Ambience was good, and the service was friendly and attentive. Overall, the food was tasty, but the nearly $70 paella for two was a disappointment and, in my opinion, not worth the price for what you get. There was more than enough rice and tomato's , but the seafood was sparse--and unfortunately, it wasn't particularly impressive in either size or taste. There were just a few shrimp and a small spiny lobster tail, which felt underwhelming for a paella at this price point. I was also surprised that some of the items served for the table, such as bread and olives, were charged separately rather than being complimentary. The olives, to be fair, were particularly good. The patatas bravas, however, were excellent--very flavorful and generous enough for two people on their own. In hindsight, two people would probably be much better off ordering the patatas bravas along with a few tapas of their choice rather than spending nearly $70 on the paella. Overall: good atmosphere, good service, and tasty food, but the paella is WAY overpriced for what you get, particularly given the limited seafood and its lack of quality. read more

The Stubborn Bull - Spanish Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

Wonderful meal in a very cool atmosphere. Had a few apps but the show stopper was the paella!! read more

The Stubborn Bull - Spanish Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

A nice play to bring a group of people looking for tapas-style food, The Stubborn Bull serves up Spanish-style dishes. Service was very attentive and quick throughout our meal and very accommodating for the patio area (we had a dog with us). We didn't get any of the entrees and went full tapas for our dinner. The Pan con tomate was delicious and the bread was perfectly toasted. Soft yet still had a bite. The cured jamon and cheese on top was a nice touch too. The patatas bravas were excellent. The potatoes were soft and crispy plus the sauce was addicting. The calamari was fairly standard all things considered. And the crispy brussel sprouts were amazing too. The balsamic reduction glaze that they brush on really compliments and adds such a perfect sweetness to a savory bite. The bacon was tasty but texturally they were a bit tough. If they were crispy then this would have been a perfect dish. read more

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Phenomenal food and even better service. The tapas were perfect portions, packed full of flavor and the drinks delicious. As soon as we sat down at the bar we felt like family. Nick was the perfect combination of fun, friendly and professional - especially his knowledge of the whole menu. We had an absolute blast for dinner and can't wait to go back read more

The Stubborn Bull - Lamb skewer and martini - Spanish Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

Wife and I went to the Stubborn Bull for our anniversary dinner. The restaurant is a bit in the small side, but fairly normal for a town like Highlands. Modern vibe to the place, with the bar clearly taking center stage. Wife enjoyed her old fashioned, said it was one of the best she has had, save the missing cherry. Server was kind and attentive. The problem was the food. We focused on the tapas portion of the menu, and tried items of all kinds. Best - the Brussels sprouts. Bland and of one note - the croquettes, the calamari (tender as can be, tasted of nothing), lamb kebab, empanadas (beef, onion, and pepper). Disappointing - beef carpaccio (could have served me capers and onions alone, beef was flavorless) and shrimp ( gritty and bland). Overall, a decent dining experience lessened by bland, boring, overpriced food. I'll only return if my wife insists. read more

Great food and drinks. Great service. Grouper was delicious. Upscale restaurant with relaxed vibe.

Very good food, but very bad service. Bathrooms are odd, the staff is not welcoming / seems to not want you there.

Great ambience, great service, and even better food!! Every dish we had was absolutely amazing!! Best food we have had in a long time! We will absolutely be back!! read more

They are very strict about missing your reservation and charge $25 per person. Yet they don't bother to let people know they are CLOSED. SO THEY OWE ME $50. What a joke.... How hard is it to update you hours of operation. Got dressed and made reservations to take my wife out for a nice dinner only to show up to a dark building; read more

The Stubborn Bull - Nothing, closed - Spanish Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

Food was good but had a problem with our bill took 3 times to get it correct. We thought everything was fine checked our Credit card the next day and they had charged our credit card for a large additional amount . So note to everyone check your bills. Also-we tried calling them to give them a chance to make it right no call back. So had to call credit card company to dispute!! Lots of trouble and time on our part not worth that!!! read more

I was not entirely satisfied with the overall experience. From the moment we walked in, the ambiance felt lacking and did not have much energy or flair. The food was also disappointing. The restaurant did not have the wine I wanted, even though it was advertised, and they were also out of the short ribs. I can understand being out of an item, so I was willing to overlook that. However, what we did order was overly salty and not very appealing. My husband and I started with the dumplings, which were both too salty and too spicy. They were drowning in sauce, and in my opinion, a good dumpling should not need that much sauce. It should have enough filling and flavor on its own, but these did not. For the main course, my husband ordered the crispy duck, and I will say that the duck itself was outstanding. It was very delicious. However, the side dish was just okay, and the broccolini was completely overcooked. The sauce served with the duck was also disappointing, as the Latin-inspired flavor did not seem to complement the dish well. Since the short ribs were unavailable, I ordered the shrimp pad Thai instead. Unfortunately, it was heavily sauced, extremely salty, and served so hot that it took far too long to cool down. I could not even finish the meal. Overall, I would rate the experience a 3 out of 5. While there were a couple of positives, especially the crispy duck, the vibe, availability of menu items, and several dishes left us disappointed. read more

Second time visiting this place. They changed their name from the Stubborn seed to the stubborn bull but I'll say the quality of what they do did not change one iota, they only got better. We had an amazing visit and our server and their entire staff wants to show off their abilities and wares. The food is meant as shareable plates (Tapas style) and this visit we had one of the best items we have ever eaten. Their big bang pork belly is to die for. The flavor, cook, and presentation was phenomenal. Had their shrimp, octopus, potatoes plates and couldnt have been more happy with our meal. If you are here in highlands this is a must stop for food. So thankful they are here and glad for the supreme quality of food they produce. read more

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This place has good bones, but the service felt careless from start to finish. We arrived and stood in the lobby for a few minutes without being greeted, unsure if anyone even knew we were there. Eventually the hostess appeared and seated us in the back room. I like the idea of an open kitchen, but it has to be integrated into the atmosphere--here, the harsh fluorescent lighting from the kitchen completely clashed with the dining experience and made the space feel more like a workspace than a place to relax. When our server came over, he launched straight into a long list of recommendations--so many that it was hard to get a word in. When I finally did and asked a simple question, "What beers do you have?", he cut me off mid-sentence with "I'll get to that," and continued talking about wine. It came across as dismissive and oddly condescending. If a guest asks about beer, meet them there. As we left, we passed the hostess sitting at the bar chatting with someone. No goodbye, no eye contact--nothing to close out the experience. Unfortunately an experience can overshadow good food. It honestly explained why it was the only place we could get a reservation, even in the off season. read more

The ambiance and the drinks are very interesting. I had The Fall Smash which was delicious. The food was good but didn't blow me away. We had the Pan Con Tomato, mushrooms (very good), La Vera Chorizo (not a fan), Albondigas and the Gambas. The Gambas and mushrooms were my favorite. I wish we had tried the paella. read more

Delicious! We are doing our best to try new places when staying in Cashiers. This is a great dining option for Highlands. My salmon was cooked perfectly and the forbidden rice was delicious. My husband had the Korean Chicken and it was so full of flavor. One thing we may ask next time is going a little lighter on the sauce but seriously it was soooo good! read more

The Stubborn Bull - Wild caught salmon and forbidden rice. - Spanish Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

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We ordered the paella with the filet option, requested medium rare, but it arrived well done. When we let the server know, the whole dish was taken back rather than just replacing the steak. Unfortunately, this meant the paella sat under a heat lamp and came back dried out. A more thoughtful approach here (such as bringing just a new steak) could have saved the rest of the dish. We were also surprised by the $45 upcharge for the filet, which brought the total for the dish to $113 for two. While we realize we should have confirmed the price, it might help if the menu or server highlighted this more clearly, since the cost felt disproportionate given the experience. For dessert, we ordered the Basque cheesecake. We understand it should have a burnt top and no crust, but ours seemed overly burnt and we ended up sending it back. The menu and atmosphere are both excellent, and we see a lot of potential here. With clearer communication on pricing and more attention to execution in the kitchen, the dining experience could match the promise of the restaurant. read more

Food was very good!! Paella good, Patatas Bravas delicious, octopus Amazing.....the service was spectacular!! Our server Julie was very attentive and gave us great suggestions. We are going back for sure. You will definitely like. Finally the ambiance very nice, very relaxing read more

This is a Spanish-inspired restaurant featuring small dishes as well as entrees. It exceeded all expectations and delivered a flawless experience. We made reservations and we were seated quickly on arrival. Service was uniformly curteous and prompt. Cocktails are okay. I would say their version of a Boston sour would be better served up with the red wine float on top. Ours was served on the rocks already mixed and was a shade of puce. My old fashioned was well done. Food showed up promptly. The wedge salad was perfect Patatas bravas were freshly fried and spicy. Meatballs are not to be missed- we ordered more as soon as we could The stuffed oysters were flavorful and unique. Tuna tartare was fresh and well seasoned Steak with chimichuri was the highlight of the meal- we devoured it in minutes. Thanks for a great dinner!! read more

Let me start off by saying the server and restaurant manager are kind, professional, attentive and respectful. This issue lies with the chef. The small plates of potatoes and a beet salad were fine not outstanding but fine. My husband ordered the halibut and I ordered the "hand-made" mushroom ravioli. My husband said the halibut was so salty, he could not eat it. The mushroom ravioli was out of a box and chewy, salty and flavorless. We told our server who profusely apologized and sent the restaurant manager over who admitted the restaurant had some things to work out. I would not have written this review except we were seared across from the kitchen where we could see the chef who was giving me the stink eye. Total attitude. Nice space and great location in our favorite place of Highlands. If they replace the chef with someone who knows the craft, they could be successful. read more

Tasty food and good ambience. Definitely one of our favorite restaurants in Highlands.

When you are in highlands make sure you eat here. The food was delicious as well as the service! To start we had complimentary cava as we were celebrating our anniversary. Followed by a chocolate martini and margarita. Then we had the bread board with the watermelon salad and the beet salad followed by the scallops and oyster rockafellow. Then we split the Oscar filet. Our server Caleb was great! I forgot to take a pic of the filet but here are the others read more

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Good was amazing!!! The atmosphere is great and the servers/bartenders are on point. I don't know what i would recommend more, the seafoods paella or the elk. We also had the kale salad, scallops, and oysters. read more

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A lot of fun. My wife went here on an anniversary weekend dinner and just had a great time. So much fun.

Lovely meal! We ended up here because there was a reservation at 5pm, only, and our casual choice was closed for a private event. No big deal that I was dressed casual. We felt welcome and had a nice seat on the patio over the river. We went straight tappas menu and were thrilled with the short rib 2xs, mushrooms, Brussel sprouts 2xs, and ceviche. We're excited to find another good spot heading in to the slower months that we can rely on here in our mountains. read more

I have no joke been craving mushroom ravioli, and it's surprisingly difficult to find. This newly opened restaurant in Highlands is fantastic. Tastefully decorated. Great variety on the menu. Enjoyed porcini mushroom ravioli with truffle infused olive oil. OMG. Garlic shrimp that were fresh and plump. A toffee chocolate mousse dessert (little too sweet for me). And a freshly opened Malbec. Service was top notch with Cody & Manny to boot! read more

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We were there last night while staying a few days at Old Edwards Inn. The food was phenomenal and my guy and I can't remember when we have had such a great meal. Presentation of all dishes was beautiful. Our drinks were well done also. read more

What a nice addition to the Highlands. Lovely ambiance and they have tables set aside for walk-ins. The tapas were well prepared and graciously served. The manager made us feel welcome and relaxed in spite of it being high season with reservations is short supply. Try the outside table by the stream. The bar is first come first served and it's quite large. A welcome night in a mountain town where dinner can be a chore due to the large numbers of wealthy newcomers who are making Highlands a bit more like the Hamptons... read more

Our server Leila was lovely and the food was delicious. For a tapas restaurant, we both thought the serving dishes were rather large. We are 2 at a table for 4 so we had wiggle room but it would have been difficult if we had a smaller table. On that note, it also didn't help that the pacing was a little 'hurried'. We understand that it was early and the kitchen was probably not busy but it would have been better if the firing of orders was spaced out a little. read more

The food was excellent and the service was impeccable. Absolutely love the new ambiance they did with the remodeling!!!

Cocktails were outstanding. We each had a lingonberry rock cocktail. Creative and tasty - tart and fruity taste. My wife followed up with a Yule mule and snow kiss but the lingonberry rock was her favorite. I had a narwhal stout that lived up to my expectations We had the charcuterie to start followed by the soft shell crab. Both very good. Nice atmosphere and friendly staff. Our bartender Cody was very attentive. Chocolate Martini was outstanding read more

The Stubborn Bull - Chocolate martini by Cody - Spanish Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

The menu was outstanding with different options from all over the world. We thought the service was really good as well. I would recommend this for a dinner date if you're in highlands. read more

We just had a wonderful dinner. Energetic and friendly staff greeted us with a smile and frequent check-ins along the way to ensure everything was to our liking. We enjoyed a nice glass of wine and split the paella for two which was wonderful and perfect portions. Neighboring tables ranted about the kale salad and meatballs and another the short ribs. We will definitely be back to try those this winter. The owner was out, accessible and one of the nicest people around. Wishing them great success and we will be back soon. read more

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The food is just delicious. One of the best meals I've had in a long time. Service was excellent and entire experience was wonderful.

Unprofessional in every way! I left a FB review and then they blocked me so no one would see! Made areservation with them weeks in advance. They confirmed with me TWICE! As the highlands is a hot vacation spot, people plan their day around dining reservations. My group made their way into town only to be told last minute they decided to close that day! If they run their business this poorly I can only imagine how things run behind the scenes! Do yourself a favor and do not trust this place to honor your reservation especially when there is so much better competition in town such as Four65 which never fails to impress. read more

Outstanding service. My wife has many allergies and they were so accommodating. Started out with one of the best margaritas I have had in a long time, and was able to try 3 different dishes with the small plates. read more

The Stubborn Bull - Branzino - Spanish Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

So excited to try this while we were visiting. Love tapas style and fun drinks. However... I think our poor waiter had the entire outside area and he seemed frazzled. It had been way over an hour and we had only had our salad and a teeny tiny glass of wine. (Even though I ordered the larger pour ) we never ordered the rest of our food and just opted to cash out. Super disappointing. With the revolving door of restaurants in highlands- I hope they realize you have to have service and food that justifies the prices to make it. read more

Food was good but not outstanding. Restaurant is really a bar pub type atmosphere very busy and lots of noise. Which is great if that's what you're looking for your meal. I enjoy more of a calmer atmosphere. Service was lacking and very slow . App was cold . Meal was hot but took a long time to receive ( close to an hour ) I would go if others insisted but would not be my go to place. read more

My favorite restaurant in the area! Everything was delicious and the service was top notch! Also a njce view outside and loved the decor of the restaurant inside. Overall 10/10 must try! read more

The service was really great, and food was amazing. 10/10 experience. The paella for two is a must.

Food was amazing, if it were possible to give more than 5 stars I absolutely would! YOU SHOULD EAT HERE!!