We had heard amazing things about the Highlands Tavern and had very high expectations, and they did not disappoint. Quaint Tavern, located just off Main, with an excellent selection of wine, beer, and specialty cocktails. Small with limited seating, make sure you get there early or be prepared to wait a bit. We ordered the divinity and a specialty old-fashioned to drink and both were as delicious as any cocktail we've ever had. The peach Caprese salad was a real standout, so fresh and really delicious. The Instagram worthy jalapeño popper burger was perfectly prepared and really juicy and delicious. The cucumber salad was spicy as advertised and delicious, I could've eaten an entire bowl of those cucumbers. My son had the 4th street burger and I swear he ate it like he never had anything more delicious. The service was excellent. The food was excellent and we will absolutely be back. Highly recommend the Highlands Tavern! read more

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Amazing service, delicious summer, drink, and fantastic food. This is such a hidden gem.

The food here is better than 2 other fine dining restaurants I ate at on Main Street. I will refrain from mentioning the other's name, but you can probably guess them. This place is a fine dining restaurant masquerading as a tavern. The tavern part ... lol... was above and beyond my expectations as well. The drinks were perfect and the service was excellent! Trust me just go here, you can thank me later. read more

wonderful restaurant not many tables big bar Cool been around a while. Good food good beers, good cocktails good wine.

Such a hidden gem in Highlands. I can't believe we've been going for 4 summers now and we just happened inside on a random Friday night. It's so cozy & has a great wait staff. We LOVED our server Tim!! The food is amazing - no complaints from these Louisiana girls! read more

The Highlands Tavern - Homemade focaccia - Desserts Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

Food, Services, Ambiance all very good Had "Cheers" vibe. Loved what I ordered Vegan barbecue Jack Burger and slaw Going back after dental appointment today read more

The Highlands Tavern - Paul & Diana having drinks before entrees @ the bar @ Highlands Tavern - Desserts Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

What a great place! Food and drinks were just amazing. Plus everyone that works here seems to be having a great time. It rubs off on the customers. I can't wait to come back. read more

Always a 10, from wait staff to pub food we really enjoy popping in for music on Wednesday nights or weekend lunch

A Must-Visit in Highlands: Exceptional Food, Warm Atmosphere & Outstanding Service Highlands Tavern is an absolute gem! On a bitterly cold afternoon, they welcomed our group in early, setting the tone for an experience that was nothing short of exceptional. From the moment we walked through the doors, the atmosphere was warm, inviting, and full of energy--exactly what you hope for in a perfect mountain town spot. The food--WOW. We expected good, but what we got was next-level. Every dish was fresh, flavorful, and clearly crafted with serious talent in the kitchen. You can tell there's a real passion behind the menu, and it shines through in every bite. The cocktails were absolutely divine. Thoughtfully crafted, perfectly balanced, and just what we needed to complement the meal. And the service? Flawless--attentive, engaging, and genuinely friendly, making us feel like regulars even on our first visit.If you're in Highlands, do not miss this place. Whether you're looking for a cozy spot to warm up, a lively atmosphere to enjoy great company, or simply one of the best meals in town, Highlands Tavern delivers on every level. We can't wait to come back! read more

The Highlands Tavern - Desserts Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

Highlight of our trip. The area is cool and all but it's also very khakis and blazer culture. No judgement at all, but my favorite thing to do is sit at the bar and talk industry, enjoy the unexpected and get the story. Food was great; super varied and culinary gourmet, but accesible. Service was even better, and this feels like the kind of place someone dreamt of, and made happen. Just thank you. See you next time. read more

We usually are there during slack times, no games on, between lunch and dinner. Most of the time, it's us and the bartender. We've never had a bad meal there and the poured drinks have always been good. I did take a picture of a car fire that happened while we were there but Yelp took it down, saying it was irrelevant. They were correct about that but it was fun. read more

Great food and great service!! Will definitely return!! The 4th Street burger is the way to go!! The wedge was fantastic as well.

Our experience at Highlands Tavern ranks far and above our expectations. Being in Highlands for a work trip, we decided to head downtown for a late dinner, not at all thinking we were about to have a freakishly delicious meal. Highland Tavern was a welcome reprieve from the epic storm we (foolishly) went out in. Though looking back, the storm only added to the charming memory. Think dive bar, but warm, clean, and polished. We were greeted by the bartender, gosh I wish I remembered his name! Great conversationalist, like hanging out with an old buddy. Met several interesting folks sat beside us as well. Our first impression of the menu was pure intrigue, the flavor combinations were new and appealing - not the same drab offerings you see over and over again. We began with house made dill focaccia with miso honey butter. Oh my word. It came out warm and about the size of two huge cake slices. After tasting the bread, we just KNEW everything else would be fantastic, and was it ever. My husband got the prime rib sandwich, he could barely find words to describe how incredible it was. We were so pumped that the chef herself came out and checked in on us - when does that ever happen? Later she even had a drink with the patrons after the kitchen was closed. We just loved this place. Everything you would want from a dining experience. Go, and be amazed. read more

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Nice folks/service and bar food pretty good. Really not much room though and gets overly crowded. Also, the beer glasses were more like a half pint, but of course full pint costs! read more

Hidden Gem in Highlands. Excellent food. Must try the whipped feta. Cool dive bar feel with amazing food read more

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The interior of the tavern is cozy and unique. There are not many tables, so on peak days it is difficult to get in, but well worth the wait. An extensive bar with specialty drinks adds to the tavern vibe. The food and service is top notch. I highly recommend the focaccia. It is not designed around children, though there were some there. read more

Cool atmosphere. Nice enough staff. Wayyyyy over priced. $21 for a Bullet Old Fashioned? $10 for a draft Pilsner? Eish.

Great drinks . Bartenders awesome Food great and nice atmosphere. will go back every time in Highlands

This place was fabulous! From the uber friendly bartender Michael, to the delicious Tuna Tartar and Kylie Chicken Sandwich, I cannot recommend this place enough. Definitely getting the Kangaroo Barbacoa Tacos next time. read more

This understated tavern is incredible. I can't say enough about how incredible the food was. The chef brought out each dish personally. The beer I had was delicious and the meal was the best we've had in a long time. This is not average, greasy bar food. I can't say that enough. We sat right away when we got there around 7:30 on a Friday night. Started with the daily made focaccia- wow- it was melt in your mouth amazing. Then shared the tuna tartare and fig and burrata salad- both were fantastic. The pear and burrata is a must order. Finished by sharing the special of the night- elk with polenta- WOW. Cooked to perfection. Neither my husband nor I had ever had elk before and the bar is now set high. I'm running out of adjectives to describe this meal. Genuinely loved it. The atmosphere is super casual but the serve staff (shout out to Tim!) was excellent and we were so happy our entire visit. Can't wait to go back next time we're in town. read more

Food is absolutely delicious. But the music is just too loud for a relaxing evening out with the wife. Other than that try it out. Bring earplugs if you have them. read more

We found this wonderful pub after searching for a late evening meal. The food was 10/10. Menu vegetarian friendly. I got the "trade secret" - you choose your liquor and they make a mystery drink. Phenomenal rum drink. We met Ryan - the owner. Great guy. Hard working at his spot. I don't remember our wonderful waitress's name. We had a great eve. Thanks Ryan. read more

Walk in the door and wow. Loved everything about it. The lighting, the music, the ceiling!!! Sat up front with back to window. great view of the entire restaurant. Good vibes from the get go. Service was wonderful! Greeted with a perfect glass of water, only restaurant other than Bern's in Tampa where I will speak of water when talking about my dining experience. Also had some sparkling wine. Lovely. Truth is sparkling wines are always my go to but this place certainly has that feel. Ordered the focaccia bread as an appetizer. Lovely crust with crisp exterior, airy soft middle. Exceptional. Burger was amazing. Would not change a thing. Hard to describe. Bun held up to juicy flavorful burger. Cheese was so so good. Try it as it comes. Server asked if I wanted Ketchup mustard mayo. I always try things as they are prepared by the chef, I did not need any condiments nor in my opinion should anything be added to the burger. Side of glass noodles. Fresh light and flavorful. Outstanding. Thank you. Very talented team and Chef. read more

Tuna tartare.... I'm going to back....fresh ingredients, exceptional presentation, excellent ambience, cannot wait to get back to the farm to table 100% handmade concept, this is the coolest place I've ever dined at! read more

The Highlands Tavern - Tuna tartare - Desserts Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

This place is something special, the whole place is so thought out. From the interior, the impeccable food menu, the wine/cocktails/beer and the customer service. The food, my goodness I can't say enough. This is family owned and the chef is magical. I didn't take a picture of the Baked Brie, I wish I didn't as this is something I'll be dreaming about until I return! Well done, highly recommend. read more

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We stayed at a friends place in June and this place was just downstairs. We went there very early, around 5pm as we had been told it gets quite busy. Fortunately for us, this day it was quiet so we got seated fast, and had a terrific experience. They serve a nice eclectic menu, but you can still find a burger, a salad etc if you are so inclined. My recollection was I had a burger, but my wife had a salmon dish. Someone near us had the Duck, and it looked really good. We had a very unusual key lime pie dessert that was unlike anything I've had before. I'd say to give it a try and post something more insightful than I'm doing here. The staff are great. The customers all seem to be regulars, at least on the night we were there. It was funny that someone came in and asked if the Golf could be put on the monster size TV and was told "no". I give them credit for doing it their way. I had my back to the TV so I didn't care, but later on we went with that person up the street to a different bar that had it on, so he was very happy. Very nice decor. It's got quite a style. read more

The staff was very friendly and welcoming, and the burger was excellent. The other two items however, caesar salad and tuna tartare, were just ok. When the bill came it included two $9 split plate charges for plates that we did not ask to split. They took it off the bill in the end but it was annoying that it was there in the first place without any advance notification. read more

Excellent food, service and ambiance. It's a bar with an excellent chef. Go early or you'll wait. It's a small place but service is fast. What's odd is that an upscale bar like this doesn't use fresh squeezed lime juice for their cocktails. read more

This place is special. Really wonderful food and you can tell the staff is passionate about putting smiles on their patrons' faces. It's a bit of a tight space and often crowded, but worth the wait. The brisket burger is excellent. The chef came out to deliver desert to us, and I could once again tell that this was someone who loved their job. Wonderful atmosphere and a menu that is both delicious and original. Probably my favorite spot in Highlands, can't recommend enough. read more

Such a friendly place and the food is always delicious with cocktails and wines. Also, a nice ambience.

The food and service was great! We had the candied bacon, focaccia, Brie and Korean eggs. The Korean eggs were by far the table favorite!

Outstanding!! Wedge salad, brisket burger, peanut butter cheesecake. Couldn't be better!

What a surprise to walk in a tavern on a side street in Highlands and experience an incredibly crafted cocktail and appetizers that were over-the-top delicious! Can't wait to go back on my next visit!! read more

Stumbled upon this lil pub when we were looking for dinner This was our best experience in the Highlands on a five day trip The ambiance is fun, the food is farm to table, excellent and priced affordable. The service is excellent, cocktails were great... the best meal we had in the Highlands All weekend Highly recommended read more

Amazing dinner, incredible service and unbelievable desserts! We came back 2 nights in a row, and I'd go back again right now!

Excellent food, friendly staff, happy environment, Bartender Sandy was awesome. We had Caesar salad with salmon, and the salmon was generous and cooked to perfection. Burger with garlic aioli was awesome! read more