Chimney Rock Inn — Restaurant in Bridgewater Township

Edit 2024, hate judging things on any single experience as it's not very informed. Despite this I had to update my review based on a general trend but also an experience that was so negative.

The food has been slipping but the service has dropped off a cliff and mainly for the hosting/take-out and management people. Most of the servers are good but dealing with an issue on a take-out or wonder why it's been an hour to get the table for 3 they promised was 10 minutes out. I recently had an order, arrived on the back side of the estimated time knowing they're usually behind and wasn't surprised or bothered. After another 10 minutes I asked at least for an idea of how long and was told all was ready except one small dish and a salad. Okay, just gotta wait a little more. After another 15 minutes and still no food I asked again and said they were still working on it. Asked to get what was ready and refund the one item as the food had supposedly been ready for 20 minutes or more already. Got told okay but nothing was done and I was ignored for another 10 minutes. At this point there was no excuse and at least some honesty or help would have traditionally been offered but all I got was that the kitchen was busy. I asked for what's been ready, how's that the kitchens fault? And a side salad is holding it up, really? Finally after 35 minutes of waiting, all beyond the initial estimated time I got my food and to no surprise it was nearly all cold. I walked back up to the window and asked for a manager, just wanted to make it known that I was walking out with cold food and certainly not asking for them to redo the order or anything but just that they were aware of this terrible performance. The hostess explained that the kitchen was busy and that I didn't need to speak with anyone.

Well maybe someone will think more of customer's opinions in the future because this was the single worst experience there amongst a whole range over three-plus decades. So bad that I felt it worthy of sharing and shaving off a couple stars from what's previously been almost stellar reviews, even on nights when it wasn't the best. The disrespect shown by a couple of employees like this is terrible and a manager had been in there earlier in the ordeal and also couldn't have cared less or anticipated the problem that leaving 90% of the order to sit for over a half hour was going to present, that's what really changed my mind.

Interestingly when you look at the reviews here there's a trend. People who are reviewing after their first time tend to be 4-5 stars and rave about the food and atmosphere. Many of the reviews that are lower come from some of us that have been going for years or decades. The food still often is raved about but those missing stars tend to be based on terrible service.

Always great food and atmosphere here. Doesn't matter if its dinner with the kids or date night with the wife at the bar. The pizza is known across the state while classics like steak and burgers with the classic Rock fries round...

Farewell Lunch at “Chimney Rock Inn Restaurant": An Experience Filled with Joy and Good Vibes

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a retirement farewell lunch for a co-worker, at a delightful, light-filled restaurant. The atmosphere was brimming with a sense of joy and positive vibrations that set a cheerful tone for our event.

Upon my arrival, I experienced a slight delay before I was greeted and directed to our reservation. We were seated at the end of the restaurant, in a hall, around a long table designed to accommodate 30 guests. At first glance, the space seemed cramped and crowded. Everyone was seated close together, making it impossible to communicate with anyone more than two seats away. However, as the minutes ticked by, I started appreciating the intimate setting. It fostered a more personal atmosphere, allowing guests to have engaging conversations with those in close proximity.

The restaurant staff deserves applause for their efficiency and attentiveness. Despite the tight space, they managed to navigate the narrow gaps between chairs and the wall to serve a variety of appetizers and pizzas. The French fries sprinkled with bacon were an instant hit, but it was the pizza that stole the show. Perfectly cooked and sliced into smaller-than-usual pieces, it allowed everyone to enjoy a variety of flavors.

Our group had brought a cake to celebrate Kevin's retirement. The restaurant staff was swift and coordinated in cutting and distributing slices to all attendees at the long table, which was a lovely touch.

The coffee served towards the end was remarkable. As a black coffee aficionado, I was impressed by the rich aroma and full-bodied flavor, which were an absolute delight.

To conclude, this restaurant offered a pleasant dining experience for our farewell lunch. The staff was excellent, the food was delicious, and the ambiance was full of joy and light. While I wouldn't hesitate to revisit for personal dining, I would exercise caution before booking large group events due to the seating arrangement and space constraints. Nonetheless, the event was a memorable one, filled with good food...

We just had my daughters first birthday party at the Bridgewater location on saturday 2/25. When it came time to plan my daughters 1st birthday party I was overwhelmed & not many options when you are planning a February birthday, because of weather being unpredictable. I had come across this website/article about the best places to have parties in NJ, & Chimney Rock was one of the top rated. Even though I had never even been there before, reading the reviews and seeing their menu options I was pretty confident. Their event coordinator Dawn from start to finish made the whole planning flawless. She responded to my emails so quickly & answered all my questions. When I tell you I researched about 15 places, I’m not lying, and Chimney Rock’s prices were outstanding. We couldn’t believe how much food you were getting for the price.

When it came to party day, all my nerves went away, when we got there to set up the decorations they had everything ready to go for us. the room was the perfect size for the number of guests we had. the servers who were in charge of our party couldnt have been more nice and attentive. They are so organized, clearing plates, refilling the pitchers of soda & water, packing up the leftover food and labeling the containers. I myself was in the service business for 8 years, you can tell when the staff really cares about their job & their guests, they aren’t just doing it for the cash, & let me tell you, thats very rare to find & when you do its like winning the lottery when you find a staff like Chimney Rock has. When I tell you we will definitely be hosting another party here in the future, it’s without question. We cant thank them enough for making our daughter’s first birthday so special and flawless.

all the food was delicious!!!! but some of our guest’s favorites were the buffalo shrimp, pierogies, & pizza :)

also most places give you such a hard time about hanging decorations, but Chimney Rock doesn’t have much restrictions which is...