50 Best American Restaurants in Raleigh

“We used to come all the time when we were living in Raleigh. We were in town and could not miss it. As always excellent cocktails, we had our usuals, baguette, pate, and vegetable dish, this time we also had the trout and the beef.The place is always fun, the service is very good. It was a lovely visit.“

“While visiting Raleigh, we stopped in to this delightful hot honey chicken eatery. I had the Carolina Reaper. Advice: Get the sauce on the side. It is a spicy devil. My everlasting love for eternity got the classic, which we split, of course. We shared fries with 2 different aioli sauces. We also shared a side of Mac and cheese. A little dry but quite tasty. No drinks or desserts this time, but I'm sure we will be returning.“

“Wow! I was encouraged by the reviews; however Michael made our experience one to remember! He was attentive and genuine. We were celebrating my bday so we started with dessert!! The best benets ever!!! The oysters are fresh and perfectly charred. Gumbo was one for the books. Do not hesitate to eat here!“

“Fabulous service at the bartop. Roy's recommendations were impeccable and considerate of dietary restrictions. The food was outstanding and wine pairings complemented well. Highly recommend sourcing from the starters and sides to get the most variety, unless you wish to commit to the steak or full entree. Oysters and acorn squash were a great combo. I appreciated the ability to do a GF dessert (elevated ice cream sundae!) to top off the night. Thank you!!“

“the food was awesome, we had ribs, brisket, pulled pork, nachos, wrapped jalapeños, and the best wings ever. the Habenero sauce was not hot, it had just the right heat to it and the Buffalo sauce was amazing. Great service, we never had to flag down our waitress. Great job“

“Really really enjoyed the visit! Old World decor and charm, great service, Thanks Kayla, wonderful selection of authentic Tapas, I need to go back, there's so much more unexplored to try! Maybe just seafood this time. There are so many combinations. Keep up the great work!“

“Taylor Casper has been trying to keep my old heating andac unit running for the last couple of years and has done a great job. However. This year the unit was on its last legs. I had no choice but to replace the heating/account unit. Taylor came back out and gave me a great price for the replacement unit. Thank you Taylor. Hopefully this will last another 15 years .“

“Had the best meal ever, again! I'm never disappointed when I eat at J Alexanders. The wait was an hour, so we sat at the bar. Emily took care of us with another handsome (African-American) man (wish I would have gotten his name). They were both so attentive and detail oriented. I can't say enough about my favorites offerings... ThaiKai Salad, Steak and Frites (perfect temperature) and the Carrot Cake. The service and atmosphere are wonderful too but will take second place to the fabulous food.“

“A swanky & tasty place for brunch. They had their own unique stamp on everything, from the steak & eggs to the chairs, & silverware.“

“I've always had amazing times and meals at CC16, whether it's family brunch or date night or even private events in the restaurant.Everything about the restaurant feels homey and inviting from the decor to the service and the menu. It's an icon of downtown Raleigh and I'm devastated that it's closing.I'll be going back a few more times in the coming week to support them and say goodbye. It's a hard loss but I'm looking forward to following and supporting their future ventures with their food truck.“

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

“I have enjoyed eating here every time I come to Raleigh during daytime hours. Their food items offer a wide variety of food choices and the amazing taste makes you question if your actually eating their healthy food selections. I also love the Juice Bar menu. I got the "Purple Haze" with vitamin shot and it is so yummy!“

“Romantic 32nd anniversary. Cocktails, dinner and service were perfecto.“

“Our family has a wonderful time at Irregardless tonight! Our waitress Amanda was always on point, everything came out quite timely. Two of our party members are vegan and they were very happy with the selection of vegan and gluten free options. The tandoori tofu and sweet potatoes enchiladas were delicious! The shrimp sausage in the Rigatoni tasted just like regular sausage. Unfortunately, the chicken was quite dry and we needed extra dressing with the Caesar salad.Dietary restrictions: Gluten free options. Our waitress made sure to ask if there were any allergies that the kitchen needed to be aware of“

“Pricey but great food and service . Nice experience for sure !“

“Our experience at Seasons 52 was excellent, start to finish. Our server was courteous, well spoken and timely in attention to every detail. The food was delicious...good portions and well prepared. A perfect place to celebrate a special occasion, or meet with extended family and friends. Thank you.“

“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 am at Glenwood often and love the main dining area and the atmosphere. The food is great especially the salmon.“

“Came in immediately after NC State graduation and got service without a reservation. Sat outside and despite it being a hot day the umbrellas kept it nice and shady. Food was very tasty, wait time wasn’t bad at all considering the busyness. Service was a little lacking, server was kind but maybe a tad forgetful and not very engaging/outgoing. Still very much enjoyed our food and coffee would definitely go back!“

“The food at First Watch is always delicious and Justin is an excellent server!“

“Great family breakfast spot. Can’t eat enough bacon. Thanks Lathaniel for being a wonderful server!“

“Lunch food is great but the servings are meager.“

“Awesome meal tonight with the whole family and even got to meet the amazing chef Caroline! Our lifeling vegan kiddos loved being able to experience fresh mozzerella sticks and they totally devoured the Mac & Cheese (and they are total vegan mac snobs). The rizotto was perfectly creamy…probably my favorite thing of the night! We love supporting locally owned small (especially vegan!) businesses & Fiction truly knocks it out of the park. Special shout out to Lauren for being so warm & accommodating- hostest with the mostest tonight!Vegetarian options: All vegan.. good to goooooo!“

“Great staff and delicious food!“

“Super tasty and the staff was on point! Highly recommended!“

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“Always great food, drinks and relaxing atmosphere!“

“A foodie's delight, Stanbury has set the bar high for any newcomers to the Raleigh food scene. They have some of the freshest seafood I have eaten in the area. They layer complex textures and flavors, and the balance of salt, fat and acid in every dish is near perfect. Their menu rotates, but the standouts during our last visit were the bone marrow, oysters minuet and the steak (when we went it was served with a mole/bbq sauce on the side...mmmm). Stanbury has been our favorite restaurant in Raleigh for over a decade, and I don't see anyone toppling them in the near future.“

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

“I have only been to PLUS a few times, but every time has been so much fun! Great vibes, great music on the dueling pianos and talented musicians! I even got to try out my singing there once (not my strong point haha). My Belles and I did a dance performance there, around Thanksgiving time last year (Carol of the Belles), and I can not even begin to say enough about the staff, the accomodations, and the absolute joy that filled the room that night. PLUS is a place of happiness and fun, no matter which night of the week!“

“Vegetarian options: Black bean burger grilled or fried is good with all the extra toppings you can add, for a price, but still good.Dietary restrictions: My disabled sister needs soft food, so I always order her the grilled Black Bean burger and the broccoli. Today the broccoli was cooked perfectly for her. The whole meal she ate and it smelled incredible. Thank you“

“Had a great dinner with my cousin and her husband Saturday night. I got the Buffalo Chicken Meatballs with Blue Cheese Cream sauce and had it on a bed of the OG Mac N' Cheese... WOW! So good!!! Everyone enjoyed their meal. Great food and service was excellent!!“

“I had the shrimp and grits. My wife had the roast turkey dinner. Both were delicious and freshly made. The chocolate bread pudding hit the "sweet" spot.Highly recommended. We will go back. They have friendly staff too.“

“I absolutely love their pretzels, but this is also a great place for someone looking to hang out with friends and trying something new to drink, something familiar, or looking for a challenge over time to get your plate on the wall. Good food selection.“

“We were there last night with our soccer team so it was around 40 people. They sat us in the tent area and Christian was our server/bartender. He did AMAZING!!!!!!! We were all shocked how he was so efficient and fast with serving that many people. He made great drinks too!!!“

“The food & service were excellent.“

“I cannot say enough great thing about The Oak!! We got the Birria tacos to start and they were amazing, the perfect blend of savory and spice. The drinks were fantastic, the Pirates Garden was the BEST cocktail I've had in a long time??For dinner we had the pork shoulder and sea bass. The pork shoulder was served over a bed of delicious & creamy Mac n cheese and the Brussel sprouts... the entire dish was mouth watering. I highly recommend this place to EVERYONE!“

“I’ve been going to this place for decades and it never disappoints. Climb the stairs and you’ll find a wonderfully quaint bar and restaurant. Mitch’s is a well worn neighborhood favorite on Hillsborough St across from NC State. Go early if you want a seat during football and basketball season because the Wolf Pack Pride runs strong here. Do with daily specials, you’ll have no reason not to enjoy Mitch’s at least once a week?“

“Great vibe, friendly staff, nice game selection! Had an awesome time!!“

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

“Solid place to come if you are looking to watch a sports game, have some cocktails with friends or a date and grab a bite to eat - and the North Hills area is very pleasant. Also, let's be real here you guys - as an "up and coming" area, there isn't an extensive collection of late night dining options in the Triangle, and the kitchen here stays open until 1AM - and they have POKE (my fav). I came in last night with a friend for dinner and drinks after the Carolina Hurricanes vs Pens game at PNC arena - this was one of the only dining options we were aware of that was open after the game (11PM?) on a Friday night. My friend ordered the Nashville Hot Chicken (I am currently doting on gluten free and mainly vegetarian options - but I do eat meat) and I ordered the Poke tuna - gluten free style - which was quality.“

“A fun outdoor (or indoor) place to grab a beer and a snack with friends. Great beer from LBC and good food. What else can you ask for.“

“Great food and service! They made a dish special for our little ones when we asked for an accommodation for them with no hesitation. They definitely went above and beyond! The food was absolutely delicious and came out fast (and we were a party of 16!).“

“Staff was extremely friendly and very attentive to our needs highly recommended.This was our 1st time visiting this place since we are from Orlando,fl and if we come back we would def come back to visit.“

“Eggs were cooked perfectly over medium, hash browns were crispy golden brown and the corned beef has had just the right amount of fried crispness on the outside as well. Everything tasted great and great price for these times and the amount of food. Well definitely be going back soon and recommending!“

“My family and I came here for my dad’s birthday because we wanted seafood. Made reservations for 6:30 and we were seated immediately. The restaurant has a dark ambiance so if you have problems with vision definitely use a flashlight to read the menu. Our waitress was great and very attentive to our needs and answering our questions. The food was amazing and had great flavor although it did take about 30 minutes to come out. This is a must if you want fresh and flavorful seafood!Parking: Valet in front of the restaurant. I believe there is a parking garage near the area.“

“Friendly staff. Food served hot. The owner was very personable made us feel so very special can't wait to come back and bring more ?? people. Mom and I will be back. Hex treated us like real family. The owner is OMAZING so friendly and kind.“

“Delicious chocolates and fun gift items! The food is great, too!“

“We ate here for our anniversary and really enjoyed it! We made reservations for 2 at the bar because all the table reservations before 9 pm were full, but when we arrived, a table was open and offered to us, which was really nice! (LIkely, we also would have been happy at the bar, but I'm pregnant, so the comfy booth seat was welcome.) The service was superlative, both from our attentive server and others who jumped in any time they walked by and saw something that could be done. The non-alcoholic cocktail was fantastic! Both food and drink menus are curated rather than extensive. We are parents of a small child who rarely get out to restaurants, so when we do go, we love to taste a variety of options on the menu. Your ordering style may vary. For starters, we ordered the yellowfin crudo (a standout and possibly the best dish from my perspective) and crispy porcelet belly (very tasty, although the skin was more tough and chewy than crispy). The manchego-herb biscuits were amazing in taste and texture, like, how do they do that? For entrees, we had the lamb loin and bavette steak. My lamb was nice, but the flavor of the steak dish (my husband's) was unreal. (Normally, I would have ordered the seafood, but the only option was swordfish, and I had already used up my weekly serving of potentially-high-in-mercury seafood with the yellowfin crudo, worth it!) After sharing two appetizers, biscuits, and an entree each, we were really full. However, I had been anticipating the triple cheesecake with rhubarb, so we got a portion to go. It was unusual - very strong on the savory cheese flavor in the cake - but we both really liked it. (Would I have liked more rhubarb? Yes, but I love rhubarb, and not everyone agrees. Rhubarb skeptics, this is a safe dish for you.) Two starters, two entrees, a side, two drinks each, and one dessert put our total just north of $200. Not a huge consideration for us, but it's a small-ish space with dark decor and modern, minimal lighting. I've spoken with others who remembered it as a bit cramped. The music is... not quiet... with prominent bass, but we sat next to each other and were able to talk. We definitely plan to go back. Edited to add: We were also really impressed by the short ticket times! Our food came out very promptly, and we finished three courses and had our take-out dessert ready to go in just over an hour. We also didn't feel rushed, as though we could have lingered without any pressure from the server to free up the table. As folks who no longer get out much, that's a huge plus.“

“The food was very good. Our server, who was an adorable college student, was outstanding. She recommended the Tilapia and it was delicious. The prices were very reasonable. The ambiance was good, but not outstanding. We will go back.“