50 Best American Restaurants in Raleigh

“It has to be one of my favorite restaurants for brunch in Raleigh.“

“Great food and overall dining experience. The Mac & cheese to share is out of this world.“

“What an all around amazing night at Second Empire! Our family gathered there to celebrate our son's wedding. The personal service the bride and groom received was way beyond expectations. Everyone made them feel so special! From start to finish, the evening was exceptional. The food was so yummy and there were even options for those in our group, myself included, who were vegan/vegetarian. And it wasn't just a salad. Just ask the server! Ours was well versed in what the chef could prepare for us. The presentation of the food to our party of 13 was also super cool...they brought out all of the entrees at once! Also there is an elevator to help those with mobility issues. Thanks to everyone for helping to make this special day even more special!“

“Excellent service and food quality! We had cocktails and a light appetizer while waiting for a table. Then once seated, the two of us ordered: three small plates, one large plate, and a dessert all to share. The timing was perfect. Each item came out separately, with an appropriate pause in between. We were not rushed or overwhelmed. Staff was very attentive without ever being anywhere close to overbearing.“

“When in Raleigh, will make sure to make this a regular must visit! 😋“

“Nothing beats a passionate chef. Tonight was my first experience, and it's only the beginning! The staff was amazing and did not make me feel rushed. 5-star plus. I've never been to a restaurant where all the mussels were open and full of flavor until Northside Bistro. It was impressive and absolutely delicious, and they also serve some of the best cocktails I've ever had!“

“I can see why this restaurant was on the Michelin Guide for Raleigh. The ambiance when you walk in, is so cozy. However, the food was AMAZING. All the flavors were there. The yellowtail crudo had to be my favorite dish. The rice cake they put on top is to die for, and dipping it in the yellowtail was chefs kiss. The catfish was their special and it was perfectly lightly battered and fried! Cocktails were unique and held lots of flavor. Definitely ask the waitress or waiter about the speakeasy, you’ll need a key to go! The service was 10/10, a great date night“

“We ordered the Christmas take home Meal and it was superb!! Everyone raved about the freshness. The Prime Rib was delicious and the vegetables were very tasty and the rolls and pies were the best! We will be ordering for all the Holidays meals in 2025!“

“Great Food, even better staff. So happy for the cuties couple/bartender Jen and Paul heard that they are having a little one this fall🥰“

“🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Margaux’s in Raleigh dazzled me! The outdoor seating set the perfect vibe, and my waiter Bill was phenomenal—attentive, engaging, and professional, just like the whole staff. Every plate was art, every bite divine, and that key lime pie? Pure transcendence. Effervescent culinary journey with next-level flavors—Perfect kickoff to my Labor Day weekend. I’d recommend it in a heartbeat!“

“Wow. Tyler was hands down the BEST server I’ve ever had. Hilarious, and despite a huge rush from the Canes game, we felt as attended to as if we were the only ones in the restaurant. Place is lovely, Oak Smash was great. I cannot stress how much I enjoyed Tyler’s service at Oak. I hope a manager sees this and commends him“

“Everything we ordered was excellent, but the cakes are over-the-top amazing!“

“My favorite lunch spot. Friendly service and absolutely the freshest, most delicious food in town.“

“I stopped by to grab lunch. The food was delicious. The people were friendly and helpful. I want more corn!!!“

“Great date night resteraunt. Service was fast and friendly. Food was fresh and delicious. The restaurant was quiet enough for conversation. The radio was not blasting and the tables were not too close. Restrooms were nice and clean. Its a but pricey but well worth it.“

“One of the best places has ever eaten breakfast and the service and atmosphere is even better. Love this place. Makes the best hobo omelettes I have ever eaten . Give them the highest score possible. Been going for 15 years . Awesome place.“

“The food is great. The noise level was off the chart when I was there. Large party, and they were very loud. Made conversation at our table hard to hear. Restaurant has high ceilings and tables are close together. The food though is wonderful.“

“We really enjoyed our food and will definitely return for more!“

“Don't believe the photo that comes up on the tripadvisor page. When I visited in April 2025, they closed at 5:00 Mon-Thurs, not 8:00. Their website has the correct hours. I had the fried chicken lunch special. It came with two sides and two slices of garlic toast. $9.99. The chicken was juicy and the breading had great flavor. The mac and cheese side was creamy and delish. The broccoli and cauliflower side needed salt and pepper. Nice sized portions for the sides. The garlic bread could use more garlic flavoring. Some patrons at my place of employment told me that they come here several times a week for lunch. The staff is very friendly, even towards me, a newcomer. They seemed to know everyone else in the restaurant. Lots of regulars, which is a good sign.“

“Everyone was Friendly. Service was great. Drinks and Food came out quick Wings were yummy and the fish and chips! We will be back!!.“

“Now I don’t know if these items are still on the menu but my friend and I came here a few months back. We had the spicy pineapple margarita & Doppelgänger(the drink was strong as heck)
Emeralds coast shrimp & Filet with bearnaise. The food was absolutely delicious. I believe it was Katy & Tanya who waited on us, they were great! We sat at the bar… we just got done shopping. This place is worth the price!“

“Made a reservation in advance and had to wait 20 minutes past the scheduled time for the table to open. The BLT salad was a mess of things thrown together without any style or flair. The bread pudding was hard and unappetizing. Our waitress Daisy was great and very attentive. There was nothing special about the dining area that made me feel I was in a great place for a date night. This was noticeable as compared to other Firebirds restaurants I have been to.“

“I had brunch here with friends and everything was wonderful! The food was well seasoned and the portions are quite generous. Friendly service as well.“

“Love you Ryan and sorry we missed you Ash love 💕 you“

“We are staying at this hotel for a softball tournament at NC STATE. I came down for coffee and there were several people in the restaurant. There was just one employee taking everyone’s order and making coffee and breakfast entrees and she was AMAZING! She was friendly, she was fast and efficient getting everyone their food and drinks. She came around to each table and checked on every patron. I don’t know how she did it, but this was such a pleasant experience in a crowded bistro! Bravo and well done!!!!“

“Great hand crafted cocktails with small bite food options“

“Great dogs and exceptional service. Will visit again soon.“

“The food is amazing! Though I haven’t tried every yet👀 I’m sure it won’t disappoint!“

“Nestled in an business office complex, you may not see it at a glance. I only stopped because it was close to my hotel. Went there for lunch and the line was out the door. Well worth the wait. I had a gyro sandwich that was to die for. Mostly sandwiches, panini and wraps. They do have a special of the day that could be rice with a protein. Everything looked amazing. They do have in-dining tables. Very nice Spanish speaking ladies that are very quick and helpful. I will be back.“

“Raleigh Grande is a very nice place to watch a movie and grab a bite. The chicken sandwich is delicious. The food is priced low and it’s an all around nice family theatre.“

“Karaoke 🎤 nights fun, first time here I definitely recommend attend a karaoke night.“

“It’s great!! We really enjoyed triangle restaurant week!!!“

“Always get the meatloaf cannot go wrong very good and the gravy for the REAL mashed potato is super !!!“

“excellent food, customer service and great memories every time I visit...keep up the great work!“

“Jamie and Marie are awesome. Drinks were amazing!! Desserts were also amazing!! Espresso martini was the best I’ve ever had.“

“On NCSU campus in Talley, but not the best place to grab food between classes because of the wait. I don't know if they're understaffed or what but it took almost 40 minutes to get our food one time.The food itself is good though, so without time constraints I would recommend it.“

“This is the best restaurant I been to in a long time and it was one waitress that stood out to me cause her customer service was awesome her name was Malayna and she made me and my husband very welcome…i will be back when i visit the Raleigh again….“

“Christmas Eve dinner 2025. Everything delicious. Counter seating, so entertaining watching the pace and positive attitudes of those working the line. Roasted oysters, agnolotti divine, NC fish perfect. Staff friendly and, well, just a special evening all together. We have only been twice, but were greeted like regulars.“

“The food is delicious and the presentation is beautiful. If you have not tried First Watch please treat yourself soon😊“

“Well the food was good, the service was pretty good, the prices were moderate however for the amount of money I feel like the surroundings may have been a little bit more luxurious. It was almost like a high-end cafeteria as far as the ambience was concerned. Other than that the menu was good you should try it!“

“The best chicken and waffles I've ever had.“

“We celebrated my birthday at The Oak last night and had an amazing experience. Our server, John, was fantastic, and the Wright Flight cocktail is a must if you love gin. We loved the bone marrow starter, my husband’s ribeye was incredibly tender, and the confit duck tasted like fall on a plate. The Espresso Martini Affogato and peanut butter pie were perfect desserts. They even sent us home with mini banana breads! The Oak is officially my new favorite spot in Raleigh.“

“We recently were there for our 53rd Anniversary dinner. We had fabulous food and our waiter PJ was awesome. So when our niece's birthday needed a celebratory lunch, hands down we all voted for Seasons 52. As luck would have it, PJ was our waiter, and he did not disappoint. So attentive. And everyone's meal was fantastic!“

“Grows excellent with all 4 of us . He was so pleasant and helpful.“

“This was my first visit to the Raleigh location on May 28, 2025 with two out of town guests. three diff dishes were ordered..brisket, St. Louis rubbed ribs and burnt ends. The brisket and burnt ends were amazing. The ribs however were dry and tough. The meat certainly did not fall off the bone. I would not recommend the ribs based on this experience.“

“Great Mac and cheese AND offer gluten free! best of all! usually when a place offers gluten free, you have to settle for only one item. but here there were lots of choices. very pleased. could not tell the difference in this gluten free dish and non gluten free. fantastic taste! great job!“

“Delicious food, and super friendly staff!!“

“Great gluten free options.“

“We decided to pop in Good Day Good Night for an after dinner drink. There were 5 of us. We each ordered 1 drink and one person ordered dessert. Her coffee finally arrived, after she finished her dessert. The rest of us had to wait over 30min for our drink. I ordered a White Russian. It was so iced down, the ice had melted and the drink just watery whatever. Our server just acted like we were bothering him, each time we asked about the status of our drink order. My drink was the only mixed drink. The others were a shot of bourbon, and 3 decafs (the coffee was already made) Next time we want to stop somewhere for an after dinner drink, it won't be here.“