Jaguar Bolera - Raleigh

Good idea ….bad execution. Food was mediocre. Guacamole was the only good thing we had.

Love the concept. The atmosphere is great! Decor feels nice and elegant. The food is good and definitely an upscale from “bar food”. I will say this is our 2nd time and I’ve had stomach issues both times afterwards. It would be nice if the servers that brought food would also bring simple things like silverware/napkins/plates. There is a large service fee on food, which is fine, but to just have food brought out is a little annoying. The drink situation is pretty poorly run. The bracelets are difficult to work and the beer doesn’t pour properly the majority of the time. You end up being charged $8 for a bunch of foam. If you have multiple people under your tab you have to “check in” and show staff you’re not intoxicated to have more beverages. This was about 2.5 drinks for us both times. The bowling is fun, but can get tangled, which takes away time from your game. We’ve been twice, so it’s nice enough to revisit; but there are definitely some kinks to work through.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 3

Place is nice but bowling is $16 an hour per person. Family of 4 with tax will run you $70. Get your prices inline and maybe you will get busy.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 1

Service: 3

If you enjoy pouring your own beer into a plastic cup, an automatic 12.5% gratuity, great food, and fun games, this is the spot for you! My IPA came out to about $0.52/oz, making a pint roughly $10 after tip and tax. That said, I’m not sure where the gratuity goes, considering I’m pouring my own beer.

Unfortunately, the beer wasn’t cold enough, and it foamed excessively, often burping mid-pour and leaving a cup full of foam. When I mentioned this to the desk attendant, they graciously poured me a beer on the house. However, to address the foaming issue, they ended up pouring a significant amount down the drain before filling the glass—something I’d be charged for if I did it myself, as you’re billed per ounce for whatever comes out of the tap.

On the upside, the food was fantastic! I tried the smoked pork belly burnt ends and the chicken quesadilla, both of which were delicious. Everyone in our group enjoyed their meals, and they even offer keto and gluten-free options.

We also played duckpin bowling, which was a lot of fun!

Suggestions for improvement:

-Lower the keg temperatures to serve colder beer.
-Replace plastic cups with aluminum or glass for a better experience.
-Remove the 12% gratuity on drinks; gratuity on food is reasonable since it’s served at the table.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 3

Our family of 5 had a great first experience at Jaguar Bolera (kids age 13, 10, 8)! We played board games, darts, fuse ball and duck pin. Food was great too. We will come back again for a fun family night or with friends next time!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

This was my first visit to Jaguar - our group has a conference in town - and I found it an entertaining venue. The food was fair, but a good grab especially after having a glass of wine. Nevertheless, this is where it went down hill. The concept of a massive beer and wine trough was completely new and novel to me, and I made a very big and costly mistake of misreading the label that prices alcohol by the ounce. My less than 5 oz glass spilled out a wine that wouldn't stop flowing! By the time I figured how to turn it off, I had poured $19.90 worth of a wine I'm not sure what it was! What's worse is that I ran a tab that I forgot to close before I left. Visiting the website to contact ANYONE was futile. I just didn't want to be overcharged for a 4 oz glass of unknown wine that costs $1.50 an oz.! ?‍? Great place Jaguar, but please update your website to help hapless individuals navigate an open tab and how to ensure it's closed if you forget after you've left the restaurant! ? I guess I just have to watch my credit card bill for the next few days!?

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 3

Service: 4

Fun time and fun people! Also loved the mixed drinks! Met a lot of great people too!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 4

The decor and service was excellent in this place. Very spacious. Very friendly atmosphere. But where this place severely suffers and truly needs to revise is in its price tag. I had a small glass and poured (for myself) a margarita. It was 18 dollars! That’s absolutely not acceptable. 12 dollars for a small self poured pre made margarita is Seattle/California prices. 18 dollars?! In North Carolina?!

If the prices aren’t revised to be less price gouged, I won’t be back. That was far too much for what we got.

I poured maybe 5ozs of the n/a margarita and it cost me 17 bucks!! Totally outrageous price! Doubt I’ll ever go back. Two stars because the karaoke was fun but yeah, not gonna recommend or go back. Good luck with the business!!

The place was nice but that’s as far as it goes! When we (party of 2) first arrived the stench of musk (it someone like musky armpits) was so baffling…I was embarrassed considering I was taking someone out for a birthday lunch date. I have never come to this establishment but decided to try it out based on a TIKTOK REVIEW for the occasion. Upon reaching the “ORDER HERE” station…I let the woman Know this was my first time here and I was unaware how it works. (She was about 5’4 wearing a purple fitting pencil dress and long brown hair, Caucasian) Extremely unfriendly, not helpful. This is a restaurant where customers pretty much DO IT ALL- so the least she could have done was ASSIST with direction. I ordered my food and she didn’t mention drinks so I asked “do we make our own drinks or how does this work?” She replies “well you can grab a cup from there (pointing) but drinks you pay for separately and you wouldn’t make your own drinks we make them however you want” with a very condescending tone. At this point my date interceded bc she was VERY RUDE! He told her “we are not asking about alcoholic beverages” I interjected and said “remember, I’ve never been here so I’m not familiar” so she replies “ok well it was a miscommunication. I’ll add the drinks. Is that all?” But the fact is- it wasn’t a miscommunication at all, she failed to do her job And assumed. I honestly would have left but was on a time crunch and who wants drama on a birthday date. My date is a PARTNER at a franchise restaurant in Apex and was extremely disappointed, and myself, utterly embarrassed. To top it off- we are now looking for a seat and we have to ask someone to show us where set get our drinks. The guy (light skin/caramel complexion with short textured wavy hair) helps us and ACCUSES us of trying to get free beverages. He states “hey listen we typically are supposed to make customers pay for drinks but just go ahead and grab a cup” as if he was aggravated- at which he was corrected by my date bc this was paid for with my food.
Whatever games or entertainment they offered we were not told how to participate or navigate the restaurant to get the best bang for my buck. All we saw were darts. Other people playing but we had no service or directions for the duration of our session; nor did anyone seem like they wanted to be bothered. The restaurant was pretty EMPTY! The food was decent. I definitely want to share my experiences on my social platforms (TT/IG/YT) bc I was utterly disgusted and disappointed. If the customer does it all- the least you ask could do is be pleasant and helpful! Don’t recommend.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 3

Service: 1

Parking: Gravel/ dirt lot for free.

Kid-friendliness: Took my 5rd old. Kid friendly. Kids were well mannered. If your child is not having a good day, if you decide to go, you'll be embarrassed. Kids were present, but it still felt grown &sexy with good vibes.

Wheelchair accessibility: Concrete ramp on side of building. It felt like a wrap around porch! Elevator. Floor is spacious. My son had no problems getting through tables with his wheel chair. The only thing is I didn't see any handicap parking. Had to push harder through the sandy and rocky parking lot.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 3

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Chicken Wings, Smoked Wings, Mashed Potatoes, Chicken Tacos

So fun! Free games. Amazzzzing food by top chef.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Mushroom Al Pastor Tacos

Jaguar Bolera is a fantastic spot, and I would highly recommend it for a great night out! The service was impeccable—definitely 5 stars, and the ambiance and decor were equally top-notch. It has a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere that makes you feel right at home.

We ordered the chicken tacos, spanglish greens salad, and guacamole, and I have to say, each dish was absolutely delicious. The food was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented—definitely deserving of 5 stars!

However, I had to dock a star for the margarita experience and want to make sure I send a fair warning to my fellow patrons. The restaurant has an alcoholic beverage wall where you pour drinks by the ounce, and unfortunately, we were caught off guard by the (exorbitant) pricing. My friend poured a margarita, not realizing it was $2.20/ounce plus a 12% service fee. Long story short, she ended up with a $30 margarita that tasted more like a grocery store Lime-A-Rita than a craft cocktail. (I would have returned it to the bartender if that was possible.)

Aside from the alcohol mishap, I can't recommend Jaguar Bolera enough! I’ll definitely be back to enjoy their incredible food, but I’ll be skipping the drinks to avoid breaking the bank...I reccomend you do the same!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Guacamole and Chips, Chicken Tacos

Fun but so ridiculously expensive

Bracelet tap style drink dispensary. My wife and I had a good time here playing the various bar games and partaking in their wide selection of beers, wines, cocktails, and NA bevs on tap. We also had creamed corn and guac&chips for snacks. The creamed corn was nicely seasoned, but the guac&chips left more to be desired. May have just been luck of the draw though. Staff was attentive and helpful

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Guacamole and Chips