Lackluster fish fry - greasy, tasteless fries and salty fish. Nice atmosphere inside and staff seem friendly. read more

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

We came for the quiet, calm ambience and stayed for Walter's delicious cocktails- wow! The fried green tomatoes were great, and the vegan gyro was satisfying with fresh greens and great sauce on the fake meat. But the true star was the drinks- a beautiful tequila drink that was subtle and savory, and my friend's incredible espresso martini. Their cocktails aren't on their website, so ask for their specials. read more

Still a fan overall, but food quality is inconsistent. I've ordered the lamb chops probably 5 or so times now. And they've been different each of those 5 times. The last time I received burnt, shriveled, dry, and completely inedible chops -- sliding around in a slop of other foods, since they didn't use a divider container. (Compare the photo of the chops in my "updated review" to my "original review" to see just what I mean.) Highlands really needs to get its act together! And they need to figure out what's going on in the kitchen -- and which of their cooks are not able to properly cook lamb! read more

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

See all

Thank you for all your hard work and being open through this pandemic. The eggs Benedict with fried green tomatoes along with the breakfast potatoes are delightful. I do wish they were available all week. read more

Highlands - Eggs Benedict with fried green tomatoes - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Everything on this menu is delicious. The drinks are great as well! I especially am a fan of the salmon.

Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed. This tasted more like a complimentary breakfast at a hotel. I did like the fact the it was a small quiet place. I'm not sure I would revisit but the lunch/dinner menu items seem like they might be better than the breakfast. read more

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

See all

So happy to have found this place! Discovered Highlands via Yelp while out and about craving some southern brunch cuisine. We got takeout, and while navigating the street parking may be a slight issue, it's worth it. Got the shrimp and grits, fried green tomatoes with the side of french toast and waffle à la carte. Y'all, the grits are sooo good! Super creamy, tasty, and the large fried shrimp amazingly complimenting the grits. My mouth is watering thinking about it. My husband and I also thoroughly enjoyed the fried green tomatoes and the à la carte items (waffle and french toast). Price point for the food is awesome for a DC spot and staff friendly. We'll be back soon for sure! read more

Highlands - Juanitas Shrimp and Grits - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

You can't come to DC and not stop at the Highlands for breakfast. Juanita's Shrimp and Grits were the truth! All of their food is delicious! It was my go to spot growing up and living in Petworth. Damn good food! Walter is the best! read more

Highlands - Can't come to DC and not stop at the 14 ST. Height's Breakfast. Juanita's Shrimp & Grits bang! All of their food is good! Go try em! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Small CLEAN Space! Comfortable, Top Notch Food. Top Notch Service, Stable Staff That Doesn't Fluctuate So You Always Know What Energy To Expect. read more

Best cubano sandwich I've ever had! Among other dishes this sandwich is my favorite. Fresh ingredients and perfect combination . Drinks are always great accompaniment especially these summer days. read more

I have visited this restaurant more than a few times. I love the food and the ambiance as well as the environment - the people are nice and the staff are friendly. I highly recommend everyone to visit this restaurant. The music is memorable and the rhythm and Blues is familiar. This is a really good place to visit. read more

Glad I decided to stop in. The place was pretty busy with lots of people coming in and out which to me showed their rating was well earned. Turns out you have to order at the register, where they only take caah, and find a table (quite a few inside and out) where it will be brought to you. Overall the food came out rather quickly. I got the chicken and waffles which also came with scrambled eggs, it was all really delicious and a great value (price and size). ......Chicken - two well seasoned fillets (breast) ......Waffles - whole waffle which was thick and soft. There wasnt any crisp to the edges but they were still good ......Eggs - you could tell they used real eggs and not stuff from the box (given the presence of whites). Looked to be about two eggs and they automatically added cheese. While I just had water, they had quite a few hot drinks and mimosas (I'm sure they have juices as well). Glad I veered off the beaten path and tried it, but it was worth it. It was also nice to see a different part of DC. read more

The service here was great! Mauricio was our server & he was very pleasant & informative. We were visiting from NC & very happy to find a place with COVID procedures in place. I didn't really care for my meal. The salmon came had a pickled taste to it, & to me it didn't pair well with the salmon. The mimosa was very good. Perfect blend of pineapple & champagne. My partner ordered the chicken & waffles. I ended up eating a quarter of her waffle & some of her chicken: it was okay! I'd go back for the service, if nothing else. read more

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

See all

0/5 packaging terrible salty af poor customer service. Called restaurant they blamed it on the uber driver when the driver had already prepared me with the actions of the restaurant. They refused to package food correctly and they just trash read more

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

See all

I took a photo of my half eaten food but decided to spare everyone that. But I wandered over to a little spot called Highlands on 14th street and ordered Juanita's Breakfast. Don't know who Juanita is, but I need her number on speed dial. I could literally eat this everyday! 3 eggs over easy, salsa, Cotija cheese, fresh avocado, refried beans, chorizo and a couple tortillas! Amazing!! Finding joints like this is one of the gems of DC! I'll be back again...and again...and again. Maybe not able to handle large parties without reservations, so bring a friend and thank me later!! Fantastic! Can't say enough. read more

Listen up!!! This place is hands down one of the best places to eat in all of DC. I travel the world a lot and love to eat!! Nothing compares. When I tell you... EVERYTHING on the menu is Amazing it's no lie! Someone is back there making this food with LOVE! The food is soo good it's hard to not order the same thing every time.... And to top it off... They have the best Margaritas and Rum Punch in town! Classy, consistent and the food is always super bomb!!! read more

Quaint, intimate and delicious are three words to describe Highlands. I'd been hearing about how tasty affordable they are from close friends and that was confirmed today. The staff are friendly and readily available to help. There is inside and outside seating. I ate the shrimp and grits and also ordered a waffle. Perfect portion sizes! The shrimp were juicy and flavorful. Highlands is the epitome of neighborhood gem and it's clear the locals (D.C. Natives) show it a lot of love. Decorated with colorful ethnic art, the ambience is inviting! read more

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

Been here twice and I absolutely love the food. The staffs are friendly and very attentive. I had chicken & waffles on the first time I came here- chicken is crunchy & flavorful and the waffles are so delicious. . The second time I was here I got the brunch special which is egg benedict with smoked salmon with a side of potatoes. Boy, I ate them all up!!!! It's delicious!!! Space is limited. Not good for a big group.. I would say 4 person will be perfect in one table. Street meter parking read more

Excellent meal! I have the brioche French toast with chorizo. AMAZING. Friend said the chai latte gonna make he become a regular!

Great food for a even greater price considering this spot is directly on Georgia Avenue. This is my second visit, the first time I had the fish and this time I gave the waffles, eggs and bacon their home-style breakfast a try. Not often can you find a perfectly made waffle but this spot has nailed it. The waffles are light and airy and the bacon was perfectly crisp without being burnt. I will definitely be grabbing more here in the future. They have a array of items on the menu I can't wait to try. read more

See all

So you don't look like a dummy: you "order at the counter" here, THEN you sit down. This will induce some anxiety in most humans. You'll stare at the seating longingly, wondering if there will be a seat for you when you have your order number. It tends to work out, everyone gets seated. The star of the show here is the chicken and waffles. It looked pretty good but the waffles looked a little...plain. I got the classic bacon + eggs + taters breakfast. The sub'd spinach for the 'taters for me because I'm annoying. The breakfast was good, but nothing fancy, and that's probably the point. Ambiance is great, epitome of a local hole-in-the-wall. Seems like the kind of place a politician would visit to hang out with "the common folk". read more

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

See all

Love this local joint - great breakfast specials and coffee. Tons of flavor both literal and figurative. There can be a wait but it's worth it. I've only done breakfast / brunch but I reckon they have lunches as well... read more

Food is great. Service is great. Ambiance is superb. Walter for mayor. Everyone treated my family like gold. Thank you. Mom will always praise you too! read more

We wanted to dine in but there wasn't many tables and they were all taken. So we ordered it to go. I honestly disliked that they do not take down any of your information to let you know when your order is ready. They gave us a time and we just paced the area until we thought it would be done, luckily for us, we came back in time. However, there was a customer who was not happy about his long wait time and incorrect order. I got the salmon cake breakfast. I was disappointed that the grits had absolutely no seasoning and they did not include any salt or pepper in the bag. The salmon cake itself was a little on the dry side and I was not to fond of the flavor either. The cheesy eggs, however, were really good. I would give this place another try, I just would not choose that dish again. read more

This is a long time neighborhood restaurant that has terrific fresh food and beverages. I frequent here at least twice a week, sometimes for a great breakfast and other times for a really good lunch. Their freshly made turkey burgers and tuna salad are worth any distance that you have to travel. If you are a coffee lover, be sure to get a cup to go or sit and enjoy an expresso. read more

This one's a tough one....and I know food, so I know what's best. 5 Star because: 1. The food came out within minutes 2. Everyone recommended the chicken and waffles and they were RIGHT. Crispiest, well seasoned chicken I have had at a restaurant. The reviews were also right about how fluffy the eggs were! Very good! 3. Good prices and good portion sizes. 4. Nice staff Plain and simple review. My mom got the salmon cake entree. It literally is 1 thick salmon cake, but it's small. They should've given 2. The syrup was literally on the cooler side, so that kinda ruined my waffles. The waffles themselves were fine, nothing special, but not bad. Their red sangria (don't know the name, my husband ordered it) was the best sangria I have ever had! Hands down! A MUST order. Shrimp and grits were good - very large and well cooked shrimp. Creamy grits I would return for like a chill breakfast. This isn't the place to go for a special occasion, just a chill breakfast cafe. I originally said it's tough because I wanted to give it 4 Stars. I did not end up doing so because I don't like to factor in my expectations. I think I was ready to eat a good hearty brunch, and this is just a cafe, so it was not extravagant. But that's to be expected! And the cold syrup threw me all the way off. I don't like my expectations to drive my rating. The restaurant deserves to be judged fairly, not based on moods. read more

This is a really cute and low key neighborhood restaurant. The food is good and I was happy to see that the prices were more than reasonable. When you walk in, there is a beautiful mural on the wall that is pretty neat! I believe their signature dish is chicken and waffles, which is what I ordered. It was delicious!!! The chicken was seasoned really well and the waffle was crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside... exactly how I like it!! I will definitely be visiting this place again. The breakfast is good but I heard it's a good spot to grab dinner as well. I will be back! read more

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

See all

Diamond in the rough is a understatement ! This neighborhood gem shines bright with its great offerings and excellent customer service. When I walked in, I was thinking small bakery but to my pleasant surprise I've had some of my best meals in the quiet place. Food is amazing and greatly paired. Not too salty or sweet and just the right amount. I come in for one meal and often leave ordering one to go ! read more

See all

This review is based on oxtails alone. On any other giveen day this is one of my favorite local places. You know how oxtails fall off the bone, well these did not. The flavor was ok but they were nearly impossible to eat. DONT GET THEM read more

"God is Great and God is Good!"....Let us Thank Him for Good Food!! AMEN!! A Child's Grace Prayer........Is the overjoy and elated kindergarten--childhood feeling humming in my head whenever I stop through Highlands! I am sure many of you can relate to the feeling and happy-dance that takes over when enjoying "Flavah-Poppin'!" food. Well....Welcome to Highlands! Everything about this neighborhood food joint gets me excited. Breakfast, brunch and lunch eats that are so delicious in all simplicity! No frills, just great flavors of American and Latin fare....and on the cheap!! Just how I like it. LOL. I am a huge fan of small, local business in DC. And, this particular local business has an amazing atmosphere, friendly owners/staff, and take great pride in serving up some of the best eats around the "Urrr-reah"...as they say in DC slang. This place stays crowded for a reason, simply put....Damn good food! When you walk into Highlands you immediately feel at home. You see everyone smiling and hanging out while the delicious smells from the kitchen make you rush towards finding a table and more importantly a menu. I'm still making my way through the entire menu (as if 5+ visits are not enough...lol), but everything I have ordered has been on point -- FANTASTIC!! My favorites, so far, are: * 14th ST HEIGHTS BREAKFAST and BELGIAN WAFFLE -- Served with two eggs any style, choice of breakfast meat. w/ Salmon Cake all for $8.75! A steal of a deal! * JUANITA'S FRIED SHRIMP AND GRITS -- To die for! Very flavorful, huge, plump, and juicy shrimp. Spicy fried shrimp and cheesy grits served with Apple Cider Bourbon sauce on top. The shrimp was perfectly crispy and tasted ultra fresh. The grits were so cheesy, buttery, and smooth. As if this weren't enough, a delicious Apple Cider Bourbon Sauce laid drizzled atop the fried shrimp and grits. Lip smacking good to say the least. * CHICKEN n' WAFFLES -- The Bomb! Crispy, tasty and well seasoned seasoned chicken. I sometimes substitute the Brioche French Toast in place of the Waffles. I think it better tasting and comes with a great strawberry topping. * HIGHLANDS BREAD PUDDING -- What!? Can we say MOUTH DROOLING GOOD!? Better than Mom's! Served hot, with Strawberries and a Blackberry compote sauce that will have you licking the plate! But here's the real deal.....The VALUE! I cannot think of anywhere in the city to get fresh food of this quality and service, at this price and on the cheap! I have ZERO complaints about this place, except that I wish they were open 24/7! I duly certify and give this place my coveted "HITTIN' & STICKIN'!" stamp of approval! Do yourself a favor - try this place. If you don't like it......then don't come back - because I hate standing in line!! Dueces. read more

See all

Highlands is very popular for three very good reasons: It's cheap, fast and good. By DC standards, the prices here are unreal. $8 for a breakfast plate, $2 macchiatos (yes you read that right), and parking is in abundance. It's the unicorn of brunch places in this city. So there was about five and a half of us in here on a Saturday morning and given the limited seating, we actually had no issues with finding seating. One very kind lady even switched with our larger party. You place your order at the counter and take a number back to your seat so that food can be delivered. It took less than twenty minutes on a busy weekend morning to get our food. Apparently the cafe specialties are Juanita's Fried Shrimp and Grits and the Chicken and Waffles. I recommend not leaving this restaurant until you have tried them both. First of all, fried shrimp with grits is a rare find, and these fried beauties are jumbo sized and crunchy. The grits are smooth and super cheesy. Now the fried chicken actually had some kick to it. There is a spicy seasoning on it. It would have been great with syrup all OVER IT, but unfortunately I was sharing the dish with someone who was new to the concept of pouring that sweet, that nasty, that gushy syrup on the chicken. I didn't want to even get into the use of hot sauce with them, given the looks I was getting for just bringing the syrup container over by chicken. One thing to remember, don't leave the kids at home, this is a family friendly spot-- we brought a very welcome six month old here and they did just fine and there were lots of other friends for him to play with in between drooling and trying to gum my chicken and waffles. I'm now looking for more excuses to come back here. All I know is that I'm definitely coming back here for the berry bread pudding. read more

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

See all

Okay so honestly this place was pretty bomb. The gumbo HIT! It was sooo good. Nice and hot (both spicy and steamy). It was annoying tho -- only had a single piece of shrimp! I think there was crawfish meat or some other type of seafood though so I guess that made up for it. I honestly was not a fan of the shrimp po boy but maybe that's because I've had Po Boy Jim and nothing will ever be better than that. It just didn't have as many shrimp as I wanted. Ok so the mardi gras penne -- FIRE! My favorite item I got. Just absolutely amazing -- so creamy and well spiced. I actually got the burger for my dog, lol! But I took a few bites and it was super yummy. The dog enjoyed it as well :) I will definitely be ordering again! read more

See all

Great ambiance and wait staff and bomb food. Great spot for dinner, brunch or just a coffee. Get the chicken and waffles or the salmon cake breakfast :) read more

Ok I'm officially addicted to this place. I'm not sure where I have been all this years esp as a DC native. I'm a little embarrassed that I had no clue. The only excuse that I got is that I was raised on the other side of town. Thank God I finally woke up cause Lawd this place is the atom bomb! Don't expect some fancy trendy place. Naw that's not what you come here for. Just expect to get great, down home food and good service. I highly recommend that you try the shrimp and grits, the open faced shrimp omelet, waffles, French toast, and the tilapia or salmon. You can't go wrong with any of those. Best thing is that this food is reasonably priced. Tip: don't come during the height of brunch time. You will absolutely wait a while. read more

Highlands - Open-face shrimp omelet - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Went here this morning with my husband and son and grandson. The food was delicious and the customer service is above and beyond. Nice atmosphere. This is a welcoming place. My whole family enjoyed this place and the food this morning read more

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

Great food at a reasonable price. The place has a cool vibe. The service is inconsistent.

Our server was very nice and helpful! To start, chicken empanada was good! Fried Green Tomato's were also tasty but the Garlic Dressing that came with it was even better! Juanita's Shrimp and Grits were soooo buttery and melt in your mouth! Shrimp was cooked perfectly! They were kind enough to put the chicken on the side from the Ginger Noodles so our vegetarian family member could enjoy the dish too. I thought the noodles were just okay, you could taste the ginger and the soy sauce but I think it could've used a little more umph. However, my family didn't like it and thought there was no flavor. Noodle and veggies were perfectly cooked though, the chicken could use a bit more seasoning and needed less cook time. Bread pudding was stunning with berries and a berry sauce, some cold ice cream or a vanilla cream sauce or crème anglaise would've really made it perfect. read more

Highlands is one of DC's best kept secrets. If you're a foodie in the DC area, and haven't yet tried this place, you're missing out. I have been here several times throughout the years, most recently being this past Sunday for brunch. A group of girlfriends of mine try to get together every few months to catch up and eat well while we're at it. This month we decided to go to Highlands because the food is good and the prices are even better. Two out of four of us arrived at 1:30 pm, and the place was packed. We scouted out the area, which is quite small, to see if we could grab a seat, but after ten minutes of waiting, we couldn't find seating inside. Luckily, a group of people at a table outside got up, and we were able to take their seats. Did I mention that it was 95 degrees outside? And that there were no umbrellas for the seating? Whew. Thank goodness they provided us with copious amounts of cups of ice and water. Once we got settled, and the other two people in our party arrived, we went inside to place our orders at the counter. I loved that they use Square, and that you can easily provide your tip when you pay. We ordered: - Mimosas ($8/glass) - Morning Glory Omelet: Egg-white omelet with Swiss cheese, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes and Home fries - Chicken and Waffles - Brioche French Toast - 14 St. Height's Breakfast: Home fries, eggs any style, choice of breakfast meat and toast You take a number from the cashier that you place on your table, and once your meal is ready, one of the servers will deliver it to you at your table. My meal was the Morning Glory Omelet and it was perfection. If you have some time to spare, and don't mind a crowded and sometimes noisy environment, Highlands may be your go-to spot in DC. If not, here's the silver lining: You can always order their take out. read more

The food was just too bland for me! I understand that you have situations that people have high blood pressure and watching their health, but who isn't. I was really looking forward to an awesome, delicious and fabulous breakfast. The salmon cake was subpar and the shrimp and grits were just tasteless. read more

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

See all

Got a lot more than I expected from my visit to Highlands. I just needed a place to meet a friend for coffee. Except Qualia, there aren't a lot of choices in the north of DC. But, Yelp listed Highlands, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Honestly, I rarely pass this stretch of 14th St. These store fronts look completely dilapidated. Half the stores are vacated, leaving the impression that what is there probably is reflected by the looks of the store. Highlands is definitely an exception. A very nice interior with a terrific, colorful mural. I was invited to take a seat, ordered some tea. Offered a menu. Patrons were watching the NFL playoffs on a tv that was appropriately set to low volume. They had three specials, salmon, tilapia, and a third fish. All sounded delicious, all very reasonably priced. I was in the mood for a burger. It was great. Choice of cheese on a wonderful baked bun. And fresh cut fries. If you're not used to fresh cut, they don't taste like fast food fries, which makes them very good, but an acquired taste. Friend had the honey, ginger, carrot soup. Too sweet for my taste, but the friend enjoyed it. Walking outside, I had no idea what Highlands was: restaurant? bar? cafe? Well, it's all of those. Typically this doesn't work. But, as a neighborhood spot, Highlands has made it work. Chef evening bid me goodbye as we left. It's a real gem, and I plan to return. Finally, I think I got a real bargain for a decent meal in a nice, neighborhood joint. Fifth star is reserved for two things. First, they have an espresso machine that is deafening when in use. Definitely louder than a chainsaw. Something must be done with it. Second, although Highlands has made a great space, it still affected by the surroundings. This could be such a welcoming block, but it feels cold and depressing. I understand it's out of their control, but visitors need to be aware that the environs aren't the most uplifting. Don't let it dissuade you from visiting Highlands. It's what's on the inside that counts. read more

See all