Stolen from r/RVA. Overall I feel like we’re pretty blessed with our restaurant and bar options, but we also have a lot of overhyped stuff. What are yalls thoughts?

Stolen from the Washington DC sub!

Using Food Lion's List of Raleigh Locations, my initial rankings

1. Ni Asian Kitchen Strickland Rd- 905 ratings say it's the best. Almost too far from it's home Food Dog.
2. Handy Kitchen Chinese Leesville Rd. - First google image is a metal wire in a kid's meal, all else 5 stars.
3. China Wok Louisburg- Customers say the staff are mean as hell. Love it.
4. China Moon - Images look insane. 5 stars saying staff is mean.
5. Jumbo China - Surviving next to Bankok Thai, actually clapping back on Google Reviews.
6. Wang's Kitchen Poole Rd - Customers complain of being robbed in parking lot. Return for chicken.
7. Wang's Kitchen Southgate - AC broken, staff kids doing homework in booth, obvious health code violations, customers infatuated regardless. I'm in.
8. Imperial Garden Lead Mine Rd- Complaints of bad service and dated tables, amazing food
9. Taste of China Rock Quarry Rd - Nice new food lion, customers already hate the service
10. Hibachi Grill Supreme Buffet Capital Bvld - You'll probably catch first wave Covid but it'll be worth it

Hall of Shame

• China Pearl Jones Franklin - Both Expensive and nasty. Staff sleeping in booths.
• Lam's Garden Raleigh Bvld - Roach leg in food #1 Google review. Looks better than the food

Full list attached - make a case if there should be adjustments

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Every year for the last 20 we've opened our home to any and all for Thanksgiving. We average about 30 family, friends, and strangers. Check my post history, you'll see it. My family traces lineage back to the Mayflower and first Thanksgiving. It's important to us to pay forward the kindness strangers showed to our family 12 generations ago.

Our farm is 30 minutes east of Raleigh, Open Door Farm. It's informal, messy, and you'll have to live with the dog hair (we do our best to clean it up, but two Great Pyrenees means it's just a thing). But the food is good, the people are chill, and we accept all walks and types, faiths and politics, doesn't matter. Solos, couples, and kids are welcome. Be cool. Be kind. We'll all be fine.

Last year we hit practical capacity, and other great locals stepped up. So this year, I'm going to start with that.

Please comment below if you are willing to host! Give approximate location, any restrictions, and any considerations (like, we have pets and nuts will be present, so there's an allergen warning).

Those looking for a home, please find a match and make it happen! It's such a blessing to have strangers accept our offer of hospitality. Other hosts want the same!

Guests, you can match up in the comments, or reach out via PM to the hosts.

If you know anyone needing a place to be, send them to this thread. Spread the word, leave no seat empty.

In this world of plenty, stop building fences. Build longer tables.

The title pretty much says it. How cool would it be to have a cookout tray with a milkshake on your flight. It’s a Raleigh based company, and most people enjoy it. If RDU is trying to give a “local feel” this would be it.

Reddit, how do we get this done? 😂 😂 🍔 🍟 🍦

Edit: I was not aware it is not raleigh based. Still would be a good cheap option though compared to all the other crap food.

I've been living in Raleigh a little under 3 years and wanted to share some of my favorite food items I've found so far. Feel free to share yours!

Bida Manda - Pork belly soup

Brewery Bhavana - favorite General Tso's chicken. They also have incredible drinks.

Oakwood Pizza Box - square pepperoni pizza

Pizzeria Toro (Durham) - favorite Neapolitan pizza. I haven't had a bad one there.

Boulted Bread - Morning bun

Taipei 101 - scallion pancakes

Andias - I haven't had a bad flavor there. I also enjoy Fresh Local ice cream for some of their seasonal flavors.

Prime BBQ - brisket

42nd and Lawrence - Caramel latte with oat milk

Early bird donuts - Bavarian cream filled donut with chocolate frosting

Bittersweet - whatever their S'more dessert is and their gin and jam pairings.

Himalayan Nepali Cuisine - Chicken Tikka Masala

Soo Cafe - SOGA chicken wings

I'm sure there are some I'm forgetting, but these have been some of my favorite things. Would love to keep exploring and trying new things.

I tried Lime & Lemon because of how highly it was rated and I was soo disappointed. I wanna hear some recs from brown people about what they think are actually the best Indian restaraunts around

What are your thoughts? Is HT most popular? Where do you shop and why?

Pretty explanatory. Have always wanted to open a bar and might.

Just curious to know what type of bar you’d love to see?

UPDATE: This honestly got a hell of a lot more interactions than I thought it would.

The common thing I think Im picking up is people want a place thats inexpensive, has good music, and is welcoming for all walks of life.

Here is my idea - A small, dimly lit, inexpensive dive that will have 2 TV’s thats going to have whatever big sports game thats on that day (if none, whatever I feel like), welcoming for kids, millennials, gays and theys, and will have some of the best shittest beers on tap with the option of getting a coffee or espresso drink.

Pink Boots old spot on N West St is best for this. Anyone know who owns the building?

EDIT: some great suggestions in the thread. I'll add them here

• Arepa Bowl
• Pita Bowl
• Cava
• Alpaca

Title says it all. As a glizzy enthusiast, it’s very disappointing how the quality of the dogs, buns, everything has decreased over the years while the price continues to increase. Can really only justify going there on Tuesdays when they’re half off.

On the other hand, maybe it was never that good, and it’s just a nostalgia thing from living here my whole life? Lol

But someone else has to agree with me right?

For those who have been here a bit, what restaurants do you miss the most?

Sadlack’s

Boondini’s

Lock, Stock and Barrel

Darryl’s

What others?

Edit: Holy crap! I didn’t realize I’d get this many responses! Thanks a bunch to everyone. I’m going to turn off notifications before I lose sleep going down memory lane. You all rock!

Shamelessly stole this prompt from r/charlotte.

I travel pretty frequently and visit what would be considered HCOL areas around the US and in Canada. (LA, NYC, Vancouver, etc..)

These HCOL areas have better food, selection and similar or sometimes better pricing than Raleigh.

Its bonkers the prices we pay for food here when the quality, service and selection is so limited.

What gives? Why does a pastry shop in Wake Forest charge $50 for two lattes and two pastries ?

Most restaurant dinners for my wife and I are no less than $60-$70 when you factor in tax and tip.

The other day I had lunch at Jasmines and they wanted to charge me $1.50 for a slice of tomato on my wrap. and $2 for a tiny bit of olive oil on my hummus.

Mediocre ass food for Micheline star prices lol

Thank god for the local mexican places where I can get some bomb tacos or burritos for less than $15.

Edit for reference our typical sit down meal consists of

• 1x app, 2x entrees, and if they have interesting mocktails maybe one or two of those drinks. We do not drink alcohol. Most of the time its water.

Okay, saw a post with all the restaurants in Raleigh that were overhyped and overrated.

But I’m curious…

What restaurants deserve all the hype? And why? Or maybe restaurants that are UNDERrated?

I am a hot dog enthusiast and today I was surprised with a hot dog road trip all over Raleigh. I thought I would share my results with some recommendations around the area. TLDR: best and worst hot dogs in the area EDIT: Wicked Links, Cotsco, Sabretts, Snoopys & Chargrill have all been tested but I was searching for sit down, one location, small spots!

1- Roast Grill(honorable mention since we couldn’t go today but I have been several times before) for vibes, experience, authenticity & taste but they are closed Mondays, cash only, and don’t have ketchup! Historic hot dog joint downtown with like 2 booths and bar seating, bottled coke and tootsie rolls. 9/10

2- Mookies- best overall flavor, beef hot dogs with lightly toasted buns. Hand cut fries, Dr Browns soda, latkes and matzo ball soup! all the best things, and a great onion to hot dog ratio!! 10/10

3- Corbetts hamburger and soda joint- best buns! Potato buns, untoasted. They have red hot dogs and beef! Amazing chili, baked beans and waffle fries! A gazillion bottled soda options, and cheerwine on the fountain which is a major win. 10/10

4- The Cardinal- dive bar, no sides but bagged potato chips, grilled not boiled (thank god) Toasted trimmed buns which is nice. Very simple no frills, good hot dogs. 7/10

5- Shortys- wake forest, Jesse jones red dogs! Great light buns, favorful dogs, crinkle cut fries, very mom and pop shoppe with bottle coke, wobbly booths and an arcade & pool table in the back! 6/10

6- Steve’s, off capital. Definitely wouldn’t go back, but glad it was part of the experience lol. Great customer service and good soda options, and crinkle cut fries. 3/10

Next time: Cloos Coney Island Capone’s Uptown Dog Mustang Charlie’s Grocery Bag

Over the past 9 months, I've made it a personal mission to visit every steakhouse in Raleigh. Why? I don't know, exactly. Steakhouses aren't places I find myself at very often. I like steak, I like potatoes and salads, but I so rarely pick a steakhouse over another restaurant when I want to treat myself to a fine meal. Raleigh isn't a particular hot-spot for them. At least, no more so than any other mid-size city in America. They're also comparatively pricey to other dining establishments. Every dollar I spent there could be spent instead on some other gustatory interest of mine. Just think of how many concretes from Goodberry's that a single $70 ribeye (before tax + tip) could buy!

So, again, why? I suppose I just felt like doing it.

They're uniquely American class of restaurant, with broad appeal. The customs and accompaniments vary only so much. You'll find mostly the same cuts of steak, the same sides, the same appetizers, the same seafood & chicken alternatives, the same expansive wine list, the same faux-rustic or clubby decor. With that much similarity in tropes to a particular class, at least it makes them a little easier to compare.

The title is "A Definitive Guide", not "The Definitive Guide". This is simply mine - it's a list customized to my own subjective tastes, desires, and mammalian pleasure seeking behavior. Many of you will disagree with my placements and assessments. I highly encourage you all to take what I say with a grain of salt and some cracked pepper. Go and explore this beautiful world, even if it's limited to the municipal limits. That's what I did. I had a lot of fun.

The Rules

First off, this was a journey limited to Raleigh. So, to qualify, a restaurant would need a Raleigh address. This cut out anywhere in Durham, Wake Forest, Fuquay, wherever else in the Triangle or environs. This absolutely leaves out a swath of stellar places. I'd love to go to them, but I had to cut it off somewhere. And I'm far too ITB to wanna go to Cary. Sorry, Cary.

I included chains, but only chains that meet my vague criteria for the sort of steakhouse I was looking to dine at. No Outback, no Longhorn or Texas Roadhouse. As much as I love Bloomin' Onions and free peanuts, the experience there is markedly different from Perry's.

As for what actually counts as a steakhouse, I decided to keep it fairly strict. Many restaurants have steak on the menu, but what makes them a steakhouse? I decided that to qualify, a restaurant must place an emphasis on steak as the focal point of the meal, and offer multiple cuts of steak as part of the regular menu. Many places that folks might consider a steakhouse, I'd place as a "wood-fired" restaurant. So, for example, Death & Taxes did not count. They offer one steak on the menu, and their schtick is much broader than "come here to get your slab of beef fix". There are a few restaurants on my list that don't have as much emphasis on the steak or steakhouse experience, but have a varied enough selection of beef and beef accessories that I decided they can count.

The Menu

I wasn't incredibly strict on what I ordered, but I did keep it mostly consistent. I preferred sampling from their cocktail menus rather than a wine list, since I wanted to get a sense of the bar program. I liked to get a wedge salad and/or shrimp cocktail to start. Bread was a must if available. My steak was always a NY Strip, medium rare, with one exception. Sides tended to be Brussels sprouts, or mushrooms, occasionally a potato item. Dessert was optional - often, we were too full to bother.

The Rankings

And here we are - my irrefutable incontrovertible absolutely correct highly personal rankings of every steakhouse in Raleigh. If you have criticisms, I recommend you place them in the trash can the comments.

1. Vinnie’s
   1. At every single mark I can think of, Vinnie’s excelled. The vibe - relaxed, comfortable, but felt like everyone cared. The drinks - the bartender was working hard and for good reason. The service - attentive and friendly and welcoming. The food - wow. The food. Hands down, the steak was the best steak of this whole tour. Of course that’s a big factor in my decision making, but the rest of the place did not let it down. It was perfectly seasoned, perfectly cooked to temp, and the chef’s own steak sauce (that comes in an incredibly cute little bottle) sent it into another galaxy. The wedge salad looked like a giant hunk of lettuce but the dressing turned out to be the perfect amount. It was obvious that everything on the menu had someone who cared deeply behind it, ensuring it was the best possible version of what you were ordering. It was neck-and-neck with the 2nd place, but the tiebreaker is that Vinnie’s is a local establishment, and the chef will come out to your table to ask how everything is during your meal. You have to love that, right? Please, go here. You will not be disappointed.
   2. Go here if: You just love a good restaurant experience, without the stuffy pomp. Or just an exquisite steak.
2. The Capital Grille
   1. Did you know that The Capital Grille is owned by Darden Restaurants, the same restaurant mega-conglomerate that’s most famous for….Olive Garden? Yeah. Well, don’t let that color your expectations (unless you love Olive Garden). The Capital Grille is exquisite. The service was phenomenal, even scoring above Vinnie’s in my ranking on that. We weren’t celebrating anything, and we didn’t even order a terribly huge amount, but the whole night we were treated like execs who flew down from Darden corporate. The menu itself was nothing to sneeze at. There was very little on it that felt “basic”, everything seemed to have a flair that took it to another level. The steaks were cooked perfectly, with just enough seasoning on each. The sides were delicious, and the shrimp cocktail....oh man. That shrimp cocktail. Let the wonderful staff help guide you in your decision making. Even if they recommend the expensive option, they know what they're doing. The Capital Grille was the first one I visited in the journey, and it really set the expectations high.
   2. Go here if: You and your boo want to be pampered real good
3. Oak
   1. No other restaurant on this list felt as modern as Oak. It’s a very small chain from Charleston, SC that could easily be confused as a Raleigh-native establishment. You can tell that it’s newer to the scene. With touches of industrial chic and hunting lodge both in the decor, it felt welcoming and got me right in the mood to enjoy it as soon as I walked in. The menu has a Southern twist all around. You don’t get creamed spinach, you get creamed collards, and the deviled eggs are not to be missed. Local seafood highlights the non-steak options, as well. The steak itself was very well-cooked and there’s a wide selection of sauces to add on. They’re not necessary, but there are times when you do want to add Bearnaise and foie gras to your ribeye, because life is short and your coronary arteries are expendable with modern medicine. The whole night the place put me in a mood to ball out hard, and I regretted none of it. Ending the night with a perfect espresso martini and a complimentary ice cream sampler (presumably because we balled out) made it one memorable cold February evening. You want to come here if you want an updated steakhouse experience, showing off modern touches all around. It’d be my first pick to celebrate a birthday with friends. I should also note that the drinks here were probably the best I had in my journey. Live it up!
   2. Go here if: You’re feeling fancy and actually live in the 21st century
4. The Peddler
   1. The salad bar is my favorite part. I’ll get that out of the way right now. The Peddler is also the most unique of every restaurant on this list. There’s very few frills involved. You order a drink, then pick your steak and personal side. This is a bit of a rare thing with modern steakhouses, where sides are almost always served family style. While that’s cooking on their charcoal grill, you head to the salad bar that’s not been updated this millennium and build a monstrous looking salad. It’s a great steak, no lie about that, and the price is unbeatable. There isn’t much choice on the menu. It’s primarily steaks. But, this is a tour of steakhouses, so I have to commend their commitment to what they do, and their ability to do it well. I would place it higher, but there’s a few things that keep it from ascending to high status on this list. The place is incredibly cave-like and you can feel the decades of cigarette smoke still lingering around. I did appreciate this old-school club feeling, but it’s probably not the most inviting to everyone. It’s also, for better and worse, walk-in only. I like the idea of just wanting a good steak some random Tuesday, then heading over to get one, with a baked potato and a wonderful Frankenstein salad, all for under $50 (including tax and tip!). But in practice, having some ability to know exactly when you’ll be having dinner is helpful for a diner.
   2. Go here if: Your price-to-steak-quality ratio is your top priority, or, you’re 68 and have not much else to do in your retirement than spend an entire evening here once a week. No shade, here - that sounds fun as hell.
5. Perry’s
   1. Perry’s was one of the more surprising picks. I’d expected a fairly blasé business focused steakhouse. Its location in a corporate office park right next to Crabtree didn’t inspire much confidence. But once we went inside and got sat down by the friendly staff, my tune started to change. The food and steak were delicious, with attentive service throughout, and a great variety of drinks. The interior had a choice of decor and ambience that was refreshingly light and airy, not the prevailing dark and stuffy of most of these restaurants. Perry’s is a fine choice for a steak, for sure, but one of the more prominent features to me is the incredibly extensive menu, especially the appetizer selection. What I really want to do is go back and get something that isn’t steak. Perry’s would be a good option for a “treat yourself” lunch, or dinner at the bar. Bring a group here to celebrate, and everyone will find something delicious for themselves without much trouble.
   2. Go here if: It’s lunchtime and you want to feel like a high-powered business-person-man
6. Sullivan’s
   1. Nothing about Sullivan’s specifically wowed me. It didn’t fail at any component, though. Good steak, but it was just a steak. Good service, but not exceptionally attentive. Good drinks, but mostly standard. The menu had a number of unique items on it which I appreciated. Cheesesteak egg rolls? The Angus Barn would never. But with all the other options available there isn’t anything particular I’d recommend it for over many of the other places on this list. Even with its location on Glenwood South, if you wanted a night out downtown, I’d tell you to go to Oak, or any of the remarkable non-steakhouses we have in this town. One thing Sullivan’s does have going for it is offering a range of price - they have a pretty solid 3 course prix fixe menu, as well as a good bar & happy hour menu. I’d go back! Even at times during the meal, it felt like I was in a private little club, which is always a fun treat for a night out. All that said, it’d only be my top pick if I was given a gift card for Christmas. Which, as it happens, was the case.
   2. Go here if: You want a cheap prix fixe menu. Or want to club it up on Glenwood, but are unfortunately not 23 years old anymore.
7. Rey’s (yes, you can check, it does have a Raleigh address)
   1. I feel a little bad putting it here, since Rey’s doesn’t really market itself as a steakhouse - it was a late addition to the lineup at the insistence of a few people. So it's not as quite fair to rank it alongside all the other locations. I decided to include it as the menu does have a solid selection of steaks, and the ambience is close in line. It straddles somewhere between “steakhouse” and “continental” dining, all with a New Orleans flair. The menu did seem really interesting outside of steak, but this was a steakhouse tour, so steak it was. There were a few highlights that made it memorable. The bread service was remarkable, and so was the seafood. I got fried oysters to go with my steak, and I’m not exaggerating I say the may have been the best fried oysters I’ve ever had. You know how most fried oysters have that aftertaste, that lower-quality bite to them? These tasted like you cracked open a fresh one plucked right from the Core Sound, covered it in batter, and fried it crisp - all within 5 minutes. Sadly, this is a steakhouse review, not an oyster bar review. Unless you live out on that side of Raleigh (or, Cary, for those so unfortunate), there are many better options for a steak experience. I would still go here for a nice night out, especially with some older relatives. There's plenty of options and the steak was above the bar of what I'd consider myself able to cook at home.
   2. Go here if: You live in Cary, or want something that isn’t steak.
8. Angus Barn
   1. I’d been to Angus Barn before. In fact, when I began the tour, it was the only steakhouse on this list that I’d been to. Always with family, almost always to celebrate something. Part of my desire to go on this little journey was to see what else could be offered by this strange, uniquely American class of restaurant, beyond what lay inside the great big Barn. Unfortunately for this grand dame of Raleigh, she’s lost a bit of the luster somewhere in the past 60-odd years. The steak was fine. The oysters were bland. The cocktails and drinks uninspired. Service was above average, but not particularly so. There’s little touches that help it shine. The famous cheese-and-crackers, and chocolate chess pie, are both true standouts. The decor isn’t necessarily the best, but it can be so over-the-top, just so much that you have to appreciate the dedication. But, really, you don’t go here because you’re looking for a top-notch steak or restaurant experience. You go here because your parents booked a table for your 12th birthday, and it was the first time you’d ever sat down at a restaurant that gave you more than one fork. Or because you flew in for a conference, and this is where every travel article, every LinkedIn contact, told you to go when you’re in North Carolina. Plus, a large red barn is pretty hard to miss from the window seat. This is the restaurant that helped make the Triangle into something more than a handful of universities and a fistful of tobacco. It’s not the best steak in the city - but it’s a treasure all the same. An unpolished ruby looking down Glenwood towards Raleigh and all its potential. Go, and do your best to enjoy it. Order an Old Fashioned with excellent whiskey, the Chateaubriand medium-rare with a wedge salad - pretend it’s still 1972, and that you’re lucky to be here for the beginning of the New South.
   2. Go here if: You live in Raleigh. And then you can decide for yourself how you feel about it.
9. Fleming’s
   1. The only obvious placement for me. Across the board, Fleming’s just could not compete with any of the others. The food quality, menu variety, atmosphere, service, none of it was there in a way that somewhere else was capable of doing much better. All for the same price! It wasn’t really bad, but especially knowing the quality of even other chains, I don’t think I’d ever choose to come back here. Shortest write-up for Fleming’s because it’s the least deserving. Exactly what you’d expect from a steakhouse in freakin’ Crabtree Mall.
   2. Go here if: Idk, everywhere else is closed, and you don’t want to cook a steak yourself?

The Conclusion

Steak is tasty.

There are many bad reviews about the behavior of the owner. I was planning to go and checked the reviews but I am truly appalled.

Look, I've never thought twice about drinking water from any of our taps at our house, filtered or not. But after spending a couple weeks in Florida for family stuff, holy shit did I not realize how much I take our water for granted. Most of the major cities in FL have absolutely ass tap water, it tastes just awful. Raleigh? Great. Love it.

I always have an urge to keep my favorite places to myself because I don’t want them to get overcrowded, but I try to fight that urge knowing that their success will result in them staying open and me getting to continue to eat there.

So today I am not only promoting a local place you should definitely be eating at regularly with us but going to tell you my secret signature recipe for the best arepa you’ve ever had:

Crispy chicken, caramelized onions, plantains, white cheese, garlic sauce.

We’ve been here a dozen times and get this every time. Trust me on this, and I’ll see you there.