John J Jeffries

Lancaster, United States

4.6

20 reviews

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Telephone:
+1 717-431-3307
Website:
www.johnjjeffries.com
Address:
The Lancaster Arts Hotel 300 Harrisburg Ave, Lancaster, PA, 17603
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
0.6 miLancaster
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Today

Today –
Local time (Lancaster) 21:51 Friday, 30 May 2025

Business hours

Monday –
Tuesday –
Wednesday –
Thursday –
Friday –
Saturday –
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

As chefs and owners of John J. Jeffries, we designed our menu to be based on local, seasonal, sustainable and organic agriculture and delicious recipes.

All of our meats are raised locally, confinement-​free on fresh green grass pastures. No hormones, antibiotics, steroids or forced-​fertilization occurs.

Our produce is local organic or chemical free. We use local grass fed cream, butter and eggs.

We also provide sustainable seafood and support sustainable fisheries and their communities. By doing so, we are encouraging a shift in consumer demand away from overexploited fisheries and unhealthy fish farming practices.

Our water for drinking and cooking is filtered through an in-​house carbon and reverse osmosis system.

Our coffee is organic fair trade and locally roasted in small batches.

Please join us and taste the difference of local farm-​to-​table sustainable cuisine in one of Lancaster’s best fine dining restaurants.

History

Established in 2006.

During renovations, workers found a signed inspection stamp in the floor beams, dated November 5, 1890 – with the name of tobacco inspector John J. Jeffries. We named the restaurant after him.

Meet the Business Owner

Chefs Cavanaugh and Carso N.

Business Owner

Chef Sean Cavanaugh

After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in 1985, Chef worked for various hotel chains such as The Marriott Group, Hilton, Sheraton and Wyndham and served as Executive Chef for one of The Vail Marriott Mountain Resort and Spa in Colorado. Chef then brought his expertise back home to Pennsylvania to open John J. Jeffries. It is here that Chef has realized his true vision of what a restaurant should be and what it can do for its local community.

Chef Michael F. Carson

A central Pennsylvania native, Chef Carson received his culinary training from the Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts in 1995. In 2000, Chef Carson went to work for the highly acclaimed Charleston Restaurant in Baltimore, MD under acclaimed Executive Chef Cindy Wolf. There Carson worked his way up the ranks to become Chef de Cuisine. In the fall of 2006, Chef Carson happily returned home to Pennsylvania to partner with Chef Cavanaugh and open John J. Jeffries restaurant.

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20 reviews of John J Jeffries

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Place rating: 4
Lititz, PA
Pretty damn good is how I’d describe my experience dining at John J Jeffries. My girlfriend and I had reservations on a Saturday evening. We were seated promptly and our table was set up perfectly for us. Service was a 5 out of 5. Our server was exceptional, friendly, attentive, knowledgeable and fast. Presentation was beautiful, 5 out of 5. Creative awesome colors. Taste and value was a 3.5 out of 5. Here’s the deal, taste is most important thing to my lady and I when dining. The entrees we each had tasted very, very good but not phenomenal. Overall for 100 bucks for (2) appetizers, (2) entrees, no alcohol and a shared dessert is pretty damn good for the calibre of cooking and ambiance this place has to offer. Overall very nice, good experience and will go back again for sure.
Place rating: 5
Old Bridge, NJ
We had the pleasure of eating at this fine establishment on NYE! We were wowed as soon as we walked thru the doors, from the wonderful hip, funky, fun bar area, the vibe was very trendy, NYC hip. The hostess super friendly. To when we sat down and brought it to our waiters attention that we were celebrating our wedding anniversary, we were greeted by many of the staff with well wishes. Onwards to the outrageous meal we had I wouldn’t even know where to start, our mouths were bursting with flavors after flavor, we choose the wine pairing with our meal, let me just say cheers to the chef for complimenting and pairing each dish with each course, not only that but our waiter «Joe» where to start with Joe, friendly, knowledgeable, was familiar with all the wines, and at the end of our meal as a gift from him gave us the wine pairings on him! What a truly amazing restaurant in Lancaster, we are traveling foodies and we felt like we were in NYC not the middle of Lancaster PA, why not though the restaurant, the hotel and a little farther down the road there are some trendy little spots you must stop by while visiting. It was a first time visit but it sure won’t be our last! Can’t wait until next visit!
Nom, Nom, Nom… I leave you with!
Wonder restaurant *10* Stars for us!!!
Place rating: 5
Coatesville, PA
Best meal my husband and I have had in a very long time! April, our waitress, was attentive and welcomed us to JJJ’s. The surf & turf… hands down was amazing!!! Our salads, small plates, entrees and deserts were wonderful. Well worth the hour drive!
Place rating: 5
Akron, PA
Went here with my husband to celebrate our anniversary. We started with the taco appetizer. The meat was very tender and the tacos were flavorful. For dinner I had their pheasant. It had bacon under the skin and it came with the most delicious polenta I’ve ever had. My husband ordered their beef special. The server said it was so tender you could cut it with a spoon and he was so right! Absolutely amazing. For desert I had the derbie pie which was good but I think it could have benefited from a little more chocolate. Also, I think it would have been better warmed. Husband ordered the chocolate pâté which was also good but we agreed the raspberry sauce it came with was outstanding. The service was also excellent as our waiter was very hospitable and our food came out quickly. We will definitely return for another special occasion.
Place rating: 4
State College, PA
We made the trip from Hershey to celebrate a special occasion and it was certainly worth the drive. The food was delicious and the service was excellent.
Place rating: 5
Hillsborough Township, NJ
JJJ is a wonderful establishment, they have hot and cold small plates, as well as large plates. All of their raw plates were excellent, the steak ta ta was mouth watering, local cheeses were perfectly paired. The seasonal pumpkin ginger bisque was creamy and we’ll balanced. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. We had several other dishes off the small plates menu all were excellent. Prices were appropriate for the food, maybe a little under priced. The wine is marked up about three times, that’s my only complaint, but is consistent with other restaurants. If you are in the area you want be disappointed.
Place rating: 5
Lancaster, PA
Great food all the time especially for vegetarians and gluten free patrons. The bar under Frank Fontaine rocks, the best mixologist in Lancaster highly recommended
Place rating: 4
New York, NY
Three of us had a lovely dinner here. The food was 99% delicious. My favorite dish was the beef tartar, which is rarely found on menus. It was so well seasoned.
Duo soup also great, and the presentation of it was lovely.
Waiter was good. Attentive, but not overbearing.
The only thing that was a disappointment was that the grains that came with the duck were too salty, and I wish it had had two slices of the squash.
Place rating: 5
Sarasota, FL
We love the Belvedere, but J John Jeffries has a slight edge as the best restaurant in town. We’ve been here twice and have had outstanding experiences both times.
The service is top notch. Sergio was our server last time, and he was flawless: helpful recommendations, above-​and-​beyond attention to detail, and excellent attentiveness without being intrusive.
Linse and I brought three employees with us. The meals were all delicious, as were the appetizers and desserts. We had lamb, scallops, fried chicken and more. I had the hen, which was prepared just right — crispy outside and tender inside. The scallops were fabulous. The cheese plate very good. Try the albondigos.
The cocktails are prepared masterfully. The wine list is extensive with some very good options from Pennsylvania, keeping with the establishment’s commitment to local options.
I wish the restaurant was downtown, but I’m not holding that against them. Worth the time to get in the car.
Place rating: 4
Lancaster, PA
Wikipedia lists John Jeffries as a Boston physician that lived from 1744 — 1819, but believe me this place is still alive and kicking it.
Locally sourced foods are expertly paired and artfully crafted. The meats are incredible. Friend had the venison steak and it was good, just a little gamey, but that is expected. Fingerling potatoes… mmmmh.
The only knock I had was that there should be a little better craft beer selection and overall it was a bit pricey comparatively.
Place rating: 5
Annapolis, MD
Had a WONDERFUL time in Lancaster County this weekend as a little birthday getaway for my fiancé and the first thing I needed to find was one kick butt place for dinner. John J Jeffries did NOT disappoint. I’m so glad I took the time to read the reviews. I am all about the farm to table. I have a few allergies so it’s always easier to know exactly what’s going into your food.
We made reservations for 7:45, and I had requested to be outdoors (from your pics!), so glad we did this. No one was inside! The patio is GORGEOUS. So romantic. The menu changes often, which I love, and although small, it is mighty.
There are small plates (hot and cold) as well as full entrees. We were feeling adventurous so we went with tapas. We tried the Beef Tartar — which was a personal first. The whole idea kind of freaked me out but it was DELICIOUS.
We also went with the Jim Bim Pop? Something like that, it was kimchee and rice and pork very tasty. The other item we loved were the tacos. SO flavorful. We go the pork belly which was good too! We got a total of four and it was MORE than enough.
For dessert we go the French press coffee which may have been the best cup of coffee I’d ever had. Followed by the Coffee CRÈME BRULEE. Goodness gracious. It was heavenly.
Service was impeccable. Our server was so great helping us decide. If you’re ever in the area, PLEASE go here!
Place rating: 4
West Chester, PA
Service — Hostess clueless, Server awesome
Beer list — Decent but not enough IPAs for my liking
Apps — Middle of the road, very small portions for what you expect in Lancaster
Dinner — Awesome, locally sourced steak was a total home run
Place rating: 4
Brooklyn, NY
John J Jeffries is a beautiful restaurant amidst Lancaster’s excellent food scene, and it stands out with Checker’s and Belvedere as one of the best in the region. The food is locally sourced, the food creations are unique, and the aesthetic is upscale and more formal than some of the surrounding options. The prices also are a bit higher than usual in this area.
I chose the pork belly over warm spinach or kale salad, and the short rib tacos. I should have listened to my gut on the short rib tacos, which said not to get them because they exist in better form elsewhere. They were tasty, but not a good fit for John J Jeffries. The pork belly salad was one of the best dishes I’ve tried this year, and I would go back to the restaurant for this dish alone. The warm greens were tossed in a gorgonzola (I think) cheese and hunks of pork belly. The combination of flavors was memorable, and the portion size was plentiful.
I sat at the bar, so I can’t attest to the service except that my bartender was knowledgeable and attentive. Overall, a very nice experience, but somehow a little more formal and not as enjoyable for me as Checker’s next door. Both are wonderful options with slightly different vibes and aesthetics depending on the occasion.
Place rating: 5
Pottstown, PA
They found us a table during restaurant week even though we didn’t have a reservation. Lucky us!
Intuitive service. We never had to refill our own glasses.
Food delivered promptly. Everything was delicious and unique.
Busy night. A little noisy. But we really had a great meal. It is pricey. $ 130 tab for two, which did include alcohol and dessert. It’s a good date night. Leave the kids at home. The menu is not one for a kid’s palate. My opinion.
Place rating: 5
York, PA
One of the nicest meals I’ve had in a long time. All of the food was spectacular… The lamb that my wife had was moist, tasty, and with just the right spices.
The scallops I had were melt in your mouth delish.
Service was excellent… Friendly and attentive.
Place rating: 5
Lititz, PA
This was my first time trying out John J Jeffries and the experience was great. The staff was very polite and helpful with questions on the menu. They are very upfront with ingredients and where the local ingredients came from. Portions are very reasonable for the price and the food is delicious.
They will time your order perfectly so you never have to worry about when your next course will arrive. They offer a wide variety of cocktails using local ingredients as well.
I would recommend the Steak Tar Tar, Surf and Turf, and the Jim Bim Bop (though we really didn’t have a plate that wasn’t delicious and special.)
Place rating: 3
Williamsburg, VA
Front bar area is small, but very chic. The main dining room is in the back, somewhat closed off from the rest of the place. The food was well prepared and the local wine choices were great! I was somewhat disappointed in the Albondigas (beef, pork, lamb and bacon meat balls with fire roasted tomato sauce and Colby cheese) because of their mushy texture.
Place rating: 5
Indianapolis, IN
Wow.
Not much to say other than that. I’ll make this one short and sweet because really, the food was that good.
Cheese plate, great. Grass-​Fed Dry-​Aged Steak Tartare, simply amazing. King Salmon with sticky rice grits, veggies and curry-​coconut cream sauce? Just stop. It’s one of the best salmon dishes I’ve ever had.
I usually take pictures… but this time I was to busy stuffing my face.
Place rating: 4
Arlington, VA
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!
Place rating: 5
Cleveland, OH
I’ve been to Lancaster a few times now, but this was the first time I had to rely on Unilocal to find a place to eat. This restaurant kept coming up as highly rated and bonus – it was in my colleague’s hotel. Now you might be thinking, really… a hotel restaurant? And I’m here to say, You betcha. This restaurant had the ambiance, the service, the drinks and the food. My colleague and I ended up sharing a bunch of small plates and there was nothing I didn’t like. My favorite was the beef tartare and if I ever get to come back, I will be trying the entrée form of it. Our other plates were the ribbon potatoes, the shanker, and the sweet potato pie (which is really just a tiny delicious pizza). I was full after all of that, but still has room for another glass of wine :)