We moved to the area 5 years ago, and just tried Fernando's Grille. I'm kicking myself for waiting so long. We went early on a Saturday night. It was a quiet, intimate atmosphere. I got the blackened tilapia and shrimp with mashed potatoes and broccoli. The seafood was unbelievably fresh and delicious. My wife had eggplant parmigiana off the early bird menu and was very happy. Early bird menu includes dessert, so we split a brownie sundae, which was excellent. I would normally call a place like this an "occasion restaurant", but the prices are reasonable so it'll be much for frequent for us now that we've discovered it! read more

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Fernando's Grille in Hightstown, NJ is a welcoming Main Street mecca where locals congregate for a well honed American menu with an accent on seafood. While you can get a burger and a sandwich their specialty is certainly a prixe fixe menu ($41 at the time of this writing) that features a well-prepared array of steak, seafood and pasta inclusive of a soup or salad and dessert. I enjoyed a very flavorful mushroom bisque and a very generous seafood fra diavolo which was both bracing and fresh. The only demerit is for the service which, while game and courteous, was glacial in the extreme -- undone by understaffing given the number of large parties that were present. I'll certainly be back but perhaps not on a Saturday. Four solid stars. read more

great atmosphere, cloth tablecloths and fabulous food! wait staff very attentive and helpful! try their lunch specials, enough to have for dinner that night! love Fernando's!! read more

Service and food exceeded our expectations. Family birthday party of 10 and everyone enjoyed a lovely evening.

Food was classically prepared and delicious! Service was attentive and professional. Looking forward to my next visit.

I never understand why Fernando's Grille isn't busier. Is it because the menu stays pretty much the same year after year? I say stick with a winner. In any case it's always a pleasure to return to our old favorites or to try something new. The Sesame Encrusted Ahi Tuna was just perfect--medium rare, nice sauce, delicious wasabi mashed potatoes, and perfectly cooked and seasoned colorful vegetables. It came with a salad that was so fresh, with a delicious lemon vinaigrette. The prices are reasonable, and as a BYO establishment the bill doesn't shock. Staff is always friendly; service time varies but is never an excessive wait. The space is quiet and pleasant. Parking is not obvious but plenty of it down an alley alongside the building. Give them a try! read more

We came, 9 people, for a pre wedding dinner. Everything was so delicious. Appetizers -calamari, mozzarella sticks. Excellent. 4 steaks, all said were delicious. 1 chicken Parm, also delicious. 2 stiffed shrimp with mashed potatoes and veg. And a grilled chicken sandwich with fries. Various Desserts . I keep saying it but all delicious. It is BYOB. service was great. Highly recommend this place. read more

Our first visit to Fernando's grill found it doing a job search certainly a very interesting menu to say the least. After speaking with Gabrielle for a little while about the menu items and getting her take on things we were ready to place our order my wife had the broiled stuffed shrimp, which was jumbo butterfly shrimp stuffed with lump crab meat stuffing with Sherry wine lemon juice and butter served with Yukon gold mashed potatoes which we passed on and doubled up on the vegetable medley. And I ordered the seafood fra Diablo, A mix of shrimp mussels and salmon in a spicy fried Diablo sauce. Both dishes came with a choice salad or soup it was a hot soup and a cold soup so we decided to try one of each the hot soup had a mushroom foundation to it and the cold soup was more of a Suraci soup which had a really nice kick to it. Be sure to see your photos the platings are beautiful read more

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Fernando's continuously delivers outstanding food and service. Whether dining-in, take-out or outdoor dining due to the Pandemic, the food at Fernando's has been a consistent pleasure. Our latest venture here was for Valentine's Day and as in the past, food is top notch.   Some of my favorites here are the Pan Seared Salmon, Chicken Francaise, and Chicken Marsala. All simply delicious. The salads accompanying the meal are plentiful and larger than what you would expect for a side salad.  The warm bread and butter served prior to the meal is complimentary. Save room for dessert, because the Chocolate Mousse is too die for.   The portions are large, so I usually have leftovers to take home. We also love their 3-course early bird special, which is offered until 5:30 pm and includes soup or salad, an entree and dessert. read more

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My husband says the food is next level good. I say that the exceptional flavor and attention to detail in both of our dishes made this dining experience excellent. The service was great and it's a nice little restaurant. We will definitely go back next time we are in New Jersey. read more

We're from California, visiting family in Hightstown, and came here for dinner last night. Not being a local, I wasn't going to review Fernando's, but after dining there, I just have to! If this place were in an upscale area like San Francisco or Carmel, it would cost you twice as much to dine here. On the weekends, they offer a 3 course dinner for $39. I got the Seafood Fra Diavolo and she got Filet Mignon, both of which were excellent! The Mushroom Bisque was very flavorful and the pasta was hot and delicious! Her filet was cooked a little more than she requested but was still tender with great flavor. The desserts, a brownie sundae and cheesecake, were generous and seemed house made, meaning delicious. The restaurant is very pleasant and unpretentious, which makes it more comfortable, in my opinion. The service was great and very accommodating, although she could have checked our water a little more often, but it wasn't a problem. Lastly, what's a good dinner without wine? They do not offer any alcohol, so they advise BYOB, which I've never seen in a restaurant, but we brought it and they opened it for us. I'd love to see this become a common practice! read more

Excellent restaurant- fantastic service. The food is varied and top notch. The specials are worth the visit alone.

A fantastic local spot in town with flavorful and fresh options for a nice and intimate evening out. There isn't anything I would not recommend plus it is BYOB. Love the mushroom bisque soup, salads, meats. I would also recommend visiting here for their holiday buffets (e.g. Thanksgiving, Easter)--abundant with options, very affordable, and a homemade quality to every dish. Extremely moist ham and turkey/gravy. Waitstaff is always attentive and pleasant. read more

Fernando's Grille - Encrusted tuna - American Near Me - Hightstown, New Jersey

This is a really nice quiet restaurant with really good food! a very welcome place. The server make you feel at home. read more

Fernando's Grille is one of our favorite places to dine! Last night we had dinner with a group of friends to celebrate my husband's 60th Birthday, everything was delicious as always, staff is always friendly and attentive. Big thank you to Marcelo, he was so wonderful to deal with, it was the easiest thing I ever planned! Huge kudos to Fernando, the chef, for always getting the meals "spot on" everyone we introduced this place to loves it and now goes back as well. Thank you again for a great night, my husband truly enjoyed it! If you have never been to Fernando's Grille, you MUST try it. I have so many favorites, just take a peak at the specials, we have tried them all and they are amazing. If I had to just point out two, the Filet Mignon and the Seafood Fra Diavlo but every dish is delicious! read more

Went for Thanksgiving and it was great! Traditional selections and much more. The food was delicious and the servers were so kind to work the holiday. read more

I absolutely love Fernando's Grill. The food is amazing. My family and I have enjoyed their food for years. Excellent food and service at a reasonable price. Their desserts are delicious as well. The restaurant is cozy, but we mostly do takeout. read more

Good value Great good Nice food choices Been there many times and always great! Love the wasabi mashed potatoes read more

Was at Fernando's on Saturday night. Let me start out by saying that the food was delicious! They were busy and it took a long time for us to get our food. The Mussels were so tasty and seasoned perfectly. The shrimp cocktail was delicious as well. Our waitress Diana forgot to bring our tomato orzo soup. We were served our dinner (we both got stuffed shrimp that was delicious) . When I mentioned to Diana she forgot the soup when she was getting the check she said she would take it off the bill. The thing was that the soup was included with dinner so nothing came off. The owner was very nice in seating us but he was very busy all night. read more

I ordered the steak au poivre which comes with soup. I also ordered the calamari rings. The mushroom soup was good. The soup came with bread slices that were crushed to the point that their height was smaller than their width. The butter was cold and unwieldy. The calamari rings, how can I say that, needed to be "fished" from between the fried batter pieces, many of which didn't contain any calamari in them. Once I did find a ring, it was small. I was served, what seems to be, what was left at the bottom of a container. The steak which was supposed to be medium was done, inconsistent in done-ness, and had inedible pieces at the edges. I paid $16 for the calamari and $39 for the steak. You would imagine that for this money you would leave the place happy. The "highlight" of the visit: the server/waiter didn't stop by even once to ask how were things or if I needed anything. read more

This is a restaurant owned by two brothers. It is one of my favorite restaurants for years. The menu is diverse Some highlights are the following entrees: Salmon, Stuffed Shrimp with real Crabmeat, Baby Back Ribs, Shrimp Scampi and various pasta dishes. The service is wonderful lead by Marcello and his staff!! Each entree includes a house salad or casaer salad or soup de jour. The soups are excellent: for example wild mushroom bisque. This is a BYOB establishment. There is also plenty of free parking: also take out!! Visit soon read more

Fabulous hidden gem! Fresh home made food. Ribs fell off the bone and chicken franchise was fabulously flavored. Reasonable prices. We will be back! read more

Food and service is consistently good. You can tell the ingredients are fresh. It's nice to go to a place that every time you go you can count on the meal being well prepared. read more

I was recommended to eat here by a work colleague. I walked in at dinner time and the restaurant only had two patrons at one table on a weeknight. Unfortunately, my first impression was a terrible smell that seemed if the restroom scents wafted through the restaurant. Fortunately, the smell lasted a few minutes and then dissipated. The restaurant has tablecloths and wine glasses on the tables. I tried to order a beer but i was told it was a BYOB restaurant. There were several items of interest on the menu such as grilled meats or Italian dishes. I decided to order the New Zealand Roasted Rack of Lamb. The plate showed up and the presentation was great! The Yukon Gold mashed potatoes were decorative and two potato chips were strategically placed there. The red wine sauce was on the plate and the rack of lamb was on top of it. My colleague ordered a New york Steak and it looked great. The cut into my lamb and unfortunately it was overcooked. I ordered it medium well and it was served well-done. I finished all my food and it was OK. The service was friendly I but feel like this experience could have been better. Three stars! read more

Fernando's Grille - American Near Me - Hightstown, New Jersey

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The food is delicious and the service is great !! Everyone is friendly and accommodating. I definitely recommend this BYOB establishment!!! Lynn Gravenstine 5 star read more

I attended a small birthday gathering here a few months ago. The place is small and does not have much ambiance - sort of feels like someone's huge contemporary 90s living room - but the food here is surprisingly delicious! The specials menu was the size of the regular menu which made for some tough choices. The place isn't cheap as most mains are $25 though they do include a mixed green salad to start. I split the shrimp cocktail to start for $13 which came with HUGE jumbo shrimp that were seasoned well and came with an amazing salsa dipping sauce. The mixed greens salad was adequate though mostly just greens . My main was the panko crusted salmon for $25 which was on the special menu. The plating was what you'd expect in more of 5 star restaurant and the salmon was well cooked and very fresh. It came with a side of veggies and potato - all which were very good. I was surprised at how much I liked my meal given my first impression of this place and some of the other mediocre places nearby. read more

Fernando's Grille - Panko Crusted Salmon - American Near Me - Hightstown, New Jersey

We have been dining with them since their Robbinsville days. The food is fine, but for my taste it needs more seasoning.They should also need to change their menus offerings. It has been pretty much the same all along, and maybe try some different specials. Marcelo ( mis spelled) is very attentive, and his servers do a good job . The food quality is very good, just needs some different items on the menu. Th restaurant has a good following, but it has kind of lost my interest,IknowI can always get a well prepared meal here, but needs some updating. read more

This is a neighborhood gem. This was our first visit eating here since Covid. The owner was definitely adhering to Covid guidelines with plastic barriers separating tables. The staff wore masks and all was good. There was a menu of specials as well as the regular menu. There was a nice variety of entrees. Our dinners came with soup or salad. The house dressing which was their vinaigrette was outstanding. The crime of mushroom soup was delicious. The filet Mignon with Gorgonzola cheese was extremely flavorful and soft. I had the barbecue ribs. It was made with a dry rub but a lot of sauce on top. I prefer much less sauce but it was tender and hearty. The dinners came with mashed potatoes and veggies. All good. We decided to have dessert so that our experience was more lasting. So glad we did. I can't get the Lemon cello cake out of my mind. It was so light and delicious I can't tell you. We also had cappuccinos which were huge and delicious. And the price tag for all this was very fair. I can't wait to go back and try the tuna steak. I saw someone else getting it and it looked amazing. read more

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Been meaning to try this place for years, and I finally decided to give it a try after discovering they had lots of gluten free options! For starters, they were very organized with their takeout process and service was friendly and prompt. I got the grilled chicken marsala so it was gluten free. It came with a heaping of mashed potatoes and a side of fresh veggies. The chicken was seasoned well and the Marsala sauce was very flavorful and juicy! I really liked how everything on the menu that is gluten free was marked that way. My boyfriend got the shrimp linguine and he loved it. Lots of garlic just how we like, with decent amount of shrimp and veggies. I really love their community support during this pandemic and I will certainly return! read more

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Food is always great byob off street parking Ambience is not great but we have never had a bad meal

Heard good things about this place before visiting, but it didn't quite live up to expectations. I came here with a large group after a wedding rehearsal, with a section of the restaurant specifically for just the group, so my experience was not that of a regular customer. There was a pre-set menu where you could choose a salad, entree, and dessert. To start off, I had the house salad which was fine. Shredded cucumbers, mixed greens, and a few grape tomatoes. For my main dish, I had the chicken parmesan. The chicken was not a quality piece of chicken. It was a little rubbery and was not juicy at all. Not a fresh, organic piece of chicken. You just know it when you taste it. The sauce, cheese, and linguine that went along with it was good, but the chicken did not make the cut, which was disappointing. For dessert, I had the mousse cake which was quite enjoyable. Not too sweet, and nicely presented. Considering the large group, the service was on point and food was brought out in a timely manner. They had a table/bar area setup which was basically an open bar for our group which was convenient. Chairs were cushioned and comfortable. Overall, the meal was fine, they just need to get higher quality chicken. read more

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I had a nice quiet dinner with my wife and son. Everything on the menu is excellent. You will not be disappointed!!!

Due to COVID most of our trips are for take-out. Fernandos takes just as much pride in delivering high-quality and delicious food for take-out as they do for dining in. Not always the case in many other restaurants. We had another sensational meal last night. Tom read more

Great little restaurant. First impressions are, eh. Table cloth was ripped and not clean, silverware is old. The place was saving on Air conditioning. The food is incredible. The soup I had was above average. The NY strip was great. One of the best I've ever had. Extremely thick and cooked to perfection. The place is BYOB so you save big time! read more

We had the early bird dinner tonight (good value!). Fernandos is a byob restaurant so we brought our own wine. It was a moderate crowd for a Sunday evening. Tables are spaced apart and it's ok to dine there. Good service as usual, and everyone enjoyed their meals. You get soup or salad to start (mushroom bisque is great!), a main course, and a dessert. I chose the ahi tuna today, but I've had other meals here before and liked them all. It's a nice restaurant. read more

Fernando's Grille - Ahi tuna with wasabi mashed potatoes and veggies - American Near Me - Hightstown, New Jersey

Fernando's is a gourmet delight! The food is outstanding! We are regular guests and never Have we had a bad meal!! Everything is exceptional! The customer service, the atmosphere and the time they give you between courses! I loved the filet mignon! Their mushroom soup is divine and the desserts heavenly! Go!!!!! You will definitely become a regular customer! A wonderful experience! Helen read more

Excellent early take out menu. Large portions, well made and very reasonable prices. Pick up before 5. Only difficulty is parking for pick up. read more

Our family from North Jersey and South Jersey got together in the middle of Jersey at Fernando's Grille and we are so glad we did. The food here is great. Every dish seems to be elevated up a notch, The Steamed mussels were amazing. The mussels were huge and everyone was trying to dip their bread into the broth. The wild mushroom bisque was good to the last drop. Sesame crusted Ahi Tuna, Seafood Fra Diavola, Chicken Marsala were all perfect. Even a simple dish like the Grilled Chicken Penne was bumped up to another level. I think we had every dessert on the menu and all were great but the Lemoncello cake was voted the favorite. Our waitress was great. She was very attentive and pleasant. Hightstown seems to have lots of historic buildings and is a great little town to check out. Looking forward to our next visit. read more

Awesome food. Highly recommend them Great response. Definitely order from them or go to the restaurant read more

this place is a gem. Owned by 2 brothers: Fernando is the chef, and you will find Marchello up front. Service is very attentive and the ambiance is perfect for dining and talking. We have dined here many times, and am happy that my sister suggested this restaurant. Everything we have ordered has been perfect, and the pricing is more than fair. Check them out for their price fixed dinner menu. It can not be beat. From the filet, the ribs, chicken dishes to the Ahi Tuna, everything has been perfect. They are very helpful and will prepare dishes gluten and dairy free. Thank you Fernando and Marchello. read more