Food was good for a neighborhood bar/restaurant. Service was quick and pleasant. Sign on the front door that says "no backwards hats" feels pretty pretentious though read more

Really great spot for brunch and great ambiance. The service is really good as well. The portions are also a good size as are the prices read more

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

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the waitress was rude and never even filled our water. Practically kicked us out. will never go back. All staff was very unfriendly.

Ambience nice, service ok. Meal was meh. Had short ribs and they were overcooked. I didn't care for them. They do pour a great martini though! read more

Went for Sunday brunch food was undercooked sat at the bar even though we threw out almost full plates of food never a question from the bartender/server as to if we had an issue with the food. She was very busy talking to other clients but left us disappointed read more

I would like to give this restaurant 5 start however they failed this time. My wife and I went there and they gave us a hightop table with other people next to us. We had no privacy and it was very uncomfortable for us and for people next to us. We literally had few inches between us then people next to us. Food is good but customer service not. read more

Blue on Highland has consistently great food and drinks. I've tried several menu items and often bring out of town guests to try it out. The ambiance is great, but it can be tough to get a table (especially on weekends) and service is sometimes slow. I recommend sitting at the bar for fast service. Overall very good restaurant! read more

I have driven by this place from time to time and I've always wanted to try it. I'm so glad i finally did with my husband. We both got burgers and fries and this was probably one of the best burgers I've had in a while. I got their Cheeseburger with cheddar and he got the Vermonter Burger. Both came out cooked to our liking. The fries were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. We also tried the calamari and we loved the pesto aioli. Def. Worth going to and trying another dish again! read more

This used to be a good option for vegetarians, with plenty of non-meat options. As the menu has evolved, they have removed many of those options leaving little plant-based. On lunch menu, every sandwich and every entree had meat. read more

I used to live nearby, back in town for the holidays. I had a draft beer at the bar, my sister and my wife had a glass of wine drink and the bill came to $60. Can't imagine what we would have soent if we had dinner too. read more

Went to blue for dinner with my granddaughter (her treat) seated immediately, and the restaurant was pretty full for Sunday night. Once my granddaughter arrived, our server came over introduced herself said she would bring over a bottle of water. I had asked her to make some suggestions and she explained to me most of their popular dishes I ended up going with the chicken avocado bowl, which was very good. We also did start with their buffalo cauliflower again very good. I must be a cheapskate because I do feel for a neighborhood restaurant. The prices were a little high, but again we were in Needham lol read more

Ordered Fish Tacos and Southwest Chicken Salad to go, the protein in each was much skimpier than we'd gotten in the past while dining in. The salad could have used some bread or croutons to make it a little more substantial, and a wedge or two of lime to brighten it up. Everything tasted okay, but we expected more. read more

We've been many times, and the food is consistently tasty, fresh, and vibrant. This visit we sat at the bar where you'll find sports on multiple screens. Cocktails and beer were great. The Parmesan Fries are amazing. The avocado chicken salad was a solid entree. The burgers were great and didn't disappoint tonight. The servers are always friendly and helpful. The atmosphere is family friendly , but as the night progresses there are generally less kids. Suggest you make a reservation, especially on the weekend. Plenty of free parking in the back and all around the neighborhood. Pro tip: Abbott's frozen custard is very close by!! read more

We love Blue on Highland! Service is always great and the food is consistently delicious. Almost everything can be made gluten free, and they are attentive to other allergies. Drinks are amazing. read more

Came here for lunch. Great solid basic lunch foods. I got a tofu Caesar salad and the grilled tofu was very flavorful. Was pleasantly surprised! My friend got the chicken caesar and liked hers too. Would recommend! read more

Busy for lunch glad had reservation. Great menu options ranging from calamari appetizer, fish tacos, nice size salads to larger entrees. My salmon wrap was dry and tasteless. Also beware! Too bad they haven't figured out black napkins aren't for every guest (especially those wearing light clothes!). read more

Terrible service! The service here is awful! We kept getting rush out of our table because the owner wanted to have our seats! Excuse me as the owner you'd expect him to have some value/respect for his PAYING customers. He told us he didn't care that we felt we where being rush out!! Rude owner and rude workers! I will never come to blue again!! Save yourself by not coming to this place and going to another Needham restaurant that values their patrons! I will never come to blue again!! read more

First, it is way too noisy for conversation here, despite the fact that the crowd is mostly middle age and we do not enjoy noisy environments. I noticed in other reviews this has been mentioned and it seems nothing has been done. I contacted the restaurant ahead of time to inquire about vegan options/accommodations and their contact was not very helpful. It was like pulling teeth to get answers and they didn't know the difference between vegan and gluten free. They said I should avoid one salad because it has Udon noodles. I asked if they have egg or dairy in them and they said no, but they have wheat. Seriously? In years past, they had vegan items on the menu, but not anymore. That's fine, but at least be informed and offer the information when specifically asked. I ordered the Thai Steak salad and substituted grilled tofu. It was pretty tasty and a large portion. It says it has Udon noodles, but they were actually ramen noodles (low quality.) This place thinks it's more high brow than it is. The service we had was fine, the booth was comfortable, the restroom is clean. I cannot give them 2 stars, but I won't be back and I'm sure they don't care. read more

We usually sit at the bar. Beer selection is great. Hamburger pizza is delicious. Shrimp appetizer is perfectly garlicky and buttery.

Consistently excellent food. Nice selection. Friendly, professional service. Blue on Highland is a real gem.

Pretty good place for American food in the heart of Needham! I ordered the Vermonter burger, and it was prepared very well. I appreciated the sweetness that came from the caramelized onions, it gave the burger a tad bit of a "maple" taste. The other people in my party ordered a caprese sandwich, and the shrimp curry dish. Both looked and tasted amazing as well. The shrimp was cooked and seasoned perfectly. You know a restaurant's food is going to be delicious when they can master their shrimp. I also appreciated how the menu had many vegetarian/vegan options, this is a great addition! I also enjoyed the raspberry mocktail, it was DELIGHTFUL. The service was decent, yet prompt. A little bit of a cold atmosphere in the restaurant. But overall a great visit! read more

This restaurant has gotten terrible. They do not honor reservations. The greeters at the front are so rude and the food is mediocre. A roast beet and goat cheese salad came with less than 10 beets and a bowl full of soggy lettuce. STAY AWAY!!! read more

I ate here for lunch for the first time. Don't come here if you have to follow a gluten-free diet. I did find one of their salads that I could eat and it was delicious.- The Harvest Salad, which I added grilled tofu to. They did not have any gluten-free options for for bread on their their burgersC or sandwiches or pancakes. There were many gluten full fried menu items. My friends enjoyed their fish tacos and another salad on the menu. Their menu sounded delicious, but for a trendy place like this and I was very surprised they didn't have any gluten-free options besides a salad. So the owner says they have many gluten free options and I'm glad to know that. The problem is then that when I asked our server about gluten free options she didn't know of any. And I asked specifically about gluten free rolls for a burger. read more

I seat there today to eat lunch with my kids, great food and service also highly recommended with kidyand family they have kid's menu. read more

Periodically, I've been eating here for years but it's now better than ever. Delicious food with a nice menu selection, really good service & fabulous cocktails. What's better than that? read more

One of my favorite places, but do not go there on a hot day. Just left and no exaggeration I am dripping in sweat. Hostesses were all fanning themselves. Thermostat next to our table read 85 degrees. When we asked the waitress to turn down the ac, she said it was already turned down but I will ask. Not a good look for a nice establishment. read more

My wife and I went there for dinner on Monday (6/24). The lady who answered the phone provided me with menu options, checked with the kitchen to insure what I wanted was available. She was most helpful and our waitress, Jamie was top notch. The risotto meal we had was excellent. read more

Had an amazing meal here with 5 of my longtime friends; attentive & cool server, terrific food, nice vibe. I loved the open air window in front. I live on the west coast but would totally go back during my next visit to the Boston area. I had the steak tips medium rare, cooked to absolute perfection. For dessert I had the brownie and ice cream, the brownie was rich and gooey and delicious. I could only eat about 4 bites but those 4 bites were sublime. 28 years ago I lived around the corner from Blue's current Needham location. How I wish we had something like Blue on Highland back when I lived in Needham! What a fabulous neighborhood restaurant. Definitely check it out! You'll be glad you did. read more

This restaurant just reopened after enduring an entire year without indoor dining. The restaurant is absolutely beautiful and they did such an amazing job spacing tables out so you felt safe and healthy while dining with them. The cocktails were well balanced and it seemed that each course just got better and better. I would absolutely recommend the short rib, it was so tender and delicious. The staff was super welcoming and warm and over all the experience was fantastic! I want to come back when they start the live music back up. Awesome! read more

Wanted to have dinner here last night but got the blues when we were told the kitchen closed at 8:30. It was 8:28 and when I said that to the hostess she replied they close at 9 and the kitchen was already closed. I think the website needs to be updated to say you close at 8 so you have everyone out by 9. Or, you close at 9 and last seating is at 8 or 8:15. This was a turnoff for me and I won't recommend or try this restaurant. read more

This was my first time here, atmosphere was great. Met an old friend to catch up with, food was decent, but after we ate I asked for the beers on tap and she told me that there was a party waiting for our spot. Ok no need to kick us out, maybe help us get a seat at the bar. Fortunately for us there were spots at the bar. I told the bartender what had happened and he proceeded to ignore us for another 10 minutes. I had to ask the bus boy to wash down the bar because it was sticky and disgusting.I would not go there again after this encounter read more

Everything was delicious but a little pricey. A little gem in the heart of Needham. The Mediterranean bowl was rich in flavor as well as the cauliflower wings. read more

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The Thai steak salad was perfect. Bartender certainly knows how to make a perfect Campari and tonic. Loved my meal and will go back soon

Service at the bar was horrible!. Time to change your staff! I've run restaurants for years and couldn't believe how nasty and entitled your bartender was! I live around the corner and will make sure my neighbors know! read more

Had been there many times, but first since the restaurant's re-design. Simply put, we liked it better in it's previous incarnation when it was warm and sophisticated. Now it feels like a Wild Willy's. Really! (I'll get back to the re-design.) Best part of this visit was our server, Chris, who was friendly and professional and very attentive. However, there were several issues that did not sit well with us or -- in two cases -- really ticked us off. First, the food. We live around the corner and had been there many times. This time, although my wife liked her salmon, my short rib seemed under-seasoned and it's presentation was lacking. The meat looked pale and could have benefitted from a little caramelization which would have added taste and a bit of texture. The mashed potatoes were gluey and had a funky taste; hard to put my finger on, may have been the seasoning. Strangely, the broccolini was the best part of the dish. We split a Caesar salad which was just OK; if a little wilted. The wine list, which offered limited selection and limited price options was puzzling. There was only one wine at the low level ($23.), otherwise the limited selections jumped from the $40's to just under $100., seemingly overpriced for the restaurant and for Needham. The issue that pissed me off was that the $23 wine appeared as $32 on the bill. An inattentive (or dyslexic) customer might just pay this. I felt this was not a simple error; it felt duplicitous (we felt not the fault of the waiter.) Additionally, we had a $30 Yelp Deal. When presented to the waiter he took the code and had to speak with the Manager. Upon returning, he said the Manager called the General Manager and said the code was expired. I showed him the deal on my phone and that it did not expire until Dec. 2015. He again went back to the Manager and the deal was finally applied to our check. Back to the re-designed space. We actually liked the industrial feel of the bar area with the exposed white-painted brick. It was bustling and happening. However, the dining area was way too bright, felt too open and warehouse-y and literally felt like the Wild Willy's that had been located in Needham years ago. It had tall, light-colored country-Western-style wood behind black naugahyde banquets. It felt an odd juxtaposition with the bar area. Also, the bar area was moved to the front (against Highland Ave.) and, although visible from the street, it makes the dining room feel cut-off. We liked the bar in it's prior location against the side wall. Would have rated two stars were it not for the excellent service of our waiter, Chris! Overall, our visit this time made us feel like we would not want to return; in fact, it made us "blue." read more

Went for lunch recently. Food was delicious - I had the grilled chicken caprese ciabatta and my friend had the tuna tartare. Inside vibe was modern and relaxed with plenty of tables and booths, plus bar area. Service was quick and attentive throughout. read more

We've eaten at Blue several times over the past few years and have always been happy. The service is generally very good & pleasant, we rarely have to wait for a table, and the food is always good. I was pretty impressed with the size of the kids' pizza, although the sauce was lackluster. Just needs a bit of a kick to make it better - maybe some Italian seasoning or something. We love the burgers (although I'm not a fan of the lamb burger, personally), but the salads are also very nice. Not sure why people don't like it here. I enjoy the ambience and the food! Good for groups, kids and a parents' night out... read more

Always a great experience. Bartender fast and friendly. Menu plenty of options. Food is always yummy and drinks great. The pizza, steak salad, bolognese, wings, sandwiches, tacos - all really good. read more

Great new vibe here. I had not been since before the pandemic. Great new offerings on the menu and very friendly staff.

The décor is nice , although the menu is limited, with a lot of beef options. Nevertheless, the burgers are very good, as are the fries. As long as you're not looking for seafood or many chicken options, the place is fine. read more