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    Oakleaf

    4.3 (115 reviews)
    Open 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM

    Oakleaf Photos

    Business Info

    OAKLEAF ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Oakleaf

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    Nov '25 Menu
    Andrea A.

    Oakleaf is a farm-to-table, New American restaurant that delivers on creative dishes that highlight seasonal ingredients! It's also the first spot I've been to in Carrboro. Five of us shared these starters: - Kabocha Squash and Farro (roasted fennel, lump crab, pancetta, red miso butter): Absolutely delicious. Loved the diversity of textures- creamy farro, crispy pancetta, well-cooked squash. The crab did get a bit lost in the dish though. - They Might Be Tostones (murasaki sweet potato, lime-pimenton crema, chili crisp): My favorite! The crema was amazing with the perfect amount of spice and paired so well with the sweet potato. Could be interesting for the sweet potato to be a little crispier. - Big Eye Tuna (in the style of carpaccio, red miso-citrus bagna cauda, shoots): I'm not a huge raw fish girlie, but this was very fresh. - Warm Rustic Baguette (whipped butter, sea salt): Sleeper hit; the baguette had a perfectly crunchy outside and pillowy inside. The butter was almost airy, so good. - Dirt Candy (toasted pistachio aillade): Wish I could cook my veggies this well... The aillade was packed with nutty, garlicky flavor. I also got the: - Applebottom Jeans (bourbon, aperol, ginger, Eric Bordelet apple cider): Was recommended this when I asked for their sweetest libation. Admittedly, I was nervous about the bourbon: while there was a kick, it wasn't overwhelming and the cider was a great balancing ingredient. - Ravioli di Manzo (barolo braised beef shoulder, parmigiano-reggiano): Honestly, the sauce was too salty for me probably since it's parmesan-based but decent pasta overall. And I tried my friends': - Ricotta Gnocchi (Italian sausage, corno di toro peppers, whipped ricotta, broccoli rabe, chile flake): Loved all the textures and the bouncy gnocchi. - Plin Piemontese (pastured raised pork raviolini, crema di parmigiano): The creaminess balanced the saltiness from the parmesan well. Of course, can't forget dessert (they all hit): - Citrus (steamed lemon pudding, confit lemon, lemon curd, crunchy bits): Surprisingly, this was my favorite! Texture was more reminiscent of a cheesecake than a pudding which I think leveled the tartness well. - Cheesecake (maple-mascarpone cheesecake, nutty shortbread, cranberry compote): Texture of this was more like a pudding than a cheesecake lol, but I liked the subtle maple flavor contrasted with the cranberry. - Chocolate (extra dark chocolate fondant, salted caramel gelato, hazelnut, crumble): So fudgy, very dense which I wasn't expecting but ended up liking, perfectly complementary gelato, a delight. Ambiance is modern and elegant, service was knowledgeable and friendly. 9/10 would recommend for your fancy dinner requirements!

    Lauren H.

    Absolutely fabulous. The fried oysters were excellent. A nice light thin but very crispy shell and a very plump oyster not dry at all. Loved the fried lemon and the sauce. Mussels were typical French style with a nice tranche of bread and excellent marnière sauce. Mussels were very fresh. The tile fish was amazing. The truffle sauce alone was fantastic. The fish was cooked to perfection, flaky with a nice crust. Highly recommend. We ended with the chocolate fig walnut cake. This was a culinary miracle. I was expecting something along the lines of sticky toffee pudding. Not even close. The cake was incredibly light and airy, unbelievably moist and soft. Honestly I have no idea how this is possible based on the ingredients. This would have definitely gotten a Paul Hollywood handshake. Fantastic Interior is very cozy and the service was quick and attentive.

    Duck breast
    Kristin U.

    First time diners here. Started off with a few apps, which set the bar high for the entrees. Tried the Full Cheese Treatment, a delectable assortment of charcuterie, spreads, olives and nuts. Also had the arugula with melon, baby gem Caesar and fresh, warm focaccia. All outstanding, which we demolished. Moved onto the entrees and had the Pappardelle, agnolotti, flounder and duck breast. The pastas were delicious , however made with non-tomato ragus and kind of mono-chromatic,. The duck was tender with stone fruit, and flounder light, just seemed to be lacking a savory element. Family sampled cocktails and wine which rounded off our meals. Loved the vibe here, combined with attentive service and reserved atmosphere makes for a special night out.

    Rohan duck breast
    Lloyd M.

    Great farm to table restaurant in all aspects. While I didn't drink, it was hard to resist my wife's cocktail which looked great. My starter, tuna carpaccio was incredible. A good sized portion of tuna, very fresh fish with magnificent flavours, one of the most complex carpaccio/tartares I ever had. The duck breast as a main was also excellent, nice flavours and a very hearty portion of duck. The vegetable side (I think it was called Ground Candy) was also great, lots of interesting and fresh vegetables, with a ton of great flavours. Add to the meal great service, efficient, friendly and jovial without being fake. A great experience.

    Mussels and crispy oysters

    Great date spot. Interior was red and nicely dim. Music wasn't too loud and staff was very attentive. Started off with the mussels and crispy oysters. Then had the ricotta gnocchi (which they split for us on separate dishes). Our mains were the dayboat scallops and rohan duck, which were both very good. Finished with the lemon pudding and chocolate bread pudding.

    Salad with local greens topped with crispy quinoa

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    13 days ago

    Great food and service. A wonderful way to celebrate granddaughter's graduation from UNC CH. Very nice decor

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    4 months ago

    Great food and service! Highly recommend all the appetizers and pasta dishes. Atmosphere is quiet and cool.

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    1 year ago

    Chef's tasting was amazing...primo cocktails also..pasta, duck, foie gras (amazing)...servers knew menu and prep very well..

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Oakleaf

    Is it a quiet atmosphere?

    Oakley’s atmosphere is not Hoster intimate. It is a lively atmosphere. Quieter times are Mondays through Wednesdays, or any day early in the evenings(arrival by 5:30) and later in the evening (arrival 8pm or later).

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    Tandem

    Tandem

    4.0
    (404 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    We had 4 at our table, 2 ordered the salmon. Salmon on both plates was very under cooked. Entrees…read morewere brought out before we had a chance to finish our appetizers . An hour after opening, they were out of orange juice and one of the desserts. Found the restaurant too loud. Overall, I'd give them an OK but.....I will not be going back. For the price, I expect better.

    Service staff was great, no complaints on ambience either. We actually had a great table away from…read morethe noise. We ordered 2 appetizers, and we both had the ribeyes for the main course. The appetizers came out quickly which was nice, although they could have been warmer, they tasted great. Then our steaks came out. While they were served warm, they were also tough, to the point of being inedible. We asked to send them back and requested the menu again so that we could make another choice. We were told that we could order something else, but that the steaks would remain on the bill because quote "the manager feels these are quality cuts of meat". So, there was no effort to accommodate us, the customer. No offer of remaking the meal, no nothing. Instead, we were treated like we were trying to get a free meal, when we clearly wanted to try another menu item. We were trying to salvage our Valentine's meal and instead we left after less than 45mins with a $200+ bill and a pair of rubbery steaks we still cannot eat. I sincerely hope the management can see this is clearly not how you gain and keep customers. We were eager to recommend Tandem to friends, at this point we will not.

    Photos
    Lovely lighting and ample wine.
    Lovely lighting and ample wine.
    Tandem
    Tandem

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    Glasshalfull

    Glasshalfull

    4.0
    (244 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    The Brussels sprouts were excellent, and the truffle fries were just as good. The sprouts were…read moreespecially memorable with their combination of preserved lemon vinaigrette, fried leeks, bacon, and a sweet/spicy aïoli--an unexpected mix of flavors that worked beautifully together. The ambiance felt fresh and inviting, which I appreciated--especially because there were no lingering bar or leftover food odors that sometimes affect restaurant spaces. The staff was welcoming and pleasant, offering friendly interaction while also giving guests the space to relax and enjoy their meal. It made for a very comfortable, quiet Friday afternoon experience. I could have lingered longer. Overall, a delicious meal and a place I'd happily return to.

    Grabbed dinner from here and had a good experience…read more First, my wife and I were seated immediately without having a reservation, but we ate dinner pretty early :) Our server was attentive and polite throughout our meal, but he didn't have a ton of positive energy, if that makes sense. The menu prices seemed a tiny bit high until I read the note that the restaurants had raised the menu prices to make gratuity "truly optional," so that's totally fine. We started off our meal with some complimentary bread, which was honestly pretty mediocre. It was a very tiny portion and the accompanying olive oil just tasted like... olive oil. It felt like the bread was store-bought or something, which isn't the end of the world, but combined with the portion size, it was just a little surprising for a nice restaurant. For my entree, I got the steak frites, and they were very good! The steak was cooked medium rare as requested. I also got some truffle aioli on the side (suggested by the food busser!) and it was pretty tasty too. My wife got the beet and kale lasagna and she really enjoyed it, although it wasn't really enough food as an entree :) Beer selection was OK but nothing crazy good. I asked for the non-alcoholic IPA and they were out of it, which was kind of a bummer. Also, when we were paying our bill, the automated system still asked us for a gratuity without any warning about the gratuity being baked into the menu prices, so that was a little surprising but not a huge deal. Overall, I liked Glasshalfull and would definitely consider coming back.

    Photos
    Glasshalfull
    Chocolate torte
    Chocolate torte
    Glasshalfull

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    Acme Food & Beverage Co

    Acme Food & Beverage Co

    3.8
    (635 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    Food, friendly service, nice cozy ambiance. Interesting menu options. If you'd like to sit at the…read morebar, the bartenders are friendly & efficient too. Local Carrboro eatery-- always a good time.

    This dinner had a full emotional arc…read more Let me start by saying this was one of the best meals I've had in the last 2-3 years. The star of the show in my opinion were the hush puppies and the corn and wild mushroom risotto. There were sooo many different flavors that perfectly complemented each other. I was blown away. And the pig cheek on top was incredible. 500/10. Our server made great recommendations! Then-- chaos and heartbreak ensued in the form of a fire alarm. We were forced to evacuate the restaurant as the fire department arrived , leaving about half our meal on the table. After 30 or so minutes of waiting out in the cold (we were apparently the only guests who hadn't paid out yet) our server came to find us. He asked us if we wanted to just give him our credit card information and he would ring us up later, when the fire department gave them the ok, as he understood not wanting to wait around. It broke our heart to leave our leftovers, but we agreed and went to go get the car. Thankfully we are stubborn.. and optimistic to a fault. And by the third time we circled around the block, the fire truck was pulling away. I ran in and asked if there was any chance our food hadn't been thrown away yet, and it hadn't! The staff was happy we had been able to come back, and they packed everything up for us, even taking the hush puppies off the bill and sneaking in a complimentary piece of key lime pie. I'm so glad we were able to tip our server appropriately for his great service-- and rescue our leftovers. Happy ending. All was well. (And the fire ended up being something innocuous in the unit above the restaurant)

    Photos
    Outside seating area
    Outside seating area
    Oysters
    Oysters
    The gumbo was also super tasty, with a little bit of a kick. Better with even more shrimp ! 9.5/10

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    The gumbo was also super tasty, with a little bit of a kick. Better with even more shrimp ! 9.5/10
    Hawthorne & Wood

    Hawthorne & Wood

    4.6
    (234 reviews)
    2.7 mi
    $$$
    Locally owned & operated
    Luxury

    This is Chapel Hill's best restaurant, and it did not disappoint. Our server, Amanda, knows the…read moremenu well and was able to provide answers to all of our questions. We remembered her from a previous visit, and will request her in the future. Cocktails and mocktails were excellent, as was the sparkling wine enjoyed by one of our party of six. We were surprised and delighted to see foie gras on the menu, and it was perfectly prepared, with an accompaniment of blackberry jam. The lamb belly entree was very rich, but cooked perfectly. The vegetarian plate was beautiful and delicious. Celeriac soup and beet salad were both terrific, and the barbecued shrimp were spiced perfectly. Our only letdown was dessert - only one of the 3 options appealed, so we ordered 3 of those (key lime semifreddo) and found them to be beautifully sweet/tart. We'll be back.

    I came for dinner with my wife on a Saturday night, and even though we didn't have reservations, we…read morearrived right when the restaurant opened at 5pm and were promptly seated by the window. Our server was very friendly and knowledgeable and gave us a rundown of the menu before we ordered. I decided to start with the Cheese Plate, which included 3 different cheeses, buttered baguette slices, jam, mustard, and pickles. I enjoy cheese plates, and this one was great, but I can understand it may not be for everyone. My wife ordered the Red Fish, which had a more Southeast Asian-inspired twist to it. It came over rice and pickled onions and beets, and the flavors were a blend of lemongrass and coconut. The fish was cooked well - nice and tender, not too dry - and the flavors went well together. I ordered the New York Strip, which was delicious - the meat was well cooked, had great flavor, and was a generous portion that was very filling. The only gripe I had was that the char on the eggplant overwhelmed the flavor, so most of what I ate tasted like burnt eggplant. The place is clean and fairly laid back for a more upscale restaurant. If you're looking for a nicer restaurant in Chapel Hill where you might spend a little more, but you'll get great service with interesting food options / combinations, then look no further than Hawthorne & Wood.

    Photos
    Hawthorne & Wood
    Hawthorne & Wood
    Hawthorne & Wood

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    Spotted Dog

    Spotted Dog

    4.0
    (406 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    My husband's vegetarian coworker recommended this restaurant and we decided to give it a chance. He…read moreshould have hyped it up more because I thought it was amazing even as a an omnivore. My husband and I went on a late Saturday afternoon and we were seated immediately. We shared the Fido's Fries as an appetizer and I got the Chili Cheese Dogs as my entree. Almost everything could be made veggie or vegan so I asked for the dogs to be veggie. My meal also came with a side so I got the frickles (fried pickles). The Fido's Fries were beer battered fries, topped with cheese, bacon (we got the pork option but they have soy), scallions, & sour cream (on the side). The fries were absolutely delicious! I loved my chili cheese dogs as well. It was a very generous portion because it was two dogs and a ton of frickles. As a dog lover, I adored all of the dog art & statues around the place. The menu is even dog themed. I mean they call appetizers kibbles & bits. That could not be any cuter! There is indoor seating (with a bar) and outdoor seating. As you can probably already tell, the restaurant is dog friendly (with their outdoor area). They even have a dog friendly menu (called puppy meals). Service was superb! There is no dedicated parking lot but we easily found free parking a few blocks away. My mom is a vegan and we sometimes struggles to find creative meals when she visits. I will definitely be taking her here next!

    I was attracted to the outside of this building and assumed I was walking into a Irish/burger bar…read more We were transported to more of a dining side vs. bar so I only got to see one side of the place and I don't like to not see my drink being made. My drink was good but I'm pretty sure the house made syrup was made with sweetener that was not cane sugar and I'm very sensitive to any other sweetener. Menu was large and I had a hard time deciding. It is a somewhat vegan place much to my surprise so I figured why not try it here because I do love good vegan option even though I do eat meat I ordered the trio of patties black eyed peas and black bean. I took a bite of each and left the rest. Three different staff noticed my untouched food but none inquired or offered replacing it or removing it from bill which to me would be a gesture of a good business practice. My companion enjoyed and loved each morsel of his crab cakes! The battered fries were great! My server was very kind and attentive.

    Photos
    Spotted Dog
    Turkey Reuben
    Turkey Reuben
    Knock-Me-Down Nachos

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    Knock-Me-Down Nachos
    Crossroads Chapel Hill

    Crossroads Chapel Hill

    3.5
    (165 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $$

    Not sure why this place gets mediocre reviews. We went for both dinner (at the bar) and breakfast…read more Breakfast was great all around. We did small plates for dinner which was a bit hit or miss. The she-crab soup and the limoncello crème brûlée were not good, but that was more than offset by the lamb sliders and other plates. Service was very good, as was the ambiance.

    Just like others have said before the staff were amazing. I do wish they would've had name tags…read morebecause I like to know the names of the servers to give them credit. One of the girls recently turned 21 she said and she was very friendly and approachable. We sat at the bar to eat and have a few drinks for a girls night. It definitely is a special occasion type of place because it is so extremely expensive. I literally cringed when I paid almost $50 for two drinks for the night. I got a single glass of wine as well as an espresso martini. Not really anything special. It almost seems like a lot of the hype around it is because it's so expensive it's considered "classy". It's just silly It was cool to check out some of the downstairs area of the hotel but I wouldn't be back anytime soon unless for an event or another gathering. I will say everything that I got from the drinks to the shared appetizer of pistachio feta(?) and pita was good. It was a lot better experience with the food than my first experience during a lunch time I came with my nana years before. Overall, it's an interesting place, but not a common hang out spot unless I was on a surgeons salary.

    Photos
    Crossroads Chapel Hill
    Bacon jam pimento cheese , wonderful
    Bacon jam pimento cheese , wonderful
    Crossroads Chapel Hill

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    Oakleaf - newamerican - Updated June 2026

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