My partner and I were in Durham for business and an acquaintance from the Durham area recommended Rue Cler. I cannot thank her enough. We do not eat away from home very often and, except for this instance, have never eaten twice in the same restaraunt on a trip. The food and service were incredible. Over two nights we had three course the prix fixe meal ($59) and tasted two a la carte appetizers (raw oysters and escargot), three salad course, four appetizer courses, and three entrees. After a cocktail and first course, we were full, and two thirds of the meal was ahead of us - Rue Cler servea a lot of food and it is rich, perfectly seasoned, and satisfying. If we were dining at home, we would have split the three-course meal. Every dish was a Cadillac (a quote stolen from James Lee Burke, who would have loved the meal). And they have a great wine list with reasonable prices, too. Chef Todd also works the front of the house and converses knowledgably with his patrons. If Rue Cler were in Manhattan, put linen on the tables, and doubled their prices, they would have a Michelin star. read more

It's been a while since I had French for brunch, so we looked up Yelp! and found this gem in Downtown Durham. We made a reservation thru the Yelp! App. This place is pretty spacious with two more dining rooms behind the bar. We started with a dozen beignets, coffee, Bloody Mary and beer. What a great combination to start your weekend! Beer selection was great! I had a Kölsch and a tripel by myself. As for entrées, I mean, Plats Principal, we ordered Duck Confit Crêpe and Moules-Frites. They were both amazing. Now this makes me want to try their dinner specials. Our waiter was very attentive and friendly. read more

Let me preface this review by saying that I would go back to Rue Cler again, and the fact that I was meeting my gf's parents for the first time was adding to the pressure for a "perfect" dining experience. The four of us came in on a weekday, and were seated by the window. Both the host, our server, and the bartender who came over to talk to my gf's dad about scotch were all very nice and obviously very knowledgable about the menu. I felt like the prices were in line for the quanity/quality of food. The dinner started off well enough, but the attention from our server became further and farther between. After entrees went down - we did not see him again until we flagged down the runner. I almost would of understood since it has been difficult for restaurants staffing post pandemic, but the table that was sat after us (who were either owners, or maybe friends of the owners) had the entire staff go over to them and shower them with handshakes and hugs (including our server who neither looked in our direction or checked on us). At one point the chef came out to talk to them, and turned to our table - almost eyeing that my gf's mom did not have a steak knife.....and then continued talking to the VIPs. It felt deflating to have planned a special night for my girlfriend's parents and to have her dad say, "I guess we aren't important enough". Again, I think they just got sidetracked with whoever those other diners were, and the food was good, but I would still consider the restaurant more on the fine dining side - hence the highly expectation level. read more

A beautiful spot in downtown Durham with excellent service and super unique authentic dinner options. The charcuterie was so savory, meaty meat meat! read more

Rue Cler - French Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Excellent service - it's great to have the chef welcome you. The best part of prix fix menu was the scallops - very well done with a nice sauce and lentils. The tomato salad was pretty much all tomatoes - would have liked some greens. The gnocchi were just okay. I never had savory beignets before - the beignets themselves were fine but the accompanying sauce wasn't too exciting. Our desert with cake, fruit and custard was very tasty. There was no way I could eat everything and the waiter was great about boxing up my leftovers. Overall dinner was very good but it seems somewhat overpriced. I think next time I would just get an entree and share an appetizer. read more

Dining in an intimate setting with a group while light snow falls quietly outside, I really enjoyed dining at Rue Clear-- the service was super friendly, the dishes on point, and the atmosphere just makes you sort of sit back in your chair and enjoy the moment :) They have 3 course prix fixes for $39, a la carte entrees and appetizers, as well as specials written on the gargantuan menu boards on the back wall. The cauliflower and mushroom gratin was presented in a skillet with tender bite-sized pieces of cauliflower and savory slices of mushrooms swimming in a pool of steaming melted cheese (exercise that cheese pull!). It was a perfect choice for a cold night and quite filling~ Rue Cler was unfortunately out of salmon entrees, but I opted for the butter sole instead which was a petite portion of fish perched on a nest of caramelized onions and a sauce that was mustardy and savory at the same time. Thin slices of grapes (!) added a tang of sweet and tartness as well as texture to each bite. I don't know if this is what real French food is like, but I can tell you that it is reallll good :D (To note, some people may think the entree portion is a bit small~) Got the terrine chocolate for dessert-- a thin, but super dense, fudgy, chocolately slice of thick mousse-like cake drizzled with lightly sweetened condensed-milk sauce. This was probably my favorite part of dinner! It looks so unassuming but will strike your sweet tooth with vengeance in a good way ^^ Overall, I was happy with dinner! The only things that set this back: We had a big group, so our waters were not always refilled... And if you're eating here for dinner, be prepared to spend a lot of time here! Our dinner took about 3 hours; they gave us plenty of time to talk before asking for our order or providing the dessert menu. Other than those small things, if you're up to trying somewhere new, delicious, and intimate, Rue Cler is next on your list! read more

The authentic elevated French bistro food is amazing and made with fresh ingredients: The salmon escalope with green beans and red potatoes in addition to the mussels in white wine with French fries were perfectly cooked. The warm fluffy beignets tasted just like the ones I had on the French Riviera. The French toast with fruits and maple syrup was indulgent and tasted so good. Our waitress Maria was customer-oriented. Maria kindly substituted the sauce bearnaise for tomato sauce. Our group of eight truly enjoyed the relaxing venue. It was easy to park in the parking nearby or on the street. read more

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I so wish I could give Rue Cler 5 stars because the food is out of this world but sorry...no can do. We were a party of 8 coming for a pre show dinner and they told us they wouldn't push 2 tables 18" together- ok how about 2 tables next to each other? We arrived right at opening- no one in restaurant yet so it shouldn't have been a problem but the manager in a hoodie says nope he would not seat us together because their Rez system assigns the tables (bull) and our second table was 2 away. He said those 2 tables had been specifically requested. We gave up and decided to sit separately and just enjoy our meal. Check came- they refuse to split AND add an 18% gratuity with no prior notification and the two tables between still hadn't been seated! As we were getting up to leave 2 women were seated at the table next to us so I asked them if they had requested that specific table...of course I knew the answer...nope. The manager lied to my face. Customer service is non existent at Rue Cler... Such a bummer... read more

I had a terrible experience at Rue Cler. This restaurant seems to have been quite the institution in Durham in the past -- not sure what's changed. We had a 5:30 reservation, and let the staff know that we needed to leave by 7:10 for a show at DPAC. We were dining on Valentine's day, where the only option was a 3 course menu for $80. After our second course hadn't arrived by 6:30, we talked to our waittress who said they would take care of it, and they brought out course #2 by 6:45. Our third course hadn't arrived by 7:00, but she assured us they were actively plating it. They brought it out exactly at 7:10. We had to eat as quickly as we could and immediately leave. I spoke with the manager on the way out but the only thing he would do is take off a single drink from our roughly $300 bill (20% mandatory gratuity, bottle of wine, cocktails). I had no time to continue the discussion due to the fact that I was already late to the show. It's absolutely outrageous for a restaurant that charges such steep prices and bills itself as a top tier establishment to provide this type of experience. I will never be going back to Rue Cler. read more

Bad service and management. Upon my last visit here I went for my mom's birthday and made reservations for a party of two. We were sat at a four person table. The server was very polite, but eventually since it was Sunday brunch the place started getting busy. We had already placed our order and just received our food when the manager asked us to bump down to a two person table because it was getting busy. He wasn't even polite about it or anything. He tried to play it off on the server too. If he was even kind enough to comp one of our ordered items. I was legit shocked at this level of shotty service from a place I typically think of as nice. Hard pressed to go back to this place after that. read more

One of the best meals Ive ever had. Everything was absolutely delicious. Service was impeccable

Ohhh, nice little Frenchy Bistro in Durham. Nice wine collection, service was very good and amicable. Hope will have expand menu by my next visit! read more

I fully expected to love Rue Cler, but unfortunately it was a half disappointment. Half because the beignets my friend and I ordered were delicious. They were warm and airy and I would probably go back just for those. However, the mussels we got were really lacking. They were dry, the portion of mussels was very small, and there was not enough sauce. Maybe we should have ordered something else off the menu. Maybe it was just a bad day for them. Despite the disappointing mussels, I would consider returning because of the beignets. Taste | 3 Atmosphere | 4 Presentation | 3 Service | 3 OVERALL | 3 read more

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Brunch, brunch, brunch! I recently had brunch here with a friends and I look forward to heading back in soon! I had read all about the tasty beignets on Yelp and knew we had to start off with a half dozen. They did not disappoint! For my meal is was a toss up between lunch or breakfast food, I usually always lean towards breakfast at brunch. I ended up going the lunch because the duck confit crepe sounded too tasty not to order. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint. It was the perfect portion, you felt full, but not so full that you had leftovers. The duck was tender and the au jus was flavorful. I also tried my friend's breakfast and those breakfast potatoes were awesome! I will definitely be ordering those the next time around. Our waiter was friendly and knowledgable about the menu. He was always around when you needed him, but didn't rush you out of brunch. You can make reservations on Yelp and I recommend doing so since it got crowded and it seemed like most folks had reservations. Street parking was easy on an early Sunday afternoon, but there is also a parking deck right across the street. read more

Rue Cler - Beignets - French Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Weird thing to hype about but their orange juice is amazing. For the first time in my life I said hold the champagne. Admittedly I've only been here for brunch...thrice. And I'm not a big brunch / breakfast person. BUT. The beignets are to die for. Mmmmm sugary doughy fried balls of goodness. They come piping hot so be careful! So good though! I always order the duck confit crepe. It's a little salty but still tasty. Ambience is cute, very bright. Service is friendly. If I had to go somewhere for brunch in Durham, it'd be here :) read more

Yeah, as mentioned in other previous reviews, their Sunday lunch isn't very good, I feel like I am almost too generous to give them three stars. To begin with, the environment is reasonable, looked like one of those cafes/restaurants that would be cozy at night. Somehow I ended up at the bar table even though I have called 30 minutes in advanced to see if they have regular open seats. Interesting. The waiter we had was all business, or too business, in the sense that he had a flat tone and wasn't welling to expand the conversation to tell me more about the signature dishes served during brunch. Very welcoming. I wanted something light so I went with the chicken paillard with salad and my friend went for the salmon. Fairly uninspiring and boring. Considering the distance I had to drive to get there for this level of food, I don't think I will be returning again. read more

Rue Cler - bar - French Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I came to Rue Cler for dinner before a DPAC show since it's relatively close and there's a parking garage right across the street for busy nights. I wanted some French food that wouldn't break the bank but would still be delicious, and I certainly found it here! I got the moules-frites and the beignets for dinner. We also got a cheese plate and a vegetarian crepe. The cheese plate was average at best, but the moules-frites and the vegetarian crepe were pretty good. I was honestly pretty annoyed by the depth of the moules-frites bowl that made dipping the fries very difficult and partially a work out. A small and silly thing, but certainly quite annoying. Maybe it was a good thing for my waist, but my mouth was not happy! What really redeems this place is the beignets. If I could come here just for the half dozen beignets, I'd be much happier! They're fresh and puffy and somehow not too oily or sweet. Absolutely delicious! read more

Entrees were not very good, and server was kind of rude when you had a question about their menu.

Rue Cler has been a staple for us for many years. Since reoppening they choose to put in a required gratuity for all parties. I am fine with this. Unfortunately, knowing they get paid without regard to the quality of service, the service was truely horrible. The host literally chose not to bathe. He smelled so bad it was all we could do to get him to leave the table while we held our breath. I am not exagerating. The actual servers began cleaning tables and setting them for the next day while we sat waiting for an opportunity to order dessert. Truely evening spoiling poor service. A few restaurants in Durham have decides to force patrons to pay for quality service regardless of the service provided. The result are servers who could care less about our experience. We won't be going back and will frequent the many other great Durham restaurants that actually are glad we are there as patrons. read more

Lunch is the best meal here. Sadly brunch just so so. Lunch - the chicken paillard sandwich was fantastic and def something id come back for. Brunch - the beignets are warm and fluffy and tasty. duck confit crepe was impressively underwhelming. Brunch drinks were also eh. Good for groups. They do take reservations. Great locations in downtown Durham. Would come back for a quick reasonably priced lunch! read more

Rue Cler - Duck confit crepe. The fries were my fave (are they still French fries in a French restaurant?) - French Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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We took our guest to this restaurant and everything was amazing. Food was delicious and the chef/sommelier's wine recommendation was spot-on. They have an impressive wine list at reasonable price (only ~2x online price). read more

I don't give out a lot of five star reviews, but this place was excellent. We had a perfect dinner on a Friday night. The food, service and atmosphere were all top notch. We will absolutely eat here again, next time we're in town. read more

What better time to check out a high-end restaurant than Triangle Restaurant Week? (note: high end as in quality, but not in a stuffy way) Knowing this is a popular restaurant, especially for a Saturday night, I made reservations. I was not the only one, as there was literally a line of us waiting for the doors to open at precisely 5:30. We were led to a window table in the second room where we proceeded to have quality service and quality food from beginning to end. Loved that we were told we could mix and match between the TRW menu and the regular one. Although both of us stuck with the TRW one. What appealed to me most about their TRW menu is that all three courses were savory. I don't always want dessert, so this is a real plus for me. First up: Manhattan for Husband. Red Wine for me. I didn't recognize any of them, and our Server steered me to one I very much enjoyed. And we were brought a small loaf of bread with unsalted butter. This was the only thing all night that felt like it needed a touch of salt, either in the butter or the bread itself. We each started with a salad: Husband's had Arugula, Pear, Blue Cheese, Walnuts and a Champagne Vinaigrette. Mine was Radicchio, Frisee, Orange Segments, Black Olives dressed with just the right amount of Sherry Vinaigrette. Both were very fresh with flavors well-balanced. Next up, Husband had a fantastic Fried Cauliflower with Ham & Cheese. The one bite I managed to steal was so tangy and cheesy...yum! Meanwhile my Gruyere Gougere with Duck Confit and Leek Cream Sauce was also terrific! Think shreds of moist duck in a savory cream puff with just enough sauce as to flavor it without making it mushy. Third course for Husband was Braised Beef Short Ribs pot-roast like with carrots, potatoes & pearl onions, while I had the most delectably moist Pork Tenderloin, Sweet Potato Mash and Collards with a Mustard Jus. Again, perfection! After all that, we somehow managed to share a perfect Creme Brulee as well, along with a just-right coffee. Note: They have pre-fix three course menus regularly that are only a few bucks more than TRW, and an a la carte menu as well. read more

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I rarely eat two nights in a row at the same restaurant. But Rue Cler is that rare restaurant that compelled me to return today evening after a fabulous dinner the night before. Here is the story of each night: Tuesday (yesterday) My colleague and I showed up for our 7:30 reservation and were offered the choice of several tables - we probably shouldn't have bothered with the reservation, I thought to myself. We selected a small table in the corner so we could talk shop. This being our first time, our waiter politely explained to us that there was a three course menu ($30) which changed daily - one could choose from one of three starters, one of three small plates, and one of three entrées. But we could order just one or two of the three courses, which were priced at $6 for a starter, $8 for a small plate, and $16 for an entrée. There was also a regular menu that we could order from. I asked for a water (no ice). My colleague wanted a limoncello. They didn't have any, so he settled for water as well. I was in the mood for beignets, so I ordered the savory beignets for my appetizer. These arrived quickly and were huge, so I offered one to my colleague who had made short work of his starter - sautéed asparagus with a sunny side up egg smothered in Béarnaise sauce. The beignets were delicious - warm and crispy and stuffed with three kinds of cheese, and were served with a house mayonnaise that was to die for. Next came our entrées - I had the vegetarian crêpe, he the coq au vin. My crêpe was stuffed with spinach, zucchini, squash and a delightful Boursin cheese. My colleagues chicken was huge, and swimming in juices and wine. We ate in silence, savoring every bite, enjoying the quiet atmosphere. We probably should have skipped dessert as we were stuffed, but we wanted some more beignets - the sweet kind this time around. We decided to share a small order, which was just as well, because we were soon contemplating six large beignets sprinkled with a generous dusting of powdered sugar. They were the perfect ending to a fabulous meal. Wednesday (today evening) We arrived at 7:30 pm and the place was packed. There was one table available - the one we'd sat at the night before and the one my colleague had specifically reserved. I asked for a water (no ice). My colleague wanted a limoncello (again). They didn't have any (again), so he settled for water (again), but then changed his mind and ordered an old fashioned. He had to repeat his order three times before the waitress got it right, raising his voice an octave each time (it was loud in there). We ordered quickly as neither of us wanted to stay too long - did I mention it was loud in there? He ordered butternut squash soup and the poulet rôti. I wasn't too hungry and settled for two small plates from the three course menu - the pig cheek and the Spanish mackerel (as I could not decide between them) - forgoing my starter and entrée. My pig cheek was a little salty but nicely cooked - I made short work of it, shamelessly soaking up the veal jus it sat in with some crusty baguette. My colleague enjoyed his soup. The Spanish mackerel was next, and it was divine! Flaky, juicy, with the skin pan-seared to perfection. My colleagues roasted chicken was humongous - so big that he offered me a thigh. It was delicious - the meat tender and falling off the bone. Again we ate in silence, but this time because it was too loud to talk in there! And left before dessert, escaping into the quiet and cool Durham evening. Will I return again tomorrow evening? You betcha! read more

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*Note* This review is based solely on my experience enjoying a beignet. My friend and I decided to take a stroll in downtown Durham because it was such a lovely day. Rue Cler is situated on a corner; as a result, this establishment is very noticeable. As we entered Rue Cler, we were told that it was not open yet however the friendly gentleman told us that we could wait inside. I love the decor inside - it's very chic and looks like a little cafe that I would find in Paris. Looking at their website, I'm guessing that this is their goal (?). We were seated within minutes, in spite of the fact that it had not opened yet for business. The bestie had heard many reviews about their beignets so we decided to order half a dozen. They were to die for! Made on site, our beignets were warm (and greasy) with a lot of icing sugar. Yay! I AM a fan. :) read more

Rue Cler - French Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Sit at the bar for good drinks and good company! Joel will make sure you are taken care of! As a visitor to Durham, I relied on recommendations from co-workers and yelp reviews (of course) to make sure I made the most of my dining experience. Rue Cler seemed to be in the top 10 so I was excited to visit. The first day I tried was a fail... Super crowded on a weekday and I had to try some other options. I got smarter as the workweek went on and visited earlier-about 5ish, mind you that is 2pm my normal time! There were already a couple tables taken so, in my usual work traveling fashion, I sat at the bar. Joel, the bartender, quickly came to greet me and answered all of my menu questions. I loved the fact that there were "no rules" with the menu. I was able to order veggies from the Prix Fix menu and sub more veggies for the potatoes on my main dish. I started with a vodka martini (of course!) and it paired with my asparagus with Hollandaise sauce with an over easy egg. No seriously, that was fantastic... order it if you can. I do not normally have the patience to wait for chicken, but after much contemplation and discussion with Joel, I decided to have the Poulet Roti. Being as polite as possible, I asked for more veggies instead of the tempting potatoes and I was easily accommodated. Thank you! I enjoyed some garlic green beans with my meal and loved every single bit of it (see photos and be jealous)! I also asked for a "Pinot"..... with my chicken. Before Joel could tell me what he was thinking as he paused, I said "Did you think I wanted a Pinot Grigio with that?" He said, " You are from California" and I laughed because that is a pretty good generalization of us. I told him that a Pinot Noir would be perfect and he agreed. I am glad I finally figuring out the perfect wine pairing! My experience at this restaurant was perfect. Being alone on business can be daunting, but the phenomenal service combined with the food and easy walking distance from the Marriott make this restaurant a must visit! read more

Rue Cler - Poulet Roti with greens and garlic green beans. Yum! - French Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Came here for the first time a few years ago and was happy to return while back in Durham! Delicious food and a great atmosphere. Highly recommend the beignets. I also enjoyed the Croque Madame. Very filling, and just the right amount of each ingredient. read more

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The service is great, but the food quality has dropped terribly. Coming back to Durham after two years and was really hyped about visiting my favorite restaurant. Too sad the Rue Cler that I once loved so dearly is no where near close its original standard. We almost couldn't finish. Salty and greasy and no flavor that excites you. read more

Everything we had here was superb! Started with the beets goat cheese salad, amazing. Also had the salmon, excellent choice. Got a Malbec and cab blend that was quite delicious too. read more

Rue Cler - Beet and goat cheese salad - French Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

There is really nothing like a fresh squeezed mimosa. I highly recommend. I took a girlfriend there for brunch, and I'm pretty sure if I mention, "brunch," "breakfast" or "eggs," the next thing she says will be "Man, we need to go back to Rue Cler!" You can't go wrong with any of the egg dishes. Restaurants can make crappy omelets. These guys get it right. The beignets are phenomenal, but if you're considering dessert, the vanilla creme brulee is just perfect. It *is* a french restaurant. read more

Rue Cler - French Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I totally neglected to think that everyone else would be trying to redeem their LivingSocials (our waiter actually said he was from Pop's, their sister restaurant, because it was so busy). When I called to make reservations, they told me that it was completely booked and that I should just arrive at 5:30pm. Daang. We got there 20 minutes early and were seated pretty promptly at 5:30pm. A few more people arrived after us, so if you're here right before the LivingSocial expires, make sure you come early if you don't have reservations. This is my third time at Rue Cler and I'm STILL confused by why people think there's terrible service. Granted, the hostess was not terribly friendly or welcoming, but we only interacted with her briefly. Our server was from Pop's and was extremely courteous and attentive, almost bordering on creepy (but in a good way). The food was alright; I think I would normally give this 3 stars for the food, but considering the dearth of good (relatively inexpensive) French food around, Rue Cler deserves 4 stars. I don't think the Prix Fixe menu is entirely worth it; I'd definitely take up on the itemizing. My boyfriend got the salad with sunflower seeds (pretty mediocre ... :x it really wasn't anything special), the mini croque monsieur with flank steak and mushroom velouté (YUM. we didn't eat very much of the salad, though), and the braised beef (very, very tender. delicious). I got the sautéed asparagus with a sunny-side up egg and béarnaise sauce. I guess it's my fault for lingering, but by the time I took my first bite, it wasn't very warm, as I would expect it to be. :/ However, it was quite good and I'll definitely try to make that at home. I also got the coq au vin, which was REALLY large and very filling. The chicken was really tender and full of flavor and I loved the shallots - nice and sweet. Mmm. I really wanted to get dessert, but we were totally full. I think Rue Cler gave perfect portions. read more

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I ate there for brunch and dinner. I am a fan of their brunch more but both great. Brunch - Everything was so so good especially the french toast! Beignet is a must Dinner - Dim lighting, delicious food, great service, just the spot for a perfect date night. The duck crepe was surprisingly flavorfully delicious! The black drum was perfection draped with just the yummiest sauce. read more

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Rue Cler has been around forever and they are a solid choice for brunch or dinner. I have eaten here countless times with groups of friends, just my husband, etc. One thing I love it that they always have daily specials. Another thing I love is that even though they have a pre-fixed menu option for dinner you can still always order everything a la carte. The salad Nicoise is always a very solid choice. The French onion soup is also fabulous. I have gotten many omelettes at brunch that have always been awesome. The side salads are always perfectly dressed and fresh. The creme brûlée is never something to skip. I've seen countless friends order steak frites and rave about it. All in all, I'm so glad Rue Cler is in my city as a dependable choice. While not one of my frequent go-tos just due to price and the fact that I prefer more casual places, I know I will always get a good meal and good service here, and be glad I came. read more

I decided to check out Rue Cler during Triangle Restaurant week (what better time ?). I treated my husband to a date night here and was excited for the french cuisine. We had never experienced French cuisine or been to this restaurant. Let me first say that service was stellar. There was never a point in time that our glasses were empty or table full. They made sure to remove plates and silverware we had used away from the table after each course. The atmosphere at the restaurant was also very inviting and intimate. Now let's get to the food. For me I enjoyed the food although it was very different from what I am used to and some portions were small. My husband on the other hand did not enjoy the food so much. I recommend that you really research French cuisine or at least give it a try at Rue Cler to find out if it's something you may enjoy. I definitely plan on going back soon. read more

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Walked in for brunch and was seated right away! Started with coffee and the beignets which were warm, soft, and delicious! Had a veggie crepe which was on special.. it had kale, tomatoes, and gruyere cheese and it was delicious! It balanced out nicely with the fried beignets :] And service was also very good! Everyone was super nice! read more

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I really enjoyed this breakfast spot. It is delicious and I left completely satisfied. The beignets were really great. They were fluffy and flesh with just the right amount of powdered sugar. The French toast and scrambled eggs I had were also good. Everything came out hot. Service was satisfactory. The decor is nice and simple. I'd definitely go back for breakfast and try something different although the menu is not that big. It's a one page menu. Prices are probably a little higher than other breakfast places...$10 and more. The French toast alone were $10 so that should give you an idea. read more

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Went here recently on a Saturday morning for brunch. The menu is pleasant French and French-American. The number of options not overwhelming yet diverse, with at least a handful of gluten free offerings (although they weren't marked). The food was quite tasty -- I had the duck confit crepe, which was just the perfect blend of savory, sweet and not overfilling -- and my brunch guests enjoyed their more typical breakfast fare as well. Sadly, the service took me back to France. Not the charming way, but in a kind of crappy, somewhat aloof Parisian fashion. It's not that our waiter was terrible, he just seemed to have little to no personality and didn't really seem to care that we were there or what we wanted. I ordered a glass of orange juice and, before I could ask either of my meal partners whether they might want a glass also, he had already left and was no longer listening. When he returned with one glass. When I then asked for two more he seemed put off, even though it was utterly self-inflicted. The ambiance, otherwise, was quite pleasant, the food tasty (with further options looking interesting enough to warrant future exploration), but the service kept it from a clear "we'll be back again" experience and had me struggling whether to make this a 3 or 4 star review. I'll chalk it up to an off day and will try another time and report back. read more

Rue Cler - Duck confit crepe with --- what else, french fries (or pommes frites). - French Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Our meal cost us $28 more than it should have. Why? We arrived ahead of the couple we were meeting for dinner and ordered drinks. Then the other couple arrived and ordered drinks and their meals. When the bill came, we asked the waiter to divide it couple-by-couple (as all restaurants can do) and he said the system wasn't set up to do that, so we'd have to split the bill according to each of our orders (they ordered much more than we did and more expensive entrees). This left us in the unenviable position of looking cheap to our dinner companions if we tried to divide the meal accordingly...so we ended up splitting the entire tab. So, they got a "deal" and we paid way more than we wanted to. The meal was good, but we don't plan to ever eat there again because of this inability to split the bill between guests. What this amounts to in my mind it a restaurant trying to make things easy for itself and not caring about the impact on customers read more

I came here for a Friday night Restaurant Week dinner with my husband. I know RW menus can sometimes be inferior to the regular à la carte fare, so we judge the food with a grain of salt. The food was good enough (my Moroccan-inspired stew was especially hearty and appreciated on a cold evening) but nothing really stood out as something I'd go out of my way to get again. My main issue with our Rue Cler experience was the service. I think perfunctory would be a kind assessment. Food was delivered in a mostly timely manner, though our bread basket came while we were already halfway through our appetizer. But the delivery lacked hospitality. We were offered fresh-ground pepper with our first course, but the latter two courses were more or less wordlessly dropped off, and no one came by to check on us while we were eating. Just silent food deliveries and plate removals. The table next to us had their water glasses filled upon arrival, sat around waiting for service quite some time, and eventually gave up and walked out without ordering. It's possible they were just having a bad night or didn't feel the need to treat RW customers well. At any rate, we don't feel the need to return. read more

Over $200 for two and I feel totally ripped off. Food was so disappointing on so many counts: sauces were thick and over-salty, steak was tough though perfectly medium rare, profitteroles were stale and filling was just yukky, chocolate sauce was good. Frites were excellent. Service was good but bussing was over anxious. We won't go there again. read more