Finally! I am qualified to write a review of TRU. I've been a regular since last spring but... my first sober visit wasn't until this week. So, I'll break this review down into two parts. Part 1: Sober. I went to TRU for lunch last week. The concept is really interesting. You make your order on an IPad stationed up front. You build a customized sandwich/wrap by selecting different options and pricing. Then you pay at the bar and wait at your table for the order. I thought it was slightly awkward that I couldn't just pay by myself at the ordering station. It kind of defeats the purpose of self-service. I thought the sandwich was good, especially for the price (about $6). I do wish they offered pre-built special sandwiches that you could just select if you don't want to build your own. Part 2: More fun than Part 1. True has a great atmosphere at night. Sometimes it's super relaxed and chill while others it's busy and exciting. I like the variety. They have two floors of bars and plenty of floor space. It's really easy to grab a few chairs with you friends and throw back a few drinks. They also have great daily drink specials like $3 well drinks and $5 off a bottle of wine. Sometimes they sell local art on the walls, which I think is a great touch. I love going and I'd definitely recommend visiting sober or not sober. read more

TRU is such a great spot for a casual meal. The chill vibe inside and ample seating serve the location well for those looking to spend some time chatting, surfing the web, or do some homework. The inside is really nice with it's hip, almost industrial look and has really nice soft alternative music. In addition the upstairs patio is a great place to sit and eat on a nice day. In terms of the food, you make your own sandwich wraps or salads on an iPad at the front and pay per topping. Every time I've gotten food here I've always enjoyed it and am always quite pleased with the variety of toppings, dressings, and condiments available. In addition, the bar here is pretty nice with a good selection of drinks. I'm especially fond of the nice selection of west coast beers here that serve as a nice alternative to the heavily NC beer focus at many other bars. One especially great option is being able to get half pints here if you're not looking to have a whole pint. All and all, I'd say this is a great spot for a casual meal, meeting with friends, and even for casual dates. read more

Super cute place, it's especially nice when the weather is good because they have lots of outdoor seating. I didn't have high expectations for my sandwich because I'm usually very picky about sandwiches from restaurants, but this one was delicious! I got turkey, pesto, and cheese on toasted bread and it was all excellent. read more

This is a great place for a delicious, affordable sandwich or salad. I prefer their sandwiches, the sourdough bread is delicious!

I never had gone down to Henderson thinking non students might not enjoy it as much but after visiting Zog's and Tru Deli and Wine I'll head out of Carrboro more often. I love the outside areas with comfortable seating arrangements and view of the stars. I was surprised the light colored fabric was still in good shape after drinking red wine. Its comfortable with an upscale feel with a long wine list in all price ranges so its not like Glass Half Full (which I love) but can't go often as its $$$ and not just $$ or $. I love the upstairs and the inside of the building is huge and well appointed. It's the last place you would picture a deli being in. I didn't try any deli items as I went in the evening so I can't really review that but as a place to get drinks, relax and hand out I am a fan. I even love the soundtrack they have playing. I wouldn't mind if they add a few cocktails though. read more

Solid three on this because I've had great and not so great experiences. Cool model where it's basically just salads and sandwiches where you pick the toppings. The atmosphere is cool and the upstairs deck is great - I want to see if I can rent it out. The A-Ok part of this is due to the fact that it'd be nice to have more options for soup and protein and cheese toppings like chicken salad, tuna salad, feta, goat cheese. It's a simple set-up but more attentive staff could help things move more smoothly (there's always a line) and add a friendly feel (the hipster vibe can come off cold). The biggest downfall comes from being served a side of dressing with a fly in it. I went to tell the staff and they were like "Oh, here's another" - not even an apology or an offer for a complimentary cookie or something. Customer service is not great here, but the food is affordable and good if you want something simple. read more

so good, friendly staff! their sandwiches are very yummy, the ambiance is great. would come back with friends !!

Tru is in where The Lodge and PTs used to be. Unlike PTs, it's not a crazy drunk bad food bar. Unlike The Lodge, it's not a crazy drunk bad food bar that magically turns into a tapas place. Nope, Tru is a place with sandwiches, or sammiches. Good sandwiches too. You can customize these sandwiches thanks to Tru's paper-based ordering system, getting everything from ham to turkey to capicola, while also getting to choose your bread, toppings, and whether or not you want a giant pickle (you want a giant pickle). Beer selection is limited, though decent and price-effective. They do have a lot of wine and cheese. Tru also has the upstairs seating, which I have not tried yet (so I can't really assess its difference from previous tenants). All of the seating looks really nice, which is a nice touch. Overall, Tru is a very different place than one might expect from previous tenants. It's also a very nice place to hang out on a nice evening. read more

Finally got around to going to TRU after numerous recommendations from friends. We were here on a Monday night and it wasn't too busy, so we immediately sat down and started the (somewhat daunting) ordering process. You can order from your phone online or an iPad. It's not exactly clear that after you order, you go and pay and get your chips/drink and then sit down and wait for your food to be delivered to you. It's a really funky and confusing ordering system, at least for the first time. The food itself was great. I had a turkey and bacon sandwich with cucumber, avocado, and mayo. It ended up being $10.75 with chips and a bottle of water which wasn't too bad but certainly not cheap. The sandwich was excellent--perfectly crispy bread, very good bacon (not quite as good as Merritt's, though) and really good turkey. Probably one of the best sandwiches I've had. The ambience of TRU is quite nice. Dark wood, not a lot of artificial light--it almost reminds me of Starbucks--it's sort of homey like that. It's quite nice. Service was very good all around, I have no complaints. I wouldn't hesitate to come back and up the review to 5 stars--I just have to get that ordering system down pat. read more

I've been there quite a few times and its quickly becoming my go-to lunch place in Chapel Hill. It's very laid back and has a great atmosphere for conversation. You fill out a check list for your sandwich and everything is priced a la carte. They make a very good and inexpensive vegetarian sandwich and their cookies are definitely worth trying. They don't accept cash, so make sure that you bring your credit card. My only complaint is that I wish they were open later. This would be an awesome late-night venue and a nice change of pace from the bar scene. read more

I'm trying to see why this place is so highly rated. I have to take my own order, find a seat and try to balance my salad on my lap. The food is okay, the turkey has no favor. For the price I was expecting a lot more quality. I'm sorry but $10 for a sandwich on toasted bread does not make me want to come back. Next stop, Linda's for a real meal. read more

Awesome atmosphere, awesome food. Best part is the secret tequila bar. Boyfriend likes the Asian and the raspberry dressing. Sitting on the front porch now with half-priced wine. Wish there was a way to tip with the ipad system! read more

tru is one of the best places to go for a casual drink in chapel hill. the rooftop area, set with picknick tables, patio furniture and outdoor lights, is perfect (weather permitting) at night and during the day. the indoor area is always really nice and larger than you'd think. also notable, every day, tru has a different drink special! to name a few: cocktail night $5 (thursday), $2 off pints (saturday), $3 well drinks (tuesday), $2 off wine (sunday)! there are tons of beer specials in chapel hill, but the real gem in here is the $5 cocktail night. tru cocktails are super ~fresh and I'm always down for a good cosmo or old fashioned. dogs are also welcome! read more

Tru - Delis Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Considering that we were a 30+ party, the staff a great job accommodating us. There were no major mistakes with the orders and most people's food came out very quickly. The quality of the sandwiches was great and I would definitely come back, I just wanted to emphasize the quality of service from the perspective of a former server. read more

I was very disappointed with the lack of turkey and avocado when I went earlier this week. As a sandwich place, it seems like something that should always be available. The restaurant is a bit confusing for people that haven't been there previously. The menu was a tad confusing because it wasn't clear that the salad option was not a side salad. It was not clear that the drinks and chips were self-serve because they were not quite visible from the registers. The sandwich I got was a typical sandwich. Not special and not bad. The one thing I enjoyed was the environment. It seemed like a nice place to study or talk to friends. read more

TRU is a really nice place to go for dinner/wine. It also always has people who are beautifully dressed up. Their food is SO good and very inexpensive (if you're a vegetarian) and they have a wide variety of vegetables, cheese, breads (amazing sourdough), and sauces to mix and match. The food is always fresh, but it takes quite a while to get served (once over an hour). They have good appetizers like their rosemary almonds and their mini-cheese platter. I tried Riesling for the first time at TRU (which was great) and I was hooked ever since. read more

I love this place. The outside seating is perfect - shady and spacious. The iPad ordering is unique and speeds up the ordering process. They have a great wine menu. Tips: They also serve a cheese plate (my favorite), but it's only listed on their paper menu, not the iPad, so if that's your sort of thing too, ask for a paper menu. Tip the person who checks you out. The iPad doesn't offer a place to tip, but if you have a few bucks handy, the server/bartenders will love you and help you out by bringing drinks to you if they aren't swamped. read more

I only ever go here for lunch. The sandwiches are consistently tasty and the staff helpful if you need it. You can build your lunch in a variety of ways from light to heavy toasted, a little or a lot of meat, and one or two or more slices of tomatoes, etc. My favorite is the turkey in toasted sourdough with cranberry sauce. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. read more

If you're looking for a laid back rooftop/outdoor patio experience to enjoy a nice cocktail and friendly company, this is an excellent choice! TRU offers fresh deli style sandwiches and wraps as well as a bar including specialty cocktails, wine, and beer. This place is unique in that you won't be seated by a hostess and be waited on. When you arrive you will use an iPad to scroll through ingredients and toppings for your sandwich or wrap and create a custom order (you can also choose from options like light, regular, or heavy) for each selection which is really nice! You can also order ahead of time or from your seat on the patio from your smart phone. They'll bring your food to you. I have been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the ingredients (always fresh) and very tasty for it being a sandwich! I love adding the cranberry spread to my sandwiches! Most of all I love the ambiance of TRU, inside the lighting is dim and it feels rustic. Additional props for having a lovely outdoor patio with comfortable seating and umbrellas. There are a few TV's inside and you could watch a game there - it wasn't too crowded for a Tarheel game when I was there. read more

Pros: - plenty of seating (indoor and outdoor) - very customizable sandwiches/wraps/salads (lots of ingredients and sauces available and amount is adjustable, also can be toasted) - quality ingredients and tasty - ambience: warm, rustic, sleek - cost effective: sandwiches can range from $4-$8 - avocado!!!! Cons: - only 2 iPads to order off of - only one person in charge of the paying process - if you with a group, food comes at different times read more

Awesome place to have an inexpensive delicious dinner and relax. I never knew that they had an upstairs, but I will definitely be looking into it the next time I go! The sandwiches are customizable and they have an awesome selection to choose from. I don't really have a go-to combo of ingredients but I do always have either the pesto or cranberry sauce or both. Those sauces are phenomenal. The only tip I have is not to go when they have wine and art nights. The wait for food is significantly longer (usually ~ 10 minutes, but we waited for ~ 30 minutes this day). They did give us discounts on our meals though so we all still left very pleased! read more

I used to go to Tru all the time with friends and couldn't wait to bring my mom for a glass of wine and a cheese board. But Tru no longer has as many specialty cocktails OR cheese boards at all. We keep asking employees when they'll have the trademarks back but they don't seem to know themselves and have to apologize for management...We haven't been back in months!! read more

Awesome sandwich's that you compose yourself Nice and friendly staff Great collection of beers on tap I did not try anything else from bar but it looks well stocked with wine and liquor I'll definitely consider coming back read more

I have always loved Tru for their cocktails and cheese boards, but recently they haven't had either. The employees seemed distraught when I asked when cheese would be back, so I assume it is a problem with management. I can't stand behind Tru if they don't have cheese and wine because those were my two favorite things. RIP cheese and my love for this place. I guess we'll have to go to Down Time from now on. read more

Very trendy restaurant serving gourmet sandwiches and wine. Plenty of community seating inside, outside and an upstairs balcony. Orders and payments are done on iPads, or you can place an order ahead of time through the website. Total customization is the theme here. Load it up or keep it simple, any style is delicious. read more

Tru - Toasted sourdough turkey sandwich. Sun dried tomatoes are a must. Yum. - Delis Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Even more convinced this place is amazing as the sandwiches are superbly crafted and the drafts are awesome. You sandwich is crafted exactly as you desire read more

Tru - Amazing - Delis Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

I love tru and the food; however, I really wish they would start serving cocktails again, or even just expand their beer/wine list for more options. It would really entice me to come in more often than i do! read more

A fantastic sandwich - best in town (with the exception of Merritt's BLT)... fresh ingredients. Dog friendly is a huge plus!!! read more

Tru - Delis Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

This is one of the best places in the undergrad area of franklin street. It's a great spot to start the night: grab a sandwich and a drink, lounge on a comfy couch and chat while you come up with a plan for the evening. They have a reasonably priced cocktail list (I got the hummingbird which is champagne and st. Germaine for $7), and a decent beer and wine list especially considering that 90% of their patrons are probably between the ages of 21-24. It's easy and fun to order the sandwiches on their tablet system, and I always get everything I want because they are super cheap, even with avo and other "premium" toppings my sandwich often comes to $4.50-$6.00. The place itself is pretty intimate, which a couple alcoves with couches and a main dining area with some community tables where the kids study. I'll be honest this place probably would have been my second home when I was in college. How I really fell in love with the place though is the take out. I am often stuck at the hospital late and can't take a break to go to the cafeteria. My partner will sometimes pick up a couple sandwiches after he gets off the bus and show up in the loading area with a delicious toasted dinner as a surprise when I'm tired and hangry. read more

This place is very cool, I didn't know the downstairs was the entrance at first, so I went upstairs first. The place is very chill and yet very cool. Gives off a relaxing ambiance and a cool wine bar feel and more of a high end feel. It's rustic but sleek too. Which I feel the sleekness gives it a high end feel. There is food which I didn't order this time but it's all through an iPad. I noticed there is no POS system only iPads. Maybe I'm old school but it seems like if it's busy it could be more inconvenient, but hey maybe I'll come back when it's busy to see. The bartenders were very friendly. The lady bartender seemed very inexperienced: friendly but inexperienced, interesting time watching her pour a beer and wipe it up with cocktail napkins and liquor pours looked like it would knock someone out fast. Maybe she's new? One thing that shocked me was it seems like a very nice place, more high end, but the staff was dressed like any other college bar not like a higher end bar. All in all this is a great place just some interesting things to see and think about. But I would highly recommend coming here. read more

One of my favorite places in chapel Hill!! I love the atmosphere, wine and food. They have build your own sandwiches, wraps and salads. They have the cutest rooftop outdoor seating. Great place to chill and enjoy wine with friends outdoors, great place to study or great place to eat. Basically it is great anytime for any occasion. read more

Tru - Delis Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

I absolutely love it. My fav is a mix of beef and tuna salad read more

Tru - beef salad - Delis Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Love this place! The ambience is very nice, tastefully decorated. You enter and order on the ipads, put down your name and take a number, then pay with a waiter/waitress beside. You can DIY your own sandwich and they have ingredients that are hard to find in other DIY sandwich place. Their cookies are delicious and cheap!!! They also have free wifi to use. No complaint about this place, and I will continue visiting! read more

Every single person that we interacted with was snobby and elitist: I have NEVER been told "if you don't like it, then you can leave." - so suffice it to say that when my friend - the only black person in the place - was told that very thing I was shocked! She was told to leave - AFTER SHE HAD ALREADY REQUESTED A REFUND - and it left me speechless. They accused her of things that were NOT true. Clearly, they wanted to maintain their prim white privileged surroundings without being disturbed by an "angry black women." I will NEVER be back! read more

Big fan of Tru! I've come here both for food and drinks and both times it has been great. They offer make your own salads and sandwiches. I ordered a sandwich: wheat bread, turkey and roast beef, provolone, mayo, mustard, spinach, sun dried tomatoes and a pepper relish...kind of a weird combo, but it was delicious. You can also get it toasted light or heavy and I opted for heavy which was the perfect amount for me- it wasn't burnt but my friend got it toasted light and it wasn't quite toasted enough to my liking! The turkey was cut in thick slices- so good! I also loved the sun dried tomatoes. Overall it was a great sandwich. I've also gotten a few cocktails from here, and a glass of Prosecco, and it's very fairly priced. This place gets pretty crowded on weekend nights- fairly so because it's a great spot. They have both indoor and outdoor seating with an awesome "rooftop" (more like upstairs outside, a big deck upstairs) outdoor seating with shade from umbrellas. Seating is mostly picnic tables. read more

I love how I can build my own sandwich on the ipads. The sandwich possibilities are endless. I love their cookies!! I've never been disappointed when I ate there... however I usually get the same thing. My only suggestion is offer few ideas of sandiwch combinations. Sometimes it's hard to decide what items would pair up nicely, so I end up getting the same thing every time I go. I get it's a deli sandwich place, but sometimes I need to see what other people come up with to give me a new sandwich idea. read more

This place has a brilliant atmosphere but the food does not live up to the hype. The service is nonexistent: they expect you to already know how to order even if you've never been there before. Great place for drinks but definitely not for food. read more

Tru was my go to for a night out in Chapel Hill with my friends. Sadly, they don't have their cheese board anymore. We are all heartbroken and chee read more

I went here with a match on Bumble Bizz! The quiet but comfortable atmosphere made the networking opportunity feel simple and natural. Great food and a really awesome outdoor area! I would definitely recommend for any meeting, lunch outing, or casual drinks with friends. read more

1 star because they have absolutely no concept of what good customer service is. I used to eat here all the time senior year. Now, they are complete morons. Never sit on the patio upstairs if it's cold outside. It's extremely dark and has no space heaters. The food runner did not even bring us napkins. Also, they charged me for a cookie that I never got. If you're out of cookies, then the appropriate thing to do is tell the customer, not charge them for it and never bring them a cookie. I had to ask for my money back and someone gives me 50 cents in coins. It's ridiculous. I will not patronize an establishment that treats me in this way. read more