Last month, we were nearly two and a half hours into our drive from Pittsburgh to Columbus and stopped in at The Blue Heron Kitchen. Based on several other reviews, I was a bit worried at first about what was to be expected with speed and quality of service. Our server, a young lady, was excellent, and helpful with making our choices. Her manager or chef seemed like a man possessed running around the floor to assist his staff at the time and did stop by once to check in with us. As far as menu changes or decor from a recent refresh, I have no basis of comparison so couldn't care less about that. We were starving so we opted for recommendations from our server spanning all over the menu. We had everything from cheese curds and bang bang shrimp to the Reuben and patty melt, to a filet mignon with loaded baked potato as a side. In retrospect, kicking ourselves now since nobody in our party got any seafood outside of the shrimp appetizer. Doubtful we will be back east of Columbus for a while so I have no idea when we'd realistically get to try the Salmon BLT or seafood pasta. Unfortunately nobody snagged photos of the food since we were famished and it wasn't a priority. I don't eat sweets, but was told the Key Lime Pie and Banana Fosters were well worth saving room for. If you're like me, I'd opt for the OG Dockside Old Fashioned instead. read more

Half of our food was good, half was really lacking, but sadly, the service was poor and affected the quality of our experience. We were seated behind a barrier, and after dropping off our entrees, our server disappeared. My husband realized that he hadn't been served any condiments with his fish & chips -- no tartar sauce, lemon, vinegar or ketchup, nor slaw. He waited a few minutes to dig in, figuring someone would pop around the corner and we'd catch their eye, or our own server would return to check on us. Nope. Meanwhile, hubby had tasted a few fries, which were barely warm and a bit flabby. He started to eat his fish, sans tartar, and said it was ok, but not super hot. Fish and chips out to come out of the fryer so fresh and hot that you need to wait a few minutes to eat it so you don't burn your mouth -- but not here. This food had been sitting around a while. A few other servers had checked on tables nearish to ours, but didn't give us so much as a glance, and didn't hear our loud "Excuse me!"s. We weren't thrilled at the prospect of having to get up and go to the bar or hostess station to get help. But because both our meals had become unenjoyable thanks to waiting over ten minutes for someone to happen by, I decided I'd go seek assistance. But just then, our server happened by. We flagged her down and asked for all the things that were missing. She glanced at my husband's still pretty full plate and her eyes popped a bit, clearly realizing that the sitch was not pleasing to us. She brought the missing condiments, but damage done at that point. It had been a little exhausting waiting around and keeping our eyes peeled for a passing server. The restaurant should make it more of a point to send servers through that lower seating area on the regular. It was a pretty mediocre dinner. read more

My wife and I have visited Blue Heron many times, both before and after the reboot when the new GM was appointed. Other than some new decor (which in my opinion is tacky), and a few new items added to the menu, the other noticeable change appears to be the slow service coming from the kitchen and inconsistency of portion size. This past Friday we arrived at approximately 5:15, the restaurant was fairly busy with the bar nearly full and most tables occupied. The server was timely in taking our drink order while we reviewed the menu. We placed our order, 2 fish sandwiches and fries, then waited 40 MINUTES for our food to arrive. I'd like to say it was worth the wait, but the fish was cool and the few fries we received were cooler. The most disappointing part was that never once did we see a Manager or have one touching tables to check on guest, or apologize about wait times. All the guest adjacent to us were complaining about the wait. Our server was apologetic and understanding about our displeasure. Perhaps there is a good reason that there wasn't a Manager on duty, if there was one on duty, it's inexcusable that they weren't at all visible and engaged. As mentioned, since the temporary closure and reboot, the inconsistency in portion size and slow ticket times, along with the decor we've not seen much improvement. read more

Made a reservation for 8 for Friday. Restaurant wasn't busy! Got seated right away. They have several happy hour options. We opted for $5 cheese curds, which are similar To cheese sticks! Also got the brussel sprouts. We had to send them back as they were still hard and didn't seem cooked. The second batch was a little better. The spicy sauce paired well. I got the 10oz ribeye with garlic butter, green beans and mashed potatoes. The meal was delicious! The steak had a good seasoning and the garlic butter paired perfectly! Will definitely be back! read more

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Upon walking in there were many tables open, hostess/waitress asked if there were reservations. No, we didn't have reservations, had a party of five and decided we'll stay and sat at the bar. After the two hours of being at the bar, the tables were still empty! Started out ok with a couple drinks, not the greatest but not the worst drinks I've had, standard pricing for cocktails. Ordered appetizers- potato skins, the bartender took them off the bill directly after handing them to us, With the statement of those look horrible! FYI- should ordered your food at the same time ordering appetizers because the wait was debilitatingly long! I ordered fish and chips, wife ordered salmon, fish and chips would've been better from long John silvers! And my wife referred to her salmon as salmon jerky! Was the worst way to spend $100 read more

Great dinner here for a group of 7 on a busy Saturday evening! Food: The group ordered a variety of dishes from seafood pasta, Cobb salad, Nashville Hot Chicken, Brussel sprout appetizer, and cheeseburger. All seemed to enjoy their food, and the Brussel sprouts appetizer was very good! I personally had the vegetarian pasta with asparagus and I added grilled chicken. The dish was very good, chicken grilled very well and my only complaint was that it was a little on the salty side. Service: For a busy Saturday night we were well taken care of. Our server was extremely friendly as well as we were checked on by others too to make sure we had all that we needed: Ambiance: It's a lively atmosphere with a bar with TV's. Booths and tables a few high tops in the bar area are available. read more

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Met here for a birthday celebration. Made reservations as we had a large group, but as the night progressed, they did not seem overly busy. Started with drinks and apps, as it was happy hour. Good bar selection, apps had mixed reviews. Cheese curds were great! Nice crisp coating! The sprouts- different story. Our first order arrived to the table a bit on the raw side. Difficult to cut and pretty crunchy to chew. A replacement batch was brought, they appears to have cooked longer and were much better. I added a wedge salad to my chicken tinder dinner. No side salad option, meant I paid $8 for the smaller portion. Chicken tenders were good! Nice light coating, I had read other reviews about the fries, they were legit. Great seasoning, and crisp outside with a fluffy/creamy texture on the inside. Great service! Our server handled our group size like a pro! 3.5 stars if I could. read more

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I had a great time. A simple, elevated dining experience marked by professionalism and consistency. The staff handled special requests effortlessly, and every course...from a fresh starter to a perfectly executed ribeye and dessert was on point. Clean, elegant, inviting, and worth returning. read more

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Sorry people, but since reopening, your food has sucked. I've been three times, and ALL the meals we've had were awful. I don't know who is advising you on your new business model, but changing your menu was the worst thing you did. You had a good menu, you just needed to be consistent with preparing it. And the prices were a bit high for Buckeye Lake. I don't mind paying for good food, but when the quality went down, that's when we stopped coming back. You were offering specials from time to time, which were good!! And the live music was awesome. You also got rid of the best person working there. Nate the bartender. You people just don't know a good thing when you've got it. But, at our last visit, I see you saw the error of your ways. Sorry, I really hate to leave this kind of review, but you need to know. You took a nice "upper scale" restaurant and ruined it with that awful food. It's not the actual offerings, it's the quality of the food. Kinda reminds me of the food you get at a stand in an amusement park. My family owned a restaurant for many years, so this review isn't from just one unhappy customer. read more

It is a very friendly place, the server we had was great . The food was really good we had the fish and chips. They give you plenty of food , we were stuffed when we left. The food can out fast and hot . Beer was ice cold. Place was clean. We look forward to the next time we can visit here. read more

After a great dinner with a large group of friends, we decided to come back for brunch. Unfortunately, the experience couldn't have been more different. The waitress who took our order spent most of the time standing behind the bar while we were there. Coffee was ordered right away, but instead of bringing it out, she remained behind the bar and it took about 35 minutes for it to arrive. Our meals didn't come out for an hour and a half. Two were completely wrong, and one friend was never served a meal at all. Some of the food that did arrive was overly salty or overcooked, and the toast was so dry it could practically crack a tooth. We also asked for water refills, and although she said she would get them, she never returned. In the end, we had to go up to the bar, where she had been standing most of the time, just to get our bills. Unfortunately, it was clear that attentive service was not a priority. read more

Gave this place another chance after the disaster we had in Dec 2024 for a family Christmas dinner...knew they rebranded recently but that did no help at all......the place looks terrible with all the tacky decor...could get that in any lake bar around here.......we are not near an ocean as many think... Service slow, some of our food was cold and staff dressed like they came in off the street...whatever happened to good service and servers who wanted to do a good job?????...I know the employment pool around BL is low, but no excuse for paying these prices and getting nothing much in return. This is strike two...and they are out... guess they just can't get it right with the people they hire especially...no one really cares... read more

we try to avoid fast food when on a road trip. This was convenient, quick and delicious! highly recommend!

This was one of the first restaurants that I visited when I visited Buckeye Lake, and it was a delight! I happened to visit just after the lunch rush, when everyone was gone and it was pretty much just me in the restaurant. The service was great, and I wanted for nothing the whole time I was there. Because I was visiting for lunch, I wanted something light, so I got a soup and a salad. The Caesar salad here is great -- lots of bite-sized pieces of Romaine lettuce perfectly dressed with little cubes of croutons. If you visit the Blue Heron, you need to get the Lobster Bisque, which is the thing that they're known for. Of course, I had to get that! It's creamy, warm and the perfect thing to eat with the Caesar salad. It came with a drizzle of olive oil on top, and a sprinkle of dried parsley, as well as a crostini floating above everything. I think this was probably the best lobster bisque that I had ever eaten. I ate my lunch with a pint of one of the local beers, which happened to be a rich, dark beer that I forget the name of. It was great, though! It went very well with my little soup and salad lunch. There are lots of tables everywhere, but there is also a bar right in the middle of the restaurant. The parking lot is big with lots of spaces for people to park. read more

This was our 1st visit to The Blue Heron and we went and ordered off of the happy hour menu. For appetizers we ordered cheese curds and chicken chunks. Each were $5 on the happy hour menu. Both were good, but you definitely got more for your money with the cheese curds. For main course we had the cheeseburger and salmon and rice. Both were very good. Service was good and the inside of the restaurant was very clean and comfortable. read more

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Stopped in for Saturday brunch around 11:30, we weren't sure it was even open as there weren't any cars. Decided to go in anyways and we were not disappointed! Service was good and our food was out to us within 10 minutes of making our order. Food was good, the tater puffs were a hit. Definitely would like to come back for dinner soon, hopefully with more people in there... I'm sure that would help the atmosphere. read more

Was told many times to try this place and finally my husband and I made it for dinner. Everything from the first to the last course was amazing. Flavor was on point as well the cocktails were delectable. Personally the decor was appropriately themed for the area which gave a cozy touch as with all nautical themes should be. Overall the service, food and atmosphere were a 10 out of 10. We would definitely be coming back read more

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The Blue Heron has quickly become one of our go-to spots at Buckeye Lake! The food is consistently excellent--crispy chicken tenders with what tastes like a light beer batter, perfectly cooked fish, and salmon that's tender and seasoned just right. The fries? I don't know what they season them with, but they're some of the best I've ever had. And the real star of the menu? The Brussels sprouts with yum yum sauce and bacon--absolutely unforgettable. The atmosphere strikes the perfect balance between classy and relaxed lake life. The staff are friendly and eager to serve. You won't go wrong dining here! read more

Stopped by on a Sunday about 11am thinking it may be busy, wasn't first red flag. Got seated and then the waitress came over with 2 glasses of water and what looked like a full wine bottle with water in it to refill our glasses ( I guess it was to make it look fancy), took our order and gave us menu's. On the menu I saw they were proud of their "Potatoe puff's). I ordered the Blue Heron which came with 2 eggs, Bacon or Sauage, toast, and Potato Puffs. The Potatoe puffs were what I thought, Tator tots. They deep fried them until they were so crisp that you couldn't stick a fork in them and I had to eat them with my hands. We paid the bill, no tip and left. Swearing never to return, and we are locals to the area. Hank and Linda read more

Saturday brunch menu looks amazing but the food was awful. Banana foster french toast was soggy and topped with fresh bananas. There was nothing bananas foster about this. Bacon was all fat and deep fried. Toast was dry and hard as a brick with no butter or jelly. Automatic service charge added if you pay with credit card which is not posted anywhere. The lack of people in this restaurant should have been a red flag to stay away! Service was great and the restaurant has a nice atmosphere. It's a shame the food didn't match. read more

Everything was really delicious. Service was excellent. Will definitely return. Restaurant was very clean. read more

We just left The blue heron restaurant in Buckeye lake. First, we sat at the bar as we always do anywhere we go. it took several minutes for one of the two bartenders to notice us, even walking by us twice. (we noticed a couple near us waiting for refills it was obvious they had been waiting) We were about to leave and the girl finally came over. She gave us a recommendation for a Cabernet that was good - but after that all down hill. We ordered the cauliflower bites with lemon as an appetizer which came after the meal was served absolutely one of the worst things I have ever tasted. We ordered the Reuben sandwich and a loaded baked potato. The sandwich was burned (. never should have been presented) and the baked potato was supposed to be loaded- not. she took it back and returned with it 5 minutes later with the same sandwich. The potato was so brown inside it was obviously made way earlier in the day. The sandwich tasted like it was made in the same grease as a burger. Pleasant atmosphere, but food was terrible and service marginal. read more

We decided to try the Blue Heron after its recent closure and reopening, we were weekly patrons prior to them closing recently. Prior to their closing the restaurant was warm, friendly, amazing food , great staff, just a great atmosphere. That has changed and not for the better. If we could rate it less than 1 star we would. We sat at the bar, not during the dinner rush as we are late eaters. We were greeted fairly quickly and drinks were obtained fairly quickly, that was the best part of the evening. It was near to 30 mins before we were asked if we wanted to order food. Food was presented by our bar waitress who had just came back from a smoke break and wreaked of an ashtray. One order was cold and undercooked, the other missing items. Drinks ordered from their specialty cocktail menu, yet the drinks were not made with any consistency and actually were quite bad. We witnessed the bartender blowing their nose then handling drink-ware and such without washing their hands. And then wiping their nose with their hand and handling more drinks, silverware, and so on. Everyone seemed unhappy to be at work, no smiles, no friendly interaction. The atmosphere is definitely not the same. Aside from the service and food, the decor is horrible as well. Fishnets, mermaid pictures, and not a square inch of open wall space....pretty over the top. It isn't a seaside restaurant in Myrtle Beach...its like every tacky piece of ocean decor from Hobby Lobby was bought for decoration. Very disappointed that the establishment decided to try something new. Something as simple as having cloth napkins and now having paper, cheap paper menus, and staff that were always dressed in nice black shirts and pants yet now wear wrinkled t-shirts and faded jeans.....all things that are okay in some restaurants but not at this price point. read more

The decor was simple but elegant without being overly fancy. The wait staff were kind and helpful. My wife and I had the filet. My wife wanted the chicken breast, but they were out. The filet was absolutely delicious. I got fries and the spoon bread on the side, my wife got the gratin potatoes and Cole slaw. The sides were clearly created with care to be delicious also. Many times, sides are an afterthought and taste as much, but clearly they cared about every bite. The fries were crisp and seasoned. Definitely a high quality restaurant in the Buckeye Lake area. It's a little pricey, as the filet was $49. But we haven't had a better steak for less. read more

Service and food was outstanding High quality premium products Stopped here with our dog and the staff was great and food was excellent I highly recommend read more

. The first thing that you will notice is the location. Off of 70 East, exit 129 heading south on 79 briefly to the first light (at the Wendy's) you will see when you turn an old empty building that was most likely the old McDonald's which was probably moved to take advantage of being closer to the freeway so people see the sign and know it is there. Behind that further down the road several meters is The Blue Heron. Ample enough parking for even the biggest families, I was also taken aback by the lack of vehicles in the parking lot during dinner time. But I didn't let that get to me as we were out in a rural area and I have no real gauge on the level of what qualifies as a "rush". Once inside the maître de or host greeted us and waited for our party to slowly get through the door (we travel with a 98 year-old) then she led us to our table. She soon brought us water to our table and informed us our server would be along soon. The water was served in glasses as well as there is a bottle service for the water where it is brought out in fancy bottles, of which I wanted to take one home with me even if it was just filled with chilled water from the tap. To the owner: The bottles are a nice touch. Perhaps a side hustle for your restaurant would be to have them for sale at the front of house? The food, this is what you are really here for. AMAZING! Around the table, we had fish and chips, spaghetti, chicken tenders and every person was raving about how good everything was. If you read any of my reviews, you will know how much I love pub food. Fish n' chips is my go to any and everywhere I travel to. It is how I can gauge quality as it should be the same or similar everywhere. Some places have let me down before but if you can't get that right, you can't really be good at... food. The size of the fish is on par with that of the fish at Cooper's Hawk. A dense delicious piece of white fish thick and filling. I was so surprised at how much I liked this that it would have been easy to take a second order home with me had the price not been so restrictive. The bead of fries the fish sat on was also prepared well. I am not normally into steak fries as they aren't alway seasoned right or prepared in a way where the texture seems consistent to me. But these were so well made, I wish I had more of them to just splurge on. The same sentiment went around the table. No one regretted their order. The only regret anyone had was that they didn't order what the other person had as we all were enjoying the food so well, we felt as though we were missing out on the experience our dinner partners were having with their food. Our biggest complaint: that we didn't have room for more food. While it is regrettable to me that I feel the necessity to leave the city to find great food, it is completely worth the trip to such a rural area to experience a meal like this. If you have the money and you are trying to impress a date or even impress a business partnership (as a company I used to work for frequently did) this restaurant is worth the drive and the money. There is also ample space in the restaurant to move around without bumping into most other patrons. There were walkers at a few tables and room to stow them out of the way. There may have been enough room to add in 1-2 more tables but I enjoyed walking through and not having to figure out "Fight Club" etiquette of whether to pass by a seated person with my front or my rear in their face like other big chain restaurants that hammer in tables and chairs to the maximum occupancy posted on the sign. To other restaurants: it is a dining room not an airplane. People like having room to eat without bumping elbows and chairs with other strangers. So even through a glowing review from me, I will point out there were obvious glitches with service that were completely visible to me since I knew what to look for. The owner was easy to spot and she was busy. Bussing tables there, seating patrons over there, bringing food here, she was on task being an attentive owner doing what needed to be done due to what I assume was short staffing in every area. At one point her, the 2 servers, and the host were all busy with everyone in the dining area I could hear the kitchen yell for service a couple of times which no one heard. Throughout all of the work that kept them all so busy, no one ever made us feel like they were too busy for requests of more sauces or silverware. No hesitation to keep us happy. At the time we were there, this business was still pretty early on. I just took a bit to get to writing this, to the management: I'm sorry for the delay. The food and service were amazing. I hope to be back soon. I hope others enjoy the food just as much. Also, there are corporate offices a few exits away that should consider bringing business partners there for a great meal and there is a bar. Cheers! read more

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Food was good, however watch your bill. They add a 3.5% service charge automatically. When we questioned it, they said that is if you pay by credit card. If you pay cash, they say they deduct it. Seems a little shady. How many people are tipping off that total amount even if they pay cash? Restaurant ambiance was fine. read more

This restaurant will likely rate 4 stars once they work out the wrinkles. Inside and outside are attractive. The bar area is very nice with lots of choices for beverages. Herons are the focal point for decoration. Four of us went for dinner on a Friday night. It was not busy at 6:30 but became more crowded with families over the next hour. Our waitress was very nice. Brought an attractive water bottle and glasses for us, related the specials. We noticed servers coming out with food who couldn't find the correct table. When our drinks came, two were incorrect. One person asked for two olives and was charged 10 cents for doing so. After a significant wait our salads came and immediately our entrees. Salads were very good but wilted and room temperature. part of one person's order was forgotten but the waitress brought it quickly when reminded. The entrees were very good and plentiful. The atmosphere was more family oriented than I expected. The walls are partially metal and sound reverberates making it hard to hear table conversation. We enjoyed our meal, however. in addition to the extra 10cents charged, there was a mysterious 3.5% service charge added to our bill for which there was no explanation. For soup, salads, a sandwich, 2 drinks and a tip, our bill was $75. We will try it again later in the season. read more

On our way to another joint, we saw this open and decided to give it a try. Walking in, the style of the place was clean and classy and it was unlike the other restaurants in the area, as they did not crank up the "On the Lake" vibe. We ordered the pepper seared tuna as an appetizer, which was delicious, so we had high expectations. I ordered the seafood pasta, and my family ordered the Atlantic Salmon and the Lobster Bisque. My pasta was very gummy and the pasta was more like a carbonara and not a lighter, white-wine pasta. It was heavy and lacked flavor. The salmon was alright, but the asparagus was cooked perfectly! The lobster bisque was not good. It tasted like Campbell's tomato soup with heavy cream added, with a kick of an aftertaste. We ordered dessert, which they had a couple choices plus boozy milkshakes, which I thought was a nice touch. My family got chocolate martinis, which were delicious. Our waitress was nice, but service was lacking. Didn't check on us, ask for refills, etc. read more

Excellent food. Excellent service. The restaurant had a good crowd yet we could still speak comfortably at our table. We really enjoyed everything we had. The sweetness of Raspberry-Jalapeño sauce with the saltiness of the Cheese Curds was so good! I would order my Mushroom Puttanesca again, serving size was perfect. The Screwball Shake was an excellent end to a wonderful meal. The bill came with a 3.5% service fee for using a credit card, which it totally understandable. You are not charged that if you pay with debit card or cash. read more

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The place is the new best place on the lake. Food is outstanding. Best food service people in the area there in Nate and Andrea. Give it a try. read more

The Blue Heron Kitchen & Pub - Menu - Pubs Near Me - Hebron, Ohio

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The service did not match the cost and quality of the meal I had last night. When I spend a hundred dollars on a meal I'd like a hundred dollar service. Our waitress fell well short of making our excellent food a good experience. read more

A decent experience overall, probably more of a 2-1/2 star experience. Both salads were very good -- the best part of both meals. For entrees, we had the fish and chips and the seafood pasta. Both tasted fine but were quite overpriced. The scallops in the seafood pasta were the tiny bay variety. Cheesy potatoes that arrived with the fish and chips (one piece of fish) were burnt and seemed at least a day old and warmed up. They went virtually untouched, although the server didn't inquire as to why. (I substuted this side instead of fries.) The peanut butter pie we were told we'd go crazy for seemed like a frozen grocery store item. Service was friendly if not overly attentive. We had a nice time but would never go back, given the $22-$25 price tags of the entrees. read more

Went in for the first time. One other couple was waiting. This place was not busy at all. It took awhile before someone acknowledged either of us. We were seated at the bar and a menu was tossed at us. No one asked if we wanted to order a drink. The bartender walked away and did not say a word to us. We waited a few minutes and left. Now I understand why the place is empty! Will not return! read more

Our party of 4 are always looking for something different as we eat out far to often, but are at that stage of our lives where "that's ok"! Anyhow, our male friend heard about the Blue Heron facility in Buckeye Lake and we decided to drive the 40 miles and give it a try! We tried the fried cauliflower, bang bang shrimp, lobster bisque, cod fish sandwich with seasoned fries and the Caesar Salad. The result? We loved everything! I especially loved the cod sandwich, the cauliflower and the fries, but the others had no particular item they liked the best. They loved everything! So, how did I rate our experience? The facility gets a 5 (although our booth table top needs a little work), the service gets a 5 (Nicole was very nice and was very accommodating), the food was very good and gets a solid 5, and the value gets a 5 (we took advantage of Happy Hour and got the appetizers for 1/2 price). Will we make this trip again? We sure will! We already made plans to return on our way home! read more

Food and service has been excellent both times we have eaten here, although surprisingly for a weekend it was not very busy with guests. The food is maybe a *little* pricy for the lake.. but in my opinion MUCH better quality than somewhere like the winery (unfortunately, just no lake view.) The restaurant appears very clean and has cute decor. My main complaint is that there is no changing table for a baby. Otherwise, we will definitely return! read more

Had the fish and chips with a hummus plate. All was very good. Fries are excellent and fish was huge (and very good). Hummus plate was good too. Highly recommend. Not too busy at all on a Friday evening. Great atmosphere. read more

Cheese curds dipped in raspberry w/ jalapeño jelly! . Great place with great food and service.

Ok... IMO it's just ok....Have had some disappointments... .... meal was not what I thought it was going to be, it was not as menu described.......service tho was good.... read more

Good experience last night at Blue Heron. The Fish and Chips were delicious and perfectly crunchy. The 1/2 Salad Menu options are so smart and the Pear/walnut was delightful. The cheese curds were a bit small, but flavor and dipping sauce were tasty. Will be fun spot when the patio weather finally arrives. Hope many give it a try! read more