Highball & Harvest

Highball & Harvest - Orlando - 4.5 Stars "If the radiance of a thousand suns were to burst forth at once in the sky, that would be like the splendor." -- Gita Highball & Harvest is a restaurant inside the Ritz Carlton Hotel. The Ritz works very hard to deliver an amazing overall experience whether in lodging or in dining. While I did not stay at the hotel itself, the opulence that surrounds you upon entering the restaurant is sumptuous. You have to take a circuitous route to get to this eatery but once seated you have great views of lush flora and fauna that are carefully manicured. The attention to detail is astounding. The only downside to this spot is that the open air nature of this area caused sound to reverberate. Normally, this is not a big deal, but there was a gaggle of men hard-pitching what sounded like a Ponzi-like scheme to some young adults nearby. I tried to ignore them, but the leader of the pitch had a bellowing voice that carried throughout the place. He looked and sounded just like Marty Funkhouser from "Curb Your Enthusiasm." It was hard to avert my eyes because he apparently had obtained hair transplants years ago and did not have the foresight to consider future baldness. So he had perfect rows of wispy red hair on his head, a complete ring of baldness, and then more hair. Anyway, while this is a major digression from the point it was hilarious to watch and listen. I didn't need to stick my head in my phone for entertainment. Now, back to my culinary experience. Highball & Harvest has, like all modern American restaurants, a craft drink menu. A highball is another name for cocktail, which was big in usage at the turn of the last century. I chose to imbibe and picked the Industrialist from the menu. This consisted of Woodford Reserve double bourbon, Creme de' Menthe, and Fernet Branca. How they came up with this combination is beyond me but WOW! - it works. I ordered three sides instead of a full meal this time, choosing brussel sprouts with sherry-maple gastrique, Jimmy Red's goat cheese grits, and red cabbage deviled eggs. At first I was worried about the maple gastrique but my worry was for naught. The maple was barely noticeable but the sugars gave a potent punch on the finish. Now, as far as cheese grits go, I will eat them whenever they're on the menu. These Jimmy Red's had so much wonderful cheese I almost want to call it cheese with grits - truly amazing. Finally the deviled eggs: The chef who designed these eggs should get national recognition. The filling was smooth and creamy. The red cabbage finish topped with the pumpernickel crouton is the kind of crisp, clean, simple dish I so enjoy. I can't say enough good things about Highball & Harvest. Their dishes are simple, yet complex, and contain the right balance of flavors with recipes that are outside of the proverbial box. Please, I implore you to go experience Highball & Harvest, so sayeth the Big Boy

Great food; fish dip and pimento appetizer awesome; deviled eggs were yummy; zellwood corn soup was amazing; our entrees were very good and different - grouper is the best I've ever had in FL restaurant and I've been eating grouper since I was nine; fried chicken was finger-licking good; and my quail was awesome, wish there would have been two on the plate. and the dessert plate they surprised us with was awesome! And loved our waiter!

Excellent service and food overall. One of the best restaurant I have been to. The food is very tasty. Definitely five stars.

4.5⭐️ Service, food, recognizing my sons birthday, even considerate to-go water bottles were all top notch! We ordered the burger (not on menu) that we heard was great. Waiter said it won best burger many years in a row thus everyone knows of it so it’s not on the menu. Had Parker House rolls to start which were brought to our table without request. The spreads were amazing, soft, and flavorful. Next had deviled eggs and Brussels. Entrees were burgers and daughter also got Mac n cheese which she said wasn’t anything special but everything else was really good. Waiter surprised my son with birthday dessert of bag of donuts + hazelnut tube & coffee ice cream. It was enough to share a bit and maybe the best of the desserts although we didn’t try the others. None seemed as appealing. NOTE: spend time on property walking around after! Amazing place with hammocks and hanging chairs to chill in or take photos of along with a beautiful sunset on the water. This was far more than just dinner for us and highly enjoyable experience!! Our kind waiter, Eric I think, suggested we walk around the property after dinner. Excellent recommendation!

This place wowed me with the service from start to end. The ambiance was so nice. Mario was our server and he was so attentive and friendly, for been the first time he took the time to do some recommendations on the menu. Thanks for make our anniversary so special. I had such a good time there in our anniversary dinner. Remember me is a drink that I loved the most, great taste! I want to go back to have some more “Remember me”.

Highball & Harvest offers an elevated cocktail experience worthy of the Ritz-Carlton prestige. The bartenders are extraordinarily passionate about their craft and that passion shows in every cocktail. Exquisite presentation, garnishes, taste and service round out a balanced, luxury cocktail experience that's only found in the world's best cocktail lounges. Many of their ingredients are fresh and custom made in-house. From a full time "bar chef" mixologist, to friendly, warm, and knowledgeable bartenders that demonstrate passion and precision for their craft in every beverage, this place offers one of the best cocktail experiences I've ever enjoyed. Highly recommended.

We ate at their buffet and it was wonderful. The attention to detail is impressive. The staff was continuously rotating the hot and cold items keeping it all at the peak of freshness. Their fresh fruit preserves were delightful. Apple butter and raspberry preserves taste like a Pennsylvania Dutch recipe from days gone by. Keeping pancakes and waffles fresh on a buffet line take a lot of effort and they did it. You could have an omelet made fresh to your desires. Lots of fresh fruit choices, granola, parfaits, yogurt and sliced prosciutto with several additional meats. The scrambled were fresh and light. The bacon and sausage were excellent. Grits, oatmeal and even sausage gravy were in on the hot line. The breads certainly looked fresh and baked right there. The service is without a doubt some of the finest you will ever experience. Hannah was our server and took outstanding care of us, but she wasn't alone. At least 3 other wonderful folks also checked in with us during our and after our meal. This our second trip to this beautiful hotel and we will certainly return.