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✔️Brunch ✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in
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Hours
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 5–9 PM |
| Wednesday | 5–9 PM |
| Thursday | 5–9 PM |
| Friday | 5–10 PM |
| Saturday | 5–10 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
Address and Contact Information
Address: 445 N 4th St, Highlands, NC 28741
Phone: (828) 200-0813
Website: https://www.the-stubborn-bull.com/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Reservations: the-stubborn-bull.comresy.com
Photo Gallery
Related Web Results
The Stubborn Bull at Mill Creek
Inspired by Mediterranean Spanish and South American influences, we are cooking up rustic tapas, or small savory dishes, in a modern environment.
The Stubborn Bull | Highlands NC – Facebook
The Stubborn Bull, Highlands. 1845 likes · 99 talking about this · 553 were here. A Modern Fusion Tapas Bar Overlooking Mill Creek in Highlands, NC….
The Stubborn Bull at Mill Creek, Highlands, NC – OpenTable
Inspired by Mediterranean Spanish and South American influences, we are cooking up rustic tapas, or small savory dishes, in a modern environment.
Reviews
Hannah Grogis
We dined here for the first time on Valentine’s Day, so I want to start by saying I know that’s one of the busiest and toughest nights for any restaurant to deliver the exact first impression they aim for. Because they were offering a prix fixe menu, I’d absolutely love to come back and experience their regular menu on a less hectic evening.
The ambiance is stunning. The bar and front of the restaurant are gorgeous, and I loved all the details from the signage to the candles to the overall interior design. It’s trendy, fabulous, and perfectly on theme with The Stubborn Bull’s vibe. I also loved that they included a little sheet of Valentine’s Day themed questions to ask your partner at the table. It was such a thoughtful and fun touch that made the night feel even more special.
As for the food, we genuinely enjoyed every dish, but the pollo a la Valencia truly stood out. My husband and I both agreed we’ve never had chicken cooked so perfectly. It was unbelievably juicy and flavorful. Everything was served in a timely manner, and the staff was extremely attentive about clearing plates and resetting the table before the next course, which is always a great sign of fine dining. The chocolate flourless cake and bread pudding were absolutely to die for.
My only piece of feedback would be regarding the open kitchen concept in the main dining room. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and such a vibe, but the fluorescent lighting from the kitchen area and kitchen noises slightly takes away from the romantic atmosphere. We made our reservations almost two months in advance, and our table was directly in front of the kitchen. We tried to make it work, but the sounds of dishes clanging and general kitchen noise didn’t quite match the romantic dinner setting we were hoping for.
We ended up moving to the bar and had a much better experience. The bartender was awesome and incredibly friendly, which really elevated our night.
Overall, we truly enjoyed our evening and are looking forward to coming back again soon.
… moreThe ambiance is stunning. The bar and front of the restaurant are gorgeous, and I loved all the details from the signage to the candles to the overall interior design. It’s trendy, fabulous, and perfectly on theme with The Stubborn Bull’s vibe. I also loved that they included a little sheet of Valentine’s Day themed questions to ask your partner at the table. It was such a thoughtful and fun touch that made the night feel even more special.
As for the food, we genuinely enjoyed every dish, but the pollo a la Valencia truly stood out. My husband and I both agreed we’ve never had chicken cooked so perfectly. It was unbelievably juicy and flavorful. Everything was served in a timely manner, and the staff was extremely attentive about clearing plates and resetting the table before the next course, which is always a great sign of fine dining. The chocolate flourless cake and bread pudding were absolutely to die for.
My only piece of feedback would be regarding the open kitchen concept in the main dining room. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and such a vibe, but the fluorescent lighting from the kitchen area and kitchen noises slightly takes away from the romantic atmosphere. We made our reservations almost two months in advance, and our table was directly in front of the kitchen. We tried to make it work, but the sounds of dishes clanging and general kitchen noise didn’t quite match the romantic dinner setting we were hoping for.
We ended up moving to the bar and had a much better experience. The bartender was awesome and incredibly friendly, which really elevated our night.
Overall, we truly enjoyed our evening and are looking forward to coming back again soon.
Greg Hart
On the night were were there they had live music and the bar and inside were very crowded and somewhat noisy so we elected to eat on their patio which is overlooking a babbling brook. That was a great choice as it was actually very quiet and relaxing out there. Our waiter was very attentive and friendly and knew the menu well with some good recommendations.
We shared an appetizer of Pulpo A La Plancha and followed that with Paella for Two and a bottle of very nice wine. The octopus was a different preparation than I’ve ever had before and very delicious. The paella also was well prepared and topped with a Maine lobster tail. The proportions were generous and the prices were very reasonable. Atmosphere is casual.
… moreWe shared an appetizer of Pulpo A La Plancha and followed that with Paella for Two and a bottle of very nice wine. The octopus was a different preparation than I’ve ever had before and very delicious. The paella also was well prepared and topped with a Maine lobster tail. The proportions were generous and the prices were very reasonable. Atmosphere is casual.
Z’ Lauriault
This is a charming Spanish tapas (small plates) restaurant with outdoor seating overlooking a creek which is amazing in good weather, but it was October 29, 2024 so we were seated indoors for our reservation.
(We were there a year or so before and stayed outside, and I remember they were especially delighted to set a couple having a romantic dinner down near the side door with a beautiful view of the creek.)
It was a special occasion trip right before Halloween so the entire NC mountain town had seasonal decoration, the this restaurant didn’t disappoint, with Spanish-influenced decor.
When we arrived it was very busy, and as a side note, in a town that is set up for seasonal guests, in a restaurant serving higher level food, good common sense is to make a reservation in advance. They aren’t miracle workers.
We ordered the Patatas Bravas (I’ve had this from many places to compare.) which had delicious seasoning and that perfect exterior delicate crunch on the outside and light creamy inside that makes people so crazy about this kind of item. We also ordered Wild Mushroom Ravioli, Albondigas, and then Filet Mignon and Enconcado de Camaron. It was all so delicious. We plan to come back to the area sometime specifically to have the Paella For Two again, which is what we had the first time we went there, the time we sat outside and fell in love with the place. The chef there cooks with love and warm spice in the blood I think. The staff is helpful and seem proud of the place and clearly enjoyed seeing people enjoying themselves.
In addition to the mention that taking a minute to set a reservation is a common sense, I also want to mention something I notice when we travel. In many of these towns with high end hotels and nice restaurants, some staff are locals who work hard, and some are professionally trained with degrees in hospitality, and no matter which each staff person deserves to be treated with kindness and respect, and a guest who is nice to serve will likely receive more enthusiasm from staff simply because they’re happy. If you’re a person who thinks restaurant and hotel staff exist for you to get your 15-minute power trip having someone to serve you, you may be setting yourself up not just as someone with no class (class having nothing to do with wealth and everything to do with how you choose to act towards others) but you rob others by making a staff person maintain their job by suffering through someone’s selfish behavior. It’s not Manhattan. It’s a charming mountain town with its own population.
Be a good guest, check ahead to see if you should make a reservation, and enjoy a nice time. Don’t forget to tip. If you can’t afford to tip 20% when you eat out, you can’t afford to eat out.
… more(We were there a year or so before and stayed outside, and I remember they were especially delighted to set a couple having a romantic dinner down near the side door with a beautiful view of the creek.)
It was a special occasion trip right before Halloween so the entire NC mountain town had seasonal decoration, the this restaurant didn’t disappoint, with Spanish-influenced decor.
When we arrived it was very busy, and as a side note, in a town that is set up for seasonal guests, in a restaurant serving higher level food, good common sense is to make a reservation in advance. They aren’t miracle workers.
We ordered the Patatas Bravas (I’ve had this from many places to compare.) which had delicious seasoning and that perfect exterior delicate crunch on the outside and light creamy inside that makes people so crazy about this kind of item. We also ordered Wild Mushroom Ravioli, Albondigas, and then Filet Mignon and Enconcado de Camaron. It was all so delicious. We plan to come back to the area sometime specifically to have the Paella For Two again, which is what we had the first time we went there, the time we sat outside and fell in love with the place. The chef there cooks with love and warm spice in the blood I think. The staff is helpful and seem proud of the place and clearly enjoyed seeing people enjoying themselves.
In addition to the mention that taking a minute to set a reservation is a common sense, I also want to mention something I notice when we travel. In many of these towns with high end hotels and nice restaurants, some staff are locals who work hard, and some are professionally trained with degrees in hospitality, and no matter which each staff person deserves to be treated with kindness and respect, and a guest who is nice to serve will likely receive more enthusiasm from staff simply because they’re happy. If you’re a person who thinks restaurant and hotel staff exist for you to get your 15-minute power trip having someone to serve you, you may be setting yourself up not just as someone with no class (class having nothing to do with wealth and everything to do with how you choose to act towards others) but you rob others by making a staff person maintain their job by suffering through someone’s selfish behavior. It’s not Manhattan. It’s a charming mountain town with its own population.
Be a good guest, check ahead to see if you should make a reservation, and enjoy a nice time. Don’t forget to tip. If you can’t afford to tip 20% when you eat out, you can’t afford to eat out.
Matt
Everything about this spot is amazing. First there is plenty of parking and the restaurant is in a wonderful spot. Clarissa was awesome and was able to get us seated for the Mother’s Day Brunch. We were excited to see the menu prepared by the chef. All of the options seemed great! We really enjoyed all of our food and drinks! The variety of both were very well thought out. We loved our table along the river, it gave a nice breeze, gentle sound and beautiful view. Our server was great and was very attentive to us. We really had zero complaints. I’m so happy to see this fine dining establishment in Highlands. We will definitely be back!
… moreLauren
Gorgeous restaurant nestled close to Main Street in Highlands, N.C. Service was impeccable. Plates came out fast & execution was perfect. We started with the watermelon salad & octopus app – refreshing & tender. Our mains were the bone-in elk chop, rare & scallop w/ squid ink pasta. Both were fantastic & fresh! For dessert, we chose the very decadent chocolate cake, which was a huge portion & an almond milk macchiato. Great selection of cocktails, mocktails & wine. We will definitely return!
… moreMonica Cook
My husband and I spend 4-5 weeks in Highlands every summer. We have tried all of the local restaurants and by far this one is the best. The staff is so hospitable and knowledgeable about every item on the menu. The food is imaginative and delicious. Monday nights during the summer, the restaurant hosts live music. If you want the best service in town, try and sit in Lasha’s section. She is the sweetest!
… moreAlexandra Avila Flores
I went there to celebrate my boyfriend’s birthday last christmas and was delicious! Excelent service and delicious food, I fell in love with the charcuterie board!
… moreRebecca Poisson
We came here on Friday night and the atmosphere was amazing. We had a booth by the bar but the bar was huge and we would have been happy to sit there. I tried the honey bee and it was amazing! My husband had the stubborn marg and he really liked it. Had the kale salad and ceviche- both were great!! I had the elk chop and it was cooked perfectly and my husband had the seafood paella. Scallops were incredible! We loved it so much and e came back for Saturday brunch and i had the best eggs Benedict and a Bloody Mary and my husband had shrimp and grits. Ate at the bar this time and the bartender Cody was amazing. Great for date night, drinks, or family!
… moreErika Tolin
Patatas bravas were so good! Highly recommend getting these. Our server was knowledgeable and very attentive. We also split the churasco steak was delicious. the presentation could be a little better but overall amazing.
… moreBill Grubb
Amazing food at a wonderful venue. We’ve been twice and the food has been excellent — carefully prepared and beautifully presented. This time we sat on the side-deck next to Mill Creek; an almost surreal experience being able to relax and enjoy the water. Unhurried service by a staff that clearly likes working at the restaurant and helping guests navigate the Tapas menu. Both visits five to six small plates total were enough for four people.
… more