My wife and I made the trek to do a day trip to watch all the beautiful colors this time of year…read moreone sees throughout the blue ridge mountains . To the important part , Howard Station is a must stop whether you are a local or from out of town . As soon as you enter you will be warmly greeted and given seating options . We chose to sit at the bar and were given excellent service . From how quickly we were given our drinks to the turn around on ordering and receiving our food , it was exceptional !!! I chose to try the maple bacon wings . Guys , I could eat a bucket of these !! They come out golden brown , lightly crisped on the outside and super tender smoked chicken meat on the inside . The dry rub - maple complement each other immensely well, you get salty , you get sweet, you get maple syrup smells , it's an A+ experience in addition to the warm safe ambiance . Treat yourself to Howard Station, it's a must try!

The meat was incredibly dry & tough on both the shredded chicken and pork sandwiches…read more The sauces were not impressive - not thick enough (thin liquid) and without a lot of flavor. The sides were also unremarkable - the fried okra was a little burned and soggy and the coleslaw was not crispy. The menu had limited choices. It's too bad that this NC town has only one good BBQ restaurant

We had lunch there today. Very fast friendly service…read more The food was outstanding as always. The smell of fresh pit cooked bbq as you walk in gets you ready. They now have Alabama white bbq sauce and it is good.

We decided to go to The Pedalin Pig on a whim, after spotting it across the road from BobaBing! So…read moreglad we did because not only was the place packed with people, the bbq was absolutely delicious. We got the Two Meat Platter with Prime Brisket and St. Louis Ribs, which the cashier said were their specialties- so tender, fall-off-the-bone, smoky. For sides, we got hushpuppies and fried okra, which were again perfect- crispy and savory goodness. It came with their apple butter and bbq sauce, both were chef's kiss. Ambiance and service were good. There's a parking lot upfront. 10/10 would recommend!

We ate lunch here on Monday and went inside. Ordered our…read morefood on the kiosk with no issues. They alert you on your phone when it's ready. Every thought was very good. We will be back.

Come Back Shack is a fast food restaurant. But it is different than what you think of fast food…read more The original Boone location has a drive-thru and both indoor and outdoor seating. My burger was delicious and above and beyond any fast-food burger I have had before, at comparable prices. They serve grass-fed beef, chuck, round and sirloin. It is fresh, not frozen, and the meats are without hormones. My portion of fries was large, and I couldn't finish them. A smaller portion option would have been nice. I found the setup here confusing, as I wasn't sure where to enter from the parking lot, and then I wasn't sure where to order. Ordering is done at the kiosk or via a QR code. So expect a wait for the kiosk. I use kiosks and apps often, but this particular system was not smooth. I found the kiosk not as easy to use as it should have been; after I selected what I wanted, there was no way to get to the next screen to check out. I went with the build-your-own and was also disappointed that tomatoes weren't an option to add to the burger, but maybe they were out. They are a cashless business. When your order is ready, it is placed on a front cart, while drinks and sauces are self-serve. If I return, I will likely stick to the drive-thru, as that seems to be a much smoother ordering experience. Having a real person take your order and hand you everything you need at the window beats fighting with the kiosk inside.

I have so many good memories of this place when it was under the Woodlands banner, as this was…read morealmost certainly the best barbecue in the High Country in those days. The Pedalin' Pig may reside in the same location that Woodlands once occupied, and the layout may not be different, but nothing feels genuine about the food offered here. The quality and flavor of the offerings seem equivalent to pre-packaged barbecue and sides you'd pick up in a supermarket. I must not be the only one unimpressed, for this place used to be quite popular but now I rarely find many diners present here. Lower demand may be helping the speed of service, and the staff members seem pleasant, but I wonder if such a landmark is destined to fade into failure. Finding that Woodlands magic would be a great way to recover, but it seems unlikely. For the record, I've also eaten at Pedalin' Pig locations in Boone and Banner Elk, and I've never been impressed by them either. If you like those, then maybe the food here will suit you fine. But if you prefer the Woodlands of old, friends, you'd best just rely on your memories rather than trying what's left behind.

The old Woodlands venue and still reminiscent. Friendly staff and plenty of seating and parking…read more Bar located adjacent, upstairs and downstairs venue. Large food menu with a solid variety of items and BBQ sauces. Large portions, reasonable prices, and all the food was tasty. Definitely recommend the fried pickles, BBQ platters, and Mac & Cheese.

They make amazing food every time! Servers are so friendly. Sometimes it's a wait for a table, but…read moreit's worth it. I love that they have modifications you can make if you have food allergies or you don't particular ingredient.

You have to order at counter and pay before you get your food. They automatically default to 20+%…read moretip on a self serve order and then charge you 3% for using a credit card. Will NEVER come in this S Hole ever again! Then the good came. The burger was an underwhelming version of a frozen Bubba Burger hockey puck. I love a good burger. Trust me, don't order one here. Wife ordered snapper fish tacos but shrimp tacos made it out to the table. Only three small shrimp and tons of jalapeno peppers. She informed the staff, as they don't have servers, that the order was wrong. Thank goodness we had are receipt as the attitude was like we needed to prove it. It took forever for the correct order to arrive. But to give them something positive the wife said they were good. We both felt something is off in this place. The staff doesn't care. Very surprised they get a decent review from others. There are way better choices than this place. Big disappointment!

food was amazing! there nachos was amazing! our server was great! and had a great environment!read more

This was only the second time we've been to The local, but it's because the first experience with…read morethe service & amazing food was so amazing that we had to make the drive back! I ordered the shrimp & grits and it's been all I thought about since the first time I had it! The flavors blend beautifully and the grits are amazing! My daughter got their Stuffed French Toast (peaches & cream) with fresh fruit! Looked fantastic! We love the outdoor seating which allows us to bring the dog, but the indoor ambiance is wonderful! Highly recommend if you're in the area! We can't wait to go back!

Just disappointing. Ordered the hummus from this "Farm" to Flame truck and they threw carrots ,…read morecelery and a bag of Stacy's chips, with red pepper hummus. You would have thought with a pizza oven they would produce something farm, fresh and flavorful, something? The celery was awesome! At least the pita should come out of your oven

Get pizza while you get beer. 10/10 american experience. doesn't take long for the food to come…read moreout. service is great. and the vibe of the place is super chill. great eatery.

Service was impressively fast, and the staff even switched the TV to the Oscars so we could watch,…read morewhich was a thoughtful touch. The food was excellent across the board. I ordered the bacon grilled cheese, and it was seriously delicious--the only thing I would have changed is that I personally would have loved the bacon a bit crispier. We also sampled three beers, all of which were great. The High Country Honey had a subtle sweetness with a light hazelnut note. The Hatchet Coffee Porter was smooth with a rich roasted coffee flavor. My favorite was the El Chupacabra, which had a smooth profile with prominent vanilla and chocolate flavors. The ambiance was relaxed and welcoming, and the prices were extremely reasonable. Overall, it was a great experience. I would definitely recommend it and am already looking forward to coming back.

Visited recently while in Boone and our experience was VASTLY different than previous visits. The…read moreoutdoor area was essentially a day care. Kids of all ages running wild with minimal supervision. My husband and I decided we'd have a beer and then head inside to grab food. Were told tables were first come first serve and order food at the bar. We found a spot, went to order at the bar and were told the kitchen was closed. It was 6pm. On a summer Saturday afternoon. Went back to the day care lawn because we were hungry, ordered a crappy burger and overdone cheese curds from the food truck. What a terrible experience. We will not ever be back.

Delicious food, lovely service…read more I was visiting the area and this place and the menu caught my attention. 'The Gamekeeper', what name could be more intriguing for a unique dining experience? I was not disappointed in the food. All selections were ideally prepared, seasonally balanced, and well paired. What I was really pleased about was the service. The staff elevate the entire experience. To name one or two would leave out what was an incredibly welcoming, knowledgeable, and cohesive Team. I would certainly recommend The Gamekeeper to anyone looking for the complete dining experience.

Let's just start out with the obvious. The service, meal options and atmosphere are tops. Our…read moreparty of 6 was fortunate to have Allan G as our server. The wine and cocktails assistance was great and the mixed grill appetizers were perfect. The bison short ribs are killer. A very enjoyable evening. Everyone in the party raved about the meal and service. Bravo to the chef, staff and management. Our first trip to the area proved challenging on a rainy night in the mountains. We opted for transport via uber and Lyft services. FYI it's almost impossible to confirm service in Blowing Rock. With no show transportation at 9:30 pm the staff jumped into action. Lucky for us the one driver that did show agreed make 2 trips.

Here's the break down. Tuna: 5 stars…read moreChicken and waffles sandwich: 4.5 stars Cali flatbread: 4.25 stars There was a mistake when our flatbread was brought out. but waitress was more than willing to fix the mistake. However, we liked it well enough to keep it (adding balsamic glaze). Quaint little spot. Entrance is inside the mall for those who may be confused. Would go back.

Great. Food Great service…read moreA wonderful lunch place to eat. Clean and neat. Good adult beverages as well.