Our server was great. Suggested the Philly cheese steak. Great suggestion! I had the trout with lemon pepper. Everything was very good and very reasonably priced. As for the reviews that stated there was very little meat on the philly, I strongly disagree, just look at the photo attached. When we return from Florida this is definitely on our list of places to go!
You would not believe a restaurant this good could be attached to a gas station. Food is excellent quality, place is always spotless, staff always pleasant, price is right, and they always have hand made desserts. Locals are repeat customers- nuff said.
Very good food, juicy meats, and very friendly service. Definitely recommended! I got the southern fried chicken dinner and my wife got the patty melt. Both were great, as was all the sides. The coconut cream pie was divine too! Allie was such a sweetheart and made sure our drinks were filled and coffee hot.
We were tired and hangry 😒 not a restaurant in sight! My kids and zi saw a sign for 209 Cafe and headed straight there. It felt like a scene from a movie we were definitely not locals but we were welcomed right in service was excellent and so was the food!! We got it go because we had to travel further to our destination. This is a gem in the middle of nowhere 😍✨❤💖!!
What a great experience. Went for breakfast, a little late the first morning of our vacation. Place was clean and fresh inside, well staffed (the exception these days), very reasonably priced and most importantly breakfast was excellent. Its difficult to find good things to say about scrambled eggs, but these were memorable... they were fluffy, cooked fully without being burnt or dried out, and most of the time in a cafe or diner you can tell what was cooked on the grill previously... but these were excellent. Just that would have made this a great breakfast, but there is more. The hash browns were crispy, as was the bacon, and the marbled rye toast was again.. perfectly toasted, fresh and wonderful. I could not have asked for more. We will be back!
This is my first time visiting the Haywood 209 Cafe. The food was served fresh and hot the atmosphere is casual we really enjoyed our meal. Desserts are homemade and wonderful. We will be back
We are traveling from New York, stopped in Cincinnati and headed to to South Carolina. Decided to stop here on our way, Im so glad we did. The food was amazing, prices were just right and the people were so awesome! Thank you for an amazing addition to our trip and for full bellies 😄😋(I highly suggest to get one of there delicious milkshakes! It was the best milkshake Ive had in a long time.)
Found this gem via Google search, as we try our best when on vacation, to eat at non-chain restaurants. The employees were very polite and attentive. The wife and kids enjoyed it as well..We will definitely be going back, as part of our yearly Trek to Maggie Valley
Very good food. Nice and friendly staff.
The food and service here is wonderful. Among the best places to eat in western North Carolina..Do not miss the French Toast. Fantastic. Our favorite place and we live here!
Great food, great staff. Really good atmosphere. Good Ole diner vibe. We had a great meal and a great time!
We always choose the mom & pop diner over anything name brand, and this place is an example of why! Unbelievably good food, courteous staff that makes you feel like a guest in their home. Highly recommended for anyone on the road with an empty belly, cause these folks will make sure you’re full when you leave.
First time there a few days ago on my way home and i absolutely loved it. the food was amazing and servers were super nice! it’s not even that expensive either! definitely 10/10 would of course recommend:)
Great service. Amazing omelette
My partner and I stopped through with our husky on our way up to Tennessee this evening. The staff there was so accommodating. It was an awesome experience and the food was satisfying after a long drive. Thank you all for the awesome service and for being pup friendly!
On our way to Charleston from Indiana and saw the Haywood 209 Cafe billboard tucked into the trees along the highway around lunchtime. What a treat! The menu had so many options. My kids are usually picky and hard to please but they loved it! The staff was so friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. I was impressed by how well everyone worked together and anticipated our needs. The dining room was clean, inviting and had a lovely view of the green mountainside. The covered patio seating was surrounded by beautiful potted plants. We plan to stop by again when we are on our way back to Indiana in a few days.
Convenient for so many reasons! Easy off and on the highway, right next to a gas station, and has cute outdoor seating if you are traveling with pets. Excellent food and service. Glad we stopped there!
Great food. Friendly staff. Great service.We appreciate the covered, outdoor patio where our pups are welcome.
I Normally Don’t Leave Reviews But Me & My Family Was Passing Through I Order The Hamburger Steak The Food Was So Good & Fresh ..I Would Recommend 😋
Had the blt with fries. It was delicious! And the hand spun shakes are spot on! Also a great place to stop and stretch your legs along with your dog. Outdoor seating with complimentary water bowls 😁
Been here twice recently. First time: poor service. Second time our order was incomplete: no grits with western omelet; waitress made no effort to get the grits when asked. Service was poor: waited a long time to get menu and give order. Waitress checked on us once during visit with no offer to refill coffee; had to ask for one refill. Food fair to good. Trying to make this place our local restaurant, but they are making it tough!
I stood in line for 10min then walked out no one wanted to take my order. Place is only good for their regular customers. No one will pay attention to you if new here.
Although this place is at a gas station, it was so cute! Plus our waitress was the best!! We ended up here very randomly, but we were glad we did. Food is to die for, and do not leave without trying the fried chicken and something from the pastry box!
The food was wonderful.We sat ourselves and a waitress took our drink order. Then the waitress went and cleaned some tables and disappeared. I caught the eye of another waitress and she yelled out that whoever had our table, we were looking to order.Finally our waitress showed up with our drinks and took our order. We didnt see her again after she delivered our meals so no drink refills. Then we sat for a while waiting for her to come back to offer dessert.The place wasnt busy and several of the waitresses were taking selfies and checking their phones at the front counter.The poor service is really a shame because the food was very good.
Absolutely best spot along this route to stop. Pet friendly!!! They have bowls in the outside area for your furry friend and will happily bring your buddy whipped cream/peanut butter. Awesome relief on our trip from knoxville TN to Atl GA. Friendly staff and best of all, amazing food! Ask for the chicken club! Wont be disappointed!
Love these folks. This is where the local folks eat. Food is good, especially the catfish. If you want a healthy option, try the lemon-peppered catfish. If you want to indulge, go for the Philly cheese
Some of the best fried chicken Ive ever had, i got perfectly seasoned pinto beans and turnips as sides. Generous portions. Delicious homemade biscuit and sweet tea...some of the best southern cooking Ive ever eaten. Friendly service. its no wonder the place has been open for 45 years.
The staff are courteous. The food is hot and Delicious. There is a large variety to choose from.It is important that it is locally owned. This helps our hometown economy.
Great food, hand made milkshakes, and their seven-layer cookie is to die for. Plus semi parking. Love this place.
Sandwiches were great. Loved the outdoor dining area!
Blown away by this place! Very excellent food and the waitstaff was very pleasant. Try the house made ranch! Its to die for.
Great food, good prices and friendly staff. Be patient they are dealing with staffing shortages like everywhere else, but overall excellent meal.
This is a wonderful place to eat. I had a great omelet and a yummy cinnamon roll. The service is excellent.
Love this place! The staff are always friendly and helpful. The establishment is always well maintained and the staff move like a well oiled machine.
The food was delicious but the kitchen stop wasnt wearing any gloves and that was pretty weird especially during the pandemic. My husbands food was supposed to come with two sides and they forgot his fries Im sure they would have handled it very well if I would have gone back but I didnt. They were very sweet and everyone was full. The owner was there and very nice, it was cool to see the owner working.
My alternator went out on the highway and luckily I was able to make it here. Not only were the staff super-sweet to my family and I, but there is a mechanic next door! We were a ble to eat, sit in the AC at the Cafe for a few hours while waiting for parts for my car. Reeces Auto, next door, fixed me up for a fair price as well!!!! Not only that, the food at the Cafe was delicious. I am one lucky Mama!!!!
Great food. Great service. Great surprise, its connected to a gas station, but the food was great, a good variety. Highly recommend.
My son and I ate supper with you guys on Friday evening. His twin brother works with yall and kept telling us how great the food was. It was amazing!! Super atmosphere and our waitress Ally was great. Looking forward to coming back!!
Great food everything homemade the way a diner should be also have great homemade desserts Owner and staff very nice very clean and they have a place to park your camper or 18 wheeler
Best pancakes ever very great service waitress very nice coffee was good to
The staff we met were all very sweet and fun, and the food was good. The cheeseburger was exceptional.
Very nice atmosphere, food was VERY bland. The one thing I can say good is the biscuits were delicious.
We eat at this cafe almost once a week. The service and food never disappoints. Very good food, and very reasonable.
The waitress was very polite. The food arrived quickly. The waitress kept my coffee filled. It was great to be able to dine outside on picnic tables. The omelet I ordered was delicious.
Great find. Friendly staff. Great atmosphere. All the food was fresh and made from scratch. If you like biscuits, you wont be disappointed.
Waitress was very polite. Wonderful sense of humor.Tentative to her job.Wife had fried Cod, I had Fried Catfish.Fish was cooked to PERFECTION. This was my second visit and there will be more visits anytime We are in that area....The price was right @ $41.xxfor 2 fish dinners 1 appetizer and 1 dessert.
I was at the gas station but Ive eat there before n it was good last time I went...
Great food, ample portions, reasonable prices. Cake is our of this world. Patio is pet friendly with a beautiful view. Definitely visiting again.
After driving for 2 hours through Tennessee and North Carolina this was the only restaurant in sight as my family was heading back from Kentucky. We were all starving and we were gonna eat anything we could have. We thought this place was just a normal pick me up mediocre food joint. However we ran into some of the sweetest people and our waitress was extremely sweet. They had a good variety of what to eat, some things priced higher than others but huge portions of food. This little hole in the wall was very impressive. I personally had the patty melt which was served on rye bread, it was definitely different but not different to where it wasn’t good. But we also had their fried porkchops which were delicious! If I’m in town again I would love to try one of their milkshakes.
Friendly service, my food was excellent. Served just like I asked.
Just looking for a great breakfast place to eat on our way home from the Biltmore and we found it!!!! They had fried bologna as a breakfast meat...which was delicious...and liver mush...which we decided to pass on. It has the great feel of an old diner. Wait staff were friendly and helpful. You could tell they had a number of loyal regulars!
The food was great I definitely will go back
It was awesome! Food was great. Service was great. Price was great.
After reading the reviews on this restaurant. We decided to give it a try. I first ordered the chilli it would have been good but was brought to me cold. I would have told the waitress but she never come back. My club sandwich was good. My husbands hot dog was cold as well. Flavors are their. Just need to make sure yall serve hot food hot. And less high school drama going on, went back to give them another chance. It was better.
I really wanted to like this place but I’ve been twice and the food was bad both times. First time had a philly sandwich. Was not good and barely any meat or toppings. This time got a club sandwich and it didn’t have bacon like the menu stated. Also the cheese sticks were horrible and so was my sons burger just like frozen meat patty. Prices were way overpriced and didn’t get my ranch with the fries I asked for. One good thing though was the cheese cake and the service was good but won’t be going back.
Wow what a great place! Service was awesome and the food delicious!
Nice little diner of the interstate. If you are looking for good country home cooking and not the same ole fast food, it is definitely worth a visit. The wait staff was friendly. The food was hot, fresh, and delicious. Prices are good.
We stopped at Haywood 209 Cafe on our way back to Asheville from Pigeon Forge and they did not disappoint! The staff was amazing and friendly! They all had smiles which made the cafe inviting and comfortable. I had the 3 sides platter with collards, fried okra and Mac and cheese with a side salad. The fried okra and Mac and cheese was perfect! The collards were a little sweet but ohh so good! My hubby has the cheeseburger and said it was one of the best cheeseburgers hes had in a long time! We got a brownie and apple turnover to go and devoured both once we got back to the hotel. These desserts were yummy and topped off our great dinner!The restrooms were clean with plenty of products. I would highly recommend stopping by Haywood 209 Cafe for a meal if you are in the area!!
Good dinner options for the area. They forgot my mushroom gravy and were out of baked potatoes 😔
Food was awesome! Service was delightful! We will be regulars now!!! ❤️❤️❤️👍👍👍
Got the catfish dinner, but they dont cook the fish to golden brown, its to mushy. I got a large french fries which contain of maybe 10 fries and cole slaw which is very little, but over all I guess its better than nothing.
Great food, great customer service, we had the sweetest server.
Wonderful local restaurant! Delicious food, fast service, great price!
One of a N.C.s Hidden Treasures, Abundant portions of food, really clean & the view from the patio is priceless
Authentic southern cooking. Fried okra perfect. Inside and outside seating. Right off of I40. Also sandwiches and hotdogs.
Great service, prices, And staff!!!
Love coming here. One of the best hidden gems around.
Grabbed a philly cheese steak. Was delicious. Will be back!
Very good foodWide variety of home style vegetablesQuick serviceDelicious desserts
Good home cook food. And the service was out of this world
Great down home cooking and service! My husband and I both had the corned beef hash and eggs with toast or biscuit (he had toast and I had biscuit, my eggs were scrambled with cheese and his were hard fried). The meals were cooked just right, including his eggs having crispy edges!!
Home town friendly and good food.
Really great breakfast place with a good atmosphere. Friendly wait staff who always made sure I had hot coffee and cold water. Will have to come back for lunch and their outdoor seating.
Prompt service.... good food.... good coffee..... no complaints
Amazing food and service. If ever you travel by this place you have to stop for a meal. The portion sizes are intense for the prices. Never have I paid so little for so much of a prime product. Praise be to those who opened and run this establishment.
Never a bad experience. Very homey.
My family and I have eat here many times Great food, Great Service. I have never heard the staff, or any one else, make fun of customers, nor have I heard any kind of racial slurs. I add this because of another review I read by another customer. I just find that review hard to believe.
I’m not the person who usually leaves a review, but when the kitchen staff is openly making fun of the customers it deserves a comment. Hearing an incredibly loud commentary on every person that walks in while you are trying to eat does not make for a nice dining experience. Comments on women’s physical appearances and making racial slurs?! This restaurant needs to fire the guys in the back and hire some people who have at least heard of customer service skills.
Really good food, served hot with a smile! The patty melt was excellent as was the strawberry shake made with fresh strawberries.
Had the country fried steak with mash and coleslaw.Everything was good,good size portions and friendly service.Recommend stoping by good eating.
Delicious sausage and veggie omelet. Restaurant was very clean. Wonderful service. Will absolutely return next time Im up this way.
The food was absolutely delicious and the service was top notch. A great stop for breakfast.
Absolutely worth the money to eat here. Folks were amazing
Great food! Huge menu for breakfast (best breakfast in the area, the locals say), really good selections for lunch & dinner, and the staff are friendly and care for you like youve known each other for years!Right off of I-40, Exit 24, on Hwy 209 (Lake Junaluska & Hot Springs), located in the Shell gas station truck stop plaza. Local gem thats been in business for 40 years!
Staff is sweet, food was alright, atmosphere is cute.
Great food good service clean friendly great burgers
