Milton's Cuisine & Cocktails — Restaurant in Black Mountain

Update: the General Manager, Ken Floyd, promptly contacted me and offered a complimentary meal due to the service we received. He indicated that these issues were corrected with additional training. I’m very satisfied and grateful that he did the right thing. Every restaurant deserves a chance to make things right. So I’m updating my review to 4 stars until we come back, which we will. I justify this based on the very good meals we did enjoy, my wife’s Black Sea Bass over Quinoa, and my Southern-Style Fried Chicken with Haricot Ver and Crispy Red Potatoes. Our Carrot Cake dessert was also very good. So, give them a try and let’s hope their service issues are fixed!

Our server Austin, was the shining star who helped us recover from a terrible start at Milton’s on the evening of 2 July 2023. I feel strongly about supporting eateries, especially local restaurants. So my comments are based on helping Milton’s improve their manager and hostess skills, which were the worst we’ve ever experienced in dining the last 5 years. Despite a reservation made a week ago, specifically indicating that this was a special dinner celebrating my wife’s retirement, we were placed in a side room used for breakfast and made to wait for 30 min while they seated walk-ins in the main dining room. I finally lost my patience after people after us were offered water, silverware, and a drink. I calmly went to the hostess stand and asked for the manager. Of the 2 young women there, one said he’s not here and I’m in charge. I told here wait had occurred and that I’d like a nice table as I had identified in the original reservation. She gave no apology, her demeanor became irritated, and she barked at someone to check on a certain table while I stood there. We ultimately went to a nice table off the dining room, and met Austin who did his magic to make it a decent night. Food was good and ambiance was nice. Nobody ever came to apologize or even offer some sort of compensation. Austin realized how badly things started and comped us a dessert. Front restaurant staff need additional training to deal with problems that come up like those last night: weather, reservations, special occasions, etc. I’ll be interested to hear if anyone from Milton’s...

What started out as a reasonably pleasant outing at a relatively new restaurant gradually devolved into a far less satisfying experience. We arrived on time, were seated promptly and began to make our selections. Drinks came, then bread, then appetizers, then....nothing. We didn't see our waitress for about 1/2 hr. then she stopped by the table briefly to say our meals would be out in just a couple of minutes. About 1/2 hr after, another waitress refilled our water glass. About that same time the owner came over and began to apologize for the delay, which would have been fine. But then he had the brass to tell us that they had two parties of 6 that had arrived and now that they had taken care of them, they could turn our attention to us. Like a party of 2 didn't really matter very much. Even though two other parties of 2, who had arrived after us, had been served already. Maybe if we had ordered Crepes Suzette such a delay would still have been tolerable. But my dinner was a simple green salad with grilled chicken on the top. Nothing fancy. Nothing that should have taken 1+ hrs. Just before the entrees arrived we finally see our waitress again and asked for some more bread. Sorry to say that we never got any and didn't see her again until it was time to leave. Then the manager returned and tossed a couple of cards on the table for "free appetizers." I suppose he thought we'd be thrilled with his generosity and that we might return at some point in the future to use them. When my salad finally arrived, the chicken on top wasn't grilled. It appeared to have been fried to the consistency of boot leather - cold, hard, tough to cut even with a steak knife. I guess a party of 2 still didn't have much sway with the kitchen or management at that point. So I guess we won't be using the free appetizer coupon anytime soon. Thanks anyway. 6 PM on a Saturday night and you can't reasonably handle a salad with grilled chicken inside of an hour because you're "overwhelmed?" Maybe you're in the wrong business. And maybe, if you're planning on dining out in Black Mountain, an otherwise lovely and friendly town, you should pick another place until these folks can get their...

The company out of Atlanta that bought the Monte Vista Hotel from the family that owned it has taken this place to a much different level. The restaurant, which is now called Milton’s, has gone even to a higher level with both food and service that is fantastic. The new general manager came to the property from the Grove Park Inn and he is giving them a run for their money on a smaller, more intimate scale. My wife and I ate there two nights in a row, while visiting Black Mountain to go fly fishing and we may go back again tonight. She had the corn meal crusted flounder the first night and a blade roast the second night and couldn’t decide which was better. I had the hanger steak the first night and didn’t hesitate to order it again the second night. Absolutely incredible both nights. If we go back tonight I may try the rabbit. Our server Fred was one of the nicest people I’ve ever met and was very attentive without hovering. A hard balance to strike, but he did a great job. I just cannot say enough wonderful things about him. Overall a very wonderful experience and we will be coming here every time we come...