My mom and I ate at Hillstone for under $100. Our meal at the underrated restaurant chain left us impressed.

My mom and I had lunch at Hillstone, an upscale restaurant chain known for its steak and seafood. We thought the meal was an excellent value.

May 7, 2025 - 21:02

My mom and I ate at Hillstone for under $100. Our meal at the underrated restaurant chain left us impressed.

A composite image of a French dip sandwich plated with fries and two dipping sauces, and a brownie topped with ice cream, caramel sauce, and walnuts. — My mom and I had lunch at Hillstone in New York City.
Fatima Khawaja

My mom and I spent less than $100 on lunch at Hillstone, an upscale restaurant chain.
We ordered the spinach and artichoke dip, French dip, and brownie sundae.
The food was excellent, the service was great, and we felt like we got a lot for our money.

As an avid foodie living in New York City, I'm always looking for new restaurants to try.

Sometimes, though, I like to revisit an old favorite like Hillstone, a restaurant chain known for its steaks, seafood, and elevated dining experience.

Although Hillstone has 10 locations across the US, there's only one in Manhattan. I hadn't been to the restaurant chain in years, but I decided to take my mom for a nice lunch when she was visiting.

Here's what the experience was like.

Even at almost 3 p.m. on a Wednesday, Hillstone was bustling.

People sitting at a busy bar in a restaurant. — We decided to skip the wait and grab seats at the bar.
Fatima Khawaja

On our way to the restaurant, I tried to call to reserve a table. However, no one picked up and I soon understood why. Even at almost 3 p.m. on a Wednesday, the place was packed.

We were told the wait for a table would be about 40 minutes, so instead, we decided to grab seats at the bar.

Hillstone provides hot towels upon request.

Three wet hand towels on a small white plate. — I thought the hot towels were a nice touch.
Fatima Khawaja

Once seated, the bartender provided us with folded cloth napkins and menus.

I noticed the menu said hot towels could be provided upon request. When I asked the bartender about it, she gave us steaming towels for our hands.

I thought this was a nice touch, especially on a chilly NYC day.

We started with a warm spinach and artichoke dip.

A plate with tortilla chips, artichoke dip, sour cream, and salsa. — The spinach and artichoke dip also came with sour cream and salsa.
Fatima Khawaja

For an appetizer, we ordered the spinach and artichoke dip ($23), which came with salsa, sour cream, and warm tortilla chips.

The dip was salty and had generous amounts of spinach and melty cheese. The salsa was my mom's favorite, and I loved that just as we dwindled down to the last few chips, a server came by with a fresh refill.

We ordered the French dip to share.

Three pieces of a French dip sandwich served with two dipping sauces and fries. — The French dip came with fries and two dipping sauces.
Fatima Khawaja

My mom and I wanted to try Hillstone's beef, but we didn't necessarily want to have steak in the middle of the afternoon.

So, we decided to share the French dip ($33), made with USDA Prime beef. The sandwich was served alongside a mountain of thin-cut fries that were crispy and well-seasoned, and a bowl of horseradish cream.

We were also given an empty bowl, which confused us at first. However, the bartender filled it with au jus from a small, elegant jug.

The steak was pink, tender, and lightly seasoned, and the bread was nice and soft. It melted away along with the beef after heavy-handed dips in the accompanying sauces.

Overall, the sandwich was so good that my mom and I almost forgot about the fries.

For dessert, we had a warm brownie with ice cream.

A brownie topped with vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce, and walnuts. — The brownie was topped with ice cream, caramel sauce, and walnuts.
Fatima Khawaja

When I visited Hillstone years ago, I ordered a delicious warm brownie ($15) with ice cream. I was excited to see that it was still on the menu during my visit, and knew I had to order it.

Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, the brownie was warm, covered in a decadent caramel sauce, and sprinkled with salty walnuts and peanuts.

Even though we were getting full, my mom and I finished the entire dessert.

Overall, the experience was worth the money, and I will definitely be returning to Hillstone.

Fatima poses in front of the exterior of the Hillstone NYC restaurant. — I thought our meal at Hillstone was a great value.
Fatima Khawaja

After our meal, I wondered why I hadn't returned to Hillstone sooner. The food was excellent, the service was attentive, and we felt like we got great value for our money.

Our bill came out to $77.30 with tax and before tip. Although this price may be a little high for a casual lunch, it felt right for a nice, tasteful meal. The food was easy to share, the dining room was classy, and the menu had a little bit for everyone.

It feels like the type of place you'd go to for an anniversary dinner or special occasion — just be sure to make a reservation in advance.

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