Jaguar Bolera

I'm not sure what's going on with some of these reviews, but we had a great time. We were in town looking at colleges in Chapel Hill and Raleigh and were told to check this place out. Food was great, drinks were good, but they only have self-serve drink options, where you pour your own beers, cocktails and wine from a self-serve system. I liked that I didn't have to wait for anyone to come take our order, so we can go up and pour whatever we want, whenever we wanted to - I liked that. They had people at the stations, some more knowledgable than others, but it's only drinks, we don't need people with PhD's in mixology, so we loved the trial and error side of it all. I do wish they had a bar, or simple options like a vodka-soda. I wanted a negroni or a nice tequila + club, but ended up having the mezcal margarita and a glass of pinot noir. Loved them both. The food was fine. We got a bunch of stuff, but the tacos were a hit. I read some people knocking the service fee and I get it, but honestly the people working were all great and I would've left 20+%, so I have nothing to complain about. We'll be back next time we're in town.

What a fun place! We were so excited when we heard Chef Manny opened this spot in Raleigh after we watched him on Top Chef. Walking in, the decor is so fun and eccentric and bright! It is full of games, like pinball, darts, foosball, and board games. For drinks, you get a wristband and fill your own drinks - they range from beer to wine to cocktails, and even included 2 N/A mocktails! Food is ordered at the counter and delivered to wherever you are as the buzzer they give you has a tracker feature. The vibes were IMMACULATE and this would be such a fun place to go with a big group of friends.The food comes all at once, so we just ate everything together! My husband got the crispy chicken sandwich and I got the pork ribs al pastor. We shared the chorizo hushpuppies and a side of baked mac n cheese. The crispy chicken sandwich was huge! The telera bun and fried chicken were both perfectly crispy and the serrano mayo actually had some sweetness, which paired nicely with the tanginess from the slaw and pickles. The pork ribs also pastor fell RIGHT off the bone and had the best smokey flavor, which paired perfectly with the acidity of the lime-cured onions on top. It also came with a pineapple salsa, which looked like a salsa verde and I thought tasted like a green apple salsa - It was an interesting, unexpected flavor, which I didn't mind but also didn't necessarily love. The chorizo hushpuppies were a little bit of a letdown ONLY because the chorizo was nowhere to be found - we saw a bit of chorizo in one of the hushpuppies, but still couldn't taste it. That being said, they were some delicious hushpuppies - They were crisp but not dry like a lot of hushpuppies can get. The avocado crema it came with was good, but we liked the hushpuppies better on their own. The side of mac n cheese was a pretty solid mac - the crispy breadcrumbs on top were nice, but it was maybe missing something like some smokiness or spice to bring it to the next level. Overall this is such a fun place and we will definitely be back with a group! The cook on the meat here was spectacular and I will definitely be back for some brisket next time.*Crispy Chicken Sandwich: crispy chicken thigh, slaw, pickles, serrano mayo, telera bun*Pork Ribs Al Pastor: smoked spare ribs, pineapple salsa, lime cured onions, cilantro*Chorizo Hushpuppies: chorizo, avocado crema, cilantro, cotija*Baked Mac & Cheese

It's hard for me to find the words, but simply, I did NOT like this place. Not for what I was looking for in a town that I don't know. I always use Yelp to direct me and, sadly, my tried and true method failed me. I was looking for a taco place near where we had met friends on a Monday afternoon. This was NOT IT. Come here for the fun and games and the free pouring alcohol, but for TACOS, or any food to be honest, find somewhere else. We ordered the chicharrones, smoked wings, and 3 orders of tacos. The chicharrones were so hard that they were inedible. Even the layers of sauces that were drizzled all over them didn't soften them up. The smoked wings were a little too smokey and kind of dry. It's like the kitchen staff doesn't eat anything they produce. Or maybe we were just too sober. I was confused upon entering the door. I've never seen a pour-your-own set up like this before. But I was here for tacos so I didn't ask about the other aspects of the business. We ordered at the counter as instructed. We specifically asked if there was cilantro on the tacos (one member of our party doesn't like the flavor), the person taking our order wasn't able to answer the simple question, so we just asked them to note that there was to be no cilantro on one of the fish tacos. pretty easy, right? Well, person working the counter, the answer is YES, Yes they put cilantro on every single taco as a garnish which is virtually impossible to pick off. Did I mention that the tacos are $14 for 2. For a $7 taco I want something that is great, these were just fair. So much potential, and so much disappointment. Again, this is not a venue that puts food first, or second, or third. Go somewhere else if good food is what you are looking for. Or spend $70+ just to toss it in the garbage, your choice.

A very cool place great for group gatherings. The food was ok, alcoholic drinks were thin but they have an interesting selection of beers and ciders. The activities and social spaces were the real hit. Try the duck pin bowling ...

Jaguar Bolera is located in Raleigh Iron Works. My friends and I stopped in to play a few games and grab beers. We did not try the food. We played duckpin bowling for an hour then a game of foosball. They also have darts and a karaoke room. All activities, games, and entertainment are first come first serve. The beer, wine and cocktails are self pour with a wristband. I did not like this. It's way more expensive and depending on the beer it can be harder to pour. A few of the beers had also kicked and some just do not taste right. It was a fun time overall.

I wanted to try this place, since it is new. I went with some friends, and we got some food and drinks. I got the pork burnt ends and the chips and salsa. I got the Oaxaca salsa, which was ok. It's different from your typical salsa. The chips were good though. The burnt ends were very tasty, but it seemed expensive for the amount I got.One of the employees helped me figure out how to scan my wristband to get a drink. I tried the orange mezcal margarita, which was good. They have some other things you can add to your drink, and I added an orange. I didn't think it came out too fast, but I was trying to be very careful about pouring it. I've heard from others that the beer comes out with a lot of foam, so something to be wary of.We didn't play any games, but I would be interested to try some. I liked the atmosphere, and it wasn't super crowded on a Thursday night at 7 pm.The main reason I'm only giving 3 stars is the 18% automatic surcharge to the bill when you aren't being served. You're pouring your own drinks. The food is brought to you, but that's it. It's already pricey compared to other restaurants, so it doesn't make sense. It's also deceptive because the sign just says a service charge is included by the registers. It doesn't say the amount and doesn't say how that is on top of your bill.

This place is super unique for Raleigh and will do good just based off that. It's also designed really well and super modern and trendy on the inside. It's a large space with bowling, a board game room, darts, a karaoke room, drinks on tap, food, and more. It is also pink and purple cheetah themed so very cute for pictures. There are not too many bowling alleys so you will have to reserve it and plan ahead for your night here. Unfortunately we came here during two work parties who had it booked all day. Also- their bowling is different than the regular alley with small pins and balls. The drinks on tap range from the usual beer to wine and cocktails. It was cool to be able to get a bracelet connected to your card that you can tap to the screen and have it charge your card automatically. However, the cocktails were just not good. I think we had about 5 small drinks and got charged around $90. If they were great drinks I would've been happier with it but the drinks tasted cheap and watered down. There is only one karaoke room and that was also reserved for the hour so we threw some darts then went to the game room where we grabbed two board games to play and ordered food. The food was awful. I thought it was supposed to be a great dining experience but both the chicken quesadilla and overcooked chicken wings completely missed the mark- I would rate both a 3/10. I think a place with so many drinks and games NEEDS great food, or else people will leave looking for food. We left hungry and did eat somewhere else after. Even if they would just stick to great bar bites people would be happy. I have heard others say they thought the food was not good either and I just would not recommend it which is very unfortunate. I think this place can grow into something fantastic!

I had a decent experience at Jaguar Bolera. The staff at the wristband station provided clear explanations of how things worked. I liked the self-serve drink concept that's gaining popularity. The drinks were fresh and delicious, especially the Moscow mule and margarita. The wings and chorizo hush puppies were also good. However, there was an issue with one of the drink dispensers; it overcharged my friend and kept running, even after their glass was full. Also, the temperature in the venue was uncomfortably warm, and it felt like the AC needed adjusting.Overall, some improvements would've made my experience better. For what is offered here I think I'd whether hang out on my side of town. I wasn't all that impressed with this space.

This location offers a unique experience, especially when it comes to the food. The Lamb Taquitos were fried too hard in my opinion; I believe they would be improved by using a flour tortilla instead. Adding cilantro and onions on top, along with a cilantro lime vinaigrette for the cabbage salad, would enhance the overall dish as the cabbage salad alone was dry.My friends who ordered the Caesar Salads and added chicken and brisket really enjoyed their meals. My husband found the smoked brisket sandwich to be average; he mentioned that the sauce had a nice kick. However, the baked Mac 'n' cheese lacked flavor.The establishment was crowded with people, and all the games, including the dart game and three bowling lanes (two of which were reserved for parties that may not have shown up), had no time limits, making it challenging to participate. Seating was also a problem due to the high number of patrons and the limited available space, despite having cards and board games available for entertainment.Tips should be optional at a self service place!

We wanted to love this place so badly since we are huge Top Chef fans and enjoyed watching Manny. We had heard great things about their recent Top Chef dinner and after party, and am guessing we would have loved those events. Since we couldn't attend those, we were excited to try it out this Saturday afternoon for lunch.Like: greeted at door by a friendly Gal who told us the lay of the land.Dislike: that it's complicated enough that someone has to explain it to you.Dislike: discovered they only serve brunch menu until 3pm. They should make that clear on their website cause the regular menu is what enticed us in on a Saturday for lunch.Like: Gals at counter were nice. They even let us get a wrist band for drinks there after ordering our food, so we didn't have to go elsewhere, which is what we had originally been told to do.Neutral: the 18% automatic service charge. I had thankfully read reviews about it and knew to expect it. Have no problem paying service charges even when we are getting our own utensils, drinks, and ordering at a counter.Like: food is brought to you. Like: Wings good. Juicy. Zesty sauce. Husband said brisket sandwich was good. Dislike: The $18 sandwich came with nothing on the side. And wasn't exactly huge. Not enough for a meal. Same with the wings. I usually can't eat a whole order of wings, but I ate all 7 pieces and felt like they couldn't have been chintzier with the celery. Liked that they shaved the celery, but come on, maybe it was half a stalk's worth? Big dislike: We had just paid $45.98 for these two items and both of us were not even full. Note, we have zero problem paying higher prices when they are warranted (see lots of previous reviews), but come on, throw in a bag of chips, a cup of slaw, something with that sandwich! How about a whole stalk of celery and maybe a carrot stick with the $18 wings?Bigger dislike: (bordering on hate): the drink system. We have been to multiple places over the years with the pour your own system, but the system they are using here is flat out awful. Other establishments will have you pay a certain amount and then you pour what you want up to that amount. Here you give them a credit card, get a wrist band and have to trust them. Thought I'd have a glass of wine. Found a chardonnay that I've had in the past. Saw it was $2.00 an ounce, which sounded reasonable. Grabbed the same size glass I use at home, started to pour and literally a trickle came out. No big deal, but how do I know if I got charged for a full ounce or what? Went back to the counter and one of the gals checked my band and assured me I hadn't been charged for it and pointed to the drinks on the other side.Okay, went over there, and poured what I would have expected to be five ounces and looked up and it said EIGHT ounces. Uh, no. At this point there were lots of people at the counter so I just sucked it up. Husband went for beer and came back with mostly foam.HATE: Time to leave. Still hungry. Have spent $46 on food and "service". And have no idea what exactly our card will be charged for the glass of wine and beer foam. Went to counter to ask about cashing out. Well, you don't do that there. Told we would be cashed out in 24 hours. But she could cut my band off. Okay...thanks.It's been over 24 hours and I have still not gotten a receipt about the drink charges via email. They had sent an immediate receipt for the food, so I know they are capable of doing so. Went online to my credit card and discovered the charge for our drinks was $25.37. Just for my own sanity I went home and used a measuring cup to measure 8 ounces of liquid in the same size glass and I know for a fact that's not what I poured.Nitpicking: Only one soap dispenser and one dryer were working in the women's room. Not a big deal, but it's a new place so why aren't both working?Overall we both left feeling ripped off. Hate that! The two things we did eat were good, but not any better than what we could get elsewhere with full service. I get that restaurants need to come up with new concepts that have less staff to pay, but the weird thing here is there appeared to be plenty of staff around. Games: the sign said darts, board games and cards are free. Maybe we should have played something to feel better about having spent over $70 for one sandwich, some wings, a glass of wine and a glass of beer foam.