The Windlass Reviews Summary

Atmosphere & Location

Pros:

• "The atmosphere here is nautical and nice."
• "Lakeside seating is most likely the best part of The Windlass, especially on a beautiful day."
• "Very friendly staff, great & relaxing views & atmosphere."
• "Beautiful views of the lake and stellar food to go along with it."
• "The atmosphere was just so relaxing."
• "The cozy atmosphere and picturesque lake view enhance the overall dining experience."
• "The ambiance of the restaurant was charming and inviting, with stunning views of Lake Hopatcong adding to the overall atmosphere."

Cons:

• "We were there in January and the room was very cold."
• "Outdoor Hostess never even acknowledged us, so we start to walk unto the seating area."
• "A few of the non-locals in the group were disappointed that the lake overall doesn't have a lot in the way of boardwalks, etc. to walk around and admire the view."
• "Parking is always a challenge at the Windlass."
• "Parking is a BIG challenge."
• "However, they kept serving this obnoxious man who was really loud and disgustingly inappropriate."
• "If you go around sunset be prepared for the sun in your eyes though."

Service

Pros:

• "The service was excellent and very friendly."
• "The kids had a great time with the staff."
• "Our waiter, Kyle, was so knowledgeable and informative with great suggestions."
• "Our server, Rebecca was everything a customer could ask for."
• "Staff was friendly and knowledgeable."
• "Our bar tender Jennifer was amazing she manages a full bar and still remembers exactly what you ordered for food and won't even bring it out to you if it is wrong."
• "The staff are wonderful, very attentive!!"

Cons:

• "Heads-up, you’ll need a reservation at least a week ahead to be able to sit inside or outside."
• "Service was slow. Waited 1 hour for food and came out cold."
• "Our waiter disappeared for a half hour and I had to ask for the check."
• "The service was slow and our waiter was not at all attentive."
• "Server was extremely rushed."
• "Our waitress was very rude and very blunt."
• "We also had to send our bill back 2 times because of extra charges."

Food Quality

Pros:

• "The selection of food at the brunch buffet was exceptional, with a wide variety of delicious options to satisfy every palate."
• "Our sandwiches were large and fairly priced."
• "The Windlass Restaurant deserves praise for its exceptional Mediterranean crab dip—bursting with flavor and served with perfection."
• "I had the steak as my entree. Oh man, packed with flavor!"
• "My husband had the pot roast sandwich which was out of this world delicious."
• "Soft shell crabs were perfectly cooked."
• "The Margherita pizza with the basil pesto drizzle was amazing."

Cons:

• "Eggplant sandwich: overcooked eggplant in a roll with very little pesto."
• "My NY strip was extremely tasteless."
• "Portions also seemed smaller than usual."
• "The linguini for the chicken Marsala was soggy, grilled octopus too spicy."
• "The girls said their lobster roll was just ok and needed more seasoning."
• "Burgers were a cheap frozen patty type."
• "The artichoke dip was definitely not fresh and our entrees were mediocre."