We are in Raleigh for a softball camp at NC State and were exploring the area. Iyla's is located in…read morea "food warehouse"... basically a trendy food court. FANTASTIC FIND!! The Dukes Chicken sandwich was great. Super crispy chicken, flavorful. The tater tots were the best ever. Hot, crispy, salty perfection. The pulled pork was Carolina true, sweet sauce, great bun, tender... delicious. Definitely a spot to grab a meal!!!!

Absolutely delicious! Best chicken and waffles we've ever had! This is our new favorite NC food…read morespot.

Great fresh sould food The place was ssooo clean…read more Staff was soo great and welcoming Me qnd husband will be back

I really wanted to like Nana Morrison's in Cary because I had heard so much hype about it, but this…read morewas a huge disappointment for me. As an African American woman, soul food is more than just food to me. There's a certain authenticity and flavor I expect when I walk into a soul food restaurant. I ordered several items and after tasting everything, I honestly ended up throwing the entire meal away. I took a bite or spoonful of each item just to give everything a fair chance, and every time I moved on to the next thing, it was another disappointment. The mashed potatoes had a strange aftertaste that I couldn't get past. I don't know if it was the gravy or something else, but something tasted off. The barbecue ribs tasted more boiled than slow cooked and were completely drenched in sauce. The cabbage was overwhelmed with vinegar and lacked seasoning. The mac and cheese tasted more like overcooked noodles with cheese instead of flavorful baked mac and cheese. The cornbread was dry, and even the cake was dry. I will say the restaurant was clean and the employees were friendly, so I have no complaints there. My issue was with the food quality and value for the price. Spending around $80 for a meal like this did not feel worth it at all. Maybe other people love it, but based on my experience, I don't understand the hype. The food just did not taste authentic or well prepared to me. I wish I had stuck with my original plans and just gone to Mikey's Diner in Wilson, North Carolina instead. At least I would have left satisfied. For me, this wasn't worth the drive, wasn't worth the money, and I won't be returning.

A cute breakfast place in Downtown Raleigh that gets very busy! I came immediately after landing at…read morethe airport to get brunch on a weekday around noon. The place was crowded but there was no wait. I got seated immediately at a table near a column in the middle of the restaurant and Christy came over and asked if I wanted anything to drink. She brought me iced water and gave me time to look at the menu. I wanted to try so many things and I was too optimistic about ordering 3 things and finishing them myself. Good thing I only ordered 2 things! An order of fried catfish with home fries and one egg. And a biscuit with sausage gravy. The fried catfish was salted and well fried. It tasted delicious for my first bite! The home fries were basically cut potatoes, but they weren't very fried or flavored. I wished I ordered the side of apple sauce instead. The biscuit and sausage was good, but a bit too much for one person after eating a separate order already. Definitely bring more people so you can try more things. Also, I wished I had asked for sausage gravy on the side so I can try the biscuit on its own first as well. Furthermore, I would have more time to eat the catfish so I wasn't worried about the biscuit getting soggy. Christy came to check up on me every now and then. The place was buzzing with people and decorations so I didn't feel so alone. When it was time to pay, Christy brought me the check for me to pay at the cash register. Both Christy and the cashier were so friendly! The restaurant does have a women's and a mens restroom if needed.

This casual downtown Raleigh restaurant has a very authentic Southern vibe. From the red-and-white…read morechecked tablecloths to the other old-fashioned decor and the Southern cuisine menu offerings, you will know you are in North Carolina when you dine here. Walking in feels like you've stepped into a time capsule from a few decades back (for those who like that retro feel - I usually opt for more modern/contemporary vibes so this was a change of pace for me). Its downtown location adds to the retro feel because it is in a quaint marketplace area with cobblestone walkways. And they serve breakfast all day which is great if you are a breakfast lover like me. They have fantastic omelets. I tried the veggie omelet and it was delicious. Service was good. We were promptly seated and our waiter appeared rather quickly too. The food was served soon after ordering.

I can't believe this place had to close and the only reason was pure greed from the landlord. I've…read morebeen going here since 2017 but recently when they switched to gluten-free fried chicken we started going more because my girlfriend has celiac. On Wednesday's they were doing all gluten-free menu and it was amazing...no crazy unreasonable upcharges, just honest menu pricing and great food. As of this review they are the #2 most reviewed place in Raleigh only behind the Pit. When we went last week for a farewell dinner it took us 3 weeks to get in. We got turned away 2 other times. The place was always packed and busy yet cozy and calm with great service. Hopefully they relocate or put some of the items from the menu at Pooles. Fuquay could use a nice place like this and it would be way cheaper than Raleigh! Best of luck to the staff in the future as they all look for work.

I went back to Beasley's Chicken & Honey one last time as they close January 25th. Even on a cold,…read morerainy morning, there was a line outside before opening. I understand as if you aren't seated when they open, you can expect a 90-minute to two-hour wait. I was hoping to get the Chicken Pot Pie this time and thought my prior visit was just off. I was thrilled that most of the menu was available. They were just out of the banana pudding. So I got to try the pecan wings I read about with the white sauce. It was so good. Then I got the chicken pot pie and biscuits. The pot pie had old biscuits for the topping, but the creamy mixture with large chunks of chicken was delicious. My biscuits came with honey and were served warm. I left with a slice of the chocolate-caramel-coconut cake, a side salad without onions, and a fried boneless thigh. The salad was made correctly, and the dressing was included. The salad was full of veggies, and the cake was rich and moist. Service was friendly and as soon as I finished my iced tea, another appeared. My wings were brought out first and it was a while for the rest of the meal as the restaurant was full. But they didn't rush me at all. I actually liked the space between the dishes, as I might not have been able to eat it all otherwise. I couldn't finish both biscuits and was even provided a container for the honey. I am going to miss Beasley's, but I'm glad I got a positive experience to remember the restaurant.

I have been wanting to try this bbq place for awhile and we finally made it after going to an event…read moredowntown. We were fortunate to find a good parking place on the side of the building. As we were walking up my grandson said " this is a fancy place ". The decor is nicer than most bbq places for sure. I was surprised to see so many options that were not bbq and a large selection of sides. He got meatloaf with Mac and cheese and baked beans. He said it was the best meatloaf he ever had and this comes from a picky eater! He loved the Mac and cheese as well. It was a huge serving so I got to try the meatloaf and he was right. He didn't share the Mac and cheese. Neither of us cared for the baked beans. I had the brisket, Brussel sprouts and potato salad. The brisket was tender and flavorful. Awesome. The potato salad was ok but I didn't care for the Brussel sprouts . I would try two different sides next time. A basket of hush puppies and biscuits came as well. We were both so thirsty and I can report they had excellent sweet tea. Our server was knowledgeable and pleasant. The food came out faster than I expected. We will be back!

Stopped by The Pit to try some authentic NC style bbq after moving to the triangle. When you arrive…read moreparking is difficult and you'll need to either find street parking or pay for parking in a nearby lot. When you walk in the space feels like a converted industrial warehouse with a polish of upscale. You'll check in with the host when you arrive and then be seated. For the starter we ordered the Pit Sampler (a medley of their appetizers; which includes pit-smoked wings, BBQ soul rolls, Southern-style deviled eggs, and pimento cheese balls). Unfortunately I wasn't a fan of the pit sampler as most dishes were a bit on the dry side, but the free basket of biscuits and hush puppies were great. For the entree we ordered the half rack of baby back ribs which were good but pretty fatty in some sections. I would return again in the future but may try something else on the menu.

I tried the buffalo chicken sandwich today and you can truly taste the fresh ingredients. The slaw…read morehad a sweet apple flavor, the buffalo sauce wasn't spicy (to me) at all but it was deep in flavor. Chicken was crispy and the sweet potato fries were thin and perfectly sweet and salty. I also tried the prickly pear refresher, it was light on flavor, heavy on sparkling water. Quick and friendly service and it's the perfect time of year to sit outside on their patio.

I wanted to really like this place. I came in with high expectations but left feeling very…read moredisappointed. The staff were great, friendly and knowledgeable. The location is easy to find with public parking. The restaurant is beautiful and with a great layout. The food is where the disappointment lies. The dumplings came out good - hot and flavorful! But that's where it stopped. I asked for my burger to be medium - it came out well done. The mayo wasn't on the side, it was on someone's plate at the table. The fries were cold. Like COLD, COLD. I had to add my own toppings to the fries that should have been hot as well - from what I gathered from the menu. My friend had to ask them a few times to make them over - with watching her - I just decided it wasn't worth the hassle and just wouldn't return. It's a shame - the concept is good overall - but the delivery isn't all there. To charge extra for air fryer fries is wild when they don't come out cooked well and hot for the customer.

This is one of those spaces that does half the work before the food even hits the table. It used to…read morebe an old-school diner, and a lot of that DNA is still there. The bones feel nostalgic, but the overall vibe is current and lively. It's the kind of place that feels familiar but still cool. Service Service is where things really clicked. Our server knew the menu inside out and guided us through it with confidence. Every recommendation landed. It also felt like one of those menus where it would be hard to order poorly. The Food The menu leans comfort food with a modern edge, and it's done really well across the board. We started with a Caesar salad with dill pickle dressing, which sounds like it shouldn't work but absolutely does. Bright, fresh, and just different enough to be interesting without trying too hard. The beet salad was also excellent, clean flavors and well balanced. Then came the pimento cheese with fried crackers. This might have been the sleeper hit. The crackers are dangerously good. Simple idea, executed perfectly, and hard to stop eating. For mains, the fried chicken was solid but didn't stand out the same way the starters did. The short rib pot pie, on the other hand, was exactly what you want from a dish like that. Rich, flaky, and deeply comforting. Overall Poole's is the kind of place where everything feels considered, from the space to the service to the food. It's approachable, well executed, and very easy to enjoy.

Our second visit for dinner at Poole's since relocating to downtown Raleigh last year. We were just…read moreas impressed on this recent visit as we were a few months ago. We opted for a reservation at the bar, and we enjoyed excellent service from Brittany and Kylie. They were attentive and very detailed with the excellent service that we have found out is the norm in every one of Ashley Christensen's restaurants. Our starter of roasted beets had an incredible blend of buttermilk blue cheese with white balsamic thyme, pickled pumpkin, and Marcona almonds. So yummy. Then my husband and I shared the Ricotta Gnocchi that we agree is the BEST gnocchi we have ever had the privilege of eating. So light in spite of a duck bolognese being the sauce. Fried rosemary sparked my home chef mind for future meals! We also shared the Brussels sprout upon Brittany's recommendation. One of the most unique preparations on Brussels sprouts ever with oyster mushrooms and a sherry cream sauce. We typically pass on dessert, but the description of their Pear Tart Tatin coupled with Kylie's verbal description hooked us and we were thrilled to enjoy every bite of the hazelnut praline ice cream that is part of this beautiful dessert.

The food was very fresh, seasoned, and delicious. We ordered the fried catfish, fried crab legs,…read morefried catfish, fried lobster tail, wings( garlic parm), and mac-n-cheese!!!!! Food-10/10, service- 10/10, vibe-10/10!

The restaurant is very nice and clean inside. The service was slow, we were the only two people in…read morethere but a lot of to go orders. Both of us got a boil and to me it was very subpar. There were two different type of shrimp shelled and unshelled. Which gave me the impression that they ran out of shrimp. I asked for more seasoning because it was so bland. I also had a liquid marijuana drink which of you know about the drink then you know how it tastes. I don't like it. I just asked for another shot and tried to recover it.