From the moment we stepped in we were greeted by a friendly and helpful receptionist. The food attendant was also very warm friendly and professional. We enjoyed our dining experience. The poke bowl I ordered was delicious. And the chicken in the chicken sandwich was cooked to perfection. I loved how the food attendant was able to customize the orders according to our preferences. He is an asset to the establishment. And the receptionist is super nice and even greeted us on the way out. read more

Ger the pork chop. Incredible on it's own, fantastic with the polenta. Fade the peaches.

We went to One Willow on recommendation from several friends. The drinks were superb and I would recommend this place for happy hour. Our server was also wonderful and the restaurant interior and outside view are beautiful. The food, however, was lackluster. We ordered mussels as an appetizer which were rubbery with undercooked pancetta. We also got the cod which came on an underwhelming bed of 3 zucchini noodles and the tuna was under seasoned. The meal was definitely not worth the price. I wanted to like this place so much but unfortunately it just didn't hit the mark. read more

Quality food, amazing service, incredible view. They do live music from May until October and have the best oysters and raw bar around!

Wanted to love this place. A beautiful location on the water in the Highlands. We made a reservation for outside seating. We entered the restaurant, 3 hostesses standing there, no hello, no welcome to our restaurant, just standing there, kind of strange. We said hello we have a reservation for 2 outside under our name. The outside seating; there are 3 rows of tables outside that run parallel to the restaurant back wall on an upper deck under an awning and partial roof. A second lower level extends even closer to the water with no cover. On the upper deck it gets hot and buggy under the roof particularly in the row closest to the restaurant where we were seated. they have ceiling fans which could make it more comfortable, however we were told they do not actually work and can't be turned on. We asked to move our table to the upper deck row closest to the water because there were many( at least 5 or 6) empty tables at our 630 reservation time, that clearly had a breeze in the outside area. The hostess Julia refused to accommodate our request because she curtly replied "she had reservations for those tables". When I asked can you reserve specific tables ( thinking maybe I missed something) we were told no. I don't even think she said sorry I can't accommodate your request. She literally just didn't want to. She could substantially improve her manners and skill set. She preferentially was seating people against the buggy wall and leaving the more breezy tables open. This immediately put an unnecessary negative impression with uncomfortable seating on what could have been a lovely night. When others asked to move she sometimes accommodated sometimes didn't appearing totally random. Food; just ok. We had the cold oyster appetizer which was ok though several oysters were not properly cleaned and had tiny rocks in the oyster. I had the mahi-mahi entree which had a beautiful presentation but was way too sweet. It was drowning in a sugary dressing. Literally I have had desserts not this sweet. Overall: The location is the main draw of this place. The water views are beautiful. If you are lucky enough to get a table that is outside and comfortable you can have an average to slightly below average meal for above average prices. The service is efficient and polite. The hostess Julia can work on her manners and skill set. A hostess staff should be welcoming and accommodating to make the experience positive for every guest. If she cannot because of a real reason she should share that as well. Her curt nonchalant attitude was off putting and guaranteed that I for one will not be patronizing this establishment again. If I were judging just based on food I would give 3.5 stars. The hostess drops this place to a 1. read more

My wife and I rolled up with no reservation, but we were able to get a table in the bar area. It seems it's in your best interest to make a reservation. Our table in the bar are was a high top inches from the water and in the shade, i don't think there's a better table in the house! The only downside to sitting in the bar is you need to order with the bartender, a waitress brings out the food , but you'll have to order at the bar. No biggie for us. The restaurant itself is right on the water with views of the inlet and all the kite boarders over at Sandy Hook, really fun to watch. We aren't big on the raw bar but lots of people around us seemed to be enjoying what looked like very nice raw offerings. We had the spicy fried calamari and it was wonderful, a light yet very tastey coating and the calamari were nice and tender. For dinner i had spaghetti and clams that had a stack of fresh clams on top and was very tastey. One very minor very Italian knock is that they didn't offer bread that i love to dip in the clam sauce. My wife opted for a salad and ordered a few shrimp cocktail shrimp to put on her salad. She really enjoyed the salad and the dressing. The cocktail shrimp were sizable and perfectly cooked. All in all a great experience and we definitely will be back to explore more of the menu! read more

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Such a disappointment. Service was arrogant, as if we were lucky to be there. Food was just an overall disappointment. Won't go back read more

This is my first yelp review. I dined here with my partner after a day at sandy hook. We experienced a lengthy wait, poor service, and very lack luster food. When one dish was unsatisfactory they left it on the bill. We left with a 3 digit tab and will not be returning here. For the price tag, I would expect much more. Hope they can make some changes. read more

Went with gf and we all know that there are no reservations for the bar. The main bar tender refused to seat us at the bar as he was reserving it to another couple.. read more

Stumbled on this place online and decided to check it out. I went with two other people and was seated outside almost immediately. The first thing that my party noticed was the singer practically screaming at the top of his lungs to hit some notes. The view however was very beautiful. One thing I found odd was the water was warm with no ice on a 90 degree day. To view the menu you have to scan a barcode on your phone which can be very inconvenient for older people but understandable in these times. The menu is very limited and expensive for the small portions you get. The spaghetti and clams was $38 and fair but the cook obviously did not have a good knowledge of Italian cooking. The scallops special with corn risotto was good but for $45 there was only three scallops. Also be warned there is a "non-cash adjustment" because that detail was not anywhere to be seen but on the bill at the end of our meal. We did not stick around for dessert. The service was ok. Overall probably won't be coming back because there are many great seafood restaurants out there with better portions and better prices. read more

I had my daughters bridal shore there. The hostess, Jessie, was beyond phenomenal and so very much accommodating. She made the entire event fantastic, with constant attention to our needs. The brunch menu was delicious and the waterfront views were breathtaking! I would definitely, definitely recommend the place for any occasion or just to hang out and have drinks. read more

DO NOT let this restaurant fool you! my family and i thought that this restaurant was going to have good scenery and good food. the food was alright, but the presentation was sloppy. the scenery was all right, though. don't even get me started on the service. we ordered food, and it didn't come until 1 hour later! i ordered a drink and it didn't come until 30 minutes later. all in all, don't let the nice scenery fool you-it's not what you think it is! read more

If i could post less than 1 star I would - the experience was awful from start to finish - the food mediocre and over priced- the wait staff ignores customers after quickly taking orders on their iPads - they never returned at all - until it was time to pay - skip this place and save your money read more

On a beautiful Tuesday evening we arrived at One Willow for dinner. On time for our reservations we were pleasantly greeted by several hostesses and seated immediately. Our table was on the landing directly above the bar area and provided a perfect setting for the view and surroundings. Barbara our server promptly arrived ready to take our cocktail order and water selection. She graciously gave us a quick lesson on how to use the new COVID menu. For appetizers an order of 6 raw little neck clams and tuna tacos were as fresh and tasty. For entrees we ordered seared scallops over a summer corn melody. It was light, perfectly seared and delicious. We also ordered the crab cake dinner which arrived with 2 crab cakes (all crab) served over grilled asparagus in a refreshing light lemon sauce, a nice a compliment with a side of mashed potatoes. The crab cake was probably the best and freshest crab cake I've ever had. Kudos to the Chef! Lastly for dessert the date nut cake and coffee was the perfect ending to our meal. Outstanding service, food choices were WOW and on a clear day the views were endless. Our evening was a wonderful memorable experience. It's a must try even for just drinks if you're in the area. You will not be disappointed. read more

This is the must place to eat lunch or dinner over the summer. It's has great food, service and a great staff that provides great hospitality. Please dine at One Willow this summer. You would be a fool not to read more

Great atmosphere and location on the water. Worth a return for drinks, but wouldn't recommend it for a meal. Very overpriced for the quality of food being served. Service was okay, but giving them a pass for that since everyone is struggling at the moment. Not sure if this is typical, but parking was extraordinarily difficult for a Tuesday evening. Would recommend getting dropped off to avoid the frustration of driving around for 15 minutes or parking on the main road. read more

Incredible Food and Service combined with Amazing views. Beautiful restaurant in Highlands right off the water. Not a bad seat in this restaurant, great views from every table. The food and service are as spectacular as the view and venue. Our table had scallops, lobster, lobster roll and more. Everyone was very happy with their food choice and service. Can't go wrong with this restaurant. Definitely will be back soon! read more

Terrible service, unfriendly and blatantly disrespectful. View is nice but not worth the cost and service.

Delicious food / Amazing view / Great Staff. Only you need something special for your outdoor seating. Please visit www.instagram.com/sunart_america read more

Chose this on a whim because it was the halfway point between where I was and the person I was meeting was. We wanted waterfront dining. The view did not disappoint. We caught a beautiful sunset. Service was excellent- friendly and accommodating. The food was incredible- I had a scallop risotto that was outstanding. My friend ordered the rigatoni bolognese and it was out of this world. Possibly the best I have ever had. Pasta was homemade and the mascarpone cheese was the perfect topping. Dessert- ugh. We could have ordered two more they were so good. I can't wait to go back. read more

Great Sunday afternoon experience. It's on the water with a great view, two piece band with smooth music keeping the mellow vibe. The service was excellent as was the food, looking forward to going back. read more

Been here several times. The view, decor, service is amazing!! Sadly, the food is way overpriced.

Wonderful date night place! My husband and I made reservations last night. It's a beautiful place and we were seated at the window. Try the baked buffalo oysters. They were cooked perfectly but the hot sauce with butter made them exceptional. My husband enjoyed seared sea scallops over butternut squash purée and cauliflower. While I dined on short ribs over polenta. Highly recommend both, but next time we will make earlier reservations so that we can order the halibut special (sold out by the time we arrived). Our waitress, Kelly, was personable and attentive, but gave us space to enjoy each other's company without feeling rushed. Can't wait to take advantage of the burger night specials and weekend brunch. What a gem in Highlands! read more

We have been to this beautiful restaurant with a view of Sandy Hook Bay that is 2nd to none. Great indoor and outdoor bar. The service staff was attentive and professional. Great beer selection and good variety of tequila. The food was exceptional. Amazing raw bar. I ordered the ceviche which was fantastic. Burata was excellent. I ordered the Iberico Secreto, simply put this was the best pork dish I ever had end of story. Prices were appropriate and food quality was truly exceptional. This is the best iteration of this restaurant location. NYC quality but not at the prices. All COVID 19 protocols followed. A hidden gem that will be new favorite. Great experience. read more

One Willow - View from parking lot - Seafood Near Me - Highlands, New Jersey

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Great view and friendly waiter that was attentive and fast to bring food. Now the downside is the food was good but not great especially for the price and I wouldn't have a problem if the portions were at least two times bigger. Had just as good Italian linguine with clams at most Italian restaurants for same price but double the portions. Not too difficult to go with other options as NJ has plethora of Italian restaurants. I enjoyed the salted caramel chocolate desert but found it too heavy handed with the salt. read more

I've always loved this spot. It's local for me the views are fabulous. Now that restrictions have been lifted, what's the deal with the bar tables? Service has always been slow especially the bar....but was worth the wait. Without a typical bar seating my friends and I won't be back. Too bad they seem slow as it is. read more

This has been my second attempt of dining at this restaurant and it is by far the rudest and least hospitable of all. I am actually baffled and stunned by the way they treat outside customers. Not only did they make my guests and I wait for a table for 1hr they then extended it to another 45 min. & never sat us ever. Luckily we were able to order food at the bar but even then service was slow and rude. In my experience of dining out, the in house drama that goes on shouldn't be reflected on the paying customer. Also again not willing to accommodate or even treat for a round of drinks after the inconvenience. Least to say my friends & I will not be coming back and I do not recommend it for anyone with future plans of doing so. read more

Where do I even begin?!? This was our first outing post baby and we drove an hour and 20 minutes from Hoboken and it was so worth it! We seriously can't wait to come back. Our server Barbara was AMAZING and made us feel like we were on vacation during our lunch. She was so sweet, attentive, and let us take our time. The oysters and my lobster roll were amazing and my husband loved his chicken sandwich. Order yourself a Jersey Surfin cocktail, and thank me later. We will be back! read more

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IF IT WASN'T FOR THE VIEW THIS PLACE WOULD BE OUT OF BUSINESS ALREADY....... it's over rated and over stated food at best is a 5 been there 3 or 4 times and won't be going back regardless to what the occasion is.... service was rough food was over cooked and they even charge you for ice cubes blocks regardless of your dinner tab well over a 1000.00 if your gonna go on the water go to the proving ground, it's the best along the water for my money...... read more

Celebrated my daughter's 16th birthday at One Willow with our family and it could not have been more perfect. Jessie helped me plan a menu and made the night extra special with a customized printed menu, pretty mock-tails for the kids and dressed our table with the flowers I had arranged to be delivered! The food was exceptional, generous portions and creative. Our server Sam was warm, attentive and made us feel like so special! She went above and beyond making sure we had a group photo (that she coordinated and took). Sam won my mom and dad over (not an easy thing to do) with her caring and friendly personality. We have already made a reservation for a future holiday meal! Thank you to the team at One Willow for making our evening wonderful! read more

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We had to wait more than ten minutes before someone came to our table for even a glass of water. Our server was less than stellar. Took forever for our bar order. Ordered the burrata and spring rolls. The spring rolls were good. The burrata would have been better if they didn't bury it in so much of the "green goddess" dressing which was just ok. We still had our appetizer plates when out comes dinner. She never checked to have the plates cleared from the table before the main course came out. She was a very inattentive server. But we all enjoyed our dinner selections. Scallops were perfectly cooked with a delicious tomato coulis. Fish and chips were not heavy and oily and the shrimp was excellent. But the butter in the bread basket is way too salty. Will come back. read more

Great ambiance. Good music. Spotty service. Calamari and steamers were delicious appetizers. Three of us ordered the roasted halibut which came out over cooked and dry. We dined on the patio while listening to a musician. Overall, it was an enjoyable evening and will probably give this restaurant another shot. We've been to the other Trama in Long Branch several times. So far, the food there is much better. This is a much larger venue and probably more difficult for the kitchen to get out so many dinners. read more

Food was ok way overpriced. No fish on the menu other than mackral who eats mackral???? Stay away and cook your own.

Undisputed Best shishito peppers of all time. I would drive a very long way for them!!

We were seated immediately at a very comfortable table with gorgeous views. We were excited to try different special cocktails and yet it took at least 30 minutes before our drinks were served. That was a bit disappointing. The food was very delicious, very light and fresh. Dessert was a no flour chocolate cake which was great. Shame that the service was so slow considering a party of 4 not 40 and our reservation was for 6:30 not 10:30. Maybe they will do better in the future, let's hope. read more

Beautiful atmosphere, wonderful menu and the food and drinks were excellent!! Our waitress Taylor was awesome! Highly recommend!

This is our favorite restaurant in the area! The venue is awesome! Water views everywhere, upscale and yet comfortable enough for shorts and sandals. The drinks and bartenders were excellent, and the bar manager, Paul is so knowledgeable, accommodating and friendly! Same for the wait staff, we had Alyssa, who was attentive, and eager for us to have the best dining experience. Her recommendations on bc the entrees were spot on! Crabcakes appetizer one of the best crabcakes I ever had! I had the porkchop which melted in your mouth, and my friends had the scallops (excellent!) and the halibut ( also superb). Despite the crowd, Alyssa made sure that all our needs were met and the owners were so nice, it felt like we were at their home for family dinner! Best spot on the water in Monmouth County!!!! read more

BEWARE RUDE MANAGEMENT. I don't usually write reviews but had one of the worst dining experiences in a long time and had to share. We had an outdoor table in a shaded spot but after sitting for 20 minutes or so, the sun dipped below the canopy putting us in direct 80 degree sun. It was hot and uncomfortable, especially for our 3 year old daughter who already had some sunburn on her face. We asked if they could pull down the canopy a little bit to block some of the sun but was told by the waiter it wouldn't do anything. So we asked to be moved to one of the many many other empty tables that were in the shade. The assistant manager, Darryl, moved us but it seemed like a hassle for her and she didn't even offer to move some of the drinks/ plates over to the other table so we carried everything over ourselves. Not one to complain that would have been fine except my husband on his way to the restroom overheard this assistant manager Darryl, bad mouthing me for asking to be moved. This isn't a cheap place to eat, we spent over $350 (including a salad for $39!) and expect a more professional level of service and courtesy. Or at the very least to be a bit more discrete when bad mouthing paying customers. This woman really put a damper on the evening and honestly shouldn't be in the service industry. Overpriced and bad service. read more

Exceptional service by our waitress, Jenn A. The food was excellent, appropriate-sized portions, unique menu, very professional staff, clean, clean, clean! Lovely experience across the board!! My boyfriend would see this lovely place while on the Seastreak, and I'm so glad we stopped in. We will be back! read more

Amazing night at OW. Even despite the passing storm the staff was tremendous at accommodating everybody. They did their best given the circumstances. What a beautiful venue and classy atmosphere. read more

One Willow - Wings! - Seafood Near Me - Highlands, New Jersey

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