Tapas tapas and more tapas! One better than the other. We did run into a huge problem though,…read moreexplained in more detail below. Wife and I started our quick little anniversary getaway here, and they nailed it. The place itself is gorgeous. Huge patio with greenery, baller bar area in the middle of the upscale open space, which gives a modern and chic vibe. That problem I mentioned? Deciding what we were going to order off of the amazingly stacked tapas menu. One sounded better than the other, plates coming out to the left and right of us...we were deer in headlights not knowing what to do, words didn't come out when our friendly and knowledgeable server came by. As far as problems go at a restaurant, I guess it could have been worse. With helpful guidance and knowing our love for anything foodie related, we just started picking one by one after a few sips of our well balanced cocktails (another large menu with anything and everything for fellow cocktail lovers out there). Had to go with a meat and charcuterie board first. A decadent manchego, a creamy French that was smooth and tangy, plus a 20 month cured ham that was salty and smoky. Honestly everything that came out after was a 10/10. From the wild mushrooms, Wagyu carpaccio and bone marrow, to the pork belly, corn bunuelos and steak paillard...everything was cooked to perfection with amazing spices and sauces that complemented each dish perfectly. (See pics and captions for more details) These chefs and mixologists know what they're doing here. 2 managers came by our table to make sure everything was going well. Top notch service, top shelf food and drink, modern and upscale decor and vibe. A perfect concoction for a special night out with family or friends.

I like Barcelona Wine Bar mainly because they are open late so you can have a nice meal after 9 pm…read more The bar is the highlight as they make good crafted cocktails and they do have an extensive wine list. The ambiance is dark and nice for couples or friends. The booths at the bar are not the most comfortable, so I prefer a table. The tapas are those you find at a traditional Spanish tapas place. The papas being amongst the most popular are a good staple. The charcuterie is also very nice. The other tapas can be hit or miss depending on what is seasonally offered. On this visit, I wanted Brussels sprouts but they were no longer on the menu and the lamb was not a bone in lamb but rather ground meatballs. Not bad, just not what I expected. It's not a place I seek out to come, but it's solid food and drinks that fills a need when I want a late bite.

One of our most exciting and flavorful dining experience in months. Our downtown Raleigh dining…read morescene has amazing options, and Madre has stayed under our radar for no particular reason. We dined at their lovely bar back in the first months of their opening, and it was good. We had met the general manager, Red, and were impressed with the flavors of our one appetizer, Calabrian Chicken, yet we never rushed back. Now, we feel compelled to return ASAP to enjoy these exceptional flavors, fabulous teamwork system of service, and a comfortable chic atmosphere. The place was happening at 5:45 pm on our recent dining night out with friends. Grateful to have a reservation we were seated at a very comfortable banquette type of seating. It felt like dining in a friend's home. Our server, William, is excellent at his job. Very efficient, great input on food choices, and quite personable. The meal started off with a burst of flavor as we enjoyed their fairly new offering of a ceviche called Eye of the Tiger that featured a sauce you can never get enough of. Wish their bread service was a bit more inspired, but the Le Farm bread did soak up some of the various sauces sent out from a very inspired kitchen team. Food runners help make certain the tapas come out fresh and hot when needed. They are a friendly group of hospitality workers who seem to genuinely enjoy their work and treat their guests with sincere appreciation. It all starts at the top, and GM Red is a personable and sound leader. We loved the Chef's pasta, our octopus dish was stellar, the Calabrian Chicken almost stole the show, but the unctuous flavors on the plate of the Seared Halloumi was hands down my favorite. I love how this culinary team can crank out such outstanding flavors table to table and patron to patron without missing a beat. The energy in the room must feed their souls & for that we are grateful. Lastly I wish to mention the thoughtfully curated wine list where my husband discovered a treasure of a wine from the Familia Torres brand. It was exquisite and paired perfectly with Madre's flavors. Our friend who frequent their bar often rave about their Mezcal margarita! Another visit. See you soon Madre familia!

This used to be one of my 3 go-to first date restaurants, but I've had to cut it from the list…read moreafter realizing it makes literally everyone in the place seem irresistibly sexy, and that is not wise. Truly, though, I'm here often and love it - my dear friend and I are both heavy-duty allergy kids and the Madre squad is exquisite at managing cross-contamination and adapting plates to be accommodating. If you have nothing else, order the cauliflower with the green goddess dressing. Maybe order that two or three times, actually. The salchipapas are probably my favorite app in Raleigh. Also, the owners are both super cute, and the Bryan Costello design is magnifique. I would hire that man to redo my entire home to feel like Madre.

Brunch at Raleigh Botanical Cafe with my girlfriends was exactly the kind of Sunday reset we…read moreneeded. From the seamless online ticketing to the elevated atmosphere, everything felt intentional. The DJ brought the energy, the food delivered, and the complimentary mimosa (with a virgin option available) was a nice touch. We sat both inside and outside, and even with the cold, gloomy weather, the outdoor heaters kept things warm and comfortable, which made the experience that much better. The weather may not have cooperated, but inside and out? Nothing but good vibes and great company. Effortless, fun, and definitely worth it.

Brunch Buffet included: Assorted fruit, spinach salad, eggs, pork sausage & bacon, mini chicken &…read morewaffles, French toast dippers, cheese, jams, fruit parfait, donuts & other pastries. Not bad for 30.00 all you can eat however it wasn't great at all. The food was room temp. I guess this would work if you're super toasted & need to fill your stomach up but for someone who truly wanted to enjoy the experience- I couldn't. Here's what I enjoyed... the fresh juice, the patio & the atmosphere. I do not recommend the food at all.

Such a great spot in downtown Raleigh. Best cocktails and bartenders. The fish dip and onion…read morefritters are so good!

Cocktail drinks and fries were the best things. We didn't enjoy our entrees: vodka pasta and mrkt…read morefish (salmon). They both were flavorless and bland. As mentioned earlier, we did enjoy the fries. They came with a garlic aioli sauce. It tasted like mayo to me, I didn't like it. We ordered a passion fruit mojito and henny sidecar. Both were good! Our views were okay but not like other pictures we saw prior to going. We sat closer to the jail next door so we saw inmates in there cell starting out onto the city.

Bottom line: Lunch at Flour & Barrel was great! Small but nice selection of items on their lunch…read moremenu. The Radiatore small pasta was delicious and satisfying while just the right size for lunch, adding chicken for a protein boost. My friend enjoyed the Chicken Parm Sando and Kardashian Chopped Salad. Good service in a surprisingly well decorated atmosphere, I would come back to Flour & Barrel for more Italian goodness! The Deets: I wanted to catch up with a friend over a weekday lunch and we scoped out Flour & Barrel in DTR to do just that. When entering in from the pretty nondescript exterior/entrance on the corner of North and Harrington Streets, it becomes a colorful well decorated bistro/bar type feeling inside which is welcoming. We were shown to our table next to one of the wide windows facing North St, I liked this table with lots of natural light and yes, I am a people watcher as well. The server took our drink orders and asked if we had any questions about the menu. The lunch menu is pretty succinct but well represented, offering focaccia sandwiches (sandos), small pastas (pasta handmade in-house), and salads. It also has a wine and craft beer selection also if needed. My friend went with the Chicken Parmesan Focaccia Sando (has pomodoro, mozzarella, and basil) with Kardashian Chopped Salad (made with romaine, salami, provolone, piquillo peppers, artichoke, and garbanzo) for a side while I chose the Radiatore small pasta selection. The Radiatore is described on the menu as "our version of carbonara but creamier / guanciale / egg" so naturally it caught my eye. I am usually pretty cut and dry about wanting carbonara to be the traditional type but since they stated upfront that this is their version, I was willing to give it a go. I am glad I did, as this pasta dish was great. The serving was the perfect size for lunch, plus I was able to add chicken to it as well. The sauce was creamy and delicious, going well with the al dente pasta. This meal was most satisfying and I would love to get this one again in the future. My friend really enjoyed the sando so much, he had originally planned to eat half and take the other half home...that didn't work out the way he planned as he devoured the whole sandwich there, it was that good. He also enjoyed the salad as well. Our server did well checking on us and making sure we had what we needed. I am so glad we decided to try out Flour & Barrel for lunch, it worked out perfectly and was a very enjoyable meal.

Omgg! You MUST go to Flour & Barrel if you are visiting or live in Raleigh. First- I read about…read morethis place and its focus on homemade bread and pasta. Literally my two fav things in life. I also read about the restaurant guru, Anthony, who was there and came to chat with us in person. Such a nice and friendly guy. Lastly, of course I was excited to try this place with its ties to Top Chef. Shoutout to Chef Katsuji Tanabe. Ok now about the food. AMAZING. You must try the table bread and the pasta. We had to try the Radiatore- carbonara yum. And of course the meatball. So good. This place is meant for sharing since they are small plates. I wish I could have tried more items on the menu! Our server, Autumn, was a delight too! Thanks for the great food and hospitality!!

The drinks were good! Lots of options and cute set ups!…read more Chicken Alfredo had good flavor but the chicken felt gristly or not cooked well. I would definitely come back to this place for drinks and apps but not a main dish spot!

My friends and I came to Wonderland Kitchen & Cocktails on Glenwood to celebrate my birthday, which…read moreI had included in my reservation notes. Unfortunately, the experience started off badly and only got more frustrating. Our reservation was for 7:15 PM, and although we were running a little late because it was pouring rain, we called ahead and were told our reservation would still be held. When we arrived, we were told to wait for a table to become available. This was already a little frustrating because there was an entire row of tables visibly unoccupied. After waiting 30 minutes, we were still sitting at the bar with no updates. At that point, it started feeling really disorganized. As more time passed, my friends went up to the hostess stand multiple times trying to get answers about what was going on, but the hostesses were rude and not helpful at all. By the time we were finally seated, 1 hour and 15 minutes had passed after our reservation time, which is honestly unacceptable when you have a reservation. At that point, we were considering just leaving. The service once seated was also not great. The food was okay, but definitely not enough to make up for the poor experience overall. If a restaurant has such limited space, I don't think they should overbook reservations if they can't actually seat guests close to their reserved time. No one wants to wait over an hour after making a reservation, especially for a special occasion like a birthday. I really hope management sees this and improves their reservation system and customer service, because this was a disappointing way to spend a birthday celebration.

Do you want to have a great time out with friends? Bring them to Oro. There's a parking deck across…read morethe street nezt to Beasley's thats free on the weekend. Take $75.00 with you and get the cheese choice. I've never had such a delicious assortment of food to touch my palette. I was taken to another plane of existence. Juicy, fresh, and the service was quality. You have to try it. Check the menu and $ first because it won't be for everyone, but it is well worth it. Make a reservation as they were full when we went.

First, our server wasn't just good, he was fantastic. He said he'd been at Oro for 13 years…read more Truffle Mac and cheese was perfect, just the right amount of truffle. Brussels were great, enough sweet to compliment the Brussels. Sea bass had a very nice flavor and a nice presentation. Jerk chicken is hot! Customers should be warned. Wellington was requested medium rare, but came out medium well.

We celebrated a special occasion with a phenomenal meal at Saap. For an appetizer, we tried the…read morenightly small plate special, two steamed rice paper wrappers filled with ground pork with a mildly sweet sauce, to start the meal. It was very, very good and started our meal off on a high note. For entrees, my dining companion had the pork collar and I chose the Khao Poon Gai. The pork collar was absolutely phenomenal with a deep marinated flavor and perfect char, while my dish was incredibly flavorful from the coconut broth and the grilled chicken. I got to sample the pork collar and will order it the next time we're here. Dessert was a bit of a letdown. We split the carrot cake and found it OK, at best. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't at the same level as the rest of our meal. I would not order this again. Service was outstanding. Our server was friendly, helpful, and clearly knowledgeable about the menu. The kitchen turned over our orders very quickly. Combined with the great service, the tastefully decorated modern dining room made our meal memorable. Highly recommended. We'll be back.

5 stars, easily one of the most memorable meals I've had in the area…read more The menu is full of unique combinations that you don't come across often, but everything feels intentional and incredibly well executed. It's the kind of place where you can tell a lot of thought goes into how each dish is built. Every bite had so much flavor and nothing felt repetitive or expected. What stood out just as much as the food was the service. Our server was extremely knowledgeable and took the time to walk us through the menu, explain different dishes, and help us decide what to try. The ambiance ties it all together. It strikes that perfect balance of being elevated but still relaxed. It feels like a place you can come to wind down at the end of the day, but also somewhere you'd confidently bring friends who are visiting and want to show them a great spot. This is definitely a place I'll be coming back to. There are so many other dishes I already want to try, which is always the best sign.

I do not frequent restaurants on Glenwood Ave often, but as a picky pescetarian/vegetarian/vegan…read morereviewer, I had to try this new Vegan spot. You may have been to its sister restaurant, Element Gastropub before. This restaurant is located in the Glenwood south neighborhood. There are several garages nearby and street parking. The decor lends itself to a botanical theme which is on brand for a vegan restaurant with its floral murals and hanging plants. The bar has beautiful emerald green tile and comfortable brown upholstered stools. Brass and bronze accents are appreciated throughout the space also. The owner stated the color palate was inspired by the Wizard of Oz. They have an extensive craft cocktail menu. We ordered the Tropic ozz and Blue dream. Neither disappointed on depth of flavor. For meals, we ordered the Whiskey cola rib plate and the Sriracha hunee chikn. The rib plate did not disappoint. The rib had the texture of a tender steak and the BBQ sauce was just enough to not take over the dish. The squash pickles have a bit of kick, but was not overpowering. The potato salad had a great balance of mustard and vegan mayo. The Sriracha dish was also delicious, but could have used more sauce which the owner happily supplied. Overall, I would definitely recommend this restaurant. The menu offers enough even for indecisive eaters and everything that we ordered was delicious. The food was filling. The only downside was that we came on a Saturday night and there was only one waiter. Despite being the only front house staff, he maintained a positive attitude and gave great service. We were seated and attended to quickly.

I took my family to brunch here on a Sunday morning, I conveniently forgot to mention that…read moreeverything on the menu is plant-based. To my delight (and theirs!), no one was disappointed as the food arrived. The restaurant wasn't overly packed, and the staff was excellent, offering great suggestions. I ended up ordering the chicken and waffles, which were absolutely delicious. I'll definitely be back to try more dishes!

Went with some international friends to Level7 Rooftop and loved it! Great city views, fun vibes,…read moreand cocktails that hit the mark -- from classics to fruity twists. Bartenders were friendly, and the rooftop breeze makes chatting easy. Ideal spot for a casual night out in Raleigh! It's an upscale bar so one cocktail can cost about $20 with tax, minus the tip. I got the Xenias Oasis and it was good.

Not bad! Awesome views!…read more My daughter and I were in town a few Friday's ago for a concert at the Lenovo Center and I only needed a room to chill and change clothes. Granted the cost was pricey but I was sold on this rooftop restaurant vibe. Level 7 is sexy! Level 7 is an open concept! Level 7 treated us just fine. Now my daughter always wants fries wherever she dines, but this restaurant only served tots. Bummer! Minus a half star. And my go to is a fresh margarita or a Cadillac margarita and they didn't do either. Minus a half star. Nevertheless, my burger and tots were decent and suffice enough as a meal I shared with my daughter before the show. I did get a margarita and asked for it to be prepared a certain way but it didn't match the vibe of Level 7. Pre-made not crafted. Now if you're in the area perhaps a glass of wine and just relaxing is all that's warranted here. I wouldn't recommend you come for the food... good vibes only. Valet parking or there's a garage within walking distance. Go at your own risk. Have fun and enjoy life :)