This restaurant is amazing! Whenever we're in the area on our motorcycles, which is several times a month, we make it a point to stop by. The food and service are outstanding. The atmosphere inside is really nice, you can pick which county that you want to sit in! All of the menus are great, but my favorite is the breakfast menu, they absolutely out do themselves on this one. This is one of the best kept secrets in western NC, but the bikers sure know about it! read more

Temperature and quality of food I had for dinner was not very good; hush puppies weren't hot, entree not hot and mashed potatoes did not taste home made but from a powder, in my opinion. Server was friendly. Location easy to find. read more

This one was quite disappointing, seeing as how the place had nearly 1500 Google reviews with an average of 4 out of 5 stars. To begin our experience, it took 15 to 20 minutes for someone to come take our drink order after we were sat. There were 4-5 waitresses working, with about 40 customers sat inside. We were smart enough to go ahead and place our food order with our drinks. We tried to order an appetizer but were told they only had fried tomatoes and chips. She said they were out of all their others. I also tried to order collards and she said that they had to throw out all the greens because they went bad. I will say, food came out relatively quick. I ordered the fried flounder with hush puppies, mashed potatoes, and fried okra. My wife ordered pot roast with mashed potatoes and a side salad. Although the food came out relatively fast, my mashed potatoes were cold and my wife's mashed potatoes and pot roast were cold. After about 5 minutes the waitress came by to check on us and my wife got her to reheat her food. Everything was under seasoned. The best thing on my plate was the hush puppy and it was just okay. My wife said that her mashed potatoes were better after being reheated but still not good. I was a savage and just ate mine cold at this point. She also said that the pot roast was not good. The waitress did give my wife her Pepsi for free since the food came out cold, which was a very nice gesture. However, I still have to be honest with our opinion of our experience and we both said we would not return or recommend this restaurant. I'm extremely confused about how it has a 4 star on Google. read more

Louise's Rock House - Fried flounder, mashed potatoes, fried okra - New American Near Me - Newland, North Carolina

We had two great dinners here and loved the food! Amber served us both times and went above and beyond in her service. Good home cooking and the pie was amazing. Great prices and a great place that locals were at so you know it is a good spot. read more

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we arrived at the restaurant at about 7:10 am. There were no other diners in the restaurant at the time we got there. we ordered coffee and received that we ordered our food shortly after three men came in and another one and after about 30 minutes they had their food we still had none. The waitress said that the ticket got lost. As we were the first people there it is amazing that the ticket could've been lost. Very disappointed. Will never return. read more

Disappointing despite positive reviews. The biscuits were dry, eggs were bland, bacon was overcooked. The water was undrinkable. I noticed multiple other patrons reacting to it as well. On a positive note, the service was good. read more

Mmy sister and I ate here on Saturday, April 18, 2026. Delicious, fresh cooked food. Amber was our waitress and she was wonderful. Courteous, friendly and efficient. The Forest Fruit Pie was absolutely delicious. We'll be back soon. read more

For the one recent time I went there, I feel they deserve more than the current 3.6 stars. I had just done the nearby waterfall hike and was not getting GPS service. I wasn't hungry but decided to go inside hoping things would get better. Glad I did, the wait staff made me feel welcome. My server was very kind, she shared their wi-fi while I was waiting for my chicken salad sandwich and sweet potato fries. The bill was amazingly less than ten dollars but I tipped heavily to show my gratitude. I got mountain advice from other employees too. The service, mountain atmosphere and cool vibe helped off set the lack of AC that warm day. read more

I forgot to get pictures of our food. But it is amazing and home cooked. We will definitely be back when we're in the area. The waitress was great and the atmosphere is perfect. The apple sauce is great, all veggie sides, meatloaf, burgers, chicken fingers, and fries. Delicious! read more

I have heard about this restaurant for years and finally got to go for our staycation honeymoon. We went to Linville Caverns and Linville Falls this past Saturday and I was so excited to try this place while we were here. Disappointed is an understatement. We arrived for lunch and stood there waiting to be seated for almost 10 minutes. It was very hot inside the restaurant even with the fans running. A girl finally sat us down and then another young girl came over to take our drink order. Then she disappeared for over 20 minutes. I was ready to just throw $2.00 on the table for the tea and leave but then she finally reappeared to take our order. I should have listened to my gut and just left but I had heard such rave reviews about the food, so we stayed. My husband got the special: Chopped pork bbq with fries, coleslaw and hushpuppies. He ordered this specifically for the hushpuppies because he loves them. I saw on the menu that they had hamburger steak but they only had it on the kids menu for $6.25. It came with fries and coleslaw or applesauce. I asked the waitress if I could get that topped with peppers and onions, and with green beans and carrots instead. She said yeah I can do that. The peppers and onions are $2.00 extra which was fine with me. The food came and we started to eat our meals. My husband said they forgot my hushpuppies so we were gonna ask our waitress to bring them but she never came back to our table until over 20 minutes later when we had already finished the rest of our food. She didn't even refill our drinks. The food was pretty good but definitely not what it was hyped up to be. Then my husband paid and we left. When we got home he handed me the receipt to put with our honeymoon keepsakes and to my surprise they charged us $15.50 for a dinner sized hamburger steak when I got the kids plate!!!! Even if they charged me $6.25 for the kids plate, plus the $2.00 for the peppers and onions and $2.00 for each side it would still not be $15.50!!!!! What a rip off. My husband being the nice guy he is even tipped the waitress over 20% even though the service was awful. We will definitely never be back... read more

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It was great. There's not really a lot to say. There were ten of us and we all loved our meals. Ribs and steak were the most popular order. The service was top notch. Honestly, this was probably my favorite restaurant. And the fried pickle chips were great and shareable for up to five people! read more

A local destination when you're near Linville Falls. Authentic ma and pa restaurant. Home cooking at its finest. Friendly staff. Great pot roast. Inside you can be in 3 counties at once! read more

Louise's Rock House - 3 counties in one building - New American Near Me - Newland, North Carolina

We moved to the area a couple years ago on Lake James, and although it's a 40 minute drive to this restaurant from our home, it is our absolute favorite! We moved up from near Charlotte, where there is a lot of dining and variety, but Louise's takes the proverbial cake! The staff is friendly (unlike what you run into oftentimes in the larger cities), and they are attentive, and the food always comes out hot and delicious! Their weekend evening trademarks are ribeye steaks and awesome tender ribs, which are unmatched in the Carolinas! Also, five minutes up the road is a beautiful state park, Linville Falls, with several waterfalls and many hiking trails. read more

Just love this place. The trout is my favorite in the area. Always eat here a couple of times when we are there.

So, let me start with the good: Waitress was new but she was nice and running hard. 2 people out of our party of 6 had good food - chicken tenders and ribeye steak. Building was cool and they had one of those bins with lots of pamphlets providing info on the surrounding area and attractions. The bad: The other 4 of us didn't get so lucky with our food. It was cold. Meatloaf looked and tasted like cardboard, asked for gravy for it, didn't get any. Mashed potatoes tasted old, pot roast was so-so, no vegetables cooked with it. Water tasted stagnant. Wilted lettuce in salads. There was only 1 waitress. The worst: 5 of us pushed through and ate at least some of our food. The meatloaf just wasn't consumable. When we talked to the owner about it she said she would discount the meal, but no apology, no remorse. When we checked out, she discounted it $1.00. So, needless to say, we won't be back and we don't recommend. If you opt to try it, stick with chicken tenders and steak I guess. Do better owner of Louise's Rock House Restaurant. I'm quite certain the 'Famous' part of the name is referencing the uniqueness of the building and house behind it, not the food. read more

Party of 6. Food took over 30 minutes to get to the table and was cold. Water and any drinks made with water tasted rotten and smelled worse. Meatloaf was not edible and we refused to eat it. The owner refused to remove it from our bill. She was argumentative and said because we ate our salad and a bite of the terrible instant mashed potatoes that "a discount was fair." One server for the entire place while the owner sat at a different table watching. We also overheard the owner making discriminatory comments about another customer. Strongly recommend eating elsewhere. read more

We've been going to Louise's for decades! It's STILL the most AWESOME place for home cooking in Western North Carolina! The chef salad is fantastic, the pot roast is to die for, burgers? GREAT! Every single dish I've tried at Louise's is perfection. The staff work hard, check on guests often to make sure all is well and are friendly and efficient. Perfect is also their pricing: fair and well-deserved. read more

Louise's Rock House - Chef salad - YUM! - New American Near Me - Newland, North Carolina

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We arrived at the restaurant on a Thursday evening at 6:20pm. We knew they closed at 7:00, which struck us as a bit odd, but figured we were ok going in 40 minutes before the stated closing time (which in every restaurant experience I've ever had means they stop seating at that time). We entered and saw that they were very busy. We stood by the door with no acknowledgment for at least ten minutes. Finally, someone walked by and said she'd seat us when a table opened up. No problem. We waited another five minutes or so before we were seated and the hostess told us the server would be over when she could. We're on a small vacation and not in a hurry, so it was fine. The waitress finally arrived at our table at 6:45pm. She greeted us with the offer to get us drinks and in the same breath let us know that they close at 7:00. My husband asked if that meant we had to get up and leave at 7:00 and she very matter-of-factly said, "Yeah, pretty much. Sorry." I'm pretty sure we wouldn't have even received our food by 7:00, so not sure how that would work. And if that's their policy, why on earth did the hostess let us wait and then seat us? She should have told us their policy right away instead of letting us waste almost thirty minutes there! So, we left (as did a large party of 10 and a small family who told us they'd been waiting 30 minutes to order). Our dinner tab would probably have been at least $75 and I was eyeing the jellies for sale as well as the pies! But, unlike any business I've ever seen, they didn't seem to care about making money tonight. So, we spent it elsewhere. Such a strange experience! read more

Great place and the best ribeye steaks and BBQ ribs. My husband and I love this place. Casual but awesome food and very hard working servers. Their ribeyes are cut and grilled to absolute perfection! I've lived in five states and travelled extensively and Louise has the best steaks around. Much better and less expensive than chain steakhouses. Good cooking and great fast service! Reasonably priced too. Don't miss this icon. read more

The bad reviews are unfair ... it's a really cute, small town diner with home style food options. The daily was special was an incredibly good deal and it was delicious! We also got some strawberry-rhubarb pie, which tasted like homemade jam on pie crust (yum!!) read more

Nice, welcoming place.... the menu contains a large variety of home cooked meals. We had the Trout, ot was delicious; lots of sides to choose from. The dish came with hush puppies... they were amazing. read more

Wow, tough crowd on Yelp for this local ma and pa joint. I thought it was great. If you look at Google, there are a ton or really great reviews. Ate here tonight with my wife and need to add some love. The value is the daily specials. Check out my picture of BBQ Beef Brisket. In a hundred years, I would have not ordered this, but it was the daily special, at $7.95, and I like to live on the wild side. Why wouldn't I order it? Well, it's not a BBQ joint ----- surprise surprise. It was terrific. I gotta admit it was a small slice, and when I mentioned that to the server, she said another slice only was only $3.95. Yasss Pleez!!!! Well, my timing was impeccable, just out of the oven and she brought me a slab, as in giant, as in I almost could not finish it. But, I did...... So, as I said the value of the daily specials are where it is at. My wife ordered the Flounder and Calabash Shrimp Combo - Broiled. While she said that the Flounder tasted fresh and was excellent, the meal at $18.95 is a little pricey for the relatively small portions. So, stick with the daily specials, unless your just needing a fish fix. The crowd at 5 pm was all local and friendly. Everyone says hello and waves. Service was A++++++. read more

Stopped in for lunch after visiting Linville area. Quaint county stop. Service was fast and food was great home cooking.

Service was meh. I recall server actually "THROWING " straws down on the table at my partner and I. Small town feel and judgment from a few onlookers come with your experience. Lol. My burger was mediocre. Partner ordered calabash shrimp.. got what we paid for kind of deal. But ya know what?! In the middle of nowhere and hungry- this place hits the spot!!!! read more

Food very mediocre. Great stone bldg but that's all. Tasted like bought biscuits, frozen & reheated off a truck, there was apple butter or something that wasn't good on the table to put on them. The sausage was not a good quality. Maybe it's time to call it a day. It's been there a long time and maybe it's had its day. read more

You get what you pay for definitely applies here. The price might be cheap but so is the quality. The waitress was pleasant enough for the time she was able to be at the table. There was a lot of waiting around which is surprising since I swear the food came out of the frozen aisle of the closest grocery store. We were served Stouffers mac n cheese (confirmed by the waitress) canned vegetables and pretty tasteless meat. I imagine the only thing that keeps this place in business is that it is the only restaurant in the area and tourists are not checking yelp before dining. I won't make that mistake again. read more

Famous Louise's Rock House is not the place to go for good service. Certainly does not live up to the fine articles on the wall. Nice atmosphere and decor, worst customer service from waitress to owner I have ever experienced. The owner and granddaughter need to stop making excuses if they want returning customers. read more

I had the soup (beef veggie) & it was bland, however, the pimento cheese was good despite the bread being cold (yes, a grilled piece of bread was cold). DH had catfish that was a miserably small serving with undercooked fries & spongy hush puppies. The worst thing about this restaurant wasn't the food but was the top-heavy waitress (lots of hair and other enhancements) who was abrupt, unable to smile, and exuded impatience and was just plain bitchy. Im giving it 2 stars b/c the pimento cheese was good & the restaurant was clean. read more

We came off the Blue Ridge Parkway for lunch and found this gem. Not that impressive on the outside but the service was quick and the food good. I'll definitely stop in the next time i'm in the area. read more

The service at this restaurant is the best I have had in a very long time. We stopped by both days of our camping trip. The breakfast came out super fast and was good. They even offered homemade jam. If you are ever camping at Linville Gorge this is a great spot to eat and get coffee you ever don't feel like cooking. Just improve on the home fries and next time it will be 5 stars for sure. read more

Ok so the only time I've been here was on Father's Day however I was not impressed the parking situation is ridiculous the service is slow at best, it took 20 min to get an empty water refilled, and the portion size for the price is way too high I paid nearly $4 for 10 French fries. The food was good but nothing really to write home about the wife order beef tips and they were good but the menus said it came with sautéed onions and peppers but they came out completely dry. So in conclusion it's a nice little dinner but you won't get your moneys worth and it'll take at least 2 hours out of your day. read more

We visited there for the first time last week as a family camping nearby. There were 6 adults and 6 children and we were ALL very pleased. Portion sizes were good. Food flavor was good, and prices were good. Actually I should change the word good to GREAT! We even ordered a couple whole pies to take home with us. Staff did a great job and were very friendly. I would definitely go back again if I get the chance! read more

Nice place, Good American food at good prices, nice friendly staff