Always a wonderful experience at Cafe Rule. I highly recommend their brunch!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Josie Jackson
Excellent food, staff and
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Each person was served at different times from the first person to the last person in a span of over 15 minutes, food was cold. The kitchen did not appear to coordinate with waitress or guests.
SteveA
The new menu is quite good. The only thing needed is more appetizers. The bar tender was good last evening and our waiter, Joshua, was very good. Some new and different desserts along with lower prices, and I think everything will be back on track!! Enjoyable evening!!
Chad Deaver
The "private" room is just a store room, and they have a super big TV in there where you watch the cooks live. I thought it was super weird. For the price I thought the food was ok at best.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 4
lisette siple
I was in Hickory for business and saw this place. Beautiful restaurant. All the food was super salty and server was nice but drinks and food took long. I had to return the soup. Could not eat it because it was pure Salt. Drinks were Super expensive. Was Very
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 1
EdMc
Food was not great. Not sure if it was an off day we were there for brunch. 2 had the steak tips. The steak portion was small eggs overcooked. Hollandaise was okay. One had the stack salad with grilled chicken. It was aweful. One had the stuffed French toast the filling was lumpy and strange. Overall not worth the price. It's a beautiful restaurant . Staff was good.
MichaelS
The appetizer meatballs were good but cold. Our Medium Filet came out rare. It took our server about 5 minutes to do a first taste table check. The cook up took 10 minutes and the steak came out well done, while the fingering potatoes were now cold. The snapper was great, however I was finished eating by the time my fiance was able to eat her well done steak and cold potatoes.
Food was very good, but service was not, especially for price you pay. Drink refills took forever as did the wait for our entrees. Some entrees were lukewarm from obviously waiting to be brought out. We had to take silverware from table next over after asking multiple time for missing setting. We asked for soup appetizer to be brought before dinner, but it arrived with dinner. We sent it back and then it was still on the bill and had to remind server to remove.
Chuck
First time dining here and will definitely be returning. Haddie our server was excellent, engaged in conversation regarding the menu items, sauce choices, and alcohol options. I had the scallops which were cooked and seared to perfection in a buttery sauce. Wife had Chilean Sea Bass which she stated was remarkable. We skipped the dessert as a delicious carrot cake was waiting for us at home. Wine choices are inexpensive and varied, bourbon selection was good with market prices. We thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience and will be returning.
found this place recently and was excited. First time-Chilean Sea Bass was very good.., last visit the short rib gnocchi could've been over the top, but was so salty-We could not eat it....
Tina Canale
Atmosphere was good , service was ok. Food portion’s wasn’t great. I ordered the filet and carrots and they were drenched in olive oil . The dessert was a few chocolate strawberries that were scattered across a small platter that was supposed to be shared with two people . For 100$ a person u think the portions would be better and dessert would be gourmet. I think I’ll pass next time .
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
jjerry
The food we had was awful my wife had the stack with lobster the stack had no flavor it was tasteless. The lobster had way to much salt . We were offended no bread I just that was extra cost we were not even asked. We saw our server a total of 3 times was not even asked. The cost for a tasteless salad was 30.00 I guess you know that fact. We will not be back to your restaurant.
Wow just wow (not in a good way) when this place was called 242, it was pretty special and Cafe Rule has kind of held on to that glory until recently....They can get away with this low level of food quality and experience in Hickory, but no way in a larger market like northern Virginia, Chicago, Atlanta, Boston, or even places like Providence, Richmond, or Greenville SC for example. Poor execution and zero attention to details to differentiate when compared to similar type of bistros around the country...I wanted to avoid sharing this type of feedback, because I'm a big fan of the owners but sincerely hope vast improvements will happen!
FrankS
Server was excellent! Food was ok but limited choice to an overpriced pre selected menu. The ‘grilled lobster tail' was 1 inch wide by 3 inches long, almost a total of 4 bites that we were supposed to share. The filet were cooked perfect. If we wanted to substitute French fries for the potato purée (read mashed potatoes) they wanted to charge an additional 30 dollars. Usually impossible to get reservations on Valentine Day but 250 after tip for 2 people and limited choice, only one cocktail and water is simply outrageous. They called everyone with reservations except those that booked online to tell them it was pre set. Must have been a lot of cancellations! Because there were so many open tables from 5-8 we were shocked!
Always a wonderful experience at Cafe Rule. I highly recommend their brunch!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent food, staff and
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Each person was served at different times from the first person to the last person in a span of over 15 minutes, food was cold. The kitchen did not appear to coordinate with waitress or guests.
The new menu is quite good. The only thing needed is more appetizers. The bar tender was good last evening and our waiter, Joshua, was very good. Some new and different desserts along with lower prices, and I think everything will be back on track!! Enjoyable evening!!
The "private" room is just a store room, and they have a super big TV in there where you watch the cooks live. I thought it was super weird. For the price I thought the food was ok at best.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 4
I was in Hickory for business and saw this place. Beautiful restaurant. All the food was super salty and server was nice but drinks and food took long. I had to return the soup. Could not eat it because it was pure Salt. Drinks were Super expensive. Was Very
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 1
Food was not great. Not sure if it was an off day we were there for brunch. 2 had the steak tips. The steak portion was small eggs overcooked. Hollandaise was okay. One had the stack salad with grilled chicken. It was aweful. One had the stuffed French toast the filling was lumpy and strange. Overall not worth the price. It's a beautiful restaurant . Staff was good.
The appetizer meatballs were good but cold. Our Medium Filet came out rare. It took our server about 5 minutes to do a first taste table check. The cook up took 10 minutes and the steak came out well done, while the fingering potatoes were now cold. The snapper was great, however I was finished eating by the time my fiance was able to eat her well done steak and cold potatoes.
Food was very good, but service was not, especially for price you pay. Drink refills took forever as did the wait for our entrees. Some entrees were lukewarm from obviously waiting to be brought out. We had to take silverware from table next over after asking multiple time for missing setting. We asked for soup appetizer to be brought before dinner, but it arrived with dinner. We sent it back and then it was still on the bill and had to remind server to remove.
First time dining here and will definitely be returning. Haddie our server was excellent, engaged in conversation regarding the menu items, sauce choices, and alcohol options. I had the scallops which were cooked and seared to perfection in a buttery sauce. Wife had Chilean Sea Bass which she stated was remarkable. We skipped the dessert as a delicious carrot cake was waiting for us at home. Wine choices are inexpensive and varied, bourbon selection was good with market prices. We thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience and will be returning.
Restaurantji Recommends
found this place recently and was excited. First time-Chilean Sea Bass was very good.., last visit the short rib gnocchi could've been over the top, but was so salty-We could not eat it....
Atmosphere was good , service was ok. Food portion’s wasn’t great. I ordered the filet and carrots and they were drenched in olive oil . The dessert was a few chocolate strawberries that were scattered across a small platter that was supposed to be shared with two people . For 100$ a person u think the portions would be better and dessert would be gourmet. I think I’ll pass next time .
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
The food we had was awful my wife had the stack with lobster the stack had no flavor it was tasteless. The lobster had way to much salt . We were offended no bread I just that was extra cost we were not even asked. We saw our server a total of 3 times was not even asked. The cost for a tasteless salad was 30.00 I guess you know that fact. We will not be back to your restaurant.
Wow just wow (not in a good way) when this place was called 242, it was pretty special and Cafe Rule has kind of held on to that glory until recently....They can get away with this low level of food quality and experience in Hickory, but no way in a larger market like northern Virginia, Chicago, Atlanta, Boston, or even places like Providence, Richmond, or Greenville SC for example. Poor execution and zero attention to details to differentiate when compared to similar type of bistros around the country...I wanted to avoid sharing this type of feedback, because I'm a big fan of the owners but sincerely hope vast improvements will happen!
Server was excellent! Food was ok but limited choice to an overpriced pre selected menu. The ‘grilled lobster tail' was 1 inch wide by 3 inches long, almost a total of 4 bites that we were supposed to share. The filet were cooked perfect. If we wanted to substitute French fries for the potato purée (read mashed potatoes) they wanted to charge an additional 30 dollars. Usually impossible to get reservations on Valentine Day but 250 after tip for 2 people and limited choice, only one cocktail and water is simply outrageous. They called everyone with reservations except those that booked online to tell them it was pre set. Must have been a lot of cancellations! Because there were so many open tables from 5-8 we were shocked!