Ugly Dog Pub was one of my favorite places I visited in Highlands. The food was amazing, the smash burger definitely lived up to the hype, and the beer selection was great. The live music was an awesome touch and made for a fun atmosphere. I was able to bring my pup since I sat outside, which was a huge plus. Just keep in mind that if you're dining on the patio, the service is more limited, you order and pay at the bar, and they'll bring your food out to you. Overall, this is a must-visit if you're in Highlands, North Carolina, especially if you're a fan of great burgers, good beer, and a laid-back atmosphere. read more

The Ugly Dog Pub - Rise & Shine Burger - New American Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

We were seated right away. A little annoyed that our party of 5 was seated at a small corner booth table. Ended up using the back of the booth for our water bottle and condiments and still struggled for space. Buffalo wings were good but not exactly Buffalo. No buttery spicy hot sauce. It was more peppery than buffalo. Wings were cooked perfectly though Reuben is excellent as are the jalapeno Mac bites. Cheese dip was also excellent but we (and the table next to us) had to ask for more chips. Not portioned terribly well. Beer options were very slim (2 on tap from what it gathered). I'm sure there were plenty of bottled options but draft was disappointing. We ordered the ale but they tapped out and brought us brown ale. At 5pm...only a brown and stout on tap. Overall, it was a pretty middling experience but the food was good and they offer a military appreciation discount. read more

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The Ugly Dog served as our pit stop the whole time we were visiting highlands. Whether it was for a meal, snack, or just a cocktail to relax a bit. We stopped by our first day for lunch and I ordered the classic Reuben and fries. Both were delicious I loved the fries so much. My husband ordered the bacon and pimento smash burger which was just as delicious! Day two I had a chicken sandwich and he ordered the Cuban. Day three we had the soft pretzels and cheese dip. Those were bomb! My favorite cocktail was the Italian Spritz. It was so light and just a nice refreshing drink for the afternoon. Service was average. Nothing terrible or great. You can tell they get pretty busy each day. What I really loved was all of the photos of dogs framed on the walls! It was fun to see all the different pups that had been added over the years read more

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We went on a Wednesday night that had live bluegrass music. It was packed. The bar personnel were working like mad to keep up. We ate the outside tables where you have to order at the bar but they bring out your food. We started with the blue cheese chips and the Ugly Dog dip. We enjoyed both. Then a Cuban sandwich and a burger. Both were good. We loved the interior that was covered in dog pictures. Fun place. read more

The Ugly Dog Pub - Cuban with blue cheese coleslaw - New American Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

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The people here are great! Sunday nights are very busy bc of a trivia night so heads up on that. Michael and Grace were just the most fun bartenders. The spicy coconut margarita was so so good. We had wings and the ugly dog dip with their house made tortilla chips, both very good. It's a very casual pub style atmosphere, honestly a relief from some of the more stuffy restaurants in the area. read more

Ugly Dog is one of our favorite places in Highlands. Hubby and I enjoy their Burger with the loaded Tater Tots. I appreciate that the Tater Tots are gluten-free, and I heartily recommend them! The bar can occasionally get loud and rowdy, but the crowd always seems happy. Servers are friendly, and knowledgeable of food sensitivities. You may have a little bit of a wait, but these people are on it, so they'll get to you asap. Be sure to visit Ugly Dog while you're in Highlands. I think you'll like it. read more

The Ugly Dog Pub - Dining Area - New American Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

This restaurant was recommended by a friend so we decided to check it out when we visited the small town of Highlands, NC. The hubby is a huge dog fan so this was right up his alley. There were pictures of dogs everywhere... and I do mean everywhere. There were small framed 5"x7" pictures on every wall. We chose the charcuterie board as our appetizer. It was a typical charcuterie board nothing special. The hubby chose the chili cheese dog with a side of onion rings. He said the hot dog was VERY good. I chose the roast beef dip with vegetables. The vegetable for the day was teriyaki snow peas. Interesting choice. It was different but good. For dessert we had coffee and shared an ice cream sandwich. The space felt a little cramped and it was quite busy. The service was good. Overall, it was a good lunch experience. read more

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In Highlands for a visit, and decided to have lunch. Very quaint little place. Interior decor shows they certainly love dogs. Menu is simple, with some great options. They seemed to be known for their hot dogs, so I ordered a plain one with onions and relish. I added mustard, and dove in. I must say; it was an exceptional hot dog. Full of flavor, and done to perfection. Wife ordered beef dip, and it looked darn good as well. She said it was one of the best she's had. The Highlands area is very lovely. If you're in that area, I recommend the Ugly Dog. read more

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Great food. Had smash burger and blue cheese slaw. Fried green tomatoes were great as well. Cool laid back atmosphere. Good service from staff that knows the menu. Recommend read more

The service quick, the ambiance was pub pleasant and the food was served hot, as ordered, great quantity for the price. We ordered the onion rings as an appetizer, the chicken tenders and the bbq bourbon pulled pork (bunless for me) sandwich with slaw, pickles and fries. read more

The Ugly Dog Pub - Onion rings, chicken tenders and pulled pork with fries. - New American Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

The food was cold and didnt taste very good. The Service was okay the food took forever to come out. The ambiance was really nice.

I tired many places in the Highlands and unfortunately found this wonderful restaurant on my last night visiting - or I would have went there many, many times. The food was amazing and the ambiance was so much fun. Highly recommend. read more

Been here, eaten that. It's a nice little place up the road from Main Street. Have visited both this location and their one down in Cashiers many times. It's always one of those places that is "just fine" but doesn't set itself apart without anything special or unique. That's OK though, stop in for a burger or a sandwich and a beer and you won't be disappointed. read more

The service was great even though it was super busy on a Saturday during football season. The food was delicious! We tried the pretzels & cheese (10/10) recommend! read more

The Ugly Dog Pub - Pretzels & Cheese Dip - New American Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

Loved the service, ambiance a d food so this review is easy. If I lived 1,000 miles closer I would be here all the time. read more

The Ugly Dog Pub - Grilled cheese and potato soup - New American Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

The Ugly Dog Pub was recommend by a friend. If you are a dog person, you will appreciate the dog decor throughout the pub. My family had a casual lunch during our recent stay in Highlands. The portobello burger with goat cheese was phenomenal. The goat cheese and avacado made this sandwich extra special and I must mention the Portobello was cooked perfectly. My husband enjoyed his salmon BLT and my boys liked their hot dogs. The tator tots were too crispy for my husband's liking. The side of fruit my boys and I had was great as a lighter side option. The Ugly Dog Pub is worth checking out for a casual dining experience with good food and friendly service. read more

Man oh man, it's been 7 years of consistently coming here. This place has never disappointed us. Fridays, kitchen closes at 10pm. I believe on non weekend it closes earlier. Service has always been friendly and quick. The this most recent time we sat at the bar and our bartender was beyond exceptional with speed/accuracy. A great skill our bartender had was quick wit and relevant thoughtful banter. My husband and I have always been a sucker for bar food. The ugly dog serves elevated tavern bites. Elevated by either quality or a "twist". This is the first place we always come to whenever we are in the highlands, and we plan to return for years to come. Cheers & a Beer! read more

The Ugly Dog Pub - Roast beef dip (no cream cheese, no cheese) with house chips - New American Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

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Ugly Dog is a great spot in downtown Highlands. We arrived at 2pm for a late lunch on Saturday and there was a 45 minute wait, but we were able to get a first come first serve table on the patio. We ordered an assortment of cocktails that were great! The feta dip was a great app and we all enjoyed our entrees. Would certainly return to Ugly Dog! read more

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Arrived early Sunday afternoon. Place was busy but not overly. Got seated quickly. Two nearby tales came in after us and were waited on and served beverages quickly. Still waiting. Apparent manager came over after awhile and asked if we had been waited on yet. Said no and soon got a server. Had a 3 year old with us, so order him some food for right away and beverages. Again a really long wait. His food and beverages finally arrived. We ordered and one of the soft drinks had a small spring, like from the inside of a pen floating on top. The toddlers food arrived and mentioned to the server about the spring. Got a uhm, would like a new one? Food finally arrived and two of us had the roast beef dip. Unfortunately some of the sand which had to be cut with a knife since chewing wasn't option. Tried my wife and daughters food and theirs was very good. Figured we just hit this spot on a terrible timing day. read more

Nice casual place in the highlands. Good atmosphere, good food, but our server seemed very uninterested in our table. Love the dog theme, especially all of the pictures in the wall. Had a charcuterie board, pretzels and cheese, and beer to start. All appetizers were very good with the pretzels being a big hit! Tropical IPa was also a hit with our group. Our meals were a Cuban, rueben, chicken pesto, and roast beef dip. Everyone was happy with their meals. Will come back again, just hope for a little better service next time. read more

The Ugly Dog Pub - Pictures - New American Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

Outstanding food and service! Music Bingo on Sunday night 7:00. Great atmosphere and we received food in less than 10 minutes after ordering. read more

Good service, nice atmosphere and everyone liked their meals. Tuna melt, Cuban sandwich and chicken salad.

Love this place! Many kind strangers in the Highlands recommended this place! So glad we went! Great music! Yummy food! Outstanding service from Grace! (We love you Grace!) read more

This place was great! We arrived around 5pm for dinner and was sat immediately. The food was delicious and we loved checking out all of the cute dog photos! Our Server was nice and we were in/out in about an hour. We will definitely eat here again! read more

Burger perfectly season-bombed and extra toppings reasonably priced. I liked sitting in the corner of the establishment right by the bar, it was nice. Portions were plentiful and prices good, service was good as well. Will return when I come back to Highlands. read more

I would give a 5 if the bar service were better. We stopped by twice on our trip and the bar is understaffed. Should have at least 2 folks at all times given the amount of people. Prices decent for the highlands and the food was surprisingly good, particularly the burger and wings (with hot sauce). read more

Friendly service, good pub food, nice selection of beer on tap. Checks all the boxes.

Worst service I've ever experienced. From the beginning we were treated rudely by our waitress. Had to ask for silverware, and water. Grilled shrimp on my salad was overcooked and tough. read more

The best meal we had in highlands! The smash burger was so delicious, the pretzel was perfection, the waitress was attentive and sweet! And the vibes were great! Lots of good music playing, cute pictures of dogs on the wall, and the place was booming. 10/10 for us! read more

The Ugly Dog Pub - Soft pretzel and jalapeño cheese - New American Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

The perfect little cozy pub! I got the Cuban sandwich and fries, and it was great! Loved the seasonal lavender cocktail as well. The waiters were very friendly, helpful, and fast. An all-around great experience! read more

Great pub food. Good, friendly service. Fun atmosphere. Would highly recommend for a casual night out.

They are too successful and too crowded. You can't get a table or a seat at the bar. Good for them, but I've given up on going there. This may seem like a positive review and probably is - for most people. Just not my type of place; so here's to their continued success without me. read more

Do not recommend this restuarant. There on Saturday in early November 2025. Service was slow. Food quality was poor - two of 4 items were too salty, one flavor not good, one was good. French fries were cold. Had to get napkins and silverware ourselves as waiter failed to bring these items. When informed that the fries and other food was cold, waiter was unresponsive. Expect much more from a restaurant in the Cashiers area. No attempt to resolve the problems with our food. read more

Wow!! The food was delicious! Burgers, flatbreads, chicken salad sandwich... and fries... yummy With Bluegrass music. Amazing time read more

The Ugly Dog Pub - New American Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

We were in for lunch during a busy Saturday game day. The service and food were still amazing. Great chicken wings. The staff handled the crowd so professionally. read more

Nice casual place. It's decorated with people's dog pictures all over the walls. We sat in the bar area at a booth that had one side was a padded bench with pillows. The cutest dog with a paper bag over his head painting was on the wall. We started our meal with the jalapeño macaroni cheese bites. So yum! We got the cheese burger which was very good and cooked perfectly and the chicken wings with tots. I got the wings not tossed and got two dips the buttermilk ranch and sweet chili. The wings were crisp with a smoky flavor. You can also get them tossed in buffalo sauce. We were sat right away and our server was always available and quick with our food. read more

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This was my first restaurant I ate at in highlands. We went twice! The first time I had the Chicken pesto sandwich. It was good. My bf loved the Cobb salad. Then when we went back I had the wings. The only upset was the buffalo & bbq sauce was straight from a bottle of brands I recognized, versus a homemade sauce. The wings were delicious. Both times our servers were forgetful, didn't refill drinks, remember condiments or ask if we needed anything etc. We had our dog both times so it was the easiest pick. I would probably try somewhere else next time I visit Highlands but the food was good nonetheless!! read more

The Ugly Dog Pub - Wings & Cobb Salad with Chicken - New American Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

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We were strolling around Highlands and wanted to find a casual place for lunch & some drinks.....we were also hoping to find a place with playoff football on. After passing some "snootier" looking places we found the Ugky Dog Pub. When we went in the hostess said it was about a 40 minute wait; so we decided to put our name on the list and shop/stroll around the town for a half hour or so. We were called in about 30 minutes and given a table for our party of 5 right next to the ginormous tv. We all had beers and then ordered lunch. I had the quinoa salad with apricots and it was simply scrumptious! I devoured the whole thing and it wasn't small. My husband had the mushroom Swiss burger which he said was good, and the bleu cheese coleslaw that accompanied it was fantastic! My daughter just had a bowl of chicken noodle soup and she said it was decent. Her boyfriend had the wings, which he said were delicious; smoky and crispy! He also had the Caesar salad which he said was pretty good too. My sister had a cheeseburger with bacon. She said it was very good; but was a little disappointed that there was only one piece of bacon on it and the burger itself was rather small. She had the bleu cheese coleslaw as her side also, and she really like that as well. The prices were reasonable and the menu had quite a lot of variety. There was a full bar inside and a patio area out back. Even though it's called the Ugly Dog Pub the wall is decorated with cute pictures of dogs....so what's not to love? read more

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If you love dogs, this is a MUST. No I didn't see any physical dogs here but the establishment is FULL of dog photos (none of which are ugly). There was a wait time when we went (Sunday afternoon) but it was so worth it. As we waited, we hung by the bar and got ourselves some drinks. I got the honey blonde ale which was so good! Once we were sat down we got ourselves the all American burger with bacon, grilled cheese, and salad with chicken on the side. The portions were big ones and price was decent. Atmosphere of this pub is so nice and attention from staff was good. read more

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This is a pretty good spot for lunch or dinner. Great bar food and salads. I tried the quinoa salad with dried apricots feta cheese and mixed greens with champagne vinagarett. It was heavenly. My friends tried the fish wrap that was pretty good except maybe needed tartare sauce. Came with Fries in that were extra crunchy and indulgent read more

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