Oak Steakhouse

We had a wonderful dinner at The Oak Steakhouse during our visit to Highlands. Our waiter Trevor was incredibly attentive and such a nice guy, which made the whole evening even more enjoyable. We ordered steak, along with grilled zucchini and mashed red potatoes, everything was cooked perfectly and absolutely delicious. The views of the mountains from the restaurant are beautiful, and even though it was raining when we arrived, the evening turned magical as we watched the fog roll in and slowly cover the mountains. It made for the coziest, most memorable dinner. This is such a special spot for a relaxed, elevated meal with gorgeous views. Highly recommend if you’re in Highlands!

The views from Oak Steakhouse were beautiful, even with some overcast clouds. The pork belly starter was cooked perfectly, and the venison Wellington was a creative and delicious twist on a classic dish. Service from Trevor was outstanding—5 stars all the way. Surprisingly, the bread service and the NY strip with a blue cheese crust completely stole the show. A fantastic dining experience all around!

We were there for Sunday brunch. Our server Violet did a great job. Food was excellent, as usual. Picture I took between guest of a nearby table. The view at The Oak is always stunning!

Stunning food ! We had a great time with our friend and it was her last day in America, so it was such a great last experience for her , Scott was amazing , caring, efficient and patient. I will definitely be back .

I wrote a lengthy review on another platform. Bottom line- you need to go. Excellent food and service. Eat outside for gorgeous views. Brooke is an excellent server and makes you feel welcome and appreciated. The filet, mushrooms, and bacon macaroni are impeccable. I made our next reservation while we were still eating.

Had the best experience this past weekend with friends and family out of town. Rich went above and beyond to make our experience exceptional!! I will most definitely take all friends back when they come for a visit. Chip also made our brunch experience so fun. Definitely sit at the bar and you will get amazing service!!

Wonderful service from the moment we walked in. We were served drinks before we were seated, and the area was beautiful! Our server was kind, but a little crazy. I ordered the steak frites, which were great. The steak was perfectly tender, it had a grilled taste. Fries were good, broccoli was good, caesar salad was very delicious. My goodness, THE ROLLS are a must! I highly recommend eating here.

High expectations, subpar experience for the price. We started at the bar and ordered two Old Fashioneds with Woodford Reserve — the tab for just those two drinks came to over $60. Total rip-off. Bread for the table was another $8, and it wasn’t anything special. Our server highly recommended the venison Wellington, calling it one of their best dishes. I went with it, only to find out it was made with farm-raised “elk” from New Zealand. The meat had almost no flavor, which was disappointing — I eat a lot of wild elk and venison, so I know what good should taste like. Ordered the side of mushrooms which none of us cared for either. My wife ordered the 8oz filet with $22 side of Oscar crab. The steak was seasoned well and actually tasted much better than the rest of the food. Our kid got pasta, which was basically plain shells with barely any sauce We had to pour the Oscar crab cause on the pasta for it to have any flavor. For a family of three, dinner totaled more than $240. I walked out feeling like I’d been robbed. I don’t mind splurging on a great meal now and then, but this wasn’t it. If you’re even slightly price-conscious but still enjoy quality dining, this is not the place to spend your money.

What a great lodge and restaurant tucked away in the NC mountains. The first time DH and I had dinner here, it was a foggy, drizzly evening on Nov so we didn't get a chance to enjoy the view, but the service and food was amazing, TY Trevor! We recently went back for brunch (sorry no pics), another drizzly day, but got a peak at the view and the food and service was again amazing. Whether you go for dinner or brunch I highly recommend a reservation, which can be made online. We will be back in the summer, hopefully to enjoy that amazing view!

Best steak and sides! My ribeye had the perfect temperature and sear, complimented perfectly with fresh baked bread, iceberg wedge salad, brussel sprouts, and mushrooms. Service was fantastic! I wish I could tell you about the desserts, but we had no room to add anymore. It's pricey, but great place to splurge while in the Highlands for a romantic evening or special occasion!

Fantastic meal. Top shelf service, (thank you Rob) and top shelf food. The sides are family style. Steaks had a perfect char and cooked to order perfectly. Our first trip was a five star so we decided to go back and make sure it was just as good. Our guest had the fish, we had the steak. And we had to save room for the dessert prepared by a legit pastry chef!

Skyline Lodge's second floor is home to Oak Steakhouse, a contemporary steakhouse featuring local produce and ingredients. The first and only steakhouse in Highlands, Oak partners with area purveyors and neighboring farms to bring the flavors of Appalachia right to the table. Snag a seat at the bar and prepare to get mesmerized by the panoramic views of the blue ridge mountains. *| venison Wellington - Duxelle, Prosciutto, Puff Pastry, Bordelaise *| steak tartare - Giardiniera, Dijonnaise, Pecorino, Crostinis *| house smash burger - American Cheese, Pickle, Charred Onion Aioli, Brioche Bun, Truffle Fries *| dark chocolate soufflé - Red Currant Crème Anglaise

The service was good. We had Scott, he was nice and took care of us. However he recommended the trout and it was not that good. My wife had the filet and it was great

Big fan of this oak location. Never dissapoints. Generally not crowded since most visitors either don't feel like driving over or stick to main street. Always a nice fire going.

Excellent meal. Venison Wellington was fantastic. Attentive and pleasant staff made for a very enjoyable dinner.

One of the best restaurants in the Highlands area, and perfect for a special night out or just a great steak. The food is always incredible, and it's a beautiful location and ambiance. We've always had great service, too. Highly recommended.

My wife and I visited Oak Steak House on a lively Friday evening. We were escorted to our able right away for our 7:15 reservation. Service was very good - there were no specials but recommendations were given. The iceberg wedge was perfectly chilled and served with pickled onions - mmm. The filet was excellent and paired with a creamy Bernaise. The brusells sprouts were flavorful and the feta was interesting. The only let down was the lobster risotto. The lobster was nice but the risotto was poorly cooked - it had a little crunch and tasted as if it had been cooked in a very fishy broth. I'd stick to the steaks. Nice wine list, warm ambience, excellent views, easy parking, and friendly service. Reservations are highly recommended.

We came for brunch on a Saturday at about 11:30. Beautiful restaurant with very nice views. As appetizers we had the deviled eggs (delicious) and pastry basket (excellent). For brunch we ordered the turkey melt which came with truffle fries, very generous portion; the chicken & waffles which was amazing; the stuffed hashbrown (a little too rich); the eggs Benedict which came with the most delicious potatoes (crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside) and the chicken fried steak. Server was friendly and very efficient. The bloody Mary's were also wonderful!

Absolutely phenomenal brunch- beautiful views, unique and tasty food and solid service. Get there early when they open or make a reservation

My husband and I come to highlands multiple times a year and had not tried Oak Steakhouse yet. So glad we did! The food was excellent. Order the bread service.. just do it. If you go right before sunset you have beautiful views. We ordered the bread, a filet, ribeye, Brussels, and truffle fries. All great and very consistent. Ended the night with the caramel cake! Service was fine, nothing great but nothing bad. Will definitely return.

The food and service are always great. We always look forward to both dinner as well as brunch at Oak Steakhouse

Really nice restaurant near Highlands. Great wine menu and steaks. Sides are great, especially the Brussels Sprouts. I love their chicken dish! Service always great. Make a reservation.

The food here is absolutely delicious - my husband said the dry-aged ribeye was the best steak he's ever had. The service is also outstanding; we ate here once for dinner and twice for lunch, with a different waitress each time, and they were all just great. The host and our waitress for dinner were so nice and made the night feel even more special when they learned we were on our honeymoon. The Oak Smash Burger with truffle fries was my favorite entree, I ordered it at both of my lunch visits. Portion sizes are very nice and we almost always had leftovers. We really, really wished they were open for brunch through the week, but alas, we didn't stay in town through the weekend so we didn't get a chance to try it. The biggest downside, and the reason we didn't eat dinner here more than one night, was because of how loud it was in the evening. The tables are relatively close to one another and when the restaurant is packed during dinner, the volume of everyone talking can get intense. Lunch here was the complete opposite experience, with only one or two other tables being taken, so that was a much more peaceful and enjoyable atmosphere. But the food and service was amazing, and it's definitely work a visit!

This restaurant is amazing! My husband and I went during our 2 year anniversary trip. We told them it was our anniversary and they gave us the best table with a beautiful view of the mountains! They also gave us free champagne to toast to our anniversary. The food was amazing and service was great. Hope to visit again! Also, the $8 bread appetizer was well worth the money and our favorite part of the meal.

Enjoyed a leisurely brunch here this past weekend. Service and food excellent. Nice view from the patio as well. The manager came by to ask if we enjoyed the meal as well. Brunch fare was good. I had the Eggs Benedict and we also ordered the Salmon. We will return for dinner one evening. Enjoy

Food was outstanding. Service was slow. Ambiance was zero. Extremely noisy. Difficult to have a conversation and there were only 4 of us. Place is relatively small and they should install some fabrics and other materials to reduce the noise. Great food but not a place for a quiet dinner.

Great service. Amazing steaks. We had the dry aged ribeye and ny strip. The sweet potato grits and truffle fries are amazing. We're so impressed. Definitely will be back. Excited to try brunch.

I am struggling in figuring out how to review Oak Steakhouse; I've been bouncing back and forth between 3 and 4 stars. Landing on a 4. Here's why.... Arriving at Oak Steakhouse, we waited a weirdly long time to have someone see us at the check-in desk. A sign that they are understaffed currently. No biggie, just a little odd. I ordered a filet, as well as the chopped side salad. My husband ordered the burger (he just wasn't super hungry and didn't feel like a steak), which came with fries. My salad was HUGE. Easily could have been a meal in itself, especially if you had an appetizer. My steak was the problem. I ordered it medium-rare. It came out well-done. (Background: I am originally from Nebraska. I was brought up on having good steak, and often. I know my steak.) Cutting into the very middle, it did seem to arrive closer to a Medium temperature. But I paid for a 8oz steak cooked Medium-Rare, not a 6 oz Well-Done (which was dryyyyyy and flavorless). There was maybe only 2oz cooked properly. The waitress was apologetic, and took my steak back to the kitchen. Maybe 10-15 minutes later she brought out a new plate. Fortunately my new steak was cooked correctly (maybe even a touch on the rare side of things). Much, much better. The char was a nice addition to the steak, and I very much appreciated it. My husbands burger was *fine*. I wouldn't have called it a smashburger, and it wasn't the best burger in the world. It was fine. The fries were YUM though, for sure. The reason why this isn't getting a lower review: they did not charge us for my steak! kudos to Oak Steakhouse for doing everything they possibly good to make things RIGHT. Thank you! BUT: I wouldn't go back. Why? Because $60 for a steak that was good, not great (even after being fixed)...just isn't worth it. The steak, plus the price of my side salad (sides are not included in the price of the steaks), and no bread service or anything along those lines....like, that better be a heck of a meal. And ours just didn't blow me out of the water. Service was slow. Not our waitresses fault, she was seriously running between tables. They are understaffed. The restaurant was loud, and only half full. (No soft carpeting, etc, to help with noise). Bottom line: Oak Steakhouse made up for their overcooked steak, and then some. But it just isn't worth the money, honey.

Ate outide with family and enjoyed the view. Oysters Rockefeller where excellent. Chicken florentine was really well done. Son and I both had steals cooked perfectly. Look forward to returning . Service was a++++.

This is my new favorite restaurant. The food and menu were innovative and delicious - I had the venison Wellington. The ambiance - can't beat sunset in the Blu e Ridge The service alone would bring me back.

Great and creative food. Excellent service. Our server, I think his name was Rob could not have been more attentive or considerate. There were six of us for dinner and all of us agreed it was the high point of our visit to Highlands.

Everything from the apps, steaks, salads, pheasant Wellington and the huge dessert platter they brought out to celebrate my big 60, everything was delicious. The service was awesome! The servers were helping each other out so everything was brought to the table at perfect temperature. The surroundings, as well as the interior of this restaurant are beautiful and very relaxing. The energy is calm and it's quiet enough where you can have a conversation at your table. We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner here as always!!

Beautiful location. Attentive servers. Good food, but not quite impressive given the high price.

Rob was an amazing server! His suggestion for the Trout was not disappointin! The view outside was beautifu! We will be back!

From the moment we walked into this iconic Lodge and the Oaks Steak House it was amazing. The maitre d greeted us, by name, with a warm welcome, seated us at the best corner window table and turned us over to our wonderful waiter Trevor. He was great!!!!...we ordered the Tomahawk steak for 2 which was presented beautifully on a big board...the steak was tender, plentiful and delicious....a must order. Our sides the loaded red mashed potatoes & burnt Brussels sprouts, were a huge portion and equally as scrumptious. I am giving the Oak Steak house rave reviews because they deserve it...thank you Oak Steakhouse....

The food and the service was very good. In particular, I really enjoy the oysters Rockefeller and the trout dish. Both dishes were outstanding. Service at the bar before dinner, was excellent as well.

We just had our second visit to Oak steakhouse. The room is beautiful. The view is breathtaking and the service is always above and beyond. Kevin, the manager could not have been nicer, and we will certainly be back.

Delicious is an understatement! This steakhouse is in the Skyline Lodge in Highlands , North Carolina. Make reservations early because this place was packed. Shannon was our server she was fantastic and helped us navigate the menu. Husband got the Ribeye , I got the Smashburger. Both were outstanding. We chose one of the sauces to go with... Horseradish cream it was unbelievable so good... The place is pricey, but worth it! Service, drinks, atmosphere all A+. We will be back

We came for a girls weekend to celebrate a friend's 30th birthday and had the best experience! Ace took great care of us with recommendations and helping us celebrate definitely one of the best experiences we have all had out to eat in a long time. The food was phenomenal and ambience was so cozy and inviting. 10/10 recommend!

This is a must while visiting Highlands! The Frank Lloyd Wright architecture is lovely and gives a cozy vibe when you walk in. The bar serves great drinks that you can enjoy by the fireplace as you wait for your table. The steaks were excellent and the Brussel sprouts and Mac and cheese. Just an overall lovely experience. Don't miss this one.

We had the best experience at Oak steakhouse. We had a wonderful waiter, enjoyed our pre dinner wine with wonderful view off back patio. Then to top everything off enjoyed delicious food and delicious wine. Great restaurant

Fun spot with a great view. Nice bar and a cozy glass room for dining. Steaks the specialty.

Wish we would have know you were here for dinner but brunch was great! Ambiance, food & service was spectacular!

My husband brought me here for a birthday celebration and we had an absolutely fantastic experience. We had eaten at a couple other places and had delicious meals but felt the service was subpar. Our server (Ace) went above and beyond for us. He made sure we had everything we needed and more. I want to thank him for giving us such a great dinner meal because it really made a difference in my day

Absolutely wonderful place with a warm and inviting vibe!!! The service and food are excellent!!! The chocolate soufflé is world class. Have an after dinner port by the fireplace and make some cool new friends!

We had a very mediocre and very expensive dinner here and if it wasn't so expensive I would let it go, but I can't. First off, we had a reservation for an anniversary, but we got likely the worst seat in the house- no view and next to the kitchen. Then it took 10-15 minutes to be greeted by our waiter. Once we put in a drink order it took another 25 minutes to get the drinks. Everything was soooo slow. We ordered burger which was extremely greasy and steak frites which were decent, but not worth $35. Also, the cocktails are $17-$20 and only ok. Not especially interesting or special. It felt like robbery. Our waiter was very inexperienced and frazzled the whole time. We ordered an app that didn't come until after we were finishing up our main course. I told the waiter not to bring at that point, but he did AND he charged us. What?!? We didn't feel like asking him to remove it since he was so slow it would have taken another half hour to get it resolved. Overall very bad experience, especially considering it was $$$$.

My favorite up-scale bar in town. The steak is amazing but don't forget about the chicken breast! YUMMMM! We love the staff, bar scene, beautiful vista views in the background and great interior decorations!

"I am a bit agog by the excellent reviews this restaurant has been receiving. Definitely not consistent with my experience a couple nights ago. First let's talk about the ambiance. There was nothing warm, inviting or cozy about this place. All the interior surfaces were made of glass, stone, or other hard materials that reflect, rather than absorb, sound. The net effect was akin to dining in a garbage can, making it impossible to carry on a normal conversation with my date, sitting 2-3' away on the other side of our table. On to the appetizer. I decided upon the Oysters Rockefeller, which were going for $3.50 each. They arrived on an old, stained aluminum baking sheet of the kind you would find in a toaster oven. I didn't recognize them as oysters at all. They were the size of cherry stone clams and were encrusted in bread crumbs. Not a hint of cheese, spinach, herbs, or sauce. When I expressed my disappointment with the dish, the waiter acknowledged the restaurant's difficulty in securing quality oysters. I recommended that if that were the case, they should consider dropping the item from their menu. On to the salads. My date ordered a chopped salad. It was small, but she advised it was tasty. I ordered the wedge salad. What I received resembled nothing like a wedge. Rather, it was a lump of lettuce completely smothered in a blu cheese sauce. Oh, and not a hint of bacon. Absolutely terrible. Given the quality of the early returns, I decided to forgo the steaks, which averaged between $55 and $75, and opted for the pasta bolognese. It was very tasty. My date ordered the trout. She received one filet of a small mountain trout, which she described as being ok. The only thing pleasant about our dining experience was the waiter. He realized our meals were disappointing and the ambiance was horrible, and did his best to provide quality service. I gave him a nice tip, as I do not believe in killing the messenger. My recommendation for any of you looking for a quality steakhouse with a cozy atmosphere for you and your significant other -- stay away from this overpriced establishment. You'll have better luck at Applebees."

My family had the pleasure of dining at Oak Steakhouse the week of 3/6/2022. We found the steak tartar, iceberg wedge, 1/2 chicken, and trout to be spectacular. We finished with the caramel cake! The restaurant is quite lovely with a large fireplace and the service provided by Ace was first class. We will return.

Outstanding Steaks, service and wine!! My new favorite binge! All the food is amazing!

Oak Steakhouse was amazing. We decided to try it for dinner our first night in town and were so impressed we went back for brunch on Sunday before we left. Both meals were fantastic. Service was also great. For dinner we had the beef tartare which was incredible. One of the best I've had. We also had oysters Rockefeller and then split the pork shank. The pork shank was tender and fell off the bone. So good! Brunch did not disappoint! Get the latke stack!! It was excellent and a very different brunch item you won't find on many menus!

A great place for Lunch during the week in their Butlers bar! Their patio is great and has awesome views. Oak Steakhouse's brunch on the weekends is delicious and you can't beat their dinner. All their dishes are fantastic.

Had a reservation at 7:00. Requested at time of reservation a specific menu item. We were finally seated at 9:20. We were served our entree at 10:40 PM. The food was average to above, service was ordinary........the overall experience was negative. Our group of six will not return.

Any addition to Highlands' somewhat limited fine dining scene is a welcome one, and the new Oak Steakhouse at Skyline Lodge has the potential to be a local standout if it can work out some kinks in a few critical areas. Dropping in for dinner just a few days after they opened last month, my wife and I were treated to outstanding service at both the bar and in the dining room, although it was clear that the food and the ambiance could both use some work. While my 8-oz Filet Mignon was respectable, it didn't quite measure up to what I've come to expect from a top-notch steakhouse. My wife was also underwhelmed with her steak -- both cuts seemed underdone and lacking in flavor. The sides, however, were delicious, the wine list predictably superb, and we shared a terrific Blueberry Cheesecake for dessert. The other problem with Oak is the setting, which would be fine for a casual tapas restaurant, but lacks the frills and intimacy of a four-star steakhouse. Located in a mountaintop motor lodge with a fierce Mad Men decor, this feels worlds away from your typical upscale restaurant in Charlotte or Atlanta. And it sort of works -- to a point. Oak's front door faces a spacious center courtyard furnished with Adirondack chairs and cornhole sets, a perfect fit for the rustic surroundings. And the spacious bar, with fabulous views of the Appalachians, is a great spot to unwind after a long day of exploring the North Carolina high country. But the dining room was lacking in charm, and once the sun goes down and the view disappears, the whole place just feels kind of sad. And driving the winding mountain road back to Highlands in the dark of night isn't exactly the best way to end a romantic evening, either. I really want Oak to succeed in this location, and hope it will make some decor and food improvements in the months ahead. At the end of the day, it needs to figure out how to strike the perfect balance between a rustic mountain chalet and an upscale restaurant, while serving up entrees that are the equal of a four-star urban steakhouse. If it can hit that mark, it will be a staple of high country cuisine for a long time to come.

steak was good and fries also, the carmel cake was not as good as i thought it should be, service was good and the view was nice.

Great experience for brunch. We started with the cinnamon roll, which was so good. I got the Highlands Breakfast modified with poached eggs and fruit instead of bacon because I'm vegetarian. The potatoes were out of this world, loved them!! Food was great, server was SO nice, and the restaurant was beautiful! Highly recommended checking this place out. We did not get a chance to try to lunch or dinner, but it's a great breakfast spot.

Service was excellent, incredible ambiance with the sunset, and food was nothing short of expectations. Highly recommend visiting. From the burger to the lamb shank, everything was great. And do yourself a favor and get the bread service!