Being a vegetarian, had the fusilli without chicken. I must say that the taste was quite ordinary.. cold, slightly over cooked.. I have made better pesto than what was served. I was expecting little more flavor based on the description-didn't find any. The insalata caprese was also not very flavorful but not terrible either. Service was good.. we were a group of about 12 and food and drinks came pretty much all together, no one had to wait for it. Overall... three at best... if you consider the prices, probably 2 ! read more

I've been to Vivace a few times and the food is always amazing. The Brussel sprout appetizer is phenomenal. The service was good this past time but I docked them because they restaurant was extremely cramped and didn't seem to be following COVID social distancing protocols. I'm glad we were in a booth and shielded from some people because they seated everyone barely 6 feet apart. Other restaurants we've been to have done a lot better with keeping their customers distanced in the same sized spaced so I was disappointed. Other than that the service was good and our waitress was nice and attentive. read more

This restaurant is a hidden gem. One of my favorite places to dine is at their bar in the back overlooking the kitchen. It's a small area, but very much so feels like a chefs table. I hate writing about it because I'd prefer to keep it a secret! It's a great experience and the chefs will give you special attention, samplers and generally just have great conversation. read more

Delicious, friendly Italian restaurant. We had the Brussels sprouts and meatballs for appetizers. Delish! For entrées, papardelle, cacio y pepe and spaghetti and meatballs, and pizza. All were very strong, with the papardelle a standout. Thanks, Michael! read more

Been here two times, one for my girlfriend's birthday and once for our anniversary and I have to say, their food and service is consistent and spot on. Great spot for mid to high end Italian food. Would definitely recommend the pasta and seafood! read more

I stopped in for a glass of wine and a snack. Both of which where adequate; however, it's difficult to give more stars for such a short visit. I will make a point to have a proper meal soon so I can update my review. read more

My husband and I had a lovely meal and experience here last night! The service was excellent and the ambience was everything we wanted. It was quiet but lively, intimate but open. The food was delicious. They were very busy but our server was attentive and pleasant. Portions were a little small. read more

Vivace - Risotto, sea bass picatta with a side of rosemary potatoes. - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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The location of this place is great, easy to find parking in the lot and the atmosphere was pretty good. We went to celebrate a birthday here, the one thing that sets a place apart is when the establishment makes it feel a little personal. We were never asked by our server if we were here for the first time or celebrating anything. Which is fine, I am guessing I was expecting Italian restaurant to be Italian hospitality. The service here was not that great, our server acting like he was doing us a favor by talking to us. We were shoved all he in a corner, I thought I really didn't look THAT bad did attempt to comb my hair. Regardless, even keeping all that aside the food here is very hit or miss. Some of the apps that we ordered was the reason for the three stars. Their mushroom bruschetta was really good and so was the side order of truffled fingerling potatoes. All the rest of the dishes were pretty average, the four cheese ravioli however was just bland. There was no flavor whatsoever in them, and it is very hard for me to leave anything with cheese on the plate. I was able to eat one, but rest of them just sat there. For the price and expectation this place failed. read more

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Went here before prom with a couple of friends and it was super delicious. Even the water was delicious! Definitely get the calamari as a starter. I got classic spaghetti and meatballs which was good, but had a bite of my friend's lobster ravioli and that was the best bite of the night. read more

This place is FANTASTIC! The prices are amazingly low for the quality and the atmosphere is great too! I can't say enough good things about this place as everything is superb!! The staff are very knowledgeable and helpful. We had a large group that likes to share and everything was excellent. Tasted the "Short Rib on Polenta", Salty Egg Pizza (yes it sounds weird but try it), salads, calamari, and more. Heck even their bread with the bean dip (similar to houmus) was great! I'll be seeing you soon! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! read more

Food is great, with a nice selection to choose from. The wine list is large, but I don't drink wine so I cannot comment on its quality. The servers are very friendly and helpful. Its decor is a little modern/hip for me, but its not a distraction. tl;dr - Great food, good service, will go back. read more

Vivace is a lovely restaurant. The atmosphere was great for a fantastic evening. More importantly, the food is excellent. Chef Nevin has prepared an excellent menu. The flavor was bountiful and the food and pasta were cooked correctly. We loved the service we received. It was a great reasonably priced meal, and we can't way to go back! read more

This is our favorite restaurant in town. We always get the cheese and meat board because it changes regularly and we love trying all of the new offering. They also always have excellent service. Definetly get a reservation on weekends. read more

Bad wine. Over cooked pasta and cannoli tasted like acid. Hope I don't get sick tomorrow. Our poor waiter! He was so nice. read more

One of the best dinners I have ever had! We are at the bar and our bartender was awesome! We started with the Carne pizza and butternut squash soup. Soup was very good, but lacked salt and pepper. Easy fix though! The pizza was fabulous. The cherry peppers on the pizza really made it extra delicious. My husband and I split the Pappardelle w/bolognese and goat cheese crema. It was fabulous!! I can't wait to come back to this restaurant. read more

Sometimes you gotta give a joint a second chance, especially after you referenced the cougar-to-young man ratio and broken table tops on your last visit. Some friends from out of town wanted to go for dinner. They'd never visited Vivace, so I suggested we give it a try. Though my previous experiences at Vivace had been somewhat mixed, I was more than willing to visit again, to note changes to the menu and the food is usually pretty good, despite other "blemishes" I've been able to spot. I made a reservation for 8:30. We arrived promptly at 8:25 to find our table would be "ready in a few." We were seated about 15 minutes later at a four-top in the middle of the floor, rather that in one of the comfy banquettes along the wall. Boo, but to be expected on a Saturday night in North Hills at 8:30. Our server came over to take drink orders and drop off the customary bread with olive butter (love the butter). We ordered drinks and starters. We chose the steamed P.E.I. Mussels, the Marinated Olives and Almonds and a tray of Cured Meats and Cheeses. The mussels were fantastic with a wonderful garlicky broth and crusty bread to soak. The cured meats and cheeses arrived on a tray with honey and honey comb and gingery preserves. This place has a good selection of cheeses, but nothing, I repeat, nothing like the cheese selection at Arpa in Charlotte, for those who've had the pleasure. I ordered the pork chop with apples, which did not disappoint. The yummy, velvety sauce makes my mouth water even now. Hubby ordered the New York Strip with a lovely red wine sauce, that he wishes he could recreate at home.Our friends ordered pasta dishes and were also pleased with their orders. Our server was down-to-earth, friendly and responsive. She never left us wanting, which is commendable. She read through the desserts, though I confess after the barrage of starters I mentioned earlier, we hardly had room for our entrees. This was such a lovely meal. What struck me most about this trip to Vivace, on, like, my 14th or so visit, was the sauces. The chefs make some amazing sauces. Having tried to prepare sauces at home with varied results, I know and appreciate the skill and the results. The sauce ties the bow on a perfect palate pleaser. Visit Vivace. Embrace the cougars (just picture a lot of them as future auditionees for the Real Housewives of Raleigh). Wait a few extra minutes for a table. The food will be divine. read more

Side Midtown restaurant with good food and service. Great ambience but noisy. We were there on a Saturday night and they appeared to be rushing us. read more

Really one of the best all around dining experiences I know of in the Raleigh. I asked the waitress to recommend a beer because I don't know anything about Italian beers and wanted something different. Apparently they were out of the one she recommended but when she came back she brought with her a different beer. She said it was the bartenders favorite and if I didn't like it she would bring something else. Great service considering she could have just told me they were out and had me wait longer. I had the smoked duck pizza which was awesome. Also had tiramasu for dessert which you would expect to be awesome at this place. Finished off with a round of coffee that was quite good. Hats off to the service at vivace. They know what they're doing. read more

I've been to Vivace several times with great food and service, but my most recent experience has me thinking they are on the decline and not that interested in pleasing the customers. I went with my family for my 30th birthday dinner, so this was a special occasion for us. Service problems - For starters, the waitress was just really off with timing and asking odd things, like if I wanted something to drink when I had a full glass of wine in front of me. My wine was finished before the meal came, and she did not reappear to ask if I wanted another until I was almost done with my main dish, so I didn't have a glass of wine with the majority of my dinner. Someone else brought the food to our table, and she didn't come check in on us after to see if there were problems. There were. When we finally did get to explain the problem (when everyone was done eating and my mother had a full plate in front of her) they offered her a free dessert, which was pretty useless since my mother has Celiac and they didn't have any gluten-free dessert options. They did not take the uneaten plate off the bill, but being my birthday dinner, my family didn't want to argue at the end of our night together. Food problems - Hands down not as good as my previous dinners there. The appetizers weren't cooked as well, everything was lacking flavor. My mother's gluten-free pasta wasn't cooked properly and was hard. Not al dente (we're Italian. we know what that means.) but hard. She couldn't eat it. If they are going to have a gluten-free menu and offer five pasta dishes on it, they need to learn how to cook gluten-free pasta. My grouper had bones in it and wasn't cooked through the middle. The gnocchi appetizer was hard and not very flavorful. Overall, the service was frustrating, the food was only memorable in that it wasn't cooked properly, and they didn't actually seem to care about us having a nice dinner together. It was much too expensive for the lack of thought and care they seemed to put into our dining experience. read more

Ashley is doing a fabulous job! She came out, introduced herself and checked on us..made sure we were having a good time and the service is great! read more

This is one of the best Italian restaurants in Raleigh and an excellent restaurant over all. It's obvious that it's management is on top of things all the way through the dinning experience. Even though the menu comes across as typical Italian and somewhat lacks interesting modern dishes, the food is top notch. The calamari appetizer was one of the freshest and best I've tried in a while. The scallops Risotto was just as excellent. The other dishes on the table all looked great and consistent. Service was prompt and our waitress Britney was professional and attentive without over doing it. The drinks we ordered from the bar appeared to be mixed by a mixologist and not an Italian restaurant bar tender. The only note I would have for Management if they care to listen would be the bathrooms. They appeared tired, old and need some updating to reflect the upper position of the restaurant. I would also consider redesigning the menu a little bit and not necessarily adding items but actually re laying out it's design as it appears 15 years old design wise. You need something more dynamic and modern. This would really go a long way and would actually increase sales read more

Wonderful wine and food! Very willing to accommodate me being a vegan. Would highly recommend.

Vivace deals in the lighter side of Italian cuisine, with lots of fresh vegetables and legumes in their dishes. This is not the place to go if you want 3lbs of pasta drenched in sauce. The meal starts off with egg bread and a yummy white bean spread. They have great soups, pizzas, and pastas. Though I usually order seafood risotto or a squash dish, one of my favorite dishes here is the spaghetti with meatballs. It features homemade pasta, good quality cheeses and sauce, and some of the best meatballs I have ever had. AND its still a light dish - the sauce is not heavy and the portion size is just right. My husband and I love the stylish and romantic ambiance too. We have gone here for many lunches and special occasions. read more

It was easy to get to the bar to get a drink to tide us over until we got a table, but it wasn't much of a wait after all. The outside seating was comfortable and the people-watching was out of control fun. We just stuck to apps as we bounced through Raleigh. Mussels were ok (broth was amazing for dipping the thick bread into but the mussels didn't absorb much of the flavor); eggplant gnocchi was pretty damn good. Service was amazing. The sommelier was a superhero and looked like he belonged in Weezer. read more

I follow a relatively strict version of the paleo diet and I'm always worried about whether or not restaurants are going to be able to accommodate me, while still creating flavorful, creative dishes. Not only were they accommodating, but Nevin, the chef, came out of the kitchen with a pen in hand and proceeded to create a new menu for me making sure I both liked and could have each ingredient. The first course was an amazing melon & cucumber soup with mint, the second his famous brussels sprouts (modified for paleo), the third a salad with local greens and a citrus dressing, the main was a beautiful ribeye cooked to perfection, and finally a plate of berries so that I wouldn't feel left out at dessert. They have multiple variations of the regular menu including gluten free and vegetarian. Everything was fantastic and I will definitely be back soon. read more

Our food was great, the server was knowledgable and prompt, the hostess was nice. The ravioli was some of the best we have ever had, and the corzetti was amazing. The only drawback was that it was loud and noisy - it made it difficult to have a proper conversation. Definitely will be returning. read more

Amazing place!! The husband and I planned a short trip to Raleigh to celebrate our anniversary and we came here for a nice dinner. The atmosphere is great and our server was so delightful! We really felt so special dining here. I had the caprice salad and lamb shank for dinner, both would be highly recommended! My husband did the chefs special three course meal with a type of salmon antipasto dish, cod stuffed pasta primi and a rack of lamb secondi (I hope those are the correct terms). It was all delicious!! We are huge lamb fans and it was fabulous. The tiramisu made for a nice ending to the dinner. This is on the pricier side of dining for the two of us, but for a special occasion it turned out to be well worth every penny!! And some complimentary homemade limoncello brought the night to a good close. So please and we look forward to dining again :) read more

5 stars for both the service AND the food! It's been a long time since I've had such great service. We asked for each dish to come out individually so that we could share... kind of our own tasting menu. Usually that never ends up actually happening...but here it did! The brushettta was my absolutely favorite. The flounder was also delicious. Good wine selection and reasonable prices. I would definitely go back. read more

Was in town for business and looking for a place nearby that was good and could get me in. All the other restaurants around had hour long wait titmes. I found Vivace tucked into the corner of this upscale strip mall. They were jammed but got us seating for two at the chefs counter. It was quite a show. Seeing them prep all of the dishes with such precision and care. The entrees were terrific. I had the pork and my colleague had the scallops. We were bith very happy. The wine selection was vast and good. Finished with the molten chocolate cake with hazelnut gelatto. Both were amazing. I would highly recommend Vivace!!!. Oh and Josh the waiter was greAT! read more

Sadly covid has claimed this place as they have closed but I'm not sure if it's permanent or temp. Five stars for me as this was our go to. Extremely attentive staff pretty quick service and the meals are consistent from one visit to the next. A shame they closed though. Maybe they will reopen during the new normal. read more

We had a group of four for dinner on a Friday evening. Seating was a bit tight as we were at a table in the middle of the room with other chairs/tables quite close by. The noise level was a bit loud, but not intolerable. Lizzy, our server, was very friendly, capable, and patient with our chatty, distracted group... she was excellent! I had the four cheese ravioli with a side of two meatballs. It was delicious, and just the right amount of food... not the overwhelming serving you get at some places these days. We appreciated the gluten-free menu and choices for my wife. She got the Margherita pizza and liked it. Overall, it was a good experience and we will likely be back! read more

Pros: Delicious Italian food. Friendly, knowledgeable attentive wait staff Cool, swanky ambiance Cons: Crowded at night/weekends Pricey - in large part b/c of location read more

We went down to Vivace tonight for restaurant week. The photos on the website really give a great example of the ambiance of the restaurant, but the welcome nature is not fully shown without people in those photos. The weather was mild and there were crowds of people out on the patio enjoying outdoor dining, a group was gathered around the semi circular bar sipping on cocktails, and the dining room was bustling with full tables of traveling business men/women. We were quickly seated for our reservation in a brown velvet booth with lime green pillows. Water was quickly served from glass bottles. The waitress came by as soon as possible to describe their featured entree, and recommend a few of her favorites. We ordered cocktails and looked over the menu to decided if we were ordering prix fix or off the regular menu. Drinks came quickly and were nicely presented. The Mojito Italiano was delightfully refreshing! With too many great sounding items on the regular menu we decided to cop out and order off the prix fix menu for dinner. We ordered one of each of the selected items. The first courses quickly came out and comprised of a beet salad and a pea mousse. Both salads were delicious and were simply prepared with the freshest quality ingredients. Bread was refreshed as it dwindled down, and was served with a cannelloni bean puree. Everything had very good flavoring. Our entrees were served. One entree was a cheese ravioli with plum tomatoes, fresh basil, and shaved Parmesan. The other dish was absolutely amazing! This was pan roasted chicken served on a bed of mushrooms, onions, and the best gnocchi you have ever eaten! The gnocchi was made of goat cheese and browned in a brown butter and wine sauce. It had an amazing flavor, and should be on the regular menu! Dessert was a pannecotta served with pistachios and a raspberry coulis. It was light and an excellent after dinner treat. The wine selection is extensive and we tried two 1/4 bottles, which were both excellent. Cappuccino is also available and was properly prepared. We had a wonderful dinner and can't wait to go back to try the outdoor seating on the patio by the water fountain! Yummay! read more

Elegant -- Welcoming -- Tasteful Weeks prior, knowing schedule would be tight, I phoned Vivace and booked a Valentine's Day evening dinner. Availability was already tight so I reserved 4PM but the hostess quickly assured me they had a list that if any cancellations came, they would alert me and offer me a time better suited in the window I requested. When we arrived, we were quickly seated at a table already ready for 2 people. Valentine's Day they had a specialty menu at $55 each. Prior to arriving, on the phone I communicated that I am gluten free and my girlfriend is a vegetarian. When the server introduced himself, he mentioned that and would be happy to walk step by step through each course outlining what I could eat and what was meat-less options. And he did! Our server went above and beyond what any ordinary or typical server does. He walked through, educated and brilliantly described each course and each meal, how the chef's were preparing the meal to ensure no cross-contamination. Each and every course was divine and a perfectly executed. I started with a soup that was pureed chickpeas and cauliflower (minus the tortellinis that were cooked separately) and was probably the most delicious soup I've ever tried. It was topped with bits of bacon and rosemary. Each and every meal was honestly perfect in size and portion as well without a long wait between. Just enough to continue to enjoy conversation and some wine. The last course was the cod fish and broccolini and they sweetly shaped the pieces of cod together to form a heart. All servers were quick to refill any beverages. It's not a large restaurant, really only encompassing one main room but they were able to put a large amount of tables ready for patrons. The server even went as much as realizing my girlfriend only ate plates that were modified and included no meat so he decreased the price of the set meal from $55 to $40. The server realized all dessert options weren't gluten free and offered decadent lemon sherbert. Sweetest part is it started snowing the second we walked outside -- perfectly large snowflakes hitting our noses with the moonlight to help shadow each one! To this day, my girlfriend and I still feel that the meal and service we experienced at Vivace was the best we've ever had, and it doesn't come easy saying that. Nestled in the corner of North Hills, it's easy to pass it as it's squeezed in with other independent vendor stores, but do yourself a favor. If you'd like a nice Italian meal that is presently superbly with an innovative and classy style, then Vivace is your place! read more

Myself and three other went here for dinner last night, and all of us enjoyed it very much. We had reservations, and although we arrived 20 min late, they had no problem seating us, as the place was pretty empty when we arrived a 5:00. The service was very good, with our server taking us through the menu highlights, and answering any questions about items on the menu with no problem. I had the wood fired hanger steak and it was excellent. I mistakenly thought mustard greens were collard greens (I should have asked), but I enjoyed them regardless. Everyone else that I was with enjoyed their food as well, with several ooo's and ahhs as they were being served. My only qualm is I would have liked a larger portion, but then again I could say that about most places I eat. As I am often in and around North Hills, I have no problem coming back to Vivaces again, in fact I look forward to it. read more

Vivace - Wood Grilled Hanger Steak - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

We stopped by Vivace for a nice Saturday lunch after shopping in North Hills. My boyfriend really doesn't enjoy shopping, so it was nice to be able to take a break and enjoy lunch on Vivace's patio. It was one of the first warm afternoons and it looked like they had just opened up the patio, or weren't used to having people request to sit outside yet. For this reason I excused the slightly sub-par service, which really was just not having salt/pepper/sweeteners on the tables and slight lack of attention. The food was good, but did not particularly stand out. I had the chicken and portabella panini, Daniel had the smoked chicken pizza. The side salad was good, but the panini could have used a little more seasoning and salt. The pizza was ok, although i just had a small bight of the edge and the thin crust was crackery and did not add much to the toppings. I did enjoy that they had a large patio and will return to try them out for dinner and or brunch as the weather warms. There is also apparently a gluten free menu, although it was not mentioned by the waitress or hostess. I noticed it on their website. AND, I've also heard it is the place to pick up COUGARS if you are so inclined.. read more

I would have rather gone to golden corral. The spaghetti tasted like golden corrals. Plain and simple. Over cooked by chefs om cell phones. The veal was also over cooked and tasteless. Mushy pasta along with it. Ten dollars a glass for wine thats ten dollars a bottle other places. Come on Raleigh dont you have better to offer than this!!!! read more

Great staff, great food and great environment especially when the nice weather is here. The outside seating is perfect and not too loud. The manager Scott is always helpful and you can tell he cares about the experience. read more

Would rate the food as very good but service was only a 2 star. First our food: it was served in a timely fashion, steaming hot and presented as a good Italian dish should be. The pasta was fresh and well prepared. The sauce was prepared thick and spicy as advertized. My wife's scallop dish also tasted good with a very nice Risotto bed. A nice light sauce was served over it and made a very delicious dish. at least 4 1/2 stars for the food. Next was service: When we were seated our wait person came to the table and poured water, asked if we would like something to drink and said she would come back after my wife said I need to look at the wines first. When she returned we gave her our drink order and she wanted to know if we were ready to order. I told her we have not had a chance to look at the menu yet. When she returned with our drinks she again asked if we had decided. We asked if there was any off menu specials (this was our first time here). She said yes and named a single special. We said okay and ordered. My wife ordered a scallop dish and requested a small portion as indicated on menu. I ordered a pasta dish. The wait person said okay and left without asking about an appetizer or a salad. Back to wait person: When the entree was served she returned and asked if we needed anything. I asked for a glass of Chianti to go with my pasta. She said okay but returned and said they did not have any Chianti by the glass but had a nice Spanish red instead. I said that would be great. She came back with my Chianti and poured it into a glass and left. I tried it and found that it was not Chianti but another not so heavy red. We did not see the wait person again until we were almost completed with the meal. At that point I did not feel obligated to mention the wine but did tell her at the end of the meal that the wine they served was not a Chianti. She told me I should have said so earlier. I felt she had left so much lacking that I just said okay and we left. We will return because the food was good but will leave if the same wait person is at our table. I will say that my bias shows as we are a couple in our 60s and most young wait people seem to think that we eat at 4:30 and want pablum. This is contrary to our eating habits as we love good food, a lovely dining experience and a wait staff that showcases their restaurant. We did not find the latter here. read more

Quality ingredients and incredible staff! Once of my favorite Italian restaurants in Raleigh. Everything on the menu is special!