Great place. The vibe, the food, the beer selection, and the service. We'll definitely be back.

I have some mixed feelings about this restaurant and I think, on a different day, I could have had a very different experience. Stopped by here for lunch after hiking at Montreat. Parking can be a bit chaotic, but got lucky enough to find a spot near the restaurant. We were seated promptly and ordered the chili and soup of the day (andouille corn chowder) to warm up a bit. Both soups were a bit disappointing as they were just barely warm instead of hot as I would expect a soup to be. It was definitely warm enough to be edible and we ate our soups, but wouldn't order again if that's the standard temperature for a "hot" dish. For meals we ordered a classic burger and their jerk tilapia tacos. The burger was tasty and good quality; however, the tacos were inedible. I am not a picky eater and I'm not someone unfamiliar with Jamaican food (I have Jamaican family that regularly cooks jerk chicken among other things). When I got the tacos though, it seemed like instead of seasoning/marinating the fish in the jerk seasoning, they cooked them then just poured a thick from-the-store-jar jerk sauce all over them (and possibly mixed in some curry with the cole slaw on top). It was one of the grossest foods I've ever eaten. Even the fish had a strange unnatural texture. I tried two small bites (though after the first I knew it was over) and determined I could not eat it at all. I immediately removed it from in front of me and my partner shared half of her burger with me instead. I did not like the way they prepared the tacos; however, sometimes you just don't like a food and that's okay. What I wasn't happy with was the waitresses's handling of it. I ordered the meal, so I take responsibility for that portion and would not want to ask a waitress to take something back simply because I did not like it. With that being said, the waitress came by numerous times, saw that I had completely moved the taco meal to the side of the table and was eating my partner's food. Yet she never once asked if anything was wrong or what she could do. In fact, when we asked for the check, she asked if I wanted a to-go box for the COMPLETELY uneaten food. When I said no, she didn't even comment on or question the fact that I ordered a dish for what in her mind must have been for no reason at all other than to stare at it. She never asked if something was wrong and we paid the full bill, with the completely uneaten dish included. Again, I did not ask for her to remove it or bring me something different because I feel that's very uncomfortable; however, as a waitresss, she absolutely should have addressed it and attempted to fix it. If she had, this review likely would have been a 5-star one. As she did not, I'm giving it barely 2, mainly for the cute name and the burger I shared. read more

The Trailhead - Warm chili had decent enough flavor, but was nowhere near hot enough. - Burgers Near Me - Black Mountain, North Carolina

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We loved everything about The Trailhead starting with the fried pickles. It was busy, so get there early. It's busy because it's great.

Sooo good! We really enjoyed the Trailhead! Excellent beer battered onion rings were crispy and perfect. My wife and I shared the fried chicken with kales and corn pudding. It was a ton of food and plenty for both of us. And it was delicious! The breading in the chicken was perfect. Others in our party had the tacos, trout, and trailhead burger. Feeding 5 with a couple of drinks and a couple of sodas and the fried onions appetizer was $80. read more

During our stay in Black Mountain, we came here 3 times. That tells you how much we loved it, Haha. The service and the food was great, we got the same server 2/3 times back here. She was wonderful. The prices are very reasonable. They have a daily soup, which was really good! All the food tasted fresh and homemade no frozen item whatsoever. Even the fried was made in house. You can't go wrong with the menu. The first time we all split some appetizer's and didn't realize how full we would get off of those. The tuna dishes were amazing!! They have ahi tuna salad, tacos and the sandwich. The sand which was my personal fav it was super good. The nachos were huge and tasty. The beer was pretty good too! All in all I love this place and want to come again!!! read more

Best place for a burger and a beer. Service is great and it has a low key, relaxed ambiance. One of our favorite places in BMT

Came here with my partner and it was like a diamond in the ruff. I got the Tenderfoot and my partner got the steak (don't remember the name). Both dishes were amazing, so much flavor and at a very reasonable price. The peanut butter pie and key lime pie was delicious. This is a spot that we'll definitely be back to try more! read more

The Trailhead - Tenderfoot - Burgers Near Me - Black Mountain, North Carolina

Great food, great service , awesome hang. Locally sourced too. Chicken and kale / corn entree was insanely good.

We really liked it last year. This year, not so much. They get a star for being one of the few places open Monday nights in Black Mountain. We ordered burgers for take out because it was busy. The lady bartender took my order right away and said it would be about 20 minutes and said she would check periodically - so I sat in a corner in an extra chair. I don't think she ever checked. About 15 minutes later, a male bartender started working too. I asked him to check and he went right over and found the order waiting and gave it to me. He was friendly and nice. I stepped out and got in my car and hungrily grabbed a French fry. It was cold and limp. I tried one from the center of my wife's fry's and it was cold and limp. We had t reheat at home. The burgers did not impress us. The meat was nothing to be impressed about and we had to look really hard under the burger to find the carmelized onions and peppers. The cheese was good. read more

We started off with a wait time that was minimal but ended up being longer than they said. We think the host forgot about us. With two kids that was a bit frustrating but in the end it was worth the wait! Overall this was a good experience and we were happy we ended up here. We were venturing out late and needed somewhere still open and yelp steered us here. If I were to rate our experience solely on the Appalachian Salad I would give it five stars. This salad was so flavorful and full of a variety of textures. There is just something about the way the kale was cooked and grilled, then tossed in a sweet and smokey dressing with tart goat cheese, pickled red onion and lemony roasted chick peas that is indescribable. It sounds good, it looks great but the taste, wowza! I am going to mourn not being able to have this salad until my next visit to the area. It's that good y'all! Our party also had the steak meal with asparagus and mac and cheese with one and handcuff fries with the other. We also had the kids grilled cheese, kids burger and we all spilt the peanut butter pie and the key lime pie. The chimichurri sauce on the steaks was wonderful, the steaks were cooked as asked and were local pasture raised meat. Which is awesome because that hardly happens. My husband really enjoyed his hand cut fries. The mac and cheese was smokey which was a nice surprise for the adults but not so much for the kids. My daughter said the burger was good and she enjoyed her side of corn pudding. My other daughter enjoyed her grilled cheese. We all enjoyed both pies but didn't feel it was anything to write home about. The PB pie was very PB forward which we liked but it was different than other PB pies we've had. The chocolate crust was unique and yummy. Key lime was very tart and not overly sweet. It was yummy, I'm a crust person and wish the crust had a bit more flavor but otherwise it was good. The service was good, nothing outstanding but she was kind and patient with us and checked in regularly. Other than the salad our next favorite thing about this place is the source as much as they can locally. Big points for that! We will revisit if in the area again for the salad alone. read more

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The food was delicious! The service was great; really quick even when busy and they have hard workers. It's such a cute, small town atmosphere. I definitely would come back! read more

Really terrible tasting vegan options. Nice service but seriously awful tasting vegan food. Except the fries. The fries were okay. Will not be dining here again. read more

If you've been to black mountain then you have most likely passed this restaurant! Servers are friendly and pretty down to earth. The ambiance is def a upscale pub vibe (in a inviting way) with really nice outdoor patio space. Trail head is a staple of black mountain and provides a variety of delish food items for very reasonable prices! The nachos are a great shareable with friends and you can def split just one order. I keep coming back for the salmon cakes with chipotle aioli and that mango salsa is mmm mmm popping like grease! read more

Great food and great service. Definitely will be returning. Place was packed for a weekday night, so be prepared to wait.

Great food for great prices. Always have good service and everyone always leaves happy and satisfied. It's a small place so sometimes you have to wait a little bit, but it's never as long as they predict and there's tons of cute shops nearby to keep you entertained while you wait. read more

Amazing lunch at the Trailhead today. The tuna sandwich (can't remember the name) was fantastic, and the soup of the day (veggie curry over rice) made me want to lick the bowl. read more

Service is always awesome, the trailblazer burger (with local meat) is my all time fav and the kids loved their food (fries, fingers and Mac) and they even had some coloring and a game of scavenger hunt for the kids. Love the beer menu and vibe is always top notch. We moved a couple years back and always make a point to stop in when we're around read more

As an avid foodie I can tell you that this place is legit! Everything we had was delicious. Fried pickles, mussels, and onion rings, all a great way to start the meal! Next, we moved on to the main course; the pork and ribeye did not disappoint. All that to say, before we left we were trying to figure out their hours so we could stop back by before our return trip home Sunday. read more

Great service and the best meal I had over a 5 day vacation! Our server was nice, funny and anxious to please. The prices are reasonable. read more

The Trailhead - Chili - Burgers Near Me - Black Mountain, North Carolina

We had the onion rings, fish and chips, and wings. The chipotle bbq wings were better than the garlic parmesan wings in my opinion. The onion rings were superrr good and the sauce that they came with was the perfect pairing. The fish and chips were awesome with what seemed like a homemade tartar sauce. Would definitely recommend a visit! read more

The Trailhead - Burgers Near Me - Black Mountain, North Carolina

Vacationing in Asheville we drove to Black Mountain. Came here for lunch.After we ate lunch my wife went walking and I stayed at the bar. Great service, 19 beers on tap, comfortable bar stools,and excellent food. My wife had the salmon tacos and I had the bean soup (I call it that because I'm from Texas, they call it chili) over all a great experience for us both. You won't be disappointed. read more

Great hangout with good food and ample beers on tap. They have a full bar but we didn't order drinks- only beer. I had the seared tuna spinach salad which was cooked to order (medium for me) & still flavorful. Mate had a great burger & fries with garlic aioli. It was our first trip to Black Mountain and in early March so this was also one of the few restaurants opened past 2pm for lunch. read more

Total gem in Black Mountain. The food is different than most of the other establishments in the area - my salad, the Appalachian Trail, was to die for with: chickpeas tossed in lemon and honey over grilled kale, pickled onions, roasted pepper coulis, and goat cheese. It was exactly what I wanted, something healthy but substantial. There were plenty of options for every person in our group. They also offer a great drink menu with a ton of wine, beer and cocktails. While I did not partake, my friend got a bloody mary and loved it. They were pretty busy on a Saturday morning, but our waitress remained calm and un-phased by the rush. I would definitely recommend. read more

The Trailhead - Appalachian Trail Salad - Burgers Near Me - Black Mountain, North Carolina

My family and I came by for lunch during the week in between working. Everything was great until I placed an order to go. It took about 50 minutes after we were done eating to get a burger and a salad to go. Other tables that had been seated after I ordered were getting their food first. The waitress was really apologetic and I didn't blame her at all since I know she can't control the kitchen. My lunch ended up being 2 hours with everyone in my party leaving to go back to work. Totally unacceptable and I never received a reason for the wait. read more

The food was really good and loved the atmosphere. Food was a little slow but that is to be expected on weekends. I loved their unique take on a BLT. read more

Came here on a Wednesday afternoon around 3PM, had to wait about half an hour for an outdoor table for 5 and a dog, as both indoor and outdoor seating were packed. Once we got seated, we were handed menus and drink orders were taken first. For food, I ordered the trailblazer burger with a side of onion rings, cooked medium. We waited for food to come, and when it did, everyone ate super quickly. My burger was pretty big but not very flavorful, and the beef was overcooked. It was a huge chunk of meat but nothing in the burger stood out. The onion rings came with a good sauce, and that was about the most flavorful item I had. Not too great of a meal, and the sun was also shining in the eyes of half my party. Prices are fair for the size. read more

We had a great time trying out The Trailhead in downtown Black Mountain this past weekend. We arrived around 11 on Saturday morning and it was already busy but there was no wait. The menu isn't extensive but everything we ordered tasted great. They have a dinner menu that's only available in the evenings that we didn't get to order from. We started with a small order of the onion rings. It came with a creamy garlic aioli that was delicious! We quickly ran out and had to ask for more. We both had the Linville fried chicken sandwich. I had mine dipped in hot buffalo sauce. It was nice and crispy but didn't have a ton of breading which was nice. I was only able to eat half of my sandwich because I was so full from the crispy flakey onion rings appetizer. They had an extensive beer menu available as well. I would eat at Trailhead again. The food was delicious, fresh, and the service was quick! I really appreciated our waitresses suggestions on what to order. The only downfall of this restaurant is that parking can limited because it is in downtown Black Mountain. read more

The Trailhead - Linville chicken - Burgers Near Me - Black Mountain, North Carolina

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It's always busy. Unfortunately for locals... we almost never get to enjoy this place bc so many tourists bombard this restaurant. But it's delicious and consistent and good prices. read more

Yelp let me down on this one. We chose The Trailhead because they offer gluten free options. Somehow, we fell through the cracks as far as service goes. I think the hostess forgot about us. We had a beer at the bar while we waited (it also took forever to get a beer while the overworked bartender made frou-frou watermelon drinks). When we finally got seated, our food took forever. Other people who arrived after us were eating dessert before we got anything. I ordered the daily special and my husband ordered a burger. Our visit took over 2 hours. This one was a miss. read more

The Trailhead - Good beer selection - Burgers Near Me - Black Mountain, North Carolina

Excellent food, the onion rings are perfect the Linville Falls (chicken sandwich) with the sauce you want is awesome. Service is kind and attentive. Mi favorite spot to eat in Black Mountain read more

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Great food, great service, EXCELLENT prices!! What can I say? This place has a great atmosphere and even better drink selection. We are visiting on vacation and have been two nights in a row! The State Chicken is amazing, the Tender Foot (pork tenderloin) is stellar, the polenta cakes and Mac & cheese were the best!! If you are in this area, it's definitely worth checking out. They even have patio seating and allow for animals outside. read more

We enjoyed our time and lunch at the trailhead . Our waiter made sure to make our experience one to enjoy. He was assigned to the outdoor area which was the most popular since the weather was prefect. My husband always enjoys fish and chips and the dipping sauce made it great . I had salmon tacos. They were just what I expected . We haven't ever tried this place because we have other favorites in town but it will add it to our lists now. read more

We happened upon this restaurant while passing through Black Mountain. They have an interesting menu with decent options to please most. Our server, Dee, is a treasure. I don't think I have ever had a more thoughtful server. She asked us whether we wanted a blind to be lowered as we were sitting in a sunny spot. When I was debating between 2 choices, she offered to bring me a taste of each. She asked me for a backup choice of wine in case they were out of my first. She asked me if I wanted the leftover sauce from my mussels which I had devoured. Just couldn't have been nicer. We both enjoyed our meals as well! read more

Second visit to the Trailhead, and we're glad we returned! Black Mountain is a stop we often make on a two day trip home from Atlanta, so we're happy to have found a place we love. MANY vegetarian and fish/seafood options, which is a plus for us. Helpful and fun staff, lively atmosphere (even on a Monday night!) We would definitely visit again on our next trip through Black Mountain. read more

It's not a bad spot, waiter was super friendly and it's got a fantastic vibe! Food was just ok, maybe it was the the time of night but for us the flavors were all over the place. The wings were doused in rosemary and really tasted very strange...not Cajun at all...just overpowered with rosemary...so strange. The Nachos were good but had another crazy flavor, can't but my thumb on it but tasted like cumin...I know crazy right. Whatever the case super odd and not a tasty flavor for nachos. Fried Pickles, super heavy batter and a but soggy with grease...I would pass on those...just don't order them. The Pub Fires were fantastic and that's what would be my go to item. Large portion and super tasty. It's worth a second trip back. read more

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Spent the afternoon in Black Mountain and decided to stop for lunch and a beer. My husband and I had been here once a few years ago and decided to stop again. We went in around 3/4pm on a Saturday and there was plenty of seating available. We sat at the bar since there was some college football on tv. We were greeted right away with a water, which was appreciated for sure! The food is local and pretty cheap compared to other places! We started out with an IPA onion ring appetizer ($5.25 I think). It was a TON of onion rings. Way larger serving than we thought. Enough for 2 people and maybe 3, depending on appetites. They sauce served with it was very tasty. They are tempura breaded onion rings, which are my favorite, but very messy. I got the portobello mushroom "burger" and it was very good ($8.75 I think). My husband got the trailhead burger and thought it was delicious ($9ish). All burgers and sandwiches came with fries or a side salad. They have a solid beer list option and they are a good price, about $5-$6 a beer. They also serve wells and cocktails. Overall, we thought it was great. Better than normal "bar food", good beers, and nice environment. Would definitely go again. read more

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We came in for a beer and were seated on the patio. People were seated after us and got service before us. We finally had the waitress acknowledge that we were there and she said she would be right back for our order. We sat there for a while longer and she never came back so we left. read more

Overall the food and drink were delicious, and our waitress was phenomenal. A member of our party had an unusual food allergy and the waitress went out of her way to find options and make substitutions. In particular we were very impressed by the watermelon margarita and BLT sandwich. The only reason I gave them 4 stars instead of 5 was the overall poor time management. We were originally told it would be a 20-25 minute wait and it ended up being 50 minutes, after which we were seated at a table that had been empty for at least a half hour. Once seated it took over an hour for our meals to be served. It seemed like the kitchen was super backed up. read more

The fact that Trailhead doesn't have a five star rating is a crime! Located in downtown Black Mountain, it's a cool spot with a hippie vibe! Known for their burgers, I had to try their trailhead burger which didn't disappoint! A 1/2lb of pure beef cooked to your temperature! Knowing I wouldn't be by here for a long time, we also sampled the fish n chips! The amount of fish was extremely generous and fresh as hell! The tartar was fantastic, and when used to dip your house cut fries...wow! The ale battered onion rings are simply the best I've ever had, and is a must with every visit! Just to avoid being judged, I won't even mention their incredible peanut butter pies with chocolate drizzle! That would be just wrong to order as you wouldn't eat for days after a healthy meal like this..... read more

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Excellent selection draft craft, rotating. Fresh lime juice for margaritas! Really makes a difference. Awesome fish fry. Creative daily soups, specials. Great ribeye, homemade onion rings, awesome menu. And friendly service. read more