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    Tartan Restaurant

    3.4 (87 reviews)
    Closed Closed

    Tartan Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    TARTAN RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Tartan Restaurant

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    Ami A.

    This is a very popular old school restaurant nestled outside at the crossroads of several parkways in the mountain region. It has a salad and soup bar as well as sandwiches served with a side. It gets very crowded especially for Sunday supper. Great spot!

    George L.

    A delightful mountain home style diner. Very relaxed and casual atmosphere. You could tell this was a locals joint. But the food was amazing! I've never had a tomato pie that tasted so good!!!

    The Lamond- one egg, scrambled, bacon, biscuit and gravy, cheese grits
    Lisa B.

    The Tartan is a favorite place of ours. Every time we are in Linville, North Carolina we make a point to eat breakfast here. Their biscuits are out of this world! The food is always hot and very tasty. Our server was very sweet and very attentive. If you've never been here, you should go just for a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

    Delicious breakfast, fast service.
    Pamela N.

    Great place for breakfast! Large portions, fast service, and the food was delicious. Will definitely come back!

    I love this restaurant. It has excellent breakfast and lunch food. And the only thing inhibiting about it is the liberal minded Yankees that occupy valuable table space in the restaurant!

    Crystal D.

    Apparently this is a favorite hot spot for locals and for the life of me, I'm at a loss as to why... As much of western NC was settled by Scots, it's common to find Scottish influence scattered about the mountains. The Tartan boasts an appropriated Scottish heritage theme, though completely unrelated I was told. The confusion of this place greets you as you walk in the door of The Tartan - there's literally a life-size British Queen's Guard soldier complete with grenadier headgear (with bonus 'Murican flag face mask)... It's as if folks don't know history, at all... Inside, I would describe the ambiance as greasy country chic. My lunch companion was just short of passing out so we bit the bullet and waited in line for this place while listening to locals both rave about the "best hamburger in the world" (spoiler alert: it was not) and talk shit about how the restaurant is critically short staffed because nobody wants to work & everybody would rather sit home and collect unemployment than work for starvation wages. (Uhm, ya think?) A very nice older gentleman waited on us. It was clear he was helping out and not a regular server. At first glance, the menu is chocked full of southern soul food options, however, the reality in my experience was overpriced poorly-executed low-quality, frozen, fried processed food. To be fair, there's also an open salad bar (in corona times) featuring iceberg lettuce, cucumbers, celery, & various fruits and vegetables out of cans, along with pudding & cottage cheese type things... Typical rural backwoods, processed, poor country salad bar food that I grew up unimpressed by. I ordered what I thought would be the safest thing on the menu, a loaded baked potato with cheese, chives, sour cream, & bacon instead of deli ham, for like $8 freakin' dollars... What I got was a large spud with a few chives and (I kid you not) a slice of American cheese melted on top. WTF? The server eventually brought the missing bacon, though I refused the spud. Ordered instead a fried fish sandwich - which was "meh" at best; did not finish it... The sweet potato fries were great and obviously frozen, so they got that going for them. My friend ordered the 'best burger in the world'; I tried it... I'm not sure what world the lady was talking about, but it's clearly (and thankfully) not the one I live in. So if you have any special dietary needs or if you just prefer to eat cleaner/healthier/consciously, you'll be hard-pressed to satiate yourself at The Tartan. The edible portion of my disappointing lunch here consisted of: 3 tiny thin overcooked strips of bacon, 2 bites of fish sandwich, half of the rest of the fish in said sandwich, and a handful of sweet potato fries... Indigestion was already setting in when we pulled into a farmer's market down the road for something wholesome to eat because I was starving and needed fresh fruit to revive my body. They took nothing off our bill. Pretty sure my friend (who paid) did not press the issue, as by the time of check out, we'd already wasted over 2 hours of our lives and just wanted out of there... Then, as we were walking out the door, we see them... two Trump effigies by the cash register... and suddenly it all makes sense.

    Restaurant
    Sarah W.

    Adorable little breakfast place with southern comfort in the morning. Lots of choices for any kind of taste buds. Neat story behind the restaurant. Staff was super friendly!

    Lasagna special - it's ok.
    Christine T.

    They are open till 2 pm. We were seated right away. Place is decorated like old country with plaid flags. We got Loch Ness ( fried flounder sandwich ) , the lasagna special of the day , and the MacLean ( pulled pork sandwich - yummy. My son got the Reuben and it upset his stomach. In conclusion food is ok. Also we tried the hummingbird cake which could be better but it's ok too.

    Potato salad had way too much mayo, that's all I could taste

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    2 months ago

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    10 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Great little spot for some quick comfort food when leaving Beech/Sugar mountain. Old school diner menu and feel.

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    9 months ago

    The place is always chilly inside. Turn on the heat. You have to wear your coats to stay warm. Heard others comment on the same issue.

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Friendly fast service. Good food. Nice atmosphere. I would definitely eat here again when visiting the area.

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Always good simple fresh food love going here.. food is always good.. salad bar is yummy and fresh!

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Food was good, very family friendly. The service was nice and pretty quick. The prices are reasonable.

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    6 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Service was slow. Food was okay, but I was really sick later in the day. Coincidence? I'm not taking any chances by going back.

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Was surprisingly delicious! Omelettes and gluten free pancakes. Friendly service. We would come back!

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Great breakfast spot. Very nice people working there. Worth a drive even if you don't live in the area.

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    7 years ago

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    Page 1 of 3

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    Mountain Grounds Coffee & Tea - Brown sugar cinnamon cappuccino

    Mountain Grounds Coffee & Tea

    4.6(113 reviews)
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    We happened to be lucky enough to be spending a couple of days close to this gem of a coffee shop…read more We stopped in the first day because I heard someone in the lobby of hotel mention she was enjoying a Peanut Butter & Jelly Latte from the shop nearby. We walked over and we were so glad we did! By PB&J Iced Latte was so good! The cold foam on top was so yummy and the drink really did taste like a PB&J. The Iced Chai was also delish! It was spicy and not overly sweet. We stopped by before we left town the next day - for one more PB&J Latte, another Chai as well as the Blackberry Lemonade and a few baked treats for the road. The Blackberry Lemonade was a fun drink - icey and refreshing! (It was pretty sweet, but also tart - really good) The staff were SO welcoming (especially the sweetest baby ever at the register ) Everyone behind the counter was smiling and actively working which is why our drinks were ready fairly quickly both days despite the crowd. The shop had fun little gifts and stickers which tempted us while we waited. We were happy to see so many Gluten Free treat options - they were all individually wrapped which made them even safer for our son with celiac. This is a great place - we will definitely stop in next time we are in the area!

    This is one of our favorite breakfast cafes in the Banner Elk area. We make it a point to stop here…read moreat least once when we're in high country. The husband and wife team do a fantastic job from top to bottom here. Coffees, teas and drinks galore with tons of variety. Every drink we've had has been fantastic. And the food options are plentiful as well. Not just your typical bakery items, but a full menu with savory options, wraps, bagels, sandwiches, you name it. My all time favorite here...the piled high turkey club on an everything bagel. You can't take small bites on this one. Full of flavor, fresh and delicious. If you have time, make a morning pit stop here. You won't regret it.

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    Flowers and honey latte and brownie

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    Holloway Corner Kitchen - Biscuits & Gravy Plate

    Holloway Corner Kitchen

    4.7(26 reviews)
    8.2 mi

    Enjoy very casual dining for breakfast and lunch--they serve fried green tomatoes! they are one of…read moremy favorite dishes and this restaurant does them well. Also enjoy espresso--another delight of mine. We have been back twice and plan to make it a Saturday habit. I agree with the other positive reviews. Good food, friendly people and folksy atmosphere. Ree S.

    Comfort food at its finest!…read more This is a place you just get the "feel good" vibes from start to finish. Is it fine dining? No. Do they have a Michelin Star chef? Absolutely not. What they do have is the vibes, comfort food and amazingly friendly hospitality. A no frills spot where whatever you order you're leaving satisfied and a little extra pep in your step. A local joint that takes care of you, whether you're in for a full meal, you're doing a quick pit stop between the workday, or you're dropping in before they day begins and picking up fresh and ready made food to go so you can hit the road without hassle. The breakfast special was perfect. Gooey and cheesy eggs, tasty fried green tomatoes, perfect consistency and flavorful grits, with a hot and fresh biscuit. My belly was doing the happy dance before during and after. And my wife's chorizo burrito was perfect as well. And you can get it in two sizes depending on how hungry you are. Whenever we're up here, we will stop in for the feel good vibes and comfort food every single time.

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    Interior (August 2026)

    Holloway Corner Kitchen - The Hollar Burger

    The Hollar Burger

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    Po-Boys!

    Stonewalls - Complimentary bread

    Stonewalls

    4.3(801 reviews)
    6.3 mi
    $$$

    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.

    Photos
    Stonewalls - Bar area (August 2026)

    Bar area (August 2026)

    Stonewalls - Halibut special with grilled asparagus, and the mushroom pasta dish with shrimp added.

    Halibut special with grilled asparagus, and the mushroom pasta dish with shrimp added.

    Stonewalls - Nice outdoor waiting area

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    Nice outdoor waiting area

    Tartan Restaurant - breakfast_brunch - Updated September 2026

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