HILLSTONE RESTAURANT

First time here and absolutely love this hidden gem. The food, ambiance and service were all top! Thank you to my server Brie for the great service and delicious recommendations, I got the burger with the side salad and fresh orange juice, yum! One of my top places here in Orlando, highly recommend, thank you!

The restaurant is very nice. The ambiance is cozy. The staff is friendly and professional. The food is awesome.

Turned us away at the door…was dressed in nice clothes but was wearing leather slides. Said I wasn’t dressed up enough.

I'm from Maryland and crab cakes are our thing. These were absolutely some of the best ones I have ever had. The food was amazing, the service absolutely on point, and the staff were incredibly pleasant. The view at sunset was worth the visit. I'll be back next time I'm in town.

I just had the best steak of my life! You could cut it with a fork and it melted like butter in my mouth! Keylime pie was the best ever, too! So creamy.

I had such an amazing experience at Hillstone thanks to our server Amara! She made us feel genuinely welcomed from the moment we sat down. She knew the menu well, gave us great recommendations on both food and drinks, answered all our questions and kept everything running smoothly all night without ever making us feel rushed. Everything was really good but her service is honestly what made the entire experience stand out. This was definitely one of the best dining experiences we’ve had in Winter Park (as Orlando natives!) I will definitely be back and will be asking for Amara again!

We all know the talent in the kitchen is exceptional, consistent quality food every time, passionate chefs, exceptional service, we all feel special...but the mismanagement of how the social environment is, is noticeable. This cries out to the top managers at Hillstone, either being asleep at the wheel or have a poor agenda that shouldn't exist in hospitality, shame on who?

My family and friends have been loyal patrons for 20 years. We’ve celebrated major life milestones here. Earlier this month my family dined for my mom’s birthday. This was one of the few times we sent back a steak for being inedibly salty. My mom then requested an extra order of fries for my nephew. When the fries were brought to our table, we were told we’re banned for “wasting food”. In front of everyone, on my mom’s bday. Cathy Wathen is running this place to the ground. It’s despicable and a dishonor to this restaurant. I feel bad for every guest and employee that has had to encounter her. Please watch out.

Excelente experiencia en este restaurante tanto en calidad dela comida como la atención y ni hablar de la vista hermosa viendo el atardecer, fuimos 4 personas y todos coincidimos con esta misma opinión sobre el restaurante.

The Trout and kale salad was amazing

Very noisy. The view was great. Disappointed that outdoor seating was closed.

This is the place, we loved everything there, food was excellent, service is unbelievable, win and cocktails were amazing, sunset was there, we went on the deck and enjoyed the nice breeze from the lake. This is from now on my place to be.

Golden standard of restaurants. The service can vary, the hostess usually unfriendly, but the food is always great, best stake at perfect temperature; just love to go there.

Very nice restaurant. The food was outstanding. Everyone had a good time. Make your reservation well ahead of time. I recommend this very upscale restaurant for special occasions only because it will put a dent in your wallet

Rude, pretentious

If you’re looking to overpay for mediocre food while being treated like an inconvenience, this is the place for you. The staff are rude, the management is arrogant, and the whole restaurant seems convinced it’s far more impressive than it actually is. Save your money and your patience. This place isn’t worth either. I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone. HORRIBLE!

I’ve been to Hillstone many times over the years, since I’m from WP. I sat with four friends over the course of 4.5 hours, having food and 4 drinks. Then my friends and I go down to the dock and one goes up to order more round. They allow everyone but me to have one more drink. I am not driving or displaying a signs of intoxication since I have had four drinks over four and a half hours, plus food. the bartender said I couldn’t have one last drink and then the manager came over and said “we work as team and the bartender said you had 4 drinks” The manager was never at the bar. The bartender, Katy, obviously kept Tabs but with a smile. I’ve always had a wonderful experience here, but this evening it was utter disappointment. Managers who are essentially rude to you with a smile and think they know what’s better for you. It’s quite disingenuous service. Almost secretive between the bar and management. My friends had drinks at the bar and then went to eat dinner at a table. I stayed. That’s the difference. By the end of the evening they had 5 drinks. I had 4. 200lb male with 140 lb females and one other 215lb male. Everyone was shocked. Unfortunately this place is not the same as it was a few years ago. Much more corporate and sterile.

My favorite place to eat!!!

One of the finest meals, we have had in the area!! Our server, Jen, was great! Don't miss this restaurant. The views are almost as good as the food, and the views are wonderful

Great place. Can't wait to go at the end of the day to enjoy the complete experience. Such beautiful view.

We came here to celebrate our anniversary with the family. The service was absolutely excellent from start to finish, though it was a bit noisy sitting near the bar area. For appetizers, we started with the **Chilled Jumbo Shrimp** and the **Spinach & Artichoke Dip**. Both were delicious! The shrimp were definitely large and paired perfectly with the cocktail sauce, while the spinach dip tasted incredibly fresh, rich, and went great with the warm tortilla chips. For our entrees, we ordered the **Gulf Coast Style Fish Sandwich**, **Ding's Crispy Chicken Sandwich**, and the **Thai Noodle Salad** (with chicken). The clear winner of the night was the noodle salad—absolutely fantastic flavor. Unfortunately, the sandwiches fell pretty flat and really lacked flavor. The house-made buns they use are massive, which didn't help when you're trying to actually taste the meat and fish underneath. I would definitely give Hillstone another shot because the service and starters were so good, but next time I'll be sticking strictly to the house specialties, entrees, and salads!

I'm going to have to modify my prior rating. This is still an excellent restaurant, but there have been a number of issues that have crept up that have been very frustrating. First, the outdoor seating has not been available for a long time. One of the best aspects of this restaurant was the outdoor ambience, and without outdoor seating it really hurts. Second, the Hawaiian Ribeye has been a bit hit or miss, which has NEVER been the case in the past. It is literally the best thing on the menu, so you cannot afford for it to not be perfect every time. Next, removal of the homemade bleu cheese dressing was a huge mistake. Bring it back. Lastly, the cabbage with goat cheese was one of your best sides and wasn't available for my last visit. Honestly, my last visit was the first time I have ever been disappointed going to a Hillstone restaurant. You can do so much better. Update: now they won’t do parties larger than 5. Sadly, apparently my family isn’t welcome. That’s fine. You get 1 star as a reward