I give this 5 stars not because it is 5 stars by downtown Boston standards but because it's a really great option in the burbs. The place was hopping on a Thursday night but they had one table left. Good upbeat energetic place where people are definitely having a good time. I ordered lamb lollipops as an app which were delicious and perfectly cooked to a medium rare. Our son had a Turkey burger which was well cooked and very tasty. The fries were not as crispy as we like them. My wife ordered the gnocchi with mushrooms which was rich and decadent. She loved it and took half home for a great lunch tomorrow. Our daughter got the risotto with veggies and it was creamy and wonderful. We also got a Caesar salad to share. Large portion with good dressing and plenty of shaved parmesan cheese. For dessert we split the small Bagg's Doughnuts. They are filled with Nutella and worth a trip here just to have them. Our son said it was one of the best desserts he has ever had - and he has had many thousands of desserts. The service was a bit slow but considering that the place was packed, not too bad. Food came out quickly and our waitress was very nice. We will be back. read more

Dined with people who raved about this place. They were surprised that the service this time was so poor. The wait staff had a hard time finding our table. Waitress brought us more bread when we asked but failed to bring more oil. Food took way too long to be served. Food was just okay. Nothing to rave about. Waitress did apologize for the long wait for our food when she finally brought our check. Place is very cool looking. No reason for us to return! read more

Just don't bother. Raw pasta is probably the worst thing ever. How do you under cook $21 ravioli? Ask Blue on Highland! I grinned and bared it until I couldn't anymore. Didn't finish my meal, told the waitress about it but nothing was done. This place probably gets away with a lot since there is nothing in the area. Skip it and get a pastry at Starbucks next door if you're hungry. (Mind you, the waitress did ask if everything was fine and we said "yes." Our fault on that.) read more

Steak sandwich is the best steak sandwich on the planet. That's all. That's the review.

Ummmm... outstanding! ! Seriously even tho there are only two people working, with a nearly full lunch crowd, we got served right away and the food is AWESOME! Im eating the grilled chicken focaccia, my bf got the vermonter (burger). Both fantastic. And our bartender is professional, courteous, and super attentive. Well worth the thirty five minute drive to "eat outside "!! read more

Blue On Highland - New American Near Me - Needham, Massachusetts

Pros: Our server was good, very prompt and pleasant. Cons: Too many to make a return visit. We made a reservation, arrived, and they sat me and my wife- who is *very* pregnant- at a very uncomfortable table with hard metal chairs. When I asked if we could be seated at the booth, the hostess couldn't be bothered- "Sorry, people call to reserve those specifically"- and did nothing to try and make us any more comfortable; there was at least one booth open the entire time we were there, and also, how would I know I had to specifically ask for a booth when making a reservation? The entrees were incredibly overpriced for what you get, my wife's salmon was so salty it was difficult to eat, and for $30 my prime rib shouldn't have been 50% fat. Saying the ambiance in this place is lacking is being generous- it felt like we were eating in a department store in a mall, kind of like having dinner at The Gap. read more

The food is average. I have been on several occasions and never blown away by taste. Most recently I had the tuna poke tacos and it was not good cut of tuna---- had a lot of hard fat running thru it making it tough to eat. The chief clearly did not cut the poke well. Service is very good. I do not like you may have share a long table with strangers. Not the best if you want to have private conversation. read more

This is without a doubt one of the worst restaurant experiences I've had. I have been to Blue on Highland four times, each time worse than the previous. Blue on Highland managed to mess up even the things that TERRIBLE restaurants can still do, in this case (1) serving soggy and cold french fries and (2) serving the food (mussels) cold. The last time I was in was during Sunday brunch, which meant a jazz band was playing. The jazz band was likely the restaurant's saving grace, as I can imagine that without the presence of the calming music, patrons would have felt it necessary to commit arson and burn the restaurant down. The salads are a disaster. Tried a caesar salad, it tasted like chemicals. One person at my table wasn't turned off, explaining that they LIKE chemicals, but otherwise, the caesar salad was browned romaine lettuce, cheese that looked like ripped up Kraft singles, and stale croutons. The entree salads - no better - and I won't even START telling you about the "grilled chicken" on the salads. One person ordered a side of oranges with their food, and they were presented with what were clearly canned mandarin orange slices in that heavy syrup. Vile. I mentioned the french fries. At my table, people had varieties of burgers, ranging from regular to veggie to turkey. All came with soggy, soft french fries reminiscent of a wet noodle. How can you manage to even screw up EVERYONE'S french fries? As far as the burgers, the veggie burger appeared to be a frozen burger one would find in the grocery store freezer aisle, and the same applies to the turkey burger. I wish I could tell you more about the regular burger, but in spite of being ordered medium-well, it came out so raw and bloody that a pool of meat juice filled the plate and soaked the bun, and only a few bites of it ended up eaten. And then, the grand finale: Mussels that were supposed to be served hot, but came out cool and smelling rancid. Don't do it. Just don't. read more

I had heard less that stellar reviews of this establishments so my hopes were not high. However, i was very pleasantly surprised. The decor is great, and food and service was even better. They also must have changed the menu, as the majority of items (especially desserts) being mentioned in other reviews were not on the menu when I was there. I had the center cut sirloin (comes with potatoes and asparagus) 'oscar' sty;e which was GREAT. I was really impressed because I ordered it medium rare, and it arrived perfect. Often times restaurants cook the medium rare heavily on the medium side, but this one was excellent. I was even more impressed because the waitress wanted to make sure that I tried it and it was cooked to my liking. I got the sense that had it not been to my liking they would have taken it back and fixed it happily. Bread basket was also good, and comes with a small tray of butter, oil, and hummus. They also have affordable wine options (I had a Malbec for about 8 bucks). Also worth noting that when sharing the specials with us the waitress also mentioned their prices. I really dislike when I order a special and am later 'surprised' by the price. I will def. return! read more

Bottom Line: They didn't honor an advertised special. I discovered this place a while back because they are directly across from the Commuter Rail. After dropping off my girlfriend's car at a nearby repair shop, we went by here and had a great dinner. The food was really good. So, good, that we agreed to get on the email list when the waitress asked us. This was over a year ago. So, in one of the emails, they advertised a "Red White and Blue" special for the 4th of July. It said to click on the site for more information. Right below that on the site, there was a Burger and a Beer special for $12.99. It included a Harpoon beer. It said Mon-Thurs throughout July. I had seen this special before and had been tempted. We decided to go for it, because it was too hot to cook and it sounded pretty good. Here is the special: http://www.blueonhighland.com/events When we got there, the waitress said that was only going to be *after* the 4th. We said, hmm ok, we'll get our waters and bread or whatever. In the meantime, my GF went to their site on her smartphone. She found the offer and pointed out that it said ALL of July. The waitress got a manager, who came over huffing, "what's the problem." We described the situation and she, also, refused to honor it. The kicker is, the burger is always on the menu. Just throw in the beer!! And have happy customers. It's not that the customer is always right, we were just plain right. We said, if that's the case, we'll just leave. The manager just shrugged her shoulders and that was it. read more

I can't tell what this place wants to be, but it was good. On one side you have a big bar with large screen plasmas playing ESPN. On the other side is a wide open space of tables and booths topped with white tablecloths, nice tableware and cocktail/wine menus. It feels kinda like a fancy restaurant, but with that early-bird-special sort of feel. Not sure why I get that impression, especially considering it was a mixed crowd of families and young professionals. Maybe it's the carpeting in the dining area. The menus have everything from your basic apps, to hearty soups and salads, to pasta dishes and upscale entrees (roast duck with pumpkin gnocci) -- and even burgers and pizzas. Again, can't tell what this place wants to be. . . but the prices range anywhere from $6 (soup) to $24 (duck or haddock). The roast chicken with mashed and green beans was excellent, so was the cheese, bread and fruit plate, and the chocolate lava cake with raspberry and fudge drizzled over it. The only thing that bothered me -- and this is a pet peeve of mine in general -- was that the waitress wouldn't leave us alone when we first sat down (it took my friend and I a while to order since we hadn't talked in a month), but once we had our food she was nowhere to be found. No return for drink refills, no checking in on how the food has been. . . We had to keep flagging her down. It wasn't a huge deal, just a little aggravating. Note: Returned in December and the place was hoppin! Blue is probably the closest thing you'll find to a Needham hot spot. Sit in the bar area if you want a more fun, casual dinner. read more

After speaking with the owner Scott I appreciated his professionalism and not making excuses for what happened on Sunday Morning at his restaurant. I totally expect them to use this as a learning experience and will give them another shot in the future and update this review after that. read more

Really don't get this place, or the hype. It must be the open windows, the nice decor, because otherwise, this is totally Your Average Joe's. I think people like places where their SUV doesn't need to leave town, and they can pretend they're on Newbury Street. That's the only appeal I can find; it can't be the food. read more

I'm a bit surprised I can't email the restaurant directly about my experience. It's too bad, because I do have a lot of praise for the establishment, though a couple of critiques that would only help their business. Food was incredible! The wine list was small but it had some solid standouts. We went with, what we thought was a 2009 Balletto Pinot Noir from the Russian River. I grew up in Napa, so I know it's a great area for Pinot. Great wine! Although my complaint was that it said it was a 2009, but it ended up being a 2010. I let the server know and he was surprised, almost in doubt, I was right. Sure enough, I was. The wine needed another year on it. The 09 would have been excellent. We had the cheese plate for an app. It was HUGE for the price! 3 large pieces of cheese accompanied by hummus, flatbread, grilled read, honeycomb and olives. All excellent! My complaint...no one knew what the cheeses were!!! Obviously there was a blue cheese (gee, thanks for that observation) and two others the server (nor the food runner) knew. WTF? The server said an aged cheddar, umm...no, not even close and a taleggio, which could have been right, but with his uncertainty it almost seemed he pulled it out of nowhere. For dinner we had the steak frites and the duck. Both solid. Cooked perfectly and the portions were pretty big. The steak melted in my mouth! FOr dessert we shared the butterscotch pudding. It tasted pretty good, but almost a bit "gritty" for pudding. It also had a really odd color. When I think of butterscotch I think of a dreamy orange color, but this was an off-putting medium brown color. They say you eat with you eyes, so just make sure to close them. :) read more

Had a wonderful first visit at lunchtime, was surprised to read some poor reviews given we had a lovely experience. My daughter and I were there with a baby in a stroller, always a risky proposition. We were seated quickly and comfortably. Our server was very accommodating to our need for speed, in spite of a good lunchtime crowd. My Cobb Salad was a perfect example of the genre. Generous, fresh with a delicious champagne vinaigrette. My daughter feasted on a short rib "burger" which appeared to be fabulous. The little bread slices with pesto/olive oil and red pepper humus were a nice little treat while waiting. Overall a completely lovely experience. We'll be back with an adult crowd for dinner. Definitely worth a try in my book. read more

I agree with a lot of people on here about Blue -- a nice atmosphere but, unfortunately, the food just isn't good. I've been here twice and was underwhelmed both times. I got caesar salad with chicken and it was pretty dismal (limp lettuce, too much dressing). I wouldn't recommend this dish. I *did* enjoy the tea I got. They added a little rock candy on a stick as sugar on the side, which I thought was a cute touch. At the very least, I've never seen another restaurant do that. The bar seems nice, though, and it wasn't terrible. read more

This place is okay. I found it kind of overpriced, but it does a good job of being casual/upscale, and the food was pretty good. I enjoyed my chicken scalloppine. Some of the pizzas are weird -- they do the whole "let's top your pizza with a salad!" thing that I never got. To me it wasn't SO fancy that it's worth making it a special night out, nor is it cheap and comfy enough to be a regular dinner destination. read more

Good food in Needham Center Blue on Highland is located in Needham just minutes from Route 128. My wife and I dined there for Sunday Brunch recently. The ambiance is simple and warm. The bar area was vibrant for a Sunday during the day. The menu is somewhat limited for brunch but there was likely something for everyone. My wife ordered the potato leak soup which was fairly good although with a bit too much onion flavor. Then she had the frittata wrap which she loved. It came with delicious roasted homefries (a nice healthy offering). I ordered the cheeseburger which came with parmesan fries (less healthy but delicious). It was flavorful and well cooked. The food was quite good and so was the price! Blue on Highland is definitely good value (at least for brunch). I should mention that the waitstaff seemed a bit thin and it took a little while for the waiter to get to us. But once we told him that we had to get back to a class that we were taking, he did a good job of getting us on our way. Overall, Blue on Highland is a very nice brunch option in Needham. read more

Last Saturday lunch for 3. Not crowded so noise level was fine. Prompt seating and good waitstaff service. Food delivered by kitchen staff so it doesn't sit around until waiter is available. Maybe the best Fried Cal appetizer ever -- Big and delicious! Really good fish tacos (asked for and got corn tortillas). Mediocre BLT sandwich. read more

Blue has made some important course corrections that have reflected a dedication to running a consistently really good restaurant. The remodel of a few years ago has contributed to fueling an energetic little scene for mostly quiet but food-savvy Needham. The wait staff are attentive, personable and professional. Great mixed drinks (just as important when we're having one with dinner as if we were planning to stay there a while.) Six or seven beautifully prepared seafood entrees in a row. We have settled into regular dinner orders but check the menu just the same. Dessert also a satisfying experience. Easy to talk a good game in a review - much harder to walk the walk of creating a successful restaurant that's good on all fronts. Hats off. read more

I went here last Saturday for lunch and had a good experience! The restaurant was pretty empty when it opened so we were seated quickly and given some warm delicious bread. As a vegetarian, I was pretty disappointed to see very few (not sure if there was a single vegan option actually) options. However, our server was very accommodating and allowed me to substitute fish tacos for avocado tacos! Tacos were good, albeit a bit plain (just avocado, chipotle sauce, and a cabbage slaw), but I would recommend them to other vegetarians looking for an option here. read more

The service was great and the ambiance is wonderful. I feel like this place is all built on a great idea that isn't quite executed in the best way. For one: The Thai steak salad actually has lettuce in it (romaine, it looked like). I know what you're thinking -- you just said it was a salad. Why wouldn't it have lettuce? Because it's basically a cold noodle salad. Cold noodle salads really shouldn't have lettuce in them because it can't stand up to the wet nature of the dish. That is why most places with Thai noodle salads use heartier veggies like carrots, etc. My short rib burger was salty as all get-out. I could not tell if it was actually the short rib, or if it was the sauce, or if it was the crispy fried onions, but something was just too salty, I could only eat half of the burger. On the bright side, the parmesan fries were good, so I basically filled up on those. I could NOT drink my St. Germain Tall from the bar. It was way too syrup-y sweet. It also lists elderflower liqueur as the first ingredient, but it basically just tastes like a mojito. Or like a melted lemon-lime popsicle. I opted for a cannoli for dessert because I figured who can mess up on those? The ricotta filling has way too much powdered sugar. It basically is like eating a shell of cheesy-icing. If they stepped back on the powdered sugar, I'm sure it'd be much better. I really wanted to enjoy it because the place is so cute and has a great vibe and the menu LOOKS amazing, but the food left quite a bit to be desired. read more

Meh. Wait, you went to a place where people were lined up for tables on a Friday night and all you can say is 'Meh?' Yeah, sorry. Well, the meh would be better if Blue were in an airport or an area not known for really good food. While the place is quite nice, I couldn't find much to recommend here. Guacamole was acceptable, but not a treat. I added plenty of salt and pepper to give it some flavor. Ditto for the arugula salad. It had arugula and sheets of parmesan cheese, but not much else. Salmon was drizzled with some yellow sauce like some cupcake, but was not memorable. The accompanying asparagus and rice pilaf seemed to come off a hospital tray. Same for the chicken ceasar salad. That being said, the staff seems nice enough and they keep things moving. Maybe it was an off night. Maybe the menu needs a spark. In the meantime, move along folks, there's plenty to see down the road. read more

Blue on Highland is a nice little local restaurant on Needham. It's practically the only place to grab a drink in town outside of Needham Center, which gives it a little bit of an advantage. The lunch is good. I especially appreciate the Cuban sandwich which is solid. I rarely eat dinners here, as it is usually pretty packed, but their fries are a big favorite of myself and the crew. read more

Sad to say our experience was less than one star! Our server was attentive and food tasty but the turn of events when incorrect charges were made to our credit cards along with a manager who was not user friendly turned our night out into an extended lesson on how not to treat customers. We were left waiting for 45+ minutes while they tried to fix the issues. read more

OK so some people love it some people hate...Just like every other place in the world. The irony is that's exactly what blue is. Its not good...its not bad, it just is. If you order right you can eat well. Just do the easy stuff. The burger and sandwiches are good. The overpriced entrees are sub-par. Salads are well...salads. I hate reviews that say "They got good salads". Cmon now!!! Bottom line is Blue has an identity crisis but somehow makes it thru! Its a decent looking place with good drinks and if you are smart enough to order like you are in a bar NOT "fine dining" you wont be disappointed. If you do the opposite, you will be. Also lunch is better than dinner. read more

These guys have really good food and a good bar selection (for Needham). Burgers are about average, but some of the more upscale dishes like the shrimp and mushroom risotto are really good. Oddly enough they have a good personal pizza option as well. A group of co-workers and I usually stop by on Friday nights for a couple drinks and an appetizer. They serve parmesan seasoned fries with a white truffle sauce that is one of the guilty pleasure apps that you have to try. read more

Visited here for a large get together, like 40 some people. Food was beautiful. The thing that stands out the most was the service and the knowledge of the staff about allergies and cross contamination. I felt incredibly safe with my young daughters treenut allergy. read more

Absolute disappointment for brunch. I had to send my French toast back TWICE because it was totally burnt. By that time, I didn't even want it anymore. It was cold the first time it came out as well. My friend asked for an omelette with no mushrooms and it came out with mushrooms, so she sent that back as well. It took an extremely long time for the new omelette to arrive. Maybe they were having a bad day in the kitchen or something; I'm not sure what was going on in there but to completely char the French toast twice made me not want to ever return. It's too bad because there was a nice jazz band, but my brunch was ruined. read more

I really, really, really want to leave a positive review but I just can't. Slow service, poorly prepped food and just plain "bad" food is the only thing that was consistent at Blue. On tonight's visit, bread, water, apps and dinner could not make its way to our table without nagging the wait staff, bus boy and manager. It was not terribly busy so I'm not sure what caused this problem. The $28 hot buttered lobster roll was heavily laced with garlic and dry as a bone. The salmon dish showed up raw. The side dishes were all incorrect and the special requests (allergy related) were ignored. The food was so bad that both meals mentioned here were comped by the manager, which was greatly appreciated by our party of diners. They seem to make a good burger so one party member ordered a winner, but for me, a burger can't save the day for this restaurant. I am sad to say that Blue is officially OFF the list. read more

We have visited Boston three times in the past six years (we live in NoCA) and always stay in the Needham area. We also always take time to frequent Blue on Highland. The food is pretty good, and we like the casual yet inviting atmosphere. We did try the pizza while there a couple weeks ago. Not so good from our perspective. Other meals we have had in the past have been very good, pizza did not hit the mark. I would suggest they keep pizza on the menu, but go to the pizza place a couple stores over to make it for them...:) We will be back in a couple years! read more

I ordered The Vermonter burger (sans bacon) and it was DELICIOUS! Flavorful, cooked perfectly, and topped with wonderful caramelized onions and Vermont cheddar, this is a burger I'm sad I can't get on a regular basis (I live 6 hours away from this restaurant). The fries were also tasty, and the bread that was served when we were seated was fantastic! read more

Blue On Highland - The Vermonter (sans bacon). - New American Near Me - Needham, Massachusetts

Much needed atmosphere in Needham, but this restaurant misses the mark. Food is subpar, lighting is off, and manager seems to want you out the door / closeup sooner than later. read more

I've eaten here multiple times but this time I got to experience a new dish. I ordered the braised short ribs and sub'ed the sautéed spinach and almonds for the egg noodles and was pleasantly surprised. The short ribs were delicious and tender. My husband had a HUGE slice of prime rib (said it was 12oz but looked more like 16oz) and he said it was pretty good. The portions are a good size. The one downfall we experienced was the noise level. It was very noisy and hard to hear one another across the table. Overall good food but atmosphere was a downfall read more

We had lunch here on a Monday. When we arrived, the friendly staff greeted us and sat us promptly. We ordered the Parmesan Fries, Southwest Egg Rolls, Steak Tips, and Turkey Burger. Service was courteous and our server was attentive. The Fries and Steak Tips were excellent. However, the Turkey Burger was very plain and it felt like it was something you "eat and then forget." The Southwest Egg Rolls we got should have came with a warning, though. The filling was SUPER spicy and completely wiped out the other flavors. In fact, somebody in our group took one bite and had to stop eating it because the burn was too intense. I love spicy foods but cannot say that I enjoyed these Egg Rolls. Hopefully they'll fix this.... read more

This place sucks. About 8 of us went here for drinks after work (we work in Needham) and it was fine, until it started to get busy at around 7p. The bar area is a near-direct route to the bathroom, so we were constantly having to move out of the way to let haughty middleaged soccer moms through, and they weren't nice about it. The bar area is cramped, and overall, we weren't impressed. Oh, and this is supposedly "family upscale" so you'll also contend with aloof parents with their gaggles of misbehaved brats underfoot and making too much noise. read more

To say that we dine here very often is an understatement. It's our regular "go to" place for either lunch or dinner. I love that we eat there so frequently, I almost do not have to tell the waitresses which cocktail to make for me and which way I like it. The food is very good and the place has a busy and cosmopolitan atmosphere that makes it fun, especially when you consider that we are in the middle of suburbia. I know that I will enjoy what I order and the wait staff is friendly and professional. Two suggestions: One, I would like to see a little more variety on the menu and my biggest suggestion? Change the artwork on the walls. Seriously. The tacky sparkle paintings have to go! read more

It was a rainy Saturday night, it was loud and very crowded waiting at the bar. I felt like I was in Boston. We started with the "Blue" martini which was a little too fruity (pineapple) for me but my wife loved it. There wasn't room to stand or sit so we were in the flow between the bar stools and the bar tables. We got to our table under the advertised 40 minute wait time. Our waitress was so friendly. She was always there when you needed something without hovering. The menu is small with only 7 entrees but they had two specials (one was Stingray) We started with the southwestern Lobster tail - nice corn and black bean salsa. I had the Steak Frites and my wife had the Salmon. Both were large portions and very tasty. The deserts are meant to be shared but we each had one. The cheesecake is super creamy - like you get in New York. The 'one pound chocolate' cake was moist and the frosting was creamy. We bough home the rest of the cake and our two teenage children couldn't finish all of the cake - it was that big. There is a wide range of people young (20s) to old (60s) and couples to large parties of 10. You should go once if you are in the area. read more

Blech. Don't really enjoy coming here for many reasons. Though I must concede that it isn't a bad spot in the summer when they open their doors and allow their patrons to take in the beautiful highland ave. ambiance. read more

I came here for their Sunday Jazz Brunch and the place was only about half full. Took longer than it should have for our waitress to come greet us and food service was VERY slow. After waiting far too long for our food, one of the four orders was wrong. When they came back with it 10 min later, it was clear that they had taken the toast from the incorrect plate because it was completely cold. My french toast was very tasty though the portion was fairly small (as were the rest of the portions). The blueberry butter was good but ice cold. I couldn't slather my french toast with that deliciousness! 2 people in our group got bloody marys and only drank half of them. I was told they were too chunky and couldn't even be sipped through the straw. Looked more like gazpacho to me. We split a brownie sundae for dessert. The ice cream was good but something was up with the brownie. Either the brownie itself or the molten chocolate in the middle was very granular and unappetizing. When 3 people can't finish a brownie sundae, you know something is wrong. The experience was 2 star but the tasty food gave it another star. Considering how slow the service was here on a non-busy day, I'd hate to see it when it's packed! read more