Mandolin

Hubs found this spot for us to try so we stopped by for lunch and LOVED it! Mandolin is taking names on Yelp, and the reviews don't lie. Mandolin's shrimp and grits, and their corn crab bisque is quite tasty! (The sweet tea gets an honorable mention as well because it was perfectly brewed and sweetened.) The service was fast and friendly and the chef stopping by to greet each table was a nice touch. Definitely worth a repeat visit. Cheers!

I can't recommend this business enough. We came here on our wedding anniversary and it is a great place to celebrate.The serving staff offered a warm welcome when we arrived, and they were also attentive while we were at our table. The whole restaurant was also really nicely kept, with an elegant southern theme.Then there's the food. The food was "wow". One of the best chicken and waffles dishes that I've ordered. And my wife's steak frites were the best steak cuts that we've tasted in the city thus far. It was so delicious, that if we are ever craving steak for our fancy date night, this is going to be at the top of our list.Great food, great people, and great vibes - it's hard to be at a restaurant like this. Get out to it when you have the chance!

I came here with my husband for our anniversary, since we had yet to try this place. It wasn't very busy on a Sunday night, and it was easy to park in the nearby parking lot. They first seated us near the windows right underneath the AC. We asked to be moved, which was not a problem and much more comfortable. We both got cocktails. My Bahama breeze was delicious. We also started with the cornbread, which was quite tasty with some sorghum butter. I got the steak frites. Nice and rare how I like it and very tender. The fries were also good. I didn't care for the vegetables. The carrots were very weird and the green beans were too crunchy.I find it a little odd when a nicer restaurant has you pay with the waiter/waitress instead of them taking your card and then returning with the receipt. I would come again and maybe try their brunch sometime.

Mandolin has been on my list to try for years so we finally visited for a birthday dinner. It's in a lovely old building at the corner of Fairview and Oberlin. Parking is on the street. We had reservations so were seated quickly. Server brought us water and also left carafes on the table for refills which I appreciate because water glasses were small. I ordered the Poolside Punch which was delicious. Fruity but not too sweet. Husband and I ordered the tomato and peach salad to start. Presentation was lovely and I could tell the tomatoes and peaches were top quality but it was just nothing special. Had I made the recipe at home I would have put a note that said "just okay, don't make again ". Same for my entree, the catch of the day which was a NC striped bass. Fish was bland as some fish can be but the accompaniments did not jazz it up. Big disappointment for $46. My youngest ordered a burger from the bar menu and thoroughly enjoyed it. Oldest son ordered a special of the day vegetable appetizer based on Nashville hot chicken and loved it. He also enjoyed his chicken special and panna cotta for dessert. I tasted his panna cotta and it was very flavorful. So maybe I just ordered the wrong things but overall was pretty disappointed. I will say the service was impeccable and did enjoy the atmosphere.

We were a bit disappointed on this visit this Friday night. Mandolin "had been" one of our favorite places with a high level of consistency. However, tonight did not live up to what we've come to expect. Turn around time for the food order was longer than usual due to new staff in the kitchen, which we understood. We had the pork chop and the chicken & dumplings. The huge chop was well prepared but was lacking in flavor. It was just a large chunk of meat. The non-traditional chicken & dumplings was delicious ... Full of flavor, fresh veggies and tasty chicken. This was a great menu item. We also tried the cornbread, a portion of which went to a charitable cause. I liked it but my other half wasn't a fan. The drinks were thin, which was disappointing. I've reduced my previous 4-stars to 3 based on this visit. We hope this visit was an anomaly for this "favorite place" of ours.

An excellent brunch as this storefront spot in the Hayes Barton neighborhood. Its a square restaurant. Entrance at the center, dining room with 15 tables to the left and dining room with about 10 tables to the right. Bar is at the rear right, kitchen to the rear left. Cool ambiance with displays of canned veggies and a fresh flower arrangement. Noise level is medium, which is great for a leisurely meal and conversation without shouting. Ethan did a great job taking care of us. Explained the menu, made a few recommendations, food served as-ordered at a great pace. THANK YOU! Began with a tray of fresh, warm biscuits with butter and raspberry preserves. Biscuits fluffy, moist and not too crumbly. A great start!Tried a Bloody Mandolin, the restaurant's take on the classic bloody mary. It's a tasty mix, just spicy enough to tingle the taste buds. Garnished with beautiful pickled okra. I tried chicken hash. This features shredded dark-meat chicken, served with of freshly broiled potatoes and onions. The taters are excellent - crunchy on the outside, hot and moist on the inside. Chicken flavorful, not at all dry. The hash is topped with a medium-hard sunny side up egg. My only regret is not to have asked for the egg soft - those potatoes would have been OUTSTANDING in the egg yolk. Around the table, tried chicken biscuits. Those same biscuits, this time sliced and topped with chicken breast. Envision the same taste as Chick-fil-a but bumped up about 5 notches. Mandolin offers great food, a leisurely experience and great service. Go!

The service was a little slow the night we went, but the food was delicious. The ambiance give clean modern farmhouse. I don't eat pork and the majority of the menu is pork which made me sad. But from what I did eat the food was thoughtful and well plated. Absolutely elevated southern food. Just enough to fill you up but still leave room for some banana foster.

After a hiatus of a few years, we decided it was time to revisit Mandolin! Memories of past experiences here set a high bar for our return. However, the Mandolin of today seems to have drifted somewhat from its former glory.First off, let's talk ambiance. The energy in the restaurant was undeniable, though the volume levels have tipped into what some might affectionately call "lively" territory. For us, it bordered on loud, challenging the intimate dining experience we sought. Not a date night recommendation if you want conversation over a yell. That told, there was a a large party in the event room. Nevertheless, worth asking for an otherwise nice space.Now, onto the food. We started with the pimento cheese, a dish that thankfully still managed to capture some of the magic we remembered. Unfortunately, the main courses didn't quite live up to that initial spark. My steak, was frankly a letdown. While the presentation was appealing, the steak lacked flavor, and the sauce, rather than enhancing the dish, overwhelmed it, leaving little room for the natural taste of the beef to shine through.On a brighter note, the service at Mandolin remains impeccable. The staff was attentive, friendly, and genuinely seemed to care about our experience. This aspect of Mandolin has not changed and is something the restaurant continues to excel at.

Food is outstanding. Service was great. Ambiance upscale but relaxed. Cool unique drinks.

Found this restaurant on Open Table and made a reservation for a dinner meeting. The restaurant has a homey feel and is visually appealing. Lighting is warm and inviting. We had the pork belly, cornbread, pork chop, chicken and waffles, and cavatelli. Our food was all absolutely delicious. We enjoyed every bite. Our only issue was how loud the restaurant gets when it is full. All surfaces are hard, so the restaurant gets extremely loud, and it's difficult to hear people at your table.