Hillside Cafe

Excellent and succulent steak, very nice atmosphere and staff is very friendly.
Not far from where we live so definitely will go back

Overpriced. Food wasn’t good enough to pay the money I did. Poor service. But the biggest issue was really just that the food was horrible. Nothing was done how we asked. It was gross. Don’t recommend

This was my first time here since the rebuild. The side salad was iceberg lettuce, and one cherry tomato! I’ve never seen such a sad looking side salad. The mushrooms and onions I got on my steak tasted like they were canned. If I’m getting at 20 $+ steak I expect fresh onions and mushrooms… Is that to much to ask? Overall the food wasn’t worth the price. Steak not seasoned or very lightly. Crab cake had little or no filler. I do love the new building.

Everything was perfect! Crab cake was all lump and no fillers. Filet was perfectly grilled, finished with rice pudding but wow, this was a lot to the order. More for two people.
Recommend highly, I like sitting on the bar side which I liked better then the dining room.

Today was my first trip to the Hillside in many years. I have a strong intolerance to garlic and onions, and Renee (bartender) verified that the soup I wanted had garlic in it. Ordered a steak salad only to find out that the steak is already marinated and had garlic. Instead of telling me I couldn’t have it, the owner cut a fresh steak for my salad. It’s so unusual for a restaurant to accommodate this problem since it’s not a common one. Thanks to the Hillside, and I will be back!

Beautiful new space needs an amped up menu — they didn’t upgrade or change anything. Crab cakes still excellent, but the steaks are steaks. I can do that myself. They need fresh mushrooms — not canned — and some simple sauce sand seasonings to fit the new atmosphere. The new look doesn’t match the old school food. Stick with the crab cakes.

Sadly everything was tasteless. They said no seasoning was put on the steaks and that is a big mistake. It is called flavorless! Salad boring, bread plain roll, cole slaw out of jug. For the price I would not go back

The food is overpriced and the service is slow. They treat their staff very poorly. Won’t be going back.

Unfortunately the food was underwhelming and average at best. There staff seemed clueless and uninformed and didn’t know there menu. We were surprised by the strange up charges on the bill. Up charge for dressing, up charge for normal parts to chili and charged extra for no ice in a watered down drink. We left baffled and won’t be back.

It was my first time back at the Hillside since the fire that leveled the place three years ago. They’ve transitioned into a sports bar in half of the building, and it’s a nice one. Some 10 huge screens around the perimeter; attractive décor.
I believe I counted 22 taps, and was really happy to see Sprecher’s Hard Root Beer and Angry Orchard among them.
I went for lunch, and to be honest, there aren’t a whole lot of lunch-​like options. A couple of sandwiches, a couple of burgers. You’re left with relatively pricey appetizers ($ 8-​$ 15) and their regular dinner menu.
I ordered the chicken Alfredo ($ 15.95, more than I would normally like to spend for lunch). It comes with two sides, and I asked if I could sub their French onion soup for one of the sides. The bartender said it would be an upgrade charge, but I saw it was counted as a regular side on the bill.
Good soup. Lots of provolone, lots of onions, and a croûton inside that still held some of its bite by the time I got through to it.
Now, the Alfredo. It was an iffy call on my part for a place that admittedly prides itself on its steaks and seafood. The sauce was rich, thankfully; there’s nothing more gross than watery Alfredo sauce. But if you didn’t already know Alfredo sauce is to be Parmesan-​based, you wouldn’t know it from this sauce. Just a garlicky cream sauce, from what I could tell. Asked for the Parmesan shaker, got it, but it was the awful generic stuff. The chicken strips were OK, but I could have used a little more grill flavor from them, too. I left about a third of it on my plate.
Well, the garlic bread side was yummy.
I will go back, because I know from the past that this place does a good steak when you’re in the mood for one.

Perfect steaks! First time there and I ordered porter house and crab cake combo: very satisfying. superb service, the waiter was very friendly. will definitely go back if I was in the area again and recommend it to my friends.

This restaurant is closed because of a fire. Dont know when or if it will reopen.

Very old and dated décor that actually didn’t bother me that much. The ceiling should be replaced though because it looked like it was stained yellow from back in the days when everyone smoked in restaurants. The menu is to large and very pricey. I ordered the 12oz filet mignon and crab cake cooked medium. They did a really nice job at a medium cook. Not many places get that right. But the steak was actually kind of void on actual flavor. Not sure why seeing that it was cooked almost perfect. The crab cake was outstanding and worth going back for. Overall I don’t believe the meal was worth the price.

If it’s winter and you are cold, go here to eat. They keep the place at 79degF.
Oh, and the food is good too!

The calm chowder was very good the rest of the meal was not good at all. The crab stuffed shrimp could’ve come out of the freezer section of your local grocery store. The garlic mashed potatoes were from a box, the consistency & flavor were awful. As a whole the experience did not live up to expectations.

Overall, severely disappointed…
Visited for a lunch meeting. Found the food to be meh.
Ordered 10oz NY Strip medium/​medium-​rare. Received a 10oz NY Strip well done. Not a single hint of pink what-​so-​ever, not even in the center.
Was also served a rotten potato. Yes, that’s right… seriously rotten. It was wrinkled on the side which made me suspicious. While conversing I forgotten my suspicion and received a rotten bite of potato.
After a couple of minutes I was able to flag down the waiter and inform him regarding the rotten potato. He replied «We’ll just get you another one.» No apology was given. You gave me rotten food and couldn’t even apologize.
The side salad was good.
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One caveat, this was a Monday. And it’s possible their main chef was off, (Monday being a common day off in the restaurant business). And that whoever was on was not very competent. When you advertise «steak house» you should know how to cook a steak.

I planned a group dinner here that was a great success. The owners were so nice and accommodating to use my logo on my menu I chose. My guests raved about the food and the service was excellent. I will definitely plan my next group dinner there when we are near Etters!

The atmosphere of this place is so 70s, that walking in, I’m always surprised I don’t see Jim Rockford sharing a booth with Mr. and Mrs. Roper. It’s really dark, and everything is wood, and shades of browns and yellows and deep reds. I don’t mean this as a criticism. I doubt the 70sness is at all intended, but It’s actually the entirety of the place’s charm. The service is fine, though I’ve never found the staff to be overly friendly. It’s a bit pricier than it really should be.
Oh, you want to know about the food? Well I have to say it’s amazingly consistent; always good, but never great, but also never bad. I’ve been here many times, and I don’t remember anyone I’ve ever been here with ever having a complaint. Most people get the steaks, and they send them to the table sizzling, which I love (I’m a simple man sometimes.) They have the usual steakhouse stuff; your steaks, your crabcakes, your steaks, your ribs, your steaks.
It’s also in an odd location; you’ve probably seen it a million times going north on I83, with it’s big neon «STEAKS AND SPIRITS» sign. The building and the sign feel so close, it feels like you can almost touch it while driving by, but if you’re passing it, you’ve already missed the exit.
Also, why is this The Hillside CAFÉ, since it’s not café-​like at all? It really should be the The Hillside STEAKHOUSE.

it’s a tad difficult to get to, but its worth it. just as the website suggests, i suggest you get the house special, which includes a juicy filet mignon and a jumbo lump crabcake (VERY tasty), along with two sides. for sides, i’d reccomend salad and garlic bread. But, i’d stay away from the mashed potatoes, as everyone who i’ve known to try them thinks they’re bland. I also think the prices are a little spendy, with the house special running around $ 32.
As far as décor goes, i feel like im eating dinner in the basement of an 80 year old woman. But, i look past it and enjoy the exceptional food.
Website:

one word
RIBS!
a little over-​sauced, but i can forgive the indescretion!
the place is usually packed, and the service can be slow, but all the meals i have had here were excellent!