The Social Boone — Restaurant in Boone

Came here for lunch on a vacation to Boone with a few friends on July 19th. So this is really just about the lunch experience.

We were all caught off guard by how good the food was. Some cocktails were taken off the menu, but the mocktails and cocktails available were great.

But the food, particularly for a lunch menu, was outstanding. My wife said it was the best BLT she ever had, which is a weird flex for a BLT. I tried it, and she was right. The tomato infusion into the focaccia bread was an interesting and amazing decision from the kitchen, avocado was a plus, and every ingredient was perfectly arranged. It's hard to describe how something as basic as a BLT could be extraordinary, but here I am writing about a BLT.

I got the Social Burger. Here's how it's listed on the menu: "certified angus beef patty, bleu cheese, blistered tomatoes, caramelized onions, mayo, potato bun." So imagine everything in that flavor profile coming out perfectly balanced and that's exactly what it was. And yes it was great.

The most interesting decision was the standard side: Jean's Beans. Other sides, like fries, were an additional charge for substitution, so I wanted to know more about these beans. They were perfectly cooked, chilled, and dressed. And a welcome side combination that was neither as heavy as french fries nor as jaw fatiguing as the typical iceberg lettuce side salad.

Every single thing at our table was great. The bahn mi sandwich, the roasted carrots, the Korean corndog, and the collard greens. My only potential food complaint is that I ordered my burger medium rare. It looked more medium than medium rare. But after I started eating it, I simply did not care. Kitchen may have heard me ask for medium rare and simply said "nope, this burger comes medium." And you know what, they were right.

The atmosphere is fine. Again, we were there for lunch, so we weren't looking for a cocktail hour and conversations with strangers. The open atmosphere and the walls allow for a bit of noise, and it was a little hard to talk to each other without raising our voices. But, again, the food was amazing and we were there for food. We couldn't have asked for a better lunch experience.

It's my understanding that The Social is fairly new. And I hope my group didn't experience lightning in a bottle. There's a lot of great restaurants in and around Boone, but on a whim we went to The Social because it didn't appear to be as busy as surrounding eateries (my wife was skeptical at first, and pointed out some empty tables). We were shocked to get lunch prepared by gastronomical mad scientists. Dr. Ian Malcolm famously stated in Jurassic Park "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should." I don't know what vetting happens in the kitchen, but everything I tasted came from the mind of a person that decided "I can and I will." And in that one hour, on a rainy and hot afternoon in July, our party agreed with everything your kitchen did. I expect we will be in Boone next year. I expect to look up your menu before we get there. And I know things can change rather quickly. But for the time being, as long as your kitchen keeps doing what it's doing, if someone tells me they're going to Boone I'll be sure to tell them "Get lunch at The Social."

We were served by Grace. She communicated very well, was very responsive, and was receptive to our compliments. I think she's rooting for you like my party is rooting for...

Great atmosphere, great food, and really friendly staff.

I have cooked at some very nice fusion style restaurants, and I can credibly say that The Social Boone gets it right.

The asian meatballs balance flavor well with the meat being lightly spiced so as not to dominate the dish. The dish is brought together with the lemongrass dipping sauce that has a flavor that is familiar, but you can not place it.

The fried chicken was my favorite by far. The chefs bled of spices and batter create a unique crunch and taste. The chicken was so perfectly cooked that it simply melted when eaten. The mouth feel is hard to describe as chicken tenders are generally anything but tender. I equated them to something like a fresh fired mushroom. Absolutely amazing!

For mains, I had the Shawarma burger. The chicken is ground, tender, and perfectly spiced. Not one flavor dominates the dish and allows for the subtle flavor of the toum, veggies, and even bun to shine. I mentioned to my son, after finishing the sandwich, that I could eat another. Like many of the dishes on the menu, this is gluten-free by design, so no mods needed!

My son had the social burger and liked it as well. The French fries are also very good. It's a simple thing to overlook. Easy to do, hard to do exceptionally.

The experience was amazing and a great start to our food journey this week. The Chef/Owner regaled us with stories of travel and work in kitchens across the planet. The love of the people and cultures that influenced his palate and inspired the menu are apparent.

I wish I had more time in Boone so that we could eat there again. A good reason to return! Also on the plus side, the menu prices are very reasonable and actually seemed a bit low compared to dishes at restaurants of similar quality in other...

I tried The Social in Boone for the first time last night. I’ve been very excited to go and it exceeded every single expectation I had. I did not make reservations, and was informed the wait would be 2 hours (expected on a Saturday night in a very busy town) and decided I was going to hang around the area to get on the waitlist because I was determined. I am SO glad we did because it was only 45 minutes, which gave plenty of time to walk around and explore the nearby shops, and it was WELL worth the wait. The place was booming with people and you overhead everyone talking about how great the experience was. The service was immaculate, the food was extraordinary, and the drinks looked divine (I didn’t have any because I was driving, but I will be back to try some soon). The focaccia and Korean corndogs were a hit. I got the social burger and fries and my friend got the pan roast - both were phenomenal. Best burger I’ve ever had. I have raved about it to everyone I know and cannot wait for the chance to go back again and take some more friends and family. This was the best dining experience I’ve had from the delightful waitress to the charming interior. 5 stars....