The Hill Closter, Nj

We have been here many times, and The Hill is always outstanding. Last night, between my husband and myself we had oysters, steak, mushroom soup, and the slow cooked halibut dish. Everything was phenomenal as always. The mushroom soup was simply amazing. Somehow it was both light and extremely flavorful. The steak was perfect. The oysters were sweet and the dipping options were good. One seemed to be a lemon horseradish combination, not sure of the ingredients (of course), but it was exquisite. The combination of ingredients in the fish dish was perfect as well. The fantastic and creative cocktails are a yummy bonus. We're just going to keep coming back until we try the whole menu, and then we'll start over again.

Beautiful room. Excellent service from the staff. We were surprised at the huge appetizer portions. Out of character, our table couldn't even share one desert we were so full. On our next visit we would ask the chef to hold back on the salt so that we may salt to taste. A very satisfying evening.

We have been to this spot several times. We attended with another couple. The restaurant was mostly empty. The service was timid but polite. The sauteed shrimp crispy polenta cakes were excellent but overpriced for an appetizer. We love fish and sushi however the tuna entree was not seared well and was essentially sushi. Our guests' food (Halibut Ceviche and entree) was overly salty. The attention to keeping the water glasses full was lacking. Lastly, the choice of music was not in line with the menu or personality of the restaurant and progressively got louder toward the end of our meal which made it feel like it was intentionally done to get us to leave (9:30 pm). Music sets the tone and creates a mood that adds to the experience. Playing the right kind of music is important to consider and was a deal breaker for us to not want to return. Very unfortunate.

Every dish we tried was fantastic. Pricey but worth it for a special meal.

Located in Closter, the name of the establishment is derived from the word Schraalenberg, meaning barren mountain or hill during Dutch times. The owner, Ben Pollinger, who won a Michelin star in New York back in 2006, finally opens his own restaurant. Formerly on the site that housed Harvest, this restaurant is our first timer and describes itself as an attractive contemporary rustic farmhouse. From the minute one parks in their private parking lot and walks up to their gorgeous enclosed patio designed for outdoor dining, you will know you made the right choice! It was easy to get a reservation via Open Table, but they asked for a $25 per person deposit in case of no show. Upon entering yesterday, my partner,our friends and I were greeted by the host and whisked to our table in the main dining room. It's one of the rooms with plush blue chairs, striking light wood floors, a glorious cathedral ceiling, and a stunning stone fireplace. They also have a lounge area for additional dining with a bar and a private room upstairs on the next floor. Our server was Chelsea, who took care of all our requests and promptly brought complimentary focaccia bread with olive oil to start our meal. It was so good, we had to ask for seconds. The menu was limited and always changing. For starters, we decided on today's special: Turkish Style Falafel, Salmon Tartare and Sautéed Shrimp Crispy Polenta Cakes. For the main meal, we opted for Today's Special: Moroccan Style Wild Boar Tagine, Short Rib Mac N' Cheese, Slow Cooked Halibut, Roast Duck Breast and Organic Green. We even found a spot for dessert to share and got Chocolate Strawberry Cake and Chocolate Mousse. The food was cooked with fresh ingredients and was tasty and delicious. One suggestion to the Mac N'Cheese and wild boar would be to reduce a notch on the pepper. The staff is very personable. A little on the expensive side, but still great food. We can't wait for a repeat performance, and we can recommend it.