I love this restaurant!! I've been here a few times and it is consistently excellent. I highly recommend making reservations! We celebrated a friend's birthday - everyone loved what they ordered! Charcuterie - it doesn't look like much but as we dug into it, it was perfect for our party of 4. The mix of pâté, cheeses, speck, mustard and veggies was perfect Fried chicken and waffles - boneless breast was juicy and seasoned perfectly with a light crispy crust. The whole wheat waffles are kind of a grayish color but delicious! Steak Frite - my husband always orders this if it's on a menu. He loved it! Videri Chocolate soufflé is amazing. I shared it with my husband but could easily have eaten it myself! Excellent service, too! read more

See all

Solid restaurant. They were able to accommodate our large group with a last-minute dinner reservation, which was very appreciated. I tried: + Mandolin hot heirloom carrots + Chicken and waffles + Skillet cornbread + Catch of the day + Videri chocolate soufflé The fish was the best thing I tried. Cornbread was also great. Carrots were WAY too spicy, and I have a decent spice tolerance. Guess the name is accurate though. I also wanted more from the star dish (chicken and waffles) which was merely fine. Service was great. read more

See all

I've come here twice now and could not recommend enough, once for dinner and once for brunch. Dinner we started with the cornbread which was to die for. I had the panzanella salad which I loved. We all had dessert and I split the bread pudding. For brunch we started with biscuits which weren't my fave but have to acknowledge I don't like biscuits generally and I loved the cornbread so much. My BLT was 10/10 would recommend. Service was good and the vibe was super cute. I will absolutely be back again! read more

See all

Hubs found this spot for us to try so we stopped by for lunch and LOVED it! Mandolin is taking names on Yelp, and the reviews don't lie. Mandolin's shrimp and grits, and their corn crab bisque is quite tasty! (The sweet tea gets an honorable mention as well because it was perfectly brewed and sweetened.) The service was fast and friendly and the chef stopping by to greet each table was a nice touch. Definitely worth a repeat visit. Cheers! read more

See all

I can't recommend this business enough. We came here on our wedding anniversary and it is a great place to celebrate. The serving staff offered a warm welcome when we arrived, and they were also attentive while we were at our table. The whole restaurant was also really nicely kept, with an elegant southern theme. Then there's the food. The food was "wow". One of the best chicken and waffles dishes that I've ordered. And my wife's steak frites were the best steak cuts that we've tasted in the city thus far. It was so delicious, that if we are ever craving steak for our fancy date night, this is going to be at the top of our list. Great food, great people, and great vibes - it's hard to be at a restaurant like this. Get out to it when you have the chance! read more

Mandolin - Chicken and Waffles - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I came here with my husband for our anniversary, since we had yet to try this place. It wasn't very busy on a Sunday night, and it was easy to park in the nearby parking lot. They first seated us near the windows right underneath the AC. We asked to be moved, which was not a problem and much more comfortable. We both got cocktails. My Bahama breeze was delicious. We also started with the cornbread, which was quite tasty with some sorghum butter. I got the steak frites. Nice and rare how I like it and very tender. The fries were also good. I didn't care for the vegetables. The carrots were very weird and the green beans were too crunchy. I find it a little odd when a nicer restaurant has you pay with the waiter/waitress instead of them taking your card and then returning with the receipt. I would come again and maybe try their brunch sometime. read more

Mandolin - Steak frites - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

We were a bit disappointed on this visit this Friday night. Mandolin "had been" one of our favorite places with a high level of consistency. However, tonight did not live up to what we've come to expect. Turn around time for the food order was longer than usual due to new staff in the kitchen, which we understood. We had the pork chop and the chicken & dumplings. The huge chop was well prepared but was lacking in flavor. It was just a large chunk of meat. The non-traditional chicken & dumplings was delicious ... Full of flavor, fresh veggies and tasty chicken. This was a great menu item. We also tried the cornbread, a portion of which went to a charitable cause. I liked it but my other half wasn't a fan. The drinks were thin, which was disappointing. I've reduced my previous 4-stars to 3 based on this visit. We hope this visit was an anomaly for this "favorite place" of ours. read more

An excellent brunch as this storefront spot in the Hayes Barton neighborhood. Its a square restaurant. Entrance at the center, dining room with 15 tables to the left and dining room with about 10 tables to the right. Bar is at the rear right, kitchen to the rear left. Cool ambiance with displays of canned veggies and a fresh flower arrangement. Noise level is medium, which is great for a leisurely meal and conversation without shouting. Ethan did a great job taking care of us. Explained the menu, made a few recommendations, food served as-ordered at a great pace. THANK YOU! Began with a tray of fresh, warm biscuits with butter and raspberry preserves. Biscuits fluffy, moist and not too crumbly. A great start! Tried a Bloody Mandolin, the restaurant's take on the classic bloody mary. It's a tasty mix, just spicy enough to tingle the taste buds. Garnished with beautiful pickled okra. I tried chicken hash. This features shredded dark-meat chicken, served with of freshly broiled potatoes and onions. The taters are excellent - crunchy on the outside, hot and moist on the inside. Chicken flavorful, not at all dry. The hash is topped with a medium-hard sunny side up egg. My only regret is not to have asked for the egg soft - those potatoes would have been OUTSTANDING in the egg yolk. Around the table, tried chicken biscuits. Those same biscuits, this time sliced and topped with chicken breast. Envision the same taste as Chick-fil-a but bumped up about 5 notches. Mandolin offers great food, a leisurely experience and great service. Go! read more

See all

The restaurant itself was cute and staff was kind and accommodating. We got the cacio e pepe cauliflower as an appetizer and it was delicious and came out in a timely manner. Our entrees however left something to be desired; we had ordered a 16oz ribeye rare but it came out medium if not medium well, the ribeye was also smothered in butter which was not mentioned on the menu. We had also ordered the roasted chicken presse which had a very strong citrus flavor and slimy texture; while this might be the typical preparation of the dish I did not know for it was not described well on the menu and I couldn't find a good description online before ordering. The restaurant itself was nice, but I do not recommend those two dishes. read more

Mandolin - The Roasted Chicken Presse is the focus and the Ribeye is in the background - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

See all

Four stars simply for having a fabulous steak. Cooked to perfection and seasoned so well. The service here was good- attentive waitress who was nice. Otherwise, I was not impressed by the rest. The cornbread appetizer was DRY. Slathering in butter did not help how dry this thing was. I took home the leftovers thinking I could somehow salvage it (I hate wasted food), but there was no saving this poor thing. The ribeye is charged per ounce (that includes the bone and prior to cooking) The server let us know what weight options were available. I personally did not love this method of charging. I did appreciate that since I was sharing the steak, they split the meal between two plates. However, as you can see from the pictures, one of the purees covered the entire bottom of the plate, while the other is barely seen. Lastly, the restaurant itself is quite intimate. It is not my preferred ambiance, but I could see how others might like this setup. read more

See all

What a beautiful restaurant. I liked the jars of honey up high in different shades. Our server was great, the charcuterie was great, everything was fantastic. Only flaw is we both agreed our dishes were too salty as is so common everywhere. We should have told them to take it easy on the salt. I would definitely go back. read more

I took my bride here for her Birthday. It was pretty fantastic. She had a cold soup appetizer while I stuck to the oysters. We both enjoyed the catch of the day and what birthday is complete without dessert? Sorbet for me - delicious. A Strawberry something for her. Our server was on his game and took good care of us. Great personality. Ambiance is open, somewhat woody, interesting, with high ceilings. Canned vegetables lined wooden shelves from the chair railings on up at the partition between the bar and the dining area. While all of the above were terrific, there are a couple things to consider when coming here: First is PARKING, or the lack of it. There is a small adjoining parking lot next to Red Dragon that serves several small businesses, including Mandolin. There is street parking - but it is very limited. Otherwise, unless someone knows something I don't know, parking is at the risk of being towed or ticketed. Second is the noise level. I have minor-moderate hearing loss and wear hearing aids to assist with that, so all of the background noise here bounces off the hard surfaces and makes the experience here frustrating when trying to have a conversation with my soft spoken bride. We end up having to resort to text messages at times because of the noise level. I think she finds it more frustrating than I do because I force her to slow down and speak louder. Anyhow, this was a very enjoyable experience for a special occasion. read more

Found this restaurant on Open Table and made a reservation for a dinner meeting. The restaurant has a homey feel and is visually appealing. Lighting is warm and inviting. We had the pork belly, cornbread, pork chop, chicken and waffles, and cavatelli. Our food was all absolutely delicious. We enjoyed every bite. Our only issue was how loud the restaurant gets when it is full. All surfaces are hard, so the restaurant gets extremely loud, and it's difficult to hear people at your table. read more

See all

This place is super cute; has a bit of a farmhouse vibe and definitely recommended for the food. We came here for their Sunday brunch and we're one of the first few tables to get seated at our 10:45am reservation (they open at 10:30). One thing I'll note is that all of the reservations come within the 10:30-11am window, so the restaurant does get busier and the service is slightly slower due to the number of people. But our waitress was great and got us everything at a decent pace. The brunch menu consists only of their brunch options; there are no other menus available (maybe if you want you can ask for it). They had biscuits with butter and fig jam as the complimentary starter, and they are pretty darn good. We ordered a total of 5 entrees, split between 4 people because we have to try as much as we can. And it was fantastic! --We loved the apple topped waffle, the beet salad and the biscuits with gravy. The grits were a showstopper and highly recommended --The chicken and biscuits were good but could have been more salty (both the chicken and the biscuit) or had a slice of cheese. Something to just give it a bit more flavor The only con is when we ordered the fresh squeezed orange juice, it's quite a small serving. Maybe 6-8 Oz max. You can probably finish it in 2 gulps. Overall this is a nice brunch spot. If you're in the neighborhood, definitely check it out read more

See all

I've had the opportunity to visit Mandolin a few times post pandemic! And I can say the restaurant hasn't changed since before covid and maybe even better! The restaurant sits perfectly in the oberlin neighborhood and is walkable for those who live close by. The parking isn't all that great but once you find a spot you are in for a treat! Every time we enter the restaurant all of the employees are masked and the restaurant + bathrooms are immaculate. We have never gone and the restaurant wasn't clean! And I love how fresh flowers greet you at the door. The last time we were there they had fresh yellow roses! When we were there last we enjoyed items from the fall menu which included: Popcorn Bisque with Creme Fraiche, Capers, Buttered Shrimp Anson Mills Grits with Butternut Squash, Turnips, Kale, Lardons, Parmesan Aioli Kale Salad- Blue Cheese, Honeycrisp Apples, Sunflower Seeds, Muscadine Vinaigrette Catch of the Day with Clams, Sweet Potato Vadouvan Grilled Chicken Leg with Freekeh, Andouille, Cabbage, Tomato Jus Farro Pudding with Figs, Orange, Mint We had everything except the Kale salad and it was all delicious. Our favorites were: Popcorn Bisque Anson Mills Grits The Catch of the Day was Tile fish! Our server, Kelsey was absolutely amazing! She was very attentive to us and made sure we had everything that we needed. For Cocktails we had: NURSE : Sparkling Wine, Angostura Sugar Cube, Ginger-Apple Cider Reduction Husbands choice Amaretto Sour : Which wasn't on the menu but they made it for my husband. Prior visits I had: FIFTH OCEAN? Appleton 12 Year Rare Rum, Madeira, Falernum, Sundried Lemon -- which is very beautiful and delicious! All in all our visit here was amazing! I am so happy that gems such as this restaurant still exist! If you are looking for the perfect date night spot this is it! And we have also brought our 7 year old here as well! read more

See all

We've been there twice in one week - once for brunch and last night for dinner. Both times the food and service were amazing. And the ambience is very very nice. The general manager is also very hands-on which is such a nice thing to see in a restaurant. I wish I'd taken more pictures, but I did manage to get a shot of the melon salad we had last night. We also had the eggs Benedict at brunch and the burger and steak fritted last night. Or and the watermelon gazpacho and their collards! read more

Mandolin - Melon salad - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Mandolin has been on my list to try for years so we finally visited for a birthday dinner. It's in a lovely old building at the corner of Fairview and Oberlin. Parking is on the street. We had reservations so were seated quickly. Server brought us water and also left carafes on the table for refills which I appreciate because water glasses were small. I ordered the Poolside Punch which was delicious. Fruity but not too sweet. Husband and I ordered the tomato and peach salad to start. Presentation was lovely and I could tell the tomatoes and peaches were top quality but it was just nothing special. Had I made the recipe at home I would have put a note that said "just okay, don't make again ". Same for my entree, the catch of the day which was a NC striped bass. Fish was bland as some fish can be but the accompaniments did not jazz it up. Big disappointment for $46. My youngest ordered a burger from the bar menu and thoroughly enjoyed it. Oldest son ordered a special of the day vegetable appetizer based on Nashville hot chicken and loved it. He also enjoyed his chicken special and panna cotta for dessert. I tasted his panna cotta and it was very flavorful. So maybe I just ordered the wrong things but overall was pretty disappointed. I will say the service was impeccable and did enjoy the atmosphere. read more

See all

I was so looking forward to brunch at Mandolin but was disappointed. The restaurant is beautiful and I liked the cleaning procedures between guests. Our waitress seemed overwhelmed. I ordered the steak & eggs but then learned later that was not available so I went with the eggs benedict. It just doesn't work on toast. It needs the English muffin or some kind of biscuit. Thankfully I substituted bacon as those that got potatoes said they weren't cooked and lacked flavor. The bacon was very good. I had ordered a donut before the meal but it took quite a while to get. Yeast rolls were brought to the table although they were called biscuits but were not biscuits. Desserts were apparently only available on the dinner menu. The health score was just 93 too so I wasn't impressed enough to return. I might have loved the dish I ordered that wasn't available. The restaurant does offer parking either in the lot to the right of the restaurant entering from Fairview; the lower lot behind some businesses with an entrance on Oberlin or diagonal from the restaurant. (there is a map on the website where you can park) read more

See all

Everything here was delicious. I had the chicken and waffles and it had this crazy bacon mushroom emulsion on the top it looked pretty cool, not much taste in it. The chicken and waffles were awesome!! They're buckwheat waffles and fresh hand breaded tenders, they serve it with honey and from bite one, I was hooked! The service was on point, very attentive but not so much that it seemed overbearing. Can't wait to visit the area again and go back to Mandolin. read more

We started with cornbread and strawberry bisque. These were both good and we should've quit while we were ahead. My $133 steak was somehow medium well on one side and raw in the middle. It was also so cold that the slabs of butter the threw on top did not melt in the slightest. We don't like to complain, but the server kept asking us about it. Finally he said he wouldn't be happy if it had been given to him, but we didn't have time for them to remake it. He was very kind and got 25% of the steak and comped our desert. The side were also gross. One was a potato dish that had the same texture as paste and the other was a sad bit of unseasoned root vegetables. The bill was still $250 before tip. I won't be back and I'm telling anyone who will listen not to waste their money here. read more

See all

Came here w Lizzie and Gil. Walkable - definite plus. Re: food, chicken and waffles on the dry side. Not life changing. Will return bc of proximity. read more

It has been a while since I've visited Mandolin but we dined in for brunch recently to celebrate a birthday. My mom and I both ordered a mimosa and we all got a complimentary biscuit to start. Next it was the biscuits with gravy and potatoes for me, the duck hash for my husband and the country breakfast for everyone else. All of the food was really good but the mimosas were too expensive at $10 each. I'll have to return for dinner soon. Make sure you book a reservation if you want to check this spot out. read more

See all

I had heard the name Mandolin for years and finally tried. There wasn't much on the dinner menu I wanted to try but was able to order off the bar menu and got the fried chicken sandwich which was one of the best I've ever had. So crispy but still juicy and flavorful. The cake was also good but I probably wouldn't order again as I think they used a roasting torch on it which gave off a burnt taste to me. read more

See all

Delicious food! We ordered their "Christmas Dinner" for pick up which included roasted turkey, glazed ham, mushroom sage bread pudding, green bean casserole,roasted root vegetables, a salad, brioche rolls, and an apple pie. Incredibly delicious! I will definitely be placing an order again next year, turkey was juicy, the salad and dressing were amazing and everything else. I'm also looking forward to dinning in the restaurant after having such an incredible dinner. read more

This is the second time we dined at Mandolin this last time was better than the first. The cocktails were great, one of the things I remembered from our first experience. We had leek soup as an opener which was also great. I love to cook and to eat out and this soup was special light, creamy, flavorful. My wife had the chicken presse with a lovely sauce. I had the lamb duo which was fantastic. The food was great but what really made the meal was our server Izzy. Izzy obviously cares that those she serves really has a memorable experience. She was very knowledgeable about the food and if she didn't know something she would find the answer for us. She was attentive without being intrusive. It was obvious she kept her eye on her tables because we were always able to get her attention if we needed had a question. read more

Food is outstanding. Service was great. Ambiance upscale but relaxed. Cool unique drinks. read more

See all

I could have had a V8.... Food is too salty and meh. Can we talk cash? Hold on to yours!! $250 per couple. Drinks and very nice people got this place 2 stars. Just saying. read more

I've never experienced dining with a party of 4 where everyone orders the same dish--until Mandolin that is. At our table, the chicken & waffle dinner offering reigned supreme. Buckwheat waffles embodying that perfect marriage of crisp exterior with dense, yet fluffy, interior. Perfectly seasoned & executed fried chicken. And the bacon-mushroom emulsion--no clue exactly how they did it. But, one thing is clear...I want it on EVERYTHING. My dining partners were not a fan of the house jalapeño sauce. If you're more of a Texas Pete lover, you may want to channel your inner Beyoncé & have some in your bag...or take my lead & enjoy it as is. Either way, you'll be a happy customer. Already looking forward to my next trip! read more

Mandolin - Chicken & waffle w/bacon mushroom emulsion - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

We came here for a date night and had an amazing experience. I made reservations through Open Table. I would not recommend just showing up and trying to get in. The restaurant is fairly small. They do have a valet parking so you don't have to worry about trying to find parking. That is a good thing because parking in Raleigh can be a bit of a challenge. The atmosphere was very romantic. I would not recommend bringing kids here. For an appetizer, we tried their charcuterie board. It was really good. Definitely shareable. For my entrée I got their chicken and waffles and I will tell you I wasn't disappointed. Their cocktails were really great as well. Service was outstanding, they definitely made sure we were taken care of and not left looking for them. read more

See all

Cornbread was good. Vegetables were delicious. For the price, the beef should have been less gamey. Very noisy with lots of echo given relatively small number of tables. Lamb portion could have been a little more. Was expecting more than just one slice. Pork butt was good. Salad was terrible. The dressing tasted like vinegar. Barata salad was good. Catch of the day was good. Service was friendly, but food was slow. Waited almost an hour. And it was not hot when it arrived. Must have been a challenging day in the kitchen. Will not go back because while 2.5% surcharge for credit card is not unusual, given the experience and price points not worth it. read more

The service was a little slow the night we went, but the food was delicious. The ambiance give clean modern farmhouse. I don't eat pork and the majority of the menu is pork which made me sad. But from what I did eat the food was thoughtful and well plated. Absolutely elevated southern food. Just enough to fill you up but still leave room for some banana foster. read more

We called ahead to say we would be about 15 min late to our brunch reservation on Mother Day. No problem she said cheerily. I was a little surprised at the austere atmosphere. The seats are super comfortable but the floor was all brick and we had a view of a white curtain wall. Loud, no music. We sat near the kitchen and could hear the radio the cooks listened to. Wish the volume was higher. Really liked my Bourbon Ball cocktail. The flavor changed as the coconut foam melted into the drink. She brought out a biscuit for each of us. Mine had strawberry jam and my firmed had the butter. Biscuit was off-the-chart delicious and warm. My only complaint was that the butter was hard. I ordered the pork madame as my entree. It was huge! Lots of pork! Potatoes were cold. Savannah, our waitress, offered to bring more when I said something. We also got an extra order of bacon...twice. The first time it was perfectly crispy. Really liked it. The hallway to the bathroom had so much class and elegance. Framed articles of success inbetween beautiful mandolins. If only the dining area had that same touch. Overall excellent service. read more

See all

Lucky for Mandolin I'm not basing my rating on the water. If that were the case, I might give . The water came Luke warm with enough ice to make you think "oh, that little speck might be some ice." The glass was filled nearly to the rim. The was was rather bland and had a bit of a silky feeling sliding down my throat. The Bloody Mary was made with fennel seeds, so if you like yours to taste of licorice you'll like this drink but I hate licorice so it was rather disgusting. The food, however, was phenomenal! Don't miss out. Come for the food and atmosphere because you won't be disappointed! read more

See all

My significant other and I went to this place on a whim, hoping for a nice atmosphere, good food, and COVID-19 precautions. We got all of that, and much more! Mandolin more than exceeded our expectations. We'll start with the service. Our server was incredibly attentive and it was clear that her goal was to make our dining experience the best it could be. At one point during the meal, she asked us how things were going, and I responded that everything was "good." Up to that point, our food had come out quickly, she had thoroughly explained the menu, and there really wasn't anything left for her to do. But her response to me saying everything was "good," was "Well is there anything I can do to make things great?" At that point, it was clear that she was focused on making sure all of our expectations were met. And the food. The food was fantastic. We had the seared duck breast and the steak frites. The portions were great and the food was just amazing. I really can't think of anything more to say. I'm looking forward to going back soon and trying more menu items. I've got a feeling I won't be disappointed. The signature cocktails are also worth trying - particularly the Bourbon Ball. Overall, Mandolin is a place you should add to your list! read more

Mandolin - Menu - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

See all

Very nice experience at Mandolin. I came here for my Birthday dinner and I left quite happy. The service was excellent and the quality of the food was exceptional. The highlight of the dinner was the Videri chocolate soufflé. Yum!! The middle was so creamy and chocolatey with a perfect cream on the side. Don't leave Mandolin without trying this dessert. Panzanella salad: so tasty!! We split one, but I was wishing I had a salad all to myself; it was small if splitting. I loved all the vegetable additions- the pickles, beets, and roasted tomatoes were my favorite. I would get this salad again. Braised pork shank: delicious! The goat cheese grits were to die for. They complimented the fall off the bone and tender pork shank. I wasn't a huge fan of the bok Chou though. New York strip: pretty good. The potatoes with Gorgonzola was the highlight of this dish-so rich. I noticed the Chef was going around to all the table to ask customers how they liked their meals-great practice for upscale establishments. I'd love to come back for another special occasion. read more

See all

best blood mary ever ! sunday brunch was pleasantly crowded and service was on the slow side , the food was a little over priced for the quality but overall enjoyed my experience here read more

Mandolin - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I don't think Mandolin is for me. The menu was really small and limited, and I struggled to decide what to order. We ordered the cornbread for the table, which everyone really enjoyed. For mains we got the rosemary spaetzle and duck breast. I also ordered one of their signature cocktails "Knock Knock", which had a great taste. It was clearly a handcrafted cocktail, but there was SO much ice. I finished the entire drink in 4 big sips. because it was all ice in the glass. At $14 for one drink, I expected the drink to last longer. I recommend looking at the menu before going, since it's not very big and I thought a lot of the main dishes were pretty similar. 2 of the 7 dishes were duck, so if you don't like duck that only leaves 5 others. Also if you're vegetarian there was only 1 vegetarian main dish. read more

Wrote an email about this with no response, so here's my review: Most disappointing service I've had in years. Waiter breaks a wine glass on the table - no apology, just kinda acts like nothing happened as a busboy sweeps it up. We ordered a $130 tomahawk steak cooked medium rare. It comes out blue rare. Again no apology, our waiter just takes it away. It comes back having been re-fired on the grill. However since they serve the steak pre-cut, the re-fire led it to be cooked unevenly and all the juice/flavor was lost. End of the meal comes, still no apology, nothing. For meal that's over $200, it sucks to leave feeling deflated about your restaurant choice. read more

Great environment with solid decor for a very inviting interior. The staff was super friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive, checking in frequently. I got the seared duck breast which while it was on the smaller side, was cooked perfectly and tasted amazing. Finished with some coffee which was good and a spectacular soufflé. Would highly recommend though I will say that be aware that the menu is a bit limited, especially for main courses that are vegetarian or pescatarian. read more

The last few times I've been to Mandolin I've been disappointed. The health rating has been low. The restaurant not every clean, especially the bar area. The breakfast waffle is over priced $15 for an average waffle, no extras. It felt fresh frozen wasn't warm. Just not the Mandolin I remember. read more