4118 Kitchen+Bar

The food is incredible, the service was great, and the ambiance was nice. I ordered the salmon…read morewasabi dish. It was paired with roasted carrots & a delicious sauce. I savored every bite, it's my favorite salmon dish to date. Next time we're in town, we will be back!

Option 1: Delicious desserts and perfectly made mimosas!…read moreBeautiful presentation, cozy atmosphere, and great service. A lovely afternoon spot.

Lump crab, no fillers.

See all

The Ugly Dog Pub

3.9(440 reviews)

The Ugly Dog served as our pit stop the whole time we were visiting highlands. Whether it was for…read morea meal, snack, or just a cocktail to relax a bit. We stopped by our first day for lunch and I ordered the classic Reuben and fries. Both were delicious I loved the fries so much. My husband ordered the bacon and pimento smash burger which was just as delicious! Day two I had a chicken sandwich and he ordered the Cuban. Day three we had the soft pretzels and cheese dip. Those were bomb! My favorite cocktail was the Italian Spritz. It was so light and just a nice refreshing drink for the afternoon. Service was average. Nothing terrible or great. You can tell they get pretty busy each day. What I really loved was all of the photos of dogs framed on the walls! It was fun to see all the different pups that had been added over the years

Ugly Dog is one of our favorite places in Highlands…read more Hubby and I enjoy their Burger with the loaded Tater Tots. I appreciate that the Tater Tots are gluten-free, and I heartily recommend them! The bar can occasionally get loud and rowdy, but the crowd always seems happy. Servers are friendly, and knowledgeable of food sensitivities. You may have a little bit of a wait, but these people are on it, so they'll get to you asap. Be sure to visit Ugly Dog while you're in Highlands. I think you'll like it.

Dog decor

Loaded tots

See all

They seat you and bring a chilled glass container with cold water

Madison's Restaurant

4.1(192 reviews)

•$$$

Madison's was a wonderful experience. First, the setting was hard to beat. Impeccable with old…read moreworld charm and exquisite settings. The service was outstanding with lots of attention from the wait-staff. My wife got the scallops and they were perfect. I got the feduchini bolognese, and it was perhaps the best I have had. I had high expectations and they were more than matched. A wonderful setting.

We thought the decor in the restaurant was unusually classy. The "booth" was actually two love…read moreseats with pillows and a table. The food was extraordinary! I had scallops which were perfectly prepared but my wife won with her surf and turf entree. The best steak I have tasted in a long time. Desert was white and dark chocolate bread pudding. OMG good! Our servers were knowledgeable and friendly. We'll definitely go back next time we're in town.

Beautiful design

Buttermilk, Blueberry Pancakes

See all

Wagyu Smash Burger

Hummingbird Lounge

3.9(11 reviews)

Cool vibe and excellent cocktails!!! Smoked Old Fashioned is a can't miss. Unfortunately, I have…read morehad mixed experiences with the service at Hummingbirds, so no five star for you!

Just here for the fantastic singer!!! What a vibe- I'll be back! Drinks were delicious and ambiance…read more was cool

See all

Old Fashioned was amazing! Service, music, and ambiance were amazing. Will definitely be back!

Wine Garden

4.2(43 reviews)

Highlands, NC is truly a little slice of heaven! If you're ever there, you must have lunch or…read moredinner at the wine garden attached to Old Edwards Inn & Spa! It's such a beautiful and peaceful space to dine, especially with the amazing Spring and Fall temps they get there. We were with a party of 6 (plus a baby), and walked up without a reservation a bit late in the evening. We figured we'd try it and see if we could get in if it wasn't too late, and luckily enough, the hostess was kind enough to make it happen for us! The menu actually has a lot of variety for a wine garden - drinks and food wise. I started with the French onion soup and it was delicious. The Caesar salad was also quite yummy, but the meatloaf was the showstopper of the night! I am still dreaming of it now, and wish I could replicate it myself because it was that good and memorable! For dessert, I ordered the affogato which is their house made vanilla bean ice cream with an espresso shot and it was the perfect ending to the night! Our server was so attentive and kind, and constantly checked in on us and cleared our plates since the tables are a bit on the smaller side. I had an excellent experience all around!

Had an fantastic afternoon visiting this place for lunch and drinks. The food was delicious, and…read moresitting out under the trees next to a little waterfall and stream as well as the nearby architecture really feels like you've traveled somewhere special. Our waiter was also very nice! Highly recommend!

Charcuterie board

See all

Mountain Fresh Grocery

3.6(269 reviews)

0.4 mi

Super cute grocery/restaurant filled with freshly made grab and go meals and locally made snacks…read more We sat at the bar with a glass of champagne and snacked on Curry Chicken Salad from the refrigerator. A very popular spot, kid friendly, and lots to look at all around the store.

Stopped here late in the afternoon. Food was fresh, hot and delicious. Staff were friendly and…read moreservice was quick. Food was a little more on the expensive side, but worth it. Their signature chicken tenders are so good. Store was a little disorganized, but staff was happy to help locate anything we were looking for. Pretty quiet in late April, but I know this place is bustling with people in the summer.

Bakery

Corned beef hash

See all

On the Verandah

3.4(128 reviews)

1.2 mi

•$$$

The location is good and the environment and interior fits the region (rural area). We were…read morewelcomed and seated at a very nice table. It was dark outside so we were not able to enjoy the Lake view (not their fault). The waiter did a great job providing the specials . We ordered the ribeye and the duck. Texture wise and taste were ok, but both were served from our perspective below temperature ( and I mean the preparation was medium rare which was good) but the meet itself was below room temperature which made it difficult to taste the actual flavor of both types of meat. The wine selection was excellent. In general I would say given the price range the plates should be served warm so that eating it does not get cold too soon.

Beautiful setting overlooking lake. Service was very good. The wedge salad for 15.50 was very…read moresmall portion of shredded greens surrounded with a couple cherry tomatoes and sliced onion. Very overpriced. Pork chop was nice not sure on mashed potato they tasted similar to instant. Lobster well all I can say is look at picture that is $70 worth lot lobster...two very small tails. Server was outstanding. Crème Brûlée was pricey and very small. Bread pudding was the best every and nice size service. Sides with entree very small amount of green beans and squash. The company we were with made it worth it.

Our table

See all

Lobster Piccata

The Grill Room

4.0(1 review)

4.4 mi

What a beautiful setting for dinner on a rainy evening. We came for Sunday Supper, where the Chef…read morescales down the menu to special offerings each week. We ordered the Brussels sprouts for starters and the H & F burgers with fries for supper. It was outstanding. It came with fries that were cooked crispy as we like them. We ordered wine and an old-fashioned for drinks. The service was fast and relaxed. Music provided a nice background for a very nice dinner.

Panoramic view of the dining room

H & F Burger with fries

See all

Bordeaux Cabernet Sauvignon

Whiteside Brewing Company

4.2(249 reviews)

7.1 mi

The food and the vibes here were excellent! My husband and I split the sweet potato fries (called…read moreSweets and Goats on the menu) it had nut free basil pesto, goat cheese crumbles and a balsamic glaze drizzle. SO GOOD! Still thinking about it a week later. We also got the buffalo shrimp which was equally as delicious and super fresh. The peppercorn ranch that it came with was super good too. Others in our party got the pretzel bites and were very impressed with the pretzel and the queso and spicy mustard dipping sauces. There is a large space beside the brewery with fire pits and space to run and play for kids. There is a giant tv outside and lots of places to sit - both inside and outside. We were there the week after Christmas and though it was cold there were plenty of heaters/fire pits etc to keep warm near. Really great spot for all! We will definitely come back!

We are on a bachelorette trip and came to Whiteside for a quick lunch after a day spent at the…read morelake. One of the bartenders told us their policy was that we needed to have full coverage pants on. Understandably some of us went home to change and put on different outfits while the rest stayed and it was not a big deal at all. The girl who told us this made very rude remarks, she was looking directly at our group and whispering, and she was dead staring at us when we got back to order our food. This kind of petty behavior in a hospitality environment is ridiculous. I do not know her name but she is a blonde bartender.

Red, white, and blue burger with fries.

See all

The High Dive

3.8(13 reviews)

0.4 mi

Got there when they opened. It was a busy start. I was craving a good burger. Even better they said…read moreWaygu beef. Asked for medium temp, they don't do temps.. ok! What I got was a charred dry beyond belief burger. No lettuce, just a single loan pickle. It is inexcusable the quality of the food. We were meeting a few friends, they arrived 10 minutes later and were told no more orders were being taken. So they left. We tossed our charred garbage and left. I just don't understand why they think it's acceptable to serve this quality of food. You forced to tip when you order, so that's a waste as well. Won't be coming back. You have been warned.

Very nice atmosphere and always a fan of pool bars, I've been to my share of bars unfortunately the…read morebartender "Gabriel" is made entirely of baby charmin toilet paper and denied our party drinks after three rounds. I believe he is allergic to tips and was barely able to take our order upon entering. One day he may decide to grow a pair at which point I would be happy to go back.