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The Highlawn, West Orange, NJ

The Highlawn

4.4
4.4
1506 Reviews
$31 to $50
American
1 Crest Dr, West Orange, NJ 07052

Make a reservation

2 people
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
11:00 PM
Booked 18 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Romantic
  • Fancy
  • Neighborhood gem
Nestled atop the picturesque Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange, NJ, The Highlawn is regarded throughout the region for fine dining and its dedication to making each celebration memorable and unique. It has been the trusted venue of many private groups, Fortune 500 companies, non-profit organizations, local community associations, and many more, and is a recipient of OpenTable's Diners' Choice Awards for the Top 100 Scenic View Restaurants.

The landmark has been revitalized to provide patrons with a premier fine dining experience and world-class site for weddings and special events. With world class Culinary Director and Executive Chef William Prunty now at the helm, diners can expect an out-of-this-world meal.

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Additional information

  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    American, Steakhouse, Italian
  • Hours of operation
    Bar Tue–Thu 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm Dinner Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Catering
    Built into the Watchung Mountain Ridge of West Orange’s Eagle Rock Reservation, the Wine Cellar is a venue like no other for private events, corporate functions, tastings, and celebrations. The event space hosts 15-65 guests and is the ideal setting for any gathering.
  • Private party facilities
    The Skyline Ballroom features the most iconic panoramic views of New York City—anywhere. The event space hosts up to 200 guests and is the perfect setting for receptions of any kind
  • Neighborhood
    West Orange
  • Parking details
    Valet
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, View, Wine

Experiences

  • Easter Buffet

    Apr 20, 2025 only
    Easter Buffet at The Highlawn– April 20th Celebrate Easter with us and enjoy a festive buffet featuring a delicious selection of seasonal favorites. ✨ Seating Options: 🌸 First Seating: 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM (Buffet closes at 2:30 PM) 🌸 Second Seating: 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM (Buffet closes at 7:00 PM) 🍽 Pricing: Adults: $85 per person Children (12 & under): $35 🥂 Buffet Highlights: Soups & fresh salads Chilled seafood & specialty cold station Made-to-order eggs & omelets Carving & hot food stations Freshly baked goods & decadent desserts Juice & Coffee Station Reserve your table now for a delicious Easter celebration! 🌷🐣
    Easter Buffet Photo
  • Mother's Day Buffet

    May 11, 2025 only
    Mother's Day Buffet at The Highlawn- Sunday May 11th Celebrate Easter with us and enjoy a festive buffet featuring a delicious selection of seasonal favorites. ✨ Seating Options: 🌸 First Seating: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM (Buffet closes at 2:30 PM) 🌸 Second Seating: 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM (Buffet closes at 6:00 PM) 🍽 Pricing: Adults: $85 per person Children (12 & under): $35 🥂 Buffet Highlights: Soups & fresh salads Chilled seafood & specialty cold station Made-to-order eggs & omelets Carving & hot food stations Freshly baked goods & decadent desserts Juice & Coffee Station Reserve your table now for a delicious Mother's Day celebration! 🌷
    Mother's Day Buffet Photo

What 1,506 people are saying

The Highlawn reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4
4.4 based on recent ratings
  • 4.3Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Essex

    Romantic

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Highlawn offers a "spectacular hilltop view of Manhattan" and a beautiful ambiance. Guests enjoy attentive service and "excellent food," with standout dishes like the filet mignon and lobster bisque. While some find the menu pricey, the stunning setting and live music create a "fantastic dining experience" for special occasions.
1,506 Reviews
  1. Rick

    New York City3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Stiger prawns and steaks were amazing. Service first class.

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  2. Gina

    New York City3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I love the new social hour! Its the same food and drinks but much more affordable. I will be back!

    Is this helpful?

  3. Steven

    New York City5 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on April 5, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5
    Beautiful place with magnificent views of NYC. Food just average, very expensive. Service, just OK. Dinner served way to fast for this type of restaurant. Within 3 minutes of placing our order, salad came out. As soon as we finished salad, our main course was served. One entre was a rigatoni pasta which was way under cooked. That generally indicates a dry, boxed pasta. I would have thought, at their price, this would have been fresh made pasta. We then received the desert menu, which we ordered. I told our waiter to hold off on serving this a bit. Well, that came out 5 minutes later. Understand, we have been going to this restaurant for many, many years. Ownership changed about 3 years ago and it is quite obvious the new management does not operate as the previous (and original ) owners did. This used to be a first class restaurant and new ownership has dropped the ball.

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  4. Charles

    New York City5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 5, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    What an experience! The restaurant is beautiful. The view perfect. From the second we sat down, party of 6 with kids, our server was on point. He was very to attentive to my wife and I however more concentrated on my kids which is not the norm. This is what sold us. The chef lead chef was super concentrated on every single dish that left the kitchen, I know this because our table was facing the kitchen. Every meal from appetizer to desert was excellent. What an amazing experience. Hands down one of my favorites in the New Jersey/New York area. Well done Highlawn

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  5. Anna VIP

    New York City2 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on April 3, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    The food was not great. I make better steak at home lobster thermidor was dry

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  6. Abigail

    New York City1 review

    5.0

    Dined on March 28, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I had an amazing experience at this restaurant! The food was fantastic, the ambiance was perfect, and the service was top-notch. Ana, our waitress, was incredibly kind and attentive, making sure we had everything we needed. The live entertainment added a wonderful touch to the evening. I will definitely be coming back!
    The HighlawnResponded on April 1, 2025
    Hello Abigail, We're thrilled to hear about your amazing experience at The Highlawn! It's fantastic to know that you found our food fantastic, our ambiance perfect, and our service top-notch. We're especially glad that our live entertainment added to your evening. Your kind words mean a lot to us and we're thrilled that you're planning to return. We can't wait to welcome you back! Best regards, The Management Team

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  7. OpenTable Diner

    New York City1 review

    2.0

    Dined on March 22, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Never will come here again. Absolutely terrible experience.
    The HighlawnResponded on April 1, 2025
    Thank you for your feedback; I am very sorry to hear about your unsatisfactory dining experience with us. We can assure you that our aim, day by day, is to create an unforgettable and satisfactory experience for every guest. Please provide us with an email so that a member of our management team can be in contact with you shortly. Very best, Laine Facatselis HL Assistant General Manager

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  8. David

    New York City36 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 22, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our visit began by encountering two wonderful hostesses who also stopped by during the meal. Our server, Nicholas was terrific, and he was always on the move - very quick delivery of all parts of the meal. The food was excellent - both the scallops and the halibut entrees. And they each had their own unique tasty touches from the chef. Topped off by the delicious molten lava cake, the entire meal was extraordinarily great! And don’t forget the spectacular hilltop view of Manhattan.
    The HighlawnResponded on April 1, 2025
    Thanks for the feedback, David! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your visit to The Highlawn. It's wonderful to know that our team's efforts to provide excellent service and delicious food were appreciated. We're glad you enjoyed the scallops and halibut entrees. Your kind words about our unique touches from the chef are much appreciated! We're also glad you enjoyed the molten lava cake and had a spectacular view of Manhattan. We hope to see you again soon!

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  9. Jennifer

    Washington DC1 review

    5.0

    Dined on March 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Very attentive service, great food, amazing view!!!

    Is this helpful?

  10. OpenTable Diner

    New York City1 review

    4.0

    Dined on March 14, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    You pay for the ambiance, excellent service, and spectacular view. The food was below par.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Highlawn is rated 4.4 stars by 1506 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation


Booked 18 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for The Highlawn

1 Crest Dr, West Orange, NJ 07052

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    West Orange
  • Hours of operation
    Bar Tue–Thu 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm Dinner Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    American, Steakhouse, Italian
  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Valet
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, View, Wine
  • Phone number
  • Catering
    Built into the Watchung Mountain Ridge of West Orange’s Eagle Rock Reservation, the Wine Cellar is a venue like no other for private events, corporate functions, tastings, and celebrations. The event space hosts 15-65 guests and is the ideal setting for any gathering.
  • Private party facilities
    The Skyline Ballroom features the most iconic panoramic views of New York City—anywhere. The event space hosts up to 200 guests and is the perfect setting for receptions of any kind
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  • Terms of Use
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