My husband and I came here for brunch when we were first visiting Raleigh house-hunting. We decided…read moreto revisit for Mother's Day brunch this year. We showed up early with our 1.5 year old daughter and they were able to seat us immediately. The area felt spacious, although that could be due to the fact that it wasn't super packed inside. I ordered the short rib benedict, my husband got the chicken & waffle sandwich, and we ordered my daughter a side of the mac & cheese. What a delicious meal! The short rib was tender and flavorful, and sat on top of a biscuit (what's not to love here?!) - horseradish hollandaise was the perfect touch as the horseradish pairs nicely with the beef. The chicken & waffle sandwich was the best guilty pleasure! Waffle crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside, chicken breaded and fried with a nice crunch, and a nice hot honey syrup to go alongside -- wish this had a little more heat. To our surprise, the mac & cheese side was a highlight too! It's hard to get a good mac n cheese, but this had such a rich, white cheese, slight funk flavor - delicious. Brunch at Parkside is delicious. Looking forward to trying dinner here soon.

Finally had the chance to stop by Parkside. The interior gave me cozy diner vibes. Plenty of…read moreseating, clean and bright. The menu is massive which made it hard to decide, but our waitress was so kind and walked us through all of the popular options. I wound up ordering the short rib melt with mac and cheese. The short rib itself was really good. It had nice flavor and was cooked well. I do wish the melt would have had some kind of sauce or au jus element to it to give it some moisture because it was slightly on the dry side. The mac and cheese was unfortunately gritty, so I would skip that next time and try a different side. The drinks here are great. They had Mango Cart on tap which is one of my all time favorite beers. The cocktail selection is well priced, and I also got the gin fizz, which I loved. Not sure that Parkside will be a regular visit because the food was okay, but the vibes and drinks were great. Definitely worth a try if you've never been.

The second best bacon cheeseburger I've had in my LIFE…read more Someone local recommended this place to us so we checked it out. I wasn't too excited because it's not the type of place I'd usually pick, but I went to go along with the group. It ended up being the best place we went during the whole visit to Raleigh. First off, the biscuits and hush puppies they bring out to start were so good. They were better than the biscuits we had at breakfast at a nearby restaurant that actually specializes in biscuits, and the honey butter was intensely flavorful. I just ordered the 4 sides because I'm not a big meat person, and while they were good, once I tasted the cheeseburger someone else at the table ordered, I ended up stealing it from him. They grind the beef for the burger in house, and the quality of the meat is top notch. The service was also 10/10. I don't normally notice or care about service since I'm just in it for the food, but this is one of the few restaurants where I felt genuinely welcomed in. I will absolutely be prioritizing coming back here again next time I'm visiting.

Food 7/10 Service 8/10…read moreAmbiance 7/10 Wooooogooodddoooogiiiessss. Talk about your Carolina barbecue. It came with an enormous amount of food. I personally let the fried chicken the best. The brisket was a little fatty for me yet I like my brisket lean. And the pulled pork was tasty. Also, the deviled eggs for appetizers are a must get The service was good very fast to get your food out and the ambience was your cute. Typical Carolina barbecue restaurant.

Why is this model not in my city of Greensboro, NC? In Greensboro, the city council makes homeless…read morehostel architecture so the homeless can not lay down, etc. A place at the Table is doing God's work. I've never seen anything like this and feel like this model needs to spread everywhere. Breakfast was GREAT: eggs, bacon, toast and coffee. Great volunteers and a wonderful idea to boost humanity among us all. Had no idea it was a mission based restaurant until I arrived and put 2 and 2 together. Just a beautiful thing they are doing there in DT Raleigh.

I tell you the truth whenever I give a five star is because they're deserving meeting all top tiers…read moreand critters in my restaurant journey; the food the service and always go check out the ambiance please :D. A Place at the Table is Raleigh first pay as you go kitchen, there's no limit on the quality of the team, volunteers and atmosphere. With eatery space outdoors, indoor and upstairs a fast kitchen with flavorful healthy options stop in and volunteer for a hour for a meal or pay the suggested option prices given. Flavorful rich creamy soup with fresh crisp ingredients!!! The staff is welcoming always greeting with a smile and cheerful loving family feel this kitchen is the way foundation of service should be. Thank you for always pursuing I have a great experience. .

Date Night, Fancy Credit Card Perks & Southern Comfort Food!…read more Another date night made its way onto our calendar, and this time I was excited for TWO reasons. Trying somewhere new AND taking advantage of one of those fancy credit card dining perks. IYKYK. :) So, off to the popular Poole's Diner in Raleigh we went! Made our reservation via OpenTable a few days earlier, opting for a table rather than the bar or counter. More on that decision in a moment. Confirmation emails? Check. Text reminders? Check. Even got a phone call from the restaurant itself. They REALLY wanted to make sure we were coming. Ha! The drive into Raleigh was easy enough, with minimal traffic. Initially parked right next to the building, only to realize the validated parking was across the street. No biggie. A quick car shuffle and we were good to go. With our reservation, we were seated right away. There were already about 5-7 tables occupied when we arrived. Our server, Anthony, came over, introduced himself, shared a little history of the restaurant, and walked us through a few recommendations while answering our questions. Nice touch and a great start! Onto the food! I went with the Pork Belly with Summer Vegetables, Basil Pistou & Charred Peppers. My wife opted for the Roasted Airline Chicken Breast with Herb-Scented Whipped Yukons & Smoky Triple Chicken Jus. She also gave one of their ciders a try, but unfortunately, it leaned a bit too sweet for her liking. That one didn't make it to the finish line. As for the entrees, both were solid! My pork belly had plenty of flavor, and the vegetables were good. That said, I couldn't help but look across the table at my wife's whipped potatoes and think... THOSE belong on my plate! LOL. Poole's leans into the Southern comfort food vibe, and personally, I think some creamy, whipped potatoes alongside that pork belly would have been a home run. Nothing wrong with the veggies, just felt like the potatoes would have been a better match. But hey, I'm not the chef. :) My wife's chicken was moist, flavorful, and nicely prepared. No complaints there. Now, a couple of things worth mentioning... The biggest downside was the wait for our food. Pretty sure it was somewhere in the 25-30 minute range. And when you're hungry, those minutes start feeling like dog years. We weren't in a rush, but it did feel a bit long. The other thing was something we discovered on our way OUT. Remember how I specifically reserved a table because I wanted to sit across from my wife rather than side by side at a counter? You know, date night and all that romantic stuff? Well, turns out the adjoining bar/counter area ALSO has tables! And from what we could tell, it was considerably quieter than the main dining room. Doh! Had I known, I probably would have requested that area instead. Something to keep in mind for a future visit, especially if you're looking for a quieter dinner and a little more conversation. So, would we go back? Sure! Overall, the food was good, Anthony took good care of us, and it was nice to check another Raleigh restaurant off our list. Next time, though, I'd probably order an appetizer to bridge the gap between ordering and the entrees arriving. AND... I'm thinking a Sunday visit might be in order. Why Sunday? Because apparently that's the only day they offer their 10oz Wagyu Royale with Cheese. And, well... now I have a mission. Until next time, Poole's!

We walked into Poole's Diner for a drink and ended up staying for dinner--and I'm glad we did…read more I started with the chicken pâté, which was outstanding, while my friend chose the swordfish entrée. My Negroni was sublime, and I also enjoyed a couple of glasses of Gatto Arancione orange wine, which paired beautifully with the meal. To finish, I ordered the dark chocolate mousse torte--a rich and decadent ending. We sat at the iconic horseshoe counter, a piece of Raleigh history in its own right. The green Formica countertop dates back to 1945, when the space served as a midday lunch counter. You can see decades of history etched into its surface--the wear from generations of elbows leaning on the counter. It's the kind of patina that simply cannot be recreated. That's what makes Poole's so special: it preserves the character of an old Raleigh diner while elevating the food, cocktails, wine and service to a very sophisticated level. The service was outstanding--warm, knowledgeable and attentive without being intrusive. Poole's is Michelin Guide Recommended, and it's easy to understand why. Historic, sophisticated and completely unpretentious, it manages to preserve the soul of a classic Raleigh diner while delivering food and service at a very high level. What started as a drink turned into one of the most memorable meals of my Raleigh visit.

I can't believe this place had to close and the only reason was pure greed from the landlord. I've…read morebeen going here since 2017 but recently when they switched to gluten-free fried chicken we started going more because my girlfriend has celiac. On Wednesday's they were doing all gluten-free menu and it was amazing...no crazy unreasonable upcharges, just honest menu pricing and great food. As of this review they are the #2 most reviewed place in Raleigh only behind the Pit. When we went last week for a farewell dinner it took us 3 weeks to get in. We got turned away 2 other times. The place was always packed and busy yet cozy and calm with great service. Hopefully they relocate or put some of the items from the menu at Pooles. Fuquay could use a nice place like this and it would be way cheaper than Raleigh! Best of luck to the staff in the future as they all look for work.

I went back to Beasley's Chicken & Honey one last time as they close January 25th. Even on a cold,…read morerainy morning, there was a line outside before opening. I understand as if you aren't seated when they open, you can expect a 90-minute to two-hour wait. I was hoping to get the Chicken Pot Pie this time and thought my prior visit was just off. I was thrilled that most of the menu was available. They were just out of the banana pudding. So I got to try the pecan wings I read about with the white sauce. It was so good. Then I got the chicken pot pie and biscuits. The pot pie had old biscuits for the topping, but the creamy mixture with large chunks of chicken was delicious. My biscuits came with honey and were served warm. I left with a slice of the chocolate-caramel-coconut cake, a side salad without onions, and a fried boneless thigh. The salad was made correctly, and the dressing was included. The salad was full of veggies, and the cake was rich and moist. Service was friendly and as soon as I finished my iced tea, another appeared. My wings were brought out first and it was a while for the rest of the meal as the restaurant was full. But they didn't rush me at all. I actually liked the space between the dishes, as I might not have been able to eat it all otherwise. I couldn't finish both biscuits and was even provided a container for the honey. I am going to miss Beasley's, but I'm glad I got a positive experience to remember the restaurant.

Bida Manda has always been a spot I've visited from time to time, but tonight's experience…read moregenuinely surprised me in the best way! With the recent change in ownership, I'm not sure what's changed behind the scenes, but the food tonight was absolutely bursting with flavor. Every bite was delicious, from the savory grilled beef to the rich, comforting noodle soup. Everything tasted so vibrant and well-seasoned! The service was just as memorable. Our waitress was incredibly sweet, attentive, and accommodating, especially with our toddler. Dining out with a little one can sometimes be a challenge, so that extra warmth and patience really made a difference. The ambiance was beautiful as always, with its warm lighting, cozy atmosphere, and inviting decor that makes it a great spot for a date night or dinner with family. I've been here several times before and always thought it was just okay, but tonight felt different. Between the flavorful food, wonderful service, and lovely atmosphere, this visit definitely changed my impression. I'm excited to come back and see what else is in store under the new ownership!

Ambiance is beautiful low lights with natural wood and brick and a beautiful lounge area …read more Bar has a beautiful bamboo surrounded setting that takes you to the natural setting of Laos. For the food, the crispy pork belly soup was unbelievably delicious . We had the whole baked Red Snapper and that was in a league of its own. The perfect compliment was the dad's fried rice. The drinks were phenomenal as well we had a multiple of them. Come experience it for yourself you won't be disappointed What's the downside? If I had give a critique, the food may have been a bit salty, but that's not unexpected with some of the sauces used. The service was amazing! I highly recommend it and would come back again

One of my new favorite vegan spots in Raleigh! Our server Betsy ( I hope i got her name correct)…read morewas very kind and very knowledgeable about the menu. Her service was amazing and it seems like she loves what she does. Makes the experience so much better! The food tasted amazing and they had really good coffee. We went for brunch and they had a good amount of options available. The "chicken" was seasoned to perfection! The only very slight downside was the wait for the food. It took quite a while to receive it. Other than that I would definitely recommend to anyone, vegan or not. *Edit: If i could do in between stars i would put 4.7 because of the wait, but i will round up to 5 stars!*

Great ambience, friendly staff, variety of options and some unique cocktails. Apps and drinks came…read moreout fast but a long gap before our main dishes came out and we had to ask for them. Cornmeal battered mushrooms- good portion size, delicious and a hit. Mess of collards- large portion, didnt see any bacon at all and the apple cider vinegar element was strong. Onions could have been chopped smaller. Meatloaf plate- very flavorful, the smoked local potatoes were a star too. It came with more collards Southern plate- this plate was a disappointing flop. Popcorn chkn (fried seitan) lacked salt and any flavor in the batter but the vessel had potential. Mashed potatoes were a little cold and also no flavor or salt. Coleslaw needed any flavor. Sauteed vegetables were plenty but again, zero salt or seasoning coming through. The hushpuppies had potential just needed to be a little smaller or a different shape to be balanced. Drinks: Flower and Flame- just a tad heavy handed on the smoke spritz G and Tea- this was delicious and I switched to this after tasting my wife's. Cardamom, mint and lemon make this refreshing!

Parking here isn't the best. There is free street parking but if no spots are available you will…read morehave to park in a paid lot. The restaurant itself has a nice intimate vibe to it. I got a sweet rum based drink that was good. The focaccia was fine. They have a lot of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options on the menu. The entree was the star of the show for me. It consisted of mussels, clams, shrimp, and fish (it was a San Francisco fish I forgot the name of it. The sauce was very tasty and all of the seafood was cooked to perfection. My server was very attentive and helped with explaining the background of the restaurant and the menu. Will definitely be back to try some other items on the menu.

I'm always pleased with the quality of food at Irregardless Cafe. I met some friends for brunch and…read moreluckily we had a reservation since it was quite busy. I was hoping for a variety of drink options like a matcha latte, alas, only coffee. Brunch did not disappoint. I got the frittata with potatoes. It was very fresh and delicious. Only one hiccup was that it was so busy, my friends didn't get coffee until after they were almost done with their meal! Yikes! I think they had to make more coffee and our server was slammed.

One of my favorite hangouts. Went today, had the Italian sandwich, they toast it! Amazing!!…read moreDefinitely one to try!

We found this place online while looking for a lunch spot in the area and are so glad we did!…read more Cool old building, quick, helpful service and really great sandwiches. My friend and I decided to split two sandwiches so we could each try the Italian and the grilled ham and cheese. I can't tell you which I liked better but I can say, we both really liked the broccoli salad side - great option that you can't get everywhere. Perfect casual lunch spot across from Raleigh Iron Works

The food never disappoints. The staff is always attentive and the ambience is fantastic…read more Excellent food. The pimento rangoons are phenomenal, the pretzel is fantastic and the chicken wings are out of this world.

Really cute place with a wide menu of delicious plant-based food. Went during the week for lunch…read moreand it wasn't too busy. The onion rings and pretzel were especially bomb and my smash burger was great. The fries ... mehhhhh . Our server Braen was lovely and attentive! My first time trying plant based... interesting and tasty surprisingly!