Jolly Inn Restaurant & Banquet Hall — Restaurant in Jefferson Township

UPDATE

After writing my original review below (has since been summarized due to space constraint), I received a very kind and understanding email from Jolly staff and was asked to reach out to the owner, Konrad, for a personal apology, if I was willing. They also offered a full refund for all 8 guests as part of their apology, which was completely unexpected, but beyond appreciated. This response was truly impressive and admirable; having had no other poor experiences prior and the way in which this was handled, my family will plan on returning for their normal buffet for a meal and I think you should too!

Original Stars (Food 2/5) Service (1/5) Atmosphere (1/5) Below you will find a summary of the message I emailed to Jolly in hopes of not having to post a review here, but since they did not feel it was worth responding to, here we are. We had been lifelong patrons of Jolly’s and this year’s Easter Brunch was SO off brand for them. To say we were disappointed is an understatement. I truly hope you take this review and the others that are similar and do better moving forward. This year, you really did lie to people and rip people off, which is something we have never experienced from your brand. Please make things right by all of us you wronged this year; it’s truly the least you can do.

To whom it may concern:

I wanted to write to voice our disappointment with this year’s Easter Brunch Buffet in the Candlelight Room (not sure if the other rooms were different, so I can only speak to this room). The first thing that was odd was having to pay when we walked in the door as if it was a fast food restaurant; that was off putting for an Easter Brunch, and it jammed up the space by the door. After we paid, the woman who checked us out did not tell us where to go; horrible communication, overall.

Our server was the sweetest, I can’t say anything bad about her, she was amazing! And the Easter Bunny was also amazing and was passing out high quality candy (maybe to make up for the sadness that was to come on the buffet).

Online it was listed that there was going to be three soups, a meat carving station, and an omelet station, and there was only one soup that was inside of a coffee percolator (odd presentation), zero omelet station (but there was an egg soufflé that tasted like Chinese Sponge Cake, which isn’t bad, but it’s not an omelet, let alone an omelet station like its name tag stated), and the “meat carving station” was chafers on the actual buffet, not a meat carving station. The Prime Rib was instead, a large piece of chuck roast as it just fell apart and was not a prime roast in any sense of the word.

The quality of the buffet from last year to this year significantly went down, yet the price remained high. Inflation exists, and is understandable in our current economic climate, however lying does not need to exist.

To top it all off, near the end of our meal, a family of four come over to our table to tell us they are to be seated with us. We were NEVER told that we were going to have to share our table with strangers, and neither was this family (they told us this when they got to our table and appeared shocked and confused). Our table was not ready to receive 4 more people as there were dirty dishes everywhere due to lack of prompt removal of our dishes. We also had used some of the extra napkins at the table, due to minor spills, etc. This was an embarrassing situation for both parties, as we were all confused as to what was happening and had not been told. This was extremely unprofessional on your end, to not tell families about the possibility of having to sit with other families, and/or give them the option to do so or not (or maybe have the option to sit in another area to have a private table versus sitting with strangers, etc.).

Truly...

My daughter’s Quinceanera, held on Feb 24, 2024, was a memorable event in the lower hall. I opted for the Silver package and was delighted with the service. Bozena, in particular, was instrumental in the planning process. She always responded to my inquiries and allowed the girls to practice for the event. Her advice on setting up guests, DJ, and food was invaluable. The hall was spotless, the decorations were color coordinated to her dress, and there were no issues with the electrical or lights. While there are stairs leading to the lower hall, an elevator was available for guests like my mother, who uses a wheelchair. The staff was exceptional, providing attentive service throughout the event. The servers were considerate, taking time to remove the food and allowing ample time for guests to enjoy their meals. They even offered refills, ensuring everyone was well taken care of. The food was a highlight, with its delicious and fresh flavors earning rave reviews from the guests. The bartender was equally impressive, serving various delicious drinks with a smile. As a bonus, a coat check was available. Bozena was also a great help with the cake, assisting with its setting and timing. They even cut and distributed it for guests after dinner and set up a portion in take-home containers. Bozena was always ready to assist whenever I needed something; her dedication was remarkable. I am deeply grateful to her and the entire staff for making this day so special and stress-free. Thank you. I am also sharing a few pictures of the hall, food, and our...

EDIT: Added two stars back because Robert, the manager contacted me and offered to make things right and welcomed us back. Much appreciated.

Honestly I am so disappointed that I'm writing this review. Despite my name, I'm first-generation Polish; I grew up in this neighborhood and my family and I would eat here on occasion. When I got engaged, I knew I wanted to check out Jolly Inn's banquet hall. I arranged a time with Bozena for yesterday evening. After our call, someone else from Jolly Inn called me asking if I had talked to anyone yet. Weird, and a little disorganized, but no big deal.

My fiancé and I were scheduled for a showing yesterday evening. We were looking to book a venue for about 200 people. When we arrived, the host in the restaurant informed us that Bozena left because she wasn't feeling well. This would not have been a problem if she (or anyone) would have given me a call ahead of time to reschedule. That didn't happen. The host was really kind and apologetic, and he was able to show us the banquet. But, he wasn't able to provide pricing info or answer a lot of our questions (totally not his fault, it's obviously not something he's in charge of). The package info is available on the website, but it doesn't include pricing!

To top it all off, no call from Bozena or anyone who handles banquets since. Safe to say we'll be taking our business elsewhere. Giving two stars, instead of one, for the host and the...