The ONLY downside of this establishment was the Espresso Martini. Everything else was PERFECT. From the parking (and the sweet attendant who took my 30 singles--thanks to my hubby for my cash) to the BEST bar food I've ever had (and that's only after one beer so it wasn't drunk dining) this experience was the best I've had at a restaurant in a long time. We visited for the Noah Kahan concert and I'm fairly certain numbers were up for Orange Juice sales in the Raleigh area due to the Local and their signature drinks. We waited about 2 hours but it was worth it and I'm dreaming about the Brussels sprouts today! My daughter even said she wasn't hungry but it all tasted so good. We struggled a little at the bar to get served but this old bat hasn't been out with young-ins in a while and busting in no longer comes naturally when you are 46 :) We loved Griffin our server who had my hockey loving daughter finding his Doppelgänger on IG and it was his birthday and he was working hard. I'd HIGHLY recommend going to The Local when there is or isn't an event at Lenovo or Carter Finley. The ease of the waitlist, patio space and clean bathrooms were just added bonuses--we will be back. Well at least I will! read more

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Love trying new to us places when we visit Raleigh. Today it was The Local. The Local is a Raleigh sports bar but also sports some great food. The decor is what you'd expect. NC State and Carolina Hurricanes regalia. Huge television set up sure to satisfy any sports fan. Plenty of quality seating. We arrived for a late lunch in the middle of a thunderstorm so there weren't many people there. We were quickly seated by the host and greeted by our server. Just so you know, the water glasses are pretty small. So if you're a water lover, you'll be getting plenty of refills. The menu isn't extensive but they offer something for every taste. My wife got the Capris chicken sandwich with fries. daughter got the blackened salmon with dirty rice and I got the slider special with fries. All parties loved their food. All plates were cleaned . Fries are lightly seasoned. No salt or pepper on the tables so be prepared to ask if you want it. Server checked on us several times during the meal. This would be a fun place to watch sporting events. This is also the place several sports celebrities do their podcast from. We will definitely be back. read more

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The service was okay, and our server initially told us we had ordered her two favorite items. However, the meal was highly inconsistent. The cheeseburger and fries were the best part, though hard to mess up, while the brisket was just average. The mac and cheese was a major disappointment. It completely lacked flavor because instead of a proper sauce, it sat in a thin, runny, watery liquid at the bottom of the dish that wouldn't stick to the pasta. When I pointed this out and asked for sauce on the side, the server became visibly tense and said that is just how it comes from the kitchen. She did bring out a new side of noodles, but it arrived with the same issue. read more

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We came for hurricane game and decided to grab late lunch. No one here but few local business folks. Place has a lot of space.. lots of TVs for sporting events. The carry a large range of beers and vast menu! My son got burger and shared fried pickles.. I got a tuna appetizer and had Carolina peach beer which was light and refreshing! Our servers were great and kept our drinks full! The staff is very attentive and food was really good! read more

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Fish Tacos were not good. Fish flavor was mostly just the fry oil which was maybe old(?) but just ... bad. Tortilla shells were soggy and fell apart immediately. Did not finish the tacos. ("Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" -- you can see the pic included with this review and determine if these tacos look good to you -- but these did not look appetizing to me). Service was perfect. Draft beer was perfect. Interior screens and vibe was really very good. Good atmosphere prior to a Canes game. But maybe eat before coming to the arena? If the setting & TV's are more important to you than the food, or, you just want a beer, then maybe this place is the right choice. read more

The Local - Main Room - American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Service was amazing and I loved all the hurricanes decor, hockey sticks from the ceiling are peak. The steak was delicious and the dip duo insane, loved the food... gotta try if your comin from a canes game... read more

Put. The. Menu. Down. Just order the brisket Mac and cheese and thank me later! It is BOMB!!! I am such a Mac and cheese snob and theirs is SERIOUSLY THE BEST!! Trust me! They have great beers on draft and amazing mixed drinks too. You absolutely cannot go wrong eating here before a Canes game. Show them your season ticket holder discount card and you get a discount off of food!! read more

The Local - Brisket mac and cheese - American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Sports bar with a great location- very close to the arena and walking distance from the hotel we stayed at. They had tons of tv screens and the seats were situated for maximum viewing potential. Server was very friendly and bubbly. Food was okay. Had the burger and it had a super hard bun, far cry from the soft, brioche bun I was expecting. Our server kept telling us how thick the fries were and they were definitely not thick at all. Garlic parm wings were like a dry rub so that was disappointing. Sauced wings were good. Drink with boba was pretty good. Random but every salad I saw go by looked delicious so I'd totally try one next time I'm in town for something at the arena. read more

The Local - Burger - American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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I went here for a Holiday Work Lunch. I told the hostess I was there for a reservation under the name Laney. She seemed a little unsure and sent me to go look at someone else also waiting for a party. It was not the Laney party. However, she did get me a table and made sure I got water pretty quickly. My party shows up. We eventually decide on 2 appetizers for the table and order meals. The meals came but no appetizers... To which we reminded her and then told her we no longer needed them. I'm giving 3 stars and not 2 because my smash burger was seasoned well and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I asked for the burger sauce on the side. However, I didn't get it at all. My fries were also lukewarm but again... The burger was great. I probably wouldn't go back. read more

We sat on the patio for lunch. Our server, Travis, was very attentive and friendly. The food was delicious and came out quickly. Would recommend! read more

Return trip since I've had several good meals here. Very disappointed withe the place now I got the burger. Overdone and very little flavor for$18.00 My friend got a salad with chicken. She was unhappy too. Not fresh and overpriced Very disappointed withe the new service,food and price Need renovation read more

The Local - Patio - American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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I was absolutely delighted by my experience here and especially the service of server, Stevie. We were never in need of anything, as this was some top notch service! And the food.... Omg. Mouthwatering. The burnt end appetizer was by far my favorite thing we ordered. Perfectly cooked and seasoned with the sauce. I also was a huge fan of the shrimp appetizer. It came with 3 sauces: bang bang, chimichurri, and a sweet Thai chili. Each one was uniquely tasty. Especially the chimichurri, which I was surprised turned out to be my favorite. The drinks were wonderful as well! They had an expansive list of beers and cocktails. I had a couple beers as well as the espresso martini. It was good, but personally I could've used some more type of cream in it. My friend had the margarita and said it was one of the best she'd had in a while. Over all, a 10/10 experience. I'm already planning to come back the next concert I'm attending at Lenovo Center. read more

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We were there for lunch. The brisket was great and the fries were better than most. The service was superb and I dig the ambience. Will definitely return. read more

Absolutely wonderful great service and drinks are amazing. Bartender is a rare and very knowledgeable and excellent. Chief knows his thing read more

The Local - Car chicken and local OG Brisket Espresso martini - American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

While on a work trip, our hotel was close to this bar so we had to check it out. The staff was very helpful when we first arrived, seating us and giving us drink samples. The TV wall was definitely something that was the highlight of the space and it was cool getting to watch Star Wars while seeing the live games around the US. Now onto the food, the waiter recommended the BBQ sandwich with the brisket. The fries were lacking some crunch, but everything else on the plate was better than expected! The slaw had the crunchy needed to balance the brisket, and the brisket itself was definitely juicy and tender. Overall, a great place to stop by, get a drink and some bar food while watching all the latest sports. A unique sports bar experience for me and one I would recommend. read more

The Local - The Backyard BBQ Sandwich - American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

This terrific sports bar right near Raleigh's Lenovo Center is the perfect spot to connect with fellow Canes fans before or after a game, or to catch one of the team's live Canes Corner events during the regular season. The food is solid (especially the burgers and the Burnt End Nachos), service is outstanding, and there's a great selection of brews on tap, including a number of NC crafts. Sports fans will love the wall of TVs in the main dining room, which transform into a single oversized screen when the Canes are playing. Whether you're a Caniac or just looking for a sports bar that does it right, The Local is well worth a visit. read more

We stayed at the hotel that share the same property and walked over this place till grab a meal for the evening. We sat ourselves read more

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In town for the Doobie Brothers/Eagles concert and had dinner at Backyard Bistro. We had the pulled pork nachos for an appetizer and I had the Brisket Sandwich while my wife had the Club Sandwich. Tried a few local brews, the Highland and the R&D. The food was delicious but what was amazing was the service! Even with a large crowd, they had us seated and taking our order in less than 25 minutes. If you are in Raleigh, you got to go to Backyard Bistro! read more

The Local - Loaded Pulled Pork Nachos - American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Food is trash I can't believe people even go there to eat also very over priced close this place or just don't serve food.

There wings were excellent. I was there after work so it was pretty quiet but their grilled wings fell off the bone and were so flavorful. This place is kind of hidden but is a real gem. Their beer list is great too. read more

My wife and I came to this nice restaurant near the Lenovo center for the first time yesterday for a quick bite for lunch. Our server Megan was excellent and one of the most attentive servers we have had at any restaurant. The nachos and wings are outstanding and I am definitely looking forward to coming back for a Carolina hurricanes watch party. The restaurant got extremely busy and appeared to be a bit shortstaffed, but our server was awesome and communication was excellent during our lunch. No matter what your team is there are plenty of big screen TVs for you to see the game and enjoy the fine selection of cocktails and great selection of draft beers. If you're a Canes fan, definitely check it out as there is a lot of memorabilia to view why you are at this establishment. read more

Great place to hang either before and or after a Hurricanes game. We did both on a recent visit. We each had different menu items, all of which we enjoyed. The brisket mac n' cheese was incredibly good! Great beer selection (get a pretzel, too!), and overall reasonable prices for a meal. Service was friendly and perfectly coordinated between order taking and food delivery. read more

This place is spectacular I got amazing food here I got the brisket Mac and cheese without the scallions and a bittersuite lemonade because of the Billie elish concert it came out so fast and it was delicious and I recommended it for families with large parties or any family it has many TVs and it's great definitely go here if you live in Raleigh or if your visiting read more

Went to see a show at the PNC/ Lenovo center last night. This place was slammed before it and they had two bartenders which is just terrible planning. Then after the show it was closed. When I say they missed out on a million dollars in sales I'm not kidding. Piss poor management. It's a real shame the arena doesn't have a social district around it. All you have is this crappy place. read more

Close by, so we gave it a try. Fish tacos with fresh Ahi tuna and avocado - delicious! read more

This was my first time ordering from this local restaurant and I have to say that I am pleasantly pleased with the service and the food. My daughter and I ordered to go meals and both were amazing. The flavors were phenomenal and the serving size was perfect. We had 1/2 rack of ribs, a side of fries and General Joe's shrimp and it was all absolutely delicious. The fries were seasoned fries and made to perfection. The ribs was ridiculously delicious and very well seasoned. And THE SHRIMP!!! Oh my goodness, the shrimp were addictive! The taste was amazing and seasoned perfectly. It has a semi sweet sauce on it that just melted with every bite. Will definitely be returning in the future. read more

The Local - General Joe's Shrimp - American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Walking in for an early lunch & it's dark! Like evening turn down the lights dark. This should have been my first clue things were going to go south. Our waitress seemed as if we were bothering or maybe interrupting her from something else. She took our order of 4 salads & it took forever. There was hardly anyone there. The salads were way over priced for what was brought out. Brussel sprouts were gross & the amount of dates was ridiculous. What a shame! Miss the old place!! Let alone getting the order incorrect!! Mind you all salads!!! read more

The service - hostess, bartender, wait staff ... extended to front of house Mgr. The staff was on duty to please, and we were super happy with their service & extra measures to make us comfy. Fantastic food - brisket mac n cheese, hushpuppies, dog & slaw. Everything coming out of the kitchen looked really tasty. And looking around, their customers were smiling & watching their games, seemed to be having a great time. Big screens everywhere bar to booths & tables. Perfect spot to land. We came to Local on way to Hurricane game (from Iowa) & it was a great part of a great night, 2 thumbs up!! read more

Very nice, spacious and sports atmosphere, very friendly and attentive staff, we ordered Nachos, wow amazing delicious pulled pork and brisket nachos. Stephanie was super nice and helpful with the menu. Great hidden gem for sure! read more

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Came here to see the Rangers play the Hurricanes. Cool sports restaurant (too much hurricanes stuff, booo!). Lots of TVs with all different sports on. Ivy: I got the Mac & cheese and French fries. The Mac & cheese was really good and super cheesy. Not regular box mac & cheese. 8/10 Jayce: I got a cheese burger, it was good but didn't stand out. 7/10. read more

The Local - Mac & cheese - American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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We stopped in on a Sunday to have lunch. Sports bar atmosphere with many TVs . The service was pretty slow for the day, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt since they had 3 tables with 8plus at each.... Besides for those parties, they really weren't that busy. Very good brisket! But the other bbq options weren't amazing. The ribs were now very flavorful, pulled pork was average. The sausage was good. Spicy too. I had a ceasar salad too, that was good with the blackened chicken, but too expensive imo. Many restaurants around offering the same or similar menu and atmosphere, so we probably won't come back. But ya never know. read more

I went to The Local with some of my co-workers and we had a great experience. We sat outside and our waitress was so amazing. I believe her name was Audrey, if I am remembering correctly. She was so accommodating and had great suggestions! We will definitely be coming back! read more

The food and service was awesome! Especially Stevie our waitress! Very good and attentive! Definitely need to ask for her when you go! The seating and TV setup was great as well! We went on our way to a Canes game and it worked out perfectly. read more

After attending the Carolina Hurricanes game, my coworker and I walked from PNC Arena to Backyard Bistro. Somehow we missed the rideshare zones at PNC Arena, so we figured the next best thing would be to find the nearest bar or restaurant to get picked up. We were advised by a couple of fans in passing that Backyard Bistro would be our best bet. Backyard Bistro wasn't that far away (~9min walk from PNC Arena), but it was super dark and the street wasn't well lit. At least we were on a main street though, and other fans were headed in the direction of Backyard Bistro. When we arrived the place was alive with fans hanging out for post-game celebratory libations. I loved the look and feel of Backyard Bistro. It certainly had the makings of a fun sports bar. Tons of TVs everywhere and quirky decor lying around. If my memory serves me correctly, there was a floating Captain Morgan statue on the ceiling. Based on the positive vibes and promising menu, my coworker and I decided to stick around for a drink and an appetizer. Mostly everyone was in the bar area, but we were easily able to find 2 seats at the bar. The bartenders were very friendly. There were 3 of them working every inch of the bar. I found them to be very helpful and attentive as they did a great job rotating around. We ordered a 10 wing appetizer to share, which included some celery and carrot sticks. The fried chicken was on freakin' point! The meat was tender and juicy, and the fried skin was extra crispy. The wings came with 2 sauces of our choice. Rather than slathering the chicken wings in the sauces, they came as sides. (Can't remember if my coworker had asked for the sauces on the side this way or if that's just Backyard Bistro's standard protocol.) We got hot and jerk, and we even got a complimentary ranch sauce as the 3rd one. The hot sauce tasted like standard buffalo sauce, but it was particularly good. I wondered if it was because we were in NC, and they just got their vinegar based sauces down on lock. The jerk sauce was the hotter one between the two. Had great flavor and all, but it was definitely not for the faint at heart. read more

The Local - Fried chicken wings - American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Had a reservation for 5, got there early and went to the bar we were on our way to Little Big Town/Sugarland at Lenovo Arena. At 5:40 went back to front hostess area and inquired when we would be seated to order dinner. We were seated at 6pm The Local salad with grilled shrimp was very good. We shared duo dip and my husband got the grouper tacos. Everyone was so busy yet smiling and very nice. Just note you cannot order food at the bar from 5-7. It was crazy busy and worth the wait the young lady at the hostess area was so frazzled and apologetic. I said hey we get it as long as we have time to walk to the venue we r fine. We will return. Zac our waiter was a nice young man and had our orders to our table quickly. I HOPE ALL GOES WELL WITH THE LOCAL, it's so nice inside, delicious food and friendly staff. Make a reservation and if it's Friday night get there before 5 and order food at the bar. CHECK IT OUT YOU WONT BE SORRY read more

The Local - Our 39th anniversary on our way to Little Big Town/Sugarland venue at Lenovo Friday, October 25. - American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

My friend and I like to take our girls out for dinner so they get some QT time with their moms. We came here for dinner during a game at PNC. The parking lot was packed but we didn't have to wait long to be seated. I had the ribs with Mac and cheese and a salad. Let me say that the ribs were amazing. The Mac & Cheese not so much. My friend didn't like her food. She had a burger with the Mach and cheese. I would return but strictly for the ribs. Service was ok... read more

The Local - Whole rack of St. Louis Style Ribs with White Cheddar Mac and Cheese - American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Mannnn this place was poppin when we came. Big fan and the food was delicious. Quick service when I went.

Some friends came from out of town for a hockey game at PNC Arena and wanted to meet us here beforehand since it was right next to their hotel. I know they fill up and get busy on hockey nights, so we arrived extra early. Even then, our server was pretty scarce. Our friends ordered entrees but we weren't incredibly hungry, so we just ordered beers, a salad, and the redneck egg rolls appetizer. My wife's salad was fine but I thought the egg rolls were kind of dry. We finished in plenty of time for our friends to make the hockey game. It's solid tavern food but nothing that would particularly draw us back anytime soon. Note: looks like they charge you for parking on hockey game days, but we managed to get there right before they did it that night. read more

My wife and I joined about 10 others here on a Saturday night. Our server was Tristen (sp) Very attentive without being annoying. Answered our questions. I asked if I could get a sample of the cole slaw, baked beans and potato salad. He quickly brought them out for me to try. The cole slaw was some of the worst I have ever had. The potato salad wasn't much better but was a little easier to swallow. The baked beans were kind of hard, so it was an unpleasant taste. My wife ordered the brisket mac & cheese, and I got the full rack of ribs with double fries. Our orders came out rather quickly. My wife's meal was amazing. HUGE slices of brisket and a nice dish of mac & cheese. My ribs were really good. Not fall of the bone which is the way I prefer them. Fries were pretty basic, nothing special. The star of the meal was the Bistro sweet "Q" sauce. I mean, I would put that over my pancakes it was so freaking good. I asked if they sold it and sadly, they do not. They should. I would have bought a case :) They also provide military discount They got 4 stars only because I have never been to a BBQ place that the cole slaw, potato salad AND baked beans missed the mark. Service was great. Food was great. BBQ sauce was epic! Will go back next time we are in the area read more

The Local - Full rack of ribs with double fries $25.00 - American Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Food and drinks are pretty good. Had the burger and some habanero wings. If you're in the mood for something new, give it a try.