Great value! Food is fresh and wholesome plus a fair price. Go can do breakfast or soulful foods just like home.

I don't like to give negative reviews to small, local businesses, but Highlands has some major kinks it needs to work out. We recently moved right around the corner from Highlands and had high hopes for this to become our new favorite neighborhood spot. I still pop in a couple times a week for coffee, and truth be told, drinks are decent and priced fairly. But besides the coffee and breakfast items (waffles and French toast are pretty solid), it isn't likely we'll order anything else here. What's good: coffee and breakfast menu, the neighborhoody feel, the great prices, the generous portions. What needs improvement: Lunch and dinner menu items are just.not.good. When we were hosting 7 people for Thanksgiving in our new really-needs-to-be-renovated home, we did take-out food for most nights. One night we chose Highlands for price and convenience sake. Between all of us we ordered all different entrees or sandwiches from the menu...and not one person liked their meal. My husband's ginger shrimp pasta dish was declared "inedible" (several of us tried it and we ended up tossing it), the salmon did not taste fresh, the sandwiches were sad. Not only that - but out of our orders - they messed up half of them! We ended up getting two salmon dishes instead of one salmon and one shrimp linguine, my sandwich was completely the wrong one, and we got one wrong salad. We should've checked the food before bringing it home --- if you are doing carry-out, make sure your food is correct before you leave. Also, the first time we came for breakfast (which was great - brioche french toast is very good!), we were given not one, not two, but THREE wrong plates before we got the correct food. Also, we ordered coffee with our breakfast (one plain drip and one latte), and neither were ready by the time we finished our food. I had to wait at the bar an additional 5+ minutes to get our (now to-go) drinks. It was a weekday morning and the place was busy, but I don't see how that explains taking 30+ minutes to make two coffees. So, service is slow and error-prone. Lastly, the pastries available at the bar are not good. I've tried a few - muffins and croissants - and haven't found them to be worth it (better for my waistline and wallet, I suppose). Way too dry and bland. I hate being a Debbie Downer on Highlands because there is SOOOO much potential here, and so much I WANT to love. But for the time being, we are sticking to just the breakfast and coffee. read more

Highlands - French toast and bacon - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I got the London Broiled and it was really good, Everyone in my group loved it. Everything was so tasty and filled with flavor. I also highly recommend the creme brûlée. I'm definitely coming again! read more

Highlands - London Broiled - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The French toast is as good as everyone says. I got the chicken n waffles and sub'd the waffles for the French toast. Great move. Thx yelp The eggs and fried chicken breast were meh. Wish the chicken was fried fish instead. Mmm right? One yelper said the shrimps were small and another said nix the salmon cake. Maybe one day I'll be back to try them. $23 included 3 sm pieces of fried chicken breast, 2scrambled cheese eggs, 3 pieces brioche French toast, a prosseco mimosa and 15%tip Good deal! Metered parking out front. read more

Highlands - Substitute the waffles for the French toast so you won't miss out! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Love this place! Food is delicious. Staff is friendly and helpful. Clean but small eating area (post COVID) you have to wait. DC parking rules apply (feed that meter!) all in all we love this spot! read more

Delicious! Yum Yum Yum! I live right around the corner from this little gem, and it finally caught my eye. This small quaint cafe has a cool vibe to it. They also have great customer service! This is def my new study spot :) I highly suggest trying the waffles and grits with shrimp. read more

Highlands - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Went there for brunch on a Sunday, street parking in the area wasn't too difficult to find. Ordering the seat yourself system and we were lucky enough to grab a table. Not ideal for large groups though. My spicy chicken and waffles was tasty and came out quickly, chicken was tender and flavorful (though not terribly spicy). Waffles were a bit soggy and scrambled eggs were pretty standard. Not the most cleanly place though, my knife was caked in food residue and my friend had a hair on her plate (the waitress was very apologetic). I would return if I was in the area but nothing in particular is making me rush back. read more

Highlands - Spicy Chicken and Waffles with Cheesy Scrambled Eggs - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This cafe was really comfortable and it was quite cozy and warm. Which was great because it was freezing outside. My girl friend and I ordered chic and waffles and French toast. The chic and waffles came with chicken waffles and 2 eggs scrambled styled. All three of the components was delicious, the chicken was well seasoned and the texture was great, the waffles were fluffy and the eggs were good. The second dish (French toast) came with French toast eggs and sausage, the French toast was just Alright. Wasn't the best but it was still good. I would really recommend the chick n and waffles. The service was a a bit slow, that's why it got 4 stars. read more

Highlands - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

OH YEAH! Been here twice, both for Brunch. A little hectic as the space is small and busy... but the food is worth the wait. Shrimp and grits are my favorite here. Love the decor and the ambiance, casual and fun. read more

Highlands - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

FANFREAKINTASTICAL!!!!!! This place is a diamond!!!! PaPa Jay met us at the door and served us continually. We ordered the SHRIMP AND GRITS, FRIED GREEN TOMATOES, and CRAB CAKES. Absolutely the best I have had outside my Grandma's kitchen. My absolute most favorite restaurant in the DC area. read more

The food is good despite the fact that instead of being able to eat my shrimp and grits when it came out I had to clean my shrimp also. I didn't come to the restaurant to have to clean my own shrimp. I mean seriously they cleaned most of the shell off the back of the shrimp but y'all leave the damn feet on the shrimp! I chalked it up to it being an accident the first time and went back a different day and it happened again. I was being patient because the server seemed uninterested in answering our questions and failed to mention that when you get the shrimp and grits there are different preparations to the shrimp so at first they came fried. I was going off of my cousin and I visiting and her ordering it and seeing grilled shrimp.....I digress. I told my sister I was just a little upset and wanted to complain. The waiter never came back to check up on us after serving us our drinks and bringing the food. She told me not to so I called a few hours after we left. I spoke to an employee and they said literally "what do you want me to do?". So I asked to speak to a manager and supposedly the owner/chef got on the phone. I explained what happened, multiple times and how if they're going to clean the shrimp, clean it all the way. He told me my opinion didn't matter because he serves high quality ingredients and finding shrimp not cleaned all the way is not going to disrupt his business! He told me he cooks all the food and I said listen I have cataract surgery in both eyes and your trying to tell me you didn't see those little feet on those 4 piece of shrimp you give?!! I said that is rude as hell and bad business practice, I didn't ask for a shrimp boil wheee I know I have to clean my own shrimp. I asked for shrimp and grits and nothing butter tail part is supposed to be still in there! I won't be back, y'all's portions sizes suck also, never serve grits on a plate! read more

Finally, a place in DC that feels like a part of the community. Probably because it's been there for over ten years! A friend and I stopped in for breakfast and were very pleased. I ended up eating the club sandwich because I'm a sucker for a good turkey club. This one was delicious. A lot of bread but the fillings were great. It came with a bag of Lays or the option to upgrade to french fries at a small cost. My friend had the salmon cake breakfast which he thoroughly enjoyed. The cakes were apparently a bit on the dry side but enjoyable. I also had an iced caramel macchiato and it was delicious. My meal was $13 which is insanely cheap for the city. PS they take cards now (but tipping in cash is the way to go!) We WILL be back. read more

I came here at around 9:30AM on a Saturday. The place is not that big and you seat yourself. Thankfully there was an empty table that could seat five of us. Right after us droves of people came in and there was standing room only. I ordered the chicken and waffles. The chicken was good, but I like my waffles a little more crispy. This wasn't the best chicken and waffles I have had, but it was good. The scrambled eggs on the side however were my favorite. I wish there were more. They were fluffy and flavorful, probably the best scrambled eggs I have had. I also ordered a cup of coffee which you pour yourself. My coffee was a little above lukewarm which I did not enjoy. I wish it was hotter. The atmosphere is very relaxed. Almost has a cafe feel. I would recommend this place, just try and get there early enough if you plan on dining in. read more

Ate brunch here with friends who live in the area. Unassuming from the outside, but great food and service inside. Not a lot of seating but lots of people coming and going. Chicken and waffles were a great choice and serving portion was large. Also a nice selection of coffee-shop drinks (coffee, espresso, chai, mocha, etc). read more

Solid food! I love those place and so will you! One of those places that you can tell their is quality in the food. They cook with passion. I love move their chicken and waffles, hell even their Fried Green Tomatoes are amazing! This place is packed, so you have to get there when you can, it's worth the wait read more

Definitely would have given this restaurant 5 stars but they need improvement on their wait time to be seated and more seating. My boyfriend and I went in, was nicely greeted, and was told the wait time would be 15 mins. We actually waited more than 30 mins and as we were about to leave, a seat became available. There are only 4 seating accommodations available in this restaurant. Also, please be aware that it isn't a big restaurant like it may look in the photos. Due to COVID, I'm sure that the seating is even more vacant so be mindful of the wait due to not having more than 50% capacity when you go. Now onto the most important part... THE FOOD! The waffle was so fluffy and you could taste the hint of vanilla, almost like a cake, YUM. The chicken was the star of the plate; it came out fresh, steaming hot, and full of seasoning goodness!!! No complaints on the eggs but I must say the waffle and chicken was beyond words HONESTLY. Great food and great customer service, can't beat that! We will be returning, just may take our food to go next time. read more

Highlands - Chicken and Waffle with eggs - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I came in on a Sunday morning. I'm glad my girls and I got a table before it started getting busy! I had to introduce them to my fave brunch spot. This is my favorite spot to get chicken and waffles. It also comes with a side of cheesy eggs (the eggs taste real, iykyk). My friend got the egg white omelette and the other got the french toast melt. Everyone enjoyed their meals. I had the best customer service here too. The works are so friendly! I hope to come here again soon. read more

Highlands - Chix and Waffle - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great food and service! I'm always recommending this restaurant to friends and family who are in the area.

This is a real DC locals cafe. Food is great!!! I am especially a fan of Juanita's Breakfast and the Chicken Melt Sandwich. Specials are always worth checking out too. It's always popping in here with a good vibe. I'm so happy I live so close! read more

This restaurant has been recommended to me many times over and for one reason or another, I haven't been able to make it. Recently, while looking for somewhere nearby to have brunch, I came across Highlands. The waffles, though standard were totally delicious, but the real stand out was the vegan gyro! My goodness - easily the best vegan gyro I've ever had! The eggs and turkey sausage were decent but honestly, those waffles and the gyro? Winning! read more

Great neighborhood place that we usually visit when in need of a solid breakfast. The bacon, egg, and cheese on toasted croissant is unbeatable. They also have numerous entrees which are delicious, such as shrimp and grits. The servers are also very friendly if you choose to dine there. Highly recommend trying this place. read more

All the way from Cali this is thee most delicious authentic food I've had in awhile, every time I'm in DC I eat here. The food and hospitality is very welcoming I definitely recommended it. read more

3/16/2020 I visited Highlands . The service was very good the gentleman answered all of my questions about the menu , gave me suggestions on what to order and was very flexible with me substituting items to create the perfect dish. They have a very large menu with many options . I was stuck between the salmon cakes or shrimp and grits. They have a blackened salmon dish , I substituted the two sides for eggs scrambled with American cheese and cheese grits , I added a side of home fries and a waffle. The food turnaround was about 15 minutes. Overall my food was good , the grits were creamy and cheesy, my eggs were scrambled well done just as I asked , the home fries were perfectly seasoned and came with peppers and onions cooked with it , the only downside of my meal was the salmon. The good thing is it was a very big piece , downside is it was supposed to be blackened and it was so blan , it had absolutely no flavor and it was overcooked. I basically ate every piece of it with my grits or potatoes to increase the flavor and added hot sauce. The waffle was so good ! It was warm , fluffy, and topped with powder sugar. I would come back, I want to try the salmon cakes , the lamb chops, and a few other dishes that sounded good. read more

Highlands - Blackened salmon with grits , home fries and scrambled eggs with cheese . - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I had been here before a few years back, but I didn't pay it any mind. However this time I came with my one year old for brunch, and I'll say I was very pleased. Highlands isn't a big restaurant, which is a plus. It has no more than ten tables on the inside and about four outside. You must go to the counter and order and pay, which isn't bad, but hopefully you can land a seat before someone takes it. Luckily, there aren't many people there at one time, so you're gonna be okay. I ordered for my daughter and I Chicken and Waffles and a side order of homefries. There is a side of eggs with cheese that comes with the entree. The Chicken and waffles is a must. Its perfect. It comes with two large pieces of fried chicken breasts. Its fried to a perfection. The juices are still there. I love it. I do recommend eating the chicken with hot sauce they provide. The side of eggs is fairly small, but you won't need them once you've eaten the chicken and the huge waffle that comes with them. The waffle is good-it's a waffle. Lol. The side of homefries were amazing. They are sauteed with peppers and onions. I had to control myself because that was what my daughter was eating haha. They were perfectly seasoned. I had come later in the day with my mother and brothers (yes, it was that good), however I wasn't as pleased with this order. My mother bought fired green tomatoes as a starter. As a southerner, I was not at all pleased. It wasn't made with cornmeal, and there wasn't much flavor at all. One of my brothers ordered the two mini cheeseburgers and fries as his entree. He actually liked it! They come with two pieces of burger meat on each sandwich. It was pretty decent; he was satisfied. I ordered the chicken melt. I wasn't really happy about the sides- it came with a bag of chips, and you only have two options of chips. Considering the price, that sandwich should have come with some fries. But whatever. Mom ordered the shrimp and grits. Not at all happy. The dish came with four fried shrimp, which were good, but the grits were tasteless. We weren't surprised considered the location. You're never gonna get good grits from the north. That's just that. That dish should have come with at least six shrimp. At the very least. At the price it came with. But it is listed as an appetizer (for some reason) so I guess that's why the portion is the size it is. Mom also ordered the sangria, and at five bucks, its very delicious. I ordered the sweet potato square for my daughter. It was good. I'm saving the best for last, as my youngest brother ordered the best dish on the menu in my opinion: The gumbo. Served with a very nice amount of rice on top, this dish was filled with tons of meaty goodness. You'd think you would pay 10 or 12 bucks for it-it's 8. There is craw fish and shrimp and sausage and sooo much chicken I can't stand it! The flavor was just right. The spice wasn't too spicy. But it is spicy. After a couple of spoonfuls, it'll kick in. The fried green tomatoes and the shrimp and grits knocked a star off, as well as my sandwich. But all in all, the food is so good and the workers really care if you are enjoying yourselves. Excellent service. My only advice: if you're a southerner expecting much, don't. It's not mawmaw's home cooking at all. But it's worth the try. read more

Highlands - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Initially I was going to give this place 4 stars because I wasn't completely blown away but the more I thought about the food I had to bump that thang up to 5 stars lol. I couldn't help but pig out because everything looked great and the prices were more than reasonable. I ordered the shrimp and grits, wings, home fries and bread pudding. Let's start with the shrimp and grits...soooo bomb! These grits were some of the best grits I've ever had maybe even better than my own lol...the grits were the perfect consistency..you know them eat with the fork grits lol..perfect amount of cheese and the shrimp atop this greatness were fried to perfection! They were good sized, not overly breaded, flavorful and only $10!!! The wings were not as stellar as the shrimp and grits but still pretty decent. Now had they breaded and fried the wings the way they did those shrimp, my tune would be completely different lol. The home fries weren't a part of my original order but after tasting my friends I had to procure some of that deliciousness for myself lol. These potatoes were cooked with care. Nice, tasty chunks, seasoned well with peppers and onions. A must try! Now on to the bread pudding. Unlike any bread pudding I've had, this bread pudding came in the form of a muffin and was drizzled with some sort of blueberry sauce and powdered sugar. Needless to say this bread pudding muffin was very impressive and ended my meal on a very high note! I know I should've been done after all that but I had to sample the French toast and waffle which both were just as awesome as everything else mentioned. A hidden gem in DC, this place is amazing with amazing food! read more

Second time dining here and I truly enjoyed the food. I had the blackened salmon with jasmine rice and spinach. While very tasty, the description stated there will be a lemon butter caper sauce but it was apparent in my dish. Like I said I enjoyed it either way. I will definitely return. read more

Came to Highlands I had been hearing about it for a while. 1. The workers don't greet you when you come in. 2. They are very slow. 3. It took way too long for breakfast food to come out. And it wasn't even crowded. 4. The food comes out lukewarm. Yuck!! Not sure if I will return again. read more

Highlands - French toast breakfast substituted potatoes for eggs. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Ordered a few items for myself and family. Shrimp po boy, cajun mardi gras. Great filling food!! read more

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Awesome place to eat!!! Food, Service, Atmosphere was amazing. Recommend to everyone in the city!!

For my first visit to this establishment ordered the London Broil sandwich with fries that appeared to be handcut potatoes and the London broiled was real steak that also appeared to be strips of tender steak cooked to tender perfection on toasted bun! I will return to the Highlands again real soon to try something else on their menu! Five stars to the Highlands! read more

Our yelp search for a decent breakfast in Washington DC, led us here. It's difficulty to appreciate a place that makes you pay before you are served, or even seated for that matter. Especially, when the majority of the clientele was African American and the staff, was not. Once we were finally seated, the food was ok. Nothing to write home about. We left and realized that we never received the juices we ordered. How often do they get away with that? Returned to get our drinks. No hassle. But come on. The search continues as we attempt to locate a great place for breakfast while in DC. Help! read more

Cute place :) yummy food. But they desperately need servers!! You order your food at the counter. Guy was very distracted and frantic taking our order. Then you are given a number at which you will have to find a place to sit inside or out. This sweet old lady then brought us our food. The place was busy when we got there and got busier after a while. All In all it was okey. Just wish they would hire servers. And the seats were a bit too close for my comfort. read more

Highlands - Morning glory with regular eggs and salmon cakes breakfast. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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If you want a fantastic dinner try the salmon accompanied by the Jasmine rice and spinach...it's wonderful!!

The highlands is one of the BEST breakfast spots in DC. If you love a fluffy waffle and good coffee-come here. The platters are fantastic and the Philly steak is also! read more

The food was really good, I ordered eggs & bacon and my husband ordered eggs and chorizo. The prices were really affordable. Services was really fast. I would definitely recommend this place. read more

Highlands - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The food is great bad thing I was there this weekend and they over charge me plus they add no 10% no 15% of service charge they add 20 % of charge in a place where you do a line you order and is not much service since once you get your food that is all... well I when there the lady order and extra plate (pasta) wish she charge for I have to sing the bill it was $87 dollars I put 8 dollars for tip again I did a line order my self yesterday I was checking my bank account and a new bill for $121.00 I was is not possible is a mistake when I come they told me they add $18 dollar for service plus the tip plus tax when someone tell me an amount of how much I will pay is with tax already well they did the refund of $8 dollars cause they said the $18 dollars can't be removed so I ended up paying for a pasta and $18 dollars more for service... check your bills and I am not agree to pay for service that is an owners business who pay salary and we do help a little paying tips read more

There is so much I could say about this here place. The establishment is rather small inside, but that doesn't take away from anything this place has to offer. It's a cozy spot in NW, DC with some of the most delectable dishes I've ever had. I don't know who's back there in that kitchen, but whoever it is is doing a damn good job! Some of my favorites are the shrimp and grits, the salmon with jazmine rice and sautéed spinach or my all time fave, chicken and waffles!! Man listen!! The food is just the right portion no matter your size. It's flavorful, hot and always satisfies. The staff is friendly and very accommodating. They could definitely benefit from a soft drink machine as I don't think canned sodas are very cost effective. If you're a sangria lover like myself, be sure to try every flavor they have. And remember, this isn't a place to sit down, eat and then converse for hours on end. Get your food, eat it, burp and get out of there because other people are going to need your table. K? Thanks! Listen, don't take my word for it. Go try it for yaself so you can write a glowing review like I did!!! read more

We had breakfast there on Sunday mid morning 10/8/17. To my pleasant surprise, it was not overly crowded. We were seated quickly, food came out in a timely manner...RIGHT ON TIME...lol The COFFEE was amazing...I had 2 cups...LOL The breakfast was perfect w/no grease, no grease smell, no grease period. I ordered the Salmon Cake, which was cooked perfectly. The Potatoes & onions, loved. ALL in ALL...it was awesome. Would have taken pic of food but I ate it so quickly. Hubby had Waffles and these amazing tasty sausages...They were soooo good. Staff was on point and friendly. Thanks Highlands, We Will Def Be Back!!! Anita Reid read more

This place was very good. There chicken and waffles was awesome, I ate a half plate and I didn't even order it lol (greedy). I had the salmon cake breakfast and a omelet breakfast both of them were delicious!! My Date ate most of my home fries that's how good they were. I really liked the place but even though we found a spot to sit and eat I wish they had more seating available. I guess you eat and get out, either way still a great place to eat!! read more

Highlands - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Highlands you are really terrific, I had a lovely experience here today. The pricing is reasonable. I feel no matter what you order you will absolutely love their food, I especially enjoyed their Chicken Melt. The team is very courteous. I really appreciated that. Love that place so much. read more