Our favorite restaurant in Banner Elk!!!! Small town, with few restaurants, we weren't expecting to find great quality food. But we did. We ended up coming to eat dinner here twice, in two days (vacation was over after that). The name should probably say "bistro", instead of cafe and catering, to give the correct description of this restaurant. The ambiance inside (and the food) gives you a "bistro feel"- but we sat outside at a picnic table both nights because we brought our dog with us! The staff both nights was very friendly, with the entire team pitching in to bring you drinks and food, and checking on you. The cocktails at this place were unique, and well-constructed; my favorite was similar to a tart pisco sour!! They also have a wine and beer selection. For dinner, one night I ordered the steak of the day, which was ribeye, served with asparagus and potatoes. The steak was cooked perfectly, and was both juicy and tender. The second night I ordered the pasta of the day, which was casarecce pasta served with clams. The pasta was 10/10- the noodles were cooked al dente, the sauce was thick and flavorful, and nestled into each noodle really well. We also tried the snow crab and the NC oysters off the seafood menu, and the chocolate banana milkshake and the strawberry cloud/meringue off the dessert menu. All of those items were delicious (the strawberry dessert was my absolute favorite and I got it both nights). Really nothing but compliments to say about this restaurant! Every dish is flavorful, well-seasoned, and cooked nicely. Highly recommend and would definitely go again if I am ever back in Banner Elk!! read more

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Overall, it could have been awesome but the server was on another planet. I was going to split a soup with my kid and it had chili oil so I asked for it without or on the side and she said it was so little and not spicy at all. I can take a 6 or 7 out of 10 on the spice level but I could not even eat it. This server was in la la land. It's too bad because all they need is good service and this could be 4 or 5 stars. read more

Was having a beer at the Banner Elk Tap Room and the bartender said this was one of his favorite spots but their hours and days open vary so call. I'm a big Yelp person so when I was scoping out the reviews I was a bit hesitant based on the negative ones. Mainly this is a small town and a lot of things shut down in off season. I like good food and I travel frequently so I was hoping it didn't disappoint. IT DID NOT. It was a bit sleepy, but I also came in on a Thursday around 2. Sat at the bar. Didn't get the bartenders name but she was lovely. The soup of the day and the lunch entree I got were both PHENOMENAL. Perfect for a windy, chilly day. I won't hesitate to go back. Also, people complaining about pricing, I'm actually shocked. Unless they adjusted pricing. For the quality of food you're getting I actually found it affordable! read more

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Our new favorite restaurant!! Delightful staff, and amazing food and drinks! Great assortment of high-end bourbons! Great music! We started with the crudo of the day and one of the selection of oyster apps. Both were outstanding. The crudo started with fresh tuna, a bit of blood orange with some crispy bacon and a bright sauce. The entrees which were the daily specials were incredible. See the photos for descriptions. Foodie paradise! We don't know why we haven't been here before. We will be back over and over! read more

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Our meal was fine until I realized I had been billed twice for the same amount and called to ask for a credit. Evidentally, our server couldn't perform basic math when asked to split the check evenly among a few credit cards. Our group was then blamed for her incompetance. Then I was told the owner badmouthed me, and did not hold the server accountable for not being able to perform a simple task. Watch your bill closely both when you pay and when checking your credit card bill. I will not be going back. Too many great restaurants in the High Country to deal with drama. read more

We attended the $100/pp dinner tonight and it was the worst experience ever!! The food was not edible and we were still forced to pay $200. We have eaten here many times and always enjoyed it, but unless we are contacted and this is corrected, we will never return!! read more

Charming environment with nice people serving, unfortunately they are stuck with a chef who has more ego than talent. Inedible!

We stopped in for lunch on a Saturday and were offered seats at the bar because all their reservations had been booked. We decided to try the fried fingerling potatoes for an appetizer. My fiancé ordered the Little Fatty cocktail and the chipotle fried chicken sandwich. I had the gimlet with lime, grapefruit, and rosemary (don't remember the fancy name), and the tuna burger. Everything was fantastic! We were surprised at the homemade chips we received with our sandwiches. We wish we could return and try more dishes but unfortunately we are leaving on Monday before they reopen. Get reservations and go! We loved everything about this place! read more

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Went here this past weekend while in town with my family. Such a cute little gem of a restaurant! The cocktails were amazing- but they did take a little while to come out. Our service was great and the food was fantastic. Make sure you order their focaccia bread (not on menu- but a must order!) I got the special of the day which was a pasta dish- it was ok, but I tried my sisters pork chop which was TO DIE FOR! Definitely order that! I look forward to being back next time in the area. Also highly recommend making a reservation, because there is a dinner rush and it gets crowded! read more

Reid's Cafe - Seafood Near Me - Sugar Mountain, North Carolina

My wife and another couple went to this restaurant in early July and were not happy at all with the food and the prices. My martini was served in a very small cordial glass with almost no room for the 3 olives I requested. It was essentially a shot glass with a stem. The 4 of us ordered the seafood tower, which had 3 or 4 different kinds of oysters all of which were so pathetic the Chef should have been ashamed to serve them. The clams were so small they should have supplied tweezers to get them out of the shells. You literally had to put 3 of them together to be able to taste them. We ordered a cheese plate whose description looked great but did not meet expectations. A table next to us ordered the scallops for $50 and got 3. Nothing else was worth mentioning. Our bill was $98 each, before tip, and it was the most expensive meal we had over our 4 days, and we went to very nice restaurants. So many good restaurants to choose from in the area, I would save Reid's Cafe until last. read more

Passed this little spot on a Thursday night and it was packed so we decided to make reservations for Friday. Great experience and tasty food! All the cocktails were delicious, but it did take almost 15 minutes for them to come out. Pasta was very flavorful, and the crab soup was fabulous. Overall, a little pricey but would return for sure. read more

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Reid's is my favorite restaurant in the world. Everytime you go, the food is literally mind blowingly delicious. It's unreal the flavors that they bring to your palate. It's a special memory everytime I go, and something that I very much look forward to. The ambiance is also awesome. It's a well-crafted space that has good taste, but also feels comfortable. You could go in with a t-shirt or button down and fit in. Best restaurant there is! read more

Good ... not great, and definitely NOT outstanding! For lunch today (a Tuesday), I ordered a cup of French onion soup and the curried chicken salad sandwich, and paid a $1.50 up-charge to get a side salad. First and foremost, the portions are skimpy. My "cup" of soup was the smallest "cup" I have ever seen! The side salad was the same (tiny) size as the "cup" of soup. I am calling "Baloney" on their "cup" description. My soup was tasty but was served between cool and warm, which is not good for French onion, which should be served searing hot. My chicken salad was good, but not over-the-moon in any way. All things considered, I would go elsewhere for lunch. And it is pretty much a given that I will not have dinner here. read more

Very nice dining experience. Service was great and food was outstanding. I had their fish special which was Spanish Mackerel and was outstanding. My wife had chicken and she was very happy with it. We both had oyster sliders to start. Only reason that I did not give it 5 stars is that there is not enough ambience read more

Rude hostess. Plus, we are pretty sure she lied about wait time to get rid of us. She basically kicked us out. Very strange experience.

We had lunch here on a Saturday. Summer was our server, and she did a nice job in providing good service and making recommendations Plus- Nice menu with added specials. Good cocktails. Great cake. Credit given on one of the fish sandwiches. Good pork sandwich. Negatives - We had the triggerfish sandwich special. The fish smelled and tasted very fishy. Was not fresh. When I asked for ketchup to go with the homemade chips (since I couldn't eat the fish), I was informed that they had used all their ketchup to make cocktail sauce for a dinner entree. I asked if they had any sauce at all and was told no. So, my daughter asked for more barbeque sauce to go with her wings, and they brought that. I was charged $.50 for that sauce. Nice. Wings were, by the way, very small but tasty. I expected better. Next time, I'll just come for drinks and cake. read more

This restaurant never disappoints us! Great menu and service. Whether at the bar or outside, we always feel taken care of. Reid's is a must try! read more

Found this gem after reading some other Yelp reviews. Stopped for wine and a charcuterie board one day, and went back for lunch the next. Excellent service and great food. Had a chanterelle chowder with mushrooms foraged by the chef-apparently he's a certified forget. Followed by the crispy okra salad and hubby had the peach bbq chicken sandwich. Truly unique eats in the high country. read more

If you like to eat at places that are overly pretentious for no reason, you'll love Reid's Cafe. We visited last night for the first time. First sign of bad things to come was that our waiter did not know what specials were being offered and had to travel back to the kitchen multiple times to find out. He also pulled out his phone and googled what type of sauce was on the pasta special after we asked what it was like. After realizing none of the specials or main offerings were really to our liking, we decided to go the route of ordering some apps and oysters. When we ordered an app and plate of oysters, our waiter says "Is that it?" and audibly huffs in annoyance. He then tried to explain that as a restaurant they only enter an entire meal's worth of courses at a single time and that if we wanted to add additional plates to our order later, it would cause problems with the kitchen. We decided to cancel and spend our $$ elsewhere. If you're in the area, I'd recommend driving a few extra minutes into Banner Elk and giving LP a try or drive the 20 into Boone and eat at The Local. read more

You blink and you would miss this and that would be a shame. This is elevated food for a sleepy mountain town. I grabbed some food to go as a blizzard was coming down, so I'm sure it's even better getting to dine in. I got a delicious pork sandwich and a layer potato appetizer. The portion on the app was a bit small for 12 bucks but it was really quite tasty. read more

I had a great experience eating at this restaurant. The decor is lovely and appropriately spaced out. The staff were very friendly, welcoming, and attentive. The food was delicious but the portions were on the smaller side. The shrimp and grits were very well made! I definitely recommend giving this place a try on your next trip to Grandfather mountain. read more

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Great food. Great service. Def worth the stop on the way to the mountain! Highly recommend and will be back.

Myself and five friends stopped here for lunch we had the tuna burgers with the different salads the ratatouille and the chicken curry's salad sandwich we all burger in all of how great the food tasted homemade fresh breads for our sandwiches & desserts everything is amazing you have to stop by. Be sure to check out their Bettys biscuits food truck locations on Instagram. read more

Reid's Cafe - Weren't sure but this is an amazing place! Delicious Food great ambiance - Seafood Near Me - Sugar Mountain, North Carolina

I love Reid's! I can't give it 5 stars because 8 of 10 times I go is amazing but the other 2 are disappointing. I had the fried chicken sandwich and it was more bread than chicken. Don't order a cocktail off menu because it's less than stellar but on menu cocktails are really good!! The Cajun chicken salad on focaccia is staple but it's not always on the menu, if it is, get that and the fries! Their homemade soups are also typically amazing!! read more

What a great experience. We sat by the kitchen and were able to watch the chef at work. The food is made fresh and unique. Our server was friendly and catered to our every need. Our only regret is that we haven't been here sooner. Can't wait to try Reid's for lunch. Next time... read more

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Loved being in the mountains but unfortunately the Food was disappointing at Reid's.. we ordered chicken sandwich and broccoli cheddar too salty on the soup and the sandwich was bland. The service / staff was kind and incredible to us.. read more

Cute little spot in Sugar Mountain. A lot larger than it appears from the outside. Limited menu, and small portions, however very tasty. We choose two beers from their beer menu and both were outstanding. Disappointed in the selections for children; PBJ or grilled cheese only. My daughter chose the PBJ and I will attest it was inedible. Bread was very thick and exceptionally dry. I would say it's a great choice for an adult crowd, but would skip if you have children along. read more

We used Reid's to cater our wedding and it was absolutely incredible! We cannot speak highly enough about the entire Reid's team. Our wedding was on private family land, and everyone was extremely flexible and accommodating. The communication throughout the entire process was very thorough and everything from the first inquiry to the tasting to the wedding day was perfect! We had multiple comments from guests saying it was the best wedding food they had ever had (we agree!) The service was impeccable, and we could not have dreamt up a better team to handle our day. Thank you Reid's!! read more

#sugarMountain #NC #American Yum! This place food is generally all good and tasty! Clean and service was good too. read more

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Delightfully delicious. Interesting menu items and friendly staff. All in an adorable atmosphere.

Reid's is a terrific choice for salads, soups, and sandwiches (SSS). The amazingly good Focaccia and other breads are baked in-house and the quality of ingredients is top notch. Hint: order from their specials to experience wonderful tastes. I had the Pimento cheese sandwich that had some of my favorite things on it. Focaccia Bread, homemade Pimento cheese, goat cheese, fried green tomato and roasted red peppers. It was fantastic. I opted for one of the special sides, marinated tomatoes and olives, which was delicious. Of course, the home made chips are excellent too. I will definitely be back! read more

Stopped in for a quick dinner Service is great Food is amazing. Definitely recommend it!! read more

Reid's Cafe - Stopped in for dinner. It's amazing. Service is great Food is outstanding - Seafood Near Me - Sugar Mountain, North Carolina

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We stopped for lunch, very good sandwich and salad selections, along with good craft beer choices. Attentive service, only draw back was it was loud and a bit pricy. read more

Service really good, new hostess very nice. Got a pulled meat sandwich and chips for $24. Not a great value unless I was wowed with the taste. But I wasn't. It's that simple. Not a good value here as most other meals seemed overpriced. read more

Local business with a fun twist on your standard lunches. Unique addition to our little town.

Wow! I was visiting the area with friends from Dallas and we were simply blown away by the amazing food and service. Summer, our waitress, was superb. Funny, knowledgeable and just a delight. The pork chop was truly one of the best I've ever eaten - I was stunned at how good it was. The foie gras accompanied by okra was both inventive and fantastic. Summer also helped us to make some slight order variations, usually frowned upon as to not upset other customer orders, but the restaurant was not too crowded. This is an incredible find and the chef is to be congratulated on pulling off such an imaginative menu flawlessly - every member of our party raved about the food. Finally, Summer was fantastic! Thanks for making our night so memorable. read more

We called the night before to get curry chicken salad for a picnic on Saturday. Had to wait til 11 for them to open only to get there and be turned away terrible customer service. read more

Today I placed a to go order. While the salad and oysters were great, I do NOT feel this is worth $20. This is nothing more than a measly $10 box at best. 3 slices of meat read more

Reid's Cafe - $20 cheese and charcuterie - Seafood Near Me - Sugar Mountain, North Carolina

The service was good. Extremely expensive meal $150 gave me one cocktail, a very hard steak which I had to saw to get a bite and chew chew chew chew chew chew on on a bed of very greasy fries. which gave me indigestion. A whole fish with eyes and tail.,the works on very cold grits and a green sauce. ¿ Very disappointing . I've been there before and the food was great. But after tonight. I may never go back. So sorry ... I'm really not sure why I didn't send it back. read more

This place is food lover heaven. Recently went for a Saturday night dinner and a midweek lunch. Dinner was a delight. Precious had a tender beef plate and I had a marvelous octopus pasta dish. I asked for the olives on the side which was cheerfully accommodated. Glad I did because they were cured and I think would have overwhelmed the dish. Perfect without them. The focaccia bread is homemade and the star of the house IMHO as it is served on many sandwiches including the best curry chicken salad I've had. The owner proudly told us they roasted the entire chicken which is the reason it's not dried out. I agree and the yellow raisins and whole cashews make it my new favorite chicken salad. Had a lovely Cabernet Franc from Argentina which I recommend if available. read more

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