Meadowlark Restaurant — Restaurant in Washington Township

Vincent was an excellent server.

This restaurant could use a little refresh in the entry but I do like the local art in the dining area.

For a restaurant being so progressive with it's menu and careful with gluten/vegan cuisine I do not understand why there are not markings on the menu. Disappointed in allergens not being marked especially since this is a sister restaurant to Wheat Penny who despite the name actually does gluten allergy notices excellently.

Tonight I had a herb vinaigrette salad. I feel like someone was trying to be unique with the dressing. I've had a lot of vinaigrettes and salads. I never dislike a salad. I did not like it. The olives were oddly flavored. The cheese was good, but the dressing had herbs de provence or something odd in it I couldn't put my finger on. I feel like that's such an acquired to be taste, it should be mentioned or the dressing needs to be renamed or reformulated to be more like a goddess. It said it was lemon and didn't taste like lemon or vinegar or oil. Mostly avocado and herbs.

I highly recommend the caprese toast on gluten free bread. That's one of the best things I've had in a long time. The tomatoes were red, fresh, and juicy.

The burnt peach and macadamia nut cheesecake was not it. I feel like it has a lighter feel with more egg/custard taste than cheese. Needs more sugar and more cream cheese, more brown sugar crumble. Pass the burnt top and replace by peach jam or something like that.

I hope they are as celiac friendly as was shared by server. I'll report back. **Can't notice specific issues with gluten.

Also the two-tops were too close to each other to have no music playing. There needed to be background music because it was near impossible not to hear the entirety of the next conversation. One table should be removed in that row.

Although the restaurant met our needs that day I wouldn't be swift to return, but can recognize the value of a locally owned place with a...

I was shocked to see a one star review for this place. I have a hard time believing what I read in that review was actually true. It's so far from my experience at this restaurant. Sure, the hostess has looked down her nose at me once or twice. What do I care? She's a hostess at a restaurant. I'll start caring what she thinks of me when I'm a waiter. I've also had snobby looks from other customers, too. Honestly, you can't blame the Meadowlark because sometimes middle aged rich people like to come there and treat the waiters like crap... and they do. My experience with the waitstaff has been good. I'm a non-hippie, non-hipster, completely uncool breeder complete with deoderant and I don't recall ever feel like they were judging me. I think waiters usually care more about whether their customers respect the work they do than if they agree with their politics. I also disagree with the idea that they're selling an idea. They aren't in your face about the organic, local, and humane "jazz." I wasn't really aware that was what was going on in kitchen, at first. It never mattered. The staff is friendly enough, the music playing is never terrible, there's frequently new art on the walls. The menu is varied, changes regularly, the food is interesting (sometimes original) and flavorful. Still, if you are swayed by some of the sillier stuff in other reviews you should at least go to the Meadowlark so you can have a good meal while you entertain yourself by hating hippies...

The group I visited the restaurant with left overall disappointed with the experience. Our waiter was great. The rest of the servers were disappointing. They wandered around not knowing where to take food. Someone in our group who ordered a Coke Zero got his drink nearly ten minutes after others got their beers. The tone set for the meal was not a great one.

Then there was the food. I wasn't disappointed with my meal. I ordered a Korean salad that was pretty good, even if I think it didn't match the price point set for it (or the upcharge for tofu). My friends were underwhelmed by their various meals. And then there were the garlic fries. I tried some. Salty fries, sure, but garlic? I guess you could count the crumbles that fell off the fries as garlic on the fries. But no one was impressed by them. They weren't worth the additional cost.

I want to say the atmosphere was nice, but it just reminded me of a Red Lobster. Specifically the fact that modern day Red Lobster is now more laid back after years of trying to appear fancy. That's how this restaurant was. It felt like a place that was trying to be welcoming after being stuffy -- but I could be wrong about it. All I can say is that while we were finishing our meals a woman who may be a regular to the establishment made it a point to stop by our table as she was heading out to tell us there was something wrong with our group. If that's the kind of patron this restaurant attracts, I'm happy to not visit again the next time...