We stopped at this little gem of a place for breakfast and LOVED it! The food and service were both amazing! I highly recommend!

The only game in town for Breakfast on a Sunday- well worth it - awesome experience and phenomenal owner who understands the value of the customer. Great food and great service. read more

I did 3 stars because the food was really great. My family and I are on vacation here & this was our first stop with food. Took our 3 kids to breakfast here, the Greek omelet was phenomenal. My kids all enjoyed their food as well, & brought home food for the hubby as he stayed behind this morning. He loved it too. But. My debit card was denied. (Because we are on vacation from Georgia) & while she was nicer before we left, the manager was pretty rude about it when she came over to the table to ask if I had another form of payment. (Which I only had another card from the same bank.. & it also was frozen to prevent fraud.) I didn't have my cell phone with me (again, vaca mode) so finally reached my husband on our teens phones & he took care of the issue, but I will just say I won't be going back regardless of the food because of how I was made feel while eating there with my children. We own 2 restaurants & we've also both worked in the food service industry so I just would expect this to be handled in a more professional and friendly way. read more

The food was excellent, the waitress was attentive. However the " Heavy set Blonde older woman " self in charge of the waitresses was rude to customers, myself included. Hope she is not the owner, as that would be a poor reflection on the business. read more

Awesome breakfast. Great service. Prices are reasonable. Staff was courteous and friendly.

We have been regulars for breakfast since buying our weekend home in Cashiers in late 2018. We have overlooked the rudeness of the female hostess (and I think owner?) from day one because options for breakfast in Cashiers are limited. It seems that she socializes with the locals and snubs anyone else. It's like she has a chip on her shoulder. And as friendly as the waitstaff typically are, you never know when your order will be taken, drinks refilled, and when your check will arrive. We've only been here for breakfast and the food is typically well prepared. It's the only reason that's kept us going back. Until now. We just had another rude experience by aforementioned hostess and we will not step foot back in the restaurant again. Bottom line: if you treat people respectfully and are a paying customer, why would you repeatedly go to an establishment and spend your hard earned dollars in a place that doesn't treat you respectfully? read more

Fabulous breakfasts and lunches! Great quiches, omelets and sandwiches. Very reasonably priced! Convenient location, in Slabtown. You can take your dog if you want to eat at one of the small tables out front. read more

Totally a waste of time . The hostess should have been fired along time ago . I wish we had looked the previous reviews before going to this absolute waste of time totally not worth the UNNECESSARY inefficiency !! I give it a negative review! They should bring it back for hospitality lessons AND start at stage zero!!! Will not see me back there again.... read more

We had the most unpleasant experience ever at this NC eatery. The venue and food were good -- but the service was horrendous. We were served by a 30-something black haired woman who was extremely rude and inattentive. Its a shame that a hard working entrepreneur's efforts can be undermined by a bad apple. read more

We were from out of town and came in for breakfast for the ending of an adventurously vacation. They were busy but had several tables open. The waitress saw our group of 5 ( 2 adults and 3 children) and sighed. She was rude and said it would be more than 30 minutes. We left so much for southern hospitality. Sure won't return. read more

Visited for brunch on Sunday. The quiche and banana pancakes were great (I'm a pancake nut). Like other reviews, had to wait forever to be waited on and when we tried to pay. The waitress was fine, the hostess iffy. If you've got time and patience, worth a stop. If not, keep driving! read more

This is one of those reviews that's really hard to write. Like a pubescent teenager, I went through an array of different emotions when I thought about what I could write. Listen, I get it. Choices are limited in this area. I can name on one hand all the establishments open for breakfast hours. Zookeeper happens to be one of them. Despite its shortcoming we came here more often than other places because 1. it was clean and 2. the servers were friendly. When it came to the food, it was o-k. And I say okay at best. There was nothing terrible about it but there wasn't anything great about it either. My breakfast potatoes were lacking flavor, my eggs bene were mediocre and my waffle was just your standard run of the mill waffle. For the prices you're paying I would expect a little more pizazz. I guess the bottom line is the food wasn't worth the price tag for me. There was another place in town that I thought had better food but the place was just too dingy in my opinion. It was a bit off putting, so we opted for Zookeeper several times. My other compliant was the service was so slow. At this point I've come to accept the fact that service is just slower in this area but things were just too slow for me here. I mean thank god it's 2016 and I have an iPhone... also thank god for Pokémon Go and the fact the Zookeeper's Bistro is a stop because that's what I did to keep myself occupied during my wait. Now it may seem that I have done a lot of complaining but there are upsides to Zookeeper's. The main upside is that every time we went, our servers were great. Slow service and mediocre food can be overlooked when you have stellar service. Our servicers were friendly and engaging, they checked in on us and made sure our drinks were filled. When it comes down to it, if there was better option in town I'd overlook the bistro. But there isn't. Was it good? Um, yeah it was okay. I wasn't impressed by any mean in regards to the food but it's clean and the staff was pleasant. read more

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We loved our visit to Zookeepers Bistro. Such a lovely breakfast stop to kickstart our day of adventuring in the mountains. The food was reasonably priced, had a fantastic selection and was absolutely delicious!! We were most impressed with the impeccable service. Staff were kind, prompt, and made us feel safe. Also noticed a 100 sanitation rating. Fantastic! read more

Yikes, this place is definitely a zoo, but seems to be in need of a keeper! After waiting 40+ minutes for our food on a Sunday (with about 3 other tables occupied in the place) we finally got the excuse we were looking for to just get up and leave. The waitress came by, no apology, just to say that "there's been a poached egg incident" (?) and the food would be out shortly. Several more minutes pass and then the kitchen door swings open as a waiter goes in, and the chef yells loud enough to be heard throughout the restaurant "I'm tired of this sitting here, get this f***ing sh** out there!" After the initial startle of hearing that colorful language on a Sunday morning at a little restaurant in Cashiers... we all got up and left, realizing that he was probably talking about our food sitting there getting cold. Glad we left, and we for sure will not be returning. read more

Zookeeper has a terrific French onion soup that keeps me and Sophia coming back for more. They also have a daily homemade soup that is always delicious. If salads are your thing, they have a good selection, too. Their chicken salad is a winner. We haven't had a bad meal here, and the menu is extensive enough for everyone to find something to their liking. Good iced tea is a must for me and Zookeeper's is very good. The wait staff are friendly and welcoming. The owners are always present and keep the place humming. I would give them 5 stars instead of 4 but the decor is a bit spartan. We come here for the food though, and we're never disappointed. read more

Zookeeper Bistro - Here is the chicken salad salad. Yum! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cashiers, North Carolina

In town for the weekend. Had Brunch here!! Food was amazing the staff excellent. Wait time was acceptable and really just had a great time! Will definitely be teturning read more

Small unassuming tuck away. Doesn't promise anything and delivers good ol country cooking w fresh ingredients perfectly cooked. Had brunch w Zookeepers Benedict and waffle w eggs. Standard, but good. Staff attentive but not intrusive. Would return, would recommend. read more

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Dropped in for brunch and I could not be happier with our choice. I looooved my Mediterranean omelet, with a side of fruit and a perfectly cooked scratch biscuit, with black coffee! The only thing to harp on is the "sad lighting," as my significant other puts it. All the fixtures have the cool blue bulbs that makes you feel like you're on a factory floor. Ya gotta go full spectrum/3000K temperature read more

Not only open on Sundays, but serving brunch til 2 pm! A true find! We had a delightful Sunday brunch here in early August 2017, after getting turned away from another restaurant at 11:15, that had stopped serving breakfast at 11:00. Disappointing. The reviews here were mixed - but our meal was not! It was absolutely delightful. Service was friendly and fast, and food was hot and fresh, including what seemed to be hand cut potatoes for the side. I had a Philly cheese steak omelet, and my hubs had a custom mix omelet, which was so good, he was wishing we lived closer to this restaurant. So, there you go. We'll definitely stop by here again when in the area. read more

Although the food was just okay, not great, the staff were unfriendly to the point of rudeness. They didn't tell us we had to use our phones to see a menu and were snarky about it when we asked for a menu. They made us wait forever to order even though they weren't busy and there were three servers standing around talking to their friends at a table rather helping people who were waiting. They took a half hour to bring the breakfast food. I won't back and I don't recommend this place. read more

Pricey for what you get, but it's great food. The potatoes and egg skillet meal is deliciously large and tastes so darn good. Pretty easy to navigate the menu, nothing too snooty. The service here has always been pretty good and we've come with very young kids and it's been ok. Nothing here really stands out as super-amazing, but it's all just the basics and they do it solidly, if not a bit pricey, but I think that's a Cashier's thing. read more

Great breakfast menu for a low key bfast spot in Cashiers. Have some more exotic takes on the usuals, as well as your typical brunch staples. Ambience is nothing special but food and service is worth returning for. read more

Great food and great service! Omelet's, pancakes and anything in between! The owners are very nice and typically at the door greeting everyone! read more

Just awful! The name of the business is correct! It's a zoo! If you like to eat at a zoo and be treated like you belong there then this is your place...otherwise RUN !! Mediocre food, mediocre service and overpriced paper plates and plastic utensils, I'm surprised this place is still open read more

The food is excellent! However, the experience is not what is could be because the staff are not responsive and the owner is almost always grumpy and short with patrons. Arrived at 8:00 one morning and didn't get our food until 9:15. So, during tourist season, plan on waiting. read more

We spend every summer in Cashiers and know all of the local restaurants. There is no better place here than this place for breakfast and lunch. The burgers are fantastic and I have never had a better fried fish sandwich. The service is quick but the attitude is reserved and not gushy friendly. Not rude though in my many visits here. My opinion is shared by locals those know Cashiers well. read more

Delicious food and friendly staff. Following guidelines for safe eating during COVID-19. We would definitely return. I would recommend the egg sandwich on sourdough. read more

We were visiting the area because we had heard how nice it is. Decided to eat breakfast at this Bistro. We will never go back. First of all, when we got there, several tables were empty. We were told there would be a 30 minute wait. As we waited, some of the locals arrived. They were seated before we were. Finally got a table after waiting 45 mins. There were only 2 waitresses working. They had 2 high school age kids making sure we had refills on coffee. When we finally got our food almost an hour later, my toast was burnt. The presentation left much to be desired. The atmosphere felt like a hole in the wall. Too bad there's not anything better in this area for breakfast. So disappointing! read more

As soon as we walked in and asked for the large table for our party of 7 hostess was rude. It took over twenty minutes for someone to ask for our order. Before someone came we flagged the hostess to see if someone could please take our order. She said someone would be there soon. I mentioned it had been over twenty minutes and she looked down her nose at us and just repeated herself. The food didnt arrive for another 45 minutes. We were starving with a toddler who managed to be very patient. We asked how long it would e at about 30 minutes after we ordered and again, the same rudeness. We wont be back. The food was not worth the wait. The home fries were just pre-cut frozen. The coleslaw was good. Ugh. The worst service ever. read more

The food was excellent, and the portions were more than enough. My husband had a Greek Omelette and Biscuits and Gravy. He said it was the best omelette he'd ever had. I had the caramel apple French toast and sausage links. Yummy! The sausage was delicious, and the French toast was to die for! The staff was very welcoming, attentive and the food came out right on time. We would definitely come back here again! read more

DO NOT WASTE THE TIME OR MONEY! Bad service Rude atmosphere Very rude to children Kept being asked (what else do you want? With a super bad attitude) when we needed refills on drinks I only give this establishment a 1 because I cannot give it a zero. The food is mediocre and there was only one mildly friendly worker there. They gave us a very weird vibe and were rude to our children. The waitress we had was not bad and tried to be friendly but the hostess and other woman handing out food made my and my family feel like we were inconveniencing them by coming in. We spent over $100 on breakfast and when they brought the the check they already filled out the tip line. My children all under 11 years old are very kind and polite. They say thank you at every chance and cause no disturbances amongst other customers. I literally had to download the Yelp app to write a review because I've never felt the need to complain like this but this was worse than going to a McDonalds in the middle of a ghetto neighborhood at 3:00 a.m. Literally the worst dining experience I have ever had in my entire life. My children were still eating and they started clearing their tables. Very upsetting and very disturbing that people would ever consider this place more than once. read more

Great crab cakes. Nice, quiet place, right in town.. ............. would come back. Soup and sandwiches look good, too read more

Zookeeper Bistro - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cashiers, North Carolina

Good breakfast. I really like the breakfast potatoes and pancakes. Decor could use some work, but def worth going to.

Had breakfast on a rainy Saturday morning. The Zookeeper wasn't that busy. The service is pretty good. Someone is constantly roaming with a hot pot of coffee and my cup was never empty. I like that. But it took a long time to get food out of the kitchen. And when it came, it wasn't hot. I know that breakfast is one of those meals that cools quickly, but my plate had obviously been sitting in the window too long. The eggs were over salted. The ham was undercooked (I know it was fully cooked before it went on the flat top, but it needed a bit of time to firm up), and the potatoes were just potatoes. It has been said before that this place doesn't have a lot of breakfast competition. It's a good thing, otherwise the business would be in trouble. Nice people, poor product. Thanks read more

I've been spending 25 years in Cashiers and have been to all of the local restaurants. This is by far the best for breakfast and lunch. Everything is good. Best fish sandwich I've ever had. Wonderful hash browns. Great omelette. Terrific Reuben. read more

This is our second time in Cashiers, North Carolina and my family and I only wish we found this restaurant sooner! The food is affordable And spectacularly delicious. They serve breakfast lunch and dinner. We will be back - possibly in the same trip! This will be a staple in our trips to come. read more

This is a great breakfast in CASHIERS. Service great, food excellent. We had inlets and they were fluffy not greasy even though I order cheese and sausage with mine. The sausage was a bit burned but I loved it cause grease was gone! It's crumbled. Biscuit was good and price very reasonable. Service was wonderful no grumpy people like folks talked about. Thanks for great Bfast! read more

Great service! Great food! Just moved to cashiers and we have visited twice. Give it a try!

5 of us ate breakfast 2 days in a row. No complaints about anything. Smoked salmon omelet was great. read more

Slow service and rude/indifferent staff. Food is good. If you're in a hurry, you might want to move on. read more

Zookeeper Bistro - Staff is rude and indifferent. Food is good. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cashiers, North Carolina