My family came here after watching Avatar at the movies next door and we enjoyed our meal a lot! We were seated immediately and our server was a little slow but still kind. There was plenty of seating and it was lively inside. For our order, we got onion rings, chicken nachos, a smashburger, fish & chips, and a wing flight with flavors bama white, medium, garlic parm, beesting, and lemon pepper. The nachos initially didn't come with enough queso but after we told our server they gave us more and they were amazing. The burger was yummy for a random burger at a bar, the fish & chips dish was nice and crispy, and the wing flight stole the show. The portions of everything were big and everything was hot and tasted good. We were so full that no plate was finished and we left with so many boxes. Our favorite wing flavors ended up being the bama white, beesting, and garlic parm. This is a great spot to come for drinks and bar food and even better if you like wings. read more

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Went on a friday. It was busy but not crazy. Sat at the bar to meet a friend for dinner. I found seats right away. It started off normal. The server and hi and then have me a few minutes. I got there first and my friend came about 5 minutes after me. We got waters. I said I would decide if I was going to get something else in just a few minutes. It took forever for her to come back. I got a Prosecco. It tasted sore. I wouldn't have ordered another one there again. They never really came back to check on us. while they were at at the register in front of us, I had to ask if my friend could get fried pickles. They put in the order and came out in my opinion these fried pickles we were really breaded and hard. I must felt like biting a piece of leather. The ranch was all right if you put that on there. Sometime went by again and then I asked if I could put it in for the shrimp tacos and if it came with a side. One of the server said yes and she put in the order for me. They came out in a decent amount of time. Mediocre but I can only eat one. I think I like grilled shrimp better than fried. I shared my thoughts with my friends, we only ate half of them between the two of us because they were so salty. During this time we never received napkins or utensils. The guy next to us actually handed us napkins. I think heard my friend joking with me about what I was doing because my hand was all ball ed up and I wasnt using it. I opened it and she saw a bunch of trash, dirty napkins, and a lemon wedge in my hand and she started laughing. She said "what are you doing" while laughing, and I said "well there's no napkins or anything or anywhere to put my trash cause she never came for it or gave us napkins" and we all started laughing. At this point our Waters were all gone so we again had to ask for waters. Mine got filled but my friends never got filled. We were ready for the check and to go. I asked for a to-go cup for my water and that never came. We closed out and left. For someone who likes to watch sports this might be a good place for you to go watch because there were a lot of TVs and it's a big area and It looks like a typical sports bar. Just don't count on being serviced unless it's by you personally them for asking for items. It's in like this shopping mall kind of Center that's outdoor. There's lots of parking around per se but it's always filled up and you pretty much just have to wait for someone to leave to get a spot anywhere in that whole area, so good luck getting a spot without a wait. read more

Hickory Tavern - Pow Pow Shrimp Tacos Fried Pickles - American Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

My 2 friends and I went there for dinner on a Sunday night and had a great experience. The waitress was attentive, the food came out quickly and it was delicious. I got the fish tacos with coleslaw. It was flavorful and filling. The location is great within parkside with lots of parking available. I look forward to coming back again! read more

Stopped in to watch the NBA playoffs. Seems like your pretty standard bar and grill type set up. Our server was nice though almost over attentive. We enjoyed how many TVs were around to watch the multiple games that were on. Our food was good. Would go again if we are in town. read more

Hickory Tavern - Large TVs - American Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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Fun spot to share appetizers with friends and I got an excellent chicken dish under their specialties!! Would definitely order again!! read more

Hickory Tavern - Food Truck Chicken & Rice - American Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

Met up with a friend for happy hour. The Wednesday special was 1/2 price wings and 4.25 Blue Moon (16oz). Ordered wings Medium and they were milder than mild, and they wanted $5 up charge for all flats. Overall, I'd say it's closer to 3.5 stars than 3 stars. read more

I moved to NC back in June and this was the first place that I checked out as it is right down the street from me. I sat at the bar and I immediately felt comfortable and welcomed. The bartenders Alty & Lani are so attentive and super friendly. I've now made this my regular weekly spot and it never disappoints. I don't often eat when I go, but I have no complaints on the food that I've had. It's the neighborhood feel and atmosphere that I love. read more

Used to be an ok place. Times have changed. Inconsistent and overpriced food. Poor atmosphere. Beer has occasional foul taste, like chemicals. Bathrooms not kept in a non-hygienic state often lacking towels. Kitchen staff observed leaving bathroom without washing hands. Brought up to management only to be told that they would "address it". Poor management. Especially the DM, Joe, that does not address issues with staff nor follow up with customer complaints. Frank, another regular staff manager, has no business being on the customer service side of an operation. Place is not worth the money. Better options all over. Note: Don't plan on watching NFL football on Sundays, management sometimes has other sports showcased and prioritized. (Women's volleyball rather than a consequential NFL game.) read more

TLDR: Great place for wings and watching sports. Slow service with friendly employees. Hickory Tavern is a nice sports bar in the Parkside plaza in NW Cary, NC. I have dined here before and returned this time for takeout. Pros: -Friendly efficient servers and hostesses -Easy online ordering for takeout -Numerous TVs for watching the games -Ample menu items and wing flavors to choose from Ordered: -Wings (12 for $17.75), missing requested ranch. Hot Buffalo sauce was included for an extra $0.60 and was definitely hot! -Asian Power Bowl with Grilled Shrimp ($14.99): delicious, the shrimp were undercooked (for my preference) so I sautéed them at home and added them back to the salad -Croissants ($4.25): interesting shape, sweet and flaky Cons: -Loud, however, typically noise level for a sports bar -Slow service Overall, we enjoy coming here when in the mood for wings at a sports bar. We tried the trivia, but it started late and was too slow. We recommend this restaurant particularly to those who want to dine on good food while watching the game. read more

Hickory Tavern - American Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

This place ran 2 charges on my credit card for our lunch, Randy the manager just told me I wouldn't be charged twice, even though it's already charged to my credit card. The server Eve C never returned to our table to check on us for refills or desserts. The food was. ..mid.., service lousy, manager NO help with this issue. DON't GO HERE! read more

Food was excellent. Excellent meal chefs. Service...what a mess Looks like a social gathering. Your servers provide more attention to each other than your patrons. Learn how to clean your tables properly and notice empty glasses that may need a refill. We are actually there to tip you. What a concept right? Very lopsided. read more

We sat outside on a beautiful Oct Friday evening. I had the American Burger- absolutely delicious! Quite possibly the best burger I've ever had! Hubby had the ribs and tavern salad. He gives it all a great big delicious! The service was great too! We have never had a negative experience at Hickory Tavern. read more

Wow place has gone down hill since just a few months ago. We sat at the bar, ordered water and drinks. I ordered a Mango Cart it was good as always my husband ordered a double Jim Beam and coke extra ice- I should have taken a picture hardly no ice all coke. He asked for a smaller glass on the next one more ice- nope, I ordered the smothered Chicken with Brussel sprouts- No Brussel sprouts-ok the grits were fine. My food was supposed to have white onions, mushrooms,cheese and cooked in wine sauce- they were red onions and that is all you could taste except for the dry chicken. Bar service was slow we really needed our water refilled. read more

Hickory Tavern - Bar. Lots of craft beers - American Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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We were a large party in the back room. Unfortunatrlh they were not able to handle the orders. We waited over an hour for the food to be delivered , had to ask for silverware, and many complained their food was cold. once it did arrive. I blame management for this, as they sent in two young servers who were sweet but obviously over their heads. We asked for the manager (actually had to call the restaurant to request her as no one came near or by for an hour or more after ordering). she was pleasant but just said 'sorry' and offered no explanation.. One table then received partial orders, the rest of us nothing. No fault with the actual food (other than being cold) but it was a very off-putting experience. read more

We came here for lunch on a Sunday afternoon and were able to find parking near the restaurant in the shared lot. We made reservations so we were seated right away. Our server was nice and attentive initially asking what we wanted to drink and if we needed anything. The restaurant is very spacious with many seating options, a bar, and televisions throughout. Multiple football games were playing while we dined in. I ended up ordering the NY style food truck chicken and rice. It was a simple dish but tasted good and was prepared well. The chicken was moist and tender and the pita bread was served warm and was soft. The dish was served with yellow rice, a white sauce, and sambal sauce. The sambal sauce had a kick for those that like heat. I would get this meal again. Our server did handle all of our requests when asked but our water cups were never refilled. Overall it was a good experience and I would return. read more

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Special thank you to Lonni, the bartender! She is absolute doll. She was so hospitable, attentive and kind. I just wanted everyone to know that she is definitely the reason I would come back to Hickory Tavern. Ambiance is super chill. ONLY mention is the music could have been better on a Friday night. Thank you again! read more

Had so much fun getting together with my teammates and having some food. Really appreciate the wide variety of sports channels and getting to watch the ncaa volleyball finals! Food was great and so was the service. read more

I want to say thank you and recognize the amazing hospitality I was shown by Ronnie, the bartender. She was so helpful, kind and attentive. She will be the reason I come back to Hickory Tavern. read more

This is a great staple restaurant for our family that's definitely improved over the years. The kids' options are always enough, and the food in general is consistent. We were skeptical at first in ordering the "new" smashed version of the Smokehouse burger as there were several changes to it, but it still delivered quality and excellent taste! The crispy Brussel sprouts are a must-have for me, and they certainly did not disappoint! The only reason for the 4 star is that we sat for a while after getting drinks served, and no one checked on us, so if I had to make a suggestion, I'd want someone to swing over just to heck drinks and see if we needed anything else. On another note, I fed my family if 4 here for LESS, than it costs to eat at Panera, and I get 2x the amount of food with better quality! read more

I came here to celebrate my last day of law school with two of my classmates and had a horrible experience. It was ridiculous. We were seated and then ignored for about 20 minutes. The server walked past us and took other people's orders and never acknowledged our table. No "Hi I'll be right with you", drinks, or anything. It was very telling that we were the only black people in her section. We went inside to tell the host about our issue before we left. I have never in my life experienced something that ridiculous at a restaurant. read more

Each time I visit Hickory Tavern it's always a pleasant experience. The burgers, salads, and wings are tasty. I've ordered takeout a couple of times and unfortunately there have been moments when the order has been wrong but the staff are quick to fix it. read more

This place is really corporate. I don't know if it is or not, but it is run like it is. They never have the right glassware. The prices are exorbitant for the bland food. The soft tacos are always crunchy. So why 4 starts. Even though they go through staff like Kleenex, they really are always nice. I always get a side salad. Sometimes just that & it's always crunchy. I like the ambiance. It reminds me of the fast casual I grew up with. Nostalgic. I come with my dog sometimes & they are really accommodating. This place is right next to where I live so it's easy. read more

If I could give negative stars I would. I came here last night & ordered a smokehouse burger. Within 4 hours, my stomach started to cramp & became nauseous. By 3am today I have been throwing up, experiencing diarrhea, & cold sweats. I had to go to the hospital for food poisoning & received a $500 from the ER. The regional manager finally returned my call & stated they could not give me a $40 refund due to it being against their policy but offered to give me gifts cards. WHY WOULD ANYONE COME BACK TO EAT AT AN ESTABLISHMENT THAT THEY GOT FOOD POISONING FROM?! I never got an apology for being served the food or for the day I've experienced since. For your health, DO NOT EAT HERE! read more

Nice spacious restaurant with plenty of televisions views. Hickory Tavern is perfect for game night and watching our favorite teams. Anywhere in the restaurant is a good seat with a view of the televisions. The staff is nice and accommodating. I'm disappointed because my friend bragged about Hickory Tavern and it didn't live up to her past experiences. It was not the best. The chicken wings were somewhat undercooked and under seasoned and then drenched in jerk sauce. The grilled chicken itself was nicely prepared and tasted nice as well as the cheese and bacon. I ended up just removing the meat. The bottom of the bun was soggy and falling apart. The fries were extremely overcooked as if they sat for a while before the food arrived at our table. A Quality check on the food leaving the kitchen is needed. The food did not do it for me. I will not eat here again. read more

Hickory Tavern - American Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

Even if the customer service is very tranquil and slow,There is a sense of belonging and having family around bring a serenity to the environment.The customer service guy Chris is very attentive and polite.The food is tasty but overpriced for a family /restaurant bar.Overall people are friendly.It has many TV's on the walls.The decor is very rustic.The food servings are plentifully.That is definitely a must for those that eat abundantly.My Smoke House burger was enormous and very scrumptious.It had onion rings,bacon,meat lettuce,onion and sauce.It also brings a side dish ,mine was French fries. read more

Hickory Tavern - The smoke house Burger and French fries on the side - American Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

My husband & I stopped in for lunch while in the area. We miss the Hickory Tavern that had been open in Chapel Hill but is no longer there. It was one of our favorite places for a quick bite and its replacement is not nearly as good. Today's visit reminded us of why we loved HT but we were especially taken with the great service offered by Laura. She had such energy and attended to our every need. Kind of amazing actually. (Consider giving her a raise -- and no, we're not related). We will be back again soon!! Great food & great service. The best combo!! read more

Me and my Fiancée have been looking for a new casual bar since we moved. Tried out a few places and then fell in love with Hickory tavern. Personally I do not drink alcohol often because I never had a favorite drink. Until I had the spiked cinnamon apple! The best drink I've ever had. They put cinnamon sugar on the rim which is amazing and I order it every single time. This is one of the few places that have true Buffalo wings that aren't just tiny little pieces. Their barbecue nachos (small size) are big enough for 3 people. Best place in Cary for bar food and lots of tvs!!!!! read more

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Since this is near the movies this has been a place my family has stopped at a couple of times before or after a movie. My most recent time was the Tuesday after Christmas. We were short on time prior to the movie so I thought this would be a quick place to grab a bite. We pulled up to the bar and the bartender was very friendly. We noticed that the wings were on special on Tuesdays so we decided to get that, I believe it's half off the wings with a 12 wing minimum which is a great discount. The drinks were top notch, my lemon drop was really good. My cousin stated she liked the espresso martini. The ambiance was fine, it's kind of a regular normal looking place. The wings were delicious as well. The only problem was they did take a while to come out, but it's chicken so I guess that is to be expected. But when we received the bill, the wings were not discounted. Of course it was corrected but I wish that would have been correct the first time. But overall, I would come back again for the drinks. read more

Hickory Tavern - Strawberry lemon drop - American Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

We dined at Hickory Tavern this evening and Lilly was our waitress! As usual Lilly was charming and very attentive. The food was delicious and we watched football on the big screen. Thank you Lilly for making our night a pleasant one! Loren and Marie Wildt read more

Everything was great. We were seated quickly at a high top. Lots of TV's so this is a great place to catch a game. Food , service and cocktails were great !! I enjoyed my power bowl with chicken and pear margarita read more

Been going here since they first opened and really enjoyed it back then and have frequented it often since then. However, the current Hickory Tavern has really gone downhill. I've been three times in the last few weeks there to have dinner and watch football with my husband on their large screen TVs. Every time we visited the bartenders were socializing with each other so loudly (screeching, yelling, cackling) it was jarring and made everyone in the restaurant jump out of their seats several times. I don't mind if they socialize but the volume that they use interfered with watching the games, it was ridiculous (especially since the TVs were already at a loud volume). Several times we were totally ignored even when sitting right at the bar wanting another beer or the check because they were busy talking amongst themselves -loudly. That's all I have to say about the bartenders. The waitstaff were excellent and very attentive each time we were at tables. That's the best part about this place, they were awesome and we tip well for that. The food is just average, nothing special but consistent. However they charge you $5 more for all flats or drums for $10 worth of wings? Really? Also, if you plan to watch a game, it can be frustrating when they are constantly switching screens on you. Happened multiple times each night, sometimes in the 1st quarter, during close games, even highly anticipated local college games. Once, a first of the season UNC Chapel Hill game was switched off from every tv in the second quarter and the manager couldn't figure out how to get it back on for 1/2 an hour. Each time we have gone to watch the games the restaurant was only 1/4 full so it's not like people are asking to switch TVs onto other games. Anyway, super disappointed in what this place has turned into. We will be looking for a new hangout somewhere else. read more

Per review guidance: * Food / Drinks an known (see below) * Service - Non-existent (see below) * Ambience - Actually decent; for the short time I stayed. Yes, it was a Saturday afternoon, which I assumed would attract the college football crowd, but I was surprised to find the place relatively quiet (red flag #1). As I was by myself I decided to sit at the bar and be able to follow a few of the games. I sat near a couple who looked to have just finished their lunch and waited. And waited. Went to get myself a menu...and waited. There was actually a "bartender" chatting and playing on the phone with a friend but never once acknowledged that I was there. Another gentleman arrived perhaps a few minutes after me. He waited. I waited. We all waited. The "bartender" kept at her little chat/games for another 5 minutes or so and then finally broke free. I waited. She went to her POS. I waited. She went to the sink. I waited. Finally, I was done and walked out. The two young women at the hostess stand seemed surprised when I mentioned to them that they might want to get someone to work at the bar since there were customers there trying to spend money, but to no avail. So, I left. No food. No drinks. No TV. What a waste of time. How can you even stay on business this way?!? Good luck. read more

Great food and even greater service. Had lunch with the team here last week, food was excellent but the service took it over the top. Our server Grace was a real rock star, she was constantly on it with refills, extra napkins, appetizers, you name it. She was very attentive and always around when we needed her, really upped the experience we had. Looking forward to coming back again! read more

I got food poisoning from this Hickory Tavern last night. Had lunch around 12pm; by 8pm | began having stomach cramps and was throwing up with full body chills and severe pain by 11pm. The food is mediocre at best anyway. Don't risk it and stay far away from this place. The very LEAST a restaurant can do is prepare food properly, an absolute joke of a business. read more

Good food at okay prices. Ahi tuna tacos and shrimp tacos were good. Friendly staff. Relaxing atmosphere.

What does a person have to do in Cary to get a drink, be served without attitude, and enjoy the NCAA tournament??? We enjoyed ONE drink and the pretzel bites while watching the game, but we were never asked if we wanted another drink even though BOTH bartenders walked by us at least 101 times. The manager was working his tail off, which is always nice to see when a place is busy. And those pretzel bites were the bomb! I just wish we could have had a cold beer to go with them. Oh well. At least our team won their game! We will be watching their next game far away from Cary, though. read more

I love the salads with little croissants at Hickory Tavern. On this visit we dined in to watch the Panthers lose again. My mom and I both started off with a beer, it was a tall Blue Moon for me and a cider for her. For food we split a small tavern salad with 1000 island dressing and extra little croissants and the cheesesteak with tater tots. My husband built his own salad. The service was really slow but be patient since most places are short staffed. Next time I'll just order a salad since I did not like the cheesesteak. The bar does get packed so get there early if you want to watch a game in that area. read more

Visited Hickory Tavern for a work gathering and had Myiam and Carson. They were extremely attentive and very personable. They made great suggestions and drinks were never empty. The food was great. Will be back for sure! read more

I ordered food to go from Hickory Tavern and was pretty unimpressed. Firstly, I order the steamed shrimp basket which comes with corn and cole slaw. I walked over the pick up my food, walked back to my destination, and when I opened the container there was only shrimp and cocktail sauce. I looked back at the menu to confirm it came with sides and called the restaurant who told me my sides would be ready in under 5 minutes. I walked back to get the sides and the staff were apologetic and nice. However, then it came time to eat. The Cole slaw was bland. I actually wasn't able to eat it all. I did eat the shrimp but it was bland too. It was supposed to have been seasoned with Old Bay but seemed like it wasn't seasoned. The cocktail sauce was the saving grace. Then there was the corn. It was very pale and sad looking. No butter. I took one bite and that was it. I wouldn't recommend this place unfortunately. read more

My first trip to Hickory Tavern did not disappoint. First, the service was exceptional despite a Saturday crush that included two baseball teams. Kaitlyn kept our drinks full and checked back very regularly. The manager was also very visible and checked by twice. The bathrooms and the resturant was very clean. The menu has something for everyone. We went with the chicken sandwich, steak tacos, and grouper tacos. The chicken sandwich was not made properly but it took them about 4 minutes to fix it. Both tacos were delicious but the fish could have been a bit crispier. The brussel sprouts were the best thing we had...they rate as exceptional. Serving sizes were large and the prices were fair. While I am not much for chain resturants, this one was better than most. They have a pet friendly patio area and a cornhole area. With a full bar and TVs galore, you have a great place to chill for a few hours. read more

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