I'm hard pressed to say anything redeeming about The Cardinal. This is my second time going and I surely do wish I'd not gone. The service was fine, our server was good, nothing bad to say about her! But, it ends there. I had a craving for a burger. They are smash burgers so no way to order your desired temperature, you get what they bring out. The burger meat had NO FLAVOR, it was so dry and it fell apart. They are very expensive, $18 for a triple burger. Save your money, horrible experience and I will not go back. read more

Our food was great and service was as well. I searched for a dog friendly restaurant and glad I stumbled upon this restaurant so we can sit on the patio with our dogs. Would definitely be back. read more

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Best burger and fries combo! We sat at the bar and service was great. I loved the Cardinal cheeseburger! My bf got the Bison burger and it was cooked perfectly. read more

From a Covid perspective they are taking things very seriously. You aren't even allowed inside. There are porta potties outside, if you need one. We didn't drink, but the food was top notch. We started with the hot ham dip. I'm not normally one to rave about your standard cream cheese dip, but this is SO GOOD. We also had the loaded fries. They were great. The fries stood up to the cheese and bacon without becoming soggy. The only downside to the meal was the beet burger. I've had some phenomenal beet burgers, but this is not one of them. In fact, this was borderline bad. Nothing much held the patty together, so it was almost just like mashed beets. I could have lived with that because I do like beets. But then the "patty" had a char on it. Maybe that's meant to be like grill marks on a beef burger but it ended up just being burnt. So it was burnt mashed beets. Not good at all. I don't recommend this. But everything else was stellar and husband liked his burger. So just try a different sandwich. They had another vegetarian options when we were there. Also, there are lots of outdoor seating options. read more

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Food excellent ! Burgers tasty and cooked to perfection. We are stay at hotel so it would have been real nice to get napkins and plastic ware so I didnt have to eat my salad with my car keys! But this is all same for restaurants here via door dash. read more

Food was very good! Great atmosphere and vibe. Service was decently good for them to be so busy.

I very rarely leave reviews, but we had such a fantastic experience at the Cardinal, so I have to share. We (two adults, two college kids, two teens, and a 4 year old) needed somewhere to eat on a Friday night. most places were closed and those that were open weren't family friendly. The Cardinal was great and they were super accommodating and our server was amazing. The food was delicious. I had a pork chop sandwich. it even reheated well the next day. I definitely recommend this restaurant! read more

bad food, over cooked. Ordered hush puppies, and a corn dog (uneatable) Pete the bartender was very nice.

Wonderful service. Very good burgers. A quality selection of burgers and drinks. Try the Carolina Burger for a satisfying lunch! I will be back here again soon. read more

Food was good. But, 4 or 5 tables that came in after us got served before us! We, just 2 of us, got Hamburger &. fries and Grilled Chicken sandwich & fries and waited 45 minutes to get served! read more

Very interesting experience ;) First easy to get in when everything in Blowing Rock was packed. That was a big plus. Cool vibe, awesome bourbon selection, and good service. The food was decent; but be forewarned, the chili and therefore everything that comes with chili tastes like spaghetti sauce. That was a deal breaker for us and the food score. But I'd go back to this chill little place and simply skip the chili. read more

Looks this place is amazing! Off the hook drinks and the food is the best in Boone! You got to go! You will be blown away. Place is progressive and tolerant which strikes a deep chord in my soul. Skip the rest and eat at the best read more

I enjoyed the atmosphere and decor of this place. They had a solid selection of drinks. The food was very good. Our table enjoyed the hot ham dip. I really liked the 50/50 burger and would certainly recommend it. Overall, The Cardinal is a good spot! read more

Service is fast and friendly and the burgers are amazing. If you are ever around Boon, come over and try The Cardinal Burger All the Way trust me is good read more

The Cardinal - The Menu - Burgers Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

Excellent service and very friendly. Burgers were delicious and affordable prices. Will definitely go back again soon

Cute lil bar tucked away off the main road, hush puppies were bangers. Beet burger was big enough to share. Service was fast and our food also came out fast. The cocktail menu is really dope, I got what seemed like a spin off on a pina colada with some herbal notes from the cachaca. The place is a decent size and is a spot everyone in town recommends read more

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QUICK READ: YES COME HERE THE FOOD WAS AMAZING!!! Anywho, Im upset with myself for not visiting this place sooner, WOW. Not only am I here for the amazing Covid procedures, i'm here for the great staff, great service, and AMAZING FOOD. I personally got the Garden Burger, if i remember correctly, no meat and WOAH. that knocked me off my feet! it was so light and tasty! but with the fries forsure filled me up! Don't even get me started on the fries!! For my drink i had the bird dog, personality I wasn't a fan, ONLY because it has honey in it, not a huge fan of honey but if you love honey GO FOR IT. beer i got the One World which i recommend! Thank you The Cardinal for amazing food! AND AGAIN, i'm so sorry i smashed a cup!!! I was trying to organize the table so it was easy to clean up since the people i sat with left a mess! It just slipped! FYI: If you're a customer and you leave the table messy, maybe don't eat out? Put your self in others shoes and help out! read more

First time here. The place is a little on the small side. We sat down at a 4 seater and immediately the waitress asked us to move to a smaller table due to their business being busier. That was the first strike. Even though at the door it says please seat yourself. My husband ordered the chicken sandwich and I order the jalapeño hush puppies. Don't waste your monies on the hush puppies. Very bland no flavor. The chicken sandwich was fresh and portion was very pleasant. Not worth the aggravation with stopping. Will not be back. read more

I've lived in Boone for 2 years and this is my favorite place to eat. They recently remodeled inside and the interiors and outdoor bar area looks great. The burgers are the best in town in my opinion and the fries are solid as well. This most recent time I for the wagyu patty melt, and honestly I think some of the other burgers are better, but it was still very good. Make sure to ask for the chipotle ranch too read more

The Cardinal - Wagyu Patty Melt - Burgers Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

We picked The Cardinal because they allow pets and have a covered patio. Which was perfect for the rainy day. I will go back for the food! I had the Cardinal burger and sweet potato tots. I wish I had taken a picture but it was so freaking good, I forgot. My son had the fried chicken sandwich and fries, which there is also no picture of . Our server Dallas was amazing! She didn't rush us, brought over a huge bowl of water for the dogs and made us feel welcome. I was going to get an order of fries for the dogs but she told me I could get a hamburger patty for each of them . This was the first time I've taken my dogs to a restaurant, my son was already having a fit about it and Dallas made it so much easier for me. Great experience, people and atmosphere! read more

Our server Alexis was so fabulous. Super helpful, when our order was lost she offered to comp our meal and give us free chips! The food was delicious and 10/10 would recommend! read more

Food is always great and they have and excellent selection of bourbon to go with my carnivorous cravings!

Try the 50/50 it's great! Love this place...great food and great people. I will definitely come back

Outstanding!!!!! Best place for a burger in Boone. I had the Gringo and the bison was amazing. Great drink menu too. read more

The Cardinal - By far the best place in Boone,NC. This place is amazing and a great drink menu. Food is worth every dollar. - Burgers Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

If You like Fridays and discounted cocktails ? Well I think you are going to like Cardinal. This place is so unique and just interesting and I would not expect nothing less from Boone! The drinks are really good here and a good variety as well. I think this is a local favorite and some people know about it but I think a lot of people will know about it according to their reviews. My favorite cocktail is the word word word! What you say? The word word word is well word! Haha no seriously it is a great mixture and the mango and salsa verde offset each other to make it a satisfying drink. Definitely something in the spring/summer time. It has some kick but nothing that you are going shed a tear over. The food is good as well! The ham dip! You are going to need to ask for more bread. That dip is good! I wasn't a fan of the hushpuppies as much but if you are non meat eater they work great for an app. I have been twice and got the bison burger and this time the waygu burger special. Both equally good! Food is definitely good and we keep coming back like a lot of other people! read more

The Cardinal - Wagyu burger and fries - Burgers Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

Dinner after an APP State event with 10 people. The Staff was awesome!! Water never went empty & adult beverages stayed flowing. Our waitress was fantastic! She handled our table with ease & got everyone what they needed. Everyone loved their food. Some had hamburgers & some chicken sandwich. Food arrived in a timely manner. I had The Gringo (bison) and it was delicious. Meat cooked just as requested. Veggies fresh. Bun toasty. Try their ranch, you won't be disappointed. Overall, a great local spot in Boone. We will definitely be back. read more

What an amazing place! Leave your judgement and Southern Baptist in the parking lot but these are some good dang people and some good food! We were trying to go to The Local but they had an hour and 15 minute wait. We found the cardinal after getting turned around from the beacon butcher and what a blessing. We walked in and were very welcomed. Short wait time. Sat and met at the table with a glass of water. The waitress made a great drink suggestion and the food was delicious! I'd definitely come back again! Thank you for the experience!!! read more

I went to The Cardinal for the second time this evening with two friends. The first time I went was earlier this April when The Cardinal created a special drink menu and donated some of their proceeds to OASIS (Opposing Abuse with Service, Information and Shelter; a private, non-profit organization serving survivors of domestic and sexual violence in Watauga and Avery Counties). Then, I tried a few drinks and shared the hot ham dip appetizer with a friend. Delicious and all for a great cause. Notice their drink glasses also support OASIS. As a clinical psychologist in training, this is especially meaningful for me. Tonight, I went for a burger (see my pics). Both me and one of my dining partners ordered the Farm burger, a traditional, all-beef burger topped with bleu cheese, onions, and tomato. Because I don't like bleu cheese, I switched mine out for goat. This was a great choice, and the kitchen had no issue with this request. My other dining partner ordered the chicken sandwich. Notably, we were silent as we ate, as our food was great! Prior to receiving our entrees, we each ordered drinks. They ordered beers on draft while I opted for a Heard, Jeff cocktail, as they were reduced from $10 to $6 tonight. Yum! Because I checked in to the restaurant on Yelp, I was provided a coupon for a $6 AHO roll. When informing my waitress of this, she was unsure what I was referring to (she thought I was saying "a-hole," lolol). She promptly checked with the manager who informed her that roll is an old menu item, but that they would happily substitute the Bisbee roll. Yesss. This was chicken and goat cheese in a fried, puff-pastry-like crust and served with a green sauce (I didn't like it because it contained cilantro, but my dining guests did). For future guests, I highly suggest you try either this roll or the hot ham dip. You can't go wrong. The cocktails are definitely on point, as well. Though they are rather pricey, I think it's worth a try. As we were dining, I heard a middle-aged male say to his wife as they were leaving, "I'd come back if only for the cocktail!" The ambiance of the restaurant is darling. It is a small, cozy, cabin feel that makes you feel like you truly are in the middle of the mountains. Our waitress tonight was absolutely fantastic. The restaurant was slammed, yet she had no problem taking her time with us and answering our many questions. She checked in with us multiple times, frequently refilled our waters, and provided exceptionally helpful information regarding their food and drink options. She did not hesitate to allow my guest to try a beer on draft before deciding on ordering it, and even suggested we try chipotle ranch on the side with our fries. I wish I could remember her name, as she really made this experience above and beyond for all of us. The only downside of tonight's experience was the crowd. There is essentially no area for people to stand and wait inside, and there was a rather large cluster at the beginning when we arrived with about 15 or so people crowding around the front door waiting to be seated. There was notably no hostess or someone otherwise taking names, just going off the honor system as tables became ready saying, "Okay, who's next?" Other reviews suggest that this usually is not an issue, as guests typically are able to wait outside on the front porch when the weather's nice. Tonight, it was pouring down rain, so that was likely our issue. It was also a Friday night at 7:00, so that is something to consider, as well. All in all, please go to The Cardinal. There are so, so many great burger places in Boone, I simply never made it here over the past few years. Major regret. I will certainly be returning and taking additional guests to this place in the future. read more

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All the praise you read about this place is warranted. Great burgers, outstanding staff, overall excellent experience.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Cardinal! The staff was excellent and very accommodating and the food was great! We came here on a Friday night, which happened to be $6 cocktail night! So we decided to try a few cocktails. The ones we tried were really good and refreshing! For dinner hubby got the bison burger and I got the beet burger. We both really enjoyed our burgers! If you are into trying a beet burger I definitely recommend it. My husband even tried a bite and said he liked it a lot. I will warn you though the Beet patty tended to fall apart so towards the end I ended up eating with a fork because it was easier but I still enjoyed every bite. Without a question we will definitely be coming back here whenever we are in Boone again! read more

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Good service good food! Would go back. Love Boone!!! Good drinks! Loved the snack board! read more

I've lived in boone for 5 years and the Cardinal continues to be a staple of my college experience. It is great to go and grab a drink, some good burgers (their kids chicken nuggets are a well kept secret), or just drink and catch up with a buddy. Definitely come here if you have not already. The service is pretty good, and the vibe of the building is totally boone. read more

The place was cozy with a good ambience. Our server was outstanding with a lot of knowledge regarding the menu. The food was outstanding, from the appetizer to the main meal, burgers and fries. Whenever you are in the area of Boone, North Carolina, this a place you must visit. read more

The Cardinal - Inside the Cardinal - Burgers Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

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Everyone was super nice but the food was low to mid. Definitely go on Thursdays for good beer & burger prices, but don't expect anything more than your neighbor's backyard cookout quality. Three stars for the people and the dogs on the patio ;) read more

The Cardinal - Cardinal burger and pile of fries with bacon & cheese - Burgers Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

We had the Farm burger, Chili-Cheese fries. Beet sandwich and 2 side salads. The Farm burger was tough, dry, and tasteless. The "Chili" on the fries was anything but. It was overpowered by way too much tomato and not even close to enough spices to be a Chili. The cheddar and plain fries were good. As was the Beet sandwich. But, the Beet patty should be doubled. The best parts of the meal were the side salads. Their Blue Cheese dressing is out of this world. Our waitress took our order and brought our food. Eventually, our Check ..and that was all we saw of her. No coming back at any point to check on us or even ask how everything is. read more

The best burger I've had in Boone. Pricy, but if you catch their specials it's great. Service was a little slow but we went at a busy time. I got a double cheeseburger with egg and avocado with sweet potato tots on the side. Would definitely go again. read more

The Cardinal - Cheeseburger with egg and avocado. Sweet potato tots on the side. - Burgers Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

Got takeout a few weeks back when my wife and I were in Valle Crucis and it was fantastic. We shared the pile of hush puppies, a double Cardinal burger and the pickled vegetable salad. Hush puppies were well-fried and tasty though I couldn't really pick up on much of a spicy note from the jalapeños. Burger was totally solid and cooked perfectly -- a perfect example of the higher end of a fast casual burger. The pickled vegetable salad was amazing to me because it's sort of a 'kitchen sink' type of situation where greens, pickled vegetables, roasted vegetables, dried cranberries, blue cheese and an assertive green goddess dressing all come together. I can imagine it would be overwhelming for some folks but I absolutely loved it. Glad The Cardinal is still hanging in with all the isht Covid has dealt to small/independent eateries and I will definitely be back. read more

The Cardinal - The pickled vegetable salad in all of its greatness - Burgers Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

Food was slow two hours. Chili was from a can, chips were cold and fried to hard. Wait staff was very friendly they deserve a five star rating. Ours was wearing a space station costume. read more

Atmosphere is nice. Service was good but the food was great! I got the fried chicken sandwich and it was so juicy! The only issue lol was having to use your napkin everytime. It's the best chicken sandwich I've had in a long time. The chips at first I was worried about because they looked burnt, but they were cooked to perfection, salted perfectly and a nice crunch to it! read more

The Cardinal - Chicken sandwich and chips - Burgers Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

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First time eating here. Dog in tow. Patio was a great experience. Food was good. Will definitely come back.