Highlands Smokehouse — Restaurant in Highlands

review based on one meal on a specific day. staff taking all Covid precautions. lunch at a lovely spot with a patio just on the outskirts of Highlands, NC. order at the counter and take number out to table. nice day to sit outside. menu includes most of the usual suspects plus a couple outside the box-fried ribs, tacos, sloppy joe. plus a full bar. we went with the two meat platter of Sliced brisket (marbled) and pork baby back ribs. with sides of mac & cheese and the special side today, homemade potato salad. tacos sounded so intriguing we ordered two brisket tacos with a side of slaw. had a wing special today at .25 cents but 6 minimum so passed. our ribs were very good, moist and smoky plus not overcooked. really delicious with the Texas BBQ sauce which has a bit of peppery heat. sweet sauce option just too sweet. as it turns out, i should have chosen the lean brisket over our one slice (1) of too thick cut marbled. mushy texture, too much fat, and low on smoke flavor. maybe on another day. our mac & cheese was delicious-much creamier and smooth than most straight cheddar versions. most certainly had a mix of cheeses-should have asked. really good. the potato salad was also very good with nice blend of pickles and mustard seed. our tacos IMO were quite good, my wife didn't feel the same. the brisket was not as mushy as the product with the platter. also on the tacos was onion straws, cotija (i think) cheese, and a Hatch chili crema that went great with the smoky brisket and wasn't too spicy. all in a flour tortilla which is always my preference for a taco. the slaw that came with these was a definite miss, bland and too wet. pass. even with the misses we enjoyed our meal and would try again with some different choices. a solid B+...

This restaurant is one of the more unique ones I've been to. While many of the restaurants in my reviews are chain restaurants, this one was nice, as it had no big, bold branding, had a very active and homemade atmosphere, and was an overall pleasant experience.

The restaurant was busy when we were there, but the staff were still very welcoming and pleasant to be around. Although we did wait about 25 minutes to get our food, the food, which was made fresh, definitely helped make up for it.

The atmosphere was also very good, there were good smells, sounds, and nice themed decor all around the restaurant. The staff also employed some clever tactics to help with faster cleanup and service, such as using a paper tablecloth on every table, which allowed them to put all of the leftovers on the middle of the table and lift the edges of the paper in order to take all of the food off at once. Then, they replaced the tablecloth for the next group.

The taste of the food was also very authentic. I had just a regular chopped pork sandwich with a side of Smokehouse Beans, and the pork on it's own was amazing, with a slight sweet taste, but still tender and juicy. The beans were not sweet like I expected them to be, but instead were mixed with other ingredients, which made it taste more like chili. Still very good, though. In addition, I had a few pieces of okra, which was salty on the outside, but tasted amazing on the inside.

The portion size is definitely catered more towards adults, and the sides are as big as the entrees. I would recommend splitting your meal with someone if you are having a smaller meal.

Overall, I had a great lunch at this restaurant, and if you're in the area, I definitely recommend...

We visited the smokehouse just yesterday. I think it’s the only (and therefore best) BBQ joint in Highlands. The vibe is split into 3 sections. There’s the deck, an outside picnic patio good for small groups and dog people. There’s the bar, which is fine and friendly. Finally, there’s the indoor tables, which are good for large groups and convenient to order counter.

The bar-person will take orders, but every other seating needs to order at counter. This can get bogged down if large group with kids is ahead of you…becomes a BB Queue then. Soda and water are self-serve. You are asked to bus your own table at end.

Foodwise, it’s big menu with meats done correctly. 🍖 Carolina sauce was excellent. 👊 Sides are a cut above typical with standouts like crispy brussel sprouts. There’s lots of pie desserts and banana pudding. Generous helpings so you will likely have some to take home.

Service staff are great and helpful. Atmosphere feels like you are home with extended family. They do take-out very well, both timing and packaging. If you are living nearby (like me) you come here a lot.

Be careful turning in and out for parking. I have had near accidents due to highway curve and one-way drive. Enter on left side of restaurant and exit on right, always no matter what. Do not shortcut it. 😬Be safe and...