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✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in
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Upscale establishment offering American fusion fine dining, a romantic ambiance & lakefront seating.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 1536 Franklin Rd, Highlands, NC 28741
Phone: (828) 526-2338
Website: http://www.ontheverandah.com/
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On The Verandah | Fine Dining | Highlands, NC
About the Restaurant. Enjoy your meal and the view at On The Verandah in Highlands, North Carolina. We are an international cuisine and seafood restaurant …
On the Verandah | Highlands NC – Facebook
American Fusion Fine Dining. Highlands’ best food, service and ambiance overlooking beautiful Lake
On The Verandah – Highlands!
Enjoy your meal and the view at On The Verandah in Highlands, North Carolina. We are an international cuisine and seafood restaurant with a focus on mixing …
Reviews
Valik Solorzano
The location is good and the environment and interior fits the region (rural area). We were welcomed and seated at a very nice table. It was dark outside so we were not able to enjoy the Lake view (not their fault). The waiter did a great job providing the specials . We ordered the ribeye and the duck. Texture wise and taste were ok, but both were served from our perspective below temperature ( and I mean the preparation was medium rare which was good) but the meet itself was below room temperature which made it difficult to taste the actual flavor of both types of meat. The wine selection was excellent. In general I would say given the price range the plates should be served warm so that eating it does not get cold too soon.
… moreAndrea Gabbard
What a wonderful evening. We enjoyed the shrimp special and the filet mignon – both were perfect! And don’t forget to order dessert: I had the bread pudding …. (so yummy) and my husband had the ice cream.
We usually come here for special occasions … but it looks like we will be coming here more often.
… moreWe usually come here for special occasions … but it looks like we will be coming here more often.
Paul Duffe
Update 10/21/2024 Back in Highlands and back to The Verandah for another delicious dinner! A huge thank you to Carissa and everyone who made our evening so great. Below is my previous review from April and I stand by every word!!! It’s nice to know one can revisit a reputable establishment that consistently meets expectations. Thank you again. I’m already looking forward to my next visit!!
***Review from April 2024
—Wow! Just wow! Great food, great staff, and a great atmosphere. The evening view of the lake was spectacular. From the moment we walked in we were greeted warmly and that set the tone for the evening. The view from our table overlooking the lake could not have been better -And the food!! We had the Calamari, Caesar salad, Filet Mignon, and the Halibut. Every dish was delicious! I will definitely be visiting again soon. The staff were friendly, helpful, and attentive. A huge thanks to all for making it a great evening.
… more***Review from April 2024
—Wow! Just wow! Great food, great staff, and a great atmosphere. The evening view of the lake was spectacular. From the moment we walked in we were greeted warmly and that set the tone for the evening. The view from our table overlooking the lake could not have been better -And the food!! We had the Calamari, Caesar salad, Filet Mignon, and the Halibut. Every dish was delicious! I will definitely be visiting again soon. The staff were friendly, helpful, and attentive. A huge thanks to all for making it a great evening.
Alan Kline
this was one of the better places food-wise we tried on our trip to the Highlands. Our server, Jessica, was top-notch, fun, and provided a good dining experience. The food was OK. We tried the lobster appetizer which was miniscule for the price, and the halibut special and spicy Thai shrimp mains. The shrimp took the prize for best tasting dish of the night.
We arrived early for a cocktail at the bar, and they have creative and well-made creations. The bartender was great and took great pride in making the drinks!
The view is not what everyone makes of it unless you have one of three tables where you could actually see something, and the decor needs a major makeover. Felt like we were in an old stuffy country club dining room. Overall though, much better food than some other places around town for the price.
… moreWe arrived early for a cocktail at the bar, and they have creative and well-made creations. The bartender was great and took great pride in making the drinks!
The view is not what everyone makes of it unless you have one of three tables where you could actually see something, and the decor needs a major makeover. Felt like we were in an old stuffy country club dining room. Overall though, much better food than some other places around town for the price.
Robert Green
Lovely place on a lake. Super expensive for what you get. Very small limited menu. Trout was thin and hard to get skin off. The small dab of vegetables was a bit of a joke. Wife had the pork chop which was good but not great. Sides were all very small portions. Wine prices were crazy high. The live music and romantic atmosphere was great!
… moreDavid Martin
This is our first time to On The Verandah and it was outstanding. The location is spot on with a beautiful view of the lake from their dining room.
The food was exquisite as we had the local trout and a Chef special of a braised short rib. Quite yummy. Carissa and Ryan were extremely attentive and were spot on with their suggestions.
We will absolutely go there again next year.
… moreThe food was exquisite as we had the local trout and a Chef special of a braised short rib. Quite yummy. Carissa and Ryan were extremely attentive and were spot on with their suggestions.
We will absolutely go there again next year.
Justine Vild
We had a delicious meal here for my 50 birthday. From cocktail to creme brulee, we highly enjoyed everything. Service was great as well. Not sure if this would be a good restaurant for a sunset dinner as it was late when we arrived, but the restaurant itself was lovely. We had a reservation but there was plenty of seating open at 7.30pm on a Sunday evening.
… moreLen McCook
We had requested a seat with a view. When I realized we were not going to be seated near the windows and told the hostess our wishes that were in our Resy reservation she just shrugged and said they were busy. I would recommend the host/hostess at least express that they wish they could seat us where we requested and were sorry the request could not be accommodated. The menu is very limited. What you see is what you get. We requested to sub out Moroccan veggies with mash potatoes and we were told no by the chef. They did not have enough mashed potatoes. Our waiter was fine and tried. The food was good just not what we wanted. I am old school. I feel you should try to please the customer. We will not go back.
… moreoinksmith
Where do I start?
My wife and I were seated in the sunroom overlooking the lake — a lovely idea in theory, but the windows were so grimy they hadn’t been cleaned in months, making the “view” nearly pointless.
The first red flag came from the menu. The restaurant’s website still displays prices from 2020, which are significantly lower than what’s charged in-house. It’s misleading, especially for a fine-dining establishment.
I started with the mushroom soup, which was completely tasteless. The portion was barely more than a cup, yet it was priced at $18. My entrée, the duck in curry sauce, came with exactly four green beans and a tablespoon of couscous. Nearly every dish featured either mashed potatoes or couscous; when I asked to substitute couscous for mashed potatoes, there was an additional $6 upcharge — for a spoonful.
The drink prices were Las Vegas-level steep. I ordered a Hendrick’s martini with blue cheese–stuffed olives, and the bill showed separate charges: $20 for the gin, $5 for a splash of vermouth, and $2 for the two olives — totaling $27 for a single martini.
We finished with dessert and two Irish Coffees, which turned out to be another surprise: $13 each for the Baileys and $3 each for the coffee, totaling $32 for two Irish Coffees. For context, an entire bottle of Baileys Irish Cream retails for about $23.
Finally, the service sealed the evening’s tone. Our server was relentless — constantly badgering us for add-ons, upgrades, and “chef’s recommendations.” What should have been a relaxed dinner felt more like a sales pitch from start to finish.
Bottom line: Beautiful lakeside location, disappointing food, inflated prices, and the most aggressive upselling we’ve ever experienced.
… moreMy wife and I were seated in the sunroom overlooking the lake — a lovely idea in theory, but the windows were so grimy they hadn’t been cleaned in months, making the “view” nearly pointless.
The first red flag came from the menu. The restaurant’s website still displays prices from 2020, which are significantly lower than what’s charged in-house. It’s misleading, especially for a fine-dining establishment.
I started with the mushroom soup, which was completely tasteless. The portion was barely more than a cup, yet it was priced at $18. My entrée, the duck in curry sauce, came with exactly four green beans and a tablespoon of couscous. Nearly every dish featured either mashed potatoes or couscous; when I asked to substitute couscous for mashed potatoes, there was an additional $6 upcharge — for a spoonful.
The drink prices were Las Vegas-level steep. I ordered a Hendrick’s martini with blue cheese–stuffed olives, and the bill showed separate charges: $20 for the gin, $5 for a splash of vermouth, and $2 for the two olives — totaling $27 for a single martini.
We finished with dessert and two Irish Coffees, which turned out to be another surprise: $13 each for the Baileys and $3 each for the coffee, totaling $32 for two Irish Coffees. For context, an entire bottle of Baileys Irish Cream retails for about $23.
Finally, the service sealed the evening’s tone. Our server was relentless — constantly badgering us for add-ons, upgrades, and “chef’s recommendations.” What should have been a relaxed dinner felt more like a sales pitch from start to finish.
Bottom line: Beautiful lakeside location, disappointing food, inflated prices, and the most aggressive upselling we’ve ever experienced.
Erin Azaroff
Food is great, atmosphere is good, service is very very slow. It took about 40 minutes to get our cocktails and an hour from when we ordered to when we received our food. There were no other patrons in the dining room the majority of our visit; the screened in area did have tables of patrons.
We enjoyed all of the food, just be prepared for a 2+ hour dinner.
The parking lot is also very poorly lit, just be aware.
… moreWe enjoyed all of the food, just be prepared for a 2+ hour dinner.
The parking lot is also very poorly lit, just be aware.