Mietta's Review
Jolleys, no longer in the first flush of its youth, is on the banks of the Torrens with one of Adelaide's best views. Pelicans waterski in to land just outside. Joggers and walkers make you retreat guiltily into your chardonnay. A place that caters for functions and long lunches, not for a quick snack. Since his arrival at the stoves chef, Tony Carroll has lifted the quality of the food.

Other published opinions

Gourmet Traveller 2012 Australian Restaurant Guide Score: One Star "Jolleys' prime riverside position ensures every table enjoys a view of the languid Torrens. Inside is light and airy, with large, colourful paintings brightening white walls"

Gourmet Traveller 2011 Australian Restaurant Guide Score: * "A quaint timber and glass pavilion beside the pretty, paddleboatdotted Torrens River. Jolleys is an Adelaide institution, yet hardly static in its culinary offerings. Beyond a repertoire of superior steaks, the menu delves into Middle Eastern territory with great success: spiced lamb on baba ghanoush accented by a cake of smoky eggplant, roast capsicum and haloumi, or chermoula-spiced flathead with tahini yoghurt"

The Adelaide Food Guide 2010 Score: ** "This old waterfront favourite is buzzing with new talent, strong ideas and finely tuned cooking. The mood is well set with a bucolic river outlook and interior weatherboard holidayhouse ambience, lifted by professional, 11 high-level service"

Gourmet Traveller 2010 Australian Restaurant Guide Score: * "Whitewashed timbers, wicker chairs and ceiling fans create a breezy ambience at this muchloved Adelaide stalwart. A contemporary menu, snappy service and an appealing riverside setting keep things as fresh as ever"

Adelaide Advertiser Tony Love, 05-08-2009 Score: 16/20 "Engaging riverside dining with a menu that works cleverly between classic steaks, several creative fish and seafood options and more contemporary produce with traditional and modern stylings. A mature grasp of global influences presented confidently and with good taste."

Gourmet Traveller 2009 Australian Restaurant Guide "Given its serene position among the ravenous ducks on Adelaide's River Torrens it is no shock to find that the signature dish at Jolleys Boathouse is duck. Crisp fried tea-smoked duck, served with Chinese spinach, ruby grapefruit and ginger caramel is a beautiful dish, refined by its many years on the menu"

Gourmet Traveller 2008 Australian Restaurant Guide "At its best in summer when the Torrens drifts by, waterbirds skate past and joggers put diners to shame, Jolleys has been a landmark venue for so long it could easily fall off the radar"

Gourmet Traveller 2007 Australian Restaurant Guide "Inside, the boathouse theme translates to deckchairs at otherwise well-dressed tables, with glassware to match an impressive wine list. Asian and North African exotica rule the entrees, with wagyu a regular player in both Japanese and more European roles - bresaola with cauliflower panna cotta is a subtle cross between tradition and invention."

Adelaide Advertiser 2006 "When a phone booking is greeted with enthusiasm and a well-mannered warning that we'll have to finish by 4pm because of a function later that afternoon, you get a sense lunch is taken seriously by your hosts."

Gourmet Traveller 2006 Australian Restaurant Guide "A change in chef has brought fresh sparkle to this iconic restaurant on the banks of the not-so fresh or sparkling Torrens River. On a sunny afternoon, the boathouse is a gorgeous place to sit, indulge, and admire the dedication of the joggers and cyclists puffing past the floor-to-ceiling glass."

Gourmet Traveller 2005 Australian Restaurant Guide * "Getting the food to match the setting escapes some restaurants, but not Jolleys. It basks in an idyllic location beside the River Torrens: ducks,joggers and paddleboats add to the joy of it all, along with a dining room that feels like a giant conservatory - or even a boathouse."

Adelaide Advertiser Tony Love 8/9/04 score 15.5/20, " A relaxing room, great view of River Torrens and bridge and tidy service add value to a very well-crafted meal that's waiting to take the next step to the extraordinary." Entrees $14.50-$18, mains $23.50-$29.50, Sesserts $10.50-$18.

Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide Australia 2004,'A few minutes' walk from the CBD lands you in this conservatory-style restaurant, with the prettiest outlooks over the River Torrens...Service is good and the wine list is well organised and provides excellent choice.'