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    The Alpen

    3.2 (13 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 10:00 PM

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    2 months ago

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    3 months ago

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    8 months ago

    Trout dish is just amazing! Service excellent and friendly. Excellent views of the ski slopes. Nice ambiance!

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    4 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Terrible service with rude attendants. Recommend ANY other restaurant in the area. And there are many good ones, especially in Banner Elk.

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    2 years ago

    Delicious salmon and chicken with nice vegetable sides. Fast efficient service. Peppy bar.

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    LP On Main

    LP On Main

    (153 reviews)

    $$$

    LP on Main is one of those spots that just feels good the moment you walk in. It's warm, it's…read morecharming, it's got that little mountain-town magic going on, and on the night of the annual Banner Elk Christmas parade, it was packed. Honestly, it looked exactly the way a restaurant wishes it looked every night in December. And that wine list is impressive. They've curated it well. We started strong. The BBQ shrimp over grits was the star of round one. The grits were phenomenal, silky and flavorful, the kind of grits that make you pause and appreciate how simple things can be done exceptionally well. The fries were perfect, crisp and hot, and the beet salad was fresh and bright. And then... the lull. There was a noticeably long gap between appetizers and mains, you could see the food flow from the kitchen just stop. Our server mentioned a chef was out sick, which we totally understood, especially on a night when the whole town seemed to be out celebrating. But the wait was long enough that it changed the rhythm of the meal. When the entrées arrived, mine had clearly been living under a heat lamp a little too long. I ordered the bison meatloaf. The meatloaf itself was good, nothing to complain about but nothing to rave about. The mac and cheese, though -- gummy, sticky, just not its best moment. My husband ordered the cioppino, and the flavor was really good, but it was served in such an oversized bowl that you practically had to tip it to get to the broth -- and cioppino is all about the broth. Still, even with the hiccups, I'd absolutely go back. The charm of the spot, the genuinely excellent starters, the thoughtful wine list, and the overall warmth of the place far outweigh the blip we hit -- and on a wildly busy parade night with a short-staffed kitchen, it's understandable. LP on Main is worth another visit, and I'm confident that on a normal night, the kitchen timing would match the quality of the food they're capable of putting out.

    The food was delicious. Our party of 5 all loved their meals. Even our kids loved their pasta dish…read more The staff was super friendly! The atmosphere was cozy and inviting. A perfect evening for our first night in Banner Elk. I had read all reviews ahead of time and I feel that those that gave bad reviews didn't understand not to ask for substitutions. It says It right on the menu so I personally think this restaurant deserves 5 star compared to some others we tried while there.

    Reid's Cafe

    Reid's Cafe

    (102 reviews)

    $$

    Our favorite restaurant in Banner Elk!!!! Small town, with few restaurants, we weren't expecting to…read morefind 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!!

    Overall, it could have been awesome but the server was on another planet. I was going to split a…read moresoup 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.

    Sugar Mountain Food Concession

    Sugar Mountain Food Concession

    (2 reviews)

    Be sure what you get is good because they will refuse to give your money back if you didn't like…read moresomething. Makes getting a refund a big deal. Pathetic management.

    I visited today with good intentions to cheer on my friends skiing as I sit back and relax in the…read morebar area of Sugar Mountain and work a bit and catching up on personal tasks. Service at best was accurate with a lack of friendliness....until it wasn't accurate. My cocktail came to me incorrectly. I politely went to the bar and asked for it to be remade as I could not have the sugary overload of juice that was placed in the cocktail I order frequently. The bartender Owen was blatantly stated that it was what I ordered & he would remake it for me but I would pay for both...& I would not be receiving a free drink. That made me irritated as I had not asked for a free drink but for what I had ordered to be served correctly. He then called the waitress over to ask me if what he had made was what I ordered. She said it was... which she had apparently miss heard my order. I walked away paying for my drink (that was incorrect) stating that the bartenders handling of the situation was rude and went to talk to management (Shelly) just to let her know that it had occurred. After bringing in the staff that had waiting on me she refunded the money for the drink from the "corporate office" fund completely dismissing the situation as resolved. I handed the $ to the waitress as an extra tip because it was not about that. It was the unprofessional-ism of the bartender Owen. A simple "sorry there must have been a misunderstanding how can I fix this as you have been our patron all day." would have done just fine. I will not be back as problems are easily dismissed by management & there are many awesome places to spend time in this area with better service.

    Holy Smokes BBQ - Brisket and pulled pork platter.

    Holy Smokes BBQ

    (99 reviews)

    $$

    We stopped by Holy Smokes BBQ during peak lunch on a very busy holiday Friday, so the line was no…read morejoke--about 30-40 minutes. That said, once we ordered, the food came out surprisingly fast (5-10 minutes), and they clearly had a solid system in place for how busy they were. It's an order-then-find-a-seat kind of spot. The $15.99 combo special is absolutely the move: a main/sandwich/hot dog, two sides, a drink, and a small piece of fudge. The sides are on the smaller side, but the sandwiches and hot dogs are generously sized, so it balances out. Plus, the fudge at the end is a nice little sweet touch. Plenty of BBQ sauce options that slapped, too. Food-wise, everything we had was really good--flavorful and satisfying. The only hiccup (and the reason for the 4 stars) was with a couple of items. My hot dog was supposed to come with nacho cheese sauce and caramelized onions (I even watched it get rung in), but it came out completely plain. The mozzarella sticks also came out cold, which was not great--especially when you're expecting a cheese pull. When I brought the items back, I was asked if I wanted the mozz sticks microwaved... which was a hard NO. I asked for them to be remade properly which is when an older woman--possibly a manager or owner-- stepped in and did offer to remake them but seemed visibly annoyed. I get your busy, but hey -- my order was wrong so you should probably address that before rushing to the next order. For the hotdog, I told her what was missing and instead of the nacho cheese sauce and caramelized onions that was supposed to come on it, I was handed cold shredded cheese and chopped raw red onions. The food still ended up tasting good, but the reaction to the mistake was disappointing. Overall, it's a solid BBQ spot with great value and good food. I'd recommend it and would go back, though I might try a few other places first. With better handling of small mistakes, this could easily be a 5-star experience.

    Cozy shop and restaurant. The dining room has a nice view off the mountain and of the slopes…read more Counter service was great and they bring your order to the table. I got the bbq pork sandwich with macaroni and cheese and slaw. Being a SC girl I had to try the mustard based sauce. Overall everything was excellent. The barbecue had a good smoky flavor and the sauce was on point. The coleslaw wasn't too sweet and went well with the barbecue sandwich. Macaroni and cheese was chefs kiss. I could've eaten a tub of it. The spot also offers coffees and other non-barbecue food items. There's a cute gift shop to pick up something from your visit.

    The Alpen - venues - Updated May 2026

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