I refer to Highlands as the equivalent of busboys in Petworth. I love everything about Highlands. The food is amazing - from the incredibly tender chicken that comes with the chicken and waffle to the tasty tasty blackened tilapia... the service is super friendly (shout out to Walter) and the vibe is chill. I'm so glad I live down the block and this is my new "local..." read more

So far during quarantine, I have been living off of pasta and toast, as well as delivery when I'm feeling extra tired. And, as previously discussed, my diet is lacking in most healthy things. So, I decided to look up places with seafood, and was thrilled to find salmon under $20 dollars from Highlands. So, I ordered this and a Cubano (which I haven't eaten yet because I'm trying to spread out my food), but I am so happy with this meal. First off, it was so tasty, i didn't even need to squeeze any lemon on it. There were no salmon bones to be found (which is my personal salmon pet peeve), and the rice was cooked perfectly and absorbed all the amazing caper sauce. And, look at the amount of spinach I got! Like, that's all the iron and folate I need for the next week, that's like an entire container of spinach, I am amazed. Anyway, thank you Highlands for making healthy taste so good. read more

Highlands - Blackened salmon :) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

They have really delicious Cuban coffee. Also very effective. I couldn't even sleep that night lol. Their menu is a mix of American and Latin food. I ordered the cubano sandwich for me and my son to share. It was really tastey. I like the vibe of this coffee shop. I will stop by again in the future and order some of their breakfast dishes. read more

I love this place. It's probably one of dc's better kept secrets. Decently priced brunch fare. Do NOT sleep on the chix and waffles. Legit turkey bacon. Come hungry and come often. Only qualm: not into the coffee. I've been coming here for about 4 years now. It's consistently very good. read more

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Great food and fresh upon arrival. Ordered online before opening which was scheduled to deliver at 10:30 am on a Saturday. read more

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I love the highlands, one of my favorite places to eat in dc ! I feel like everything they have on their menu is great, I'd order anything from there . 10/10. read more

Highlands - Chix and Waffle with bacon - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This is a cute, artsy restaurant. It's pretty small, but I think it's a great place to get some food and work remotely if needed. I ended up getting the traditional breakfast place which came with eggs, meat, toast, and potatoes. I didn't care for the sausage. I chose turkey and it was pretty dry. But everything else was good! I particularly liked the potatoes as they were well seasoned with peppers and onions. It's always hard to find seasoned potatoes for breakfast so they exceeded my expectations. Also, note that you will order at the counter and then they will bring your food to your table. They have a menu on the wall so be sure to check for specials. However, they also have more paper menus that are updated. read more

Love their chicken and waffles! Seasoned well and the chicken is so tender! I ordered to go because of covid and everyone was friendly and make the order easy to take home and enjoy! read more

Inconsistent food and some items were lukewarm at best. Both my fiancé and I ordered home fries. Mine came out well seasoned with peppers and onions while the other came out bland with no peppers and onions. We also both ordered a waffle and it was clear that the waffles were the first item made as it was barely warm by the time it got to the table. The eggs, bacon, and grits were ok, but nothing to brag about. Also, be wary of the juices offered. The "orange juice" is actually a bottled orange drink, so the others offered are probably similar. One thing that was a shock to us, and other guest there at the time, is the automatic 20% gratuity added to your bill regardless of how many people in your party. That's something that should be mentioned or guests notified about before or while ordering so folks are not blindsided. read more

Cozy little spot that we grabbed breakfast/brunch. We ordered at the counter and the staff brought out our meals quickly. We sat out front on the sidewalk in the sun. We had a small group and had a variety if items. The eggs, waffles and sides were very good. One person had the French toast and said it was OK. My Juanita's breakfast special had chorizo with some onions, peppers in it along with an egg and a couple of soft tortillas. Delicious. read more

Looking for a cost-effective, delicious, and homey breakfast/brunch experience in DC? Look no further! I've been to Highlands twice now, and have had a great experience on both occasions. I was easily able to find street parking across the way. Both times upon the recommendation of my friend, I ordered the eggs benedict with fried green tomatoes, which I believe is a weekend-only menu item. At only $8, this eggs benny is a fraction of the price of most that you'll see in DC, and it's so unique. I love this spin on eggs benedict. It's accompanied with delicious roasted potatoes with onions and green onions, which give it a great flavor. The restaurant is pretty small, but on days when the weather is fair there's also outdoor seating, which is nice. I love the murals and decor on the inside. Great service. Will definitely return for my fix! read more

Highlands - Eggs Benedict with fried green tomatoes - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Food is great. Service is great. Ambiance is superb. Walter for mayor. Everyone treated my family like gold. Thank you. Mom will always praise you too! read more

The vegan gyro is perfect and my absolute favorite!! The restaurant is such a cute spot to go to with a friend or on a date!

I've been to this restaurant one time before and ordered the shrimp po'boy, which was good. Today, 11/29/21, I decided to go back and bring my mother and sister along. The young, skinny boy brought water to our table, but while my sister and I had ice in our water, our mother was given lukewarm water with no ice. I asked him to bring ice for my mother and he did. It's weird that she was given water with no ice. I ordered the fried green tomatoes, chicken and waffles, my sister ordered the Cajun pasta (shrimp, chicken, and sausage) but asked for her sausage to be on the side, and my mother ordered cheesesteak, fries, and the grits and shrimp to go. We were given dirty plates for the fried green tomatoes. I said something to my mother and I guess the woman who brought out the fried green tomatoes heard me because she brought me a clean plate, but not my mother, who had dried sesame seeds on her plate, was not. The first time I visited this location the fried green tomatoes were delicious; this time they were cut thick and oily. The chicken came out hot, but the waffle and eggs were lukewarm. At first, we thought my sister only had one shrimp in her pasta and we brought it to the boy's attention. He told the manager and she brought out ONE additional shrimp. My sister did find one more shrimp in her pasta, so she had a total of three shrimp in her pasta for $18.00. The sausage on the side were two tiny pieces of meat. The boy forgot to put in the order of fries for my mother. The boy did check on us once and we had to ask him to bring us napkins. After we were done eating, I paid for my food at the counter and selected no tip. I opted to have my receipt texted to me. The boy came to our table and got my sisters debit card. He brought her card back, but with no receipt. Then he got my mother's debt card and she gave him a $5.00 tip, because that's what we felt he deserved. He brought my mother's card back and she asked him for a receipt. Then he asked my sister did she want a receipt, too, and she said yes. When he brought their receipts back to the table, we discovered that he added a 20% gratuity without asking. I checked my receipt and saw that he added a 20% gratuity to my check as well, so he received almost a $20.00 tip that he did not deserve. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR RECEIPTS AND MAKE SURE HE ISN'T ADDING GRATUITY. Overall, we did enjoy the food, but I highly doubt I'll be back because of the young boy. read more

My nail tech worked next door so I would come here after my appointments. Love everything about this place. It has an Afro-Latina vibe to it, which I LOVE. The food is amazing and the service is great. Their prices are fairly cheap as well. I love it. read more

The chicken and waffles are excellent, as is the Juanita's breakfast with chorizo, eggs, beans, and tortillas. The flavor on these dishes, particularly in the chicken and chorizo, is just top notch. The people here are also great so all in all this is a great neighborhood spot. The burger, however, has issues. Same with the fries. The bun and toppings were solid but the burger itself lacked seasoning and salt-it was bland and just not up to snuff. The fries were under cooked and mushy. read more

Highlands - Chix and Waffle for the win! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Really kind server who took care of us in the pouring rain the day we ate there. The kitchen was really backed up, so our food took a long time )about an hour), but it was really tasty. Excellent chicken and waffles, flavorful Caribbean shrimp and collard greens. The avocado served on the side of one of our dishes was not ripe at all, but overall very delicious. read more

Great food in a local establishment. Good quality Good service Friendly people Repeat customers The Neals read more

I ordered the breakfast platter with a Belgian waffle, scrambled eggs and cheese and turkey sausage. It definitely hit the spot. The waffle was picture perfect; light, fluffy and delicious. The scrambled eggs were cooked just the way I like them; done all the way through, but not dried out. The turkey sausage links were plump and juicy... everything was very good. I dropped a star because of the staff. When I came it, it was like I was inconveniencing them or something. They were not friendly. They were not welcoming. They were not pleasant. They didn't greet me or any of the other customers when we came in. They didn't even speak until it was time to tell me what my total was. They did not hand me a menu, ask what I wanted or even inform me of their specials. (I came in hoping to get chicken and waffles, but since I didn't see it on the menu, I ordered something else instead. Only after I ordered and paid for my breakfast did I notice the specials written on a nearby chalkboard... which was especially hard to read since it is so dark in the restaurant.) These 'little things' are what I expect from a local spot...Especially early in the morning. A personal touch. To me, that's one of the things that sets the smaller, local businesses apart from the chain restaurants. Unfortunately, that is sorely missing from this place. read more

Great food and Good Service. I went for a good breakfast and end up getting the brioche French toast and it was delicious along with some cheese eggs and bacon . I will definitely go again. It's a small place that brings such a homely local feeling that you don't get from a lot of places in DC. I saw people from all walks of life come in and I can see why. I can't wait to bring my partner to try breakfast. Try it out if you get a chance. read more

Came here for breakfast with a medium size group with children. Unlike most restaurants you order and pay for the food first then pick your own seats. The food prices are reasonable but don't expect large portions. Unfortunately, the food wasn't very tasteful. As a group everyone decided the waffle was the best dish compared to everything else. The grits didn't have any flavor at all. One of my friends ordered salmon cakes but it was only one cake and it was very small almost the size of a children's fist. If I was in town again I would try again as a last resort and order only the waffle. The workers were helpful. read more

Really enjoyed it here at Highlands. Very lovely place. The staff was really kind and friendly. They knew a lot as well which was nice. The place itself was really cool in design and I loved the art and culture for sure. We had the Salmon Cake Breakfast and Big Waffle Breakfast and Highlands Omelet. All very amazing. The Salmon didn't have a super fishy taste to it which was nice. The Waffle was made to perfection. Not at all soggy or under cooked or burnt. Perfect right in the middle. And the omelet was wonderful too. I'm not sure if they added some type of seasoning to it or what but there was something about this omelet that made it taste not ordinary what so ever. This was a really wonderful experience and I highly recommend everyone that can go and take a visit. You won't be disappointed for sure! read more

Everything that I have tried on their menu has been very good. The biggest problem is finding a place to sit.

I was staying at an Airbnb up the street from Highlands restaurant which was a great find in a small neighborhood of DC off 14th and Crittenden Street. A Little outside patio sitting area in front of the restaurant and inside was warm and friendly atmosphere. I ordered take out twice for 10 people that were staying with me and the food was well prepared and delicious...., here is a few if what we ordered....Blacken salmon, Shrimp and Grits, Blackened Tilapia, Fried green tomatoes, Cajun Mardy Gras pasta, French Cut 10oz pork-chop, Twin cheese burger plain, Ginger shrimp pasta and a Cubono Sandwiches. Each dish was served perfectly with flavor that was the bomb. Daily specials - great homemade cheesecake-mini bar and more. read more

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

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My all time favorite brunch spot in Petworth. Omelets or Fried Chicken and Waffles, everything on their menu is amazing. Their fried chicken and waffles come with powdered sugar on top, plus scrambled eggs and cheese. So good. read more

Highlands - Fried chicken and waffles. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Looking for a quick, good, wholesome breakfast spot? Well check out Highlands. I've visited them a few times over the past year and I love the consistency of the food, the urgency of the staff to get you fed and the neighborhood feel. This is my go to traditional breakfast spot! Always good for cheap eats that will get you full! Be sure to check them out. I really enjoyed the waffles and the breakfast potatoes are on point! read more

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Blown away by this place. I was tired of the founding farmers and cava brunch scene. Looking for a down to earth place with really good food. This place was just what I was looking for. Get the French toast, you're welcome read more

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

visited today to watch first take and have a quick brunch, and the Highlands delivered on a great meal. The London Broiled or Sliced Steak Sandwich caught my attention pretty quickly and it came out even faster. The steak was tender and well-seasoned but the highlight was the french fries. The seasoning is sweet but salty (similar to a wingstop) and they clearly cut the potatoes in house welllll worth the substitution for the bag of chips. fyi They serve breakfast until 3 in the afternoon daily and they have decently priced drinks. read more

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

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Went for brunch here as an alternative to Milk and Honey, which was packed. The service here is the reason for the 3-stars. It is important to have helpful and enthusiastic staff and it was not the case here. The owner was the only pleasant person we interacted with here. My party all got chicken and waffles. Honestly, it was okay - neither bad nor good. The supposed spicy chicken that came with the plate was far from spicy. Oh well! Some heads up: 1) You order and pay for your food before seating. 2) There is not enough space indoor and you may have to eat outside. read more

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

Highlands is a really quaint spot with not much flare, but tons of character and charm. The walls are painted warm burgundy and gold colors (go Redskins! lol), and there's unique artwork all around, including a giant, colorful mural of smiling faces and other pleasantries. I'm not sure what type of music they play regularly, but while I was there, soul music was playing. I'm talking about Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, The Commodores, Isley Brothers etc. Everyone was singing along in low voices and tapping their feet, just visibly enjoying themselves. I was having a pretty trash day when I got there and I honestly only went because it was the first thing I saw. I was starving and needed to sit down. I am so glad I chose Highlands because it was just the boost I needed! As soon as I walked in, the manager, Jay flashed a large, genuine smile and said "Welcome to Highlands!" He was very accommodating and friendly for the duration of my visit...making excellent suggestions and even introducing me to some of the regular patrons who were there so I wouldn't have to dine alone. The food is absolutely delicious! I tried the shrimp and grits and the chicken and waffles. The portions are pretty hefty so I had quite a bit to take home...and I feel like it tasted even better the second time around if that's even possible. I also tried the sangria which was spot on! They have a little corner bar there that's stocked with pretty much anything you could need to have yourself a great cocktail...all of the essentials. (Try the Highlands Punch!) Everything about Highlands...the inviting aesthetic, the friendly service, the super comfortable wicker chairs, and the wonderful menu contributes to it having a very old-timey, familial vibe that made me feel like I was an extra in a soul-satisfying movie of some sort...one of those movies that just uplifts your spirits and makes you feel good as a person! I thoroughly enjoyed myself at Highlands and look forward to visiting many times in the future! read more

I have always enjoyed the service and food from Highlands . However this morning I am highly disappointed. I asked SPECIFICALLY for an item to be separate from my waffle . Now I have to eat a waffle that taste like onions . The only thing the host said to me was sorry. I believe that this was totally unacceptable especially since I have been a loyal customer for at least 8 years and the added 20% service charge. Highlands I expect better . Thank you for your response . And yes you offered to remake but as I stated I did not have time !! The only reason why I left the review I did was because of your response. If you were on the MOD then I really should have expected a different response . Hopefully the next visit will not bring this negative energy! Thxx!! read more

This place is a cute quant intimate space. Great food choices with vegetarian options! read more

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

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Family enjoyed dinner after a long day of walking and sightseeing in VA. I had the salmon, with spinach, and jasmine rice. The salmon was nicely grilled, spinach flavored with garlic and good size portion. One daughter had the chicken melt, and the hubby and eldest split the gumbo and po'boy. They raved over gumbo which was flavorful and hearty. Prices were fair and service was good. read more

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I was in town so my best friend wanted to grab brunch at this low key spot. This was my first time here so I was intrigued by the menu. When we got in, we waited maybe 5 minutes for a table as the dining room is small and they see tons of patrons. When we were seated, I got the veggie omelette & home fries which were sooooo goooood!! The service was also pretty good. I'm looking forward to coming back here. read more

This is definitely a neighborhood gem! I can't believe its taken me this long to get here but this will become a regular favorite. I went in with a friend on a Saturday morning around 9am. Most tables were taken but by the time I ordered food, a table became available. I tried the pumpkin cake which was moist and not overly sweet...I had to order that as I waited for my food because I was starving! For my meal, I ordered the chicken and waffles with a side of fries. The chicken was moist as well and seasoned with just enough salt and pepper. The waffle was good but nothing memorable. The fries seemed freshly cut and pan fried. Super tasty meal at an affordable price. I ate so much that I did not eat anything for the rest of the day...lol. read more

Place is the jam for brekky or a light lunch. Really a great spot in the neighborhood and even worth it if you need to make the drive (although probably not if you're living in downtown proper). Super chill and no pretentiousness - true neighborhood vibes. The menu is nothing astronomical or mind blowing, but their are definitely some stand out items along with some baked goods they have. There nova platter and take on mexican breakfast is phenomenal, especially for the reasonable price. Haven't tried lunch or later night food here - but imagine equally as tasty. I keep running into an issue where the coffee (which is left in carraffes) is not regularly checked, so I wind up getting cold coffee every so often. They are always quick to handle the issue and brew a fresh pot. Oh, refills of coffee are $1 :( read more

I came to grab some breakfast to-go first thing on Saturday morning. I arrived around 8:10 AM and there were already about 3 people who had ordered and were sipping their coffee while waiting for their meals. In line with some previous posts, the cashier wasn't the most friendly (no greeting or info about the specials) but it didn't bother me too much. I rested the waffle breakfast and a latte. FYI: the only alternative milk they have is soy. It was my first time trying soy and it was a pleasant surprise. Anywho, the order took about 10-12 minutes. I was expecting the waffles to be better considering the reviews. It wasn't out of this world but I did enjoy it. I would visit again to do some work or just to try other meals. read more

What a great stop for coffee, breakfast or any meal. Great service. Delicious sandwiches. Mouthwatering entrées. Highlands always has a special place in my heart. read more

Okay so honestly this place was pretty bomb. The gumbo HIT! It was sooo good. Nice and hot (both spicy and steamy). It was annoying tho -- only had a single piece of shrimp! I think there was crawfish meat or some other type of seafood though so I guess that made up for it. I honestly was not a fan of the shrimp po boy but maybe that's because I've had Po Boy Jim and nothing will ever be better than that. It just didn't have as many shrimp as I wanted. Ok so the mardi gras penne -- FIRE! My favorite item I got. Just absolutely amazing -- so creamy and well spiced. I actually got the burger for my dog, lol! But I took a few bites and it was super yummy. The dog enjoyed it as well :) I will definitely be ordering again! read more

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Only had breakfast here, but a fave local spot nontheless. Hidden gem. Recommend waffles and eggs