Visited 4/17/26 Met immediately & was seated Got Breakfast with eggs, grits, bacon, & biscuits - all was excellent Ordered crispy bacon & it was perfect Servers were great Will be back read more

I had such high hopes for this place, but I should've listened to the negative reviewers. My wife and I stopped in today ( 8/30/26) for brunch at around 11:30. The patio is about half full and the dining room inside was less than a third full we were seated quickly. It took 10 minutes for somebody to come by with the menu another 10 minutes to get our water and coffee, and our food, which was an omelette and a breakfast bowl, took another 45 minutes, which as I read on yelp was the chief complaint. My wife's breakfast bowl was very good, but my omelette was definitely overcooked. The waitress literally stopped by our table for the first time at the 45 minute mark, other than that, we sat there for what felt like an eternity. We asked twice about the food. One time got no answer. The other time got "We are short staffed today." This seems to be a running theme with this place, if you read on Yelp, probably 2/3 of the reviews are very positive about the food which my wife's food was very good, and the other third is about the absolutely horrible wait times and the general unfriendliness/indifference of the weight staff specifically the only female who acts as a waitress. There are two other gentlemen who see you and get you, water, menus, etc., and help where they can, but I was so beyond frustrated with the amount of time it took to get our food on what should've been a relaxing Sunday that the wait time completely killed the whole experience. I will say that the waitress got really really interested in service right around the time it came to pay. To the ownership I'll say this much, while the food was overall pretty good, you can't make people wait for an hour and a half for an omelette and a breakfast bowl especially while your restaurant is not even half-full. I think if you figure this out the place will be a success. read more

Great service and very tasty breakfast! My husband and I split the eggs Benedict and it was more than enough!

We had lunch here during a long weekend in Cashier's. My husband ordered the Reuben and said it was the best he ever had. I had the California BLT on sourdough bread. Perfect amount of bacon (crispy), lettuce and tomatoes. Perfectly grilled. We both had the coleslaw which was mayo based and good. Service was awesome. We had our pup with us and sat outside which was probably an in convenience for the waitress but she was full of smiles and we had a nice chat about our pets. We will return! read more

Zookeeper Bistro - Reuben sandwich - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cashiers, North Carolina

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We waited for over an hour for our food! The waitress said it was a computer glitch ! How about checking on your customers every so often so that doesn't happen!! Won't be back!! read more

The breakfast was great (we went back-to-back days while on vacation) with a typical breakfast-lovers variety of build your own omelets, waffles, pancakes, bacon, sausage, etc. The service was friendly and accommodated special requests, and the environment was family/kid friendly. The whole family left satisfied and full! read more

Five stars for a great breakfast spot in Cashiers! So glad we finally stopped in for a wonderful mountain breakfast. We got seated right away and brought our coffee promptly! (Huge win for us). Although I don't prefer, the menu scan code was right on the table. Easy enough to figure out. After looking over the menu, we decided on the 2 egg breakfast and a Benedict. While I almost made a tragic mistake, I made a last minute call and got the biscuit. Food came out pretty quickly and was delicious! We asked for a medium egg on the bene, and we're delighted it was executed perfectly. Another note, it was not drowning in hollandaise and allowed you to taste the perfectly toasted muffin and ham! My eggs were scrambled wonderfully, not over cooked. And the biscuit!! Homemade, soft, crumbly, and just the right amount of salt!! Our only complaint would be the hash-browns could've been cooked a bit more. Overall, I would definitely come back. And since I read a few bad service reviews, we had excellent service. I can only think that in the mountains you are treated as you treat others.. read more

Zookeeper Bistro - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cashiers, North Carolina

Food was a bit above average in quality and way above in price. Wait is a little long. Maybe take a book to read. And some snacks to keep your strength up. And your shaving kit to trim your beard, which may start getting long while the kitchen works on your eggs. read more

I want to preface this by saying the food was very good, but if you don't want to spend 2+ hours, skip this place. I can only give this place 1 star because of how long it took and the attitude of the waitstaff. Out of the three-four workers we saw, none of them were friendly or open about how long we would be there. We showed up without a reservation and were told it would be about 25 minutes before we got a table. We were seated about 30 minutes later and were given coffee and water. We then waited approximately another 30 minutes for someone to take our order. After the order was taken, we waited about an hour before we received our food. Again, the food was good but I will not be back. read more

The staff was super friendly and nice. I would give them a 10/10. I was a little dissatisfied with the avocado toast I did get it without eggs and they use a guac spread. However my whole toast wasn't covered evenly or well. My friend got fresh avocado with her breakfast and I think for the toast they definitely should use fresh avocado instead. The other thing was that even though it was busy we waited for Atleast 30 minutes for our food which seemed like a long time. But the servers were all fantastic and you could really tell they like being there. read more

Zookeeper Bistro - Avocado toast with hash browns - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cashiers, North Carolina

So delicious!! We all got something different and shared a lot of the food and we can't complain! The crème brûlée donut was SO good. Pancakes delicious, omelet delicious, Bowl is good but was a lot of food, the cinnamon bun was the only thing we weren't in love with. Highly suggest! read more

What a perfect place for breakfast! Great location, great mom and pop deliciousness. All fresh ingredients! My husband and I were so pleasantly surprised with this find I ordered the omelette which you can pick the ingredients, fluffy fresh packed with flavor. They only cook with butter they don't use that nasty oil that most places use. Husband got steak and eggs and it was great. We will absolutely be back Highly recommend read more

Zookeeper Bistro - Fluffy omelette made to order, Side of potatoes with sourdough toast. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cashiers, North Carolina

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Probably the worst service ever. Not sure why the ladies that work there don't smile. Just rude service. Won't be back

Rude and unfriendly hostess! We declined to eat there because of the poor attitude of the hostess! For a town that cultivates tourism, this restaurant does not seem to care! If the hostess is this unfriendly, I would have serious doubts about service and food quality! Do not recommend! read more

While on our way out of Sapphire Valley we placed a to-go breakfast order at the Zookeeper Bistro. We had the grilled ham, cheese and egg sandwich, blueberry pancakes, and eggs and bacon which was very tasty. I would have given even higher review, but the service did not merit it. Being a Sunday morning, the restaurant was swamped and the matradee seemed overwhelmed and a little short. Not being a local, I felt overlooked. I was also disappointed when another potential customer asked about placing a to-go order and the matradee said she just couldn't take the order. The person walked away dejected as the matradee stated that my to-go order wa ready. Seemed to be a bit of a double standard. As we drove away with our order we also came to realize that blueberry pancakes were missing the blueberries and our side of bacon was missing. Should have checked our order before driving away... read more

Zookeeper Bistro - Zookeeper Bistro - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cashiers, North Carolina

It has been 45 minutes since I sat down. Took 10 minutes to get waited on. No food has arrived yet and no one has come over to the table to cake on us. read more

Waited over an hour for our food along with other customers - clearly the kitchen was having issues. Food was fine once we had it but not going back. Should never have to wait that long for breakfast. We went on a Sunday at 1130. Ordered around 1145 and food came at 1250. read more

Our greeting was very frustrating. Sunday at 12:30pm. About 80% full. Was told it would be 20 minutes or more before we could be seated. Empty tables had reservations (which apparently were no shows as no one ever arrived). All the above is ok I guess, but the attitude and communication of the hostess was just plain rude. Examples: -- "do you want to wait or what?" (said in a very abrupt/commanding/condescending tone). -- can't wait by the door (no one else was there)--must sit in chairs by the back wall. Dining room is basically a conference room with some tables placed inside. I promise we were unfailingly polite despite the abrupt manner we were spoken to. Watched her during our meal and she was just as abrupt with other customers. Maybe you have to be a regular to be treated with friendliness. Failed at first impression. Stick to Highlands--Blue Bike, Mountain Fresh, Don Leon's, the Spinx gas station. read more

We were here early on a Sunday before the breakfast rush and were seated after a few minutes of waiting. Service was average, not bad, not great. The food was delicious, fresh eggs, toast, and some of the best sausage links I've ever had. The letdown was the grits...tasted like they were made from a packet; definitely not southern standard. Coffee was ok, they came around with it a lot. Parking is also easy at this location which is a plus. read more

Great service and breakfast! Greek omelette was perfect. I recommend Zookeeper Bistro. read more

I've known this place for over 20 years to have the best eggs Benedict! Highly recommend if you are hungry for Breakfast! I hear the dining menu is not bad either! read more

This place is very cozy and simple, they have a good table system and you're not too close to anybody which is very nice. The service is good, they are very nice and always greet you at the door. The food is tasty and comforting; they do a good job of giving bigger serving sizes so you get your moneys worth. You do have to salt the eggs, grits, etc with is a great touch because everyone has a different preference. It is a bit more pricy than I'd like and the bathroom could use some updates but overall this place is a must try! read more

Zookeeper Bistro - The big breakfast bowl with sourdough toast, avocado toast with turkey bacon on the side, for extra, and pancakes. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cashiers, North Carolina

Excellent food along with excellent service. Bring your cell phone in order to see the most current menu.

Great food. Really friendly and helpful staff. The coffee could be better...and real cream would be nice. Overall YES, I recommend.

Best breakfast I've had in a while. I got the breakfast bowl & it was delicious! Very nice people working, too.

Excellent eggs benedict. Friendly folks. Convenient for breakfast all day. Highly recommend it!

Overall, the food was solid. I ordered a breakfast burrito with breakfast potatoes on the side, and it was average -- not amazing, but not terrible. The service was extremely disappointing; the waitress was rude and seemed annoyed the whole time. read more

Zookeeper Bistro - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cashiers, North Carolina

Worst service ever Was ignored by the waitress super rude

This is a charming little place. The coffee was not so good for me. Breakfast was ok. Average The waitress we had seem like she didnt want to be at work that day. But we all have an off day and that is ok. I enjoyed my breakfast read more

Zookeeper Bistro - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cashiers, North Carolina

really great traditional breakfast had gluten-free toast and were very accommodating to our large group. Got us in really quickly as well.!

Be aware that open times are in error. Zookeepers is closed Monday & Tuesday. Places that don't monitor their info on social media will always get a low rating from me, especially if I have depended on that info to visit their establishment only to find it closed. read more

Food & service were great at this cute bistro. The outdoor patio is lovely& we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast!

Stopped here for a quick bite to eat on our way home to Florida. Breakfast was good. We ordered the 2-egg plate with sausage patties, toast and grits. DH ordered the Greek Omelette. The stand out here was our server, Nina, who remembered my husband from a previous visit. Friendly, quick and thorough, Nina was a true highlight of our visit. read more

We always look forward to breakfast at the Zookeeper Bistro when we visit Cashiers a few times each year. They are always packed by locals and frequent visitors. Owners, Tanya and John, run a tight ship, and serve everyone with true efficiency and delicious food. Servers Nina and Jennifer are hardworking and fun. We love the California Benedict, which is served only on the weekends. But, the Crab Benedict, Quiche, Omelet Construction and the Breakfast Wrap are our weekday fare. The food is simple, but soooo good, and always cooked perfectly. The place is clean, the servers are pleasant, the food is great, and there is no drama - what more could you want. One of these days we might sleep in and try the lunch menu! ;-) read more

I am normally not a breakfast person but my son and hubby are! Found Zookeeper Bistro on our way to the waterfalls and stopped by. I ordered the Greek omelette (feta, spinach, olives) and it was good. I had grits (no taste) but put a generous amount of butter and salt and pepper and they were good to go. Western omelette and ham and cheese sandwich all had thumbs up. The portions were generous and everything came out hot. I would say 3+ stars. read more

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WOW - this was one of my worst restaurant decisions EVER! We went on a Sunday morning at 11:00am and were told it would be a 25 minute wait. Surprisingly, 10 minutes later we were offered an outside table we happily took. Five minutes later we were brought waters and a menu. Then we preceded to wait 30 minutes for someone to come back to our table. Admittedly, it had gotten busier, it was brunch. But anyway, after we placed our order (at 11:40am) we preceded to wait. And wait. Occasionally asking passing folks for our server and our food, to which they replied "It's coming". At 12:40, I found the manager, pointed out it had been an hour since we ordered. Her reply: a shrug and "It's coming." At 12:55 the server brought our food out (first time I had seen her since we ordered!). Hot, yes but incredibly simple (eggs, bacon & toast). Exactly 3 minutes later, she brought the check. So it took 1 hour and 20 minutes to get eggs, bacon & toast BUT exactly 3 minutes to get the bill. Go if you want and you get drawn in by the name (which has exactly NOTHING to do with the cafe, by the way) but be prepared to wait a couple of hours for mediocre food and really, really poor service. read more

Not an auspicious beginning. Hostess told us it was a 10-15 minute wait though there clearly were empty tables. We waited outside for 15 but after watching many folks walk in and get seated, we walked back in. She didn't know we were outside. After a 10 minute wait, we were seated and she apologized. We waited another 5-10 before hostess recognized we didn't have drinks and brought us coffee. Waitress finally came, was super nice, and took our orders. Food came out pretty fast. I highly recommend the California eggs Benedict. Amazing flavors!!! My wife had breakfast wrap and it was delicious. Side of grits were flavorless but that was only low point. Overall, it was worth it fir the delicious food. Opening service Lowers the overall score. 3.5 stars trending toward 4. read more

Small place, relaxed atmosphere, fantastic food. Buttermilk pancakes are a must, daily quiche specials. Typical oatmeal, grits but tasted fine. I would return again. read more

Zookeeper Bistro - Great food, relaxed atmosphere. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cashiers, North Carolina

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This was conveniently located in the same strip mall above our hotel- The Hotel Cashiers- so we went here for breakfast. We got a table right away, the menu is scannable, COVID friendly. It seems like a locals place, also for tourists, with nice, big mugs of coffee and friendly staff. I got the Zookeeper's Eggs Benedict ($12.75) , with sauce on the side and sliced tomatoes. Everything was perfect, the eggs cooked runny, the tomatoes were good as well. My husband got 2 eggs over-easy, with breakfast potatoes, sausage and toast for $9. It took a little while for our breakfast to come out and we were seated by a kind of rowdy table, but other than that, it was good. It does tend to get crowded, so I would suggest coming early. It's open for breakfast from 7:30 to 11 a.m. read more

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We have been here a week and we ate breakfast here three times. Great food with a large selection. As soon as you sit down they offer you a cup of coffee. I have had an omelette, pancakes and a waffle. All were yummy. Thank you Tanya, Jennifer, Chloe and Nina for taking such good care of us. Jennifer, keep smiling. read more