WOW!! My new favorite restaurant in the world! The ambiance when you walk in this place is so comforting and stylish. It feels like a home with snuggly spots to dine in, like leather high back chairs and book shelves. The windows were open and the breeze was perfect. You can smell the smells from down the road so I knew it would be good. Dray was our server and bartender, and Chef Matt was slaying it in the kitchen. We ordered the fried chicken salad and NC trout plate. This might have been the most delicious food I've ever put in my mouth and I'm not even kidding. If you are in blowing rock or anywhere near please try this place! You will thank me later! read more

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Excellent food & drinks! Cool atmosphere and vibe. Very comfy. Bartender is awesome and everyone is very friendly!

We spent the weekend at the Hellbender for our anniversary. Very cute building with nice patio, bar, and restaurant, plus a handful of rooms on the 2nd and 3rd floors. Location is awesome - right on one of the main roads in town so it's easy to walk everywhere. Parking lot is small, but there is street parking generally around. For food and drinks, they have a pretty extensive menu for a "bed and breakfast." They serve biscuits and smoothies in the morning (every day except Monday) that are delicious and reasonably priced (smoothies are comp'd if you're staying at the inn, and large biscuit sandwiches are just $5). For lunch and dinner, they have an extensive cocktail and mocktail list, plus good variety of appetizers, salads, burgers, etc. Food was good portions, and the variety of spaces are nice to for whatever mood you're in (outside with a firepit, or hanging out at a bar, or in a full restaurant setting in the back with cute backlit mountain motif wall decorations). For lodging, the rooms were a nice size and nicely decorated. It did seem like the building could use a little TLC - we were in Room 3 and there were quite a few large drywall cracks, paint splatter on the ceiling, etc. I know the town and inn are understaffed (signs at the entrance ask for patience with labor shortages), but it felt like everything could use a good cleaning and scrub down. We noticed some stains on the towels when we arrived, and floors / rugs looked like it had been a while since they had been cleaned. Nothing terrible, and understandable given the current labor market, but it has a lot of potential that it was falling shy of. We missed the personal service touch that typically comes with a small bed and breakfast setting, but would happily come back and stay again. read more

Amazing service, delicious food and the ambiance is delightful! This restaurant is beautiful A must try!!

Last time we visited Hellbender my wife and I celebrated my 40th bday. This weekend we celebrate 21 years of marriage. Imagine the experience a place like this provides with food, drinks, service, and ambiance to put a couple in the mindset for the best moments of their life? This place delivered that experience again today and looking forward to what the rest of the day brings. read more

Hellbender Bed & Beverage - This is how good the fried chicken salad and adult grilled cheese were! WOW! - Hotels Near Me - Blowing Rock, North Carolina

My husband and I last visited Blowing Rock two years ago, and we were eager to return to a restaurant where we had enjoyed dining out on the lawn (back when that was just for ambience, not for health reasons). We couldn't remember the name, but went to the location and found it...gone. We walked into Hellbender and confirmed that we had the right place, but the previous restaurant had recently gone out of business. We were sad, but decided to give Hellbender a try. So glad we did. I had the Ancient Grains Salad with smoked turkey and my husband had the Duck Confit Club; we shared a basket of fried onion strings. Everything was fantastic. The salad was a perfect balance of flavors and textures. I had meant to order feta on it (at an extra charge) but forgot, but the salad was so flavorful it didn't matter. The only thing I might have done differently would be to order a different protein on the salad. The smoked turkey was tasty, but dried out and a little skimpy for the price. Did that stop us from going back the very next day for lunch? It did not. The second day we split some poutine with Ashe County cheese curds and duck gravy, and we both got the 3rd Thursday sandwich, which basically tasted like Thanksgiving dinner between two slices of perfectly grilled multigrain bread, with duck gravy for dipping. I wanted SO BADLY to finish that delicious sandwich, but it defeated me. (This isn't over, sandwich. I WILL return to Blowing Rock and demolish you.) My husband also had beer both days. I don't know from beer, but he enjoyed. So go, have beer. I would be remiss in not mentioning COVID precautions in these plague-ridden days. There was plenty of well-spaced seating on the lawn under strings of lights, and the tables inside looked to be pretty well distanced, too. We have not eaten inside a restaurant since February, so we were happy for our table on the lawn. Staff is masked up and there's plenty of hand sanitizer. Bathrooms were very clean, too. Speaking of the staff, they were all polite and friendly. Let's keep them in a job, shall we? read more

Hellbender Bed & Beverage - Ancient Grains Salad (with smoked turkey added) - Hotels Near Me - Blowing Rock, North Carolina

Excellent place to eat and drink. Food quality was outstanding, service was also top notch. Beer choices very good, and a great bar selection as well. We ate a burger and a specially made quinoa dish for my vegan wife and that dish was to die for. Burger was very good, cooked just right with the right mix of flavors that made it quite luscious. Beer choices were excellent - we tried several. Service was outstanding. The bar tender served us and was a very positive, happy guy who I noticed was stepping in to help a new staff member learn. Having eaten in many restaurants around the world, from top level to some real dives, the bar tender was amongst the very best. Pricing on the local specials day was excellent. This feels like a hidden gem for Blowing Rock, and I'd be happy eating here again any time. Well done Hellbenders team - a well deserved 5 stars. read more

This place is the most instagramable. But WAY more important than that, Abby and the rest of staff were a dream, the food was delicious, and the atmosphere makes you forget that phones and Instagram exist. We sat by the fire place, looked at photo books from the bookshelf, played a building block game, drank a local draft and "sweater weather," ate salmon dip and banana bingets. Next time we visit NC, I'd love nothing more than to stay at this gem. read more

Hellbender Bed & Beverage - Smoked salmon dip - Hotels Near Me - Blowing Rock, North Carolina

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Stopped in to check out the food options on the way to Main Street and I'm so glad we wound up eating here. The revamped Hellbender had only been open 2 days, but the food, service, and atmosphere were all fantastic. Plus they have Booneshine on tap and great spins on cocktails. Every item on the artisan cheese plate was a unique burst of flavor, and eating different combinations was a never-ending treat. The smash burger was drool-worthy and perfectly griddled with a blend of ground beef, chuck, and brisket on a heavenly soft buttered brioche bun. But the standout was the collard green melt. Lawd-a-mercy, after the first bite, I think I blacked out. It's basically a reuben with no meat, but it was better than most traditional reubens I've had. So much care and mastery went into every element, it felt like being on the finale of a Food Network show. The location is perfect - just down Sunset from Main Street, close to everything but far enough away to get a sense of peace and quiet from the more congested area of downtown Blowing Rock. So hit up the patio for a leisurely drink or head into the cozy dining area and warm up by the fire while enjoying an amazing meal. read more

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We went here twice on our trip to BR. The bar has a nice atmosphere and the lunch service was delish. Hubby had bbq & sides while I had burger & sweet potato fries. read more

The prime rib steak sandwich was amazing. Enjoyed sitting outside with our dog. Friendly staff.

Always a go to when we're in town. Some how we've always gotten a table without reservations-- a rarity in BR these days. Good bar food, the menu is casual but tasty, great for families and groups who want a more relaxed environment. They always have a great cocktail, beer & wine selection too. Looking forward to trying their breakfast biscuits. They also have a standing Thursday special that gets you a free draft beer with select meals! read more

Would recommend. Would stay and eat here again. The location is perfect The service was fast and friendly The food was tasty and reasonable. I had the smash burger & fries. The room was comfortable and a good size. We met some friendly travelers at the bar which is always good. Internet TV which we prefer was great.....dont forget to sign out of your apps! read more

Really disappointing meal. Maybe I expected too much knowing they are owned by the same people as Bistro Rocca. Since there weren't many tables occupied I expected piping hot food but instead it was only luke warm. Cocktail and service were good, but I likely won't return given how many other good places there are in Blowing Rock and Boone. read more

First of all, the concept is very cool. The space is nice and the food is amazing. It's entirely too quiet in the restaurant. Some low volume music would really help, otherwise you will hear everyone else's conversations. Honestly this could be overlooked. What follows couldn't. The "order at the bar" idea is awful. There was mass confusion at the bar between customers ordering food (and asking for explanations for items), employees determining who was doing what, paying as you go or having a tab, having to remember your number when you want to order more food or drink (including water), and having to wait to order while another patron basically agonizes over what to order. An employee brings your food and drink to your table, so why not have servers? Get rid of the "order at the bar" and this is a 5 star restaurant. read more

Would give 3.5 if I could. The grain salad was solid, the collard sandwich was just ok. The worst dish was somehow my son's kids Mac and cheese. It needed salt (and cheese)! read more

Cute and comfy place to stop and have a snack! Good delicious, drinks tasty and the staff was very friendly. Definitely recommend. read more

Hellbender Bed & Beverage - Roasted Brussels sprout and pomegranate mule - Hotels Near Me - Blowing Rock, North Carolina

We recently spent 2 nights. Staff very friendly, room clean, very convenient and breakfast coffee and smoothies were very good. Our room was #4, which had a musty smell and it took a very long time to get hot water. We knew ahead of time the room was small, however it was very small. The room is more suited to a queen bed than a king. No luggage rack or place to open suitcase other than bed or bathroom floor. For the price we expected better. read more

Great bar with creative drinks and a good food menu as well--the NC trout was really tasty. The building is well decorated--I haven't stayed in the hotel but it seems really cozy, and the location is perfect. read more

Excellent ancient grain salad. Definitely try it with grilled chicken which was perfectly prepared. Enough for two- huge salad. Service was really good. Other than a very loud-talking patron, it was a great experience. read more

They had a wonderful outdoor space. We had a girls weekend trip and needed a place to just hang out and relax while drinking mimosas and this place exceeded our expectations. read more

Fantastic food off the main downtown busy areas. We weee able to park and be seated right away as a group of 7 adults and kids at lunchtime where other restaurants we checked had 1.5hr+ wait times. Service was excellent and food was even better. Smash burger was delicious, would definitely get again. Soft pretzels with beer cheese and spicy mustard were another winner. All in all a friendly, relaxed place to grab a bite just a few minute walk off the main downtown thoroughfare. We will return! read more

Great breakfast and biscuits! The staff were very friendly. We will stop by again next trip

Not excellent but not bad. Hummus appetizer was good, wings were very good, fries were amazing, shrimp po boy not so much. Flavor of everything was fine but not quite enough to leave me euphoric afterwards. Great ambience. Sitting outside during a beautiful day made for no regrets. Service was good too read more

This was absolutely one of the best meals Ive had in the blowing rock/boone area. My group got seated right away for dinner and the food was affordable and the menu made my mouth water. The food put me into a food coma it was so good and everything was top tier. This meal altered my brain chemistry it was so good. The staff was fantastic and everyone should try this place! read more

Hellbender Bed & Beverage - Fried Brussels Sprouts (GF). - Hotels Near Me - Blowing Rock, North Carolina

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We have just eaten breakfast here over the last two years. If breakfast is any indication, I would say try anything and it will be great. The biscuits are amazing according to my husband. The smoothies are also wonderful, fairly natural also. Very welcoming to everyone. We hope to try their lodging soon. read more

Delicious burger and friendly and responsible service. It is definitely a good place to go. We enjoyed both dinner and breakfast there.

Found the spot as we looked for an outdoor covered bar to escape the rain with our dog. It was a Monday so the kitchen was not open, but the bartender/staff was very friendly, personable and efficient. We enjoyed a local beer, relaxing and watching the rain. Walking distance to downtown. Would definitely return and enjoy another relaxing afternoon. read more

Biscuits Sunday morning. Yes, they're busy, but less so than the other 2 places open right now.

Food was great (though the hummus was no better than store bought), staff was great, atmosphere was cozy. Would give five stars, but the QR reader directions on the table made it seem like a server was not going to be an option. While my table mates ordered online, I don't play that crap. I took the time to come out to the restaurant, I don't want to do any work myself, let alone provide my contact info to yet another 3rd party payment processor online waiting to sell my info to Indonesia. I went to the bar to order per the instructions, only to come back to actually have a server which, made the whole thing confusing. Ditch the QR nonsense; I come to the mountains to disconnect. read more

I just don't get all the positive reviews. We went on Saturday night and were surprised to only see 3 or 4 others tables occupied. The service was fine but the steak sandwich was mediocre, at best, with small "chunks" or "cubes" of beef instead of "carved" prime rib (as advertised). Another one in our party got the trout plate and that was warm, at best, as were the sandwiches. Two of our party ordered craft cocktails, and thoroughly enjoyed them, but I was disappointed to find an extremely limited selection of local beers on draft. We wanted to like it, as the other couple in our party had been to the previous incarnation of the restaurant, as well as a sister restaurant, but we all agreed that it just wasn't a good experience for us. We'll spend our money somewhere else next time. read more

Late afternoon visit. Sat for awhile realizing that it was self order. No one ever check on us. Finally called a food delivery person to ask a few questions. Not much flexibility in the food or drink menu. We give the one star mainly because of service. Very poor. After getting food and drinks, absolutely no one checked back with us. We were ask to give a tip when we ordered , and did! Big mistake. Tip is for service and we received NONE. Nice outdoor area and comfortable environment but possibly for drinks only! Many other choices available in close proximity. read more

Way to busy to do anything right. Had to order drinks and food via app on table since no wait staff came around. 45 minutes to get a drink. Food came out before any drinks. People are bringing lots of children making it noisy and over working the wait staff. No longer a good locals bar. I expect more from Bistro Rocca and Gideons Ridge restaurant group. read more

A group of us went to Blowing Rock Sept 2nd 2023 and the place was packed with people. Blowing Rock is a nice quaint town and was our 2nd time going. We went at lunch time and this was a bad mistake. Everywhere we stopped had at least a 1.5 to 2 hour wait time. We decided to walk off the beaten path and ran across this place and sat right down. We sat for at least 30 minutes before we were greeted. We finally got our drinks and then ordered our food. My wife got the BBQ sandwich which I will say was the best thing that any of the rest of us got after waiting almost 2 hours. the other 3 of us got the Famous smash burgers and I will say. I thought looked like a dollar menu item from one of the fast food places except put on a Brioche bun. All agreed it was awful and also cold. After reading the other reviews and seeing the pictures I wasnt sure if this was the correct location as the pictures of the food and the cleanliness of the place in Pictures is nothing like we received. I hesitantly gave it a 2 star. Terrible service, overpriced. The only thing I will say besides one bite of my wife's BBQ was good, they do make good fries. I would have had a better experience going to that well know fast food place with Golden Arches and saved a lot of time and money! I normally DO NOT give a bad review but this one deserves it. Hopefully they were just having a bad day but I will not be going back to find out. read more

This was the smash burger with bacon and sweet potato fries! Absolutely delicious. Service was fantastic and the food was nice and hot. Atmosphere was great. Hubby and I will be back. We both enjoyed our meals. read more

Hellbender Bed & Beverage - This was the smash burger with bacon and sweet potato fries! - Hotels Near Me - Blowing Rock, North Carolina

We always stay at Hellbender when we go to Blowing Rock. Staff is friendly, great restaurant, bar and rooms are clean and cool.

Great location for accommodations - it's cute and quaint but comfortable. The staff is all friendly and the smoothies that are included are such a great bonus. Pet friendly and easy to take the dog out for a nice walk. We'll be back! read more

Great food and excellent service! Staff was incredibly friendly. The prices were quite reasonable.

My wife and I thought we'd check this place out for a burger and beer after seeing a couple of good reviews. It was a great choice as I had a tasty smash burger and fries with good attentive service . The price was right too . It was the perfect stop to refuel after a day hiking nearby . I'll be back read more

Fabulous food ! Fish dip is awesome and chili is fantastic too! The place sis so cute inside. read more

Hellbender Bed & Beverage - Fabulous trout dip and chili that is out of this world! - Hotels Near Me - Blowing Rock, North Carolina