Review Cafe Jolly - Leichhardt

The service here is always friendly and accommodating with large meals at a great price. We love supporting this local business. These guys moved from a small poky venue to a posh new space across the road, and it has really lifted their game. Great to sit on Norton Street and absorb the festive vibe. It's a big cafe so no need to book. Paid street parking - can get busy.

If you’re looking for a local haunt where they know your name and recognise you when you walk in this is it. Annie and Kenny are institutions in their own right. The new premise is bright and airy and the food is like a warm hug on a hard day. It’s comfort food, it’s not about fancy plating or following trends, it’s about producing nourishing warm food that makes you feel like you’ve finally come home. This place is like family.

We have been here a few times now and every time the food is on point as well as the service! Tonight we ate the pepper steak and the pasta with crab meat and a glass of shiraz. They were happy to oblige when i asked for some carrots for our pup so she wouldn't feel left out Can't wait to return here already!!!!

Have given this place a couple visits, staff are friendly. Last visit I ordered a toasted cheese and tomato sandwich takeaway for my toddlers lunch at the neighbouring park. Was quite upset when I found mould on the sandwich after my 2 year old had already eaten half of it at the park. Was too late to go back as we had an appointment. Won't be visiting again, glad my toddler didn't get sick.

Had the steak sandwich. It was done perfectly! Also, well priced. Service was wonderful. Definitely recommend for a weekday lunch.

The place is nice and even has seating at the back and on top. The lady who serves us (Jenny)is friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating with changes to dish due to food allergy. The food came pretty quick despite it's being busy with it's being mothers day. The food is great too.

Took my man to Cafe Jolly today. I have been before but hadn't been for a while. Staff were so happy and welcoming. Menu is huge with much to choose from. I remembered how generous the servings and we were not disappointed. Food was served quickly. Absolutely delicious. My man had the chicken marsala and I had the amazing seafood risotto. My risotto was so flavoursome and full of seafood cooked to perfection. The chicken marsala was so tender and served with a generous helping of veges. We were too full to have dessert but the list was so good we will be back. Do yourself a favour and check it out.

A really great find. The food was very tasty and very reasonably priced. The service was also friendly and fast, despite getting quite busy towards the end. I'd happily return.

Serving Lavazza coffee, Jolly Cafe is a nice enough spot on Norton street to enjoy a coffee but wouldn’t be my first pick. Probably need to return to try the food.

Have been visiting this extraordinary cafe/restaurant for many years. It is just a wonder never to be missed. Noisy sometimes but not offensive, great food always and copious quantities, beautiful owners and staff and, if you haven't met the maitre'd Kenny, your life experience is lacking. This is the real, maybe "old", style of Italian nosh. Thank heavens it is being preserved - from the ravages of the new order where wholesomeness has been thrown away for novelty. Of all the places that I a bachelor frequent, this has to be the place that anyone can call home. Arrive alone you may but you will have to try hard not to be caught up in the buzz that makes Jolly so special.

I lived in Leichhardt for years and Jolly’s is easily one of my favourite go-tos. So great for a casual no-fuss great bowl of delicious pasta!! The service is amazing, all the staff are so so friendly and if you’re a regular, they definitely treat you well! My absolute favourite is the spaghetti bella vista!!! Ive had this time and time again! Tied second would be the gorgonzola (which i substitute the gnocci for spaghetti) and the crab pasta when its on the specials board! AWESOME PLACE!

The staff are Asian, but their food is served in generous amounts, and the service is friendly. Gnocchi is melt in the mouth, Pollo marsala is creamy and generous with the chicken.

Would highly recommend this place! Although run by Asians you can’t mistake the authencity of it! The pasta was not only afforadable but also delicious. I had the spinach and ricotta ravioli and the sauce it was in was incredible. The atmosphere is friendly and the host is so cheery and polite. Would definitely come back here again

The most appealing point for Jolly is that the price is quite reasonable. <br/><br/>I tried many Caesar salads before in different restaurants, this one is somewhere around average. <br/><br/>For the pasta, the marinara spaghetti is okay and good enough compared to the price. <br/><br/>They don’t have green olives but the dark one is not bad. <br/><br/>Overall, since the price is good and surroundings are okay. It is not a bad choice if you want to just grab something to eat.

I've been going to this small Italian restaurant for years. Funny enough it's owned by Asians, and although I can't judge the authenticity of it, I can definitely vouch for some consistent delicious food. The service here is friendly and professional. Food also comes out reasonably timed even amidst the busy-ness. I'm a big fan of their garlic prawns, when you dip some crusty bread into the sizzling hot oil, it's soooo nice. The grilled octopus and lamb cutlet are also great dishes as well. If you're feeling peckish, they do great wedges here for just $6.50 !! haha. It's also not overpriced here as well so you won't break your bank :)

Been here twice, top marks for everything on both occasions.<br/><br/>A lot of new restaurants place too much importance on decor and marketing it is unique that this place just excels at the fundamentals - Good tasty food at a fair price.<br/><br/>No frills great service - Can highly recommend. They somehow make it work even during the busy periods.

Excellent pasta for very reasonable price! I usually love their spaghetti marinara, spaghetti gamberoni but they had the special today of spaghetti scallops - it was, yummo! Also fantastic and warm customer service! 👍

Service was friendly and the restaurant is cosy! The sirloin steak was very good, the red wine and Worcestershire sauce was brilliant! Also they changed the sauce in the gnocchi, no issue! Great, will visit again!

Nice no frills Italian place run by Asians with amazing Italian food great example of Aussie melting pot. Reasonable prices and homely yet professional service

Ordered takeaway and got lasagne and spaghetti boscaiola. Both good, the lasagne was better than most other Italian establishments along the street due to its firmer lasagne sheets. Will go back.

Delicious food, Nice place, good service.<br/>We order Beef Lasagna and Pasta Bellavista, it was nicely cooked. Pretty good prices compares to the other places around.

Had a lovely Sunday lunch here yesterday with family. I honestly couldn't have asked for better customer service.. we order 3 dishes and mine had some changes made which was no issue at all. Alternate suggestions were made and water was offered and served without even asking. <br/><br/>Very well prices for a lunch menu.. all up $50 for 3 people and a the food was also very nice and came out very quickly.. recommend this place if you're looking to grab a low key quick lunch 😊

We had the Pollo Jolly and arrived too quickly to be thoroughly cooked. This resulted in food poisoning for the second time in 6 months. Off the list don't go.

Jolly it is a restaurant in leichhardt been there for long time ! The service not very good and the food nothing special ! Leichhardt need a change of all this old place around !

If I had to describe this place using 3 words, it would be cheap, tasty (not nasty) and plentiful. I was pleasantly surprised with the servings, as I struggled to finish off my pasta dish. The steaks are pretty good too. Service is friendly. Great place for a casual, fuss free dinner. Will continue to come back to try other dishes.

Cafe Jolly is a tiny Italian cafe on Norton Street in Leichhardt. The funny thing about this restaurant is that it's run by a Shanghainese couple and has been like that for about 10 years now. Since it's run by two Chinese people, many of the combinations on the menu may seem a little strange but oddly enough, they do work. I peeped into the kitchen on my way to the toilet and it seems like all three chefs are Chinese! The atmosphere of the restaurant is both joyous and homey (The name Jolly Cafe is so appropriate!). The wife manages the store front, serving drinks and coffee with the most bubbly personality ever while the husband manages the kitchen at the back. It's almost always busy at night and this can turn service into a nightmare but the waiter runs around catering to everyone's needs with the most infectious smile ever! Now, on to the food! For starters the waiter recommended the garlic prawns and the chilli, cheese and honey bread. We pick the garlic prawns. garlic prawns ($1

This place was famous for its fast service and piping hot food, however some feedback I read was that people didn’t like the main to be coming halfway through the entrée, make sure you let the waiter know if you prefer to have you meals one course after the next.

A Jolly good time. I don't know why I have ignored Jolly Cafe all these years; the word of mouth is good and tables are full just about every night, a good sign in itself. I finally put this to rights on Sunday with a family lunch to celebrate my daughter's birthday.<br/><br/>I was bowled over by the generosity of my main course, the seafood platter. A large piece of barramundi, which would be a meal in itself at many restaurants, was accompanied by prawns, calamari, octopus, salad and delicious chips. At $25 that is great value and I couldn't quite finish. The only downer was the spiced sauce poured over the seafood; it tasted like a bottled sweet chilli sauce with some sort of spice addition. If I ordered this meal again I would ask them to hold the sauce as the seafood was fresh and the slice of lemon served with it was more than enough to enhance the meal.<br/><br/>Other options chosen by the table were the chicken and beef burgers which were well received. The menu is expansive with a large selection of pasta, seafood and meat dishes to choose from. Service is polite and attentive. with all requests speedily attended.<br/><br/>The bill came to $116 for six mains, a couple of bread entrees and drinks. Excellent value and I shall be back before long to explore the menu further.

Great service by Kenny and amazing amazing food!. Just celebrated our 12 year anniversary, can't ask for more... Great food, great service, Kenny works his ass off to make dinner pleasant for everyoneqwerty ... Lamb and the garlic prawns are a highlight!! Will come again!!!<br/><br/><br/>-----15 Feb, 2015-----<br/><br/>Great service by Kenny and amazing amazing food!. Just celebrated our 12 year anniversary, can't ask for more... Great food, great service, Kenny works his ass off to make dinner pleasant for everyone... Lamb and the garlic prawns are a highlight!! Will come again!!!

Down to earth Italian restaurant. Was feeling exhausted and hungry on a Friday night, and was in the mood for pasta. Was walking down Norton St, and came across a bustling Italian restaurant with the funny name "Jolly Cafe". Had a look at the menu and decided to give it a try.<br/><br/>Long story short, it's exactly what I needed. Delicious, well priced, no-nonsense pasta and other delicious goodies. Lots of pasta mains

Jolly cafe is awesome! I always get the chicken Marsala which is so delicious. <br/>The portions are huge! And very affordable for sydney! <br/>Love it here, a must try!

Jolly Cafe. Bella Vista pasta is amazing. <br/><br/>Staff are friendly and the food is always consistent. The prices are great too. Highly recommended

Fantastic food, consistent, great value and staff always friendly. We keep going back. Love it!!

The service and food is always consistent. Food is delicious and generous in portion size. Service is polite and attentive. I will be returning

Good Food. Probably the most reasonably-priced Italian restaurant in Norton Street. The portions are large, tasty and comparatively cheap. The restaurant provides outside dining and is BYO. The service can be a little abrupt, but this is not fine dining and doesn't pretend to be anything other than what it is. Recommended dishes are the sizzling prawns, the spaghetti marinara and the pollo marsala.

Great value, great food!. A reliable good quality Italian cafe. The staff are always friendly despite the fact it gets quite busy and the food is great quality considering the price. You can tell by the fact people are spilling out onto the road how popular this place has become and with good reason.

Busy but beautiful. They are spilling over the footpaths now but the place provides great service and big serves. Kenny works his tail off and always helps with the gluten free issue. They do a fantastic seafood platter for quite a low price, and often the entrees are big enough for a main for a female. They always try to accommodate us, and people are queuing to go in.<br/>Its really worth a visit, perhaps try to go at some time other than the weekend as they get so busy.

Consistently Fabulous. Great value. Consistently good food. Fabulous wait staff. <br/>I have dined with large and small groups and I have always found that this one is a gem. One of my favourites.

Fantastic value! Seafood platter was fresh and abundant with prawns. Service was really friendly. We have found our new favourite local feed!

One of my favorite places. I go there all the time. Meals are large so if you are not too hungry you should try entree size. Sauces tend to be on the sweet size but not over the top. Meat is always tender and well cooked and each dish comes as a complete meal. I have always found the staff helpful and friendly. Children are really welcomed and the outside tables are dog friendly. What more could you want?

Absolutely terrible and rude service. Completely disinterested. Food was ok and cheap but ruined by waiter.

Just OK. Not sure what the fuss is about Jolly's. It has certainly got a lovely atmosphere. I ordered the chicken marsala - portion size was too big. Marsala sauce too sweet and vegetables tasted like they'd come from the frozen food section. Friend ordered the "calamari salad" which was your standard calamari with a bit of lettuce.

Good value dinner. We had an impromptu dinner at jolly cafe last night.... The service was great, the food good, the calamari entree is definitely worth ordering... The veal bomb is great, order the chicken Marsala is you enjoy quite a sweet flavor... The meals are great value for money, i wouldn't pick this cafe again if you're looking for a quiet, intimate meal though, we ended up yelling over the table to each other to be heard ;-(

Norton Street Fave. This is one of our favorite places on Norton Street. The service is always great and the food is excellent. The Seafood Platter is a winner as a share entree and I love their Bella Vista pasta. The other pastas are nice too and their meat dishes are nice too. Doesn't do pizzas though, but then again, we come here for pastas and steaks anyway.

Great food, great staff, great prices... What more could be said!!!

Scrambled Egg & awful sausage. I loved dining there. It is a perfect place to eat with your family, friends or just to chat and hang out at. The food is nice and the coffee is excellent and they offer a good price for the food.

Quality of the food needs serious improvement. I walked in on a weekend looking for a place to eat breakfast and this place caught my eye due to the amount of people that were dining and was severely disappointed with the breakfasts. There are far better places to eat on Norton St. Avoid this cafe if you can.

Always good. I have eaten here many times, the food is always great, it is good value and the service is friendy.<br/>It's one of my favorite Sydney restaurants.

Fast, friendly and good value.. Not the place to go if you want a lingering romantic dinner. The restaurant is noisy, service is speedy and food is consistently good. It's my local and have eaten there many times, it never disappoints

The size of the meals are massive and good value but the quality of food is something that needs improving. I had a seafood basket, and after I felt like I needed a bucket, not a basket!

One of those places that suits families because it is clean, simple, and value-priced, but lacks any sense of cool or sophistication that generally appeals to those looking for a cafe with a bit more personality.

One of my family's favourite places to eat.we've been there dozens of times and have never received a bad meal or bad service. The staff are friendly and the service is good. Best of all is the very reasonable prices. Also give their breakfasts a try!