I live in Raleigh but like to visit Little Washington a few times a year. The Hackney has been on my "to-eat" list, and I finally made it there. I am so glad that I did. It is an Autumn approved restaurant.The historic building is beautiful & was restored very nicely. The space has great energy. I loved the music that they were playing & the big windows.The food was delish! I had the fish & chips. The tartare hollandaise was amazing. I am still thinking about it days later. For dessert, I had vanilla creme brulee which is one of my favorites. It was very well done. I had the New Year, New Mule cocktail to go with it. The cocktail was so tasty. I didn't think that I was really a gin fan, but I would totally order that drink again.After my meal, Chef Davis came out to ask me how everything was & chatted with me for a few minutes. That was classy & made my day. He is good people.I will definitely be going back to The Hackney for a second visit. I love supporting local establishments that excel at what they do. I will encourage others to visit as well.Parking: There is street parking right out front, or there is a parking lot a few blocks away. Both are free.Kid-friendliness: I love kids but wouldn't bring them here. This is a grown up experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
Kaylee E.
The Hackney is one of the best dining experiences I have ever had. The food was incredibly tasteful and absolutely stunning. We were taken very well care of by our waitress, the bartender, as well as the front of house. The chef, Jamie, was incredibly personable and even came to talk to us at the end of our meal. The reviewers that say the portion sizes are too small need to understand that you don’t need large portion sizes when the food is this good. Every single dish was perfectly portioned to appease my palate without making me feel too full or bloated. To me, that is exactly the type of meal that should be served at a fine dining restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jeremy Rudd
An amazing dining experience. Top tier from beginning to end.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jean Widner
First we visited the Distillery next door for a wonderful tasting (bought three bottles) then went to the restaurant for a cocktail. Service, atmosphere and drinks were great….came back the next day again. Prices were a bit high but they use quality ingredients and make some of their simple syrups.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Janet Moran
Overall I had a nice time at The Hackney but I was very disappointed with the food.My salad was swimming in the dressing and my entree and vegetables were so salty that I had to send them back. I had ordered the filet medallions.When my entree was brought to me again, it was delicious but the vegetables were still too salty to eat. My friends who had ordered the shark said that their vegetables were also too salty to eat. We told our server and I hope that she passed the information on to the manager.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
Trail59210622093
We have had two poor experiences here in a row. Tonight the pork shank came out so unbelievably dry, it reminded me of the Christmas turkey in “Christmas Vacation”. Yes that bad. Actually had two different staff ask how dinner was. But, bizarrely as I told (and showed) each of them they simply said “oh ok” and walked away. No follow up, no apology, no response at all. I almost felt like I was being punked on hidden camera or something. What gives?
Lynne S
My husband and I go to The Hackney whenever we are in the Washington area. The food is outstanding! We travel quite a bit and Chef Jamie is one of our favorite chefs! The service, the ambiance is incredible. Their cocktails and gin are the best as well. Their new gin Winter Tide is a must try!
Will D.
All around an excellent location and vibe. From the elegant interior design to the indelibly impressive cocktails, this place is a gem. Thanks for your authenticity and good taste.
HappyTraveler997
Delightful dinner setting. Classy yet unpretentious. Soft music soothing and relaxing without being intrusive. Perfect, knowledgeable servers, unrushed, yet unobtrusively made sure that all of our needs were met. Here's what I have delightful dinner Soft music soothing and relaxing without being intrusive perfect knowledgeable servers unrest yet unobtrusively made sure that all of our needs were met and wonderful elegant design. The filet mignon tenderloins were to perfection, temperature-wise and wonderfully prepared. The tuna entree' was equally satisfying, with a high degree of complexity.
Tim S.
Wonderful dinner experience. We went on a Saturday evening with a group. We had reservations and had a lovely table next to the window. It's inside a building that was previously a bank. Lovely architecture and it was great to see they kept the vault door as the entry way to the kitchen. The food is seasonal and the menu changes according to the server. We had to flounder and the duck. The flounder was whole and paired with this immensely flavorful white bean crab sauce with pine nuts. The flounder was cooked perfectly and the sauce was exceptional. The flounder did come with a side of fries which were not great but also not needed: it took away from the dish. The duck was a well composed and cohesive dish. Im a stickler when it comes to duck and this was perfectly cooked with a wonderfully crispy skin and sat on top of a delicious cider duck jus. The white sweet potato and apple sauce puree paired well with the duck and well seasoned and cooked green beans. Also the honeycomb was a nice touch to add as an extra element to the dish. We also ordered drinks which were great. Great Manhattan and Espresso Martini. They had a seasonal menu which we did not partake in but did have a lot of fun Halloween featured cocktails. The drinks did take longer than expected to receive but worth the wait. The service was wonderful. They always came by to check on our table and ensured we were happy with food, drink, etc. Great hospitality. Overall, I'd highly recommend and will definitely be back.
The atmosphere is so super cool here. I loved the space. Service was sub par - I felt like the waitress we had was not interested in helping us that much - was a strange experience. The cocktails were delicious, highly recommend checking out for the cocktails. The food was ok - super expensive for what we got. I had the shrimp and grits and the shrimp were small and there were multiple sizes so it made it hard to eat (tails were still on). One positive experience - I accidentally left my CC there and the owner saved it and mailed it back to me - super excellent service from the owner. Bc of that, I would try it again. I liked the Mulberry House across the street much better, lower priced and better food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 3
Jane R.
A quiet elegance highlighted by the warmth and help of our server. A delightful menu that exceeded our expectations. From the hot, crispy bread, followed by the crab cake main course, to our sticky toffee pudding, our dinner was one the best we have had. We will return for sure.
Paul H.
Great food selection, drink options and the bartenders are very friendly, knowledgeable and entertaining. Building is a cool place to check out as well.
Kristen Panagos-Cummins
This place, to me, is perfect. Yes, it is a high-end restaurant, and the price tag is up there. If that's why you haven't made it, check them out on a Thursday when they have a burger special. If you can only make it on a special occasion, do it. The people here are real. They make real food on a higher scale than your average dining experience. Don't downgrade their rating because you wanted more of the deliciousness that they are serving, enjoy what you have. Their portions are enough to satisfy your appetite. I have been multiple times, and have only been disappointed when I came in too late and was turned away. The service is on point. The executive chef has an amazing palate, and the building has been remodeled beautifully. Go, splurge on yourself and your loved ones. This place is worth every penny.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sharna B.
I drove to North Carolina from Baltimore just to enjoy the creativity at the Hackney. I was greeted upon arrival and immediately sat for dinner. The restaurants atmosphere was very inviting and the large ceiling and the vault door was very cool to see. The ambiance was very calming and not loud. The food and drinks were amazing.
I live in Raleigh but like to visit Little Washington a few times a year. The Hackney has been on my "to-eat" list, and I finally made it there. I am so glad that I did. It is an Autumn approved restaurant.The historic building is beautiful & was restored very nicely. The space has great energy. I loved the music that they were playing & the big windows.The food was delish! I had the fish & chips. The tartare hollandaise was amazing. I am still thinking about it days later. For dessert, I had vanilla creme brulee which is one of my favorites. It was very well done. I had the New Year, New Mule cocktail to go with it. The cocktail was so tasty. I didn't think that I was really a gin fan, but I would totally order that drink again.After my meal, Chef Davis came out to ask me how everything was & chatted with me for a few minutes. That was classy & made my day. He is good people.I will definitely be going back to The Hackney for a second visit. I love supporting local establishments that excel at what they do. I will encourage others to visit as well.Parking: There is street parking right out front, or there is a parking lot a few blocks away. Both are free.Kid-friendliness: I love kids but wouldn't bring them here. This is a grown up experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
The Hackney is one of the best dining experiences I have ever had. The food was incredibly tasteful and absolutely stunning. We were taken very well care of by our waitress, the bartender, as well as the front of house. The chef, Jamie, was incredibly personable and even came to talk to us at the end of our meal. The reviewers that say the portion sizes are too small need to understand that you don’t need large portion sizes when the food is this good. Every single dish was perfectly portioned to appease my palate without making me feel too full or bloated. To me, that is exactly the type of meal that should be served at a fine dining restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
An amazing dining experience. Top tier from beginning to end.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
First we visited the Distillery next door for a wonderful tasting (bought three bottles) then went to the restaurant for a cocktail. Service, atmosphere and drinks were great….came back the next day again. Prices were a bit high but they use quality ingredients and make some of their simple syrups.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Overall I had a nice time at The Hackney but I was very disappointed with the food.My salad was swimming in the dressing and my entree and vegetables were so salty that I had to send them back. I had ordered the filet medallions.When my entree was brought to me again, it was delicious but the vegetables were still too salty to eat. My friends who had ordered the shark said that their vegetables were also too salty to eat. We told our server and I hope that she passed the information on to the manager.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
We have had two poor experiences here in a row. Tonight the pork shank came out so unbelievably dry, it reminded me of the Christmas turkey in “Christmas Vacation”. Yes that bad. Actually had two different staff ask how dinner was. But, bizarrely as I told (and showed) each of them they simply said “oh ok” and walked away. No follow up, no apology, no response at all. I almost felt like I was being punked on hidden camera or something. What gives?
My husband and I go to The Hackney whenever we are in the Washington area. The food is outstanding! We travel quite a bit and Chef Jamie is one of our favorite chefs! The service, the ambiance is incredible. Their cocktails and gin are the best as well. Their new gin Winter Tide is a must try!
All around an excellent location and vibe. From the elegant interior design to the indelibly impressive cocktails, this place is a gem. Thanks for your authenticity and good taste.
Delightful dinner setting. Classy yet unpretentious. Soft music soothing and relaxing without being intrusive. Perfect, knowledgeable servers, unrushed, yet unobtrusively made sure that all of our needs were met. Here's what I have delightful dinner Soft music soothing and relaxing without being intrusive perfect knowledgeable servers unrest yet unobtrusively made sure that all of our needs were met and wonderful elegant design. The filet mignon tenderloins were to perfection, temperature-wise and wonderfully prepared. The tuna entree' was equally satisfying, with a high degree of complexity.
Wonderful dinner experience. We went on a Saturday evening with a group. We had reservations and had a lovely table next to the window. It's inside a building that was previously a bank. Lovely architecture and it was great to see they kept the vault door as the entry way to the kitchen. The food is seasonal and the menu changes according to the server. We had to flounder and the duck. The flounder was whole and paired with this immensely flavorful white bean crab sauce with pine nuts. The flounder was cooked perfectly and the sauce was exceptional. The flounder did come with a side of fries which were not great but also not needed: it took away from the dish. The duck was a well composed and cohesive dish. Im a stickler when it comes to duck and this was perfectly cooked with a wonderfully crispy skin and sat on top of a delicious cider duck jus. The white sweet potato and apple sauce puree paired well with the duck and well seasoned and cooked green beans. Also the honeycomb was a nice touch to add as an extra element to the dish. We also ordered drinks which were great. Great Manhattan and Espresso Martini. They had a seasonal menu which we did not partake in but did have a lot of fun Halloween featured cocktails. The drinks did take longer than expected to receive but worth the wait. The service was wonderful. They always came by to check on our table and ensured we were happy with food, drink, etc. Great hospitality. Overall, I'd highly recommend and will definitely be back.
Restaurantji Recommends
The atmosphere is so super cool here. I loved the space. Service was sub par - I felt like the waitress we had was not interested in helping us that much - was a strange experience. The cocktails were delicious, highly recommend checking out for the cocktails. The food was ok - super expensive for what we got. I had the shrimp and grits and the shrimp were small and there were multiple sizes so it made it hard to eat (tails were still on). One positive experience - I accidentally left my CC there and the owner saved it and mailed it back to me - super excellent service from the owner. Bc of that, I would try it again. I liked the Mulberry House across the street much better, lower priced and better food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 3
A quiet elegance highlighted by the warmth and help of our server. A delightful menu that exceeded our expectations. From the hot, crispy bread, followed by the crab cake main course, to our sticky toffee pudding, our dinner was one the best we have had. We will return for sure.
Great food selection, drink options and the bartenders are very friendly, knowledgeable and entertaining. Building is a cool place to check out as well.
This place, to me, is perfect. Yes, it is a high-end restaurant, and the price tag is up there. If that's why you haven't made it, check them out on a Thursday when they have a burger special. If you can only make it on a special occasion, do it. The people here are real. They make real food on a higher scale than your average dining experience. Don't downgrade their rating because you wanted more of the deliciousness that they are serving, enjoy what you have. Their portions are enough to satisfy your appetite. I have been multiple times, and have only been disappointed when I came in too late and was turned away. The service is on point. The executive chef has an amazing palate, and the building has been remodeled beautifully. Go, splurge on yourself and your loved ones. This place is worth every penny.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I drove to North Carolina from Baltimore just to enjoy the creativity at the Hackney. I was greeted upon arrival and immediately sat for dinner. The restaurants atmosphere was very inviting and the large ceiling and the vault door was very cool to see. The ambiance was very calming and not loud. The food and drinks were amazing.