Was difficult to balance the Conwy of my childhood holidays, where chips and cream-cakes were in delicious abundance, with the fine dining experience promised by The Jackdaw. But any anxiety that it couldn't live up to expectations were completely forgotten as soon as our excellent host guided us to our table. Sadly his name is lost to me, but his passion, consideration, and breadth of knowledge were worthy of mention here even before we get to the incredible meal he provided us.And what a meal! Nugget is so rarely a pleasant word but the lamb nugget (part of a trio of snacks served first) may just be the greatest single mouthful of food I've ever had. The menu moves through unique interpretations of traditional dishes; Chicken liver parfait and toast, leek and potato soup, salmon, lamb... each course familiar but reimagined, each finely tuned, dressed and accompanied to showboat their strengths, to bring out their very best. The paired wines all really did accentuate the courses they arrived with, the service was impeccable, everything was so perfectly considered and delivered.The showstopping dessert, inspired by the local landscape, was the perfect end to a perfect night. Absolutely no idea how one makes slate mouthwatering, but The Jackdaw manages it.I've been fortunate enough to dine in some of the UK's finest restaurants, and The Jackdaw can stand easily and proudly among them. Conwy has always been a truly special town worthy of a visit, but The Jackdaw ensures that I'll always be looking for an excuse to get back as soon as possible.
Steve Hunt
Standing next to the discreet Jackdaw logo at the foot of the dungeon gate with its heavily padlocked iron bars cowering from the torrential Welsh rain had somehow peaked our fine dining expectation.We were warmly invited upstairs into a castle like banqueting hall and introduced to the tasting menu. It seemed we were waiting for other guests to arrive as the drinks order was slow.Biding time we noticed a bookcase full of top restaurants, many of which we had visited. Not sure whether the chef had been swotting or whether he was setting the scene, either way Blumenthals Fat duck was at the bottom and Noma proudly sat at the top of the pile, the Chef clearly a good judge of fine dining.After a strenuous walk earlier in the day we were famished, three amuse bouche arrived to take the edge off, but an hour later we were still waiting the main event as we realised we were part of a school dinner conveyor belt system with each table delivered its food in order.Wine was poured, unusually in bulk at the bar, in small measures, then delivered to each table with the waiter individually issuing the same well rehearsed monologue.Finally the first course, a tiny chicken parfait in a langoustine sauce which was tasty. We wondered how exciting the next course of leek and potato could be, but it was suprisingly full of flavour with its salty background offset by a sweet wine, although my wife would have prefered a crisp white and certainly a splash more.Salmon followed with a really unusual mushroom tasting white wine which went well with the fish but impossible to drink on its own.We wondered were the obligatory home made bread was, before it arrived four courses in with a strange collection of meat and three veg in the form of four dice like cubes. The lamb apparently cooked for 17 hours still offered some resistance and the whole course was somewhat out of place on the menu and more akin to school dinners.The main course of Welsh salt duck was tasty enough but unlike the previous courses which were piping hot this one wasnt, perhaps juggling 24 larger plates at the same time was a challenge.Finally, two dessert courses with the Blaenau Slate dish clearly the Chefs pride and joy demonstrating his North Wales heritage.Little care had been paid to the coffees which were served in small bowls rather than a cup rendering them difficult to drink, the espresso was just a black coffee and no petit fours.To cap the school night we were encouraged to form an orderly queue to pay the bill, I was wondering if we would get homework.Overall we marked Jackdaw 7 for flavour, 3 for portion size and 2 for delivery, must try harder, see me.
Andrew Raven
We had a beautiful meal here last night, the food was amazing and played with great wines, Gareth was a great host and knows his
Andrew Lloyd
Excellent food and wine,staff outstanding knowledge of everything they produce and sell.
YNWATravelBug
Booked as a surprise for my husbands birthday. And it was a surprise for both of us how truly wonderful this restaurant is! Gareth as front of house was warm & convivial. Truly an asset to not only The Jackdaw but Conwy in general. Tasting menu & 3 glass wine pairing were exceptional. The number of courses & the pace they were executed in was excellent. Took just over 2.5hrs to enjoy & that we did! Can’t recommend this restaurant enough. Sous chef executed as though he were the executive chef. Well done! See you again!
MarcyMarc1980
A culinary experience of the best local Welsh ingredients pared with imaginative recipes and great service. A lovely intimate restaurant in the heart of historic Conwy North Wales within the wonderful castle walls. Went as a post Christmas treat to this little gem of a restaurant and we weren’t disappointed. You are limited to the single tasting menu but this is what you would expect for this type of restaurant / experience. They were very accommodating to dietary requirements and altered the menu accordingly. The front of house staff were superb - welcoming and approachable both were knowledgable about the menu, ingredients and each dish’s inspiration. At £75 for the tasting menu this seemed reasonable to us given the price for other tasting menus normally range from £75 up to over £250 per head. Each course came in good time and the whole experience lasted over 2.5hrs. An extensive wine list paired well with the menu. We will certainly be returning when they next change their seasonal menu.
Callylittler
We enjoyed the festive tasting menu and wine pairings on a Saturday evening. The venue is modestly sized and all the better for it. Rustic but cosy, the textured matt paint and scant botanics decorating the walls set the tone - simple but confident. Staff are highly attentive but don't hover; guests are seated at angles where staff can watch for clearing away and refilling drinks but you don't feel overtly observed at any time. Our attendants smiled freely and during the latter part of the meal two complimented my earrings, which was a nice way to feel welcome and noticed. The meal itself exceeded our expectations. Each course gave us plenty to contemplate and discuss. The broth was a particular early highlight (during the "snack" course). Crockery and cutlery choices have clearly been deeply thought about and elevated each course with an added experiential element. My partner enjoyed the balance of flavours with the chicken liver parfait and tostada. I really rather dislike fennel and there was a whole course dedicated to the herb (vegetable?) but even I had to admit that the cooking of the confit salmon that comes with the fennel sauce and puree was incredibly well done. The white rioja served alongside this dish was one of the best of the pairings; not perhaps a spectacular wine of its own merit but clearly aligned with the dish as they both elevated each other. The bread of heaven was quite perfectly named. The pig in blanket was perhaps not the easiest course to work with, the texture at arguments with my knife. Puddings (so often my favourite) did not disappoint. The plum granita was refreshing but deep and unctuous. The highlight however was the now rather famous Blaenau Slate, this time with a festive flavour combination. Paired with a very complex and perfumed sparkling pudding wine it was absolutely divine. We opted for an additional course of cheese at the end of the meal which brought us back from sugary heights to end with rich salted dairy notes. A local fortified wine helped to end what has been one of my most interesting and delicious dining experiences to date. Gareth (?!) the restaurant manager shone with his passion for the wines and pairings, he clearly is very dedicated to this establishment and their commitment to showcasing local Welsh treasures. Thank you very much, Jackdaw, we wish you well - keep climbing!
sagittarius2411
Fabulous tasting experience! The food was unbelievably good ... every course in the festive tasting menu was a delight. From the three delightful 'snacks' at the beginning, through to the Blaenau Slate (which is delivered on slate and looks like slate but tastes like heaven) we couldn't fault the menu. The wine pairings were inspired and expertly presented and all the front of house staff were knowledgeable & friendly. I would definitely recommend to all foodies.
wizbud
Had been lookng forward to our meal here,for my husband's birthday and were not disappointed. We were warmly greeted and my husband was presented with a birthday card signed by the whole staff! Loved the dining room with nods to the Elizabethan Plas Mawr ( we thought) which is just a few doors away. We have been to many Michelin starred restaurants and this is well up there with the best! We will expect a star at any moment!! The food and service were exceptional, hard to chose a favourite course from our taster menu but the Heston inspired turkey dish was so delicious, we could have eaten so much more. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to my foodie friends. We will be back for sure
B Thomas
The best meal and experience from a restaurant I've had in my life.I've dined in a lot of places around the globe and never did I think that a small restaurant in Conwy would give me the best meal I've had in my life.My wife booked this place for my birthday and the first thing that I was provided when I took my seat was a birthday card from the entire restaurant team. The small thoughtful gift from such friendly staff was so sweet to me that I still have it to this day! An experience I'll never forget.Regarding the food, in short, it was exquisite. Everything that we ordered simply tasted divine. I've dined in London, NYC, Kuala Lumpur, and I still rank The Jackdaw at the top. I couldn't say anything bad about the food. Nothing was left afterwards.One of the best selling points of this place is that the menu lists by how close the ingredients/items are to the restaurant. So the first things that you're seeing are locally sourced products. An excellent way of ensuring what you're getting helps local providers.If I'm ever in North Wales again, I'm going to purposely make sure I can come here again.To the crew of The Jackdaw. Thank you so much.
We absolutely loved this restaurant. The most incredible food and ambience. Front of house staff were knowledgeable, friendly and attentive! We've eaten in numerous Michelin recommended and stared restaurants and this was up there with the best of them. Highly recommended. We will certainly be returning if we visit Conwy again!
Rob M
Friendly service from very knowledgeable staff. They had the answers to all our questions about the perfectly presented dishes.My partner had the pescitarian menu which we had arranged in advance.The wine pairing option just added to the overall excellent service and experience. Including some Welsh wine. In fact much of the menu featured locally sourced ingredients.A great way to celebrate our anniversary.
Angela F
This is an absolute favourite place for us. The food is simply wonderful, the service is excellent and the setting is perfect. Locally sourced ingredients and the focus on the Welsh food sets it apart but really it’s the whole experience from walking in the door and the welcome you get and the Blaenau Slate is the best dessert we have ever had.
Lysasmith
This evening was a Christmas gift from my son who lives in Llanddoged. We travelled from South Yorkshire and were assured that it was worth the 7 hour round trip. It did not disappoint. The food was adventurous but not so much that the themes or tastes were lost or that less daring tastebuds would be dissuaded from attempting. The wine pairings were exceptional and complimented each individual course. The service was professional, polite and informative and each course was delivered without feeling rushed. All in all this was a unique dining experience and enhanced by having my son and daughter in law to share it with. Fabulous.
576stevec576
Food was out of this world and service was attentive but not intrusive maintaining a casual atmosphere for the evening.
Was difficult to balance the Conwy of my childhood holidays, where chips and cream-cakes were in delicious abundance, with the fine dining experience promised by The Jackdaw. But any anxiety that it couldn't live up to expectations were completely forgotten as soon as our excellent host guided us to our table. Sadly his name is lost to me, but his passion, consideration, and breadth of knowledge were worthy of mention here even before we get to the incredible meal he provided us.And what a meal! Nugget is so rarely a pleasant word but the lamb nugget (part of a trio of snacks served first) may just be the greatest single mouthful of food I've ever had. The menu moves through unique interpretations of traditional dishes; Chicken liver parfait and toast, leek and potato soup, salmon, lamb... each course familiar but reimagined, each finely tuned, dressed and accompanied to showboat their strengths, to bring out their very best. The paired wines all really did accentuate the courses they arrived with, the service was impeccable, everything was so perfectly considered and delivered.The showstopping dessert, inspired by the local landscape, was the perfect end to a perfect night. Absolutely no idea how one makes slate mouthwatering, but The Jackdaw manages it.I've been fortunate enough to dine in some of the UK's finest restaurants, and The Jackdaw can stand easily and proudly among them. Conwy has always been a truly special town worthy of a visit, but The Jackdaw ensures that I'll always be looking for an excuse to get back as soon as possible.
Standing next to the discreet Jackdaw logo at the foot of the dungeon gate with its heavily padlocked iron bars cowering from the torrential Welsh rain had somehow peaked our fine dining expectation.We were warmly invited upstairs into a castle like banqueting hall and introduced to the tasting menu. It seemed we were waiting for other guests to arrive as the drinks order was slow.Biding time we noticed a bookcase full of top restaurants, many of which we had visited. Not sure whether the chef had been swotting or whether he was setting the scene, either way Blumenthals Fat duck was at the bottom and Noma proudly sat at the top of the pile, the Chef clearly a good judge of fine dining.After a strenuous walk earlier in the day we were famished, three amuse bouche arrived to take the edge off, but an hour later we were still waiting the main event as we realised we were part of a school dinner conveyor belt system with each table delivered its food in order.Wine was poured, unusually in bulk at the bar, in small measures, then delivered to each table with the waiter individually issuing the same well rehearsed monologue.Finally the first course, a tiny chicken parfait in a langoustine sauce which was tasty. We wondered how exciting the next course of leek and potato could be, but it was suprisingly full of flavour with its salty background offset by a sweet wine, although my wife would have prefered a crisp white and certainly a splash more.Salmon followed with a really unusual mushroom tasting white wine which went well with the fish but impossible to drink on its own.We wondered were the obligatory home made bread was, before it arrived four courses in with a strange collection of meat and three veg in the form of four dice like cubes. The lamb apparently cooked for 17 hours still offered some resistance and the whole course was somewhat out of place on the menu and more akin to school dinners.The main course of Welsh salt duck was tasty enough but unlike the previous courses which were piping hot this one wasnt, perhaps juggling 24 larger plates at the same time was a challenge.Finally, two dessert courses with the Blaenau Slate dish clearly the Chefs pride and joy demonstrating his North Wales heritage.Little care had been paid to the coffees which were served in small bowls rather than a cup rendering them difficult to drink, the espresso was just a black coffee and no petit fours.To cap the school night we were encouraged to form an orderly queue to pay the bill, I was wondering if we would get homework.Overall we marked Jackdaw 7 for flavour, 3 for portion size and 2 for delivery, must try harder, see me.
We had a beautiful meal here last night, the food was amazing and played with great wines, Gareth was a great host and knows his
Excellent food and wine,staff outstanding knowledge of everything they produce and sell.
Booked as a surprise for my husbands birthday. And it was a surprise for both of us how truly wonderful this restaurant is! Gareth as front of house was warm & convivial. Truly an asset to not only The Jackdaw but Conwy in general. Tasting menu & 3 glass wine pairing were exceptional. The number of courses & the pace they were executed in was excellent. Took just over 2.5hrs to enjoy & that we did! Can’t recommend this restaurant enough. Sous chef executed as though he were the executive chef. Well done! See you again!
A culinary experience of the best local Welsh ingredients pared with imaginative recipes and great service. A lovely intimate restaurant in the heart of historic Conwy North Wales within the wonderful castle walls. Went as a post Christmas treat to this little gem of a restaurant and we weren’t disappointed. You are limited to the single tasting menu but this is what you would expect for this type of restaurant / experience. They were very accommodating to dietary requirements and altered the menu accordingly. The front of house staff were superb - welcoming and approachable both were knowledgable about the menu, ingredients and each dish’s inspiration. At £75 for the tasting menu this seemed reasonable to us given the price for other tasting menus normally range from £75 up to over £250 per head. Each course came in good time and the whole experience lasted over 2.5hrs. An extensive wine list paired well with the menu. We will certainly be returning when they next change their seasonal menu.
We enjoyed the festive tasting menu and wine pairings on a Saturday evening. The venue is modestly sized and all the better for it. Rustic but cosy, the textured matt paint and scant botanics decorating the walls set the tone - simple but confident. Staff are highly attentive but don't hover; guests are seated at angles where staff can watch for clearing away and refilling drinks but you don't feel overtly observed at any time. Our attendants smiled freely and during the latter part of the meal two complimented my earrings, which was a nice way to feel welcome and noticed. The meal itself exceeded our expectations. Each course gave us plenty to contemplate and discuss. The broth was a particular early highlight (during the "snack" course). Crockery and cutlery choices have clearly been deeply thought about and elevated each course with an added experiential element. My partner enjoyed the balance of flavours with the chicken liver parfait and tostada. I really rather dislike fennel and there was a whole course dedicated to the herb (vegetable?) but even I had to admit that the cooking of the confit salmon that comes with the fennel sauce and puree was incredibly well done. The white rioja served alongside this dish was one of the best of the pairings; not perhaps a spectacular wine of its own merit but clearly aligned with the dish as they both elevated each other. The bread of heaven was quite perfectly named. The pig in blanket was perhaps not the easiest course to work with, the texture at arguments with my knife. Puddings (so often my favourite) did not disappoint. The plum granita was refreshing but deep and unctuous. The highlight however was the now rather famous Blaenau Slate, this time with a festive flavour combination. Paired with a very complex and perfumed sparkling pudding wine it was absolutely divine. We opted for an additional course of cheese at the end of the meal which brought us back from sugary heights to end with rich salted dairy notes. A local fortified wine helped to end what has been one of my most interesting and delicious dining experiences to date. Gareth (?!) the restaurant manager shone with his passion for the wines and pairings, he clearly is very dedicated to this establishment and their commitment to showcasing local Welsh treasures. Thank you very much, Jackdaw, we wish you well - keep climbing!
Fabulous tasting experience! The food was unbelievably good ... every course in the festive tasting menu was a delight. From the three delightful 'snacks' at the beginning, through to the Blaenau Slate (which is delivered on slate and looks like slate but tastes like heaven) we couldn't fault the menu. The wine pairings were inspired and expertly presented and all the front of house staff were knowledgeable & friendly. I would definitely recommend to all foodies.
Had been lookng forward to our meal here,for my husband's birthday and were not disappointed. We were warmly greeted and my husband was presented with a birthday card signed by the whole staff! Loved the dining room with nods to the Elizabethan Plas Mawr ( we thought) which is just a few doors away. We have been to many Michelin starred restaurants and this is well up there with the best! We will expect a star at any moment!! The food and service were exceptional, hard to chose a favourite course from our taster menu but the Heston inspired turkey dish was so delicious, we could have eaten so much more. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to my foodie friends. We will be back for sure
The best meal and experience from a restaurant I've had in my life.I've dined in a lot of places around the globe and never did I think that a small restaurant in Conwy would give me the best meal I've had in my life.My wife booked this place for my birthday and the first thing that I was provided when I took my seat was a birthday card from the entire restaurant team. The small thoughtful gift from such friendly staff was so sweet to me that I still have it to this day! An experience I'll never forget.Regarding the food, in short, it was exquisite. Everything that we ordered simply tasted divine. I've dined in London, NYC, Kuala Lumpur, and I still rank The Jackdaw at the top. I couldn't say anything bad about the food. Nothing was left afterwards.One of the best selling points of this place is that the menu lists by how close the ingredients/items are to the restaurant. So the first things that you're seeing are locally sourced products. An excellent way of ensuring what you're getting helps local providers.If I'm ever in North Wales again, I'm going to purposely make sure I can come here again.To the crew of The Jackdaw. Thank you so much.
Restaurantji Recommends
We absolutely loved this restaurant. The most incredible food and ambience. Front of house staff were knowledgeable, friendly and attentive! We've eaten in numerous Michelin recommended and stared restaurants and this was up there with the best of them. Highly recommended. We will certainly be returning if we visit Conwy again!
Friendly service from very knowledgeable staff. They had the answers to all our questions about the perfectly presented dishes.My partner had the pescitarian menu which we had arranged in advance.The wine pairing option just added to the overall excellent service and experience. Including some Welsh wine. In fact much of the menu featured locally sourced ingredients.A great way to celebrate our anniversary.
This is an absolute favourite place for us. The food is simply wonderful, the service is excellent and the setting is perfect. Locally sourced ingredients and the focus on the Welsh food sets it apart but really it’s the whole experience from walking in the door and the welcome you get and the Blaenau Slate is the best dessert we have ever had.
This evening was a Christmas gift from my son who lives in Llanddoged. We travelled from South Yorkshire and were assured that it was worth the 7 hour round trip. It did not disappoint. The food was adventurous but not so much that the themes or tastes were lost or that less daring tastebuds would be dissuaded from attempting. The wine pairings were exceptional and complimented each individual course. The service was professional, polite and informative and each course was delivered without feeling rushed. All in all this was a unique dining experience and enhanced by having my son and daughter in law to share it with. Fabulous.
Food was out of this world and service was attentive but not intrusive maintaining a casual atmosphere for the evening.