Heirloom Travel Tip:…read moreAvoid the Sports Bar - this is easy to do. Do visit the Heirloom restaurant - Pleasant date night with your wife. Ambience, ambience, ambience and NO tvs. Hannah was our pleasant young server; I asked Hannah to confirm that she is a lifelong resident of Spartanburg, and the pleasing Carolina voice was a moral boost. Earlier we had enjoyed the Kentucky voice of Angel- both girls were angels. Heirloom has a small menu and a small dining room, but extra large hospitality. Because of a buffet lunch, we settled on burgers - No, cannot prepare medium rare. Very possibly menu items have spent a good deal of time in the freezer. Heirloom is on our way to weeks autumn and spring at Hilton Head, so we shall revisit. Merits 5 stars (not for food) for neat dining experience.

In an area with mostly fast-food places, this was an welcome and amazing find. It's adjacent to a…read morehotel, but owned and operated independently. Offering both indoor and outdoor dining, the ambience in both is very pleasant. There is even contiguous bar seating as another option. Tables are not crowded together, staff is friendly yet professional and service was impeccable. There are no distracting TV's. Best of all, the food was great. I had the best pork chop I've had in ages. Sweet potato hushpuppies were a surprise hit. As someone else put it: this is a perfect date-night restaurant. Or, in our case, the perfect place to relax after six hours on the road.

The bartenders were fantastic. Great cocktails, great service, pleasant ambiance. One of the best…read morelocal spots.

Need a break from all the fun stores? Stop at this beautiful and yummy bar/coffee shop tucked away…read morein downtown Black Mountain. So many options to order! Lattes, chai tea, wine, mimosas, cocktails, beer! They even have specials! Wednesdays is $5 wine glasses. Thursday's is $3 lattes. Sundays have $5 mimosas. My friend ordered an iced chai tea with oat milk and said it's the best chai tea she's EVER had. I ordered a glass of the sauv blanc, as recommended by the bartender and it was delish crisp and delightful. Perfect for an intensely warm day!

The chicken salad sandwich is delicious with white grapes and bacon on sandwich if you like. It…read morecomes that way or you can ask to hold the bacon. Taylor waited on us and she is fabulous. A part of the Cribs group with Willy Tacos and Cribs Kitchen. Casual and dog friendly. Right by walking and bike trail in back of restaurant.

Kind of wish it would allow fractions, the food was solid but didn't stand out from any other…read morereasonable chicken spot. Since I got take out, I missed out on the upscale warehouse-esque environment. It definitely has the vibe of a great spot to enjoy with a mid to large group of people. The only staff I interacted with to pickup was awesome.

Espresso dacquiri Hibiscus mojito…read moreCaprihini (sp?) Unique drinks. Non-alcoholic menu is as cool, if not cooler than, the alcoholic one. Dacquiri is wild - unique and delicious. Gorgeous place inside and outside seating.

Cocktail bar with a turn-of-the-century feel, offering a creative cocktail and coffee menu…read morealongside a small bites menu if you're looking for something light. We stayed on the main floor since the host seated us there, but later realized you can order at the bar and take your drinks up to the rooftop--something I wish we knew earlier. The bartenders were pleasant and laid-back, not pretentious at all. The cocktails were inventive and well-crafted. I went with the Coffee Date and Lord of Misrule--pretty good--but in hindsight, I wish I had tried more of their Fever-Tree and Chemist collaborations, which sounded especially interesting.

Vault and Vator was our last stop of the night, and finding it was a little confusing which is part…read moreof the fun of a true speakeasy. It is found tucked behind the building with only a small, letter-sized paper sign marking the entrance. No flashy signage, no obvious storefront, which adds to the appeal if you're into that kind of hunt. Walking up to it late at night can be a little intimidating but it is well lit which I greatly appreciated! Once inside, the space is dimly lit and small, which makes for a genuinely intimate setting. I'd say it's good for a quieter, more conversational vibe rather than a loud night out. We went with the bartender's choice: pick a base liquor, then two words to describe what you're after. I went with vodka and "slightly sweet, refreshing," for $18. The bartender nailed the brief but it wasn't a drink I'd think about again or specifically order by name. Solid execution, forgettable flavor. Service was the real standout. Our bartender was excellent at walking us through the concept and translating vague requests into something that actually worked. That, plus the atmosphere, is enough to bring me back to see what else is on the menu since we made it there just in time for last call so I ended up only having one drink.

Vault & Vator is such a great spot. The atmosphere is fun and stylish, the drinks are really well…read moredone, and the whole place just has great energy. It's the kind of place that feels perfect for a night out--whether you're grabbing cocktails with friends or making a stop during an evening downtown. Everything feels intentional, from the vibe to the drink menu.

My husband and I visited the Brandy Bar on a whim. We were greeted like we were family, Brenda the…read moreowner was so welcoming. We ordered drinks (normally were Bourbon drinkers) we learned they make Brandy drinks to resemble Bourbon drinks, ordered (2) Old Fashions they were great! Could not tell the difference between the normal Bourbon vs Brandy. The whole atmosphere and setting reminds me of Cheer's bar, many regulars and everyone is your friend. Bart the bartender could show more enthusiasm for being a bartender.

Owner was very knowledgeable of Brandy and great conversation and education on different option…read more Bartender seemed to be a little annoyed on making drinks and not very interactive at all for a small place. If you are looking for a local spot, with local people this is your spot. Will be coming back as I am always looking for the local place versus the commercial overpriced bar, it has its imperfections but that also adds to its appeal in a certain way.

The outdoor location was beautiful and relaxing. The live music really added another element to a…read moregreat meal with our family. I had the salmon BLT which was excellent and the salted caramel cheesecake was truly the best I have ever had.The staff were very knowledgeable and friendly. We will definitely return!

Lovely space, great areas for kids to run around, food was excellent as was the service!!read more

Went to Up On the Roof for the view. Stayed because Evan refused to let the night be average…read more Eighth floor of the Embassy Suites at Riverplace, Reedy River below, downtown and the Blue Ridge doing their thing. The setting does half the work. Evan did the other half without making it look like work. He showed up with the right energy -- not the fake "how are we doing tonight, folks?" energy, the actual useful kind. Knew the menu, didn't recite it like a hostage. Recommended the trout and a cocktail that wasn't the first thing on the list designed to extract $18 from tourists. Both landed. When something needed adjusting he handled it before we had to flag anyone down like we were trying to land a plane. Busy rooftop, people waiting, drinks flying. He still hit the table at the right intervals instead of disappearing for 20 minutes or hovering like a drone. That's rarer than the view. Food was solid rooftop American. Drinks were properly made. Service was the reason it felt like a good night instead of "pretty view, whatever." Ask for Evan. Tip him like you mean it. The mountain view is free. Competent service is not.

5 star view 4 star drinks…read more2 star food Seems clear. Apps, or a quick bite, or a long day and just need food...it's great. Looking for a meal to remember? Move on. Cocktail and a view! Must do. If I ran this place I would stick to appetizers, flat breads, and cocktails. I would also make the sunset a bigger feature, more accessible (that side of the patio is as roped off and signs prevented you from even walking over to get a photo)....also the patio seating need to be smaller and more broken up. Anyhow view f the city is great and the staff is so kind, and helpful! And bartenders are good!

The Magnolia Room is an upscale cocktail bar conveniently located on the first floor of the…read moreFairfield Inn in downtown Morganton. The decor inside is nice, with magnolia wood tables that give the space a sophisticated yet cozy feel. A sign posted said that the bar is not owned or operated by the hotel, so you cannot bill your drinks directly to your room tab. Additionally, they serve beverages only, so don't expect any food, appetizers, or light snacks. You will want to eat before you arrive or after. For drinks, they offer a standard selection of beer, wine, and cocktails. While they don't have mocktails explicitly listed on the drink menu, the friendly bartender offered to mix up a non-alcoholic version of their popular "Front Porch Swing" cocktail for me. It was a beautiful, blueberry-flavored mocktail that tasted fantastic. My only real concern is that the space was exceptionally quiet, with only three customers total on a Friday night, which makes me wonder how much regular business they get. However, if you are staying at the hotel and want a beautiful, quiet spot for a premium drink, it is absolutely worth popping in.

So I am biased, but Taylor and Laney make incredible cocktails!read more

Brynn was the host and she was AMAZING!!! So sweet and attentive. She made sure we had everything…read morewe needed. if you come to Islas, say hi to Brynn! She's awesome!!!!!

Really enjoyed Isla's this evening. We grabbed a reservation as this spot can get busy and…read morereceived a prompt email confirmation. We started with salads and excellent ceviche and "Down South" oysters as we found the pimento cheese and bacon topping to be a fun twist on oysters Rockefeller. We had the 16 and 13 year old in tow and while our kids have open minds and pallets when it comes to food, there were some slight questions about the menu options. There was a kids menu that was standard and I'm sure would accommodate most kids; but, I would say Isla's menu is sophisticated and can be appreciated by a more mature audience. Our 13 year old ordered the shrimp and grits and won the best entree of the night. It's a nice twist using a grit cake as opposed to traditional shrimp and grits but the flavor of the tomato and chorizo gravy along with the texture of the crispy grit cake was an interesting and nice change from the norm. I will definitely go back and try additional entrees. Overall, all the dishes were well put together, well seasoned and paired with a nice wine list that had variety for all tastes. Last, I will say the service was among the best we've had locally. Brandon was attentive, informative and accommodating throughout our evening experience. Thank you to Isla's for a wonderful first experience. I look forward to returning soon!