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    The Willard Rooftop Lounge

    3.4 (119 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 9:00 PM

    The Willard Rooftop Lounge Photos

    THE WILLARD ROOFTOP LOUNGE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Touristy
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    Upscale

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    Recommended Reviews - The Willard Rooftop Lounge

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    Charcuterie Spinach and Artichoke dip Short rib flatbread
    Erica I.

    I went here for dinner with some friends, and had a very nice time. It was super easy to make a reservation, and there's a very easy parking lot (free on the weekends) a couple blocks away. We ordered the spinach artichoke dip, the charcuterie board, and the short rib flatbread. Everything was very decent- The flatbread was my favorite, with a very flavorful and generous serving of short rib. The dip was tasty, no complaints there. But the charcuterie was enormous and fun to graze on, but I was missing some outstanding cheeses or meats. Probably the best bang for your buck with this one, but it fell a little flat for me. The only thing I didn't love was the service. They tried to seat us outside on some couches without a real table, and it was very much drizzling on us. When we asked to move inside, they were not very happy. We ended up sitting at a very small table, which was perfectly fine since we were dry. Other than that, the inside was lovely with a beautiful view of the city. I imagine that when it's nice out, it would be a LOVELY rooftop dinner space.

    Charcuterie
    Annie J.

    The Willard is located on the rooftop of the AC Hotel in downtown Raleigh. When we visited, seating was limited, so I'd highly recommend making a reservation if you don't want to wait. We sat outdoors, which was lovely, though the space felt a little tight. The staff were friendly and attentive. I tried a few of their cocktails but I preferred the wine. Overall, The Willard is a great spot for drinks with a view, especially during sunset. Just plan ahead for seating.

    pancetta and manchego croquetas
    Sydney H.

    We came here during Triangle restaurant week and enjoyed our dinner. The Willard is located at the top of AC hotel in downtown raleigh. We had a reservation for a friday night and made the reservation 2 days before. My husband and I both ordered the croquetas to start. We were very suprised we how much we got (6 pieces per person). They came out nice and hot and had a garlic aioli to dip. The cheese was perfectly melty and so tasty. For our entree we order the BBQ bacon pretzel burger, which wa sour favorite because of how flavorful it was. The bureaus burger was good, but the bun didn't seem toasted and the overall burger did not come out hot. We ended our night with the churro cheesecake which was so delicious! We also ordered the chocolate torte, but had it to go. it was topped with candied pecans, and the torte was very rich, but also delicious. We left with some leftovers and overall enjoyed our meal! All of our food came out pretty fast as well

    Ashleigh F.

    The Willard is located downtown inside of the AC hotel. There is outdoor seating where you can take in the nice views of the city. It was a little chilly outside so we dined inside. Once I was seated I was greeted right away. The staff was initially pleasant. I got the wagyu burger with fries. Our food was brought out quickly. The burger was really good & the fries were also good and served hot. While dining I wasn't provided with a refill on my water or wasn't asked if I wanted one. After we were finishing our meal, our server came over & just gave us our bill without asking if we wanted it & if we wanted anything else. The restaurant was not busy at all or they were not closing anytime soon.

    Ted G.

    What is the draw of a rooftop bar on a nice day that becomes such an attraction? Being out on an open rooftop overlooking the city, surrounded by comfortable chairs and excellent drinks is what brought me to the Willard and being as impressed as I was, I will return. The staff are great and the Old Fashioned's are excellent! Cheers!!

    Black is the new berry
    Marissa M.

    I enjoyed the Willard. It's a very relaxed hotel rooftop located in the posh AC Hotel. This hotel smells heavenly. I live for pleasant fragrances. If you're looking for a turn up with a live DJ, this isn't it. This is strictly for the Grown & Sexy. The Willard offers a very relaxed ambiance & a bird's eye view of Oak City. The staff here is very friendly and courteous and that makes for an enjoyable experience. You may also rent the rooftop for special occasions.

    At the bar
    Meena P.

    This was a lucky find in my quest for a drink with a view! Awesome rooftop above the AC hotel in the happening strip of Glenwood. It was the perfect place to catch up with my friend on a beautiful sunny Sunday . We had their amazing espresso martinis and took in the view of Raleigh. Great high top tables and sofas . They have food as well. But we were here for the beverages ! Great casual chill service. They created a nice laid back vibe here. Super clean inside and outside . Greta Sunday funday spot ! Just take the elevator up !

    Short Rib Melt flatbread

    The bar is on the 7th floor of the AC Hotel midtown Raleigh. The hotel is modern & accessible. We took the elevator up to the bar that is open & beautiful in a large space. We sat right at the open space with a wonderful view of Raleigh .. We started with glasses of Albariño from Spain & a pinot Grigio from Italy. Loved both wines. Ordered a bottle- prices are very reasonable for both the drinks & food. We started off with Pretzel w dipping sauces. So delicious especially the sauces. Then we had the Papas Bravas - good. Then came the Short Rib Flatbread- phenomenal ! A total symphony of sublime flavors. If I had the time & money, I would go every day for this flatbread! A must try ! The service was fantastic... Only one caveat - the table was only big enough for a couple of drinks- not large enough to hold food. I was not comfortable with scrambling the plates, glasses & silverware the whole time afraid one or the other would come crashing to the floor. I would say if you are going to order food ask for a table suitable for dining.

    Pretzel appetizer
    Erika J.

    The bar service was amazing. The bar tenders rotate around the bar so you are always well taken care of. Bar seats usually aren't comfortable but these were. The drinks were pretty, but also good. I only got an appetizer, but my pretzel was served hot and was tasty. The braid was unique just like all the drinks... so I can imagine the rest of their food is amazing as well.

    Arvian D.

    I had lunch at this restaurant on Mother's Day. We had reservations, so when we arrived, we were tended to quickly. We reserved indoor seating. This rooftop environment has some great perks . The view is amazing. It was beautiful during the daytime so I can only imagine how beautiful it is at nighttime. The environment is comfortable and cozy. There are non-traditional type of seating. We were seated in an area that was reminiscent of being in the living room and eating with family. We ordered appetizers and entrées. All food came out within expected timeframe. The food tasted good, was moist, and had great texture. The sauces really made the dishes. The sauces were very flavorful with a good balance of spices. My son had a burger with some very thick layers of bacon that he was raving about the entire time he was eating. I had the salmon dish which was good, but could have used a little more seasoning. I drizzled some of the sauce from our appetizer onto my dish, which gave it the additional flavor that it needed. Our server was friendly, and gave us good advice when we inquired about items on the menu. It was a good experience.

    Bulgogi Steamed Buns
    Jaime S.

    We decided at the last minute on a beautiful Saturday, early evening to have drinks & appetizers at the Willard Rooftop Lounge. There was a 30 minute wait for the smaller balcony where we requested to be seated. Less than 30 minutes later we were seated! Ashley was our server and she was great! She literally had the whole section and never made it feel like she was overwhelmed or spread thin. The balcony is set up so nicely and is absolutely beautiful, the view is great. There is also indoor seating which is nice & comfortable. They also have a larger balcony with lots more seating & great views on the other side. The bar area has plenty of seating as well. They have a great cocktail menu & plenty of other libations to choose from. There food menu is pretty decent. We ordered the Papas Bravas and the Bulgogi Steamed Buns to snack on with our drinks. Unfortunately we had to send back the Bulgogi Steamed Buns because they were cold & the meat looked unusual. My daughter had them before and loved them, but this time not so much. The Papas Bravas were yummy. We shared the larger portion which was more than enough. It was the perfect day to be there, and I'm looking forward to many days their this season!!

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    Best espresso martini we've ever had! Beautiful rooftop hang with a great menu, would definetly return

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    5 months ago

    Got the Willard burger and the IPA. Both delicious! Fries were great too. Also some really great views of downtown Raleigh.

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    Don't walk too quickly past this gem, take the elevator up and have amazing sites and amazing food and drinks. Have a BLAST, it's worth it!

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    Ask the Community - The Willard Rooftop Lounge

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    Aunty Bettys Gin and Absinthe Bar

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    Tucked behind the bustle of of the Morgan Street Food Hall lies a not-so-secret secret: a whimsical…read moreden of gin, absinthe, and mischief. Step through the unassuming door near the buildings corner and find yourself in a moody little lair where botanicals bloom in every glass and green fairies are always welcome. Part apothecary, part speakeasy, all vibes -- this tucked-away tipple temple is your reward for being curious. Blink and you'll miss it -- sneeze and you'll lose your seat. This cozy little cocktail cave fills up faster than you can say "Negroni, please." With just enough room for a handful of lucky souls, it's part bar, part social experiment. Come early, come curious, and be prepared to elbow your way into the best seat you'll never want to give up. If you're in a rush, maybe try...literally anywhere else. Their cocktails take time -- because They're busy muddling together timeless classics, like a good Old Fashioned. But hey, perfection can't be microwaved. Sip slowly, wait longer, and remember: you can't rush greatness...or them. Cheers!

    Aunty Bettys is in the same building as the Morgan Street Food Hall, and has its own entrance and…read moreseating area. They have an interesting cocktail and mocktail menu with a variety of things, they also have a dealer's choice where you tell the bartender what flavors you like and they'll try to accommodate. They had a lot of gin cocktails on their menu, gin doesn't agree with me, so I asked for a New York Sour, which is a variation of a whiskey sour with red wine instead of sweet and sour mix. They made the NY Sour with a nice egg white foam on top. They charged me $14 for that cocktail. It was a good time, and my friends and I went next door to the Food Hall for dinner.

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    Cuya - Très lèche

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    This place was absolutely amazing. All I can say is, we made a lot of happy noises while eating,…read moreand there were plenty of "oh my God" moments at the table. From the staff to the manager to the food, everything was on point. The food truly speaks for itself. They serve small plates, which we love because it gives you the chance to try different things and experience a variety of flavors. We started with the fried pork belly on tostones. It was perfectly seasoned, topped with avocado, and every bite just melted in your mouth. Next, we had the tamarind sticky ribs with a tamarind mango barbecue sauce. This was a perfect example of how simplicity can create complex flavors. The ribs were cooked just right -- not completely falling off the bone, but tender enough that when you bit into them, the meat pulled apart so easily. They were juicy, full of flavor, and had just the right touch of spice from the chili flakes. Then we moved on to the mini arepas, and oh my God. They had slow-cooked pork, guava barbecue sauce, and fried papas on top. The arepa itself was crispy on the outside, warm and fluffy on the inside. The savory pork paired with the sweetness of the guava barbecue sauce was incredible, and the crunch from the fried papas took it to another level. Now, I have a bit of a sweet tooth, but my wife does not. I wanted dessert, and we were leaning toward the tres leches, but our waitress highly recommended the bread pudding. I am not usually a fan of bread pudding at all, but her recommendations had been on point all night, so I decided to trust her. I am so glad we did. They take a Mexican bolillo, soak it overnight in tres leches, then pan-sear it to create this crispy caramelized outside while keeping the inside warm, soft, and sweet. It is topped with crema and toasted coconut, then they pour warm guava syrup over it and serve it with a scoop of coconut sorbet. The layers of flavor in that dessert were unreal. Honestly, it may have been the best dessert we have ever had. And remember, my wife is not big on sweets -- she usually only takes one bite of dessert, but this time she tried to eat over half of it. Lol. I highly recommend this place. The food, the service, the drinks, and the atmosphere were all amazing. And after dinner, you can even head upstairs to work off the food with salsa lessons and a dance club. This is definitely a spot worth checking out! Este lugar fue absolutamente increíble. Lo único que puedo decir es que hicimos muchos sonidos de felicidad mientras comíamos, y hubo muchos momentos de "¡Dios mío!" en la mesa. Desde el personal, hasta el gerente, hasta la comida, todo estuvo excelente. La comida realmente habla por sí sola. Sirven platos pequeños, algo que nos encanta porque te da la oportunidad de probar diferentes cosas y experimentar una variedad de sabores. Comenzamos con el pork belly frito sobre tostones. Estaba perfectamente sazonado, cubierto con aguacate, y cada bocado simplemente se derretía en la boca. Después probamos las costillitas pegajosas de tamarindo con una salsa barbecue de tamarindo y mango. Este plato fue un ejemplo perfecto de cómo la simplicidad puede crear sabores complejos. Las costillas estaban cocinadas en su punto: no se caían completamente del hueso, pero estaban tan tiernas que al morderlas, la carne se desprendía fácilmente. Estaban jugosas, llenas de sabor y con el toque perfecto de picante gracias a las hojuelas de chile. Luego pasamos a las mini arepas, y ¡Dios mío! Tenían cerdo cocinado lentamente, salsa barbecue de guayaba y papitas fritas encima. La arepa estaba crujiente por fuera, calientita y esponjosa por dentro. El sabor salado del cerdo combinado con la dulzura de la salsa barbecue de guayaba fue increíble, y el crujiente de las papitas fritas lo llevó a otro nivel. Ahora, a mí me gustan mucho los dulces, pero a mi esposa no tanto. Yo quería pedir postre, y estábamos pensando en el tres leches, pero nuestra mesera nos recomendó mucho el budín de pan. Normalmente no soy fanático del budín de pan, pero sus recomendaciones habían sido excelentes toda la noche, así que decidí confiar en ella. Me alegra muchísimo haberlo hecho. Toman un bolillo mexicano, lo remojan durante la noche en tres leches y luego lo sellan en sartén para crear una capa exterior crujiente y caramelizada, mientras que el interior se mantiene calientito, suave y dulce. Lo sirven con crema y coco tostado, luego le vierten encima un jarabe tibio de guayaba y lo acompañan con una bola de sorbete de coco. Las capas de sabor en ese postre fueron irreales. Honestamente, puede que haya sido el mejor postre que hemos probado en nuestra vida. Y recuerden, mi esposa no es muy amante de los dulces; normalmente solo prueba un bocado del postre, pero esta vez intentó comerse más de la mitad. Jajaja.

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    Whiskey Kitchen - Cracklin' Biscuits

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    4.0(787 reviews)
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    Wow! I said I'd come back but I didn't realize it had been 8 years!…read more My husband Dan H and I had a great lunch with some friends today. We all shared an order of fries for the table, which were amazing. Then I got the grain bowl with shrimp, and everything was perfectly prepared and delicious. My husband enjoyed his biscuits and gravy with fried chicken- so tender and decedent. Our friends enjoyed their meal, too, and enjoyed the apple custard for dessert. The mocktails were also delicious- I loved one with hibiscus and ginger. So nice to have a bunch of mocktail options! The ambiance was just as great as it was 8 years ago- spacious and light. The server was great, and let us linger for a few hours without hovering. Hope to be back sooner than another 8 years from now!

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    The Crunkleton - Parmesan fries, dry rubbed wings, pimento and country ham biscuits

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    Beignets, beignets, beignets!…read more This place is perfect for a girls night, date night, friends night, solo night... honestly any night! I came here for drinks and dessert with friends, and the star of the show was definitely the beignets. As someone who has visited New Orleans and tried the real deal, I thought I knew what good beignets tasted like. Turns out, I did not have to travel that far after all! The beignets here are like a cross between a classic beignet and a croissant. Light, fluffy, and just the right amount of indulgent. I will definitely be back to check out more of the menu, but no matter what, I am saving room for the... say it with me... beignets!!

    Wanted to try something new, and, since I liked the reviews for this place, I figured I'll give it…read morea shot. The ambiance is classy but laid back. The Service was outstanding thanks to Hayley. Her recommendations for pairing the drinks with the food were flawless, and each drink was prepared like a work of art. I started with the raw oysters, paired with a glass of Rose, which I loved. They switched from the Halibut with Fennel to Mahi with Forbidden Rice. The rice is black and inky and potent and extraordinary, but it overwhelmed the fish completely. Still greatful I got to experience it, but I would pair it with something more gamy like lamb or goat. The Pecan pie with warm salted caramel ice cream was nothing short of a spiritual experience, and Hayley's recommendation to pair it with Rum Flip was perfect. Yes, I Ubered. Overall, this one is going to be a frequent hangout.

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    The Willard Rooftop Lounge - cocktailbars - Updated May 2026

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