Bring back the Spanish tortilla!!!! Sad they removed it. It was the best item on the menu hands down. Unfortunately we had to wait 30 minutes for our reservation to sit down. However, they did bring us champagne while we waited. We have been to Madre countless times and has underwhelmed this past time. We waited 45 minutes for our steak to come and it was blue rare, essentially raw and not even close to medium rare as we ordered. The potatoes were black burnt and had burnt chorizo on top. read more

See all

Beautiful restaurant and fantastic food. This is literally the type of food I imagine I would try from a chef in a professional cooking show. Everything was exploding with flavors and also looked good on the plate. Make reservations because it's definitely trendy. The restaurant itself is extremely beautiful and decorated so well. It reminds me of a place I'd look for when I go out of town. The bar and dining room is very aesthetically pleasing and makes you want to look nice and take pictures. Make sure you take a trip to the cool bathrooms. I came for brunch and got the mimosa carafe, biscuits, burger, french toast, and chicken and donut. The stand out was surprisingly the biscuit. My partner and I agreed this was the best biscuit we've ever tasted anywhere and it was paired with a nice jam and onion-y butter that I loved. The chicken was good as well and even though we weren't a fan of the bread for the french toast because it made it too crispy, it was still tasty and the chantilly was sooo flavorful. We also wanted some scrambled eggs since it was breakfast and even though it wasn't on the menu they delivered. I loved my experience here, the service was great, and I'll definitely be back for dinner and interested to see how the menu continues to change. read more

See all

This was the most amazing experience ever! Our server was so kind and attentive, the food was incredible, and one of the most important things to me, the atmosphere was TOP TIER. 10/10 recommend this place if you are in Raleigh. read more

Madre - The atmosphere - Mediterranean Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

This place is amazing. The service is fantastic, the bartenders are very attentive and accommodating and make great drinks. I also loved the vibe, the decor of the restaurant, and the music was very chill. One critique is that my margarita had less "drink", and after ordering two it felt as though I only had one drink. The other is that the aioli sauce for the pulpo was too salty, the salchipapas were cooked very well and were suuuuuper tasty but were just a bit too salty (could have been the aioli sauce), and the grilled shrimp only had 4 pieces. But the sauce for the shrimp was delicious. Will definitely be back - if they can make the food a little less salty. read more

Madre - Salchipapas - Mediterranean Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

See all

This place gave me everything I was looking for in terms of experience and food. I am a foodie, and I love trying new places in new cities. The ambiance here was beautiful, thoughtful and I enjoyed the bathroom experience (I won't spoil it for you.) the lighting was perfect, music could have been a little lower. we, a group of 5 ladies, enjoyed the cauliflower, bread, hummus and chicken plates. I was looking forward to some desserts but nothing caught my sweet tooth or eye. Everything on the menu was amazing and delicious. I enjoyed a glass of Sangria and everything I ate. Def come and give yourself a big madre hug! read more

Madre - Roasted cauliflower - Mediterranean Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Dear Tyler, Brad, and Celina, I recently sent you a letter explaining our dismay with the quality of food on our last two recent experiences. I hope this message finds you well. I'm writing to share my recent experience at your restaurant on 8/19/2025, which unfortunately did not meet our expectations the last couple of times we were there. While I was looking forward to enjoying a meal at your establishment, I was disappointed by the quality of the food served. Specifically, on this visit the duck fell short of expectations from past experiences. The duck wasn't cooked properly leaving the skin chewy not crispy. The underlying fat between the skin and meat itself had not been rendered properly, it felt like we were eating duck chewing gum. Although the eye appeal of the breast was nice, we found very little duck meat to eat after discarding the fat and inedible duck skin. On a previous night out with friends we found that one of our favorite dishes, Calabrian Chicken, had a different flavor and left us kind of taken back. We thought it was just a one-off. We do try to eat at Madre at least once a month with or without friends and never have any issues with service, drinks, or dinner items. But having a less than stellar meal the last two times at Madre in a six-week time frame has left us wondering about trying some of the newer eatery around as our go to places for us or when we are entertaining. I understand that occasional issues can arise, but the overall experience left me feeling dissatisfied. I will say Madre does have some wonderful dishes that we enjoy, like the Negroni Olives, Gildas, Shishitos, Spanish Hummus, Roasted Cauliflower***, Salchipapas, Piquillo Peppers, Hamachi Crudo**** (I could eat this as a meal), Pulpo, Grilled Shrimp, Albondigas, Pork Belly, and (the original) Calabrian Chicken up until about 6 - 8 weeks ago. I wanted to bring this to your attention not out of frustration, but in the hope that it helps improve future adjustments to the items I mentioned. Your restaurant has a good reputation, and I believe that feedback--both positive and constructive--is important. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I'd appreciate any follow-up you may wish to offer, and I hope to have a better experience should I return in the future. To this day there has been no follow-up. read more

Great vibe inside. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Food was very flavorful. We had the chicken, flank steak, potatoes, carrots and trout. All very good! I'd do the ribeye instead of the flank next time. Great date night venue. read more

The food was beyond delicious! Drinks were yummie! Tapas we had, the shrimp, steak, cauliflower and potatoes (names are different on menu). Everything was so so tasty. Will definitely return again! read more

One of my favorite restaurants in Raleigh. Get the fried chicken. Bummed they got rid of the calamari. Service is great, food comes out fast. read more

Great atmosphere and even more amazing food! We loved all the dishes, cocktails and wine. We did have to wait about 20-25 mins after our reservation time, but were comped with an appetizer sampler. Our server was attentive and knowledgeable. read more

Madre - Mediterranean Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

See all

Finally had a chance to dine at Madre this past month and it did not disappoint. Setting: Conveniently located across the street from a parking garage in Glenwood. Filled with large windows the ambience inside Madre is romantic with an exuberant amount of candles surrounding the walls of the dimly lit restaurant. Food: Mediterranean/Tapas. The menu has a variety of proteins and grains, and also the ability to make the dishes vegan. We started off with the tuna, yellowfin crudo, calamari, and brussels caesar. The seafood dishes were light and refreshing. The Caesar was perfect with the anchovies. We then transitioned to heavier dishes with the Calabrian chicken and Salchipapas. The Calabrian chicken was so crunchy with the perfect spice paired with the hot honey and aioli. The Salchipapas was by far our favorite. The potatoes were so unbelievably crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The chorizo and dijonaise paired perfectly with the potatoes as it was drizzled over. For dessert we ordered the bread pudding. Was not overly sweet. Good texture and flavor. Drink: Ordered a Vieux Carre which was made well and delicious. Service: The waitress was attentive and informative. Always available and ready to continue our order or pickup empty dishes. Overall: Delicious new restaurant that absolutely knocked it out of the park. Between the ambience and delicious food we can't wait to go back. read more

See all

Celebrating our 15th anniversary at this restaurant was truly special. The staff went above and beyond with a thoughtful anniversary card and complimentary drinks, adding a personal touch to our evening. The food was exceptional--each tapas-style small plate was high quality and paired perfectly with their impressive drink menu. Ambiance is cozy chic but not pretentious which made it so inviting. Thank you to the staff that night read more

See all

Madre offers new yet familiar contemporary Latin cuisine. The atmosphere is an excellent mix of sultry, romantic, and warm with a dash of playfulness to be suitable for any time of day. Chocolate-hued walls that are inviting and warm establish a welcoming environment, and the inside is divided into three various dining areas: one in the space near the bar and two main rooms. My favorite place is tucked away in the corner by the fireplace because it's simply the perfect place to enjoy the ambiance. The restaurant has one glass wall, so that customers can gaze out over the space surrounding them while those outside get a glimpse of the lively ambiance inside. The location is terrific, with plenty of other restaurant and shopping options nearby, so you can stop by beforehand or afterward. The Madre menu is seasonal, so you can count on trying something fresh and different every time. When I was last there, I fell especially in love with roasted cauliflower, topped with crumbles of chèvre cheese and a green goddess sauce that was rich and buttery. The cauliflower was a huge serving, perfect to share or consumed by itself as a big meal. I also loved their creativity on butternut squash risotto with mushrooms. It's a simple combination of sweet, salty, and umami flavors, just pure comfort in a bowl. As one who is used to staying with "meat" protein sources, I was pleasantly surprised at how effortless it was to get a complete vegetarian meal here. Madre's staff are really considerate about dietary needs, and made special efforts to explain to me what would be gluten-free. In fact, I felt looked after by all this fuss. Even though I didn't get to taste the bread shown in the photos (which was heavenly fragrant), I heard that it was incredible. The rest of the food that I was able to taste, romesco sauce over charred broccolini and salchipapas, was all just as good and thoroughly enjoyed by my party. Highly recommended for anyone seeking an adventurous, flavorful meal in Raleigh! read more

See all

We love Mediterranean food and wanted to go to a fine dine on a Friday night. Madre definitely did not disappoint. It's a perfect place for date nights. The lights are dim and the music is subtle. Their menu is limited and I love a small menu. We tried their chicken wings, scallops, bread and butter, trout and roasted duck. Chicken wings is soft tender with a lot of spices and amazing taste. Scallops were decent but the chickpeas and the sauce was too good. Trout was perfectly cooked with a succulent gravy. Their duck was a little chewy for us. The winner is their bread and butter which was sooo good. Their cocktails were strong and delicious. Do try the madre margarita. Overall a nice place for a romantic dinner. read more

See all

I really wanted to love Madre! The restaurant is stunning. The design and the atmosphere are so chic and unique and it's a beautiful new gem for Raleigh. I really enjoy tapas style restaurants that are set up for sharing and community. I had the shaky knees drink which was delicious. Service was a tad bit slow because the kitchen was backed up and although I made a reservation, I had to wait about 20 minutes for my table. As a non land meat eater, I found the menu not as satisfying. If I ate meat, I think I would have loved my experience, as what seemed to be the most popular dishes coming out the kitchen were the chicken and lamb. I had the whipped goat cheese which was very good and flavorful and a great way to start the meal. Next I had the salmon crudo which I felt was just okay, the sauce was really good but I felt the salmon itself lacked flavor. Finally I had the roasted cauliflower which was extremely well prepared and delicious, it had a bit of heat to it. Overall, I still wanted something else, something more filling but I wasn't really impressed with there other options for me. I wanted to try a shrimp dish but I can't have avocado and it was premixed. Overall, again, I think I would have been in love with Madre if I ate meat. I'll be back because I love the vibe and want to give the restaurant another shot. read more

Madre - Roasted cauliflower - Mediterranean Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Found the chicken wings and potato app were great! We didn't finish the whipped ricotta. There was a mishap during our dinner (on our end) and the staff was so gracious and went above and beyond to support my friend and I through that, which was greatly appreciated! Super cute ambiance as well! read more

Walking into Madre was like entering into a modern Spanish version of Wonderland. It is its own little planet in terms of decor and vibe. If I were to describe it using just one word, it would be shwae. But not only is the ambiance dank, the food is so very tasty. Some of our favorites were the chicken, potatoes, and burrata. Unfortunately, we had one small set back: my friend was served her bourbon with floaties in it (i'm assuming it was residue from the cup). The lack of attention was concerning, but this did not ruin our experience, as they were happy to give her a new one on the house. Not to mention, our waiter was prompt, helpful with choices, and had the most beautiful green eyes. I will definitely be coming back to try more tapas, cocktails, and maybe a dessert if i'm feeling ambitious. read more

Madre - Mediterranean Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

We had a really great dinner at Madre last night. Give yourself a few extra minutes to find street parking or just head into the garage. Madre's entrance is at the inside of Smoky Hollow and not the West Street side that your GPS will probably take you to. The interior of the restaurant is beautiful and you can tell a lot of thought went in to every detail. Our server was wonderful, she was friendly and on top of things. I liked that their wines by the glass list had some of the usual suspects, but also some interesting wines I haven't heard of before. They have a great variety of small plates. We tried the whipped goat cheese, the cauliflower, the crispy potatoes, and the fillet. My top two were the cauliflower and the crispy potatoes. Everything was super flavorful, those were just the two standouts for me. The goat cheese had more of a kick than I was expecting. There are a lot of other things on the menu I'd love to try the next time I head in. Looking forward to going back in soon! read more

See all

I went with a group of 10. We were not allowed at table till a majority arrived. It seemed odd. The food was good. I found the salt a little excessive. We all had ample amounts of food. The service was excellent and they were very attentive. The interior decor is warm brown and eclectic. It's definitely a vibe. It was a Saturday night and very loud and noisy. It was hard to talk to everyone. I would recommend if you don't care about conversation. Also: it would be nice to have serving spoons to dish up plates instead of everyone's own silverware! read more

Beautiful and Delicious! Just had our first experience at this new Tapas Restaurant in Smoky Hollow downtown (off Peace St in the Glenwood South vicinity), and I'm already thinking about going back. Everything about this restaurant is welcoming, comforting and so tasty! The ambiance is beautiful. There are large tables, cozy small ones, a vibrant bar area with comfy looking booths. Chic, modern...very NYC or LA: Shiny new. Outside seating as well. The menu is small yet loaded with great-sounding options. Hard to decide. The two of us started with refreshing drinks. A chardonnay for me and a bourbon drink for Husband. Water was served without ice, but ice was brought when I requested it. Not a bad idea to have cold water when enjoying the spicier dishes. We started with two "snacks"...the grilled olives and and an interesting take on Pan Con Tomate. Instead of fresh tomato, the topping was sundried tomato paste with probably calabrian chiles. YUM. The olives were warm, spiced nicely with citrus and tangy chevre. Both were terrific. Next up we shared the Roasted Cauliflower. Husband had the Steak with Chimichurri, while I was giddy with Calabrian Chicken Legs with hot honey and two pepper aioli. We loved every bite. Thought for sure we would be taking food home but we happily and easily polished it all off, with room for Orange "Phyllo" Cake for Dessert. Not sure why the word "Phyllo" is in the description. It shouldn't be. This was a very moist cake that was not too sweet. Very refreshing despite looking dense when it arrived. It was not. It was soaked in something that made it light and delectable. Especially great with a cup of their coffee with it. Every staff member we encountered was super friendly and seemed to genuinely care that we were enjoying ourselves and loving the food. Even the bathrooms are super cool! They are like the ones at the 21C in Durham. Clear glass until you lock them, then they frost over. Nice and clean. Really nice. Everything about this place is nice. Note for parking: there's a parking lot for the apartments very close. It cost us just four bucks, but I don't think we needed to actually pay it, cause the gate went up before we put in the paid card. Guessing maybe it's free on the weekend? I'm in LOVE and can't recommend this new place enough. See pics and DROOL. read more

See all

Celebrated my birthday brunch here, I was initially excited however the service wasn't great. The waitress wasn't friendly and when asked for recommendations she seemed annoyed. We ordered different plates/tapas, obviously the portions were small. Overall the ambiance is great but not sure it was worth the hype. read more

See all

Was greeted with the upmost proper and overwhelmingly amazing service from the moment we stepped in. The atmosphere is perfection for date night. The food was amazingly delicious to add the cherry on top as well. Daniel at the bar gave the best service I have seen from a bartender in a while. I bartend as well but he handled everything with such class and professionalism. Bravo Daniel! This place doesn't get anything negative from me. I'll most definitely will be back. Well done team! read more

Service was bullshit my girl and I went there for lunch took 15 mins to be seated and we left after 20 mins where nobody took our order much less even took note that we were there. It sucks because the inside was awesome but man learn how to hire the kids nowadays just love not to work it's crazy! So we got up and walked to Barrio which I would recommend over Madre as soon as we walked into Barrio we were treated like we're actually two humans! It takes a lot for me to leave a review so good job at doing nothing Madre read more

We hosted our wedding reception lunch at Madre and it truly exceeded our expectations. The food was absolutely delicious, as were the cocktails and wine selection. The atmosphere is very high-end, and the service matched. The events coordinator Jamie and her team were always nearby to refresh drinks and waters, answer menu questions, etc. and were so polite and friendly. They opened the restaurant early in order for us to dine right after our lunchtime wedding, which was another thoughtful touch. I will definitely be back the next time I am Raleigh, and can't recommend them enough if you are planning an event! read more

Madre has a cool modern ambiance with an airy main dining room and a buzzy bar area. They have a short but sweet menu of tapas style dishes. For the most part, flavors are on point and drinks were great. I loved the Rosemary Paloma for a light refreshing cocktail and Off the Record for something more complex without being overly strong. Overall we had an enjoyable meal with just a few let downs. Watermelon salad 4/5 - satisfying combination of sweet and savory but unexpectedly arrived with half honeydew despite no mention of it on the menu or from our server Fried mushrooms 5/5 - our favorite dish of the night, very well seasoned and flavorful! Yellowtail crudo 3/5 - not bad, but generic and unremarkable Steak 2/5 - based on other photos online, we got stiffed because we ordered medium rare and received what looked like the leftover ends of a cut. the meat was barely pink in the middle and tasted gamey. luckily the sauce helped mask the flavor Calabrian chicken 4/5 - meat was tender and came off the bone easily. the exterior is quite sweet and not spicy, but overall yummy. Vanilla flan - very small portion but strong vanilla flavor. we were celebrating an anniversary so it wound up being comped and it came out with a candle. read more

See all

Madre is doing a lot of things right given it just opened a month ago. Small plates, modern and beautiful interior with excellent service! Prices are under $10 for snacks, about $15 for a starter and $20 to $35 for main plates. The menu spans Spanish, Italian, and more, some of my hits include the boquerones (sardines), pan con tomate, and roasted branzino fish. The menu is somewhat on the smaller side but I suspect it will expand a bit since the place is still new. Overall I like what they are trying to do here, it's a bit different from most everything else in the area but fits the Smoky Hollow demographic as hip and tasty dining option in the area. read more

Madre - Mediterranean Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

See all

I went to Madre in June with a group of friends. The food was delicious -- fresh, creative, and beautifully presented. The only drawback was the music, which was uncomfortably loud and made it hard to chat, even after we asked to have it turned down. We'd love to come back for the food, hopefully with a more relaxed sound level next time. read more

Wow just wow! I came two nights in a row!!!! So the first night the bartender Alanie recommended the octopus to me. I am so happy I took her suggestion. The food was amazing. So amazing that I came back the next day for my same Order. This time I met Heiress! So genuine so sweet and welcoming!!! I even watched him interact with other customers at the bar and I couldn't be more Please about my Entire experience here! Between Alanie and Heiress my experience was nothing that I could Explained to the public but more So a feeling !! You will feel invited here and welcomed !!! I will now probably be a regular here just based off my interaction with these two bartenders. Please run here don't walk and enjoy yourself. read more

Madre - Wine - Mediterranean Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

See all

What a cute little vibe here at Madre. It is a small plates place. Lots of tasty items on the menu. We got different items to taste test more. Our fave was the Calabrian Chicken for sure. Mind blowing. The bread and butter was very hard, but they said it's different each time so hey. The salchipapas disappointed me really bad but maybe that's because I actually like Authentic salchipapas and this was nowhere near close. This was potato's with sauce and droplets of ground up chorizo. I guess more of trying to make a street meal fancy. I was sad. The Hanger Steak was delicious once we got it cooked to the right temp. I had a piece as that wasn't my order. Butternut squash is a yes for sure as well. The bathrooms were the star of the show. I liked how they were see through until you turned the lock and voila! I went to the bathroom about 2 times just because it was an experience. Id come back for sure. Plenty of the food was delicious! The service was great as well. Everyone was friendly and polite. They were accommodating and did what needed to be done. read more

See all

everything we had was delicious! our server was SO nice and attentive. while the food was good i didn't have anything that really blew me away. read more

See all

If you're looking for an elevated date night or just a unique and worth it dinner spot in Raleigh, then you simply MUST eat at Madre. Atmosphere was cool and not over the top, music was at perfect volume and the service was top notch as well! Lina our server was an absolute star, we gave her a budget and since it was our first time we asked that she just surprise us with whatever dishes she likes / people like as well. Do yourself a favor and book a reservation, order a Spanish wine, and enjoy the amazing food and service that Madre has to offer! read more

***FOOD: Elevated Tapas Like Food. larger plates than a tapas Over all food was Good to Ok, PULPO - was a little hard to eat, not my favorite; PORK BELLY - OK although was expecting it to be more melt in your mouth good but it was a little difficult to eat; SCALLOPS - maybe it was the sauce but it was a little too salty; FRIED MUSHROOMS - it was Ok, because it was fried didn't really taste the Unami ness of the mushrooms, didn't taste the mushrooms at all; DUCK - took a very very long time for it to come, if you do get this dish, definitely order it right away so that they have time to make it, we were wondering if they were plucking the duck in the kitchen because it took sooooooo long. BLUEBERRY FLAN - tasty but didn't look or taste like a flan. ***COST (OUT OF 4$) $$$ dishes were $14-25 each. DUCK was $29 ***DÉCOR: beautiful contemporary, cool vibe, velvet curtains, looks like west elm type furniture. BATHROOM is so cool, doors are see through but once you lock the doors the glass becomes opaque. I've seen this in a house and in Asia hotels before, so I wasn't surprised but it may catch people off guard. Parking an issue, need to pay for parking ***SERVICE: Friendly, made a point to touch base with us and fill our water glasses. Only issue was the Duck taking so long. We ended up being there for 2hrs waiting mostly for the duck. ***RECOMMEND: Yes RECOMMEND and if someone else invited me & paid to dine here I wouldn't oppose the invitation read more

See all

Love Madre and its energetic vibe. Our party of six was treated exceptionally well with great service throughout dinner. We started with three great apps then moved on to several plates. You must have the Honey Chicken, it is delicious. We really enjoyed the roasted cauliflower. A statement I never thought I'd make. This is a terrific place for drinks and dinner with friends, but plan ahead and make a reservation. read more

No notes. Every plate delicious. Ambiance perfect, every dish and every drink made a perfect night read more

See all

incredible service and amazing food! music was a bit loud, but it was also towards the end of the night.

Beautiful restaurant! The decor and the atmosphere were stunning! (I wish I had taken more pictures, but I didn't want to disturb the other patrons). Bar and outdoor seating as well. Nice spot for drinks with your girls/guys or your boo. The mezcal Margherita was on point! A fesh take on Spanish tapas. Great cocktails. Jill was our server, and she was phenomenal! read more

See all

The food is authentic & best I've had outside of the Bay Area of CA! I've been eating here almost weekly for the past few months & not had a bad meal. Their fresh made tortilla chips are irresistible with the seasoning blend on top. Amazing service as always by Yemi (sp?) yesterday and even other servers welcome me back each time and have even remembered my child's allergies! The ambiance here is nice -We enjoy eating with the fountain and outdoor seating by the water. read more

Great food & Service!! Came here for an anniversary dinner and it was great! Very nice for a dinner with nice vibe, server was great and food was spectacular definitely recommend. read more

Madre - Salchipapas - Mediterranean Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

See all

Meet at Madre for amazing food , service and ambiance. Located in Downtown Raleigh in the Smoky Hollow area, I found parking in the garage just walking distance from restaurant. There's also street parking. I met up with two girlfriends, who had dined here before and have been raving about it , so I was happy to join them and see what was all the hype about. I definitely exceeded my expectations as everything was so delicious. Starting of with something that sounds so simple as bread and better gave a great first impression. The butter will change with seasonal ingredients, but the bread was fresh, warm and yummy. My top 3 small plates were the cauliflower..pork belly.. callabrian chicken. Definitely order a cocktail or enjoy a glass of wine and get ready to have a wonderful time at Mardre! read more

See all

Unique spot for the area. Good food that offers a wide array of small plates. Great for small groups.