine, but the carmelized onions that took up the majority of the plate were a little too much for me. They just seemed covered in an extreme excess of butter and oil, at least for my taste. But it certainly wasn't an awful entree. It just didn't meet my admittedly high expectations for my first time at Judy's. And my sister had a shrimp and lobster pasta entree and my brother had a chicken cobb salad, and they both really enjoyed their meals, so there's that. I would definitely come back again due to all the other positive reviews and its stellar reputation. In fact, I probably would come back just for the butternut squash soup. I do hope the long wait isn't a recurring theme however, and I will definitely try a different entree. Overall I'd rate my first time at Judy's on Cherry as a C+/B- read more

Really great food and excellent service. We really enjoyed the meal. Fresh food, waiter put us in a quiet area away from a large group celebrating, it was a really nice experience read more

Best meal I have ever had in Berks County. Get the Brussels sprouts, and butternut squash soup small plates. Expect slow service but it is worth it here when you are meant to savor the company, the food, the wine, and atmosphere. Think European and make a lovely, lingering night of it. London broil and paella were both excellent entrees. Skip the caesar salad... needs work, but I'm not deducting points on a salad... the rest was just too good. read more

Definitely our favorite in Reading. Love the vibe, the retro urban flair, the attention to details, the central oven. The focaccia bread they bring to the table is FABULOUS and probably worth coming for that alone. The wife and I really like the mezze appetizer and the mushroom pizza with truffle oil, all for a great price. Service is (normally) very professional and the bathrooms are out of this world nice. Parking across the street is free (ask the Maitre' D for a token when leaving). I would give it 5 stars on our other visits, but only 3.5 stars this time due to 2 things: 1. the dessert on the Prix Fixe menu and 2. a disappointing waitress. If you come between 5-6pm on weekdays there is a very moderately priced 19.99 prix fixe three course menu. My wife had the mixed salad (nice fresh greens), the duck with fresh chutney, mashed sweet potatoes, and crunchy kale (fabulous) and the chocolate peanut butter cake. I know, even the name of the dessert is disappointing. There were only 3 dessert options on the prix fixe and they were all kinda boring. But this cake was just very average, definitely didn't match the other cuisine we enjoyed and it is not worthy of the Judy's experience. Our waitress was perhaps a bit tired? She sighed when we asked her to explain things, and seemed quite slow. Someone else brought our entrees and took our check, that seemed a bit strange. It did not spoil a very nice date and we will be back. read more

I have been here multiple times now and have never been disappointed. Affordable and delicious with great service. Will definitely recommend and visit again! read more

Had valentines dinner here and greatly enjoyed the atmosphere and the food. Their bread is amazing dipped in olive oil and I've never had anything from here that I haven't liked. I love the lobster ravioli and the enraged pasta for dinner. My favorite dessert Mrs. Wessners coconut cake. Very classy and everything was very elegant and prepared just as ordered. Great for a special night with that special someone. Never had a single issue and will be making many more trips. read more

Judy's on Cherry - Strawberry sweetheart cake with raspberry sauce - New American Near Me - Reading, Pennsylvania

Hands down the best restaurant in the reading area. Always great food and drink. Great atmosphere. Great service. Recently there twice. The bruSsel sprout appetizer was amazing! My husband loves the steak with blue cheese sauce Highly recommend read more

I was in from out of town and was very pleasantly surprised. The butternut squash with lump crab and curry soup is a must have! Wait staff was pleasant and the decor is trendy comfortable. My only disappointment was the coffee at the end of the meal, it was a little weak and not as sophisticated as the rest of my meal. Check out the photo album inside the restaurant, it has many pictures of the renovation and history of this old building that has gone from local farmers market warehouse, to a brewery, to restaurant. I love going to places with this much history and character! We also got a tour from Judy which included the adjoining bar downstairs, which is very cozy and reminded me of some pubs I've been in overseas. One of the best business trip finds I have ever had, I will make a point of eating here whenever I am in Reading! read more

In Reading PA looking up ancestral roots. Got this rec from a sculptor at Goggles art center. Gorgonzola stuffed figs so creamy. Fresh salads. Bouillabaisse presented beautifully. Eggplant Zataar unique. Beautiful old factory bldg. Service was perfectly paced and attentive. Worth the trip. read more

I got food poisoning about a month ago. Had to go the VA ER due to dehydration. I should have realized the kitchen was probably as dirty as the women's room was. The server was not attentive, food was warm to room temp (like it had sat out for over 10 minutes before being served) and never did get the appetizer that was ordered (but was on the bill). Negative experience. read more