Red Onion Cafe

3.8 (568)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

227 Hardin St., Boone, NC 28607

About this restaurant

Charming
Good for groups
Healthy

A Boone Restaurant Offering Food to Feel Good About. One of the classic restaurants in Boone NC, the Red Onion Café opens daily at 11am and serves continuously into the evening. Across from Appalachian State University on Highway 321 near downtown Boone, the restaurant offers convenient dining for Appalachian football and basketball games and other campus events. The Red Onion Café is unique among Boone restaurants, offering a menu stocked with one-of-a-kind items such as the Artichoke Dip appetizer, our famous blond brownie - the Horace Cookie, weekly dinner specials, vegetarian meals, lunch specials, pasta, pizza, salads, a large children's menu and homemade desserts.

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Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Contemporary American
Hours of operation
Daily 11:00 am–9:00 pm
Phone number
(828) 264-5470
Website
http://www.redonionboone.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual

Location
227 Hardin St., Boone, NC 28607
Neighborhood
Boone
Parking details
Appalcart (local bus, free of charge)<br />Boone Taxi (828-266-3860
Additional
Takeout

Fried Onion Rings$6.99
A house specialty (of course). Sweet onions, dipped in a homemade batter and fried to a golden perfection.
Fried Zucchini$6.99
Lightly battered zucchini, deep-fried and served with horseradish sour cream and spicy honey mustard sauce.
Pimento Cheese Plate$7.99
Sometimes called "pâté of the south," it's our homemade pimento cheese, with toasted bread and veggies.
Artichoke Dip$8.99
Our famous dip is a warm, spicy mixture of artichokes, parmesan, and onions served with garlic bread pieces.
Hummus Plate$7.99
Roasted red pepper and garlic hummus served with toasted bread and veggies.
Nachos$8.99
Big enough to share or a meal on its own. Heated tortilla chips layered with a black bean sauce, melted pepper jack and cheddar cheeses, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, all topped with sriracha sour cream.
Veggie Flatbread$8.99
Toasted flatbread with vegetable tapenade, hummus, goat cheese and fresh tomato. Cut into squares and garnished with fresh basil and Baby Kale Trio.

Salads

Dressing Choices: Balsamic Vinaigrette, Greek Vinaigrette, Caesar, Ranch, Bleu Cheese, Honey Mustard, Lemon-Poppy Seed Vinaigrette, Thousand Island, Italian, Asian. Additional Toppings: Pecans, Peanuts, Sunflower Seeds, Cranberries, Chow Mein Noodles, and Croutons.

Boston Bibb Wedge Salad$7.99
Locally grown lettuce wedge, cherry tomatoes, bacon and bleu cheese crumbles. Served with house-made bleu cheese dressing.
Baby Kale Trio$6.99
Baby black kale, baby scarlet kale, wild arugula, crunchy homemade croutons, goat cheese, roma tomatoes and cucumbers.
Garden Salad$6.99
Fresh romaine topped with red onions, carrots, cucumbers, button mushrooms, and tomatoes.
Tuna or Chicken Salad Plate$9.99
Creamy homemade tuna or chicken salad served over leaf lettuce with tomatoes, fresh fruit and a roll.
Grilled Chinese Chicken Salad$10.99
Delicious marinated chicken served over romaine and shredded cabbage with carrots, scallions and crispy chow mein noodles, then tossed with our house-made asian dressing. For a vegetarian version, try it with grilled tempeh.
Chicken Caesar Salad$10.99
Marinated and grilled chicken breast served on a bed of romaine, crunchy homemade croutons, shredded parmesan, and creamy caesar dressing.
Grilled Chicken Breast Salad$10.99
Marinated and grilled chicken served over a bed of romaine topped with mushrooms, black olives, red onions, and tomatoes.
Chicken Fajita Salad$10.99
Marinated and grilled chicken, monterey jack and cheddar cheese, grilled red onions and peppers, tomatoes, black beans, and freshly made tortilla strips, over a bed of romaine lettuce. Served with salsa and sour cream.
Lemon-Poppy Salmon Salad*$14.99
A mix of romaine and spinach greens topped with grilled Scottish salmon, finished with a delicious blend of goat cheese, pecans and cranberries, served with lemon-poppy seed vinaigrette on the side.

Soups

Signature French Onion
Baked crock filled with beef broth and french bread, topped with bubbly, toasted parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.
- Cup$4.99
- Bowl$5.99
Soup of the Day
All soups are made fresh daily. Please ask your server for the chef s choice of the day.
- Cup$4.99
- Bowl$5.99

Sandwiches

All Sandwiches are served with your choice of potato chips, fries or pasta salad. Substitute sweet potato fries or fruit for an extra $1 or a salad for $3.99. Gluten-free bread $1.50; All natural applewood smoked turkey All natural applewood smoked uncured ham, Pole and line caught Skipjack tuna, Certified angus roast beef, All natural chicken.

Mauney's Club$9.99
A classic club done right with layers of ham, turkey, bacon, cheddar cheese, crisp lettuce, juicy tomato and mayo on freshly baked wheat bread.
Chicken Breast$9.99
Marinated and grilled chicken breast served on a bun with lettuce and tomato. Have it blackened or coated with teriyaki or barbecue sauce.
Tuna or Chicken Salad Melt$9.99
Our tuna or chicken salad over tomatoes, covered with cheddar cheese and baked on an English muffin. Topped with alfalfa sprouts.
Classic Reuben$10.99
Grilled rye bread piled with sliced turkey or corned beef, sauerkraut, swiss cheese, and reuben sauce.
French Dip$10.99
Layers of thinly sliced roast beef topped with melted swiss and creamy horseradish sauce on a toasted french roll. Served with au jus.
Tilapia Sandwich*$10.99
Blackened tilapia served on a bun with alfalfa sprouts, tomatoes, and a creamy remoulade.
Meatball Sub$9.99
Hand rolled meatballs topped with our house-made marinara, melted mozzarella, and fresh basil. Served on a toasted sub roll.
Southern Chicken Sandwich$9.99
Marinated and grilled chicken breast topped with pimento cheese and Texas Pete.

Signature Burgers

All-The-Way*$7.99
Locally raised ground chuck served with local bibb lettuce, tomato, red onion, mayonnaise, and mustard.
BBQ Bacon Pub*$9.99
Locally raised ground chuck served with bacon, pimento cheese, barbeque sauce, and a crispy onion ring.
Sunrise Farm*$9.99
Locally raised ground chuck served with a fried egg, bacon, cheddar, local bibb lettuce, and tomato.
Greek Turkey$9.99
Greek seasoned, all-natural turkey burger with feta cheese, black olives, baby kale trio, Roma tomatoes and yogurt tzatziki.
Spicy Veggie$8.99
House-made veggie burger with pepper jack cheese, baby kale trio, tomato, guacamole, and sriracha cream sauce.

Pizzas

Italian Pizza$13.99
Tomato sauce, pepperoni, italian sausage, and mozzarella cheese.
Chicken Pesto Pizza$13.99
Basil Pesto sauce, grilled chicken, fresh mushrooms, and fontina cheese. It's always a Red Onion favorite.
Greek Pizza$12.99
Red sauce, mozzarella, feta, roasted red peppers, kalamata olives, artichoke, fresh basil and a side of tzatziki sauce.
White Pizza$12.99
Olive oil, mozzarella and goat cheese crumbles, along with romas and fresh basil.
Vegetarian Pizza$12.99
Zucchini, onions, mushrooms, squash, tomatoes, and creamy fontina. Your choice of sauce: basil pesto, olive oil, or classic red sauce.
Thai Chicken Pizza$13.99
Peanut sauce, pepper jack, julienne Asian veggies, shredded cabbage, and sriracha cream sauce.

Quesadillas, Tacos & Wraps

Our quesadillas are served with lettuce, tomato, house-made salsa & sour cream on the side. All wraps and tacos are served with hand fried tortilla chips unless otherwise specified. Add Guacamole $1.50.

Traditional Cheese$8.99
Melted cheddar and monterey jack cheese in between two perfectly crisped flour tortillas.
- Add Spinach, Chicken Or Both For$9.99
Artichoke & Spinach$9.99
Our homemade spicy artichoke dip mixed with spinach is the filling for this local fan favorite.
- Add Chicken$11.99
Baja Fish Tacos*$10.99
Two soft shell tacos with blackened Tilapia, grilled pineapple, and a spicy cilantro slaw topped with a sriracha cream sauce.
Tempeh Wrap$9.99
Sautéed tempeh, mushrooms and onions, in a sundried tomato wrap with cheddar and jack cheeses, alfalfa sprouts, tomatoes and a basil pesto mayonnaise.
Portabello Wrap$9.99
Sautéed portabello, zucchini, squash, and red onions, wrapped up with rice, fresh spinach, and a basil-feta mayonnaise.
Blackened Chicken Caesar Wrap$9.99
Blackened chicken, romaine lettuce, crunchy homemade croutons, and shredded parmesan tossed in a creamy Caesar dressing, wrapped in a flour tortilla.
Chicken Fajita Wrap$9.99
Marinated and grilled chicken, red onions and green peppers, mixed with monterey jack and cheddar cheeses, shredded lettuce and tomatoes, then wrapped in a soft flour tortilla.

Beverages

Bottled Water
- San Pelligrino$3.00
- Panna Spring Water$3.00
Soft Drinks$2.50
Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Sierra Mist, Mt. Dew, Dr. Pepper, Pink Lemonade.
Iced Tea$2.50
Sweet or Unsweetened.
Coffee$2.50
Our own special blend roasted for us by Mountain Lion Coffee. Decaf, Regular, American or Espresso shot.
Specialty Coffees$3.50
Cappuccino, Macchiato.
Lattes$3.50
Grasshopper, Turtle, S'mores, Almond Joy, Mocha, or ask your server for special flavors.
Hot Chocolate$2.50
Topped with whipped cream.
Hot Tea$2.50
A selection will be provided by your server. One bag per customer please.
Chai Tea Latte$3.50
A sweet blend of ginger and clove steamed with frothy milk.

Desserts

All of our desserts are made from scratch/in-house.

Red Velvet Cheesecake$6.99
A decadent modern twist on the Ruby Red American Classic. Tiers of fluffy red cake, layered with our homemade vanilla cheese cake, covered with cream.
Banana Cream Pie$5.99
Graham cracker crust filled with fluffy banana cream and topped with fresh bananas then finished off with cool whipped topping.
Horace Cookie$6.99
Our house specialty! A blonde brownie with pecans served warm and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Key Lime Pie$5.99
Tangy Key West lime juice filling on a buttery cracker crust, finished off with cool whipped topping.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie$6.99
Oreo cookie crust filled with chocolate ice cream and peanut butter cups topped with hot fudge and cool whipped cream.
Crème Brûlée$6.99
A creamy vanilla custard finished with caramelized sugar and fresh berries.

Pasta

Baked Linguine$10.99
Linguine noodles topped with house marinara baked with asiago, parmesan, and mozzarella cheeses.
- Add Special Recipe Meatballs For$13.99
Meat Lasagna$14.99
Layers of pasta, mozzarella, ricotta and parmesan cheeses, topped with meat sauce.
Florentine Wild Mushroom$14.99
Layers of pasta, portabello, shiitake, button mushrooms, and spinach covered with a rich chardonnay herb cream sauce, cheddar and Monterey Jack Cheese.
Black Bean and Pesto Lasagna$14.99
Layers of pasta, black beans, ricotta, parmesan and basil pesto covered with cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses.
Greek Penne Pasta$14.99
Mushrooms, tomatoes, capers, and kalamata olives, tossed with penne noodles in a savory greek stock. Topped with fresh basil and feta cheese.
- With Shrimp or Chicken$17.99
Cajun Chicken Pasta$17.99
Blackened chicken breast, tasso ham, broccoli florets, and tomatoes tossed with penne pasta in a parmesan cream sauce.
Pesto Pasta$14.99
Portabello mushrooms, tomatoes, wilted spinach tossed with penne noodles in a basil pesto-asiago cream sauce garnished with toasted pecans.
- With Shrimp or Chicken$17.99

Entrées

Champagne Chicken Florentine$16.99
A marinated and grilled breast of chicken served on a bed of steamed spinach, topped with a rosemary-champagne sauce. Served with vegetable of the day and crispy potato medley.
Tuscan Red Pepper Chicken$16.99
Marinated and grilled chicken breast, roasted red pepper cream sauce, fresh mozzarella, and basil. Served with vegetable of the day and crispy potato medley.
Mediterranean Tilapia*$16.99
Tilapia seasoned with traditional Greek spices , pan-seared and served on a bed of rice finished with a sun-dried tomato caper butter, feta cheese and fresh basil.
Low Country Salmon*$18.99
Our delicious Scottish salmon blackened, served over a pan-seared polenta cake and topped with andouille cream sauce.
Orange Glazed Salmon*$18.99
Grilled Scottish salmon basted with a zesty orange glaze. Served with vegetable of the day and crispy potato medley.
Pistachio Citrus Trout*$17.99
Cornmeal and pistachio encrusted trout topped with a citrus compound butter. Served with vegetable of the day and rice.
Bourbon Glazed Center Cut Ribeye*$20.99
Locally raised ribeye with chipotle spiced bourbon glaze and a peppercorn dusting. Served with vegetable of the day and baked potato.
Coffee Rubbed Filet Mignon*$24.99
Locally raised coffee-rubbed signature filet, grilled and topped with an herb-gorgonzola demi glace and crispy onions. Served with vegetable of the day and baked potato.

What 568 people are saying

Red Onion Cafe reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

3.8

3.8 based on recent ratings

3.7Food
4.3Service
3.5Ambience
3.6Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Red Onion Cafe offers "wonderful service" and "delicious pizza." Diners recommend the "excellent" salmon dishes and Wild Mushroom Lasagna, while the Caesar salad is a highlight. Although some reviews note slow service and inconsistencies, many patrons appreciate the enjoyable food and pleasant atmosphere. Overall, a mixed experience with standout service and select dishes.

568 Reviews

W
Walter VIP
Charlotte1 review
1.0
Dined on May 19, 2025
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
This restaurant is closed. No sign out front. Gone. Take them down off your site.
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Q
Quant
Asheville / Western North Carolina1 review
1.0
Dined on May 11, 2025
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 2
Our dinner was $84 for a Mediterranean tilapia and Cajun pasta with chicken, onion rings, a side of brussel sprouts, a cup of coffee and ice tea. Onion rings were fried too long and burnt, (or fried twice). My mom asked for the vegetable side of Brussel sprouts but we were told about 10 minutes later, they had finished them. The tilapia was a medium portion. It was supposed to come with marinated zucchini noodles but the zucchini was raw and cut with a ribbon and not marinaded. When pointed out, the cook replied that they don't ever cook the zucchini. A side of Brussels sprouts came out with the entree. The corn medley, brussel sprouts and the Cajun pasta all had a sheen on it from oil. My mom asked for her zucchini to be sauted but it came back out half cooked. The Cajun pasta was nothing special. I ate about an 1/8th. The Cajun sauce was okay. There was diced chicken mixed in. The amount of chicken was minimal, and seemed like about one third of a chicken breast, if that. Not worth the price! Service was okay. Was the waitress' first day and she was pleasant. Lots of laughing coming from the kitchen though which was irritating after such a poor quality meal sent out. This was not worth the value and I suggest you look elsewhere for a decent meal. I almost went back to tell the waitress she should look for a new job because with this food prep and quality, it was just going to be problems for her.
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D
David
Asheville / Western North Carolina2 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 11, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We love the salmon at Red Onion, either the Low Country Salmon, or the Salmon Salad. The Fish Tacos, Cajun Pasta, and Pesto Chicken Pizza are favorites too. We haven't had anything we didn't like, though!
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C
Chris
South Carolina2 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 9, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Service was wonderful. Pizza was delicious! Server was spectauculat!
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S
Stan
Greensboro / Winston Salem / Highpoint44 reviews
3.0
Dined on April 27, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
Food was good, Wild Mushroom Lasagna and Salmon mentioned as excellent. Service Slow on Sunday night.
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G
Ginny
Virginia1 review
5.0
Dined on April 25, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
The service was excellent and one of the best Caesar salads I’ve ever eaten!
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D
David
Greensboro / Winston Salem / Highpoint3 reviews
4.0
Dined on April 20, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
Enjoyable food. The service was a little spotty. I would go back again.
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E
Emily VIP
Nashville2 reviews
3.0
Dined on April 5, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 2
I’ve always loved Red Onion Cafe, so it was a sad thing to visit recently to find it’s gone downhill so much. The service was lovely, but the food was just not good. Bits of the ceiling fell on our table, and we had to ask for fresh appetizer plates when the entire first stack of plates was dirty. The spinach artichoke dip was pretty good, but the Asian salad was mostly just iceberg lettuce and a cup of soy sauce. It was hard to tell if the Bloody Mary even had alcohol in it. Overall, a disappointing experience.
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L
LESLIE
South Carolina6 reviews
3.0
Dined on April 4, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
We were really excited to be going there. Menu looked good. Reviews looked good. The food was not good - 3 kale salad was spinach and arugula. Bitter dressing. Apps came with dinner so you would have to pick which one you wanted to eat hot - and which one lukewarm. The entrees were both mediocre … but our waitress was cute.
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L
Lynn
Washington, D.C. Area10 reviews
2.0
Dined on April 4, 2025
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 1
Asked to change tables because of a large party. Waited 15 minutes for any kind of service. Food took half an hour to serve. Zucchini was ridiculous. No, I meant to write ridiculous. Waitress was extremely overworked but professional. Not going back.
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FAQs

Red Onion Cafe offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (828) 264-5470.

Red Onion Cafe is rated 3.8 stars by 568 OpenTable diners.

Permanently Closed

This restaurant is permanently closed.

227 Hardin St., Boone, NC 28607

Dining areas

Additional information

Neighborhood
Boone
Hours of operation
Daily 11:00 am–9:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Contemporary American
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
Appalcart (local bus, free of charge)<br />Boone Taxi (828-266-3860
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Takeout

Website
http://www.redonionboone.com/
Phone number
(828) 264-5470

Red Onion Cafe

About this restaurant

Permanently Closed

There’s more to explore

Dining areas

Additional information

Appetizers

Fried Onion Rings$6.99

Fried Zucchini$6.99

Pimento Cheese Plate$7.99

Artichoke Dip$8.99

Hummus Plate$7.99

Nachos$8.99

Veggie Flatbread$8.99

Salads

Boston Bibb Wedge Salad$7.99

Baby Kale Trio$6.99

Garden Salad$6.99

Tuna or Chicken Salad Plate$9.99

Grilled Chinese Chicken Salad$10.99

Chicken Caesar Salad$10.99

Grilled Chicken Breast Salad$10.99

Chicken Fajita Salad$10.99

Lemon-Poppy Salmon Salad*$14.99

Soups

Signature French Onion

Soup of the Day

Sandwiches

Mauney's Club$9.99

Chicken Breast$9.99

Tuna or Chicken Salad Melt$9.99

Classic Reuben$10.99

French Dip$10.99

Tilapia Sandwich*$10.99

Meatball Sub$9.99

Southern Chicken Sandwich$9.99

Signature Burgers

All-The-Way*$7.99

BBQ Bacon Pub*$9.99

Sunrise Farm*$9.99

Greek Turkey$9.99

Spicy Veggie$8.99

Pizzas

Italian Pizza$13.99

Chicken Pesto Pizza$13.99

Greek Pizza$12.99

White Pizza$12.99

Vegetarian Pizza$12.99

Thai Chicken Pizza$13.99

Quesadillas, Tacos & Wraps

Traditional Cheese$8.99

Artichoke & Spinach$9.99

Baja Fish Tacos*$10.99

Tempeh Wrap$9.99

Portabello Wrap$9.99

Blackened Chicken Caesar Wrap$9.99

Chicken Fajita Wrap$9.99

Beverages

Bottled Water

Soft Drinks$2.50

Iced Tea$2.50

Coffee$2.50

Specialty Coffees$3.50

Lattes$3.50

Hot Chocolate$2.50

Hot Tea$2.50

Chai Tea Latte$3.50

Desserts

Red Velvet Cheesecake$6.99

Banana Cream Pie$5.99

Horace Cookie$6.99

Key Lime Pie$5.99

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie$6.99

Crème Brûlée$6.99

Pasta

Baked Linguine$10.99

Meat Lasagna$14.99

Florentine Wild Mushroom$14.99

Black Bean and Pesto Lasagna$14.99

Greek Penne Pasta$14.99