This place seldom disappoints and usually amazes. I am not a big breakfast person, but I adore their omelets. The Highland omelet is certainly among the best I have ever had. The dinners I have had -- from the salads to the veggie sandwiches to the london broil sandwich to the blackened shrimp (or chicken) over pasta has in every instance been first-rate. Highlands is a true hidden gem and one of my favorites in DC. One caution. To see what they have available to order, one must look at THREE different locations. There is a permanent menu behind the counter / coffee bar that has some items. To the left of the counter is a specials board. Then, there is a typed menu on paper. Some of the items repeat from one place to the other, some do not. Thus, one must look at all three to know everything that is available. read more

Me and my family go here at least once a month and we are never disappointed. The customer service is always fantastic and the food is better. I suggest the chicken melt because it is so delicious. The artwork on the walls are fantastic! I just wish that they had more locations and a bigger restaurant because sometimes it gets really crowded because everyone wants to eat their delicious food! Overall you will have a great experience of you go to highlands !!! read more

I love their breakfast bagels! The scrambled eggs could be seasoned a bit better but apart from that great place to grab a quick breakfast!

Jumped in here to work for a few hours with their WiFi and eat. I had the burger and coffee and it was delicious. Staff was very polite and accommodating, made sure I was taken care of and didn't bother me at all. I got a lot of work done and enjoyed the food. Atmosphere was fun, upbeat, and felt community centered. read more

Highlands has so much potential. There were no problems with the food,but the space was soooo crowded. You have to jump on an empty spot to get seating in this place. Not good for large groups. Prime real estate was being taken over by employees. Service was ridiculously slow. The young cashier was working as the busboy, and wait staff, while one of her coworkers was sitting and talking with one of his friends. This restaurant needs restaurant impossible. The only thing giving them three stars was my crab cake and belgian waffle. Maybe we came on a busy day? Not sure if I will return. read more

Highland always has very good service and is always delicious. I've never had bad service or a bad meal. It's an awesome quaint little restaurant that you'll love. read more

LOVE this place. Great storefront and comfortable environment. Interesting, far-reaching menu that they can deliver on. Great prices. Love it! read more

Amazing!! Great food and unbelievable prices! Only 10 min from Cleveland Park. Brioche french toast and chicken with waffles were unreal. My fave brunch spot from now on ... read more

I decided to try Highlands for breakfast/brunch on a Saturday morning. I was helping out at a street festival nearby and felt my stomach complain with hunger. I had some time to spare since I had an early start that morning so I pulled over and parked across the street. The restaurant looked busy with all of the inside seating occupied and a few outside tables occupied as well. I went in and waited to be greeted. Nope. I went to the register and asked how long before a table might be available. I think I was told something like 20 minutes. I wasn't in a rush so I said I would wait. There was another woman waiting but I couldn't tell if she waiting for someone, waiting for take out, or waiting for a table like me. After a few minutes diners began to leave so I asked again about the seating policy. Seems you have to order first before taking a seat. Yet a young couple came in after both the other woman and I and claimed a recently vacated table while we waited to order at the register! In any event I didn't want to get annoyed so I went with the flow, ordered waffles, then sat in the window. As an aside I will say that I didn't like the fact that you tip when you pay even though I later discovered that no one actually serves you other than delivering your food. I would skip that option the next time I go back. All in all the food was meh. I was served two waffles with bacon and ate about the equivalent of one. It was nothing special. The service however is for the birds. Honestly it wouldn't kill them to be friendly and helpful. At the very least post some signs. Oh well, I should probably knock it down a star for poor service both times I visited but I will be nice. read more

We had a family friend who is a DC native recommend this place to us. I ordered the French toast and grits. There was a long line when we arrived, but we waited no longer than 5 minuted to place our order, the women at the cash register were extremely efficient. Our food came out in about 10 minutes, my mother got the eggs Benedict with fried green tomatoes (a delicious vegetarian option) and my grits were perfectly creamy, and the French toast was some of the best I've ever had. The food was delicious, and service efficient, and I'd 100% come back! read more

A cute, small little restaurant with a lot to offer. Grab the French toast!

Yum. The food is delicious and their service is outstanding. Seating is tight on weekends, but my husband and I were able to find a table outside. While we waited for our order, an employee came outside and offered us a table inside which had just become available. I immediately accepted, as it was in the 80s that day and I was seven months pregnant at the time. I hadn't said a word to any of the employees, so the fact that they proactively did this (at a time when the restaurant was super busy) was amazing. Great service and food! read more

I really love this place. I love the food and atmosphere. I wish it has more seating but it wouold probably take away from the small diner feel. read more

My third (3rd) visit to Highlands, and each time I've not been disappointed AND very much pleased with the: pricing, quality of the food, the service, the quantity, and overall good vibes of the atmosphere! Had gumbo, my niece had a chicken enchilada with white rice and refried beans, as well as fried green tomatoes: Excellent! we shared one another's dishes and she too plans to tell her sister that their family should go to Highlands. The Best Fried Green tomatoes I've had since I've been in Washington in over 2 years! read more

Love this place. The food is like home cooking and exceptional for the price. Nice friendly neighborhood feel. It's small so peak times can be crowded and service can be spotty when they are very busy. But you can count on getting a good meal in a warm and friendly environment. read more

Went there this morning and stood outside for 20 minutes watching them get ready to open at their states time of 7:30. They kept the door locked after letting a few patrons in. Staff just stared at us waiting outside and didn't bother to acknowledge that we were waiting. Bothersome attitude. read more

This place is always reliably good for reasonably priced food. The grits are fantastic and waffles even better. Breakfast sandwiches are fast and good but stay for the larger dishes if you want a budget conscious treat. read more

Nice gem of the neighborhood :) food comes out slower than anticipated, but did not disappoint. Provides a variety of food. We came for brunch and will come for happy hour some time read more

I had the chicken and waffles. It came with scrambled eggs and it was so good. I was full. I will def come back to this restaurant.

Really good spot for breakfast. Was visiting from Philly for a concert and found this as a highly recommended spot. Wasn't disappointed. I'd say go for something off of their breakfast menu versus the lunch menu as the portions are a lot larger. The coffee is really good too. read more

FINALLY!!! A GOOD restaurant in DC! And the prices are crazy cheap compared to like, everywhere else in this freakin city. I got the chicken and waffles which also comes with cheesy eggs. Usually chicken and waffles don't come with anything else, so this was super nice. And it was only $10! I was full for the rest of the day. I did order a mimosa, which was $8 - WAY too expensive for such a little drink. I just won't order a drink next time. But the food - OMG. SO GOOD. SO FLAVORFUL. I had some of the cheese grits of one of my companion's shrimp and grits and those tasted very good as well. I'll definitely be back! LOVED IT. Only thing is - the restaurant is quite small and we had to get up to order at the counter (I didn't really like that since the place IS so tiny). But we got a seat just fine so that made up for that problem I think. read more

I met friends for brunch after seeing all of the great reviews on yelp. Upon arrival, we entered the restaurants and were a bit confused on the seating options. There was a line, people were sitting and there were no signs or host to inform us what to do for ordering and dining in. When my friend inquired at the counter, she was informed to get in line to place an order and find a table once the order was placed. We were so confused. I get self seating but ordering food first and waiting didn't make sense to me. We finally ordered and were reluctant to get a table considering it was a holiday. Following that, several people who arrived after us received their food before we did. Again, here we are waiting and our food finally arrived. I ordered the omelette and with home fries and shared a waffle with my friend. The waffle and home fries were good and the omelette was okay. I didn't care for the service but the food won this place an "okay" of yelp stars. Perhaps this was just a busy day and the staff were not available to accommodate guests but there's room for improvement. read more

Love this cute little cafe right on 14th street. Had to drive around the block a couple of times to find parking on a Sunday morning but nonetheless we found parking in the neighborhood behind it. They have a few tables outside for seating and they also have a bar area with high chairs that have huge french windows that open and give you feeling of eating outside. It was a beautiful day so I made sure to snatch those seats. You order your food at the counter and they give you a number. You pick your seat and wait for your food to be served. We ordered the special which was chicken and waffles. The waffles were cooked to perfection, is there such thing as waffles being fluffy and moist? Because they were. The seasoning on the fried chicken was perfect a dash of spice but not spicy. Very crunch and went perfect with the soft waffles and syrup. Only problem was there was probably more breading on the chicken than actual chicken but either way, it soaked up all the alcohol from the night before. Not a big fan of eating eggs out, they're usually bland and cold but they were actually warm, OK cheesy eggs. I wish they would have had some fresh juices but just juice in a bottle. Very popular little breakfast spot, expect a short wait. read more

Highlands is a tiny cafe/dinner close to Columbia heights. Their prices are reasonable but don't go expecting a boozy brunch. They do serve mimosas and bloody Mary's but it's primarily a place for families. Try to waffle or French toast! read more

Loved it. My party of 2 arrived right before the rush. We were able to scope out a table and then order. Many ppl order and then look for a table but you're in trouble if its crowded and your food comes before a table frees up. Once you order and pay you sit down with your number and the food is brought to you. They do not provide the typical table service with wait staff, but will bring you items as requested. They also have a full bar for drinks with breakfast, lunch or dinner. I ordered the brioche french toast with eggs scrambled and bacon. And a mimosa. Everything was perfect. My partner had the belgium waffles with egg whites. Also great. We missed that they have chicken and waffles, definitely a must to try. I will be back again, and hopefully am able to beat the crowd again. read more

Where to begin... We came to Highlands for breakfast based on a solid 4-star Yelp review. How it has maintained that is beyond me. There was one man taking orders/payment. We both ordered the Juanita's breakfast and a side of home fries. The line began backing up due to poor logistics at the counter/kitchen. We sat down next to the water jug, which was basically empty, and filled our cups - then stopped once we saw what looked like dirt/hair in them. They refilled the jug and it was clean. Out come the meals. Both came with cheese which we ordered one without, and both with scrambled eggs, one of which we ordered over easy. After we sent them back, we noticed avocado was conspicuously absent from both plates. When the server returned to clarify our order for a 2nd time, I said scrambled is fine for both. I asked about the avocado, and she said they're out - thanks for letting us know... The plates came back out with the original order. She forgot the home fries and I let her know again. Onto the food: Not good. The home fries were completely saturated with butter. The eggs, chorizo, refried beans, and corn tortillas were all below average - we could do better at home. I really though it was going to be great one we stepped in, but this place sucks. At $26 - I considered asking for our 15% tip back. read more

I had been meaning to have breakfast here for a while, but always had such trouble finding parking and usually gave up. Finally, I was determined to try it, no matter how far I had to walk! The interior is very cute and comfy with a cool mural. Its in a small space and there is outdoor seating, which was full when I went. As soon as I saw they had shrimp and grits, I was sold! The bf ordered chicken and waffles and we both got a chai latte (which was delicious). The service was quick and the food was amazing...the best breakfast I've had in a while! The grits were sooo creamy and tasty and the shrimp was just perfect. SN: they use fried shrimp, which I've never seen used in shrimp & grits before, but it worked! I sampled the bf' s chicken and waffle and it was perfection!! His also added that the scrambled eggs were also exceptionally good! If you're in the mood for an awesome breakfast, don't let the parking situation stop you! I will definitely be back! read more

I used to live in Brookland and would venture over to this place all the time. This is a great little local spot if you're in the neighborhood. I always came for breakfast. My favorite is the homemade waffle with bacon, eggs and grits. The food is standard fare, nothing too extraordinary, but always solid. HOWEVER, it is ALWAYS crowded. The place is small. So there is always a steady stream of people no matter what time you go. Some days you could be in and out in a relatively normal amount of time, and some days it took them forever to seat you and/or get your food ordered up. The coffee is magnificent. So I suggest grabbing a cup while you wait for a table or takeout. read more

If you are looking for somewhere simple and nice to eat a GREAT meal this is the place. The best turkey burger I've ever had, the egg croissants are amazing (although they sometimes run out on the weekends), the Tilapia special is a favorite, gumbo's great (although it's not made often) and the french toast is also a hit. I have friends who come into town often and after good yet over priced places in DC I take them here for "a break" and they have not been disappointed. Nothing fancy about it, just good food and friendly people. read more

this place is good as heck. came here with my mom after a recommendation from a friend. i got the waffle breakfast and the waffle was delicious. This came with eggs (I'm not really a fan) and turkey sausage (a little bit dry). My mom got shrimp and grits. The shrimp were seasoned and fried to perfection. The grits were quite creamy. I'll be back for a treat after my diet. Oh yea- the prices are great- $9 for the shrimp and grits; $8 for the waffle breakfast. read more

Good food and service. Now that I'm a frequent visitor of DC and no longer a resident, it's great to find local restaurants dedicated to service. Came here for a friend's birthday and had a great time. We were an overwhelming group for a restaurant that has a capacity of 20. Definitely will go back to enjoy some more good eats and drinks. The super nachos, shrimp and grits were favorites of our crowd. I had the nachos and the evening special curry chicken with rice and spinach. The nachos were on point and a welcomed appetizer. The curry chicken was okay. I was looking for a little more seasoned spice but I will definitely let this slide as my family is from the islands and I can be a bit of a snob when it comes to curry. Overall it was good experience. I would go back for sure! read more

While going out of our way early one morning to visit Comcast and deal with an issue we were having with our cable, we luckily stumbled across this place which saved the day. Although Highlands is a hike, it's a place we found we'd happily go to any day of the week. The shrimp and grits were some of the best, maybe THE best, that we've ever had. Coming from two people who've had shrimp and grits at several well respected restaurants in Charleston and Savannah, that's saying A LOT. The brioche French toast was also a dish to be heralded. If you're ever within 20 blocks of this place pop in for some brunch, there's a bike share right out front. You won't be disappointed -- and you won't leave there much poorer since the prices are very reasonable. read more

What a great place. Very busy brunch on weekends. A nice atmosphere if only a little chaotic.

Excellent, tasty food that is well seasoned and hearty! You will not find a better brunch bargain. The chicken and waffles and fantastic. I also love the shrimp and grits. read more

Great neighborhood place for coffee and brunch. I only wish DC had more places like this!

Hands down another one of my super favorite places. Have had almost everything on the menu. Last time i went I had pork chops that are to die for , perfectly grilled, super tasty, love their spincach and mash. But love all their brunch items, great sandwiches. Patrons are alone or with ppl and seem all friendly. Seems like a neighborhood type of place but I go there everytime I pass thru when I have a meeting in DC. It's not in a happening part of town, just a place to stop off for lunch or coffee (good coffee too). I dont know what their nighttime is like. read more

Very cute and affordable neighborhood eatery. It's owned, operated and the chef is a native Washingtonian. Even better, they serve breakfast food until 3 PM daily! My boyfriend and I really enjoy this place. The food is tasty, the prices are unbeatable and there is absolutely no stress involved in the experience. Unlike the typical downtown brunch spots, you do not have to fight for parking, dress to impress or wonder how long the wait will be before you can actually get a seat. Everyone is friendly and laid-back. We have never eaten anything other than breakfast and the shrimp and grits. But, the French toast and the egg white omelet are terrific. The non-breakfast options look tasty too. Our next mission is to go to Highlands for a meal other than brunch! When we do, I will update this review. Go and enjoy! read more

We had a great breakfast at Highlands! Portions soooo generous. Oatmeal, scrambled eggs, egg-white omelet, potatoes, buttered toast -- all gobbled up. Next time we plan to try the waffles; they smelled heavenly. read more

The best secret in DC. The brunch is great!!! Don't forget to order a side of grits...

I just went to Highland for the first time and the food was decent. I did order the Shrimp and Grits, other reviewers on Yelp recommended it and it was good, but it was more an appetizer portion than a real solid brunch or lunch meal. My fiancé enjoyed her sandwich, and we liked the neighborhood feel but my only qualm from my first experience there was the portion size. read more