33 Best American Restaurants near Wendell

“The best hot dogs ever!!!“

“It's always fun to get a snack at Culver's! I love that they opened one nearby...very nostalgic being from the Midwest, where they are everywhere. Dining in is a cozy experience. Very friendly staff at this location...nice and clean!“

“Don’t go if you are on a tight time schedule. I ordered 2 sandwiches and an order of southwest egg rolls to go and I waited 30 minutes. One of the sandwiches was already made and we could see it in the cooler so I’m not sure what took so long. I thought surely the quality of food would justify my long wait but, I was disappointed. Chips were stale. Service was underwhelming. On a $65 tab I was offered a “sorry for your wait”. The coffee was delicious though“

“Fantastic experience and food“

“Great burgers, crispy crunchy fries 👌 Next time I roll thru Clayton, I’ll be back“

“The Depot on First has been open since October 2023 and since then has simply excelled as the only fine dining restaurant in the area. I think much of their success is based on the fact they not only maintain consistency in areas such as attention to detail, exceptional customer service and quality culinary experience, they also continue to evolve and adapt to changing tastes, trends, and customer preferences. I enjoy seeing their ongoing tasting and intimate dining events, of which I will have to attend at some point. Another cornerstone of success for many restaurant's is Authenticity, and this Farm-to-table restaurant continues to prioritize authenticity by sourcing quality ingredients directly from local farms and producers. They don't take any shortcuts when it comes to freshly prepared food to save time which is why I will wait patiently in the elegantly decorated intimate, warm and inviting dining room for my entree upon every visit. No Rush! Just me bring me another perfectly prepared old fashioned. Don't hesitate to step outside of the box and try something new on the menu, I am not a fan of porkchops, but I have become a fan of theirs. This is an environment that will put a smile on your face, Ben and staff are simply exceptional, every visit feels like coming home to dinner. I look forward to spending some time out on the beautiful back patio this spring. Cheers!“

“Never have I ever had anything but absolute delicious food (and service) here… and again today. My friend suggested 1/2 order of the Spinach Artichoke Dip (a plenty!) and Scallops appetizer (big, cooked perfectly and ab FAB!) and we added shaved ribeye egg rolls too. Perfect trio for sharing and leftovers too (except the scallops). Those who already enjoy Mannings know what I’m talking about but if you’ve never been, put on your to do list! Wish I could share pics but that button doesn’t work.“

“I’m a Caesar salad connoisseur and can confidently say you make the best I have ever had. Please consider bottling and selling the dressing. Alternatively, consider selling the recipe to it. It’s insanely good.“

“Took the family the other day, we had an awesome time! Great food, awesome friendly service!! Highly recommend this place“

“I already love Saks Deli for their restaurant (the Mad Mushroom Philly with Cooper is my all time favorite), but this review is all about the wonderful part they had in catering my sister’s bridal shower. Matt and his team provided turkey & provolone pinwheels, chocolate-covered strawberries, and cream puffs — everything was delicious and such a hit with our guests! As always, Matt handled the order professionally and on time, making the whole process easy and stress-free. I highly recommend Saks Deli not only for catering special occasions but also anytime you’re looking for a great meal in Clayton off Hwy 70.“

“Got so say my wife and I love this place . Sunday mother day went to get breakfast for my wife . Notice a lemon cake. Had to get this for the family and they loved the cake . Go get you some of there delish lemon cake.“

“A nice welcome and a friendly server. The atmosphere is nice and they have some light entertainment too or they did while we were there. The food was hot and fresh and very tasty. I’d rather wait 10-30 mins for fresh cooked food than expect immediate hot/fresh food within 10-20 minutes of ordering. Ask yourself “do you want your food quick or do you want it cooked from fresh?”. We will definitely return. Portion sizes are big (in our opinion) so we were able to take some home as we were very full. The Cesar salad was made with fresh crisp lettuce, the steak was cooked as requested and my kids demolished the mac n cheese (and they are mac n cheese snobs!).“

“Just stopped at Smithfield’s Chicken ‘n Bar-B-Q in Zebulon, NC & we were so impressed! 👏🏻 The food quality was top-notch & absolutely delicious. We had the BBQ sandwich — mouthwateringly yummy with that signature Eastern Carolina vinegar-based flavor — and the chicken tenders were huge, moist & perfectly seasoned 😋 Our server Charles was outstanding — cheerful, helpful, & super efficient. Great food and great service — what more could you ask for? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“My mom has been there many times and raves about the food and staff. I went in with her and I agree! Food was great! Super friendly and helpful staff, dessert was amazing! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻“

“I love Salt Grass but today we had a bad experience there with our reservation I called and they didn’t put my name on the waitlist talk to a manager she added my name but we still ended up waiting about 2hrs 45 minutes for our table the mangers was really nasty Heather act like she didn’t want to sit us and seem like she was over looking the black and when finally got a table we had a really nice waiter name Becky but our food at one of the tables had to be sent back because it was cold then your other manager had us waiting for about another 35 to 40 minutes to check out because it was a very bad day there“

“Best fried chicken/tenders and service we’ve ever had at a fast food restaurant. Thanks to the cashier who was a lovely lady; she even gave us a sample of hushpuppies since we never had them before. I didn’t get her name but I think Smithfields needs to take pride of having that awesome staff. (October 11, 2026 around 5:00 pm). Since we entered we felt welcome and at home.

The portions are big and for a great price.

PD: the hushpuppies are very similar to Puerto Rican sorullos. You should try making a dipping sauce for them “mayoketchup” mayonnaise + ketchup and a hint of garlic (minced or paste)“

“The Viking Burger and Duck Fat Fries were absolutely amazing!! Staff was friendly and the beer was great! highly recommend!“

“1st visit and was very impressed! Breakfast was excellent and service was great! I'll definitely be back soon!“

“If you're looking for a high quality, fast food breakfast, look no further. The biscuits are made there fresh and you can definitely tell. This is miles above any other fast food breakfast that I've had. It's become my new favorite place to go for breakfast - fast food or not.“

“I tried the caramel popcorn and the Chicago style at Nancy Jo’s and they were perhaps the BEST I’ve ever tasted! If you haven’t yet done so, TRY IT!! You won’t be disappointed!!“

“I love this place becasue they hire servers that get high but only fire the ones that get traffic tickets. Stay tuned to see which servers I’m referring to…“

“Friendly bunch staff and customers. Food and drinks are good,Football is big at this pub. Highly recommend this spot“

“Always a great breakfast anytime.“

“Smithfield in Clayton was very friendly and clean. Enjoyable experience!“

“They have amazing karaoke every Saturday night!“

“Desiree was absolutely fantastic. She was incredibly friendly, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed throughout our meal. She made the whole experience very enjoyable. Excellent service from start to finish. Thank you, Desiree!“

“My first visit to the Clayton location was a great experience! We were greeted at the door and everyone we came in contact was very pleasant and smiling. Our waitress Piper was kind and came to the table with a smile and recommendation which I gladly accepted. The food came out on a robot which I think small kids would love. The food was hot, correct and good. The dining area was nice and clean. Overall a cute little joint.“

“staff is very pleasant and food is great“

“Rudinos Knightdale was nice for a first time visit during dinner one evening. Lunch time isn’t bad just a few things regarding food quality could be better.

Pros:
+ Decent atmosphere
+ Several menu options including Gluten Free
+ Friendly service

Cons:
- Salad was not fresh. ( had brown edges )
- Not many side options
- Chicken quality could be better. ( fatty with gristle)
- Hostess was not friendly or welcoming“

“This is how I would picture a diner in the 1950s. Short order cook with a ring full of little paper orders. Service was instant, burger was better than expected, the atmosphere made me smile, and they have tater tots! I will definitely go again. nice change from a typical fast food place.“

“my husband just spent 25.00 on breakfast the grits were old and lumpy and taste burnt. Hair was in the food I cook grits a lot and those grits from Waffle hours in knightdale nc were yesterday's grits. You can not reach them by phone but wait until I finish with them“

“It took a 'minute' for the host to greet us at the door, but we did arrive around shift change so I can understand a small delay. Once we ordered and our meals got to the table, a waiter or waitress was had to find for food reorders and drink refills. Applebees is still a good place to get a reasonably priced, delicious meal.“

“was spending a Grandma and Granddaughter Day. went to Applebee's and waited for 20 min no service. Went over to Chili's was immediately seated and served with appetizers within 10 minutes, Our server Eric shift had just started and he didn't hesitate to make us feel welcome,Thank you Eric and Chili's staff . We will never go back to Applebee's, NEVER!!!!!“