20 Best American Restaurants in Waynesville

“My husband and I loved our lunch here. The salads were so fresh, cocktails were fun and cherry pudding dessert was out of this world. We cannot wait to try dinner here next time we are in the area. Great service in a welcoming, friendly environment.“

“The Swag is a place that’s difficult to describe. The best way I can explain it is an all inclusive, experience with beautiful hikes, scenic views, and wonderful people catering to your every need. I never thought I would get to experience something like the Swag and I hope everyone gets to experience something like it in their lifetimeEvery single person on the staff that I encountered was nothing but kind, helpful, and knowledgeable. Brooks greeted us with kindness and positivity when we first arrived which set an overall positive tone for the rest of our trip. Mark gave us an in depth tour of the Swag, complete with the history of the place. He made us feel at home from the start. He also made the most thoughtful announcements each night before dinner which was something I’ve never experienced anywhere else. Sandra was so kind and not to mention funny. She even got me the name of a hair product I was looking for. JR and Haley were our waiter and waitress at dinner time each night. They were knowledgeable about the menu and just had overall amazing attitudes. Will called for us to be picked up when we came out the wrong end of one of our hikes. And Luke took time out of his day to drive us back. He didn’t make it seem like an inconvenience; but instead gave us an in depth history of the Swag on the drive back. Benji was the barista who never disappointed with his delicious drinks. He even offered to give us a lesson on how he made them. We’re now trying to recreate them ourselves but cannot compete with Benji’s skills.The food was beyond delicious. Every single meal was wonderful and so well thought out. Even the presentation was beautiful. It was some of the best food I’ve ever had. The care and preparation that went into it didn’t go unnoticed.I will never forget my amazing experience at the Swag and all the people who made it such a fun, special time for us. We made memories there that will last a lifetime. I would recommend this place to anyone and everyone! There’s nothing better than gorgeous views, good hiking, delicious food, and kind people!“

“We’ve been meaning to try Fuego for months since we’ve been hearing everyone rave about it. Finally, we stopped in to have a beer and get take out. Lovely and inviting vibe, super friendly staff, and the food is the best we’ve had in the area. Cannot wait to go back. Our new go to. Go here at your first opportunity, you’ll be so happy you did.“

“The Gigi, Bugsy, and John Boy Burgers are all outstanding.Overall, the food has always been great, and she's keeping her prices under control, so it's affordable for working people.Parking: It's a food trailer with a good-sized, covered, screened, and heated area to eat.Kid-friendliness: Concrete floor with covered picnic tables.Wheelchair accessibility: Gravel flat parking lot with level cement pad.“

“We went for dinner and the food was absolutely amazing. Our server, Emily, made the whole experience though. She has such a shining personality, gave great recommendations, and was just a true pleasure to interact. If you get the chance, ask for Emily!!“

“Have eaten here numerous times. Chef Josh does an excellent job with all his seafood! I can’t say enough about his grouper. It’s amazing! And my girlfriend loves the steak! And when it’s on the menu, the fried oyster appetizer is hands-down the best I’ve had“

“Wow ! Totally impressed with Kanini’s ! From the first bite i could tell this is the kind of place that puts in effort and care and quite a bit of knowledge in how they make food ! I had the Nashville Chicken and Waffle and it has exceeded my expectations by far ! Definitely recommended and thanks to the wonderful staff !“

“Their food is really good and everyone is very sweet and very nice and very respectful. Everyone is very patient and it's very easy to get to.Parking: It stays very busy and I love their food and I love the employees they are very nice and very sweet.“

“This place is awesome. I came in with my family on a busy night, and can't say enough how exceptional the staff is. They are really friendly, and weren't at all flustered when there was a big rush of people. They have a great craft beer selection. My only complaint, which is also a compliment, is they close at 9 p.m. which allows the staff to still have a life outside of work. I certainly can't blame them for taking care of their people ?“

“After a morning of exploring this was the perfect find for lunch! We each got the Monday special (burger with fries or tots and a drink for $8) and it was the perfect amount of food. The burgers were juicy and a great size, the fries were crinkle-cut and crispy, and the ambiance was great. The only seating is picnic tables in the yard but they do have a restroom. We saw a lot of locals popping in on their lunch breaks and I can definitely see why this would be a regular spot!“

“Had lunch here yesterday and we were very pleased from the minute we walked in. Friendly staff, very clean restaurant service was fast waitress was very friendly and polite and answered the questions we had about the different food items. Sorry I don’t remember her name but she was terrific! If in the area again we will be back!“

“We loved this place. The service was great, our server made great recommendations on wine, appetizers and entrees. Our table had brussel sprouts, crab cake app, ribeye special, wild mushroom pasta and meatloaf. Everything was delicious. I’m very picky about my wine, crab cakes and brussel sprouts and I order it all again.“

“This place is a place my husband and I can go on a date night and just feel relaxed and enjoy a few drinks. The bartender on Thursday night is always super sweet to everyone and has always been kind to us since day one. Service is done in a timely manner and drinks are on point.“

“Came all the way from Michigan just to eat here because of word of mouth naw JP was at the pilot off exit 24 and had breakfast at Haywood 209 yesterday morning and wanted something different in a good way and the grits was spot on as was the bacon and hash “

“This was my second time eating here and it's amazing! My son and I got burgers, I had fries and he had onion rings they both were soo yummy.I also had a slice of the strawberry cake for my birthday.This is definitely one of my new favorites.The staff is always so nice as well .“

“The egg rolls are great. They change them often to provide variety and we have yet to have one we don't like. The drinks are also very good: the bartender has a nice heavy pour. The rest of the menu is also good. We've had the Cuban sandwich, buffalo chicken wrap, and burgers. All good. I would recommend.“

“Late lunch stop and this crew is still on top of it. Food was great (yes to the beer menu and pimento cheese), staff engaging and playful with kids. So glad we stopped in! Thx Travis!Kid-friendliness: Staff includes kids and engages with them“

“Went here for a special date. The tomato pie was delicious. My husband's duck duo made him happy. Juicy, tender. The Perloo I ordered was too greasy to eat. I don't think the sausage was drained. By the time it cooled to a temp I could eat it, grease was floating in puddles along the surface. The picture is when it first came to our table. I was disappointed. They did make it right, though, by offering a replacement dish to go. I gave it to our son as we had plans, but, I did try a bite of it. Our server took a bit long to get a drink and my husband's first choice of top shelf scotch was not in stock and it took 20 minutes to figure that out.. One issue was that the booth had seats that were torn to shreds. I looked at other booths and many were that way. The ragged vinyl scratched my legs in the short dress I was wearing. All that being said, we'd go back, I'll just skip the Perloo and wear pants.“

“By far the best food bar of any honeys I have ever ate at. So gooood. I would drive an hour and a half to eat here again. Beautiful inside. Great atmosphere and they have a alcohol bar too. Love this shoneys!!!!!Great food and service.“

“We ate here Tuesday morning because almost no restaurants are open in maggie valley mon-wen we arrived as they opened and 3 of us had the daily special Salisbury steak it was very good i had a burger it was very good also the waitress was great the food came out fresh great place to eat thank “