Excellent food and the staff is great. RSVPs a good idea. Place is small and the view is really nice. Especially nice in the garden

This restaurant was fantastic if you are looking for good quality food, and service! My walleye fish was outstanding, and mashed potatoes were delicious with good seasoning! The waitresses were very honest, and helped us pick our meals. I will say, that the rainbow trout was overpriced for its taste, but other than that this restaurant was amazing! read more

Really liked the atmosphere and our server was very knowledgeable. Loved the shrimp and grits but my wife was not a fan on the trout. I tried it as well and certainly not worth the price paid. Beers are very reasonable and it is a relaxed location. I suggest asking what is best on the menu. read more

We dined on the patio beside the lake. There was soft background music, but we could easily hear each other. The ambience is low key and lovely. Why interfere with nature? The menu is interesting. I had the strawberry pecan salad and it was huge. My husband's steak frites was a reasonable size. This place is not understaffed, as is the norm. The wait staff were friendly and attentive. read more

Lakeside Restaurant - View from our table. - Seafood Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

Everything was 5 star. From the bruschetta appetizer to the tomato soup, salad, grouper, filet and mac and cheese. (No room for dessert). The service was the best in town. Kelly was friendly and always there when we needed her. We will definitely be back. read more

Lakeside is a really nice spot. I was seated out in the garden by the lake (really more like a pond) and enjoyed seeing all sorts of birds. The service was good and the food was very good. I had a pork chop special with a la carte sides of Gruyere macaroni and cheese and creamed spinach. This restaurant is owned by the executive chef of the Old Edwards Inn and his wife. Definitely somewhere to go while in Highlands (get a reservation.) read more

This is the only place to eat when you are in the Highlands IMHO! The service is top notch, the food is always delicious and served in a timely manner, and of all the places you might dine in town this will feel like the overall best value. Outdoor seating is available. Be sure to make reservations well ahead of time! read more

Was totally and pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food we ordered from this restaurant. We celebrated our daughter's birthday (3/13/2021), by ordering meals for pickup. It was about 40 minutes before closing time when we ordered and I was a little concerned about what we would get. We ordered steak entrees with the usual side. Every thing was amazingly delicious. We plan on eating here again when we return to Highlands, NC. read more

Sometimes service is slow, but food is good, place is comfortable and price is competitive.

This was such a wonderful restaurant. We called the night before and they were full but we asked to be put in a cancellation list and they called us with an opening. So nice! I had the scallops and they were cooked perfectly and exactly what I want. I sampled the seafood pomodora and grouper. Both were fantastic. The grouper was too lemony but the fish was excellent. We also had the bruschetta, shrimp scampi and calamari for appetizers all were so delicious! read more

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Came here with my family for dinner, I love this place! It's a tiny dining room with great artwork that is available for purchase, I would have purchased all the prices if I could. The food was amazing, I had the crab cakes and my husband had the stuffed pork chop. Our server was also lovely! We will definitely be back read more

So my wife and I were traveling to Highlands North Carolina to celebrate our 30th anniversary. We picked this restaurant because it had great reviews and we were looking forward to a special dinner as we don't usually go to very expensive restaurants. I'm pretty sure we had a reservation for 6:30 and the night we were supposed to go I got a call at 10 after 6 asking where we were. I immediately apologized and told them we would be there in two minutes which we were. When we got there there were several tables open but it was clear to my wife and I that the owner was very disgruntled with us for being late even though there were several tables still open. That set the tone for the night and then my wife and I split a meal because neither one of us can eat a giant meal and they didn't like that and charge the 7.50 split charge. We ordered drinks and the meal and we got the seafood pasta which the scallops were very good and the lobster was good but the shrimp were so tiny you could barely see them and in a $36 pasta dish the shrimp should be 21 to 35 not microscopic. The sauce also tasted like the sauce in a can of chef boyardee SpaghettiOs. They never came back to our table and asked if we wanted another drink they didn't ask if we wanted fresh ground pepper they just placed salt and pepper shakers on our table. Not something you would expect from a restaurant whose average dinner price is 28 and up. I can't tell you the next day we went to the old Edwards inn and ate lunch at the bar in the weingarten and had a fantastic meal which we split for no split charge and the service from the bartender was outstanding. we will be back to Highlands but we will definitely not be back to lakeside. read more

You cannot beat the view at this cozy, eclectic Highlands restaurant! My husband and I were seated outside and the view of the lake is mesmerizing. It is such a warm, inviting atmosphere you really don't want to leave. Not to mention the weather was absolutely perfect for an al fresca experience. We had a wonderful bottle of wine and the food was absolutely delicious. The dessert was the best I had all year as it was a REAL pound cake complete with the crispy, cracked top, just like my grand mama used to bake! The chef was so personable and spent time telling us about the meal and the restaurant. This is such a gorgeous, fantastic place for a memorable evening and we would highly recommend a visit. read more

Lovely location, a pond behind the restaurant added to the dinner window view. The service was wonderful, not missing a beat. We started with a nice red Pinot Noir, Schug, a half bottle, nice body, very smooth and delicious. The shrimp appetizer was tasty, slight garlic sauce, just meeting the garlic taste buds. I recommend the lamb, two large pieces, with Brussels sprouts and wedge potatoes. There was a mint jelly dip for the lamb. Also, the grouper maison was too lemony.., but tasty. Served with green beans. read more

Wonderful food and service! The stuffed pork chop was excellent - best I've ever had!

Got in on the waiting list and it was absolutely delicious. The server was quite attentive and the food was... so so good. Plus, they had one of my favorite wines from France . Chateau de Pizay, please try it, it went well with the trout read more

Came here for a birthday dinner with my family. We waited a few minutes for our table to be ready and the staff was SO nice. Treated us to a round of drinks and an appetizer for our wait- can't beat that! Thank you to Laura and the Lakeside staff for a great meal and evening out read more

Food was great and presentation was wonderful. Very nice ambiance on the edge of the lake. The service was outstanding. All this made for a memorable experience. We'll be going there again! read more

Amazing we w eat in Friday enjoyed so much went back on Saturday for friends birthday My friend is from florida and like fresh fish he had the grouper it was great, we also had the salmon, chicken piccata, streak all good The bread pudding was out of this would We will be going back this week My friend had always said this was their favorite restaurant and I always forgot about it So glad we went read more

If you are looking for a great dinner with super service, this the place! We have been dining at Lakeside for 12 years and every meal has been excellent. The former owner and current owner are special people and they make sure you are enjoying your meal. I felt it was a good time to post a comment, especially with the Coronavirus scare. They are closed due to the governor's mandate but true to form they are offering take out for the public. Let's return the favor for all the wonderful meals and service and order some take out. You will love the meal and it's a good thing to do. Harold C. read more

Excellent experience. Food was fresh. Scallop appetizer, grouper, pomodoro all wins. Venue was small charming house with outdoor seating. Service was excellent. Our best meal in Highlands. read more

Our favorite Highlands restaurant by far. The staff is wonderful, and we have always had a great meal here. My favorite is the trout with Brussel sprouts and a bada-bing martini! Cannot wait for them to re-open so we can go! read more

Great food and great service. The view was terrific as well. I would highly recommend dining here.

The beat meal we've had in Highlands. I had the steak and my husband had the trout. Both meals were amAzing. We've Dined at every other high ranked restaurant in Highlands, and they simply don't compare to this restaurant. The service was also impeccable. If I had to gripe about one thing, it's that they didn't have heaters in the garden area. Due to Covid, I prefer to eat outside. They did provide blankets, but it would be better if heaters were provided. Maybe they have good reasons. More importantly, the food was delicious. Book now, you won't regret it. read more

Outstanding place for dinner. Relaxing environment with views of beautiful Harris Lake. Had the NC trout. Delicious and cooked to perfection. Sides are extra and worth the price. Try the creamed spinach . . . Yum. Owner is also the host and makes sure that everything is going smoothly. Restaurants are always better when the owner is hands-on. read more

We knew when we saw the menu on Yelp that we wanted to eat here. I had a lobster soup and salmon cakes. The salmon cakes were topped with a delicious asparagus sauce and served over roasted vegetables. My husband had the blue cheese wedge salad and trout stuffed with crabmeat and bacon. Both of us were very pleased with our choices. Our waitress Mary was personable and knowledgeable. Other wait staff assisted in keeping our beverages filled and plates cleared. Reservations were suggested and by the time we left it was clear that the restaurant filled very quickly at the dinner hour. I was very impressed and hope to return again soon. It was a truly lovely dining experience. read more

We love it! The restaurant is small and quite with delicious food and a great service! It was a nice romantic dinner! The view of the lake was beautiful hopefully next time the weather will be better and we'll seat outside! The muscle appetizer was excellent! The restaurant is not cheap but it's worth for a great night! read more

Lakeside Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

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Splendid menu options - I had the hazelnut crusted halibut which frankly for $38 could use a sauce of some kind, but was still delicious. My partner had the trout and said it was the best she'd ever had. The blue cheese dressing is definitely some of the best I've ever eaten - I'm easily tempted when I see 'homemade', so I've tried lots of good ones! The bar was super fast and table service was wonderful. read more

Consistently the best meal I have in Highlands. Great service, innovation in every course. The lamb chops, grouper, and seasonal specials are outstanding. read more

When my family went to this place we were expecting it to be good. It was very good outstanding they let you relax by bringing out the meal slow. My family has three kids and I'm one of them. When we arrived they offered to take our picture. when you park there is a beautiful view of ducks. .I ordered Mac&Cheese it was most delightful. My family also loved the meal. It was great for COVID-19 with outside seating. Everyone wore mask and was nice. It was very kid friendly without being a kiddy restaurant. The desert was the best I don't a lot but this was the most I had eaten in years or maybe ever. If you enjoy this review and take my advice and you like it go there to. read more

Best meal/restaurant experience we have had so far in Highlands. Our waitress Kelly was energetic, friendly, and was able to answer any question we had regarding the menu. We had the shrimp scampi to start, followed by the halibut and grouper. Ended with the bodini chocolate cake and banana pudding bread pudding. The service was exceptional. Food was delicious. And the atmosphere was one that made us want to come back. Definitely recommending Lakeside Restaurant to anyone we know traveling to Highlands. read more

Absolutely amazing meal! I was there with 7 others and everyone in my party raved about their selections! Excellent service and cozy atmosphere. Chef is a genius! Phenomenal salmon! I'll be back! read more

Had dinner here Sunday night, was the best dinner I've had since coming to Highlands the end of June. Staff was wonderful, our server fantastic. Can't wait to return!! Wish you had a bar area to sit at and enjoy the lovely view. I'm a single traveler, and usually eat at the bar. Feel funny sitting at a table alone. Terrific restaurant!!!! read more

We had a really nice dinner here last night. Loved my scallops! My husband's Alaskan Halibut was great! Mary made our evening fun. Very picturesque read more

Loved The Manhattan cocktail and my pork entree was excellent. Will definitely go again.

Great service and my stuffed trout was good. Small restaurant and the owner chef inquires as to your meal at each table.

Really great small place, nice setting. No bar, wine and beer only, but very thoughtful wine list, great options. Seafood focus. Had great hangar steak. Unbelievable salad full of flavor...shaved celery...friendly staff, chef/owner read more

A tiny restaurant in a lovely setting with incredible food. We thoroughly enjoyed the pasta pomodoro, steak frites, and lamb chop, but the oyster appetizer and blueberry bread pudding were equally impressive. read more

What a rip-off! Went here for our anniversary and were so disappointed. I had the lamb chops, one of my favorite things for a special dinner. Have never seen any lamb chops like this in my life. One looked like a regular loin chop - the other was an oversized something or other - but didn't look like a chop. Flavor was ok, but nothing special - especially for $32!!! My husband had a filet - equally expensive, but it didn't come with anything - no salad, no veg, no starch. All ala carte. It too was just ok. Save your money - go to Madison's (expensive but good),Wolfgang's (always great) or Cypress (interesting and eclectic). And one more thing - the ambiance is terrible. Dining room is small with very low ceilings and very dated decor. Won't ever go back. read more

First time to visit Highlands and local friends mentioned this restaurant as a possible option for dinner. The service was pleasant, friendly and just perfect . The dining room team from the hostess to the handsome waiters were professional and knowledgable and even held the door for us on the way out. If this review was for the service alone it would be 5 stars. Unfortunately since we were there to eat - the food needs to match the service and it just didn't . I won't mention decor because I have limited expectations up in the mountains - it wasn't very up to date but it was clean and thoughtful. We were a party of three the two appetizers we had were very nice - the fried oysters and the goat cheese salad were both tasty. The Fish Maison was tasty and fresh - however the sides were bland and not well executed. The big disappointment were the House Signature Crab Cakes ( I know what you're thinking - don't order crab cakes in the mountains) . The restaurant itself claims to focus on seafood , and when I inquired with the waiter he explained the seafood comes in daily and that the "Jumbo Lump and hand pick makes their crab cakes like eating a piece of crab." Luckily I know the difference between backfin inferior crabmeat and Jumbo Lump. What was served was 2 deep fried balls of backfin crab dough - not only lacking in any sign of Jumbo Lump Crab but of any flavor whatsoever. Served with a strange choice of horseradish dill which tasted more like creamed horseradish for steak with no hint of fresh dill . The filet was pricey, average and overly salted. Not a winner. Was it NC grass fed beef for that price ? We didn't ask so I don't know. Yes perhaps it's a bit pricey but if you serve quality nobody will mind. Perhaps it's time for the chef to pay more attention to the quality of ingredients, use some herbs and spices, and take the crab cakes off the menu if you can't do them justice. read more