Had breakfast here that had a light flavorful taste. I ordered the brioche French toast with scrambled eggs and homefries. Nothing was excessively greasy, buttery, or dense which I liked for such a hot day in August. The restaurant itself has a really warm and intimate ambience as the tables are closely packed in the dining area and there is a beautiful mural the runs almost the length of the restaurant. My only slight complaint, is the cashier who possibly in part due to language/cultural barrier would just stare at me and had no sense of warmth in her service. But overall I would return for the food and atmosphere. read more

I love this place. Just give it a try, I promise it's worth it. The shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles, home fries, everything. I wouldn't try eating in the actual restaurant since it's rather small, but parking is plentiful on a Sunday at around 10am. It can busy inside depending on the time, but it's worth the wait. There's even a little water station to quench your thirst while you wait. read more

If you're looking for an intimate neighborhood restaurant in the 16th street heights area, look no further! read more

Highlands - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Hidden GEM here in DC !!! It's Small local business showing love in the food and staff! The manager Mr. J is wonderful! He has that home feel.The chicken and waffles are great! Waffle is fluffy but it got that crunch! Even the honey mustard is HOMEMADE read more

Highlands - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great food as well as prices! I ordered the chicken and waffles with with eggs. I also added a side of shrimp. The fried shrimp is phenomenal!!!! The shrimp taste super fresh and are definitely worth it. I like the set up as well. You walk in order your food then sit down wherever there's an opening. If there are no seats you can just take the food to go! Super easy ordering model. read more

Highlands - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My first time ordering take out from here. Great breakfast spot. I was told that my food would be ready in 15 to 20 minutes. I arrived and had to wait for an additional 10 minutes. It is a very busy spot so be prepared to wait for a table. I ordered the Brioche French toast and the Juanita's Breakfast from the menu. Overall, the food was excellent and good for the price. The cashier apologized for the wait. I will be returning. read more

I've always loved this place because the food is amazing, reasonable price and their Sangria is amazing !!! First place in dmv area where I love their sangria (they don't add cinnamon) which I love! They have WiFi and an small out door sitting area. Their chicken and waffles is my favorite and their French toast. Their menu is amazing! Support a black own business read more

I really liked this place, I'm literally here right now and I felt compelled to leave a review. Great food, great prices. Got the blackened salmon. Delicious.. no other way to put it. I would've attached a picture but I ate it too fast, just know it's damn good. I wish they had a bottomless mimosa option, that is my only (slight) complaint. I will be back. Our server Walter was so nice, really took care of us. My friends got breakfast & also really liked everything. read more

Thia place was a true diamond in the rough. The reviews had me hype until I got there. I was skeptical but everything was so good. They had a vegan gyro that was delicious. My kids enjoyed the waffles. And hubby said French toast was very good. I was already stuffed but what I had of the grits was good. I would highly recommend this place. read more

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I ordered the crab cake meal it was terribly disappointing! Not one item was seasoned. The crab was flavorless, leading me to believe it's artificial, I love crab meat this was different, no crab taste at all, weird, The sautéed spinach was bland,, I've had it before and it's usually good, not today, and how can you go wrong with mashed potatoes, well no salt, no butter, just awful. Tossing this $30 meal and will never order it again!!!! read more

I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS PLACE. OK, so I am basically obsessed with Brunch, but this place might take the place of my favorite brunch spot...which is saying a lot, I am a DIE HARD Open City fan. This sunday was like any other, minus a few SBC members; however, we carried on our voyage as always, no hangover will ever stop us! All I needed was a place with no wait, I called Highlands and they were so sweet, they reserved us seats by the window facing the street, eventhough they don't take reservations (HUGE Bonus Points). This place is very small and all of the patrons are super stylish and friendly, there was not a person in there who didnt look FLY as hell. Anyway, the service is fast, you order at the register and they give you a number then serve you when it is ready. The girl who takes the orders is nice, they are really short staffed and well, they seem to get confused pretty easily. NONE of this matters however, they are so friendly and are willing to make sure you have everything you need. The Shrimp and Grits are some of the best I have had EVER, and I used to live in the south...Im talking butter, cheesy, goodness that makes your whole body quiver with ecstacy and delight. I mean they are like my new obsession, I am so happy to find a place like this right in my own hood. This place is sooooo amazing, you will definatly see me here for many more sundays to come...well maybe even more often then that! read more

I gotta say it's hard to find places like this. I enjoyed every bite. It's one of those great restaurants that hidden. The chicken was seasoned so well, the waffle was cooked to perfection and the eggs with cheddar cheese was amazing. Seriously this is a hidden gem. If your looking for a spot with a good breakfast this is the place to go. They also have other food to choose from as well. Please check Highland out I promise you won't be disappointed. read more

Highlands - Chicken and waffles - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Really enjoyed this place , small and danty food was great ! Went for brunch on a Saturday morning and as the clocked ticked the people were pilling in, so it can become packed. You kind of seat yourself, Stand in line to order they give you a number, they also have outside seating, not much but it is available. read more

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3.5 Stars This former Mocha Hut space has changed personalities more times than Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It now appears that they're aiming to be that "third place". They haven't quite succeeded to the extent of Tryst, Open City or The Dinner (they're in a league of their own), but it really is the best thing going in 14th street Heights and for at least a mile or two around. In it's newest incarnation, Highlands Cafe, they've added an ambitious food menu (fried tilapia was a recent special) that includes an evening grill menu (think pork chops, crab cakes and New York strip steaks) and weekend vegan specials. They've even recently added a small (and I mean tiny) bar. The space is not that large, which made it ideal for a coffee shop, and they do make good espresso drinks, have books for the kids, and a decent selection of wines by the glass (house wines are Beaulieu Vineyards). Bottles are your only choice for beer, with Sam Adams at the high end, and various Mexican Imports. read more

Best neighborhood cafe Uptown. Love their breakfast, Chicken and waffles, salmon cakes, shrimp and grits are all a favorite. Lunch is equally as good. You can't really go wrong with anything on the menu. Seating can be difficult during prime time but that's because it's so good! read more

This breakfast was everything grandma would approve of! Well my best friend's grandma... as mine never made me grits. The first thing my bf said was, whoever made this breakfast, really cares. LOL. I think he found love when he realized I didn't ask them to put peppers and onions in his home fries. They just did. We both got the 14th st heights breakfast. BTW what the heck is 14th st heights? I'm from the area, went to Roosevelt High School, and would like to know where and what that is? Anyway, the eggs and bacon were great. I could have had my eggs cooked a little longer though. And the grits... mama the grits. Just wonderful. Didn't NEED salt and pepper. consistency was near perfect. The only gripe, just a little too much butter. Other than that it was a winner! Also, the price, it's a little high. But these are the things that happen when we start renaming neighborhoods and such... read more

Highlands was a restaurant that I researched with the help of the yelp family and this is the ultimate case of looks can be deceiving. Highlands is a non descript little shop but do they pack a hell of a punch. From other reviews the best part of their menu is their brunch selection I came for a late lunch and only had the grilled chicken sandwich meal. It was kicking like Bruce Lee (that's a good thing). It was one of those sammiches where you take a bite and immediately get up outta your chair and step to the right and step to the left like you are doing the electric slide. I really wanna try brunch because just going over the items, I was just shaking my head like dang I just missed it. Lunch was not disappointing at all just to be clear and the service was really nice. It's not the biggest restaurant so don't come up in there with a gang of people trying to take over my new food spot. Explore Highlands at your convenience just not for brunch yet...you won't be disappointed. If you are coming there from out of town make sure you put the address in the GPS correctly or you might miss it. It blends in almost too well with the other neighboring businesses. read more

One star is for the great waffles, the other for the lovely staff. Three star deduction for the one unfortunate teenager who now regularly seems to man the cash register on weekends. He truly is the one bad apple who spoils the whole bunch. This cafe was such a wonderful find I started coming here almost every weekend. As with most places I figured out my favorite and stuck with it. The waffle breakfast to me was the tastiest thing on the menu. Best part, being a veggie I could swap the meat for home fries. Yummm! And then one day the tween appeared. Apparently under the strictest instructions to charge extra for any modifications he refused to let me have the fries at no extra cost. Mind you, I am skipping the meat. The first time this happened an adult intervened and explained to him that no extra charge was necessary. He was visibly ticked but took the charge off. The second time there was no adult and he was willing to spend the rest of the afternoon arguing with me over it. Unfortunately there will not be a third time. Until the tween moves on to his next gig (Forever 21?) I am staying away. Weekend mornings are for waffles and coffee, not arguments with eager pubescents. read more

Awesome food! Awesome coffee! Awesome people working!! Get the waffle! It's amazing!

For my 200th review I had to pick a good place. The Highlands is worthy for one simple reason: good eats- quick and cheap. I always come to the Highlands, every since I moved to DC it's been "my little place." Its a quintessential DC establishment. You know what I mean by that- a place not much bigger than your apartment but with serious flava- the staff, the food, the atmosphere- the place is warm and inviting. Even though you could literally be standing in what seems like a den you keep going back, because it makes you comfortable and you like it there- You gotta love DC for those places. You cannot beat the Highlands for breakfast in this city. For under $7 you can get a Belgian waffle with eggs and meat (my fav) or eggs, toast and meat. You are not sacrificing quality or portion size at all. They also have Cuban coffee. I love a heart racer in a cup and their Cuban coffee does it for me. Lunch and dinner- same great quality and reasonable prices. Steak and cheese, grilled chicken sandwich, salads--all very good. They also have all the staples for a great telecommuting location- cute, quiet, nice folks, good meals and free Wi-Fi. The place is self service (order & pay at the register, they deliver to your table) but you never have to wait long for the food at all. GREAT little place. read more

Fire bacon egg and cheese crossaint... never tried a breakfast sandwich this good!! Will definitely be coming back again

This is my first review ever in Yelp. This family owned establishment is amazing! When I walked in, the long line and full tables showed me that I was in for some good food. Surprisingly, customers eat rather fast and tables empty quickly for the next people to sit down. I had the shrimp and grits. Even though it's listed as a starter, the portion is large. The shrimp was fried to perfection in a delicious batter. Can't wait to come back and try other dishes. read more

REVIEW for 3/27/16 Highlands was a great come to spot for breakfast. Although we decided to come here on Easter Sunday it was not the best choice since this place does not accommodate large groups nor is it a regular sit down restaurant that has a lot of space. You place your order at the register, they give you a number and they bring your food out to you. Just keep that in mind if you choose to venture here. It was very very busy and there was not a lot of standing room to wait. I was a little annoyed but that went away once we got a seat when someone left and our food arrived to the table. Overall we all enjoyed our meal. I had the Salmon cake breakfast w/grits. I didn't enjoy the grits too much-had no taste and my daughter had the french toast which she enjoyed. I will most likely venture here again when I'm visiting the city read more

Best spot to have breakfast, lunch, dinner, and brunch. If you want a great meal and service this is the place. read more

Highlands - Salmon with sautéed spinach served with jasmine rice topped with lemon capers cream sauce - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The Sunday servers need to work on their disposition towards people who are new to the establishment. I came in unsure as to whether we seat ourselves or not. When we ask, we got a blank stare. Seriously? I wasn't the only newbie either. Another woman came in after we grabbed our seats and asked the same question the server nonchalantly dismissed her and said to just pick a seat. And I must add that this place is tiny. There should be enough staff to take orders and handle the floor without having the line build with noone at the registers. I get more of a cafe vibe than restaurant from this place. The bar was not staffed so no mimosas or Bloody Mary's or any other alcoholic beverages. You don't even realize they have speciality drinks until you scan the bar and find the small chalkboard listing in the corner. The menu that they hand you has less detail on wjat they offer than the large menu on the wall. The salmon cake (yes singular, and it's small) I had was nasty...did I taste sweet pickle relish? Something in the batter threw the flavor off. Overall I was not happy with my experience. read more

Highlands - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

If you're a looking for a nice quiet spot to enjoy a nice breakfast or lunch, I highly recommend this place. This was my first time discovering this hidden gem thanks to a friend. I came here for a late breakfast. I ordered the chix & waffles. I substituted the waffle for French toast with no problems. I also order a chia tea which was very smooth and rich in flavor. read more

Highlands - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Wow. I didn't expect much from this place in this neighbourhood, but the crowds spoke volumes to the quality of the food. Sunday morning this place was mobbed, but we got a four-top, and our food came out in a reasonable time - the kitchen did not seem overwhelmed like other places might have been, considering the crowd. The food also punches above its weight. Perfect eggs, freshly-made waffles, and some of the best fried chicken I've ever had. You can tell everything is freshly-made in house and I really enjoyed my breakfast. Good coffee from Swings too. read more

This little neighborhood cafe serves diner-quality food in an unassuming location and is a great way to avoid the hub-bub of other places closer to downtown that tend to fill up with hungover 20-somethings at brunch time. It's not quite a place to go out of your way for, but if you live within a 3 mile radius, stop in here for a nice breakfast some time. The salmon cakes tend to be a bit dry, but the waffles are tasty and the price point is better than most places you can find with this quality of food. The espresso-based drinks are nothing to write home about, but not horrible, either. I appreciate that it is quiet without blaring music, though the staff that work there can be overly vocal when talking with each other (read: they shout at each other across the space unnecessarily). It's an order at counter and seat yourself type of place with no table service, which isn't totally clear when you first arrive (especially if it's particularly full and busy). You can also get food to go pretty easily. read more

I've only come here for breakfast, so can't speak on anything else, but I can confidently say their breakfast is by far my favorite in DC. I generally get a breakfast croissant ($4, i think) with bacon, egg and cheese. Simple, to the point and better than I make at home. If I'm feeling festive, I'll get the chicken and waffles (crispy, well seasoned and fried chicken with a waffle that holds its own) or the French toast (man! It's hard to mess up french toast, but it's also hard to make it like they make it. Probably my favorite breakfast item). I wouldn't come for the drip coffee, but it's good enough when the food is the star. Honestly, if this spot was on my way to work, I'd get it every single morning. But it's not. So I just don't eat breakfast. read more

Went with cuz this morning! Interesting concept where you order first at the counter. And they give you a number to sit on your table. They bring the food out to you, which indeed came out very fast, so that was somewhat convenient.. I had the chicken and waffles with a side of bacon...cousin had the Salmon cakes,grits,toast and home fries! Waffle was light and fluffy but chicken wasn't anything special. Two very small boneless fried breasts..price was decent ($10) Salmon cake was decent and grits were average. Home fries were very good. Coffee and water were both Self Serve. Coffee was hot and had good, robust flavor! Overall, a good experience. Very small spot so get there early. Nice and cozy seating, so if you don't like semi communal eating this ain't the spot for you! Dishes cleared immediately and folks were pretty friendly! read more

Very frequent visitor at Highlands. I always order brioche French toast to go and it's delicious! On other days, I stop on for a latte or caramel macchiato. The staff are always so friendly and the service quick. Definitely want to give their drinks a try next read more

I've visited Highlands numerous times, and while I've never been disappointed, and the food has been flavorful, I've really only been there for brunches, and have generally stuck to their breakfast foods, and the most impressive aspect of which is, for me, the portion sizes. Your breakfast can essentially satisfy your caloric requirements for the day. It's amazing, and "home cooked." Probably not a better breakfast to be had in the District. However, I'm writing this review because I ate one of their sandwiches on Sunday afternoon, for a late lunch, and I think it was the quite literally the best sandwich I've ever eaten, except for perhaps my first PB&J, but I don't have any conscious memories of that experience. Specifically, I had the chicken melt. The meat was fantastic, the bread was amazing, the cheese wonderful, and whatever else was on it to complete the experience was also awesome, but it was the synergy of these ingredients that resulted in the Greatest Sandwich I've Ever Eaten. My friend's turkey burger was likewise delicious, according to her report, but I didn't taste it. GO TO HIGHLANDS AND EAT THEIR CHICKEN MELT AND SEE IF YOU AGREE! IT IS IMPERATIVE! read more

This first paragraph is for people who don't live close to Highlands Cafe--The next time you are crawling down upper 14th street in the morning, duck down one of the side streets (around Crittenden and Decatur). Park you car and grab a little breakfast. You will not be disappointed! The coffee is good. The food is better than average, with a nice variety, and substantial servings. You can't go wrong. I wouldn't drive out of my way to eat at Highlands, but I must admit, I am intriqued to try their lunch or dinner , after my breakfast experience. The neighborhood, which doesn't have much else to choose from, culinarily speaking, is lucky to have Highlands. They are getting quality food at a fair price, rather than having to eat there simply because it's the only place around. read more

I really wanted to like this place but didn't even get to try the food! My friend, a fellow veg head, and I were excited to try it after going to the Blues Festival at Carter Barron, since we'd heard that they had veg and vegan options on the weekend. We went, sat down, and then were told that they didn't really have any veggie options because they were redoing the menu. We decided to leave, since there was only one not-too-exciting option for us to try. The funny thing is that their website (at the time) still mentioned that they had veggie night, which is why we decided to go. On the plus side, the staff was really friendly, though our server looked really young, like a 'tween. I'm not sure when I'll be able to head that way again, since it's not really close to Metro. I'm willing to try again if they bring back their veggie menu - I'm not sure if they have! read more

The food is tasty, service is good.But... one can end up very hangry due to the amount of time from ordering of food to consumption. Close to one hour from ordering of our meal to food on table. It was quite obvious the repeat customers get served fast and no delay with ordering of food, to arrival on the frequent customers table. read more

Had brunch here. Amazing French toast, great eggs and love that they have turkey options for sausage and bacon. Cheese grits were delish. I will definitely be back. The place is a little bit small but it's fine. read more

This is the 10.00 shrimp and grits....it leaves a lot to be desired. I don't feel it was worth it. Taste is eh!!! No bourbon sauce. Packaging was a surprise in two Styrofoam cup. Didn't like my food. My expectations were too high. read more

Highlands - This is the 10.00 shrimp and grits....it leaves a lot to be desired. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Quite hole in the wall, food was delicious. I also enjoy my bourban lemonade. I had the Nola Red Drum fish, it was seasoned and cooked to perfection. read more

Highlands - Delicious - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This was my first visit to this spot. I definitely want to go back to try other items on their menu. The Cuban sandwich was tasty. My only gripe is the description says it had spicy pork belly and there was nothing spicy about this sandwich. I also couldn't really taste the mojo sauce. Overall I enjoyed it. I was disappointed with the wings. The description said it came either a hot & spicy sauce and these are dry wings. Other than that the staff was really friendly. The mimosas were also on point. The restaurant is also pretty small so I wouldn't suggest going with a large group. read more

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So we were looking for a nice place for brunch & stumbled across this wonderfully quaint place. I am an breakfast queen. I can eat it all day and this place is perfect for that. Plus! Liquor lol. I had an sangria with waffle and bacon/spinach omelet. Great my friend had the everything bagel with egg and bacon sandwich. Everything was great. Good ambience and people. Service was fast and friendly. Price is about 20$ per person if your a drinker (wink wink) other wise it's great for brunch dates read more

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