The Highlawn — Restaurant in Montclair

DO NOT GO TO THIS PLACE!!! I reserved a an anniversary party for my parents in the wine cellar. When my party arrived the women at the desk told them they did not have a party under the name that was giving so I had my guests contacting me asking me ..”Are you sure there is a party here, they said your name is not here.” Which caused much embarrassment on my behalf and my parents behalf. Then they said since the room is not rented we can give you a party.. which means if my guests were not really my guests they would have given the room away and we really wouldn’t have had a party!!! SMH… they then finally spoke to management and found my reservation. When I arrived with my parents the room reeked of a mildew smell. I had to let the women in charge of the party aware of the scent as if she didn’t smell it the entire time she was preparing. They then put a lemon grass scent on that flowed the the vents which should’ve been on so the my guests didn’t have to smell the awful smell.. but why would they do that when they weren’t expecting my party. Then they gave 4 bowls of calamari to a party of 20 of which was not enough, and 4 tray of 3 meatballs , AGAINwhich was not enought!! was under the impression that when a party is reserved with a set menu that the appetizers would be unlimited. When I asked for more, the attendant ask me how much and she only gave two extra bowls for A PARTY OF 20 which was NOT ENOUGH.. and forget about additional meatballs.. I didn’t even bother to ask. From previous experiences at venues that offer set menus., they watch the party to see if more needs to be added. I contacted the person that setup the party the day after she told me they would get back to me the next week because they are closed on Mondays. They never got back to me. I then contacted the restaurant, they assured me the general manager would get back to me. It has been a week pass and no one has contacted me so that I can express my experience. IT WAS AWFUL!!! DO NOT GO TO THIS PLACE!! The views are great but the service is HORRIBLE!! The saying you get what you pay for is not the rule at this place.. don’t waste your time.. you will be better off standing outside to watch the views than to go in this place and let the mildew scent seep into your clothing.. also your gona leave hungry because they are not going to give you what you’ve paid for. I’ve been to many venues that advertise an experience that offers many amenities that they stand by and execute….THIS IS NOT ONE OF THEM!! DONT WASTE YOUR TIME!! i even requested that we order off the menu, i believe we wouldve got more bank for our bucj and maybe it wouldve been better for them because the prepped meal wasnt ready for ua anyway. as a business owner myself, i stand on high quality customer service!!! this is what expands on your clientele.. we still decided to tip our service attendant, I don’t believe it was her fault, she only work at the place, she’s not the owner.. the fact she looked like the wind blew her into a stinky environment made my heart go out to her and she did the best she could with what she had. Again DO NOT GO TO THIS PLACE!!! Or eat before you go, because you definitely won’t be satisfied!!! I was trying to hold off on leaving this review!! But I had to do it… why??? Because no one...

The Highlawn is a Total Experience Not having been to the Highlawn in a dozen years, I heard it was under new management and decided to try it out and treat our niece and her husband to dinner. I forgot how breathtaking the view as one approaches the restaurant. We opted to come early for our 6:15 reservation and start at the bar. Great decision! It is a comfortable horseshoe bar and meeting Ashley, the bartender was a joy; not to mention that each of the three martinis she made for us: dirty, lemon rind and espresso were beyond excellent. My niece loved her glass of white wine which Ashley intuitively selected for her. The attention of the maître d' was impressive, but I knew I was in for excellent service when some member of the staff cleaning up a customer’s bar spill stopped as we passed and wished us a good meal. Where do you see that? And it turned out to be true. Seated at a window table where we could continue to enjoy the view, I casually asked the server her name and introduced the table. Well, apparently Courtney told our waiter, Lucas and when he came to the table, he blew me away by addressing us each by name. I wish I was still in business to make this my ´” go to” place of entertainment. The wine list runs from affordable to expensive, I selected a Napa Cab that I knew was good value and after meeting the Beverage Manager am confident that every price level is a value wine. We shared three of the appetizers: Crab Cake; Octopus and Meat Ball. (it broke my heart not to have the raw bar) The Crab Cake was accented with long hots; the octopus (which is a risk to order) was perfectly moist and light and the meatball had a fine, smooth texture, both tight and light perhaps because of the smoked ricotta. In deference to my gluten free niece, the waiter served the garlic anchovy bread to the three of us. The one couple shared a Wedge topped with Gorgonzola, tomatoes and pancetta and we shared the Caesar, which was very, very different with gem lettuce, and chicories but very, very good. The waiter accommodated us with a pasta course because I really wanted to try their 24-Bolognese with short ribs, pork and veal on Calamarata pasta (a shape I never had before). I’m really glad we did because it was out of this world. For the entrée we shared the Prime Filet Mignon; Lamb Chops and Branzino accompanied by the Lemon. The beef was a beautiful, perfect color; the lamb chops were rich and savory yet gentle; and the branzino was mild and savory presented uniquely cut and attractive. We almost did not order dessert because our meal was substantial; but we did and are glad for it. We shared the Blueberry Cobbler and the Chocolate Mousse. Beyond the fact that it seemed that the blueberries were picked just before serving, all I can say is that they were both a taste of paradise. But be aware that it was not the food alone.... I have had excellent meals in many places... The Highlawn is a...

Our wedding at the Highlawn on 10/28/23 truly exceeded all expectations. I cannot say enough about Gianna, the events manager, who is incredibly responsive and accommodating. In the months leading up to the Highlawn, we paid several visits, and we always felt at home. When you arrive at Eagle Rock Reservation, there is a beautiful sign for the Highlawn at the entrance, and the drive up to the restaurant through gorgeous fall foliage opens up onto a stunning view of Manhattan. Our wedding took place in the Skyline Ballroom upstairs, which has a similar layout to the downstairs restaurant. There is plenty of privacy as well as an elevator, which is perfect for older guests and sensitive cargo (say, a wedding cake). The night's menu was delicious - filet mignon, sea bass, oysters - and all the guests raved about the food and the service. The bar had excellent quality liquor and worked with us to create a signature drinks menu. The old-fashioned at the Highlawn was maybe the best old-fashioned I'd ever had. We had looked at other venues in NJ and feel strongly that the Highlawn was by far the best experience we could have had, with the highest value, out of the ones that we considered. We thought carefully about how to use the layout for our 90 guests, since the upstairs ballroom is essentially one big connected room with different spaces. We could have fit a couple more tables if needed, but we felt it was a comfortable size for our group. In order to maximize the view of Manhattan, we had 10 round tables in a long row, essentially, to be close to the large and beautiful windows. The dance floor in the middle of the room is well sized, with plenty of room to dance, but not so large that people get lost. Finally, the bar was conveniently accessible from both the dining side and another connected space (a cocktail area) which led out onto the brand-new patio. The view of the New York skyline was stunning both during the day and at night. Our guests loved taking photos outside on the patio. The Highlawn was entirely renovated a few years ago, but the upstairs patio is new as of 2023. They also have an outdoor ceremony space (which we decided not to use during the late fall) and a tented outdoor space for celebrations. If it is very important to you to have a large bridal suite at the venue itself, that is not possible at the Highlawn, but they do have a small room available to catch your breath and get a moment of privacy. We got ready at the hotel nearby so it worked well enough for us! It was certainly one of the best nights of my life, full of so much love and warmth from all. The Highlawn...