The Most Delicious Venues & Event Spaces in Raleigh

Azitra - Indian Culinary Nirvana

★★★★☆ 3.9 (431) • $$

"I really enjoyed dining at Azitra. The service was attentive, kind and courteous. The ambiance is modern and upscale and Azitra truly offers a modern Indian cuisine dining experience in Brier Creek. The cocktails are excellent and the menu is unique. There is something for everyone to enjoy from seafood to briyani. My friend and fellow foodie extraordinaire suggested we check the restaurant out for dinner during the week. Upon arrival the restaurant was not crowded and few people were dining or seated at the bar. The staff were very attentive and polished. We were seated at a booth where I really enjoyed the white crocodile faux leather booths. Very posh. Indian food is one of my favorites, I was no stranger to the menu offerings but had a hard time deciding. My friend decided to try a few appetizers and we sampled each others with cocktails. We had the gobi Manchurian cauliflower, Kabob assorted skewers, scallops and garlic naan. We ordered martinis with the bubbles presentation. I ordered the lemon garden with vodka and lycheetini with Gin. Both excellent. Nick our waiter made it special for us with the bubbles gun. Unfortunately a few of the appetizers we had did not blow me away. My favorite being the scallops and garlic naan. The scallops were meaty, juicy and seared to perfection. Well done. For dessert we enjoyed the sampler but our favorite of the trio was the limoncello marscapone cake. Devine. Nick was our waiter and Ashish the Assistant Manager provided excellent service. Always checking in to offer a drink or answer a question. Nick was always willing to make a suggestion about a menu item or offer more to enjoy. I will absolutely be back to enjoy the service, cocktails and celebrate a special occasion. The restaurant is upscale, so you should expect the prices to reflect that. Plan ahead financially."

Mulino Italian Kitchen & Bar

★★★★☆ 3.8 (426) • $$

"Mulino, aka "Melrose Knitting Mill" is housed in a renovated 19th-century building that was originally used as a knitting mill which specialized in underpants and bathing suits. The building retains much of its historical character, with exposed brick walls, large windows, and wooden beams. It truly is a beautifully renovated venue. Fortunately, the underpants and bathing suits have long been replaced by an endless resource of stunning Italian cuisine, where red vino and red sauce pleasantly litter the menu and one of the finest entrees on it is their house made lasagna. Its rich in flavor, layered with thin noodles to ensure your palate captures the flavors of all ingredients across the board. As far as I am concerned, the best seats in the house are on the outdoor patio next to the large fountain, on a good weather day of course. No worries if there is a good chance of rain, they have everything covered. I am a fan of authentically made cannoli, so end the night right with one of the freshly prepared cannoli's'. The subtle sweetness of the filling, the slight tang of the ricotta, and the delicate flavor of the crisp shell, all prepared in-house, YUM! Mulino will see us again, Cheers!"

MOFU Shoppe

★★★★☆ 4.2 (320) • $$

"On a busy first Friday night in downtown Raleigh, we decided to have dinner at Mofu Shoppe! There was a 35-40 minute wait for a table for 2 (we didn't make a reservation), so we opted to sit at the last 2 seats at the bar! It took a little time for one of the awesome bar tenders to wait on us, but it's understandable for a super busy Friday night. It's a super cute vibe. There's even a little upstairs balcony looking seating area. I really liked the vibe here. The service was pretty good to top it off!My daughter had been here before and surprisingly it was my first time. Since she had decided to come here again, I let her order. She ordered us several shareable to share :)The Beef Bulgogi Dumplings were absolutely amazing. It came with an even more yummy kimchi bbq sauce for dipping. The Kimchi tots were amazing, such an amazing flavor profile. On to the Mofu Wings, they have a few flavors, we ordered the Thai Chili, soooo delicious. And lastly the Crispy Brussels w/ Fried Tofu. The Brussels were delicious. I was literally dancing in my seat the food was so good. If you know me, I hardly ever give 5's. I give glowing 4's, but 5's are rare. I'll be dreaming about this food until I go back next."

Caffe Luna

★★★★☆ 3.9 (371)

"DELICIOUS Italian cuisine in the cutest restaurant!I've seen this place so many times, but haven't gotten a chance to visit. My mom was in town for her birthday so I decided it would be a great opportunity to check it out. I made a reservation for a Friday evening through OpenTable. This restaurant is located in downtown Raleigh. Although there is street parking, it is scarce and there's other businesses, bars, and restaurants in the area that also use that parking. There are, however, pay lots and parking decks right across the street and a short walk there. The inside of the restaurant is small, but it really fits the feel and makes it feel more authentic. The menu has great options. They only have beer and wine for the drink menu. We both ordered a glass of wine and were given break and olive oil for dipping. The bread was really good. It was the right temperature and taste. I ordered the Tortelli Crostacci and it was so good. I love good Italian cuisine and this was fresh and flavorful. My mother ordered the Parmigiana di Vitello (Veal Parmigiana) and her meal was great too. The food was fresh and flavorful and cooked well. The prices were reasonable, especially for the quality and quantity of food. I have fallen in love with this place and can't wait to return!"

Bin 54 Steak & Cellar

★★★★☆ 4.1 (265) • $$$

"We had a wonderful experience at Bin 54 Steak & Cellar. This is one of the only non-chain, high-end steakhouses in Chapel Hill. The food, drink, and service were among the best we've experienced in the Chapel Hill-Durham area. This is a locally-owned-and-operated business. It's been around since 2006, so it's stood the test of time. If you're looking for a nice dinner out in Chapel Hill, I highly recommend this place.Book your reservation using OpenTable. I'm a fan of OpenTable because it lets you earn rewards such as restaurant discounts and Amazon gift cards. I used my last two points redemptions for gift cards. It's a nice perk for dining out at no additional cost to you.Bin 54 is located in the small Glen-Lennox Shopping Center on highway 54 (Raleigh Rd) at 15-501 (Fordham Blvd). There's free self-parking in the shopping center's lot. No valet. Every time we've come here, the parking lot has been close to full.This is one of those classic, old-school, white tablecloth steakhouses with formally-dressed staff, some in suits like the general manager (Michael Fiscus, who greeted us when we checked in) and sommelier. All staff wear at least bow ties/neckties. We had a Tuesday 7:30pm reservation. We arrived early and the place was packed and busy. Bar manager Collin Lusty took care of us while we waited at the bar. Here, you have the option of eating at the bar.The interior was dimly lit with different rooms and nooks with seating. My wife and I were seated at one of the two-tops in the center of the main dining room. The way the room is setup, there are U-shaped booths along the perimeter so the folks who sit there look inwards towards the center tables. For a two-top, our table was nice and big to fit everything, but my wife and I were farther apart from each other than we're used to when dining out (a lot of leaning forward to talk; not a big deal).Below is a list of what we had. It should give you an idea on what Bin 54 has to offer and the pricing at the time of our visit."Beginnings" (Appetizers)* Beef Tenderloin Tartare ($18) - cornichon, capers, shallots, quail egg, potato crisp* Seared Diver Scallops ($25) - cauliflower puree, butternut squash caponata, Calabrian chili agrodolce"Land" (Steaks)* Bone-In Ribeye ($78) - 22 oz. with au poivre vert sauce on the side* Filet Mignon ($55) - 10 oz. with bearnaise sauce on the side"Companions" (Sides)* Mushroom Ragout ($14) - garlic, thyme* Creamed Spinach Casserole ($12)* Truffled Four Cheese Macaroni ($16)Dessert* Banana Pudding ($12) - bourbon pecan cookie, toasted meringueClassic Cocktail* Perry's Terrace-tini ($14) - Absolut Citron vodka, pomegranate liqueur, lemon juice, mint; served up with a lemon twist and topped with sparkling cava* Vesper ($15) - Bombay Sapphire Gin, Stolichnaya "Stoli" Vodka, Lillet Blanc; served up with a twistSpecial Wine Feature* Portuguese Flight (three 3-ounce pours for $29)- Quinta de Saes, Dao Tinto, 2018- Fitapreta, A Touriga Vai Nua, 2021- Asnella, Single Vineyard, 2021 (Vinho Verde)Everything was phenomenal. No matter what type of food or drink it was, it was perhaps the best we've had in the Triangle, from the Scallops to the Banana Pudding. Even the complimentary bread and butter was fantastic. The Beef Tenderloin Tartare and the Seared Diver Scallops were terrific. One thing that stuck out to me about Bin 54's Beef Tartare was the potato crisps. Presumably housemade, they were really good. The Scallops were incredibly flavored and the meat itself was fresh and succulent.The steaks were A+. We ordered both steaks medium rare and they came out perfect. All aspects of the steaks were on point, from how they were seasoned and cooked to the meat quality. The au poivre vert and bearnaise sauces were housemade and excellent.The sides were amazing too. My wife and I love mushrooms and the Mushroom Ragout hit the spot. The mushrooms were super tasty and had very appetizing textures too. Both the Creamed Spinach Casserole and the Truffled Four Cheese Macaroni were rich and addictive. Generous portions.I loved everything about the Banana Pudding, from the toasted meringue on top to the cookie crumbles inside (my favorite part). This may have been the best Banana Pudding I've had anywhere.The cocktails were strong and delicious. The wine was superb.Our server Brandon was great. This business runs like a well-oiled machine. They got all the details locked down. If I recall correctly, Brandon used to be the bar manager at Cucciolo Osteria in Durham. The executive chef, Kevin Draper, came over from Fearrington House in 2009, so no surprise why the food is exceptional here.Bin 54 is part of the Giorgios retaurant group, named after founder-owner restaurateur Giorgios Bakatsias. At the time of writing this review, there are 16 Giorgios restaurants, 15 of which are located in the Triangle. In Chapel Hill, Kipos Greek Taverna and Osteria Georgi are also part of the group."

Venable Rotisserie Bistro

★★★★☆ 3.9 (281) • $$

"Had an excellent lunch, especially as what I ordered did not sound that exciting. I got there early and decided to get the calamari. I had just assumed it was fried calamari, realized it wasn't after I ordered it and was resigned to getting a dish I would just work through, as I am not a huge calamari fan normally outside of fried. Turns out it was fantastic. The calamari was not at all chewy, usually my big complaint, and the tomato/red pepper sauce was incredible. I easily ate all the pieces and was dying to lick the plate it was so good. I decided to go healthy with the main and went with the Cobb salad, also excellent. All of the ingredients were fresh and the Green Goddess dressing excellent, did not overpower the salad but also made it flavorful and interesting. The menu is not huge but what I had was done perfectly."

Tobacco Road Sports Cafe & Brewery

★★★★☆ 3.6 (198) • $$

"TLDR: Good flavorful food, reasonable prices, easy online ordering, mostly accurate orders. Limited veggies and excess oil in the pasta. Street parking available out front.I'm surprised I haven't been here before having dined at the Durham location in the past. I parked nearby for a different purpose and decided to order takeout for dinner. The online ordering is quick and easy. We chose Buffalo chicken eggs rolls ($10), squash and shrimp pasta ($15), cheesesteak ($12.50), and tater tots ($4). The cheesesteak was supposed to come with cheddar mac, but fries were provided instead. We did not care too much. Highlights of the meal were the egg rolls and tater tots. They were cooked well and had just the right amount of flavor. The pasta was okay once I cooked the shrimp more and removed all the excess oil. Some of the oil spilled during transport and it still had too much. Plus for having "butternut squash" in the name of the dish, I expected more of it. Nonetheless, we were satisfied with the meal and would eat here again."

The Boot Room

★★★★☆ 4.4 (111) • $$

"Dope place with delicious food and fun vibes. They offer a variety of different food. Burgers, salads, bowls, wings and more. Staff is amazing and I love how they sell beer, wine, merch and they have a bar! Prices are reasonable and you get a lot of food. Great place for a fun date night."

Convivio

★★★★☆ 4.2 (75)

"We had walked by several times and always thought this looked like a charming little Italian eatery and wine bar. We finally decided to make a reservation and go on a weekday night. They were offering a special three-course meal in addition to their regular menu of a few offerings, so both my wife and I ordered that. Honestly, I was hoping to like this place more but we were a little disappointed. Our wine pours were tiny and the the entree portions were really small. Our server asked if we'd like bread and olive oil and we said yes. When our bill arrived, we noticed we were charged for it. The ambiance was nice but we just don't think the prices justified the portions."

La Residence

★★★★☆ 3.8 (72) • $$

"My spouse and our friends came here for brunch following an event in chapel hill. There were several parking lots around and there was not a wait, around 11:00 on a Sunday. I got the GOAT Bloody Mary and it was good. The little grilled cheese wedges are a nice touch. I ordered the chicken and waffles and my spouse got huevos rancheros. Both of our food was a little on the cooler side of warm, which was a little bit of a disappointment. However, we did overhear our server saying they were incredibly short staffed. The chicken, minus the temperature, was 10/10 - some of the best chicken I've had. The waffle was also good, nothing special about it but it was well done. My spouses huevos rancheros were good and the pico tasted very fresh. However, it was VERY heavy on the potato's, which pretty much covered the bottom of the bowl. My spouse said it was a 3.5-4. Overall, I'd give this place a 3.5-4 for brunch."

The Architect Bar & Social House

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (106) • $$

"Surprised that Raleigh has such a cool speakeasy but not many good reviews! We were here for a work event and everyone absolutely loved the drinks and finger food here. There's a cool bookcase that actually opens to a tiny speakeasy located inside the architect! Bartender had good recommendations and service was good. Absolutely recommend!"

Middleburg Steak & Seafood

★★★★☆ 4.4 (39) • $$

"This steakhouse is wellknown to the locals in upper NC and lower VA. It is always packed and once you taste the food you will see why. Various other reviews state how they take the time and care to make your steak the right way and this is extremely accurate. Althouhonly certain sizes of steak are priced on the menu they will cut your steak to whatever size you like and expertly prepare it for you. I had a 16 oz prime rib and it was delicious when it hit the table and the leftovers were delicious the next day. If you are in this part of NC and you are a fan of steak, do yourself a favor and stop by. PS. The waitstaff is extremely friendly and well versed in the restaurant's offerings.l"

West End Kitchen & Catering

★★★★★ 4.5 (24)

"A day trip to FireClay Cellars then West End Kitchen for brunch is a must. After you order at the counter the rest of it is table service. I ordered the sawmill with a glass of Prosecco and my mom ordered the philippe's french dip with a beer. The service, drinks and food were all fantastic. My only negative feedback would be that the beers were overpriced."