Highlands Bar and Grill — Restaurant in Clearlake

Our hostess/waitress was one of the best in Lake County. The atmosphere has all new artwork in the dining area, which is nice. Although there were two that had 1 👁 eye, they were both looking at us. Little weird. The food was terrible. I ordered scallops in lemon and butter, vegetables, mashed potatoes, and gravy. The other 2 people with me ordered bacon wrapped filet mignon, salad with Italian dressing, vegetables, and chopped red potatoes. The Italian dressing was oil and watered down vinegar, no spices. Even the waitress went and tasted the dressing on her own accord when she saw they weren't eating it and came to our table to tell us she didn't like the dressing and offered to get something else. Our vegetables were sliced steamed carrots with no seasoning. The same goes for the red potatoes. The filets were charred marked and raw on the inside and tough. My mashed potatoes were a giant ice cream scoop of potatoes with a very thick brown sauce poured down one side. The presentation of all our food reminded me of a cafeteria style meal food just tossed on a plate. The appetizers were good chicken wings and potato skins. The drinks from the bar were good. One of us asked to speak with the manager about the food, and the manager listened but didn't seem to care. We all want every restaurant in Lake County to be great. Even good would be ok. When this restaurant was Howard's Grotto, the food was consistently good or decent. I will never go back to this restaurant for food again. Fast food is more appealing. I might go there to the bar side for a drink, maybe. To the owner, please get someone in there who can make good food and who knows how to plate the food. To the cook, taste the food before you decide to put it on the menu. We paid over $200 for the 3 of us, including 2 drinks each for 2 of us. I didn't want to pay for the food, but the waitress was so incredible that we just paid it. We won't go...

CLOSED SUNDAY & MONDAY

MOTHER'S DAY DINNER 2025...THE PRIME RIB WAS EXCELLENT AS WAS THE FANTASTIC SERVICE...TRIVIA: THE PRIME RIB WAS THE BEST FLAVOR YET...THANK YOU NEW OWNERSHIP... MORE TRIVIA: LOBSTER'S WERE DELECTABLE...

TRIVIA: DEFINITELY HOLIDAY OR ANY TIME / DELECTABLE PRIME RIB...HAVE TO TRY PRIME RIB NOW THOUGH...NEW OWNERSHIP...

NEW OWNERSHIP / SO FAR SO GOOD... HER CHEF SALAD WAS EXCELLENT... MY BUTTERFLY SHRIMP & FRIES WITH A SALAD WAS DELECTABLE...DEFINITELY WILL RETURN...TRIVIA: ALWAYS LOVE PRIME RIB...

O.M.G. X-MAS PRIME RIB...WE BOTH HAD THE DOUBLE CUT...THE FLAVOR WAS EXCELLENT & IT WAS SUPER-SUPER TENDER...REALLY HOPE THIS RESTAURANT STAYS OPEN...TRIVIA: YOU COULD HAVE USED A BUTTER KNIFE TO CUT THE PRIME RIB...

THE ONLY RESTAURANT AROUND / TO HAVE A DECENT DINNER...WE HAD THE DEEP / FRIED SHRIMP / USUALLY WE HAVE THE DOUBLE CUT PRIME RIB... FULL BAR / SALAD BAR / LUNCH OR DINNER... BEST PRIME RIB IN LAKE COUNTY...TRIVIA: EXCEPT FOR MY WIFE ANNITTA'S PRIME RIB...SHE HAD TO ACTUALLY LOOK OVER HER SHOULDER...TO LEARN THE COOK'S SECRET PRIME RIB RECIPE / AS SHE WAS WORKING AT LAKESHORE INN / FOR FOURTEEN YEARS...MAJOR TRIVIA: I HAVE NEVER TASTED ANY BETTER PRIME RIB...AND BELIEVE ME / I...

I love Howard’s grilled shrimp scampi! Can not be duplicated! This is my all time favorite steak and seafood restaurant! I have been dining here for over 30 years and definitely recommend it! Great food great service. Salad bar and full bar accents your Heavenly meal! Plus they have really affordable burgers on the menu for the kids. It’s a win all the way around. Cant wait to dine there again hopefully soon! :) 6/28/25 revise my review.. this is now highland bar and grill and it’s absolutely terrible. Terrible service. The waitress took 2 party’s orders that arrived after us before ours. They no longer include soup and salad with dinners unless it’s steak or lobster and the clam chowder was terrible nothing like the way it was when it was the grotto. The portions were terrible my son got maybe 10 fries with his fish. They give u 3 small pieces of bread. It was all around terrible experience and way over priced it cost $98 for dinner for 2 and I’ll definitely never go back! Do not recommend since the new owners took over!! Thumbs down and it’s a shame I loved there grilled shrimp scampi when it was Howards now it’s not the same either!! Terrible prices!terrible food!! and...