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The Highlawn, West Orange, NJ

The Highlawn

4.6 (1540)
$31 to $50
American
1 Crest Dr, West Orange, NJ 07052

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 20 times today

About this restaurant

  • Romantic
  • Fancy
  • Good for special occasions
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.

Dining areas

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

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What 1,540 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

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Essex

    Romantic

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Highlawn offers a "spectacular view" of the NYC skyline and is perfect for special occasions. Guests praise the "excellent service" and "fantastic atmosphere," while the food receives mixed reviews. Highlights include a "great drink menu" and live entertainment, though some dishes and service timing have room for improvement.
1,540 Reviews
  1. Neena VIP

    Wisconsin13 reviews

    2.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    Food quality was okay but very expensive and not worth the price. No appetizer options for vegetarian guests and very few entre.

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  2. Ruthie

    New York City3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Lovely out on the veranda as the sun set. Excellent food and service. Great music.

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  3. Lisa

    New York City1 review

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food and great service. The view of NY is gorgeous!

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  4. Barry

    San Francisco Bay Area4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 19, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A perfect Birthday dinner. Great food and atmosphere.
    The HighlawnResponded 2 days ago
    Thanks for the review, Barry! We're thrilled to hear that you had a perfect Birthday dinner at The Highlawn. It's wonderful to know that you enjoyed our food and atmosphere. We strive to create memorable experiences for our guests and your kind words are a testament to that. We look forward to welcoming you back soon!

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  5. Michael

    New York City2 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on June 15, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    food was very good, but with some open tables there seems to just be something not fully coordinated about the timing and took two of us almost 2 hours just to get an appetizer remaining and dessert
    The HighlawnResponded 2 days ago
    Hey Michael, thank you for taking the time to share your experience at The Highlawn. We're glad to hear that you enjoyed our food, but we're sorry to hear about the delay you experienced during your visit. We always aim to provide efficient service and we regret that we fell short this time. We appreciate your patience and understanding and we'll certainly look into this matter to ensure a better experience for our guests in the future. We hope to see you again soon. Best, The Management Team

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  6. Jennifer

    Phoenix / Arizona11 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    The ambience and location was beautiful. We went on Fathers Day and it was cloudy and raining so not much of a view of the skyline but from what we could see it was amazing. Something I wasn’t aware of when making the reservation was that it was a buffet for Fathers Day, when I looked online it didn’t mention anything about it so that would have been nice to know in advance for planning. Other than that the food was great, no complaints, my favorite was the salmon. The server we had could have been a bit more attentive, I know he had other tables but my mom asked for more water and he never brought it and instead brought the check. Overall, it was a good experience would definitely try it again to try items on their menus.
    The HighlawnResponded 2 days ago
    Hi Jennifer, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience at The Highlawn. We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed our ambiance, location, and especially our salmon dish! We're sorry to hear about the confusion regarding the buffet. We always strive to communicate our offerings clearly and will do so better next time. Your feedback about the service is also very important to us. We hope to have the opportunity to serve you again soon. Best wishes, The Highlawn Management Team

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  7. Scott VIP

    New York City69 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on June 13, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Having eaten there a year ago where I had a fantastic meal, we returned with friends, to be totally underwhelmed. After a nice cocktail everything went downhill. Our appetizers were middle of the road edible but not memorable. My steak was grisly and flavorless. Mashed potatoes almost had the consistency of pea soup lacking anything but the flavor of butter. My wife’s lobster ravioli was covered in corn and also lacked flavor. Very disappointed and very expensive
    The HighlawnResponded 2 days ago
    Thanks for visiting us, Scott. We're truly sorry to hear about your recent experience at The Highlawn. It's disheartening to know that we didn't live up to your expectations, especially as you had a great dining experience with us a year ago. We appreciate your feedback on our appetizers and steak, and we're always looking to improve. We hope that you and your friends will give us another chance to impress you in the future. Best, The Management Team

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  8. Maria

    Edinburgh/Midlothian4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 8, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Took my in laws here for a combo late Mother’s Day/early Father’s Day and it was excellent! Beautiful views, great service and the food was phenomenal. I got the cauliflower entree bc I’m vegan and it was perfect. Great drink menu, I love anyplace that carries Lillet Blanc. We’ll definitely be back.

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  9. Garrett

    New York City1 review

    3.0

    Dined on June 6, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    The service and atmosphere were very good when we visited for dinner. The food was a bit disappointing. One of us ordered a steak which was sent back twice because it was not cooked as ordered. Also, we ordered tiramisu which was served frozen. It was a strange, unexpected experience overall considering the restaurant's reputation and prices. To the restaurant's credit, they were very understanding and accommodating and tried to make things right. I would try the Highlawn again mainly because the service was good and perhaps they just had a bad night.

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  10. Melissa

    New York City2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 6, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food and service never disappoints. Not to mention the entertainment is always amazing. My favorite Friday night spot
    The HighlawnResponded 2 days ago
    Thank you for joining us; it was our pleasure to host you. We thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. Your feedback is most appreciated and welcomed. We look forward to seeing you again! Very best, Laine Facatselis HL Assistant General Manager

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FAQs

The Highlawn is rated 4.6 stars by 1540 OpenTable diners.

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

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. New Jersey
  4. Essex
  5. West Orange

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 20 times today
Google Map for The Highlawn

1 Crest Dr, West Orange, NJ 07052

Dining areas

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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