We have eaten here several times over the years and have always enjoyed our meals and the ambiance. We have brought friends and family for special events, however after a recent visit in November 2024 we probably will not be back. We made an early reservation because we had a show to catch later, and it is a good thing because even though there were only 4 other tables in the dining room the service was extremely slow. Our server only came a few times over the 2 hours we were there and food took an abnormally long time to arrive. We had water to drink, no alcohol. We had some shareable appetizers, 2 mains, and a shared side. Nothing crazy. They had a recent menu change according to the server and we are NOT a fan. They changed the bread app and it is not very good. The old bread app was chefs kiss, new one, 2 thumbs down. We had the meatball app, flavor and good, but they were literally cold inside. We would have sent them back, but they took so long to arrive that we didn't want to run out of time. My wife had the scallops, they were literally cold, had grit on them and there were 5 small scallops. I had a steak, it was cooked perfectly and was fork tender. However it lacked flavor and if i hadn't added the sauce it wouldn't have had any taste. The shared potatoes were just ok. Our food was cold, service was slow, portions were lacking, and our bill was over $180 with tip. We routinely go have a nice meal like this once a week and happily spend more than that on a killer meal, but this was lack luster compared to past visits. I can't say we will be back this time. Hope I hear they improve. To those about to dine, you have been warned. read more

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last night we had a great dinner. The only missing item was good bread that you could dip into your Italian sauce. I have never been to an Italian restaurant that does not serve bread. very disappointing. We ordered the garlic bread on the menu not the same. hope they consider adding this so I will come back and eat the delicious pasta or I can run to Lowe's and grab a baguette to bring. read more

Disappointing. This was our first time experience at this restaurant; and we won't be giving it a second try. It was our anniversary, we had high hopes based on other reviews. However, Service was extremely slow. Chicken was visibly burnt and dry, fettuccine pasta had no flavor whatsoever. We sent back a drink that was made wrong and told the server we will just stick with water. However when we got the bill the drink was still on there. The most confusing part was that the place wasn't even that busy so the poor service was perplexing. Hopefully this review saves someone else from the same bad experience. read more

Very nice atmosphere. We sat outside and enjoyed a very pleasant evening. The wait staff was awesome and very attentive. The food was outstanding! You must visit this little jewel in Hickory. Highly recommend read more

Delicious food and wine. Service started out rough but ended good. Atmosphere was pleasant.

Getting our food was slow but our waiter was super great and kept checking in with us! We started out with yeast rolls and oh my YUM. I had a cranberry mule that was delicious. For our entrees my husband had a filet and sweet potato which he said was great. I was recommended the Snapper by our waiter. I expected a piece of snapper on a plate but no it was an entire experience! The snapper came in a bowl with chorizo, cornbread pieces, clams, some things I am not sure what it was but was delicious, topped with fried leak pieces and the waiter poured a broth over. Oh. My. Goodness. It was delicious. We will definitely be back! Such a cute spot for hickory! read more

Cafe Rule & Wine Bar - Snapper and Cranberry Mule - New American Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

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I did a wedding reception here last night and not only was it an absolutely beautiful place, but the staff was amazing! So accommodating, friendly and complementary! If I needed anything, they were getting it for me! They made sure I had everything I needed...including a drink if necessary. When the bride needed help with a broken bustle, they ran to the store for a box of safety pins! Table clothes were steamed, the dance floor was squeegeed, and the drinks were flowing! The food was absolutely delicious! Not one thing we didn't enjoy! read more

Super classy ambiance. We arrived early but the restaurant still seated us. The chowder was so good. We ordered crab cakes and I wish there were more. Next time I want to try some wine because they had it in a fancy case. I recommend read more

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We enjoyed our Sunday Brunch at this "slightly hidden gem" of a restaurant. Cafe Rule is part of the Imagine One Hospitality group that includes Mas Amor Cantina and Vintage House Restaurant, in Hickory, and Peppervine in Charlotte. I ordered the vegetarian Eggs Benedict while my wife ordered the same Eggs Benedict with Prosciutto. The salad between the two muffins was delicious. My wife enjoyed her Mimosa Flight. We both enjoyed our entrees. We are looking forward to enjoying outdoor dining on the patio when the weather is warmer. read more

Cafe Rule & Wine Bar - Vegetarian Eggs Benedict with aerated Hollandaise Sauce - New American Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

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Wonderful better restaurant to come dressed up or casual. Booths hold three across the side, or choose a table on the patio.

I have loved cafe rule for a very long time. This is first time trying the Italian version, I got a shrimp scampi, usually a refreshing summer dinner, this shrimp scampi was extremely spicy, I could not even eat half of it. The crab cake was what I turned to cool down but it was overly creamy and "is expanding into brick in my stomach" as my friend said. I do miss the old cafe rule. read more

The service was poor. Our water was never filled and drinks took a very long time to arrive. We had a table of eight and meals were delivered at different times. Waiter was not in sight most of the night. The food was marginal. read more

The food was delicious. Staff was friendly and welcoming. I had the Pineapple Infusion x2, soup the day - Crab and Corn Bisque, Black Angus Steak Filet - Oscar Style (asparagus, hollandaise and crab lump on top) with seasonal veggie (sweet potatoes) and fries. Last but not least I had the Cast Iron Skillet Cookie with Vanilla Ice Cream for dessert. read more

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Cafe Rule is always a great option for an afternoon or evening out. Check their website for operating hours. We love the outdoor garden space for a casual night out. They never disappoint. read more

We came here after hiking at Pisgah. We were driving through Hickory and needed to find a place to eat lunch. I called ahead to see if, even though we were dressed casually from hiking, if it would be okay. Scott (management) was so kind and encouraged us to come over, particularly because it was Sunday brunch. He even offered to get a table ready for us and asked our preference on outside or inside. I'm so glad we chose the outside patio. It is beautiful without being intimidating, with comfortable chairs, beautiful lights and flowers everywhere, and quiet. We had a mimosa flight, a bourbon cocktail, the deviled eggs, a burger and fries, and avocado toast--all were delicious. But what stood out to us most was the service. It has been so long since a manager, our server, and the host were all so kind to us, not just in seating us and serving us, but all came over separately to ask us about our hike earlier that day, if we enjoyed it, where we went, etc. Scott even came by to say hi before he left on his shift since he spoke to us on the phone. I can't remember the last time I was treated with that much thought and care at a restaurant. This place has me looking for reasons to come back to Hickory so I can visit again. Thanks for the meal! read more

Took about an hour to get mediocre food for four people. Do yourself a favor, skip this place.

Our first visit in two years to see if the food preparation had improved since the change in ownership. My wife and I came in for Valentines Day. The menu was fairly fixed and priced at $150 for two. * The first course was fried calamari, which was overcooked so it was very chewy and the batter was unremarkable. My wife's Ceaser salad was small, not much dressing and the croutons were very dry and tough to chew. * We chose the Surf and Turf, for an extra $25, for our second course. The one lobster, was tasty, but the portion was so small that each of us got about four small bites apiece. The hangar steak was tasty. The mashed potatoes were unremarkable and the broccolini was tough. * The third course, a Wall of Chocolate (chocolate cake) had good flavor, but the cake was dry. * The drinks were well prepared, the atmosphere was nice and our server, Alejandro, was professional and discrete. We have decided that Cafe Rule will be a place to come for drinks and an appetizer, but no more than that. read more

Was in Hickory, NC to visit a supplier. Didn't go there with high expectations for good food but Wow was I mistaken! Staff was friendly and informative, the decor was fresh and the bathroom had nice towels to dry your hands off with. They offer nice lotions as well. It is a wine bar so check out the multi-page wine menu. Some bottle prices were too rich for my blood ($700+) so in the end ordered a local tap beer. Dinner started with melt in your mouth pork belly and fried green tomatoes. Followed by a grilled ceaser salad. Yes you read that right the salad was grilled and out of this world. We were told by our waiter at the start of the meal that when Paula Dean ate there she liked the salmon and scallops. So I ordered the scallops with risotto and I highly recommend it. 2 others in the group ordered the salmon, one steak and 2 for the grouper seafood special. Everyone cleaned their plates. When going out to eat I'm not typically a dessert person, especially after eating such a heavy meal, but the waiter brought the table a sample of the sea salt caramel popcorn ice cream. OMG if I ever have a chance to order my last meal on earth this will for certain make the dessert course. read more

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Queens menu was excellent... The star was the pork shoulder with grit cake, but my Caprese burratta salad with perfectly grilled shrimp stole the show! Everything was delicious and perfect, service was on perfect timing too! The French rose... goes with everything! read more

Cafe Rule & Wine Bar - Caprese salad Pulled pork shoulder - New American Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

I brunched here for the first time this Sunday with a group after hearing many good things. We made reservations & we were seated promptly once we arrived. Trinity was our server & she was wonderful! She was patient with our group & explained changes to the menu. The Deviled Eggs topped with Prosciutto and the Truffle Fries were delicious appetizers with perfect portions for the five of us. I had the Chicken & Waffle Plate - be prepared, it comes with a lot of Chicken! I had enough Chicken left over to take home. The Waffle was really good with a Sweet Potato mix & syrup. The Steak Frites were scrumptious, only wish it was more than 4 ounces! The Hash bar was surprisingly big and very flavorful. Two from our group ordered the Stuffed French Toast and they devoured it. The drinks were alright, I recommend the Watermelon Mojito. No matter what order the Popcorn Ice Cream - the salty sweet combo was amazing! read more

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bad experience. menu issues. food issues. nice place waitress was proficient. how can you have items on a menu that aren't available and HAVENT been for months (Other reviews). bad first impression. food was nothing to brag about either. bad experience won't be returning. good luck read more

The food is delicious! Even the iced water was so good that I drank every drop! I had the $20 hamburger 8 oz with broccoli baffle and almost finished everything (which I hardly ever do) but took the rest home with me and finished it a few hours later. The service was excellent; Hattie was our server. Her recommendations were exactly as she described. The seating was well placed, the lighting and music were just right. I was not expecting much but Cafe Rule will definitely be seeing me again and I will tell others about it too. read more

I love this place.....it is my one of husband's favorite....he loves the food......staff is great and always professional and the atmosphere is great.... read more

We ate there last week the night before Valentine's Day. The only good part about our meal was the service! Emma did a very good job but she couldn't make up for the Food! it was terrible and for the price, it's 1 Star! Ordered Steak medium rare and it was was well done, sent it back and they sent another steak also well done and burnt! Another person ordered the beef stroganoff and it was terrible & another person ordered the scallops and they were also burnt and over cooked like rubber! With appetizers, drinks and the entrées the bill was nearly $275! This was by far the worst meal we've had in Hickory in years! We have eaten at the Vintage House, Boca, da Vinci's, Rock Barn, and LHCC many times and we were expecting a high quality well cooked meal but this was just Very Bad! Avoid this place! read more

Not a fan. Weak drinks are a deal breaker for me. Usually indicates cutting corners methinks. I'm out.

Fantastic find in Hickory. Came to the area for the furniture, Mart, and to our great delight found this wonderful restaurant. Incredibly fresh and delicious food. Spectacular wine list. And wonderfully attentive friendly and generous service. read more

We so enjoyed our experience at Cafe Rule. It's a special restaurant, tucked off the main road in Hickory. When you arrive, you'll see the patio lights on the outside seating area. We opted to sit inside on our visit because it was too cold. We had reservations for our visit because of our party size. The restaurant was full, so it would be a good idea to make yours before visiting. You can do that online so that's so easy why would you not? I love a lot about this restaurant. Our service was perfect. The noise level was just right, the food was amazing. But when I think back on this meal, I remember the dishware. I LOVED it. Organic shapes and colors, it really made our experience that much more enjoyable. While we made our dinner decisions our server brought us drinks. I chose the Lawmaker, a beautiful cocktail of Bourbon, blackberries, honey and lemon. It was refreshing! We were also served a basket of warm biscuits with pepper jelly to enjoy before our dinner. Yum! A true Southern delicacy. The appetizers we selected we shared with the table. I got the fried broccoli baffle, which is fried broccoli served with a vegan cashew aioli, sea salt and lemon. Deliciously different and perfectly balanced. We also had a tuna crudo, and though not my favorite (I'm not a fan of raw tuna) I did sample and it was delicious. Very citrus forward and the chips served with it were so good! For dinner we were all kind of boring. We all had steak! Two of us had sirloin with broccoli, mashed potatoes and a bacon jam. It was cooked perfectly and very tasty. The other two had filet with macaroni and cheese. That macaroni was some of the best I've ever had. Dessert was incredible. I think I had the winner of the table. It was a churro waffle, and it was outrageously delicious. Served with cinnamon cayenne ice cream that really did have a kick, chocolate and caramel sauces. Don't miss it! The other desserts were creme brulee, which was mint flavored. We didn't love that. The pecan pie cheesecake was much more to our liking. We had a fantastic evening in a beautiful setting. I recommend this for romantic dinners or dinners with good friends. read more

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If you're looking for a horrible dinner go to cafe rule, Hard salty Brussels sprouts or a disgusting flavorless steak This the perfect place. read more

It was definitely the best food, service and atmosphere around in hickory. I don't remember our waitresses name, but she was wonderful. She made you feel welcomed and she was very knowledgeable in suggestions. The food was amazing. I loved the ambiance of the outside patio. This is a must place for a special occasion. read more

I went to have brunch based on past experientes but they decided for Mother's Day to have a buffet and not from the menu. What a disappointment. . Raw biscuit and raw carving meat. The salmon was overcooked. When asked to have a piece of meat more cooked the answer was that the kitchen was closed. Two start for the service and ambiance. Unfortunately the decision to go for a buffet with a large queue was not the best and for such special day the restaurant should ensure first they are prepared. read more

I came here for a brunch on Sunday, and ordered the Steak frites. When my food came out, my eggs were completely cold. The steak was good, but not hot like I'd expect. The fries were fine, but I definitely don't see paying that price especially when the food isn't even hot. Service was fine and the food that everyone in my party got was all right. I don't think it's worth the hype or price, but maybe I came on a bad day. read more

Went to a comedy show in Hickory and looked up restaurants before we went. Found this quaint place and loved the food! The service was equally good with Holden being a fantastic waiter. Try the broccoli as an appetizer! Wow! Holden recommended it as one of his favorites and I see why..... it was Grilled with a lemon pepper aioli sauce.....soooooo good! and my crab cakes!!!! A1....you go chef! All the veggies were delightful. The flower in the drink actually was a dressing on the crab cake which was so beautifully delivered but so good that I ate them before I remembered to snap a photo :-( But the place is so cute....nice outdoor lighting and seating. We will definitely make the trip from Charlotte again just for the broccoli and crab cakes :-) read more

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I wished y'all would bring back your breakfast Homemade gravy it was the absolute best. Please let us know if you will consider at some point! read more

Upscale dining with great ambiance and creative cuisine.. This was the old location for Yousef 242 but reopened sometime last year as Care Rule with different owners and a very creative Contemporary Menu. Drove over last week with a friend from Statesville for dinner. Had reservations for 6:00 and we arrived promptly at 6:00 and were promptly seated. Very sparse in terms of number of patrons so probably would not have needed reservations but considering how it began to fill up quickly thereafter, I would definitely recommend recommend reservations for anytime after 6:30. It a very attractive restaurant with plenty of dark wood, glass and chrome which gives it a very clean but warm and elegant feel. As I said a warm feel but the air conditioning does work well and perhaps a bit too well but still welcome on the hot and humid days. Our server was also at our table almost immediately with menus and to take our drink orders. She was good and was there when we needed her but at the same time, not intrusive. She struck that hard to find perfect balance. The menu is very creative with some interesting pairing and they also have a very extensive wine list to go along with it. We started by sharing a Broccoli Baffle Appetizer which is Fried Broccoli with Lemon Zest and Sea Salt on top of a Vegan Aioli. Never had it before but a great combination of flavors and textures and if I run across it again, will definitely order it again. For my entree, I had the Seared Sea Scallops which was served with mushroom ragout on top of a vegetable risotto and truffle butter. Very creative dish with a lot of attention to the pairing of textures and flavor. My friend had the Salmon which came with local mushrooms, baby carrots, arugula and Carolina Gold Rice. Again a very creative offering and the portion size of the Salmon was more than generous. Almost to the point of being beyond sated, we did op to split a dessert. We had the Pecan Cheesecake with ended up approaching gastronomic decadence it was that good. I would recommend to anyone. Restaurant was inviting, service was excellent and the Cuisine was great in terms of originality, presentation and quality. Only complaint was that the scallops were a bit gritty but that is a common problem with Scallops and generally indicates their freshness. Will be back. read more

Disappointing especially with having a $600 bill last night for 5. The meals were mediocre at best and the service was just as bad. They offer roasted sweet potatoes on the menu so I asked for sweet potato fries instead....they said they can't offer sweet potato fries, guess the chef can't turn the knife in a different direction. Cake Bread Cab which I get everywhere can be found between $110 and $140, here's its $210, they are thieves. read more

Went there for brunch on Sunday, after reading great reviews. Myself and my wife were disappointed in the restaurant. We have eaten dinner there before, always had good meals. Brunch Sunday, they ran out of hash browns, ran out of pancake mix. Ordered eggs over medium, eggs were overcooked, probably won't be coming back here read more

I made reservations for 6:30 on 8/21 for my wife's birthday. I arrived on time and they tried to give me a high top table in the bar. I told them that it was totally unacceptable and I wanted a regular table. I waited 20 minutes while they seated 5 other couples that came in. When I complained they told me all those couples had reserved specific tables. I said that was ridiculous and they should have seated me when I came in. I advised the person at the front desk that I was leaving and will never come back . This whole episode ruined my wife's birthday. Very very disappointed. John W. read more

Love the garden seating, and their Parma ham and fig jam pizza is outstanding. This is a great restaurant for an intimate dinner or a large gathering read more

We arrived at Cafe Rule tonight to celebrate my husband's birthday. We were greeted by a very friendly hostess, Epiphany, and were quickly seated. Our waiter, Daniel (also bartender), was pleasant and attentive. We ordered a grilled Caesar salad (excellent) and a blue cheese salad (beautiful and delicious, but also heavy with dressing). We also ordered the beef stroganoff, and seared scallops with risotto. The beef stroganoff had very little beef, tons of pasta, and lots of mushrooms and tomatoes. It also had some kind of grated cheese over top (what?) The sauce was tasteless and definitely didn't taste anything like a traditional stroganoff. The scallops appeared to be properly prepared, and the risotto was okay. The good news was that Daniel recognized from my full plate and unwillingness to take home the large plate of food, that it wasn't good. He notified the manager who came out and apologized and removed the charge from our bill. Very good service, not super food. read more

Made reservations for my daughter's 16 birthday with family and friends. When we arrived we were told that the oven's weren't working. This was an issue as they are known for their pizza. OK we're here. Ends up a lot more than the pizza on the menu was affected by the oven being out. OK burgers and chicken it is. We didn't complain. Our waitress that night was awful ! Rarely came back to check on us, and they weren't that busy ( can see why now). We eat, food is ok but not great. Still trying to make the best of a milestone birthday. We order desert and by a comment the waitress at this time is made aware that it is a very special birthday. Promises to bring out her desert with a candle. Guess what no candle ! Was an absolute mess for a 16th birthday. Have not and will not ever ever ever go to this place again, nor will anyone at the party and we have certainly spread the word. read more