Highland Bakery

First of all, you're not really going to be able to access this restaurant unless your a student. There is no parking lot. The restaurant still exists because they are the most convenient option for b-school students to get coffee and lunch. The service seems to lose efficiency when the lines get long, which is basically between every class period. I've never been to another location of this chain, but I don't think the food is especially good. Lots of heavy, greasy items on the menu and salads leave much to be desired. Everything has a high variability of time to prepare, can take 5-30 minutes. Suggestions: Work on overall efficiency of coffee orders during the day, maybe this could be done by making one line coffee only and the other food only. Add some grab and go sandwiches, I bet this would alleviate some of the food orders and also attract people who previously didn't have the time to wait.

Not only is the food delish the service was incredible. We met the manager who was working the register the day we went in and she was the most pleasant, friendly person. We were having an especially tough day and she had such a genuine personality and made us laugh and lighten our day. The pancakes were incredible and I wish I would have ordered the larger serving.

I placed a to-go order for shrimp and grits which ran about $10-$11. Hoping for the same experience I had at the other location in The Highlands which was very pleasing. I receive my order and made it to my destination to enjoy my food, I open my plate to find only THREE (3) SMALL SHRIMP in a puddle of grits. Thinking to myself this must be a mistake so I call the restaurant to make sure I wasn't shortened shrimp by mistake only to find to that it only comes with 3 shrimp. I have never felt so cheated afterwards. I wish there was something in the menu to inform customers of that because I sure wouldn't have chosen that.

I love their syrup and french toast. Their french toast is on really thick Texas toast. Its pretty expensive. Once I was in a rush and forgot to check my order and had to get back to work. When I got to work it wasn't the same bread. I called and they made me a fresh batch for me to pick up.

Not reflective of any of the other Highlands I've been to in the city. Always extremely long wait on food (45 minutes the other during lunch at 1PM), and subpar food. I got french toast. Needed it to-go, since it took practically an hour to receive. Didn't even give me syrup, so when I went back to work, I couldn't even eat it. The only plus side was the lovely cashier lady who offered me a pastry, but come ON, $10 completely lost because of lack of timeliness and effort.

Despite access to a beautiful Emory courtyard, this bakery disappoints. Fried chicken is not made to order in their dishes, grits are underseasoned and they are willing to serve stale biscuits. For a bakery, that is especially underwhelming.

Convenient if you're at the law school or business school, but largely over priced. The ham and cheese croissant is actually really good though even if its not worth the cost.

Pretty good everytime I've been. The Pancakes(either kind) are great. And my girl loves the Salmon.

Food is good. Coffee is not good. Staff is nice! Just don't come at peak lunch hour (around 12:45pm) because everything will take super long.

My favorite breakfast place to eat Atlanta the fried chicken Benedict is the best and the bakery is always good

Consistent vibes from this cafe... the staff are always warm, welcoming and rocking the playlists. Perfect spot for a breakfast sandwich or croissant to break up the academic day

Please note: this Emory location is no longer a Highland Bakery, much to my surprise. It's now Costa Coffee, which has a much more modest menu and a café vibe with attractive new decor. Staff are friendly, service prompt. I miss Highland Bakery, but my breakfast burrito was pretty good.

This sandwich was $13 and it has ONE slice of turkey on it. I come here because it's convenient but am so disappointed every time. Last time it was an $11 grilled cheese with one tiny thin slice of cheese. Makes days when you don't have time to pack a lunch extremely frustrating - would be better off microwaving a frozen meal from the law school's convenience store.

The term mixed bag was invented for the Emory outpost of Highland Bakery. The bag includes indifferent employees, sometimes slow service, forgettable food (couldn't remember what I ate the first time I visited), delicious food (terrific lunch a few days ago), and hoards of b-school/law school students. Even past 2 PM, there were still many lunch diners. This isn't your Old Fourth Ward Highland Bakery. I've only been there once for brunch but I had such an awesome server and really adored my eggs Benedict. For a midday meal, I recommend the $8.99 Half & Half combo: 0.5 of a sandwich of your choosing and 0.5 of a spinach or house salad. The Highland Ham and Cheese sandwich was practically the size of a whole sandwich, and the spinach salad wasn't shabby in size or taste either. The strawberries, goat cheese, and walnuts were a nice touch in the latter. Really dug the crispy baguette and garlic mayo on the ham and cheese. If you want water, you have to pay 25 cents for a cup. I saw a lot of patrons with their own water bottles. And since I'm doling out tips, the experts tell me about ordering ahead online which sounds promising. This HB aligns with student breaks so it may be closed between semesters and holidays.

The service was slow, but friendly. I ordered the Reuben and spinach salad, which I enjoyed. the food was ok and I would recommend quick lunch.

it is probably the most delicious sandwich I have ever had in Emory. I do not even know why. I just order a ordinary turkey sandwich, but turn out to be much much better I expected for a sandwich. The disadvantage is that I waited too long. But it is worthy!

Great spot for lunch when you're tired of other on-campus options. It can get busy but if you come at an off-peak time, you won't have any issues. The sandwhiches are great and the staff is so nice. The GM Laquosha was super helpful when I visited, and was nice enough to check where they got their pickles from when I asked.

A lot of seating, drink choices, meal, and bakery choices! Always excited to go back!

The food at highland is pretty good. It's always fresh and hot. I have to stop by every morning before class to get a white mocha. The staff is always bubbly which puts me in a good mood for the day.

Today I had the most absurd experience at Highland Bakery, and as an Emory Law student I used to come here a lot. Not anymore. During an hour long lunch break, I ordered a ham and cheese sandwich to go and did not receive my food for 50 minutes. Ten people behind me in line got their food before me, though I continually reminded their staff. After 45 minutes I requested a refund, and had to make this request about 5 times until the manager would speak to me. The manager was incredibly rude, did not apologize, and made excuses about how they were "busy." She began to raise her voice and yell at me that I needed to just wait and be patient. This was the worst I've been treated as a customer with no regard for service. I can't speak poorly enough about the horrible service at this location

How anyone gives this above one star is beyond me. The employees don't care. The food is atrocious and the restaurant is dirty. Their coffee sucks. Their drinks suck. They run out of ice constantly somehow. It's just pitiful. Probably some of the blame should fall on Emory dining for allowing it to exist but Emory dining is as bad as if not worse than one star highland bakery. Maybe that explains the 2.5 stars?

Everything about this place was terrible, my "poached" eggs were the most hilarious excuse I've ever seen. Absolutely horrid!!!! I will never be back the worst waste of money ever!

It's incredibly sad-- every time Emory opens up a "local" restaurant on campus, the same thing happens. At first, lines are long,the food is good (albeit somewhat pricey, but hey you're paying for it with Dooley Dollars). However, after the first couple months the quality begins to slip. At Highland, at first it was a varying amounts of Hollandaise on the benedict. Maybe a couple potatoes were burnt now and then. But slowly but surely, things are getting worse. You try to deny it-- "no, Highland is the best place to eat on campus!". That stays true, but it's increasingly a testament to how crappy on-campus dining than a particular location's excellence. As I type this review, I'm munching on a chicken benedict. Potatoes are okay (portion is small). The benedict, however, is a mess. The yolk is almost wholly cooked, and is about runny as an old bottle of glue. There's only the barest smear on Hollandaise sauce on top (thanks for saving my arteries, I guess). Finally, the pieces of fried chicken are so small that even Tiny Tim would be cry. But to end on a good note, let me share my fondest (first) memory of Highland. It was around the time the placer first opened up, which conveniently coincided with the Snowpacalyse. With classes canceled, I and a couple friends trudged across campus to Highland for the first time. It was warm and welcoming, not completely packed, but quite a few degrees above busting. I had the crab cake benedict (again, Dooley Dollars) and a soup. At the time, the eggs were poached to perfection. They practically quivered, and the slighest touch burst them, allowing the yolk to flow forth and play counterpoint to the generous serving of Hollandaise (if you haven't noticed by now, I like Hollandaise). Highland was once good. Hopefully, it can be good again.

I love highland bakery -- I really do...BUT this location is terrible. It doesn't come close to the original location. The workers at the registers look like they hate their lives and give the customers so much attitude. In general the staff is really slow and I can see them trying to act like they care about you but they actually don't. And on more than one occasion, they forgot about my order. Since they don't make any of the pastries there, they're all pretty soggy or really dry. They often run out of ice so it kind of ruins your supposed-to-be-iced coffee or latte. Don't come here and let it ruin your impression of highland bakery...GO TO THE ONE IN THE OLD FOURTH WARD.

Good food but the wait time is not worth it. During lunch hours it takes 20-40 minutes to receive food and often the orders arrive missing some elements. For example, I ordered toast, avocado, and fruit and received it 20 minutes later only after I reminded the manager. I also was given no spread for my toast. Many of their portions are also too big for students to eat quickly before their next class. Highland is great for a slow breakfast when it is less crowded but not so much for lunch.

Literally the worst service I've ever experienced. Sure, some of the staff is nice but majority of them are extremely rude especially when you come to check up on your order. I understand that lunch hour is a bit busy but do you really blame someone for coming to check up on their order 30 minutes after they placed it? The last time I came here, they completely forgot about my order and I had to wait an additional 20 minutes for them to make it. I went there again recently and this time, not only did they forget about my order again, they also made me wait another 30 minutes and when I came to check up on my order for the 2nd time, they told me they were out of that particular item...I wasted a whole hour there and didn't even end up getting food. Never eating there again or if I do, I better take at least 2 hours out of my schedule for lunch -.-

I eat here on a regular basis and can confidently say that Highland has the best food in the vicinity of Emory. Service tends to be fast unless right after or before classes. I definitely suggest the Eggs Benedict and sweet potato pancakes

The entrees are pretty decent, but it takes FOREVER for them to cook and serve, particularly during peak lunch times. We're talking 30-40 minutes for a simple sandwich. The coffee and pastries are nothing to write home about (stale and unappetizing). It's a shame that Emory maintains its contract with such a poorly performing venue, especially given that the Highland Bakeries in other parts of Atlanta are exceptional.

Bakery is on Emory's campus in the business school so many students gather during lunch hours. It's typically always crowded during the week. sweet potato pancakes are a must!

Coffee was decently hot and ok tasting...until I broke out in hives. Whatever coffee they brew, it's cut with wheat, so if you're celiac/gluten intolerant, avoid!

Good place for coffee while you finish a project or study for an exam. This small bakery, located inside Emory's business school, has both ample indoor seating and outdoor seating for meetups, study sessions, or group projects. The coffee here is decent and the location is spacious. I can't, however, recommend the pastries. My friends and I ordered the blueberry coffee cake. The blueberries were good, but the pastry itself was a bit mushy. It wasn't the most appetizing. Maybe the cookies and bagels will be better, but I didn't try them. If you're an Emory student, though, and want a quick dose of caffeine to study for finals, it's an okay place to stop by at.

I ordered a half and half for lunch (half herb turkey / half white bean chicken chili). First, the wait was way too long - it's a half a sandwich and pre-made soup! Waited for close to 20 minutes (there was hardly a line), while other people who came in after I did received their orders and were out the door! Received my lunch, which I should have checked it while in the store, but I didn't. Surprise, instead of the herb turkey, I received chicken curry sandwich! Even worse, my white bean chicken chili had burnt, charred bits of beans THROUGHOUT my cup of chili. Not only did it look burnt, it had that lovely charred (burnt) taste to it. Do better! Never, ever serve food that was allowed to burn to anyone, especially paying customers!

Agree with the posts below. I've eaten there twice. First time, the chicken salad was tasty, but the roll it was on was thick and doughy. Second time, pimento cheese was very yummy, but the bread it was on was toasted hard as a rock. Indifferent employees, long waits, high prices. I won't be going back. I hope the original location and the upcoming location in Decatur are better than this.

A bit pricey, their hot chocolate is made Ghirardelli concentrate that they just water down ... totally not worth it. They do have great cupcakes though! My favorite is the red velvet one! - Worth a try! There is no free/street parking on site, Emory's parking lot is an option that comes with a fee.

The service is too slow for any functioning business on a busy campus where students have a limited amount of time to get food. I always wait over 15 minutes just for a toasted bagel. I have never experienced such consistent bad service. It never fails, each time i go, either the order is wrong, or takes too long.

Came here today for a lunch. Line wasn't too long but the wait for food was extremely long. I ordered my half and half around 12:15 and the food did not come until 12:45. It's only a sandwich and a soup. Why did it take so long? People who work there did not look like they know what they are doing. I had to stuff everything in my mouth so I could go back to class on time. Service was not friendly. Can't compare to Old4Ward location.

The previous reviews are accurate. On a slow day, you can still expect to wait for employees to notice you and take your order. The food is inconsistent. Hopefully someone from management is reading these reviews and intervenes before this location significantly drags down the highland bakery brand.

The chain as a whole is great but this location in particular has HORRIBLE customer service. Every time I go in my order is either wrong or takes forever. On this last occasion, I had pre-ordered my food online to go pick up. The order apparently never went through (which happens all the time) yet I was still charged. When I went in, the management, despite me showing them the charge on my bank account, was skeptical that I had placed an order and gave me an attitude about starting it- mind you this is after showing them a charge on my bank account from that day, from that location of highland bakery. After they finally agreed to make it, it took them 45 mins- 1 hour to finally bring out my order for a ham and cheese! I waited there in a practically empty restaurant for it to come up in plain view of all of the employees who had just seen me place my new order and not one came to check on me after 10, 20 and 30 minutes. 30 minutes later I finally asked about my food and they hadn't even started. Normally I am a patient person and understand that things get messed up in a kitchen as I have worked at plenty of restaurants myself but what tipped me over the edge was the fact that BOTH the management and the employees were extremely unapologetic from me waiting there for literally 45 minutes. The manager placed the order again and brought it out. No apologies, no sincerity, didn't even really care about the time or possible inconvenience considering that I had placed my order online to avoid waiting in there forever to begin with. Literally sat my food down, asked if I wanted a bag, and let it be--- not a word on behalf of the restaurant's mix up. If this had been the first time something like this had happened I would chock it up to a random event, but seeing as something like this has happened to me on at least 3 separate occasions ordering from this location, it's safe to say I'm done. I wouldn't even bother to anyone considering eating there and would just suggest they go to the one in the Highlands.

I've been going to Highland Bakery every day for the past year and a half. It only took the workers about a week to memorize my order and my name, and begin to have conversations when I came in. The workers care very much about their customers and do their best to keep up with the pace of students coming to and from class. I will continue to go to highland every day until I graduate (and then probably still go)

Delicious food but ABSOLUTE TERRIBLE service. You could order your food to go (because you're obviously and clearly in a hurry) and you'll be sitting there waiting for 40 minutes!! On top of that, most of the staff is unapologetic and doesn't really care too much about the quality of customer service. And the kitchen is slow....there will be spells of 0 orders being turned out for a span of 20 minutes. Overall I'd say eat here at the risk of wasting time on food that you could honestly make yourself.

Poor customer service and management. Today was only my second time eating here and inevitably my last. Although there was a long line, it was moving very quickly. I had ordered a Hill Grill sandwich and informed the cashier of my nut allergy. He did not say anything. I spoke again loudly thinking he did not hear me, but he responded that he did hear me. No response. "Does it have nuts or not?" I asked again. He muttered something incomprehensible, so I assumed he said something along the lines of "I'll tell the kitchen." I had ordered this meal at 1 pm and I was meeting a friend for lunch, who was at least 10 people behind me in line. My friend got his food within 15 minutes, but mine was nowhere to be seen. Approximately 20 minutes later, I got up to tell the staff that people behind me in line were receiving their food before me. Their response was that my ticket was still on the list (it was number 46). They had just called out order number 58. I informed the staff of this, and they said the kitchen was lagging. It seemed as if they had forgotten about my order because I kept informing the staff every 10 minutes of what I had ordered. "Ohh I thought you ordered eggs" one of them said. Finally, at 1:45 I received my meal. People who had just walked in were receiving their food faster than I had. It was ridiculous. From my observations, the kitchen was in chaos from the lack or organization or the lack of adequate staff. The people working at the cashier did not seem to have good customer service skills. Overall, I would give this place zero stars if I could.