This is a fantastic place to go for lunch, dinner or a special occasion. The food is next level…read moregood. I had the prime rib with Brussels sprouts and mashed potatoes. Excellent! I had enough left over for lunch the next day! Our server was really good, even though I know he was totally slammed. This was our first time coming here, but I imagine it is like this here every Friday night, and he knew his stuff! It was quite noisy inside. There was a band playing in addition to the crowd noise. If you aren't into that, maybe come for lunch, or on a less crowded night, but don't miss out on the food!

Amazing food Great atmosphere…read more Clean and organized Can't wait to get back for that prime The best part was the staff Friendly and professional Rare find in a world of bad food and unacceptable customer service

We were at Mica Brewery and wanted to grab dinner. We saw McDowell Local on the map and it looked…read moresuper cute. We were greeted upon entry and told to sit where we liked. There were four brews on tap on the night we went. I did Homeplace's Biscuit and Gravy and Hubs had Kiss My Grits from a Boone brewery. Both were fun flavors. We ordered pork rinds and pimento for appetizers. Hubs ordered the Hot Marion with tots and I ordered the veggie on sourdough with fries. When the pork rinds arrived I was shocked at the size! It's plenty of food!! The pork rinds are crispy and flavorful. Given the amount of pork rinds we snacked on both of us ate half our sandwiches. It's so much food! The Hot Marion is very mild but tasty. The veggie sandwich had fresh veggies and was quite refreshing. The goat cheese complemented the sandwich well. Great service and great food. Definitely stop in! There is street parking and a public lot nearby.

Wandered downtown a little with a friend. Had never been to this place so dropped in for a beer and…read morea snack. Cozy, clean decor that felt spacious. The hanging white light lanterns were charming but strange (in Asian culture they're hung for funerals). Only 2 beers on tap but a great selection of bottles/cans. Went for something different... Tucher Heffe Weizen! Didn't want another burger so went with something novel... the Gochujang Pork Belly sandwich. Gochujang is like a Korean food condiment, a combination fermented soybean and red chili pepper. Has some umami with a zing to it. Sadly, you could barely taste the gochujang, which really ended up being some chopped pork belly in a bun. The tater tots were great though, golden and crispy. Service was friendly. Will probably come back to try something different next time.

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!

Absolutely outstanding BBQ spot! The food is incredible across the board -- everything is full of…read moreflavor and cooked perfectly. The staff is top tier from the owner all the way down, and you can tell they truly care about the customer experience. The restaurant itself is very clean with a great atmosphere that makes you want to stay and enjoy your meal. Easily a 5-star experience and definitely a place we'll keep coming back to!

Really good que with large helpings a must try - corn spears! Don't miss this in Marion.read more

Livermush sandwich is amazingi am coming back for breakfast too!! My new favorite place!!read more

This place sucks it's always dirty and the service is horrendous. They won't clean any part of the…read morerestaurant it seems I seen cockroach's in different parts of the restaurant

I love this place! If I lived closer I would eat here every day! You can't beat the price, the…read morequality, the freshness or the flavor! As a vegetarian I am highly impressed by the different options and creative spins on the classic sandwich/wrap! Today my wait was a bit long but that first bite made the wait completely worth it. I'm not saying that lightly either, I truly mean it. Each sandwich is hand crafted with care, each recipe has been developed with perfection in mind, and each bite is full of amazing flavor. It's clear someone with a lot of passion and respect for food is running this place! Limbertwig Cafe is a little hidden gem in downtown Morganton and I wish every town had one!

Limbertwig Cafe is located in downtown Morganton, near the Historic Burke County Courthouse. It is…read moreopen 6 days a week for lunch, offering both inside and outside seating on the sidewalk. There is local artwork displayed on the walls as you enter. You place your order directly at the counter, take a number, and your food is brought out to your table when it is ready. The menu is quite large, and it took a bit of time to decide on my order, but I ultimately went with a combo including a half ham wrap, a drink, and a side of pasta salad. The cashier was very good about openly telling everyone in line about price differences from the printed menu before ordering. Because the kitchen was experiencing a significant delay, it seemed like they quietly upgraded me to a whole wrap as a nice peace offering! It came cut into two parts, with one part wrapped neatly in foil. Personally, I really wish they offered a "build your own" option where you could just choose your own specific bread, meat, cheese, and toppings, rather than having to hunt through the large preset menu options to find a combination where you like everything. I was really surprised by how incredibly small the side portion of pasta salad was--about the size of a standard salad dressing container! I've honestly never seen a side dish served that small before, so I posted a photo of the two side by side to show the exact comparison. Next time, I would skip the combo entirely and just order the sandwich on its own. The ham wrap itself was really good, and the small bite of pasta salad was very tasty. However, it did take quite a bit longer than it should have for the food to leave the kitchen, so this slow wait time could definitely be an issue for someone on a tight lunch schedule.

I haven't ate here in a couple of years and the food (the food I had) has went downhill. I also…read moredidn't know that they had lost their alcohol license which was a major bummer. For the appetizer I had the Double Dipper. The spinach dip lacked any flavor and the pimento cheese was ok. The bread points were just drowned in butter. The cucumbers were slimy and thinly sliced. Also it came with celery which I don't eat at all. The menu said fresh vegetables. I should have asked. My fault there. I got the French Broad Burger which was pretty good considering. Sweet potato fries were good too. The service was amazing! Everyone was so friendly!!! Went early on Saturday evening and unlike before it was slow but with the amount that was there it was a great little chatter time! I love the view of Main Street and the charming little mason jar lights.

If you visit or live in this area you'll definitely need to come here. The inside was warm with…read morewood everywhere and the staff were all super friendly. They're still working on getting their alcohol license so there was no beer to drink, sadly but the food made up for the loss of it. My wife ordered the fried mushrooms which she didn't like but I thought they were good with a slight crunch and then creamy insides with an earthy flavor. We split the brisket sliders withe sweet potato fries and the brisket had a good flavor to it but I recommend getting their house BBQ sauce that was sweet with a fruity flavor but also made with veggies like carrots. It was excellent and I brought some home. What a great find for our outing here.

I ate here with a large family group…read more The atmosphere is nothing fancy but service was very friendly and we were all very happy with our food.

Best part about The Trailhead was the service - our waitress was very attentive and sweet!…read more The food was a variety of bar foods and we ordered four different appetizers which were all decent. The drinks were nothing to write home about...not great tasting but had alcohol haha.

Silver Creek Golf Club - A Hidden Treasure in the Foothills…read more I spent the last 4 days playing at Silver Creek while hosting and annual Ryder Cup event. If this course was in Charlotte, I would definitely be a member. It's a course you can play everyday and it doesn't feel the same. Below is a full review and I highly recommend you give it try. Nestled in the heart of Morganton, North Carolina, Silver Creek Golf Club offers a complete golfing experience that rivals some of the best-known courses in the region, yet still maintains its welcoming, community-focused charm. Course Layout & Playing Experience The course is beautiful, with a thoughtful and strategic layout. Silver Creek strikes that rare balance--challenging enough to test low handicaps, but fair and forgiving enough that mid- and high-handicap players walk off the 18th with a smile. The variety in hole design ensures that no two shots feel repetitive, and there's a natural flow to the round that golfers will appreciate. Conditioning & Pace of Play Course conditions are superb. The fairways roll true and set up scoring opportunities, while the greens are nothing short of excellent--quick enough to be exciting, but never unfair. Be aware of some of the down hill down grains putts though. They are so quick. The greens hold well, run smooth, and consistently reward a confident stroke. Silver Creek's commitment to 10-minute tee times is a game-changer. It allows for an unhurried pace of play, and my four consecutive rounds all finished in just about four hours--unheard on the weekends at the public courses where near my home. Scenery & Setting The mountain views are simply spectacular. From elevated tees and open fairways, you catch sweeping glimpses of the Blue Ridge that frame your round with natural beauty. Those views alone make any downtime an experience, giving Silver Creek an atmosphere that's as memorable as the golf itself. Hospitality & Amenities Equally impressive is the people. The staff embodies southern hospitality--warm, attentive, and genuinely invested in making sure each golfer has the best possible day. After the round, Papa's Grill is the perfect capstone. The food is superb--well beyond what you'd expect at a golf course restaurant. Whether it's a hearty burger, fresh-made sandwiches, or daily specials, everything is served with the same attention to quality that you find out on the course. Final Verdict Silver Creek Golf Club isn't just a place to play--it's a place to return to, time and again. With a challenging but fair layout, exceptional conditioning, stunning mountain views, a staff that makes you feel like family, and a restaurant that could stand alone on its own reputation, Silver Creek has carved out a well-deserved spot among North Carolina's most enjoyable golfing destinations.

We went in mid July and the course was in great shape. I will say, my wife and I are beginner/…read moremediocre golfers, on a good day, and this course was challenging. It has A LOT of hills and valleys. If you struggle keeping the ball on the fairway, I might recommend practicing a little more before attacking this course. However, if you bring a lot of extra balls, you'll be in good shape. The staff was very friendly and welcoming.

Fine dining in the mountains, and some of the best dishes and food at this elevation!…read more This place hits on all levels if you're in the mood for a great evening out. Elegant inside and out, friendly service and top notch food. We sat at the bar and our bartender took care of us all evening. Had one of the best old fashioned's in the area. He knows his stuff! The food was fine dining at its best. A garlic buttered escargot with puff pastry just melts in your mouth. Lobster bisque full of flavor and full of, well, lobster, and a ton of it. I have to say, the extra touch to the tasty French onion soup was a talking point all evening...it came with dedicated scissors so you could cut the cheese. What an amazing touch. And they sure did help lol. The center cut medium rare filet mignon paired with some frites was definitely the showstopper this evening. Thick, tender and juicy...one of the best steaks on all levels. Whenever we're in town and want an elegant evening out, this is the spot!

Stonewalls Restaurant was one of the more pleasant surprises during my time in Banner Elk. It's a…read morebeautiful restaurant, and I had been looking forward to dining there for quite some time. From the moment we arrived, the staff was warm, welcoming, and attentive. The atmosphere, however, felt a little mixed. The restaurant seemed to have two distinct personalities. The newer side, where the bar is located, felt polished and cohesive, while the older dining room--where we were seated because it had more availability--felt like it hadn't quite received the same attention. The lighting on that side of the restaurant was particularly harsh, which made the dining room feel less intimate than it could have been. Since it's also the larger and busier dining space, I think small touches like candles on the tables or softer lighting would go a long way toward creating a warmer, more personal atmosphere. I also noticed an interesting contrast between the beautiful leather-bound menus and some of the furniture and wall décor, which felt more reminiscent of a hotel dining room than the upscale mountain restaurant the food suggested. Thankfully, the meal more than made up for those observations. I ordered the wild mushroom pasta with lobster, and it was the standout dish of the evening. The pasta was rich without feeling heavy, the mushrooms added wonderful depth, and the lobster was cooked beautifully. It's a dish I'd gladly order again. My boyfriend ordered a steak, which he thoroughly enjoyed. We also started with the escargot and the crab cakes. The escargot, while not quite on the level of some traditional French restaurants I've visited, was still very well prepared and enjoyable. The crab cakes were outstanding--full of crab, nicely seasoned, and easily one of the best appetizers of the meal. Our only complaint was that there was only one crab cake on the plate; we both found ourselves wishing there had been another. Overall, Stonewalls Restaurant delivered an excellent meal with genuinely welcoming service. While I'd love to see the older dining room updated to better match the quality of the cuisine, the food alone makes it well worth a visit if you're in Banner Elk.