Outback Steakhouse

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.

The avocado was by request!

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The farmhouse Mac. Awesome

The Speckled Trout Restaurant and Bottle Shop

4.3(509 reviews)

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.

Inside bar area

Hickory Smoked Trout w/ Collard Greens & Fennel Potatoes

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Outside of the speckled trout

Timberlake's Restaurant

3.4(115 reviews)

limited menu.Food was delicious. my husband had the trout and he loved it. I had the bison…read moreBolognanase. a little heavy on the salt. pasta could have been cook a minute or so more. bread butter amazing. we also had r the Burrata dish. delicious but you def need the bread with it. service was Fabulous well informed staff.

Went for Christmas lunch and it was AWFUL. Just AWFUL. Minimal offerings with a carving "station"…read morethat only offered bloody roast beef. Weird salad, of sorts. Cold popovers. Hard bread smeared with some cream cheese and topped with 2 whole red grapes. Scalloped potatoes cooked to mush, canned yams with some marshmallows melted on top, green bean something from cans, "creamed" spinach that was thawed frozen chopped spinach with breadcrumbs on top-- nothing "creamed" about it. Half the buffet was hours-old leftover breakfast items like rubbery scrambled eggs, dry grits, and -- the worst-- alarmingly undercooked quiche served refrigetator-cold. Thought of the quiche still makes me a little queasy. Dessert station was weirdly dominated by no fewer than five whole buttermilk pies -- the only pie offered. SHAME ON CHETOLA for even offering this, and at upwards of $100 per person. My fault for not checking recent reviews but it is hard to see how anything could go downhill as far as Timblerlake's has. Ugh. Just terrible.

Fried green tomato BLT

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Six Pence Pub

3.9(368 reviews)

0.5 mi

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!

Sat outside on the patio with a group of 4 adults, 2 little kids, and a baby. All the food was…read moretasty and they were accommodating to a pick and choose ingredients basically request for the 2 little kids. Staff was helpful. Nice umbrellas and ample space out to stash our wagon off to the side. Wagons or strollers would not be recommended inside.

Fish and chips

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Parade day after thanksgiving

The Town Tavern of Blowing Rock

3.5(343 reviews)

0.5 mi

Had lunch Wednesday. Great staff and outstanding food…read more Had the steak burger very good. Others in our party had a Rubin sandwich, fish sandwich and the Tavern burger. All were out standing. Our waitress was Sara and she was great.

We stopped here on a beautiful spring Sunday morning, and it was the perfect way to start the day…read morebefore exploring Blowing Rock. There's so much to do in the area, and this was a great first stop. The food was excellent, the service was excellent, and the menu had a really nice variety. We sat outside on the patio, which made the whole experience even better on such a nice morning. I ordered the blackened shrimp salad, and it was outstanding. It was a very large salad loaded with fresh vegetables, some fruit, and plenty of blackened shrimp. Everything tasted fresh, flavorful, and well prepared.

Bar area

Buffalo Chicken side pasta salad

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Menu

Peddler Steak House

3.6(271 reviews)

4.9 mi

From the moment we walked in, the entire staff was incredibly friendly. A team effort for sure…read more Seth our server was so polite and very helpful in recommending some options. Both my husband and myself ordered a steak, him a New York and I had the filet. Both were cooked to order and very flavorful. The salads were awesome as we could build our own! We were sat in what I would call the atrium area and it was quite nice with the natural light. We will come back here the next time we come to Boone.

Full disclosure: our reservation was at 8pm after graduation…read more Unfortunately, we did not have the best experience. The Caesar salad was underwhelming. The mozzarella sticks had very little cheese. Two of our steaks were undercooked. One was ordered well and was given rare. The other was ordered medium and was given rare. They did fix them after requested. The steak did not have enough seasoning. About 5 or 6 different servers kept coming to our table every few minutes asking if we needed anything or if they could refill our water. The disruption of conversations from being constantly asked negatively affected our experience. While I understand our reservation was later in the night and that this could have been the reason for this poor experience, I had higher expectations for this steakhouse. Sadly, this was an enough to deter me from coming back. Every server was pleasant though.

Bar area

Grilled Salmon, Sweet Potato and 10 oz Filet with 7 Pepper Seasoning, Baked Potato

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Front

The Gamekeeper

4.5(297 reviews)

3.8 mi

•$$$

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.

Bar Area Dining

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View of front of restaurant. Just ahead are stairs down to parking lot, to the immediate right is the entrance (not seen in photo).

The Embers

4.2(31 reviews)

I enjoyed our dinner here, but I wanted an upscale romantic restaurant, and while it came up in my…read moresearch, that's not how I would describe this space. The restaurant is right off the lobby of a hotel. There is a small bar, and it's a small, but open concept dining area and it is LOUD in there. I enjoyed the old fashioneds, I got one smoked and one not, they were both very good. We split fried goat balls, and then I got the southern style fried rice. I thought both had creative flavors but enjoyed the rice better. You have to be very committed to that type of cheese to eat more than one - they are intense. I think I'd rather eat on the patio than inside and enjoy the fresh air and music they had. Lastly, give yourself time to find parking, the lot was full and people were circling when we got there. We got really lucky with a spot after circling the block.

Superb evening at this sleek and modern lounge and restaurant in the lobby area of The Embers…read moreHotel. We weren't expecting such a high level experience when we first booked a stay at this newly finished hotel. Classy cocktails, beers, plenty of wine variety, you name it. Went with the Old Smokey as a starter. An old fashioned kicked up a notch. The house smoked maple syrup and charred orange peal knocked his cocktail out of the park. I could smell that smoky flavor from the other end of the bar as it was being made. Bartender was super friendly and had some great mixology skills. We opted for apps all evening, but can't wait to come back and try some more of the menu. The homemade bread is a must. These puppies come out hot and steaming, with this amazing bacon butter to lather them in...outstanding! Our server also recommended the mushroom pate. Mushroom pate you say?! Yes, yes I do. One of the best pate's we've had in a long time. Super flavorful, creamy and smooth. And the homemade chips sticking out of it were the bomb! Then the goat cheese fritters...I had to battle my wife for these flavor bombs. This place is outstanding and not many people know about it...yet. Newly finished in 2024, this is going to be our go to when we want to be right in the heart of Blowing Rock.

The Embers Restaurant opens both to the inner and outer serenity of Blowing Rock

Lemon roasted chicken

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2nd cozy fire in hotel lobby

The Best Cellar

4.2(132 reviews)

0.5 mi

•$$$

Make reservations months in advance for this gem! Located in an old stone manor, the Best Cellar is…read morethe best restaurant in Blowing Rock! The rack of lamb and buttermilk chicken are some of my favorites. The staff are very professional and seem to continue working there for years. The renovated the gathering area to make a rustic, yet upscale bar. Parking is not a problem because they offer valet.

Our table, our server and our meal were the best. The Best Cellar is well known in the area. But…read morebeing well known doesn't necessarily mean that the quality will always be the best. However, our night was everything that we had wanted and more. We were bringing our guests so we needed them to be the "Best" Cellar that night and they were.

Vacant been here since 5:15 it's now 6 still vacant

Jumbo shrimp cocktail, crab cakes, and oysters Rockefeller

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Cellar dining area

Hellbender Bed & Beverage

I stopped at Hellbender while visiting Blowing Rock during a motorcycle trip through the Blue Ridge…read moreMountains and had a very enjoyable meal. Traveling solo, I sat at the bar and found the service friendly, attentive, and welcoming throughout my visit. My drink stayed filled, and the staff did a great job making a solo diner feel comfortable. I started with the soup, which was excellent and a great way to begin the meal. For my entrée, I ordered the large mac and cheese. The portion was generous, rich, and very satisfying after a long day of riding in the mountains. Everything was served hot and prepared with care. The atmosphere was relaxed and comfortable, making it a great place to unwind after spending the day exploring the area. The restaurant felt welcoming without being overly formal, and I never felt rushed during my meal. Overall, I had a very good experience. Good food, attentive service, and a comfortable atmosphere. I would gladly return the next time I'm in Blowing Rock.

Hidden Gem in Blowing Rock…read more After spending the morning at Grandfather Mountain, I took the scenic route into Blowing Rock and stumbled onto an absolute gem. Hellbender Bed & Beverage and Bistro Roca share the same space now, and the result is one of the most charming spots I've found in the High Country. The outdoor patio was beautiful, with flowers everywhere, cozy seating areas, fire pits, and plenty of dogs lounging alongside their owners. The gravel patio was a little uneven, so my table had a slight tilt, but honestly, the atmosphere more than made up for it. I started with a glass of Crémant de Loire. Crisp, cold, refreshing, and exactly what I wanted after a morning of mountain exploring. For lunch, I ordered the Moules Frites. The mussels arrived swimming in a rich, flavorful broth with basil and sun-dried tomatoes, alongside a generous pile of perfectly cooked fries. The combination with the sparkling wine was fantastic. I cleaned the plate. The service was friendly, welcoming, and genuinely pleasant. My only suggestion is a little more attention to the details. If you're serving mussels, a spoon is almost essential for enjoying that incredible broth. A smaller seafood fork would also make fishing out the mussels easier. Minor things, but details that can elevate a great meal into an exceptional one. The prices were surprisingly reasonable. My entrée and glass of bubbles came in around $23, which felt like a great value considering the quality, portion size, and setting. I skipped dessert only because I was determined to finish every last fry, then headed into town to walk off lunch and hunt for something sweet. If I return--and I absolutely would--I might even stay at the inn. The cottages looked adorable, and the whole property felt warm and inviting. Just a short walk from downtown Blowing Rock, this place delivers on atmosphere, food, and mountain-town charm. Five stars for the food. Four stars for service. Five stars overall because I'd happily come back tomorrow. Life is too short to eat mediocre food. Get out there and stuff your face.

Things to do in Blowing Rock

Dining room

Moules frites

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Beverages

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Wayne M.

0

1

0

9 years ago

We went to Outback on Sunday night at about 6:30 and had been in the restaurant for only a minute before we were promptly seated. Our waitress's name was Piper. She began taking care of us almost immediately. She was very friendly, quick to respond to any special requests that we made, and checked on us often to take care of us. I ordered the baby back ribs and a bowl of clam chowder soup, my wife ordered their.Philly sandwich The ribs were perfect, the clam chowder was amazing, and my wife thoroughly enjoyed her food. A manager named Taylor Finn stopped by our table several times to ensure that everything was satisfactory. The restaurant was immaculately clean, even under the tables. It was a highly enjoyable experience and I would not hesitate to recommend this location. Kudos to management, our waitress Piper, and the cooks in the back of the house. Well done!! read more

Susan M.

0

1

0

9 years ago

Came in for Sunday lunch after church with friends and sat with Zoe G. I had forgot to tell her that I cannot have seasoning on my steak so when it got to the table I had to send it back. The manager, Dalton (like roadhouse), immediately came to the table and got me a fresh filet without seasoning. Great customer service. read more

Scott S.

0

1

0

3 years ago

our experience at the outback in blowing rock was so good. Our server was a dude, named Jack. He was very kind, polite and professional. Also he was very personable. And he brought us a thunder from down under for my son's birthday. who's name is also, Jack :-) read more

Shane S.

0

2

0

4 years ago

Had dinner there tonight, and I hav to say this is the best Outback experience I've ever had. Savannah was our waitress, she was amazing and prompt. Our food was the correct temperature and was super fast. read more

Mike N.

92

13

2

2 years ago

I ordered two loaded baked potatoes and this is the load that I got for them. $35 dinner and I got 6 bacon crumbs and about 15 grams of cheese which is roughly half a serving. read more

Corrye B.

0

36

0

9 months ago

Wonderful experience! Food was delicious! Service was excellent! Our server was super friendly and exceptional! Restaurant was clean, ambiance was perfect! read more

Jennifer K.

78

3

0

9 years ago

Stopped in Friday night and sat at the bar. Dalton was so attentive and the food was great!! We will definitely be stopping in again!

Jeff D.

0

1

0

3 years ago

Connor was fantastic!! Fast courteous service! We enjoyed the visit and look forward to coming back again.

Billy M.

0

4

0

1 year ago

#karma - food is trash just like the management staff. Sometimes unfortunately, you reap what you sow.

Tracy M.

0

1

0

9 years ago

Sam was a great waiter! He was very helpful, pleasant, and kind. He even boxed up my food for me!

Outback Steakhouse - steak - Updated August 2026

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LongHorn Steakhouse

3.4

(10 reviews)

Service was good for being busy on a Wednesday night. Enjoyed an excellent ribeye and I am hard to…read moreplease when it comes to ordering steaks at a restaurant. They usually serve such cheap cuts. I have to admit that I was impressed.

Terrible experience!!! They should have a "Whites Only " sign. My spouse and I went in to grab some…read moredinner and the man in front of us whispered a little racial comment. I realize the staff might not have heard and had nothing to do with his ignorance. What happened next is the reason for this review. We were seated by the hostess and watched our server go everywhere but to our table to even take a drink order. This is totally unacceptable. It was already an all white environment an I can see why. After waiting 10 minutes we got up and walked out! LongHorn in Boone NC provided the worst experience we have had at a public establishment. I can't tell you a thing about the food there since we were never greeted after the host sat us at a table in the middle of the floor so were were clearly visible!

The Chef's Table at Sorrento's

4.1

(62 reviews)

•$$$

Eclectic top shelf dining in the heart of Banner Elk downtown. Love the downtown square here with…read morenumerous restaurants, walking, live music, coffee, dessert, you name it. And Chef's Table here is outstanding. Sorrento's is the Italian restaurant downstairs, while Chef's Table is the restaurant upstairs. One entry, two restaurants with completely separate kitchens and chefs. We started with a beef carpaccio, tomato bread and the Saluna specialty sushi roll. Everything was prepared to perfection. The main event was my sea bass. This was one of the best fish dishes I've had in a while. Perfectly cooked, tender and melted in your mouth. The buttery sauce lifted it to another level. If you're in the area, definitely try this place!

This place is amazing! Upstairs hidden gem. Food is 5 star, great wine selection. The best part is…read morethe bananas foster made right at your table. Fantastic service!

Americano Steak House

4.0

(95 reviews)

Another amazing dinner at Americano! This visit was for my sister's birthday during our girls trip…read moreto the cabin. I made reservations ahead of time. They now have a full bar which they didn't have when I wrote my last review. What a nice touch. The owner was nice enough to make my sisters a pitcher of sangria to enjoy. He mixed up some delicious expresso martinis for my friend and I. We ordered the firecracker shrimp and the Brussel sprouts. Both were fantastic!! I ordered the Sirloin with a caesar salad and potatoes. My friend ordered the overmountain chicken and she said it was fantastic. I honestly can't remember what my sisters ordered b/c we just chatted and laughed the whole dinner. I loved my steak and it was cooked perfectly. The caesar was also really good and I'm a caesar snob since my husband makes his own dressing...this matched up to his perfectly...so delicious!! Our server was extremely nice, prompt and really appeared happy to work here. The owner was as always the nicest and attentive person on the floor and he is just so kind. I love that everyone who works here really are top notch. From the second you walk in the door you feel like you've arrived at their family home for a wonderful meal. We all left very full and so happy. I can't wait to return.

For the second time in the last month we have had a terrible experience at this restaurant. It took…read more30 minutes before our order was taken and 50 minutes later before our food came. The steaks were overcooked, the chicken was dry and the Brussels were dry. We even waited 25 minutes for our desserts to come. Clearly something has happened over the last few years as it is not like it used to be. We are not big drinkers but to let your liquor license lapse seems like very poor management. We gave it a second chance since our last bad experience and this was the last time. I really hate it because we need good places in this area but for the prices they charge this is nowhere near worth it.

Makoto's Japanese Steak House & Sushi Bar

3.3

(178 reviews)

My wife and I enjoy hibachi food but this one didn't live up to our expectations. It just doesn't…read morehave the flavor or seasoning we are used to. We had even a rougher time all night as it didn't set well in our system.

We were seated in about 10 minutes. After 30 minutes sitting at the table , no serving staff had…read morestopped to get drink orders much less food orders. Tables that were seated after us received their drink orders. The table had not been wiped. Out of the 4 different parties at the table 3 parties left. Makoto's was one of our favorite places in Boone. Not any more.

Western Sizzlin

4.0

(47 reviews)

Decent food, nice service and very affordable. We came here today to celebrate my mom's birthday…read moreand I am sure everyone enjoyed their food. I don't like buffets but they have a nice salad bar and plenty of options to choose from. The bake chicken and rice was good and I enjoyed the yeast rolls

Large selection of great comfort food. I had the hot bar. Everything was fresh . Very clean…read morerestaurant and all the wait staff was very pro active to my needs. I'm going back next week and bring my neighbors.

Daingerfield's

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(7 reviews)

Incredible. 5 stars, over the top. Paella extraordinaire. This is fine dining at its finest.read more

Beautiful scenery in west glow resort. We had a wonderful charcuterie board and salads…read more Entree's were great . We did not hear the specials but after we heard them were happy with the regular menu . I am not a dessert person but the strawberry shortcake and chocolate torte were savory and not overly sweet . Would come again when in town

Casa Rustica

3.6

(182 reviews)

Service was great, kitchen was slow. The place is definitely in need of a refresh. The sauce is…read morethin and really tasty. The helpings are large but the veal was piled in parm and tasted salty. See what you think.

Every dish was poor quality and too expensive to be so. We ordered an appetizer and a kids meal to…read morebe delivered first because they were hungry. Then we ended up waiting a literal hour for them to send out an overly dry, very well done "medium rare filet au poivre" that arrived without the au poivre and were told they brought the steak because we had waited so long but we had to wait another 10 minutes for the "au poivre to arrive. The soup arrived literally cold and was replaced. For our trouble she removed the soup and salad from our $90 ticket for 2 adults and a child. Ambiance was intended to be mid-upscale -- would have left if we were the table upstairs forced to sit right next to the trashcan and pile of brooms which were clearly used to clean both floors.

Tartan Restaurant

3.4

(87 reviews)

The restaurant clearly thinks that their politics should be shoved in customers faces, as we were…read moregreeted at the front desk by a Trump 2024 sign, which immediately made my family and me feel unwelcome. Additionally, when we entered, we kindly asked what the wait time would be. The person working at the front desk impatiently told us that she did not know, and sternly told us to turn around and to write our names down, without a smile or any eye contact. Our server was quite nice and friendly herself, and brought out the food in a timely manner. The food was quite mediocre, and the omelette was undercooked and very greasy. Quite disappointed.

This is the worst restaurant to go eat me and my wife went there today and i order a hamburger…read moresteak and it was burnt black and you couldn't eat it at all and my wife got there nasty special and her plate was full of greenbean jucie and was all over her other food so tartan in linville is nasty the owner is the nasty and hateful person on earth i will neveror my family will never eat over there again I was trying to talk to her about the food but she ran in to the back of the restaurant and hid and they were telling that she had left and so i payed for our food and we left and i drove up behind to see if her car was there and it was so i called and she answered the phone it was her she lied to me and said she was gone so i park my van where she coundn'tsee me and went in and there she set at the table but she would not make it right with me so no i would not eat over there anymore

The Village of Banner Elk

4.4

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Ooh the food, service and the ambiance were wonderful! Such authentic Thai food and the sushi in…read moreour bento box was amazing!

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