We spent the day exploring beautiful Blowing Rock and decided to stop by The Speckled Trout after…read morehearing so many great reviews. It absolutely lived up to the hype! We ordered the trout deviled eggs, the smoked trout Boursin, and split the cracked crusted trout lunch with Hoppin' John and smoked Gouda grits. Every part of the meal was delicious and perfectly prepared. The trout was fresh, flavorful, and the sides complemented it so well. The only thing I'd mention is that the smoked trout Boursin is incredibly rich. It's delicious, but if you're dining as a party of two it may be a bit much in flavor so you won't want to eat too many. We weren't able to finish it. Flavor was great but could have saved. The staff was friendly and attentive, and the service was excellent. I'd definitely recommend making a reservation, even for lunch, to avoid a long wait. We were lucky enough to sit outside on the patio on a beautiful day, and the atmosphere made the experience even better. We'll absolutely be back the next time we're in North Carolina!

Took a little day trip while visiting our daughter in Charlotte, and her boyfriend highly…read morerecommended The Speckled Trout Restaurant and Bottle Shop. It's definitely a bit of a drive from Charlotte, but well worth it if you're exploring the mountain towns and scenery in the area. The restaurant has a really cool upscale mountain vibe that feels relaxed and comfortable without being stuffy. Great atmosphere, friendly service, and the whole place just had that quality mountain town feel to it. My wife and I both ordered trout, which felt like the right move here. I had the almond crusted trout with basil potatoes and garlicky grits, and it was excellent. Everything tasted fresh, balanced, and thoughtfully prepared. The garlicky grits were especially good. My wife ordered the smoked trout, and let's just say they do not mess around with the smoke flavor here. It was seriously smoky. A couple hours later she was still burping little smoke rings on the drive home If you love strong smoky flavor, you'll probably love it. They also had a really solid craft beer selection that fit the mountain atmosphere perfectly. Overall, high quality food, great service, fun atmosphere, and absolutely worth the drive. Easy five stars from us.

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

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

Service and food top notch. Enough for big take home boxes! Locals eat with the visitors so great…read morecommunal experience.

Social on Main is my husband's and my favorite place for breakfast while visiting Blowing Rock…read more They are even better than our now-closed old favorite, Sunny Rock Eggs & Things. On this last trip, we went twice. I got the Beth Ann Clark both times. I just love their cheesy scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, fruit, and french toast. My husband tried two different entrees this time--the Butch Triplett (corned beef and eggs) and their breakfast burrito. Their corned beef is likely from a can, but it's so good because they cook it so it's very crispy. I always steal some of his corned beef to add to my eggs! Their breakfast burrito is amazing. It's simply filled, with just scrambled eggs, cheese, small bits of ham, and hash browns. It's topped with an enchilada sauce that is similar to a ranchero sauce, and is served with sour cream and guacamole. It's a massive burrito, and SO GOOD! My husband said it's his new favorite. Social on Main is popular, and so we always go early (before 8am). After 8am, there is usually a wait--especially on Saturdays. Their servers are always friendly, and the food is delivered fast. Their coffee is nice and strong, too. I wish we had a Social on Main near our house, because we'd visit them weekly. Give them a try if you are in Blowing Rock for a visit and want a great breakfast!

Over Yonder has great service, excellent food, and a romantic atmosphere…read more We sat outside and sat next to a bush with lots of bees buzzing around. I love bees and enjoyed watching them. We cleaned our plates...enough said! There are only a few restaurants in this area, so I highly recommend reservations. I'm glad we arrived early for dinner and was able to be seated right away.

Upscale ambience in historic home turned dining destination across from the original Mast General…read moreStore in Valle Crucis. Attentive service. Excellent chicken fried chicken entree. Wine selections are limited but the cab we chose is a new favorite.

Our first time visiting the Blowing Rock area in 35+ years. I went to school in Boone many years…read moreago. In town for a few days for my birthday. We chose this restaurant for my birthday dinner - based on reviews. Reservations seemed to be required at least 10-14 days in advance and we still could only get 8:30. That's OK for us as we tend to eat later most of the time. It seemed we may have been the last party to arrive as the restaurant was clearing out shortly after we were seated. The Good: beautiful place and great views, at least for me. And although there was a table open at the window where we could both see views, we were placed at table closest to lounge area where my husband's back was to the window. The server was very nice, knowledgeable and mostly attentive. My husband's mentioned he would have liked a 2nd drink but after all the food was served (see below) we didn't see her again until the end. She did acknowledge my birthday when she initially greeted us. She recommended we each order a plate from each the appetizer, salad and entree menus and described one from each in great detail. The menu is very pricey and she is likely trained to make these suggestions. For example, on the appetizer menu, one scallop was $22. This is the one she recommended. Our garden salads and entree's were good - but not extraordinary. Husband ordered the tuna but was able to substitute scallops for the tuna ($55). I ordered the pork tenderloin ($48). I received it barely warm. The server promptly returned it to the kitchen to be heated. She was very kind about it. Once it was warm it was tasty. Was served with carrot puree that was excellent (seemed to have some brown butter and warm spices). Will likely try to recreate this at home. The Bad: There were 3 other tables being served in our area while we were there. I might guess they were locals based on the major difference in the level of service we received vs what the other 3 received. Don't get me wrong, as previously mentioned our server was very kind, knowledgeable and helpful. There was also a young man (dark curly hair) dressed in all black that spent a considerable amount of time at all 3 of the other tables when he brought their food out. He seemed to offer extensive explanations and have general conversations. He also brought out food, dropped them and was gone before we could even say thank you. There was a lady (straight dark hair in a sleeveless green dress with a name tag - (seemed to be a manager) that spent significant time at each of the other three tables as well as in the lounge area next to us with 2 couples there. Even after I had to return my cold food, she never stopped by to even say welcome/hello and make sure the plate was now satisfactory. My husband was a chef/proprietor/manager in restaurants for 35-40 years. He couldn't believe there was no check in after having to return a plate. One other table had a birthday and they brought her a dessert with a candle. I wasn't offered anything like that. Not sure if it is complimentary. We were only asked if we wanted to see a dessert menu and there was no other mention of my birthday except when we were first greeted. For the prices on the menu, I would think everyone would get great service and the manager would check on every table. Just left a bad taste in our mouths, not because the food was bad, but since we received average service when all around us received over the top service, I don't foresee returning and don't recommend them.

Absolutely outstanding! Gideon Ridge exceeded every expectation. The food was exceptional, the…read moreservice was warm and attentive, and the mountain views made the experience even more memorable. Every dish was beautifully prepared and full of flavor. A perfect spot for a special occasion or an unforgettable dinner. Can't wait to come back! A special thank you to the young gentleman valet who walked me to my car in the rain and lightning. He was exceptional!!

Bistro Roca is an amazing spot! We love the decor, which is rustic but modern if that makes sense…read more The different seating options are also unique and bring a different ambiance to each section. Food is excellent. I LOVE the duck pizza pie. Honestly the best pizza in my book ever. My husband enjoyed his brisket saying it was tender and flavorful. The starter calamari was meaty and not overly breaded like many calamari! Great kids meals options!! Our waitress was so kind and was thoughtful in letting the girls order before us so their food arrived with the apps. A must go to while in blowing rock, you won't regret it!

We went to dinner here while in the area. It was a cozy setting with a great atmosphere inside…read more However, they sat us on the closed-in patio by a window which ended up being a little too chilly. For my dinner I ordered the Wood Fried Brussels. The Brussel sprouts were not caramelized like I had at other places but it was very good and probably healthier. There were a lot of good flavors with the beets, candied pepitas, pickled peppers and the saffron aioli. I would recommend this dish. Others at the table ordered the Cobb Salad, classic wedge with salmon, & the Artisan pizza. Unfortunately, the salmon was not completely cooked so it went uneaten. Two people in our party ordered diet cokes which were fountain drinks. The diet cokes were not good because there was no carbonation. The pizza and Cobb salad were good. If you eat here during the colder months, I recommend asking for a seat inside. That seemed like it would have been a cozier experience.

Great spot for lunch and a brew while heading to Boone. I had a delicious turkey and gueyre…read moresandwich with homemade chips. Yum . And cold Mexican lager. Hubby got the fried chicken sandwich with a cold ipa. Always great spot to stop.

Where to start my review of this truly horrible luncheon experience. In a town that is geared…read moretowards tourists (I'm a resident), and where one restaurant tries to outdo the other, this restaurant is sorely lacking, in everything from wait staff to food. What they do have is a lot of different types of beer. So I guess if you just want a beer with tasteless food then this is the place to go. My friend and I had lunch at around 12 noon. There were literally only four other tables with a few people. Our waiter came to take our order and basically gave the impression that he wishes he was anywhere other than in this restaurant working. Not even a smile or a hello how are you doing? He was truly uncaring and answered us in half syllables when we had questions about the menu. OK whatever -/so we ordered a burger and the turkey Gruyère sandwich. At $19 for a burger (most other places in Blowing Rock charge around 12) and another 19 for a turkey sandwich you would expect at least french fries or coleslaw as a side. The sides are potato chips ( how cheap can you get) or green beans?????? if you want anything else like a side salad or fruit you have to pay an additional five dollars. Literally every other restaurant in town that serves sandwiches or burgers gives you a choice of several sides that come with the meal . But here a hamburger with a side of fruit was $23. Our waiter never came back to check on us, but another waitress did come a couple times and filled my tea glass with ice and asked us how everything was and brought samples of the beer. Thank you to whoever that was. Wish you could have been our waitress. Because our waiter was so unconcerned about waiting on us that he apparently forgot we were there. After a half an hour of not receiving our food in a restaurant that was mostly empty, I flagged him down and asked him what happened to our food. He said he would go and check on it. He came back and said that ours was the next ticket up.!! so basically this waiter held onto our ticket and then got reminded that he had to actually put it in for us to get our food. So we waited another 10 minutes. The burger was so tiny you practically needed a magnifying glass to see it. Burned to a crisp because of course the waiter also forgot to ask how we wanted it cooked. We like it medium rare, and definitely not charred and well done. The Turkey sandwich with Gruyère was just some turkey slices and I'm assuming gruyere cheese which I couldn't really taste. The whole sandwich was definitely forgettable. So that's my review. I still gave the waiter 10% tip, which he did not deserve. He did not deserve a tip at all. Needless to say, will never be back at this restaurant again. Nor will I ever recommend it. Because lunch for almost $60 for two people with two disgusting sandwiches was obscene.

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

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

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

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

We happened upon the Six Pence Pub on our stop in Blowing Rock. Everything was great from the food…read moreto the service to management. Portions were generous. Our server Josh was attentive and kept the refills coming. The general manager ,Tyler , stopped by to make sure we had a good experience and was very personable. Would highly recommend!

Not much beats some green beer, scotch eggs and Irish music on St Patty's in an Irish pub in…read moredowntown Blowing Rock. Great selection of beers, drinks, regular food items and of course Irish food at this fun spot right on Main St. I had an Irish ale turned green that was cold one tasty. They even turned my wife's cider green which was a nice addition to the day's celebration. The scotch eggs were delicious. Hard boiled eggs wrapped in flavorful sausage that are baked and then served chilled. The dressing and dipping sauce went perfectly with the dish. Really a fun spot all around with great service, fun and hip atmosphere whether it's St. Patrick's Day or not. We'll be back!