A great little restaurant with a really friendly and welcoming atmosphere somewhat hidden in the back streets of Manly. As has been the trend in those parts, the best places to eat and drink tend to be hidden away and Jah Bar is a prime example of that. It's well worth taking a short trip down the side street for a meal and a drink. The restaurant appears to be fairly small but with outdoor seating and fabulous bar seating which overlooks the open kitchen, there is enough seating to create a lovely atmosphere.
The food is tapas style and although one could put a good case forward to tapas being a little overdone, Jah Bar is a great example of what this style of food should be. Dishes are not massive which can be deceiving because they are so rich and tasty that filling up is not a problem at all. Do make sure that you leave some room for the drinks as they know how to make a decent cocktail, have a few beers on tap and the wine list includes a number if reasonably priced overseas options and it's always great to try something new.
For those that like a raw food experience the ceviche and fish tacos are favourites. For something a little meatier, the pork cheek and scallops is divine mainly because of the accompanying sweet corn puree. It's also difficult to go past pork ribs and even thought it was against my best instincts to order it, the peruvian salad was a hit with those tiny exploding pomegranate seeds! The flat breads are essentially small pizza light on cheese, if any at all, but with many a gorgeous topping.
Thankfully the Jah Bar menu is designed so that you order a number of dishes so you'll have a good opportunity to sample several of these glorious dishes. Some have mentioned that it's not cheap. Well, in comparison to some of the standard "cafe" style restaurants close by, it is more expensive so if you're only after something to fill your stomach then there are other options but if you're actually after a creative and interesting selection of dishes to complete a real dining experience then Jah Bar is the great place for you. read more