I was expecting to like this place more, and maybe we just showed up on an off night. Thursday evening, 7:30 reservation, and the place is busy, not packed. Things started great- the drink orders got taken quickly, and hit the table as they were poured. The appetizer orders got taken, even if the server (was there only one? It seemed that way) had to go ask the kitchen twice what for the salumi board cuts (they forgot on the way back from the open kitchen the first time). The apps came out quickly- we chose arancini ("risotto balls" on the menu), and they were not bad, served stacked like little ricey cannonballs on top of a deep plate of tomato sauce (our first taste of the "gravy" theme). We ordered our entrees while we nibbled the arancini. And then things went kind of sideways. The server cleared, asked if we wanted another round, and sure, why not? And then the waiting started. Don't get me wrong- we are the type of family that doesn't mind sitting having a three hour multi-course dinner- not at all. But the second round of drinks came perhaps ten minutes after we ordered them, and arrived with an apology that it took so long. The ten-seatish bar had two folks dining there, and they were finishing up. I looked around the room, and saw other tables with the same look: staring into the open kitchen, empty water glasses, bare tables, quick glances at watches. Looking into the kitchen, you could see a lot of confusion, and not a lot of plates under the heat lamps in the pass. I watched for 40 minutes as an occasional plate got wiped and run to a table after table, to sit while the other patrons waited for their serving to arrive, as well. Our party of six had a similar experience: the two "baked" plates, the ones that I had watched sit under the lamp for five minutes, arrived in front of the Mrs. and me, while the rest of our table looked on. A few minutes later, two more plates. And after about five minutes or so, the final two plates arrived. We all tucked into our dishes. So, enough of the service, how about the food? I had ordered the "Eggplant Pie." It was sort of a lasagna with eggplant mixed in, although it was billed as "Thinly sliced panko-crusted eggplant baked in gravy and finished with Parmesan cheese." Whatever happened in the preparation, the panko had overtaken any tenderness (or taste) of the eggplant. The overall effect was like eating some sort of lasagna made with table crackers, with plenty of Parmesan, and smothered in the house "gravy." And let's talk about the gravy: what my eggplant pie was served in was a lukewarm pool of crushed tomatoes, which seem to have been blitzed with raw garlic. In fact, the sauce tasted different from the sauce that was the base of the arancini. The inititaste was overwhelmingly that of uncooked garlic. The tomatoes, seemingly uncooked, were acidic, in an off-putting way. The lasagna however, was better. Nicely cooked noodles, baked in a different sauce than that which it was plated atop. If you take away the "gravy," and the fact that it was served lukewarm, it wasn't a bad dish. Not as a good as say, the Wednesday night special at Gocciolina, but passable. We didn't bother with dessert- the place had the look like it was trying to close, and get the last few Door Dash/Uber Eats orders out the door. Check, please. This place has gotten a lot of mixed reviews, and it may just be a matter of timing or night of the week as to when things work out for the better. I'm not sure we'd risk a second try to find out, though. read more

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I hate writing bad reviews and used to recommend Gravy but after not going for awhile we went recently and wow was it disappointing in every way. Our waitress was not just inattentive and unhelpful but full on rude. It seemed that us being there for dinner was a huge inconvenience for her. We asked a couple of questions (two to be exact) and she practically bit our heads off. We didn't get bread until I nicely asked about it after our entrees were served (probably 40 minutes after we had been seated.) It was cold and tasteless (odd since she said she had been waiting for it to come out of the oven.) Our entrees were both a let down. The carbonara was not very creamy and somehow lacked flavor and seasoning despite the main ingredients in carbonara being Parmesan and guanciale. My husband got their play on picatta and said it was tasteless. We went out for date night and both of us left hungry and disappointed on all fronts. I could go on but all in all it was bad enough that I think that's the last time we'll be going to Gravy. read more

Me and my boyfriend came by for our anniversary! Our server Ashley was super attentive and did and amazing job and our food was amazing and came out quickly and super fresh. Thank again Ashley! read more

Gravy - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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We tried here for a date nights reasonably priced but that's about all it had going for it. We got chicken parm and the chicken was so salty we couldn't finish it. We tried 2 drinks off the menu and they were mediocre at best. We got the butternut squash ravioli and while the actual ravioli was good there was so much butter sauce the were drowning- it was supposed to be a brown butter sauce but we missed the mark on browning the butter. read more

The service, food, and drinks were excellent! You can't go wrong with any pick off the menu.

First time going to Gravy and came in a party of 7 for a birthday dinner (got reservations earlier in the day on a Saturday). I was really looking forward to it because I've heard such great things about this place. Arrived at 7PM and ordered drinks and food, and didn't get it until about 8:30... apparently there was a huge group upstairs and I'm empathetic for an overwhelmed staff, but it was a bit frustrating at the time as we didn't really know any updates. However, our server gave us some garlic knots that were AMAZING. I actually have never seen a garlic knot that big, it was awesome! Once we got the food, it really was incredible as well, but literally 5 minutes later our server already came over to try to take plates and give us takeout boxes? It was hard to decide what to get because all the entrees looked great, but I ordered the Shrimp Fra Diavolo and chef's kiss - it was amazing! We just felt really rushed out, especially after waiting over an hour for our food..slightly weird tbh. So, that's why I docked one star, but honestly just for the food and ambiance, I would give this place 5/5 stars! Really awesome and I look forward to going back, I think it was just an off night for the kitchen which is okay! Totally get it, just don't wanna be kicked out when I'm mid-bite LOL read more

Gravy - Shrimp fra Diavolo - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

The restaurant was smaller than i imagined, and the service was spotty. I was surprised when we walked in and the restaurant was empty and they asked us if we had a reservation. Lol. It took everything in me not to crack up laughing. That said, and besides a dry garlic knot as our bread serving,the food was absolutely delicious. Being a Boston Italian transplant, finding good authentic food here in North Carolina has been a challenge. This restaurant meets that challenge. It's that good. Just a note - authentic gravy is pretty basic without an onslaught of spices. This is the sauce served here. read more

Customer service not a concern to Gravy. My wife ordered online around 4:15pm and it stated that pickup will be ready by 4:47pm. She arrived a little early at 4:45pm. She parked curb side right in front in clear view of the entry and no one came out to greet her. She assumed that they were busy and waited 10 minutes. My wife then called the restaurant and they answered. Stated that they were looking into her order and then hung up. She waited another 5 minutes then called back to have a different person answer to finally look into her order. It was then determined that her order was mishandled and they will put it in now. So she had to wait another 20-30 minutes for them to cook and prepare the entrees. By the time she got the order, it was almost an hour since she arrived and by then traffic had gotten bad on the highway for her to spend another 40-50 minutes driving home. We were so upset with the meal that it was not enjoyable. The next morning, I called to complain and someone took down my info and said that the manager would call me in the afternoon. You can guess what happened... they never called back. Summary: 1. They somehow lost our order and never contacted her about it 2. They never came out to greet her curbside to inquire about her order 3. They didn't investigate her order when she called the first time and hung up on her 4. The whole process caused her to be in the car for almost two hours waiting for the food and then driving in traffic! 5. No one cared to call me back after I tried to complain. Really sucky service in my opinion. read more

Service was excellent and portion sizes were large. Would highly recommend the Antipasto.

Located in a nice area of Raleigh, this restaurant will require reservations made at least a few days before you intend on dining there. We went on a Tuesday evening and found it busy but because of its small size, not overwhelming. Also parking may be tough to find so plan on parking in a public lot. Many people recommended the garlic knots and risotto balls. We tried both and found the garlic balls to be delicious, oily, but delicious. As for the risotto balls, I thought they were good but lacked a little salt. In terms of Italian food, Gravy does a great job for being located outside of the New York tristate area. All three dishes we ordered, Chicken Parmigiana, Eggplant Pie, and Tagliatelle Bolognese, we definitely good, but still not the same as getting Italian food in the heart of New York City. We also tried the cannoli and cheesecake and thought the cheesecake was the better of the two. Overall, definitely a good spot for a night out with friends or a date with a good atmosphere and pretty good Italian cuisine. read more

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Our waitress was awesome! Loved the patio it was so cute and felt great outside. The bread knots brought out before dinner were delicious! And the risotto balls. Only complaint would be that everyone's meals (all different orders) seemed super salty, it couldn't have been the sauce and I had an eggplant dish. Otherwise we really had a good time. read more

Gravy - Lemon chicken - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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We went to Gravy as a group of 4 on a Wednesday night. We had the risotto balls and bruschetta as an appetizer. Both were very good. I had the lemon chicken as an entree and it was only okay. The staff was very friendly. read more

I haven't updated my review in a while so it is overdue. Gravy is one of Raleigh's gems. My group went for Sunday brunch but the lunch menu was also available. The staff is very friendly and made sure to space us away from the others at the restaurant. I ordered the lasagna and it was so good. The sauce was outstanding. Then I had the special peach cheesecake and it even had peach slices on it. Everyone in the group ordered something different and everyone was pleased and commented that they'd order the same dish again so that is saying how much it was enjoyed. read more

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I feel bad giving 4 stars but I just think the value is just a little less than perfect here! I really liked the service. I thought everyone was super nice! I have no complaints. However, the ambiance was a little mixed. I love the fonts they use on the menus and stuff. But I didn't really understand the layout or the decor of the actual restaurant. The booths felt like booths I'd find at a cheaper restaurant. Some of the food was great and some was just okay. My cocktail was super good, and the calamari was too. My gnocchi was also pretty good. But I was expecting more from the free garlic knots. I was so happy when I saw them! But Not the best garlic knots I've ever had. Also, I was expecting bigger portions. My pictures of the garlic knots and my cocktail only show half the portions, but my other pictures are accurate. I wanted more calamari!!! And although the chicken parm was pretty big, it was smaller than at the other Italian American restaurants I've been to. read more

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Spaghetti noodles where undercooked and grainy. Salmon was overcooked and too salty. Food was a bit below average. For the price, I expected much better. read more

I visited Gravy for the first time on a Tuesday evening. Fortunately for us, it wasn't busy. The service and food were impeccable. I had the tagliatelle and it was fantastic! They have a new chef and will be changing the menu in the next few weeks. I plan to return soon to check it out. read more

The risotto balls are so good. The chicken mozzarella sandwich was insanely good, the balsamic drizzle on it really made it and the mozzarella was so melted and gooey. Yummm. Went at 11:30am on a Friday. They weren't too busy and all of the servers were super nice. read more

Had an early Satuday lunch. It was not crowded at all. Service was good. Lasagna was the best I've had in NC - I haven't been impressed by any others. This one was good, with a decent proportion of cheese and meat. Sauce (gravy) was good, not great. The rolls were dry. Some dipping oil with herbs, or butter would certainly help. My wife loved the eggplant. read more

Gravy - Lasagna, eggplant, and an old fashioned. - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

The servers were kind. The appetizers were reasonable. We had a chemically bad spaghetti (like an ingredient was spoiled or outdated) and knowing this the manager walked by our table and never addressed us. This is fine, except he was really chatty and kind to the people around us. The greeter at the door was really warm. Our handsome young server was also really kind. We live around the corner. We love Italian, and we won't be back to this spot....except to get zuppa take-out if one of us isn't well. That WAS COMFORTING AND TASTY. Everything else was below average. My husband got bolognese and it was okay I guess. Neither the spaghetti or bolognese are pictured here. read more

Gravy - Risotto Balls - these were good. - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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I enjoyed my visit here and thought the main course was great. The wait staff was quick and always attentive, and although very busy was a nice place to get dinner at. I got the Tagliatelle Bolognese which I would easily get again. My girlfriend got the Risotto Verde and also loved her meal. We also got a bottle of wine to share and was reasonably priced. Most of the menu for the vibe was very affordable in comparison to similar restaurants I've been to. The only thing I didn't think was great was the Focaccia Pizza. The taste was okay, nothing special. More importantly, it's listed in the Oven/Grill spot on the menu, not in the appetizers, and was quite small. We ordered it as an appetizer anyways and was perfect for sharing there, but as a main course individually it would certainly lack size. read more

Went to Gravy for the 1st time this week at lunch. I was truly disappointed besides a lower health score than I like, the food was lackluster. There was nothing I had that I did not think I cooked a better version of at home. I never have that happen. I liked our server but while friendly we also spent a much larger time than appropriate waiting for refills and we had to ask for them. Plus the actual receiving of the meal was long to the point of awkwardness. I was there as part of a small group ordering a variety of dishes to be tasted for an upcoming event. How odd is it that you can get chicken Alfredo at lunch but not when you book an event because they do not have it at night. The truth is there are a lot of offerings in the area, and I can't imagine ever having a desire to return unless I was joining someone who invited me. The best thing about my meal was the company. read more

Everything was great. I ordered lasagna...fantastic! The restaurant was inviting by. Server was prompt and friendly.

The food was excellent the staff are very friendly the Lasagna is some of the best I have had. If you are downtown stop by you will not be disappointed. read more

The garlic knots are superb! Our waitress was attentive to our needs and our glasses remained full throughout our meal. To believe that such a fine Italian restaurant could occupy such a small location, no wonder you better get reservations!! This was our first time visiting and we will definitely be back!! Thank you for such a great dining experience!! read more

Gravy - Chicken Parmesan - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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We were visiting from out of state and starving! Stumbled on this place and it was fantastic. We were seated immediately upon arriving. Our drinks were delicious and so was the food! Definitely recommend the gnocchi :) everything came out quickly and the staff was attentive. Highly recommend if you're in the mood for Italian!! read more

Gravy - Gnocchi - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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So so glad we stumbled upon this place on our quest for a quick bite to eat in Raleigh. VERY reasonable prices for the portion size. And the food tasted so delicious! Very attentive service as well. Would definitely come back here! read more

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My dad made reservations here for lunch and I wasn't really sure what to expect from this restaurant named Gravy that didn't seem to have the characteristic white creamy gravy that I'm used to see topping my favorite breakfast meal. I looked up "gravy" on Urban Dictionary because my Gen Z brother mentioned that the kids these days are using it as slang. The definition on the trusty cultural resource is "a state of complacency or happiness. Stable goodness." Ah, it all makes sense now. My family dove right in to the menu and we got a wide range of the dishes. We had the calamari and the risotto balls for an appetizer and both were gravy. I got the artichoke ravioli- it was gravy. I tasted some of my brother's eggplant pie- it was gravy. My boyfriend had the meatball sub- gravy. Also the garlic rolls? Gravy. You get the point. Their tomato sauce which they refer to as the Gravy is flavorful and pairs perfectly with all their meals. These people know what they're doing. Check it out and hop on the Gravy Train (apparently this is also a song). read more

Gravy - Artichoke ravioli - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Great service and food! Ordered the risotto balls and chicken parm - both were great. Though, the atmosphere doesn't fit my vibe, but can't help that! read more

Gravy - Chicken Parmesan - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Second time eating dinner here, much better than the first. Started with the Greek salad. My husband had the shrimp fra divaolo and I had the spaghetti and meatballs. Both dishes were perfect. The shrimp dish is quite spicy and flavors are good. The meatball is the star of the dinner. Really good size, not too big and the meat was cooked to perfection. The gravy was on point, good color, connected the pasta and all the flavors of the dish. Service was fast, friendly, and just the right amount of attention. read more

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I was invited to try Gravy Raleigh last night and I wasn't disappointed! I had scallops on my gnocchi and old fashioned to drink! Both were great! But tiramisu is probably the best I ever had! The staff managed by Chris were very good! Give Gravy a try! read more

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We finally made it back to Gravy after all of the nonsense going on in downtown Raleigh has gotten under control- at least for now. Always a great meal, bolognese entree and the lasagna entree while sharing a salad. Cocktails were delicious, we both had the Seasonal Sangria. Service was fantastic, we really had a really nice time, not a thing has changed, which is a testament to a restaurant sticking to their plan. read more

Had reservations for New Year's Eve for 7:30, we were promptly seated. The place is an Italian restaurant, so we had to start with the calamari. It was very good, nicely fried and the sauce that accompanied it was great. Our waitress Neva was very nice and knowledgeable about the menu, which I love. I hate going to a restaurant and the wait staff says I haven't tried this or that. She suggested a drink, that I ordered and it was good. If I could give this place a 4 and a half I would! They lost the one star because they didn't have scallops. I had looked at the menu prior to our date so I would know what to get, so I was disappointed they were out. I want to go back just to try the scallops and risotto. My friend had the gnocchi, and added shrimp as her protein because it didn't come with one. She thoroughly enjoyed it. I had the carbonara and added grilled chicken at the suggestion of Neva our waitress. We were too full for dessert, but the next time I would definitely try something. It's a small restaurant but very nice, they played great music while we were there too. read more

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Went to Gravy for dinner last night, when I tell you it was phenomenal. I was super excited for the bolognese, but the ravioli with rosa pesto was the star!! Both dishes were fresh and so so good! Missy was our waitress and she was amazing, so sweet and gave us the best recommendations! Celebrated the end of the meal with their delicious tiramisu. Everything was a 10/10, from the service to the food. read more

Gravy - TAGLIATELLE BOLOGNESE and GOAT CHEESE & TOMATO RAVIOLI - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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The food is fantastic and we are regulars either to go or the occasional sit down Be back soon .... read more

Gravy - Bread - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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On a whim decided to check out Gravy. Wasn't disappointed since everything we had was very flavorful and great quality. Service was very good although short staffed as the place filled up however, everyone chipped in to help each other. Highly recommend the tagliatelle and the ravioli alla vodka. Limoncello was house made & made for a good aperitif. Great place for a date with the warm cozy atmosphere. read more

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I am visiting and staying in downtown Raleigh. I was craving pasta so I went to Yelp and came across this place. I went in on a Sunday afternoon and was able to easily find a spot at the bar. The bartender was very attentive which I appreciated. I ordered the risotto balls for an app with a Pepsi. The outside of the risotto balls were perfect. In my opinion the inside could have been cooked a little more but the sauce the balls came with was unbelievable. Very good sauce. I ordered the bolognese for my entree and it was very very good. It hit the spot for what I was craving and definitely recommend it for anyone craving Italian. read more

Gravy - Tagliatelle Bolognese* - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Bottom line: A recent visit to Gravy yielded a nice meal experience. Tasty starters and an enjoyable carbonara although very heavy sauce and very heavy on the pepper. Good service throughout the visit. The Deets: Recently got to celebrate Jim A.'s retirement (ok, belated celebration, thanks COVID surges) and the meal was here at Gravy. I had been here a few times in years past including some brunches. This visit was a pretty good one in itself. The staff handled a large party very well, no service hiccups. In bringing the garlic knots/bread, we found that these were awesome...I am afraid I would have eaten a whole plate of these if left alone with them! For starters, we enjoyed both the Traditional Bruschetta (which are made with tomato, basil, house-made ricotta served on crostini with balsamic reduction drizzle) and Risotto Balls (consisting of fried Arborio rice stuffed with fontina and served with gravy sauce). Both were great appetite starters, pretty tasty. For my main meal, I went for the Spaghetti Alla Carbonara (consisting of house made spaghetti, pancetta, local mushrooms, shallots, peas, white wine tossed in a creamy parmesan and egg sauce topped with their pepper blend). This selection was pretty tasty, but the sauce was a lot heavier than what I'd prefer with carbonara and also very pepper heavy...if I get it in the future I will ask to go light on the pepper. However, I enjoyed it (carbonara is one of my faves most anytime) and happy I chose it. I see a Tagliatelle Bolognese on their menu as well that I'd love to try in the future also. In all, a good meal experience at Gravy. read more

Gravy - Spaghetti Alla Carbonara. - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Started out with the fresh bread which was really delicious. We ordered the risotto balls and calamari, calamari was really yummy with a marinara sauce on the side. I personally got the vodka ravioli which was amazing 10/10 would recommend. My boyfriend got the chicken parm which he also really loved. Ambiance was okay, a little loud in the beginning but it got better as the night went on. Server was very attentive and sweet. Overall everything tasted very fresh and we would definitely go back. read more

This review is just for the tiramisu. It is a party in your mouth. You don't need to order anything but the tiramisu. It's perfectly sweet and balanced well the coffee flavor. I think it's rare to find a really good tiramisu, many are okay at best, most are just terrible. Gravy's is simply fantastic. They make it inhouse and use quality ingredients. I love it. I actually prefer to get it to go so the chocolate sauce is more on top :) You can't be upset when this dessert is around. Makes me happy just thinking about it! read more

Gravy - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Service was great, food was good. If you're looking for Italian and want a good meal you can't go wrong here.