Restaurant is beautiful but run down and dusty (smells of mold too). Menu looks good but food served is not well executed on. Service is stellar and views are great. Better to get a drink and enjoy views then do a full meal in my opinion. read more

The Highlawn Pavilion is absolutely as good as it gets. I've gone there for a few business functions and have been impressed every time. The view is absolutely amazing. On a clear day you can see all of North Jersey and out to Long Island from this promontory atop First Mountain. The food is top notch and the service matches. I can only say good things about Highlawn. read more

Sadly very disappointing, my family dined here on 6/24 evening. While the SERVICE was excellent, all the apps and entrees (and we ordered a lot) were at best underwhelming and wanting. The consensus was "it's not 'bad' food, it's okay" but certainly not what the reputation would have you believe. I really wanted a farm-to-table restaurant where the ingredients would be elevated to sing, but there was no singing. Upon leaving, I didn't think I saw the head chef in the open kitchen, so maybe it was his night off and that explains the subpar meal. read more

The view is terrific, the wine list is above average and the food is decent. That equals three stars at a place where I keep setting my expectations higher. Generally I like when a professional staff is attentive but not too attentive, however the last time at Highlawn I felt that nobody was watching our table. I'd recommend during the spring-summer more than the winter, and if you need a real "special occasion" place for out of town guests or close family celebrations, then the Highlawn is a good option. I wouldn't come here for just a Saturday night, simply not worth it. read more

I would've given 5/5 but dessert was disappointing. Dinner was delicious. Started with beef tartar and the prosciutto platter. For mains we has the pork tenderloin and the osso bucco. Both heavenly. Service impeccable. View of the skyline is picture perfect. For dessert we orders the creme brûlée and chocolate platter. Both mediocre. We were stuffed so that was ok. It's somewhere you want to go for special occasions. We went for our anniversary and loved it! read more

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Such an amazing experience. I love this place! I have nothing bad to say, it was perfect in every aspect!! They will definitely be seeing me again and I will refer this place to friends and family. read more

Went tonight for Thanksgiving Dinner, A la Carte. Service was very understaffed, our server was racing around the entire time trying to keep up with the tables he was given. After an hour we got our wine and beverage order in and then another 20 minutes we had or order taken. I could tell than our server and his support staff were stretched VERY thin, but we were not in a huge rush at first. After an hour my guests became annoyed, so we said something and we were attended to quickly. This is no fault of the floor staff as I could tell they were almost frantic trying to keep up with their service needs. Most in my party were VERY pleased with their meals, mine (sadly the person paying for the meal) was not. I ordered the Filet cooked medium-well (butterflied as they usually for such a cooking), but mine arrived cold and either med rare or med, I couldn't tell. Same for one other in our party of nine. The server made all attempts to remedy the mistake in the kitchen, offering drinks, not charging for meals not eaten... he went way above and beyond to try to rectify the mistakes. Thank you for that, a true professional. In the end I was happy for some extra shrimp bisque (AMAZING!!!) I am a regular for special occasions, usually birthdays and such and usually go here or to The Manor (same owner, same amazing food) for Holidays. This will NOT dissuade me from continuing to return, but I hope the next time the room is staffed sufficiently to accommodate the numbers. read more

One of the best in New Jersey. Great Food ,We go there a few times a year for special occations Love the Chef's Specials and Fresh Vegetables read more

We had a delicious (and fancy) dinner here last week. The filet mignon was delicious (soft and flavorful). Me service was impeccable and of course the view was awesome. I didn't like my dessert so much (some apple pie), but I want to go back to try the others... read more

HOT CAPPUCCINO SPILLED DOWN MY BACK BY WAITRESS. NOW Highlawn is not responding to me after offering to pay for my dry cleaning nearly 2 months ago. If giving zero stars was an option here I would give zero. While dining at The Highline in early December waitress standing behind me spilled my cappuccino down my back. It directly hit my skin because of the dress I was wearing and also spilled all over a scarf and coat I had on the back of my chair. The restaurant offered to pay my dry-cleaning and I accepted the offer. Nobody bothered to ask me how I was but I didn't make a big deal about it. The scalding hot drink definitely was painful hitting my skin and I noticed it the next couple of days. Since then I have not been sent the reimbursement for my dry cleaning and have reached out twice this week to the Highlawn to the manager who was assisting me with issuing a check after I provided my dry cleaning receipt. Is now been almost 2 months. If I were you I would avoid this restaurant. Clearly the Highlawn does not have concern for their customers and not hold themselves accountable for injuries to their guests. I had been in contact with manager Jan Zimmerman until stopped communicating with me read more

Fantastic views of New York City from here. I also like the tastefully done September 11th, 2001 memorials. It is quite moving.

Beautiful views, fantastic waiting staff, food was amazing, no rush while you where there. The perfect anniversary dinner location. I loved it and so did my girlfriend. We will be back read more

Beautiful place for a company holiday party. Food was fine.

My wife and I had dinner at Highlawn Pavilion on Saturday 2/23 for our 28th wedding anniversary. It's a beautiful place and the food is fabulous but the service surpasses the scenery and the food. Our waiter Eoin and busboy Cheddear in particular stand out. Both were attentive without being intrusive and responded immediately to our requests. We asked for a bit of olive oil to dunk the rolls from the bread basket and Eoin brought it right away. My wife's filet mignon was cooked a little more than she wanted. Eoin whisked it away and brought another in a few minutes, cooked perfectly. Our reservation was for 5:00pm and, as we dined, the lights of New York came on in the distance. Highlawn is perched on a bluff on Eagle Rock Reservation. You can't have a bad table in the whole restaurant. We save the place for special occasions because it is a bit pricey but more than worth it. read more

The Highlawn Pavilion continues to be a classic location in NJ. The food and service are superior. The culinary experience coupled with the scenic views will leave you nothing short of amazed. read more

Went there to celebrate my mother in law'school birthday and the place was fabulous! The food was delicious and the service was outstanding! The views of NYC are spectacular and the bar was lively. Definitely for the older, more sophisticated crowd. Class! read more

I had Thanks giving dinner here once. It was boring & nothing special. We were disappointed and not impressed.

My expectations were very high for this place seeing that we love the food at The Manor just down the street, but unfortunately we were not impressed. The food was OK. Not bad not great. The view was excellent however but we don't plan on returning anytime soon. When we arrived, the valet failed to open the door for my wife which was a big no no to start the night. The service inside was good as far as the server goes, however when we first walked in, it was a bit confusing as to where to go and we stood around for a while before anyone approached us. Overrated might be the best way to describe this restaurant, although I will say the view alone may be reason enough to experience it at least once. There are many better options in the area when it comes to food quality though! read more

A jewel in NJ, view of the city, great food, great service, close to home, what else can you ask for.

A genuine 5 star experience. The Service, presentation, substance and ambience are all to my standards. The view overlooking Montclair's oldest and most expansive estate section with the most select and elect view of the Manhattan skyline in the World. read more

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For an incredible evening visit the terrace. Nothing beats a glass of wine, good company, a warm nightly breeze over a glittery horizon; the NYC skyline. read more

We had our wedding there over Memorial Day weekend and it was magical. Everything was taken care of with grace and class. I could not say enough about how attentive and patient the staff was through the entire planning process. I hope to go back to eat every anniversary dinner there!! read more

Just the best place for a special occasion outstanding views on a clear night, great food and service. The cold seafood platter is amazing.

Probably the best place in the Montclair area to bring out of towners. Food and service are excellent (however the lobster roll is a bit disappointing). Atmosphere unrivaled. Just be sure you are dressed properly or you WILL be turned away. read more

Always dependable...and beautiful...lucky clear autumn evening. Delicious crab meat and avocado salad, and Diver scallops. Excellent service..all enjoyed their dinners...mushroom soup, boar meat. ...beautiful view...Open style kitchen...you can smell the fish as you enter...don't know if that is on purpose or just because there is. A lot of fish on the menu ..maybe I should have told them.also, road from Undercliff is closed..and when I called and made reservations, and asked about the access from there, the reservation clerk did not know if it's was still closed with the hurricane debris. read more

Jahn's attention to detail and passion for wine show at this restaurant in northern NJ. Come for the view of the NYC skyline and fall in love with the amazing food and wine list. Customer service is a top priority and the staff are very well trained and willing to accommodate you however possible. Harry Knowles is a legend in the restaurant business for a reason. read more

Went there last night with good friends. Everything you want at the High Lawn Pavillion was professionally delivered. Starting with s table at the window and exceptional view of NYC. I had steak tartare for appetizer and Scottish salmon for main course. The grilled pork chop special was sensational! The service impeccable. Ambiance over the top. Always a great stop read more

Yes people come for the view and it is nice. This is a very large dinning room (think grand lux cafe) so it is loud, busy and not intimate. They try to keep the attire dressy when you make a reservation. Basically you will get in with anything but sandals and shorts. The food is quite good and expensive and the portions are small. The service was very good. I would only go again when it is least busy by getting the first reservation or the last reservation. Hoping to get in and out before the crowd. read more

Went here for the first time and I was pleasantly surprised. I ordered the tuna and salmon tartar which was yummy and the filet mignon was perfect even down to the pearl onions. Presentation was just right. Would definitely come here again. read more

The food wasn't worth the price or the service we received in February 13. The waiter never apologized for messing up the dinner order or never asking if we wanted more wine. He messed up paying of the check and tried to blame us for it. When we complained to the manager they could have cared less. I will never go back their for dinner and I would say it's a good place for drinks and appetizers not worth the money and service! read more

We booked ahead for Thanksgiving hoping to experience a wonderful meal and an exquisite view of Manhattan. The view was almost worth the average service and mediocre food. The high prices would be justified if the food was better. Overall, it was OK. read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants. The staff are friendly. The food is spectacular and the view is awesome!

My husband and I came here for our anniversary last year and we will be sure to return. The food, the drinks, the atmosphere...all over the top amazing. read more

We went with a large party for a birthday dinner. I ordered a fish dish that was mediocre at best. I went to the Highlawn Pavilion starving and couldn't finish the very small plate that was placed in front of me. My daughter however said that her steak was fabulous. The prices were pretty expensive and I was very disappointed with the meal. Our waitress was excellent however the bar staff was non existent when we arrived for a drink before dinner. I had to get the manager after 10 minutes of being ignored by the one bartender behind the bar. The place is spectacular and on a clear night I'm told the view is awesome. All in all disappointing for the price. read more

My fiance and I had dinner here last night as our "food tasting" for our wedding next year! It was fabulous! French onion soup to start and he had the filet mingon which was cooked perfectly .. I had the swordfish which melted in your mouth, although it was a thick piece and the middle didn't seem fully cooked, but it was delicious. And for dessert I had the chocolate tart with pink peppercorn ice cream! Heavenly! So beyond excited to have booked this beautiful place for our upcoming wedding. read more

My husband and I went to Highlawn Pavillion last Saturday, December 29, 2019 for our Anniversary. It started very slow with the service. It took him forever to give us a wine menu and take our order. We then found out the bottle of wine we ordered wasn't available. That was ok, we ordered another bottle. He brought it over and that was the first and last time he poured the wine into our glasses. My husband had to do all the pouring, since we never saw him again. He did take our order, we both ordered soup and a main course. The soup was brought out and we had no spoons. Had to flag someone down to get spoons. It wasn't our waiter either. He litterly never came back to the table to check on us. He was the worst. He never asked us if we were celebrating anything, which I heard him ask another table. I will say, as always, the food was amazing. He was a very bad waiter and I am shocked that he could work at Highlawn Pavillion. Not thinking we will be back any time soon. It is very disappointing. read more

As many other reviewers have noted, the view from the main dinning room is fairly spectacular. We had the pleasure of dinning here on a Saturday night at peak time. This was both a pleasure and pain. The restaurant, and adjacent bar, were absolutely packed. So much, that it was difficult to find a place to stand at the bar. The food was very good, but not spectacular. My wife selected the salmon. The fish was cooked perfectly (seared on the outside and very rare on the inside). The sides were good, but no more than that. I had the special of the night. The meat was cooked very well, but I found that the dish was accompanied with a truffle oil sauce that was perhaps to over powering. Desert was very good. The pastries were original and tasty. The cheese platter was also good, but for the price should have come with a better assortment of bread (versus the standard toasted baguette slices). From a food perspective, I would have settled on 4 stars. What pulled the rating back to three stars was service. The restaurant didn't honor our reservation time (we were seated about 50 minutes after our reservation). Furthermore, we found very LONG spans of time between being seated, ordering, first course and main course. It was clear that the dinning room was understaffed relative to the number of seated patrons. In summary, this is a great place for a special occasion. The dinning room is great, people looked fantastic and once again the view was great. The food was yummy (4 / 5 stars) but service was really slow (a busy restaurant should not be a patrons concern - simply bring on more staff), which ultimately couldn't be overlooked. One last point - get dressed up. The pattrons looked great and you should too! read more

Enjoyed a birthday dinner with a party of 6. Waitstaff was polite but made a few minor mistakes. (Brought appetizers to wrong places at table, forgot or misplaced dessert order and had to come back about 10 min later to retake it.) Portions were OK but nothing to write home about. All the food was excellent. Views of NYC skyline are excellent as well. read more

Went to the Highland Pavilion tonight with my wife and I really don't understand the hype. The supposed view is of a very far away New York City covered by a lot of Jersey City. Although I made a reservation and was called twice to confirm, when I arrived at the restaurant they did not have my reservation on file. I had to show them the email I was sent and then told that they would try to find us a spot (which was in an awful little corner). At first I thought it was a bad start so I tried to stay positive. Then the seafood appetizer arrived with an assortment of frozen, not fresh, seafood. Honestly, I've tasted better seafood from Walmart. The entree was the only saving grace. The diver scallops were great. Lastly, do not waste your time on the raspberry "napoleon." Someone needs to explain to the chef what a Napoleon is because that's not what I had. This is a lazy wafer and cream dessert with no thought put into it. Overall, completely overpriced and a waste of time. I was really looking forward to a nice dinner, unfortunately this wasn't the place to go! read more

Had my first dinner there last night since I happen to live near by and hike practically every weekend at the Eagle Rock Reservation where it is located at. Excellent food presentation, very personable wait staff and my table had a top notch view of the Manhattan skyline. Thumbs up all around and will be back for sure. read more