I don't rave about restaurants often. I cannot wait to go back to Ajja. The best whole fish I've…read moreever had. Everything was delicious. Our server (hey, Sarah!) was clearly very seasoned and well trained. Highly recommend.

Food: 5/5 Drinks: 5/5…read moreAmbiance: 4/5 Service: 4.5/5 Value: 4/5 We started with the Ajja platter, which came with whipped feta, za'atar oil, eggplant dip, lemon hummus, and three pieces of bread. The whipped feta was my favorite, topped with strawberry jam and absolutely delicious. We ended up ordering an extra basket of bread ($7.50) because we ran out quickly. The bulgur salad was hands down the best thing I ate all night. I'll return for that alone and will probably order a second one to-go for lunch the next day. It had some kind of crunchy element that made the texture incredible. For our main, we had the short rib. The flavors were excellent and I can see why it's so highly reviewed. That said, at $48, I'm not sure the portion size justified the price. We each had two relatively small pieces and some vegetables. Drink-wise, I ordered the espresso martini ($18). It was a fantastic espresso martini, one of the better ones I've had, but again, the size made the price feel a little steep. My spouse ordered the Old Fashioned, which was also excellent and came with a nice orange twist. The restaurant itself is very cute inside with great décor and interesting seating areas. The back patio is beautiful, and according to owner Paul (who was incredibly friendly), they're opening a boat bar and outdoor kitchen, which sounds like it will make the space even better! The only reason I didn't rate the ambiance higher was that it felt a little warm inside during our visit. However, it sounded like they were dealing with a power-related issue, and with the unusually hot weather we've been having, I suspect the older building was having a hard time keeping up. It wouldn't keep me from returning, but I'd probably wait until the fall just in case. I worry as it gets hotter this summer it may always be a little warm. Our total for two people, an appetizer, salad, entrée, and two alcoholic drinks, was about $140 including tax, plus a 3% credit card surcharge (before tip). I'll definitely be back for the bulgur salad and to check out the outdoor space this fall! A boat bar sounds so cool! Parking: Street parking, a small side lot, or neighboring business lots after 5 PM!

One of our most exciting and flavorful dining experience in months. Our downtown Raleigh dining…read morescene has amazing options, and Madre has stayed under our radar for no particular reason. We dined at their lovely bar back in the first months of their opening, and it was good. We had met the general manager, Red, and were impressed with the flavors of our one appetizer, Calabrian Chicken, yet we never rushed back. Now, we feel compelled to return ASAP to enjoy these exceptional flavors, fabulous teamwork system of service, and a comfortable chic atmosphere. The place was happening at 5:45 pm on our recent dining night out with friends. Grateful to have a reservation we were seated at a very comfortable banquette type of seating. It felt like dining in a friend's home. Our server, William, is excellent at his job. Very efficient, great input on food choices, and quite personable. The meal started off with a burst of flavor as we enjoyed their fairly new offering of a ceviche called Eye of the Tiger that featured a sauce you can never get enough of. Wish their bread service was a bit more inspired, but the Le Farm bread did soak up some of the various sauces sent out from a very inspired kitchen team. Food runners help make certain the tapas come out fresh and hot when needed. They are a friendly group of hospitality workers who seem to genuinely enjoy their work and treat their guests with sincere appreciation. It all starts at the top, and GM Red is a personable and sound leader. We loved the Chef's pasta, our octopus dish was stellar, the Calabrian Chicken almost stole the show, but the unctuous flavors on the plate of the Seared Halloumi was hands down my favorite. I love how this culinary team can crank out such outstanding flavors table to table and patron to patron without missing a beat. The energy in the room must feed their souls & for that we are grateful. Lastly I wish to mention the thoughtfully curated wine list where my husband discovered a treasure of a wine from the Familia Torres brand. It was exquisite and paired perfectly with Madre's flavors. Our friend who frequent their bar often rave about their Mezcal margarita! Another visit. See you soon Madre familia!

This used to be one of my 3 go-to first date restaurants, but I've had to cut it from the list…read moreafter realizing it makes literally everyone in the place seem irresistibly sexy, and that is not wise. Truly, though, I'm here often and love it - my dear friend and I are both heavy-duty allergy kids and the Madre squad is exquisite at managing cross-contamination and adapting plates to be accommodating. If you have nothing else, order the cauliflower with the green goddess dressing. Maybe order that two or three times, actually. The salchipapas are probably my favorite app in Raleigh. Also, the owners are both super cute, and the Bryan Costello design is magnifique. I would hire that man to redo my entire home to feel like Madre.

Just WOW! A veritable smorgasbord of Mediterranean fare!…read more You select from cases of appetizing cold and hot entrees, as well as an array of delectable desserts and a cold case of unique beers and other beverages - the selection is simply amazing. And the service - totally awesome! When we entered, Alex was behind the counter - she was welcoming and offered us tastes of whatever dish caught our eye, all of which were amazing. As we were eating in the large and open seating area - there was Alex again, busily clearing tables and ensuring the dining happiness of nearby patrons! She was amazing - welcoming, knowledgeable and made us feel so welcome - thank you Alex, we'll be back for more epic eating! Check the pics for visual detail. Better yet - go there, it's well worth the drive!

We stopped in to visit and enjoy some Lebanese foods. We have been here a few times and enjoyed our…read morevisit but this past weekend our visit was very disappointing. We ordered the grape leaves, baklava, namoora and tabbouli. I am Lebanese and these are staples in our home. The grape leaves were extremely dry and tough. The rice was very undercooked and the leaves themselves were so dry and tough we could barely chew through them. We ordered 12 and thought maybe it was a fluke but all 12 were completely inedible and we threw them out immediately. The baklava was okay, nothing to write home about. Very simple syrup forward and you couldn't taste much else (we ordered the walnut). The namoora was stale. Very dry. Namoora should melt in your mouth with with a slight chew. This was again, tough and stale. We threw those out as well. Lastly, our favorite salad, tabbouli. The lemon taste was nonexistent. The parsley wasn't chopped fine as Tabbouli should be. It was a watery mess. Overall, we won't be back. We spent over $75 on 4 items and left feeling hungry and bamboozled. There are other Lebanese food spots to visit in the Raleigh area, I will stick to those. Please do better when representing Lebanese cuisine. 15 workers behind the counter can seem like you're doing something right but in the end, it all comes down to the freshness and authenticity of what you are claiming to serve.

Everything here! From the food, to the service, to the atmosphere is outstanding. It has a warm,…read moreinviting feel that makes you want to stay awhile. Highly recommend giving it a try!

Easily booked for dinner same day on a holiday Monday and had a great meal here. I tried:…read more + Baba ghanouj + mouhamra + feta cheese dip + Chicken artichoke pizette + kibbee nayyeh + chicken shwarma + Baklava + Chocolate torte Highlights were the baba ghanouj and pizette. Also really liked the chicken shawarma. Baklava was good, too. Only miss was the beef tartare - wouldn't get that again. 4.5 stars.

Absolutely incredible flavors from the heart of Turkey. We walked in at 3:15 pm on a Thursday…read moreafternoon for an early dinner before we went to the Chinese Lantern event, We were greeted warmly by the host and seated at a comfortable table. Our server was so gracious and brought us delicious warm bread and a dipping sauce that exceeded all others. Our order was placed and we loved the shrimp appetizer and lamb grilled entree. The flavors out of this kitchen are authentic and flavorful. We will return many times for the great service and fabulous flavors!

We have been to Bosphorus a few times and love it!…read more If you're looking for somewhere fancy and upscale, this isn't that. If you want something that feels authentic and are willing to overlook some small cosmetic/ambience nuances for great food, this is your spot. The food is delicious and consistent every time! We usually get the grilled chicken kabobs which are always so juicy! I also love the cheese cigarras (can't remember how to spell). They give you complementary bread which is also delicious. Really wonderful, authentic place with great staff!

Absolutely delightful! From the moment we sat down as a party of six friends, Diondre took…read moreexcellent care of us. His service was greatly appreciated as all of us wanted to make it somewhere to watch The Canes game! He was efficient with opening the wine and getting our dinner orders in right away. Thank you Diondre for a great start to our evening. All of us raved over our food. Two of our friends had the Tomahawk Pork Chop featuring spinach, barrel-aged feta, herb aioli, and yummy Greek lemon potatoes. Both people agreed the kitchen team cooked them perfectly. One person absolutely loved his fire-roasted lamb chops that also had the delicious Greek lemon potatoes. Another one of our friends loved her Chicken penne Mykonos which we have ordered to-go many times. It looks even better in the restaurant as it has spinach, feta, mushrooms, tomatoes, white wine lemon cream sauce, and parmesan. This dish is a must try when you visit Taverna Agora in downtown Raleigh. Lastly, someone at the table exclaimed that their grilled salmon was one of the best salmon dishes he had ever enjoyed as its unique presentation features pickled beetroot, sautéed spinach, and a lemon caper sauce. I had the Poseidon Branzino which was fabulous. The dish had roasted branzino, medley of sautéed cherry tomatoes and onions, fresh herb rice, and skordalia (I had to look up what that is - a fascinating Greek garlic puree). The blending of all those flavors made for a scrumptious dinner, and thanks to the kitchen team for preparing it perfectly so that I could even eat the skin of the fish. We shared two bottles of Assyrtiko wine which is one of our favorite Greek wines after visiting Greece a few years ago. The wine list at Taverna is simple but thorough and fun to experiment with. Great job Taverna Team!

Such a fun rooftop, definitely don't skip sitting on the roof…read more When you arrive parking can be a bit difficult around the restaurant but there is street a couple blocks away if you don't mind walking. Walking in you'll feel like you've been transported to a village like, Greek atmosphere. To sit down you'll check in with the host and then be seated either inside or on the rooftop. We opted for the rooftop as it was a nice evening. To start I ordered the Baklava Old Fashioned (Bulleit bourbon, homemade baklava syrup, Angostura bitters, and Amarena cherries) which was amazing. Next we ordered the trio of all three spreads (Tzatziki, sun-dried tomato hummus, and spicy feta spread) and the calamari. Both dishes were excellent and I definitely prefer the spicy feta and tzatziki sauce. For my main course I ordered the Tomahawk Pork Chop (Chargrilled tomahawk chop, spinach, barrel-aged feta, herb aioli, Greek lemon potatoes) which was a bit disappointing. I probably should have sent the pork chop back as it was cooked well done and was very dry but was I was too hungry and didn't want to make my parents wait. For dessert I ordered Baklava Cheesecake (New York-style cheesecake with nuts and baklava filling) which was very nice and my mom ordered the Limoncello cake (lemon cake with lemon cream frosting) which was definitely the star of the show. If I'm back downtown I may try Taverna Agora again but will definitely avoid ordering the pork chop.

I absolutely love eating the fresh salads and sides at Sassool! It can get pretty busy during…read morelunchtime, so plan ahead if you're in a rush--but that just shows how good the food is. I usually order the two chicken skewer kabobs with rice, a super salad, and the jalapeño cilantro hummus. The hummus is *so* good that I often grab a small container to take with me when I travel. Everything tastes incredibly fresh, and you can really tell they use quality ingredients, especially with olive oil as a base. They offer both fresh pita and gluten-free pita, which is great for anyone with dietary restrictions. Honestly, I could make a meal just out of all the sides--they're that good. The menu is consistently solid, and I feel like you really can't go wrong with anything you order. It's a perfect spot for a low-key lunch or dinner. Also worth noting: on Tuesdays, kids eat free with a paying adult, which is a great bonus for families. Highly recommend!

The ambiance is nice and welcoming. This is an order and pay restaurant where you place your order…read moreat the counter, receive your food, and can sit anywhere you'd like. The portions are very generous, so if you can't finish your meal, it's easy to take the leftovers home. They conveniently provide to-go containers and bags for customers. One thing I found a bit challenging was the ordering process. There is a huge selection of food, which can be overwhelming for first-time visitors. I would have appreciated a little more guidance from the staff when making my choices, as I think it would have helped me order more confidently. Overall, it's a good place with plenty of options and great portion sizes.

Food is always tasty and wait isn't long whenever I come in, seriously recommend trying this place…read moreout!!!

I stopped in here for a quick lunch after shopping. I ordered their chicken shawarma and grape…read moreleaves combo with a drink. The shawarma is very different than what I'm used to in Michigan, but it was delicious and packed with chicken. The grape leaves were good and the tea was nice and strong. The guys working were very friendly. I will definitely stop here again.