The food is great. The atmosphere was off-putting. We checked out the menu ahead of time and based on prices and offerings, we dressed up a little more than usual. We felt a little out of place - people in shorts and flip-flops and something that was a little more "diner" than anything else. We'll be back, only because the food is good despite being priced just a bit high for the overall experience. read more

This restaurant was ok. I had the scallop appetizer and it was a bit undercooked and the scallops were all completely different sizes. For a main I had the flounder which tasted a bit funny. The dessert was very good and the bread is definitely 5 stars. My co-workers had the steak tartar and indicated it was very good. read more

Definitely a special occasion restaurant due to the prices but man was it delicious. Everything we had was better than the next. The steak tar tar appetizer was incredible! Had a lovely evening and the waiter was so friendly. Plus the restaurant is adorable! Will definitely go back. read more

My sisters and I went to Mandolin before a concert at PNC. When we walked in we were greeted by very friendly staff. When we were sat we were sat by one of the owners who explained the concept of the restaurant and told us about the restaurant. I thought that was a nice touch. The restaurant decor was very pretty. I started with the Tuna Tartar which was fantastic. So fresh and delicious. One of my sisters had the panzanella salad which was also very tasty. Two of us got Grilled NC Shrimp with forbidden rice, beets and asparagus. The flavors were fantastic. My other sister got the Mahi which she also enjoyed. I would definitely go back to Mandolin my only issue was that it was pretty slow. Our waitress did inform us that the kitchen was running behind. We had 615 reservations thinking it was plenty of time with the concert at 8 but we ended up being a little late (hence the 4 stars). That being said I thought our server was great. Very knowledgeable and friendly. I will go to Mandolin again. read more

I recently hosted a "sprinkle" for brunch at Mandolin for a group of 11 women. The team customized a menu for us, ensured we had all the details nailed down beforehand and the service was exceptional. It was a pleasure to work with them, and everyone raved about the food! I will definitely book future events here! read more

Enjoyed the atmosphere and service very much. Food was delicious and certainly more interesting than most places.

Had an amazing time here on my anniversary. The hostess and waitress were very nice and made us both feel special. The food and cocktails were amazing also read more

Flaky biscuits and a delicious Bloody Mary coupled with nice ambience. This is definitely a great brunch spot!

This was my first visit and I was pleasantly surprised! We didn't have reservations, so we sat at the bar for our dining experience. It was a Friday night and crowded, but the bar was wide open. We were greeted by 2 bartenders who were helpful and friendly, but seemed over qualified as they were able to carry on conversations outside of food and drink. We enjoyed the banter! I prefer getting the staff's recommendation of their favorite food and drink because they generally will give good details on how the dish is prepared. Then I know it's a dish to order! I ordered the chicken leg on top of Mac & Cheese...yummy!! I didn't feel guilty at all after licking my plate clean! Loved their speciality drinks and they have a great wine list. This is a definite return and favorite. read more

This one is a tough call. We went for an anniversary dinner based on a friend's recommendation. Let's start with the good. The food was good. We enjoyed the options on the menu, tried both some unique (flounder with a very interesting cauliflower rice, parsnip tart) and classic southern (chicken pot pie, brunswick stew) dishes. None of the cocktails jumped out at me, so I settled for a glass of wine. My fiance tried a berry cider which she said was delicious. The service was great. Our waiter was very attentive and knowledgeable about the food. My single biggest issue with the restaurant was the ambiance. I feel like it was one of the loudest places I've ever eaten, aside from sports bars. We didn't expect that and were shocked as soon as we entered. I also felt that the quality/quantity/cost ratio was a little off from my liking, particular with the brunswick stew. If I'm going to pay $9 for 6oz of brunswick stew or a small root vegetable salad, they better knock my socks off and they failed to do that. Don't get me wrong, they were good, but not worth the cost. The entrees were a little better in that regard. So in the end, I'd go back, but it will be for for a more boisterous / social event, such as a work dinner or something with a large-ish group of friends. read more

We did a pickup order to take home, and wow was it amazing. Everything was presented well, packaged well, and tasted amazing. It really made for a special experience at home, especially in these difficult COVID times, to have some normalcy and spoiling. We are going to do this a lot more - we need to all be supporting our local restaurants! read more

This little gem is perfect from start to finish.The restaurant is intimate and charming,the service impeccable.From special occasions to date night,Mandolin never disappoints.Everything from the small plate menu with perfectly cooked catfish and wonderfully seasoned Brussels sprouts to homestyle chicken and waffles and perfectly done steaks is beautifully prepared and lovingly presented. Well done Mandolin! read more

One of my favorite places in Raleigh. Ambiance can't be beat. Wonderful service from knowledgeable staff. All the small plates are so good. The cheese board and charcuterie are my personal after work favs, paired with the perfect glass of vino (of which the selection is phenomenal). read more

We wanted a quiet, upscale, delicious restaurant to go to with friends who were visiting from out of town, and we stumbled upon this restaurant through our reservation app and decided to give it a try. The blend of Southern Cooking and upscale atmosphere, and food? Certainly worth a try! The restaurant did not disappoint! I had the Spring Vegetable Spaghetti Carbonara, and my friends had the Chicken and Waffles, and all enjoyed the flavor, presentation, and it is apparent from the first bite that the chef has exquisite talent in the kitchen with the fusion of wonderful flavors for the palette. The service was outstanding, and very attentive to every need, refills on water, and so forth. The atmosphere is classy and intimate for conversations. I'm a fan and plan on returning again, and would definitely bring family and friends here in the future. Kudos! read more

If 0 was an option that is what I would give them. I met some friends for brunch several months ago and it was a very poor experience. Waiter described the omelet special as having spinach. It came with sweet potatoes instead. I ordered the oatmeal. It was so salty I could not even eat it. Sent it back, they made me a new one. Less salty, but still not good. They still charged me for it. I emailed not once, not twice, not three times but FOUR times trying to get anyone to reply to explain how the server didn't know the correct omelet special and how the oatmeal could be so salty that it was inedible. Where is the quality control??? I never got a response. I give all restaurants a chance to respond before posting anything. It's the fair thing to do. When your customer service is so poor that you can't even respond to an email about a poor experience.... you get 0 stars in my book. read more

I've held off on posting a review because I know how damaging they can be. But goodness this place is terrible. Service is beyond lacking, prices are way overboard and the menu never changes. I've spent more money here trying to support a local business and they continue to disappoint. Literally 2 years giving them Another chance. I will not be back and will encourage my friends to support other business that make you feel welcome and serve delicious meals. Don't waste your time. Instead, go to Glenwood Grill, Vivace, Taste, or Tazza Kitchen! read more

Had reservation. Made us wait 30 minutes and then said "We can't give you your table." Horrible service. Left us no option for dinner. Go to one of Ashley Christensen's restaurants, Stanbury, anywhere instead where they actually know how to reserve tables and treat their customers appropriately. read more

Food = Absolutely Fabulous! Atmosphere = Absolutely Fabulous! It was a truly wonderful evening except we have one suggestion. For future improvement, I suggest that the staff hold a training session for servers. Perhaps the other servers are awesome, but the one who helped us on Saturday night did not listen to most of our specific requests and she did not anticipate things nor handle things according to how most servers handle things ... surely she meant well and must be a sweet person at heart ... perhaps additional training in the fine art of service would be helpful. Here is one example of our service: we found two chicken bones in our pot pie and our server showed no reaction and offered no apology. Thanks so much for listening and we hope to visit again! read more

We ordered the Thanksgiving dinner for 4 people. The pick up system was a breeze and the food well packaged. All we needed to do was heat up the food by instructions on each container. Each dish took a little longer to warm up than the instructions called for. We did add a little turkey stock to the dressing (stuffing), but that could be personal preference. With these very tiny glitches considered, the food was wonderful. I am a gravy snob and so made my own gravy from scratch. That said, we didn't touch my gravy as their gravy was exceptional. We ordered the sweet potato pie which also was wonderful. Overall the experience was 5 stars and we already know what we are doing next Thanksgiving! It was well worth the price. read more

Best food!! Great service and atmosphere. I love the special cocktails and cute bar in the back. I've been here three times and will keep coming back! read more

Been here for brunch twice and both times have been wonderful. It's a trendy elegant atmosphere for very affordable prices at brunch. Both times the omelette du jour has been delicious. Their Bloody Marys are on point. The service is superb. Just a great experience all around. read more

Atmosphere was very average. Placed in the corner as the only table next to a large private dining group. Chicken and Waffles were amazing, Steak Frites were solid and Ceviche was average. Really a 3.5 star experience. read more

We stopped in on a whim and these folks really have created something very special... The service is exceptional and one can only nit-pick to find the flaws here... The decor, setting and hospitality are really refreshing... The room is a little noisy, but not unbearable... At $99.00 for a family of three, with no alcohol, the food is a little pricey for the portion size, but not so much to keep us from coming back. (just an honest observation to consider). My wife considers herself an expert on green beans and she was not impressed, again when paying what we consider premium dollars... Having said that, I would again recommend this breath of fresh air to anyone and plan to go back in the future... read more

We had brunch at Mandolin when we were looking for a reception venue for our wedding. Our food was fantastic and we ended up reserving Mandolin as our reception venue. We could not have been happier with the food at our reception. We opted for two appetizers (Chicken & Waffles and Tomato Tarts), both of which were out of this world. For entrees, guests had the choice of shrimp and grits, croque madame, country breakfast plates, and a couple other delicious options. The shrimp and grits were some of the best I've ever had. Many people at the reception, from the area and from out of town, commented on how good the food was. Quite a few people were interested in coming back. I know we will be. For those considering a reception venue in the Raleigh area, I strongly advise you to consider Mandolin. The quality of food can't be beat, and the value was incredible. Thank you for such great food and atmosphere, Mandolin! read more

Beware of uncooked pork chop! My husband and I went to Mandolin this past Friday and had a pleasant dining experience. I ordered the pork chop. It was huge and quite tasty. Because of the huge portion, I ate less than one-third and boxed the rest home. HOWEVER, we later realized that the inside of the pork chop was completed uncooked, raw, and red! I was going to heat up the rest of my pork chop for dinner tonight. I cut it up to make re-heating easier and I was shocked to see how RAW the inside was. We are talking about complete raw pork, for $30????!!!!!!! Should have cut up the meat at the restaurant first. If you decide to order the pork chop, please be aware that it may not be cooked through. This is raw pork that we are talking about!!! Very disappointed. read more

Mandolin - Undercooked pork chop. Only ate a little at the restaurant so I didn't notice this until I got home and cut the leftover up. - Southern Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Understated elegance. This almost-easy-to-forget staple of the Raleigh food scene gave us an amazing first-time dinner experience for two. Cocktails came out quickly. Shrimp risotto first course was worth of an entree (though aptly starter-sized). Second course's chicken and waffles will dazzle, don't pass up; crusted catch of the day was drum fish with a perfectly crisped skin, along with amazing parmesan grits. Dessert's chocolate chess pie was similar to a torte and had an incredible cherry reduction topping. A+ all the way. read more

Extremely disappointed. Was expecting not only great food but a customer oriented eatery. It is easy to understand why it was not packed on a Sunday for brunch. You cannot deviate or make any substitutions on the menu even if you will pay more. Example: my entree had fried potatoes which I cannot eat. I asked if I could substitute fresh fruit. The answer was "no". The omelet could only be the exact way it was stated on the menu. The side of sautéed vegetables was completely forgotten. We have been to so many restaurants that let us make a change we were shocked. This is a high end restaurant that simply was willing to be flexible as most are today. If we are going to pay $60 for breakfast again it won't be here. . We won't go back. read more

Superb. This was an awesome meal. We had just flown in and stopped for dinner. I had fish and it was excellent. Our server was professional and attentive. I was very well pleased with this meal and would return again for sure. We have been traveling a lot. Utah, DC, Florida, Chicago. Just to name a few and this was a stand out Meal for sure. Please check them out if you can. read more

Excellent chef ran Resturant. Attentive and flexible owner and staff. We had a post wedding brunch for a small party and it was perfect. Breakfast and lunch items are perfectly done and food was brought out to party by multiple servers. read more

Fantastic farm to table restaurant! They have something for everyone. Had the Mandolin oysters for an appetizer, chicken and waffles for me, pork chop for hubby, and Chocolate soufflé for dessert. Very large portions. Everything was fantastic. Our waiter, Doug, was personable and knowledgeable. Very sweet ambiance. We'll be back! read more

Very nice restaurant. Price point is almost perfect but a few of the small plates are overpriced, the salads in particular. Entrees are fairly priced. We went there with a group of 6. All the food was good, some better than others. Average of the food was probably 8.5/10. My flounder in particular was very very good (10/10 on that one). Definitely worth a try! Charcuterie board is clutch. read more

This place is always a hit when we go. It's one of the best menus in RDU, and the wine list is top notch.

For such a nice restaurant disappointed in the service and their ability to cater towards allergies or even adding veggies to an omelet. We asked to have veggies added and they were only able to do cheese only. For $40 dollars I could have made 20 omelettes at home with veggies. Don't expect the chef to have the needed skills to do anything more than reheating pre-prepped meals read more

Way over priced for the quality of the food We went to the Mandolin on recommendation of the N&O food critic. It was beautiful little spot.... however the food was a huge disappointment. For the first course I shared a "spring bruschetta" and it was difficult to eat, flavors only so so. Between 2 of us and table of 3 others no one wanted to finish it, I had the fried chicken and waffles... the chicken was very good, every thing else on the plate was a disappointment. Another person in our group had the short ribs which were tough and fatty. We will not be going back. read more

Very romantic enjoyable atmosphere for couples, family and special occasions. Very fresh oysters on the half shell. A limited menu of fresh farm raised food only! Very good desserts to select from. Highly suggest the trio of sorbet or the chocolate souffle. Nice for business meetings, romantic dining and special family gathering. ENJOY! read more

The steak special was fantastic. It was honestly one of the best I have had in the Triangle Area. The mood was quite nice with a very eclectic crowd. read more

Wow. All I can say is wow. The atmosphere of the restaurant is almost like a modern farm vibe which is appropriate given the farm to table menu. Our waitress, Kathy was a phenomenal. Very knowledgeable and attentive. We at no point were ever made to feel rushed through the meal and were even encouraged to sit, relax, and enjoy each other's company between courses. Appetizers consisted of steak tartare and raw oysters. The steak tartare was absolutely delicious. Creamy and rich with the egg yolk but still fresh and bright with the capers and cornishons with a slight crunch from the paper thin house made potato chips. The oysters were standard but came with house made hot sauce that truly elevated them. For dinner I had the flash fried whole snapper with a jalapeño sauce and my boyfriend had the grouper special with fried rice. and snap peas. Both were cooked perfectly. Mine was just the right amount of crunch on the outside while being juicy and fall off the bone on the inside. The jalapeño sauce was so awesome I asked and received a container to take home with my leftovers. His fish was pan seared and also cooked perfectly with house made pork fried rice that had crunchy crispy bits of pork and rice with delicious veggies from their farm. Probably should have stopped there but couldn't resist the strawberry biscuit which came like a shortcake that had a crispy crunch biscuit and overall had a sweetness but was by no means sweet in a way that some desserts can be that makes them hard to eat after a full meal. The coffee is French press and done right at the table from local coffee brewers and the best cup of restaurant coffee I have probably ever had. Overall it was an amazing not only meal but experience. read more

A breath of fresh air from the stagnant food scene in the Triangle. The atmosphere is light and airy yet sophisticated. The service is welcoming and lovely. The food stands apart from other with a subtle touch of Southern flavors. Even traveling from Chapel Hill is a breeze. 40 to Wade to Oberlin and your pretty much there. Highly recommended! read more

My wife and I have enjoyed both the brunch and dinner menu at Mandolin. We recently made reservations to celebrate a college graduation and were once again amazed by the service, knowledge, and friendliness of the entire staff. We started off with a tasty bottle of Malbec and the complementary bread. I enjoyed the Tilefish, which was flaky, and cooked to perfection. My wife ordered the chicken and waffles, which lived up to the hype! Our other guest ordered the pork cheeks, which were perhaps the best dish at our table. We finished the meal off by sharing the Videri Chocolate Soufflé, which was recommended by our server! Mandolin is worth the price tag, and the time. Also, make sure to make a reservation! read more

Exceptional, from the drinks to the desserts, everything was perfection. I just wish I had come here sooner!