Highland Grill

Excellent meatloaf served with delicious mashed potatoes and vegetables followed by a tasty blackberry sorbet. Friendly staff and reasonable prices. Who could ask for anything more? OK, the Pinot noir was Excellent.

This place tics all the boxes for me. Small but varied and original menu, eclectic but clean décor, friendly staff and wholesome ingredients. The oatmeal banana pancakes topped with peanuts and berries are delicious as is the steak and perogies (how do you spell that?). I’ve been back and brought friends with me.

If you love breakfast food like I do and enjoy a good old fashion wholesome brunch, then this place is perfect! Their previous small diner style set-​up was simple and effective. But now they have a new vibe that is more trendy, but the food portions have gotten smaller ;-(.
You can call in advance to make reservations so the staff can you your name down on the list.
I have had great meals here every time I have gone:
The Stuffed French Toast was HUGE and simply delicious. This baby is a sweet tooth’s lover and then some. I can never get enough and am glad that I always have another good portion for my left-​overs. Sine the remodel the portion is a fraction of what it used to be, but it is still yummy.
I sampled my sister’s Quinoa oatmeal and thought that everything was nice and fresh. The side of fresh fruits she ordered to go in her oatmeal made it the Vegan breakfast dream.
I had the Salmon scrambled with cheddar cheese and rye bread with a side of hash browns. Together the combination was crispy, salty, goodness. That dish is now called the Salman stack that basically captures the original.
Despite the portion downgrade I really do enjoy this place for brunch. They have great friendly staff, clean restrooms and a chic new look that makes it easy to be a brunch hit. It is just sad that the trend nowadays, seems to be that customers get less for the same price.

Everything was good except the cheese curds! No cheese. Get the stuffed French toast or the jack cakes for something sweet. Breakfast burrito for something savory

What an awesome place! The sweet potato hash was great, but the carrot cake was to die for! Homemade with 3-​layers, super moist and lighter than it should be. Just the right amount of cream cheese frosting that, like the cake, was lighter than I have had. But what made it really special was the praline sauce was like nothing I have tasted before.
Highly recommend Highland Grill, especially the carrot cake!

Stopped in for brunch on a Sunday in May. Overall the food was very good — had the salmon stack and it was great with fresh cilantro and perfectly made. I had a challenge deciding what to order.
The downside was the inconsistent service — overall the servers seemed young and inexperienced (had to ask twice for water and a coffee refill). The space is a bit tight — we were eying up the handful of booths but were seated at an inner table adjacent to another couple. It was not possible to have a private conversation.
There is some outdoor seating. I’d recommend trying the place for the food.

Let me start off by saying that the first time I visited Highland Grill, I left crying. Maybe I had too much free champagne, maybe it was the complimentary dessert, or the flame of the candle in my eye. Oh wait… it was because everything was AMAZING.
Yes, I went to Highland for my birthday dinner, which was a little risky as I’d never been in before. After reading glowing reviews (but let’s be real, seeing their cute renovation «After» pics) I made the reservation without giving it a second thought. The style and decorations inside their fantastic Highland neighborhood location is truly magical to me. It feels so intimate, yet just like you’re eating amongst other good friends. The tufted leather booths, concrete walls with cheeky sayings, modern light fixtures, gingham-​wearing waitresses, even down to the salt and pepper shakers — everything is so well thought-​out.
My husband mentioned we were out for my birthday, and the waitress whisked away and promptly brought back a flute of champagne, on the house. If that wasn’t a great start with friendly customer service, I don’t know what is! She gave us plenty of time to think while I sipped before coming back to take our order. I enjoyed their Cakes, Eggs, & Links (complete with candle), because who doesn’t want breakfast for dinner on their birthday? Hello Ron Swanson — yes we would be the best of friends. I particularly liked their whipped butter, and the cakes were dense and flavorful. On my recent second visit, I again had breakfast on the brain, and ordered their Hot Hash & Holly, which is two eggs your way practically smothered with their insane hollandaise over hashbrowns, with shrooms, peppers, onions, and a side of toast with their handmade strawberry jelly. ALL THE FEELS FOR THIS MEAL. I asked my waitress which of their brews would pair well it, and she poured me a Freehouse Brown Ale, and gave it to me with Happy Hour pricing — seriously, these people are awesome. Peter E. ordered the Steak & Pierogies… and had to fight back tears of his own. The beef tenderloin was prepared in a red wine soy-​reduction, served with the softest pierogies known to man, topped with crispy onions and a side of horseradish. They sincerely know quality ingredients, inventive flavor combinations, and attentive customer service.
I loved watching the regulars chatting with the waitstaff, and the open kitchen in the back. The bathrooms are clean, the location is perfect, and the meals make you cry. Yes to Highland Grill and yes to running mascara — it was all worth it.

Much has been made of the Highland’s redesign. My fiancé and I were major fans before, and routinely ate here. We came for breakfast right after the redesign and hated everything about the place. But things have changed.
We ate at Highland today and had a phenomenal experience. Even though the place was packed, we were able to get seated within ten minutes. We were waited on immediately, and I had my hot coffee in my hands right away.
We each ordered the Sweet Potato Hash, which was absolutely fantastic. I’ve always loved the combination of Italian sausage and sweet potatoes, but the addition of cilantro, jalapeño, and guacamole was new to me. Everything about the dish was perfect to me, and my fiancé enjoyed her twin order as equally.
Some have criticized the crowded seating, but I’ll be honest in that aspect of the experience is one of the reasons we’ve always enjoyed Highland. We get food of a quality we’d expect in a Minneapolis restaurant in an environment that feels like *our neighborhood place.*. It’s crowded for a reason.
For the record, we felt there was no need whatsoever to change anything about the place, despite its many overlaps with the nearby Longfellow grille. But having done what they’ve done, and disappointed everyone with their launch, my fiancé and I both agreed, we like the Highland again. They have redeemed themselves. We’ll be going back.

Seriously… each meal of the day is a glorious experience for my taste buds at Highland Grill. You sincerely CANNOT go wrong with any of the menu items! They have a perfect mix of greasy grub when you desire it and healthy, nutritious snacking kind of food when you need it.
What ‘s cool about this place is that they are all about fresh, local ingredients whenever they can get it. Not to mention a great atmosphere and awesome beer selection! I can never get too much of this place!

The Highland Grill deserves a solid 4 stars. It seems like a place my mother-​in-​law would adore, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. It’s covered in Joanna Gaines-​style cutesy décor, every plate and mug is mismatched (My hubs and I both ended up with souvenir mugs from Saudi Arabia, and I even spotted a cow mug my MIL has owned a set of since the 1980s). The food is well-​prepared but the dinner menu is perhaps a bit more adventurous than breakfast, which offered kind of lackluster options. Service is excellent and fast — staff show great teamwork and every server I’ve had has been polite and sweet.

This place was totally 5 stars before the menu change. Don’t get me wrong, they are still awesome, but they literally changed everything. I know I can usually still get my favorites, but why change wants not broken?
My absolute favorite here is their Nutella French toast. It is probably the best breakfast plate I have ever had anywhere! It is NOT on their menu. It is usually a special, but sometimes if you ask, they are able to make it. If they don’t have fresh strawberries, I usually pass.
Their new menu has a couple great options as well. Their mushroom carbonara breakfast plate is amazing. I’m pregnant and fantasize about it. Their toast with goat cheese and fresh made jam is usually a hit as well. Make sure to ask what the jam of the week is. that can make or break it.
The only thing we have gotten here that wasn’t good, was the Mac and cheese… my husband and I didn’t like it, and either did our 9 year old… you know it’s a fail if he won’t eat it.
We will definitely be back again… and again…

I’ve been here now twice since the redesign. I feel like the change in the décor, unlike some of the other reviewers, was a positive step from the aggressively gauche layout before.
I also like the food here, although I did breakfast items both visits, it was satisfying, well made, and reasonably priced.
My real issues with the place are the staff. Both times I had issues with service, and I’m extremely easy going about this kind of thing. Long wait for food the one visit (due to the server forgetting to put in my order… for 25 mins), and the second time just open disputes between staff and management have soured me on the place.
I won’t rule out coming here again, largely due to its location in the middle of Highland Park, but it’s consistently been marred by issues with staff.

Best breakfast bowl I’ve ever had. Yum. Also love that they are super kid friendly. If eating with messy toddlers annoys you, don’t skip this place just ask to be seated away from the kiddos. I doubt they would have a problem with that since the staff was very friendly and helpful as well.

When I first came back after the renovations I was slightly excited and slightly nervous for what I would find at the Highland Grill. Suffice it to say I don’t like what I found.
All my favorite items on the menu that I loved again and again have been eliminated or replaced. RIP banana waffles, you were the shining light in a sea of mediocre waffles.
I am puzzled by the interior– it was a little loud and brash before, but it worked. Now it looks exactly like a early 2000’s Perkins. The only good part of my experience was the new staff. I don’t know why the staff had a complete turnover, but they were very friendly and kind. However friendly servers won’t be enough to keep me coming back.
I can only pray that the owners of the Blue Plate won’t change the perfect beer bar, Groveland Tap. Change for the sake of change isn’t always smart.

Well I can’t really say anything about the new Highland Grill that hasn’t already been stated in the remodel complaints, but here we go. This place used to have good food, great service, and a wonderfully quirky charm. Now it is just a typical restaurant, with crammed seating (there are waaayy too many tables in the middle), ok service although definitely green and uninformed (you have to know the answer to «Does this item have meat in it?»), and none of the fun quirks. My biggest complaint though is the new menu (because, you know, food is the reason for going there!). As alluded to earlier, my vegetarian breakfast burrito came out with bacon in it, then was completely blah once returned. The hashbrowns were also pretty tasteless. This is a huge disappointment for me because the food here used to be so good! :(
In summary; I definitely won’t be back to this new Highland Grill.

First time I’d been here since their renovations, and YIKES. Much smaller menu, lost several of my stand bys, prices bumped up. Inside it looks like an out of date shabby-​country Anthropologie ad, and the layout is terrible, esp. If there is more than two groups of 4.
Also, all the great waitstaff is gone and have been replaced with pretty blond clones who aren’t super great at waiting tables.
What food remains is still good.

I’ve been a loyal customer at Highland Grill since the quirky place opened years ago. My favorites on the menu were staples of my eating out routine. So it was with a great deal of apprehension that I went there last night after their facelift.
Taco salad? GONE
Steak Salad? GONE
Eggplant parmigiana? GONE
Want to know what else is gone? The great servers and fun atmosphere. As well as temperature control on my food. It took forever and my meat was cooked perfectly but only lukewarm. I didn’t want to wait another 15 minutes to eat alone as my friend watched, so I turned down the offer to reheat or remake my food. I also go to pay full price on a meal that was not served at a proper temperature.
Bummer. I won’t be back.

Do you know how hard it is to find a place that does take-​out and offers a dish with mashed potatoes? As I learned, it’s shockingly hard. All I wanted was either some barbecue and mashed potatoes or some fried chicken and mashed potatoes, and nowhere within a reasonable driving distance from me has that.
Enter Highland Grill with its meatloaf and mashed potato entrée. Hallelujah!
This dish is not what I expected, but I really liked it anyway. The meatloaf was grilled, which added a new dimension (and less grease). It came with a chili jam on the side that I was slightly less wild about, but it was a nice change from the standard ketchup. The potatoes were exactly what I wanted and well-​flavored.
My one complaint? Three stalks of broccolini does not a vegetable serving make.
The interior of the restaurant itself seemed a little dark and gloomy in the evening. It also seemed pretty easy to get a place to sit, as the bar was completely open and I saw a couple open booths.
The rest of the menu intrigues me. It’s got that Blue Plate style: classics with interesting twists. I’ll be back.

Recent dinner here offered a good meal and the poor communication skills of a wait staff, who persisted in attempting to finish our sentences for us — talking over the top of us.
I ordered a grilled cheese sandwich with a tomato chutney and fries. The sandwich had a nicely crunchy and tasty exterior and my fries arrived hot. My dining companion loved his Eggs Benedict and hash browns.

So I tell the lady, «I found a place with raspberry cream stuffed french toast.» I get this eyes bright look that could have lit up Pluto. We swing by on Sunday morning for some breakfast, beautiful day, and after a very brief wait, take up residence at a table outside.
Get here early. It gets filled quick, and there is no real waiting area other than outside or a tight, cramped little door way.
I roll with the Jack Cakes: oatmeal pancakes, peanuts, granola, bananas, blueberries, and honey instead of syrup. Ashley goes with the raspberry cream stuffed french toast, and we decide to split the American Breakfast… two eggs, hashbrowns, toast, and bacon.
Considering how busy they were, it wasn’t too bad of a wait. Maybe 10 minutes.
Everything gets brought out… and as we get situated for the meal, we notice… we are a pig short. See the pic, no bacon comes out. By the time we noticed after getting situated (clearing room for 3 plates haha), the runner had dipped back so we couldn’t catch her. Everything else looks fantastic and we go straight in.
Jack cakes… I love pancakes of all sorts. The straight buttermilk, granola infused cakes, fruit infused, we all know this. These… not grainy at all, not flaky at all from the oats, just perfect. Just god damn perfect. The honey was a great, incredible compliment, and then you get some raisins or blue berries or bananas with a bite, and it’s a flavor kick to the pallet. Oh, and you think it’s done there? No no no… you start crunching on some salted nuts and the salty mix of sweet/​salty hits you. Dish is perfection, through and through. A 1a/​1b situation with the hippie cakes from Hazels for tops when it comes to granola cakes.
The stuffed french toast was out of this world amazing. The raspberry cream inside was light, flavorful and not overpowering where you still tasted the bread. The cream on top was just perfect. You don’t need syrup for this dish, because the flavors are so perfect with the cream, raspberries, and bread. But, syrup makes it even sweeter and even better if you feel inclined to jump off the sweetness plank.
Our American Breakfast was great. The hash was cooked perfectly, eggs were scrambled and still fluffy, and even the toast was a great wheat toast we both really enjoyed.
The time our server did swing by, we both were literally stuffed the brim and couldn’t speak to mention the bacon missing.
My MIA pig is the only reason this isn’t 5 stars. Otherwise, one of the best breakfasts we’ve ever had.