I took my mom here for dinner this past Friday evening. It was our first time here. I made a reservation for 5:30 and we arrived about ten minutes early. They don't open until 5:30 so the staff was still having their meeting but we were seated at the bar until our table was ready (which was less than 5 minutes). The atmosphere was very pleasant and they weren't busy at all. Food and service were all great but I have to give extra praise for the appetizers. We started with the Oysters Mandolin which were served with collard greens and pork belly. I highly recommend it! My favorite first course however was the carrot cavatelli with pheasant and oyster mushrooms. I could have made that my meal! It was the highlight of the night for sure. For our second course my mom ordered the chicken and waffles...very tasty and reasonably priced. If you're a fan of fried chicken I would recommend it. I went with the pheasant breast. It was good but it was a bit dry. I think I would have gone with the hangar steak if I could've done it over again. Despite the dryness it wasn't a bad meal by any means. For dessert my mom had the caramel cake. It's very good but it's very rich. I wanted the chocolate soufflé but i noticed the menu said to order it when you order your main course so they'll have time to prep it. I ended up choosing a custard that wasn't very memorable at all. Overall it was a good experience and I recommend trying it out. read more

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Great romantic restaurant! Beautiful place with great dinner! Loved the meatballs and we shared a huge bone in steak...had enough for breakfast the next day. The pasta with a meat ragu was very very tasty! Over all a place I would try again!! read more

Three of us came for dinner after work. The restaurant wasn't too crowded, and was not very loud (very nice). The restaurant interior is modern with high ceilings and lots of light. The service and food were both good. The waiter served a piece of fresh bread and a very small corn muffin to start - both very fresh. The Duck Confit Salad (special) had a generous amount of duck but was a little salty. The Tilefish was also very salty but tasty. My friends both had the Panzanella Salad which they enjoyed. Mixed reviews on the Scallops - one of the woman in the group did not like the sauce at all. read more

Mandolin - Duck Confit Salad (special) - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Mandolin is normally a restaurant I wouldn't set foot in but recently I looked at their menu and discovered that brunch is pretty affordable here! So I would say brunch is $$ here instead of the standard $$$ listed on Yelp. You also don't have to dress up for brunch to fit in - there were people wearing flip flops and shorts. Also, Mandolin had outside seating which my friend and I were glad to take advantage off. In terms of food, I ordered the pork Madame and my friend ordered the biscuits and gravy. The shrimp and grits on the menu sounded good as well! Both of our meals came with a complimentary biscuit and butter/jam spread and a side salad. Neither of us were able to finish our meals, it was a lot of food! The pork Madame was a pulled pork sandwich on sourdough bread, topped with a friend egg. It also included home fries on the side. Delicious! To top it off, they use locally sourced ingredients here which is always great. read more

Mandolin - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

A very affordable, yet upscale brunch is a HUGE check in the win column if you're looking to dine at Mandolin. I've eaten dinner here before as well (also very good), which is more in line with the $$$ price range Yelp has them at. But brunch my friends, is a horse of a different color. All the plates are priced under $14 (with most in the 9-12 range) and you're getting the same down-home Southern flavors as you would at dinner. The Counter Culture french press coffee is super smooth, with a delicious buzz that CC delivers so well, and the complimentary biscuits (you read that right, it's free) are a perfect start to your weekend morning. (They're a little more yeast roll than biscuit, but I'm not one to complain about free bread...) I had the Mandolin skillet, which was a tasty combination of grits, fried eggs, bacon, black eyed peas and ranchero sauce all served in a convenient single portioned cast iron skillet. But the real star of the show sat triumphantly in front of my girlfriend: the Pork Madame. Juicy pulled pork with melty gruyere, sandwiched between thick slices of soft sourdough and topped with a fried egg for good measure. I may have taken bites when she went to the bathroom. And after she came back... If you're looking to give Mandolin a try (which I highly recommend) do it at brunch with the Pork Madame. You won't pay a ton for a white table cloth, New age southern eats experience, and your belly will thank you. read more

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

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Mandolin on Mondays! If this isn't the perfect "casual" but deliciously tasty date night, I don't know what is. Mandolin is not a casual spot, but for a girl that doesn't make her dates (i.e. boyfriend) frequent super uppity fancy places (often), Steve A. found the perfect night to visit Mandolin. Every Monday night they do a bar only $14 combo: chicken tenderloins, collard greens and upscale mashed potatoes with a beer. Arriving around 7:30pm on a Monday, we were seated immediately at the bar. After confirming the chicken and beer deal, we put in our order (for both!) Although the cocktails looked delicious, I stuck to beer tonight. Honestly, I wasn't very impressed by their selection. While they did have the Anderson Valley Gose ($6), who doesn't these days, the only hoppy item on the list that could be ordered with the 'meal deal' was a Pale Ale by North Coast Brewing Company (unfortunately the two IPA's were $9, thus "didn't count"). Plus, they don't have drafts, so it's bottles/cans only. I think Mandolin might excel more in the cocktail department. As for the food: OH MY GOSH! Yes, it was that good! Crispy tenderloins, I think THE BEST collards I've ever eaten out (crispy, sour, flavorful goodness!) and mashed potatoes "southern style" aka loaded. I will certainly be back for the delicious bar meal, and Mandolin wasn't so bad itself. Although the bartender seemed a little flustered throughout our meal (a large party walked in shortly after us plus a SAS private event), he did his job. And the restaurant itself is beautiful, even from the bar view, just a lovely atmosphere and environment. If you haven't been to Mandolin yet, go tonight! Or better yet go Monday! read more

Mandolin - View of the bar. - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Mandolin is known for the best biscuits in town. Their biscuits did not disappoint! Their biscuits were softer, like a potato roll, rather than the crumbly typical kind. We made reservations for a brunch which was the right move. I would recommend reservations so that you don't miss out on this goodness. Their restaurant and decorations are so simple yet elegant. I ordered the Johnston Co. Country Ham Benedict. It was scrumptious! The bread was a little more difficult to cut and eloquently enjoy. My boyfriend ordered the Shrimp and Grits and absolutely devoured it. The presentation of the meals was gorgeous. I will definitely be back to try more options on their menu and I would order the Ham Benedict again. The best brunch I have had in Raleigh so far. read more

Mandolin - Brunch, Johnston Co. Country Ham Benedict, Shrimp and Grits - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

My very first impression was an unfriendly hostess. Not a promising start. And while I respect the Farm to Table commitment from this restaurant, it really feels like as a result, they don't try as hard with the menu concept and flavors. The menu was boring. My biggest complaint of all was that we ordered a 32 oz. ribeye to share and well after we placed our order, the waitress let us know that they ran out of the 32 oz. portion, so we were getting the 40 oz. No discussion, no options, just "we're now giving you quite a bit more food for quite a bit more money". She joked that we would have steak and eggs for breakfast, but I really don't like leftovers, especially at that price point. The restaurant itself is also really loud and I struggled to hear my husband all night. Not for me. read more

Items Selected: Herbal Fixer - Lemon, Lime, Orange, Ginger, Cinnamon Dinner Roll and Corn Muffin with Honey Butter Housemade Pork and Duck Sausage with Fennel Orange Marmalade and Grilled Bread Confit Duck Leg-Frisee Salad - Beets, Blue Cheese, Bacon, Grilled Bread, Sherry Vinaigrette Chicken & Waffles - Fried Ashley Farms Chicken Breast, Buckwheat Waffles, Braised Greens, Sautéed Mushrooms, Bacon-Mushroom Emulsion, Truffle Honey Pan Seared Duck Breast - Dirty Farro, Squash, Apricot, Kale, Black Trumpet Mushrooms Simply Divine Caramel Cake - Buttermilk Ice Cream Southern Banana Pudding - Vanilla Pudding, House Made Vanilla Wafers, Chantilly Cream Carrot Cake - Carrots, Cream Cheese Mousse, Pistachio, Ginger, Carrot Sorbet Owned and operated by Sean Fowler, a Raleigh native whose pedigree includes stints at New York's Le Bernadin and Fearrington House, where we had enjoyed dinner the night before, it was minutes early for a 7:00pm reservation that we arrived at Mandolin and dropping my mother off at the door before allocating parking behind the restaurant she was already seated at a plush four-top when I walked-in, the dining room surprisingly sparse for a Friday night but soon to fill to perhaps 75% capacity with a crowd of locals enjoying relief from a week of ice and snow. Lowly lit and decorated in blonde wood with black and white photos, jars of pickles, and the restaurant's eponymous instrument filling space on walls and shelves it was with light music playing overhead and light gleaming from the kitchen that our server approached and describing the restaurant's "refined Southern" style with focus on local protein and produce selected daily by the Chefs it was with two shared specialties described that we were left to decide, a hand mixed herbal cocktail of bright citrus and spice soon delivered over a whole lot of crushed ice. Sensing our 'first time visitor' status and offering recommendations based on classics as well as dishes he felt to show the seasonal menu best it was eventually a three-course meal that was ordered, the first arriving alongside bread service that featured the city's best cornbread and house-churned honey butter that immediately necessitated a second round, the soft dinner roll held over and later used to sop up bacon-imbued sauce. Featuring a surprisingly large amount of duck, no less than four plates featuring the farm-raised fowl sourced from a farm 'just up the road,' round one of the menu featured two sizable portions of protein and with the saporous sausage finding plenty of balance in aromatic, chunky marmalade alongside toasty blackened bread the salad was even more impressive, a large and crisp leg of confit duck served over greens, several varieties of beets, winter citrus, and blue cheese all melded by a light splash of acidic vinaigrette. Admittedly surprised by the portions considering the relatively low prices for such a 'fine-dining' space it was after a somewhat lengthy delay that mains would arrive and targeting two more plates of bird one would be hard pressed to levy a single complaint against either, the lightly seared duck rich and fatty atop the liver infused grains while the Chef's signature chicken was well brined and impeccably crisp with naturally truffled honey adding just a touch of sweetness to the otherwise strongly savory accoutrements. Unable and unwilling to pass on dessert, particularly with a menu featuring two personal favorites, it was again after a bit of respite that a trio arrived and paired with a much needed double-espresso over ice it was only the overworked carrot cake which was far too potent with ginger that failed to shine, the mason jar of banana pudding as light as a feather with crisp cookies juxtaposing Chantilly while the Caramel Cake and tangy ice cream more than lived up to its description as "divine." read more

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The performance at Mandolin was as good as Kurt Cobain in Reading, PA, with Nirvana 25 or so years ago where he showed up in a wheelchair. Even better than the funniest commercial of all time: the guy fighting the grizzly bear for the salmon: http://www.adweek.com/video/advertising-branding/funniest-commercials-john-west-salmon-bear-132698. Yes, it was an epic performance, enjoyed with my honey on a great night in Raleigh. We shared everything: Started out with some local East Coast oysters delivered that afternoon. Just like a Goldilocks fable: not to briny; not too gooey; not too small or too big; but just right. Then came about the best beet soup I've ever had or could ever imagine having. Follow that up with panzanella salad perfectly dressed and then the entrée of pheasant with a caraway bread pudding, oyster mushrooms, cashews, and fennel; and Mandolin hit it out of the park. All of that was accompanied by a very reasonably priced J. Christopher Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley and finished off with a Valrhona chocolate soufflé that was ridiculously good. OMFG, couldn't have been better. Couldn't have been more enjoyable or the service more skillful. Can't wait to go back and have an encore performance. Mandolin kills it. read more

This place is always outstanding. Good is not praiseworthy enough to describe Mandolin. Every entree I've tried could be the exemplar for that entree. The quality of the ingredients, the portion size, and taste of each one had been perfect. The sides are good enough to be a meal. Hell you can even make 3 sides into a meal. Finally, do yourself a favor, even before you order your meal put in an order for the chocolate molten cake. While I would not pass up the opportunity to eat a meal, that cake is worth selling a body part read more

Pretentious 6:30 pm on a Tuesday night and we showed up without a reservation, no wait but we were seated at the bar. We came to celebrate our 37th wedding anniversary and let the bartender know. The food was tasty, unique combinations and worth a try. The atmosphere was a little harsh for celebrating, I prefer Morton's, they go out of their way to help with the celebration. To be fair the bartender did give us a free dessert. We did enjoy the meal, but the two desserts we tried weren't very good.d read more

Mandolin - View from the bar - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

This was my best dinner in north carolina. The pork belly appetizer was super moist topped with crunchy oyster. My main dish, which was the duck breast was so flavorful, that now im back in southern California I have been ordering duck and nothing came close to the duck I had af Mandolin. The chocolate souffle was the perfect end to this wonderful dinner. I rate this dinner as one of my best ever. Im still salivating... read more

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Absolutely the best southern food I have had in the South. Yes I have been to all those famous restaurants in Charleston and Savannah. Most of them do not live up to the hype IMHO. The fried oyster and fried chicken here blows their competitors out of the water. Oysters came out super hot, oozing juice after Attention! a careful bite, otherwise you can literally get burnt on the lip. As for their fried chicken breast, for the first time in my life, I get the idea of what it means by as juicy and tender as a chicken thigh. Oh and the truffle honey is beyond description. Make sure you drench the waffles in it. Their seared scallop appetizer is a total winner. It comes with a magically seasoned side dish made of roasted cauliflower and diced pickled apple, which elevates the dish in so many levels. Another rock star is the complimentary cornbread muffin. God I hope they open a pastry counter just for these babies. Crumbly yet moist with the perfect balance of sweetness and saltiness. The soufflé, like everyone has said, is beautifully executed here. And their coffee is top-notch as well. Will definitely be back for more dishes. Such a hidden gem. read more

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This was a really great brunch spot and that's coming from a couple that brunches almost every Sunday. The friend chicken wasn't exactly what I pictured but the sausage gravy had great flavor and the biscuits were great. The potatoes seemed a little over cooked but the bacon was cooked perfectly. My boyfriend got the steak and eggs and they looked perfectly cooked as well. Steak was very tasty. The mixed vegetables were an interesting mix and the kale had great flavor and wasn't bitter. Overall, I highly recommend this place and the inside is super cute. Could see this being a great dinner date spot as well. read more

Mandolin - Mixed veggies - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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First things first, food was decent, in fact, probably better than the last time we were here, now that I knew what to order based on what the kitchens better at. I've been back since my first visit for a few times and always consider this place to have a nice date night ambiance, entrees sometimes surprises me and other times holding its standard. Now it goes to why I'm putting down 3 stars, if you are only interested in the review for food, this is more of a rant so you can't stop at it. We returned for an anniversary dinner, and somehow we got sat at the same seats from our first time dining in here--but not what we have in mind. I'm not a huge fan the last time they sat us there. This time, they sat us there again when clearly there are better tables, for a more romantic setting that I hoped our anniversary dinner could be. Instead, we are sat very narrowly next to another table with two ladies who are enjoying their evening, and we can literally hear each other's conversations. Their seat is still better than ours though--their table is larger. We are both two people parties. In addition, our table is next to the ticketing machine, so every time a service staff need to enter anything into their system, meals bills etc, they come here stand next to us, talking with other staff members. Did I mention I made a reservation? And put down anniversary in the reservation? And when we got seated I kindly informed our waitress we are here for our anniversary? It's pretty hard for us to get out of the house alone (young baby), so this is why it's such a big deal. Oh well. A bummer to otherwise a perfect getaway dinner. read more

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Definitely a cute little restaurant in a quiet neighborhood! We came for brunch and I got the omlette of the day which included ricotta cheese and greens and a side of home fries (crisped potatoes). IMO, the food was okkkkk but the brunch mimosas were SO good. They have indoor & outdoor seating, and everyone seemed to be in their Sunday best. I'd recommend checking it out! read more

Scallops were amazing! The extra crispy fried chicken and mushrooms were great. Not a huge fan of the collards. My boyfriend loved this new discovery! Great Valentines Day! read more

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This place was excellent. Recommend wearing a button down shirt and slacks. I had the Pork Porterhouse (you read that right) and it was excellent. Perfectly cooked and the rice and greens it's served over were also very good. Our server was professional, knowledgeable, and had some good recommendations. I'm a simple guy to I had a couple "Coffee is for Closers" beers made by Full Steam Brewery out of Durham NC. My wife have the Chicken and Waffles. Of course I stole a little. It was also amazing. In, short you will not be disappointed if you're looking for a great spot for a great meal. read more

Mandolin exceeded expectations. This is a dinner review (Thursday). We ordered an appetizer, two entrees, bottle of wine, and dessert. Total cost came in at around $120. A decent value. The food was delicious. We ordered the Brunswick stew with Duck, and the Chicken and Dumplings. Both were cooked and seasoned well. Presentation on both dishes was great. Our waitress was also very knowledgeable. She knew the menu well, and was attentive without being overbearing. She made suggestions for us when asked, and I loved the dishes. Mandolin loses a star because of noise. There was a table on the other side of the restaurant that was very loud when we arrived, and as the restaurant filled up, it was harder to hear the person in front of you. While I'm not sure there's anything the staff can do about it, I would not recommend this as an intimate location for a dinner unless you come during off hours. read more

Mandolin - Foie gras appetizer - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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We had a tasty brunch, but a noisy one. The audio decibel level for the restaurant is right at 90, which is dangerous to the ears. Recommend that the restaurant consider cloth curtains or artwork on the wall that is Acoustically absorbent. It was hard to have a conversation. read more

Mandolin does a fantastic job of reinterpreting southern cuisine with ambiance that easily puts it in any top 10 list of restaurants we could recommend in Raleigh. I had the fish and chips (I know ... not the most culinarily adventurous choice), and it's a real testament to their skills that they could put such a flavorful twist on a classic that is often so bland. We'll definitely be back when we're ready to get spiffed up and try something bold! read more

Another awesome brunch spot in the triangle! Hooray! I came to Mandolin for Sunday Brunch and was really excited to check it out given all the awesome reviews they've received. It was a dreary Sunday afternoon with rain and cloudy skies but once we arrived to Mandolin, that all shifted to the background and the rest of my day was made with the pleasant and amazing experience! Firstly, everything on the menu looked delicious. It took my party awhile to decide between several options which was fine as we started off with a bloody Mandolin. Their take on a Bloody Mary was superb! Seriously, I would rate it as the best Bloody Mary in the Triangle! It was the perfect amount of spicy, tomato-y, kick in your drink in the morning that you want without it being too much. The drink was garnished with a pickled okra which I'm not a huge fan of but Adam happily took mine to add to his own. Our server brought over cholula in case we wanted to kick it up a notch, which we did. If you enjoy a good Bloody Mary, order their Bloody Mandolin! I had finally decided on the Biscuits and Gravy with Fried Chicken added for my meal. Adam and his roommate ordered the Mandolin Skillet and Fried Mortadella Benedict after a few more minutes of deciding between the several different options. I felt bad because I kept reading out the different meal descriptions and just about every time one of us began to throw that meal into the pool of options to choose from. It really was difficult to decide on what to order! After we placed our order, our server brought out complimentary biscuits (one per person) with a dish of butter with sea salt and apple jelly (if I remembered correctly). The spreads for the biscuits were great! We all started to mix the two together to see if it tasted as great as they had individually and surprisingly, it worked. The biscuits were big and crispy/crunchy on the outside but soft and warm on the inside--exactly how I love my biscuits! Once we gobbled those biscuits down, our meal was out not long after that. My biscuits and gravy with fried chicken was amazing. I seriously could not stop eating it even when I was full! The dish came with home fries and a small portion of tossed greens which was off-putting at first but really brought some freshness to the dish. The home fries were a bit bland in my opinion as they didn't have much flavor to them. The biscuits were like the ones we had before our meal and the sausage gravy did not taste like the type of sausage gravy you'd expect for a southern kitchen (not sure exactly what it was) but it was still good and I actually wish there was more on the plate since I was ran out and still had biscuits and fried chicken left. The fried chicken was delicious as the chicken was still moist and not overly fried. It actually paired nicely with the meal even though there was sausage on the plate. I would definitely order this again and recommend it to others as well! Adam and his roommate's meal looked equally delicious and I tasted their meals and it was pretty good! The Mandolin Skillet was so tasty with all the different components of the dish working together nicely. I had never actually had Mortadella before so I was nervous to order it myself but it the Mortadella Benedict dish was enticing. When people describe Mandolin as a southern food type of restaurant I can definitely see it, but I wouldn't equate their food to eating southern comfort food. I think I'd label their food to be more upscale southern food (although they do take on comfort foods as well). Our server was attentive and provided great service throughout our meal, they really seem to take their customer service seriously which is a plus. The decor inside is beautiful, really simple but detailed. There were actual small plants on the table which made it seem more farm-to-table style, something I appreciated. All in all, with a unique menu, amazing execution with our meals and Bloody Mandolins, great customer service and really pleasant experience, I have to give Mandolin five stars! I cannot wait to return for more Bloody Mandolins and delicious meals! read more

Mandolin - Bloody mandolin, so delicious! Must order it!! - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Sadly quite disappointed, hadn't been to this restaurant in years. Remembered it as an amazing local spot. However, received poor service, despite very limited capacity due to covid. My steak and greens were so terrible salty, I should have sent it back. I Won't pay another visit. read more

Food was excellent and I appreciate all the in-house techniques they do. We had the smoked grouper spread as a starter. Entrees at our table were the burger, tile fish, chicken and waffles, and the pan seared chicken leg. Desserts were the turnover and caramel cake. The room was loud and service was average. read more

I can't rave enough about this place. We came to Raleigh for a quick vacation and this is the first place we stopped at. The whole idea of 'farm to table' intrigued us and the atmosphere was really cute and relaxing. We were seated fairly quickly and our waitress was so down to earth and easy to get along with. Now let's get to the food. We shared the Charcuterie plate (favorites were the pickled okra and pâté). They also brought us some bread to snack on from a local bakery. I ordered the Grilled Black Sea Bass (it comes whole, like eyeball and everything) and it was perfect. The brocollini was delicious and my only real complaint is the amount of bones in the fish, but the flavor was worth the challenge. My mom had the Chicken and Waffles which were both cooked perfectly and served on top of collard greens. We were too full for dessert, but we finished our meal with a cup of coffee and left full and happy. Great location, great service, great food. Just wished we lived closer! read more

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Chef Sean Fowler sets a superbly creative and well executed table of fresh, locally sourced ingredients, including from the restaurant's own dedicated garden. The house baked bread and pastries are amazing, and the menu changes seasonally and daily to take advantage of what's fresh. The bar is also worth a mention, with an expertly curated selection of liquor, well mixed drinks and wine tasting on Wednesdays. Highly recommended. read more

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In town for an unexpected family event, we were tired after driving all day and then found this little gem. What a welcome respite after a long long day. Farm to table seasonal produce. Local purveyors with attention to quaility. Our table started with drinks followed by a cheese course while waiting for our main plates. The pork shank with cheesy grits were sublime. The fried chicken and waffles were slap yo mama delicious . The sea bass and risotto had a silky smooth texture and flavor.. The trigger fish in a tomato broth was savoury and full flavored. If there are littles in your party, there is a kid menu option. read more

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I had the opportunity to go here because my brother won a dinner for two from there Verizon Up phone program. So when we arrived they had the pre selected 3 course menu with the Verizon logo on it, just to give you an idea. The service was great and the ambience felt like luxurious southern comfort. All produce used at Mandolin is sourced from a direct farmer who only produces veggies for Mandolin. So the restaurants menu changes with the season. The first course I ordered was a salad, I cant recall all the ingredients but the taste was memorable and unique. Definitely wasn't your typical ceaser or American salad. My main course was q NY strip steak cooked med well, looked well done but tasted like medium well. The steak came with squash and pumpkin. Each veggie carried it's own taste, color and texture to the dish; it also added as compliment to the steak itself. The dish also had a savory gravy sauce to it. We also ordered a scallop appetizer served with beet puree and apple coleslaw. The scallop appetizer was delicious however I felt that three scallops for the price of $12 was a bit over priced. For desert we had chocolate souffle that tasted moist and creamy but not too sweet. The waiter serves the desert by pressing a hole in the chocolate cake followed by stuffing the creme inside and topped off by pouring the local sourced chocolate sauce on it. The whole thing was great to watch. I've only been here once, but my experience was memorable and the good there is delicious. read more

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First impressions of Mandolin were very good. My girlfriend and I went for her birthday just a couple of weeks ago and would defiantly consider this place if you are looking for an upscale, romantic dining experience. Pros: The service was excellent. Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu. The wine selection and old fashions were excellent. Cons: I probably wouldn't order my entree (Pan-Seared NC Triggerfish) again but I thought I'd give it a world. The chicken waffle entree my girlfriend chose was top-notch. Tip: Whether you have the appetite for it or not, I strongly suggest getting their 'Simply Divine Caramel Cake'. I'm not a huge caramel lover, especially when it is the focal point of a desert, but this was amazing. I'd go back for this alone. read more

This is one the city's best venues. Never disappoints...they consistently capture the essence of farm/sea to table in an elegant and tasteful manner. read more

Today I experienced one of the best brunch cuisines I've ever had. The Pork Madame at Mandolin. The pulled pork was seasonal to perfection with the juices ever so slightly making its own custom condiment for the sourdough sandwich, with an egg fried as if my aunt had cooked it just the way I like it settled atop a layer of melty gruyere complimented with seasoned home fries and a bed of greens. This flavor combination reminded me of an early morning eastern North Carolina farm fresh breakfast and a hearty homemade family supper. Honestly, one of my top 10 best things I've ever had in my life! Oh yeah, the coffee was so delicious and they serve water over crushed ice! (I was excited about that). All of the wait staff was attentive even tho I was a party of one, which I don't get often. Just a great experience all around. read more

Mandolin - The Pork Madame in all of its culinary glory. - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Wonderful meal, a bit pricey. 22 .00 for chicken and waffles and the chicken was a tad salty. My Tuna was fabulous. Over 100 00 for 2 and we did not have any alcohol. Service was impeccable! read more

I made a reservation for two on open table and was seated promptly. We went for brunch on a Sunday and although the restaurant was busy, our server was very accommodating to our requests. I ordered a mimosa made with freshly squeezed oranges. It wasn't the best I had, the oranges did not taste like they were in season so the drink turned out to be pretty bitter. I ordered the chicken biscuits as an entree and was disappointed that the chicken was extremely bland and not well seasoned. The potatoes were adequate. Overall, the atmosphere was pleasant and the service was great, however I don't believe I'll come here again. read more

All I can say is AWESOME!! Service is fantastic. Food was out of this world!! If it's your first time you've got to get the chicken and waffles with collard greens. BEST collard greens I've ever had!! I recommend making reservations. Especially Friday or Saturday nights. It gets busy and isn't a huge place. People dressed casual to quite dressy. Valet on Friday and Saturday nights as well. Enjoy! read more

Mandolin - Chicken and waffles. Best around!! - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

From the appetizers, to the entree, to the drinks, everything we had was excellent! We will definitely be returning

One of my favorite restaurants in the Triangle! Mainly for the quality of food. Lots of fresh veggies from the chef/owner's garden And grass fed meats. The new duck entrée is fabulous. Love the service. A great wait staff too! One of the waiters has some really nice artwork for sale in the smaller side room! We come here often with friends. One thing though, we wish they could turn the music down and keep the silverware trays in the kitchen. It gets pretty loud in the dining room. But we will be back soon. read more

Went here for our anniversary, and we were first timers so it was a bit of a gamble, as the last time we went for a birthday/anniversary/other major event type meal it was at Midtown Grill, which was also a first time / looked like a good choice, except that MG was mistake. See my review on MG for that. We had an excellent server, Adam, who has got to be the best server we've had in the Raleigh area. He had the great sense to be attentive without being annoying, or to not use non-Service Industry level language (like "awesome", "no problem", etc.) and was a pure professional who knew his dishes and could make sensible recommendations with a proper and excellent demeanor. Midtown Grill - take note, Adam is how it it should be done, not how your lady who served us our first and last time to MG. The food was excellent and right-sized, the venue pleasant, the air con and music just right (so many places get these wrong), . The whole experience was great, which caused us to break our sweets diet and have not one but two desserts, both of which were excellent. Suggestion to the dessert server: Don't mix the creme into the chocolate when serving the dish and instead let the customer do it - we are capable enough. At least give the customer the option before you start. What happened shortly after was a watered-down milky soup that killed both the creme and the chocolate distinctions and flavors. We ended up eating the chocolate and creme still left in their respective pans, which was better than the now soupy main event. read more

Came here for a birthday brunch and it was very good! I'm sure they have a delicious dinner as well and I can't want to come back to try it. Inside was very nice and servers were great. Nothing took too long to arrive. Upon sitting down, I ordered some delicious Counter Culture coffee and enjoyed those great biscuits! Very soft and warm - I could eat 20 of them. I had the Pork Madame which was good but I'm not a huge fan of vinegar based BBQ sauce and there was a lot of it on there. Even if you do like vinegar based sauces, I'd recommend you ask them to go light on it. I tried the Biscuits and Gravy which was very good and I'd probably get that next time I go. Overall, I can't wait to come back and try some other menu items! read more

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The food was actually amazing. We had the French onion soup, the oysters mandolin as appetizers and decided to share a 40oz ribeye steak as an entree. Everything is extremely fresh and tasty, but the restaurant experience was not as pleasant as our culinary experience there. The service was lacking a little bit of professionalism for such a high-end restaurant. For example, when asked to describe a wine, one would expect a better response than " it's nice ". What does nice mean? Is it dry? It is fruity? Furthermore, we had to remind our waiter several times that our drinks needed to be refilled. Another disappointment was that we needed to ask for steak knives after receiving our streak. So while I was in the restroom, my husband discovered a piece of plastic wrap on the steak. He told the waiter about it, and the waiter took it to the executive chef for examination. The chef didn't really do anything further to make it " right ". We are NOT looking for a free meal, but we were expecting a little acknowledgement from his part, which didn't happen... So minus one star for lack of service So minus one star for lack of professionalism read more

Mandolin - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina