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March 2024 by Vicki P.
Wonderful restaurant! Great service, they make you feel special every time. The food is exquisite, tastes great and presentation is great. The owner is the sweetest, Thank you again Laura.
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January 2024 by K Solomon
Food was not impressed at all. Fish was not marinated enough, broccoli were raw. Taste and display were under par. Very disappointed.
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December 2023 by Tom Kellogg
What a pleasure to dine there again after all these years! Ee were made to feel welcome and the food was delicious! I had the White Snapper special and it was wonderful. We will be back next summer when we can eat out back close to the lake...
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December 2023 by Matthew Vick
Wonderful restaurant, didn’t have a reservation but they worked us in anyways. Food was fantastic, got the pork chop and the rainbow trout. Highly recommend.
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December 2023 by GrowingUpa Reck
We were in Highlands to celebrate our anniversary and the excellent reviews led us to Lakeside Restaurant… it did not disappoint!!! Definitely call ahead to make reservations and you’ll be greeted by the kindest/friendly person, Kelly! She and owner Laura took care of us and even helped us with some special accommodations! The food was excellent but the service was over the top! It’s a charming, quaint restaurant that sits on a lake, which also has outdoor seating when weather is permitting. Merrill was our friendly server and she was perfectly attentive and helpful with recommendations. We started off with the calamari appetizer and it was fresh, tender and perfectly fried. My wife had the wedge salad, which was large and perfectly balanced with blue cheese dressing, cherry tomatoes, radish and peppered bacon! They brought some fresh, baked bread and whipped butter that was a great to start to an amazing main course. My wife loves crab cakes these were perfectly cooked and loaded with crabmeat with a tasty remoulade blanc served with a creamy, cheesy Gruyère Mac & cheese, and a fresh corn relish to balance out the meal. I hard a difficult time selecting from the menu, but I opted for the stuffed NC trout… if you love fresh, local trout with crisp skin stuffed with crabmeat and wrapped in peppered bacon then you’ll be pleased with this wonderful dish! The fish was baked perfectly, so the skin was crispy along with bacon, but the fish was moist and balanced with the savory crabmeat stuffing. It was a large-sized serving, but I ate every bit of the fish! The side of rice pilaf was fluffy and balanced perfectly with the fresh trout along with fresh, sautéed broccoli. Although we were stuffed from the delicious meal, we opted to order dessert to go… We were glad we did, because the blueberry bread pudding with the rum sauce was excellent! Merrill was thoughtful enough to write a congratulatory note, instructions, and a candle! For great food and amazing service, then come to Lakeside! It was definitely our memorable dining experience and by far the best meal in Highlands!
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December 2023 by Brad M.
My wife and I dined at Lakeside during a recent weekend getaway to Highlands and were so glad we did. It's clear this restaurant falls in the "local institution" category and it felt local and authentic in the best possible way. The walls are decked out with local art (most for sale) so that adds to unique character. The owner and staff were extremely welcoming and helpful from start to finish. Neither my wife nor I is big on seafood, but the menu is varied and we both found something we loved (her the ravioli and myself the chicken). The squash soup was also top shelf. Pro tip: you have to call for a reservation (old school!), but don't be put off if you have to leave a message; they will call you back on availability and confirmation. Highly recommend checking out Lakeside, even if your taste is more turf than surf.
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December 2023 by Stephen R.
We were in Highlands to celebrate our anniversary and the excellent reviews led us to Lakeside Restaurant... it did not disappoint!!! Definitely call ahead to make reservations and you'll be greeted by the kindest/friendly person, Kelly! She and owner Laura took amazing care of us and even helped us with some special accommodations! The food was excellent but the service was over the top! It's a charming, quaint restaurant that sits on a lake, which also has outdoor seating when weather is permitting. Merrill was our friendly server and she was perfectly attentive and helpful with recommendations. We started off with the calamari appetizer and it was fresh, tender and perfectly fried. My wife had the wedge salad, which was large and perfectly balanced with blue cheese dressing, cherry tomatoes, radish and peppered bacon! They brought some fresh, baked bread and whipped butter that was a great to start to an amazing main course. My wife loves crab cakes these were perfectly cooked and loaded with crabmeat with a tasty remoulade blanc served with a creamy, cheesy Gruyère Mac & cheese, and a fresh corn relish to balance out the meal. I hard a difficult time selecting from the menu, but I opted for the stuffed NC trout... if you love fresh, local trout with crisp skin stuffed with crabmeat and wrapped in peppered bacon then you'll be pleased with this wonderful dish! The fish was baked perfectly, so the skin was crispy along with bacon, but the fish was moist and balanced with the savory crabmeat stuffing. It was a large-sized serving, but I ate every bit of the fish! The side of rice pilaf was fluffy and balanced perfectly with the fresh trout along with fresh, sautéed broccoli. Although we were stuffed from the delicious meal, we opted to order dessert to go... We were glad we did, because the blueberry bread pudding with the rum sauce was excellent! Merrill was thoughtful enough to write a congratulatory note, instructions, and a candle! For great food and amazing service, then come to Lakeside! Definitely, our favorite, most memorable dining experience and definitely the best meal during our stay in Highlands!
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November 2023 by Ricky R.
Great food, service and ambiance. Cozy, little local gem. Grouper Maison was very good. My wife had the Pecan Encrusted Halibut, which was also very good. Highly recommended!
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November 2023 by Joan Mills
Every once and awhile you go to a restaurant where you already know the food is outstanding but the service , THE SERVICE, is outrageous! This is Lakeside. Nothing is overlooked. 5 stars all the way! I had the stuffed rainbow trout and my husband had the pork chop. Both excellent. We started with the tuna tortillas and ended with the ice cream tort. Absolutely fabulous.
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November 2023 by Glenn G.
Very loud inside , wonderful staff and service , the food is delicious. The scallops were very tasty
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October 2023 by Ryan R.
My wife and I are out of towners but went here due to the incredible reviews. Packed house, even at 8pm on a Thursday night. Fun, loud, environment and an incredibly friendly staff. Shrimp Scampi appetizer, shrimp and grits, ravioli, and ice cream dessert were 5-star. Well done.
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October 2023 by toni fow
The lobster was amazing. Scallops hugenormous. Great service. A little loud, but it was busy.
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October 2023 by markoD1622EO
Nice location. Cozy inside. Friendly staff. Nice menu options. Wide variety of seafood. Fish dishes from Florida (Triple Tail, Cobia) were frozen, and tasteless. This was a disappointment. I should have known to go with the local caught Rainbow trout. Excellent salad and desert.
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September 2023 by pts119
The place to go if you want seafood in the mountains. Scallops, shrimp, and salmon dishes were delectable. Also, there is fabulous artwork throughout the restaurant to enjoy.
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September 2023 by Sue Q.
Excellent food and the staff is great. RSVPs a good idea. Place is small and the view is really nice. Especially nice in the garden
