My experience at Highlands was decent. When we walked in, we were very confused. People were waiting at the door but then we realized that you had to go up to order. We ordered (me- morning glory omelet, fiance- waffles) and waited for a table to open. We got a table quickly but wondered what would happen if our food showed and no table was ready?? The waffle breakfast was OK... and my omelet was just OK too. Nothing amazing at all. Best part was the home fries! :) Overall, it was a decent, OK experience! I probably won't come back there though. read more

This place was a nice little find. It's very cozy on the inside and also has limited outside seating. Went for brunch on Saturday. Lots of tasty options. I had the bug waffle breakfast which was delicious and filling. My girlfriend enjoyed the omelette. No problem finding parking at one of the meters. One note: you order your food at the counter and then find your seat. This is not a traditional restaurant setting. This tidbit almost caused an argument amongst two other patrons. read more

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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Highlands has been my go to chicken and waffles place since when I moved to DC. Even after moving back to the Bay it's the spot I continue to visit Everytime I go back to DC. They're prices are very reasonable and service is fast. Their coffee and lattes are just as great! Definitely recommend to anyone living in DC to pay it a visit! read more

Highlands - Chicken and waffles with eggs (but I got no cheese in their eggs) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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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I found this place from a recommendation on Yelp! My wife and I stopped by the place for lunch. The cafe is in a small, glass storefront on 14th Street. I think the area is called Uptown 14th Street neighborhood. It's easy to miss it driving by. There are no parking lots but metered, street parking is easy to find. The place has 7 small tables and counter seats in front of the window. Walk to the back to order your food and they bring it to your table. The service was great! Both of us had Brioche French Toast with scrambled, cheese eggs and pork sausage. VERY TASTY! The only negative is no cash register. The server / cashier had to add up our check with an order pad and a calculator. A CALCULATOR!! (It's 2010 people. Technology is a good thing.) Menus and prices can change but here's a list of some of the items on the menu: Maryland Crab Cakes ($15), New York Strip Steak ($15), Sesame Crusted Chicken Breast ($14), Juanita's Fried Shrimp and Grits ($9) and Gulf Shrimp Linguine ($12). There were 6 desserts on the menu. Bottom line ... I'm a fan! It's a great neighborhood cafe. read more

Great find in DC while we were in Catholic U searching for brunch. Its a small, friendly, relaxed cozy place that offer the usual specialty coffees; by the way the regular drip from the pot is actually good. So, on to the food I tried.... I've been searching for my perfect chicken and waffles, Highlands managed to convince me that so far, this is the best C&W I've tasted. The waffle, was perfectly cooked, usually I find waffles dry and box-like. The chicken, just tasty, moist and breaded perfect. My brunching experience is making me want to come back and try their other dishes. read more

Highlands - Chicken and Waffles...Braised beef with Sweet Potatoes in the background. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Came in for a late lunch this Saturday afternoon. Very cute and intimate setting. Great place for a date or causal meet up. Great music and vibes. The food was beyond amazing and reasonably priced. Definitely coming back read more

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

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Update 6/8/16: Still SO good. Adding another star because it's still SO good. I miss you, Highlands. I went for my first time for Sunday brunch and brought my out-of-town friend. All I knew was that this was one of the few places in DC with a plate of chicken and waffles under $20. They were PACKED. Haha, I love it. You stand on line to order, and you grab a table if you see it. Having a partner in crime proved useful. The lady in line behind me said she lived in the neighborhood and ate here 3 or 4 times a week. I'm jealous. We got chicken n waffles, shrimp n grits, and 2 coffees. $25 You get a to-go cup with a lid for the coffee, which I prefer (because I spill haha), and you pour your own coffee from thermoses. Thermii?? Which is fine, because the whole staff is hella busy. Which is a good thing. The sign says $1.00 refill for coffee, but c'mon. I'll just throw it in with the tip. I take my coffee blonde and sweet, so I couldn't tell you if it was good or not. The fried chicken...strips? I guess. SO good. I think it was the perfect amount of salty and crunchy and juicy. The waffles were good. Nice and fluffy, not dense. I wish they served two waffles instead of one. But it came with cheese eggs, which was a nice surprise. And there was Crystal Louisiana hot sauce on the table. Noice! Four fried shrimp over a plate of the creamiest grits I've ever had (I lived in NC for 6 months and have eaten grits for years after). Really good fried shrimp. Not dry. Not too thickly breaded. Hefty shrimp. Wish it came with six fried shrimp. Wish I also got some of their home fries. They looked really good. Four stars because I would like to see $12 chicken and waffles with a second waffle; and $12 shrimp and grits with 6 shrimp and more grits, possibly served in a bowl? read more

Great food nice cozy spot gets packed on the weekends and the open face shrimp omelet is the best read more

Highlands - Open face shrimp omelet and Belgium waffle - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

If there were such a thing as the Average Olympics, Highlands Cafe would be on my medal stand. The food quality and portion sizes are average (somewhat bland and unable to accomodate a truly empty stomach). The cost is average (for what you get). The location is average (for a semi quiet neighboorhood location, it sure is hard to find parking sometimes). And the service? The service is, no actually the service is slightly below average with frequent long wait times for food and cashiers that seem like their minds are somewhere else. Overall, it's an 'eh' place to go once in a great while, but not the kind of tried and true neighborhood breakfast or lunch spot I was hoping for. read more

I adore this place. It's the whole package: a real neighborhood joint where the staff becomes your extended family if you're a regular, with some food that feels like a group hug for the soul. A good café breakfast is hard to find in the district. You want something that doesn't break the bank, is fast, and tastes like home if you could actually cook. This place really delivers. The menu is not especially expansive, is cheap, and doesn't reinvent the wheel. You should get the chicken and waffles here for breakfast on a sleepy Tuesday when you're down because it feels like your week will stretch on for eternity before the weekend. At the very first bite, that week won't feel so long anymore. The chicken is juicy with crispy non greasy coating. The waffles are the perfect middle line between light and spongy and still substantial enough to stand up to the chicken. When I went I got the fried green tomatoes, because my Tuesday was especially brutal (hey, the law school struggle is real, 'mkay?!). The fried green tomatoes proved this place is not just a one-trick-waffle-pony. The tomatoes were again perfectly fried, and more importantly you could really taste the tomato, and the slightly sour green tomato actually enhanced the taste of the dish and worked well with the creamy dressing. I'm hankering for another dish just writing this. Go here. Go here now. And hug the chef for me while you're there, deal? read more

Highlands - Attacking Mount Chicken Waffle-halfway to summit - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I went to Highlands one night to see the meal options offered. The food was great, the staff is friendly, and the hot drinks are great as well! I will definitely consider going back again. read more

An excellent breakfast and a great value for the price. I'm a vegetarian and found lots of options to choose from, which can be difficult at times. The decor is great, but the restaurant is fairly small and gets crowded quickly. Also, they received deliveries on Saturdays, which means that if it's chilly outside, the door stays open and the breeze is permitted to flow through. Great customer service and a nice little neighborhood spot to check out on a random weekend. read more

Amazing neighborhood breakfast spot. Yummy chicken & waffles and good chill crowd. I'll be back next time I'm in DC. read more

Highlands - Amazing chicken & waffles! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Ok so not gonna lie, was torn between 3 and 4 stars, but went for the 4 because the bacon was so freaking delicious and cooked perfectly and just crispy enough that it put the rating in the 4 category. That being said, I will say that it felt a little pricey for the amount of food I got. I was able to clean off my plate of the 14th St special I ordered at brunch, but it would have been nice to have some leftovers to snack on later. My friend ordered the french toast which he was a fan of, and I ordered a latte. There's not a ton of room on the inside in terms of seating, you'll get pretty cozy with strangers sitting next to you. In our case, they may get a little annoyed that you're speaking so loud but you know what, it's a public place so whatever. There are also a ton of baked goods and pastries to choose from, and though I didn't order one, they looked pretty great behind the case. read more

What I like about Highlands Cafe, is that it's a great neighborhood spot and if you weren't looking for it, you might not see it. But everyone who does see it, loves it. I had the 14th Street Breakfast, which pretty much immediately cured my hangover. Seriously, it was that magical and good. You might think, hey, it's just eggs, home fries, some meat and toast, but I guess it's the way everything is put together and tastes that makes it better than other places that have a similar dish. My boyfriend got the burger, which he described as the best burger he has eaten in DC and has raved about it ever since. And I must say, it was on a big fluffy roll and looked juicy and delicious. Also, the mural on the wall, really brightens up the space. I definitely recommend trying this place, for a small, intimate breakfast experience. read more

Our local go-to for breakfast. It's an order & seat yourself spot so casual but nice. They serve a decent mimosa & bloody mary but are more of a cafe so don't expect a gigantic cocktail menu (no complaints here). The eggs are *always* cooked right, the omelets are never overcooked and they're not stingy on the filling. Bacon is crisp but not burnt, good breakfast potatoes and delicious coffee. Small, unpretentious family-owned local spot that I'm happy to visit. read more

Very tiny limited seating, cramped feeling. But that's not the worst of it. The customer service & slowness of the food by far takes the cake. The staff aren't friendly & ignore you while they clean up. And if you order a Bloody Mary you won't get it. At least I didn't. I went to this place based off good Yelp reviews but apparently they haven't been updated in a while. I say Don't go. read more

Highlands - Dirty stuff & rice in my Togo box to add insult to injury. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The food was great. We were looking for a tasty start to the day and def got it. The artwork and decor was on point. If you're thinking about going just a heads up you order form the counter and seat yourself. Very cool place indeed. read more

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

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This place is delicious but not nutritious. It is filled with service and ambiance that is super friendly, but the veg options are only lukewarm in quantity. However, what they offer is fresh and tasty- it's just not healthy. I appreciate their many veg options though, like a vegan tofu sandwich and gyro!!! Yum! read more

Great restaurant! Definitely a neighborhood gem. Wonderful place to take an out of tower. The food is great, and they have a great selection of vegetarian friendly dishes. The space is small but it is definitely worth the wait for a table. read more

We had awesome breakfast!! We will return soon! The service was friendly and it's a hidden jem in the neighborhood. read more

Highlands - Eggs over easy, sausage, home fries, and toast hit the spot! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This place is full of neighborhood locals. It makes for a great scene and good people watching. This place didn't get five stars because the food is often uninspired. I mean, it's certainly decent. No complaints. But it's never especially good. And the coffee is pretty off. I'm not sure who their roaster is, but every time I've gotten their coffee it has tasted burnt. read more

How did I not know about this place earlier!? It's a great neighborhood dive. Cozy and great for working as well. I've had.... Chicken & Waffles - Good, but not as amazing as I thought they would be based on everyone's suggestion. Vegan Gyro - The seitan is well seasoned. It has Portobello mushrooms, spinach, cucumber, tomato and onion. The sauce isn't that good though, so I order it without the sauce. Shrimp Pesto Pasta - Al dente pasta and delicious pesto cream sauce. Shrimps are gigantic. The coffee cake and blueberry Danish are so moist, and good! The prices are reasonable and the food is worth it. Generous portions. read more

Highlands Cafe is one of the most unique cafes in DC, it's unique because it's of how well it does normal. While I love Tryst, Coffee and Crumbs, Steam, etc...This is a small cafe (9 small tables 3 barstools), with wifi, and great coffee and food at a fair price. What's so interesting is I rarely see the same people come in but everyone seems to know each other. How a cafe should be... My favorite, "14th St Breakfast": Home Fries, Eggs Any Style, Choice of Breakfast Meat and Toast for 6.25. Coffee is $1.70 for a medium "fair trade" coffee with $.40 for refills. Also you order at the cash register so don't feel the need to tip 20% which makes a big difference when you get out of the house often to do work. read more

With such good reviews and such cheap prices, I knew I had to check this place out. Highlands is small. Be prepared to grab seats as fast as you can, and make sure you come with someone, so one person can order and one can save the seats. I ordered a waffle, and it was definitely a good Belgian waffle. I prefer mine sweeter, but this is a personal preference, so I would not dock them for that. As I mentioned before, the prices are unbeatable. $4.50 for a waffle at brunch is unheard of in this city. My dining companion got the chicken and waffles and thoroughly enjoyed it. The eggs were a tad weird of an addition. I do wish that they had some sort of fruit option to go alongside the waffle. Overall, I would definitely go back, though. read more

The shrimp and grits was everything! A must try. It's in a nice quiet neighborhood, reminds me of back home. Other reviews said the place is usually packed so I'm guessing I came at the right time because I received prompt service and received my food quickly. read more

Highlands is so fxxkin gooood. I'm getting close to trying everything on the menu, but boyyyy that chicken Diane is my go to! Ong you'll never be disappointed! read more

I went to Highland's Cafe this early afternoon and was very surprised to see that it wasn't packed--perhaps because it's located on a quiet part of 14th. However, the refreshing moment of realizing that I wouldn't have to wait an hour to be seated was defeated because the waitress told us they were backed up with orders and wouldn't be taking any more for 25 minutes. We didn't really know how something like this happens, especially in a restaurant that wasn't that crowded, but we took our seats and had some coffee, waiting about half an hour until she waved us over (note: there is no table service during the weekends, but only during the weekdays--baffling!). It was worth the wait, I think. I ordered the Sweet Jasmine Tofu Sandwich that, while it looked like cat food, tasted delicious. The french fries were big, fat and fresh out of the deep fryer. Yes. The rest of my party seemed to be really happy with their meals, too. So A- for food. However, considering the bizarre situation that proceeded with the ordering, I have to give this 4 stars instead of 5. Perhaps they will get better management, or more help, because they had all of the necessary tools to have a great cafe, they just didn't really know how to use them. read more

I would have never known that this place was here if it weren't for Yelp, but this is a solid breakfast spot. Portions are smaller than you'll find at other breakfast places, but prices are proportionally lower, as well (2 eggs, 2 pieces of toast, 2 small sausages, and a scoop of homefries ran 6.25). Honestly, this works for me, because breakfast leftovers suck, and unless you're dying of starvation, you won't leave Highlands hungry. The space was really nice, but I went on a weekday with beautiful sunny weather, so I might be romanticisng it a bit. Should you drive more than 10 or 15 minutes to get here? Hell nah. But if you're in the area it's a good spot for breakfast. read more

Food was pretty good. Weird green lettuce thing on my waffle, lol. I pushed it to the side and kept going! I had shrimp and grits. The portion was small though, glad i got that waffle as well. My food was pretty tasty. My friend got the chicken and waffles which she enjoyed as well. The only grief I have (besides the mystery green lettuce looking thing) was that my friend arrived 5 minutes before me. However, they wouldn't let her sit down until I got there. I'm fine with that policy but only if you tell everyone else the same thing. Several other people came right in and sat without ordering first and one larger party of 5 came in and held a table for about 10 minutes until their party came. They were not asked to move either like my friend was, so annoying. I need this place to be bigger or develop a consistent policy. read more

Good food, no lie, but really I ordered gumbo & I only got one shrimp... decent food but flavor was bland honestly. read more

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

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I cannot see why Highlands shouldn't get all stars. It's fabulous for what it is - a cozy neighborhood joint. I often leave my restaurant-filled neighborhood to dine here because of the vibe. Here are things to know: It's counter service, not table service. The coffee is from M.E. Swings. Breakfast is yummy and reasonably priced. The atmosphere is great and cross section of real DC. The steak sandwich for lunch is fantastic. I'm looking forward to trying the legendary salmon for dinner soon. Update: I did try the salmon. Delicious. read more

I've been trying to find the best way to tell everyone how awesome Highlands Cafe is. They are consistently consistent - (meaning GREAT). I can't count how many times I've been here but everyone who I've tagged along with enjoys themselves. Highlands isn't that big so you might have to do some waiting for a table but I promise you - you'll enjoy you're meal. They have great customer service as well. read more

Highlands - Belgian waffle breakfast with salmon cake - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I used to come here when it was the Mocha Hut they had awesome sandwiches named after the streets mines was the Crittenden. Now that it's Highlands there's more hot dishes on the menu. I usually get the shrimp and grits which is listed as an appetizer but at 10 bucks you can always order two. The chicken and waffles are also a good dish to try. I haven't had the chance to try dinner due to my schedule but the two dishes I named are delicious. read more

Highlands is definitely a hidden gem in Petworth, and the name of the game is brunch. My husband and I stopped by here one weekend morning after playing tennis a few blocks away in Rock Creek Park, and everything about it was fabulous. The first thing that struck me as I walked in was that it attracted clientele from all walks of life - senior citizens, 20-somethings, young families, longtime residents, different races - so you know it has to be well established. It looks like a hole in the wall/nondescript place on the outside, but it also has funky decor on the inside (including a colorful neighborhood mural) which I really liked, and a nice ambiance of a cafe plus a breakfast place with TVs. People definitely spent extra time here lounging over coffee and weren't hustled out by staff. We went up to the counter and ordered our food - I got the Highlands Omelet with toast and bacon, which was something ridiculously cheap like $7, and my husband got chocolate french toast with peanut butter and bananas - there was even a coffee bar on the side where you could get spiked coffee drinks or wine! We sat in some comfy armchairs and our food was brought to us promptly. The omelet was delicious and filling - very large portions! - and the french toast was nutella-esque and like a burst of happiness in your mouth. I still can't believe we had all this for under $20...what a great place! read more

3.5 stars Adorable location, great decor, friendly service, nice vibe, very good food--just would like to see the vegan menu offered every day of the week, not only Friday and Saturday. Many times I've thought of wandering over, only to realize "hey, it's Wednesday, there's nothing to eat there." Maybe work some vegan options into the existing menu? Doesn't have to be an altogether separate menu. read more

If you like good waffles, you should definitely come here. If you live in the greater neighborhood, you should come here. If you drive down 14th street on your commute, you should stop here for your morning latte (unless you like the burned crap they have at Starbucks, in which case you should probably continue on to Columbia Heights). Eventually, I'll swing by for lunch or dinner, but for now I'm sticking with breakfast. The last time I went in to get a coffee, someone had ordered the brioche french toast, and it looked amazing. As for today's waffle - it met my definition of perfection. The waffle was cooked all the way through, but still soft. That is VERY difficult to accomplish. Everyone else burns them, or leaves them soggy in the middle - to include myself. Honestly, everything is closed and I have the day off, I half want to go back there and ask them to show me the trick. Oh my gosh, and the prices can't be beat. Where else in this city (or any other major metropolitan area in a first world country, for that matter) can you get a waffle, two eggs, and turkey sausage for less than $10, including tax and a generous tip? And a perfectly prepared waffle at that. And unlike at a fancy restaurant where the above meal would cost closer to $18-$23, my food didn't sit under a heat lamp for 15 minutes causing the eggs to overcook. And you can't beat the atmosphere. The people that work there are friendly, the patrons are friendly, and they have free wifi. Seriously, this place rocks. I'm so happy I live close. Oh, and for that person who thought this was a shady part of 14th street - it's not. It's across the street from the bus depot - there are cops around there ALL THE TIME. And lots of people. But if you're the type of person who thinks this type of neighborhood is dangerous, then you should probably stay away. I LIKE the fact that Highlands Cafe has good coffee, excellent croissants, meets my desire for an independently owned neighborhood coffee shop and hasn't been overrun by a bunch of pretentious hipsters. I'd like it to stay that way. And now I know they have perfect waffles. read more

Quite an amazing little home in the wall. Great mural on the wall, Saturday brunch was outstanding. I had the shrimp and grits with a side waffle. Waffle was ok, but the shrimp and grits was amazing. Great cheesy creamy texture with four huge fried shrimp. My girlfriend had the French toast (which comes with eggs and bacon) and it was quite delicious. 4.7 stars. read more

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