Academy Street Bistro

I visited Academy Street Bistro for lunch for the first time today, having intended - but failing - to go any number of other times. Since it was just going to be me today, I made a reservation to sit at the bar. (Plus: You can reserve a seat at the bar or at a table, indoors or outdoors.)It's a lovely little space. The bar is small, but comfortable. Becca was the bartender. I asked her about the fried calamari and she recommended it - "Not at all rubbery." When it arrived, she was spot on. Small, but tender pieces, perfectly seasoned. I would definitely order that again.I think I'll try to get a windowside table (regular, not a high-top, as they have in the bar area) on my next visit.

Food and service are both great every time we come here! The short rib tacos are the best I've had.

Nice - indoor and outdoor seating and some gluten free. They have homemade gluten free bread so I had a BLT instead of a salad and it was amazing. The best BLT I have ever had. My husband had Lobster Bisque was excellent and crab cake salad was also great. A total win today and a very relaxing lunch.

Bottom line: Academy Street Bistro in Ashworth Village served up a good late lunch with a couple of their starter appetizers and dessert. An enjoyable nice meal experience with prices to match that expectation (not the most inexpensive menu selections). Can be for casual or a little bit nicer if needed. The Deets:Around the old downtown Cary area near the train station, I stopped into Academy Street Bistro for a late lunch. I remembered I had gone to a Yelp event here years ago but had not made it back since then. I was seated immediately in the high top table area near the bar. I wanted just a couple of things but not a huge lunch, and their appetizer/starters menu did the trick for this need. I started off with their Grilled Brie selection. This choice was a good one, the Brie was warm and soft with a cooked apple type topping that was the perfect complement to the cheese and served with crackers. My next selection was their starter size of their Jumbo-Lump Crab Cakes (with Romesco, shaved almonds, and fennel). I guess I was thinking about the word "Jumbo" but then realized that this was a starter portion of the crab cakes when it arrived. The crab cakes themselves are not huge in size but definitely good in taste and I enjoyed them very much with the tomato based Romesco sauce being a nice burst of flavor to complement the crab cakes. I had thought I would do a lighter meal but when my server Kalli (who was great, by the way) mentioned dessert, I decided to give it a go. I went with the featured cheesecake which was chocolate bourbon pecan cheesecake made at Blue Moon Bakery within the same shopping area (Ashworth Village) that Academy Street Bistro is in. The cheesecake was delicious and I could taste each of the three distinct flavors in a nice balance. In all, it was a delicious late lunch and I enjoyed my visit. Are they the most inexpensive meal around? No. Is it a nice but casual, good meal experience? Yes, at least my late lunch was good and I would like to experience their dinner selections at some point in the future.

If you haven't been to this place for dinner you have truly missed a hidden gem in downtown Cary. I've been here prior for lunch but nothing compares to their Chefs dinner selections. Service is always exceptional and the restaurant has a warm charm with local artists work displayed. My husband and I tried the chefs special which was a lobster and halibut stuffed lobster tail served with arugula beet salad over a coconut curry purée and potatoes. Also they offer cake and cheese cake selections from Once and A Blue Moon bakery. We will definitely be back!

A really nice upscale dining experience without being stuffy.The food was really good and the service was friendly. The short ribs weren't served in a traditional way but fashioned into a circular mound. Wonderful taste and texture without being messy. That was great since I was on a date and who wants to be looking like a cave man eating ribs or watching a cave man eat ribs?When we were on our way out the manager said hello to us and apologized for not getting over to our table, which was super nice.I'd really like to go back.I thought the decor was a bit austere but that was okay because the place has a very clean, crisp vibe.

My wife and I stopped by here the other night, and had a nice experience. It could have been better, but will definitely return.Pros: The patio area was beautiful and romantic at night, nice wine list for a small place, and the mushroom risotto and baked brie were phenomenal.Cons: The service was marginal at best (didn't really know the draft beers even though menu said to ask your server), the app plates we were initially given were filthy and the server seemed unconcerned, and the charcuterie board was lacking compared to many others of similar price in the Triangle. Overall, we had a nice time. The beers and plates were server issues that could have been avoided but I'm not going to judge the place overall due to one employee. And the food we liked was well worth the trip and a return visit.

I had a delicious sandwich. The customer service was great. The restaurant is in a nice location, walking distance from the cute activities in quaint downtown Cary.

Went here looking for a good dinner spot in Cary and I'm so glad we came here. I maybe should have made a reservation in advance because it didn't know how busy it would be. Not a problem though! We were quickly seated outside on a busy Friday evening. The weather was perfect (not too cold) for early fall. I enjoyed the seasonal cider they had and my husband had a beer from their menu which is packed with a great wine list, cocktails and other drink options. To start, we had the Baked Brie. If you love cheese, do yourself a favor and order it. It was so warm and delicious with jam and sliced nuts. Served with bread and it was such a delight. I had the Wild Mushroom Risotto which was cooked perfectly! I love mushrooms and this was such a bowl of comfort on a early fall evening. I highly recommend. My husband ordered the Port Braised Short Ribs and they were nothing short of delicious! I had a small bite and they were cooked so tender and soft. It was some of the best short ribs we've ordered for sure.

Recently, a friend and I lunched at Academy Street Bistro. Neither of us had been there in a long time, but we were rewarded with friendly, competent service, food as advertised and a nice Cary vibe. We both decided on the crab cake sandwich which comes with a side salad or fries. We both opted for the fries which were hot, crispy and delicious. Crab cake was as tasty as I'd remembered with a flavorful, not too spicy, remoulade. This pace can be noisy due to the high ceilings and lots of hard surfaces. I will definitely remember Academy Street Bistro as a good Cary luncheon spot when I'm back in the area. Parking can be tight, so plan ahead!