The staff were all fantastic. The bartenders were very accommodating when I asked for a drink they didn't know and gave instructions. I've seen some bad reviews and the photos and menu posted here made me a little wary but I was pleasantly surprised at how nice everything was. The wine list was awesome and their specials were great. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Sitting on the veranda overlooking the water with a nice breeze and screen to keep away any bugs was a really nice, relaxing evening.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We'll 100% be back! read more

On the Verandah - Branch Water special request - New American Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

Took my 5 special house guests to On the Veranda for dinner. When I expressed disappointment that we were not seated on the porch, they quickly fixed an outside open air table for us which was delightful on a perfect Highlands evening. Our server (whose name I sadly don't remember but she had the most beautiful blue eyes) was the perfect person for our group of ladies who have been friends for 40 years. The drinks were served cold and as ordered, the shared appetizers were brought with extra plates, and dinner from the board specials to regular menu favorites were delicious. I believe every effort was made by the wait staff and kitchen to make this reunion of old friends memorable! Thank you all! read more

The food was good, but definitely not outstanding. The calamari appetizer was greasy and lukewarm. The lobster piccata appetizer was good, properly cooked. My girlfriend's medium rare filet mignon was OK but definitely not outstanding and my scallops again OK but nothing special. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant has a lovely atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Chocolate torte dessert was very good. The service was about what I would expect although water glasses went unfilled for the entirety of the dinner [[HIGHLIGHT]]We sat on the porch a nice view of the lake and it was very comfortable.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]The location is good and the environment and interior fits the region (rural area).[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We were welcomed and seated at a very nice table. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was dark outside so we were not able to enjoy the Lake view (not their fault).[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The waiter did a great job providing the specials . We ordered the ribeye and the duck. Texture wise and taste were ok, but both were served from our perspective below temperature ( and I mean the preparation was medium rare which was good) but the meet itself was below room temperature which made it difficult to taste the actual flavor of both types of meat. The wine selection was excellent. In general I would say given the price range the plates should be served warm so that eating it does not get cold too soon. read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Lovely setting on the porch overlooking the lake.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was excellent and relaxed, even though it was Father's Day and quite busy. Everything from lamb chop appetizer to blueberry spinach salad to entrees of roast duck and scallops was perfection. Dessert of blueberry strawberry brickle did not disappoint. We look forward to coming every year! read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance is lovely and the food is good.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Our anniversary dinner was unfortunately ruined by an extremely rude waiter. Sarcastic comments about our orders, and anything else he could think to comment on. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was unfortunate as we really did enjoy the lovely setting, but we will not go back.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Beautiful setting overlooking lake.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was very good. The wedge salad for 15.50 was very small portion of shredded greens surrounded with a couple cherry tomatoes and sliced onion. Very overpriced. Pork chop was nice not sure on mashed potato they tasted similar to instant. Lobster well all I can say is look at picture that is $70 worth lot lobster...two very small tails. Server was outstanding. Crème Brûlée was pricey and very small. Bread pudding was the best every and nice size service. Sides with entree very small amount of green beans and squash. The company we were with made it worth it. read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Great atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Very comfortable even as it gets very busy.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Food was well prepared and tasty. I guess priced for the area but seemed fair. It would be a regular spot if I lived there read more

Very slow service. No substituitions without a charge. Menu on website not accurate. Rude waiter! read more

My Highlands favorite. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Delightful energy and vibe on the lake. It's cozy and sophisticated.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The staff is personal and professional. And the trout is the best as well as anything else on the menu. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Overlooks a pretty lake just west of downtown Highlands but we had a late reservation so could not enjoy the view.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Wait staff friendly and efficient. All aspects of finner were excellent. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Seated outside on a lovely night.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Food and service were excellent. Will definitely return now that we have purchased a summer home here read more

Food was very good but everything took a very long time. Not our server's fault. He was excellent but they seemed to be short staffed. Overall took over two hours. It was an hour from our reservation until we got our appetizers. For the price (and based on this experience) I would probably not go back. read more

Food was delicious! We enjoyed the scallops and mountain trout. Our waitress Jessica was lovely! Wine selection was excellent.

This was our fourth time to On the Veranda (OTV). We had to wait 7-8 minutes before our sever came to our table; no biggie. After greeting us, he came back a few minutes later to take our drink orders. Because we had been talking, we hadn't thought about drinks yet. Our server copped an attitude and became somewhat snarky. From that point on, each time he came to our table, he still carried his attitude with us. [[HIGHLIGHT]]OTV has track lights on the patio. As it grew darker outside, it was getting darker inside[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. We first asked if we could have a second candle at our table which he asked why and in a round and about way declined. We then asked if he could turn up the lights a little so we could see. [[HIGHLIGHT]]When he adjusted the brightness of the lights, one of the track lights was aimed directly at a patron sitting at the table behind us. She became irate and asked for it to be turned down. He turned it up and down at least ten times causing each table to get upset at the other table[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. He was almost as if he was enjoying himself. Once both tables agreed on a setting, our server from that point on when he would come to our table, would turn on a small flashlight and ask in a snarky tone "does this help?" This happened 2-3 times. After dinner was complete, he then brought a second candle to the table and put it in front of one of the person who originally requested a second candle. At that point we were so done with our server, so we decided to go somewhere else for dessert. When we said we didn't want dessert, he made another snarky comment. After getting up from the table, we spoke with the manager on duty. Her response was, we will make a note not to sit us in the future with this server (older guy, definitely in his 60's). There won't be a next time; we won't be coming back. We'll take our money over to Lakeside. To be honest, the food was just okay. Definitely not as good as the first three times; the first time, the food was outstanding. read more

So excited to be back here it has been too long. Hubby ordered scallops and I had trout. He loved his but wasn't thrilled with mine not much taste. Service was wonderful and we had a locker Rose wine and a buttery Chardonnay. Nice jazz band playing in the bar so we stopped on the way out to listen. It was a lovely evening! read more

On the Verandah - View of the lake from the outside patio. - New American Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

[[HIGHLIGHT]]great atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] horrible food. we were sick the next day. food went in the garbage. There was a double charge on the bill that I believe was deliberate. soup was inedible and tasted like slop.....vegetables that were probably going bad and the 'chef' wanted to use. we waited 30 minutes for the waiter to come and take our order. we wondered if maybe the 'chef' was absent that night. everything was bad, not even mediocre. wow! save your money and go somewhere else. even the bread was tough and butter hard. read more

Verandah has an extensive wine list. I normally do not choose to spend a lot on wine but we decided to splurge (for us) on a $90 bottle. Spanish garnacha- was very nice. I was very pleased that my chicken dish came with 2 unadvertised vegetables (green beans and sweet potatoes). For us, the service was good (Abby). And the pace of the evening was good too. We lingered a little finishing our bottle and did not feel rushed. read more

We ate at the Veranda last week. We ate an early dinner at 5:45. Our server was nice and professional. I ordered their special pork chop which was so over cooked I didn't even eat it. I ordered it medium. When she asked how our dinner was, there were four of us, I told her mine was just too done. She looked at it and responded yes and that she would make the manager aware. No manager came to see us. It was deducted from the bill. They boxed it up and gave it to me. So I basically threw away a $34.00 pork chop. I hate it when this happens as you don't want to ruin the rest of your party's dinner vibe. Basically an overpriced Highlands Restaurant. Disaapointed. read more

How nice to arrive 5 minutes early for our 7:15 PM reservation and our table was ready! We were seated on the Verandah porch overlooking a smooth, crystal clear lake. Our server, India, offered our party of four drinks and dinner specials and was friendly and attentive. The lobster picatta single lobster tail in a lemon buerre blanc with capers was expensive ($30) but delicious. ( FYI The lobster picatta main entree consists of 2 lobster tails and fresh vegetables for $64.) I could not decide between the Spicy Coconut Curry Shrimp or the Pan Seared Scallops so my friend and I ordered one of each and split the two- great choice as both were succulent and flavorful with Asian spices. Our husbands had the filet mignon and trout. When in western Carolina, the fresh trout is always a favorite and a good choice! The filet was cooked perfectly and was juicy and thick. Even though we were too full for dessert, we had to try the key lime tart in phyllo pastry with fresh berries to share for the table. It was light and full of refreshing key lime flavor. Our server offered to split the check by couples, which we appreciated without having to ask and avoiding the awkwardness of the check splitting process. We will be back and look forward to another lovely evening with great food and service at On the Verandah in Highlands. read more

On the Verandah - Menu - New American Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

Food and service was very good. I had the duck in my wife had the scallops both were cooked to perfection. Also enjoyed a really nice salad and the bread pudding for dessert was wonderful. read more

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Food was absolutely delicious. We ordered the curry shrimp, the scallops, and the cod. All three dishes were amazing. The service was also exceptional. Super friendly, very attentive, and overall great. Lastly, the ambiance, was beautiful. The view of the lake at sun down really helped amplify the overall experience. read more

Lovely location overlooking the beautiful lake. It's the classic trade-off "location for taste." Food is OK---nothing to rave about...equal to a good coffee shop or chain restaurant priced 30% less. Prices are way too high for the ingredients and/or culinary art. Trout $28, chick breast $32. The key lime pastry was atrocious with overripe berries and kiwi. The filo pastry that's supposed to be delicate light sheets was a clogged cold lump. Good but overpriced wine selection and high service level. read more

On the Verandah - a plate of fruit and ice cream - New American Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

Second time eating here. First time was on the verandah- great meal. food was delicious and great service. This time we sat by the bar and it was just as nice. Everyone is very friendly. And the food is delicious. We recommend this anytime you go to Highlands . read more

This has been one of my favorite places to dine when I am in Highlands NC. It has some of the best views of Lake Sequoyah and the food and service are some of the best around. They have taken care to have a menu that provides multiple choices to satisfy every palate. The service has always been top notch with everyone there trying to make your experience that much better. This visit I had their cheese and charcuterie plate as a starter and was not disappointed. The Roquefort cheese and the almonds were delicious. I then had their Creole Chicken and grits. It was beyond tasty. This is a location I have to recommend you try if you're here and I know you will enjoy your experience as I have enjoyed mine. When you get seats try and ask for window seats to enjoy the views of the lake. read more

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We ate Saturday with Jessica as our server. Everything was exceptional. Started up to the main course. Great selection of food and drinks and wonderful staff. This was our first time here but will definitely be back. Thanks again. read more

We ate at On the Verandah last week too and gave it a 5 star review. This week the main course was stellar but the service was no more than a 3 and the salad deserved a 2. It was the first time we had a server that was not amazing - however he was adequate- just not to standards we have come to expect at On the Verandah. The wedge salad was the weakest I have ever had anywhere- definitely not OTV quality. But the ambiance and main course were amazing. read more

I had the weirdest experience here this past weekend, but it was so weird that I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone in my circle when there are so many good restaurants in Highlands. So, I was here with my family for dinner - annual Labor Day family get together - and service was slow. Tried to put in an appetizer order & was told to wait after he got the drinks started. Ok? Got drinks, put in appetizer order, waited for awhile, finally got to put in dinner. No big deal, right!?! This is where is gets odd. We're done with dinner, plates just cleared, and asked for the desert menu when a little man with a tablet strolled up to our table stating they had a reservation at that table and we would need to go. What? Sorry? I have never been asked to leave a restaurant, especially when the reason we had been there so long was on their poor, slow service. We got moved to the bar for coffee and desert, but it for sure put a sour taste in our mouths. Food was good. Service was not. Experience was one for the books. read more

Went in tonight for my birthday, had a reservation at 5:30, when we arrived there at 5:27 there were people standing outside, the hostess finally opened the door and we were seated, a young server who was very nice but very inexperienced waited on us, first we asked for a bottle of wine, the server informed us that he had to get the "wine expert" to get the bottle so we and waited and waited for a good ten minutes before he came over to tell us "they couldn't find the bottle " ( yet it was on the menu) also it was 100.00 dollar bottle so whoever is in charge of that should be looked at and at least trained to have what is on there wine list and if not let the server know? Then we were told that "the chef likes to have the full order before placing any of the order" ok I get that he doesn't want to be overwhelmed but I have been in the food and beverage industry for a while and I have never told a customer that ( as a server you time it accurately) but again his inexperienced showed, it would have also been nice for the "wine expert" to at least let us know or some type of Management about the wine but guess that is too much to ask, now on to the food, we had three appetizers, the calamari was fantastic, the others not so much, ( it kinda sucks when you have to ask the food runner for plates for the appetizers) again lacking in service, for my main course I had the lobster tails, they were excellent but everything else on the plate not so much, my friend had the rib eye steak special which was to me chewy and not good, the mashed potatoes had a great taste profile yet were cold, then we had dessert which was decent. The best thing about the place was the atmosphere, I would give that 5 stars, but when you are spending close to 400.00 for two people it would seem that the service would be better, I did get a laugh though... we asked for butter for the lobster and they brought normal cold, hard butter that you would put on bread it is supposed to be warm butter, to me it wasn't the servers fault, it's management or lack there of, maybe train some of the staff better? Not sure if I will ever give this restaurant another chance but they really should tweak their service, and maybe just a thought, when something happens such as the wine incident, an apology from management would be considerate. read more

What a great experience. Celebrated our 31rst anniversary. The food was great, the service too, in spite of being short-staffed due to Covid. What really makes the experience exceptional for us is Lisa providing the great music. Definitely a must stop on your next Highlands visit. read more

It had been way too many years since we've had the pleasure of eating at On The Verandah; so glad we got in to the very popular place in the mountains. We made reservations weeks in advance asking for a table literally on the verandah/porch. We arrived right on time as they opened, but the hostess offered us a table inside. Not cool as there was a 6 top on the porch. We asked them to create another 6 top and they were able. (Interestingly, when the party that supposedly had that open 6 top finally showed up, there were only four! That would garner at least one demerit) But all was not lost, as our waiter, 20-year veteran Bob, warmed up to us and our requests and soon we were on to a fantastic meal. The menu had something for everyone: beef, lamb, pork, halibut, duck, and lobster. The Lamb ribs and Lobster Picatta were new and delicious. Everything was was wonderful, including two bottles of a "nugget", Robert Sinskey's "Point of View" red blend. We'll be back. read more

On the Verandah - Robert Sinskey's 2016 POV - New American Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

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Careful with the extra hidden charges. We had heard stories of people asking for the dirty ice from their martini being charged an extra $5 just for the ice, which is ridiculous. I didn't even believe it when I heard it. Last night we had dinner with friends, had a nice time and enjoyed the evening very much. The setting was breathtaking, the ambiance was very elegant and the food, even though too salty sometimes, was very good as well. We asked for the check and, foolishly, I paid without even checking if everything was right with it. Well, I went home and I saw a bunch of extra charges, most of them ridiculous, that nobody told us about! First, the two ladies who were with us shared the halibut entree and we got charged an extra $7 just for that. I mean, next time I'll just ask for an extra plate, then we ordered a Bailey's on the rock and they charged us $5 for a "rock pour" fee. I mean, really? Just for ice? Last but not least, we ordered the appetizer Lobster Piccata, which goes for $16 on the menu, and I was totally in shock when I saw the receipt saying "Lobster App as Entree" for $22. What the hell does that even mean? Wrong timeline??? Honorable mention goes to the $1 charge for blue cheese olives and the extra dessert we have been charged for and that we didn't order. The latter could have easily been an "honest" mistake, but after all this I don't know what "honest" means anymore. We have had a house in Highlands for 13 years and have seen a rise in the numbers of people who come over for a short period, which went along with a spike in "tourist-trap treatment" a few establishments adopted when this trend started. Of course, most of the people will not come back to complain. I don't care paying $$$ for fine dining, this is not about being cheap. It is really upsetting to see good restaurants with a big potential being so tacky and, basically, reach into your pockets for a fistful of extra dollars. Shame on you. read more

On the Verandah - a receipt for a restaurant - New American Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

We ate on the verandah porch last night. The food was just ok. The Caesar salad was Romain and a couple of tiny tomatoes. You could barely taste the buttermilk dressing and they forgot to add the croutons. Entrees were ok but not great. For dessert we specifically wanted a dessert that did not contain chocolate. The server told us the black cherry ice cream would be good. First, this taste more like sorbet than ice cream and it was full of dark chocolate bits. I took one bite and was done. When I told the server it has chocolate she just blew me off and said they told me it was just black cherries. I guess that's ok if you aren't paying for it! Love the atmosphere but there are way better restaurants in Highlands. read more

They food was good- we had a party of 7 and everyone enjoyed their food ( except for mashed potatoes- very bland ). When my husband made the reservation they asked if we were celebrating something special and he had mentioned that we were celebrating my 50th birthday. No restaurant staff mentioned my birthday which was disappointing. Our waitress was very awkward and. It very friendly. The atmosphere is very different here- not friendly or welcoming. I would not return even though the food was good it was not worth the price. Be forewarned that they charge a $20 per person charge if you cancel your reservation. read more

Love, Love, Love this restaurant! The location, the professional service and the first class preparation of outstanding dishes is reason alone to visit the Highlands. read more

First the food was very good. No complaints with salads or entrees. Our waitress was also very good. SO WHAT IS MY COMPLAINT??? THE COST OF A MARGARITA !!. My wife always orders a Cadillac Margarita (with Grand Mariner float on top) using Casamigos Blanco tequila. We have travelled extensively and ordered this drink at the nicest hotels and restaurants throughout the USA. Ritz, Montage, Four Season blah blah blah. The most expensive WE EVER ENCOUNTERED was at the Ritz Carlton in Laguna Beach overlooking the Pacific ocean. It was $24. Imagine my surprise that this restaurant charged between $28 and $30. I question the $28 charge with the bar tender and she said it should have been $30. Keep in mind a bottle Casamigos blanco only costs about $40-$48 a bottle. The tequila charge was $20 (1 oz according to bartender), $5 making it margarita and $3 for Grand Mariner. $28 ! ! ! And yet their wine prices are very reasonable. WT%#&* Food price was reasonable. BUT, Beware the price of drinks. read more

For sure, the view on the verandah was very nice. Our host made plans for us to eat here and made several calls to get us the right seat. Cannot say the table was the one with the best view, but we did make it outside on the verandah. Place was busy and our waiter was a bit overwhelmed and distracted having to take care of us along with some larger parties at neighboring tables. Ordered an Old Fashion which was very good. Appetizer was a shitake mushroom spring roll... a bit bland but for the mango chutney that accompanied it. I ordered the pork chop which was good; my wife the trout which was not good. I even sampled it; she too 2 bites and would no even eat any more. The accompanying veggies and sides on her plate were similarly very bland. The waiter and his manager did take it off our bill after a discussion. The desert however made the experience a 3-star (up from a 1-star)... the lemon curd accompanied by fruit was very much a nice finish to the dining experience. Kitchen needs to re-work their trout dish so as not to disappoint future customers. read more

Food was great but be prepared they will not substitute anything or accommodate table requests. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Asked for a window table and they said no those are only for reservations.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I was told by staff earlier that day that i did not need a reservation if I arrived at 5:30. Got there at 5:30 and they tried to stick us in a dark corner even though every single table was open! There were still open tables at the window after 2 HOURS. Asked for rice instead of couscous and they said no! Really? When spending almost 200$ for dinner for 2, I would expect MUCH better customer service. It was unacceptable and seemed like 20 yr olds were making all the decisions. Should have spoken to a manager. I have worked in food service for years and was very disappointed. Our server, on the other hand was wonderful. (Had dreadlocks in a bun) He was friendly, professional and attentive. Almost made up for poor management. Food was above average and beautifully displayed. [[HIGHLIGHT]]But we felt unwelcome.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

My Family and I visited on a recent family trip. First of all I will say, the location is beautiful. Ambiance inside at night is so nice. Service was very sub-par at best, we did have children with us but they are extremely quite and well behaved and experienced at sitting thru nice dinners. However, I feel like we were treated as a "step child" by having children there. Our server was extremely dismissive and other than taking our order and bringing us our food we rarely ever saw him. Extremely inattentive for a restaurant of this caliber. No checking for drink refills, barely ever clearing plates etc. The food was okay nothing impressive at all. Trout was extremely under flavored and blan, steak was just okay. Our waiter described it as "huge" and "you will have to take some home", when it arrived it was one of the smaller ribeye I have ever seen at a restaurant. Wanted to love this place but very underwhelmed. read more

Went for Sunday champagne brunch & it was outstanding. I don't rate too many 5 stars but they deserve it here. 5 stars for food and atmosphere and 4.5 for service ( only because they were short staffed) The price is $27 and includes a glass of champagne, mimosa or kir royale. Choice of two soups, salad bar, one of about 12 entrees and desert. A good price when considering all that is included. We had mushroom soup which was fantastic and had very large Chicken-of-the-woods mushroom pieces. The Hawaiian rice salad was the hit of the salad bar. I chose the shrimp and grits - one of the best I have had. My wife enjoyed the Carolina trout. Deserts were decadent & big enough to share. So split one and take the other home for later. There are 3 areas, bar, main dining and verandah overlooking the lake. Looking for a return visit soon! read more

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