Restaurant Review: Ham's at the Palladium in High Point, North Carolina

My family has enjoyed Ham's restaurants ever since we moved to Greensboro over ten years ago. The chain started in Greensboro back in the early 1930's. Today, they've grown to 18 locations throughout the Southeast, and are by far the best "casual" restaurant around.

Whether you're looking for a burger or something a bit heartier like ribs or pasta, you'll find it at Ham's. The restaurants have an ambience about them that just isn't found in too many places these days. Although each location has its own "feel", you can be assured that both food and service will be consistently awesome!

My husband and I ate at one of their newer locations recently - Ham's at the Palladium, which is at 5840 Samet Drive in High Point, NC. This section of High Point is actually considered to be Greensboro by most people, because it's near the end of Wendover Avenue, near where Eastchester/68 and Penny Road come together. For years, there was a Food Lion and Starbucks in this location; over the past two years a theater, apartment complex, and many stores and restaurants have been added. Ham's is a jewel among them.

On this particular visit, Ham's was offering half-price wings as an appetizer. We got an order of the "train wreck" (hot) wings with bleu cheese dressing and celery. My husband and I really enjoy SPICY foods. While the spice was evident, the wings were not as hot as "train wreck" would seem to describe. However, they were delicious and we were only disappointed in heat level, not taste.

I had a steak and cheese sandwich, and Ken had the Old South burger. Both were absolutely prepared to perfection. Along with our entree, we enjoyed Ham's famous home-made potato chips. These are thin-sliced potatoes, fried and served in generous proportions. You can get them as a side to most meals, and also as an appetizer. They are so incredibly delicious that on other visits, we've done both!

Other entrees we have enjoyed are the ribs, chicken parmesan, and of course - the steaks. Ham's also offers a series of wrap sandwiches which are likely lower calorie than their others.

Drinks range from cokes and ice tea, to excellent microbrew beers from around the world, to mixed drinks. They also have juices, coffee and tea, and even fruit smoothies! Although Ham's does serve alcohol and even has a bar, none of their restaurants has a "bar" feel to it - families and non-drinkers feel very comfortable in the restaurant.

Ham's has some of the best desserts anywhere - our favorite is the fried cheesecake.

If you visit Ham's, be sure to check out the trains and the sports memorabilia that make up each location's decor. Also, check the website's events page for fun happenings at your local Ham's! You won't regret eating lunch or dinner at this fine establishment!

Kathi Sharpe and her husband enjoy dining out and sharing their experiences with others. Neither of them has any affiliation with any of the restaurants they write about.